HELPING HANDS: With veterans like Lyle Overbay (left) and Vernon Wells coming into the Yankees clubhouse, the Bombers hope their culture of winning permeates the newcomers. (
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Do the Yankees have “It”?
Because without Curtis Granderson, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira, they sure can use “It” with the season opening today in The Bronx.
Of course, we should start at the beginning: Does “It” even exist? And, if so, what is “It?”
We have entered the most logical age in baseball history. We questions wheter wins and batting average are as valuable as we for so long thought, and we wonder whether items such as “intangibles” and “It” are real and, even if they are, do victories flow from them in any significant way?
By “It,” I really think we are talking culture. Does, say, the loose atmosphere engendered by Rays manager Joe Maddon help Tampa’s players de-stress during the season, further fuel the David-vs.-Goliath ethos of the franchise and — most importantly — help produce wins?
And do the Yankees have their own culture of confidence and expectations that has enabled them to overcome all matter of injuries and roadblocks to make the playoffs in 17 of the past 18 years?
Or is it just talent? For going into last year, I would have believed the Phillies and Red Sox also had built such strong core values they would find a way to navigate any hurdle to remain high-performing teams. But both were beset by injuries and internal/management friction, and suddenly they weren’t who we thought they were.
Now here are the Yankees having endured the kind of spring that threatens to crumble an empire. There are injuries. Age. A lack of ready answers from the farm. And there is a sense — top to bottom — that the AL East has never been this good.
This feels like a recipe for fourth place — and that is where I picked the Yankees in our preview section.
Yet, I am uncomfortable with the pick, in the way you are never really sure Jason is dead in a “Friday the 13th” movie. I see trouble this season for the Yankees, but I will only truly believe they are dead when we are writing an obituary on this season in September.
Or as Andy Pettitte said, “There is not a fiber in me that thinks we will finish fourth or fifth. Until we are 20 out with 10 to play, then I’ll believe in us.”
Maybe this is “It” or culture or whatever you want to call this thing. The Yankees have done so much winning for so long, it seems part of their muscle memory; their confidence as much a weapon over 162 games as a good bullpen.
They never seemed to play well last year, yet won the most games in the AL — as if it is in their baseball DNA to reach ninety-something victories no matter what. Their older players who were belittled in spring — think Raul Ibanez, Eric Chavez, etc. — ended up being key contributors. Just like the year before (Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon, etc.). So we make fun this year, but should we?
“If Vernon Wells went to the Royals, he would have a .247 on-base percentage and be done,” a rival GM said. “But I bet you he helps the Yankees. For some reason, guys go there and whatever two percent or five percent of good baseball they have left, they give.”
Is that “It?” Mark Teixeira says veterans thrive because of the environment. They are surrounded by like-minded types who know how to prepare and play. They have made their money and are now trying to jam as much winning in as possible.
“There is no rebuilding anything here,” Teixeira said. “We’re here to win. Period. Guys on other teams are always trying to get good enough to get to the Red Sox and Yankees to make their money and win. But we are the Yankees, there is no place higher to go. So guys who were stars elsewhere come here and accept roles.”
Teixeira called this “culture,” and Orioles manager Buck Showalter was careful to differentiate the feel-good vibe of chemistry — which he thinks comes and goes — to culture, which he says has staying power. He insists the Yankees have culture. In some ways, he is one of the forefathers, having incubated a winning Yankee mentality/professionalism in the early 1990s that has persisted. He talks about the types who during a long season make their teammates better, who have a gigantic day-to-day impact beyond statistical reach.
“If you have enough of those guys, you are going to be fine, and the Yanks still have enough of those guys,” Showalter said. “They have the guys who are mentally tough enough to get through the tough times. Believe me when Mariano [Rivera], Derek and Andy go away, what the Yankees will miss more than anything, more than their talent, is who they are for 162 games. And they are not going to miss it this year, so they will be fine.”
That is the Yankees’ hope now as another season begins: That as a counter to all the injuries and age and competition and doubts — after all these years — they still have “It.”
joel.sherman@nypost.com