Saturday, May 30, 2020

#437 Chico Cardenas - Cincinnati Reds


Leonardo Lazaro Cardenas
Cincinnati Reds
Shortstop

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  160
Born:  December 17, 1938, Matanzas, Cuba
Acquired:  Sent from Tuscon (Arizona-Mexico League) to the Cincinnati Reds in an unknown transaction before 1957 season
Major League Teams:  Cincinnati Reds 1960-1968; Minnesota Twins 1969-1971; California Angels 1972; Cleveland Indians 1973; Texas Rangers 1974-1975

Nicknamed "Chico" or "Mr. Automatic," Leo Cardenas was a five-time All-Star, a Gold Glove winner in 1965 and one of the best fielding shortstops of the 1960s.  No one else played more games at shortstop in the National League than Cardenas between 1964 and 1966, and he was regularly among the league leaders in all defensive categories.  A lifetime .257 hitter, Cardenas played for 16 seasons and tallied 1,941 career games with 1,843 appearances at shortstop.  He accumulated 1,725 hits, 285 doubles, 118 home runs and 689 RBIs.

Building the Set
February 29, 2020 from King of Prussia, PA - Card #69
Doug and I attended the Philadelphia Sportscard & Memorabilia Show held on the bottom floor of the Valley Forge Casino on the final day of February.  This was our first baseball card show of 2020 and the fourth show we've attended in Valley Forge since March 2019.  I did a post over at The Phillies Room with a few pictures of Doug taken with some of the show's autograph guests.  We ended up adding 23 cards to our set.

This Cardenas card was from an initial batch of 17 commons and semi-stars purchased from John's Sports Cards within the first hour of our arrival.  I didn't track each individual price of the cards purchased, but this card was from a half-price binder and the 17-card lot cost me $50 total.  John's table has been located in the back right of the showroom floor for as long as we've been going to these shows, and I know I've bought a bunch of vintage Topps cards from him in the past including cards needed for my 1971 Topps set.  He's one of those dealers who you can't help but remember, probably because he genuinely seems happy and to be enjoying what he's doing.  Doug and I would come back to him later in the show for a few major purchases for our set, and I'll eventually feature all cards added in upcoming posts.

The Card
For all of his Topps cards issued in the 1960s, "Chico" is used as Cardenas' first name.  It switches over to "Leo" beginning with his 1970 Topps card until his last Topps card issued in 1976.  The cartoon on the back celebrates his .333 batting average in the 1961 World Series against the Yankees, but it should be noted he went 1 for 3 in three pinch-hitting appearances.  His lone hit was a double off the Yankees' Luis Arroyo in the ninth inning of Game 3.  Cardenas was stranded at second and the Reds lost, 3-2.

Reds Team Set

1965 Season
Cardenas was the regular shortstop for the Reds, starting 155 of their 162 games and missing only seven starts in early September.  Tommy Helms (#243) filled in for him during those seven games.  Pete Rose (#207) was his primary double play partner, as Rose started all 162 Reds games.  Cardenas hit .287 with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs for a Reds team that finished fourth in the National League.  As mentioned above, Cardenas won a Gold Glove for his stellar defense at shortstop.

1960 Topps #119
1962 Topps #381
1970 Topps #245
1973 Topps #522
1976 Topps #587
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1960 Topps #119
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (16):  1960-1973, 1975-1976
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1986 TCMA All-Time Cincinnati Reds  #7

102 - Cardenas non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/13/20.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia

In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year.  Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.

Prior Card:  #436 Don Elston - Chicago Cubs

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

#417 Ed Brinkman - Washington Senators


Edwin Albert Brinkman
Washington Senators
Shortstop

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  170
Born:  December 8, 1941, Cincinnati, OH
Signed:  Signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent before 1961 season
Major League Teams:  Washington Senators 1961-1970; Detroit Tigers 1971-1974; St. Louis Cardinals 1975; Texas Rangers 1975; New York Yankees 1975
Died:  September 30, 2008, Cincinnati, OH (age 66)

1987 Topps #356
A Gold Glove winner in 1972 and an All-Star in 1973 with the Tigers, Ed Brinkman was a steady fielding shortstop over 15 big league seasons.  A teammate of Pete Rose (#207) in high school, Brinkman signed with the Senators in 1961 and spent 10 seasons with the club as their regular shortstop.  Under the tutelage of manager Ted Williams, Brinkman hit .266 for the Senators in 1969, a career high.  Traded to the Tigers in October 1970 in the deal that sent Denny McLain (#236) to the Senators, Brinkman was one of the top players for the club despite his low batting average.  He helped lead the Tigers to the 1972 ALCS and was named Tiger of the Year that season even though he hit just .203.

