Could Mariano Rivera been an ACE starter?

[dynamite140]

Yes he is hands down the best closer in baseball history. He started out as a setup man back in the 90s when the Yankees had John Wetteland as their closer. Then Mo became the closer for the team and is the best closer we ever seen.

Does anyone here think he could have been one of the best starting pitchers in baseball? I always wondered with how great these closers are, why don't they just be a starter instead? Being a starter is more valuable than being a closer because they pitch more innings even though saving a game is very important as well. However, a saver is useless if the team is always down late in the game.

I recalled Eric Gagne was a great closer in the Dodgers and he was traded many times and then he didn't do so well. I know John Smoltz was the Braves closer for a while and then became a starter for the Braves and he had a great career. I wanted to know. Do you guys think MO could have been a great starting pitcher if he chosed that route as oppose to being the closer say 10 years ago? Does anyone know whats the most innings he has ever thrown in one outing?

Does anyone know if you put a great closer and have him start 1 game for the team, would he pitch bad since he is not use to pitching more than 2 innings at the most? Could MO or K-Rod or any other great closer in baseball go at least 6 innings and pitch a gem?

[Pauulzcappin]

Guy makes 15 a year at 40+ and is remembered as the best closer of all time, like you said it yourself.

Imagine if he tried to be a starter and failed?

He has nasty stuff, I think he could have done it.

[No coincidences]

No.

He throws 2 pitches. Always has. And they're both fastballs.

That's set up perfectly for a closer, not a starter.

[Pauulzcappin]

His cutter is considered to be the best pitch in baseball. Enough said.

[LT Profits]

No.

He throws 2 pitches. Always has. And they're both fastballs.

That's set up perfectly for a closer, not a starter.

^^^This!

Mo has great stuff for a closer, but not enough variety for a starter.

[No coincidences]

His cutter is considered to be the best pitch in baseball. Enough said.

He couldn't be a starter with just a fastball and a cutter, though, no matter how dangerous those two pitches are movement-wise.

He would've had to develop a third and fourth pitch. Not saying he wouldn't have -- it is Mo Rivera, after all -- but he wouldn't have survived as a starter on two pitches.

[Dukebluejms]

Aside from the fact he only has 2 pitches, it is completely different as a SP than as a closer. A closer can come in for usually 1 inning and throw at 100% effort and be fine. A SP must learn to get guys out without always throwing their best stuff. Lincecum is a perfect example. He came in to the league throwing his fastball at 97+ and it was effective, but he was getting tired quick so now if you watch him the majority of his fastballs are around 93 and he can juice it up when needed. Rivera would have to do the same, and in doing so his cutter would be less effective.

[netinfo]

Rivera did actually start 10 games for the Yanks back in 1995. He went 5-3 for the season, with an ERA of 5.51. After that year, he never started a game again.

netinfo

[Matweizman]

The way he eye-fvcked Andus in the ninth he can do whatever he wants.

What an awesome game to be on the yanks!

[stikymess]

Eric Gagne has come clean about using HGH, so his "good" years maybe aren't as impressive.

John Smoltz was a very good starter first then elbow trouble sort of pushed him into the role of closer, later he tried to be a starter again.

Part of Mo's dominance could be that batters rarley see him, as every one has said he has only two pitches, so a starter maybe a stretch.

[Saluki09]

Absolutely, but why would you ever mess up a good thing? He's the best ever at what he does. Those last 3 outs are always the hardest to get.

[Intuitive_Edge]

no, and im huge fan of Rivera