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Next stop: Dynasty New York's finest savor the moment, ponder the future
Updated: Saturday October 28, 2000 10:10 PM
by John Giannone, CNNSI.com NEW YORK -- It was a perfectly appropriate ride for the man who has enjoyed the ride of his life. A man who again carried the Yankees on his broad shoulders into the waiting arms of history. For Joe Torre, the diamonds on his fourth World Series ring might shine the brightest because this jewel was the roughest to cut. "There's so many things going on," admits Torre. "There's so many distractions, we tried to.... That clubhouse is a special place. The way we feel about ourselves is a special thing. When I have meetings, I always tell the players, 'It's more important what we think of ourselves than it is what other people think of us.'" And for players like Bernie Williams, who struggled during the series, but came up with a pivotal home run in the fifth and deciding game, this title was different. "It makes it a lot more special," says Williams. "A lot of adversity during the year, me struggling and being inconsistent through the whole season. It makes it worthwhile." Teammate Paul O'Neill collected 9 hits despite playing with a hip injury and he said winning this championship was not easy. "I think this one has been the hardest, there's not doubt it," he says. "You see us winning a series 4-1 and if you look at the games, it wasn't an easy series. I think everyone here is just relieved."
Derek Jeter, who was named MVP said for him personally, this would be a series to remember. "I'd be lying if I said this one wasn't more gratifying. I mean, we struggled this year. We've had tough times. We said before, winning isn't easy; we made it look easy. It's something that's very difficult to do. We've had our bumps in the road." In an era where dollars often make no sense and decisions are dictated by anything but loyalty, the notion of dynasties in sports might be history. If so, the Yankees know they can lay claim to the final one. "When you win three straight and four of five, in this day and age, that's very tough to do," stated Tino Martinez. "But we've got to be ranked up there as one of the greatest teams ever."
His manager agreed, and then some. "We can put our record, our dedication, our resolve up against any team that's ever played the game of baseball, in my mind," Torre proclaims. "We may not have the best players, but we certainly have had the best team." It's an assessment that even some Mets' players couldn't deny."Any time you win three years... the championship for three years, whether it's little league or high school, that's an accomplishment," said pitcher John Franco. "That's a hell of a job by those group of guys over there. They should be walking as proud as anything." Third baseman Scott Brosius said the Yankees have been the very definition of the word "team.""We're not a group of guys that relies on one or two guys or just pitching or just offense," he said. "We need everybody to contribute and everybody has." The Yankees savored every sip of champagne on Thursday, captured every moment and gathered every memento, all with the unspoken understanding that this could be the final lap of an amazing run and the start of a turbulent winter that could include nearly a dozen departures.
"The same guys who were here all year long were here when we started this whole thing," remembers third base coach Willie Randolph. "Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez, Scott Brosius. We wouldn't have gotten here without those guys. So really I just hope and pray we can keep this team together because it's a special group." So special in fact, that the thought of not being a part of this franchise can be difficult to ponder. "I'll always want to be a Yankee," says O'Neill. "Man, this is an unbelievable feeling. What else can you say? I'm proud to be part of this team." Pitcher Andy Pettitte is looking toward the future and while there may be some changes, the goal will remain the same. "Every year there's a new cast of guys. I'm sure our core will still be here. And pitching always wins. Hopefully we can stay healthy." But even the players can't predict what will happen. So for now, what they can do is remember and enjoy the moment. "Each year, you savor them," says Martinez of the titles. "But this year, you're right, you never know who's going to be back next year, myself included. Who knows what's going to happen? But to be a part of four world championships, there's nothing better than that!" Whether it's the team's health or a lucky bounce of the ball, Jeter knows that what is here today could be long gone tomorrow. "You don't know when you're going to have an opportunity to get back, so you can't take these things for granted," he said. "This, by far, was the best team we played in the five years I've been here. All five games could have gone either way. We were just able to come up with a few more runs. I think both teams were evenly matched." So a city divided for a week by loyalty watched five games separated by only seven runs. Now comes the truly hard part for Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman. He must fulfill owner George Steinbrenner's mandate to cut a $100 million payroll, while still trying to court and sign free agent outfielder and city native Manny Ramirez.
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