Facing Mariano Rivera Read online

  Mike Blowers

  Third base

  Playing Career

  New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Oakland Athletics from 1989 to 1999

  Career Statistics

  761 games, 591 hits, 78 home runs, 365 runs batted in, .257 batting average, .329 on-base percentage, .416 slugging percentage

  Mike Blowers facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)

  0-for-3, 2 strikeouts

  Mo Cred

  Rivera struck out Blowers on three pitches in the decisive game of the 1995 American League Division Series.

  Mike Blowers

  Year Date Result

  1995 8/25 Strikeout (Swinging)

  8/25 Strikeout (Looking)

  Postseason 10/6 Strikeout (Swinging)

  10/8 Strikeout (Looking)

  1998 8/4 Fly out

  I SAW HIM COMING out of the bullpen and turned around to walk back to the dugout to ask [coach] Lee Elia for a scouting report. He had a pretty good fastball, mid-90s, with a little late cut to it. I watched him warm up and didn’t think much of it. Certainly, I didn’t realize he was going to become the greatest closer ever, a Hall of Famer.

  Just before I went to the plate, [outfielder] Vince Coleman came out and asked me what I was going to do. He told me, “He’s a young guy who isn’t going to be sure of the situation. Why don’t you take one?”

  The first pitch was 93 [miles an hour] right down the middle. I kicked myself for taking it. Every fastball he threw was a little harder. It’s the only at-bat I have regret about. Not so much what I would have done with it; I don’t feel badly about that. I just wish I would have given myself a chance. That first pitch wasn’t his best fastball. Then he put me away.*

  I’ve always appreciated what he’s done and what he’s about. A lot of guys have been great pitchers, Hall of Fame pitchers, but very few have handled themselves the way he has. That little skip-hop he does coming through the bullpen door, then he comes jogging in, I’ll miss that.

  Mo Respect

  Aaron Boone

  Boone’s walk-off home run in the eleventh inning of Game Seven of the 2003 American League Championship Series defeated the Boston Red Sox, 6-5, making Rivera the winning pitcher and sending the Yankees to the World Series.

  My lasting memory of Mariano Rivera is him collapsing on the mound at the end of Game Seven of the 2003 A.L.C.S. after he had gone three innings and shut down that great Red Sox offense. To see him completely overcome with joy is something I’ll always remember.

  I think he’s arguably the most revered athlete in history. There are a ton of people who love him. That speaks to his character, his grace, and the way he’s carried himself throughout his entire career. To have a guy like that who plays for the ­Yankees—he’s revered, whether you’re friend or foe. I always tell people he’s exactly like how you think he is: humble, graceful, and kind. But underneath it all, he’s also the ultimate competitor.

  Mike Bordick

  Shortstop

  Playing Career

  Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, and Toronto Blue Jays from 1990 to 2003

  Career Statistics

  1,720 games, 1,500 hits, 91 home runs, 626 runs batted in, .260 batting average, .323 on-base percentage, .362 slugging percentage

  Mike Bordick facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)

  6-for-26, 2 extra-base hits, 1 run batted in, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts, .286 batting average, .323 on-base percentage, .362 slugging percentage

  Mo Cred

  Bordick’s .804 OPS, which is on-base percentage plus slugging percentage, is third best among hitters with at least 24 plate appearances against Rivera, trailing only Rafael Palmeiro (1.050) and David Ortiz (.936).

  Mike Bordick

  Year Date Result

  1995 5/28 Single

  5/28 Single

  6/6 Single

  6/6 Line out

  9/1 Walk

  1996 5/31 Fly out

  9/2 Ground out

  1997 9/6 Fielder’s choice

  1998 5/21 Strikeout (Swinging)

  9/20 Fly out

  1999 4/13 Triple

  4/15 Strikeout (Looking)

  6/25 Pop out

  7/2 Fly out

  9/28 Strikeout (Swinging)

  2000 5/7 Fly out

  7/24 Walk

  7/26 Pop out

  2001 5/4 Fly out

  5/12 Grounded into DP

  6/6 Walk

  2002 4/4 Fly out

  6/3 Double (1 RBI)

