Rookie, Mariano Rivera, recorded his first save on May 17th, 1996, my 13th birthday. A little over thirteen years later, the magnificent Mariano secured his 500th at Citi Field last night. In between, Yankees fans have revered Rivera with respect and recognition. Marino is a first-ballot Hall of Fame pitcher and the most valuable of all Yankees in the past 13 seasons. Trevor Hoffman is the only other closer with as many as 500 career saves. He leads all relievers with 571. Lee Smith is third to Hoffman and Rivera, currently capturing the bronze with 478 career saves.
Milestone man Mariano earned his notable number 500 against a depleted and punchless New York Mets team in the finale of an interleague skirmish between the cross-town rivals. Rivera also scratched across his first RBI during the 4-2 Bomber beat down Sunday night. The Yankees swept the Mets with Rivera contributing offensively by drawing a bases-loaded walk from Francisco Rivera in the ninth inning. The 39 year old closer entered with two outs in the eighth inning and completed the save with a one-hit ninth. It was his 18th save in 19 chances in 2009.
A closer has to be tough and confident as the team’s last line of defense. Mariano boldly blends a diplomatic demeanor with his classy composure whenever the right-hander is brought in from the Yankees bullpen. Rivera relies on an electrifying cut fastball and works the plate with finesse and grace. There have been more intimidating closers in history and others who have performed in more clutch and high pressure situations. Mariano has surpassed all others in igniting his team during the final innings of relief. Lee and Dennis Eckersley were dominating mound presences. All-stars, Goose Gossage and Billy Wagner, threw blazing fastballs and rapidly climbed the strikeout list. Troy Percival and Joe Nathan are both modern day pictures of consistency. John Wetteland and John Franco were either reliable or shaky, but always seemed to get the job done for their teams. Bruce Sutter of the St. Louis Cardinals is credited with inventing the split finger fastball and Rollie Fingers was as noticeable on the hill for his mustache as he was for his CY Young arm. There are only a handful of relief pitchers who have pieced together consecutive quality seasons. Fingers and Lee had seven seasons in a row with stellar stuff, and Gossage had six straight, beginning in 1980. Throwbacks, Dan Quisenberry and Hoyt Wilhelm pitched well enough throughout their careers to be considered among the best closers too. The argument will go on, but Rivera is most superb. His performance in postseason play is probably the most brilliant of any reliever in history. Not many major league pitcher can claim the kind of numbers achieved by the great Mariano Rivera.
Parting Points: Song of the day- “Closing Time” by Semisonic
Showing posts with label Mariano Rivera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mariano Rivera. Show all posts
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Rivera's Ray Revenge
The defending American League champions arrived in New York Friday. The Tampa Bay Rays were expecting to begin another series at the new Yankee Stadium, but after a washout, the opener was pushed back to Saturday afternoon. Tampa hardly seemed intimidated by the Yankee lights-out closer, Mariano Rivera the first time the teams played in early May. Rivera served up back-to-back homers for the first time in his career a month from yesterday in an 8-6 home loss to the Rays. Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria feasted off Mo in that game. Saturday it was Joe Dillon connecting on a cut fastball for the tie breaking single in the top of the ninth. The Rays surged back by touching up Rivera again. Tampa’s 9-7 topping was of the comeback sort. The team battled back with a four run rally and Rivera suddenly looked all too vulnerable.
The Yankees tied the game at five in the bottom of the eighth Saturday. Mark Teixiera vaulted a pitch off Tampa’s bullpen into the stadium seats. With last licks, the Bombers tried to grab the lead again after Rivera coughed it up in the ninth. Rays reliever, Dan Wheeler, with plenty of cushion room, gave up three straight hits to start the inning. Teixiera thwacked a double for two runs to trim the Tampa lead by two. Wheeler worked out of the jam retiring Alex Rodriguez and setting down Jorge Posada. Randy Choate, the ex-Yankee, got Cano to fly out on a deep diving drive to center-fielder, B.J. Upton, for the save. Willy Aybar and Ben Zobrist hit long balls for the Rays, and Rodriguez homered for New York in the game. Tampa won the first game despite a number of errors, including three wild throws by All-star catcher and another former Bomber, Dinoer Navarro.
