The End Of The Rivera Era? And Other MLBullets

More of the latest from around MLB...

• Mariano Rivera is many things. A dominant closer. A tremendous athlete. A dynamic personality. A community giver. But he is also 42, and now he has a torn ACL in his right knee. Yesterday, Rivera was carted off the field during batting practice, when he was shagging balls in the outfield (as he's done for 20 years). Rivera was emotional when asked about the injury and about coming back, and it didn't sound good. We could be looking at the end of the Rivera era, which seemed like it would never end. If this is, indeed, the end - and I wouldn't put anything past Rivera - Rivera probably retires as the greatest closer in MLB history. Even if it isn't the end, Rivera probably will not be back in 2012.

• The Angels added reliever Ernesto Frieri in a deal with the Padres, who added a couple decent young prospects in utility player Alexi Amarista and pitcher Donn Roach. Frieri, 26, is a dominant reliever (he sports a 2.33 ERA over 105 ML appearances), but there is word yet on how this move will make Albert Pujols start hitting again.
• A group of business leaders has banded together to pressure the A's to stay in Oakland, which leaders also say they have the financial wherewithal to buy the team if the current owners insist on moving. I don't think there's much of anything keeping the A's from moving to San Jose eventually (other than the Giants), but I still find the story notable because it could mean that something official is getting close. My question, do they stay the "Oakland" A's, or become the San Jose A's?
• The Dodgers have designated reliever Mike MacDougal for assignment. The 35-year-old was brutal is limited duty so far this year, but was excellent in 2011 (2.05 ERA over 57 innings). Seems likely that some team will take a chance on MacDougal.
• FanGraphs notes that no-hitters aren't becoming more common, it's just that no-hitters, as a percentage of complete games, are going way up. But that's almost entirely because complete games are becoming less and less common.
• Here's a crummy story all around: the surprising Baltimore Orioles didn't make many moves in the offseason, but one of their biggest was to sign Japanese pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada, 31, for a couple years and $8.15 million. The lefty hasn't thrown a pitch yet this year for the O's, and now needs Tommy John surgery. After he rehabs, the Orioles might get a half season of a recovering pitcher for their $8.15 million. At least they hold a 2014 option on him.

Brett Taylor is the Lead Writer at Bleacher Nation, and a Contributor here at Bleed Cubbie Blue.