1991 Profile: Hensley Meulens

1990 Yankee Minor League Player of the Year

"Figures prominently in Yankees'  plans after big year for Columbus (AAA). Meulens responded well to the move from third base to left field. He tied for second in the International League with 26 home runs and was one RBI behind the leader with 96. He also hit .285.
Born in Curacao, Meulens was signed as a free agent in October 1985."

-John Shea and Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1991 Edition

"Much has been expected of Hensley 'Bam-Bam' Meulens and much has been said about him. The strapping young man from the Netherlands Antilles feels he's ready to put his outstanding five-year minor league career behind him and embark on his next goal- to be the every day left fielder for the New York Yankees. The former third baseman is exactly the kind of player the Yankees can build around in the '90s.
'I'm excited about what could happen this season,' says the 1990 International League Player of the Year. 'I think the main thing I have now is confidence. I know I belong here. I don't want to go back to Triple-A.'
Manager Stump Merrill can see that Meulens is ripe for the majors: 'He's made the adjustment to the outfield and he's matured a great deal. I think he's ready to come of age.' "

-The New York Yankees Official 1991 Yearbook

"Meulens had a tremendous season with the Columbus Clippers in 1990, hitting .285 with 20 doubles, 26 home runs and 96 RBIs over 136 games. He was named International League player of the year, leading the league in total bases (245) and finishing second in home runs and RBIs. Meulens led the Yankee organization in home runs and total bases. With the Clippers he played first base (32 games), third base (15 games) and the outfield (88 games).
He also achieved International League Player of the Week honors for June 17-23 (.409, 4 HR, 9 RBI) and was Player of the Month for June (.309, 7 HR, 25 RBI). He was also named Topps International League Player of the Month for both June and July. Hensley was rated the No. 3 prospect in the International League in the Baseball America post-season rankings.
He had his contract purchased by the Yankees on September 9 and remained with the club through the end of the season. Upon promotion, Hensley played in 23 games of which 22 were starts (all in left field). He hit .241 with seven doubles, three home runs and 10 RBIs.
He started out hot, getting five hits in his first 10 at-bats. He had his first assist in his first game on September 10 against Texas, getting Steve Buechele trying to stretch a single into a double in the eighth inning of a tied game. Hensley had a big game against Texas two days later, going 2-for-4 with his first major league home run (off Charlie Hough) and an assist on a play at the plate in the seventh inning.
Hensley cooled down after his first three games, going 1-for-20 from September 13-18, including an 0-for-16 skid. He broke out of the slump on September 19 at Toronto, going 2-for-4 with a home run off Jimmy Key.
From September 22-29, Hensley hit in a season-best seven straight games, going 10-for-29 (.345) with a homer and four RBIs to raise his season average 50 points to .275. He had his big game on September 25 against Baltimore, going 2-for-5 with a home run (off Mike Smith) and four RBIs. Hensley ended the season going 1-for-14, bringing his batting average down 34 points to a season-ending .241.
He struck out 25 times with a batting average of .345 when putting the ball in play. The Yankees were 10-12 in his 22 starts. He hit .319 (15-for-47) at home, .139 (5-for-36) on the road, .290 (9-for-31) against left-handers, .212 (11-for-52) against right-handers.
He signed a contract for the 1991 season. After the season he played winter ball in the Dominican Republic and led the circuit in hitting with a .338 (44-for-130) batting average with three home runs and 20 RBIs over 36 games.
Meulens began the 1989 season with the AA Albany-Colonie Yankees. He hit .257 with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs in 104 games. He was promoted to AAA Columbus on August 9 but still managed to finish tied for second on the Albany club in home runs (11) and lead the Eastern League in hit by pitches (9).
With Columbus, Meulens appeared in 14 games and hit .289 with four doubles, a home run and three RBIs. He was recalled by the Yankees on August 23 and spent the remainder of the season with them. He made eight consecutive starts (August 23-29) and then did not see action again.
On August 23, Hensley made his major league debut, going 1-for-3 against the Red Sox and getting his first major league hit, a 7th inning single off Mike Boddicker. His only RBI came on August 25 against Baltimore, a 9th inning single off Jeff Ballard driving in the lone Yankee run in a 3-1 loss. His only multi-hit game came on August 28, a two-hit effort against Oakland.
Meulens began the 1988 season at Albany-Colonie of the AA Eastern League and batted .245 in 79 games with nine doubles, 13 home runs and 40 RBIs along with 96 strikeouts. He was named as the starter at third base in the Eastern League All-Star Game. He started all 79 games at third base and committed 23 errors but did tie for the Eastern League lead in double plays by a third baseman (18).
He was promoted to AAA Columbus on July 5 and played 55 games with the Clippers, batting .230 with nine doubles, six home runs and 22 RBIs along with 61 strikeouts. Hensley played 54 games at third for the Clippers and committed 14 errors. He was added to the Yankees 40-man roster in November.
Meulens was signed by the Yankees as a free agent on October 31, 1985 by Yankee scout Fred Ferreira and was recommended by Yankee scout Dick Groch. He played 59 games in 1986, his first professional season, at 'A' Sarasota and batted .233 in 59 games with four home runs and 31 RBIs along with 66 strikeouts. He led the Gulf Coast League in strikeouts while leading the league's third basemen in games (59), total chances (178), putouts (40) and assists (118). Meulens was named as the third baseman on the Gulf Coast League All-Star team.
He began the 1987 season at 'A' Prince William where he played 116 games and batted .300 (129-for-430) with 76 runs, 23 doubles, 28 home runs, 103 RBIs, 14 stolen bases and 124 strikeouts. He led the Carolina League in home runs and led the league's third basemen in errors (37). Hensley was named to the 1987 Carolina League All-Star team as a utility infielder. He finished the season by playing 17 games at 'A' Ft. Lauderdale where he hit .172 (10-for-58) with two RBIs and 25 strikeouts.
Hensley is a native of Curacao (part of the Netherlands Antilles, located in the Caribbean Sea) and still resides there."

-1991 New York Yankees Information Guide

1991 Profile: Matt Nokes

"When the Yankees traded for Matt Nokes, everyone was well aware of his offensive capabilities. So it was no surprise when Nokes put up impressive offensive numbers as a lethal pinch-hitter and one of the team's best clutch hitters.
'The Yankees have gotten too right-handed in a park where you need left-handers to win,' says General Manager Gene Michael. 'Getting Matt Nokes, with his proven left-handed power, gave us that needed strength against right-handed pitching.'
What the Yankees received as a bonus were defensive skills that far exceeded Nokes' reputation. Sometimes regarded as a weak defensive catcher, he has proven his critics wrong. He's healthy, and thanks to a stint in the off-season instructional league he's steadily improved his defense.
Matt Nokes is now determined to help the Yankees both behind and in front of the plate."

-New York Yankees Official 1991 Yearbook

"Last year Nokes was acquired on June 4 from Detroit in exchange for pitchers Clay Parker and Lance McCullers. At the time of the trade he was hitting .270 (30-for-111) with five doubles, one triple, three home runs and eight RBIs over 44 games. He was 0-for-4 against left-handers and 30-for-107 against right-handers. Of his 44 games, 15 were starts as a catcher and he threw out four of 14 baserunners.
For the Yankees, Nokes hit .238 with eight homers and 32 RBIs in 92 games, and overall in 1990 hit .248 with 11 home runs and 40 RBIs in 136 games. He hit his first six home runs for the Yankees in 95 at-bats after hitting three in 111 at-bats for the Tigers.
Matt joined the club on June 5 in Boston and made a start at DH that evening, going 1-for-3. He started out slow, hitting .167 (4-for-24) with no homers with three RBIs in his first nine games, then got hot quickly, hitting .333 (12-for-36) with four home runs and 13 RBIs over the final 13 games of June to finish the month with a .267 average with four home runs and 16 RBIs in 22 games.
His first home run as a Yankee came at the Stadium on June 17 against Toronto off Todd Stottlemyre. His second came on June 21 at Toronto, a three-run pinch-hit blast off Duane Ward, followed on June 23 by another off Stottlemyre and a second pinch-hit shot on June 26 at home off Milwaukee's Chuck Crim.
Nokes remained hot going into the break, going 6-for-19 in the final seven games prior. On July 7 at Minnesota, he started in right field, his first start there since May 26, 1987. At the break he was hitting .278 with five home runs and 18 RBIs over 29 games. In the first six games after the break, he hit .438 (7-for-16) with a homer and three RBIs, reaching a season high batting average of .305 on July 18.
His batting average and output fell off over the rest of the month, with Matt hitting .121 (4-for-33, all singles) with no RBIs over 12 games, dropping his batting average to .258. Overall he hit .250 in July with two homers and five RBIs in 25 games.
Matt had an almost identical August (.250, 3 HR, 5 RBI). He started the month 0-for-9 and then went 3-for-10 in his next three contests. From August 10-26 he hit .143 (5-for-35) with two RBIs over 13 games to drop his average to .241. On August 29 in Baltimore, Nokes hit the first of back-to-back home runs with Maas, his eighth and final homer of the season; Nokes finished the season with 60 homerless at-bats.
He ended the month strong, hitting .389 (7-for-18) with two home runs to raise his batting average to .255. He played 24 games in August (17 starts). His slowest month production was September/October as he hit .173 (9-for-52) with a double and five RBIs. Matt had two hits in his first 21 September at-bats and finished the season going 6-for-31 with three hits in his final nine at-bats.
His overall 1990 batting average of .248 was his lowest for a season since becoming a regular in 1987, but his home runs (11) and RBIs (40) were up from his 1989 totals. His 136 games played for Detroit and New York were the most he has ever played in a major league season.
Nokes hit .308 in day games, .211 in night games and .317 on turf. As a Yankee, he hit .239 with all eight of his homers and 30 of his RBIs against right-handed pitching, .200 with two of his RBIs against lefties. He started 63 games and the Yankees went 26-37: 14-23 with Nokes catching, 1-0  with him in right, 11-14 with him as DH.
In the 37 games he caught, the staff had an ERA of 4.96 (314 IP, 173 ER) and he allowed seven passed balls. He caught 10 of 41 (24%) potential base stealers.
He signed a contract for the 1991 season.
Nokes was selected by the San Francisco Giants out of high school in the 20th round of the June 1981 free agent draft. On October 7, 1985, he was traded with pitchers Dave LaPoint and Eric King to the Detroit Tigers for pitcher Juan Berenguer, catcher Bob Melvin and a player to be named later (pitcher Scott Medvin in December 1985).
Recalled from Nashville in September 1986, Matt had a three-game hitting streak from September 25-28 (6-for-10, .600). He hit his first American League home run on October 5 at Baltimore off Ken Dixon.
In 1987, Matt batted .319 with 20 home runs and 51 RBIs in the first half and was named to the American League All-Star team. He struggled early in the second half (18-for-102, .176) but rebounded strongly in a 19-game stretch from August 26-September 18 (28-for-67, .418). His two-out eighth-inning RBI single off Cleveland's Tom Candiotti was the only Tiger hit in a 2-1 Detroit victory on September 2.
He belted two grand slams: on April 30 off Mike Cook at California and on September 26 off John Cerutti at Toronto. He clubbed two home runs in a game three times: against Texas on May 25, at Boston on June 7 and at Toronto on September 26, a game in which he collected six RBIs.
Nokes became the first Tiger rookie to hit 30 home runs since Rudy York in 1937. He was voted Tiger Rookie of the Year by the Detroit sportswriters.
He was third on the squad with 16 home runs in 1988. He appeared in 122 games, making 103 starts behind the plate. He improved his percentage of throwing out would-be base stealers dramatically, catching 31 of 81 (38%) after nabbing 18 of 71 (20%) in 1987.
Nokes hit two home runs and collected five RBIs in an 11-6 Detroit victory at Boston on April 7. He was 4-for-8 with three homers, four runs and five RBIs in back-to-back wins against Seattle on April 30 and May 1; Nokes single-handedly beat the Mariners, 3-2, on May 1, driving in all three runs and hitting two homers off Mike Moore.
He enjoyed an eight-game hitting streak from June 8-19 (13-for-30, .433) and on June 19 had four hits against Toronto. On August 4 against Boston, he was 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and two RBIs in an 11-6 Tiger victory. Matt batted .320 (32-for-100) from August 18-October 2, raising his batting average from .227 to a season-ending .251.
His 1989 season was interrupted on June 16 when he tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in 9th inning home plate collision with California's Chilli Davis. At the time of the injury Matt was among the team leaders with seven homers and 29 RBIs. He returned to action on August 5 after missing 41 games.
Matt had five home runs and 16 RBIs in April. He homered and had four RBIs against Seattle on April 25, and on May 29 stroked his third career grand slam off Eric King at Chicago. He did not homer again until September 22 against Boston. He had two four-hit games, both against Boston, on June 14 at Fenway Park and on September 23 in Detroit.
He injured his right shoulder on August 30 and was limited to designated hitter duty for the rest of the season. He batted .286 in 33 games as a DH. In 51 appearances as a catcher, he threw out 19 of 57 (33%) baserunners.
Matt played baseball and basketball for Patrick Henry High School in San Diego. As a senior, he batted a school-record .429 and was both captain and team MVP. As a junior, he led both the baseball and basketball teams to city titles."

-1991 New York Yankees Information Guide

1991 Profile: Roberto Kelly

"The center fielder has a chance to be a star. Kelly finished third in the American League with 183 hits and third with 42 steals and led Yankee regulars with a .285 batting average despite 148 strikeouts. He led the club with 85 runs scored and was second in RBI with 61 despite batting leadoff most of the year; he played in all 162 games.
Born in Panama City, Panama, Kelly was signed by the Yankees as a free agent in February 1982. He's been a much better hitter in the big leagues than he was in the minors, where he compiled a .260 lifetime batting average."

-John Shea and Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1991 Edition

"As a player in the Yankee minor league system, Roberto Kelly brandished talents worth keeping an eye on.
There was the speed on the bases, the skill at the plate, and deftness in the outfield.
The 26-year-old Panamanian enjoyed his finest season as a pro in 1990. Kelly was durable; he played 162 games, joining Roy White as the only Yankee outfielders to ever accomplish the feat. Kelly was productive; he finished the season hitting .285 with 15 home runs and 61 RBIs. He stole 42 bases, third in the American League, including a theft of home plate versus the Toronto Blue Jays.
In the outfield, Kelly ranked 12th in the league with a .988 fielding percentage and finished the season with 39 straight errorless games.
Look for this burgeoning star to once again be the center of attention in 1991."

-The New York Yankees 1991 Official Yearbook

"A consistent player on the 1990 club, Kelly enjoyed a fine season, hitting .285 with 15 home runs, 61 RBIs, 42 stolen bases, playing in all 162 games. He made his first error of the year in game 25 on May 8, breaking a string of 90 consecutive errorless games dating back to July 14, 1989, and played every inning of every game through May 26 (40 games).
Kelly started out hot, hitting .317 with four steals in eight tries in April. He made 17 starts and hit safely in 14 games, with four multi-hit efforts. He had eight hits in his first 21 at-bats, went 0-for-6 over two games and then ended the month by hitting safely in nine straight (11-for-33).
He struck out 10 times and his batting average was .380 when putting the ball in play. On April 17 in Detroit during the second inning, Roberto was caught stealing twice in one inning (once after reaching base safely on an error), becoming the fifth player in major league history to do so.
Roberto hit .280 in May with two home runs and 15 RBIs. He hit .315 over the first 25 games but was 1-for-15 over the final five contests. He played in all 27 games (26 starts) and hit safely in 20. He had trouble with strikeouts, fanning 32 times, yet his batting average was .400 (30-for-75) when he made contact. Roberto's last time over .300 in 1990 was on May 30 (.301) when he went 0-for-4, dropping his average to .293.
He hit a solid .282 in June but his production was down (2 HR, 3 RBI). He was hitting .275 on June 10 but hit .329 (24-for-73) over the final 18 games in June to bring his season batting average to .289.
On June 20 at Milwaukee Roberto had a game-winning, two-out solo homer in the ninth inning off Chuck Crim to give the Yankees a 5-4 win. On June 22 at Toronto, he had the first of two four-hit games.
At the break, Kelly was hitting .286 with 16 doubles, four home runs, 25 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. He hit.275 in July, starting 28 of 29 games, and it was his biggest month production-wise (7 2B, 4 HR, 18 RBI). He cut down on his strikeouts (24) and had a .344 batting average when he made contact.
On July 6 against Minnesota Kelly had the game-winning RBI in the 12th inning to give the Yankees a 5-4 win. On July 29, he had his second career four-RBI game in an 8-5 Yankee win.
Roberto had his best average in August when he hit .320 (6 HR, 11 RBI). He hit in a season best 10 straight games August 18-27 with a .400 average (18-for-45), five doubles, two home runs, six RBIs and six stolen bases, bringing his season average up 10 points to .297.
On August 21 against Toronto, Roberto had two steals including one of home, the first Yankee to steal home since Claudell Washington on September 15, 1988. The following day he hit his first Yankee Stadium home run of the season (off John Cerutti) after hitting his first eight on the road.
Roberto was named American League Player of the Week (along with Dave Parker) for the week of August 20-26. During that week he batted .406 (13-for-32) with four doubles, two homers, five RBIs and six stolen bases. He was the first Yankee to win the award since Don Mattingly (week of July 17, 1988). Kelly capped off August by hitting a home run off Greg Harris at Boston in his final at-bat of the month.
He hit .254 (31-for-122) in September/October. Kelly struck out for the 142nd time on September 24 against Baltimore (Curt Schilling), setting the all-time Yankee strikeout record which was surpassed by Jesse Barfield. He finished the season with 39 straight errorless games. After the break, he hit .285 with 16 doubles, 11 home runs, 36 RBIs and 24 stolen bases.
For the 1990 season, Kelly led the club in seven offensive categories including games played (162), at-bats (641), runs (85), hits (183), total bases (268), doubles (32) and triples (4). He led the club with 52 multi-hit games (tied for fifth in AL) and in two-hit games (38), three-hit games (12) and four-hit games (2). Kelly ranked in the league in at-bats (2nd), caught stealing (tied for 2nd), hits (3rd), stolen bases (3rd), strikeouts (6th) and total bases (10th). He and San Diego's Joe Carter were the only two to play 162 games in 1990; Kelly became only the fifth Yankee to play all 162 games.
He started 155 games (144 in center field, 11 in left) and had three lead-off-the-game home runs (July 29 at Cleveland off Cecilio Guante, August 6 against Cleveland off Greg Swindell, September 25 against Baltimore off Anthony Telford) and had 22 two-out RBIs.
Roberto contributed five outfield assists and ranked 12th in the AL with a .988 fielding percentage.
He teamed with Steve Sax to become the first Yankee duo to each steal at least 40 bases since Birdie Cree (48) and Bert Daniels (40) in 1911. The Yankees became the first club to have two of the top three in the league since the 1975 Oakland Athletics had Billy North (75, 1st) and Bert Campaneris (54, 3rd).
Roberto stole 42 bases in 59 tries, a 71 % success rate. For his career he has 91 steals in 125 tries, a 73% success rate. In 1990, his longest stretch without being caught was nine straight  (May 6-12). Roberto stole 35 of his bases (83%) when the Yankees were leading or trailing by two runs or less. He stole third successfully five times in seven attempts.
He is signed for the 1991 season.
Roberto had a career major league average of .256 in two short stints entering 1989 but put together an outstanding season, hitting .302 as the Yankee starting center fielder.
He started the season with a bang, getting his first career four-hit game with a home run (off Juan Berenguer), two RBIs and two stolen bases. Roberto had a five-game hit streak from April 14-19 (8-for-17), getting a two-hit and a three-hit game in that span. He also had a career-high four-RBI game on April 17 at Toronto. For the month, he hit a club-best .329 (24-for-73) and made two errors.
He started out slowly in May, as over the first ten games (May 2-13) he hit .115 (3-for-26), dropping his average to .278. Then, from May 14-20, Roberto hit in seven straight games (12-for-25, .480). He was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 26 with a sprained left wrist which he aggravated diving for a ball the previous evening against California and remained on the DL until June 12. He hit .254 for the month of May.
Roberto started playing again on June 14 and hit in five straight (7-for-16), raising his average from .294 to .309. A 2-for-2 effort on June 16 (first game) put him over .300 to stay for the season. Overall in June, he reached base safely in 14 of 16 games, hitting .340 for the month.
July was his best month offensively, with Roberto hitting .349 (30-for-86) with 15 RBIs. He had a four-game hitting streak  (4-for-12) from July 5-8 that included a home run off Roger Clemens in Boston. He was hitting .312 with five errors at the break; he committed his sixth and final error of the 1989 season in the third game after the break (July 14, second game). From July 19-26, Roberto hit in eight straight games (11-for-29, .379), and for the month reached safely in 24 of 27 games including the final 13 games.
He continued his torrid hitting in August with a .324 (33-for-105) mark for the month. Roberto hit in a career best 11 straight games from July 29-August 7 (20-for-38, .526), and from July 19-August 7 reached base in 20 straight games while hitting .470 to raise his average from .305 to .341. In Minnesota he went 4-for-4 on August 11 and 2-for-4 on August 12 to boost his batting average to .345, his highest mark since the third game of the season.
Roberto hit .197 (12-for-61) with 15 strikeouts during the rest of August to give him a .324 average for the month. September was his slowest month, as he hit .188 (12-for-64) with three home runs and six RBIs. His post-break average was .291.
For the season, Roberto ranked first on the club in on-base percentage (.369), second in stolen bases (35), second in sacrifice hits (8), fourth in runs (65), games (137) and hits (133), and sixth in doubles (18). He hit .273 (27-for-99) with men in scoring position and was fourth on the club in multi-hit games with 34. Roberto reached single-game career highs in hits (4, twice), stolen bases (4) and runs (4). He hit .316 in day games and .264 at night, .372 against left-handed pitchers and .267 against right-handed pitchers, and .317 at home and .288 on the road.
He stole 35 bases in 47 attempts (74%), bringing his career mark to 49 steals in 66 attempts (74%). He teamed with Steve Sax (43 steals) to become the first Yankee tandem to each steal 30-plus bases since Mickey Rivers (43) and Roy White (31) in 1976.
In the outfield, Roberto contributed nine assists (second on the club to Jesse Barfield) and his .984 fielding percentage ranked 15th in the league. He committed one error after the break (July 14) and ended the year with 66 straight errorless games.
Roberto was signed as a free agent by the Yankees (scout Fred Ferreira) on February 21, 1982. In his first pro season he hit .198 at Bradenton in 31 games, and in 1983 batted .265 in 20 games at Greensboro and .216 in 48 games in Oneonta. In 111 games with Greensboro in 1984, Roberto hit .238 with 68 runs and 42 stolen bases. He batted .247 in 1985 in 114 games at Ft. Lauderdale of the 'A' Florida State League, had 86 runs along with 49 stolen bases and led that circuit with 13 triples.
In 1986, Roberto batted .291 in 86 games with the Albany-Colonie Yankees (AA Eastern League) with 11 doubles, two homers, 43 RBIs, 42 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. He was placed on the disabled list on July 10 due to the presence of bone chips in his right ankle and was not activated until August 23. Roberto was named to the Eastern League All-Star team but was unable to play due to his injury.
Roberto spent the first part of the 1987 season with the Columbus Clippers before being recalled to New York on July 29. At that point, he was hitting .300 in 102 games with the Clippers, with 10 home runs, 54 RBIs, 48 stolen bases and six times caught stealing.

