The New York Yankees are a franchise with a storied past filled with championships, and with their recent success in securing their 27th World Series Championship it really got me thinking what would an all time Yankee team look like? Who would put the pinstripes on for my all time 25 man roster? We are talking about a team that has more championships than any other team in ANY North American Sport.  Those 27 Championships are more then the 2nd and 3rd most by any team in baseball combined.  Would the team be dominated by the early sluggers of the 20’s & 30’s? Perhaps it would be littered with members of the 1961 team which many argue is the greatest team ever? What of the late 70’s and more recent 90’s dynasty? With so many greats who would fill out the all time team and roster?

I’ve been thinking about this for some time and truthfully started looking closely at statistics this past summer when Derek Jeter closed in on the all time Yankees Hits record. I took a look at many statistics, but also took into account filling the team with players that would help them win. So below I’ll detail who I think should make my all time 25 man roster based on the team’s needs and their achievements. Surely some of these names you’ll know and perhaps there will be a couple greats that you’ll be introduced to.

If you would use your imagination to hear Bob Sheppard’s voice for the starting line up:

1. Derek Jeter- Short Stop 15 Seasons 1995-Present (all w/NYY) “The Captain”

Avg- .317,  OBP-.388,  SLG-.459,  HR-224,  Hits-2747, SB-305, Runs-1574, OPS+:121

His only competition would be Phil Rizzuto and when you compare the numbers there really isn’t a competition. Phil was a better fielder, but otherwise he is no where near the all around player Jeter is. Jeter also is the ultimate intangible player and he brings that to the top of the order for this team. He does it all the right way and shines his best when it matters most. Jeter won the Rookie of the Year award and finished in the top three for MVP voting 3 times.  He has collected over 200 hits 7 times. A four time silver slugger at his position he also holds the Yankee lead for most hits by a Yankee. Aside from his regular season statistics he has the knack of showing up in the post season including winning the World Series MVP in  2000. He is the heart, soul, and captain of the present day Yankees on and off the field. With Jeter sitting at the top of the line up he will set the table for the sluggers behind him.

2. Joe DiMaggio- Right Field 13 Season 36-51 (all w/NYY 3 years lost to war) “Joltin Joe”

AVG-.325, OBP-.398, SLG-.579, HR-361, Hits- 2214,  SB-30, Runs 1390, OPS+:155

Joe also known as the Yankee Clipper won 3 MVP awards and finished 2nd or 3rd three other times. He also is the only player to be selected to the All Star game every year he played. He did miss three of his prime years at an age many sluggers put up their best numbers due to going to World War II. He holds the consecutive hit streak record at 56, and played a hell of an outfield by all accounts. He would be the Center Fielder for many other teams but the Yankees have someone else patrolling that position on this all time team.  He was truly an accomplished 5 tool player and one of the best to grace the field. In his younger years he played with Lou Gehrig, later in his career he teamed with Yogi Berra, and in his twilight years he played alongside a young Mickey Mantle. In many ways DiMaggio was the bridge from one great Yankee generation to the next. On this team he finds himself reunited with many of those former teammates, and in this line up they look for him to hit second and be that sensational player he always was with the bat and in the field. Not many balls are going to fall in when hit in his direction, and rest assured with his ability to get on base he will have no issues moving Jeter over and getting ready for the team’s heavy hitters to follow.

3. Babe Ruth- Right Field- 22 Seasons  1914-1935 (15 w/NYY) “The Bambino/ Sultan of Swat”

AVG-.342, OBP-.474, SLG-.690 HR-714, HITS-2873, SB-123, Runs-2174, OPS+: 207

The Babe needs no introduction. He dominated the game like few others and I don’t think you’ll find anyone that would argue he is not one of the top 5 greatest ball players of any time. Many would say he is the best. He bats 3rd because he wore number three and batted third throughout his career. Stick with what works right? Oddly he only won one MVP award. He changed the game more then anyone in it’s history with his ability to hit the long ball. He drove in 100 runs 13 times, hit over .300 17 times, led the majors in homers 2 times, 13 times he led the majors in Slugging, and when he retired he was the all time leader for Home Runs, Runs, Walks, and RBI. In addition he was an accomplished pitcher who threw a no hitter and could come in and pitch for this team if he was ever needed. I don’t think i need to explain much more about this pick, but take note of his OPS+ statistic… a Staggering 207! There is a reason when someone dominates an activity it is referred to as “Ruthian”. With that in mind he looms large in the the 3 hole in this line up.

4. Lou Gehrig- First Base- 17 Seasons 1923-1939 (all w/NYY) “The Iron Horse”

AVG-.340, OBP-.447, SLG-.632, HR-493, HITS-2721, SB-102, RUNS-1888, OPS+:179

Pencil him in I have a feeling he’ll be there. His consecutive games record stood for decades until Cal Ripkin JR broke it in the 90’s. That’s not why he makes the team. Frankly you’d be hard pressed to find a better first baseman to ever play the game from a production standpoint. He was a great player and a great teammate adored by all he played with. I almost wanted to put our number 5 hitter here, but the Ruth/Gehrig combo seemed to work so well i thought might as well stick with it. He won two MVP awards and came in 2nd two other times and won the Triple Crown in 1934. Hitting clean up for the great teams he proved very capable of driving in runs. In fact 3 of the top 6 RBI years ever belong to Gehrig, and he had 13 consecutive seasons of 100 or more RBI’s. He seems like the perfect fit to make sure he drives in the guys in front of him on base on this all time team.

5. Mickey Mantle-Center Field- 18 Seasons 51-68(all w/NYY) “The Mick/The Commerce Comet”

AVG-.298, OBP-.421, SLG-.557, HR- 536,  HITS-2415, SB- 153, RUNS-1677, OPS+:172

Injuries and hard living slowed him down particularly towards the end, but he played through everything and left it all on the field. From all accounts from the people who saw him play in his prime he was one of the best center fielders ever. That is why on my all time Yankee team i look to the Mick to patrol CF instead of the great DiMaggio. Mantle was the embodiment of speed and was easily one of the fastest guys from home to first by many accounts.  He won 3 MVP awards, finished 2nd 3 times, and 3rd once. He also won the Triple Crown in 1956. He had a knack of coming up big on the largest stage as well. He still holds the record for the most HR’s, RBI’s, Runs, Walks, and extra base hits in the World Series. He was the greatest switch hitter to ever play the game and his bat looms large in this line up and offers protection to those ahead of him. He was a baseball player and I could not be happier to put him in center field and see what he can do in this line up.

6. Alex Rodriguez- Third Base- 16 Seasons 94-Present (6 w/NYY & Currently Playing)- “AROD”

AVG-.305, OBP-.390, SLG-.576, HR-583, HITS-2531, SB-297, RUNS-1683, OPS+:147

Well where to begin with this one….. He has only been a Yankee for 6 years which is the same amount of time he spent in Seattle, but when it is all said and done he will have played more then half his years for the Yankee’s. There is the cloud of steroids over him of course, but he is not alone in this era with that problem.  I’m not a huge AROD fan but i appreciate what he does at the plate and his skills are undeniable. Even if some of the power is inflated he still has been a sensational player and must be considered when talking about the greatest players to ever play the game let alone the greatest Yankee’s. Early in his career he joined the 40/40 club. He holds the record for the most HR’s by a right handed batter in a single season at Yankee Stadium besting his teammate on this team Joe DiMaggio. He is the only player to hit 35+ HR’s & drive in 100 for 11 consecutive seasons. He has 3 MVP awards (two with the Yankees), two 2nd place finishes, and one third place finish. With a good bit of his career ahead of him one can only think his numbers and place all time will only grow.  Barry Bonds all time HR record is an attainable goal. His closest competition for 3rd base was Graig Nettles. Graig was a wizard with the glove, but AROD is a dominate player, Graig was a good Yankee player. With Arod behind him he will offer speed in the middle of the line up as well as making sure Mantle is not pitched around.

7. Yogi Berra- Catcher- 19 Seasons 46-65(18 w/NYY & 4 games w/ NYM in 1 Season)- “Yogi”

AVG-285, OBP-.348, SLG-.482, HR-358, HITS-2150, SB-30, RUNS-1175, OPS+:125

He played one of the most demanding positions for some of the greatest teams ever to play the game. When asked why his pitchers were so good Casey Stengal his manager replied”our catcher, that’s why”. In his 18 years as a Yankee they played in the World Series 14 times and won the World Series 10 times. This is a guy that knows how to win. How do you offer protection in a line up where the two guys ahead of you are 3 time MVP winners? Follow them up with another 3 time MVP winner.  In addition to his 3 MVP wins Yogi also finishing 2nd two times, and 3rd once. In fact from 1950-1957 he never finished lower then 4th in the voting. Perhaps Bill Dickey probably had a slight edge in numbers but they were close very close. If you look at the Win Share statistic Yogi grades out as the best catcher ever to play the game. There is a spot on this team for Bill, but I just can’t imagine an all time Yankee team without Yogi behind the plate. Yogi was known as a clutch hitter, called a great game, and although he did not have the best arm he was quite good otherwise behind the plate defensively. All this combined makes him the all time Yankee Catcher.

8. Tony Lazzeri- Second Base- 14 Seasons 1926-1939 (12 w/NYY) “Poosh Em Up Tony”

AVG-.292, OBP-380, SLG-467, HR- 178, HITS-1840,  SB-148, RUNS-986, OPS+:121

One of the forgotten pieces of “Murders Row” Tony did his part to help give the team that name by being a very productive hitter for his time. Honestly Joe Gordon has slightly better numbers and could be the better pick, but I went with Tony because Joe split his time with the Yankees and Indians. Tony was a Yankee virtually his entire career. Tony was a strong enough fielder that he won’t hurt the team working in the field. In addition he offers some nice pop for a 2 bagger, and is not bad for a number 8 hitter in the line up.

9. Don Mattingly- DH- 14 Seasons 1982-1995 (all w/NYY) “Donnie Baseball”

AVG-.307, OBP-.358, SLG-.471, HR-222, Hits-2153, SB-14, RUNS-1007, OPS+:127

What could have been? If his back was not injured what kind of player could he have been? His career ended at the age of 34, but I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt when I pick him for the starting line up. Sure his second half of his career he was a shadow of himself, but he was dominate when healthy.  He was a whizz defensively at first base. He would be able to play first base or third base in case of injuries on this team (a lefty playing third! odd but he did it when the yanks needed him to!). He won the MVP once in 1985 and finished second in 1986.  I give him the nod on opening day because he was a Yankee Captain and played the game with grit. He like Lazzeri in front of him was very good at driving men in and with the guys in front of them they should have plenty of opportunities to do so even at the bottom of this lineup. All of that said over the course of the season a couple of the bench guys would get worked in here. Don just gets the nod as the first off the bench.

The line up is strong from top to bottom. Everyone in it is capable of making an opposing pitcher pay for making a mistake. Derek Jeter is will get things going  getting on base and stealing a bag if necessary, while Joltin Joe is one of the best contact hitters in the game. He seems like a great fit for the number two hole and between the pair they should set the table nicely for the heavy hitters to follow. Opposing pitchers will hen  run the gauntlet of Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Rodriguez. That task that might even intimidate the great Bob Gibson (maybe). You would be hard pressed to find a team that has a trio of 3 time MVP hitters consecutively in their line up and none of them are even hitting third or cleanup for that team! The nine whole offers no relief with the very formidable hitter Mattingly finishing things off.  Defensively the team is very strong in the outfield with Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle both offering excellent defense. Yogi Berra was known as a field general at his position and although most remember him as one of the best hitting catchers he was quite capable behind the dish. No one on the team should be a liability defensively, although the team may not be mistaken for the all time “Gold Glove” team they will handle themselves well enough..

On The Bench:

Charlie Keller- Outfield 13 Seasons 1939-1952 (11w/NYY missed 2 yrs in War) “King Kong”

AVG-.286, OBP-.410, SLG-.518, HR-189, HITS-1085, SB-45, RUNS-725, OPS+:152

Charlie like Don Mattingly is a classic case of what could have been if he stayed healthy. He only had 5 full years in his 13 years in the majors, but when healthy he looked and played like he was next in line to be among the greatest Yankee names ever. His numbers look small compared to the others in the starting line up, but he was a feared hitter in his lineups. He was a strong athlete who was fast, and played a great right field. Many were surprised at his exceptional speed in the field considering his size.  There are other OFers who have better career numbers such as Bernie Williams and Earl Combs, but I want Charlie on the bench because I feel strongly a healthy King Kong in his prime was a special player that offers a great combination of speed and power at the plate. He will get some time at DH and can spell the corner outfielders.

Reggie Jackson Outfield- 21 Seasons 1967-1987 (5w/NYY) “Mr. October”

AVG-.262, OBP-.356, SLG-.490, HR-563, HITS-2584, SB-228, RUNS-1551, OPS+:139

He once infamously said he is the straw that stirs the drink and Mr. October backed up and lived up to everything he said. Reggie makes the team because he is the definition of clutch, and if you have someone coming off the bench you need a clutch player. He can play corner OF spots and DH, but most importantly he can offer some power off the bench and the ability to deliver with the pressure on. He has always been a winner and with that in mind fits this team perfectly. He is the guy that hit three home runs in one World Series game on three pitches earning him the nickname “Mr. October”. He won one MVP during his career and twice was the World Series MVP. He only spent 5 years with the Yankees, but he considers himself a Yankee. He went into the Hall of Fame as a Yankee and I can’t imagine an all time team without Mr. October on it.

Willie Randolph 2nd Base- 18 Seasons 1975-1992 (13 Years w/NYY)

AVG-.276 OBP-.373 SLG-.351, HR-54, SB-271, HITS-2210, RUNS-1239, OPS+:104

I went with power for my extra outfielders and also left handed bats so I wanted a back up middle infielder with speed and a right handed bat off the bench. Thus Willie wins out. He was always a great Yankee and I think he would be a great option coming off the bench in this role. He was a  very good  bunter, drew more then 80 walks at least 7 times in his career, and maintained a high base stealing percentage. His patience at the plate will be another asset for this team while he handles pinch hitting and running duties. Defensively he was strong and was one of the best at turning a double play. He makes the team over Bobby Richardson and Joe Gordon not because he is a better player then they were, but he fits this teams needs more in my opinion.

Gil McDougald 2nd, 3rd, SS- 10 Seasons 1951-1960 (All NYY)

AVG-.276, OBP-.356, SLG-.410, HR-112, SB-45, HITS-1291, RUNS-697, OPS+:111

Gil makes the team because of his solid play, but more so because of his versatility. He can play 2nd, 3rd, and SS giving the team depth in case of an injury. During his career he played 599 games at 2b, 508 at 3b, and 284 at SS during his career. He was not a superstar, but as his OPS+ indicates he was a strong contributor who happened to also have a very good glove and a knack for turning double plays. He was the Rookie of the Year in 1951, an all star 5 times, and contributed to five World Series Championships. He will be a great defensive backup in case of injuries and also capable of pinch running for the team if Randolph is already in the game.

Bill Dickey Catcher- 17 Years 1928-1946 (All NYY 2 Years lost to War)

AVG-.313, OBP-.382, SLG-.486, HR-202, SB-37, HITS-1969, RUNS-930, OPS+:127

Every team needs a back up catcher. With catchers like Elston Howard, Thurman Munson, and Jorge Posada picking Yogi’s back up was difficult. They truly are a franchise that has been blessed with an abundance of great catchers. In the end though the choice was clear after I looked at the numbers. A case could be made that Bill might deserve the nod to start. The numbers were pretty close in my opinion. Bill’s last year with the Yankees was Yogi ’s first and we’ll have them team up again on this all time team. Bill played in 8 World Series winning 7 of those eight. Known for his excellent throwing arm and his ability to handle a pitching staff.  Dickey was also no slouch with his bat. For four consecutive seasons he hit over 20 HR’s and  drove in over 100 RBI’s (36-39) His bating average of .362 in 36 remained the highest for a catcher until in 97 Mike Piazza tied it and then this year Joe Mauer broke that record hitting .365. With a backup like Bill the lineup won’t skip a beat when Yogi needs a day off and Bill will see plenty of time in the field, as a DH, and pinch hitter if needed.

The bench is here to add some depth and round the team out. There are others as noted earlier who were better players at various positions, but I picked these guys to join the team each for a specific reason defined above. The Outfielders add any extra pop needed with Reggie being the man coming off the bench in a pressure situation to pinch hit for a pitcher. Randolph gives the team some speed in case a pinch runner as well as an excellent batting eye. Gil with his ability to play multiple positions makes him very valuable to the team. As illustrated earlier Bill Dickey not only is a capable catcher but one that can step in and the offense and defense won’t skip a beat.  If I had one more spot i would not mind having a slick fielding center fielder, but I’ll roll the dice with Joe and The Mick in the outfield already.

Starting Rotation

1. Whitey Ford- 16 Years 1950-1967 (All NYY 2 lost to War) “Chairman of the Board”

Win%-.690, ERA-2.75, WHIP-1.215, k/9-5.6, ERA+:133

The anchor of the staff for all of the 50’s and most of the 60’s Whitey Ford not only is the ace of this staff he is one of the best to play the game. He was the definition of a “Big Game Pitcher”. He only won the Cy Young award once, but there were multiple years he would have been a contender for the award but it was not created yet or was not separated by each league yet. Ask those who had to hit against him in the World Series if he was not one of the best to step on the mound. At one point he struck out 6 straight batters tying the league record at the time. Even more impressive during the first half of his career while Casey Stengal was his manager he regularly skipped Ford’s starts or had him go on short rest to assure he always matched up against the other team’s ace. This is what makes his .690 winning percentage which is the best the game has ever seen (by a pitcher with at least 300 decisions) so astounding. The number itself is great but to know that many of his match ups were against his most talented peers at the time makes it an even more impressive number. Although he never pitched a No Hitter he did pitch back to back one hitters. He is the guy I want going to the mound for this all time Yankee  team as much as possible and acting as the staff ace when everything is on the line

2. Lefty Gomez- 14 Years 1930-1943 (13 w/NYY) “Lefty”

Win%-.649, ERA-3.34, WHIP-1.352, K/9-5.3, ERA+:125

His career started as a hard throwing lefty, but as the injuries mounted in 33, 36, and 39 he slowly began to change his game to more of a finesse pitcher. He and Red Ruffing headlined the 1930’s Yankees and Lefty helped the Yankees win 5 World Series titles while going 6-0 in 7 World Series Starts. He is one of the few  to win the pitching triple crown twice (34 & 37) by leading the league in wins, era, and strikeouts both years. Lefty is another ace but on this staff he will have to settle being a mighty fine number 2.

3. Ron Guidry- 14 Seasons 1975-1988 (All w/NYY) “Gator/Louisiana Lightening”

Win%-.651, ERA-3.29, WHIP-1.184, K/9-5.8, ERA+:119

His 1978 season was outstanding with Gator going 25-3 with a WHIP of .946. Although that was the only year he won the Cy Young award he finished in the top three two other times.  Gator was the anchor for years for Yankee teams and seems an easy fit into this roster. He is just the kind of guy you want taking the hill as often as possible for your team and to think he is in the number three hole for this rotation makes me feel very comfortable him stepping in and facing the competition.

