REFLECTING ON THE SEASON PAST

Last weekend I ran the Philadelphia Half Marathon and then on Sunday, I spectated the full marathon. I felt inspired in both instances because I met incredible people who were out there to reach their goals: to finish or to set a personal best. Either way, they were there for the win. In fact there was one guy in particular that gave me the ultimate inspiration. You can see for yourself in the image I captured below. 

Reflecting on all of this and coupling that with the loss I have felt since Game 5 of the World Series, I realized one thing: this season was a steppingstone for something more. And that something more could be realized if the Yankee brass really digs into what needs to be done and do it. 

"The Dodgers, with the help of poor defense from New York, orchestrated a historic comeback after facing a 0-5 deficit. It was the sort of jaw-dropping game that seems too crazy to be true, and yet it was the very inning that transpired for the Dodgers to take home their eighth World Series title," reported Dodgers Nation. That comeback inspired the Dodgers to dig into the Yankees, giving them more attention than the actual World Series Title they won. Why? I mean, do you really need to kick a guy when they are down? Actually, no. And on that note Baseball Analyst Buster Olney called out the Dodgers for their poor form. “I know this: If the Yankees had won, Aaron Judge wouldn’t have crapped on the Dodgers,” Olney said. “Giancarlo Stanton wouldn’t have. Anthony Volpe? No chance." The Yankees remain a class act while the Dodgers look like nothing more than a bunch of thugs. Oh, and did they forget we have the AL MVP on our roster? 

Yet there is the defensive work that the Yankees need to put in during the off season leading into Spring Training. With likely a brand-new infield other than Volpe, it will be very interesting how the team will work together to meet defensive expectations.

Then there is the pitching concerns which Hal Steinbrenner pointed out in an interview on Sunday. “I don’t think you can ever have enough pitching,” Steinbrenner told reporters last week at the owner’s meetings in Manhattan. “We’re going to take a deep dive into the starting rotation, into the bullpen.” This could include bringing in Dodger starting pitcher Walker Buehler. According to Forbes, "Before Buehler dominated the Yankees in his six innings during Fall Classic, he was 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA in 75 1/3 innings and struggled in his first postseason start by allowing six runs in five innings in Game 3 of the NLDS but then he turned it on, pitching 10 shutout innings in his final three postseason appearances." 

Buehler would be considerably less cash than a Corbin Burnes. And the Yankees have 2024 Rookie of the Year Luis Gil as well as a healthy Clarke Schmidt. But as they are quick to point out, it is Juan Soto that is dominating every thought and reflection. 

"Buehler is certainly an intriguing name but the bigger intrigue in the upcoming weeks is the offer to Soto and if the Yankees can retain him to keep the pairing of him and Aaron Judge intact. Until then it is a long way from mutual interest to an actual contract agreement and the Yankees are all hands on deck for Soto before anything else at the moment."

So can the Yankees be inspirational again like in the late 1990s and 2000s? Can they build back what they have lost and come back even better. I think so. They are in fact the good guys, despite what others say. And if they can actually land Soto and Buehler and get their infield squared up, they could be in clear contention in 2025. And wouldn't that be something inspirational. 

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof