Kuzul

By Todd Farino, www.thecloserreport.com

What does the future hold for arguably the greatest closer of all time? 

By the end of the the next season, Mariano Rivera  will be the ripe old age of 42.  For the first time in his career, Rivera started to show his age. 

In 2010, Rivera battled both an oblique injury and inflammation in his right knee.  While Rivera was able to pitch through the injuries, it eventually took it’s toll on the Yankee closer. 

He finished September with a 4.76 ERA and a WHIP of 1.24.  Even in August he showed signs of breaking down with a WHIP of 1.22, but luckily his ERA was only 2.00 for that month.  To put it all into context, Rivera’s ERA going into August was 0.93. 

In my mind and most likely many others, Mariano Rivera is the greatest closer of all-time.  He has one of the most mechanically consistent deliveries, which is the secret to his success.  However, when the body starts breaking down or is injured that will effect a pitchers mechanics.  If Rivera loses that consistency, he will get hit more and blow more saves.

For that reason, the Yankees brought in Rafael Soriano.  We heard Yankees GM Brian Cashman commenting that he didn’t want to pay closer money for a setup man, but Soriano may just not be a setup man.  In fact, Soriano is insurance for a pitcher who can fade at anytime without much warning. To understand Mariano Rivera’s effectiveness throughout his career and to understand why there is so much concern you have to examine how he does it. 

Mariano Rivera has one amazing pitch, the cutter. 

He throws it with extreme precision because his mechanics are flawless and never change.  Mechanics will flaw other pitchers and lead to big hits.  If Rivera makes a mistake with his cutter, it will get crushed. 

At 42, Rivera is beyond the normal years of an outstanding pitcher and now must rely on his veteran savvy and experience to continue to dominate hitters.  If he is unable to do that, he will find himself on the DL watching Rafael Soriano closing out games for the Yankees.

I’ve projected that Rivera will get 30 saves this year, which is three less then last season.  The reasons for the low number of saves are simple. 

First off, the Yankees just don’t produce that many save opportunities.  In 2010, the Yankees were 18th among all MLB teams in save opportunities at 57.  Even that number is skewed because that includes relievers blowing leads in the innings before the ninth. 

In total team saves, the Yankees also were ranked 18th.  So I expect a lack of save chances compared to teams with lesser offenses or weaker starting pitching.  It;s the impact of being a closer for a great team.

Secondly, I expect Rivera to get more rest.  He will give up the ball to Soriano more often then he has in the past in order to keep him healthy.  He also may have a stint on the DL.  I project Soriano to pick up at least 11 saves, but that is on the assumption that Rivera is healthy most of the season.   

If you draft Rivera, I strongly recommend you draft Soriano.  It might seem crazy to think you have to back up Rivera, but it’s just good common sense.

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Rafael Soriano, the best relief pitcher on the free-agent market this year, has reached a three-year deal with the New York Yankees worth about $35 million. The Yankees have opted for Soriano since their initial interest in Kerry Wood didn’t develop into a deal and they’re better off for it.

Wood’s injury history is well-documented and he struggled mightily in the AL. Despite posting an ERA of 0.69 in 26.0 short innings, Wood also walked 18 hitters and survived due to a strikeout rate reminiscent of his early days as a starter.

Rafael Soriano also has strikeout potential, and though his K’s took a hit last year in the AL East, he still set down 8.2 guys per nine innings. Soriano has not been entirely injury-free in his career, nor has he ever shown the promise that Kerry Wood did in his early days, but it’s hard not to imagine him as a more reliable late-inning arm for the Yankees over the next one-to-three seasons.

The nature of this deal is unusual for a couple of reasons. For one thing, the amount of money Soriano is getting is rather high, to say the least. Non-closer relievers with seven-figure salaries are really unheard of, and while I don’t deny that Soriano is the best relief pitcher to be a free-agent this year, his contract is a product of Scott Boras’ classic high selling and the Yankees’ bottomless wallet. The other strange thing is that Soriano can opt out of his deal after either of the first two seasons.

It’s hard to tell what he’s going to do, but since he was searching for a closers’ job (for four years, no less) he will probably jump ship if he thinks one such job is available. The reason he didn’t get such a deal was because the teams who didn’t already have a reliable ninth-inning guy balked at the asking price, and of the teams who could use a good set-up type (virtually every team), only the Yankees would be willing to dip into their funds to the tune of 10 million or more per year.

Because a number of teams are going to have expensive closers coming off the books after 2011, I wouldn’t be altogether surprised to see Soriano leave after one year in search of a closing job. The Mets, Tigers, and Reds head the list of teams who might be interested. These three teams have been known to spend money on closers. Francisco Rodriguez got 37 million from the Mets over three years and there is no way they pick up his $17.5 million option for 2012. With a lot of silly money coming off the board after 2011, to the tune of at least $48 million, they could offer Soriano a lucrative deal to close games. The Tigers could just resign Jose Valverde, but Soriano is perhaps a slightly better pitcher for an extra four or five million annually. I think the Reds would be willing to think long and hard about replacing Francisco Cordero with Soriano if the option presented itself.

The list of possibilities extends beyond those three teams. The Cardinals have a solid closer in Ryan Franklin—who has been good but probably should not be your team’s best reliever. They should aim to strengthen their bullpen if they have money left over after locking Albert Pujols up for another decade. I think the Phillies are unlikely to pick up their 12 and a half million option on Brad Lidge for 2012 and could just as well put that money toward a few years of Soriano. The Angels will probably aim to strengthen their bullpen and I doubt they think just resigning Fernando Rodney the solution to their late-inning issues. I expect Soriano to have a multitude of options if his 2011 season is productive enough for him to expect a high-paying ninth-inning job elsewhere.

It is not especially unlikely that he pitches well enough, especially considering his stellar 2010 season. Soriano has that great combination of strikeout ability and control, with career K/9 and BB/9 ratios of 9.62 and 2.69 respectively. The strikeouts dipped to 8.23 per nine innings last year, perhaps because the AL East is a tougher division than the NL East or AL West, but

The biggest gripe a Yankee fan should have with Soriano is his fly-ball rate. With only 0.62 grounders per fly and only one season with a ratio of 1.00 or higher, Soriano can be expected to give up a few home runs. He was lucky in 2010 with only 4.8% of fly balls leaving the park and cannot be expected to repeat that. To be fair, he got a rather high percentage of pop ups, as opposed to line drives, but these statistics are somewhat unpredictable.

With his lowered strikeout rate came a lower walk rate. Soriano’s 2.02 walks per nine innings was bested by only 10 relief pitchers with 50 or more innings in 2010. His 2.69 career mark is better than all but 32 relief pitchers with 300 or more innings pitched (as a reliever) over the past fifteen years. His batting average on balls in play was .212, an extremely low figure even for Soriano with his career mark of .256.

He has continuously seen success with his fastball (averaging 92.9 mph in 2010) and his slider. Both have been worth a positive runs above average total for six years running. Soriano started to throw a cutter about 15% of the time in 2010. That worked for him too and might be key to limiting damage from good lefty hitters. I think there may be someone in New York who can help him with the cutter if need be.

There are so many things to like about Soriano in the Yankees bullpen. The results he’s gotten and the stats that underlie these results, such as his above average first-pitch strike rate or his tendency to get guys to swing at pitches out of the zone and miss them, both at rates above MLB average in 2010. In 2010 he posted an FIP of 2.81. That’s probably what we can expect Soriano’s ERA to look like next year.

Another interesting benefit is that Soriano’s deal opens the door for the Yankees to give Joba Chamberlain another shot at the rotation. Joba performed better than people think last year, as his 4.40 ERA hid a FIP of 2.98. Joba’s strikeout rate was up to 9.67 per nine IP and he walked fewer than three per nine for the first time since 2007. His BABIP should be slightly lower and while we cannot expect his talents to perfectly translate from the bullpen to the rotation, he at least deserves another chance. That is, unless the Yankees are comfortable with Sergio Mitre as their fifth starter.

The Yankees needed another good righty for their bullpen. It was good that they made the move for Soriano. Even if they only have him for one year. Even if he doesn’t repeat his brilliance of 2010. The remaining right-handed free agent relievers are minor-league deals waiting to happen. There’s Blaine Boyer and Lance Cormier of the few-strikeouts/many-walks variety. There’s Manny Delcarmen and Juan Cruz of the plenty-of-strikeouts-but-way-too-many-walks variety. Then there are the likes of Kelvim Escobar, Chris Ray and Justin Ducherer who could be good if they weren’t so brittle. The best remaining options are probably Jon Rauch, Chad Durbin, and Chad Qualls, none of whom have the talent or the potential that Soriano has.

This signing was a good one. Soriano, far and away the best relief pitcher available, was worth seven figures annually in an oddly structured deal because it adds depth and talent to the bullpen, could push Joba into another chance at starting, and it gives Soriano a chance to win in 2011 and add to his already impressive resume in anticipation of an opportunity to close in 2012 or beyond. Both sides should be happy.

