Rivera closing in on Cooperstown

By Hank Waddles Sports Central Columnist

When the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox took the field for the deciding seventh game of their epic American League Championship Series last October, it was billed as a battle for the ages. The main attraction, of course, was the game and what was at stake. Two of the league's more storied franchises would be writing another chapter in a century-old rivalry as they battled for a trip to the World Series.

Of almost as much interest, however, was the duel between two of this era's greatest pitchers, New York's Roger Clemens and Boston's Pedro Martinez. While the result of the series was ultimately more important, this seventh game offered an opportunity for a future Hall of Famer to cement his legacy.

It was neither Pedro nor the Rocket. Instead, Yankee reliever Mariano Rivera sealed his Cooperstown credentials with a dominating three-inning stint that helped send his team to the World Series.

Clemens had faltered early, chased by the Sox before retiring a single batter in the fourth inning, and Martinez stumbled late, surrendering three runs in an eighth inning he never should have seen. With the game tied in the ninth, Yankee manager Joe Torre turned to the most reliable arm in the history of postseason baseball (30 saves, 0.75 ERA) as he sent Rivera to the mound and kept him there for an improbable three innings.

In an era when closers don't typically pitch more than the ninth inning, Rivera has set himself apart with frequent two-inning saves, especially in the playoffs and World Series. This is only one of an impressive number of lines on a resume which will surely land him a spot in the Hall of Fame.

Last week, Rivera became only the 17th pitcher in the history of baseball to reach the 300-save plateau, and by the end of the season, he should easily move into the top-10. (Lee Smith's mark of 478 is probably beyond Rivera's reach, but that won't diminish his legacy.) Any Hall of Fame candidate must be measured against his peers, and it is no different with Rivera. Comparing him to the best of the last few years (Trevor Hoffman, Troy Percival, Eric Gagne, Billy Wagner, John Smoltz, and Keith Foulke) adds support to his argument.

As measured by his opposing batters' statistics, Rivera is just as dominant as the other six. He's fourth in opponent's batting average (.206), third in slugging percentage (.245), and fourth in OPS (.544). Since 2001, no one in baseball has saved as many games as Rivera (136), and he's currently leading the American League in that category with 18. And just past the quarter mark of his 10th season, he shows no signs of slowing down.

Percival, meanwhile, who entered this season with the same number of career saves as Rivera, has struggled. He's blown saves while being hit hard, and some have suggested that setup man Francisco Rodriguez should be promoted to closer.

Philadelphia's Wagner has been on and off the disabled list throughout his career, and Boston's Foulke has been incredibly inconsistent over the past few years.

Atlanta's Smoltz has had two outstanding seasons after a stellar career as a starter, but it isn't clear how many years he has left; 21 pitchers have more saves than he does this year.

Hoffman has had a great career in San Diego, and he could make a run at Smith's all-time record if he can stay healthy, but few of his saves have mattered as the Padres have rarely been competitive.

Gagne's current streak of 75 consecutive converted saves must be placed alongside Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak. Considering all of the things beyond a pitchers control that can go wrong in the ninth inning (bad hops, bad calls, errors), this is a freakish accomplishment. Still, this is only Gagne's third season as a closer.

None of these pitchers compares to Rivera. His 300 saves (now 301) have come while pitching for a team that has gone to the playoffs in each of his seven years as a closer. He has excelled in the postseason, closing out the World Series in 1998, 1999, and 2000.

Rivera had once considered retiring at the end of his current contract following the 2004 season, but that would have left him just a few months short of a 10-year career, making him ineligible for Hall of Fame consideration. He signed a two-year contract extension this spring, making him a Yankee at least through the 2006 season.

Next stop: Cooperstown.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.