Open Mic: All-time New York Yankees team

Owner: George Steinbrenner

The epitome of evil. The “Darth Vader of Baseball”. Hell on legs. Oh, and he put his money where his mouth was and at least tried to buy success. He might not be your cup of tea, but heck, the Yanks wouldn’t be the Yanks without him.

Manager: Joe Torre

Listen, Casey Stengal could make the list, but Joe Torre won four World Series in five years. Sure, he had more money than God doing it, but so what? Success is success, after all. I always liked Torre was his (generally) calm demeanour and the fact that players were willing to leave when Torre finally departed. And I too was sickened when he left for the Dodgers.

Leadoff/Shorstop: Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter (generally) has never been an out-and-out lead-off hitter. Normally it’s gone to the likes of Knoblauch and now Johnny Damon. Having said that, why wouldn’t have a player who has a career average of .315 with over 200 home runs and nearly 1,000 RBIs. Oh, and he’s got 270 career steals with the Yanks too. Not bad eh?

First baseman: Lou Gehrig

A Yankee lifer, “The Iron Horse” is in the Hall of Fame. With a quiet demeanour and a loud bat, he was a favourite with all and part of the all-conquering “Murderer’s Row” teams. He also had a lifetime average of .340.

Third baseman: Alex Rodriguez

Not a ‘true Yankee’ by any stretch of the imagination, but he’s one of the best hitters of our time – and any time, for that matter. It might be only a matter of time before he passes Barry Bonds for the all-time home run record…and it’ll probably be in a Yankee jersey.

Second baseman: Tony Lazzeri

Sure, Robinson Cano might be on this list in a few year’s time, but when it’s all-time great Yankee seasons, then Tony Lazzeri’s got four out of the top 10. Lifetime batting average of .292 with 17 home runs, Lazzeri is still the best of the best.

Outfield: Babe Ruth

Need I say more?

Outfield: Joe DiMaggio

56-game hitting streak or "The Streak", as I like to call it. A marriage to Marilyn Monroe. Over 1,000 RBIs and 2,200 hits. One of the best of all time? You betcha!

Outfield: Mickey Mantle

Mantle’s blasts were as magnificent in the 50s and 60s as Mark McGwire’s were in the late 1990s, and the only thing Mantle had to wire him up was a good eye and boatloads of whiskey. A .298 might be a little on the low side for this bunch of Yankees, but 536 home runs and over 1,500 runs batted in isn’t. I wish I’d seen him play.

Designated Hitter: Reggie Jackson

One of the undisputed kings of the World Series, Reggie Jackson’s five home runs in the 1977 World Series—and his constant battle with George Steinbrenner and the rest of his pissed-off teammates in 1978 one made him nothing but memorable.

Catcher: Yogi Berra

I’d just like to mention that Joe Girardi and Jorge Posada both get honourable mentions for this position. But although he couldn’t seem to make sense when he was speaking (his ‘Yogi-isms’ will forever go down in history), his hitting certainly did. His average (.258) wasn’t great, but his home runs (358), and RBIs (1,430) and the fact he was a TEN TIME World Series Champion are the sort of things that’ll get a man in the Hall of Fame. Which it did.

Starting Rotation:

Don Laursen

Pitching a perfect game in the World Series isn’t a bad thing when you’re thinking of great Yankee pitching.

Andy Pettitte

Sure, he went off to Houston during his twilight years, but there was no-one with a pick-off move like Andy Pettitte. A lifetime 213-122 win/loss ratio will get him into the Hall—even if his fastball sometimes gets him put out the park. Can we now forget the 2001 World Series and his awful performance against the Diamondbacks?

Whitey Ford

236-106 all-time with a 2.75 ERA, was absolutely brilliant during the World Series. He still owns the most WS strikeouts in the history of the Fall Classic.

Lefty Gomez

The man who dominated the years 1930-42 for the Bronx Bombers, Gomez still has the best season in Yankees’ pitching history.

Ron Guidry

When people talk about Guidry, they use the word: “legend”. Sure, his pitching career’s a lot better than his coaching one, but he’s still a Hall of Famer.

CLOSER

Mariano Rivera

Enter The Sandman, and it’s virtually game over.