Even if the playoffs don’t come to the New York Yankees in
2016 I still have two words for this team and this organization, thank you. The
New York Yankees came into the 2016 season with expectations at an all-time
low. The team hadn’t signed a single MLB free agent that offseason, although
they did acquire Starlin Castro and Aroldis Chapman in trades, and big time
prospects like Greg Bird were injured to start the season. The Yankees had the
deck stacked against them and after a 9-17 start they already had some throwing
dirt on their graves before the team rose from the ashes.
This team clawed their way back to the .500 mark and while
they struggled to get above it they hovered around it until the All-Star break
and subsequently the August 1st trading deadline. New York decided
to fully commit to the rebuild and the youth movement and the team traded away
their best hitter, their two best pitchers and a key piece to their rotation
all for prospects. Once again dirt was being flung around and over the graves
of the Yankees and once again the team came back stronger than ever from those
same ashes.
This team went on a run thanks to the youth that at one time
were discarded by some fans and youth that just flat out exceeded expectations.
The back-to-back home runs in their first MLB at-bats by Aaron Judge and Tyler
Austin. Gary Sanchez hitting a home run every 45 minutes for a solid week or
more. The clutch hitting by Didi Gregorius and the clutch pitching by Masahiro
Tanaka. The saves lodged by Dellin Betances and the work put in by Tyler
Clippard and Adam Warren after coming home. All of it was special in its own
little way.
The emergence of Chad Green and then the emergence of Luis
Cessa as starting pitchers. The return of Bryan Mitchell. The retirement of
Alex Rodriguez. The eventual retirement of Mark Teixeira. The return of
dominant CC. Wow, what a season.
We may not have ended up where we all wanted to be but the
experience, the team building and the fun we had on this roller coaster ride of
a season you can’t merely put into words. So I won’t try, all I’ll say once
again is thank you for a fantastic 2016 Yankees family.
We ended up where I wanted to be, Daniel! Not that I wouldn't like to win it all, I cringe at every loss...I detest loosing!
ReplyDeleteAll that said and done, I want next year and the years after to be great for the Yankees...they were not ready for it this year and maybe will fall short next year also! One thing we do know is, we are not far away, a trade (or signing) here or there to improve the powerless outfield and a #2 or #3 pitcher would help very much.
I still think "Ace" and Cale would make a big difference in the BP next year (one as a starter?) and we do (as you and Bryan have said) a few guys coming back next year.
I can't say we ended up where I wanted to be but all things considered, the fire sale and all, I like where we ended up. It may be better this way anyway. No way this team would go far into the postseason anyway.
DeleteDon't get my hopes up, just go quietly.