If he has another typical Rivera year, then I don’t see how they can cut his salary. I think this is a much different situation than Jeter. We’ve got to assume Jeter is going to decline, so it doesn’t make sense to pay him the same salary (or give him a raise). While Rivera will eventually stop doing what he does, he shows no signs of slowing down now. In that case, it’d be hard to justify a pay cut, and two years, $30 million seems quite reasonable.

In the World Series Rivera was holding a heating pad to hurting ribs and throwing barely 90 mph. He got people out, but he wasn’t blowing them away. Can anyone seriously argue that his future aches and injuries won’t be more frequent? That he won’t lose velocity? When your whole game is variations on a fastball, and you begin to lose velocity, you become hittable.

There’s nothing wrong with another year at this number for as long as you want it. Paul O’Neill did that the last 2 or 3 years, and he walked in by himself, shook hands and was out with a deal in 15 minutes.

Just no long contracts. No more than 3 years for either (more likely 2).

Mo is will accept one-year deals at present salary until he decides to retire.

With Jeter, you have to build in risk, because he’s going to want 4 years guaranteed. So that means a salary cut. 4/18 per.

but I don’t think Brian cashman is losing sleep over this. they’ll know what to do both sides will come to an agreement pretty quickly. Mo will retire a Yankee whatever year that is. A new monument will soon follow and few years after that Cooperstown, Amen. Enjoy what youre watching ladies and gentleman you might never see a more dominant closer ever again in your lives.

He also won’t turn into Mussina, the pitcher he is the least similar to. Mussina had a number of different pitches, which he threw at different speeds. Even if Mo doesn’t lose his command of location, which is often what disappears before velocity, an upper 80s cutter just won’t break bats like you’re used to seeing.

Jeter will decline as well. Both players are first ballot hall of famers, but they are still subject to the same effects of aging as everyone else. Mo already seems to be dangerously close to the edge. I’m hope i’m wrong.