I’m going to get straight to the point. I’m tired of hearing all the complaining from Yankee fans online.
I know we’re all accustomed to getting most any player we want and The Boss opening up his checkbook to any top free agent available, but the offseason whining over the lack of moves has become absolutely irritating.
Not re-signing LeMahieu has been a bit befuddling, but you would think the team was about to implode from the comments you see on social media, along with stories written this offseason.
Does this team have its weaknesses? Yes. Does it have any glaring holes? No. Even if you wanted to argue the starting rotation as being a major issue, what could be done about it? Trevor Bauer is the only legitimately good starting pitcher on the market and he seems to just be playing games with everyone at this point. It’s been reported Masahiro Tanaka will either come back to New York or head home to Japan.
Also, the way this team has been constructed is, in my opinion, better than what the Yankees were trying to do in the mid-2000s. Cashman and the front office have been able to keep top young talent and build around them with key free agent acquisitions and diamonds in the rough. This is one of the best four teams in baseball and fans talk like they are a bad team that isn’t trying to get better.
Another area often mentioned as a weakness is the bullpen, with the loss of Tommy Kahnle and struggles of Adam Ottavino. I think now more than ever, if you aren’t a top-flight reliever, you are a dime a dozen in an MLB bullpen. The Yankees are able to draft arms they feel can be contributors in relief if they don’t work out in the rotation.
The Yankees haven’t made the blockbuster trades other teams have according to what you read online. Except they have, a little over three years ago for Giancarlo Stanton. In that deal, it was more of a salary dump for the Miami Marlins and the Yankees didn’t give up anyone of note.
The front office has been adamant about keeping their top talent. Now Clint Frazier is becoming everyone’s favorite player. And Deivi Garcia and Clarke Schmidt are on the verge of becoming top or middle of the rotation arms for New York instead of someone else.
There are no CC Sabathia-type pitchers available for this club, and none of the top free agents outside of LeMahieu and maybe J.T. Realmuto make sense to go after.
So, no, Yankee fans, you most likely aren’t going to get your wish and land every player that pops up in trade rumors or becomes a free agent. But you will have a team that has been built into a consistent World Series contender and is truly only some injury luck away from a title.
