Playing with Purpose Read online

  He suffered a setback in the beginning of August when he strained a hamstring and couldn’t pitch for ten days. It was one of many obstacles Mariano had to overcome during his days in the minor leagues.

  Unlike big league players, who get paid millions of dollars and travel to games on jets, minor league players struggle to get by financially and often have to take long bus trips.

  Mariano made between $500 and $800 a month in the minor leagues, definitely not enough to raise a growing family—especially when sickness or other emergencies came up. In the midst of all his adversities in 1994, Mariano made a life-changing decision: he prayed to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior.

  Mariano Rivera has known Joe Girardi, right, as his catcher, friend, and manager throughout most of his Yankee career. (AP Photo/John Dunn)

  “Every time I was going through a hard time, somebody was there to help,” Mariano says. “It’s not too often when you play in the minor leagues that a coach will tell you he will take care of your son while you stay with your wife at the hospital. My pitching coach did that. And one lady in Panama, who I didn’t know before, offered to stay with my wife while I was playing. Even though I had nobody here, I was never alone. That made me accept Jesus as my Savior. I knew it wasn’t a coincidence. It was the Lord putting someone there for me.”

  Mariano had determined years before that he didn’t want to be a fisherman, but now he was firmly committed to becoming—as Jesus put it in Matthew 4:19—a fisher of men.

  “I realized the Lord wanted a relationship with me,” he says. “That’s when I became a Christian.”

  Mariano’s decision to follow the Lord didn’t come overnight. It was thoughtful. He couldn’t ignore God’s obvious work in his life. As God’s Word says in Romans 1:19–20, “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived” (ESV).

  Time and time again, God showed up for him. Sometimes Mariano saw God work through the kindness of other people; other times it was God Himself working out different circumstances for him.

  But in 1995, God did something for Mariano he never could have imagined.

  Getting Saved

  God doesn’t only want a relationship with great baseball players; He wants a relationship with you. The Bible says Jesus died for everybody’s sins and wants all people to accept His saving love.

  Have you ever made a decision to follow Jesus Christ? Mariano Rivera was twenty-four years old when he prayed to invite Jesus into his life. It’s never too late to give your life to Christ. He loves you unconditionally and is always ready to forgive you.

  Maybe you’ve seen God’s love demonstrated to you in personal ways. Many centuries ago, Jesus died so your sins could be forgiven and you could live with Him forever in heaven. All you have to do is open your heart and accept His free gift of forgiveness.

  If you’d like to begin a personal relationship with Jesus, just pray something like this:

  Jesus, I’ve done some bad things. I believe You took the punishment for my sins on the cross so I could be forgiven. Thank You for dying for me and rising from the dead. I accept Your gift of salvation and ask You to be the Lord of my life. Help me to follow You. Amen.

  If you just prayed this prayer, tell your parents, a family member, or a pastor. Then get yourself a Bible so you can learn about God and grow closer to Him. Discovering more about God’s saving grace is a lifelong journey.

  8

  THE NEED FOR SPEED

  The 1995 season couldn’t have started out much better for Mariano Rivera … and the rest of Major League Baseball. That was a good thing, because 1994 was a year to forget.

  On August 12, 1994, the owners locked out the players and the players went on strike. The Players Association and Major League Baseball couldn’t agree to a new contract that would get teams back on the field. The strike lasted 232 days—the longest in baseball history—and led to the cancellation of the rest of the 1994 season, including the World Series. It was the first time since 1904 that baseball hadn’t crowned a champion.

  But on March 31, 1995, Judge Sonia Sotomayor—now a U.S. Supreme Court justice—issued an injunction stating that it was unfair of the owners to lock out the players. Two days later, the players went back to work. The 1995 season was shortened from the usual 162 games to 144 games—after an abbreviated spring training.

  The season began on April 24, but Mariano started the year back in Columbus. Less than a month later, several Yankees pitchers were injured, opening a door for the twenty-five-year-old starter. Clipper manager Bill Evers called Mariano and told him that he’d been called up to the big leagues. Mariano had just finished pitching a game in Rhode Island when Evers phoned him in his hotel room. At first, he didn’t believe his coach. But when he realized that it wasn’t a joke (it was nowhere near April Fool’s Day), he jumped up and down on his hotel bed and then called his family in Panama.

