They’re Almost All Gone
I was just thinking about the 1998-2001 Yankees – the team that made it to the World Series four years in a row, winning 3 rings, and coming within 3 outs of winning four World Championships in a row. To my knowledge, there are just 13 men who played on all four of those Yankees teams. Here’s the list and where they are now:
El Duque Hernandez – now pitching in Arizona
Scott Brosius – retired
Derek Jeter – still going strong in New York
Chuck Knoblauch – retired
Ramiro Mendoza – getting close to being retired
Paul O’Neill – retired
Andy Pettitte – now starring in Houston
Jorge Posada – still in New York through 2007
Mariano Rivera – still going strong in New York
Luis Sojo – retired
Shane Spencer – for all I know, he’s retired
Mike Stanton – should be retired
Bernie Williams – should be retired
When you look at how many from those teams are retired, near retirement, or should be retired, it helps you realize just how long it’s been since we saw the last great Yankees team.
Looking at that list, it almost screams out what you need to win:
Great table setters, a good/solid LHP in the pen and the rotation, a back-up INF with good hands, a 4th OF who can hit, an effective guy in the pen who can start or relieve (in any inning), a great closer, a catcher who is not an auto-out, and two guys in the middle of your line-up who make contact as well as drive the ball.
Do the 2006 Yankees have all these?
Meant to add to the list: “A starting pitcher who wants the ball in the post-season and will not choke.”
Looking at that list, it almost screams out what you need to win:
=============
All you need to do to win is make the playoffs. Throughout the history of the WS, and the playoffs, you’ll find teams that have won with pitching and defense, teams that hit their way to the title, teams that have won in spite of themselves.
There’s no “one way” to win a championship; you just need to get hot at the right time
Shane, come back Shane…he went to the Hanshin Tigers.
2003 would have been a great team but for Jeff Weaver’s WS pitching performance.
Boone and Wells killed them too.