Legendary reliever Mariano Rivera announces 2013 MLB season will be his last in pinstripes

Major League Baseball Update/ News

The New York Yankees legendary reliever Marino Rivera has finally taken a decision on his future. He recently spoke in a packed press conference told that the 2013 Major League Baseball season will be his last in pinstripes.

“Now you’re hearing it from me, it’s official,” Rivera said. “After this year, I will be retired.”

“It’s not so easy when you come to a decision like this,” said Rivera, who admitted he had to collect himself after he looked around at his teammates assembled for the announcement. “But I would love to say that it has been a privilege and honor to wear the pinstriped uniform that I have proudly worn for so many years in good times, great times. It has been wonderful.”

Baseball’s all time saves leader, Rivera is considered to be the best reliever Major League ever produced. Since his arrival in the big league, Rivera did not play for any other franchise except with the Yankees. During his illustrious career, he has achieved many awards including 12-time All-Star selection.

“Now is the time,” Rivera said. “I have given everything and the tank is almost empty. The little gas I have left is everything for this year. After that, I’ll empty everything. There’s nothing left. I did everything and I’m proud of it. That’s why it’s time.” Asked how he knows his tank is almost empty, Rivera replied, “Well, I’m telling you the tank is empty. I think that’s enough.

“It’s been a journey. One thing I will say that I will never stop missing (is) the game or the action on the field and my teammates. After that, it’s nothing else. The traveling, hotels and all that, there’s no more in me. I’ll do what I have to do next.”

Since the end of 2012 season, Rivera somewhat had decided about his exact retirement time. He played an injury prone last season but still managed to achieve consistent 2.16 ERA along with five saves, eight strikeouts and 0.96 WHIP.

“If I would have finished the season last year, I would have retired last year. Definitely,” Rivera said. “I didn’t want to leave like that. I felt like I wanted to give everything and I still had something left.”

Rivera added, “The last game I hope will be throwing the last pitch in the World Series, That’s how I envision my last game of my last pitch on the mound. Winning the World Series, that would be my ambition.”

Rivera joined the New York Yankees in 1995 and since then he certainly had a roller coaster career achieving career 2.21 ERA along with 608 saves, 1119 strikeouts and 1.00 WHIP. After coming into the big league, he won five eminent World Series titles along with five American League Rolaids Relief Man Award with the Yankees.

“First of all, I don’t feel myself as the greatest of all time. The reason why I say that is because I’m a team player,” Rivera said. “If it wasn’t for my teammates, I would never have the opportunity. I would love to be remembered as a player that was always there for others, trying to make others better and didn’t think about himself at all. That’s the legacy that I want to leave, that I was there for others.”

Speaking about life after the retirement, the magician reliever described in the media that he will remain in touch with baseball in all sorts of different ways.

“I would love to work with the minor leaguers,” Rivera said. “That’s a passion that I have, a respect that I’ve got for the game. In the big leagues, they’re a bunch of old men there, and they’re set. They know everything. I want to do it with the minor leaguers knowing that they have so much talent to give.”

Later in the press conference, many reporters asked Rivera about the best thing happened on-field. He replied with quite fulfilled saying, “The best thing for me that happened on a baseball field — actually the best thing that happened — was the Lord blessing me with this uniform, He put the New York Yankees uniform on me. I’ve been thankful for every minute that I’ve worn this uniform.”

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=38922

Posted by Umair Hassan on Mar 11 2013. Filed under Latest News, Sports, USA, World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.