The Steiner Sports Memorabilia Blog

By Alex Cohen-Smith

Congratulations to the Angels’ Mike Scioscia and Rockies’ Jim Tracy, the 2009 MLB Managers of the Year. Scioscia’s Angels, faced turmoil from the start, when pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a brutal car crash. The team recovered strong, even with their depleted rotation, and won the AL West with a record of 97-65. Tracy, on the other hand, didn’t take over managerial duties until late May from Clint Hurdle, and led the Rockies to a 74-42 and a Wild Card berth under his guidance.

So both these men are great managers now right? They’ve earned that title for the rest of their lives? I think not. The discussion on the Steiner Sports Facebook Page led me to take a deeper look at the current MLB managers. Take a look at these facts

• Of the 16 award winners in the last 10 years (Bobby Cox, Jack McKeon, Lou Pinella and Scioscia have won multiple times)
• Only 11 of these managers still have jobs, and only 7 of those are still managing the team with which they won the award on.
• Both 2007 winners, Eric Wedge and Bob Melvin, are currently jobless.
• Only two current managers, Bobby Cox and Tony LaRussa, have managed their current teams for at least 10 years.
• 21 of the 30 current managers starting managing their current teams in the past three years.

So ask yourself this question: Is being a good manager simply the product of being in a good system? I don’t think so. Take the current Yankees.

Yes they had an amazing team this year, but Joe Girardi is a great manager. For the most part, he managed his bullpen well, kept the team healthy for the majority of the season (most importantly, down the stretch) and didn’t succumb to the New York pressure. 

He turned no-name guys like David Robertson and Phil Coke into steady relievers. He gave the ball the Damaso Marte, who had a 9.61 ERA during the regular season, in crucial situations, and he came through. Girardi stuck to his guns and had Jose Molina catch A.J. Burnett throughout the postseason, which may or may not have been the best move, but you can’t argue that it did keep the 36 year old Jorge Posada fresh. People can (and do) still hate on Girardi for not making the playoffs his first season, but it was the way the team played, not the managing, that did them in.

And don’t forget the job he did with the Marlins. Just take a look at lineup they had the before he came versus his first season:

In 2005, here’s who the Marlins had playing for them:

C: Paul LoDuca

1B: Carlos Delgado

2B: Luis Castillo

SS: Alex Gonzalez

3B: Mike Lowell

LF: Miguel Cabrera

CF: Juan Pierre

RF: Juan Encarnacion

Starters: Josh Beckett, Dontrelle Willis, Burnett, Al Leiter, Brian Moehler

Closer: Todd Jones

Here’s who they had in 2006:

C: Miguel Olivo

1B: Mike Jacobs (1st year with over 100 ABs)

2B: Dan Uggla (rookie)

SS: Hanley Ramirez (rookie)

3B: Miguel Cabrera

LF: Josh Willingham (rookie)

CF: Reggie Abercrombie (rookie)

RF: Jeremy Hermida (rookie)

Starters: Willis, Scott Olsen (rookie), Ricky Nolasco (rookie), Moehler, Josh Johnson (rookie)

Closer: Joe Borowski

That’s 5 rookie position players (plus Jacobs, who was basically a rookie, if not technically a rookie) and 3 rookie starters. a 78-84 record was unbelievable. They subtracted Beckett, Burnett, Delgado, Castillo, LoDuca, Lowell, Pierre and Encarnacion and were still in contention for a playoff spot deep into September. That was a masterful job of managing.

I tend to think being the manager of a baseball team is easier than any of the other major sports. There are no line changes in baseball. No plays to be called on 4th and 1. Football, where you need to make subs on almost every play, adjust to formations, sometime call the plays on both sides of the field….now that’s tough.

What do you think? Open forum folks.

By Alex Cohen-Smith

I don’t want to brag, but all I know is Mark Teixeira didn’t have a Gold Glove with the Yankees when he walked into the Steiner Sports offices yesterday, but by the time he was done talking to me…he was golden. Think it’s coincidence? Let’s look at the active players I’ve interviewed (Tex, Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner). Each player was  “goldless” (no rings, no gold glove) before coming for his Steiner Sports interview.

Alright Lebron, here’s your open invitation. Paul Pierce, a Steiner Sports exclusive player who already has a ring, has first shot, but if he passes it up, the championship is right here. All you have to do is come chat with me for 2-3 minutes…and sign with the Knicks.

As you can probably imagine, not every athlete is a walk in the park to deal with. I’ve heard stories of one player (who will remain nameless) who refused to come for a signing unless he got flown out in a private jet, had bottles of Dom Peringon in his hotel, and had his favorite meal prepared for him so he could eat while he signed. Yikes. So before I go to try to talk to an athlete I usually ask around the office to see if anyone has any information on him (that way I don’t end up having to buy any Dom Peringon and can stick to Poland Spring).

No one seemed to know anything about Tex. Since this was his first season in New York, and his first memorabilia line, no one in our office had had any real interaction with him during the season. We weren’t even sure if he was going to answer questions, especially because he was going to be accompanied by a representative of the dreaded Scott Boras’s agency.

I was pleasantly surprised to find Tex in our signing room at 9 am, clad in a long sleeve shirt and blue jeans, and looking not all displeased to be here. Tex is a great guy. He even threw in some jokes. When the president of our company Brandon Steiner asked him if he was an engineer at Georgia Tech (where he went to college), Tex quickly chirped back, “Nope, I was a baseball player”.

Tex was open enough to answer a few questions which you can see on the video at the end of this blog. Tex mentions that the collectible he would most want from this past season is the final out ball from the deciding Game 6. But he has no idea where it is! No one does…hopefully this doesn’t lead to another Doug Mientkiewicz incident (that’s back-to-back blogs containing Mientkiewicz references!)

After Tex left we had a nice surprise visit from Yankees former first baseman and four-time World Series Champion Tino Martinez. His visit was such a surprise that no one in the office even realized he was here until he walked by on his way out the door! Tino has been working in the Yankees organization as a special consultant to GM Brian Cashman and said that he knew Tex was going to produce in New York as soon as he met the slugger in spring training. As a Yankee employee Tino said he got those same butterflies before the last out of the World Series that he did when he was a player. I asked Tino if he had offered any advice to Tex being that Tino knew what it was like to be a 1^st baseman thrust into the New York spotlight. Tino said he told Tex to never make excuses, even if you start slow.

It’s no coincidence that Tex did start slow (.197 AVG, 3 HR, 10 RBI through April 29^th) much like Tino did in his first year with the Yankees (.226 AVG, 2 HR, 10 RBI through April 29^th). Neither player made excuses. Neither player allowed fans to remember April by the end of the year (.292 AVG, 39 HR, 122 RBI for Tex – .292 AVG , 29 HR, 117 RBI for Tino). Both players walked away from their first year with a title.

Coincidence? I think not.

By Jason Klein  Archive.  Twitter.  Contact Me.

“It’s one of the coolest things…being called a champ,” said the newly crowned Nick Swisher.  “You can’t ever take that away.”

No matter what path his career takes from here, he will forever be a World Champion.  According to Swisher, it is an honor he would not be enjoying without the efforts and contributions of every man to wear the pinstripes in 2009.

Following My Interview with Swisher

“For ten months straight, you work as a team to accomplish great things,” he said.  “This season, we all had the right mindset, and the right group of guys working together.  That’s why we were able to win the whole thing.”

Just hours removed from capturing the 2009 World Series Title, Swisher found himself inside the Steiner Sports Corporate Offices commemorating the achievement.  Along with other members of the 2009 World Champion New York Yankees, Swisher was there, adding his signature to team signed World Series baseballs, photos, jerseys, bats and helmets.   

Swisher marveled at the new product line, referring to select pieces as “bad-ass,” and even requesting some photos for his personal collection.  Feeling nostalgic throughout the signing, he was eager to discuss his first season in the Bronx and the important role team chemistry played in the Championship run.

In 2009, the Yankees made key additions to their roster, bringing in players to round out an already potent group.  Coming to New York, where the team’s objective from day one always includes a parade down the Canyon of Heroes, can be intimidating for many.  Over the last eight title-less seasons, many have come and gone with little success.  The 2009 club was different though.

“This wasn’t about myself, or CC [Sabathia], or AJ [Burnett],” said Swisher.  “This was about everyone.  We needed the whole team on the same page and we all were able to bond together.”

The foundation of their close-knit group can be traced back to February 23, 2009.  That’s when the club united during a much publicized spring training field trip to the pool hall.

“At the time, we had a lot of work to do,” said Swisher.  “We had a season to get ready for and then Skip [Manager Joe Girardi] comes in and tells us to drop everything, we’re going to play pool for the day.  It was big for us.  Everyone bought into it, we had a great time, and we were able to carry that onto the field.”

That’s where the Yankees won an MLB best 103 ball games, including a dominant 57-24 mark within the confines of their new home in the Bronx.  Their success was the perfect blend of old and new.  Though the integration of new personalities like Swisher, Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira was important, according the Swisher, a lot of the harmony can be attributed to members of the old guard.

New Celebration Shot Signed by Swish

“It’s the big four, [Jorge] Posada, [Derek] Jeter, [Andy] Pettitte, and [Mariano] Rivera,” he said.  “They are who the Yankees are.  They represent the team extremely well and are real leaders.  None of them came up to us new guys and said, ‘this is how we do things.’  It’s unspoken.  We all followed their lead and learned from them.”

The Yankees enter this offseason with a few issues to address.  Questions about the futures of Johnny Damon, Andy Pettitte, and World Series MVP, Hideki Matsui all loom.  The core of this roster will remain intact for 2010 when the Yankees try to defend their title – a challenge Swisher is already anxious to take on.

“I can’t wait to go back to war with these guys.”

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

By Alex Cohen-Smith Archive

Before Game 6, a few of the guys in the Steiner office were in deep discussion about who was going to be the MVP of the Series. Most guys said Rivera. A few guys said A-Rod. I was sticking with Damon.

No one, not one person even mentioned Matsui. Who would have guessed? Here was a guy who hadn’t started the last 3 games and he ends up winning Series MVP. In an earlier blog I wrote about how I didn’t think Matsui would be back with the Yankees next season. I stand by that statement. But if this was his final game as a Yankee, man-oh-man did he cement his place in Yankee history. A record-tying 6 RBI in his final game, a World Series game, in Yankee Stadium? You couldn’t write a better ending to a strong career in New York.

It has been a madhouse in the Steiner offices since the Yankees won. We’ve been clamoring to get all of the Yankees to stop by the office for signings. Yesterday we were lucky enough to get enough visits from Eric Hinske, Hank Aaron (I know he’s not a Yankee, but Hammerin Hank still deserves a mention!) and the “Warrior” Paul O’Neill.

First off, Paulie looks like he can still play. I’d still hit him three-hole and stick him in right-field for at least half of the current major league ball clubs. It’s not every day you get to talk Yankees baseball with a 5-time World Series Champion (4 w/ Yankees, 1 w/ Reds) the day after the Yankees win a World Series. It was evident he happy for the boys he used to play alongside: Jeter, Pettitte, Rivera, Posada and Girardi, but I could see he definitely still had the itch to get out there and play.

At the end of this blog is an interview with Paul where we asked him a few questions submitted by our Facebook fans. My one question to Paul was going to be about his practice swings in the outfield. Every game, while the other team was getting ready to bat, you could see Paul O’Neill out in rightfield practicing his swing. I couldn’t find a video to show here, but anyone who went to a Yankee game in the late 90’s knows what I’m talking about. Thankfully one of our fans had the same question so I didn’t feel too bad asking him about it.

Today we’re expecting an onslaught on people to stop by the offices including:

• Hank Aaron
• Sparky Lyle
• Joba Chamberlain
• Damaso Marte
• Brian Bruney
• Ramiro Pena
• Dave Eiland (Yankees Pitching Coach)
• Mick Kelleher (Yankees 1^st Base Coach)
• Rob Thomson (Yankees 3^rd Base Coach)
• Mike Harkey (Yankees Bullpen Coach) 

Check out the Steiner Sports World Series Collection right here to get everything from Yankees celebration T-Shirts to signed World Series baseballs!

By Alex Cohen-Smith Archive

Is anyone else getting worn out watching this World Series? I’m losing my voice, my legs are sore, I feel like I just ran in the New York City marathon. And the scary part is, it’s not over yet. This topsy turvy series is the first World Series since the Yankees and the Florida Marlins met in 2003 to last longer then 5 games. Today’s day-off has given me time to reflect on the series and offer a little knowledge on Andy Pettitte.

Pettite’s numbers in series deciding games:

• 1996 ALCS 8 IP, 3 H, 2 ER 1 BB 3 SO and a WIN
• 1997 ALDS 6.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO and a LOSS
• 1998 WS 7.1 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO and a WIN
• 2000 ALDS 3.2, 10 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO and a ND
• 2000 WS 7 IP, 8 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO and a ND
• 2001 ALCS 6.1 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO and a WIN
• 2001 WS 2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO and a LOSS
• 2003 ALCS 5 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO and a ND
• 2003 WS 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO and a LOSS
• 2005 NLCS 6.1 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO and a LOSS
• 2009 ALDS 6.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO and a WIN
• 2009 ALCS 6.1, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO and a WIN

So what does this tell us? Besides that Andy has had his ups and downs in the postseason. Right now Andy Pettitte is in a groove. He won the deciding game in this year’s ALDS and this year’s ALCS. His ERA in deciding World Series games is below 3.00. Some pitchers get tired pitching in October, but it’s awkward for Pettitte not to be pitching in October (or November). I mean the guy has pitched 30 more innings than any pitcher in postseason history.

I’m not a believer in the “3 days rest” nonsense. Pitchers like Pettitte are more able to pitch deeper into the season and throw more innings because it’s what they’ve always done. You don’t pitch some young kid on 3 days rest in October when he has never pitched for an extra month before in his career. But for a 37 year old pitcher with 39 career postseason starts, all that goes out the window.

Some Yankee fans are still skeptical of Pettitte. They’re not sure if he can produce on the big stage anymore. Others refuse to put him in the same group as Posada, Rivera, Jeter and Bernie Williams because Pettitte took a 3-year hiatus from the Yankees, almost signed with the Red Sox, and then finally went to Houston.

People forget that Pettitte didn’t want to go to Houston. The Yankees gave him a weak offer during the offseason, he had no choice. The Red Sox offered Pettitte more money and more years than the Yankees did. People forget Bernie was a step away from being a Red Sox when the Yankees swooped in at the last second. The Yankees tried the same thing with Pettitte and ended up paying for it.

Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, Carl Pavano…no one can do what Pettitte has done in a Yankee uniform. Questions and turmoil have surrounded him on the mound since his steroid admission in 2007 and he continued to go out there and do what he has always done: win ballgames.

I expect one more win to be added to his resume tomorrow. Disagree? Feel free to comment away.

By Alex Cohen-Smith

After an extended hiatus searching foreign countries for different types of sports memorabilia, I am back and ready to dive in to the 2009 World Series.

The World Series is an amazing thing. It has the ability to do more than just make an entire bad season go away, it can make an entire career of futility vanish in the blink of an eye. It can make a light hitting second baseman from Pittsburgh a legend. It can forever link a New York Mets outfielder and a Boston Red Sox first baseman. It can make a pitcher who went 81-91 for his career more recognizable than most Hall-of-Famers.

Red Sox fans will never forget that Dave Roberts steal in 2004. I don’t even need to say what steal, because every Red Sox fan (and unfortunately every Yankee fan) already knows what I mean. I know as a Yankee fan, I won’t forget Johnny Damon’s 9-pitch at-bat and subsequent “double-steal” of 2nd and 3rd base.  

Damon’s regular season career has been largely above the norm. But his postseason career has taken on a life of its own. His 7 RBI versus the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS, his home run to lead off Game 4 of the 2004 World Series, his 2-run double on Saturday during Game 3 to give the Yankees the lead and now his “double-steal”. Fans never forget a player that made a postseason impact, no matter how small. That’s why Yankee fans cheer loud when Homer Bush comes out on Old Timers Day.

It’s not surprising the World Series has such a large effect on a player in the eyes of baseball fans. You might be surprised however, to see how much one moment affects how much fans value their memorabilia.

Bill Mazerowski’s 1960 World Series ending homerun. Mookie Wilson’s dribbler through the wickets of Bill Buckner. Don Larsen’s perfect game. All these plays have placed these players in baseball history and memorabilia history for eternity. Everything the players touched from their respective World Series’ becomes gold. Every photo they sign is given a lifetime worth of value that can never be taken away.

Remember Doug Mientkiewicz, the first baseman with below average power and an above average glove who had one at-bat during the 2004 World Series? Would you believe his World Series memorabilia is a top-seller? The picture of Mientkiewicz catching the final out of the World Series is a product Steiner Sports has had to restock on multiple occasions since 2004. And what did Mientkiewicz do to earn this stature? Simply catch the ball that was lightly tossed to him by closer Keith Foulke.

Memorabilia is funny like that. It immortalizes the great moments created by guys like Kirk Gibson, Carlton Fisk and Joe Carter, but also those moments involving Mientkiewicz, Cleon Jones (catching the last out of the Mets’ 1969 World Series clincher) and Charlie Hayes (grabbing the final out in Game 6 of the Yankees’ Series win against Atlanta in 1996).

Ask yourself who will cement their place in baseball history this year.  Then ask who will cement their place in baseball memorabilia history this year? The answer may go on to surprise you. If I was a gambling man I’d put my money on Eric Hinske (you’ll get great odds).

By Jason Klein  Archive.  Twitter.  Contact Me.

It’s October.  The leaves are falling…that means the Yankees are on the rise.  Twenty-six times, the New York Yankees have captured the ultimate prize: a World Series Championship. Tonight they begin their mission for #27.

Derek Jeter Hand Signed 2009 World Series Jersey

Sweeping the Twins was a nice accomplishment.  Knocking off the Angels exorcized previous Post Season demons.  Defeating the Phillies in the Fall Classic will answer the pinstriped mission statement put forth every spring – be the last team standing in October.

It’s been nine years since the Yankees owned the baseball world.  In that time, fans have realized how difficult it is to win a ring, a sobering and frustrating process for many.  While the franchise has now captured 40 American League flags in their illustrious history, fans have recently learned how hard it is to convert a Pennant into a ring.

“Our customers are hungry for a Yankees World Series victory,” says Brett Schissler, Director of Retail Sales for Steiner Sports.  “Yankees fans were spoiled in the 90s, but a lot of people now realize just how difficult it is to win the whole thing, and how special this season could be.”

For the first time in 85 years, the Yankees will attempt to win a championship while playing in a new building.  They turned the trick way back in 1923, the inaugural season for the original Yankee Stadium, defeating the New York Giants 4 games to 2.  Now they attempt to make history in their new digs, officially making the “New House” a “Home.”

This playoff run is the perfect historical storm in the collectibles industry.  The most storied franchise, boasting some of the biggest names in baseball, is looking to add more hardware to their collection while attempting to christen a new ball park.  It’s a collector’s dream.

To make matters better, never before have fans enjoyed access during a championship run like they do in 2009.  The memorabilia industry has changed immensely since Bernie Williams caught the final out of the Subway Series at Shea Stadium.  The Yankees-Steiner partnership now gives fans the opportunity to own one-of-a-kind Post Season gems like game used bases, baseballs and jerseys used during actual game play – something that wasn’t possible in 2000. 

Those looking to immortalize this remarkable season will have many delicious options to choose from.  Commemorative World Series items signed by players like Jeter, Rodriguez, Rivera, Posada, and Sabathia, among others, were available for sale within hours of the pennant-clinching out.  Those lucky enough to attend a game in the Bronx will be able to mail their ticket in and have a personal collage created to celebrate the day.  Team signed photos, baseballs, jerseys and bats will also be available in limited quantities.

Mariano Rivera Hand Signed 2009 World Series Ball

“Fans recognize the urgency here,” says Schissler.  “We’ve pre-sold a bunch of World Series baseballs already and have long waiting lists filled with customers looking to snag game used jerseys from the [World] Series.  Everyone wants to take home a piece of history.  You just never know when something like this will happen again.”

Starting tonight, “Let’s Go Yankees” chants will fill the crisp Autumn Bronx air, Jeter will have his fist pump locked and loaded, “Mystique” and “Aura” will make their way across the street to be in attendance.  Soak it in.  Grab something to commemorate the journey.  The last nine years prove that this sort of thing doesn’t happen every season.  This is special.  It’s history in the making.  It’s history for the taking.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

By Alex Cohen-Smith Archive

Steiner Sports isn’t your typical sales company that gets ready for the 4th quarter with your motvational emails from the CEO. We also aren’t quite out there enough to have Dick Butkus stand in front of our desks and give speeches or have Terry Tate Office Linebacker lay down the law on insubordinate employees. However we did get to have Rudy Ruettiger, the inspiration for the movie Rudy, speak to our company at the Lowes movie theater in New Rochelle today and deliver a motivational speech on how to stay positive during the final quarter of the year. 

For those of you who don’t know about the movie Rudy, it isn’t just your run of the mill sports movie. Rudy is the kind of movie which drives grown men to tears every time they watch it because of its inspirational message of hope. I don’t want to give too much away, but if you haven’t seen it, you’re doing yourself an injustice. I could even make it more (or less?) appealing by telling you it was the first film for Vince Vaughn and John Favreau.

Back to the real Rudy, who stood before our company and inspired us with his story. If you ever want to give up, I encourage to listen to the words of the “5 foot nothing” kid from Holy Cross Junior College who got into Notre Dame, made the football team as a walk-on and made a tackle on his only play for the team in the final game of the season.

Almost as intriguing as the story from the movie, is the story of how the movie was made. Rudy was inspired after he saw the movie Rocky to push for a film to be created based on his story. But it took him ten years just to get his script in front of the right people and that was only because he started a random conversation with a mailman in LA who brought him to the house of the guy who produced Hoosiers (trust me, it only gets crazier, but I’ll avoid rambling on).

Let’s just say I left the speech rejuvenated and ready to make some sales! However, I don’t make sales….so I felt rejuvenated and ready to write a blog!  

I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time with Rudy outside of his speech when he came back to our office to sign everything from Notre Dame minihelmets to Play Like A Champion Today posters. Such a nice guy, easy to talk to you, and always ready to offer a word advice. Rudy told us how Vaughn and Favreau followed him all around the set asking how he got his movie produced and low and behold a few years later, they wrote their own movie, Swingers, which they ended up selling for $5 million. It’s hard to believe that coming from a school that produced football legends Tim Brown, Paul Hornung and Joe Theismann, Rudy Reuttiger might be the most recognizable name of them all.

Rudy was more than happy to answer a few questions from our Facebook fans before he finished up via video. Here are his responses:

By Jason Klein  Archive.  Twitter.  Contact Me.

The swagger is back in the Bronx.

As the New York Yankees prepare for their American League Championship Series with the Los Angeles Angels, it’s clear, there’s something different about this team.  In the eight seasons immediately following their Subway Series victory in 2000, the New York Yankees morphed into a collection of highly-paid, corporate superstars.  Team chemistry was weak.  Anxiety levels were high.  These days, the Yankees are wearing their ties a little looser and having a little more fun at the ball park. 

So what changed?  That’s easy…easy as pie.

