1989 New York Yankees Outlook

HITTING
"The Yankees have speed to burn at the top of their lineup with leadoff man Rickey Henderson (.305, 6, 50) and newly acquired second-place hitter Steve Sax (.277, 5, 57). Henderson has captured the AL stolen base crown in eight of his nine major league seasons, including last year when he had 93 thefts to break his own club mark. Sax, signed as a free agent last winter, ranked among the NL leaders with 42 steals for the Dodgers.
After those two get aboard and go, the Yankees have Don Mattingly (.311, 18, 88) and Dave Winfield (.322, 25, 107) to drive them in. Mattingly is eager to re-establish himself as baseball's best player after a disappointing season in which his production declined by 12 home runs and 27 RBIs, and his average fell by 27 points from 1987 standards. And how long can Winfield, 37, keep on putting up big numbers?
The off-season deal that sent Jack Clark (.242, 27, 93) to San Diego created an offensive void that the Yankees hope will be filled by designated hitter Ken Phelps (.263, 24, 54) and Claudell Washington (.308, 11, 64). But scoring runs is rarely a problem for the Yankees, third in the AL with 772 last year."

-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1989 Edition

PITCHING
"The staff underwent a needed overhaul last winter with the signing of former Padre Andy Hawkins (14-11, 3.35) and former Pirate Dave LaPoint (14-13, 3.25) as free agents, and the acquisition of Lance McCullers (3-6, 2.49, 10 saves) and Jimmy Jones (9-12, 4.12) from the Padres in the Clark deal.
The quality of the three new starters is questionable as Hawkins, LaPoint and Jones were a combined 37-38 last year. At least they should provide more innings than the Yankees have gotten from their starters in the past. Hawkins (217 2/3 innings) and LaPoint (213 1/3) would have led last year's Yankee staff, and Jones (179) would have been second behind the departed Rick Rhoden (12-12, 4.20, 197 innings), traded to the Astros in January.
John Candelaria (13-7, 3.38) was the only pitcher to excel on a staff that ranked 12th in the AL with a 4.24 ERA and surrendered a major league-high 157 home runs last year. McCullers should help relieve the load of bullpen stopper Dave Righetti, who had a career-low 25 saves in 1988 and blew nine save opportunities."

-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1989 Edition

FIELDING
"Aside from Mattingly, a perennial Gold Glove first baseman, the Yankees are poor defensively. Shortstop Rafael Santana and third baseman Mike Pagliarulo both have limited range. Catcher Don Slaught made 11 errors and caught only 12 of 72 would-be base stealers, a dreadful 17 percent. Henderson's carelessness in the outfield was reflected in his 12 errors. Sax, who replaces Willie Randolph at second base, committed twice as many errors as his predecessor, with 14."

-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1989 Edition

OUTLOOK
"The Yankees make another fresh start with significant changes on and off the field. Principal owner George Steinbrenner has gone away from his list of recycled managers to hire taskmaster Dallas Green. However, it remains to be seen whether Green can get more out of the Yankees, who have been consistently good enough to contend but not quite unified enough to win amid the inevitable tumult."

-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1989 Edition


DALLAS AND THE NEW-LOOK YANKEES
"A season of promise in the Bronx is as much a rite of spring a an April shower. New acquisitions, big hopes, the approaching summer months filled baseball illicit optimism [sic] at a peak level.
As the New York Yankees' season of 1988 faded in a 9-20 August tailspin, the hopes of spring were all but extinguished. The pitching corps, thought to be strong enough in May, dehydrated in the hazy days of summer, clutch hitting became a non-entity and injuries took their toll on the infield's continuity. The team's overall chemistry appeared as form-fitting as a square peg in a round hole.
The Yankees' fifth-place finish, three-and-a-half games behind division-winning Boston did not sit well with Yankee management. Changes were promised. Changes were made.
Departed was designated hitter Jack Clark (.242 BA, 27 HR, 93 RBI) whose potent bat figured to put the Yankees over the top. He became disillusioned with his playing status and begged out to the West Coast. In return the Yankees received from the San Diego Padres three players of untapped potential in pitchers Lance McCullers and Jimmy Jones and outfielder Stanley Jefferson. Rick Rhoden, the club's leader in innings pitched (197) and tied for second in wins (12), was traded to Houston for three young prospects. And of course there was the farewell of longtime Yankee Willie Randolph whose inability to stay healthy (39 games missed due to injury in '88) left the infield searching for its true identity.
The club's advanced age (16 players who were 30 years of age or older) had club officials pursuing their own fountain of youth. A facelift was in order, so General Manager Bob Quinn began to revamp the club whose win total dropped the last three years.
Enter Dallas Green. In search of a new direction, Quinn started at the top with the hiring of Green as the team's new manager, a man who has built his reputation on toughness and directness in dealing with issues. In 1980, Green led the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Championship and in the process commanded and earned the respect of his players.
'I've known Dallas for 20 years and I always thought very highly of him,' Quinn said. 'We settled on Dallas right off the bat. We did not entertain a list of names.'
The reconstructive surgery began and the new-look Yankees quickly took shape.
If there were any cynics outside the Yankee hierarchy who questioned the team's commitment to redefine the '89 squad, the acquisition of former Dodger second baseman Steve Sax provided some answers. Sax is six younger than his predecessor Randolph, and his offensive abilities will add a new dimension to a lineup starving for an infusion of fresh blood.
Following Rickey Henderson in the leadoff slot, Sax' hit-and-run ability and stolen base production (42 last season, 119 in the last three seasons) will only help those who follow in Don Mattingly, Dave Winfield and Ken Phelps. Opposing pitchers face the hair-raising scenario of Henderson and Sax running wild while Mattingly waits on deck fully aware his 88 RBI last year was the lowest total in his five full major league seasons.
As Green fills out his lineup, the first five slots seem secure with the only major question involving Ken Phelps and his ability to his left-handers. The most likely candidate to fill in should Phelps falter is right-handed Gary Ward.
Here's a proposed Opening Day lineup:
1. Henderson, LF
2. Sax, 2B
3. Mattingly, 1B
4. Winfield, RF
5. Phelps, DH
6. Pagliarulo, 3B
7. Slaught, C
8. Kelly, CF
9. Santana, SS
Despite looking top-heavy, this lineup has the possibility of inflicting heavy damage even without career seasons from key players, notably Phelps, Mike Pagliarulo and Don Slaught.
The trio's offensive output will go a long way in determining the Yankees' fate in a season when 90 wins could capture the American League East title.
Green has intimated that Phelps will indeed be his full-time DH, a huge void left with the departure of Clark. Since coming to New York from Seattle for Jay Buhner last July 21, Phelps hit 10 home runs in 107 at-bats.
Through Pagliarulo suffered in the production department last season and hit a meager .216, his hustling, down-in-the-dirt style of play is right up Green's alley. His work ethic is second to none and though the new manager may question his durability (31 missed games in '88), a good start could do wonders for Pags' psyche and the overall outlook of the club.
Center fielder Roberto Kelly, who started  Opening Day '88 but fell to injuries and inconsistency, also relishes the opportunities that lie ahead. With the departure of Claudell Washington, the job is his to lose. Jefferson will be given an opportunity in center, but Kelly's brilliance defensively provides the Yankees with a no-holes outfield.
For all the potential and promise that exists for the Yankees in 1989, the untimely injuries that wreaked havoc last season must be kept to a minimum.
The absence of Randolph for long stretches did more to disrupt the infielder's continuity [sic] than anything. Sax has played in at least 155 games in four of the last six seasons. His youthful energy will add a new level of enthusiasm and continuity to an infield which had six second basemen roam the position over the course of 1988.
Green's major challenge is to salvage a pitching corps which struggled for consistency most of the year. The lack of a true ace, a stopper who could break a losing streak, was never more evident than in August when the starters went 3-17 with a 6.94 ERA. The pitchers as a unit allowed a league-high 157 home runs. Not one starter pitched 200 innings and as a staff recorded just 16 complete games, leaving the bullpen with a heavy work schedule.
But the Yankees received bullpen help from unexpected sources in Hipolito Pena and Dale Mohorcic. Now, the addition of McCullers could limit the number of late-inning appearances for Dave Righetti. A reduction in work load could return Rags to his 1986 form when he posted a major league record 46 saves.
It was no secret that the acquisition of nine pitchers in the off-season told the baseball world where the Yankees needed immediate improvement. The most notable signee was free agent Andy Hawkins of the Padres whose 14-11 record last year immediately earned him status as the staff's anchor. Also plucked out of the free agent market was left-hander Dave LaPoint, who posted a career high 14 wins last season pitching for Pittsburgh and the Chicago White Sox. His durability (213.1 IP in '88) is clearly a major factor in cracking the starting rotation. For many players like Hawkins and LaPoint, Yankee Stadium will become the land of opportunity.
Jones will vie for a spot in the rotation and hope his potential will catch Green's eye. Green, who once proposed using Righetti in the starting rotation, decided Dave's left arm was more valuable in late-inning situations. Rags was successful on 25 of 34 save opportunities last season, and despite his difficulties the past two seasons has earned saves in 162 of 217 save opportunities, a 75% success rate.
Taking a closer look at the 1989 lineup: as a point guard controls the tempo on a basketball court, so does Rickey Henderson on a baseball diamond. New York's record was 40-19 last season in games Henderson reached base safely in the first inning. Whether it's walks (82) or a league leading 93 stolen bases, the Man of Steal's mode of attracting attention on the bases puts pressure on the opposition and makes things happen. Although his home run totals have dropped the last three years from 28 to 17 to six last year, it's Henderson's number of runs scored that most encourages Green. With the left fielder on base creating havoc, Sax follows in the order with the possibility of having two men on base with excellent speed. They set up the three through five hitters. Given the opportunity to run, and taking into account he is in the last year of his contract, Henderson could put up mind boggling numbers.
Sax hitting second: let's make no mistake that Sax was not acquired to win a Gold Glove as a second baseman. His defense has improved tremendously but it's his offensive weaponry and desire that most attracted the Yankee brass to Sax. The fact that his favorite player was Pete Rose tells much about his style of play. Sax will run through a brick wall and then some. The newest second baseman finished third in the National League last season in at-bats (622) and struck out just 51 times. Combined with Henderson's stolen base count, the duo's total of 135 was more than any team total excluding Kansas City (137) and Milwaukee (159).
Why Sax left the friendly confines of Dodger Stadium and a World Championship team boiled down to personal treatment toward the 29-year-old during contract negotiations.
'The attitude was completely different,' Sax said. 'The Yankees treated me as someone they greatly respected.'
Mattingly hitting third: the Yankees' seventh-year first baseman remains the heart and soul of the team he wants desperately to see win a championship.
What went wrong in '88? Perhaps his biggest mistake was made off the field when he guaranteed the Yankees a pennant that never materialized. The self-applied pressure, combined with a season of frustration, spelled great numbers (.311 BA, 18 HR, 88 RBI) for most players. But they were disappointing for a player in Mattingly's stratosphere. Plenty of good things did happen though as Mattingly continued to etch his name in the Yankees' record books. He was named to a fifth straight All-Star team and became only the eighth player in Yankee history, and the first in 30 years, to hit .300 or better in five consecutive seasons.
Much of Mattingly's success is linked to Henderson whom he drove in 37 times. A running Henderson means a productive Mattingly.
Winfield in the cleanup spot: the ageless 37-year-old continues to defy the laws of nature, and last season enjoyed perhaps his finest campaign in Pinstripes. By the All-Star break, the right fielder was hitting .346 with 15 home runs and 62 RBI. His 29 RBI in April broke Don Baylor's American League record of 28 set in 1979. His 2,269 career games places Winfield eighth among active players and he shows no signs of slowing down.
If the fifth and sixth hitters, namely Phelps and Pagliarulo, show signs of life offensively, Winfield could reproduce his outstanding season. If not, Winfield will see few quality pitches.
Phelps hitting sixth: the question is, can Ken Phelps hit left-handed pitching? After coming over from the Mariners, the left-handed hitter showed his power strut in limited playing time. In 45 games with the Yankees, Phelps hit one home run in every 10.7 at-bats. His career statistics at Yankee Stadium show 14 home runs and 32 RBI in 109 at-bats, or one home run every 7.8 at-bats. Phelps is not asked to hit for average but for power, and given significant playing time could help make the Yankees' first five hitters the most feared in baseball.
Pagliarulo hitting sixth: if players were paid by the calluses earned from batting practice, Pags would be a very rich man. No one works harder than the Yankees' third baseman, but his output does not always match his effort. Pagliarulo suffered a major power outage last season going from 32 home runs in 1987 to 15 last season, and 87 RBI to 67. Against lefties he hit just .170 with five home runs. Entering his fifth full season as a Yankee, Pags dodged the trade rumors last season but not three separate hamstring injuries which knocked him out of 31 games. With no legitimate replacement at third, a healthy Pagliarulo is necessary for the Yankees to challenge.
Don Slaught hitting seventh: last season, his first as a Yankee, Slaught recorded his second highest batting average (.283) and second highest totals in doubles (25), home runs (9) and RBI (43). Despite his defensive liabilities (he threw out 12 of 72 runners for a 17% success rate) Slaught's offensive skills are much too valuable to pass up.
Roberto Kelly hitting eighth: his grace in the outfield is a thing of beauty. In a brief stint with the Yankees, Kelly proved he could hit major league pitching. Before he was optioned to Columbus in May, Kelly hit .254 including three multi-hit games. Playing between bookends Henderson and Winfield, Kelly fills out a trio that can blanket the outfield with the best in the game.
'Right now I think Roberto deserves the shot (to start). So I'll give him the opportunity to show what he can do,' Green says.
Rafael Santana hitting ninth: he began his Yankee last year career in dubious fashion by hitting into a triple play in his first at-bat. Santana's role is clearly defined: play steady shortstop and drive in an occasional run. He fulfilled those expectations by hitting .240 with 38 RBI and led the infield defensively with 421 assists. Santana's duet [sic] with Sax on the double play combination will attract much attention in the early going.
The Yankees' bench strength is supplied by sources with a surplus of major league experience. Fourth-year Yankee Wayne Tolleson is extremely valuable as an infield replacement. His ability to play all positions will be a steadying influence as the season progresses and players need rest. Joel Skinner or Jamie Quirk, acquired from Kansas City, will provide backup relief for Slaught.
From the minors, pitcher Scott Nielsen, 13-6 at Columbus last season, is available if a starter encounters trouble. Kevin Maas (.271 BA, 33 HR, 102 RBI), the Yankees' 1988 Minor League Player of the Year, faces the unenviable task of unbridling [sic] Mattingly at first. Third baseman Hensley Meulens, who finished up at Columbus in '88, is at least a year from the major leagues, but his power at Double-A Albany (13 HR, 40 RBI in 79 games) is a sign of things to come.
A solidified bench, a handful of strong minor league prospects and a starting lineup with added firepower makes this season one of intrigue.
Changes were promised. Changes were made.
The new-look Yankees of 1989 hope to make their rite of spring a fall celebration."

