At 37 years old, the game's best and most dominant closer finally looked his age. True, his numbers weren't horrible, but they were trending in the wrong direction. His ERA was up over 1.10 for the first time in seven years, he blew four saves and picked up four losses while recording just 30 saves — his lowest full-season total as a closer (he recorded 28 saves in just 45 appearances in 2002, even while limited with groin and shoulder injuries).
And so that was it. His contract was up in New York, and the heir apparent, Joba Chamberlain, was nearly unhittable in his first few months in the bigs. There was speculation that Rivera would sign on with a new team in the offseason to finish his career with whatever team wanted a reliever who was all but washed up.
But no, that wasn't the case. Not at all. His 2008 and '09 numbers were as good as any of his career, as he converted 83 of 86 save opportunities, struck out 149 batters, walked just 18 and posted a combined 1.58 ERA and 0.781 WHIP over the two seasons. Quite clearly, Rivera was just as good and just as dominant as he ever was, and the ball was in his hands for the final five outs of the World Series.
Simply put: Rivera was the man.
But will he always be? He's now 40, and though the question has been raised for years now, you still have to wonder what he has left in the proverbial tank.
If it is indeed over for Rivera, the impact would have countless ripple effects throughout the team. In all likelihood, Chamberlain would have to assume closing duties, a task that he seems ill-equipped to handle after he's been bounced between the bullpen and rotation far too often over the past two seasons. If he weren't the man for the job, Phil Hughes — who was a monster as Rivera's bridge last season — would have to make the Chamberlain-esque jump out of the rotation and into the back end of the bullpen, leaving the team without an obvious No. 5 starter.
Obviously, the defending champions are putting a whole lot of stock into the arm of Rivera, and whether he can carry that weight could be the difference in the Yankees bringing home No. 28 or ending their season early.
As has been the case for each of the past four seasons, there are plenty of good reasons to believe that Rivera may have reached the end of the road, (age, slightly declining '09 numbers, etc.), but there are just as many reasons to believe otherwise (0.00 spring ERA, 0.56 postseason ERA in '09, presence of the ever-devastating cutter).
What it comes down to though is simply hope. For anyone that doesn't wear a Yankee uniform, you can hope that Rivera will finally break down, finally show some vulnerability and finally act his age. Yet despite all the hope in the world, reality says that Rivera will continue along as his dominant self until he feels like stopping. Based on all indications, that won't be any time soon.
