The Final Score

What a great world this is that this can happen:

A. Mariano Rivera leaves team to take MRI on his shoulder. Big news, obviously.

B. Manager Joe Girardi offers the nugget of news to reporters before the game. But he does not mention shoulder, describing the test simply as the exit MRI that every player goes through, just a week early. The reason, he said, was because Mariano complained of "cranky" body. Girardi also says he expects him to be back ready to pitch this weekend (in meaningless games).

C. General manager Brian Cashman makes himself easily accessible to beat reporters after Girardi's pre-game manager session and specifies Mariano's shoulder as the reason for the MRI. He does not rule out surgery. He also says this is an out-of-ordinary MRI - not the typical exit MRI one week early.

D. Girardi, after the game, sticks to his story in a tense session with reporters.

- In the most bizarre twist -

E. Video of Girardi squirming is available on YESNetwork.com, the team-owned network.