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Time's Up
2005-10-28 10:52
by Alex Belth

"If you have to hang in there beyond your time for the applause, if your happiness is in the hands of others, you're in trouble. After you quit, though, there's a long time between Monday and Friday."

Johnny Bench speaking about Pete Rose to Canadian novelist/sports writer Mordecai Richler, March 1985.

I ran across the quote and couldn't help but think of the situation Bernie's in--almost at the end of the road. Will he come back next year as a part-timer, or go someplace else and be a part-timer? Hello Walt Frazier on the Cavs? Will he call it quits? Bench retired when he was 35. Remember Brosius hanging it up pretty early a couple of years ago? Never know when a guy is ready to walk away do you?

I could see Bernie moving on from the game pretty easily. But you never know, maybe it'll be tough for him as well. I'm sure it's not that simple either way. He's only been playing baseball his entire adult life.

No matter what Bernabee decides to do I wish him the best of luck. Bernie has had an excellent career and I like him as much as I've ever liked any Yankee. I'd love to see him back in Ruben Sierra's role next year but I'm also fine if he's gone too. It'll be down to Mariano and Jeter and Jorge. Time marches on, what are you gunna do?

To see Bernie's career numbers check out the nifty new "Yankees in Flux" link section that Cliff hooked up to your right. Proper.

Comments
2005-10-28 11:37:31
1.   rbj
Bernie's always got his music gig to fall back on, though I doubt he's going to be selling out Yankee Stadium right off the bat.
2005-10-28 11:39:57
2.   tz1
Bern baby bern, he's done it again!

Can't see him playing for another team , but I hope he retires because his play is definitely on the decline.

2005-10-28 12:18:22
3.   Shawn Clap
In a romance, even after the flame is gone, we try to hold on. No longer madly in love, we still refuse to let go, because we can't bear the sight of our beloved with another.

That's where I am with Bernie Williams right now. He's still got baseball left in him and he'd be the starting centerfielder just about anywhere BUT New York.

But this is OUR Bernie Williams and you can't have him.

Even more so than Jeter, Mo & Posada, because Bernie's been here with us through the Good, the Bad & the Tartabull. In sickness & in health. In richness & in poorness, this has been OUR Bernie Williams.

Hopefully, the Boss will pull at Bernie's Gentlmanly & Worldly nature and get him back for one more summer, if for nothing else, to break in his young replacement, thus bringing balance to the universe.

And for allowing one more chance at a proper send-off; A ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heros.

2005-10-28 13:50:57
4.   NetShrine
Which one again was Bernie Williams?

j/k

For all I know, he might get a job somewhere next year. If you are a GM somewhere and your choice is Bernie, Sammy Sosa or Juan Gone that you want to take a flier on, Bernie's the man hands down.

2005-10-28 14:37:38
5.   Shaun P
Bernie (maybe) retiring is hard, but not as hard as when Mattingly retired. I was 18, a freshman in college, and it was like the last remaining link to my childhood years had been cut. Donnie Baseball wasn't playing anymore. I had never known baseball without him (injuries and the strike aside, of course).

Bernie I will miss, but with the bittersweet knowledge that life does go on and I'll have the happy memories forever, and not the feeling of total loss I experienced when it was Mattingly's time.

Now if Bernie goes and plays with another team - and when you put it like that 4 Steve, it sure seems possible - that will be very hard to deal with. I always worried after the '95 season that Mattingly might go play elsewhere, and I was glad he didn't.

2005-10-28 15:03:24
6.   randym77
Ah, Bernie. I love him. He's a 100% class act, and I've no doubt he'll do fine once he's retired. Perhaps a career in music?

It sure would be odd to see him in some other team's uniform, though.

The article at Yankees.com about the Yanks' CF problem suggests, among others, Alfonso Soriano. They think he might be willing to move to CF for NY, if not for any other team.

2005-10-28 15:04:41
7.   Paul in Boston
It may have seemed that Brosius retired "early", but aside from one excellent season with the Yankees, he was a very unproductive 3rd baseman. I'd say his retirement was timely.

Most extraordinary "early" retirement was Koufax; in his last season, he was 27-9, 1.73 ERA, 323 innings pitched. One wonders how long he could have played with modern medicine/surgery.

2005-10-28 17:02:12
8.   Rich Lederer
Bernie Williams. .298 AVG, 2218 H, and 275 HR. All nice numbers to be sure. But they don't have the ring of a GREAT player at first glance. A very good one, yes, but GREAT?

Well, check this out:

Bernie ranks 12th in Runs Created Above Average among CF since 1900. Moreover, he ranks 8th in Runs Created Above Position among CF since 1900.

Throw in there four Gold Gloves, a batting title, and four World Series championships, and you've got yourself a GREAT player.

2005-10-28 19:53:52
9.   Yankee Fan in Chicago
Rich, whose above him? And, any shockers below hiom in those rankings? Thanks.
2005-10-29 20:16:23
10.   Rich Lederer
RCAA
1 Ty Cobb 1369
2 Mickey Mantle 1099
3 Tris Speaker 1053
4 Willie Mays 1008
5 Joe DiMaggio 708
6 Ken Griffey Jr. 579
7 Duke Snider 467
8 Earl Averill 391
9 Jim Edmonds 383
10 Hack Wilson 367
11 Larry Doby 359
12 Bernie Williams 344

RCAP
1 Ty Cobb 1078
2 Mickey Mantle 1009
3 Willie Mays 856
4 Tris Speaker 777
5 Joe DiMaggio 629
6 Ken Griffey Jr. 576
7 Jim Edmonds 392
8 Bernie Williams 354
9 Duke Snider 334
10 Hack Wilson 325
11 Earl Averill 321
12 Larry Doby 308

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