  Then it was just a short trip to New York City. Mariano made his debut with the Bronx Bombers against the California Angels. The Angels greeted Mo in a way that was anything but angelic. They roughed up the starter by notching eight hits and five runs before Mariano was taken out of the game in the fourth inning.

  It wasn’t an opening night disaster, but it didn’t help Mariano’s chances of staying in New York for long. Three additional starts for the Yankees didn’t go much better. He posted a 10.20 earned run average and was quickly sent back to Columbus.

  The Yankees still liked Mariano, but his 87-mph fastball didn’t wow big league hitters. His changeup was good, and his delivery fooled some batters. He had potential, but New York fans expect their team to win now. The Yankees needed help in the starting pitching rotation, so they contacted the Detroit Tigers about a possible trade for David Wells. (Wells compiled a 239–157 record in the majors before retiring in 2007.) Detroit wanted Mariano in return, and Yankees general manager Gene Michael thought about pulling the trigger on the deal.

  Mariano Rivera became a mainstay on the Yankees pitching staff in 1996, but he didn’t become New York’s closer until a season later. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

  Now That’s a Fastball

  Mariano Rivera’s mid-eighties fastball didn’t amaze anyone. These fastballs do:

  • Texas pitcher Nolan Ryan was known as the “Ryan Express.” One of his flame-throwing fastballs reached 108.1 mph, according to Doppler laser radar readings in 1974.

  • It’s not just modern-day pitchers who bring the heat. Hall of Famer Bob Feller threw a 107.6-mph fastball for the Cleveland Indians in 1946.

  • On April 18, 2011, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Aroldis Chapman threw a pitch that registered 106 mph on the radar gun at the Great American Ballpark. Another gun clocked it at 105. Either way, it’s one of the fastest pitches ever thrown during a major league game—and the fastest recorded with modern radar guns, which were introduced in the 1980s.

  • Detroit closer Joel Zumaya fired a 104.8-mph fastball in 2006. Hand, elbow, and shoulder injuries later plagued his major league career.

  • Mark Wohlers brought the heat for the Atlanta Braves in 1995. That’s when he threw a 103-mph fastball. He also earned 25 saves that year.

  • Many pitchers have thrown 102 mph, but not when they’re forty years old. That’s what Randy Johnson did in 2004 as a starter for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

  • Closers often reach back to hurl an occasional 102-mph fastball. Detroit Tigers starter Justin Verlander consistently brings 100-mph heat, including 102-mph fastballs.

  Then, on June 26, 1995, two weeks after Mariano was sent back to the minors, something amazing happened—his fastball got faster. A lot faster.

  Mariano pitched five no-hit innings against the Rochester Red Wings. Jorge Posada, the catcher for Columbus at the time, said batters didn’t have a chance as the radar gun consistently clocked Mo’s pitches at 95 miles per hour.

  Where did the a
dditional 10 miles per hour come from? Michael saw the report and didn’t believe it. The Yankee GM called Evers to ask if the speed gun was broken. When he found out Mariano was now throwing in the mid-90s, all trade talks ended. Mariano would stay a Yankee.

  But that still left the question about the source of the extra speed. Nobody could explain it. Since moving to the United States, Mariano had added twenty-five pounds of muscle by working out and eating right. It had been more than two and a half years since his elbow surgery. But why now? How did the burst of speed just materialize in two weeks?

  Mariano had an answer: it was a gift from God. And it was a gift that would keep on giving.

  The extra oomph on his fastball earned Mariano a return trip to New York. This time he fared much better. On July 4, 1995, he struck out 11 in eight shutout innings of work against the Chicago White Sox. He was with the Yankees to stay.

  New York finished the season with a 79–65 record. It was Major League Baseball’s first season of expanded (four teams per league) playoffs, so New York qualified for the postseason as the wild card.

