Core Four
The "Core Four" are former New York Yankees baseball players Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera. Each member of the Core Four was a key contributor to the Yankees' late-1990s and early 2000s dynasty that won four World Series championships in five years.
Jeter, Pettitte, Posada, and Rivera were drafted or signed as amateurs by the Yankees in the early 1990s. They played together in the minor leagues, and they each made their Yankee major league debuts in 1995. By 2007, they were the only remaining Yankees from the franchise's dynasty of the previous decade. All four players were on the Yankees' active roster in 2009 when the team won the 2009 World Series—its fifth championship in the previous 14 years.
Three members of the Core Four—Jeter, Rivera and Posada—played together for 17 consecutive years (1995–2011),[1] longer than any other similar group in history of North American professional sports.[2] Pettitte had a sojourn away from the team when he played for the Houston Astros for three seasons, but returned to the Yankees in 2007. He retired after the 2010 season,[3] reducing the group to the so-called Key Three.[4] Posada followed suit after 2011, ending his 17-year career with the Yankees.[5] Pettitte came out of retirement prior to the 2012 season and played for two more years.[6] Both Pettitte and Rivera retired after the 2013 season, and Jeter retired after the 2014 season.[7]
Beginnings
Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte all joined the New York Yankees organization in the early 1990s as amateurs. Rivera signed as an international free agent in February 1990.[8] The Yankees selected Pettitte in the 22nd round and Posada in the 24th round of the 1990 Major League Baseball Draft. Jeter was selected in the first round, with the sixth overall selection, of the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft.[9]
Together, the Core Four progressed through the Yankees minor league system in the early 1990s. It was during their tenure with the Oneonta Yankees of the Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League in 1991 that Posada, initially an infielder, began catching for his future major league batterymate Pettitte.[10] The latter threw a knuckleball at the time, which Posada struggled to catch (hitting him mostly on the knee), prompting Pettitte to abandon the pitch.[10] Promoted to the Greensboro Hornets of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1992, Posada and Pettitte met Jeter, a highly regarded prospect, who had been assigned to the team. Posada and Pettitte initially questioned the hype surrounding Jeter, but soon recognized his talent and poise.[11] Rivera injured his elbow in 1992 and had surgery in August to repair the damage. While Rivera was pitching for Greensboro in 1993 on a strict pitch count, Jeter kept track of the count from shortstop.[12]
The four first played together with the Class AAA Columbus Clippers of the International League in 1994.[13] All four made their major league debuts in 1995.[14] Both Jeter and Rivera reached the major leagues in May, but were demoted back to the minors in June and bounced around between the minors and major leagues throughout the year.[10][15] Posada made his major league debut in September, and along with Pettitte and Rivera, was included on the Division Series roster.[15]
Jeter, Posada, and Rivera played in the same MLB game for the first time on September 28, 1996.[4] That season, Jeter, Pettitte and Rivera won their first championship together.[10]
Individual achievements
Derek Jeter
Jeter became the Yankees all-time hits leader on September 11, 2009, with his 2,722nd hit, surpassing Lou Gehrig.[16] On July 9, 2011, against the Tampa Bay Rays, he collected his 3,000th hit,[17] becoming the 28th player to reach the milestone, the first Yankee to accomplish the feat and collect all 3,000 hits with the team,[18][19] the first player to reach the milestone with a New York team,[20] the fourth-youngest player to reach the mark,[21] the second to do it by hitting a home run, the second to reach the mark in a five-hit game,[20] and the first to attain the milestone playing shortstop exclusively.[22] Furthermore, Jeter broke Rickey Henderson's franchise record for stolen bases on May 28, 2011, when he stole his 327th base against the Mariners.[23] Jeter's third milestone in 2011 was breaking Mickey Mantle's record for most games played as a Yankee, accomplishing this on August 28, 2011 against the Orioles.[24] In 2000, he became the only player to win both the World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award and the All-Star Game MVP in the same season.[25] His #2 was retired on May 14, 2017.
Andy Pettitte
Pettitte holds the all-time record for postseason victories, with 19 wins in total.[26] Among Yankees pitchers, he ranks first in strikeouts (2,011)[27] and third in wins (213).[28][29] He was named the 2001 American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player[30][31] and won the Warren Spahn Award in 2003 as the best left-handed pitcher in baseball.[32] His #46 was retired on 23 August 2015.
Jorge Posada
Posada is only the fifth major league catcher with at least 1,500 hits, 350 doubles, 275 home runs, and 1,000 runs batted in (RBIs) in a career,[33] and the only major league catcher to ever record a .330 batting average or better with 40 doubles, 20 home runs, and 90 RBIs in a single season. He is only the second Yankees catcher to hit 30 home runs in a season, after Yogi Berra. Among Yankee catchers, Posada is first all-time in doubles (365),[34] walks (897),[35] and intentional walks (74),[36] and second in home runs (261)[37] and extra-base hits (636).[38] Among all Yankees players, Posada ranks sixth all-time in grand slams (10).[39] On April 16, 2009, Posada hit the first home run at the new Yankee Stadium.[40] His #20 was retired on August 22, 2015.
Mariano Rivera
Rivera played 19 seasons with the Yankees (1995–2013), serving as closer for 17 of them. He retired as MLB's career leader in saves (652) and games finished (952), having surpassed Trevor Hoffman in both categories in 2011.[41][42] Rivera's career earned run average (ERA) (2.21) and WHIP (1.00) are the lowest of any pitcher in the live-ball era.[43] In the postseason, he holds the MLB record for career saves (42) and ERA (0.71).[44] He also holds records for 15 consecutive seasons with 25 or more saves,[45] nine consecutive seasons with 30 or more saves, and 15 seasons with 30 or more saves.[46][47] From 1996 through his final season in 2013, he posted an ERA under 3.00 in all but one season (2007).[44] Selected as an All-Star 13 times, he saved a record four All-Star Games, the last coming in 2009.[48] On May 25, 2011, he became the 15th pitcher in major league history to make 1,000 appearances, and the first to do so with a single team.[49][50] His appearances total ranks as the most in American League history.[51] On September 22, 2013, Rivera became the first active Yankee player to have his number retired by the organization; he was the last major league player to wear number 42 full-time, following its league-wide retirement in honor of Jackie Robinson.[52]
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on January 22, 2019 with 100% of the vote, becoming the first player ever to be elected unanimously.[53]
Group achievements
The Core Four won a combined total of 19 World Series rings.[54]
Pettitte and Rivera hold the all-time record for most win–save combinations with 72;[55] Bob Welch and Dennis Eckersley previously held the record with 58.[56]
In 2010, Rivera, Jeter, and Posada became the first trio in any of the four North American major sports leagues to play together on the same team for 16 consecutive seasons.[57] Posada and Jeter played their 1,660th game together on July 14, 2011. This broke the record for most regular-season games played together by two Yankee teammates, previously held by Lou Gehrig and Tony Lazzeri.[58]
With the rise of free agency and trades, many sportswriters believe that it is highly unlikely that another group of players of comparable size will spend their entire careers with a single team.[59][60] Buck Showalter, the Yankees manager during the Core Four's major league debuts in 1995, said, "[Y]ou won't see anything like this happen again. There are too many variables for that to ever happen again. And what you have to remember is the makeup of those guys. The common thread was their agenda. They didn't branch off. They didn't want to disappoint each other. They were guys who never wanted to let their teammates down."[15]
Endings
Pettitte was the first player of the Core Four to retire, announcing his decision at a news conference at Yankee Stadium on February 4, 2011. He told the organization "not to count on his return" after the Yankees lost the 2010 American League Championship Series to the Texas Rangers, citing his desire to spend more time with his family.[61] After spending the 2011 season away from baseball, he served as a guest instructor for the Yankees during 2012 spring training and insisted that he was not considering a comeback.[62] However, he reversed his decision on his final day as instructor and rejoined the organization on March 16, signing a $2.5 million minor league contract.[63] He pitched in both the 2012 and 2013 seasons for the Yankees before announcing his second retirement on September 20, 2013. Although he was initially not going to reveal his decision, it was at Rivera's insistence that he eventually did.[64] The Yankees held a ceremony for Pettitte five days later on September 25, with fellow Core Four members Jeter and Rivera presenting him with a framed base from his final Yankee Stadium start, signed by all his teammates.[65] He made his final appearance on September 28 against the Houston Astros, the only other team he had pitched for in his career. He pitched a complete game—his first since 2006—and by winning his last start, he finished the season with an 11–11 win–loss record. This preserved his records of never having a losing season throughout his 18-year career[66] and being the only pitcher in major league history to have 15 winning seasons (with a minimum of three starts each) without recording a losing season.[67]
