ROOT HARD FOR JASSON DOMINGUEZ, HE'S HOT!

Look, there’s absolutely no reason Jasson Domínguez shouldn’t be on the Opening Day roster. None. Zero. Zip. He already got a taste of the big leagues last year. Sure, he showed us that the outfield might not exactly be his forever home, but let’s not pretend we don’t know what the real skill is here: the guy can flat-out hit.

And with Giancarlo Stanton currently looking like he’d pull a hamstring opening a bag of barbecue chips, the Yankees need thump. I can't understand the elbow thing with Stanton for the life of me. But if “The Martian” ends up as a DH weapon off the bench instead of Stanton while he recovers? Sign me up. I’ll drive him to the Stadium myself.

Right now, he’s torching Spring training, and I’m loving every second of it.

On Friday, Domínguez batted second in a 17-5 demolition of the Twins and went 3-for-4 with a homer, two singles, three RBIs, and three runs scored. Through four spring games, the 23-year-old is hitting .417 with a home run, two doubles, five RBIs, and a walk. Yes, it’s early. Yes, it’s spring. No, I don’t care. When the ball jumps like that off the bat, you pay attention.

Let’s not forget: this is the same kid the Yankees handed $5.1 million to back in 2019 as the crown jewel of the international class. Sixteen years old. Five-point-one million dollars. That’s not “we like him.” That’s “clear a locker in Monument Park just in case.” A switch-hitter with explosive bat speed, legit raw power, speed on the bases, and a cannon for an arm — he was the kind of prospect that makes scouts talk in bold font.

His minor league track record? Solid. Across 352 games over four seasons, Domínguez hit .274/.373/.444 with 47 homers and 189 RBIs. Not flawless. Not mythical. But plenty good — and still loaded with upside. Funny how the minors helped him. Volpe? Rushed through the minors. Yup, I'm taking another shot at that bum. The Yankees ruined that kid to please their own ego. But I digress.

The Yankees have been waiting for the full breakout from Jasson. Maybe this is the year it finally shows up for good. I’d love to see him grab the job, refuse to give it back, and make the “what do we do with him?” conversations look ridiculous in hindsight.

Let the Martian play. And let’s see what happens.

DEVIN WILLIAMS BACK TO HIS OLD YANKEES FORM

Oh, Devin Williams is “doing great".

Credit where it’s due — the Mets made a splash bringing him in. And honestly? The smartest move the Yankees made all winter might’ve been holding the door open on his way out. Because if his debut with the Mets was any indication, that first impression came with fireworks — unfortunately, they were launched by someone else.

Williams’ opening act? One pitch. One swing. One 422-foot missile courtesy of top Cardinals prospect J.J. Wetherholt. That’s not easing into spring — that’s a batting practice donation.

Let’s keep it real: Williams hasn’t looked like his old self since his days with the Milwaukee Brewers. The dominance, the mystique, the Airbender magic — it’s felt more like turbulence lately. The Yankees saw the dip, saw the price tag, saw other bullpen options on the board, and said, “We’re good.” For once, restraint might’ve been wisdom.

Meanwhile, Steve Cohen continues his ongoing quest to out-Yankee the Yankees. If that means collecting former Bronx names like they’re rare baseball cards, so be it. The irony? Modeling yourself after a team that hasn’t won a championship since 2009 might not be the blueprint you think it is.

Now, could Williams bounce back? Of course. It’s spring training. Weird things happen in February and March. Arms are stretching out. Hitters ambush fastballs. Stats lie. But still — when your Mets tenure begins with a 422-foot reminder that baseball is cruel, it’s at least a little funny.

Let’s just say: the Yankees may not have solved all their problems this offseason, but dodging that first pitch? That might age very well.

VOLPE SPEAKS TO US FANS & IT DOESN'T CHANGE HOW I FEEL

 I’m just going to say it: I never bought into Anthony Volpe.

From day one, it felt like he was gift-wrapped, hyped to the moon, and presented to us as The Chosen One. And look, sometimes that works. Sometimes it’s Derek Jeter. Other times it’s a kid who mashed high school pitching and suddenly gets fast-tracked into the Bronx like the minor leagues are just a suggestion box.

The Yankees fell head over heels for Volpe's high school stat line. The spreadsheets purred. The projections sparkled. But reality? Reality is 95 mph with movement and a slider that disappears into another zip code. You can’t romance that with SAT scores and prep-school OPS.

Volpe looks like a talented young player who needed time — actual seasoning, not a crash course in front of 45,000 critics. Instead, we’ve been watching a development project unfold in real time at Yankee Stadium. Three years in, and we’re still talking about “growth.” In the Bronx. In a pennant race. That’s not how this usually works.

And now he’s addressing the boos.

“I know people really care. I want them to react,” Volpe told NJ.com’s Bob Klapisch. “Obviously, I want them to cheer for me, but for them not to do so say anything is not what I’d want, either. With the booing, I know I’d be doing the same thing if I was in their shoes. I want them to know I’m doing everything I can to be the best player possible.”

That’s fine. Professional. Measured. But effort is the minimum requirement, not the merit badge. Nobody doubts he’s trying. Fans just want production. This isn’t a science fair — it’s the American League East.

And here’s where it gets interesting.

While Volpe rehabs, the job goes to José Caballero. For the first time since Volpe arrived, shortstop isn’t penciled in with permanent ink. It’s open. Earn it.  If Caballero grabs that opportunity and hits another gear — plays with energy, makes the routine plays, chips in offensively — the Yankees have a real dilemma. You don’t yank a guy who’s producing just to honor a preseason brochure. Or do they?  

At Bleeding Yankee Blue, we’ve been banging the Caballero drum for months. He brings spark. He brings edge. He looks like he understands the assignment. With him out there, the Yankees resemble a team chasing down the AL East. With Volpe, too often it’s felt like they’re trudging through wet cement.

This isn’t personal. It’s performance. It's business.

For four years, shortstop production has been a question mark. If Caballero steps in and thrives, it won’t just be a feel-good story. It’ll be an indictment. It’ll suggest that Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone bet on projection instead of proof.

Volpe was supposed to be the answer.

Caballero is starting to look like the solution.  if Cab thrives and the Yankees still pull him out when Volpe is ready to return, there is definitely a political-favor game going on and my suspicions will be correct.

Play the guy who earns it, Cashman. Don't play favors.

CC MONSTER GETS WHAT HE DESERVES

The Yankees are finally doing what everyone in the Bronx has known was inevitable: they’re putting No. 52 in permanent pinstripes.

On Sept. 26, before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees will retire the number of Hall of Famer CC Sabathia. And honestly? It feels less like an announcement and more like a formality. Of course, 52 was going up. The only surprise is that it didn’t happen five minutes after he walked off the mound for the last time.

Everybody knows I’m a huge CC guy. Not just because of the numbers — though 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts over 19 seasons will do nicely — but because of what he meant. Sabathia wasn’t just an ace. He was the ace. When the Yankees needed someone to grab the rotation by the collar and say, “Follow me,” CC was already laced up.

Let’s not forget 2009. The last time the Yankees actually finished the job and won it all. Sabathia didn’t just contribute — he anchored that staff like a battleship in October. Big games, short rest, hostile environments — didn’t matter. He wanted the ball. He demanded it. That postseason run is stitched into modern Yankee history, and CC’s fingerprints are all over it.

Beyond the mound, his popularity was off the charts. Teammates loved him. Fans adored him. The big lefty with the booming laugh and the bigger heart embraced New York, and New York embraced him right back. He didn’t treat the Yankees like a stop on a résumé. He treated it like a calling. His love for the franchise was obvious — in interviews, in charity work, in the way he carried himself as a leader in that clubhouse. He chose the Bronx, and he meant it.

When the Yankees retire No. 52, Sabathia will become the 25th player honored with a number in Monument Park. The franchise already leads the league in retired numbers — because when you’re the Yankees, you collect legends the way other teams collect bobbleheads.

And CC? He fits right in.

On Sept. 26, 52 goes where it belongs — up high, forever — a reminder of the last championship parade and the big lefty who powered it.

A SOLID SIGNING & WHAT IT MEANS FOR DOMINGUEZ

The Yankees have finally decided that maybe — just maybe — adding a proven right-handed bat to the bench isn’t the worst idea in the world. And honestly? I like this move. It’s smart. It’s practical. It’s the kind of thing they could’ve handled back in December instead of waiting for the baseball equivalent of aisle-cleanup season.

