Mariano says all the right things

Mariano Rivera is not doing anything to disrupt the peace and tranquility of spring training for the New York Yankees. Mo refused to turn his contract situation or his post-baseball plans into an issue, disappointing sports writers who seem quite desperate for a controversial story.

Mo answered questions about his potential free agency by declaring that he has a contract for this year and that he's not worried about the future. He did make it clear that he will continue to pitch as long as he still has his stuff and that he feels he can dominate (is anyone going to argue with that after the 2009 playoffs?). That's the most important news for Yankees fans and for the team, which has so far failed to groom Mo's successor. I expect that to be a focus after Joe Girardi & Co. decide who will be the fifth starter.

Mo is wise not to make an issue of the contract situation. He doesn't need to fight a public relations war with the Yankees because the fans and media will do that for him. All he has to do is remain quiet and keep pitching like he does and he will get what he wants in the 2010 offseason, namely a contract that will allow him to retire and enter the Hall of Fame as a Yankee.