“Life of the Yankees could’ve changed drastically”
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Mar 09, 2013 
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It doesn’t matter how many times I hear this story, the whole concept is always amazing. Here’s Brian Cashman telling the story of how the Yankees very nearly traded Mariano Rivera in 1996. For Felix Fermin. So that Fermin could start ahead of Derek Jeter. Incredible.
“It was close,” Cashman said. “The spring of ’96, (Rivera) had pitched in the playoffs for us. We were going to go with a young shortstop that turned out to be Derek Jeter. Derek wasn’t having a good spring training. There were some people in George’s circle that raised concern about whether Jeter was going to be ready or not. Tony Fernandez got hurt. Pat Kelly got hurt. We didn’t really have any alternatives if Jeter failed as a rookie, so the Mariners came knocking on our door because they had Felix Fermin they wanted to move and they wanted either Mariano Rivera or Bob Wickman, one of those two guys for Felix Fermin, and The Boss was honestly considering it.
“Forced us to have some serious conversations about it. We were having the conversations in Joe Torre’s office — Joe Torre, our coaching staff, Gene Michael, myself, Bob Watson was the GM at the time — and it was a fight to convince The Boss to stand down and not force us to do a deal that none of us were recommending. And it wasn’t because we knew what we had in Mo or Wickman. It was (because) we had committed to go with young Jeter, and thankfully we didn’t do that deal. The Boss listened, backed down, made us go through the fire drill, and that was as close as we ever came to trading Mariano.
“Gene Michael had a chance to trade Mariano for David Wells, maybe in ’95. Mariano was in our minor leagues, Wells was pitching for the Tigers as a starter, and Gene Michael said no. But I don’t believe that got close. But the one in ’96, that was kind of like, I think the press were all lined up outside for what felt like an hour and a half, waiting for that door to open to Joe Torre’s office and for the papal smoke to rise as white that we’ve elected to stay with Jeter, and we wound up keeping both Wickman and Mariano. But the life of the Yankees could’ve changed drastically if a mistake was made there.”
Unreal. A few other comments on this day of Mariano.
Derek Jeter
On believing Rivera was going to retire this time
“Mo has been saying he’s going to retire, seriously, for a good five years. But I knew he was serious (this time). … I’ve known, you know what I mean? It’s great that he’s come to peace with what he wants to do and he’s let everyone know. Now he can enjoy the season. I think it’s going to be a special year for him. I can’t relate to it in terms of someone announcing that it’s your last year and going through the last year, but maybe he’ll appreciate it – I’m not saying he doesn’t appreciate it to begin with – but he might appreciate every time he goes to different stadiums for the last time there. I’m happy for him. Happy that he made this decision and it’s the best one for him and his family.”
Andy Pettitte
On seeing Rivera as a starter in 1995
“Pretty straight fastball, not a great slider, but real good command. I think, and definitely looking back now, he better come up with a little bit more stuff to be able to start in this league, you know what I’m saying? And then a year later they throw him in the bullpen in ’96, and just to see that smooth delivery, and see how deceptive he was, and how he hides the ball, and the command he had. It’s just amazing, in one year, to see the transformation, how he could dominate. And then obviously from there, just the cutter, just continuing to get better and better, and the command with it. Never even would have thought, in 1995, that he would have been able to have done what he’s done. He’s been very blessed, and he’s been so disciplined, and just the consistency he brings to the ballpark every day, the mental makeup he has, it’s been incredible to see.”
Brian Cashman
On what Rivera’s meant to the organization
“He’s irreplaceable. He is the greatest of all time, but you have all had a chance to get to know him. I’ve known him since he’s been in the minor leagues, and he’s never changed once. You see a lot of players that get a lot of money and a lot of notoriety and become famous and they change over time. He hasn’t changed a bit. I’ve got more respect for him as a player and a person because of that, because that’s hard to do. It’s hard to become famous and it’s hard to become rich and not change, and he hasn’t changed. I honestly tell you, he still every spring goes over to the minor leagues and to that chain-link baseball setting and spends time with the minor leaguers. He’s a giver. He’s always been a giver of himself, and he’s still a giver. I think the higher the food chain up you go, the more your life gets cluttered and you get busy and you find reasons not to give or give back, and Mo’s not been that guy at all. He’s the same guy. If not, he’s a better guy. So he’s always been a great guy, and if anything, he’s gotten even better as a person, if it’s at all possible. That’s the guy I know. He’s going to be harder to replace in that clubhouse as much as on that field.”
Joe Girardi
On appreciating one last year with Rivera
“I’ll tell my kids, ‘Pay attention.’ It’s amazing what this man has done and what one man can mean to an organization and how he’s done it. I think maybe the greatest lesson that you could take from Mo is how he’s done it with class and humility. Not how great he’s been, but in that greatness how he’s handled it. And that’s what you’d want every player or person to do. … It’s been a real treat for me. I was relaxed when he came into the game as a catcher, and I’m relaxed when he comes into the game as a manger. So that’s probably about the highest compliment you can pay a closer.”
Associated Press photos
Lol at them showing Trout sitting in the stands…
Boy there have been a few non trades that have saved the yanks bacon over the last couple decades…..Mo, Cano, etc
Mamma mia…
If they lose this game they should just go home
Lol, agreed.
It’s still early though.. I’m hoping to see this line up live up to expectations.
Felix Fermin had an OPS of .457 in 1995.
How could they turn that down?
This dude throws 84 mph
Did the entire USA team break into Torre’s Bigelow Tea collection?
@JeffPassan: A lineup with seven All-Stars has been shut out for three innings by a 23-year-old who never made it out of Class A. Team USA, everybody!
Love Joe mauer
blake March 9th, 2013 at 9:02 pm
Out of Pineda, Campos, Depaula, Hensley, Banuelos, Ramierez etc ….at least one of those guys has to become good right?
———————————
Hopefully one becomes an ace and another becomes a 3. It would go along way if that happens
“Boy there have been a few non trades that have saved the yanks bacon over the last couple decades…..Mo, Cano, etc”
They say the best trades are often ones you don’t make, and that would have been true of recent trades as well.
How did Brian Cashman get has Bermuda on over that enormous cast…?
His not “has”. Sorry about that.
Hello Blake
Been away from the Blog for quite awhile
I don’t know how you can say MY recollection is off. I wasn’t recollecting what other people were saying but what my own opinion was. I don’t care what P Abe wrote about Hughes. He came off 150 IP prior season, in which he put up these periphs:
H/9 HR/9 BB/9 K/9 K/BB
5.7 0.3 2.1 10.4 4.94
In A+ and AA. 2.16 ERA over those 150 innings.
Plus fastball, plus curve, average change that he was confident enough to throw to Mark Teixeira back to back. He didn’t get hurt in his first start. He pulled a hammy in the middle of a no hitter where he was clowning a good texas offense. It was unfortunate and changed his career forever, but I don’t think being asked to pitch is what caused that.
Hello Jerkface
Going to Tampa for the game Monday, we will drive up from Ft Myers in the morning about 2 hrs. Been doing it for the last few years
Sup Gary…where you been.
Anybody know who will be pitching? We saw Pineda in his last game last year.
Blake doing other stuff not paying much attention. From what I gather there are some real issues this year.
I could have had tickets for the Twins/Yanks here on the 22nd but passed. Don’t go to either the Sox or Twins games vrs Yanks here anymore they don’t bring anyone.
OK well pretty quiet, I’ll probably come back on when I get back Monday and tell it like I saw it lol
D Wright!
Gary March 9th, 2013 at 10:41 pm
Blake doing other stuff not paying much attention. From what I gather there are some real issues this year.
———————
With the age and injuries yes there are some issues this yr.
Hi guys. I have a question for anyone that watched the Mariano press conference today.
On the replay tonight here in NY, the press conference only lasted 30 minutes, from the moment Mariano sits down until the end. Was the presser only 30 minutes?
Also, at the end of the presser when Mariano is excused, YES Network immediately cuts away to commercial. Did it do that during the live broadcast as well?
Thank you very much.
Jerkface March 9th, 2013 at 6:59 pm
Well if you are going to put words in my mouth then there is no need for me to say anything. Is there anything else you would like to say for me? lol
–
yes, you would probably also say that Jerkface is the best and most handsome sabrmetric blog comment person in the world. Its an imperfect comparison because one guy is already in the majors and the other has never pitched in AA.
Hughes the prospect was universally praised by everyone. Its hughes the major leaguer that is not living up to expectations
—
I’m not saying Hughes wasn’t a good prospect. I know he had better numbers in the minors at younger ages. However, I do and will always prefer a pitcher that throws a hard fastball down and with sink than one that throws up in the zone more often and doesn’t have the “heaviness” to it. Hughes’ curve was on par with Ramirez’ changeup, I wish he still had that.
Jacksquat,
Hughes in the minors had like a 2:1 gb:fb ratio. He got crazy amounts of groundballs. It wasn’t until he got hurt and his fastball lost its life that he became such an extreme flyball guy. I’m telling you, hughes the prospect was an insane sure thing. Look at his no hitter, got lots of ground balls on his nice heavy 93 mph fb.
