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Runaway Baseball Team

© Harold Friend

The entire three game Texas series was postponed although the games were not necessary to determine a playoff spot since the Yankees had clinched the American League Wild Card in their last game. It was a terrible season for the Yankees but despite adversity and what some thought was a lackadaisical attitude, the Yankees made the playoffs, which turned out to be another factor in their disappearance.

In her telephone conversation with Mr. Steinbrenner, Suzyn Waldman revealed that the Yankees needed more time to decide if they really wanted to go through with the playoffs. The Yankees' owner was stunned. At first, he couldn't comprehend what Waldman was saying but slowly, as she continued, he began to understand.

Derek Jeter, the Yankees' captain who is the team leader and is one of the few remaining players who played on the four Yankees' teams that won the World Series, hates to lose. Jeter hates to lose in the regular season but Waldman explained that he hates to lose even more in the playoffs and yet even more in the World Series. Waldman told Mr. Steinbrenner that Jeter had doubts about going to "war" with this team.

Randy Johnson, who beat the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, and Jaret Wright, who was instrumental in the Indians eliminating the Yankees in the 1997 playoffs, expressed similar feelings when they agreed that the 2005 playoff would be more difficult for them because they were playing WITH the Yankees, not AGAINST them. Tony Womack, who was Johnson's teammate in 2001 and Carl Pavano, who was a key in the Marlins' 2003 World Series win against the Yankees, seconded the assessment although Alex Rodriguez opined that he hadn't found playing against the Yankees in the playoffs that easy.

The Yankees decided that they had to reflect on their situation but didn't know how that would be possible. Jeter called a meeting open only to the players immediately before the team was to leave for the airport. Waldman was the only outsider allowed to attend since she represented the fans.

The players realized that no team had ever forfeited its playoff position but these were the Yankees, the greatest dynasty in sports history, a fact that the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network and Michael Kay never let fans forget. There was an image to maintain. Much doubt about success existed.

The team meeting was contentious. Jason Giambi pointed out that his condition had changed in the last year and that certainly would affect his performance in the playoffs. Mike Mussina revealed that the playoffs bothered him because it upset his routine almost as going to Japan. Tom Gordon said that had thrown up enough in the bullpen during the 2004 playoffs and would just as well not upset the groundskeepers any more this year.