Enjoying the World Series? More like tolerating it. At least the Dodgers are there and Houston is not, is what I keep saying to myself. But what is more interesting is what happens when the World Series ends in a few days. Baseball refreshes, and a new season begins to ramp up. For the Yankees that can mean a lot of change, which will hopefully get them to the Fall Classic in 2021.
"Free agency begins the day after the World Series ends. Players can’t sign with a new team until five days after the World Series is completed. Trades can be made starting the day after the World Series ends. Contract options can be exercised or not within five days of the World Series ending," reported the New York Post.
For the Yankees that means a number of decisions around who stays and who goes, who they trade for and who they don't and whether or not these shifts can get them to the World Series next year.
"The biggest decisions facing the Yankees are whether to re-sign free agents DJ LeMahieu and Masahiro Tanaka, what to do with Zack Britton’s 2022 option, and deciding whether Gleyber Torres and Gary Sanchez will continue to be their shortstop and catcher, respectively. If they decide Torres and Sanchez are not their best options, the Yankees will be busy filling those positions in a financial climate that has been severely damaged because COVID-19 denied customers entrance to ballparks for the 60-game schedule," reported The New York Post.
Bold statements but they reflect some of the strongest and weakest links of this team. Pitching continues to be a challenge for the Yankees despite signing Gerrit Cole. He can't be the whole pitching staff and Tanaka seems to have lost his luster in the last couple of years. There is also the option of moving Adam Ottavino and Luke Voit and whether or not Brett Gardner stays or goes. All of this to say that none of this matters if Aaron Boone calls the shots purely on analytics instead of combination of gut and numbers.
According to NJ.com, "Boone says that he has the freedom to make his own lineups and pitching decisions, and that’s the official stance from GM Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner, too. But all parties also agree that the team’s analytics staff factors heavily in lineup and pitching moves." Context here stems from a WFAN interview with former Yankee shortstop Didi Gregorius who compared his current manager, Joe Girardi's style to Boone's leadership. "They’re both good managers. For me, the only thing I see different is Joe goes more with his instincts – that’s what I think – and Boone goes more with analytics.”
It will be a real hot stove leading up to the Winter Meetings in early December. Lots of decisions and moving parts. A few games left in 2020 before all of the hoopla begins. Enjoy the Series and get ready for an interesting off-season.
--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof
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