#42 mariano rivera | p

2000 highlights:
was 7-4, with a 2.8era and 36v-tying a career-high with 66 appearances…ranks second on the yankees\ all-time saves list with 165 (dave righetti is the leader with 224) and ha recorded 30 or more saves in each of his last four seasons (tying righetti for most 30-save seasons by a yankee)…converted 36-of-41 save opportunities…saved two consecutive games three times (4/3-4 at anaheim; 8/26-27 at oakland; and 9/23-24 vs. detroit), saved three consecutive games twice (5/1-3 at cleveland; and 7/7-8 at ny mets, game 2 on 7/8 played at yankee stadium)…had to record more than three outs in 13 of his 36 saves…retired 51-of-66 first batters faced (77%) , prevented 14 of 24 inherited runners from scoring (58%)…permitted only four home runs in \00 and has allowed only 13 in 385.1 ip over the last five seasons…made first ever opening day appearance on 4/3 at anaheim and recorded the save, allowing 1er in 1.oip …recorded first win of the season on 4/17 at texas, allowing 1r in 2.0 ip after entering the game in a non save situation…tossed 2.2ip to record second win of the season, and series, on 4/19 at texas after offering first blown save since 7/16/99 vs. atlanta (had converted 27 straight save opportunities) , the 2.2 ip w his longest outing since tossing 3.0 ip and earning the win on 9/6/96 vs. toronto…recorded first loss and second blown save of season on 5/7 vs. baltimore, allowing 4h and 3er in the ninth inning , was the first time he received the loss when leading by two or more runs n the ninth inning or later since 8/2/96 at kansas city when he allowed 4er in 0.2ip…made third straight appearance on 6/2 at atlanta, retiring all four batters faced to record 13th a new opportunity since saving 5/8 game vs. tampa bay (19 games)…entered game on 6/24 at chicago with bases loaded in eighth and allowed one inherited runner to core (had stranded previous 16 inherited runners since 7/8/99), was fifth time he entered game with bases loaded (stranded all runners previous four times)…saved both games (#20 and 21) of 7/8 double-header vs. the mets (game 1 at shea stadium and game 2 at yankee stadium), pitching scoreless ninth innings, saved each of the yankees\ three wins of the series…on 7/16 vs. philadelphia allowed 2er on 2h n the 10th but earned his third win of the season…pitched a scoreless 1.1ip (1k, 1bb) on 7/24 at baltimore to record his 23rd save of the season and moved into sole possession of second place on the yankees all time saves list with 152, one ahead of goose gosssage…received the win and blown save of 7/28 at minnesota, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings (1h, 1bb, 1k) , entered game with bases loaded and two outs in the eighth and allowed all three runs to score-including go ahead run on back to back singles before ending the inning…from 8/24 through the end of the season, converted last 10 save opportunities…in the yankees\ last 24 games, had only three save opportunities…in his last 17 appearances of the season, was 1-1 with a 2.33 era and 10 saves (17.1ip, 13h, 5r, 5er, 8bb, 16k)

personal:
was signed by herb raybourn...is the first cousin of san diego outfielder (and former yankee) ruben rivera...received the buck canel award by the bbwaa as the top latin-american player in 1996.