BILLY MARTIN (Manager)
"Unsinkable Martin returns for his fifth term as Yankee manager. He previously served in that capacity from 1975-78 and in 1979, 1983 and 1985. He's a winner who tends to quickly wear out his welcome and self-destruct.
Billy sports a 1,213-988 managerial record and owns a glittering 516-358 mark as Yankees' skipper, a .590 winning percentage. He extended his own record for most times as manager of one club. Billy has managed five teams and taken four to postseason play (1969 Twins, 1972 Tigers, 1976 and '77 Yankees, and 1981 A's); the other club, Texas, placed second in 1974.
Better known for his troubles off the field than his success in the dugout, Billy's last term as Yankee manager was marred by a brawl with pitcher Ed Whitson that left the aging manager with a broken arm and cracked ribs. His pugilistic record also includes a bout with a marshmallow salesman.
Martin played on six Yankee pennant winners from 1950-57 and still idolizes Casey Stengel, who was his manager. He had a .333 lifetime World Series average and made a famous catch off Jackie Robinson in the 1952 Series. He also played for the A's, Tigers, Indians, Reds, Braves and Twins in his 12-year major league career.
Born in Berkeley, California, the four-time Manager of the Year has a rare feel for the game. He stimulates his players and the fans with Billy Ball, a daring style that forces opponents into mistakes.
Billy must show he can control himself as well as he does the game."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1988 Edition
"'I got married in January, I feel good. I feel healthy, I'm very happy and I'm anxious to return as manager of the Yankees.'
An old familiar face with a new look, Billy Martin. Well, somewhat new. Martin points out that he has not mellowed and will be more determined in 1988. Before the start of spring training, the manager vowed, 'We will have a club Yankee fans can be proud of and we're going to kick some butt.'
Indeed, Billy the Kid has played a prominent role in Yankee history. As a player under mentor Casey Stengel, Martin was a key player on several Yankee pennant winners in the 1950s and was the recipient of the Babe Ruth Award for his play in the 1953 World Series. After retiring as a player in 1962, he continued working his magic as a manager, turning losers into instant winners. An acknowledged master of strategy, Martin is known for his fiery and exciting style. He has managed five different AL clubs, tying a modern-day record, and has taken four of them to postseason play. He is also a four-time winner of the Manager of the Year Award.
Martin first joined the Yankees as manager in mid-1975, and when he started his first full term the following year it had been 12 years since the last Yankee pennant, the longest drought in team history since their first pennant in 1921. He led the Yankees to the 1976 pennant and in 1977 guided them to their first World Championship in 15 years. The '78 squad also went on to a World Series title and, while Martin resigned in July of that year, he played a major role in the last major league team to win back-to-back championships.
Billy returned to manage the Yankees in 1979 and then it was on to Oakland for three years. He was back in New York again in 1983 and 1985 as the Yankees fell just a bit short in the AL East title drives. However, after the Yankees retired his famous number one jersey on August 10, 1986, Billy knew he would be back as the Yankees field general before too long.
He spent the last two years observing the team closely as a Special Advisor to Yankee Principal Owner George Steinbrenner and an as an analyst on the club's telecasts on WPIX-TV. Now Billy's back and ready for action.
'I've been a Yankee at heart all of my life,' he explains. 'I'm happy to be back and I'm ready to accept the challenge."
-The New York Yankees Official 1988 Yearbook
"Martin returns for his fifth stint as Yankee manager. He was named to replace Lou Piniella on October 19, 1987, when Piniella was elevated to Yankee general manager. Known for his fiery and exciting managerial style, Billy is considered a master of baseball strategy and [is known for] his ability to dictate the tempo of his team and the game.
He had his uniform number (#1) retired by the Yankees on August 10, 1986 on Billy Martin Day at Yankee Stadium, when a plaque in his honor was placed in Monument Park. A four-time Manager of the Year winner (1974, 1976, 1980, 1981), Martin is one of 27 men to have managed the Yankees, but one of only seven to have led the Yankees to a World Championship (1977), joining Huggins, McCarthy, Harris, Stengel, Houk and Lemon.
Billy first joined the Yankees as manager in mid-1975, and the next season led the team to their first AL pennant in 12 years. He guided the Yankees to a repeat pennant in 1977 and a World Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first Yankee World Championship since 1962. Four days after his first term as Yankee manager came to an end, it was revealed in a surprise announcement on July 29, 1978 (Old Timers' Day) that he would manage the Yankees again in 1980; he began his second term as Yankee skipper earlier than expected, however, on July 19, 1979, replacing Bob Lemon.
He returned for his third term for the entire 1983 season and led the Yankees to a second place finish with a 91-71 record. He began his fourth term on April 28, 1985, replacing Yogi Berra; the team was 6-10 at the time, but he guided them to a second place finish with an overall mark of 97-64. Billy spent the past two seasons as a Special Advisor to Yankee Principal Owner George Steinbrenner and as an analyst on the club's telecasts on WPIX-TV.
With his return this season he sets a major league record for most times as manager of one club (5). He had been tied with Danny Murtaugh, who managed the Pittsburgh Pirates on four different occasions. Martin has managed five different American League clubs, taking four of them to postseason play (1969 Twins, 1972 Tigers, 1976 and '77 Yankees, 1981 A's) and the other club to a second place finish (1974 Rangers [after consecutive last-place finishes before Martin's arrival]), tying him with Jimmy Dykes for the modern-day major league record for most clubs managed in one league.
Martin has managed three American League All-Star teams (1977, 1978, 1982). Among active managers, he ranks second in winning percentage (.551) behind only Sparky Anderson and stands fifth in career victories (1,215). In the all-time career listings of managers with five or more years of experience since 1900, Martin ranks among the top twenty in both career wins and winning percentage.
He began his non-playing career by serving as a scout for the Minnesota Twins from 1962 through 1964 and as a coach with the Twins from 1965 through May 26, 1968. He was named to his first managerial position the following day when he replaced John Goryl as manager of Denver in the Pacific Coast League, going 65-50 the rest of the season, and was promoted to manager of the Twins the following season.
Billy was an outstanding major league player and a member of six Yankee pennant winners (1950-53, 1955-56) playing for Casey Stengel. He was a favorite of Casey, with whom he had a father-son type of relationship. Billy had a .333 lifetime World Series batting average. He made a famous catch in the 1952 Series off Jackie Robinson in the seventh inning of Game Seven, with the bases loaded and two out, to preserve the Yankees' 4-2 win. He batted .500 in the 1953 Series, winning the Babe Ruth Award while establishing a World Series record for most hits (12) in a six-game Series. Billy was named to the 1956 AL All-Star team and during his 12-year major league career also played for the A's, Tigers, Indians, Reds, Braves and Twins.
Born and raised in Berkeley, California, Billy graduated from Berkeley High School in 1946. In his second season of professional ball, with Phoenix in 1947, he batted .392 (230-for-586) and drove in 174 runs.
Billy maintains his permanent residence in Blackhawk, California."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
ART FOWLER (Coach)
"Once Billy Martin was named as manager of the Yankees, Art Fowler was considered a likely candidate to be the next pitching coach, and with good reason. Martin has managed five different AL clubs, with Fowler on his staff at every stop.
Fowler's playing career included 25 pro seasons, nine in the majors. He spent the last of his playing days (1965-68, 1970) with Denver in the Twins organization, where he first joined forces with Martin. Fowler pitched for him at 1968 at Denver, and was a coach under him in 1969 when Martin took over as manager of the Twins. At 48 Fowler returned to pitch for Denver in 1970, before joining Martin the next year in Detroit as pitching coach.
The two worked together in Detroit (1971-73), Texas (1974-75), New York and in 1980 at Oakland. Fowler returns to the Yankees where he coached from 1977-79 and in 1983.
Fowler is back under Martin, back with the Yankees, and expected to get Yankee hurlers pitching in the Fall Classic."
-The New York Yankees Official 1988 Yearbook
"Fowler returns to the Yankees as pitching coach for the third time and is reunited with manager Billy Martin. He has worked under Martin as pitching coach in Minnesota, Detroit, Texas, New York and Oakland, and was previously with the Yankees from 1977-78 [until Martin's firing], in 1979 [after Martin's return] and in 1983.
His professional playing career spanned 25 years, starting in 1944 at Bristol of the Appalachian League. He won 54 games in his nine major league seasons, seeing time with the Reds, Dodgers and Angels. Art had his best year with the Reds in 1954, winning 12 games with a 3.83 ERA, and won 11 games in each of his next two years in Cincinnati. He was traded to the Dodgers organization in June of 1958, pitched for the Dodgers in 1959, then was sold to the Angels in May of 1961. At the age of 41 in 1963, Art pitched in 57 games for the Angels for a 5-3 record and 2.43 ERA, being used in relief.
Art was released by the Angels in May of 1964 and signed as a free agent with Denver in February of 1965. He joined forces with Billy Martin for the first time in 1968 when Billy was sent to manage Denver for the Twins, and coached at Minnesota for Billy in 1969. Art then went back to Denver as a player-coach in 1970 and was still pitching at age 48. He coached for Billy at Detroit in 1971-73, Texas in 1974-75, New York twice, Oakland in 1980-82 and New York again.
Art won 205 games in his minor league career."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
MIKE FERRARO (Coach)
"The versatile Mike Ferraro has sported a number of different hats during his many years of service with the Yankees, so accepting another job presents no real problems for this coach. Ferraro will serve as first base coach on the 1988 coaching staff, moving across the field after spending last season as the club's third base coach. Just another day at the office for Ferraro and his affiliation with the organization.
He played two of his four major league seasons with the Yankees. Ferraro then showed what he could do as a manager in the Yankee farm system for five seasons (1974-78). He never had a losing season while posting an impressive 331-221 record (.600). His next role was that of a big league coach with the Yankees from 1979 to 1982.
He served as manager of the Indians for part of the 1982 season, and two and a half years as third base coach for the Royals before serving as interim manager of that club for the second half of the 1986 season. Ferraro rejoined the Yankees last season and is ready to continue his winning ways with the organization this year."
-The New York Yankees Official 1988 Yearbook
"Ferraro will be the Yankees' first base coach in 1988 after spending last season as the club's third base coach. He rejoined the Yankees on October 21, 1986, having previously served as a Yankee coach for four seasons from 1979 through 1982.
He was named manager of the Cleveland Indians in 1983 and posted a record of 40-60 with the Tribe through July 31, 1983, before being relieved of his duties. Mike spent two and a half seasons as Dick Howser's third base coach with the Kansas City Royals until being named their interim manager on July 17, 1986. He continued in that role through the completion of the 1986 season.
Prior to his major league coaching and managing experience, he managed five seasons (1974-78) in the Yankee farm system, compiling a 331-221 (.600) record and never had a losing year. Mike led Oneonta (Class-A) to the New York-Penn League title in 1974 and concluded his minor league managing career with a Pacific Coast League championship at Tacoma in 1978.
Mike was the 1964 Player of the Year in the Florida State League (.317, 158 hits, 77 RBIs in 139 games). He played four seasons in the majors, including parts of the 1966 and 1968 seasons with the Yankees. Mike has a career .232 batting average with a pair of home runs and 30 RBIs in 162 games. He tied a major league record on September 14, 1968, for most assists by a third baseman, 11, while playing for the Yankees against the Washington Senators. Mike retired in 1972 following a season with Milwaukee.
A standout high school athlete, Mike scored a school record 53 points, shooting 24-for-30 from the floor, for the Kingston (NY) High School basketball team in 1961."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
CLETE BOYER (Coach)
"When Clete Boyer puts on the Pinstripes in 1988 as the Yankee third base coach, it will make for two familiar scenes.
In the first, he will be reunited with Billy Martin. In 1980 Martin took over as manager of the Oakland A's, and one of his first moves was to make Boyer, who was a coach for the Atlanta Braves for three seasons, his third base coach. Boyer stayed with the A's in that capacity for six seasons, three under Martin.
In the second scene, Boyer will again be working in the vicinity of third base, where he excelled with the Yankees during eight (1959-66) of his 15 seasons as a major leaguer. He became the Yankees' regular third baseman in 1960 and played in five World Series with New York. His best season in Pinstripes came in 1962 when he batted .318 in helping the Yankees to a World Series victory."
-The New York Yankees Official 1988 Yearbook
"After serving as a Yankee minor league instructor last season, Boyer is reunited with Billy Martin and will serve as third base coach this year. He has spent nine years as a coach, including six years as third base coach for the Oakland A's, joining Martin's staff at Oakland in 1980 after a three-year coaching stint with the Atlanta Braves.
Boyer played 16 years in the major leagues, starting his career in 1955 with the Kansas City A's. He played with the A's from 1955 to 1957, then was traded to the Yankees along with Art Ditmar, Bobby Shantz, Jack McMahon and Wayne Belardi in exchange for Rip Coleman, Tom Morgan, Mickey McDermott, Billy Hunter, Milt Graff and Irv Noren. Clete became the Yankees' regular third baseman in 1960, and he played in five World Series for New York.
His seventh inning home run in the of the first game of the 1962 World Series against the San Francisco Giants broke a 2-2 tie and gave Whitey Ford his 10th World Series victory. Boyer batted .318 in the '62 Series, following his best year with the Yankees when he batted a career high .272 with 18 home runs and 68 runs batted in while playing in 157 games, all at third base. He set a World Series record for most assists by a third baseman in Series play (65) that stood until Graig Nettles broke it in 1984, and is tied with five others for most double plays started by a third baseman in a nine-inning Series game (2).
Clete was traded to the Atlanta Braves in November 1966 for Bill Robinson and Chi Chi Olivo. He played five years for the Braves and had his most productive year for Atlanta in 1967, with career highs in home runs (26) and RBIs (96). He led National League third basemen in fielding in 1967 and 1969 and is fifth on the all-time fielding list for third basemen. Clete has also played shortstop and second base during his career, along with one game in the outfield in 1961. He banged out five grand slams during his career.
After leaving Atlanta in 1971 Clete spent time playing in Japan, then rejoined the Braves prior to the 1977 season. He is a member of a great baseball family, including brothers Ken and Cloyd."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
JEFF TORBORG (Coach)
"In 1979 Billy Martin became Yankee manager for the second time, taking over for Bob Lemon on July 19. One of his first moves was to make Jeff Torborg a member of the Yankee coaching staff.
The many talents and attributes of Torborg that were recognized by Martin have since been appreciated by six other Yankee managers, keeping him in Pinstripes for over eight seasons and making him the senior member of the staff. This quiet professional brings several looks [sic] to his job in the Yankee bullpen.
In college he hit .537 his senior year for Rutgers, an NCAA record that still stands. He played for ten years in the majors as a catcher and was on a World Series champion and a National League pennant winner, caught three no-hitters and caught two single-season strikeout records. Couple these facts with his experience as a big league coach and manager, and you have a proven winner who has the ability to show what it takes to be a champion to today's Yankee relief corps."
-The New York Yankees Official 1988 Yearbook
"Torborg serves as Yankee bullpen coach. He joined the Yankee coaching staff on August 1, 1979, after his dismissal as manager of the Indians on July 23. He had managed the Tribe since June 19, 1977, compiling a record of 157-201, and prior to that was a coach for the Indians beginning with the 1975 season, serving under Frank Robinson.
He played 10 years in the majors, seven with the Dodgers and three with the Angels. He played on the World Champion Dodgers in 1965 and on their NL pennant winner in 1966. Jeff caught two no-hitters with the Dodgers, by Sandy Koufax in 1965 and Bill Singer in 1970, and also caught a Nolan Ryan no-hitter with the Angels in 1973; the major league record for no-hitters caught is four by Ray Schalk. He was also behind the plate when Don Drysdale threw his fifth consecutive shutout in 1968, and caught Koufax and Ryan when they set single-season strikeout records. Jeff retired after the 1973 season.
A native of northern Jersey, Jeff earned a B.S. in education from Rutgers and has a Masters degree in athletic administration from Montclair State. His thesis was on the effects of platooning in baseball. In his senior year at Rutgers, Jeff hit .537 to lead the NCAA in batting and set a record that still stands.
He is a contributing author to a variety of baseball publications and recently was appointed to the New Jersey Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. His son Doug is a pitching prospect in the Pittsburgh Pirate organization."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
CHRIS CHAMBLISS (Coach)
"The Yankees are determined to get back on top in 1988 and are counting on a few familiar faces to get them there. Billy Martin ended the team's 12-year drought when he managed them to the AL pennant in 1976, and Chris Chambliss was a key player on that club. Martin has brought back Chambliss to once again help him make winners of the Yankees.
Chambliss, who serves as the batting coach, played six of his 16 major league seasons as a first baseman with the Yankees (1974-79). He was a prominent member of the Yankee clubs that dominated the late seventies. Chambliss' career was highlighted by a dramatic ninth-inning home run in the final game of the 1976 ALCS that beat the Royals and propelled the Yankees into the World Series for the first time since 1964.
After his playing career ended in 1986, he rejoined the Yankees in the front office in July of 1987. Chambliss will now teach clutch hitting to the 1988 Yankees."
-The New York Yankees Official 1988 Yearbook
"Chris was named as hitting coach in November 1987 after having rejoined the Yankees in July 1987 in a front office (player development) capacity. The former Yankee first baseman spent six years with the team (1974-79) and played an instrumental role in the club's two World Championships and three American League pennants during that time. Chris may be best remembered for his ninth-inning home run in the final game of the 1976 American League Championship Series off Mark Littell that beat the Kansas City Royals and propelled the Yankees into the World Series for the first time since 1964.
He began his professional career in 1970 by hitting .342 at Wichita to become the first pro rookie to win a Triple-A batting title. The following season, after only one full year in the minors, he batted .275 in 111 games with the Cleveland Indians and was named the 1971 AL Rookie of the Year. After two more seasons in Cleveland, Chris was traded to the Yankees along with Dick Tidrow and Cecil Upshaw on April 26, 1974 in exchange for Fritz Peterson, Steve Kline, Fred Beene and Tom Buskey.
Chris had perhaps his best season in 1976, batting .293 with 17 home runs and a career high 96 runs batted in and was named to the American League All-Star team. He finished fifth in the AL Most Valuable Player voting that year. A model of consistency in his five full seasons with the Yankees, his batting average ranged from .274 to .304, and in those seasons he drove in 72, 96, 90, 90 and 63 runs, respectively. Chris won a Gold Glove in 1978, committing just four errors in 1,481 total chances, a .997 percentage which tied him with Joe Pepitone for the all-time Yankee first baseman single-season record, a mark that still stands.
He was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays with Damaso Garcia and Paul Mirabella in November 1979 in exchange for Rick Cerone, Tom Underwood and Ted Wilborn. A month later, he was traded with Luis Gomez to the Atlanta Braves for Barry Bonnell and Joey McLaughlin. Chris played seven years with the Braves and batted .272 and hit a career high 20 home runs twice for Atlanta, in 1982 and 1983. He finished his professional career in 1986 with the Braves and rejoined the Yankees in his front office role the next season.
Chris played a season of college baseball at UCLA, where he set school records with 15 home runs and 45 RBIs. He previously played both football and baseball at Mira Costa Junior College, where he was all-league in each sport. He was a football and basketball standout at Oceanside High School.
The son of a Navy Chaplain, Chris traveled much of his youth and is a former member of the Air National Guard. He is a cousin of basketball standout Jo Jo White."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
GEORGE MITTERWALD (Coach)
"In 1969 Billy Martin took his first managing job with the Minnesota Twins. On that team was a promising young catcher named George Mitterwald, who helped Martin guide the Twins to the '69 playoffs. He no doubt made a lasting impression on his manager, who has now asked him to help lead the Yankees to the playoffs as a member of his coaching staff.
Mitterwald played more than 10 years in the majors, with the Twins and Cubs, highlighted by two trips to the playoffs with the Twins (1969-70) where he posted a .333 average in ALCS play. He became a coach with the A's in 1979 (a player/coach for five days) and stayed on the staff as bullpen coach when Martin became manager in 1980. In 1981 he again aided Martin in steering [their] club to the playoffs.
He went on to manage Oakland's Modesto farm club for three seasons (1983-85), winning the California League Championship in 1984. For the past two years he managed Minnesota's Orlando farm team.
Mitterwald dons the Pinstripes for the first time but is again reunited with Martin, a combination with a proven track record."
-The New York Yankees Official 1988 Yearbook
"Mitterwald joined the Yankees for the first time on November 6, 1987 as a coach, but is reunited with manager Billy Martin. He previously worked under Martin during his tenure as the bullpen coach of the Oakland A's from 1979-82. For the next three seasons, 1983-85, George managed the Oakland's Modesto farm club, winning the California League championship in 1984. For the past two seasons he managed the Minnesota's Orlando farm club, going 70-73 in 1986 and 61-82 last year.
He started his pro career in 1965 at Wisconsin Rapids after being signed by the Twins two days before the first draft that year. He made his major league debut in 1966, appearing in three games for the Twins.
George came up to stay in 1968 and was an outstanding defensive catcher for Minnesota during some of that team's great years. He played on their championship teams in 1969 and 1970 and had a .333 batting average in League Championship Series play. He had his best year in Minnesota in 1973, batting .259 with a career high 16 homers and 64 runs batted in.
The Twins then traded him to the Chicago Cubs in December 1973 in exchange for Randy Hundley. On April 17, 1974, against the Pirates, he went 4-for-4 with three home runs, a double and eight RBIs. Mitterwald was granted free agency by the Cubs after the 1977 season and elected to stay with them as their bullpen coach in 1978 before joining the A's staff in '79.
Mitterwald graduated from Mt. Eden High School in Hayward, California where he was all-conference in baseball and basketball. He then went to Chabot Junior College, where he also played baseball and basketball and was a physical education major.
A Tiger and Brave fan growing up, George enjoys golfing and fishing."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Thursday, June 23, 2016
1988 New York Yankees Management Profiles
RICK BAY (Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer)
"Rick Bay, appointed as Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer shortly before the start of the 1988 season, has a distinguished career in sports administration.
Before joining the Yankees, he served as Athletic Director of Ohio State University from 1984 through 1987, where he supervised one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive athletic programs covering 30 intercollegiate and more than 800 student-athletes. During his tenure at Ohio State he was responsible for a $20 million budget and instituted new marketing and promotional concepts that nearly tripled the department's fundraising revenues. He was also instrumental in the construction and modernization of University athletic facilities and implemented an innovative drug education and testing program for Ohio State athletes.
Prior to his tenure at Ohio State, he was the Athletic Director at the University of Oregon from 1981 to 1984 and served in executive capacities with the University of Michigan Alumni Association from 1974 through 1978. A former wrestling coach at Michigan, he was named NCAA Coach of the Year in 1974, when he led the Wolverines to a second place in the NCAA tournament.
Bay received his B.A. degree from Michigan, where he was one of the country's top intercollegiate wrestlers and a member of the football and freshman baseball teams after an outstanding high school career in all three sports. Bay, 45, is a native of Waukegan, Illinois, and he and his wife Denice resided in Columbus, Ohio before joining the Yankees."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
WILLIAM F. DOWLING (Vice-President and General Counsel)
"Bill Dowling, Vice-President and General Counsel of the Yankees, is beginning his third season with the club, with expanded duties in handling many of the club's day-to-day activities in addition to his responsibility for overseeing the team's legal matters. He played a large role in the negotiations resulting in the memorandum of agreement between the Yankees and the City and the State of New York that extended the team's lease at Yankee Stadium for 30 years, and he has supervised the Yankees' growth in such areas as television, radio, marketing and merchandising.
Dowling joined the Yankees from the New York State Attorney General's Office, where he spent six and a half years as Deputy Chief Assistant Attorney General. He formerly served as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan.
Dowling, a native of Holyoke, Massachusetts, received his J.D. degree from Boston College Law School and his B.A. degree from Columbia University."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
LOU PINIELLA (Vice-President and General Manager)
"Lou Piniella was elevated to his position as Vice-President and General Manager of the Yankees on October 19, 1987 after serving as the club's manager the past two seasons. In 1986, his first season as manager, he guided the Yankees to a 90-72 record (the fifth best mark in the major leagues) and a second place finish in the American League's Eastern Division. Last year, he had the club in first place for most of the season until injuries forced a fourth place finish with an 89-73 record. Overall in his two seasons as manager he posted a winning percentage of .552 (179-145).
One of the most popular Yankees during his playing career, he was recognized as a consistent and professional hitter. His .295 lifetime batting average with the Yankees ranks him 11th among the team's all-time leaders, and he was always an excellent postseason performer. He led all Yankee hitters with a .438 average in the 1981 World Series, when he extended his personal Series hitting streak to nine consecutive games.
Before joining the Yankees, he spent five years with the Kansas City Royals, winning the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1969 and earning a selection to the AL All-Star team in 1972. He retired from the Yankees on June 17, 1984 and was named a Yankee coach, a position he held until he was named as Yankee manager on October 17, 1985. He was also honored by the Yankees with Lou Piniella Day on August 5, 1984.
In his short tenure as Yankee General Manager, Piniella, 44, already has been involved in a number of acquisitions, such as the signings of Jack Clark and John Candelaria and the trades for Don Slaught, Rafael Santana and Richard Dotson, that have significantly improved the ballclub. In addition, he has played an important role in salary and contract negotiations as well as many of the club's other business interests while continuing to provide his expertise in such baseball related areas as player evaluation, acquisition and development.
A native of Tampa, Piniella, his wife Anita and their three children reside in Allendale, New Jersey."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
BOB QUINN (Vice-President of Baseball Administration)
"Bob Quinn, Yankee Vice-President of Baseball Administration, is beginning his second full season with the team, with expanded contract negotiation and organizational responsibilities. He joined the club on September 22, 1986 as Assistant Vice-President and was named to his current position on October 10 of that year.
Before joining the Yankees, he spent 12 years with the Cleveland Indians, beginning in 1973 as Director of Scouting and Minor League Operations and eventually assumed the responsibility of Vice-President of Player Development and Scouting.
Quinn, 51, has an extensive baseball background, beginning with his tenure as General Manager of the Eau Claire club of the Northern League (1959-60). After a stint in private business, he returned to baseball as GM of the Reading (PA) Phillies of the AA Eastern League (1967-68), where he was named the 1967 Minor League Executive of the Year. He served as GM of the AAA Omaha Royals of the American Association (1969-70), where he was again named Executive of the Year, in 1969. He moved up to the major leagues as Director of Minor League Operations for the Milwaukee Brewers (1971-72) before joining the Indians.
Quinn comes a legendary baseball family; his grandfather J.A. Quinn was general manager of four major league clubs, his father John was GM of the Boston Braves for 23 years and the Philadelphia Phillies for 13 years, and his brother Jack is President of the National Hockey League St. Louis Blues."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
"Rick Bay, appointed as Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer shortly before the start of the 1988 season, has a distinguished career in sports administration.
Before joining the Yankees, he served as Athletic Director of Ohio State University from 1984 through 1987, where he supervised one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive athletic programs covering 30 intercollegiate and more than 800 student-athletes. During his tenure at Ohio State he was responsible for a $20 million budget and instituted new marketing and promotional concepts that nearly tripled the department's fundraising revenues. He was also instrumental in the construction and modernization of University athletic facilities and implemented an innovative drug education and testing program for Ohio State athletes.
Prior to his tenure at Ohio State, he was the Athletic Director at the University of Oregon from 1981 to 1984 and served in executive capacities with the University of Michigan Alumni Association from 1974 through 1978. A former wrestling coach at Michigan, he was named NCAA Coach of the Year in 1974, when he led the Wolverines to a second place in the NCAA tournament.
Bay received his B.A. degree from Michigan, where he was one of the country's top intercollegiate wrestlers and a member of the football and freshman baseball teams after an outstanding high school career in all three sports. Bay, 45, is a native of Waukegan, Illinois, and he and his wife Denice resided in Columbus, Ohio before joining the Yankees."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
WILLIAM F. DOWLING (Vice-President and General Counsel)
"Bill Dowling, Vice-President and General Counsel of the Yankees, is beginning his third season with the club, with expanded duties in handling many of the club's day-to-day activities in addition to his responsibility for overseeing the team's legal matters. He played a large role in the negotiations resulting in the memorandum of agreement between the Yankees and the City and the State of New York that extended the team's lease at Yankee Stadium for 30 years, and he has supervised the Yankees' growth in such areas as television, radio, marketing and merchandising.
Dowling joined the Yankees from the New York State Attorney General's Office, where he spent six and a half years as Deputy Chief Assistant Attorney General. He formerly served as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan.
Dowling, a native of Holyoke, Massachusetts, received his J.D. degree from Boston College Law School and his B.A. degree from Columbia University."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
LOU PINIELLA (Vice-President and General Manager)
"Lou Piniella was elevated to his position as Vice-President and General Manager of the Yankees on October 19, 1987 after serving as the club's manager the past two seasons. In 1986, his first season as manager, he guided the Yankees to a 90-72 record (the fifth best mark in the major leagues) and a second place finish in the American League's Eastern Division. Last year, he had the club in first place for most of the season until injuries forced a fourth place finish with an 89-73 record. Overall in his two seasons as manager he posted a winning percentage of .552 (179-145).
One of the most popular Yankees during his playing career, he was recognized as a consistent and professional hitter. His .295 lifetime batting average with the Yankees ranks him 11th among the team's all-time leaders, and he was always an excellent postseason performer. He led all Yankee hitters with a .438 average in the 1981 World Series, when he extended his personal Series hitting streak to nine consecutive games.
Before joining the Yankees, he spent five years with the Kansas City Royals, winning the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1969 and earning a selection to the AL All-Star team in 1972. He retired from the Yankees on June 17, 1984 and was named a Yankee coach, a position he held until he was named as Yankee manager on October 17, 1985. He was also honored by the Yankees with Lou Piniella Day on August 5, 1984.
In his short tenure as Yankee General Manager, Piniella, 44, already has been involved in a number of acquisitions, such as the signings of Jack Clark and John Candelaria and the trades for Don Slaught, Rafael Santana and Richard Dotson, that have significantly improved the ballclub. In addition, he has played an important role in salary and contract negotiations as well as many of the club's other business interests while continuing to provide his expertise in such baseball related areas as player evaluation, acquisition and development.
A native of Tampa, Piniella, his wife Anita and their three children reside in Allendale, New Jersey."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
BOB QUINN (Vice-President of Baseball Administration)
"Bob Quinn, Yankee Vice-President of Baseball Administration, is beginning his second full season with the team, with expanded contract negotiation and organizational responsibilities. He joined the club on September 22, 1986 as Assistant Vice-President and was named to his current position on October 10 of that year.
Before joining the Yankees, he spent 12 years with the Cleveland Indians, beginning in 1973 as Director of Scouting and Minor League Operations and eventually assumed the responsibility of Vice-President of Player Development and Scouting.
Quinn, 51, has an extensive baseball background, beginning with his tenure as General Manager of the Eau Claire club of the Northern League (1959-60). After a stint in private business, he returned to baseball as GM of the Reading (PA) Phillies of the AA Eastern League (1967-68), where he was named the 1967 Minor League Executive of the Year. He served as GM of the AAA Omaha Royals of the American Association (1969-70), where he was again named Executive of the Year, in 1969. He moved up to the major leagues as Director of Minor League Operations for the Milwaukee Brewers (1971-72) before joining the Indians.
Quinn comes a legendary baseball family; his grandfather J.A. Quinn was general manager of four major league clubs, his father John was GM of the Boston Braves for 23 years and the Philadelphia Phillies for 13 years, and his brother Jack is President of the National Hockey League St. Louis Blues."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
1988 Profile: George Steinbrenner
Principal Owner
"Every young man searching for his own place in today's world would be well advised to heed the advice and example of sportsman, business executive and civic leader George M. Steinbrenner.
Steinbrenner, a national figure before he was 40, offers a succinct basic formula for success. 'Work as hard as you ask others to. Strive for what you believe is right, no matter the odds. Learn that mistakes can be the best teacher of all.' Certainly the meteoric career of this energetic son of a distinguished Great Lakes shipping family bears out the practical results of these simple beliefs.
In 1963, he entered the business world in earnest. In a way, it was a difficult adjustment for a man who had already been an assistant football coach at two Big Ten universities, Northwestern and Purdue, and put together national championship teams in both the National Industrial and American Basketball Leagues.
In the business world, Steinbrenner is Chairman of the American Shipbuilding Company which he and associates took over and revitalized in 1967. Under his early leadership American Ship tripled its annual revenues and since has climbed to the $200 million mark in annual sales.
In 1973, Steinbrenner put together the group which purchased the New York Yankees from CBS. As the Principal Owner, it took only five years for his keen foresight and aggressive leadership to turn the Yankees, once again, into World Champions.
Apart from corporate business and civic involvements, he devotes a great deal of time to his extensive interest in thoroughbred breeding and racing which includes his 800 acre stud farm in Florida, The Florida Breeders Sales Company and Florida Horse Magazine. In 1983 he was honored as the Industrialist of the Year in Florida."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
"Every young man searching for his own place in today's world would be well advised to heed the advice and example of sportsman, business executive and civic leader George M. Steinbrenner.
Steinbrenner, a national figure before he was 40, offers a succinct basic formula for success. 'Work as hard as you ask others to. Strive for what you believe is right, no matter the odds. Learn that mistakes can be the best teacher of all.' Certainly the meteoric career of this energetic son of a distinguished Great Lakes shipping family bears out the practical results of these simple beliefs.
In 1963, he entered the business world in earnest. In a way, it was a difficult adjustment for a man who had already been an assistant football coach at two Big Ten universities, Northwestern and Purdue, and put together national championship teams in both the National Industrial and American Basketball Leagues.
In the business world, Steinbrenner is Chairman of the American Shipbuilding Company which he and associates took over and revitalized in 1967. Under his early leadership American Ship tripled its annual revenues and since has climbed to the $200 million mark in annual sales.
In 1973, Steinbrenner put together the group which purchased the New York Yankees from CBS. As the Principal Owner, it took only five years for his keen foresight and aggressive leadership to turn the Yankees, once again, into World Champions.
Apart from corporate business and civic involvements, he devotes a great deal of time to his extensive interest in thoroughbred breeding and racing which includes his 800 acre stud farm in Florida, The Florida Breeders Sales Company and Florida Horse Magazine. In 1983 he was honored as the Industrialist of the Year in Florida."
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
Sunday, June 19, 2016
1988 New York Yankees Outlook
HITTING
"The Yankees' offense had one problem last season- Rickey Henderson couldn't stay healthy. Henderson (.291, 17, 37) was disabled twice with a hamstring injury that limited him to 95 games. He failed to lead the league in stolen bases for the first time in the last eight years.
Assuming Henderson can avoid injury, the Yankees will have no problem scoring runs. Don Mattingly (.327, 30, 115), who never seems to run out of encores, will try to come up with another after a year in which he smashed the major league record with six grand slams and tied another mark by homering in eight consecutive games. Mike Pagliarulo (.234, 32, 87) supplies more power from the left side. Ex-Card Jack Clark (.286, 35, 106) will bring his slugging power to Yankee Stadium as a likely DH. Aging Dave Winfield (.275, 27, 97) will try to shake off a poor second half in which he collected just seven home runs and 29 RBI."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1988 Edition
PITCHING
"Rick Rhoden (16-10, 3.86) should fare even better in his second season with the Yankees, assuming he can avoid the freak injuries that hampered him at the beginning and end of 1987. Ex-White Sox mainstay Richard Dotson (11-12, 4.17) is a welcome addition to the rotation and the Yankees were looking forward to having Bill Gullickson for a full season in 1988. But free agent Gullickson left another gap in the questionable Yankee mound corps when he expressed a yen for a one-year, $1-million-plus and signed with the Tokyo Giants in January.
Ron Guidry (5-8, 3.67) is a question mark after off-season shoulder surgery. Ex-Mariner southpaw Lee Guetterman (11-4, 3.81) figures as a spot starter or in relief. Top prospect Al Leiter, who fanned 28 batters in his first 22 2/3 innings, has a chance to make the staff, either as a starter or reliever. The Yankees managed to re-sign free agent relief ace Dave Righetti, who has registered 138 saves- the third highest total in club history- in four years in the bullpen."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1988 Edition
FIELDING
"Led by Gold Glove winners Mattingly (first base) and Winfield (right field), the Yankees are an exceptional club defensively. They ranked second in the AL last year with a .983 fielding percentage and were charged with just 102 errors in 162 games. Steady second baseman Willie Randolph turns the double play better than anyone. The Yankees filled a hole at shortstop by obtaining Rafael Santana from the crosstown Mets, and the acquisition of Don Slaught from Texas strengthens a weak catching corps."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1988 Edition
OUTLOOK
"The Yankees are good enough to contend and possibly win. Their greatest obstacles to success are off the field. Principal owner George Steinbrenner's involvement generally produces negative results, and his managerial revolving door, which moves at a furious pace, has delivered Billy Martin for a fifth term. No wonder this proud franchise is without a World Championship since 1978."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1978 Edition
"Billy's Back, but it says here that the Yankees won't be.
Billy Martin gets his fifth tour of duty as the Yankees manager. It shouldn't be much more productive than the last three, unless, of course, some pitching help comes to the Bronx.
Only in his first stint on the job he calls 'the only one I've ever wanted' did Martin get the team into the World Series. They won in 1977 after losing to the Reds in '76.
Martin's days as an effective manager seem long behind him. And owner George Steinbrenner's interference has robbed the proudest franchise in baseball history of its tradition and stature.
While a pennant shouldn't be predicted by even the most optimistic of Yankee fans, a full-scale collapse should not be expected, either. There are too many talented hitters and a few good pitchers who will keep the Yankees near the top of the AL East for several months.
By September, we predict they'll have faded, with only Baltimore and Cleveland behind in the standings.
The Yankees will score, especially if Rickey Henderson stays healthy. He probably won't play center field, which should help his legs. And he won't steal a mere 41 bases, his worst total since he began dominating the basepaths in 1980 and the first year he didn't lead the American League in thefts.
'Rickey is the key to our offense,' Martin says. 'He's the catalyst. If he's healthy, he makes everyone in our lineup more dangerous by what he can do on the bases.'
Henderson should also hit around .300 and score well over 100 runs- particularly if Don Mattingly, Dave Winfield and Mike Pagliarulo continue their hard-hitting ways. Henderson hit .291 with 17 homers and had a .423 on-base percentage in 1987.
Mattingly simply is the best player in baseball, a dynamic hitter (.327, 93 runs, 186 hits, 38 doubles, 30 homers, 115 RBI) and Gold Glove first baseman. His six grand slams show how productive he is in the clutch- how many players even get to bat six times in a season with the bases loaded? Besides his grand slam record, Mattingly tied Dale Long's major league mark by homering in eight straight games.
