All indications right now point to Mariano Rivera returning to the Yankees, accepting their three-year, $45-million offer.
Rivera is scheduled to speak with his agent Fern Cuza in about an hour, and the longtime Yankees closer is expected to advise his agent to move forward with the Yankees.
More information later.
UPDATE: Here's my story for tomorrow's paper.
Comments (19)
Awesome! I'm glad sanity has prevailed and the Yanks and Mo can concentrate on moving forward.
One less worry.
Although honestly to tell you the truth it would be less painful to endure the coming inevitable decline of The Great Mariano Rivera (yes, capitals, and if we could do boldface here I would do that, too) if it were to happen elsewhere... I know, I'm a wimp.
I want my heros to ride off voluntarily into the sunset while still at the height of their powers, so I can avoid witnessing the end. I lived in Los Angeles in my youth and went to Dodgers games with my parents. The Great Sandy Koufax was my ideal then. So I know it can actually happen in real life.
Haven't I been lucky to live through two such inimitable pitching careers, though, one with my childhood team and the other with my adult team?
Is this a great sport or what.
If this is the case, it's a good deal all the way around.
Mo wasn't going to get that fourth year from anyone, and he wasn't going to get that money from anyone else. This was the best deal for him.
For the Yankees, they can move Joba into the rotation. All they need now, though, is a set-up man. (Gagne!)
Diane,
I'm in complete agreement. It won't be fun to watch Mo's skills deteriorate. The best-case scenario is that the Yankees start to transition this season to Humberto Sanchez (provided Sanchez is all healed from Tommy John surgery.)
Time to trade the head case Farnsworthless and sign Linebrink as one mor long man.
Mariano's skills may not deminish as drastic as we expect. Athletes of today's game have exceptional training. Mariano must work on a changeup. This should get through the next 3 years in fine shape.
Now, the job at hand is the SP and RP this is the answer to the 27th Ring. No question about it but can it be done with minimal loss of valuable young arms.
I am glad to see Mo come back. I will take Mo for 3 years and end his career in pinstripes. I am suprised Hank did not go back on his word and offer him a 4th year. This offseason has posted a red flag in my mind. This new management of Hank and Hal is the worst possible thing for the Yankees. I still am still at a loss for words on why they are rewarding A-Rod. This offseason has made it clear to me on what really matters to the Yankees. They clearly put winning second as all it seems the brothers care about is fans in the seats. A-Rod's contract will be loaded with whatever his little heart desires. I would have rather been stuck with a playoff productive Lowell for 4 years than swallow A-Rod for 10. I as a lifelong Yankee fan will never accept A-Rod here even if he hits 70 homers and 200 rbi's a season. In the mid to late 90's this team was filled with team players and loveable guys. Now I look at this current team and can't even root for most of the team they field. As it was in the 80's these new Steinbenners will run this team into the ground and then beg Cashman or whoever might be the GM at the time to fix the mess they will put us in. Clearly A-Rod did not go to Cashman because Cashman is not stupid enough to take him back. The Yankees fell for A-Rod and his stupid bargin. 275 million still makes him the richest contract by far. Some bargin huh? Don't believe anything these brothers say remember this one.. "If A-Rod opts out it's goodbye". Even though our young guns are deemed "untouchable" to the Steinbenners this the the Yankees we are talking about. Hank and Hal will trade away the farm system (yes including Joba and company)as long as we can bring in a superstar to fill the seats. Remember this is the new Yankees. Where Cashman has no say and where winning comes second to revenue.
Today Team USA took gold at the World Cup for the first time in 33 years. Karstens pitched well in winning the two games he started. Here's a link to a story about his being shown around Taiwan by national hero Chien Ming Wang:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071115&content_id=2301126&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
One of the guys from Pinstripe Alley did a very good and comprehensive Yanks/Tribe preview for Baseball Analysts before the ALDS.
http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2007/10/alds_preview_cl.php
He made a very good point about Mariano Rivera that we often overlook as Yankee fans.
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Mariano Rivera (3-4, 3.15, 30 Saves, 4 Blown Saves) is not consistently as unhittable as he has been in the past, but is still among the elite closers in the game. His very un-Mariano like ERA this season can be attributed to his struggles against two often seen AL East opponents; Red Sox and Orioles. Against those clubs he put up a robust 8.33 ERA and blew 3 saves, while his numbers against the rest of baseball were as good as ever (1.69, 1 Blown Save).
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It makes sense that Mo had the most trouble this season against teams in his own division.
The same thing happened with Beckett, Schilling, and Wakefield this season. Teams like the Yankees who see these guys the most are going to have more success than others.
Is Mo consistently as dominant or unhittable as he used to be in his prime?
No. But there's no question he is still among the elite closers in the game.
Yankee fans were just so used to Mo pitching in another world for so many years (and establishing himself as the best weapon to come out of the pen in MLB history) that everyone now wants to know what's wrong with him every time he has a bad outing.
As the 2007 stats indicate above, Mo is still pretty damn good for an "old man" and the Yanks need him.
AJ,
Couldn't possibly disagree more with virtually everything you said.
You'd rather have Mike Lowell for 4 years than A-Rod?
That's insane.
A-Rod isn't the reason why this team hasn't won a postseason series since 2004. They haven't won because their starting pitching has rapidly declined over the years.
They are not going to trade Joba or the farm away as you suggest for "superstars" because they need to build depth in that rotation.
It's your choice not to root for A-Rod or simply not accept him. That just makes you a bad fan.
Though I don't look forward to watching it, I don't expect Mo's decline to be stark and sudden.
I'm just being a big baby about this. I got used to the Sublime Mariano when it was simply a fact that when he took the mound with a lead the game was over even though it was not yet in the books, and we the fans just sat back with a smile and watched the other team flail in mad frustration as their broken bats fell around them. Recent new fans have no real idea what it is that we are already mourning the loss of ...
... even though of course he is still a marvel of nature and most other teams would be thrilled to have their closer be as good as Mo still is.
With Mo coming back, the rotation looks like this right now:
Wang, Mussina, Hughes, Chamberlain, Kennedy. Pettitte could still come back but, at this point, I'd say it's doubtful.
I like the news about Karstens. It makes him a good option if there's an injury or if Kennedy or Mussina flake out. Still, the rotation looks very promising. It's certainly not a sure thing, but it's very promising.
No need to trade Cano or Melky or both for Santana. No need whatsoever. In fact, trading Cano or Melky for anyone would be criminal, absolutely criminal.
Off-topic: Saw where someone compared Papelbon's appearance with an certain actor and realized -- of course, absolutely the love child of John Lithgow!!
Even that expression! Straight from Third Rock!
Does anyone know the status of Humberto Sanchez? I really liked his stuff pre-TJ. I would really love for him to be a factor in our bullpen this coming season. If he's completely healthy, with his stuff and control, don't u think he can be the 8th inning guy? You know, ala Joba? (High hopes I know). But it could happen if he had the control. His stuff is (was pre-TJ) pretty good.
Sanchez should be ready by Spring Training but it typically takes a pitcher 18 months to fully recover from TJ and regain the strength in his arm and elbow.
Since he had the surgery back in May of '07, it's likely that he probably won't be promoted to the big club until August at the earliest.
I had read somewhere about a month or so ago... that Sanchez was long tossing already.... and progressing well and on-time or ahead of schedule.
On a entirely different topic ... How's Bobby Murcer doing?
If Yankee fans can accept Rivera as being merely very good, then there will be no trouble. But let's set aside "the sky is falling!" cries when he goes through a tough run.
Fact is, this team still has to address its problems from last year. I think that's going to be hard to do unless there's some activity in the trade market. Next off-season should be more interesting ... perhaps the Yankees can find a first baseman that can follow Donnie and Tino instead of the wrongheaded detour of 2002-2007. That and a little pitching (a starter or two, middle relief) would do wonders.
A-Rod tried to reach Mo in the D.R. and failed with bad cell service there.
Evidently they're close friends. In the lobby of Mo's restaurant in New Rochelle is a case with lots of autographed baseballs and one from A-Rod that says, "Mariano-a great closer and a better friend".
What's with the bandwith problem?
We have had a fantastic off-season so far with these 3 signings - and I think Andy will be back as well. Everything is looking up - I think we can stand pat on pitching - someone besides the Big 3 from the minors will step up in a relievers role, and we will have 5-6 quality starters.
We DO need a first baseman who can field and hit for power and/or average - not sure anyone currently on the roster will do - but not much out there available either.