When I heard the Baltimore Orioles haven’t won the American League East Division since 1997 it got me thinking, who was on that ’97 Yankees’ team?

Don’t hate me, but I was 7 years old the last time the O’s topped the division. Some were no brainers for me, Jeter, Williams, O’Neill, Martinez and Posada as position players. Funny thing though Posada wasn’t the starter, a man named Joe Girardi had more games behind the plate that year.

Here is what the Yankee lineup looked like going simply by who played the most games at each position:

(Games Played)

Lineup:

C         Joe Girardi (112)

1B       Tino Martinez (158)

2B       Luis Sojo (77)

SS        Derek Jeter (159)

3B       Charlie Hayes (100)

LF       Tim Raines (74)

CF       Bernie Williams (129)

RF       Paul O’Neil (149)

DH      Cecil Fielder (98)

Notable bench players:

UT       Wade Boggs (104)

OF       Chad Curtis (93)

C         Jorge Posada (60)

UT       Darryl Strawberry (11)

Pitchers I was able to get Cone, Pettitte, Wells and Rivera, completely forgetting the likes of Dwight Gooden and Kenny Rogers.

Starting rotation:

Andy Pettitte

David Wells

David Cone

Kenny Rogers

Dwight Gooden

Bullpen:

Mariano Rivera(CL)

Ramiro Mendoza

Jeff Nelson

Mike Stanton

Graeme Lloyd

Some highlights statistically were Tino Martinez hitting 44 bombs and driving in 141 runs. Jeter had 23 stolen bases and Bernie Williams and Paul O’Neill each had 21 homers and over 100 RBI’s. Pettitte lead the pitching staff with 18 wins and Mo had 43 saves.

The Yankees finished with a 96-66 record just two games behind the Baltimore Orioles. The Yanks won the wild card that year but got bounced by the Cleveland Indians in the Division series in 5 games.

The ’97 Yankees are always overlooked by history.  What can you expect when you win 4 World Series in 5 years?  Obviously that 1 year they didn’t win is going to be forgotten. As well it should.

Side note: if you’d like to see the complete roster for the ’97 Yankees you can click on the link below.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/1997.shtml

April 9, 1996

It was a cold, snowy Opening Day in the Bronx. The Yankees defeated the Kansas City Royals, 7-3. Starter Andy Pettitte allowed 3R in 6.1IP (6H, 2BB), earning the win. Newcomers Joe Girardi, replacing Mike Stanley, and Tino Martinez, replacing Don Mattingly, get booed during pregame introductions. Girardi goes 1-for-5 batting in the second spot and rookie shortstop Derek Jeter goes 1-for-3 hitting ninth.

**April 9, 1996 Box Score**

The New York Yankees just sent out a press release regarding the upcoming Old Timers Day celebration, retirement of Hall of Fame manger Joe Torre’s number 6, and other Yankee legends including Paul O’Neill, Goose Gossage, Tino Martinez and Bernie Williams. Just to clarify things the team will only be retiring Torre’s number, but will honor the rest with plaques in Monument Park.

The New York Yankees today announced that Class of 2014 Hall of Fame Inductee Joe Torre, Hall of Famer Rich “Goose” Gossage, Tino Martinez and Paul O’Neill will all be honored with plaques in Monument Park. Torre will also have his uniform No. 6 retired. The ceremonies are part of a recognition series that will include Bernie Williams in 2015.

Martinez and Gossage will be celebrated during Old-Timers’ Day weekend on Saturday, June 21, and Sunday, June 22, respectively. O’Neill’s ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 9, while Torre will take his place in Monument Park on Saturday, August 23.

Acquired by the Yankees in a trade with Seattle prior to the 1996 season, Martinez went on to play in seven seasons with New York (1996-2001, ’05), helping to lead the team to four World Series victories during that time (1996, ’98-2000). He combined to hit .276 with 192 home runs and 739 RBI in his pinstriped career. He is arguably best known for his grand slam off San Diego’s Mark Langston in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series at Yankee Stadium that gave the Yankees the lead and helped propel them to their 24thWorld Championship in franchise history.

Gossage, who was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008, played in parts of seven seasons with the Yankees (1978-83, ’89), winning a World Series with the team in 1978. The nine-time All-Star compiled a 42-28 record with a 2.14 ERA with the Yankees, including 151 saves and 512 strikeouts in 319 games. He allowed just 390 hits in 533.0 innings pitched during his time in pinstripes. Gossage trails only Mariano Rivera (652) and Dave Righetti (224) on the all-time Yankees saves list.

O’Neill, who currently serves as a game analyst for the YES Network, spent the final nine seasons of his 17-year Major League career in the Bronx (1993-2001), winning four world titles with New York (1996, ’98-2000). He concluded his Yankees career with a .303 batting average, 304 doubles, 185 home runs and 858 RBI, claiming the American League batting title in 1994 with a .359 average. Affectionately known as a “warrior” to many of his fans, he played in 235 consecutive games in right field without making an error from July 1995 to May 1997. In 2001, at the age of 38, O’Neill became the oldest player in Major League history to steal 20 bases and hit 20 home runs in the same season.

Currently serving as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, Torre spent 12 seasons as Manager of the Yankees (1996-2007). He piloted the team to six World Series appearances (1996, ’98-2001, ’03) and four World Championships (1996, ’98-2000). Torre compiled a 1,173-767 (.605) regular season record and a 76-47 (.618) postseason mark during his Yankees tenure, leading the club to the playoffs in each year that he managed the team. While with the organization, he went 21-11 in the World Series, 27-14 in the ALCS and 28-22 in the ALDS. His regular season wins total is second in club history to only Joe McCarthy, who went 1,460-867 (.627) over 16 seasons.

Tickets to these dates will probably start to become expensive, so any fans interested in attending, go to the Yankees web site for more info.

I know what you’re thinking. It’s October and the New York Yankees are nowhere to be found. Fear not, I have the perfect elixir for the lack of postseason noise emanating from the Bronx, this postseason. Although Yankee Stadium II turned out the lights for good after the 2008 season, I reflect and list my top 12 playoff moments at “The House George Renovated.” With apologies to Reggie Jackson and Chris Chambliss, I’m naming the moments I’ve seen in my lifetime.

# 12.) 2001 ALCS Game 4, Seattle Mariners @ New York Yankees: After getting blown out in Game 3 of the series at home 14-3, the Yankees led the best of seven 2-1.  In Game 4 the Yankees had been held scoreless for seven innings, while the Mariners got on the board with a run in the top half of the eighth on a Brett Boone solo HR making it 1-0 M’s.  However in the bottom of the eighth with one out, Bernie Williams took Arthur Rhodes deep to knot it at 1-1.

Then in the bottom of the ninth with one out and one on, Alfonso Soriano homered off of Kaz Sasaki to win the game 3-1, putting the Yanks up 3-1 in the series.

With their 116 win season on the line, the M’s were clearly pressing, prompting manager Lou Piniella to boldly state they would be going back to Seattle for Game 6.

# 11.) 2001 ALCS Game 5, Seattle Mariners @ New York Yankees: After this game the M’s would be going back to Seattle, however there would be no Game 6.  New York, which had suffered through the horrific attacks of 9/11/2001, seemingly let out all off their emotions and grief and the Yankees took it out big time on the Mariners.  The Yankees sent the Mariners packing 12-3 on the back of three homers by Bernie Williams, Paul O’Neill and Tino Martinez.  The Yankees won their fourth consecutive AL Pennant, the first and only AL team to do so in the modern playoff era.  It was the last HR for Paulie, but not for Tino… that’s later down the list.

# 10.) 1999 ALCS Game 1, Boston Red Sox @ New York Yankees: The first playoff series ever for the two blood rivals.  Seemingly tamer than recent years but intense nonetheless.  The Red Sox led most of the way, 3-2 going into the seventh, until the Yankees tied the score.  The two sides then took it to the bottom of the tenth, without scoring, until Bernie Williams went boom, leading off the tenth with a walkoff solo shot to dead center for the 4-3 win.  Other than a blip on the radar in Game 3 at Fenway Park, the Yankees rolled up the competition in 1999 going 11-1, but their walkoff magic wasn’t done as you’ll see down the list.

# 9.) 2000 World Series Game 1, New York Mets @ New York Yankees: The first Subway Series, World Series game since the New York Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 7 of that series at Ebbets Field.

This was a game in which the Mets mental errors cost them dearly.  In what was the first of two great pitching duels between Andy Pettitte and ex-Yankee Al Leiter, the game was ultimately decided with the team having better concentration.  In the top of the sixth, the Mets had Pettitte on the ropes, when Todd Zeile doubled off the top of the left-field wall.  With Timo Perez loafing around the bases, David Justice picked up the ball fired it to Derek Jeter, who cut across and gunned it to Jorge Posada, who tagged out Perez at home plate.

Sparked by this, the Yanks notched two in the bottom half of the inning making it 2-0.  The Mets however struck right back with three in the top of the seventh.  In the bottom of the ninth, Paul O’Neill worked the biggest walk of this dynasty, this side of Wade Boggs, off Armando Benitez.

Consecutive singles by Luis Polonia and ex-Met Jose Vizcaino set the stage for a bases loaded game tying sac fly by Chuck Knoblauch, making it 3-3.  Vizcaino would comeback to haunt the Mets once again in the bottom of the 12th with a bases loaded single to left, driving in Tino Martinez for the 4-3 victory.

# 8.) 1995 ALDS Game 2, Seattle Mariners @ New York Yankees: Sure the Yankees eventually lost this series but for Buck Showalter’s boys this was the biggest, craziest, post-season win, Stadium fans had seen in a long time.  It was a seesaw affair between the two clubs with the M’s leading 2-1 in the sixth.  In the home half of the sixth Ruben Sierra the homered to tie the game up at two a piece.  Then it was bedlam in the Bronx as The Captain Don Mattingly smacked his first post-season HR to put the Yanks in front 3-2, sending the Stadium crowd into a frenzy, showering the field with debris and prompting manager Lou Piniella to pull his team off the field.

After the two consecutive home runs in the sixth, Seattle struck back with two runs in the seventh to take the lead 4-3.  That didn’t last for long, when in the bottom of the seventh, Paul O’Neill took ex-teammate Norm Charlton yard, making it a 4-4 game.  Each team would trade runs in the 12th and played on until the 15th.  In the home half of the 15th Jimmy “The King” Leyritz took Tim Belcher deep with a two-run blast in the late night driving rain, to cap off a late October win in the Bronx.  This of course was only a precursor of clutch October home runs to come in the career of Leyritz.

# 7.) 1999 World Series Game 3, Atlanta Braves @ New York Yankees: Upon getting roughed up in first two games down in Atlanta, the Braves were primed to do what the Yankees had done to them in 1996, come back and win the series in four straight, after dropping the first two.  After knocking around Andy Pettitte early, just as they had in Game 1 in 1996, the Braves had jumped out to a 5-1 lead through four innings.  The Yankees as they did on numerous occasions in the 1990′s, started to chip away.  Chad Curtis homered off starter Tom Glavine, cutting the lead to 5-2 in the fifth.  In the seventh, Tino Martinez added a solo shot of his own off Glavine, slashing the deficit to 5-3.  Then Chuck Knoblauch, who’d tormented the Braves in the 1991 World Series as a member of the Minnesota Twins, also tagged Glavine with a two-run game tying blast to right-field.

Finally in the bottom of the tenth, Curtis clocked his second HR of the game for the winner off Mike Remlinger to deep left-field.

