Remembering Yankees of the Past: Gene Michael

The New York Yankees lost one of their own today as the baseball world learned that former Yankees player, general manager and executive Gene Michael passed away. He was 79-years old. Michael died of a heart attack and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, his friends, the Yankees community and anyone who knew or was affected by his passing. I wanted to take the time this afternoon while we wait for the end of the Yankees game to honor Michael the only way they I feel like I can and the only way that I know how, by remembering his career, his life and what he meant not only to the Yankees but to this game we all know and love so much, baseball.

Eugene Richard Michael was born on June 2, 1938 and passed away on September 7, 2017. Gene Michael, or who was more commonly known as “Stick” for his 6’2” and 180 lbs. frame, played infield for 10 seasons at the Major League level including seven seasons for the New York Yankees. Unfortunately Michael played for the Yankees during one of the worst stretched in the team’s storied history from 1968-74.

Michael played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Yankees and the Detroit Tigers during his playing days and also managed the Chicago Cubs in 1986 and 1986 posting a career 206-200 record as a manager.

Gene Michael was the Yankees manager in 1981 and 1982 before transferring over to the front office after his playing career was done. Michael made it all the way to the General Manager position from 1990 to 1995 and many donned him as the “savior” of the Yankees for his six years in the position. Brian Cashman and Gene Watson may have taken much of the credit for the Yankees dynasty in the mid-to-late 90’s and into the 2000’s but it was Gene Michael who built that team, no doubt about it. Michael restocked the farm system after George Steinbrenner, the Yankees owner at the time, gutted it time after time in trade after trade and even built the Core Four of Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada. It was Michael who also traded for outfielder Paul O’Neill when he was a member of the Cincinnati Reds.

Rest in peace to you Stick. You will truly be missed and always be remembered, and that my friends is true legacy. Say hello to the boss for me and watch your “six.”

Remembering Derek Jeter on the Day he was Drafted

As we learned this morning in our “This Day in Yankees History” post that we showcase daily here on the blog it was this day back in 1992 that the New York Yankees made a decision that would forever form and shape this organization for the better. *in my best Bud Selig voice* It was on this day in 1992 that the New York Yankees, with the 6th pick in the MLB Draft, selected Derek Jeter out of Kalamazoo Central High School in Detroit, Michigan.

"Derek Jeter is not going to college, he’s going to Cooperstown." Boy was he right.

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Tim Raines

This morning we discussed one of the newest members of the Hall of Fame Pudge Rodriguez’s short and rather uneventful time in Yankees pinstripes but there was a second former Yankees player to be elected to the Hall this week as well. His name was Tim “Rock” Raines and while he will likely be heading into Cooperstown with a Montreal Expos hat on his head he, and now we, will never forget his time spent here in the Bronx.

Raines was a career National League player before coming over to the American League in 1992 with the Chicago White Sox but he never found true success in the AL until his time with the Bronx Bombers. On December 28, 1995 the New York Yankees acquired Raines in a trade. Raines would be an integral part of the 1996 and 1998 World Series teams in the Bronx although his playing time was ultimately curtailed due to injury.

Raines was always considered to be a great clubhouse and chemistry type guy and he finished his Yankees tenure with a .299/.395/.429 triple slash in three seasons with 18 home runs and 118 RBI. Raines was the perfect example of what made these Yankees teams in the mid-90’s great. Raines played a position or three, he played a role and he played it well.

Now he’s playing that role in the Hall of Fame. Congratulations to him and to his family and friends. This one was a long time coming. 

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez

The Baseball Writers Association of America, better known to you boys and girls as the BBWAA, elected three new members into the Hall of Fame this week including first baseman Jeff Bagwell, outfielder Tim Raines and catcher Pudge “Ivan” Rodriguez. Rodriguez, like Raines, is a former Yankees player albeit for a short period of time so let’s remember the Hall of Fame catcher’s not-so-memorable time in Yankees pinstripes before he makes his walk into the halls of Cooperstown, New York.

Pudge’s 2008 season started out magnificently leading all of Major League Baseball in home runs during spring training but his season went down from there, and in a big way. Pudge did have a couple high spots in 2008 as his career began to wind down including his 2,500^th hit of his career on April 10^th against the Boston Red Sox but it was on July 30, 2008 that Pudge endured something that no player wants to at that point in their career. Pudge was traded.

The New York Yankees acquired Pudge to be their backup catcher that season after sending relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth to the Detroit Tigers in the trade. Pudge, splitting time with Jose Molina, started in just 26 of the Yankees 55 games that second half which did not sit well with the now Hall of Fame catcher.

Rodriguez hit just .278 as a Yankee, easily his worst part of the season, before fading off into the sunset as New York failed to make the postseason for the first time since the 1993 season. 

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Bob Turley

Robert Lee Turley, also known as Bullet Bob Turley, was born on September 19, 1930 in Troy, Illinois where he spent his High School days attending East St. Louis Senior High School in East St. Louis, Illinois. Turley was used as both a starting pitcher and a relief pitcher there where he caught the attention of Bill DeWitt, the general manager for the St. Louis Browns. Turley attended a workout camp for the New York Yankees before signing with the Browns for a $600 signing bonus in 1948.


Turley pitched for the Browns until the 1955 season when he was traded to the New York Yankees. Turley started off his Yankees tenure with a 17 win season while recording 210 strikeouts and a league-leading 177 walks. Turley led the Yankees staff to a World Series in 1955 against the Brooklyn Dodgers but ultimately fell in seven games. The disappointment didn’t stop there for Turley though unfortunately as he finished his second season in the Bronx with an 8-4 record but with a 5.05 ERA. Despite Turley’s struggles the Yankees were once again back in the World Series and Turley was back to facing off against the Brooklyn Dodgers, this time as a relief pitcher. Turley started Game Six but lost 1-0 against Clem Labine in a pitcher’s duel that forced a second consecutive seven game series between the two clubs. This time the Yankees would get the best of Brooklyn winning the series in seven games. Turley had his first World Series ring.


For the 1957 season Turley developed a curve ball to add to his arsenal and saw immediate dividends with his new pitching throwing the fourth best ERA in the American League, 2.71, and leading the Yankees to their third consecutive World Series berth. Turley won his Game Six start to force a Game 7 but the Yankees would fall to the Milwaukee Braves in seven games, Turley’s second disappointment with the club in the World Series. Turley reinvented himself once again in 1958 as he eliminated his wind up and had his best season of his Yankees tenure. Turley went 21-7 that season including 19 complete games and finished with a 2.97 ERA. Turley still struggled with his command, 128 walks surrendered in 1958, and once again struggled in the World Series against a familiar foe in the Milwaukee Braves. Turley saved the Yankees from elimination with a complete game shutout in Game 5 before coming back in Game Six to get a save I the 10th inning forcing a Game 7. Turley relieved Don Larsen in Game 7 and won his second game in three days with 6.2 innings of relief as he led the New York Yankees to another World Series championship.


Turley won the World Series MVP Award in 1958 while also taking home the Cy Young Award and the Hickok Belt Award which rewarded and recognized the top professional athlete of the year. Turley finished second in the American League’s MVP Award vote losing to Jackie Jensen of the Boston Red Sox to finish out his season. After all the accolades that followed his 1958 season Turley was due for a raise before 1959 and quickly became the highest paid player in Major League Baseball history at the time when he agreed to a deal worth $35,000. Turley started on Opening Day and gave the Yankees a 3-2 victory over the Red Sox but the overuse and abuse on his arm was evident for the remainder of that season. Turley finished the season just 8-11 and the Yankees did not make the World Series for the first time in his tenure, although Turley did bounce back in 1960 recording a 9-3 record with a 3.27 ERA. Turley was back in the New York groove and back in the World Series in 1960 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Turley won Game Two of the series and started Game 7 before Bill Mazeroski hit the home run that walked off the final game of the series and gave the Pirates their World Series victory.

Turley’s ineffectiveness and heavy reliance on his curve ball was explained during the 1961 season when Turley battled through right elbow injuries for much of the season. Turley was reduced to just 15 starts and a 3-5 record and 5.75 ERA before being delegated to the bullpen by manager Ralph Houk. Turley was back in the World Series in 1961 and the Yankees were back to their winning ways defeating the Cincinnati Reds four games to one but Turley did not make an appearance. Turley had bone chips removed from his elbow before the 1962 season and saw a slight improvement in his performance. Turley negotiated with the Yankees to reduce his salary from $28,000 to $25,000 and only gave the Yankees 69 innings and a 4.57 ERA after his bone chip problem flared back up during the season.


The 1962 season would be Turley’s final season in pinstripes and it was one to be remembered for ole Bullet Bob. Turley was named the American League’s player representative for the union and Turley watched, watched being the key word as he did not pitch, as the New York Yankees defeated the San Francisco Giants for yet another World Series victory. Turley was sold to the Los Angeles Angels following the 1962 season with the condition that Los Angeles could return him if they were not satisfied with the deal. Turley lasted until July of 1963 before the Angels released him and allowed him to sign with the Boston Red Sox where he would finish his playing career.





Turley finished his career with a 101-85 record and a 3.64 ERA in his 12 seasons, most of which with the Yankees, including five World Series championships. After the 1963 season Turley agreed to remain with the Boston Red Sox as their pitching coach before ultimately ending his career in the International League with the Atlanta Braves. Turley moved to Alpharetta, Georgia for the final two years of his life before falling to liver cancer at age 82 in Lenbrook, a retirement community in Atlanta, Georgia. Turley was survived by his second wife, Janet, three children, seventeen grandchildren and a whole lot of Yankees fans. Rest in peace Bob as we remember you today.

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Bartolo Colon

Bartolo Colon, recently of the New York Mets, made his comeback to the Major Leagues when the New York Yankees signed him in 2011. Colon’s signing was surrounded by controversy, imagine that with the New York Yankees in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, due to a stem cell transplant injection in his elbow. Colon is 42 years old and likely to call it a career so now more than ever I’d like remember a Yankee of the past, Mr. Bartolo Colon.


Colon was coming off a 2010 season that he missed due to ongoing right shoulder and elbow pain while also damaging his rotator cuff, ligaments and tendons in his right throwing shoulder. In March of 2010 Colon received the stem cell transplant to help repair the damaged tissues in his shoulder which came attached to a slew of controversy. The surgeon who performed the surgery was said to have used human growth hormone in previous surgeries, surgeries similar to Colon’s but denied the fact that any were used in Colon’s surgery. Major League Baseball held an investigation but no wrongdoing was found by the league and Colon was allowed to pitch in 2011.


Colon signed a minor league deal with the Yankees on January 26, 2011 after pitching in the Pre_World Championship in Puerto Rico, winter ball with the Aguilas and Leones del Escoquido, and the Puerto Rican winter league. Colon was invited to spring training that year and despite coming into camp 30 lbs. overweight Colon made the team out of the bullpen. Colon was not long for the bullpen and by April, 20 he was replacing Phil Hughes in the rotation through the month of May. Colon went 3-3 with a 3.26 ERA replacing Hughes and stuck in the team’s rotation long enough to throw a 4-hit shutout against the Oakland Athletics. The Yankees and Colon were firing on all cylinders until June, 11 when Colon, who was throwing a shutout against the Cleveland Indians, was seen limping off the field after covering first base. Colon went on the disabled list but vowed to be back in 15 days.


Colon was a man of his word as he came off the disabled list on July 2 to make a start against the New York Mets where he threw six more shutout innings for New York. Colon finished his only season with the Yankees with an 8-10 record and 4.00 ERA. Colon was named to the team’s playoff roster as a member of the bullpen before the team lost to the Detroit Tigers in the 2011 ALDS, thus ending Colon’s tenure as a New York Yankees.

Remembering Derek Jeter on the Day he was Drafted

As we learned this morning in our “This Day in Yankees History” post that we showcase daily here on the blog it was this day back in 1992 that the New York Yankees made a decision that would forever form and shape this organization for the better. *in my best Bud Selig voice* It was on this day in 1992 that the New York Yankees, with the 6^th pick in the MLB Draft, selected Derek Jeter out of Kalamazoo Central High School in Detroit, Michigan.

Derek Jeter is not going to college, he’s going to Cooperstown. Boy was he right. 

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Wade Boggs

The Boston Red Sox announced that they would be retiring the #26 formerly worn by one of their greatest players, Mr. Wade Boggs. Boggs made his name as a member of the Boston Red Sox but despite that and the fact that he hit his 3000^th hit as a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays I will personally always remember him as a New York Yankee. Boggs came over to man third base, eat chicken, win World Series rings and flips cars. The good news for the Bronx Bombers was that Boggs was all out of cars. So in honor of the Red Sox retiring the chicken man’s number we remember a Yankee of the past, we remember Wade Boggs.

In 1992 Wade Boggs slumped to a .259 batting average which was only one of three times in his career that he failed to reach the .300 mark. Boggs left Boston at the end of that season and was heavily recruited by both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Yankees. We wouldn’t be here speaking about him if he hadn’t chose the Yankees as New York added a third year to a contract offer that Los Angeles would not. Boggs rewarded the Yankees with three straight All Star appearances, four straight seasons of hitting .300 or better, and won a Gold Glove award while in New York.

Boggs helped the Yankees win their first World Series championship in 18 years in 1996, Boggs’ only World Series title of his career. Boggs was asked to pinch hit in the tenth inning of Game 4 against the Atlanta Braves and drew a bases loaded walk against Steve Avery that gave the Yankees the lead and eventually led to an 8-6 victory. The Yankees came back from six runs in that game and the Yankees won in six games. Boggs most memorable moment was when he was celebrating the victory by riding a on the back of a horse with an NYPD officer touring the field with one finger raised in the air. Boggs was scared of horses but Boggs was a champion.

Boggs finished his career by collecting his 3,000th hit in a Tampa Bay Devil Rays uniform. What could have been though if he had been at third base in that 1996 World Series Game 6 six and not Charlie Hayes. Boggs may never get a plaque in Monument Park and won’t get much recognition at all as a member of the Yankees but we thank him anyway, have some chicken on us.

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Scott Proctor

I was going through some emails that we receive from our awesome readers, hat tip to Betty for the idea for this article, and I opened an article about Scott Proctor. Proctor was one of the many arms that then Yankees manager Joe Torre “ruined” out of his bullpen. Remember, towards the latter part of his tenure with the club the Yankees were not winning World Series Championships annually like they did in the latter part of the 90’s and into the 2000’s and George Steinbrenner was livid. Steinbrenner was writing the biggest checks at the time and demanded greatness and in his mind that greatness started with the manager. Torre was managing every game for his job and stuck to using the relievers and players he trusted, one of those arms was Proctor. With that said we remember the Yankees reliever who threw in 80+ games multiple times in his career, the reliever that loved to hit Kevin Youkilis in a Red Sox uniform and the reliever that battled alcoholism for much of his ride along the way. Remembering Yankees of the Past, this is Scott Proctor.

Scott Christopher Proctor was traded to the New York Yankees along with Bubba Crosby for Robin Ventura on July 31, 2003 and New York immediately stashed their new weapon in Triple-A. Proctor was a closer for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers and was seen throwing 100 MPH or higher there which caught the eyes of the Yankees brass and manager Joe Torre. Proctor ended up making his MLB debut on April 20, 2004 against the Chicago White Sox as a mop up man. Proctor pitches 2.1 innings of relief and allowed two earned runs. Proctor’s results that season were not ideal but he quickly became a trusted weapon for the Yankees and even more quickly became a mainstay inside the Yankees bullpen.

Proctor pitched in just 26 games in 2005 before becoming the everyday guy we all remember in 2006 under Torre. Proctor led the league in 2006 with 83 appearances and often pitched for more than one inning or on consecutive days. Proctor joined Brian Bruney and Kyle Farnsworth as the Yankees bridge to Mariano Rivera. Proctor crossed the 80 appearance threshold again in 2007 leading GM Brian Cashman to confront Torre and Proctor about his overuse. To make a long story short Torre would ask Proctor if he was okay to pitch and Proctor would always say yes. Cashman wanted Proctor to be more open and honest with Torre before it was too late for his right arm, but it already was.

Proctor’s career took a turn for the worse after 2007 and it landed him off the Yankees and with the Atlanta Braves before the 2009 season. Proctor stayed with Atlanta through most of the 2011 season before the Yankees brought Proctor back on a new minor league deal. On August 13, 2011 the Yankees re-signed him and sent him back to Triple-A with the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders before calling him up on September 1^st. Proctor pitched sparingly for the Yankees in 2011 before electing free agency and before he ended his tenure with the Yankees.

Proctor’s tenure with the Yankees was a roller coaster ride of sorts to say the least. Proctor caught some heat specifically with the Yankees after being accused of intentionally throwing at batters with the intention for retaliation, ask Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox. On June 1, 2007 Proctor plunked Youkilis in the shoulder after two Yankees batters had been hit. Youkilis was the fifth batter to be hit in the game and Proctor was ejected after both benches cleared and Youkilis had to be held back by then Yankees catcher Jorge Posada. Proctor protested that he did not intentionally hit Youkilis but was still suspended by the league after the incident for one-game. In other instance Proctor threw behind Seattle Mariners infielder Yuniesky Betancourt after his teammate Josh Phelps was hit by a pitch. Phelps was only hit after the Mariners catcher Kenji Johima was hit so Proctor incited another rally that had seemingly already been handled by the unwritten rules of the game. Another retaliation pitch and another suspension for Proctor.

When the Yankees and Scott Proctor knew he had a problem was on June 30, 2007 when he was seen lighting fire to his equipment on the field. Proctor has taken the loss in each of the last two Yankees games and was visibly upset after pitching poorly against the Oakland Athletics. It was then that Yankees closer Mariano Rivera too him under his wing and Proctor realized he had an alcohol problem. Proctor revealed in 2009 that he was a recovering alcoholic and credited Mariano with urging him to straighten his life out. Proctor began attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and seemingly turned his life around, although it was too late to save his career.

When all was said and done Proctor pitched for the Yankees, Dodgers, Braves and the Doosan Bears of the Korean Baseball Organization but he definitely made his name for himself and his mark with New York. Today we remember you Scott, hope you’re well. 

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Bob Turley

Robert Lee Turley, also known as Bullet Bob Turley, was born on September 19, 1930 in Troy, Illinois where he spent his High School days attending East St. Louis Senior High School in East St. Louis, Illinois. Turley was used as both a starting pitcher and a relief pitcher there where he caught the attention of Bill DeWitt, the general manager for the St. Louis Browns. Turley attended a workout camp for the New York Yankees before signing with the Browns for a $600 signing bonus in 1948.

Turley pitched for the Browns until the 1955 season when he was traded to the New York Yankees. Turley started off his Yankees tenure with a 17 win season while recording 210 strikeouts and a league-leading 177 walks. Turley led the Yankees staff to a World Series in 1955 against the Brooklyn Dodgers but ultimately fell in seven games. The disappointment didn’t stop there for Turley though unfortunately as he finished his second season in the Bronx with an 8-4 record but with a 5.05 ERA. Despite Turley’s struggles the Yankees were once again back in the World Series and Turley was back to facing off against the Brooklyn Dodgers, this time as a relief pitcher. Turley started Game Six but lost 1-0 against Clem Labine in a pitcher’s duel that forced a second consecutive seven game series between the two clubs. This time the Yankees would get the best of Brooklyn winning the series in seven games. Turley had his first World Series ring.

For the 1957 season Turley developed a curve ball to add to his arsenal and saw immediate dividends with his new pitching throwing the fourth best ERA in the American League, 2.71, and leading the Yankees to their third consecutive World Series berth. Turley won his Game Six start to force a Game 7 but the Yankees would fall to the Milwaukee Braves in seven games, Turley’s second disappointment with the club in the World Series. Turley reinvented himself once again in 1958 as he eliminated his wind up and had his best season of his Yankees tenure. Turley went 21-7 that season including 19 complete games and finished with a 2.97 ERA. Turley still struggled with his command, 128 walks surrendered in 1958, and once again struggled in the World Series against a familiar foe in the Milwaukee Braves. Turley saved the Yankees from elimination with a complete game shutout in Game 5 before coming back in Game Six to get a save I the 10^th inning forcing a Game 7. Turley relieved Don Larsen in Game 7 and won his second game in three days with 6.2 innings of relief as he led the New York Yankees to another World Series championship.

Turley won the World Series MVP Award in 1958 while also taking home the Cy Young Award and the Hickok Belt Award which rewarded and recognized the top professional athlete of the year. Turley finished second in the American League’s MVP Award vote losing to Jackie Jensen of the Boston Red Sox to finish out his season. After all the accolades that followed his 1958 season Turley was due for a raise before 1959 and quickly became the highest paid player in Major League Baseball history at the time when he agreed to a deal worth $35,000. Turley started on Opening Day and gave the Yankees a 3-2 victory over the Red Sox but the overuse and abuse on his arm was evident for the remainder of that season. Turley finished the season just 8-11 and the Yankees did not make the World Series for the first time in his tenure, although Turley did bounce back in 1960 recording a 9-3 record with a 3.27 ERA. Turley was back in the New York groove and back in the World Series in 1960 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Turley won Game Two of the series and started Game 7 before Bill Mazeroski hit the home run that walked off the final game of the series and gave the Pirates their World Series victory.

Turley’s ineffectiveness and heavy reliance on his curve ball was explained during the 1961 season when Turley battled through right elbow injuries for much of the season. Turley was reduced to just 15 starts and a 3-5 record and 5.75 ERA before being delegated to the bullpen by manager Ralph Houk. Turley was back in the World Series in 1961 and the Yankees were back to their winning ways defeating the Cincinnati Reds four games to one but Turley did not make an appearance. Turley had bone chips removed from his elbow before the 1962 season and saw a slight improvement in his performance. Turley negotiated with the Yankees to reduce his salary from $28,000 to $25,000 and only gave the Yankees 69 innings and a 4.57 ERA after his bone chip problem flared back up during the season.

The 1962 season would be Turley’s final season in pinstripes and it was one to be remembered for ole Bullet Bob. Turley was named the American League’s player representative for the union and Turley watched, watched being the key word as he did not pitch, as the New York Yankees defeated the San Francisco Giants for yet another World Series victory. Turley was sold to the Los Angeles Angels following the 1962 season with the condition that Los Angeles could return him if they were not satisfied with the deal. Turley lasted until July of 1963 before the Angels released him and allowed him to sign with the Boston Red Sox where he would finish his playing career.

Turley finished his career with a 101-85 record and a 3.64 ERA in his 12 seasons, most of which with the Yankees, including five World Series championships. After the 1963 season Turley agreed to remain with the Boston Red Sox as their pitching coach before ultimately ending his career in the International League with the Atlanta Braves. Turley moved to Alpharetta, Georgia for the final two years of his life before falling to liver cancer at age 82 in Lenbrook, a retirement community in Atlanta, Georgia. Turley was survived by his second wife, Janet, three children, seventeen grandchildren and a whole lot of Yankees fans. Rest in peace Bob as we remember you today. 

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Bartolo Colon

Bartolo Colon, recently of the New York Mets, made his comeback to the Major Leagues when the New York Yankees signed him in 2011. Colon’s signing was surrounded by controversy, imagine that with the New York Yankees in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, due to a stem cell transplant injection in his elbow. Colon is 42 years old and likely to call it a career so now more than ever I’d like remember a Yankee of the past, Mr. Bartolo Colon. 

Colon was coming off a 2010 season that he missed due to ongoing right shoulder and elbow pain while also damaging his rotator cuff, ligaments and tendons in his right throwing shoulder. In March of 2010 Colon received the stem cell transplant to help repair the damaged tissues in his shoulder which came attached to a slew of controversy. The surgeon who performed the surgery was said to have used human growth hormone in previous surgeries, surgeries similar to Colon’s but denied the fact that any were used in Colon’s surgery. Major League Baseball held an investigation but no wrongdoing was found by the league and Colon was allowed to pitch in 2011.

Colon signed a minor league deal with the Yankees on January 26, 2011 after pitching in the Pre_World Championship in Puerto Rico, winter ball with the Aguilas and Leones del Escoquido, and the Puerto Rican winter league. Colon was invited to spring training that year and despite coming into camp 30 lbs. overweight Colon made the team out of the bullpen. Colon was not long for the bullpen and by April, 20 he was replacing Phil Hughes in the rotation through the month of May. Colon went 3-3 with a 3.26 ERA replacing Hughes and stuck in the team’s rotation long enough to throw a 4-hit shutout against the Oakland Athletics. The Yankees and Colon were firing on all cylinders until June, 11 when Colon, who was throwing a shutout against the Cleveland Indians, was seen limping off the field after covering first base. Colon went on the disabled list but vowed to be back in 15 days.

Colon was a man of his word as he came off the disabled list on July 2 to make a start against the New York Mets where he threw six more shutout innings for New York. Colon finished his only season with the Yankees with an 8-10 record and 4.00 ERA. Colon was named to the team’s playoff roster as a member of the bullpen before the team lost to the Detroit Tigers in the 2011 ALDS, thus ending Colon’s tenure as a New York Yankees. 

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Ron Guidry

Ronald Ames Guidry was born on August 28, 1950 in Lafayette, Louisiana. Guidry spent his college years pitching for the university of Southwestern Louisiana (now known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) where he earned the attention from Major League scouts, but no scouts were more interested than those of the New York Yankees. When all was said and done Louisian Lightning, or Gator whichever nickname you prefer, pitched 14 seasons in the Bronx from 1975 to 1988 before also spending time as the team’s pitching coach from 2006 to 2007. Gator was a Yankee through and through and today we remember a great Yankee of the past, Mr. Ron Guidry.

Guidry was bounced around between the minor league and the Major Leagues, the bullpen and the starting rotation and from the trade block off the trade block and back on again from 1975 to 1977 before getting a full-time shot in 1978. Guidry almost quit baseball due to the shuffling back and forth and the constant trade rumors surrounding him but it was his wife that eventually talked him into staying in the game and staying in the Bronx. Guidry’s wife didn’t marry a quitter and Guidry didn’t quit much to the delight of the Yankees. See New York called Guidry up in 1977 as a relief pitcher before moving him to the starting rotation where he began the 1978 season. Guidry contemplated quitting the game with his 1977 World Series ring in hand but instead used that fire to lead the Yankees pitching staff to a second World Series victory in 1978. Guidry went 4-0 in the postseason with three complete games in five starts allowing just nine earned runs in 37.1 innings pitched.

Guidry was on the map and the Yankees radar after striking out a Yankees-record 18 batters in a single game against the California Angels on June 17^th and especially after finishing the season 25-3 with an unheard of 1.74 ERA. Guidry won the American League Cy Young Award in 1978 and finished second in the American League MVP race to the Boston Red Sox slugger Jim Rice, Guidry went from almost quitting the game to almost becoming the first pitcher to win the MVP Award in Major League history all in one calendar year, not bad for a boy from Louisiana and not bad for a team that needed all 25 of his victories to even make the postseason. Guidry’s 25^th victory came at the expense of the Boston Red Sox in that famous one-game playoff. Most know it as the Bucky Dent game but Guidry remembers it as the game that stole the heart of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

Guidry continued to pitch well despite the Bronx burning down around him and despite the collective cast of characters the Yankees threw out there were less than effective. Guidry quietly won five consecutive Gold Glove Awards for the struggling Yankees and compiled a 113-57 record in the five seasons after his World Series heroics of 1977 and 1978. Arm problems hit Guidry in 1981 and a shoulder surgery that would not improve his condition ultimately ended his career with the Yankees on July 12, 1989.

When Guidry retired he has a 1978 Cy Young Award under his belt along with two World Series rings, one Sporting News AL Pitcher and Major League Player of the Year Award (1978), four AL Sporting News All-Star teams (1978, 1981, 1983 and 1985) and finished in the Top 10 in the Cy Young Award voting six times from 1977-1985. Guidry was named the co-captain of the New York Yankees alongside Willie Randolph from March 4, 1986 until the day he retired in 1989 and even had his number 49 retired by the Yankees on Ron Guidry Day. Guidry’s plaque that he received on August 23, 2003 stated that Louisiana Lightning was a “dominating pitcher and a respected leader” along with the words “True Yankee” engraved on the piece. Guidry lived and breathed the New York Yankees and would be remembered as so for the rest of time.

Guidry made his return to the team in 2006 but not as a pitcher but as a pitching coach under then manager Joe Torre. Guidry was named the pitching coach that replaced Mel Stottlemyre and under his tenure the Yankees enjoyed a mixed bag of results. In 2005 the Yankees staff ERA was 4.52 and under Gator it dropped to 4.41 in 2006 although that same number climbed back to 4.49 in 2007 which was good for just 17^th in Major League Baseball that season. Torre and the Yankees mutually decided not to reunite for the 2008 season and Guidry’s tenure as the Yankees pitching coach ended as well that season as new manager Joe Girardi did not offer him a position on his staff. Guidry has returned to the team as a spring training instructor but seems content being out of the game and out of the Bronx Zoo that he called home for so many years.

Guidry was one of those great Yankees that we don’t hear nearly enough about because the team was so bad during the 19080’s. Guidry is a talent and a personality that will likely never be emulated again, at least during my lifetime, and should be celebrated as so. This has been Remembering Yankees of the Past, the Ron Guidry edition.

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra, quite possibly one of the best players to ever play Major League Baseball, passed away this week of natural causes in his sleep. Berra was living in an assisted living facility in West Caldwell, New Jersey and was 90 years old. Berra died on the same day he made his major League debut 69 years prior. With heavy hearts and teary eyes we remember Yankees of the past, we remember Mr. Yogi Berra.

“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”

Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra was born on May 12, 1925 in a primarily Italian neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri called “The Hill.” Berra was born to a pair of Italian immigrants Pietro and Paolina Berra. Pietro came to Ellis Island, New York on October 18, 1909 at the age of 23 and nicknamed his son “Lawdie” which was derived from his mother’s inability to pronounce the names “Lawrence” or “Larry” correctly. Berra attended South Side Catholic School, now known as St. Mary’s High School, in south St. Louis but quit after the eighth grade to begin playing baseball in the local American Legion Leagues. There Berra learned the basics of catching, playing the outfield and the infield but more importantly earned the name “Yogi” from Bobby Hofman who thought Berra resembled a “Hindu yogi” when he crossed his arms and legs when he sat down waiting to bat or the way he looked depressed and sad after losing a game.

