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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 06: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Andrew Miller #48 of the New York Yankees in action against the Houston Astros during the American League Wild Card Game at Yankee Stadium on October 6, 2015 in the Bronx borough of New York City, New York. The Astros defeated the Yankees 3-0. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Andrew Miller embodies the pinstripes

I don’t know about you, but Andrew Miller has quickly become one of my favorite Yankees.

No, that doesn’t just have to do with his performance on the field – 36 saves, 2.04 ERA and a Mariano Rivera Award for best reliever in the AL in 2015. It has to do more with how he handles himself. His unselfishness – his desire to win, regardless of his hierarchy on the team or among his peers. He knows what it means to be a Yankee — hell — a professional athlete, and I admire that.

Miller called into Michael Kay’s radio show recently and gave his thoughts on the Yankees replacing him as closer with Aroldis Chapman. He admitted that everyone has an ego to one degree or another. He just seems to have a smaller ego than others.

“I came to New York to be a winner,” he told Kay. “At this point in my career I’m not building any sort of resume on saves. I’m not chasing any numbers or records. I’ve seen teams win and I’ve seen how much fun that is. That will be the most rewarding thing if we win games and accomplish our goals.”

Isn’t that what it should be about all the time? Winning? This is what guys like Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Rivera obsessed over, and it’s what Joe Torre instilled in those teams back in the 90’s. Do your job, want to win, expect to win and don’t worry about what it looks like in the process. There needs to be more guys like that around.

I’ve grown to be a really big fan of Alex Rodriguez, mostly because it’s fun to root for a guy everybody hates. But when he first came to the Yankees, he was all about personal numbers and milestones, and I remember Torre saying “that’s not how we do things here.” It’s not about the back of the baseball card. It’s about the win-loss column.

Closing is the sexiest job in the bullpen. They make the most money and get all the attention. Miller got a taste of that, but he doesn’t need it to feel validated. I get the feeling that he’d sweep the Stadium floors if it meant winning ballgames. Miller also turned down more money from the Astros to sign in the Bronx last winter. I like guys that truly want to be here first and foremost – who think about the money second.

Miller gave his thoughts on the trade rumors that’ve swirled around him this winter. GM Brian Cashman said that he’d only move Miller if the offer was too good to turn down.  “I don’t blame them,” he said. “If they feel they can make the team better, that’s their prerogative.” He says all the right things. He knows it’s a business and that trades are out of his control. When you compare him to a guy like Jonathan Papelbon, it’s comical.

The Yankees have constantly said throughout the years that anything short of a World Series championship is a disappointment. Recently, that tone has somewhat changed. They’ve tempered expectations in the Bronx, and now seem happy about appearing in a Wild Card game.

You can tell Andrew Miller wants more than just a one-game playoff. He embodies the pinstripes, and how every player who puts them on should act. Give me 25 guys just like him and I like my chances in October.