Mo thinks this contract might be the last one

RYE BROOK, N.Y. - Mariano Rivera sees the end coming - although he said it with a broad smile.

"I think maybe that might be the last two years," Rivera said Saturday of the two-year, $30-million contract he agreed to in principle with the Yankees late this past week. "Maybe, I don't know."

The closer, who was at a signing at Last Licks here, smiled again. "I've been saying that since 2000, I think," said Rivera, who turned 41 last Monday. "But I'm glad that everything went fine and got done."

The contract won't be announced by the Yankees until Rivera, who just completed a three-year, $45-million deal, has his physical, which the pitcher said will take place Monday or Tuesday.

Rivera's negotiations, unlike those of longtime teammate Derek Jeter, played out in private. Rivera said contrary to previous reports, there was never any doubt how long he wanted this contract to be.

"I always wanted two years," he said.

Once that had been determined, hammering out a deal with Rivera and agent Fernando Cuza was a relatively simple process for general manager Brian Cashman.

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"Of course I wanted it to go smooth, and that's exactly what happened," said Rivera, who showed no signs of decline last season, saving 33 games and posting a 1.80 ERA. "I met with Cash, we talked a little bit and a few hours later, the deal was done."

Plenty of eyebrows were raised late this past week when a report out of Boston said the Red Sox had offered Rivera a contract. But a source with knowledge of those talks told Newsday on Friday that the story was overblown, saying the Red Sox were more curious than anything about the state of the negotiations but assumed all along that Rivera would return to the Yankees.

Rivera would only say he has a lot of "respect" for the Red Sox and called Boston "a tremendous organization."

"I'm grateful they were thinking of me," he said.

But he added, "The Yankees did what they were supposed to do, and that was the end of that."

Outfielder Curtis Granderson and reliever David Robertson, at the same signing yesterday, are thrilled that Rivera is returning.

"It's absolutely amazing what's he's been able to do and what he'll continue to do for us," Granderson said.

Robertson shook his head, mentioning Rivera's 559 career saves.

"I think it's awesome we got Mo back," Robertson said. "Ready to see him get 600."

After a brief rest after the season ended, Rivera has been working out. He won't begin throwing until late January or even early February, his usual routine.

He also won't be making any recruiting calls to any prospective free agents, including Cliff Lee.

"I think we have enough people to do that," Rivera said. "I think he has to make the right decision, and hopefully he goes for the New York Yankees."