Nick Swisher Enjoys a Little Pie

In 2009, the most traditional team in all of sports established a new ritual – a good, old fashioned, pie to the face – courtesy of AJ’s Bakery, Co.  All pies were hand delivered by Pitcher, AJ Burnett, on cue, to any player to notch a walk-off hit in the Bronx. 

Early on, critics scoffed at the amateurish celebration tactic adopted by the business-like Yankees.  Many argued that such a childish act seemed out of place among these men in pinstriped suits, claiming it was not “Yankee-like.”  As irony would have it, a little silliness was exactly what this team needed.

Unlike so many other Yankees teams that have come before them, the 2009 club seems more relaxed, and free from all the stress that comes along with the yearly “World Series victory or bust” mentality.  The additions of free-spirits like Burnett and Nick Swisher have served as the perfect compliment to the older, more business-like core of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada. 

Initially, there was some question as to how a member of that “old guard” would react when greeted with a face full of whipped cream.  That was answered on July 4, 2009 when Posada stole the game from the Blue Jays with a walk off single in the 12^th inning.  Like clockwork, the catcher’s postgame interview turned into a pie eating contest, much to the delight of on looking fans.

Each walk-off pie – there have been 16 of them so far, including Mark Teixeira’s ALDS Game 2 pastry punch – has served as much more than a show of celebration.  It has developed camaraderie, calmed nerves, and tasted much sweeter than the humble pie they’ve been forced to eat in recent years. 

Timely hitting, lights out pitching, and the addition of team-first players like Teixeira and CC Sabathia have all been major reasons this club has succeeded.  Most importantly, this team has been reminded that winning can be fun.  A little whipped cream is all it took to ease the tension of the daily New York baseball rigors. 

The 2009 Yankees are all having a blast.  It seems as though this baseball machine is destined to return to glory.  The roster is a perfect blend of experience, youth, and journeymen – all hungry for the same thing: a World Series title, and perhaps some pie for dessert.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

By Alex Cohen-Smith

The public has this perception of athletes that many of them are narcissistic, rude and stubborn meatheads that have no interest in dealing with fans and are playing only to earn a paycheck. For some athletes…that’s probably true. However Nick Swisher is definitely not one of those athletes.

Every time I watch a Yankee game and they show clips of the Yankee dugout, I see Nick Swisher smiling. I figured when I met him that there was no way this guy was this much fun. Not a chance. I was 110% wrong.

While Swisher signed baseballs, helmets and photos we watched the start of the Twins-Tigers game. This is the game that would decide who Swisher and the Yankees would meet just 24 hours later. Swisher kept an eye on the game, but concentrated on the signing. I couldn’t resist asking him who he wanted to face and he couldn’t risk giving me a quick response, “I don’t care”. The answer had a certain tone to it. That tone showed that Swisher was confident no matter who was victorious in this game, the Yankees would be there waiting and they would be ready.

Swisher shed some more light on the Yankees Fantasy Football league which I alluded to earlier in my interview with Brett Gardner. I was under the impression that Gardner was in the league, which he wasn’t. Because he is a rookie, it was Gardner’s job to put the picks up on the big board while all the veterans and coaches drafted. Ouch…no wonder he didn’t mention that. Swisher said that he and his partner, Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long, were a dismal 1-3 four weeks into the season. “We both work out in Arizona in the offseason,” Swisher explained. “So we had to take the best wide receiver in the game Larry Fitzgerald with our 1st pick. By the time it came back to us again Kurt Warner was the best QB left.” Arizona’’s offense has struggled mightly so far this year…as has the Swisher/Long squad. I didn’t get too much information on who was winning the league, but it sounded like the team of Derek Jeter and Eric Hinske was near the top.

Swisher did divuldge a bit into his own memorabilia collection (he describes some of his own possessions in the video below). It’s always cool to hear what the athlete’s themselves are collecting. It shows that in some ways they’re just like us, fans of the game. Also it’s good to see what they’re collecting because who can judge talent and worth of a signed ball of another athlete better than someone who plays with them (or against them) on a daily basis!

Shocker or Gang Sign? You decide