The Yankee closer and future Hall of Famer. In today’s NY Times. How to conduct oneself when you’re a superstar.
Rivera’s a Closer With an Open Heart – New York Times
Over and over, Veras used the word dream to describe how it felt to be teammates and friends with his idol. They talk shop, about Veras’s staying tall in his delivery, or gripping his pitches, or attacking certain lineups. They also talk about life, and the responsibilities of being in the majors.
Even now, in his third season with the Yankees, Veras seems amazed that Rivera cares so much.
“It’s hard to find people like that,” he said. “That’s why we appreciate everything he does, because if you’re 20-something and he’s 30-something, he doesn’t want to be my baby sitter. But he can say, ‘Don’t do this; that’s bad.’ It just takes a couple of seconds, but some guys think it’s hard to say. So when you find people like that that can teach you the right way, it’s awesome. It’s unbelievable to find people like that.”
It would be unbelievable, except that Chico Heron made it real. For the best $3,000 the Yankees ever spent, Heron found an extraordinary talent in Rivera, who learned from him the value of community.
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