Sporting News Pro Athlete of 2009: Mariano Rivera

• Rivera hits foul ball v Mets, 6/28/09, ap photo

"On a team full of superstars, Yankees closer Mariano Rivera went about his usual way in 2009, dominating opponents and helping New York claim its 27th World Series.

• Because of his performance—44 saves, 1.76 ERA and five more postseason saves—Rivera is Sporting News' Pro Athlete of the Year.

In 15 seasons with the Yankees, Rivera has been an integral part of five World Series titles. He told Sporting News that the nine years since the previous championship was tough to handle.

• "It felt long—especially the year 2008 when we didn't even make the playoffs. That was horrible," Rivera told Sporting News' Steve Greenberg in a one-on-one interview at his Rye, N.Y., home.

Among the other things Rivera told SN:

• On being able to peak at the most important time of year, even at his age: In the playoffs, you're talking about something that not many players have the opportunity to be in -- and I'm talking about great players, not just average players. And I've been blessed to be able to be in the playoffs for many years and do the job in all those years. I think that says it alone -- it's the playoffs. You don't want to miss that; you want to be in the middle of it. And when you realize that's your makeup, your ability, your mind, your mentality, you just want to keep going and going and going and never stop.

On how long he'll continue to pitch: "The minute I know that I don't have it, I hang it up right there."

• On pitching for another team: "With all the respect that all the organizations deserve, it would be hard for me to consider playing for another team. If the opportunities are there, then you don't know. But I believe the Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to play for one team."

On what his presence and disposition do for the Yankees, a team captained by Derek Jeter: I think you're asking the wrong man the wrong question. I will never talk about myself in terms of what I have done for the team. I don't even think about it. I just try to help my teammates as much as I can. I don't care if they don't give me credit. As long as we win, as long as what I did helped them to be better, that makes me happy.

• On pursuing the all-time saves record: "You know what? I'm OK with whatever happens. I'm not a guy who goes looking for numbers or chasing records."

On one day losing his ability to throw the cutter: I didn't learn it by somebody teaching me. It came by the Lord. So it's not within myself to lose it or keep it. It will be the Lord to decide when to take it away." On his successor, the next great closer: There are many good closers. You have Joe Nathan, (Jonathan) Papelbon, (Francisco) Rodriguez. You have the kid (Andrew Bailey) who just won the rookie of the year from the A's. You have Joakim Soria from the Kansas City Royals. (Brian) Fuentes from Anaheim. You have a lot of good guys that can do a great job there, and I always wish them the best. It's not easy to do what we do."

• "2009 Sporting News Pro Athlete of the Year: Mariano Rivera, Yankees Closer," by Ken Bradley

The night Rivera hit the foul ball, he got his first career RBI (via a walk), and his 500th 'regular season save.'

• Dan Shanoff on "SN's Athletes of the Year:

Pro: Mariano Rivera. I think Rivera is kind of an inspired choice for Pro AOY (it's certainly more satisfying than Derek Jeter).

• I could make a strong case for Larry Fitzgerald, Drew Brees or Kobe ahead of Rivera, but it's solid."...12/18/09

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Rivera, Nathan co-winners of 2009 AL Rolaids Relief Award

Newsday, 10/9: "Mariano Rivera and the Twins’ Joe Nathan were named co-winners of the 2009 American League Rolaids Relief Man Award,

• the first tie in the 33-year history of the award that is given to the best relievers in baseball. Rivera (44 saves and a 1.76 ERA) and Nathan (47 saves, 2.10 ERA)

• both accumulated 132 Rolaids Relief Man points during the regular season.

Heath Bell (42, 2.71 ERA) of the Padres was the National League winner with 121 points.

For Nathan, it is the first time he’s won the award while Rivera is taking home the trophy – a silver fireman’s helmet mounted on a silver pedestal – for the fourth time,

• tying him with Rollie Fingers and Bruce Sutter for second place all-time behind Dan Quisenberry, who won it five times."...

How are points calculated?

"...A reliever is given two points for a win, three points for a save and loses two points for a loss.

• Beginning in 1987, blown saves also count as two-point loss.

And in 2000, Rolaids began awarding 4 points for a tough save,

• when a reliever enters a game with the tying run already on base and gets the save. "

Eric Boland, "Rivera, Nathan a big relief for their clubs"

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The embarrassment that is ESPN, Jack O'Connell & the BBWAA

• Dear John Delcos (ESPN heavy, BBWAA voter OF THE JOURNAL NEWS), Here's your award-winning ESPN/Hall of Fame quote. It's not going away. After that, see the math needed for your insulting claim:

"Unfortunately for Hoffman and other relievers of his era, they are compared to Rivera's body of work in the playoffs. There's no denying Rivera's greatness, but had the Yankees had Hoffman instead, I believe they would have been just as successful.'' -- John Delcos, The Journal News (New York)"

• John Delcos quote from ESPN.com, "Hoffman Deserves a Plaque in Cooperstown," Crasnick: Surveying Hoffman's Hall of Fame Case," 6/1/07

• Poster "Bull Pain" on BBTF, 10/9/07

"If you count Trevor Hoffman's blowup v the Rockies as a 'post season game,' he'd need to go 104 more post season innings and allow just 2 ER to match Rivera's ERA.

• Mariano's playoff history: 76 games, 117.1 IP, 72 hits, 10 ER, 16 BB, 93K, .77 ERA, 1 L."

(Comment posted on "Rivera to Test Market," on BBTF (Baseball Think Factory)

• Update: 10/12/07, AP report: "Trevor Hoffman has elbow surgery." Pitchers with bad elbows can't help their team. Hoffman also missed most of 2003 with surgery.

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The NY Post knows what the YES Network Doesn't

His name is Mariano.

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On the YES Network, Mariano Rivera still does not exist

I just sat through the whole post game show of the 7-6 win over Tampa Bay to make sure the YES Network still thinks Mo doesn't exist, and it's true. Exhaustive audio by Bob Lorenz, video of the game, mostly on Mussina, a wild game that didn't look good for the Yankees but of course one they deperately needed. Mariano got the 1-run save (he also got the 2-run save last night, today being a day game after a night game--others don't handle that so well). I waited and waited til the bitter end for the video montage, no Mo. They included him in a group for 1 second at the end, which you'd only discern if you were looking closely. I could've lived with even a sentence. but nothing from them.

• But on the radio side: Player of the Game: MARIANO RIVERA for his performance in a 1 run game they desperately needed and in which numerous others screwed up. (John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman have seen every pitch Rivera has thrown since 1995).
• I'll bet the YES guys could not tell you the details of Game 3 of the 2001 ALDS, score 1-0, 2 IP for Mo --this was after a full regular season, being on the verge of elimination with this so-called big team of rich guys not getting it done. I bet the YES guys don't know he pitched in ALL 4 GAMES OF THE 2004 ALDS. And he's still doing it today, but they clearly want him to go away. Just like ESPN. Good in the post season, yadda yadda.

I note these things in service to this subject and this blog. I've documented this exhaustively here-- in case someone cares in the future after I'm dead.

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LA's MATT HURST SCREWS UP--SHOWS HIS TRUE FEELINGS ABOUT MARIANO RIVERA

Being a BBWAA member means you can be selected to vote on post season baseball awards which have huge financial implications. Matt Hurst controls millions of dollars though he simply works for a suburban California newspaper. Why? He gets 'opportunities' to cast votes in AL post season awards. Today, BIG MATT SEZ:

• "Move over Mariano. At just 25, (Frankie) Rodriguez has become the standard for closers."

"THE STANDARD FOR CLOSERS?" Mariano should move over from being the standard for closers, Matt Hurst says.

• MATT MAY BE ADMITTING HE FAILED TO ACT ON HIS TRUE UNDERSTANDING. IN 2005 HE LEFT MARIANO RIVERA'S NAME ENTIRELY OFF HIS BALLOT FOR AL CY YOUNG AWARD WHICH HELPED LA ANGEL BARTOLO COLON GET THE AWARD. MATT HURST NOW LETS SLIP HE VIEWS RIVERA AS HAVING BEEN THE STANDARD UP UNTIL THIS MOMENT, WHEN HE PROCLAIMS HIS GUY KROD IS KING.

Hurst's proof for this grand statement? Other guys on the Angels team. Not saying Krod isn't great or the team guys might feel a tiny bit like supporting their own team mate. He spends the rest of the column pumping the "total saves" stat which is the baseball media mafia's way of diverting your attention from a bunch of more interesting closer stats.

• OR MAYBE HURST IS PITCHING A BOOK DEAL WITH SOME ANGEL PLAYER OR SOME OTHER BS. IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS, YOU MIGHT ASK YOURSELF WHY.

