The Yankees season is over and now after taking a coupe of days to digest the heartbreaking ALCS loss to the Houston Astros, I am ready for the offseason! Let’s get into it!
DO THE YANKEES NEED HITTING?
No and here are some reasons why.
1. I know they strike out a lot but that’s the norm in today’s game, a strikeout or a HR.
2. I understand the Yankees left men on base at an inexcusable rate, (Especially since they were the best team in the league with RISP in the regular season, ) in the ALCS but I feel that all losing teams will point to that. An example of that would be the Cardinals in games 1, 2 and 4 of the NLCS when they had men on and couldn’t capitalize. Granted, the Yankees left a lot more men on base which makes it even more frustrating, but in a scenario where the Astros would lose this series, you don’t think they would blame the fact they left men on base too? In games 3 and 4, the Yankees left 30 men on base as opposed to Houston’s 25 in games 1& 5. So yes, the Yankees left more men on base. However, they did score more runs in those 2 “ Bad RISP games” 4-1, which leads me to my next point which is good pitching wins postseason games. I even saw Astros fans complain after there two ALCS losses about how they didn’t execute with RISP. Which shows what I was trying to say earlier. Leaving men on base will happen in the postseason.
3. We see it all the time in the postseason with pitcher getting out of jams, that’s because good pitchers will make good pitches when they have too. Just look at Gerit Cole in game 3, even the Yankees hitters admitted that try as they might, Cole made good pitches when the Yankees put pressure on him and got out of a jam. Yes, sometimes it’s the offense getting too overanxious, but that’s normal as it is the postseason. This offense is relentless and we saw it in the ALCS, when DJ hit that HR in the 9th inning despite having everything thrown at them beforehand with the Astros legendary defense and the Yankees not coming through with RISP.
4. One of the reasons they are so good is because of the chemistry they have on this team battling through all of those injuries that they endured this season.The Yankees have some depth on the rise with Miguel Andujar coming back in 2020 and maybe others as well.
SO ARE YOU SAYING YOU DON’T WANT THE YANKEES TO GET HITTING?
No. I’m saying that it’s not something you should be going head -over heels for. Yes, if the opportunity arises you pull the trigger. There are rumors that the Yankees can trade for superstar Francisco Lindor And should that happen, it would mean Andujar and Didi will not be Yankees next year and that’s okay when you have Lindor.
WHAT ABOUT PITCHING?
Yes, the Yankees need pitching. Last offseason, it was 2 starters and a bullpen piece but this year, you really only need one ace and your set. One of the reasons the Yankees bullpen didn’t perform as well as expected in October was because there starters couldn’t go 5 innings making the bullpens be used heavily in most games. In games where Yankees starters went at least 5 innings, they were 3-1. In games where they didn’t, 2-4.
So I really think it’s important for the Yankees to land an ace and solidify that starting pitching issue. Should they do that, I think they will have what it takes to get over the Houston hump and win the World Series.
WHAT ABOUT OUR OWN FREE AGENTS?
Well let’s go through them.
Delin Betances: I think he stays but only on a 1-2 year deal. He’s injury- prone which does put a re-sighing in jeopardy. However, when he is healthy he is one of the best relivers in the game.
Didi Gregorious: He should stay! He loves the Yankees and so do the fans. I know he didn’t have such a good ALCS but when we need to he comes up clutch for us. I say he comes back on a 5 year deal with an option after 2 years. Only way I don’t see him coming back is if the Yankees get Lindor, or they really trust Gleyber Torres at SS. Either way, I say the Yankees either resign Didi or get another infielder for depth. It worked in 2019 with all those injuries and I think it can work again in 2020.
Camron Maybin: I see him staying on a Minor League Deal. His veteran presence was a big reason why the locker room chemistry was tight and even though the numbers didn’t look great, he lived up to his role when given the chance in the field and at the plate. Don’t see a Major league deal because I don’t think they want to waste a roster spot on Maybin as much as they like him.
Austin Romine: Bring him back on a 2-3 year deal. He’s one of the best backup catchers in the league and proved it when Sanchez was on the shelf this year.
Edwin Encarnacion: Time for him to go. He had some great moments in pinstripes but was a complete no show in the ALCS and failed in clutch situations. I know everyone wasn’t there best in that series, but Edwin was an auto -out unfortunately for the Bombers. The Yankees can buy him out for $5 million this offseason and I say do it. The money must be payed by the Rays anyway so you don’t lose anything.
Aroldis Chapman: He has an opt out in his contract or he can opt in for 2 more years. He loves the Yankees and NY likes him even though he gave up the season-ending HR to Altuvie. Chapman is a guy you wouldn’t want to face with his heat and I say the Yankees bring him back. Don’t be surprised if he opts out and signs a new deal with the Bombers.
Cory Gearin: He didn’t make the postseason roster and that wasn’t a surprise because he pitched to a 4.50 ERA in 18 games with the Yankees. NY got him off waivers as a depth piece in the bullpen and he didn’t fair to well. If the Yankees want to give him another chance, do it on a Minor League Deal, but If not, then he must find a new home.
ANY OFFSEASON NEWS SO FAR?
Yes. Yankees 1B Greg Bird has joined the DR League. He hopes that he can be just like Hunter Pence who went the DR rout last winter to work on his game and became an All-Star for the Texas Rangers in 2019.
In his first game on Tuesday night (10/27),
he seems to be seeing the ball very well, despite going 0-3 with a walk.
He saw 19 pitches in four plate appearances.
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