The Great Divide
- Paul Semendinger
- Dec 27, 2025
- 3 min read
by Paul Semendinger
December 27, 2025
***
It seems today that in these times there are basically two camps of Yankees fans.
(Disclaimer - This is a generalization. I think it's pretty accurate, but as with any generalization, this serves as a framework, not an exact template.)
The first camp (we'll call this Camp One going forward) is very frustrated by the team's inability to win a World Series. It has now been 15 seasons since the Yankees were champions. They have spent a lot of money, they have brought in a bunch of players, but the team's approach, their philosophies, their performance, and more, have all been lacking. This camp is also frustrated because the same leadership team has basically been in control throughout this entire period (one manager change) in spite of the team's overall lackluster performance. If the goal is to win the World Series, this camp sess the Yankees' continual failure as problematic.
The second camp (we'll call this Camp Two) seems more content with the Yankees being good or very good. This camp cites the team's consecutive seasons of .500 records and better and the many post season appearances the Yankees have achieved in recent years. This camp is pleased the Yankees make the postseason. This camp often finds reasons or rationale for the Yankees poor performances in the postseasons year-after-year. (Members of Camp One would call these reasons excuse making.)
The fans in Camp One are frustrated because the Yankees brand used to mean excellence, even more, it meant greatness. Being a Yankee used to mean being the best. It longer means that.
The fans in Camp Two cite luxury tax concerns, payroll, and the league's desire for parity as reasons why the Yankees have not won a World Series since 2009.
Fans in Camp One note that the Yankees have won one World Series in 25 years. They note that this is one of the least successful periods in all of Yankees history.
Fans in Camp Two note that the Yankees have reached the postseason in 20 of the last 25 seasons.
The Camp One fans want the Yankees to be the best. This camp wants greatness. They want the Yankees to be the favorites most years to win the World Series. They also want the team to fulfill that promise more often than not.
Camp Two is content with the Yankees being in the mix. They enjoy a pennant chase and even if the Yankees are a wild card team, they believe that if the team is in the playoffs, they have a legitimate shot at winning a World Series.
This is the great divide.
Because the two camps see things so differently, they often speak different languages.
Camp One wants the Yankees always being aggressive and being "in" on the big free agents and active when top players are being traded.
Camp Two often notes the team's flaws, but states that there is always more time and sees future opportunities such as the next trade deadline or next year's free agents as a fine time to make improvements.
Camp One notes that Aaron Boone has never won a World Series.
Camp Two notes that he wins a lot of regular season games.
Camp One sees the Yankees' inactivity this off-season as problematic.
Camp Two feels the Yankees will still be a good team in 2026 - that the core is already there for the team to be one of the better teams in the league.
For the most part, fans are firmly on one side or the other. Some fans vacillate between the two sides, but, primarily most fans fall into Camp One or Camp Two.
In the discussions and the debates, because they see things so differently, these two sides often talk past each other"
"The Yankees failed again"
"No, they didn't, they reached the postseason."
"The Yankees are doing nothing."
"They don't need to do much."
"I want championships, not .500 records."
"Would you rather have a few years of tanking?"
Both sides make valid points. Neither side is necessarily wrong in their thinking. The Yankees do have good teams. Aaron Boone does win a lot of games. The Yankees often make the postseason. At the same time, the Yankees are never great, they continually flame out in big games and in the playoffs.
While the two camps differ right now, one way or another, these two camps will probably eventually come together...
If the Yankees put it all together and win the World Series, both camps will celebrate.
If the Yankees have a poor season and fail to make the playoffs, then both sides will probably call for change.
Right now the Yankees straddle the line, not quite good enough to satisfy Camp One and not quite bad enough to discourage Camp Two.
But, until they do come together, I sense the two sides will continue talking past each other.
and would not we all choose to attend
Camp Non-Interregnum
where nothing succeeds like seamless dynastic succession
I think the difference between the camps is whether or not to bring in at least one major free agent beyond a Bellinger-level player. Count me as Camp one. Spend the money, because the window is closing.
Regardless of which camp you might align with the thing that bothers me as a lifelong Yankee fan is the Yankees lack of adaptability to the changing world of MLB. It just seems like the Yankees are stuck and along with their arrogance to not adapt it is a bad look for a legacy baseball team with such a rich history in baseball.
From my tent in Camp Two, I'll point out that the "+.500 record" point is a strawman argument. If it were 33 years of 82-80, I'd be enraged. It's not, though.
You want championships to be the measure of success? How about this then: 2000 was a world championship year. The Yankees won at a .540 clip during the regular season (87-74), so .540 = successful year in your mind. In those same 33 years, the Yankees have played .540 or better in all but 5 seasons. Specifically, that was 2013-16, which I am happy to agree was an awful period, plus 2023, when the best player in the League was injured for much of the season.
You may be…
While I understand the reasoning of those in Camp 2, I do not understand how they can accept it. Especially galling is that the distance from Camp 2 to Camp 1 is not that great. It just takes the willingness on the part of the powers that be to make the push to take the final leap. But they will not do so for the love of a few extra dollars on the bottom line.
Likely, many of the younger fans are in this camp. Those for whom the multiple dynasties of the franchise are mostly known through history books, not personal lived experience. With those dynasties was the expectation of greatness. This was held by both the fans…