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HELPING YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR FIGURE(S)!
 Mariano Rivera Basball's Top Pitcher?
In the game of baseball, a few things will always remain true: you can’t learn talent, you won’t win without effort, and good pitching flat out beats good hitting. As far as the former goes, you can practice and play hard and make a good showing in a baseball game. But when it comes to the latter, no amount of hitting practice will allow you to beat a pitcher in total command of the zone.
Intimidating pitchers like Bob Gibson, Sam McDowell, Pedro Martinez, Goose Gossage, and Sandy Koufax have their place in the record books of baseball, and in the nightmares of batters they’ve faced. Starting pitchers receive the majority of the limelight. In order for a reliever to share in the same success, he has to be cream of the crop. And if you’re a closing pitcher that wants status in the MLB, then you better be of a different breed entirely. When it comes to pitchers, closers are the pearls in a vast basket of oysters. Over the last decade, no pearl has been smoother or brighter than the New York Yankees’ all-star closer Mariano Rivera. Rivera has blazing fast speed with pinpoint control. Either one of these attributes can make for a deadly closer over the course of 1 inning. But to combine the two, you’re looking at the makings of a first-ballot Hall of Famer – you’re looking at Mariano Rivera. Coming into the game with a slim lead in the 9th inning may be the most intense situation a pitcher will ever face. This is why you have to be of a special ilk to close a baseball game. Earning a save can net your team World Series victories. Such is proven with Rivera and the Yankees, winners of 4 titles since his arrival in 1995. Though he always wanted to play baseball, a closing pitcher was the furthest thing from his mind. Rivera started out as a shortstop and played that position until he was 20-years-old. One faithful day, he had volunteered to pitch for his Panama team. A scout for the Yankees was in attendance, and noticed Rivera throwing the ball smoothly at over 85mph. Rivera started playing minor league ball immediately after, throwing 2 seasons with an ERA under 3.00. In 1992, Rivera’s minor league career was put on hold due to Tommy John Surgery to fix his nerve-damaged elbow. After rehabilitating, Rivera began to work his way up the ranks, from A to AA to finally AAA. In 1995, Rivera made his debut with the Yankees. They first tried him out as a starting pitcher, to varied success. After sending him back down to the minors, Rivera started to throw the ball in the 90-97mph range. This was a huge change in velocity for Rivera, and the Yankees immediately brought him back. The Yankees had Rivera start 10 games that season, and would inevitably move Rivera to the bullpen before the following season. The grooming was underway and the Yankees were excited to have the strong-armed 25-year-old coming in for relief. His first year as a reliever, Rivera acted as a setup man for the Yankees’ closer John Wetteland. With Rivera pitching to set up John, the Yanks won 29 of 31 games in which they both appeared. With this dynamic duo, the Yankees won their first World Series championship since 1978. In the 1997 season, Wetteland has moved on from the Yankees, and Rivera took over the duties as closer. He would lose 3 of the first 6 save attempts, but eventually settle down and finish with 43 saves, a 1.88 ERA, and won his first all-star bid. Still one of the best closers in the game at the present date, Rivera has a lifetime ERA of 2.30, with 466 saves, 66 wins, and 907 strikeouts. He’s been named to 9 all-star teams (1997, 99-02, 04-06, 08), has 4 World Series titles (1996, 98, 99, 2000), 1999 World Series MVP, 2003 AL Championship Series MVP, 2-time DHL Delivery Man of the Year, among many more honors.
