The Yankees still have a consistent connection to the 2009 World Series team – Solondais

Last week, as the Yankees were on the verge of closing out the ALCS against the Guardians, Harkey said everything felt “familiar” again.

“You have fought for your life these last few days, and you are fighting for the men who brought you here,” Harkey said.

The 2009 Yankees bullpen was coached by future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera and supported by players such as David Robertson, Phil Hughes and, in October, Joba Chamberlain and lefty Damaso Marte.

This year, Harkey led a group led by big man-turned-schemer Weaver Clay Holmes, veteran Tommy Kahnle and resurgent left-hander Tim Hill.

“From my perspective and my reassurance, he's really just about getting the ship out there and getting it there, not about making things bigger than they need to be,” Weaver said. “I calmly inform you that you are in the game. Submit your discovery report immediately before entering and explain the situation. But (also) day after day. “He’s straightforward, he’s authentic, he’s honest, and if you don’t have a good game, he’s there the next day to talk about it and explain what he thinks.”

Harkey is trying to get the bullpen to talk a lot about Rivera, not just because he's that good, but because he has to put in the physical and mental effort to do so every day.

“To me, he is such a strong and amazing sounding board and friend,” Boone said. “He has a lot of experience in the game now, both as a player and as a coach. He's obviously great at what he does and his role. I feel very fortunate to have him on our team and to have been a rock for me over the years.”

When pitching coach Matt Blake was hired to replace Larry Rothschild after the 2019 season, one of his first actions was to ensure Harkey would return.

“I think it helps when someone with that type of experience has played, been here, faced the buzzer and obviously been part of a team that won here (the World Series),” Blake said. “The trust in his consistency is therefore enormous for the players.”

Harkey, the No. 4 overall pick in 1987 (three spots behind Ken Griffey Jr.), whose eight-year career was blighted by injuries, has a distinctive style in the bullpen, keeping things light until the phone rings.

But over the years it has proven that it works, like this season, even if it doesn't always seem that way.

“It’s the noise that comes with being a New York Yankee,” Harkey said. “We were never as bad as everyone thought. We always knew it wasn't us. We knew we needed a chance to show we could achieve big things when we needed to achieve big things. “Now we have the opportunity to do that and we hope to be able to do that for a few more weeks.”