Mariano Rivera Highlights

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9/6/11, "Opposing hitters’ contact ratio this year is 83.1 percent — the highest of Rivera’s career by a percentage point. The league is clearly more aggressive, too, swinging at 53.8 percent of Rivera’s pitches, another career high.

• But look at what the AL finds appealing:

• 45 percent of those pitches are out of the strike zone, a huge surplus

• considering the MLB average is just 30.5 percent....

Of course, hitters have always tried to seize the initiative against Rivera. Working the count is pointless; he throws too many strikes. The best strategy is to simply attack. But the fact that opponents are chasing so many pitches out of the zone suggests Rivera is still masking that cutter, even though his velocity has dipped into the low 90s."...

• 9/6/11, "Relentlessness defines historic career," Bob Klapisch, FoxSports.com