22 Days Until Spring Training: Allie Reynolds

Like the player we chose for #23 of this countdown, Allie Reynolds occupies a place in Yankee lore just outside the inner circle of legendary greats. His career wasn't long enough to get him elected to him in the Hall of Fame although he only missed being appointed by the Veterans Committee by one vote in 2009. Coincidentally, the only player who did make it in on that ballot that year was Joe Gordon, the player who Reynolds was brought to the Yankees in exchange for in 1947.

Reynolds was one of the rare ballplayers who went to college back in his time and it was mostly because he had never played much baseball before that and had no aspirations to do so professionally. A quarter-part Creek Indian from Bethany, Oklahoma, Reynolds was recruited by Oklahoma A&M (today Oklahoma State) for football and track but according to legend, he was asked to throw batting practice to the team and struck out the first four hitters he faced and never looked back.

Somewhat fittingly, the Superchief came up through the Indians organization. After three odd years in the minors, Reynolds made his major league debut in September of 1942. He spend four years pitching for the Indians - both starting and relieving - before being dealt to the Yankees. He was widely considered one of the hardest throwers in the league, close behind his teammate Bob Feller but Allie lacked the control to go along with his velocity. He averaged five walks and five strikeouts per nine innings in Cleveland but the Yankees decided to take a shot on the flamethrower and his 3.31 ERA.

Reynolds' first season in New York was 1947 and he had the best year of any Yankee pitcher, going 19-8 with a 3.20 ERA in 241 innings (including to two saves in four relief appearances). He was primarily a starting pitcher but over his 12 full seasons in the Majors, he appeared in relief 123 times. Casey Stengel was purported to have the habit of holding Reynolds back to pitch against tougher opponents, making him a tremendously valuable asset to the team.

That year, the Yankees won the World Series that year against the Dodgers with Reynolds contributing a complete game victory in Game 2.

The Yanks finished third in the American league in 1948 but the next year, Reynolds, Vic Raschi and Eddie Lopat won 53 games between them and the Yankees again won the World Series against the Dodgers, their first of five consecutive Championships. Reynolds didn't allow a run in 12.1 innings in the Fall Classic collecting another complete game World Series victory in a 1-0 contest in Game 1 against Brooklyn. He also protected a two run lead for 3.1 innings in Game 4, earning him a save to go along with his victory.

In 1951, he pitched two no-hitters, one against the Red Sox to clinch the American League pennant. Retrosheet doesn't go back this far, but again according to legend, Reynolds needed to retire Ted Williams for the final out of that game and got him to pop out behind the plate - but Yogi Berra dropped the ball. Reynolds then got Williams to pop to the same spot, thereby completing the no-hitter.

By far the best regular season of his career came in 1952 when he compiled a 2.06 ERA in 244 innings and won 20 games. The 1952 World Series was the crowning jewel to his fine season. Reynolds appeared in four of the seven games in the series, starting Game 1 and 4, the latter a complete game shutout on two days rest. He got a four out save in Game 6 and the win by virtue of three one run relief innings in Game 7.

In the final two years of his career the Supercheif had more and more of his innings transitioned into the bullpen. He served as the Yanks' primary closer in '53, picking up 13 saves. He reliquished that role to Johnny Sain in 1954 and retired after the Yanks won 103 games but finished 3rd in the American League that year.

It took until 1989 for it to happen but Reynolds has a plaque dedicated to him in Monument Park, although his number isn't retired by the Yankees.

Unlike Mattingly, he was probably under appreciated in his time. He wasn't a product of the farm system and the fact that he went to college deprived him of a longer career, but I'm sure most players would swap spots with ol' Allie given that he won 6 Championships and played alongside Whitey Ford, Vic Raschi, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto, Moose Skowron, Tommy Henrich, Charlie Keller, Enos Slaughter, Bob Feller and Lou Boudreau.

Which One? Or None?

At the beginning of last year, I very nearly bought an authentic Robinson Cano home jersey. I'm pretty happy with my decision. Robby put up a .305 on-base last year and had an OPS+ of 86, making him hardly the guy whose number you wanted on your back. I sort of have the itch to buy a jersey again this year. Never had an authentic baseball jersey. Never asked for one when I was a kid and I've never got around to buying one for myself.

There aren't too many jerseys I'd even consider. Obviously not A-Rod, still don't really like AJ Burnett, Sabathia isn't really my style (or maybe I'm a racist), everyone has a Jeter jersey, it sounds like the Yanks might trade Chein Ming Wang, about 8 years too late on Posada, ditto for Andy Pettitte, Matsui doesn't seem right, Nady and Damon are in contract years...

So who does that leave? Mariano falls under the Pettitte and Posada category. Love the guy, but it's a little late. Swisher? I like the guy but I'm don't trust him enough quite yet. Brett Gardner... Fuck no, I'd rather inviest in Bear Stearns. It's just Teixeira, Cano and Joba. Let's break them down:

#62 Joba Chamberlain: Two years ago this would have been the choice. When Joba shot through the minors and became the most electric set-up guy the Yankees have probably ever had, that was the time to do it. When everyone else was still figuring out whether it was "Joe-bah" or "Jah-bah". Then, not now.

