ESPN

This past week, ESPN New York celebrated the career of Yankees closer Mariano Rivera with an oral history of baseball's all-time saves leader through the words of his teammates and opponents, as told to ESPN New York's Mike Mazzeo, Matt Ehalt and Andrew Marchand, and ESPN The Magazine's Louise Cornetta.

*** We've heard stories about Mo the prankster, Mo the teammate, Mo's cutter and Mo the archrival. Today, in the final installment of our series, we asked his current and former teammates to share their favorite on-field Mo-ment.

“

[He's] the reason why I have four World Series rings on my finger.

”-- Tino Martinez

Derek Jeter (Rivera's teammate for more than two decades): “My favorite Mariano Rivera moment is every time he’s on the mound and we won [a World Series]. So I’ve got five of them.”

Andy Pettitte (Rivera's teammate from 1995-2003, 2007-10 and 2012-13): “Obviously, just the [2003 American League Championship] series against Boston here when we were able to win [in Game 7], and he’s out on the mound laying down there [after Aaron Boone’s walk-off homer] and everybody went out to him -- that was pretty cool. I mean there have been so many great times. I know it was a special year when he took over the closer’s role from John [Wetteland], so that was cool. I know it was cool for us to win our first World Series [in 1996] and him being such a huge part of it, and then the one here at the [new] Stadium [in 2009] was huge. The first one in our new ballpark, and Mo had a huge postseason. He was always out there in the big moments closing the big games.”

Tino Martinez (Rivera's teammate from 1996-2001 and 2005): "[He's] the reason why I have four World Series rings on my finger."

Joe Girardi (Rivera's manager since 2008 and teammate from 1996-99): “I just remember during the 1999 World Series, it was almost like, I think he might’ve broke three of [Ryan] Klesko’s bats in one at-bat [in Game 4], and you’re going, ‘Oh my gosh.’ And then when we faced the Padres in the 1998 World Series, Ken Caminiti actually took a swing at a ball and fell down trying to get to it, and you could really see just how dominant he really was.”

Robinson Cano (Rivera's teammate since 2005): “You know what, I would say when he recorded save No. 602 [to set the all-time MLB record, on Sept. 19, 2011]. He saved the game and then went back again on the mound. That was one of the many good memories I have of Mo. That was a great experience to be in the same clubhouse as him, and then be on the field with him. The crowd went crazy. I mean, that was unbelievable. You’re a part of one of the most exciting moments in baseball because he’s the greatest of all time.”

Brett Gardner (Rivera's teammate since 2008): “The biggest moment was being able to stand out in center field behind him in the 2009 World Series. When you’re a little kid, you grow up dreaming of playing in the big leagues, and I don’t know if I can ever say I grew up dreaming of being in the World Series in Yankee Stadium in center field with Mariano Rivera on the mound, so it doesn’t get any better than that. It’s something you never forget. It’s almost surreal. Growing up a little kid in South Carolina, I never really dreamed I’d be able to be a part of that, so it’s really nice to be able to call him a teammate."

Phil Hughes (Rivera's teammate since 2007): “I guess since I’ve been here, it was 2009 -- more specifically, the last out of Game 6 [of the World Series] against the Phillies would be my favorite memory just on a selfish note. I remember he was unbelievable. I was scuffling in the playoffs. We didn’t really have an eighth-inning guy at that point or a seventh-inning guy, really, so he threw the seventh, eighth and ninth in a few games of that series and the ALCS. I guess when you have a lead in the later innings, there’s not really a guy you’d rather have out there than Mo throwing two to three innings at a time, so, obviously, that was a special year, a special moment, and I think everybody in this room is grateful that he was around during that time."

Mike Harkey (Yankees bullpen coach): “The best moment was when he got the last out for the World Series in 2009. He really never gets too high and never gets too low. So, I mean, that being said, the World Series games are always going to be the most memorable because that’s where you’re going to see him the most jubilant. And that’s because it’s all over and he has time to celebrate and take it all in. Any other time has just been another day at work, which sets him apart from a lot of the closers out there; there’s not much emotion out there, there’s not much fanfare, it’s just him doing his job.”

Hughes: "You see all those videos of the great teams in the early 2000s and his reaction to his first, second and third World Series, and seeing his reaction in ’09 was no different, even though it was old hat for him at that point. His emotion and joy, things don’t change, it never gets old. It was pretty unbelievable.”

Paul O'Neill (Rivera's teammate from 1995-2001): "A lot of times, people misrepresent what intensity is. He's one of the most intense competitors you'll ever see, but he did not show up people. He just did it in such a mild-mannered way that it looked easy. And believe me, those last five, six outs in a World Series game are anything but easy."

