Shorty
Boomer Boy
A closer typically enters the game in the 9th inning of a close game, one that’s tied or a team leads by one or two runs.
Let’s extrapolate that to other sports. The last 1/18 of a basketball game is the last 2:13. The last 1/18 of a football game is the last 3:20.
If somehow you had a player who could near guarantee your basketball team would not lose a game in regulation that was close after 2:13, he would clearly be valuable, even if he only played for the last two minutes. Same with football. Maybe a pass rusher who almost guaranteed a 3 and out after 3:20. Clearly valuable.
A pitcher gets credit for a save as long as he pitches an inning and his team's lead is no more than three runs. That's part of the argument against. How hard is it to hold a three run lead for one inning? Or a two run lead, for that matter.
Also, it’s unusual for a closer to come in in the ninth inning of a tie game. Manager’s don’t want to “waste” their closer in a non-save situation. They’ll usually save him in the event that their team gets a lead in extra innings.