Mariano Rivera Highlights

BBWAA member Stan McNeal--whose word delivers wealth and immortality-- thought one reason Joe Torre's leaving was good was...

• he made things too relaxing for

• ...Mariano...Rivera...
• 
  
• Only 9 days earlier (10/5/07), Stan must have missed Rivera's really relaxing 9th and 10th inning outing
• in a 1-1 tie game the Yankees desperately needed, now known as
  
• the "Bugs Game." It took place in Cleveland.
  

(10/14/07): "He (Torre) makes playing in baseball's biggest pressure pot as comfortable as anyone can.

• No wonder his veterans still support him. Mariano Rivera is in the latter stages of a brilliant career and wants to go out with the man who brought him along.

But maybe Rivera has gotten

• too comfortable,

• and would benefit from new blood."....

"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:

• From the NY Times, 5/8/08:

"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.

• Wedge said he was not sure if words could accurately describe how good Rivera is. “If he’s not the greatest, he’s one of the greatest closers of all time,” Wedge said.

“From what I’ve seen, he’s the best I’ve ever seen.”"

• From NY Times article by Jack Curry, "After All this Time, Rivera is Keeping it Simply Unhittable," 5/8/08

An opposing manager actually in the game has with an opposite view of a media member who just dismissed Rivera for being too "comfortable."

• (The Sporting News hired this person so they get partial credit).

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.

Labels: The Bugs game