Question of the Week

Too many to count, but I would have to say Leyritz bomb against Atlanta. It was the one that kick started a 4 year run of TOTAL dominance that hasn't been seen too many times before in baseball history.

As a little appendage to the first comments, I can't overlook how, even though we ended up on the wrong end of things in '01, it was uuterly amazing that we ruined a pitchers career (Kim) in the span of a few innings. Totally unbelievable.

I would have to go with skull's second comment and more particularly Derek Jeter's "Mr November" home run. Although any one of the 3 in those 2 games (Tino, Jeter, Brosius) could be almost interchangeable I think at least one (and in my opinion Jeter's) has to be considered for the fact that it was in a World Series game at Yankee Stadium. Also just becuase of what was going on outside of baseball, and almost provided the city with something great to celebrate, and take a break from the horrendous events that took place.

Tough question as there's been so many crucial homers. I'm gonna reach back to the first few days of the Yanks late-90's dynasty and say Derek Jeter's three-run touchdown pass to a young Jeffrey Maier in right field to tie up Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS in the bottom of the eighth. Granted it wasn't technically a home run, or a game winner, or in the World Series, but it really felt like a huge momentum swing in the Yankees direction, one they carried with them for the next five seasons or so.

Also, it helped us find our next third-baseman. As you probably have all heard, Maier's on a tear right now on his college team, shattering his school's hitting records, plus it's already been proven how clutch he is in the field. I'm confident the Boss will force Cashman to draft him first round.

Equally important but oft forgotten is Bernie's walk-off blast in the elevnth inning of that game. Somebody needs to make that man a monument already.

Aaron Boone's walk-off shot off of Wakefield in extra innings was probably the biggest.

I agree with Leftie. I can never get tired of watching Boone's HR.

J

http://boogiedownbaseball.mlblogs.com/

Ya know, just as I was heaping praise on my team, we have an inning like this. We just took ourselves out of a potentially big inning. So much for doing the little things right lol.

LOL.....this team is WEIRD!!!

This is fun. In my opinion, Leyritz's game-tying 3-run shot of Wohlers in the 1996 World Series stands out. I had to work that night and I was listening to the game on the radio on the way home. I still remember pounding the steering wheel with jubilation. Fond memory.

How did I guess that everybdoy here is going to say the Aaron Boone home run, the Leyrtiz bomb, or one of the one's from the 2001 World Series. However, here is one that might often get overlooked, but is probably my most memorable as a lifetime yankee fan (I'm only 21). David Justice's homer three-run homer off of Arthur Rhodes in game 6 of the 2000 ALCS. The Mariner's bullpen was dominating the Yankees that series. I remember it was a day game and Justice took Rhodes off the facade in right field. Yankees were down 4-3 in that game, and looking towards a game 7 until Justice went deep. The rest is history.

just a side question, Mark..

why does your blog have a Mets blue instead of the darker Yankees blue?

The most memorable for me was the Aaron Boone home run. Being from Maine, I took heat all during the ALCS from all of my friends, which are Red Sox fans. I watched Game 7 with 5 Red Sox fans and after they jumped to the early 4-0 lead they let me hear it. Once Boone hit that majestic flight into the left field stands, one thing I will never forget were the faces of my friends. Every single one of them looked as if they had just seen a ghost. It was priceless!! lol

definitely the aaron boone home run.

Justa a side question.

Mo has enter sandman

bernie has bern babie burn

are there any other songs for specific players?

aaron boone. aaron "@#$%ing" boone.

A-Rod usually rocks Jay-Z's "Encore." I don't know why Matsui doesn't come out to Blue Oyster Cult's "Godzilla." ("Ohhh nooo, he's destroying Tokyo, go go GODZILLA."

I too watched the Boone game in a room full of Sox fans here in Colorado. They were all a little drunk and jubilant, having a loud conversation about something not at all baseball related when we tied that game up in the bottom of the eighth. Nobody was watching and I was able to hold back my initial reaction so that I could casually interupt them... "Um guys, excuse me, but you're not winning anymore." What horrible fans. They were all watching in the eleventh, however, and clearly saw Boone take their boy Wakefield long to crush their dreams. It was wonderful.

Had to be, Must be Jim Leyritz's shot in the 1996 World Series (Gm 4) against Atlanta. That changed the entire momentum of the series and the Yankees future.

Oh definitely Aaron Boone's HR. That was just......wow. I had honestly given up hope of seeing a conclusion to the game before 18 innings, and one knuckleball that didn't quite knuckle enough was all it took.

Babe.....Bucky.....Buckner.....Boone.

Gotta be the combo of John Sterling and Michael Kay ...

Its gotta be Leyritz's homerun against the Braves in 1996. If he doesn't hit that there probably isn't a run in the late 90's like we had!

Aaron Boone, and here's why:

For me, Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS actually began about 10 minutes after my brother-in-law and I pulled out of the Yankee Stadium parking lot after Game 6. The Boston Red Sox had just beaten the Yankees 9-6, and we began to make our long way back to Providence .

It’s always tough driving home after a Yankee playoff loss. I can assure you that 187-mile trip back seems to take a lot longer when the Yanks come out on the short end of the score. That trip was no different. As a matter of fact, that trip was excruciating.

During that drive home, we began to discuss the “what if” ramifications of a Game 7 Yankee loss. If the Red Sox beat the Yankees in Game 7 we had it all figured out. Forget about reading the Providence Journal or any local paper for the next six months. Listen to a local radio sports show? Forget it. Watch the sports on the local news? Are you kidding? We both work in Massachusetts and could only imagine the “torture” we would have to put up with all winter long. The more we talked about what it would be like, the more nervous I got just thinking about Game 7. I wondered to myself how I would survive watching that game at Yankee Stadium under that kind of pressure. Needless to say, I didn’t sleep well that night.

The next day, I left my father’s store in Attleboro at 1 pm and headed down to Yankee Stadium. I couldn’t leave New England soon enough. I never realized how many people in Rhode Island and Massachusetts knew I was a Yankee fan. Messages were left on my cell phone. Sox fans were calling me up and confidently predicting a Pedro win. I made sure I didn’t listen to any local sports call in shows because I didn’t want to hear the “good vibes” coming from “Red Sox Nation”. Even the “music stations” were wishing the Sox well.

I was anxious all the way down to the Bronx . A Yankee fan friend of mine was with me, and shared my nervous anticipation. I began to feel much better when I pulled into the Stadium lot at 4:30pm . I was back “home” and with my people. This was no more evident than when we headed into the Stadium Lanes bowling alley/bar across the street from the ballpark.

Once in the bar, there was no longer talk about a “Pedro win”. There were no confident Red Sox fans preparing for a parade. The place was full of Yankee fans that were all confident the “Bombers” would prevail and win the pennant. Yes sir, I was with my people and I was feeling a lot better about the game.

My confidence grew as I headed toward my seats inside the park. The section I sit in is full of “regulars” who I have become friendly with over the years. We see games together from April to October, so these are the fans you want to be with for such an important game. They all know my story (Yankee fan living in Sox country) and knew how nervous I would be for this game. They all told me what I wanted to hear as I walked down to my seats.

When the Yankees fell quickly behind 4-0, we were a bit disappointed, but our confidence was still high. Then when Mike Mussina worked out of a first and third and no one out jam in the fourth, we all turned to each other and noted that was going to turn the game around. The Yankee were able to get closer to the Sox as two solo Giambi homers made the score 4-2. In the top of the eighth inning David Ortiz hit a homer off David Wells. When Ortiz hit the ball, you could hear the angst of 56,000 Yankee fans. I thought to myself the Yankees would need some “Yankee Stadium magic” to win this game.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Derek Jeter doubled, and suddenly I felt that magic I was looking for. Yes, I know it’s not proper for a “rational” person to believe in magic; but sorry, I’ve seen so many magical moments at Yankee Stadium before, that it would be “irrational” for me to believe otherwise.

I’ve witnessed pennants and world championships won at Yankee Stadium. I saw two perfect games pitched in the Bronx . I had the privilege of seeing the unveiling of Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio’s monuments. I was there when Roger Clemens won his 300th game in June. So as Jeter stood clapping his hands while standing on second base, these and other great moments streaked through my mind.

We were all standing up when Bernie Williams stroked a single to center and Jeter scored. The scoreboard in left center field read, Red Sox 5 Yankees 3, but for some reason, it felt the Yankees were in control. While still standing, Hideki Matsui lined a double right by us down the right field line. The Yanks had runners on second and third, and the place was going bananas.

With two strikes on him, Jorge Posada flared one to shallow center. From my vantage point, I knew it was going to drop. It did, and I swear, the Stadium was shaking. I still can remember myself leaning against the side wall, looking up to the sky, and thanking the Stadium Gods.

The ninth, tenth, and top of the eleventh inning were probably the most gut wrenching innings I have ever experienced at Yankee Stadium. In the top of the ninth, Todd Walker hit a two-out flare that I thought was going to go over Alfonso Soriano’s head for a run scoring single. I saw Soriano stumble back, and my heart sank. Soriano did catch the ball but for a moment there, I thought the Yanks were in big trouble.

The extra frames were killing me. During those innings, every once-in-awhile I would still think about how awful it would be for the Yankees to lose this game. I told a group of people behind me if the Yankees lose this game they (Red Sox fans) will be waiting for me at the Connecticut-Rhode Island line.

As Mariano Rivera walked off the mound after retiring the Sox in the top of the eleventh inning, I knew that would be his last inning. Now it was imperative that the Yankees score.

From the eighth inning on, everyone in our section was standing most of the time. It was so tense, we couldn’t sit. Before the bottom of the eleventh began and while Aaron Boone was taking his practice swings near the on deck circle, a friend of mine who sits two rows behind me called me over and screamed, “Louie, Boone’s going to be the hero. He’s going to win this game.” I told him I agreed as we “high-fived” each other. Upon hearing our confidence in Boone another fan said, “You two guys have been saying how good he is since they (the Yankees) got him. You guys are crazy. If he ends the game, I’ll kiss your (expletive).

Once those now infamous words were spoken, we all turned our heads to watch Boone at the plate. Boone swung at the first pitch and like magic, the ball headed toward the left field seats. As the ball was in the air, I could hear the constant and increasingly loud roar of the crowd. My eyes were fixed on that ball as it was rising and rising, making its way to left field seats. I kept saying out loud, “Stay fair. Please stay fair.” As the ball landed safely fair in the left field seats, I leaped for unbridled joy. I didn’t see Boone run all around the bases because our section was delirious. The lower boxes of Section 21 became just a mob of joyous people hugging each other. It was incredible. So incredible, that even the security people joined the party.

As Frank Sinatra’s “ New York , New York ” rang throughout the Stadium, we continued to celebrate, pausing only to join Frank in signing some choruses of that classic song. My friend who called Boone’s shot, joined me in telling his friend, “We told you so”. His friend was more than happy to admit he was wrong.

I remained in the stadium celebrating for over a half an hour. We all couldn’t get over what we had all witnessed. Finally, it was time to leave. On my way out, a woman yelled to me, “Louie, see you tomorrow.” “Tomorrow?” I asked. She pointed to the scoreboard clock and it was past 1 am . She explained today was Friday and the World Series starts Saturday. I laughed out loud because I totally forgot about the world series. I never left Yankee Stadium happier and the ride home was the most enjoyable I ever had

It is hard to pick one and all of the above were very important at the time they were hit -- but remember Jason Giambi's grand slam his first year in the rain playing the twins -- it gave him a jump start on the year -- in the long run, for a single game, it was not important, but in the long run it was a big boost to Jason and put alot of Yankee fans in his corner

Aaron Boone's against Boston for the simple fact that it ended a postseason series (in the 11th inning of Game 7 no less), something no other HR in the Torre era has done.

Thanks for sharing Louis, sounds magical to me...

kitel - I agree, that hit was huge for Jason. It's hard to imagine him leading the team in on-base, slugging, walks, and homers as he is today without the confidence to perform at Yankee Stadium that he gained that day. It's like Frank says, "If you can, MAKE IT HERE, you'll make it, ANYWHERE..."

From TV: Jim Leyritz, because of where I saw it: on an AFRTS feed in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Live: Chad Curtis, Game 3,1999 World Series. The Braves were dead after that.

I loved the Boone homerun. Being a Yankee fan within the RedSox Nation, there was nothing better than seeing that ball go out of the park. My friends had invited me to watch the game with them, but Red Sox fans are annoying to watch games with so I didn't join them. Plus these friends, like most Red Sox fans, are emotionally weak people and don't take losses well. One of them couldn't get up the next morning, all on the power of Boone's bat...Beautiful.

Top 3:
Bernie - 1996 ALCS Game 1

Leyritz - 1996 WS Game 4

Tino - 2001 WS Game 4

Special consideration - 1 Pre-Torre Era HR - Mattingly - Game 2 ALDS 1995 - Never heard the stadium louder.

I'd have to go with Leyritz's in 1996 but one home run that would have been absolutley huge had the Yankees won the game would have been Alfonso Soriano's blast in the 8th inning of game 7 in the 2001 WS which gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead. That would have been a rare occurance, a rookie hitting a home run to win the World Series.

There are so many to choose from, but I'm going to add a new one - Tino Martinez' grand slam in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series against San Diego. It came on the heels of Chuck Knoblauch's 3-run homer and helped left the Yankees from a 5-2 deficit against Kevin Brown to a 9-5 lead. It wasn't a tight series, but that was an incredible game and one of my favorite Yankee comebacks.

Didn't Sori hit that off of Curt "My Mouth is the Size of the Grand Canyon" Schilling?

In case you were wondering, I wouldn't exactly classify myself as a fan of his.

I 100% agree with you skulls. I can pretty much say that I HATE Curt Schilling!! Living in Red Sox Nation gives me the opportunity to listen to his mouth more than I ever want to. Who's with me that his "Game 6 EPIC performance" was more of a mere exaggeration. What a joke!

His nick name should be the Quiet Man or Class Act, because that describes Bernie Williams, perhaps the most under-rated Yankee of all time. With 22 post season home runs, there are a lot to choose from. But I remember back in 96, in the ALDS against Texas, when Juan Gonzalez, was practically launching every pitch out of the park, who was there to answer, Bernie baby Bern! He hit 3 homers in that series alone, and they always seem to be when the Yanks really needed a lift.

Aaaaaaaaron Booooooooone.....I am at college in VT. The Red Sox fans up here are incredibly obnoxious! I have always been a big Yankees fan and never really minded the Red Sox. Sure some of their players make me want to break things but I also like some of them. Since I have moved to Vermont there is nothing more that I like to see then the Red Sox loose simply because it pisses my friends off so horribly. There was truly nothing better then seeing Boone hit that shot to left. I haven't laughed so much since I was a little kid! Thanks Aaron Boone for making my life a little better.

I have to re-iterate my love for Aaron Boone's walk-off homerun. Watching the mouths of Red Sox fans drop to the floor is something that will live with me forever. I'm sure Boone will be in Yankee minds for a long time

Biggest home run has to be the combination of jeter and j. maier. that set the stage for the yankees run.

Jim Leyritz wins hands down. Now as far as best home run of the Moskowitz era, i'm going to go with Big Mark Stern in 1988.

Great blog Mark, congrats on the continued good work.

- Bernie

A walk off home run, dramatic and final. Boone. I was exhausted. Of all the blasts, that has to be the best. And when your a Born Yankee living in Mississippi, like I do, it is so sweet no matter when it happens since everyone here I know are Yankee haters.

Gotta go with Aaron Boone's big blast. My girlfriend at the time Went to school at fairfield U, so i was up most of that week to watch the yankee games. Now if you're wondering why drive from queens to fairfield to watch yankee games, i did it because when we won, we got to run around campus givin the red sox nation ****. Game 6 didnt go so well in fairfield. The **** red sox babies were running around makin lots of noise. Then during game 7 they were running early cause they had a 4-0 (annoying punks). A little while later and everyone shut up. Score tied and we were in extra innings. I never heard the place so quite. Now keep in mind fairfield is not red sox nation it's only half the other half are true bombers. When Aaron Boone connected with that pitch this place blew up. Yankee fans tore the school down. We had red sox fans runnin scared back to their dorms and locking the doors. So yeah Big Boone's blast is my pick.

I'm just wondering, do all members of this list get a free pass from Yankee faithful forever? For example, if Boone were to ever do that against us, would he be exempt from our venom?

I'm guessing no.

Wow i've grown up a Yankees fan and have been privelidged to witness the entire Torre era as my first years of baseball, and quite a few HR's are jumping out as i think of this.

The 1998 Tino grand salami in the series was just electrifying!

The Jeter shot goin oppo just over the wall that made him Mr. November was insane.

Now here is goin out there, but how bout the Justice shot against the Muts in the 2000 subway series. That thinking about that sweet swing gives me chills; the only player with one that compares is Jr-Griffey. Yea that was awesome!

Since we are constrained to the Torre era, its tough, but then again, when Torre was hired, I was 9! If we step back a few years, I definitely have to bring up the Leyritz shot in the 96 series, my first big Yankees Series homer! Then step back a few more weeks to the Jeffrey Maier Jeter shot that crushed B-more's hopes for success.

Now I definitely can't forget my FIRST Yankee Stadium HR. I walked into Yankee Stadium for the first time with my dad, peered out onto the field for the first time. We got to the stadium a little late and got when the Yankees were batting in the bottom of the first. The first pitch I saw was to the great Don Mattingly, and that was the only pitch he needed, lining it over the right field wall, and taking that trot around the bases looking majestic.

Anyone can name the Aaron Boone towering blast that crushed the Sox, and with my mom and lil bro being red sox fans I looooved that

Shades

Favorite: Boone's. Most important: Leyritz'.
Yanks were toast in '96 if Jimmy doesn't hit that. They still would have done it in '98 though, but I'd only have 3 "World Champions" t-shirts and hats instead of 4.

It's a tie. Derek Jeter's Mr. November homerun and Aaron Boone's fantastic crush over Wakefield and the redsox

the biggest HOMERUN is the Boss landing Joe Torre as our manager!

Aaron Boone's home run make me feel, like we win the World Series this year!

i liked the one a few years ago, in 2000 or so...
it was yankees/redsox at the stadium in the summer and the yankees were down 1 with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th against Tom Gordon.

Just as the fans begin to file out, Justice hits a homerun to tie it.

The next batter, yankee god Paul O Neil, goes deep again and the yankees walk-off with the win.

thats good stuff

Jim Leyritz. No Doubt! We were down for the count. We came back to win 14 World Series games in a row. An unbreakable record! Like Joe D’s 56.

Are you kidding me? There is no Joe Torre era without Jim Leyritz. The 15 minutes of fame Leyritz brought to himself and to the Yankees started this whole dynasty. Could there have been a bigger home run? Dont get me wrong he did it in 95 against Seatle in the 15th inning, but that wasnt the world series. The Joe Torre era, Yankees dynasty rose to this level with that one wohlers pitch and leyritz swing of the bat to turn the whole series around and start this 10 year run. Got to love it. Im not saying there arent any other huge homers in my mind, but i think without that one, we wouldnt be looking at the same yankees team we see today.