Dave Righetti saved 223 games for the Yankees over seven tumultuous seasons as the team’s closer.
“One of the reasons it hasn’t been as tumultuous since then is Mariano Rivera,” Righetti said Tuesday. “Since 1997, he’s given them a confidence and a calmness no other team has had.”
And as much as he has been impressed with what Rivera has been able to do on the mound, Righetti marvels even more at Rivera’s ability to deal with the scrutiny that comes with being the Yankees’ closer.
“It half-ruined my baseball life,” said Righetti, the pitching coach for the Giants, who played the Mets at Citi Field Tuesday.
“I went from a guy who was really outgoing to a guy who could not take a day off mentally,” Righetti said. “I almost secluded myself. I didn’t want to get too deep into relationships because I had this job to do. It was kind of that way because of Mr. [George] Steinbrenner, anyway. We were in a time when we weren’t winning and every year it kind of doubled the pressure.”
Rivera, set to retire at the end of the season, will be honored by the Yankees at The Stadium before Sunday’s game against the Giants, and Righetti said he is glad he’ll be there to watch it and to see the pitcher who has lasted in that role for so long.
“If you had told me someone would do that job for [17] years, I’d want to see who that is,” Righetti said. “And we’ve been able to see it.
The only reason he’s been able to stay on top for so long is that his mind has stayed right.”
Righetti hasn’t pitched in New York since 1990, but he still remembers what it was like to blow a game here.
“I still see the back page of The Post,” said Righetti, who became the closer in 1984 and set the major-league record with 46 saves two years later. “[Eli] Manning didn’t do what he was supposed to do on Sunday and they get you. They got me because my name was perfect. ‘Rags gags.’ ”
And while he insisted he was able to brush off the criticism, it came at a price.
“It changed my personality,” Righetti said. “I had to become very serious all the time. I had to. You couldn’t afford to make a mistake or you’d be going to [Triple-A] Columbus.”
That’s something Rivera hasn’t had to deal with much.
“When you’re the closer, something always happens,” Righetti said.
“Either your arm starts to go or people say you should lose your job when you blow some games. He’s kept all that at bay.”
Even though Righetti has had other opportunities, he has met Rivera only once.
“I shook his hand when they retired Donnie [Mattingly]’s number in 1997,” Righetti said. “I’d like to talk to him again. I can’t even imagine doing what he’s done.”