This was, after all, his first appearance in Shea since the Mets traded him in August 1992. So I know where I stand now. He may be persona non grata in Mets circles, but to Bombers fans, what might have been his last appearance in a Yankees uniform will only solidify his status as one of the most important players in this remarkable run. He was a significant reason the Yanks took a 3-1 lead in games into Thursday night's Game 5 at Shea Stadium. When the Yankees put two runners on base in the top of the sixth, Cone's turn to hit came up, and Torre pinch-hit for him with Jose Canseco.
Every out's a commodity in the postseason.
He can go home knowing that he was part of this win. That's a great feeling for any player. There have been so few great feelings for Cone this year. If his overall 4-14 record and 6.91 ERA weren't bad enough, he entered the postseason with an ailing left shoulder, having dislocated it in Kansas City on Sept. 5. He pitched horribly for the rest of September, citing his shoulder, and he barely made the playoff roster.