Exit Sandman
Maybe I am alone on this one?
Without question, Mariano Rivera is the greatest closer in the history of baseball. And, without question, he should be a first ballot Hall of Famer. And, without question, he is a huge part of the success that the Yankees enjoyed from 1996 through 2011. And, without question, he is a tremendous person and an asset to the Yankees organization in many, many ways – as well as being a legend in his home community. And, I doubt that we will ever see someone forge a baseball pitching career like the one that he has fashioned – to date – being nearly unhittable for 18 seasons in the major leagues and making it look effortless in the process. The dude was just eff’ing automatic on the mound. He was a machine. A terminator of batters.
Yet, I am not sad at all over the news of his retirement.
The man is 43-year old and will be forty-four shortly after the end of the 2013 season.
In terms of ability and performance, yes, it’s strange to see him retire. But, in terms of age, it’s clearly time.
Celebrate the player and the man. Give him his proper respect. But, don’t be sad, upset, or lament, over his leaving the game. There’s nothing left for him here. He’s done it all. And, he’s far from being a young man in terms of baseball age. It’s time for him to move on.
It’s sad in a sense that we will never see another like him again. Glad that he is able to go out on his terms, and I hope he remains attached to the game or organization in some capacity. Not that it’s a bad thing if he doesn’t…
You are not alone.
Well, I’m definitely sad. I’ll definitely miss the feeling having the 9th locked up 98% of the time, and I’ll miss a very classy, good man. Imagine someone so good who never bragged about himself. It’s always the team.
I hope he has another great year. It’d be a shame otherwise.
FWIW, Soriano – who I am not a fan of, so, don’t get me wrong – seemed to be pretty good at locking down the 9th last year. 42 saves in 46 chances, IIRC. And, that’s pretty consistent.
Well said, Steve….
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/27/sports/pro-baseball-the-rich-get-richer-as-orioles-get-wells.html?scp=1&sq=Rivera+Wells+Tigers&st=nyt
Whew!
Raf wrote:
Are you SURE Brian Cashman didn’t make that offer? Just askin’.
@ Raf:
And in 1994 when they reportedly offered Jeter to the Marlins for Bryan Harvey, the former Angel closer.
@ Steve L.:
I think a lot of it is that we’ve seen so many superstars in all sports just fade away or decline to where it is sad to see at the end. But Mo is going out on top, perhaps better than ever. And that’s what made last May so sobering – the thought of the final uniformed memory being carried off on a golf cart and that it just can’t end like this.
So while we hope it’s not, the final regular season home game September 26 vs. Tampa may be a farewell we’ve never seen before at the Stadium. Thinking over Yankee history, there haven’t been many final in-game goodbyes over the years like what you read about Ted Williams & Stan Musial had.
O’Neill would come the closest, but that was fan initiated and spontaneous. I was at a DH the final home weekend in ’95, when Mattingly had cheers at every AB, but there was a lot of uncertainty at that point whether he was coming back, retiring, or signing elsewhere for 1996.
And if you look at the greats, The Mick retired without fanfare just before spring training in 1969, Whitey retired in May of 1967. Scooter was released on Old Timers Day 1956. Don’t remember hearing much of Yogi or DiMaggio’s final games as Yankees.
So the 9th inning of that last home game on September 26, whether the Yanks are up 10 runs, or down 10, I’m willing to bet that #42 will be pitching the 9th inning that evening, and it’ll be a night to remember.
77yankees wrote:
True.
A typical closer will save about 85% of his opportunities. If it falls much below that, he’ll be replaced, sooner or later. Mariano has saved 89% of his opportunities so far, 90% if you ignore his first two seasons, before he became closer.
It may just be my subjective memory, but it seems more like 97-98% for about 22 weeks of the season, and about 50% in his two annual two-week slumps.
Some other contemporary closers:
Papelbon 89%
Kimbrel 89%
Soria 89%
Nathan 91% (Since he became a closer)
Hanrahan 82% (90% since he became a full-time closer)
Soriano 85% (but 91% as a full time closer)
From the career saves leader list (300 saves or more, years as full-time closer only)
Sutter (1977-1984): 77% (he blew 10 saves the year he won the Cy Young)
Isringhausen (2000-2007): 85%
Doug Jones (1988-1990, 1992-1995, 1997): 85%
Montgomery (1990-1996, 1998): 82%
Gossage (1975, 1977-1986): 76%
Henke (1986-1995): 85%
Nen (1994-2002): 85%
Aguilera (1990-2000): 81%
Todd Jones (1997-2000, 2005-2007): 87%
Mesa (1995-1996, 1999, 2001-2005): 88%
Hernandez (1993, 1995-2002): 82%
Cordero (2004-2011): 85%
Wetteland (1992-2000): 84%
Fingers (1972-1982): 75%
Myers (1988-1990; 1992-1998): 86%
Percival (1996-2004; 2008): 87%
Reardon (1982-1992): 78%
Eckersley (1988-1997): 85%
Wagner (1997-2008, 2010): 86%
Franco (1986-1991, 1994-1998): 83%
Smith (1983-1995): 83%
Hoffman (1995-2002, 2004-2009): 89.6%
and
Mariano (1997-2011) 89.8%
BTW, Mariano has 4 All-Star Game saves, and is unscored on in 8 innings in 8 games.
@ Evan3457:
FWIW, ‘tho, guys like Sutter and Gossage had longer SvOpp outings.
Steve L. wrote:
And Fingers, right. I know; they aren’t really Eck-type closers (1 inning most of the time). If I had the time, I’d research how often they blew saves in their first clean inning (i.e. coming in to start the inning).
But I don’t have the time right now.
@ Evan3457:
Another fun stat on Mo… More men have walked on the moon (12) then have scored a run on Mo in the playoffs (11)
77yankees wrote:
And part of it too is that Mo seems to be a genuinely good person. Also in an era where there is shameless self promotion, it’s nice to see a player or person of Rivera’s stature not get caught up in all that.