Wynegar at Ease in Role as No. 1 Yankee Catcher

For three seasons Butch Wynegar looked for a signal that the Yankees thought of him as New York’s No. 1 catcher.

Wynegar finally got his wish in December. The Yankees decided to end what had been a frustrating two-catcher system by trading Rick Cerone to Atlanta.

There were no fireworks in jubilation or parties in celebration at the Wynegar home in Longwood, Fla. “I didn’t jump up and down or holler or anything like that,” Wynegar said recently.

“The initial reaction was shock. Then it was, ‘OK, great. George Steinbrenner had enough confidence in me to say he wants me as his No. 1 catcher.’ And that’s what I was looking forward to from then on.”

With the solid lock on the No. 1 job, Wynegar seems happier this spring than he was at any point last season. Where there simmered a quiet feud with Cerone for three years, Wynegar now enjoys a blossoming friendship with his new backup, former Cub Ron Hassey.

Wynegar is healthy and confident. Though he is batting just .189 in exhibition games (7 for 37), he believes his timing at the plate is coming around, too. “If the season started tomorrow I’d be ready,” he said.

The Yankees’ decision to trade Cerone will probably influence more than just Wynegar’s 1985 status. For Wynegar is about to enter the final season of a five-year, $2 million contract. Late last season, a somewhat disillusioned Wynegar said free agency would be his choice if he and Cerone remained Yankees.

“It wasn’t really an ultimatum,” Wynegar said. “But if it did come out like that and they took it like that, then that’s fine, too.”

Now that the Yankees have endorsed Wynegar, he is, in a sense, endorsing the team. “I have no feelings or no reason to really want to go through the free agent draft,” he said. “I think dealing with the Yankees, it’s my chance to get to the playoffs and World Series.

“I like the guys here, I think the atmosphere is super. I could see myself spending the rest of my career here.”

Negotiations on a possible long-term contract have already begun. Wynegar, 29, would like to sign a four- or five-year deal, then decide if he wants to go on or retire.

(Talks between Wynegar’s agent, Ron Shapiro, and the Yankees are preliminary; Wynegar hasn’t even heard any dollar figures, yet).

As for the money, Wynegar said, “Millions of dollars? How much money do you really need? If I’m satisfied with something, then I’ll be happy. I’m a family man. I look for security and knowing that my family is going to be happy for the next few years and hopefully for a lifetime.”

No matter what happens, Wynegar said, he won’t let it interfere with his game. “I told Ron that if nothing substantial comes about by opening day, then I’d rather not worry about it.

“I’ve seen other players affected by it. I just don’t want that hanging over my head. I’m still signed for one year and I have to play this year out,” he said.

The pending season is one that excites Wynegar for reasons other than his solidified position. There are the pleasing little things, such as not having to worry about Rickey Henderson on the bases anymore or being a novice at handling Phil Niekro’s knuckleball.

Then there are the peace-of-mind victories. His first two years in New York were filled with serious injuries, including a severe ankle sprain, an arm bruise, and an undiagnosed viral infection.

But Wynegar is coming off his first relatively injury-free season as a Yankee, having played in more games (129) than at any point since 1980 (146 with Minnesota). Now, he said, the proof of his stamina is there and his goal is to go out and prove his durability again.

Wynegar, a lifetime .261 hitter, also had encouraging signs at the plate in the latter months of 1984. After enjoying a career-best .293 season in 1983, Wynegar slumped in early 1984, hitting just .220 through May. But in the last four months, Wynegar batted .287 (.308 right-handed, .252 left-handed). He believes the numbers could be even better in ’85.

“Even if I hit seventh, there are going to be a lot of guys on base,” he said. “Granted, (Rickey) Henderson and Willie (Randolph) are going to get on base a lot and Donny Mattingly’s going to drive them in. He’s going to be on base and (Don) Baylor and (Dave) Winfield are going to drive him in.

“Then they’re going to be on base and when you get to the sixth or seventh hitter, there are still going to be some guys on base.”

This season Wynegar vows to try to get those runners in and make a concerted effort to get the RBI total closer to what it used to be with the Twins.