POWER RELIEVERS' WORLD CHANGING.

Byline: Steve Dilbeck

ANAHEIM - There was the introduction of players, the requisite jet fly over, fireworks.

The Angels' season home opener with the Yankees on Friday looked a lot like the Dodgers' opener four days earlier, except for one minor detail.

The Angels and Yankees both had healthy closers. The Dodgers went without Eric Gagne, and as it turns out, are about to for sometime.

Francisco Rodriguez of the Angels and Mariano Rivera of the Yankees remain two of the absolute best closers in baseball.

That was a title that once indisputably belonged to Gagne. L.A.'s very own Game won the National League Cy Young Award in 2003 and between the '02-04 seasons saved a remarkable 152 games.

He wasn't just dominating, he was jaw dropping.

But the life of a closer, particularly one who relies on overpowering stuff, has become the most tenuous in baseball.

They live on the edge during every outing, and in more ways than one.

And Gagne is not the only closer on the sidelines as the season opens. San Francisco's Armando Benitez, Detroit's Todd Jones and Kansas City's Mike MacDougal all have opened the new season on the disabled list.

This doesn't qualify as an epidemic, but remains a constant concern. It's one thing to identify a legitimate closer, someone with the right stuff and temperament, and something else to actually keep him healthy.

The role of a closer typically requires bringing heat, but Angels pitching coach Bud Black, who's played and coached in the majors for over 20 years, said he doesn't believe the job description necessarily brings undue stress on their arms.

"Closers come in all shapes and sizes, all types of pitchers," Black said. "Probably the majority of closers are the power-type pitcher. But an injury can occur to any pitcher, whether he's a hard thrower, they're a breaking-ball pitcher or they're a soft thrower. It doesn't matter.

"There's an injury waiting to happen with every pitcher. It just depends on when that happens in their career. Some it happens early, some if they're fortunate, happen real late."

It's difficult enough to have one missile-throwing, thick-skinned closer on a staff, but when he goes down to injury, often his club does, too.

Gagne became Season Over last year after 14 games when he had to undergo elbow surgery. He underwent his second elbow surgery in less than a year Friday. He is expected to be out six-to-eight weeks.

To general manager Ned Colletti's credit, the Dodgers were well prepared for losing Gagne. During the offseason Colletti acquired Danys Baez, a proven closer from Tampa Bay, just in case Gagne's return hit trouble waters. Baez saved 41 games last season.

Alas, most teams are not so well equipped.

Last year Rodriquez went on the DL for a 15-day stint with a strained forearm, and Scot Shields stepped in to pick up seven saves.

"We've been fortunate over the years since we've been on board, that we've had a guy who can pick it up," Black said. "Last year we had Scot Shields up when Frankie was down with his elbow. And Frankie was there for us when (Troy) Percival was hurt.

"It can be absorbed if you have the quality pitcher in that bullpen."

Rivera has been amazingly healthy during his 10 years as the Yankees' closer. He has gone on the DL during only three seasons and has averaged 41 saves over the past nine years.

The Yankees have no proven backup if Rivera goes down to injury. Kyle Farnsworth, who struggled in the closer's role in Atlanta last season, would likely get the first opportunity.

But Rivera, 36, had one of his finest seasons last year, saving 43 games with a career-best 1.38 ERA.

"If you break down his mechanics, they're real sound," Black said. "It's a motion that is effortless. His natural arm stroke is very pure."

Rodriguez, however, is entirely different matter and challenge. Last year was his first full season as a closer, and he fulfilled promise, saving 45 games.(ep He's only 24, but has a penchant for pitching in the offseason, keeping stress on his arm, and his motion is about as effortless as a cement truck.

"He throws across his body," Black said. "That's a maximum effort delivery.

"But it's a double-edged sword. Part of that is very deceptive. He's stepping towards the right-handed hitter's batting box. He has the high leg kick. He has a lot of moving parts coming at you. It's tough to pick up the ball."

Still, it is not a stress-free delivery that forecasts 10 years of unbridled health. Yet he is so effective as is, it's difficult for Black and the Angels to try and tweak his delivery.

"We've talked about it, but more in long-term conversations about there might come a point in his career when the arm does flare up because of the amount of effort he puts into each pitch," Black said. "His control might suffer.

"But as of now you look at the results, and they're awful good. And he's staying relatively healthy. His walks-to-hits are OK. So it's all good right now."

That's the world closers live in - the now. It just has a way of changing.