NAMES ABOVE TITLES: Former Yankees manager Joe Torre, now skippering Team USA in the World Baseball Classic (pictured), says Mariano Rivera is the reason the Yankees won four World Series titles in five seasons under Torre (inset). (AP; N.Y.Post: Charles Wenzelberg (inset))
PHOENIX — No one knows The Great Rivera better than Joe Torre, and the former Yankees manager was not afraid to tell the world the impact Mariano Rivera has had on his illustrious baseball life.
“He basically made my career in ’96 when we came up with the formula to pitch in the seventh and eighth inning,’’ Torre said yesterday at Chase Field. “You become a much better manager when you only have to manage six [innings]. It was remarkable what we had with him and [John] Wetteland.’’
That was just the beginning. Now, the end is finally in sight for Rivera, who will announce tomorrow this will be his last season in pinstripes. The Great Rivera has saved the Yankees in so many ways. On those rare occasions Rivera blew a save, he remained a class act.
Torre is manager of Team USA, which begins play here tonight against Mexico in the World Baseball Classic with R.A. Dickey on the mound, but Torre always will be remembered as the manager of the Dynasty Yankees who won four World Series in five years.
The Yankees would not have won those World Series without Rivera’s ability and character.
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Ironically, Torre was speaking on the same field where Rivera did not get the final out in the 2001 World Series because Luis Gonzalez dropped a flare into shallow center field to end Game 7 and give the Diamondbacks a 3-2 victory.
Torre said Rivera’s legacy will be this: “The way he handled success and the way he handled failure. He knew that it was all part of it. What makes great players is how they handle setbacks. He’s always been a class act, a great leader in the clubhouse, a security blanket for our ballclub.’’
Here is the essence of Mariano Rivera.
“There are no excuses; that’s not in his DNA,’’ Torre said.
“The only time I saw him a little uncomfortable was when we first made him a closer in ’97 and we had a game early in the spring and he faced the same guy twice, which is not a good sign for a closer when you face the same guy twice. I told him after that game, ‘It’s yours. You’ll get there eventually.’ ’’
Rivera got there all right. Here we are, a record 608 saves later, with another magnificent 42 saves in the postseason.
“He has always moved on with his life and attempted to get better,’’ Torre said of the genius of Rivera. “It never got old for him. He may have been getting old, but the intensity and the determination never got old. There are certain players who can will themselves to do things.’’
The Great Rivera is one of those players.
Torre said his greatest memory of Rivera is from 2003, when Aaron Boone’s home run beat the Red Sox in the AL Championship Series.
“Mo went out there kissing the mound when Boonie hit the home run,’’ Torre said. “That’s about the most emotion you are going to see from him.’’
Rivera’s wears No. 42, Jackie Robinson’s retired number.
“There will be two No. 42s retired in Yankee Stadium,’’ Torre said. “Just like there are two No. 8s.
“He’s the greatest ever. It’s a manager’s dream, really. It’s certainly not a knock at the other guys, but first of all, it’s New York, where it’s the biggest fishbowl in the world. The postseason, where everybody gets the chance to scrutinize and he responded. He was more than a closer.
“He never stuck it in somebody’s face. He knew how good he was. His spiritual lifestyle gave him that peace of mind. He’s a special human being. The reason we won.’’
Torre said announcing his retirement now will make the final season easier on Rivera.
“He’ll be in a good place doing this,’’ Torre said.
What will Joe Torre say when he sees The Great Rivera again? No words will be needed.
Torre looked into the brilliant sunlight, out past center field and said, “I’m just going to hug him.’’