By Paul Semendinger
July 12, 2024
***
I do not have any inside information on this. (If the Yankees actually talked with me, they'd have a better team and a few more World Championships....)
But I sense, that these next three games will define the 2024 Yankees season and the direction the Yankees head for the next many seasons.
The Yankees of recent weeks have:
Lost 2 of 3 to the Red Sox
Lost 2 of 3 to the Orioles
Lost 2 of 3 to the Braves
Lost 2 of 2 to the Mets
Split 4 games with the Blue Jays
Lost 3 of 3 to the Reds
Lost 2 of 3 to the Red Sox
Lost 2 of 3 to the Rays
If the Yankees win (or even sweep) the series against the Orioles (who also have not been playing great baseball), the narrative heading into the All-Star Break will be,
"The Yankees turned the corner. Boone helped the team maintain their focus during the season's roughest patch. When they faced their biggest rival in 2024, they stepped up.
This team showed its true heart. All is good."
At that point, it is possible that they go all-in and make some big trades to make the team stronger. They'll have the possibility (if nothing else) of hope.
BUT... If the Yankees lose this series (or worse, get swept), it will be clear that the team is in deep trouble. There can be no denying it. At that point, the team will have to make a decision.
A huge decision.
And that decision will let the fans know, clearly, the direction of the franchise.
If the Yankees lose this series and if the manager is not fired, it will be abundently clear that the owner and the general manager care little about winning. Teams that have winning as their goal, do not keep a manager that presides over a collapse like this. They simply do not.
A team that cares about winning would not, in any way, keep a manager who has no answers, who has presided over other collapes like this, and who has never, ever, guided a team to the World Series.
How the Yankees have played since the middle of June is unacceptable. A series win just before the All-Star break can (and will) give false hope to (some of) the fanbase.
But another series loss has to be the final straw for a team in disarray...
If the Yankees lose this series, big changes have to be made.
These next three days will tell a lot.
I still think this team can win a WS this year. that is why i continue to watch. if I believed the season was lost, I would find other things to do with my time.
I think Boone should be gone
I like Cashman more than most, I think, but if for nothing more than firing Girardi and handpicking Boone, I am fine with him being fired. I do think he also has proven to be arrogant about analytics and he has done a poor job with player development and hiring a competent medical and training staff
but I DO think he deserves more credit for some of the moves he does or does not make.
i wrote about much…
i agree with you completely about Boone. of course, you and I have been in nearly exact agreement on him all year. he should have already been fired (before this year, but i mean that to be EVEN if they did keep him for this year) based on the last 2 collapses and our worst, or near worst, MLB record in June
that said, If i am hearing you correctly, you do not care what happens this weekend. you believe the season is already lost. any hope anyone might get from a good result vs the Os, would be only false hope??
Regarding the effect of a manager on a ballclub vs roster construction. I always create this hypothetical question. I have used this hypothetical question on this site before.
Let's hypothetically change history.
Buck Showalter was the manager of the Yankees from 1992 to 1995. He had very little success managing those Yankee teams except for making the post season as the Wild Card in 1995, but being eliminated in the first round by the Seattle Mariners.
Joe Torre was the manager of the Yankees from 1996 to 2007. We all know about the success those Yankee teams had during those years, all the many first place finishes, winning the World Series 4 out 5 years, being in the World Serie…
Indeed an important series
and certain to be consequential
...an overwhelming question ...
Oh, do not ask, “What is it?”
Let us go and make our visit.
Paul Yankee fans over the years no exactly what Hal and Cashman are going to say. A lot of smoke and mirrors. Again at the trade deadline if the Yanks don’t make moves in obtaining real major leaguers it will be clear that Hal is just going to play out the strong as usual. The Yanks need a lights out closer which would move Holmes to pitch in the 7th or 8th and this move would strengthen the whole bullpen. Need a hitter who can play the infield. I personally don’t want to count on and put pressure on 2 many first and second year players. Rice has been a pleasant surprise but not proven yet . Torres has b…