1986 Profile: Neil Allen

"Neil was acquired last year on July 17 in an attempt to bolster the bullpen. Making only one start in 17 games for St. Louis, he was 1-4 with two saves and a 5.59 ERA upon his arrival in New York. Neil was 1-0 with a save and a 2.76 ERA in 17 relief appearances with the Yankees, finishing 10 games. His only save as a Yankee came on August 23 at Seattle and his only win came on September 30 against Baltimore, pitching 1.1 perfect innings with two strikeouts. He did not allow an earned run in his last four outings (9.2 IP) and opposing batters hit just .234 against him.
In 1984, Neil was used as a late inning reliever, replacing Bruce Sutter as the closer for the Cardinals. He pitched 17 consecutive scoreless innings from May 7-25, allowing only five hits in seven appearances. His longest outing was 5.2 scoreless innings an an August 31 victory over Houston's Nolan Ryan.
He began the 1983 season as a reliever with the Mets and became a starter for the first time since his rookie year in 1979. Neil was moved back to the bullpen by the Mets and was later traded to the Cardinals in mid-season. He began his career with the Cardinals as a starter, posting a 5-1 record, but after four consecutive losses was again moved to the pen. His relief record was 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA in seven games with the Cardinals. In 1983 Neil became the first NL pitcher since 1976 to shut out the same club twice while pitching for two different teams, blanking the Dodgers 4-0 on May 20 while with the Mets and then 3-0 on July 24 while with the Cardinals.
Neil began the first five games of his career in 1979 as a starter, and after going 0-4 was converted to a reliever. He went on the DL on May 31 with an injured rib cage, and became the number one reliever after being activated on June 25. From that point he made 38 appearances, with a record of 5-5 with eight saves. Neil's first save was on July 28, 1979 against the Cubs in New York. In 1980, he finished fourth in the NL in saves (22) and didn't permit a run in 37 of his 59 appearances. Neil was third in the NL in saves in 1981, and from August 11-27 didn't allow a run in eight consecutive appearances (14 IP) and recorded a pair of wins and six saves. In 1982, he was sixth in the NL in saves despite missing much of the season with illness and injury. Neil recorded his 15th save on June 14, before being sidelined for 11 days with a bacterial infection of the colon. He appeared in only five games after August 1, and was diagnosed on August 8 as having a slight strain of the elbow.
Neil earned varsity letters in baseball, football and basketball at Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City. He had football scholarship [offers] from all Big Eight Conference schools, and signed a letter of intent with Kansas State, but concentrated on baseball after being signed by the Mets.
He is an active volunteer for Muscular Dystrophy."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Scott Bradley

"Bradley was voted the outstanding rookie in spring camp last year, when he made the Yankees because of his versatility and consistent hitting, but his season received a jolt when he broke a finger in a collision at home plate in May. He was put on a minor league rehabilitation program before being recalled by the Yankees late in the season. Bradley hit .163 in 19 games with the Yankees.
Primarily a catcher, he can play first base, third base and the outfield. Bradley was named International League MVP in 1984, when he hit .335 with 84 RBI for Columbus (AAA). He does not have home run power, but has a good, short stroke and rarely strikes out.
Born in Essex Fells, New Jersey, Bradley attended North Carolina and was a second round pick by the Yankees in the June 1981 draft."

-Tom Verducci, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1986 Edition

"Having survived the final spring training cuts, he began the season with the parent club. Scott made his first start on April 21 against Cleveland, suffering a fractured right pinky in a home plate collision with Brook Jacoby- it was first major league start as a backstop. Scott was placed on the 15-day DL on April 24 and transferred to the 21-day DL on May 6.
He was assigned to Sarasota for rehabilitation on June 5 and assigned to Albany on June 9 to continue his rehabilitation, playing in six games and hitting .125. Reinstated from the DL on June 17, Scott played in 14 games (starting nine as a DH) from June 28 to July 3, and had his first career three-hit game on June 18 at Baltimore. Optioned to Columbus on July 11 as Dan Pasqua was recalled, Scott was recalled to the big club on June 27, replacing the injured Butch Wynegar.
He played just four games, going 1-for-10 and starting twice at catcher, before being optioned to Columbus on August 2. Scott was again recalled to New York on September 14, making only one pinch-hit appearance (September 15 against Toronto) the remainder of the season. At Columbus he hit .301 in 43 games, catching 24 games and playing 17 games at third base.
At Columbus in 1984, Scott hit .335 to win the International League batting crown and was voted IL Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player. He made his major league debut on September 9 in Boston. His first hit in the majors was a single, at Toronto, off Luis Leal on September 13, and his first RBI was a game winner against Baltimore on September 19.
In 1983 he led the Southern League's Nashville Sounds (AA) in at-bats (525), runs (83), hits (142) and doubles (33) and was second in games (137) and RBI (76). With Ft. Lauderdale (A) in 1982, Scott tied for the Florida State League lead with 13 game winning RBI, led Ft. Lauderdale in batting (.296), at-bats (439), doubles (28) and RBI (66) and was the starting catcher on the FSL All-Star team. He led the 1981 Oneonta Yankees in hits (85) and RBI (54) and was named to the New York-Penn League All-Star team.
Scott was born and raised in Essex Fells, New Jersey and attended West Essex Regional High School (North Caldwell, NJ), where he played basketball and was All-State in football. He holds a BS in business administration from the University of North Carolina. Scott played for the USA National baseball team and was signed by Yankee scout Jim Gruzdis."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Gary Roenicke

"Gary Roenicke and Britt Burns, two of the newest Yankees, have met before. Their paths crossed July 13, 1985 when the former Orioles outfielder hit his 100th career home run off the ex-White Sox pitcher. This year, however, Burns doesn't have to worry about Roenicke teeing off him anymore, but other A.L. pitchers will.
A right-handed [hitting] left fielder with power was on the Yankees' off-season shopping list and Roenicke fit the bill. As a part-time player with Baltimore, he hit 15 homers last season in only 225 at-bats and has averaged over 16 dingers over his last four campaigns. The veteran is well-adjusted to platooning which is what the Yankees have in store for him and his left-handed counterpart Dan Pasqua.
Roenicke not only tags the long ball, he also runs them down in the outfield. A power hitter who can field- it sounds like Burns has found a new friend."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"Gary hit for his lowest professional average (.218) playing his fewest games since the strike-shortened 1981. He had his lowest single season totals in hits (49) and doubles (9), yet hit five home runs more than his 1984 total of 10.
He hit career home run No. 100 on July 13 in Baltimore off new teammate Britt Burns. Gary scored three runs (for the sixth time in his career) on May 5 at Minnesota, and hit two home runs in a game (for the fourth time in his career) and set a career single game RBI mark with six in the July 13 game against Chicago. He homered off Ron Guidry on September 28 in New York.
Roenicke made only one error in 88 games played in the outfield and was second on the Orioles with 43 pinch-hit appearances (3-for-29 for a .103 average with two sacrifice flies and nine walks). He played 17 games as a DH, going 6-for-25 (.240) and went 3-for-14 (.214) against the Yankees. He has nine career homers off Yankee pitching and is 56-for-232 (.241 BA) with 34 RBIs against New York, his 232 at-bats his most against any American League opponent.
In 1984 Roenicke platooned in left field mostly with John Lowenstein, but also shared the position with three other Orioles. He saw action at all three outfield positions and was third among AL outfielders in fielding with a .995 mark. Roenicke hit an eighth inning grand slam at Yankee Stadium on June 17, his fourth career grand slam (all four were hit on the road). He was hit by four pitches in 1984, second most on the Orioles.
In 1983, Gary was the second busiest pinch hitter in the AL behind Chicago's Jerry Hairston. He batted .211 as a pinch hitter (8-for-38), and finished third on the Orioles with 19 homers and was fourth with 64 RBIs. Gary reached base nine times in 10 plate appearances in the ALCS against Chicago and hit a two-run homer off Floyd Bannister in Game 2. He set career highs in 1982 in batting (.270) and RBI (74) and finished second on the team in slugging (.499); of his 106 hits, 47 went for extra bases (44%). Gary also hit in a career high 16 straight games from August 7-27, also an Oriole team best.
Gary appeared in only 17 games in the first six weeks of the 1978 season and was optioned to Rochester in May. He rejoined Baltimore in September after hitting .366 in his last 34 games with the Red Wings. In 1979 Gary tied for second on the Orioles with a career high 25 homers. He was hit in the face by a pitch from the White Sox' Lerrin LaGrow on April 7, the second game of the '79 season, and 25 stitches were required to close the wound. Gary returned to action eight days later, using a helmet face guard which he would later discard before the start of the '81 season. He hit into a triple play against Oakland on May 7, and two days later got Baltimore's only hit off Oakland's Mike Norris. Gary had seven straight hits over two games, June 2 and 4.
In 1980 he hit .341 from May 28 through August 28, despite missing 30 games with a fractured wrist from June 9 through July 15. He hit just .103 in his last 30 games and underwent surgery that fall for removal of loose bone fragments from his right elbow. Gary batted .328 in the first half of the 1981 season, but only .191 after the strike. He was batting .293 on September 26 before a 1-for-21 slide in his last 14 games brought his average down to .269.
As an outfielder, Gary has a career fielding percentage of .989, making only 16 errors in 1,481 total chances. His brother Ron, two years younger, plays for the Padres.
Gary has attended both Cal Poly and UCLA in the off-seasons. His hobbies include water skiing, fishing, hunting and golf."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Al Holland

"Not many ballplayers moved around as much as Al Holland did in 1985. In February [1986] he signed with the Yankees, the fourth team he's been with in the past year. The husky left-hander spent 1985 with the Phillies, Pirates and Angels, but he should have no worries about leaving the Yankees.
His career 2.72 ERA and knack for getting the big out coming out of the bullpen is exactly what the Yankees signed him for. Holland may not possess the stopper quality of a Dave Righetti, but he's a proven reliever. An 8-4 record and 24 saves in 1983 earned him the National League's Rolaids Fireman of the Year Award. A year later he picked up another 29 saves for Philadelphia.
Last year, however, he spent as much time packing as he did pitching. Consequently, he never got the opportunity to settle into a groove. Now, in New York, he's ready to regain the form that made him one of the game's best relievers just a short time ago."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

1986 Profile: Dennis Rasmussen

"The 1985 season was a tough one for Dennis Rasmussen. For the first time in his career he began the year on a major league roster, but by June he had lost his effectiveness. He was consistently getting burned by the long ball, and his outings were getting shorter and shorter. By July he was optioned to Triple-A Columbus but returned to New York in September to finish at 3-5.
'It was that type of year- very disappointing,' the big left-hander admitted, 'and yet not disappointing from the point of view of how I threw the ball. I just never got the desired results in New York or Columbus.'
Desire and results. Rasmussen had those winning ingredients in 1984 when he was 9-6, and this year he's going to make sure he stirs them up once again."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"Rasmussen started the season with a major league club for the first time in five years as a pro. He threw his second career complete game on May 3 against Kansas City, allowing one run on five hits while notching his first win, and his other complete game came in a 4-1 loss at Seattle on May 22. Dennis struck out a season high seven batters on July 10 against Kansas City.
He was hurt by the longball, yielding an average of one home run for every 10.1 innings pitched, and allowed four home runs on June 14 against Detroit. When optioned to Columbus on July 23, Dennis was 3-5 with a 3.87 ERA. He was 0-3 with a 3.80 ERA at Columbus and was recalled on September 1, making four relief appearances through the season's end, going 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA.
Dennis is known as a fastball pitcher, but gets many of his strikeouts with a big breaking curve ball. In 1982 he finished second in the Pacific Coast League with 162 strikeouts for Spokane, and in 1983 was the ace of the Columbus [Yankees' AAA] staff, leading the International League in strikeouts and tying for the league lead in both wins and starts; he struck out 14 batters in a game at Charleston. Dennis made his first major league start on May 23, 1983 striking out a career high 10 batters in eight innings of 2-hit shutout ball to gain his first major league win.
Dennis grew up in Lakewood, Colorado where he was a baseball and basketball star at Bear Creek High School. He played college baseball and basketball at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. He played with Kevin McKenna (Indiana Pacers '83-'84) and against Larry Bird and Dave Corzine. Dennis is a grandson of Bill Brubaker, an infielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Braves, 1932-40 and 1943."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Rod Scurry

"Not much was made about the Yankees' 1985 late-season acquisition of left-handed relief pitcher Rod Scurry. After all, he had come to the Yankees from the last place Pittsburgh Pirates, where he had an 0-1 record and made only 30 appearances. Lost in the shuffle of the pennant race, the acquisition went almost unnoticed.
People soon began to take notice of Rod Scurry, who suddenly became a big part of the Yankees' drive for the division title. While he pitched in only 47-plus innings for the Pirates in 1985, Scurry had struck out an impressive 43 opposing batters. He then improved on that awesome ratio when he joined the Yankees. In his brief stint with the team last year he struck out 17 batters in only 12-plus innings. Scurry appeared in only 12 games in 1985, and the Yankees hope he can produce the same results over the course of an entire season in 1986.
Rod Scurry spells relief with a 'K' and he just might be the remedy needed to cure Yankees pennant fever."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"The left-hander's contract was purchased from Pittsburgh for an undisclosed amount of cash last September 13. Rod made five appearances while a Yankee, going 1-0 with a save and a 2.84 ERA. In his 12.2 innings pitched in New York, he struck out 17 and walked 10 (four walks came on September 25 against Detroit). His Yankee save came on September 29 (second game) against Baltimore, while his win came on October 4 at Toronto with Rod pitching 3.1 innings and allowing one run on two hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
Before coming to New York he was 0-1 with two saves and a 3.21 ERA for Pittsburgh in 30 games, all in relief. Scurry had a .236 batting average-against with the Pirates, and his only loss with the Pirates came in his final outing on September 1 at Cincinnati. His saves came on June 1 against Atlanta and August 22 against Cincinnati.
Scurry made two relief appearances in 1984 before going on the DL on April 7 when he entered a drug rehabilitation program. He was activated on May 13 and returned to action the same day at Atlanta, striking out the only batter he faced. He appeared in 27 games before returning to the DL on August 5 with a tender left elbow. Rod appeared in 14 games after coming off the DL on August 27, notching two wins and two saves. In those 14 games he allowed only two earned runs (15.1 innings pitched) for a 1.17 ERA- opposing batters compiled a mere .175 against him. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on both knees on October 1 to remove loose fragments.
In 1983 Scurry started the year strong, picking up two wins and save in his first three appearances, but struggled most of the season, his 5.56 ERA the highest in his major league career. In 1982, he was third in the National League in appearances (76) and his 1.74 ERA was the lowest of any major league pitcher with 20+ appearances. Rod set a Pirate team record for appearances by a left-hander.
Rod enjoyed a good minor league career as a starter- in 1979 he finished second on the Portland staff in starts and strikeouts and was third in appearances and innings pitched- but was moved to full-time relief when he joined the major league club in 1980. His rookie season was hampered after he suffered a groin pull in the second half of the season. In 1981, after being used mainly in relief in 1980, Rod earned his first major league win as a starter on April 19 at Houston.
Rod grew up in Auburn, California but later moved to Sparks, Nevada. He was AAA Player of the Year in baseball as a senior at Proctor High in Reno, NV. Rod enjoys playing golf."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Mike Fischlin

"Quietly, ever so quietly, Mike Fischlin slipped into New York. During a time when the Yankees were making a flurry of off-season trades, the news of Fischlin's acquisition was buried in the sports pages. He doesn't, of course, have the name recognition like Burns or Roenicke, two other new Yankee additions, but he does have a role.
Fischlin, a Yankees farmhand a decade ago, plays all four infield positions and could become the Yankees' top utility infielder in 1986. The veteran had the same job with the Cleveland Indians the past five years where he built a reputation as an excellent late-inning defensive replacement. You might say he'll fill in just as Fred Stanley did for the Yankees World Championship teams of 1977 and '78.
Leave the noisemaking for someone else. Fischlin just wants to contribute."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"With Cleveland all year in 1985, Fischlin was used primarily as a utility infielder playing in 30 games at shortstop, 20 at second, four at third and two at first. Mike hit .571 in the month of July, going 4-for-7 with a double and a triple. He saw the most action in September, appearing in 17 games without committing an error.
Fischlin was originally signed by the Yankees in the 7th round of the June 1975 draft and has played with both the Houston and Cleveland organizations. A utility man, he has played first, second, third, shortstop and caught one game. He was the Indians starting second baseman for the final month of the 1984 season. Fischlin collected his first major league hit off Charlie Hough of the Dodgers in 1977. He has good speed and had a team high 40 steals for Charleston (AAA) in 1981.
Mike graduated in 1973 from Elk Grove High School (CA) where he played baseball and basketball. He was team captain and All-League second baseman his senior year. Mike graduated from Cosumnes River Junior College (Sacramento, CA) in 1975 where he was team captain and All-Conference shortstop. He was an Honor Roll student in both his years of junior college."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Ed Whitson

"It wasn't exactly the best of times for Ed Whitson in his first season with the Yankees. Coming to the Big Apple became an ugly situation for last year's free agent from San Diego after he got off to a slow 1-6 start.
That is all in the past. Relying on a live fastball and a tough palm ball, Whitson bounced back from the rough start and was able to turn his season around. "I wanted to prove to George Steinbrenner, the Yankees, the fans and everybody else that getting me was a good deal,' Whitson says.
The proof came in an excellent outing in a big game against Toronto, followed by eight wins in his next nine decisions. From July 29 to September 5, the Yankees won eight consecutive games that 'Whit' started.
'He came back to be one of our big starters,' says pitching coach Jeff Torborg. With a year of experience playing in New York behind him, Ed Whitson hopes to keep up the momentum from last year and continue with his winning form."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"Ed's first year in pinstripes was plagued by inconsistency. He opened the season losing his first three decisions, then recorded his first win on May 1 at Texas. Ed lost his next three decisions (six starts) before turning the corner. Through June 6 he was 1-6 with a 6.23 ERA in 11 starts; in 47.2 innings pitched he allowed 76 hits with 15 walks and nine homers and struck out 21.
He pitched exceptionally well in his next six starts, beginning with a June 11 outing against Toronto in which he threw 9.1 innings while allowing one run on six hits with a walk and seven strikeouts. Whitson notched his fifth career shutout in his next start on June 19 at Baltimore and continued to roll by winning three of his next four starts, culminating with a 6-0 shutout of Texas on July 12. Over his six starts from June 11 through July 12, he was 4-0 with a 1.14 ERA; in 47.1 innings pitched he allowed 31 hits with seven walks and one homer and struck out 21. Whitson made 13 starts after the All-Star Game, going 5-2 with a 6.64 ERA; in 63.2 innings pitched he allowed 94 hits with 19 walks and nine homers and struck out 44.
Ed struck out a season high of seven three times: June 11 against Toronto, September 5 against Oakland and September 10 at Milwaukee. The Yanks went 19-11 in games he started, 10-3 after the break. His 9.1 inning performance against Toronto on June 11 was the longest by a [Yankee] starter. He was 6-6 with a 5.48 ERA on the road, 4-2 with a 4.08 ERA at Yankee Stadium, 2-4 with a 5.74 ERA during the day and 8-4 with a 4.44 ERA at night. Whitson had a .309 batting average against, the highest on the club, allowing better than 1.2 hits per inning.
Whitson set several new personal highs [with the San Diego Padres] in 1984 with 14 wins and 103 strikeouts. He pitched in two postseason games, [starting] against the Cubs for a win in the NLCS and against the Tigers in the World Series with a no-decision. He developed his palm ball pitch, necessitated by a cut finger on his pitching hand during the 1983 season. Ed suffered an injury plagued 1983 season: he had a muscle pull late in spring training and then in late April injured his left knee, requiring arthroscopic surgery. He struggled, then won his final three decisions of '83, giving indications of a strong '84.
He originally made it to the big leagues with the Pirates in 1977, defeating Montreal in his first big league start on September 17. Ed had his best season in 1980 for the Giants, winning 11 with a 3.10 ERA and being named to the National League All-Star team, and in 1981 was the NL's Pitcher of the Month for August. In 1982, he was used mainly in relief by the Indians in his only [other] American League season.
Whitson graduated from Unicoi County High School (Erwin, Tennessee) in 1974 where he played baseball, basketball and football. He was second team All-State in baseball and all-conference in baseball and basketball. One of nine children, he also played Little League and Babe Ruth ball as a youngster.
Ed enjoys hunting, fishing and Willie Nelson music."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Ken Griffey

"His 1985 season will be remembered for his terrific, wall-climbing, game-saving robbery of an apparent home run off the bat of the Red Sox' Marty Barrett on August 19. The left fielder began last season by hitting in his first eight games and enjoyed a good May when his average reached .310 and he hit a grand slam on May 14.
Griffey's average tailed off to .274. He brooded at times and requested a trade. Bothered by sore knees, he drove in 69 runs, his best total since 1980.
He's a career .300 hitter, although he has failed to reach that mark in three of his four seasons as a Yankee. His impending free agency prior to the 1982 season prompted the Reds to deal him for Brian Ryder and Fred Toliver.
Griffey was not picked until the 29th round of the June 1969 draft, when the Reds nabbed him. He has played in two World Series, posting a .186 average in 11 games. Griffey was born in Donora, Pennsylvania, the birthplace of Stan Musial."

