The mystery surrounding Mariano Rivera’s vocal cords deepened yesterday.
Last week, the Yankees closer said he had a doctor’s appointment slated for yesterday to see if surgery on the vocal cords was required. He has been unable to talk above a raspy whisper for a month.
Citing the Health Insurance Portability and Acountability Act because it is a non-baseball injury, the Yankees refused to acknowledge the all-time saves leader even visited a doctor.
The only way the Yankees can legally talk about Rivera’s condition is for Rivera to give them permission. As of last night he had not.
“Every time I talk it gets worse and worse,’’ Rivera said last week at his New Rochelle restaurant — 42 Clubhouse Grill — where he said the vocal cords might need to be shaved.
When it was mentioned that shaving of the vocal chords sounded like a simple procedure, Rivera smiled.
“When you are talking about surgery there is nothing simple,’’ said Rivera, whose 603 saves are the most in baseball history. He had 44 saves this past season.