Monday, February 27, 2012
Mo signs for fans Mon. Feb. 27
10/31/11, "Silly Goose: Mariano Rivera and the Myth of the Seven-Out Save," Kevin Baker, Guest at Baseball Prospectus, "Baseball ProGuestUs"
- "If they want to contribute something, Goose Gossage and Greg Couch should take up the worthy cause of getting some of Goose’s other contemporaries into the Hall with him....In trying to denigrate what Mariano Rivera has accomplished, they only make themselves look foolish."...
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Rivera throws first bullpen of 2012
Top, Rivera throws first bullpen Feb. 26, 2012, reuters
Bottom, Rivera throwing his first bullpen notices it's raining, 2/26/12, reuters
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Rivera signs, runs, chats with Gene Michael in Tampa
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Rivera running with teammates, Feb. 21, 2012
Running, Feb. 21, 2012, reuters.
2/22/12, Sherman, "He is not just a closer, but a closer for a perennial contender in New York with a parade-or-bust mindset. His response is somehow to be the greatest regular-season closer ever and, arguably,
- the greatest postseason player
- of any position.
That is why Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild said, “It is so much more than the numbers he put up [that will have to be replaced].”"...
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- Jan. 12, 2006, “Gossage Beyond Compare,” Denver Post, Jim Armstrong
Rivera in Tampa, posted by Lohud Yankee blog, 2/22/12
Monday, February 20, 2012
Mariano Rivera signs for fans his first day at Yankee camp 2012
Above, Rivera arrives at Yankee camp, Mon. Feb. 20, 2012, ap
Above Rivera signs for fans at Yankee camp, 2/20/12, ny times silverman
Above Rivera signs at fence in Yankee camp 2/20/12, reuters
Rivera at fielding drills Yankee camp 2/2012, reuters
Above Rivera fields at first day of camp, 2/20/12, reuters
NY Daily News front page, Tues., Feb. 21, 2012
2/21/12, "Possible Exit Sandman makes it season to ‘saver’," NY Post, Joel Sherman
Goose Gossage: “"It's an insult to me to even be compared to Mariano Rivera, it really is."
Jan. 12, 2006, “Gossage Beyond Compare,” Denver Post, Jim Armstrong
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Papelbon says Rivera is 'Godfather of Closers'
2/19/12, "Sox-Yanks in past for Phils closer," NY Post, Kernan
"This was the friendly face, not the fierce face of determination Yankees fans have come to dislike ever since he became the Red Sox closer.
This was the friendly Jonathan Papelbon. The new and extremely rich Phillies closer heaped praise on Mariano Rivera and the Yankees as camp opened yesterday at Bright House Field, referring to Rivera as “The Godfather of closers.”
“Every time I saw him last year I said, ‘Man, you’re making my job harder to catch you every year,’ ’’ Papelbon said. “He’s amazing. I may not be sitting here today if it weren’t for him.’’
He certainly would not be getting $50 million over four years....
“Mariano set the bar,’’ this Papelbon said. “I’m just trying to do my part.’’
It was Rivera who gave Papelbon (219 saves) the greatest closer advice of all time.
“When I was a rookie and I made my first All-Star Game,’’ this Papelbon said, “I had a chance to talk to Mo and I asked him, ‘What’s the biggest thing that is going to make me successful?’ He said, ‘Short-term memory. You have to be able to learn from that situation but I don’t go out there and think about it. You go over things but you have to be able to turn the page.’ ’’...
This Papelbon said he will miss facing the Yankees.
“For sure,’’ he said. “I think those games against the Yankees are series that you have to elevate your game and see how good you can be against great teams and great division rivals.’’...
He predicted the Red Sox will come back with a vengeance this year. “There are too many guys who have too much pride,’’ he said. “They are not going to lie down, they are going to work hard.’’...
The Yankees are happy to see Papelbon go to the other league. Now he is the Mets’ problem. His powerful right arm and fierce determination are among the many problems the Mets will have to face this season."Goose Gossage: “"It's an insult to me to even be compared to Mariano Rivera, it really is."
Jan. 12, 2006, “Gossage Beyond Compare,” Denver Post, Jim Armstrong
Mo will be late to camp but will get in his work
"There isn't a story close to (Mo)." Cashman
2/19/12, "Rivera Rules: He'll show up to camp when he wants," Andrew Marchand, ESPNNY.com
"At the Baseball Writers dinner last month, Mariano Rivera sidled up to Yankees GM Brian Cashman and whispered in his ear.
