SNAP OUT OF IT!

Been having the worst time writing about the Yankees lately. What’s the point, you know? They ain’t in the playoffs. In short, I’ve been acting like a spoiled brat.

Think about it. The Yankees fell short of the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Only the second time since 1995. In nineteen years, the Yankees failed to make the post season all of two times.

And this is not to mention that the Bombers were never expected to make the playoffs at all this year. Or have you forgotten the doom and gloom of the pre-season? They were supposed to never have a chance in the first place. Instead, they held First Place. For a while, anyway.

The Yankees never gave up. They clawed their way through the year. Every time we thought they were done, New York fought back. Even in that Boston series, when the Sox found ways to win late in games, the Bronx was still Bombing.

The Yankees scored over twenty runs in those three losses in that four game series.That would have beaten anyone else. Boston had blazing hot bats. They rode them all the way to the World Series.

Dana Cavalea just lost his job. Some argue the Yankees missing the post season was not the strength and conditioning coach’s fault. To them I say; Derek Jeter; Brett Gardner; Michael Pineda; CC Sabathia; Andy Pettitte; David Phelps; Chris Stewart; Kevin Youkilis; and Ivan Nova. Just to name a few. All of these players spent time on the Disabled List due to strains, sprains, or general pains.

I am being fair to Dana here. He is not getting any blame for Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira, or Francisco Cervelli for receiving fractures or breaks during game play. But the list of players with incidental and incremental injuries are what damned him. That is a LOT of injuries that were supposed to be preventable. It was Cavalea’s job to stem that tide. He couldn’t do it. He had to go.

The point here, is that New York had a staggeringly insurmountable mountain of injuries to try and overcome. They had an entire All Star team, all positions, on the DL at one point or another this season. Can you comprehend the depth of that statement? They were always always always missing pieces of the equation.

The Yankees were NEVER full strength at ANY time this past season.

But we are spoiled as Yankee fans. We not only expect and demand our team be in the post-season, we assume it will be so. Even when it shouldn’t be possible. I reported to all of you over and over and over again how amazing it was for the Bombers to be where they are. They had no business getting as close as they did. And they STILL bucked the speculators.

Side note; the Toronto Blue Jays were predicted to run away with first in the AL East this season. They were last. Where the Yankees were supposed to be. Shows how much the pundits know, huh?

At any rate, I didn’t even believe my own press. I assumed the Yankees would make it, and was devastated when they didn’t. Even though I had been telling everyone repeatedly how amazing it was for them to even be in the race. Even though I could see how wounded they were. I still assumed they would make it. Hindsight is 20/20. Reviewing the season, it only becomes far more clear; Yankee fans are spoiled.

We have been treated to baseball greatness year after year. We are used to pulling for the best team in baseball history. We are arrogant. We are complacent. We needed a wake up call. We almost didn’t get it.

Welcome to the real world, Yankee fans. This is what every other team goes through pretty much every year. Our team lost. Our team is done. Our team is human.

Remember this feeling. All those complaints we made in previous seasons? We were whining. We shouldn’t. If we can win as Champions, we can lose as same. I am the worst for whining. I have been sulking for weeks. I should grow up.


Flipping through the channels the other day it was Cher, of all people, who brought me back to Earth. I landed on “Moonstruck” just in time for her to say “Snap out of it!” Like her or not, she sure had a point. Out is where I snapped from.

So. Moves will be made during the off season. Brian McCann is the first big one. Players will return from the DL. New York will be stronger this season than last, one way or another. Do not forget the disappointment you may feel right now. Instead, hold on to it. Treasure it. Let it burn inside of you.

The Yankees did not so much fail as simply show us they were human. That’s all. We needed to be reminded of this. We are too spoiled, and we need to feel like every other team from time to time. They missed the playoffs this year. Just remember how it feels.

And remember what they did next after missing the playoffs the last time.

 
Chad R. MacDonald
BYB Features Writer
Facebook: New York Yankees the Home of Champions
My Blog: ChadRants


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