Comments on: Must-click link: Other teams’ closers in the Mariano Rivera era

By: txnative61

txnative61 — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 09:54:21 +0000

The big surprise for me in this graphic was how well Jose Mesa did with the Phillies. Watching him with the Mariners was like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

By: phukyouk

phukyouk — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:41:17 +0000

i choose to believe otherwise.

By: rexryanisablowhard

rexryanisablowhard — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:20:18 +0000

Fair enough, if the data is wrong, then I am wrong. Thanks for the correctiom.

By: Aaron Gleeman

Aaron Gleeman — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:12:00 +0000

MLB.com’s stats page shows Rivera going 5-for-5 in 1996, 43-for-43 in 1997, and 36-for-36 in 1998. I assure you he didn’t begin his career by saving 84 straight games without a blown save.

By: rexryanisablowhard

rexryanisablowhard — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:08:24 +0000

I was looking at MLB.com, saves versus save opportunities. You’d think MLB would get their own stats correct, no? I see nowhere on your link that even lists Blown Saves!

http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=121250#sectionType=career&statType=2&season=&gameType='R‘

By: Gobias Industries

Gobias Industries — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:03:56 +0000

But your math – at least using the incorrect numbers – is right. So you got that going for you.

By: Aaron Gleeman

Aaron Gleeman — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:56:26 +0000

Not sure where you’re getting those numbers, but they’re incorrect.

Rivera has 559 saves in 626 opportunities, which is 89.3%.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/riverma01-pitch.shtml

By: rexryanisablowhard

rexryanisablowhard — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:51:27 +0000

I’m no math major, and by math neither our these WP writers. MO has saved 559 games in 608 career opportunities, which comes out to 92%.

By: bigd9484

bigd9484 — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:32:48 +0000

I’m not so sure it’s common. Going from average or adequate to useless, I completely agree, but to come out of nowhere, be dominant for three years, getting 45+ saves each year, then so quickly going the other way and not being able to keep guys off base is not so common.

By: minnesconsin

minnesconsin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:12:31 +0000

I forget how dominant Gagne was for those couple of years. Seems crazy he could fall so far but I’m sure it’s more common than I realize.

Don’t think he’ll be back to form this year either, but that graphic also says something about Joe Nathan

By: easports82

easports82 — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:31:56 +0000

Pretty cool graphic. Gagne being the only closer with more than 95% of the saves over his reign is impressive.