Thursday, October 25, 2012
Mariano Rivera Contemplating Retirement?
From Bryan Hoch at Yankees.com:
General manager Brian Cashman called Rivera on Tuesday to check on the closer’s future plans and was informed that no final decision has been made.
“I talked to Mariano Tuesday night, and he is not sure what he’s interested in doing just yet,” Cashman said. “I think in Spring Training he was intending to retire at the end of the year, so I don’t think he knows what he wants to do just yet. Am I surprised by that? No.”
Cashman said that the Yankees do not need an answer at this moment, and likened Rivera’s situation to that of left-hander Andy Pettitte, who said that he needs about a month to decide what he wants to do next year.
Rivera’s season ended on May 3 with a torn right anterior cruciate ligament, and he vowed he would pitch again in 2013.
“I am coming back. Put it down,” Rivera said the day after he sustained the injury chasing a fly ball during batting practice. “Write it down in big letters. I’m not going down like this.”
Mo, don’t go! I wrote it down in big letters just like you said!
Seriously, though, while obviously no one could blame Rivera if he didn’t feel like playing next year, it would royally suck if he did not return for one last season for us to lavish him with praise. He certainly won’t be pitching in 2014, so his contract shouldn’t be an issue. Just give him a nice chunk of money for one more year, like $8-10 million. It won’t affect the austerity plan.
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