Cleatless and with a borrowed glove, that's how Mariano Rivera showed up to his tryout with the New York Yankees. In this first episode of a four-part look into Rivera's illustrious career, we take a trip to his hometown of Puerto Caimito, Panama and find out how the son of a fisherman unexpectedly received an offer to play professional baseball after a tryout that lasted fewer than 10 pitches.

Full Account

Mariano, Episode 1: Panama

Considered a fringe prospect at best, Mariano Rivera, who at the time spoke no English and had never left Panama, journeyed to the United States to begin his professional baseball career. In this second episode of a four-part look into Rivera's career, we explore his initial experiences in the Yankees farm system and how in his first year managed to post a microscopic 0.17 ERA.

Mariano, Episode 2: The Minors

Mariano has called it his "gift from God." In the third episode of a four-part series, we delve into the discovery of one of the most famous pitches in the history of the game, Rivera's cut fastball -- including the moment it came to him, how he learned to control it and ultimately how he dominated opposing hitters with it.

Mariano, Episode 3: Cutting Edge

In the fourth episode of a look at the life and career of Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera, we examine his rise to baseball immortality through many highs and occasional lows, and explain how a song he wasn't all that interested in became a part of his persona.

Mariano, Episode 4: Exit Sandman

In the sixth episode of this six-part look back to the 2009 Draft, Full Account takes you behind the scenes of Jeff Luhnow's days as scouting director for the St. Louis Cardinals. What role did analytics play in building a championship-caliber team and how have Luhnow's draft methodologies translated to his current role as Astros' GM?

Jeff Luhnow: Feeling the Draft

In the fourth episode of this six-part look back to the 2009 Draft, Full Account takes you behind the scenes of Paul Goldschmidt's origin story. How did Goldschmidt's parents convince him to play baseball and why did he fall to the eighth round?

Paul Goldschmidt: America's 246th Pick

In the fifth episode of this six-part look back to the 2009 Draft, Full Account takes you behind the scenes of J.D. Martinez's origin story. How did Martinez fall to the 611th overall pick and what did he see in himself that scouts missed?

J.D. Martinez: From Doubt to Clout

In the third episode of this six-part look back to the 2009 Draft, Full Account takes you behind the scenes of Nolan Arenado's origin story. Why did scouts ask Arenado to suit up behind home plate and how did the Rockies land the six-time Gold Glove winner?

Nolan Arenado: The Will To Be Great

In the second episode of this six-part look back to the 2009 Draft, Full Account takes you behind the scenes of Stephen Strasburg's origin story. How did a once undrafted high school kid wind up becoming the No. 1 overall pick?

Stephen Strasburg: Reluctant Superstar

In the first episode of this six-part look back to the 2009 Draft, Full Account takes you behind the scenes of Mike Trout's origin story. What did scouts think of Trout in high school and how were the Angels so fortunate to snag the future superstar with the 25th overall pick?

Mike Trout: From No. 25 to No. 1

In the first installments of the Full Account podcast, MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince brings you a six episode mini-series that examines how the 2009 Draft shaped the current baseball landscape. Detailing the draft stories of superstars Mike Trout, Stephen Strasburg, Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, and J.D. Martinez, as well as Jeff Luhnow's rise to becoming the ultimate modern GM, fans will get an inside glimpse into how the biggest names of the modern game made it to the top.

Introduction: How the 2009 Draft changed modern baseball

In a first-of-its-kind podcast, MLB.com reporters will take deep dives into some of baseball's best-untold stories. Beginning with a six episode mini-series on how the 2009 Draft changed the face of modern baseball, followed by an inside look at how Mariano Rivera discovered his legendary cut fastball, the Full Account podcast takes baseball storytelling to a new level.

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Full Account

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