TAMPA – Already very disappointed over the release of his cousin, Mariano Rivera was livid yesterday when told by The Post that a memorabilia company was using his name as a selling point to young Yankee players.
According to several sources, a representative of Authentic Sports Investments approached Juan Rivera (no relation) with a sales pitch to sign an exclusive contract for equipment used in big league games.
It was Jason Jones, who works for ASI – whom Ruben Rivera gave Jeter’s glove and bat – to only get them back when Ruben Rivera decided what he had done was terribly wrong.
The representative of ASI told Juan Rivera and other Yankee youngsters that the company had Mariano Rivera under contract. Mariano became upset when he heard that.
“No way. I don’t know anything about that,” Mariano Rivera told The Post. “Who are those people? What they are doing isn’t right.”