Rivera finalizes three-year pact

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NEW YORK -- Mariano Rivera's wish to finish his career in Yankees pinstripes, the only uniform he has worn in the big leagues, is on its way to coming true.

Rivera and the club formally finalized a three-year agreement worth a reported $45 million on Monday. The pact will keep Rivera, a Yankee since 1995 and the most dominant postseason closer of all-time, in New York.

Though he had spoken openly about allowing all 30 teams an even chance at acquiring his services in free agency, Rivera finally put his guard down and admitted that it had all been a bluff.

"I never saw myself on another team," Rivera said. "It's hard to picture myself in another uniform. We owe the respect for the rest of the team. I've been a member of the Yankees for so many years -- I live here and I have my family here. I don't think I could be on another team."

Rivera, who turned 38 in November, becomes baseball's highest-paid closer, earning $15 million per year through the 2010 season. His annual salary surpasses the $10.5 million earned across town by the Mets' Billy Wagner.

Rivera believes that, following his storied path to success, this deal will be the final one.

"Definitely, with this contract, I would think that I will finish my career," Rivera said. "If God has something else for me, I don't know. I just ask the good Lord for opportunities and try to work hard so I can stay away from injuries, and blessings that I don't injure myself. That's all I ask. The rest depends on my teammates."

With Rivera back for the ninth inning, the Yankees have completed an improbable sweep of the key free agents they had hoped to re-sign. New York inked catcher Jorge Posada to a four-year pact last month and finalized deals with third baseman Alex Rodriguez and left-hander Andy Pettitte in December.

"It's important for the team and it's important for us," Rivera said. "Everybody decided to stay with the Yankees, and that's the best. It's great to have that family."

Rodriguez, this year's American League MVP, said recently that Rivera is "obviously someone that we can't live without."

"He's one of a kind and he's so unique in what he does for us. He's such an unbelievable force in our clubhouse," Rodriguez said. "In many ways, he's the voice for a lot of people in there and he means so much -- more so than what he just does on the field. He's very, very special."

Rivera made 67 relief appearances for the Yankees in 2007, compiling a 3-4 record with a 3.15 ERA. He was much stronger after a shaky beginning -- in Rivera's final 59 appearances of the season, he was 2-2 with a 2.23 ERA and converted 30 of 32 save opportunities.

Rivera had expressed interest in negotiating a contract extension during Spring Training, when he was beginning the final year of a three-year contract that paid him $31.5 million. Like with All-Star catcher Posada, the Yankees elected to wait until after the season.

Hot Stove

Posada agreed to his new deal with the Yankees just hours before he could have discussed financial terms with other clubs, while Rivera's contract took more time.

The Yankees received word that Rivera would accept their offer on Nov. 19, after a lengthy delay that was reported -- falsely, Rivera said -- to be dependent on his insistence for a four-year contract. Rivera said Monday that he had never asked for a four-year deal; he had simply been traveling out of the United States and performing charity work at various locations.

"Everything was under control," Rivera said. "It was just a matter of time."

Rivera has pitched for the Yankees since 1995, compiling an AL-record 443 saves in the regular season. The most dominant postseason pitcher of his generation, Rivera owns a Major League-record 34 saves in the playoffs, where he has a 0.77 career ERA -- last updated when Rivera worked 4 2/3 scoreless innings in the ALDS against Cleveland.

"For me, I just have to play hard, work hard and thank God for the talent," Rivera said.

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Dissapointed in this, Wanted to him go ElseWhere

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YESSSSS!!!!!! Go Yanks!

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Originally Posted by BM_MAN

Dissapointed in this, Wanted to him go ElseWhere

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Why?

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Originally Posted by ohms_law

Why?

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Just to see how he would go A Way from the Yanks

Thankfully we will never know.

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Originally Posted by RickD

Thankfully we will never know.

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I guess that means you are a Yankees Fan?

Was it the banner or the part that said 2008 Champs that gave it away? :p

I think the signing shows more heart than brains. You got to rebuild if your New York otherwise it will be the same story of losing in the first round of the playoffs or perhaps missing the playoffs all together. Right now they are not even in the same class as Boston.

I agree they need to rebuild a bit. Starting pitching, the bullpen and the outfield all needed to be revamped. My plan would have been to keep Cabrera in CF, keep Abreu and go for a 3rd OF while revamping the bullpen except Rivera as he can still get the job done. I think moving Kennedy, Hughes and Joba into the rotation would be a smart idea as well.

I agree with you, I would be more extreme and do a total overhaul, trade away everyone over 30 years old for prospects and just start from scratch. The only player I would keep is A-Rod and build around the guy.

And if not that, at least do everything you possibly can to acquire Johan Santana. You can never give up to many prospects for the best pitcher in the game.

Well Santana's win-loss record was nothing stellar this year but I would give up Kennedy, Damon and another prospect or 2.

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Originally Posted by RickD

Well Santana's win-loss record was nothing stellar this year

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Neither was the Twins. The Twins had a horrible offense. You give Johan Santana the Yankees offense, and he pitches exactly the same as he did this year, and he'll have a good record. Despite an increased home run rate, Johan Santana was still one of the best pitchers in the MLB, bad record or not.

