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Bless That Boy: Sparky’s Career Takes Him from Anonymity to the Hall of Fame; Almost Became Yankees Skipper in 1980

November 4, 2010 by William Juliano

Just days after the news that Sparky Anderson had entered a hospice, the legendary manager passed away at the age of 76.

Sparky Anderson in his playing days with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League, where he spent four seasons from 1960 to 1963.

George Lee “Sparky” Anderson was a career minor leaguer who played in only one major league season with the Phillies in 1959. At his best considered a poor man’s Eddie Stanky, Anderson never lived up to his limited potential as a player, but slowly made a name for himself as a coach when his playing career ended in 1963.

After several seasons as a coach with various organizations (over the course of three days in the winter of 1970, he went from being a third base coach with the Padres to a similar role with the Angels before ending up an unlikely manager of the Reds), Anderson finally got his big break with Cincinnati.

Before Sparky signed on to lead the Reds, the team had won only one NL pennant in the previous 29 seasons, underperforming what were usually high expectations. Against that back drop, the 36-year old Anderson, who always seemed to look at least 10-years older, pragmatically told reporters “That’s why I’m not on the spot. If the Reds are supposed to win the pennant and don’t, it won’t be the first time it’s happened recently”.

In case anyone was disappointed by the hiring of the relatively unknown Anderson, the Reds sought to quickly ease the transition. In December, they issued a team Christmas Card featuring a caricature of Sparky Anderson driving a tractor. “Holiday Greetings from the Big Red Machine”, the card read.

I told Clyde King [manager of the Giants] that it’d really be something , me and him going out to the plate with lineups for the game of the day one of these weeks. Nobody’d know who either of one of us is.” – Sparky Anderson, speaking about his anonymity, The Pittsburgh Press, March 31, 1970

Going into his first season, Anderson knew he wasn’t exactly as well known as Santa Claus. During his first spring training, he quipped, “I told Clyde King [manager of the Giants] that it’s really be something , me and him going out to the plate with lineups for the game of the day one of these weeks. Nobody’d know who either of one of us is.”

Although unknown when he was hired, Sparky Anderson made a name for himself as manager of the Big Red Machine.

Those sentiments, which now seem so eerie considering the death of King and Anderson on consecutive days, quickly dissipated as the Reds won 100 games and returned to the World Series in 1970. After two more close calls in 1972 and 1973, Sparky’s Big Red Machine finally broke through with back-to-back championships in 1975 and 1976, the latter resulting in a commanding sweep of the New York Yankees.

Following the 1978 season, the Reds shocked the baseball world by dismissing Anderson. At the time, Reds’ president Dick Wagner cited the team’s complacency as reason for the change, but most signs pointed toward a personality clash between the two men.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner called the Reds’ decision “the biggest boo boo of the year”, leading many to speculate that Sparky’s next stop might be in the Bronx. At the time, Bob Lemon was serving as a lame duck manager during the 1979 season with Billy Martin waiting to take over in 1980. However, further indiscretions by Martin had the Yankees leery of their commitment, and rumors floated that Anderson would instead take over Lemon. As things turned out, the Yankees never got the chance because the Tigers, fearful that another team would snap him up, abruptly fired their manager in June and hired Sparky as the replacement.

“I made a bet with Sparky last January for dinner and a suit of clothes that he’d get a managing job before June 15. It looks like I won, doesn’t it”. – Reds’ pitcher Tom Seaver, speaking to AP/UPI after the Tigers hired Anderson to be their manager, June 13, 1979

After leaving the Reds, Anderson guided the Tigers for 16 seasons, including a World Series championship in 1984 (Photo: Detroit News).

Anderson slowly brought the struggling Tigers back to respectability before eventually winning it all in 1984 with a historic 35-5 start to a 104-win season, and in the process became the first manager to win a World Series in both leagues. Sparky remained with the Tigers for 11 more seasons, but only returned to the playoffs once more (in 1987) before retiring in 1995. He exited with 2,194 games won, good for sixth on the all-time list (and third at the time of his departure).

