Darrell Einertson | A Short and Forgotten 2000s MLB Career

Darrell Einertson

Darrell Einertson, born September 4, 1972, is a former Major League Baseball player who played with the New York Yankees during the 2000 season. He grew up in the town of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and joined the Yankees as a minor league baseball player in 1995 after graduating from Iowa Wesleyan College.

He later got called up for the major leagues during the spring 2000 season. He played for the World Series champs that season, but only pitched in 11 games. It was his only season in the pros, finishing with a 3.55 ERA.

Einertson explained on the Moonlight Graham Podcast how he got called up to the Yankees and debuted against the Kansas City Royals.

“They flew me straight to New York City,” he said. “I landed, got picked up, and they took me to Yankee Stadium. I had my suitcase with me, and that day I got in the ball game. We were playing the Kansas City Royals at home, on a Saturday day-game, with about 58,000 fans.”

During his debut, Einertson was surprised to pitch the same day he arrived in the major leagues.

“I almost swallowed my Copenhagen,” he said. “I don’t know, I was so shocked to get that call on the first day ... and I went in there [and] got four outs.”

While playing alongside his Yankees teammates, they made him carry out certain duties as a rookie.

“They treated me just a little different because I was a rookie, they made me carry the seed bag, I got the bubble gum bag, I had to carry the balls, the bands, and all the other stuff, but I didn’t really care because it was so cool to be down in that bullpen.”

Einerston was not on their World Series roster, but he made the team coming out of spring training in 2001. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his career.

“I made the big league team coming out of spring training in 2001,” he said. “I had a small, partial tear underneath my armpit area, and so that kinda shut me down for the 2001 season.”

Despite Darrell Einertson’s brief time in the majors, he still had the chance to serve alongside some of the most well-known baseball legends, including Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter.

“Oh Jete was cool,” he said. “He was cool as a fan. He’d treat you just as you were in the big leagues, … guys would always look down on you just because you were a rookie, but no, he was a genuine good dude.”

Curtis Pride: The Yankees One Hit Wonder

Curtis Pride signed a contract with the New York Yankees in May of 2003 after spending the first part of the season with the Nashua Pride in the independent Atlantic League. Pride spent over a month in the minors in Columbus before getting called up and put in the starting lineup in early July.

Curtis Pride / Gallaudet Athletics

Pride only had 12 at-bats during his four game Yankees career including just one hit which was a home run. The Yankees acquired Pride to be used as an emergency outfielder who could also pinch-run. He also had a decent amount of experience in the majors and a likable personality which were attractive traits for the Yankees and made him a good fit for the team.

His time with the Yankees was brief but memorable. Despite not being well-known prior to joining the team, Curtis Pride made a lasting impression with the often critical fanbase. He endeared himself to the supporters with his homer against the rival Red Sox resulting in a standing ovation and curtain call.

Over 50,000 people were cheering for him, but he did not hear a thing. Curtis Pride is one of the few deaf players in the history of Major League Baseball. He does not let this stop him or hold him back despite it being a clear disadvantage compared to most players. Instead, Pride relies on his teammates and coaches as well as his other senses to even the playing field.

His journey to get to this point was not easy as Pride faced many obstacles throughout his career. The year before his Yankees tenure, Curtis Pride had excelled at Triple-A for the Pirates organization. In 2003, not a single team was willing to add him to their roster.

Pride was 34 years old and was struggling to stick in the major leagues for almost a decade. Many other players would have given up and switched occupations; however, Curtis Pride had persevered his whole life to prove his doubters wrong. He was, and still is, an inspiration to thousands of people, especially hearing-impaired kids. This was just a bump in the road for Pride.

The stinging rejection motivated him to play better and show every team they made a mistake by not signing him. He refused to be forgotten and showcased his talent by putting up gaudy numbers in the Atlantic League. MLB couldn’t ignore Pride’s skill set any longer and his efforts paid off when he became a New York Yankee.

