The 1998 Yankees won 114 regular-season games, pretty much bludgeoning anyone in their way. The Cubs of 1906, in just 152 games, and the 2001 Mariners, won 116 regular season games. But neither really matters.
Both those teams failed in the postseason.
“Amazing, having 114 victories out of 162 games?” said Mariano Rivera, history’s greatest closer, who was part of the 1998 Yankees aircraft carrier team. “That wasn’t the big thing. What was were the next 11 wins. That was the thing, to wrap up everything, because Seattle won 116 but they didn’t win the championship.”
So the Yankees, who staged a reunion of that 1998 championship squad at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, reflect on the 114, but savor primarily the 11 that brought the total to 125 with the last one securing the World Series victory over the Padres.