-Tom Verducci, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1986 Edition

"It was a Ken Griffey kind of year for No. 33, as he again quietly aided the Yankees cause with another complete performance in 1985. Seemingly unnoticed, Griffey just goes on doing his job. 'Whoever's going to get the media coverage is gonna get it,' says Griffey. 'Some may never get it, and that's why I don't worry about the press.'
Griffey is coming off his own headline season in 1985, both offensively and defensively. In the field he made several acrobatic catches, going high over the outfield wall to turn homers into outs. At the plate, he had an 11-game hitting streak, a six-RBI game and a grand slam. And, unknown to many, Griffey remains one of only twelve active lifetime .300 hitters, based on 10 seasons or 1,000 hits. 'I'm guess what you'd call a quiet .300 hitter,' he says.
Since joining the Yankees in 1982 this silent performer has played all three outfield positions and first base, and has been a designated hitter and a pinch hitter.
'When I go out there I do my best. I do what's asked of me.'"

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"His 1985 season was an overall improvement over '84, with Griffey posting better numbers in most offensive categories. Although his season batting average was .274, he remains one of only 12 active lifetime .300 hitters (with at least 10 seasons or 1,000 hits), now at .2996, or .300. His 1985 season may be best remembered for 'the catch of the year' robbing Boston's Marty Barrett of a game-tying, ninth inning home run on August 19 at Yankee Stadium, leaping high over the left field wall and landing in a somersault.
Griffey was placed on the 15-day DL with a sprained left wrist on June 1, retroactive to May 28, and activated on June 12. He played in his 1,500th career game on August 12 at Chicago. His final home run of the year, September 22 at Baltimore off Ken Dixon, was No. 100 of his career.
Five of his 10 homers were hit off Minnesota pitching. Griffey hit two three-run homers on July 7 (second game) against Minnesota- the six RBIs matched his career high and equalled Dave Winfield for the team single game high [for '85]. He also had five RBI on May 8 at Minnesota. Griffey hit his third career grand slam, his second as a Yankee, on May 14 off Minnesota's Curt Wardle.
Ken hit a sixth-inning pinch-hit homer on May 5 off Kansas City's Joe Beckwith. He had an 11-game hit streak, July 4-18, and had 35 multiple hit games, fifth high on the team.
In 1984 Ken recorded the 1,500th hit of his career on June 12 at Boston. In 1983, he was simply outstanding in his second year as a Yankee- he batted over .300 the entire year, ranking among the league leaders. In 1982, Ken batted .277 in his first season in pinstripes, 30 points below his previous major league average; he turned things around at the plate in his last 38 games, however, batting .341 (47-for-138) with seven home runs and 29 RBIs, raising his average from .251 on August 17. On August 18, Ken started on a 13 game hitting streak in which he raised his average 20 points, the hitting streak being the longest by a Yankee in 1982.
In 1980 he was the Reds' MVP and MVP of the All-Star Game. He missed the end of the 1979 season with a mid-August operation on his left knee and his thigh bone. In 1972 he was named to the Eastern League All-Star team and in 1973 to the American Association All-Star team.
Griffey was born and grew up in Donora, Pennsylvania, birthplace of Stan Musial."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Brian Fisher

"Fisher opened eyes in spring training with his 93-mph fastball and hard slider. Shipped to Columbus (AAA) to start the season, he was soon recalled and came through with an outstanding rookie year. He collected 14 saves and allowed only four homers in 98 1/3 innings as a Yankee.
He had control problems as a starter in the Atlanta organization, but they vanished when he was switched to the bullpen by the Yankees last season- Fisher struck out 85 and walked only 29. Opponents hit only .216 against him, the best mark among Yankee pitchers. In his last 14 games, he was 0-1 with seven saves, allowing only six runs in 23 2/3 innings; all those runs came in the ninth inning of a disastrous outing against Cleveland on September 16.
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Fisher grew up in Colorado. He was obtained from the Braves for Rick Cerone prior to last season and became the first Yankee to wear uniform No. 54 since Rich Gossage- and it fit him nicely."

-Tom Verducci, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1986 Edition

"The Yankees knew they had made a good deal when they acquired Brian Fisher before the start of last season, but his performance in 1985 confirmed all beliefs and had the entire organization smiling. 'He came to New York and responded beautifully,' said pitching coach Jeff Torborg after Fisher came to the Yankees from the Atlanta organization.
Fisher did respond, and then some. The young, right-handed fireballer drew much praise during his first year in the Yankees bullpen. As a setup man for Dave Righetti, his work was compared to the job Ron Davis did setting up for Goose Gossage; and as a stopper, he and Righetti gave the Yankees their best lefty/righty combination since Gossage and Sparky Lyle.
The Fisher trademark is a blazing fastball, but No. 54 brings more than just a live arm to the mound. Young Fisher also has the right attitude needed to deal with the pressures of being a relief pitcher. 'Pressure affects everybody, but when I come to the mound I know I have a job to do and I try to do it to the best of my ability.'"

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"One of the Yankees' final cuts out of spring training where he made an impressive showing, the initial plans were for Fisher to be a middle reliever, but he quickly established himself as the Yankees' right-handed stopper.
At Columbus he relieved in seven games (11.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 7 BB, 12K, 2.38 ERA). Fisher was purchased by the Yankees on May 1 when Rich Bordi was disabled, and made his first major league appearance on May 7 at Minnesota. He earned his first win in relief of John Montefusco on May 14 against Minnesota and picked up his first save on May 18 at California. After May 25, Brian kept his ERA under three for the remainder of the season. He allowed just four home runs in 98.1 innings pitched- one homer every 89 at-bats- and opposing hitters batted a mere .216 against him.
Brian struck out a season high of six batters on three occasions (June 15 against Detroit, June 30 against Milwaukee and August 21 at California) and from August 24 at Seattle to September 14 against Toronto, he didn't allow any runs (10 games, 15.1 IP, 2 BB, 19 K), lowering his ERA from 2.41 to 2.00. From July 29 through the season's end, he made 29 appearances and was 2-2 with 10 saves with 47.2 innings pitched, 11 earned runs and a 2.08 ERA; six of those earned runs came in one appearance, September 16 against Cleveland with Fisher allowing seven hits in 1 1/3 innings pitched.
Fisher was strictly a starter in his five years with the Braves' minor league system; in 111 minor league games he relieved only once. He achieved 100-plus strikeouts four consecutive years, 1981-84. He tied a Carolina League record held by Rudy May by striking out 20 batters in one game against Salem in 1982, and issued no walks in the game. Brian was acquired from Atlanta for Rick Cerone in December 1984.
Brian graduated from Hinkley High School (Aurora, Colorado) in 1980. He was a high school All-American in baseball and was all-league in football."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Ron Hassey

"Big Ron Hassey is not known for his speed on the bases, but in the 1985 off-season he helped the Yankees pull off a double steal. He went to the Chicago White Sox in the trade that brought Britt Burns to the Yankees, and before the ink was dry on that deal Hassey was back in pinstripes.
In only his first year with the Yankees, Hassey hit a career-high 13 home runs, most of which came after working on his stance with Lou Piniella. 'Lou showed me a few things and I began to hit the long ball,' said Hassey, who then started to show the league a few things. After a two-home run game against Baltimore, Orioles manager Earl Weaver squawked, 'Who the hell does Hassey think he is, Babe Ruth?' Yankees manager Lou Piniella knows. 'He did a very good job for us offensively. He hit close to .300 all year, certainly added power to the lineup and drove in some big runs.' The Babe is back!"

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

1986 Profile: Andre Robertson

"Talk about quality time. In 1985, Andre Robertson had plenty of it. He never played regularly last year, but when he did get playing time he made the most of it.
A spring training knee injury kept the personable Texan out until the end of May, but upon his return he homered in back-to-back games. He ended up batting .328 while appearing in 50 games, playing mostly at third base, which was something new for him. Robertson's play at third was as smooth as his time at shortstop, but his bat was a pleasant surprise.
'It's a good feeling to know that in limited playing time, you make the hits you get count, and help the team,' Robertson says. 'I certainly am glad to be playing and contributing any way I can. I don't think I've run away from too many balls at third, have I?'"

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"Andre showed a good stick despite not playing regularly. He began 1985 by being placed on the 21-day disabled list on March 24 with torn cartilage in his left knee and was assigned to Columbus for rehabilitation on May 20.
He went 11-for-28 (.393) in nine games during his rehab and was recalled on May 29. Andre hit a home run in his first start on May 30 against California, and another in the following game on May 31 against Seattle, [hitting] homers in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. He went 7-for-15 (.467 BA) in his first six games, yet played in only five games in June. Andre 3-for-4 for the fifth time in his career (and first time since August 16, 1983) on June 1 against Seattle. He hit in 8 of 12 games in July, going 11-for-33 (.333), and had his third career two-RBI game on September 4 against Seattle.
Andre made his first major league start at third base on July 9 against Kansas City. He played 33 games at third, 14 at shortstop and two at second.
He began the 1984 season at Columbus, making a comeback from his August '83 car accident. He was recalled on April 16 and was the regular shortstop until being optioned back to Columbus on June 15. Andre was recalled to New York on September 9.
Andre anchored the Yankee infield in 1983 with his outstanding defense at shortstop. He hit in 10 straight games from June 8 to June 18, raising his batting average from .210 to .266. He was involved in a serious car accident on August 18 in which he suffered a broken neck, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season.
He began the 1982 season at Columbus and was called up to the Yankees on May 13. He hit his first major league home run on May 16 at Oakland off Steve McCatty. Andre was optioned to Columbus on July 8 and recalled to the Yankees on August 20. He played outstanding defense and showed potential and improvement at the plate.
Andre began in the Toronto Blue Jays organization in 1979. In 1980 with the Yankee organization, he progressed from A ball to AA and finally to AAA in just his second pro season. In 1981, Andre was named to the International League All-Star team as the shortstop. He was called up to the Yankees on September 2 when Bucky Dent was disabled with a torn hand ligament that required surgery. Andre singled in his first major league at-bat against Mike Jones at Kansas City on September 3 and played defensively in the 1981 ALCS and World Series.
Andre grew up in Orange, Texas where he attended West Orange High and played baseball, football, basketball and ran track. He was All-State twice and All-American once in baseball. He played Little League, Babe Ruth and American Legion ball in Orange and was a San Francisco Giant fan as a youngster, particularly [of] Willie Mays. Andre spent three years at the University of Texas in Austin where he teamed with Jerry Don Gleaton and played against Tim Lollar of Arkansas."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Butch Wynegar

"The ball took a funny bounce for Yankees catcher Butch Wynegar in 1985. Starting the season as the everyday catcher, he was playing excellent defense and batting close to .300. Then came a freak accident. Wynegar was struck in the head by a batted ball while waiting in the on-deck circle. He came back from the disabled list only to go back on the DL with back problems.
'Butch played consistent baseball for us early on, before he was sidelines with injuries,' says manager Lou Piniella. The rest of the season was a struggle, but he came around just in time for the Yankees. During the last weekend of the season (after not homering since June 4), Butch hit the memorable game-tying ninth inning home run against Toronto, keeping Yankees pennant hopes alive.
Butch became a free agent at the end of the 1985 season, and after again signing with the Yankees is hoping to get the right bounces in 1986."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"The 10-year veteran shared the catching chores with Ron Hassey in 1985. Wynegar became a free agent at season's end and re-signed with the Yankees just hours before the midnight January 8 deadline for clubs to sign their own free agents.
His '85 season was marked by two stints on the disabled list: June 18-July 3 on the 15-day DL with an inner ear problem after he was struck in the helmet with a foul line drive off the bat of Willie Randolph; and July 22-August 2 on the 15-day DL with a sprained lower back.
Butch hit .233 left-handed with three home runs and 21 RBI, and .212 right-handed with two home runs and 11 RBI. His fourth homer of the season was pinch-hit on June 7 at Milwaukee off Rollie Fingers, and his fifth and final homer was a game tying ninth inning shot on October 4 at Toronto off Tom Henke- eventually leading New York to a 4-3 win [and to within] a game and a half of first place.
In 1984 Wynegar was the Yankees regular catcher, appearing in his highest number of games since 1980 with Minnesota. He had the third highest fielding percentage for catchers with 100+ games at .993. Wynegar was the Yankees' regular catcher in 1983 and his batting average never fell below .290 all season. On May 10 he suffered a ruptured blood vessel in his left arm on a tag play at the plate and missed half a month on the DL, and was hampered by a sore foot in September. Butch caught Dave Righetti's July 4th no-hitter.
His 1982 trade to the Yankees (May 12) coincided with Rick Cerone's broken thumb (May 11), but the trade had been worked out with Minnesota in advance of Cerone's injury. Wynegar was the Yankees' No. 1 catcher with Cerone on the disabled list and split the catching duties with Cerone upon Rick's return on July 15; Butch was disabled on July 25 with a viral infection. He had missed the first month and a half of the 1981 season because of a bone chip that was found in his throwing elbow and which required surgery to remove.
Butch was an All-Star selection each of his first four seasons as a professional. In 1976 he became, to that point, the youngest player (20 years, 121 days) to appear in a major league All-Star Game. He hit his first [major league] home run off Catfish Hunter. Coming into 1986, Butch has thrown out 34% of runners trying to steal on him.
He played third base until he was moved to catcher in his junior year at Red Lion High in York, Pennsylvania. Wynegar was a four-year letterman in baseball and also lettered in football, basketball and wrestling."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Dave Righetti

1986 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Turned in another outstanding season in his second year as a reliever. Righetti saved 29 games, two fewer than in 1984, but his total was fifth best in the AL last season. He appeared in a club record 74 games, third highest figure in the league.
Righetti suffered a dislocated toe in Anaheim on May 17 and promptly went into a slump. In 13 games between May 25 and June 20, he was 1-4 with two saves while allowing 14 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings. During that span, he allowed four of the five homers he surrendered in 1985 and his ERA at the end of that stretch was 3.66. Righetti lost only one more game after that and lowered his ERA to 2.78. He allowed no earned runs from August 9 to August 31, a stretch spanning 13 games and 17 1/3 innings.
He remains the center of controversy as the debate rages about whether he should start or relieve. He showed great potential as a starter in 1983 when he was 14-8 and threw a no-hitter against the Red Sox on July 4, the birthday of the nation and George Steinbrenner.
Born in San Jose, Cal., Righetti was a teammate of the Blue Jays' Dave Stieb at San Jose City College. The Rangers made him the ninth player selected overall in the January 1977 draft. Righetti was traded to the Yankees with Mike Griffin, Paul Mirabella, Juan Beniquez and Greg Jemison for Sparky Lyle, Larry McCall, Dave Rajscich, Mike Heath and Domingo Ramos prior to the 1979 season."

-Tom Verducci, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1986 Edition

"'There are times when I throw as hard as I can and the batters hit me. Other times I don't seem to have the real good fastball and I get batters out. I guess that's the main thing- getting batters out.' No need to worry, Dave Righetti, you get batters out as well as any pitcher in baseball.
His second year in the bullpen was another celebrated success for the 27-year-old southpaw. The former starter turned premier reliever led the Yankees with 29 saves backed up by 12 wins. He also proved durable by making 74 appearances, a new Yankees record.
The bullpen tandem of Righetti and young right-hander Brian Fisher blossomed in its first year, reminding Yankees fans of the stellar performances of Rich Gossage and Ron Davis several years ago. Having a pair like that could give manager Lou Piniella the best bullpen in the major leagues for years to come. That's the main thing. Just ask Righetti."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"As debate continued in 1985 on whether he should start or relieve, Dave once again proved to be one of baseball's premier relievers. His 74 appearances set a new Yankee record, breaking Sparky Lyle's mark of 72 in 1977.
Dave began the season impressively, not allowing any runs in his first seven outings, going 1-0 with four saves and throwing 8.1 innings. He struck out a season high four batters three times: May 30 against California, June 30 against Milwaukee and September 5 against Oakland. Dave had a rough stint from May 25 though June 20, going 1-4 with just two saves (17.1 IP, 14 ER, 7.27 ERA). Beginning with his next appearance, he went 8-1 with 18 saves through the season's end (60.1 IP, 14 ER, 2.09 ERA), lowering his ERA from 3.66 to 2.78. From July 29 through September 29, he went 5-0 with 10 saves. He recorded saves in his last four straight games.
Righetti was named AL Player of the Month in August (4-0 with five saves and a 1.17 ERA, 23 IP, 14 H, 3 ER and 22 K's). He did not allow an earned run in 13 consecutive outings, August 9-31 (17.2 IP, 5 BB, 17 K's), lowering his ERA from 3.26 to 2.62.
He was 29-for-43 in save situations and allowed just five home runs in 107 innings pitched. He combined with teammate Brian Fisher for one of the Yankees' best [ever] relief tandems; the combined stats: 16-11 with 43 saves, 205.1 IP, 59 ER, 2.59 ERA. Dave finished 60 of his 74 appearances (81%) and was 9-1 with a 2.24 ERA at Yankee Stadium. Opposing batters combined for a .231 average against him.
He moved to the bullpen in 1984 and registered saves in 31 of 40 save situations- only Lyle (35 saves in 1972) and Rich Gossage (33 saves in 1980) had better seasons as Yankees. He got his 500th career strikeout against the Angels' Brian Downing on September 1 at California. In 1983 he pitched his July 4th no-hitter against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. He struck out 11 against Chicago on August 15 [of that year] and struck out seven or more on 12 occasions. Dave was 10-3 in the first half of the '83 season. In 1982, Dave suffered a slight sophomore jinx but still led the Yankee staff with 163 strikeouts, third in the AL.
He was named American League Rookie of the Year in 1981 and narrowly missed winning the AL ERA crown with a 2.06 ERA- he fell just 1.2 innings short [of qualifying]. In the '81 postseason he started and won Game 2 of the Division Series against Milwaukee and relieved in Game 5, earning the deciding win. Rags also won the clinching game 3 of the ALCS at Oakland, but started and got a no-decision in Game 3 of the World Series.
Pitching for Tulsa on July 16, 1978, Righetti struck out 21 batters at Midland, striking out the side four times and having a stretch of seven straight strikeouts. He made his major league debut on September 16, 1979 against Detroit at Yankee Stadium on Catfish Hunter Day, with no decision.
Dave grew up in San Jose where he was All-League in baseball at Pioneer High School, and also played basketball. A Giants and A's fan growing up, he played against A's third baseman Carney Lansford in American Legion ball. He attended San Jose City College where he was a teammate of Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb, and won JC Player of the Year honors in 1977. His brother Steve is in the Texas organization. His father is a former minor league shortstop, and the first time he saw Dave pitch professionally was in the clinching game of the ALCS at Oakland."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Mike Pagliarulo

"The last Yankee third baseman to play both dazzling defense AND hit for power was named only the sixth captain in the team's history. While young Mike Pagliarulo is still a few years away from captain status, he has become a solid force at the hot corner.
Pags was brought up in July of 1984, primarily for his strong arm and quick glove. Since then he has provided all that and then some. The Yankees received a bonus when Pagliarulo blossomed into a bona fide power hitter. 'He has done very well here,' says manager Lou Piniella, 'especially in the power production and RBIs total.'
The left-hander came into his own in 1985, as he smashed 19 home runs and drove in 62 runs. And of course, Pagliarulo played third base like a vacuum cleaner."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"Pags became New York's regular third baseman in 1985, his first full major league season. He set career highs in almost every offensive category and averaged a home run every 20 at-bats.
He went 4-for-6 on September 9 at Milwaukee- his first career four-hit game. He had his first career two-homer game on July 27 at Texas, hitting a pair of two-run homers good for four RBIs which equalled his career high.
Mike was hitting only .165 through June 9 (15-for-91) with two home runs and 16 RBIs, then went 76-for-289 (.263) with 17 homers and 46 RBIs through the remainder of the season. He matched his career long hitting streak of seven games, July 14-24, and hit seven home runs in August. Mike was sent to bat right-handed [by Billy Martin] against Mickey Mahler on September 18 at Detroit, striking out with runners at second and third, two out and the scored tied at 2.
He played 134 games at third base in '85, most by a Yankee since Graig Nettles played 144 in 1979, and made the third fewest errors for a third baseman with at least 100 games. Pags made 22 pinch-hit appearances, second highest on the club, hitting .278. He hit .254 in 126 games against right-handers, .151 in just 12 games against southpaws. Mike's 62 RBIs ranked sixth on the club.
Mike made his major league debut on July 7, 1984 when called up from Columbus to replace the injured Toby Harrah. He hit his first big league home run on July 13 (second game) off Kansas City's Bret Saberhagen. He hit his first grand slam on Sepetmber 18 off Baltimore's Dennis Martinez.
Mike played a full season at AA Nashville in 1983 and led Southern League third basemen in fielding with a .954 percentage in 133 games with 433 total chances (98 putouts and 315 assists). In 1982, he was named utility infielder on the South Atlantic All-Star team. Mike was signed in 1981 by Yankee scout Fred Ferreira.
He graduated in 1978 from Medford (Mass.) High School, where he played baseball, basketball and ran track. In baseball he was All-State two years, MVP and captain. Mike played South Medford Little League, Medford Babe Ruth League and Medford Post 45 American Legion baseball. He attended the University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL) and was a finance major. His father, Charles Pagliarulo , was an infielder in the Chicago Cubs organization in 1958.
Mike enjoys golf and going to Boston Celtics and Bruins games."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Joe Niekro

"If two heads are better than one, it must be even better if both of them are from the same family. That's what the Yankees hoped when, on September 15, 1985 they reunited the Niekro brothers after obtaining Joe from the Houston Astros. The Niekros, who played together with the Atlanta Braves from 1973-74, offer the Yankees a tandem which has combined for 504 major league wins. Joe, the younger Niekro, has notched 204 of those wins through 1985, which was why he was acquired in the heat of last season's pennant race.
Now here for the full year in 1986, Joe will offer the pitching staff something they sorely missed last year- consistency. Joe has won 10 or more games in eight of the last nine years, and has pitched over 200 innings in seven of those seasons. This pitching consistency could be the missing element needed to capture the pennant in 1986, as Joe and Phil seek to become the winningest brother combination in baseball history."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"A veteran of 19 major league seasons, Joe came to the Yankees from Houston last September 15 in exchange for pitcher Jim Deshaies, a left-hander, minor league pitcher Dody Rather, a right-hander, and minor league infielder Neder Horta. His acquisition reunited him with brother Phil, as the two played for Atlanta in 1973-74.
Joe was 9-12, 3.72 ERA with Houston in '85, completing an 11-year career [with the Astros]. He had 100+ strikeouts for the fifth straight year and ninth time in his career. Joe notched his 200th career win at San Diego on July 2, winning 3-2. He became Houston's all-time winningest pitcher at 144 wins.
He made three starts after joining the Yankees. Joe lasted only 1.2 innings in his first start, losing 10-3 at Detroit, but combined for 10.2 innings pitched over his last two starts, yielding only two earned runs, beating Detroit and Milwaukee. A free agent at the end of the season, as was older brother Phil, both re-signed with New York hours prior to the midnight January 8 deadline.
Joe has obtained double figures in wins eight of the last nine seasons and ranks ninth on the active player career victory list with 204. He had a career high 153 strikeouts in 1983. In 1982, he was second in the National League in ERA (2.47) and tied for second in shutouts (5), third in complete games (16) and fourth in innings (270). He was 11th in the NL in ERA in 1981 (2.82).
He recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons with the Astros, as he was 21-11 in 1979 and 20-12 in 1980. Joe was the winning pitcher in the one-game playoff for the NL West title in 1980 against the Dodgers. He was the runner-up in the Cy Young balloting in 1979 and was fourth in 1980.
Joe tied for the NL lead in shutouts (5) in 1979. He was named to the '79 NL All-Star team as well as the postseason all-star squads as selected by AP and UPI. In '79 Joe was also picked as the NL Pitcher of the Year by the Sporting News.
He had a 1-hitter for Detroit against the Yankees on July 2, 1970- Horace Clarke broke up the no-hit bid with a single after 8.1 innings. Joe won a 4-hitter while hitting a homer off his brother Phil on May 26, 1976. Joe holds a 5-4 edge over Phil with the last decision being a 5-3 triumph for Joe at Atlanta on September 13, 1982.
A graduate of Bridgeport (OH) High School, Joe attended West Liberty (WV) College where he won All-American laurels in baseball. He is very active nationally with the Spina Bifida Association and has received many honors for his contributions."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Rickey Henderson

1986 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"The Yankees gave up five players to get this offensive catalyst and he responded with his best season. Henderson stole 80 bases to lead the AL and break the Yankee record of 74, set by Fritz Maisel in 1914.
He missed the first 10 games while recovering from an ankle sprain suffered in spring training. He struggled at the plate in his first month, then took off on a tear that carried through the All-Star break. Henderson was AL Player of the Month in June, when he hit .416 with 31 runs, six homers, 17 RBI and 22 stolen bases. He was hitting .357 at the All-Star break, then tailed off.
His 24 home runs and 72 RBI were career highs. He finished fourth in the AL in batting (.314), first in runs (146), fourth in on-base percentage (.419) and fourth in walks (99). Henderson moved from left field to center in '85 and his defense went from Gold Glove quality to slightly better than adequate, as he committed nine errors.
Henderson was acquired from Oakland with Bert Bradley for Jay Howell, Tim Birtsas, Eric Plunk, Jose Rijo and Stan Javier prior to last season. He has led the AL in stolen bases five straight seasons and was an All-Star selection in five of his six full seasons. Henderson holds the all-time single-season stolen base record with 130 in 1982
Born on Christmas Day 1958 in Chicago, Henderson was an outstanding running back in high school, receiving numerous scholarship offers."

-Tom Verducci, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1986 Edition

"He came, he saw and he stole. That was the story of Rickey Henderson, who in his first year with the Yankees stole the hearts of the fans by rewriting the team's stolen base record. The previous single-season stolen base record of the power-oriented Yankees was 74, set way back in 1914. Henderson broke that 70-year-old record by swiping 80 in his first season in pinstripes, and it's only a matter of time before 'The Man of Steal' sets the all-time Yankees [career] record.
'He makes catchers suffer,' says Yankees receiver Ron Hassey. Stolen bases are only part of the Henderson arsenal. Last year he hit for power, average, turned sure hits into outs in 'Death Valley' and provided Yankees fans with pure excitement.
'He's a show out there,' added teammate Butch Wynegar. And the best part about it is that the show will continue in 1986, and for a long time to come."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"More than the perfect leadoff hitter, a slugging dimension was added to his game. Rickey set new career highs in home runs (24) and RBIs (72). His .314 batting average was fourth in the AL, and he led the AL in runs scored (146) for a second time- the most runs by a Yankee since Joe DiMaggio scored 151 in 1937. Rickey's 80 stolen bases led the AL for the sixth straight season, and his 99 walks were fourth in the AL and most by a Yankee since Willie Randolph led the league with 119 in 1980. His .419 on-base percentage, fourth in the AL, was a career high and his .516 slugging percentage, seventh in the AL, was also a career high. Rickey set the American League single season record with seven leadoff home runs and was the first player in AL history to hit 20+ homers and steal 50+ bases [in the same season]. He scored at least one run in 101 of the 143 games he played. Rickey also set a new American League record by stealing 50+ bases for the sixth consecutive season.
He began the season on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left ankle suffered against Boston in an exhibition game on March 17; he was activated on April 22, missing 10 games. He hit only .200 through his first 10 games and lined into a triple play on May 3 against Kansas City.
Henderson was American League Player of the Month for June: in 27 games he went 47-for-113 (.416 BA) with 31 runs, four doubles, two triples, six homers, 17 RBIs and 22 stolen bases- he failed to get a hit in just four of the 27 games. His season batting average peaked at .361 on July 10 at the conclusion of a seven-game hitting streak which began on July 4 (12-for-26, .462 BA). Henderson was hitting .357 at the All-Star break (July 13) with 77 runs, 11 homers, 37 RBIs and 41 stolen bases.
After the All-Star break, he hit .270 with 69 runs, 13 homers, 35 RBIs and 39 stolen bases. From August 22 through September 7, Henderson played 16 games going 9-for-51 (.176 BA) with 14 runs, a double, no homers and two RBIs, dropping his BA from .350 to .327. He went 2-for-24 (.083 BA) over his last seven games, his BA falling from .325 to .314.
Rickey had his first career five-hit game on June 17 at Baltimore (he matched the league high) and scored four runs in a game for the second and third times in his career: July 10 against Kansas City and September 25 against Detroit (also equalling the league high); he and Oakland's Mike Davis were the only players with two four-run games. Rickey had his first career two-homer games, June 21 at Detroit and July 30 at Cleveland, and homered in consecutive games on June 20-21 (three homers in two games), July 27-28 and August 19-21 (three homers in three games).
He had two 11-game hitting streaks: April 29-May 12, going 18-for-44 (.409 BA) with 13 runs, four doubles, a homer and five RBIs; and August 5-21, going 17-for-46 (.370 BA) with 13 runs, two doubles, four homers and 11 RBIs. He also had a 10-game hit streak from September 18-29, going 14-for-38 (.368 BA) with 15 runs, six doubles, a triple and a homer.
Rickey set a new Yankee single season stolen base record when he collected No. 75 on September 25 against Detroit (Lance Parrish catching), breaking the record of 74 set by Fritz Maisel in 1914. He stole his 500th career base on May 10 at Kansas City, the youngest player to reach this [milestone].
If he maintains his current average of 82 stolen bases per season, Henderson would be the youngest to reach 600 (during the '86 season). He moved from 31st to 19th on the all-time list, with 573 for his career, and passed Cesar Cedeno as the current active leader. Rickey improved his career stolen base success ratio to 79% (148 times caught stealing in his career).
Rickey stole four bases on June 26 against Baltimore. He was successful in his first 13 stolen base attempts [of 1985] before being caught by California's Bob Boone on May 29- he went on to steal 22 straight before his next time caught stealing on June 26. He was caught stealing only three times by catchers: by Boone, by Carlton Fisk on August 12 at Chicago and by Rich Gedman on August 19 against Boston. He was also successful on 14 of 16 attempts stealing third base.
[In 1985 Henderson was named to] the Seagram's AL All-Star team, The Sporting News AL All-Star team, The Sporting News Silver Slugger team, the Associated Press AL All-Star team and the 1985 American League All-Star team.
Henderson reported to Boise after the 1976 June draft, hitting .336 with 29 steals in 36 attempts. At Modesto in 1977, he led the California League with a then record 95 steals, was third with a .345 batting average, third with 104 walks and led league outfielders in total chances (313). Rickey was named to the league All-Star team and was Modesto MVP. He became the fourth player in professional baseball to steal seven bases in one game on May 26 at Fresno.
In 1978 with Jersey City he led the Eastern League with 81 steals and led league outfielders in double plays (4) and assists (15), and was named to the Eastern League All-Star team. In 1979, Rickey stole 44 bases in only 71 Pacific Coast League games with Ogden, finishing fourth. He immediately stepped into Oakland's starting lineup when called up on June 23 and led the A's with 33 steals.
Rickey broke Ty Cobb's American League mark of 96 stolen bases in 1980 (100 steals) and became the first AL player and third big leaguer to steal 100 bases in a season. He was second in the league with 117 walks, third in on-base percentage (.422) and fourth in runs scored (111). In 1981, Rickey was named to the Sporting News All-Star team and won his first Gold Glove. He led the AL in hits (135), runs (89) and steals (56), and finished third in on-base percentage (.411) and fourth in the AL batting race (.319). He hit .364 against the Yankees in the League Championship Series.
In 1982 Henderson broke Lou Brock's remarkable record of 118 stolen bases on August 27 at Milwaukee- and went on to steal a season total of 130 bases. He also led the AL in walks (116), was third in on-base percentage (.399) and walked five times against the Angels on April 8- a career best.
Rickey went over the 100 steal mark (108) for the third time in his career in 1983- he's the only player to do it more than once in a career. He stole 66 bases in 77 attempts after the All-Star break, winning his fourth consecutive title. Rickey also hit .327 after the break to wind up at .292. His .415 on-base percentage was second in the AL to Wade Boggs and his 105 runs ranked fourth. On July 3-4 at Texas, he tied the AL mark by stealing seven bases in two straight games, and on August 21 at Milwaukee became the youngest player to steal 400 career bases. In 1984, his 66 stolen bases led the American League for the fifth straight year; he was second in the AL with 113 runs and third with a .399 on-base percentage.
Henderson graduated form Oakland's technical high school in 1976. He played baseball, basketball and football and was All-Oakland Athletic League for three years in baseball. As a senior he hit .465 and stole 30 bases; that year he played for the North team in California's annual high school All-Star game at Anaheim Stadium. In football, Rickey rushed for 1,100 yards in his senior year and received a reported two dozen scholarship offers to play football.
An Oakland resident, his hobbies include swimming and fishing."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Don Mattingly

1986 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Mattingly felt he was given a raw deal when owner George Steinbrenner exercised his right to renew his contract after a long negotiating battle prior to last season. It didn't stop him enjoying a tremendous [1985] campaign. He led the majors in RBI (145) and doubles (48), finished third in the AL batting race (.324), fourth in homers (35), second in slugging percentage (.567), second in hits (211), first in game winning RBI (21) and first in fielding percentage among first basemen (.995).
His RBI total was the most by a Yankee since Joe DiMaggio drove in 155 in 1948 and he was the first Yankee to lead the league in RBI since Roger Maris in 1961. Mattingly had the most hits by a Yankee since Red Rolfe had 213 in 1939 and became the first Yankee to collect 200 hits in consecutive seasons since DiMaggio in 1936-37. He became the first AL player to lead the majors in doubles for two straight seasons since Tris Speaker did it in 1920-23.
Blessed with natural hitting ability, he also is one of the hardest workers around. Mattingly was not chosen until the 19th round of the June 1979 draft because most organizations had assumed he would attend college. Born in Evansville, Indiana, his brother Randy was a pro football player.
Mattingly was named AL MVP last season, outdistancing the Royals' George Brett. He edged teammate Dave Winfield for the AL batting title in 1984 by collecting four hits in the season finale."

-Tom Verducci, The Complete Handbook of Football, 1986 Edition

"In less than three full major league seasons, Don Mattingly has gone from sweet-swinging rookie to American League batting champion to Most Valuable Player. He's received as many awards as a player can receive in his short career, but the strangest part of it all is that the guy is still hungry, still yearning to become a better ballplayer. His attitude, let alone talent, is very unique.
'When you play for the Yankees, you always want to do better,' the 25-year-old first baseman says. Is Mattingly on his way to bettering his MVP season? 'I was asked the same thing after winning the batting title in 1984,' he answers, 'but I hit under .300 against left-handers last year. I think there's room for plenty of improvement.'
Did he say improvement? Improvement over a .323 batting average, 35 home runs, 145 RBIs and a Gold Glove? Impossible? Yes, for just about anybody in the game today- except Don Mattingly. If he just come close to his 1985 numbers again this year, the Yankees could easily find themselves playing in their 34th World Series.
Or, as Mattingly puts it, 'You know what you can do, so you go out and do it.'"

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

1985 MVP
"The numbers were simply overwhelming. Looking back on the 1985 season, there was certainly a case to be made for Kansas City's productive third baseman George Brett, who in the opinion of many singlehandedly carried the Royals to the American League pennant. Which is why the accomplishment of Don Mattingly in 1985 must rank among the most impressive of all time. For, despite the proven handicap of playing for a team that didn't win the pennant, Mattingly overwhelmingly defeated Brett, 367-274, in the American League Most Valuable Player voting.
How Mattingly did it was simple: by the numbers. His league leading 145 RBIs were the most in the A.L. since Cleveland's Al Rosen [drove in] 145 in 1953, and the most by a Yankees player since Joe DiMaggio's 155 in 1948. His 48 doubles were the second highest total in Yankee annals behind Lou Gehrig's 52 in 1927. His 211 hits were the most by a Yankees player since Red Rolfe's 213 in 1939. And combined with the 207 he accumulated in winning the A.L. batting title in 1984, it made him the first man in pinstripes since DiMaggio in 1936-37 to compile back-to-back 200-hit seasons.
Ironically, the 1985 season began for Mattingly amid somewhat of a cloud of uncertainty. Just prior to coming to spring training, he suffered a minor tear of the cartilage in his right knee. The injury required surgery and prevented him from participating in spring training for the first eighteen exhibition games. But in his first spring at-bat, Mattingly relieved most of the doubt regarding his recovery by slamming a home run. A storybook MVP season had been inaugurated.
Nevertheless, Mattingly began the '85 season slowly. He was batting only .267 on April 18 and did not hit his first home run until May 5. But from June 22-July 12 he embarked on a 20-game hitting streak (32-for-81, .395, 11 runs, nine doubles, three homers and 21 RBIs). Later, in August, he would hit safely in another 19 straight games (35-for-79, .443, 25 runs, 10 homers and 21 RBIs). In addition, Mattingly demonstrated his all-around skills by completing a streak of 153 errorless games (1,371 chances at first base) dating back to June 22, 1984 and finished with a league leading .995 percentage.
Although the Yankees' bid for their first pennant since 1981 fell short by two games, Mattingly proved himself to be clearly the outstanding player in the American League and their most indispensable player. A true gamer, he played in a team high 159 games- a Yankees record for first basemen- and became the first player to lead the majors in RBIs and strike out as few as 41 times since 1954. The baseball writers agreed that, while Brett was the dominating force on the team that won it all, Mattingly was still the dominant force in the American League."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"A phenomenal 1985 season, displaying prowess with bat and glove. Mattingly led the majors with 145 RBIs, 48 doubles and 15 sacrifice flies and led the American League with 370 total bases, 21 game winning RBIs and 86 extra-base hits. He was second in the AL with 211 hits, a .567 slugging percentage and 66 multiple hit games, third with a .324 batting average, fourth with 35 home runs and tied for sixth with 107 runs. Don led AL first basemen with a .995 fielding percentage.
His 145 RBIs were the most by a Yankee since Joe DiMaggio had 155 in 1948 and he was the first Yankee to lead the AL in RBIs since Roger Maris in 1961. His 211 hits were the most by a Yankee since Red Rolfe's 213 in 1939, and the sixth highest total in Yankee history, and Mattingly was the first Yankee to collect 200+ hits in consecutive seasons since DiMaggio in 1936-37. He was the first AL player to lead the majors in doubles in consecutive seasons since Tris Speaker in 1920-23. His 48 doubles were the second highest single season total in Yankee history- Lou Gehrig holds the club record with 52 in 1927.
His 652 at-bats is the seventh highest total in Yankee history and he was the first Yankee to have 600+ at-bats in consecutive seasons since Chris Chambliss in 1977-78. Don's 159 games led the team and were the most ever by a Yankee in a single season at first base.
Don suffered a minor tear of the medial meniscus cartilage in his right knee in February while working out with weights at his Evansville, Indiana home. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair the damage on February 22 and his rehabilitation caused him to miss the first 18 spring training games. Don made a spectacular spring debut, homering in his first at-bat on March 26.
From April 18 to May 3 he went 19-for-51 for a .373 batting average with five doubles and 13 RBIs, raising his [season] batting average from .267 to .325. He didn't hit his first home run until May 5, off KC's Bud Black. Mattingly's batting average tailed off to .285 on June 8 following an 0-for-19 streak (his longest 0-for of '85), yet he had a 20-game hitting streak, June 22-July 12, the longest of '85 by a Yankee and longest of his career- he went 32-for-81 for a .395 BA with 11 runs, nine doubles, three homers and 21 RBIs. He committed his first error on July 7 against Minnesota, breaking a streak of 153 games (1,371 total chances), dating back to June 22, 1984, of not committing an error at first base.
Don had a 19-game hitting streak from August 1-21, going 35-for-79, .443 BA with 25 runs, seven doubles, 10 homers and 21 RBIs. He drove in Rickey Henderson with 56 of his 145 RBIs. Batting second in 58 games, Don was 86-for-242, .355, 20 homers and 50 RBIs (Yankees' record 39-19), and batting third in 98 games he was 124-for-399, .311 BA, 15 homers and 91 RBIs (Yankees' record 55-44).
[In 1985 Mattingly was] American League Most Valuable Player, Rawlings Gold Glove first baseman, American League All-Star, American League Player of the Month (August & September), American League Player of the Week (August 5-11), New York Daily News Player of the Month (July, August & September), Yankees Magazine Most Popular Yankee, Yankees Magazine Player of the Month (July, August & September), SportsChannel Most Valuable Player, The Sporting News AL Player of the Year and New York Chapter BBWAA Player of the Year. [In 1985 Mattingly was named to] The Sporting News AL All-Star team, Seagram's 7-Crown of Sports All-Star Team, Associated Press All-Star Team, United Press International All-Star Team and the Sporting News Silver Slugger All-Star Team.
In 1984, Mattingly became the first Yankee to win the AL batting championship since Mickey Mantle in 1956, battling teammate Dave Winfield to the last day of the season and winning .343 to .340. He was named to his first AL All-Star team in his first full major league season. Don led the AL with 207 hits, 44 doubles and 59 multiple-hit games, was second with a .537 slugging percentage and was the Yankees' first left-handed batter to hit .340 since Lou Gehrig hit .351 in 1937. At .364, he was the top road hitter in the AL. He led AL first basemen with a .996 fielding percentage, making only five errors in 1,236 total chances.
Don had a terrific rookie season in 1983. He won the James P. Dawson Award as the top Yankee rookie in spring training camp and was in the Yankees starting lineup for the home opener. Optioned to Columbus on April 14, he hit eight home runs with 39 RBI and a .340 average there and was recalled on June 20 when Bobby Murcer retired. Don hit his first major league homer off John Tudor on June 24 at Fenway Park. He hit in 24 of 25 games, July 13- August 11, going hitless (0-for-2) in both ends of the Pine Tar Game (July 24 and August 18). He played one-third of an inning at second base in the August 18 conclusion of the Pine Tar Game.
He was named South Atlantic League MVP in 1980. In 1981, Mattingly was Yankee Minor League Player of the Year, led the Southern League in doubles and was named to the Southern League and Topps Class AA All-Star teams as an outfielder. He was named an International League All-Star as an outfielder in 1982 and his outstanding season earned him a promotion to the Yankees in September.
Don was drafted late as teams expected him to accept a college scholarship. Signed by Yankee scouts Jax Robertson and Gust Poulos, he had a .332 (611-for-1842) career minor league batting average.
He attended Evansville (IN) Memorial High where he played baseball, basketball and football. Don played Little League, Babe Ruth and American Legion ball in Evansville. His brother Randy played pro football.
Don enjoys racquetball."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Dan Pasqua

1985 Yankee Minor League Player of the Year

"Shuttled between Columbus (AAA) and the Yankees in 1985, though he may have earned a permanent 1986 spot on the big club with his power. Pasqua hit .321 with 18 homers and 69 RBI in 287 at-bats for Columbus last year, and crushed nine homers and drove in 25 runs in 148 at-bats for the Yankees. He batted only .209 for the Yanks, but the club believes the left fielder has the swing to hit for a decent average. Pasqua has a stroke that is tailor-made for Yankee Stadium's short porch in right.
Born in Yonkers, New York, Pasqua was picked by the Yankees in the third round of the June 1982 draft. He hit 33 homers for Nashville (AA) in 1984."

-Tom Verducci, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1986 Edition

"It's hard to believe that a player who hit nine home runs and collected 25 RBIs with the Yankees in 1985 could have had time to compile statistics impressive enough to be named the Yankees 1985 Minor League Player of the Year. As incredible as it seems, that's he kind of season Dan Pasqua enjoyed last year. Shuffling back and forth between the big club and the Triple-A Columbus Clippers for half a season, Pasqua's .321 average with 18 home runs and 69 RBIs in 78 games with the Clippers was good enough to earn him the top player honor. Pasqua accumulated his impressive major league stats in only 60 games with the Yankees.
'I've got to be happy with what I've done so far,' Pasqua says. And so are the Yankees. During the 1985 off-season more than one team approached Yankees management about the New Jersey native to which they replied, 'No way!' They saw what Dan Pasqua could do in only 60 games and are eager to see what he can do in a full season."

- The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"Playing only 78 games at Columbus, Pasqua was named International League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player, hitting .321 with 18 home runs and 69 RBIs.
After starting the season with the Clippers, Pasqua was recalled to the Yankees on May 30 when Henry Cotto was placed on the 21-day DL with a punctured left eardrum. His first major league hit was a home run in his second at-bat of his first major league game, in the fifth inning on May 30 at California off Ron Romanick. Dan remained with New York until optioned to Columbus on June 17. He was again recalled on July 11 and hit two homers in his second game after his recall, July 12 against Texas- both upper deck blasts to right field at Yankee Stadium off Dave Stewart and Dave Rozema.
Demoted to Columbus for the final time on August 5, only to be recalled after the minimum 10 days on August 16, Dan went 3-for-4 with a double and a three-run homer for four RBIs on August 25 at Seattle. He hit four home runs in six games, September 3-10, with 10 RBIs.
He averaged one home run every 16.4 at-bats (Mattingly averaged one home run every 18.6 at-bats). Pasqua has too many at-bats to be [officially] considered a rookie in 1986.
Pasqua played the entire year at Nashville in 1984, performing at the AA level for the first time. He led the Sounds in home runs (33), total bases (231), RBIs (91) and slugging percentage (.502). In 1983 Dan led the Ft. Lauderdale Yankees in games, at-bats, runs, doubles, triples, home runs and RBIs, was second in walks and third in batting (players with 100+ games) and hits. In 1982, Dan was named to the Appalachian League All-Star team and was winner of the league MVP award. He led the league in home runs with 16.
Dan attended Old Tappan (NJ) High School where he played football and baseball and was All-County in baseball in 1979. He was an All-American in baseball at William Patterson College in 1981 and 1982. He played Little League in Congers, New York and in Harrington Park, New Jersey. Originally a center fielder, he was changed to right field at Ft. Lauderdale in 1983.
Dan would like to own his own business after his [baseball] career."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Bobby Meacham

"If there was one consistently solid player in the Yankees' everyday lineup in 1985, it had to be Bobby Meacham. True, Meacham's .218 batting average didn't excite anyone, but his range and powerful arm at shortstop certainly kept the Yankees in many a ballgame.
It's only fair to point out that the switch-hitting Meacham played the last half of the season with a dislocated tendon in his left hand, which had a lot to do with his dramatic tailing off at the plate. But it was his first full year in the bigs and he leaned to contribute in other ways. He moved baserunners along with his league leading 23 sacrifices and played 156 games, the most by a Yankee shortstop since 1977.
He has shaken his inconsistencies in the field to become one of the brightest young infielders in baseball. They say you have to be strong up the middle if you want to win a pennant and if that's so, the least of the Yankees' worries will be at shortstop."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"Despite an injury plagued season, Bobby played a consistent shortstop. He played 155 games at shortstop, most by a Yankee since Bucky Dent played 157 in 1977. His .963 fielding percentage was seventh best among AL shortstops with at least 100 games, and he was fourth among shortstops in games and double plays (103). Bobby led the majors with 23 sacrifice hits and set new career highs for hits (105) and RBIs (47) and stolen bases (25).
He was hitting .273 through May 29 when he suffered a slight hamstring pull, missed the next three games and went 2-for-44 from June 2-16, dropping his average to .222. He suffered a dislocated tendon in his left hand on July 28 at Texas- the condition was corrected with postseason surgery. The injury hampered his left-handed swing, forcing him to bat right-handed against right-handed pitchers on a number of occasions.
Meacham had two career high three-RBI games, May 26 at Oakland and August 21 at California, and went 4-for-4 on April 13 at Cleveland and on May 26 at Oakland. He hit .264 with 32 RBIs on the road but .169 with 15 RBIs at home. Meacham's only home run came on August 23- a solo shot off California's Ron Romanick; he hit a would-be homer on April 29 at Texas off Frank Tanana, but passed Willie Randolph near first base and was called out, yet both Randolph and Butch Wynegar scored.
In 1984 he appeared in 96 games at shortstop after being called up from Columbus on June 15. Bobby began the 1983 season at Columbus after a fine showing in spring training. He was brought up to the Yankees on June 29 when Willie Randolph was disabled. Bobby played shortstop as a defensive replacement on June 30 at Yankee Stadium against Baltimore in his major league debut. He was sent back to Columbus on July 12 and recalled to the Yankees on July 16, but returned to Columbus later the same day when the Yankees purchased Larry Milbourne from Philadelphia. Bobby was recalled from Columbus on August 19 when Andre Robertson was disabled and returned to Columbus on August 20 when Bert Campaneris was activated off the disabled list. He was recalled to the Yankees on September 2, had his first major league at-bat on September 3 at Seattle and had his first major league hit and RBI at Cleveland on September 18.
He was the top draft pick of St. Louis in 1981, playing two seasons at Class A before his trade to the Yankees. Meacham was named South Atlantic League All-Star shortstop in 1981 and Florida State League All-Star shortstop in 1982.
Meacham graduated from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA in 1978. He was All-Orange County and All-State in baseball and All-League in basketball and football. Bobby attended San Diego State for three years, majoring in business finance, and was named an All-American in baseball. He was signed to his first pro contract by Marty Keough (Cardinals).
Bobby enjoys music, golf and reading the Bible."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Phil Niekro

"After four failed attempts, he notched career victory No. 300 on the final day of the season, with a shutout against Toronto. Niekro did not throw his famed knuckleball until striking out Jeff Burroughs for the final out of the game. It was his only shutout of the season and the 45th of his career as he became the oldest player ever to throw one; he also became the 18th pitcher to reach the 300 club.
Niekro gave up 29 homers in 1985, nearly double his 1984 total of 15, [yet] won 16 games for the second straight season. Atlanta owner Ted Turner figured he was through after 1983, but Turner has since admitted his mistake, retired the pitcher's No. 35 and erected a statue in his honor.
His career record is 300-250 and he has won four Gold Gloves. He threw a no-hitter against San Diego in 1973. Born in Blaine, Ohio, Niekro was signed as a free agent by the Milwaukee Braves in 1958. He was a high school teammate of former Boston Celtics great John Havlicek.
Niekro has often been mentioned as a possible managerial candidate. He destroyed a phone booth after one of his unsuccessful attempts at No. 300."

-Tom Verducci, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1986 Edition

"In two years with the Yankees he has won 32 games, pitched 435-plus innings and struck out 285 batters. These numbers are like the stats of a young thoroughbred, but they're not. They belong to a pacer named Phil Niekro.
He has defied his age as well as the batters who have taken swipes at his dancing knuckleball. Niekro's walked away with 300 victories in 21 major league seasons and he's not finished yet. There's more to accomplish- like teaming with his brother, Joe, in their chase of the Perry brothers' record of 529 career victories. Before the year began, the Niekros were only 25 wins short.
But that's only one of Niekro's goals in 1986. 'You go into spring training with the goal of getting into the World Series,' he says. 'That's what you do year after year. That's always been my aspiration.' See you at the finish line."

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"The future Hall of Famer became the 18th player to win 300 games and the oldest pitcher to throw a shutout, beating Toronto 8-0 on four hits on October 6 in Toronto. Niekro won No. 299 on September 8 against Oakland and failed in his next four attempts at No. 300: September 13 against Toronto, lost 3-2; September 18 at Detroit, lost 5-2; September 24 against Detroit, lost 9-1; September 30 against Baltimore, he lost 5-4. His October 6 shutout was career shutout No. 45 and he was the starter in two combined shutouts, May 17 at California and August 29 against the Angels at home. Niekro struck out a season high nine batters twice, April 14 at Cleveland and April 25 against Boston.
Niekro was 5-2 in his first eight starts, 7-3 in his first 11. He then lost five consecutive decisions (six starts), June 9 through July 8. He went 8-1 in his next 11 starts, July 13 to September 8.
Phil led the club with 149 strikeouts, striking out 100+ batters for the 18th time in the last 19 years. His 3,197 career strikeouts places him seventh on the all-time list. Phil became the oldest pitcher to win better than nine games in a season (Jack Quinn won nine games for the Philadelphia A's at age 46 in 1930). He has a two-year Yankee record of 32-20.
Along with his brother Joe, and catcher Butch Wynegar, Phil re-signed with New York just before the midnight January 8 deadline for clubs to sign their own free agents. He will be entering his 23rd major league season and will turn 47 just prior to Opening Day.
Niekro started 1984 as the oldest player ever to appear in a game for the Yankees. He struck out Lance Parrish at Texas on July 4th for his 3,000th career strikeout. He was named to his fifth All-Star Game.
He pitched a no-hitter against San Diego on August 5, 1973 and also has a 1-hitter and eight 2-hitters in his career. He recorded his 200th win on May 1, 1979 against Pittsburgh.
Phil and his younger brother Joe [now a Yankee teammate] are baseball's second winningest pitching brothers with 504 career wins, behind the Perrys, Gaylord and Jim (529). Phil continues to move up on the all-time lists and holds most of the Braves all-time pitching records. He has been named to four National League All-Star teams and won five Gold Gloves.
He went on a postseason tour of Japan following the 1979 season as a member of a National League all-star team that played American League all-stars. He was voted the outstanding pitcher on the trip and was the only two-game winner.
Niekro graduated in 1957 from Bridgeport (Ohio) High School where he was a teammate of John Havlicek, former Boston Celtic great. His brother Joe is a 15-year veteran of the major leagues. Phil's greatest thrill is still the signing of his first pro contract with Bill Maughn.
A great humanitarian, Phil formed Phil Niekro Roasts, Inc. to help raise funds for Spina Bifida, the second most common birth defect. He has aided the March of Dimes, the Big Brothers Association and the Empty Stocking Fund. Phil has been recognized for his community service by being named the winner of the Brian Piccolo Award in 1977 and the Roberto Clemente Award in 1980. In 1979, he was voted baseball's Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, given annually to the player who most exemplifies the ability and character of Gehrig.
Phil served as the Braves' player representative and was a candidate for the Braves' managerial post that was eventually filled by Bobby Cox [in 1978] and Joe Torre [in 1982]. In the off-season Phil enjoys hunting, fishing, table tennis, bowling and poetry writing."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Don Baylor

"Off the field he is a humanitarian whose nickname is 'Groove,' and on the field he has earned a different name for his brutal treatment of opposing pitchers. This is the Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde style of Mr. Don Baylor. Before the start of the 1985 season Don was honored with the Roberto Clemente Award, presented for outstanding and meritorious service both on and off the field. During the season he smashed 23 home runs and his 91 RBIs were among the league leaders.
'I tell myself that I want to be up there with the game on the line,' said Baylor, who proved his clutch ability by collecting his high RBI total with only 110 hits. Opposing pitchers have tried to slow Baylor down by throwing at him, but to no avail. Not only did Baylor continue to hit, in 1985 he set a new A.L. hit-by-pitch record. Ouch!"

