What Makes The Best Closer Entrance Songs

The closer entrance song seems to be a lost art in Baseball these days. In the 90’s it was all the rage. What would be your closer song?

Before you answer – we’ll break down what makes the perfect entrance song into three parts:

Crowd Hype

The closer song needs to galvanize the crowd, people need to be standing ready for the song to start blaring. It can be slow – but it needs a build up. It can be more on the silly side, but it needs to be a sing-along song. It’s okay to pander – you need the crowd on your side. Like Jonathan Papelbon entrance song – Dropkick Murphys’ “I’m Shipping Up to Boston”. Was it a little on the nose? Yes. Did it sound like a The Departed and Good Will Hunting banged and produced a song? Also, yes. But it got the drunk Boston Red Sox crowd going every time. Great closer song selection:

Edit: Adding this one to the mix as well since it’s applicable today:

Intimidation

The entrance song needs to get the batter thinking. ‘Is this guy an absolute psychopath?’ ‘Does he have no emotions?’ ‘Is he going to throw a fastball at my head for no reason?’ Even though John Rocker was a pretty despicable person – gotta give him credit he used to sprint in from the bullpen looking like an insane person. Intimidation for days.

Closer Demeanor

This really ties things all together – the demeanor of the closer needs to match that of the song – when he exits the bullpen his appearance, demeanor, and disposition must all fall in line. Mariano Rivera always had this going for him. He was like Dementor. He’d enter the game and you just lost all hope (unless you’re Billy Ball Game Mueller). Never smiling, all business, came right at you. Everyone in the park knew it was over (Metallica – Enter Sandman):

The perfect song really is really from Major League. Wild Thing brings the crowd hype, intimidates, and those glasses and his crazy demeanor really put a bow on it. 

The best of all-time real closer song for my money is still Trevor Hoffman, you just can’t go wrong with AC/DC – Hells Bells:

As for potential closer entrance songs – I think closers should adopt:

Still Dre – Dr. Dre – This would be my go to, best beat ever made.

Also one of the best scenes from a movie:

Still Not a Player – Big Pun – Doesn’t really make sense but this kid showed he can rock the shit out of this song:

Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne – Iron Man/Crazy Train – can go wrong with these classics.

Korn – Blind –  Great build up, old school

Anything by Rage Against the Machine – Aroldis Chapman employs this strategy

Roy Jones  – Can’t Be Touched – Anytime you can make your own pump up song, you do it.

Stone Cold’s Entrance Song – It’s already absolutely electric why would a closer not want to use this?

What Closer songs are we missing? Let us know.