# What's so great about Mariano Rivera?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-great-about-mariano-rivera/208081>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 17, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-great-about-mariano-rivera/208081 "2003-10-17T19:41:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-great-about-mariano-rivera/208081/21 "2003-10-19T04:15:00Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by doctordoowop \*  
> \*\*Ok-quality start is 6 innings- sorry. BTW, it is fun to ask “old timer” pitchers about today’s pitchers. I know Carl Erskine, Clem Labine,& Ralph Branca. Their answer will be on the order of "pussies, girls, babies, fuckin’ pitch count etc. etc. " No, not just envious of their $$, they really have no respect for today’s pitchers. Of course don’t ask Branca about a starter being used for a hitter or two in relief. \*\*

Carl Erskine was washed up at age 31. Clem Labine was a relief pitcher who never threw enough innings to qualify for an ERA title, but he didn’t last very long - only 513 games isn’t a long career for a reliever. Ralph Branca, washed up at 28, as already noted.

Maybe those guys should have watched their pitch counts.

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**Author:** ![doctordoowop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@doctordoowop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doctordoowop)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-so-great-about-mariano-rivera/208081/22 "2003-10-19T04:47:36Z")

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Labine had a few sparkling big shutouts as a starter -the game before Branca’s & the day after Larsen. I don’t think the answers would be any different from Gibson, Spahn, or Robin Roberts. There just isn’t respect for today’s starters from guys from 30+ years ago.(not for public consumption of course) I could only mention guys I asked.

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