Alex Rodriguez once drew comparisons between Mariano Rivera and James Bond for being able to do it all
Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera were teammates on the New York Yankees for twelve seasons. Independent of one another, they both treated fans to some very memorable moments.
While A-Rod was a prime hitter in his own right, subsequent revelations of PED use tarnished his reputation, and led to a suspension that lasted the entirety of the 2014 season. To this day, Alex Rodriguez' past indiscretions are jeopardizing his Hall of Fame prospects, despite his many career achievements.
Conversely, Mariano Rivera was inducted into the Hall of Fame easily in 2019, his first year of eligiblity. Loved and respected as one of the greatest pitchers ever, the Panamanian also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from then-President Donald Trump in 2019.
"On this day in 2009, Mariano Rivera registered his 500th save. He also recorded his first and only career RBI, walking with the bases loaded" - ZT
A five-time World Series champ, Rivera led MLB in saves three times. His 652 career saves stand up as the highest in history. The second-highest figure belongs to San Diego Padres finisher Trevor Hoffman, who recorded 601 saves over the course of his career.
Alex Rodriguez won the AL MVP three times, twice with the Yankees and once as a member of the Texas Rangers. While he may never see the inside of the Hall of Fame, A-Rod was happy to praise Rivera's ascension to Cooperstown back in 2019. A-Rod said of his ex-teammate:
"He's one of the most impressive human beings I've ever met. He's like 007. He does it all, he's like a surgeon"
Rodriguez' praised Rivera's simple pitching arsenal, namely his use of the "cutter" which combines the breaking nature of the slider with a fastball's velocity. Over 1283 career innings, 11 of Rivera's 19 seasons on the bump saw him post an ERA under 2.00.
Mariano Rivera continues to serve as a standard for closers everywhere
Even as the game has become faster and even more competitive since Rivera left the league a decade ago, no reliever has even come close to exhibiting his brand of dominance. As such, Rivera will continue to serve as a guiding star for closers and set-up men until the end of time. As for Alex Rodriguez, he can only hope that public opinion turns in his favour in a big way, because that is the only way he will ever get to join his former teammate in the Baseball Hall of Fame.