HITTING
"Much depends on whether Danny Tartabull can stay healthy. The slugger has a long history of injuries and went on the disabled list twice last year. Despite playing only 123 games, he still reminded everyone of how potent his bat can be by pounding a team-leading 25 home runs to go with 85 RBI and a .266 average.
The Yankees expect another productive season from Don Mattingly (.288, 14, 86), the first Yankee to lead the club in RBI in six seasons since Yogi Berra (1949-55). Matt Nokes (.224, 22, 59), free agent signee Wade Boggs (.259, 7, 50 with the Red Sox) and Paul O'Neill (.246, 14, 66), acquired from Cincinnati for Roberto Kelly, join Mattinglyl in adding so much strength from the left side that Mel Hall was allowed to go to Japan.
Young Bernie Williams (.280, 5, 26), the switch-hitter who reached safely in 56 of 60 games after being recalled from Columbus last July 31, is developing into a fine leadoff hitter."
-Tony DeMarco (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram) and Tom Pedulla (Gannett Newspapers), The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1993 Edition
PITCHING
"After posting a 4.21 staff ERA in 1992, the Yankees concentrated on improving their starting pitching during the off-season, acquiring left-handers Jim Abbott and Jimmy Key. Abbott's 2.77 ERA was a much better indicator of how well he pitched for the Angels last year than his 7-15 record. Key, a free-agent signee, has at least 12 wins in each of his last eight seasons, including a 13-13 mark with a 3.53 ERA for the Blue Jays last year.
Melido Perez is another fine starter whose 13-16 record last season did not begin to show how well he pitched. Perez compiled a 2.87 ERA- Abbott and Perez and fifth and sixth in the AL, respectively- and placed second in the league with 218 strikeouts.
Scott Kamieniecki (6-14, 4.36) and Sam Militello (3-3, 3.45) are other starting candidates. Steve Farr (2-2, 1.56, 30 saves) is complemented by the unbanned Steve Howe (3-0, 2.45, six saves) in the bullpen. John Habyan (5-6, 3.84) and Rich Monteleone (7-3, 3.30) are other capable relievers."
-Tony DeMarco (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram) and Tom Pedulla (Gannett Newspapers), The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1993 Edition
FIELDING
"Mattingly is one of the greatest first basemen in history. He has won seven Gold Gloves in the last eight years, with his only miss occurring in 1990 when back problems held him to 102 games. The Yankees believe they solidified the shortstop position by signing free agent Spike Owen, the former Expo. However, the Yankees remain very weak at the all-important catching position as Nokes threw out only 19 percent of potential base-stealers last year. Plus, Charlie Hayes was allowed to get away to the Rockies in the expansion draft and his stabilizing glove at third base will be missed."
-Tony DeMarco (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram) and Tom Pedulla (Gannett Newspapers), The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1993 Edition
OUTLOOK
"The Yankees have shown improvement each of the last two years and are continuing to move in the right direction. But, under Buck Showalter, they finished tied with Cleveland for fourth last season at 76-86, 20 games behind Toronto, and still have a long way to go. Sorry, George, but the Yankees still are not ready to contend in a division they have not won since 1981."
-Tony DeMarco (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram) and Tom Pedulla (Gannett Newspapers), The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1993 Edition
"The Yankees have prepared themselves for a climb up the ladder by adding two left-handed pitchers in Jimmy Key and Jim Abbott, an experienced shortstop in Spike Owen, a left fielder in Paul O'Neill for manager Buck Showalter to ease Gerald Williams into a platoon situation, and a reinstated Steve Howe for the bullpen. All this, and George Steinbrenner's return from a two-year suspension."
-Joe Goddard, Chicago Sun-Times (Street & Smith's 1993 Baseball)
"New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner will find out quickly if the mice were at play when he was away on a baseball suspension for consorting with a felon. The team, which tied for fourth place last season, has been reshaped by managing partner Joe Malloy and general manager Gene Michael.
They didn't get everyone they wanted. National League MVP Barry Bonds spurned their free-agent bid. So did N.L. Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux and fellow pitchers David Cone, Doug Drabek, and Jose Guzman. But others did accept their offers. Thus, Steinbrenner will find five-time American League batting champion Wade Boggs at third base, Spike Owen at shortstop, and left-hander Jimmy Key in the rotation. Boggs, though, had his worst season by far with Boston, dropping 86 points from his .345 career batting average; Owens had limited range and arm with Montreal, and Key had to step out of Toronto's rotation when the eventual World Series champion Blue Jays obtained Cone from the Mets.
Steinbrenner will see two key additions from trades in lefty starter Jim Abbott and outfielder Paul O'Neill. He'll find Howe back in the bullpen after a seventh- and supposedly final- suspension for drug abuse was lifted. There will be young faces, too. Gerald Williams will be eased into left field by manager Buck Showalter, and starters Sam Militello and Bob Wickman are rotation probables off good second halves in '92.
The Yankees won't be going anywhere unless the pitching staff lowers its 4.21 ERA and reduces the walks and hits it allowed a year ago. Abbott and Key were brought in to take pressure off Melido Perez, who had a 2.87 ERA and was second in league strikeouts but had just a 13-16 record from lack of run support. That's nothing. Abbott's 2.77 for the Angels was fifth in the American League, but he was 7-15. Key's ERA was 3.53, but because he played for Toronto, he won 13 games. He also lost 13. The Yankees may have a winner in Militello. He was only 3-3 in nine starts, but was so dominating in the minor leagues for three years (34-8 record) that he never lost more than two games at one stop. He was 12-2 at Columbus with a 2.29 ERA. Although Wickman was 6-1 after 12-5 at Columbus, his ERA was 4.41. Consequently, he'll have to battle Scott Kamieniecki (6-14, 4.36) for the final spot. Kamieniecki had a good second half. Odds are against Mike Witt coming back from elbow surgery. Domingo Jean and Sterling Hitchcock are being groomed for the near future.
Steve Farr anchors a bullpen which should be stronger with Howe back. Farr had a second straight solid season of 30 saves and a 1.56 ERA (2-2 record). Howe was clipping along at 3-0, 2.45, and six saves when another suspension came. The two should form a formidable right-left closing punch again. It would help if the remaining members of the bullpen pick things up a notch, including John Habyan (5-6, 3.84, 7), Rich Monteleone (7-3, 3.30), and Jeff Johnson (2-3, 6.66).
Showalter has catching decisions. Matt Nokes hits for power (.224, 22 home runs, 59 RBIs), but Mike Stanley is a superior catcher and could respond as a full-time hitter off .249, 8, 27. Jim Leyritz (.257, 7, 26) is the third man.
Concerned with their lineup against right-handed pitching, the Yankees added free agent Boggs and traded for O'Neill. Asked if he could return to .300 again after .259 (7 HR, 50 RBIs) in Boston, Boggs said, 'You can bet the house on it!' O'Neill, who hit .246 with the Reds, should enjoy Yankee Stadium's 314-foot right field, but he's another reclamation project after having fallen from 28 homers and 91 RBIs two years ago in Cincinnati two years ago to 14 and 66 last season. He's only .215 against left-handers.
Boggs will be throwing across the diamond to another All-Star in first baseman Don Mattingly, whose power has diminished but not his pressure hitting (.288, 14, 86). Owen will hook up with Pat Kelly as the double-play combination. The two totaled just 20 errors between them last season, but neither hits much. Owen batted .269 for Montreal and Kelly .226. If Kelly falters, Mike Gallego is healthy after a bad foot and chipped wrist limited him to 53 games (.254). Seemingly lost in the infield picture are Kevin Maas (.248, 11, 35), Randy Velarde (.272, 7, 46), Andy Stankiewicz (.268), and Hensley Meulens (26 HRs, 100 RBIs at Columbus).
The outfield hinges on the health of Danny Tartabull (.266, 25, 85). He hasn't played more than 133 games in a season for four years, but he is capable of producing big numbers (nine RBIs, for example, in one game). Bernie Williams assumes Roberto Kelly's center-field position off a .280 mark afer batting .306 at Columbus. Gerald Williams (.285, 16 HRs, 86 RBIs at Columbus) probably will platoon in left with O'Neill. Dion James (262) backs everyone up."
-Joe Goddard, Chicago Sun-Times (Street & Smith's 1993 Baseball)
STARTING LINEUP
1. Bernie Williams CF
2. Wade Boggs 3B
3. Don Mattingly 1B
4. Danny Tartabull DH
5. Paul O'Neill RF
6. Matt Nokes C
7. Gerald Williams LF
8. Pat Kelly 2B
9. Spike Owen SS
BENCH
C Jim Leyritz, Mike Stanley
IF Russ Davis, Robert Eenhorn, Mike Gallego, Kevin Maas, Hensley Meulens, Dave Silvestri, Andy Stankiewicz, Randy Velarde
OF Mike Humphreys, Dion James
PITCHERS
LHP Jim Abbott, Sterling Hitchcock, Steve Howe, Jeff Johnson, Jimmy Key
RHP Andy Cook, Steve Farr, John Habyan, Mark Hutton, Domingo Jean, Scott Kamieniecki, Ed Martel, Sam Militello, Rich Monteleone, Bobby Munoz, Melido Perez, Mariano Rivera, Bob Wickman, Mike Witt
-Street & Smith's 1993 Baseball
THE START OF A NEW TRADITION
Manager Buck Showalter and His New Breed of Talent Will Contend for Their First AL Pennant Since 1981
"Sometimes it is said in sports, like many of reflections of pop culture in the '90s, that image is everything. Just ask Andre Agassi or the Shaq or the Dallas Cowboys.
Perception can be the great imitator between pretender and contender. But behind the window dressing and bravado, the competitor must have the will to win, the character to overcome and a satchel of luck just in case.
The Yankees of 1993 have headed in the direction where teams dare to dream of the improbable because they are now possible.
New faces on a team will do that.
Even the most cynical Yankee fan has to be seduced by the intriguing off-season acquisitions. Wade Boggs in Pinstripes? Jim Abbott a Yankee? Spike Owen? Paul O'Neill? Jimmy Key? Yes. After being given the free-agent heave-ho by the likes of Greg Maddux, Barry Bonds and David Cone, whose bait-and-switch tactics exposed their true insincerity, Yankees General Manager Gene Michael and his staff regrouped nicely.
The Yankees brass spent little time sulking over spilled talent and moved forward. In a matter of months the Yankees were transformed into a legitimate contender in the American League East. The division must now take notice.
No one in Pinstripes should be happier with this team's facelift than second-year manager Buck Showalter. The 36-year-old skipper last year endured his first-ever losing season as a manager at any level. The off-season moves have given him a fighting chance in a division that is undergoing a metamorphosis, a shifting of power. In turn, the pressure will be on.
There are in this season, unlike few in recent memory, expectations. Expectations not just to compete or stay close, but to win. It is the burden of an organization with a storied past hoping to recapture its glory days. But the Yankees have the game's youngest manager whose image is that of the ultimate taskmaster. And in front of him is the ultimate task: doing what no Yankees manager has accomplished in a dozen years, leading a Yankee team to a pennant. Let's take a look at the players who can help make that happen.
Starting Pitching
With the big three of Melido Perez, Abbott and Key, Showalter must feel like a kid in a candy store.
Despite the trio's unimpressive combined regular-season won-lost mark last year of 33-44, their ERA was a sterling 3.05. And all three pitched over 200 innings.
In Abbott, the Yankees have one of the premier lefties in the game, an ace, a go-to guy, a southpaw stopper the staff has lacked since Ron Guidry's glory days. In acquiring the 25-year-old from the California Angels, the Yankees traded away just three minor leaguers with a total of 41 games of major league experience between them. In defense of Abbott's record, he received just 2.64 runs in each start from his Angel teammates.
