Yankee Vets Want Ring

Jason Giambi, Hideki Matsui, and Mike Mussina, all came to the Bronx in search of one thing: a World Series championship. They expected it, but as we've seen, winning a world series hasn't been as easy as some may have expected. Here's what the three of them had to say to Peter Abraham about chasing that elusive ring:

Jason Giambi:

"I thought by the time my contract was over, I would have played in the Series three or four times and won at least two of them," Giambi said yesterday. "We get to the playoffs every year, but we can't finish the job off."

"It would be huge," he said. "That's the main reason I came here, to win and play for the Yankees. I wanted that opportunity every single year. It would suck to say I played for the Yankees all those years and never won the World Series."

Mike Mussina:

"It would be nice to win it one time before I retire," Mussina said. "I knew it would be difficult, but I thought I had a better chance with the Yankees because they have been so successful. I was right because we've had our chances every year. But when you get in the playoffs, things can happen and happen quickly."

Mussina played 10 years in Baltimore with Cal Ripken Jr. "He used to tell us how Baltimore won it in his second year and he assumed they would be that good every year," Mussina said. "They never got there again. That's what made '01 and '03 hard - we had the chance.

"I think about what Cal said all the time. We've been in the playoffs every year, but winning the Series is not as easy as some people think it is. We're the best proof of that."

"When it's coming down the homestretch as far as a career goes, you realize it would be nice to say you won it at least once," he said. "It would mean a lot to me."

Hideki Matsui:

"Ever since I was young, the focus has been to win the championship. I won't feel complete with the Yankees without it," said Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui.

"I hoped when I signed with the Yankees that I would be part of a championship team. It's hard to say what changed," Matsui said. "It looked like a good situation then, and it still is. But we haven't been able to do it. For me, that's the biggest thing. I want to say I helped the Yankees win the championship."

I hope these three can finally get what they came here for.