1992 Profile: Steve Howe

"Few words can aptly describe Steve Howe's '91 season. But the adjectives sensational, remarkable and inspirational certainly come to mind.
The left-hander arrived at the Yankees' spring training site in '91 with an impressive resume but no job. He proceeded to dazzle onlookers with a biting fastball that eventually earned him a trip North.
After a brief stint in Triple-A Columbus to start the season, Howe moved onto New York and displayed his talents of old. The former Rookie of the Year pitched in 37 games, mainly as the left-handed closer, and collected a stingy 1.68 ERA and three saves.
'I feel thankful that I got the opportunity,' Howe says. 'I was walking around hoping it wasn't a cruel trick nature played.'
The only cruel trick was played by Howe on opposing batters."

-The New York Yankees Official 1992 Yearbook

"Howe was one of the premier left-handed relief pitchers in 1991. It was his first uninterrupted season in the majors since 1982.
He walked into spring training camp in Ft. Lauderdale on February 19 and then again on the 20th, impressing Yankee brass with the 90-plus MPH fastball he threw on the sidelines. Howe was invited to spring training by the Yankees on February 21.
He started the season with Columbus and had his contract purchased on May 9. At the time of his promotion, he was 2-1 with a 0.00 ERA (18.0 IP, 11 H, 1 R, 0 ER) and was tied for the International League lead in saves (5). The Clippers were 10-2 in the 12 games he pitched.
Steve made his Yankee debut on May 11 against Oakland, pitching a scoreless inning. It was his first appearance in the majors since October 4, 1987, when he was with the Rangers. It was his first appearance at Yankee Stadium since October 28, 1981, when Steve saved the sixth (and clinching) game of the World Series as a Dodger.
Overall in May he pitched eight times (12.0 IP, 6 ER) and was 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA. Steve earned his first win on May 19 against Seattle, pitching 1.1 innings in a 3-2 Yankee win.
His finest month was June, going 0-0 with two saves in as many opportunities and a blistering 0.47 ERA over 19.0 innings. He walked only two and struck out 17.
Steve earned his first save on June 19 at Toronto in a 3-0 Yankee win. It was his first save since September 12, 1987. He ended the month by not allowing an earned run over his final nine appearances (12.1 IP), lowering his ERA from 1.45 to 0.87.
At the break he was 2-0 with two saves in as many situations and a 1.31 ERA (34.1 IP) over 23 games. He made 10 appearances in July and was 1-1 with one save (only opportunity) and a 3.86 ERA (11.2 IP).
Steve's final 1991 win came on July 12 at California and his final save came on July 18 at Oakland. The only home run he allowed all year came on July 27 against California (Bobby Rose), the first he allowed since 1987. Steve has not allowed a homer to a left-handed hitter since a July 4, 1983 circuit clout by Jose Cruz at the Astrodome.
He made four appearances in August (4.2 IP, 0 ER), from August 2-10, before landing on the disabled list on August 11 with tenderness in his left elbow. After a period of rest and rehabilitation, he was activated on September 2 after missing 22 games. Steve made his two final appearances of 1991- on September 4 at Texas (0.1 IP) and on September 6 at Minnesota (0.2 IP).
He missed the final 29 games of the season with a sore elbow. He was 1-1 with a save and a 2.57 ERA (14.0 IP) after the break.
Opponents hit .222 against Howe in 1991. Left-handed batters hit a club-low .128 (6-for-47) with only one walk (Dave Bergman) and 13 strikeouts. Right-handed hitters batted .256. He had a 2.28 ERA at home and a 1.09 ERA on the road.
Steve walked only seven hitters (two intentionally), averaging 1.3 walks per nine innings. He averaged 4.9 strikeouts for every walk. He retired the first hitter he faced upon entering a game 30 of 37 times (81%).
He signed a one-year contract in November 1991.
After sitting out the 1988 and 1989 seasons, Steve spent 1990 at Class-A Salinas, an independent team in the California League. With the Spurs he appeared in 10 games and made two starts, posting a 0-1 record and a 2.12 ERA (17.0 IP, 19 H, 5 BB, 14 K).
He had minor surgery on June 9 at the Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center in Lancaster, CA. Steve was expected to be out a short period of time but developed a near-fatal blood clot in his lung as a result of the surgery and did not return until August 8.
Prior to the surgery, he pitched nine scoreless innings. He was appointed player-pitching coach a month into the season when the Salinas pitching coach left.
Steve played winter ball for Mazatlan in the Mexican League. He appeared in 11 regular-season games and had a 1.23 ERA over 14.2 innings (15 H, 3 BB, 9 K). He had two saves and finished six games. Steve appeared in seven postseason games and was 0-0 with a save and a 4.26 ERA over 12.2 innings. Combined for the season, he was 0-1 with three saves and a 2.63 ERA (27.1 IP, 27 H).
In 1979, Howe was the number one selection of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the June draft and the 16th player taken overall. The pick was Pittsburgh's originally but was obtained by the Dodgers when the Pirates signed free agent Lee Lacy. Howe spent the second half of the year with San Antonio in the Texas League, going 6-2 with a 3.13 ERA.
He was invited to the Dodger camp in 1980 as a non-roster player. He won a job out of spring training with a 94 MPH fastball.
Steve was 3-1 with a 0.00 ERA in July. For the season he set a Dodger rookie record with 17 saves, breaking the club record set by Joe Black (1952). His save total was ninth in the National League. Steve allowed only one home run over 85.0 innings, to Houston's Joe Morgan on June 24.
In 1981 Steve led the Dodgers in saves (8) and appearances (41). He appeared in seven postseason games and had a 2.45 ERA. He won Game 4 of the World Series on October 24 and pitched the final 3.2 innings to earn the save in the sixth and deciding game on October 28 at Yankee Stadium.
Steve led the Dodgers in games (66) and saves (13) in 1982 while posting the lowest ERA  (2.08) on the staff. He matched his career best with seven wins and was the only Dodger pitcher to be involved in 20 of he club's victories.
He was selected to the National League All-Star team after going 5-1 with a 1.69 ERA in the first half. He had a 1.84 ERA over 11 games in September. After the 1982 season, Steve spent five weeks at the Meadows, a drug rehabilitation facility in Wickenburg, Arizona.
Steve started out on fire in 1983, going 2-0 with seven saves and not allowing an earned run through May 17. At that time he entered the CareUnit in Orange, CA for further treatment. He returned to the active list on June 29 and was placed on a probationary program.
He was suspended by the Dodgers for the first time on July 16 after reporting three hours late for a game the previous day but was reinstated on July 17 after tests failed to show any prohibited substances. He was suspended for a second time on September 23 and missed the remainder of the season.
Despite his problems, Steve set career bests with 18 saves and a 1.44 ERA. He allowed just five bases on balls in 68.2 innings, giving up only two home runs.
He sat out the 1984 season, serving a one-year suspension for substance abuse imposed in December of 1983 by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. Howe filed a grievance out of court and it was agreed that he would sit out the remainder of the season to concentrate on his rehabilitation. As part of the agreement, the suspension was lifted.
Howe spent one month in the Arizona Instructional League that fall and was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA over five games (8.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K). On October 22, 1984, he signed a contract to play in the Dominican Winter League. He was pitching for Licey when after three appearances, he experienced a sore left elbow. On January 9 Steve underwent surgery to reroute the ulnar nerve in his left elbow.
He started the 1985 season with the Dodgers. On June 23 Steve did not arrive until the 7th inning of a game and was fined by the club. On June 29, he failed to appear at a charity dinner for which he was the chairman and did not appear for the Dodgers the following day. He was placed on the restricted list by the Dodgers on July 1 and released on July 3.
Steve was signed by the Minnesota Twins as a free agent on August 12. He made his American League debut that night and picked up the win, pitching 3.2 scoreless relief innings against Oakland. He pitched 5.0 scoreless innings in his first two appearances for the Twins. Steve's other win came with 3.2 scoreless innings against Milwaukee on September 3.
With the club's approval, he missed a team flight from Chicago to Cleveland on September 12 so he could appear on ABC's Nightline. He missed the team's five-game series in Cleveland before contacting club officials and admitting a relapse. Steve was released by the Twins on September 17.
Prior to the 1986 season, Steve signed with the Class-A San Jose Bees, an independent team in the California League. He was sidelined on May 1 when a drug test administered by the Commissioner's Office proved positive. Howe contested the results of that test and pitched without permission on May 14 resulting in a suspension by Commissioner Peter Ueberroth. He was reinstated on June 24 after undergoing additional therapy.
Howe was suspended again three weeks later when another test proved positive. A second test taken later that day showed no trace of drugs. Overall in '86, he was 3-2 with two saves and a 1.47 ERA for San Jose.
In 1987 Steve pitched briefly in June for Tabasco in the Class-AAA Mexican League, allowing four hits and no runs over 23.0 innings. He left when his wife Cindy was expecting the couple's second child. Signed by the Texas Rangers to a AAA Oklahoma City contract on July 12, Steve appeared in seven games (3 GS) and was 2-2 with a 3.48 ERA over 20.2 innings (26 H, 5 BB, 14 K).
He had his contract purchased by Texas on August 6 after not allowing a run in his final three appearances (7.1 P). He appeared in 24 games (all relief) for the Rangers and posted a 4.31 ERA. Steve ended the season by not allowing a run over his final six games (8.1 IP). He was released on January 17, 1988, following the violation of his After-Care Program for substance abuse.
Steve is the all-time winningest pitcher at the University of Michigan despite playing just three years for the Wolverines. He was 27-8 with a 1.79 ERA (265.2 IP, 53 ER) over 41 games. He also fanned 196 batters.
He was 9-3, 1.87 as a freshman (1977); 11-3, 1.78 as a sophomore (1978) and 7-2, 1.76 as a junior (1979). As a sophomore, he shared the Ray L. Fisher Most Valuable Player award with teammate Rick Leach. Steve pitched a 1-hit shutout over Baylor in a 4-0 win to open the 1978 College World Series. He was an All-Big Ten selection in his last two seasons.
Steve graduated from Clarkson High School (Pontiac, MI) in 1976. He enjoys carpentry and hunting."

-1992 New York Yankees Information Guide

Named left-handed pitcher on The Sporting News College Baseball All-America Team, 1979.
Named National League Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America, 1980.

-1992 New York Yankees Information Guide

1992 Profile: Bernie Williams

"The arrival of Bernie Williams in the Bronx looked like the opening of a long-awaited and hyped Broadway show. It seems as though Williams has been touted as a top Yankee prospect since he signed with the organization as a 17-year-old back in 1985.
Talk about pressure, in his very first appearance in Pinstripes, the Puerto Rico native was greeted with chants of 'Bern-ie!, Bern-ie!' At age 22, Williams responded by showing the all-around ability that made him a household name before his first at-bat.
The switch-hitter hits for average and has displayed occasional power. He has also demonstrated his ability as a clutch hitter, batting .343 with runners in scoring position and .483 with two men out. He showed speed on the bases collecting 10 steals and his defensive play earned him the starting centerfield position last season. And he's still getting better. The Bernie Williams Show opened to fine reviews and is expected to draw even more applause in 1992."

-The New York Yankees Official 1992 Yearbook

"In 1991, Bernie was recalled from Columbus on July 7 and became the Yankee starting center fielder for the remainder of the season.
At the time of his recall he was hitting .294 with 14 doubles, six triples, eight homers, 37 RBIs and nine steals. Hitting left-handed, he was batting .318 (74-for-233) with 14 doubles, four triples, eight homers and 34 RBIs. Hitting right-handed, he was batting .219 (16-for-73) with three RBIs.
Bernie was immediately pressed into service, starting the final game before the break on July 7, against Baltimore, going 1-for-2 with two RBIs- his first hit was a 9th inning single off Gregg Olson. Bernie's first home run came in his fifth game (16th AB) on July 14 at California off Chuck Finley. He then homered in the next at Seattle off Bill Krueger.
He started all of the team's games in July, hitting .254 with two home runs and 11 RBIs and walked 15 times. He hit .355 (11-for-31) with two homers and eight RBIs over his first 10 games, but over his final 10 games in July was 7-for-40 with three RBIs.
Bernie hit .256 with a home run and 14 RBIs in August, starting all 31 of the club's games. He hit in a season best seven straight games from July 31 -August 6 (10-for-31), raising his batting average from.254 to .276. From August 15-18, he hit a double in four straight games.
On August 21 at Kansas City, Bernie struck out all five times he batted. He became the second Yankee to fan five times, joining Johnny Broaca (a pitcher) who did so on June 25, 1934. On August 28 against Texas, Bernie hit his first home run batting left-handed, off Wayne Rosenthal.
Bernie hit .186 (19-for-102) in September. He had a torrid October, hitting .409 (9-for-22) with three RBIs over the final six games, raising his average from .225 to a season-ending .238 mark. Included was his first five-hit performance, in the next-to-last game on October 5 against Cleveland, the second five-hit game by a Yankee in 1991 (after Roberto Kelly). Bernie played winter ball in Puerto Rico.
For the season he hit .343 (23-for-67) with runners in scoring position, including a blistering .483 (14-for-29) with less than two out. He was 3-for-5 with seven RBIs with the bases loaded. He drove in runners from third base with less than two out 10 of 19 times. Bernie reached base safely in his first 13 games, 24 of his first 26 games, and in 69 of 85 games overall (81%). He tied for the team lead in triples (4) with Pat Kelly.
Bernie stole 10 bases in 15 attempts. He was one of four Yankees to steal 10 bases (Steve Sax, Roberto Kelly and Pat Kelly the others), the first Yankee foursome to steal 10 bases each since 1985. Bernie committed five errors for a .979 fielding percentage.
He hit .255 batting left-handed and .205 batting right-handed. He hit .264 at home, .211 on the road and .290 in day games.
At Columbus, Bernie was voted to play in the AAA All-Star Game but did not play due to his promotion. He was voted International League Player of the Week for May 26-June 1, hitting .333 with four home runs and nine RBIs and scoring eight runs.
He signed a contract for the 1992 season.
Bernie posted all-star numbers in 1990, playing all year at AA Albany. He hit .289 with 28 doubles, five triples, eight home runs and 54 RBIs while stealing 39 bases over 134 games. He led the Eastern League in stolen bases, runs (91) and walks (98) and was named to the Eastern League All-Star team. Bernie was also named to Baseball America's AA All-Star team and was named in Baseball America's postseason poll as the No. 2 prospect overall in the Eastern League. He led Albany in games (134), at-bats (466), runs (91), hits (131), doubles (28), walks (98) and stolen bases (39).
He had a strong middle of the season- over June and July combined he hit .348 with 14 doubles, four home runs and 34 RBIs over 63 games. He was named Eastern League Player of the Week for July 16-22, hitting .441 (15-for-34) with nine runs and six steals over nine games.
Bernie sparkled in postseason play for Albany when he hit .350 (7-for-20). He played winter league baseball for Arecibo in the Puerto Rican League.
Bernie was signed by the Yankees as a free agent on September 13, 1985. He was signed by Yankee scout Fred Ferreira and recommended by Yankee scout Roberto Rivera. He spent his first professional season at Sarasota in 1986, batting .270 in 61 games with two home runs, 25 RBIs and 33 stolen bases. He led the Gulf Coast League in runs (45) and caught stealing (12) and led GCL outfielders in total chances (123) and putouts (117). Bernie was named as an outfielder on the Gulf Coast League All-Star team.
In 1987 he split time between Ft. Lauderdale and Oneonta. Bernie started the season at Ft. Lauderdale, where he batted .155 (11-for-71) in 25 games with no home runs, four RBIs and nine stolen bases. He separated his shoulder on May 17, missing a month of the season. Upon his return he was assigned to Oneonta, where in 25 games he hit .344 (32-for-93) with no homers, 15 RBIs and nine stolen bases. He missed additional games later in the year with a groin pull.
Bernie played 91 games for 'A' Prince William in 1988 and batted .338 with 72 runs, 16 doubles, seven triples, seven home runs, 45 RBIs and 29 stolen bases. His season ended on July 14 when he ran into an outfield wall at Hagerstown chasing a fly ball, suffering a right navicular (wrist) fracture. He was placed on the disabled list, where he remained for the rest of the season. Despite his curtailed season Williams led the Carolina League in hitting and finished tied for third in triples. Bernie was added to the Yankee 40-man roster in November of 1988.
In 1989, Bernie split a full season of playing time between Albany and Columbus. He started the season with the Clippers, where he hit .216 with eight doubles, a triple, two home runs and 16 RBIs over 50 games. He joined Albany where he hit for both power and a better average. Over 91 games, Bernie hit .252 with 11 doubles, eight triples, 11 home runs and 42 RBIs; his eight triples ranked third in the Eastern League. 30 of his 79 hits went for extra bases and he posted a .443 slugging percentage.
Bernie attends college in Puerto Rico whenever he can, working toward a degree in biology. He enjoys playing classical guitar."

-1992 New York Yankees Information Guide

Led Gulf Coast League in runs (45), 1986.
Tied for Gulf Coast League in caught stealing (12), 1986.
Led Gulf Coast League outfielders in total chances (123), 1986.
Led Gulf Coast League outfielders in putouts (117), 1986.
Named as an outfielder on Gulf Coast League All-Star team, 1986.
Named Eastern League Player of the Week, July 16-22, 1990.
Led Eastern League in bases on balls (98), 1990.
Led Eastern League in stolen bases (39), 1990.
Led Eastern League in caught stealing (18), 1990.
Led Eastern League outfielders in total chances (307), 1990.
Tied for lead among Eastern League outfielders in double plays, 1990.
Named to Eastern League All-Star team, 1990.
Named to Baseball America's All-Star team, 1990.
Named in Baseball America's postseason poll as No. 2 prospect overall in Eastern League, 1990
Named to International League All-Star team, 1991.

-1992 New York Yankees Information Guide

R.I.P. Horace Clarke

1992 Profile: Mike Gallego

"The A's free agent signed a three-year, $5.1 million contract with the Yankees in January. Gallego slammed 12 homers, one more than his career total prior to 1991, and also drove in a career high 49 runs. He set career highs in games (159) at-bats (482), runs (67), hits (119), doubles (15) and walks (67).
Gallego became a regular player for the first time when shortstop Walt Weiss tore ligaments in his ankle. He played his usual sparkling defense at second base, where he committed only seven errors in 129 games. He made five more errors in 52 games at shortstop.
Born in Whittier, California, the A's drafted Gallego in the second round in 1981."

-Tony DeMarco and Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1992 Edition

"As an Oakland Athletic, Mike Gallego rarely found the spotlight thrust upon him. That wasn't his style. But invariably, when names were linked to the A's recent success, the utility infielder was near the top of the list. Proven winners have a way of doing that.
The 31-year-old enjoyed his finest season as a major-leaguer in 1991 by setting career-highs in nine categories including home runs (12) and RBI (49). The Yankee free agent is anxious to make '92 his finest.
'I feel I can contribute to the Yankees in a lot of ways,' Gallego says. 'I'm recognized as a good defensive player, but my offense can give my game another dimension.'
Whether he's playing second, shortstop or an occasional third, the California native will contribute in ways that don't show up in the boxscore.
'Mike is the kind of player you need to win ballgames,' says Yankee manager Buck Showalter. 'He gives us versatility in the infield and he brings a winning attitude.' "

-The New York Yankees Official 1992 Yearbook

"Gallego had his best season as a pro in 1991, putting up offensive numbers to match his spectacular defensive play. He had career highs in games (159), at-bats (482), runs (67), hits (119), doubles (15), triples (4), homers (12), RBI (49) and walks (67). Entering the 1991 season, he had totaled only 11 home runs in 1,162 career at-bats; his walk total for the season was 32 more than his previous best.

A consistent hitter, Gallego hit .248 before the break, .246 after. May was his top month of the season when he hit .286 with two home runs and 13 RBIs. He had a career-high 10-game hitting streak from May 21-31. In the final four games of the streak he was 7-for-12 with two homers and 10 RBIs. He capped the streak with his first career grand slam, at Chicago off Ramon Garcia.

Mike received the first intentional walk of his career on June 9 against Boston- he wound up with three intentional passes on the season. He had the first four-hit game of his career on July 16 against Cleveland; he pounded Indians' pitching at a .351 clip for the year with five extra-base hits and seven RBI in 10 games.

He lived up to his reputation of having good hands- he started 126 games at second base in '91, making just seven errors in 619 total chances, good for a .989 fielding percentage (3rd in the league behind Steve Sax and Lou Whitaker). Mike also started 26 games at shortstop but did not make an appearance at third base for the first time in his career.

Mike hit .444 (4-for-9) with the bases loaded with a home run and 12 RBI. He hit .270 at home with six homers and 20 RBI. He hit .311 against left-handed pitching with five homers and 13 RBI.

He was signed by the Yankees to a three-year contract in January 1992. The contract runs through the 1994 season.

In 1988, his first full major league season, Gallego appeared in all four American League Championship Series games against Boston. He caught the final out in Game 4 to complete the A's sweep. He played in one of the World Series games without an at-bat.

Expected to split time at second base with Tony Phillips in 1989, Gallego was thrust into a starting role at shortstop when Walt Weiss went down with an injury in mid-May. He started 59 of the 65 games that Weiss missed. He hit .277 in the final two months of the season.

Mike started four of the five games of the ALCS against Toronto (two at second, two at short), hitting .273 with an RBI. He contributed a key suicide squeeze bunt in the pennant-clinching Game 5. In the World Series, he made two defensive appearances and pinch-hit once, but did not start.

Mike put together a fine season in 1990 both in the field and as a clutch hitter. For the year he played 83 games at second base, 38 at shortstop and 27 at third, playing in 140 games, a career-best at the time.

He started on Opening Day for the first time, at second base. He was Oakland's regular second baseman until the Athletics signed Willie Randolph on May 12. Gallego still found plenty of playing time, filling at second base, shortstop and third base. 

His error on May 19 at Milwaukee was his first after 57 consecutive games at third without an error. Only Bobby Wine has played more games at third (67) without an error. Gallego also had a streak of 70 consecutive games on artificial turf without an error before making two on June 2 at Kansas City. He played errorless ball in his final 13 games at shortstop. He made the first outfield appearance of his career on September 24 at Kansas City, handling one chance flawlessly.

He led the club with 17 sacrifice hits, the best Oakland total since Dwayne Murphy had an A's record 22 in 1980.

Mike was the A's second-round selection in the June 1981 free-agent draft. He hit .272 in 62 games for Modesto of the California League. In 1982, he played 54 games for West Haven where he hit .180 and 44 games for Tacoma where he hit .221.

After two games with Tacoma in 1983 Mike was sent to Albany of the Eastern League. In 90 games at Albany, he hit .223. He spent the entire 1984 season with Tacoma and hit .243 while playing in 101 games.

Mike made the Oakland Opening Day roster in 1985 with a fine spring training but was optioned to Modesto on April 24. He played just six games before returning to the A's for the remainder of the season on May 3. He picked up his first major league hit, a single off Detroit's Bill Scherrer, on August 22 in Oakland. He hit his first major league home run on September 22 at Chicago off Joel Davis.

He was a valuable player for Tacoma during the 1986 season. In 132 games he hit .275 with 122 hits and 46 RBI. Mike was called up to Oakland on September 2 shortly after Tony Phillips was injured. In 20 games with the A's, he hit .270 (10-for-37) with four RBI. He committed only one error in 76 chances.

Mike opened 1987 on the disabled list with a pulled groin suffered in spring training. After 10 games at Tacoma on a rehab assignment, he returned to Oakland on April 20. He belted his second career home run on May 13 off Ted Higuera of Milwaukee.

A collision with Stan Javier at Texas on June 12 caused Mike to miss six more weeks of the season. When healthy he was the A's utility infielder filling in at second, short and third. His third career homer came on August 6 at Minnesota off Frank Viola. For the season, Mike hit .300 (18-for-60) off left-handed pitchers.

Mike graduated from St. Paul High School (Santa Fe Springs, CA) in 1978. He attended UCLA for three years before being drafted by the A's, majoring in sociology. His UCLA teammates included Matt Young, Tim Leary and Don Slaught.

In Oakland, Mike has been involved with both the Children's Cancer Society and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation."

-1992 New York Yankees Information Guide

Led Pacific Coast League in being hit by pitches (8), 1986.

Tied for American League in sacrifice hits (17), 1990.

-1992 New York Yankees Information Guide