Somewhat lost in the hoopla surrounding Alex Rodriguez's final game with the Yankees is the team's plan—announced back in February—to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its 1996 championship prior to Saturday afternoon’s game against the Rays. While that squad, which delivered the 23rd title in franchise history but the first in 18 years, is now remembered for kicking off a stretch of four World Series titles and five pennants during the first six years of manager Joe Torre's tenure in the Bronx, it bears remembering how close that dynasty's first championship came to not happening at all.