I hate to rain on the "Rivera victory lap" parade... but Rivera is not a very good closer this year. He was not deserving of being an All-Star (from a stats standpoint) and given his peripherals, I am astonished that he has not blown more saves this year.
BQ - Rivera is clearly the best closer in the game. The closer itself is a overrated asset, and Rivera is overrated by extension... but his excellence within the role in which he's played cannot be understated.
He is losing a little bit of stuff and going in a funk, this can happen to closers. He also may be getting overworked. He has made a couple bad pitches and the guys are taking advantage of that at the plate.
With that said I have a lot of respect for him as a player. He is well-spoken, a hard competitor and does things the right way.
He had a little problem with home runs. The Yankees still won both games he screwed up in, though.
-bq- I am NOT a Yankee fan but I have always respected him as a player and still do.
He is human nobody can be perfect. He is also getting older, but he is still the greatest closer. Miguel Cabrera is a great hitter and the yankees aren't really helping mo out right now. I just think he has been overworked and nobody's perfect
simple, just a rough week for him, he's human and he's 43, and he's facing one of the best hitters (Cabrera, V-Mart), even the best closer ever is going to have rough stretch, but he's going to rebound sooner than later I believe.
BQ : dude, it's Mariano Rivera, how clear is that? But I'm a Yankee Fan though
Just a case of a great pitcher meeting a great team, particularly a great hitter in Cabrera. The hitter won. Just a fluke.
He is one of my favorite pitchers. A total class act. He may very well be the most respected player in the game.
He went up against the greatest hitter in the league and lost.
I hate the Yanks but I have a lot of respect for both him and Jeter. They are both classy players and living legends.
He's a great closer, but he is getting old! And his team isn't really backing him up on his farewell tour.
I think he is one of the best closers ever. Hall of Fame bound!
He's old. He's going to blow some saves, but so what? He's 43.
-bq- If you're NOT a Yankee fan how much do you respect him as a player ?
