The Yankee Years : Jeff Weaver Edition

While the Yankees take on Joe Torre and the Dodgers this weekend, I though that it would be a good time to look back on the only Ex-Yankee on the Dodgers Jeff Weaver.

In July 2002 the Yanks looked to make a trade for a starting pitcher. In part of a three way trade including Oakland and Detroit, the Yanks acquired Weaver and traded away Ted Lilly. Looking back the trade was an overall mess, the Yanks got rid of Lilly who would go on to be a decent pitcher and Oakland traded away Jermey Bonderman who has had his struggles in the majors but has also showed flashed of greatness at time (Ex:2006). Once Weaver was a Yankee he would go back and fourth between the bullpen and the rotation.

In Weavers first start as a Yankee he faced the Boston Red Sox and gave up 5 homers yet got a no decision, this game can still be seen time to time on the YES Network as a Yankee Classic (Not because it was Weavers first start,but because Jorge Posada drew a walk off walk).

To start the 2003 season Weaver had to battle Jose Contreras for the 5th starters job. Weaver would win the job, but pitched poorly during the regular season and would be moved back to the bullpen. Weaver never looked confident out on the mound, after giving up a home run or an error was committed by a fielder, Weaver would often fall apart. Most of the season Weaver would get booed off the mound at home but it would get worse for Weaver.

Weaver had been left off both the ALDS and ALCS rosters during the 2003 postseason but was on the World Series roster. In a vital game 4, Weaver came into an extra inning game and pitched a scoreless inning of work, Torre liked what he saw and sent him out there for a second inning of work even though Mariano Rivera was out in the bullpen. Weaver would surrender a game winning home run to light hitting Marlins shortstop Alex Gonzalez. The Marlins never looked back and would go on to win the series. This would be Weavers final pitch as a Yankee.

Although Yankee fans never seemed to like Weaver, i think that they would have loved to keep him if they could predict the future. In the 2003-2004 off season Weaver was traded to the Dodgers for Kevin Brown.