The greatest closer in the history of the game is officially heading to Cooperstown. Mariano Rivera became the first player to ever be elected into the Hall of Fame unanimously. The only player to come close to receiving 100 percent of the vote in baseball history was Ken Griffey Jr., two years ago.
Beginning his career as a struggling starting pitcher in 1995, Rivera moved into the Yankee bullpen in 1996 and never looked back. In '96 he was the set-up man to John Wetland on the Yankees World Series championship team. By 1997 he became the Bombers closer - a job he would hold for the next 15 years, transforming into the greatest and most dominate closer in the history of the game.
Coming into each outing to the strings and guitar of Metallica's Enter Sandman, you knew the game was over. Over his 19-year career, Rivera would amass 652 saves, a 2.21 ERA and WHIP of 1.00. His dominance wasn't just reserved for the regular season of course. In the playoffs Rivera nailed down 42 games, while posting an ERA of 0.42. Nobody did it better than Rivera who was the key to five World Series championships and a key cog in the Yankees vaunted "Core Four."
Joining Rivera will be his old teammate Mike Mussina. Mussina split his time with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees, winning 270 games, while recording 2813 strikeouts. While he wasn't a flame thrower like his peers, he managed to use guile and smarts to out-smart some of the games toughest hitters at the peak of the steroid era.
It will be interesting to see which hat Mussina selects. While he had his most individual success with the Orioles, he spent the final eight years of his career in the Bronx, and won 20 games in a season for the first and only time in his career as a Yankee.
Joining the two Yankees in Cooperstown will be former Blue Jays and Phillies ace Roy Halladay, who tragically passed away last year. Former Seattle Mariners Designated Hitter Edgar Martinez rounds out the group.
Losing out on the ballot were steroid users Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds. Both received under 60 percent of the vote. To get into the Hall, a player must receiver 75 percent of the vote. Neither player is close to that threshold. Eventually Bonds and Clemens may get it in, but their years of eligibility are winding down. Both players were embroiled in the steroid scandal, and both committed perjury by lying about it. While a lot of writers puffed their chests that they would vote Clemens and Bonds into the Hall, clearly the majority does not feel either is deserving at this point.
Beginning his career as a struggling starting pitcher in 1995, Rivera moved into the Yankee bullpen in 1996 and never looked back. In '96 he was the set-up man to John Wetland on the Yankees World Series championship team. By 1997 he became the Bombers closer - a job he would hold for the next 15 years, transforming into the greatest and most dominate closer in the history of the game.Coming into each outing to the strings and guitar of Metallica's Enter Sandman, you knew the game was over. Over his 19-year career, Rivera would amass 652 saves, a 2.21 ERA and WHIP of 1.00. His dominance wasn't just reserved for the regular season of course. In the playoffs Rivera nailed down 42 games, while posting an ERA of 0.42. Nobody did it better than Rivera who was the key to five World Series championships and a key cog in the Yankees vaunted "Core Four."
Joining Rivera will be his old teammate Mike Mussina. Mussina split his time with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees, winning 270 games, while recording 2813 strikeouts. While he wasn't a flame thrower like his peers, he managed to use guile and smarts to out-smart some of the games toughest hitters at the peak of the steroid era.
It will be interesting to see which hat Mussina selects. While he had his most individual success with the Orioles, he spent the final eight years of his career in the Bronx, and won 20 games in a season for the first and only time in his career as a Yankee.
Joining the two Yankees in Cooperstown will be former Blue Jays and Phillies ace Roy Halladay, who tragically passed away last year. Former Seattle Mariners Designated Hitter Edgar Martinez rounds out the group.
Losing out on the ballot were steroid users Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds. Both received under 60 percent of the vote. To get into the Hall, a player must receiver 75 percent of the vote. Neither player is close to that threshold. Eventually Bonds and Clemens may get it in, but their years of eligibility are winding down. Both players were embroiled in the steroid scandal, and both committed perjury by lying about it. While a lot of writers puffed their chests that they would vote Clemens and Bonds into the Hall, clearly the majority does not feel either is deserving at this point.
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