An obviously emotional Mariano Rivera said "I don't know" when asked about his future following the news that he will be lost for the season to the New York Yankees after suffering a torn ACL and meniscus. Rivera suffered the injury shagging fly balls Thursday prior to the team's game in Kansas City. [Full transcript via Star-Ledger]
Here are a couple of excerpts from Rivera's post-game meeting with reporters:
Did you think it was going to be that serious?
No, I thought it wasn't that bad I was walking a little bit but, um, no it's torn. I have to fix it.
You're out there every day shagging fly balls...
I don't want to have it any other way, if I'm going to have it happen like that, well at least it happened doing what I love to do and shagging (fly balls), I love to do. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it again no hesitation. There are reasons why it happens, you have to take it the way it is and fight, fight through it. Now we just have to fight, just fight.
What have doctors told you?
I haven't talked to the doctors yet, I just talked to the doctors here but I haven't talked to the doctors in New York...I just want to think, pray a little before I make a decision, so whatever happens....
Regarding your future?
At this point I don't know, at this point I don't know. We have to face this first.
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