ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As part of his final season in the big leagues, Mariano Rivera is meeting with people associated with baseball at each stop the Yankees make.

Before last night’s game against the Rays at Tropicana Field, Rivera met with about 35 war veterans.

“It was very nice, what a gentleman,’’ Vietnam vet Bill Werts said. “He talked about his religious beliefs, and somebody asked him what he would say to George Steinbrenner and he said, ‘He would have liked to thank him for the opportunity.’ ”