Gotta Wonder...

After seeing the results of the last two Yankees-Red Sox games in this opening series, I think Yankee fans should be a little concerned about their hero, one Mariano Rivera. Two blown saves in two games has got to be unnerving. It makes one wonder if the run of sustained excellence for 9 seasons by Rivera is finally beginning to unravel. His run of success is unprecedented for any relief pitcher in baseball history. Eventually the party has to end. This could finally be it.

I know the Red Sox have seen him a lot and eventually when a team sees a guy that often they do eventually figure him out. But if I was a Yankee fan, I'd be very concerned the first time this happens against another team besides Boston. Because if Rivera isn't automatic anymore the Yankees are in huge trouble. Say what you will, but it is clear that the main reason the Yankees have been so dominate for the last decade is because of Rivera and his ability to shorten games just by coming into the game. If the Yankees don't have that guy anymore, they are just another team. We've seen the Yankees fail in the playoffs a couple times in the last few years and all those failures are tied to Rivera being human. Examples: 2001 vs. Arizona, Game 7, he gets beat by Luis Gonzalez and last year in games 4 and 5 he blows closeout-the-series games against the Red Sox leading to the greatest collapse in baseball history. I admit, part of my thoughts of Rivera's unraveling are hopeful gloating, but the results do speak for themselves, Yankee fans.