Friday May 04, 2012
The Mariano Rivera Posts
Tyler Kepner in The New York Times is right. We're not used to seeing Mariano Rivera near the warning track. We're not used to seeing him in Kansas City. We're used to seeing him on the mound, mowing them down (or maybe Mo-ing them down), en route to another goddamned Yankees victory in another goddamned post-season. Any time you could beat him it was a story. Any time you could beat him in the World Series, it was one of the greatest World Series games ever played.
But yesterday his knee buckled shagging flies in Kansas City. Torn ACL. Out for the year and possibly the career.
Everyone knows I hate the Yankees but I've usually written about Rivera with admiration. I've reminded baseball fans, and even writers at The New York Times, that he is even better than we realize. I was there for his 600th save, too, at Safeco Field, with Ichiro Babe-Ruthing the final out. I posted the video. Don't expect Spielberg.
Rivera has 608 career saves now. I expected about 30 more.
He wound up with 42 career post-season saves. He's the last man to wear #42. He's 42. Someone call Douglas Adams.
Here are my Mariano Rivera posts. We won't see his like again. If we do, may he be wearing a different uniform:
- Dave Anderson of The New York Times suggests Mariano Rivera is honored by holding the all-time saves record. I suggest the all-time saves record is honored because it now belongs to Mariano Rivera.
- That 600th careeer save, with video.
- If Rivera retires, we'll have new active leaders in the following pitching categories: Games, Saves, WHIP, ERA, Adjusted ERA. In Saves and Adjusted ERA, Rivera is first all-time. WHIP, he's second.
- Is it overkill, possibly downright cruel, to bring in Rivera to face a team with a 16-game losing streak?
- What modern-day pitcher has a career ERA close to Rivera's? None. Who is close to him? Just dead-ball pitchers and Walter Johnson.
- Why Rivera is always his team's World Series MVP.
- Which batter could hit Rivera like no one else? Hint: He's not in the Hall of Fame.
- The NYT offers up video of Mo's cutter.
- From 2009: “10 earned runs in 125 1/3 innings pitched in the post-season.”
- Is this the last legitimate #42 we see in Major League Baseball history?
The post-season numbers: 141 IP, 110 Ks, 21 BBs, 86 hits, 42 saves, 8-1 record, 0.70 ERA.
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