Yanks' Four Horsemen -- Jeter, Pettitte, Posada, Rivera -- win again

NEW YORK -- From the temporary stage constructed on the Yankees' permanent place in the center of the baseball universe, closer Mariano Rivera jubilantly hoisted the Commissioner's Trophy just after midnight Thursday.

Within an arm's reach of Rivera, shortstop Derek Jeter beamed and catcher Jorge Posada waved. Winning pitcher Andy Pettitte, as usual, was close by, too.

Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter celebrate their fifth World Series championship together. (US Presswire)

Four on the floor of the new Yankee Stadium.

Four at the core of the Pinstriped annals.

"You never get tired of winning," Yankees Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson was saying not long afterward, the champagne splashing and the stories that soon will be legend just being shaped. "You never get tired of it.

"For Jeter and Andy and Mariano and Posada, for those four, it's nice to see them get another one together.

"It's nice to see all four be involved."

That these four players were still together on this platform was remarkable.

That they are still together to uncork another title, 13 seasons after their first, is historic.

They are a quartet like no other. Not in any other city. Not, especially, in this city.

The Yankees mint World Series titles as frequently as most other clubs dream up new marketing slogans under the "Wait Til Next Year" umbrella.

The count, now, is a historic 27.

The "Core Four", as they are called around the fringes of the Yankee Empire, have been largely responsible for five (well, technically, Posada broke into the majors at the tail end of '96 and did not play in that postseason).

In the construction of nearly 20 percent of the Yankees World Series titles, Jeter, Rivera and Pettitte were among the chief foreman, with Posada quickly moving in alongside them.

"It's special," Jeter said, pausing amid the latest celebration. "We've played together for, man, 17 years, 18 years [starting] in the minor leagues, coming up.

"You don't see that too often, especially with free agency nowadays, guys staying together. We're like brothers. To get an opportunity to spend all these years together and win another championship. ..."

Four on the floor.

Four at the core.

The affection they maintain for each other is clearly visible, if even in only subtle shades. Ask one about the others and a repetitive interview with cliché answers can quickly change. The voice takes on a slightly warmer coat, the eyes take on a slightly brighter shine.

"Oh, man, priceless," Rivera said of creating another historic moment with his Three Pinstriped Amigos. "Priceless. Wonderful.

"To be able to play with that bunch of guys, it's like working for a company with four or five people for your whole career. God bless those guys.

"God bless those guys."

To the end, at least to what currently is the end, the remarkable thing is that the Core Four remains thriving as the backbone of baseball's most outsized franchise.

Pettitte, 37, started on short rest and was the winning pitcher in the clincher. He became the first pitcher in the expanded playoff era to win all three clinching games in a single postseason -- AL Division Series, Championship Series and World Series.

Jeter, 35, having already surpassed the legend Lou Gehrig as the Yankees' all-time hits leader during the regular season, batted .407 during the six-game World Series.

And together again at the end, as they were for the 2000 and 1999 clinchers, was the battery of Rivera, 39, now 11 for 12 in World Series save opportunities, and Posada, 38.

"Mr. Automatic," Jackson said of Rivera. "I need to give my 'Mr. October' to that guy. If he's not the greatest reliever in history. ...

"He comes in, it's 'Get your hat and coat everybody.'"

"It's over," Jeter said admiringly, concisely describing what happens upon Rivera's entry into a game in general and, in particular, his assuming a 7-3 lead in the eighth inning of Game 6 against the Phillies. "That's what's in everybody's minds. He's human, he's going to give up some runs here and there. But a four-run lead?

"We could have gone and played another nine innings [and we would have been safe]."

It's never been as easy as the quartet so often has made it look. And in recent seasons, since the Yankees last World Series title in 2000 and since their last Fall Classic appearance in 2003, it's become even more difficult.

At the start of this season, Jeter played through a chorus of criticism pointing to his diminished range at shortstop. During this spring's World Baseball Classic when he alternated with Philadelphia's Jimmy Rollins, the voices howled. If Team USA really wanted to win, they said, then Rollins should be the everyday shortstop.

Posada last year was limited to just 51 games because of a torn labrum in his right shoulder that required surgery. It was no coincidence that, also in 2008, the Yankees did not qualify for the postseason for the first time in 13 years.

Pettitte was outed by the Mitchell Report two winters ago, caught in a lie regarding his denial of injecting himself with human growth hormone, and he reported to camp this spring chapped that he had to take a cut-rate deal to come back to the Yankees (one year, $5 million).

"Andy, Andy, Andy," said Rivera, who was among those phoning Pettitte last winter, personally lobbying the left-hander to return to the Bronx. "You can't say much about Andy. He's a horse. A guy that you can count on anytime."

Rivera, with his one, devastating pitch -- the fabled cutter -- is the only one of the four who has seemed ageless.

Given his performance again this postseason, maybe he is. His three-year, $45 million deal up after the 2010 season, Rivera is having so much fun that he blurted out during the celebration that he hopes to play for five more seasons.

"I'm serious," he said. "I hope they make the decision whatever it takes to bring me back. I have another year on my contract. Whatever happens, happens. You feel good. When we won, we had to overcome lot of adversity, overcome lot of things.

"Especially here in New York, it's tremendous. I can't be more happier than I am right now."

Soon enough, the Yankees will have to make decisions. As will these four players.

Pettitte again enters free agency this winter. Posada's four-year, $52.5 million contract runs through 2011.

Then, there's the indefatigable, forever young Jeter. His 10-year, $189 million deal concludes after the 2010 season. Talks for a new contract are expected to begin soon. Jeter playing elsewhere is unimaginable, and it's hard to see the Yankees allowing his contract to expire next fall before beginning discussions much earlier.

Especially now, when even the most ardent of Yankee faithful quietly wondered whether these four historic figures would ever again have a day like this.

"To be honest with you, you never know," Jackson said. "Derek Jeter comes into the game in '95 and all of a sudden, he goes to the World Series in '96, '98, '99, 2000, 2001, misses a year and is back in 2003.

"Then, it gets a little dark. You get complaining. You get complaining from the press. People are running you down a little bit.

"It's nice to see him with young legs at his age. I imagine this one feels pretty good for him.

"I imagine this one feels pretty good."

Out on the temporary stage in the center of the baseball universe, Jeter held aloft the latest world championship trophy and spoke to the 50,000 fans bowing at the altar of the Yankees.

"Back right here where it belongs," Jeter told them proudly. "We played the game the right way. We deserve to be standing here right now."

Four on the floor.

Four at the core.