Saves of a different sort mean the most to Rivera now. He did all he could to keep Alfonso Soriano on the right path when they were teammates, and now is working hard to help Robinson Cano get the most from his immense talent. Melky Cabrera and Jose Veras are also among the kids who gather around Rivera's locker.

"They are the future of the organization and they need to follow a good role model," Rivera says. "One day, some kid is going to follow them. I just want them to remember how I try to tell them the truth, how I try to teach them. I don't want them to remember me for what I do. I want them to remember me for who I am. This is what I do, but this is not who I am. That's the only thing that I want, to be a guy who makes changes in somebody's life."