July 2, 2024
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This week, we asked our writers to respond to the following:
It is pretty well established that the Yankees' "Mount Rushmore" consists of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle.
Four years ago, in this column, we asked who the next four would be, the Yankees' second "Mount Rushmore." A lot has changed since then - would Aaron Judge now be on the Yankees' second Mount Rushmore?
Which four Yankees are the next greatest of all time? Who makes up the Yankees' second Mount Rushmore?
Here are their replies -
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Paul Semendinger - For a team as storied as the Yankees, with a reputation for greatness and a brand built on championships, Aaron Judge still lacks a ring - or, many rings.
My Second Mount Rushmore for the Yankees would be:
Mariano Rivera
Yogi Berra
Derek Jeter
Whitey Ford
Judge is great. He's already eleventh all-time in WAR (position players) for the Yankees. By the end of his career, he could be in the Top 5. He might get a second MVP in 2024. He is an amazing player. But, he's not yet a Top 8 Yankee of All Time.
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Lincoln Mitchell - My next tier Yankees Mount Rushmore would be: Yogi Berra, Thurman Munson, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera. Judge is close but he needs to be part of a World Series winner or put up a few more great years first. That is not a criticism of Judge who is the best Yankees hitter since Mantle.
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Cary Greene - For me, the Yankees second Mount Rushmore is presently made up of Derek Jeter, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and Mariano Rivera. Red Ruffing, Willie Randolph, Andy Pettite, Bernie Williams, Ron Guidry and Thurman Munson are also part of Mount Rushmore 3.0 and 4.0 and in time, after it's all said and done, Aaron Judge may ascend the peak of the Yankees Mount Rushmore lists. Because Thurman Munson's career was cut short and because he was the heart and soul of Yankees squads that revitalized the championship pedigree of the franchise, I place Munson on Mount Rushmore 3.0 and as for Judge, if he can stay healthy and win a few championships, he'll go down as close to a modern day Babe Ruth as any Yankee will ever be.
Part of being an all-time great Yankee involves winning championships, for it is championships won that immortalizes Yankees legends.
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Mike Whiteman - Winning has historically been the Yankees' DNA. As great a player Judge is, I think he needs to play for a World Series winner to move up among the greats.
My second Yankee Mount Rushmore is somewhat changed from my 2020 selections. Am I getting wiser?
Yogi Berra
Derek Jeter
Mariano Rivera
Whitey Ford
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Tim Kabel - My choices for the second Mount Rushmore for the Yankees would be the following players: Yogi Berra, Derek Jeter, Whitey Ford, and Mariano Rivera. Yogi Berra was a Hall of Fame catcher. He won 10 World Series rings as a player and two more as a coach. Derek Jeter won five World Series rings. Whitey Ford was the best starting pitcher in Yankees’ history. Mariano Rivera was the greatest closer who ever played the game.
