Schuckman: What would your entrance song be coming out of the bullpen?

BBW tweet

Neither Mariano Rivera nor Trevor Hoffman’s mark on baseball can ever be erased.

And I’m not talking about their save totals.

The Hall of Fame closers — Rivera holds the MLB record with 652 saves, while Hoffman is second with 601 saves — became as recognizable for their entrance music as they were for their strikeouts.

Rivera entered each game with Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” as the backdrop. Hoffman ran in from the bullpen to AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells.”

Ominous. Poetic. Perfect.

No other pitcher in the history of the game should be allowed to use either song as entrance music. If numbers can be retired, those songs should be as well.

If that were the case and you were to assume the role of closer for an MLB franchise, what would your entrance music be?

Well, Buffalo Wild Wings asked that question on Twitter on Tuesday.

The responses were varied and unique, as you might expect on social media. Fans chimed in with “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen, “Sanitarium” by Metallica, “Final Countdown” by Europe and “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osborne.

Some fans turned to WWE for inspiration, choosing to go with Stone Cold Steve Austin’s theme music or that of Ric Flair.

Drowning Pool’s “Let the Bodies Hit the Floor” seemed to be a popular choice, as did “Wild Thing” by the Troggs. However, Rick Vaughn had dibs on “Wild Thing,” so that might fall in the deserves-to-be-retired category.

Several AC/DC and Metallica songs were bandied about, including “Thunderstruck” and “Fuel.”

It left me pouring through the song catalogs of my favorite bands like Van Halen and Shinedown. Although I could pull a dozen of their tunes to be my walk-up music if I was a hitter, a closer’s entrance music needs to be just right.

So I dipped into my hard rock catalog to find two that fit the bill.

Five Finger Death Punch’s “Lift Me Up” and Volbeat’s “Warrior’s Call.”

Imagine standing in the on-deck circle hearing hard-driving music with these lyrics — “I won’t be broken. I won’t be tortured. I won’t be beaten down. I have the answer. I can take the pressure. I will turn it all around.” — coming from the deep, growling voice of Five Finger Death Punch frontman Ivan Moody.

Or maybe you have to listen to Volbeat’s Michael Poulsen bellowing “You feel the floor again, unleashing his hell. You will not even hear the bell. Maybe you’re strong, but you don’t stand a chance. Feel the power of a warrior!”

Either way, the edge goes to the closer each and every time.

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