He made his major league debut with the Yankees on July 29 against Kansas City at Yankee Stadium, going 0-for-3 with a run scored and two stolen bases. His first major league hit came on July 30 off the Royals' Bud Black, a first-inning double. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI (his first in the majors) on August 1 against Detroit. Roberto's first major league home run came on August 6 at Detroit, a three-run homer in the eighth inning off Willie Hernandez; his three RBIs in that game was his single-game high.

Roberto was optioned to Columbus on August 14 after playing 10 games with the Yankees, hitting .300 (6-for-20) with a homer, five RBIs and three stolen bases. He remained with the Clippers until the conclusion of their season, finishing with a .278 batting average with 13 home runs and 62 RBIs, and was 51 of 61 in stolen base attempts. His 51 stolen bases led the International League, and he was named as the designated hitter on the postseason IL all-star team.

He was recalled to the Yankees on September 10 and had his first big league three-hit game on September 22 at Milwaukee (second game) when he also recorded his first major league game-winning RBI. In his two stints with the Yankees, Roberto combined to play in 23 games, batting .269 (14-for-52) with a home run and seven RBIs, stealing nine bases in 12 attempts and scoring 12 runs in those 23 games. He also had five walks and 15 strikeouts and had four multi-hit games.

In 1988, an injury-plagued year cut his season short. Roberto began the season on the Yankees roster but was optioned to Columbus on May 21. At the time of his option he was hitting .254 (15-for-59) with five RBIs.

Roberto had three multi-hit games in that time, including two three-hit games: on April 5 against Minnesota, when he started as the Opening Day center fielder and went 3-for-4, and on April 14 at Toronto, going 3-for-4. In that April 14 game, he was 1-for-2 in stolen base attempts, getting caught attempting to steal home.

Following his option, Roberto played 30 games with the Clippers, batting .333 (40-for-120) with three homers and 16 RBIs, and was successful on 11 of 14 stolen base attempts. He was recalled to New York on June 24, and on that day hit a leadoff home run off Cleveland's Tom Candiotti at Yankee Stadium, his only home run of the year and one of the two leadoff home runs hit by the Yankees in 1988.

He hit safely in his first four games back, June 24-28, and coupled with his base hit on May 17 (his final game before his option), his five-game hitting streak from May 17-June 28 was a career high, with Roberto going 5-for-19 in those five games. In the final game of that streak, against Detroit, he was injured running against the center field wall attempting to catch a triple hit by Pat Sheridan in the 9th inning. Roberto suffered a sprained left wrist and a bruised right knee and was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 30. He was transferred to the 30-day DL on July 25 and was activated on September 2.

Roberto made 10 appearances with the Yankees after that, all in a pinch-running or defensive replacement capacity, and did not have any plate appearances due to his sprained left wrist. He recorded a stolen base in each of three successive pinch-running appearances from September 8-11 and scored twice as a pinch runner.

Overall for the season Roberto batted .247 (19-for-77) in 38 games (making plate appearances in 23 of them, and none after his June 28 injury) with a home run and seven RBIs, and was successful in five out of seven stolen base attempts- he has outstanding speed.

"Roberto played Little League and in 1982 graduated from Instituto Jose Delores Moscote, a high school in Panama City, where he played baseball, basketball and volleyball."

-1991 New York Yankees Information Guide

A SHINING STAR
"Think about all the things Roberto Kelly can do.
Can he run? Kelly ranked among the league leaders in stolen bases by recording 30-plus steals for the second straight season last year.
Can he hit? Kelly batted .302 in 1989, his first full major league campaign, and was around the .300 mark most of the 1990 season.
Can he play defense? Kelly already compares to the better center fielders in either league.
Last season Kelly displayed his resiliency and dependability through the long haul of the 162-game schedule by playing in every game. He became only the second outfielder in Yankee history to accomplish this feat, joining Roy White who performed the deed in 1973. As of May 2, only Baltimore's Cal Ripken (1,430) and Toronto's Joe Carter (365) had played more consecutive games among active players than Kelly's 180 straight.
'It's really exciting to look and think about the things I can do,' Kelly says. 'I feel I can put some good numbers out there and accomplish some good things.'
Versus the Tigers on April 11, three games into the '91 season, Kelly's words rang prophetic. Although the Yankees went down to defeat 11-5 that afternoon, he displayed the tools of a certain-to-be major league all-star.
After going 1-for-8 in the season's first two games, Kelly broke it into the open in the series finale. In four trips to the plate, he ripped a first-inning 400-foot, three-run homer to make the score 3-0. He later brought home a run on a sacrifice fly, and ended the afternoon with a run-scoring double for a career high five-RBI day.
But the third-year Yankee is not one to rest on his laurels. Kelly, who turned 26 last October, recognizes he is still in the proving stage.
On the whole, the center fielder's performance through the first of May has reflected the slow start of the entire team. His skills now make him the player Manager Stump Merrill will mold his team around.
His outstanding offensive effort in '90 and the diminished power of Don Mattingly gave Merrill the idea of putting Kelly in the No. 3 spot often reserved for a team's best hitter. Mattingly would have the opportunity to see better pitches and Kelly the chance to drive in more runs in the new alignment.
As the third hitter, Kelly went 10-for-42 and had a team-leading 10 RBI to start the season. Speedy second baseman Steve Sax was placed in the leadoff spot and Mattingly would follow. But Kelly was not getting enough opportunities to steal bases and create some offense for a team that was last in on-base percentage in 1990. So Merrill moved him to the leadoff spot on April 23.
Although Kelly's propensity for striking out (148 in 1990) is not an ideal match for a leadoff hitter, his ability to get on base and generate some excitement is a top priority at this juncture of the season. While the leadoff spot is not unfamiliar terrain for the center fielder, it may not necessarily be the most comfortable spot, either.
'I have always been a leadoff hitter, but I don't see myself as a leadoff hitter because I strike out a lot,' says Kelly, who had nine strikeouts in 61 at-bats entering May. 'The team is not winning so if they move me up or down, I don't mind.'
Kelly is already proving he is a wiser hitter. Last year he collected just 33 walks in 641 at-bats. Through 17 games this season, he's already totaled 13 free passes.
'He's a year older, a year more mature and a year smarter,' Merrill adds. 'His best days are ahead of him, and he's a quality player right now.'
'I hit .302 in 1989,' says Kelly, 'and they said, 'It was just a fluke. He's just lucky.' Now when I was hitting .300 against last season they say, 'Maybe he can hit .300. Can he hit home runs?' So I started hitting home runs.'
Kelly reached double figures in home runs for only the second time in his nine-year pro career last season. The only other time he accomplished the feat was in 1987 when he totaled 13 home runs playing for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. Kelly was never regarded as much of a power hitter. He never thought of himself that way, either.
'Honestly, it did surprise me,' Kelly says of the muscle he showed last year. 'I knew I was going to hit some home runs because I felt stronger, but I didn't think I'd have that many and I was surprised at the place I'm hitting home runs. I'm hitting them to right-center.'
But there is a renewed confidence about his ability to hit the long ball. There are no lingering doubts about whether the deep fences at the Stadium are beyond his power range. Kelly predicts he'll top the 15 home runs of last year.
'Hell, yeah,' says Kelly. 'I wasn't even thinking about hitting home runs last year. It was only once or twice where I tried to hit a home run, and I did.' For a right-handed hitter such as Kelly, that's a quite a shot at Yankee Stadium.
'I've learned I have what it takes to hit home runs,' he says. 'I don't have to try too hard to hit them. I know I have the strength to hit some home runs.'
Kelly gained that strength prior to the start of the 1990 season when he decided to begin a weightlifting program. When he reported to spring training he had added considerable bulk to his upper body.
'I did it on my own because I wanted to be injury-free,' he says. 'At the end of the 1989 season, I was kind of tired. I did the weights and it worked out pretty good.
'It shows out there. It makes a difference. I don't recall one day of the season where I felt tired or had to ask for a day off.'
Kelly has set his goal for this season. He is determined to reduce his strikeout total.
'At the beginning of last season I wasn't being selective,' he says. 'I wasn't picking up the rotation of the ball. You realize you will not get too far doing that. I know this year I have to be more selective.'
Kelly noted that his batting average remained high despite the too-frequent strikeouts. 'If I can cut down on the strikeouts, who knows what could happen?' he says.
There is little doubt that Kelly will continue to get better and better. Meanwhile, there are many parts of his ever-expanding game to which he can point with pride. There are two elements, though, that he will always prize above others.
'I've always been proud of my defense. I said defense was No. 1. What got me here was defense and speed, so that's what I talk about.' "

-1991 New York Yankees Scorebook and Souvenir Program

R.I.P. Bob Friend

1991 New York Yankees Manager and Coaches Profiles

STUMP MERRILL (Manager)
"Received his dream job when he was named to replace Bucky Dent as Yankees manager on June 6. Merrill inherited an 18-31 disaster and compiled a 49-64 record the rest of the way. He kept the team pushing to the end, a credit to the manager, and should be the right man to oversee the extensive rebuilding given his experience with young players and his knowledge of the farm system.
At the time of his appointment, Merrill had led AAA Columbus to a 33-25 record and first place in the Western Division of the International League. He begins his 15th consecutive season in the Yankee organization.
Merrill has proven to be a successful minor league manager in the Yankees' farm system as indicated by a 783-544 (.590) career record, seven division titles and three league championships. In 1989 he took over at Class-A Prince William in the Carolina League on May 21 and led the Cannons to a 54-43 record and eventual league championship. Merrill was named minor league coordinator in 1988, then stepped in as Albany (AA) manager on June 6, leading the club to the Eastern League title. In 1987, he coached first base for the Yankees.
After spending his entire six-year playing career as a catcher in the Philadelphia system, Merrill joined the Yankees organization in 1977 as pitching coach at West Haven (AA). Prior to beginning his professional coaching and managing career, he spent time at his alma mater, the University of Maine, as an assistant baseball coach under the late Jack Butterfield. Merrill joined the managerial ranks in 1978 at West Haven and led his clubs to playoffs or championships in five of seven years.
Merrill was born in Brunswick, Maine."

-John Shea and Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1991 Edition

"It would be difficult to convince even the most die-hard Yankee fans that the 1991 team has a shot at the brass ring. On the other hand, it is almost equally as tough to have a conversation with Manager Carl 'Stump' Merrill and not feel like the Yankees can be contenders this season.
'I've been excited for months,' said Merrill just before the start of spring training. 'I know we're obviously not going to be the odds-on favorite, but I really think we can surprise some people.'
A positive approach is perhaps the best way to describe the Yankee skipper. 'Everything we deal with will be in positives,' says Merrill. 'We're going to block out all the negatives and deal with everything in a positive way.'
How can Merrill, whose team finished last a year ago, remain upbeat? Partly because he is optimistic by nature. But also, think of the excitement that anyone has after a new job or promotion. That feeling was magnified several times over for Merrill, who spent 14 years as a highly successful manager in the Yankee minor league system before getting his chance in the majors.
And now that he's arrived, Merrill also knows that it takes more than a bright outlook to win games. Make no mistake, his positive demeanor is not to be confused with a lack of perspective. Merrill is a no-nonsense type of guy who combines a positive attitude with a hard-nosed approach to this game.
'It's obvious that we haven't been good enough, and that we need to improve,' says Merrill. 'We're coming at it with the idea that each day we will be better than the day before.' "

-The New York Yankees Official 1991 Yearbook

"Appointed Yankee manager on June 6, 1990, Stump is the 29th man ever to manage the Yankees. 1991 marks his 15th consecutive year in the Yankee organization.
At the time of his appointment as manager, Stump had led AAA Columbus to a 33-25 record and first place in the Western Division of the International League. He took over an 18-31 Yankee club and led them to a 49-64 record through the rest of 1990. Merrill was awarded a two-year contract extension, through the 1992 season, on August 19.
Merrill proved to be a successful minor league manager in the Yankee system as indicated by a 783-544 (.590) career record, seven division championships and three league championships. He was named Minor League Coordinator in 1988, then stepped in as AA Albany manager on June 6, leading the club to the Eastern Division title of the Eastern League. In 1989, Stump took over the Class-A Prince William club on May 21 and led the Cannons to a 54-43 record and the league championship.
He started the 1985 campaign as the Yankees first base coach. He switched positions with Doug Holmquist, going to Columbus as manager on May 7 when Billy Martin returned as manager of the Yankees. Merrill spent the 1986 season as the club's administrative coach, with special emphasis on positioning the team's defense from his press box seat as well as working with manager Lou Piniella on a variety of day-to-day responsibilities. In 1987, he was the Yankees' first base coach.
After spending his entire six-year playing career as a catcher in the Phillies farm system, Merrill joined the Yankees organization in 1977 as pitching coach at West Haven (AA). Prior to beginning his professional coaching and managing career, he spent time at his alma mater, the University of Maine, as an assistant baseball coach under the late Jack Butterfield.
He joined the managerial ranks in 1978 at West Haven. Stump led the clubs he managed to playoffs or outright championships in five of seven years from 1978-84, guiding his 1978 and 1982 teams to league championships. He was named manager of the Eastern League All-Star team in 1978. In 1980, he led Nashville to a league record 97 wins."

-1991 New York Yankees Information Guide

MEET THE MANAGER: STUMP LEADS THE WAY
"It took 14 years for Carl 'Stump' Merrill to get this close to home. On June 6, 1990, Merrill took his rightful place in the Yankee dugout at Fenway Park wearing the manager's cap that for so long eluded him.
The native of nearby Brunswick, Maine cherished the day when he was at the helm of his own big league team. With friends and family in the stands, Merrill would for the time being dismiss the team's standing in the AL East cellar. This was a moment to savor.
But good times would not roll for long as the summer of '90 was laden with sore arms, an impotent offense and a bad back that reduced Don Mattingly to a mere mortal being.
The 46-year-old Yankee manager would have to rely on every ounce of positive energy his body could muster. While his first taste of major league managing was at times acrid, the nibble was all too alluring.
'It took some time to get adjusted,' said Merrill on his first few weeks in the majors. 'But then you realize this is the real thing and you just try to have the same success that you had before. All you do is try your best.'
After a six-year playing career in the minors netted Merrill a lifetime .233 batting average, he opted to join the coaching ranks and put his experience to good use.
In 1977, he landed his first coaching job in West Haven as the pitching coach for the Yankees Double-A squad. Merrill found he thoroughly enjoyed the interaction with the minor league prospects and his passion for the sport was being fulfilled.
From 1977-84, the young Merrill managed his teams to the playoffs or outright championships five times. He was weaned through the managing system and his resume would resemble a Trip-Tik. But he won. Whether it was Nashville, Fort Lauderdale or Prince William or Columbus, Merril proved his managing methods were quite effective.
The 29th Yankee-manager-to-be would break stride from his minor league duties and assist the parent club in different endeavors. In 1985 he started the season in New York as the first base coach before returning to managing in Columbus. The following season he was back in Yankee Stadium as the administrative coach for manager Lou Piniella. In 1987 he would reappear as the Yankees first base coach.
By 1990, with rumors swirling around incumbent manager Bucky Dent of his imminent dismissal, Merrill was summoned to Boston on that fateful June day to resuscitate a team with an 18-31 record.
'When I arrived in Boston I don't think there was any kind of attitude problem or anything like that,' Merrill says. 'We just dug ourselves a hole early and we couldn't get out. I think the guys were really upset because they were not satisfied with their performance.'
The Merrill-led Yankees proceeded to lose four straight games and the heat emanating from the manager's seat was now at a full boil.
By mid-June they were 14-and-a-half games behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays and fading fast. But something funny happened on the way to their next road trip. Instead of panicking and trading away young talent in hopes of salvaging an already lost season, the Yankees decided to put some of that fledgling talent to work in New York.
'We wanted to look at some of the young kids and determine what their different styles and weaknesses were and correct what needed to be corrected,' noted Merrill.
So the dawning of the Baby Bombers began. Like a dark cloud suddenly lifted, the play of rookies Kevin Maas and Jim Leyritz shed new light on the Yankees' future. While Maas was blasting home runs at a record pace, Leyritz was generating an up-tempo style that was sorely missing.
Pitchers Steve Adkins, Alan Mills and Dave Eiland, all with no or limited big league experience, found space on the Yankee roster at some time in 1990. It was time to test the young arms. Though they each ran into some rough waters, all survived unscathed and better off from the seasoning.
These will be his players and his coaches and no doubt some changes will take place. Stump could become the first manager since Piniella in 1987 to guide a Yankee team through a full season.
'We had some terrible things happen to us last year,' Merrill says reflectively. 'We lost Mattingly, we had some distractions with Deion (Sanders) and I don't think we'll have to go through those things again. But I was very proud of the way the players handled it. I was proud of the way then went out and performed under certain conditions.'
Many of Merrill's fears will be alleviated when he sees No. 23 in his lineup which was last in the AL in runs scored last season. Hard-hitting Hensley Meulens will start the season in left field, and the additions of pitches Steve Farr and Scott Sanderson will shore up the bullpen and starting rotation.
'When you add a guy like Mattingly to your lineup it really helps all the guys,' Merrill adds. 'Last year I had too many guys trying to hit five-run homers and trying to do too much. If everyone can stay within themselves and know their limitations they'll be fine.'
No one is giving the Yankees much of a chance in 1991. You get the feeling Stump Merrill would have it no other way. This man with a dumpy physique revels in the role of underdog who made good. It takes one to know one."

-Gregg Mazzola, Yankees Magazine


MEET THE COACHES: A FAMILIAR CREW TAKES CHARGE
"Taking over as interim manager during a season, as Carl 'Stump' Merrill did in 1990, is never an easy task. Much like a substitute teacher, the new manager is working with a system established by someone else.
In 1991 Merrill is no longer an interim manager. This season Merrill is starting from the beginning with a two-year contract. He has his players, his system and his own coaching staff.
'A manager has to feel comfortable with his coaching staff, otherwise it just won't work,' says Yankee General Manager Gene Michael. 'Stump had a lot of input into choosing his coaches, and I know he's very happy with this season's staff.'
Merrill kept three coaches from last year, but moved them into new roles, and added three new faces. Mark Connor, the bullpen coach last year, takes over all of the pitching coach duties in 1991; Mike Ferraro is back, moving from first base to bench coach; and Buck Showalter, who began last season as the 'eye-in-the-sky' coach and moved to third base when Merrill, is back at third in 1991.
The new additions are hitting coach Frank Howard, who served in that role for the Yankees in 1989; popular former Yankee third baseman Graig Nettles, moving to the other side of the diamond as first base coach; and Marc Hill, who moves from bullpen catcher last year to bullpen coach in 1991.
'This is a really good staff, and I couldn't be happier with this group,' praised Merrill. 'With these coaches we have diversity and experience. They are all smart baseball men, and I know that they will bring a lot to this team.'
Ferraro, who enters his 22nd season with the organization, is the senior member of the staff in terms of service with the Yankees. The difference in 1991 is that he moves to bench coach, the all-important 'second voice' in the dugout.
Merrill, in his first full season as a major league manager, is depending heavily on Ferraro's experience with the organization and his familiarity with the league. Ferraro has played with the Yankees, was a manager in the farm system for five years, has been a big league manager two seasons and a coach for another ten.
Connor again assumes the duties as team pitching coach. He is very comfortable in the position, having handled the job before.
For more than a decade Connor, another longtime organization man, has gone wherever he's been needed the most. A member of the organization since 1978 (except for the 1988-89 seasons), Connor has served as pitching coach at every level of the organization, including two prior stints with the Yankees as pitching coach and last year as the team's bullpen coach.
Rounding out the list of returnees is Showalter, 34, the third base coach. Despite his relatively young age for a coach, he's insightful and can help his manager in a handful of ways.
From 1977-83 Showalter played in the Yankee organization and served as a coach in Fort Lauderdale in 1984. For the next five years he was a highly successful manager in the Yankee farm system, where his teams finished fourth four times and captured three championships. The 'eye-in-the-sky' last year, his reputation as a keen tactician earned him a shot and he seems well-suited to become a major league skipper in the future.
Howard's return as hitting instructor was a calculated move by the Yankees. A coach can't be a 'save-all' but the impact Howard had on the Yankees' offense in 1989 caught Merrill's attention.
Several Yankee players had career years at the plate in 1989 but had off-years in 1990. The front office isn't taking any chances. A renowned slugger in his playing days with the Dodgers and Senators, Howard is a tremendous instructor who uses his good rapport with the players to help improve their hitting.
Nettles is new to the coaching staff, but not to Yankee fans. He returns as first base coach and is being counted on in a number of ways.
As a player Nettles became a fan favorite because of his get-dirty defensive style and his left-handed home run power. In addition to his first base coaching duties, he will work with the infielders on their defense and will help Frank Howard with the left-handed hitters. Known as an intelligent player on the field, Nettles has the tools to teach these same skills to the 1991 Yankees.
Hill rounds out the staff. Though it's his first opportunity as a big league coach, he is very familiar with the surroundings in the Yankee bullpen.
After a 14-year playing career ending in 1986, Hill spent a year as a manager in the White Sox organization and in 1988 was a coach with the Astros. Then in 1989 this former big league backstop became the Yankee farm system's roving catching instructor. He spent the 1990 season as the Yankees' bullpen catcher where he was noticed by Merrill, who took over as manager in June of that season. Recognizing the skill and determination of this young man, Merrill made him a full-time coach in charge of the bullpen."

-Charles J. Alfaro, Yankees Magazine

MIKE FERRARO (Coach)
"There is nothing different about the fact that Mike Ferraro is a coach on the Yankees staff. After all, 1991 does mark his 22nd season with the organization. Still, there is a subtle difference in his role this season.
Ferraro moves from his usual first base coaching box [assignment] to the role of bench coach. The move is a bit of a promotion for this long-time baseball man, as the all-important bench coach serves as an assistant to the manager.
With Stump Merrill in his first full season as a major league manager, he couldn't find a better bench coach than Ferraro. Ferraro played for the Yankees, was a manager in their farm system for five years, was a big league manager for two seasons and a coach for another ten. That's why, while coaches come and go, Mike Ferraro remains a Yankee constant."

