Are We There Yet (Part II)
Are we on the precipice of the next Yankees dynasty?
By: Francis Lee
Writer, NYYU
It was no secret that the New York Yankees were one of the squads known to be vying for the services of one; Shohei Ohtani after being just one win away from finally going back to the Fall Classic. Fans had been inundated with stats, video and think pieces regarding the Japanese phenom but for Yankees fans things had practically reached a fever pitch. It’s not uncommon for Yankees fans to be of the belief that a top Free Agent will be donning pinstripes the following season but this was a once in a lifetime talent. Ohtani was just 23 years old and had been dubbed “The Japanese Babe Ruth.” A player with the ability to pitch at the top of any rotation and bat in the heart of any lineup. The hype was real and it just so happened that the Yankees were lacking both an actual Ace and a powerful left-handed bat to compliment their reigning Rookie of the Year, Aaron Judge as well as their middling rotation. When news got out that Brian Cashman made the trip over to Japan to scout Ohtani back in September of 2017, fans had all but anointed Shohei the next Yankees great. Even Girardi, then the team’s skipper, had to field questions about whether he thought Ohtani could actually DH and pitch for the bombers. But things quickly took a turn once Free Agency began. Even the most optimistic of fans had to be aware of the fact that actually landing Ohtani wouldn’t be easy simply because damn near every team in the league would be after him. But something strange happened. Rumors began circulating that Ohtani preferred playing for a smaller market team. Which shocked many, myself included, because he’d been playing as Japan’s premiere star for several seasons already. The entire country was his market, so why would he now choose to play for a team that offered less in that regard? Then came the kill shot… Apparently, baseball’s next sensation only wanted to play for a west coast team! There were stories about him wanting to be as close to home as possible but he’s never actually said that this was the reasoning behind what he ultimately decided. Ohtani would formally meet with 7 different major league clubs but only 2 of them would be non-west-coasters. The Cubs and Rangers were able to secure face-time with Sho-time but East Coast power houses like the Red Sox and Yankees didn’t so much as have dinner with the 2-way superstar. In addition to Chicago and Texas, Shohei met with Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego and both Los Angeles based organizations before ultimately deciding to team up with Mike Trout and Albert Pujols on the Angels. For Yankees fans, the Ohtani hype train was much ado about nothing. He didn’t even so much as visit the Bronx. The Yanks were never in contention. I will always remember what stood out most to me was that it seemed the Yankees believed they had as good a shot as anyone to land Ohtani and yet in the end they were never even an option for him. I mean imagine traveling 6,000 miles to watch a guy who isn’t even remotely interested in joining your team? I mean how could a juggernaut business like the New York Yankees not even know that their top priority in Free Agency isn’t inclined to even speak with them? But I digress.
After striking out with the Japanese Bambino, they quickly pivoted to the blockbuster trade for OF/DH Giancarlo Stanton. Hard to believe it now, but at the time many fans celebrated the move as Stanton was coming off an MVP season where the 28-year old led the league in HRs (59), RBIs (132) and SLG (.631). The only other player-move that was notable that offseason was re-signing CC for 1-year and $10 Million. At this point it seemed the boys from the Bronx were trending upward, so this offseason was largely accepted by the fanbase. Maybe it wasn’t everything we hoped but with a young core, a reigning MVP joining ROTY Aaron Judge AND a new Manager, we were hopeful.
The regular season performance would see an improvement in 2018. A 9-win improvement to be exact. The Yankees were a 100-game winner for the first time since 2009 when they last won it all. In his first season with the Yanks, Stanton would play in 158 games, club 38 HRs, bat .266 and compile an OPS+ of 130. Giancarlo even finished top-20 in MVP voting that year. Aaron Judge was on his way to a sensational sophomore year until a HBP forced him on the IL towards the end of July. At the time fans were told he’d be out 3 weeks (LOL), but he wouldn’t come back until mid september, missing 50 games that year. Gleyber Torres was called up as soon as his service time could be manipulated for an extra year and we finally got a look at the highly touted Rookie. He would finish 3rd in Rookie of the Year voting batting .271 and hitting 24 HRs. It was a great Rookie campaign for the youngster but it was somehow outshined by another Rookie teammate. Miguel Andujar had gotten a handful of ABs in 2017 but was a true Rookie during the 2018 season and boy did he burst onto the scene. Andujar batted .297 with 27 HRs and 47 doubles. What I loved most was that in over 570 ABs, he still managed to keep his strikeouts under 100 for the year. At the deadline, Cashman was able to acquire 2 arms to bolster the struggling rotation. J.A. Happ and Lance Lynn. Neither was brought here to be the next Ace but both had the potential to help down the stretch and into October. They were also able to swing a deal with the Orioles for Zach Britton, who made for a very nice addition to the back end of the bullpen. At the end of August the Yanks would grab Andrew McCutchen to help fill out a lineup that was still missing Aaron Judge.
All of that was great but it was only good enough for 2nd place as the Boston Red Sox would run away with the AL East. Led by new manager Alex Cora and an MVP season from Mookie Betts, the Sox would win 108 games that year. Both Rookie-Managers’ teams had impressed in the regular season but make no mistake about it; Cora was that guy. Now Boston had just won the division the year prior but after getting ousted in the ALDS against Houston it became clear the team needed a new voice to get over the hump. John Farrell had failed to get them past the Division Series in consecutive seasons and there was worry that the window on the current Red Sox would close before they got another shot at the title. Enter Jose Alexander Cora. The Puerto Rican infielder had retired from his playing days just 7 seasons prior to being named Boston’s head man. Cora, like Boone, comes from a strong baseball family but unlike Aaron, Alex did possess some coaching experience. While Boone was working as an analyst for ESPN, Cora took a bench coaching job with the Astros just before the 2017 season. He served as a part of a World Series winning coaching staff under manager AJ Hinch. The players naturally gravitated towards Cora. There were no corny gimmicks or cupcake parties, just a wealth of baseball knowledge delivered with honesty and clarity. Boston saw this and, just a day after Houston dispatched the Yankees in the ALCS, the Red Sox announced that Cora was their new skipper. Typical. Fast forward back to the playoffs with Cora in his first year at the helm and the entire organization in Boston had something to prove.
The Yankees were eager to take the next step as well but they’d have to go through the Wildcard yet again. This time Oakland was the opposition and the Yanks were more than up to the “challenge.” Oakland went with a bullpen game strategy that backfired almost immediately after Judge parked a 2-run HR in the left field seats in the bottom of the first. Sevy got the start and went 4 innings, striking out 7 and walking 4 while giving up zero runs. The Yanks scored 6 unanswered and by the time Oakland put their 2 runs on the board the game was all but over. The Yanks went on to win 7-2 and punch their ticket back to the ALDS. This time against an all too familiar opponent in the Red Sox. Though Boston was coming off winning more regular season games than they ever had before, against the Yankees that year, they were just 10-9. This would indicate that the 2 clubs were in for a classic playoff bout. However the actual outcome was… different.
After losing a close 5-4 Game 1 at Fenway, the Boone’s club would fight back with 3 HRs in Game 2, one from future-captain Aaron Judge and 2 from future-Padre Gary Sanchez. The vibes were at an all time high. Just the season prior the Yanks had beaten the league’s best team in the Indians. Could it be happening again? Only this time it would be sweeter, as sending the Red Sox home is a delicacy the Yankees hadn’t tasted since their current Manager walked the Sox off in 2003. But the vibes may have been just a little too high as Judge could be seen strolling the halls of Fenway playing “New York, New York” from a Bluetooth speaker before the team boarded a flight back home. I cringed harder than I ever had in my life. Now as my good friend Killa-Joe would say, “We would’ve loved it if they won.” He’s not wrong, had the Yanks gone on to win that series, Judge would’ve become the folk-hero he is today much sooner. But the Yankees hadn’t defeated the Red Sox, they had just won a game. The series was tied 1-1. The only thing the Yankees had done was take Home-Field-Advantage away from Boston. After not losing a home playoff game the year prior, maybe Judge thought the series was theoretically over. He’d go on to learn a valuable lesson. Cora took this as a sign of disrespect and used it to rally the troops. Worked like a charm too, as the Sox marched into the Bronx and laid a 16-run powerbomb on the Yankees in their own house. Severino went just 3 innings and gave up 6 ERs while his counterpart and Ex-Yankee Nathan Eovaldi pitched 7 innings of 1-run ball. The Yankees and their 100-win season were on the brink of elimination and just as sweet as it is when they eliminate their Bean-Town Rivals, it can be just as bitter when the contrary occurs. Facing elimination, the Yankees somehow shrank back to the 2015 version of the team. It was a 4-1 Boston lead for most of the night with the Yanks looking beaten from before first pitch. They were never really a threat most of the night. They would load the bases in the 9th and score on a HBP and a Sanchez sac fly but Gleyber would groundout to end the game and the season.
Then Boston danced on our grave.
While lighting cigars and spraying the visitors’ clubhouse with champagne (paid for by the Yankees in case you ever wondered), the Red Sox decided the best music to celebrate with, would be the same melody that they heard playing in the bowels of their ballpark after Game 2. The Sox trolled the Yanks with their own victory song. Listening to Frank Sinatra while watching Boston celebrate in OUR stadium was sickening. The video of Judge after Game 2 was on repeat across the country as different networks applauded Boston for teaching the Yankees & their young star a lesson; it ain’t over till it’s over. Unfortunately, this was just the beginning of the embarrassment that was awaiting this club.
Following their underwhelming effort in the 2018 ALDS, Cashman would once again turn to the free-market for reinforcements. This year’s market included SP Patrick Corbin, SS/3B Manny “Johnny-Hustle” Machado and Bryce “Future-Yankee” Harper. After losing 3 games to 1 to the eventual champions who just so happen to be their biggest rival, the Yankees had to respond right? I mean sure they won 100 games but the storied history of the Yankees isn’t built off regular season accolades. The Yankees win Championships, more than any other club. But there was an issue with that narrative now. The Bronx Bombers hadn’t sniffed a World Series since 2009. They needed to add. And with 2 generational talents and possible Ace available in Free Agency the Yankees just couldn’t miss!
Or could they?
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