Mariano Rivera has thrown his final pitch. The all-time saves leader said on Saturday that he has decided to allow the last moment of his playing career to be an emotional embrace on the Yankee Stadium mound. Rivera said that he was blessed with the ideal conclusion to his career on Thursday, when the 43-year-old closer retired all four Rays batters he faced and tearfully handed the ball off to longtime teammates Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter.