January 12, 2007 -- Mariano Rivera won four World Series titles closing for Andy Pettitte and saw little but disappointment with Randy Johnson as a teammate, and he still can't figure out exactly why.
"I don't know what happened," Rivera said of the Big Unit, who was dealt back to Arizona. "From what I saw, Randy gave his best all the time. Unfortunately, it didn't work out the way we wanted it to. But I can't say he didn't do all he could."
Indeed, Johnson's two years in Pinstripes featured first-round playoff exits and the tall lefty failing to contribute in the postseason. He was a far less effective pitcher than the one who repeatedly shut the Yankees down when he was with the Diamondbacks and, before that, the Mariners.
Rivera didn't see the same stuff with Johnson as a teammate, which is likely the reason the aging Johnson didn't succeed with the Bombers.
"When Randy came here, he didn't have the same stuff he used to have," Rivera said.
The Yankees hope that is not the case with Pettitte as he returns to The Bronx.
"Andy should have never left," Rivera said of the southpaw who was re-introduced as a Yankee yesterday. "He should have always been a Yankee. But [Pettitte's leaving] is in the past. I'm happy to have him back."
Rivera was honored for his work with the FDNY, NYPD and Port Authority PD at a ceremony for the World Police and Fire Games, which will be held in New York in 2011 to coincide with the remembrance of Sept. 11, 2001.
With pitchers and catchers due to report in little more than a month, the closer said his arm felt good. It will need to if the Yankees are going to contend for their first World Series victory since 2000.
Rivera thinks Pettitte will play a key role in getting the Yankees back to dominance.
"Everyone knows what Andy Pettitte can do," Rivera said.
And while Johnson never fit in with the Yankees, Pettitte always did. Rivera doesn't expect that to change, even though Pettitte is older now, having spent the past three years in Houston. And as the Yankees found out, those seasons can add up.
"They are two different pitchers," Rivera said. "Andy grew up here, so he was used to it. Randy only pitched here as a visitor and maybe he wasn't comfortable. He's the only one who really knows. But he worked, worked hard. We didn't win as much as we wanted to, but I know every time out there, he pitched as hard as he could."