In Perez's case, the right-hander was staring 20 wins in the face if provided with a little more offensive help from his '92 club. The 27-year-old led the Yankee staff in virtually every category and could be any staff's number one starter if not for the presence of Abbott. His 218 strikeouts a year ago were second among AL pitchers.
Filling the void as the third starter will be Key. The 31-year-old lefty produced big time for the 1992 World Champion Toronto Blue Jays, winning two games in the World Series, allowing just one earned run over nine innings. The free agent signee was tremendous down the stretch run going 5-1 with a 2.22 ERA in September as the BlueJays edged the Milwaukee Brewers by four games to win the AL East.
The fourth and fifth spots will be a mad scramble. But youth is on the Yankees' side. The organization has a plethora of young pitching prospects biding their time in the minors waiting to get a crack in the Bronx.
With an outstanding minor league campaign backed by an impressive major league stint, Sam Militello should find a role in the rotation. At Triple-A Columbus last season, the right-hander went 12-2 and was named the International League's Most Valuable Pitcher. His 3-3 performance for the Yankees in nine games was equally impressive considering he is just 23. Militello's deceptive slider and outstanding poise and youth make him the perfect complement in a more seasoned rotation.
The fifth starting job will be a dash to the finish line. An assorted mixture of hurlers with various degrees of major league experience will vie for the final spot. Sophomore Bob Wickman was most impressive last season going 12-5 at Columbus before his promotion produced a 6-1 mark. Wickman's presence would give the Yankees two starters who were part of the Steve Sax-Melido Perez deal.
Mike Witt, virtually on the sidelines for the past two years with an elbow injury, could very well return to the Yankees' rotation. He proved healthy and strong in spring training and his comeback is nearing completion.
Scott Kamieniecki, another right-hander, needs to overcome his inconsistent major league career to date and prove the Yankees can count on him. At age 28, he needs to do it quickly.
Relief Pitching
Through the first half of last season, the Yankees' bullpen ran like a well-oiled machine. It served as a line of defense for a mediocre starting rotation and performed admirably. By the second half, though, chinks in the armor appeared and a strong-armed pen had shown some wear and tear.
Familiar faces will grace the bullpen in Steve Farr, John Habyan and Rich Monteleone. And the reinstatement of lefty Steve Howe, who was such an integral component of the pen's success before his suspension last season, will add a whole new dimension to the relief corps.
Used primarily as the left-handed closer, Howe was 3-0 in 20 games prior to June 8 when he was placed on the suspended list. Howe's comrade-in-arms from the right side, Farr, helped pick up the slack and the saves.
Farr is in his third season as a Yankee and has been the club's most consistent reliever. He accepts his role as game saver. 'You can pitch well 40 games in a row,' Farr said, 'and give up one two-run home run to lose a game and someone will come up and say, 'I remember that home run.' They just expect you to get everybody out every time.' The 36-year-old's career-high 30 saves last season moved the hurler into the seventh spot on the all-time Yankees' save list with 53 starting the 1993 season.
Expecting great things from right-handed middle relievers Habyan and Monteleone is nothing new for Yankee fans. The dynamic duo's performances go relatively unnoticed, which is part of the territory. But where would Showalter be without his vaunted pair?
Habyan led the club in appearances for the second straight season, and his seven saves were a career best. Despite going through a two-month slide, the New York native ended the season by not allowing a run over his last four appearances.
An unestablished major league just two seasons ago, Monteleone has found a home in New York. The 6-2, 214-pounder enjoyed his first full season in the majors in 1992 and made the most of it. His seven wins led the pen and his 92.2 innings pitched were seventh most among AL relievers.
The final relief jobs could be filled by pitchers failing to make the starting rotation. A likely scenario would be the lefty-right combination of Jeff Johnson and either Kamieniecki or Wickman. But Showalter might see limited innings for Wickman as a detriment toward his career development.
There is also the interesting scenario of 33-year-old Neal Heaton who the Yankees signed as a non-roster player before spring training. A former All-Star with Pittsburgh, Heaton played for seven different teams before putting on the PInstripes. If effective, the lefty in a right-handed dominated pen could find some key innings setting up the closers.
Catching
Finding a catching tandem with both the offensive and defensive punch is a rare commodity the Yankees fortunately enjoy. While a platoon situation is an irritant to most players, Matt Nokes and Mike Stanley realize they have much to offer this squad in different facets of the game.
The left-hand hitting Nokes endured a troublesome season at the plate last year, but his offensive potential is inviting. Once the proprietor of a 32 HRs-87 RBI season, the 29-year-old backstop is hoping to bring some consistency to his defensive duties as well as to the plate in 1993. Nokes' home run punch will be in dire need due to the departure of Jesse Barfield and Mel Hall, both of whom said sayonara and exited to play in Japan.
Nokes' 1992 season of frustration climaxed with a .224 average and 59 RBIs in 121 games.
From a defensive standpoint, the play of Stanley has been refreshing. Often referred to as the consummate professional, the second-year Yankee, formerly of the Texas Rangers, has the full confidence of the Yankee pitching staff. Calling an intelligent game is his forte and his offensive output of eight homers and 27 RBI in only 68 games was icing on the cake. The right-hand hitting backstop knows he must stay on top of his game to remain a major leaguer.
'You see in the press about guys who are making $6 million and $7 million,' he said. 'You don't see about the guys day in and day out fighting to stay in the big leagues.'
Infield
If Yankee fans come to the Stadium looking for defensive prowess, the Yankee infield should be more than happy to comply.
At first base, the captain, Don Mattingly, comes off his seventh Gold Glove season. While the days of 30 HRs and 100 RBI may be golden memories, Mattingly last year defied the critics who said his bad back had neutralized his game. At 31, the 11-year Yankee can still drive in the timely run and hit with some power. And his work ethic remains a constant reminder of old-fashion work habits that pay dividends.
The most interesting battle will come at second base between the incumbent Pat Kelly and Mike Gallego.
Acquired as a free agent last season, Gallego was asked to play mostly shortstop, but injuries derailed his season and limited him to 53 games. Still, he carries the intangibles Showalter loves. He was a proven winner with Oakland, helping the A's to three AL championships from 1988-90 and to one World Series victory. And his ability to play more than one position is invaluable. With the acquisition of Spike Owen as the full-time shortstop, Gallego's everyday opportunity lies at second.
Despite his defensive wizardry, Kelly's offensive output did little to secure him a spot in the lineup. The 25-year-old second baseman will go as far as his bat will take him. He struggled often at the plate last season hitting just .226 and knocking in 27 runs in 106 games.
'You can't expect someone to come up and hit .400,' Kelly explained. 'I'm learning how to hit. I know everyone is tired of hearing me say that but I am.' The pre-season possibility of trading either Kelly or Gallego also loomed.
With Owen at short, the Yankees are guaranteed a player out of the mold of Bucky Dent. Owen's stellar defensive play and fiery competitiveness while a member of the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos are the perfect attributes for a middle infielder. At 31 his range isn't eye-popping but he can make all the routine plays, as his .982 fielding percentage last season, good for fifth among NL shortstops, will attest.
It may take some time for Yankee fans to acclimate themselves to the club's newest third baseman, but any time lifetime .338 hitter is a welcome addition to Showalter's lineup. Even if he is from Boston.
Wade Boggs, for 11 years a member of the rival Red Sox, takes over the hot corner for the Yankees at age 34. The departure of Charlie Hayes via the National League Expansion Draft opened up a spot at third and the Yankees snatched the free agent Boggs soon after.
The nine pages about Boggs in the Yankees 1993 Information Guide is all you need to know about his many accomplishments. One of the league's most feared hitters, Boggs has five batting titles to his credit. But the third sacker is said to be most proud of his glovework which he has worked extremely hard to improve over his 17 years in professional baseball.
