If 2015 Was Another 1995 Then Is 2016 Another 1996?

If 1995 had Don Mattingly did 2015 have Alex Rodriguez? If 1995 benched Derek Jeter for much of the September Wild Card push does that mean Robert Refsnyder is destined to be the next Yankees captain? If 1995 had Randy Johnson did 2015 have Dallas Keuchel? If 1995 had Alex Rodriguez, the Mariners edition, then did 2015 have Carlos Correa? I'm not comparing the players, not at all, but I am more comparing the situations. Both the 1995 and 2015 seasons came attached to moderate expectations and teams that were led by hungry veterans and young positional players that were finally starting to come through the farm system again. Both teams seasons ended with a Wild Card berth and a first round loss, albeit in five games to the Seattle Mariners in 1995 and in one game to the Houston Astros in 2015, but should we expect the same World Series in 2016 that the highly unlikely 1996 Yankees delivered?

The Yankees are already "leaning towards" having Dustin Ackley and Robert Refsnyder spend the 2016 season as the starting second baseman while the 1996 Yankees gave some kid named Derek Jeter a chance reluctantly. Again, not comparing the players merely comparing the situations. New York already has that young nucleus of homegrown talent including Dellin Betances, Adam Warren, Luis Severino, Greg Bird, Refsnyder, John Ryan Murphy, Brett Gardner and a slew of bench pieces and relievers that may start the 2016 season in Triple-A. The team also has a core group of veteran free agency and trade additions, and believe it or not both aspects are important to winning a World Series, in Brian McCann, Andrew Miller, Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, Mark Teixeira, Chase Headley, Didi Gregorius, Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury.

The 2015 team never showed the heart that the 1995 team did, again merely comparing the situations and not the teams or the players, but with the finances the team has, the young core of prospects and the team already in place this team could win a World Series in 2016. I know Bryan Van Dusen wrote earlier in the week that he had a bad feeling about 2016, and if you ask me today I may have to agree with him, but if the team can make those key additions like the 1996 team did, the Cecil Fielders, the Darryl Strawberry's and others, then the 2016 team can be special as well. The team just has to believe it and the team just has to prove it.

My, oh my the Houston Astros win it?