In 1996 George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees, hired Joe Torre to be the 31st manager of the illustrious franchise. A franchise with 22 World Championships in its 95 year history – easily the most of any American sports franchise. But history was history, it had been 18 years since the Yanks last brought the Commissioner’s Trophy back to the Bronx – the longest drought the franchise had ever experience since it won its first in 1923. With a mix of grizzled vets, young homegrown talent and some foreign imports, Torre’s Yankee’s ripped off a run that hadn’t been seen since the 1950s. Four championships in five seasons including a three-peat to end the millennium. Stamping themselves as one of the greatest baseball dynasties of all-time.
With spring training’s first full team work outs starting this week, it marks the first time since 1996 that no Yankee from their last great dynastic era will be on the 40-man roster. All connections to late 90s dynasty severed. A chapter in history closed.
I’m not here to mourn the end, but to celebrate the memory of the ’96-’00 New York Yankee Dynasty. The bracket below comprises the 36 most important Yankees of that era, with one goal in mind – to find the most important. We’ll call him the Lord of the Rings.
Rules
1. ELIGIBILITY: You must have played at least one game as a NY Yankee between ’96-’00 and have won at least one ring to be eligible.
2. SEEDING: Seeds are determined by WAR (wins above replacement) as a Yankee between ’96-’00.
3. SCOPE: Nothing done in the player’s career outside of the time frame of ’96-’00 will be taken into consideration.
4. ADVANCEMENT CRITERIA: Who ever advances is chosen by me based on performance, importance, what they represented, how they were received by fans, but mostly just my opinions.
5. PLAY INS: The four 8 seeds are determined by play-in games.
Guys Who Just Missed
Jose Vizcaino – One fantastic moment, breaks my heart to leave him off the bracket.
Clay Bellinger – Okay utility guy, nothing special.
Andy Fox – Poor man’s Clay Bellinger.
Glenallen Hill – 16 hrs in 40 games in 2000 – incredible.
Kenny Rogers – No one likes this guy and I refuse to celebrate his time on the Yankees. #Worst.
T H E B R A C K E T
(click to enlarge)
Steinbrenner Region
Play-in
Charlie Hayes vs. Homer Bush
Somehow, between 1996-2000, Homer Bush played in less than 60 games as a New York Yankee which baffles me, because my memory of Homer is so vivid. In ‘98, he slashed an impressive .380/.421/.465. He had a great baseball name. Homer Bush. But, in reality, he was little more than a blip on the Yankee Dynasty radar. Sort of a like the anonymous Storm Trooper who gets gunned down in the second act of a Star Wars movie. Bye Homer.
Charlie Hayes, on the other hand, owns one of the most indelible moments of my childhood. The image of Hayes settling under a high flyball in foul territory to clinch the Yanks’ 23rd world championship is burned into my frontal lobe.
(1) Bernie Williams vs. (8) Charlie Hayes
Charlie got over Homer, but Charlie can’t get over Bernie. Hayes lasted just a season and a half with the Yankees during their historic run, while Bernie was a pillar of their reign. A tall, lanky, quiet – sort of nerdy – center fielder who loved playing guitar, Bernie may have been the most talented player day in and day out on these Yankee teams.
(4) Wade Boggs vs. (5) Doc Gooden
The 1986 World Series pitted the Boston Red Sox vs. the New York Mets. The Yankee’s most historic rival vs. the Yankee’s hometown rival. In a fit of sublime irony, the ace and the best offensive player on each of those teams ended up playing key roles in the New Yankee Dynasty – Wade Boggs, Darryl Strawberry, Roger Clemens and Doc Gooden.
For all the folklore surrounding Wade Boggs – the 107 beers, the chicken eating, the talking to himself – his most memorable Yankee moment came on a horse. For some reason, after seeing Mo Vaughn ride a horse the year before, Boggs became obsessed with riding a horse in Yankee Stadium. He made it his mission. After ‘96, he did it.
Doc Gooden had his Yankee moment on May 14, 1996 when he threw a no-hitter against the Mariners – no easy task with a lineup that featured Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner.
