Height/Weight: 6-2/185
| Birthdate: 11/29/1969
| Birthplace: Panama City, Panama
| Bats/Throws: R/R
| Team: New York
| College: No College
| MLB Experience: 17
| Salary: $14,911,700
| Owned/Started%: 95/92 | Average Draft Position: 93.17
Posada: Mo done after 2012: Yankees RP Mariano Rivera said nothing of the sort, but newly-retired catcher Jorge Posada gave a timeline for Rivera's career on Tuesday in his retirement announcement, reports MLB.com. The future Hall of Fame closer will hang up his cleats following the 2012 season, according to Posada. "Mariano said this is it," Posada said. "He said he has one more year, but Derek said he's got like three more to go." Rivera said earlier in January that everything is back to normal after having surgery to remove polyps from his vocal cords in early December. Rivera said he expects to be ready for spring training. (Updated 01/24/2012)
Injury Report
Throat - Probable for start of spring training (Updated - 1/5/12)
Fantasy Analysis
If this truly is the final season for the best closer in the history of the game, Fantasy owners can enjoy it by using him as a No. 1 Fantasy RP in all formats. Rivera will remain one of the game's best closers right until the day he calls it a career. Whether or not that happens at the end of 2012 remains to be seen, however. (Updated 01/24/2012).
Even at age 42, Mariano Rivera may be the closest there is to a sure thing as an elite Fantasy closer. While the Fantasy RP leaderboards tend to spit pitchers out like a revolving door, Rivera has been a constant among the top closers for most of his 15-year reign as the Yankees' ninth-inning man. Last season, Rivera was as good as ever, even boosting a strikeout rate that had sagged in 2010. He also notched 44 saves, which matched his highest total since 2004, and posted a sub-2.00 ERA for the fourth season in a row. While this could be Rivera's final season, he has shown no signs of slowing down, so he could be leaving the game while still in prime form. Once again, owners should plan on drafting Rivera as a No. 1 RP in all formats. (Updated 1/26/12)