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The Yankees have had a disappointing start to the season. Many are wondering what is wrong with the team. Could it be the pitching? The hitting? The coaching?
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The Bronx Bombers have lost their mojo
The New York Yankees are one of the most successful franchises in baseball history. They have won 27 World Series titles, more than any other team in the majors. But something seems to be wrong with the Bronx Bombers lately. They haven’t won a title since 2009, and they haven’t even made it to the World Series since then.
So what is wrong with the Yankees? There are a few theories.
Some people think that the team’s core group of players is just getting too old. The stars of the late 1990s and early 2000s, like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte, are all retired now. The team’s current crop of players just doesn’t seem to be as good as those guys were.
Others believe that the Yankees’ problems stem from poor management. The team’s general manager, Brian Cashman, has made some strange decisions in recent years, like trading for struggling players like Vernon Wells and signing free agents to huge contracts even though they’re well past their prime (like Jacoby Ellsbury and CC Sabathia).
Whatever the cause of the Yankees’ troubles, it’s clear that something needs to change if they’re going to get back to their winning ways.
The team is getting old
One of the big issues with the Yankees is that they are getting old. The team’s core players are all over 30, and some are approaching 40. This is bound to catch up with the team eventually, and it already has to some extent. Injuries have become more common, and players are starting to lose a step.
Another issue is that the team’s farm system is not producing enough young talent. The Yankees have been relying too heavily on free agency to fill their needs, and it has left them with a weak farm system. This is a problem because it means that the team has little depth and no one to call up when injuries occur.
The third issue is that the team’s manager, Joe Girardi, is not doing a good job of managing the bullpen. The Yankees have one of the best bullpens in baseball, but Girardi has been misusing them. He has been leaving his starters in for too long, and he has been using his best relievers in situations where they are not needed. This has led to some blown leads and some losses that could have been avoided.
Injuries have taken their toll
It’s been a long time since the Yankees were this bad. The team is currently in last place in the AL East with a record of 30-42, and they’re on pace to lose over 100 games for the first time since 1991. There are a number of reasons for the Yankees’ struggles, but the biggest one is injuries.
The Yankees have already lost 12 players to season-ending injuries, including star sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. They’ve also had to deal with significant injuries to key players like Luis Severino, Dellin Betances, CC Sabathia, and Gary Sanchez. As a result, the Yankees have been forced to rely on inexperienced and unproven players for much of the season.
Injuries aren’t the only reason the Yankees are struggling, but they’re certainly the biggest one. If the team can get healthy, they could turn things around in the second half of the season. But if they don’t, it could be a long year for Yankee fans.
The farm system is dry
It’s no secret that the Yankees have had issues with their farm system in recent years. In fact, it’s been a problem for most of the last decade. The team has struggled to draft and develop players, and as a result, they’ve been forced to rely on free agency and trades to fill their needs.
The Yankees farm system is currently ranked as the worst in baseball by ESPN. They have zero players on Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list, and their top prospects are all at least 23 years old. Yankees fans have been clamoring for years for the team to spend more money on international prospects, but they have yet to make a significant investment in that area.
The team’s decision-makers have continued to drafts college players in recent years, but that strategy has not yielded positive results. In fact, the Yankees haven’t had a draft pick make it to the majors since Aaron Judge in 2013. It’s clear that something needs to change in the way the Yankees approach the draft and player development if they want to return to prominence in the American League.
The team is relying too much on veterans
The Yankees are not a young team. In fact, they are the second oldest team in baseball. They have an older starting lineup and their best players are getting up there in age. This is not a problem if they are still performing at a high level, but many of their veterans are past their prime and no longer producing like they used to. The team is relying too much on these players and they need to start giving more playing time to younger players.
One reason the Yankees have been successful in recent years is because they have been able to bring up young players and plug them into the lineup when needed. Players like Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Gleyber Torres have all made an immediate impact when called up from the minors. But now that the team is relying more on veterans, there aren’t any young players waiting in the wings to take over. This could be a problem in the future if the Yankees’ older players start to decline.
The Yankees need to start thinking about the future and start giving more playing time to younger players. It might not result in immediate success, but it will be necessary in order to keep the team competitive for years to come.
