JACK CURRY IS A GEM & MAYBE A GOOD LUCK CHARM TOO

The Yankees are on a hot streak. After taking two out of four games against the Division leading Rays, three out of four against the Toronto Blue Jays and now they are up two against Cincinnati, the Yankees are showing signs of playing like a cohesive unit and pulling from across their talent to win ball games. So what does Jack Curry, an analyst and reporter from the YES Network have to do with the Yankees' success? 

Well coincidentally, his book The 1998 Yankees: The Inside Story of the Greatest Baseball Team Ever just dropped this month and just as the Yankees started climbing back into contention, his book has been climbing the charts of the NY Times Best Sellers List. And it was a great Mother's Day gift, I might add. So much so that Jack Curry sent me his autograph to affix to the inside cover. So, yeah, Jack Curry is a gem and he might be a good luck charm too.

When me son presented me with the book on Mother's Day, I was overwhelmed. I tweeted at Jack Curry telling him it was the best Mother's Day gift ever and he DM'd me saying he would sign it. I can't tell you how touched I am by both my son and Jack Curry. Truly made my day even more special. But now, here's the interesting thing. 

On May 3rd, I had wrote a piece entitled YANKEES IN THE DUMPSTER WITH NO WAY OUT. In this post, I mention the book in this context, "It is bad when the YES Network took to promoting Jack Curry's newest book, The 1998 Yankees: The Inside Story of the Greatest Baseball Team Ever instead of calling what quickly became another boring Yankee, lifeless game. Part of the problem with this team is that they are living in the past, assuming because they are the Yankees they can be what they were. 1998 was an incredible team with tremendous run support and consistent pitching. This team is just the opposite." Fast forward two weeks later and the Yankees turned the corner. They fought back against some of the best teams of the 2023 season. 

Twenty five years after the 1998 team took the field for what became a historic season, Curry revisits that season to unpack how the team was built and why the Yankees were such a "talented, refreshing and successful club," according to the review on Sandman Books. Now, here we are in 2023, and the Yankees are purpose-built again with the opportunity to do something great, once again. Are they the 1998 Yankees? Way too early to tell. Could they be? Maybe. They have the fixtures. They have the talent. All they need is to play like a team. That's the way I see it now. They are doing just that. Playing like a cohesive unit. 

Could Curry's book be the catalyst for this Yankee team? Eh, I mean I am not about lucky charms and coincidences, but it is sort of interesting timing- Curry's book and the Yankees' rebound. I have always believed that when you surround yourself with positivity, you change the perspective. Visits by the Yankees of the past have always yielded good vibes in the clubhouse. Curry's book is just that kind of vibe for both players and fans alike. So the good luck could actually be that the Yankees have found what makes them a team- and it was there all along. Play hard. Respect your teammates. And lead from your position. Be like the 1998 Yankees. And win. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof