If George Steinbrenner listens to David Justice and Dwight Gooden, he will open the vault for Manny Ramirez and watch him carry the Yankees to a fourth straight World Series title next year.
As they cleaned out their Yankee Stadium lockers yesterday, Ramirez’ former Indian teammates spoke glowingly of the 28-year-old free agent right-handed hitting outfielder from Washington Heights.
“If you want to see (Mark) McGwire’s home run record challenged, let Manny Ramirez come here,” Justice told The Post. Justice was a teammate of Ramirez’ for the past 3½ years in Cleveland. “The way he hits the ball to right field, he would be unbelievable here. People don’t realize how good he is.”
Gooden, who is tight with Ramirez, also endorsed bringing the slugger aboard.
“He would be a perfect fit for the middle of the lineup,” Gooden said of Ramirez, who has averaged 42 homers and 144 RBIs the past three seasons.
Three months ago the Yankees wondered if Ramirez could be trusted with the type of contract he is going to land. Already, he has turned down a five-year deal worth $75 million from the Indians because there was too much deferred money. Yet, the Yankees now believe Ramirez is worth the money he is going to get.
“No problem at all,” a Yankee decision-maker says when asked if there would be any doubt about dumping an ocean of money on Ramirez. “We are looking for a bat and he is one of the best.”
The Yankees certainly need to add muscle to the middle of the order. Bringing in Ramirez, a New York City high school legend at George Washington High School, could mean the end of Paul O’Neill’s Yankee career. Or Ramirez could play left for one season with O’Neill remaining in right. That would make Shane Spencer a fourth outfielder and a right-handed bat to share the DH role with Justice.
With the Yankees looking to deal Chuck Knoblauch and give Alfonso Soriano the second-base job, they are removing their No. 1 trade asset and wouldn’t be able land Mo Vaughn from the Angels or Johnny Damon from the Royals.
Since Ramirez doesn’t talk to the media, he is perceived as moody. But Justice says that’s way out of bounds and Gooden agrees.
“[Ramirez is] a great teammate and he is like a loveable teddy bear,” Justice said. “He plays every day and he is going to rake. Any team that gets Manny will be a better team. He makes everybody around him better.”
“Everybody loves Manny,” Gooden said. “And the fans would love him here.”
Ramirez’ preference is to stay in the AL where he is familiar with the pitchers, umpires and ballparks. And he is so interested in being a Yankee, he has talked to Gooden about how tough the New York media is.
“He asked me about that and I told him as long as you show up all the time and be honest, everything would be fine,” Gooden said.
Gooden and Justice noted that only until you are around Ramirez on a regular basis, do you begin to understand the time he puts in to being the hitter he is.
“A lot of people don’t realize how hard he works,” Justice said.
Gooden agrees with Justice that Yankee Stadium would be ideal for Ramirez’ stroke that delivers more power to right and right-center than it does to left.
“He hits balls out to right that if you didn’t see it right away, you would have thought they were hit by a left-handed hitter,” Gooden said. “He is the total package. And his defense isn’t as bad as people say. Just put him in the lineup and let him go.”
As for their situations, Justice says he isn’t interested in demanding a trade as is his right since he was dealt in the middle of a multi-year contract. Nor is he looking for a new contract.
“I signed my contract and that’s it,” says Justice, who has $14 million coming to him over the next two seasons.
Gooden is expected to meet with the Yankees’ brass next week about a contract.
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Jeff Nelson will file for free age agency tomorrow. Nelson would like to stay, but he is looking for about $3.2 million a year for four years and that may be too rich for the Yankees’ taste.