D'OH! A baseball writer eludes ESPN's grasp:

"It's Game 7 of the World Series.

Your team leads by one run going into the bottom of the ninth inning. Mariano Rivera and Francisco Rodriguez are warming up in your bullpen.

Who are you going to call to close out the championship?

If it's me, Rivera remains the man.

• I want No. 42 because he's the best money reliever in postseason history. Rivera has 34 career postseason saves, including 23 straight.

I want the New York Yankees reliever because, even at the age of 36, Rivera remained at the top of his game in 2006, closing the door on 34 of 37 possible saves. Other relievers had more saves, including Rodriguez, but it was Rivera's stature on the mound that earned him the 2006 MLB.com Closer of the Year award — for the third straight year.

Because the Yankees have fewer save opportunities for Rivera, there is a perception that he is slowing down.

There is no proof of that."

• WHAT THIS ARTICLE PROVES SO FAR: ITS AUTHOR HAS NO TIES TO ESPN (THAT I CAN FIND ON GOOGLE) AND APPARENTLY ISN'T SEEKING FUTURE EMPLOYMENT WITH THEM. NO BASEBALL WRITER, ESPECIALLY ONE

• EITHER WRITING FROM OR RAISED WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI

WOULD DARE EXPLAIN THAT:

• MARIANO IS BEST.
• THAT THE 'TOTAL SAVES' STAT PROVES NOTHING AND IS RELATED TO OPPORTUNITIES." Eads again:
  

"Rivera has 30 or more saves in nine of the last 10 seasons.

I can see why others are fascinated with Rodriguez.

With his velocity, K-Rod is more of a threat to strike out the side than any reliever in the game.

Rodriguez appears to give everything he's got with every pitch.

In his first two full seasons as a reliever, Rodriguez has 92 saves.

He may be only the third best closer in the American League."

***Get the next line--The Reporter knows about Fantasy Baseball and its influence on overall baseball perceptions.***

"Many consider Joe Nathan of the Minnesota Twins as the best fantasy baseball reliever.

Over the last three seasons, Nathan has 123 saves and 278 strikeouts. At the age of 32, Nathan may be reaching his prime as a reliever.

Don't forget about Oakland's Huston Street or Toronto's B.J. Ryan."

(Eads discusses the National League also).

Derry Eads is a staff writer for The Star.From Derry Eads' column 4/8/07, The Ventura County Star, "Yankees Rivera Still the Best Closer in Post Season History"