Play Ball...
I'm really looking forward to the Yankees game tomorrow night. Even though the Yankees technically played 2 games last week in Japan, I see tomorrow as their 1st game of the season. A game that takes place at 5 AM may as well not even happen as far as I'm concerned. Desperate for some Yankees baseball, I remembered that my sister had given me a 100th Anniversary Yankees DVD for Christmas. I popped that puppy in and man, did it take me back. I jumped to the part about the Yankees teams from 1980-2002. Those are the teams I grew up watching and continue to watch. Although the Yankees have an amazing history, hearing about Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth doesn't give me the same joy since I never saw him play in my time.
The parts about Don Mattingly literally gave me goosebumps. He is still my all time favorite Yankee player. Watching him growing up, he seemed so much larger than life. In reality, he was a small man by todays standards. Under 6 feet tall and weighting only about 180 pounds with a slight build. It still amazes me how sweet a swing he has. He generated so much power, its amazing.
Then they highlighted the dark times of the Yankees in the late 80's and early 90's. Times when a Yankees pitcher could pitch a no hitter, and still lose a game. Then they got to the recent golden years of great Yankee memories. The up and coming stars like Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada, the trades and free agent signings to get Wade Boggs, Paul O'Neill and Scott Broscious. Seeing this made me realize something.
The Yankees 2004 team may have an all-star at just about every position, but to me guys like Kevin Brown, Kenny Lofton and Alex Rodriguez still aren't Yankees to me. While I'm glad to see them in Yankee pinstripes, they haven't proven they have a HUGE heart like Paul O'Neill. Or that they can produce late game heroics like Scott Broscious and Jum Leyritz. Those players to me are true Yankees, great Yankees. They never quit, they put 110% into every game, they played the game with fire and intensity. Perhaps if I see A-Rod plant a grand slam in the seats in Game 1 of the World Series, like Tino Martinez did in 1998, he'll be more of a Yankee to me. There is something much more rewarding when you see a young player like Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada as a rookie and see them blossom into a superstar. Have a team of ready made all-stars just isn't as fun. I miss Alfonso Soriano, he was a Yankee, an up and coming star. I like Jason Giambi, but I don't think he has the same amount of heart I've come to expect from other Yankees first baseman. Gary Sheffield may drive in 130 runs this year and hit 45 homes runs, but he doesn't have the personality of Paul O'Neill. I doubt I'll get that same feeling that something big was about to happen when he steps up to the plate in the post season. When John Leiber takes the mound in a must win game, I'll still wish it was Andy Pettite in his place.
I think some of the new Yankees can earn their pinstripes, Hideki Matsui is only in his 2nd year as a Yankee, but to me he's already proven himself. The Verdict is still out on Sheffield, Giambi, A-Rod and Lofton. There have been many men who have worn the Yankee pinstripes, but there is a small elite group who stand out as Yankee greats.
The 2004 season should be an exciting one, I look forward to it, but can't help but miss those Yankees teams from the mid and late 90's. I think I know what Paul Simon meant when he sang "Where have you gone, Joe Dimaggio?".
The parts about Don Mattingly literally gave me goosebumps. He is still my all time favorite Yankee player. Watching him growing up, he seemed so much larger than life. In reality, he was a small man by todays standards. Under 6 feet tall and weighting only about 180 pounds with a slight build. It still amazes me how sweet a swing he has. He generated so much power, its amazing.
Then they highlighted the dark times of the Yankees in the late 80's and early 90's. Times when a Yankees pitcher could pitch a no hitter, and still lose a game. Then they got to the recent golden years of great Yankee memories. The up and coming stars like Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada, the trades and free agent signings to get Wade Boggs, Paul O'Neill and Scott Broscious. Seeing this made me realize something.
The Yankees 2004 team may have an all-star at just about every position, but to me guys like Kevin Brown, Kenny Lofton and Alex Rodriguez still aren't Yankees to me. While I'm glad to see them in Yankee pinstripes, they haven't proven they have a HUGE heart like Paul O'Neill. Or that they can produce late game heroics like Scott Broscious and Jum Leyritz. Those players to me are true Yankees, great Yankees. They never quit, they put 110% into every game, they played the game with fire and intensity. Perhaps if I see A-Rod plant a grand slam in the seats in Game 1 of the World Series, like Tino Martinez did in 1998, he'll be more of a Yankee to me. There is something much more rewarding when you see a young player like Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada as a rookie and see them blossom into a superstar. Have a team of ready made all-stars just isn't as fun. I miss Alfonso Soriano, he was a Yankee, an up and coming star. I like Jason Giambi, but I don't think he has the same amount of heart I've come to expect from other Yankees first baseman. Gary Sheffield may drive in 130 runs this year and hit 45 homes runs, but he doesn't have the personality of Paul O'Neill. I doubt I'll get that same feeling that something big was about to happen when he steps up to the plate in the post season. When John Leiber takes the mound in a must win game, I'll still wish it was Andy Pettite in his place.
I think some of the new Yankees can earn their pinstripes, Hideki Matsui is only in his 2nd year as a Yankee, but to me he's already proven himself. The Verdict is still out on Sheffield, Giambi, A-Rod and Lofton. There have been many men who have worn the Yankee pinstripes, but there is a small elite group who stand out as Yankee greats.
The 2004 season should be an exciting one, I look forward to it, but can't help but miss those Yankees teams from the mid and late 90's. I think I know what Paul Simon meant when he sang "Where have you gone, Joe Dimaggio?".
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