The Bronx Stop: A Yankees Blog

Mariano Rivera has recorded save number 500 tonight against the Mets.

That amazing feat has only been accomplished by just one other closer in Major League Baseball history-- Trevor Hoffman (and that was in the NL).

"Definitely, it's good," Rivera said. "I won't tell you it's not meaningful. It's a blessing."

In addition to his 500th save, Mariano also recorded his first ever RBI after being walked with the bases loaded by none other than Fransisco Rodriguez.

Congratulations, Mo. You have been a vital part of the Yankees over the years and your services have definitely not gone unnoticed.

New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera had surgery Tuesday on his right shoulder and is expected to resume throwing in three months, a month ahead of spring training.

New York Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek operated at the Hospital for Special Surgery. Altchek also operated on catcher Jorge Posada's shoulder last summer.

Altchek shaved a calcified joint on the top of Rivera's shoulder. The 38-year-old Rivera had 39 saves this year, and his 1.40 ERA was his best since 2005.

Congratulations, Mo.

Bryan Hoch/MLB.com:

Terry Francona may be attempting to guard the worst-kept secret in the All-Star Game. Should the American League take a lead into the ninth inning of Tuesday night's All-Star Game, Mariano Rivera fully expects to be warmed and ready to close out the contest at Yankee Stadium.

"I would love to -- I definitely would love to," Rivera said on Monday. "I have a feeling, knowing Francona, that he will put me in there if we have the opportunity to close the game."

The 38-year-old Rivera is in the midst of a career campaign for the Yankees, having converted his first 23 save opportunities as he opens a new three-year contract. Even though Francona has a pretty solid option heading to the Bronx from his own club, the ultra-effective Jonathan Papelbon, Rivera seemed to believe the ball for the ninth inning would be all his.

"It's tough, but we're here in Yankee Stadium, and I think I should get a shot," Rivera said.

Rivera said that he had not considered what it might be like to jog to the mound in the ninth inning with World Series home-field advantage on the line.

"I haven't thought about that yet, but I know definitely it is going to be special," Rivera said. "I hope we have the opportunity to be ahead and have the chance to close the game and experience how it is going to be."

"It's an honor to have the opportunity to close this game in Yankee Stadium, which is going to be the last All-Star Game in Yankee Stadium, period," Rivera said. "It's a privilege and a pleasure to do that.

"First of all, it's home. You're talking about the history of baseball, and when you're talking about Yankee Stadium, you have to talk about greatest players that have gone through it, and amazing fights and football games and all the events that took place in Yankee Stadium. But the most important things are all of those championships."

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said that he would not be surprised to see Rivera emerge from the bullpen gates as the evening grew closer toward midnight.

"It'd be fitting," Jeter said. "But I guess that's our job and everyone's in here -- to give him that opportunity. It'd definitely be fitting to see him come out for that ninth inning."

Bryan Hoch/MLB.Com:

Hank Steinbrenner may not have been shy about his phone calls, but the more important event for the Yankees was hearing those Moose calls.

Mike Mussina won his fifth consecutive start Wednesday night for the Yankees, who snapped a short two-game skid by limiting the Rays to one run over 6 1/3 innings. Robinson Cano had four hits, including an RBI, and Bobby Abreu also drove in a run, leading New York to a 2-1 victory over Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field.

The resurgent right-hander was sharp once more, mixing his pitches and spotting his offspeed stuff with command over an 87-pitch performance, scattering five hits. Mussina walked one and struck out four, lowering his ERA to 3.99. The performance came hours after manager Joe Girardi held the first closed-door clubhouse meeting of his tenure, and on the same day that Steinbrenner issued comments criticizing the club's sluggish 19-21 start.

Mussina started the seventh inning and recorded the first out, but was lifted after a walk to Evan Longoria, earning a mixture of Moose calls from the Tropicana Field crowd. Cliff Floyd greeted reliever Ross Ohlendorf with a single, and Dioner Navarro shot a run-scoring hit up the middle, but Ohlendorf escaped the inning when Gabe Gross lined to Derek Jeter for a deftly turned double play, nabbing Floyd off the bag.

After scoring just twice in their previous 24 innings entering the game, the Yankees touched Rays right-hander James Shields for runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, Hideki Matsui rapped a two-out double up the gap in left-center and scored on Cano's single to center; in the fifth, Morgan Ensberg led off with a single, moved up on a sacrifice and scored on Abreu's two-out double.

Wow.

I can not wait for the explanation of this one.

Okay...I understand that the game was tied but don't you think that Mariano Rivera could potentially enter in the 9th and get out of of an inning using 10 or less pitches? If he could do that for one inning, couldn't he do it for another? I mean couldn't we at least give ourselves a shot at scoring some runs in extra innings?

I mean come on Girardi.

Mariano Rivera can't throw 20-25 pitches in a game anymore? Get out of town.

This game sucked. The managing was pathetic and so were the players. Mistakes like this will drag you down in more ways than one. It cannot continue.

The Yankees are not in that bad of shape just yet...but see what a four game sweep in Cleveland does for the energy of this team.

Justin Terranova of the New York Post:

Mariano Rivera did not have to enter last night's 15-9 marathon win over the Red Sox, which means The Sandman will be available tonight if the Yankees need him.

And with Joba in Nebraska and can't-quite-get-out-of-the-sixth-inning Mike Mussina starting, the Yankees could be in desperate need of Rivera tonight. Especially when a repeat offensive outburst is far-fetched with Red Sox ace Josh Beckett pitching.

"He is the top of the list of pitchers I have ever caught," fill-in catcher Chad Moeller said of Rivera. "It is no secret what is coming. He just executes it every time. You know what is coming and there is nothing you can do with it."

Rivera has looked as dominant in 2008 at the age of 38 as he has been throughout his career. In 6 1/3 innings, he has given up three hits, walked none and struck out six. Most importantly, he has not allowed a run in earning his five saves.

The end results have been good since Chamberlain left the team to be near his ailing father in his hometown of Lincoln, Neb. Three games, three wins. But the means to get those wins have not been pretty.

Billy Traber and Bruney were roughed up Monday in Tampa Bay when they allowed a 7-1 lead to evaporate. Ross Ohlendorf was knocked around in last night's win, and a 7-3 advantage turned into a 9-7 deficit.

The Bombers' bats and the always reliable Mariano Rivera have bailed them out thus far...but just how long can it hold up?

Mariano just pitched a really good inning of work today. Three up, Three down. So much for the rust!!!

Peter Abraham reports Mariano Rivera has arrived in Tampa and thrown his first BP session of the Spring. Dave Eiland was looking on as Rivera threw.

“I felt fine, it was good,” said Rivera, who is scheduled to appear in his first game on Friday. “Everything was good.”

Rivera said he was not worried about location. His goal was just to get a little stronger.

“Everything is on schedule,” he said.

Rivera traditionally throws 8-10 innings each spring and will go back-to-back once. There also could be a game when he gets five outs. At this stage in his career, he knows exactly what he needs to be ready.

One of the greatest closers in Major League Baseball history was not always a multi-millionaire. He was not always the go-to guy in the ninth inning of a crucial World Series game. Before he became that man, he was just a poor kid who loved the game of baseball.

With all of the million dollar paychecks and scandals currently rocking Major League Baseball, I feel it is important for not only the players but also the fans to remember back to when they first fell in love with the game of baseball.

Here is what it was like for "The Sandman".
_____________________________________________

Mariano Rivera reached into his locker, lifted the lid off a shoe box and described how the cardboard would have made a perfect baseball glove for him as a skinny 7-year-old in Panama. Rivera sounded like a giddy kid as he spoke of tearing a hole in one narrow end of the cardboard and then poking his hand through to the other side for a homemade glove that would last for weeks. Well, maybe for a few days.

As Rivera discussed his first memories of baseball, he never stopped beaming and never stopped using his words, his hands, his eyes and his laugh to convince a visitor how special those warm days on the dusty streets of Puerto Caimito really were.

It did not matter that Rivera had to snatch rocks, tennis balls and taped-up balls in a flimsy cardboard glove. It did not matter that the bats were usually plastic. It did not matter that there were no grass fields and that the rhythm of games depended on the traffic flow on the streets. To listen and to watch Rivera, his introduction to baseball was pure nirvana.

"It makes me smile and it makes me happy to think about that," Rivera said. "It makes me feel good. I'll always have that inside me. I'll always remember seeing the kids playing back home. I still play with them. If I was there now, I'd be playing with them. They love me."

So innocent, so soft-spoken, so genuine. That is the Rivera who reads the Bible in the clubhouse, who sends boxes of equipment home to Panama so other children will have real gloves, who worked daily as a fisherman with his father, Captain Mariano, and who strangely insisted that he did not even consider becoming a professional player until after he signed a contract.

"You see most kids trying to be Nolan Ryan or Don Mattingly," Rivera said. "I never had that. I never thought about being a pro. I just got the ball, got my glove and enjoyed the game.

According to ESPN.com, Mariano Rivera has accepted the 3year/$45million extension that was offered to him by the New York Yankees.

"Rivera had been holding out for an additional year but, but a source who had spoken with both the team and Rivera's agent, Fernando Cuza, told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that the deal will not contain any option for a fourth season.

The contract makes Rivera the highest-paid closer in baseball history. The Mets' Billy Wagner had been tops with an average annual salary of $10.75 million, and the Blue Jays gave B.J. Ryan the highest total contract for a reliever at $47 million, but that deal was over five years."

Great news!!! Now bring on Andy Pettite and lets win a World Series!!!

The New York Post is reporting that Mariano Rivera will likely accept the 3year/$45million dollar contract extension that has been offered to him. Rivera, who has been out of the country for the last week holding baseball clinics in the Dominican Republic, returned back to the United States last night and is expected to huddle with his agents today. Sources are reporting that Mariano is likely to accept the extension and will ink his signature in the next few days--but possibly as early as tonight.

Tyler Kepner at the New York Times is reporting that the Yankees have offered Mariano Rivera a 3 year/$45million dollar contract.

Pretty good chunk of change in my opinion.

I'm also pretty sure i know what is holding Mariano up from signing on that infamous dotted line. With a figure like that, Mariano probably thinks they are kidding. He is probably at the bank right now having the Steinbrenners check verified to insure that it is in fact real and not actually Monopoly money. Do not to worry Yankees fans--when the bank gets back to him and tells him that it is in fact a real check, I am very confident a signature will follow.

Finally, what Yankee fan's have been waiting to hear. Hank Steinbrenner has confirmed to the media his intent on having the key remaining free agents back in pinstripes next year.

Steinbrenner commented on the future of Posada and Rivera to the New York Post Wednesday:

"These are going to be substantial offers. We are not going to short-change these guys. I think we have a great chance to get back who we want back. We are going to make it obvious how much we want them, and then, ultimately, it is up to them."

"We are not going to get crazy" in offers to keep Posada and Rivera, Steinbrenner said. But later, he added, "You go to a point of logic. We may even stretch logic to keep them."

"I wonder if our free agents feel we are an organization at the crossroads and can take advantage. They should not feel that way. We have the top-rated farm system in the majors. We are dedicated to winning."

Great to see that Hank understands the importance of these veterans and also the importance of our young farm system. If we stick to this game plan and do everything we can to bring these guys back (which is what I think Cash and the Royal Family really want to do)- watch out for the New York Yankees in 2008. And please remember, Carl Pavano will not be throwing out the first pitch of the season.

It seems like nothing ever comes easy to the Yankees these days. The Yankee faithful are still waiting around for the three key pieces that will allow the team to move forward and look to 2008.

As far as Andy Pettite goes, I am sure he knows how much the Yankee Universe wants him back. Cashman will make this clear, the fans will make this clear, and I can imagine Andy's teammates will make this clear. We should just cross our fingers and give him some time.

As far as Mariano goes, Peter Abraham is reporting on LoHud Yankees that Mo and the Yankees are hopefully going to reach a deal sometime by Friday. The contract offer is supposedly around 3 years, 40 million dollars. If you must go higher, well then you go higher.

Jorgie is the mystery card here. Although, if you think about it it isn't really a mystery what Jorgie is thinking. At 12 million a year, Posada is 8th on the Yankee payroll. Jason Giambi makes all most twice what Jorgie makes. If I were him I would feel a little slighted as well. I mean, Carl Pavano is making only 2 million less a year and has pitched like 4 games for the Yanks. Jorgie is holding out so that he can get paid like the other key players on the New York Yankees. Can you blame him?

I think all the free agents should remember back to the times of Joltin' Joe when it was still about money- but more about the game of baseball. Joe held out from the Yankees because he thought he was worth more, but when it came right down to it the baseball got inside of him and he reconsidered.

In the words of Joltin' Joe Dimaggio himself:

"I kept holding out because I thought. I was right. But as the season approached I began to weaken.

Not because I had changed my mind about what I thought I was entitled to- but because the game gets into your blood.

When the Yankees dropped two out of three in Boston to the Red Sox, I decided that my place was with the club and that money no longer was the first consideration. So I called up the Colonel, and in five minutes everything was straightened out."

Hopefully, along the way our guys read that story and realize their home is in New York City and that once you have baseball in your blood, the best Band-Aid is pinstriped.

In this time of uncertainty, one thing is for sure- we'd be glad to have you back.

