Yankees royalty honored as Paul O'Neill's No. 21 is retired, but club's present slide still front and center

NEW YORK – During Sunday’s pregame Yankee Stadium ceremony to retire his No. 21, Paul O’Neill turned toward five of his former teammates seated nearby.

“The fans remember the teams that win,’’ O’Neill said, with a nod to Mariano Rivera, Tino Martinez, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Bernie Williams.

“And we won a lot.’’

Members of the current first-place Yankees – mired in a deep summer slump – watched the proceedings from the dugout.

Hours later, Andrew Benintendi’s go-ahead, two-run shot in the seventh – his first homer in pinstripes – sent the Yankees toward a much-needed 4-2 victory before 46,958 fans.

The second-place Toronto Blue Jays had been poised to sweep a four-game series, and their chances improved when Nestor Cortes exited with a 2-1 lead after six innings.

But things got interesting in the fifth inning.

That’s when Aaron Judge was drilled by a first-pitch fastball from Toronto starter Alek Manoah, with first base open following Benintendi’s one-out double.

Judge was clearly unhappy with Manoah, who appeared to jaw at the slugger, but Judge – with a wave of his hand – implored his agitated teammates to remain in the dugout.

Hal Steinbrenner booed

Befort the game, the current Yankees felt the crowd’s love and admiration for pinstriped royalty.

They watched O’Neill pause when they chanted his name – saluting his contributions to five pennant winners and four World Series champs, as the sweet-swinging right fielder whose intense nature earned him another title: “The Warrior.’’

And they heard the boos for managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner, the man who signs their checks.

Even with a positive charge by figures from their most recent world championship past, the Yankees’ current state of affair still loomed overall.

Just hearing O’Neill mention the name of general Brian Cashman, who was not part of the proceedings, drew boos from fans of a club that had lost its way – losing 14 of its last 17 games.

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O’Neill never paused from his off-the-cuff speech.

“You make it so much fun to win in New York,’’ O’Neill told the crowd. “People didn’t want to come here and play because they were scared of you.

“(There are) no better fans in the world.’’

In a post-script, O’Neill addressed the right field bleacher fans for their roll call salutes.

“Aaron Judge, you know a little bit about that, don’t you?’’ O’Neill said to the slugging leader of the Yankees, having an MVP season in his free agent walk year.

“It doesn’t get any better.’’

In a reflective moment on the prestige of No. 21, Roberto Clemente Jr., via video address, said his late Hall of Fame father would have been prominent among those offering O’Neill “congratulations on a job well done.’’

Thanks from Derek Jeter, David Cone

And the demanding patrons at Yankee Stadium were given a greater opportunity to cheer their legends.

Providing their congratulations remotely, David Cone, Don Mattingly, Joe Torre and Derek Jeter received roars when they appeared one by one on the video board.

“You’re the guy who inspired everyone in the clubhouse,’’ said Cone.

“Probably the biggest trade in Yankees history other than Babe Ruth,’’ Mattingly said of the deal that brought O’Neill from his hometown Cincinnati Reds.

“Thanks for teaching us all to play the game with intensity,’’ said Jeter.

That last part came into question after Saturday’s lackluster 5-2 loss, when Judge said the Yankees needed to show “a little better energy in the dugout.’’

“When we’re rolling, everybody’s in on every single at-bat, everybody’s pushing each other. We’re missing a little of that right now.’’

"Human moments''

Steinbrenner was booed to and from the dugout, as he brought out a framed replica of O’Neill’s retired No. 21 and Monument Park plaque.

In a well-timed humorous moment, former head athletic trainer Steve Donohue brought out the final gift, a No. 21 Gatorade bucket, symbolic of the water coolers O’Neill wrecked, taking out his personal frustrations at the plate.

O’Neill promptly gave it a kick.

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A day earlier, Yankees manager Aaron Boone slammed his hand on a postgame podium, reacting to a question about his club’s downward slide.

“I don’t necessarily like coming up here and getting upset and frustrated,’’ Boone said Sunday morning. “But I also try to be authentic.

“As much as I try to be as steady as I can be…there are human moments, like me getting upset (Saturday).’’

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Yankees royalty honored as Paul O'Neill's No. 21 is retired