Dec 26, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; General view of Yankee Stadium prior to the 2015 New Era Pinstripe Bowl between Indiana Hoosiers and the Duke Blue Devils. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 26, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; General view of Yankee Stadium prior to the 2015 New Era Pinstripe Bowl between Indiana Hoosiers and the Duke Blue Devils. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /
We continue our series at Call to the Pen with the all-time 25-man roster for the New York Yankees.
The New York Yankees may be the most illustrious franchise in all of sports. 27 World Championships. 40 American League Pennants. Countless players who have made multiple All-Star appearances, Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers (and I don’t mean Gary Sanchez).
Since 2000, they have four pennants and two World Series titles, the last coming in 2009. They made the playoffs every year from 1998 through 2012. Since 2012, one such appearance, losing in the AL Wild Card game in 2015.
The Yankees are in a transition mode of trying to rebuild and yet be competitive at the same time, a hard way to serve two masters.
Coming up with this list, because of all the history was a challenge. The Yankees have enough Hall of Fame players and talent to make two of these teams not just one. There are going to be some names, especially of recent vintage that are left off that you may disagree with. There are going to be players in the Hall of Fame that did not make the cut either. It just speaks to how excellent the franchise has been.
So who made the New York Yankees all-time 25 man roster? Let’s take a look by starting behind the dish.
Berra Revealed More Than He Knew. Photo by Andy Marlin – USA TODAY Sports. /
Yogi Berra did everything you could want to do as an American. He served in WWII. He became a baseball legend, coming up to the big leagues in 1946. He was an All-Star every year from 1948-1962. He won 10 World Series championships as a player.
Yogi won three MVP’s and finished in the top 10 of MVP voting for seven straight seasons, all without every leading the American League in any hitting category in his career.
In New York Yankees history, Berra ranks sixth in WAR and fourth in games played. He eighth in runs and hits, seventh in total bases, fifth in homers and RBI.
Berra would even end up playing some outfield once Elston Howard came into the picture.
He would end his career with the crosstown Mets in 1965, playing in just four games for them. He would become a coach and manager for the Mets through 1975. He would come back as a coach and manager for the Yankees in 1984 and 1985. He would be fired early on in ’85 which would cause a lengthy rift between Berra and Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.
Yogi would be named to the Hall of Fame in 1972 and have his number retired by the New York Yankees as well that year. Berra would also be known for his sayings (Yogisms) and has a baseball museum in New Jersey. Berra passed away in 2015.
It’s hard when someone who is arguably the greatest of all time at their position is overshadowed during his playing career, but that’s what happens when you become a teammate of Babe Ruth.
Gehrig was inserted into the lineup for Wally Pipp on June 2nd 1925. Gehrig wouldn’t relinquish that starting role for the next 2,130 games.
Gehrig was a two time MVP, and would finish in the Top 10 in MVP voting seven times. He would lead the American League in runs four times, hits an triples once, doubles twice, homers three times, RBI five times and average once.
On the Yankee All-time list he is second in WAR, second in average, OBP, hits, doubles and slugging, third in games, runs and homers and first in triples and RBI.
“The Iron Horse” would make the first seven All-Star teams, though his last honor would be more of a career achievement. Gehrig took himself out of the lineup on May 2nd 1939 and he wouldn’t play again. He was diagnosed with ALS, what we also know now as Lou Gehrig’s disease and would pass away in 1941 at the age of just 37 years old.
The New York Yankees teams of the late 2000’s and the early part of this decade may have been very different if Robinson Cano had been traded. The Texas Rangers picked Joaquin Arias in the package for Alex Rodriguez. The Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t pick Cano as a part of the package in a trade for Randy Johnson.
Instead Cano became a mainstay on the New York Yankees from 2005-2013 as a big bat in the middle of the Yankee order.
Cano only led the league in games played once as a Yankee, but he made the All-Star team five times as a member of the Yankees. He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and top 10 in MVP voting four times.
His .309 batting average as a Yankee is ninth in franchise history. His 375 doubles are eighth in Yankees history.
The Yankees in 2013 weren’t quite good enough to make the playoffs. Instead of trading Cano in his walk year, they rolled the dice and tried to re-sign him. That didn’t happen as he took a 10 year deal from the Seattle Mariners, where he continues to make All-Star teams.
Feb 5, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; MLB former player Alex Rodriguez looks on from the sidelines before Super Bowl LI between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
Third Base – Alex Rodriguez
Remember that trade that Cano was almost in with the Texas Rangers? Yeah, it was for this guy. After the Rangers deal with the Boston Red Sox for Manny Ramirez fell through, and Aaron Boone tore his ACL playing pickup basketball, the Rangers turned their attention to sending Rodriguez to the New York Yankees and the did for Alfonso Soriano and Joaquin Arias before the 2004 season
Rodriguez would have to move to third base because Derek Jeter was playing short and looked like he had been playing there all his life.
A-Rod would win two MVP’s during his Yankees career. In the 2009 playoffs, Rodriguez would hit .365 with six homers and 18 RBI as the Yankees would win the World Series.
In Yankees history, Rodriguez is eighth in WAR, seventh in OPS, 10th in runs and total bases and sixth in homers.
His career was marred by some off field transgressions as well. Opting out during the 2007 World Series. Admitting to taking steroids prior to 2009 and then being suspended for steroids for the entire 2014 season.
He would retire during the 2016 season and is now a special adviser to the Yankees.
Sep 26, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; New York Yankees former player Derek Jeter on the sideline prior to the game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Brigham Young Cougars at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
Shortstop – Derek Jeter
It’s hard to formulate a all-time New York Yankees roster without having Derek Sanderson Jeter, the Yankees captain for so long as the shortstop.
Jeter was the Yankees first round pick in 1992. He came up in 1995 and thanks to a injury in Spring Training of 1996 to Tony Fernandez (remember him?) Jeter became the Yankee shortstop, and the rest, as they say is history.
Jeter would win the Rookie of the Year that season. He would finish top 10 in AL MVP voting seven times throughout his career. He led the league in hits twice during his career. He would win five Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers and make 14 All-Star teams.
He would make his mark in the postseason, winning five World Series and seven AL Pennants. He would hit .308 with 20 homers and 61 RBI in 158 career postseason games.
In Yankees history, Jeter is fifth in WAR, eighth in average, second in runs, first in games, hits, stolen bases and doubles. He’s also ninth in homers, sixth in RBI.
Hope No No Nanette was worth it. Before the 1920 season, the Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees so the Red Sox owner could produce that Broadway show. The rest, as they say is history.
The Yankees installed Ruth as their full time right fielder and he took full advantage of the short porch in right field. Ruth would retire as the record holder of many offensive categories and also an autograph that you want to hang on to and not play ball with.
Ruth is the Yankees all-time leader in WAR, batting average, OPS, RBI,walks, OPS+ and runs. He’s fifth in games, and doubles. He ranks sixth in triples.
During his Yankee tenure he led the league in runs six times, homers 10 times, RBI four times, and average once. He even threw two complete games as a starter, one of them coming when he was 38 years old. Together with Lou Gehrig, Ruth would form what is the greatest pair of hitters on one team at one time ever.
Ruth would go to the Boston Braves in 1935 for an uneventful 28 game stretch to end his career and would pass away in 1948. To me, Ruth is the greatest player in baseball history.
As Ruth’s career was coming to an end, another great Yankee career was about to begin. Joe DiMaggio came up in 1936 an immediately became a star. In fact, he made the All-Star team every single season of his 13 year career and that’s with missing three years due to serving in the military during WWII,
The accomplishment that DiMaggio is most known for is his 56 game hitting streak in 1941, a record that still stands. (Incidentally, after the streak ended he would hit in 16 straight, meaning he got a hit in 72 out of 73 games).
DiMaggio would lead the league in runs and triples once, homers, RBI and batting average two times each. He would win three AL MVP awards and finish in the top 10 times in his career.
In Yankee history, DiMaggio ranks fourth in WAR, tied for third in batting average, seventh in OBP, third in triples, slugging and OPS, fifth in runs, sixth in hits and doubles and fourth in homers.
DiMaggio would retire after the 1951 season following a season that was not up to his usual production. He would have a career off the field, becoming a pitchman for many things like Mr. Coffee. He would pass away in 1999.
The Yankees were in good shape when Joe DiMaggio retired. They had a ready made replacement in a kid from Oklahoma named after Mickey Cochrane. Mantle was given number 6 for a reason, as he was supposed to be the next in line to the guy on the Yankees. Beginning in 1952. he was certainly that and he changed his number to 7.
Mantle was a part of the Yankees dynasty of the 1950’s and early 1960’s that won seven World Series. He won the Triple Crown in 1956 when he hit .353 with 52 homers and 130 RBI. That would be the only season he led the AL in RBI and batting average in his career. He led the league in runs five times, triples once, and homers four times.
On the Yankee all-time list, Mantle ranks third in WAR and OBP, fourth in slugging, tied for third in OPS, second in games, fourth in runs, RBI and hits, and ninth in doubles and triples. Only Babe Ruth hit more homers in a Yankee uniform than his 536.
Injuries would rob Mantle of putting up even bigger numbers. Mantle would move to first base during the final seasons of his career and would retire before the 1969 season.
Everyone talks about the core four of the most recent Yankees dynasty, but there was a fifth member of that core that came up first and was more established as a part of Gene Michael‘s rebuilding process during the early 1990’s.
Bernie Williams came up in 1991 and ’92 but finally earned a starting role in 1993 as the centerfielder on those World Champion Yankees teams of the last 1990s.
Williams would be an All-Star every year from 1997-2001. He would hit over 300 every year form 1995-2002 including winning the AL batting crown in 1998 hitting .339. He would finish in the top 10 in MVP voting twice and would win four Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger.
He would also make his mark in the postseason, including winning the ALCS MVP in 1996. All told, he would hit .275 with a .850 OPS 22 homers and 80 RBI in 121 career postseason games.
Williams is 10th in Yankees history in WAR, sixth in games and runs, fifth in hits and seventh in homers and RBI. Williams would retire following the 2006 season and have his number retired by the franchise.
Everyone knows about why the Yankees have one number eight jersey retired for Yogi Berra, but Bill Dickey was an excellent catcher and number eight in his own right. Dickey was bought for $12,500 before the 1928 season from the Little Rock Travelers.
He became the Yankees starting catcher full-time in 1929 and the rest is history.
Dickey never led the AL in any categories, but made 11 All-Star teams during his 17 year career. He would finish in the top 10 of AL MVP voting five times. From 1929-1939, Dickey would hit over .300 every season except for one. He would drive in over 100 runs four times.
He would be a part of seven World Championship teams from 1932-1943.
In Yankees history, Dickey is seventh in WAR, tied for fifth in batting average, ninth in games,hits and total bases. He is eighth in RBI and singles in Yankees history.
Dickey would become player manger of the Yankees in 1946 and retire after that season. He would get fired, but come back as coach for the Yankees during their run in 1950’s as first base coach and catching coach of players including Berra.
He would be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1954 and passed away in 1993.
One of the underrated parts of the Murders Row Yankees of 1927 and those teams of the late 1920’s and early 1930’s was being able to get production out of every position. That included having a second baseman who could drive in 100+ runs a year.
That’s exactly what they got from Tony Lazzeri at second.
Lazzeri was acquired in a trade with Salt Lake City out of the Pacific Coast League for three players to be named later in August of 1925. Lazzeri would take over as the second baseman for the Yanks in 1926.
He would make just one All-Star team in 1933, however, he did finish in the top 10 of MVP voting three times.
Lazzeri would drive in over 100 runs seven times during his Yankees career. He would have two top 10 finishes in average, four in homers, five in steals, and six in RBI.
On the Yankees list, Lazzeri is tied for 10th in offensive WAR, fifth in triples and ninth in RBI and walks.
Lazzeri would be cut by the Yankees after the 1937 season. He would go to the Cubs, Giants and Dodgers before retiring in 1939. Lazzeri would pass away in 1946 from a heart attack and be elected into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
Some players are just unlucky. Mattingly had the misfortune of playing right after the Yankees made World Series runs in the late 1970’s and ending just before the run of the 1990’s, playing for Yankees teams that couldn’t quite win the division in an era with no Wild Card.
Mattingly had an excellent career. A career that could have been even better were it not for all the injuries to his back. He would come in 1982, but wouldn’t have a full-time spot with the club until the 1984 season.
He would make the AL All-Star team every year from 1984-1989. He would lead the league in hits twice, He would win the AL Batting title in 1984 with a .343 average. Mattingly would be named the AL MVP in 1985 where he would hit .324 with 48 doubles, 35 homers and a league leading 145 RBI.
Mattingly was also an excellent fielder, winning nine Gold Gloves.
His back would limit his power numbers later in his career, but he could still hit. In 1995, he would make his lone playoff appearance in his last season. The Yankees would trade for Tino Martinez to play first after that season and Mattingly would retire in 1997.
Mattingly became the Yankee hitting coach in 2003 and the bench coach in 2007. Mattingly wouldn’t get the Yankee managerial opening, but would go on to manage the Dodgers and is now the Marlins manager.
The 1927 Yankees have a lot of members on this list and Earle Combs becomes the next as the guy who was the centerfielder on that team and a part of three World Championship teams during his Yankee Career.
The Yankees got Combs from Louisville of the American Association in 1924 and he became the Yankees centerfielder beginning in 1925. From 1925-1934, he would hit over .300 every year except for one, where he hit .299. His .325 career average is 40th in major league history.
In 1927, Combs would hit .356 and lead the league with 231 hits. He would lead the league in triples three times, including that 1927 season.
Combs is third in Yankees history in average, seventh in runs, second in triples and ninth in singles in franchise history.
He would retire after 1936 due to serious injuries from a collision with a outfield wall two years prior and with a guy named Joe DiMaggio coming to take his spot.
Combs would become a coach, including for the Yankees after his career ended. He would be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1970 and would pass away in 1976.
We now enter the pitching part of the roster with one of the Yankees best from the 1950’s. The Yankees had a loaded core of players, but they needed pitching and “The Chairman of the Board” was one of the best lefties of the decade.
Ford came up in the 1950 season and would then serve two years in the military, then picked up from right where he left off beginning in 1953.
He would lead the league in wins three times, ERA and innings pitched twice. Ford would take home the Cy Young Award in 1961 going 25-4 that year. He also excelled in the postseason, helping to pitch the Yankees to six World Series titles during his career, including winning MVP of the 1961 World Series, by pitching 14 shutout innings over two starts.
In Yankees history, he is second in WAR and 10th in ERA. His 236 wins are the most in franchise history. He is second in strikeouts and first in innings pitched.
Ford would retire after the 1967 season and in 1974 would have his number retired and be elected into the Hall of Fame.
The second member of the core four from the latest Yankees dynasty is on this list with starting pitcher Andy Pettitte.
Pettitte would come up in 1995 as a part of the first Yankees playoff team since 1981. He would finish third in Rookie of the Year balloting, then finishing second in AL Cy Young Balloting in 1996 leading the league with 21 wins, as the Yankees won a World Series.
Andy was a three time All-Star and finished in the top 10 in AL CY Young Award balloting five times. He would finish in top 10 in ERA three times and top 10 in wins six times.
Pettitte was also an excellent postseason pitcher, winning 19 games in his postseason career including winning MVP in the 2001 ALCS. .
In Yankee history, Pettitte is third in WAR, wins and innings pitched. He is first in Yankee history in strikeouts.
Andy would leave the Yankees after the 2003 season, but would return to the club as a free agent following the 2006 season.
He would retire after the 2011 season, but would come back to the Yankees for 2012 and 2013.
The Yankees not only got Babe Ruth from the Red Sox, but they made another deal with the club that would help the club win six World Series in the 1930’s. In May of 1930, the Yankees sent Cedric Durst and $50,000 in exchange for Ruffing. Ruffing actually led the league in losses the two prior seasons.
Ruffing would go on to win 15 games after the trade and the rest is history.