*** We've also gathered some favorite moments from his opponents, which you've seen in previous Testi-Mo-nials posts. But here are a few more, from some of the most iconic moments in baseball history.

Luis Gonzalez (former Diamondbacks outfielder, who had the game-winning hit off Rivera in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series): "It wasn’t fun [facing Rivera in that at-bat], I’ll tell you that. Someone who was a doing a story on me was telling me that in my career and in the World Series, I might have been like 0-for-5 against him. I picked the right moment to get that hit. He dominated me his whole career the five times that I saw him and that was the only time he didn’t. They say in baseball, it all evens out. Not with him, I don’t think so. This guy is just unbelievable and an incredible athlete with what he was able to accomplish."

A.J. Pierzynski (Texas Rangers catcher, on catching Rivera in the 2002 All-Star Game): “I was nervous when he came in, because it was a tie game. I was like, 'Man, I don’t want to mess this up here.' He came in and faced lefties, and it was guys who had never faced him before. They just didn’t know what to do. They see this guy on TV and you don’t realize what the ball does. I asked him since he only throws the cutter, what do I do? He’s like, 'Put down one and just indicate one side of the plate or the other and I’ll just throw it.' I was like, 'OK.' He did, and he got them all out.”

Gonzalez: "I was just hoping to get the ball out of the infield with the bases loaded. It was just a strange inning all in all with him making a bad throw to second. He hit Craig Counsell right after that. Just things that don’t normally happen had happened in that inning. Then for me to come up to the plate and be in that situation against a guy like that. Joe Torre brings the infield in for the simple fact that if I got jammed, I could have been able to beat out an infield hit. Being a left-handed hitter, he breaks a lot of bats. So he didn’t want that lazy little looper to get there. Fortunately for me, I was able to get it just far enough over the infield.”

“

If you look back in the past, things like that have harmed and turned players' careers around. For him, that was just a small glitch in the road. This guy is still dominant.

”-- Luis Gonzalez, on his series-winning hit off Rivera in the 2001 Fall Classic.

Kevin Millar (MLB Network analyst and former Red Sox, on his infamous walk in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS): “You know, I went up there, and people ask me all the time, 'What were you thinking at that point?' As I said, I never minded facing Mariano. So I was looking for him to hopefully make a mistake middle-in. I was just going to try and hit a homer. That was the only thing on my mind was trying to hit a homer because we were down one run. So it wasn’t like I was trying to get on base and work a walk. He doesn’t walk anybody. If anything, he might hit you trying to throw a cutter in that just stayed in. I was trying to get a pitch to pull and hit a home run. Basically, the only swing I had was that 1-0 pitch that I fouled off down the left-field line. From that point on, it was ball two, ball three, ball four. The rest was him throwing balls, but that was my mindset.

Shane Victorino (Red Sox outfielder, who played for the Phillies in 2009): “I made the last out in the World Series against him in 2009. I remember him coming out. We knew what was on the line. To get the opportunity to face the best closer of all time in the biggest moment in the World Series, even though we ended up losing, to be able to remember and rekindle those kind of moments is special to think about getting that opportunity. Like I said, to face him in the biggest game and what you play for every year, even though we came up on the losing side, I’ll never forget that opportunity.

“I knew it was going to be a tough at-bat. We all know what he throws. You know you’re going to get the cutter, that you’re going to get that pitch. I remember it was a good at-bat. I went 10-plus pitches. Unfortunately, I grounded out to second to end it. I’m on the way to first base knowing what was on the line and watching them [celebrate]. I left it all on the field. Those kind of moments will be something I can think back on, how I got that opportunity to face him in a World Series."

Gonzalez: “Now that it’s 12years later, I still marvel at the fact that we were able to come back and beat them in the ninth inning. It was just an incredible World Series. To do it against a guy like that, I’ll tell you. ... If you look back in the past, things like that have harmed and turned players' careers around. For him, that was just a small glitch in the road. This guy is still dominant. He was very professional about it. I think that’s why most players respect him and honor him for everything he has been able to accomplish on the field. Just for his professionalism. ... When the game is over, when he wins, I’m sure he gets excited, but his demeanor and his calmness, [the] ice in his veins, it just looks like another day in the office for him. He just comes to work and is like, 'Let me carve up another couple players and get the save.'”

Click here to read the previous entries in our five-part series.

