MLB, Inc., Pravda, take your pick--they say whatever they want and it's believed-true or false

Tom Singer's MLB.com/Pravda article attempts to pull stats in favor of Lee Smith for the HOF. (I hope Mr. Smith makes it). But, Singer apparently wants to advance his career, make more money, etc. so he sneaks in some false info about Mariano: "Smith went 12 seasons between his first 30-save season and his last (1995) -- noteworthy in a Mariano Rivera context, since the Yankees' ice-blooded closer, perceived as durable, hasn't even been in the Majors as long."

• Mariano Rivera has in fact been in the majors for 12 seasons, has pitched in both the regular AND postseason for all 12 years. Why does Singer lie? Mo is "perceived as durable?" Well, IF he's durable, that might be because he's been pitching every year several times over 90 innings adding regular and post season, and has 656 GF 1995-2006, 599 regular season and 57 GF in the post season. And Rivera has many multi-inning Saves and Wins. WHY DOES MLB.COM, INC. PICK ON MARIANO RIVERA? WILL SINGER'S COMPLIANCE GET HIM IN THE WRITERS' WING OF THE HALL OF FAME?

I do hope Lee Smith gets in--his long-time late inning relief duty included:

• Very few homeruns
• More GF than anyone else

---too many so-called closers give up too many Homeruns. You can't do that and expect to get awards. If you want to give up Homeruns, be a starter. Smith's record also shows the sham of selling the "total saves" stat as the defining one for a closer. If you want all the glory for the least amount of work, that's the 1 stat you try and pump. But, that by no means says you're the best.

• And, Lee Smith's record has a lot more going for it than "total saves."

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