Winfield is often criticized for not being a clutch hitter, but this guy drove in 100 or more runs for five straight years before falling three below the century mark last season. He hit 27 homers and scored 83 runs on a .275 average.
Overall, the Yankees tied for eighth in the AL with a .262 team batting average and tied for fifth with 196 homers. Though they showed plenty of prowess at the plate, only the Twins bettered them in the field as the Yanks' 102 errors ranked as second fewest to Minnesota's 98.
The Yankees would like to move Roberto Kelly into center field. The speedster hit .269 in a short trial last season, but at AAA Columbus batted .278 with 77 runs and a league leading 51 steals. Another hot outfield prospect is Jay Buhner, who had 31 homers, 85 RBI and hit .279 for Columbus. He might be a year away from regular duty in New York, but with Dan Pasqua traded, there might be room.
Claudell Washington is a fill-in, while Gary Ward will be a DH if he sticks. Washington hit .279 and stole 10 bases in 102 games, while hometown boy Henry Cotto was sent to Seattle in the off-season as part of the deal for Lee Guetterman. Ward (.248) saw time in the outfield and split DH duties with Ron Kittle (.277) and they combined for 28 homers. DH Mike Easler hit .281 in 65 games.
Pagliarulo needs a quicker start and a higher batting average than his .234 of last season. But the Yankees will take his glove and especially his arm at third base and the 32 homers and 87 RBI he produced in 1987.
Willie Randolph, off to the best start of his 13-year career, then injured, wound up at .305 with a .411 on-base percentage. He is an overall steadying influence at second.
If only the Yankees could say the same about shortstop and catching. Wayne Tolleson is the best shortstop they have, but he tends to wear down when asked to play too often. To worsen matter, Tolleson underwent surgery for a torn rotator cuff in December. So the Yankees acquired Rafael Santana, who hit .255 with the Mets. He'll be backed by Bobby Meacham (.271 in 77 games), Tolleson and Randy Velarde.
Don Slaught (.224) was acquired from Texas and has a good shot at unseating Rick Cerone (.243) behind the plate. Don't expect too much from Joel Skinner, who had his chances and showed he can't hit in the major leagues.
The pitching staff also has big question marks, but Lou Piniella, boosted to general manager in the latest front office shake-up, made a nice deal in acquiring Richard Dotson from Chicago. A tough competitor, Dotson was 11-12 in 211 innings with 114 strikeouts for a bad team. He'll combine with ace Rick Rhoden (16-10, 3.86 ERA, 107 Ks), Bill Gullickson (4-2, 4.88), ageless Tommy John (13-6, 4.03), Guetterman (11-4, 3.81) and hard-throwing Al Leiter who looked good in three of his four September starts. Ron Guidry (5-8, 3.87) underwent off-season shoulder surgery but should be back early in the season.
The bullpen should be the property of superb left-hander Dave Righetti, who set a major league record for saves with 46 in 1986. But Rags, who filed for free agency and reportedly was upset when Martin returned as manager, could wind up as a starter if he stays and if Billy has his way. That would put Leiter in the bullpen along with Neil Allen, another one of those reclamation cases Martin loves. Steve Trout was traded to Seattle. Also available for relief duty are Charles Hudson (11-7, 3.61), whose torrid start led to such a fade that he wound up in the minors for a while, Pat Clements (3-3, 7 saves) and Cecilio Guante (3-2).
What they don't have is a chance to win the division. Put them down for fifth unless the pitching comes through."
-Norman MacLean, Baseball Forecast 1988
PRIDE AND POWER: THE 1988 YANKEES
"A powerful lineup on paper, as Yankees fans learned in 1987, can be a fragile thing. The '87 Yankees began the year with supposedly the most potent lineup in baseball, and when the team disintegrated in the second half, naturally the thing that was suspect to begin with, the pitching, drew much of the blame.
What tended to be overlooked was the fact that not enough Yankees were touching home plate, something that shouldn't happen with Rickey Henderson, Don Mattingly, Dave Winfield and Mike Pagliarulo in the order.
So how did it happen? Injuries, mostly. Damaged parts- parts that adversely affected other parts until the lineup concept came crashing down.
Forget pitching. The Yankees, to win the American League East in 1988, need to improve their run production. They need to rank better than a league seventh in runs scored, their ranking in 1987.
Enter Jack Clark. When the National League's most dangerous hitter penned a two-year contract with New York in January, Yankees General Manager Lou Piniella called it 'a signing the magnitude of Reggie Jackson's.'
Clark will fill in defensively at first base, left field and right field when needed, but he'll mostly DH, supplying much needed right-handed power.
Clark in 419 at-bats last year hit 35 home runs, had 106 RBI and drew a National League leading 136 walks. He also led the league in slugging (.597) AND on-base percentage (.459). Not a bad acquisition for the cleanup slot!
Manager Billy Martin, in filling out the lineup card, has several options. He has talked of batting Winfield second, or he could do the lefty-righty-lefty-righty thing with Mattingly-Clark-Pagliarulo-Winfield. But let's say he mostly goes with the following lineup:
1. Henderson, LF
2. Randolph, 2B
3. Mattingly, 1B
4. Clark, DH
5. Winfield, RF
6. Pagliarulo, 3B
7. Slaught, C
8. Santana, SS
9. Kelly, CF
It is a batting order that should please Mattingly. Having Henderson and Randolph ahead of him, he'll get his RBI opportunities. And with Clark and Winfield behind him, he should get good pitches.
Whatever the lineup, Clark will have far more protection than he had in St. Louis where he was basically the team's only power hitter. If Winfield and Pagliarulo are hitting, it'll be dangerous for opposing pitchers to walk Clark. He should see many good pitches, too.
The potential is there for a tremendous New York lineup. Not everyone has to have a career year but just about everyone has to stay reasonably healthy. Indeed, for this lineup to realize its great potential, the parts must not only remain in working order but must mesh together to form a unit stronger than their sum.
The Yankees can't afford a repeat of 1987 with Henderson down on June 4 with a pulled hamstring muscle and in and out of the lineup the rest of the year; with Mattingly missing three weeks in June with a back problem; and with Randolph on July 15 beginning a month on the disabled list with torn knee cartilage and playing sparingly for a couple weeks after that.
In the disabled Randolph, the Yankees lost a player who was perhaps the league's second best leadoff man- the backup for Henderson. The attack couldn't survive the loss of both.
The 1987 problems ran on. Winfield struggled in the second half, and with the top of the order weakened, finished with fewer than 100 RBI for the first time since the strike-shortened 1981 season. Gary Ward, a key first half contributor whose bat seemingly grew 'tired,' slumped badly after the All-Star break. Dan Pasqua, since traded, hit 17 home runs in 318 at-bats, but he also fanned 99 times and batted only .233.
Offensively, catcher and shortstop were subpar positions. Wayne Tolleson, until he too went down with a shoulder ailment, played a solid shortstop, but with all their other offensive problems, the Yankees couldn't afford to start a player who on the year had only five extra-base hits in 349 [at-bats]. The Yankees have made changes at the weak positions. Off-season trades netted probable starters catcher Don Slaught and shortstop Rafael Santana.
A fourth new likely starter is the promising farm product, Roberto Kelly. He will be given every opportunity to win the center field job, allowing Henderson to move to his natural position, left field, where he's the best in the business. Kelly, who can really run, would not only help the club defensively, but his speed would be as big a plus to the Yankees' running game as Clark's muscle is to their power game.
Looking more closely at the 1988 Yankee lineup, consider first the only American Leaguer ever to hit 20-plus home runs while stealing 50-plus bases, doing it twice, in his first two Yankee seasons, 1985 and 1986. Rickey Henderson, batting leadoff, didn't reach either mark in 1987, hitting 17 homers and stealing 41 bases. And his most important stat, runs scored, 146 in 1985, was only 78 in 1987.
Henderson's recent-seasons surge in power, cresting in 1986 at 28 home runs, has been a nice bonus, but what has been of top priority is that he score runs. That means getting on base and lighting up the basepaths. His mere presence on the bases distracts- scares- pitchers.
A productive Henderson is critical to New York's 1988 fortunes. Henderson needs healthy legs to play his game, and the planned move to left field should help. Moreover, if there is one Yankee who should be happy to have Martin back, it is Henderson. Billy plays the kind of aggressive baseball that Henderson, who stole 130 bases for him at Oakland in 1982, thrives on.
Randolph, batting second. When he was in there- he played in 120 games and was the Yankees' outstanding player in the first half of 1987- Randolph was excellent. He had the fourth best on-base percentage in the American League (.411), set career highs in batting average (.305) and RBI (67), and scored 96 runs. He also hit .316 with runners in scoring position.
Randolph could have had a career year in 1987 if he had stayed healthy. With a little more rest, that kind of year may be possible in 1988.
Mattingly, batting third. On top of his back injury, Mattingly played much of 1987 with a sprained right wrist. Yet he hit .327 with 30 home runs and 115 RBI. A superlative season!
Don entered the 1987 season generally regarded as the best all-around player in baseball. If there was one knock on Don Mattingly besides his less-than-outstanding running speed (which he can't improve), it was that he had made just one extra-base hit in 47 career at-bats with the bases loaded.
So what did Mattingly do in 1987? He hit six grand slams to establish a new major league record. In fact, in 21 trips to the plate with the bases loaded, Mattingly went 9-for-19 (.474- six home runs, one double, two singles and two sacrifice flies) and drove in 33 runs.
Interestingly, both Henderson and Randolph were on base on four of the six occasions when Mattingly emptied the bases with a grand slam (and Randolph was on a fifth time). When Henderson and Randolph get on base, Mattingly is very dangerous.
Mattingly doesn't have much to prove. Except that he badly wants to play for a championship team. He has, in fact, guaranteed that New York will win the American League East in 1988. A prerequisite for that to happen: players like Henderson and Randolph will have to set the table, and Mattingly will have to drive them home from the get-go. He was hitting only .239 in his first 29 games of 1987.
Clark, batting cleanup. In the total average system developed by sportswriter Thomas Boswell- TA is the ratio between the bases a player accumulates and the outs he costs his team- Clark (1.258) in 1987 ranked first in all baseball.
'Please, Jack,' wrote Boswell in the March 1988 issue of Inside Sports, 'could you bat 600 times so another generation can see what Babe Ruth numbers- 50 homers, 150 RBI, 180 walks- look like?'
Still, possible pitfalls await Clark. He is, after all, coming to another league, with new pitchers, many of whom, unlike the National League's, won't challenge him as often with the fastball. Being a DH is a new experience for Clark as well.
Yankee Stadium is notoriously brutal on right-handed power hitters like Clark. But in 1987 he set a record at spacious Busch Stadium hitting 17 homers there, and with another expansion of Monument Park in 1988, the left field wall at Yankee Stadium is being moved in about 15 feet, which will help.
Finally, why would a solitary guy like Clark willingly move to demanding New York City? 'Actually,' says Clark, 'I'm looking forward to bringing my act there and seeing if it turns anyone on outside the Midwest.'
Almost any Cardinal fan will tell you that if Clark hadn't suffered a ligament tear in his right ankle on September 9, 1987, ending his season for all intents and purposes, the Cards, not the Twins, would have won the 1987 World Series.
Winfield, batting fifth. Winfield carried New York for part of 1987 and came into the All-Star Game with 20 home runs and 68 RBI in 85 games. He was hardly a positive factor thereafter, however, hitting only seven home runs and driving in only 29 runs in 71 games. His failure to reach 100 RBI on the season was partly attributable to the losses of Henderson and Randolph, yet Dave's disappointing second half really diminished his accomplishments which included a Gold Glove and a .351 average with men in scoring position. Bigger things are expected from Winfield in 1988. At 36, he may need occasional rests, but the big guy has been amazingly durable, playing at least 140 games in each of the last six seasons. He could crank it up big one more time.
Pagliarulo, batting sixth. Tough and hardworking, Pagliarulo in his four-year Yankee career has improved each season in runs, hits, doubles, home runs and RBI. With increasing playing time, he has made steady improvement. Now a vital cog in the Yankee machine, his 32 home runs last year led the club.
But for the left-handed hitting Pagliarulo to have a big numbers season, he will have to hit with more power against left-handed pitching. Over the last two seasons, Pags has hit 54 home runs in 710 at-bats against right-handed pitching- a superlative total- but only six home runs in 315 at-bats against lefties. He did raise his batting average 34 points against left-handed pitching in 1987, however.
Slaught, batting seventh. Slaught could be the Yankees' best offensive catcher in some time. Although he had an off-year with Texas in 1987, he is a .270 lifetime hitter and in 1986 set a Texas club record for home runs by a catcher with 13. He could add some pop. 'He's a tough kid and he will fit in nicely with our team,' says Piniella.
Santana, batting eighth. Santana in 1987 raised his batting average 37 points (to .255), set new career highs in home runs (5), RBI (44) and runs (41). But he doesn't hit for power or enhance New York's running game (only two career stolen bases); his main role is to provide solid, Bucky Dent-style shortstopping.
Kelly, batting ninth. After stealing 51 bases in 61 attempts at Columbus to lead the International League, Roberto displayed his great speed in a 23-game look-see with New York in 1987.
Billy Martin likes Kelly in center field. It allows Henderson to shift to left field, forming a potentially best-in-the-game defensive outfield. Also, Kelly batting ninth in front of Henderson adds immensely to New York's running game.
It must be understood, however, that Kelly is still developing. His 13 home runs at Columbus constituted his first show of power, and he struck out 116 times in 118 games. But he has a great attitude. 'I've never seen a player improve more than Roberto,' says Columbus manager Bucky Dent, 'and part of the reason is his willingness to listen.'
Two holdovers from 1987, Gary Ward and Claudell Washington, could add sock to the lineup. The left-handed hitting Washington, a valuable fourth outfielder and a good all-around offensive player, could platoon with Kelly or handle the center field job if Kelly falters.
The Yankees also have a pair of power-hitting prospects. Jay Buhner hit 31 home runs last year to lead the International League. Orestes Destrade also had a fine year at Columbus (25 HR, 81 RBI) and, like Buhner, finished in New York. Destrade is primarily a first baseman saddled with a guy named Mattingly in front of him.
The prospects, the bench strength and the bottom third are all important, especially Kelly, but for the Yankees to put up eye-popping offensive numbers, the first six hitters- Henderson, Randolph, Mattingly, Clark, Winfield, Pagliarulo- will have to carry the bulk of the load. The top two-thirds of the lineup have these career highs (full seasons) for four important offensive statistics:
Henderson- .319 BA (1981), 28 HR (1986), 74 RBI (1986), 130 SB (1982)
Randolph- .305 BA (1987), 7 HR (1980 and 1987), 67 RBI (1987), 37 SB (1976)
Mattingly - .352 BA (1986), 35 HR (1985), 145 RBI (1985)
Clark - .306 BA (1978), 35 HR (1987), 106 RBI (1987), 15 SB (1978)
Winfield - .340 BA (1984), 37 HR (1982), 118 RBI (1979), 26 SB (1976)
Pagliarulo - .239 (1984 and 1985), 32 HR (1987), 87 RBI (1987)
The 1987 Minnesota Twins, a team with a bloated ERA of 4.63, won a World Championship with mediocre speed, a batting average one point lower than the Yankees' and a run total two less than the Yankees'. But they had four big guns: Kent Hrbek (34 HR, 90 RBI), Tom Brunansky (32 HR, 85 RBI), Gary Gaetti (31 HR, 109 RBI) and Kirby Puckett (28 HR, 99 RBI). The Yankees now have four players who can match those numbers.
Actually, the Oakland A's may be the team to beat in run production in 1988. The additions of Dave Parker and Don Baylor, two aging lions, to a lineup already featuring Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Carney Lansford and Terry Steinbach, is ominous.
The Yankees SHOULD scare opposing pitchers in 1988. But what happens if Mattingly and Pagliarulo once more start slowly, if Clark needs time to adjust to new surroundings, if Henderson and Randolph again are ensnared by long-term injuries? A lineup is a fragile thing.
The 1982 pennant-winning Brewers possessed one of the most destructive lineups in recent times, led by Cecil Cooper, Gorman Thomas, Robin Yount, Ben Oglive, Ted Simmons and Paul Molitor. Then, in 1983, Oglive was suddenly over the hill, Yount and Molitor slipped a little more than slightly and Thomas started slowly and was traded. Burdened with offensive problems never envisioned, Milwaukee limped home in fifth place.
A lineup is a fragile thing. The Yankees will make it their strength in 1988."
-Mark Gallagher, The New York Yankees Official 1988 Yearbook
"The Yankees' offense had one problem last season- Rickey Henderson couldn't stay healthy. Henderson (.291, 17, 37) was disabled twice with a hamstring injury that limited him to 95 games. He failed to lead the league in stolen bases for the first time in the last eight years.
Assuming Henderson can avoid injury, the Yankees will have no problem scoring runs. Don Mattingly (.327, 30, 115), who never seems to run out of encores, will try to come up with another after a year in which he smashed the major league record with six grand slams and tied another mark by homering in eight consecutive games. Mike Pagliarulo (.234, 32, 87) supplies more power from the left side. Ex-Card Jack Clark (.286, 35, 106) will bring his slugging power to Yankee Stadium as a likely DH. Aging Dave Winfield (.275, 27, 97) will try to shake off a poor second half in which he collected just seven home runs and 29 RBI."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1988 Edition
PITCHING
"Rick Rhoden (16-10, 3.86) should fare even better in his second season with the Yankees, assuming he can avoid the freak injuries that hampered him at the beginning and end of 1987. Ex-White Sox mainstay Richard Dotson (11-12, 4.17) is a welcome addition to the rotation and the Yankees were looking forward to having Bill Gullickson for a full season in 1988. But free agent Gullickson left another gap in the questionable Yankee mound corps when he expressed a yen for a one-year, $1-million-plus and signed with the Tokyo Giants in January.
Ron Guidry (5-8, 3.67) is a question mark after off-season shoulder surgery. Ex-Mariner southpaw Lee Guetterman (11-4, 3.81) figures as a spot starter or in relief. Top prospect Al Leiter, who fanned 28 batters in his first 22 2/3 innings, has a chance to make the staff, either as a starter or reliever. The Yankees managed to re-sign free agent relief ace Dave Righetti, who has registered 138 saves- the third highest total in club history- in four years in the bullpen."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1988 Edition
FIELDING
"Led by Gold Glove winners Mattingly (first base) and Winfield (right field), the Yankees are an exceptional club defensively. They ranked second in the AL last year with a .983 fielding percentage and were charged with just 102 errors in 162 games. Steady second baseman Willie Randolph turns the double play better than anyone. The Yankees filled a hole at shortstop by obtaining Rafael Santana from the crosstown Mets, and the acquisition of Don Slaught from Texas strengthens a weak catching corps."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1988 Edition
OUTLOOK
"The Yankees are good enough to contend and possibly win. Their greatest obstacles to success are off the field. Principal owner George Steinbrenner's involvement generally produces negative results, and his managerial revolving door, which moves at a furious pace, has delivered Billy Martin for a fifth term. No wonder this proud franchise is without a World Championship since 1978."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1978 Edition
"Billy's Back, but it says here that the Yankees won't be.
Billy Martin gets his fifth tour of duty as the Yankees manager. It shouldn't be much more productive than the last three, unless, of course, some pitching help comes to the Bronx.
Only in his first stint on the job he calls 'the only one I've ever wanted' did Martin get the team into the World Series. They won in 1977 after losing to the Reds in '76.
Martin's days as an effective manager seem long behind him. And owner George Steinbrenner's interference has robbed the proudest franchise in baseball history of its tradition and stature.
While a pennant shouldn't be predicted by even the most optimistic of Yankee fans, a full-scale collapse should not be expected, either. There are too many talented hitters and a few good pitchers who will keep the Yankees near the top of the AL East for several months.
By September, we predict they'll have faded, with only Baltimore and Cleveland behind in the standings.
The Yankees will score, especially if Rickey Henderson stays healthy. He probably won't play center field, which should help his legs. And he won't steal a mere 41 bases, his worst total since he began dominating the basepaths in 1980 and the first year he didn't lead the American League in thefts.
'Rickey is the key to our offense,' Martin says. 'He's the catalyst. If he's healthy, he makes everyone in our lineup more dangerous by what he can do on the bases.'
Henderson should also hit around .300 and score well over 100 runs- particularly if Don Mattingly, Dave Winfield and Mike Pagliarulo continue their hard-hitting ways. Henderson hit .291 with 17 homers and had a .423 on-base percentage in 1987.
Mattingly simply is the best player in baseball, a dynamic hitter (.327, 93 runs, 186 hits, 38 doubles, 30 homers, 115 RBI) and Gold Glove first baseman. His six grand slams show how productive he is in the clutch- how many players even get to bat six times in a season with the bases loaded? Besides his grand slam record, Mattingly tied Dale Long's major league mark by homering in eight straight games.
Winfield is often criticized for not being a clutch hitter, but this guy drove in 100 or more runs for five straight years before falling three below the century mark last season. He hit 27 homers and scored 83 runs on a .275 average.
Overall, the Yankees tied for eighth in the AL with a .262 team batting average and tied for fifth with 196 homers. Though they showed plenty of prowess at the plate, only the Twins bettered them in the field as the Yanks' 102 errors ranked as second fewest to Minnesota's 98.
The Yankees would like to move Roberto Kelly into center field. The speedster hit .269 in a short trial last season, but at AAA Columbus batted .278 with 77 runs and a league leading 51 steals. Another hot outfield prospect is Jay Buhner, who had 31 homers, 85 RBI and hit .279 for Columbus. He might be a year away from regular duty in New York, but with Dan Pasqua traded, there might be room.
Claudell Washington is a fill-in, while Gary Ward will be a DH if he sticks. Washington hit .279 and stole 10 bases in 102 games, while hometown boy Henry Cotto was sent to Seattle in the off-season as part of the deal for Lee Guetterman. Ward (.248) saw time in the outfield and split DH duties with Ron Kittle (.277) and they combined for 28 homers. DH Mike Easler hit .281 in 65 games.
Pagliarulo needs a quicker start and a higher batting average than his .234 of last season. But the Yankees will take his glove and especially his arm at third base and the 32 homers and 87 RBI he produced in 1987.
Willie Randolph, off to the best start of his 13-year career, then injured, wound up at .305 with a .411 on-base percentage. He is an overall steadying influence at second.
If only the Yankees could say the same about shortstop and catching. Wayne Tolleson is the best shortstop they have, but he tends to wear down when asked to play too often. To worsen matter, Tolleson underwent surgery for a torn rotator cuff in December. So the Yankees acquired Rafael Santana, who hit .255 with the Mets. He'll be backed by Bobby Meacham (.271 in 77 games), Tolleson and Randy Velarde.
Don Slaught (.224) was acquired from Texas and has a good shot at unseating Rick Cerone (.243) behind the plate. Don't expect too much from Joel Skinner, who had his chances and showed he can't hit in the major leagues.
The pitching staff also has big question marks, but Lou Piniella, boosted to general manager in the latest front office shake-up, made a nice deal in acquiring Richard Dotson from Chicago. A tough competitor, Dotson was 11-12 in 211 innings with 114 strikeouts for a bad team. He'll combine with ace Rick Rhoden (16-10, 3.86 ERA, 107 Ks), Bill Gullickson (4-2, 4.88), ageless Tommy John (13-6, 4.03), Guetterman (11-4, 3.81) and hard-throwing Al Leiter who looked good in three of his four September starts. Ron Guidry (5-8, 3.87) underwent off-season shoulder surgery but should be back early in the season.
The bullpen should be the property of superb left-hander Dave Righetti, who set a major league record for saves with 46 in 1986. But Rags, who filed for free agency and reportedly was upset when Martin returned as manager, could wind up as a starter if he stays and if Billy has his way. That would put Leiter in the bullpen along with Neil Allen, another one of those reclamation cases Martin loves. Steve Trout was traded to Seattle. Also available for relief duty are Charles Hudson (11-7, 3.61), whose torrid start led to such a fade that he wound up in the minors for a while, Pat Clements (3-3, 7 saves) and Cecilio Guante (3-2).
What they don't have is a chance to win the division. Put them down for fifth unless the pitching comes through."
-Norman MacLean, Baseball Forecast 1988
PRIDE AND POWER: THE 1988 YANKEES
"A powerful lineup on paper, as Yankees fans learned in 1987, can be a fragile thing. The '87 Yankees began the year with supposedly the most potent lineup in baseball, and when the team disintegrated in the second half, naturally the thing that was suspect to begin with, the pitching, drew much of the blame.
What tended to be overlooked was the fact that not enough Yankees were touching home plate, something that shouldn't happen with Rickey Henderson, Don Mattingly, Dave Winfield and Mike Pagliarulo in the order.
So how did it happen? Injuries, mostly. Damaged parts- parts that adversely affected other parts until the lineup concept came crashing down.
Forget pitching. The Yankees, to win the American League East in 1988, need to improve their run production. They need to rank better than a league seventh in runs scored, their ranking in 1987.
Enter Jack Clark. When the National League's most dangerous hitter penned a two-year contract with New York in January, Yankees General Manager Lou Piniella called it 'a signing the magnitude of Reggie Jackson's.'
Clark will fill in defensively at first base, left field and right field when needed, but he'll mostly DH, supplying much needed right-handed power.
Clark in 419 at-bats last year hit 35 home runs, had 106 RBI and drew a National League leading 136 walks. He also led the league in slugging (.597) AND on-base percentage (.459). Not a bad acquisition for the cleanup slot!
Manager Billy Martin, in filling out the lineup card, has several options. He has talked of batting Winfield second, or he could do the lefty-righty-lefty-righty thing with Mattingly-Clark-Pagliarulo-Winfield. But let's say he mostly goes with the following lineup:
1. Henderson, LF
2. Randolph, 2B
3. Mattingly, 1B
4. Clark, DH
5. Winfield, RF
6. Pagliarulo, 3B
7. Slaught, C
8. Santana, SS
9. Kelly, CF
It is a batting order that should please Mattingly. Having Henderson and Randolph ahead of him, he'll get his RBI opportunities. And with Clark and Winfield behind him, he should get good pitches.
Whatever the lineup, Clark will have far more protection than he had in St. Louis where he was basically the team's only power hitter. If Winfield and Pagliarulo are hitting, it'll be dangerous for opposing pitchers to walk Clark. He should see many good pitches, too.
The potential is there for a tremendous New York lineup. Not everyone has to have a career year but just about everyone has to stay reasonably healthy. Indeed, for this lineup to realize its great potential, the parts must not only remain in working order but must mesh together to form a unit stronger than their sum.
The Yankees can't afford a repeat of 1987 with Henderson down on June 4 with a pulled hamstring muscle and in and out of the lineup the rest of the year; with Mattingly missing three weeks in June with a back problem; and with Randolph on July 15 beginning a month on the disabled list with torn knee cartilage and playing sparingly for a couple weeks after that.
In the disabled Randolph, the Yankees lost a player who was perhaps the league's second best leadoff man- the backup for Henderson. The attack couldn't survive the loss of both.
The 1987 problems ran on. Winfield struggled in the second half, and with the top of the order weakened, finished with fewer than 100 RBI for the first time since the strike-shortened 1981 season. Gary Ward, a key first half contributor whose bat seemingly grew 'tired,' slumped badly after the All-Star break. Dan Pasqua, since traded, hit 17 home runs in 318 at-bats, but he also fanned 99 times and batted only .233.
Offensively, catcher and shortstop were subpar positions. Wayne Tolleson, until he too went down with a shoulder ailment, played a solid shortstop, but with all their other offensive problems, the Yankees couldn't afford to start a player who on the year had only five extra-base hits in 349 [at-bats]. The Yankees have made changes at the weak positions. Off-season trades netted probable starters catcher Don Slaught and shortstop Rafael Santana.
A fourth new likely starter is the promising farm product, Roberto Kelly. He will be given every opportunity to win the center field job, allowing Henderson to move to his natural position, left field, where he's the best in the business. Kelly, who can really run, would not only help the club defensively, but his speed would be as big a plus to the Yankees' running game as Clark's muscle is to their power game.
Looking more closely at the 1988 Yankee lineup, consider first the only American Leaguer ever to hit 20-plus home runs while stealing 50-plus bases, doing it twice, in his first two Yankee seasons, 1985 and 1986. Rickey Henderson, batting leadoff, didn't reach either mark in 1987, hitting 17 homers and stealing 41 bases. And his most important stat, runs scored, 146 in 1985, was only 78 in 1987.
Henderson's recent-seasons surge in power, cresting in 1986 at 28 home runs, has been a nice bonus, but what has been of top priority is that he score runs. That means getting on base and lighting up the basepaths. His mere presence on the bases distracts- scares- pitchers.
A productive Henderson is critical to New York's 1988 fortunes. Henderson needs healthy legs to play his game, and the planned move to left field should help. Moreover, if there is one Yankee who should be happy to have Martin back, it is Henderson. Billy plays the kind of aggressive baseball that Henderson, who stole 130 bases for him at Oakland in 1982, thrives on.
Randolph, batting second. When he was in there- he played in 120 games and was the Yankees' outstanding player in the first half of 1987- Randolph was excellent. He had the fourth best on-base percentage in the American League (.411), set career highs in batting average (.305) and RBI (67), and scored 96 runs. He also hit .316 with runners in scoring position.
Randolph could have had a career year in 1987 if he had stayed healthy. With a little more rest, that kind of year may be possible in 1988.
Mattingly, batting third. On top of his back injury, Mattingly played much of 1987 with a sprained right wrist. Yet he hit .327 with 30 home runs and 115 RBI. A superlative season!
Don entered the 1987 season generally regarded as the best all-around player in baseball. If there was one knock on Don Mattingly besides his less-than-outstanding running speed (which he can't improve), it was that he had made just one extra-base hit in 47 career at-bats with the bases loaded.
So what did Mattingly do in 1987? He hit six grand slams to establish a new major league record. In fact, in 21 trips to the plate with the bases loaded, Mattingly went 9-for-19 (.474- six home runs, one double, two singles and two sacrifice flies) and drove in 33 runs.
Interestingly, both Henderson and Randolph were on base on four of the six occasions when Mattingly emptied the bases with a grand slam (and Randolph was on a fifth time). When Henderson and Randolph get on base, Mattingly is very dangerous.
Mattingly doesn't have much to prove. Except that he badly wants to play for a championship team. He has, in fact, guaranteed that New York will win the American League East in 1988. A prerequisite for that to happen: players like Henderson and Randolph will have to set the table, and Mattingly will have to drive them home from the get-go. He was hitting only .239 in his first 29 games of 1987.
Clark, batting cleanup. In the total average system developed by sportswriter Thomas Boswell- TA is the ratio between the bases a player accumulates and the outs he costs his team- Clark (1.258) in 1987 ranked first in all baseball.
'Please, Jack,' wrote Boswell in the March 1988 issue of Inside Sports, 'could you bat 600 times so another generation can see what Babe Ruth numbers- 50 homers, 150 RBI, 180 walks- look like?'
Still, possible pitfalls await Clark. He is, after all, coming to another league, with new pitchers, many of whom, unlike the National League's, won't challenge him as often with the fastball. Being a DH is a new experience for Clark as well.
Yankee Stadium is notoriously brutal on right-handed power hitters like Clark. But in 1987 he set a record at spacious Busch Stadium hitting 17 homers there, and with another expansion of Monument Park in 1988, the left field wall at Yankee Stadium is being moved in about 15 feet, which will help.
Finally, why would a solitary guy like Clark willingly move to demanding New York City? 'Actually,' says Clark, 'I'm looking forward to bringing my act there and seeing if it turns anyone on outside the Midwest.'
Almost any Cardinal fan will tell you that if Clark hadn't suffered a ligament tear in his right ankle on September 9, 1987, ending his season for all intents and purposes, the Cards, not the Twins, would have won the 1987 World Series.
Winfield, batting fifth. Winfield carried New York for part of 1987 and came into the All-Star Game with 20 home runs and 68 RBI in 85 games. He was hardly a positive factor thereafter, however, hitting only seven home runs and driving in only 29 runs in 71 games. His failure to reach 100 RBI on the season was partly attributable to the losses of Henderson and Randolph, yet Dave's disappointing second half really diminished his accomplishments which included a Gold Glove and a .351 average with men in scoring position. Bigger things are expected from Winfield in 1988. At 36, he may need occasional rests, but the big guy has been amazingly durable, playing at least 140 games in each of the last six seasons. He could crank it up big one more time.
Pagliarulo, batting sixth. Tough and hardworking, Pagliarulo in his four-year Yankee career has improved each season in runs, hits, doubles, home runs and RBI. With increasing playing time, he has made steady improvement. Now a vital cog in the Yankee machine, his 32 home runs last year led the club.
But for the left-handed hitting Pagliarulo to have a big numbers season, he will have to hit with more power against left-handed pitching. Over the last two seasons, Pags has hit 54 home runs in 710 at-bats against right-handed pitching- a superlative total- but only six home runs in 315 at-bats against lefties. He did raise his batting average 34 points against left-handed pitching in 1987, however.
Slaught, batting seventh. Slaught could be the Yankees' best offensive catcher in some time. Although he had an off-year with Texas in 1987, he is a .270 lifetime hitter and in 1986 set a Texas club record for home runs by a catcher with 13. He could add some pop. 'He's a tough kid and he will fit in nicely with our team,' says Piniella.
Santana, batting eighth. Santana in 1987 raised his batting average 37 points (to .255), set new career highs in home runs (5), RBI (44) and runs (41). But he doesn't hit for power or enhance New York's running game (only two career stolen bases); his main role is to provide solid, Bucky Dent-style shortstopping.
Kelly, batting ninth. After stealing 51 bases in 61 attempts at Columbus to lead the International League, Roberto displayed his great speed in a 23-game look-see with New York in 1987.
Billy Martin likes Kelly in center field. It allows Henderson to shift to left field, forming a potentially best-in-the-game defensive outfield. Also, Kelly batting ninth in front of Henderson adds immensely to New York's running game.
It must be understood, however, that Kelly is still developing. His 13 home runs at Columbus constituted his first show of power, and he struck out 116 times in 118 games. But he has a great attitude. 'I've never seen a player improve more than Roberto,' says Columbus manager Bucky Dent, 'and part of the reason is his willingness to listen.'
Two holdovers from 1987, Gary Ward and Claudell Washington, could add sock to the lineup. The left-handed hitting Washington, a valuable fourth outfielder and a good all-around offensive player, could platoon with Kelly or handle the center field job if Kelly falters.
The Yankees also have a pair of power-hitting prospects. Jay Buhner hit 31 home runs last year to lead the International League. Orestes Destrade also had a fine year at Columbus (25 HR, 81 RBI) and, like Buhner, finished in New York. Destrade is primarily a first baseman saddled with a guy named Mattingly in front of him.
The prospects, the bench strength and the bottom third are all important, especially Kelly, but for the Yankees to put up eye-popping offensive numbers, the first six hitters- Henderson, Randolph, Mattingly, Clark, Winfield, Pagliarulo- will have to carry the bulk of the load. The top two-thirds of the lineup have these career highs (full seasons) for four important offensive statistics:
Henderson- .319 BA (1981), 28 HR (1986), 74 RBI (1986), 130 SB (1982)
Randolph- .305 BA (1987), 7 HR (1980 and 1987), 67 RBI (1987), 37 SB (1976)
Mattingly - .352 BA (1986), 35 HR (1985), 145 RBI (1985)
Clark - .306 BA (1978), 35 HR (1987), 106 RBI (1987), 15 SB (1978)
Winfield - .340 BA (1984), 37 HR (1982), 118 RBI (1979), 26 SB (1976)
Pagliarulo - .239 (1984 and 1985), 32 HR (1987), 87 RBI (1987)
The 1987 Minnesota Twins, a team with a bloated ERA of 4.63, won a World Championship with mediocre speed, a batting average one point lower than the Yankees' and a run total two less than the Yankees'. But they had four big guns: Kent Hrbek (34 HR, 90 RBI), Tom Brunansky (32 HR, 85 RBI), Gary Gaetti (31 HR, 109 RBI) and Kirby Puckett (28 HR, 99 RBI). The Yankees now have four players who can match those numbers.
Actually, the Oakland A's may be the team to beat in run production in 1988. The additions of Dave Parker and Don Baylor, two aging lions, to a lineup already featuring Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Carney Lansford and Terry Steinbach, is ominous.
The Yankees SHOULD scare opposing pitchers in 1988. But what happens if Mattingly and Pagliarulo once more start slowly, if Clark needs time to adjust to new surroundings, if Henderson and Randolph again are ensnared by long-term injuries? A lineup is a fragile thing.
The 1982 pennant-winning Brewers possessed one of the most destructive lineups in recent times, led by Cecil Cooper, Gorman Thomas, Robin Yount, Ben Oglive, Ted Simmons and Paul Molitor. Then, in 1983, Oglive was suddenly over the hill, Yount and Molitor slipped a little more than slightly and Thomas started slowly and was traded. Burdened with offensive problems never envisioned, Milwaukee limped home in fifth place.
A lineup is a fragile thing. The Yankees will make it their strength in 1988."
-Mark Gallagher, The New York Yankees Official 1988 Yearbook
Saturday, June 11, 2016
1988 New York Yankees Spring Training Roster
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Manager - Billy Martin 1
No. Coaches
40 Clete Boyer
50 Chris Chambliss
34 Mike Ferraro
42 Art Fowler
48 George Mitterwald
44 Jeff Torborg
No. Pitchers
27 Neil Allen (R-R)
45 John Candelaria (R-L)
56 Amalio Carreno (R-R)
38 Pat Clements (R-L)
36 Richard Dotson (R-R)
57 Troy Evers (R-R)
47 Pete Filson (S-L)
51 Cecilio Guante (R-R)
35 Lee Guetterman (L-L)
49 Ron Guidry (L-L)
41 Charles Hudson (R-R)
25 Tommy John (R-L)
28 Al Leiter (L-L)
69 Clay Parker (R-R)
26 Rick Rhoden (R-R)
19 Dave Righetti (L-L)
33 Steve Shields (R-R)
43 Tim Stoddard (R-R)
No. Catchers
6 Rick Cerone (R-R)
12 Joel Skinner (R-R)
11 Don Slaught (R-R)
No. Infielders
60 Chris Alvarez (L-R)
53 Orestes Destrade (S-R)
23 Don Mattingly (L-L)
20 Bobby Meacham (R-R)
13 Mike Pagliarulo (L-R)
30 Willie Randolph (R-R)
46 Jerry Royster (R-R)
17 Rafael Santana (R-R)
2 Wayne Tolleson (S-R)
55 Randy Velarde (R-R)
No. Outfielders
54 Jay Buhner (R-R)
21 Jack Clark (R-R)
24 Rickey Henderson (R-L)
39 Roberto Kelly (R-R)
22 Gary Ward (R-R)
18 Claudell Washington (L-L)
31 Dave Winfield (R-R)
Trainers - Gene Monahan, Steve Donohue
Manager - Billy Martin 1
No. Coaches
40 Clete Boyer
50 Chris Chambliss
34 Mike Ferraro
42 Art Fowler
48 George Mitterwald
44 Jeff Torborg
No. Pitchers
27 Neil Allen (R-R)
45 John Candelaria (R-L)
56 Amalio Carreno (R-R)
38 Pat Clements (R-L)
36 Richard Dotson (R-R)
57 Troy Evers (R-R)
47 Pete Filson (S-L)
51 Cecilio Guante (R-R)
35 Lee Guetterman (L-L)
49 Ron Guidry (L-L)
41 Charles Hudson (R-R)
25 Tommy John (R-L)
28 Al Leiter (L-L)
69 Clay Parker (R-R)
26 Rick Rhoden (R-R)
19 Dave Righetti (L-L)
33 Steve Shields (R-R)
43 Tim Stoddard (R-R)
No. Catchers
6 Rick Cerone (R-R)
12 Joel Skinner (R-R)
11 Don Slaught (R-R)
No. Infielders
60 Chris Alvarez (L-R)
53 Orestes Destrade (S-R)
23 Don Mattingly (L-L)
20 Bobby Meacham (R-R)
13 Mike Pagliarulo (L-R)
30 Willie Randolph (R-R)
46 Jerry Royster (R-R)
17 Rafael Santana (R-R)
2 Wayne Tolleson (S-R)
55 Randy Velarde (R-R)
No. Outfielders
54 Jay Buhner (R-R)
21 Jack Clark (R-R)
24 Rickey Henderson (R-L)
39 Roberto Kelly (R-R)
22 Gary Ward (R-R)
18 Claudell Washington (L-L)
31 Dave Winfield (R-R)
Trainers - Gene Monahan, Steve Donohue
Friday, June 10, 2016
1987 New York Yankees September Roster
Manager - Lou Piniella 14
No. Coaches
52 Mark Connor
34 Mike Ferraro
42 Stump Merrill
44 Jeff Torborg
50 Jay Ward
40 Stan Williams
No. Pitchers
48 Neil Allen (R-R)
36 Brad Arnsberg (R-R)
38 Pat Clements (R-L)
47 Pete Filson (S-L)
64 Bill Fulton (R-R)
51 Cecilio Guante (R-R)
49 Ron Guidry (L-L)
45 Bill Gullickson (R-R)
58 Al Holland (R-L) *
41 Charles Hudson (R-R)
25 Tommy John (R-L)
56 Al Leiter (L-L)
26 Rick Rhoden (R-R)
19 Dave Righetti (L-L)
43 Tim Stoddard (R-R)
35 Steve Trout (L-L)
No. Catchers
6 Rick Cerone (R-R)
61 Phil Lombardi (R-R)
27 Mark Salas (L-R)
12 Joel Skinner (R-R)
No. Infielders
57 Juan Bonilla (R-R)
53 Orestes Destrade (L-L)
23 Don Mattingly (L-L)
20 Bobby Meacham (R-R)
13 Mike Pagliarulo (L-R)
30 Willie Randolph (R-R)
46 Jerry Royster (R-R)
11 Lenn Sakata (R-R)
2 Wayne Tolleson (S-R)
29 Randy Velarde (R-R)
No. Outfielders
54 Jay Buhner (R-R)
28 Henry Cotto (R-R)
17 Mike Easler (L-R)
24 Rickey Henderson (R-L)
39 Roberto Kelly (R-R)
33 Ron Kittle (R-R)
21 Dan Pasqua (L-L)
22 Gary Ward (R-R)
18 Claudell Washington (L-L)
31 Dave Winfield (R-R)
Trainers - Gene Monahan, Steve Donohue
Strength and Conditioning Coach - Jeff Mangold
Batting Practice Catcher - Mike Barnett (59)
* not on active roster
No. Coaches
52 Mark Connor
34 Mike Ferraro
42 Stump Merrill
44 Jeff Torborg
50 Jay Ward
40 Stan Williams
No. Pitchers
48 Neil Allen (R-R)
36 Brad Arnsberg (R-R)
38 Pat Clements (R-L)
47 Pete Filson (S-L)
64 Bill Fulton (R-R)
51 Cecilio Guante (R-R)
49 Ron Guidry (L-L)
45 Bill Gullickson (R-R)
58 Al Holland (R-L) *
41 Charles Hudson (R-R)
25 Tommy John (R-L)
56 Al Leiter (L-L)
26 Rick Rhoden (R-R)
19 Dave Righetti (L-L)
43 Tim Stoddard (R-R)
35 Steve Trout (L-L)
No. Catchers
6 Rick Cerone (R-R)
61 Phil Lombardi (R-R)
27 Mark Salas (L-R)
12 Joel Skinner (R-R)
No. Infielders
57 Juan Bonilla (R-R)
53 Orestes Destrade (L-L)
23 Don Mattingly (L-L)
20 Bobby Meacham (R-R)
13 Mike Pagliarulo (L-R)
30 Willie Randolph (R-R)
46 Jerry Royster (R-R)
11 Lenn Sakata (R-R)
2 Wayne Tolleson (S-R)
29 Randy Velarde (R-R)
No. Outfielders
54 Jay Buhner (R-R)
28 Henry Cotto (R-R)
17 Mike Easler (L-R)
24 Rickey Henderson (R-L)
39 Roberto Kelly (R-R)
33 Ron Kittle (R-R)
21 Dan Pasqua (L-L)
22 Gary Ward (R-R)
18 Claudell Washington (L-L)
31 Dave Winfield (R-R)
Trainers - Gene Monahan, Steve Donohue
Strength and Conditioning Coach - Jeff Mangold
Batting Practice Catcher - Mike Barnett (59)
* not on active roster
1987 New York Yankees August 1 Roster
Manager - Lou Piniella 14
No. Coaches
52 Mark Connor
34 Mike Ferraro
42 Stump Merrill
39 Bobby Murcer
44 Jeff Torborg
50 Jay Ward
40 Stan Williams
No. Pitchers
36 Brad Arnsberg (R-R)
38 Pat Clements (R-L)
51 Cecilio Guante (R-R) *
49 Ron Guidry (L-L)
41 Charles Hudson (R-R)
25 Tommy John (R-L)
26 Rick Rhoden (R-R)
19 Dave Righetti (L-L)
43 Tim Stoddard (R-R)
35 Steve Trout (L-L)
No. Catchers
6 Rick Cerone (R-R)
27 Mark Salas (L-R)
No. Infielders
47 Juan Bonilla (R-R)
23 Don Mattingly (L-L)
20 Bobby Meacham (R-R)
13 Mike Pagliarulo (L-R)
30 Willie Randolph (R-R) *
11 Lenn Sakata (R-R) *
2 Wayne Tolleson (S-R)
No. Outfielders
28 Henry Cotto (R-R)
17 Mike Easler (L-R)
24 Rickey Henderson (R-L)
46 Roberto Kelly (R-R)
33 Ron Kittle (R-R) *
21 Dan Pasqua (L-L)
22 Gary Ward (R-R)
18 Claudell Washington (L-L)
31 Dave Winfield (R-R)
Trainers - Gene Monahan, Steve Donohue
Strength and Conditioning Coach - Jeff Mangold
Batting Practice Catcher - Mike Barnett (59)
* not on active roster
No. Coaches
52 Mark Connor
34 Mike Ferraro
42 Stump Merrill
39 Bobby Murcer
44 Jeff Torborg
50 Jay Ward
40 Stan Williams
No. Pitchers
36 Brad Arnsberg (R-R)
38 Pat Clements (R-L)
51 Cecilio Guante (R-R) *
49 Ron Guidry (L-L)
41 Charles Hudson (R-R)
25 Tommy John (R-L)
26 Rick Rhoden (R-R)
19 Dave Righetti (L-L)
43 Tim Stoddard (R-R)
35 Steve Trout (L-L)
No. Catchers
6 Rick Cerone (R-R)
27 Mark Salas (L-R)
No. Infielders
47 Juan Bonilla (R-R)
23 Don Mattingly (L-L)
20 Bobby Meacham (R-R)
13 Mike Pagliarulo (L-R)
30 Willie Randolph (R-R) *
11 Lenn Sakata (R-R) *
2 Wayne Tolleson (S-R)
No. Outfielders
28 Henry Cotto (R-R)
17 Mike Easler (L-R)
24 Rickey Henderson (R-L)
46 Roberto Kelly (R-R)
33 Ron Kittle (R-R) *
21 Dan Pasqua (L-L)
22 Gary Ward (R-R)
18 Claudell Washington (L-L)
31 Dave Winfield (R-R)
Trainers - Gene Monahan, Steve Donohue
Strength and Conditioning Coach - Jeff Mangold
Batting Practice Catcher - Mike Barnett (59)
* not on active roster
1987 New York Yankees July 1 Roster
Manager - Lou Piniella 14
No. Coaches
52 Mark Connor
34 Mike Ferraro
42 Stump Merrill
39 Bobby Murcer
44 Jeff Torborg
50 Jay Ward
40 Stan Williams
No. Pitchers
46 Rich Bordi (R-R)
38 Pat Clements (R-L)
51 Cecilio Guante (R-R)
49 Ron Guidry (L-L)
25 Tommy John (R-L)
45 Dennis Rasmussen (L-L)
26 Rick Rhoden (R-R)
19 Dave Righetti (L-L)
43 Tim Stoddard (R-R)
35 Bob Tewksbury (R-R)
No. Catchers
6 Rick Cerone (R-R)
27 Mark Salas (L-R)
No. Infielders
23 Don Mattingly (L-L)
20 Bobby Meacham (R-R)
13 Mike Pagliarulo (L-R)
30 Willie Randolph (R-R)
11 Lenn Sakata (R-R) *
2 Wayne Tolleson (S-R)
29 Paul Zuvella (R-R)
No. Outfielders
17 Mike Easler (L-R)
24 Rickey Henderson (R-L)
33 Ron Kittle (R-R)
22 Gary Ward (R-R)
18 Claudell Washington (L-L)
31 Dave Winfield (R-R)
Trainers - Gene Monahan, Steve Donohue
Strength and Conditioning Coach - Jeff Mangold
Batting Practice Catcher - Mike Barnett (59)
* not on active roster
No. Coaches
52 Mark Connor
34 Mike Ferraro
42 Stump Merrill
39 Bobby Murcer
44 Jeff Torborg
50 Jay Ward
40 Stan Williams
No. Pitchers
46 Rich Bordi (R-R)
38 Pat Clements (R-L)
51 Cecilio Guante (R-R)
49 Ron Guidry (L-L)
25 Tommy John (R-L)
45 Dennis Rasmussen (L-L)
26 Rick Rhoden (R-R)
19 Dave Righetti (L-L)
43 Tim Stoddard (R-R)
35 Bob Tewksbury (R-R)
No. Catchers
6 Rick Cerone (R-R)
27 Mark Salas (L-R)
No. Infielders
23 Don Mattingly (L-L)
20 Bobby Meacham (R-R)
13 Mike Pagliarulo (L-R)
30 Willie Randolph (R-R)
11 Lenn Sakata (R-R) *
2 Wayne Tolleson (S-R)
29 Paul Zuvella (R-R)
No. Outfielders
17 Mike Easler (L-R)
24 Rickey Henderson (R-L)
33 Ron Kittle (R-R)
22 Gary Ward (R-R)
18 Claudell Washington (L-L)
31 Dave Winfield (R-R)
Trainers - Gene Monahan, Steve Donohue
Strength and Conditioning Coach - Jeff Mangold
Batting Practice Catcher - Mike Barnett (59)
* not on active roster
1987 New York Yankees June 1 Roster
Manager - Lou Piniella 14
No. Coaches
52 Mark Connor
34 Mike Ferraro
42 Stump Merrill
44 Jeff Torborg
50 Jay Ward
40 Stan Williams
No. Pitchers
46 Rich Bordi (R-R)
51 Cecilio Guante (R-R) *
49 Ron Guidry (L-L)
41 Charles Hudson (R-R)
25 Tommy John (R-L)
39 Joe Niekro (R-R)
45 Dennis Rasmussen (L-L)
26 Rick Rhoden (R-R)
19 Dave Righetti (L-L)
29 Bob Shirley (R-L)
43 Tim Stoddard (R-R)
No. Catchers
6 Rick Cerone (R-R)
12 Joel Skinner (R-R)
No. Infielders
23 Don Mattingly (L-L)
20 Bobby Meacham (R-R)
13 Mike Pagliarulo (L-R)
30 Willie Randolph (R-R)
11 Lenn Sakata (R-R)
2 Wayne Tolleson (S-R)
No. Outfielders
28 Henry Cotto (R-R)
24 Rickey Henderson (R-L)
33 Ron Kittle (R-R)
21 Dan Pasqua (L-L)
22 Gary Ward (R-R)
18 Claudell Washington (L-L) *
31 Dave Winfield (R-R)
Trainers - Gene Monahan, Steve Donohue
Strength and Conditioning Coach - Jeff Mangold
Batting Practice Catcher - Mike Barnett (59)
* not on active roster
No. Coaches
52 Mark Connor
34 Mike Ferraro
42 Stump Merrill
44 Jeff Torborg
50 Jay Ward
40 Stan Williams
No. Pitchers
46 Rich Bordi (R-R)
51 Cecilio Guante (R-R) *
49 Ron Guidry (L-L)
41 Charles Hudson (R-R)
25 Tommy John (R-L)
39 Joe Niekro (R-R)
45 Dennis Rasmussen (L-L)
26 Rick Rhoden (R-R)
19 Dave Righetti (L-L)
29 Bob Shirley (R-L)
43 Tim Stoddard (R-R)
No. Catchers
6 Rick Cerone (R-R)
12 Joel Skinner (R-R)
No. Infielders
23 Don Mattingly (L-L)
20 Bobby Meacham (R-R)
13 Mike Pagliarulo (L-R)
30 Willie Randolph (R-R)
11 Lenn Sakata (R-R)
2 Wayne Tolleson (S-R)
No. Outfielders
28 Henry Cotto (R-R)
24 Rickey Henderson (R-L)
33 Ron Kittle (R-R)
21 Dan Pasqua (L-L)
22 Gary Ward (R-R)
18 Claudell Washington (L-L) *
31 Dave Winfield (R-R)
Trainers - Gene Monahan, Steve Donohue
Strength and Conditioning Coach - Jeff Mangold
Batting Practice Catcher - Mike Barnett (59)
* not on active roster
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
1987 Albany-Colonie Yankees Roster
New York Yankees AA Farm Club (Eastern League)
Manager - Tommy Jones
Coaches - Jerry McNertney, Bill Monbouquette
Trainer - Bob Barker
Clubhouse Manager - Donny Woods
No. Pitchers
42 Marty Bystrom (R-R)
38 Bob Davidson (R-R)
47 Eric Dersin (R-R)
46 Matt Harrison (L-L)
67 John Johnson (R-R)
54 Scott Kamieniecki (R-R)
25 Jeff Knox (R-R)
68 Al Leiter (L-L)
43 Ken Patterson (L-L)
40 Eric Schmidt (R-R)
27 Ricky Torres (R-R)
No. Catchers
57 Bob Geren (R-R)
41 Phil Lombardi (R-R)
58 Mitch Lyden (R-R)
No. Infielders
20 Yanko Hauradou (R-R)
26 Jim Howard (R-R)
22 Jere Longenecker (R-R)
14 Hal Morris (L-L)
28 Scott Shaw (R-R)
13 Hector Vargas (R-R)
No. Outfielders
34 Casey Close (R-R)
12 Jim Fortenberry (L-R)
6 Darren Reed (R-R)
18 Tony Russell (R-R)
Manager - Tommy Jones
Coaches - Jerry McNertney, Bill Monbouquette
Trainer - Bob Barker
Clubhouse Manager - Donny Woods
No. Pitchers
42 Marty Bystrom (R-R)
38 Bob Davidson (R-R)
47 Eric Dersin (R-R)
46 Matt Harrison (L-L)
67 John Johnson (R-R)
54 Scott Kamieniecki (R-R)
25 Jeff Knox (R-R)
68 Al Leiter (L-L)
43 Ken Patterson (L-L)
40 Eric Schmidt (R-R)
27 Ricky Torres (R-R)
No. Catchers
57 Bob Geren (R-R)
41 Phil Lombardi (R-R)
58 Mitch Lyden (R-R)
No. Infielders
20 Yanko Hauradou (R-R)
26 Jim Howard (R-R)
22 Jere Longenecker (R-R)
14 Hal Morris (L-L)
28 Scott Shaw (R-R)
13 Hector Vargas (R-R)
No. Outfielders
34 Casey Close (R-R)
12 Jim Fortenberry (L-R)
6 Darren Reed (R-R)
18 Tony Russell (R-R)
1987 Albany-Colonie Yankees Program and Yearbook Notes
New York Yankees AA Farm Club (Eastern League)
Welcome Yankee Fans!
I am pleased that once again the Albany-Colonie Yankees will be our Double-A affiliate this season. The team has served as a model franchise in the Eastern League throughout our affiliation with Ben Bernard and the Yankees, and I am looking forward to continuing that fine relationship.
The Albany area has long been a strong supporter of the New York Yankees, and that was especially evident the past few years by the largest turnout at Heritage Park. We are happy to provide fans in the Capital District the opportunity to see firsthand some of the players who shortly will be playing in Yankee Stadium.
We are planning to send you a representative team, one that should make a strong effort to regain the Eastern League Pennant that the Yankees won two season ago. Manager Tommy Jones and coaches Bill Monbouquette and Jerry McNertney comprise a fine staff to lead the Yankees back to that level of success.
Hope to see you at both Heritage Park and at Yankee Stadium this season.
Sincerely,
George Steinbrenner [Principal Owner]
Dear Fans:
The Eastern League celebrates its 65th season of continuing play in 1987. That is a tribute to baseball fans in the northeast, a group which includes the Albany rooters who have meant so much to the league in the past, and now, here in the present.
During the past four season, over one million fans have been treated to the fun and excitement that is a nightly occurrence at Heritage Park. The 1987 season promises to be just as exciting. Will the Yankees win the EL title? Which players will make it to the major leagues? No one knows right now, but it will be fun coming out to Heritage Park this year to find out.
Best of luck in 1987.
Sincerely,
Charles Esbach [Eastern League President]
BEN BERNARD (Owner)
"This is Ben Bernard's fifth anniversary since bringing professional baseball back to the Capital District. Once an aspiring pitcher himself until an injury ended that dream, Ben is realizing a dream come true with the ownership of his own baseball franchise. Being a Yankee fan doesn't hurt either, as this will be the New York Yankees' third season as an affiliate with Albany-Colonie.
Actually, this is Ben's eighth professional season, starting as a promotion man for the then Glens Falls White Sox in 1980. He has won a host of awards including Eastern League Executive of the Year three times, and in 1985 he was named the Sporting News Double A Executive of the Year. Many times it has been said that Ben Bernard runs of the best franchises in baseball.
Promotion is one of Ben's strongest achievements. He feels that promotion is the key to the success or failure of a minor league franchise, and if you look at our promotion calendar you'll see what he means.
Last season the A-C Yanks drew a league record 324,003 and Ben feels '1987 should be another record-setting year for the franchise.' Ben realizes that baseball is a family sport, and this is ever in his thinking of ideas for good family entertainment at Heritage Park.
He is extremely proud of his 1985 ballclub, with Bob Tewksbury, Phil Lombardi, Brad Arnsberg, Scott Nielsen and Doug Drabek all making the major leagues. Ben says, 'This reflects back on the franchise as fans can see their local heroes go on to greater heights in the majors.' He is quick to point out that the opponents that come to Heritage Park to play in the warm weather months also have many future major leaguers and as a fan it's fun to watch them progress, too.
For 1987 Ben says 'the sky is the limit' when it comes to bringing good entertainment for the area baseball fan, and he is 'committed' to bring it to you."
-1987 Season Albany Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
1987 ALBANY-COLONIE YANKEES DIRECTORY
Team Physician - Dr. Carl Wirth
Heritage Park Administrator - Gary Holle
Vice-President, Public Relations - Rip Rowan
Assistant Park Administrator - Ralph Andrews
Marketing - Paula Segal
Vice-President, Sales - Steve Bernard
Editor Sportsbeat - Jim Connell
Team Photographer - Fritz Walker
Intern - Randy Weiss
Office Administrator - Barbara Tholl
Grounds Crew - Dave Bearey
Group Sales - Steve Miller
Head Groundskeeper - John Liburdi
Message Board - Felicia Trifaro
1987 Albany-Colonie Yankees Advisory Committee
Bishop Howard Hubbard (Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany)
John Strachan (Pepsi Cola)
Steve Fahey (Pepsi Cola)
Gary Lansing (Marine Midland)
William Keis (Keis Distributors)
Doug Alix (Genessee Brewing Co.)
Walter Otto (Otto Oldsmobile-Cadillac-Isuzu)
Frank Staucett (Provident Mutual)
Salvadore DiCarlo (September's)
Robert Unger (Pyramid-Crossgates Mall Corp.)
Randy Wall (Piedmont Airlines)
Mike Tyson (Heavyweight Champ)
BOB BARKER (Trainer)
"The 1987 Albany-Colonie Yankee trainer is a native of New York State. Bob Barker was raised in McGraw, New York. If that name sounds familiar to baseball fans, it should. The town was named after the late Hall of Famer John McGraw.
Barker is a graduate of SUNY Cortland with a degree in physical education concentrating on sports medicine. He is certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association.
Bob Barker finds the 'price is right' (pardon our pun) with the Yankee organization; this is his fourth year within the system.
He enjoys golf, basketball and many other activities away from the training room, and says he's happy to be in the Albany-Colonie area this season. During the off-season Barker works at the Wellness Center at Lee Memorial Hospital in Ft. Myers, Florida."
-1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
SENIOR CITIZENS DAYS
"The Albany-Colonie Yankees are happy to announce that once again ten home dates have been designated as SENIOR CITIZENS DAYS during the 1987 Eastern League season at Heritage Park.
Senior Citizens 60 years of age or older will be admitted for $1.00. In addition, if you bring the grandchildren or any youngster with you, age 16 and younger, they also get in for a dollar."
-1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
BOB FELLER
"On Monday, July 6 Bob Feller will be making a special guest appearance here at Heritage Park. He was signed by the Cleveland Indians in July 1935 at the age of 16. Opening Day at Chicago in 1940, Bob pitched his first of three no-hitters, the only no-hitter pitched on Opening Day in major league history.
In 1946 he set a major league record for the most strikeouts in one season, 348, [while] leading the American League for seven years. Bob is the only pitcher in major league history to win 20 games or more before age 21.
Bob was voted Indians Man of the Year twice and played on nine All-Star teams while also participating in two World Series (1948 and 1954). Overall, he won 266 games while only losing 162, leading the American League in victories on six different occasions. He compiled a career record of 2,581 strikeouts
In 1962 he was inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame, and in July 1969 was selected as the Greatest Living Right-Handed Pitcher."
-1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
MAX PATKIN
"You would like to think when a man got to the age of 67 he would slow down. Max Patkin doesn't have that word in his vocabulary, and you will see why on Tuesday, August 4 at 7:30 PM when the 'Clown Prince of Baseball' returns to Heritage Park to entertain you, and rattle the New Britain Red Sox.
Max had his dream of becoming a major leaguer end with an elbow injury in the minor leagues. So Max took his rubber face antics on the road in the 1940's and hasn't stopped since.
Max will entertain you all night as the opponents and umpires alike will get harassed by the guy who is described as 'the world's biggest hunk of bubblegum.'"
1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
1987 ALBANY-COLONIE YANKEES PROGRAM/YEARBOOK PORTRAIT PHOTOS
Brian Butterfield (Coach)
Chris Alvarez (3B)
Brent Blum (P)
Carson Carroll (2B)
Gary Cathcart (OF)
Casey Close (OF)
Steve George (P)
Bob Geren (C)
Fredi Gonzalez (C)
Mo Guercio (P)
Matt Harrison (P)
Ted Higgins (OF)
Jim Howard (IF)
Jeff Knox (P)
Tim Layana (P)
Hal Morris (1B)
Jeff Pries (P)
Darren Reed (OF)
Steve Rosenberg (P)
Tony Russell (OF)
Dick Scott (2B)
Rich Thompson (P)
Randy Velardi (SS)
GUIDRY WITH A-C YANKEES
"They were standing in the aisles. And on the walkways. And in the grandstand. And, finally, when the 14, 491 were more than Heritage Park seating could accommodate, they stood on the warning track in the outfield.
The appearance of New York Yankees left-hander Ron Guidry was the reason for the overflow crowd at Heritage that July night, as both baseball fans in general and New York Yankees fans, in particular, came to see the veteran work three innings in a rehabilitation stint.
Guidry gave up only one hit- a RBI double to former Albany-Colonie A's catcher Mike Ashman- and struck out three in his work against the Nashua Pirates. And he allowed the local fans to get a close-up look at a major leaguer.
'That was the nicest ovation I ever got from 12,000 people,' Guidry said of the tremendous response he got when he emerged from the Yankee clubhouse to begin his work. He earned praise from both his teammates (for a day) and the opposition.
'It was quite an honor, quite an experience,' said Albany-Colonie catcher Mitch Lyden, Guidry's batterymate in his first minor league game in nearly 10 years.
'He came out and acted like a professional,' praised Nashua manager Dennis Rogers. 'He went after our hitters, even though they are just Double-A players. And he's a successful major league pitcher.'
Guidry's appearance drew the largest crowd for a baseball game to Heritage Park, better than 2,000 more than had come to a game against Waterbury in July 1983, the first week the park was open.
'This was a very big night for us, and a very big night for the sports fans of the Capital District,' said Albany-Colonie owner Ben Bernard. 'Not only did it give area fans a chance to see a great major league pitcher, it also proved that they will come to see a first-class sporting event.'
Guidry's presence seemed to bring out the best in the Yankees. They scored five runs in the first inning and led by a 5-1 margin when Guidry left.
Guidry, limited to 50 pitches in his first outing after suffering a cut on his pitching hand three weeks earlier on a line drive off the bat of Lance Parrish, used nearly half of his allotment in the first inning. He gave up a run that inning but then got into a rhythm. He retired the Bucs on 11 pitches in the second inning, including one four-pitch walk. In his third and final inning, he got the side in order.
'I threw mostly what I throw in games, the fastball and slider, and they worked most of the time,' Guidry said. 'I was happy to throw strikes and be around the plate that much. When you can do that, you know you're not too far off.'
The night ended for Guidry after a mass interview in the Yankees' clubhouse, a situation he handled with class. He had one last obstacle to overcome as he left the park. A huge throng of well-wishers had gathered near his car, wanting one last look at the major leaguer.
And when Guidry finally drove away, headed back to New York City and Yankee Stadium, he left the local fans with memories they would treasure."
-1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
ALBANY-COLONIE MAJOR LEAGUE LIST GROWS
"Everybody likes to win, especially the late Vince Lombardi who once said 'winning isn't everything, it's the only thing.' And I guess at his level it was. But in the minor leagues the idea, when you get down to the nitty-gritty, is to develop talent for the majors. The Albany-Colonie franchise has certainly done that. Four members of the 1986 A-C Yankees made the New York winter roster and a fifth traded away (Carlos Martinez) was with the Chicago White Sox. In 1986 Keith Hughes, Roberto Kelly, Logan Easley and Mitch Lyden did well enough for a look-see. Easley was traded to Pittsburgh where he was being counted on to provide help in their major league bullpen.
1986 was also a moving-up year for members of the 1985 A-C Yankee squad. Bob Tewksbury became a big league pitcher right out of spring training and posted a fine 9-5 record with an ERA of 3.31 with New York. Catcher Phil Lombardi had two stints with the big club in '86. He ended up hitting .278 for New York in 20 games with a couple of homers and showed progress not only behind the plate but in the outfield as well. Doug Drabek had a 7-8 record with New York but he too was traded to Pittsburgh during the off-season. Scotty Nielsen was 4-4 with the Yanks and he too was traded, to the Philadelphia Phillies. Brad Arnsberg pitched briefly in New York.
Still, with the grads, catcher Mickey Tettleton from the Albany-Colonie A's part of the franchise, won the starting job with Oakland and hit ten homers. But his season was marred by a long nagging injury that kept him out of many games. Infielder Tim Pyznarski was the MVP of the Pacific Coast League and then made the San Diego Padres the final month, only to be traded to the Milwaukee organization. Pyznarski hit 29 homers for Albany-Colonie in 1983, a club mark that still stands (since the revival of the franchise). Relief pitcher Steve Ontiveros was a key reliever for Oakland in 1986. Infielder Luis Quinones, the first player to go from the Albany-Colonie franchise to the majors, was traded back to Oakland from San Francisco and during the off-season was traded to the Chicago Cubs for Ron Cey.
Former A's second baseman Mike Woodward also was with the Giants for much of the season and catcher Charlie O'Brien was on the Milwaukee roster. The Eastern was once called 'the gateway to the big leagues' and that seems to be still true around Heritage Park."
-Rip Rowan, 1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
HAZEL CHORNYAK MEMORIAL AWARD
"The third annual Hazel Chornyak Memorial Award was presented to Yankee outfielder Keith Hughes in 1986.
The award, named in honor of Ben Bernard's aunt, is given to the Albany-Colonie player who is the most inspirational to his teammates. When Ben sought a franchise for this area, his late aunt helped him get the wheels in motion and has been an inspiration to him in his baseball career."
-1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
MEET THE PRESS
Jim Brennan (WRGB-TV)
Bob McNamara (WNYT-TV)
John Thomas (WGY)
John Graney (WQBK)
Richard Hill (WROW)
Sandy Taylor (WHRL)
Bill Edwardson (WABY)
Bill Palmer (Schenectady Gazette)
Paul Schwartz (Capital Newspapers)
Tim Wilkin (Capital Newspapers)
David Allan (Metroland WABY)
Steve Amedio (Record Newspapers)
Chris Martin (WMVI)
Steve Shapiro (WTEN-TV)
Bob Gordon (WABY)
Steve Hart (South End Scene)
YANKEE BROADCASTS
"1987 marks a new era in Albany-Colonie Yankee baseball broadcasts. WABY Radio, 1400 AM, will be the new Yankee station, carrying home and away games Monday through Friday for the entire season.
This season our broadcaster will be Jack LeFaivre who comes to us from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Jack is an Albany native who has been working at WXII-TV in Winston-Salem as a sports anchor/reporter. He was one of the final three in the running earlier this year for the broadcast job with the Baltimore Orioles. LeFaivre is an accomplished broadcaster and play-by-play man, he knows his game and is a true professional. He has had a lifelong attachment to the New York Yankees as a fan and is excited with the challenge this season. Jack has done play-by-play for the Charlotte Orioles of the Southern League and Winston-Salem of the Carolina League.
WABY is the oldest of the Albany radio stations, with a long history of broadcasting sports. We welcome them to the Yankee family."
-1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
ADVERTISEMENTS
-A to Z Rental Center: Everything You Need to Make Your Wedding a Memorable One
-Affordable Autos: Quality Pre-Owned Cars & Trucks
-Airpage: We're known by the companies we BEEP.
-Albany-Colonie Yankee Group Sales Office: Non-Profit Groups and Organizations
-Albany Patroons Professional Basketball: Best Of Luck Yankees
-Albany Savings Bank: We're more than a bank.
-Altamont Fair: New York State's Capital Region Hometown Fair
-Avis: Cars You Can Trust
-B & D Paint & Wallpaper: Best of luck for a good season!
-The Barnsider
-Barry, Bette & Led Duke: Contractors, Engineers, Construction Management. We build better.
-Barry S. Scott Insurance Agency: No Turndowns
-Baseball America: For Baseball News You Can't Get Anywhere Else
-Big Dom's: Stop by after the game. Enjoy a sub.
-Bob & Ron's Fish Fry: Fried Seafood Our Specialty
-Caddyshack Driving Range
-Campbell Kids Night: Free Admission for Kids 14 and Under with 5 Campbell's Soup Labels
-Capital District Dairy: Milk and Dairy Products For You
-Carvel: America's Freshest Ice Cream
-Castle Computers: The Full Service Computer Center
-Central Business Equipment
-Charlie Sez' Yankee Dodge: A Full-Service Dealership
-Chase Lincoln First: We cover all your financial bases.
-Cohoes: Worth a Trip from Anywhere
-Colonie Athletic Club: Build a Great Body
-Communications Workers of America Local No. 1121: A Community-Minded Union
-Coors
-Coulson's: Albany's Original Convenience Store
-Council 82 Security and Law Enforcement Employees: From one winning team to another ... Go Albany-Colonie Yankees in '87.
-Cramer's Armory: Softball-Baseball, Uniforms & Equipment
-Crossgates Mall
-Davies Office Refurbishing: The New Look ... Without the New Cost!
-DePaula Chevrolet: The World's Greatest Car Dealer
-Driftwood Beauty Lounge (and Tanning Hut)
-Dunkin' Donuts: It's worth the trip.
-Dunne-Burke Insurance
-Eastern League of Professional Baseball Clubs
-Ehrlich Auto Parts: Serving The Capital Region
-Ellie Mae's Country Fixins': Hospitality ... Country Style!
-Empire Auto Radiator: Don't see red ... let EMPIRE AUTO RADIATOR give you a FREE cooling system checkup instead.
-Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
-Empire Limousine: Unique Upstate Luxury - Yet Affordable!
-Executive Cleaning Services: Specialists in Office and Industrial Cleaning
-Fay's Drugs (3 Quality Photo Finishing Choices!): Capture the moment.
-First American Bank of New York: We'll not only help you get to 1st base ... we'll help you make a home run!
-Freihofer's: Always as good as you remember.
-French's: Gametime ... Anytime
-Geier & Bluhm, Inc.: Authorized Service & Repairs
-Genesee Beer: Taste the great outdoors.
-Gentile's: Quality Carpets & Vinyl Flooring
-Getty: More Miles For Your Money
-G.J. Cramer Associates Corp.: Commercial-Industrial-Residential
-Grandma's Country Restaurant: Famous For Good Old-Fashioned Home Cookin'
-Green Mountain: Get on a winning track!
-Hedley Cadillac-Oldsmobile and Hedley Limousine Service
-Hoffman's Playland: Capitaland's Family Fun Park
-Home & City Savings Bank: Your Financial Partner
-Howard Johnson: A good deal. And a good deal more.
-Hudson Valley Paper Company: For Your Information
-Joseph F. DiBella (Business and Personal Insurance Planning)
-K & K Taping: Quality Work At A Quality Price
-KLite 101 FM: Only hits, no errors.
-The Lamp Post: Featuring Daily Luncheon Specials
-The Langan Group: A Total Transportation Company
-Lazare Lincoln-Mercury: The Capital Leader in Sales and Service
-Lexington Grill: Before and after the game join today's action crowd at the Lexington Grill.
-Liberty: Coal-Ice-Oil-Kerosene-Soda-Dry Ice-Charcoal Products
-Lighting by Burke-Ross
-Lite Beer: "Everyone I know drinks Miller Lite. And if they don't, I probably don't know them." -Yogi Berra
-Lobster Pound Restaurant: Serving the finest seafood and the finest steak for over 25 years.
-Long Oil Heat Inc.: A Warm-up Your Home Team Will Love
-The Lookout Inn: Come over after the game and enjoy!
-Loyal Supply Corporation
-Luigi's: Italian American Restaurant
-Main-Care: The energy experts with the most home runs for Tri-City service.
-Manufacturers Hanover: The Financial Source
-Metroland: The News & Arts Weekly of the Capital Region
-Mill Road Acres: For lunch and dinner, banquets and catering. Open year round.
-Mohawk Honda: The i's have it. And have we got i's for you.
-Mohawk Paper Mills: When You Want to Look Good on Paper
-Mr. B's Best: Hungry? After the game, visit one of our area locations for submarines, pizza or roast beef sandwiches. They're always the best ... it's what you deserve!
-NAPA Auto Parts: We've got the part you need.
-Mr. Subb: Convenient Locations Throughout The Capital District
-National Car Rental: You deserve National attention.
-Nemith Lincoln-Mercury-Nissan-Volvo: One Mile North of the Latham Circle
-Norstar Auto Lease
-Norstar Bank
-Orange Motors: The Lifetime Service Guarantee ... a reflection of our confidence!
-The Orchard: Tavern & Restaurant
-OTB Teleplex: Wager on live televised horse racing and enjoy fine food in a clubhouse of excitement!
-Otto: Otto-Isuzu. The official vehicle of the Albany-Colonie Yankees.
-Owens Corning Fiberglas
-Peat Marwick: Providing Audit, Tax and Management Consulting Services to the Capital District for Over 30 Years
-Pepsi: Fielder's Choice
-Piedmont: Piedmont. The airline for all seasons.
-Price Chopper: You know you're doing better.
-Professional Business Forms: Leave it to ... THE PROFESSIONALS.
-The Professional Golfers' Association of America: Good Luck, Yankees!
-Quick Lube: The 10 Minute Oil Specialists
-R. Kelly Freedman & Son, Inc.: Kelly for Scrap
-Ralph's Restaurant & Tavern
-Raymond A. Kelly, Jr., Trial Lawyer
-Revere Lanes
-Rosano's Hardware, Inc.
-Roy Matthews: TV-Video-Stereo-Microwave Appliance
-Sabatino's Liquor Store: Stop by and see Philly.
-Say It With Balloons!: Capitaland's Original Fun Service
-Schenectady Gazette: Not Just Another Newspaper ... Distinctly Different
-Schenectady Trust: The Capital Region's Home Town Bank
-Semco: A good printing job, like a good sandwich, takes the right ingredients.
-September's: The Albany-Colonie Yankees are #1 in baseball. September's is #1 in live entertainment nightly.
-Shaker Lumber and Hardware: Be sure to visit our new, expanded location.
-Spector's: Well Suited For Capitaland's Executives
-Sperry Supply & Warehouse, Inc.
-Sportbeat
-Standard Commercial Interiors: This office brings people and ideas together.
-Star Supermarkets: 8 Convenient Locations
-Street Agency: The "Ripper" [Rip Rowan] says: When you think of health & life insurance or financial services think ... STREET AGENCY.
-Sunshine Chemical & Supply Co.: Industrial Chemical & Cleaning Supplies
-Taylor Made Awnings: Always A Shade Better
-Ted's Fish Fry: An Ocean of Flavor
-The Times Record: Monday is marvelous for sports news!
-Tobin's First Prize: The official frank of the Albany-Colonie Yankees.
-Tri-City Food Specialties, Inc.: Finish first ... sell the snacks they love.
-Tri-City Luggage: We make a strong case for business gifts.
-The Trolley: Enjoy a Trolley dinner and save.
-Turf Inn: The Fine Art of Eating
-Vageline & Carman: Excellent Service At A Fair Price For All Your Insurance Needs
-WABY: The all-time all-stars play on WABY.
-Wallace Armer (Hardware and Homecenter Stores, Incorporated): We'll go the extra inning for you!
-Want Ad Digest: Buyer's and Seller's Handbook
-Watkins Spring Co.: Auto, Truck, Bus Parts
-Whitehurst Press: Quickly, Neatly, Cheaply.
-Woodside Dorp Travel: We meet all your travel needs. Official Travel Agency of the Albany-Colonie Yankees
-WROW AM59: The Only Place to Hear the New York Yankees
-Yankees Magazine: Next Stop ... The Top!
-Ye Ole Locksmith Shoppe: Emergency Service - Anyday Any Hour
-Zing-a-Gram: Singing Telegrams
Welcome Yankee Fans!
I am pleased that once again the Albany-Colonie Yankees will be our Double-A affiliate this season. The team has served as a model franchise in the Eastern League throughout our affiliation with Ben Bernard and the Yankees, and I am looking forward to continuing that fine relationship.
The Albany area has long been a strong supporter of the New York Yankees, and that was especially evident the past few years by the largest turnout at Heritage Park. We are happy to provide fans in the Capital District the opportunity to see firsthand some of the players who shortly will be playing in Yankee Stadium.
We are planning to send you a representative team, one that should make a strong effort to regain the Eastern League Pennant that the Yankees won two season ago. Manager Tommy Jones and coaches Bill Monbouquette and Jerry McNertney comprise a fine staff to lead the Yankees back to that level of success.
Hope to see you at both Heritage Park and at Yankee Stadium this season.
Sincerely,
George Steinbrenner [Principal Owner]
Dear Fans:
The Eastern League celebrates its 65th season of continuing play in 1987. That is a tribute to baseball fans in the northeast, a group which includes the Albany rooters who have meant so much to the league in the past, and now, here in the present.
During the past four season, over one million fans have been treated to the fun and excitement that is a nightly occurrence at Heritage Park. The 1987 season promises to be just as exciting. Will the Yankees win the EL title? Which players will make it to the major leagues? No one knows right now, but it will be fun coming out to Heritage Park this year to find out.
Best of luck in 1987.
Sincerely,
Charles Esbach [Eastern League President]
BEN BERNARD (Owner)
"This is Ben Bernard's fifth anniversary since bringing professional baseball back to the Capital District. Once an aspiring pitcher himself until an injury ended that dream, Ben is realizing a dream come true with the ownership of his own baseball franchise. Being a Yankee fan doesn't hurt either, as this will be the New York Yankees' third season as an affiliate with Albany-Colonie.
Actually, this is Ben's eighth professional season, starting as a promotion man for the then Glens Falls White Sox in 1980. He has won a host of awards including Eastern League Executive of the Year three times, and in 1985 he was named the Sporting News Double A Executive of the Year. Many times it has been said that Ben Bernard runs of the best franchises in baseball.
Promotion is one of Ben's strongest achievements. He feels that promotion is the key to the success or failure of a minor league franchise, and if you look at our promotion calendar you'll see what he means.
Last season the A-C Yanks drew a league record 324,003 and Ben feels '1987 should be another record-setting year for the franchise.' Ben realizes that baseball is a family sport, and this is ever in his thinking of ideas for good family entertainment at Heritage Park.
He is extremely proud of his 1985 ballclub, with Bob Tewksbury, Phil Lombardi, Brad Arnsberg, Scott Nielsen and Doug Drabek all making the major leagues. Ben says, 'This reflects back on the franchise as fans can see their local heroes go on to greater heights in the majors.' He is quick to point out that the opponents that come to Heritage Park to play in the warm weather months also have many future major leaguers and as a fan it's fun to watch them progress, too.
For 1987 Ben says 'the sky is the limit' when it comes to bringing good entertainment for the area baseball fan, and he is 'committed' to bring it to you."
-1987 Season Albany Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
1987 ALBANY-COLONIE YANKEES DIRECTORY
Team Physician - Dr. Carl Wirth
Heritage Park Administrator - Gary Holle
Vice-President, Public Relations - Rip Rowan
Assistant Park Administrator - Ralph Andrews
Marketing - Paula Segal
Vice-President, Sales - Steve Bernard
Editor Sportsbeat - Jim Connell
Team Photographer - Fritz Walker
Intern - Randy Weiss
Office Administrator - Barbara Tholl
Grounds Crew - Dave Bearey
Group Sales - Steve Miller
Head Groundskeeper - John Liburdi
Message Board - Felicia Trifaro
1987 Albany-Colonie Yankees Advisory Committee
Bishop Howard Hubbard (Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany)
John Strachan (Pepsi Cola)
Steve Fahey (Pepsi Cola)
Gary Lansing (Marine Midland)
William Keis (Keis Distributors)
Doug Alix (Genessee Brewing Co.)
Walter Otto (Otto Oldsmobile-Cadillac-Isuzu)
Frank Staucett (Provident Mutual)
Salvadore DiCarlo (September's)
Robert Unger (Pyramid-Crossgates Mall Corp.)
Randy Wall (Piedmont Airlines)
Mike Tyson (Heavyweight Champ)
BOB BARKER (Trainer)
"The 1987 Albany-Colonie Yankee trainer is a native of New York State. Bob Barker was raised in McGraw, New York. If that name sounds familiar to baseball fans, it should. The town was named after the late Hall of Famer John McGraw.
Barker is a graduate of SUNY Cortland with a degree in physical education concentrating on sports medicine. He is certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association.
Bob Barker finds the 'price is right' (pardon our pun) with the Yankee organization; this is his fourth year within the system.
He enjoys golf, basketball and many other activities away from the training room, and says he's happy to be in the Albany-Colonie area this season. During the off-season Barker works at the Wellness Center at Lee Memorial Hospital in Ft. Myers, Florida."
-1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
SENIOR CITIZENS DAYS
"The Albany-Colonie Yankees are happy to announce that once again ten home dates have been designated as SENIOR CITIZENS DAYS during the 1987 Eastern League season at Heritage Park.
Senior Citizens 60 years of age or older will be admitted for $1.00. In addition, if you bring the grandchildren or any youngster with you, age 16 and younger, they also get in for a dollar."
-1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
BOB FELLER
"On Monday, July 6 Bob Feller will be making a special guest appearance here at Heritage Park. He was signed by the Cleveland Indians in July 1935 at the age of 16. Opening Day at Chicago in 1940, Bob pitched his first of three no-hitters, the only no-hitter pitched on Opening Day in major league history.
In 1946 he set a major league record for the most strikeouts in one season, 348, [while] leading the American League for seven years. Bob is the only pitcher in major league history to win 20 games or more before age 21.
Bob was voted Indians Man of the Year twice and played on nine All-Star teams while also participating in two World Series (1948 and 1954). Overall, he won 266 games while only losing 162, leading the American League in victories on six different occasions. He compiled a career record of 2,581 strikeouts
In 1962 he was inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame, and in July 1969 was selected as the Greatest Living Right-Handed Pitcher."
-1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
MAX PATKIN
"You would like to think when a man got to the age of 67 he would slow down. Max Patkin doesn't have that word in his vocabulary, and you will see why on Tuesday, August 4 at 7:30 PM when the 'Clown Prince of Baseball' returns to Heritage Park to entertain you, and rattle the New Britain Red Sox.
Max had his dream of becoming a major leaguer end with an elbow injury in the minor leagues. So Max took his rubber face antics on the road in the 1940's and hasn't stopped since.
Max will entertain you all night as the opponents and umpires alike will get harassed by the guy who is described as 'the world's biggest hunk of bubblegum.'"
1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
1987 ALBANY-COLONIE YANKEES PROGRAM/YEARBOOK PORTRAIT PHOTOS
Brian Butterfield (Coach)
Chris Alvarez (3B)
Brent Blum (P)
Carson Carroll (2B)
Gary Cathcart (OF)
Casey Close (OF)
Steve George (P)
Bob Geren (C)
Fredi Gonzalez (C)
Mo Guercio (P)
Matt Harrison (P)
Ted Higgins (OF)
Jim Howard (IF)
Jeff Knox (P)
Tim Layana (P)
Hal Morris (1B)
Jeff Pries (P)
Darren Reed (OF)
Steve Rosenberg (P)
Tony Russell (OF)
Dick Scott (2B)
Rich Thompson (P)
Randy Velardi (SS)
GUIDRY WITH A-C YANKEES
"They were standing in the aisles. And on the walkways. And in the grandstand. And, finally, when the 14, 491 were more than Heritage Park seating could accommodate, they stood on the warning track in the outfield.
The appearance of New York Yankees left-hander Ron Guidry was the reason for the overflow crowd at Heritage that July night, as both baseball fans in general and New York Yankees fans, in particular, came to see the veteran work three innings in a rehabilitation stint.
Guidry gave up only one hit- a RBI double to former Albany-Colonie A's catcher Mike Ashman- and struck out three in his work against the Nashua Pirates. And he allowed the local fans to get a close-up look at a major leaguer.
'That was the nicest ovation I ever got from 12,000 people,' Guidry said of the tremendous response he got when he emerged from the Yankee clubhouse to begin his work. He earned praise from both his teammates (for a day) and the opposition.
'It was quite an honor, quite an experience,' said Albany-Colonie catcher Mitch Lyden, Guidry's batterymate in his first minor league game in nearly 10 years.
'He came out and acted like a professional,' praised Nashua manager Dennis Rogers. 'He went after our hitters, even though they are just Double-A players. And he's a successful major league pitcher.'
Guidry's appearance drew the largest crowd for a baseball game to Heritage Park, better than 2,000 more than had come to a game against Waterbury in July 1983, the first week the park was open.
'This was a very big night for us, and a very big night for the sports fans of the Capital District,' said Albany-Colonie owner Ben Bernard. 'Not only did it give area fans a chance to see a great major league pitcher, it also proved that they will come to see a first-class sporting event.'
Guidry's presence seemed to bring out the best in the Yankees. They scored five runs in the first inning and led by a 5-1 margin when Guidry left.
Guidry, limited to 50 pitches in his first outing after suffering a cut on his pitching hand three weeks earlier on a line drive off the bat of Lance Parrish, used nearly half of his allotment in the first inning. He gave up a run that inning but then got into a rhythm. He retired the Bucs on 11 pitches in the second inning, including one four-pitch walk. In his third and final inning, he got the side in order.
'I threw mostly what I throw in games, the fastball and slider, and they worked most of the time,' Guidry said. 'I was happy to throw strikes and be around the plate that much. When you can do that, you know you're not too far off.'
The night ended for Guidry after a mass interview in the Yankees' clubhouse, a situation he handled with class. He had one last obstacle to overcome as he left the park. A huge throng of well-wishers had gathered near his car, wanting one last look at the major leaguer.
And when Guidry finally drove away, headed back to New York City and Yankee Stadium, he left the local fans with memories they would treasure."
-1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
ALBANY-COLONIE MAJOR LEAGUE LIST GROWS
"Everybody likes to win, especially the late Vince Lombardi who once said 'winning isn't everything, it's the only thing.' And I guess at his level it was. But in the minor leagues the idea, when you get down to the nitty-gritty, is to develop talent for the majors. The Albany-Colonie franchise has certainly done that. Four members of the 1986 A-C Yankees made the New York winter roster and a fifth traded away (Carlos Martinez) was with the Chicago White Sox. In 1986 Keith Hughes, Roberto Kelly, Logan Easley and Mitch Lyden did well enough for a look-see. Easley was traded to Pittsburgh where he was being counted on to provide help in their major league bullpen.
1986 was also a moving-up year for members of the 1985 A-C Yankee squad. Bob Tewksbury became a big league pitcher right out of spring training and posted a fine 9-5 record with an ERA of 3.31 with New York. Catcher Phil Lombardi had two stints with the big club in '86. He ended up hitting .278 for New York in 20 games with a couple of homers and showed progress not only behind the plate but in the outfield as well. Doug Drabek had a 7-8 record with New York but he too was traded to Pittsburgh during the off-season. Scotty Nielsen was 4-4 with the Yanks and he too was traded, to the Philadelphia Phillies. Brad Arnsberg pitched briefly in New York.
Still, with the grads, catcher Mickey Tettleton from the Albany-Colonie A's part of the franchise, won the starting job with Oakland and hit ten homers. But his season was marred by a long nagging injury that kept him out of many games. Infielder Tim Pyznarski was the MVP of the Pacific Coast League and then made the San Diego Padres the final month, only to be traded to the Milwaukee organization. Pyznarski hit 29 homers for Albany-Colonie in 1983, a club mark that still stands (since the revival of the franchise). Relief pitcher Steve Ontiveros was a key reliever for Oakland in 1986. Infielder Luis Quinones, the first player to go from the Albany-Colonie franchise to the majors, was traded back to Oakland from San Francisco and during the off-season was traded to the Chicago Cubs for Ron Cey.
Former A's second baseman Mike Woodward also was with the Giants for much of the season and catcher Charlie O'Brien was on the Milwaukee roster. The Eastern was once called 'the gateway to the big leagues' and that seems to be still true around Heritage Park."
-Rip Rowan, 1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
HAZEL CHORNYAK MEMORIAL AWARD
"The third annual Hazel Chornyak Memorial Award was presented to Yankee outfielder Keith Hughes in 1986.
The award, named in honor of Ben Bernard's aunt, is given to the Albany-Colonie player who is the most inspirational to his teammates. When Ben sought a franchise for this area, his late aunt helped him get the wheels in motion and has been an inspiration to him in his baseball career."
-1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
MEET THE PRESS
Jim Brennan (WRGB-TV)
Bob McNamara (WNYT-TV)
John Thomas (WGY)
John Graney (WQBK)
Richard Hill (WROW)
Sandy Taylor (WHRL)
Bill Edwardson (WABY)
Bill Palmer (Schenectady Gazette)
Paul Schwartz (Capital Newspapers)
Tim Wilkin (Capital Newspapers)
David Allan (Metroland WABY)
Steve Amedio (Record Newspapers)
Chris Martin (WMVI)
Steve Shapiro (WTEN-TV)
Bob Gordon (WABY)
Steve Hart (South End Scene)
YANKEE BROADCASTS
"1987 marks a new era in Albany-Colonie Yankee baseball broadcasts. WABY Radio, 1400 AM, will be the new Yankee station, carrying home and away games Monday through Friday for the entire season.
This season our broadcaster will be Jack LeFaivre who comes to us from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Jack is an Albany native who has been working at WXII-TV in Winston-Salem as a sports anchor/reporter. He was one of the final three in the running earlier this year for the broadcast job with the Baltimore Orioles. LeFaivre is an accomplished broadcaster and play-by-play man, he knows his game and is a true professional. He has had a lifelong attachment to the New York Yankees as a fan and is excited with the challenge this season. Jack has done play-by-play for the Charlotte Orioles of the Southern League and Winston-Salem of the Carolina League.
WABY is the oldest of the Albany radio stations, with a long history of broadcasting sports. We welcome them to the Yankee family."
-1987 Season Albany-Colonie Yankees Official Program/Yearbook
ADVERTISEMENTS
-A to Z Rental Center: Everything You Need to Make Your Wedding a Memorable One
-Affordable Autos: Quality Pre-Owned Cars & Trucks
-Airpage: We're known by the companies we BEEP.
-Albany-Colonie Yankee Group Sales Office: Non-Profit Groups and Organizations
-Albany Patroons Professional Basketball: Best Of Luck Yankees
-Albany Savings Bank: We're more than a bank.
-Altamont Fair: New York State's Capital Region Hometown Fair
-Avis: Cars You Can Trust
-B & D Paint & Wallpaper: Best of luck for a good season!
-The Barnsider
-Barry, Bette & Led Duke: Contractors, Engineers, Construction Management. We build better.
-Barry S. Scott Insurance Agency: No Turndowns
-Baseball America: For Baseball News You Can't Get Anywhere Else
-Big Dom's: Stop by after the game. Enjoy a sub.
-Bob & Ron's Fish Fry: Fried Seafood Our Specialty
-Caddyshack Driving Range
-Campbell Kids Night: Free Admission for Kids 14 and Under with 5 Campbell's Soup Labels
-Capital District Dairy: Milk and Dairy Products For You
-Carvel: America's Freshest Ice Cream
-Castle Computers: The Full Service Computer Center
-Central Business Equipment
-Charlie Sez' Yankee Dodge: A Full-Service Dealership
-Chase Lincoln First: We cover all your financial bases.
-Cohoes: Worth a Trip from Anywhere
-Colonie Athletic Club: Build a Great Body
-Communications Workers of America Local No. 1121: A Community-Minded Union
-Coors
-Coulson's: Albany's Original Convenience Store
-Council 82 Security and Law Enforcement Employees: From one winning team to another ... Go Albany-Colonie Yankees in '87.
-Cramer's Armory: Softball-Baseball, Uniforms & Equipment
-Crossgates Mall
-Davies Office Refurbishing: The New Look ... Without the New Cost!
-DePaula Chevrolet: The World's Greatest Car Dealer
-Driftwood Beauty Lounge (and Tanning Hut)
-Dunkin' Donuts: It's worth the trip.
-Dunne-Burke Insurance
-Eastern League of Professional Baseball Clubs
-Ehrlich Auto Parts: Serving The Capital Region
-Ellie Mae's Country Fixins': Hospitality ... Country Style!
-Empire Auto Radiator: Don't see red ... let EMPIRE AUTO RADIATOR give you a FREE cooling system checkup instead.
-Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
-Empire Limousine: Unique Upstate Luxury - Yet Affordable!
-Executive Cleaning Services: Specialists in Office and Industrial Cleaning
-Fay's Drugs (3 Quality Photo Finishing Choices!): Capture the moment.
-First American Bank of New York: We'll not only help you get to 1st base ... we'll help you make a home run!
-Freihofer's: Always as good as you remember.
-French's: Gametime ... Anytime
-Geier & Bluhm, Inc.: Authorized Service & Repairs
-Genesee Beer: Taste the great outdoors.
-Gentile's: Quality Carpets & Vinyl Flooring
-Getty: More Miles For Your Money
-G.J. Cramer Associates Corp.: Commercial-Industrial-Residential
-Grandma's Country Restaurant: Famous For Good Old-Fashioned Home Cookin'
-Green Mountain: Get on a winning track!
-Hedley Cadillac-Oldsmobile and Hedley Limousine Service
-Hoffman's Playland: Capitaland's Family Fun Park
-Home & City Savings Bank: Your Financial Partner
-Howard Johnson: A good deal. And a good deal more.
-Hudson Valley Paper Company: For Your Information
-Joseph F. DiBella (Business and Personal Insurance Planning)
-K & K Taping: Quality Work At A Quality Price
-KLite 101 FM: Only hits, no errors.
-The Lamp Post: Featuring Daily Luncheon Specials
-The Langan Group: A Total Transportation Company
-Lazare Lincoln-Mercury: The Capital Leader in Sales and Service
-Lexington Grill: Before and after the game join today's action crowd at the Lexington Grill.
