Yankees playoffs: The ALCS and making of the 2017 Baby Bombers

The Man behind the Men

But no one single person was benefited more from the trading frenzy than Brian Cashman. His work in July was universally lauded; we joined in with a piece called, Yankees Brian Cashman and the judgment of the present hour.

It was a great chance to look at the pieces he added and wonder on where they could take the team, a team that was then floundering.

"Cash has created a real championship contender for this year. Even Greg Bird now looks likely to return this season, solving the first base problem. That is not to say the Yankees will win anything, even the division. But, still, that is quite a distance to travel in one season: From playoff hopeful to possible World Series contender. The Yankees might not cross the river Jordan this year, but they have moved much closer to the promised land."

One Night with You

Not every player brought in has made headlines in the postseason, however. That doesn’t mean he has not been important to the team’s goals. In fact, YGY pointed out how Jaime Garcia’s trade was validated after just a few starts, in a Mike Calendrillo piece entitled, In one night, Jaime Garcia proved his worth to the Yankees.

"But if Monday night’s 2-1 victory against those same Twins has taught us anything, it’s that besides from opening a much-needed 40-man roster spot with the trade of the 31-year-old oft-injured southpaw, is that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman firmly has a grasp on what’s best for this team. While I fully understand that Garcia’s 0-2 record and 3.86 ERA in 35 innings pitched for the Bombers isn’t quite Chris Sale-esque, his Postseason pedigree and ability to throw a slew of breaking balls for strikes make him much more valuable than prospects who weren’t going to sniff the Bronx anytime soon."

That is emblematic of all the forgotten games, and forgotten players, that it takes to make a championship season.

And that’s what the team needed. The story of the 2017 Yankees looked to be one of early success that hints at future glory, but ultimately fails in the now. By mid-August, it looked more likely that the Yankees might slip from playoff contention.