Bernie Williams Was the Yankees' Secret Weapon | Baseball Dudes
Вставка
- Опубліковано 4 лип 2024
- TWITTER - @BaseballHSTRN
_____________________________
The New York Yankees of the late 1990s were one of the greatest teams in baseball history. Sporting a roster that included stars like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Paul O'Neill, and David Cone, the Bronx Bombers would take home an incredible four World Series titles over the course of five seasons.
Throughout all of this, there was one player who was always present, quietly becoming one of the most valuable players on the team. In this episode of Baseball Dudes, I'll be telling the story of Bernie Williams, the Yankees' forgotten MVP.
_____________________________
SOURCES
The Hall of Nearly Great, edited by Marc Normandin; “Bernie Williams” by Ben Lindbergh
Wikipedia
Baseball Reference
MLB.com
Fangraphs
Foolish Baseball
_____________________________
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - 2:20 The Dynasty
2:21 - 6:40 Feel the Bern
6:41 - 8:22 Legacy
8:23 - 10:14 Slow and Steady
_____________________________
MUSIC
"Sleepy West" - JHS Pedals
"Get Tough" - TrackTribe
"Beach Walk" - Unicorn Heads - Спорт
What's better than this? Just baseball guys bein' baseball dudes.
Great vid btw, Bernie doesn't get enough credit.
Switch hitter benie Williams
Sir Yes Sir
One of the best hitting CFs ever.
Absolutely. I was shocked to see just how many career leaderboards he was on.
Great switch hitter believe Williams
Great hitter but hated him in the outfield he had a noodle for an arm
He kinda gets overshadowed by some of the other really good CF at the time, Andruw Jones, Jim Edmonds, Torii Hunter
@@unkledoda420 Bernie won a few gold gloves if I remember.....
I have no idea why Bernie never gets mentioned as one of the cores of the Yankee dynasty. It should be core 5, with Bernie, Posada, Jeter, and Pettite.
I forgot who said it first but the core 4 got their break more or less after the strike. Bernie was there before that and was often seen as the test. He survived as the video showed and as George was gone and back Bernie was the quiet leader. And i think he himself knows that as the guy who showed George and fans to give the farm a chance.
because they never even started using that term until after Bernie's retirement and it was a term for their current players
Part of why Bernie never got the love was he was a link to the "dark era" for the Yankees. Where they weren't world slayers and were actually kinda bad. Even though Jeter's pick was because of a bad year, he doesn't have the play time taint of those years.
@@shanaeverowe9626 That's a stupid reasoning since many players do not have the fortune to start in the beginning of the golden era and Bernie was a prospect that helped laid a groundwork. It's not like Bernie spend his prime in the early 1990s.
@@iamhungey12345 your trying to use reasoning with sports fandom 🤦🏼♀️ that's like using facts in conversation with flat earthers😂.
I have heard this in sports bars in NY from 2006 until I left the area in 2012. People would say best players they saw or best Yankees ever, usually the only player from those rough times picked would be Donnie Baseball(and even then you could hear the anxiety in their voice over it).
Talk to any Puerto Rican, Bernie is a legend and enormously appreciated. Talk to any Yankee fan from that period and we know it was the fab 5 not the core 4 that won all those championships
I LOVE Bernie! I love my Yankees. Maybe Lou Gehrig and Yogi Berra I love more!
The guy played CF and batted clean up during those winning years. That kind of says he's the best player on the team. And stats for fielding , I am not sure how they calculate that, but I was at Yankee stadium many times watching hard shots in the gap look like easy doubles, and out of nowhere his speed ran those down for outs.
@@PFB1994 Plus the guy was there during the rebuilding years as well, helped laid a groundwork before Jeter, Posada, Mo and Pettitte came up.
Bernie is my favorite all time Yankee. #1
First player to win batting title, golden glove, and world series in the same year, come on man, he's THE Dude!
golden gloves is boxing, gold glove is baseball
@@SeamHead33 nice catch, lol
I was a Braves fan that absolutely hated the Yankees, but even I have to say that Posada and Pettitte deserve more HOF consideration than they've gotten. That being said, I have no idea what the BBWA was smoking when they allowed Williams to fall off the ballot. In a stacked lineup filled with stars (O'Neill, Tino Martinez, Jeter, Posada) aging veterans/former stars who still had something left in the tank (Chili Davis, Tim Raines, Darryl Strawberry) and some solid players who had some good years (Knoblauch, Scott Brosius, etc), Williams was the only guy I feared. Williams was the guy that drove that Yankee offense, especially in the post-season. Bernie may be the most underrated player of the last 30 years. He should absolutely be in the HOF.
If that intentional walk in the 10th inning of Game 4 in '96 is any indication, Bobby Cox felt the same way
Williams had seven great seasons. He doesn’t have the longevity for The HOF. But he was showed up in the playoffs.
He don't have number for HOF good players but not a.super player.
DAMN TY CUZ THAT REMINDED ME OF BERNIE IN A REAL WAY
Ty. Bernie was my idol growing up in NY. It means a lot to hear such high from a Braves fan. Much respect. We had a great rivalry.
Like most of the baseball world, I despise the Yankees. I despised the Yankees even more in the late ‘90s when I was 8. Even so, I remember watching them play and thinking that Bernie was way underrated. Never saw him get the credit he deserved.
Yankmees don't win all their championships without this DUDE! Not a bad musician either.
When Williams was a rookie, Mel Hall was merciless to him. Players said you could see Williams fighting back tears. Don Mattingly eventually pulled Williams aside and openly told him that he would still be playing professional baseball ten years after Hall was gone. As a Yankee fan from the 90s, thank God Mattingly did that for Williams.
Mel Hall was trash
Bernie Williams and Garret Anderson, two of the most humble underrated players, who people thought lacked the desire to play because they didn't pop off to the media everyday.
Bernie, Garret, John Olerud. Dudes that just played and played well. They don't have crazy numbers compared to HOF players but if they played in this era, they may have been thought of more highly. Such much class and you need guys like. The good ole boring and consistent good.
Garret Anderson was a killer too. Smh.
@@hoanpham4545 Bernie was a great player, and widely admired by fans and teammates. He had an eight year run where he batted better than.300, and had an OBP over .390 every year. He also averaged about 25 home runs a year for those 8 years, despite missing some time for injuries. And he won four gold gloves at a defensive position during that time. His career OPS+ is 125, same as another Yankee CF, Earle Combs, who is in the Hall of fame, but played only 12 years, compared to Bernie's 18. (Richie Ashburn's OPS+ is 111, over a 15 year career, and he's in the Hall). Bernie was the cleanup hitter for the most successful team in history. He is another example of the Hall of Fame voters neglecting a really great player, while they get all excited over relief pitchers. Bernie was not as good as the top CFers.....Cobb, Speaker, Earl Averill, DiMaggio, Mantle, Mays or Griffey, but he was as good or better than virtually all of the other 12 in the hall.
If you were a Yankees fan late 90s you felt comfortable when William's came up to the plate. Even in a clutch situation. Great ball player.
So true
I used to call him Boom Boom Bernie in those clutch situations... what great memories!
Grew up on Bernie Williams and those late '90's and early 2000's Yankees teams. One of my favorite players of all time!
Me too!
Bernie is my favorite Yankee growing up. I still have his jersey.
I was born in 1970…the 90’s Yanks for us fans was a glorious time
Paul O’Neill was damn good too
@@jeffjacobson59 O’Neil was a beast. He was Bernie’s best friend on the team.
Bernie is a baseball legend and he deserved way more recognition for the hall of fame
Absolutely
yes!!
@@BaseballHistorian He was a dude for sure!! Much better than a guy to use your terminology
Williams and later Hideki Matsui were my two favorite Yankees. They were just clutch when it mattered the most. Went about their business without overwhelming fanfare.
you could always count on them to work a great professional AB.
Bernie is my all time favorite Yankee. Matsui put on one of the greatest displays of offense in post season history in 2009. He literally carried that team to a World Series victory. Epic run by Matsui that year.
Bernie was just consistent 25 to 30 home runs. 90 to 120 rbi's. Over 300 batting average. Even in the playoffs. As a A's fan. He scared me the most on those Yankees teams cause he never really had a hitting slump. Very good defense player also. A player every team looking to win needs. He should be in the HOF.
Derek Jeter always hated the term "Core Four" being used for him, Posada, Pettitte, and Rivera; he felt that Bernie was just as important to the team as those four were
Fab Five
Reason why he's left out is because he wasn't there for the 5th ring.
Jive Five.
@@hennylo68 True, but Posada was the third string catcher for the first ring, he barely played.
@@PFB1994 While you're right, he was still there though. In that case then you'd have to say the same about Mo. He wasn't even the closer in the first ring, John Wetteland was. Mariano was the setup man.
as an orioles fan growing up during this time, he killlled us lol
Bernie is that quiet dude who puts his head down and just gets on with it.
The Yankee brass may not have appreciated him for it, but the fans certainly did. Anyone who went to Yankee Stadium back in the early 2000s can attest to it anytime Bernie came to the plate.
Thanks for giving Bernie some love
My favorite player ever, my childhood hero #51!
Great switch hitter benie Williams, like hit king ,switch hitter pete rose
@@lloydkline6946 Yes and Clutch, presented himself like a true gentleman. Pete rose was spectacular also.
Bernie was my favorite Yankee of all time. I grew up a Yankee fan here in NY. Bernie was a quiet assassin. Just a nice guy and a team player.
This- so much this- the biggest reason the Yankees were dominant was Steinbrenner's suspension and the affect it had on the farm system. I've been saying this for years.
Agreed - he gets way too much credit for those teams. Dude wanted to trade Rivera for Felix Fermin, Pettitte for Adam Eaton, Posada for Bob Stanley, and Bernie for anyone that would take him. Deep pockets and a will to win, but no baseball smarts at all.
@@soadratmetc He also tried to get Buck Showalter to come back after he hired Torre, but before Torre's first season with the Yankees ('96) had even begun
It’s funny because people
Like to give cashman credit when the guy won World Series with mostly people on the team before he took over. All cashman did was sign brosius and trade for Clemens.
steinbrenner was the dumbest owner in pro sports. He had an extremely low baseball iq
Dope thumbnail, even doper video. BH is on his way up, congratulations on 1k friend.
Gotta love a “secret weapon” being one of the most famous baseball players in the world lol
Thank you for this. Bernie is maybe the most underrated Yankee ever. He was like a guaranteed 100 runs and 100 RBI each year of the dynasty run. Plus he had the career postseason HR record for a while. The Yankees organization should be ashamed of themselves for how they continually took him for granted. I bet it was Showalter who wanted him for the Diamondbacks!
Well said. Bernie has been underrated/underappreciated because he was quiet and consistent (or "boring"). He wasn't Jeter (the guy that every woman wanted, and every guy wanted to be), Mariano (the GOAT at his position), or someone like Jorge Posada & Paul O'Neill (who wore their emotions on their sleeves). What is true, however, is that he was the team's best position player (if not the best player, period) during that dynasty.
PS: The 1 thing I disagree with is that his defense is part of the reason he's been underrated/underappreciated. By that argument, Jeter should be ranked much lower than he is.
My favorite player ever. True class, true player. And a great guitarist lol
Some of the criticism was true, we never did find out if he could handle failure...
Bernabe "Bernie" Williams was and still is my favorite YANKEE 🇵🇷👏🏿 Go Yankees
Bernie is and always will be my all time favorite Yankee. I grew up with that team. Tino Martinez, Paul O’Neill, and of course Bernie were my favorite players growing up. That team was like a big family. Bernie Tino and Paul O’Neill were very good friends. They always had each other’s backs. Unless you lived it it’s hard to understand.
This was phenomenal by the way. I think a lot of us younger Yankee fans look at George as the guy willing to do/pay _anything_ to win… but he made a ton of poor choices along the way, a lot of it due to ego.
Exactly! It's absolutely baffling thinking that they were willing to let a solid steady hand in Bernie walk in favor for a volatile wild card in Albert Belle. The Orioles really saved them from themselves
The 1998-2001 Yankees were the best baseball team of all time. They were nearly impossible to beat.
So glad I found your channel. I love baseball & I love the Yankees. You forgot to mention how Bernie was so clutch. When they needed a hit, he’d get a hit, when they needed a double, he’d hit a double, when they needed a homer, he’d hit a homer. The dude came through so often, it was uncanny. He’s a HOFer to me.
Exactly what I wanted to watch this morning Mr. historian thank you!
Happy to provide!
I was always a fan of Bernie Williams; he was a HOFer in my books. The stats, gold gloves, all-star games, post season success & production, and rings. He also batted cleanup in that Yankee Lineup from 1996-2002.
I consider myself a highly knowledgeable baseball fan, in particular regarding the past 20-30 years of history. I know Bernie is criminally under rated, but I was shocked at his stats during his peak years (being essentially the top CF during that time), and his all time 2k/.800 club status. Thank you for the enlightening video!
I absolutely adore that my favorite player of all time is getting some love here
not to mention the man could jam on the guitar
that just makes him even cooler 😂
He has some great music.
As a native Puerto Rican, I appreciate a lot when an outstanding player and gentleman like Bernie Williams is recognized. There are other Puerto Rican stars, Hall of Famers the three of them, that maybe can be considered as Dudes. I'm referring to Roberto Alomar, Edgar Martínez, and Ivan Rodríguez. I think another name worthy of recognition is Carlos Beltrán.
Delgado
I'm glad this video exists. You're definitely a dude for showing Bernie some love. He deserves so much more than he gets.
Under rated because he did not sleep with every woman in NY on his prime. He's like Tim Duncan a quiet superstar.
Great comparison
Yes he was very un-Jeter-esque in that respect.
Yeah.
Bernie was a quiet family guy.
The irony is that the Yankees spent the 80’s trying to buy a pennant then changed strategies and picked up 5 key players that led to a dynasty.
What changed is Steinbrenner getting suspended for 3 years. When he returned, he was still an impatient blowhard (& there were more examples of that besides what was mentioned in this video). Before the '96 season (Jeter's first full year), Gene Michael had to talk him out of trading Mariano Rivera to the Mariners for some shortstop named Felix Fermin. (Who's Felix Fermin? My point exactly.). In '99, Andy Pettitte wasn't pitching well, so Steinbrenner was ready to ship him off (but Joe Torre and Mel Stottlemyre had to talk him out of it). Hell, he hired Torre in the 95/96 off-season, & then tried to get Buck Showalter to come back during that same off-season. The Yankees won in spite of Steinbrenner
Bernie is my favorite Yankee of all time, loved that guy
I remember being so happy when I got the commemorative baseball of him from BK!
I'm not a Yankee fan but I loved those teams in the 90s because of their players. Bernie was so good, loved watching him hit
Anyone who saw Bernie play AA in Albany like I did knew he was going to be a top player. Also one of the nicest guys in Albany Yankees history.
Quietly producing amazing baseball content. you’re gonna blow up just keep grinding!
Thanks for the support! 🙏
this totally justifies my childhood bernie williams fandom, despite being a mets fan. boring is beautiful.
Thank you, Gene "Stick" Michael. If it wasn't for him, not only Williams, but Mariano Rivera was also rumored to be traded to Seattle for SS Felix Fermin. Instead, Yankees signed the late Tony Fernandez to be their SS in '96. Fernandez broke his arm & a young rookie out of Kalamazoo, Michigan was given the opportunity.
Tony Fernandez was signed in 1995 and his injury was why the Fermin trade was considered.
Saw him play a concert and when he played take me out to the ballgame on guitar the whole place started crying
He’s a fantastic guitar player.
Awesome way to close out the video. Bernie's consistency at being pretty darn good at everything extended to his guitar playing. Great ball player, absolutely key to that last baseball dynasty. Keep it up, man. Love your content.
Excellent work! I’m glad I’m onboard before this channel blows up. Santa Maria!
THANK YOU! It's a travesty that Bernie Williams doesn't make the Core Fore the Fab Five! I actually met Bernie the day after I graduated from high school in 2012.
I always considered him and Jeter to be the heart of the Yankee offense during those great years. Those were great teams, who didn’t have, and didn’t need superstars. Bernie Williams typified the pre-ARod era for the Yankees, and this Red Sox fan had great respect for him.
Dude was clutch, too. I remember him in 96 vs Baltimore.
I was 12 years old at a bar called Cpt Jacks in clayton NY in 2008 and my late uncle told me, a huge yankees a fan, that he had met Bernie and in fact had his number. i still so vividly remember calling this number behind the bar and talking to this guy who answered all my questions. obviously it wasn't Bernie Williams and my uncle just enlisted a friend to help make me smile but now 8 years after he passed this video reminded me of you uncle joey. i love you. here's to WS number 28
When I think of the term "criminally underrated", Bernie Williams always comes to mind. A switch hitter who hit for average, drew walks and could go yard at any moment. Couple that with the fact that he routinely played, and performed well, in the postseason, he is easily one the most important Yankee during their last dynasty.
You have done “Gods Work” with this Video. Bernie is the reason I’m a Yankee Fan
Literally my favorite Yankee of all time. People look at me like I'm crazy when I say it's Bernie Williams
Mid to late 2000 Giants winning every other year for 6 years was pretty damn good.
Me being a life long suffering Mariners fan born in 1977 has literally lived his whole life without getting to the WS. In 1995 my dad bought us tickets to the playoffs. We had to buy tickets all through the playoffs. That Yankees wild card was magic. Then the Indians series not so much.
He was my favorite during period. No flash. No drama. Did his job and did it very well with very little celebration from the media. True class. Should be a HOF for clutch players. Had no idea the Yanks held him in such low regard.
Like what I've seen of your work thus far
From Baseball Reference, his lifetime stats per 162 games (Over 16 years from 1991 to 2006):
R - 107
H - 182
2B - 35
HR - 22
RBI - 98
BB - 83
K - 95
BA - .297
OBP - .381
SLG - .477
OPS - .858
Adjusted OPS+ - 125
Just looking over his numbers, the word that comes to my mind:
*SOLID*
Plus, he played an excellent jazz guitar, if I recall correctly
From Wiki:
Williams is ... a classically trained guitarist.
Following his retirement from baseball, he has released two jazz albums.
He was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2009.
Bernie Williams is definitely an underrated player. In my opinion he is definitely HOF caliber.
Great video! Agree 100% Most underrated and most underappreciated. Should have been Core-5. Sad how Yanks ownership treated him
Love Bernie Williams and he definitely was arguably the best player on those Yankees teams. He was just quiet and consistent, but was clutch as hell and would rip the heart out of an opponent. Bern Baby Bern.
As a huge Yankee fan growing up Bernie Williams was my favorite all time Yankee.
Bob Watson calling someone "a GOOD player, not a GREAT player" is more than a little ironic, isn't it? I wonder how many times in his playing career he heard that said about Bob Watson?!
Meanwhile, what I wouldn't give to be the New York Yankees' centerfielder-turned-romantic guitarist! If THAT doesn't get you laid nothing will!!! Thanks for posting this, Bernie deserves this.
I found your channel two days ago and can't stop watching your videos. Keep up the good work!
Awesome video. Bernie definitely deserves more love. I remember watching him come up and he definitely had some incredible moments. Thanks for making this.
the word dude defiantly fits him just seems like a cool guy also nice Ace Attorney bit
As a huge Red Sox fan during middle school in the mid-late 90s.. I knew all about Bernie Williams
Favorite player of all time. Very underrated!
Bernie Williams was always the scariest hitter on the Yankees in the 90's and 2000's. So clutch in the postseason
That's hilarious how Steinbrenner had the wool pulled over his eyes on that attempted Bernie trade. Nobody made an offer because nobody knew he was up for trade.
GENIUS!
Bernie was a absolute beast
yankee fan here, 10/10 video, but up top i'd probably consider those early 2010s Giants a dynasty for sure
Anyone that knows baseball, I mean REALLY knows baseball , understands that Bernie was consistent. For almost a decade, he was the glue that held that successful run together.
One of the best Yankees ever. And plays a helluva guitar 🎸
Bernie was my fav player growing up watching the Yankees. Hes also a great guitar player, would love to jam with him ;-)
As a lifelong NYer born in 1983, i became a fan in 1990 when the yankees were bad. I’ll never forget Andy Hawkins throwing a no-hitter and the yanks still losing. Bernie’s talent was always clear to me. I remember as the team got good in 93/94 the smart writers talked about how how important Gene Stick Michael was. If only he had seen how limited Jeter’s range was and forced him to second base. Looking back Michael’s eye for talent was truly more valuable than any of the late 90s yankee stars of the core 4, Bernie, and O’Neill.
bernie williams was awesome! great video!
Michael Cuddyer is definitely a dude. He does magic tricks in the dugout!
Bernie Williams is the only Yankee I have ever been a fan of. He was a special player.
My favorite Yankee ever so glad I grew up with this team great video dude🔥
Glad to have found your channel, I hope the fantastic content keeps coming
Bernie was a bad bad man. Absolute stud. Great video, thanks 👍🏻
I always liked Bernie the best even though I’m a Red Sox fan. Such a humble talent.
Hey man, I just recently came across your page. I’ve got to say, your videos are beautiful written and put together. I really look forward to seeing what videos are to come. Keep up the good word🤝
Bernie has always been so underrated to non-Yankees fans
For whatever reason he's also underrated to them too.
My favorite player when I was a kid! Thanks for the vid :)
Bernie was a beast gold gloves, batting title, champion, ALCS MVP..... very slept on
Bernie won a gold glove because he play in NY,Beltran is much better than he.
Was just talking to my softball teammates about Bernie and the 90’s Yankees today!!
HOFer in my book
Ive watched all of your videos yourgreat and have awesome potential
i always loved bernie growing up as a kid.
Dude was a killer. He broke my heart every year against my Mariners
Such a shame, no ones gives bernie the recognition that he deserves
My favorite yankee growing up . He one of the guys that made me wana play ball and play center field.
How did I not know about this channel. Liked, commented, subscribed. Boom.
Bernie was super good. I think he's a HOFer, I guess time will tell. He should have had a contract offer for 2008.
Great video and great channel! Hope to see a new upload soon!
Great stuff dude! Making your father proud
I went to his debut game at Yankee Stadium. We were out in the bleachers and at the time we were bummed there was no Roberto Kelly. Bernie made a great diving attempt at 1 ball hit hard to his left but he just missed it. Everyone applauded the effort though.