But, c’mon Wade rode a damn horse around Yankee Stadium – that’s too tough to beat.
(3) Roger Clemens vs. (6) Darryl Strawberry
1986 World Series Part Duex.
Darryl Strawberry is one of the rare guys beloved in both the Bronx and Queens. In ’98, when Yankee Stadium underwent some structural issues and the Bombers had to play a few home games in Shea Stadium, Strawberry rose to the occasion and – of course – belted a home run in his homecoming. And – of course – the crew at Shea got really excited and raised their big mechanical apple for him one last time. Despite suspensions for cocaine use and multiple run ins with the law, Straw always remained a fan favorite. When he belted his 300th career home run in ’96 – which was a walk off no less – the Bronx went crazy.
Above is also a great example of why the New Yankee stadium will never be able to hold a candle to the old. The stands filled to capacity with too many shirtless beer guts in the bleachers to count, all erupting as one.
Now to Clemens. Let’s just say everyone in Queens hates this guy’s guts. That’s not an understatement either. In a pure fit of possibly chemically induced rage he once threw a broken jagged piece of wood directly at every Met fan’s favorite player – Mike Piazza – during a game. And not just any game, a World Series game!
Originally I picked Clemens to advance, but after years of defending Clemens as being a “super competitive perfectionist” maybe in hindsight he was just a jerk. Strawberry upsets The Rocket.
Darryl vs Roger – too real.
(2) Orlando ‘El Duque’ Hernandez vs. Shane Spencer
In 1998, Shane Spencer was the pasty white man’s Linsanity. After toiling in minor league obscurity for eight years, Spencer captured the imagination of everyone smashing 10 home runs in a little over a month (or in mathematical speak, 1 homer every 6.7 at bats) and had people, in full sincerity, calling him the next Mickey Mantle. Between Keith Van Horn and Shane Spencer there was never a better time than 1998 to be a melanin deficient sports folk-hero in the tri-state area.
Spencer wasn’t the Yankees only rookie phenom in 1998 though. Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez equally captured New York’s imagination. Here is what you need to know about Hernandez, he’s Cuban, he’s at least four years older than he claims, he’s got the most famous leg kick since The Heartbeak Kid and he’s one of the greatest postseason pitchers of the Wild Card era.
While Spencer’s success in ‘98 was merely a flash in the pan. El Duque established himself as one of the best Yankee starters of the era. And that’s why he advances.
Torre Region
Play-in
Joe Girardi vs. Cecil Fielder
Joe Girardi. Joe Girardi. Joe Girardi. Joe Girardi. This
Joe Girardi. Joe Girardi. Joe Girardi. Joe Girardi.
Sorry Big Daddy.
(1) Andy Pettitte vs. (8) Joe Girardi
While Girardi’s grit and toughness made him a sentimental favorite, Andy is Andy. And Andy is good. He is the only pitcher to record a start in all four World Series appearances for the Yanks between ‘96-’00. Andy also finished top 5 in the Cy Young voting three times while notching 88 regular season wins over that span trailing only Greg Maddux and Pedro Martinez. Andy’s presence constituted one-fourth of what would come to be known as the Yankees’ “Core Four.” See you later Joe.
(4) Jeff Nelson vs. (5) Mike Stanton
Nelson got out righties. Stanton got out lefties. They formed a doubled barrell backend of the bullpen with one goal – get the ball to Mo. Stanton was good, #PeakStanton coming in the 2000 Subway Series where he appeared in four out of five WS games, shut out the Mets and recorded two wins. Nelson, meanwhile became a cult hero, imitating his high leg kick and crazy sidearm delivery became standard operating procedure in little leagues scattered across New York and New Jersey during the late ‘90s. Nellie continues.
(3) Jorge Posada vs. (6) Jimmy Key
Jorge, sometimes known as Georgie, had a few cups of coffee in ‘96 with the Yankees, then studied under the tutelage Joe Giradi for the next three seasons – the Rube Baker to Girardi’s Jake Taylor – by 2000 Georgie had the job to himself and emblazoned himself as one of the premier offensive catchers in the American League.
Jimmy Key was the wily vet for the Yanks in ‘96 – the Eddie Harris. His biggest moment came in game 6 of the World Series when he outdueled future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux to clinch the Yankees’ first title in 18 years.
It still has to be Jorge though. Hip-hip-JORGE!
(2) Mariano Rivera vs. (7) Mariano Duncan
“We play today, we win today…Das it.” That line right there is Mariano Duncan’s greatest contribution to the New York Yankees. Now, while that shouldn’t be overlooked, the other Mariano aka Mo aka Super Mariano aka The Sandman aka The Greatest Closer of All-Time will not be overtaken by a catchphrase. Rivera by a thousand furlongs.
Zimmer Region
Play-in
Luis Sojo vs. Graeme Llyod
One of my favorite moments of ‘96-00 Yankee run was this seven minutes right here:
It’s why Graeme Lloyd, the tall lefty Australian, will always have a place in my heart. Also – one more time – shoutout to Darryl.
But, Luis Sojo was basically the de-facto mascot for the Bronx Bombers. A pudgy, affable back-up infielder who wasn’t really particularly great at anything at all, but damn was he likable. Also there was this:
In the words of The Kingsmen, “LOUIE, LOUIE …”
(1) Derek Jeter vs, Luis Sojo
C’mon. Really? Do you even have to ask?
(4) Chuck Knoblauch vs. (5) Chad Curtis
Chad Curtis – oh Chad Curtis. The way you threw the ball so hard from leftfield that you would literally flip while throwing was a sort of likable idiosyncrasy. Clowing Jim Gray on National TV in the most polite way possible, also very likable. But calling out Saint Jeter of Kalamazoo – unforgivable. Absolutely unforgivable. It cannot be forgiven.
Chuck Knoblauch, you couldn’t throw a ball from second base to first. Which is more personally embarrassing than unforgivable. Actually pitiful might be a better word.
Also, why is the first thing that comes up when I google either of these guys’ names a mugshot? This is terrible. Horrible. This matchup ends in DQ. Both guys are disqualified. I refuse to choose. No one advances. Just send Jeter straight to the Elite Eight.
(3) David Wells vs. (6) Tim Raines
Boomer vs the Rock.
Raines won two rings as a Yankee. Led the first ever back-back-back home run barrage in playoff history. And, during his brief stint as a Bomber, joined Ty Cobb, Lou Brock and Ricky Henderson as the only players in MLB history to swipe 800 bags.
All due respect to Tim, but Tim was never perfect. David Wells was. He also once wore Babe Ruth’s hat in a game – so that’s also pretty cool too.
(2) Tino Martinez vs. (7) Chili Davis
“My dad gave me a haircut…and it wasn’t a very good one. When I went out of the house, my friends got on my case and said it looked like someone put a chili bowl over my head and cut around it.” – Chili Davis. Everyone loves Chili Davis. No one doesn’t like Chili Davis. Chili Davis is a pretty dope guy.
Tino averaged 28 homers and 115 rbis from ‘96-00. In ‘97, Tino smashed a career high 44 dingers, finished second in the MVP race and, most importantly of all, brought the Home Run Derby title to the Bronx.
Chili is dope, but Tino is important.
Stottlemyre Region
Play-in
Ricky Ledee vs. Jim Leyritz
I like Ricky Ledee a lot. I once saw him hit an inside the park home run live which – for some reason – happens to be one of my favorite childhood memories. But, nothing he’s ever done is as important as this:
or even this :
or, really, even this:
Yep, that’s Leyritz going 0-10 in the World Series against the Yankees. A very loyal move of him, being a mole that one season and all.
(1) David Cone vs (8) Jim Leyritz
A lot of New York Met castoffs found their way to this New Yankee dynasty. All respect to Doc, Dwight and Vizcaino, but Cone was easily the most important ex-Met turned Yankee. Coming back from a potential career ending aneurysm in ‘96, Cone flirted with a no-hit bid before being taken out of the game due to pitch count restrictions and having the no-no surrendered by the pen. That was just a sign of things to come though. Coney would pitch a perfect game three years later.
