The Pride and The Pressure
Baseball Book Takes An Inside Look at the 2006 New York Yankees
Mar 28, 2007
The Pride and the Pressure examines how the New York Yankees react, respond to, and attempt to handle the constant pressure of playing in the Bronx. After spending the better part of the 2006 season in the Yankee clubhouse, the author examines and presents how the Pride of being a New York Yankee goes hand-in-hand with the Pressure of playing for a team that is supposed to win the World Series every year. Along the way, Morrissey tells New York Yankee stories that are insightful, funny, uplifting at times, and most surprisingly, a bit scandalous here and there.
Carl Pavano's Failure To Perform
By now it is clear that the New York Yankees don’t like Carl Pavano. What may not be known, however, is the degree to which Pavano is disliked and mistrusted by his teammates. Mike Mussina questions the pitcher’s physical and mental toughness, and others express doubts about Pavano’s desire to even play. Jorge Posada told reporters “to not even ask him about Pavano anymore.” Other players speculate that the pitcher has a mental block that causes him to get injured repeatedly rather than have to face the New York pressure. Another unnamed teammate said, “I don’t care if he ever comes back.”
The Relationship Between Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter
Morrissey also takes on the former friendship between Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. The author recounts the media attacks and personal humiliation that Rodriguez suffered during the 2006 season. He also calls out Derek Jeter for doing nothing to minimize the damage. During an entire season of watching his teammate get booed by the fans and pilloried in the press, the Yankee captain never stood up for A-Rod. While Jeter says in the book that there was nothing he could do because “he couldn’t stop fans from booing,” Morrissey recalls how in prior cases, Jeter helped plenty of teammates who were under attack.
The Trials and Tribulations of Jason Giambi
In one of the best chapters, Jason Giambi discusses his troubles as a Yankee. He speaks about the pituitary tumor and the debilitating effect it had on his life. He talks about the May 2005 meeting when Joe Torre and Brian Cashman wanted to send him to the Minor Leagues because he was hitting .179. Giambi refused. His sole supporter in the organization was hitting coach Don Mattingly, who put his job on the line for the slugger. A couple of weeks later, Giambi went on a tear and eventually won the 2005 American League Comeback Player of the Year Award.
Pride and the Pressure Stays the Same Through the Years
Perhaps the most fascinating chapter in the book is entitled “Old Timers.” In this chapter, Morrissey interviews key players from New York Yankees Championship teams from 10, 20, and 30 years ago. Rich Gossage says the pressure was greater back then. But he believes that the pressure came from within the organization, and was caused by the constant war between George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin.
Reggie Jackson, superhero of the 1977 World Series, also says that it was tougher back then. But Reggie does acknowledge that media pressure on Yankee players is much greater today. “Do [players] get barbecued any quicker today than when I played? No. Is the bonfire bigger today? Yes.”
David Cone, however, believes there is more pressure today than in 1996 because of the increase in expectations, and the proliferation of the sports media. Cone sympathized with the plight of today’s players, who are expected to win every year, just as Cone’s teams did from 1996 to 2000. He described the 2006 team as one “caught between generations. It’s tough to continue a dynasty when you’re kind of in a position to start your own.”
Although the veterans differ on which Yankee team had it the hardest, they all seem to agree that no matter what the level of media coverage and fan expectations, playing in New York City has always been pretty damn tough. There’s a lot of Pride. There is a lot more Pressure.
There is so much more in this book that readers will enjoy. The chapters on Bernie Williams, Melky Cabrera, Johnny Damon and Brian Cashman offer insights into each of these players that are rarely found in sports writing, even good sports writing.
