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New York Yankees: Creating an all-time starting lineup

By Michael Pallas

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 12: Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees grounds out to the shortstop to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 12, 2016 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 12: Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees grounds out to the shortstop to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 12, 2016 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON – OCTOBER 13: Yankee legend Yogi Berra arrives at NIAF’s 32nd Anniversary Awards Gala on October 13, 2007 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Nancy Ostertag/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON – OCTOBER 13: Yankee legend Yogi Berra arrives at NIAF’s 32nd Anniversary Awards Gala on October 13, 2007 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Nancy Ostertag/Getty Images) /

Only four players in the history of professional sports in North America have won at least 10 championships — Bill Russell, Sam Jones, Henri Richard, and Yogi Berra. Berra did so while playing the most grueling position in baseball, and the most important one; catcher.

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Berra is 32nd all-time in caught stealing percentage, had an overall fielding percentage of .989, and played 130 or more games behind the plate an astounding seven times in his career. He hit .283/.348/.480 as a catcher with 291 home runs. That’s all while commanding some of the best teams in Yankees history.

His 1,699 games as a catcher rank not only atop the Yankee leaderboard, but it’s 20th in MLB history. He’s also first in franchise history in WAR, JAWS, and OPS+ among all catchers, and in the top 20 in MLB history. His 18 All-Star Game appearances also rank second all-time in Yankees history among all position players.

Berra rounds out his accomplishments by being a three-time MVP, one of only ten players to win the award at least three times. He is not only the best catcher in New York Yankees history but one of the best players in the history of the franchise, thus he can’t be left out here.

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