The Yankees added Pride to their team in the middle of a tight battle for the division with the Red Sox. They believed he would be a valuable bench piece and help them claim the AL East. His success was limited to just that one game against the Red Sox but he contributed to the win. The Yankees never relinquished their hold on the division after this victory and Curtis Pride was a part of it.

The Yankees were pleased with Pride’s impact, but it was nothing compared to how he felt about his experience with the best sports team in history.

“It was like a dream,” Pride said to the New York Times.“To be in Yankee Stadium in a Yankee uniform, I'm just glad I got the opportunity.”

From Role Player to Manager: Kevin Cash's Amazing Story

Kevin Cash with the Boston Red Sox in 2008 / Wikimedia Commons

For a player who hit a mere twelve home runs and had a .183 batting average across his nine-year career, you would never expect someone like Kevin Cash to be the key ingredient to a playoff team. As it turns out, he was exactly that, although not as a player, but as a Tampa Bay Rays’ manager in their recent playoff success.

As a player, Cash started as an infielder in the Florida State University program for four years in the late 1990s. After going undrafted after his senior year, he was invited to play in the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he took over as a catcher when the team suffered from injuries. After proving to be successful at his new position, the Toronto Blue Jays franchise signed him as a free agent in 2002.

After two years and over 100 games played for Toronto, the Blue Jays traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays. He spent only a season there until ending up in Boston, where he played for a few seasons. After winning the world series in 2007 with Boston, albeit not as a starting catcher, Cash ended up on the Yankees roster during their historic 2009 season.

Being on a team stacked with superstars like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Mariano Rivera and catcher Jorge Posada, Cash served as a role player for the Yankees. At the start of the season, the Yankees put him in the minor leagues, with the triple-A affiliate in Scranton. The Yankees called Cash to their roster due to injuries among both Jorge Posada and his replacement, Jose Molina. He played ten games on the team, with only six hits to his name before Posada returned to the lineup.

The Yankees released Cash in September, a few months before they would win their 27th World Series. He announced his retirement from the league soon after, only to change his mind and return with the Houston Astros in the 2010 season. After a final stint in Boston and one more season in the minors, Cash retired for good in 2011.

However, Cash remained active as ever in the major leagues from that point forward. In 2012, Cash was hired as a scout for the Toronto Blue Jays. Later on, the Cleveland Indians selected Cash to serve as a bullpen coach for a couple of seasons.

Cash’s most significant contribution to baseball came when he was hired as manager of the Tampa Bay Rays. According to Joe Girardi, this job was fitting for Cash, as he had a positive impact on his teammates and a solid understanding of what makes a baseball team tick.

“(He) really understood the game," Girardi said to the New York Daily News. "Easy to get along with, in a sense, as a player. Easy to work with. He struck me as that type of guy."

Cash played with some of baseball’s all-time greats and was a part of two World Series winners. As a manager, Cash has used his profound knowledge of the game to propel the Rays from a losing team to a playoff contender. Now, Cash is focused on his team’s future and is far from the end of his long career in major league baseball.

Dellin Betances living the dream of playing for Yankees

Before Dellin Betances was a star reliever for the New York Yankees, he was a superb pitcher while at Grand Street Campus High School in Brooklyn, just over 11 miles away from Yankee Stadium. Like many New Yorkers, Betances grew up wanting to play for the Yankees; however, Betances was one of the few to realize his dream.

Dellin Betances / Topps

As a high school freshman, Betances was already throwing a fastball in the mid 80s, showing professional potential in just his first year. He was also on his high school’s basketball team, but he stopped playing after an elbow to the mouth knocked out a few of his teeth. After that incident, Betances focused his attention towards baseball.

During his high school career, he was selected to play in the prestigious Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic in the summer before his senior year. By then, Betances had grown to 6’8" and touched 97 MPH on his fastball, drawing the attention of many major league scouts. He was initially projected to be drafted in the first round, but some teams were worried about his consistency and lack of experience.

As a result of these concerns, Betances fell to the eighth round, where he was selected by the Yankees. Betances struggled with his control for a while in the minor leagues, but made his way to the majors in 2011. Betances was selected to the All-Star game twice in his career, and holds the record for most strikeouts in a single season by a Yankee reliever with 135.

Betances’ career is very young, but he is on the path for greatness. With all of the accomplishments that he earned, none may compare to living the dream of playing for his favorite childhood team.

The legendary sandman enters his final season

Will Mariano Rivera’s retirement lead to the downfall of the New York Yankees’ legacy? The Yankees ace closer has been with the team for 19 seasons and contributed to five World Series wins. Throughout the years he has shown consistency and reliability as a closer and he has been essential in the ninth inning.

Mariano Rivera - Wikimedia Commons

Rivera said that he would have retired at the conclusion of last season if he did not tear his ACL on May 3, 2012. He was on the shelf most of that season; however, he did not want to retire due to an injury. "I didn't want to leave like that," Rivera said in a press conference before the 2013 season. "I felt like I wanted to give everything."

The New York Yankees need Rivera to elevate his abilities with some of their best players including Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson, Derek Jeter, and Alex Rodriguez out due to injury. Rivera returned to baseball on April 4, 2013, leaving him a significant amount of time to recover and come back even stronger than last season. Rivera is the most tenured player on the team and his experience will play a major role for winning another World Series.

Although many did not expect the sandman to return after his ACL injury, Rivera has been very consistent this season. He started the season by saving Andy Pettitte’s eight inning performance against the Boston Red Sox in their third game of the season.

The Yankees are looking forward to a better opening to their season as far as they are concerned with their pitching. With some of their best and more reliable batters out pitching is where the Yankees really have to be aggressive. Rivera’s composure and consistency are exactly the attributes that the Yankees need during the pressure situations.

Contributed by Kian Zadeh and Din Islam

Injuries hold the Yankees back from victory

Derek Jeter / By Keith Allison - Flickr.com

The New York Yankees are off to a rocky start this season due to their loss of three superstar players. Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, and Curtis Granderson all were injured prior to the start of the 2013 season, leaving only three players from the 2012 starting lineup present on opening day.

Yankees captain Derek Jeter has been at every opening day for the past 16 seasons; however, he was not able to play in the season opener due to a broken ankle he suffered in the American League Championship Series last October. He played during spring training even though he was in pain, which is what he believes led to breaking his ankle once again. "It was something that I hurt it, I continued to play on it, probably when I shouldn't have," he said to BleacherReport.com. "But I continued to play on it and then eventually it broke."

First baseman Mark Teixeira is also not able to play for the first few months of the 2013 season due to a wrist injury. Teixeira is still staying healthy by working with the team's strength and conditioning coach for two-and-a-half hours each day attempting to stabilize his wrist muscles. It is not known when he will return because the recovery time for a wrist injury is unpredictable."You never know when you're coming back from a wrist. You can have a setback. Everything's always a timetable. Timetables change. Sometimes it's shorter, too," Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi said to Newsday.com.

The Yankees’ center fielder and leading home run hitter Curtis Granderson was also injured during spring training when he took a fastball to his right forearm. He is expected to return to play in mid-May; however, the Yankees want to make sure that he is fully recovered before including him in the lineup. “It’s just something that I’ve thought about. I don’t know how many games he would have in his rehab coming back, and that’s a concern for me. So I want him to be comfortable wherever he’s at, because his bat’s real important to us,” said Girardi to MLB.com.

All three of these players made a tremendous contribution to the 2012 season. Both Jeter and Granderson helped their teams offense, while Teixeira impacted the defense. Jeter had an incredible year, finishing with 216 hits, the most in baseball. Granderson also had a great season; he hit 43 home runs, drove in 106 runs, and was chosen to play in the All-Star game. Teixeira was able to contribute to the defense with his elite fielding; he won the Gold Glove Award for his superior individual fielding performance.

They have acquired new players that will need to help the team both defensively and offensively until their three starters return. Lyle Overbay was acquired by the Yankees from the Boston Red Sox during spring training and has been playing first base due to Teixeira’s absence. Eduardo Núñez and Jayson Nix have replaced Derek Jeter and Vernon Wells is a substitute for Granderson. “You’re talking about high-character guys,” Girardi said of the newcomers in a New York Times article. “Guys that have been calming forces in a clubhouse for many years, guys who have played at a high level, guys who have been in the A.L. East, guys that have been in the championship series.”

The Yankees will need to continue working together as a team without these three starters and make plays that will help them win more games. As of now, the Yankees have lost a few games because they do not have the power that Granderson, Teixeira and Jeter normally provide. “The same goals are going to be there: to win every night,” said Youkilis in a New York Times article.

Contributed by Sahar Saedi and Anya Batista 

Yanks start all over again, hoping for different result

If there was one real question that the New York Yankees had going into the 2012 season, it was whether they had enough pitching depth. General Manager Brian Cashman took care of that question by signing two pitchers who performed well last season, 23-year-old Michael Pineda from the Seattle Mariners, and 37-year-old Hiroki Kuroda from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Pineda, who will only be pitching in his 2nd year in the majors, posted a 3.74 ERA last year and was voted to the All Star Game. Pineda is a humongous 6-7 280 lbs and possess a devastating fastball and slider giving him promising talent for the future. However, his changeup is what needs work and is “below average,” as Cashman said.

The Japanese pitcher, Kuroda, has four years of experience in the majors and has established himself as one of the few Japanese pitchers that has not had a tough transition from the Japanese league to MLB. His career 3.45 ERA is impressive and Kuroda is assured a spot on the starting rotation alongside CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Michael Pindea, and either Phil Hughes or Freddy Garcia. A concern is that, in recent years, the American League has been tougher pitchers than the National League. The top four teams in runs scored last year were all from the American League and with the addition of two sluggers, Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder making the transition from the NL to the AL, it might be even tougher for pitchers.

While the Yankees appear to have a good starting rotation, they are also solid in the bullpen. Theoretically, if the Yankees starting pitching can get through six innings with the lead, the game looks promising with, Rafael Soriano, David Robertson, and the best closer in all of baseball, Mariano Rivera working out of the bullpen. Joba Chamberlain, a promising bullpen pitcher, had a season ending injury last year and will make a return to the bullpen most likely a little before the All Star break.

On offense the Yankees are a threat as usual with second baseman Robinson Cano, and center fielder Curtis Granderson. Both Cano and Granderson were candidates for the MVP award last year. Granderson blasted 41 homers and had 119 RBIs and Cano batted .302 with 118 RBIs. First baseman Mark Texeria and third baseman Alex Rodriguez are looking for bounce back years in 2012 after Texeria’s average was way down and Rodriguez plagued with injuries. If the two sluggers are productive in 2012, the Yankees should win the AL East and have a great chance to go all the way.

The Yankees finished with an impressive 97-65 record last year winning the AL East. However the season ended in disappointment after losing to the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS. The Yankees are hoping for a better finish this year. After winning only one World Series in the past 11 years, they are due for another title. With a promising team, the Yankees are set up for a 28th World Championship.

Tragedy Strikes the Yankees Morale

After the 9/11 attacks, the Yankees felt awkward playing baseball again. It didn’t feel right playing in front of people that were directly affected by 9/11. “It was awkward because you meet [people] who just lost family members,” expressed Jeter in an ESPN interview. “What do you say?" The thoughts going into a game, after 9/11, was that seeing baseball isn’t what people needed at that point, “There are still looking for people,” Jeter said, “I don’t think it’s the right time to play baseball.”

Yankee players were left scrambling to do what little they could to relieve some pain and tension caused by the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. With the city in shock, Major League Baseball immediately canceled all games. When baseball resumed, the Yankees were playing at Chicago. There was a moment of silence at the game, a fan yelled, "We love you, New York!" and the crowd exploded in cheers. ”[It] just gave you goose bumps when you realized that it was just a country coming together," remembered Joe Torre. "And our baseball was there to distract the people from thinking about the horrors that just went on." During the 9/11 attack, it was awkward to continue sports, for the Yankees, but they felt that it was needed to restore the united nation.

Less than two months after the 9/11 attack, the Yankees were representing America in the 2001 World Series, the World Series that is arguably one of the most memorable in the history of the game. It was a distraction that the World Series provided for the country. “I don’t know if the attacks added to the desire and need to win for us”, said Derek Jeter. “I think what it did is it sort of gave the fans of New York … something that they could cheer for at least three hours a day because it was tough times and people didn’t have too much to smile about.”

Game 4 of that World Series was played at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees down by two runs, had a runner on base. Tino Martinez, the Yankees first baseman came to the plate. The Yankees were going to go down three games to one in the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but Martinez had other plans, “Tino Martinez hit a home run to tie it and that was as loud as I’ve heard Yankee Stadium,” remarked Jeter. President George Bush came out to throw the ceremonial first pitch. As he did so chants of “USA, USA, USA!” filled Yankee Stadium letting people across the world know that 9/11 would not be forgotten but that America would make it through the devastating experience. .

September of 2001 was one of the toughest times in Yankee’s history. The 9/11 attacks gave the Bronx Bombers the responsibility to carry New York on their shoulders. To call their run in the playoffs inspirational would be an understatement, they didn’t win, and they brought tranquility back to the people of New York City.

After 9/11, the Yankees mentality changed. It gave them a sense of pride and responsibility to wear the black and white pinstripes. The following off-season the Yankees made a couple of high profile moves. The Yankees had a great season, winning 103 games. They were knocked out by the Anaheim Angels in the ALDS (American League Divisional Series) but they still held their heads high.

Contributed by Geoffrey Nathan, Sebastian Villada, Dionys Gutierrez

New York Yankees 2011 season preview

Derek Jeter / Chris Ptacek

 The 2011 Major League Baseball season is among us and the Yankees have already played three games here in New York. The "Bronx Bombers" kicked off their first series against the Detroit Tigers. They are off to a great start considering all of the speculation about their potential. In a recent article, The Detroit Press even considered the Yankees as underdogs this season. One of the main factors that could hinder the Yankee's success is the correlation between age and skill among the players they heavily rely on the most such as Derek Jeter. Last year Jeter faced troublesome contract negotiations with the Yankees; however, manager Joe Girardi said, "I really believe he's going to have a good year," when referring to this season.

Many critics argue that Jeter is losing his ability to play at peak performance as he will turn 37 this June. When playing against the Tigers recently, the shortstop showed some trouble reacting to balls hit to either side of him. Last season, Jeter's batting average sunk to .270, marking his first time going below .300 since 2004. In fact, this year he was bumped to number two on the hitting lineup after Brett Gardner took the top spot. Gardner serves well as a leadoff hitter since he has managed to yield a stable .379 on base average since 2009. It will take the right collaboration between returning stars and new talent in the Yankees roster to create an effective hitting line up this year.

On the other hand, the Yankees must also keep into account their pitching rotation since they were not able to make key acquisitions. Earlier in February 2011, we witnessed the retirement of pitcher Andy Pettitte after several months of public speculation. This event followed an earlier disappointment in December of 2010, when the Yankees failed to sign star pitcher Cliff Lee. The Yankees will have to make good use of relief pitcher Rafael Soriano and starter C.C. Sabathia. Manager Joe Girardi realizes Sabathia's worth and plans not to overwork him after Tuesday night's impressive performance against the Minnesota Twins. After seven innings, the pitcher had allowed only two hits and left the Twins scoreless until Soriano took over. Tonight's game against the Twins; however, proved to be a different story, as Soriano did not allow a single run in the eight inning. Only time will tell whether the Yankees will indeed play the underdog card or find themselves heading straight towards their 28th World Series Title.

New York Yankees top prospect's chance at the major leagues

Jesus Montero is the Yankees’ top prospect and will start his major
league career as their catcher due to an unexpected injury to
Montero’s competition Francisco Cervelli. Cervelli injured his foot
after fouling a ball off the foot in a Yankees and Rays spring
training game. An MRI showed that Cervelli has a broken foot and will
be out for more than a month. Montero was slated as Cervelli's backup in spring training, playing for the Yankees in an exhibition game and sharing his time behind the plate with
Cervelli. The backup catcher spot is now up for grabs and Montero’s
experience puts him over fellow prospect Austin Romine for the
position.

