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"Pitchers and reserves." With baseball's All-Star Game less than two weeks away, this phrase makes its annual appearance, coming soon to a water cooler or sports bar near you. Each season, two or three relief aces make their way onto each league's roster. But the selection of these hurlers seems to be almost an afterthought. For any closer not among his league's saves leaders, All-Star selection is a pipe dream. Yet judging relievers solely on how many saves they earn benefits whoever gets the most save chances -- namely, the closers who happen to pitch for the best teams.

A baseball fan watching a closer enter a game will tend to have one of two reactions: a feeling of confidence or the rumblings of a possible ulcer. Even some of the saves leaders seem safe bets to send managers reaching for the antacid. So which closers are truly shutting down the opposition?

To determine this, it makes sense to look at how often each closer simply dominates, earning a save by throwing at least one full inning, while allowing no runs, hits, walks or hit batsmen. Let's call it a "perfect save." Holding such a high standard is appropriate, as allowing even one baserunner in a save situation throws a game's outcome into doubt. Among relievers with 10 or more save opportunities this season, the disparity in percentage of "perfect saves" is striking.

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