-Gregg Mazzola, New York Yankees 1989 Official Yearbook


"Dallas Green is certain he and Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner will co-exist as nicely as birds of a feather. 'We both like to win,' Green said. What, and other teams don't? Despite the loss of Jack Clark (to San Diego) and the age of Dave Winfield (37), the Yankees should get back into the pennant picture after skidding to fifth a year ago. A lot depends on John Candelaria's health and the new pitchers' ability to handle Steinbrenner's pressure. The man still doesn't understand he's disruptive."

-Joe Goddard, Street & Smith's 1989 Baseball

"The New York Yankees believe they're loaded for bear this season with a few new players and a bear of a new manager in Dallas Green. But then, they've had these feelings before They haven't won a division since 1981.
Green, who a few years ago said he'd never manage again, feels he and owner George Steinbrenner will be compatible. Green comes with a Mr. Fixit reputation, having ascended the stairs in Philadelphia as front office honcho to whip a lethargic 1980 team to the world championship and brought the Cubs an '84 division title in only his third year as GM. 'I want to start fresh here,' Green said. 'We have the talent to win and I expect everybody to pull together to do that.'
Steinbrenner and general manager Bob Quinn hope their many winter acquisitions, including second baseman Steve Sax of the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and pitchers Dave LaPoint, Andy Hawkins, Jimmy Jones and Lance McCullers, will be instant fixes for Green, the 16th manager in Steinbrenner's 15 years. The team finished fifth last season under Billy Martin and Lou Piniella when it couldn't recover from a 9-20 record in August. Before departing, Piniella felt he had a team of 'gripers and moaners.'
Green and new coach Billy Connors face a restoration project on the mound, thus all the new pitchers. The 4.24 earned run average was 12th in the league. So was the defense. With Seattle the last two years after being demoted by Green with the Cubs, Connors is Steinbrenner's 29th pitching coach. He inherits a staff that looks like stragglers from Napoleon's army after Waterloo. Each of the top three pitchers- Candelaria (13-7, 3.38 ERA), Rick Rhoden (12-12, 4.20) and Richard Dotson (12-9, 5.00)- spent time on the disabled list. Candelaria's ERA was the lowest for a Yankee starter since Ron Guidry's 3.27 in 1985, but he missed six weeks with an injured knee. Rhoden was traded to the Houston Astros. LaPoint with the White Sox and Pirates and Hawkins and Jones with the San Diego Padres were only a combined 37-38 last year. LaPoint (14-13, 3.25) gives the club left-handed credibility, with or without Candelaria. Hawkins had his second best season (14-11, 3.32) for the Padres. His ERA and 218 innings were better numbers than any Yankee starter. Jones, the nation's top draft choice in 1982, is only 24. Green is throwing out his 9-14, 4.12 in San Diego. 'He has potential written all over him,' Green says. 'He pitched as well as anyone on the Yankees' staff last year.' Jones also pitched 179 innings, second only to Rhoden's 197.
Connors has a two-pronged project in the 23-year-old Al Leiter (4-4, 3.92): good health and renewed confidence from four separate injuries. Green will have to decide where Charlie Hudson (6-6, 4.49), Steve Shields (5-5, 4.37) and Dave Eiland fit. Eiland had a brilliant start in his debut but faded back to the minors with a 6.39 ERA.
McCullers, 25, was the key in the trade that sent Jack Clark to San Diego. The burly right-hander lost his stopper role to Mark Davis. Still, he was 3-6, 2.49 and 10 saves. Green will team him with left-hander Dave Righetti (5-4, 3.52, 25 saves) as the closers. Righetti seemingly has slipped as a dominant reliever. Ready for middle work are workhorse Dale Mohorocic (4-8, 4.22, 6) and Hipolito Pena (109 strikeouts in 105 innings at Triple-A Columbus). Hoping to squeeze in are Lee Guetterman (2.76 at Columbus), Scott Nielsen (13-6 at Columbus) and Don Schulze (10-13 at Toledo).
Sax will be in center ring at second base. Preferred by Green over team captain and 13-year vet Willie Randolph, Sax was given a three-year, $4 million contract off a catalyst season of .277, five homers, 57 RBIs and 42 steals in Los Angeles. Helping him make the transition is first baseman Don Mattingly who can tell Sax about the pressures of playing for Steinbrenner. Mattingly finally broke late in '88 by blasting the owner. A .331 hitter until last season, Mattingly remains a threat off .311, 18, 88. The left side of the infield is iffy with third baseman Mike Pagliarulo (.216, 16, 67 and a strikeout every four at-bats) and shortstop Rafael Santana (.240, 4, 38). Hensley Meulens, being groomed for third, may need AAA seasoning. Wayne Tolleson (.254) and and Randy Velarde (.174) are infield relief.
Two-thirds of the outfield is solid with the never-aging Dave Winfield (.322, 25, 107) and Rickey Henderson (.305, 6, 50), whose 93 steals gave him the league lead for the eighth time in nine years and placed him fourth all-time with 794. A club fear is that Henderson may not respond to Green's impatience. Claudell Washington had a solid year (.308, 11, 64) in center, then opted for free agency with the Angels. Roberto Kelly will be given another chance at center field. A knee problem cost him last year (.247 in 38 games). Bob Brower (.224) was obtained from Texas for Bobby Meacham, and John Fishel (.261, 18, 68 at Tucson) from Houston to lend outfield support with Gary Ward (.225, 4,24).
Catchers are Don Slaught (.283, 9, 43), who lost time to a groin injury, Joel Skinner (.227, 4, 23), Jamie Quirk (.240 for Kansas City) and Bob Geren (.271 at Columbus), while Ken Phelps handles designated hitting after .263, 24, 54 with Seattle and the Yankees."

-Joe Goddard, Street & Smith's 1989 Baseball