Montero is ranked third in the top 100 prospects and has improved
greatly on his defense behind the plate. Montero’s defense is a
weakness that holds him back. Montero understands he needs to work on his catching and declares, "I've been catching a lot. I've been trying to do my work behind the plate." Montero is 6-foot-4 weighing 225 pounds making him less than ideal for the catcher spot. He is not the most agile guy behind the plate but his experience in the minor leagues can compensate for his build.

It is his ability to hit that makes him a top prospect. Arguably the best batter in the minor leagues, Montero batted .317/.370/.539 over 44 Double-A games. Along with his high average, Montero is rated 80 on a scout power scale of 20 to 80. He has great hand eye coordination and struck just 12.6% of the time in Double-A. If the Yankees give him a chance to gain more experience in the major leagues, Montero will surely provide them with explosive power and raw strength.

Jeter goes for 3,000

Derek Jeter / Wikimedia

As captain of The New York Yankees, Derek Jeter has pulled through for his team numerous times. Jeter, this season, is only 74 hits away from the big 3,000 hits to add to his legendary status as one of the all time great shortstops. Passing Lou Gehrig in 2008, Jeter is the all-time Yankees hits leader. At only age 37, it will be interesting to see how high he can take his hitting to the Hall of Fame list.

There has been some speculation that due to Jeter’s recent swing change, chances of breaking this 3,000 earlier this season is grim. Jeter is practicing shortening his front-foot stride when hitting. However, hitting only a ground-ball single out of two spring training games, this new stance is questionable and will be interesting to see how he will adjust throughout the season.

In an interview with the Washington Post Jeter commented on his new stance. "It just cuts down on bad habits," Jeter said. "Striding too far forward. Tying yourself up. Habits that I got into last year. Trying to just eliminate those. It's just repetition, really. That's the only thing that you're trying to do is just doing it over and over until it becomes natural."

Rivera defies father time

Mariano Rivera / Wikimedia Commons

Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees closer, has now extended 16-year career by two more for $30 million. According to Sports Illustrated's John Heyman, Rivera was also offered a three year contract to play for the rival Boston Red Sox, but Rivera declined. The Red Sox were not the only team to attempt to steal Rivera from the Yanks. Rivera also chose the Yankees over an unnamed team, that was willing to pay more money, approximately $17 million, for three years. In a New York Daily News article, they discuss why he stayed, "[He] wanted to maintain his ties to the only team he has ever played for and went with less money and fewer years to continue wearing pinstripes."

The Yankees definitely did not take a risk in signing their strong closer. Even at the age of 41, Rivera is still in his prime. When Trevor Hoffman, former San Diego Padres, turned 41 after the 2008 season, he was released. Rivera, however shows no signs of slowing down. His ERA over the past 3 years stayed consistently low, ranging from 1.40 to 1.80. In the 2010 season, Rivera only allowed 14 hits out of the 55 games that he finished, giving up only two home runs. According to a New York Times article Rivera is on the field less, but still remains effective. "Each year Rivera pitches less often than the year before, but when he does pitch, he is basically as effective as always. He has stayed strong enough to dominate in the postseason, allowing just one run in 28 innings over the Yankees’ last four appearances."

Mariano Rivera, unlike many other closers, has been able to continue playing at the age of 40. He ranks favorably among a list of other closers who have done the same. He is also one of the only closers to not only to reach age 40, but also to continue going strong. Mariano Rivera defies "Father Time," and according to an MSN Sports Article, "If you needed further proof of his age-defying play, at the age of 40, he was named the 2009 Sporting News Pro Athlete of the Year award."

