Mariano Rivera has cameo in Papelbon's Esquire interview

• (Esquire Magazine, Jonathan Papelbon interview, 3/13/09): Author Chris Jones writes about Papelbon's Mississippi home:

"Mariano Rivera makes an appearance — a surprise appearance, given last summer’s Bronx tempest (referencing the All Star game at Yankee Stadium).

• In Papelbon’s game room — pool table, awards, all the requisites — Rivera smiles out from a blown-up photograph,

• with his arm around Papelbon, both men in collar and tie.

• Rivera has signed and dedicated the photograph, wishing Papelbon the best and God bless.

The autograph says everything you need to know about him: It is as artfully and delicately constructed as a suspension bridge, the bottom of each looping letter resting on an invisible line that couldn’t be straighter were it drawn with a ruler.

• "It’s perfect, right?" Papelbon says, marveling, running his finger along the level. "That’s him. He’s the Godfather. He made this position what it is today. Now my job is to make it even greater."...

"I’ve always set my goals high," Papelbon says, looking at Rivera’s shy smile. "If I sold copy machines, I’d want to be the guy who sold the most copy machines in the history of the world. Mariano Rivera is a great pitcher. I think he’s a good guy. But I want to break every one of his numbers. I want to be the best there ever was." The hardest number for him to beat will be four. Rivera has four World Series rings; Papelbon has one."...

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