  Mariano made the postseason roster as a middle reliever. The Yankees faced Seattle in the first round. At the time, the Mariners had an impressive lineup that included Ken Griffey Jr., Tino Martinez, Mike Blowers, and Edgar Martinez. Plus they had Randy Johnson on the mound.

  The Yankees surprised the American League West champions by beating them in the first two games of the best-of-five series. Mariano earned the victory in Game 2 by pitching three-plus innings of scoreless ball in extra innings. New York finally won the game 7–5 in the fifteenth inning. The Mariners came back to win the series three games to two, but Mariano pitched well each time he was given the opportunity. In Game 3, he recorded four outs without giving up a hit.

  Then he entered the deciding fifth game in the eighth inning with the game tied and the bases loaded. The hard-hitting Blowers stood at the plate. Even with limited big league experience, Mariano looked calm. He struck out Blowers on three pitches. He got an additional out in the ninth inning before being taken out of the game. The Yankees went on to lose in eleven innings.

  In all, Mariano faced 16 batters in the postseason and had a 0.00 earned run average.

  “I know what people were probably thinking then,” Mariano says. “Who is this guy?”

  Nobody knew who he was at the time. But his performance in the playoffs provided a glimpse of who Mariano would become in the future.

  9

  ENTER THE SANDMAN

  First you hear the guitar. A cymbal keeps the beat. Soon, hard-driving drums kick in. Then more guitars join the fray and jam this heavy metal tune into full force.

  As soon as the first strains of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” ooze out of the Yankee Stadium sound system, the song gets overwhelmed by cheering fans. The heavy metal anthem and New York closer Mariano Rivera are linked. Some people even nicknamed Mariano “The Sandman,” because once he enters the game, it’s lights out for the other team.

  Although the Yankees didn’t use “Enter Sandman” as Mariano’s entrance music until 1999, he pitched a lights-out season in New York in 1996.

  By this time, the Yankees were loaded with young talent, including Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, and Bernie Williams.

  The Yankees have had plenty of reasons to celebrate since Mariano Rivera (at far right, No. 42) joined Major League Baseball’s winningest team. The normally reserved pitcher never misses an opportunity to celebrate with his teammates. (AP Photo/Dick Druckman)

  Welcome to the Music

  Before “Enter Sandman” became Mariano Rivera’s official entrance music, the Yankees tried two Guns N’ Roses songs. But the fans didn’t react to “Paradise City” or “Welcome to the Jungle.”

  Then Mike Luzzi, a freelance member of the scoreboard crew, brought in a personal copy of one of his favorite Metallica CDs. The fans went crazy when they played the first track from that disc as Mariano entered the game.

  Four years passed before Mariano knew the lyrics to “Enter Sandman.” He doesn’t dislike the song; it’s just not his preferred musical style.

  “I didn’t pick that song,” Mariano says. “I didn’t know Metallica or ‘Enter Sandman.’ They chose it, and we stick with it …. I listen to Christian music.”

  Mariano doesn’t have a favorite Christian song. And he’s okay with “Enter Sandman” being played when he enters a game because the fans enjoy it so much.

  Once Mariano retires, so will the song—at least as far as entrance music at Yankee Stadium is concerned. According to Michael Bonner, the Yankees’ senior director of scoreboard and broadcasting: “After Mo is done, we won’t use that for anyone else. It’s meant for the greatest of all time.”

  Joe Torre had taken over as manager. With enough starting pitching on the roster, Torre knew he wanted to use Mariano as a reliever … he just didn’t know the exact role Mariano would play.

  The Yankees soon figured out that Mariano was the perfect setup man for closer John Wetteland. With Mariano and Wetteland coming out of the bullpen that year, the Yankees notched an amazing 79–1 record in games in which they held a lead after seven innings.

  New York recorded a 92–70 regular season record—tops in the American League East. It was the Yankees’ first division title since 1981, a fifteen-year drought. And Mariano and Wetteland had a lot to do with the success. Basically, if the Bronx Bombers held a lead in the seventh inning, they were going to win. Mariano would pitch an inning or two then give the ball to Wetteland.

