NY Yankees: Core Four Represents Offseason Issues For Bronx Bombers

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/500086-ny-yankees-core-four-represents-offseason-issues-for-bronx-bombers

NY Yankees: Core Four Represents Offseason Issues For Bronx Bombers
ByScott Gyurina
October 25, 2010

Not only does the ALCS Game 6 loss to the Texas Rangers end the New York Yankees' quest to repeat as baseball's World Series champions, but it may also signify the end of an era.

No, not the end of a dynasty that some have spoken of, that would require more than one World Series title in 10 years to be spoken of in such terms. The last Yankee dynasty ended in 2001, or 2003 if you're generous.

The era in question would be that of the Yankees' "Core Four", the homegrown quartet of veteran players that have persevered in the Bronx, playing a significant role in the Yankees' five World Series titles since 1996. Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada are the first trio of players in American sports history to play together for at least 16 years, a tremendous display of loyalty in an era dominated by free agency and frequent player movement. The fourth member, Andy Pettitte, arrived in the Bronx during 1995 like the others, but spent 2004-06 pitching closer to home in Houston. Otherwise, it is likely that these four Yankees would have remained with the franchise for the entirety of their careers.

Yankee fans have long been able to count on Jeter, Mariano, Posada and Pettitte delivering standout performances throughout the regular season and then when the stakes were highest, in the crisp autumn air of baseball's postseason. Jeter, long-revered by Yankee fans as "Captain Clutch" or "Mr. November", holds a host MLB playoff records and has forged much of his reputation with dramatic postseason heroics. Mariano, considered by many to be the greatest closer the game has ever seen, is lock to join Jeter in the Hall of Fame once their playing careers conclude, and his postseason resume is one of the most impressive in baseball's history.

Will the Yankees' Core Four remain intact in 2011?

Andy Pettitte also stands a chance to join his teammates in the Hall of Fame one day. Though he has never possessed the dominant stuff or numbers of the top aces in the game, Pettitte has nevertheless had an outstanding career and owns another highly impressive playoff career, one that boasts the most career victories in baseball postseason history. His longtime battery-mate, Jorge Posada, is a top 15 all-time catcher, and will get his share of Hall of Fame consideration as well once his playing days are over.

That incredible shared history is likely something that we won't see again in baseball for quite some time. The manner in which players move between teams today makes it quite rare what this group of Yankees has accomplished together. This off-season may very well represent a turning point in the story of the Yankees' "Core Four" however.

With a devastating defeat in the American League Championship Series, comes a look toward the future for the Yankees. Constantly looking to evolve and improve their team, Brian Cashman and his fellow Yankee brass have some important decisions to make, and several significant determinations in regard to the "Core Four" with three of them at the end of their contracts. Even without the contract issues, the venerable quartet each come with their own set of questions as the Yankees head into a critical off-season.

Derek Jeter

The Yankee captain couldn't have chosen a less opportune time to have his worst season of his storied career. Playing the final year of his 10-year, $189 million contract, Jeter struggled mightily outside of approximately seven weeks of the season. After posting one of his best seasons in 2009, hopes were high for Jeter as he entered his contract year, but those hopes were never realized. He looked a step slower in the field, and his bat had trouble catching up to fastballs all year. Outside of a hot April start, Jeter looked nearly incapable of driving the ball, instead racking up a massive collection of weak infield ground-outs.

His line-drive rate was the lowest of his career, his batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage all career lows. He was impatient, swinging at everything, especially in the first half, and he found himself killing more rallies than starting them.

Even in the postseason, where we are accustomed to Jeter outshining nearly everyone, he produced a steady stream of ground-outs, and was unable to pull any Jeterian magic from his hat.

Still, unabashed Jeter supporters will tell you that it was the only bad season of his career, and that he will rebound next year, because that's just the way it is. Derek Jeter is a Yankee legend and he is their short-stop until he simply cannot do it anymore.

Some of that may be true, it may have simply been a down year. His uncharacteristic .270 batting average is actually only one point below Hall of Famer Joe Morgan's career average. Jeter could very well rebound and look like himself again, but it's never an encouraging sign to have your worst season, often appearing feeble and tired as you approach 37 years old. The established track record for players suddenly reversing decline at that age is short, especially after the end of the "steroid era".

Most players exhibiting a severe decline in production might be facing the end of the line with their team as their current contract runs out. But, this is Derek Jeter. He has been the face of the most recent Yankee dynasty, and even the highest profile player in Major League Baseball for a decade and a half. His sterling reputation both on the field and off, combined with his overall package of looks and charm have made him the most marketable player the game has seen for quite some time, if not ever.

All of these factors come into play when considering the Derek Jeter contract situation. As much as his actual on-field production, Jeter has long been revered for the intangible qualities he possesses, his leadership abilities and the grace with which he handles the pressures of New York.

The Yankees are well aware of his impact on their bottom line. Any trip through Yankee Stadium or the surrounding Bronx streets will assure you of the captain's popularity amongst Yankee fans. His jerseys are everywhere, from the old school fans that grew up with DiMaggio and Mantle, to the urban tough guys inhabiting the local neighborhoods, to little girls making their first trip to the stadium with their parents. Yankee fans, and there are many of them, love Derek Jeter.

Though out of a contract, there is no real fear that Jeter is going to ever don another uniform. There is the feeling that Jeter was born to be a Yankee, and to one day assume his place in the pantheon of career pinstriped heroes like Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Berra and Ford. Yes, I know Yogi had nine plate appearances with the Mets in 1965, but I'm not going to let that tarnish his stellar Yankee career.

As Jeter sits only 74 hits away from the 3,000 hit plateau, it stands to reason that he will reach it somewhere near the 2011 All-Star break. Since no Yankee has ever reached that mark, Jeter, already the all-time franchise hits leader, will undoubtedly achieve the feat in a New York uniform.

How to balance diminishing production with still undeniable value to the Yankee franchise? Jeter, though his numbers are declining, and no doubt his best days are behind him, will be paid as much for his intangible values, reputation and marketability as he will his baseball.

What is the appropriate amount to commit to a 36-year-old, singles hitting short-stop with limited range? Not only that, but how long do you let him trot out to the most important position in the infield, knowing that range and athleticism are prime attributes that top short-stops must possess to be successful? That question becomes even more complicated considering the Yankees have all three other infield positions locked up long term, and Jeter has never played an inning in the outfield.

We know Derek Jeter is not going to play anywhere but the Bronx, in all likelihood ending his career as a Yankee. However, the situation could become much more complicated than many realize when considering Jeter's future with the team. Everyone wants to see Derek Jeter play short forever, but history tells us that simply cannot happen. I don't envy Brian Cashman in this scenario.

Mariano Rivera

Another modern Yankee legend that finds himself out of contract, Mariano Rivera, at age 40, just completed one his finer seasons in pinstripes. Seemingly defying the nature of time itself, Mariano is as spry and fit as ever, providing the stable foundation for the Yankee bullpen 16 years into his career.

Completing his three-year, $45 million contract, there are suddenly worries that Mariano might be done with pitching. He will turn 41 in little over a month, and though his competitive fire still burns brightly, Mo has nothing left to prove in this game.

We also know Mo isn't going to play anywhere else. A lifelong Yankee, the man is just as responsible for the Yankees' five World Series rings during his career as anyone. Without the dominant force at the end of all those playoff games, who knows how different history could have been?

Using primarily his trademark cutter to shatter bats along with oppositional hopes as he silenced late game offensive threats, Mariano has forged a reputation in many minds as the greatest closer the game has ever seen. His value to the Yankees has been readily apparent on the mound, but the depth of his impact reaches far beyond that. Mo has called upon his vast reserve of experience and knowledge to serve as a teacher and coach in the Yankee bullpen, imparting his wisdom on a variety of Yankee hurlers.

With no apparent replacement for Mariano currently within the Yankee ranks, it would appear that his formidable presence is still required by the team. Joba has not yet matured into the pitcher the Yankees envisioned, and free agent closers of Mariano's caliber simply don't exist. The Yankees have had their eye on Joakim Soria in Kansas City, but his contract runs through 2011, with three option years following that. He may eventually be a target, but for now he doesn't appear to be available.

It remains to be seen how much longer Mariano wants to pitch. After the World Series victory last year, he boldly proclaimed that he wants to pitch five more years. He has made no such claims recently though, and will return to Panama to ponder his baseball future.

One motivating factor could be the desire to wrest the all-time saves record from Trevor Hoffman. Sitting at 559, only 42 behind Hoffman, Mariano is clearly within striking distance. Though Hoffman is still active, he struggled through an abysmal season in Milwaukee, and could very well be considering hanging up his spikes. If so, Mariano would need just over a year's worth of saves to take his rightful spot atop the all-time leader board. Whether Mo cares enough about personal records to continue playing for that reason is another story.

The other aspect of his story is that he was still one of the top relievers in the game, even as he approaches 41 years old. In 38 save opportunities, he saved 33 games for an 87 percent success rate, just below his career average of 89 percent. Though his strikeout rates may be lower, his 1.80 ERA was the fifth lowest of his career, and his 0.833 WHIP was the second lowest he has ever posted. He may not throw as hard as he once did, but his experience and veteran guile make him a more intelligent pitcher, enabling to him to continually succeed on the mound, despite the rigors of time.

The Yankees need a closer, and they appear unlikely to let the legendary closer they've employed for 16 years go anywhere. Depending upon a few other factors, we'll have to wait and see how much money and many years the Yankees are willing to commit, but it seems highly likely that this successful partnership will continue for the foreseeable future.

Jorge Posada

Derek Jeter may be the captain, but Jorge Posada has long been considered the heart and soul of this Yankee team. More of a vocal leader that Jeter, Posada has helped steer the team with his toughness and determination, while playing a pivotal role in four world championships since 1997.

Posada, just turned 39 himself, and has seen better days. Though he is still under contract for one more year, he represents a significant question for the Yankees as they look toward next season.

His days as a regular catcher are clearly over, as he has only managed to catch 30, 100, and 83 games over the last three seasons, while also seeing significant time in the designated hitter role.

Jorge a standout offensive performer relative to his position, is likely a top-15 catcher of all-time. His potent bat, patient approach and switch-hitting abilities have made him a constant fixture in the Yankee lineup for years. Though never considered a strong defensive catcher, his offensive abilities always outweighed his deficiencies behind the dish.

Never a quick-footed catcher, Jorge has always had a problem with blocking balls in the dirt and throwing out attempted base-stealers. Those problems were highlighted this postseason, as the Rangers ran rampant on a powerless Posada. Of course, some of that blame has to go to the pitchers for failing to control the running game, but Posada's throws were weak and errant, allowing the Rangers to run at will, overwhelming the Yankees.

Clearly, the Rangers running game wasn't the sole reason for the Yankee loss to Texas, but it was a significant factor. The pitchers were never able to focus on pitching because any time a base-runner reached, it was almost a foregone conclusion that he was about to steal his way into scoring position.

During the regular season, Yankee catchers threw out a measly 15 percent of attempted base-stealers, good for last in all of baseball. League average was 28 percent, and the next closest team was Boston at 20 percent. Clearly, this is a weakness that needs to be addressed.

Though his bat still contains plenty of pop, and his patient approach will still allow Posada to reach base at a steady rate, it becomes difficult to envision Jorge catching very often in 2011. With Francisco Cervelli having a solid year as his backup, and a stable full of young catching prospects waiting in the minors, Posada may be best suited for a DH role in the upcoming year.

One position the Yankees are stocked at is catcher, with uber-prospect Jesus Montero nearly MLB ready, Austin Romine making significant strides, as well as youngsters J.R. Murphy and Gary Sanchez developing in the lower minors. If Montero's much-heralded bat is as lethal as reported, his time is surely approaching. His defense, always a weakness has reportedly improved greatly over the second half of 2010, and we may very well see his Bronx arrival sometime in 2011.

Posada, who hit 18 HR with 57 RBI, while posting an .811 OPS in 2010 could see increased time in the designated hitter role. His experienced switch-hitting bat could serve in the spot where the Yankees used Nick Johnson, Marcus Thames and Lance Berkman in 2010, allowing younger, more defensively inclined youngsters to take over handling the pitching staff.

Though his veteran presence is preferred by the Yankees in the postseason, his stubborn methods of dealing with pitchers has helped create a difficult situation at times with various members of the Yankee staff. It has been public knowledge that specific pitchers don't enjoy throwing to him, as he doesn't frame pitches, lazily blocks balls in the dirt and butts heads with hurlers over pitch selection.

It may behoove the Yankees to minimize his time behind the plate in 2011, handing the reigns to a duo of younger backstops. Of course, no one expects Posada to take that well when it inevitably occurs, but sometimes tough decisions need to be made, even when they apply to respected veterans in your squad.

Andy Pettitte

The third member of the Yankees' Core Four to be out of contract is veteran left-hander, Andy Pettitte. A member of the Yankees since 1995, minus a three year stint in Houston, Andy is also the proud owner of five World Series rings. His contributions to those postseason odysseys have been significant, as he is the all-time baseball postseason leader in victories.

While his fellow members of the Yankee starting rotation struggled to varying degrees in the 2010 playoffs, Pettitte registered two good starts, winning one and losing the other, but lasting seven innings each time, and utilizing his vast experience to shut down two powerful offenses. His outings were the only starts that felt the least bit comfortable from the Yankee starting staff.

His participation in the postseason was never a sure thing, as Andy made a last ditch effort in the regular season's final weeks to get himself ready for the playoffs. He missed a full two months of the season due to a groin injury he suffered on July 18, and only returned on September 18, a mere two weeks before the playoffs.

Prior to his injury, Pettitte was enjoying one of the finest years of his career, going 11-2 with a 2.88 ERA through July 18. He only was able to make three starts after returning from his stint on the DL, to uneven results. The Yankees were holding their breath, praying that their most experienced hurler could contribute as they attempted to defend their 2009 World Series title.

Pettitte's triumphant return was a success on a personal level, but ultimately for naught, as the Yankees were thoroughly defeated in the ALCS, but through no fault of Andy's.

Despite his great season, it remains to be seen whether Andy wants to continue pitching. It is likely that the Yankees would welcome his veteran presence in the middle of their rotation, however he has been a threat to retire at the end of every season for several years.

Still a highly competitive hurler, Pettitte proved that he can still pitch effectively, but his desire has to be there. Always a devoted family man, Andy Pettitte has placed his fate in the hands of his wife and kids, and will only pitch if they still want him to.

He recently stated that he has nothing left to accomplish in this game, so the seeds of doubt over his return have been planted. When on the hill, there is little doubt as to the degree of his competitive nature, but one can fully comprehend the desire of a man to spend more time with his wife and children.

The Yankees may be ready to heavily pursue ace Cliff Lee after the conclusion of the World Series. That would seem to cast some doubt on the availability of a rotation slot for Pettitte, but if it came down to it, I'm sure A.J. Burnett's spot is not fully secured. I can tell you that nearly every Yankee fan I've ever met would personally help chip in for Burnett's contract if it meant they could move him to accommodate Andy Pettitte.

Not Quite the End Of An Era, But Getting There

In all likelihood, at least three members of the Core Four will remain in Yankee pinstripes for at least 2011. Posada will obviously stay for the coming season, and the overwhelming odds suggest Jeter and Mariano will sign new contracts to keep them in the Bronx for at least another few seasons.

Mariano will very likely be right where we expect him to be, anchoring the Yankee bullpen, providing security late in games as he has for years.

The time has come for Jeter and Posada to both take a serious look in the mirror, and realize that they aren't the dynamic young stars of their youth. Both Yankee leaders still have a valuable role to play with the only team they have ever known, but it may be evolving as the team needs to move forward without getting bogged down by nostalgia.

Andy Pettitte, as we have grown accustomed, will take his time to make his decision, and we very well may have seen the last of him on a mound. Sitting at 240 career victories, another season or two worth of wins would certainly garner him some significant Hall of Fame consideration when combined with his impressive postseason career. Pettitte has never been big on personal accolades, but that thought has to at least cross his mind.

Whatever happens in the off-season will have to wait a while to be revealed, but a season of change is surely approaching in the Bronx. Much of the uncertainty revolves around the Yankees' Core Four, and the manner in which change is handled will go a long way toward determining how successful the next few seasons are for the New York Yankees. No one wants to see history repeat itself and watch the dark days of the late 60's and early 70's return.

SI names Derek Jeter 2009 Sportsman of the Year

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/magazine/specials/sportsman/2009/11/25/derek.jeter/index.html

Monday November 30, 2009
SI names Derek Jeter 2009 Sportsman of the Year
Story Highlights
Jeter is the 56th honoree and the first Yankee to be named SI's Sportsman
In 2009 he led the Yankees to their fifth World Series title in his 14 full seasons
He also passed Lou Gehrig's franchise mark for hits, which now stands at 2,747

NEW YORK (SI.com) -- In what has already been a banner year for Derek Jeter, the New York Yankees shortstop can add another honor: Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year award. Jeter was chosen as the magazine's 56th honoree (the Dec. 7 issue will hit newsstands on Wednesday) and becomes the first Yankee to be named SI's Sportsman.

Jeter's selection caps another outstanding season for the 35-year-old team captain and future Hall of Famer. In 2009 he batted .334 while leading the Yankees to their fifth World Series title in his 14 full seasons, their first since 2000 and their record 27th in franchise history. On Sept. 11 he passed Lou Gehrig's franchise mark for base hits, which now stands at 2,747. In 2009 Jeter led the American League by reaching base 289 times, finished second in the league in hits (212), third in batting average and on-base percentage (.406), fourth in runs (107) and eighth in stolen bases (30). He was named an All-Star for the 10th time, including the sixth time as a starter, while winning his fourth AL Silver Slugger as the best hitting shortstop in the league and his fourth Gold Glove as the league's top defensive shortstop.

In 15 postseason games Jeter lived up to his reputation as a clutch player, batting .344 with a .432 on-base percentage, three home runs and six RBIs. He batted .407 in the World Series to lead the Yankees to a six-game victory over the defending world champion Philadelphia Phillies. During the Series, Jeter was named the American League recipient of the Hank Aaron Award, given to the best hitter in each league, and the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award, given to the player who best displays skill on the field while giving back to the community off it.

It was that combination of on- and off-field achievement that helped make Jeter this year's Sportsman. Said Sports Illustrated Group Editor Terry McDonell, "Derek Jeter has always presented himself with class; he does numerous good works for the community with his Turn 2 Foundation, which is one of the most efficient, effective foundations of its kind; and he's extremely generous with not just his money but with his time, which in many cases is more valuable. He also had another signature year on the field."

Jeter is the first baseball player to win the award solo since Cal Ripken Jr. in 1995. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were co-winners in 1998, as were Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling in 2001. The Boston Red Sox won as a team in 2004.

The Sportsman of the Year award has been given annually since SI began publishing in 1954. The first winner was track star Roger Bannister, and subsequent honorees include Arnold Palmer (1960), Muhammad Ali (1974), Chris Evert (1976), Wayne Gretzky (1982), Michael Jordan (1991), Tiger Woods (1996 and 2000, the only two-time recipient), Lance Armstrong (2002) and Tom Brady (2005). Last year's winner was record-setting Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps.

Beast of the Month - June 2009

Beast of the Month - June 2009
Alex Rodriguez
Steroid-Fueled Baseball Star

"I yam an anti-Christ..."
John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) of The Sex Pistols, "Anarchy in the UK"

"Jose Canseco Smirking Smugly At Nation"
Recent article title found at Onion.com

Is Jose Canseco ever wrong? Seriously, give this man a Pulitzer. In April, he speculated the reason Manny Ramirez (a two-time World Series champion for the Boston Red Sox and current Los Angeles Dodger superstar) didn't receive a monster contract offer during the off-season was because the owner's knew he was a steroid juicer. More than likely, Canseco guessed, Manny was on the 2003 list of players who tested positive for doping, a list of names likely already leaked to MLB owners. On this score, Canseco said he was 90 percent sure.

For his wacky conspiracy theorizing, Canseco was once again lambasted in the media, the same way he has been repeatedly treated over the last four years since his book, Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big, was released. Since then, not one claim by him has been proven false, and many of his claims, even those sounding most luridly outlandish at first, have been proven true. Despite his track record, one sportswriter dismissed Jose C as "ridiculous and irresponsible" for engaging in "pseudo-slanderous steroid chatter" over Ramirez.

But what do you know? Barely a month after Canseco made his reckless hunch, Manny was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for a banned substance. While he wasn't actually caught taking steroids, the drug he did test positive for, human chorionic gonadotropin, is popular among roiders for stopping the side effects of ending a cycle. (You know, little things like lower sperm count and shrunken testicles.) Maybe there's another explanation for why Ramirez was taking a female fertility drug, but that he is indeed a drug doper as Canseco had suspected seems to fit Occam's Razor the best.

Of course, the whole steroid scandal may have jumped the shark with the Ramirez revelation. At this point, is anybody shocked when a ballplayer is revealed as a drug cheater? This is, after all, the third time since 2005 The Konformist has focused Beast of the Month on the subject, which means we've covered this more in our 13-year history than we have Israel's brutal treatment of Palestinians and Lebanon. Yes, baseball is America's game (well, really it's football, and anyone who claims otherwise is kidding themselves) and yes, the steroid scandal has tarnished the game's legacy, but at this point, we've got more important things to do, like investigate Wall Street mass thievery, remind people there are still bloody pointless wars being fought in the Middle East and search YouTube for videos of Lady Gaga. So consider this BOTM a kiss-off to the whole "professional baseball players cheat" moral outrage as we get onto better things.

But before we jump off the whole steroid scandal bandwagon, The Konformist needs to get one last jab in, to a guy really deserving it. After all, part of the reason the steroid outing of the best player on baseball's second most famous franchise received such a ho-hum response is because the best player on baseball's most famous franchise (Alex Rodriguez, The Konformist Beast of the Month) had been outed as a fraud only months before.

For those who don't follow baseball, Rodriguez, better known as A-Rod, is not only the best player on the New York Yankees, he is arguably the best player in baseball, period. (Only Manny and Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals come close.) He has already won 3 MVP titles, this despite not winning in 2001 and 2002, when he hit 52 and 57 home runs. In 2006, he was the only non-pitcher still active to make Sports Illustrated's Alltime All-Star Team. (Fellow Yankees Roger Clemens and reliever Mariano Rivera also made the team.) It is suspected by many that Barry Bonds, the man formerly viewed as the best player in baseball, was snubbed from the team thanks to the evidence against him as a steroid cheat.

Indeed, the conventional wisdom until last year was that A-Rod was going to be the hero who saved the game by restoring the integrity of the numbers. He ended last season with 553 career home runs, 13th all time. He is second to only Ken Griffey Jr. among current players, and Griffey (perhaps the only modern slugger without any steroid suspicion due to his non-muscled physique) appears soon to be headed to retirement. That left A-Rod with the best chance of surpassing Bonds' career total of 762* round-trippers, something he could conceivably do in four great seasons. After that, balance would be returned to the universe, as the most sacred record in American sports would not be held by a doping phony.

Even without the recent revelations, the "A-Rod as Christ savior" storyline had its problems. For all his talent, he's never been particularly loved by the public or, perhaps more importantly, his fellow teammates. He isn't a surly SOB like Bonds, but his well-noted narcissistic self-absorption (on full display on the April 2009 cover of Details where he was seen kissing his own image in a mirror) has made him a magnet for haters. As for his contributions to teams, here are some curious facts: in 2001, after he left the Seattle Mariners for a ten-year, $252 million payout with the Texas Rangers, the Mariners won an astounding 116 games. His Rangers, meanwhile, finished in last place the three seasons he was there. Since he has moved to the Yankees in 2004, meanwhile, they have yet to even appear in a World Series despite all their well-paid talent, while their nemesis in Boston broke the Bambino curse with two titles, starting coincidentally the year he started playing in the Big Apple.

Okay, maybe the bad luck of the Rangers and Yankees isn't his entire fault. (Although his notorious showing in post-season play, which has earned him like Bonds before the insulting nickname of "Mr. April-September" from some, certainly hasn't helped.) Still, entering his sixth year in NY pinstripes, he wasn't even half as loved by fans or fellow Yankees as fellow teammate Derek Jeter. This was underscored in manager Joe Torre's recently published book The Yankee Years, where he reveals A-Rod was derisively termed as "A-Fraud" by teammates annoyed by his shallow insincerity. His 2007 demand to renegotiate his record contract to an even larger ten-year, $275 million didn't help.

Torre's tell-all bio was only the second recent book to dish dirt on A-Rod. The first came out last year, when Canseco released his sequel to Juiced, titled Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball. The big bombshell in the tome: Canseco claims in the latter half of the 1990s, A-Rod asked for help in finding a trainer that would supply steroids. He refused to name the trainer (referring to him only as "Max") and when pressed on Nightline over his refusal to provide corroborating evidence, Canseco replied: "Let's see how Alex reacts. Let's see if they call me a liar again. How's that for ya? Let's see if all of a sudden they're gonna call me a liar again."

Surprise, surprise. As he was lambasted earlier this year over his Manny hypothesis, Canseco, despite his history of truth-telling, was indeed shredded in the press as a liar again in 2008 over the claim. In this case, it didn't help Jose that he has an admitted beef with A-Rod, claiming Rodriguez had an affair with Canseco's then wife. (Apparently A-Rod's affairs don't merely include cheating with wives of teammates: late last year, his wife Cynthia filed for divorce after a rumored adulterous affair between A-Rod and Madonna became top tabloid news.) His allegations did get some backing last year when former reliever John Rocker claimed MLB commissioner Bud Selig knew he failed a drug test for steroids in 2000, and doctors for both management and the players' association advised him and three other Texas Rangers - among them Alex Rodriguez - on how to use steroids. Of course, when the one person who helps confirm your story is a notorious pariah like the racist Rocker, it tends to undercut, rather than enhance, credibility.

Despite this, it appears Canseco is once again vindicated. In February, Sports Illustrated reported that A-Rod was one of the 104 players who tested positive for steroids. As the controversy became the talk of the news cycle, A-Rod finally fessed up and admitted, yes, he was a steroid cheat. The mea culpa came with a convenient asterisk, as A-Rod insisted he only did it from 2001-3 while with the Rangers, meaning he denied any usage after steroid use had penalties attached. In any case, his apology, especially the one he sent publicly to his teammates, was widely deemed as insincere.

Even with this limited hangout by A-Rod, outrage became the order of the day. No longer was "A-Fraud" enough of a put-down of the dude by his critics: "A-Roid" or (with even greater ingenuity, courtesy of a NY Post cover) "A-Hole" became the new insults. On David Letterman, a top ten joke list featuring messages left on A-Rod's answering machine included this knee-slapper: "Could you find a steroid that keeps you from choking in the playoffs?"

The SI report become the first shot of reporter Selena Roberts' A-Rod bio, the third book to talk smack about Rodriguez. Roberts claims A-Rod started his steroid regimen in high school, and that he has continued it during the Yankee years. She also made claims of another A-Rod cheating scandal: that A-Rod would tip buddies on other teams the pitch they were facing late in blowout games. According to Roberts, the quid quo pro deal allowed players in the pitch-tipping scandal to pad their stats in at-bats for games already decided, at the expense of late-inning pitchers. While the scheme wouldn't change the winner of the game, it certainly qualifies as an attack on the integrity of the game, perhaps even more so than steroids, and a betrayal of pitching teammates almost on par with sleeping with their wives.

(Adding insult to his injured reputation, a Yahoo! Sports article from August 2008 reported the next generation of Bill James wannabees had statistically uncovered a sabermetrics to measure clutch hitting, and A-Rod, as critics had long insisted, was indeed a pressure-situation choker.)

Fortunately for A-Rod, a cyst on his hip forced him to miss the first full month of the season. (Cynics note that a common side-effect of steroid usage is cysts developing at injection point.) By the time of his May 8th return, A-Rod outrage had dipped and been superseded by the Manny dope scandal, and hitting a home run on the first pitch certainly aided him in forgiveness. Come October, maybe A-Rod can finally earn the love (and the $275 million) he has long craved from fans by finally delivering in the playoffs, and the forgiveness that comes with it. Based on his track record, however, The Konformist is betting against him once again.

In the end, A-Rod is merely just another scapegoat in sports, a face for the public to focus wrath. And that's why we expect this to be the last steroid-related athlete BOTM we do, even if another great baseball superstar is eventually shockingly uncovered as a secret doper. But that doesn't mean we'll stop covering this issue: as The Konformist and Jose Canseco long have pointed out, the owners and the league itself have long sanctioned the steroid era with their covert consent. The tale of John Rocker, that the commissioner himself knew he failed a 2000 test and that management advised him on how to properly juice, provides ample evidence of just how complicit they are. Indeed, the evidence suggests that even as Bud Selig was personally promoting the "A-Rod as baseball savior" myth, he already knew via the 2003 tests that Rodriguez was a cheater. Meanwhile, as Nation magazine writer Dave Zirin has noted, owners "have yet to have to face any kind of Congressional subcommittee, grand jury or operatic media melodrama for their role in cheapening the sport." If they ever are, no doubt The Konformist will be there ready to point fingers again where they deserve.

In any case, we salute Alex Rodriguez as Beast of the Month. Congratulations, and keep up the great work, Al!!!

Sources:

Blum, Ronald. "A-Rod Says He Expects Questions on Drugs." Associated Press 20 February 2008 <http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iCj65bmE8AEQ7MvFQrBVYXwwJp9QD8UUAVI80>.

Brinson, Will. "Jose Canseco Says '90 Percent Chance' Manny Ramirez Is on 'The List'." MLB FanHouse 6 April 2009 <http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/04/06/jose-canseco-says-90-chance-manny-ramirez-is-on-steroids-list>.

Canseco, Jose. Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2005.

Canseco, Jose. Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008.

"Details on A-Rod's Alleged Pitch-Tipping Scheme in Texas." Sports Illustrated 30 April 2009 <http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/04/30/roberts.qa>.

Escherich, Katie. "Exclusive: Jose Canseco Says 'The Truth Hurts'." ABC News 26 March 2008 <http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=4528387>.

Harris, Beth and Blum, Rondald. "Ramirez Suspended 50 Games for Drug Violation." Yahoo! Sports 7 May 2009 <http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AozPbdpnRxDcG.ttoQ3gr6URvLYF?slug=ap-dodgers-ramirez-drugs>.

"Jose Canseco Smirking Smugly At Nation." The Onion 12 February 2009 <http://www.theonion.com/content/from_print/jose_canseco_smirking_smugly>.

Passan, Jeff. A-Rod Is a $300 Million Migraine." Yahoo! Sports 31 August 2008 <http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AqYZcgXmuHwg3tDIHBh5_VYRvLYF?slug=jp-arod083108>.

Roberts, Selena. A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2009.

Roberts, Selena and Epstein, David. "Sources Tell SI Alex Rodriguez Tested Positive for Steroids in 2003." Sports Illustrated 7 February 2009 <http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/02/07/alex-rodriguez-steroids/index.html>.

Streeter, Kurt. "Manny Ramirez Blindsided Everyone but Jose Canseco." Los Angeles Times 7 May 2009 <http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-streeter-manny8-2009may08,0,5943246.story>.

Torre, Joe and Verducci, Tom. The Yankee Years. New York: Doubleday, 2009.

Verducci, Tom. "Alltime All-Star Team." Sports Illustrated 3 October 2006 <http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/magazine/10/03/bb.allstar1009/index.html>.

Zirin, Dave. "A-Rod, Anabolic Agonist Sports." The Nation 9 February 2009 <http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090223/zirin>.

Jeter tops Gehrig, sets Yankees hit record

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/wires/09/12/2010.ap.bba.yankees.jeter.record.8th.ld.writethru.1088/

Saturday September 12, 2009
Jeter tops Gehrig, sets Yankees hit record

NEW YORK (AP) - Puddles soaked the warning track and ponchos dotted the stands when Derek Jeter stepped to the plate in the third inning, hoping to give the soggy Yankee Stadium crowd a reason for showing up in all this rain.

With one of his classic, inside-out swings, Jeter sent a sharp grounder skimming through the infield. And there it was, the record-setting hit that pushed him past Lou Gehrig.

Jeter broke the New York Yankees' hit record held by Gehrig for more than seven decades on Friday night with an opposite-field single against Baltimore. It gave Jeter 2,722 hits, one more than Gehrig, whose Hall of Fame career was cut short by illness in 1939.

"The whole experience has been overwhelming,'' Jeter said. "This is more than I could've imagined.''

The captain kept right on going, too, with an RBI single in the fourth that put New York up 4-1. He came out of the game after a 67-minute rain delay in the seventh when manager Joe Girardi pulled most of his starters with the Yankees trailing 10-4.

Once play resumed, the Yankees held an unusual in-game news conference with Jeter and then teammates Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Alex Rodriguez.

"I didn't expect that many people to be out there after the rain delay considering how hard it was raining when we started the game,'' Jeter said. "But the fans were incredible. It says a lot about how they feel about their team and more importantly how they feel about the history of their team. I appreciate each and every one that was there.''

Jeter's record-breaking hit was remarkably similar to the one that tied Gehrig on Wednesday night, a well-struck grounder inside the first-base line. After this one, Yankees players poured out of the dugout and engulfed Jeter at first base with hugs and pats on the back.

"I didn't know that they were going to do that, so that sort of caught me off-guard,'' Jeter said. "It's a special moment for me, it's a special moment for the organization. To be able to enjoy it with my teammates was a lot of fun.''

Jeter spread his arms wide after rounding first base on his record-breaking hit and gave an emphatic clap as he headed back to the bag.

Rain-drenched fans, many wearing bright ponchos, roared during an ovation that lasted about 3 minutes. Jeter twice waved his helmet to the crowd of 46,771 - just as he did after tying the record. Fans chanted his name and the ball was taken out of play as a souvenir.

"For those who say today's game can't produce legendary players, I have two words: Derek Jeter. Game in and game out he just produces,'' Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said in a statement. "As historic and significant as becoming the Yankees' all-time hit leader is, the accomplishment is all the more impressive because Derek is one of the finest young men playing the game today.

"That combination of character and athletic ability is something he shares with the previous record holder, Lou Gehrig,'' the statement said.

When his grounder got past diving first baseman Luke Scott, Jeter's parents raised their arms in excitement. Joining them in an upstairs box filled with family and friends were his sister and steady girlfriend, actress Minka Kelly.

Jeter tied Gehrig's mark Wednesday night, snapping an 0-for-12 slump with three hits against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees were off Thursday, and Jeter resumed his pursuit Friday at soggy Yankee Stadium.

"I'm happy I was able to do it quickly,'' he said.

The start was delayed 87 minutes by heavy rain that had tapered off by the third inning. Jeter struck out swinging against Tillman in his first at-bat, but came through his next time up.

"It's vintage Derek Jeter. Stay inside the ball and hit it the other way,'' Girardi said. "I think everyone was just ecstatic for him. ... I think we all feel very proud to be around him.''

Gehrig's final hit came on April 29, 1939, a single against the Washington Senators. The Iron Horse had held the club record since Sept. 6, 1937, when he passed Babe Ruth.

Gehrig's career ended suddenly in 1939. Two years later, he died at 37 from the disease that would later bear his name.

Jeter got his first hit on May 30, 1995, at Seattle and set the Yankees mark with 14 seasons of splendid consistency. His two singles Friday night gave him 1,363 hits at home and 1,360 on the road.

Now, No. 2 in Yankees pinstripes is number one in the record book for baseball's most storied franchise.

"It's still hard to believe for me,'' he said.

The 35-year-old Jeter also moved past Gehrig for 53rd place on the game's career hit list. Roberto Alomar is 52nd at 2,724.

It was Jeter's 268th hit against Baltimore, his most against any opponent.

Jeter finished 2 for 4 and grounded into an inning-ending double play in the sixth.

It was a special night at Yankee Stadium in several ways. Both teams and the umpires wore red caps with stars and stripes inside the logos to commemorate the eighth anniversary of 9-11. Pregame ceremonies included a moment of silence to remember those who died in the attacks.

Dorine Gordon, president and CEO of The ALS Association Greater New York Chapter, also congratulated Jeter in a statement that was passed out in the press box at Yankee Stadium.

ALS, of course, is the disease that afflicted Gehrig.

Yankees New Stadium

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/sports/baseball/17rhoden.html

Sports of The Times
With New Stadium, Yankees Replicate Charm, but Lose Advantage
By WILLIAM C. RHODEN
April 16, 2009

By the middle of the seventh inning Thursday, the Yankees’ highly anticipated home opener had officially been declared a disaster. The Yankees opened a new season and christened a new stadium in the eerie shadow of the old.

The home team trailed, 10-1, after a nine-run seventh by the Cleveland Indians on the way to a 10-2 loss. And Yankees players were showered with boos in the new $1.6 billion stadium.

For most major league baseball teams, the home opener is the essence of the clean slate, the fresh start. For the Yankees, the idea of starting with a clean slate is daunting, like climbing Mount Everest. After they were pasted Thursday, the incline became a lot steeper.

This was much more than a simple home opener: This was the opening of a lavish new Yankee Stadium, built by a franchise with baseball’s highest payroll, despite the economic collapse around it — a franchise accustomed to winning championships, although it hasn’t won a World Series title since 2000. Old Yankee Stadium represented one of the greatest, or at least one of the most storied, home-field advantages in North American sports. Visiting players routinely gushed about walking into the Stadium and soaking in its history.

With a simple move across the street, that part of the Yankees’ legacy is gone and the franchise, payroll aside, is now on a level playing field with the competition.

After Thursday’s game, pitcher C. C. Sabathia was asked whether the new Stadium, with its amenities, felt as special as the one he used to visit when he was a member of the Indians.

“It still has that feel because the park still looks kind of like the old Stadium,” Sabathia said. “But it’s a weird feeling, too, going out with a clean slate and us starting a new era of Yankee baseball.”

The focus on the Yankees’ mystique tends to be baseball-centric, but what gave the old Yankee Stadium its luster were classic championship moments that cut across sports. The old Stadium was a veritable museum of American sports history:

¶ Knute Rockne’s famous “Win one for the Gipper” speech delivered at halftime of Notre Dame’s 1928 victory over Army.

¶ Joe Louis’s 1938 victory over Max Schmeling in a heavyweight title bout.

¶ The Baltimore Colts’ sudden-death victory over the Giants in 1958 in the Greatest Game Ever Played.

¶ The string of World Series appearances through the 1920s, ’30s, ’40s, ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, then from 1996 to 2003.

Before Thursday’s game, Derek Jeter, asked about the recent losses in Tampa Bay, including a 15-5 pummeling, said that a six-month baseball season was hardly over in April. Indeed, a month from now, the embarrassment in the home opener may well be a footnote.

Manager Joe Girardi said that Thursday’s game was “hard to watch,” but he added that the Yankees’ fate and the legacy of the new Stadium wouldn’t be decided on the first day.

True enough, though Thursday’s rout, three days after the rout against Tampa Bay, raises questions about how long it will take these Yankees to fill a new stadium with the sort of championship moments that made the old Stadium so special.

