Rivera Hints This Is His Last Yankees Season Mariano Rivera enters perhaps his final spring training. TAMPA - He has made similar comments in the past, dating back more than a decade, but now with the all-time saves record in hand, and his age finally matching his famous uniform number, Mariano Rivera sounds a lot like someone who is about to play his last season. Rivera, who turned 42 in November, said on Monday that he has made his final decision about whether this year will be his final season. He cryptically, almost playfully, refused to reveal what that decision is, but it certainly did not sound as if he planned to keep on pitching. When asked if the decision depended on how he pitches this year, he said no. "Even if I save 90 games," he said, "even if they want to pay as much money as they want to, anything." Rivera said he arrived at the decision - whatever it may be - two or three weeks ago, and said it was very difficult to make. "Definitely," he said. Decisions like that are always hard. Always. It involves what you do and involves what you have done for 22 years. But at the same time, they have to be made. Rivera said the decision was "irrevocable," but later pointed out that he has made such proclamations before, and even more than once. "How many times have I told you guys, this is my last year?" he asked. I think maybe it's been like seven, eight years. "It's, "After this year, I'm not going to play no more," and after this I play two more years, sign a contract for three more years, and then another three years. Yes, I have. But this one is different. This is it. This one is my decision. When I want to let you guys know what it is, I will let you know. Rivera passed Trevor Hoffman to become the all time saves leader last September with 603, and finished the season with 44 saves and a 1.91 earned run average, demonstrating he is still one of the best closers in the game. Considering that, he was asked one more time if there could be anything that would change his mind. "No," he answered. But you guys don't know what the decision is.