Always a character, Sparky Anderson was a true ambassador of the game. He was equal parts traditionalist, optimist and enthusiast, and always exuded a genuine sense of love for wearing a major league uniform. All of baseball is worse off for his loss, but infinitely better for his time in the game. He may have been a no-name when he first stepped onto the scene, but he departs as one of its legends.

The Traditionalist

In the early 1990s, the Yankees had become used to getting mauled by the Tigers, especially in Detroit. So, when the Yankees took a 6-0 lead in a game on May 7, 1993, Buck Showalter still wasn’t taking anything for granted. In an attempt to score a seventh run, Pat Kelly swiped second base in the top of the sixth. The Yankees’ aggressive posture with such a large lead seemed to upset Anderson, who could be seen gesticulating toward the Yankees’ bench. After the game, Sparky’s immediate response was to quote Branch Rickey’s old axiom about letting sleeping dogs lie, which seemed rather appropriate because his Tigers roared back to win the game 7-6.

Anderson eventually apologized to Showalter for his reaction, but as things turned out, the moment served as an invaluable lesson for the rookie Yankees manager. By sticking to his guns, Showalter not only earned Sparky’s respect, but raised eyebrows around the league. When Anderson eventually retired after the 1995 season, the first man he recommended as his replacement was Showalter.

The Optimist

Spring training has always been a haven for the optimist, and no one proved that more than Sparky Anderson. Without fail, Sparky would spend the entire camp touting one of his team’s young prospects. Whether it was Jim Walewander, Billy Bean, Scott Lusader or any number of other nondescript minor leaguers, Anderson would trumpet their ability, which usually meant they’d seldom be heard from again. The Tigers under Sparky were mostly a veteran club, but at least in March, youth was served.

The Motivator

Perhaps Sparky Anderson’s greatest talent as a manager was his ability to motivate, especially star players. His famous comment from the 1976 World Series about no one being comparable to Johnny Bench was often seen as a slight to Yankees backstop Thurman Munson, but the words were really meant as a tribute to his own catcher. Another classic example of motivation during the World Series occurred in game 5 of the 1984 World Series. In the eighth inning of that game, the Padres were clinging to life, trailing 5-4 with runners on second and third and Kirk Gibson coming to the plate. San Diego manager Dick Williams initially instructed Rich Gossage to walk the Tigers’ slugger, but the Goose talked him out of it. While manager and pitcher conferred, Sparky repeatedly shouted at Gibson, “He doesn’t want to walk you!” One pitch later, the ball was headed over the roof in right field and the Tigers were on their way to a World Championship.

For video of the Gibson homerun, click here.

Posted in Baseball, Baseball History, MLB, Nostalgia, Yankee History, Yankees | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

Yankee Lifer King Passes Away; Tenure as GM Often Overlooked

November 3, 2010 by William Juliano

The Yankee family lost another member when Clyde King passed away on  November 3 at the age of 86.

King, a baseball lifer who spent six decades in the game, was the quintessential Yankees employee during the tumultuous first half of George Steinbrenner’s reign. After joining the organization in 1975, King performed just about every function imaginable, including scout, special assistant, pitching coach and manager…all in one season during 1982!

Clyde was a loyal and dedicated friend and adviser to my father, our family and the Yankees organization. Although his baseball achievements were impressive and deserving, he also lived a rich and fulfilling life away from the game. Clyde was a man of great faith who cared deeply about his friends and family, and he served as a role model to so many of us.” – Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner

King, then the pitching coach, congratulates Rich Gossage after game 2 of the 1981 World Series (Photo: AP)

When King ascended to the Yankee throne in 1982, he was the third manager that season and the team’s ninth in the previous 10 seasons. Before taking the job, however, he had developed a reputation as “one of George’s spies” and engendered much mistrust throughout the organization, a sentiment that filtered to many scribes in the media. So, when the time finally came for him to “reluctantly” take over for Gene Michael (who had taken over from Bob Lemon earlier in the season), his hiring was met with much derision.

The welcome Clyde King received from the baseball press corps made Joe Torre’s “Clueless Joe” introduction look quaint. In a particularly mean-spirited column with the headline “King May Be Fool in George’s Court”, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Phil Musick recalled a game in 1969 when as manager of the Giants King’s ignorance of a rule almost cost his team a run. Musick concluded by asking, “has Steinbrenner bought a manager in a poke”?

More than any other reason, King was criticized harshly because most people believed him to be a clubhouse mole who sabotaged previous administrations with the hope of paving his way to the top. That perception couldn’t have been further from the truth.

I believed the whispers and the innuendos and it wasn’t fair. It was a disservice to a decent man and, for that, I apologize. But I wasn’t alone. A lot of other people believed the whispers and innuendos, including people who wear Yankee uniforms. They believed the whispers too, and they dreaded the days when Gene Michael was fired and Clyde King was named manager” – Phil Pepe, New York Daily News, August 24, 1982

After about a month as Yankees’ manager in 1982, it soon became clear to everyone that Clyde King was nothing more than a good baseball man. Phil Pepe, one of his earlier critics, went so far as to pen an open apology in a column that included very high praise from a series of anonymous Yankees. Pepe concluded the column by writing, “I think he has earned a shot to manage the Yankees in 1983. I hope George Steinbrenner does too”. Unfortunately, the Boss did not agree.

King, then a scout, confers with George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin over coffee in 1976.

King became Yankees manager as a reluctant villain, but exited the job a much more sympathetic figure. All throughout the winter, Steinbrenner refused to make a decision on King’s future, forcing him to answer almost daily questions about the likelihood of his return. In a January 7, 1983 article filed by AP, King recalled an interview with Red Auerbach in which the legendary Celtics’ general manager and coach corrected a reporter, who stated he had the best job in sports, by declaring, “Whoa, the best job in professional sports is managing the New York Yankees”. You see, King really did want to manage the Yankees, but he was just too proud to beg for it. Days later, the Yankees hired Billy Martin for his third tour of duty.

As was often the case with a fired Yankee manager, King moved from the stressful life of the dugout to a well paid advisory position and waited for his spot on the wheel to come up again. Only one season after relinquishing the manager’s chair, King was promoted in 1984 to vice president and general manager, a role he held for three seasons, a lifetime in Steinbrenner years.

Despite failing to make the playoffs, the Yankees enjoyed considerable success from 1984 to 1986, winning 274 games, which was only one fewer than the Detroit Tigers for most in that span. Although King’s most notable acquisition as GM was the blockbuster deal that brought Rickey Henderson to the Bronx, his most impressive accomplishment was jettisoning contracts like Roy Smalley, Steve Kemp, Omar Moreno, Rick Cerone, Tim Foli and Toby Harrah. What’s more, King didn’t just dump those misguided signings from previous administrations, he got outstanding value in return. For Smalley, he netted Doug Drabek. For Kemp and Foli, he got Jay Buhner. For Cerone, he picked up Brian Fisher. Combined with other emerging young players from within the organization like Don Mattingly, Dan Pasqua and Mike Pagliarulo, King had assembled a very impressive core of young talent, all while remaining a pennant contender.

King, and the Yankees, never got to see that bright future because his tenure as GM came to an end after the 1986 season, at which point all of his hard work was quickly dismantled. Just weeks after Woody Woodward took over the role, Drabek was traded for a trio of pitchers head by an aging Rick Rhoden. In 1987, Pasqua would be dealt for Rich Dotson. Then, in 1988, Buhner would be out the door in the infamous trade that brought back Ken Phelps.

After been removed as general manager, King once again performed various roles within the organization, including most recently as a special assistant to the general manager from 1998 to 2005. Although his imprint was far indelible, King’s legacy as a company man during a hectic time in the franchise’s history is certainly not one to be forgotten. Long live the memory of Clyde King.

Posted in Baseball, Baseball History, MLB, Yankee History, Yankees | Tagged | 2 Comments »

Giants Are Kings of the Hill in 2010, but 1996 Braves Remain Best Postseason Pitching Staff in the Division Era

November 2, 2010 by William Juliano

If 2010 was the new “Year of the Pitcher”, than the outcome of the World Series was a fitting tribute. With a 3.36 ERA (121 ERA+), the Giants owned baseball’s best pitching staff in the regular season, yet still managed to shave off almost an entire run during October. If good pitching beats good hitting, just imagine what great pitching can do?

Most Games Allowing Fewer than 3 Runs in One Postseason, Since 1995

Team Year Total Games Matching Games Pct. W L
Braves 1996 16 13 81% 9 4
Cardinals 2006 16 12 75% 9 3
Yankees 2003 17 12 71% 8 4
Yankees 2001 17 12 71% 10 2
Diamondbacks 2001 17 12 71% 10 2
Giants 2010 15 11 73% 9 2
Yankees 1999 12 10 83% 10 0
Tigers 2006 13 10 77% 7 3
Indians 1995 15 10 67% 7 3
White Sox 2005 12 10 83% 9 1
Red Sox 2007 14 10 71% 10 0

Source: Baseball-reference.com

The 2010 Giants exhibited one of the better postseason pitching displays in recent memory, but was it really the best ever in divisional play as some have suggested? Not according to the chart above. Although the Giants’ staff did have more than its fair share of dominant games (defined as three or fewer runs allowed), five other teams actually had a higher percentage, and many of those games were played in a much higher offensive environment. So, from at least one perspective, the 2010 Giants do not stand out from the pack.

Postseason ERA, 1995-2010

Source: Baseball-reference.com

Based on overall ERA, the Giants’ pitching staff once again ranks among the top-10, but comes up well short of the 1996 Braves’ sterling 1.89 ERA. Ironically, despite posting what was by far the lowest team ERA in the division series era, the 1996 Braves actually lost the World Series to Joe Torre’s then underdog Yankees.

Top-10 Postseason ERAs By Team, 1995-2010

Year Team G IP W L ERA
1996 Braves 16 143 9 7 1.89
1999 Yankees 12 109 11 1 2.39
1995 Indians 15 139 9 6 2.40
2001 D’Backs 17 154 11 6 2.40
1998 Yankees 13 119 11 2 2.42
2010 Giants 15 135 11 4 2.47
2005 White Sox 12 113 11 1 2.55
2006 Cardinals 16 141 11 5 2.68
1995 Braves 14 130 11 3 2.70
2003 Yankees 17 155 9 8 2.73

Source: Baseball-reference.com

After factoring in context (graph and chart below), the 2010 Giants’ rank falls to seventh, albeit amid a tight pack of 12. Four teams, however, do emerge from the field. Once again, the 1996 Braves stand head and shoulders above the rest. Led by the likes of John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Steve Avery and Greg Maddux, that staff outperformed all the others by a whopping 135%. Among teams that won the World Series, the 1999 Yankees pitched 89% better than the postseason field, while the 2005 White Sox were 66% stingier. Finally, joining the 1996 Braves as a dominant pitching staff that failed to win the World Series, the 1995 Indians had an ERA that was 79% lower than the competition. That season, the Indians lost to the Braves, who ranked just behind them on the list.

One thing evident from the list below (and probably self evident), is that in order to win the World Series you usually need to pitch. Ten of the 16 champions since 1995 have had an ERA at least 35% lower than the remaining playoff field, and only three teams that have accomplished that threshold failed to win the World Series. Furthermore, only two teams (the 1997 and 2003 Florida Marlins) managed to win the World Series while pitching to an ERA below the postseason average, and only five such teams were able to win the pennant. As a result, when a team wins a ring, it usually goes without saying that their pitching staff did very well.

World Series Participants’ ERA Compared to Total ERA*, 1995-2010 


*Postseason ERA excludes contribution of team being used in each comparison.
Source: Baseball-reference.com

Year Team IP ERA PS ERA* Ratio
1996 Braves 143    1.89 4.43 235%
1999 Yankees 109    2.39 4.54 189%
1995 Indians 139    2.40 4.29 179%
2005 White Sox 113    2.55 4.23 166%
1995 Braves 130    2.70 4.16 154%
1998 Yankees 119    2.42 3.58 148%
2010 Giants 135    2.47 3.62 147%
2007 Red Sox 126    3.29 4.76 145%
2006 Cardinals 141    2.68 3.86 144%
2001 D’Backs 154    2.40 3.34 139%
2003 Yankees 155    2.73 3.80 139%
2008 Phillies 123    3.07 4.15 135%
2009 Yankees 140 2/3 3.26 4.40 135%
1999 Braves 134 1/3 3.35 4.36 130%
2000 Mets 131 2/3 3.21 4.04 126%
2006 Tigers 113    2.95 3.70 126%
2000 Yankees 144    3.44 3.99 116%
2007 Rockies 99    4.00 4.49 112%
2004 Cardinals 132 1/3 4.42 4.92 111%
2004 Red Sox 133    4.47 4.91 110%
2002 Giants 149    4.59 4.92 107%
2009 Phillies 132    3.95 4.15 105%
2005 Astros 136 1/3 3.76 3.93 104%
2008 Rays 141 2/3 3.81 3.95 104%
1996 Yankees 141    3.70 3.84 104%
2002 Angels 140    4.82 4.84 100%
1998 Padres 124 1/3 3.33 3.32 100%
1997 Indians 165 2/3 3.97 3.81 96%
1997 Marlins 144    4.25 3.73 88%
2010 Rangers 141    3.70 3.23 87%
2001 Yankees 153 1/3 3.52 2.97 85%
2003 Marlins 159    4.30 3.35 78%

Note: World Series winners in italics.
*Postseason ERA excludes contribution of team being used in each comparison
Source: Baseball-reference.com

All things considered, the 1996 Braves remain as the most accomplished pitching staff in the division series era, even though they failed to accomplish the ultimate goal. Of course, this year’s Giants probably aren’t going to lose any sleep over taking a back seat to that Atlanta team. After all, the 1996 Braves would gladly trade the honor for a shiny new ring.

Posted in Baseball, Baseball History, MLB, Red Sox, Statistical Analysis, Yankee History, Yankees | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment »

At Least New York Fans Don’t Do This…

November 2, 2010 by William Juliano

New York fans get a bad rap around the country for being unruly (I am talking to you Mr. Greenberg), and sometimes the criticism is justified. Some spitting, a few thrown objects and even a fight or two have been known to breakout in the stands, but the one thing you’ve never seen is a riot. For some reason, sports championships have become justification for obscene civil disobedience in cities around the world, but not in the Big Apple. The rest of the world can have its bonfires and rock throwing; New Yorkers use tickertape.

The shameful behavior seen in the video below is really not an indictment of San Francisco, but a sad part of our nation’s sports culture. Maybe one day the rest of the country will follow New York’s lead and celebrate their sports’ championships with civility?

Posted in Baseball, Culture, MLB, Yankees | Tagged , , | 2 Comments »

Prolonging the “Torture”? Does Bumgarner’s Emergence Make Cain or Lincecum Expendable?

November 1, 2010 by William Juliano

Anyone surprised by Madison Bumgarner’s outstanding World Series start, which was the just latest contribution to an already strong postseason, probably wasn’t paying attention to the Giants down the stretch. In his five September starts, the young lefty pitched to a 1.13 ERA in 32 innings, including a sparkling 32:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In other words, despite being only a few months over the age of 21, Bumgarner was far from an unlikely World Series hero.

21 Club: Youngest Starters to Have a Scoreless Outing in the World Series

Pitcher Yr.Days Date G Team Opp IP H Gsc
Jim Palmer* 20.356 10/6/1966 2 BAL LAD 9 4 82
Madison Bumgarner* 21.091 10/31/2010 4 SFG TEX 8 3 80
Chief Bender* 21.158 10/10/1905 2 PHA NYG 9 4 85
Bret Saberhagen 21.199 10/27/1985 7 KCR STL 9 5 79
Wally Bunker* 21.256 10/8/1966 3 BAL LAD 9 6 80

*World Series debut
Source: Baseball-reference.com

The World Series is a long way from pitching in high school, but for Madison Bumgarner, the journey only took three years (Photo: Tom Priddy)

Bumgarner was drafted by the Giants out of South Caldwell High School (North Carolina) with the 10th selection in the 2007 amateur draft. By 2009, the talented lefty was widely regarded as a blue chip, ranking sixth and ninth respectively in Keith Law’s and Baseball America’s prospect lists for that year (also in the top-15 on both lists were Neftali Feliz and Buster Posey). However, concerns over his velocity during the 2009 season caused both Law and BA to drop Bumgarner in their rankings to 28 and 14, respectively.

In his preseason report, Law wrote, “Bumgarner took a big tumble this year when his velocity gradually declined the deeper he went into the season.  He was 88-93 mph early in the season but just 87-90 by midsummer”. Law also noted that his velocity could return as he gained arm strength and filled out his 6’4” frame, and that’s precisely what happened in 2010. According to fangraphs.com, the average velocity on Bumgarner’s fastball was 91.3mph, a significant improvement over the 89.2mph posting from his brief tenure with the Giants at the end of the 2009 season. In addition, Bumgarner’s slider dramatically increased from an average velocity of 78.1mph to 84.8mph, giving him separation from the curve and making the pitch hard to distinguish from his changeup. Gradually, the Giants’ lefty has been developing and refining a loaded arsenal of pitches that seemed to come together last night in the World Series.

The 2010 Giants have been portrayed as a team of misfits, but there is nothing second rate about their pitching. After all, a talent like Bumgarner is their number four starter (in both name and 2010 WAR), which pretty much explains the Giants’ strengths as a team. Having said that, winning hasn’t come easy. Far from it, in fact. Giants’ announcers Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow have famously described the team’s style of play as “torture” because of the high number of close games in which they usually find themselves. As an illustration, Bumgarner went 2-2 in September, despite posting the sterling numbers mentioned previously. Clearly, scoring is not the Giants’ forte.

The World Series isn’t over, but it is still worth remembering that San Francisco was seven games behind in the loss column as late as August 28. If not for the Padres’ September swoon, the Giants could very well be home watching the postseason, so even if they wind up winning a ring, maintaining the status quo in 2011 should not be a given. With that in mind, the emergence of Bumgarner, and even Sanchez, who had pitched exceedingly well until his meltdown in the NLCS, makes you wonder how much torture the Giants’ organization will be willing to endure next season. With 2009 sixth round selection Zach Wheeler already showing promise (70 strikeouts in his first 58 2/3 professional innings), the Giants seem to have a lock on solid pitching for the foreseeable future, so perhaps the time has come for them to consider trading one of their aces for a much needed bat?

If the Giants were to put either Matt Cain or Tim Lincecum on the market, just about every team in baseball would be frothing at the mouth. The question for San Francisco, however, would be which of the two to trade? It might seem obscene to suggest, but the best candidate would probably be the freak. Not only would his more attractive name likely net a larger package in return, but Lincecum’s midseason struggles led to some whispers throughout the game about a loss of velocity. What’s more, when you consider Lincecum’s across the board decline in key peripherals, it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine Cain, who is actually one year younger, being the better pitcher over the long run. Finally, add in concern about Lincecum’s unorthodox mechanics and slight frame, as opposed to Cain’s text book delivery and solid 6’3”/245lb build, and the case seems very compelling.

