Mo “The Great” Saves The Day Again

Mariano Rivera the best closer to throw a baseball in the Bronx.

He may be the greatest closer to throw a baseball in the postseason.

Tuesday night in St. Louis he may have put himself into a new category, as the best All-Star closer in the history of baseball.

To say Rivera has been perfect in every All-Star game he has played in, is an understatement.

Let’s take a quick look at his All-Star history to prove his greatness.

In his first year as an All-Star, in 1997, Rivera was called upon to pitch the ninth inning of a 3-to-1 ball game.

Rivera rose to the occasion and sat down all three batters, getting the save and cementing the win for the American League.

The National league hasn’t won an All-Star game since.

The next three years Rivera pitched in the mid-summer classic, 2000, 2002, and 2004, he held the National league scoreless in all three games.

In 2005 and 2006 he racked up his second and third saves as an All-Star, once again allowing no runs.

In 2008, Rivera came home to the Bronx and pitched 1.2 innings of, you guessed it, scoreless baseball.

Finally, in 2009, Rivera collected his fourth save holding the National Leauge scorless, and this time, hitless.

So for eight years, Mariano Rivera has faced the best hitters professional baseball has had to offer, and has been perfect.

Rivera constantly shows himself as one of those players who gives it his all, no matter what the situation.

He is a true competitor, shown by his pure pitching dominance, when he is called on to throw against the MLB’s best.

Mariano Rivera not only closes the All-Star game, but closes the mouths of the people who argue if certain players try in the All-Star game.

I think you can call eight All-Star games and 0 earned runs, trying.

In the past 13 years of pure American League dominance of the All-Star game, Rivera has an ERA of 0.

What did Mo have to say about pitching in 2009 the All-Star game?

“It was great.”

Yes, it was great, and so is Rivera, maybe the greatest ever.