JUPITER, Fla. — A Mets official recently asked which Yankee I have enjoyed covering most. And while I sensed this executive meant in a reportorial way in the clubhouse, I told him Mariano Rivera.
Yes, I have enjoyed talking with Rivera since he was a rookie in 1995. But this was more about watching a master of his craft perform.
One of the blessings of covering the Yankees the past quarter century — first as a beat writer and then as a columnist — is so many of the great players eventually pass through the doors. Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson and Alex Rodriguez and Ichiro Suzuki, and a bunch more.
But there has always been something different about watching Rivera — something that has allowed him to stand apart from even his greatest contemporaries.
It is in his dignity and economy on the mound, his grace and humility off it. It is the illusionary ability to win with one pitch — “You are waiting for a single pitch,” Suzuki said of the cutter, “and you still can’t hit it.”
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It is in his serenity no matter the intensity of the moment. It is that when the competition got better, the meaning grew and the pressure rose in the postseason, he was better than even in the regular season — and he is the greatest regular-season closer ever.
If Rivera were to give up 21 earned runs without recording an out, his postseason ERA would rise to … 2.00. Think about that. Twenty-one earned runs. No outs. Two ERA.
When people talk Yankees mystique and aura, I think Rivera. He never bragged, always credited his teammates or God for his success, and still walked without peer. He was the most revered player I have covered, even in his own clubhouse. Even Derek Jeter invokes some jabs within the game, mainly out of jealousy. But in a sport fueled by the off-the-record snark, I have never heard a single bad word about Rivera. Not one.
If you love baseball, watching him would be akin to a dance lover seeing Baryshnikov day after day, or an opera aficionado having Pavarotti on endless loop. What made Rivera radiate is hard to put into words, but it goes beyond doing what he does better than anyone else on the field. There is magic about him.
I haven’t cared who won or lost a game since I was a boy rooting for Pete Rose and the Reds. But I have liked the Yankees being up by a run or two late the past 15 years, so I can watch the best ever do something with a unique combination of elegance and electricity, poise and precision.
“He is hard to hit, yet easy to catch,” Chris Stewart said, “because he puts the ball exactly where he wants even with all that break on it.”
We got the preview of Yankees life without Rivera last year after he tore up his knee in May. But now he is making it final. He is scheduled to announce his retirement — effective following the 2013 season — tomorrow. Thus, 2013 becomes part farewell tour, part victory lap for him.
When I asked Matt Diaz if Rivera will still be Rivera at age 43 and after the knee surgery, the veteran who faced him in a simulated game said, “Same cutter. Same sinker. Same life. Same late break. It was cold, he was breaking our bats like usual and he was laughing about it.”
The last chance to watch this genius is here. We should savor it — one ’Mo time.
Yankees can find bandages for injury holes
The Yankees anticipate Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira returning about a month into the season, so Brian Cashman said he does not want to obtain anyone now that creates a roster logjam in May. Besides, the Yankees GM explained, this is not the time of year significant trades generally are made.
Still, the Yankees do not want to just forfeit one-sixth of the season. So where could they turn for upgrades who can stay on the roster when Granderson/Teixeira recover:
MARINERS: Seattle’s 1,175 runs are the fewest combined over the last two seasons. But the Mariners have hit the like crazy this spring with the additions of Jason Bay, Raul Ibanez, Kendry Morales and Mike Morse. I don’t think they would make someone truly intriguing such as Kyle Seager or Michael Saunders available.
But Casper Wells is out of options, might not have a roster spot and hit well vs. lefties last year (.891 OPS, seven homers in 131 at-bats).
A’S: Oakland has a glut of outfield/first base/DH types. So it looks like there is no job for Daric Barton, who is also out of options. In 2010, he led the league with 110 walks and added 48 extra-base hits. But the past two years he has fallen back to the minors after a combined .209 average and just one homer. Still, he is a lefty swinger with patience and an above-average first base glove, similar qualities to Miami’s Casey Kotchman, who also probably could be had.
TIGERS: I don’t think Detroit would talk about the more attractive Andy Dirks or Avisail Garcia. But the Tigers are looking for a closer safety net in case prospect Bruce Rondon does not work out. David Aardsma (currently out with a groin problem) had 69 saves in 2009-10 and the Yanks have righty relief depth from which to deal. Aardsma is returning from Tommy John surgery, but is just a $500,000 risk. Would an Aardsma-Brennan Boesch deal make sense for both sides?
NATIONALS: They probably wouldn’t part with reserve Tyler Moore’s intriguing righty bat. But Roger Bernadina plays all three outfield spots and is a lefty hitter with patience and some pop while Chad Tracy is a lefty with first and third base experience. Neither projects to many at-bats for Washington.
DIAMONDBACKS: An Arizona club official told me the D’backs want to protect their hitting depth when I inquired if lefty slugger Jason Kubel, versatile Willie Bloomquist or even Eric Chavez (free agents signed the previous offseason could be traded before June 1 with their permission) could be available.
Still, Arizona GM Kevin Towers knows the Yankee system well after serving as a special assistant to Cashman in 2011, so maybe something could be done. The D’backs would definitely talk John McDonald, who hit lefties well last year and is a very good infield glove, which may be a factor if Derek Jeter has post-surgical problems and Eduardo Nunez cannot handle shortstop.