SPANISH HARLEM, NY – While the New York Yankees prove that they have it takes to continue this recent success, you will find many reasons up and down the 25-man roster that have helped this team remain in the top spot in the American League East. Many pundits will tell you that Aaron Judge is a main reason for their success – and that’s definitely true. But there are others playing better than expected and deserve some credit as well. Here they are…
Potential Ace in the Making? Luis Severino has become of the better pitchers on this Yankees staff and though there were times early on in which we saw last season’s Severino, recently he has been a horse. The guy is pounding the zone with fastballs. When you take into account that filthy slider, he can become almost unhittable. His success is major reasons the Yankees are a better team and a more confident team of late. Many in the organization drooled over his stuff and saw a potential Ace-in-the-making but sometimes you have to see that arsenal play on the Major League level and this season you see him finally believing he has what it takes to became a very good pitcher and future star in this rotation. It’s been a long time coming, as the Yankees have had trouble developing pitchers and finally finding a potential front-line starter will help today and in the years to come.
The Best Bullpen in Baseball? The bullpen doesn’t get enough credit for the success of this team. It seems the only time you hear about them is when they blow a lead and some like it that way. They come in and do their jobs. Players like Adam Warren and Dellin Betances have played significant roles in important games this season. Betances faltered down the stretch last season and had many thinking he wasn’t cut out to be a closer but this season he has been dominant since Aroldis Chapman went down. Those are the things you take for granted when everyone is healthy but it’s also great to know that if one pitcher goes down, others will step up and continue to put this team in a position to win every day.
Veterans Play a Part in Development. Players like Brett Gardner and Matt Holliday have given the type of veteran leadership that every young team needs to reach their potential. Not only are they playing well they also realize how important it is accept the young guys and help them deal with everything. They root as hard as anyone when the young guns are playing well but also offer advice when times get rough. They know the grind to the season can be difficult and having their knowledge and wisdom will help keep the team loose during the dogs days of summer. Gardner and Holliday are two players that have won championships before and will play a big part in getting this team to remain competitive for the long haul.
Chemistry is one those fickle things. Chemistry can change in a heartbeat but the guys on this team really seem to enjoy each other on the field and off. It can be a great advantage over other teams especially in a long season because that camaraderie will help when times get tough and adversity hits. I really like how from the outside looking in, this year’s club seem to enjoy playing with one another more than past teams and that will only benefit them now and in the future.
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