All this week, ESPN New York is celebrating the career of Yankees closer Mariano Rivera with an oral history of baseball's all-time saves leader through the words of his teammates and opponents, as told to ESPN New York's Mike Mazzeo, Matt Ehalt and Andrew Marchand, and ESPN The Magazine's Louise Cornetta.

*** Rivera vs. the Red Sox. They've faced off in the heat of battle, in baseball's greatest rivalry, on Opening Days and Game 7s. So what words do Boston players use to describe their nemesis? If you don't know Mo, you might be surprised.

“

I love Mariano.

”-- Pedro Martinez

Pedro Martinez (Red Sox ace from 1998-2004): "I love Mariano. If I have to actually get in a line and wait for an hour to get Mariano’s autograph, which I thank God I don’t have to do, but if I had to, he would be the guy I would do it for."

David Ortiz (Red Sox DH): “He’s special. [He brings out the fan in everyone.] I was sitting right next to him during the All-Star Game and I pulled out my iPad and I was like, 'This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, let’s take a whole bunch of photos.' I did take lots of photos with him. I didn’t ask for his autograph at [the] All-Star [Game] as I was giving him his space, but I will."

Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox second baseman): “He’s first class. He’s the best. The way he treats everybody. He respects everybody. He’s a very very kind person. I think everybody around baseball looks up to him. We got a chance to see him a lot live. He’s pretty well liked in here even though he’s the closer for our biggest rival. He’s a pretty special guy."

Ortiz: "Actually, I do have an autographed jersey of his framed in my house in my basement. I got it a couple of years ago and asked him myself for it. But I got to get a new one now!"

Martinez (on 2005, when he signed with the Yankees' crosstown-rival Mets): "Believe it or not, Mariano took me in his truck and drove me around New York to go house shopping. He’s the one who introduced me to the area where he lived and that’s where I bought my house. Not everyone has the luxury to have Mariano as your driver and take you around and then take you to his house to share time with his family. Me and Mariano share the same agent, that made it easier. But at the same time, it’s a mutual respect that we have for each other and love."

“

Mariano ... What can I tell you? He’s the type of guy that basically says, 'What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.'

”-- David Ortiz

Ortiz: "When you talk to Mariano, it doesn’t even feel like you are talking to a guy that is going to the Hall of Fame first ballot. He’s like so humble and so respectful and funny. He says things that sound funny, things you aren’t expecting him to say. He never would look at anyone over his shoulder [meaning look down on anyone]. He’s special."

Dave Roberts (Red Sox outfielder in 2004; his famed steal helped spur Boston's ALCS comeback against Rivera and the Yankees that year): "He’s a freak. He’s a freak of nature mentally and physically. He just set the bar for everyone who put on a baseball uniform. Obviously his role is very defined as a closer, but when you think of Mariano, he’s a baseball player. He’s done things the right way and, like I said, he set the bar for all of us that have put on a uniform."

Bronson Arroyo (Reds starter and Red Sox pitcher from 2003-05): "You always see guys who want to have a bunch of facial hair and they want to look mean and have people think that they’re a little off or a little crazy and they don’t have command of their hundred-mile-an-hour fastball, they try to use that intimidation to beat guys. The thing about Mariano is he didn’t have to use any of those weapons. He didn’t have to use any intimidation at all. He didn’t have to use a brash attitude on the mound. He went out there cool, calm and collected for all these years and dominated at that position without having to use that as an edge at all.”

*** But the moment that made the biggest difference in winning Beantown ballplayers over? Several Red Sox pointed to Opening Day, 2005, when Rivera returned to Fenway after Babe Ruth's Curse was broken the previous October.

Kevin Millar (MLB Network Analyst and Red Sox first baseman/outfielder from 2003-05): "When he tipped his hat in Fenway in '05, I think he even got the hearts of Sox Nation. I just remember our whole rivalry. We were waiting for the Yankees to come to town for our ring ceremony. As soon as Mariano Rivera was announced as we all lined up, he steps off the chalk line and tips his hat and takes his hat off for the fans. I thought it was one of the funniest scenes that you’re going to see. Because here the Red Sox fans are trying to give him a standing ovation for blowing the save in '04 and next thing you know, here he is with a big smile, tipping his cap to ... fans that hate Mariano and the Yankees. It was a really funny moment, a great moment, and once again a classy moment from Mariano."