Closure in Mickey Mantle's Career

Mickey Mantle / Topps

Prior to the start of 1962, New York Yankees star Mickey Mantle had already accomplished some of his career's most notable feats as a power hitter. He won his first and only triple crown in 1956 as the leader in home runs, batting average and RBI's. "The Mick" as he was called, went through a transition in playing style after suffering an injury that impacted his overall performance beyond 1962. The first half of the 1960's looked promising for veteran swinger Mantle, seeing as he hit a home run in Yankee Stadium that cleared the 461 foot marker. A year later in 1963, he slammed another home run which some estimated could have traveled 600 feet. Mantle helped the Yankees win a World Series prior in 1962 and these new feats of power suggested that he was in his prime as a hitter. However, this would be the last time that Mick won a World Series with the Yankees.

Mantle was unable to play because of a sickness called osteomylitis, a condition that impaired his bone structure. After a difficult season in 1965, his total of a mere 19 home runs revealed that Mantle was no longer the player he used to be. The following season marked the first time in 14 years that Mantle was not invited to the MLB All-Star game.

Baseball analysts recognized the Mick's retirement during the mid 1960's. However, Mantle impressed fans when he managed to hit his 500th career home run against the Baltimore Oriole's pitcher Stu Miller on a 3-2 pitch. This remarkable moment allowed Mantle to end his career on a strong note since he announced his retirement on March 1st, 1969. In 1974, Mickey Mantle's noteworthy career and collection of Word Series rings helped him become immortalized in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Pain, Suffering, and Success

Mickey “The Mick” Mantle was one of the greatest baseball players in the history of the sport. He was born to play. Some people even say that Mantle never reached his full potential. By the age of 19, he suffered major injuries to both of his legs as well as his left shoulder. However, these injuries did not hinder his accomplishments. He won four Home Run Championships, a Triple Crown; and three MVP awards in his 18 year career with the New York Yankees.

Although he accomplished so much, his career was unfortunately plagued by injuries. In high school, Mantle developed osteomyelitis in his left leg, which is a bone disease caused by bacteria or fungi. At first, his only option was amputation, which would have destroyed the great baseball career that did not even start yet. His leg, as well as his career, was saved by a "new miracle drug" called penicillin.

His second career threatening injury occurred while he was playing for the New York Yankees in the major leagues. Mantle was the Yankees leading hitter. A sprained right knee in game two the 1951 World Series resulted in him sitting out the rest of the series. That same year, the Yankees announced that they had no idea what affect the osteomyelitis would have on his career.

Mantle led the Yankees as they dominated through the late 1950s and into the early 60s. From 1955 to 1958, the Yanks won the American League Pennant, and took the Series in 1956 and again in 1958. When Mantle won the Triple Crown in 1956, he posted a .365 batting average, 52 homers, and 130 RBIs. He was close to breaking Babe Ruth’s record of most home runs in a season, which stood at 60, but he only hit 54, beaten by his teammate Roger Maris, who ended up besting the record with 61 home runs at the close of the season.

Although Mickey Mantle’s strong 18 year professional career with the New York Yankees was tortured by his many injuries, which included osteomyelitis, he still did better than his best. His many injuries did not prevent him from achieving any of his goals.

The Duke of Brooklyn

Duke Snider VintageCardtraders

Back when the baseball fans in New York were split among three teams, Duke Snider was the glory of the Brooklyn (now Los Angeles) Dodgers. As a free agent signed by the Dodgers in 1943, Snider made his debut in 1947 against the Boston Braves. Although he helped to win that game with a pinch-hit single, his debut was overshadowed by Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball two days prior. Snider played his first full season with the Dodgers in 1949, finishing with a .292 batting average and 92 RBI.’s. Snider earned himself a fan club the following year.

Snider is the only person to hit four home-runs twice in a World Series. While still in Brooklyn, he took the Dodgers to the World Series five times, leading them to their only World Series win against the New York Yankees in 1955 after years of defeat. This gave Brooklyn its first and only World Series championship. Snider was awarded 1955 ML Major League Player of the year.

Snider's teammate Tommy Lasorda offer this in regards to his recent passing, “I was Duke’s teammate and looked up to him with respect. Duke was not only a great player, but he was a great person, too. He loved his family and loved the Dodgers. He was the true Dodger and represented the Dodgers to the highest degree of class, dignity and character. He was my teammate and friend and I will really miss him.” Source: TimesUnion


1955 World Series Duke Snider