Some days you have to go to the ‘pen and go with the arm that feels it most — feels it as a fan and feels it as a writer.
When we talk about Rivera’s pitching motion, his mulish imperturbability, his athletic grace under pressure, we think of artists not ball players: Buster Keaton, Fred Astaire, Al Hirschfeld. His career was a reminder that athletic excellence is closer to art than science.
For more typically graceful thoughts from Alex Belth on the unfortunately interrupted and possibly completed career of master closer Mariano Rivera, I suggest a visit to Bronx Banter [1], the blog that transcends mere Yankeedom.
In the meantime, decency, karma and appreciation for baseball played at its highest level all gather to add best of luck to the last of the 42s.