Now that Mariano Rivera is the all-time MLB saves leader, many young New York fans are singing his praises and declaring him the greatest Yankee to ever live.
“Saber-matics bro, look ’em up. Mo is clearly the best,” said Tommy Morales, a local deli worker. “How many guys you know got their number retired in every stadium? Just Mo.”
Tommy isn’t the only Yankees fan born since 1981 to hold that opinion. In a recent survey, 100 fans 30 or younger were asked to name the best Yankee ever, and Rivera received a mind boggling 68 votes, followed by Derek Jeter with 17, Robinson Cano with nine, and Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Joe DiMaggio each receiving two.
“I ain’t never seen Babe Ruth play, but the Sandman is the best Yankee of all time for sure,” said Tommy. “Besides, it’s a different game now. The Babe would probably be like a fourth outfielder if he played today. Mantle would be Nick Swisher, and Gehrig is overrated because of that speech. Back in July, Jeter was the best, but now Mo got 600, so he passed him. Plus Jeter wouldn’t sign my brother’s baseball when he was in the middle of dinner with Minka Kelly at Peter Luger’s.”
While Rivera is perhaps the greatest closer of all time, calling him the top Yankee doesn’t sit well with some baseball purists.
“Yeah, we don’t really take much stock into what those kids have to say,” said Yankees President Randy Levine. “We love Mo, but best Yankee ever? That’s sacrilege. They were probably four beers and $80 deep when you asked them.”
