WILL THE YANKEES FIND THEIR WAY?

Source: The San Diego Tribune

The Holidays are a time for reflection, for traditions, for new beginnings. Some people lose their way and the holidays some how get them back on track. The Yankees know all about losing their way; and it has been a long time since they have been on the right track toward a championship. But will this off season be the one that snaps the Yankees back in sync? Will they finally find their way back to the World Series in 2021?

Famed sports writer, Mike Lupica, wrote a column on Friday that centered on the Yankees storied droughts since their beginnings. "The longest the Yankees have gone without winning a World Series -- since they really became the Yankees just over 100 years ago when Babe Ruth showed up in the Bronx -- was 17 seasons. That drought lasted from 1979-95, before Joe Torre’s Yanks finished the Yankee Century in baseball in style. Prior to that it had been 15 years, from '62-77. Their third longest stretch without winning a World Series is happening now." He gave a number of reasons for the Yankees droughts and defended them as reasons vs. excuses.

"Both Stanton and Cole were seen to be game-changers and difference-makers in the Bronx, Cole especially. But you saw what happened in a short season. Too many Yankees got hurt again, they ended up finishing second in the division to the Rays and at one point looked as if they might not make even the expanded postseason at all, before ultimately losing another heartbreaker -- this time in the AL Division Series -- to the Rays," said Lupica. 

Heartbreakers have been the Yankees MO over this drought. Injuries have been another. But if the Yankees can figure out where their issues are, perhaps they can bandage up their Achilles Heel and go get themselves a catcher that can, well, catch. Maybe they can smarten up and let Luke Voit go and pick up another infielder with a bigger bat. And maybe, they can pick up a pitcher, that can add more consistency to the rotation. That is how you win games. That is how you win the Series. Consistency. This is an area for growth for the Yankees, and the key to finding their way.

December 6th is the start of MLB's Virtual Winter Meetings. Perhaps the Yankees will find their way in 2021 and this will be the week that ignites their path. And like Lupica's friend who is a diehard Yankee fan, I will be less impatient too because the Yankees will be back on track to win again, and win more consistently. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof