STOP BLAMING EVERYTHING ON INJURIES!

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What a difference a year makes. This time last year there was a lot of hope and excitement. Some say our postseason was a miracle and we should not have eliminated the Cleveland Indians and managed to get just one game away from the World Series again.

Last year we were WAY ahead of schedule. So we are supposed to be closer now, right?

We should....but every week it feels like something happens that puts us further and further away. We are a much better team than this, but  THIS Yankees team just doesn't know how to overcome challenges. There are too many obstacles and missed opportunities. Yesterday didn't get any better either.

For many reasons, it doesn't look like the run we had last year is not LIKELY to happen this year. I hope it does, but the Yankees have a lot of fundamental problems and they haven't been able to figure them out.

Photo: New York Post

One big problem would be the injuries. This team is completely different without Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez's bats and gloves in the game. Sanchez was in a major free fall before going on the shelf but his bat still makes the lineup longer. Not having both of these guys sucks but it may be even worse than we realize.

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If you missed yesterday's game Didi Gregorius collided with Kendrys Morales in the first inning while trying to beat out an infield single. He remained in the game after being examined on the field but was later pulled at the top of the third inning. He was taken to Columbia-Presbyterian for tests that came back clear but Aaron Boone said due to the bad bruise on his heel that he could still go to the disabled list, read more HERE.

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The Yankees are crippled right now. With Judge out, the Yankees have turned to Shane Robinson in the outfield who has been ineffective. The Yankees have been trying to find someone to fill Judge's shoes and don't have many options but surely there has to be someone better than Robinson? The Yankees already have Neil Walker doing his own fill-in duty in right field. The Yankees need some serious help right now and it doesn't look like it is coming.

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It's frustrating for us as fans, but I am sure all of this is even more frustrating for Brian Cashman. He has made all of the necessary moves to fix the weak spots on this team but it hasn't paid off like it should. Cashman can't control the injuries but he made moves to make this team better. The results just don't show that.

The Yankees are historically a good and exciting August team but the Yankees seem to be lacking the same passion as we have seen from years before. It was hard for me to watch Thursday's game against the Rays. The Rays had two runners picked off, botched a routine inning ending double play and had to pull ace Blake Snell early.

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The Yankees had their opportunities and couldn't capitalize against another bad team. Snell was pulled early thanks to an injury he still hasn't recovered from, he isn't stretched out and can't pitch deep into games. They gave the Yankees every opportunity to win and they just couldn't do it.

Photo: Getty Images

Injuries are one thing but the lack of leadership with this team is astounding. I really want to believe in Aaron Boone, but I just can't. The fire and spark are gone. I think his press conferences are a joke. He's calm and collected, nonchalant and looks like he is not phased by anything. Mediocrity is okay for him. I don't get it. He doesn't have that winning Yankee persona. He behaves like the Wild Card is okay for him. Everything will be okay as long as they get there somehow. This is the attitude of the 2018 New York Yankees and it's not okay.

Injuries do suck and they make the game harder. But good teams have winning attitudes and there is always someone there to pick up the slack.....and we don't have any of that right now. We have flat answers, lackluster results and no passion. This team has all of the talent to replicate last year, but not the leadership or culture. The Yankees need to figure this out before it is too late....and we are running out of time.

Stop giving it away and WAKE UP!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj