Panama: Baseball Fans React to Mariano Rivera’s Injury · Global Voices
Ariel Moreno

Mariano Rivera entered his name amongst the greatest baseball professionals when he broke the the saves record in major league baseball [es] last year. The Panamanian pitcher achieved 602 saves last year, breaking the record of  601. (In baseball, when the pitcher enters into the eighth or ninth inning with the advantage of three runs or less and if he succeeds in maintaining the advantage, it is known as a ‘safe’.)
Mariano remains part of one of the most important teams in the world of baseball: the New York Yankees. On May 3, from their Twitter account, the Yankees (@Yankees) sounded the alarm over the veteran pitcher's possible injury:
BREAKING: Yankees closer Mariano Rivera injured during batting practice tonight in Kansas City. More details to come.
Mariano Rivera, image courtesy Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
The Yankees would later confirm that he was being treated for a serious injury, crossed ligaments [es], and that it was very possible that it would be the end of the season for Mariano, or perhaps, taking into account the age of the pitcher, 42, the end of his career.
Reactions came quickly and soon Mariano Rivera became a worldwide Trending Topic. The hashtag #MarianoRivera was created, where the majority of the people showed the appreciation that they felt for the pitcher.
Even those that don't support the New York Yankees showed their appreciation and respect for the pitcher. For example, Randy Savage (@ltzrandysavage), who admits to hating the Yankees, wishes Mariano a speedy recovery.
To be honest. As one of the biggest Yankees haters, this is one of the worst things to happen in baseball. #MarianoRivera#GetWellSoon
Sara Hamling (@shamlingdesign) voiced a similar opinion:
I hate the Yankees but I respect Mariano Rivera a lot and it's incredibly sad if this is how his fantastic career ends.
Ryan Kellog g  (@Ry_Kellog) considers it a show of Rivera's grandeur that his injury had become a worldwide trend:
You know you're an impact player when you get hurt and you trend worldwide on twitter#marianorivera
However, for Panamanians, feelings towards Mariano are mixed. On one hand, there are those that admire him and thank him for holding Panama's name on high, and then there are those that haven't forgiven him for not agreeing to wear the Panama t-shirt for the Baseball World Classic. The pitcher argued that he was being careful with regards to his injuries, but for many Panamanians, it was a show of arrogance and deplorable disdain. José Barria (@JoseBarria_) [es] writes:
Lamento mucho la lesión de Mariano Rivera. También lamento mucho que nunca haya querido jugar por Panamá en un Clásico Mundial.
Others even think that his injury was a product of karma, like Itzel Chavez (@itzelch_07) [es]:
No se desea mal ajeno pero hasta la arrogancia la castiga el karma #marianorivera
Dennis Allen (@Dennis27Allen) [es], on the other hand, is surprised by the love and solidarity that U.S. fanatics have shown to the Panamanian, even when his homeland he isn't so loved:
cha la gente en Panamá odia a Mariano Rivera, y ahora que el man se lesiono te das cuenta como los gringos lo AMAN..
Others such as Eduardo Reyes (@Eduardo_1691) [es] haven't lost hope that the Panamanian will recover and finish his career pitching and representing Panama:
Pienso que mariano rivera tiene que retirarse en el clasico mundial usando la camiseta de panamá
Despite the differences in point of view, the Panamanian pitcher's injury has caused chaos in the world of baseball. Many people, like Alexander Da Silva (@Adasilva507) [es], refuse to believe that this could be the end of Mariano Rivera:
Me rehuso a pensar que la carrera del panameño Mariano Rivera terminara de esta forma…