#10. Jim "Catfish" Hunter-NYY from 1975-1979 Regular season stats: 63-53, 3.58 ERA, 1.84 K/BB
Postseason stats: 8 games, 7 starts, 2-4, 4.70 ERA, 2.33 K/BB
Accolades: Two World Series Rings ('78, '79), Two All Stars ('75, '76)
After winning the 1974 American League Cy Young Award with the Oakland A's, Catfish Hunter was the big fish, Pun intended, on the inaugural free agent market. And like the late, great George Steinbrenner always does, whenever he sees a big name on the open market he does whatever he can to get him in pinstripes. Catfish had some great seasons with the Yankees, although he also had some not so great seasons with the Yankees too. But, he was good enough to make BYB's list at number 10.
Regular season stats: .266 Avg, 111 Hrs, 341 RBI, .877 OPS
Postseason stats: 106 AB's, .170 Avg, 3 Hrs, 12 RBI, .578 OPS
Accolades: One World Series Ring ('09), One All Star ('09), Two Gold Gloves ('09-'10), One Silver Slugger ('09)
With the Yankees letting Jason Giambi walk after the 2008 season, and with the uncertainty of Nick Swisher playing first base, the Yankees wanted to sign Teixeira. In fact, Teixeira was close to signing with the Red Sox until negotiations broke down late. When that happened, the Yanks swooped right in, signing him to an 8-year, $180 million contract. Tex has been a fantastic signing. His power and switch hitting ability have made him a staple in the middle of the Yankees lineup. He's even a better defender than a hitter, which is saying a lot. He has struggled in the postseason, but 27 games worth of postseason play should not leave him off the list.
#8. Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez- NYY from 1998-2002, 2004
Regular season stats: 61-40, 3.96 ERA, 2.31 K/BB
Postseason stats: 17 games, 14 starts, 9-3, 2.65 ERA, 1.98 K/BB
Accolades: Three World Series rings ('98-'00)
A year after his brother Livan Hernandez defected from Cuba, El Duque defected and signed a five year, $9.8 million deal with the Yankees prior to the 1998 season. El Duque was pretty solid in the regular season, considering he pitched in the heart of the steriod era. But he was absolutely money in the postseason, most notably in the World Series. As a Yankee, El Duque went 2-1 with a 2.27 ERA with an impressive 11.1 K/9 rate in the Fall Classic. He definitely came up big when it meant the most, and that's why he checks in at number eight.
Regular season stats: 123-72, 3.88 ERA, 4.02 K/BB
Postseason stats: 17 games, 15 starts, 5-7, 3.80 ERA, 4.18 K/BB
Accolades: Three Gold Gloves ('01, '03, '08)
Before the 2001 season, Mussina left the Baltimore Orioles to sign a six year, $87 million contract with the Yankees, and to me he's one of the most underrated players to wear a Yankee uniform. The guy was a rock in the Yankees rotation for eight seasons, but he was also pretty unlucky as well. He would have two World Series rings if he were a free agent before the 2000 season and signed with the Yankees. And he would have another ring if he stuck around for the 2009 season. But what can you do? Mussina did go out with a bang in his final season with the Yankees--and his career--winning 20 games for the first time in his career. In a few years Mussina will be on the ballot for the Hall of Fame. Who knows if he'll make it, but if he does it'd be great if he sported a Yankee cap during his induction.
Regular season stats: .290 Avg, 205 Hrs, 818 RBI, .851 OPS
Postseason stats: 55 AB's, .182 Avg, 0 Hrs, 3 RBI, .558 OPS
Accolades: Eight time All Star ('81-'88), Five Gold Gloves ('82-'85, '87), Four Silver Sluggers ('82-'85)
After establishing himself in San Diego as one of the better hitters in the game, Winfield decided to accept the Yankees 10 year, $23 million contract. Winfield and George Steinbrenner certainly had their fueds over the years, one being when Steinbrenner called Winfield "Mr. May" after the Yankees were struggling in a pennant race towards the end of the 1985 season. Steinbrenner ended up trading Winfield to the California Angels in the middle of the 1990 season, but despite all his troubles with The Boss, Winfield was huge for the Yankees with his bat and his glove.
