xrapturex Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 NEW YORK -- In a battle of pitching attrition, Joe Torre had the man he wanted on the mound for the New York Yankees at the end of Game 7 of the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.For two innings, Mariano Rivera is as close to a sure thing as there is in baseball. But after Rivera had pitched two innings Thursday night, the game was still tied at 5. Torre squeezed another inning out of him, the first time he had asked the slender reliever to go that long since 1996, when Rivera was not yet the Yankees' closer.One more inning? No problem. Rivera sailed through the 11th and when he reached the dugout, pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre told him he was done fore the night."I was feeling great," Rivera said. "I was kind of upset when Mel told me I'm not going to pitch in the next inning."Then Aaron Boone made sure there would be no next inning when he hit the first pitch in the bottom of the 11th for a game-winning homer that gave New York a 6-5 win.Rivera came out of the dugout and went to the ground, grateful, it seemed that he had kept the team in position to win and reach another World Series."I see those guys coming back, coming back, coming back, and I think, 'I've got to hold this,' " Rivera said. "I was thinking, 'No way do I give in. I have to do my best and hold it.' "And he did. His three-inning pitching line included just two hits and three strikeouts. After saving two other wins in the ALCS, he was dominant again, getting the win and earning the series MVP award as the Yankees advanced to the World Series for the fifth time in six years.For Torre, Rivera is the ultimate safety net, a premier closer who usually trims games from nine innings to seven.Rivera is deceptively slender, equipped with the complete arsenal of pitches that makes him the premier postseason closer. He saved two of New York's three victories in the division series against Minnesota and two more in the pennant playoff against Boston before winning the clincher. He bordered on the unhittable, allowing one run and five hits in 12 innings.This has become routine stuff for Rivera. He sailed through the regular season with a 5-2 record and a career-low 1.66 ERA. There were 40 saves in 46 opportunities, pushing his career total to 283, a franchise record. And that was after he missed the first 25 games because of a groin injury and had just four saves in the Yankees' first 59 games."I was missing my spots then," he said. "My fastball was moving over the plate. If I go away, I have to stay away." He made the adjustment and flourished after that.Rivera did not allow a run in his final 15 regular-season appearances and saved all 16 opportunities he had from Aug. 19 through the end of the season.He saved Roger Clemens' 300th victory, the 29th time he saved a win for Clemens. So with the Rocket pitching Game 7 against Boston Thursday night, it figured that Rivera would show up at the end.In the last five seasons, the soft-spoken right-hander has 199 saves, the most in the majors.Rivera, who will be 34 next month, signed with the Yankees as out of Panama in 1990. By the time the team started its current run of nine straight postseason appearances, he was in the bullpen. In 1996, Torre's first year as manager, he was a setup man for John Wetteland, who saved all four wins in that World Series.When Wetteland left as a free agent that winter, Rivera inherited the closer's role. There was some doubt that he could carry that burden. He lacked the intimidating presence of previous Yankees closers like Goose Gossage, Sparky Lyle and Wetteland. What he had was a devastating array of pitches.He blew a lead in Game 4 of the first round that year against Cleveland and the Yankees went home early.But he quickly grew into the closer's role and has been at his best in the postseason. In his postseason career, he is 7-1 with an 0.88 ERA in 92 innings.He has a record 29 saves with eight in the World Series, another record. And he established another postseason record with a streak of 33 1-3 scoreless innings.Now he gets a chance to add to those numbers starting Saturday against Florida Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8ted Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Yup, read every word... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaydup Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 LEAVE YOU ARE FROM JERSEY AND NOT ON THE LIST Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibs Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by xrapturex NEW YORK -- In a battle of pitching attrition, Joe Torre had the man he wanted on the mound for the New York Yankees at the end of Game 7 of the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.For two innings, Mariano Rivera is as close to a sure thing as there is in baseball. But after Rivera had pitched two innings Thursday night, the game was still tied at 5. Torre squeezed another inning out of him, the first time he had asked the slender reliever to go that long since 1996, when Rivera was not yet the Yankees' closer.One more inning? No problem. Rivera sailed through the 11th and when he reached the dugout, pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre told him he was done fore the night."I was feeling great," Rivera said. "I was kind of upset when Mel told me I'm not going to pitch in the next inning."Then Aaron Boone made sure there would be no next inning when he hit the first pitch in the bottom of the 11th for a game-winning homer that gave New York a 6-5 win.Rivera came out of the dugout and went to the ground, grateful, it seemed that he had kept the team in position to win and reach another World Series."I see those guys coming back, coming back, coming back, and I think, 'I've got to hold this,' " Rivera said. "I was thinking, 'No way do I give in. I have to do my best and hold it.' "And he did. His three-inning pitching line included just two hits and three strikeouts. After saving two other wins in the ALCS, he was dominant again, getting the win and earning the series MVP award as the Yankees advanced to the World Series for the fifth time in six years.For Torre, Rivera is the ultimate safety net, a premier closer who usually trims games from nine innings to seven.Rivera is deceptively slender, equipped with the complete arsenal of pitches that makes him the premier postseason closer. He saved two of New York's three victories in the division series against Minnesota and two more in the pennant playoff against Boston before winning the clincher. He bordered on the unhittable, allowing one run and five hits in 12 innings.This has become routine stuff for Rivera. He sailed through the regular season with a 5-2 record and a career-low 1.66 ERA. There were 40 saves in 46 opportunities, pushing his career total to 283, a franchise record. And that was after he missed the first 25 games because of a groin injury and had just four saves in the Yankees' first 59 games."I was missing my spots then," he said. "My fastball was