They’ve signed Randal Grichuk to a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp, and that’s exactly the kind of low-risk, common-sense addition this roster needs.

Grichuk, 34, isn’t flashy. He’s not a headline. He’s not going to sell jerseys in Times Square. But what he is? A legitimate right-handed power bat on a team that leans so left-handed it might as well be writing with its off-hand. Against lefties, he owns a career .819 OPS. That’s not theoretical upside — that’s production. He can step in, punish southpaws, and sit down without drama.

Defensively, he brings flexibility. Left field. Right field. In a pinch, center. DH if needed. That’s real insurance, especially when your MVP right fielder — yes, Aaron Judge — has had his share of “please don’t dive for that” moments over the past few seasons.

And then there’s the ripple effect.

If Grichuk looks like his 2024 self, the Yankees suddenly have the freedom to let Jasson Domínguez marinate in Triple-A instead of forcing the kid into the Bronx spotlight before he’s fully cooked. And honestly? That might not be the worst thing. Poor Domínguez. The Yankees hype machine launched him into orbit before he had 200 big league at-bats. Was he overhyped? Maybe. That’s not his fault. That’s what happens when a franchise needs a savior and starts printing the T-shirts early.

Grichuk, meanwhile, is no savior. He’s something rarer in this organization lately — a steady adult in the room. Twelve years in the majors. Knows his role. Knows how to hit lefties. Knows how to show up ready.

Look, I’ve been critical of this front office. Loudly. Frequently. Deservedly. But this? This is a solid move. Depth matters. Balance matters. And adding a veteran who can actually do the job is better than hoping a spreadsheet manifests one.

Let’s see how it plays out. But for once, this feels like a move rooted in baseball logic — not just math.

YANKEES & GIANCARLO STANTON ON REPEAT

 Here we go again. Same script, same spreadsheets, same stunned look when reality barges in and flips the table over.

The New York Yankees — yes, the mighty, historic, allegedly buttoned-up New York Yankees — are once again trying to out-math the human body. Spoiler alert: ligaments don’t care about your stupid spreadsheet projections.

Last year, Giancarlo Stanton’s elbows barked. Then they quieted down. And the Yankees’ brain trust probably leaned back in their ergonomic chairs, tapped a few keys, and declared: “Issue resolved.” The spreadsheets said his exit velocity still sparkled. The hard-hit rate looked sexy. Therefore, problem solved. On to the parade route.

Except elbows aren’t Excel formulas.

Now Stanton is being brutally honest again:

“I can’t open a bottle,” he said. “I can’t open a bag of chips … a bag of anything. That’s the way it is.”

Read that again. The man can’t open a bag of chips — but sure, pencil him in for 162 and call it a bounce-back year.

He says he wants to play a full season. He hasn’t reached 140 games since 2021. He’ll mostly DH in 2026, maybe sprinkle in some outfield “as health allows.” That’s not a plan. That’s a hope and a prayer wrapped in medical tape.

And then this gem:

“That’s not going to be fixed in surgery, and I don’t care what any doctor says because they don’t know what’s going on,” Stanton said. “What’s written is what me and the Yankees give you.”

Translation: nobody really has a grip on this thing. But sure, let’s forecast 35 homers and act shocked when the elbows flare up again in July.

Since 2019, the injury log reads like a CVS receipt — elbows, hamstrings (multiple times), foot, Achilles, calf, quad, knee, bicep. Courtesy of FOX Sports, it’s basically a rotating tour of the lower half and now the arms too. At some point you stop calling it “bad luck” and start calling it a pattern.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: when Stanton is healthy, the guy absolutely rakes. The ball sounds different off his bat. It’s thunder. It’s violence. It’s why you keep convincing yourself this will finally be the year.

But betting on a full season at this point? That’s a long shot. A big one.

What makes it worse is that this feels like the same organizational blind spot we’ve watched for years. The Yankees fall in love with data. They worship at the altar of projected WAR. They convince themselves that if the numbers say it should work, it will work.

Meanwhile, the human condition — aging, pain, recovery, mental grind — sits there waving frantically.

This isn’t fantasy baseball. These are human beings with tendons that fray and muscles that scar. You can’t just CTRL+ALT+DELETE chronic inflammation.

