Career Statistics
330 games, 163 hits, 36 home runs, 121 runs batted in, .247 batting average, .323 on-base percentage, .464 slugging percentage
Mike Simms facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)
1-for-3, 1 home run, 1 run batted in, 1 strikeout, .333 batting average, .333 on-base percentage, 1.333 slugging percentage
Mo Cred
Simms hit a solo home run off Rivera on August 14, 1998, the twentieth homer allowed by Rivera.
Mike Simms
Year Date Result
1997 8/7 Fielder’s choice
1998 5/13 Strikeout (Swinging)
1998 8/14 Home run (1 RBI)
I FAINTLY REMEMBER IT. I’m kidding! It’s most definitely a highlight for me. It was 1998, the Yankees were going to the World Series and I do remember it was a big deal. Any time you’re facing the premier closer it was a big deal in the sense that you look forward to the challenge of facing the best in a big situation. It was the top of the ninth inning, and being a part-time player, a right-handed hitter, not facing too many right-handers, it was unusual for me to get that chance to face Mariano, but I’m glad I did on that occasion.*
I talked to Will Clark and Rusty Greer—and in particular Mark McLemore—about what is was like facing him.** Those were my go-to guys because of their experience in the league, facing so many pitchers, so I went to them to gather information. They said he throws a cutter 95 miles per hour, so be ready to go, and look out over the plate. The pitch before [the home run], he threw a cutter that was up and in. A pitch that is 95 miles per hour and is coming up and in will wake you up right away. I remember leaning back, getting out of the box, and thinking: “Alright, here we go.”
I got back in there, and on the next pitch, which he left up and out over the plate, where I was looking, I hit it out to dead center field.
It’s cool to be on the list as one of the guys who have hit a homer off him. When you think about how many games he’s pitched in, how many innings he’s pitched, and how many outs he’s gotten in his career, I’m sure those numbers are mind-blowing. I’m in a unique category, to be one of only [67] to homer off him. I was one for three against him in my career, with a home run and a strikeout. That’s a good day! It’s also a very low range on the cardio scale. You’re either walking back to the dugout or jogging around the bases.
Everybody saw the way [baseball] honored him at the [2013] All-Star Game. I was watching on television with my two daughters, and when my oldest daughter saw the situation [in which] Mariano was the only one on the field warming up, she asked me why they were doing that for him. I said because Mariano is the greatest closer ever. You use that term—the greatest—with Mariano. It would be the equivalent of being alive and watching Babe Ruth for the final time. You can argue back and forth about numbers and production, but I don’t think anyone’s ever going to get more saves than Mariano’s 600-plus saves, so you can state as fact that he’s the greatest ever.
Matt Stairs
Outfield
Playing Career
Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Diego Padres from 1992 to 2011
Career Statistics
1,895 games, 1,366 hits, 265 home runs, 899 runs batted in, .262 batting average, .356 on-base percentage, .477 slugging percentage
Matt Stairs facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)
2-for-14, 0 extra-base hits, 4 strikeouts, 0 walks, .143 batting average, .143 on-base percentage, .143 slugging percentage
Mo Cred
Stairs smashed a record 23 pinch-hit home runs while playing for more franchises (12) than any other position player in major league history.
FACING THE GREATEST closer ever in the World Series in Yankee Stadium was an honor. I played in Yankee Stadium so many times, and faced Rivera so many times throughout my career, it can overwhelm a young player, but I never was [fazed]. The World Series is different. When the bullpen door opens and the music “Enter Sandman” is playing and you see Mariano make that smooth jog in from left-center field, you do get caught up in the moment.