Cone also posted a crazy 1.41 World Series ERA through 19.1 innings as a Yankee.
All that said Jimmy Leyritz pulls off the miraculous upset, because – NAH, just kidding. Of course David Cone advances.
(4) Scott Brosius vs. (5) Hideki Irabu
Irabu came to New York as the “Japanese Nolan Ryan” and left as a “Fat Toad”. Scott Brosius came to New York as just some guy who was going to play third base and left as a World Series MVP. The moral here; always under-promise and over-deliver.
(3) Ramiro Mendoza vs. (6) John Wetteland
Ramiro Mendoza was a sort of hybrid spot starter meets long man meets set-up man. From ‘96-’00, he started 55 games, came in relief 104 games and finished 30 games. Mendoza effectively played the role of Swiss Army knife for the Yankees’ pitching staff. Wetteland though. You can’t not pick the guy in the center of this picture.
Long live Wetteland and his dirty hat.
(2) Paul O’Neill vs. (7) David Justice
Justice only spent half a season as a Yankee during the golden era, but that half season saw him knock 20 round trippers in a little less than 80 games. Which is pretty boss. Paul O’Neill’s a God though. Water coolers beware.
SWEET SIXTEEN
Steinbrenner Region
(1) Bernie Williams vs. (4) Wade Boggs
You think I’m really going to pick a Boston Red Sox over Bernie Williams? C’mon man! Just to give you an idea of how good Bernie Williams was in the late ‘90s – from ‘96-’00 he is the ONLY Major League Professional Baseball Player with over 3,000 plate appearances to slash .300/.400/.500 and win at least one gold glove (he won four by the way). That’s right – Bonds didn’t do it, Griffey didn’t do it, A-Rod didn’t do it, Pudge didn’t do it, Chipper didn’t do it, No-mah didn’t do it. No one did it – except Bernie.
(6) Darryl Strawberry vs. (2) El Duque
I’ve already posted multiple videos here of Darryl never backing down and being generally indignant. I remember being in the stands for one game where Strawberry got hit by a pitch and refused to take his base. He just stood in the batter’s box, barking at the pitcher to throw the next pitch. That’s just who Darryl was- a Badass Mother Fucker. It’s what made him beloved. In the movie of the 1990’s New York Yankees, Darryl Strawberry is played by Samuel L Jackson. No if, ands or buts about it.
El Duque won hearts by being absolutely unflappable in any situation. Pure ice water ran through his veins. In his first ten playoff games, El Duque went 8-0 boasting a 1.91 ERA. Just crazy good. He once also threw his entire glove to first base to get an out, because – like I said – nothing flaps this guy.
El Duque sails through to the next round.
Torre Region
(1) Andy Pettitte vs. (4) Jeff Nelson
Both Pettitte and Nellie took part in all four championships runs. Besides a funky delivery and some solid bullpen work, Nelson can’t really compare to Andy. Pettitte was a full-fledged star. A home grown Yankee. My first sports related temper tantrum is attributed to Andy Pettitte. In ‘96, after reading that Pat Hentgen won the Cy Young Award over Andy Pettitte, the power of a thousand Chris “Mad Dog” Russos ran through my eight year old body as I stomped, screamed and cried, “HE WON 21 GAMES! 21 GAMES! THIS IS NOT FAIR! 21 GAMES!”
Andy wins this one.
Andy also has the best pickoff move of all-time.
(3) Jorge Posada vs. (2) Mariano Rivera
Here’s the first instance of the Core Four facing off against each other in the bracket. While Georgie’s major contributions came in the 2000 season, Mo’s effect on the dynasty was apparent through the whole run. Even before taking over the closer role from Wetteland, Mo was dominant. In his sole year as a set-up man he managed to finish third in the Cy Young voting – almost unheard of for someone not starting or closing games. Mo’s sheer brilliance powers him through to the elite eight.
Zimmer Region
(1) Derek Jeter vs. DQ’ed
I’ll just leave this here.
