Mo Will Take It Slow This Spring

From Bryan Hoch:

Mariano Rivera has not tested his surgically repaired right shoulder off a mound, and the closer is even looking to pump the brakes a few more times on his methodical Spring Training program.

But the Yankees stalwart said Saturday he has "no doubt" that he will be available when the bell rings on Opening Day, able to generate the same dominant cutter that has fueled his late-inning legacy.

"It will be there," Rivera said. "I don't have those thoughts in my mind. When I go on the mound, I know that everything is going to be there. And if it's not there that day, I know the next day, it's going to be there."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that he expected Rivera would only pitch eight to 10 Grapefruit League innings this spring, with all of those taking place at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Rivera said that he would adjust to a lighter workload, as New York's lengthy spring schedule affords a little more flexibility.

Rivera said that he has been playing catch and gradually increasing his distances and velocity, saying that the shoulder "feels great." But he has not really amped up his throws, and until he saddles up in a bullpen session, he won't know exactly what he is working with.

Rivera refuses to consider the possibility that what he has left could not be enough to get by.

"I never think that way," Rivera said. "Those thoughts never cross my mind. I know that I'm not going to be throwing 97 or 98 [mph]. But if I throw 94 or 95 and I hit my spots, I'm fine with that."

I think he's done fine with a 94-95 MPH fastball don't you? If he's throwing 88, then I'll worry.

I guess they're going to slow him down with workouts in between games because eight to 10 innings for Mo in spring training would actually be a pretty large total. Since 2002 Rivera has only thrown more than 9 innings three times ('02, '03 and '04), each time he throwing 10.1 innings.