2011 MLB Sports Picks Releases 2010 MLB Sports Picks Releases 2009 MLB Sports Picks Releases 2008 MLB Sports Picks Releases 2007 MLB Sports Picks Releases 2006 MLB Sports Picks Releases 2005 MLB Sports Picks Releases 2004 MLB Sports Picks Releases 2003 MLB Sports Picks Releases 2002 MLB Sports Picks Releases
2011 MLB Sports Picks Releases Cooperstown Series 8 -- domestic release early February MLB Elite -- domestic release early February MLB PlayMakers 2 -- domestic release mid-February MLB 27 - domestic release late April MLB 28 -- domestic release early June 2010 MLB Sports Picks Releases MARCH 2010 KEN GRIFFEY JR. DEREK JETER COLLECTOR'S EDITION
MAY 2010 June 2009 May 2009 MLB 2009 TRU EXCLUSIVE ASSORTMENT (SERIES 23) April 2009 March 2009 MLB COOPERSTOWN 2009 (SERIES 6) NEW YORK YANKEES 2-PACK: DEREK JETER & ALEX RODRIGUEZ June 2008 April 2008 February 2008 BC SPORTS MLB EXCLUSIVE: RYAN HOWARD BC SPORTS MLB EXCLUSIVE: CHASE UTLEY BC SPORTS MLB EXCLUSIVE: COLE HAMELS MARIANO RIVERA COLLECTOR'S EDITION MLB 2-PACK: MICKEY MANTLE & ROGER MARIS July 2007 June 2007 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 17 February 2007 COOPERSTOWN SERIES 4 February 2007 3-INCH MLB BASEBALL SERIES 5 DAVID ORTIZ COLLECTOR'S EDITION BARRY BONDS (756TH HOME RUN COMMEMORATIVE FIGURE) CHICAGO CUBS 3-PACK NEW YORK YANKEES 3-PACK 2 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 16 July 2006 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 15 May 2006 3-INCH MLB BASEBALL SERIES 4 February 2006 COOPERSTOWN SERIES 3 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 14 COLLECTOR'S EDITION ROGER CLEMENS (ASTROS) COLLECTOR'S EDITION ROGER CLEMENS (YANKEES) MLB COMMEMORATIVE 2-PACK: BARRY BONDS & BABE RUTH FANFEST 2006: ROBERTO CLEMENTE FANFEST 2006: WILLIE STARGELL 3-INCH DAVID WRIGHT COOPERSTOWN COLLECTOR'S EDITION MICKEY MANTLE COOPERSTOWN COLLECTOR'S EDITION BABE RUTH NEW YORK YANKEES 3-PACK BOSTON RED SOX 3-PACK MLB BASEBALL SERIES 13: EXTENDED EDITION August 2005 3-INCH MLB BASEBALL SERIES 3 July 2005 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 12 June 2005 COOPERSTOWN 12-INCH May 2005 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 11 April 2005 COOPERSTOWN SERIES 2 February 2005 MLB HOMEPLATE DIORAMA: JASON VARITEK AND UMPIRE 3-INCH JOSH BECKETT & MIGUEL CABRERA 3-INCH YOGI BERRA & JORGE POSADA 3-INCH FRANK CATALANOTTO & ORLANDO HUDSON NATIONAL 2005: NOMAR GARCIAPARRA 3-INCH BILLY WAGNER & PAT BURRELL FANFEST 2005: IVAN RODRIGUEZ FANFEST 2005: TROY PERCIVAL 12-INCH DEREK JETER 2 3-INCH DONTRELLE WILLIS & PAUL LO DUCA MLB 2-PACK: CURT SCHILLING & ALBERT PUJOLS 3-INCH DON MATTINGLY 12-INCH BARRY BONDS 2 (WHITE UNIFORM) 12-INCH BARRY BONDS 2 (GRAY UNIFORM) BARRY BONDS (700TH HOME RUN COMMEMORATIVE FIGURE) MLB 2-PACK: BARRY BONDS & WILLIE MAYS 12-INCH NOLAN RYAN (ASTROS) MLB 12-INCH BASEBALL SERIES 1 November 2004 COOPERSTOWN COLLECTION July 2004 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 10 June 2004 3-INCH MLB BASEBALL SERIES 2 May 2004 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 9 April 2004 3-INCH MLB BASEBALL March 2004 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 8 February 2004 FANFEST 2004: JEFF BAGWELL FANFEST 2004: ROGER CLEMENS MLB 2-PACK: TODD HELTON & SAMMY SOSA MLB 2-PACK: DEREK JETER & NOMAR GARCIAPARRA MLB BASEBALL SERIES 7 September 2003 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 6 July 2003 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 5 June 2003 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 4 March 2003 WORLD SERIES 2002: BARRY BONDS FANFEST 2003: FRANK THOMAS FANFEST 2003: SAMMY SOSA MLB BASEBALL SERIES 3 August 2002 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 2 June 2002 MLB BASEBALL SERIES 1 March 2002 BIG LEAGUE CHALLENGE: JASON GIAMBI BIG LEAGUE CHALLENGE: NOMAR GARCIAPARRA
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