One more factor to consider is economics. The Giants have $52 million locked up in Barry Zito and Aaron Rowand over the next two seasons, so salary relief is not an insignificant consideration. In 2011, Lincecum is scheduled to make $13 million, while Cain will pull down $7mn, which isn’t that onerous. In 2012, however, Lincecum enters his last season of arbitration eligibility, while Cain’s salary balloons to $15 million. As a result, it’s very easy to see the Giants saddled with a greater than $30 million price tag for both pitcher’s services. Combined with the amounts owed to Zito and Rowand, one wonders if that would be a tenable situation?

Unless their internal scouts feel strongly about one pitcher’s future over the other’s, the Giants’ best approach might be to see whom they could sign to a favorable long-term deal and then seek to trade the other. They could also wait another season to see how things shake out, but that wouldn’t help alleviate the team’s offensive woes. If the Giants traded from their strength and returned a stud position player, preferably one who plays up the middle, they’d be able to complement Buster Posey and have the beginnings of an all around core. Even though the 2010 postseason has seemed to prove otherwise, teams can not live by pitching alone. Trying to do so can be torture.

Posted in Baseball, Draft, Trades | Tagged , , | 3 Comments »

Yanks Don Costumes, Not Uniforms This Halloween

October 31, 2010 by William Juliano

For only the third time, Halloween will play host to the World Series. On the two previous occasions, the Yankees were victorious, but this time around the Bronx Bombers will be donning costumes instead of uniforms. At least AJ Burnett will. The team’s very own Jekyll and Hyde snatched up a few scary items before frightening Yankees’ fans in his ill-fated ALCS start. In what looking back was probably a bad omen, Burnett’s preparation for Halloween trick-or-treating didn’t exactly scream confidence in the outcome of the series.

Those players who didn’t anticipate being home on Halloween probably missed out on all of the best costumes, but I am sure they’ll make do. After all, baseball players get plenty of practice. The ritual of rookie hazing, which usually takes place on the last road trip of the season, can make even the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade seem tame. Even conservative organizations like the Yankees get in the act, and over the last several years, the team has taken the tradition to an art form. So, on a holiday dedicated to playing dress-up, we celebrate Halloween by taking a look back at the Yankees’ recent history of hazing. Just be ready to cover your eyes.

2009: Batman and Friends

A proud Joe Girardi is surrounded by Batman (Mark Melancon) and friends, including the Boy Wonder (video man Anthony Flynn), Catwoman (Ramiro Pena) Joker (radar gun operator Brett Weber), Riddler (Mike Dunn) and the Penguin (massage therapist Lou Potter).

 2008: Village People

Brett Gardner, Francisco Cervelli and Juan Miranda take a stroll through Fenway Park as the Village People.

2007: Off to See the Wizard

Who said Joba Chamberlain doesn’t have courage and Phil Hughes needs a heart? Shelley Duncan as the scarecrow and Ian Kennedy as Dorothy can testify.

2006: Who’s the Boss?

Melky Cabrera dons a turtleneck and blue blazer in honor of George Steinbrenner. 

2005: Team Spirit

Chien-Ming Wang, Robinson Cano and Mike Vento shake their pompoms.

2004: Long Live the King

Andy Phillips, Bubba Crosby, Scott Proctor, Brad Halsey and Dioner Navarro do their best Elvis impersonations, but where’s Lance Berkman when you really need him?

2003: Godzilla the Pimp

Hideki Matsui puts forth a side to Godzilla that we never knew existed.

Posted in Baseball, Humor, MLB, Yankees | Tagged | 1 Comment »

The Diplomacy of Saying Goodbye: Yanks Would be Wrong to Ignore Sentimentality in Dealing With Aging Stars

October 30, 2010 by William Juliano

As the Core Four’s careers wind down, can the Yankees keep a smile on their faces?

Earlier in the week, we suggested that Joe Girardi’s legacy as Yankee manager would depend on how he shepherds the Yankees’ core of aging veterans through the twilight of their respective careers. Making the task even more challenging for Girardi is that he played alongside these legends during the primes of their careers. As a result, you couldn’t blame the Yankees skipper if he allows sentimentality to play at least a small role in how he handles this precarious issue.

Although Girardi has been very diplomatic on the subject, Brian Cashman has not. According to recent comments, it seems that if the Yankees’ general manager has his way, sentimentality will have no impact on how the team treats its veteran stars.

We’re not going to be interested in retaining players because of future milestones. The stars don’t put fannies in the seats. Wins do. If it’s a bad team, people will stop showing up by July. They’ll go to the beach.” – Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman, quoted in the New York Times, October 29, 2010

Rob Neyer called Cashman “his hero” for the above statement, but as a lifelong Yankee fan, I find it somewhat disturbing, especially because it can’t be dismissed as tough talk. We’ve already seen this sentiment put into action with how the team handled the end of Bernie Williams’ career. Following the 2006 season, Joe Torre still seemed inclined to have the popular centerfielder play a role on the team, but Cashman refused to relent and only offered Williams a non guaranteed invitation to Spring Training.

Yeah, it would be tough for me if you had to say goodbye. I sense he feels confident that he can still play this game. It’s tough for him to feel wanted if it means getting spot on the 40-man roster at this point in time because there’s no room.” – Joe Torre, quoted by AP, February 18, 2007

In other words, Bernie Williams never really retired. The Yankees effectively ended his career.

At the time, most Yankees’ fans seemed fine with the decision because Williams’ talents had obviously declined. I, however, was not. Although winning is clearly the number one mission statement, the Yankees should be about more than just one bottom line. George Steinbrenner was famously quoted as saying the only thing he cared about more than winning was breathing, but under the Boss, the Yankees’ organization placed great emphasis on promoting a family culture. Once a Yankee, always a Yankee so to speak. Much was made of Steinbrenner’s itchy trigger finger, but the truth of the matter was being fired or released from the Yankees just meant a reunion would soon be in the planning.

Make no mistake about it. Before Steinbrenner took over, the Yankees reputation had always been as a very bottom line organization. Even Babe Ruth was jettisoned when he no longer was the Sultan of Swat. And, to be sure, that philosophy probably played a role in the franchise’s perennial success. Having said that, the Yankees shouldn’t have to choose between winning and placating their veteran stars. After all, the team’s history is defined by more than just wins and losses, but also the men who make them possible.

The decline of legends like Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera (well, maybe not Mo) is inevitable, and at some point, the Yankees will have to move on. However, they don’t need to do it in such a cutthroat way. In the case of Bernie, there was no reason for not giving him a guaranteed deal. Even if the money was a concern, would the Yankees really have been worse off with Williams taking the roster spot of guys like Andy Phillips, Josh Phelps and Kevin Thompson? Luckily, Bernie’s relationship with the Yankees remains strong, but it would have been a shame had the result of the team’s decision been estrangement from one of its homegrown stars.

Do we really follow sports only to watch a winner? If so, why not jump from bandwagon to bandwagon? Although many casual fans do take that approach, the diehard’s attachment to a team stems more from its history than its prospects for future success. Because of their financial advantage, the Yankees can have their cake and eat it too. As a result, the team shouldn’t feel the need to abide by Branch Rickey’s famous advice about trading “a player a year too early rather than a year too late” when handling its Hall of Fame core. The Yankees can still win while catering to their stars. The end doesn’t always justify the means, and in this case, the cost of winning in the future doesn’t have to involve turning away from history.

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