“No one is as good as Mariano Rivera”

So says Joe Morgan.  Now, if he had added the words "historically"…I’m with him.  But he was talking about currently.  He was comparing the Mets to the Yankees and saying the Mets fans think their team is as good as if not better than the Yankees right now.  He said maybe with the pitching, but definitely not the lineup, and then added "And no one is as good as Mariano Rivera".

Let’s have some fun with numbers, shall we?  Ignoring that he didn’t specify ‘closers’, because there ARE plenty of pitchers who are better than Rivera…let’s see Rivera pitch more than two innings a game if you want to dispute that.  Let’s just focus on current closers.

Mariano’s numbers:  3.05 era, 2 wins, 3 losses, 18 games, 8 saves in 20.2 innings.  He’s given up 23 hits, 7 earned runs, 5 walks and 14 strikeouts.

Jonathan Papelbon’s numbers:  0.40 era, 0 wins, 1 loss, 21 games, 15 saves in 22.1 innings.  He’s given up 11 hits, 1 earned run, 3 walks and 19 strikeouts.

Gee, looks like, currently, Papelbon is pitching better than Rivera doesn’t it? 

Let’s not be biased.  Let’s look at the Blue Jays.

BJ Ryan’s numbers:  0.46 era, 0 wins, 0 losses, 18 games, 9 saves in 19.2 innings.  He’s given up 7 hits, 1 earned run, 5 walks and 20 strikeouts.

My, my.  Looks like BJ Ryan is pitching better than Rivera as well.

Heck, let’s check out Chris Ray of the Baltimore Orioles!

Ray’s numbers:  2.76 era, 1 win, 0 losses, 17 games, 10 saves in 16.1 innings.  He’s given up 10 hits, 5 earned runs, 10 walks, 18 strikeouts.

Guess what, Joe?  Ray is pitching better than Rivera right now also.

Okay, let’s finish off the American League East, just to be fair.

Tyler Walker’s numbers:  7.79 era, 1 win, 3 losses, 19 games, 12 saves in 20.2 innings.  He’s given up 18 hits, 15 earned runs, 10 walks, 12 strikeouts.

Congratulations, Joe.  Mariano Rivera is the second worst closer in the American League East right now.  Arguably, the toughest division in MLB.

It annoys the heck out of me that these guys say things that they don’t have to be responsible for.  Just because in the past Mariano was outstanding, doesn’t mean he is this year.  He isn’t.  But when has Joe Morgan ever let the facts get in the way of what he says?

Check out Fire Joe Morgan for more instances of Joe’s brilliant ignorance.

Edited to add, just for fun, Billy Wagner’s numbers (since Joe WAS originally discussing Mets v Yankees)

Wagner’s numbers:  3.54 era, 3 wins, 0 losses, 19 games, 8 saves in 20.1 innings.  He’s given up 15 hits, 8 earned runs, 11 walks, 28 strikeouts.

Mariano’s numbers again:  3.05 era, 2 wins, 3 losses, 18 games, 8 saves in 20.2 innings.  He’s given up 23 hits, 7 earned runs, 5 walks and 14 strikeouts.

Er, looks like Billy and Mariano are pretty close, huh?  I’d dare say, Billy could be closing in on being better than Mariano right now.  Imagine that, Joe?

Edited to add, that Billy just improved his numbers.  Way to go, Billy!  Just knocked his era down to 3.38 and added another save. (To be fair, he also added 2 hits – and 2 strikeouts.)