Soon? Longer? Never?

Before Jeter’s first plate appearance Thursday, a bat was placed across home plate. The bat, we were told, was used by Babe Ruth on opening day 1923, for the opening of the old Yankee Stadium. Ruth homered that day and the Yankees swept the opening four-game series against the Red Sox, then cruised to the pennant and the World Series title.

On Thursday, Jeter flied out and the Yankees were pummeled.

Asked what he would miss about the old Stadium, Jeter said, “You’re going to miss everything about it.”

On its own merits, the new Stadium is a gem. Every effort was made to duplicate and, in many instances extend, the charm of the old Stadium. The signature frieze at the top of the stadium bowl is back, the manually operated auxiliary scoreboard is replicated, and a gap between the bleachers and right field allows us to get a peek at the No. 4 elevated train.

But some crucial things did not make the trip across the street — and they never will.

Mystiques are created by championships and championship moments: title fights, football classics and World Series victories. The old mystique is gone. You can argue that the mystique began to fade seasons ago.

What will that legacy be? Who will be the first group to win a championship in the new Yankee Stadium?

How the Yankees transfer that mystique from the old building, now gray and dark and awaiting its demise, to the new is Girardi’s challenge.

The questions may not be answered for years.

The architects and the Yankee organization did a great job of moving as much memory as they could into the new Stadium.

Sadly for these Yankees, some spirits just don’t travel that well.

E-mail: wcr@nytimes.com

A version of this article appeared in print on April 17, 2009, on page B15 of the New York edition.

Jeter’s injury acute pain for Yanks

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-jeterarod040808

Jeter’s injury acute pain for Yanks
By Jeff Passan, Yahoo! Sports
4-8-8

NEW YORK – Joe Girardi didn’t say no. Joe Torre would have.

Now, this is not to compare Girardi and Torre, not in a mano-a-mano fashion at least, but one that deals with today’s reality in the New York Yankees universe: Suggestions that Alex Rodriguez move to shortstop if the strained left quadriceps that forced Derek Jeter out of a game Monday lingers.

“There’s a lot of different scenarios we’ll talk about as a club and decide what we’re going to do,” Girardi said, and even though there was little substance to his words, it felt frighteningly candid – and, considering the other options, a rather sensible idea. Because under Torre’s watch, no matter how damaging to the Yankees in the short or long term, he wouldn’t dare place someone of consequence at Jeter’s position for fear of upsetting the captain’s chi.

Only if the injury doesn’t heal – Jeter thinks it’ll take a day or two, Girardi closer to a week and both hope he can avoid the disabled list – might the sentiment change, and even then it would be a hard sell. And that’s an important point to discuss, particularly months after a number of studies concluded that Jeter is among, if not the, worst-fielding shortstop in the major leagues.

One large study, conducted at the Wharton Business School, uses a metric – a statistic-based analysis – to show how Jeter was the pits from 2002-05 and Rodriguez was among the best shortstops. Its veracity is questionable, considering it named the positively slothful Ken Harvey as its first-base representative.

Not nearly as dubious is John Dewan’s book, “The Fielding Bible”, in which Dewan culls data from every play and rates players on a plus-minus scale – plus for making a play that at least one of his peers had missed, and minus for the opposite. It is the new standard for fielding statistics, and in the past three years, Jeter is minus-90, the second-worst number in all of baseball, better only than Manny Ramirez’s minus-109.

Is that damning enough to even entertain alternates at the position of the most beloved Yankee of the past two decades? Probably not, even though the Yankees sure have a built-in excuse if they want to see whether a bulkier, older A-Rod can cut it at shortstop.

It doesn’t help that Jeter’s legs, his springboards in the field, are causing him such trouble. In the bottom of the first inning Monday with a runner on first base against Tampa Bay, Jeter slapped a ground ball at the third baseman and lurched as much as ran down the line. He beat the double-play throw, spent another half-inning in the field and left before the third inning.

“He’s always been a tough kid, and he wants to be out there,” Girardi said. “No matter how his body feels, he wants to be out there. But you know, with these conditions, you jeopardize really hurting yourself badly, and we don’t want that, because we can’t afford to miss him for a long time.”

Jeter can still hit. He proves that every year, his inside-out stroke shooting balls to right field and reinforcing his opportunism. Jeter gets the loudest cheers at Yankee Stadium, and he didn’t earn them only by smiling into a camera.

Ultimately, such deification comes to roost, and to think the 33-year-old Jeter, with more than 12 seasons at the most demanding position, wants to continue playing shortstop deep into the decade is troublesome. Try center field. Settle at first base. Anything to keep him upright, which he has managed to stay with stunning regularity thus far.

Jeter first felt a twinge in his quad during the Yankees’ Sunday game and iced it before Monday’s game. That didn’t help, and Jeter ended up in an MRI tube to rule out extensive damage. Doctors found a low-level strain, nothing like in 2001, when Jeter missed Opening Day because of his right quad.

“That was worse,” Jeter said. “This is a mild strain, from what I was told. The other one was a lot worse than that. It was something you could feel moving your leg, period. This one is more when I put for a little effort. I really start running before I feel it.”

Soon after he felt it, Jeter excused himself. Wilson Betemit moved from first base to shortstop. Betemit, at 230 pounds, plays the position with all the agility of a cast-iron skillet. He’s not the answer.

Aside from Betemit and A-Rod, there’s not another person on the Yankees’ active roster who can play shortstop. They could call up rookie Alberto Gonzalez, who is on the team’s 40-man roster, or Cody Ransom, who would require a roster move but bring more experience. Or, of course, they could put A-Rod at short and use Morgan Ensberg, a natural third baseman, to fill in.

Like Girardi said, plenty of scenarios.

If Jeter heals slowly, it could get ugly, as quad strains tend to hang around like freeloaders. Mark Teixeira spent five weeks on the DL with one last season. Bengie Molina hobbled around most of spring. Victor Martinez missed a dozen games last year.

Jeter will sacrifice his first Tuesday afternoon. As much as he wants to play, Jeter recognizes Girardi runs a different ship than Torre did. When Girardi says no, he means it, and while he gladly massages egos, he also keeps them in check.

So for now it falls on Betemit, a natural shortstop who outgrew the position about 40 pounds ago. He’ll stand in the most trafficked position on the field, and he’ll replace a no-doubt Hall of Famer, and he’ll try to swim.

Rodriguez will stand next to him. He last played shortstop full time in 2003. Five years is a long time. And still, the idea just won’t die. It’s so crazy it just might work, and weird as it sounds, that’s the last thing the Yankees need.