Arroyo: “I thought that was one of the funniest, classiest things I’ve ever seen in the game. ... We’re doing introductions because it’s Opening Day at Fenway. We’re getting our World Series rings. I do remember them introducing the Yankees and everybody being booed as they always were. When he got introduced they started cheering so loud. It took me a second to even figure out why they were doing it, and then for him to smile and tip his cap was Grade A. I think I’ve always viewed him in the same class as a Derek Jeter. He just played the game the right way and said the right things. He always showed body language and an attitude that is very highly thought of in this game.”

Kevin Youkilis (new Yankee in 2013 and Red Sox infielder from 2004-12): "He took it with a grain of salt. That just shows; some guys would get pissed, but he took it with a grain of salt and did well with it. That just speaks volumes about who he is. I think I was surprised the way he handled it. He did a great job with it. It’s never an easy situation, but I guess when you have four rings before that, you can deal with it a little bit better. I think the Red Sox fans have a lot of respect for him. That’s one of the coolest things about Mariano, he has respect all over the place.”

Ortiz: “Mariano ... What can I tell you? He’s the type of guy that basically says, 'What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.' He didn’t hide from that, and he wanted to show you the following year he’s stronger and boom he had a 1.60 ERA [actually 1.38].

"He’s a guy [who] is going to be irreplaceable.”

Check back tomorrow for Part 5 of our five-part series: Mariano Rivera, the mo-ments.

All this week, ESPN New York is celebrating the career of Yankees closer Mariano Rivera with an oral history of baseball's all-time saves leader through the words of his teammates and opponents, as told to ESPN New York's Mike Mazzeo, Matt Ehalt and Andrew Marchand, and ESPN The Magazine's Louise Cornetta.

*** Rivera's cutter? Opposing players use words like "mind-boggling" to describe his dominance with his signature pitch.

Dustin Pedroia (Boston Red Sox second baseman): “One pitch. It’s unbelievable.”

“

As a visitor you come in here, and when I was playing against him, he was like the Devil. Like a guy that just would get you. He’d have a nice smile and a soft face, but he was just that Devil when I was playing against him. But then when I came here, he became God because he’s on our side.

”-- Ichiro Suzuki

David Ortiz (Red Sox DH): "The one second that you're not looking at it, it's in your hand. And he's the only one, the only one that I have ever faced [like that]. Everybody right now in the league [tries] to throw cutters, pretty much every pitcher [has] a cutter right now, but not like Mariano. Not even close."

Pedroia: “He puts it in the right spot every time. He never makes mistakes. He’s the best ever at throwing that pitch that no one can figure out how to hit [it]. That’s what makes him so tough for so long, you know what you’re going and you still can’t hit it, that’s pretty frustrating.”

A.J. Pierzynski (Texas Rangers catcher): “As a left-handed hitter, it’s so hard to explain to people what his ball does, how it moves, and how late it moves. Sometimes you think it’s an optical illusion because of the way it moves. You just can’t have your brain tell you to hit the pitch the way you’re supposed to hit it in order to get a hit. Your body and brain reacts because you see it out of his hand. When you see it, it just doesn’t do what you think it’s going to do. You know what it’s going to do, but you just can’t force your body and your hands to go the right path. I mean, it’s a fight every time.”

Bronson Arroyo (Cincinnati Reds pitcher): "It just doesn’t make any sense. I don’t know what’s so great about it. To watch it on TV, it doesn’t look any better than half the other guys in the league throwing their cutter. Yet he continues to make it work and it’s not like he’s only done it when he throws 95 miles an hour. He’s still doing it at 91, 92 and he still gets guys out. It’s mind-boggling."

“

All my broken bats over the years.

”-- A.J. Pierzynski, on what comes to mind when he thinks about Mariano Rivera

Larry Rothschild (Rivera's pitching coach since 2011): "I think what gets lost in the simplicity of saying that [the cutter is his one pitch] is what he does with that cutter. He elevates it, he uses it to four quadrants on the plate. It's not just one pitch. It turns into four or five pitches really. He does throw two-seamers. It's an oversimplification saying he's done it just with cutter."

Pierzynski (on talking to Rivera about his cutter): "I thought he had some super-secret NASA grip or something that nobody had ever thought of, but it was just pretty standard. God gave him the ability to throw that pitch and he’s harnessed it and he’s become the greatest reliever of all time.”

*** And facing him? There are plenty of bad memories ...

Ichiro Suzuki (Rivera's teammate since 2012): “As a visitor you come in here, and when I was playing against him, he was like the Devil. Like a guy that just would get you. He’d have a nice smile and a soft face, but he was just that Devil when I was playing against him. But then when I came here, he became God because he’s on our side.”

David Huff (new to the Yankees in 2013): "I never realized how athletic he was until he was facing Luis Valbuena against us [Cleveland Indians] in 2010. Valbuena was up, hit a cutter in and broke his bat, and the barrel was spinning back at Mariano up the middle with the ball. He jumped over the barrel, landed, quickly dropped down and threw the ball to first. I was just like 'Wow.' He is a really good player. That's probably the one play I've seen that sticks out in person. Him winning the World Series and dominating with one pitch, it's unbelievable."

“

The end of this year, he's gonna retire, and we should give a standing O, because this is greatness you're gonna see leave this game.

”-- Torii Hunter

Mark Reynolds (new to the Yankees in 2013): “It was my rookie year. Obviously, I’m 23 years old. So I go up there and I’m like, 'I’m going to sit on a cutter away and see what happens.' So I get up on the plate, he throws me like a front-door cutter, and I jump out of the way, strike. So I get off the plate, and I guess he notices it and throws me a cutter away, another strike. So I’m just like, ‘Aw, crap.’ And then he throws another cutter away and I swing and miss. And I was like, ‘Well, I guess I’m in the big leagues. ... This guy’s pretty good.’”

Pierzynski: "The best story is we had [Ken] Griffey [Jr., on the White Sox] one year, he was running his mouth on the bench about facing Mariano. I was due up in the ninth. He’s like, 'Ha ha, you’re going to break a bat.' I was like, 'No I’m not. I’m going to break your bat.' So I went up there with Griffey’s bat. I went into his stance and the whole thing and I hit the ball about two inches in front of the plate. [Jorge] Posada jumped up and tagged me out. I didn’t even run because the ball was only two inches in front of the plate. I came back to the dugout and was like, 'Yup, your bats don’t work either.'

Torii Hunter (Detroit Tigers outfielder): "I hated facing that guy, but the respect you've got to have for him, man, for his craft, the way he [carries] himself. He's one of the nicest guys in the game. ... The end of this year, he's gonna retire, and we should give a standing O, because this is greatness you're gonna see leave this game."

*** ... though there are some players who cherish the one time they got to Rivera.

Mark Teixeira (Rivera's teammate since 2009): “My last at-bat against him I was a member of the Angels and I walked. ... Any time there’s a pitcher that you’re excited about a walk, that means he’s pretty special.”

Suzuki: “I’ll probably never forget it, but the walk-off homer [on Sept. 18, 2009, in Seattle] is the one that I’ll never forget. I wish I could’ve run the bases again."

Kevin Youkilis (new to the Yankees in 2013): “As a player, I’ve always loved facing the best because you’re not supposed to get hits, and if you do, it’s great. There was one at Fenway where I got a base hit to start up a rally, and then I think Jason Bay [hit a homer off him to tie the game], so that was probably the best one."

Vernon Wells (new to the Yankees in 2013): “I have a memory. It wasn’t a good one [for Rivera]. It’s my favorite. Not his. Well, I’m on a short-list of walk-off home runs when it comes to him, so, the memory that I’ll always remember was jogging around the bases when I hit it, remembering and thinking to myself, 'I just hit a walk-off home run against the greatest closer ever.'

"Those are the kind of memories that will stick with you for a lifetime.”

Check back tomorrow for Part 4 of our five-part series: Mariano Rivera, archrival.

All this week, ESPN New York is celebrating the career of Yankees closer Mariano Rivera with an oral history of baseball's all-time saves leader through the words of his teammates and opponents, as told to ESPN New York's Mike Mazzeo, Matt Ehalt and Andrew Marchand, and ESPN The Magazine's Louise Cornetta.

*** When Mo's teammates talk about him, they mention the advice he gives, the example he sets and, perhaps most of all, his character.

Shawn Kelley (new to the Yankees' bullpen in 2013): "Coming from another organization you always hear about 'great guy, great teammate, unbelievable.' You heard everything about him and when you meet him he doesn't disappoint you or let you down. You meet him and are like, 'Wow.' You almost think no one could live up to those expectations or nobody could be that good or that unflawed that people can say that. But when you meet him, he's the real deal, he's the full package and he's what everyone thinks he is."

“

Two things: Greatest closer in the game and one of the best teammates I ever had.

”-- Robinson Cano, on what comes to mind when he hears the name Mariano Rivera

Dellin Betances (Rivera's teammate since 2011): "Being a hometown New Yorker, I always grew up watching the Yankees and Mariano was always one of those guys you watched and are like, 'Man, I wish I could meet that guy.' Now becoming teammates with him is an honor for me to be around him and be in the bullpen."