# 6.) 1998 World Series Game 1, San Diego Padres @ New York Yankees: If they didn’t win this World Series they would’ve accomplished a lot for naught.  Having won 114 games in the regular season, anything less than a title to this group would’ve been an abject failure.  Ricky Ledee, who ripped Padres pitching in this series, got the ball rolling in the bottom of the second, with a two-run double to right-field off Kevin Brown.  Surprisingly though, the Yankees ace that year David “Boomer” Wells, allowed five runs through the fifth including homers to Greg Vaughn and Tony Gwynn, putting the Padres out front 5-2.  In the bottom of the seventh though it was two moments of atonement which spurred the Yankees on to victory.  Chuck Knoblauch hit a game-tying three=run blast off reliever Donnie Wall, making it 5-5.  Tino Martinez then took Mark Langston upper-tank for a grand slam, giving the Yanks a 9-5 lead, capping off a seven-run seventh.  The Yanks went on to win 9-6 and swept the series 4-0.

# 5.) 1996 ALCS Game 1, Baltimore Orioles @ New York Yankees: After their first playoff series victory in 15 years, the Yanks made their first trip back to the ALCS since 1981.  On this day October day at the Stadium there was plenty of magic, mystique and Maier.  Setting the stage, Baltimore on the strength of home runs from Brady Anderson and Rafael Palmeiro, led 4-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth.  That’s when all hell broke loose.  A child shall lead them and if that’s not enough another one will help him.  Now I’ll always maintain that if there had been no interference, given the trajectory of the ball, it would’ve gone off the top of the wall for at least a double, because Tony Tarasco didn’t leap for it.  But Derek Jeter with an assist from 12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier, tied the game on what was ruled a home run to right-field, off Armando Benitez and as a result we see where both post-season careers of Jeter and Benitez have gone since.

With the game tied at 4-4 Bernie Williams went boom, leading off the bottom of the eleventh, taking Randy Myers deep to left to give the Yanks an exciting walkoff win.

# 4.) 2001 World Series Game 5, Arizona Diamondbacks @ New York Yankees: Between games four and seven, this one seemingly gets lost in the shuffle but shouldn’t.  The Yankees off a comeback victory in Game 5 made a sort of deja vu history once again.  Unfortunately their offense couldn’t muster anything for eight innings against D-Backs pitching.  Rod Barajas and Steve Finley had taken Mike Mussina deep, spoiling his brilliant ten strikeout performance.  With the D-Backs about to steal back momentum and the series lead heading back to Arizona, the Yankees struck back for the second night in a row in the bottom of the ninth.  Jorge Posada doubled to left to start off the inning, then with two outs and the Yanks on their last leg, Mr. Clutch since his arrival in 1998, Scott Brosius clocked a game tying homer to left off of Byung-Hyun Kim, tying the game at 2-2.

As the game moved to the bottom of the 12th, Chuck Knoblauch led off with a single, Brosius bunted him into scoring position and Alfonso Soriano continued his 2001 playoff heroics with his single to right off Albie Lopez to plate Knoblauch for the 3-2 win.  The Yankees took the series lead 3-2 and this win gave them a record ten-straight World Series home victories.  It was also Paul O’Neill’s final game at Yankee Stadium.

# 3.) 2001 World Series Game 4, Arizona Diamondbacks @ New York Yankees: While Game 5 is great on its own, the magnitude just isn’t the same without Game 4.  With the game tied 1-1 the D-Backs took the lead 3-1 in the top of the eighth.  Things were looking pretty dire for the Yankee offense, until Tino Martinez made his first hit of the series, his best one.  After Paul O’Neill had singled to left, Martinez drilled the two-out offering from Kim, who as mentioned would be victimized a night later in the same scenario by Scott Brosius, over the wall to tie the game at three apiece.

The very next inning in the bottom of the tenth, also with two outs, Derek Jeter became forever known as Mr. November, hitting one into the short porch in right off Kim for the 4-3 walkoff win.

# 2.) 2003 ALCS Game 7, Boston Red Sox @ New York Yankees: Given the scope, intensity, rivalry and nature of the game and its outcome, this may well have been the best baseball game I’ve ever watched and boy did it live up to the hype.  Everything was on the table, bragging rights, “The Curse of the Bambino,” and more importantly the AL Pennant and a trip to the World Series.  In what was starting to look like Roger Clemens’ last start ever, The Rocket got lit up for two homers by Jason Varitek and Kevin Millar that staked Boston out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth.

Of course in Game 7, as far as pitchers are concerned, all hands are on deck.  In that fourth inning with two on, Clemens exited and Mike Mussina came on for his first ever career relief appearance.  Mussina struck out Varitek and got Johnny Damon to ground into a 6-6-3 inning ending double play, keeping the Yankees in the game.

The Yankees then chipped away off Pedro Martinez when Jason Giambi connected for two solo home runs in the fifth and seventh, cutting the lead to 4-2.

When it finally looked as if the Yankees were back in it, the Red Sox came back with a solo shot of their own as David Wells surrendered a HR to David Ortiz, making it 5-2 Boston going into the bottom of the eighth.  That’s when the Yankees caught fire off Martinez.  With one out, Derek Jeter doubled to center.

Bernie Williams followed suit with a single to center of his own, knocking in Jeter and reducing the lead to 5-3.

Hideki Matsui then roped a double to right-field and Williams advanced to third.

With runners in scoring position, Jorge Posada blooped a two-run game-tying double to shallow left-center-field making it 5-5.  Posada was pumped and the Stadium roared.

Mariano Rivera then added to his Hall of Fame playoff legacy with three epic scoreless innings of relief, that would eventually earn him ALCS MVP honors.

Then with the game still tied 5-5 in the bottom of the eleventh, the improbable Aaron Boone, Willie Randolph’s sleeper pick, hit a lead-off, walkoff pinch hit homer to win the Yankees 39th AL Pennant and a trip to the World Series.  The Yankees won the game 6-5 and the ALCS 4-3.

# 1.) 1996 World Series Game 6, Atlanta Braves @ New York Yankees: OK so I said the last game was the best I’ve ever seen, but the number one game to me has the most special meaning and significance.  It was the night the underdog Yankees completed their improbable run which included a slew of human interest stories and ultimately what was to be the birth of a dynasty.

Everyone had counted them out, every step of the way.  They’d just come off a crushing series loss the year before, Joe was supposedly clueless, Doc and Darryl were in the baseball waste bin, Coney was fighting for his life and of course there was no way they could win with that rookie kid Jeter starting at SS.  Even when they made it to the World Series, the doubters said no way could they beat the defending champion Braves, the “team of the 90′s,” and there was no way after losing their first two at home in ugly fashion that they could sweep the Braves on the road and come back home to win it, beating three Hall of Fame pitchers in Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Greg Maddux along the way.  But they did.  After sweeping out the Braves in Atlanta to go 8-0 on the road in the 1996 playoffs, the Yankees came home to try and clinch title number 23, their first in 18 years.  The first one I’d seen in my lifetime.

Jimmy Key went against Greg Maddux, in a rematch of Game 2.  Key, one of the first early 90′s Yankees to help create the winning culture in the Bronx was more than solid allowing just one run in 5 1/3 innings.

The Yankees struck for three in the third off Maddux and it would be all they’d need, as Paul O’Neill doubled to right, Mariano Duncan moved him to third on a grounder, Joe Girardi then tripled to center off his former Chicago Cubs battery-mate, plating O’Neill for the 1-0 lead and the Stadium absolutely shook.  Derek Jeter then singled Girardi home for the 2-0 edge.  After stealing second, Jeter scored on what turned out to be the game winning RBI, a line drive single to center by Bernie Williams, as the two emerging young cornerstones of this Yankee dynasty gave the Bombers a 3-0 lead.  The Yankee bullpen was sharp once again, including getting two scoreless innings out of Mariano Rivera.

Eventual World Series MVP closer John Wetteland, in his typical fashion made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth.  The defending champs wouldn’t go quietly as Marquis Grissom knocked in Ryan Klesko, cutting the lead to 3-2.  Then with the tying run in scoring position and the go-ahead run at first, Wetteland got Mark Lemke to pop into foul territory along the third base side by the stands and Charlie Hayes gloved it for the final out of the game and series.  Wetteland recorded his World Series record fourth save and the Yankees won their 23rd title, in what would become their next dynasty, eventual team of the decade, team of the century.

Constantino Martinez is back with the Yankees, this time as a minor league instructor.

Martinez, 47, will work with the Yankees’ prospects, occasionally traveling to each minor league team throughout the course of the season.

Martinez has become more visible over the past year or so, as he tries to ease his way back into baseball. He was an intense player for those mid-nineties Yankees teams, and he carried that into the dugout when he became the hitting coach for the Marlins in 2013.

He abruptly resigned in July of that year after reports surfaced that he was physically and verbally abusive towards his players. It’s not known if he wants to seriously get back into coaching at the big league level, but this would be a good start for him.

Martinez will forever be remembered as the gritty, hard-nosed nice guy at first base for those championship teams. His toughness and intensity were what those teams were about. His grand slam in game one of the 1998 World Series, and his two-out, game-tying bottom of the ninth homer in game four of the World Series in 2001 both stand out in a career that was filled with clutch hits.

Last year, Martinez was honored with a plaque in Monument Park.

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Even before Joe DiMaggio threw out the ceremonial first pitch, the snow flakes started falling on the cathedral in The Bronx. The Kansas City Royals were in town, and despite Mother Nature’s best efforts, the Yankees were going to do whatever they could to ensure that a baseball game was played.

Andy Pettitte would take the hill as the Yankees starter on this special day. He’d allow 3 runs, 6 hits, and 2 walks in 6.1 innings pitched. Yankees rookie shortstop Derek Jeter would go 1-for-3 in the ballgame while batting 9th in the lineup.

Newcomers Joe Girardi, replacing Mike Stanley, and Tino Martinez, replacing Yankee icon Don Mattingly, would be booed during pregame ceremonies.

The Bronx Bombers would go on to win the game 7-3 to even their record to 3-3 on the young season. Jim Leyritz would lead the offense by going 3-for-3 on the day with 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored.

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On May 19, 1998, the Yankees and Orioles gave us arguably the best brawl in MLB history. The Orioles were up 5-4 in the eighth inning and Armando Benitez was on the mound. Bernie Williams came up and did what Bernie does, hitting a three run homer to give the Yanks the lead. The next batter up was Tino Martinez, who had a history with Benitez. In 1995, when he was with Seattle, Martinez was facing Benitez after giving up a homer to the first batter he faced and was hit by a pitch, triggering a brawl.

Benitez, perhaps angry about blowing the lead or the Orioles sub .500 season, drilled Tino directly between the shoulder blades. The benches cleared and chaos ensued. The Yankees came out of the dugout which in turn drew out the O’s to protect their pitcher. There wasn’t a whole lot going on besides yelling back and fourth until Graeme Lloyd came sprinting in from the Yankees bullpen to charge Benitez.

The brawl moved toward the Orioles’ dugout as Darryl Strawberry sucker punched Benitez. The force of his swing threw him into the dugout, with players from both teams following. Alan Mills punched Strawberry in the face and Strawberry emerged bleeding from mouth and a sore left hand after being restrained by Orioles bench coach Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken and Joe Torre.

It took about ten minutes for things to calm down and when the dust settled home plate umpire Drew Coble ejected Benitez, Lloyd, Mills, Jeff Nelson and Strawberry.

I ejected Benitez almost before the pitch got there. You’re always looking for it and hope it doesn’t happen. I felt he would throw at him. I didn’t feel he would throw up at his head like he did. If you’re going to throw at anyone you throw at his feet. -Drew Coble

Benitez insisted he didn’t do it on purpose and the Orioles put the blame on the Yanks for triggering the fight. However, after hitting Tino, Benitez appeared to dare the Yankees by dropping his glove, stretching out his arms and curling his fingers as if calling them out of their dugout.

I’ve never seen anything like that in 25 years. That guy that pitcher should be suspended for the rest of the year. That was a classless act. He’s got no class. -George Steinbrenner

The Boss wouldn’t get what he wanted but Benitez would be suspended for eight games. Strawberry and Lloyd got three games, Mills and Nelson two.

