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Great record doesn't guarantee great success in World Series

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Posted: Saturday October 17, 1998 03:28 PM

Joe Torre doesn't want history to repeat itself AP

NEW YORK (AP) -- It's been nine years since the winningest team in baseball won the World Series.

After setting an AL record with 114 victories, the New York Yankees want to end that streak in the World Series, starting tonight against the San Diego Padres. Not that the Yankees think they have an easy task against the Padres.

"They keep doing things that people say can't done, and they are playing with a lot of confidence," Yankees manager Joe Torre said Friday.

Not since the 1989 Oakland Athletics has the top-winning team during the regular season gone on to win the World Series. So it was no surprise that after taking the No. 4 subway from Grand Central Terminal, Tony Gwynn arrived at Yankee Stadium for the first time in his life Friday and pronounced his Padres ready.

"It's our chance to put our city on the map," he said.

To do that and take their first title, the Padres will have to topple baseball's most successful team. Coming off a season in which they set an AL mark for victories, the Yankees will try to win their record 24th crown.

"I think there is always going to be a place in history for us," said David Wells, who will pitch tonight's opener against Kevin Brown.

The Padres hope to make their own October mark after surprising Houston and Atlanta in the NL playoffs.

"We have been underdogs every time and we are still underdogs in this series and we look forward to that," Padres postseason hero Jim Leyritz said. "We like the challenge."

Leyritz, who helped the Yankees win the 1996 World Series and will serve as the Padres' designated hitter in New York, is just one of many players with ties to both teams.

NLCS MVP Sterling Hitchcock and Brian Boehringer formerly pitched for the Yankees. San Diego reserve Ruben Rivera also played for them, and he's a cousin of New York closer Mariano Rivera.

Gwynn, on the other hand, had never been inside Yankee Stadium until now. He arrived at the ballpark about two hours before Friday's workout and toured Monument Park.

Jim Leyritz and Kevin Brown historically have fared well in Yankee Stadium AP

"The first plaque you see is Babe Ruth," Gwynn said. "It hits you like a ton of baseballs. This is what it's all about."

"We're going to play on the same field where Babe Ruth hit 700 home runs, (Joe) DiMaggio had his streak, (Lou) Gehrig had his games played streak, Don Larsen. The list is endless."

Wells, a native San Diegan, pitched his perfect game at Yankee Stadium against Minnesota in May. The ALCS MVP is 3-0 in the postseason this year and 7-1 lifetime.

Brown, too, has had his moments at Yankee Stadium. Overall, he's 12-3 with a 2.50 ERA against the Yankees, his top win total vs. an opponent.

"It has been a while since I have faced most of these guys over here," Brown said. "So I don't know if there is any real advantage one way or the other. Some of them have seen me in the past. I am probably a little bit different than what they remember."

Yankees designated hitter Chili Davis hopes so. Like many of his teammates, he doesn't remember having much luck against the Padres ace.

"Kevin Brown will go out there and be Kevin Brown," Davis said. "We hope he's not Kevin Brown. We hope he's Downtown Julie Brown."

Downtown Julie Brown, the former MTV personality, probably won't be at the ballpark. But MTV made a presence at the relaxed practices, doing an interview with stylish Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.

There was a bit of lineup news -- rookie Ricky Ledee will start the opener in left field for the Yankees, ahead of Chad Curtis, Tim Raines and Shane Spencer. All four started during the ALCS against Cleveland, and Torre picked Ledee because he bats left-handed and does well in the field.

Torre also said Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez will pitch Game 2 on Sunday night, followed by David Cone and Andy Pettitte. Andy Ashby will start Game 2 for the Padres, followed by Hitchcock. Brown remains a possibility for Game 4.

In the playoffs against Texas and Cleveland, Pettitte started the second game. Pettitte was not at the stadium Friday -- he was in Texas with his father, who had heart bypass surgery a day earlier.

"I am not sure when we are going to see him," Torre said.

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