NEW YORK — With their playoff position secured, the New York Yankees took a few
moments Tuesday night to salute Derek Jeter and Mariano
Rivera for milestone achievements this season.
Jeter and Rivera were presented with a bounty of special
gifts during a ceremony behind home plate before the Yankees played the Kansas
City Royals. Jeter broke Lou Gehrig's franchise record for hits
with No. 2,722 on Sept. 11. Rivera reached 500 saves on June 28.
Surrounded by the entire squad, longtime
teammates Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada spoke
from a podium set up in front of the Yankees' dugout.
"I'm really proud that I got a chance to play with you,"
Posada said. "I think you guys represent what the Yankees are all about."
Pettitte said the Yankees chipped in for paintings of the
two players that were given to them. He pointed out that Jeter and Rivera
probably were uncomfortable with all the individual attention.
"You guys haven't changed from Day 1. Y'all deserve it,"
Pettitte said. "Obviously, we are so proud of y'all. It has been a privilege and
an honor to play alongside of y'all."
Rivera's family was on hand for a ceremony that lasted
about 25 minutes. So were former teammates Bernie Williams, Tino
Martinez, Tim Raines and David Cone, as well as Hall of Famers
Reggie Jackson and Yogi Berra.
Jeter was given home plate and first base, both encased,
from the night he surpassed Gehrig. The captain also received the two seats he
crashed into while making his famous diving catch against Boston in 2004, and a
sign he cherished from the old Yankee Stadium.
The sign, which hung in the narrow runway that led from
the clubhouse to the New York dugout, featured a quote from Joe DiMaggio
that read: "I want to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee."
Rivera was given the bullpen bench from the old Yankee
Stadium and the Citi Field pitching rubber from the night he earned save No. 500
against the New York Mets across town.
At the start of the ceremony, the Yankees also paid
tribute to Melky Cabrera for hitting for the cycle Aug. 2 at the Chicago White
Sox.
Notes
In other news before the game,
the commissioner's office notified the Yankees that reserve Shelley
Duncan would not be punished for his role in a Sept. 15 brawl with
Toronto. Duncan, a first baseman and outfielder, was originally fined and
suspended for three games. … During a 4-3 victory Tuesday night, New York
matched the 2004 Chicago White Sox for most home games in a season with a home
run (72), according to STATS. … Yankee Stadium tied the record for most games
in a season with a home run (79), matching Edison Field (2000), Coors Field
(2001) and U.S. Cellular Field (2004), according to STATS. The Yankees have one
regular-season home game left, Wednesday night against Kansas City.