Mariano
As the 2025 baseball season began last week, my thoughts went back to one of my favorite baseball stars: Mariano Rivera.
First a short bio from WiKiPedia:
Raised in the modest Panamanian fishing village of Puerto Caimito, Rivera was an amateur player until he was signed by the Yankees organization in 1990. He debuted in the major leagues in 1995 as a starting pitcher, before permanently converting to a relief pitcher late that year. After a breakthrough season in 1996 as a setup man, he became the Yankees’ closer in 1997. In the following seasons, he established himself as one of baseball’s top relievers, leading the major leagues in saves in 1999, 2001, and 2004. Rivera primarily threw a sharp-moving, mid-90s mile-per-hour cut fastball that frequently broke hitters’ bats and earned a reputation as one of the league’s toughest pitches to hit. With his presence at the end of games, signaled by his foreboding entrance song “Enter Sandman“, Rivera was a key contributor to the Yankees’ dynasty in the late 1990s and early 2000s that won four championships in five years. He was an accomplished postseason performer, winning the 1999 World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award and the 2003 AL Championship Series MVP Award, while setting postseason records that included lowest earned run average (ERA) (0.70) and most saves (42).
While all of the above is, obviously, awesome, it’s NOT the reason I think of him so fondly. The reason is WHO he is. This is best illustrated by quoting him.
On losing in baseball:
“I learned early in my life that sometimes I’m going to lose. I don’t like it, but I accept it, meaning that I understand it’s going to happen. But I don’t see it like defeat; I see it like a learning process.”
On modesty:
“I never feel like I have done anything. When people say that, it makes me uncomfortable because I’m not that kind of person. I just go out there and try to do my job.”
On heroism:
After visiting with injured disabled veterans at Walter Reed hospital, he said: “Fans think of baseball players as heroes. We’re not. We chase a little ball around a big field. THESE veterans; they are the REAL HEROES!”
On “blowing” a crucial game:
In one of the rarest events of Mariano’s career, in the ninth inning of game 7 of the 2001 World Series with the the New York Yankees versus the Arizona Diamondbacks, Mariano “blew” the save, losing to the Arizona. After such a crushing loss, he said simply: “I tried my best, but tonight my best wasn’t good enough.”
On confidence:
During one of his uncharacteristic early season slumps, Mariano became, amazingly, the brunt of geers and jokes from batters. How did he respond?… “They can have their fun… but deep down, I know they FEAR me.” And, as Mariano’s slump was soon to end, indeed they soon did.
On respect:
“I don’t wait for people to give me respect. I always give them respect.”
On God:
“I have nothing to ask for, thanks to God. Everything I have, God has given me.”
Amen.