When the music started, the game was over. “Enter Sandman’’ would blare over the Yankee Stadium speakers, the bullpen doors would open and No. 42 would begin his jog to the mound. Mariano Rivera would then take his place where he performed better than any reliever in baseball history.
Using just one pitch — his devastating cut fastball — Rivera became the finest closer of all time, saving a Major League Baseball record 652 games. But it was in the biggest games when Mo was at his best. In 96 postseason games, he recorded another 42 saves with a ridiculous 0.70 ERA.
The soft-spoken Panamanian won five World Series with the Yankees, recording the final out four times. He was the MVP of the 1999 World Series.
Along with Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte, Rivera was one of the famous Core Four that powered the latest Yankees dynasty.
“I had the best seat in the house to watch the greatest closer of all time,’’ said Jeter, the shortstop who is expected to join Rivera as a Hall of Famer in 2020.
“Hall of Fame teammate. Hall of Fame person. And now, officially, a Hall of Fame player.’’
More than that, Rivera became the first player ever unanimously voted into the Hall of Fame.
A perfect result for the perfect pitcher.