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The 8th and 9th innings are once again in good hands at Yankee Stadium. While the starting rotation may still be a question mark, the bullpen is taking shape.

New York has agreed to sign reliever Rafael Soriano to a three year deal worth $35 million. Soriano was the best relief pitcher on the market this offseason. Last year, the 31-year-old righty led the American League with 45 saves. He finished the year with a 1.73 ERA and .802 WHIP. Soriano struck out 57 batters in 62 1/3 innings as the closer for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Soriano will set-up for current Yankees closer, legend Mariano Rivera. Rivera enters this year with a new contract. With Trevor Hoffman now retired, Rivera will be chasing the All-Time record for saves. Hoffman has 601 while Rivera enters the year with 559.

New York is likely hoping Soriano has enough success with the team that he can eventually take over the closer role when Rivera does retire.

Continue reading the full article at Double G Sports.

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When Trevor Hoffman announced his retirement yesterday, immediate talk about his Hall of Fame candidacy, his 601 saves, and his reputation as a great Padre surfaced. I do consider him worthy of the hall of fame as he, along with Mariano Rivera and Billy Wagner, were the most effective closers who did it for the longest time. But it seems as if they’re a dying breed.

As Trevor Hoffman joins Billy Wagner in riding off into the sunset, the MLB is arguably down to just one great, longtime closer.

Closers are something you find. Something managers create. Saves happen by accident. You don’t try for them; in fact you try not to have them. If your team is winning by three, you want to make it four. That’s just how baseball works, the goal is to spend nine innings making a win as likely as possible until it either happens or doesn’t.

An articles on Yahoo! Sports states, “Hoffman almost always got the toughest outs in a baseball game—the final three.” I assume most of those outs were tough. He was pitching against major league hitters. You cannot quantify how much tougher the ninth inning made those outs.

In fact, of his 601 saves some were probably pretty tough and some were undoubtedly very easy. Sure, he was in situations in which one bad pitch would lose the game for his team. But he also probably often had a cushion of two or three runs.

Let’s consider all those occasions where the final three outs are easier than the first three. Say your starter had to work just a little harder in the first inning to retire Victorino-Polanco-Utley than your closer did when he faced Ruiz-Valdez-Dobbs.

The idea that the closer you are to the end of the game, the more difficult the outs become is dubious. Why would there be extra pressure, aside from the fact that everyone in baseball attaches extra importance to it? It depends on the situation itself, so we have to be careful with the importance we attach to saves. I would still rather have vintage Billy Wagner or Mariano Rivera on the mound in a tough situation than vintage Hoffman.

Is there any real different in pitching with a one-run lead in the ninth inning versus pitching with the same lead in the eighth? Or the fourth? Can we measure things like clutch performance? Like guts? Grit? Heart? We cannot measure them save for counting up the number of times a broadcaster says something like, “man that guy has heart, what a gutsy effort.”

I once read an article suggesting that managers use their best reliever in the first tight situation in a game. For instance, the Yankees might be gridlocked 2-2 with the Red Sox in the sixth inning. Say Boston is up to bat and there are two men on and one out, the starter is pooped, the writers (it was in a collection of essays called Baseball Between the Numbers) suggested Mariano Rivera enter the game in this rough situation as he is the one most able to escape the situation.

What this would do is, a) make it easier for your team to avoid giving up more runs and burying yourself, b) give the Yankees more of a chance to win by keeping the game close longer so they can potentially bury their opponent, and c) limit the chance that the Yankees wind up having to face Boston’s best reliever in the later innings. I wonder how many games were lost when Kyle Farnsworth or Luis Vizcaino were tasked with escaping sixth- and seventh-inning jams.

In short, it could be beneficial to use your best pitcher when you need him most. I wonder how many save opportunities squeaked away because a mediocre reliever gave up a slim lead in the sixth. This especially makes sense for teams with good offenses.

The one hitch in this plan is that the ceremonious quality of the closer’s role would be stripped of him. There’s no glamour in the tough outs of the sixth inning. That’s the dirty work. Fewer flashbulbs are going off then. There’s something special about being a few outs away from a win. It’s like the game is entirely in your hands if you’re on the mound at that time.

So what does Trevor Hoffman have 601 of, if saves are a silly statistic? Well, he has 601 not-terrible ninth innings. Which is more not-terrible innings than many pitchers have in their careers. He has retired 3268 batters, all the while allowing relatively few runs to score. He owes this to the dominance he showed in his prime and impressive control. He owes it to a very good fastball-changeup combination.

I will remember Trevor Hoffman as one of the best relief pitchers of his generation. The silliness of his role aside, I cannot deny an impressive pitching performance (or about a thousand of them). It’s the ceremonious nature of the role that adds to his reputation. How many Padre fans remember Hoffman standing on the mound while their team won a game. How about when they made their way to the 1998 World Series?

As the closers of the past fifteen years prepare to make their runs at Cooperstown, I wonder which number will stand out the most in five years. 601 or something else?

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In an offseason of head scratching and a whole lot of nothing, the Yankees have finally made a move to make the fans happy. 

By signing Rafael Soriano, the Yankees have solidified their bullpen into the strongest in all of baseball. With Mariano Rivera at closer, Rafael Soriano at setup, and Pedro Feliciano, David Roberston and Joba Chamberlain as middle relief, the Yankees can start to make baseball games a lot shorter than nine innings. 

In 2010, Soriano had an ERA of 1.73, 45 saves, a WHIP of .80 and 57 K’s. That’s the three most saves in the entire MLB, and amongst the best ERA, WHIP and K/9. 

Having two of the best closers in the entire game makes things a lot easier on a questionable rotation, something the Yankees will likely address, now that it is their only issue. 

A three-year-deal for Soriano would currently give him the closer job on his third year, assuming Rivera retires after his recently-signed two-year-deal. 

Aside from being just a great closer, Soriano is a strikeout pitcher who can throw to either lefties or righties with little variation.

The only drawback to this deal, is that the Yankees will lose a first-round draft pick to the Tampa Bay Rays because Soriano is a type-A free agent. To me, that isn’t that bad of a break.

Sure, it hurts to lose a draft pick, especially to a division rival, but draft picks can be busts. We already know Soriano is not a bust, and he will be facing the exact same teams he faced with the Rays, so we won’t have to worry about a Javier Vazquez type situation.

Speaking of Javy, the Yankees will be getting a pick from the Florida Marlins, so things will work out just fine. Also, losing one draft pick isn’t nearly as costly as what the Yankees would have had to give up in order to obtain Joakim Soria. Yes, I like Soria more as player, but this deal is working out a lot better for the Yankees.

Yet again, Cashman has shown why he’s the man for the Yankees. He showed patience really is a virtue, and maintaining his head after losing out on Cliff Lee really paid off. They didn’t spring for the first deal they can sign, but instead they waited it out and made the smartest decisions for the organization. 

When you’re an opposing player and you see Pedro Feliciano, Rafael Soriano and Mariano Rivera sitting out there in the bullpen, I don’t think your’e going to like your chances of getting many runs, let alone hits in the late innings of a game. 

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After 18 years in the major leagues, all-times saves leader Trevor Hoffman has decided to retire from baseball with 601 saves.  Long-time New York Yankee closer Mariano Rivera is 2nd all-time with 559 saves.  With Hoffman retiring and Rivera re-signing with the Yankees for two more years, is it possible that “The Sandman” will be able to surpass Hoffman and be the all-time saves leader?

To beat Hoffman, Rivera would have to rack up 43 saves over the course of the next two years (assuming he does not re-sign after his new contract). Many people think Rivera has lost his magic, and he will not be able to surpass Hoffman.

Although Rivera dropped 11 saves from the 2009 season to the 2010 season, he still ended up having 33 saves in 2010.  At that rate, he would have more than enough saves after two years to not only surpass Hoffman, but to set a new standard for anyone who has enough saves to even think of breaking it.

Rivera’s devastating cutter has baffled hitters for over 15 years now, and no one has been able to figure it out.  Even though people say he has lost his touch, at the age of 41 he still racked up 33 saves last season with the same pitch he’s been pitching since he came up with the Yankees in ’95.

Even though Rivera does not have as many regular season saves as Hoffman, Rivera’s postseason numbers are infinitely superior. Rivera has five World Series rings to Hoffman’s zero, and many of the Yankees victories in the World Series have come courtesy of No. 42. 

Another statistic that catches ones eye is the difference in ERA; Rivera has a ridiculous 0.71 to Hoffman’s 3.46.  Rivera’s 42 postseason saves don’t show up on the all-time list, but his dominance when it comes to winning a big game really shows why some consider him better than Hoffman, whose pitching in October has much to be desired.

