By Andrew Rosario
No team in the history of sports has signed or traded for more high-profile players than the New York Yankees. After George Steinbrenner purchased the team from CBS in 1973 along with Mike Burke and 11 others, he vowed to restore the organization back to baseball prominence. The team had won 20 World Series between 1923 through 1962. After that, the Bronx Bombers were an afterthought for the next 15 years not even sniffing the playoffs. It began to change when Steinbrenner shocked the baseball world by signing starting pitcher Jim “Catfish” Hunter for an unheard of $3.75 million dollars in 1974. Hunter was part of the Oakland A’s team that won 3 consecutive World Series. His last year in Oakland saw him win 25 games, a 2.49 ERA and the Cy Young Award. Three years later, Steinbrenner signed Hunter’s teammate Reggie Jackson and the team won the World Series (1977 and 1978) as Jackson solidified his moniker of “Mr. October” with his clutch post-season heroics.
Steinbrenner would not stop throwing money at some of the best players, some of who could not handle the bright lights. Pitchers Ed Whitson (5 years, $4.5 million) and Carl Pavano (4 years, $39.9 million) wilted under pressure of playing in the Bronx. The list grew longer and longer of failed signings as the Yankees drought of getting to the post season continued after losing the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981. That year, Steinbrenner signed Dave Winfield who he called “Mr. April” after going 1-21 in the World Series.
Steinbrenner took a chance and hired Joe Torre in 1996. After losing the first two World Series games in Yankee Stadium against the Atlanta Braves, New York would win the next four games bringing the championship back to the Big Apple. After losing in the playoffs the following year to the Cleveland Indians, the Yankees would win the World Series the next three years. No team has won 3 consecutive World Series since.
Which brings us to the Yankees most current high-profile player on the team. Giancarlo Stanton, coming off a monster 2017 year in which he hit 59 home runs for the Miami Marlins, Stanton was traded to the Yankees joining the roster which included Aaron Judge. Stanton’s debut could not have been worse. His first game in the Bronx saw him strike out 5 times. The Bronx crowd let him hear it as Stanton said, “I was awful today.” Stanton rebounded hitting 38 home runs and 100 rbi’s. Injuries took its toll in 2019 (he only played in 18 games) and the Covid19 2020 season saw him only play in 23 games.
When the Yankees began their 10-game road trip in Tampa this past Tuesday night, they were in second place (18-16) three games behind the Boston Red Sox. Stanton has been a big reason in the team’s resurgence. In his last 11 games, Stanton is batting .500 (24 hits in 48 at-bats) slamming 5-home runs adding 10 rbi’s. Said manager Aaron Boone, “he’s a special person and talent.”
The history of free agents coming to play in New York in any sport has been well documented. Some players embrace it and succeed. Others wilt never to heard from again. Giancarlo Stanton was on the way to be part of the latter. Staying healthy has been part of the issue. Stanton showed what he can contribute to the team during last year’s playoff run when he hit home runs in five straight games. The former National League Most Valuable Player knows the season is a marathon, not a sprint. After the team’s 6-3 win over the Houston Astros last week, Stanton said, “It’s tough when you’re climbing back from something for a month or two, you feel like you’ll never get out of it. But still a long season ahead. I didn’t climb out of nothing. Still got work to do, feeling good, and keep it going.”
The New York Yankees will need Stanton to have a complete season if the team will add World Series number 28 to their resume.
