1993 Vs. 2008

Jack Curry takes a look back at the 1993 Yankees -

What Buck Showalter, the manager, and Gene Michael, the general manager, did in 1993 was change the culture of an indifferent club while adjusting the priorities in building a team. They searched for solid players who were also solid citizens. Showalter explained how the Yankees wanted players to complement Don Mattingly’s intensity, but acknowledged it was a delicate strategy because, “You can’t just line up 25 green berets and win. You need 25 baseball players.”

“There was a real sincerity about everyone on that team,” Showalter said. “There wasn’t anyone with a look-at-me attitude. There wasn’t anybody worrying about having style. Their substance was their style.”

[Paul] O’Neill, who has four rings with the Yankees, remembers thinking that the 1993 club felt like a playoff team. With players like Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter and John Olerud, the Jays were clearly superior that year. But O’Neill said the Yankees had vaulted to an elite level. [Mike]Stanley agreed.

“It’s the first time I remember anyone using the word chemistry around the Yankees in a long time,” Stanley said.

After Stanley’s remarks were relayed to Showalter, he reacted like a proud father.

“I’m glad he said that,” Showalter said. “To me, that was the first team that was strong on makeup and character. It was a unit. The pieces fit.”

…There wasn’t anyone with a look-at-me attitude. There wasn’t anybody worrying about having style. Their substance was their style…

…team that was strong on makeup and character. It was a unit. The pieces fit…

Man, I wish that I could say those same things about the 2008 Yankees. But, maybe, with a few changes, the 2009 Yankees will be more like the 1993 Yankees?

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