Yankees Double Up On Jays in Double Header - Sept 19, 2012

September 19, 2012


Game 1:     

     It has been a while since we have seen the big lefty ace on the mound but today Andy Pettitte returned on the hill for the Yankees in the first game of a day-night double header against the Toronto Blue Jays in the Bronx.  Pettitte returning from the DL since going on the injured list on June 27, it was a great welcome back as he pitched an impressive 5 scoreless innings with 3 strikeouts in a 4-2 Yankee victory.  Despite Manager Joe Girardi's close eye on his veteran's pitch count and outing, Andy ended up pitching those 5 innings earning a win, and more importantly helping the Yankees win.  

     The Yankees jumped out into an early 3-0 lead in the first inning.  Ichiro Suzuki went 3-4 in the victory and the Yankee offense gelled and manufactured the early runs.  Although a questionably decision by Joe Girardi to use six relievers including Derek Lowe, Clay Rapada, Joba Chamberlain, Boone Logan, and David Robertson to pick up in the sixth inning, the bullpen was able to piece it together for the remainder of the game.  Rafael Soriano came in in the eighth inning during a 2 Out bases loaded jam and got the Yankees out of it while picking up a 4 Out save and his 41st on the year.  

     As for Pettitte, the Yankees were grateful to have him back and his brief but quality outing give the Yankees more depth in their starting rotation.

Game 2:     

     Earlier today, with six relief pitchers used in Game 1 of the double header against the Blue Jays, it was clear that David Phelps was expected to give the Yankees quality innings and pitch deep into the game.  However things got a bit dicey in the top of the second when Phelps pitch count began to go up and allowed an RBI single to Adeiny Hechavarria giving the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead.  In the bottom of the second, the Yankees came right back against Toronto Starter Ricky Romero as Chris Stewart ripped a 2-Out RBI ground-rule double down the left-field line scoring Ichiro Suzuki to tie the game at 1-1.  

     David Phelps then settled and went on to pitch 6.1 innings and only allowing a run on three hits. 
Phelps would leave in the 7th inning with no decision paving the way for Boone Logan and Cody Eppley.  Still tied in the bottom of the 8th inning, Curtis Granderson already on base would steal third.  With 2 Outs, and Ichiro at the plate facing lefty reliever Aaron Loop, Ichiro Suzuki would flip one over into left-field scoring Curtis Granderson for the go-ahead run giving the Yankees a 2-1 lead.  Ichiro would go on to steal 2nd base, and if that weren't enough, he would steal third base as well.  Ichiro would go 4-4 including a big go-ahead hit and add 4 stolen bases to that in Game 2.  Cody Eppley would pick up the win in relief.  Rafael Soriano would close it out for his 42nd save and second save of the day as the Yankees go on to win it 2-1 and beat the Jays a second time in the double-header.

     After the game Joe Girardi had reaction to their veteran outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, "Unbelievable day and the 2 Out hit capped it off, he's been swinging the bat good for us", Girardi said.  It was earlier today that Girardi had decisions to make regarding whether or not to start Andruw Jones in game 2 against a lefty.  With Jones batting barely .200 and with only 9 hits in the last two-months, it was clear the Skipper would go to Ichiro.  In fact Ichiro Suzuki would pick up 7 hits today and go 7-8 in both games with an impressive 4 stolen bases in the second game, that would be his 3rd time in his career with 4 steals in a game.  After the game, media reporters asked him about his rising hot streak late in the season,  "I haven't done anything different today, i don't know what the difference was", a smiling and charismatic Ichiro with his translator remarked.  Ichiro added that all he had his mind on was to, "contribute and be a part of this pennant race and continue to do what i can to help this team".  Help the team he did, and Ichiro shined his old-self again.  His hot streak comes at a critical point in the season and certainly can benefit a Yankee offense that seems to go streaky at times.

     With the win, the Yankees win the second game of the day-night double header against the Blue Jays and the Yankees lead the Orioles by a game in the AL East.  The Orioles play the Seattle Mariners tonight.


B.C Sports,
Brian Chin

Yankees Get Past Rays - Stay Ahead in East - Sept 16, 2012

September 16, 2012

     Well winning is the name of the game, they took two out of three from the Red Sox at Fenway and now back home with a 6-4 victory, the Yankees take two out of three from the Tampa Rays.  The Yankees started out the day a game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East standings.  