The Yankees would get the last laugh on their way to the greatest regular season since Murderers’ Row winning 114 games and the World Series. The Orioles finished 79-83 and Benitez would bounce around the league.

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Since the inception of the home run derby in 1985, the New York Yankees have had their share of winners. Three in fact. Tino Martinez (1997), Jason Giambi (2002) and Robinson Cano (2011). As spectacular as those derby performances were, it also makes one wonder what the Bronx Bombers of yore would’ve produced?

This of course got me to thinking, if we’re selecting eight Yankees sluggers to participate in a home run derby, which players make the cut?

The obvious quartet of automatic bids has to go to Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio. Hence, leaving us with four spots. One could go with the three above winners and one more for good measure.

On the Yankees all-time home run list, the next four up following the aforementioned quartet are Yogi Berra, Alex Rodriguez, Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada. There’s certainly a lot of pop in that mix.

If we’re going based on ballpark and because this is the Yankees, let’s say Yankee Stadium, maybe your next four up are Reggie Jackson, Roger Maris, Don Mattingly and Graig Nettles?

Perhaps you prefer some thump from the right side, with the likes of Dave Winfield and Gary Sheffield?

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Fourteen years ago, Derek Jeter made one of the most memorable plays in MLB postseason history.  On the anniversary of the famous ‘flip play,” we take a moment to look back at this outstanding play and remember how it totally changed the New York Yankees’ 2001 season.

The start of the 2001 American League Division Series didn’t go as planned for the Bronx Bombers, who lost the first two games at home against the Oakland Athletics. As the series shifted to Oakland for Game 3, the Yankees were on the brink of elimination, but Derek Jeter once again was there to save the day.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Yankees held a 1-0 lead, a lead in which starting pitcher Mike Mussina was trying to preserve. With a runner on first and two men out, Terrence Long stepped to the plate, hoping to at least tie the ball game up.

Long did his part, as he smacked a hard-hit ball down the right field line that rolled into the corner. Right fielder Shane Spencer fielded the ball cleanly, but overthrew two cut-off men (Tino Martinez and Alfonso Soriano), which resulted in his throw rolling towards home plate.

At this moment, it appeared as if the game was about to be tied up, but Jeter had other plans. Here’s the video of the full play from that ball game, you truly have to see it to believe it:

Seeing that Spencer overthrew the cut-off men, Jeter hustled from his shortstop position to the first base line (about 110 feet) to field the throw. On the run, he was able to flip the ball to his teammate Jorge Posada, who was able to tag out Jeremy Giambi, who represented the tying run.

The day after the game, the San Jose Mercury News featured this image to show how the exact play went down:

Some say that the “flip play” was a fluke, others say it was a play the Yankees practiced regularly, but one thing is for sure: the “flip play” changed the momentum of not only the series, but the entire Yankees season as well.

Not only did the Yankees win the game by that same 1-0 score, they also battled back to win the series. After defeating the Seattle Mariners in the American League Championship Series, the Bronx Bombers once again returned to the Fall Classic in 2001.

A memorable play by Derek Jeter turned out to be a huge difference maker in the team’s postseason run. If Jeter doesn’t make that play, it’s very possible that the New York Yankees’ 2001 season could have ended very differently.

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Knowing your own system and making the right moves. One might argue it was the difference between the New York Yankees of the 1990s and 1980s. Keeping the likes of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte. Trading the likes of Jay Buhner, Doug Drabek, Jose Rijo, Hal Morris, Willie McGee and Fred McGriff. As the current Yankees retool on the fly, they have to get creative and once again that means trades.

Yes, the Yankees have always been blessed with vast resources of cash and those 90s clubs had a solid core of homegrown talent, even beyond the above mentioned players. Yet, the most underrated aspect of how those teams were constructed, is the shrewd trades made by Gene “Stick” Michael, Bob Watson and Brian Cashman.

As the Yankees embark on the twentieth anniversary of the 1996 Word Series championship squad, for our purposes I’ll look at the first team of the dynasty.

Joe Girardi for Mike DeJean:

In a controversial move at the time, the Yankees let fan favorite Mike Stanley walk in free agency. New York then dealt minor-league reliever DeJean to the Colorado Rockies for Girardi. Girardi would hit a career best .294 in 1996 and hit a key triple in Game 6 of the Fall Classic against the Atlanta Braves. Girardi and his defense and leadership, would help the Yanks to three titles as a player and one (so far) as a skipper. Conversely, DeJean carved out a respectable ten-year career, posting a 4.30 ERA and 52-saves, between five teams.

Tino Martinez, Jeff Nelson and Jim Mecir for Russ Davis and Sterling Hitchcock:

A rising star and AL All-Star with the Seattle Mariners in 1995, Martinez batted .409 in the ALDS and was starting to price himself out of the Emerald City. Not that the Yankees didn’t give up some blue chip prospects in the process. Davis was a power hitting third baseman and earned Eastern League MVP honors with the Double-A Albany-Colonie Yankees in 1992. Hitchcock was a highly touted lefty starter, who made his Yankee debut at age 21, in 1992.

While this trade signified the end of the Don Mattingly era, it also ushered in the cornerstone of a dynasty. No offense to Donnie Baseball but looking at the numbers, the Yankees probably don’t win in 1996 without Tino. Martinez belted 25 home runs and batted .292 in 1996. Martinez would help the Yankees win four World Series titles and five AL Pennants.

The side-arming Nelson was a workhorse in 1996, appearing in 73 contests. In the 1996 World Series, Nelson fanned five and tossed 4.1 innings of scoreless relief. Nellie would help forge one of the toughest three-headed bullpens with Mariano Rivera and Mike Stanton, pitching the Yankees to four titles and six pennants.

Mecir was solid for the Yanks in the early going, before carving out a solid career with Tampa Bay, Oakland and Florida.

Conversely, Davis was hampered by injuries but did have three seasons of more than 20 home runs with the M’s. Hitchcock battled his share of maladies too and his high point was earning the 1998 NLCS MVP with the San Diego Padres.

Graeme Lloyd, Ricky Bones and Pat Listach for Gerald Williams and Bob Wickman:

Fans of a certain age (me) will remember when Gerald was supposed to be the “better Williams.” Williams had all the tools but for whatever reason, couldn’t crack the lineup as a regular. Wickman was a workhorse and one of the more consistent bullpen arms for New York.

When New York obtained Lloyd from the Milwaukee Brewers, he had bone chips in his elbow. Listach had a broken foot and Bones was ineffective for the most part.

However, when the dust settled, this was a steal for the Yankees. During the postseason, Lloyd threw 5.1 innings of scoreless relief, including 2.2 in four World Series contests, when he whiffed four. Lloyd helped pitch the Yankees to a pair of titles and across 13 playoff games, posted a 0.00 ERA in 8.0 innings of work.

On the flip side, Williams would post some solid seasons with Milwaukee, Atlanta and Tampa Bay, across a 14-year career. After New York, Wickman would record an additional 256 saves between Milwaukee, Cleveland, Atlanta and Arizona, in a 15-year career.

Paul O’Neill and Joe DeBerry for Roberto Kelly:

Believe it or not, at the time this trade wasn’t as clear cut at it ultimately wound up being. Kelly was an emerging, young, homegrown star. While Kelly did put together a solid 14-year career as a .290 hitter, O’Neill would become the heartbeat of those Yankees.

Across nine seasons with New York, O’Neill was a .303 hitter, swatting 185 home runs. During the ’96 campaign, Paulie batted .302 with 19 home runs and 91-RBI. In Game 5 of the ’96 Fall Classic at Atlanta, his game-ending grab on a bum leg in right-field, preserved a 1-0 Yankee victory. O’Neill helped lead the Yankees to four championships and five pennants.

Cecil Fielder for Ruben Sierra and Matt Drews:

This was a coup for the Yankees. While Sierra helped the Yankees make the playoffs in 1995 and would change his tune in a second tour of duty, in 1996 he became a malcontent, with the infamous line of “all they care about is winning.” Drews, a first round pick in 1993, would never make the majors.

With Cecil “Big Daddy” Fielder, the Yankees got 13 home runs in 53 games in 1996. One could argue Fielder and his .391 batting average in the ’96 World Series, should’ve been named MVP.

Tim Raines for Blaise Kozeniewski:

Acquiring Raines from the Chicago White Sox, the Yankees got some wheels and a legit leadoff hitter. Raines would hit .284 in ’96 and provided a strong veteran presence. Raines hit .299 during his Yankee tenure and helped the Yankees win a pair of titles.

Kozeniewski never made the majors.

Charlie Hayes for Chris Corn:

During his first go-round in 1992, Hayes made his mark with the Bronx Bombers, swatting 18 home runs at the hot corner. Unfortunately the Yankees lost Hayes to the Rockies in the expansion draft. Looking to jolt the offense, New York traded minor-league pitcher Corn to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Hayes. Down the stretch, Hayes hit .284 across 20 games. With Wade Boggs slumping, Hayes came up with some key hits and played solid defense in the World Series, along with catching the series clinching out in Game 6. Hayes was also a solid contributor as the Yankees made the postseason in 1997.

David Cone for Marty Janzen, Mike Gordon and Jason Jarvis:

Putting this trade in perspective, when the Yankees acquired Cone from the Toronto Blue Jays in 1995, he won nine games down the stretch. Janzen won six games in his career, Gordon and Jarvis never made the majors. Conversely, Coney helped pitch the Yanks to four World Series titles. Cone would post a .615 winning percentage in pinstripes. In ’96, Cone went 7-2 with a 2.88 ERA, fanning 71 in 72 innings. The gutsy Cone came back from an aneurysm in his right arm, helping the Yanks turnaround by winning Game 3 of the ’96 World Series, tossing six innings of three-strikeout, one-run ball.

David Weathers for Mark Hutton:

Hutton was considered an up and coming prospect, posting solid consecutive campaigns in 1992 and 1993 at Albany-Colonie and Columbus respectively. While Weathers’ regular season numbers with the Yankees weren’t much to write home about, his postseason heroics were something to behold. When no one could get out ’96 AL MVP Juan Gonzalez, of the Texas Rangers, Weathers’ sinker was secret weapon. In that ALDS, in two games, Weathers went 1-0 and whiffed five across five scoreless innings, yielding only one hit. On the whole that postseason, Weathers hurled eleven innings, registering two victories, eight strikeouts and a 0.82 ERA.

John Wetteland for Fernando Seguignol and cash:

OK, so this was more of a salary dump from the fledgling Montreal Expos. While Seguignol put up some power numbers in the minors, they didn’t translate to the majors. Wetteland and his sweat stained cap were solid in 1995 and really stepped it up in 1996. Teaming with Mo, Wetteland led the AL with 43 saves in 1996, whiffing 69 in 63.2 innings, pitching to a 2.83 ERA. During the 1996 postseason, Wetteland saved seven games, including all four World Series wins. Wetteland was named the 1996 World Series MVP.

Brian Boehringer for Paul Assenmacher:

Originally projected as a starter, Boehringer provided the Yankees with a decent amount of useful innings out of the bullpen, as a swing-man. Conversely, Assenmacher pitched one season for the White Sox, before becoming a solid contributor with the Indians.

Mike Aldrete for Rich Monteleone:

In his final season, Aldrete gave the Yankees a versatile veteran off the bench, who could play first base and outfield. Aldrete batted .250 with the 1996 squad. The 1996 campaign with the California Angels, also proved to be his final season in the majors.

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If you became a fan of the New York Yankees in the late 1960s/early 1970s like I did, you suffered for your sport. The Yankees won 14 American League pennants and nine World Series from 1949 through 1964, but aging veterans (Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford), early retirements (Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson), and a weak farm system led to back-to-back last-place and next-to-last-place finishes in the 10-team American League. There were few players to get excited about, outside of Bobby Murcer, Thurman Munson, and Mel Stottlemyre.

