Notebook: Monument Park honor 'overwhelming' to Goose Gossage
NEW YORK – Goose Gossage uncovered the display in front of home plate, and there it was, his plaque to be mounted in Monument Park, another old Yankee immortalized, this time during the Old-Timers' Day ceremonies Sunday at Yankee Stadium.
The plaque text began with these words: "One of the most intimidating pitchers to ever don pinstripes … "
"I used to spend a lot of time, six years out there in the bullpen, and look at those monuments," the Hall of Fame reliever told the crowd, referring to the old Stadium. "I can't even imagine having a plaque out there. This is overwhelming. I can't tell you what it means to me and my family. …
"This is the greatest day I've ever had."
A day after Tino Martinez was honored with a plaque, Gossage got his and obviously couldn't have been more thrilled. Paul O'Neill and Joe Torre are on deck to get theirs Aug. 9 and Aug. 23, respectively, and Bernie Williams is on next year's plaque roster.
Gossage was with the Yankees from their championship season of 1978 through 1983, then was back for part of the 1989 season. The nine-time All-Star went 42-28 with a 2.14 ERA and 151 saves as a Yankee.
Diana Munson, wearing a pinstriped No. 15 jersey in honor of her late husband and Gossage's former teammate, Thurman Munson, presented Gossage with a framed replica of the plaque from the Yankees. Gossage, dressed in his No. 54 pinstriped jersey, also received a No. 54 ring.
"I played for nine different teams," Gossage said, "and putting on the pinstripes was the closest thing to an out-of-body experience I've ever had."
Advice for Jeter: First-time old-timer Hideki Matsui was asked what advice he would give the retiring Derek Jeter.
"He's got to find a wife," Matsui said through an interpreter. "That's, I think, first and foremost."
Jeter said: "Everyone is so concerned. I'm all right."
Warren still relieving: Manager Joe Girardi again sounded down on moving Adam Warren from the bullpen to the rotation in place of the struggling Vidal Nuno.
"In a sense, you're robbing Peter to pay Paul," Girardi said before Warren gave up four runs in the eighth inning of an 8-0 loss to the Orioles.
"Whereas Warren has been able to help us twice out of every five days, you're only going to get one start every five days. He's been extremely important to our success in the bullpen. I know he's been talked about a lot, but our rotation is what it is."
Extra bases: Mark Teixeira lost a 10-game hitting streak. ... The Yankees were shut out for the third time this season.
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