I was reading Sports Illustrated online and saw a link to the "All-Time Yankee Lineup." Here's the lineup SI listed: C: Yogi Berra 1B: Lou Gehrig 2B: Tony Lazzeri 3B: Graig Nettles (loved Nettles growing up, happy to see him here) SS: Derek Jeter CF: Joe DiMaggio LF: Dave Winfield RF: Babe Ruth You could argue about Catcher, 2nd base, probably even 3rd base among other positions, but I can't see Winfield as among the three best outfielders the Yankees ever had (Mantle being excluded for starters). Then I though, maybe they're trying to stay true to the position played (eg., can't have Mantle because Joe D. played the same position.) So here's my questions: didn't Winfield play RF for the Yankees almost exclusively? I remember the bombs he used to throw from RF nailing guys at 3rd base or at home. Growing up, the debate was always who's a better RF: Winfield or Strawberry. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0605/gallery.bestyanks/content.7.html
I love Scooter, great Yankee. But he was a .273 lifetime hitter. Granted he played on 8 World Series champions, he was the 1950 MVP, and he served his country in WWII. But I think Jeter has him topped in Yankee lore.
You certainly couldn't argue for 3B- Nettles was the man..Makes E-Rod seem like an amateur in the field...
I think Winfield was our Lf in his 1st year('81) when Reggie was still here but he was not a LF, Mantle played Left or Right when he was brought up and Dimaggio was still on the team so I'd put mantle in left if I had a choice- actualyl I'd put a healthy mantle in CF and Dimaggio in Left.