5 New York Yankees Looking for 2016 Turnaround

Opening Day for the New York Yankees is 39 days away, and they look to build on last year when they snapped out of a two-year playoff drought. 

Before the trade deadline, the Yankees were 57-42 and led the division by seven games, but finished the season 30-33 and six games behind the Toronto Blue Jays. It was the first time in team history that the Yankees had a lead that large and failed to finish first.

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Everyone in the American League East improved this off season, and to everyone’s surprise, New York did not signed a free agent to a major league contract for the first time since free agency began in 1976. The Bombers instead traded for their three biggest acquisitions.

The New York Yankees added a much needed second baseman in Starlin Castro, created a three headed monster in the back of the bullpen with Aroldis Chapman, and added depth to the outfield with Aaron Hicks.

These additions to the Bronx Bombers however, won’t be enough to help them finish on top of a stacked American League East. They need hardcore comeback seasons for those who under performed in 2015.

Here are my top 5 players that need to have a comeback year if the Yankees want to be relevant in 2016.

Next: Number 5

5. Aaron Judge

Okay, so Judge isn’t essential for the Yankees’ 2016 playoff run, but he IS determined to turnaround a disappointing 2015 campaign.

Call to the Pen

The 6-foot-7, 275-pound outfielder showed promise in Double-A, as he had a slash-line of .284/.350/.516 with 12 home runs, and 44 RBI in 63 games, but couldn’t carry that over into his next promotion. The outfielder struggled once he made it to Triple-A, as he he hit a poor .224 with an on base percentage of .308 and 74 strikeouts in 61 games.

Judge has to work on pitch recognition and hitting the off-speed pitches, as that was the source of his struggles at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He also struggles to turn on inside fastballs, as he’s a middle/right field type of hitter. Scouts say he’ll strikeout, but that’s typical for a player with his raw power.

It’s kind of redundant at this point, but Judge has to adjust to Triple-A pitching. The Yankees have plans for Judge to come up in 2017, but we very well may see him if an injury occurs in the outfield, but he has to bring that .224 batting average up.

He’s never had a problem with comebacks before. In 2013, Judge tore a quadriceps femoris muscle during a base running drill but was still able to make his professional debut the following year. He hit .308 with 17 home runs after the injury playing for Class A Charleston and Class A Tampa.

Next: Number 3

4. Chase Headley

During contract negotiations last off season, general manager Brian Cashman was very high on Chase Headley’s defensive abilities. New York resigned Headley on a 4 year $52 million dollar contract to help the Yankees’ infield improve defensively.

“I never say anything’s a fluke and I don’t think it’s the norm. But on the same token, I don’t take it for granted. We’ve looked at some film and for me I think it all starts at the base with good footwork and I’ll try to focus on that in spring training. I’m not panicked about it but it’s certainly an area I was disappointed with last year.”-Chase Headley

Well, Headley committed a career-high 23 errors, smashing his previous high by 10. This was certainly disappointing as he was advertised as one of the best fielding third baseman in Major League Baseball.

He disappointed at times with his bat, but remained close to his career normal as he slashed .259/.324/.369 in 2015. Headley’s career slash line is .264/.344/.403 (according to Baseball Reference).

“No, because I saw him make a lot of good throws,” Girardi said when asked if he was concerned about Headley’s fielding woes. “As I said, I think it starts with your bottom half where you identify throwing issues, and we’ll work real hard this spring.”

With New York lacking depth at the third base position, there’s no doubt that Headley needs to bounce back in 2016. The probable reserves include second base prospect Rob Refsnyder and shortstop turned second baseman Starlin Castro who aren’t your typical third baseman.

The Yankees need Headley to be healthy, and improve mightily on the field. After all, the plan B if he continues to fall is nothing but a question mark.

Next: Number 3

3. Brett Gardner

What a roller coaster ride 2015 was for Brett Gardner. The speedster was in the zone during the first half, earning his first All-Star selection. He slashed .302/.377/484 along with 10 home runs and 15 stolen bases.

Then came the second half. Where he slashed .206/.300/.292 and became hesitant on the base paths with only five stolen bases. We found out later on that he was dealing with a nagging wrist injury, but he refused to blame his lack of production on his health.

There is some pressure on him, as the switch hitting Hicks may find himself a starting role if the second half carries over for Gardner.

What the Yankees need is: the healthy, all star Brett Gardner. It’s not brain surgery. Cashman brought Jacoby Ellsbury to the Bronx to form a potent 1-2 punch atop the Yankees’ lineup, and the season will go relatively smooth if the two could live up to the hype.

Next: Number 2

1. CC Sabathia

According to CC Sabathia himself, he feels much better after the month long alcohol rehabilitation stint that forced him off the playoff roster. Sabathia had the worst overall season of his career going 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA, but was 2-1 with a 2.17 ERA in five September starts.

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The question here is whether or not that late season performance was a fluke, or the real thing. He credits his September success to a knee brace that helped him push off his back knee a little bit better, but what to expect from this season? Heck, I don’t know.

The comeback for Sabathia is not about performance, well, not entirely. This is about a man taking control of his life, turning it around, and showing people, particularly those that have problems with alcohol, that there is hope.

Maybe CC can carry over his September performance into 2016 and help the Yankees win, in fact with the help of that knee brace and his new workout regimen, he very well may do that.

He’s looking to come back from a disease that has conquered countless individuals. A disease that he had a courage to fix at a time when his team needed him the most. He is coming back from a disease so debilitating, it has taken lives all over the world. He is coming back from his fight with alcohol abuse.