They were all pups together back in 1995, young Yankees with dreams. The gangly shortstop from Kalamazoo . . . the skinny, religious Panamian pitcher . . . the thick-legged catcher from Puerto Rico.
And none of them possibly could have seen this day in their dreams.
Mariano Rivera, 580 saves later, and Jorge Posada, 270 home runs later, could not possibly have imagined a sunsplashed day in July 2011 when the gangly shortstop would chase down 3,000 hits . . . with a home run, no less.
Rivera, 41 now, made his Yankees debut on May 23, 1995; Posada, 40 next month, debuted on Sept. 4, 1995; Jeter, 37, on May 29, 1995.
And so it was more than fitting that after Jeter — who started the day Captain 2,998 and ended it Captain 3,003 with a historic 5-for-5 day, who became Captain 3,000 with a home run to left off a David Price curveball, who had driven in the run that gave the Yankees a 5-4 lead and eventual victory in the eighth with an RBI single up the middle — the skinny, religious Panamanian closer was summoned to save the gangly shortstop’s day. Which he did in the ninth with that cutter that still breaks Father Time’s bat.
Posada summed it up best when he talked about how Jeter — just like Michael Jordan, just like the young Tiger Woods — can magically turn into Frank Sinatra on the big stage.
“He looks forward to things like today,” Posada said. “You know, 5-for-5 don’t come easily. For him, he looks forward to that moment, and today was a perfect example of looking forward to that moment. … He’s amazing.”
Rivera would second that emotion.
“I can expect nothing less than that from him,” Rivera said. “He takes the challenge, and he takes it personal.”
Rivera expressed shock that Jeter didn’t hit for the cycle.
“I was expecting a triple,” he said, and smiled.
Rivera and Posada had marched into the interview room together, each wearing a blue Derek Jeter 3K T-shirt. Posada was asked about the bearhug he planted on Jeter near home plate after the historic home run. It was more than fitting that Posada was the first Yankee to greet Jeter.
“I’m proud of you,” Posada told his friend.
In the interview room, Posada admitted: “I got a little emotional.”
Mr. November . . . The Flip . . . passing Lou Gehrig on the Yankees hit list. Now this.
“This definitely ranks up there No. 1 to me,” Rivera said. “You’re talking about from Babe Ruth to Yogi Berra and DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and all those guys — and none of them have 3,000, and then here comes Derek Jeter.”
So Rivera knew he had no choice but to save Jeter’s day.
“It put a little bit more pressure,” Rivera said, and smiled.
Rivera and Posada hailed Jeter’s relentless preparation and consistency over the years.
“I hope that he has another thousand or two more,” Rivera said.
Outside the Yankees clubhouse, an old familiar face, who had witnessed it all from behind the third-base side of the screen behind home plate in Section 121 B, who shared four championships with Jeter, was beaming.
“He’s been about a loyal a Yankee, and as proud of being a Yankee of anybody I’ve ever been around,” Joe Torre said. “He’s a Yankee through and through. I don’t think it was any secret that he always wanted to be a Yankee, and that’s pretty cool.”
Torre had just spoken to Jeter.
“I learned early on in my stay here that he certainly knew what he was here to do, and that his priorities were always in order,” Torre said. “I’m just very proud of what he’s done . . . proud for him . . . proud for myself. I saw most of the hits, which is pretty amazing.”
Torre knew from the crack of the bat that Captain 2,999 would be Captain 3,000 with that classic, dramatic home run into the left-field seats over the deeper of the two red-and-white State Farm signs.
“He stayed back on it pretty good,” Torre said. “He had good extension on it. I think I learned from my managing days you look at the outfielder [Matt Joyce]. You don’t watch the ball.”
Torre smiled again at the mention of Rivera closing the show.
“And Jorgie [Posada] was in the lineup,” Torre said. “And Jorgie was the first one to hug him. I thought it was great. That’s probably the only time you see Jeter break into a smile when the game’s not over, that’s when he saw Jorgie at home plate.”
Posada and Jeter: four rings together. Rivera and Jeter: five rings together. Pride of the Yankees, still.