What it Means to Be a Yankees Fan: Bryan Van Dusen

Yesterday evening before the game with the Blue Jays I personally tried to answer maybe one of the hardest questions I have ever been asked not only as a writer, but as a Yankees fan as well. What does being a Yankees fan mean to me? I mentioned in the article the fact that if you asked 100 different Yankees fans that same question that it was entirely possible that you would receive 100 different answers back, and I also stated that I sought out to prove that to be true leading to this post this morning. There’s one person I trust more than anyone when it comes to Yankees fandom, someone I have known for many years and someone who I started this blog with back in January of 2012. Bryan Van Dusen. What does Yankees fandom mean to Bryan? Keep reading.

What makes you a fan of the New York Yankees?

I don't remember a time in my life when I wasn't a Yankees fan. 

When I was 7 years old I was able to play organized baseball in my towns Pee Wee Baseball league. We were put on random teams, each named after various Major League teams. You're probably thinking "he was placed on the Yankees." Nope... I was on the Red Sox, and I was devastated. I wasn't devastated because I was on the team named after the Yankees hated rival. I didn't know the history of the Yankees and Red Sox at that point in my life. All I knew was that I wanted to be on the Yankees, but I wasn't. 

The fact is I don't remember how I became a Yankees fan. I don't remember the first game I saw. Perhaps it was because my father would watch Yankees games when I was an infant. Maybe it was the baby-size Yankees hat my dad got me. Or since I lived in New York (central... not the city), and really only had access to the Yankees and Mets, the chances were 50/50 that I would grow up a Yankees fan. On that note... thank God I'm not a Mets fan... yuck.

It may sound ridiculous and make you roll your eyes, but I honestly believe I was born into Yankee fandom. 

See, I was born shortly after 12:00am on October 19th, 1977. In case you don't know, hours before I was born the Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the World Series to win the championship. That was the same game in which Reggie Jackson hit three home runs, off of three pitches, and off of three different pitchers (Reggie walked in his first at bat of Game 6 but note that he hit a home run in his last at bat in Game 5 on the first pitch... also from a different pitcher).

In fact, simply calling me a Yankees "fan" is downplaying things. "Bryan Van Dusen" and "Yankees" go hand-in-hand. You can call me an Ohio State fan, you can call me Syracuse University fan, you can call me a San Francisco 49ers fan, etc. But when it comes to how I feel about the Yankees, and how they are a part of my life, simply calling me a "fan" is not enough. 

What is your earliest memory of the New York Yankees?

My first baseball glove. I don't mean the little ones I had, which were made of some type of plastic. You know, the ones no real player would ever think of using in a game. But my first real baseball glove made of leather (well, synthetic leather, but still...). 

While I saw the Yankees before that point, that glove is my clear memory involving the team. I'm sure you're wondering what they had to do with one another but remember that many pieces of sports equipment were signature models. Not necessarily what a player actually used, but something that an athlete allowed his name to be on. 

And whose name was on that baseball glove? Don Mattingly.

I don't remember exactly when I got it. Perhaps it was before joining that Pee Wee baseball team I mentioned earlier. But I was so proud of that glove. If only the greatness that was Donnie Baseball translated to me through that mitt. 

What is your fondest memory of the New York Yankees?

While I was born shortly after the Yankees won the World Series in 1977, I was 363 days old when they won the 1978 World Series, I was three years old when they lost the 1980 World Series, and I was four years old when they lost the World Series the following season, how many people truly remember things before they were five years old? 

By the time I really understood the game I only knew sadness. The Yankees would miss the playoffs year in and year out, even finishing under .500 a handful of times. My beloved Don Mattingly would garner American League Most Valuable Player votes, All Star game selections, Gold Gloves, but he didn't come close to winning a title. 

Hell, one of my earliest memories about Major League Baseball in general was watching the Mets win the World Series in 1986. I mean, at least they beat the Red Sox, but seeing the Mets celebrate a World Series championship wasn't a whole lot better.

I would read and hear about the great history of my beloved Yankees, but personally I was not able to feel it. Even in 1994, when the team looked like they would battle for a World Series title, the league went on strike. The following season was, up to that point, the best of my life, yet they lost to the Mariners in the AL Division series. But finally... on October 26th, 1996, it happened.