Brinkman was consistently among the league leaders in defensive categories throughout his career, but in 1,846 career games he hit only .224.  Later as a minor league manager in the Tigers system for the Montgomery Rebels, he helped develop young infield prospects Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker.  He spent a season with the Tigers in 1979 on their coaching staff, and was the infield coach for the White Sox between 1983 and 1988.  Brinkman made a cameo on the White Sox Team Leaders card with Julio Cruz in the 1987 Topps set.  If I had to guess, I'd say I personally own at least 10 copies of this card based on the number of 1987 Topps packs I opened as a kid and how familiar I am with this particular card.

Building the Set
February 29, 2020 from King of Prussia, PA - Card #68
Doug and I attended the Philadelphia Sportscard & Memorabilia Show held on the bottom floor of the Valley Forge Casino on the final day of February.  This was our first baseball card show of 2020 and the fourth show we've attended in Valley Forge since March 2019.  I did a post over at The Phillies Room with a few pictures of Doug taken with some of the show's autograph guests.  We ended up adding 23 cards to our set.

This Brinkman card was from an initial batch of 17 commons and semi-stars purchased from John's Sports Cards within the first hour of our arrival.  I didn't track each individual price of the cards purchased, but this card was from a half-price binder and the 17-card lot cost me $50 total.  John's table has been located in the back right of the showroom floor for as long as we've been going to these shows, and I know I've bought a bunch of vintage Topps cards from him in the past including cards needed for my 1971 Topps set.  He's one of those dealers who you can't help but remember, probably because he genuinely seems happy and to be enjoying what he's doing.  Doug and I would come back to him later in the show for a few major purchases for our set, and I'll eventually feature all cards added in upcoming posts.

The Card
Brinkman's high school career is highlighted on the back of the card.  Mentioned above, he was a teammate of Rose's and his SABR biography includes a quote from their high school coach describing Rose as "a good ballplayer (but) not a Brinkman."  Brinkman apparently had offers from 15 different teams following his senior year of high school, but he signed with the Senators as he realized the expansion team gave him the best chance of moving up the ranks quickly.  He made his debut with the Senators as a September call-up in 1961.

Senators Team Set

1965 Season
Only 23 at the start of the 1965 season, Brinkman was already in his third year as the everyday shortstop for the Senators.  He hit .185 (a career low) but started 131 of the team's 162 games.  His SABR biography notes he struck up a strong friendship with teammate Frank Howard (#40), who he played with between 1965 and 1970, and then again between 1972 and 1973 with the Tigers.

1963 Topps #479
1968 Topps #49
1970 Topps #711
1973 Topps #5
1975 Topps #439
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1963 Topps #479
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (14):  1963-1975, 1987
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1987 Topps #356

69 - Brinkman non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/13/20.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year.  Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.

Prior Card:  #416 Jim Brewer - Los Angeles Dodgers

Monday, May 25, 2020

#407 Lee Maye - Milwaukee Braves


Arthur Lee Maye
Milwaukee Braves
Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  190
Born:  December 11, 1934, Tuscaloosa, AL
Signed:  Signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent, June 1954
Major League Teams:  Milwaukee Braves 1959-1965; Houston Astros 1965-1966; Cleveland Indians 1967-1969; Washington Senators 1969-1970; Chicago White Sox 1970-1971
Died:  July 17, 2002, Riverside, CA (age 67)

An outfielder and pinch-hitter on the baseball diamond, Lee Maye moonlighted as a successful R&B and doo wop singer in the 1950s, leading his band Arthur Lee Maye and the Crowns.  Maye bounced around during his 13-year big league career, playing the bulk of his years with the Braves.  His best seasons came with the Braves in 1963 and 1964.  As the club's regular center fielder in 1964, Maye hit .304 with 10 home runs and 74 RBIs while leading the N.L. in doubles with 44.  He never quite recaptured the success he had with the Braves in the mid-1960s, and he was never again a regular player for any team following the 1965 season.  Over the final six seasons of his career, Maye spent time with the Astros, Indians, Senators and White Sox.

In 1,288 career games, Maye hit .274 with 1,109 hits, 94 home runs and 419 RBIs.

Building the Set
February 29, 2020 from King of Prussia, PA - Card #67
Doug and I attended the Philadelphia Sportscard & Memorabilia Show held on the bottom floor of the Valley Forge Casino on the final day of February.  This was our first baseball card show of 2020 and the fourth show we've attended in Valley Forge since March 2019.  I did a post over at The Phillies Room with a few pictures of Doug taken with some of the show's autograph guests.  We ended up adding 23 cards to our set.

This Maye card was from an initial batch of 17 commons and semi-stars purchased from John's Sports Cards within the first hour of our arrival.  I didn't track each individual price of the cards purchased, but this card was from a half-price binder and the 17-card lot cost me $50 total.  John's table has been located in the back right of the showroom floor for as long as we've been going to these shows, and I know I've bought a bunch of vintage Topps cards from him in the past including cards needed for my 1971 Topps set.  He's one of those dealers who you can't help but remember, probably because he genuinely seems happy and to be enjoying what he's doing.  Doug and I would come back to him later in the show for a few major purchases for our set, and I'll eventually feature all cards added in upcoming posts.


The Card
Maye's singing prowess is reported by Topps on the back of his card.  With the lead vocalist for the Crowns, as a backing singer and later as a solo artist, Maye made several popular recordings throughout the '50s, '60s, '70s and into the '80s.  The Crowns had modest hits in the Los Angeles area with "Truly" and "Love Me Always" on the Modern label.  In 1956, their best known record, "Gloria," was released on the Specialty label.  Maye also recorded the song "Moonlight" in the mid-1980s which would appear on several doo wop compilation releases.  Maye, at card #62, is one of 72 players featured within the 1965 Topps Embossed insert set and one of four Braves in the set.  He's also in the harder to find 1965 Topps Transfers insert set.

Braves Team Set

1965 Season
Maye began 1965 as the Braves' opening day center fielder and was hitting .326 through the first two weeks of the season when a leg injury cost him three weeks.  He had briefly returned from the disabled list when the Braves traded him to the Astros on May 23rd for Jim Beauchamp (#409) and Ken Johnson (#359).  Maye was upset to leave the Braves, as he had been part of the franchise for 11 years, but he'd see regular playing time as the Astros' left fielder.  In 108 games with the Astros, Maye hit .251 with 3 home runs and 36 RBIs.  A shaky defender for most of his career, Maye found playing the outfield in the Astrodome to be especially challenging.

1960 Topps #246
1962 Topps #518
1966 Topps #162
1970 Topps #439
1971 Topps #733
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1960 Topps #246
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (12):  1960-1971
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1978 TCMA The 1960s I #107

51 - Maye non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/8/20.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
Discogs.com
SABR
The Trading Card Database

In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year.  Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.

Prior Card:  #406 Ralph Terry - Cleveland Indians

Saturday, May 23, 2020

#348 George Banks - Cleveland Indians


George Edward Banks
Cleveland Indians
Outfield-Third Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  185
Born:  September 2, 1938, Pacolet Mills, SC
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1957 season
Major League Teams:  Minnesota Twins 1962-1964; Cleveland Indians 1964-1966
Died:  March 1, 1985, Spartanburg, SC (age 46)

In 11 seasons in the minor leagues, George Banks hit 223 home runs, topping the 25 home run mark in 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, and 1965.  Originally signed by the Yankees, he was left unprotected in the 1961 rule 5 draft and following his selection by the Twins stayed on the Twins' major league roster for the entire season.  That 1962 season was his only full season in the big leagues.  Traded to the Indians in June 1964, Banks appeared in only 17 games with the club over three different seasons.  He retired with a lifetime .219 average in the majors with 9 home runs and 27 RBIs.

In 1985, Banks died at the age of 46 from ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).

Building the Set
February 29, 2020 from King of Prussia, PA - Card #66
Doug and I attended the Philadelphia Sportscard & Memorabilia Show held on the bottom floor of the Valley Forge Casino on the final day of February.  This was our first baseball card show of 2020 and the fourth show we've attended in Valley Forge since March 2019.  I did a post over at The Phillies Room with a few pictures of Doug taken with some of the show's autograph guests.  We ended up adding 23 cards to our set.

This Banks card was from an initial batch of 17 commons and semi-stars purchased from John's Sports Cards within the first hour of our arrival.  I didn't track each individual price of the cards purchased, but this card was from a half-price binder and the 17-card lot cost me $50 total.  John's table has been located in the back right of the showroom floor for as long as we've been going to these shows, and I know I've bought a bunch of vintage Topps cards from him in the past including cards needed for my 1971 Topps set.  He's one of those dealers who you can't help but remember, probably because he genuinely seems happy and to be enjoying what he's doing.  Doug and I would come back to him later in the show for a few major purchases for our set, and I'll eventually feature all cards added in upcoming posts.

The Card
This is one of four Topps cards for Banks, and it's highly probable he's actually wearing a Twins uniform in this photo.  His 30 home runs bested teammate Rich Barry for the Eastern League lead in 1961 while both were members of the Birminghan Triplets, the Yankees Class A farm team.

Indians Team Set

1965 Season
Banks was a late September call-up by the Indians, appearing in only four games and batting .200 (1 for 5) with a double.  Three of his four appearances were pinch-hitting appearances and his only start came on the final day of the season when he started at third for the Indians.  With the Portland Beavers, the Indians' top farm club, Banks hit .279 with a team-leading 35 home runs.  He had 95 RBIs, second on the Beavers to Bill Davis (#546) who drove in 106.

1963 Topps #564
1964 Topps #223
1966 Topps #488
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1963 Topps #564
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1963-1966
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1966 Topps #488

10 - Banks non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/8/20.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia

In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year.  Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.

Prior Card:  #347 Roy Face - Pittsburgh Pirates

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

#152 Phil Ortega - Washington Senators


Filomeno Coronada Ortega
Washington Senators
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  170
Born:  October 7, 1939, Gilbert, AZ
Signed:  Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent before 1959 season
Major League Teams:  Los Angeles Dodgers 1960-1964; Washington Senators 1965-1968; California Angels 1969

After a few cups of coffee with the Dodgers in each season between 1960 and 1963, Phil Ortega got a chance to pitch a full season with the club in 1964 and he did not disappoint.  Ortega went 7-9 with a 4.00 ERA, pitching three complete game shutouts along the way.  He was dealt to the Senators following the 1964 season, where he'd spend the next four seasons and the bulk of his 10-year big league career.  In 204 games with the Dodgers, Senators and his brief final year stint with the Angels, Ortega was 46-62 with a 4.43 ERA.

Building the Set
February 29, 2020 from King of Prussia, PA - Card #65
Doug and I attended the Philadelphia Sportscard & Memorabilia Show held on the bottom floor of the Valley Forge Casino on the final day of February.  This was our first baseball card show of 2020 and the fourth show we've attended in Valley Forge since March 2019.  I did a post over at The Phillies Room with a few pictures of Doug taken with some of the show's autograph guests.  We ended up adding 23 cards to our set.

This Ortega card was from an initial batch of 17 commons and semi-stars purchased from John's Sports Cards within the first hour of our arrival.  I didn't track each individual price of the cards purchased, but this card was from a half-price binder and the 17-card lot cost me $50 total.  John's table has been located in the back right of the showroom floor for as long as we've been going to these shows, and I know I've bought a bunch of vintage Topps cards from him in the past including cards needed for my 1971 Topps set.  He's one of those dealers who you can't help but remember, probably because he genuinely seems happy and to be enjoying what he's doing.  Doug and I would come back to him later in the show for a few major purchases for our set, and I'll eventually feature all cards added in upcoming posts.

President Johnson and manager Gil Hodges, April 12, 1965
The Card
Until starting this project and collecting these cards, I didn't realize Topps was updating its flagship cards for offseason trades way back in 1965.  On December 4, 1964, the Dodgers traded Ortega, Frank Howard (#40), Ken McMullen (#319), Pete Richert (#252) and player to be named later Dick Nen (#466) to the Senators for John Kennedy (#119), Claude Osteen (#570) and $100,000.  All but Howard, whose card is in the first series of the set, appear with their new team on their respective cards.  Howard is still shown with the Dodgers on his card.

Senators Team Set

1965 Season
Ortega was the Senators' opening day starter against the Red Sox in 1965, and he took the mound shortly after President Lyndon Johnson had thrown out the ceremonial first pitch.  Ortega appeared in 35 games for the Senators, making 29 starts and going 12-15 with a 5.11 ERA.  His number of starts tied him for the team lead with Richert, who fared better than Ortega with a 15-12 record and a 2.60 ERA.  Ortega led the A.L. in earned runs allowed with 102

1962 Topps #69
1964 Topps #291
1966 Topps #416
1967 Topps #493
1969 Topps #406
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1962 Topps #69
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (8):  1962-1969
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1981 TCMA The 1960s II #390

30 - Ortega non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/7/20.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database

In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year.  Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.

