BE PROUD OF MARIANO & DON'T "REPLACE" HIM

A lot of posts today suggesting who should replace the great Mariano Rivera after he tells the world that he's going to retire after the 2013 season. I say this... he hasn't retired yet.  Sure, as Yankee brass, it would be important to have a plan, and I would suggest thinking about that now. For us, the fans, the writers, the columnists... we need to chill.

First off, Mariano Rivera will never be replaced.  That word and Mo almost don't work together.  Sure, Rafael Soriano was a nice temporary replacement when Mo went down last season, but even RaSo knew he could never replace the great Mariano. And so, he invented his own roll and the "Untuck" was born.

 The Star-Ledger's Steve Politi already has his column up today, Replacing Mariano Rivera will be a challenge like few others in sports history and it's peppered with phrases like "somebody has to replace Rivera". Ultimately, Politi believes that replacing Rivera would be impossible, writing "The pitcher who takes over as Yankees closer next season — be it David Robertson, the most likely candidate, or someone else in a trade or through free agency — will not be nearly as good." Politi is right to a certain extent.

Again though, we'll need a closer, not a replacement and in reference to his shot against DRob, I say this... when you hand the keys to a young stud like DRob, magic can sometimes happen. But that's another post for another time.

There are other headlines today, like:

First Pitch: Who replaces Mo? (ESPN)
5 Options for Replacing a Legend After 2013 (Bleacher Report)

But let's face it. Mariano Rivera hasn't even stepped up to the podium yet.  This is silly.  Let it soak in for crying out loud. Tomorrow, when we see Mo up there, let's listen to every word.  When the season happens, watch him, appreciate him.  And I'll go one step further... 

Why is it that no one wrote this story today....except for Ian O'Connor (HERE) who found this nugget;  

A quote from Jackie Robinson's widow Rachel, who simply said of Mariano Rivera, "He carried himself with dignity and grace, and that made carrying the number a tribute to Jack.... I've always been proud and pleased that Mariano was the one chosen to wear that number because I think he brought something special to it."

That's the story today!  It's not about replacing Mariano Rivera before he's even said a word... it's about being proud.  We Yankee fans know that... Ian O'Connor and Rachel Robinson know it.   Many don't seem to get it though.  No matter.... Mo's our guy and he'll always be our guy...a Yankee, a champion and someone that has made us very proud.  You can't beat that feeling.

Special note: We have a special tribute to Mariano Rivera this weekend on Bleeding Yankee Blue from our own Steve Skinner, look for it.  We'll also have a piece involving Ian O'Connor coming soon... you'll love it.

Enjoy your Friday.

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