It takes the entire 25-man roster to win a pennant. Not even Kerry Wood, the Cubs’ budding superstar, can do it alone. But, as manager Jim Riggleman conceded, sometimes one player can have such a beneficial affect his teammates can be inspired and a flag can be captured.
Riggleman offered this observation about a week ago, and it came to mind Wednesday at Comiskey Park after a brief stay in the Yankees’ clubhouse. The Yankees are lapping the field. They have won 34 of their last 41 games and, even taking into account the inevitable slumps, appear likely to win the American League East.
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What has manager Joe Torre done to convert the Yankees into such a powerhouse?
“I stay out of the way,” Torre replied. “I make out the lineup, and they play.”
C’mon, enough of this modesty stuff.
“Trust me, it’s the truth,” Torre insisted.
And he proceeded to explain the Yankees don’t rely on any one player, and his players pull for one another. The only important statistic is games won.
In other words, it’s “All for one and one for all.”
“You have it wrong,” Torre corrected. “That’s `The Three Musketeers.’ This is a 25-man baseball team.”
Later, catcher Joe Girardi, also known as “Northwestern Joe,” picked up the baton.
“We come to play every day,” he said. “No days off. And we don’t have any selfish players.”
Darryl Strawberry, the veteran outfielder who has been around the block three or four times, put his spin on the Yankees’ remarkable success.
“This is an everybody team,” he said. “Everybody’s for everybody.”
Strawberry, with seven home runs and 21 RBIs in 93 at-bats, agreed this is somewhat of a rarity in these days of multimillion-dollar contracts. More often than not, the old Marine Corps dictum applies–“Pull up the ladder, Jake, I’m aboard.”
“We have a good bunch of guys,” Torre said. “But I’m uncomfortable talking about it, because there’s such a long way to go.”
Then Torre observed, “The pitching has been the key.”
With little more than a quarter of the season gone, the Yankees could be loaded with 20-game winners. David Cone and David Wells are 6-1 and Andy Pettitte is 6-4. Hideki Irabu, previously a flop, is 4-0. Closer Mariano Rivera already has 11 saves.
Cone, normally the ace of the staff, has a 6.00 earned-run average and has been the least effective of the starters.
“We have incredible depth,” said Cone, who still is recovering from injuries. “Our hitting has been great. We’re strong in every department.”
The Yankees lead the league in most of the crucial categories. Through Tuesday, they led in pitching with a 4.05 ERA, in batting with a composite .301 average. They had scored an average of 6.55 runs and are strong defensively. Incredibly, they have allowed only two unearned runs in the month of May.
Buster Olney of the New York Times coughed up his favorite stat. The Yankees have lost only seven games since April 7. In this same stretch, Tampa Bay pitcher Dennis Springer has lost eight games.
The aforementioned Strawberry is among the early-season candidates for Comeback of the Year Award. So is third baseman Scott Brosius, who was acquired from Oakland in an off-season deal. Brosius batted .203 in 129 games last year and is among the Yankee leaders with an average near .330.
“Don’t ask me why he’s hitting so well,” Torre said. “I’ve had nothing to do with it. All I know he has been terrific, both defensively an offensively.”
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Paul O’Neill, who for several years has been among the league’s best hitters, is batting .319 with 37 RBIs. Other Yankees who have been outstanding at the plate are Tino Martinez (.331), Derek Jeter (.332) and the ancient Tim Raines (.324.) In all, there isn’t a weak spot in their lineup.
Every team, no matter how well-balanced, has a star. The Yankees’ MVP, at this point, has been Jeter. He is among the best shortstops in either league and, in addition to his defensive wizardry, he has excellent power: seven homers, 31 RBIs.
“He gets better every day,” Girardi said. “He has it together. He doesn’t let one at-bat affect him. You never would know he’s only 23 years old.”