The 2023 Yankees season was a disaster.
We know this in part because the constantly criticized and four-time World Series champion general manager, Brian Cashman, told us it was a disaster. Just to be clear, this is not a post-season recap, even though he has nearly six weeks left, and forever. Up-and-coming manager Aaron Boone is still ruminating publicly about the possibility of a playoff run.
Cashman clearly believed this early on, and it turns out he was right. (Side note: The average Yankee fan would argue that this is the only time he’s been right since he got lucky with the best pitcher in baseball, Gerrit Cole, about five years ago.)
Of course, Cashman’s words weren’t the only evidence of that. Every true Yankee believer knew this was a disaster based on the longstanding standards of none other than George M. Steinbrenner (since his death in 2010, they had won a World Series) (The M now stands for Much Loved.)
Regardless, Steinbrenner basically set the standard for:
1. A season that ends in anything other than a World Series victory is a failure, and…
2. A season that falls short of reaching the postseason is a disaster.
Well, now that the disaster of 2023 is over, it’s time to move on to happier things, which should start on Tuesday. The situation is looking brighter not only for the Yankees, but also for Las Vegas tipsters, who see the Yankees as the favorite to win the AL East division (although their rivals, the Red Sox, (The owner currently seems to favor soccer and golf.)
Even though the Yankees finished 19 games behind the former Yankees’ newcomers, the Baltimore Orioles, pundits anointed MLB’s marquee team — Gleyber Torres almost with them. Remember when you hit a home run every game? And that prediction somehow holds true even after the Orioles acquired former National League Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes (not to mention the new owner, who has to be better than the old owner). yeah).
As far as I can tell, there are two main reasons why the Yankees are perceived to be moving quickly from a disaster to a potential division champion. The first one is obvious.
Yes, of course, it’s the acquisition of Juan Soto, one of the best hitters in the game and who gave the Yankees the best batting combo in the American League with Aaron Judge. (In other leagues, the trio of Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts or the trio of Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson and Austin Riley could be the subject of a lawsuit.)
In my own semi-official rankings, the leadoff hitter in the game is Judge, followed by Yordan Alvarez in second and Soto in third, so even if you don’t like my rankings, the combination of Soto and Judge is number one. It is inevitable that it will become. One of the greatest batting icons in the history of baseball, behind Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, and at least Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris in 1961, but perhaps no other.
Soto has been criticized by some for his alleged “off year” in 2023, but it certainly wasn’t the disaster that the Yankees had in 2023. In what was supposed to be a very bad season, Soto posted a .930 OPS, 35 home runs, 109 RBIs, and 132 walks, the most in MLB. He also posted over 158 OPS. This beats the career mark of a player who is still in his 20s and on his way to closing out Cooperstown by just one point.
Another reason the Yankees are good, and this is actually a big reason, is that they don’t have a season like that. It’s not about them. That is why they can still legitimately proclaim the disasters of 1982-1980.
The Yankees haven’t had a worse season since Judge was born. It was 1992, the year Buck Showalter became a baby-faced rookie manager. So they need to improve, right?
Despite the obvious sentiments of the Bleacher Creatures and their pinstriped friends, the idea of playing the run just wasn’t in their DNA during the Cashman era. Cashman has received some attention from Yankees fans due to his missteps in recent years, including the hiring of Carlos Rodon, Joey Gallo, and Frankie Montas, the absence of Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Luis Castillo, and the extension of Aaron. (To some extent!) It is natural that they are surrounded. Expectations are high for Hicks, as well as Miguel Andujar and Clint Frazier, but his teams still have made the playoffs 23 times, more than any other GM in history.
Fair or not, 2023 has been marked by debilitating injuries (Anthony Rizzo, Montas, Rodon, Judge, Jose Trevino, Nestor Cortez, and a slew of relievers) and shockingly poor performances (Giancarlo Stanton). , DJ LeMahieu, Rodon (once again) initially promised more than the usual: an October berth and a chance at No. 28 for a World Series title (better known to Yankees fans for the first time since 2009). They conspired to ruin the season that was going on.
Certainly, there are doubts. Soto’s deal leaves the Yankees lacking rotation depth, Cortez’s return to health, Rodon’s return, and a return to normalcy for Long Island’s Marcus Stroman, who is begging to be a Yankee forever. was emphasized.
Very likely the game’s best hitter (Judge) and best pitcher (Cole), enough talent to complement them even if they look a little top-heavy, plus more health and shape than in 2023. Starting with early reports of good conditions. Here’s an indisputable reality: There’s no chance the Yankees will do any better.
