Sunday, May 24, 2009

 

Rivera's mere presence in the bullpen applies pressure to a team--Matthews

10th inning v Phillies, 5/24/09, getty
Newsday, Wallace Matthews: "That would be Mariano Rivera, whose very
You didn't get to see much of Mariano this weekend, just one scoreless inning yesterday, but watching Lidge struggle reminded you of how vital Rivera was, and still is, to the Yankees' success.
His cutter moved like the lid of a coffin on a team's chances to get back into a game.... It's the one who can get the other guys out when it counts the most. From Newsday column by Wallace Matthews, "Watching Lidge Struggle Makes One Appreciate Mo," 5/24/09

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Friday, May 22, 2009

 

Mo #1 reliever in WAR, 2008

Per Dugout Central: "For the Phillies, Lidge contributed a 2.2 WAR (2008),
and tied with Kerry Wood, helping Philadelphia edge the New York Mets for the National League East crown."...

 

Cervelli, Mariano, and Arod

After the Orioles win, May 21, 2009, getty photos. The one and only 42.


Thursday, May 21, 2009

 

A BBWAA member vs someone actually in the game

BBWAA member Stan McNeal--whose word delivers wealth and immortality-- thought one reason Joe Torre's leaving was good was...
(10/14/07): "He (Torre) makes playing in baseball's biggest pressure pot as comfortable as anyone can. But maybe Rivera has gotten "The Yankees Need Someone New," by Stan McNeal, 10/14/07, SportingNews.com. Gee, here's a comfy scene:



An experienced veteran actually in the game sees Rivera differently than media member Stan McNeal. Eric Wedge knew what he saw in Cleveland a few months earlier and many times before that:
"Eric Wedge, the manager of the Indians, said Rivera had a “presence” as a pitcher who is charged with getting the most difficult outs of the game. “From what I’ve seen, he’s the best I’ve ever seen.”" An opposing manager actually in the game has with an opposite view of a media member who just dismissed Rivera for being too "comfortable."
Here's someone who doesn't look "comfortable" and who caved under the post season pressure and bugs swarming. The opposite of how Mariano Rivera reacted to the 'discomfort.'



Stan McNeal's Top 50 MLB players today puts Rivera #36...he even puts 3 of Mo's contemporaries ahead of him. McNeal makes it quite clear how he feels about Rivera being voted #9 of today's top 50 by 100 top people actually in the game.

"31. Nick Markakis, RF, Orioles 32. Derek Lowe, SP, Braves 33. Joe Nathan, RP, Twins 34. Jonathan Papelbon, RP, Red Sox 35. Francisco Rodriguez, RP, Mets 36. Mariano Rivera, RP, Yankees
37. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Padres"

The Sporting News "panel, which includes 13 Hall of Famers, 13 Cy Young Award winners and 12 league MVPs. Among the MLB legends who filled out ballots for SN: Willie McCovey, Stan Musial, Brooks Robinson, Tony Gwynn, Tom Seaver, Rollie Fingers and Greg Maddux."...

photos above from the "Bugs game," ALDS game 2, NYY v Cle, Oct. 5, 2007. top Rivera, bottom Chamberlain.

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Sunday, May 17, 2009

 

All work, no stats

Mariano Rivera v the Twins, 9th inning of tie game, Sunday, May 17, 2009. His third inning of work over 2 days. He
Although he pitched 3 scoreless innings. No one will question this as Bud Selig wants it this way at least for the next 6 years. After that, he'll talk about it. photo by getty.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

 

Rivera pitches 2 scoreless innings v Twins


The great Rivera mid 10th inning after his 2 scoreless innings in 4-4 tie game v the Twins which the Yankees won in 11, 6-4. ap photo. Sorry, no fist pump, and sorry his career isn't over. Really. He didn't get a Save or the Win for his effort, so Goose Gossage, MLB/ESPN/BBWAA will be able to say he's a wimp. Marc Carig from the Star Ledger reports during the game:

But after retiring the side in the ninth, Rivera worked out of trouble to put up another zero in the 10th.

But Rivera, as he's always done, kept it together."...."Mariano Rivera Works 2 Scoreless innings, Game still tied 4-4 in 11th"

With a touch of anxiety. Justin Morneau, who has worked over the right-field seats in two games (three solo homers), singled with Rivera deflecting the shot. Next, Jason Kubel sent a broken-bat single dump into center. Two on, no out, 10th inning. What was Rivera thinking?

"I've got to get him out," said Rivera,

"So I was trying to make a good pitch to get a groundball, not a flyball. A strikeout, something. . . . It went our way.""No Need to Panic...Joba, Mo look Strong," NY Post, 5/17/09


NY Yankees IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Chamberlain 6.0 3 2 2 4 6 1 3.76
Veras (H, 1) 0.1 1 0 0 1 0 0 6.75
Coke (BS, 2) 1.1 2 2 2 1 1 1 4.60
Ramirez, E 0.1 0 0 0 1 0 0 4.86
Rivera 2.0 2 0 0 0 2 0 2.93
Aceves, A (W, 1-0) 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.45

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

 

2008 All Stars



Sunday, May 10, 2009

 

Some things never get old

The great Rivera deals v Orioles, Sunday, May 10, 2009. reuters photo

Friday, May 08, 2009

 

Mariano arrives at 1152.1 innings and a fork in the road

Last night Mo arrived at 1152.1 innings, the longest stretch for a dominant power late inning reliever and closer in history. What punctuated the occasion was Mo giving up back to back home runs for the first time ever in his now 15th consecutive year in the big leagues. He is coming off shoulder surgery. We'll wait to see if this continues to take a toll on him. I include both regular (1035 IP) and post season (117.1) because that's what he gave you.
Their view is it's "unfair" to list anything but regular season stats, saying those who had post season stats were just 'luckier' than others. They are deadly serious about this issue. I merely mentioned the topic on another blog and received a hateful email from a BBWAA member telling me I was stupid and stubborn to even bring up the topic. When it suits them they like to tout the 'regular season total save stat' as a qualifying benchmark to either elevate or diminish a player. The stat on its own has less to do with the pitcher than luck, opportunity, manager's acquiescence, degree of difficulty, in short circumstances beyond the control of the reliever. Or to use their own logic, things that aren't the pitcher's 'fault.'
(In 1995, Rivera appeared as a starter in 10 games, so you can eliminate those innings from his reliever resume to be accurate. All of his post season appearances were in late inning relief starting with his 3.1 ip in extra innings for the win in game 2 1995 ALDS).
"Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories..."

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