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Nobody beats the Viz Vizcaino makes the most of opportunity with Yanks
Updated: Sunday October 22, 2000 10:46 AM
By Stephen Cannella, Sports Illustrated NEW YORK -- In June, the Yankees, desperate for infield depth in the wake of Chuck Knoblauch's throwing nightmare, sent Jim Leyritz, a little-used power hitter, to the Dodgers for Jose Vizcaino, a versatile infielder. Leyritz, known as The King, was one of the best clutch postseason hitters of the 1990s. Vizcaino had 32 career home runs. Being traded for one another was all that linked the two -- until Saturday. Vizcaino had four singles in six at-bats in Game 1, including the game-winner with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 12th inning. Vizcaino ended the longest game in World Series history, a 4:51 marathon, and kept alive the longest winning streak in Series history.
Going back to 1996 the Yankees have now won 13 consecutive World Series games. "This was pretty typical of our season, really," said David Cone, the Yankees' likely starter in Game 4. "We grind it out, miss a lot of opportunities, and them seem to find a way to win." As was true often during the season, the Yankees won by riding one of their midseason acquisitions. Manager Joe Torre started Vizcaino, who barely played in the first two postseason rounds, at second base only because he was a career .526 hitter against the Mets' starter, lefthander Al Leiter. He was lucky to be batting in the 12th. "He was going to get pinch-hit for if I needed an extra-base hit or a home run, but once we were looking for a single to win the game I left him in there," said Torre. "He had one hell of a night." Even though he had only 174 at-bats after he joined the Yankees, it was one hell of a season for Vizcaino. "Coming here turned his whole career around," said Luis Polonia, another of the Yankees' midsummer add-ons and one of Vizcaino's closest friends in the clubhouse. "He says he doesn't want to play for any other team. He wants to finish up here." For now, the Yankees are ecstatic that he finished the game. After tying the game at three against Mets closer Armando Benitez in the bottom of the ninth, they stranded eight baserunners, blowing opportunity after opportunity to win the game. Were they worried? "No, because that happened to [the Mets], too," said Vizcaino. "They did the same thing." The rest of the team wasn't so sanguine. "The last time up we were like, 'We have to do it'," said Polonia. "When you get that many opportunities and don't take advantage, believe me, you lose." Thirteen consecutive times in the World Series, that hasn't been true for the Yankees.
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