YES Network.com

It was an afternoon in late July, and Mariano Rivera had stopped near the batting cage to speak with a reporter from a Latin sports outlet. The Yankee batters were beginning their practice and Rivera was headed toward the outfield with some of the other pitchers to catch fly balls. For Rivera, that has always been a pleasure; he has said that he would like someday to play center field, if only for an inning.

The reporter is a proper looking man of some years, thin, grey haired, with a neatly trimmed mustache.  Even in the midsummer heat, his attire is semiformal -- collared dress shirts and suspenders, when the younger members of the sports media will often wear golf shirts and khakis. He carries a leather shoulder bag that always looks slightly overstuffed.

I do not know his name.

As he stood at his locker, you sensed a difference about David Robertson. Not a world of difference, but maybe a little, and the good kind, too

The buzz after the Yankees’ 3-1 win over the Royals at Yankee Stadium Tuesday night was largely about what he did in the seventh inning, which was what people have gotten so used to seeing from him that it’s almost expected, namely put out a fire for his team to save the day.

Sometimes Robertson does it with bases loaded and no outs, like in the 11th inning of Game 2 of the ALDS back in 2009. Another time it might be with a couple of guys on base with one out, like in the 13th inning of Game 2 of the ALCS during that same World Series winning run for the Yanks.

Comes in to these ridiculous spots, Robertson does. A tie, a slender lead,