Lose weight, start journaling, learn how to crochet and win the World Series.
These are just a few of my New Year’s resolutions, even though I know I’m going to gain 20 pounds, never pick up thread at all, and have ZERO impact on the New York Yankees winning the 2023 World Series. The whole, “new year, new me” thing never applies when you’re the New York Yankees. No matter the year, no matter the time, the fans will always have the expectation for the team to go out, win, and, ultimately, win the world series.
Vowing to exercise more and diet to lose weight is the number one new year’s resolution, and I want it to be the number one resolution of the Yankee fan base as well. So put down the sodas and hot dogs and CAN WE PLEASE STOP THE MENTALITY OF WORLD SERIES OR BUST?!
So I get it, you want to win the World Series. But can we stop being completely broken up about not winning the World Series? Can we just calm down? Right about now, you’re saying to yourself, “this guy is telling me to calm down? CALM DOWN?! We haven’t won a title since 2009!” If you’re doing that, it just reminds me of talking with my wife. Let me know if that’s relatable to you. Better yet, let me know in the comments how to deal with that.
Hear me out, for just a moment. As a fanbase, we need to RELAX! Triggering, ain’t it? So the 2022 season ended, for seemingly the millionth time, in a loss to the Astros. At the All-Star break, fans were all aboard the hype train to the World Series. Meanwhile, in March 2022, we were sitting around twiddling our thumbs and thinking that we were going to be some mediocre third place team in the AL East. Funny how fast that turn around of expectations happened. In a matter of months, we went from expecting a go-through-the-motions type of year to “now we are going to win it all!”
Why did we have this gigantic mindset change? Why did a hot start to the 2022 season suddenly replace all the preseason doubt and gloom with so many delusions of grandeur?
In the American League East, third place over the last ten years (excluding the shortened 2020 season) averages about 86 wins. So let’s say going into 2022 we were just expecting 86 wins, which would have been on par with the Rays, who did make the playoffs. The biggest part of the Yankees’ 99 wins was, well, number 99, Aaron Judge, who had a WAR of 10.3. So let’s just POOF the American League MVP off of that team, immediately dropping the Yankees down to 89 wins. Then imagine a couple of close games go the other way. All of a sudden, you find yourself with a team that has 86 wins.
The Orioles and White Sox have been improving, and are fringe playoff teams while the Red Sox, although I hate to say it, are great at going from worst to first. But the Yankees are pretty good at making trades, right?
We needed pitching and they brought in FRANKIE MONTAS at the deadline. What the hell?!?! I would have preferred much more that they give up some prospects to get Luis Castillo and Carlos Rodon. Imagine having that rotation. Cole, Castillo, Rodon, Cortes, Severino. A boy can dream.
We needed an outfielder, so Brian Cashman got Andrew Benintendi. Now, we still need an outfielder because Benintendi just signed with the White Sox. So that leaves us with a schlub of a pitcher in Montas and an opening for the starting left field position. The Yankees have been bringing in guys like Willie Calhoun to compete for a job in spring training. The Yankees have done a solid job at bringing in relief pitchers, like Scott Effross and Lou Trivino, who were both solid, but then Effross got hurt and was ultimately unavailable for the postseason. The 2023 bullpen should be just as good as the 2022 bullpen, but how far is that going to get us with the same lineup that hit way under .200 in the ALCS?
Enough of me being bleak and having zero hope or aspirations for the Yankees in 2023. It’s a new year Barnes, cheer up a bit.
The Yankees have definitely shown that they have every intention of building from where they ended 2022. Signing Carlos Rodon is huge for the Yankees. Being no stranger to facing American League teams, he should produce in New York. But I think it all started with bringing back Anthony Rizzo, a player who provides leadership in the clubhouse and on the field, being the first guy to address the media and the first person to talk to pitchers when they find themselves in a jam. Then, of course, there was the big signing that everyone was waiting for, Aaron Judge, whose performance showed the world that he is worth every penny of his nine-year contract and a lot more.
The Yankees are still one outfielder away from being a better lineup than they showcased in 2022, but having those three names on the Yankee roster is going to be a huge help for the ‘23 campaign.
I grew up in the nineties, so naturally I was spoiled as a kid watching the Yankees win the World Series in ‘96, ‘98, ‘99 ‘00 and ‘09. Yankee fans that really remember those late nineties titles are the ones that expect the World Series annually. The Yankees of the last ten plus years just aren’t built that way anymore. They haven’t been bringing up home grown talent and they haven’t been making the correct moves. Instead, they’ve just brought in the biggest names at the time; names like AJ Burnett, Kevin Youkilis, and Jacoby Ellsbury to name a few.
I feel way better about the Yankees’ approach of the last few years. They are still bringing in some big name players, but I feel way more confident, especially after the 2022 campaign when they brought up Ron Marinaccio, Oswald Peraza and Oswaldo Cabrera. It reminds me of those nineties teams continually bringing up and being sustained by home grown talent.
Sooooo I guess here we are again. I’ve actually convinced myself the Yankees should expect to be in contention for the title in 2023. I had the intent of convincing both you and myself that we shouldn’t be expecting a title, but I suppose some things just always remain the same.
I’m still fat, I have yet to crack open the new marbled notebook for journaling, and I can’t sew a button.
And yes, Yankees fans, we are going to win the world series in 2023!
