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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC POOL D: SAN JUAN

March 7, 2009

Mariano Rivera

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO

(Questions and answers translated from Spanish.)

MODERATOR: We are proud to welcome you to this formal interview with big league player, Mariano Rivera. Mariano has committed to the team representing his country. At the opening ceremony he is going to be the opening flag holder for his team. He is going to start with some statements in English for the benefit of our TV people and then we will open it up for questions.
MARIANO RIVERA: First of all I would like to thank God first. It's a privilege for me to be here and an honor to represent my country of Panama. I wish I could pitch. It won't be possible. I definitely will be with the Panama team in the dugout today and hopefully we'll do a good job.

Q. Good afternoon, Mariano Rivera. How do you see the conditions of the Panama team and their participation in this World Classic? What are the points, strong and weak ones?
MARIANO RIVERA: The condition of the team is good. We have a lot of young guys. We have Carlos, Ruben, Zuleta. We have Chavez. We have Carlos Ruiz. So it's going to be very very impressive what we can do, especially starting today with the Puerto Rico team. I hope and I trust in God that we will do our job.

Q. You are dressing in the Panama Jersey. How do you feel wearing it and being with the team here so the people in Panama can hear you?
MARIANO RIVERA: To me it feels great. To me it is something special. It is an honor to me. Every time I go out on the field, I feel full of pride even wearing a Yankee Jersey. Now I'm wearing the Panama Jersey. I cannot pitch, but I'm still going to be with the team. It feels good. It feels sweet. To me it's an honor to represent Panama. So I do it very proudly.

Q. God bless you. Good afternoon. Do you have any instructions from the Yankees not to pitch? You are a very important player with the Yankees? Or was it your decision not to join Panama as a pitcher?
MARIANO RIVERA: It was not a decision of the Yankees nor mine. It was simply that I have had surgery, and that's why I cannot pitch. I am in recovery. That is what prevents me from pitching, but I would have loved to pitch.

Q. You said that you would love to be able to pitch. Alex your teammate on the Yankees certainly wanted to be able to be part of this tournament. Do you know how he's doing and are you shocked by the result today of the Dominicans losing to the Netherlands?
MARIANO RIVERA: I definitely don't know this second how he's doing. Yeah, he wanted to play. But injuries, that's our worst enemy for the athlete. He's been injured, and hopefully he can be with the team as soon as possible. Definitely I would have liked to pitch, but it's impossible.

Q. Good afternoon, Mariano. What did the surgery that you had on your shoulder consist of in the rehabilitation process?
MARIANO RIVERA: Well, the surgery consisted of at the end of my clavicle there was an accumulation of bone. I had to have surgery for that. Yes, arthroscopic. But the recovery has been good. The recovery has been five months ago I had surgery. And now I threw my first bullpen. I threw very well.

Q. In your case you've been a star figure in big league baseball for 12-13 years, a winner of many awards with the Yankees. Not only now being a pitcher who is going to prove how your arm is to be that stopper again that the Yankees need to preserve 40-45 games. Have you had a chance to or have you thought of adding any kind of pitching, or will your speed consistently be at 90-95 miles per hour?
MARIANO RIVERA: I think so. I'm a pitcher who thinks positively at all times. The surgery that was done was not a surgery that has risks at that level that I could lose speed or lose consistency. It was simply like a cleaning.
And so I know that once I'm completely strong, everything is going to be normal.

Q. When do you expect more or less to be active with the Yankees? And what do you think about Bernie Williams' comeback with the Puerto Rico selection? And have you seen him practice? And what do you think about him representing Puerto Rico now?
MARIANO RIVERA: Well, first of all with regards to Bernie, he was practicing with us in Tampa, and he looked fine. Very happy, sharing with him and seeing him play. And I expect him to do a good job. Not with our team, but I hope he does a good job. I expect it. I believe he deserves it. And maybe a major league team can hire him. I don't know.
I believe that in 10 days or a week I will be pitching in practice, and maybe in 10 days I am going to be in the games again, but I do hope to open the season with the team.

Q. You have been in the Bronx many times when the Yankees have won games, and I've seen your face. You have such an incredible excitement. How exciting is it for you to be here? We'd like to see you take it to the World Series, as I've seen you in the Bronx?
MARIANO RIVERA: Of course. I'll tell you something, being in practice with the teams in Carolina, I wanted to play. I wanted to be active. But when you compete and you like to compete, well that excitement and that adrenaline starts to come up. And that's when it moves you to do a lot of things.
And I would love to be 100 percent to be representing the Panama team and to be able not only to give my them my support, but my abilities. Not outside of the field but inside of the field.

Q. I would like you to talk about the expectations of the Yankees, the acquisitions that have been done. I believe there's a lot of pressure on the team to look good. I want you to talk about that.
MARIANO RIVERA: Well, it's been many years that we've led. The expectation is big. Winning the World Series is something that the Yankees always have when we reach the season.
The Yankees did something very valuable, which was to hire the best two pitchers in the market. And after they hired the two best pitchers in the market, they sought the best first baseman in the market. So that puts us in a very good position. It gives us strength in pitching. And in defense it gives us a lot of strength, too.
So I believe that the key to all of this with the two acquisitions of the opening pitchers will help us a lot to be able to reach the end.

Q. Puerto Rico and Dominican came in as the two favorites in the last, those were the two teams to beat. The Netherlands came and upset Dominican. Looking at the Panama roster in terms of names, it surpasses the Netherlands in names. May there be another surprise? And a second question, after your retirement are you going to be a pastor or missionary?
MARIANO RIVERA: The first question, if we look at it on the paper, definitely we don't have the class of players. One thing is on paper, and another thing is on the field. Once you reach the field, anything can happen.
I am very surprised and very happy with the guys, with the work they've done. I know Puerto Rico has a great team. We have a great team, too, and we're going to do our best. Once we get on the field, there will believe no small enemy. We are going to do our best, and the result, God willing, will be in our favor.
And, well, yes, I would like to, not as a pastor, but I will always bring the Lord's word, because that is what has supported me to today.

Q. You've gone to games. Have you talked with the guys? Have you given recommendations to the pitchers, how to work any of the Puerto Rican batters?
MARIANO RIVERA: Yes. Exactly. I was talking with Lennie Picota, who is the pitching coach for the Panamanian team, and of course I'm going to give them my knowledge to the guys, and all they have to do is do what they know how to do. They did not come here to do what I tell them, but rather to do what they know how to do. And I believe they have what it takes to do so.

Q. You're one of the lucky pitchers to be able to play in the World Series. Not all pitchers have that achievement. Explain to me mentally how you've been able to deal with those two great roles and how you've been able to do so?
MARIANO RIVERA: Well, it's something that I believe you're born with that and gifted with that. That comes from God to be able to have the ability to perform. It's something that is impressive. I always thank God that he has given me the chance to be a part of the a team like the New York Yankees and to be able to do my job every time I get there.
I don't think about who's batting or what team we're playing against. What I have in my mind is to get the three outs as soon as possible and go home. This has worked so far. Thank you.

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