Could a couple bottles of wine have been the personal touch that ultimately landed the New York Yankees star pitcher Gerrit Cole this off-season? Okay, okay, maybe the nine-year $324 million dollar deal ultimately led to Cole’s decision, but it was this gesture by the Yankees that may have tipped the scales in their favor. Before numbers were even discussed Yankees manager Aaron Boone handed Cole two $900 bottles of Masseto Merlot from 2004 and 2005. This happened to be the same wine that Cole and his wife Amy shared in a wine cellar in Florence, Italy. But how in the world would the Yankees know this?
Enter in Bronx native, Lou Cucuzza. I’m not sure if many Yankees fans know Cucuzza, I certainly didn’t know who he was but Gerrit Cole definitely does. Cucuzza started out as the Yankees batboy in 1978 and in 1986 he was promoted to visiting clubhouse manager, where he still holds that position. It crazy to think that he has been there almost as long as the Steinbrenners. Since taking over as visiting clubhouse manager, Cucuzza and his staff have earned quite the reputation as being one of the best visiting clubhouses in MLB. From the service to the food, there was nothing but praise given towards them. He had one mindset and I love it, to treat the opponents so well that they want to be in pinstripes. And to have them leave wondering, if their care is so great for opposing teams, I can’t imagine what it would be like to actually be on the Yankees.
“We want them to say, ‘We’re treated so well from the visiting side, I can’t imagine what it’s like on the home side, how they treat their own players,’”
Lou Cucuzza
Typically teams stay for three to four games at Yankee Stadium and in between that time there can be a lot of down time. Players sometimes find their way into Cucuzza office filled with memorabilia and a couple of comfy couches. Any team that visits Yankee stadium frequently would know who Cucuzza was and many players have formed a friendship with him. One of the guys just happened to be Gerrit Cole. Last June when the Astros visited the Bronx, like many times before, Cole came into Cucuzza’s office to “shoot the shit.” During a food discussion, Cole brought up his trip to Italy and the best wine he had ever had. Cucuzza at the time, just made a mental note and continued their conversation. When he learned that the Yankees would be flying out to California to pursue Cole, Cucuzza told them that they had to bring him his favorite wine. He thought that this gesture may make the Yankees stand out over their competitors.
The moment Boone handed Cole the bottles of wine you could tell how much of an impact that had on him. Yankees newly acquired pitching coach, Matt Blake, particularly remembers how taken aback Cole was at the gift. The wine just made so much sense to give him because it’s shows just how much the Yankee organization cared about bringing him to their team. They didn’t just bring any bottle of wine, they did their homework and brought a gift that had so much meaning to Cole. They knew with him being such a detail oriented person that he would appreciate that type of effort. The Yankees could have big leagued the whole situation and just thrown a huge number at Cole with the Yankee name attached to it and expect they would get him. They knew that he was the guy that was going to bring them a World Series and they knew money alone wasn’t going to lure him to the Bronx. Cole could have very well stayed on the west coast where he grew up and make almost the same amount of money. But, for his childhood team to take the time to find and bring him one of his favorite bottles of wine that was mentioned in a conversation he had with the Yankees visiting clubhouse manager meant a lot to him. The wine may have not been the full deciding factor that lead Cole to the Bronx but it definitely had a huge impact on his decision. Many believed that he would end up on the west coast, but thanks to an unsung hero, Cole would eventually end up as the New York Yankees ace. So here’s a toast to you, Lou Cucuzza.
The Washed Up Athlete 