Yanks announced today that Yogi Berra will be throwing out the first pitch, to no one’s surprise. But it got me to thinking. Yogi will be 83 (b. May 12, 1925), and while we all wish him a Bob Sheppard-like run as the Yankee standard bearer, at his age its appropriate to begin wondering who would be the next one to hold the mantle.
Whitey Ford is an obvious candidate, but he’s only 3 years younger (b. Oct 21, 1928) than Yogi. I have no doubt that the all time Yankee Wins leader would be offered the title in Yogi’s absence. But I’m really looking for the next standard bearer, one who would do it for another 10 years or so. Yogi and Whitey represent the great teams of the 50′s and 60′s, so the next group would be the late 70′s-early 80′s teams that went to 4 WS and won 2 of them. Candidates include Gator, Reggie, Graig Nettles, Goose Gossage, Willie Randolph and Bucky Dent. Gator is probably the most deserving, he’s very high on the all time team lists (5th in wins, 2nd in SO) and was the ace of the late 70′s championship teams. Goose is a fan fave and a recent HOF inductee. But I suspect it will be Reggie. He’s a HOFer, and was prolific in the post season. I don’t like it, I think of him as much as an Oakland A’s as I do a Yankee. He only spent 5 years here, but he really left his mark.
There is another possibility however, although it will have to wait until his current obligations are finished. But by the time this becomes an issue, some years down the road, those commitments should be over. Someone older than Reggie, who’s won more and who Yankee fans of all generations would embrace with open arms.
Joe Torre.
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TIQ IQ
I don’t have an issue with age, so whitey ford is fine with me, hell Don Larsen is fine with me.
There is also Gene Michael. I do understand the wanting for Torre. I’d be happy if they used Gator and or Nettles and or Goose. I don’t see why its got to be one particular Yankee, and why its got to be someone from the 1970′s or early 80′s,
I mean Bernie Williams and Paul O’Neil are very much loved by fans. Willie Randolph is an obvious choice. I think its fine if they go with someone more current (David Cone?).
Gene Michael doesn’t work. You have to say something impressive when you introduce the guy. Trading for Paul O’Niell was great, but it doesn’t have the ring of “Mister October” or “Manager who won 4 World Series”.
I like Gator as well, and Nettles is my all time favorite Yankee for a zillion reasons. But they need someone to adequately represent the brand, and the Yankee brand is about greatness. Neither of those guys are even Hall of Famers.
Its Reggie or Torre, and in terms of popularity Torre wins in a landslide.
My vote is with Bernie if he ever decides to accept the fact that he is indeed retired.
Cone? – Mercenary, not a Yankee.
Randolph- Not a big enough star.
Reggie- Please, I’d barf.
Nettles- nowhere near the player Yogi or Whitey were.
Seems like next Yankee Icons are Jeter, Mariano and marginally, O’Neil and Pettitte.
I mean,Ruth, Gehirg,Dickey, Dimaggio, Mantle, Berra, Ford, these are true Hall of Famers and true Yankees, legends, not just guys.
Actually, now that I think of it, Donnie Baseball was a true Yankee and a dominating if not HOF, legendary player.
Yep, it’s Donnie Baseball as the next Icon, nobody else really fits as a TRUE Yankee and great, great player, though O’neil is close.
I view Bernie as an under achiever, even though he had a good career.
Donnie didn’t win anything. He’s beloved by the fans, but so was Joe Pepitone. The Yanks as a brand are all about greatness. He’s not a HOFer, never won a single round of the post season, and played on some very bad teams.
Donnie could be one of the last guys mentioned, but can’t ever be THE last one. Its just too weak. Especially not with Reggie, Torre, and possibly a freshly retired Derek Jeter and Mo standing behind him.
After gratuitously pointing out the extent of George’s senility in his book, if I was Hal (or Hank), I wouldn’t let Torre anywhere near the Stadium.
It wasn’t gratuitous. He portrayed him as not being very sharp anymore, which isn’t that bad. I thought the way he portrayed him as a bully in his heyday was far worse.
But the Yanks have welcomed Dave Winfield back. If he can come back, after all that happened between him and George, then Torre’s book is peanuts.
If Donnie weren’t tied up with managing, which looks to be his future in the game for many years to come, I would have said him. However I think the 90s Yankee teams have provided more than enough players for us to trot out over the years. 10-15 years down the road Jeter will be new Yogi (only much younger obviously).
And I’ll say it til I’m blue in the face, but Graig Nettles is one of if not thee most underrated Yankee ever. Guy could hit and is in the discussion for best defensive 3rd baseman of all time.
But knowing his close connection to the organization, Reggie will be the designated ball thrower until he dies.
Unless the chemical that Rand Levine puts in his har kills him I doubt that Torre is going to get a lot of invitations for anything. It’s a shame that he and Clemens have already been given the cold shoulder.
Anyways, I think Donnie Baseball makes sense, but it seems that Reggie spends a lot of time with the team, because he is more free to do so.
Joe Pepitone was an average Major League First Baseman in those days, Donnie Baseball was dominant for 4-5 years.No comparison there.
Using this criteria, and also availability, I could see them using Tino Martinez to some extent now.