Waiting for 2020: Considering the Good and the Not So Good

The off-season is long. Endlessly long. Forever long.

I often find myself during the off-season thinking about the Yankees and next season. (This, of course, is also a natural by-product of running a Yankees blog.) I am excited for the 2020 Yankees to arrive and to play. The Yankees are the favorites to reach, and hopefully win, the 2020 World Series. I look forward to an exciting season.

That being said, while I am optimistic about the coming season, I am also a little nervous. Pessimistic might be the word, but cautiously optimistic might be a more accurate of my feelings. (I prefer “cautiously optimistic.”)

I thought it might be a fun exercise to contrast my optimistic thoughts (in bold) with their less than optimistic counter points:

THE YANKEES GOT GERRIT COLE!!!!! – I begin with one that has no down point. The Yankees did it – they got the big time player. This is what they must always do. Hip Hip Hooray!!!

The Yankees are now the favorites to win multiple World Series! – Wait! Not so fast. This makes them the favorites for 2020, no doubt, but not for 2021 or beyond. Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton are both free agents after the 2020 season. Who will make-up the rotation in 2021? Yikes. That rotation looks weak! I knew they should have gotten two great starting pitchers!

Brett Gardner, the leader is back! – I worry that Brett Gardner has just come off his last excellent season. He’s getting old and he out performed all expectations last year. It is even remotely possible that he can do that again? I doubt it – especially if the ball isn’t juiced.

We’re going to (finally) have a healthy Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton for a full season. They might hit 100 homeruns just between them! – There is no chance that they both even play in 130 games. I doubt either even plays that many. These two giants of the game are always hurt.

The bullpen is, again, going to be GREAT! – The bullpen will be tired. Adam Ottavino was used up by the playoffs. Remember that slider Chapman threw to lose the final game? No bullpen stays this great for this long. There could be a full scale regression of all these pitchers – and no Betances to fall back on. It could be ugly.

Gleyber Torres is ready to shine! – I wish he was playing second base. His lack of range and great hands are going to be a problem.

DJ is going to be a force again! – Or not… his previous high homerun total before last year was just 15 – and that was in Colorado. He is a good hitter, but he hit only .276 in 2018. D.J. was like a machine in 2019, but he’s just a man and he won’t be nearly as good.

LUKE VOIT is now healthy and really ready to blossom! – Luke Voit is more hope than substance. I wish the Yankees had a quality/proven left-handed hitter who could play first base. The 2020 Yankees will again be too right handed.

GIO!!! – He was a one-year wonder. Remember when Mariano Duncan hit .340?

Andujar Returns! – If he can field, at all, I’ll be surprised.

Hicks will come back for a great second half! – I’ll have to see it to believe it – the guy is always hurt!

(There is no positive here) – The Yankees need a back-up catcher who can hit. Sanchez gets hurt a lot.

The Yankees won 103 games last year and now they’re better! – That’s a false comparison. 2020 is not 2019.

I can’t wait for 2020! – I can’t wait for 2020!!