The New York Yankees' 2002 season was the 100th season for the Yankees in New York, and their 102nd overall going back to their origins in Baltimore. The team finished with a record of 103-58 finishing 10.5 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium. 2002 was a transition year for the Yankees, as they soldiered on without O'Neill, Martinez, Brosius and Knoblauch, their main pieces in the 1990s dynasty. In the playoffs, they lost in the ALDS in 4 games to the Anaheim Angels, marking the 2002 Yankees season a failure as they did not advance to a World Series for the first time since 1997; failing to win their fifth straight pennant; they did not win a World Championship, giving the team a 2-year title drought.
December 13, 2001: Jason Giambi, a free agent, signed a 7-year $120-million deal with the Yankees.
January 8, 2002: Luis Sojo was signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees.
January 11, 2002: David Wells was signed as a free agent with the Yankees.
January 17, 2002: Clay Bellinger was released by the Yankees.
January 28, 2002: Ron Coomer was signed as a free agent with the Yankees.
March 27, 2002: Bobby Estalella was released by the Yankees.
Broadcasting changes
Beginning this season, the newly launched YES Network began airing the regular season games taking over from MSG Network as Cable rights holder for these games until the 2001 season. The On-air team of Ken Singleton and Jim Kaat was moved from MSG to YES beginning this season, while Michael Kay as play-by-play commentator added beginning this season in addition to radio duties and they also added retired Right fielder Paul O'Neill and former Yankees pitcher David Cone as color commentators; in addition, the over-the-air Yankees games was moved from Foxowned and operated stationWNYW to CBSowned and operated station WCBS-TV; Bobby Murcer remains as a play-by-play announcer for the games on over-the-air television; however, the Yankees over-the-air games will continued to be aired nationally on the former through its network's sporting division via Baseball package this season. Also beginning this season, the radio broadcasts of Yankees games moved from WABC-AM to CBS Radio-owned AM station WCBS-AM in which it is a sister to its over-the-air rights holder WCBS-TV in which will remain for 3 years until the 2004 season.
July 5, 2002: Ted Lilly was Traded as part of a 3-team trade by the New York Yankees with Jason Arnold and John-Ford Griffin to the Oakland Athletics. The Oakland Athletics sent a player to be named later, Carlos Peña, and Franklyn Germán to the Detroit Tigers. The Detroit Tigers sent Jeff Weaver to the New York Yankees. The Detroit Tigers sent cash to the Oakland Athletics. The Oakland Athletics sent Jeremy Bonderman to the Detroit Tigers to complete the trade.
Roster
Player stats
Starters by position
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Game 1:New York 8 – Anaheim 5. Game 2:Anaheim 8 – New York 6.
Game 3:Anaheim 9 – New York 6. Game 4:Anaheim 9 – New York 5.
Anaheim's victory secured their place in the American League Championship Series, where they defeated the Minnesota Twins, and subsequently the San Francisco Giants to win the World Series. This was the first time since 1997 that the Yankees failed to win the American League pennant and advance to the World Series.