4. Spud Chandler- 11 Seasons 1937-1947 (all w/ NYY) “Spud”

Win%-.717, ERA: 2.84, WHIP-1.205, K/9-3.7, ERA+:132

Spud did not get his first start in the major’s until he was 29 thus he does not have as many years as some of the others on the staff, but when he pitched he was sensational as witnessed by his 133 ERA+. He is the only Yankee pitcher ever to win the MVP award which he won in 1943. His ERA that year of 1.64 was the lowest by any major league pitcher from 1920- 1967 and stands as the lowest ever recorded by a Yankee starter. He was sensational for the Yankees in the 40’s. One may look at some of these numbers and think he deserves to follow Whitey as the number two on the team, but Spud did compile some of his best years against a weaker league as many of the stars were in the War at this time. That said he proved with his 1946 season he is capable of succeeding and I won’t hold that against him. He was sensational in the 43 World Series and has the make up to pitch on this pinstripes staff. In his 11 seasons he never had a losing record.

5. Andy Pettitte- 15 Seasons 1995-Present (12w/Yankees & Currently w/them)

Win%-.629, ERA-3.91, WHIP-1.361, K/9-6.6, ERA+:116

The fifth spot was the hardest to choose. The biggest name left out was Red Ruffing, but when I looked at the numbers for Red, Bill Shawky, Waite Hoyt, Jack Chesbro, Allie Reynolds, Mel Stottlemyre and others Pettitte compared very favorably and seemed to be just a little better overall then the others. He also is quite experienced as a big game pitcher and coming through when needed the most. He seems to come through in the big  games as evidenced by being on the mound in 96 when the Yankees turned things around against the Braves to start that dynasty, he has the most overall postseason wins, and most recently in 2009 he pitched the game clincher in all three rounds. He is not one to shy away from the pressure of the big game and I think he will do just fine as the 5th pitcher. A 20 game winner twice who finished as the runner up for the Cy Young in 1996 the lefty also sports one of the better K/9’s on this team.

The Yankees have always been known for their offense and the truth is that will be the strength of the team, but this pitching staff should hold it’s own. So many times the fine starters they have had become overshadowed by the sluggers in Yankee past. These 5 may not be the best rotation an All Time team could assemble, but they will keep the team in the game. Also, each and every one of them is capable of being an Ace and rising to the occasion to stop a losing streak if necessary. With Whitey anchoring this staff I feel they are ready to take on any team.

In the Pen:

Allie Reynolds- 13 Seasons 1942-1954 (8 w/NYY)- “Superchief”

Saves-49, ERA-3.30, WHIP-1.386, K/9-5.0, ERA+:110

Allie was mostly a starter but there were many seasons that he came out of the pen so him playing in this role is not a stretch. He had an overall winning percentage of .630 and will act as this teams long reliever and spot starter if needed. Not a bad guy to have coming to help out in a pinch. He also was 7-2 in his World Series games and pitched two no hitters so he is no stranger to the big stage.

Johnny Murphy- 12 Seasons 1934-1947 (11w/NYY 2 lost to War)- “Fireman”

Saves-107, ERA-3.50, WHIP-1.367, K/9-3.3, ERA+:117

Johnny was an excellent player for his time, but easily forgotten by many Yankee fans. He was one of the best arms coming out of the pen to help save games for the dominant Yankees of the later 30’s and 40’s. He lead the AL in wins by a relief pitcher 7 times and lead the league in saves 4 times. He also sported a 1.10 era in the World Series saving 4 WS games, winning 2, while losing none in the 8 games of the fall classic he participated in. He makes for a formidable right hander in the pen for this team and has the experience to come in and pick up any of the superstar staff when needed.

Dave Righetti- 16 Seasons 1979-1995 (11 w/NYY) “Rags”

Saves-252, ERA-3.46, WHIP-1.338, K/9-7.1, ERA+:113

Every good pen needs a good left handed specialist and Righetti will be one of the two lefties in this pen.  He is one of the few on the team without a World Series championship, but like Mattingly that does not make him any less effective on the field for this team. Righetti spent most of his time as a reliever but was a capable starter when needed. He pitched a No Hitter against the Red Sox in 83 his last year as a starter. He and Dennis Eckersley are the only pitchers to have a No Hitter and to lead the league in saves. He showed a knack to perform and close out games and should take to his role in this pen with no problem.

Sparky Lyle- 16 Seasons 67-82 (7 w/NYY) “Sparky”

Saves- 238, ERA-2.88, WHIP-1.275, K/9-5.7, ERA+:127

Sparky Lyle is the dominant left hand reliever on this team. He can come in against the all time great righties in tough situations and can put the hammer down in the 7th inning if necessary. Like many of the older closers he is capable of giving you more then one inning if needed. He was one of if not the most dominant relief pitchers of the 70’s. Sparky was the first American League relief pitcher to win the Cy Young award which he did in 1977. Sparky spent more years with the Yankees then any other team and he also had his best years as a Yankee. He led the AL in saves twice while with the Yankees. Easily one of the most dominant closers of his time he will serve this team well and will get plenty of opportunities to shorten games.

Rich Gossage-22 Seasons 72-94 (7w/NYY) “Goose”

SAVES-310, ERA-3.01, WHIP-1.232, K/9-7.5, ERA+:126

With such a dominant closer like Sparky Lyle being used in the 7th inning or for the tough right handed at bats it only makes sense to have his real life successor join him on this team. Goose was a bulldog on the mound and not the guy opposing hitters wanted to see. Unlike today’s closers he typically went three and sometimes more innings when needed to close games. Finishing with only 310 saves he also had 115 wins in relief which still stands as third most. Goose threw only one pitch, but it was so good that is all he needed. He threw the heater and it was one of the best the game has ever seen. He had pin point accuracy with it and could move it where he wanted. Oh and in his peak years it was regularly clocked between 98-102MPH.  He is easily one of the top 5 relief pitchers ever to play the game. He spent 7 years with the Yankees more then any other team, and those years were primarily his most dominant. Goose makes for a hell of an 8th inning guy for this team and would close for most other all time teams.

Mariano Rivera- 15 Seasons 95-Present (All w/NYY) “Mo/ Sandman”

SAVES-526, ERA-2.25. WHIP-1.013, K/9-8.3, ERA+: 202

Could anyone else close games for this team other then the greatest reliever to ever play the game? His ERA+ is “Ruthian” in that he has the highest for any pitcher to ever pitch. He is the ultimate closer in his demeanor. Rivera is always steady, always even, and never afraid to challenge anyone. Goose may have one of the best fastballs ever, but Mariano’s cutter has to be considered one of the best pitches thrown by anyone. It is known for breaking bats and making hitters look silly. He has been extremely successful in the post season with it all on the line as well. At one point he went 23 consecutive post season games without allowing a run. So far he has finished in the top three of the Cy Young voting 4 times. Mo closes the door for this all time bullpen and should make the starters feel good about turning the ball over to him.

That’s who I would take if I had to compile a complete all time favorite 25 man roster for the Yankees. I tried to stick with guys who spent or will have spent most of their career in the pinstripes and had their most dominate years with the team although that is not always the case.

When picking players two stats i put a lot of weight on were OPS+ and ERA+. This was not my total reasoning for each player and position but it was one of the statistics I looked closely at and put a fair bit of weight on since both helps to give you an idea of how the player performed compared to the average player of that era and makes adjustments for ballpark advantages and disadvantages.

I think the team’s lineup is brutal and should punish most staffs. These are some of the best sluggers to ever play the game. They do not lack plate discipline and have enough speed to cause headaches on the bases too. The starters would be the weak point of the team, but they are very capable of keeping things close and the overall dominance of the bullpen should help to alleviate some of the stress on the starters by shortening the games. They have a bullpen that can easily make a game a 6 inning affair.

Now who wouldn’t want to be apart of this team to go out on the town after victories with the likes of Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Reggie Jackson. Something tells me as good as they are on the field I bet the victory parties would be quite entertaining too.

I’d love to hear what you think. If you think there are any players that should have been left off or included. I think there are lots of areas to argue with the back of the rotation and the bench players. Also it would be interesting to see how this team stacks up against other all time greats.

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