The "experts" were certain that the Yankees would repeat as pennant winners for the next few years, but as is often the case, the experts were wrong.

It wasn't until 1936 that the Yankees returned to the World Series. The New York Giants stopped the Yankees' World Series winning streak with a convincing 6-1 victory in the opener at the Polo Grounds.

The Yankees won the 1936 Series in six games.

The next season, the Yankees and Giants met again, and once again the Yankees prevailed, this time in five games. The Yankees won the first three games, lost Game 4 and finished off the Giants in the fifth game.

The Yankees swept the Cubs for the second time in seven seasons in 1938. They followed that with a sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in 1939 to bring their World Series winning streak to nine game.

The Detroit Tigers won the 1940 pennant, but the Yankees came back with a vengeance in 1941 to win the pennant by 17 games over the Boston Red Sox. The Brooklyn Dodgers were the National League champions.

The Yankees won the Series opener to bring their streak to 10 consecutive World Series games, but Brooklyn won the second game to snap the streak.

Very few of us today saw those great Yankees teams, but most of us saw the team that was better than any of them. The 1996-99 Yankees were greater than the 1927-32 teams. It is impossible to determine that objectively, but that is the position here.

The earlier teams had two of the greatest stars ever, but the Yankees in the last years of the 20th century were a much more balanced team.

The Atlanta Braves, with a pitching staff led by Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Mark Wohlers, beat the Yankees soundly in the first two games of the 1996 World Series.

The Yankees swept the next four games.

In 1998, the Yankees swept the San Diego Padres, and in 1999, they swept the Braves. The winning streak against the Braves, which is still in tact, was eight games.

The World Series winning streak of 12 games tied the Yankees' longest World Series winning streak.

The New York Mets, a Wild Card team, faced the Yankees in 2000. The Yankees won the first two games to stretch the streak to 14 games, but the Mets won Game 3 to snap the streak.

The longest regular season winning streak is 26 games set by the 1916 New York Giants. In 1947, the Yankees won 19 consecutive games, which is a team record.

For a team to win 26 consecutive games is a remarkable feat, but some of the teams the 1916 Giants played were weak sisters. Not taking anything away from the Giants, but the Yankees' 14-game World Series streak must be ranked as a more remarkable achievement.

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According to the website, Meanwell had a voicemail, a recorded phone conversation, a deposit slip and a recommendation letter on Yankees letterhead from Cashman.

According to the New York Post, Meanwell said that Cashman called her and visited about twice a week and gave her Yankees tickets. She also showed pajama pants and a toothbrush she claimed Cashman left at her apartment.

A few days ago, Meanwell allegedly called Cashman's wife, with whom he no longer lives, to inform her that she was the woman with whom Cashman was having an affair.

“I’m finished with him destroying my life and his family.”

What is of interest is that Cashman allegedly gave her $6,200 to help pay for the lease on her apartment. The $6,200 was an attempt by Cashman to extricate himself from the situation. Deadspin has an image of a deposit slip Meanwell says documents a payment from Cashman.

The reports state that Meanwell claims Cashman has given her about $20,000 during the course of their relationship.

It appears that Meanwell and Cashman agree that he provided the money. Cashman claims it was an extortion scheme, however, while Meanwell ways it was money for rent.

According to the reports, Meanwell was arrested outside of her apartment on Leonard Street in TriBeCa on Wednesday. She has been charged with grand larceny, attempted grand larceny, stalking and aggravated harassment.

The Post quoted Meanwell's lawyer, Stephen McCarthy, as saying the case is about “a married man having an inappropriate relationship that ended badly.”

He was confident that all charges against his client will be dropped. "We have dozens of witnesses who are prepared to place the DA’s case in complete jeopardy,” he said.

Only a fool would attempt to draw any conclusions. That is for a jury to decide unless a deal is struck.

Regardless of the truth, regardless of how the situation plays out and regardless of what one wants to believe, the entire affair (read that word any way you want) is a terrible distraction for the greatest organization in the history of sports.

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Ruth was convinced that his visit to Japan during the fall of 1934 had sealed the friendship between the Japanese and the Americans enough to forestall any war between them.

When the Japanese attacked the United States on Dec. 7, 1941, Ruth was in his apartment on Riverside Drive. He was absolutely furious.

The attack on Pearl Harbor was more than an attack on America. It was an attack on Babe Ruth. It was a personal betrayal.

Ruth stormed into the living room where there were souvenirs of the Japan trip. He opened the window that looked down on Riverside Drive, grabbed a vase and heaved it out the window to the street below. Other items followed.

Robert K. Fitts presents a magnificent account of the 1934 baseball tour of Japan headed by Babe Ruth in   Banzai Babe Ruth.  The primary goal was to use baseball to prevent a potential war.

Fitts weaves history, political intrigue and baseball together as he reveals insights into Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Earl Averill, Moe Berg, Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Gomez and Connie Mack. One of Mack's goals was to determine if Ruth had the discipline to manage his Philadelphia Athletics.

An incident involving Babe and Claire Ruth and Lou and Eleanor Gehrig on the cruise to Japan is revealing.

Fitts cites Eleanor Gehrig's My Luke and I in which she wrote that she saw Babe sitting alone in his cabin, surrounded by caviar and champagne. Eleanor joined Babe for about two hours.

Lou Gehrig was besides himself, He couldn't find his wife. Thoughts that she had fallen overboard filled his mind. He eventually organized the crew into search parties to search the boat and scan the ocean.

When Eleanor finally appeared Gehrig was overjoyed...until she revealed where she had been.

Eleanor told Lou that she had been in Babe's cabin because she loved fine food. Author Leigh Montville wrote that Ruth never had many platonic relationships.

Gehrig refused to speak with Eleanor for days.

The differences in the Japanese and American cultures, as well as the differences in attitudes toward how baseball should be approached, sheds light on how the game is radically different today in both countries compared to the first part of the 20th century.

The Japanese never went for the double play. With runners on first and second and no outs, they always took the force out at third on a ground ball hit to third instead of trying for an around-the-horn twin killing. They were fine pitchers but poor batters.

Japanese players from the 1930s would have been appalled at Barry Bonds remaining in the batter's box as he watched his deep drive to right field hit the top of the wall, start to run and get thrown out at third base.

Banzai Babe Ruth is a unique work that makes us examine the greatest player of all time, the greatest game of all time and the greatest country of all time.

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Jerry Coleman, who was the Yankees second baseman when Ford joined the Yankees in 1950, summed up the rookie the first time he saw him pitch.

Coleman called Ford "the oldest young player I ever saw."

Casey Stengel was one of the greatest Yankees' managers. From 1949-60, his teams won seven world championships and 10 pennants.

Stengel always put winning first, which cost Whitey Ford.

In the 1950 World Series, Eddie Ford started Game 4 against the Philadelphia Phillies at Yankee Stadium on a humid, cloudy day. After eight innings, the Yankees led 5-0. Ford had allowed only five hits and stuck out seven.

After winning his first nine decisions before suffering his only loss during the season, the 21-year-old left-hander was now poised to get the last three outs that would give the Yankees their second consecutive world championship.

Willie "Puddin' Head" Jones led off the ninth inning with a single. Ford hit Del Ennis to put Phillies on first and second.

Unperturbed and maybe even a little cocky, Ford got Dick Sisler to ground Ennis into a force at second, Jerry Coleman to Phil Rizzuto. Jones moved to third.

As Mel Allen said in his broadcast, Ford then reached back for a little extra and struck out Granny Hamner. He needed one more out.

After checking Ken Johnson, who was running for Sisler at first, Ford delivered what everyone thought would be the last pitch of the game.

Everyone was wrong. The fly ball that Andy Semininck lifted to left field was misplayed by Gene Woodling. Jones scored from third, Johnson scored from first and the Phillies had a pair of unearned runs.

The young pitcher was not shaken and Stengel allowed Ford to face Mike Goliat, who singled, bringing the potential tying run to the plate.

Into the game came Allie Reynolds, who once had the reputation of being a pitcher that couldn't take pressure because he often didn't pitch complete games. In later years, Ford would be criticized for not finishing enough of his starts.

Reynolds made short shrift of Stan Lopata as he struck him out to end the Series.

It was later revealed that Ford was extremely upset at being taken out, but one would never know that from his demeanor after being told he was finished for the day.

After joining the Yankees in mid-season, Ford won nine games, lost one and was the winning pitcher in the game that completed the sweep of the Phillies in the 1950 World Series.

The future looked bright.

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Arizona had made short shift of Mussina in the Series opener, scoring five runs, three of which were earned, in only three innings. He was much more effective in Game 5, but after eight innings, Batista and the Diamondbacks led, 2-0.

In the fifth inning of a scoreless game in which the New York Yankees wasted numerous opportunities to break through against Batista, Steve Finley led off with a home run to give Arizona a 1-0 lead,

With two outs, rookie catcher Rod Barajas touched Mussina for the Diamondbacks second home run of the inning. That was all that Mussina would give up.

The Yankees ninth inning was a microcosm of the entire World Series.

Whenever the Yankees seemed beaten, they came back to win. When it appeared that they were going to win the Series, Mariano Rivera failed and the Yankees lost.

Jorge Posada led off the ninth with a double off Byung-Hyun Kim, but Shane Spencer grounded out and Chuck Knoblauch struck out.

Down to their final out for the second consecutive game, it would take a tremendous miracle for the Yankees to come back. Tino Martinez had hit a game-tying ninth inning home run the day before.

It seemed too much to think that Scott Brosius would repeat the feat. He did.

One of Mussina's biggest innings was the eighth, when Tony Womack led off with single. He attempted to steal second and reached third when Posada threw wildly in his attempt to throw out him out.

Mussina went to work. He got Craig Counsell to ground out at first to Tino Martinez. Womack held at third.
 
Luis Gonzalez struck out.

Mel Stottlemyre slowly walked to the mound. It was decided that the Yankees would walk left-hand batting Erubiel Durazo to face the right-handed hitting Matt Williams.

Mussina, as Mel Allen used to say, reached back for a little extra. Williams hit a harmless pop fly that second baseman Alfonso Soriano put away to end the inning.

It has become a cliche, but Mike Mussina really did give the Yankees a chance to win. He worked eight innings, allowed two runs on five hits, walked three and struck out 10.

Mussina has never been on a World Series winner, but with exception of the opening game against Arizona, he has pitched well in the Series.

Against the Florida (now Miami) Marlins in 2003, Mussina started the third game and out-pitched Josh Beckett in a 6-1 Yankees victory. It was Mussina's only start of the Series

In his career, Mussina is 1-1 in the World Series with a 3.00 ERA. Signing Mussina was one of the Yankees better moves.

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Monday, Oct. 25, 1999 was a World Series travel day for the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves.

After one of his legendary workouts, Clemens was involved in an altercation with a "gentleman" in the Yankee Stadium parking lot.

Clemens was signing autographs for fans. Magnanimous Roger, despite the fact that Steiner Sports now offers a signed Clemens baseball  for about $400, was more than happy to accommodate some of his fans.

After autographing more than one dozen items, Clemens started to leave when he heard an individual ordering him to continue signing. Clemens later said that the man hadn't asked for his autograph and that he thought the man was simply being unruly.

''If you stand out there, you could probably see it happen 10 times a day, but I wouldn't consider him a fan,'' said Clemens. ''I don't think he's a Yankee fan. I was signing autographs and the guy was very violent. I think he spit.''

Clemens accused the individual of making an obscene gesture.

When he arrived at his car, the "fan" continued the verbal abuse. Clemens had had enough. He got out of his car and confronted the man. A witness said that he was as big as Clemens.

Standing nose to nose, Clemens pushed the man away.

''There was no need for it, basically,'' Clemens said. ''I told him to back up from the car, and if he comes any closer, I'd consider it a threat. I pushed him away, but don't write that he was a fan because he wasn't a fan. Not using that kind of language and those types of threats.''

Not only did Clemens successfully defend himself. He pointed out to the media that the individual couldn't have been a fan because fans don't use "...that kind of language and those types of threats.''

The Clemens incident recalls a similar situation involving another New York pitching great.

The Yankees blasted Brooklyn Dodgers' 27-game winner Don Newcombe in the second game of the 1956 World Series. A distraught Newcombe left Ebbets Field after his shower.

As he was going to his car, a parking lot attendant made a reference to Newk's early departure. According to the attendant, Newk hauled off and hit him after he said, "What's the matter? Things getting too tough for you?"

The parking lot attendant filed a $25,000 suit against Newcombe which was eventually dismissed.

Roger Clemens acted properly when he shoved the fan that threatened him.

He is standing up for his beliefs as he fights the felony counts involving perjury, false statements and obstruction of Congress.

Those in authority demand that those accused of violating their rules show remorse. It upsets most Americans that Clemens is not remorseful.

