Yankee reliever Mariano Rivera has announced that the 2013 season will be his last.

 

Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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With the entire Yankees' team looking on — including longtime teammates Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte — the 43-year-old made the announcement at a press conference at the Yankees spring training complex in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday.

"It's not too easy when you come to a decision like this, but I would like to say that it has been an honor and a privilege to wear the pinstripes uniform that I have worn proudly for so many years through good times, great times and times of learning processes," Rivera said. "It has been wonderful."

If not for a season-ending knee injury in 2012 while chasing a fly-ball on the warning track at Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium, that season likely would have been his last. Rivera declared he wanted to end his career on his terms and was "not going out like that."

"If I would've finished the season last year, I would have retired last year," Rivera said Saturday. "But I didn't want to leave that way. I wanted to give everything and I felt like I still had something left. This year, I felt like I knew what I needed to do."

The Yankees signed Rivera to a one-year, $10 million contract for the 2013 season.

Rivera holds the career saves record with 608 and has helped the Yankees win five World Series titles. He is regarded as the greatest closer of all time, whether he's throwing his cut fastball in the regular season or postseason.


PITCHING Regular Season Career Stats (source: New York Yankees)
YEAR▲TEAMLGLEVELWLERAGGSCGSHOSVSVOIPHRERHRHBBBIBBSOAVGWHIPGO/AO
1990YANGCLROK510.17221111152.01731027058.1020.46-
1991GBOSALA (Full)492.7529151000114.2103483523360123.2381.21-
1993[+]Minors112.081212000043.13313100016038.2081.13-
1994[+]Minors1023.0922221000131.0126544512230089.2531.19-
1995NYYALMLB535.511910000167.071434111230051.2661.51-
1995COLINTAAA222.1077110030.025107203030.2270.93-
1996NYYALMLB832.096100058107.273252512343130.1890.99-
1997NYYALMLB641.8866000435271.26517155020668.2371.19-
1998NYYALMLB301.9154000364161.14813133117136.2151.06-
1999NYYALMLB431.8366000454969.04315142318352.1760.881.62
2000NYYALMLB742.8566000364175.25826244025358.2081.101.15
2001NYYALMLB462.3471000505780.26124215112283.2090.902.00
2002NYYALMLB142.7445000283246.03516143211241.2031.001.15
2002YANGCLROK000.0011000-2.020000102.2861.50-
2003NYYALMLB521.6664000404670.26115133410163.2351.001.88
2004NYYALMLB421.9474000535778.26517173520366.2251.082.17
2005NYYALMLB741.3871000434778.15018122418080.1770.871.51
2006NYYALMLB551.8063000343775.06116153511455.2230.962.05
2007NYYALMLB343.1567000303471.16825254612274.2481.121.82
2008NYYALMLB651.4064000394070.2411111426077.1650.671.41
2009NYYALMLB331.7666000444666.14814137112172.1970.902.02
2010NYYALMLB331.8061000333860.03914122511345.1830.831.58
2011NYYALMLB121.9164000444961.1471313328260.2150.901.23
2012NYYALMLB112.169000568.162200228.2000.961.29
MLB TotalsMLB76582.21105110006086811219.29403243006545277381119.2101.001.63
Minors Totals[+]Minors22152.3693584211373.030612898167930340.2231.07

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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