Rivera Puts the Brakes on Talks of a Return

From Stefan Bondy:

Mariano Rivera has gone from adamant to hesitant about playing next season.

Baseball’s best closer ever said Saturday he’s so focused on the day-to-day grind of physical therapy that he can’t commit to pitching in 2013, let alone this season, declining to let his mind wander beyond the moment.

“I don’t even know if I want to play next year. I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring. One day at a time,” said Rivera, who was walking without a limp at Yankee Stadium after watching a training session of the English Premier League’s Chelsea soccer squad, which plays an exhibition Sunday at the Stadium.

“I don’t want to put something in my mind because if it doesn’t happen, I’ll be disappointed,” he added.

...

“I love (baseball). I love the game. I love the competition. I love being on the field,” he said on Saturday. “Going out like that, to me, I won’t take it. Hopefully the good Lord will allow me to be on the field again.”

Hopefully he just had a tough week or something in rehab and this isn't the beginnings of Mo slowing breaking down mentally and just giving up. Major injuries like this, especially in your 40's, can sometimes do that to a person.