A year ago, his powerful team took its three straight National League Central Division crowns into a beautiful new ballpark, Enron Field, and was cast as a potential World Series contender. But the Astros' season unraveled early, in large part because of an elbow injury to flame-throwing closer Billy Wagner. With his fastball just ordinary, Wagner blew a handful of saves before having surgery. The Astros finished 18 games under .500, arguably baseball's most disappointing team. With Wagner back, the Astros could contend this season.
Closers can dictate the mood of a game.
They affect the emotions of players in both dugouts. The unsuccessful ones can demoralize their teammates. Losing games in the eighth and ninth inning kills your morale. The good ones comfort their teams. You give him the ball in the ninth inning with a lead and he delivers.