(3) David Wells vs. (2) Tino Martinez
I love David Wells. If this was me picking by pure favorites, it would be David Wells. I may have been the only Yankee fan pissed off when the Bombers traded David Wells for Roger Clemens. David Wells was big and fat. David Wells had a mustache. David Wells drank beers. David Wells got into fights. Overall David Wells basically just caused ruckuses. David Wells was a ruckus maker. David Wells enjoyed ruckuses. Tino’s going to advance though, because Tino’s a “classic” Yankee. Clean shaven, classy, button up guy. He also led the Bombers in home runs and rbis during their run – so there’s that too.
Stottlemyre Region
(1) David Cone vs. (4) Scott Brosius
Every true Yankee fan that lived through the Torre era earnestly and truly appreciates Scott Brosius. During his tenure, he won a Gold Glove, a World Series MVP, got elected to an All-Star game and somehow posted 98 rbis in 1998 season while mostly batting in the bottom third of the lineup. His bare handed plays at third are tattooed on the inner retinas of any Yankee fan who saw him play.
David Cone is too important though. From ‘96-’99 he was a fully realized ace. One of the best starters in baseball. Only six pitchers with at least 600 innings pitched had a better ERA+ during those four seasons – Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Kevin Brown, Greg Maddux, Roger Clemens and John Smoltz. Four of those guys are first ballot Hall of Famers, one is Roger Clemens (basically a first ballot HOFer minus the baggage) and the last is Kevin Brown (don’t get me started). That’s some pretty nice company.
(6) John Wetteland vs. (2) Paul O’Neill
John Wetteland’s role in the grooming of Mariano Rivera should not go understated. Mo has publicly called Wetteland his “mentor.” “I was attached to him like a leech,” Mo reminisced, “I learned a lot from him, how to pitch, especially in the playoffs.” Wetteland was the Chris Partlow to Mo’s Michael Lee. Nevermind the 71 saves Wetteland compiled as a Yankee or the 7 more he added in the playoffs or his ‘96 World Series MVP performance. Wetteland’s most enduring legacy to the New York Yankee’s was his mentorship to Mo. Bottom line.
Now that that’s out of the way – Paul O’Neill advances.
Maybe the best “pure” hitter on these Yankee teams, O’Neill also had the uncanny ability to also save the Yankees in the field. Whether it was World Series games
or, more memorably, keeping Cone perfect.
Like the father from a 1980’s ABC sitcom it just always seemed like O’Neill was there – keeping the Yankees safe.
Elite Eight
Steinbrenner Region
(1) Bernie Williams vs. (2) El Duque
El Duque is my all-time favorite pitcher. The trademark leg kick. The clutch playoff performances. The high socks. The eephus pitch. I like just about everything about him, but he’s no Bernie. A switch hitting centerfielder who could run, hit for average, hit for power and field his position – he was a true five tool threat. And somehow he was underrated during his late ’90s prime. If driving in 100+ runs year-after-year and winning a battle title wasn’t enough, he was also perennially among the league leaders in OBP and OPS, well before the Moneyball era popularized those statistical categories. During ‘96-’00, no switch hitter in baseball had a higher batting average, on-base percentage or slugging percentage than Bernie Williams. He was surely the preeminent switch hitter in baseball during the late ‘90s (*I’m starring at you Chipper*).
Torre Region
(1) Andy Pettitte vs. (2) Mariano Rivera
There’s three reasons Andy’s run ends here. 1. He’s the only PED guy that’s made it this far and I can’t in good conscience send a PED guy to the final four. 2. While I know this is suppose to only reflect my feelings on these guys from the ’96-’00 seasons, Pettitte leaving after the ’03 season for Houston really had me feeling some type of way. 3. Mo is just too good. In 60 playoff innings pitched from ’96-’00, Mo posted a 0.75 era. In the ’98 and ’99 playoff runs, he didn’t give up a single run. Not one. Not even an unearned run. That’s other worldly.
Zimmer Region
(1) Derek Jeter vs. (2) Tino Martinez
Jeter’s cake walked into this Elite Eight so far. That’s because I’ve been saving words for him. Of course he’s going to advance to the final four, but now, pitted against the Yankee’s premier power hitter, I have to start making his case.
