Yanks Talkin' Chemistry

From Pete Caldera:

Winning always creates the best chemistry, though Johnny Damon believes the Yanks are already off to an important start.

From manager Joe Girardi's initial billiards tournament, to the boisterous Nick Swisher, to the easygoing nature of the newest multimillionaire free agents, this hasn't resembled a camp of mercenaries.

"I think everybody knows everybody in here, and it's actually cool," Damon said. "We've gotten off to bad starts in the last couple of years, and it was so easy to point fingers instead of trying to help people get through it and make the team better."

Damon didn't suggest the chemistry was poor last season. "I just think we had a revolving door," and it was harder to form close ties.

Through the door this spring came CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Mark Teixeira, and Swisher. "We welcomed them," Joba Chamberlain said. "But I think they welcomed us probably more than people realized."

Swisher's non-stop energy is most apparent, but other spring snapshots include Sabathia taking teammates courtside to Orlando Magic games, and the multitattooed Burnett latching onto the straight-laced Andy Pettitte.

Now, with a need to be flexible in the outfield and at designated hitter, Girardi sees some similarities to those three, selfless championship clubs he played on between 1996 to 1999. At times, Swisher, Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada and Brett Gardner will be coming off the bench.

"We're going to try to keep everyone fresh," said Girardi, who then mentioned past sacrifices by Strawberry, Tim Raines and Chad Curtis. "Guys had to give up some at-bats for the team … and it's tough.

"[Still], I feel if you give a guy a day off, you're not going to have a drop off."

If that all-for-one mentality blossoms through the late summer, the players might point back to Girardi's surprise billiards tourney – designed to be something more than an unexpected day off.

"I think the pool thing kind of sparked it all, just to get everybody in a comfort level," Chamberlain said.

I told you the pool tournament was a huge success.

OK, now you guys can argue about how important, or unimportant, team chemistry is for the rest of the night. You know how I feel; it may not win you games on its own, but it's a good thing to have. I'd much rather be on a team where people get along than a team where the clubhouse is divided and everyone hates each other.