Saturday, December 22, 2012

 

Bird's eye view of Rivera's Harrison, NY house via virtual globetrotting

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Mariano Rivera's house in Harrison, NY, purchased in 2009, bird's eye view, Virtual Globetrotting






















Thursday, December 20, 2012

 

Rivera mentioned in discussion of Hall of Fame status of late inning reliever on 2013 Hall of Fame ballot

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12/19/12, "My 2013 Hall of Fame ballot," NY Post, Ken Davidoff

"This marks my seventh year as a Hall of Fame voter, and I’d rank this ballot as my most fun. Not heart-wrenching. Not sleep-losing. Not difficult. Fun....I post my ballot annually, but this is my first since I joined The Post. I like to discuss every player on the ballot. Mostly to explain my thinking all the way through, but also to pay tribute to all of these players. Remember, it’s an accomplishment in itself just to make the ballot....

Lee Smith

Ah, the closer conversation.

It’s not as hard to find a closer as you think. As Tom Verducci wrote here, in the past 10 seasons, 91 different pitchers have recorded 25 or more saves in a season. That’s why closers don’t score well at all in value equations like WAR and JAWS.

The obvious exception is Mariano Rivera, because he has been so elite for so long.

Smith pitched long enough to collect 478 saves.

But he’s no Rivera. No one is. 

Smith is a No."...

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Mariano has said Edgar Martinez was the toughest batter he's faced. Mr. Davidoff votes yes for Edgar in the Hall of Fame:

"Edgar Martinez

This is his fourth year on the ballot, and it’s the fourth time he’s a Yes for me. Martinez was such a good offensive player, putting together a .933 OPS and 147 OPS+ over 18 seasons, that he overcomes the visceral and statistical bias against him being primarily a designated hitter."...via BTF

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Ed. note: Please excuse unpleasant white background behind most of this post. It was illegally put there by my longtime hacker who has a big problem with free speech and no fear of going to jail.





Monday, December 17, 2012

 

'Rivera has allowed fewest baserunners per inning in all of baseball, and fewest home runs per inning,' ESPN 'Best Hall of Famers to be'

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From ESPN, "Best Hall of Famers to be":

"Rivera has been tougher on lefties than Randy Johnson was, and he has been tougher on righties than Pedro Martinez was. During his career, 

Rivera has allowed 

the fewest baserunners per inning in all of baseball and the fewest HR/inning."

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Ed. note: The above text appears briefly at the bottom left of the page on ESPN's slide show of this topic. I reloaded it a few times to write it all down. It may exist elsewhere. I didn't see reference to whether these stats were regular season only. Rivera has pitched 141 post season innings, the equivalent of 2 additional years of late inning relief @ 70 IP all done within the time span of his regular season work. This of course entailed the toughest competitors, under the brightest lights, often after shorter offseasons in which to recover. He gave up a total of 2 home runs in 141 post season innings.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

 

Rivera at Yankee holiday food drive

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12/12/12, "Rivera vows to be ready for Yankees' Opening Day," NY Post, G. King

Below, Rivera at Yankee holiday food drive, 12/12/12

riveraYankee fooddrivedec122012zumapressphotovianypost



Thursday, December 06, 2012

 

Mariano Rivera on Michael Kay show, ESPN NY radio, Tues. 12/4/12

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12/5/12, "Mariano Rivera speaks for the first time since signing what could be his final contract," Star-Ledger, Jeff Bradley

"Mariano Rivera spoke for the first time since signing his new one-year contract, which could be worth up to $10 million with incentives. Appearing on the Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio,

Rivera touched on a number of subjects.

"I missed the game but not the traveling," Rivera said. "That was the time when I didn't know if I wanted to come back again."

As to why he decided to come back, Rivera reiterated what he said in May, when he tore his ACL in Kansas City, "I didn't want to leave the game the way I did this year. That pushed me. Give me a chance to go out there again and try to win another World Series."

Will this definitely be his final season?

"It could be," Rivera said. "I will tell the guys in spring training. I don't want to break that promise."

Asked if he was confident he could pitch at his usual high level after a year off, Rivera said,

"Definitely. Otherwise I would be there. I always ask myself for a level. I feel great. I've started running. The knee feels great and it's getting better every day."

Rivera said he watched in disbelief as the Yankee struggled to score runs in the postseason. "It was tough to watch, but that's the game of baseball. I can't explain it.

He does not, however, fear retirement.

"Baseball to me is not everything," he said. "I have to finish my career and then jump back into the church and do what I can to help the youngsters.""

ESPN Radio Michael Kay show podcast with Mariano Rivera from Steiner Sports event, Mon. 12/4/12



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