Actually when you examine the numbers two things stick out at you.
1. Santana is clearly the best pitcher in baseball and may be the best player at his position.
2. Rivera is slipping. This is not one his better years and when you take into consideration he is 36 he might be going the wrong way.
Want proof?
W - L ERA SV IP H BB K H/9 BB/9 K/9
Rivera 5 - 5 1.90 33 71 57 11 49 8.1 1.2 5.7
Santana 18- 5 2.75 n/a 212 166 43 230 6.5 1.6 9.1
Santana leads the league in Wins, ERA, K's, IP. A triple crown for starters.
Rivera leads AL closers in ...well....nothing.
He is the 5th best closer in the AL this year. Papllebaum, K-Rod, Nathan, and B.J. Ryan all are having better seasons than Mariano.
Ever heard of VORP? It is similar to a sheet number for baseball players.Higher is better.
Santana's for the last 3 years - 73, 89.9, 51.1
Rivera's are 32.2, 37.9, 32.6
Value over replacement player clearly indicates that Santana isn't only more valuable at his position than Rivera is at his, it's not really even close.
Historically Rivera will go down as the greatest closer in history but in 2006 and beyond, Johan Santana is who you want.
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