While the Yankees unveiled plans for their new stadium yesterday afternoon, the next wave of Monument Park additions were preparing for a game against Pittsburgh last night.
While they weren’t at the press conference, in some way Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Tino Martinez, Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada are responsible for the Bombers’ clout in getting the deal done.
The new park, in all reality, is a house that rings built.
“There’s been a lot of history here, a lot of good memories, and now we try to take that across the street,” Jeter said.
Some (or all) of those four ring-holders will be immortalized in the new ballpark, which is expected for the 2009 season.
The core group that won four championships (1996, 1998-2000) downplayed involvement in making yesterday happen, but Torre admitted that championship baseball brought interest back in the team – which then made interest in a new stadium possible.
“Winning, to me, is the greatest promotion a team can have,” Torre said. “That’s why George [Steinbrenner] has to be admired for spending the money and doing whatever he can to put a winner on the field.
“He gets a little impatient sometimes when he doesn’t get what he wants, but I think he really feels responsible to do that.”
Martinez, on his second stint in pinstripes, was thrilled by the new ballpark plans but wouldn’t admit he was part of the process.
“It’s hard for us to say that about ourselves,” he said. “If people think that, it’s great.
“But the whole tradition of this organization – all the championships, the fans that kept coming out, 3-plus million every year – have made it a strong case to get a new stadium.
“It’s a combination of it’s a great organization plus the fans as well.”
Mariano Rivera sees the core Yankees as a link in the rich tradition, but not necessarily the impetus behind a new building.
“If we contributed a little bit, the path was already [laid] with Yogi, Mickey, DiMaggio, Ford, all those guys,” Rivera said. “It starts with Babe Ruth.
“All those guys [showed] the path for us, and we have to just follow. And that’s what we’re doing for the rest of the guys coming up.”
Scary thing is, Jeter and Alex Rodriguez are actually under contract through 2010, so there’s a good chance they’ll be around for a new park.
“It’s very exciting,” A-Rod said. “There’s no question this is a historical day in Yankee history.”