| Craig Settimo. 19th May, 2005 - 1:44 pm
 On Tuesday, everyone was praising Giambi for how far he's come during this West Coast Trip. Wednesday with the bases loaded and a chance to really show his improvement he takes three pitches for a strikeout and the end of a winning streak.
Maybe the Mariners finally realized the Force is weak with that one.
It might be a loss for the Bombers but fans of the Evil Empire only had to wait 2 hours after the final pitch to watch the Revenge of the Sith. Did Anakin have any premonitions about this years Bombers? Well I don't want to ruin the movie for you.
So to congratulate the Yankees on their recent 10 game winning streak--and to thank Larry Lucchino for joining the two dynasties's with a fatal slip of the tongue--below are the 10 best moments for the Yankees since May 25th 1977. Yes the day Star Wars opened.
1. October 18, 1977. Reggie Jackson’s World Series performance. Three home runs against the hated Dodgers. Proving that Reggie really was the Straw the stirs the drink. After the game he said "I hit like a Wookie today." Enough said.
2. 1978 Yankee team. At one point 14 games back. Beat the hated Red Sox on a Bucky Dent homer. Throw in Guidry’s incredible season—25 wins, 3 losses, 248 strikeouts and a 1.74 era (and he didn’t win the MVP). Another World Series title and more importantly George Lucas announces plans for a sequel. Lucky enough it's for Star Wars and not THX 1138.
3. 1982 July 4th. Dave Rigetti -- at the time a starter -- pitches a no-hitter over the Red Sox, striking out batting champion Wade Boggs on the final pitch. Years later Boggs admitted his mind wasn't in the game as he was busy wondering if Han survived the carbonite freazing.
4. 1995. Don Mattingly’s retirement signified the end of the dreary 80’s and early 90’s. No team won more games in the 80’s than the Yankees. What did they have to show for it? Nothing. One World Series choke in 1981 and the rest of the decade were spent battling for second place. Sure the 80's produced Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, but sadly neither of those will help Donnie Baseball make Cooperstown.
5. 1996. Joe Torre is hired as manager. After the Billy Martin debacle(s), and the ensuing rotating managerial door, Joe Torre provided stability and a guiding light for the Yankees. He is the longest tenured Yankee Manager since Casey Stengel. Don’t be surprised when Torre’s name is announced for Cooperstown within the next few years. It also helps when you've won four championships and squashed several rebellions of Red Sox Nation.
6. 1996. Derek Jeter’s first full season. The first Yankee Rookie of the Year in 15 years. Jeter a home grown talent who ate up the Big Apple limelight and hasn’t looked back. Burst on the social scene with Mariah Carey whose dated several members of the Dark Side.
7. 1996-current. Wade Boggs, Charlie Hayes, Mariano Duncan, Cecil Fielder, Darryl Strawberry or any other ballplayer that was once described as washed up. They and so many others come to the Bronx and somehow conjure up some Yankee magic. Joe Torre and Management have never been afraid to try a has-been as it’s often proven the winning ingredient. Thankfully they drew the line at Jar-Jar.
8. 1998 Yankee team. 114 regular season wins. An 11-2 romp through the post-season and you have arguably the greatest team since the Jedi Intramural Squad.
9. 2004 Red Sox. The Evil Empire bounced back from the destruction of the Death Star, and the Bronx Bombers will do the same.
10. 2004 Aaron Boone. Not only will he be remembered for his 11th inning homer but more importantly for blowing out his knee and allowing the Yanks to trade for Lando whose promised to cut everyone a deal on Bespin Gas.
And there you have a Top 10 for the last 28 years. Hopefully Lucas wont wait this long for the Final Three Chapters but if he does I'm sure the Bronx's version of the Evil Empire will have plenty more moments to write about. |
