TORONTO — As the last century came to a close, New York Yankees fans wanted for very little: They won four World Series titles from 1996-2000, establishing an extended era of greatness that was sorely lacking from 1978 through the mid-'90s.

Yet there was always one unfinished task: Winning one for Donnie Baseball.

Don Mattingly, who played gallantly for some terrible teams, missed that boat by one year, his career ending in 1995 when the Seattle Mariners walked off his last Yankees squad on Edgar Martinez's Game 5 double in the American League Division Series.

His 2,153 hits, his nine Gold Gloves and six All-Star appearances had no currency in October, and he retired with just that one playoff dalliance.

That's why there was a different emotion beyond the standard championship jubi

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