15 Amazing MLB Stats of the Week: April 22-28 [1]

Highlighting the most important, intriguing and bizarre stats in baseball.

Each week during the 2013 MLB season, we highlight the most important, intriguing and bizarre stats in baseball.

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14 Amazing MLB Stats from Opening Week [23]

Highlighting the most important, intriguing and bizarre stats in baseball.

Baseball is a numbers game. Always has been. Always will be. And here are a few notable numbers for the opening week of the season: March 31-April 7.

15 Earned runs allowed last Sunday by reigning Cy Young winners

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Baseball's Mt. Rushmores - All 30 Teams [39]

Who are the four players on your favorite team's Mt. Rushmore?

Every MLB team should have its own Mt. Rushmore — four individuals that have risen above all others for each organization. Here is one man’s opinion for all 30 Mt. Rushmores from Aaron Cook for Colorado to Babe Ruth for New York. Depending on the organization and how long the franchise has existed, some teams were difficult to find four worthy players. Most teams provided ardent debate.

Below, you’ll find links to all 30 Mt. Rushmores.

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Baseball By The Numbers: Weak AL Central, Position Players Pitching and Mo Rivera [45]

0-8
Boston’s Adrian Gonzalez suffered through an 0-fer day against Baltimore in the Red Sox’ 9-6 loss in 17 innings. The first baseman struck out in the 17th representing the tying run against the Orioles’ Chris Davis, who
began the day simply as the DH and ended it with a win. Gonzalez was the first AL cleanup hitter to go 0-8 since Andre Thornton of the Indians in 1984.

1968

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Mariano Rivera Vows to Come Back [48]

Yankees closer will return to the mound next season

Mariano Rivera vows that he will come back next season, telling reporters last week, “I am coming back,” and to “write it down in big letters.” So…MARIANO RIVERA IS COMING BACK NEXT SEASON.

There. Mo obviously does not want his career to end this way.

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Is this the end of Mariano Rivera? [49]

Freak accident before game could end New York Yankees' closer's Hall of Fame career

Getting carted off of the field before the game even starts. That’s not how anyone wants to end their career, but that could be the case for Mariano Rivera.

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Baseball's Best Players 35 and Over [51]

Experience, savvy, bad defense and Injury risks

Last week we presented the best of the young guys — 25 and under. Now the old dudes. Needless to say this roster is one huge injury risk. As was the case with the 25-and-under list, I’m using Opening Day (April 4, 2012) as the cut-off. Players had to be at least age 35 on that day to qualify.

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New York Yankees 2012 Preview [58]

Jeter and Co. primed to get back to World Series

New York Yankees

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Mariano Rivera to Retire? [66]

Will 2012 be the last season for 42-year-old New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera?

Yesterday everyone was asking, “When will Mariano Rivera arrive?” Today the question has become, “When will Mariano Rivera leave?”

Apparently, the iconic Panamanian closer whose entrance music is Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” has been working on his exit strategy.

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New York Yankees Mt. Rushmore [67]

Babe, the Iron Horse, the Mick, Yogi, Jeter, Mo....An elite list of candidates

MLB Mt. Rushmores

by Charlie Miller

We believe that all MLB teams should have their own Mt. Rushmores. Who are the four individuals that have risen above all others for each organization? The question sounds simple. Even two guys sitting in a bar can figure that out, right? Not so fast. Let the arguments begin.

New York Yankees Mt. Rushmore

The team that started the entire Mt. Rushmore discussion. Now that we’ve waded through the likes of Brandon Webb, Aaron Cook, Jeff Conine and Randy Jones as faces on teams’ Mt. Rushmores, it’s time to attempt to cull the illustrious history of the New York Yankees down to four men. Four. From Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig to Joe DiMaggio to Mickey Mantle to Reggie Jackson to Derek Jeter. Perhaps we should allow an organization with 27 World Series titles eight faces on its Mt. Rushmore — or at least six. But we’re sticking to the rule of only four faces on Mt. Rushmore, even with the Yankees. And for a team that boasts 15 retired numbers (with Jeter’s No. 2, Mariano Rivera’s No. 42 and possibly Joe Torre’s No. 6 to follow), there are numerous candidates. But we’ll have to identify the four guys who have risen above all others. I’m sure the arguments will be aplenty. Here goes:

Babe Ruth
The Sultan of Swat was larger than life. He transformed his career from one of the game’s best pitchers to, perhaps, the game’s greatest hitter of all-time, not just his era. The Babe was a household name for generations nationwide. Ruth ushered in the Live Ball Era making the home run something to behold. As a pitcher, Ruth won an ERA title and led the AL in shutouts with nine in 1916. That season he became one of five pitchers to toss more than 320 innings without giving up a long ball. He was 3-0 with a 0.87 ERA in three World Series starts. But for, oh about 714 reasons, Babe gave up pitching for right field. He then proceeded to win 12 home run titles, a batting title and six RBI crowns on his way to establishing the standard for home runs hit during a season and career. From 1918-29 Ruth hit more than 10 percent of the home runs in the American League. He outhomered half (or more) of the teams in the league during eight of those 12 seasons, outswatting all seven rivals in both 1920 and 1927.

Lou Gehrig
Ruth’s partner in offensive assaults was the Iron Horse. Gehrig spent most of his career batting cleanup behind Ruth and set the all-time mark with 23 grand slams. But much like Ruth, Gehrig was much bigger than stats, or the game itself. After Wally Pipp’s famous injury in June of 1925, Gehrig quickly became the Iron Horse, establishing a mark once thought to be unbreakable of 2,130 consecutive games. Without a doubt, Gehrig’s proclamation upon his retirement precipitated by ALS — now known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease — that he considered himself “the luckiest man on the face of the earth” rings loudly still in the hearts of baseball fans. As it turns out, the two MVPs, the Triple Crown, the 2,721 hits, 493 home runs and 1,995 RBIs were just icing on the cake.

Mickey Mantle
Few players can ever replace a legend. But in 1952, a 20-year-old from Oklahoma was handed the keys to center field in Yankee Stadium, patrolled by Joe DiMaggio just the year before. Mantle never disappointed. On his way to 536 home runs, three MVPs and three runner-up finishes, the Commerce Comet was third in MVP voting in ’52, finishing behind two pitchers. Mantle hit 18 home runs in World Series play covering 65 games and 12 Series. From the 1950s until his death in 1995, Mantle was the most beloved Yankee.

Mariano Rivera
Okay. Here’s where it gets a little tricky. Well, maybe more than a little. Why not DiMaggio, Jeter, or even Yogi? As beloved as those three icons are, none dominated his position like Rivera. The premier closer of all-time has conquered enemy hitters for more than 17 seasons. Pitching in an offensive era, Rivera’s WHIP is below 1.00 and his ERA is 2.21, having risen above 2.00 just once over the past nine seasons. He owns the all-time record with 603 saves and has converted at a 90 percent clip since 1999. In the postseason, Rivera has been even better. In 141 innings, Rivera has 42 saves, a 0.70 ERA and 0.759 WHIP.

Close Calls
The fact that he played in New York, had a 56-game hitting steak and was married to Marilyn Monroe for almost a year — not to mention a little shout-out from Simon and Garfunkel — has put Joe DiMaggio on a higher pedestal than he deserves. And he deserves a pretty high pedestal.

The only player to get 3,000 hits in pinstripes is Derek Jeter, the most celebrated shortstop in team history.

Few fans talk about Yogi Berra anymore, probably because he’s so talked about.

George Steinbrenner bought a struggling franchise in 1973 and turned it into the Evil Empire — and made no apologies for his efforts or success.

Follow Charlie Miller on Twitter @AthlonCharlie or email him Charlie.Miller@AthlonSports.com

Other teams' Mt. Rushmores:

American League	National League
Baltimore Orioles [76]	Arizona Diamondbacks [77]
Boston Red Sox [78]	Atlanta Braves [79]
Chicago White Sox [80]	Chicago Cubs [81]
Cleveland Indians [82]	Cincinnati Reds [83]
Detroit Tigers [84]	Colorado Rockies [85]
Kansas City Royals [86]	Florida Marlins [87]
Los Angeles Angels [88]	Houston Astros [89]
Minnesota Twins [90]	Los Angeles Dodgers [91]
New York Yankees [92]	Milwaukee Brewers [93]
Oakland A's [94]	New York Mets [95]
Seattle Mariners [96]	Philadelphia Phillies [97]
Tampa Bay Rays [98]	Pittsburgh Pirates [99]
Texas Rangers [100]	San Diego Padres [101]
Toronto Blue Jays [102]	San Francisco Giants [103]
	St. Louis Cardinals [104]
	Washington Nationals [105]

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Mariano Rivera

15 Amazing MLB Stats of the Week: April 22-28 [1]

COMMENTS

14 Amazing MLB Stats from Opening Week [23]

COMMENTS

Baseball's Mt. Rushmores - All 30 Teams [39]

COMMENTS

Baseball By The Numbers: Weak AL Central, Position Players Pitching and Mo Rivera [45]

COMMENTS

Mariano Rivera Vows to Come Back [48]

COMMENTS

Is this the end of Mariano Rivera? [49]

COMMENTS

Baseball's Best Players 35 and Over [51]

COMMENTS

New York Yankees 2012 Preview [58]

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Mariano Rivera to Retire? [66]

COMMENTS

New York Yankees Mt. Rushmore [67]

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