Exit the Sandman

++It was a sellout crowd at Yankee Stadium to say goodby to Mariano Rivera, the Sandman. It was supposed to recapture the Yankee aura from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Andy Petitte would pitch his last game and Rivera would come in an close. In older days, it would be Whitey Ford with Luis Arroyo closing. Unfortunately, despite Petitte pitching superbly, Robertson blew the hold and Rivera closed in his typical fashion.The Yankees lost 2-1. The core of the Yankees from those days is now down to Derek Jeter, who may or may not come back next year.

++All the New York papers gave the appropriate run-up to Rivera's farewell. Sports Illustrated put him on the cover. The Yankees retired his number while he still has games to play and his memorial plague was put in the Stadium next to legends like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. He will be the last major leaguer ever to wear the number 42 because of the decision by Major League Baseball to retire the number in honor of Jackie Robinson, whose widow was at the game.

++Mariano Rivera will retire this year as the only reliever to save over 40 games at the age of 40. He is now second in the American League and could even  win as reliever of the year with the games remaining.

++In five years, this son of a Panamanian fisherman will enter the Hall of Fame on the strength of a 19-year career built on only one pitch. He appeared in 1,114 games, double the next Yankee pitcher. He has saved 642 games, the most in major league history. He will be the major league's greatest reliever even after I die because no one is even close to making a run to top his record.

++He will also set another record when he enters the Hall of Fame. He will be the only player inducted in the Hall,who has a .000 batting average. He went 0 for 6 in his career, one walk and one R.B.I.

++For this blogger, it is a sad day. There are only a few pitchers I loved to watch. Rivera, Valenzuela,Koufax and Bob Gibson. I've seen the greats like Clemens, Catfish Hunter,Tom Seaver and Palmer but they don't compare to the beauty of those four.  Sandman, you will be missed.