     The Yankees sent their veteran Hiroki Kuroda to the mound.  Kuroda pitched 6 innings, gave up 4 runs and struck out 10.  The Yankee offense finally looked great hitting with runners in scoring position.  Jeter and A-Rod had RBIs and Russell Martin cranked a three-run homer (17th) to right to give the Yankees a 5-0 lead at that point.  The Rays came back to score 3 more in the 6th but Kuroda was able to get out of the jam and pick up his 14th win of the season.  The bullpen came on to finish the Rays in the final innings and Rafael Soriano recorded his 40th save of the season, the 5th Yankee to record 40 or more saves in a single season record.  

     With the win, the Yankees maintain a 1 game lead in the AL East over the Orioles who beat Oakland today.  These wins late in the season continue to play a crucial role in a Yankee postseason.  The Yankees with a day off tomorrow, welcome the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.

B.C Sports,
Brian Chin

Giants Beat Buccaneers in Riveting Showdown - Sept 16, 2012

September 16, 2012

     The New York Giants looking to bounce back from their season opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys turned their attention to the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Things did not start off too positive in the first half as Eli Manning committed three turnovers that all eventually led to touchdowns by the Bucks.  Probably the most highlighted interception came in the final minute of the second quarter when Eli Manning was picked off at the Tampa Bay 40 by Eric Wright who returned it for a 60 yard touchdown giving the Buccaneers a 24-13 lead over the Giants at the close of the first half.

     In the second half the Giants finally showed life.  Down 27-19 in the fourth quarter, Eli Manning turned it on as a 80 yard pass to Victor Cruz was good for the touchdown, and the two-point conversion by Andre Brown tied the game, 27-27.  Manning was not done, on the next drive, he fired a 33 yard completion to Martellus Bennett to put the Giants ahead 34-27.  However QB Josh Freeman and the Tampa offense were very much still alive as a 41 yard pass to Mike Williams down the other way was good to cuff it, 34-34.  The Giants offense proved resilient as they once again came down-field.  On 2nd & 1 near the goal line, Andre Brown rushed in the endzone to give the Giants a 41-34 lead at that point.  With the Buccaneers threatening, a call reversal on the field pushed Tampa's offense back, and a Giants interception finished it off for good.  The Giants came back and held on to defeat the Buccaneers 41-34.

     It was no question that it was certainly a team effort, and took a turn-around for Big Blue to make it happen.  Manning spoke about the change-of-face in the tale of two halves, "I got to make better decisions, we had missed opportunities, we know we were right there in the mix", "You get frustrated in the first half you're excited about the come back and you see it happen, of course you don't always want to be in that situation".  There was no doubt the second half simply could not reflect anything from the first two quarters and it did not.  Manning committed 3 interceptions and only threw 1 touchdown in the first half, and turned it around as he gave up 0 turnovers and threw for 2 key touchdowns in the second leading to the win.  Manning ended up with 510 yards today.  The touchdowns came and was also played in part from key contributions from Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. Eli proud of his receivers remarked, "Victor and Hakeem both stepped up, made some big time plays, some big 3rd down completions", and Nicks did put up some great numbers, 199 yards with 10 catches including a 50 yard catch which advanced the Giants down-field in the final go-ahead drive.  

     The Giants defense which did not seem effective in the first two quarters only allowed a field goal and touchdown in the second half.  The leader Justin Tuck said that it was thinking and being "positive" that led them to key stops and contributions from especially rookie corner back Jayron Hosley who impressively had 5 tackles and later based it on, "preparation, watching videos, coming in here and being ready to go".  

   With this satisfying win, the Giants prevent the idea of going down 0-2 to start the season and even their record at 1-1.  The Giants play next week in Carolina against the Panthers.

B.C Sports,

Brian Chin

Yankees Take Rays Hold Half Game Lead in AL East - Sept 15, 2012

September 15, 2012

     What started out this morning with the Yankees tied in first place with the Orioles ended with a 5-3 win over the Tampa Rays.  With the Orioles keeping pace with the Yankees in the American League East, the Bombers were sure thrilled to have this one after a crucial loss yesterday.

     Rafael Soriano sealed his 39th save of the season and Ivan Nova returned from the DL and pitched his first game since injuring his shoulder back on August 21st.  He went 6 strong innings for his 12th win of the season.  Nova's return from the disabled list proved big for the Yankee win and more importantly for the concerned starting rotation.  

     Curtis Granderson and Eduardo Nunez powered the Yankee offense as they hit back to back homers in the 2nd inning.  For Granderson, that was his 39th homer of the season.  The Rays cut it close as Luke Scott's 2 run single in the 7th cut it to a one run lead.  The Yankees then tacked on another in the 8th inning to seal the victory. The Yankees now lead by half a game in the AL East Standings as Baltimore plays Oakland later on tonight.

B.C Sports,
Brian Chin

Yankees Beat Baltimore : Back in First - Sept 9, 2012

September 9, 2012

     They started their series in Baltimore with a one game lead atop the American League East.  It has been an intense and exhilarating series through the first three games against the Orioles at Camden Yards.  The Yankees dropped the first game to the hot bats of the O's, then bounced back with heavy offense in the second game, followed by a disappointing and frustrating loss yesterday that controversially should not have been a loss.  Having lost 9 of their last 13 games, the Yankees and Orioles were all tied up in first place in the East coming into today's game.  However, the Yankee offense finally came alive once more this afternoon as they shelled the Orioles 13-3 in the final game of a 4-game series.  Manager Joe Girardi and the Yankees knew how vital and essential it was to have this game and seal it.  Importantly it was win, even more importantly the Yankees maintain first and hold on to the top of the division.  

    With Freddy Garcia on the mound, the Yankees wasted no time in getting ahead. They took a 5-0 lead including a four-run 4th inning.  Garcia with three good innings runs into trouble in the bottom of the fourth giving up a 2-run double to Wilson Betemit.  Garcia would leave after 3.1 innings pitched, Joe Girardi would go to Joba Chamberlain and the bullpen to piece it together from there.  The Skipper was very pleased with his pitching staff, "It was an outstanding job by the bullpen, with Joba coming in".  Chamberlain pitched 1 2/3 innings shutting out the Os in his outing while fanning 4, allowing no hits and getting the win.  When asked about how he felt, Chamberlain said he felt great and remarked, "It was frustrating at first, but we worked on adjustments, and we got to build on the confidence and what we've done".  Cory Wade, Boone Logan, and Derek Lowe polished off the rest of the four innings for the win.

     On the other hand, give the Yankee offense much credit as they bombarded starting pitcher Zach Britton early and rang up the Orioles with 13 runs.  Curtis Granderson pinch-hitting in the 6th inning, right away crushes one to the opposite field, his 35th home run of the season.  Granderson went 3-3 with a home-run and 5 runs batted in.  Girardi was impressed at a slumping Granderson who definitely needed a performance from him like this one, "It would be great to get him going, he is so important to our offense".  And so it is especially with the New York Yankees trying to hold on to first place.  The Captain Derek Jeter responded to remarks about a comfortable and prominent lead in the division, "we don't have that luxury, we have to play each and every day".  Jeter also hit a 2-run home-run in the 8th inning and humorously added that there is no stress and the focus is going into Boston and playing every game.

Extra game notes:  Mark Teixeira is at this point likely questionable if indeed he will play again this season after re-injuring his calf in a dive to first base in yesterday's frustrating game that would have tied it and would have been a pivotal turning point for the Yankees.  Teixeira answered the media regarding questionable decisions of playing while not physically 100 percent."I had to test it out, I had to see where i was, Hopefully it is not worse than what we saw".  He also added that it was great to win this ballgame especially after a bad call made by the official in yesterday's loss.

   The Bombers leave Baltimore going 2-2 but maintain a one-game lead in the American League East.  With this win, the Yankees might go into Fenway with a little momentum against the Red Sox with a day off tomorrow.


B.C Sports,
Brian Chin

Yankees Regain First Place - Sept 5, 2012

   
September 5, 2012

     After dropping six of their last nine games, the Yankees rolled into the final game of the series in Tampa tied in first place with their division contenders the Baltimore Orioles.  Prior to that the Yankees have maintained first place for 87 consecutive days.  It was clear the Yankees needed a wake up call and with a team meeting before the game, they might have just gotten that kick in the engine.

     The Bronx Bombers had their 37 year old veteran Huroki Kuroda on the mound.  Things did not look good in the bottom of the first when Evan Longoria drove home the first run with an RBI single.  The Rays pitcher Matt Moore pretty much held the Yankees hitting down until the top of the fourth when finally the Yankees did what they could not do so often during the season, hit with runners in scoring position.  With runners on first and second, Alex Rodriguez ringed a double to left field which knotted the game at 1.  Then Russell Martin hit a ground rule double to right field scoring Robinson Cano and Rodriguez giving the Yankees a 3-1 lead.  The Yankees would surrender that lead and the Rays would tie it at 3.  Then in the top of the sixth, Russell Martin would come up to the plate and bomb one over the left center field wall putting the Yankees ahead 4-3.  At the bottom of the sixth however, Luke Scott would take one out off of Kuroda to re-knot the game at 4.  We then go to the top of the seventh and with a little help from Tampa's defensive miscues, with one out and Ichiro Suzuki and Steve Pearce at third and second, Derek Jeter's ground ball to second was mishandled by Elliot Johnson who committed a throwing error past the catcher scoring both Suzuki and Pearce.  This put the Yankees up 6-4 and at that point, Rafael Soriano came in for his 36th save of the season.  It was a much win by the Bronx Bombers.

     The Yankees were able to salvage the final game of the series in Tampa and with the Baltimore Oriloes losing to Toronto, the Bombers regain sole possession of first place.  Manager Joe Girardi and the Yankees might finally breathe some fresh air but nothing will get easier as they roll into Baltimore and play the next four against a hot Orioles team breathing right on them.

B.C Sports

Brian Chin

The History of the New York Yankees

The History of the New York Yankees

One can call it greatness, one can call it destiny, but the most successful franchise in all of sports The New York Yankees are a team that developed into nothing but a world renown team of excellence.  The story of the New York Yankees developed from and covers for more than a century.  This is the story that is filled with the most memorable and magical moments, mystique, drama, destiny, thus it falls nothing short of a fairy tale.  Just the word Yankees represents ideas of greatness, excellence, and success.  One can say the names Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Don Mattingly.  One would totally be confounded in amazement at the greatness of these legendary players especially those that have followed the success of the team’s history over the years.  One may not have grown up around the time of the great “Babe” or “Joltin Joe”, but certainly they have heard of the names before.  The countless times of magic and mystique continue to dwell in the hearts and memories of Yankee Fans forever and the Yankee fans of today fall nothing short of that sense of pride in the pinstripes also.  In fact the pride and the belief in this team is what fueled the spirits of many New Yorkers throughout the years.  Throughout the existence of the New York Yankees, its greatness would not exist without the ultimate support and backing of the “greatest fans in the world”.  The home of where this storied franchise began and where the memories and the lore had been born laid in the heart of the South Bronx, Yankee Stadium.  The fans it drew, the financial success it helped give the city, as well as the greatest team that took host in this famous piece of real estate showed its significance to New York City.

Throughout the eras, the Yankees have assembled possibly the most lethal and best teams in baseball and the league.  The 27 world championships won marks and exemplifies the awesomeness of the franchise.  However this team of New York as the majority of the people know and come to love was not always great and in fact was born from nothing but a second or even third rate squad.  The Yankees were actually born as the Baltimore Orioles in 1901.  About two years later, Bill Devery and Frank Ferrell bought the team for $18,000 dollars, moving this franchise to be situated in a location in upper Manhattan.  They built a stadium nearby to where the Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital is now, and they called it Hill Top Park, thus naming the team the New York Highlanders.  This team was composed of their best player a pitcher named Jack Chesbro who had won 41 games in 1904 which was a standard high at the time.  However, Chesbro threw a wild pitch in the 9^th inning of their last game of the season that year costing them the pennant and rendering them inferior to many of the top teams for the next ten years.  Due to poor management, the next highlight for this third-rate team was in 1912 when they added pinstripes to their uniform(signifying what is now an emblem of a world renown icon).  The first decade of the history of the Yankees was riddled with mediocrity and poor ownership and management.  Soon these Highlanders moved into and shared the Polo Grounds, home of John McGraw’s New York Giants.  It was not until 1914 that a wealthy businessman in Jacob Rupert bought the team now without a home and the Highlanders, after being labeled as “Yankees” in the media at the time became known as the New York Yankees within those years of change. 

Jacob Rupert in need of promoting his brewery products decided to try and take this team into a new direction.  Since the beginning of baseball and up to the point of 1918, the most successful baseball team was that of the Boston Red Sox.  They had won the majority of world championships up to that point.  They were led by a superstar by the name of George Herman Ruth(Babe) who spent the early days of his career as a great pitcher.  In 1918 he was among the leaders in strikeouts, wins, and because the manager Ed Barrow switched him to the outfield, he led the league in home runs as well.  However the most dubious move and arguably the most well-known move in baseball history came in the 1918 off-season.  It was said that Harry Frazee the owner of the Red Sox also ran and invested in Broadway shows.  *Needing the money to continue running that business, he sold the “Babe” to the New York Yankees for what was $125,000 dollars at the time stunning baseball fans and perhaps setting their own Red Sox fans in what would be the next 86 years of misery.  However what an impact Babe Ruth had in his first years with New York.  He set the major league record for home runs in 1920 and 1921 and drew a record high 1 million fans to watch the Yankees play in the Polo Grounds.  This feat was an accomplishment not even the New York Giants had achieved.  Ruth was arguably the biggest star and attraction to the New York fans which of course brought in much more revenue and profit.  Seeing the increase in fans of these new Yankees, John McGraw kicked his residents out.  So the New York Yankees found land just across the river in the South Bronx and this new building would become known as “the House that Ruth built”.  So in 1923, Yankee Stadium opened up and to many people’s delight, The Babe hit a home-run on Yankee Stadium’s opening day and that year they would go on to beat their rivals across the river, the New York Giants for their first World Series title in their history.

* Film/Documentary: 100 Years of the New York Yankees

           In the years after that, the Yankees hired Ed Barrow away from the Red Sox as their general manager, and from that point on, half the Red Sox team followed the Babe from Boston to New York.  Pitchers like Waite Hoyt and Herb Pennock would be included.  This remarkable change would in turn throw the Red Sox into a next generation of incompetence.  The sale of Babe Ruth and the events that followed right after would utterly begin the most fabled and most famous rivalry in sports history, between the Yankees and Red Sox.  The Red Sox would not win for nearly a century as the “Curse of the Bambino” was born.  The dawn of Lou Gehrig in 1925 would signify a sure quality first-baseman for the Yankees and batted right after the Babe himself.  Gehrig would become the Yankees 5^th team captain and in 1927, players such as Tony Lazzeri, Earl Combes and Bob Muesel would add to this already powerful lineup into what the Yankees were known as “Murderer’s Row” that year.  The most devastating 1-2 punch in history of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig resembled that awesomeness of the Yankees as Ruth set a record that year with 60 home runs and Gehrig followed with 46.  The Yankees would go on to win in 1927 beating the Pirates and also won the year after.  Lou Gehrig would be perhaps the most famous sports athlete to have played in more than 2000 consecutive games and starts.  Most of their early success came from manager Miller Huggins who led them through their first decade of excellence.  Unfortunately the late 1920s marked the beginning of the Great Depression and the loss of Miller Huggins in 29’. 

The entrance of Joe McCarthy would pick up where Miller Huggins left off.  The Yankees would win again in 1932 but also marking the end of Babe Ruth’s legendary career with the Yankees and would end his career with the Boston Braves.  Players such as Red Ruffing, Lefty Gomez and Bill Dickey filled out the lineup and order that was now led by Lou Gehrig.  The arrival of a young boy named Joe DiMaggio in 1936 would take this team to one of their pinnacles of their history.  With the addition of “Joltin Joe” on a team that already featured Lou Gehrig, the Yankees would win three consecutive World Series Titles from 1936 onto 1938.  Lou Gehrig’s incredible run and streak of 2,130 consecutive games ended in 1938.  *In the summer of 1939, Gehrig spoke the most famous words in sports history in front of the crowd at Yankee Stadium as well as in front of his teammates from the eras of the past.  He had addressed and announced the diagnosis of the disease that unfortunately ended his life at an early age of 37.  The Yankees would win the World Series that year.  Lou Gehrig’s number 4 would be the first number retired as a Yankee.

1941 marked a significant year as Joe DiMaggio set a record still held today hitting in 56 consecutive games leading them to yet another Pennant and championship that year.  The Yankees would win eight World Series titles with Joe McCarthy as manager.  In 1947, “Joltin Joe” would win his third MVP that year and Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams would win the triple-crown.  Both were have said to be in a rumor that was brewing and said to have involved a trade between DiMaggio and the “splendid splitter”.  However both Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams had served in the military in several of their big league careers prior to 1947.  In fact, the nation’s victory in the war resembled great pride and honor in the strength in this country and fans were absolutely proud of their many heroes in the war.  Fans showed great support for especially two of the league’s best in DiMaggio and Williams.  Thus baseball and the success of the New York Yankees gave fans but also the American people something to fall back on, to get them through, to relieve their stresses and worries in a time of war as well as a sense of entertainment and pride as well.

* Film/Documentary: 100 Years of the New York Yankees

Though the Yankees would win in 1947 under Bucky Harris, they would replace Harris in 1949 with Casey Stengel whom many people and media doubted in terms of character and managerial skill.  Surprisingly he stunned the skeptics with a Championship victory his first year.  In the years following, this team would be surrounded by dominant pitching such as Vic Raschi, Eddie Lopat, Joe Page and Allie Reynolds who is the only Yankee to throw two no-hitters in a single year.  Names such as Phil Rizzuto “Scooter”, Jerry Coleman, and Bobby Brown would help the team’s success.  1951 marked the end of an incredible career for Joe DiMaggio but also paved the way for a guy named Mickey Mantle to enter the stage.  Billy “the Kid” Martin would be players who followed making great defensive plays in critical world series games along with a great catcher Yogi Berra who would lead the team after DiMaggio’s departure.  *The Yankees would go onto win five consecutive World Series from 1949 to 1953, a feat unmatched in baseball history.  This decade of Yankee success but also led by manager Casey Stengel would be a great decade in Yankee and New York history as well.  The Yankees would win the pennant for another four consecutive years from 55’ to 58’.  In 1956, Don Larsen in game 5 of the World Series would throw a perfect game leading the Yankees to win that year.  Casey Stengel would round out his career in 1960 leading the Yankees to 10 American League pennants and 7 World Series Titles under his management.  Thus New York’s golden age was well in motion as Yankee fans knew in their hearts that the Yankees were going to win the pennant nearly each and every year.  On top of that, there were 6 subway series played in the 1950s and that really gave New York that great sense of pride knowing that at least one team from New York was going to win.  Most if not all New York baseball fans got into it and it thrilled the fans, excited them, provided that sense of pride and it marked a decade of Glory years for New York City. 

Just the name Mickey Mantle would resemble greatness and that sense of respect.  That is what he was all about Mantle did not only win batting crowns and hit home runs, and drive in RBIs and fielded the ball exceptionally well, he was a great teammate and a hero to many people and those that really admired and looked up to him.  Elston Howard became the first black player on the Yankees several months after the Dodgers signed and brought in Jackie Robinson.  Howard was a great catcher along with Berra and played in the outfield as well.  Ralph Houk replaced Stengel and became manager in 1961.  That year was arguably perhaps the most studded and awesome line-up in baseball history as it featured players like Mickey Mantle of course, Yogi Berra, Elston Howard, Moose Skowron, Bobby Richardson, Tony Kubek, and Clete Boyer.  Whitey Ford had 25 wins that year, Mickey Mantle hit 54 home runs and Roger Maris broke a record set only in history by the Babe himself.  Maris hit his 61^st home run on the final day of the regular season in 61’ surpassing Ruth’s prior record of 60 and Whitey Ford also surpassed Ruth’s record as a pitcher 33 1/3 scoreless innings pitched.  Comparing such a line-up to the “Murderer’s Row” of 27’ exemplified the greatness of the team over the eras.  The Yankees won 109 games that year and went on to win another championship.  1964, Mickey Mantle hit his 18^th home run in the playoffs but were beaten by the Cardinals in seven games.  That was Berra’s only season of managing while leading them into a pennant.  In 64’ the Yankees were bought by CBS and were brought into a decade of mediocrity as players such as Mantle and others got older and lost skill.  It was not until the 1970s that players such as Thurman Munson, Graig Nettles, Bobby Murcer and Sparky Lyle were brought in. 

1973 marked the dawn of a new era as a group of businessmen from Cleveland bought the team from CBS and was led by George Steinbrenner.  *He says “this team will be champions again, give me three years”.  So within those three years, he had brought in guys like Chris Chambliss, Mickey Rivers, Willie Randolph, Lou Piniella, Dick Tidrow, Ed Figueroa, and Catfish Hunter.  Yankee Stadium had undergone renovation in those years and reopened  in 1976 beginning a new era in their history.  Thurman Munson became team captain and Billy Martin returned as manager.  So the Yankees returned to the postseason after a 12 year drought of not being in the playoffs.  In the 5^th game against the Kansas City royals, Chris Chambliss hit a walk-off game winning homerun in the bottom of the ninth sending the Yankees back to the World Series however they lost to the Cincinatti Reds.  In the off-season after, Steinbrenner signed a free agent named Reggie Jackson.  His immediate impact on the team brought drama to the team as well as the media.  He doubted and questioned the leadership of Thurman Munson and also noted in a magazine “I’m the straw that stirs the drink”.  This immediate impact caused a ruckus in the Yankee dugout as clearly Munson was the Yankee captain and also during a game against the Red Sox, in 77’, a failure to make a

