On a
night dominated by awards for individual achievement, it
was the three-time World Series champion New York
Yankees who walked away with the hightest team honor.
At the ninth annual ESPY Awards
in Las Vegas on Monday night, golfer Tiger Woods and
Olympic stars Marion Jones and Cathy Freeman stole the
show and most of the hardware, but the Yankees were well
represented, too.
Early in the evening, Joe Torre
was selected as the Manager/Coach of the Year for
leading the Yankees past the Mets in the 2000 World
Series.
"Managers and coaches are only
as good as the guys who play the game," Torre said. "And
I have been blessed with a dedicated group of guys who
never take it for granted that we are going to win."
Late in the show, the Yankees
were chosen the Team of the Year over the New Jersey
Devils (NHL), the Houston Comets (WNBA), the Los Angeles
Lakers (NBA) and the Baltimore Ravens (NFL).
The Yankee on-stage contingent
included Torre, World Series MVP Derek Jeter, All-Star
pitcher Roger Clemens, first baseman Tino Martinez, and
general manager Brian Cashman.
"It is truly an honor to play
for this team and this organization," said Jeter, who
signed a 10-year, $189 million contract on Friday. "New
York is the greatest city in the world, with the best
fans in the world. This (award) is for them."
Other MLB players honored were
Boston pitcher Pedro Martinez and former Atlanta Brave
Andres Galarraga. Martinez, who won the American League
Cy Young Award with an 18-6 record, 1.74 ERA and 284
strikeouts, was chosen Baseball Player of the Year. And
Galarraga, who hit .302 with 28 home runs and 100 RBI
after returning from a one-year absence due to lymphoma,
was named the Comeback Athlete of the Year.
The ESPY Awards annually
support The V Foundation for Cancer Research,
established at the inaugural ESPYs in 1993 by ESPN with
the late Jim Valvano.
Paul C. Smith is a correspondent for MLB.com
based in Florida.