6 former Yankees players who made it very obvious they couldn't handle New York

There's something about the New York spotlight. In order to make it in the city that never sleeps, one must be driven, dedicated, and possess a very thick skin. This fact of life is even more true under the bright lights of the Bronx, where playing for the New York Yankees comes with an even greater set of expectations, commensurate with being a member of the most decorated North American professional sports franchise of all-time.

Donning the pinstripes is a privilege and a responsibility. One must honor they history of the greats that came before them, while also serving a fan base that expects nothing other than a World Series title year in and year out.

If the fans won't get to you, the merciless New York media will. Reporters and pundits will stop at nothing to feed the rabid fan base, serving as a daily reminder of the responsibility of the mantra, "Pride, power, and pinstripes."

While many have flourished in this pressure cooker, many others have crumbled under the weight of the expectations. Playing baseball on hallowed ground in the shadow of the ghosts of Monument Park isn't easy. These six players are prime examples of guys who crumbled under the weight of playing in New York.

Javier Vazquez was supposed to be a longtime Yankees ace until he cracked under the New York spotlight

In December of 2003, the Yankees swung a trade with the Montreal Expos (now Washington Nationals) to acquire starting pitcher Javier Vazquez, who they hoped would rejuvenate an aging rotation and become an ace for years to come.

The logic was solid. Vazquez, 27 at the time, was coming off a season in 2003 in which he logged 230.2 innings while posting a 3.24 ERA and recording 241 strikeouts to just 57 walks. His devastating changeup had been compared to that of perennial thorn in the Yankees' side Pedro Martinez, another pitcher who began his career in Montreal.

At first, the move looked brilliant. Vazquez cruised through the first half of the season, posting a 3.56 ERA and earning his first and only All-Star selection. However, as the playoff push went into overdrive in the second half, Vazquez crumbled under the weight of expectations, and recorded a 6.92 ERA in the second half.

Vazquez had pitched so poorly that he fell out of the playoff rotation, yet his Yankee career is defined by his ALCS meltdown, which saw him serve up a grand slam to Johnny Damon on his very first pitch. That bitter pill quickly put Game 7 out of reach in what was and still is the most embarrassing moment in Yankees history, allowing the Boston Red Sox to break the Curse of the Bambino.

Vaqzuez was promptly shipped off to Arizona in the offseason in the Randy Johnson trade, but the Yankees would not learn their lesson. In the winter of 2009, Brian Cashman decided to take another stab at the Javy Vazquez experience, acquiring him in a trade with the Atlanta Braves.

2008 was the best season of Vazquez's career, placing fourth in the NL Cy Young voting and producing a career-best 2.87 ERA in 219.1 innings. His second tour in the Bronx went much like his first; he posted a 5.32 ERA in 157.1 innings before eventually falling out of the rotation.

He'd pitch one more season with the Florida Marlins before hanging up his spikes, rebounding nicely with a 3.69 ERA in 32 starts, further confirming that he could lead a rotation anywhere but New York.