Outfield
The Yankees' confidence in centerfielder Bernie Williams was evidenced by the trading of Roberto Kelly to the Cincinnati Reds for Paul O'Neill. Tabbed for greatness since the age of 17, Williams is expected to come into his own without the shadow of Kelly looming over his shoulder. What the 24-year-old brings to the table is speed at the top of the lineup and that same quality to cover the spacious confines of Yankee Stadium. What he must prove is the ability to hit major league pitching on a consistent basis.
The native of San Juan, Puerto Rico finished the '92 season in New York hitting .280 after leading the Columbus Clippers to the Governor's Cup with a .308 batting average. The patient switch-hitter knows his purpose in New York.
'I've got to get on base more and steal more bases,' he explained. 'That has to be my main objective, to get myself in scoring position more often.
What the Yankees will be looking for from O'Neill is home runs and plenty of them. The short rightfield Stadium porch should be conducive to his compact swing which produced 14 home runs and 66 RBI last season for the Reds. The Columbus, Ohio native also brings to New York outstanding defensive skills, including a powerful arm. Last season he led NL outfielders in fielding percentage making just one error in 304 total chances.
Joining Williams and O'Neill will be Danny Tartabull. Despite respectable numbers last season, Tartabull was stricken with the injury bugaboo, limiting him to 123 games. His 25 home runs and 85 RBI thus became even more impressive due to his shortened season. But the club will need the second-year Yankee in the lineup for a full season if they are to make a run at the top.
Another Williams, Gerald, should see plenty of action filling in at all three outfield positions. Williams was another Columbus Clipper who found playing time last season in New York after completing an outstanding campaign at the Triple-A level. He has superior range and a strong arm. In 15 games for the Yankees last season, Gerald hit .296 including three home runs.
DH and Bench
The Yankees collection of bench players could find starting spots on many major league rosters. While that's good news for the manager, finding playing time for the likes of Kevin Maas, Randy Velarde, Andy Stankiewicz and Dion James may be difficult.
Maas remains destined for platoon status as the lefty DH until Mattingly takes off the Pinstripes. No doubt his left-hand power is a threat with each at-bat, but until he shows the steady home run power, his most frequent at-bats may come in batting practice.
For Velarde, last season was nirvava. The shortstop enjoyed his finest season as a major leaguer, hitting .272 in 121 games and often playing spectacularly in the field. But the acquisition of Owen sealed Velarde's fate and reduced him to a backup role. Unless he is traded, the six-year Yankee, second only to Mattingly in seniority, will spell the other infielders.
The rags-to-riches tagline could describe Andy Stankiewicz's '92 season, too. Destined for another season in Columbus, 'Stanky' found plenty of action filling in for the injured Pat Kelly and Mike Gallego. He was an immediate crowd favorite as he added excitement to the top of the order. Unless traded, playing time could be very scarce for the 28-year-old.
Jim Leyritz will be used primarily as the third catcher and as Boggs' backup, while Dion James will pinch-run, pinch-hit and fill in in the outfield.
There is this image that the 1993 Yankees are more contender than pretender. That behind all the history and the pennants and the World Championships, there is a dawning of a new generation of winners. A generation of Yankee recruits, some homegrown, others deftly acquired. There is this image that on the immediate horizon lies a Yankee resurgence. Image is everything in the '90s. The 1993 Yankees are just beginning."
-Gregg Mazzola, The New York Yankees Official 1993 Yearbook
1993 YANKEES SPRING TRAINING DEPTH CHART
C Matt Nokes
1B Don Mattingly
2B Pat Kelly
3B Wade Boggs
SS Spike Owen
LF Dion James
CF Bernie Williams
RF Paul O'Neill
DH Danny Tartabull (OF)
UTILITY
C Mike Stanley
1B Kevin Maas (DH)
2B Mike Gallego (SS)
3B Jim Leyritz (C-1B)
SS Randy Velarde (OF)
OF Gerald Williams
PITCHERS
Jim Abbott
Melido Perez
Jimmy Key
Sam Militello
Bob Wickman
Scott Kamieniecki
RELIEF PITCHERS
Steve Farr
Steve Howe
John Habyan
Rich Monteleone