I was the designated hitter in Game Two [of the 2009 World Series]. I was watching his warm-ups and it seemed like his cut fastball was a little flat. Maybe he did that on purpose, because when I got up to bat, his cutter changed lanes. Instead of going across the plane, now it had more of a downhill tilt. I came up with two outs in the ninth inning. He threw a couple of good cutters and stuck me out. I did what I always did—go up swinging, if I get a hit, great, if not, I’m going down swinging. Once again he got the best of me.*
Matt Stairs
Year Date Result
1996 8/23 Line out
9/2 Foul out
1997 4/5 Single
4/13 Foul out
7/29 Single
1999 4/6 Ground out
8/30 Fly out
2000 5/30 Pop out
5/31 Ground out
8/27 Strikeout (Swinging)
Postseason 10/6 Pop out
2004 4/30 Strikeout (Swinging)
5/2 Strikeout (Swinging)
2007 5/30 Ground out
2008 6/4 Strikeout (Looking)
2009 (Postseason) 10/29 Strikeout (Swinging)
10/31 Ground out
11/1 Ground out
11/4 Line out
In Game Six, I led off the ninth inning and hit a foul home run into the fifth deck. That was the most memorable at-bat I ever had against him. It was a three-and-one count and I was guessing that he would throw a fastball inside. He threw me a cutter inside and I got the head of the bat out, but he puts the ball in a spot where even if you hit it, you can’t keep it fair. I didn’t have success against Mariano, so that made me feel good about myself. The next pitch was a back-door cutter and I lined out to [Derek] Jeter at shortstop. It wasn’t a base hit, but it was a non-broken bat and one of the few times against him when my fingers didn’t hurt from getting jammed.
When I think about facing Mariano Rivera, two words come to mind: frustrating and challenging. When I played in Oakland, we joked about how ridiculous he can make [batters] look. I weigh 220 pounds and remember hitting jam-shots not even eight feet in the air. One hit barely made it to the outfield grass; it was a deep drive to shallow third base! All you can do is laugh. It isn’t embarrassing because he’s so dominating.
If I was more patient he might have walked me more. But when you’re batting in a situation with the game on the line, you open up your strike zone. Cutters on the inner half that you should let go, you swing at, and the pitch ends up near your back thigh. His cutter can be devastating. I swung at one that ended up cutting between my legs. I’ve seen guys swing and miss and get hit in the stomach with the pitch. At least I never swung and missed at a pitch that hit me!
Ichiro Suzuki
Outfield
Playing Career
Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees since 2001
Career Statistics
2,061 games, 2,742 hits, 111 home runs, 695 runs batted in, .319 batting average, .361 on-base percentage, .414 slugging percentage
Ichiro Suzuki facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)
5-for-13, 1 extra-base hit, 1 home run, 2 runs batted in, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, .385 batting average, .429 on-base percentage, .615 slugging percentage
Mo Cred
Suzuki hit the fifth and final walk-off home run against Rivera on September 18, 2009 in Seattle. He also was Rivera’s teammate on the Yankees in 2012 and 2013.
AS A VISITOR you come in here, and when I was playing against him, he was like the Devil. Like a guy that just would get you. He’d have a nice smile and a soft face, but he was just that Devil when I was playing against him. But then when I came here, he became God because he’s on our side.*
Ichiro Suzuki
Year Date Result
2001 5/
18 Ground out
5/19 Ground out
Postseason 10/17 Double
10/22 Fielder’s choice
2002 4/28 Strikeout (Swinging)
5/4 Intentional walk
2004 5/9 Line out
5/15 Single
2005 5/10 Pop out
8/29 Fly out
2006 7/17 Pop out
2007 5/12 Fielder’s choice
2009 8/15 Single
9/18 Home run (2 RBI)
2010 8/21 Single
2011 9/13 Single
What comes to mind is when I hit a home run off him to win a game in Seattle [in 2009]. I’ll never forget it. I wish I could have run the bases again. That home run, to me, is very special. It had an impact on me. Of course, you don’t want to face him. But it was that much more gratifying because he’s the best.**
Pitchers obviously try to throw to places where the batters will have a hard time hitting it; pitchers try to place balls where a hitter doesn’t want it thrown. But Mariano would just throw to where you’re waiting for the pitch—and you still can’t hit it.
