Full Name : Mariano Rivera
Born : November 29, 1969
Hometown : Panama City, Panama
Height : 6' 2
Weight : 185 lbs
Bats : Right
Throws : Right
Major League Baseball debut : May 23, 1995 for the New York Yankees
Family : wife, Clara; children, Mariano Jr., Jafet, Jaziel
Primary Position : CP (Closing Pitcher)
Being able to come in at the end of a game and instill a feeling of fear on the opponent is what makes a closer successful. Of all the late-inning relievers, Mariano Rivera is one of the greatest for his ability to come through in pressure-filled situations. Born on November 29, 1969 in Panama City, Panama, Rivera has made a name for himself as possibly one of the best closers in baseball history. Hitters fear his cut-fastball that has a sharp break at the last split second which freezes batters as it crosses the plate. Referred to as “Mo,” Mariano has been largely responsible for the success of the New York Yankees throughout the 1990’s.
Throughout his youth, Rivera mostly played shortstop, but Yankee scouts recognized his arm strength and knew that there was a future for him on the pitching hill. Unfortunate for Rivera, he was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery (prior to even entering the major league draft) after experimenting with his pitches on several occasions. He finally made it to the big leagues in 1995 where he debuted with the New York Yankees. His 5.51 ERA in 67 appearances (10 of which were starts) led Yankee management to believe that it was highly unlikely that Mariano would succeed in the pitching rotation. After moving to the bullpen in 1996, it became obvious that Rivera possessed the tools that qualified him as a threatening late-inning reliever. He finished that year striking out 130 batters in 107.2 innings of work, a ratio that was considered astounding. The Yankees went on to win the World Series that season, and New York fans started to recognize Mariano as an untouchable weapon.
In 1997 Rivera became the regular closer after teammate John Wetteland hit the free agent market. It was now time for Mariano to be put into pressure situations, and the Yankee ball club had no reason to believe that their star reliever would not be able to handle the task. Not only was Rivera acknowledged for his dominating repertoire of pitches, but he soon became appreciated for his consistency on the hill. Yankee fans started to feel that the game was practically over if the opposition did not have the lead after the eighth inning since Mariano rarely blew a save. He did, however, suffer a terrible defeat in the 2001 World Series when he blew the save and cost the Yankees their fourth consecutive championship title after giving up a game-winning bloop-single to Luis Gonzalez. This was no doubt one of the most frustrating moments of Mariano’s career, not to mention one of the only times that he has let his team down.
What’s fascinating about Mariano is the fact that he has the mentality to perform in clutch situations. He currently holds the all-time record for the lowest postseason ERA, and it is evident that he has helped the Yankees strive to glory with his four World Series rings. Another interesting, remarkable statistic is the fact that Rivera has finished in the top five in American League Cy Young voting on four separate occasions, a feat considered extraordinary for a relief pitcher. A proud member of the New York Yankees for his whole career, Rivera will be remembered as one of the most outstanding pitchers who knew how to perform late in the game.
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