IT'S 2018 & BIRD'S STILL THE WORD!

Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Out with the old and in with the new! Goodbye to the former 2017 Yankees and hello to the revamped 2018 team.

Out with our old third baseman Chase Headley and in with....well, Brian Cashman is still working on that one. Oh but we can't forget about Giancarlo Stanton, right? That's new! Well we have a new/old not to forget...in fact I am going to call it NOLD.

Photo: Getty Images

Greg Bird is our NOLD because he's still a young 25 year old kid who's been around awhile but hasn't hit his full potential. I am crossing my fingers that this is his breakout season. Not month or four months but entire season because if he can stay healthy it's his time to shine! No more fluke spring training injuries to derail the entire season or Mark Teixeira-esque infinite injury problems and no more crazy stories like THIS. We've had breakout years for Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez....now it's Bird's turn.

The guy has had a tough break. He's had a lot of criticism from some fans and so-called "insiders" alike.

“You really have to wonder what’s with this guy,” a Yankee insider complained. 
“You’d think with Judge and Sanchez, the guys he came up through the system with, doing so well up here he’d want to be a part of this. Apparently not.”

Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America

I never read into these stories too much. It's all a bunch of gossip from unidentified people. There's no evidence of the Yankee brass souring on Bird and after watching him have success at the end of the season it only shows us what Bird really can do....and will do when he is healthy. He did it in Spring training and he did it at the end of the season now he just needs to stay healthy and work hard all season and big things will happen.

Photo: Getty Images

Yankee stadium is made for Bird and his swing. I know the exciting addition of Stanton makes us all drool and Judge is just a beast but I think Bird will be the breakout player of 2018. He's overdue and has all of the tools to be successful he just needs to get shake off the bad luck he's had the past couple of years.

Last year we were good, damn good and one win away from a World Series berth. A healthy productive Bird could be the difference between a damn good Yankee team....and a dominant Yankee team. I don't think anyone should sleep on Bird. He's got unfinished business and a lot of winning to do.

Bird is STILL the word.

--Jeana Bellezza
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj