Yankees: There’s a people’s revolution taking place in MLB

The Yankees rise to the top from where they were a year ago has been well covered here and elsewhere. But there’s also a revolution taking place throughout all of baseball that no one could have predicted and may not even be recognized.

On June 3, 2016, the Yankees were buried in fourth place in the American East with a record of 25-29. That much does not surprise, and it only serves to show the remarkable turnaround the team has seen in one year.

But when you look at the MLB standings from a year ago today, a bigger picture begins to develop that suggests a people’s revolution is taking place not only here in New York, but throughout all of baseball.

The suits at MLB may revel in leveling its primary goal of parity in baseball, and that’s fine. But for the average fan in Minneapolis or Phoenix, or for that matter, in New York, the 2017 season is bringing the fun back into baseball.

Who are these wannabes?

And who are these Twins, Brewers, Rockies, Diamondbacks, and yes, Yankees? And what are they doing at or very near the top of their respective divisions?

A revolution in baseball is on in 2017. And no one could have predicted it would happen.

And what of the Indians, Cubs, Mets, and Rangers? What are they doing floundering around still trying desperately to get their season going a third of the way through?

Traditionally, Memorial Day is supposed to be the point in a season when general managers take stock of their team, deciding whether or not they have what it takes. And from there, they move on to determine if they will be buyers or sellers in July at the trade deadline.

But for a team like the Indians who loaded up and spent millions during the offseason to “go all the way” in 2017, their season to date has to be rather depressing as they wait for Edwin Encarnacion to rock instead of roll.

And do the Cubs lament the fact that they let Dexter Fowler get away from them? You betcha they do because they are not the same team without him in the leadoff spot. And the experiment with having Kyle Schwarber in that spot, something that only Joe Maddon believed in, to begin with, has run its course and the time of reckoning has arrived.

The revolution is on

Meanwhile, the Yankees share in the joy of putting youth and athleticism on the field with the teams like the Rockies and Diamondbacks, both of whom are not going to let the Dodgers out of sight in the NL West.

And for those who still look at the Rockies and say, well geez, what do you expect? They play in that launching pad called Coors Field, look again. The Rockies are 19-10 on the road and only 15-13 at home. They’re for real.

More from Yanks Go Yard

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• Twins already bailing on Gary Sánchez emphasizes Yankees’ trade failure
• New Yankees No. 2 Carlos Rodón hates Astros, dominates them
• 3 cost-effective free agents who can fill out Yankees roster after Aaron Judge deal
• Yankees sign Carlos Rodón after Scott Boras staredown to fill out special 2023 rotation

As are the Houston Astros. A year ago, in what was supposed to be their breakout season, they were still trying to recover from a disastrous start to their season, four games under .500 and looking up at the Rangers who were playing .600 baseball.

This season, the two teams have reversed, and the Astros are looking to put the Rangers away for good in a series being played this weekend in Texas. The Astros are for real too.

Are the Yankees for real, though? Well, that’s the million dollar answer everyone wants to know. You have to figure that at some point in the season, the Red Sox are going to mount a significant challenge, especially if they pull off another deal to land a top-flight starting pitcher.

And the Blue Jays, well, what of the Blue Jays and will they ever snap out of the mediocrity we’ve seen from them so far?

The revolution is on in baseball this year, and the Yankees continue to lead the way in providing the kind of excitement that fans of the game revel in. And just to put a cap on that, Aaron Judge hit his league-leading 18th home run of the season last night.

The Yankees Twenty-Five Most Memorable Home Runs

In the Yankees storied history, twenty-five of their home runs stand out as moments in time never to be forgotten and always treasured by baseball fans.

But it’s these other teams in the mix that add to the joy of 2017. And they merit some of our attention as well. Because further down the road, they will be prominent among teams that the Yankees may be facing in the playoffs.

Or at least, that’s the way it’s supposed to play out as the revolution completes itself.