GIANCARLO STANTON'S STRONG WORDS!

You need to produce in the heart of the lineup. Plain and simple.

With snow flurries in the air and just above freezing temperatures in New Jersey on Saturday, it was warm in my heart as I tuned into the Grapefruit League and the first start of the 2023 New York Yankees. There were some familiar faces in the lineup including Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Oswaldo Cabrera and Gleyber Torres. But the real interest for me in spring training is what will the Yankees do to design the best team to compete well consistently against opponents down the stretch. As Aaron Boone puts it, "We’re laying a foundation right now, trying to be uber-focused on that process of how we get a little incrementally better every day.” Sure, Boone always says that, but what really got me fired up were the words of Yankees incumbent slugger Giancarlo Stanton shared before the Yankees bout against the Phillies on Saturday.

“You’ve got to stay healthy; you’ve got to be out there,” Stanton said. “You’ve got to be in a good rhythm throughout the months and not worry about 59 or whatever homers. You have to produce in the heart of the lineup," reporte MLB.com. The Yankees have a lot to worry about—beyond who will play left field, and who will play shortstop. It involves mental and physical health. It is not about repeating the performance from last year in home runs or strikeouts. It is about being the best version of yourselves and maintaining that through the long haul of 162 games.

"Everybody wants to prove that next year is going to be better,” Nestor Cortes said. “For me, it’s just trying to stay healthy as much as possible. Last year I missed two starts to the groin [strain], and the goal today is to not miss time with the [strained] hamstring. I think we’re off on the right foot, and hopefully I can continue to build off that," reported MLB.com.

The Yankees are also facing a 13 year World Series drought. Many of the players call this year, "unfinished business" which certainly nudged Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo into contracts. But it is more than that. It is about playing together as a team, having accountability for teammates and yourself as you move from game to game and series to series, and it is about staying positive. Don't try to repeat what you have done in the past—focus on how you can produce in this situation and that situation. The talent is there—don't overthink it.

“There’s always that unknown about what this team is capable of, how great can we be and what we can accomplish this year,” Judge said. “Going into every season, I know what we’re capable of. We’ve got All-Stars, Cy Young candidates and former MVPs on this team. Let’s see what we can go out there and do this season,” reported MLB.com.

Baseball is here and the Yankees have just over a month to lay a foundation for success. That foundation includes positivity, health, focus on now, best use of talent, and producing in the heart of the lineup. If the words of Stanton are sloganed in the dugout, and each player owns their ability to play to their potential, the Yankees can be the best team. They need to get out of their own way, remove the imposter syndrome label and ensure that their heart is in the right place. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof