Yanks Go Yard
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FanSided’s Fandom 250 featuring the New York Yankees

By Mike Calendrillo

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 06: Aaron Boone poses for a photo after being introduced as manager of the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on December 6, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 06: Aaron Boone poses for a photo after being introduced as manager of the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on December 6, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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Fandom 250 is the ultimate list of the most popular fan bases in all the land. Where did the Yankees and one of their young stars land? Find out here…

Fandom 250 is the FanSided networks comprehensive list of the top 250 most recognized entities in the entire world. This is the place where entertainment, sports and business officially meet. And since you’re reading this, here, you’re probably wondering where our beloved New York Yankees fall.

The winningest professional sports franchise on Earth, the Yankees fell one game shy of a World Series berth this year. The astounding thing about this feat is that this was a club in the midst of a “full rebuild.”

Trading one high-priced veteran after the other in July of 2016, general manager Brian Cashman built the Yankees’ farm system up to be one the most promising in all of baseball.

Then the 2017 season began. And despite a slew of early season injuries to players like Gary Sanchez, Aroldis Chapman and Greg Bird, the Yanks fought, tooth and nail to stay in contention.

Led by gentile giant, and No. 250 on our list (No. 18 sports figure) Aaron Judge, the Baby Bombers came together under the leadership of veterans such as Brett Gardner, Todd Frazier and CC Sabathia to rock the baseball landscape.

Armed with 23-year-old staff ace Luis Severino, the most lights-out bullpen in the game and a lineup that would make Cy Young blush, the Yankees won the American League Wild Card.

On the shoulders of Judge’s historic rookie campaign, which included a league best 52 home runs, 114 RBI, a Home Run Derby crown and eventual AL Rookie of the Year honors, the 25-year-old continued to captivate the nation during the postseason.

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In the playoffs, it was more of the same for the Yankees — a team that had zero quit in them. First there was a come from behind victory against the Minnesota Twins in the wild card play-in game; then a 2-0 comeback against the winningest team in the AL during the regular season, the Cleveland Indians.

What followed was pure madness. Once more, the Yanks battled back, down to two games-to-zero, to win the following three contests. Unfortunately, the team from the Bronx ran out of gas, losing the final two elimination games of the series.

The achievements of the 2017 Yankees, regardless of the overall outcome must be celebrated (with a grain of salt). With an eye towards the future, and a renewed optimism that is only synonymous with winning baseball on 1 E 161st Street, the Yanks continued their organizational rejuvenation this winter.

With 2003 ALCS hero Aaron Boone, now leading the charge as team manager, Brian Cashman continues to work his Dumbledore-level magic, pulling off a trade that no one in their right mind saw coming.

In epic, show-stealing fashion, the 2017 NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton was acquired for a pair of lower level minor leaguers. Though, most of the deal coming to fruition had to do with the Marlins shedding salary, adding Stanton’s gravity-defying home run ability is something we the fans, can’t wait to witness this spring.

Interestingly enough, minority owner of the Marlins and former Yankees great Derek Jeter, comes in at No. 162 overall (No. 14 sports figure) on our list.

With that being said, it’s no doubt that the Yankees are the No. 2 ranked team in all of baseball and the No. 20 ranked entity in the world!

If you don’t agree where we currently sit in the rankings, let your voice be heard by voting via Ranker. But hey, we’re the Yankees, we love to be hated. So let them doubt us, and we’ll prove them wrong again and again, on the field and in the stands.

Next: Why Stanton to the Yankees just works

By now you know all about our historical past, and I’ve just filled you in on the exciting present state of the team. If you plan on being a part of our illustrious future, you’d better get on board soon, because the bandwagon is filling up fast.

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