-Liberty: Coal-Ice-Oil-Kerosene-Soda-Dry Ice-Charcoal Products
-Lighting by Burke-Ross
-Lite Beer: "Everyone I know drinks Miller Lite. And if they don't, I probably don't know them." -Yogi Berra
-Lobster Pound Restaurant: Serving the finest seafood and the finest steak for over 25 years.
-Long Oil Heat Inc.: A Warm-up Your Home Team Will Love
-The Lookout Inn: Come over after the game and enjoy!
-Loyal Supply Corporation
-Luigi's: Italian American Restaurant
-Main-Care: The energy experts with the most home runs for Tri-City service.
-Manufacturers Hanover: The Financial Source
-Metroland: The News & Arts Weekly of the Capital Region
-Mill Road Acres: For lunch and dinner, banquets and catering. Open year round.
-Mohawk Honda: The i's have it. And have we got i's for you.
-Mohawk Paper Mills: When You Want to Look Good on Paper
-Mr. B's Best: Hungry? After the game, visit one of our area locations for submarines, pizza or roast beef sandwiches. They're always the best ... it's what you deserve!
-NAPA Auto Parts: We've got the part you need.
-Mr. Subb: Convenient Locations Throughout The Capital District
-National Car Rental: You deserve National attention.
-Nemith Lincoln-Mercury-Nissan-Volvo: One Mile North of the Latham Circle
-Norstar Auto Lease
-Norstar Bank
-Orange Motors: The Lifetime Service Guarantee ... a reflection of our confidence!
-The Orchard: Tavern & Restaurant
-OTB Teleplex: Wager on live televised horse racing and enjoy fine food in a clubhouse of excitement!
-Otto: Otto-Isuzu. The official vehicle of the Albany-Colonie Yankees.
-Owens Corning Fiberglas
-Peat Marwick: Providing Audit, Tax and Management Consulting Services to the Capital District for Over 30 Years
-Pepsi: Fielder's Choice
-Piedmont: Piedmont. The airline for all seasons.
-Price Chopper: You know you're doing better.
-Professional Business Forms: Leave it to ... THE PROFESSIONALS.
-The Professional Golfers' Association of America: Good Luck, Yankees!
-Quick Lube: The 10 Minute Oil Specialists
-R. Kelly Freedman & Son, Inc.: Kelly for Scrap
-Ralph's Restaurant & Tavern
-Raymond A. Kelly, Jr., Trial Lawyer
-Revere Lanes
-Rosano's Hardware, Inc.
-Roy Matthews: TV-Video-Stereo-Microwave Appliance
-Sabatino's Liquor Store: Stop by and see Philly.
-Say It With Balloons!: Capitaland's Original Fun Service
-Schenectady Gazette: Not Just Another Newspaper ... Distinctly Different
-Schenectady Trust: The Capital Region's Home Town Bank
-Semco: A good printing job, like a good sandwich, takes the right ingredients.
-September's: The Albany-Colonie Yankees are #1 in baseball. September's is #1 in live entertainment nightly.
-Shaker Lumber and Hardware: Be sure to visit our new, expanded location.
-Spector's: Well Suited For Capitaland's Executives
-Sperry Supply & Warehouse, Inc.
-Sportbeat
-Standard Commercial Interiors: This office brings people and ideas together.
-Star Supermarkets: 8 Convenient Locations
-Street Agency: The "Ripper" [Rip Rowan] says: When you think of health & life insurance or financial services think ... STREET AGENCY.
-Sunshine Chemical & Supply Co.: Industrial Chemical & Cleaning Supplies
-Taylor Made Awnings: Always A Shade Better
-Ted's Fish Fry: An Ocean of Flavor
-The Times Record: Monday is marvelous for sports news!
-Tobin's First Prize: The official frank of the Albany-Colonie Yankees.
-Tri-City Food Specialties, Inc.: Finish first ... sell the snacks they love.
-Tri-City Luggage: We make a strong case for business gifts.
-The Trolley: Enjoy a Trolley dinner and save.
-Turf Inn: The Fine Art of Eating
-Vageline & Carman: Excellent Service At A Fair Price For All Your Insurance Needs
-WABY: The all-time all-stars play on WABY.
-Wallace Armer (Hardware and Homecenter Stores, Incorporated): We'll go the extra inning for you!
-Want Ad Digest: Buyer's and Seller's Handbook
-Watkins Spring Co.: Auto, Truck, Bus Parts
-Whitehurst Press: Quickly, Neatly, Cheaply.
-Woodside Dorp Travel: We meet all your travel needs. Official Travel Agency of the Albany-Colonie Yankees
-WROW AM59: The Only Place to Hear the New York Yankees
-Yankees Magazine: Next Stop ... The Top!
-Ye Ole Locksmith Shoppe: Emergency Service - Anyday Any Hour
-Zing-a-Gram: Singing Telegrams
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
1987 New York Yankees Scorecard and Program Notes
WELCOME
"Welcome to another exciting year of Yankees baseball, where traditions are born.
This is the 85th season of the most dominant team in the history of professional sports. The Yankees have 22 World Championships and 33 American League pennants in 84 years.
While most teams are still looking for their first championship or can only point to one standout period in their history, the Yankees can boast several distinct eras within their overall dominance of major league baseball.
Yankee greatness was sprouted by the combined talents of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. From Ruth's arrival in New York in 1920 to his departure from the Yankees in 1935, the Pinstripers won four World Championships and seven American League pennants.
Joe DiMaggio's arrival in 1936 started the tradition of great Yankee center fielders, and with his retirement in 1951, the Yankees had added 10 more World Series victories and 11 more pennants.
Mickey Mantle picked up the torch from there, contributing to six additional World Championships and another 11 league pennants that were won before he retired in 1969.
After a dry spell of several years, Thurman Munson and Reggie Jackson had the Yankees back on track in the late '70s, winning two more World Championships and three AL titles.
Now the team has been reshaped and regrouped and is ready to add to the Yankees' rich tradition. We don't know which Yankees in today's lineup will become legends. But already names like Don Mattingly, Rickey Henderson, Dave Righetti, Dave Winfield and a host of others are beginning to leave their mark in the Yankee record book.
The Yankees originally joined the American League in 1903 and were known as the 'Highlanders.' Around 1913 the nickname 'Yankees' was adopted and a couple of years later pinstripes appeared on their uniforms. Their first American League pennant was won in 1921 and they claimed their first World Championship in 1923. In 1929, the Yankees were the first team to add numbers to the backs of their uniforms. The Yankee Pride and Tradition was on its way.
Now in 1987 the Yankees proudly wear the same uniforms, play in the same ballpark, in the same great city and carry on the same traditions established when they won their first World Championship.
We take great pride in welcoming you to the 85th season of Yankee baseball ... be a part of it ... as the Bronx Bombers and their fans strive for yet another world title."
-New York Yankees 1987 Scorebook and Souvenir Program
YANKEE STADIUM GROUND RULES
"Foul poles are outside the playing field. Any batted ball hitting a foul pole above the fence line is a home run. Bat racks are within the dugouts.
Any thrown ball hitting a dugout railing or foundation and rebounding on the field is in play. A ball going into the dugout or hitting other parts of the dugout- out of play."
-New York Yankees 1987 Scorebook and Souvenir Program
3 Evans
7 Phillips
8 McKean
10 McCoy
11 Denkinger
12 Cooney
13 Cousins
14 Palermo
15 Brinkman
17 Hirschbeck
18 Kosc
19 Garcia
20 Ford
21 Kaiser
22 Barnett
23 Reed
24 Clark
25 Johnson
26 Voltaggio
27 Roe
28 Young
29 Shulock
30 Welke
31 Reilly
33 Merrill
34 Morrison
35 Hendry
36 McClelland
37 Coble
38 Tschida
39 Scott
WHERE THE YANKEES STAY ON THE ROAD
Baltimore- Baltimore Plaza, Cross Key Inn
Boston- Boston Sheraton, The Hyatt Regency Cambridge
California (Anaheim)- Anaheim Marriott
Chicago- Westin-Chicago, The Palmer House
Cleveland- Stouffer's Inn on the Square
Detroit- Pontchartrain
Kansas City- Westin Crown Centre
Milwaukee- Pfister Hotel
Minnesota (Minneapolis-St. Paul)- Radisson Metrodome
Oakland- Oakland Hyatt House, Oakland Airport Hilton
Seattle- Crown Plaza, The Westin
Texas (Arlington)- Arlington Hilton
Toronto- Sheraton Centre
1987 NEW YORK YANKEES HOME OF CHAMPIONS RADIO NETWORK
NEW YORK
New York City (WABC) (flagship station)
Albany (WROW)
Batavia (WBTA)
Binghamton (WNFB)
Corning (WCLI)
Dunkirk (WDOE)
Gloversville (WENT)
Ithaca (WTKO)
Jamestown (WKSN)
Kingston (WKNY)
Rome/Utica (WKAL)
Syracuse (WSYR)
Tupper Lake (WTPL)
Watertown (WOTT)
CONNECTICUT
Hartford (WPOP)
Waterbury (WATR)
FLORIDA
Boca Raton (WSBR)
Miami (WIOD)
MASSACHUSETTS
East Longmeadow (WIXY)
Pittsfield (WBRK)
PENNSYLVANIA
Easton (WEEX)
Hazelton (WXPX)
Pittston (WARD)
Williamsport (WWPA)
VERMONT
Montpelier (WSKI)
Rutland (WHWB)
ADVERTISEMENTS
-Alka-Seltzer: Don't count on the bullpen for all the relief.
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-Arm & Hammer: The Winner's Circle
-Bank of New York: Do you generally feel better after talking to you bank? Or worse?
-Beck's: The most famous German word in the English language.
-Budweiser: Baseball Fans ... this Bud's for you.
-Busch: Head for the Mountains.
-Buy United States Savings Bonds: The Great American Investment
-Canon EOS: More than autofocus. More than ever.
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-Clarion: Made to last in the first place.
-Club Cocktails
-Dollar Dry Dock: Simplify your financial life. Conveniently located offices serving Manhattan, Queens, Nassau, Bronx and Westchester.
-Endurance Motor Cars: Westchester's Largest Volume BMW Dealer (Bedford Hills)
-Equitable
-Gatorade: Put out a major league thirst with Gatorade.
-Herr Foods
-Herr's Potato Chips: The Yankee Chipper
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-Isuzu North: Westchester's Largest Volume Isuzu Dealer (Mt. Kisco)
-JCPenney: We've got the blues!
-Konica: The Image of Perfection
-Marine Midland Bank: You can make it happen with Marine.
-Marlboro: Come to where the flavor is.
-Maxell: No one has done more to save the game.
-Mizuno Athletic Footwear
-National Westminster Bank USA: It's easy, convenient and free!
-Newport: Alive With Pleasure
-New York Life: You need a financial game plan to get the most out of life.
-New York's Best Renault/Jeep Performers: Go Yankees ... all the way!
-Norelco: We put quality first.
-Old Milwaukee Beer: It doesn't get any better than this.
-Preferred Properties Incorporated Realtors
-Prudential-Bache Securities: Rock Solid, Market Wise
-Roche
-Rolaids: In 1986 the Yankees spelled relief D-A-V-E R-I-G-H-E-T-T-I.
-Rums of Puerto Rico: Give a traditional drink a whole new spirit.
-Sharp: From Sharp minds come Sharp products.
-Skoal Long Cut: Handles easy. Tastes great.
-Sportschannel
-Steinbrenner's Bay Harbor Inn: Tampa's Unique Reflection Of Your Good Taste
-Sun System Solar Greenhouses: Bright Ideas Under the Sun
-Tax Tip: A Public Service of the IRS
-Thorn Apple Valley: The Official Hot Dog of the New York Yankees
-Toyota Camry: Trouble-free never looked so good.
-Toyota North: Northern Westchester's Largest Volume Toyota Dealer (Mt. Kisco)
-TWA: Today's TWA. Find out how good we really are.
-United Van Lines: The quality shows in every move we make.
-WABC Talkradio 77AM: Full Color Sports
-Xerox
-Yankees Magazine
"Welcome to another exciting year of Yankees baseball, where traditions are born.
This is the 85th season of the most dominant team in the history of professional sports. The Yankees have 22 World Championships and 33 American League pennants in 84 years.
While most teams are still looking for their first championship or can only point to one standout period in their history, the Yankees can boast several distinct eras within their overall dominance of major league baseball.
Yankee greatness was sprouted by the combined talents of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. From Ruth's arrival in New York in 1920 to his departure from the Yankees in 1935, the Pinstripers won four World Championships and seven American League pennants.
Joe DiMaggio's arrival in 1936 started the tradition of great Yankee center fielders, and with his retirement in 1951, the Yankees had added 10 more World Series victories and 11 more pennants.
Mickey Mantle picked up the torch from there, contributing to six additional World Championships and another 11 league pennants that were won before he retired in 1969.
After a dry spell of several years, Thurman Munson and Reggie Jackson had the Yankees back on track in the late '70s, winning two more World Championships and three AL titles.
Now the team has been reshaped and regrouped and is ready to add to the Yankees' rich tradition. We don't know which Yankees in today's lineup will become legends. But already names like Don Mattingly, Rickey Henderson, Dave Righetti, Dave Winfield and a host of others are beginning to leave their mark in the Yankee record book.
The Yankees originally joined the American League in 1903 and were known as the 'Highlanders.' Around 1913 the nickname 'Yankees' was adopted and a couple of years later pinstripes appeared on their uniforms. Their first American League pennant was won in 1921 and they claimed their first World Championship in 1923. In 1929, the Yankees were the first team to add numbers to the backs of their uniforms. The Yankee Pride and Tradition was on its way.
Now in 1987 the Yankees proudly wear the same uniforms, play in the same ballpark, in the same great city and carry on the same traditions established when they won their first World Championship.
We take great pride in welcoming you to the 85th season of Yankee baseball ... be a part of it ... as the Bronx Bombers and their fans strive for yet another world title."
-New York Yankees 1987 Scorebook and Souvenir Program
YANKEE STADIUM GROUND RULES
"Foul poles are outside the playing field. Any batted ball hitting a foul pole above the fence line is a home run. Bat racks are within the dugouts.
Any thrown ball hitting a dugout railing or foundation and rebounding on the field is in play. A ball going into the dugout or hitting other parts of the dugout- out of play."
-New York Yankees 1987 Scorebook and Souvenir Program
AMERICAN LEAGUE UMPIRES
2 Bremigan3 Evans
7 Phillips
8 McKean
10 McCoy
11 Denkinger
12 Cooney
13 Cousins
14 Palermo
15 Brinkman
17 Hirschbeck
18 Kosc
19 Garcia
20 Ford
21 Kaiser
22 Barnett
23 Reed
24 Clark
25 Johnson
26 Voltaggio
27 Roe
28 Young
29 Shulock
30 Welke
31 Reilly
33 Merrill
34 Morrison
35 Hendry
36 McClelland
37 Coble
38 Tschida
39 Scott
WHERE THE YANKEES STAY ON THE ROAD
Baltimore- Baltimore Plaza, Cross Key Inn
Boston- Boston Sheraton, The Hyatt Regency Cambridge
California (Anaheim)- Anaheim Marriott
Chicago- Westin-Chicago, The Palmer House
Cleveland- Stouffer's Inn on the Square
Detroit- Pontchartrain
Kansas City- Westin Crown Centre
Milwaukee- Pfister Hotel
Minnesota (Minneapolis-St. Paul)- Radisson Metrodome
Oakland- Oakland Hyatt House, Oakland Airport Hilton
Seattle- Crown Plaza, The Westin
Texas (Arlington)- Arlington Hilton
Toronto- Sheraton Centre
1987 NEW YORK YANKEES HOME OF CHAMPIONS RADIO NETWORK
NEW YORK
New York City (WABC) (flagship station)
Albany (WROW)
Batavia (WBTA)
Binghamton (WNFB)
Corning (WCLI)
Dunkirk (WDOE)
Gloversville (WENT)
Ithaca (WTKO)
Jamestown (WKSN)
Kingston (WKNY)
Rome/Utica (WKAL)
Syracuse (WSYR)
Tupper Lake (WTPL)
Watertown (WOTT)
CONNECTICUT
Hartford (WPOP)
Waterbury (WATR)
FLORIDA
Boca Raton (WSBR)
Miami (WIOD)
MASSACHUSETTS
East Longmeadow (WIXY)
Pittsfield (WBRK)
PENNSYLVANIA
Easton (WEEX)
Hazelton (WXPX)
Pittston (WARD)
Williamsport (WWPA)
VERMONT
Montpelier (WSKI)
Rutland (WHWB)
ADVERTISEMENTS
-Alka-Seltzer: Don't count on the bullpen for all the relief.
-Amoco Ultimate Lead-Free Premium: The Ultimate Grime Fighter
-Amtrak: All Aboard Amtrak
-Apple Bank: Keep you eye on the Apple.
-Arm & Hammer: The Winner's Circle
-Bank of New York: Do you generally feel better after talking to you bank? Or worse?
-Beck's: The most famous German word in the English language.
-Budweiser: Baseball Fans ... this Bud's for you.
-Busch: Head for the Mountains.
-Buy United States Savings Bonds: The Great American Investment
-Canon EOS: More than autofocus. More than ever.
-Citibank
-Clarion: Made to last in the first place.
-Club Cocktails
-Dollar Dry Dock: Simplify your financial life. Conveniently located offices serving Manhattan, Queens, Nassau, Bronx and Westchester.
-Endurance Motor Cars: Westchester's Largest Volume BMW Dealer (Bedford Hills)
-Equitable
-Gatorade: Put out a major league thirst with Gatorade.
-Herr Foods
-Herr's Potato Chips: The Yankee Chipper
-IBM
-Isuzu North: Westchester's Largest Volume Isuzu Dealer (Mt. Kisco)
-JCPenney: We've got the blues!
-Konica: The Image of Perfection
-Marine Midland Bank: You can make it happen with Marine.
-Marlboro: Come to where the flavor is.
-Maxell: No one has done more to save the game.
-Mizuno Athletic Footwear
-National Westminster Bank USA: It's easy, convenient and free!
-Newport: Alive With Pleasure
-New York Life: You need a financial game plan to get the most out of life.
-New York's Best Renault/Jeep Performers: Go Yankees ... all the way!
-Norelco: We put quality first.
-Old Milwaukee Beer: It doesn't get any better than this.
-Preferred Properties Incorporated Realtors
-Prudential-Bache Securities: Rock Solid, Market Wise
-Roche
-Rolaids: In 1986 the Yankees spelled relief D-A-V-E R-I-G-H-E-T-T-I.
-Rums of Puerto Rico: Give a traditional drink a whole new spirit.
-Sharp: From Sharp minds come Sharp products.
-Skoal Long Cut: Handles easy. Tastes great.
-Sportschannel
-Steinbrenner's Bay Harbor Inn: Tampa's Unique Reflection Of Your Good Taste
-Sun System Solar Greenhouses: Bright Ideas Under the Sun
-Tax Tip: A Public Service of the IRS
-Thorn Apple Valley: The Official Hot Dog of the New York Yankees
-Toyota Camry: Trouble-free never looked so good.
-Toyota North: Northern Westchester's Largest Volume Toyota Dealer (Mt. Kisco)
-TWA: Today's TWA. Find out how good we really are.
-United Van Lines: The quality shows in every move we make.
-WABC Talkradio 77AM: Full Color Sports
-Xerox
-Yankees Magazine
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