PUERTO CAIMITO, Panama -- A weeping Mariano Rivera attended the funeral Tuesday of two family members who died at his house, and he later planned to board a private jet to return to New York for Game 1 of the Yankees-Red Sox pennant series.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=180 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD width=165>
</TD><TD width=15> </TD></TR><TR><TD width=165>Mariano Rivera will rejoin the Yankees on Tuesday after attending a family funeral in Panama.(AP)</TD><TD width=15> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Rivera broke out in tears as a choir sang hymns at the God of the Prophecy Church in his hometown, a fishing village 40 miles from Panama City.
"This is a very hard moment for Mariano," said Manuel de la Rosa, a fellow member of the church.
The cousin of Rivera's wife, Clara, died along with his 14-year-old son Saturday at Rivera's house. Officials said Victor Dario Avila and his son were electrocuted, apparently when electrical cable fell into the water as the younger Avila was in the pool and his father tried to save him.
On Tuesday, Rivera first visited the house where a vigil was held for the bodies, then rode with Avila's wife in a funeral procession of about 100 people to the Evangelical church.
He told reporters Monday he would return to New York after the funeral to rejoin the team, despite being "devastated, tired, sad" at the death of Avila, with whom he grew up, and his son.
Yankees manager Joe Torre said Monday he wasn't counting on Rivera's return for the start of the AL championship series: "If he's here tomorrow, wonderful. If he's not, then we understand that."
If Rivera doesn't return, it would be the first time since he became the Yankees' closer in 1997 that Torre wouldn't be able to call on the pitcher widely regarded as the best at his position in postseason history.
Rivera saved a postseason-record 23 straight games beginning with the first of three consecutive championships in 1998 and ending in Game 7 of the 2001 Series. He has failed to close out a game only three times in 33 postseason opportunities, including Game 2 of the division series against Minnesota last Wednesday night.
If Rivera isn't back, Torre said, Tom Gordon would be the closer. Gordon has been Rivera's primary setup man this season, going 9-4 with a 2.21 ERA and four saves in 80 appearances.
"At this moment, my family is my priority," Rivera said Monday. "I stopped thinking about baseball the moment I got on the plane."
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=180 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD width=165>
"This is a very hard moment for Mariano," said Manuel de la Rosa, a fellow member of the church.
The cousin of Rivera's wife, Clara, died along with his 14-year-old son Saturday at Rivera's house. Officials said Victor Dario Avila and his son were electrocuted, apparently when electrical cable fell into the water as the younger Avila was in the pool and his father tried to save him.
On Tuesday, Rivera first visited the house where a vigil was held for the bodies, then rode with Avila's wife in a funeral procession of about 100 people to the Evangelical church.
He told reporters Monday he would return to New York after the funeral to rejoin the team, despite being "devastated, tired, sad" at the death of Avila, with whom he grew up, and his son.
Yankees manager Joe Torre said Monday he wasn't counting on Rivera's return for the start of the AL championship series: "If he's here tomorrow, wonderful. If he's not, then we understand that."
If Rivera doesn't return, it would be the first time since he became the Yankees' closer in 1997 that Torre wouldn't be able to call on the pitcher widely regarded as the best at his position in postseason history.
Rivera saved a postseason-record 23 straight games beginning with the first of three consecutive championships in 1998 and ending in Game 7 of the 2001 Series. He has failed to close out a game only three times in 33 postseason opportunities, including Game 2 of the division series against Minnesota last Wednesday night.
If Rivera isn't back, Torre said, Tom Gordon would be the closer. Gordon has been Rivera's primary setup man this season, going 9-4 with a 2.21 ERA and four saves in 80 appearances.
"At this moment, my family is my priority," Rivera said Monday. "I stopped thinking about baseball the moment I got on the plane."