He will not surpass him this upcoming season, but I think that before the last time Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” echoes through a dark, Bronx night, Mariano Rivera will be the new all-time saves leader in Major League Baseball.

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The major league closer is a position that is hard to fill for many teams. Pitchers are often given opportunities to be the guy in the late innings, but rarely do we find closers that can truly be considered “dominant.”

Trevor Hoffman has to be considered in discussions of the best closer of all time. His 601 career saves rank first all time, and his 1,035 games pitched are an attribute to his longevity.

As we honor the spectacular career one of baseball’s all time greats, let’s take a look at the elite list of dominating closers that Hoffman finds himself in.

Begin Slideshow

Thought we were going to leave you hanging, huh? No such luck—let’s tune in.

Mutt Munson: “Hello everyone, I’m Mutt Munson and I’m here with my great friend and longtime broadcast partner Jock Johnson, and today from Fenway Park we bring you the final game of what has been a thrilling match up so far between loaded contingents from New York and Boston.

And, Jock, this series has been stoked with controversy almost since it’s opening with fans questioning line up calls and in particular the move of Ted Williams to right field, but that seems to have gone on without a hitch. Williams has played error-less ball in right and his bat has been on fire since the outset of the series.” 

Jock Johnson: “Well why not, Mutt, I mean for chrissake Ted had the guts to go and take on the Jerry’s and the Goo … well North Koreans, risking his life in a flying tin can with bullets blazing everywhere so I would think a switch to right for the good of the club wouldn’t be something so far out of his reach.

In fact, I was talking to him a little earlier and he was saying he’d never seen an outfielder cover ground like Tris Speaker in his life and his standard policy so far this series is if he has to move more than fifty feet to his right he just holds up from there and lets the Grey Eagle take it on over.”

Mutt: “And on the offensive side it’s also been the combination of Williams & Speaker along with ol’ Double XX Jimmy Foxx and young shortstop Nomar Garciaparra carrying the day. Garciaparra has really impressed us on both sides of the ball, has shown great range in the field and a huge arm out of the hole … in particular that bang, bang beauty catching Mickey who was really hustling down the line a couple of nights ago in the game that tied this whole thing up for Boston.”

Jock: “Well that’s one of the few times anyone on the Boston staff has been able to handle Mantle. He’s been on base via the wood or walk 14 times in 25 at bats and along with DiMaggio and Ruth has been the catalyst for this devastating Yankee attack … but that’s enough about what’s gone on thus far, Mutt, let’s talk about today’s game and the pitching matchup.

People are saying Casey’s gone crazy and is trying to pull a rabbit out of his hat with clutch lefty Eddie Lopat and Francona has decided to go with his stud righty Curt Schilling bypassing a pretty well rested Lefty Grove.”

Mutt: “Both are tried and true though in numerous post season outings, folks, so hold onto your hats, we’re about to tip off after a quick message to you from our friends at Anheuser Busch.”

Off the air.

Jock: “God damn, I need a cigarette.” 

Mutt: “Yeah, well there’s no smoking up here … try chewing some gum.”

Jock: “I’d rather have a wad.”

Mutt: “Do you see a spitoon anywhere? And no booze either, Jock, we don’t need a repeat of what happened in Detroit. You start with some of that loose talk here and we’ll get pulled right off the air.”

Jock: “What are you my mother? Detroit was three years ago. All I said was I’d kill for a cigarette.”

Producer: “We’re back on in 30 seconds guys, cut the crap. You sound like my grand parents squawking over a game of parchese.”

Both Jock and Mutt turn around and offer a host of explicitives deleted. The first two innings go scoreless and we pick up the call with Red Sox runners on first and third with two away and Manny Ramirez at the plate.

Jock: “You know I tell you, Mutt, I never thought I’d see the day with a ballplayer wearing his hair down to the middle of his back like this kid Ramirez. I don’t know if he’s going for the Hercules effect but it hasn’t worked so far, he hasn’t hit a lick all series.

But Lopat hangs a curve Ramirez rips it down the left field line.

Mutt: There’s the first big hit by Ramirez, Pesky is home in a walk, Doerr rounds into third, the throw by Mantle is into second…he’s out! What a throw by Mickey Mantle from deep in the left field corner. I don’t think Ramirez thought he had a chance and he was kind of loafing off the turn at first and this inning comes to an end in dramatic fashion but it’s the Red Sox who take the early lead on the Yankee’s 1-0. 

And Schilling is dealing, throwing 95 and up, mixing in a sharp slider, the occasional change, and seems to have the Bronx Bombers just where he wants them.