#24 Robinson Cano: I'm glad I didn't buy it last year, or when he was #22, because that is not the number you want on your back anymore. I never liked Clemens, but you'd be better off putting a "69" on the back of your jersey. People would probably respect your judgement more than if you had #22.

Anyway, now seems like a good time to grab a #24. He's coming off a bad year, and although the price isn't going to reflect it, you feel like you are buying low.

#25 Mark Teixeira: Big Teix. I'm not going to lie, the fact that Baltimore fans boo him makes me like the guy even more. He's with the Yanks for 8 years pretty much no matter what. He's well rounded, making sick defensive plays and can mash behind the plate. This is the one I'm leaning towards. (If you bought an authentic Giambi jersey, you really lucked out)

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What say you, fair commenters? Cano or Teixeira? Pinstripes or Road Grays? Should I even buy a jersey? Ladies, is it pathetic for a 24+ year old dude (hope to have it for a while) to wear a baseball jersey to a game? I need your help!

Number of Days Until Spring Training: #22 (LaTroy Hawkins)

If you are a Yankees fan, and watched any of the first half of the season last year, chances are you saw this: Joe Girardi coming out to get LaTroy Hawkins because he was unable to finish an inning. His wind-up was awkward because he started pulling his hand out of his glove too soon. Hawkins gave up 42 hits, 17 walks, and 26 runs in his 41 IP as a Yankee good for a 5.77 ERA. However, he was released in early August and went to Houston, where he sported a nifty 0.43ERRRRrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnooo.....................................................................

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Suzyn Waldman: "RAW-JAH CLEMENS IS IN FACK YOUK'S POST!!1!!1!!!!

AND RAW-JAH CLEMENS IS COMING BACK!!!

AWWW MY GOODN-GOODESSS GGGRAAACIOOUSSS!!!!!11!

OF ALL THE DRAMATIC THINGS... (trails off)

OF ALL THE DRAMATIC THINGS I HAVE EV-AH SEEN... "

/head explodes



















I'm sorry. This was never going to be about boo-magnet LaTroy Hawkins, nor was it going to concern the first two years of Robinson Cano or the last half year of Xavier Nady. All due respect to Allie Reynolds, who had more value over his career as a Yankee or Jimmy Key who was undoubtedly a better guy than Clemens.

The thing that makes Suzyn Waldman's hysterical overreaction to Clemens "dramatic" return in May 2007 (I was at his first game back) even more ridiculous is that The Rocket's first time with the Yankees wasn't really that impressive, it was just beautifully timed.

Clemens 300th win came in Pinstripes, in the same game he recorded his 4,000th strikeout. The team won two Championships in his first two years and he pitched six strong innings in Game 7 of the 2001 WS. His postseason ERA with the Yankees was .326, but his ERA in the World Series was 1.90.

When Roger won the Cy Young in 2001, Mike Mussina actually pitched a few more innings (229 to 220), had one more strikeout (214 to 213), a lower ERA (3.15 to 3.51) and a lower WHIP (1.07 to 1.26) than Clemens. The only category of import Mussina wasn't as good or better than Clemens in, was of course, their won-lost records. Mussina was (17-11) while Clemens started (20-1), finished (20-3) and as a result received 87% of the vote while Mussina got just 1%.

Clemens regular season ERA in his first stint with the Yankees was 4.02 (about a 115 ERA+) and his average won-lost record was 15-7. They were solid numbers, but certainly not as good as the Yankees had hoped when they acquired him from Toronto, coming off of two sub-3.00ERA, 230+ inning, 20+ win campaigns.

In his last go round with the Yanks, he struggled with hamstring problems but pitched to better than a league average ERA (107 ERA+), which is pretty much on par with what everyone expected when they unveiled him like it was a fucking reverse surprise party and signed him to a prorated $28,000,022 deal.

The last game he ever started for the Yanks was during the 2007 ALDS in a loss to Cleveland. Bothered by his hamstring once again, he lasted only 2 1/3 innings, gave up 3 runs and was replaced by Phil Hughes. In relief, Hughes pitched brilliantly (3 2/3IP 2H 0R), in what I had really thought at the time could be a symbolic change of the guards. Not so much.

Since then, Hughes hasn't won a game, and even though Clemens hasn't thrown a pitch, his entire career has been called into question and his public identity permanently tarnished. Clearly, nothing was going to be the same once his HGH & steroid use was revealed, but the ego synergy between him and Rusty Hardin has created what might be the biggest PR disaster possible. Do you think the story about Mindy McCready would have come out if he wasn't involved in a legal battle where each side was calling the others character into question?

If Clemens has just owned up to his steroid use and made a preemptive strike before the Mitchell Report came out, his reputation wouldn't be the colossal clusterfuck it now is. Of course, the type of player that uses is steroids is unlikely to be the kind of person who can own up to a mistake publicly, especially when it means sacrificing every one's perception of what you've worked your whole life for.

Sorry about not getting your pardon, Rog. I guess nobody knows you when you're down and out.

Mr. Clapton, would you please...
(quick Derek Trucks solo at 1:42 mark)