Friday, August 03, 2012
Could Dodger Kenley Jansen be the next Mariano Rivera? Raif
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7/31/12, "The Second Coming of Mariano Rivera?" blog.fantasyfeud.com, Mike Raif
Kenley Jansen, Mariano Rivera
"Based on the sheer number of statistical and subjective categories in baseball there is seldom a consensus best player in any one category. Take third base for example. Among third basemen a very strong argument could be made for a number of different players. I could personally write a dissertation focusing only on a comparison between Miguel Cabrera and Evan Longoria, and I would thoroughly enjoy doing so. Yet in one position there can be no debate. Baseball insiders and statisticians alike must agree that Mariano Rivera is not only the greatest active closer, but is likely the most successful closer we are likely to see in our lifetime. To say any other player comes close is hardball blasphemy. Yet I will take my chances with the powers that be in Major League Baseball and say that Kenley Jansen may very well be the best candidate to surpass Mariano Rivera.
7/31/12, "The Second Coming of Mariano Rivera?" blog.fantasyfeud.com, Mike Raif
Kenley Jansen, Mariano Rivera
"Based on the sheer number of statistical and subjective categories in baseball there is seldom a consensus best player in any one category. Take third base for example. Among third basemen a very strong argument could be made for a number of different players. I could personally write a dissertation focusing only on a comparison between Miguel Cabrera and Evan Longoria, and I would thoroughly enjoy doing so. Yet in one position there can be no debate. Baseball insiders and statisticians alike must agree that Mariano Rivera is not only the greatest active closer, but is likely the most successful closer we are likely to see in our lifetime. To say any other player comes close is hardball blasphemy. Yet I will take my chances with the powers that be in Major League Baseball and say that Kenley Jansen may very well be the best candidate to surpass Mariano Rivera.
Although there are a number of young relievers with tremendous promise (Craig Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman, and Chris Perez), the comparisons between Jansen and Rivera avail the former as the perfect candidate to one day unseat the king. Perhaps the best place to start the comparison is with the cut fastball. Anyone who has played high level baseball will tell you that in order to hit a mid-90s fastball hitters must pick up and commit to the pitch almost immediately after it leaves the pitchers hand.
- The difficulty of hitting such a pitch is compounded by movement.
- Jansen entered the scene at 23 already a converted catcher.