#21 : paul andrew o\neill | rf

2000 highlights:
hit .283 with 18hr and 100rbi in 142 games (139 starts in right field). beame only the forth yankee outfielder in franchise history to record four-straight 100-rbi seasons, joining babe ruth, eight years, 1926-33; joe dimaggio, seven years, 1936-42; and dave winfield, five years, 1982-86. has raised his batting average 30 points since joining the yankees in 1993...as a yankee is batting .308 (1290-for-4190)...prior to joining the yankees, batted .259 (679-for-2618) and for his career is now batting .289 (1969-for-6808). ranks 10th on the yankees all-time batting list with a .309 average. finished season with 1,969 career hits and needs 31 to reach 2,000. made his 13th straight opening-day start on 4/3 at anaheim, his eighth straight for the yankees...joined bernie williams as only yankee to start every opener since 1993...was 2-for-3 with 1hr and 2rbi, and has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 opening day games. collected season-highs in hits (4) and rbi (6), hit 3-run hr (#13) and was 4-for-5 with 3r and 1bb in 7/25 win at baltimore. equaled his season high with four hits (done twice) in 8/4 win vs. seattle, going 4-for-4 with 2r, 2 doubles and 3rbi. was 2-for-4 with 2r and 2rbi before being removed from 8/23 win vs. texas in the seventh inning with righ hip pointer...on 8/30 at seattle, made first appearance after missing six straight games (8/24-29) with right hip pointer. started rf on 9/22 vs. detroit--his first appearance after missing an additional six games with a right hip pointer...missed a total of 12 games from 8/24 through 9/22 due to the injury.

personal:
was scouted by gene bennett...graduated from brookhaven high school in columbus, oh...was primarily a pitcher in high school, earning all-state honors in baseball and basketball...also played football...father, chick o\neill, played minor-league baseball...enjoys tennis, golf and music...grew up a willie mays fan...lists pete rose\s 4,192nd hit as one of the most dramatic moments he has witnessed...a rolling stones fan...a direct descendant of mark twain...was the recipient of the joe dimaggio "toast of the town" award in 1997, presented annually by the bbwaa...received the new york press photographers annual "good guy" award for 1999.