The next manager is not getting the 96 Yankees? Lets assume the sign Jorge and Arod and Abreu(least likely): C Joe Girardi - Posda (All Star) 1B *Tino Martinez - Giambalco (MVP) 2B Mariano Duncan - Cano (All Star) 3B *Wade Boggs - Arod (MVP) SS Derek Jeter (All Star) LF Gerald Williams - Damon (All Star) CF #Bernie Williams - Cabberra RF *Paul O'Neill - Abreu (All Star) DH #Ruben Sierra - Matsui (All Star) Come on Hankie, we know you hater Torre. At least use the 1998 version of the Yanks as a point of reference.
On that note...On the FAN this A.M. Boomer is asking what does Girardi have that Don Mattingly doesn't ..... My quick mental checklist came up with two things.... A World Series ring, and a Manager of the Year award....
The only "argument" I could see from Hank's POV is that the 96 team was more stable. The pitching was far more established, and the lineup was "better" from a run-manufacturing standpoint. That said, it was a stupid comment, and was only made so that expectations on Mattingly are not set too high in year 1. Any fool who thinks the next Yankees' manager is worse off than Torre in his first year needs to get their head checked. (Assuming the Yankees bring back Posada, Rivera, and ARod.)
If I recall, the 96 Yankees won the World Series. They had seven STARTERS hit over .290 on the season. Their bench included Darryl Strawberry, Jim Leyritz, Cecil Fielder, and Tim Raines. Their bullpen included John Wetteland, Mariano Rivera, Jeff Nelson, and Bob Wickman. Are you guys serious?
Well duh....the '96 Yankees had nothing to do with hitting and everything to do with pitching. As did the '97, '98, '99 and 2000 Yankees too. Take you pick..Key, Cone, Clemens, Pettitte, Wells, Nelson, Rivera, Stanton, El Duque..and on and on and on.
Prince Hank should keep his lily-ass mouth shut. He has no clue. He was handed the f*ckin' Yankees for cryin' out loud!
