Mr May...True Yankee?

Winfield certainly looks like a True Yankee in that picture, but there's a lot of analysis to be done here.

First of all, let's look at the numbers.

The initial thing that jumps out, of course, is that Winnie only played nine of his 22 seasons in New York. But that's actually the most out of any of the teams for which he played, so I'd say that sort of bolsters his case for True Yankeehood. Furthermore, eight of his twelve All-Star seasons were played in pinstripes. Winfield became a star with the Padres, but he became a superstar, and a Hall of Famer, with the Yanks.





True Yankee Qualities:






Signed as a free agent with the Yankees in 1981 to become the highest-paid player in baseball history: + 250 True Yankeehood Points (TYP)

I mean, really, is there anything more True Yankeefied than this?








Killed a seagull while making a throw from the outfield, and then took off his cap in a mock moment of remembrance: +75 TYP

Not only did Winfield strongly uphold the Yankee principle of Social Darwinism, but he actually mocked the poor seagull, and perhaps our neighbors to the North, afterwards, saying, "I am truly sorry that a fowl of Canada is no longer with us."

Some of Winfield's True Yankee teammates were reportedly jealous of Winfield that they didn't get a chance to throw at the seagull first...



Named to the All-Star team in each of his seasons as a Yankee: + 50 TYP

The man could play. Billy Martin's remark that killing the bird was "The only time he hit the cutoff man" notwithstanding, Winfield was fine defensive outfielder with a cannon for an arm, great speed for a man his size, tremendous pop, and excellent plate discipline for a power hitter.

Inducted into the HOF in 2001: +50 TYP

Being a Hall of Famer goes a long way towards earning one True Yankeehood...

Reconciled with the Boss after being inducted (see below): +25 TYP

It always helps to battle with King George a few times. Just ask Billy Martin, Joe Torre, and Gene Michael.


Non-True Yankee Qualities:

Couldn't get it done in the postseason: -250 TYP

Now, this is, of course, a little unfair. The truth is that Winfield only got one shot at this as a Yankee - in his first year, and helped propel them past the Brewers in the 1981 ALDS. But then the wheels fell off. In the LCS (only three games) against the A's he hit .154/.267/.231 with no home runs. Then, in the Series against the Dodgers, Winfield went 1-22 with just 1 RBI and no extra-base hits. Had the Yankees won, maybe this wouldn't have counted so strongly against him. But they lost, and True Yankees don't fold up in the World Series and lose... well, unless they're Mickey Mantle in '55 or Jeter in '01 and are impervious to True Yankeehood Attack... but more on that in another episode.

The nickname: - 100 TYP

Getting disrespected by the Boss like this really hurts. Like it or not, Steinbrenner has been the head cheese for thirty years now, and was the undisputed king of the Bronx at this time. Plus, it was a really good line - people still call Winfield Mr. May to this day.

Not Reggie Jackson: - 75 TYP

Let's face it - this was something of a no-win situation for Winfield, but he REALLY suffered because of this. Reggie had a solid postseason in his last year as a Yankee, at the same time that Winfield was having a miserable time of it in his first year in the Bronx. Although there will surely be a heated debate about certain aspects of Reggie's True Yankeehood, he's on solid ground...with a much more enviable nickname. Winfield might have been a better player, but Reggie was there when they won, and was a huge part of that.

Not Don Mattingly: -100 TYP

Ouch. Here's why:

1. Mattingly played his whole career in the Bronx. Winfield didn't, and that, particularly the ending, is a big strike against him - see below.
2. The fans just took to Mattingly in a way they never did with Winfield. Winfield was better, but Mattingly was a better Yankee. Want the proof? Look again at the sponsor for Winfield's baseball-reference page, linked above. Now take a look at this - almost unfair. That's not Mattingly's kid - he has three sons, and none of them are named Scott. Some guy just feels like Mattingly symbolizes his Yankee relationship with his dad. Tells you everything about how these two guys were received - Winfield wasn't hated or anything, but he wasn't beloved like Mattingly was... and that's big when you're talking about who's a True Yankee and who's not.

Traded to the Angels in May of 1990: -50 TYP

True Yankees don't have this happen to them - especially not for the likes of Mike Witt.



Elected to retire as a San Diego Padre: -1000 TYP

Game, set, match. You don't do this if you're a True Yankee... even to the likes of Steinbrenner. Now, many fans might wish to say here that he was doing this JUST to spite the Boss for deriding him and for that business with the gambler George hired to uncover potentially incriminating evidence about Winfield. But it doesn't work like that. Turning in your Yankee pinstripes at the gates of Cooperstown means sacrificing all that is True Yankeehood - Mickey, Joe D, Gehrig, Hensley Meulens. All of it. The fact that Steinbrenner tried to intercede and have Winfield inducted as a Yankee means bupkis - Winnie's decision is the important thing here.

TRUE YANKEEHOOD SCORE: -1175 TYP

Sorry, Dave, you don't make the cut. But judging from your actions, you don't seem to care much. Just be aware that you'll be judged one day by the ultimate True Yankeehood test, and Ford Frick says he doesn't like you.

Your turn! What did I miss?