Monday, June 29, 2009

The Great One


Every time the Yanks play an opposing team with an alleged top closer in the game, be it Joe Nathan, K-Rod, Papelbon - whomever, I am reminded that there is only one top closer in the game. It is Mariano Rivera, and no one, not a single one, is even close. 500 regular season saves and counting.

Will he catch Hoffman?


Briefly by the Numbers:

The Yanks have beaten the Mets 4 straight games by a combined score of 33 - 3.

The Bombers are at a season high 11 games over .500.

1 - no, not the number of times we'll see a post from 57 after the drubbing that his Mets received. But the number of wins by Wang the last 12 months. He put in a quality start, still threw too many pitches out of the zone in my opinion - but it was an improvement.

.635 - winning pct since A-Rod's return - the best in the bigs.


Next stop - 3 gamer with Seattle.

25 comments:

The Scooter said...

You are dead on, Mid

Sure we could talk about the game (pretty entertaining)

or the sweep (Mets are pathetic)

or we could even talk about the fact that Mariano had exactly one RBI more than David Wright in the series

But today is a day to celebrate greatness. I'm not sure if we realize how lucky we are to have witnessed and continue to witness one of the greatest players to step on the field. We are talking Babe Ruth great...Ty Cobb great...Mantle, Mays and DiMaggio great.

And add to that the fact that Mo is just a class act. His interview after the game was classic Mariano...."I just want to go out there and do my job...and let other people talk about me."

We will miss him when he is gone, but are blessed to have been able to follow his career.

The Scooter said...

I just had to throw this in there...

Fernando Martinez is certainly not making anyone forget Lastings Milledge, is he 57?

Crash said...

NYPD just issued an APB for the New York Metropolitans. They are missing and presumed dead after not showing up for a weekend get together with their neighbor.

Should they rename Citi Field to Yankee Stadium II?

The Scooter said...

"Should they rename Citi Field to Yankee Stadium II?"

Maybe THE HOUSE THAT A-ROD BUILT?

57 said...

If Delgado, Beltran and Reyes were in the lineup this series would have been different. David Wright was pitched around the entire series...why wouldn't they with the likes of a bunch of BUMBS batting behind him.

Im not talking about the Mets until August..which is when they will be a full team again...

However... I wonder if Manuel will last that long. Wilpon needs to make some series decisions...

57 said...

Alright.. alright... in the middle of a baseball era with so many cheaters... I have to give much respect to Mariano Rivera. Even as a Mets fan, I really can't look past what he has done.

As Tom Kelly said in 1996 before he had even ONE save, "he should be illegal"

Ok.. now will you all get off my back?

The Scooter said...

'Ok.. now will you all get off my back?'

Yes, 57....for a while. Let me leave you with this though, courtesy of Mike Vaccaro of the POST

"if Fernando Tatis were any more done he'd be playing with the fork actually sticking out of his back."

old professor said...

SWEEP, the YANKS win three from the muts. Sorry 57 had to jump on the train that was running over you.

Ogh and regarding the what ifs regarding the mets and their missing players. You play with what you got. No one cried when the Yankees had Posada, Molina, A-Rod, Marte, and Nady on the DL. You either suck it up or you lose.

Crash said...

Old Prof that's a fair assessment on the injuries. I heard the ESPN Sunday Night crew talking about how would the Yankees do if they lost 3 of their key players. They seemed to forget that they did!!! A-Rod was gone for the first month plus, Posada was gone, and their starting RF Nady. Not to mention they have been without 2 key bullpen guys Bruney and Marte.

I think Seattle comes to town starting tonight then the Blue Jays. Not sure if the Yankees have to face Felix Hernandez this series. He is finally pitching like an ace and that could be difficult for the Yankees. And unfortunately it looks like the Yankees will have to face Doc Halladay in that Toronto series too.

The Scooter said...

NEW YORK (AP) -- Eric Hinske has been acquired by the New York Yankees from the Pittsburgh Pirates for a pair of minor leaguers.

Pittsburgh will receive right-hander Casey Erickson and outfielder Eric Fryer for the utilityman. In addition, the Pirates will give the Yankees cash.

The 31-year-old Hinske hit .255 in 106 at-bats this season with nine doubles, one homer and 11 RBIs, playing right field, first base and third base.


Ummmmm.....OK

old professor said...

Hinske is a very serviceable outfielder, third baseman and first baseman. He has hit with power and for average. His being added would indicate someone is going to be gone shortly. Matsui? Swisher? He will be inserted in the area we were hoping for Austin Jackson. Nady will be moved to the 60 day DL to make room on the 40 man.

The Scooter said...

Just ANOTHER fourth outfielder to me, Prof...that makes FOUR fourth outfielders and two designated hitters on this team.

Sure, Hinske is a nice bat off the bench, but I really hope this deal is just a precursor of something bigger to come.

Crash said...

