OT: Rivera out for year with torn ACL

[SharoneWright]

Just saw an interview with him and that was tough to watch. He looked completely devastated.

Here it is: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7889155

[SharoneWright]

Robertson might be a better reliever than Rivera right now, anyway. Tough break for him, but this doesn't hurt the Yankees significantly.

That's why it hurts them, IMO. Robertson becomes the saves guy, and probably features in a few less high-leverage 7th/8th inning situations as a result. And filling that vacated role will be one of the less-proven trio of Boone Logan, Rafael Soriano or Cory Wade. Probably not a huge difference over the course of the season, but it doesn't help matters.

True that. The trickle-down/filter-down effect is what guts that bullpen.

[Randle McMurphy]

Robertson might be a better reliever than Rivera right now, anyway. Tough break for him, but this doesn't hurt the Yankees significantly.

That's why it hurts them, IMO. Robertson becomes the saves guy, and probably features in a few less high-leverage 7th/8th inning situations as a result. And filling that vacated role will be one of the less-proven trio of Boone Logan, Rafael Soriano or Cory Wade. Probably not a huge difference over the course of the season, but it doesn't help matters.

They'll still win their 90 without Mo, I'm sure. It's not quite like losing an everyday elite contributor like Cano or Granderson.

[LBJSeizedMyID]

For one of the most dominant closers to go out this way and not the way he want to go out is a damn shame.

[Graham's Cracker]

I love how the 1st comment in the mlb.com story is from a Baltimore fan offering Kevin Gregg for a can of pop

[LLJ]

The march to stay 3rd in the AL East continues.

(I'm increasingly convinced that both wildcards will come out of our division after all)

[Michael Bradley]

Yeah, much though it helps us, that blows. Would hate for his career to end that way.

My thoughts exactly. He will likely go down as the greatest reliever ever and deserves to go out better than this.

[Yosemite Dan]

This won't be career ending for several reasons. The media just likes a good headline and over dramatize things. They immediately report it may be a career ender so it makes a better story if he comes back in a couple of months.

1. He's 42, not 82 and it's baseball and Rivera pitches 60-80 innings a year. The guy is in better shape than many players 10 years younger in the league. There's a reason why a ton of pitchers last into their 40's and many of them wouldn't be considered physical specimens.

2. it's his right knee, not his left which would have been worse since that's the knee that RHP put all thier weight on and plant themselves. if you are going to tear your ACL then the right knee is the one to tear. It's not like he's a football or basketball player where a knee injury can affect a player's quickness and effectiveness to stop and start.

3. Rivera has one of the most easy deliveries in the game which is the main reason why he is still so effective at this age. When you watch him it looks like he's tossing the ball in the park with his kids. That's much less stress on those knees.

Not only is this not career ending I'm willing to bet he's back this season. If this is a small tear of the ACL then he could back training in 8 weeks and pitching for the Yanks by August. If it's a full tear then he will be gone for the year but will certainly be back next year. Tiger Woods had a full ACL tear (and a golf swing puts more stress on knees than pitching does and Tiger also has to walk courses almost every day) and was back playing golf within 8 months and went right back to winning tournaments.

[Strav]

Robertson might be a better reliever than Rivera right now, anyway. Tough break for him, but this doesn't hurt the Yankees significantly.

That's why it hurts them, IMO. Robertson becomes the saves guy, and probably features in a few less high-leverage 7th/8th inning situations as a result. And filling that vacated role will be one of the less-proven trio of Boone Logan, Rafael Soriano or Cory Wade. Probably not a huge difference over the course of the season, but it doesn't help matters.

They'll still win their 90 without Mo, I'm sure. It's not quite like losing an everyday elite contributor like Cano or Granderson.

One less dominant pitcher in the bullpen for them that you shouldn't shrug off as easily as you are. That hurts the Yanks.

[Al_Oliver]

Seriously, AA... if you want a year to go for it, its now. Get a 1B and another starter here and we can roll this division up like a bitch. We have four competent starters (for once), and a lineup just missing one more big bat. We haven't been since close since probably 2000.