moving over the plate. If I go away, I have to stay away." He made the adjustment and flourished after that.Rivera did not allow a run in his final 15 regular-season appearances and saved all 16 opportunities he had from Aug. 19 through the end of the season.He saved Roger Clemens' 300th victory, the 29th time he saved a win for Clemens. So with the Rocket pitching Game 7 against Boston Thursday night, it figured that Rivera would show up at the end.In the last five seasons, the soft-spoken right-hander has 199 saves, the most in the majors.Rivera, who will be 34 next month, signed with the Yankees as out of Panama in 1990. By the time the team started its current run of nine straight postseason appearances, he was in the bullpen. In 1996, Torre's first year as manager, he was a setup man for John Wetteland, who saved all four wins in that World Series.When Wetteland left as a free agent that winter, Rivera inherited the closer's role. There was some doubt that he could carry that burden. He lacked the intimidating presence of previous Yankees closers like Goose Gossage, Sparky Lyle and Wetteland. What he had was a devastating array of pitches.He blew a lead in Game 4 of the first round that year against Cleveland and the Yankees went home early.But he quickly grew into the closer's role and has been at his best in the postseason. In his postseason career, he is 7-1 with an 0.88 ERA in 92 innings.He has a record 29 saves with eight in the World Series, another record. And he established another postseason record with a streak of 33 1-3 scoreless innings.Now he gets a chance to add to those numbers starting Saturday against Florida Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaydup Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by dibs Why are you over here?No seriously, why Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibs Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by kaydup Why are you over here?No seriously, why hi:laugh: :bootysha: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrapturex Posted October 17 Author Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by kaydup Why are you over here?No seriously, why we're just busting chops.You mean to tell us you wouldnt be doing the same thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaydup Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 No I would be busting balls on the NY board seeing the have a team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8ted Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by xrapturex we're just busting chops.You mean to tell us you wouldnt be doing the same thing? Nope. There would be one thread and we'd all get in on it.. Unlike everyone from Jersey, who feels the need to start thread after thread about the same thing. If you refer to your homeland, you'll see that when someone starts a thread over there, we all stay on topic and w/ the same thread.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibs Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by kaydup No I would be busting balls on the NY board seeing the have a team :blah: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaydup Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by dibs :blah: why you here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whadupg Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 You fucking nyc rejects have been annoying us all week with your bullshit - time to go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibs Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by kaydup why you here cause i'm bored at work, and my next appt isnt till 9:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whadupg Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by dibs cause i'm bored at work, and my next appt isnt till 9:D Don't you want to hang out on the nyc board so you guys can celebrate your ny/nj yankees victory? Oh that's right - NY can't stand you either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibs Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by whadupg Don't you want to hang out on the nyc board so you guys can celebrate your ny/nj yankees victory? Oh that's right - NY can't stand you either. nah i dont have problems with ny, but thanks for the concern.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njdionysus Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Grady Little should have been named MVP, thanks for counting on your pitcher and coming up WRONG again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaydup Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Can you make me a smoothie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whadupg Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by dibs nah i dont have problems with ny, but thanks for the concern.... Amazing - the dumb act really works for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrapturex Posted October 17 Author Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by xlr8ted Nope. There would be one thread and we'd all get in on it.. Unlike everyone from Jersey, who feels the need to start thread after thread about the same thing. If you refer to your homeland, you'll see that when someone starts a thread over there, we all stay on topic and w/ the same thread.... My family is from the Bronx, it is my homeland. I just happen to live in new jersey at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaydup Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by xrapturex My family is from the Bronx, it is my homeland. I just happen to live in new jersey at the moment. That's what all Jersey people say, they are ALL from the bronx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrapturex Posted October 17 Author Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by kaydup That's what all Jersey people say, they are ALL from the bronx Its ok, believe what you want. I have never heard anyone from NJ tell me they are from the Bronx.If that helps you feel better, ok, Im not from the Bronx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whadupg Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by xrapturex My family is from the Bronx, it is my homeland. I just happen to live in new jersey at the moment. Amazing how the circle of life works it's magic ways and you end up exactly where you belong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaydup Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Did you like that song, ohhhhhh how did it go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlr8ted Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Originally posted by kaydup Did you like that song, ohhhhhh how did it go The one from the Lion King by Elton John? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whadupg Posted October 17 Report Share Posted October 17 Can we have a sing along - i think it'll make me feel better. And no you fucking jersey people can't sing with us Well deelite - you can sing, but that's it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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