Should #21 be retired?

With Syracuse apparently about to be getting some heavy snow, the University canceled afternoon classes, which is a big deal. They cancel classes because of the weather less often than Robinson Cano gets a hit with runners in scoring position. Boom! Roasted! (Sorry Robby.) The last time they canceled an entire day of snow was before I was born, so even half a day off is unexpected. So with an impending storm and a stomach virus going around my dorm that is basically causing this, it should make for an interesting weekend.

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Anyway, yesterday, the Derek Jeter press conference got a lot of talk on the ESPN, but that had more to do with the fact that its February and it was a slow news day. News sources try to stir up controversial stories out of nothing to draw viewers because that's what they are in the business of doing: drawing viewers. We all know that Jeter will retire as a Yankee, have his number retired, and then go into the Hall of Fame as a Yankee.

But that second point, having his number retired, got me thinking about another Yankee great, Paul O'Neill.

O'Neill retired after the 2001 World Series, with a memorable sendoff from the Yankee Stadium faithful, after a 17-year career.

His number 21 had not been reissued until 2008, when it was given to LaTroy Hawkins. That lasted all of 2 weeks before Hawkins changed to number 22 after a talk with Jeter and Mariano Rivera. The fans would jeer and start the "Paul-O-Neill" chant whenever Hawkins entered the game, leading to the change.

The number has not been given out since, leading to the question of whether #21 should be retired forever.

Case for the number being retired:

• He was an integral part of 4 World Series Championships
• 4-Time All-Star
• Yankee Stats: .303/185 HR/ 858 RBI
• 6 seasons with over 20 home runs, 4 seasons over 100 RBI's
• The fans: Will any other player really want to take the number if they are going have to take constant abuse from the fans?

Case against the number being retired:

• He was only a Yankee for 9 seasons
• He (most likely) will not be inducted into the Hall of Fame
• The Yankees already have 17 numbers retired (including 8 twice and Jackie Robinson's 42). With Jeter's #2 and Rivera's #42 sure to be retired how many more numbers can the Yankees afford to retire?
• There is the possibility that you can "unofficially retire" the number for the next 30-40 years and then reissue the number once my generation of fans (people currently ages approximately 16-29 or the Jeter Generation) is older and a more accepting fan base exists.

Personally, I think the O'Neill should be recognized in some way, but I do not think his number will ever hang in Monument Park. What do you think?

SEE YA!

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Top Yankee Games of the Decade Part 3

With the decade coming to an end tommorow we look back at the best Yankee games of the past decade. Here are our #2 and 3 games we have chosen, which also comes from the best World Series of the decade:

3. November 1, 2001 Game 5 World Series "Deja Vu All Over Again": After a late-inning dramatic come-from behind win the night before, the Yankees and Diamondbacks were tied 2-2 with the winner being one game away from winning the World Series. Should the Yankees lose they would go back to Arizona where they lost the first two games. Mike Mussina pitched for the Yankees, going 8 innings giving up 2 runs. But Miguel Batista outpitched him going 7.2 shutout innings. In the ninth inning Byung Hyun Kim was looking for redemption after giving up the game tying home-run to Tino Martinez and game-winning home run to Derek Jeter the previous night. Just as in Game 4, Kim allowed one baserunner but managed to get two outs. He was one out away from sending the Diamondbacks up 3-2 back to Arizona. Then Scott Brosius came to the plate.

Brosius swung at a 1-0 pitch and drilled the ball down the leftfield line and into the stands for a home-run. The Yankees had done it again. The game was tied and the Yankees and their fans celebrated while the Diamondbacks were stunned. The game remained tied at two and eventually headed into the 12th inning. In the 12th Alfonso Soriano finished the job with a walk-off single scoring Chuck Knoblauch and the Yankees won 3-2.

Blowing leads and walk-off wins happen. But to do the same thing, in the same fashion, on the next night off the same pitcher in the World Series? Never again will you see that happen.

2. October 31, 2001 Game 4 World Series "Mr. November": This game preceeded the one above so I kind of already explained what happened. But lets get a little more into it. The Yankees were in a 2-1 hole and no team wants to be down 3-1 in the World Series so this was a must win game. Curt Schilling and El Duque found themselves battling a pitchers duel. Each gave up 1 run while working into the seventh inning. Mike Stanton blew the tie score out of the bullpen in the top of the 8th giving the Diamondbacks a 3-1 lead. Bob Brenly called on closer Byung Hyun Kim in the bottom of the 8th who struck out the side.

Kim came back out for the 8th and got two outs while giving up a single to Paul O'Neill. Now, I was at this game, and with two outs and Tino Martinez, who was hitless in his last 9 at bats up at the plate, we decided to start heading out to beat the rush out of the stadium. As we walked down the ramps of Yankee Stadium the crowd suddenly erupted with cheer. I swear I felt the stadium shake. I ran out to the next section and went to see what happened. Tino Martinez just tied the game with a home run. Well that turned us right around and back to our seats.

The game went to the 10th and Kim was still out there. Now as Derek Jeter came to the plate, the clock struck midnight and for the first time ever, there was baseball in November. Jeter worked the count full, then drove an outside pitch over the right field wall for the game-winning home run. An overzealous Michael Kay even added TWO extra See Ya's! on his home run call.

Now, the Yankees did not win the World Series. But what made these two games extra special was the fact that it happened right after 9/11. The Yankees in the World Series gave the people of New York something to take their minds off of. The way the Yankees won these two games in the aftermath of 9/11 was somewhat inspiring and gave the city of New York a positive energy and vibe.

Wow that was a lot of writing. I'm sure you've figured out what the best game is by now, but that should deserve its own separate post so you'll have to wait until tommorow.

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