BRADENTON, Fla. -- If you picture in your head the archetypal image of a Major League Baseball closer, you’ll probably come up something like the following.
You’re thinking of a tall, right-handed pitcher with a powerful fastball, a wipeout breaking pitch and a surly demeanor. He’s stone-faced on the mound and unapproachable to the point of intimidation.
Pirates closer Felipe Rivero checks maybe one of those boxes. He’s got a powerful fastball, alright. Other than that, he just doesn’t fit the prototype. But that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the most dominant relievers in baseball.