This week we examine the top five NL closers through the Closer Identifier Algorithm prism. As we stated last week, the best closers will be those with "automatic hold" statuses, no matter what subjective fantasy opinion may say otherwise, and no one with a "lose" status can be considered, even if they normally might be considered "safe" in the subjective opinion of fantasy punditry.

RELATED: This season's top five AL closers

Secondly, among the "automatic hold" group some have much better skills than others. Should that trump a superior ability to avoid blown saves? Maybe in real baseball that might be true, but not as far as CIA is concerned, which is why CIA has a strange take on these guys.

This is not meant to be a reflection of how they should be drafted next year, but only how they have done this year. Virtually all of the NL top five would be in the top three in the AL.

5. Aroldis Chapman, Reds: We are far lower on Chapman than most. Take away the name value and the hype and what do we have? A pitcher who is tenth overall in saves, and has the most blown saves of anyone in CIA's top 10. He also has a mediocre, for closers, K/BB ratio, a key ingredient in CIA's formula for success -- and a telling stat given how many strikeouts he has. The K rate is impressive, but after that he is not as good as the rest of the guys here.

4. Huston Street, Padres: Street, quietly, has the best save conversion percentage in the majors since the start of 2012, and is 30-for-31 this year. He has been much better in the second half, and excels in high-leverage situations, with a .210 wOBA, which is better than his own low- and medium-leverage results. And his 8.86 K/9 in the second half, with a 5.25 K/BB gets him the fourth spot in a very close call over Chapman. We are probably the only ones who rate Street higher.

3. Kenley Jansen, Dodgers: Were it not for the maddening machinations of manager Don Mattingly, Jansen might well be No. 1 among NL closers, if not all of baseball. His skill set is probably the best among all closers this year. The only knock is his save percentage, which on the surface doesn't look great, but since getting the full-time job he has only blown two chances since June 23. Chapman, by comparison, has blown three.

2. Steve Cishek, Marlins: After blowing an early save, he was pulled form the closer role in May, only to get it back shortly thereafter. Since then he has been a monster, converting 25 out of 26 chances, and his K/9 is over 10.0 since he got the job back. On his skill set alone he probably isn't in the top five. But when fantasy pundits say "draft skills not roles" that is not correct. Draft "roles" among closers with "hold" status or better.

1. Craig Kimbrel, Braves: There's no debating that Kimbrel is the best NL closer, as is the proposition that he has regressed since last year. That says a lot about just how great he was in 2012, and his season was worthy of comparison to the best relief seasons of all time. His K/9 this year is his worst since he came into the league in 2012, but his BB/9 held steady after last year, and is still below 3.00. Still only 25, we hope that he doesn't have a short shelf life like many other closers before him.

Honorable Mention: Edward Mujica, Sergio Romo, Jim Henderson



The current version of the Algorithm:







7. Is his BaseballHQ BPV above 80?