Are dancing through my head. I just read the article on Yankees.com about how if Pettite comes back for the 2008 season that he will only be back with the Yankees. I think we all pretty much understood this from the get-go but Andy makes it even clearer that he has loyalty to these Yankees. He does this with this quote:

"The New York Yankees committed an awful lot of money to me and put it in my hands, gave me a player option and trusted me with that option," Pettitte told KRIV-TV. "It probably wouldn't be real honorable for me not to do anything other than if I shut it down, shut it down or go back and play for the New York Yankees."

As for the other Yank's that Cash and the Royal Family have to worry about- Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada- I think that we are in a good position to return both. Mariano had a face to face meeting down in Tampa that he actually requested. I think that he wanted confirmation from the Brass that he was indeed wanted there and that the Yankee's realized that he has worked extremely hard for them and that he should be rewarded for that. I agree.
In fact, I do not see what is wrong with overpaying for guy's like Jorge and Mo because we know they want to be there and that they want to retire as Yankee lifers. I think it is good that they declared free agency because the Yankee's should be rewarding these guys for what they have done to help this team in the past.

Posada is one of the most reliable catchers in the game and he had a tremendous season offensively. These guys could smell the World Series this season and I'm sure feel like that without all the injuries and inconsistent rotation they probably would have won it all. Think about it, all we would have had to have done is gone 27-23 in the stretch before May 29th instead of 21-29 to win 100 games this season. A-Fraud was a big help to get to the postseason this year, but unfortunately for him, they do not make postseason viagra. With the solid young pitching we have going right now, and just a little bit more reliability, we will be able to get the job done and I think that Pettite, Mo, and Jorgie all know this. Don't forget in the 2007 season we took 6 of 6 from the Indians and 10 of 18 from the Red Sux. Girardi will in my opinion become even more successful managing this team than even the Great Joe Torre and I look for the 2008 Yankee's to be a much better team than in 2007.

*Disclaimer: This only happens if we can make the right personnel moves by bringing back the free agents and not trading away the farm or even more importantly the players we have now- especially Melkey Cabrera and Chien-Ming Wang. Also, some people will probably laugh at the idea of the Yankee's being even better next year without Alex Rodriguez but like I have said before- as long as Alex Rodriguez has been playing in Major League Baseball, the team that he has played for has never even made it to a World Series game let alone win one while he was on the roster*

The free agent market is officially open for business tonight with five Yankee players opting to test the value the Yankee's organization will place on them in the open market. Among the three major names Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada- Doug Mientkiewicz and Luis Vizcaino will also opt to test their value.

As far as Mariano and Jorge go, they will be back in pinstripes next year almost 100%. These guys will command a lot of money from the Yankee's but I can't really find anyone that deserve it more than these guys. They have been crucial to the Yankee's for many years now and should continue to assume that role.

As far as Minky and Vizcaino, I honestly do not know what the future holds for them. I would really like to see Minky back at first next year in a platoon system with Andy Phillips and I think that is a very real possibility. I like what Minky brings to the atmosphere of this club. And besides, he still has the ball from the last out of the Red Sux 2004 World Series!!! AMAZING. I think you resign Vizcaino as well. He can be an integral part of the bullpen for a few years to come. I think you resign Minky to a one year deal and Vizcaino to a 2 year contract.

There will be many interesting developments in the days to come so check back often.

Rumor has it Mariano Rivera has said that Joe Torre's departure will not affect his decision to play for the Yank's next year. Apparently, the only real deciding factor is the depth of George-o's pockets. Good News.

Bryan Hoch had some interesting comments on his MLBlog Mariano made on Sirius Satellite Radio on a show sponsored by Steiner Sports.

Does he need to know who the next manager is?: “Not really. Not really. I know the Yankees are going to do whatever they think is best for the team. I always respect them for that. The Yankees always have given the opportunity to give us the best everything, the best players, the best coaching staff. They always tried to do that. I don’t think it has to do nothing, with me, in terms of signing with the Yankees.”

On his chances of being a Yankee in '08: “Well, all depends with the Yankees. Definitely they know my feelings. They know how I feel. I let them know the way I felt. They know what they have to do so I don’t worry about it. The ball is in their court and I’m just being patient and waiting patiently.”

On the Yankees not offering an extension in Spring Training: “No, I wasn’t upset. I see it as a business. I don’t know what they thought but they didn’t want to do it at the time. So it was okay for me. I was okay with it.”

CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO YES! NETWORK BIO OF- "The Sandman"