Even More Yankees' Favorite Stadium Memories

Yesterday I posted this about the recent articles about current and former Yankees' favorite Stadium memories.

Now there is this article from Pete Caldera of The Record which includes memories from Pettitte, A-Rod, Mussina, Posada, Jeter, and Girardi.

“My greatest memory was seeing that final out in ‘96,” Andy Pettitte said of Charlie Hayes grabbing the pop-up that put away Game 6 of the World Series, the Yanks’ first title since 1978. “If you never won another one, you won a World Series.”

Alex Rodriguez takes his game-winning grand slam off Baltimore closer Chris Ray, April 7, 2007, over his three-homer, 10 RBI night in 2005 against the Angels.

“No. 1, I came off a rough year (2006), and it kind of set the tone for a magical season for me personally,” A-Rod said of quieting the boos and launching into an MVP year. “It just gave me a lot of momentum, a lot of equity to relax and enjoy the season.”

Twelve days later, A-Rod’s game-winning homer capped a six-run, ninth-inning comeback to beat Cleveland. “Our team was really struggling early on,” Rodriguez said. “To have two wins ... in that fashion, were big momentum changers.”

Asked to pick their greatest game at the Stadium, so many of the Yankee veterans go back to Thursday night, Oct. 16, 2003.

“I sat here until two, three in the morning and just thought, ‘How in the world did we win?’ ” said Mike Mussina, who pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Roger Clemens.

“That’s still going to be [number one],” Mussina said. Coming out of the bullpen, “I was involved in a way that I’d never been in involved before, and it makes it stick out that much more. I’m sure, for a lot of people, it’s one of their biggest memories of this stadium.”

That’s No. 1 for Hideki Matsui, too.

“Everything about that game, I think I would never forget,” said Matsui, who ranked Game 7 above his opening day grand slam earlier that year — becoming the first Yankee in history to hit a grand slam in his first game at the Stadium.

“The opening day is a really memorable game, but, personally, I feel more that Game 7 of the ALCS was my favorite game,”

“The big hit for me in the playoffs, against the Red Sox,” Posada said, listing his most cherished game moments. Among his souvenirs, Posada mentions having caught David Wells’ perfect game in 1998, and postseason home runs.

“But I think, team-wise, it’s the World Series. Every one of them,” Posada said. “Even the ones we lost.”

“I think that World Series in 2001 was pretty special. The excitement that was here, the circumstances,” Jeter said. “And I think every kid dreams of winning a World Series game with a home run.”

But for Jeter, that Stadium moment still ranks behind winning the ’96 World Series.

“I know it’s a team thing,” Jeter said. “But the last out...”

Even manager Joe Girardi picked Hayes’ catch over his own, pivotal triple in that Game 6, off Atlanta’s Greg Maddux. “Because that’s the realization when a kid’s dream comes true,” said Girardi, who also caught David Cone’s perfect game in 1999.

“You can hit a triple in the World Series and not win the World Series. But the actual celebration [is more memorable],” said Girardi, who was at the bottom of a pile of exuberant teammates. “Meanwhile, I’m screaming, ‘Get off!’”

I don't know about you, but I really enjoy these articles.