Hellickson's Debut Causes Flashback

A.J. Burnett's fifth inning meltdown last night, coupled with another win by the Rays has New York and Tampa Bays knotted atop the AL East. The Rays won last night on the strength of an outstanding Major League debut by stud pitching prospect Jeremy Hellickson. Hellickson went seven innings of two run ball, allowing just six baserunners and fanning six.

That the touted rookie played such a critical role in the Rays climbing back into first for the first time since June 19th reminded of something that happened during the Yankees' stretch run in 1996.

The Yankees had entered a tie for first place on April 28th and never looked back. Three months later, their lead over Baltimore swelled to an even dozen games. But from July 29th through September 16th, the Yanks went just 22-24 while the O's went a blistering 31-15. As Baltimore came to the Bronx for a critical three game series starting September 18th, the lead had shrunk to just three games. The Yankees sent their ace, sophomore Andy Pettitte, to the mound that night. He carried a 21-8 record as he opposed Baltimore's Scott Erickson.

Baltimore took a 1-0 in the top of the first on the strength of Brady Anderson leadoff double, a sacrifice bunt from Robbie Alomar, and an RBI groundout from Todd Zeile. The Yankees used the same blue print to tie the score in the fifth, with a double from Jim Leyritz, a bunt from Mariano Duncan, and an RBI groundout from Wade Boggs. Eddie Murray then singled home Bobby Bonilla in the seventh to put Baltimore up 2-1.

Down to their final three outs and trailing by a run, the Yankees faced Oriole closer Randy Myers in the ninth. Paul O'Neill drew a leadoff walk. Hobbled by a torn hamstring that would plague him for the remainder of the year, O'Neill was lifted for pinch runner Ruben Rivera.

A cousin of the Yankees then set-up man Mariano Rivera, it was Ruben who was more likely to be the future Hall of Famer as the two came up through the minor league system. Ruben won back-to-back MVP awards in the NY-Penn and South Atlantic Leagues in '93 and '94, was named the Yankees minor league player of the year by Baseball America for three years running, was the #2 overall prospect entering 1995, and the #3 overall entering 1996. Though Derek Jeter had beat Rivera to the punch in becoming a Big League regular, the two were considered equally promising prospects by the organization.

Rivera moved to second when Cecil Fielder walked, then scored the tying run on Bernie Williams' RBI single. Mariano held the fort in the top of the tenth. Ruben was due up fourth in the bottom of the inning.

Derek Jeter led off the inning with a base hit. Charlie Hayes bunted him to second, and Tim Raines' groundout moved him to third. With two outs and the winning run just 90 feet away, Rivera stepped into the box for just his 82nd Major League plate appearance. He was batting an impressive .270/.400/.460 on the season, but had been to the plate just 19 times in the three plus weeks since his last recall, going just four for sixteen with three walks in that time.

Former Yankee Alan Mills was on the mound for Baltimore and had two bases open. But he needed just one out to extend the game for another inning, and he had top of his potent line up due to bat in the top half of the eleventh. Mills was going to go after the rusty rookie rather than take his chances with whoever would pinch hit for Pat Kelly (who had run for Fielder the inning before).

Rivera fouled off the first two pitches, leaving him in an 0-2 hole. He battled back to even the count at 2-2, and on the fifth pitch of the at bat he lofted a hump back liner over the head of Robbie Alomar, giving the Yankees the win. The Yankee lead was back to four games; Baltimore would get no closer over the season's final eleven days.

One week later the Yankees clinched their first division title in fifteen years when they took the first game of a doubleheader from the Brewers, a 19-2 rout. Rivera played right field that day, and despite the blowout score, took a pair of opportunities to show off his rocket right arm. The next day he awoke with shoulder soreness, which eventually required surgery the following spring. He never played for the Yankees after that, instead serving as the centerpiece of the package the Yankees shipped to San Diego for the rights to Hideki Irabu in April 1997.

Rivera never fulfilled his promise in San Diego, or in any of his three other Major League stops. He had a chance to rejoin the Yankees as a back up outfielder in 2002, but blew that opportunity when he stole a glove from Derek Jeter's locker during Spring Training and sold it to a memorabilia dealer. After a brief return to the Yankees' minor league system in 2005, Rivera has spent the past four years posting impressive numbers in the Mexican League.

Just as Rivera did fourteen years, Hellickson helped his team to a big victory last night. For Hellickson's sake I hope he fulfills his promise better than Rivera did. For the Yankees' sake, I hope Hellickson's heroics last night prove less decisive than Rivera's were on that September night against the O's.

1996 World Series: Game 4

[With the Yankees squaring off against the Braves this week, we thought it would be appropriate to take a look back at the two World Series during which they faced off in the late 90's]

Joe Torre had held back David Cone for Game 3, believing it to be the most critical game of a series. That move worked like a charm. But the Yankees still trailed two games to one, making Game 4 nearly as critical. A win would even the Series, but a loss would push the Yankees to the brink of elimination.

The difference between Game 4 and Game 3 was that instead of handing the ball to the gutsy, tested David Cone, the start would go to Kenny Rogers. A native of nearby Savannah, Rogers had signed a four year, $20M free agent contract following the 1995 season, as he, Jack McDowell, and Ken Hill went on a free agent carousel that mirrored a three team trade.

Rogers had been a successful pitcher in Texas, spending his first four seasons as a reliever. Converted to a starter in 1993, Rogers performed well, going 44-25 with a 3.95 ERA (117 ERA+) in his final three seasons in Arlington. The Yankees always seek quality left handed pitching, but almost immediately following the signing there were questions as to whether Rogers had the right mental make up for New York.

1996 got off to a rough start for The Gambler, taking a BP line drive from Tony Fernandez of his pitching elbow early in spring training. He recovered to make thirty starts, going 12-8. He posted an ERA of 4.68, which was actually below league average in a record setting offensive year, good for an ERA+ of 107. But he was a constant tightrope act, allowing nearly 1.5 baserunners per inning, and posting a K/BB of only 1.11. He had been a disaster in his three postseason appearances, allowing 6 ER in 5 IP and failing to make it to the fourth inning in either of his starts.

For Game 4 he was opposed by future Yankee and friend to streetwalkers everywhere, Denny Neagle. Neagle was a deadline pick up for the Braves, and he pitched poorly in his six starts for the Braves, going 2-3 with a 5.59 ERA. But he had been dynamite with Pittsburgh earlier in the year and his final line for 1996 was 16-9, 3.50 ERA 126 ERA+. He had yet to register a decision in the '96 postseason, but entered Game 4 with a postseason ERA of 2.63 over 13.2 IP.

Rogers worked a perfect first, inducing three groundouts. He was an utter disaster thereafter. The Crimedog led off the bottom of the second with a solo shot. Rogers then issued free passes to Javy Lopez and Andruw Jones. Lopez moved to third on a Jermaine Dye flyout to right, then scored on a bunt single from Jeff Blauser. Neagle sacrificed the runners to second and third, then Marquis Grissom cleared the bases with a double. A Mark Lemke groundout ended the inning, but the damage was done. Rogers had spotted the Braves a four run lead.

Rogers returned to the mound for the third, but threw only seven more pitches, yielding back-to-back singles to Chipper Jones and Fred McGriff to put runners on the corners. As he had in Game 1, Torre turned to Brian Boehringer in the early going, and Boehringer faired far better this time around. He set down three in order to wriggle out of Rogers' jam, allowing the Braves fifth run to score on a sacrifice fly. Boehringer followed that with a perfect fourth.

Boehinger gave way to David Weathers for the fifth. He sandwiched two walks between two Ks, before allowing the sixth Brave run on an Andruw Jones double.

Neagle entered the top of the sixth up six runs and cruising. He had gone five scoreless innings, retired the first eight in a row, and allowed just two hits - one of them an infield single. His only hiccup came in the fourth when he walked three, but used a double play and his third strikeout of the night to get out of trouble. He had been close to untouchable, but his luck was about to change.

Derek Jeter led off the sixth with a single and moved to second on a Bernie Williams walk. Cecil Fielder and Charlie Hayes, starting against the lefty in place of Tino Martinez and Wade Boggs respectively, followed with back-to-back singles. An error by Jermaine Dye on the Fielder single allowed Williams to score, and Fielder to move to second then score on the Hayes single. That was it for Neagle; he exited leading 6-3 and responsible for Hayes on first.

The remainder of the sixth turned into a chess match. Terrell Wade relieved Neagle and walked Darryl Strawberry, making it first and second with no one out. Wade gave way to Mike Bielecki. As Jay pointed out yesterday, Bielecki wasn't the Atlanta closer, but he was their fireman. The veteran righty was in the second to last and best season of his 14 year career. He put out the blaze by striking out the side, getting Mariano Duncan and pinch hitters Paul O'Neill and Tino Martinez although it took him 15 pitches to do so.

The game stayed at 6-3 for the remainder of the sixth and through the seventh. Jeff Nelson worked those two frames for the Yankees, yielding no hits and a walk against 2 Ks. Bielecki was nearly as effective in the seventh as he was in the sixth, giving up just a walk and notching another strikeout.

In the top of the eighth the whole World Series changed. Bobby Cox turned to his closer Mark Wholers. Hayes and Strawberry led off with back-to-back singles. Strawberry was erased on a fielder's choice from Duncan, leaving runners at the corners with one out. Jim Leyritz stepped to the plate and was about to make a career for himself.

Leyritz had first come up to the Yankees in the disastrous 1990 season, making him the most tenured member of the team. It took him until '92 to stick for good, but one thing Leyritz never lacked for was confidence, even as he hit .182/.300/.221 in '91. His brashness rubbed some the wrong way, but also earned him a measure of respect amongst him teammates, as well as two good nicknames: Elvis and The King. He already had won a bit of a reputation for coming up big in the post-season, as his 15th inning home run ended Game 2 of the 1995 ALDS.

Leyritz had entered the game in the bottom of the sixth, after O'Neill pinch hit for Joe Girardi, and had to face the fireballing Wholers in his first plate appearance of the night. Wholers peppered Leyritz with fastballs approaching 100 MPH and Leyritz struggled to keep up with them. Then, Wholers inexplicably threw a 2-2 slider. He hung it, and Leyritz yanked it over the left field fence to tie the score at six.

Mariano Rivera took over in the bottom of the eighth and worked around a leadoff single to keep the score tied. Wholers made it interesting again in the top of the ninth, allowing three consecutive two out singles to load the bases, before getting Duncan to line out and end the threat.

In the bottom of the ninth, Rivera put two on with one out when Torre summoned Graeme Lloyd to face McGriff. Lloyd was absolutely awful after coming over from the Brewers in an August trade. His ERA was 17.47 and WHIP was 3.00 over 13 appeances. There were rumors that he was damaged goods and there was reason to believe that he was. The initial trade also had former Rookie of the Year Pat Listach going to the Yankees until he was found to be injured, requiring the Brewers to send Ricky Bones to complete the deal.

But as the fall dawned, Lloyd turned over a new leaf. He allowed just one hit and no runs over four appearances and 2.2 IP between the ALDS and ALCS and was perfect through 1.1 IP between Games 2 and 3 of the World Series, striking out three of the four batters he faced. Lloyd continued his superb October by getting a doubleplay grounder from McGriff to send the game to extra innings.

In the tenth, Cox replaced Wholers with Steve Avery. At the outset of the Braves postseason run in 1991 it appeared that Avery would be part of "The Big Three" with Glavine and Smoltz. He went 47-25 from '91-'93 and finished sixth in the '91 Cy Young Award voting. But Avery began slipping in '94 and by '96 he was a sub-.500 pitcher with an ERA slightly poorer than the league average. The arrivals of Maddux and Neagle had bumped him from the postseason rotation.

Avery recorded two quick outs. But Tim Raines drew a walk, followed by an infield single from Jeter that put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Cox elected to intentionally walk Bernie Williams to load the bases. Light hitting Andy Fox was due up, but Torre had one last bullet in his gun.

Wade Boggs was the last position player on the bench. Hayes had started at third with the lefty Neagle starting, and Torre had elected to use O'Neill, Martinez, and even Mike Aldrete for earlier pinch hitting duties. It was almost as if Torre was waiting for this opportunity to come around.

Boggs had suffered through the Red Sox collapse in the 1986 World Series as well as their beatdowns at the hands of the Oakland A's in the 1988 and 1990 ALCS. His arrival in New York was a big part of changing the culture of the organization, and he rewarded the team with two Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers in his first four seasons in pintstripes. But Hayes' arrival at the waiver deadline reduced Boggs' playing time. He had gone a combined 3 for 27 (.111) in the AL playoffs, but rebounded to go 3 for 8 between Games 1 and 2 of the Series.

Boggs pinch hit for Fox, and as he had done so often in his career, he worked a full count, then drew a walk to give the Yankees the lead. Cox pulled a double switch, putting Ryan Klesko at first and bringing in Brad Clontz to face Charlie Hayes. Hayes popped up to first, but Klesko made an error, giving the Yankees a two run lead.

Lloyd came back to the mound for the bottom of the tenth. He struck out Klesko leading off the inning, to run his World Series ledger to 2.1 perfect innings with four strikeouts. Torre then called on John Wetteland to get the final two outs. Wetteland gave up a single to Andruw Jones, then ended the game by getting both Dye and Terry Pendleton to fly out to left.

With that, the Series became a best of three.

1996 World Series: Game 3

[With the Yankees squaring off against the Braves this week, we thought it would be appropriate to take a look back at the two World Series during which they faced off in the late 90's]

Game 3 had the Series shifting south to Atlanta. Things were not looking good for the Yanks, down 0-2 and having lost the first two games on their home turf by a combined score of 16-1. It wasn't going to get any easier for Game 3, as the Braves were sending former Cy Young Award winner Tom Glavine to the hill. Glavine won 15 games in 1996 and posted what was then the second best ERA+ of his career (147). Despite entering the game with a 7-7 post-season record, Glavine had a post-season ERA of just 3.05. He pitched 8 shuout innings of one hit ball in the 1995 World Series clincher, was the reigning World Series MVP, and was 2-1 with a 1.83 ERA in the 1996 NL Playoffs.

If all that added up to feeling of impending doom surrounding the Yankees, from George Steinbrenner to the media to the to fanbase, there was at least one little corner of the team that wasn't worried: Joe Torre. As he had been all throughout his first season as Yankee manager, and as he would be for the remainder of his twelve year tenure, Torre was the picture of calm.

Following the Game Two loss, Steinbrenner made a comment to Torre essentially asking him to make it respectable and avoid a sweep. Torre countered by predicting they would win the next three, claiming that Atlanta was his town. And in a way it was. Torre had played the first three seasons of Atlanta Braves baseball, hitting .290/.356/.469, 134 OPS+ and making two All-Star teams. He returned as manager in 1982, leading the Braves to the NL West title. It was the first post-season appearance for Atlanta, and their only one until they started their remarkable run in 1991.

But it wasn't just his Atlanta track record that gave Torre confidence; he had an ace up his sleeve, literally. David Cone was taking the ball for the Yankees in Game 3. Despite missing most of 1996 following surgery to correct an aneurysm in his throwing arm, Cone was still the Yankees' ace, going 7-2 with an ERA+ of 174 in eleven starts. He had last pitched twelve days earlier, starting Game 2 of the ALCS, and easily could have started the Series opener. But Torre intentionally held Cone back until Game 3, as Torre always felt Game 3 to be a series' most critical game. And it would never be more critical than when looking at an 0-2 deficit.

Cone entered Game 3 with a career post-season line of just 3-3 with a 4.29 ERA. But he had as many World Series rings as Glavine and a reputation as a big game pitcher. He would do nothing on the night of October 22, 1996 to detract from that reputation.

The Yankees drew blood in the top of the first. Tim Raines worked a leadoff walk and moved to second on a sacrfice by Derek Jeter. A Bernie Williams single up the middle plated Raines to make it 1-0.

David Cone came out guns blazing. He gave up a leadoff bloop single to Marquis Grissom, then erased him on a doubleplay from Mark Lemke. Cone then surrenedered a second single to Chipper Jones, but got out of the first with a groundout from the spokesperson for Tom Emanski's defensive drills video.

Cone pitched perfect second and third innings. By the time he issued a walk to Fred McGriff with two outs in the fourth, he had retired nine in a row. He followed the walk by catching Ryan Klesko looking to end the inning. In the fifth, he gave up a leadoff single to Javy Lopez, then erased him on a fielder's choice by Andruw Jones. After Joe Girardi caught Jones stealing, Cone K'd Jeff Blauser to end the inning.

At that point, Cone had a 2-0 lead, with the Yankees having added a run in the fourth when Williams reached on an error, moved to second on a walk to Cecil Fielder, to third on a Charlie Hayes lineout to right, and scored on a Darryl Strawberry single. Entering the bottom of the sixth, Cone had gone 5 innings scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits, a walk, striking out 3, and facing just two over the minimum. He had allowed just four balls to leave the infield, and one was a blooper and another a groundball single. The Braves couldn't touch him, but he was about to make things interesting.

Glavine led off the inning, and Cone walked him. Grissom followed with a single to move Glavine to second, but Cone caught a break when Lemke's bunt attempt became a popout to Fielder. Cone then walked Chipper Jones on five pitches to load the bases for the heart of the Braves order.

The situation was enough to bring Torre to the mound. According to The Yankee Years, Torre asked Cone repeatedly if he was OK. The game was on the line, and Torre needed to know that Cone, just five months removed from surgery, had enough left in the tank to get out of the jam. But after waiting his whole life to get to the Series, Torre wasn't about to accept the typical answer of a proud athlete. He was nose to nose with Cone, asking him if he could get the job done. Whatever Cone said to Torre, it was sufficient to convince him. And Torre's trust would be rewarded.

Cone got McGriff to popup to Jeter for the second out of the inning. Facing Klesko, Cone issued his third walk of the inning, forcing in a run and cutting the lead to one. But Lopez followed by fouling out to Girardi. It ended the threat and was the last big chance the Braves would have on the night.

Jim Leyritz pinch hit for Cone in the seventh and Mariano Rivera took the mound in the bottom of the inning. Mo retired the first two batters, when Luis Polonia, between his second and third stints as a Yankee, pinch hit for Glavine. He drew a walk, but when he tried swiping second he was gunned down by Girardi, ending the inning.

The Yanks padded their lead in the eighth. Jeter led off with a single and scored on Williams' sixth and final HR of the '96 post-season. Fielder followed with a double and pinch runner Andy Fox moved to third on a Hayes groundout. Strawberry was walked intentionally, then Luis Sojo dribbled one of his patented seeing-eye-RBI singles through the infield to make it 5-1. All three runs were charged to Greg McMichael, who failed to record an out.

Rivera got into a bit of trouble in the eighth. Grissom ledoff with a triple, then scored on a Lemke single. Mo whiffed Chipper Jones then gave way to southpaw Graeme Lloyd, who got lefties McGriff and Klesko to end the inning.

John Wetteland came on for the ninth. After the leadoff batter reached on a Jeter error, Wetteland struck out Andruw Jones and Blauser, then retired pinch hitter Terry Pendleton on a groundout to give the Yankees their first victory of the Series. Glavine had pitched masterfully, 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, but Cone matched him. No one quite knew it yet, but the tide of the 1996 World Series had turned.

Yankees Fathers and Sons [Part 2]

Still killing time on a Monday off day. Here's the exciting conclusion of Yankees Fathers and Sons"

Jesse Barfield: A Yankee OFer from 1989-1992, he's the father Josh Barfield, who after a decent rookie campaign with the Padres in 2006, was traded to the Indians and has really fallen off the map.

Danny Tartabull: A Yankee from 1992-1995, his father Jose was an outfielder from 1961-1970.

Cecil Fielder: Big Daddy was with the Yanks in 1996 and 97. His son is one the game's top sluggers but lamentably the two aren't on speaking terms. Stories abound about a young Prince jacking BP HRs in Tiger Stadium as a youngster. A relative of mine ran into father and son Fielder in a Florida grocery store when Prince wasn't yet a teenager. He said the kid was huge.

Ruben Amaro: Amaro Sr was with the Yanks from 1966-68. Ruben Jr had a mediocre Big League career and is now the General Manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Jose Cruz: Cruz Sr ended his career with the 1988 Yankees. His son Jose Jr played in the Majors through last season.

John Mayberry: Mayberry ended his career with the Yankees in 1982. His son John Jr made his Big League debut against the Yankees earlier this year and hit his first Major League HR.

Matt Keough: A pitcher on the 1983 Yankees, his father played from 1956-66

Joe Niekro: The late knuckleballer was with the Yankees in 1985, 86, and 87, briefly as a teammate of his Hall of Fame brother Phil. His son Lance was a firstbaseman with the Giants from 2003-07. After washing out, he tried to reinvent himself a knuckleballer like his father and uncle before him.

Dave Parrish: Parrish was the Yankees first round pick in 2000. He never appeared in a Major League game, but was called up briefly a few years ago when Jorge Posada broke his nose breaking up a double play. He is the son of former Big League catcher Lance Parrish.