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The Yankees would send much-maligned left-hander Kenny Rogers, along with second baseman Mariano Duncan to the Padres in exchange for outfielder Greg Vaughn and a minor league pitcher.

Rogers's claim to fame was that he had pitched a perfect game in 1994 for the Texas Rangers and that he was knocked out of the box by the Atlanta Braves in the fourth game of the 1996 World Series. That was the game that Jim Leyritz tied with a dramatic home run, which turned the Series around.

In 1997, the Yankees sent the ineffective Rogers (4-4, 5.90 ERA) to the bullpen in an effort to minimize the damage he might cause.

Duncan had batted .340 in 1996, but he walked a mere nine times in 417 plate appearances. Shades of Alfonso Soriano.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was displeased with Duncan's play in 1997 and ordered him benched. Duncan reacted by saying that he wanted to be traded.

Vaughn had lost his outfield position to Rickey Henderson. He was batting .221 with 10 home runs, 24 RBIs and 56 strikeouts.

The Padres had acquired Vaughn from the Milwaukee Brewers at the trading deadline in 1996, but he batted only .206 with 10 home runs and 22 RBIs for San Diego.

George Steinbrenner attempted to make Rogers, who had just worked four shut out innings against the Atlanta Braves in relief of an injured Andy Pettitte, more attractive as trade bait.

"I saw a different Kenny Rogers than I've seen before," Steinbrenner said. "If he can do that, he's going to be very valuable to this team—and not just as the flag-waver in the parade."

Rogers waved the flag down the Canyon of Heroes after the Yankees won the 1996 World Series.

The trade never happened, although Mr. Steinbrenner did send Rogers and Duncan away.

Just before the trading deadline, on July 29, the Yankees sent Duncan to the Toronto Blue Jays for minor leaguer Angel Ramirez.

After spending all of 1997 with the Yankees (6-7, 5.65 ERA), Rogers was traded to the Oakland A's for a player to be named later. Much to their regret and the Yankees delight, Oakland sent Scott Brosius to the Yankees. The rest is history.

Vaughn remained with the Padres and in 1998, hit 50 home runs and drove in 119 to help the Padres win the pennant.

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Williams, they concluded,  was about as popular as Joey Cora with respect to attracting television audiences. His statistics placed him in Bobby Murcer's, not Mickey Mantle or Joe DiMaggio's category.

After six seasons, Williams had 1,096 hits, 126 homers, 566 RBIs and a .298 batting average in 938 games.

Murcer had 1,012 hits, 140 home runs, 542 RBIs and a .282 batting average in 958 games).

Free agent Bernie Williams didn't "deserve" to ever be baseball's highest paid player.

Please remember that the next time you hear the "experts."

Mark McGwire, Albert Belle, Mo Vaughn, Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro hit home runs, said the authorities. Williams' career high had been 29 in 1996.

The fewest home runs baseball's highest paid position player hit in any season from 1990-97 was 32.

In 2012, we know that McGwire and Palmeiro had help in reaching their home run totals.  Belle's career ended after the 2000 season, Vaughn was a disaster for the New York Mets and Sosa cheated.  We'll leave Piazza alone.

The "experts" used the Los Angeles Dodgers signing of 36-year-old center fielder Devon White to evaluate Bernie Williams. The Dodgers gave White a three-year contract worth $12.4 million.

Los Angeles general manager Kevin Malone explained why he didn't go after Williams.

"Bernie's a quality player, but Devon White is an All-Star, a premier defensive player and a 20-20 guy. I don't see Bernie being three times better. I don't know if he can carry a club."

Malone is currently a part owner of an automobile dealership in Santa Clarita, Ca.

Colorado Rockies general manager Bob Gebhard took the money that might have been used to obtain Williams to sign Lenny Harris, Kurt Abbott, southpaw Brian Bohanon and center fielder Darryl Hamilton.

Gehhard resigned in 1999. He is the Arizona Diamondbacks vice president and assistant to the general manager.

A National League scout concluded that if Williams didn't hit home runs, he couldn't be that good.

"Is Bernie going to get you 40 home runs and 120 RBIs? I don't think so. Does he go to a team like Arizona and turn it around? I don't think so.

"Do you want to build a team around Bernie Williams? You'd better have a lot of other stuff."

Thank goodness we have great scouts that help to build winning teams.

Even highly respected Tom Verducci got it wrong.

"If the Yankees determine they can't sign Williams, they could trade left-hander Andy Pettitte for Anaheim Angels center fielder Jim Edmonds, trade three of their best prospects for Montreal Expos center fielder Rondell White or sign offensively challenged center fielder Steve Finley."

In 1998, Finley batted .249 with 14 home runs and 67 RBIs for the San Diego Padres.

In 1999, Finley batted .264 with 34 home runs and 103 RBIs for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Bernie Williams has always been under appreciated. He had a career that is just short of making him a Hall of Famer, which would be nice, but Williams has some things that trump the Hall of Fame.

Williams has four World Series rings.

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"If you look at it, left field is open," said Kelly.  "I think they're looking to build up the team and win right away. Left field is open and I think they can afford to buy Bonds. He's out there for them."

Kelly wasn't alone. Many in the media held the same position.

The Kelly for O'Neill trade occurred on Nov. 3, 1992. That year, the New York Yankees had finished tied with the Cleveland Indians for fourth place in the Eastern Division.

The year before, they had finished fifth. In each season, they were 20 games behind the division winner.

Bonds, considered the best player in baseball, said that the Yankees hadn't contacted him. On Dec. 8, 1992, he signed with the San Francisco Giants.

No one in her right mind would conclude that O'Neill was a greater player than Bonds, but neither would anyone in his right mind take Barry Bonds over Paul O'Neill in October.

Bonds only outstanding post-season series was the 2002 World Series. The Giants' problem was that Bonds made a crucial error that contributed greatly to the Giants losing that Series.

Bonds never played on a world champion.

Paul O’Neill is almost synonymous with clutch, despite never having a hit World Series home run. He was involved in one defensive and one offensive play, without which, the Yankees would not have won two World Series.

In the fifth game of the 1996 Series against the Atlanta Braves, a hobbling Paul O’Neill made an outstanding catch on Luis Polonia’s bid for a game-winning hit in the ninth inning.

In the first game of the 2000 World Series, O’Neill battled New York Mets closer Armando Benitz. After falling behind in the count, no balls and two strikes, O'Neill eventually walked.

Luis Polonia, the same Luis Polonia that O’Neill had robbed in 1996, singled him to second. Former Met Jose Viscaino singled to load the bases, and Chuck Knoblauch’s sacrifice fly scored O’Neill with the tying run.

While Roberto Kelly never reached his potential, everyone knows how Barry Bonds allegedly attempted to outdo Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, and everyone knows about Paul O’Neill.

Thank goodness Kelly was traded to the Reds and Bonds signed with the Giants.

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Fielder had been complaining that he wanted to play for a contending team. The Yankees were leading the second place Baltimore Orioles by 10 games entering August.
 
"I'm just happy to have the opportunity to go somewhere with someone in contention and I'll try to help the New York Yankees win the pennant and the World Series," Fielder said in Detroit. "I feel good about going out there."

Fielder batted .248 with 26 home runs and 80 RBI for the last-place Tigers. As is often the case, money was a factor. The Yankees were now on the hook for Fielder's $2,360,656 for the remainder of the 1996 season and for $7.2 million in 1997.

The Yankees' new designated hitter expressed surprise, not because he was traded but to whom he was traded.

"I'm shocked I'm going to the Yankees," Fielder said. "I didn't think I'd go there, to tell you the truth. I'll just go to work and try to do the best I can for the New York Yankees."

With the Yankees, Fielder hit .260/.342/.495 with 13 home runs. He helped them win the World Series, but after a disappointing 1997 season in which he hit only 13 home runs, only one-third of his 1996 total of 39 with the Tigers and Yankees, Fielder was granted free agency.

A few days ago, Fielder's son Prince signed a lucrative contract with the Detroit Tigers for $214 million over nine years. Prince will earn $23 million in each of his first two seasons and follow that with $24 million each of the next seven seasons.

Prince has been in the majors for seven seasons.  He has eclipsed his father by a wide margin.

Comparing their first seven season, Prince Fielder leads Cecil Fielder in every major category, including batting average (.282 to .257), home runs (230 to 161), RBI (656 to 473) and slugging percentage (.540 to .509).

Prince has made and will continue to earn much more money than his father, but Cecil has something that money can't buy (although Yankees haters vehemently disagree): Prince Fielder still needs a World Series ring.

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