“Always go to other people’s funerals otherwise they won’t go to yours.”

In 1942 Berra hoped to sign with his childhood favorite team the St. Louis Cardinals but then Cardinals president Branch Rickey instead signed his boyhood best friend Joe Garagiola. Berra reportedly took the news tough but Rickey had an ulterior motive. Rickey was set to leave the Cardinals to join the Brooklyn Dodgers and wanted to bring Berra with him but the New York Yankees came calling first offering his a $500 bonus, the same bonus that Garagiola received from St. Louis. Berra’s minor league career was cut short after he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a gunner’s mate on the USS Bayfield. Berra was on the ship when the Americans stormed the beaches of Normandy in an attempt to take back France on what is now known as D-Day in the history books.

“You can observe a lot just from watching.”

Berra made his Major League debut with the Yankees in 1946 playing in just seven games before getting into 83 contests in 1947. Berra finished his Yankees playing career playing in over 100 games fourteen different times while also appearing in fourteen World Series, winning 10 of them. Berra played in 75 World Series games, had 259 at bats, 71 hits, 10 doubles, 49 singles, played 63 games as a catcher and had 457 catcher putouts, all World Series records that still stand today. Berra also hit the first pinch-hit home run in World Series history when he stepped up to the plate in Game Three of the 1947 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Berra took Dodger’s pitcher Ralph Branca deep, that same Ralph Branca that gave up Bobby Thomson’s famous “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” just four years later. Berra was a 15 time All-Star and was selected to 18 All-Star Games overall (MLB held two All-Star Games from 1959-1962) and won the AL MVP Award three different times never finishing lower than fourth in the voting from 1950-1957.

“If I can hit it, it’s a good pitch.”

Berra never truly got the recognition that Mickey Mantle or Joe DiMaggio got but it was Berra that kept the Yankees offense going for the most part during his tenure. It was also Berra’s defense and game calling, which was on full display when Don Larsen threw the only perfect game in World Series history with Berra behind the plate in the 1956 World Series, and his playing style was something for the newer generations of baseball players to look up to. Berra could hit bad pitches and cover the entire strike zone with a consistency unseen at the time in Major League Baseball. Berra had more home runs than strikeouts in five different seasons in his career and the Yankees catcher quickly became the original “clutch hitter” in the game. Berra, with a finger outside of his catcher’s glove, was also a great defender that simply did not make errors or bad throws while behind the dish. Most catchers now emulate Berra with the finger outside the glove and could only hope to be half as good as Yogi was in the assists and fielding percentage areas of the game.

“It’s deja vu all over again.”

When Berra got too old to catch he became a good defensive outfielder for the Yankees and even manned the usually tough left field at the stadium. There was nothing that Yogi couldn’t do which is why when he retired after the 1963 World Series he became the Yankees manager replacing Ralph Houk. Berra led the Yankees to the World Series in 1964, this time as the manager, but was not able to get the team past the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. After just one season and a World Series trip Yogi Berra was fired as the manager of the New York Yankees.

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

The Mets quickly signed Berra to be a coach on their staff and even allowed him to make four appearances as a catcher early on in the season. Berra was reunited with long time manager Casey Stengel with the Mets and stayed with New York’s other team for eight seasons, including their 1969 World Series run. Berra officially became the manager of the Mets in 1972 and led the team to an NL East Division crown. Berra was back in the postseason with the Mets in 1973 and even led the team over the heavily favored Big Red Machine en route to a National League pennant.  The Mets fell to the Oakland Athletics in that World Series but it took them seven games before they fell.

“Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”

Berra was fired as the Mets manager on August 5, 1975 after compiling 298 wins and 302 losses including postseason play. In 1976 Berra was back with the Yankees as a coach when the team won three consecutive American League pennants and the 1977 and 1978 World Series titles. Berra was back as the team’s manager before the 1984 season but turmoil was back in the Bronx before the 1985 season due to owner George Steinbrenner. Steinbrenner had to convince Berra to stay on in 1985 by assuring him that he would not be fired. A mere 16 games into the 1985 season Steinbrenner fired Berra leaving the former Yankees catcher and Yankees legend to boycott the Yankees, Mr. Steinbrenner and Yankee Stadium all together.

“90% of the game is half mental.”

Berra continues his coaching career in 1985 when the Houston Astros signed him to be the bench coach. Berra faced off against his former team, the New York Mets, in the NLCS in six games and remained on with Houston for three more seasons before officially calling it quits after the 1989 season. Berra remained away from the Yankees and outside of Yankee Stadium until in 1999 when George Steinbrenner went to his house to personally apologize in person for his firing and the way it was handled. Berra and Steinbrenner were able to end a 14-year estrangement with the Yankees organization and invited Berra to spring training camp that season to work with the Yankees young catcher Jorge Posada. Berra was back in the Bronx.

“Thank you for making this day necessary.”

When his playing career was said and done Berra was an All-Star a whopping 15 times and won the American League’s MVP Award three different times. Berra appeared in the World Series 21 times as a player, coach and manager and won 13 of them, 10 of them coming as a player for the New York Yankees. Berra was voted into the MLB All-Century Team by the fans in 1999 and even managed both an American League and National League team to the World Series. Berra’s career in Major League Baseball was one to envy but the young Italian was far from living when he finally called it quits. Berra had his #8 jointly retired with Bill Dickey in 1972 and watched last night from heaven as the Yankees wore his #8 on their jersey sleeves in Toronto.

“I really didn’t say everything that I said.”

Yes you did Yogi and we love you for it. May you rest in peace and keep ‘em rolling until I get there to join you! Love you Yogi!

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Roger Clemens

Roger Clemens was brought up this morning in our daily “This Day in Yankees History” post as he started the 2001 season with a 20-1 record (or 20-01 record in 2001 if you want to be clever). Roger was an integral part of the “Dynasty Years” in New York as he added a ferocity unmatched by any pitcher in the game, also known as roid rage. Clemens spent the 1999-2003 and the 2007 season with the Yankees after spending 1984-1996 with the Red Sox and 1997 and 1998 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. Clemens also spent the 2004-2006 seasons down in Houston with Andy Pettitte and the Astros but we as Yankee fans like to conveniently forget that. Today we will remember another Yankee of the past, Mr. William Roger Clemens.


As we all remember vividly Clemens did not sign a contract with the Boston Red Sox after the 1996 season even though he was reportedly offered “by far the most money ever offered to a player in the history of the Red Sox franchise.” General Manager Dan Duquette mentioned that Clemens was in the “twilight” of his career when he left for Toronto and two pitching triple crown’s and Cy Young Awards later the New York Yankees acquired Clemens before the 1999 season for David Wells, Homer Bush, and Graeme Lloyd. Clemens immediate impact was huge as he helped New York win the 1999 and 2000 World Series before ultimately reaching the 2001 and 2003 World Series’ before losing in both.


As we mentioned Clemens best season in pinstripes was by far the 2001 season when he started 20-1 and finished the season 20-3 winning his sixth Cy Young Award of his career. Clemens is the last New York Yankees pitcher to win the Cy Young Award as it stands today. Clemens was on the mound in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series where he out pitched Curt Schilling for six innings before Mariano Rivera blew the save in the 9th inning to give Arizona their first World Series Championship. Clemens would retire after the 2003 campaign with the Yankees after a season in which Clemens won his 300th game and achieved his 4,000th strikeout against the St. Louis Cardinals in Yankee Stadium. Clemens “went out” on top after 2003 finishing with a 17-9 record with a 3.91 ERA and a career 310-160 record with 4,099 strikeouts in his career.



