New York Yankees: Recap of 2017 season and look into their offseason.

New York Yankees

Recap of 2017:

The 2017 season was an interesting but a good one for these young bronx bombers. Going into the year Yankees manager Joe Girardi was on the hot seat. This was his 10th year with the club; after winning the 2009 World Series he has had lot of success; but in the last 3 years the Yankees haven’t been contenders or have even made the Postseason. Which was for Yankee fans is not acceptable. When you’re the most winning franchise in sports history, fans will get frustrated faster than others might. This year was looked at as a rebuilding year in the beginning of the season. Especially with that dismantled pitching staff; and young bats the Yankees took this year as a stepping stone in the right direction. This quickly changed as the Yankees started to pile up wins. Leading their divisions for points of the season; but really extending their lead in the Wild Card. The Yankees ended the season at 91-71. They made the playoffs as the first wildcard team as they lost out to the Boston Red Sox for the AL East crown. The Yankees were granted a home game against the Twins to get in the playoffs. Which they came back in and moved on to the ALDS to face the AL pennant winners of 2016 in the Indians. The red hot Indians looked unstoppable. Not according to the Yankees after going down 2-0 in the series; they came all the way back to win the series and shock fans as they were going to Houston for the ALCS. The Yankees pushed the Astros to a Game 7 but lost for the lack of firepower. The season however was a huge but great surprise for Yankee fans.

The Yankees bats this year were nothing but what that stadium was built for back in 2009. When the Yankees organization got together with the Little League World Series and made an MLB stadium together (Not True). Their own ballpark though was not the only place where the Yankees produced. This year as a team they were 7th in BA and 3rd in OBP. in all of the MLB. The ability of the top and bottom of the order to get on base; letting the power hitters from 3 to 6 do their job was key for Yankees. The power hitters got their jobs done as well; the Yankees were 2nd in RBI's and 1st in home runs. The Yankees as a team at the plate could beat you in so many different ways. They could either play small ball or use the long ball and doubles to win games.

Young future stars like Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez really helped the Yankees get to the next level faster than expected. Sanchez was 34th in the MLB with 90 RBIs and 22nd with 33 home runs. Gary Sanchez showed signs of coming out of his shell last year but he really produced more than expected for the bombers this season. Now ALL RISE the one and only future rookie of the year Aaron Judge. Judge explosion season came out of nowhere but sure was fun to watch just from a baseball fan’s perspective. In Judge’s rookie year he was 2nd in home runs with 52 and 6th in RBIs with 114. It was not just his power though; the power is what stuck out it’s what he did with getting on base they really helped his club. After hitting all these homers or driving in runs some other way. Judge also was 3rd in the MLB with a .422 OBP. He had the talent to hit big flies but also work walks and get on base, which is just a double headed monster that no pitcher could really figure out. With a great rookie season in mostly every batting statistic. One thing Judge should try to work on is his mechanics and being not so prone to the strikeout. He was 1st in strikeouts in the MLB which is never good. If he can work out this part of his game; he will be destined for Cooperstown.    

 Going into the season the Yankees really did not know what to expect more was hoping for the best with their rotation. Tanaka was not the ace they paid for, Sabitha is just another year older, Pineda is injured often, Servano is a rookie with more upside than down. Even with the injuries and the different rotations every month the Yankees starters sure did shut the mouths of critics. The Yankees starters were able to keep the opposing team off the board with the 5th lowest ERA and 2nd in BAA. If you can’t hit usually means you can’t score and the starters were masters at that this season. The Yankees starters knew they didn’t have to go all the way every night because they had such a dominant bullpen. This didn’t stop them from having the 5th most innings pitched and 10th in quality starts. With the acquiring of Sonny Gray at the trade deadline this only made their rotation stronger and more constant. The Yankees starters pitched like they didn’t have a great bullpen which could connect to why they were so successful.

What made the Yankees rotation so good this season was because of a veteran and a rookie. C.C. Sabitha really stepped up for his club this season; and showed that even in his older age he can still pitch big (no pun intended). He was 18th in the league with 14 wins and only 5 losses which is something a rotation needs if expected to struggle. Sabitha was this rotations rock but rookie Luis Servano was who carried this rotation. The Yankees wanted only 5-6 innings from their starters this man gave them more. He was 17th in the league in IP; while holding a 2.98 ERA which was 8th among starters. Servano at such a young age was brilliance on the mound as opposing teams wondered why they couldn’t touch him. He didn’t have rookie blunders with walks or giving up hits as he was 6th in the league with a 1.04 WHIP. As much as people talked about Judge during the season is how they should of talked about Servano. Judge did the hitting as a rookie Servano did the pitching.

Going into this season one thing Yankee fans knew would be great like the Yankee way was the bullpen they put together. With resigning Chapman back after his World Series run with the Cubs; and still having Dellin Betances the Yankees 8th 9th innings were locked down. Later reacquiring former closer for the Yankees David Robertson from the White Sox just made this bullpen more of a juggernaut. The bullpen finished 3rd in ERA but finished 2nd in the league in strikeouts. The Yankees bullpen men made work of the competition and really is what carried this young squad to a Game 7 ALCS game.   

Even after a good year the Yankees organization still decided to go in a different direction. After 10 years with the team; they decided to let Joe Girardi walk instead of resigning him at season’s end.

Notable Free Agents:

SP C.C. Sabitha

OF Matt Holliday

SP Jaime Garcia

Who To Keep:

SP C.C. Sabitha: The Yankees should not give Sabitha a huge contract but show him respect with a good sized one. Not just for his season but also for his loyalty to this franchise. After coming over as a free agent in 2008 he has been with the club since. Giving them great, good, quality seasons. He may not be the ace he used to be but doesn’t mean he can’t fill your 3rd to 5th spots in the rotation.

OF/1B/DH Matt Holliday: He won’t cost a lot and also his numbers in the amount of games he has played are pretty impressive all things considering. He is a mentor to Aaron Judge and team leader. He won’t be expensive and will know his role which is someone every MLB team needs.

Who To Go Get:

SP Alex Cobb: He will be cheap since he has had Tommy John surgery back in 2015. He had a good return at the end of the 2016 season; while also pitching above average this season. He will be a nice sign for the Yankees to fill up that rotation on the bottom half.

3B Mike Moustakas: One thing the Yankees lacked in the postseason is someone that has batted in that high pressure situation and a big bat besides Aaron Judge. Moustakas will be looking to get paid which the Yankees do. He has played in 2 World Series with the Royals so he is not  new to pressure. He would be a nice get for the Yankees especially for the middle of the order.

RHP/DH Shohei Otani: Is their really a wonder why the Yankees should get him? He can pitch and hit both affectively. Otani is leaving Japan after the 2017 season and will be on Yankees watch. He is the modern day Babe Ruth in some ways since he dominated at both hitting and pitching. It just matters where he fits in the Yankees plans as a pitcher, hitter, or maybe both.

Giancarlo Stanton: I want you to just stop reading for a second to try and imagine if Stanton and Judge were in the same lineup in Yankee stadium. Their would be a homerun every day. Just between the two of them they would have more home runs then some teams. That’s good enough reason for me why the Yankees should get him.

Jake Arrieta: The Yankees need an ace, Arrieta is very much so a big time pitching ace. He wants money, the Yankees always have it. Match made in heaven.

What’s Next?:

First this offseason the Yankees need a manager that can manage young talent. Something that GM Brian Cashman thought former manager Joe Girardi couldn’t do. They need to get a manager first before doing anything else. Then after that resign big role players like Sabitha and Holiday. Then they can go after the big name; if they miss out on the big name with that payroll then acquire a lot of good role players. The Yankees are on a great track to be the Yankees of old.

By

Matthew Doherty