Calling Hinske a fourth OF is being kind. The fact that the Yankees gave up anything to get him is disturbing.

Does this mean it's official that Nady is done for the year? Did I miss that announcement?

57 I think Carlos Beltran is done for the year as well. Micro-fracture surgery?

The Scooter said...

I'm not even going to complain about Joba anymore....They won the game, that's all that counts. I'm going to hang my hat on the theory that he's a 23 year old kid who is still learning how to be a pitcher. I don't think we will get a true read on him until next year. For now, he's our number 5 starter...

How long before Girardi realizes what everybody else has already realized? Phil Hughes is your eighth inning guy. Bruney is rusty, but since he is throwing 95, I would have to say he's healthy. Get him some work in the seventh inning, NOT the eighth.

A-Rod hit a MOON SHOT. Damn, when right, he is still the best baseball player on the planet.

It was nice to see Matsui get one of the biggest hits in the game in front of his family who came over from Japan.

At 35, Derek Jeter is having one of the best years of his career...both offensively and defensively.

Red Sox blew a 10-1 lead.

Santana got shelled (Prince Fielder hit one to Chicago off of him)

HAPPY DAY!

Crash said...

That Fielder HR was launched. That was truly a 'WOW' HR.

I can't believe the Orioles scored 10 runs in the 7th and 8th innings to win that game.

As much as I bang on the Joba starter issue, he is certainly a more than capable #5 starter right now. I would like to see him complete the 6th inning more often. But if he gets into the 6th with only giving up 3 runs I think he's done his job. I want to see flashes of dominance along the way (which will certainly happen) and I want to see him be THE guy come October.

Couldn't agree more on the Phil Hughes front. Girardi is loyal to a fault. He will give the guy multiple attempts even though he should have stopped 2 times ago. I expect Bruney to get several more chances and he will only be moved to the 7th inning if he blows all of them. If Bruney gets right, then you have a dominant bullpen with him, Hughes, and Mo.

old professor said...

Crash, Nady os done . He is scheduled for a secomd tommy john surgery. That would effectively end this year and probably next, which will mean his career.

Pena appears to be the odd man out as they want him to get more at bats and play some outfield so he can become a true utility guy.

How about those Muts five in a row and counting.

Crash said...

A-Rod comes through BIG TIME, IN THE CLUTCH, 2 nights in a row. The Yankees have a nice win streak right now. And now we come back with the big aces, CC and AJ...could turn into quite a roll.

The Scooter said...

And Crash, as bad as Pettitte looked last time out, he threw a fantastic game last night. The key was keeping Ichiro off the bases all night long.

When did this bullpen turn into a strength? I think it corresponds to the release of Veras. Ace and Coke pitched a strong eighth and then the Sandman cometh.

Don't forget Melky....I'm the first one to call him a fourth outfielder, but he had another very good game last night (and hit a SHOT) after notching the game-winner the night before.

Here's a thought....with Mo getting a lot of work over the last few nights, I would think that he would have tonight off. Who's your closer tonight? Dare I say Phil Hughes?

The Scooter said...

PROF,

This one's for you:

J.B. Cox, who at one time was considered a big Yankees prospect, has left Double-A Trenton.

"He shut himself down," Cashman said of the right-handed pitcher who was a second-round pick in 2005 out of the University of Texas. "He went home to think about his career. He is frustrated the ball is not coming out of his hand. He hasn't been the same since the injury."

old professor said...

Too bad about Cos, he was once thought to be the replacement for Mo. Couldn't even succeed at SWB and goes down. He probably is done.

Has anyone noticed the rays have gotten hot. Seven in a row until toronto snapped the streak.

Crash said...

The Rays are only a couple of the Yankees. They have seriously put a charge on.

What's up with the O's and Boston two bizarre games back to back. First the O's come back from 10 runs down in the 7th to win. Then the following day they blow a 4 run lead in the 9th and lose in extras.

Scooter as much as I would love to see Hughes come in for save situation, I can almost guarantee you it's not going to happen. Girardi couldn't manage to hit water if he fell out of a boat, you think he's going to do the logical thing and give Hughes the ball in the 9th? It's so obvious to everyone, except Girardi, that Hughes should be getting the ball when it matters most. If I had to guess he's going to give the ball to Coke. I know he's thrown the last 2 nights, but he has only thrown 14 pitches combined during the last 2 nights.

The Scooter said...

Posnanski at SI.com has a Pulitzer Prize worthy article on Mariano up today. It is truly fantastic.

Every one of you MUST read it:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_posnanski/07/01/rivera/index.html

Crash said...

Happy 4th to everyone.

57 said...

Every Yankee announcer is awful....

old professor said...

Yankees win for the ninth time in ten games and move to one game behind the red sox. However, expect Wang to go on the DL with a strained shoulder - lett's see if Hughes or Aceves becomes the new starter.

Support the Troops