New York Yankees fans have one more season to witness the Sandman putting hitters to sleep.
In a report from Joel Sherman’s of the New York Post, Yankees future Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera, will announce that he intends to retire from baseball after the 2013 season on Saturday. Rivera, who it was rumored was planning to retire after last season before sustaining a season-ending injury, decided to return this season in order to end his career on a good note.
Mariano Rivera is scheduled to announce his retirement on Saturday at a 10 a.m. press conference at Steinbrenner Field, The Post has learned.
Those briefed on the matter cautioned that Rivera has been fickle in the past about his retirement and that there was always a chance he could back out. But he has given his initial blessings to go through with the announcement on Saturday a few hours before he is scheduled to pitch in his first game of this spring.
The legendary closer rehabbed the injury, and has shown no ill-effects this spring training during bullpen and batting practice sessions.
Rivera enters the final season of his career as baseball’s all-time leading saves leader with 608. Before last season’s injury, he had accumulated at least 30 saves in every season since 1997.
If this is really is Rivera’s last season, it will be the final chapter on a career in which he basically dominated hitters with one pitch. He was also one of the main cogs in the Yankees championship seasons because of his ability to close out high-pressured games unlike any other closer before or since then.