YANKS WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE? GARDY THINKS SO

I don't know what insights Brett Gardner has, but I'm interested in learning more.  I spent the last couple of days in workshop sessions that unpacked key skills like having a growth mindset, creating cultures of collaboration and building structures that enable students to make mistakes in order to learn.  When I read the Trenton Times' article entitled "Brett Gardner hoping Yankees don't play way into becoming trade-deadline sellers," I learned more about Gardner's take on the team as he provides positive commentary on the Yankees and the opportunities that are within their grasp.

"Gardner thinks the Yanks are fortunate not to be buried in the standings already. For instance, Pittsburgh went into Sunday two-games under .500 in the NL Central and trailing the Cubs by 14 games. "We're six or so games back," Gardner said. "We've got a lot of ground to make up and some good teams ahead of us, but at the same time we play those teams a lot and a lot can change over the course of a week or so."  That's definitely a way to spin events into possibilities.  A growth mindset can do that for a player.  This means a player believes that despite mistakes, challenges, and obstacles, if he perseveres, he will achieve his goal.

Hey, I am all for persistence and grit.  And of all of the Yankees, he certainly has the lion's share of positivity and grit.  "I feel good about where we're at," he told NJ Advance Media. "I know I've been saying that for weeks or a couple months now, but we're still very much within striking distance. We're by no means where we want to be at, but ..." we persist?

I want to believe him and I think most fans want to as well.  I guess it is hard to stay positive when this team seems more like one from the 1980s and early 90s than those of decades before or after. 

Yet, Gardner insists the Yankees simply have more to give. "I don't see any reason we can't at some point turn it on and get things rolling. We've been pitching. We've been throwing the ball pretty well and obviously we feel great about the bullpen that we have, so if we can get a little more consistency offensively ..."

Is it just post-game locker talk or is Gardner a believer that the Yankees can put a run together right before the All Star Break?  I hope it is the latter and what Gardner's says about the Yankees being within striking distance is something that can come to fruition throughout the dogs days of summer.

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof