Mariano Rivera: Unoriginal, Song-Stealing Hack, or Just Another 'Sandman'?

(Note: Two pieces for you today. The first, by A.F.O.M.G., is a follow-up on the "Enter Sandman" controversy. The second is 10 things Sip hates about Yankee fans. Enjoy.)

What's up guys, A Friend of Mr. Glass' here. You know, there's a part of me that almost doesn't want to even dignify the "Enter Sandman" controversy with any more ink than it's already getting, but an article in today's New York Daily News begs commenting on.

As Adam Rubin reports (link: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/406146p-343920c.html), after all the hullabaloo raised by Yankee fans, Mike and the Mad Dog, and probably former mayor Rudy Giuliani's annoying son about how "Enter Sandman" is Mariano's song, always has been, always will be, it turns out that Billy Wagner began entering ball games to Metallica's 1991 classic in 1996, a full 3 years before Mariano Rivera, who adopted the song in 1999, started doing so.

What's more, Rivera only enters to that song because Yankee marketing directors tested audiences to find which song they liked the best, not because of any personal resonance with the song.

Rubin writes, "Yankee Stadium personnel had been so struck by the crowd reaction in San Diego the previous season when Trevor Hoffman entered games to AC/DC's "Hell's Bells" that they sought to find an anthem for Rivera. Scoreboard operator Mike Luzzi brought in a bunch of CDs and the Yankees tested different tunes, including Guns N' Roses' 'Paradise City.' They settled on 'Enter Sandman,' which drew the best crowd response."

So just to be clear. Wagner used the song first. It's unclear whether Yankee personnel were aware that another closer entered to the song, but it's clear that it wasn't a big deal when they stole it from him. Only now, when that original closer comes to New York is it a big deal.

The whole thing just kills me. You know, I would almost understand the grief Wagner's getting if he were some Braden Looper-type closer. But look at the career stats on Wagner and Rivera. Both broke into the bigs in 1995 as setup men. Both were closers by the end of the 1997 season.

In the 9 years since, Wagner has compiled 285 saves to Rivera's 379, although it's worth noting that Wagner had two injury-riddled seasons, the first in 2000 when he was limited to 6 saves, the second in 2004 when he had 21.

So Rivera's got the edge in the save category, and he's also got a slightly better career ERA (2.33 to 2.40). But look beyond that and you'll see that Rivera has more blown saves (52 vs. 45), fewer K's (841 to 728), vastly more hits allowed (630 to 410), and a higher batting average against (.212 to .184).

But look, the point isn't that Wagner's a better closer, the point is that it's a statistical wash. These guys are basically equally dominant closers. The only thing separating them is Rivera's postseason pedigree, which admittedly Wagner cannot match. In 4.2 postseason innings, Wagner has allowed 4 earned runs with 7 strikeouts, 0 saves, and a 1-0 record.

I don't mean any disrespect to Mariano Rivera, who has handled the whole situation with the grace and class that is often ascribed to him. He's told the New York Times' Ben Shpigel that he doesn't love the song, and that if Billy Wagner uses it as well that's just fine with him.

But the disrespect being shown to Billy Wagner is insane. This isn't some sack of shit closer putting on airs. He's one of the best of his generation, as good in the regular season as Rivera has ever been.

So does the guy who's pitched just as well as Rivera over the past 10 years who entered to "Enter Sandman" first deserve to be stripped of the song now that's he pitching for the Mets? Of course not.

And yet no aspect of this controversy is the least bit surprising, is it? Taking their cue from George Steinbrenner, Michael Kay, and virtually every broadcast on the YES Network, Yankee fans insist upon deifying their organization. It's not enough for the Yankee player to be remembered as great, he needs to be revered as a giant among men.

The result is a loss of common sense. Players like Miguel Cairo are said to have "that Yankee magic" if they have one good game, while players like Carl Pavano or Jaret Wright are essentially disowned by the fanbase.

Meanwhile, Mariano Rivera no longer simply enters a game to "Enter Sandman," he is said to own that song. It's part of his exlusive mystique and for another dominant closer to use it would be blasphemous.

It's such a tired line of argument, isn't it? I say, let's just see this whole controversy for what it is: Yankee bullshit, through and through.

- A.F.O.M.G.