The Top 10 Yankees of All Time

Opening Day is upon us- there is only a little more than a week until the Big Unit throws that first pitch at McAffee Stadium, symbolizing the beginning of the 2006 season for the Yankees. And because the new season is coming, I believe it's important to first focus on the past- specifically, the Yankees' past. The Yankees have had (without question) better players and coaches than any other franchise. With 26 World Series wins, it's hard to argue, considering the A's and the Cardinals are second with...nine.

So, to make a top ten list of the Yankees isn't easy. How do you separate which players are better than others? The hardest part would be leaving off players that deserve to be on the list, but they just didn't in my opinion. Nonetheless, I will attempt to make a list.

And so, with each day, there will be a new player, and each day, it will go up the list. Today in my number 10 pick, which is...

Derek Jeter.

Jeter's leadership abilities and his savvy for the game undoubtedly portrays a future hall of famer. He is only 31, and yet he is approaching 2,000 hits, with a career average over .300 during that time as well. A four-time champion and a Rookie of the Year, Jeter plays best when it matters- October (and November). With the Yankees' star-studded lineup, Jeter certainly isn't the best player, although what he brings to the table in terms of leadership overshadows evertyhing else.

But, don't let sidetrack the fact that he is also one heck of a player.

As the rest of his career unfolds, Jeter will most likely climb up the list, and it's up to time that will tell how far he goes.

I'd love to see your lists of the top 10 Yankees of all time. You can comment on the blog or drop me an e-mail at jjf91@aol.com. Stay tuned for tomorrow, which will be my number nine pick.

A Retirement That Couldn't Have Been Leiter

Al Leiter pitched for nineteen major-league seasons on over four different major league teams. He won 162 games and always kept the crowd entertained with his signature "grunt" after every pitch. A three time World Series winner, Leiter had a great persona around him and pitched for successful teams.

Yesterday, after getting the final out in a successful inning for the Yankees, Leiter decided to call it quits.

I'm not going to use any quotes or sayings that Leiter said yesterday because that would take away the immense emotional status that he was in. Retirement isn't easy, and for a guy like Al Leiter, who grew up in the small town of Toms River, NJ, it wasn't easy for him to hold back his emotions.

Before you know it, you'll be seeing Leiter pop up in unsuspected places. He said after the game yesterday to Ken Singleton that he liked the broadcasting business and needed a place to go this season. He'll follow in the footsteps of David Cone, Paul O'Neill, and David Justice, and will join a crew of former Yankees to go up into the broadcast booth (but, don't tell that to Bobby Murcer).

Leiter's retirement wasn't one that was followed by the media or by the fans. Leiter simply knew it was the right time, and so it was just a simple and light retirement. Rather than being forced out, Leiter, who is approaching 41, knew that to maintain a strong legacy, he would have to call it quits when him and his family thought it was the right time.

Manager Joe Torre among other teammates congratulated and remorsed with Leiter after his final pitch. Because it was spring training, the pitch will never be recorded in the history books; all it was was a simple pitch, and the last simple pitch, that was thrown by a great pitcher and a great man in an illustrious career that shadowed the better parts of the game.

The Spring Time is the Only Pretty Ring Time

For five years now, the Yankees have not won the World Series- a time in which has felt like forever. It's hard to believe that back then Randy Johnson was raking off 350 ks, Mussina was an Oriole, Paul O'Neill and Tino Martinez were in the Yankee lineup, and most importantly, Bernie was hitting over .300.

For the Yankees to break that horrendous streak (which, by the way, isn't even 5% of the amount of time the Cubs have waited), they will have to start out strong; hence, they have to win a lot of games this spring. Am I saying that they won't make the playoffs if they don't? No. After all, they weren't even over .500 until late May last year.

However, to start out strong will be an important factor for the Yankees. It will allow their stronger players to rest, which will make them ready for October. Look at the White Sox last year. They were so good from the start that when they lost 14 of 15 in September, they still had a two game lead over the Indians.

In the last five seasons, the Yankees were under .500 by April 20th in three of them. The two seasons that they weren't were 2001 and 2003, both of which were seasons that they made the World Series. For them to start out strong this year, it will take a combination of several things. The first is pitching. Randy has to step up and pitch well, even at his old age. The younger guys like Chacon and Wang will have to do the same. The second is hitting with runners in scoring position. Gary Sheffield was the only hitter last year to have over a .300 average in that situation, and if the Yankees want to score runs and win at a higher rate, that will play a large factor.

