"There's a reason the Yankees haven't won a World Series since Paul O'Neill retired and Tino Martinez was traded. Winning to the degree the Yankees did between 1996 and 2000 -- four World Series titles in five tries -- requires two essential ingredients: top-tier talent, and extraordinary character.
In opening George Steinbrenner's checkbook to bring on board players such as Jason Giambi, Raul Mondesi and Brown over the past few seasons, the Yankees have kept the talent top-shelf. But that's it.
These guys aren't Yankees."
In case you were unaware of the obvious, the primary reason that Tino and Paulie won so many rings with the Yankees is because they happened to play on the same team of perhaps the most important playoff performer in baseball history, Mariano Rivera.
Ask Mr. Yankee himself, Donnie "No Rings," how tough it is to win titles without Mariano.
Very odd that Tino's mere presence still hasn't brought a World Series title to Saint Louis or Tampa Bay. Or maybe it isn't surprising. Lots of teams have won World Series titles without Tino Martinez, some before he was even born. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that this year's winner will not be the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, even though they had the wisdom to import a True Yankee with Championship pedigree. Or maybe Character don't mean squat without Pitching.
This obsession with Character and Chemistry is the kind of idea that can never be disproven. If the Yankees do win the World Series this season, Scott Miller can just claim it's because of payroll. If they lose, it's because they lack character. After the World Series is over -- or any sporting championship, for that matter -- the winning team seems like the team of destiny and they're so damned happy that they all have have insta-chemistry as they douse themselves in champagne. Zell Miller would jump into John Kerry's arms like a little baby if John Kerry threw a perfect game in the World Series.
The biggest playoff hits by the Yankees last season were by the godawful Aaron Boone and the Clubhouse Cancer of all Clubhouse Cancers, Ruben Sierra. Doesn't anybody remember? Is outcast Ruben Sierra suddenly a True Yankee because he got a game-tying hit in the ninth inning of a World Series game? I don't know, but Scott Miller surely must think so.
You want my list of True Yankees whose Character was vital to Yankee rings in the Torre era? How about Darryl Strawberry, Jim Leyritz, Kenny Rogers, Cecil Fielder, Chuck Knoblauch, Roger Clemens, wacky Jeff Nelson, and backstabbin' author David Wells? What, am I supposed to believe that they're all Character Guys, too?
While they didn't play too much during the playoffs, maybe it was the mere presence of drunk driver Shane Spencer, statutory rapist Luis Polonia, and the ever-popular Jose Canseco which gave the Yankees the edge they needed in their Championship runs.
I'm not convinced the 2004 Yankees will win the World Series, but I'd sure like their chances better with a big jerk on the mound, as long as he can pitch.
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