To see Mariano Rivera's season and perhaps career jeopardized by an injury suffered while shagging batting practice flies is beyond cruel. Unfair, devastating, even tragic. They all fit.
In this image taken from video, New York Yankees' Mariano Rivera, left, lies on the field after twisting his right knee shagging fly balls during batting practice before a baseball game with the Kansas City Royals, Thursday, May 3, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. The Yankees closer was carted off the field and sent for further tests. Feel sorry for Mariano Rivera. He is one of the game's great people as well as the undisputed greatest closer of all time. To see his season and perhaps career jeopardized by an injury suffered while shagging batting practice flies is beyond cruel. Unfair, devastating, even tragic. They all fit.
According to preliminary exams, Rivera suffered a torn ACL, which would end his season. The Yankees closer had expected to announce his future sometime at midseason, with most expecting he'd announce his retirement at the end of the 2012 season.
Watching the video of the great Rivera crumbling to the warning track at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City Thurdsay evening turned my stomach. Rivera warrants and deserves our sympathy.
His team, however, doesn't. Well, not more than a little, anyway. The Yankees already have endured more than their share of pitching injuries. They have lost reliever Joba Chamberlain and starter Michael Pineda for who knows how long and they went into spring training knowing they wouldn't get an inning of return on the $8 million spent on lefty reliever Pedro Feliciano.
— Watch what happened to Rivera 
But the Yankees will be fine, and not only because of their deep pockets. No team is better equipped to replace its closer. David Robertson is not Rivera, of course, but the 27-year-old righthander actually has pitched better since the start of last year. The numbers, including playoffs:
Robertson: 79 2/3 innings, 0.90 ERA, 120 strikeouts, one homer allowed, .272 opponents' on-base percentage.
Rivera: 71 innings, 1.90 ERA, 69 strikeouts, three homers allowed, .243 opponents' OBP.
Yes, the ninth inning is different from the eighth and putting up dominant numbers for one-plus seasons isn't like dominating for 18 years. But Robertson's numbers say this: He has become one of the game's elite relievers and already was well on the track to succeed Rivera if he retires after the season, as he has hinted. Robertson even has learned how to implement Rivera's trademark pitch, the cutter, into his arsenal.
An All-Star last year, Robertson has pitched even better in 2012. In 11 innings, he has not allowed a run while striking out 18 and walking only three.
If he's not available, the Yankees can turn to $36 million setup man Rafael Soriano, who was the AL's top closer in 2010 with the Rays. They also have Cory Wade and lefty Boone Logan, both of whom sport sub-2.00 ERAs while making double-digit appearances. New York's bullpen, in fact, has been its No. 1 strength, with a 1.97 ERA in 82 1/3 innings; both numbers that rank second in the majors.
They also have been stockpiling relief depth, having signed former Mariners closer David Aardsma (Tommy John surgery) during spring training with the idea that he could help after the All-Star break. In a tweet, Aardsma said he hoped to be ready by July. The Yanks also have former Red Sox reliever Manny Delcarmen pitching well at Class AAA.
New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, left, lies on the field after twisting his right knee shagging fly balls during Thursday's batting practice. (AP Photo/YES Network)
"It's not what you want, but it's not season over. ... You have to find a way to overcome it," Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters after the Yankees' loss in Kansas City.
The Yankees have enough in relief that they should be able to avoid the bullpen woes of other clubs that have lost their closers. Two division rivals, the Rays and Red Sox, rank 29th and 30th in the majors with bullpen ERAs over 5.00 after injuries sidelined Andrew Bailey and Kyle Farnsworth, respectively, during spring training.
Rivera, 42, had been pitching as well as ever since he blew a save chance and lost to the Rays in the season opener. In his past eight outings covering eight innings, he had allowed only three hits without giving up a run.
Before each of those games, Rivera spent part of batting practice chasing flies like he has been doing since early in his career. He moved in the outfield with such a grace that could have mistaken him for a center fielder. His routine should not be faulted, either, because Rivera has not been on the disabled list since 2003.
As much depth as the Yankees might have, Girardi didn't mince words about losing his star closer.
"You lose a Hall of Famer. If that's what it is, thats as bad as it gets."
This story originally appeared on SportingNews.com
Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2012/05/mariano_rivera_deserved_a_bett.html
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