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"The regular designated from April through July, Baylor was platooned with lefty Dan Pasqua through August and September. He had 18 homers, 67 RBIs and batted .246 through July 31- he had five homers, 24 RBIs and batted .203 the remainder of the season. Baylor had 91 RBIs on 110 hits and hit 20+ homers for the eighth time in his career. He was selected to the Sporting News AL All-Star team as the designated hitter.
Don recorded his 1,000th career RBI with a two-run homers off Boston's Dennis Boyd on April 23. He hit grand slams on May 11 at Kansas City off Bud Black and on July 11 (as a pinch hitter) off Texas' Chris Welsh, and another pinch-hit homer came on September 1 against California off Al Holland. Don hit two home runs on May 23 at Seattle and had five RBIs in the May 11 game against the Royals. He hit homers on consecutive days on May 10-11 at Kansas City and June 6-7 at Milwaukee.
He tied the AL record for hit-by-pitch in a season with 24, shared with Norm Elberfeld (1911) and Bill Freehan (1968). Baylor set the AL record for most hit-by-pitch in a career, surpassing Minnie Minoso's previous mark of 189- he entered '85 with 168 and no. 22 came on August 29 against California. Don has been hit-by-pitch 192 times in his career.
Don enjoyed his best season in 1979 when he was named the American League MVP, leading the league with 139 RBI, 120 runs and 162 games played while batting a career high of .296 with career highs of 186 hits, 33 doubles and 36 homers. During his six seasons with California, he hit 141 home runs, becoming the Angels all-time career home run leader; he ranks among the Angels top 10 in 10 different offensive categories.
Following 1979, he played in only 90 games in 1980, slowed by a fractured left wrist and a dislocated middle toe on his left foot. In 1982 he helped lead California to the AL West Division title and led the AL with 21 game-winning RBIs.
Baylor enjoyed a successful premier season with the Yankees in 1983. Used primarily as a designated hitter, he led the team in doubles, stolen bases and hit-by-pitch. Don hit over .300- a career first- and won an American League Silver Bat as a DH. In 1984, he led the club by being hit-by-pitch 23 times and came within one of the AL single season record. He hit career home run 250 on June 26 off Detroit's Sid Monge.
Don was originally signed by the Orioles in 1967, and in 1970 was named Minor League Player of the Year. After four [full] seasons with Baltimore he was traded to Oakland as part of a deal including Reggie Jackson. Don played out his option with the A's in 1976, signing a six-year contract with California that fall. He served as the Angels player representative for three seasons.
A native of Austin, Texas, he attended Miami Dade Junior College and Blinn Junior College (Brenham, TX). For the last six seasons Don has raised money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and was the 1985 winner of the Roberto Clemente Award."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide

1986 Profile: Dave Winfield

1986 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Winfield enjoyed a truce in the war of words with George Steinbrenner until the Yankees owner popped off during a key September series against Toronto and called him 'Mr. May.'
His average dipped 65 points from its 1984 level but he drove in 114 runs, the third highest total in the AL. Winfield became the first Yankee to drive in 100 or more runs in four consecutive seasons since Yogi Berra in 1953-56 and became the first Yankee to drive in 100 runs and score 100 runs in two straight seasons since Joe DiMaggio in 1941-42. He committed only three errors in right field for a .991 fielding percentage, the fourth best mark among outfielders who played at least 140 games, and had 13 assists. He had 19 game winning RBI in 1985.
Winfield never played a minor league game. San Diego made him the fourth player picked overall in the June 1973 draft. He signed a 10-year contract with the Yankees as a re-entry free agent prior to the 1981 season and helped the Yankees to the AL pennant in '81, but hit .045 in six World Series games.
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Winfield attended the University of Minnesota. He was drafted by the Padres in baseball, the Minnesota Vikings in football, and the Utah Stars (ABA) and Atlanta Hawks (NBA) in basketball."

-Tom Verducci, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1986 Edition

"'I'm always being criticized for one thing or another, but I maintain I'll put my numbers on the board by the end of the year and do what I can to help my teammates. You don't become an automatic star because you put on a Yankee uniform. You have to earn your way to the top.' And Dave Winfield has.
In 1985 he knocked in more than 100 runs for the fourth consecutive year to become the first Yankee player to accomplish that feat since Yogi Berra (1953-56). Winfield also finished in the A.L.'s top in five offensive categories and won his sixth career Gold Glove. The cannon-armed right fielder has never stopped producing since joining the Yankees in 1981. He produces because he tries. A lack of effort has never been his problem.
'Whenever he's out there, he's giving 150 per cent,' teammate Ron Guidry said. 'Here's a guy that's 6'6" who runs into walls, dives, charges the ball, is always in the games and has a great arm.'
Winfield says let the critics talk. He knows he can play ball. 'Mentally, you can accomplish just about anything you want,' he says, 'and mentally I'm as tough as anyone in the game. I'll do whatever it takes to win.'"

-The New York Yankees Official 1986 Yearbook

"Dave recorded yet another outstanding year at the plate, with the glove and on the basepaths. He was second in the American League with 19 game winning RBI, third with 114 RBI, tied for seventh with 66 extra base hits, ninth with 105 runs, 10th with 298 total bases and scored his 1,000th career run on July 26 at Texas. Dave recorded 100+ RBI for the fourth straight year, the first Yankee [to do this] since Yogi Berra (1953-56), was the first Yankee to score 100+ runs in consecutive seasons since Mickey Mantle (1960-61), and the first Yankee to record 100+ runs and 100 RBIs since Joe DiMaggio (1941-42).
He hit two home runs in a game twice in '85- June 7 at Milwaukee and August 8 (first game) against Cleveland- [something] he's now accomplished 14 times in his career. Winfield matched his personal single game RBI mark, driving in six in [that] first August 8 game, and also had three four-RBI games.
Winfield lost 17 spring training days, March 17 through April 2, with an infected left elbow which required a six-day hospital stay. He began the '85 regular season struggling at the plate, hitting .257 through April and dropping to a season low of .234 on May 18. At this point Dave began a season-high 13-game hitting streak which lasted through June 1, raising his batting average 23 points (he also had a 10-game hitting streak from July 9-22). He went 36-for-105 (.343) in June, driving his average up to .289; it peaked at .300 on July 22, then from July 23 to August 18 he went 18-for-96 (.188) with his overall average dropping to .280, where it hovered through September. Dave ended the season going 1-for-21.
His 96 strikeouts matched a career high set in 1974, yet his 19 stolen bases were his most since 1980. Dave had only five homers through June 6, yet hit homers in back-to-back games on three occasions: July 29-30 (first game), August 19-20 and September 8-9. He stole home on September 7 against Oakland. He won his fourth straight AL Gold Glove (sixth overall) and appeared in his ninth consecutive All-Star Game.
In 1984 Winfield finished second to Don Mattingly for the American League batting championship with a career high .340, fourth in the AL with 193 hits and a .393 on-base percentage, and sixth with 106 runs. He had the longest hitting streak of his career, 20 games, from August 17 to September 8. Dave had three five-hit games in June, equaling Ty Cobb's mark of five-hit games in one month. He won his fourth straight Silver Bat and was named to the UPI and Sporting News All-Star teams.
Winfield led the Yankees at the plate in 1983 in games played, at-bats, runs scored, hits, triples, homers, RBI, game-winning RBI and walks. He finished second in the AL with 21 game winning RBI, third with 116 RBI, fifth with 307 total bases, tied for fifth with 32 homers, tied for fifth with eight triples, seventh with a .513 slugging percentage and tied for eighth with 99 runs scored. Named to his seventh consecutive All-Star team, Dave contributed three hits in the American League's win. He was selected as AL Player of the Week [for each of] the first two weeks of August. On August 4 at Toronto, he fatally beaned a seagull during between-innings warm-ups and was charged by Toronto Police with cruelty to animals, charges that were dropped the next day. Dave was named to the 1983 UPI and Sporting News AL All-Star teams, won his second consecutive Gold Glove and third straight American League Silver Bat.
In 1982 he finished second in the AL with a .560 slugging percentage and third with 37 homers. He also led the Yankees with 106 RBI and his 37 home runs were a career high. Joe DiMaggio is the only right-handed Yankee batter to hit more homers in a season (46 in 1937, 39 in 1948). Winfield was the ninth player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season in both leagues. He was named AL Player of the Month for September (.294, 11 HR, 22 RBI, .661 slugging percentage).
In 1981, his first season for the Yankees, Dave led the team in games, at bats, hits, total bases, doubles, RBI, game winning RBI and sacrifice flies. He hit his first home run as a Yankee on April 29 in Detroit off Jack Morris, and his first Yankee Stadium homer on May 23 off Rick Waits. Dave made his first appearance in postseason competition and was named to the 1981 UPI AL All-Star team.
He went to the major leagues off the campus of the University of Minnesota in 1973, hit safely in his first six major league games and never played in the minors. Dave played eight seasons with San Diego and holds many Padre batting and outfield defense records. In 1979, he finished third in the NL MVP voting behind co-winners Willie Stargell and Keith Hernandez. He was also voted by the players to the Sporting News NL All-Star team and named to both the AP and UPI NL All-Star teams.
At the University of Minnesota, Winfield was 13-1 on the mound in his senior year while batting over .400 [as an outfielder]. He was the Gophers team captain, named a first team All-American and was MVP of the 1973 College World Series. He also played basketball for Minnesota and was drafted in three different sports: Padres in baseball, Vikings in football, and Utah (ABA) and Atlanta (NBA) in basketball.
The David M. Winfield Foundation has received much acclaim for its work with youth groups and contributions to the community. Winfield set up a college scholarship program in his native St. Paul/Minneapolis area and was named 1979 winner of the YMCA Brian Piccolo Award for humanitarian services."

-1986 New York Yankees Information Guide