Yankees Fans, It’s Time To Wake Up

Recent years in the Bronx have, what’s the best way to put it, spoiled New York Yankees’ fans. Big money free agents, top notch talent, big flashy trades. The works. So, when the team misses the post-season two years in a row us fans, usually the younger ones like me, tend to complain and act like they know more than the General Manager themselves. In all fairness sometimes the team can make questionable moves but in the end the front office knows better than we do. I am not absolving myself of this either. I am just as guilty but when it really comes down to it I can face reality and realize that the Yankees have done nothing but improve the roster all off season.

The days of spending money without a care in the world are over. The Yankees were willing to spend so much last year because they had a significant amount of money coming off the books. To be perfectly honest, the Yankees are never going to be able to simply outspend teams again. Every team has money and the second Wild Card has given them a reason to spend it to improve their team. So it’s no longer just as simple as throwing more and more money at a player. In reality that was never a sound business plan in the first place.

June 14, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Didi Gregorius (1) hits a double in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

As a result of this the Yankees have actually had to make smarter and more strategic baseball moves. Shocking, right? Fans were in such an uproar when Brian Cashman had the audacity to not trade away the entire farm system for an injury prone and aging Troy Tulowitzki. Instead he acquired a young, cost controllable Didi Gregorius who, while still in need of improvement at the plate, was a better option than anyone else. The move was smarter than a move for Tulowitzki but of course, many Yankees fans were upset that the team “failed” to acquire another star with an inflated contract and a truckload of question marks.

No Jon Lester? No Max Scherzer or James Shields? Jon Lester is going to be great with the Chicago Cubs to start but a few years down the line that contract is going to look awful. Max Scherzer is another C.C. Sabathia waiting to happen and Shields hasn’t been “Big Game James” since 2010. The Yankees made solid moves signing Chris Capuano and trading for Nathan Eovaldi but I am baffled by the displeasure at these moves.

I’m sorry Yankees fans, but all of you know that the only pitching rotation you would’ve ever been happy with would be one comprised of Masahiro Tanaka,  Lester,  Scherzer and some ridiculous ideas for a fourth and fifth starter like Clayton Kershaw and Felix Hernandez. Sorry Bomber fans but something like this would only happen in our wildest dreams or in MLB the Show (Even in the video game it’s hard to pull off)

The moves the Yankees actually made, Capuano and Eovaldi, were actually really smart moves. They’re both inning eaters and Eovaldi is young and has yet to reach his full potential. The big issue was giving away Martin Prado in the deal. Sure, that’s not ideal but Prado became expendable after Chase Headley was re-signed. With the emergence of prospects Rob Refsnyder and Jose Pirela the Yankees were actually in a position to trade from a strength to improve a weakness, a move you make every day of the week.

As for the other parts of the trade, you can mock Garrett Jones all you want but he has great left handed power and he will thrive as the backup first baseman. The Yankees did not have a viable backup for Mark Teixeira last year and it was crippling at times. Also, acquiring the talented prospect Domingo German is nothing to shake a stick at. Giving up David Phelps is a minor subtraction. He was given many chances to really claim a spot in the rotation but failed to do so each time. His greatest value was as a trade chip.

Aug 31, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (24) delivers a pitch to an Atlanta Braves batter in the first inning of their game at Turner Field. The Braves won 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Many people felt it wise to criticize the Yankees for choosing Andrew Miller over David Robertson. Once Robertson turned the $15 million dollar qualifying offer he began demanding a ridiculous contract that would make him the highest paid closer in history. Please tell me why he deserved this after one year as a closer?

Would you like examples of closers that had one great season and then fell from grace? How about Mark Davis or more recently John Axford, Rafael Soriano, Francisco Rodriguez or Grant Balfour? By signing Miller instead of Robertson the Yankees saved money and picked up a draft pick.

That’s a really smart move for the organization but did most fans see it this way? No, they were more concerned with seeing a home grown player leave despite his foolish contract demands. The so-called need for an “experienced closer” is being viewed as nothing more than a myth these days. Miller, along with Dellin Betances, should be able to take over the late innings without flaw.

The Yankees have done nothing but improve this off season and yet fans find reasons to complain. What did the Yankees need this off season? A shortstop, a third baseman, late inning relievers, bench help and one or two starting pitchers. What did they do? They filled each and every one of those holes and are still continuing to look for possible upgrades.

They did so without destroying the farm system that they’ve worked to rebuild in recent years and have actually improved it here and there. They’ve finally shown faith in their young players like Refsnyder, Pirela and Betances which is a real breath of fresh air.

Yankees fans, it’s time to open your eyes and look beyond the “not so sexy names” they’ve acquired. This off season the organization has done something they should’ve done a long time ago. They’re making smart, sensible moves to build depth and improve the roster.

The Yankees have a better, more well rounded roster than they did last year. This has been a very productive off season for the organization and it’s time we all woke up and realized it.