On the other side, Lopat is pitching equally well. Aside from the run in the third he’s successfully worked the corners, changed speeds, and frustrating the left hand likes of William and Speaker entirely and thru seven full innings the Red Sox continue to lead 1-0.

But in the top of the eighth DiMaggio leads off with a double. Ruth skies to deep center, Speaker has a track on it but Joe moves to third on the sac with one away.

That brings Mantle to the plate. All the Yankees need is a fly ball to just about any part of the ballpark and the game will be tied. Schilling quickly runs the count to 0-2. Mantle then drives one down the right field line … just foul.

Schilling then drops an 0-2 change on the outside part of the late for a called strike three, Mantle is left shaking his head, the Red Sox fans explode, but it’s Gehrig coming to the plate and that prompts Francona to head to the mound.

Francona to Schilling: What do you think here? We take a pass on Gehirg?”

Schilling looks over to the on deck circle: “Yogi’s up next. That little fuc*&^er, I could throw it at his head and he’ll still find away to get a base hit. I say we go at he big guy.”

Francona decides it’s poison either way, let’s Schilling pitch to Gehrig but it turns out to be a mistake as Lou takes a 2-1 fastball on the outside part of the plate and promptly lines one off the Green Monster in left. Manny plays it cleanly, but the speedy Gehrig motors into second with a clean two bagger.

The Red Sox fans let out a collective groan, but the dissettlement over the tie score quickly becomes disbelief as Berra proves Schilling a profit by turning a chest high fastball over into right and with Gehrig off with the crack of the bat, he scores easily and the Yankee 1-0 deficit is suddenly a 2-1 lead. 

All of the city of Boston seems to deflate. Francona comes out and is booed heavily; Wood comes on for Schilling and punches out A-Rod but he damage is done. 

It appears as though it may be permanent, too. Lopat gets Williams and Foxx to start the bottom of eighth which brings on Johnny Pesky.

Mutt: Jock this is a tough matchup for the ‘Sox. Lopat is absolutely sailing and he hasn’t been touched by a left hand batter all day.

But Pesky battles Lopat to a 3-2 count, fouls off a couple of pitches while Red Sox fans hold their collective breath.

Mutt: Lopat winds, here’s the pitch. Pesky swings and he drives one to right does this ball have the legs…. 

Jock: I think it does, will it stay fair?

Mutt: Unbelievable, Johnny Pesky…my god I can’t even hear myself, Fenway park has just exploded! Johnny Peskey, Mr. Red Sox has just deposited one inside the aptly names Pesky pole and this game is now all tied up at two apiece. How about that?

And so it remains. Casey pulls Lopat, turns to Gossage who puts away Carlton Fisk and then Wood and Gossage both throwing, distinct, virtually unhittable heat trade zeroes in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh frames.

In the top of the 12th Lyle comes on. He quickly gets pinch hitter Jim Rice on a fly ball to left, strikes out Speaker on a slider that breaks a mile outside which brings Williams to the plate.

Ted promptly slams one into the deep gap in right center. DiMaggio hustles after it but this is the deepest part of Fenway and he amply beats Joe’s throw into third for a stand up triple.  

With Foxx coming up Stengal heads to he mound and calls for Rivera. This time the conversation revolves around walking Foxx, but with the left handed Pesky on deck, just the kind of punch hitter that will occasionally have some success against Rivera.

The Yanks decide to pitch walk Double XX and take another go at Pesky. It’s something of an unconventional move trading a right hand hitter for the left hander Pesky but Rivera and his slider are notoriously tough on south side swingers. 

Still Pesky and the great Rivera battle to a 2-2 count. 

Mutt: So here we are again, anything from Pesky will give the ‘Sox a 3-2 lead. Rivera deals, Pesky swings and oh my god it’s another drive to right. Ruth is moving over …

Jock: This could be outta here…

Mutt: Ruth goes up and into the stands. Does he have it?

A moment’s pause as Mutt waits on the umpires call.

Mutt: Yes, he does. Yes, he does! Oh what a catch by Babe Ruth to save the Yankees from a crushing defeat here in the bottom of the twelfth. Mr. Red Sox Johnny Pesky has been robbed ladies and gentleman, he has been robbed by Yankee right fielder Babe Ruth!  

Papelbon comes on in the top of the 13th. He gets DiMaggio and Ruth both fly to Speaker in center. With Mantle coming to the plate let’s pick up the call.

