(Courtesy of Getty Images)
Tonight marks the start of the final homestand of the 2013 season for the Yankees, and with it the all but certain final 6 home games of Mariano Rivera's career. After 573 regular season games, 653.1 innings pitched, and over 2600 batters faced inside the hallowed walls of the old Yankee Stadium and fancy schmancy walls of the new Yankee Stadium, the finish line on Mo's long and illustrious career is in sight and the first big milestone is a mere 6 days away.
It was a surreal feeling watching him run out of the bullpen a few weekends ago, and I imagine that feeling will be 10 times greater this weekend. Mo has pitched what comes out to over 72.5 full 9-inning games at Yankee Stadium, and now he's down to his final few innings. All the cutters, all the strikeouts, all the broken bats. Not many more of them left to see and it still doesn't feel quite real.
There is a ton of stuff planned to celebrate Mo's career and retirement this weekend and all of it should be spectacular. But nothing will ever equal the awesomeness of just watching Mo work. I know I'll be parked on my couch on Sunday afternoon, hoping to get one more chance to watch him jog out to "Enter Sandman" and close out a game. There isn't much left for the Yankees to play for this season. Making this weekend count with some wins and sending Mo out on the highest note possible should be the top priority.
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