The second member of the group to retire was Posada. He endured a tumultuous 2011 season that saw him lose the starting catcher job to Russell Martin, drop to 9th in the Yankee lineup after batting .165, bench himself, and then lose his spot in the lineup as the starting designated hitter altogether.[68][69] Posada had several memorable performances at the end of the year. He drove in the go-ahead runs that clinched the American League East title for the Yankees[70] and batted .429 in the 2011 American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers. After the Yankees lost the series in Game 5, he cut short a postgame interview when he teared up, coming to the realization that it could have been his final game as a Yankee.[71] He announced his decision to retire on January 24, 2012.[72]
Rivera had hinted during 2012 spring training that the 2012 season would be his last, and confirmed that his decision was "irrevocable."[73][74] He intended to reveal his decision at the end of the year, preferring a low-key departure instead of having a farewell tour across MLB stadiums.[75] However, he reversed his decision after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and part of his meniscus while shagging fly balls on May 3, 2012.[76] This prematurely ended his season, and though there were fears that this could potentially be a career-ending injury,[76][77] he stated that he would return, declaring that he was "not going down like this."[78]
After rehabilitating his injury through the offseason, Rivera announced on March 9 that he would retire at the end of the 2013 season.[79] His farewell tour saw him meet the fans and unsung employees of opposing teams during his final visit to their ballparks to listen to their stories and thank them for supporting baseball.[80] Each opposing team reciprocated the gesture by holding an on-field ceremony and honoring him with a parting gift.[81][82] On September 22, a day that was declared "Mariano Rivera Day" by the Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg, the Yankees held their own ceremony to honor Rivera, culminating in the retiring of his uniform number into Monument Park.[83] Many former teammates of his were in attendance, including Posada, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Rivera in a reversal of roles.[84]
Jeter was the last player of the Core Four to retire, having announced on February 12, 2014 that he would retire at the end of the 2014 season.[85]
Career statistics with Yankees
External image | |
---|---|
Table key
Yankee team record | |
^ | American League record |
Major League record | |
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame | |
(X) | Rank within the top 10 among Yankee all-time leaders |
G | Games played or Games pitched |
---|---|
AB | At bats |
R | Runs scored |
H | Hits |
HR | Home runs |
RBI | Runs batted in |
BA | Batting average |
SB | Stolen bases |
IP | Innings pitched |
---|---|
W | Wins |
L | Losses |
SV | Saves |
ERA | Earned run average[upper-alpha 1] |
SO | Strikeouts |
BB | Walks |
Rankings are updated through September 29, 2014
Position players
Player | Position[upper-alpha 2] | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | BA | SB | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Derek Jeter |
Shortstop | 2,747 (1st) | 12,602 (1st) | 1,923 (3rd) | 3,465 (1st) | 260 (9th) | 1,311 (6th) | .310 (7th) | 358 (1st) | [88] |
Jorge Posada | Catcher | 1,829 (8th) | 6,092 | 900 | 1,664 | 275 (8th) | 1,065 | .273 | 20 | [86] |
Pitchers
Player | Position[upper-alpha 2] | G | IP | W | L | SV | ERA[upper-alpha 1] | SO | BB | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andy Pettitte | Starting pitcher | 447 (5th) | 2,796 1⁄3 (3rd) | 219 (3rd) | 127 (3rd) | 0 | 3.94 | 2,020 (1st) | 889 (4th) | [90] |
Mariano Rivera |
Relief pitcher | 1,115^ (1st) | 1,283 2⁄3 | 82 | 60 | 652 |
2.21 (2nd) | 1,173 (8th) | 286 | [87] |
Timeline
See also
Notes
- Minimum of 500 innings pitched for the Yankees.[89]
- The primary fielding position of the player. Posada played 42 games at first base and 1 game at second base during his career,[86] while Rivera started 10 games (all during his 1995 rookie season).[87]
References
- https://www.sbnation.com/2011/9/17/2427465/jeter-posada-rivera-end-of-an-era-yankees
- Hoch, Bryan (April 6, 2010). "With longevity, Yanks' core sets mark". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on April 10, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
- Hoch, Bryan (February 3, 2011). "Pettitte calls it a career after 16 years, five rings". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
- Schlueter, Roger (February 24, 2011). "Stat Speak: Yanks' 'Key Three' are legendary". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
- Nowak, Joey (January 24, 2012). "Emotional Posada retires after 17-year career". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
- Hoch, Bryan (March 16, 2012). "Pettitte comes out of retirement, joins Yanks". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
- "Derek Jeter on retirement: 'This is the right time'". USA Today. February 19, 2014.
- Antonen, Mel (October 9, 2006). "Yanks' Rivera continues to learn". USA Today. Retrieved August 20, 2006.
- Curry, Jack (September 12, 2009). "Teammates Recall Jeter's Journey From Minor Leagues to Great Yankee". The New York Times. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
- Verducci, Tom (May 3, 2010). "So Far, So Good". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 1, 2011.
- Curry, Jack (September 12, 2009). "Even in Class A, Posada and Pettitte Sensed What Was to Come With Jeter". The New York Times. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
- Herrmann, Mark (September 20, 2013). "A front-row seat to Mariano Rivera, MLB's greatest closer ever". Newsday. Long Island. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
- Antonen, Mel (October 7, 2009). "For Yanks quartet, winning a fifth title would add to a legacy". USA Today. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
- DeLessio, Joe (February 7, 2011). "Can We Retire the Phrase 'Core Four' Now?". New York Magazine. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
- Sherman, Joel (September 9, 2013). "Showalter: You'll never see another Core Four". New York Post. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
- DiComo, Anthony (September 12, 2009). "Jeter passes Gehrig with 2,722nd hit". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
- Shpigel, Ben (November 10, 2010). "Hit No. 3,000: A Moment Finally Tailor-Made for Pinstripes". The New York Times. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
- Hoch, Bryan (July 9, 2011). "With homer, Jeter joins 3,000-hit club". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
- Rumberg, Howie (June 12, 2011). "Jeter to become first in pinstripes to 3,000 hits". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
- Sharp, Katie (July 9, 2011). "Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit by the numbers". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
- Kepner, Tyler (July 9, 2011). "Jeter Reaches Fabled 3,000, and It's a Blast". The New York Times. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
- Schlegel, John (July 9, 2011). "Club 3,000 members open their arms to Jeter". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
- Hoch, Bryan (May 28, 2011). "Jeter passes Rickey as Yankees' steals leader". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
- Hoch, Bryan (August 29, 2011). "Jeter adds games played to his Yanks records". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
- "Derek Jeter Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
- Gonzalez, Aiden (February 5, 2011). "Pettitte's playoff marks may be untouchable". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
- "New York Yankees Strikeout Stats". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
- "New York Yankees Wins Stats". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
- Shpigel, Ben (February 3, 2011). "Retirement Further Erodes a Homegrown Core". The New York Times. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
- Feinsand, Mark (December 5, 2006). "Pettitte returning to Yanks a possibility". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- "2001 League Championship Series – New York Yankees over Seattle Mariners (4–1)". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
- Footer, Alyson (January 14, 2004). "Pettitte honored with Spahn award". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
- Marchand, Andrew (January 24, 2012). "Yankees' Jorge Posada retires". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
- "New York Yankees Doubles Stats for Catchers". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- "New York Yankees Base on Balls Stats for Catchers". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- "New York Yankees Intentional Base on Balls Stats for Catchers". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- "New York Yankees Home Run Stats for Catchers". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- "New York Yankees Extra Base Hits Stats for Catchers". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- "Jorge Posada hits grand slam in return as Phil Hughes, Yanks beat Rays". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Associated Press. August 13, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- Shpigel, Ben (April 17, 2009). "Posada's Blasts First Homer at New Stadium". The New York Post. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
- Hoffman, Benjamin (September 19, 2011). "Rivera Gets His Record 602nd Save in Classic 1-2-3 Fashion". The New York Times. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
- "Career Leaders & Records for Games Finished". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- Plaschke, Bill (September 20, 2011). "Mariano Rivera is great, but let's not overdo it". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
- Waldstein, David (September 10, 2011). "Quietly, Rivera Nears an Underrated Record". The New York Times. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
- Fortuna, Matt (July 24, 2011). "Steady as anyone, Mo extends streak". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
- Gonzalez, Alden (July 19, 2011). "Mo on cusp of extending record streak". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
- Martinez, Michael (August 11, 2011). "Mo not happy, but shakes off latest rough outing". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
- Hoch, Bryan (July 15, 2009). "Another save, another record for Mariano". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
- Fortuna, Matt (May 25, 2011). "Mo makes history with 1,000th appearance". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
- Shpigel, Ben (May 25, 2011). "Milestone for Yankees' Rivera Is Tempered by a Setback for Soriano". The New York Times. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
- "American League Games Pitched Stats". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
- Begley, Ian (September 23, 2013). "Yankees honor Mariano Rivera". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- Schoenfield, David (January 22, 2019). "Mariano Rivera, Edgar Martinez, Roy Halladay and Mike Mussina joining Hall of Fame". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
- https://bleacherreport.com/articles/454533-the-experiance-of-the-core-four-will-prove-invaluable-in-playoffs-for-yankees
- Hoch, Bryan (September 29, 2013). "Mo, Jeter proud of the way Pettitte completes career". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
- "Mariano Rivera By the Numbers". The New York Post. September 19, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
- "Scutaro's miscue leads to key run in Yankees' win over Red Sox". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Associated Press. April 6, 2010. Retrieved April 8, 2010.
- Gonzalez, Alden (July 14, 2011). "Jeter, Posada set appearance record". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
- Barbarisi, Daniel (February 5, 2011). "Pettitte Leaves Behind a Core 3". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
- Sandomir, Richard (November 9, 2010). "Without Lifers Like Jeter, Yankees Lose Their Aura". The New York Times. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
- Hoch, Bryan (February 3, 2011). "Pettitte, postseason wins leader, to retire". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- Boland, Erik (February 27, 2012). "Instructor Pettitte not thinking of return". Newsday. Long Island. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- Hoch, Bryan (March 16, 2012). "Pettitte comes out of retirement, joins Yanks". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- Hoch, Bryan (September 20, 2013). "Pettitte will retire at the end of the season". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- Vitale, Josh (September 25, 2013). "Yankees pay tribute to Pettitte on Wednesday". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- Hoch, Bryan (September 29, 2013). "Pettitte crafts completely fitting closing act". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- Stark, Jayson (February 8, 2011). "Three Strikes: Pettitte's legacy edition". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- Bloom, Barry M. (June 22, 2011). "Girardi showing his faith in Jeter, Posada". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- Bauman, Mike (August 8, 2011). "Light dimming on Posada's bright career". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- Costa, Brian; Diamond, Jared (January 9, 2012). "Hip! Hip!: Ten Moments That Defined Posada's Career". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- Marchand, Andrew (November 1, 2011). "Jorge Posada finished with Yankees?". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- Hoch, Bryan (January 24, 2012). "Emotional Posada retires after 17-year career". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- Hoch, Bryan (February 20, 2012). "Rivera strongly implies this will be final season". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
- Waldstein, David (February 20, 2012). "Rivera Hints This Is His Last Yankees Season". The New York Times. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
- Marchand, Andrew (February 22, 2012). "Mariano Rivera hints at retirement". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- Hoch, Bryan (May 4, 2012). "Mariano tears ACL shagging fly balls". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
- Skretta, Dave (May 4, 2012). "Mariano Rivera injury puts future in question". Chicago Sun-Times. Associated Press. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
- Hoch, Bryan (May 4, 2012). "Mariano: 'I'm not going down like this'". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
- Berry, Adam (March 9, 2013). "Mariano announces '13 will be his final season". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- Barbarisi, Daniel (April 10, 2013). "No, Really: Tell Me About You". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- Baxter, Kevin (July 24, 2013). "Mariano Rivera continues to give, and get, on his farewell tour". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- "Yankees closer Mariano Rivera has picked up plenty of treasures along his farewell tour". National Post. September 19, 2013. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- Hoch, Bryan (September 22, 2013). "Yanks retire Mo's No. 42 on special day in Bronx". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- Herrmann, Mark (September 22, 2013). "Mariano Rivera's number retired by Yankees". Newsday. Long Island. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
- Hoch, Bryan (February 12, 2013). "Jeter announces 2014 season will be his last". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
- "Jorge Posada Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
- "Mariano Rivera Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
- "Derek Jeter Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
- "New York Yankees Top 10 Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
- "Andy Pettitte Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2011.