A batter has a spot that he wants the ball thrown to. That’s where Mariano would throw it. So as a hitter, when you had that ball where you wanted it, and you miss it and make an out, usually, hitters want to make, not excuses, but reasons why you got out that at-bat. But with Mariano, he’s so good that you can only just say, “He beat me.”
You can’t really have reasons why you got out. You just have to say, “He flat-out beat me.”
Nick Swisher
Right field and First base
Playing Career
Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, and Cleveland Indians since 2004
Career Statistics
1,354 games, 1,220 hits, 231 home runs, 736 runs batted in, .255 batting average, .358 on-base percentage, .462 slugging percentage
Nick Swisher facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)
1-for-5, 0 extra-base hits, 1 strikeout, .200 batting average, .200 on-base percentage, .200 slugging percentage
Mo Cred
Swisher spent four seasons as Rivera’s teammate with the Yankees from 2009 to 2012; on September 19, 2011, the Yankee Stadium crowd cheered when he grounded into a double play with two runners on base to end the eighth inning with the Yankees holding a 6-4 lead over the Twins because it meant Rivera had an opportunity to set the all-time record with his 602nd save.
Nick Swisher
Year Date Result
2005 9/4 Fly out
2006 5/12 Double play
6/9 Single
6/11 Strikeout (Swinging)
2013 6/3 Fly out
I’M TRYING TO get a hit right there. I’m not trying to make an out. But what can I say? Greatest double play of my life! I’ve never been cheered for grounding into a double play at home, and then the next thing you know, I look up at the bullpen and I’m like, “Oh, that’s right.” It took me a quick second to figure out what was going on—but then it sunk in real fast.
It was a great day and I’m so happy that I could witness something like that. It was really exciting. He had his family there, he had his kids there—everyone was there. And for all of the games [to achieve a record], it was a make-up game, the crowd was hyped, they were going crazy. It was such a wonderful day. He’s gone about his job with such professionalism, and if people didn’t believe that he was the best closer of all time, that 602 proves it.
The first time I faced him, I was like, “holy [cow], man, I’m in the box against Mariano Rivera and I’m [hopefully] hitting a missile right here.” I think, in general, for someone to go that long in his career throwing one pitch, that’s pretty impressive. He’s a perfectionist. He knows what he’s doing. He has a plan and knows exactly what he’s doing every time he goes out there.
It doesn’t matter if he’s 22 [years old] or 42. It’s kind of sad to see a guy going through his last season, but if you had to pick a career, that wouldn’t be a bad one to pick. He’s the best. His numbers kind of speak for themselves. He’s been doing it for so long and he’s done it the right way. Congratulations to him. It was an honor for me to play with him for four years and I wish him the best of luck.
B.J. Upton
Center field
Playing Career
Tampa Bay Rays and Atlanta Braves since 2004
Career Statistics
1,092 games, 982 hits, 127 home runs, 473 runs batted in, .248 batting average, .329 on-base percentage, .409 slugging percentage
B.J. Upton facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)
3-for-14, 0 extra-base hits, 1 run batted in, 10 strikeouts, .214 batting average, .214 on-base percentage, .214 slugging percentage
Mo Cred
Upton’s 10 strikeouts in 14 plate appearances is the highest strikeout rate of anyone facing Rivera. Manny Ramirez has struck out the most times, 13, but in 44 plate appearances.
What’s it like facing Mariano Rivera?
IT’S LIKE GOING to a gunfight with a knife. You know what’s coming and you know he’s most likely going to throw you a strike—and you still can’t get him.
Why is it so difficult to put the ball in play when you know what pitch is coming?
I don’t know. If I knew that answer I wouldn’t have ten strikeouts in fourteen at-bats against him. You almost have to anticipate where the ball is going to be. You have to trick your eyes because your eyes tell you to swing in a place the ball won’t end up. There is no one like him.
Do you remember having even one quality at-bat facing Rivera?
I don’t recall any specific at-bats where I was successful. I’m really aggressive so I’m aggressive with everyone I face [and I] just tried to be the same with Rivera.
Was it fun to face one of the greatest pitchers of all time?
No. There was nothing fun about facing Mo. We saw him a lot [when I played for Tampa] and sometimes you just had to shake your head and laugh.
Did teammates give you advice on how to approach your at-bats against Rivera?
When no one has success against a guy no one really wants to talk about it. You just hoped you had the lead after eight [innings]. He’s the best to ever do it and I’ll miss watching him do his thing on television—but not in person.
Shane Victorino
Outfield
Playing Career
San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox since 2003
Career Statistics
1,198 games, 1,200 hits, 105 home runs, 470 runs batted in, .277 batting average, .342 on-base percentage, .432 slugging percentage
Shane Victorino facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)
0-for-3
Mo Cred
Victorino was 1-for-3 facing Rivera in the 2009 World Series. He singled in Game Two; grounded out for the final out of Game Four; and grounded out for the final out of the clinching Game Six.
Shane Victorino
Year Date Result
2006 6/20 Ground out
2009 5/24 Ground out
Postseason 10/29 Single
11/1 Ground out
11/4 Ground out
2013 8/18 Ground out
I MADE THE LAST out in the World Series against him in 2009. I remember him coming out [of the bullpen]. We knew what was on the line. It’s special to think about getting the opportunity to face the best closer of all time in the biggest moment in the World Series.
Even though we ended up losing, it is special to be able to remember and rekindle those kinds of moments. Like I said, to face him in the biggest game and that’s what you play for every year, even though we came up on the losing side, I’ll never forget that opportunity.
I knew it was going to be a tough at-bat. We all know what he throws. You know you’re going to get the cutter; you’re going to get that pitch. I remember it was a good at-bat—ten pitches. Unfortunately, I grounded out to second to end it.
I’m on the way to first base knowing what wa
s on the line and watching them [celebrate]. I left it all on the field. Those kind of moments will be something I can think back on, how I got that opportunity to face him in a World Series.
Vernon Wells
Outfield
Playing Career
Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and New York Yankees since 1999
Career Statistics
1,731 games, 1,794 hits, 270 home runs, 958 runs batted in, .270 batting average, .319 on-base percentage, .459 slugging percentage
Vernon Wells facing Mariano Rivera (regular season)
6-for-19, 3 extra-base hits, 1 home run, 3 runs batted in, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, .316 batting average, .381 on-base percentage, .632 slugging percentage
Mo Cred
Wells hit the first walk-off home run ever allowed by Rivera in extra innings, on July 20, 2006. He played with the Yankees as Rivera’s teammate in 2013.
Vernon Wells
Year Date Result
2001 8/30 Walk
2002 4/19 Fly out
5/20 Ground out
2003 7/11 Ground out
7/13 Triple
2004 7/22 Ground out
7/26 Ground out
8/28 Ground out
2005 4/21 Single
8/23 Ground out
9/25 Walk
2006 7/20 Home run (1 RBI)
2007 5/30 Ground out
7/18 Fly out
8/6 Strikeout (Swinging)
9/12 Ground out
2008 4/3 Single
8/29 Single
2009 8/4 Double (2 RBI)
2010 6/6 Fly out
9/28 Line out
I HAVE A FAVORITE personal memory. It isn’t a good one [for Rivera]. It’s my favorite, not his. I’m just one of a handful of guys to ever hit a walk-off home run against him [which I did in 2006]. That’s a moment that I’ll never forget. I’ll always remember jogging around the bases when I hit it.*
Those are the kind of memories that will stick with you for a lifetime. I remember everything about it. Personally, it was one of the cooler moments I’ve ever experienced. Anytime you get a chance to face Mariano it’s a memorable experience just because of who he is, what he stands for, and what he’s been able to accomplish.
Facing Mariano Rivera Page 13