size and athleticism of players to game strategy.
Baseball’s evolution, however, is both historic and unique given
the pre-integration and dead ball eras. For the former, full
segregation took place from 1887-1947. Full integration, which
was a gradual process, came in 1959. The Deadball Era was a
period in the early 20th century when baseball was characterized
by low scoring and emphasis on pitching.
There was the Steroid Era, which has no definite start time though
it is generally assumed that the era ran from the late 1980s until the
late 2000s. This era was defined by shattered home run records
leading to exorbitant salaries.
The New York Yankees could fill the New York City phonebook with
their resume. The franchise has won 27 World Series titles, 40
American League pennants and have eight more postseason
appearances as a wild card team. To add further perspective on the
Yankees success, the St. Louis Cardinals have 11 World Series titles,
second in Major League Baseball history. The Yankees have had
enough star players to fill a galaxy. With the Yankees success, they
are polarizing to fan bases, you either strongly love them or hate
them with little in between.
Today, I formed a Yankees Dream Team in a 26-man roster format.
For openers, to make this roster, four years as a Yankee are required.
No exceptions. With the free agency era, I’m not going to cheapen
this roster with 1-3 year rentals.
I’m forming a 12 man pitching staff, five starters and seven relievers.
For the latter, I want at least one lefthander in the bullpen. For position
players, I am taking what I believe is the best of the best regardless
of era. For the bench players, it’s the best of the rest with versatility
being heavily considered. Merit achievements such as Hall of Fame,
All-Star appearances and Gold Gloves are considered but not
guaranteed. General impactfulness on the franchise is also considered.
Generational reminders
If you played on a playoff team, there is no guarantee of landing on this
roster. If you played during a bad season, that does not deter you from
being on this roster. Off-the-field baggage is not a deterrent to landing
on this team, nor is any Steroid Era affiliation. This is baseball, not the
Boys Scouts. We don’t do morality clauses. Also, this franchise is so
deep with greatness that some deserving players will not be selected.
Starting pitchers
Red Ruffing, Mel Stottlemyre, Allie Reynolds, Whitey Ford, Andy Pettite
Ruffing won 231 games in a Yankees uniform on the way to a Hall of
Fame career. He was a six-time All-Star and helped the Yankees to six
World Series titles. He was the American League leader in strikeouts
in 1932 and wins in 1938. Stottlemeyer fired 40 career shutouts during
his 11-year career with the Yankees. He was also a five-time All-Star
and helped the Yankees to five World Series titles. Reynolds spent
eight seasons with the Yankees, six of which were All-Stars and he
helped them win five World Series titles. He was the two-time American
League strikeout leader and the American League ERA leader in 1952.
No pitcher won a higher percentage of his decisions than Ford at 69%.
Ford also still holds the Major League record for 33 1/3 scoreless
innings in World Series competition. Ford was a 10-time All-Star and
helped the Yankees to six World Series titles. He was the Cy Young
Award winner and World Series MVP in 1961. He led the American
League in wins three times and the Major Leagues in ERA twice on
the way to a Hall of Fame career. Pettite was defined by consistency
and reliability as he remains the Yankees franchise leader in strikeouts
and is tied with Ford with the number of starts at 438. Pettite was a
three-time All-Star and helped the Yankees win five World Series.
Bullpen
Closer -- Mariano Rivera, Rich “Goose” Gossage, Sparky Lyle, Johnny
Murphy, Dave Righetti, Jeff Nelson, Aroldis Chapman
Rivera became the first unanimous Hall of Fame selection in Major
League history. He is the all-time leader in saves with 652. Rivera's cut
fastball translated into 13 All-Star appearances and helped the
Yankees to five World Series titles. He led the Major Leagues in saves
three times and was the World Series MVP in 1999. Gossage's
trademark fu manchu mustache made for an intimidating glare and so
too did his fastball. In six years as the franchise’s closer, Gossage
was a four-time All-Star with 150 saves and he helped the Yankees
to their 1978 World Series title. Lyle was one of the top relievers in the
1970s. In his seven years with the Yankees, he led the American
League in saves twice. Murphy possessed a tremendous curveball
and was a three-time All-Star with 104 career saves with the Yankees.
He also helped deliver seven World Series titles.
Righetti made a seamless transition from starter to reliever. He became
the first pitcher in Major League history to throw a no-hitter and lead
the league in saves, a feat that Dennis Eckersley and Derek Lowe
later accomplished. Righetti recorded 233 career saves with the
Yankees. He was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1981
and a two-time All-Star. Nelson was a dependable set up man to get
games to Rivera during the Yankees dynasty from 1996-2000, during
which time they won four World Series in five years. Nelson recorded
a 3.47 ERA with the Yankees. Chapman is currently in his sixth season
with the Yankees. Nicknamed the “Cuban Missile,” Chapman entered
the 2021 season with 111 career saves with the Yankees.
Infield
Catcher -- Yogi Berra; First base -- Lou Gehrig; Second base -- Tony
Lazzeri; Third base -- Alex Rodriguez; Shortstop -- Derek Jeter
On the way to a Hall of Fame career, Berra became the Major League’s
all-time leader with 1,430 RBIs, most among catchers. Berra was an
18-time All-Star and three-time American League MVP. Berra has
been connected with 13 of the franchise's 27 World Series titles,
including as a player and as a coach. Gehrig established a Major
League record by playing 2,130 consecutive games, which was a
Major League record until Cal Ripken eclipsed that mark. Gehrig
drove in at least 100 runs in 13 consecutive seasons. His lifetime
batting average was .340 with 493 career home runs on the way to a
Hall of Fame career. Gehrig was a seven-time All-Star, six-time
American League RBI leader, three-time American League home run
leader, two-time American League MVP, American League batting
champion in Triple Crown winner in 1934. He also helped deliver six
World Series.
Lazzeri still holds the American League record for most RBIs in a
game with 11. On the way to a Hall of Fame career in which he was
inducted posthumously, Lazzeri was part of the famed “Murderers
Row” Yankees lineups. Lazzeri helped deliver five World Series titles
and was an All-Star in 1933. The cerebral Jeter finished one vote shy
of his 20-year career from being a unanimous Hall of Fame. He also
played in 158 postseason games, which nearly amounts to another
season. During his 20 seasons, Jeter was a 14-time All-Star, five-time
Silver Slugger Award, five-time Gold Glove Award, American League
Rookie of the Year in 1996, World Series MVP in 2000 and helped
deliver five World Series titles. Though people have their misgivings
about Rodriguez because of his association with RED use, his
resume is undeniable. He leads Yankee third baseman in runs scored,
hits, doubles, home runs and RBIs. Rodriguez helped the Yankees
deliver their most recent World Series title in 2009. He is the fourth
all-time leading home run hitter with 696.
Outfield
Leftfield -- Joe DiMaggio; Centerfield -- Mickey Mantle; Rightfield --
Babe Ruth
DiMaggio played mostly center field but having a starting outfield of
DiMaggio, Mantle and Ruth is a no-brainer. DiMaggio was a well-
rounded hitter and a tremendous defensive player. He still holds the
record for longest hitting streak at 56 games. Nicknamed “The
Yankee Clipper,” DiMaggio is a 13-time All-Star, nine-time World
Series champion, three-time American League MVP. He was also
the American League batting champion, home run leader and RBI
leader two times each on the way to a Hall of Fame career. The
switch-hitting Mantle is the only player in Major League history to hit
150 home runs from both sides of the plate. Mantle was a 15-time
All-Star and helped deliver seven World Series titles. He was a
four-time American League home run leader, RBI leader and
American League batting champion in 1956. That season, he was
also the Triple Crown winner. Mantle was a three-time American
League MVP on the way to a Hall of Fame career. Ruth is frequently
named in the same breath is Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan
when it comes to naming the best athletes of all time regardless of
sport. Ruth made a tremendous transition from pitcher to full-time
outfielder. Ruth held the major league home run record with 714 until
Hank Aaron and later Barry Bonds eclipse tomorrow. Ruth helped
deliver seven World Series titles for the Yankees. He was a 12 time
homerun leader and six-time American League RBI leader. He was
also the American League batting champion in 1924 and American
League MVP in 1923. As a pitcher, he led the American League in
ERA in 1916.
Bench
Bill Dickey, Don Mattingly, Graig Nettles, Phil Rizzuto, Dave Winfield,
Bernie Williams
On the way to a Hall of Fame career, Dickey was an 11-time All-Star
and helped the Yankees to seven World Series titles. He compiled a
.313 career batting average with 1,209 RBIs. Mattingly, nicknamed
“Donnie Baseball,” remains a very beloved Yankee. His 684 RBIs
between 1984-1989 is the highest among Major Leaguers. Mattingly
was the nine-time Gold Glove Award winner, six-time All-Star, three-
time Silver Slugger Award winner, and American League MVP in
1985. Rizzuto took part in 1,217 career double plays, at the time of
his retirement that was second only to Luke Appling. Rizzuto was a
crucial part of a dynasty that won nine American League pennants
and seven World Series in his 13-year career. Rizzuto was a five-
time All-Star and American League MVP in 1950. Nettles still holds
the American League record for home runs by a third baseman with
319. Five of Nettles’ six career All-Star appearances came in a
Yankees uniform. He helped the franchise deliver back-to-back
World Series titles in 1977-1978. He was also a two-time Gold Glove
Award winner, American League home run leader in 1976 and ALCS
MVP in 1981.
Williams was an integral part of the Yankees 1990s dynasty, during
which time they won four World Series in five years. Williams was a
five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner. He was the
American League batting champion in 1998 and ALCS MVP in 1996.
Winfield played for a total of six Major League teams but his 10 years
with the Yankees were very defining. Winfield was an eight-time All-
Star in a Yankees uniform. In that span, he also won five Silver
Slugger Awards and five Gold Gloves.
Manager
Casey Stengel
Stengel’s 54 year association with Major League Baseball ranged
from the Dead Ball era to Mickey Mantle's spectacular power display.
Stengel was a colorful personality with many quotable sayings
dubbed Stengelese. He specialized in the practice of platooning
players with a mix-and-match style that is common in today's game.
On the way to a Hall of Fame career, Stengel led the Yankees to
seven World Series titles, tied for the most by a Yankees manager.
Stengel also led the Yankees to 10 American League pennants in
his 12 seasons. Stengel led the Yankees to 1,149 victories.
Team
1927
While a case can be made for a handful of other Yankee teams, this
one gets the nod because they are widely considered the best team
in Major League baseball history and in professional sports led by
the menacing line up known as “Murderer's Row.” The season was
highlighted by Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs. Ruth
also batted .356 and drove in 164 runs. The Yankees won 110
games and finished 19 games ahead of the closest pursuers, the
Philadelphia Athletics. The Yankees then swept the Pittsburgh
Pirates in the World Series. In addition to Ruth being the Home Run
champion, Gehrig was the American League MVP. Earl Combs led
the American League in triples with 23 and Gehrig led the American
League with 175 RBIs.
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