Mark Lemke popped a pitch from John Wetteland in foul territory down the third base line, where Charlie Hayes caught the final out of the World Series. I was in my sophomore year at the University of Dayton, and I remember running outside of my apartment screaming "WE'RE BACK, BABY!"

Strange, but I didn't scream "WE WON" or something like that. I screamed "WE'RE BACK". I guess I knew that that title was the start of what would be a dynasty, as the Yankees went on to win three more championships between 1998 and 2000. Not to mention going to the World Series in 2001 and 2003. And the Yankees would go on to be a powerhouse in Major League Baseball. Not necessarily championship material year in and year out, but they would always be there among the top. 

And here we sit today, quite possibly on the verge of another Yankees dynasty.

What do you think of when you see the interlocking NY of the Yankees?

My heart skips a beat. Seriously. I don't have kids, so I can't say for sure how it feels to watch them as a father, but I have a feeling it's sort of the same. A sense of pride, along with happiness and genuine love. Like I said... I'm not just a Yankees fan. The Yankees are a part of my life. That interlocking logo is a part of me. 

What it Means to Be a Yankees Fan: Daniel Burch

What does being a fan of the New York Yankees mean to you? It seems like such a simple question, but the answers may not be as cut and dry, black and white, and as simple as you think. When thinking about it myself I couldn’t quite put my finger on just one thing or aspect that made me a Yankees fan, and I knew that it wouldn’t be that easy for others to answer as well, so I scoured the internet, our own family here on the site, and I looked within myself to try and find a concrete answer to the question, “What does being a Yankees fan mean to you?” Here are my own personal findings, enjoy.

What makes you a fan of the New York Yankees?

I was always destined to be a fan of the New York Yankees. Looking at my fandom and my life I couldn’t imagine a path where I wasn’t a fan of the team. I mean, I was born in the Bronx, New York in Bronx Lebanon Hospital. Now while my family moved out of the city while I was still very young, and while I don’t remember it well, I was always told that you could see Yankee Stadium from my hospital bed. True, not true. I don’t know, but it is a story I have always told because I’ve always been told that way. Maybe one day soon I can go up there again and see for myself.

My family are all Yankees fans, with the occasional black sheep that we don’t really like to talk about, and I was just immediately drawn to the Yankees and to the sport of baseball. My mother has told me stories from my childhood of me trying to toss baseballs up in the air and hitting them as young as two-years old. The Yankees weren’t the best team back then, I was born in 1985 so by the time I was starting to pay attention New York was still feeling the ill effects of George Steinbrenner and his iron fist, but they were my team and I loved them regardless.

The history drew me to the team. The World Series rings. The traditions. The facial hair policy, which I am not really a fan of anymore, and the lack of last names on the backs of their uniforms. It was everything. The Yankees were different to me, and as you can see on this blog daily I have always been drawn to and attracted to doing things a little different. It was just everything, the team and he organization just completely consumed me.

What is your earliest memory of the New York Yankees?

For some, you are just born into Yankees fandom. Personally, I can remember growing up as a young child as young as two-years old watching Yankees games with my family. Now while my mother and father weren’t the biggest Yankees fans I can say my Yankees fandom began with my uncle, David Pittinger of New York, and his wife, Lisa. My parents had to give up custody of me due to personal reasons and rather than toiling away in foster care or whatever they were gracious enough to pick up the slack and take me in at a very young age. I am and will always be forever grateful for that, and I am also grateful for my uncle for introducing me to my Yankees fandom.

I can remember sitting on the couch watching games with him. I can remember really getting into baseball religiously during the 1994 season, and I can remember never fully understanding why the 1994 season was shortened due to strike. I can remember being supremely disappointed at the cancellation of the World Series and I can remember almost being heartbroken when the 1995 season did not start on time and began in jeopardy as well.

What is your fondest memory of the New York Yankees?

 I can remember watching the Yankees win game after game and World Series after World Series in the 1990’s with him as well. I can remember specifically being so mad at him because he was laying on the couch during Game 4 of the 1998 World Series, he worked nights and it was hard for him to stay awake and watch a game sometimes. I can remember asking him, no it was more like begging him, to wake up and watch the game. I can remember counting down the outs until the Yankees were back on top, and I can remember mocking the San Diego Padres with every pitch thrown. Three outs away, two outs away, and then one.

I can remember begging at this point. “Uncle David, please wake up. One more out!” and I can remember him replying with a simple grunt and a wave of his hand, almost dismissive. I can remember being excited about the Yankees winning another World Series, but I can remember also being a bit disappointed that we couldn’t and wouldn’t share this together. To my surprise he was playing coy the whole time and when the final out was recorded I can remember him waking up and grabbing a conveniently placed broom and sweeping the living room, which was carpet FYI which made it all the more comical. I can just remember him yelling “sweep!” as he did it, which may not be my earliest memory, but it was definitely my fondest moment as a Yankees fan in my early fandom.

The next day, just like we did after every World Series victory, I can remember my Aunt getting me the World Series championship shirts from Modell’s that I wore until I literally could not wear them anymore. We definitely always got our monies worth out of our Yankees gear in that household, a tradition that still holds true today.

What do you think of when you see the interlocking NY of the Yankees?

That symbol means everything to me. To be honest, I am surprised I don’t have the symbol etched into my skin somewhere via tattoo. When I see that symbol I see tradition, pride, history, greatness, winning, family, friends, and everything that is good in the world. It means a lot to me. Maybe it means more than it really should to me, but I don’t care, and I don’t mind. I wear that symbol with pride and I wear it down here in Atlanta just as proudly as I did when I was in New York.

So, what does it mean to be a fan of the New York Yankees? To me, Daniel Burch, it means everything.

What does it mean to you?

What it Means to Be a Yankees Fan: Bryan Van Dusen

Yesterday evening before the game with the Blue Jays I personally tried to answer maybe one of the hardest questions I have ever been asked not only as a writer, but as a Yankees fan as well. What does being a Yankees fan mean to me? I mentioned in the article the fact that if you asked 100 different Yankees fans that same question that it was entirely possible that you would receive 100 different answers back, and I also stated that I sought out to prove that to be true leading to this post this morning. There’s one person I trust more than anyone when it comes to Yankees fandom, someone I have known for many years and someone who I started this blog with back in January of 2012. Bryan Van Dusen. What does Yankees fandom mean to Bryan? Keep reading.

What makes you a fan of the New York Yankees?

I don't remember a time in my life when I wasn't a Yankees fan. 

When I was 7 years old I was able to play organized baseball in my towns Pee Wee Baseball league. We were put on random teams, each named after various Major League teams. You're probably thinking "he was placed on the Yankees." Nope... I was on the Red Sox, and I was devastated. I wasn't devastated because I was on the team named after the Yankees hated rival. I didn't know the history of the Yankees and Red Sox at that point in my life. All I knew was that I wanted to be on the Yankees, but I wasn't. 

The fact is I don't remember how I became a Yankees fan. I don't remember the first game I saw. Perhaps it was because my father would watch Yankees games when I was an infant. Maybe it was the baby-size Yankees hat my dad got me. Or since I lived in New York (central... not the city), and really only had access to the Yankees and Mets, the chances were 50/50 that I would grow up a Yankees fan. On that note... thank God I'm not a Mets fan... yuck.

It may sound ridiculous and make you roll your eyes, but I honestly believe I was born into Yankee fandom. 

See, I was born shortly after 12:00am on October 19th, 1977. In case you don't know, hours before I was born the Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the World Series to win the championship. That was the same game in which Reggie Jackson hit three home runs, off of three pitches, and off of three different pitchers (Reggie walked in his first at bat of Game 6 but note that he hit a home run in his last at bat in Game 5 on the first pitch... also from a different pitcher).

In fact, simply calling me a Yankees "fan" is downplaying things. "Bryan Van Dusen" and "Yankees" go hand-in-hand. You can call me an Ohio State fan, you can call me Syracuse University fan, you can call me a San Francisco 49ers fan, etc. But when it comes to how I feel about the Yankees, and how they are a part of my life, simply calling me a "fan" is not enough. 

What is your earliest memory of the New York Yankees?

My first baseball glove. I don't mean the little ones I had, which were made of some type of plastic. You know, the ones no real player would ever think of using in a game. But my first real baseball glove made of leather (well, synthetic leather, but still...). 

While I saw the Yankees before that point, that glove is my clear memory involving the team. I'm sure you're wondering what they had to do with one another but remember that many pieces of sports equipment were signature models. Not necessarily what a player actually used, but something that an athlete allowed his name to be on. 

And whose name was on that baseball glove? Don Mattingly.