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but I would give up Kennedy, Damon and another prospect or 2.

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They're not going to take Damon. You need to give up young guys.

Kennedy and 2 other young prospects coupled with Damon or Matsui would be fine with me.

Sure, with a Yankees fan. I'm sure giving up Matsui for Santana one-for-one is fine by you, but it's not a realistic option...at all. For Santana, you're going to have to give up at least 4 young players with a decent amount of potential. The Twins are looking to trade santana because they can't (well, Pohlad just doesn't wanna open up his pocketbook) sign him to an extension, why in the world would they trade him for expensive, aging players?

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Originally Posted by RickD

Kennedy and 2 other young prospects coupled with Damon or Matsui would be fine with me.

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This would never happen,just financially it makes no sense - as Houston GM rightly said it will be for CHEAP & YOUNG players ie Melky + 2/3 prospects in the Hughes/Kennedy mold....

:p I'm a Melky fan ok. I don't want the Yanks to discard him. My ist loyalty is to the Yanks but I do like Melky!

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Originally Posted by RickD

Kennedy and 2 other young prospects coupled with Damon or Matsui would be fine with me.

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Heh. Yeah, the Twins might go for that... if this were BM and not the real world. :D

Well they wanted 3-4 prospects....give them 3 prospects or 4 who cares just not Melky!

What's so great about Melky? Austin Jackson looks better, and should be ready in 2009. Melky's an aboveaverage defensive player with a below average bat, and the potential to be a slightly above average bat...why would you not want to give that up for the best pitcher in the world, especially considering how bad the Yankees pitching has been in recent years?

I think he's attached to the homegrown players...it's been about 10 years since they had a callup who did decently that they didnt trade away...although...no, Robinson Cano is a callup who performed. but before that was Jeter and Rivera, and everyone else has been bought.

I get attached to players that come up, like Nixon in Boston...just trying to understand.

Yeah, *shrug* I guess I just can't relate to that because I don't have any connections to any teams or individual players.

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Originally Posted by Alloutwar

I think he's attached to the homegrown players...it's been about 10 years since they had a callup who did decently that they didnt trade away...although...no, Robinson Cano is a callup who performed. but before that was Jeter and Rivera, and everyone else has been bought.

I get attached to players that come up, like Nixon in Boston...just trying to understand.

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Wasn't Alfonso Soriano a home grown player? I don't think it has been 10 years since they called up somebody besides Cano.

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Wasn't Alfonso Soriano a home grown player?

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Yes, but he's not with the yankees anymore. He was referring to guys that are still on the yankees that were brought up through their system.

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Originally Posted by HoustonGM

Yeah, *shrug* I guess I just can't relate to that because I don't have any connections to any teams or individual players.

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Well see that is it in a nutshell. You have no connections to any teams or individuals. I have been a Yankee fan since 1977. 30 years! Now in all that time they've had some great and not-so-great teams. 1 thing they've done too often in the Steinbrenner years is trade away talent and get high priced players. This doesn't always work.....hello Pavano! I like the guys who develop in the system and have only played for 1 team. Right now my favorite Yanks are Jeter, Rivera, Wang, Cano and Cabrera. I like Pettite as well.

I tend to not follow a player when they leave the Yanks as I love the Yanks 1st and the individual players next.

Woohoo! So I was right. See, as an outsider, I don't see any particular value to Melky; he's beena good 4th outfielder for them, but I don't see him as an Ellsbury...maybe more like a Coco Crisp. So if it came time to deal him potentially, I have no problem with it.

But if it were Lester, I would have taken issue, because I am emotionally invested in him and hope to see him get as good as Santana. So you're coming from a fan perspective, and I get that. HGM, although he always has a balanced and objective viewpoint, sees things more as numbers only, without any fan bias. So that's where the schizm lies.

As for my missing Soriano as a homegrown Yankee, fans didn't really see him come up and down the same way; he wasn't drafted from HS or college, he was signed out of Japan as a free agent. So...although NYY were his first ML team, he had some professional playing time under his belt before he ever got there...close, I guess, but not quite the same I guess.

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Originally Posted by RickD

1 thing they've done too often in the Steinbrenner years is trade away talent and get high priced players. This doesn't always work.....hello Pavano!

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It doesn't work when done stupidly, like with the Pavano and Wright signings. While foreseeing the immense amount of injuries that Pavano has had was impossible, it was quite obvious that he would not be worth the money. He had one good season - in the weaker league, in a pitcher's park - and the Yankees stupidly gave him an expensive contract.

When you get high-priced players, and do it smart, it works - Santana has a track record as the best pitcher in the American League. There's a fundamental difference between Santana and other guys that are given expensive contracts, undeservedly so. I understand your frustration with that, because the Yankees have doled out untold millions for worthless performances, but there are times where doling out the big bucks and sacrificing young talent is worth it - and Santana is one of those times.

Well I think alloutwar nailed it. I am a fan....I love my team...I like certain players and don't want to see that particular player go....I don't look at it logically! (That is not a criticism by the way) I am more an emotional fan. Anywho I don't have a problem with giving up prospects but not guys who have helped like Cabrera.