Adam Warren (Rivera's teammate since 2012): "When we were in Tampa, I think the first year we got signed we got a chance to go on the field while they were playing the Rays. Taking my photo with Mo and taking my photo with Derek [Jeter]. I still have those pictures. I remember how cool it was to see those guys and think I may have a chance to play with them someday. To be able to be teammates with them now and talk to them and pick their brains is pretty amazing."

Betances (on meeting Mo): "It was nerve-racking, I guess. At first I was like, 'Oh man, I can't believe I'm standing next to Mariano.' But he's a real humble guy, nice guy and tries to teach you as much stuff as he can. He loves working with the younger guys."

Warren: "He pulls me aside every now and then if I have a rough game or something and gives me some advice. Sometimes how to pitch, sometimes how to approach the mental aspect of the game. He has helped me pitch at this level and taking me on his wing a little bit and kind of shown me the way."

Robinson Cano (Rivera's teammate since 2005, on meeting Mo): "You know what I remember is when you’re in the minor leagues, you always see all these guys up in the big leagues who are the best in the world and you might be afraid to say hi. But he was a guy who would say, 'Hey, how you doing?' He was always coming up to guys. That’s one of the best things about him, you always feel comfortable around him. You don’t feel like this is Mariano Rivera and you have to be careful or don’t want to bother him. His door is always open. He’s always available for whatever you want.”

“

You almost think no one could live up to those expectations or nobody could be that good or that unflawed that people can say that. But when you meet him, he’s the real deal, he’s the full package and he’s what everyone thinks he is.

”-- Shawn Kelley

LaTroy Hawkins (Mets reliever and Rivera's teammate in 2008): "I will more remember just being around him. He told me about playing in New York and showing me the ropes about playing and living in New York and everything that comes with it. That was one of our first conversations. His best advice to me about playing in New York was to do well, then you won’t have to worry about anything and they will love you and stay out of trouble."

Cano: "We went to dinner one time in Anaheim. He’s a guy who is always around his family and [yet] he takes the time to take a rookie out to dinner and that really meant a lot to me. I remember we went to Benihana. That was one of my best days in baseball because I got to go out with Mariano and I was just a rookie. To be able to spend time with him and ask questions really meant a lot. I asked just questions about baseball and how he can stay in the game so long and how he can stay so humble. Those kind of things that you want to ask the guy. He picked up the tab of course. I would have no chance to pay with him."

Austin Romine (Yankees catcher since 2011): "I remember the first time I caught him was my major league debut. … I caught his 599th save. I remember not even knowing where I was and just trying not to mess it up for him. … Since this was my debut, I was kind glad it was just over. I was glad I didn’t mess anything up. I remember he told me, ‘Great job,’ and patted me on the chest. I think he knew that I was a little worked up being my first time and he made me feel real comfortable. I went out to talk to him when he first came into the game and he was like, ‘Just go. Relax and have fun. We’re going to get through this.’ He didn’t have to say anything. He could have just came in there and said, ‘Go back there and go catch,’ but he made me feel comfortable and calm. That’s who he is and what he does to the people around him."

*** Sometimes simply sharing Rivera's spotlight has been a thrill for his fellow Yankees.

David Adams (Yankees rookie): "The only thing that sticks out to me is how electrifying the crowd gets and the Stadium gets every time he comes out to the mound. I think that's the one thing. As soon as his song comes on, he walks through the gate, it's just like boom. That's the one thing that is electrifying to me."

“

As soon as his song comes on, he walks through the gate, it’s just like boom. That’s the one thing that is electrifying to me.

”-- David Adams

John Flaherty (YES Network analyst and Yankees catcher from 2003 to 2005): "When I get asked [about Rivera] I think about every home game at the old Stadium, in the fifth inning, he and I would ride a golf cart beneath the Stadium [to the bullpen], and I remember those rides vividly. I’d be in the back and Mariano would acknowledge everybody along the way, and I would be on the back of the golf cart seeing these people’s faces, how they lit up, and how he handled them, how he was so kind and friendly to them. That’s what I remember. I don’t really remember the stuff on the field. Obviously, catching him was a thrill, but the way he interacted with those people every night."

Kelley: "I think one of the things that really kind of showed his character to me was how he takes 30-40 minutes out of his day like every other BP on the road to stop and sign for guys. He goes down the line and signs for all the guys. He's not asked to do that but the fact that he does that and he deals with the people sticking stuff and throwing stuff at him and he just sits there and signs for like 30-40 minutes is impressive. You don't see that. As much as everyone would like to do it, it's kind of a hassle. You have to get ready for a game. At that time, when BP is ending, you have to eat. He says, 'I can take 30 minutes out of my schedule and give back to the fans.'"

Flaherty: "We didn’t talk. He was in the front seat with the security guy. I was in the back seat. And he would get off where the bullpens were, we’d walk together. The crowd in left field would stand and react, and Mariano would acknowledge them. We’d walk in front of the visiting bullpen, the players would acknowledge him, he’d do the same and it was just, I feel like I was part of a little something special seeing him every night walking to the bullpen in the fifth inning."

*** What's it like to have Mariano Rivera on your team? Comforting, according to his teammates and coaches.

Joe Girardi (Yankees manager since 2008): "There are teams that worry about closers, how they're going to do from year to year ... We don't ever worry about it. We just say, 'Oh, it's Mo.' Then we work backwards from there. The Yankees have had that luxury for 17, 18 years, where most teams don't have that luxury."

CC Sabathia (Rivera's teammate since 2009): "He's always the same. Comes in, does his work, he's focused. That's just the word that comes to mind. He's just consistent in every way. Just being able to be on his team and have the feeling that when he comes in the game, it's pretty much over. For the last five years I've had that. That's been awesome."

Kevin Long (Yankees hitting coach since 2007): "There's never going to be a Mariano Rivera again. Ever. He's that special. The human being, the baseball player. Just the rock and the foundation he's been since he's been here, it's remarkable. He's going to be missed in a big way."

Larry Rothschild (Rivera's pitching coach since 2011): "It's an honor [to be his pitching coach]. Any time you're around the guy that is probably the best in the game and maybe the best ever at what's he doing no matter how much you've seen and what you've done, it's an honor to be around, especially when you see the way he's carried himself."

*** And a few last words, from the Captain:

Derek Jeter (Rivera's teammate for more than two decades): "Our relationship goes beyond just on the field. We’re like brothers. ... What have I learned from him? I think we’ve learned things together. Mo’s a pitcher and I’m a position player. So it’s a different craft even though we’re on the same team. But I think our personalities are similar, that’s why we get along so well. We’re similar in terms of what the goal is and that’s to win. The goal is to come here every single day and do your job and pretty much stay on an even keel.

"There are so many things that we have been through. You are talking about 21 years since the minor leagues. I remember Mo, he was a starter in the minor leagues. He was coming off [elbow] surgery [which he had in August of 1992] and I used to count his pitches at short [at Class A Greensboro in 1993] and I used to run up there and say, ‘Look, man, you are wasting too many pitches. You have to start throwing more strikes.’ He would be on [a short pitch count] when he first was coming back. And this wasn’t the days where they had pitch counts on the scoreboard. So I would count his pitches at short. He would say, ‘OK, OK, OK.’

"It just shows that he worked hard at everything he does, but he worked extremely hard at his rehab, too. It’s not an easy thing to come back from.

"[As a closer] you still have to worry about pitch counts, but yeah, he was a starter in the minor leagues, a starter when he first came up, and then when we came back up in September [1995], that’s when he went to the bullpen, and that turned out to be a good thing for him.

"It’s funny how things work out sometimes."

Check back tomorrow for Part 3 of our five-part series: Mariano Rivera, the cutter.

All this week, ESPN New York is celebrating the career of Yankees closer Mariano Rivera with an oral history of baseball's all-time saves leader through the words of his teammates and opponents, as told to Mike Mazzeo, Matt Ehalt, Andrew Marchand and ESPN The Magazine's Louise Cornetta.

*** On more than one occasion, according to his teammates, Mariano Rivera has served as a Kangaroo Court judge.

CC Sabathia (Rivera's teammate since 2009): "My favorite story since I’ve been here? I guess he was a judge for Kangaroo Court, so that was pretty funny. He was just taking forever to make judgments. He ended up fining everybody the max fine. He was a pretty good judge, though. It was fun. We did it for a couple years. If anybody is gonna be the judge of Kangaroo Court, it should be him."

“

We picked him as judge because he’s the oldest. Probably just because it was most fitting and I think he looked best in the wig. He had a robe, a gavel and everything.

”-- Mark Teixeira

Mark Teixeira (Rivera's teammate since 2009): “We picked him as judge because he’s the oldest. Probably just because it was most fitting and I think he looked best in the wig. He had a robe, a gavel and everything. We did it in the conference/media room.”

Joba Chamberlain (Rivera's teammate since 2007 and one-time heir apparent): “Yeah, he was the judge. I mean, he played a great part, but he was just so long-winded, man, we couldn’t get through all the cases because he’d want to talk about them so much. So we had to cut him off.

“I can’t really talk about specific cases, it was just fun watching Mo try to get through them all. And all of us were just like, ‘Mo, just hurry up and get this over with.’ But yeah, he wore the wig great. I mean, he did a good job.

“[A fine could be doled out to] somebody passing gas while getting stretched by somebody. I think it was like a hundred bucks. The max was like $500. You get that when you get caught by more than one person, get brought up more than once in court. Or just be really embarrassing to where you can’t even argue the fact that you’re going to get the max fine cause that’s terrible.”

Sabathia: “[You] could [be fined] for anything. Something that happened at the hotel, most of the time it’s nothing that happens on the field. It’s not performance, it’s a guy missing stretch or different things like that, they get written up, so it’s pretty funny. It could be a hundred bucks, max fine could maybe be a hundred bucks. And then it goes to the team, to have a party or do whatever.”

*** Mariano Rivera, prankster? That's right. He may have ice in his veins, but Mr. Automatic has a sense of humor, too.

“

He takes a piece of gum that he’d been chewing on for a while, and tosses it at me, and manages to stick it directly in my ear, like right in the side of my ear. So like a 20-foot throw, just lands perfectly.

”-- David Robertson

Robinson Cano (Rivera's teammate since 2005): “He’s always like trying to have fun in the clubhouse. If someone does something bad he’s always joking around about what they did and laughing. When he’s in the game, that’s a different story. We say he has a game face, but in here, he’s a different guy. In here, we love him.”

David Huff (new to the Yankees in 2013, on Mo's sense of humor): "Pregame stuff. Whether he's throwing gum under someone's shoe. As soon as the game starts, he's locked in."

Chamberlain: “He’s always playing jokes on everybody, just throwing gum at people. Just doing stuff like that. Everybody sees the baseball side of things, but they don’t get to spend the time in [the bullpen] with him and joke and stuff, so I think just watching him play jokes on people and throw gum ... he’s really good at throwing gum, too. Shocker, I know, but yeah, he always finds a way to keep guys loose.”

David Robertson (Rivera's setup man and possible replacement in 2014): “I tell you what: people don’t realize Mo’s gum-throwing skills. He’s exceptional at it. He has great aim. I want to say maybe it was 2009 and we were sitting in the bullpen here in New York, just watching the game. I think it was in September. I was sitting on one side of the bullpen and he was sitting on the other side at this point. And he takes a piece of gum that he’d been chewing on for a while, and tosses it at me, and manages to stick it directly in my ear, like right in the side of my ear.

"So like a 20-foot throw, just lands perfectly. [The gum] is all nasty and gooey and in my earhole and I couldn’t believe he did it. Of course he was laughing, and I was laughing because I couldn’t believe he actually made that shot, but it was hysterical. It’s funny, when I think of Mo, I think of him throwing gum at me all the time. And now I throw it back at him all the time, so it’s a constant war.

“[My teammates in the bullpen] were like, ‘No way you could throw that again!’ And he was like, ‘I was aiming for it! I was aiming for it!’ He’ll tell you now to this day, ‘I was aiming for it!’"

Chamberlain: “He’s good. He’s always there to talk to about certain situations, certain counts. He always keeps it fun in the bullpen. I think it’s a good way to keep us relaxed but also keep us in the game when we start talking about at-bats and certain situations. The way he keeps things fun is he’s always laughing and joking. People have no idea this side of him. If they had only seen half the stuff that I can’t talk about. But that’s the fun part for us is seeing that side, the human side, because when he pitches he’s really not human. So it’s fun for us to see that.”

Robertson: “He’s not too bad [of a prankster]. He’s a quiet prankster, though. You don’t realize it’s coming, and next thing you know he’s putting gum in your pocket, or he’s tying your belt. He’s always doing something that tricks you, and he’s just quiet about it. He’s not too outgoing about it, but it’s funny when he gets you.”

Chamberlain (on the Rivera story he’ll tell his kids one day): “Probably in spring training when he threw a rosin bag at our bullpen coach on the head and it exploded. Why did he do it? I don’t know. He was just being Mo, I guess. It wasn’t a mean thing. It was funny, actually. He was just tossing it and it happened to hit him and explode. It was pretty fun. It was pretty cool. Not something you see every day. Obviously my kid is going to know who he is. So he’s going to know the baseball side, that’s irrelevant. The life side is more fun than the baseball side I think.”

Check back Wednesday for Part 2 of our five-part series: Mariano Rivera, teammate.