Fansided

The 10 most disappointing, underperforming Yankees teams

By Ryan Morik

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 06: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Alex Avila #13 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates after Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees struck out to end Game Five of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 6, 2011 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Tigers defeated the Yankees 3-2 to win the best of five series 3 games to 2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 06: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Alex Avila #13 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates after Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees struck out to end Game Five of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 6, 2011 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Tigers defeated the Yankees 3-2 to win the best of five series 3 games to 2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND – 1989: Rickey Henderson of the New York Yankees looks on during an MLB game versus the Cleveland Indians at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio during the 1989 season. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND – 1989: Rickey Henderson of the New York Yankees looks on during an MLB game versus the Cleveland Indians at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio during the 1989 season. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

Yankees disappointment No. 6: 1989

Once again, shoutout to the old man.

While not making the postseason since 1981, the Yankees had still finished over .500 in the previous six seasons. Mattingly was still an MVP candidate, and while the rotation was, to put it nicely, ugly, they had talent on offense.

The Yankees brought in Steve Sax (their WAR leader that season), and they acquired Jesse Barfield from the Blue Jays.

We mentioned the rotation — my dad only remembered two of their five starters that season — Andy Hawkins and Dave LaPoint. Four of their five starers had an ERA of over 4.57, while two of them had ERAs of over 5.19.

In the middle of the season, they wound up trading Rickey Henderson, and by August 29, after a six-game losing streak, they were a season-low 18 games under .500.

They wound up winning their next nine games, and actually finished 26-11 in their final 37 games. But nonetheless, after six straight seasons of playing above .500, the Yankees then posted their lowest win total since their 72-win seasons in 1967.

They would not finish above .500 again until the 1993 season.

While the ’80s as a whole are disappointing, as they wasted Mattingly’s career, 1989 is the most disappointing year of the decade.

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