Two moves changed all of that and took the team out of its first “declinasty”. CBS sold the team to Michael Burke and George M. Steinbrenner III in 1973 for a mere $8.7MM. Soon, Burke was out and Steinbrenner was running the show. Then on December 23, 1975, free agency was born. Eight days later, on New Years Eve, Oakland A’s All-Star Jim “Catfish” Hunter put his name on the dotted line of a Yankees’ contract. Hunter would be one of the veteran players that would teach the current and new Yankees how to win.

The team captured three AL pennants and a pair of championships from 1976-1978, but things started going sideways in 1979 when Munson was killed in a private plane crash and Hunter retired due to a worn out right arm. Though the team would make it to the league championship series in 1980 and the World Series a year later, they didn’t win any of the coveted hardware.

Then came the second “declinasty.” In many ways the second time around was worse than the first. Constant managerial and coaching changes – many involving Billy Martin – poor trades that weakened the farm system (Willie McGee for Bob Sykes, Jay Buhner for Ken Phelps), bad free agent signings (Steve Kemp), a career-altering back injury to their best player, Don Mattingly, and a meddlesome owner that couldn’t leave well enough alone.

The turning point for the franchise came when then Major League Baseball commissioner Faye Vincent suspended principal owner George Steinbrenner for life during the summer of 1990. (Steinbrenner had paid off a two-bit sleaze named Howard Spira to dig up dirt on Yankees All-Star outfielder Dave Winfield.) With Steinbrenner unable to run the day-to-day operations of the team, the Yankees turned to general manager Gene Michael to handle decisions regarding players on the team. The one-time Yankees’ shortstop had served two separate stints as manager over the 1981-1982 seasons.

The team had not reached the playoffs since the strike-shortened 1981 season, but they were in the hunt to make the postseason in the 1994 season. While the 1981 campaign was temporarily interrupted in the middle of the season by a players’ strike, the 1994 players’ action ended the season in August and subsequently led to the cancellation of the World Series.

The 1995 team made it to the postseason, but they were eliminated in a heartbreaking five-game divisional series after being up two games to none. The offseason that followed led to many changes. The first change was a major one. Manager Buck Showalter had helped lead the team out of the darkness and his four years as manager was the longest tenure by a Yankees’ skipper since Ralph Houk‘s seven-year run from 1967-1973. (Billy Martin had a five-year run, but only lasted through two full seasons.)

Steinbrenner decided to hire Joe Torre, whose combined record as manager of Atlanta, St. Louis and the New York Mets was 894-1003 (.471). The New York Daily News headline blared “Clueless Joe”. An even bigger decision shaped the team for years to come. There were some in the Yankees’ front office who felt Derek Jeter wasn’t ready to be the everyday shortstop. A trade was discussed to send pitcher Mariano Rivera to the Seattle Mariners for shortstop Felix Fermin. Thankfully, Michael convinced Steinbrenner to stick to the original plan – Jeter at shortstop, Rivera in the pen.

The Yankees and Mariners made a major trade that greatly benefited the Bronx Bombers. New York sent prospects Sterling Hitchcock and Russ Davis to the west coast for first baseman Tino Martinez and reliever Jeff Nelson.

Torre built a strong coaching staff around him, including long-time manager Don Zimmer as bench coach and Stottlemyre as pitching coach. Zimmer recommended that the Yankees go out and get catcher Joe Girardi, who played for Zimmer from 1989-1991 with the Cubbies. It was such an unpopular move with the fan base, who were big supporters of the incumbent, Mike Stanley, that they booed Girardi at the team’s annual Fanfest.

The team added bench strength when they acquired Tim Raines from the Chicago White Sox for a minor leaguer, and bolstered the starting staff when they gave free agent right-hander Doc Gooden another chance. With veterans Paul O’Neill, Wade Boggs, David Cone and Jimmy Key on the squad, youngsters like Jeter, Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Bernie Williams were a good compliment to the experienced nucleus.

April was an up-and-down opening month. The team won just six of their first 13 games, but there were some bright spots. Jeter homered in the season opener in Cleveland and later that day he made an over- the-shoulder catch in the outfield, a play that would become part of his standard repertoire. The Yankees won their home opener against Kansas City despite a snow squall. The team finished off the month with seven wins in 10 games to take a half-game lead in the AL East. Except for two days when they were in a tie for the top spot, the Yankees remained in first place for the rest of the season.

In May, Gooden topped Hitchcock and the Mariners 2-0 with a 9-inning no-hitter. It was a welcome performance considering Cone was diagnosed with an aneurysm in his shoulder, underwent surgery four days earlier and was out indefinitely. The month ended with the Baltimore Orioles a game back. They would chase the Yankees all season.

The pennant race wasn’t the only stressful thing going on in Torre’s life. During a June doubleheader in Cleveland, the Yankees manager was informed that his brother Rocco had died of a heart attack. It was particularly shocking news since his oldest brother/idol, Frank, had been waiting for a heart transplant.

As for the Yankees, they enjoyed the warm weather. The ball club finished 18-11 for the month to push their lead over the Orioles to 4.5 games. The team also underwent a makeover as the season progressed. What started out as a small-ball team that stole bases, hit and ran, and worked the count, morphed into a power-hitting squad as well. On July 4, the Yankees signed another reclamation project, Darryl Strawberry. Then at the July trade deadline, the Yankees sent unhappy outfielder Ruben Sierra to the Detroit Tigers for slugger Cecil Fielder. The team also dealt for right-handed hitting third baseman Charlie Hayes to split time with Boggs at third base.

The division lead stretched to nine games in August, but the never-say-die Orioles whittled it down to 2.5 games when Cone made his return on September 2. “Coney” blew through the Oakland A’s lineup and produced a remarkable seven innings of no-hit baseball. Torre saw the big picture though, and didn’t let Cone continue after 85 pitches. Rivera lost the no-no an inning later, but the Yankees got the victory and Cone got a big boost of confidence.

The Yankees would have to weather one more storm in September to win the division. The Orioles came to town for a three-game series with the teams separated by three games. Williams’ RBI single tied the opener in the bottom of the 9th inning and one frame later the Bronx went wild when Ruben Rivera singled in the game winner.

The Yankees split a twin-bill the next day with Mariano Duncan, the provider of the “We Play Today, We Win Today, Das It” team t-shirt, driving in three runs to beat O’s ace Mike Mussina. The Orioles won the nightcap, but the Yankees had increased their lead to four games. The rest of the season was a cakewalk by comparison and the Bombers finished 92-70.

The Yankees toppled Texas in the playoff opener and again met up with the Orioles in the league championship series. Game 1 set the tone as the Yankees won with the help of 12-year old Jeffrey Maier’s interference on Jeter’s home run ball to right field. Williams won it with a blast in the 11th inning. The Yankees won the round in five games and moved on to their first World Series in 15 years.

In the World Series, things started out ugly with Pettitte pummeled in Game 1, 12-1, led by 19-year old rookie Andruw Jones‘ two home runs. Ace right-hander Greg Maddux blanked the Yankees in Game 2, 4-0, for a commanding two-games-to-none lead. Torre didn’t despair, however, and told Steinbrenner that the Yankees would win all three games in Atlanta and return home to close out the series.

Cone and the pen did the job in Game 3 with a 5-2 victory, but Kenny Rogers put the Yankees in a 6-0 hole in Game 4. Like the great Yankees teams of the past, the ’96 Bombers rose to the occasion. With the score narrowed to 6-3, Jim Leyritz hit a game-tying 3-run home run off closer Mark Wohlers in the 8th inning to tie it up. The Yankees went on to win in extra innings and took Game 5 when Pettitte got his revenge by outdueling John Smoltz 1-0.

The Yankees returned to the Bronx up 3-2, just as Torre had guaranteed. Even better, a donor was found for his brother Frank’s heart transplant. Girardi, the guy the fans hated from day one, ignited a three-run 3rd inning with an RBI triple. The Braves would cut the lead to 3-2, but Hayes caught Terry Pendleton‘s foul pop-up with two outs in the 9th inning to give the Yankees their first World Series championship since 1978.

The second “declinasty” was over and a new dynasty was born.

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The Yankees’ major acquisition of flame-thrower Aroldis Chapman this off-season may prove to be one of the all-time great maneuvers in team history. With that in mind, here’s a look at the five best off-season moves made by the Yankees over the last 25 years.

5. Hideki Matsui, Free Agent: No one knew what to expect when “Godzilla”, one of Japan’s all-time great sluggers, put the number 55 on his pinstriped back in 2003. Baseball analyst Bobby Valentine, a one-time manager in Japan, felt confident that Matsui could hit 50 home runs in the Major Leagues, especially with the short porch in Yankee Stadium’s right field. While he never approached the half-century mark, Matsui proved to be one of the most professional and dependable ball players that ever donned the Yankees’ uniform.

Matsui wasn’t the best defensive outfielder, but he played a decent left field and rarely made mistakes. He had tremendous discipline at the plate, kept his strikeout totals relatively low, and in time saw his power numbers grow. Matsui was held to 16 home runs in his rookie season (2003), but drove in 106 runs and played every regular season game, a feat he would accomplish the next two seasons as well.

A year later, Matsui drove in 108 runs and hit a career-high 31 home runs. His .912 OPS was also a career best. In all, Matsui played seven seasons in the Bronx and never slugged lower than .424. Had the Yankees not blown the 2004 ALCS, fans as well as many in the media would still remember that Matsui had a 1.268 OPS with a pair of home runs and 10 RBI in the seven game series with Boston. However, Matsui captured the 2009 World Series MVP Award when, in the Yankees six-game win over the Philadelphia Phillies, he hit.615 (a 2.027 OPS), with three home runs and eight RBI.

Matsui was truly adored by his teammates as displayed on Opening Day, 2010 when Matsui, then a member of the Los Angeles Angels, was presented with his World Series ring by Derek Jeter. The 2010 Yankees team smothered their former teammate with affection. To quote Yankees’ announcer John Sterling, “He’s the Hideki, you know.”

4. Alex Rodriguez for Alfonso Soriano, Joaquin Arias, and lots of cash: When a player of Alex Rodriguez’s caliber is available, you make a deal for that player, especially when the team dealing him, in this case the Texas Rangers, is paying much of his salary. A-Rod was very close to being a member of the Boston Red Sox in a deal that would have sent Manny Ramirez to Texas, but the deal fell through because the monetary issues of the trade couldn’t be resolved. That opened the door, and the Yankees swooped in and slammed it shut in February, 2004.

Soriano went on to have an All-Star career in Washington D.C. and in the north side of Chicago with the Cubs (before ultimately returning to the Yankees, as many players have since George Steinbrenner bought the team). Meanwhile, Rodriguez was arguably the best player in the game at the time of the deal. He could hit for power, average, steal bases, and he was the best defensive shortstop in the game. Even though he had to adjust to a new defensive position at third base, the Yankees knew that they had acquired a huge star that could raise attendance and eventually be a marquee player in the new Yankee Stadium down the block.

However, A-Rod had the misfortune of having his inaugural Yankees season coincide with the blown 3-0 lead to the Red Sox in the ALCS. The fans unfairly made him the scapegoat, and resentment towards him lasted a long time. That didn’t deter him from performing out on the field, especially in the regular season. A-Rod won the AL MVP Award in 2005 and 2007, which gave him three MVP awards in six years. His 2007 numbers were off the chart – .314/.422/.645 slash line with 54 home runs, 156 RBI, and 143 runs scored.

3. Roger Clemens for Homer Bush, Graeme Lloyd, and David Wells: After winning the World Series in 1998, a season in which David Wells threw a perfect game, one would think there would be no reason to upgrade the starting staff in a deal that included Wells. Yet that’s just what the Yankees did following their remarkable 1998 campaign. Wells battled weight issues, bad knees and a bad back, and he allegedly liked the nightlife in NYC a little too much. Clemens, before PED allegations, had a reputation for a tenacious work ethic and he had won five Cy Young Awards during his time in Boston and Toronto.

Clemens had a positive effect on the Yankees’ younger pitchers during his five-year stint in the Bronx and also deserves credit for amping up the intensity of an already intense Andy Pettitte. Clemens won 77 of his 113 regular season decisions (.681 winning pct.) with the Yankees, and captured his sixth Cy Young Award in 2001. In 2000, he pitched a masterful two-hit, 15 strikeout game vs. Seattle in the ALCS and blanked the Mets on two hits over eight innings in the World Series, as he captured his second World Series ring with the Yankees.

2. Tino Martinez, Jeff Nelson, Jim Mecir for Russ Davis, Sterling Hitchcock: Following the Yankees’ heart-breaking loss to the Seattle Mariners in the 1995 division round, the Yankees swung a deal that December for two of the Mariners’ main players. Martinez matched new teammate Paul O’Neill’s competitiveness and brought a serious power threat to the short porch in Yankee Stadium’s right field.

It didn’t start off easily for Martinez, however, as he had the unenviable task of replacing the retired Don Mattingly. After a slow start in 1996, he finished with 25 HRs and 117 RBI. A year later, he finished second in the AL MVP voting after he slugged 44 HRs and drove in 141 runs. He also won the home run hitting contest at the 1997 All-Star game.

Martinez hit two of the most famous home runs in Yankees’ history. His grand slam in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series capped a Yankees comeback from a 5-2 deficit and gave them the lead for good. The team went on to complete a four-game sweep of the San Diego Padres. His two-out, two-strike, 9th inning game-tying home run in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series helped even the series against Arizona at two games apiece. Martinez was a slick-fielding first baseman who arguably should have won a Gold Glove Award for his defense.

Nelson could drive a manager crazy (just ask his Seattle skipper Lou Piniella), but his live fastball and hard-breaking off-speed pitches were a nightmare for opposing right-handed hitters. Nelson was a key setup man to closer John Wetteland in 1996 and Mariano Rivera thereafter.

Davis put together a solid three-year stretch as the Mariners’ third baseman, but was out of baseball by the time he was 32. Hitchcock was a middling starter and reliever for 13 seasons that included a second stint with the Yankees.

1. Paul O’Neill, Joe De Berry for Roberto Kelly: The Yankees were in the midst of some of the worst years in team history when they made a deal with the Cincinnati Reds on November 3, 1992 for the then-29-year old O’Neill. The cost wasn’t cheap; Kelly had been the team’s regular center fielder for three seasons and was putting together a nice career. The deal was huge for the Yankees though, as O’Neill was the first of many hard-nosed, competitive players that would help shape the Yankees for years to come.

O’Neill was an All-Star for the Reds in 1991, but followed it up with a season in which he posted a weak .719 OPS and a mere .373 Slugging Pct. The Reds had also soured on the lefty-hitting O’Neill’s ability to hit left-handed pitching and pointed to his 1992 splits against outhpaws – .225/.279/.275 –  as proof of his deficiency.  Some had described him as selfish, most likely because of his penchant for outward displays of negative emotion even when his team was ahead, but O’Neill was always frustrated at himself not the team or his teammates.

O’Neill was definitely distraught when he was told that he had been traded away from his hometown team, but his father, in a story O’Neill has shared with the public on several occasions, told him, “This will be the best thing that has ever happened to you”. Charles O’Neill was correct. O’Neill’s three years observing team captain Don Mattingly made him a better team leader and helped to improve his game.

O’Neill spent nine years in the Bronx and was one of the key pieces in the four World Series Championships and five pennants the Yankees captured in a six-year period. He won a batting title, drove in more than 100 runs in four straight years, and played superb defense in right field.

Kelly would go on to have a fine 14-year career with eight different teams, and was O’Neill’s teammate when he returned to the Yankees for 10 games in 2000.

There you have it. Agree? Disagree? An honorable mention has to be added for the Scott Brosius – Kenny Rogers deal that turned out well for both players. Next week, I’ll take a look at the five worst off-season moves the Yankees made in the last 25 years. Don’t be surprised if someone on the Best Five list also shows up on the Worst Five.

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People like to pretend Yankee fans have experienced so much joy that they’re numb to glory.

We’re not.

I’ve seen Tino Martinez clatter to home plate against the San Diego Padres, just after I’ve finished celebrating my eighth birthday. The bases are juiced. My best friend, also named Adam, and I sit on an inflated air mattress in my new home. I’ve just moved to the suburbs. I know two people, and they’re my parents. Adam has driven up from our old neighborhood to watch the one thing that could fully capture our attention. We can’t watch. Tino’s under too much pressure. We cover our eyes with a blanket, and let the audio paint the story of a thunderous crack, and four series-changing runs.

I’ve seen a Jorge Posada blooper into shallow center spell the beginning of the end of the most heinous group of gruff Schilling-supporters to ever take the field. In 2003, I’d accepted a loss to the Red Sox. I’d sat on the floor, glass-eyed, played with my bobblehead, and acknowledged that my diehard Red Sox fan uncle probably deserved this. I watched Aaron Boone erase all doubt with his brother Bret in the broadcast booth.

I’ve seen Alex Rodriguez, after the bases had been empty with two outs, step up in an April chill and send a no-doubt grand slam to the black seats to kick off 2007 and beat the Orioles. I’m watching the dots race around the bases on an early Blackberry with my father and mother, walking the streets of Washington D.C. I realize you can always be tuned in now, and my life forever changes.

I’ve seen a single by Mark Teixeira looped into right, followed by an Alex Rodriguez earth-shattering smack into the right field ‘pen, right into the waiting mitt of an exuberant bullpen coach Mike Harkey.

I’ve seen Teixeira step to the plate against Jose Mijares three innings later, after David Robertson has turned a bases-loaded death into a null-set deflation, my gloved hands scraping against each other, desperately breathing into a hot chocolate to further populate its warmth.

I’ve seen Teixeira hit the lowest possible liner into deep left. It disappears for a second, then takes one, concrete-infused bounce deeper into the seats. Yankees win. I squeal. I watch Mijares’ eyes completely bug out later on the replay. I watch the Twins’ hearts freeze and shatter. I know we might have a shot at winning nine more essential playoff games.

I’ve seen the champagne on ice in my sophomore year dorm. Or rather, the champagne in my mini-fridge, sans-ice. Even with Shane Victorino at the plate and two outs, I refuse to accept that victory is imminent. He keeps fouling off two-strike pitches. Chase Utley is near. The Damaso Marte strikeout two innings prior caused me to clap and preen, however. Deep down, that was the moment I knew I’d have an actual, genuine celebration. As Victorino bounced to first, six ardent Yankee supporters and I hugged and bounced in the center of our first-floor one-room triple in Minden Hall. Indelible. Iconic. Real. We’re all still close. One of us is getting married in two weeks.

People like to pretend Yankee fans have experienced so much joy they’re numb to real pain. To your pain.

We’re not.

I’ve seen Luis Gonzalez rob an entire city of the end portion of a miracle. The miracle will forever remain incomplete. The city will never be all the way whole again.

I’ve seen the Red Sox win Game 4 in 2004, late night as my birthday wrapped up. My father panicked all through Game 3. “They’re scoring too many runs,” he kept chillingly saying, during a 19-8 win. He wasn’t wrong. I knew we would lose three more at that very moment. I’m a pessimist now, but only since that moment. It broke me.

Early freshman year, I was a little lost. I was making friends, but they were all very different. I wasn’t sure if I’d figured out who to be yet. I knew I was a comedian, but I’d been denied admission to two separate comedy groups. I knew I probably wasn’t an a cappella singer, but I tried that, too. Denied again. The Yankees weren’t going to the postseason for the first time since I was four and there wasn’t a World Series. I was locked in the heart of Red Sox country, watching the pregame ceremony that preceded the final home game at the original Yankee Stadium. The stadium that shook. The stadium that awed me.

I began to sob.

That’s when my friend down the hall, the Yankee fan, the bride-to-be, came and sat on my bed and watched with me. And that’s the moment I knew I’d found my people. I could be a comedian and fail. I could be a Yankee fan, even if the Yankees didn’t win anymore. I was changing, sure, but so was everyone. My high school identity had no reason to die. It only had reason to map itself onto an older, wiser brain.

I’m a Yankee fan. We care. We live. We die. We prosper. We fade and fail. We’re young again. A new season opens. We may yet win another few of these things. I’ll be screaming either way.

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On Saturday, April 30, 2016, Nielson Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, and Ram of East Hanover, NJ held a free public signing and meet and greet with a New York Yankees fan favorite: Tino Martinez.  According to general store manager Rick Vrablik, 30 people were already waiting on line at 9am, when the dealership opened.  Clutching a 1998 World Series authentic cap and a white sharpie paint pen, I, myself, waited four hours in the line for my chance to meet him.

I was fortunate to be able to catch up with Martinez at the event, too.  Below is my one-take interview with him.  Martinez and I discussed: his thoughts about the upcoming ’96 team’s commemorative game, his experiences as a player in Old Timer’s Day, challenges he faced in replacing Don Mattingly at first base (after the Hitman’s 13 year tenure), advice to players in the same situation (specifically Didi Gregorius replacing Derek Jeter), his opinion, as a Cuban-American, of the MLB’s expansion to Cuba, what the fans’ appreciation means to him, and his favorite piece of championship hardware!

Frank from Bayonne, clutching an autograph and donning a ’90s Yankees batting practice jersey told me: “[the 90’s] teams were just so special.  I wouldn’t wait in line for anyone else but Tino Martinez. I actually came a little later hoping that the line would subside, but it just kept getting longer and longer …. when I got to the end of the line, they told me I may not make it, but I’d just be happy to say I waited on line for him even if I didn’t get a chance to meet him.”

Tino Martinez signs a ball for a lucky fan.

With the line steadily wrapped around three sides of the building for most of the day, the former Yankees first baseman and steady contributor in the dynasty years was scheduled to appear from 3pm-6pm.  In total, Vrablik estimated that 500-550 people came out to meet Martinez.  Actually, with the final visitors making their way through the snake line inside the dealership, Martinez wrapped up the signing around 6:20pm, ensuring each person that came to see him received an autograph.

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At the conclusion of the 1995 season, the New York Yankees had a void to fill at first base with the retirement of Yankees legend Don Mattingly.

For 14 seasons “Donnie Baseball” ruled the Bronx, but with his retirement, the Yankees were needing someone special to fill that hole at first. With the makings of a dynasty coming together, little did the Yankees know that they were about to fill that vacant position at first in a big way.

In the winter of ’95-’96, the Yankees made a trade that would prove huge in the club’s success moving forward. The Bombers acquired Tino Martinez, Jeff Nelson and Jim Mecir in exchange for Sterling Hitchcock and Russ Davis. Any Yankees fan from the 90’s knows that Jeff Nelson would be a valuable piece in a bullpen that would be key for the Yankees moving forward into the next decade and for several years to come. But when Tino came to the Bronx before the 1996 campaign, the Yankees had found a power-hitting first baseman to fill the void left by the departure of Mattingly.

For his career that spanned some 16 seasons with various teams including Seattle, Tampa Bay and St. Louis, Martinez’s time in the Bronx will be what he is most remembered for. He hit 339 homeruns (192 of those with the Yankees) with 1,271 runs batted in for his career along with a .271 batting average. He was a two-time all-star in 1995 and 1997. He had an MVP-caliber season in ’97, hitting .296/.371/.577 with 44 homers and 141 RBIs. Tino even won the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game in Cleveland.

What Yankees fans will remember the most about Constantino Martinez is two World Series home runs that he hit. The first was in 1998 in game one against the San Diego Padres, which came off of Mark Langston with the game tied and the bases loaded. The grand slam was part of a seven-run inning, which saw the Yankees go from down 5-2 to all of a sudden being up 9-5. The Yankees would never look back in the series, as they went on to sweep San Diego in four games.