I don't remember exactly when I got it. Perhaps it was before joining that Pee Wee baseball team I mentioned earlier. But I was so proud of that glove. If only the greatness that was Donnie Baseball translated to me through that mitt. 

What is your fondest memory of the New York Yankees?

While I was born shortly after the Yankees won the World Series in 1977, I was 363 days old when they won the 1978 World Series, I was three years old when they lost the 1980 World Series, and I was four years old when they lost the World Series the following season, how many people truly remember things before they were five years old? 

By the time I really understood the game I only knew sadness. The Yankees would miss the playoffs year in and year out, even finishing under .500 a handful of times. My beloved Don Mattingly would garner American League Most Valuable Player votes, All Star game selections, Gold Gloves, but he didn't come close to winning a title. 

Hell, one of my earliest memories about Major League Baseball in general was watching the Mets win the World Series in 1986. I mean, at least they beat the Red Sox, but seeing the Mets celebrate a World Series championship wasn't a whole lot better.

I would read and hear about the great history of my beloved Yankees, but personally I was not able to feel it. Even in 1994, when the team looked like they would battle for a World Series title, the league went on strike. The following season was, up to that point, the best of my life, yet they lost to the Mariners in the AL Division series. But finally... on October 26th, 1996, it happened.

Mark Lemke popped a pitch from John Wetteland in foul territory down the third base line, where Charlie Hayes caught the final out of the World Series. I was in my sophomore year at the University of Dayton, and I remember running outside of my apartment screaming "WE'RE BACK, BABY!"

Strange, but I didn't scream "WE WON" or something like that. I screamed "WE'RE BACK". I guess I knew that that title was the start of what would be a dynasty, as the Yankees went on to win three more championships between 1998 and 2000. Not to mention going to the World Series in 2001 and 2003. And the Yankees would go on to be a powerhouse in Major League Baseball. Not necessarily championship material year in and year out, but they would always be there among the top. 

And here we sit today, quite possibly on the verge of another Yankees dynasty.

What do you think of when you see the interlocking NY of the Yankees?

My heart skips a beat. Seriously. I don't have kids, so I can't say for sure how it feels to watch them as a father, but I have a feeling it's sort of the same. A sense of pride, along with happiness and genuine love. Like I said... I'm not just a Yankees fan. The Yankees are a part of my life. That interlocking logo is a part of me. 

Looking for Help from the Fans

As you saw about an hour ago I have been busy working on the blog in search of what being a Yankees fan means to you. I want to know what it means to us all, because if you’re reading this then it is very likely that you are a fan just like I am. I have more than a few of these posts lined up already, but me being me… I want more. I want to get greedy, and I want to know what being a Yankees fan means to YOU. So, with that said I need a little bit of help from my friends here on the blog and from my fellow Yankees fans. I want to know what being a Yankees fan means to you.

Answer the same four questions that I answered above and send them to me via email to be showcased here on the blog. We aren’t looking to win any Pulitzer prizes here with these entries so if your grammar isn’t perfect, don’t worry about it. An English major and degree doesn’t change your heart and your fandom and that is what we are ultimately looking to capture here.

Send submissions to DanielBurch 1102 at yahoo dot com or thegreedypinstripes at gmail dot com. We look forward to seeing your submissions, your stories and your fandom on full display! You won’t find this opportunity on any other Yankees site, I assure you of that, so take advantage now while you still can. See you around on the blog.

What it Means to Be a Yankees Fan: Daniel Burch

What does being a fan of the New York Yankees mean to you? It seems like such a simple question, but the answers may not be as cut and dry, black and white, and as simple as you think. When thinking about it myself I couldn’t quite put my finger on just one thing or aspect that made me a Yankees fan, and I knew that it wouldn’t be that easy for others to answer as well, so I scoured the internet, our own family here on the site, and I looked within myself to try and find a concrete answer to the question, “What does being a Yankees fan mean to you?” Here are my own personal findings, enjoy.

What makes you a fan of the New York Yankees?

I was always destined to be a fan of the New York Yankees. Looking at my fandom and my life I couldn’t imagine a path where I wasn’t a fan of the team. I mean, I was born in the Bronx, New York in Bronx Lebanon Hospital. Now while my family moved out of the city while I was still very young, and while I don’t remember it well, I was always told that you could see Yankee Stadium from my hospital bed. True, not true. I don’t know, but it is a story I have always told because I’ve always been told that way. Maybe one day soon I can go up there again and see for myself.

