Twilight year for the greatest ever

By James Epstein

On a high-profile team filled with stars, Mariano Rivera has often faded into the background. Now in what's likely his final year, it's time to appreciate his accomplishments.

When you're at Yankee Stadium and those bullpen doors swing open, it’s a cathartic experience.

Metallica's "Enter Sandman” blasts through the speakers. The stadium air goes from ordinary to high octane. An electric buzz ripples through the stands. Everyone knows that Mariano Rivera is coming in to save another victory for the New York Yankees.

Yet after 17 years, that music might soon come to a stop, and those moments might finally become extinct, which means we must appreciate the little time we have left with the great Rivera.

New York Yankees fans have been spoiled to death by Rivera’s brilliance. He's racked up 603 saves and counting. His career ERA is a miniscule 2.21, to go along with a speck of a 1.00 WHIP. Come the playoffs, Rivera's statistics are even more astounding: an 8-1 record with a 0.70 ERA and 42 saves. With picture-perfect mechanics that culminate with a simple flick of the wrist, his cutter has decimated bats and opponents' hopes for well over a decade. And to think, Rivera was once a “project” outfielder in the Yankees' minor league system who just happened to have a natural cut in his throw. Go figure.

Beyond his physical and statistical stature, Rivera possesses a kind of aura about him. There is nothing like the sensation that Yankees fans get when the ball is in his hand. It's a mixture of security, faith and calming closure. In a sport where statistics are everything until a single random play renders them useless (see: Bill Buckner, 1986 World Series), Mariano Rivera is the closest we get to a sure thing. That's what makes Rivera so fun to watch, and it's doubtful that feeling will ever be duplicated. He made a baseball game an 8-inning (and in the case of some playoff games, seven-inning) affair.

However, as a Yankees fan, I find that we've rarely taken the time to appreciate the man wearing No. 42. When Rivera comes in and gets the save, it's to be expected. He's automatic, like starting a car and expecting the engine to rev.

Only during the rare blips does he draw our undivided attention. Then, it's always the same question: Is this the end for the great Mariano Rivera? Like he does everything else, Rivera answers that question like a true professional. He acknowledges and identifies his errors and then adapts, never pushing failure off onto his teammates, even in the face of unwarranted criticism. It's an attitude that reinforces his leadership, passion for his craft and intense desire to win.

The truth is now that Rivera might be entering his final year as the Yankees' closer, and it's our responsibility as baseball fans to truly appreciate his brilliance. We've spent years watching the best closer of all time, and he almost never got our full attention, and certainly never asked for it.

Rivera loves a particular restaurant in Rye, N.Y. He goes there several times each offseason, and when he arrives, everyone is in awe. It's hard not to feel the giddy energy in the room.

Rivera spends that time with his family, prays before his meal and eats with his wife and children. Then as soon the meal is done, he pays his bill, kisses his wife and children, and begins signing autographs and chatting with anyone who comes up to him. He stands patiently and greets everyone, with even the waiters and waitresses sometimes getting into the action. They say the true character of a man is not measured on the field, but by the respect he garners from those off of it. To watch the scene that unfolds in that Rye, N.Y., restaurant, there is no one more revered than Rivera.

So whether you're a Yankee fan or just a fan of great baseball, I ask that you take the time to watch Rivera finish off his legendary career. The fact is, nothing lasts forever, and before you know it –– just as quietly as the man is himself –– he will slip away from the game.

This looks to be his twilight year, and it's sure to be a special one. Find some time to appreciate Rivera as a player and a man. I promise you, the feeling is worth it.

James Epstein is a contributor for Began in '96.