His second historic World Series home run is probably considered one of the most famous in the history of the old Stadium. It came on Halloween night, 2001 and game four of the Fall Classic against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Yankees were one out away from falling into a devastating 3-1 series hole when they trailed 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth. With a runner on base, Martinez crushed a game-tying home run over the centerfield fence at Yankee Stadium off of closer Byung-Hyun Kim. The Yankees eventually won this game in extra-innings on a solo home run by “Mr. November”, Derek Jeter.

Tino came back with the Yankees in 2005 and carried their offense in the early part of the season, hitting 12 homers by May 15 before ultimately retiring at the end of the season. Tino ended up winning four World Series Championships with the Yankees, and was an intense leader both on the field and in the clubhouse.

As the Yankees prepare to honor the 1996 World Series Champions later this summer, we must remember that a huge part of that first championship in 18 years for the Yankees was Tino Martinez.

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Michael Priest Photography

On Monday, August 15, Scott Reinen, Rich Kaufman, and Andrew Rotondi attended the 1996 Yankees Dynasty event in Manhattan, hosted by Steiner Sports. The event featured Q&A with players, photo opportunities, a silent auction, and an open bar, all to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

New York City – Mariano Rivera with 11-year-old leukemia survivor and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) 2015 Boy of the Year Quinton Ward and Dwight Gooden at The Dynasty Event hosted by Steiner Sports on August 15th following LLS’s first ever Random Acts of Light.

Eleven year-old cancer survivor and LLS Boy of the Year Quinton Ward had the night of a lifetime when he was surprised with the chance to meet his Yankees heroes. Six key members of the 1996 championship team, including three Yankees legends, were in attendance: Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Tino Martinez, Cecil Fielder, Jim Leyritz, and Doc Gooden.

The Bronx Pinstripes crew arrived at the event a little after 6:00pm and fans were lined-up down the block. Yankees jerseys of 90’s legends like Tino, Bernie, and O’Neill were in abundance.

The venue, Hudson Terrace in Midtown, was more intimate than imagined which worked out perfectly for fans to easily meet and take pictures with players.

BP’s goal was to speak with as many players in attendance as possible, understanding of course that their time was in high demand. The first player spotted was Doc Gooden, who was taking pictures with fans. Soon after interviewing the New York pitching legend, more players strolled in, including Andy and Tino who, as you can imagine, were mobbed by fans.

Credit: Michael Priest Photography

By the time 7:00 rolled around, BP was able to speak with Jim Leyritz and Cecil Fielder, in addition to Andy, Tino, and Doc about their playing days and what they remember from the ’96 season. (Video Interviews Coming Soon) Later in the night, an audience Q&A with the players touched on highlights from the World Series like Leyritz’ big home run in game 4 and Pettitte’s dominant game 5.

The night was a continued celebration of the weekend at Yankee Stadium that honored the 1996 champions and Mariano Rivera. It was fitting that on the day the Yankees honored the team that started a dynasty, youngsters Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin made their debuts. The buzz that filled a steamy Yankee Stadium on Saturday and Sunday translated to the Steiner Sports event on Monday — what a weekend for the fans!

Pictures and Live Video

Check out more pictures and the Facebook Live stream of the Q&A with Mariano, Andy and Tino, and Leyritz, Cecil and Doc below.

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Last week, we attended The Dynasty Yankees event hosted by Steiner Sports. While at the event, we got exclusive interviews with five 1996 Yankees legends: Andy Pettitte, Tino Martinez, Doc Gooden, Cecil Fielder, and Jim Leyritz. Check out the video below!

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They say this time of year is the “Season of miracles”. However, no matter what time of year it is, you hear about miracles all the time when it comes to sports…”It’s going to take a miracle to win this one…” Whether it was the 1980 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team and Al Michaels’ query of the television audience, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” or the Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Immaculate Reception” against the Raiders in an NFL playoff game.

Whether you believe there is divine intervention in sports or a higher power has more important things to think about than who wins the World Series, here are some baseball miracles that the Yankees have been a part of.

I’ve got it! I’ve got it! No, I don’t.

The rivalry between the New York Yankees and New York Mets is one of the most iconic in sports. And, the rivalry between their fans is even more intense than the rivalry between the two teams. Until interleague play came along, the Yankees and Mets only played one another in Spring Training or in the annual Mayor’s Trophy Game.

The two finally had their ultimate showdown in the 2000 World Series, with the Yankees winning their third title in four years. Since then, the once-six, now four games played in annual interleague play have been the only times the two teams have met.

June 12, 2009, is a date that will definitely live in Mets’ infamy. The Mets led the Yankees 8-7 with two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning with closer Francisco Rodriguez on the mound. The Yankees had runners on first (Mark Teixeira) and second (Derek Jeter), with Alex Rodriguez up at-bat. It all came down to a K-Rod vs. A-Rod showdown.

K-Rod fell behind in the count, 3-1, but A-Rod popped up on the next pitch. As he trotted towards first base, A-Rod slammed his bat down in frustration. Mets’ second baseman Luis Castillo drifted back onto the outfield grass for what appeared to be an easy game-ending out. Moments later, the ball popped out of Castillo’s glove as he attempted to make a one-handed catch, and it fell to the ground. Jeter scored easily with the tying run and Teixeira chugged around third and headed for home.

That’s when Castillo’s second mistake on the play occurred. Instead of throwing the ball home to prevent Teixeira from scoring, a clearly flustered Castillo threw to second base. Teixeira slid home with the winning run, well ahead of shortstop Alex Cora‘s throw to the plate. A-Rod’s frown turned upside down.

That didn’t just happen

Though the Yankees lost the 2001 World Series in heartbreaking fashion, Games 4 and 5 were classics. On consecutive nights the Yankees were down to their last out in the bottom of the 9th inning. On both nights, the amazing happened.

The Yankees entered Game 4, on Halloween, down two games to one and desperately needing a win. The Yankees hitters were in a slump and trailed 3-1 in the 9th. Arizona closer Byung-Hyun Kim had entered the game an inning earlier. In the 9th, he allowed a one-out single to Paul O’Neill but struck out Bernie Williams. With the game on the line, Tino Martinez swung at Kim’s first pitch and sent it into the bleachers in right-center field to tie the game at three apiece. One inning later, Jeter became Mr. November when he hit a two-out walk-off solo home run off Kim.

Mike Mussina pitched a gem through eight innings in Game 5. His only bad inning was the 5th when he gave up solo home runs to Steve Finley and Rod Barajas. But, the Yankees were held scoreless and once again found themselves down two runs in the 9th inning. Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly went to his closer again despite Kim having pitched in three innings the night before.

Jorge Posada reached on a leadoff double, but Kim got Shane Spencer to ground out and struck out Chuck Knoblauch. But, then “it was Deja vu all over again”. Brosius sent Kim’s 1-0 deep into the night sky and into the left field seats to tie the game 2-2. The game played on until the bottom of the 12th when Alfonso Soriano‘s one-out single scored Knoblauch with the winning run. The Yankees went ahead three games to two and headed back to Arizona. We’ll just skip the rest of that story.
Brosius

Good Day Sunshine

If you are a Yankees fan, the 1978 season was one for the record books. The team overcame injuries, a bad start, and a 14.5 game deficit in the AL East to win the World Series. But, before the champagne was uncorked in the locker room, the Yankees had to beat the Red Sox at Fenway Park in the 163rd game of the season.

October 2nd in Boston was a bright and beautiful Fall day. While Bucky Dent‘s unexpected three-run home run was the big offensive blow of the game, a significant defensive play sometimes gets overlooked. Without it, the Yankees might not have won the game.

The Yankees were up 5-4 in the bottom of the 9th inning after closer Rich Gossage had allowed a pair of runs in the 7th inning. He retired the first hitter in the 9th but then walked shortstop Rick Burleson. Second baseman Jerry Remy followed with a hard hit ball to right field.

Right field was awash in the glare of the late afternoon sun. Despite wearing sunglasses, right fielder Lou Piniella had trouble picking up the flight of the ball.  He stretched his arms outward from his body in hopes the ball would hit him. Burleson saw Piniella’s actions and thought he had a chance to catch the ball. At the last moment, Piniella picked up the flight of the ball and snared it on one hop.

Burleson took a big turn at second base but retreated back to the bag. Had the ball gotten past Piniella, Burleson would have scored easily with the tying run and Remy, at a minimum, would have made it to third base. Piniella’s play and Burleson’s base running changed the dynamic of the inning and the entire game. Had Burleson picked up the flight of the ball immediately, he would likely have advanced to third on Remy’s hit.

When Jim Rice followed with a deep fly out to right, Burleson could only advance to third instead of scoring the tying run. Carl Yastrzemski then hit a foul pop out to third baseman Graig Nettles to end the game. Burleson has unfairly taken some heat over the years from some teammates and fans. Just as Piniella couldn’t see the baseball, neither could Burleson and he was completely faked out by Piniella’s unintentional bluff.

Enough is Enough

The Yankees teams of the late 1980’s/early 1990’s struggled to win baseball games. They bottomed out with 67 wins in 1990. It was the first non-strike season that the Yankees failed to win 70 games since 1925. But, in 1993 the team had begun to take on a different look.

They had brought in hard-nosed players like Paul O’Neill, Wade Boggs, and Mike Gallego, and things began to turn around.  The California Angels didn’t care. On July 25, 1993, they pounded Yankees’ starter Melido Perez and reliever Rich Monteleone for eight runs in the 2nd inning. A lot of teams might roll over and give up when down that much that early in a game. That 67-win team by might have, but not the 1993 squad.

The comeback against Angels’ starter Hilly Hathaway began slowly. Mike Stanley hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 2nd inning. In the bottom of the 3rd, Danny Tartabull and Bernie Williams singled in a run apiece. Angels 8 Yankees 3.  Meanwhile, Monteleone held the Angels in check after the 2nd inning.

In the 4th, Gallego, who had made a costly error in the Angels’ big inning, led off with a single and eventually made his way over to third base. Boggs brought him home with a ground out to cut the lead in half.  Jim Leyritz started the 8th with a double off of former Yankee Gene Nelson and came around to score on a pair of ground outs. Stanley followed with a single and Williams walked. O’Neill followed with a line-drive double to plate both runners and cut the lead to a single run.

The Yankees’ bullpen continued to do its job. Monteleone got the team through the 6th inning. Paul Gibson struck out three in 2.1 innings and John Habyan retired both runners he faced in the 9th. The Halos called on Steve Frey to work the bottom of the 9th inning.

Frey walked Tartabull to start the inning, and the Yankees got a break when shortstop Gary Disarcina misplayed Stanley’s grounder for an error. A passed ball by Ron Tingley advanced both runners into scoring position. To set up a double play scenario, Williams was intentionally walked to load the bases. O’Neill skied to left field to bring home Tartabull with the tying run.

After Gallego flew out, Kelly lined a single through the left side of the infield to bring home pinch-runner Hensley Meulens with the winning run. The victory was the Yankees’ fourth straight and gave them a 56-44 victory after 100 games. Though they would miss out on the playoffs, the team’s competitiveness was on the rise.

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This season will be the 20th anniversary of the remarkable 1998 Yankees championship team. The 2018 season comes on the heels of an unexpectedly successful regular season in 2017 that has fans looking forward to the coming year. But, before moving forward, it’s time to look back at one of the most remarkable teams in Major League Baseball history.

1997 Disappointment

Before the success of the ’98 campaign could take place, the Yankees had to get through the disappointment of the 1997 postseason. Looking to defend their 1996 World Series championship, the Yankees lost in the first round to the Cleveland Indians in the best-of-five Division Series.

The Yankees appeared to have things wrapped up with Mariano Rivera coming in to close out Game 4 in the ALDS.  However, the Indians’ Sandy Alomar had other ideas and hit a game-tying home run. The Yankees lost in extra innings, 3-2, and then lost the finale, 5-4. The offseason mindset was full of “what ifs”.

The Long Winter

The Yankees’ front office quickly got to work for the 1998 season after coming up short in October. On November 7, the Yankees traded pitcher Kenny Rogers to the Oakland A’s for third baseman Scott Brosius. Rogers had been a major flop in the Bronx for a pair of seasons and put up an ugly set of numbers – 5.11 ERA, 1.497 ERA, and 4 BB/9 IP. Brosius was coming off of a season in which he hit .203/.259/.317.  Just one year earlier, Brosius had set personal bests with a .304 average, 22 HR, 71 RBI, and a .909 OPS. The Yankees traded away Charlie Hayes and let free agent Wade Boggs walk, so they hoped for the best with Brosius.

In December, the Yankees added DH Chili Davis to the roster, and a month later re-signed free agent outfielders/DHs Tim Raines and Darryl Strawberry. And shortly before the team was set to report to Spring Training in February, the Yankees swung pitcher Eric Milton, infielder Cristian Guzman, outfielder Brian Buchanan, pitcher Danny Mota and cash to the Minnesota Twins for second baseman Chuck Knoblauch.

The 1991 AL Rookie of the Year, “Knobby” took home Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards, and was an AL All-Star selection in 1997.  The Yankees wanted an upgrade over the ’97 crew of Pat Kelly, Rey Sanchez, Luis Sojo, and Andy Fox.

In early February, the Yankees also promoted Brian Cashman to General Manager.

A Slow Start

The sure-fire way to keep owner George Steinbrenner’s negative comments at bay was to win. Apparently, the ’98 squad didn’t get that memo. Opening on the West Coast, the Yankees dropped their first three games and four out of five. There were already rumblings that manager Joe Torre was in trouble. The team heard that warning loud and clear.

The Yankees won the final two games of the road trip and took six straight at home for an eight-game win streak. At 9-4, they sat a half-game back of the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East. The seventh victory took place in Shea Stadium against the Anaheim Angels.

A freak accident necessitated a shift of the Angels series to another venue. On the afternoon of April 14, a 500-pound chunk of concrete had fallen in Yankee Stadium. Thankfully, the game was still hours away, as the concrete landed on a seat and also damaged the concrete support beneath it. The Yankees and Angels played one game at Shea Stadium with the rest of the series postponed until August.

Here Come the Yankees

Despite typical chilly April weather in the northeast, the Yankees got red hot at the end of the first month of the season and moved into first place in the division. They took six of seven games from the Blue Jays and Tigers and then reeled off eight straight wins to improve to 23-6 (.793) on May 8.

In May, the Yankees put together winning streaks of three, four, and five games and exited the month with a 37-13 (.740) record. Second-place Boston topped the Yankees in back-to-back games after losing the first two games of a month-ending four-game series, but they were still 7.5 games behind the Yankees in the AL East. The rest of the division was disappearing faster than beers at the ballpark.

Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots

One factor that unified the team in May was a brawl that broke out between the Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles. After surrendering a three-run home run to Bernie Williams, Orioles closer Armando Benitez drilled first baseman Tino Martinez right between the shoulder blades.

Benitez then ignited an already tense situation and gestured to the Yankees’ dugout to “come and get me”. Both benches emptied, relievers raced in from the bullpen and a melee ensued. The two teams pushed and shoved, wrestled, and threw wild haymakers at one another. While some players and coaches tried to play peacemaker, the action spilled into the Orioles’ dugout. Strawberry landed a punch to Benitez and emerged with a bloody lip of his own. The league came down with an eight-game suspension for Benitez’s act of cowardice, and Martinez missed time with a sore back.

27 Up, 27 Down

On Sunday, May 17, David Wells took the mound at Yankee Stadium to face the Minnesota Twins. Attracted by a “Beany Baby” promotion, nearly 50,000 fans filled the seats. They were able to witness Wells at his very best…despite the fact that he was reportedly suffering from a hangover.

It took Wells just nine pitches to retire the Twins in order in the 1st inning. He breezed through the 2nd with 13 pitches and picked up his first strikeout when Ron Coomer swung and missed at strike three. After stranding a runner in scoring position in the home half of the 1st, the Yankees scored a run in the bottom of the 2nd on LaTroy Hawkins‘ wild pitch. Wells had all the run support he needed.

In the 3rd inning, Wells struck out the side, getting Jon Shave and Javier Valentin looking and got Pat Meares swinging. An inning later, Wells fell behind Matt Lawton 3-1 to start the inning before he retired him on a popup. 10 pitches later, he had retired all 12 batters he had faced in the game.

The Yankees tacked on a run in the bottom of the 4th on Bernie Williams’ solo home run and Wells dispatched the Twins quickly in the 5th with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout. Wells was halfway home to a perfect game and no-hitter. In the top of the 6th, Wells got Shave and Valentin again on strikeouts and Meares on a routine flyball.

“In the seventh inning, I started getting really nervous. I knew what was going on, I was hoping the fans would kind of shush a little bit. They were making me nervous.” – David Wells

Wells pitched into trouble in the 7th inning, with full counts on Brent Gates and Paul Molitor, but retired both on the sixth pitch of the at-bat to end the inning. With 21 straight retired, the tension in Yankee Stadium was palpable. It wasn’t’ much better for fans watching on TV or listening on the radio.

“I told him it was time to break out the knuckleball, he let out a big laugh. That told me he needed it.” – David Cone

Strawberry and Chad Curtis added an RBI each in the bottom of the 7th to give Wells a 4-0 cushion. Marty Cordova, Coomer, and Alex Ochoa worked 2-1 counts against Wells, but each was retired on the next pitch. 24 up and 24 down.

It couldn’t have helped Wells to relax in the bottom of the 8th when the Yankees put a man aboard and Twins’ manager Tom Kelly made a pitching change. When the inning finally ended, Wells strode out to the mound to face the 7-8-9 hitters in the Twins’ lineup.

Shave got into a 2-2 count before flying out to Paul O’Neill in shallow right field. Moments later, catcher Jorge Posada squeezed strike three in his glove as Valentin swung and missed. With the count 0-1, Meares lofted a fly ball towards the right field foul line. O’Neill deftly moved over from where he was stationed and recorded the final out of the game. He punched the air for emphasis as Wells and Posada embraced on the mound. They were quickly joined by their teammates who hoisted Wells up on their shoulders…no easy task.

Billy Crystal walked into the clubhouse after the game, approached David Wells and said, “I got here late, what happened?”

Wells’ perfecto was the Yankees first since Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series and it was the team’s first no-hitter since Dwight Gooden’s in 1996.

It is High, it is Far, it is Gone!

The 1968 baseball season became known as “The year of the pitcher”. One year after Carl Yastrzemski captured the AL Triple Crown and AL MVP Award by hitting .326 with 44 home runs and 121 RBI, “Yaz” was the only AL hitter to hit over .300. And he barely made it, leading the AL with a .301 batting average.

Flash forward to 1998, and an explosion of home runs in the Major Leagues. In the three decades between the offensively-challenged ’68 season and the barrage of offense in ’98, Major League Baseball lowered the pitcher’s mound, added the designated hitter in the AL, and increased the number of teams in both leagues. All of these factors tilted the advantage to hitters over pitchers.

On top of that, Performance Enhancing Drugs were being used by many more players than Commissioner Bud Selig and others (supposedly) knew. At the time, after the strike-canceled 1994 World Series, baseball had become fun again due to the uptick in home runs and the chase at Roger Maris‘ single-season record of 61 home runs.

Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa made for an exciting summer that saw both players surpass 61 home runs and McGwire come out on top with a record 70 home runs. In addition, Ken Griffey Jr. (56) and Greg Vaughn (50) also topped the half-century mark. Nine more players hit between 40 and 49 home runs.

5,064 total home runs were hit, the first time in Major League history that the 5K total was reached. The Yankees hit 207 home runs in ’98, good for seventh in the Majors, but they finished first in run scored with 907.  But the Yankees were much more than just an offensive machine.

The Emergence of El Duque

A rotation that featured David Cone, David Wells and Andy Pettitte could go head to head with any team. Imagine then adding another steady veteran to the mix, albeit an unproven one.

The story was told many times before Orlando Hernandez‘s June 3rd debut. “El Duque” left his wife and children behind in his native Cuba and took a boat to freedom. El Duque’s group was stopped by the Coast Guard in Bahamian waters and everyone aboard was detained. Eventually, agent/liaison Joe Cubas and the Cuban-American National Foundation convinced U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno to allow El Duque and some of the others into the U.S. on humanitarian (and athletic) grounds.

To hasten Hernandez’s MLB debut, fate interceded on his behalf. David Cone was bitten on the finger by his Mom’s dog. With Cone unable to pitch, the Yankees recalled Hernandez from the minor leagues. El Duque’s much-anticipated debut against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays went off without a hitch. He picked up his first Major League victory after he allowed a run on five hits over seven innings in a 7-1 romp.

Though not a true rookie, Hernandez finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting after going 12-4 in 21 starts. His 3.13 ERA, 1.170 WHIP, and 8.4 K/9 IP made him indispensable in the Yankees’ rotation.

Summer Heat

While much of the United States was focused on the McGwire-Sosa battle during the Summer, the Metropolitan area was talking Yankees baseball. The Yankees were firing on all cylinders to start the month of June, winning their first nine games to improve their winning percentage to .780.

The Yankees actually sputtered after that, dropping six of 11 games. No matter, they still led the AL East by nine games. They finished the month 56-20 (.737) and increased their divisional advantage back to 10 games. When the calendar turned to July, the Yankees blew the doors off, winning the first nine games of the month for an overall 10-game winning streak.

During the stretch, the Yankees outscored their opponents 52-23 with eight of their opponents’ runs coming in one game.  Cone (3 wins), Pettitte (2), Wells, Hernandez, Mike Stanton, Hideki Irabu, and Mike Buddie all picked up victories along the way. In doing so, the Yankees’ winning percentage rose to 76.1%.

The Kid From Left Field

Back in 1998, there wasn’t a whole lot to read about on minor league prospects. So when Shane Spencer got a few cups of coffee (April, June, and July) in the Majors in 1998, the majority of fans didn’t know much, if anything, about him. Outside of a two-home run, five-hit game against the Royals in July, he was 4-24 (.167) and was returned to the minors for a third time on August 12.

But when the rosters expanded in September, Spencer pushed himself to the forefront with a blistering final month of the season. A 20th-round pick out of Granite High School in 1990, Spencer hit a solo home run on September 4. Two weeks later, he hit a grand slam.

On September 22, he hit a pair of solo home runs. The next day, he had three hits including a three-run home run, and the day after that he hit another grand slam.

After an 0-2 day at the park on the 25th, he came back the next day with a solo shot. He smacked yet another grand slam in the season finale. In 14 September games, Spencer hit eight home runs and drove in 21 runs. His splits for the month were .421/.476/1.105. That adds up to a 1.581 OPS in 42 plate appearances.

Down the Stretch

The final two months of the season were a cakewalk for the Bronx Bombers. On August 17, they extended their division lead to 20 games and they ended the regular season with a seven-game winning streak, easily winning the AL East by 22 games. To top it off, they broke the Cleveland Indians’ AL record for wins (111) with number 112 on September 25. The unlikely trio of El Duque, Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera dominated the Devil Rays in a 6-1 win.

The next day, the Yankees beat Tampa Bay again as Cone picked up his 20th win, marking the first time Cone accomplished that feat since he was a member of the New York Mets in 1988. Bernie Williams won the AL batting title with a .339 average and Derek Jeter topped the AL with 127 runs scored.

The acquisition of Brosius turned out to be a major coup. Had the Comeback Player of the Year Award existed back then, Brosius would have made a strong case for himself. He hit .300 with 19 home runs and a career-high 98 RBI. He also reached career-bests with 11 stolen bases, 159 hits, 86 runs scored, and a .472 slugging percentage. On top of all that he played outstanding defense and made it to his first and only All-Star Game.

The Postseason

The Yankees started the playoffs in fine fashion with a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers in the best-of-five Division Series. The Yankees and Cleveland Indians then met for the second straight year, this time in the ALCS.

With the Yankees winning the opener, the team had an excellent chance to take both home games before heading to Cleveland. Cone pitched a superb game, but the Yankees trailed 1-0 until the 7th inning when Brosius’ RBI double tied the game. The teams battled to the 12th inning when the Indians put a man aboard to lead off the inning. Enrique Wilson pinch-ran and Travis Fryman looked to move him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.

Fryman laid down a beauty and ran towards first base. Martinez fielded the ball cleanly and attempted to throw to Knoblauch, who was covering the bag. Because Fryman was running in fair territory, Martinez’s throw clipped him in the back and ricocheted past Knoblauch.

Instead of chasing the ball down, Knoblauch began to appeal to the umpiring crew to call for interference. While his teammates and every Yankees fan in the Stadium yelled for Knoblauch to get the ball, Wilson stumbled his way across home plate with the go-ahead run. Torre argued, to no avail, despite the obvious incorrect call. The Indians tacked on two more runs for a 4-1 win and Knobby became a laughingstock.

The Indians won Game 3, putting the Yankees in trouble for the first time all season. They relied on El Duque to deliver them a money start and that’s just what he did. His masterful performance against former Yankee Dwight Gooden didn’t come without a first inning scare, however.

The Indians loaded the bases with two outs and slugger Jim Thome at the plate. Thome crushed a Hernandez pitch to right field and it appeared it would be a 4-0 Indians’ lead. But, the ball died at the outfield wall and fell into the glove of O’Neill, who had hit a solo home run in the top of the inning.

The Yankees won 4-0 and took the next two games, advancing to their second World Series in three years.

Lord of the Rings

The Yankees faced the San Diego Padres in the World Series, just the second time the Pads had won the NL pennant. Game 1 at Yankee Stadium was a wild classic. With the game tied 2-2 in the fifth inning, Tony Gwynn smacked a two-run home run off of Wells. Greg Vaughn, who had hit a two-run home run earlier in the game, followed with a solo blast to put San Diego up 5-2.

Meanwhile, Padres starter Kevin Brown limited the Yankees to two runs and five hits through the first five innings. But, with one out in the 7th, Posada reached on a single and Ricky Ledee walked. Padres manager Bruce Bochy called on reliever Donne Wall to face Knoblauch.

The Yankees’ second baseman entered the World Series in a 6-36 (.167) postseason slide, but hit Wall’s 2-0 delivery into the left field seats for a game-tying home run. Jeter continued the inning with a single and moved into scoring position on lefty Mark Langston‘s wild pitch.

Langston retired O’Neill, but after Bochy elected to intentionally walk Williams, Langston then issued a free pass to Chili Davis as well. That brought left-handed hitter Tino Martinez to the plate. Like Knoblauch, Martinez entered Game 1 in a major postseason slump (5-30). With the count even at 2-2, Langston delivered a pitch that determined the direction the Series would take.

Martinez froze on Langston’s slider for what appeared to be a called third strike to end the inning. But home plate umpire Richie Garcia called the pitch a ball. Moments later, Yankee Stadium exploded with sound as Martinez drilled Langston’s pitch into the upper deck in right field for a go-ahead grand slam.

After a 9-6 final in Game 1, The Yankees romped in Game 2, 9-3. Back at their home park, the Padres got three runs early against Cone, and ex-Yank Sterling Hitchcock blanked the Bronx Bombers through six innings. In the 7th inning the Yankees scored a pair of runs, one of them on a Brosius home run.

Down 3-2 in the top of the 8th, Brosius crushed a three-run home run to dead center field off of All-Star closer Trevor Hoffman. The Yankees held on for a 5-4 win and a 3-0 lead in the Series.

Game 4 was a microcosm of the Yankees season – great pitching, hitting, and defense. Pettitte (7.1 IP), Nelson (0.2 IP) and Rivera (1 IP) combined on a 3-0 shutout. Brosius drove in another run, and captured the Series MVP Award and fittingly fielded the final out of the ballgame.

The Yankees won 11 games in the postseason for a total of 125, and to this day they are compared to the greatest teams of all time.

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We are finally in the midst of this year’s Spring Training schedule and Thursday, James Paxton (aka “The Big Maple”) turned in another good Grapefruit League start. Paxton was acquired from Seattle early in the offseason for prospect Justus Sheffield and two other minor leaguers.

It was the latest deal between the Yankees and Mariners, two teams who have had no problem swapping big and promising names over the years.

Here’s a look at the most notable transactions between the two franchises:

George Costanza is dead

“What the hell did you trade Jay Buhner for?!? He had 30 home runs, over 100 RBIs last year, he’s got a rocket for an arm, you don’t know what the hell you’re doin’!!” An exasperated Frank Costanza shouted at the fictional George Steinbrenner on the Seinfeld episode, “The Caddy”.

It took that January 1996 airing of Seinfeld to finally allow Yankees fans to laugh hysterically over the controversial July 1988 trade that sent Buhner (310 career home runs, of which just three were hit as a Yankee) to Seattle for DH Ken Phelps.

To say that the trade was not well received in the tri-state area is a monumental understatement. On paper, Phelps’ numbers were good at the time of the trade – a .982 OPS with 14 HR and 32 RBI in 244 plate appearances. He also had more walks (51) than strikeouts (35). However, Phelps was a gap hitter, not a left-handed pull hitter whose swing could take advantage of the short porch in Yankee Stadium’s right field.

Unfortunately, the deal came at a time when the real George Steinbrenner had no problems dispatching prospects for aging veterans.

Phelps had an .899 OPS (pumped up by walks) with 10 HR and 22 at-bats in 127 plate appearances after the trade but his contributions did little for a team that needed a lot more tweaking.  The Yankees finished in 5th place in the AL East (85-76) and Phelps was dealt to the A’s the following season after a first-half flop.

Meanwhile, Buhner earned folk hero status in Seattle and on prime time TV.

The Bamtino Delivers

One of the best deals the Yankees ever made with the Mariners was, of course, their swap of pitcher Sterling Hitchcock and third baseman Russ Davis for first baseman Tino Martinez, and relievers Jeff Nelson and Jim Mecir.

The trade, which took place on December 7, 1995 (Martinez’s birthday), swung heavily in the Yankees’ favor.

“The Bamtino” became a mainstay in the Yankees’ lineup from 1996 – 2001. He overcame the challenge of replacing icon Don Mattingly, slugged .435, became a team leader and won four World Series rings.

Besides a power-bat, Martinez also provided superb defense and certainly lost out on any Gold Glove Awards due to the squirrely nature of the voting process.

Nelson became one of the best set up men in the game for closers John Wetteland and Mariano Rivera. Hitchcock had a serviceable career, which included a second stint in New York and captured the NLCS MVP Award in 1998, but he was far from outstanding.

Davis had three solid seasons (1997 – 1999) with the Mariners but was out of baseball after the 2001 season. He was just 31-years old at the time.

Montero and Pineda: dual disappointment

At one time, Jesus Montero was one of the highest rated prospects in all of baseball and was the Yankees’ top prospect. He tore things up in an 18-game September 2011 call-up, hitting .328/.406/590 with four home runs and 12 RBI in 69 plate appearances.

Mouths watered in the Yankees Universe thinking of all the havoc that Montero would wreak on the American League in 2012.

But, rumors of attitude and work-ethic issues followed Montero during his minor league career and may have played a part in the trade that winter that sent to him to Seattle for starting pitcher Michael Pineda.

While Montero continued to show promise at the plate in 2012, (in 515 at-bats, he hit 15 HR, legged out 20 doubles, and knocked in 62 runs) his Slugging Pct. was under .400 and his On-Base pct. was only .298.

Still, it easily topped the 2012 season for Pineda. “Big Mike” didn’t appear in one Major League game in 2012 or 2013.

Pineda’s 2011 rookie campaign displayed a ton of promise and prompted the Yankees to give up Montero to make the deal. Pineda, who finished fifth in the year’s AL Rookie of the Year Award voting, posted a 3.74 ERA (with a 3.42 FIP), struck out 9.1 batters/per 9 IP, allowed less than a home run per game, and finished with a respectable 2.2 WAR.

But, Pineda’s numbers from July on were below his first-half performance and may have been an indicator of what was to come – surgery.

The newest Yankees pitcher struggled in 2012’s Spring Training and complained of shoulder soreness. An MRI revealed a torn labrum in Pineda’s right shoulder, leaving no choice but to surgically repair the injury.

At that point, it appeared the Mariners came out on top in the deal, but things soon changed.

After a terrific rookie year, Montero’s career started a downhill slide. He started slowly at the plate in 2013 and struggled behind the plate as well. The Mariners demoted him after 29 games and started using him at first base. Meniscus surgery on his left knee soon followed as did a 50-game suspension for the catcher’s participation in the Biogenesis PED scandal.

During a minor league rehab assignment in 2014, Montero hit rock bottom. Not in the lineup, he was the team’s first base coach that night. Mariners’ scout Butch Baccala, seated in the first base-side stands, heckled Montero about his lack of hustle and his weight.

Baccala, a team cross-checker, turned things up a notch when he ordered an ice cream sandwich and had it delivered between innings to Montero in the dugout. Montero was not amused.

Armed with a baseball bat, the 24-year old began screaming and spitting at Baccala and eventually threw the ice cream at him. As a result of the incident, the Mariners let Baccala go. Montero played in just six Major League games in 2014 and 38 a year later, his last in the bigs.

Montero played in the Toronto organization in 2016 and had a brief stint in the minors for Baltimore in 2017.  He was out of American baseball in 2018, playing briefly in the Mexican League.

By then, the deal had swung in the Yankees favor. Pineda returned in 2014 and made 13 starts. He produced a very good 2.71 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) mark and a fabulous 0.825 WHIP.

Pineda built off of that success in the 2015 season. In 17 first-half starts, Pineda struck out 111 batters and walked just 13 while compiling a 2.76 FIP.

His starts included a seven-inning, 16-strikeout game against the Orioles in May at Yankee Stadium. After a couple of bad starts in June, Pineda seemed to right himself with a pair of starts to begin July in which he allowed one earned run in 13.1 innings pitched.

The same could not be said for his next two starts, which were miserable. Pineda struck out just six hitters in the two games combined. Soon after he landed on the disabled list with a strained forearm, a worrisome injury for a pitcher.

Pineda missed 30 games and was not the same pitcher when he got back. His second-half FIP rose to 4.67.

The 2016 season continued to be a search for consistency for Pineda. He struck out a career-high 10.6 batters/ 9 IP and topped 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career. But many starts saw Pineda appear to be having trouble loosening up his back, right shoulder and/or right arm.

Pineda seemed to bounce back in 2017 and was having a decent season when things once again fell apart as Spring turned to Summer. He made his last start as a Yankee on July 5, a three-inning fiasco in which he gave five runs and nine hits to the Blue Jays.

Ichiro

The deal didn’t have a huge impact on the Yankees but it’s noteworthy anytime you acquire a player such as Ichiro Suzuki. Ichiro’s resume shows more than 3,000 hits in the US alone, a future Hall of Fame member, and one of the best defensive outfielder’s of all-time.

Ichiro was well past his prime, but the Yankees acquired the legendary hitter for the stretch-run in 2012. He surprised many by hitting .322 and played two more seasons in the Bronx. After a return to the Mariners and a brief retirement in 2018, he returned this year to the team with which he gained stardom. He’ll be the target of the spotlight as the Mariners and A’s open the season in Japan.

Ironically, Ichiro was acquired by the Yankees for Danny Farquhar (and former first-round pick D.J. Mitchell). Farquhar returned to the Yankees’ organization this season in an attempt to return from a near-life ending brain aneurysm he suffered while with the White Sox in 2018.

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