HERE NO MO: With his retirement announcement on deck today at Yankees camp, legendary closer Mariano Rivera kept it business-as-usual on the field yesterday. (NY Post: Charles Wenzelberg)
TAMPA — Hours before Mariano Rivera makes his exhibition season debut today at Steinbrenner Field, baseball’s all-time top closer will tell the world 2013 is the final chapter of a Hall of Fame tale.
Rivera’s family is in town. The Yankees have scheduled a 10 a.m. press conference in the pavilion on the grounds. Current and former teammates and opponents already are talking about Rivera’s career in the past tense.
All that is left is for Rivera to make the announcement he is saving for today.
“You want to know what I am going to say? You have to wait,’’ Rivera said following a workout on Field 3 that consisted of long tossing with David Wells, fielding drills and conditioning. “Like I told you, whatever is out there is speculation until I talk to you.’’
There is nothing speculative about the Yankees using the pavilion. Or that Rivera’s family will be on hand. Teammates are expected to attend the press conference in the room where Andy Pettitte and Alex Rodriguez talked about their PED involvement and Derek Jeter’s three-year contract extension was announced.
From today forward, the baseball universe will be getting its last looks at the type of pitcher we will never see again.
“I would say by far he is one of the biggest impacts for us winning those championships,’’ Pettitte said of the cutter-throwing Rivera, whose 42 postseason saves and 608 regular-season saves are the most ever. “He absolutely dominated the games. I have never seen anything like it, and I don’t think we will ever see anything like it again. I don’t think you will ever see one guy that will throw one pitch.’’
Pettitte was part of the same Yankees and Astros staff as Roger Clemens. He shared a Yankees rotation with Mike Mussina and David Cone. Yet the veteran lefty puts Rivera on a higher shelf.
“There were guys I played with that were great, that were as good as I have ever seen,’’ said Pettitte, who has watched Rivera save 68 of his 208 wins as a Yankee, the highest total ever for a starter-closer combo. “But to dominate year in and year out, game in and game out, I have rarely seen him have an inning where he has given up two or three hard-hit balls. Even when he has had some struggles, it’s a broken bat here or a broken bat there and then someone accidentally running into one. I can’t say anything else except that it’s been absolutely amazing to watch.’’
Derek Jeter refused to address Rivera’s retirement situation until Rivera talks.
“Let him speak on that first. He might be announcing an extension,’’ Jeter said.
Asked how great that would be, Jeter quipped, “They have a policy for free agents.’’
While heading to his car, Rivera was told of Jeter’s comment about an extension.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” he said. “Maybe an extension.’’
Rivera said he is not excited about today’s inning of work against the Braves, even if it’s first one since he underwent knee surgery last summer.
“I am not looking forward to it, I am taking it one day at a time,” Rivera said. “I am pitching and we will see what happens. I can’t rush it.”