"Rivera's cutter to a LHH is the best pitch in baseball."--Joe Sheehan

"The thing to notice here is that (Mariano) Rivera throws only cut-fastballs when facing LHH. Of the 188 pitches he threw to LHH, 187 were cutters. Wow.

• Up in the count, down in the count, with runners on, or with the bases empty, LHH know with almost total certainty that Rivera is coming with a cutter. There is no other pitch in the back of their mind that they might see...

yet they still can't hit it.

• They miss 23% of the time they swing and even when the ball is put in play, it isn't hit with any type of authority.

• I'm completely mystified at how Rivera is able to be a one pitch pitcher to lefties.

• I'm open to suggestions, but I think Rivera's cutter to a left-handed hitter

• is the best pitch in baseball."

From Baseball Analysts article by Joe Sheehan, 2/1/08, "Splitsville"

• (When ESPN favorites have done it for 12 continuous regular seasons concurrent with 13 consecutive post seasons, and some all star games, let me know). sm

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