THE TWO "NO-BRAINER" DECISIONS THE YANKEES HAVE TO MAKE

I think this winter is crucial. It is easily the most important winter we've had in years. The Yankees will have some tough decisions to make and will help set the tone for the Yankees likelihood for getting back to the World Series next year. The Yankees can't be conservative and just expect the chips to lay as they did this season. It all starts right now.

There are already two easy no-brainer decisions for the Yankees - and they have nothing to do with Juan Soto. The first one was already made. Luke Weaver will be back. The Yankees picked up his 2025 option worth $2.5 million in an easy decision. In my mind, he's worth more than that. We keep a valuable arm that can perform under pressure and really grew into a mature and reliable closer. Weaver really earned my respect over the postseason. He was the combination of maturity and ultimate gamer that has been missing for a REALLY long time. He's not just a bullpen arm, he's earned that closer role next season.

Weaver was easy, this next one is definitely open to debate. My second no-brainer comes to the manager. It's time to move on. FULL DISCLOSURE, I am 99.9% positive the Yankees WON'T, but they should. Hal Steinbrenner should find himself a new manager, because Aaron Boone doesn't have what it takes to manage and win a World Series. It's time to show some accountability, so to do that it's time to bring in a capable manager.

But the Yankees are pretty much guaranteed to pick up Boone's 2025 option that is believed to be around $3 million. This is where we see what the Yankees place value on (in this case too much value). Back in 2017, Joe Girardi was not brought back after missing a World Series berth by one win. He had the better execution of the game in my opinion, but wasn't connecting with his younger players, which Yankee brass decided was reason to not bring him back.

Fast forward now to 2024, we have Boone with ZERO leadership traits and can't manage anything to save his life. I really think the World Series was the Yankees worst series of the year. The baserunning was atrocious, they had zero fundamentals, and the Dodgers studied us and played to every single weakness we had. Boone has never been able to help this team play better fundamentally, and he surrounds himself with people who also can't help this team play fundamental baseball. Boone can't manage worth a damn, but he is a "players manager" that all players especially Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole, the high dollar commitments love and praise. 

So, in this case, results don't matter anymore. The Yankees made it back to the World Series after missing in action for 15 years so that's enough to make Hal happy. It used to be World Series or Bust....but not anymore.

The Yankees have a lot to do this winter.... I just don't believe they will execute it with Baboonie managing this team. One for two isn't a good result, but that's likely what we get here. Disappointing to say the least.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj