JASSON DOMINGUEZ GETS PROMOTED!

Quick note and big news about "the Martian".

The Bridgewater paper of NJ.com writes:

"Dominguez, a 19-year-old outfielder, was somewhat unexpectedly promoted to Double-A prior to Tuesday night’s game at TD Bank Ballpark. against the Portland Sea Dogs.

Nicknamed “The Martian” for his otherworldly tools on the diamond, the 5-foot-10, 190-pound Dominican native is ranked as the No. 42 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and No. 2 in the Yankees organization, behind Volpe."

There is no doubt that Dominguez and Volpe are important pieces of the Yankees future, but as always you have to wonder if the Yankees have the right balance when it comes to grooming guys and when to bring them up. Remember the Killer B's? 

Only Dellin Betances worked out. Banuelos has bounced around and hasn't done much and Brackman doesn't even play anymore. I'd say the Yankees ruined those guys.

Aaron Judge is the exception as he has been everything we could have asked for, but remember Eric Jagielo out of Notre Dame that same year? 

He ended up playing for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and ended his career in 2018.

The point is I want Dominguez to really work out. I just hope the Yankees don't mess it up.  Who knows... maybe we see those guys in September call-ups. We shall see.

Anyway... cool note. If you're going to TD Bank Park tonight, go Patriots!

THE YANKEES: WHO WILL START VS. WHO SHOULD START

The Infield

OK, so it’s not even the New Year yet, but the Yankees off-season is in full swing with the acquisition of Aroldis Chapman in exchange for the club’s future at third base and a cast of other youngsters.  With the current roster, I thought we’d take a look at who projects to be starting at each position (given manager Joe Girardi’s mindset, and GM Brian Cashman’s directives), and who SHOULD be starting.  This article will focus on the infield.

With the exception of jettisoning the dead-weight (you all know who I mean) the team had most of the season at second base, the Yankees infield should look pretty much the same.

CATCHER - Who Girardi Will Start

Coming off one of his most productive seasons where he ranked 1st in home runs, 2nd in RBI, and 3rd in runs scored at the catching position, Brian McCann is the unquestioned starting backstop for the Bombers.  In spite of hitting just .232 for the second straight season, McCann remains one of the best offensive forces at his position.  In addition, he ranks among the very best in MLB at framing pitches behind the plate, and is widely respected for handling the constantly changing Yankee rotation.  With the loss of J.R. Murphy, McCann’s days off will result in either Austin Romine or highly-touted prospect Gary Sanchez manning the catching spot.  Romine has yet to prove he can handle the bat very well in “the show”, while Sanchez hasn’t made an appearance in the sport’s highest level.

Who should start?

Without a doubt, until either Romine or Sanchez can demonstrate that they will provide something more, McCann should be the Yankees backstop.

FIRST BASE – Who Girardi Will Start

Mark Teixeira will turn 36 this season, and will be playing his 14th year in MLB.  Over the previous 13 campaigns, “Tex” has managed to play in 150 or more games just six times, and has not participated in more than 123 games in any season since 2011.  In short, the Yankees just cannot depend on him to be a consistent presence in the lineup.  Yet, they will for one more season (his contract finally expires at the end of 2016).  This isn’t to say that when Teixeira is healthy, he is not productive - he is.  Last year in 111 games, the first baseman hit 31 home runs and drove in 79.  That would have translated to 45 round-trippers and 115 RBI over 162 games.  Unfortunately, 162 games is just a pipe dream for the man at first.  To think that it could ever happen again for Tex would be simply ludicrous.  I am sure that Girardi will limit Teixeira to six games a week – at most – in the field, but even that number may be too many.  Face it; he simply can’t handle the everyday wear and tear anymore.  Greg Bird, the Triple A prospect brought up to fill in at first base once Teixeira had his annual breakdown, produced at nearly the same rate as his mentor.  In 46 games, Bird hit 11 hr and drove in 31 RBI.  Projected out, that’s 38 bombs and 109 RBI in 162 games.  In addition, Bird’s average was .261 – six points higher than Tex’s.  So, Bird will at least make for a solid backup this coming season, right?  Wrong.  GM/Lineup director Cashman has already decreed that Bird will play this season back at Scranton (the Triple-A affiliate).  So, the team is left with McCann, A-Rod, or Chase Headley as the backup first basemen in 2016.

Who should start?

I’m not going to sit here and tell you that Bird should be the starter.  That is unrealistic.  As I pointed out, Teixeira remains productive when he is in the lineup.  Instead, what I think the MANAGER should do is split play at first between Tex and Bird every week.  If you want to keep Teixeira in the lineup, then put him at DH – yeah, I know the team is loaded with over-priced, over-aged veteran DH’s, but Tex would be the most productive of the group.  Teixera is a proven commodity in the field and still flashes some of the talent that won him the gold glove five times over the course of his career.  Minimize his wearing down by minimizing his full-time play.  Bird has shown he’s quite capable of handling MLB competition both at the plate and in the field, and he is the future of this team at the position.  It’s time we started incorporating him.  Of course, our manager is nothing more than a figure-head – much like the Queen of England.  Until the General Manager allows it to happen, what SHOULD be done likely won’t be.

SECOND BASE – Who Girardi Will Start

I have made it no secret over the past two seasons as to what I felt about Brian Cashman’s choice for starting second baseman.  The bottom line is that he signed an over-rated, past his prime, non-productive veteran for a position where it wasn’t needed.  Down the stretch – in games that mattered most to the Yankees – Rob Refsnyder and Dustin Ackley proved what a colossal waste Stephen Drew was.  I’m not really sure what Cashman has against Refsnyder.  All the rookie did was hit .385 and play flawless defense in those final two weeks.  He played so well that Manager Joe Girardi made him the starter for the playoff game against Houston.  Yet, here we are in another off-season, and once again, Cashman has decided the team needed someone else to play the position.  I will give the GM this; the player he has brought on board – Starlin Castro – is younger with a much, much higher ceiling than the GM’s obsession, Stephen Drew.  Does Castro represent an upgrade over Refsnyder and Ackley?  Only slightly in the field, and not at the plate but, as I said, there is a high ceiling and I’m holding out hope that Castro sticks.  He will be the starter for the Yankees except for an occasional platoon (Girardi LOVES Platooning, regardless of results) with Ackley.  Refsnyder will either be traded or relegated to Triple-A Scranton until they can off-load him – and I consider that an epic shame.

Who should start?

At this point, with Castro on board, it only makes sense that he get the playing time he needs at second and be allowed to grow into the position – an opportunity that Refsnyder has never been afforded.  Ackley has shown he’s a solid player and that Yankee Stadium suits him well, so it too makes sense that he remains in the mix.

THIRD BASE - Who Girardi Will Start

31-year-old Chase Headley had the lowest on-base percentage of his career (.324), the lowest home run total of any year where he’s played at least 150 games, the lowest OBP of his career (excluding the 8 games he played when first called up by the Padres in 2007) and the most errors (23) of his career.  Not exactly a year that Chase will want to remember.  He remains signed through 2018, so he’ll be the guy that trots out to the hot corner on Opening Day.

Who should start?

The deal to get Aroldis Chapman included the only legitimate prospect to play third base for the Yankees in the future – Eric Jagielo.  With him out of the picture, Headley has to be the guy manning third.  Who his backup will be is anyone’s guess.

SHORTSTOP – Who Girardi Will Start

I saved shortstop for last because the guy who will play the position most of this coming season is quickly becoming one of my favorites – Didi Gregorius.  The 25-year-old is a slick fielding, hard-throwing player with a great work ethic and high ceiling.  His Yankee career had a rough start, but over the second half of the 2015 campaign, he was arguably the best fielder and best hitter in the everyday lineup.  He had perhaps the most difficult task of any Yankee – following Derek Jeter – and didn’t allow it to swallow him up.  He conducted himself with class, and ignored the early season critics while working himself into one of the best shortstops in MLB.  He looks to be a fixture at short for years to come in the Bronx.

Who should start?

Without question, Gregorius should (and will) be running out to the shortstop position every day.  For an occasional rest, Girardi will move Castro to the spot and play Ackley at second.  I would not be surprised to see Didi eventually move up in the order as he continues to progress at the plate.  He gives this team energy that some of Cashman’s tired veterans lack, and I predict the youngster will one day be this team’s leader on and off the field.

That’s it for the look around the infield, up next we’ll give our view of the outfielders.

We welcome your opinions and comments, and as always, thank you for your support of BYB.


    
--Steve Skinner, 
BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1


    

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub.

CHAPMAN COMPLETES THE ULTIMATE YANKEE PEN

Welcome to the Yankees, Aroldis Chapman! As BYB announced yesterday - AROLDIS CHAPMAN'S HEADED TO THE BRONX – the Yankees pulled the trigger on a trade that sends pitchers Caleb Cotham and Rookie Davis, third baseman Eric Jagielo, and second baseman Tony Renda to Cincinnati in return for the man who led the National League in strikeouts for a reliever.

This trade is huge, giving the Yankees Chapman, Dellin Betances, and Andrew Miller as what is arguably the best back end of the bullpen in all of baseball. The best part of the trade is the Yankees did not give up any top-ranked “untouchable” rookies in the process.

Top 3 K/9.0IP Ratios by Relievers in 2015: 1. @AChapman_105 (15.74) 2. @a_miller48 (14.59) 3. @DBetances50 (14.04)

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) December 28, 2015

Chapman has had a phenomenal 6-year career so far. Batters facing him over the course of his career are hitting .154, and in no single season have they hit above .200 against him. Last year, he led the majors in K/9 with 15.74. Going back over the last 3 seasons, that number is 16.34.

He leads the majors over that period, with Andrew Miller coming in second and Dellin Betances third. Over the last two years, he has given up a home run once every 30 innings. The numbers are incredible. When you think about what the end of game scenario looks like for the Yankees, it should be lights out. It’s ironic that we spoke about this scenario last December - COULD WE SNAG AROLDIS CHAPMAN NOW THAT DROB'S GONE? – and we were soundly ridiculed for suggesting it as a possibility. Now the dream scenario has become reality.

Yanks get Chapman and don't give away #ChosenOnes. Nothing bad about this deal. Great move. #BYB was mocked when we said this could happen

— Robert Casey (@BleednYankeeBlu) December 29, 2015

The Yankees gave up 4 good, but not great, rookie prospects. Starting pitcher Rookie Davis was the most highly ranked - #6 on Baseball America’s New York Yankees Top 10 Prospects List. He made it to AA Trenton last year, where he had an ERA of 4.32 and a WHIP of 1.38. Those numbers were comparable to his minor league career numbers. Third baseman Eric Jagielo had a higher ranking last year but has since dropped after reaching AA Trenton. He recorded a batting average of .288 and an OPS of .842, but a .883 fielding percentage dampened the view on him.

Caleb Cotham was a September call up by the Yankees where he amassed a 6.52 ERA and a WHIP of 1.552 and notched his first major league win.  Tony Renda is a second baseman at the AA level who hit .269 last year but became expendable with the Starlin Castro acquisition. We wish all these kids the best of luck, but I am not crying over any of their departures. You shouldn’t either.

There are certainly bumps in the road on this one. Many are talking about his domestic violence incident last October, and with baseball’s new domestic violence policy, he could begin the season on suspension. Under no circumstances do I or do any of our writers condone such actions, and we expect baseball to do the right thing. Once it is settled, we expect this to be about baseball.

You have to applaud Brian Cashman, who has been largely silent this off season on major acquisitions, for pulling this off. The team still has gaps to fill, but we’re in a better position now.

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon







You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!

AROLDIS CHAPMAN'S HEADED TO THE BRONX

I just want to put this out there, to get Bleeding Yankee Blue on record to let our audience know that the Reds' Aroldis Chapman has been traded to the New York Yankees for 4 prospects.  Those prospects are Eric Jagielo, Caleb Cotham, Rookie Davis and Tony Renda.  You can read USA Today for more.

We have a huge piece coming out early tomorrow morning by BYB Senior Writer Ike Dimitriadis.  I'm not here to take the thunder away from Ike's piece.  I just wanted to report the news about the trade this evening... and put this story right here...

COULD WE SNAG AROLDIS CHAPMAN NOW THAT DROB'S GONE?

That was written in December 2014.  The first line of the post is this: "Andew Miller, Dellin Betances, Aroldis Chapman. Think about it."

The Yankees did think about it... and the Yankee Bridge just got longer and a helluva lot nastier. 

More with Ike tomorrow... look for it here on BYB.


You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store! Follow me on Twitter@BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook! Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!

GETTING TO KNOW SOME YANKEE PROSPECTS

(In Photo: Rookie Davis)
Anyone who follows the Yankees closely or relatively closely at least, knows of Aaron Judge, Jorge Mateo, Gary Sanchez and Rob Refsnyder. Both Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus came out with their Top 10 Yankee prospects this past week and Judge, Mateo and Sanchez were the top three on both lists. But filling out the top 10 are several players who are lesser known that we should begin to get to know.

(Photo Credit: Staton Island Advance. Hilton Flores)
A name that many may know from this past June's draft is James Kaprielian. He was the Yankees first round draft pick and 16th overall and is ranked at the Yankees fourth best prospect on both lists. Kaprielian was one of the most polished arms in the draft after pitching for several years at UCLA.  He is looked at as a middle of the rotation guy who could eat innings but does not have a very high ceiling. He is expected to be quickly promoted through the minor leagues over the next couple of seasons and if he continues to progress and stay healthy could be in the Bronx as early as 2017, as Baseball Prospectus reports.

CF Dustin Fowler also made both lists after slashing .298/.334/.394 between A-ball Charleston and Advanced-A Tampa. He also turned some heads during the Arizona Fall League. His speed and contact approach at the plate are his biggest assets and he is looked at as an everyday CF. He does not provide a lot of power but with his speed, can leg out extra base hits. Scouts say that if he can't cut it as an everyday OF, he could be a solid fourth OF on a big league club within a couple of years.

RHP Drew Finley made Baseball Prospectus' list as the number seven Yankees prospect after being drafted this past June in the third round out of Rancho Bernardo HS in San Diego. Finley is projected to be a fourth starter or so. His fastball sits around 90 and his best secondary pitch is a big 12-6 curve ball that is inconsistent at the present. He is just 19 years-old though so that's not a huge surprise. Scouts say he hides the ball well and is sneaky to the plate and that he also could have room to physically mature some more. As a young, unpolished prospect, he is several years away from being on the big clubs radar.

LHP Ian Clarkin came in at number 10 on Baseball Prospectus' list after having a solid showing in the Arizona Fall League. It was a frustrating season for Clarkin who was shut down in spring training with elbow tendinitis and missed the entire summer before showing up in the AFL. Clarkin has some upside but has struggled with injuries which kept him from being ranked higher. His fastball sits in the low 90's but could improve as he physically matures. Clarkin is a guy I really like. There are only so many lefties and they are highly coveted! He is one I'll be following closely over the next couple of years. He is projected to be Major League ready around 2018.

Hard throwing RHP Rookie Davis is the number six prospect on Baseball America's list after advancing to Double-A Trenton this summer. Davis was a 14th round pick in 2011 out of Dixon (NC) HS. He compiled a 3.86 ERA between Tampa and Scranton while striking 129 over 130.1 innings. He allowed 132 hits and walked just 26. He seems to be a guy that can move up the upper echelon of the minors over the next 18 months-two years or so, and with his 95 mph heater, could make a solid middle of the rotation starter within a couple of years.

Wilkerman Garcia, one of the young prospects form the Yankees 2014 IFA spending spree, is ninth on Baseball America's list and just out of the top 10 on Baseball Prospectus. He's seen as a solid SS with good hands and arm for the position. He is a switch hitter with a line drive swing and although he is years away from making an impact in the Bronx, he is someone who we will be hearing about over the next several years.

21 year-old RHP Domingo Acevedo made Baseball America's list as the number five prospect in the Yankees system and it's easy to see why. First off he can hit triple digits on the radar gun, which alone gets people talking. The 6-foot-7 hurler from the Dominican Republican, who only starting playing baseball at 16 years-old, has pitched 106 innings over three seasons with the Yankees organization, reaching A-ball in 2015. He has struck out 188 batters over those 106 innings and has walked just 33 and owns a 2.46 ERA. Acevedo has a plus-plus fastball, a slider and change up, which he likes to throw and is developing. The sky is the limit with Acevedo as he continues to mature as a pitcher. I'd love to see Luis Severino and Acevedo in pinstripes dominating for many years!

Other names on the lists include 3B Eric Jagielo, who battled a knee injury in 2015. Jagielo is a good hitter, but has work to do defensively. Brady Lail was number nine on Baseball Prospectus' list and had a breakout year in 2015 in which he was promoted from Advanced-A to Triple-A Scranton. He is projected as a number five type starter who could help the Bombers in 2016 at some point. SS Tyler Wade was also listed on Baseball America's list.

The Yankees have some solid prospects in their system, some in the upper tiers of the minors on the verge of being a roster candidate, and others who are still several years away. Over the past several years the Yankees have made it a point to improve the organization from the ground up after it was gutted for over a decade. I like what the Yankees have coming through the pipeline. It's only a matter of time before many of these young men find their way to the Bronx.



 --Dan Lucia
BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @DManLucia






You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!

ARE THE YANKEES LOSING FAITH IN TYLER AUSTIN?

All signs point to possibly, maybe. Once a top prospect in the Yankees farm system Tyler Austin is now on his third attempt to impress the organization and they appear to be losing faith and getting impatient. The clock may be ticking on Austin and this could be his final chance.

In a recent statement by Brian Cashman, confidence in Austin could be hitting rock bottom. Read that HERE. In September, the Yankees designated Austin for assignment after a sub par 2015 season. I have always admired this kid's work ethic. I have seen him two previous times at the Arizona Fall League and I have always noticed how he always seems to be working. He's on the field early, he is engaged and in the zone. I have never felt like he has received enough credit for that. This year though, he lost his potent bat and after a lot of inconsistency was even demoted to AA Trenton which is a long road back from when he was named a player in the 2012 futures game AND breakout player of the year.

It sucks to see Austin struggle so much. The Yankees have always envisioned him in the outfield for us someday, but something seems off. This Austin is different than the Austin I have watched for the past few years, and Cashman notices it too. Maybe he is trying too hard. Maybe the pressure is getting to him, I am not sure. All I know is....I see struggles in him that I have not seen before.

I do believe the Yankees are starting to lose hope in this kid. One of my friends said that right now, Austin sounds like Billy Beane's story in Moneyball. Once a top prospect phenomenon that fell apart who looks like the confidence is gone. You can draft a player based on his abilities, but getting in their mindset and fostering that confidence and determination is another story. He needs to do that part, and I believe that he can.

(In Photo: Eric Jagielo)
As much as I have seen Austin struggle, I still believe in this kid! He may have earned himself another shot to impress and turn things around here due to the unfortunate injury to Eric Jagielo who lost his spot in the Arizona Fall League. So now, he returns a third time and I believe that he will seize the opportunity. It isn't even a full week into the season and he already has some multi-hit games and is proving that he can play at first base in addition to the outfield. He is versatile, and he is determined and that is why I will continue to be his cheerleader.

I feel uneasy reading some of Cashman's comments. We need our kids in the organization to succeed so we can become a more successful organization. The Yankees know this, too. If they become impatient then it is hard to give the chance to bring that change. We need our kids to be successful. The fact that Austin was designated for assignment and not claimed by another team not only shows the Yankees lack of confidence, but other teams as well. They were once interested, but this time they let him go unclaimed. This is where Austin can change all of these opinions.

I do believe that Austin can control his own destiny here, and I want to see him get there. I know he works hard so now it is just time to put everything together and do it. They say opportunity doesn't usually knock twice. In this case, it has knocked three times. I believe that this kid still has what it takes. We are still in your corner here at BYB, Austin. Now it is just time to GRIND IT!

Cashman, you may be losing faith and patience.....but this prospect hugger hasn't. Let's prove him wrong, Austin!


   

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ 




You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!

WITH YOUTH COMES SUCCESS

I've said several times over the course of the year that when it comes to age, the Yankees roster looked more like a beer league softball team than it did an AL East contender. While the Bombers still have some older vets coming to the end of their contracts over the next 12-24 months, the youth movement has begun, and it was been successful overall!

If we start with the present, the two big pieces that have added to the Yankees success since the non-waiver trade deadline are most definitely Greg Bird and Luis Severino. Bird continued his success last Sunday with a huge three run bomb to give the Yankees the lead in which they would not relinquish. Bird has mashed five home runs and 17 RBIs so far.

Bird has shown a professional approach at the plate, making the pitchers work and showing good discipline. He has struck out quite a few times, but that is relatively normal for young power hitters. He is still getting his feet wet at the big league level after all.

With Mark Teixeira sidelined, Bird has not only filled in well at the dish, but also in the field. His defense has been as good as expected, perhaps better, and as a guy coming in to replace Tex, that's probably the most important thing he could have done.

Instead of trading for a starter, GM Brian Cashman decided it was time to acquire an arm from within when he brought up top prospect Luis Severino in early August. Severino really couldn't have done any better thus far. Minus last night's appearance, Severino has produced five quality starts in six tries going 3-2 with a 2.04 ERA and 1.19 WHIP. In 35.1 innings Severino has allowed just 28 hits and 14 walks while striking out 34.

It seems like this kid could be the real deal we've been waiting for! Us Yankees fans have been waiting and waiting for this kid, or any top prospect, to come up and pitch well. When was it going to be our turn to produce a Felix Hernandez or Jose Fernandez type starter? It's still very, very, very early, but I like what could be in the making.

On top of these young men, the Yankees have also showcased a couple other talented prospects who have had an impact on the team. Slade Heathcott did very well in his short stint with the big club batting .353 with a double, a home run and three runs driven over six games. Rob Refsnyder made a brief cameo and excited some people. He struggled down the stretch for Scranton but got his cup of coffee this year as he prepares to bring the fight for a roster spot in 2016.

Bryan Mitchell has thrown respectively and also recovered quickly after the scary scene a couple weeks ago that caused a nasal fracture. Jacob Lindgren got his cup of coffee as well.  H didn't achieve the success he was hoping for but keep in mind he was less than 12 months removed from college baseball when he made his first appearance. Branden Pinder has done very well over 19 games, sporting a 2.70 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP as well.

On top of these real rookies, some young veterans have also stepped up. Dellin Betances has continued right where he left off in 2014. He has been ridiculous; 1.38 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 112 strikeouts in 71.2 innings.... Mic Drop.

Didi Gregorius has emerged as a legitimate shortstop with his offense improving immensely over the last few months and his defense becoming talked about league wide. He seems to make a terrific play daily look routine and has filled in for the Captain admirably at short. Even John Ryan Murphy is having a nice year for a backup catcher. His defense is always very good and it seems to me once a week or so he gets a big hit, whether it'd be to start a rally or drive in a couple guys. Other guys like Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Pineda and Mashahiro Tanaka, all relatively young and new to the organization, have been huge parts of the Yankees success so far.

I'm hoping this is just the beginning of things to come. With other prospects making their way up the minor league ranks (Aaron Judge, Eric Jagielo and Jorge Mateo to name a few), the organization has not been so deep in prospects in years. The Yankees need to produce another core group of players just like they did in the early 1990's to get the club rolling year in and year out.

I'm thinking we will look back at 2015 and 2016 as the years the Yankees started a new championship run with Greg Bird and Luis Severino leading the charge.


  
Dan Lucia
BYB Writer
Twitter: @DManLucia

 


You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!