The whispers started soon after the brutal playoff loss. The old Yankee, raised through the Bomber's minor league system, might have played his last game in pinstripes. The players knew it. The fans knew it. Even he knew it.

But the career Yankee's end was marred by uncertainty. Should he come back in a reduced roll? Should he sign with another team? Should he take a year off to recharge his batteries?

No, I'm not referring to Bernie Williams and the start of the 2007 season, but to Don Mattingly and the start of the 1996 season.

At the end of 1995, after a gut-wrenching playoff loss to the Seattle Mariners, the Yankees traded for first-baseman Tino Martinez. This left the Yankees and Mattingly in a strange and delicate situation. Neither camp wanted to be viewed as the bad guy, but both parties needed to take an honest look at the situation. In the end, Mattingly gave the Yankees his blessings on the Tino trade and decided to sit out the year, but not officially retire. Meanwhile, the Yanks left the possibility of a return open (out of loyalty), but hoped and prayed that the Captain would call it quits and not force their hand.

It seems as though Bernie is destined to follow in the footsteps of Donnie Baseball and conclude his career under a similar shroud of confusion and ambiguity. Joe Torre stated the obvious  when asked about the possibility of Bernie playing this season:

“I probably would be surprised, because if it was going to happen, it would have happened by now."

Again, the Bernie situation isn't unexpected, but it's a shame how it's playing out. Sure, he could have come into camp when Torre called him. Torre's loyalty would have probably assured him a spot on the roster when the team headed north, but would Bernie be happy being the fifth outfielder on this team? Don't let Bernie's relaxed attitude fool you -- pride is a big part of any ballplayer's game. The same could have been said of Mattingly. Could anyone really envision Mattingly as a part-time player or a defensive replacement in late innings?

Careers usually don't end like they do in the movies. There are no game-winning hits or ticker-tape parades or exits on the shoulders of teammates to carry a player off into the sunset. A John Elway ending is exceedingly rare. But, I guess it all works out in the end -- Mattingly had his day in 1997 when the Yanks retired his number and Bernie will receive the same treatment soon enough.

Hopefully, there won't be a trifecta of unceremonious departures for long-tenured Yankees when Derek Jeter's skills start to diminish.

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