Dick Schofield: The Senior Schofield played 25 games for 1966 Yankees as part of a 19 year Big League career. His son Dick Jr played from 1983-96. He is also the grandfather of Jayson Werth, whose step-father Dennis Werth played for the Yanks from 1979-81.

Joel Skinner: Light hitting back-up catcher from 1986-1988, his father Bob was an outfielder for 12 years, predominantly with the Pirates.

Roy Smalley: A Yankee from 1982-84, his father Roy Sr had an 11 year career. His is also the nephew of former manager Gene Mauch.

Steve Trout: Steve had a brief and disastrous stint as a Yankee in 1987. His father Dizzy had a good 15 year career as a pitcher.

Gary Ward: A Yankee from 1987-89, his son Daryle played in the Bigs through last year and has been one of the NL's top pinch hitters.

Stan Javier: Javier made his Major League debut as a 20 year-old with the 1984 Yankees. He was included in the Rickey Henderson deal following the season and carved out a nice 17 year career. His father Juliam was a Major League second baseman in the sixties and early seventies.

Anyone got anymore? Leave them in the comments.

Countdown To Opening Day: #45

For much of the 90's the number 45 was penciled into the Yankees' DH slot.

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Danilo Tartabull Mora originally came up as shortstop with the Royals. He only played 24 games in The Bigs at SS, and was quickly transitioned to a RF/DH. He had solid numbers with the Royals but nothing too impressive, especially for a corner OF/DH. Coming off a the best season of his career in 1991 (171OPS+), Tartabull became one of the five highest paid players in baseball when he signed a five year $25.5M deal with the Yankees.

He put up decent numbers when he was healthy, but Danny was plagued by injuries during his tenure, averaging only 122 games during the three full seasons he spent the Bronx before being traded to Oakland in 1995. He suffered from sprained wrists, pulled hamstrings, back spasms and bruised kidneys. Sound similar to another free agent acquisition to bear the #45? The Curse of Danny Tartabull(c) You heard it here first.

After he was traded to the A's for Ruben Sierra, Tartabull lashed out a George Steinbrenner for the comments The Boss has been making all season about him. Danny said:

If s a zoo there. No, I take that back; it's a joke. The sad part is that the only reason for that is the owner. He wants to be the center of attention so bad he just destroys that team. If s so hard for those guys to win because of that man. To win the division, you have to be twice as good as anyone else just to overcome all of the crap that goes on. The guys won't say it on the record, but they're just miserable there.

Some of that was probably warranted, but here's the kicker:

That team's going to be a disaster next year. You'll see. No one's going to want to play there.

See, you just change "disaster" to "dynasty" and "No one" to "Everyone" and that sentence makes perfect sense!

In one of the most fitting ends to a career possible, he retired seven games into the 1997 season after fouling a ball of his toe.



The Yanks acquired the ironically-named Cecil Fielder in 1996 by trading Ruben Sierra and Matt Drews to the Tigers. Fielder hit 13 HRs in 53 games to round out the regular season. On the way to the World Series, Big C hit .307 with 3HRs and 10RBIs. A portly chap, Fielder was almost exclusively a DH, appearing in only 17 games in the field in his two years with the Yankees, all at first base. Bill James once called Cecil, "a fat guy that hit a few home runs for a while."

In 1990 & 91, his first two full seasons as a pro, Fielder hit 51 then 44 HRs and finished second in the MVP voting to Rickey Henderson then Cal Ripken. His 1990 season was the first 50+HR in the American League since Mantle and Maris went at it in 1961. Big Daddy finished his career with 319 round-trippers and a line of .255/.345/.482.



Fielder left after the 1997 season and the Yankees acquired Charles Theodore "Chili" Davis to try and fill his shoes. Chili got his nickname from a bad haircut he cut when he was 12, growing up in Kingston, Jamaica. He injured his ankle in Spring Training in '98 and after playing in the first two games of the season, appeared in only 33 more coming down the stretch. He saw 27 ABs that postseason and drove in 7 runs.

He exclusively DH'ed during his time with the Yanks and wasn't particularly strong offensively, but is remembered fondly by most Yankee fans because his two years in the Bronx coincided with two World Series victories. When he retired, he had the third highest career HR total (350) as a switch hitter, behind only Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray.