Mike Lupica is one weird dude.

If I could quickly run an archive of Lupica articles since 1996, I could probably find 50 - 100 articles that proclaim the pending demise of Mariano Rivera's career. Stuff like Rivera is still haunted by the 2001 World Series and Rivera can't beat the Red Sox.

If I went back about 18 months, I could easily find a dozen articles proclaiming Papelbon as the Cy Young winner, MVP, and the main reason the Red Sox were superior to the Yankees.

So now, out of nowhere, MOTO Lupica decides to heap praise upon Mariano Rivera.

This is the equivalent of a 2008 Robert Christgau article which gives an A+ to "Revolver."

Oh, really? So you're a rock critic who's heard of "Revolver," have you? The one by The Beatles?:

"But there will be others who say that the best player of them all was the great Henry Aaron or Willie Mays and maybe someday - if he ends up getting enough rest to hit 800 home runs - some will say that Alex Rodriguez, Mr. Fun, was the best ballplayer of them all."

I don't understand the "Mr. Fun" comment. I have fun watching ARod play. Don't you?

I also don't understand the comment about "enough rest." Has ARod been slacking or complaining about too much playing time? Or is that a crude and stupid reference to bedroom exploits?

Besides, aren't you the ignorant sports columnist who said ARod was gonna move to first base or maybe centerfield?


"There will always be the debate about starting pitchers, all the way back to the real Cy Young."

Actually, my pick is the imaginary Cy Young.


"But there is no debate, none, about Rivera, the best closer in history, the best money pitcher in history, a power relief pitcher and a power closer who has lasted longer than any power pitcher in his job ever has, in the history of baseball."

The only debate is between the intelligent, pro-Mariano fans and ignorant, anti-Mariano sportswriters, such as yourself.


I'm also not sure why Lupica distinguishes between "power" reliever and, say, a changeup pitcher like Hoffman or a slider pitcher like John Franco. OF COURSE, Rivera is far superior to Hoffman, Franco, Lee Smith, Jesse Orosco, etc. But Rivera has not lasted longer.


"In this Yankee Stadium, in the rebuilt Stadium and not the one Ruth built, the man running toward the pitching mound is the greatest Yankee of them all."

I'm perplexed.

I thought I was Rivera's biggest fan. Rivera is the clear MVP of the 2008 Yankees (largely due to ARod's trip to the DL), Rivera is obviously the greatest closer of all time, Rivera is probably the greatest playoff performer of all time in any sport, and, as far as I'm concerned, Rivera singlehandedly put Torre in the HOF.

But Rivera is not better than ARod and Rivera's not better than Babe Ruth. Not really Rivera's fault. Mr. Fun is a ss/3b who's going to hit 1,000 HRs and Ruth is, well, Ruth is the greatest ballplayer of all time.

Is Lupica really saying that Rivera is better than Babe Ruth?

A closer is better than Babe Ruth?

Is Lupica's brain simply unable to process subtleties? A year ago, Rivera was an overpaid albatross. Now, Rivera is the greatest ballplayer who ever played.

Grow up, man. You don't have to end every adjective with "est."