Hughes wins 18 in 2013
Pat M.-
He’s done it before. Just needs to stay healthy.
Will Mo’s impending retirement propel the Yankees to # 28 ?
Somehow I managed to lose an hour.
For Hughes to win 18 again either his ERA will need to come down or the offense will need to be better than expected (or he in particular gets unusual run support).
I am worried about Hughes’ back.
Hal.
You really shouldn’t let the greatest closer of all time go out w/o another ring.
You feelin’ me.
Mr. Squat-
That’s why I threw in the caveat that he has to stay healthy.
If he does I think he can do it.
He was putting it together last season.
I hope he does and if he does I hope we don’t lose him.
yes hughes could win 18.
if he does he’ll be getting about 75 million somewhere next year.
in related news, sort of, hal has announced the yankees are retiring after this season.
there will be a final tour in 2013, so fans in every city can say goodbye.
hal said “there’s just nothing left in the tank”.
Randy-
If Hughes has another big season we need to keep him.
We did all the work.
If the Yankees want to stay on a financial diet they need to rethink their stance on extensions.
And about trading guys before they walk for draft picks.
Perhaps a new Owner will approach it differently ?
so wait, veterans got hurt and rather than go with another veteran who wasn’t very good the Yanks went with a young player and it worked out? Interesting….I wonder if that could be applicable today…if say a veteran or two off the current Yankees got hurt and they had the choice of going with young players or over-the-hill veterans?
Too bad their isn’t a machine the Yankees could use to determine which players are going to have the hearts of Lions and the talent to go with it.
What’s funny is that Rivera retiring probably makes Hal giddy. Even if the team’s not very good – there won’t be any financial incentive to bring some help in because fans will turn out to see Rivera’s last games.
And also to see into the Future so they know who would stay healthy.
“If Hughes has another big season we need to keep him.
We did all the work.”
mtu-
it’s too late once the season starts if hughes has a good year for hal to sign him with the 189 restrictor governor that he has put on the yankees.
of course, the yankees could give hughes their special coaching treatment perfected with wang and totally ruin hughes this year in his walk year, so if they can’t have him, no one will.
the good news is when players are on the road and having breakfast together, over their coffee, they’ll talk about how hal is really going to the wall for them as individuals and for the team sacrificing his own personal well being. these players will be talking about a loyalty to hal that will make trisha’s eyes tear up.
Is Hal a Visionary leader, or just another greedy cheapskate fratboy w/o heart ?
We’re gonna find out.
“Even if the team’s not very good – there won’t be any financial incentive to bring some help in because fans will turn out to see Rivera’s last games.”
chip-
it’s pure genius. and next year, he can do the same thing with jeter.
who said hal didn’t have a good plan.
I hope Hal is a Visionary Leader.
randy l. March 10th, 2013 at 8:29 am
“Even if the team’s not very good – there won’t be any financial incentive to bring some help in because fans will turn out to see Rivera’s last games.”
chip-
it’s pure genius. and next year, he can do the same thing with jeter.
who said hal didn’t have a good plan.
—————
Jeter might not retire after next season. If he has a good season he’ll likely opt out of his current deal and seek another 2 year contract.
“If Hughes has another big season we need to keep him.
We did all the work.”
I totally agree but I think the opposite will happen…..if he has a good year then I think he may price himself out of the yanks plans…..which would be very unfortunate.
The Yanks have a lot of promising kids coming….. But you need veteran stability in a rotation. I hope they can keep him if he takes that step forward but I doubt it
Blake -
Yankees have veteran stability in the rotation. Large left handed pitcher.
My guess is that the 2014 rotation will be:
CC
Pineda
Nova
Phelps
Banuelos or Ramirez
Blake-
They should find a way but who knows if they will.
Didn’t we used to take the fruit of someone else’s labor ?
Now someone might take ours.
Chip-
I wouldn’t pencil in Michael for anything just yet.
“If he has a good season he’ll likely opt out of his current deal and seek another 2 year contract.”
i wonder how much the red sox would pay to have jeter’s last two years in the game .
seriously,if hal had any baseballs, jeter would have him by them. the yankees have no choice but to pay jeter if he decides to keep playing. the red sox would steal jeter in a heartbeat if they could if for no other reason than to steal a yankee treasure.
New one —–>
Chip,
Yea I wouldn’t count on Pineda til we see what he is….and we need to see nova bounce back…..phelps probably isn’t going to be in the rotation so you’d be counting on him with very limited experience as a starter.