by Stephen Jones
Yesterday, the Yankees lost their last sliver
Of summer sunlight by a score of 2-1.
Maybe too their bruised chance to play
As a wild card this October post-season.
In fan memory, it’s a far cry from ‘95 –
When the Core Four first arrived with
Posada, Pettite, Jeter, Rivera. Back then,
Yankee baseball seemed to last forever.
So it’s hard to draw fair comparison:
The present team limped but played hard all season.
Yesterday it came up short amid shadow
And waning sunlight, of the first day of autumn.
Mariano Rivera said it best after the game was over:
“How it finished wasn’t what I was looking for.”
Mariano had it right: wasn’t what I was looking for, either. Nevertheless, he had a GREAT career and he certainly added to the Yankees legacy of high-quality baseball and he is certainly admired and respected by all, even by players of rival teams. He will be missed and remembered. If anybody deserves to get into the Hall of Fame the first year of eligibility on a unanimous vote, it’s the Sandman.