"He said, 'Cash, I want to give you a heads up, I might be a little late,'" Cashman said. "Just tell me when you are coming. What am I going to do? It's Mariano Rivera."
Rivera is the only pitcher and catcher, whom the GM said had not shown up yet. Since it is Rivera, it is no big deal for the GM or the team. He'll get here when he gets here. At 42, he knows what he is doing. In fact, he is the No. 1 story that Cashman has seen in his time with the Yankees.
"No. 1," Cashman said. "What Mariano Rivera has done. Who he is as a person. What he has done as a player with one pitch, coming from a small fisherman's village out of Panama. Coming to the biggest media market in the world and being the greatest of all-time for as long as he has done it. There isn't a story close to that. What he has done and what he has meant to this franchise. He is still the same guy that we signed back in the day." "
2/19/12, "Cashman Speaks: Scandal, Mo, Sabathia, More," River Ave. Blues, by Mike Axisa
- Mo will be late to camp but will get in his 8 innings.
- (Ed. note: I'm not in a rush this year anyway since he's dropped hints he's going to announce his decision about retirement sometime during spring training).
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Goose Gossage: “"It's an insult to me to even be compared to Mariano Rivera, it really is."
Jan. 12, 2006, “Gossage Beyond Compare,” Denver Post, Jim Armstrong
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Mariano Rivera analogy makes its way into defense counsel lore
2/17/12, "‘Linsanity’ Finds its Way Into Federal Court," Wall St. Journal Law Blog
"Defense attorneys and prosecutors are often likened to a range of athletes, from hard-slugging prize fighters, to tennis players volleying complex legal arguments across the courtroom.
It was only a matter of time before somebody in a big time federal case referenced Jeremy Lin, the New York Knicks’ Harvard-educated point-guard who’s become an unlikely international superstar.
During a hearing in Manhattan federal court Thursday evening, defense attorney Gary Naftalis, who is representing former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta in an insider trading case, explained that co-counsel David Frankel would be making the argument.
Naftalis said the switch was analogous to New York Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera coming to replace starter A.J. Burnett.
Judge Rakoff, who is presiding over the case, said he was surprised the defense chose Rivera for the metaphor, and not the more newsworthy Lin, who got his shot at glory after coming off the Knicks bench to star at point guard for the team.
That’s when lead prosecutor Reed Brodsky stood up and assured Rakoff that if there are any “Jeremy Lins” in the courtroom, they are on the side of the government. The high-priced hurlers– the “Mariano Riveras” of the world —
- were all on the defense, Brodsky said.
The courtroom had a good chuckle, but Brodsky did have a point. Federal prosecutors make a fraction of the salary of top defense attorneys like Naftalis.
Indeed, the deep-pocketed New York Yankees pay Mariano Rivera $15 million a year, according to the salary tracking company Spotrac. Lin makes a paltry $762,195.
We won’t know if Mr. Brodsky hit any legal three-pointers during the hearing until Judge Rakoff makes his ruling, but Mr. Brodsky did hold his own in “court.”"
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
'Before Tiger Woods became the Mariano Rivera of golf...,' NY Times
2/7/12, "For Woods, Early Lesson in Pressure Resonates," NY Times, Karen Crouse
"Before Tiger Woods became the Mariano Rivera of golf, he struggled to close out a victory on the PGA Tour the way Kyle Stanley and Spencer Levin have in recent weeks. ...
“What that allowed me to do is understand and feel the heat at this level,” Woods said, adding: “So that helped a lot going through that one tournament. It showed me that, one, I could get there, and two, where I needed to improve.”"...
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Goose Gossage: “"It's an insult to me to even be compared to Mariano Rivera, it really is."
Jan. 12, 2006, “Gossage Beyond Compare,” Denver Post, Jim Armstrong
Monday, February 06, 2012
Giants quarterback quickly becoming the 'Mariano Rivera of the NFL,' Star-Ledger
2/6/12, "This time, (Giants Coach) Coughlin thwarted the genius again with a quarterback who is quickly becoming
- the Mariano Rivera of the NFL — Eli Manning, The Closer....
“We’ve won so many games like this, at the end of the fourth quarter,” Coughlin said. “We talk about finishing all the time and winning in the fourth quarter, being the stronger team, making the plays in the fourth quarter.
- It happened again.”"...
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Mo takes in Knicks v Bulls at the Garden
Mariano Rivera at Madison Square Garden for NY Knicks v Chicago Bulls, Thurs., Feb. 2, 2012, with unidentified man, ap
