By Paul Semendinger
July 8, 2021
***
As it gets late in the evening, some thoughts and questions:
Each time the Yankees take one step back, it feels like two, or three. They are now 44-42. There are 76 games left in the season. To get to 90 wins, the Yankees would have to win 46 games. They’d have to go 46-30. That’s .605 baseball. 90 wins probably does not get the Yankees to the playoffs. It will probably take at least 93 wins. Can the Yankees go 49-27 the rest of the way? That’s .644 baseball. Yikes.
It seems all but hopeless, no? Is it wrong to point out this obvious fact?
Since it seems hopeless, is it wrong to hope that the Yankees don’t get hot to end, finally, the discussion about whether or not this team can contend?
At this point, isn’t it better for the Yankees to trade their Major League assets and keep their young kids with promise as they build to the future? Do we want the Yankees trading what minor league talent they do have to chase a fading dream?
It is realistic to think that the future is 2022? Can this all be fixed in one off-season?
Isn’t it time to begin to look to the next years? Instead of treading water, doesn’t it make sense to begin to prepare for the next steps?
Wouldn’t it be fun to see the life, energy, and enthusiasm that a new young core would bring?
It seems every time I see Aaron Boone in the dugout, he’s blowing bubbles with his bubblegum. In a season where the Yankees make kid-like mistakes, it just isn’t the look I want to see – watching the manager, the man presiding over all of this, sitting there on one knee blowing bubbles. (See the end of this post for a collection of some of the Boone Bubble photos on Getty Images.) It’s almost comical. But it also feels like Nero fiddling as Rome burns.
Is there another big league manager who does this? (This is a serious question. I don’t see all of the games.)
Great teams put away their opponents when they’re down. The Yankees just can’t seem to do this.
It really does seem like the Yankees have a glass jaw, doesn’t it? When they get put down, it takes them a long time to get back up.
I don’t understand the anger and tough guy stuff that took place after the game earlier today. D.J. LeMahieu was barely grazed by the pitch he was hit by. Rougned Odor wasn’t even hit. That just seemed weak by the Yankees. “We couldn’t beat you so now we’ll act tough after getting one-hit. Don’t pitch inside to us.” To me, it was another bad look. This is when the Yankees are going to show life… when the game is over and they won’t see these opponents for a month? It seemed like a lot about nothing.
Are the Yankees good enough or tough enough to draw extra fire or anger from their opponents? Why do they want to make other teams even more ready to play them?
If the Yankees are sellers, how many of these players are keepers? Who has the great upside to help serve as the core to the next great team (hopefully in 2023 or 2024)? Is Aaron Judge part of that? Will the Yankees pay him $20 to $30 million to stay a Yankee?
It’s been such a disappointing last few seasons. I hope the Yankees find ways to address the issues and start to look to how they can be a force in the league sooner than later. I’d rather sacrifice 2021 and 2022 to have a glorious decade after this than to keep chasing the faded dream that this team has become.
Will any fan, ever, say, “Those 2021 Yankees were so fun to watch?” Will this team ever rank on any fans list of favorite teams?
In 1990, the Yankees finished in last place, but there was excitement… Kevin Maas arrived and made us all dream as he hit homer after homer. It didn’t last, but that didn’t matter. Much of baseball is the hope and excitement it brings. Maas, in his short time, brought that. Is there a Yankee this year that will make us hope and dream?