  9/28 Single

  I NEVER REALIZED THAT [statistic]. It’s funny because I only remember one hit. It was a triple to left-center. He sped up my bat with a slider. It was one of the highlights of my career. It might have been the only slider he ever threw.*

  I don’t think that he’s changed very much, and why should he, after all those innings, all those clutch situations? Now sometimes he’ll mix in a two-seamer that sinks. He’s just so comfortable on the mound. His velocity is in the low 90s now, but he’s still very effective. He’s able to locate. He’s so smart. He’s something of a grand master. He knows what he wants to do and he executes perfectly almost all of the time.

  Robinson Cano

  Second base

  Playing Career

  New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners since 2005

  Career Statistics

  1,374 games, 1,649 hits, 204 home runs, 822 runs batted in, .309 batting average, .355 on-base percentage, .504 slugging percentage

  Mo Cred

  Cano was Rivera’s teammate with the Yankees from 2005 to 2013 and was a member of the 2009 World Series championship team.

  WHEN YOU’RE IN the minor leagues, and you see guys up in the big leagues who are the best in the world, you might be afraid to say hello to them. But Mariano was a guy who was always coming up to guys and would say, “Hey, how you doing?”

  That’s one of the best things about him; you always feel comfortable around him. You don’t feel like this is Mariano Rivera and you have to be careful or don’t want to bother him. His door is always open. He’s always available for whatever you want.

  We went to dinner one time in Anaheim. He’s a guy who is always around his family and [yet] he takes the time to take a rookie out to dinner and that really meant a lot to me. I remember we went to Benihana. That was one of my best days in baseball because I got to go out with Mariano and I was just a rookie.

  To be able to spend time with him and ask questions really meant a lot. I asked him questions about baseball and how he can stay in the game so long and how he can stay so humble. Those kinds of things that you want to ask the guy. He picked up the tab, of course. I would have no chance to pay [when] with him.

  Two things about Mariano: He’s the greatest closer in the game and one of the best teammates I ever had.

  Eric Chavez

  Third base

  Playing Career

  Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and Arizona Diamondbacks since 1998

  Career Statistics

  1,571 games, 1,460 hits, 257 home runs, 894 runs batted in, .268 batting average, .342 on-base percentage, .476 slugging percentage

  Eric Chavez facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)

  5-for-16, 1 extra-base hit, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, .313 batting average, .353 on-base percentage, .375 slugging percentage

  Mo Cred

  Chavez spent two seasons as Rivera’s teammate while playing for the Yankees in 2011 and ’12.

  FACING MARIANO IS what you would expect it to be. You just knew you were going to get a cutter and there was a pretty good chance that if you were a left-hand hitter he was going to break your bat. If I faced him [around] fifteen times, I’d probably say he broke five or six bats. You pretty much knew when you went up there you better be taking a bat you’re not too fond of because he was probably going to break it.*

  Eric Chavez

  Year Date Result

  1999 4/6 Strikeout (Swinging)


  2000 5/30 Single

  8/27 Ground out

  Postseason 10/6 Strikeout (Swinging)

  10/8 Foul out

  2001 4/28 Strikeout (Swinging)

  Postseason 10/13 Strikeout (Swinging)

  10/15 Fielder’s choice

  2002 4/23 Strikeout (Swinging)

  8/11 Pop out

  2003 8/1 Single

  8/3 Single

  2004 5/5 Pop out

  8/4 Double

  2005 5/6 Single

  5/15 Line out

  2007 4/15 Ground out

  6/29 Pop out

  2008 6/12 Walk

  2010 4/21 Fielder’s choice

  2013 4/17 Fielder’s choice

  When he was young, he was your typical 96 miles an hour with a huge cutter. It was puzzling how a ball could move so much. When you go back and look at his career and what he’s done with that one pitch, I don’t think there’s a greater achievement in this game than that. To go through major league hitters and dominate them for all these years, it’s one of the greatest feats I’ll ever look back on. I honestly believe that, too. I don’t think people realize how incredible it really is. It will never be duplicated—ever.

