YANKEE NOTES
With the first shovel going into the ground today on the site of the new Yankee Stadium, Mariano Rivera was emphatic about his desire to work there in 2009.
“I would love to pitch in the new Stadium,” Rivera said before last night’s game against the Orioles at the Stadium. “I could retire after that.” Since Rivera’s 2007 option for $10.5 million recently vested, he is a signed player for next season. That means he needs two more years in pinstripes to pitch in the new park.
“Maybe after the season, we will see what comes up,” Rivera said when asked if he had talked to the club about a contract that would take him through the 2009 season.
So, what is Rivera, 36, worth to the Yankees?
“Try three years for $75 million,” Mike Mussina, half-jokingly said of the Hall of Fame closer and the most irreplaceable person of the Joe Torre Era.
Considering B.J. Ryan is in the first leg of a fiveyear deal worth $47 million ($9.4 million average) in Toronto and Billy Wagner is in the opening act of a four-year $43 million ($10.75 million average) pact with the Mets, it’s not out of the question Rivera could command a three-year pact worth $36 million.
Rivera, who started last night’s action with 30 saves in 33 chances, has posted 30 or more saves in four straight seasons and nine of the last 10.
His 409 saves are fourth on the all-time list.
*
There is a strong chance the Yankees will juggle their pitching staff for the double-header Friday in Boston that starts a five-game series at Fenway Park.
“We could do a number of things,” GM Brian Cashman said.
Torre indicated the Yankees will likely make a move. And that could come after the first game Friday depending how much of the bullpen he uses in Chien-Ming Wang’s start.
Or if the Yankees needed Sidney Ponson to pitch relief before Friday – he is penciled in to start Game 2 – the Yankees could elevate a starter from Columbus.