Mariano Rivera Highlights

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10/29/11, "For all those disenfranchised Yankee fans this postseason, the specter of the Ranger relievers blowing the save three times in Game 6, was just

• a further reminder of

• the greatness of Mariano Rivera

and what he meant to all those World Series championships."...

10/29/11, "In Texas Rangers vs. St. Louis Cardinals World Series, it's a field of screams," Bill Madden, NY Daily News

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10/25/11, "Over the last five years only two relievers have averaged more than two wins above replacement; one of them is the greatest closer of all time

• (Mariano Rivera),

the other is Jonathan Papelbon. This can be read two ways: 1) Relievers in general are not that valuable (and are often overpaid), and 2) relievers are volatile and struggle to stay significantly above replacement for an extended period."...

• 10/25/11, "Free Agent Market: Relief Pitcher," FanGraphs, Noah Isaacs.

(Including the words 'regular season' regarding stats that are so wouldn't take much extra work and would end the relegation of a massive body of work to the trash heap. ed.)

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10/24/11, "Jonah Keri is writing a book about the Montreal Expos, and he has a nugget that is quite interesting. Before the Expos accepted an offer from the Red Sox for Pedro Martinez the Yankees offered Mariano Rivera for the flame throwing righty. Wow."

• 10/24/11, "Yankees Offered Rivera for Pedro," Pinstripe Alley

"Yankees Offered Rivera for Pedro," Keri

• among comments

• "this is the most upsetting headline I've ever read"

• "by long time listener on Oct 24, 2011 8:20 PM EDT"

Pedro Martinez B-R, Mariano Rivera B-R

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Recorded live in Times Square, New York City, 11/4/09, Rivera seen briefly on giant screen in Times Square. Mariano pitched 16 innings over 12 games in that post season.

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10/18/11, "Elis claim Elm City crown," Yale Daily News, Charles Condro

"Cincinnati Reds’ scout Donald Titus said he likes to watch Yale play because the team has a history of producing good pitchers. But on their way to repeating as City Series champions, the Bulldogs produced on both sides of the ball.

Not even a surprise appearance from New York Yankees all-star closer Mariano Rivera could steal the show from the Elis on Sunday as they defeated the University of New Haven 7-3 to win the championship the day after they knocked off Southern Connecticut State, 5-0.

• Rivera attended the series to watch his son, Mariano Jr., play for Quinnipiac University.
  

The Bulldogs’ pitching staff dominated both games, allowing only three runs while striking out 19 batters in 18 innings of work....The team opens its spring season on March 3 in Blacksburg, Virginia, where the Bulldogs will face-off against the Virginia Tech Hokies."

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This isn't my favorite Mariano Rivera comparison but I include it for the record. I'm glad Chris Christie was elected in NJ, but don't see him as president as Ann Coulter does:

10/15/11, "She (Ann Coulter) followed her short answers by noting that after a victory in 2012,

• “we’ll bring in Chris Christie as our Mariano Rivera” eight years from now."

10/15/11, "Coulter Gives Up, Endorses Mitt Romney: ‘You’ve Got To Go With What You Have’," MediaIte, F. Martel

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10/13/11, "Hours before Game 4 began, Tigers closer Jose Valverde marveled about Mariano Rivera, the Yankees peerless closer.

• “I don’t know how Mariano does it,” Valverde said. “I respect this guy because sometimes it’s too much pressure.”

Valverde buckled under the pressure later Wednesday night to give the Rangers a thrilling 7-3 victory in 11 innings and put the Tigers one loss away from elimination."...

• 10/13/11, "Jim Leyland doesn't second-guess decision to extend tired reliever Jose Valverde," Dallas Morning News, Gennaro Filice

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I understand Mr. Valverde is described as being 'perfect' and having had a 'perfect year,' and he did have a great year. Perfect isn't a 2.24 ERA, 4 losses, 5 home runs, and never pitching more than 1 inning. It's very good but not perfect. He beat the Yankees in the ALDS in 2 close games, so he has bragging rights if he chooses them. Permanently attaching the word 'perfect' to a player based on the 'regular season total save stat' alone isn't really helpful to him or anyone else. ed.

Labels: Valverde: "I don't know how Mariano does it."

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10/11/11, "Colts can't close deal," Indy Star, Mike Chappell

• "In all but 1 game, they've entered 4th quarter close but failed to make key play"

"The NFL can be a complicated venture with zone blitzes, hot reads, defensive line stunts, checkdowns and other assorted X's and O's gobbledygook.

The plight of the Indianapolis Colts? Simple.

They lack a Mariano Rivera mentality. They can't close. Not a lick.

The Colts are saddled with their first 0-5 start since 1997 because of a maddening inability to adequately finish what they've started. The latest and most damning example: blowing 17-0 and 24-7 first-half leads and being

• trampled down the stretch by the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24 Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

It was the Colts' fourth straight loss by eight points or fewer. That by a group that had been 55-19 since 2002 in regular-season games decided by eight points or fewer.

It doesn't take a Rhodes Scholar to detect a common thread.

"The reality is that's what's happened," Colts center Jeff Saturday said Monday afternoon. "You can cut it how you want, but we haven't finished....

"There's no secret to football," he said. "You have to make enough plays

• down the stretch."...

Former coach Tony Dungy stressed that games usually turn on a handful of plays. Coach Jim Caldwell subscribes to that theory.

• "The bottom line is who makes the plays
  

• at the end of the game that make the difference," he said."...

Labels: ' Indy Star, 'Colts lack a Mariano Rivera mentality, Chappell

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Mariano Rivera pitches in ALDS game 5, 5 pitches, 3 outs. Yankees trail 3-2.

Getty, Getty, Getty

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Above, ALDS game 5, Oct. 6, 2011, Yankees Arod, Jeter, Girardi, Russell Martin looking to the bullpen as they wait for Mo, getty

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About top three photos: Top, Rivera in dugout after pitching 9th, R. Deutsch. Next, Rivera in the dugout during 9th inning ALDS game 5, ap. Third, Rivera and Jeter leave the field after Mo pitched in the 9th, Oct. 6, 2011, ap.

Ed. note, 10/13/12: I normally have information about pictures right next to them for easy reference, but blogger has recently changed its blogging format. When I added a picture to this post blogger deleted another picture I had in the post from Oct. 2011. I had to find the picture again and re-post it. Blogger wouldn't let me keep this source info near the pictures, every time I tried to put it there it erased a picture. I originally had the top 3 photos aligned correctly, but the new system won't allow it in this case. When I try to align them now it erases a picture.

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Top, Rivera gets K with bases loaded, final 9-3, Betemit at the plate, ap;

• Rivera with Russell Martin after final out, ALDS game 1B, 10/01/11, ap;
• Rivera seen with Jhonny Peralta at 1st base 10/01/11, ap
  
• Rivera in the 9th, 10/1/11, ap;
• Rivera enters in the 9th, getty;
• bottom, Rivera and Jeter speak on the mound, 10/1/11, getty.
  

This game was the completion of ALDS 1 which began 9/30/11 but was suspended due to rain.

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Rivera in warmups for ALDS game 2, 10/2/11, ap

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Above Posada hands ball to Andy Pettitte for ALDS game 2 ceremonial 1st pitch, 10/2/11, Thomas A. Ferrara, Newsday

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Jeter in the 7th, ALDS game 2 in the rain, 10/2/11, Tigers won 5-3, photo John Dunn, Newsday

Labels: Completion of ALDS Game 1 at Yankee Stadium