And honestly? It’s getting embarrassing. The Yankees keep selling “this is the year” while ignoring the obvious red flags. At this point they’re starting to feel less like a ruthlessly efficient empire and more like the Mets with a bigger payroll.

Look, I feel for Stanton. I really do. I love watching him when he’s right. Few things in baseball are more electric than one of his moonshots disappearing into the night.

But pretending that durability isn’t the defining issue here? Pretending that last year’s flare-up magically means this year will be smooth sailing?

That’s not optimism. That’s denial.

And until the Yankees start acknowledging that spreadsheets don’t ice elbows, we’re going to keep having this exact same conversation — every single spring.

ARE THE YANKEES LYING ABOUT CAM SCHLITTLER'S INJURY?

I'm trying not to think the worst here, but we are talking about the Yankees here. Something doesn't feel right about Cam Schlittler's ailment. First, it was minor back inflammation but now there's also lat discomfort. I have alarm bells going off....and I REALLY want my skepticism to be wrong.

The Yankees have a horrible track record when it comes to diagnosing and treating injuries, Aaron Judge with his fractured rib and partially collapsed lung always be the example that sticks out for me. The Yankees say they aren't worried about Schlittler, read more HERE but Aaron Boone gives his words of encouragement which only makes it worse for me.

"I expect him to be good (for the start of the season) now," Boone said. "I don't think he'll be at 80-90 pitches yet, but short of that....I think he'll two ups, 30-something (pitches) in four days and then fall into his five days. And then that next one will probably be in the game, three (innings) and 40 (pitches) or whatever."

That sounds like a load of Baboonie crap to me because it's very unconvincing. Lat discomfort is tough, and it is very rarely minor. I'm thinking back to Luis Severino back in 2019 and 2023, that was a big blow. What about Clarke Schmidt? He missed time from May to September 2024 with a partial tear. These injuries are not ones you bounce back quickly from. They are very slow to heal and if you try to rush back before they properly heal setbacks are common, especially if players don't understand the cause of that injury and don't make adjustments. This is what concerns me the most.

Last year was a heavy workload for a rookie that throws hard. I love that he can throw a fastball up to 98 mph and it fooled a lot of batters last year. While he was wowing all of us on the mound, he also pitched himself to a career high of 146 innings pitched between the big league stage and down in the minors. That's a lot for a hard throwing rookie pitcher. It's also hard if he didn't rest it enough over the winter. Call it a rookie mistake.

But it could be a costly rookie mistake. I don't know if the Yankees have done enough testing on this. Even if they have....could they honestly identify any bigger problems like a tear? Our medical staff is a joke. The Yankees already have enough to deal with pitching wise. We are already starting the season without Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole, we can't afford to lose anymore pitching.

It's early in spring....but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't going to be following this storyline like a hawk. I just hope the Yankees aren't lying to us.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

DID JASSON DOMINGUEZ FALL VICTIM TO THE YANKEES OVERHYPE MACHINE?

The answer is yes, but please continue reading.

Why haven’t the New York Yankees won a World Series since 2009?

Because blaming the players alone is the laziest take in baseball—and also the wrong one.

Yes, players have to perform. If you wear a big-league uniform, excuses don’t come standard. But let’s stop pretending the Yankees’ long championship drought is just a matter of underachieving athletes. The common denominator here isn’t the clubhouse—it’s the front office. Specifically, the decision-makers who keep betting big on spreadsheets while ignoring the messy, inconvenient truth that baseball players are human beings.

We’ve seen this movie before. Bad casting, bad evaluations, and blind faith in numbers that look great in theory and crumble in reality. Joey Gallo wasn’t an accident. He was a front-office decision. And he wasn’t alone. These moves all trace back to the same source: Brian Cashman and the machine around him.

Back in 2007, Cashman famously said the Yankees had “three years” to rebuild the system and chase another title. Well, congratulations—the system got rebuilt. Multiple times. The championships? Still stuck in 2009, collecting dust next to the old DVDs.

What did thrive during that time was the hype machine.

Stephen Parello of Yanks Go Yard laid this out perfectly when he walked through the Yankees’ long history of prospect inflation. Remember when Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy were supposed to save the franchise? Or when Eric Duncan was untouchable? Then came Jesús Montero—anointed as the next superstar with mythical scouting grades and zero follow-through. Parello forgot to mention the killer B's in Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances and Andrew Brackman, but he didn't really need to, it's more of the same.

But then the Yankees did finally win in 2009—and notice how that happened: by opening the vault for CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, and A.J. Burnett. Not hype. Not hope. Proven stars.

Fast-forward to now, and the pattern hasn’t changed—only the branding has. Today’s names are Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, and Jasson Domínguez. The jerseys sell. The slogans hit. The expectations explode.

Domínguez is the clearest example. A talented kid, no doubt—but the Yankees slapped “The Martian” on him and let the marketing department turn him into something he never asked to be. Even Joel Sherman called it out, noting that the nickname alone created absurd comparisons to Mickey Mantle—comparisons no other organization actually believed. That wasn’t scouting hype. That was New York hype.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: hype is profitable in the Bronx and you are all being fooled. If 100 fans buy a jersey, the team wins financially before the player ever takes a swing. If the kid struggles? He’s the problem. If he succeeds? The front office pats itself on the back and pretends it was genius all along.

Volpe might be the most glaring dilemma yet. Three years in, tons of merchandise sold, and very little return on the field. Internally, the Yankees know it. Publicly, they’re crossing their fingers and hoping surgery magically turns projections into production. But spreadsheets don’t heal players. And humans don’t reboot like software.

This isn’t “self-hating fandom.” This is realism—the same realism Bleeding Yankee Blue has preached for years. The Yankees’ definition of success has shifted. Second place is acceptable. “Almost” is good enough. As long as the money flows, urgency doesn’t exist.

That’s the real rot. So yes, players deserve blame when they fail. But who puts them there? Who overhypes them? Who markets dreams instead of building winners?

The front office.

And until that changes—until the GM is gone, Boone is shown the door, and the organization remembers that banners matter more than branding—the Yankees will keep selling hope instead of championships.

Don’t fall for it. This isn’t a dynasty in waiting.

It’s a business model built on “close enough.”

THE SPENCER JONES & "OHTANI LIKE" HYPE KICK-OFF SPRING TRAINING!

It was a big spring debut this weekend for Spencer Jones. It came with the expected shiny moment that showcased the enormous potential that Jones advocates would expect. It was also followed by the frustration we've seen on repeat the last couple of seasons. But now, Jones has a new batting approach and a new comparison to live up to?

There's been so much talk about Jones and his enormous potential over recent years. We all salivate over the potential of a new addition to this Yankees team that has five tool potential and can catapult this team to the next level. Now he has worked on his mechanics and a swing that has been called "almost Shohei Ohtani-like," read more HERE. 

The new "Ohtani-like" swing was seen Saturday with a gigantic home run that cleared right field and left the stadium. It was all of the excitement you could ask for in a first at bat of a new season, but it was followed by reminders of the past with two strikeouts in the following plate appearances. As much as I want to see Jones hit those exciting home runs, I want to see consistency. Jones and the Yankees are giving us HYPE with the Ohtani references and the great endorsements from Aaron Judge. We are way past promise of things to come. Now we need to see the high level of execution at the minor league level to earn the nig league call up.

And that's still where I stand today. In four years playing minor league ball, he's had 1,493 at bats and 554 strikeouts. His last two seasons have 379 of those 554 strikeouts. There's still some work there to do. The Yankees outfield is crowded. Even if it weren't crowded, and there was an opportunity to give him a clearly defined role....I'm just not there. He's not in a spot to help the Yankees.

That's a tough reality. I'm tired of watching these high strikeout guys that give us all or nothing. When they come up big it's great, but when they don't it is a massive failure in a clutch moment. It's not enjoyable to watch these high strikeout guys that we know have flaws at the big league level and just hope those flaws don't get exposed. We are at the point where athleticism and performance have evolved, but baseball fundamentals and smart play has become less important or emphasized. For me, Jones is not big league ready. He struggles down in the minors, it's not going to get easier for him when he has to face elite pitching. Giving him a promotion to the big leagues with these stats would only be doing him a disservice because we aren't setting him up for success.

I want Jones and the Yankees to stop giving me hype. The Ohtani reference is just a magical illusion. Stop giving me what COULD be. Jones is going to be 25 soon, so he's running out of time. It's time to stop pretending the same issues he's had the past two seasons aren't there anymore.....because they are. 

Sorry, but I am not buying the hype.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

INJURED OR NOT, THE YANKEES NEED TO MOVE AWAY FROM VOLPE

Let’s get honest, because the fairy tale has gone on long enough. Anthony Volpe didn’t earn his way to the Bronx — he was fast-tracked, rushed, and dropped into the majors because the New York Yankees had a gaping hole at shortstop and a marketing department itching for a savior. Local kid! Italian name! Future captain! It was a beautiful pitch. The results? Not so much. Injury or not, I'm done with this kid and you should be too.

Three seasons in, Volpe hasn’t moved the needle even a millimeter. He’s not exciting. He’s not dangerous. He’s not dependable. He’s the same flawed player he was on day one — except now we’ve wasted years pretending development happens by wishful thinking alone. He looks like a high school hitter trapped in a major league body, and that’s not his fault. That’s on the organization that shoved him into the spotlight and never gave him a safety net.

And let’s not gloss over this: Volpe has never been optioned to Triple-A. Not once. Now he’s coming off shoulder surgery and won’t be ready for Opening Day anyway. The optimistic take is that once he’s healthy, everything magically clicks. The realistic take? He’s posted a .660 OPS for three straight seasons. That’s not a slump — that’s who he is.

Yes, he’ll get a rehab assignment. He has to. But the Yankees should do more than that. They should finally admit the obvious.

Enter José Caballero, who is filling in at shortstop and quietly showing what competence looks like. Better range. Better instincts. Better baserunning. Better production. The Yankees, of course, keep calling him a “utility guy,” as if that label somehow disqualifies him from being the everyday shortstop. Newsflash: this team doesn’t need labels — it needs results.

I’ll even be generous and say Volpe’s shoulder likely impacted his defense. Fine. But his offensive issues predate the injury by years. His approach changes by the week: contact hitter today, launch-angle philosopher tomorrow. He spends weeks stepping in the bucket, wrecking his mechanics, and digging statistical holes he never fully climbs out of.

Caballero, meanwhile, has been the superior player by the numbers — elite defensive metrics, higher OBP, and real impact during the second half of 2025 while Volpe spiraled. And yet, we all know what’s coming: the moment Volpe is healthy, Caballero gets bumped, no matter how well he plays. That’s not competition. That’s favoritism disguised as “development.”

Plenty of fans are done with Volpe. I’m one of them.

To be fair, Joshua Diemert of SB Nation believes there’s still a version of Volpe who can be an above-average hitter — if he gets a real Triple-A run to fix his mechanics and his confidence. That’s a reasonable argument. But here’s the counter: why are the Yankees still operating on hope?

When players don’t perform, teams move on. They demote. They trade. They cut bait. For some reason, Volpe is untouchable — not because of production, but because of sunk cost and ego. The Yankees invested too much time selling this kid to admit they might be wrong.

Meanwhile, the facts are brutal: long stretches in 2025 with a .198 batting average and .255 OBP, declining defense, and zero payoff for the patience. Shoulder injury or not, the team still hasn’t won — and Volpe hasn’t justified the leash.

Since mid-2025, he’s been completely overmatched. Are we really supposed to believe everything fixes itself when he returns? Based on what? Blind faith?

For me, this experiment is over. We already have the upgrade standing right there.

His name is José Caballero.
Play him at shortstop.
And finally, mercifully — move on.

SURVEY: PLAYERS WILL GO AWAY, NOT GM & MANAGER IF YANKS FAIL

I’ve been trying—really trying—to keep my distance from Bleeding Yankee Blue for a bit. Call it self-care. Call it survival. Because the truth is, I’m flat-out miserable with the Yankees front office right now.

This front office? The GM? The manager? They’re spreadsheet people. Decimal-point romantics. They worship at the altar of projections and probabilities, while the human element of baseball—the grit, the urgency, the give-a-damn—gets shoved into a footnote. They guess. A lot. They stare at their charts, shrug, and convince themselves that second place or an early playoff exit is perfectly acceptable as long as the revenue graph keeps pointing north. Then comes the annual press conference lullaby: “Well, we tried.”

No, you didn’t. And this sure as hell isn’t the Yankees I grew up with.

Now comes the latest report: if the Yankees don’t succeed in 2026—and let’s be honest, they won’t, you heard it here first—the organization is supposedly ready to “blow it up.” Big changes. New players. Fresh upgrades. Bold moves... this according to an Athletic survey. Except… funny thing. The same executives who built this mess apparently get a pass. Never mind that the Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009. Never mind that this roster is their creation. Nope. When it fails, it’s always the players’ fault.

The standards are supposedly “high” in the Bronx as we head into spring, especially with this franchise trudging through a 16-year championship drought. That’s why we’ve heard endless chatter since the loss to the Blue Jays in the 2025 Division Series about Aaron Boone’s future. Yes, he’s only missed the playoffs once in eight seasons. And no—that doesn’t impress anyone anymore.

Because the point isn’t making the playoffs. The point is making the playoffs and winning the whole damn thing.

But brace yourself, because Michael Kay will be right there to soothe everyone: “Hey, they made it to the World Series. That’s good.” No. It’s not. You don’t hang banners for “Almost.” And last year? They didn’t even get there.

So where does the pressure land in 2026? On Boone? On the roster? According to this Athletic survey of 36 MLB executives, former executives, managers, coaches, and scouts, the answer is clear: not the people in charge. The survey suggests the players—the core guys fans actually love—are the ones under the gun. Meanwhile, the front office and manager skate by, insulated by contracts, relationships, and the comfort of profitability.

Cashman’s deal runs through 2026. Boone’s through 2027. And if things go sideways, the expectation is roster surgery—not leadership change. Translation: the players you root for get shipped out, while the same decision-makers keep their seats because they’re familiar, friendly, and financially reliable.

Baseball is a business, folks. And this survey screams it. But where’s the survey of the fans? The people dropping thousands of dollars to watch their team come up short? That’s the data I’d like to see. Because if you ask executives, executives will protect executives. Fans don’t cheer for balance sheets—we cheer for players.

And yet, here we are. The money matters more. The fun is gone. Baseball doesn’t feel joyful anymore, and the Yankees feel like a corporation wearing pinstripes.

So yeah, that’s why I’ve been stepping away from BYB more lately. This version of the Yankees? Not fun. This leadership? Brutal. And until the organization remembers who actually fuels this whole machine—the fans—it’s hard to get excited.

We need to do better.
Not for the spreadsheets.
Not for the execs.

For the fan.

TONY CLARK IS OUT! NOW WHAT?

The upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was already going to be dramatic....and now it's going to be extra dramatic. Everyone get ready to grab your popcorn, this one is going to be a doozy.

Players just reported to spring training in Arizona and Florida, so as focused as we are on a new season we are also questioning what is going to happen in nine months when the existing agreement expires? That's very much in the air now that Tony Clark the MLB Players Association Director is resigning, read more HERE. As Clark leaves, baseball is getting ready for it's most critical labor negotiation in years....and he won't be around to fight it.

This was going to be a very tough fight already, and now without Clark it gets harder. He's been instrumental to the players union. He's accomplished a lot over the last 13 years, including the steady increase in salaries to MLB players. He has been the most consistent and coherent voice for the players, and now the union will need to find a new voice.

The timing of this couldn't be worse. Without Clark, the union will fill this role soon. They will look to stabilize the union and get ready for what is to come over the winter. According to MLBtraderumors HERE, the next director could be Bruce Meyer who is currently the union's lead negotiator. He helped Tarik Skubal win his arbitration case against the Tigers and has been gaining support among the players to take over as the new director.

The last CBA negotiation was volatile enough that it resulted in a 99-day lockout led by commissioner Rob Manfred and the owners. This lockout will be even worse. Several owners are advocating for a salary cap, which has been a non-starter for Clark in the past. Now he isn't here to fight that battle, so right now owners have the upper hand. Meyer has also shared the same view as Clark, so if he does become the new director, it will be interesting to see if he is as successful in the role as Clark was.

The new CBA is going to have new player representation.....and it's going to be a very bumpy (and probably long) ride. I hope this lockout won't be as long as I think it will be, but I don't think we are talking about 99 days on this one. Stay tuned....

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj