Mo Thankful For Newest Yankees

Last winter, when the Yankees were trying to acquire Johan Santana, Jorge Posada said "no disrespect to Wang" but the Yankees need a real ace-type. By this he meant a pitcher who can strike out anybody and dominate opposing lineups. Well it seems like Rivera feels the same way. "I think they're good acquisitions, I think they can help us out," Rivera said of C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. "With good pitching, we can have a lot of good things. It has been the problem for a few years, so now we have pitching, and hopefully we'll get it going." 

"There's nothing guaranteed; you still have to go out there and preform, but pitching is the name of the game," he added while signing autographs at the Last Licks ice cream parlor in Ryebrook. "It's great to have veterans at the front of the rotation."

"With young kids Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, a lot of things can happen, and that's what happened last year. Hopefully they can learn, and when they have a shot again, they take advantage of it."

Rivera, 39, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his throwing arm this offseason, but expects to be ready come Opening Day.

"Everything is okay, a lot of rehabbing," he said. "It's definitely painful, but everything is good."