by Marc Carig
TAMPA, Fla. -- When Xavier Nady was traded to the Yankees from the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, he was hitting .330. In 59 games with the Yankees, he hit .268. Nady attributed the drop-off partly to switching leagues.
The Yankees are Nady's fourth organization, but his first American League team.
Still, 2008 proved to be a banner season for Nady, who set career highs in homers (25), RBI (97), average (.305), on-base percentage (.357) and slugging (.510).
This season, he has an opportunity to duplicate that performance, as Yankees manager Joe Girardi recently named Nady the team's starting right fielder.
When you first got here, what was the most eye-opening aspect of playing with the Yankees?
"For me, it's just the tradition of winning. And in the city, there's a lot of emphasis on winning. When you throw on that Yankees uniform, you're expected to play the game right. Coming from different organizations like Pittsburgh, it was just kind of like, over and over getting beat down. When I came over to Yankee Stadium, it was just an honor to put on that uniform. It was a dream come true."
How do you as players deal with the pressure of playing in New York?
"Everyone obviously deals with it in different ways. For me, there's this adrenaline when the games start, when the games get going. Then you get settled in place. You're there obviously to do what you have to, to win a ballgame. For me, there's a buildup, and then when the games get going you kind of relax. You never put pressure on yourself."
You've played in different places in your career. What have been the biggest lessons learned from those experiences?
"I don't know. I got to play for some good organizations and meet a lot of good people. I know, obviously, you'd like to settle in for a couple of years and get situated. But I've been very fortunate to develop some friendships and play for some great cities. Obviously, now, I'm back in New York for a second time. But to put on a Yankees uniform has been a blessing. I don't know what I've learned or whatever, but for me it's just been being able to see how different organizations were run. It's been a lot of fun."
You've played in New York before. But is it a different experience playing for the Yankees as opposed to the Mets?
"I've been here two months and I was only there four months and I was hurt. But in New York, you get to play in front of the best fans in the world on a nightly basis. You never have to worry about getting up for a game. The excitement level is always outrageous. As opposed to Pittsburgh, where we'd have sometimes 7,000 fans a night and they'd walk out. Here, you don't have to worry about that, and it makes it a lot of fun to get going for them."
You've got a young family now. How has that changed the way you look at things?
"It makes you put life in perspective. Like everyone said: You go 0-for-4 or whatever, you go home, and your little boy, he doesn't know what you did. The last eight months have been the best eight months of my life. It was special and every day you try to do as much as you can to spend some time. It really makes you think about how important life is, and how important it is to have every moment with him."
You're Xavier Nady VI, your son is Xavier Nady VII. Is there a story behind your name and how it has been passed down through the years?
"I'm French, so St. Francis Xavier. That's how the name started. In the mid-1800s, the first Xavier came over from France and settled in over here in, I think, the Midwest. Since then, I think we've been very fortunate to keep the name alive, to keep it going. Hopefully No. 7 will have an opportunity one day to pass it on."
Does the name go to the oldest son?
"Yeah, the oldest boy. It's been around for a long time. So at least I've got some of that pressure off me, of continuing the legacy. That was one less thing I had to worry about."
What clicked for you last year?
"Most important was staying healthy. I always felt I could have success at this level. For me, it was a matter of playing every day and getting opportunities. I was banged up the year before with a hamstring, got hit in the head and got a concussion, so it's just playing every day. I truly believe that once you have a little success, you start believing in yourself. You believe in what you're capable of doing and hopefully continue to get better."
The Yankees are Nady's fourth organization, but his first American League team.
Still, 2008 proved to be a banner season for Nady, who set career highs in homers (25), RBI (97), average (.305), on-base percentage (.357) and slugging (.510).
This season, he has an opportunity to duplicate that performance, as Yankees manager Joe Girardi recently named Nady the team's starting right fielder.
When you first got here, what was the most eye-opening aspect of playing with the Yankees?
"For me, it's just the tradition of winning. And in the city, there's a lot of emphasis on winning. When you throw on that Yankees uniform, you're expected to play the game right. Coming from different organizations like Pittsburgh, it was just kind of like, over and over getting beat down. When I came over to Yankee Stadium, it was just an honor to put on that uniform. It was a dream come true."
How do you as players deal with the pressure of playing in New York?
"Everyone obviously deals with it in different ways. For me, there's this adrenaline when the games start, when the games get going. Then you get settled in place. You're there obviously to do what you have to, to win a ballgame. For me, there's a buildup, and then when the games get going you kind of relax. You never put pressure on yourself."
You've played in different places in your career. What have been the biggest lessons learned from those experiences?
"I don't know. I got to play for some good organizations and meet a lot of good people. I know, obviously, you'd like to settle in for a couple of years and get situated. But I've been very fortunate to develop some friendships and play for some great cities. Obviously, now, I'm back in New York for a second time. But to put on a Yankees uniform has been a blessing. I don't know what I've learned or whatever, but for me it's just been being able to see how different organizations were run. It's been a lot of fun."
You've played in New York before. But is it a different experience playing for the Yankees as opposed to the Mets?
"I've been here two months and I was only there four months and I was hurt. But in New York, you get to play in front of the best fans in the world on a nightly basis. You never have to worry about getting up for a game. The excitement level is always outrageous. As opposed to Pittsburgh, where we'd have sometimes 7,000 fans a night and they'd walk out. Here, you don't have to worry about that, and it makes it a lot of fun to get going for them."
You've got a young family now. How has that changed the way you look at things?
"It makes you put life in perspective. Like everyone said: You go 0-for-4 or whatever, you go home, and your little boy, he doesn't know what you did. The last eight months have been the best eight months of my life. It was special and every day you try to do as much as you can to spend some time. It really makes you think about how important life is, and how important it is to have every moment with him."
You're Xavier Nady VI, your son is Xavier Nady VII. Is there a story behind your name and how it has been passed down through the years?
"I'm French, so St. Francis Xavier. That's how the name started. In the mid-1800s, the first Xavier came over from France and settled in over here in, I think, the Midwest. Since then, I think we've been very fortunate to keep the name alive, to keep it going. Hopefully No. 7 will have an opportunity one day to pass it on."
Does the name go to the oldest son?
"Yeah, the oldest boy. It's been around for a long time. So at least I've got some of that pressure off me, of continuing the legacy. That was one less thing I had to worry about."
What clicked for you last year?
"Most important was staying healthy. I always felt I could have success at this level. For me, it was a matter of playing every day and getting opportunities. I was banged up the year before with a hamstring, got hit in the head and got a concussion, so it's just playing every day. I truly believe that once you have a little success, you start believing in yourself. You believe in what you're capable of doing and hopefully continue to get better."
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