MLB: New York Yankees after the playoff out: There is more

The New York Yankees ended up failing in the American League Championship Series after a stunning season that was supposed to be one of transition. The young troops pushed themselves to their limits, seemed to be outstanding for a long time, but the Houston Astros nevertheless showed them serious deficiencies. So what’s next in the Bronx? SPOX gives an outlook.

It was supposed to be a transitional year for the Yankees, otherwise known as the “Evil Empire” – and yet they made it to the seventh game of the American League Championship Series. In addition, he beat one of the three best teams of the regular season with over 100 victories. But Houston was the end of the journey. And even if it feels unneccessary and the frustration over the last two games (just a run of one’s own) is currently overwhelming, the look ahead should be encouraging.

If anything like a red thread was running through this postseason for the Bronx Bombers, then surely the fluctuating performance of their own offensive. Even in rookie sensation Aaron Judge, the boundary between world class and total disaster was very close. At home, they shot everything out of the stadium and were unbeaten in six games, but away from home, New York only won one game – game 5 of the ALDS.

If you are looking for reasons for this discrepancy, you can certainly blame it on the inexperience of the boys and the lack of class of some established ones. Or simply to the fact that especially in the away games the Creme de la Creme was the starting pitcher of the competition at work – and Charlie Morton made the game of his life in Game 7.

There wasn’t much against a Justin Verlander or Dallas wheezing in Game 1 anyway. Eating cherries with Trevor Bauer in Game 1 against Cleveland was not good either – all the more surprising that the Yankees finally cut Cleveland’s Ace Corey Kluber twice. Game 2 of the ALCS went to the Indians, however, mainly because manager Joe Girardi abandoned the challenge in the alleged hit-by-pitch before Francisco Liriano’s Grand Slam. A faux pas that Girardi took in public.

Girardi will soon be the number one topic in the Bronx, or rather: In Tampa, where the Yankees have their off-season headquarters and will hold their internal winter meetings. The manager’s contract expires and it is not clear whether he or the Yankees will continue to work together.

Similar to its young workforce, Girardi also had high ups and downs during this postseason. He skillfully sailed around the catastrophic first inning against the Minnesota Twins in the wildcard by harvesting starter Luis Severino after just one out and three allowed runs. Subsequently, his Bullpen 8 2/3 had to be shut out and the offense – a power at home – did the rest.

Girardis Bullpen-Management left a rather bland taste in games 6 and 7, however, as he gave his starter a too long leash. In game 6, in which Severino again started weakening in the fifth inning and the frame began with two walks, Girardi trusted him nonetheless – and was punished with three runs that killed Verlander on the other side.

In rack 7 it was only a run that CC Sabathia left in the fourth inning, but he weakened the whole game and should have had to be removed before the inning with a bull in the backhand, which was well rested. Girardi left the left-handed guy on it and he gave a monster shot to Evan Gattis. In view of the once again anemic offensive of your own team too much. The fact that the most reliable relievers in both games eventually turned into pipe-cracker did not help either.

In the end, however, this remains hairsplitting. All in all, Girardi won more than 1000 games and the World Series 2009 in his ten seasons in the Bronx (since 2008). And regardless of whether he continues or someone else takes the helm, the Yankees will be able to build on this surprisingly good season with a squad that will be even better in the foreseeable future.

One point that Girardi emphasized at the press conference after Game 7 was:”There is more,”he said over and over again. He spoke of physical growth, but above all of mental growth. He explained that the young players with more experience might be less likely to squeeze in critical situations, which was certainly a problem in the end. And “if I were to carry on, it would be a point where the focus would be,” he said.

Judge will win the Rookie of the Year and maybe even the MVP Award, Catcher Gary Sanchez, who missed a whole month injured, beat over 50 home runs in his first 160 MLB games (including 2016) and is already considered the best offensive catcher of the MLB. First Baseman Greg Bird was supposed to become a full-blooded power at the first base – albeit not on the bases, as he demonstrated painfully with two outs on the record in the ALCS.

General Manager Brian Cashman’s contract is also expiring, but it would be a shocker if he didn’t renew it. Although he may have been in office since 1998 and has four World Series titles on his account, he’s only been allowed to do his thing for a few years now. Prior to that, he was the administrator of the legacy of the recently deceased Gene “Stick” Michael, who had built up the legendary team in the late 1990s.

In the summer of 2016, Cashman persuaded the leading squad to throw the shotgun into sight and to trade with top people like Andrew Miller or Aroldis Chapman in order to have a top farm system for the future. His statement “We are pretenders, not contenders” had left a lasting impression.

The first yields were seen in 2017, but by 2018 they are likely to go a step further. By then at the latest, the main prize of the Chapman trade, baseball’s current greatest talent Gleyber Torres, will see the light of the MLB world.

Other outfielders such as Esteban Florial, whose name was already used in trade for the promising young starter Sonny Gray, could follow. Likewise the pitcher Justus Sheffield or Chance Adams. The farm system is now one of the best in baseball, as confirmed by Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus or MLB Pipeline in unison.

Apart from that, the Yankees are in a perfect position to avoid paying luxury taxes for the first time since 2003. Since the introduction of the tax, the Yankees have paid more than $550 million extra to the competition – of course, more than any other team. Your payroll for 2018 is currently at 114 million dollars – the limit is 197! There is even room for external reinforcements, which is also a great merit of “Cash Money”.

In addition, the war chest for the enticing winter of 2018/19 is filled to the brim to get at least one of the top men like Bryce Harper (Washington Nationals), Manny Machado (Baltimore Orioles) or Dallas Keuchel (Houston Astros) to become free agents.

It wasn’t enough in the end this season, but even the competition will be aware that the infamous “Evil Empire” will strike back in time after the unexpectedly early success. The next era is within reach. Because: There is more!

This article was published without prior view by the Major League Baseball.