Prior Card:  #151 Kansas City Athletics Team Card

Monday, May 18, 2020

#96 Sonny Siebert - Cleveland Indians


Wilfred Charles Siebert
Cleveland Indians
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  190
Born:  January 14, 1937, St. Mary, MO
Signed:  Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent before 1958 season
Major League Teams: Cleveland Indians 1964-1969; Boston Red Sox 1969-1973; Texas Rangers 1973; St. Louis Cardinals 1974; San Diego Padres 1975; Oakland Athletics 1975

Drafted by both the Indians and the St. Louis Hawks of the NBA, Sonny Siebert opted for a baseball career and spent 12 years in the majors as a successful starting pitcher.  He had been drafted as an outfielder, and after two seasons in the Indians minor league system he convinced the club to let him switch to pitching.  The move paid off as Siebert went 61-48 for the Indians with a 2.76 ERA between 1964 and 1969.  He threw a no-hitter against the Senators on June 10, 1966, and he was an A.L. All-Star that season as well.  He'd return to the All-Star Game in 1971 with the Red Sox.  Siebert finished in the top ten in A.L. ERA in four different seasons (1965, 1966, 1967 and 1971) and was a 16-game winner three times.

Siebert owned a career record of 140-114 and a 3.21 ERA with 1,512 strikeouts.  He's the last A.L. pitcher to hit two home runs in one game, accomplishing the feat on September 2, 1971.  He had a career batting average of .173 with 12 home runs.  Siebert was a pitching coach at various levels in the Padres and Rockies organizations between 1985 and 1998, serving as the pitching coach for the Padres in 1994 and 1995.

Building the Set
February 29, 2020 from King of Prussia, PA - Card #64
Doug and I attended the Philadelphia Sportscard & Memorabilia Show held on the bottom floor of the Valley Forge Casino on the final day of February.  This was our first baseball card show of 2020 and the fourth show we've attended in Valley Forge since March 2019.  I did a post over at The Phillies Room with a few pictures of Doug taken with some of the show's autograph guests.  We ended up adding 23 cards to our set.

This Siebert card was from an initial batch of 17 commons and semi-stars purchased from John's Sports Cards within the first hour of our arrival.  I didn't track each individual price of the cards purchased, but this card was from a half-price binder and the 17-card lot cost me $50 total.  John's table has been located in the back right of the showroom floor for as long as we've been going to these shows, and I know I've bought a bunch of vintage Topps cards from him in the past including cards needed for my 1971 Topps set.  He's one of those dealers who you can't help but remember, probably because he genuinely seems happy and to be enjoying what he's doing.  Doug and I would come back to him later in the show for a few major purchases for our set, and I'll eventually feature all cards added in upcoming posts.

The Card
Looking closely at the card, it looks to me as if Topps cut around the trees behind Siebert and added a solid blue matte to the background.  It's really strange up close.  Also strange to me is that Topps continued to use an Indians logo first introduced by the team in 1949, to celebrate their 1948 World Series victory, and that hadn't been used as an alternate logo since 1955.  The crowned Indian had been phased out by the club ten years prior to the issuance of this card, yet that's the logo appearing on all 1965 Topps Indians cards.

The game referenced on the top back of the card happened on May 10, 1964 in Cleveland Stadium.  Siebert was the fourth pitcher used by the Indians as starter Dick Donovan had been knocked out after just 1/3 of an inning.  Among his 11 strikeout victims were three players he struck out twice - Tom Tresh (#440), Elston Howard (#450) and Mickey Mantle (#350).

Indians Team Set

1965 Season
Siebert appeared in 39 games and made 27 starts, going 16-8 with a 2.43 ERA.  He and Sam McDowell (#76) were fairly dominant atop the Indians rotation, as McDowell was 17-11 with a 2.18 ERA, but then things fell apart after that pair pitched.  Siebert was third on the team in innings pitched with 188 2/3, behind McDowell's 273 and Luis Tiant's (#145) 196 1/3 innings.

1964 Topps #552
1966 Topps #197
1969 Topps #455
1971 Topps #710
1975 Topps #328
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1964 Topps #552
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (12):  1964-1975
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1976 SSPC #484

81 - Siebert non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/7/20.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia

In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year.  Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.

Prior Card:  #95 Bill Mazeroski - Pittsburgh Pirates
Next Card:  #97 Pedro Gonzalez - New York Yankees