After one week of baseball the New York Yankees are 4-2. To be technical they are 1 game back of the 5-1 Red Sox in the AL East, but it's a long season and the standings don't mean quite as much in April as they do in July and August. So then, where do the Yankees actually stand one week in to the season? We entered spring training with several questions about this ball club and I believe we are starting to get some of those answered. Here's a look at some of those questions.
Can Giancarlo handle New York?
0-5 with 5 k's. The man formally known as Mike Stanton put up a not so ideal stat line for his Yankee Stadium debut. The boos echoed in the stadium and it appeared as if we would finally know how Giancarlo would respond to the expectations that come with donning the pinstripes. First, how did he respond to the media? "You put up a performance like that, you should get some boos." This was Stanton's response to the media. Exactly what he should have said, but what really answers the question is what he does next on the field. Stanton gave us a 458 ft answer in his 1st AB Wednesday.
What's on 2nd?
This answer is not as cut and dry. Before Greg Bird landed on the DL the job seemed to be Neil Walker's with a little Tyler Wade mixed in, but now Walker is logging time at 1B and we're seeing a lot of Wade and Toe. Toe doesn't seem to have caught manager Aaron Boone's eye and Wade is currently sporting a .133 batting average. It may be just me but unless someone steps up, it feels as if the keystone is all but waiting for Gleyber Torres.
Is Aaron Boone the Answer?
A team that finishes just one win away from a World Series birth isn't generally looking for a change in managers, but that is exactly what Brian Cashman and the Yankees front office did. Going for a more analytical, player oriented manager the Bronx Bombers brought in Aaron Boone. A man with no coaching experience raised some eyebrows and every move he makes will be closely monitored. After 6 games there has been questions about how he manages the bullpen, but I personally think that will change once the starters pitch counts get stretched out a little more. Boone has handled the media very well up until now and I believe his baseball blood will show.
Overall, the start of the 2018 season has given Yankees fans a good taste of what to expect for the year. The bullpen has been shaky but it will obviously right the ship. The explosive offense will be there more nights than not. And the starting pitching has unbelievable potential. With more questions than answers right now though, we will just have to wait and see how this season unfolds.
What's on 2nd?
This answer is not as cut and dry. Before Greg Bird landed on the DL the job seemed to be Neil Walker's with a little Tyler Wade mixed in, but now Walker is logging time at 1B and we're seeing a lot of Wade and Toe. Toe doesn't seem to have caught manager Aaron Boone's eye and Wade is currently sporting a .133 batting average. It may be just me but unless someone steps up, it feels as if the keystone is all but waiting for Gleyber Torres.
Is Aaron Boone the Answer?
A team that finishes just one win away from a World Series birth isn't generally looking for a change in managers, but that is exactly what Brian Cashman and the Yankees front office did. Going for a more analytical, player oriented manager the Bronx Bombers brought in Aaron Boone. A man with no coaching experience raised some eyebrows and every move he makes will be closely monitored. After 6 games there has been questions about how he manages the bullpen, but I personally think that will change once the starters pitch counts get stretched out a little more. Boone has handled the media very well up until now and I believe his baseball blood will show.
Overall, the start of the 2018 season has given Yankees fans a good taste of what to expect for the year. The bullpen has been shaky but it will obviously right the ship. The explosive offense will be there more nights than not. And the starting pitching has unbelievable potential. With more questions than answers right now though, we will just have to wait and see how this season unfolds.