Don Zimmer - True Yankee?

ah...Zim. A fitting guy to lead off, as he's got plenty that looks like it could work both for and against him when it comes to true Yankeehood.

The numbers

True Yankee Qualities:

Stood up to Pedro: +25 True Yankee Points (TYP)

This is, without question, a big chip in Zim's favor. Pedro is, after all, vilified by most Yankee fans.


Shows undying loyalty to Joe Torre: +10 TYP

Torre's obvious respect for Zimmer, steel plate in his head and all, automatically means that a large number of Yankee fans regarded Zim as one of their own from the moment he issued his first blank stare from the Yankee dugout.


Managed the Red Sox in the late 1970's: +100 TYP

If Zimmer had managed to get the hated Red Sox to the playoffs during this time (i.e., if there had been a wild card), this would be a huge strike against him. But he didn't, and allowed Yankee fans to chant "1918"" for another quarter-century. Just huge. It's been suggested that I explicitly mention the Bucky Dent game here, which is a good idea. That's why I gave him so many points...

Fought with the Boss: + 25 TYP

Toma's take:

"It is a tough one. You have a few factors to consider on each side:

Pro- Spoke his mind, did not back down; Comments displayed more loyalty to Torre and the players; Was actually important enough to draw Steinbrenner's ire."

I'll just add that Zimmer still refuses to even talk to the guy, and says that he walked right by him when seeing him in a restaurant. True Yankees don't cave in easily...

Non-True Yankee Qualities:

Fell down when Pedro pushed him: -15 True Yankee Points

See, here's the thing. Yankees don't lose...

Never actually played for the Yankees: -4 TYP

This doesn't really seem to bother Yankee fans that much.

Managed the Cubs during the "Boys of Zimmer" years: - 25 TYP

This just looks bad. The Cubs are everything that the Yankees are not: their fans are generally upbeat during a losing streak, their managers are given a long leash even during the worst of times, and they never had Billy Martin.

Awarded "29th unsexiest male celebrity" by Boston magazine in April, 2006: - 25 TYP

Any time that you're getting jeered by something from Boston, this has to count against you.

Fought with the Boss: -15 TYP

Toma's Take:

"Con- Did not fall in line as is required for True Yankees (like shaving/cutting hair); Left Yankees following the season for a team within the division (mitigated by the fact that it was the Devil Rays, which is pretty endearing since he was old and probably just loved it down there during spring training)."

I'll just add that if it were the Marlins, this would have been even more of a plus...but Tampa doesn't have what most New Yorkers are looking for, in a team or in a city (by the way, it's a great place).

Subtotal = +76 TYP - TRUE YANKEE!!!

This is where you come in - we'll need your reactions, and will factor in any additional attributes we may have missed here.

Let 'er rip!