My All-Time Yankee Line-Up

I'm likely to take some heat heat from my fellow Oriole fans for this one. But love them or hate them, any true baseball fan has to respect the tradition of winning that's come from the Yankees organization over the past century. With that being said, coming right on the heels of my all-time Baltimore Oriole's line-up, I've put together what I'd consider the all-time best Yankee line-up. This one is a little trickier because the Yankee teams go back a lot further than the Oriole's. And you can't ignore the fact that the way the game is approached (due of many different reasons) has dramatically changed since those early Yankee teams. Nonetheless, here' what I came up with.....

1st Base - Lou Gerhig

Long before Baltimore was introduced to the Iron Man, there was the Iron Horse. Gerhig was kept in the line-up for 2130 straight games for good reason. He was a huge impact player finishing his career with nearly 500 home runs and an impressive .340 lifetime batting average. He was a 2-time American League MVP and won baseball's coveted Triple Crown in 1934. Gerhig still holds the record for career Grand Slams with 23. He was also the first MLB player to have his number retired as well as being the first athlete to appear on a box of Wheaties. Aside from everything he accomplished on the field, Gerhig was a true gentleman and that wins him big points in my book.

Honorable Mention: Don Mattingly, Tino Martinez, Jason Giambi

2nd Base - Robinson Cano

Although he's only been with the Yankees since 2005, Cano is only about 200 hits away from being the all-time hits leader for Yankee second baseman. Already the all-time HR leader in that same group proves that he is always a threat to go deep. Couple that with his lifetime .308 batting average, Cano routinely gets things done. He is also a brilliant defensive second baseman, winning Gold Gloves in 2010 & 2012.

Honorable Mention: Tony Lazzeri, Willie Randolf

Shortstop - Derek Jeter

Jeter is already the all-time hits (3307) leader for the Yankees. In fact, no one else is even close. As hard as it is to believe, among all of the great players that have passed through the Yankees organization, Jeter is the only one that's ever reached the 3000 hit plateau. Jeter is a lifetime .313 hitter with 256 HR's and 348 stolen bases. He's a great defensive shortstop, holding five Gold Gloves. But the icing on the cake has to be the five World Series rings that he holds. A shoe-in for the Hall of Fame, Jeter is one of the most well-rounded players in Yankees history.

Honorable Mention - Phil Rizutto, Tony Kubek

3rd Base - Alex Rodriguez/Craig Nettles

Picking A-Rod for this spot was a bit tricky. You can't deny the stats: massive power numbers, stolen bases, gold gloves, etc. But the question is: Will they still be relevant after the current steroid investigation? There is currently talk about banning Rodriguez from the game altogether. If that happens, will his records be thrown in the waste basket ala Pete Rose? If that's the case, I'm picking Craig Nettles as my back-up choice. Nettles was a solid player for the Yanks during most of the 70's and into the early 80's. He is currently the all-time hits leader for Yankee third basemen. He hit with good power, winning the American League home run crown in 1976. Also, very good with the leather, winning two Gold Gloves.

Honorable Mention: Wade Boggs, Red Rolfe

Left Field - Dave Winfield

Picking the outfielders for the Yankees is tough. Number one, because there were som many great ones. And number two, players were often shuffled to other positions.But we've got to narrow it down somehow, so I'm going with Winfield who slightly edges Paul O'Neill and Rickey Henderson. Winfield was a good all-around ball-player with great power. He was an outstanding defensive player, winning seven Gold Gloves during his career (five of them while with the Yanks).

Honorable Mention: Paul O'Neil, Rickey Henderson, Alfonso Soriana

Center Field - Joe DiMaggio

The Yankees have had plenty of great centerfielders, but DiMaggio is my hands down favorite. A lifetime .325 hitter with 361 HR's, Joltin' Joe still holds the MLB record for consecutive games with a hit (56). The 3-time American League MVP, was a cornerstone in those great Yankee teams of the 30's and 40's. He is a 9-time World Series champion and is part of MLB's All-Century Team.

Honorable Mention: Mickey Mantle, Bernie Williams, Earle Combs

Right Field - Babe Ruth

This is such a no-brainer, I don't even feel the need to explain it. But I'll throw one interesting, but lesser-known stat out there. Ruth had 110 career stolen bases with the Yankees.

Honorable Mention: Reggie Jackson, Roger Maris, Paul O'Neil, Bobby Murcer, Hank Bauer

Catcher - Yogi Berra

Many people might only know Berra from his many "Yogi-isms", but the fact of the matter is that this guy could play. A 3-time American League MVP, Berra finished his Yankee career with an impressive 358 HR's. He was an 18-time All-Star and has a mind-boggling 13 World Series' rings. He is considered by many to be the greatest catcher ever to play the game.

Honorable Mention: Thurman Munson, Bill Dickey, Jorge Posada, Elston Howard

Starting Pitcher - Whitey Ford

Ford is the all-time wins leader for the Yanks with 236. With nearly 2000 career strikeouts and an impressive 2.75 ERA, Ford helped the Yankees win six championships. Although he didn't have an overpowering fastball, Ford had pinpoint control. His ability to remain calm in high pressure situations earned him the nickname "Chairman of the Board".

Honorable Mention: Andy Pettitte, Ron Guidry, Lefty Gomez, Red Ruffing,

Closer - Mariano Rivera

In a nut shell, the best closer in the history of the game. In baseball's live ball era, Rivera has an astonishing 2.20 ERA. When you see this guy taking the mound for the Yankees, the win is basically already in the books. The tremendous respect other players have for Rivera, tells you all you need to know about the man. A class act that any team would be lucky to have.

Honorable Mention: Dave Righetti, Goose Gossage, Sparky Lyle

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The thing that I find most intriguing about my picks is that four of them are active players (Cano, Jeter, Rodriguez and Rivera). That's pretty incredible considering all of the great players who have donned the pinstripes over the years. Two of these players are legitimate locks for the Hall of Fame (Jeter and Rivera). Although Rodriquez certainly has the numbers to qualify as a first-ballot inductee, he will likely be shunned by the sport writers the same way the Class of 2013 was. It may be a little early to pencil Robinson Cano into the Hall, but if he stays healthy for a few more years, I say he's in.

Perhaps true Yankee fans might find some flaws in my choices and that's perfectly understandable. However, considering that I am not a Yankee fan, I believe that I've made some pretty decent picks. And although I might not normally root for the Yanks, I can appreciate the tradition and the never-ending talent that comes through their organization. That's precisely why I took the time to write this....

kw