What Is a "Real Met" or "True Yankee"

(Sorry if I’m off topic today – this was written Sunday to keep the blog alove while I travel today and Cyclones Fan minds the store).

The phrase “true Yankee” came up over the weekend and it got me thinking about what that means – or what a “real met” is.

Keith Hernandez is a real Met. Paul O’Neill became a true Yankee. Both had success and a World Series ring with other teams.

I don’t think Pedro could ever be a real Met. I don’t think A-Rod could ever be a “true Yankee” and he’s going to be around 10 more years.

I think it comes down to how you carry yourself.

Keith talked on SNY the other night about how he absolutely didn’t want to be a Met. Then he found his head, and anyone who watched those teams know he was a leader, and deserved to be captain. Similarly in the Bronx, O’Neill was fiery, always solid, and it always helps to bank a few rings.

A-Rod wanted to be a Met, a Ranger, a Yankee, a free agent, before deciding he wanted to be a Yankee. No matter how well he plays he will always be in Jeter’s shadow.

Boston fans waited three generations to win, and the second they did the face of the franchise bolted for dollars in Queens. That’s a carpetbagger not a Met.

Right now, for me, the “real Mets” are Wright, OverReyes and John Maine. There are carpetbaggers at first and second, and a bunch of other guys who haven’t been here long enough to evaluate. As I’ve said before, what this franchise needs is a franchise player – I hope someone stays 15 years.

>All Hail Nick Evans

>
Hooray for #6 Nick Evans who was issued a “good” number, went three for four with three doubles and 2 RBI. Batting around in the first should help Willie sleep a tad better, but I’d still fear the Wilpon meeting if I were him.

Tale of two teams – the schedule this week has allowed the Mets Police to catch a lot of Yankees. Last week the Yanks were reeling, now it seems like they are rolling. Having the MVP back will do that for you. Conversely, the Mets seemed like they were on their way Sunday night and well…if you’re on this blog you know the deal.

Back to Nick. Nice to have another “Met” in the lineup. No Dodgers, Braves or Bosox. An actual Met. Kinda nice. Hopefully he can play with The Captain and OverReyes for a long long time. Hanging 5-6-7 on the wall in 2025 would be kinda nice, but I’m kinda getting ahead don’t ya think.

All Hail Nick Evans


Hooray for #6 Nick Evans who was issued a “good” number, went three for four with three doubles and 2 RBI. Batting around in the first should help Willie sleep a tad better, but I’d still fear the Wilpon meeting if I were him.

Tale of two teams – the schedule this week has allowed the Mets Police to catch a lot of Yankees. Last week the Yanks were reeling, now it seems like they are rolling. Having the MVP back will do that for you. Conversely, the Mets seemed like they were on their way Sunday night and well…if you’re on this blog you know the deal.

Back to Nick. Nice to have another “Met” in the lineup. No Dodgers, Braves or Bosox. An actual Met. Kinda nice. Hopefully he can play with The Captain and OverReyes for a long long time. Hanging 5-6-7 on the wall in 2025 would be kinda nice, but I’m kinda getting ahead don’t ya think.

>Alleged 1988 Willie Comment In Winfield Biography

>Real interesting post linked at the bottom here. It’s a sunny day and sensitive topic so I will tread lightly, and I don’t know what Willie said or didn’t.

I was surfing the internet and came across a post saying in 1988 Dave Winfield’s biography quoted Willie as saying a black player could be a “good Yankee” but never a “true Yankee.”

Some serious allegations in there. I haven’t read the book, I don’t know Dave, I don’t know Willie, I don’t know if this blogger is a maniac, I don’t know what Willie said or didn’t….but some quick research below makes it seem like it’s at least in Winfield’s book. Hopefully Steinbrenner and Willie are right on this one.

While looking around for “proof” that this is even in the bio, I found a Times link here that mentions Steinbrenner being mad about some comments being fabricated – which matches Willie’s version.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE0DF173AF932A05750C0A96E948260

Then I found this link to the LA Times suggests Winfield did write it:
Baseball Blue Jays Have the Horses-but Can They Pull Together This…

Pay-Per-View – Los Angeles Times – ProQuest Archiver – Apr 10, 1988
In his book, “Winfield: A Player’s Life,” Dave Winfield quotes New York Yankees’ teammate Willie Randolph as saying that Yankee tradition prevents a black

All 3 relatedRelated web pages

You click that link and…

In his book, “Winfield: A Player’s Life,” Dave Winfield quotes New York Yankees’ teammate Willie Randolph as saying that Yankee tradition prevents a black player from ever being a “true Yankee.” Randolph has called Winfield’s version a lie, much to the glee of owner George Steinbrenner, who has used Randolph’s denial in his continuing and disgusting attempt to discredit and debase Winfield.

Two respected ex-Yankees, Don Baylor and Ken Griffey, told Claire Smith of the Hartford Courant the other day that Randolph did say it, though Griffey added that Winfield and Randolph have both taken so much abuse, have been criticized by the media and management so many times, that it might have been said in jest as they tried to analyze any one of those moments of abuse.

So there you have it. I’m not Mike Wallace. I also think people should be able to grow in twenty years and become different and better people. Finally, I will take the Willie’s word if he says he didn’t say it, after all he was Captain of the Yankees.

Here’s the blogger that wrote the interesting piece:

http://sportsonmymind.com/2008/05/23/willie-randolph-and-the-death-of-the-race-card/

Alleged 1988 Willie Comment In Winfield Biography

Real interesting post linked at the bottom here. It’s a sunny day and sensitive topic so I will tread lightly, and I don’t know what Willie said or didn’t.

I was surfing the internet and came across a post saying in 1988 Dave Winfield’s biography quoted Willie as saying a black player could be a “good Yankee” but never a “true Yankee.”

Some serious allegations in there. I haven’t read the book, I don’t know Dave, I don’t know Willie, I don’t know if this blogger is a maniac, I don’t know what Willie said or didn’t….but some quick research below makes it seem like it’s at least in Winfield’s book. Hopefully Steinbrenner and Willie are right on this one.

While looking around for “proof” that this is even in the bio, I found a Times link here that mentions Steinbrenner being mad about some comments being fabricated – which matches Willie’s version.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE0DF173AF932A05750C0A96E948260

Then I found this link to the LA Times suggests Winfield did write it:
Baseball Blue Jays Have the Horses-but Can They Pull Together This…

Pay-Per-View – Los Angeles Times – ProQuest Archiver – Apr 10, 1988
In his book, “Winfield: A Player’s Life,” Dave Winfield quotes New York Yankees’ teammate Willie Randolph as saying that Yankee tradition prevents a black

All 3 relatedRelated web pages

You click that link and…

In his book, “Winfield: A Player’s Life,” Dave Winfield quotes New York Yankees’ teammate Willie Randolph as saying that Yankee tradition prevents a black player from ever being a “true Yankee.” Randolph has called Winfield’s version a lie, much to the glee of owner George Steinbrenner, who has used Randolph’s denial in his continuing and disgusting attempt to discredit and debase Winfield.

Two respected ex-Yankees, Don Baylor and Ken Griffey, told Claire Smith of the Hartford Courant the other day that Randolph did say it, though Griffey added that Winfield and Randolph have both taken so much abuse, have been criticized by the media and management so many times, that it might have been said in jest as they tried to analyze any one of those moments of abuse.

So there you have it. I’m not Mike Wallace. I also think people should be able to grow in twenty years and become different and better people. Finally, I will take the Willie’s word if he says he didn’t say it, after all he was Captain of the Yankees.

Here’s the blogger that wrote the interesting piece:

http://sportsonmymind.com/2008/05/23/willie-randolph-and-the-death-of-the-race-card/