Mariano Rivera Highlights

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7/31/13, Rivera signs for fans in LA before game, getty

































7/31/13, Rivera signs for fans before game at Dodger Stadium, getty

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7/31/13, Rivera and Samuel Jackson chat before game, getty

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2005 Spring Training, Rivera and Mattingly, AP

7/30/13, "One Mo Time (Rivera vs. Dodgers)," ESPN, Simon and Sharp

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7/28/13, Rivera v Tampa Bay Rays, final 6-5 Yankees, ap 

























7/28/13, Rivera v Tampa Bay Rays, ap via SI.com















7/28/13, Rivera v Tampa Bay Rays, ap via SI.com
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7/29/13, "Mariano Rivera: Breaking bats, and hitters' hearts, for 19 years," LA Times, Ben Bolch

"Mariano Rivera, the greatest reliever of all time, is as good as ever in final season of Hall of Fame career, as Dodgers may learn this week."

"All 16 pitches Rivera threw in the All-Star game earlier this month were cutters. No surprise there. Rivera rarely uses the four-seam fastball and sinker that complete his repertoire.

Eighty-nine percent of the pitches Rivera has thrown since the start of the 2007 season have been cutters, according to the website brooksbaseball.net. Of the 2,614 pitches Rivera has thrown to left-handed hitters in that span, 2,582 — or 98.8% — have been cutters.

"He throws his cutter more than [Tim] Wakefield used to throw his knuckleball," Minnesota first baseman Justin Morneau said. "I mean, that's crazy to think about, a pitcher who's been this successful mastering one pitch. You know it's going to break and I think it always seems like it breaks more and later than you anticipate.

"You can get frustrated because you go up there saying, 'I'm not going to swing at anything in,' and you end up breaking a bat. It's one of those tough at-bats that you come back shaking your head and then you remind yourself that the guy's going to be in the Hall of Fame for a reason."

Rivera's cutter closely resembles his four-seam fastball until the pitch veers sharply in the final moments before reaching the plate."...


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"BACK TO THE FUTURE: Is it 2003?! Derek Jeter homers on FIRST PITCH back from DL as veterans Soriano, Ichiro and Rivera play hero in Yanks' 6-5 win over Tampa Bay Rays"
 
 








7/28/13, Collage of Yankee heros, from 6-5 Yankees win v Rays. Rivera got the win pitching scoreless 9th with score tied 5-5, photo collage NY Daily News (photo only appeared on front page of NYDN website so no permalink)

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• Mystique and Aura fan sign from World Series at Yankee Stadium, Nov. 2, 2001

11/2/2001, "Mystique, Aura, and Timely Hits," Tim Sullivan

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7/25/13, Mariano Rivera tips his cap to fans in Texas as he leaves their ballpark for likely the last time, final 2-0 Yankees, ap

7/25/13, "Mariano Rivera honored by presence of John Wetteland at his farewell," Newsday, Erik Boland






7/25/13, Rivera v Texas Rangers in the 9th, final 2-0 Yankees, via Fox Sports













7/25/13, Rivera greets Texas Rangers CEO Nolan Ryan before game, photo USA Today, Matthew Emmons (photo credit has date of 7/24/13, AP article date was 7/25)

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7/25/13, "Rangers honor Yankees' Rivera with cowboy boots," AP, via TheState.com. final 2-0 Yankees

"The way Mariano Rivera helped kick the Texas Rangers out of the playoffs, their parting gift was appropriate.

The Rangers honored Rivera before his final regular-season game in Texas, presenting baseball's career saves leader with a pair of cowboy boots inscribed with the New York Yankees logo, his name and No. 42. He was also given a cowboy hat before Thursday's series finale, and the team donated a $5,000 check for the Mariano Rivera Foundation that helps needy children.

The boots were presented by John Wetteland, who before becoming the Rangers' career saves leader was the Yankees closer and was set up by Rivera during their 1996 World Series championship season.

"Who knew that this wide-eyed kid would become the greatest closer in history? If you look back in retrospect, it makes sense," Wetteland said. "I never saw anybody who paid so much attention to detail. He would sit there quiet, but he would know what was being said. Now I tell him, 'You never said a word, you're always just looking at people,' and he says, 'I was taking it in.'" Rivera has pitched 14 scoreless innings in 10 playoff appearances against the Rangers, including two saves in both the 1998 and 1999 AL division series the Yankees swept in three games each. The only playoff game he has pitched against Texas that the Yankees lost was Game 6 of the AL championship series in 2010, when he threw one perfect inning in the game the Rangers won to clinch their first World Series berth.

The hat was brought out by Rangers closer Joe Nathan, who had the save in last week's All-Star game after Rivera pitched the eighth. Rivera slipped the black hat over his Yankees cap to pose for pictures with Wetteland and Nathan.

Hall of Fame pitcher and major league strikeout king Nolan Ryan, the Rangers CEO, helped present the check to Rivera.

"Dominant. Professional. Ambassador," Rangers manager Ron Washington said, describing Rivera before the game. "Automatic, and any type of adjective that you can find to describe him in a bright, bright, bright, bright light, that's what you do. Class act."

Before getting to consecutive World Series in 2010 and 2011, the Rangers' only other playoff appearances had been in 1996, 1998 and 1999 — all series losses to the Yankees, who went on to win the World Series each time.

Texas catcher A.J. Pierzynski said Rivera with his cutter "commands his pitch that he does better any anyone has done" and should go down as the best reliever of all-time.

"When I think of him, I think of one pitch and 1-2-3 innings," said Rangers reliever Jason Frasor, who spent the past nine seasons pitching for Toronto in the AL East vs. the Yankees."

7/25/13, "Rangers honor Yankees' Rivera with cowboy boots," Stephen Hawkins, AP, via TheState.com











 7/25/13, Rivera v Texas Rangers, final 2-0 Yankees. epa photo via WSJ



7/25/13, "Rivera Saves a Win Over the Rangers," WSJ, Daniel Barbarisi. "John Wetteland Presents Mariano Rivera With Gifts Before Rivera Saves a 2-0 Win Over the Rangers"

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7/23/13, Top and middle, Rivera in the 9th v Texas Rangers, final 5-4 Yankees, epa photos. Third photo, Rivera and catcher after the game, epa
 













7/23/13, Rivera in the 9th v Texas Rangers, 5-4 Yankees, Ft. Worth Star Telegram, Cowsert

7/22/13, "Mariano Rivera Received a Standing Ovation at a Boston Restaurant Over the Weekend," complex.com, Chris Yuscavage

 

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7/23/13, "Classy Rivera meets with Rangers workers," Fox Sports Southwest, Anthony Andro

"At Rangers Ballpark, the lucky recipients of the visit were members of the complex grounds crew, a mechanic and the workers in charge of keeping all the televisions in the park working. The only female worker- Kaley Dollar – is a huge Rivera fan. She even wrote a high school paper about him.
  
Rivera spent 30 minutes with approximately 20 of them, answering questions in both English and Spanish, posing for pictures, giving them autographed baseballs and thanking them for what they do....

"Allow me to say thank you for what you guys do," Rivera said. "I wanted to do something different and I wanted to make sure I said thanks to those we never see or we don't interact too much. It has been wonderful."

Rivera answered questions ranging from what was his first game like to who influenced him the most in baseball to what his post-playing plans are to why he enters games to Metallica's "Enter Sandman?"
  
As for that?
  
"I didn't choose the song," Rivera said. "It would have been the last music I choose. I kept it because the fans like it."
  
While Rivera is honoring stadium workers, he continues to get honored at parks. Thursday the Rangers will honor him in a ceremony that includes Joe Nathan and former Rangers and Yankees closer John Wetteland."...photo Texas Rangers, Kelly Gavin











7/22 or 7/23/13, Rivera signs for fans in Texas, photo USA Today Sports, Cowsert



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"Inside Pitch: "Mariano Rivera had lunch with the Panama national soccer team Tuesday in Dallas. Panama is playing Mexico in the Gold Cup semifinals at Cowboys Stadium on Wednesday." (end of article)

7/24/13, "Yankees’ Nunez Sets Up A Rare Comeback Win," NY Times, Waldstein



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7/20/13, "Mariano Rivera got a standing ovation at Fenway Park in Boston," USA Today, Matt Eppers. photo USA Today. final 5-2 Yankees








7/20/13,  Rivera jogs in from bullpen in Boston, nydn, sipken













7/20/13, Rivera in the 9th in Boston









7/20/13, Rivera in Boston greets Nunez and team mates after game, getty

7/20/13, "Fenway Stands and Cheers for Yankees’ Rivera," NY Times, David Waldstein

7/21/13, "Mariano Rivera receives standing ovation from Red Sox fans at Fenway Park," NY Daily News, Anthony McCarron
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7/20/13, Rivera in the 9th v Red Sox, final 5-2 Yankees, epa photo, gunther






















7/20/13, Rivera jogs in from the bullpen in Fenway Park, epa photo





















7/20/13, Rivera in Boston greets Cano after the game, epa photo


































7/20/13, Rivera v Red Sox, getty



































7/20/13, Rivera v Red Sox, getty
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Wed., 7/17/13, Newsday back page













Wed., 7/17/13, Newsday front cover



 





7/17/13, NY Daily News back page
 





Wed., 7/17/13, NY Post back cover,
'Motown!'



 




7/17/13, NY Post banner (on front page of website so no link)

7/17/13, "Mo’s perfect inning follows surreal entry," NY Post, Mike Puma

"Mariano Rivera got a hero’s welcome on enemy turf last night and made his final All-Star appearance a Sandman Special.

Summoned in the eighth inning of the 84th All-Star game because manager Jim Leyland wanted to ensure Rivera would get to pitch, the Yankees icon was perfect — and named the Most Valuable Player of the AL’s 3-0 domination of the NL before 45,186, the largest crowd in Citi Field history.

“As a team player you don’t look for these things, they just happen,” said Rivera, who became the first Yankees player since Derek Jeter in 2000 to win the All-Star game MVP award. “I’m honored and proud to be a member of the New York Yankees and being able to play for this city and to do it the way I have done.”

Rivera, who is set to retire after the season, entered to a standing ovation and waved his cap to the crowd upon reaching the mound. To let Rivera bask in the moment, his AL teammates delayed in taking their positions, leaving the future Hall of Fame closer alone during the 60-second ovation.

“It felt so weird — basically I was there alone with my catcher,” Rivera said. “I definitely appreciated what they did for me.”

Then, Rivera retired the side in order and departed to more applause.

Leyland said it would have been too risky waiting until the ninth to let Rivera pitch. If the NL rallied and took the lead in the eighth, there might not have been a bottom of the ninth.

“You know, I’m probably not the most popular manager in baseball,” Leyland said. “I wanted to make sure I got out of here alive tonight.”

Rivera’s AL teammates also seemed moved by the events. “I had goose bumps the whole time,” Dustin Pedroia said. “It was nice not to worry about facing him.”

The performance came on a night the NL All-Stars were limited to three hits, one of which came from David Wright, who singled in the seventh. The victory, which carries home-field advantage for the World Series, was the AL’s first since 2009.

Robinson Cano might have suggested “This time, it hurts” as the official game slogan, after Matt Harvey drilled him in the right leg in the first inning. It stood as the snapshot moment — until Rivera’s appearance in the eighth — of the first Midsummer Classic hosted by the Mets since 1964.

Cano, the only Yankees starter, departed with a contusion to his right quadriceps shortly after getting plunked and was long a spectator by the time Joe Nathan threw the final pitch in the ninth.

Harvey, the first Mets pitcher to start an All-Star game since Dwight Gooden in 1988, pitched two shutout innings. Wright finished 1-for-3 with a single in the seventh inning against Greg Holland, but also left a runner stranded at third in the fourth.

Mike Trout had just opened the game with a double, when Harvey drilled Cano in the right leg with a 96-mph missile. Cano remained in the game as Miguel Cabrera struck out, but then walked off the field, replaced by Pedroia. Cano underwent precautionary X-rays, which were negative.

“That was the last thing I wanted to do was go out there and possibly injure somebody,” Harvey said.

“As [Cano] was walking by I was trying to get his attention as he was going to first. When he came off, obviously I apologized and made sure that he was OK.” Cano said there were no hard feelings. “I know he doesn’t want to hit anybody,” Cano said. “But it’s just part of the game, so what else can you do?”

Jason Kipnis delivered an RBI double in the eighth against Craig Kimbrel to give the AL a 3-0 lead. Adam Jones’ double leading off the fifth against Cliff Lee led to the previous run, which scored on J.J. Hardy’s RBI fielder’s choice.

Harvey threw 32 pitches over two shutout innings in which he allowed one hit and struck out three. After the Cano plunking, he struck out Cabrera on a 92-mph slider and retired Davis before Bautista whiffed, also on a slider. In the second inning, Harvey retired the side in order. He exited the field to a standing ovation.

“I’m used to walking off in the second inning and going back out there, so I really didn’t pay attention to it,” Harvey said. “I wish I had kind of stayed in the moment a little bit and gave a head nod or whatnot. But the thanks was there and they have been great all year, the fans. I’m very thankful.”"

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7/19/13, "Tigers' Leyland reflects on 'terrific All-Star Game; Infante not ready yet," Detroit Free Press, John Lowe

"After many weeks of talking to the Detroit Tigers beat reporters about his plans and trepidations regarding the All-Star Game, Jim Leyland could enjoy chatting with them today about how well it had all turned out.

“I thought it was a terrific All-Star Game, maybe one of the best of all time because of the Mariano Rivera situation and how it scripted out,” he said.

Leyland, the AL manager, knew that the Yankees’ Rivera, the best closer ever, had to pitch in his final All-Star Game before he retires after this season. Leyland decided to have him pitch the eighth because he wanted him to come in to start an inning. Even with the visiting AL ahead 3-0 entering the bottom of the eighth, it was still possible there would be no bottom of the ninth if the NL rallied for at least four runs in the eighth.

Rivera entered for the eighth, took a solo bow on the Citi Field mound before his teammates took the field, then threw a 1-2-3 inning.

“A terrific moment in the history of our game,” Leyland said. “What amazed me — and this shows you why he’s so good — the pressure on him was unbelievable, and he got three outs like it was nothing. That told me how great this guy is.”"...

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7/16/13, Rivera in the 8th at All Star game tip cap to crowd, Barton Silverman, NY Times. Final, 3-0 AL over NL. "For Rivera, an Ending to Savor," NY Times, Waldstein






 7/16/13, Rivera warms up in 8th at All Star game, NYDN, Simmons











7/16/13, Rivera jogs in from bullpen, NYDN, Sabo










7/16/13, Rivera in the 8th, ap













7/16/13, Rivera at All Star game, photo Matt Slocum, The Columbian, WA.
7/20/13, "By the Numbers: Rivera may be game's greatest closer, for what that's worth," The Columbian, Greg Jayne

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7/15/13, "Leyland: Yankees' Rivera will pitch in All-Star Game," NY Post, George A. King III

"Baseball's all-time saves leader could throw one pitch or one inning but AL manager Jim Leyland predicted a sold-out Citi Field will see Rivera in his 13th and last All Star game.

"It would probably be the most beautiful touch in the world if we could somehow get a lead and play the ninth inning with the greatest closer of all time coming out of the bullpen,'' Leyland said of Rivera. "We need to get a lead.''

And what happens if the AL club can't get a late-game advantage?

"Mariano Rivera, I assume, is going to come in very healthy and you can rest assure that he will be on the mound in this game at some point,'' Leyland said. "You will see him pitch, whether it be to a hitter, an inning, it depends how the game goes. You will see No. 42 pitch.''

As for Hiroki Kuroda, whose 2.65 ERA is second to Felix Hernandez' 2.53 among AL hurlers, his name was in the mix of pitchers discussed to replace Oakland's Bartolo Colon, who started Sunday.

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7/12/13, Mariano Rivera v Twins, after an hour and 13 minutes rain delay, final 2-0 Yankees, nydn, Simmons













7/12/13, Rivera v Twins, final 2-0 Yankees, ap











7/12/13, Rivera and Robinson Cano after game v Twins, final 2-0 Yankees, ap

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7/12/13, "Mariano Rivera throws 'last pitch' to Joe Girardi at Delta plane dedication," Newsday, C. Muserra

"Mariano Rivera has flown on countless flights to travel in his 19-year career, but now the Yankees closer has his very own plane.

In a ceremony at John F. Kennedy Airport Friday morning, Delta Air Lines dedicated a 757 aircraft with his No. 42 jersey and signature on it. Delta also gave Rivera a model replica of the plane, and upon receiving it, he showed no signs of being 43 years old when he shouted: “I got my own plane!”

It was the first time ever that Delta had done a plane dedication in New York, and Delta executive Gail Grimmett said she can count on one hand the number of times the company has dedicated a plane in the past 10 years, period.

“You couldn’t get a better person — a more priceless person to be able to do our very first New York plane dedication,” she said. “You have given so much to the fans here in New York.”

Accompanying Rivera was manager Joe Girardi, who joked that Rivera was hoping to take home the aircraft.

“Gail, I’m glad you cleared that up because every city we go to for the last time, they give Mo a gift, and he got a gift in Minnesota, it was a rocking chair — the ‘Chair of Broken Dreams’ — and it was made of bats,” Girardi said. “So Mo would’ve tried to figure out how he was going to get this to his house, but now he can just take [the model], and he can carry it himself.”

But Girardi said he wouldn’t put it past Rivera to take the real plane.

“He’ll try to put it in his backyard, I’m sure. I don’t know how he’s going to have it fly, but I’m sure Mo would like to keep this for a while.”

After unveiling the plane to the tune of “Enter Sandman” — the song Rivera enters to from the bullpen — the former batterymates took part in a ceremonial last pitch together. Rivera, of course, threw a perfect strike to Girardi, who won three World Series rings with Mo as a player.

“That man to me has been a blessing,” Rivera said of Girardi. “This man has been a teammate, a friend, a manager — everything.”

Girardi said the last pitch brought back many fond memories. “I had a chance to catch him when he burst on the scene in 1996, and he was so dominant,” he said. “I miss those days. I don’t miss playing every day, but I miss catching Mo.”

The plane dedication coincides with Rivera’s 13th and final All-Star Game appearance at Citi Field on Tuesday, which he said made it extra special.

“Everything going at the same time for the last year of me representing New York on the All-Star team for the last time, and I have this, it’s a privilege.”" photo above, Newsday, Muserra.







7/12/13, Rivera in the pilot seat of Delta 757 dedicated to him. Erik Boland twitter








7/12/13, Rivera at Delta event, photo Newsday

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 David Lennon twitter, @dplennon, Newsday

"Rivera second on top-seller list of MLB jerseys,
Jeter seventh. Wright is fourth and Harvey fifth. Posey is No. 1. #yankees #mets #giants"

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7/12/13, "Derek Jeter brings out Yankees’ best as he returns to team," NY Post, Mike Vaccaro, photo Bereswill. 



7/11/13, Gamelog. Yankees over KC Royals, 8-4, Jeter singles in first AB

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7/6/13, Rivera v Orioles at the Stadium, final 5-4 Yankees, photo Newsday, Van Dyke


















7/6/13, Rivera v Orioles, final 5-4 Yankees, McIsaac, getty. (photo link to generic CBS Sports MLB photos)













7/6/13, Rivera v Orioles, getty