I received a few questions in the past week about discrepancies between my 2014 and current season rankings. We discussed the tiers when I took over for Eno Sarris last season, but perhaps I should have been clearer this season too. Let's correct that oversight today.
The best relievers offer excellent ratios and a chance to reach the 100 strikeout threshold. The difference between the Elite and Nearly Elite tiers is either track record or trustworthiness. In both cases, they're four category monsters.
Rather than ranking purely on projected output, I've considered growth potential. That's why Tier 3 includes players like Hector Rondon but not Jonathan Papelbon.