Back in August, I began a series here at Pinstripe Alley, where I was going to put together an All-Star Yankee team of players who were born in a given month. After forgetting about it for a brief time during the stretch run and playoffs, I got back to the series in November, by making an All-Star team of Yankees November babies. With the calendar now turned to December, it’s time for this month’s post, as we look at the best ever Yankees to have a festive birthday.
Here are my choices.
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Yankees All-December Team
Pitcher: Bob Shawkey
Right off the bat, we’re faced with a fairly difficult choice, as Mike Mussina would also be a very fine option for this team’s pitcher. In the end, we’ll go with Shawkey, who played longer for the Yankees and helped them to World Series titles in 1923 and ‘27.
Catcher: Jim Leyritz
Based on pure stats, Gary Sánchez had the better Yankee career, despite how things ended. However, I’m taking Leyritz, mainly so I can post this.
First Base: Tino Martinez
There are some other solid options, but no one surpasses the Yankees’ first baseman from the ‘90s/‘00s dynasty years, especially since we can slot the other solid candidate in at DH.
Second Base: Gleyber Torres
Torres’ tenure with the Yankees had a bit of an acrimonious end with him and Brian Cashman having a bit of a public spat. However, the middle infield is probably the weakest part of this team, so he was a pretty obvious choice for the team’s second baseman, even if he didn’t quite live up to his prospect potential.
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Shortstop: Dale Berra
As I just said above, middle infield is definitely this team’s weak point, and shortstop the biggest hole there. We’ll go with Berra, who has a famous last name in Yankees history as the son of Yogi. However, Dale’s most famous moment as a Yankee wasn’t, uh, a great one.
Third Base: Ben Chapman
Considering his actions towards Jackie Robinson while he was managing the Phillies against the Dodgers’ rookie, I don’t think Chapman is the person I would most want to hang out with on this team. As a player though, he’s almost certainly the best choice to play third base on this team.
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Outfield: Rickey Henderson
One extremely obvious choice for this team was Henderson, who was born on Christmas of all days. The best moments of his all-time great career mostly happened elsewhere, but Henderson was very good in the Bronx. In five seasons — really 4.5 considering that he was traded midseason during the final one, Rickey accumulated 30.8 rWAR while stealing 326 bases and posting a 135 OPS+. He lost the 1985 AL MVP to teammate Don Mattingly, and — while blasphemous for a Yankee fan to say — Henderson had a very strong argument to being the more deserving winner.
Outfield: Roy White
Most of White’s best years came in the 1965-75 period between Yankees’ World Series appearances so he doesn’t get as much love as other Yankee greats, but White has an argument to be the best Yankee without a number retired/Monument Park plaque. We certainly gave him a deservedly high rank back when we were doing our Top 100 Yankees project.
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Outfield: Elliott Maddox
Maddox’s strained relationship with Billy Martin likely led to Maddox departing the Yankees prior to the World Series wins of 1977 and ‘78, but Maddox was a very solid player with the team.
Designated Hitter: Chris Chambliss
You could really swap him and Martinez at first in whatever combination you’d like, but he has to be in the lineup somewhere for this moment:
Let us know if your Yankees December team would have any differences!