#35 - Mariano Rivera
Signaled by his foreboding entrance song, Metallica’s “Enter Sandman“, Mariano Rivera would take the mound and proceed to mow down just about every batter he faced for the New York Yankees for 17 seasons. During that stretch, Rivera totaled 13 All Star Appearances, was a 5 time World Series Champ, rang up 652 Saves, finished 952 games, won the AL Rolaids Relief Man Award 5x, The Delivery Man of the Year Award 3x,
spent most of his career as a relief pitcher and served as the Yankees’ closer for 17 seasons. A thirteen-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, he is MLB’s career leader in saves (652) and games finished (952). Rivera won five American League (AL) Rolaids Relief Man Awards and three Delivery Man of the Year Awards, and he finished in the top three in voting for the AL Cy Young Award four times, was named the 1999 World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the 2003 AL Championship Series MVP, and he holds several postseason records, including lowest earned run average (ERA) (0.70) and most saves (42).
Regarded as one of the most dominant relievers in MLB history, Rivera embodied longevity and consistency uncommon to the closer role, saving at least 25 games in 15 consecutive seasons and posting an ERA under 2.00 in 11 seasons, both of which are records, his career 2.21 ERA and 1.00 WHIP are the lowest in the live-ball era among qualified pitchers.
In 2013, the Yankees retired his uniform number 42; and was the last major league player to wear the number full-time, following its league-wide retirement in honor of Jackie Robinson.
