- Followed a stellar rookie season with another solid performance in '97, batting .291 with 10 HR and 70 RBI in 159 games (all starts)
- Led the American League with 748 plate appearances and tied for first with 142 singles
- Ranked third in at-bats (654) and hits (190) and tied for fourth in games played (159) and also ranked fourth in runs scored (116), tied for fifth in triples (7) and ninth in stolen bases (23)
- Had a team-leading 57 multi-hit games, tying him for third in the American League
- Scored 100+ runs in each of his first two seasons, making him only the second Yankee to accomplish the feat (Joe DiMaggio 1936-37)
- Became only the fifth Yankee to play 140 or more games in their rookie and sophomore seasons (also Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri, Tom Tresh and Alvaro Espinoza)
- Batted in four positions in the Yankee order with most of his success leading off. In 102 games in the leadoff spot, he hit .321 (137-for-427) with 6 HR and 45 RBI. In 33 games in the seventh spot, he hit .254 (32-for-126) with 2 HR and 12RBI. In 23 games in the second spot, he hit .206 (20-for-97) with 2 HR and 13 RBI. In one game in the eighth spot, he was 1-for-4
- Had two four-hit games (4/5 at Oakland and 7/10 vs. Detroit), tying his career high
- Had a season-high 11-game hitting streak from 5/4-15
- Scored a career-high four runs on 6/10 vs. Chicago
- Snapped a career-high 75-game homerless drought with a leadoff homer on 8/7 at Texas (previous streak was 41 games from 4/3/96-5/23/96)
- Had his first career multi-homer game with 2 HR and 4 RBI on 8/20 at Anaheim (Game 2)
- Started all five games of the Division Series vs. Cleveland at shortstop, hitting .333 (7-for-21) with 2 HR and 2 RBI
- Hit the second of three consecutive home runs in the sixth inning of Game One (between Raines and O'Neill). It was the first time three consecutive home runs have ever been hit in post-season play.
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