This Day In New York Yankees History 9/5: Bob Sheppard Works His Final Game

Unknown to the Yankees, their fans, and Bob Sheppard at the time the "Voice of God" worked his last game as the team's P.A. announcer at Yankee Stadium in 2007. This was Sheppard's 4,500th time since taking over the job in 1951. Jim Hall and Paul Olden would replace Sheppard when the team moves to the new Yankee Stadium in 2009.

During the game Alex Rodriguez became only the fourth player in Yankees history to hit a home run twice in the same inning. What made this 10-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners even more spectacular was the fact that A Rod had gone to the hospital to have his sore right ankle examined and had to talk his way into the lineup before the game.

Also on this day in 1989 Deion Sanders, the Yankees rookie, hit a home run as the Yankees routed the Seattle Mariners 12-2. Five days later the rookie Atlanta Falcons player would make his NFL debut and would return a punt 68 yards for a touchdown. #Athlete.

This Day In New York Yankees History 9/5: Bob Sheppard Works His Final Game

Unknown to the Yankees, their fans, and Bob Sheppard at the time the "Voice of God" worked his last game as the team's P.A. announcer at Yankee Stadium in 2007. This was Sheppard's 4,500th time since taking over the job in 1951. Jim Hall and Paul Olden would replace Sheppard when the team moves to the new Yankee Stadium in 2009.

During the game Alex Rodriguez became only the fourth player in Yankees history to hit a home run twice in the same inning. What made this 10-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners even more spectacular was the fact that A Rod had gone to the hospital to have his sore right ankle examined and had to talk his way into the lineup before the game.

Also on this day in 1989 Deion Sanders, the Yankees rookie, hit a home run as the Yankees routed the Seattle Mariners 12-2. Five days later the rookie Atlanta Falcons player would make his NFL debut and would return a punt 68 yards for a touchdown. #Athlete.

This Day In New York Yankees History 9/5: Bob Sheppard Works His Final Game

Unknown to the Yankees, their fans, and Bob Sheppard at the time the "Voice of God" worked his last game as the team's P.A. announcer at Yankee Stadium in 2007. This was Sheppard's 4,500th time since taking over the job in 1951. Jim Hall and Paul Olden would replace Sheppard when the team moves to the new Yankee Stadium in 2009.

During the game Alex Rodriguez became only the fourth player in Yankees history to hit a home run twice in the same inning. What made this 10-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners even more spectacular was the fact that A Rod had gone to the hospital to have his sore right ankle examined and had to talk his way into the lineup before the game.

Also on this day in 1989 Deion Sanders, the Yankees rookie, hit a home run as the Yankees routed the Seattle Mariners 12-2. Five days later the rookie Atlanta Falcons player would make his NFL debut and would return a punt 68 yards for a touchdown. #Athlete.

This Day In New York Yankees History 9/5: Bob Sheppard Works His Final Game

Unknown to the Yankees, their fans, and Bob Sheppard at the time the "Voice of God" worked his last game as the team's P.A. announcer at Yankee Stadium in 2007. This was Sheppard's 4,500th time since taking over the job in 1951. Jim Hall and Paul Olden would replace Sheppard when the team moves to the new Yankee Stadium in 2009.

During the game Alex Rodriguez became only the  fourth player in Yankees history to hit a home run twice in the same inning. What made this 10-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners even more spectacular was the fact that A Rod had gone to the hospital to have his sore right ankle examined and had to talk his way into the lineup before the game.

Also on this day in 1989 Deion Sanders, the Yankees rookie, hit a home run as the Yankees routed the Seattle Mariners 12-2. Five days later the rookie Atlanta Falcons player would make his NFL debut and would return a punt 68 yards for a touchdown. #Athlete.

The Farm System & The Forgotten Yankees Draftees

It really grinds my gears when people talk about how terrible the Yankees farm system is and has been for the last 30 or so years. This could not be farther from the truth, the difference between us and say the St. Louis Cardinals is that we trade our talent away. Usually, unfortunately, we trade that talent away far too soon only to see them dominate elsewhere for years. Most recently we have seen Jose Quintana pitch quite well for the Chicago White Sox and Jose Veras establish himself as a dominant middle reliever for the Houston Astros while both spent time in the Yankees system. The Yankees lack of talent evaluation has gone way back, some of you may remember the name Doug Drabek that won a Cy Young for the Pittsburgh Pirates that started out in the Yankees system as well only to be traded away. Here is a list of some guys you may or may not have known were members of the Yankees farm system at one point and time.

Brad Ausmus, the current manager for the Detroit Tigers, was a member of the Yankees farm system before being selected out of the expansion draft by the Colorado Rockies.

Carl Everett, the guy who ended Mike Mussina's perfect game in Boston with a two out and two strike single to left field, was also a member of the New York Yankees. He was plucked away from the Yankees in the same draft as Ausmus when the Marlins took Everett.

Three time World Series Champion Mike Lowell was a member of the New York Yankees in 1998 before winning a title in 2003 with the Florida Marlins and 2007 with the Boston Red Sox. Lowell was a September call up in 1998 and obviously was left off the postseason roster before being traded to Florida that winter.

Mr. 493 home runs in his career Fred McGriff was a member of the Yankees farm system and was traded to Toronto in 1982. Could you imagine that swing in Yankee Stadium? If you can't go Youtube the 1996 World Series Game 1 home run he hit off the right field foul poll that is probably still ringing.

The Yankees drafted Otis Nixon third overall in the 1979 draft and spent a whole 13 games in Yankees pinstripes. Nixon batted .271 in his career with 620 steals in 17 seasons but most of those were with the Atlanta Braves and the Cleveland Indians, not the Yankees.

Deion Sanders. Need I say more?

This Day In New York Yankees History 9/5

On this day in 1989 the world was really introduced to Deion Sanders as a sports player. On this day Sanders would hit a home run for the Yankees in a rout of the Seattle Mariners 12-2. Five days later Sanders made his NFL debut and returned a punt 68 yards for a touch down.

On this day in 1995 Cal Ripken Jr. received a five minute standing ovation from the Oriole Park in Camden Yards crowd after the game became official in the bottom of the fifth inning. Ripken would tie Lou Gehrig for the consecutive games played streak of 2,130 games.

On this day in 2007 Alex Rodriguez became only the fourth player in Yankees history to hit two home runs in one inning in a rout of the Seattle Mariners 10-2. Prior to the game Alex was sent to the hospital to get tests on a sore knee and had to beg his way into the lineup, good decision by Joe Torre.

Also on this day in 2007 Yankees long time announcer Bob Sheppard would announce his final game at Yankees Stadium. Sheppard was a part of over 4,500 games as the Yankees announcer since 1951.