In ’96, not so coincidentally the same year the dynasty started, Jeter arrived as the fresh faced rookie. He batted .314, posted a .370 on-base, scored 100+ runs and drove in another 78 – unanimously winning the Rooking of the Year award. In his first postseason he batted .360 with an on base% over .400 sprinkling in clutch moments along the way. Not bad for a rookie.
From ’96-’00, Jeter finished top 10 in the MVP voting three times. He slashed an impressive .323/.396/.470 while averaging 200 hits and 120 runs a season. He won a World Series MVP, an All-Star MVP, led all position players in WAR in 1999 and had more hits than any other professional baseball player. And these are just the numbers, measuring Jeter just by his numbers is like measuring Beyonce by just by her days with Destiny’s Child. It doesn’t even begin to tell the story.
Stottlemyre Region
(1) David Cone vs. (2) Paul O’Neill
George Steinbrenner dubbed Paul O’Neill “The Warrior.” He was relentless in his pursuit for success – often smashing water coolers, breaking bats and throwing helmets when he felt like he let the team down. Even with all the emotion he played with though, he never showed up an opponent. When he hit a home run out to the O’Neill bullseye signs in right, he’d humbly bow his head and run around the bases. Never flicking his bat and admiring his shot. He did his job, after the inning he’d trot out to right field where he could be caught practicing his swing in between pitches. David Cone was great, but Paul O’Neill was more than the heart and soul of the last Yankee dynasty. He was the balls of it.
Also Pauly had one of the great Seinfeld cameos.
Final Four
It’s about to get super real. The hardest decisions of my life are about to take place.
(1) Bernie Williams vs. (2) Mariano Rivera
For three straight years Mo was the last pitcher standing (four actually – but let’s not talk about the fourth).
Mo recorded 19 postseason saves from ’97-’00. He quickly established himself as the greatest closer of all-time. It’s really tough picking Mo over Bernie. Mo appeared in a little less than 40% of Yankees games between ’96-’00. On the other hand, Bernie batted clean-up for the bulk of them but Mo’s once in a generation impact and talent shoves him past Bernie. Mo is sort of like Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs, even though Hannibal Lecture haunted the screen for just 16 minutes, there was no question he was more than just a bit character. He was a leading man. Same goes for Mo, he was much more than a supporting player who pitched an inning or two here and there. He was an unmistakable force looming out in the bullpen. His mere presence in the ballpark changed the game.
(1) Derek Jeter vs. (2) Paul O’Neill
If O’Neill was the balls of the franchise, Jeter was the face. Always cool and calm with unwavering confidence, Jeter seemed like a Superhero out on the field. Nothing fazed him. He never got rattled. No moment was too big.
Whether he was a rookie facing a future Hall of Famer in the World Series:
Or caping off a come back in the ALDS:
Or playing his arch-rivals in the ALCS:
Or squaring off against that same future Hall of Famer from before a few years later, again in the World Series:
Or was down late on the road in the World Series:
Or had to throw an absolute strike to hold the game at zeros:
Jeter delivered.
He always played hard. Never took a play off. Never showed an opponent up. Never said a wrong word to the media. Never distracted the team. Never cheated. And was always the first guy out of the dugout to congratulate a teammate.
I love Paul O’Neill and his farewell video is one of the best things on the internet, but his road ends here.
Finals
(2) Mariano Rivera vs. (1) Derek Jeter
Was it ever in question? Of course Derek Jeter was going to win, but sometimes it’s about the journey not the destination. The point of this bracket was to remember what made these Yankee teams a juggernaut. It wasn’t one player. It was about a team working in unison as one. It was about an unflinching desire to win. It was about the drive to be great. Derek Jeter just happens to be the face of that. Maybe Jeter wasn’t as dominate as Mo or fiery as Paul or ‘toolsy’ as Bernie, but Jeter was the ultimate winner and to these Yankees – that’s all that mattered.
On The Pursuit of Awesomeness 