Mariano Rivera Highlights

• Dave O'Brien said of Rivera, "I've never seen anyone better," he'd seen many others (mentions Eckersley and Hoffman) but Mo tops the charts, "elegance almost unmatched in the position of closer."...

# posted by susan @ 2:02 AM 0 comments

• Suzyn Waldman has seen every outing of Rivera's since 1995 regular and post season: New York, NY (WFAN) -- "When Paul O'Neill was winding down his career, he said to me once, "How come every time I go 0-4, I'm "37 year old Paul O'Neill?"

• From the kid who was almost traded to Detroit for David Wells after arm surgery (thank you Stick Michael...another "save" by Stick!) to the first ballot Hall of Famer he's become,

• and the first class person he has always been, I've been there.

• First, the two managers. Joe Maddon gets a gold star for sending up Evan Longoria to pinch hit on Saturday, even though he told reporters before the game that Longoria couldn't run because of a hamstring injury.

• Now to Mariano. I believe, and this was a "first guess", not a second guess, that Mariano Rivera should have been given the opportunity to pitch to Longoria if that's what he wanted to do.

• But Girardi was telling Mariano that he didn't believe he could get Longoria out...and didn't take into consideration that Longoria,
  
• if he hit the ball on the ground, couldn't run and
  
• wouldn't get to first base easily.

• Joe Torre used to say that we've all been spoiled by Mariano, and have we ever! So, every time Mo now gives up some hard hits

• we are treated to headlines blaring: "The beginning of the end!"

• Sunday? Mariano had put Saturday behind him, and said after Save #13, "You have to be able to forget the last game. For yourself, for the team. If I don't control myself and don't put it in back of me, when Longoria comes up, I remember yesterday, and that's not good."

• Evan said, "Among the closers in the game, if I had to choose one guy, I would still want him running out there in the ninth inning. If I was the manager, I'd send him out there every day. He's dropped a couple of miles off his fastball, but he still puts it where he wants it...I don't really see his ability to get guys out in the ninth inning decreasing that much at all."

• ..."Weekend at Mariano's" by Suzyn Waldman, 6/8/09, WFAN.com

# posted by susan @ 4:59 PM 0 comments

• the Rays' third baseman called the Sandman the best closer in all of baseball.

"Among the closers in the game, if I had to choose one guy, I would still want him running out there in the ninth inning," Longoria said. "If I was the manager, I would send him out there every day.

• "I wasn't here when he was at the height, at the peak of his game, when every pitch he threw was 95-96 mph and cutting. The thing is, he's dropped a couple miles off his fastball, but he still puts it where he wants it. ... I don't really see his ability to get guys out in the ninth inning decreasing that much at all."...

Rivera essentially received a vote of no-confidence from Joe Girardi in Saturday's 9-7 loss in the Bronx. Instead of pitching to Longoria in the ninth, he was directed to intentionally walk the leading American League vote-getter in All-Star balloting.

• Asked if he was shocked to receive the free pass, Longoria nodded and said:
  

• "I didn't even know if he had walked a handful intentionally in his career. I was going up there with the intention
  
• that he was going to make his pitches and try to get me out."

While Rivera, 39, hasn't always seemed like his old self this season, Longoria believes it's not a sign of things to come - at least not anytime soon.

"He rarely makes mistakes. The times that he has, we've been able to capitalize on them," Longoria said. "He's still a big presence coming out of the pen. Maybe he's not as good as he was six years ago or when he was at his peak, but you have to be on the top of your game facing him. ... His ball is moving so much that even at 92-94 mph, it's still tough to handle."

• "Evan Longoria: Mariano Rivera Still the Best Closer in Baseball," NY Daily News by Matt Gagne, 6/8/09
  

# posted by susan @ 4:37 PM 0 comments

• June 7, 2009 Rays at Yankees, 4-3 final
• top 2 photos by getty, bottom by ap

Labels: Mariano Rivera foils the Grim Reaper yet again.

# posted by susan @ 8:09 PM 0 comments

• "Mariano Rivera wasn't just robbed. He was mugged.
  

• He was pistol-whipped.

"He was bound and gagged and put under an interrogation lamp

• by a blind gaggle representing the Baseball Writers Assn. of America, who voted
  

overwhelmingly to make Bartolo Colon one of the most underwhelming Cy Young Award winners ever.

• "Ridiculous? It isn't just ridiculous,
  

• it's shameful. It's dreadful.""

• Mariano Rivera plays for the New York Yankees

• wasn’t held against him

• So that makes it spiteful, too.""

• 11/10/05, LA Times by Larry Stewart, "They are trying to give closer Closure"

# posted by susan @ 8:16 PM 0 comments

• "Mariano Rivera is the best reliever in baseball history, and the best paid. He earns $15 million each year,

• SI.com by Tim Marchman, 6/4/09, from article mainly about another player, "Starter or reliever? When it comes to Joba, the choice is simple." SI.com Vault

Labels: Mariano Rivera is the best reliever in baseball history-Tim Marchman

# posted by susan @ 10:56 PM 0 comments