Crystal strikes out in new career

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080314/ap_en_tv/bba_yankees_crystal;_ylt=Amw90xs2oKjR_tQcyWszJQhY24cA

Crystal strikes out in new career
By BEN WALKER, AP Baseball Writer
3-14-8

Billy Crystal whacked himself in the helmet with his backswing, found his shoelaces and socks sabotaged and watched his team lose. Oh, and the New York Yankees rookie struck out in his one and only at-bat as a big leaguer. "It was the strangest, greatest moment of my life," he said Thursday.

A day before his 60th birthday, the comedian, actor and Oscar host enjoyed every moment of the day he'd hoped for his entire life.

Talking ball with Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson at the batting cage. Taking infield with Derek Jeter. Jogging in the outfield with Alex Rodriguez. Becoming a victim of clubhouse pranks. Getting a chance for the kind of hit he can't find in Hollywood or on Broadway.

"I felt like a baseball player," Crystal said. "I really hate to leave."

Wearing No. 60 and cheered on by fellow funnyman Robin Williams, the lifelong Yankees fan was no joke at the plate against Pittsburgh.

Players on both teams perched on the top step of the dugout when Crystal came up. They almost saw something special as he took Jeter's advice: "Swing early in the count."

Batting leadoff as the Yankees' designated hitter in the first inning, he took a late-but-solid cut at a fastball from Pirates lefty Paul Maholm. Crystal hit a chopper that got past first baseman Adam LaRoche, but came down 3 feet foul.

Crystal showed a patient, good eye and got ahead in the count 3-1. Maholm came back with a pair of cutters, and the right-handed Crystal swung over both 88 mph pitches.

"I was mad at myself for swinging at 'em," he said.

Especially the last one.

"It was ball four," said plate umpire Mark Carlson, who shook hands with Crystal before the at-bat.

Said Maholm: "I tried to lay it in there for him. I definitely didn't try to blow it by him."

"It was definitely a little nerve-racking," he said. "I'm glad I didn't have to watch it every day, him getting a hit off me."

The fans at Legends Field gave Crystal a standing ovation, and he raised his hand to acknowledge them. Rodriguez signaled Maholm, who tossed the ball toward the dugout for a souvenir.

Then it was time for a quick trip up to the suite level to talk to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

"I was worried he was going to trade me for Jerry Seinfeld," Crystal said.

Hank Steinbrenner was pleased.

"As long as the fans enjoy it, it's great. He has a real love for the Yankees. He's going to help us in the opening of the new stadium and all that," the general partner said.

Crystal's debut — and finale — followed the likes of Garth Brooks and Tom Selleck, other celebrities who played in exhibition games.

Johnny Damon took over at DH after the first inning — he was poised to pinch run had Crystal gotten on base. When the game ended, a 5-3 Pirates win, Crystal said his career as a major leaguer was over.

"I can always say I led off for the New York Yankees. That's an amazing feeling," he said. "I don't even know how to describe it. It was so intensely good."

Surely better than getting a World Series ring as part-owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks when they beat his beloved Yankees in 2001.

Technically, Crystal still is under contract to the Yankees. He signed a standard minor league deal Wednesday that commissioner Bud Selig approved; as long as the Yankees officially release him before opening day, they don't owe him any money.

No chance of comeback, Crystal said.

"Not the way my hamstring feels," he said.

Crystal walked away with a lifetime of "mahvelous" memories.

Manager Joe Girardi gave him a signed lineup card, a clubhouse attendant presented a DVD of his at-bat and Crystal kept his pinstriped uniform. He also exited with his socks and shoelaces cut, the culprits being his teammates-for-a-day.

Crystal brought his own black maple bat and a glove that had his name stitched on the side. While the former high school infielder did not need his mitt in the game, his family and friends did: a foul popup by Rodriguez landed a few feet from Crystal's wife and Williams.

Asked whether he'd like a turn as a ballplayer, Williams shook his head.

"No. It'll be a telethon," he said.

Crystal got this opportunity after a chance meeting with Jeter in Costa Rica over the holidays. Crystal said he wasn't too happy about turning 60, and the Yankees captain wondered what would make him happy.

Just like that, Crystal was headed to the majors.

Crystal did his best to fit in. He kept his comedy routines to a minimum in the clubhouse, signed his share of autographs — including one for Maholm — and honored the ballplayers' code by compensating infielder Cody Ransom for taking the minor leaguer's No. 60.

"He upheld his end of the bargain," Ransom said.

Neither said what was exchanged, but there was a fancy wrapped Sony bag in Ransom's locker.

Crystal said he was more nervous than he could remember walking to the plate. Before the game, he tried to act calm. The way he chomped nonstop on his bubblegum gave him away.

"I'm really relaxed, I really am," Crystal said an hour before it started. "That's until I see the 6-foot-2, 230-pound guy who's going to throw who's never been to a Seder."

Cost of new Yankee Stadium up to $1.3B

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-newyankeestadium&prov=ap&type=lgns

Party suites, martini bar: Cost of new Yankee Stadium up to $1.3B
By KAREN MATTHEWS, Associated Press Writer
February 8, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) -- The granite and limestone exterior is designed to evoke the original 1923 Yankee Stadium, before it was remade in the 1970s.

But the new stadium's interior will offer amenities unheard of in Babe Ruth's day -- or in Reggie Jackson's.

Scheduled to welcome fans on opening day 2009, the new stadium will have party suites, a members-only restaurant, a martini bar and a price tag to match all the luxury -- $1.3 billion, up from a $1 billion estimate last year, the Yankees said Thursday.

"We tried to reflect a five-star hotel and put a ballfield in the middle," said Yankees Chief Operating Officer Lonn Trost, who hosted a media tour of the new stadium.

The new ballpark is being built directly across the street from the old House that Ruth Built in the Bronx. For now, the stadium is a welter of cranes and construction trailers, with hard-hatted workers instead of Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez patrolling the infield.

The field's dimensions will be the same as at the old ballpark, which will be partially demolished. But the 58-by-103-foot center field television screen will be six times the size of the current stadium's video screen.

Inside, there will be such features as a conference center with video conferencing, so a corporate group could have a daylong meeting and then stay for a ballgame, Trost said.

A concierge will be available to procure theater tickets or restaurant reservations. There will be 51 luxury suites, two large outdoor suites and eight party suites with seating for up to 410 people in total.

Trost said the cost overruns included $150 million in such enhancements as the giant video screen, $138 million in food and beverage costs not included in the original estimate and $50 million from delays due to a lawsuit by community groups that sought to halt construction of the stadium.

The groups sued because two city parks were razed to make way for the new stadium. The Yankees have said the lost parkland would be replaced at the site of the old stadium and elsewhere in the Bronx.

Asked whether the Yankees had been securing additional financing, Trost said, "We will be."