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At virtually the same time a teary Mariano Rivera addressed reporters in the visitors' clubhouse, the home team's Mike Moustakas also was being interviewed Thursday night in Kansas City. He was as giddy as Rivera was distraught, and both emotions were exactly what you would expect.
The 42-year-old closer was facing the possibility that his Hall of Fame career is over. Moustakas, a promising slugger in his second season, had just played a brilliant game to lead the Royals to their first home victory of the season. Disappointment and delight, separated by clubhouses.
My point: As unfortunate as Rivera's season-ending knee injury is, the season will go on. It will just go on differently. Three changes to consider:
1. The Yankees are nearing a new era
They still boast the game's deepest pockets, they still field a lineup of All-Stars and they remain the game's most adored and despised team. But the Yankees as we have known them since 1996 are no more.
Time has reduced the Core Four to Derek Jeter, at least for the time being. Even though he took a .404 batting average into the weekend, time will catch up to the soon-to-be 38-year-old, too. After all, you have to wonder if Rivera would have suffered as serious an injury if he had slipped in the outfield when he was 32 instead of 42.
Jeter remains the face of the franchise, but the Yankees belong now to Robinson Cano and CC Sabathia and Curtis Granderson and, yes, even David Robertson. They are the ones who largely will determine the success of the season. They could become the next Core Four. The 27-year-old Robertson, by the way, is the same age as Rivera when he took over as the team's full-time closer.
2. The AL playoff race, especially in the East, just opened up
With Rivera, the Yankees were a lock to win one of three playoff spots available to them. That is, the A.L. East title or one of the two wild cards. Without him, who knows?
What figured to be a three-team race among the Rays, Yankees and Red Sox is looking more like a five-team tossup. That is, if you believe the Orioles can continue to pitch like they did in holding the Yankees to one run over two games earlier this week.
http://dy.snimg.com/story-image/4/43/2742912/92541-330-0.jpgMariano Rivera, the legendary Yankees closer, sustained a season-ending injury to his right ACL while shagging fly balls in the outfield before Thursday's game against the Royals. (AP Photo)
The Blue Jays are most poised to take advantage of the Yankees' loss and challenge the big three. Jose Bautista's batting average has fallen below .200, but Brett Lawrie, a three-years-older version of Bryce Harper, and Edwin Encarnacion have picked up the offensive slack. Right-hander Brandon Morrow, meanwhile, has gained the command to go with a power repertoire that makes him as dangerous as any starter in the division.
The Rangers have established themselves as the class of the West and the Tigers, despite their scuffles of late, remain the favorites in the Central. But the weakening of the Yankees coupled with the additional wild card opens the race to upstarts such as the Indians and White Sox. And as sure as Albert Pujols will hit a home run someday, the Angels will join the race, too.
Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2012-05-04/mariano-rivera-injury-acl-yankees-new-york-era-ends-fallout#ixzz1tw9AmhMZ
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