Regular season stats: .260 Avg, 209 Hrs, 604 RBI, .925 OPS
Postseason stats: 104 AB's, 6 Hrs, 13 RBI, .919 OPS
Accolades: Three time All Star ('02-'04)
The "Giambino" had a very successful career in pinstripes. He was never one of my favorites, but I will admit he was great in a Yankee uniform. The steroid cloud hovers over his head, which is certainly a negative, but he was still able to mash the ball at will. Every time he came up to the plate you knew he was going to give you a good at bat. He had a great eye and would rarely give away an AB. Giambi takes the number 5 spot.
Regular season stats: .292 Avg, 173 Hrs, 753 RBI, .830 OPS
Postseason stats: 205 AB's, 10 Hrs, 39 RBI, .933 OPS
Accolades: 2009 World Series MVP, Two time All Star ('03-'04), 1 World Series Ring (’09)
When Matsui signed his original 3-year, $24 million contract prior to the 2003 season, he was already cemented as a mega-star in Japan. Although the power numbers weren't quite on par to what he did in Japan, he was still a great, clutch, hitter for the Yankees. Of course Godzilla will be remembered most for what he did in the 2009 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. He hit .615 ( 8 for 13) with three homers (two off Pedro Martinez), and eight RBI, thus earning World Series MVP honors. His final game as a Yankee was Game 6 of that '09 Fall Classic, in which he went 3 for 4 with a homer, a double, and six RBI.
Regular season stats: 41-28, 2.10 ERA, 150 saves, 2.78 K/BB
Postseason stats: 2-1, 1.46 ERA, 7 saves, 4.4 K/BB
Accolades: Four time All Star ('78, '80-'82), One World Series Ring ('78)
The Yankees were coming off a World Series Championship against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977. Things were going great, so what does George Steinbrenner do in the off-season? He signs one of the best closers in baseball, Rich "Goose" Gossage. Goose was tremendous for the Yankees. Back then, closers normally pitched more than one inning to convert their saves, so his value was sky high in that sense. No matter if his saves came in more than one inning, or just one inning, Gossage was an awesome closer for the Yankees during his time, and well deserved of the number three spot on our list.
Regular season stats: 59-23, 3.18 ERA, 3.09 K/BB
Postseason stats: 11 games, 10 starts, 5-1, 3.54 ERA, 2.41 K/BB
Accolades: Two time All Star ('10-'11), 2009 ALCS MVP, One World Series Ring ('09)
Maybe some of you think that putting CC at number two is a bit high. I don't think so. When this guy signed a 7-year, $161 million contract to put on the pinstripes, he's been one of the most consistantly awesome pitchers in all of baseball. And quite frankly, he's been worth every penny (That's 6,900,000,000 pennies he's earned thus far, if you're keeping score at home). He goes out there every fifth day (or sixth day, when the Yankees were going with that stupid six man rotation for nearly three months), and he'll give you his best effort, and most of the time it's a great effort. In my opinion, he's the most dependable starter because everytime out he'll go deep into the game and save the bullpen. Not to mention, the pressure he's had on his shoulders since signing the big contract, and handling that pressure speaks volumes and can't be shown on a stat sheet.
#1. Reggie Jackson- NYY from 1977-1981
Postseason stats: 119 AB's, .328 Avg, 12 Hrs, 29 RBI, 1.090 OPS
Accolades: Two World Series Rings ('77-'78), 1978 World Series MVP, Five time All Star ('77-'81), One Silver Slugger ('80)
You know why Reggie Jackson is number one on this list? I'll tell you why, because his nickname is "Mr. October". Let's face it, being able to perform in the postseaon is huge when playing for the Yankees. It's not like that anywhere else, and because Jackson did that--along with performing very well in the regular season--he deserves the top spot. He signed a 5-year, $2.6 million contract after his lone season with the Baltimore Orioles in 1976, and although things got chippy with George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin, those issues should be set aside and have nothing to do what he should be remembered for when he was with the Yankees. He was surely "The straw that stirs the drink", and he'll be most remembered for his Game 6 performance in 1977 when he clubbed three homers off three consecutive pitches off three different pitchers. Truly amazing.
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