It's barely a month into the season. While I agree that we need another bat (or just remove Lind permanently), who is he going to acquire right now? Any trade really only makes sense closer to the All Star break, because you will have a better handle for how things will play out this year.
Any deal needs to be for now and the future. There is no point trashing the team's plan because things appear on the up and up in the first week of May

[LBJSeizedMyID]

This won't be career ending for several reasons. The media just likes a good headline and over dramatize things. They immediately report it may be a career ender so it makes a better story if he comes back in a couple of months.

It has nothing to do with contemplating retirement in the offseason.

[Secueritae]

Get well soon Sandman,

It sad when Injuries like this happen late in the career of a great player of any sport,
Especially the fact that as much as they don't want to come to reality, but have to and admit that it might be the end (pending on immediate health and desire to rehab back to continue).

This reminds me of what happened to Dikembe Mutombo, a couple years back. One of the best big men ever and it looked like he could've finished the play-offs, but was forced to retire due to injury.

[Duffman100]

Seriously, AA... if you want a year to go for it, its now. Get a 1B and another starter here and we can roll this division up like a bitch. We have four competent starters (for once), and a lineup just missing one more big bat. We haven't been since close since probably 2000.

It's barely a month into the season. While I agree that we need another bat (or just remove Lind permanently), who is he going to acquire right now? Any trade really only makes sense closer to the All Star break, because you will have a better handle for how things will play out this year.
Any deal needs to be for now and the future. There is no point trashing the team's plan because things appear on the up and up in the first week of May

Sometimes waiting until the All-Star break can backfire. There's some credence to the idea of going out and setting the market value, instead of waiting and becoming a victim of it.

[Parataxis]

Seriously, AA... if you want a year to go for it, its now. Get a 1B and another starter here and we can roll this division up like a bitch. We have four competent starters (for once), and a lineup just missing one more big bat. We haven't been since close since probably 2000.

It's barely a month into the season. While I agree that we need another bat (or just remove Lind permanently), who is he going to acquire right now? Any trade really only makes sense closer to the All Star break, because you will have a better handle for how things will play out this year.
Any deal needs to be for now and the future. There is no point trashing the team's plan because things appear on the up and up in the first week of May

Sometimes waiting until the All-Star break can backfire. There's some credence to the idea of going out and setting the market value, instead of waiting and becoming a victim of it.

+1

As a general rule, the best time to make a trade is when a trade that will help your team is available to be made. I don't care if it's off-season, trade deadline, or first week of the season.

[Secueritae]

Seriously, AA... if you want a year to go for it, its now. Get a 1B and another starter here and we can roll this division up like a bitch. We have four competent starters (for once), and a lineup just missing one more big bat. We haven't been since close since probably 2000.

It's barely a month into the season. While I agree that we need another bat (or just remove Lind permanently), who is he going to acquire right now? Any trade really only makes sense closer to the All Star break, because you will have a better handle for how things will play out this year.
Any deal needs to be for now and the future. There is no point trashing the team's plan because things appear on the up and up in the first week of May

Sometimes waiting until the All-Star break can backfire. There's some credence to the idea of going out and setting the market value, instead of waiting and becoming a victim of it.

Hit the nail on the head, people are much cheaper now anyways while the demand is lower.

[Drake_02]

That would seriously suck if he retired after this year.

[RapsFanInVA]

And with that fateful flyball, the new active saves leader is....*drumroll*

Fransisco Cordero!

Ladies and Gentlemen, round of applause!

[Schad]

Hit the nail on the head, people are much cheaper now anyways while the demand is lower.

Supply is often lower at this time of the year, as well; teams generally don't want to put players on the market until they're pretty sure that the team is going nowhere.

The one exception might be the Twins, who happen to have a first baseman/DH of some note and may end up beyond reclamation by June 1st. Of course, it depends on whether we believe Morneau is a significant improvement.