Ruffing would lead the league in wins in 1938 and would make six All-Star teams after the game was created. He would also finish top 10 in AL MVP voting from 1937-1939.
In Yankees history, Ruffing is fifth in WAR, second in wins with 231, second in innings, fourth in strikeouts, first in complete games and second in shutouts.
Ruffing would serve in WWII for two years, come back to the Yankees and be released after the 1946 season. He would retire after the 1947 season.
He would be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1967 and would pass away in 1986 at the age of 80.
Every great Yankees teams have always had great left-handed starting pitching. Look at who we’ve already talked about in this space. Now we get to talk about a lefty who was a huge part of the Yankees teams in the late 1970’s and 1980’s.
Ron Guidry was drafted by the Yankees in the third round of the 1971 draft. He would come up for partial cups of coffee in 1974 and 1975 before becoming a full fledged member of the starting rotation in 1976.
In 1977, Guidry put together one of the best individual pitching seasons of all time. He would win the Cy Young Award, finish second in MVP voting and would lead the league in wins (25) and ERA (1.74).
Guidry would make four All-Star teams, finish top 10 in AL CY Young voting five times and would win three Gold Gloves.
In Yankees history, he is fourth in WAR, fifth in wins, third in strikeouts and seventh in innings.
He would be named Yankee co-captain during his final three seasons from 1986-1988. His number has been retired and would be the Yankee pitching coach in 2006 and 2007.
Speaking of lefty starters, the Yankees had another lefty who was a part of their World Championship teams during the 1930s.
Lefty Gomez was purchased from San Francisco of the PCL in 1929 and would become a part of the Yankees rotation beginning in 1931.
Gomez would make the All-Star team every year from 1933-1939. He would finish in the top 10 in MVP voting three times.
He would also win pitching’s triple crown twice in 1934 and 1937, the only time during his career he would lead the league in wins, strikeouts and ERA. Gomez would also go 6-0 during World Series play to help lead the Yankees to five World Series championships in the 1930’s.
In Yankees history, Gomez is sixth in WAR and fourth in wins. He is fifth in innings and strikeouts, second in complete games and fourth in shutouts.
Gomez would retire after 1943 and would be elected into the Hall of Fame in 1972. Gomez would pass away in 1989.
I like to throw in a sixth starter as a part of these teams like how teams will have long men in the their bullpen and this is no exception.
Stottlemyre came up right at the end of the Yankees dynasty run in 1964 going 9-3 in his rookie year and helping lead the Yankees to the AL Pennant that year. He went 1-1 in 3 games during that World Series against the Cardinals, and that would be the last time he pitched in the playoffs.
He would go on to make his first of four All-Star teams the next season, winning 20 games for the first of three times in his career. Because he was on such bad teams, he would also lose more than 20 games once and lead the league is losses twice.
His 164 wins are seventh in Yankee history. He’s fourth in innings and eighth in strikeouts.
Stottlemyre would retire after the 1974 season, but that’s not where his Yankee story would end. He would be the pitch coach for the Houston Astros and New York Mets in the 1980s and early 1990’s. He would become the Yankees pitching coach under Joe Torre from 1996-2005 helping coach the Yankees to four World Series titles and six AL Pennants.
Bullpens in the 1940’s were used much differently than they are now. Bullpen guys back then weren’t used much and were mainly guys who were failed starters or guys who weren’t good enough to start.
The Yankees had a weapon out of the bullpen in the 1940’s, one who would help them win two championships in Joe Page.
Page would only have a six year career with the Yankees, but managed to make three All-Star teams and finished in the top five in AL MVP voting twice.
Page would win double digit games twice and would lead the AL in games finished every year from 1947-1949. He would go 2-1 and finish six games during the 1947 and 1949 World Series. His 178 games finished are seventh in Yankees history.
Page would be sent down to the minors in 1950 and would be released. He would sign with the Pirates for 1951 and would retire after that season.
Page took the role of another Yankee relief ace, one who was a part of six World Series champions in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Johnny Murphy came up for good in 1934 and would start a bit during that season, but would become more of a reliever from there on after.
He would win double digit games four times during his career and would make three consecutive All-Star teams from 1937-1939.
He pitched in eight posteason games, finishing all eight, winning two with a 1.10 ERA during that time. He would finish 277 games for the Yankees during his career, which is fourth in franchise history.
He would miss two years in 1944 and 1945 while serving in the military, coming back for 1946 and then finishing his career with the Boston Red Sox in 1947.
He would become the director of minor league operations for the Red Sox right after his playing career ended and then move to the Mets front office in 1962. He would take over as the GM in 1967 and was the GM of the 1969 World Championship club. He would pass away from a heart attack in 1970.
The Yankees and Red Sox don’t make trades often, but some of them have really helped the Yankees throughout their history. This is another example of that on this list.
In March of 1972, the Yankees sent Danny Cater and a player to be named to the Red Sox for a relief pitcher named Sparky Lyle. It would work out rather well during his seven year tenure.
Lyle would make three All-Star teams during his Yankee career. He would lead the league in games finished and saves twice. He would also win the AL Cy Young Award in 1977, going 13-5 with 2.17 ERA. He would appear in a league leading 72 games, finishing with 26 saves and 60 games finished, which would also lead the American League.
His 2.41 ERA as a Yankee is third in franchise history. His 420 games pitched ranks seventh and he is fourth in saves with 141.
Lyle would be a part of a big trade after the 1978 season with the Texas Rangers that would bring another member of the club to the Yankees. He would retire after the 1982 season after pitching for the Phillies and White Sox to finish up his career.
The Yankees may have had No Runs DMC for part of 2016 and excellent bullpens during the dynasty run of the late 1990’s, but lethal bullpen combos are a Yankee tradition. After having Sparky Lyle win the AL Cy Young in 1977, they added another lethal power arm to the bullpen in free agency that off season in Goose Gossage.
Gossage would make four All-Star teams in his six seasons as a Yankee. He would finish in the top 10 in Cy Young Award balloting three times and top 10 in MVP voting twice. He would lead the AL in saves twice.
His 2.14 ERA in a Yankee uniform is tops in franchise history. He is second and WHIP and K/9. His 151 saves are third best and his 272 games finished are the fifth most.
He would be a part of the Yankees World Championship team in 1978.
Gossage would leave via free agency in after the 1983 season. The Yankees would bring him back for a short time during the 1989 season. He would retire after 1994 and would reach the Hall of Fame in 2008.
That 1978 trade of Sparky Lyle that I talked about earlier landed the Rangers number one pick from the 1977 draft. Lefty Dave Righetti would originally come up and be a starter, including his first full season of 1981, where he would go 8-4 with a 2.05 ERA and win American League Rookie of the Year.
Righetti would start for two more seasons, including leading the American League in walks during the 1982 season and would pitch a no-hitter in 1983.
After Goose Gossage left after the 1983 season, Righetti would take over as the team’s closer. He would make two All-Star teams in 1986 and 1987. During that 1986 season, Righetti would lead the American League in saves and games finished.
Righetti’s 224 saves are second in Yankees history.
He would leave the Yankees after the 1990 season as a free agent.He would retire after the 1995 season and has been the San Francisco Giants pitching coach since 2000.
You have to close this piece with the greatest closer ever obviously. Mariano Rivera got his start as a starter in 1995 and it didn’t go so well. Rivera made the playoff roster and pitched 5.1 scoreless innings in relief. He was a part of that bullpen in 1996 as the setup man.
Rivera was the bridge to John Wetteland and the Yankees won the World Series. Wetteland would leave via free agency and Rivera would take over as closer and the rest is history.
Rivera is the All-Time leader in saves with 652. He is the Yankee all-time leader in WAR, WHIP and saves. He is second in ERA, and ninth in strikeouts. He made 13 All-Star teams and lead the league in saves three times. He would finish in the top 10 in AL Cy Young voting six times.
Of course, what Rivera did in the postseason was a huge part of his legacy. Rivera was 8-1 with a 0.70 ERA in 96 postseason games and recorded 42 saves. He was the MVP of the 1999 World Series and the 2003 ALCS.
Rivera would retire after the 2013 season and have his number retired.
