BJ Ryan says Mariano is "the best."--Toronto Globe & Mail

"Really, I feel like I've been kind of spoiled spending all my career in the AL East because it means I get to see this guy, what, 20 times a year," Ryan said of Rivera. "I don't mean to knock anyone else, because the fact is we don't get a lot of San Diego Padres games, so I don't get to see Trevor Hoffman as much as I should. But when you watch the best . . ."

Ryan let his voice trail off."

• From the same Jeff Blair article, Blue Jays Manager John Gibbons calls Rivera, "the benchmark." "Guys are coming up, but to me, the fact that Rivera's been doing this for so long means that psychologically he has an edge over everybody," Gibbons said.

And, "Ryan says there's still really one closer who gets his attention when he's watching television," referring to Mariano. From The Globe & Mail, 7/12/06

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