Mariano Rivera is pretty special

New York Yankees’ Mariano Rivera holds up a World Champion cap after winning the Major League Baseball World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

AP

Mariano Rivera is a pretty special pitcher. I know, it’s a pretty revelatory statement.

First, I direct your attention to this pretty neat interactive graphic from the New York Times. My description won’t do it justice, but the graphic details every single batter of Rivera’s postseason career. Yes, even Mike Piazza’s flyout to end Game 5 of the 2000 World Series. A sad reminder for this Mets fan, but pretty darn cool otherwise.

Rivera has a ridiculous 0.74 ERA and 0.77 WHIP in 88 postseason games, including an 0.56 ERA over 16 innings during the 2009 playoffs. It’s even more incredible upon learning that he pitched through a painful rib cage injury during the World Series.

“It doesn’t matter now,” Rivera said. “It’s over. Thank God it’s over. It was manageable. ‘Geno’ did a tremendous job. Thank God we were able to do what we did, to put me on the field every day so I would have a chance.”

Those who watched the World Series will remember Rivera with some sort of heating pad under his jacket in the bullpen, but any concern of an injury was dismissed by the team, as he proved quite durable, tossing 5 1/3 innings over four appearances against Philadelphia.Rivera turns 40 later this month and has one year and $15 million remaining on his contract. He has already expressed a desire to pitch for five more seasons. With results like these, who are we to say he can’t pull it off?