routine play put Jackson on the bad end with manager Billy Martin.  All this drama and ruckus in the Yankee clubhouse was termed “The Bronx Zoo” and attracted the media and the press and everyone involved with the Yankees.  The Yankees went on to beat their American League rivals the Royals which landed them back into the world series against the L.A. Dodgers.  This is when those magical moments of the Yankees seem to stir and rear itself up when in game 6, Reggie Jackson blasted 3 home runs never done by a Yankee or perhaps any other player in the world series.  This brought the Yankees back to their winning ways as they brought home their 21^st World Series title and all that fury, that turmoil was forgotten and perhaps forgiven.  George Steinbrenner had more or less kept to his word as a title returned to the Bronx.  The 78’ season did not start as expected as early troubles between the Martin and Jackson and the team took holster forcing Billy Martin to resign as manager and Bob Lemon took over to try and re-inspire the team.  Trailing by 14 games behind Boston late in the season, the Yankees crept back and tied the Sox by the end of the season forcing a single game playoff between the two.  Ron Guidry prior to this start against the Sox had recorded an 18 strikeout game against the Angels surpassing Whitey Ford’s record of 15.  Guidry won the Cy Young that year and the Yanks entered this must-win game.  Down by two, “The Curse of the Bambino” presented itself as Bucky Dent hit a three-run home run to give the Yankees the lead and eventually win the pennant that year.  The Yankees would also go on to win the World Series that 78’ season.

The Yankees would not win for another 18 years.  Within those unsuccessful years, Dave Righetti pitched a no-hitter against the Red Sox in 1983 and Don Mattingly’s first taste of the off season in 95’ landed not much success.  It did however bring in players such as Bernie Williams, and Paul O’Neill as led by Buck Showalter in the 95’ season brought them closer but no cigar.  Mattingly retired and Tino Martinez came in 96’.  That also marked the beginning of the Joe Torre era and a young kid who would be named the “Captain” and certainly is still the captain today, Derek Jeter.  The greatest closer of all time arguably also came in, Mariano Rivera.  The Yankees would return to the postseason that year with Derek Jeter’s mystified home run caught by a kid in right field.  The catch of third base Charlie Hayes and John Wetteland with the save brought the Yankees back to being World Champions as they defeated the Braves in 96’.  1998 marked another historic season as the Yankees go on to win 125 games in total and clinch another title.  They would sweep the Braves in 1999 and go on to defeat the New York Mets in the subway series of 2000 signifying their 26^th World Series Championship.  The Yankees led by Joe Torre and Derek Jeter along with the great line-ups of that era would win 4 World Series titles out of the five years.  The 2001 World Series and its magical moments in it with Tino’s game tie-ing home run in game 4 and Scott Brosius’ game tie-ing home run would represent the spirit and the fight of New York especially after the events of 9/11.  The comeback the team showed against the Athletics as well as against the Diamondbacks represented the strength and fire in rising out of the ashes, it gave New York as well as the New York Fans a sense of hope in those devastating times.  It brought people together and it also reminded New Yorkers of the strength and the pride of the city.

Throughout the Yankees illustrious history, there were many moments of magic,, mystique, story that surrounded this greatest franchise in all of sports.  The excellence and success of these Yankee dynasties throughout the century really exemplified wonder and greatness of the team.  The Yankees meant more than just a baseball team, their success gave the fans a wonderful sense of leisure.  They gave the fans a team to root for.  The excellence over the years brought in a great amount of revenue for the city.  In times of trouble, the Yankees symbolized the strength and recuperation that the fans and New Yorkers needed.  The determination to recover resembles the fire of the people that made New York City great.  To come out and play and win as the New York Yankees came to do in their history portrayed that sense of triumph, excellence and pride in the pinstripes and also the fans that have supported them throughout their century, the New York Yankees have fell nothing short of baseball’s greatest.

* Film/Documentary: 100 Years of the New York Yankees