The Hammer of God
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by user The Widening Geier
So Ozzie Guillen was presented with a choice. He had just witnessed his team come back from a 1-run deficit with 2 outs in the 9th inning. They had done so against a man who is considered (and rightly so) among the greatest closers ever. With his team leading, and needing a save or their own, Ozzie had to pick a pitcher to come out and nail it down in the 9th. He could go with:
- Red Sox Closer Jonathan Papelbon - 2-1 with 26 saves and his 0.59 ERA
- His own White Sox Closer Bobby Jenks - also 2-1 with 26 saves, and a 2.83 ERA; or
- Yankees Closer Mariano Rivera - 4-4 with 19 saves and a 1.76 ERA
Now people have been talking up these young guns and their merits all year, and have especially touted Paps, even going so far as to put him in Rivera's class. However, with homefield in the World Series on the line, did anyone doubt who was getting the ball and the win? Rivera did what Hoffman couldn't, and what Papelbon and Jenks haven't earned the right to do. He took the ball and ended the game. He worked a 1-2-3 but for Jose Lopez booting of a grounder to third.
So let's put all that anyone being as good as Rivera talk to bed.
Date
Wed 07/12/06, 5:24 am EST
