Mariano Rivera wants the bullpen, Bernie Williams covets the 408-foot sign from centerfield, and Johnny Damon is seeking seats.
George Steinbrenner may get back a good portion of the inflated payrolls he doled out over the years — because the biggest buyers of Yankee Stadium memorabilia are likely to be Yankees.
“There’s been tremendous interest from the players,” said Brandon Steiner, whose company, Steiner Sports, is handling the Yankee sale.
Rivera, the Yankee closer since 1997, wants to own much of the bullpen, including the bench, and is likely to get first dibs on the pitching rubber from which he threw the team’s final out at the Stadium Sept. 21.
Rivera pitched the last inning, shutting down the Orioles 7-3.
No price has been set for the centerfield sign that Williams wants, but Steiner expects it could go for $25,000.
Johnny Damon has expressed interest in buying the foul poles and placing them near his home in Florida.
“I really wanted both foul poles ’til word leaked out, and now I am not sure it is going to be possible because everyone knows that I want them,” Damon said.
Derek Jeter also wants seats — plus the Joe DiMaggio sign hanging on the top of the tunnel from the clubhouse to the dugout.
The sign quotes Joltin’ Joe as saying, “I want to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee,” and Jeter tapped it before every game.
Many players, including Reggie Jackson, David Cone and Mike Mussina, plan to purchase their lockers, Steiner said.
The lockers could go for as much as $50,000.