"I think maybe it will be before the All-Star break," legendary Yankees closer Mariano Rivera told Kevin Kernan of the New York Post regarding an announcement of whether he will pitch in 2013. Rivera wants to be certain of his decision, which he seems to have already made privately. Rivera said that when he does retire, "It would be nice that you tell the fans, so every stadium you go to, the fans will be there to show their appreciation and you appreciate the fans."
If Rivera retires, the Yankees will have determine a new closer for the first time in many years. David Robertson, Rafael Soriano, and Joba Chamberlain could be candidates.
Might as well make a circus of it!!
That does kind of sound like what he’s going for, doesn’t it? Struck me as kind of egotistical.
Still, if there’s anybody who deserves a victory lap it’s Mariano Rivera. It’s pretty staggering that he has been as dominant as he has for as long as he has, and more staggering still that he has basically done it with one pitch.
I agree!
He has had a very consistant stellar career.
It would be nice to go out with a final ring, being modest.
But I guess when you’re a New York Yankee great its never enough!
or he will be tired of answering the question so much. the man is amazing becausehe does not shy away from the press when they ask questions, but it has to be trying to deal with it. just look at what happened to roger maris in 1961, his hair was falling out
riveras hair is already gone…..
“Struck me as kind of egotistical.”
I kind of took it the same way.
Same here actually.
Tough crowd here. Here’s a guy who has performed at the highest levels without a hint of anything bad either on the field, in the clubhouse, or out in the world. He doesn’t juice, he doesn’t act out, doesn’t pound his chest, or dance around the mound, or point imaginary pistols. Do we really need to take Rivera down a peg?
I just think it’s un-like him. Definitely a class act and one of the nicest in the game. I’m not saying what he said was wrong.
As long as he doesn’t go on ESPN and make tv episode about it.
Maybe he wants to see what level he can perform at. He’s always said he will pitch until hes ineffective. You have to think hes being asked this same question 20 times a day by reporters who follow him nonstop not the other way around. Its not like he set up a prime time special to talk about it.
Better than indecisive players who inform their teams and fans at the last minute and make numerous comebacks.
True enough. If you’re gonna retire, then retire.
Honestly, I think he has it in his mind he wants to retire, but after getting out there during the season he may change his mind so he doesn’t want to commit to anything. I can’t blame him…he’s been doing this forever and as we’ve seen in the past it isn’t easy to just hang it up after a long(and extremely productive and successful) career.
Yeah, even though he is great he has played for one team…not going to get the reception he is hoping for from everyone.
He’s only played for one team, but ask fans of any team in baseball and at least 90% of fans will say they respect him and recognize him as one of the great of our generation.
Yeah, even though he is great he has played for one team
Arguably, this means he gets an even BIGGER reception. He’s even less of a common type in baseball; very few players play their entire career with one team.
You don’t understand how much Yankee fans appreciate the guy.
Everybody appreciates what he’s accomplished. Theres no doubt he’s amongst the best. It’s just the way the article sounds (and it may be just how it was written) it sounds like he’s being egotystical.
I guess when we only hear a small part of the interview we all make our own assumptions.
David Robertson for closer – 2013
I think it might be Soriano in the final year of his horrible contract lol
It will be interesting to see how somebody else (likely Robertson) does as the closer for the Yankees. as high stress of a sports job as I can imagine and as big a pair of shoes to fill as you will find. Mo was easily the most important member of the Yankees over the last 15+ years.
If Rivera wants to retire after this year and wants to have the other fans to show the appreciation for him (probably not happening), he might as well announce it now then. He’s not an everyday player and is not going to pitch in every series and every ballpark he visits.
i like to think that true baseball fans will appreciate him. i went to see cal ripken’s last game at yankee stadium and he got tremendous ovations there that day.
He’s basically already announced that he’s retiring. I mean, especially after these comments, can we really imagine he’ll hold a press conference to tell everyone that he’s going to play in 2013?
lol I suppose you’re right.
He is a Yankee… it wouldn’t be surprising.
Was Brett Favre a Yankee?
Or its a media play. Because announcing retirement now when he’s going
to obviously pitch in 2012 will stimulate all types of lazy journalism
in the NY tabloid press.(think: he’s a lame duck, he’s not trying, etc.)
He clearly has to be retiring. Why announce during the middle of the season that you are coming back for another year? He already said his mind was made up.
because he may play another year? this isnt like when a guy retires because his skills have deterioated and nobody wants to sign him also hes been playing baseball for a quarter of a century if he thinks he can go another year ( i think he can) after rethinking about it i say let him ave his announcement
I like this move. If he does indeed retire, he’ll get the proper sendoff(s) he deserves, All-Star game tribute, all that.
almost all pro athletes have major ego’s. i don’t see how you can say he is being egotistical here though. if he announced he was gonna retire and changed his mind there would be all kinds of roger clemens jokes on here. classy guy and a true professional. who are any of us to tell him when and how to do it
almost all pro athletes have major ego’s. i don’t see how you can say he is being egotistical here though. if he announced he was gonna retire and changed his mind there would be all kinds of roger clemens jokes on here. classy guy and a true professional. who are any of us to tell him when and how to do it
Undoubtably one of the most elite closers to ever grace the mound. He deserves every bit of attention and This is coming from a die hard Sox fan!!
He´s going for another season, that´s for sure
Nationals are already sold out in June. Braves won’t be far behind for interleague road games.
Pretty sure you commented on the wrong story lol
Pretty sure you commented on the wrong story lol
Rivera has all but announced his retirement. What’s his hurry to make it official?
I watched Mickey Mantles last game at Fenway. I don’t think he had announced it but everyone knew this was probably it. Same thing will happen with Mo.
Mo should quit worrying about his send off and focus on one more ring. Retirement is forever, like race horses going out top pasture. Slow down Mo.
If Mariano ends up, say 4-1, 35 saves, 1.95…think he’ll do an about-face and stay or will he stick to retirement? I’m guessing he’d still hang ’em up.
JOBA SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS A CANDIDATE!!! It’s a battle between Soriano, Robertson, and maybe Betances.