Core Four Explained

The "Core Four" are former New York Yankees baseball players Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera. Each member of the Core Four was a key contributor to the Yankees' late-1990s and early 2000s dynasty that won four World Series championships in five years.

Jeter, Pettitte, Posada, and Rivera were drafted or signed as amateurs by the Yankees in the early 1990s. They played together in the minor leagues and were all promoted to the major leagues in 1995. By 2007, they were the only remaining Yankees from the franchise's dynasty of the previous decade. All four players were on the Yankees' active roster in 2009 when the team won the 2009 World Series—its fifth championship in the previous 14 years. Three members of the Core Four—Jeter, Rivera and Posada—played together for 17 consecutive years (1995–2011),[1] longer than any other similar group in the history of North American professional sports.[2] Pettitte had a sojourn away from the team when he played for the Houston Astros for three seasons, but returned to the Yankees in 2007. He retired after the 2010 season,[3] reducing the group to the so-called Key Three.[4] Posada followed suit after 2011, ending his 17-year career with the Yankees.[5] Pettitte came out of retirement prior to the 2012 season and played for two more years.[6] Both Pettitte and Rivera retired after the 2013 season, and Jeter retired after the 2014 season.[7]

The four members of the Core Four are now regarded as some of the greatest Yankees players of all time. All four were honored at Monument Park, while Jeter and Rivera were both inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Notably, Rivera is the only unanimous pick in the Hall of Fame's history, while Jeter fell one vote short of unanimous selection himself. Posada became eligible in 2017, but received only 3.8% of the vote and was dropped off of the ballot, although he may still be inducted by the Veterans Committee. Pettitte is currently still on the ballot, but has only accumulated 17% of the vote (opposed to the necessary 75% needed for induction) as of the 2023 ballot, his fifth ballot.

Beginnings

Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte all joined the New York Yankees organization in the early 1990s as amateurs. Rivera signed as an international free agent in February 1990.[8] The Yankees selected Pettitte in the 22nd round and Posada in the 24th round of the 1990 Major League Baseball Draft. Jeter was selected in the first round, with the sixth overall selection, of the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft.[9]

Together, the Core Four progressed through the Yankees minor league system in the early 1990s. It was during their tenure with the Oneonta Yankees of the Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League in 1991 that Posada, initially an infielder, began catching for his future major league batterymate Pettitte.[10] The latter threw a knuckleball at the time, which Posada struggled to catch (hitting him mostly on the knee), prompting Pettitte to abandon the pitch.[10] Promoted to the Greensboro Hornets of the Class A South Atlantic League in 1992, Posada and Pettitte met Jeter, a highly regarded prospect, who had been assigned to the team. Posada and Pettitte initially questioned the hype surrounding Jeter, but soon recognized his talent and poise.[11] Rivera injured his elbow in 1992 and had surgery in August to repair the damage. While Rivera was pitching for Greensboro in 1993 on a strict pitch count, Jeter kept track of the count from shortstop.[12]

The four first played together with the Class AAA Columbus Clippers of the International League in 1994.[13] All four made their major league debuts in 1995.[14] Both Jeter and Rivera reached the major leagues in May, but were demoted back to the minors in June and bounced around between the minors and major leagues throughout the year.[10] Posada made his major league debut in September, and along with Pettitte and Rivera, was included on the Division Series roster.

Jeter, Posada, and Rivera played in the same MLB game for the first time on September 28, 1996.[4] That season, Jeter, Pettitte and Rivera won their first championship together (Posada was left off that year's postseason roster).[10]

Individual achievements

Derek Jeter

See main article: Derek Jeter. Jeter became the Yankees all-time hits leader on September 11, 2009, with his 2,722nd hit, surpassing Lou Gehrig.[15] On July 9, 2011, against the Tampa Bay Rays, he collected his 3,000th hit,[16] becoming the 28th player to reach the milestone. Derek Jeter was the first Yankee to accomplish the feat and collect all 3,000 hits with the team,[17] [18] the first player to reach the milestone with a New York team,[19] the fourth-youngest player to reach the mark,[20] the second to do it by hitting a home run, the second to reach the mark in a five-hit game,[19] and the first to attain the milestone playing shortstop exclusively.[21] Furthermore, Jeter broke Rickey Henderson's franchise record for stolen bases on May 28, 2011, when he stole his 327th base against the Mariners.[22] Jeter's third milestone in 2011 was breaking Mickey Mantle's record for most games played as a Yankee, accomplishing this on August 28, 2011 against the Orioles.[23] In 2000, he became the only player to win both the World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award and the All-Star Game MVP in the same season.[24] His #2 was retired on May 14, 2017.

Andy Pettitte

See main article: Andy Pettitte. Pettitte holds the all-time record for postseason victories, with 19 wins in total.[25] Among Yankees pitchers, he ranks first in strikeouts (2,011)[26] and third in wins (213).[27] [28] He was named the 2001 American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player[29] [30] and won the Warren Spahn Award in 2003 as the best left-handed pitcher in baseball.[31] His #46 was retired on 23 August 2015.

Jorge Posada

See main article: Jorge Posada. Posada is only the fifth major league catcher with at least 1,500 hits, 350 doubles, 275 home runs, and 1,000 runs batted in (RBIs) in a career,[32] and the only major league catcher to ever record a .330 batting average or better with 40 doubles, 20 home runs, and 90 RBIs in a single season. He is only the second Yankees catcher to hit 30 home runs in a season, after Yogi Berra. Among Yankee catchers, Posada is first all-time in doubles (365),[33] walks (897),[34] and intentional walks (74),[35] and second in home runs (261)[36] and extra-base hits (636).[37] Among all Yankees players, Posada ranks sixth all-time in grand slams (10).[38] On April 16, 2009, Posada hit the first home run at the new Yankee Stadium.[39] His #20 was retired on August 22, 2015.

Mariano Rivera

See main article: Mariano Rivera. Rivera played 19 seasons with the Yankees (1995–2013), serving as closer for 17 of them. He retired as MLB's career leader in saves (652) and games finished (952), having surpassed Trevor Hoffman in both categories in 2011.[40] [41] Rivera's career earned run average (ERA) (2.21) and WHIP (1.00) are the lowest of any pitcher in the live-ball era.[42] In the postseason, he holds the MLB record for career saves (42) and ERA (0.71).[43] He also holds records for 15 consecutive seasons with 25 or more saves,[44] nine consecutive seasons with 30 or more saves, and 15 seasons with 30 or more saves.[45] [46] From 1996 through his final season in 2013, he posted an ERA under 3.00 in all but one season (2007).[43] Selected as an All-Star 13 times, he saved a record four All-Star Games, the last coming in 2009.[47] On May 25, 2011, he became the 15th pitcher in major league history to make 1,000 appearances, and the first to do so with a single team.[48] [49] His appearances total ranks as the most in American League history.[50] On September 22, 2013, Rivera became the first active Yankee player to have his number retired by the organization; he was the last major league player to wear number 42 full-time, following its league-wide retirement in honor of Jackie Robinson.[51]

He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on January 22, 2019 with 100% of the vote, becoming the first player ever to be elected unanimously.[52]

Group achievements

The Core Four won four World Series Championships together in five years.[53] They won seven American League pennants together from 1996 to 2009.

Pettitte and Rivera hold the all-time record for most win–save combinations with 72;[54] Bob Welch and Dennis Eckersley previously held the record with 58.[55]

In 2010, Rivera, Jeter, and Posada became the first trio in any of the four North American major sports leagues to play together on the same team for 16 consecutive seasons.[56] Posada and Jeter played their 1,660th game together on July 14, 2011. This broke the record for most regular-season games played together by two Yankee teammates, previously held by Lou Gehrig and Tony Lazzeri.[57]

With the rise of free agency and trades, many sportswriters believe that it is highly unlikely that another group of players of comparable size will spend their entire careers with a single team.[58] [59] Buck Showalter, the Yankees manager during the Core Four's major league debuts in 1995, said, "[Y]ou won't see anything like this happen again. There are too many variables for that to ever happen again. And what you have to remember is the makeup of those guys. The common thread was their agenda. They didn't branch off. They didn't want to disappoint each other. They were guys who never wanted to let their teammates down."[60]

Endings

Pettitte was the first player of the Core Four to retire, announcing his decision at a news conference at Yankee Stadium on February 4, 2011. He told the organization "not to count on his return" after the Yankees lost the 2010 American League Championship Series to the Texas Rangers, citing his desire to spend more time with his family.[61] After spending the season away from baseball, he served as a guest instructor for the Yankees during 2012 spring training and insisted that he was not considering a comeback.[62] However, he reversed his decision on his final day as instructor and rejoined the organization on March 16, signing a $2.5 million minor league contract.[63] He pitched in both the and seasons for the Yankees before announcing his second retirement on September 20, 2013. Although he was initially not going to reveal his decision, it was at Rivera's insistence that he eventually did.[64] The Yankees held a ceremony for Pettitte five days later on September 25, with fellow Core Four members Jeter and Rivera presenting him with a framed base from his final Yankee Stadium start, signed by all his teammates.[65] He made his final appearance on September 28 against the Houston Astros, the only other team he had pitched for in his career. He pitched a complete game—his first since 2006—and by winning his last start, he finished the season with an 11–11 win–loss record. This preserved his records of never having a losing season throughout his 18-year career[66] and being the only pitcher in major league history to have 15 winning seasons (with a minimum of three starts each) without recording a losing season.[67]

The second member of the group to retire was Posada. He endured a tumultuous season that saw him lose the starting catcher job to Russell Martin, drop to 9th in the Yankee lineup after batting .165, bench himself, and then lose his spot in the lineup as the starting designated hitter altogether.[68] [69] Posada had several memorable performances at the end of the year. He drove in the go-ahead runs that clinched the American League East title for the Yankees[70] and batted .429 in the 2011 American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers. After the Yankees lost the series in Game 5, he cut short a postgame interview when he teared up, coming to the realization that it could have been his final game as a Yankee.[71] He announced his decision to retire on January 24, 2012.[72]

Rivera had hinted during 2012 spring training that the 2012 season would be his last, and confirmed that his decision was "irrevocable."[73] [74] He intended to reveal his decision at the end of the year, preferring a low-key departure instead of having a farewell tour across MLB stadiums.[75] However, he reversed his decision after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and part of his meniscus while shagging fly balls on May 3, 2012.[76] This prematurely ended his season, and though there were fears that this could potentially be a career-ending injury,[76] [77] he stated that he would return, declaring that he was "not going down like this."[78]

After rehabilitating his injury through the offseason, Rivera announced on March 9 that he would retire at the end of the 2013 season.[79] His farewell tour saw him meet the fans and unsung employees of opposing teams during his final visit to their ballparks to listen to their stories and thank them for supporting baseball.[80] Each opposing team reciprocated the gesture by holding an on-field ceremony and honoring him with a parting gift.[81] [82] On September 22, a day that was declared "Mariano Rivera Day" by the Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg, the Yankees held their own ceremony to honor Rivera, culminating in the retiring of his uniform number into Monument Park.[83] Many former teammates of his were in attendance, including Posada, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Rivera in a reversal of roles.[84]

Jeter was the last player of the Core Four to retire, having announced on February 12, 2014 that he would retire at the end of the 2014 season.[85]

Career statistics with Yankees

Position players

Batting statistics!!Derek Jeter[86] !Jorge Posada[87] !Leader
Primary positionShortstopCatcher
Games played2,747 1,829 Jeter, NYY record
At bats12,602 6,092Jeter, NYY record
Runs scored1,923 900Jeter
Hits3,465 1,664Jeter, NYY record
Home runs260 275 Posada
Runs batted in1,311 1,065Jeter
Batting average.310 .273Jeter
Stolen bases358 20Jeter, NYY record
Hall of FameElectedJeter
indicates rank within the top 10 among Yankee all-time leaders as of September 29, 2014

Pitchers

Pitching statistics !!Andy Pettitte[88] !Mariano Rivera[89] !Leader
Primary positionStarting pitcherRelief pitcher
Games pitched447 1,115 Rivera, AL record
Innings pitchedPettitte
Wins219 82Pettitte
Losses127 60Pettitte
Saves0652 Rivera, MLB record
3.942.21 Rivera
Strikeouts2,020 1,173 Pettitte, NYY record
Walks889 286Pettitte
Hall of FameElectedRivera
indicates rank within the top 10 among Yankee all-time leaders as of September 29, 2014

Timeline

ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20PlotArea = left:110 bottom:125 top:0 right:70Alignbars = justifyDateFormat = mm/dd/yyyyPeriod = from:01/01/1995 till:12/28/2014TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Colors = id:yankee value:darkblue legend:Tenure_with_the_Yankees id:worldseries value:yellow2 legend:World_Series_championships id:pennant value:gray(0.8) legend:American_League_pennants

ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1995ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1995

Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom

LineData = at:10/26/1996 color:worldseries layer:front at:10/21/1998 color:worldseries layer:front at:10/27/1999 color:worldseries layer:front at:10/26/2000 color:worldseries layer:front at:11/04/2001 color:pennant layer:front at:10/25/2003 color:pennant layer:front at:11/04/2009 color:worldseries layer:front

BarData = bar:Jeter text:Derek_Jeter bar:Andy text:Andy_Pettitte bar:Jorge text:Jorge_Posada bar:Mariano text:Mariano_Rivera

PlotData= width:10 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Jeter from:05/29/1995 till:06/12/1995 color:yankee bar:Jeter from:03/29/1996 till:09/28/2014 color:yankee

bar:Andy from:04/29/1995 till:05/16/1995 color:yankee bar:Andy from:05/27/1995 till:10/25/2003 color:yankee bar:Andy from:04/05/2007 till:10/18/2010 color:yankee bar:Andy from:05/13/2012 till:09/29/2013 color:yankee

bar:Jorge from:09/04/1995 till:09/05/1995 color:yankee bar:Jorge from:04/14/1996 till:04/14/1996 color:yankee bar:Jorge from:05/22/1996 till:05/22/1996 color:yankee bar:Jorge from:06/30/1996 till:06/30/1996 color:yankee bar:Jorge from:09/25/1996 till:10/01/1996 color:yankee bar:Jorge from:04/01/1997 till:01/24/2012 color:yankee

bar:Mariano from:05/23/1995 till:06/11/1995 color:yankee bar:Mariano from:07/04/1995 till:08/11/1995 color:yankee bar:Mariano from:08/23/1995 till:09/29/2013 color:yankee

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Thurm . Wendy . Jeter, Posada & Rivera: The End Of An Era In The Bronx . SBNation.com . 5 September 2021 . 17 September 2011.
  2. Web site: With longevity, Yanks' core sets mark. April 6, 2010. May 2, 2011. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. https://web.archive.org/web/20100410110707/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100406&content_id=9109430&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb. April 10, 2010. dead.
  3. News: Pettitte calls it a career after 16 years, five rings. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Bryan. Hoch. February 3, 2011. February 3, 2011. February 8, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110208050753/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110203&content_id=16566294&vkey=news_nyy&c_id=nyy. dead.
  4. Web site: Stat Speak: Yanks' 'Key Three' are legendary. February 24, 2011. April 15, 2011. Roger. Schlueter. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  5. News: Emotional Posada retires after 17-year career. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Joey. Nowak. January 24, 2012. January 25, 2012.
  6. News: Pettitte comes out of retirement, joins Yanks. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Bryan. Hoch. March 16, 2012. March 17, 2012.
  7. News: Derek Jeter on retirement: 'This is the right time'. USA Today. February 19, 2014.
  8. Web site: Yanks' Rivera continues to learn. Mel. Antonen. USA Today. October 9, 2006. August 20, 2006.
  9. News: Teammates Recall Jeter's Journey From Minor Leagues to Great Yankee. The New York Times. Jack. Curry. September 12, 2009. July 24, 2011.
  10. Web site: So Far, So Good. May 3, 2010. December 1, 2011. Tom. Verducci. Sports Illustrated.
  11. News: Even in Class A, Posada and Pettitte Sensed What Was to Come With Jeter. Jack. Curry. The New York Times. September 12, 2009. May 11, 2012.
  12. Web site: A front-row seat to Mariano Rivera, MLB's greatest closer ever. Newsday. Long Island. Mark. Herrmann. September 20, 2013. September 21, 2013.
  13. News: For Yanks quartet, winning a fifth title would add to a legacy. October 7, 2009. Mel. Antonen. USA Today. December 5, 2011.
  14. News: Can We Retire the Phrase 'Core Four' Now?. February 7, 2011. May 26, 2011. Joe. DeLessio. New York Magazine.
  15. Web site: Jeter passes Gehrig with 2,722nd hit. September 12, 2009. April 15, 2011. Anthony. DiComo. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  16. News: Hit No. 3,000: A Moment Finally Tailor-Made for Pinstripes. November 10, 2010. April 15, 2011. Ben. Shpigel. The New York Times.
  17. Web site: With homer, Jeter joins 3,000-hit club. July 9, 2011. July 11, 2011. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. July 11, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110711153649/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110614&content_id=20463750&vkey=news_nyy&c_id=nyy. dead.
  18. Web site: Jeter to become first in pinstripes to 3,000 hits. June 12, 2011. June 14, 2011. Howie. Rumberg. San Francisco Chronicle.
  19. Web site: Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit by the numbers. July 9, 2011. July 11, 2011. Katie. Sharp. ESPN Internet Ventures. ESPN.
  20. News: Jeter Reaches Fabled 3,000, and It's a Blast. July 9, 2011. July 11, 2011. Tyler. Kepner. The New York Times.
  21. Web site: Club 3,000 members open their arms to Jeter. July 9, 2011. July 11, 2011. John. Schlegel. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  22. Web site: Jeter passes Rickey as Yankees' steals leader. May 28, 2011. May 28, 2011. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. May 30, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110530010308/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110528&content_id=19697362&notebook_id=19710538&vkey=notebook_nyy&c_id=nyy. dead.
  23. Web site: Jeter adds games played to his Yanks records. August 29, 2011. August 29, 2011. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. October 8, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121008032804/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110828&content_id=23856358&notebook_id=23857254&vkey=notebook_nyy&c_id=nyy. dead.
  24. Web site: Derek Jeter Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights. May 11, 2011. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  25. Web site: Pettitte's playoff marks may be untouchable. February 5, 2011. April 15, 2011. Aiden. Gonzalez. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  26. Web site: New York Yankees Strikeout Stats. April 15, 2011. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  27. Web site: New York Yankees Wins Stats. April 15, 2011. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  28. News: Retirement Further Erodes a Homegrown Core. February 3, 2011. April 15, 2011. Ben. Shpigel. The New York Times.
  29. Web site: Pettitte returning to Yanks a possibility. December 5, 2006. October 1, 2013. Mark. Feinsand. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  30. Web site: 2001 League Championship Series – New York Yankees over Seattle Mariners (4–1) . Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. September 29, 2013.
  31. News: Alyson . Footer . MLB Advanced Media . MLB.com . Pettitte honored with Spahn award . January 14, 2004 . October 10, 2011.
  32. Web site: Yankees' Jorge Posada retires. ESPN Internet Ventures. ESPN. Andrew. Marchand. January 24, 2012. January 24, 2012.
  33. Web site: New York Yankees Doubles Stats for Catchers. May 20, 2011. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  34. Web site: New York Yankees Base on Balls Stats for Catchers. May 20, 2011. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  35. Web site: New York Yankees Intentional Base on Balls Stats for Catchers. May 20, 2011. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  36. Web site: New York Yankees Home Run Stats for Catchers. May 20, 2011. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  37. Web site: New York Yankees Extra Base Hits Stats for Catchers. May 20, 2011. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  38. News: Jorge Posada hits grand slam in return as Phil Hughes, Yanks beat Rays. August 13, 2011. August 14, 2011. Associated Press. ESPN Internet Ventures. ESPN.
  39. News: Posada's Blasts First Homer at New Stadium. April 17, 2009. June 2, 2011. Ben. Shpigel. The New York Post.
  40. News: Rivera Gets His Record 602nd Save in Classic 1-2-3 Fashion. September 19, 2011. September 20, 2011. Benjamin. Hoffman. The New York Times.
  41. Web site: Career Leaders & Records for Games Finished. Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. February 5, 2014.
  42. Web site: Mariano Rivera is great, but let's not overdo it. Los Angeles Times. Plaschke, Bill. Bill Plaschke. September 20, 2011. September 20, 2011.
  43. News: Quietly, Rivera Nears an Underrated Record. September 10, 2011. September 11, 2011. David. Waldstein. The New York Times.
  44. Web site: Steady as anyone, Mo extends streak. July 24, 2011. July 25, 2011. Matt. Fortuna. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. October 8, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121008032047/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110724&content_id=22246266&vkey=news_nyy&c_id=nyy. dead.
  45. Web site: Mo on cusp of extending record streak. July 19, 2011. July 20, 2011. Alden. Gonzalez. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. July 22, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110722051337/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110719&content_id=22007072&notebook_id=22012814&vkey=notebook_nyy&c_id=nyy. dead.
  46. Web site: Mo not happy, but shakes off latest rough outing. August 11, 2011. August 12, 2011. Michael. Martinez. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. October 8, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121008032339/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110811&content_id=23092274&vkey=news_nyy&c_id=nyy. dead.
  47. Web site: Another save, another record for Mariano. July 15, 2009. May 11, 2011. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  48. Web site: Mo makes history with 1,000th appearance. May 25, 2011. May 25, 2011. Matt. Fortuna. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  49. News: Milestone for Yankees' Rivera Is Tempered by a Setback for Soriano. May 25, 2011. May 29, 2011. Ben. Shpigel. The New York Times.
  50. Web site: American League Games Pitched Stats. June 28, 2011. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  51. Web site: Yankees honor Mariano Rivera. September 23, 2013. February 6, 2014. Ian. Begley. ESPN Internet Ventures. ESPN.
  52. News: Mariano Rivera, Edgar Martinez, Roy Halladay and Mike Mussina joining Hall of Fame . . January 22, 2019 . David. Schoenfield. January 22, 2019.
  53. Web site: Weick . Lucas . The Experience Of The Core Four Will Prove Invaluable In Playoffs For Yankees . Bleacher Report . 5 September 2021.
  54. Web site: Mo, Jeter proud of the way Pettitte completes career. September 29, 2013. October 2, 2013. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  55. News: Mariano Rivera By the Numbers. September 19, 2011. December 3, 2011. The New York Post.
  56. News: Scutaro's miscue leads to key run in Yankees' win over Red Sox. https://archive.today/20120731153456/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=300406102. dead. July 31, 2012. Associated Press. ESPN Internet Ventures. ESPN. April 6, 2010. April 8, 2010.
  57. Web site: Jeter, Posada set appearance record. July 14, 2011. July 15, 2011. Alden. Gonzalez. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  58. Web site: Pettitte Leaves Behind a Core 3. February 5, 2011. May 12, 2011. Daniel. Barbarisi. The Wall Street Journal.
  59. News: Without Lifers Like Jeter, Yankees Lose Their Aura. November 9, 2010. July 18, 2011. Richard. Sandomir. The New York Times.
  60. Web site: Showalter: You'll never see another Core Four. New York Post. Joel. Sherman. September 9, 2013. September 21, 2013.
  61. Web site: Pettitte, postseason wins leader, to retire. February 3, 2011. October 1, 2013. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  62. News: Instructor Pettitte not thinking of return. Newsday. Long Island. Erik. Boland. February 27, 2012. October 1, 2013.
  63. Web site: Pettitte comes out of retirement, joins Yanks. March 16, 2012. October 1, 2013. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  64. Web site: Pettitte will retire at the end of the season. September 20, 2013. October 1, 2013. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  65. Web site: Yankees pay tribute to Pettitte on Wednesday. September 25, 2013. October 1, 2013. Josh. Vitale. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  66. Web site: Pettitte crafts completely fitting closing act. September 29, 2013. October 1, 2013. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  67. Web site: Three Strikes: Pettitte's legacy edition. https://archive.today/20131001013811/http://espn.go.com/mlb/blog/_/name/stark_jayson/id/6101977/andy-pettitte-legacy-edition. dead. October 1, 2013. February 8, 2011. October 1, 2013. Jayson. Stark. ESPN Internet Ventures. ESPN.
  68. Web site: Girardi showing his faith in Jeter, Posada. June 22, 2011. October 1, 2013. Barry M.. Bloom. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  69. Web site: Light dimming on Posada's bright career. August 8, 2011. October 1, 2013. Mike. Bauman. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  70. News: Hip! Hip!: Ten Moments That Defined Posada's Career. The Wall Street Journal. Brian. Costa. Jared. Diamond. January 9, 2012. October 1, 2013.
  71. Web site: Jorge Posada finished with Yankees?. November 1, 2011. October 1, 2013. Andrew. Marchand. ESPN Internet Ventures. ESPN.
  72. Web site: Emotional Posada retires after 17-year career. January 24, 2012. October 1, 2013. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  73. Web site: Rivera strongly implies this will be final season. February 20, 2012. January 31, 2014. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  74. News: Rivera Hints This Is His Last Yankees Season. The New York Times. David. Waldstein. February 20, 2012. January 31, 2014.
  75. Web site: Mariano Rivera hints at retirement. February 22, 2012. January 30, 2014. Andrew. Marchand. ESPN Internet Ventures. ESPN.
  76. Web site: Mariano tears ACL shagging fly balls. May 4, 2012. January 31, 2014. Bryan. Hoch. MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media.
  77. News: Mariano Rivera injury puts future in question. May 4, 2012. April 19, 2013. Dave. Skretta. Chicago Sun-Times. Associated Press.
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