  Mo Respect

  Jeff Conine

  Conine was 5-for-14 with 1 home run and 5 runs batted in facing Rivera during the regular season, and 1-for-2 in the 2003 World Series.

  Jeff Conine

  Year Date Result

  1998 5/12 Fly out

  1999 4/15 Double (1 RBI)

  6/27 Line out

  2000 5/6 Walk

  7/24 Fly out

  2001 5/6 Walk

  5/13 Home run (3 RBI)

  6/6 Strikeout (Looking)

  6/7 Ground out

  7/4 Sacrifice fly (1 RBI)

  9/23 Ground out

  2002 4/3 Single

  4/18 Strikeout (Looking)

  2003 6/30 Ground out

  7/23 Single

  Postseason 10/21 Single

  10/25 Ground out

  2006 4/23 Ground out

  8/4 Single

  There wasn’t any particular set plan that I had against him. My focus was to try to get a ball in the strike zone and get a barrel on it. That was basically my approach. You know what’s coming every single time and it’s still that difficult to hit. Countless times you see him come in and nobody ever gets the bat on the ball.

  I think something I’ve taken from Mo as his teammate is if you have a routine that works for you, then you definitely should stick with it.

  Carlos Delgado

  First base

  Playing Career

  Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, and New York Mets from 1993 to 2009

  Career Statistics

  2,035 games, 2,038 hits, 473 home runs, 1,512 runs batted in, .280 batting average, .383 on-base percentage, .546 slugging percentage

  Carlos Delgado facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)

  8-for-21, 1 extra-base hit, 1 run batted in, 2 intentional walks, 4 strikeouts, .381 batting average, .435 on-base percentage, .429 slugging percentage

  Mo Cred

  Delgado was walked intentionally twice by Rivera, tying him with Edgar Martinez, Evan Longoria, and Paul Sorrento for most times intentionally walked by Rivera.

  SEVEN SINGLES AND one double? I don’t call that exactly great success against a guy, but I’m happy for it. Probably the softest 8-for-21 in my career, but I’ll take it.

  Carlos Delgado

  Year Date Result

  1996 6/4 Strikeout (Swinging)

  9/6 Line out

  9/14 Ground out

  1997 5/20 Single

  9/20 Foul out

  1999 4/24 Strikeout (Swinging)

  4/25 Single

  9/14 Single

  9/15 Foul out

  2000 9/13 Foul out

  2001 4/19 Ground out

  7/21 Single

  8/30 Intentional walk

  9/5 Double

  2002 4/9 Fly out

  2003 7/13 Ground out (1 RBI)

  9/4 Strikeout (Swinging)

  2004 7/22 Single

  7/26 Single

  2006 5/19 Intentional walk

  5/20 Ground out

  2007 6/16 Single

  2008 6/28 Strikeout (Swinging)

  He always had a good fastball, but once he had that [cutter], he became tougher. The ball just explodes on you. That’s the difference between hitting the ball and getting jammed. I always found that the cutter got in on me. I kept hitting the ball on the label. I could never square him up.

  What made him so effective is his cutter is so hard [that] by the time you see it, you don’t have time [to react]. Your hands can’t go to where a ball isn’t.

  Mark DeRosa

  Infield

  Playing Career

  Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals, and Toronto Blue Jays from 1998 to 2013

  Career Statistics

  1,241 games, 975 hits, 100 home runs, 494 runs batted in, .268 batting average, .340 on-base percentage, .412 slugging percentage

  Mark DeRosa facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)

  1-for-5, 0 extra-base hits, 3 strikeouts, 1 walk, .200 batting average, .333 on-base percentage, .200 slugging percentage

  Mo Cred

  DeRosa was a huge Yankees fan while growing up in New Jersey in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

  Mark DeRosa

  Year Date Result

  2001 6/8 Strikeout (Looking)

  2006 5/5 Ground out

  5/7 Single

  5/16 Walk

  2009 4/17 Strikeout (Looking)

  2013 8/21 Strikeout (Swinging)

  I REMEMBER THE FIRST time I walked into the batter’s box at Yankee Stadium, in 1999, to Bob Sheppard announcing my name in that voice, it was just awesome. I went to games as a kid and I remember him saying: “Dahn . . . Mat-ting-ly”—and to hear him say my name, it was like, man, I’ve arrived.

  My first at-bat against Mariano was in the Stadium when I was with Atlanta in 2001. [New York manager] Joe Torre calls him in from the bullpen, and the music [“Enter Sandman” by Metallica, which is Rivera’s entrance song] starts playing, and I’m like, “This is awesome. I’m going to get to face Mariano!” I remember looking into the stands where my dad and my brother were sitting in the family section. My brother is trying to psych me up, he’s yelling, “Let’s go! You can do it!”

  Next to him is my dad, who has his head buried in his hands, like, “Oh no, my son’s about to strike out to end the game.”

  I remember watching Mariano warm up like it was yesterday. I’m thinking, man, I’ve watched this guy forever. I think I can get to that [cutter]. I step in the batter’s box, and I’m confident, I’m ready. The first pitch I think is going to hit me square between the ribs, so I close my eyes. I open them and the umpire says: “Strike one.”

  Now I’m thinking, oh no, I’m going to strike out. I tried to act cool, like the big leaguer I am, pretending I’ve seen a pitcher like this before. But in the back of mind I knew it was only a matter of time before I’m going back to the bench.*

  I finally did get a hit off him, a few years later with Texas, but it didn’t mean anything as far as the game was concerned. I don’t remember the exact situation. The hit I got was a line drive up the middle. I’m pretty sure he was just closing out a game to get in some work. You have moments during your career where you really take it in for a second. I was running down to first, and I’m like, this is awesome. I just got a hit off one of the greatest pitchers to ever take the mound. That’s a pretty cool moment for me.*

  Robert Eenhoorn

  Infield

  Playing Career

  New York Yankees and Anaheim Angels from 1994 to 1997

  Career Statistics

  37 games, 16 hits, 1 home run, 10 runs batted in, .239 batting average, .260 on-base percentage, .328 slugging percentage

  Mo
Cred

  Eenhoorn spent four seasons as Rivera’s minor league teammate with Fort Lauderdale, Albany, and Columbus from 1992 to 1995.

  AT FORT LAUDERDALE [in 1992] we would race just to kill time and pitchers never joined in—except Mariano. He would outrun everybody on the team. He was the best athlete and it really wasn’t close.

  He only said something when he had something to say. Mariano was observant. There is so much time to mess around, but Mariano was always watching, picking up information, and learning.

  I remember facing him in batting practice; you knew fastballs were coming and I still couldn’t catch up with them.

  Matt Franco

  First base

  Playing Career

  Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and Atlanta Braves from 1995 to 2003

  Career Statistics

  661 games, 261 hits, 22 home runs, 117 runs batted in, .267 batting average, .349 on-base percentage, .391 slugging percentage

  Matt Franco facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)

  1-for-2, 0 extra-base hits, 2 runs batted in, 1 walk, .500 batting average, .667 on-base percentage, .500 slugging percentage

  Mo Cred

  Franco’s two-run single off Rivera in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Mets a 9-8 walk-off win over the Yankees at Shea Stadium on July 10, 1999.

  IT WAS A storybook scenario and I happened to get a good pitch to hit and I did my job, and hit a line drive and we won the game. I felt great. I wasn’t nervous. It was the highlight of my career.*

  Matt Franco

  Year Date Result

  1998 6/26 Walk

  1999 6/4 Ground out

  7/10 Single (2 RBI)

  2000 (Postseason) 10/25 Strikeout (Looking)

  That hit made the career, right there. I remember every moment like it was yesterday. Everybody went crazy. I got back to our clubhouse and someone, I think it was Jay [Horwitz, the Mets’ media relations director], said: “The fans are waiting for you! Go back out there!”