i still believe sturtze is more bum than not (i mean bum in thee most affectionate sense of the word, natch), but i'd heard here and there of him being under mo's tutelage. picturing the brash, skittish tanyon being guided by the doe-eyed closer with more serenity than the dalai lama (guest starring periodic wry interjection by mr crankypants mussina) warms the cockles of my cold spinster heart. i'm glad tanyon's found a place, if only for a little while.

It started with Rivera becoming Tanyon Sturtze's catch partner just four days after Sturtze himself had been obtained by the Yankees. Rivera had seen enough of Sturtze in the division with Tampa and Toronto to divine live arm, no clue. Now simply playing catch, Rivera had his impressions reasserted.

It commenced soon after that first day of catch when Rivera surprised Sturtze by telling him just how much of a better arm he had than the greatest closer in baseball history. Having grabbed Sturtze's attention, Rivera went into full preacher mode, sermonizing on aggressiveness with that 92-95 mph fastball. Challenge hitters. Throw strike one, but throw it where you want.

And that is how the game of catch returns to this story. As opposed to hitters being able to swing, pitchers can throw the ball just so much, and the idea of wasting even one bullet was anathema to Rivera. Every day the strike-throwing machine uses his game of catch to hone his accuracy and release point, and he converted Sturtze to his ways. Every day Rivera would move his glove from body part to body part and make Sturtze hit the target.

...Here at age 34 and with his eighth organization, Sturtze appears to have been enlightened.

Why? Why is it different to hear important messages from a player of accomplishment such as Rivera rather than a coach? Who knows? But it has mattered to Sturtze. Mike Mussina, for example, has altered Sturtze's mindset about throwing his fine splitter whenever ahead in the count. It is often better that the hitters know he just might throw it than fall into hittable patterns.

This all melds into what feels, to Sturtze, like perfect time, perfect place, perfect role. [joel sherman]

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