The Biggest Questions Facing the Yankees Offense for 2017

Can the Rookies Carry the Load?

All three of the rookies the New York Yankees have been starting in their lineup regularly have been embroiled in extended slumps lately. Aaron Judge has struck out in almost half of his plate appearances (45.7%) and had just three hits in his last 41 plate appearances coming into Monday’s game.

Former top prospect Tyler Austin was one of the International League’s hottest hitters in 2016, putting up a .323/.415/.637 (201 wRC+) batting line in 234 Triple-A plate appearances before his promotion. He caused a stir by homering in his first MLB at-bat, but his production simply has not translated to the big leagues so far, with Austin hitting .171/.190/.244 (9 wRC+) through his first 13 games.

Even the mighty Gary Sanchez has seemingly hit a wall after his historic start. A scout told Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media that pitchers have begun giving the rookie a steady diet of breaking balls low and away, declaring, “He’s chasing them. Before that, everyone was challenging him with fastballs. That’s stopped.”

As things stand currently, the Yankees will be counting on all three of these guys to hold down everyday jobs in the 2017 lineup. In the case of Sanchez and Judge, they will need to produce like middle-of-the-order hitters in order for the team to go anywhere.

Growing pains are to be expected from players in their first go-round against major league pitching, but these guys will have to learn and adapt on the fly next year in a high pressure environment and the weight of winning on their shoulders. Time will tell if they are up to it.

Next: The Return of the Bird Man

Will Greg Bird Recover His Power Stroke?

After missing the entire 2016 campaign following shoulder surgery, first baseman Greg Bird was back with the team on Monday. It was revealed he will continue his rehab with the big league club instead of down in Tampa. He has come a long way, but unfortunately still won’t be ready to play with New York this season.

It does sound as if everything is progressing well, however. He has been swinging a bat since August according to Ryan Hatch of NJ Advance Media, and told the reporter:

I think I’m kind of passed the relief stage, if you will. I feel good doing a lot of things. it’s not perfect, it takes a little while, but it’s a good step.

In addition, Bird will be one of four Yankees top prospects playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League according to Josh Norris of Baseball America. That will give him the opportunity to shake off some rust and test his shoulder against advanced competition before spring training. Bird was the Fall League MVP in 2014.

While all is going to plan, there are definite questions about whether Bird will be back at full strength to start next year. Guys following shoulder surgery tend to have trouble recovering their power, so it will be interesting to see how far along Bird is in the AFL.

How he performs could end up determining how the Yankees approach the rest of their offseason, because, at the moment, they will count on him to be one of their primary power hitters for 2017.

Next: How Legit is Sir Didi's Breakout?

 Is Didi Gregorius For Real?

2016 saw Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius’s offensive production trend upward for the third consecutive year. As of this writing he has a .265/.310/.456 (102 wRC+) slash line with a career-high 17 home runs.

He’s been the team’s most consistent hitter all year and has earned a regular place in the middle of the lineup after regularly batting ninth to start the season. At 26, this is the shortstop’s first year as anything approaching a league-average hitter, so it’s an open question whether this is the new normal for Gregorius or we will look back on this as his career year.

Didi has always been seen as more of a defense-first player who would just barely hold his own with the bat. This year he’s been the fifth most valuable shortstop in the American League to date with 2.3 WAR according to FanGraphs. He also ranks fifth among qualified AL shortstops with a .456 slugging percentage and is tied for sixth with

in homers.

This power spike was an unexpected but welcome development for Gregorius. It’s just difficult to say whether he can continue it into 2017. If he can, the Yankees lineup will be considerably deeper. If Didi can establish himself as a quality number or two three type hitter, it would be a major boon for New York’s rebuild.

Next: More Cost Cutting?

Are More Veterans on the Way Out?

For the first time in their history, the New York Yankees were full-on sellers at the trade deadline. The front office shipped out three of their best players in Carlos Beltran, Andrew Miller, and Aroldis Chapman, as well as a viable starting pitcher in Ivan Nova.

With the team’s success since the sell-off, general manager Brian Cashman has demonstrated to ownership that it’s possible to get younger without getting worse.

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There were no violent revolts from the fans following the trades and the against all odds the Yankees continue to play meaningful baseball in September.

That may have provided Cashman and principal owner Hal Steinbrenner with the encouragement they need to continue moving their big money veterans this winter to make room for more of their top prospects.

Catcher Brian McCann lost his starting job to Gary Sanchez in August is wasted as a full time designated hitter given his defensive prowess. He’s still one of the better offensive catchers in baseball and should draw interest if he’s made available. McCann’s former club the Atlanta Braves were one team with serious interest at the trade deadline.

Leftfielder Brett Gardner is another candidate to be moved this winter. He’s still reasonably priced and productive for the moment, but fresh off his 33rd birthday, that may not be the case for long. There are no shortage of candidates to replace him in the short term, with Yankees top prospect Clint Frazier the heir apparent in the long run.

Next: Is There Help on the Way?

Is Is the Calvary Coming?

Yankees fans are always slightly skeptical when they hear their team is not going to pursue a top free agent. Most of us have just gotten used to getting the biggest and shiniest new toys available each offseason.

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However, the front office stuck to their guns last winter and did not make any big signings, and there is no reason to think they are going to change course any time soon. There was reportedly some pressure from ownership on the baseball operations department not to sell at the trade deadline, but ultimately Brian Cashman and #TeamSell won the day.

Hal Steinbrenner is not his dad. It seems extremely unlikely he would panic if the Yankees don’t make the playoffs this year and force Cashman to add a bunch of bandaids to the roster.

Guys like Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, and Yoenis Cespedes would undoubtedly make the offense better for next year, but that short term production would then require fans to sit through their long, slow declines, which are probably closer than most people think.

Next: Six Potential Free Agent Bargains for the Yankees

That said, New York may look to add a little thump to the lineup on the cheap with a guy like Pedro Alvarez or Steve Pearce, who could probably be had for a moderate one or two year contract at this point.