OAKLAND — Chili Davis wanted to make sure Mariano Rivera knew what he meant to Davis’ two seasons with the Yankees.
“I told him he was a class act,’’ said the A’s hitting coach who played with Rivera and won World Series titles in 1998 and 1999. “The two years I had there were awesome. Him, (Andy) Pettitte, (Derek) Jeter and (David) Cone, they were all professional. I needed to be with professionals before I retired.’’
Davis, who retired after the 1999 season at 39, shook his head that Rivera, who was tied with Baltimore’s Jim Johnson for the AL saves lead with 23 going into yesterday’s action, would leave at this point.
“I told him if I was leading the league in hitting, I wouldn’t retire,’’ said Davis, who played 19 years, hit .274 and had 2,380 hits.
Rivera, whose foundation the A’s donated $10,420 to in a pre-game ceremony at home plate, appreciated Davis seeking him out.
“He was a veteran guy when he got here, and I have a tremendous respect for him for how he played the game and how he was off the field,’’ Rivera said. “He is enjoying what he is doing now but he said he wished he had stayed longer as a player.’’
Manager Joe Girardi has been impressed by opposing teams honoring Rivera on his last tour of the big leagues.
“They are honoring what he meant to the game, not the New York Yankees,’’ Girardi said before the Yankees’ 3-2, 18-inning loss to the A’s Thursday. “He is a humble player and the greatest all-time [closer].’’
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During yesterday’s marathon loss, the Yankees announced that Derek Jeter has been cleared by Dr. Robert Anderson to increase what he has been doing at the Yankees’ complex in Tampa.
Jeter was examined in Charlotte yesterday by Anderson who operated on Jeter’s fractured left ankle last October.
According to the team, the injury is healing and Jeter has been given permission to run.
Girardi said his roster will likely look different today than it did during the 18-inning defeat.
“I am sure we will have to make a few moves,’’ Girardi said.
The most likely affected are relievers Adam Warren and Preston Claiborne. Warren provided six shutout innings and Claiborne worked for a third straight day.
They could elevate Vidal Nunez and Ivan Nova from Triple-A.
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Eduardo Nunez is still a long way away from returning to the big leagues. Nunez has been out with a left oblique strain since May 5 with a problem that wasn’t considered serious when it happened.
“The last report I got he was dry swinging,’’ Girardi said of Jeter’s backup. “Back on the road to recovery; I hope this time it’s good.’’
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One of Girardi’s self-imposed rules is not to guess when a player will return from the DL, but he believes catcher Francisco Cervelli (fractured right hand) will come back before Curtis Granderson (fractured left pinky).
“He has played a lot more than Grandy,’’ Girardi said of Cervelli, who has 52 at-bats to Granderson’s 28.
The Yankees signed Michael O’Neill, nephew of Paul O’Neill, for $501,000 yesterday. An outfielder from Michigan, O’Neill was the Yankees’ third round pick in this year’s draft.