by Matt Mahan

Created on: July 25, 2008

The New York Yankees are an extremely storied baseball franchise. The most successful franchise in all of sports history. Over their 100 plus years of existence, they have had some of the greatest baseball players to play the game on their rosters.

No list of greatest Yankees, or greatest players for that matter, would be complete without Babe Ruth. Yankee Stadium is called "the House that Ruth built" for a reason. Babe Ruth changed the game of baseball with his enormous homeruns. He hit 60 homeruns in the 1927 season, more than any other team that year. 714 career home runs puts him third on the all time list. A career batting average of .342 is tenth highest all-time. He single handedly saved the sport of baseball with his athletic prowess and robust personality after the gambling scandal that rocked the 1919 World Series.

Batting behind Babe Ruth for many years was the Iron Horse, Lou Gehrig. Lou Gehrig played in 2,130 straight games, a record that stood until broken by Cal Ripken in 1995. Lou Gehrig is best remembered for his durability and the disease that took his life, ALS. His career numbers, though not as impressive as Ruth's, still look like a typo. 493 career homeruns, 1,995 runs batted in, 23 career grand slams, tow American League MVP, one Triple Crown (highest batting average, home runs, runs batted in in season) in 1934. All these stats were accumulated over a short 15 year baseball career.

Joe DiMaggio roamed centerfield in Yankee Stadium for 15 years from 1936 - 1951. Known as the Yankee Clipper, DiMaggio racked up 361 career home runs, 3 MVP awards, a 56 game hitting streak, and the distinction of being elected to each All-Star game in every season he played. Known for his grace, professionalism and style of play, DiMaggio retired at the age of 36 due to a slight decline in his abilities. In 1969, DiMaggio was voted the baseball's "Greatest Living Player."

Mickey Mantle took over for Joe DiMaggio in centerfield starting the 1952 season. A switch hitter, he displayed power from both sides of the plate. Over the course of his career, Mantle racked up some very impressive numbers, 536 home runs, 1,509 runs batted in, the American League Triple Crown (1956), three American League MVP Awards, 16 times elected to the All-Star team and most homeruns hit in the World Series with 18.

There have been many great players over the years to wear the Yankee pinstripes. None have come close to these four players in overall statistics or grandeur. Some fans would argue for players such as Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Reggie Jackson and Derek Jeter. But no one could argue about the top four players mentioned, all the other Yankee greats are tied for fifth.

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