All Time Yankee Team

Hey boys and girls, after an extended break from posting I will be resuming on a more frequent basis. As the baseball season progresses, we have seen the New York Yankees thriving back into spotlight as a legitimate contender. As I was watching the broadcast, YES panned over the monument park and it made me wonder: if the Yankees had an all time team, who would be on it? I decided to make this entry to investigate it. I decided, however, that I wanted this team not to be in the format of an all-star but rather a team ready for a season and title opportunities. Also, a minimum of 4 yrs of service with the Yanks is required. So here we go....

C- Thurman Munson- Now I know the convention wisdom says Yogi Berra. But with a team of fun loving All-Stars, the Yankees need a bit of an edge. Munson was one of the toughest men in baseball. He could catch a great game and manage the pitchers extremely effectively. This hard nosed player was also an extremely good players. Throughout his career he was a 7 X All-Star, 2 X World Series Champion, an MVP Award, and 3 X Gold Glove Winner.
Honorable Mention: Yogi Berra

1B- Lou Gehrig- "the Iron Horse" (by the way, one of the greatest nicknames of all time) is perhaps in the top 5 of players all time. The exact type of player that every team needs, a selfless hard worker who never takes a day off. His career averages are simply unbelievable, a .340 average with 493 Home Runs and 2,721 hits. And who can forget his speech to Yankee stadium. Honestly if he was just a good player he would have gotten the pick here but he was also an honorable man.
Honorable Mention: Don Mattingly, Tino Martinez

2B- Robinson Cano- This position is tough because unlike most Yankee positions, there is not much to pick from. Cano gets the nod here because it is apparent that no other Yankee 2B has had the type of production that he has had. A great swing and a growing maturity helps Cano become a very strong offensive force, with a career batting average of .307 . His defense is constantly improving and could contend for a Gold Glove relatively soon. Despite some inconsistencies, he would be a middle of the order guy for any other team.
Honorable Mention: Chuck Knoblauch

3B- Alex Rodriguez- Yea I know, he hasn't won anything, he chokes in the clutch, and he did steroids. Let me first say that any person that does steroids should not be in the Hall of Fame. So I do not think A-Rod deserves the Hall. Having said that, he is clearly the best 3B the Yankees have ever had. A "once in a generation" type of player, he can hit to all fields with power and for average. Also, no one ever talks about how selfless he was in switching to 3B. And yes, he is a bit of a head case but his ability is undeniable. Everyone just go easy on A-Rod.
Honorable Mention: Wade Boggs

SS- Derek Jeter- hmm tough one here. Come on, this is the most obvious choice of all picks. No offense to other Yankees SS but Jeter is the ultimate Yankee. He has amassed a legendary status in New York despite not being the best at his position consistently over his career. Don't get me wrong, he is an elite player but he was forever lumped in with A-Rod and Nomar. But Jeter is above them when it comes to the clutch. Nobody is better than Jeter when the game is on the line. A leader by example, Jeter is what every club wants their leaders to be.
Honorable Mention: Phil Rizzuto

OF- Joe DiMaggio- Okay, lets get these stats straight- 3 MVPs, .325 average, 56-game hit streak and that's just the beginning. A legend who won fans favor through his unbelievable athletic ability and hitting prowess. He also lead the Yankees to 9 World Series titles. One of the most legendary players in history, this was not a hard choice to put him in.

OF- Babe Ruth- Greatest player of all-time. Next......

OF- Micky Mantle- The iconic face of the Yankee franchise. His social life was just as much a legend as his on-field ability. Blazing speed combined with switch hitting power and batting average. A Triple Crown winner, 7 x World Series Champ, 3 X MVP, who had a Gold Glove and 16 X All-Star selection. Sounds good to me.
Honorable Mention: Roger Maris, Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neil


Pitching Staff

SP- Whitey Ford
SP-Ron Guidry
SP- Andy Pettite
SP- David Cone
SP-Mike Mussina
Long Reliever/6th Starter- Red Ruffing
Setup-John Wetteland
Setup-Mike Stanton
Closer- Mariano Rivera

Coaching Staff

Manager- Joe Torre
Bench Coach- Billy Martin
3rd Base Coach- Casey Stengel
1st Base Coach- Tony Pena