If you haven't come across it already, the New York Times Magazine article on Mariano is a great read. On top of which, the on-line version to which I link here includes an interactive "How Mariano Rivera Dominates Hitters" feature which you'll find on the lefthand margin of the article. The inescapable take-away from that feature is not exactly news to anyone: the guy is a freakishly-consistent master of control. But the hitter's-perspective graphics are fun to see.
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11 replies on “Fun with the Cutter”
We need to hurry along human cloning technology!!!
The day Mariano retires, I’m having a full-out pig roast at my house. A party to end parties.
Even the most cynical, self loving Yankee fan knows that when this day happens, everything changes. Everything. No longer is the given, well, a given.
There is no replacement, and there never will be. The past ten years would have looked TOTALLY different if they dealt with what every other team in baseball has dealt with in re: the bullpen and closers.
Really, I’m not kidding. I love the guy, and he has a one way ticket to the HOF, but when he retires, I’m getting fall-down drunk and thanking the almighty baseball gods of fortune that it’s finally a level field at this position.
I don’t care if Jeter, Posada and A-Rod play for the next ten years…they’re capable of having matches in talent. None of them will ever, ever bring to the game what Mariano does.
Ever. I really hope all Yankee fans realize that without this man, they’re entire franchise is different. Yes, they’re still good, but he has been THE master link in a chain of greatness for them. 3 Jeters would not have had the impact that one Mariano has brought to this team, and the league.
edit: their entire franchise…
Um…yeah. Clone his ass. NOW!!!
Luckily, the Yankee brass didn’t get a chance to destroy him like they did Joba and are working on PHranchise.
MO IS A GOLDEN GOD!!!
“3 Jeters would not have had the impact that one Mariano has brought to this team, and the league.”
That’s a little overboard. Jeter is a golden god as well. Maybe 1.5 Jeters but not 3!!! ;)
Be realistic. As good as Jeter has been, the Yankees have essentially not worry about closing out baseball games for over ten years now. Not one or two years. Not five. Over ten years.
3 light hitting classy shortstops does not a Mariano make.
Jeter has been all-world for the Yankees, but Mo’s influence on the game of baseball, his role and the many who have followed, and the shear scope of the landscape of the NY baseball scene has been changed.
The difference is here:
Replace the last ten years of Jeter with, say, A-Rod or Tejada, or Michael Young – the Yankees are still a great franchise.
Replace the last ten years of Mariano with whom? Anyone in HISTORY cannot compete or even begin to live up to what Mariano has done, and that’s not a slight towards Jeter or any other player at all. He’s just that good.
It’s over ten years of the 22 year old Tyson. It’s over ten years of 28 year old Jordan. It’s over ten years of Montana, Elway, and Marino at their best. It’s over ten years of Tiger before marriage.
It’s an untouchable comparison to line ANYONE IN HISTORY up next to the guy.
I’m not arguing that Mo is the greatest, not at all. I’m just saying that Jeter’s contributions are no drop in the bucket. Light-hitting? Come on dude. The guy has dropped the hammer in the post season when needed, when REALLY needed actually. It’s more a tandem really. Jeter makes the plays on D and gets the big hits, Mo slams the door. Maybe we don’t have all the leads in the 9th without Captain Clutch’s heroics?
Mo = 1.5 Jeters. I stand by my statement!
PS 30 minutes until NHL free agency opens!!! (as if the Sabres ever do anything but still)
“…The day Mariano retires, I’m having a full-out pig roast at my house. A party to end parties….”
hey, can i come buddy?…you’ll recognize me because i’ll be the one crying like a little baby…you may want to pick out the pig and start fattening it up now…i’ve heard some speculation that mo might retire this year or next…he seems like the kind of guy who would like to go out on top…there’s been a lot of talk over the years about who has been more valuable to the yankees in the last 10-15 years: torre, jeter, mo usually lead the list…there have been some awesome individual performances, like matsui last ws, but for longevity and consistency, they are the big 3…as much as i love jeter and get a kick out of you and krueg trying to quantify the discussion, i gotta defer to you and go with mo…for me, it’s close though, with the nod to mo, only because, like you pointed out, and like the song says, nobody does it better, makes me feel sad for the rest…jeter?…hell yeah, are there other shortstops with careers similar to his?…of course…did he benefit from being on teams managed by torre, and once in a lifetime teammates like mo?…yep…you can never discount being in the right place at the right time…but there’s just something about the way he plays, not just being a yankee, that separates him from the tejadas, arods, and youngs…i can’t of any other player i’d rather have up to bat with the game on the line…pedroia’s probably my second choice, ignoring for a minute that he’s not on my team…
I think we YF’s have been super fortunate to be able to watch the careers of Jeter, Mo, Andy, Hip Hip and throw in Bernie too. Being able to bask in the sweet glow of their success has been awesome…historic even.