Friday, September 27, 2013

Launch him to the Moon

I have watched too much sports in my life and I have never gotten teary eyed over any situation. I found myself in a weird situation last night. As I watched the clip of Mariano Rivera being removed from the mound for the last time at Yankee stadium.. it hit me. Not only was I watching probably the most dominate player of his generation, but one of the classiest professional athletes in our lifetime. As a lifelong Red Sox fan, I was touched by the moment of Mariano getting removed from the game by Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter. Mariano did something on the mound that I have never seen him do... he lost his composure. He sobbed in Pettitte's shoulder for a few minutes and shared tears with his manager Joe Girardi at the top of the dugout.

I will try not to bore you with too many stats, but a few to chew on. His postseason numbers look like this.
8-1 0.70 ERA  11 EARNED RUNS 0.759 WHIP in over 140 innings pitched. Mariano was born the same year (1969) the U.S. landed on the moon. 12 astronauts have walked on the moon since 1969. Mariano has allowed 11 men to walk home safely on his watch in the postseason. Really the only stat you need to remember when you are arguing with some young buck 30 years from now who the greatest closer of all time was and he did it with one pitch.... that F'ing Cutter. Hurry up and get to the Moon, MO.


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