The Yankees have portrayed resiliency in their efforts to come back from bad starts over the last few years. To make it this year, they need to be great out of the gate. The summer months will still be important; however, it will be playing well in the early months in spring that, above all else, could produce a ring in October.

Responses

Several days ago, I asked who the best Yankee player was in the last twenty years. For security reasons, everyone will remain anonymous. Here were some of the responses I got:

1) Anonymous said:

"Derek Jeter

Granted, he doesnt put up AMAZING numbers, but he is a strong consistent player, and his leadership abilities are great. He is the captain for a reason, and that is because he is a great leader, and i beleive that that is a core reason why this team is so successful."

2) Anonymous said:

"When you look at how well the Yankees have done (at least since 1996), you have to look to Mo, without a doubt. He's a give-in to save 30-40, and he's also saved 50 a couple times."

3) Anonymous said:

"I'm surprised you would argue with Jeter. As previously mentioned, he's the captain for a reason and a proven winner. I'm anxious to see who you're gonna say."

4) Anonymous said:

"Yankees suck"

With the exception of the fourth response, I agree with all of you. I mean, Jeter and Mo have definitely been valuable forces for the Yankees, and they have propelled the team to four World Championships, but I stick with my decision, which is...

Don Mattingly.

Offensively, Mattingly was just as good as Jeter. In Mattingly's first eleven full seasons in the majors, he eclipsed Jeter in hits by over 100. He also had better power (three consecutive 30-HR seasons), and he had nine Gold Glove Awards, compared with Jeter's two.

Both are equal in terms of popularity, and both have never worn anything other than the pinstripes. Both were also captains.

However, the most important factor that I used to weigh Mattingly over Jeter was his ability to make contact often. Mattingly struck out less than 450 times in his 14-year career. Jeter has passed that mark in the last five years alone. During the year Mattingly hit 35 home runs, he struck out just 41 times. When Jeter hit 24 home runs in 1999, he struck out 116 times.

The hardest part about picking Mattingly was picking him over Rivera. No doubt Rivera has been the best closer in baseball since he began closing in 1997, but Rivera only appears in 70 games a year. Mattingly would be in the lineup consistently every day, and therefore, the value he provided to the team was greater than that of Rivera.

The only thing that has weighed Mattingly down was his failure to reach the hall-of-fame. I believe he belongs in it, although the baseball writers have failed to notice him. He also never won a World Series, but he will hopefully break that streak this year as the hitting coach.

If anyone has any further responses, you can comment on the blog or e-mail me at jjf91@aol.com. Thanks for your responses, and I appreciate your opinions.

The New Yankee Stadium

Yankee Stadium has been around since 1923, although it underwent a huge renovation in the mid-70s. Only Wrigley Field and Fenway Park has outlasted the stadium, although if you want to be picky and start from the renovation, then only Dodger Stadium and Shea have outlasted it, along with Wrigley and Fenway.

However, the "new" stadium will soon become "old" when the Yankees begin construction on the new Yankee Stadium, which will be ready by 2008 or 2009. The unique part about the 800 million dollar project is that the Yankees are financing it themselves.

The Yankees will also not have to worry about controversy similar to that experienced by New Yorkers during the "West Side Stadium" crisis. The Yankees have already rented acres of parking space, so property won't be violated, and because the Yankees are financing it themselves, taxpayers won't have to worry.

Many believe the new stadium will be a "renaissance" to the Bronx. When former mayor Rudy Giuliani first heard about the project, he was excited not only because of the amazing stadium but because of how much of a positive impact it could have on the Bronx.

The "old" stadium will not be torn down. It will still be used for concerts and various little league games. It is still in question whether Monument Park will be moved, but many say that it will.

The Yankees won six World Series in thirty years at the "new" Yankee Stadium, and it will be sad to se it go because of all the aura and mystique it contains. No one can deny that. However, the positives that will come out of the project seem to outweigh the negatives; although, it will take time for die-hard Yankee fans to adjust to the change in scenery.

The Successor of Joe Torre Will Be...

Don Mattingly.

Granted, he's the only Yankee coach other than Ron Guidry who hasn't managed in the major leagues, but Mattingly has proven this spring that when Torre decides to give up the managerial position, he could easily be his successor.

If the Yankees start 1-3 this year, be prepared to once again hear all the talk about Torre being fired, again. It happens every year. When the time comes, and it won't be four games into the year, Mattingly will be ready. Said Mattingly,

"I'm not saying I'm ready now, but I think it's something I can do. I've always felt like I can do anything I put my mind to. If I want to do it, and if I'm willing to learn and get better at it, then I can do anything."

Mattingly proved himself as a player, as he had well over 2,000 hits and a career .300 average from the early 80s to 1995. One of the most impressive stat about Mattingly was that he struck out less than 500 times in his career. In the last four years alone, Alex Rodriguez has eclispsed that.

No one can deny that he has the "Yankee Karma." Fans donned the name "Donnie Baseball" because of his soaring popularity while he was with the team. He has also proved himself as a coach, helping Giambi rebound in 2005, and working with youngsters Robinson Cano and Andy Phillips.

Torre isn't ready to hang it up yet. But, when he is, it won't be Tony Pena, Joe Kerrigan, Larry Bowa, Lee Mazzili or even Ron Guidry that takes over. Mattingly has the highest chance, and just like his playing and coaching careers, he has an overwhelming potential to succeed.

Ancient History or Bright Futures?

We all know the Yankees are infamous for their...age. The biggest question for the Yankees in 2006 probably deals with that aspect...Will the old Yankees hold up? I'm sure Jeter, Rodriguez, and Matsui will, but players like Johnson, Sheffield, Posada, Bernie, and even Mo are aging to a point where a pulled hamstring takes longer to recover than what it used to.

Most significantly, the Yankees are going to have old hurlers throwing to old catchers this season, particularly with Randy. He's 42, Myers is 36, Mussina is 37, Rivera is 37, Posada is 34, Kelly Stinnet is 36, and even Tanyon Sturtze is approaching 36.

I don't mind age at all. What I do mind is the looming fact that many will get injured due to age, and the recovery time will increase with every injury. Some pitchers, like Clemens, Maddux, Glavine, and formerly Nolan Ryan were able to pitch well as they got older. I don't see that for Randy and for many of the other pitchers on the Yankees' staff. And, Posada and Stinnet's age don't exactly fix the situation.

There is, however, a bright light at the end of *what could be* a dark tunnel if injuries play a factor for aging players. I love Chacon and Wang because of their strong efforts this spring and their resiliency on the mound. They are savvy pitchers who aren't no-name 21 year olds, but consistent pitchers who have youth on their side.

Will Nieves is also a bright prospect from behind the plate. Posada's stats and games caught have decreased for the past three years, and Stinnet won't always be there to fill in. Nieves is a strong player who will undoubtedly be on the September roster, with a high chance of making the team even earlier than that.

I don't think it's too much to worry about. Veterans bring experience, knowledge of the game, and leadership. The Yankees have a lot of that, which could either go for them or against them. Last year, age wasn't a factor as much as injuries as a whole were, especially to their staff. This year, it could play a much larger role if the older players hit the wall.

In MLB news, the Nationals released plans for their new stadium.
The designers say it will be ready for the Nats to play in by Opening Day 2008. It will replace RFK Stadium, which, although it is a classic ballpark, is not fit for the rising Nationals to play in. In regards to the project, DCSEC (D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission)chairman Mark H. Tuohey noted that:

"There was a lot of talking, there was a lot of discussion, and there was a lot of debate. It will be ready by 2008. Our plan is to get it ready for Opening Day."

The Nationals' new stadium proposal is the 12th since 2000, five of which have come from the NL Central.

Best Yankee Player in the Last 20 Years?

In today's Yankee news, Randy Johnson threw an impressive four innings, but he hit the wall in the fifth. Johnny Damon is also experiencing soarness in his shoulder, and he will be limited to pinch-hitting duties for most of the WBC. However, Damon says its just the usual spring soarness.

We'll see how this one unfolds.

Anyway, seeing as all I have talked about for the last few entries has been Spring Training, I was pondering about who the best Yankee player was over the last twenty years. The first player that came to mind for me was Derek Jeter; however, that's not who I would choose. With no disrespect to Jeter, over the last twenty years the Yankees have had amazing players, some of which who accentuated the highest level of the game. Jeter is arguably in the top three or two, but he isn't my number one. My number one is a guy who was underrated but, in comparison to every other Yankee, he put up better numbers than any other man at his position overall in baseball for the time he was with the Yankees. And notice here the "was."

Tell me what you think. E-mail your responses to me, and I'll post them when I get about five. You can just give me a name, or you can give a whole explanation why you think he was the best player over the last twenty years. It's up to you. I'll show the two or three best.

As for my choice, you'll find out soon enough.