Yankees fill-in first baseman Lyle Overbay took a swing at some questions from Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Can you recall a memorable at bat against Mariano Rivera?
A: I try to forget the bad ones, but I remember breaking half of my bats off of him. But I think the one I remember is the one he ended up blowing the save. I ended up getting a base hit. I don’t know if I started it or not, but I scored the tying run. And that was the first time I’ve ever faced him and actually thought I had a chance. His cutter was so late-breaking, and for some reason that day, it wasn’t, it wasn’t the same, and I knew that we had a chance to get him.
Q: What’s the view of Mariano like from first base?
A: The only thing I always say I have to worry about is worrying about broken bats flying my way now (laugh). … I’m so glad that I’m on his side now. Even if guys know it’s coming, which they probably do know it’s coming — it’s a cutter and he’s thrown it for hundreds of years, it seems (laugh). … It’s amazing that he’s never had to make an adjustment.
Q: What was your view of Derek Jeter from afar?
A: I don’t think I’ve ever seen him not run a ball out. And it could be a two-hopper to the first baseman where he’s standing on the bag. He knows that so many people are watching him and there’s that role model where he has that privilege to show everybody that that’s how the game’s played, and if I can do it, then anybody else can do it.
Q: Have you had any success hitting against Andy Pettitte?
A: No, none at all. Wherever he’s goes, I’m going (laugh), or my hamstring’s gonna hurt that day that he’s pitching, ’cause I cannot figure him out.
Q: How would you describe the New York Yankee Way?
A: It’s kinda hard because it’s not anyway, anyhow, ’cause you don’t cheat to do it, but it’s expected to know your role, to know your game, to know what you’re supposed to do in pretty much every situation. It’s weird because I’ve been through different organizations, and it’s kinda like they’re lenient on those kinda things, where they’ll kinda forgive ya … and here, it’s no. Which it shouldn’t be. You take pride in knowing, trying to know what’s gonna happen before it happens, and I think that preparation is key.
Q: Favorite Yankee Stadium memories?
A: (Laugh) I didn’t hit very well in the old Stadium, so I was kinda glad that they … did this one. … It doesn’t matter if you were [a Yankees fan] or not, you idolized the Yankees, ’cause … they’re at the top of the food chain. And it’s just one of those things where I got to be in the same ballpark as some of those great guys. … My dad [a Yankees fan] got to come out and got to experience it all. We’re from the West Coast, so you don’t get out here very often, and it was a treat to kinda sit back and enjoy that.
Q: Who was his favorite Yankee?
A: Mickey Mantle.
Q: How would you describe your Red Sox career?
A: (Laugh) Brief! It’s not every day that within 48 hours you’re wearing a Red Sox and then a Yankee uniform.
Q: When Mark Teixeira comes back, then what?
A: Obviously, he’s the guy, I am never gonna deny that. I’m just hoping I can coexist with him. We do have the DH, maybe if he needs a day off or something, that kinda thing, but I don’t know, it kinda comes down to what they’re comfortable with.
Q: Do you enjoy playing in this market?
A: Yeah, I love it. I think sometimes it coulda got overwhelming if I was younger, that kinda thing when you kinda get in that spotlight. I’m definitely fortunate that I’m here later in my career (chuckle) than earlier in my career.
Q: Lyle Overbay scouting report.
A: Gap guy … someone who takes pride in their defense, first base, obviously I don’t play any other position. … A good defensive first baseman that can hit, not saying for a lot of power. I always say you can hit 30 home runs and drive in runs, you can hit 10 home runs and drive in runs.
Q: Who are some players you like watching?
A: Matt Kemp … probably the one that I’ve been amazed is Miguel Cabrera. He takes balls that are off the plate and he hits ’em for home runs, he hits ’em for line drives. … It’s crazy.
Q: Tell me about the “O” chants.
A: In Milwaukee, they have the Buckethead Brigade or whatever, and they would bring Os, and all of a sudden it just started snowballing I guess a little bit. There was one time where Brian Schneider, he was with the Nationals, he said it was like a kickoff in a football game it sounded like. And I kinda stepped back and I really listened, and I’m like, “Oh it does!” I was like, “That’s pretty cool.” I didn’t really grasp the magnitude of it until he pointed it out.
Q: Your impression of Yankees fans now that they’re on your side.
A: (Laugh) I’ll tell you what, it’s a lot better when they’re on your side than the other. It’s cool when they’re calling out your name at the beginning of the game. I want to ask Robby [Cano] if he ever gets tired of it ’cause that’s kinda the coolest thing ever. I’m thinking, “I’ll never get tired of that.”
Q: What are some 2001 World Series memories?
A: I was a September call-up [Diamondbacks]. They wanted me to go to winter ball, but this is by far one of the best memories ever. … I was in winter ball in Mexico, and they had the games on the Jumbotron, and they had it on during our game. I timed it to where they would be pitching and I would be out of the box if I was up to the plate. And then, I would step into the box when they got done pitching so I wouldn’t miss a pitch (laugh). I was more concerned about watching the game than I was my at bats. It was pretty cool to watch that. That was one of the best series of games, I think, to this day. What’s funny is two years ago, they brought the team back to Arizona and I was there and they put me as part of the team or whatever, and I’m like, “I didn’t even get a ring.” Still a little bitter about it (shrug), but what are you gonna do?
Q: You hit into an unassisted triple play vs. the Indians in 2008?
A: Yeah, pretty proud of that. There’s only 17 people I think have done that. I’m in an elite squad right there (laugh).
Q: How much did your broken wrist in 2007 hinder you?
A: The first couple of years I struggled just because I had never been through an injury and I never had to really make an adjustment, and I didn’t think I needed to. I was stubborn, so I think it cost me a little bit as far as not maybe stepping back and kinda making sure that it was right.
Q: Was your boyhood dream to play Major League Baseball?
A: Absolutely. I was destined to break Hank Aaron’s record (smile). That’s all I wanted to do.
Q: John Olerud was your guy though, right?
A: When I got older I kinda figured out that maybe I need to reevaluate (laugh). When I was a kid, yeah, I was a big Olerud fan, a big Bo Jackson fan.
Q: Did you collect baseball cards?
A: Yeah, yeah. Actually a couple of years ago, my mom, they were up in her attic and now they’re in mine. She pushed everything over to me, but she [had] kept all of ’em. I’ve got probably over three [or] four hundred. Bo Jackson cards. I’d trade anything and everything for a Bo Jackson baseball card or football card.
Q: Are your three boys — ages 9, 8 and 4 — into baseball?
A: They pretty much live and die baseball (laugh). That’s all we do is play Wiffle ball out in the backyard, and that’s kinda why we kinda got out of the city [to Greenwich, Conn.].
Q: Any of them lefty hitters?
A: No, I don’t know what happened there (laugh). They all throw righthanded. They switch-hit a little bit.
Q: Were you and your wife happy that your fourth child (11 months) was a girl?
A: I think we were both happy that it was a healthy baby. I think my wife secretly wanted a girl ’cause she’s spoiled rotten. She dresses her up, and she does all that stuff. I’m glad I got a girl too.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “The Dark Knight.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Russell Crowe.
Q: Favorite entertainer?
A: Pearl Jam.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Filet mignon.
Q: Hobbies?
A: Besides spending time with the boys, I love golf. I always tell everybody I’m a golfer playing baseball. Until I get my Tour card, I gotta play baseball (chuckle).
Q: What would it mean to you to win a championship?
A: Everything. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. You come back 10 years from now and the team comes back and everybody knows that. You hit 70 home runs, they know that, but you don’t come back and enjoy it with anybody else. That’s the ultimate goal and the ultimate prize, that you get to celebrate with everybody, it’s not just a personal thing, it’s the ultimate.