My family are all Yankees fans, with the occasional black sheep that we don’t really like to talk about, and I was just immediately drawn to the Yankees and to the sport of baseball. My mother has told me stories from my childhood of me trying to toss baseballs up in the air and hitting them as young as two-years old. The Yankees weren’t the best team back then, I was born in 1985 so by the time I was starting to pay attention New York was still feeling the ill effects of George Steinbrenner and his iron fist, but they were my team and I loved them regardless.

The history drew me to the team. The World Series rings. The traditions. The facial hair policy, which I am not really a fan of anymore, and the lack of last names on the backs of their uniforms. It was everything. The Yankees were different to me, and as you can see on this blog daily I have always been drawn to and attracted to doing things a little different. It was just everything, the team and he organization just completely consumed me.

What is your earliest memory of the New York Yankees?

For some, you are just born into Yankees fandom. Personally, I can remember growing up as a young child as young as two-years old watching Yankees games with my family. Now while my mother and father weren’t the biggest Yankees fans I can say my Yankees fandom began with my uncle, David Pittinger of New York, and his wife, Lisa. My parents had to give up custody of me due to personal reasons and rather than toiling away in foster care or whatever they were gracious enough to pick up the slack and take me in at a very young age. I am and will always be forever grateful for that, and I am also grateful for my uncle for introducing me to my Yankees fandom.

I can remember sitting on the couch watching games with him. I can remember really getting into baseball religiously during the 1994 season, and I can remember never fully understanding why the 1994 season was shortened due to strike. I can remember being supremely disappointed at the cancellation of the World Series and I can remember almost being heartbroken when the 1995 season did not start on time and began in jeopardy as well.

What is your fondest memory of the New York Yankees?

 I can remember watching the Yankees win game after game and World Series after World Series in the 1990’s with him as well. I can remember specifically being so mad at him because he was laying on the couch during Game 4 of the 1998 World Series, he worked nights and it was hard for him to stay awake and watch a game sometimes. I can remember asking him, no it was more like begging him, to wake up and watch the game. I can remember counting down the outs until the Yankees were back on top, and I can remember mocking the San Diego Padres with every pitch thrown. Three outs away, two outs away, and then one.

I can remember begging at this point. “Uncle David, please wake up. One more out!” and I can remember him replying with a simple grunt and a wave of his hand, almost dismissive. I can remember being excited about the Yankees winning another World Series, but I can remember also being a bit disappointed that we couldn’t and wouldn’t share this together. To my surprise he was playing coy the whole time and when the final out was recorded I can remember him waking up and grabbing a conveniently placed broom and sweeping the living room, which was carpet FYI which made it all the more comical. I can just remember him yelling “sweep!” as he did it, which may not be my earliest memory, but it was definitely my fondest moment as a Yankees fan in my early fandom.

The next day, just like we did after every World Series victory, I can remember my Aunt getting me the World Series championship shirts from Modell’s that I wore until I literally could not wear them anymore. We definitely always got our monies worth out of our Yankees gear in that household, a tradition that still holds true today.

What do you think of when you see the interlocking NY of the Yankees?

That symbol means everything to me. To be honest, I am surprised I don’t have the symbol etched into my skin somewhere via tattoo. When I see that symbol I see tradition, pride, history, greatness, winning, family, friends, and everything that is good in the world. It means a lot to me. Maybe it means more than it really should to me, but I don’t care, and I don’t mind. I wear that symbol with pride and I wear it down here in Atlanta just as proudly as I did when I was in New York.

So, what does it mean to be a fan of the New York Yankees? To me, Daniel Burch, it means everything.

What does it mean to you?

A Yankees Day in the Life: Bernie Williams

One last time for the crowd, one last Yankees Day in the Life showcasing a dynasty Yankees member. One last time for the one that never got enough credit for his contributions throughout his career. One last time, Mr. Bernie Williams.

A Yankees Day in the Life: Scott Brosius

Yes, I am still feeling nostalgic. Yes, I wondered what in the world the Yankees were doing when they acquired Scott Brosius to man third base for them during the dynasty year. Yes, I was wrong. No introduction needed, a Yankees Day in the Life: Scott Brosius Edition.

Tim Hudson, Barry Zito & the New York Yankees

Who doesn’t remember the latter part of the “Dynasty Years” with the New York Yankees when the same teams kept coming up and meeting New York in the postseason. You had the Minnesota Twins, you had the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, you had the Boston Red Sox and you had the Oakland Athletics. Leading the charge for the Oakland A’s was a three-headed starting pitching monster that few could emulate, or beat for that matter, in Mark Mulder, Barry Zito and Tim Hudson. When all was said and done all three men left Oakland for greener pastures, pun intended money reference, and when all is said and done in 2015 the threesome will all officially be retired.

It was announced earlier during the season that Hudson, currently listed on the San Francisco Giants roster, would retire and around lunch time on Monday Zito, who will retire an Athletic after leaving town also for the San Francisco Giants, announced that he would be doing the same. Two great ambassadors and representatives in the game are leaving after 2015 and while most are sad I have a sneaking suspicion that the New York Yankees are not.

Zito and Hudson had varying degrees of success against the Yankees in their careers, Hudson more than Zito obviously, so I thought it would be fun to go over exactly what each did against New York respectively. The stats and such are meaningless in the grand scheme of things by today’s standards but just have fun with it as we inch closer to the World Series and the long, cold winter that we call the offseason.

Zito:

I	Split	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	BAbip	tOPS+
	New York Yankees	16	407	61	93	14	17	6	46	78	.264	.354	.460	.814	.293	127

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

I	Split	W	L	ERA	G	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WHIP	SO9
	New York Yankees	3	9	5.20	16	90.0	93	61	52	17	46	78	1.544	7.8

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Hudson:

I	Split	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	BAbip	tOPS+
	New York Yankees	12	329	35	70	13	7	5	25	58	.237	.298	.353	.651	.270	92

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

I	Split	W	L	ERA	G	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WHIP	SO9
	New York Yankees	2	4	3.83	12	80.0	70	35	34	7	25	58	1.188	6.5

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

I Come from the Era Everyone Loves to Hate

For better or worse I am realizing more and more that I come from the era in baseball that everyone seemingly loves to hate. I grew up a Yankees fans after being born in the Bronx and after moving just outside the city in 1985 and really got into baseball around the 1994 season. I didn’t grow up watching the terrible Yankees teams of the 80’s, all I knew was the dynasty years and the World Series victories and Derek Jeter. Many call me spoiled, and I was, but now it’s a whole new generation and fan base that is being attacked, the sabermetrics community.

I grew up in the era where a teenage kid could sit in front of a computer and scout every pitch every player ever threw in every game ever. The same can be said for every bat that ever made contact with every pitch, fair or foul, and somehow quantify it into meaning something. I am a fan of sabermetrics, I believe the defensive shift does more good than it does harm, I’m all about pitch framing and I truly believe a strikeout is no worse than a ground or fly ball. I watched and read Moneyball, I idolized Billy Beane there for a minute and I thoroughly enjoyed Joe Girardi’s binder when he actually used it and the more you look around the internet, twitter etc. the more you will see that I am more so in the minority than I thought.

How can you argue it though? Batting average across the league is at its lowest level since 1971 since the shift has been employed and coaches are having to find new and inventive ways to teach their players. Shifts are changing the game, for better or worse, and not just regular season games either. Remember the 2014 World Series Game 7 when Juan Perez was almost huddling the left field line against Nori Aoki? Off the bat it looked like Aoki had a game tying fifth inning double that could have drastically changed the outcome of the game but instead Madison Bumgarner continued to shut down the Royals when the ball was played perfectly and caught and the rest became history.

In 2011 teams shifted 2,357 times which doubled to 4,577 in 2012, increased to 8,180 in 2013 and ended with 13,296 in 2014. The first defensive shift can be linked back to the June 25, 1870 game between the Brooklyn Atlantics and the Cincinnati Red Stockings and has caught fire more and more ever since and the fans that agree with the notion have had to defend themselves and their thinking more and more ever since as well. I am growing up in unprecedented times and swimming in unchartered waters and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

The New Yankees Core?

The New York Yankees seem to be rebuilding on the fly as the team gets younger, develops their own players and basically waits out the contracts of Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia and Carlos Beltran. It makes me wonder if New York is planning on going with another core, core four, core five, whatever and it also makes me wonder if Robert Refsnder/Jose Pirela are the first dominos to fall. Are Refsnyder and/or Pirela the Bernie Williams who comes before a huge influx of minor league talent? It’s looking to be the case.

When the Beltran contract expires New York should have at least a right fielder or two primed and ready to go in Tyler Austin and Aaron Judge. When the Rodriguez contract runs out New York should have a much clearer picture on whether Eric Jagielo is for real or not and what the team should do with Chase Headley in his final season. He could play first base since mark Teixeira’s contract will be up but that would presumably block Greg Bird from making his way to the show. Brian McCann’s contract will be winding down while John Ryan Murphy, Luis Torrens and Gary Sanchez are all knocking on the door if they aren’t traded beforehand and Luis Severino will be itching to replace Sabathia once his contract is off the books.

While watching this offseason has been one of the most frustrating in my Yankee fan career I can see a light at the end of the tunnel and I think Brian Cashman can too. A lot can happen between now and the 2016 and 2017 seasons but the stars are aligning for another Yankees core and possibly another Yankees dynasty and I think I can suffer through a few years of mediocrity for that. 

The Warrior: The Paul O'Neill Tribute Video

Remembering Yankees of The Past: Paul O'Neill

Paul O’Neill was widely considered to be the “heart and soul” of the dynasty teams in the 1990’s, which is saying something since they had the likes of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and others on the squad. I guess when George Steinbrenner labeled him a “Warrior” that kind of helped his cause, and so did the 194 water coolers he physically violated in his time with New York. The Yankees have only issued O’Neill’s #21 one time since his retirement in 2001 when LaTroy Hawkins wore it for a few weeks in 2008 before switching to #22 after receiving criticism from Yankee fans.

O’Neill came over to the New York Yankees before the 1993 season when the Cincinnati Reds traded him to New York for Roberto Kelly. O’Neill was immediately inserted into the heart of the Yankees order and would replace Yankee captain Don Mattingly in the third spot in the order. O’Neill would put up solid numbers in 1993 and would be selected to the All Star team and win the batting title in the lockout-shortened 1994 season. The Yankees led the American League East division by 6.5 games when the players locked out and ended the season and had a .359 batting average and 83 RBI’s in 103 games. O’Neill, with the help of Mattingly, would lead the Yankees to the postseason for the first time since 1981 when they clinched the first ever American League Wild Card berth but would eventually lose an exciting five game series to the Seattle Mariners despite winning the first two games of the series.

O’Neill would be part of the 1996 World Series Yankees squad and even robbed the Braves Luis Polonia of an extra base hit in that 1-0 pitcher’s duel in Game 5 between John Smoltz and Andy Pettitte. While the Yankees were eliminated in the postseason in 1997 in the division series with the Cleveland Indians the Yankees would return to the promised land with O’Neill in right field in 1998 with a sweep of the San Diego Padres. That 1998 Yankees squad won a total of 125 games, a major league record, and only lost one game in the entire postseason drawing reviews as possibly the greatest team of all time. The Yankees followed up the 1998 season with a sweep of the Atlanta Braves in the 1999 World Series and the 25^th championship of the franchise’s history. The New York Yankees would once again be crowned World Series champions in 2000 in a five game Subway World Series beating the New York Mets for O’Neill’s fourth ring as a member of the Yankees. O’Neill’s final season was in 2001 when the Arizona Diamondbacks shocked the world and broke the hearts of all Yankees players and fans when they won the World Series in seven games.

O’Neill now works in the YES Network booth with Michael Kay. O’Neill has also been rumored to be interested in managing his former team, the Cincinnati Reds, so maybe managing is in his future but for now O’Neill is just a plaque in Monument Park. That’s okay with me and I am sure it is okay with him too. Congratulations Paulie.

New York Yankees Present Paul O'Neill Day

Today is Paul O'Neill Day at Yankee Stadium as the New York Yankees will honor Mr. O'Neill with a plaque in Monument Park. O'Neill spent nine seasons with the Yankees from 1993-2001 and won four World Series championships with the club.

O'Neill had a Yankees career triple slash of .303/.377/.492 while hitting 185 home runs and knocking in 858 RBI. O'Neill never played less than 100 games with the Yankees and was an integral part of the Yankees dynasty seasons.

Water coolers beware, today is Paul O'Neill Day at Yankee Stadium.

