SPANISH HARLEM – The Yankees have decided to let the young players, the ones with the good knees, start regularly. This is a stark contrast from the days when minor leaguers were bought up and rode the bench. Nowadays (going on a four), they play and play often. Young guns like Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Tyler Austin and Chad Green are all getting their shot to show what they can offer and the squad is surely benefiting from their production.
Most pinstripe fans will tell you they didn’t expect them to produce at the level they have. That’s not to say they won’t eventually get into some type of slump later, as we have seen with Luis Severino this year, but its definitely nice to see them hit well versus MLB pitching. There will come a time when these players weaknesses are exploited by major league teams but for now let’s marinate in what our very own Meet The Matts writer Ben Whitney likes to call the “Baby Bomber Boner.”
As the dog days of summer continue to bake the blacktop in New York City, the Yanks themselves seem to be heating up – other than the last two games – just after injecting some youth into the their veins. Coincidence,? I think not… When Steinbrenner and Cashman decided to give the kids a chance, it started a pulse throughout their minor league system, as every player believes that if they produce, they too will get their chance. That wasn’t always the case in years past, as players with robust contracts handicapped the team when it came to providing sufficient playing time to past prospects. The manager, Joe Girardi has stated that the prospects were brought up to start and play meaningful innings for a team that, at this point is not mathematically eliminated from the post season. That is saying a lot when you consider the front office basically waved the white flag when it came to making the playoffs this season. Either way, the youngster are receiving valuable experience as the season continues.
Will Girardi’s team make the post season? Back to back losses to the *Blow Jays make that harder to say but then again, no team in the AL East is exactly running away with the division. There is always a chance… From the outside, though, this team just doesn’t seem to have the pitching to get it done.
Pundits have likened this season to that of 1995 when players like Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte were brought up to experience the Wild Card run. Eventually, they clinched that year – before falling short against the aforementioned Angry Ward’s Mariners in the ALDS. We all know what that experience led to for the Yanks… Count me as one fan hoping they can somehow find that same magic again.
A reality check says this season may not produce a playoff birth but it certainly allows for hope that the Bronx Baby Bombers’ future is going in the right direction.
On a side note, if Noah Syndergaard can be called Thor, can we call Aaron Judge The Incredible Hulk, as anyone seen how short he makes Major Leaguers look. Can someone photo shop a green Aaron Judge for me… Please!
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*Typo [ahem].
