A Nostalgic Weekend for the Yankees

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This weekend’s story could not get any better for Yankee fans. Serving at least as a temporary distraction, the Bronx Bombers were able to relive their glory years of the late 1990s and early 2000s for a little while.

That era of Yankee baseball may have been one of the single greatest dynasties in sports history, along with another great chapter in the team’s legacy, the 1920s and 1930s where the Babe Ruth led Murderer’s Row went to six World Series in twelve years, winning three.

For the first time since the mid 1960s to early 1970s championship drought, the Yankees are facing a true crisis. Teams in the AL East are younger and more talented, as the Yankees are running out of their normal luck in finding high risk/high reward free agents, as well as time with ageless wonders and franchise cornerstones, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera approaching retirement.

While the team is unraveling, the status of the 275 million dollar third baseman, (No, that is not a hyperbole.) Alex Rodriguez, is indefinite. Rodriguez, who admitted his steroid use in 2009, is among the players accused of involvement in Anthony Bosch’s biogenesis clinic, facing a potential suspension or lifetime ban from baseball.

After a week tainted by the Yankee front office taking disassociating themselves from the same player they signed for ten years in 2007 to a new extreme by falsely placing him on the disabled list, Yankee fans had a taste of their rich past to forget about the scandals and decline of their team.

This weekend began with the midseason trade for former Yankee Alfonso Soriano from the Cubs. Soriano was acquired to help spark an outdated, fragile, and sluggish Yankee lineup. Before the trade, Soriano had hit eight homeruns in the month of July, one more than the Yankees, as a team.

While a Yankee, Soriano was part of four World Series teams, including two championships. Before the 2004 season, Soriano had been traded from the Yankees to the Texas Rangers for Alex Rodriguez.

Soriano’s best season in the pinstripes, 2002, may have been the best of his fourteen year career. In 2002, Soriano hit 39 homeruns and drove in 104 runs while hitting .300 for the only time in his career. Though he may be well passed 2002, Soriano can still provide the offense with that same explosive production while providing fans with his attendance for a blast from the past.

Less than 48 hours after Soriano’s arrival in the Bronx for the weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays, two other iconic Yankees made their return to The Stadium.

Longtime Yankee captain and shortstop Derek Jeter returned to the Yankees lineup from another stint on the disabled list on the day his former teammate, Hideki Matsui, retired and was honored with his own bobblehead day.

This was Jeter’s second return of the month after reinjuring himself in his first game off the DL on July 11. A perennial and classic Yankee with five rings, Jeter experienced his best seasons during that dynastic era in the Bronx.

In the 1999 World Series winning season, Jeter hit .349 with a 24 homeruns uncharacteristic to a shortstop. Jeter would also excel in 2000 where he was awarded the unprecedented combination of both All-Star Game MVP and World Series MVP.

Matsui joined the Yankees in 2003 after an already illustrious career in Japan. A two time All-Star, “Godzilla” was part of one World Series team in 2008 where he batted .615 with three homeruns and eight RBI, earning him Series MVP.

What could be more Hollywood for the class act Jeter to return with Matsui in attendance and being honored?

Homering on the first pitch of his first at bat.

Jeter’s homerun was the first for the Yankees in nine games, making his presence known immediately. After a 2-4 performance by Jeter, Tinseltown would return for this throwback as Soriano slated his fourth hit of the day, a walkoff to give the Yankees a much-needed victory.

Now as the scriptwriters and film crews have left Yankee Stadium, there still are those same issues lurking with the Steinbrenners, Brian Cashman, and Joe Girardi.

The feel good movie is now more of a melodrama.

What will happen with A-Rod? How can we keep up with the Red Sox, Orioles, and Rays? What are we going to do when Mo and Derek leave? Can Soriano meet our expectations and perform like before?

For the Yankees, this weekend full of feel good memories of yesteryear served as a suitable distraction, however moving forward the Pinstripes may never be the same.

All was not well for the Yankees of the early 2000s yesterday, former Yankee star Tino Martinez resigned as Marlins hitting coach after numerous complaints and accusations on his “tough” approach.