Yankees closer Mariano Rivera officially announced today that 2013 will be his final season in the majors. Right-hander Ivan Nova says that he will miss Rivera not just as a teammate, but as a fan as well. “The first time I saw him, when he said, ‘Hola’ to me, I was nervous,” he said, according to Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger. “This was Mariano Rivera. I remember when I got called up in Detroit, the way he treated me there, it was like I was a veteran guy, too. That makes you feel really good.” Here's more on the Bombers..
- Even if Mark Teixeira’s condition proves worse than the Yankees initially believed, the team may refrain from disclosing that information to maintain their leverage in trade talks, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Yanks, according to major league sources, acted similarly regarding Alex Rodriguez’s condition while exploring trades and free agent signings at the GM meetings this winter.
- The clock is ticking louder on the Yanks' partnership between Rivera, Derek Jeter, and Andy Pettitte, writes Scott Miller of CBSSports.com. The news just became official today, but Jeter acknowledged that Rivera let him in on his plans to retire following the 2012 season.
