Yankees’ Team of the Decade
by Mike GMLB.com set out to determine the best players, position by position, for each big league team from 2000 through 2009. Panels were created in each Major League city, arguments were entertained and decisions were made.
Yankees All-Decade team
| POS | Player |
|---|---|
| C | Jorge Posada |
| 1B | Jason Giambi |
| 2B | Robinson Cano |
| SS | Derek Jeter |
| 3B | Alex Rodriguez |
| OF | Johnny Damon |
| OF | Bernie Williams |
| OF | Hideki Matsui |
| DH | David Justice |
| SP | Mike Mussina |
| SP | Andy Pettitte |
| SP | Chien-Ming Wang |
| SP | Roger Clemens |
| SP | CC Sabathia |
| SU | Joba Chamberlain |
| CL | Mariano Rivera |
| MGR | Joe Torre |
I haven’t read the whole article yet, but thought it might raise some interesting debates. There are definitely some things I don’t agree with.
2 comments March 17 2010 1:52 pm | Mike G | Discussion |
Joba, David Justice don’t belong on an all-inning team much less all-decade team. Sabathia can’t be on on the basis of one year out of ten, even though a great year.
I can’t accept Giambi even if he had the numbers, the steroid laden hulk. If one year qualifies CC, then one year qualifies Texeiria (I’ll even take Tino instead at 1B).
Ok. So I looked at the rosters from 2000-2009 and here’s my opinion…
C – Posada (only in 2008 was he not the everyday catcher
1B – Martinez (2000-2001, 2005) over Giambi (2002-2003, 2008) in the othe years Giambi was really a DH in my opinion. Tex has it this next decade (the way Tino had it in the 90s, and Donnie in the 80s).
2B – Cano (5 years now at the position its his), Soriano had it 2001-2003.
SS- Jeter (no explanation needed)
3B – A-Rod (3B since 2004, Brosius 2000-2001, Vetnura 2002-03, Boone 2003)
CF – Bernie (2000-2005) its his, since 2006 its been a combination of Damon and Melky
LF – Matsui (2003-2005 and parts of 2006-2007)
RF – Abreu – Tough call here, since there a several players who have held the position this past decade. Abreu had 2.5 very good years (2006-2008), Swisher (2009), Sheffield 2004-2005, Hodge podge (2002-2003), O’Neill (2000-2001).
OF – (roaming) Damon 4 solid years
DH – Giambi
SP – Mussina 8 years (2001-2007) also know as the Dark times
SP – Pettitte 7 years (2000-2003, 2007-2009)
SP – Clemens 5 years (2000-2003, 2007)
SP – Wang 3.5 solid years (2005-2008) last year was a disaster
SP – Wells (2002-2003) just barely over Sabathia. Wells went 19-7 (3.75 ERA) in 2002 and 15-7 (4.14 ERA) in 2003. Sabathia one year 19-8 (3.37 ERA).
Their really arent any other starting pitchers who should be on the “all decade” team. El Duque 2000-2003, 2004 was not healthy enough to make the cut (although his 8-2 3.30 ERA in 2004 is honorable mention, and he did make 22 starts in 2002 and post a 3.64 ERA), Randy Johnson was good in 2005 but not so good in 2006, Burnett one year not so great, Brown=terrible, Vazquez, Lieber, Chacon, Weaver, Pavano, Wright, Hughes, Igawa, Ponson, Kennedy, Rasner. With a list like that you can see why they picked CC.
As for set up men, you have to remember you were dealing with Torre for the bulk of those years and he burned out pitchers. He had Stanton in 2000-2001, Mendoza, Farnsworth, Quantrill, Proctor, Gordon, Sturtze, Vizcaino et al. Their hasn’t been a solid set up man that you could say is the set up man of the decade. That makes sense, because if they were that good for that long, they would be a closer.