The conversation with the Yankee executive was about relief pitching,
which meant within seconds, all roads were leading to Mariano Rivera. The
team official laughed at his inability to describe Rivera's skills in a new
or creative way, other than to ask, "Where would we be without him?"
That's not tabloid hype, that's not empty generosity. In fact, members of
the front office were trying not to cite Rivera's enormous talents on the
record these days, before contract negotiations were finally settled.
Just to show how skewed the arbitration process -- where it appeared Rivera was heading until signing a four-year contract, had become, Yankee
officials were worried that any praise they heap on Rivera to the press could
be used against them in a possible arbitration hearing.
As the club official said, "If I start telling you how great Mariano is, it
makes it hard to argue a case against him in arbitration. Still, it's pretty
obvious the guy's awesome, isn't it?"
Indeed, Rivera is the closest thing to late-inning perfection baseball
has known in the '90s, and you can argue he's en route to becoming the
greatest closer of all time. Since replacing John Wetteland in 1997, Rivera
has converted on 160 of 183 save chances, including a perfect 6-for-6 in the
2000 postseason.
That's why many baseball people believe the Yankees have been so
invincible in October: not just because Derek Jeter has evolved so
quickly; or Joe Torre's calm, professional demeanor; or even because of the
$112 million payroll.
It's Rivera.
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And then comes October
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Perhaps the most important aspect of the Yankees' three straight World Series titles has been the late-inning work of Mariano Rivera and the rest of the bullpen. Since Rivera took over as his closer, here are his postseason totals:
Rivera
19 saves
1 blown save
14 saves of more than one inning
(he also two wins where he pitched two innings)
All other teams
32 saves
27 blown saves
6 saves of more than one inning
While most managers rarely deviate from their ninth-inning-only philosophy of using closers, Joe Torre has not hesitated to bring in Rivera in the eighth inning. For that, Torre deserves praise.
Rivera's support from setup men like Jeff Nelson and Mike Stanton has also been superb. The only blown save by the Yankees since 1997 came when Rivera allowed an eighth-inning home run to Cleveland's Sandy Alomar in the '97 Division Series. Since, he's finished off 18 straight save opportunities.
--David Schoenfield
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As Torre himself said last season, "Mo has changed the way we play the game."
The Yankees need only capture a lead in the first 6-7 innings, then
turn their gaze to the set-up corps in the bullpen, followed by Rivera in the eighth and ninth inning.
That equation has been so impenetrable, it's hard to imagine the Yankees
stumbling in 2001, even with what could be a diminished offense. Rivera is
only 31, with no hint of arm trouble, and should continue to flourish, even
though Jeff Nelson left the Bronx as a free agent this winter.
The Bombers still have Mike Stanton to clear a path for Rivera, who has
proven he can intelligently use a fastball that's changed over the years.
Unlike in 1996, when as a set-up man for John Wetteland, Rivera struck out 130
batters in 107.2 innings, he no longer piles up -- or even tries for --
strikeouts.
Instead, Rivera insists he's more than happy with one- or two-pitch
at-bats, getting a hitter to pop up or ground out weakly. "It's easier on my
arm, better for the team that way," he said not long ago. "I used to think
striking a hitter out was the most important thing I could do, but I don't
feel that way anymore. As long as I get the outs, as long as we win."
Rivera's strikeout ratio was a more modest 58 in 75.2 innings last year,
and he isn't vain enough to think time hasn't robbed his heater of some of
its last-second explosion. Despite his overall brilliance, there have been
moments when the Yankee closer is, indeed, human, which may explain why the
club is reluctant to offer him more than a three-year deal.
Rivera is asking for four years, at close to $43 million, and that's down
from an initial request of $48 million. The Yankees have a three-year, $27
million offer on the table, and apparently they aren't budging.
If no compromise is reached soon, the two sides will go to arbitration
for the third straight year -- hardly the good will the Yankees want to
generate towards a star player who will be eligible for free agency next winter.
Still, the Bombers will be forced to point out to an arbiter that in 2000
the American League batted .295 with runners in scoring position against
Rivera and .380 with RISP and two outs. In 1999, those respective averages
were .204 and .235.
Also, Rivera's first-batter efficiency has diminished. Even though he
posted a .177 average (11-for-62) last year, that's up considerably from
1999, when Rivera retired 59 of 62 first-batters he faced, a mere .048
average.
And finally, left-handed hitters have found some -- although not much --
success against Rivera, as their collective average against him rose to .210
in 2000, up 67 points from 1999.
So what's this all mean? Only that Rivera really isn't a machine, and
that the Yankees might miss Nelson more than they're willing to admit.
Then again, no one ever asked Rivera to be perfect, and if it were
possible to imagine the Yankees winning four World Series in the last five
years without him ... well, it isn't.
Bob Klapisch of the Bergen (N.J.) Record covers baseball for ESPN.com.
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