2006 K-rod Stats:

• Wild Pitches by K-rod: 10
• Wild Pitches by Mariano: 0

• HR given up Krod: 7
• HR given up Mariano: 3

• Walks Krod: 28
• Walks Mariano: 11

• G/GF Krod: 69/58 (84%)
• G/GF Mariano: 63/59 (93.6%)

• 1 out "Saves" Krod: 2
• 1 out "Saves" Mariano: 0

• GO/AO Krod: .94
• GO/AO Mariano: 2.16

• WHIP Krod: 1.10
• WHIP Mariano: .96

• Just a few stats Matt Hurst failed to mention about Krod in 2006 I looked up. I guess Matt Hurst thought everyone would believe his reliance on the "total saves" stat and not look up other important stats for a closer. Mo didn't have a manager who gave him cookie "saves" like the 2 1-out saves Krod got.

Oh yes....

• Fist-pumps Krod: Dozens
• Fist-pumps Mariano: O

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Brian Cashman Dumps on Mariano Rivera Again via Bill Madden column

For all the world to see--Cashman's disrespect was noticed by cognoscenti of Baseball Think Factory, if you needed more proof. Bill Madden discussed starters v closers, relative value, etc., and hit the jackpot.

• Madden got the San Diego Padres GM to say their closer was the reason for their recent success.

• Then Madden gave the chance to Brian Cashman to cite value of starter v closer, and he immediately says, "Oh a starter." LEAVING MARIANO IN THE TRASH, TWISTING SLOWLY SLOWLY IN THE WIND. (Madden says he later admitted the closer was important, too).

I emailed Madden several weeks ago--before this current mess--about the lack of respect for Rivera. He emailed me back saying I was too sensitive, there were no problems and Rivera was a 1st ballot HOF'er.

• BILL, ARE YOU STARTING TO GET THE PICTURE? MO GETS FEW VOTES FROM BBWAA VOTERS, NO VOTES FROM THE YES NETWORK, AND NOW REPEATEDLY DISRESPECTED BY YANKEE MANAGEMENT IN THE MEDIA. The people with all the power in baseball media live their lives looking for excuses to ignore Mariano Rivera. They're thrilled about this.

This is the issue, ahead of money, as I've documented exhaustively on this blog for well over a year. Last year, I heard Cashman say quite earnestly that Mariano was "irreplaceable," so I know his current behavior is to flesh out some other agenda he has going on.

• First, I believe if anyone in the Yankees doesn't appreciate Rivera it's Steinbrenner--he has an aversion to nice guys who are open about their faith, are family men, don't get in bar fights, etc. (and DON'T GET PULLED OVER FOR DUI AT 2:30 AM IN ST. PETE). It's quite possible George is behind this.
• 2nd, Brian may be using this situation to cement his stature as the boss. BIG MISTAKE, YOU PICKED THE WRONG EXAMPLE.
• 3rd, I could be giving Brian too much credit. HE MAY JUST HAVE A NAPOLEON COMPLEX--and these are the worst bosses--I've had a few.

Comments following Madden's article on Baseball Think Factory:

• "23. nictonjr Posted: February 18, 2007 at 05:20 PM (#2299750) I think Brian Cashman sings another tune if Kyle Farnsworth is his closer in 2008...."

and

• "26. J. Michael Neal Posted: February 18, 2007 at 06:50 PM (#2299769)

The big issue, I think, is that it's difficult to find pitchers who can pitch in the typical relief role, successfully, year in and year out. Papelbon excelled for five months as a closer, sure; but then his arm fell off, and was advised thereafter that his body is better off pitching in a normal starter usage pattern than in relief. Plenty of other pitchers have had one, or even two, good years as a closer; but it's hard to sustain. That's why it doesn't make sense to go out and pay top dollar for the latest flash-in-the-pan.

• Are starters as consistent in each 70 inning increment as they are over entire seasons?"

Items referenced from Bill Madden's NY Daily News column, 2/18/07, "Closers vs Starters"

• PAGING SCOTT BORAS..PAGING SCOTT BORAS...MARIANO RIVERA NEEDS AN AGENT WITH A CLUE, ASAP.

RIGHT NOW I'M ONLY TALKING ABOUT COMMON RESPECT AND COMMON COURTESY. THE YANKEES HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO EVEN GIVE THAT MUCH TO MARIANO RIVERA.

• P.S. In the same NY Daily News today, Mike Lupica follows up on his statement last year that "Mariano Rivera is the greatest money athlete of all time," by saying:

"Michael Jordan, at the end, got paid as much by the Bulls for the past as he did for the present.

• And so should Mo Rivera, an even greater money performer than even Jordan ever was.

The Yankees got away with paying the guy retail for years, and that needs to change."

From Lupica's column today.

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