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Rivera’s son adjusting to pro ball
By Steve Ruman
NILES
Two years after Mariano Rivera pitched his final game in the Major Leagues, Mariano Rivera III is looking to carve his own path in professional baseball.
Rivera III, the son of perhaps the greatest closer in baseball history, is a member of the Auburn Doubledays. Rivera was selected in the fourth round of the June draft by the Washington Nationals.
On Wednesday he was at Eastwood Field as the Doubledays opened a three-game series against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
The 21-year-old played for Iona College, where this past spring he was the MAAC Pitcher of the Year. As a closer, Rivera notched a 2.65 ERA with 113 strikeouts in 85 innings while walking just 27.
Rivera has appeared in five games this season with the Doubledays — two starts and three relief appearances. He is 0-0 with a 5.73 ERA.
“It’s been an adjustment, but I expected that,” Rivera said. “You really have to hit your spots. Doing what you did in college, it has to be amplified here.
“In college you had a little bit of a margin for error. Here, the margin is extremely small. Hitters are a lot more prepared at this level than anything I’ve faced in my life, so you always have to be on top of your game.”
The 5-foot-11 Rivera was actually drafted in the 29th round by the New York Yankees a year ago. He chose to return to college in hopes of moving up, a decision that paid off in more ways than one.
“In addition to moving up to the fourth round, I was steered away from the Yankees,” Rivera said. “I mean, I certainly wouldn’t mind it, but at the same time I wasn’t joined at the hip with the Yankees.
“Where I’m at provides a great opportunity. Now people can see me for the athlete that I am, the player that I am, not as a Yankee as my father used to be. That’s a relief.”
Growing up, Rivera spent many nights watching his father win the World Series, earn MVP honors and evolve into baseball’s all-time leader in saves. The front-row seat helped prepare the younger Rivera for his career in the game.
“More than anything, just seeing the way my dad handled the pressure and carried himself on and off the field helped me get to where I’m at,” Rivera said. “I couldn’t have had a better role model. He taught me everything about the game, but more importantly he taught me how to handle myself as a player and a person.”
In fact, ask Rivera to recall his most cherished father-son moment while growing up, and he doesn’t revert back to the bright lights of Yankee Stadium. Instead, he reflects to the local fishing holes in and around his hometown of Harrison, New York.
“Oh, I loved fishing with my dad, I still do,” Rivera said. “Just getting away from everything, hanging out and talking about anything and everything. We both use it as a release and as a way to just spend time together and have fun.”
Rivera’s parents were on hand earlier this summer when the youngster made his professional debut. There were also the watchful eyes of seemingly the entire baseball world, curious to see how a son compares to his legendary father. Yet despite the added pressure, Rivera is taking the experience in stride.
“I was asked the other day, ‘do you regret the attention,’” Rivera said. “I wouldn’t trade the experience I had growing up for anything on earth, and this is just a part of the whole process.
“Probably the best advice my dad gave me was to remember this is a game and enjoy the moment. When I’m on that mound, I just do my thing, have fun and block everything else out.”