If not for John Wetteland, Mariano could be chasing 650

Not complaining, just saying.

When I hear about Baltimore viewing Buck Showalter as a master builder, I laugh. As Yankee manager, Buck hated rookies. He'd play Kevin Elster or Scott Bankhead rather than use a kid. In fact, one of Joe Torre's greatest attributes was his willingness to turn over key team roles to two young players, the likes of which we may never again see in our Yankee lives.

In 1995, Buck eyeballed a Yankee farm system that included Dave Silvestry and Robert Eenhoorn, along with Mo (and Jorge). That year, Buck used Wetteland as closer until the guy's arm turned to parafin. In the playoffs, the Mariners ate Wetteland's lunch. He couldn't have struck out Betty Ford. That year, Wetteland saved 31 games, Mariano used as spot starter and mop. To be sure, Rivera didn't deserve much more faith; his ERA stood at 5.51. Can't fault Showalter there.

But in 1996, when Wetteland saved 43 games, Mariano became the Force. He threw 107 innings (struck out 130) and his ERA was 2.09. But he notched only five saves.

Five.

Someday, a pitcher will probably beat Mariano's record, because he will have been annointed "closer" from his rookie year onward. That extra year of saves will be everything.

Funny things happen to young closers, though. Nineteen ninety six was the year Jim Leyritz homered off that great Braves reliever, whatizname. If not for Wetteland, Mariano would have eclipsed Trevor Hoffmann three months ago, and we might be looking at 620 or 630. Good grief, he might have someday been chasing 700.

Wait... I forgot that it's Mariano.

He might anyway.