NEI Nuclear Notes

Mariano Rivera Let's turn back the clock to May 9, 2001 and visit the Bronx to play a game of "what if?" The defending World Series Champions, the New York Yankees, are locked in a tight pennant race early in the season , trailing the hated Boston Red Sox by just a half game in the standings after beating the Minnesota Twins 2-0 at home . The win was locked up thanks to the efforts of Mariano Rivera, widely acknowledged to be the best relief pitcher in the game.   As Yankees manager Joe Torre arrives for his postgame press conference, his demeanor doesn't reveal that he's about to drop a bombshell that will rock the baseball world. Looking to add a throwaway quote to a story, one reporter asks Torre to reflect on what Rivera's pitching has meant for the team. "What else is there to say? Without Mariano, we don't win the World Series in '98, '99 or 2000. He's at the heart of everything we do around here. Which reminds me, as of to...