Mo: Three moments that help define Mariano Rivera’s illustrious New York Yankees career

Five time, five time, five time, five time, five time, World Series Champ.

Perhaps the moment that most people will remember him by are the ones he created in the playoffs.

I will even admit that there were plenty of other postseason moments that he stepped up more. Most notably 2003 Game 7 of the ALCS.

However, the  2009 World Series last out, and it does not even matter that this was not a save situation, the moment that showed he was a winner.

That was his fifth World Series Championship. It was also, unfortunately the last time he would ever play in the fall classic. Thus making it his most bittersweet moment.

A great part is his reaction. Sometimes the saying is “act like you have been there before” but Mo didn’t. He was justifiably jumping for joy and thrilled.

His fifth could have been his first. He was a passionate player and clearly loved helping his team win.

Of all the reasons Mariano Rivera is a Hall of Famer, those are the three I believe are the most important. The multitude of reasons why he got voted in by literally everyone.

Mariano Rivera almost exclusively had great, grandiose, and dramatic moments.

Everything he did from setting the record, taking the mound for the last time, to winning a World Series, was memorable. Nothing he did was small.

Perhaps that is thing that ties all this together, and the thing that makes him such a no-brainer Hall of Fame player.

Either way, it is hard to describe how or why he is. We all know the stats and we have all seen the numbers. But we can all feel, see, and understand the legacy of it all.

So, there is so much more to say, but also not much more to say. A unanimous Hall of Famer pretty much is the end all be all.

The only thing left to do it thank him. Thanks for the moments. Thanks for changing the game as we know it.

Thanks for making it easy to have watched you as a baseball fan and thanks for making it fun to have written this as a baseball writer.

Times will change. The game will change. Players will come and go. Teams will be good and bad.

But legends are forever.

Some records might be broken, but no one could ever get more than 100% of the votes, just match it. But Mo will always be the first. That can’t be broken and there is no one more deserving.

Mariano Rivera, yeah, he is forever.

Enter Sandman has entered Cooperstown. But this time, he will never exit.