Rivera Close to Re-Signing with Yankees

Mariano Rivera's illustrious Yankees career is going to be extended three years at a record price. The longtime Yankees closer, having just returned from a charity trip to the Dominican Republic, is expected to accept the Yankees' three-year, $45-million offer, according to a friend of his who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The Yankees have been awaiting Rivera's response to their increased three-year offer for more than a week. Part of the reason for the delay has been Rivera's request for a fourth year, which the Yankees refused to give him. Another reason is that Rivera has spent the past week running baseball clinics and working with churches in areas of the Dominican where cell-phone service is shaky.

Alex Rodriguez, according to a person familiar with the situation, has been trying to contact Rivera, his closest friend on the team, for the past week to celebrate his impending Yankees deal, but he hasn't been able to do so.

Rivera is believed to have been one of A-Rod's major sounding boards during the craziness of Rodriguez's past three weeks. Rivera, according to his friend, told Rodriguez as far back as days after A-Rod opted out Oct. 28 that he should approach the Yankees to tell them how he truly felt.

As for Rivera's negotiations, the Yankees first offered three years for $39 million, then raised it to $45 million. While holding out for a fourth year, Rivera, according to a report on foxsports.com, became annoyed at a quote from Hank Steinbrenner, who told Newsday early last week, "It's a very good offer for a 38-year-old pitcher." (Rivera actually turns 38 on Nov. 29.)

First-time free agent Rivera accepted over time that the quote was mostly public posturing and was not meant to be a reflection of what the team thinks of him. Steinbrenner told Newsday Friday: "Nothing was really meant by it. If I didn't want him, we wouldn't have made that offer."

If Rivera accepts the Yankees' offer, as expected, he will become the highest-paid closer ever with an average annual salary of $15 million. The Mets' Billy Wagner has been the highest-paid closer with an average salary of $10.75 million over his four-year contract.

The total value of Rivera's contract will be only $2 million shy of the largest contract ever given to a reliever, which was the $47-million deal the Blue Jays gave B.J. Ryan two years ago. But that was a five-year contract.

Rivera had 30 saves in 34 opportunities and a 3.15 ERA in 2007. Perhaps most importantly, he showed no signs of the elbow problem that shut him down for almost all of September the previous year.

Rivera's return is the third piece of big news in a week for the Yankees. He joins Jorge Posada and Rodriguez as free agents the Yankees successfully kept in the fold (A-Rod and the Yankees are working on the final details of his contract). The last big piece of the puzzle would be a phone call from Andy Pettitte saying he's decided to return rather than retire.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/ny-...0,4864728.story

Ton of coin there.