When clubhouse leader Don Mattingly retired after making his first and only postseason appearance in 1995, it signaled the end of one era and the start of another. The Yankee orientation shifted seemingly overnight. Into the power vacuum stepped a new generation.
Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera emerged as the hot young stars of the moment as the Yankees stormed toward the 1996 World Series. Who knew each would play out lasting, memorable careers and lay the groundwork for a dynastic run?
More young reinforcements arrived from Triple-A Columbus along the way, from Jorge Posada to Alfonso Soriano. In the decade since, the dreams of more than one National League team (think Braves, Mets and Padres) has been crushed.
But it has been seven seasons since the Yankees last won a World Series. A fair share of would-be pinstripe heroes have come and gone in disappointment. Not everyone can handle playing in New York.
It's a time-tested fact that holds true in all sports. Plenty of high-priced and highly-touted free agents have been laid low under the relentless combine that is the New York sports machine.
Then there is the World Series swoon. The Yankees lost the Diamondbacks in 2001, the Marlins in 2003 and haven't been back since. Boston even "reversed the curse" by rallying from down three games to one to beat the Yankees in the Bronx in the 2004 American League Championship Series.
There is something seriously wrong in the Bronx. And with the Yankees falling further and further out of the AL East race, this could be the year New York misses the postseason for the first time since 1993.
Part of the problem has been GM Brian Cashman. He's simply thrown money at free agents in high-priced bets that they'll plug the hole. Today's Yankees resemble a tribe of mercenaries more than a team.
And many of brain-trust's gambles? They have resembled more Bronx bombs than bombers. The list is long: Aaron Boone, Kevin Brown, Hideki Irabu, Chuck Knoblauch, Carl Pavano, Kenny Rogers, Javier Vasquez, Jeff Weaver, Tony Womack and Jaret Wright.
Most of those guys had success elsewhere, even after failed stints with the Yanks. But that's little consolation to fantasy owners — let alone George Steinbrenner — who pegged Pavano as the anchor of their staff in 2005. He's pitched all of 100 innings the last two seasons. And with Tommy John surgery looming after just two starts in April, call him a $40 million bust.
Who will succumb to the Yankees curse next? Well, they shipped Randy Johnson out this off-season after two average years. And the early returns have Kei Igawa looking very much like a bomb.
The Yankees coughed up $26 million to Japan's Hanshin Tigers just for the rights to the 27-year-old Igawa. That's big money for someone with merely a Major League-average fastball. After posting a 7.63 ERA in 30 innings of work, the Yankees optioned Igawa to Tampa, where he is playing Class A baseball.
It used to be Yankees were money players. No more. Even more trouble looms. Fantasy owners take note. If you have a Yankee, it might be time to unload before things get ugly.
