Mariano Rivera doesn’t disguise his signature cut fastball on the mound. Nor does he hide his feelings for Alex Rodriguez.

Speaking last night at Mo’s New York Grill in New Rochelle, the Yankees closer gushed about his teammate.

“I love A-Rod, he has done a tremendous job. It’s not easy being himself. I don’t want to compare A-Rod to A-Rod but [New York] doesn’t give him a break,” Rivera said.

Concerning Rodriguez’s disappointing postseason performances the past two years, Rivera defended the third baseman.

“If you ask me about guys who haven’t hit in the playoffs I could name two or three guys,” Rivera said. “Alex is one guy; it takes 25 players.”

Asked about trade rumors swirling around Rodriguez, Rivera refused to play GM.

“It’s not up to me to say he should be here or the Yankees should keep him here,” Rivera said. “But he wants to be part of a team that wins. He has done everything in his power. I don’t think there is one guy who works harder. Sometimes I tell him to stop, it’s too much. . . . What can you do? Everybody goes through tough times. He wants to be here and do the job here.”

Rivera, who missed 22 games in September and will be 37 years old this month, had his right forearm checked out after the season and was told all he needed to do was rest until spring training. So, that’s what he is doing as he keeps tabs on his restaurant.

Rivera, who converted 34 of 37 saves this season and is fourth on the all-time list with 413, is entering the final year of his contract (at $10.5 million), but wants to pitch until 2009 when the Yankees move into their new stadium.

“It’s up to the Yankees, hopefully they will do the right thing,” Rivera said. “Then [2009] will be it.”