TAMPA — Was it the last time Mariano Rivera throws for the first time in spring training?
Rivera knows the answer but is unwilling to share it publicly, although he strongly indicated last week the 2012 season will mark the end of his Hall of Fame career.
Yesterday morning in 59-degree temperatures, Rivera climbed a bullpen mound at George M. Steinbrenner Field for the initial throwing session of the spring.
It came during the early part of Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild’s daily program and attracted Joe Girardi to the pen.
Rivera may be 42 but he looked years younger as he fired 26 pitches effortlessly.
“It was good, not that cold,’’ said Rivera, who had been throwing on flat ground since arriving in camp Monday and had four throwing sessions before camp opened. “Compared to New York it was nice.’’
To Rivera, baseball’s all-time saves leader, the bullpen sessions aren’t an avenue to simply move through the motions of getting his arm in shape.
“I try to stay sharp and find the strike zone, that’s what I try to do here,’’ said Rivera, who will pitch eight spring training innings and announce he is ready for the start of the season.
“It looked like the Mo you are usually seeing at this time,” Girardi said. “I am pretty sure he knows what he needs to do.’’
Rivera will take today and tomorrow off and resume bullpen work Wednesday.
* The pitchers’ fielding plays drills — known as PFPs — were sloppy with hurlers bobbling grounders to the mound and throwing balls away.
“Sometimes guys are not going to be as loose as they are throwing off the mound,’’ Girardi said. “It’s kind of something you worry about, and also some guys don’t throw to the bases as well as they should and that’s why we practice it. It’s a different velocity and different mindset from what they are used to throwing. I am not alarmed.’’
* An MRI on Austin Romine’s back revealed inflammation that will continue to sideline the backup catching candidate who has been out since the second day of camp.
“When it first happened he said it wasn’t too bad,’’ Girardi said. “I think it hurt a little bit more.’’