-The New York Yankees Official 1991 Yearbook

"Mike was named to the position of dugout coach on October 14, 1990. In 1990 he was the Yankee first base coach, a position he was named to on August 18, 1989. With the start of 1991, Mike begins his 22nd season in the organization. This is his ninth season as a major league coach for the Yankees (1979-82, 1987-88, 1989-90). In 1988 he was the first base coach and in 1987 he was the third base coach.
After Mike's 1979-82 string, 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, posting a 36-38 mark.
He managed five seasons (1974-78) in the Yankee farm system, compiling a 331-221 (.600) record and earning manager of the year accolades in three of those seasons (1974, 1977, 1978). He never had a losing season and netted first place finishes in three of the five seasons. 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. He had a career .232 batting average with a pair of home runs and 30 RBIs in 162 games. Playing for the Yankees on September 14, 1968, Mike tied a major league record for most assists by a third baseman, 11. He retired as a player after spending the 1973 season at the Yankees' AAA affiliate at  Syracuse.
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."

-1991 New York Yankees Information Guide


MARK CONNOR (Coach)
"The job may be the same, but the challenges are different every year for Yankees pitching coach Mark Connor. It seems like whenever there is a pitching problem, Connor is the man the Yankees turn to.
'He's done this here before' says General Manager Gene Michael. 'Stump has a lot of confidence in Mark and so do I.'
For more than a decade Connor has gone wherever he's been needed the most. While other so-called pitching experts have come and gone, Connor has been with the organization for every season since 1980 except for 1988-89. Over that period he has served as pitching coach at every level of the organization, including two prior stints with New York as pitching coach and last year as the team's bullpen coach.
This year he again takes over all of the pitching duties. For the quiet and confident Mark Connor, same job, different day."

-The New York Yankees Official 1991 Yearbook

"Named as Yankee pitching coach on October 14, 1990, Connor spent the 1990 season as Yankee bullpen coach, a position he was named to on October 26, 1989. He had most recently served as the head baseball coach at the University of Tennessee for the 1988 and 1989 seasons.
This will be Mark's third stint as pitching coach with the Yankees. The other times were from June 18, 1984 (replacing Sammy Ellis) through August 2, 1985 (replaced by Bill Monbouquette) and then from May 18, 1986 (replacing Ellis) through the entire 1987 season (replaced by Art Fowler).  At the time of his appointment in 1986 he was the club's minor league pitching coach. Prior to his appointment in 1984, Connor spent two seasons as the pitching coach at the Yankees' AAA affiliate at Columbus.
He also served as pitching coach at Greensboro for three seasons (1980-82), as a Yankee scout in 1979 and as pitching coach at Paintsville in 1978, his first year in the Yankee organization. He was pitching coach at the University of Tennessee from 1974-78.
Mark graduated from Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York in 1967. He attended Belmont Abbey College and graduated from Manhattan College with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1972. At Manhattan, he received the Topps Award as a college All-Star in 1970, and in 1971 struck out 20 Columbia University batters in one game.
Mark spent two seasons in the Twins' minor league system. He attended graduate school for a Master's degree at the University of Tennessee in 1974-75 before beginning his coaching career."

-1991 New York Yankees Information Guide


BUCK SHOWALTER (Coach)
"Third base coach Buck Showalter is young, he's good and can help his manager in a lot of different ways. In five years as a manager in the Yankee farm system, Showalter's teams finished first four times, winning three championships along the way. His reputed knowledge of the game's tactical aspects earned him a spot as an 'eye-in-the-sky' coach [and third base coach when Merrill became manager] last year and has many touting him as a future big league skipper.
Still, at age 34, he is young and unassuming. In fact, Showalter downplays his role on the staff, always looking to give credit to others. With 1990 being his first year as a coach in the big leagues, he defers to the experience of the rest of the staff.
'These guys have been around for a long time and are very experienced,' says Showalter. 'I try to feed off their knowledge while I learn the league, and try to help wherever I can."

-The New York Yankees Official 1991 Yearbook

"Buck returns to his position as the third base coach, a job he was named to on June 6, 1990 when Stump Merrill became manager. He started the 1990 season as the Yankee 'eye-in-the-sky, '  a position he was named to on October 26, 1989. Buck begins his 15th season in the organization, having served as a player, coach and manager.
In 1989 Buck managed the Albany-Colonie Yankees (AA Eastern League) to a 92-48 first place finish and eventual league championship, earning the Eastern League Manager of the Year award [and the Baseball America Minor League Manager of the Year award]. The 92 wins were the most by a Yankee AA team since the 1980 Nashville Sounds of the Southern League (a team Buck played for) went 97-46.
1989 was his fifth season as a manager in the Yankee system. He managed Ft. Lauderdale (Class-A) during the 1987 and 1988 seasons, with the 1987 team going 85-53 to win the Southern Division of the Florida State League while posting the best record in the league. Buck also posted the best record in the New York-Penn League in both 1986 (59-18) and 1985 (55-23) while leading Oneonta to Northern Division Championships. The 55 wins in 1985 and then the 59 wins in 1986 set league marks for wins in a season.
He won League Championships in 1985, 1987 and 1989 and has a postseason managerial record of 14-4 (.778 winning percentage). In regular season play, he has compiled a 360-207 mark (.635). He coached at Ft. Lauderdale in 1984.
Buck played in the Yankee system from 1977-83. He led the Southern League with 152 hits for Nashville in 1982 and hit .324 (second in the league) for the 1980 Nashville team.
Buck played one year (1977) at Mississippi State University and hit .459 while driving in 44 runs. The batting average still remains a school record and the RBI total was a record at the time. Buck was named a 1977 All-American."

-1991 New York Yankees Information Guide


FRANK HOWARD (Coach)
"When his name was announced at the 1989 Old Timers' game at Yankee Stadium, big Frank Howard emerged from the visiting dugout wielding a monstrous five-foot replica baseball bat. While it was meant to be a joke, the novelty looked almost real in the hands of the 6-8 Howard.
The organization is hoping the former Washington Senator-turned Yankee hitting coach can help the current Bombers to also carry a big stick. Howard served as the Yankees' hitting coach in 1989, but not in 1990. Several Yankee players had 'career years' at the plate in 1989, but had off years in 1990. The front office isn't chancing that it might have been a coincidence.
'A coach can't make all the difference, but we feel that Frank Howard can really help our hitters,'  says General Manager Gene Michael. 'He's a tremendous instructor, and the players really like him.'"

-The New York Yankees Official 1991 Yearbook

"Howard was appointed Yankee hitting instructor on October 14, 1990. He spent the 1990 season in the Atlanta Braves system as the roving hitting instructor, working with young hitters throughout their organization. In his second stint as Yankee batting coach, Frank held that position from the beginning of the 1989 season until August 18 of that year.
He is a former major league manager with the San Diego Padres and New York Mets, compiling a record of 93-113 (.412) with those two clubs.
Following his retirement as a player in 1973, Hondo originally went into private business but was hired by the Milwaukee Brewers as a minor league instructor in 1975. He managed the Brewers' AAA Spokane club in 1976, joined the club's major league coaching staff in 1977 and served as first base coach for four seasons.
Frank was named manager of the San Diego Padres following the 1980 season, replacing Jerry Coleman. He led the Padres to an overall 41-69 record in 1981 (25-33 in the first half of that year's split season and 18-36 in the second half, with two sixth place finishes). Frank was replaced by Dick Williams at the end of the 1981 campaign.
He joined the Mets' coaching staff as third base coach under George Bamberger prior to the 1982 season and was named interim manager on June 3, 1983 following Bamberger's resignation. He managed the Mets to a 52-64 record and a sixth place finish for the remainder of the season. Frank was replaced by Davey Johnson as manager following the conclusion of that season and moved to first base coaching duties in 1984.
He rejoined the Brewers' staff in October 1984 and worked two years there as the club's batting coach. In November of 1986 he was named the first base coach of the Seattle Mariners, where he remained until joining the Yankees.
Hondo enjoyed a playing career that spanned 15 major league seasons, compiling a batting average of .273 with 382 home runs and 1,119 RBIs. He was named National League Rookie of the Year in 1960 with the Los Angeles Dodgers (.268 BA, 23 HRs, 77 RBIs). In five-plus seasons with Los Angeles, Howard batted .268 with 123 homers and 382 RBIs in 624 games.
His top seasons came as a member of the Washington Senators (1965-71), averaging 34 home runs and 96 RBIs per season. In 1968-70 with the Senators, Howard hit 44, 48 and 44 home runs with 106, 111 and 126 RBIs, respectively. His career highs were: batting- .296 (in 1961 & 62 with Los Angeles and 1969 with Washington), home runs- 48 (in 1969 with Washington) and RBIs- 126 (in 1970 with Washington).
Named to the American League All-Star team four consecutive years (1968-71), Frank still holds the major league mark for most home runs in a week (10), most homers in six consecutive games (10) and most homers in five consecutive games (8). He finished his pro career with a brief stint in Japan in 1974.
A two-sport star at [the] Ohio State University (1956-58), Frank lettered three times in baseball and twice in basketball (1,047 career points). He still holds two ECAC Holiday Festival Tournament records at Madison Square Garden (most rebounds in a game- 32, and most rebounds in three games- 77, with both marks set in 1956)."

-1991 New York Yankees Information Guide

Named Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News, 1959.
Named National League Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association, 1960.
Named National League Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News, 1960.
Established the following major league records: most home runs in a week (10), 1968; most home runs, six consecutive games (10), May 12 through May 18, 1968; most home runs, five consecutive games (8), May 12 through May 17, 1968; most years 100 or more strikeouts, lifetime (10).
Tied the following major league records: most consecutive strikeouts, nine-inning game (5), September 19, 1970, first game; most consecutive strikeouts, two consecutive games (7), July 9, 1965 (doubleheader); most unassisted putouts, first baseman, inning (3), September 9, 1972 (first inning).
Tied American League record for most home runs, four consecutive games (7), May 12 through May 16, 1968.
Tied American League record for most consecutive games, hitting a homer each game (6), 1968.
Led American League batters in strikeouts (155), 1967.
Named to American League All-Star team, 1968.
Led American League in home runs (44), 1968.
Led American League in total bases (330), 1968.
Led American League in slugging percentage (.552), 1968.
Named outfielder on The Sporting News American League All-Star Team, 1968.
Named to American League All-Star team, 1969.
Led American League in total bases (340), 1969.
Led American League in grounding into double plays (29), 1969.
Named outfielder on The Sporting News American League All-Star Team, 1969.
Named to American League All-Star team, 1970.
Led American League in home runs (44), 1970.
Led American League in RBIs (126), 1970.
Led American League in walks (132), 1970.
Named outfielder on The Sporting News American League All-Star Team, 1970.
Named to American League All-Star team, 1971.

-1991 New York Yankees Information Guide


GRAIG NETTLES (Coach)
"Graig Nettles, 1978 World Series. Say no more. The year highlighted by the Bucky Dent home run and the pitching of Ron Guidry was salvaged in the World Series by the defensive heroics of Nettles at third base.
In reflecting on the four diving plays that led to the Yankees winning Game Three and eventually the World Series, Nettles talks of being prepared. By envisioning the most difficult play before each pitch. Nettles was ready when it occurred on the field.
'Graig was gritty, determined and most of all, an intelligent player,' says General Manager Gene Michael. 'We see him as being a real solid influence on the team.'
Nettles, who returns to New York as first base coach, became a fan favorite because of his get-dirty defensive style and his left-handed home run power. By installing that same style and quality into the '91 team, Nettles just might salvage more Yankee victories."

-The New York Yankees Official 1991 Yearbook

"Nettles became first base coach on October 14, 1990. A fierce competitor, this is his first major league coaching assignment.
The former Gold Glove third baseman returns to the Yankees after a 22-year career with six different clubs that ended in 1988 with the Atlanta Braves. He had a .248 career batting average with 390 home runs and 1,314 RBIs.
Graig spent the fall of 1989 as player-manager of the St. Lucie Legends in the Senior League, before being traded on November 17 to the Bradenton Explorers; he was traded for Willie Mays Aikens and replaced as manager by Bobby Bonds. He hit a combined .301 with four home runs and 34 RBIs over 62 games and played flawless defense, not erring in six games (22 total chances) as a third baseman. Graig spent much of 1990 playing golf and has an outstanding four handicap.
The six-time All-Star spent eleven consecutive seasons with the Yankees from 1973-83, playing on five first place clubs and two World Series winners (1977-78). Nettles holds the club record for games played at third base with 1,509 and hit .253 with 250 home runs and 834 RBIs in Pinstripes.
In the two years the Yankees won World Championships during his stay, he combined to hit .256 with 64 home runs and 200 RBIs. Graig was Yankee captain for the 1982 and '83 campaigns, one of eight players to ever captain the Yankees.
On July 21, 1980 Graig hit his 267th career home run as a third baseman, passing Brooks Robinson for most American League home runs by a third baseman, and is still the AL all-time home run leader among third basemen (319). He hit career home run No. 300 on June 26, 1982 at Yankee Stadium off Cleveland's Rick Waits.
In 1976 Graig led the American League with 32 home runs, the first Yankee to do so since Roger Maris hit 61 in 1961. In 1978, he set the Yankee third base fielding record with a .975 average. Nettles had 831 RBIs in the decade of the 1970s, third most in the American League behind Reggie Jackson and Carl Yastrzemski."

-1991 New York Yankees Information Guide


MARC HILL (Coach)
"Persistence and dedication. Just two reasons why Marc Hill is Stump Merrill's bullpen coach. After a 14-year playing career ended in 1986, Hill spent the next year as a manager in the Chicago White Sox' minor league system, and 1988 as a coach with the Houston Astros. Then in 1989 this former big league backstop became the Yankee farm system's roving catching instructor.
He spent the 1990 season as the Yankees' bullpen catcher where he was noticed by Merrill, who took over as manager in June of that season. Recognizing the skill and determination of this young man, Merrill made him a full-time coach in charge of the bullpen. Despite his youthful appearance and his nickname of 'Booter,' the 39-year-old Hill shouldn't be taken lightly.
With a similar background as Jeff Torborg, a highly successful Yankee bullpen coach turned American League Manager of the Year in 1990, the Yankee feel the bullpen duties are in capable hands with Marc Hill."

-The New York Yankees Official 1991 Yearbook

"Marc was named Yankee bullpen coach on October 14, 1990. The 1991 season is his third in the Yankee organization. He spent the 1990 season as the Yankee bullpen catcher and in 1989 he was the Yankees' minor league roving catching instructor, working with young catchers throughout the system.
In 1988 he was a coach in the Houston Astros' system. In 1987, he managed the Daytona Beach White Sox to a 69-70 record in the Florida State League, his first season off the playing field after a 14-year professional playing career. He played five seasons in the Cardinal organization, one of four clubs (St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle, White Sox) he was affiliated with as a player.
In his career, he hit .233 with 34 home runs and 198 RBIs over 737 games. Marc's best season was 1977 when with San Francisco he hit .250 with nine home runs and 50 RBIs in 108 games. He spent his final six seasons with the White Sox before retiring after the 1986 season.
Scouted by the Cardinals' Fred McAlister, he was an All-Missouri choice as a prep star in both baseball and basketball. Marc was the first athlete in the history of Lincoln County (MO) High School to win letters in three sports (baseball, basketball, track) as a sophomore. He played Little League, Babe Ruth and American Legion baseball in Missouri.
Marc acquired the nickname 'Booter' from Giant slugger Willie McCovey when they played together in San Francisco from 1977-80. He was behind the plate when Bob Watson scored the one-millionth run in major league history in 1974."

-1991 New York Yankees Information Guide