Rivera hadn’t allowed four runs in a game since April, 2007. He was knocked around by the Rays on Saturday for three earned runs. The 39 year old took the loss and declared his out pitch ineffective. He did not adjust to the Rays hitters and wasn’t his steady self. Marino’s famed cutter did not have as much break on it, and the hitters took advantage of the ball finding too much of the plate. Rivera was even asked by manager, Joe Girardi, to intentionally walk All-star third baseman, Evan Longoria. Longoria has a nice right-handed stick but is currently nursing a gimpy and ailing hamstring. Rivera seemed insulted by the demand but complied nonetheless. Instead of facing Longoria, Rivera pitched to the .218-hitting Upton. The center-fielder clocked a single for one of the ninth-inning runs that would beat New York. Rivera was yanked after getting just two outs. His ERA is the its been since 1995 when he appeared in just 19 games. The closer does not have a win yet this season. It’s hard to believe Rivera will go winless in 2009, but he is allowing more hits than he has historically in his career. Still, walks remain low and strikeouts high. I am not overly concerned about him performing. He proved why on Sunday. Yesterday, Rivera was back on the mound in the ninth to preserve a Yankee comeback and his 13th save. He went head-to-head with Longoria this time, and the Yankees came away with the win after their closer got revenge relieving a perfect ninth inning. Rivera was reliable and brilliant.
Joba Chamberlain was out-pitched by Matt Garza in a hard-throwing mound match-up. The Yankees haven’t had success against Garza in the past but were able to reap his shortest outing in 12 starts this season. The hitters were patient in each count and made the Tampa starter work for every pitch. He lasted just five frames after escaping a tense fifth inning. Garza gave up a Nick Swisher smack in the bottom of the third. It was Swisher’s 100th career blast. Crafty Chamberlain allowed two hits and a run in the top of the inning, highlighted by Upton’s RBI double-bagger. Joba went six innings but issued just one walk. The 25 year old right-handed Garza walked the first two batters he faced in the fifth. Teixeria popped up with the bases loaded to get Garza off the hook. Chamberlain was not so fortunate with the bases juiced and two outs in the sixth after his sole pass to Matt Joyce. Gabe Gross made it a 3-1 game with a center-field grounder. Navarro struck out to end the inning. Joba surrender three runs on five hits Sunday in a quality start. He wasn’t dominating like he was against Cleveland, but Joba was not tripped up either.
It wasn’t pretty in the eighth, but the Yankees took a 4-3 lead. Johnny Damon’s liner off Grant Balfour was followed by Teixeria’s timely single. Alex Rodriguez walked with runners at the corners to load the bases. J.P. Howell relieved Balfour with no wiggle room and nowhere to put Robinson Cano. The semi-flammable bullpen pitcher made it a one-run game by issuing the pass to Cano. Jorge Posada bounced a Howell pitch to third. Aybar, subbing for Longoria, turned a two-run eighth inning lead into a tie ball game. The third baseman gave Posada an RBI when he was charged with an error on a booted ball. Hideki Matsui chopped a soft grounder with the tie scored at three. Matsui beat the throw to prevent being doubled up, and extended the inning on the fielder‘s choice. I was pleased to see Matsui able to run that surely with all the knee problems he’s had. It was substantial for Matsui to reach base in that situation, and he avoided the inning-ending double play. Alfredo Aceves threw two innings of relief and yielded one hit to pick up the win. He fanned four. The Yankees rallied to scrape out the 4-3 win in their 20th come-from-behind beating. The Bombers resume staging these late-game comebacks. Not all is rosy and cozy for New York. Despite the win, the Yankees were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. They stranded eight men on base and have now made an error in five straight games.
The dependable Rivera buzz-sawed Joyce, Gross and Longoria on 10 pitched in the top of the ninth. Joyce leaf off with a grounder and Gross went down swinging. Pinch-hitting Longoria grounded out as Tampa’s final batter. Sunday, Rivera protected the one run lead with a 92 mph cutter in a familiar ending. Mo’s hissing hot fastball was like something frying in a skillet as the ambitious closer steamrolled the Tampa trio. The command and composure returned for the loose Panamanian, and the Yankees edged a half game ahead of Boston in the standings. There were no hanging fastballs in the ninth 24 hours after Rivera cracked. Mariano notched his 495th career save and helped Girardi earn his 200th managerial win. The Yankees put a lot of trust in Rivera. There is a reason he is hands-down, the best closer of all time. He can shut down explosive lineups and is problematical to pulsate and pound. On the rare occasion he disbands, re-usable Rivera retaliates the only way he knows how. He marches to the mound again the next day to pick up the pieces of a disheartening loss. Remarkable Rivera has a will to win, welcomes work and wields wryness.
Parting points: A new song and an oldie for today- “A Dustland Fairlytale” by The Killers and “Everything Zen” by Bush
How about Roger Federer winning the French Final? Not bad…but I still consider Pete Sampras the best of all time even sans a Roland Garros title.
“Hey you, you’re constant companion”- 311
The Yankees tied the game at five in the bottom of the eighth Saturday. Mark Teixiera vaulted a pitch off Tampa’s bullpen into the stadium seats. With last licks, the Bombers tried to grab the lead again after Rivera coughed it up in the ninth. Rays reliever, Dan Wheeler, with plenty of cushion room, gave up three straight hits to start the inning. Teixiera thwacked a double for two runs to trim the Tampa lead by two. Wheeler worked out of the jam retiring Alex Rodriguez and setting down Jorge Posada. Randy Choate, the ex-Yankee, got Cano to fly out on a deep diving drive to center-fielder, B.J. Upton, for the save. Willy Aybar and Ben Zobrist hit long balls for the Rays, and Rodriguez homered for New York in the game. Tampa won the first game despite a number of errors, including three wild throws by All-star catcher and another former Bomber, Dinoer Navarro.
Rivera hadn’t allowed four runs in a game since April, 2007. He was knocked around by the Rays on Saturday for three earned runs. The 39 year old took the loss and declared his out pitch ineffective. He did not adjust to the Rays hitters and wasn’t his steady self. Marino’s famed cutter did not have as much break on it, and the hitters took advantage of the ball finding too much of the plate. Rivera was even asked by manager, Joe Girardi, to intentionally walk All-star third baseman, Evan Longoria. Longoria has a nice right-handed stick but is currently nursing a gimpy and ailing hamstring. Rivera seemed insulted by the demand but complied nonetheless. Instead of facing Longoria, Rivera pitched to the .218-hitting Upton. The center-fielder clocked a single for one of the ninth-inning runs that would beat New York. Rivera was yanked after getting just two outs. His ERA is the its been since 1995 when he appeared in just 19 games. The closer does not have a win yet this season. It’s hard to believe Rivera will go winless in 2009, but he is allowing more hits than he has historically in his career. Still, walks remain low and strikeouts high. I am not overly concerned about him performing. He proved why on Sunday. Yesterday, Rivera was back on the mound in the ninth to preserve a Yankee comeback and his 13th save. He went head-to-head with Longoria this time, and the Yankees came away with the win after their closer got revenge relieving a perfect ninth inning. Rivera was reliable and brilliant.
Joba Chamberlain was out-pitched by Matt Garza in a hard-throwing mound match-up. The Yankees haven’t had success against Garza in the past but were able to reap his shortest outing in 12 starts this season. The hitters were patient in each count and made the Tampa starter work for every pitch. He lasted just five frames after escaping a tense fifth inning. Garza gave up a Nick Swisher smack in the bottom of the third. It was Swisher’s 100th career blast. Crafty Chamberlain allowed two hits and a run in the top of the inning, highlighted by Upton’s RBI double-bagger. Joba went six innings but issued just one walk. The 25 year old right-handed Garza walked the first two batters he faced in the fifth. Teixeria popped up with the bases loaded to get Garza off the hook. Chamberlain was not so fortunate with the bases juiced and two outs in the sixth after his sole pass to Matt Joyce. Gabe Gross made it a 3-1 game with a center-field grounder. Navarro struck out to end the inning. Joba surrender three runs on five hits Sunday in a quality start. He wasn’t dominating like he was against Cleveland, but Joba was not tripped up either.
It wasn’t pretty in the eighth, but the Yankees took a 4-3 lead. Johnny Damon’s liner off Grant Balfour was followed by Teixeria’s timely single. Alex Rodriguez walked with runners at the corners to load the bases. J.P. Howell relieved Balfour with no wiggle room and nowhere to put Robinson Cano. The semi-flammable bullpen pitcher made it a one-run game by issuing the pass to Cano. Jorge Posada bounced a Howell pitch to third. Aybar, subbing for Longoria, turned a two-run eighth inning lead into a tie ball game. The third baseman gave Posada an RBI when he was charged with an error on a booted ball. Hideki Matsui chopped a soft grounder with the tie scored at three. Matsui beat the throw to prevent being doubled up, and extended the inning on the fielder‘s choice. I was pleased to see Matsui able to run that surely with all the knee problems he’s had. It was substantial for Matsui to reach base in that situation, and he avoided the inning-ending double play. Alfredo Aceves threw two innings of relief and yielded one hit to pick up the win. He fanned four. The Yankees rallied to scrape out the 4-3 win in their 20th come-from-behind beating. The Bombers resume staging these late-game comebacks. Not all is rosy and cozy for New York. Despite the win, the Yankees were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. They stranded eight men on base and have now made an error in five straight games.
The dependable Rivera buzz-sawed Joyce, Gross and Longoria on 10 pitched in the top of the ninth. Joyce leaf off with a grounder and Gross went down swinging. Pinch-hitting Longoria grounded out as Tampa’s final batter. Sunday, Rivera protected the one run lead with a 92 mph cutter in a familiar ending. Mo’s hissing hot fastball was like something frying in a skillet as the ambitious closer steamrolled the Tampa trio. The command and composure returned for the loose Panamanian, and the Yankees edged a half game ahead of Boston in the standings. There were no hanging fastballs in the ninth 24 hours after Rivera cracked. Mariano notched his 495th career save and helped Girardi earn his 200th managerial win. The Yankees put a lot of trust in Rivera. There is a reason he is hands-down, the best closer of all time. He can shut down explosive lineups and is problematical to pulsate and pound. On the rare occasion he disbands, re-usable Rivera retaliates the only way he knows how. He marches to the mound again the next day to pick up the pieces of a disheartening loss. Remarkable Rivera has a will to win, welcomes work and wields wryness.
Parting points: A new song and an oldie for today- “A Dustland Fairlytale” by The Killers and “Everything Zen” by Bush
How about Roger Federer winning the French Final? Not bad…but I still consider Pete Sampras the best of all time even sans a Roland Garros title.
“Hey you, you’re constant companion”- 311
Monday, September 22, 2008
Composed Closer Closure
A sweet sweep sent Yankees fans home happy last night to close down the stadium. It was only fitting that this team swept the Orioles during their final series in the building and of the year. Even more fitting was seeing Mariano Rivera finish the game. It was a non-save situation but the sophisticated Sandman still shut down the O’s for the game’s final three outs. Perhaps Rivera is the most valuable Yankee during their 90’s/00’s championship run. He’s been the one cornerstone and constant piece the team relies on in big games. I think the idea of having a dominant closer is overrated. It’s entirely possible to win without one. However, you cannot diminish what Mo has accomplished and the fact he gets the job done year in and year out. Where would the Yankees be without Rivera?
That being said, all the fuss over moving Jaba Chamberlain to the starting rotation from the bullpen is crazy. Why would the Yankees not want Jaba starting games every five days? He has a repertoire of solid stuff and the audacity to take the ball at any given moment. Yes, it would be great to have a “new” Mariano Rivera once Mo decides to hang up the cleats. But why waste what Jaba brings to the table only to use him in closing situations?
Something weird: I had a dream Saturday night that Jose Molina hit the final homerun at Yankee Stadium. Certainly creepy.
And a final reflection on the great Yankees teams from recent years. I still remember Game 6 the night of October 26, 1996. I stayed up watching the entire game and did not move from my brown recliner. I was too superstitious to change seats or get up for a break. The Yankees beat the Braves that night and I remember crying the moment it happened.
After seeing Bernie back in the Bronx yesterday, I thought of a wonderful Williams walkoff homerun. I attended a game in the late 90’s and honestly cannot recall who the Yankees were playing. Bernie hit the ball to the right field stands in the bottom of the ninth inning as I watched it sail by from my seat near the foul pole. The commotion in the crowd is what I remember from that day in NY.
Parting points: A good closure song to spin is “Shadow of the day” by Linkin Park.
That being said, all the fuss over moving Jaba Chamberlain to the starting rotation from the bullpen is crazy. Why would the Yankees not want Jaba starting games every five days? He has a repertoire of solid stuff and the audacity to take the ball at any given moment. Yes, it would be great to have a “new” Mariano Rivera once Mo decides to hang up the cleats. But why waste what Jaba brings to the table only to use him in closing situations?
Something weird: I had a dream Saturday night that Jose Molina hit the final homerun at Yankee Stadium. Certainly creepy.
And a final reflection on the great Yankees teams from recent years. I still remember Game 6 the night of October 26, 1996. I stayed up watching the entire game and did not move from my brown recliner. I was too superstitious to change seats or get up for a break. The Yankees beat the Braves that night and I remember crying the moment it happened.
After seeing Bernie back in the Bronx yesterday, I thought of a wonderful Williams walkoff homerun. I attended a game in the late 90’s and honestly cannot recall who the Yankees were playing. Bernie hit the ball to the right field stands in the bottom of the ninth inning as I watched it sail by from my seat near the foul pole. The commotion in the crowd is what I remember from that day in NY.
Parting points: A good closure song to spin is “Shadow of the day” by Linkin Park.
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