  For the season, Mariano struck out 130 batters in 107.2 innings of work. Wetteland pitched just 63.2 innings to amass 43 saves.

  Speaking of saves, on May 17, 1996, Mariano earned his first after inducing a game-ending double play against the California Angels. After the save, he smiled, laughed, and high-fived teammates.

  The Yankees would do plenty more high-fiving that season.

  The Yankees had failed to win a World Series since 1978, but they rolled into the 1996 playoffs. They lost the first game of the American League Divisional Series against Texas but then roared back to win three straight and take the series. In the American League Championship Series, New York beat Baltimore four games to one. Mariano picked up the victory in Game 1, pitching two scoreless innings as the Yankees won 5–4 in eleven innings.

  In the World Series, the boys in pinstripes faced the defending champions from Atlanta. Early on, the Braves played like champs, winning the first two games of the series, both played at Yankee Stadium, by a combined score of 16–1. Then the Yankee bats came alive, and they won the next two games at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, 5–2 and 8–6.

  The pivotal game of the series pitted Andy Pettitte against John Smoltz in Game 5. Both pitchers were nearly unhittable. The Yankees managed a run in the fourth inning, and Pettitte and Wetteland made it stand up for a 1–0 victory.

  New York closed out the series at home with a 3–2 win in Game 6. Mariano pitched the seventh and eighth innings. Wetteland pitched the ninth inning and earned the save—his seventh of the 1996 postseason—and was voted the World Series Most Valuable Player.

  Even with Wetteland’s MVP award and Pettitte’s twenty-three victories on the year, everybody knew the season belonged to Mariano. He finished with an 8–3 record, posted five saves, and led the team with a stunningly low 2.09 earned run average.

  Sports writers began calling him “Super Mariano.” He finished third in balloting for the American League Cy Young Award, which goes to the best pitcher in each league. No setup man had ever finished that high. He was even twelfth in MVP balloting.

  But none of these individual accolades meant anything to Mariano. From the beginning of his career, team success outweighed personal recognition. He cherished every moment of being a World Series champion. He loved being with his teammates as they rode down Broadway in Manhattan for a ticker tape parade. Then he flew home to Panama, where he was greeted by hundreds of fans.

 
“When I think of 1996, I think of Mariano Rivera,” Yankee catcher and future manager Joe Girardi said.

  The Yankees certainly felt the same way. During the offseason, they let the high-priced Wetteland go to the Texas Rangers and moved Mariano to closer. Wetteland was making $4 million in 1996 and wanted more. Mariano earned just $131,000. The decision seemed like a no-brainer … except to Mariano.

  “To me, that was a crazy move,” Mariano says. “When I found out that they didn’t sign Wetteland, my first question was, ‘Well, okay, who is going to close?’”

  New York bumped up Mariano’s salary to $550,000 and put him in the most pressure-packed role in baseball. At first, it appeared as if the decision would be a bust, as Mariano blew four of his first six save opportunities in 1997.

  The slow start resulted in a meeting with Torre and Yankees pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre. Mariano felt terrible. He hated letting down the team.

  “The harder I tried, the tougher it got,” Mariano says. “It was like moving in quicksand. I kept sinking. Joe told me that ‘as long as you are here, you’ll be the closer.’ That’s exactly what I needed to hear.”

  Mariano rebounded to record 43 saves for the year as the Yankees finished with a 96–66 record and earned the American League wild card spot.

  Mariano’s first year in New York had ended with a ticker tape parade. Would every year be the same? He was about to find out.

  Mariano Rivera recorded the final out in the original Yankee Stadium in 2008. Then he took some time to collect a container full of dirt from the pitcher’s mound. (AP Photo/Ed Betz)

  10

  PARTY LIKE IT’S 1999

  The Yankees have never been satisfied just to make it to the playoffs. You won’t hear anybody in pinstripes saying, “I’m just happy to be here.” If they advance to the postseason, they expect to win it all. That was the case in 1997, when New York met Cleveland in the American League Divisional Series.