| Ubaldo Jiminez's 2010 | Mariano Rivera's Postseason | Mariano Rivera 1996 | |
| W-L Record | 11-1 | 8-1 | 8-3 |
| Innings Pitched | 87.1 | 133.1 | 107.2 |
| ERA | 0.93 | 0.74 | 2.09 |
| WHIP | 0.927 | 0.773 | 0.994 |
| H/9 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 6.1 |
| HR/9 | 0.2 (2 HR) | 0.1 (2 HR) | 0.1 (1 HR) |
| BB/9 | 2.99 | 1.42 | 2.84 |
| K/9 | 8.04 | 7.22 | 10.87 |
| SO:BB | 2.69 | 5.10 | 3.82 |
| FIP | 2.72 | 2.23 | 1.88 |
| xFIP | 3.96 | 3.14 | |
| BABIP | 0.229 | 0.229 | 0.293 |
| LOB% | 92.4% | 90.1% | 78.1% |
Now I know that being a closer and being a starting pitcher are different things. I know that Rivera's numbers were put up against the best of the best in the postseason while Jiminez's numbers are put up in the National League where the pitcher hits. I also know that Rivera pitched about 50 more innings in this example. But the numbers are fun to look at. Both have shown absolute dominance. When they are scored upon it has become an event. They both play in home ballparks that traditionally favor hitters.
I just think it's cool to look at how both have thoroughly dominating numbers and know that while Jiminez's 2010 has been great, Rivera's playoff resume may be even better.
Update: Added Rivera's 1996 for comparison's sake. Pretty cool stuff
Posts
Just for comparison you should throw his 1996 stats up there for comparison too.
ReplyDeleteGood call...it's updated. 1996 was pretty otherworldly in some aspects but I'm not sure I wouldn't take Jiminez or Rivera's playoff resume. tough call in those three.
ReplyDeleteThe amazing part that if you look at Rivera's FIP and BABIP from 1996, he may have actually been *gulp* unlucky that year! Amazing!
So which one would you take if you could pitch one of these guys? Tough call
ReplyDeleteDepends on the setting, right? If I need to get one inning, then Mariano because of his ability to overcome the best hitters in pressure situations. If I need one start, then I'm taking Ubaldo because of his length.
ReplyDeleteBut if we're just talking about pure stuff, I'm taking Mariano because he's a big game pitcher who has proven himself countless times against the stiffest competition in the most pressure-filled moments. It's been 15 years and guys still can't hit that cutter! But statistically, these guys are neck and neck, but I could pitch one of them, and the game is on the line, I'm going with Mo.
More amazing is that Rivera didn't even have the cutter until 1997 (it came to him by accident during a game of catch with Ramiro Mendoza and he was unable to stop himself from creating the natural cut action) and certainly didn't master the pitch until 1998/1999. He basically got by on 4-seam fastballs and an occasional slider or change (and it was VERY occasional). If you remember, this was back in the day when he used to go "up the ladder" as we would say, where as now, he pinpoints the cutter and it breaks into the strike zone at the last moment, freezing the hitter in disbelief.
ReplyDeleteWhat's amazing is that he can still mix in his other pitches on occasion (slider, 2 seamer, and 4 seamer) and still get hitters out effectively. We've even seen him experiment with a change-up in spring training year after year (I saw him make Ryan Howard look silly on it) yet once the season starts he goes back to the cutter.