The Broken Ankle That Started It All

Many baseball people like to argue that the "Dynasty" era of Yankees baseball ended with Luis Gonzalez's bloop single off of Mariano Rivera that won the Diamondbacks the 2001 World Series. Others claim that it was Josh Beckett tagging Jorge Posada out in the middle of the first base line that won the Marlins the 2003 World Series.

Personally, I believe the Dynasty continued on long after that, but ended one year ago today - October 14th, 2012.

The day before, October 13th, had made most of the Yankee faithfuls believe the Dynasty was alive and well. The Yankees took the field for Game 1 of the ALCS, just a handful of wins away from a trip to the 2012 World Series. After suffering through an inept offense for much of the ALDS, they were given a second chance to back up their "Bronx Bombers" mantra. And wow, did they ever!

Down 4-0 in the 9th, facing Tigers' closer Jose Valverde, Ichiro Suzuki roped a two-run home run that curved just inside the right field foul pole, cutting the Detroit lead in half. With two outs, Mark Teixeira was able to work his way on with a walk, and up came Raul Ibanez. The 40-year old New York native had provided plenty of clutch moments for fans to enjoy all season, including game-tying and game-winning home runs in Game 3 of the ALDS just a few days prior.

And after swinging and missing for strike one...this happened:

As TBS announcer Ernie Johnson proclaimed, "He's done it again!", Raul HAD done it again. It was unbelievable, and with a win seemingly inevitable, his home run would go down with the likes of Reggie's three homers in '77, Bucky's go-ahead shot in '78, Leyrtiz's in '96, Brosius' in '01, and so on. If anyone said otherwise at the time, I probably would have called them insane.

If not already, ALCS Game 1 was becoming an instant classic as the game went into extra innings and each team failed to score. With Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, and Delmon Young due up in the top of the 12th, most people felt a momentum shift, if only slightly. 

Cabrera led off with a single, but David Phelps then got Fielder to ground out. Young then laced a fly-ball into right field, in which Nick Swisher swatted at and missed completely as it went to the wall. Cabrera scored the go-ahead run, and the Tigers were now up 5-4.

Then came the knockout blow. Not just for 2012, but for everything that had happened up until this moment:

It was known that it was sore, but Derek Jeter's ankle finally snapped. After suffering only a handful of minor injuries that resulted in little-to-no time lost throughout his career, at age 38, the Yankees shortstop had suffered as bad a "break" (no pun intended) as any infielder can have. He was helped off the field and wouldn't return for the remainder of the playoffs -- which in reality was only a few days, since Detroit made quick work of New York and swept them aside.

Since Game 1 concluded in the wee hours of October 14th, Game 2 began later that afternoon, in which I was in attendance for. At no fault of their own, Yankees fans were terribly demoralized, as the Captain was done for the year and hopes for a pennant were as bleak as they'll ever be in mid-October at Yankee Stadium. 

The stats say that 47,082 fans made their way to the Bronx, but you wouldn't believe it by all the empty seats there were. The crowd was deathly silent all throughout the game, as was the lineup, which was only able to muster up 4 hits against Anibal Sanchez and Detroit's bullpen, headlined by 2009 Yankee alumni Phil Coke. It was like being in some alternate universe, where you could hear a pin drop at Yankee Stadium and Derek Jeter was not playing shortstop for the Yankees in October.

It was so surreal, but it was a perfect preview of this season and beyond. The game featured an 11-strikeout game by Hiroki Kuroda, but Jayson Nix was at shortstop and the lineup was putrid. With Mariano Rivera on the bench nursing a torn ACL, there also was no chance Mo could jog in from the bullpen and close out a win, which will become the norm come 2014. 

While the streak of winning multiple championships ended in 2001, the Yankees continued to be at the top of the division almost every season, always putting themselves in a position to add more titles to their illustrious history. They even did, of course, win it all in 2009, with the Core Four leading the way. 

Now, Andy, Jorge and Mo are all gone, and Jeter is still trying to limp back onto the field and be an everyday player. Even if he can, next season very likely will be Derek's last, so there is no denying that their time as the core of the Yankees is over, though it did live on way longer than many people ever expected.

Still, October 14th, 2012, may be the date we look back on in a few years when the Yankees are either A) Suffering through a period of mediocrity, or B) Returning to glory without their familiar playoff heroes. The future ensures a lot of change, and maybe its for the better. But wow, it's a shame how abruptly the Dynasty ended, isn't it?