As we all remember Clemens came out of his quick retirement for the 2004 season to join his friend Andy Pettitte in Houston with the Astros. While we could talk about him starting the All Star Game that season, him winning his seventh Cy Young Award, his record breaking $18,000,022 in salary arbitration for the 2005 season, his 1.87 ERA in 2005, his return to the World Series in 2005, or him coming out of retirement for a second time in 2006 but this is YANKEES of the past, so we won’t. Instead we will focus on Clemens unexpectedly showing up in the owner’s box at Yankee Stadium on May 6, 2007 as he announced he was coming out of retirement for a third time. Clemens would win his 350th game of his career on July 2 against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium. A hamstring injury ended his 2007, and ultimately his career, prematurely in the Bronx. Clemens finished the season with a 6-6 record with a 4.18 ERA and another loss in the postseason for the Bronx Bombers.

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Chuck Knoblauch

Edward Charles “Chuck” Knoblauch was born on July 7, 1968 and spent much of his career with the Minnesota Twins before coming to the New York Yankees. Chuck was a Twin from 1991 until 1997 when he became a Yankee from 1998-2001. Knoblauch would finish his career in Kansas City in 2002 playing second base and left field in his final two seasons of his big league career. Knoblauch was a huge part of the Yankees World Series championship teams in 1998, 1999, 2000, and the team that almost won it all in 2001. Let’s remember Yankees of the past, Chuck Knoblauch.


Knoblauch would join the Yankees just in time in 1998 and drew praise from Buster Olney right away. Olney wrote that Knoblauch and Derek Jeter would form the greatest double play combination in history. Knoblauch struggled early in 1998 but would hit a career high 17 home runs on a team that won a then American League record 114 games. While Knoblauch will be more remembered for his 1998 postseason error that ensued into an argument with the umpire while the play was still live in the end he still received his first World Series ring with New York to cap off a successful season. “Blauch-head” had his first World Series ring and won his second beating the Atlanta Braves in 1999 and his third consecutive in 2000 when the Yankees beat the Mets in the Subway World Series.


The Yankees won the American League pennant every year Knoblauch was on the team. Knoblauch was one of the more premier defenders in the game until joining New York when he was his own worst enemy in the field. Knoblauch struggled to throw to first base, known as Steve San Syndrome among other things, and by the year 2000 he was moved to designated hitter more than he was in the field. By June of 2000 the Yankees had moved Knoblauch to left field after Chuck made three throwing errors in six innings on June 16. Knoblauch threw one ball so wide of the first baseman that it went into the stand and hit ESPN sportscaster Keith Olbermann’s mother in the head. Knoblauch would voluntarily leave that game and would never return to second base. Joe Torre had moved the struggling infielder to the outfield. Knoblauch would recover in left and ended up scored the game winning run after leading off Game 5 of the 2001 World Series with a single after being knocked in by his replacement at second base in Alfonso Soriano.

Knoblauch may have had his throwing issues, and lord knows he continues to struggle with his legal troubles, but he was a Yankee and an integral part of three World Series titles. Knoblauch was included in the Mitchell Report in 2007 and Knoblauch has always done his time and manned up to his mistakes and you have to respect that. Knoblauch’s most recent legal troubles cost him an induction into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame but you know what, he is still a Yankee and I thank him for that.

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Phil Hughes

Phil Hughes starts tonight against the team that drafted and developed him as a member of the Minnesota Twins giving us an opportunity to look back and remember a Yankee of the past. Hughes was a member of the Yankees big league club from 2007 through the 2013 season after being drafted by the club in the 2004 MLB First Year Players Draft. Hughes had a lot of good times in New York and he had a lot of bad times with the Yankees leading to the team allowing him to walk to Minnesota via free agency. Hughes will be a Twins player tonight when these two teams face off head-to-head but at least for now we’ll remember his time as a Yankee.

Hughes was drafted 23^rd overall by the Yankees in that 2004 MLB Draft and was immediately assigned to the Rookie Gulf Coast League Yankees. Hughes was committed to Santa Clara University before the Yankees came calling and drafted him with the compensation pick they received when Andy Pettitte left for the Houston Astros. Hughes got his feet wet in 2004 before splitting time with the Charleston Riverdogs and the Tampa Yankees in 2005, his first professional career, posting a 9-2 record with a 1.24 ERA immediately skyrocketing him into one of the premier top prospects in all of Major League Baseball. Hughes would go on to win the Kevin Lawn Pitcher of the Year Award in 2006 donning him as the top Yankees minor league pitcher before taking over as the Yankees #1 prospect in 2007. Hughes was also arguably the best pitching prospect in all of minor league baseball which warranted him an invitation to spring training that season and eventually a call up to the Bronx in April of 2007.

The MLB debut for Hughes against the Blue Jays in 2007 was something to be forgotten but in his second start the right-hander took a no hitter into the 7^th inning against the Texas Rangers before a hamstring injury cut his start, and season, short. Hughes would be out for much of the 2007 season as he was limited to just 17 starts where he posted a 5-3 record with a 4.46 ERA as a rookie. Hughes pitched twice in the playoffs that season including earning a victory in a start where he relieved an injured Roger Clemens getting New York their only victory of the series with the Cleveland Indians.

The 2008 season, the season where the Yankees spent all offseason pondering over whether to include Phil Hughes and one of Joba Chamberlain or Ian Kennedy in a deal that would have sent Minnesota Twins ace Johan Santana to the Bronx. The long and the short of it was that Santana went to the Mets for a lesser package than what Minnesota was asking of New York and Hughes was back in pinstripes and back in the starting rotation in 2008. Hughes started the season with a 0-4 record in six starts with a 9.00 ERA before being placed on the disabled list with a strained oblique and a cracked rib. While sitting out until September with the injury Hughes visited an optometrist and started wearing glasses while pitching on the mound. Hughes was recalled in September after leading the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders to an International League title in Triple-A but Hughes was unable to improve on his 0-4 season as he finished with a 6.62 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 34 innings and eight starts.

Hughes began the 2009 season in Triple-A after heading down to the Arizona Fall League over the winter to build innings and arm strength but was not long for the minor leagues as a Chien-Ming Wang injury led Hughes back to the Bronx. Hughes managed a 3-2 record with a 5.45 ERA in seven starts before being moved to the bullpen when Wang returned from the disabled list. Hughes became the primary setup man for Mariano Rivera and flourished there due to injuries to Brian Bruney and Damaso Marte. Hughes led the Yankees team to the postseason and eventually the World Series collecting his first World Series ring as a member of the Yankees. Hughes success in 2009 led to him being bumped back into the rotation in 2010 as the team’s fifth starter and for the second time in his career Hughes responded by taking a no-hitter deep into a contest. Hughes would give up a single to the Oakland Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez to end the no-hit bid but his success didn’t stop there in 2010.

Hughes had a pair of five-game winning streaks as a starter in 2010 and earned his first All-Star Game appearance with the Yankees. Hughes finished the season with 18 wins in 2010 to just eight losses and pitched to a 4.19 ERA due in large part to 6.48 runs of support, the highest in MLB that season, from the Yankees offense. Hughes was back in the rotation to start the 2011 season but was also unfortunately back on the disabled list that same season after suffering from dead arm syndrome. Hughes was also battling shoulder inflammation and made only three starts before sitting on the DL until July. Back stiffness caught up to Hughes shortly after his return and he was once again delegated to the bullpen by Brian Cashman where he remained for the rest of the 2011 season.

Hughes avoided arbitration in 2012 with the club and signed a one-year deal worth $3.25 million plus incentives to be the team’s third starter. Hughes bounced back from a disappointing 2011 season with a strong 16-13 record after a tough 1-3 start with a 7.88 ERA in his first four starts of the season. Hughes finished with a 4.19 ERA and 165 strikeouts in 191.1 innings in 2012 before another bout with back stiffness ended his 2012 season in the ALCS against the Detroit Tigers. The 2013 season was the final season in pinstripes for Hughes and he began the season with a bulging disc in his back and a DL stint. Hughes pitched to a 4-13 record and a 4.86 ERA in 2013 before being removed from the starting rotation and inserted back into the bullpen. Hughes became very home run prone and hated pitching in New York, which was evident by his 1-10 record inside Yankee Stadium in 2013, thus ending his tenure as a Yankee on a sour note.

Hughes bounced back in 2014 with the Minnesota Twins after the Yankees let him walk in free agency and has been better of late this season for the Twins. No matter what happens tonight and no matter what happens going forward Hughes will always be the one that could have been and the one that ultimately got away in New York. Good luck tonight Phil, but not too much luck. 

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Scott Brosius

Scott Brosius was an integral part of the Yankees dynasty years in the early 90’s after being traded to New York for Kenny Rogers. Brosius hit .304 and belted 22 home runs in 1996 for the Oakland Athletics but struggled mightily in 1997 and finished last in the batting title race with the lowest batting average, on base percentage, and slugging out of all the players eligible for the batting title that season. Rogers was also struggling with the Yankees and a change of scenery was in order for both men and the rest, as you will read below, is history.

Brosius hit .300 and knocked in 19 home runs and 98 RBI’s in his first year in the Bronx as an integral part of possibly the greatest team of all time, the 1998 Yankees. Brosius would make his only All Star Game appearance this season and hit .471 with two home runs and six RBI’s in the 1998 World Series to capture his first ring. Brosius was named Most Valuable Player of the series after hitting two home runs in Game 3 of the World Series including one off the San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman to give the Yankees a 3-0 series lead.

Brosius never matched his career year in 1998 statistically but was still always a fan favorite of the 1999-2001 teams. Brosius worked hard, played the game right, and was always on the field no matter what if humanly possible. Brosius was a part of three World Series championship teams and one more that lost the World Series in 2001 to the Arizona Diamondbacks, his final professional season. Brosius went out big time though as he hit a two out, two run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 5 of that World Series against Arizona to send the game to extra innings in an eventual Yankees victory, possibly his finest moment.

 Brosius has a Gold Glove Award from 1999 sitting in his trophy case in his home and also has a great story to tell about playing in the field in 1999. Brosius was at third base when the Montreal Expos Orlando Cabrera hit a foul popup that Brosius caught and sealed a perfect game for David Cone. Brosius will forever be known to many Yankees fans, and ESPN’s Chris Berman specifically, as Scott Supercalifragilisticexpiali-Brosius or Bosius the Ferocious, as John Sterling called him, but for me personally Brosius will forever be remembered as a Yankee. 

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Kevin Long

Kevin Long was let go as the hitting coach for the New York Yankees a couple weeks back and has since landed across town with the New York Mets in the same position. Let’s take a look back at Long’s tenure as a member of the New York Yankees and see if he warrants the nickname “The Hitting Guru.”

Kevin Richard Long was born on December 30, 1966 and played minor league baseball in the Kansas City Royals organization. Long was drafted in the 31^st round of the 1989 MLB First Year Player’s Draft by the Royals out of the University of Arizona. Long never amounted to much in the minor league and officially retired at the end of spring training in 1997 after being assigned to Triple-A Omaha still in the Royals organization. Long was named the Class-A Wilmington Blue Rocks manager that season and stayed in A-Ball through the 1999 season. Long was promoted to hitting coach for the Double-A team from 2000-2001 and Triple-A for the 2002-2003 seasons before heading to the Yankees Triple-A team, the Columbus Clippers for the 2004 season.

Long spent the 2004 through 2006 seasons in Triple-A with the Yankees before being promoted to major league hitting coach for New York before the 2007 season. During that 2007 season Alex Rodriguez won the MVP Award, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Rodriguez won Silver Slugger Awards, the team led the majors in runs (968), hits (1,656), home runs (201), RBI (929), team batting average (.290), slugging percentage (.463), on-base percentage (.366), and total bases (2,649). The Yankees claimed four of the American League’s top 15 spots in batting average that season.

The Yankees had a down year offensively in 2008 under Long before bouncing back in 2009 to win the team’s 27 World Series championship in their franchise’s history. Long led impressive offensive teams in 2010-2012 before having a drastic fall off in both the 2013 and 2014 seasons which ultimately cost him his job in New York with the Yankees. No worries though you can still see the hitting guru in New York as he coaches the New York Mets through at least the 2015 season. 

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Buck Showalter

With Buck Showalter and the Baltimore Orioles readying themselves to play in the American League Championship Series against the Kansas City Royals I thought this would be the best time to remember a Yankee of the past, Buck Showalter.

William Nathan “Buck” Showalter III was promoted to the New York Yankees coaching staff in 1990 and eventually replaced Stump Merrill as manager before the 1992 season. Showalter spent four seasons as the Yankees manager posting a 313-268 record. The Yankees finished in first place during the strike shortened 1994 season in which the World Series was cancelled and won the first ever Wild Card in 1995. Buck was named Manager of the Year for the American League by the Associated Press in 1994 and was the American League manager for the 1995 All Star Game. Showalter was the manager that lef the Yankees to the playoffs for the first time since 1981 when the team lost to the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS.

Showalter and Gene Michael will always be credited with building the team that won five World Series championships, seven American League Pennants, and thirteen American League East division titles. Showalter went on to manage the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks after leaving the Yankees in 1996 and even won 100 games in 1999 but was replaced after the 2000 season. 

The Yankees fired Showalter in 1995 and the team won the World Series in 1996. Arizona fired Showalter in 2000 and won the World Series in 2001. Ironic?

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter is officially retired so what is one more tribute to the great Yankees captain right? Here we remember Yankees of the past and today we remember Derek Sanderson Jeter. Jeter played 20 seasons in the Bronx as he spent his entire career at the shortstop position for the New York Yankees. Now Jeter is moving on to bigger and better things with his blog The Player’s Tribune and his wife or soon to be wife Hannah Davis but we will never forget what he was and what he meant to his great organization. One more time, thank you for being you Derek.

Derek Sanderson Jeter was born on June 26th, 1974, in Pequannock, New Jersey to parents Dr. Sanderson Charles Jeter and Dorothy Jeter. Derek's parents, a substance abuse counselor (Sanderson) and an accountant (Dorthy), met while serving in the United States Army in Germany. Derek's parents, at a very early age, were very strict and hard on him but very consistent. As a child his mother instilled Derek's positive attitude in him, insisting that he could not use the word "can't". Derek even had to sign a contract every year that set acceptable and unacceptable forms of behavior. Derek lived in North Arlington, New Jersey, until he was four years old when he moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan. Derek and his sister, Sharlee, attended New York Yankees games while spending the summers with their grandparents in New Jersey and became very passionate about the Yankees. Derek later said that as a child Yankees stand out Dave Winfield inspired him to pursue baseball. 

Derek was drafted straight out of High School by the New York Yankees in the first round of the MLB First Year Players Draft 6th overall. Hal Newhouser, a scout for the Houston Astros team that had the first pick overall that season, lobbied for his team management to select Jeter although the Astros feared that Jeter would require a salary bonus of at at least $1 million to Skill College and go pro. The Astros, instead, drafted Phil Nevin and signed him for $700,000. Newhouser felt so strongly about Jeter and the waste of a pick that he quit his job with the Astros in protest. The Yankees gave Jeter an $800,000 signing bonus to skip being a Wolverine and instead become a Yankee. Yankees scout Dick Groch said he would not go anywhere but "Cooperstown".