Mutt: Wow, wow, wow, Jock…two away in the bottom of the twelfth, we’re still tied at two apiece of what’s been an absolutely thrilling affair. The fans seem to be over the disappointment of a few moments ago when Johnny Pesky was absolutely robbed in right, are up on their feet again calling for Papelbon to put Mantle away as well.

The Red Sox closer winds and deals…Mantle takes a mammoth rip, and he dribbles one down the first base side. He’s off and flying, Papelbon rushes the ball…he can’t get to it, he can’t get to it, Mantle is safe at first! He’ s safe at first and the Yankee’s are still alive here in the 13th with Berra coming to the plate!    

Jock: We’ve seen it endlessly over the years, Mutt, this Yankee team will come and get you when you least expect it.

Mutt: Five O’Clock lightning, Jock.  

Jock: And Berra’s as clutch a hitter as you could want coming to the plate now. Papelbon has been throwing smoke and the ‘Sox just got the bad side of it on that Mantle infield dribbler.

Mutt: Mickey really showed off that incredible speed and Berra settles in.

Papelbon puts a blazer on the inside corner of he plate. Strike one. He does the same on the outside part of the plate. Yogi swings and misses strike two. 

Then he puts one well inside, a waste pitch. Berra decides to swing anyway, barely gets a piece and Fisk is unable to hold on. This turns out to be the pivotal pitch at bat. Papelbon then puts a pair of sliders in the dirt the second gets away from Fisk and Mantle hustles into second. 

The Red Sox consider walking Berra, but with two strikes and their ace closer throwing what appear to be unhittable heat they decide to try and finish Yogi off. A decision they will come to regret. 

Mutt: I’m absolutely breathless myself, Jock. This crowd has been up and roaring, imploring the Red Sox nine to finish off heir hated rivals the seventh inning on and the Yanks simply refuse to deal.

It’s still 2-2 here, Mantle takes a short lead off second, Papelbon winds and deals…Berra swings and hits one deep to left, that’s going to make it to the wall. No! It’s going to make it over the wall in left!

Yogi Berra has just planted one over the Green Monster in left and the Yankee’s have taken a 4-2 lead here in the 13th and folks you can here a pin drop here in Fenway as the Bronx Bombers mob team-mate Yogi Berra in the N.Y. dugout. Unbelievable.

A-Rod follows with a double off the wall but Rivera goes down swinging and the deficit holds at two heading into the bottom of the 13th. 

Rivera gets Manny looking on a knee high fastball that just nicks the outside part of the plate to open the bottom of the 13th. Fisk lines a single up the middle, Doerr walks, but Yaz, pinch hitting for Papelbon, flies to shallow left and neither runner is able to advance.

That brings Speaker to the plate and he surprises everyone dragging a bunt down the first base line. There is no play to be made, he is safe at first with the bags juiced.

Nomar comes to the plate and promptly smashes one down the third base line. Nettles in for A-Rod makes an incredible diving stop on the ball but it rolls out of his grasp, Fisk scores, the bases are still juiced with the great Ted Williams coming to the plate.

Mutt: Oh my goodness, gracious, so it comes to this. Two away in the bottom of the 13th, the Yanks holding on to a one run lead with two away Williams at the plate and a seemingly unruffled Mariano Rivera on the mound.

Jock: Mutt, however this goes down we have to say that this match up between these two great ball clubs has not disappointed on any level. This has turned out to be the series of the century and this game has just been something out of this world.

Mutt: Rivera is set, so is Williams…

Ted takes one a little inside for ball one. Hits a liner down the right field line … just foul. Rivera comes inside again, Williams lays off and it’s 2-1.

Mutt: There’s no way Rivera will walk Williams in this situation, he will have to put the ball somewhere inside the strike zone. The crowd is hushed at this point in rapt anticipation, Rivera winds, he deals, Williams swings, and he hits a liner up the middle, here comes DiMaggio …. 

In all fairness we should end it here. Neither side will ever believe their boys would drop this baseball showdown to end all showdowns, but that’s the things about the diamond game…unless Bud Selig is in attendance there ain’t no ties.

Mutt: DiMaggio’s coming, he dives…he’s got it! He’s got it! The great Yankee Clipper makes the catch and the New York Yankee’s have defeated the Boston Red Sox in one of the greatest games these baseball loving eyes have ever seen!

And that’s all she wrote, won’t get into a whole big aftermath here. Just hope you enjoyed it, 

DR

www.thedailymunson.com 

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I have mentioned this a few times already, but he is worth the attention again.
 
