All Yankees ALCS MVP’s starting with Graig Nettles and ending with Giancarlo Stanton

 

Graig Nettles 1981

During the strike shortened ALCS the Yankees swept the Oakland A’s in a best of five. Graig Nettles got it started in the home half of the first in game one ripping a three-run double. In a 13-3 offensive barrage in game two Nettles smacked a three-run home run and went four for four that afternoon and scored two runs and in the finale, Nettles doubled to centerfield to drive in three more runs in the 4-0 game three shutout. The Yankees’ third basemen batted .500 in the series, going six for twelve with a homer and nine runs batted in and scored two runs. And of course, his top-notch defense at the hot corner was a major factor too.

Bernie Williams 1996

The Yankees downed the Orioles in five games in the year that was the inception of the dynasty. In the infamous Jeffrey Maier game Bernie drove in the first run of the series with an RBI groundout scoring Tim Raines. In the bottom of the 11th Williams sent the Bronx faithful home happy with a walk-off solo home run when Bob Costas exulted. “It’s mighty high! It’s mighty far! And good night! In game two he got his team on the board again in the bottom of the first on a single to right field to score Derek Jeter then singled to left field in the 7th and subsequently scored on an RBI single by Cecil Fielder. In game three at Camden Yards Williams again singled to score Jeter then scored on the next at bat after a double by Tino Martinez. Bernie once again christened the scoring in game four when he smashed a two-run home run into the rightfield seats in the first inning then doubled in the 8th in an 8-4 victory. In the clincher Bernie doubled for the second consecutive game in the 1st then tacked on another hit with a single in the 7th in a Yankees 6-4 win where they reached the World Series for the first time in fifteen years. In five games the center fielder batted .474 going nine for nineteen with three doubles, two homers, six RBIs, six runs scored and a stolen base.

David Wells 1998

In the 125-win season Boomer earned the victory in game one logging 8.1 innings against a dynamite Cleveland Indians lineup. Wells earned seven K’s in the game one victory sending Kenny Lofton and Richie Sexson back to the dugout on strikes twice and whiffed Manny Ramirez swinging. The shutout was broken after he served up a two-run home run to Manny in the ninth, but the Yankees won 7-2. In a pivotal game five at The Jake with the series tied 2-2, Mr. Perfect pitched 7.1 innings of three run ball. He waved Manny Ramirez swinging twice, fanned Kenny Lofton and whiffed Omar Vizquel as his final batter of the evening as he rung up eleven Indians in the 5-3 win then Boomer tipped his hat to the crowd to jeer the Cleveland faithful after being relieved by Jeff Nelson in the 8th. The southpaw was 2-0 with a 2.87 ERA in two starts and pitched 15.2 innings while surrendering five earned runs, notched eighteen K’s, and only walked two batters.

Orlando Hernandez 1999

When the damn Yankees defeated the damned Red Sox in 1999 Orlando Hernandez, in game one pitched eight innings and gave up three runs while recording four strikeouts. After El Duque departed Bernie Williams hit a walk-off solo home run in the 9th. In the finale in game five Hernandez pitched seven innings while surrendering just one run and tallied seven strikeouts while striking out the side in the seventh. The Duke pitched fifteen innings, going 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA, yielded three earned runs and rung up thirteen Red Sox to prolong his rivals’ suffering.

David Justice 2000

In game two vs. the Seattle Mariners David Justice went one for four in game one with a double in the eighth. In game three Justice doubled to Centerfield to bring Derek Jeter home and hit a two-run single in the 9th and in game four hit a two-run home run in the eighth. In game six in the Bronx the midseason trade acquisition from Cleveland singled to right in the fourth then in the seventh with his team trailing by a run pulverized a majestic blast into the upper deck in right field for a three-run home run off Arthur Rhodes giving his team a 6-4 lead while Michael Kay jubilantly exulted “Get your tokens ready, you might be boarding the subway!” The Yankees won game six 9-7 to win the ALCS en route to a three-peat. Justice hit two home runs and drove in eight runs in the series, summated two doubles and crossed home plate four times.

Andy Pettitte 2001

Facing the MLB record setting 116-win Seattle Mariners Andrew Eugene Pettitte brought his A-game in game one throwing eight innings giving up a run and striking out seven. Through the first four innings the lefty faced the minimum twelve batters while walking Mike Cameron in the 2nd but was erased after a double play. During those first four innings he struck out Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner, and Ichiro Suzuki swinging. Pettitte surrendered a run in the 5th, then fanned four more batters the rest of the game then faced the minimum twelve batters in the 6th, 7th, and 8th while giving up a single to Edgar Martinez in the 7th then induced a ground ball and got Mike Cameron to ground into a double play. In game five Andy Pettitte threw 6.1 innings giving up three runs to earn the win and his team won another American League championship. The big game pitcher was 2-0 with a 2.51 ERA and summated 14.1 innings and eight strikeouts against a stacked lineup featuring two Hall of Famers, the 2001 MVP and Rookie of the Year in Ichiro, and three ’01 Silver Slugger award winners in Ichiro, Edgar Martinez, and Bret Boone.

Mariano Rivera 2003

Versus the Red Sox In one of the most classic seven game series the Yankees have ever played, the greatest closer of all time, did what he was best at and that was dominating in the postseason. In game two Rivera closed it out but showed he is human by conceding a run. He struck out two batters in the 9th and the Yankees evened the series 1-1. In game three when tempers flared and chaos ensued prior at Fenway Park Mariano went 1,2,3,4,5,6 retiring all six batters he faced in the 8th and 9th innings to earn the save. In game five at Fenway with the series tied 2-2 he was called upon for another six out save and he retired the Sox in the 8th then in the 9th got Bill Mueller and Trot Nixon to groundout then Jason Varitek to pop out to short and the Yankees came home up 3-2. In the pulsating winner take all game seven at Yankee Stadium after a dramatic comeback in the 8th the fireman was asked to keep Boston off the scoreboard. Rivera retired the Red Sox in the 9th, then in the 10th struck out Nomar Garciaparra looking then got Manny Ramirez to groundout. After giving up a double to David Ortiz “Mouthy Millar” was retired after Kevin Millar popped up to Jeter. Then in the 11th he sent down Trot Nixon, Bill Mueller, and Doug Mirabelli in order then in the bottom of the 11th the current manager sent the home crowd home ecstatic. After Aaron Boone’s walk-off home run it was bedlam in the Bronx and the curse lived for one more year. Rivera pitched eight innings in the series, gave up one run, struck out six, made two saves, and earned the win in game seven.

CC Sabathia 2009

In the inaugural season at the new Yankee Stadium the Yankees defeated the Angels in six games and Sabathia won two of them. In game one the Angels were held off the scoreboard for the first three innings. CC pitched a 1,2,3 inning in the 3rd, 5th, and 6th and completed eight innings of one run and seven strikeouts then handed the ball to Mariano Rivera. Game four was a duplicate pitching eight innings while only giving up a run and striking out five. CC pitched sixteen innings and recorded twelve strikeouts while going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA.

Giancarlo Stanton 2024

In a four games to one LCS win vs. the Guardians Giancarlo Stanton added to his impressive postseason repertoire. Stanton hit a solo home run in game one. Then in game three, continued to have a flare for the dramatic by swatting a dinger in the 8th inning off Emmanuel Clase who made 47 saves and sported a 0.61 ERA in 2024. In the 8th, just after Aaron Judge tied the game the two titans went back-to-back off Clase. In game four Stanton launched a mammoth three-run shot off Cade Smith into the bleachers and in game five tied the contest with a titanic blast off Tanner Bibee. Stanton had four hits in the series, all being home runs, drove in seven runs and scored five runs as the Yankees reached the World Series for the first time in fifteen years.