Derek played four season in the Yankees minor league system, beginning with a struggle in the Gulf Coast League. His manager even had to bench him at the end of the season in 1992 so his average did not drop below the Mendoza Line, .200 Batting Average. In 1993 though he came out of the offseason determined and was voted the Most Outstanding Major League Prospect  by the South Atlantic League managers after hitting .295 with 5 home runs, 71 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases. He was also named to the All Star team even though he committed a South Atlanta League record 56 errors. Somehow, though, he was named the SAL's Best Defensive Shortstop, Most Exciting Player, and Best Infield Arm by Baseball America. In 1994 he was named the Minor League Player of the Year Award by Baseball America, The Sporting Newas, USA Today, and Topps while winning the MVP of the Florida State League. The 1994 MLB strike and mild inflammation in his right shoulder while in the Arizona Fall League kept Jeter from the majors, officially, in 1995 but he would be called up for the post season run to sit on the bench and take in the experience of playing for New York. 

Derek was named the Yankees starting short stop starting for the 1996 season after Joe Torre stood up against George Steinbrenner, who as we all know was never happy about the growing pains young players have to go through. Steinbrenner even approved a trade that would have sent pitcher Mariano Rivera to Seattle for short stop Felix Fermin because Gene Michael and Brian Cashman convinced Steinbrenner to give Jeter an opportunity. Aren't we glad that he did? 

Jeter was the first rookie short stop to start the season as a starter for the Yankees since Tom Tresh in 1962 and he did not waste any time getting acclimated, hitting his first MLB home run that day. He won the Rookie of the Year award after hitting .314 with 10 home runs, scoring 104 runs, and driving in 78 RBIs. His first post season home run came in the ALCS against the Baltimore Orioles, the Jeffrey Maier home run.  Jeter won his first World Series ring in that rookie season when the Yankees defeated the Atlanta Braves in 6 games, the first Yankee World Series since 1978. Jeter batted .361 in that post season. 1998 was Jeter's first All Star Game appearance while the Yankees won 114 games during the regular season while on, in my very biased opinion, the greatest team of all time. Jeter would finish third that season in MVP voting but most importantly Derek had his second ring as the Yankees beat the Padres in 4 games. Another All Star appearance in 1999 and another World Series ring with the Yankees beating the Braves again for Jeter's third ring. After the 1999 season Derek agreed to a 7 year $118.5 million dollar contract but George Steinbrenner did not want to set a salary record and pay Jeter more than Juan Gonzalez, who was working on an 8 year $143 million dollar extension, so the Yankees agreed to a 1 year deal worth $10 million. That ended up being a "mistake" because Jeter had another All Star appearance, including the game winning hit and All Star Game MVP, and had yet another World Series ring when the Yankees beat the Mets in 5 games.  Jeter, while winning his fourth World Series ring, won the World Series MVP and became the only player to ever win the World Series and All Star Game MVP in the same season. Jeter then signed a 10 year $189 million dollar deal, making him the second highest paid player in baseball behind Alex Rodriguez, which was much more than the original extension proposal.

erek would make his fourth All Star game appearance in 2001and also made the "flip play" in the ALDS against the Oakland A's that will forever be remembered. Jeter would also earn the title "Mr November" when he hit a game winning home run as the clock struck Midnight on November 1st, the first World Series to ever be played in November. The Yankees would lose the 2001 World Series to the Arizona Diamondbacks in, again in my biased opinion, the greatest World Series of all time.  Jeter would dislocate his left shoulder on Opening Day of the 2003 season when he collided with Blue Jays catcher Ken Huckaby at third base, missing 36 games. That season Derek Jeter was recognized as the 11th captain in Yankees history eight seasons after Don Mattingly, the last Yankees captain, retired. After typical Jeter seasons from 2003-2007 Jeter tied Lou Gehrig's record for hits at Yankee Stadium with his 1,269th hit with a home run off of Ray's pitcher David Price in 2008. He broke the record two days later when he got a hit off of White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd. 

2009, after the Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons, reloaded with many free agents signings and trades that brought CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, Mark Texeira, and Nick Swisher to name the big ones. This would also be the season that Derek would return to the lead off role when Girardi flipped him and Johnny Damon in the batting order. Jeter recorded his 2,675th hit as a short stop, passing Luis Aparicio's previous record for short stops, in August of the 2009 season. Jeter followed that up by passing Lou Gehrig as the Yankees all-time hits lead when he singles off of Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman on September 11th, 2009. Jeter would win his 5th World Series championship in 2009 when the Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in 6 games to win their teams 27th World Series Championship of their storied history. Jeter also won his 5th gold glove that season and finished third in the MVP voting behind eventual winner Joe Mauer and teammate Mark Texeira. In July of 2011, off of pitcher David Price of the Rays, Derek collected his 3000th hit on a home run to left field at Yankee Stadium. Derek is the only member of the New York Yankees to ever reach the 3000 hit plateau in pinstripes, not Gehrig, not Ruth, and not DiMaggio, just Jeter.

Derek enjoyed one of his best seasons of his career in 2012 finishing the season leading the majors with 216 hits as he moved into the Top 10 all-time in hits passing Willie Mays for his 3,284^th hit of his career. Jeter hit .364 in the 2012 ALDS on a bum ankle that finally gave way and cracked during Game One of the 2012 ALCS against the Detroit Tigers. Jeter ultimately had surgery on the ankle on October 20 but was expected to be in the lineup on Opening Day. While rehabbing the ankle Jeter suffered a small crack in the area and began the 2013 season on the disabled list and missed all the way to July 11. Jeter lasted all of one game after straining his quadriceps muscle and stayed out of the lineup until July 28 when he hit a home run on the first pitch he saw from Tampa Bay’s Matt Moore. Jeter again was placed on the disabled list on August 5 due to a calf strain and was back on the disabled list once again by September 11 after reoccurring ankle problems.  2013 was a season to forget for Jeter as he watched his friends Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera retire while he sat on the bench vowing a stronger return in 2014, his final season.

Jeter signed a one year deal worth $12 million before announcing on February 12 on Facebook that 2014 would be his final season. Jeter of course started the 2014 All Star Game at shortstop batting leadoff for the American League and went 2-2 with a double, a single, a run scored, and an RBI in four innings. Jeter finished his Yankee Stadium career in true Derek Jeter fashion getting a walk off single to win the game against the Baltimore Orioles in his final games as a shortstop. Jeter would DH for two games in the final series in Boston before getting an RBI infield single in his final at bat off Clay Buchholz before walking away from the game forever. Jeter may not be on the field anymore but with his inception of the Player’s Tribune and his Turn 2 Foundation Jeter will always be around the game and around our hearts.

Derek Jeter created the Turn 2 Foundation in 1996, a charitable organization, to help children and teenagers avoid drug and alcohol addiction. The foundation also rewards those who show high academic achievements. Derek also serves as an ambassador for Weplay, a website designed to get children involved in sports.  Jeter, when not being a good charitable person, is probably hanging out with a beautiful woman. Derek's little black book includes girls like Scarlett Johannson, Minka Kelly, Mariah Carey, Miss Universe Lara Dutta, Gabrielle Union, Joy Enriquez, Jordana Brewster, Vanessa Minillo, Jessical Biel, Jessica Alba,  and the list goes on and on and ends with Hannah Davis... I hate you Derek Jeter. Enjoy retirement, you deserve it.