Some days you have to go to the ‘pen and go with the arm that feels it most — feels it as a fan and feels it as a writer.
When we talk about Rivera’s pitching motion, his mulish imperturbability, his athletic grace under pressure, we think of artists not ball players: Buster Keaton, Fred Astaire, Al Hirschfeld. His career was a reminder that athletic excellence is closer to art than science.
For more typically graceful thoughts from Alex Belth on the unfortunately interrupted and possibly completed career of master closer Mariano Rivera, I suggest a visit to Bronx Banter, the blog that transcends mere Yankeedom.
In the meantime, decency, karma and appreciation for baseball played at its highest level all gather to add best of luck to the last of the 42s.
Perfectly stated. Everyone who knows a lick of baseball knows who the true MVP is/was of the Evil Empire for the past 15 years.
Yeah, that’s a shame. So how ’bout them Mets?
As Roger Angell said of Willie Mays in decline, “Something permanent in our baseball universe has been taken down.”
Godspeed, Mo…
The feeling of impending dread that loomed over all those close games the Yankees have played in the post-season as opponents realized that they had to make up that 1- or 2-run deficit before the late innings always seemed to be the biggest intangible in the Yankees favor.
So good was Mariano Rivera, that the mere prospect of being behind when he entered a game added that much more urgency to the opponents’ task at hand.
Did Bronx Banter put up the same type of post when the immortal Mike Pelfrey went down?
Rivera’s one of the good guys, one of the greats of baseball and truly a class act despite wearing the wrong laundry.
I wish him all the best, a speedy recovery, and I hope God grants him another chance to blow a save against our Mets.
There have been a LOT of juiceheads, mercenaries and cretins to root against in the Bronx over the past 15 years. Rivera has never been one of them. Best of luck, Mo.
Cutter … swing and miss. Strike one.
Cutter … fouled off/broken bat. Strike two.
Cutter … on the inside corner. Strike three.
You stay classy, Faith and Fear in Flushing.
whatever.
I’ll use the same argument I use against Chipper Jones Night in Queens…would they pay one of ours the same type of tribute?
Agree with Dave and Patrick O’Hearn. Enough with the Rivera worship already. The beatification in the mainstream baseball press is sickening. Sure, he’s a great player, he’s injured, too bad, life goes on. You know they don’t care about a single one of our players in the Yankee Universe– except to maybe belittle them and make fun of us.