Rafael Soriano is still a free agent, available and on the market. Whatever it is shocking considering he was the AL’s dominate closer in 2010 with the Tampa Bay Rays.
 
Even before Cliff Lee’s decision, Soriano as a player would have been more than enough for the New York Yankees to walk away with heads high.
 
Soriano was the best closer in the AL in 2010, leading the league with 45 saves, posting a 1.73 ERA, striking out 57 in just shy of 63 innings. Soriano was named to the 2010 All-Star team, won the 2010 AL Rolaids Relief Man Award, finished eighth in CY Young and 12th in MVP voting respectively.
 
Soriano will cost his new team two-draft picks as he falls into the Type A free agent category.
 
Yes, he will not come cheap especially considering his agent is Scott Boras, but it would be money well spent.
 
Boras makes any team pay no matter what, but the greediest agent has some tainted history with the Yankees, which might drive the price up some.
 
Look it is no secret the Bombers are a tad desperate, whether GM Brian Cashman and the little Steinbrenner’s care to admit it, fans know it, the players know it and Boras knows it.
 
Soriano’s role would change, as he would set-up to the great Rivera. Soriano was in the bullpen for the majority of his early pro-years.
 
He just turned 31 years old, and giving a pitcher of Soriano’s stature three years with a fourth year option is not a bad idea.
 
Soriano is in his prime and would make Mo’s departure at least less stressful, as it will already be beyond sad and something I can’t even think about (tears).
 
Look, Soriano will make the New York Yankees better and isn’t that the point?
 
Cashman and co. better make sure our rival Red Sox’s or player favorite Phillies don’t acquire Soriano or get ready for some big trouble in the Bronx.

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Some people prefer to wait until late in their draft to acquire their fantasy closers, figuring that you can take some risks while also finding saves on the waiver wire throughout the season. 

Others like to use early- to mid-round picks in order to get an elite closer or two, hopefully stabilizing their standing in saves.  Which strategy is right is a debate for another day, but let’s look at how I currently rank the Top 15 closers heading into 2011:

1. Heath Bell – San Diego Padres
2. Brian Wilson – San Francisco Giants
3. Joakim Soria – Kansas City Royals
4. Neftali Feliz – Texas Rangers
5. Mariano Rivera – New York Yankees
6. Rafael Soriano – Free Agent
7. Jonathan Broxton – Los Angeles Dodgers
8. Andrew Bailey – Oakland Athletics
9. Jonathan Papelbon – Boston Red Sox
10. Francisco Rodriguez – New York Mets
11. Carlos Marmol – Chicago Cubs
12. Joe Nathan – Minnesota Twins
13. Huston Street – Colorado Rockies
14. Jose Valverde – Detroit Tigers
15. J.J. Putz – Arizona Diamondbacks

Thoughts:

• Joe Nathan is a real wild card, but we all know what he is capable of doing. If he proves that he is healthy in Spring Training, he could easily perform as a top 10, and maybe even a top 5 option. Since 2004 he has had one season with an ERA above 2.10 and one season with a WHIP above 0.98. To say that he has the potential to be one of the elite and a steal on draft day is an understatement.
• Will the Rangers move Feliz to the rotation? I can’t see it after his success, but time will tell at this point.
• J.J. Putz will get an opportunity to rediscover his glory as a closer in Arizona. As long as he keeps his control in under (as he did in 2010), he should be a solid option as a second closer for fantasy owners.
• Mariano Rivera is the best closer ever to play the game, we all know that. At this point, is anyone really waiting for him to finally regress due to his age? He’s one of the elite and he should be considered as such until he finally decides to hang up his spikes.
• If you draft Jonathan Papelbon, you may want to grab Daniel Bard for your bench, just in case. I know Bobby Jenks was brought in, but Bard is still the likely replacement should something happen.
• If it wasn’t for his strikeout potential, I wouldn’t go near Carlos Marmol. However, he could easily lead all relief pitchers in strikeouts, which certainly helps to offset any potential problems his walk rate brings with him.

What are your thoughts on these rankings?  Whose too high?  Whose too low?

**** Make sure to pre-order your copy of the Rotoprofessor 2011 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide, selling for just $5, by clicking here. ****

Make sure to check out our 2011 rankings:

• Top 15 Catchers
• Top 15 First Basemen
• Top 15 Second Basemen
• Top 15 Third Basemen
• Top 15 Shortstops
• Top 20 Starting Pitchers
• 2011 Fantasy Draft First-Round Breakdown

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com