As the Yankees were popping champagne corks in celebration
of clinching a Wild Card spot, I was asked if I felt the 2015 season was
a success ?
The season has had a … glass half full AND half empty feel to me.
I’m not one of those Die – Hards that feels that the only way a season
is a success is if it ends with a Championship , or else it is a failure.
My philosophy is that Pitching, Pitching, Pitching wins Championships,
along with solid fielding and timely hitting !!
I want to see …the team built the right way & the game played the right way.
POSITIVES :
I thought before the season started they would win around 86 games
and had a shot to win the division because the division wasn’t as strong as in the past.
Main reason… I was very much in favor of the Bullpen moves & I am
very big on the “Power of the Pen” ( was the key to the Dynasty years)
I also thought the infield Defense of Headley, DiDi , Drew & Tex
would be far superior to Solarte, Jeet , Brian Roberts & Kelly Johnson @ 1st (yikes)
In addition I felt Beltran & Tex would have bounce back years Offensively because they would be healthy
and that would help the middle of the line up & power numbers.
I have had faith in the farm system since Damon Oppenheimer became Scouting Director in ’05
and it is great to see prospects continue to develop.. hopefully some day he gets his due.
Let me add that Billy Eppler was a huge asset as the Director of Professional Personnel / Asst. GM
and I am sorry that we are losing him to the Angels who have hired him as their new GM.
Lots of credit to pass around between Amateur, Pro, & International scouting when you think
of the success of names like …
Severino, Bird, Betances, Warren, Murphy, DiDi, Eovaldi, Refsnyder & many others
**I love the fact that the team plays with heart, hustle, & always shows professionalism and class **
NEGATIVES :
Before Spring Training started, I had 2 big concerns about the way the team was put together
(unfortunately I still have the same concerns at the end of the Regular season )
1 ) Last years Rotation 1-4 all were coming back with significant health concerns
and innings limits
Tanaka / torn UCL ,
Pineda / Shoulder surgery,
CC / Knee surgery,
Nova / TJ surgery
( Capuano was signed to start until Nova came back in June)
I thought they would end up on the DL &/or tax the teams biggest strength .. the Bullpen.
Nate Eovaldi was a project, with huge upside and its a shame he went down.
The bottom line is the Starters did have some great moments, but they also
all were on the DL at one point or another & did not go deep into games causing
the Bullpen to be extremely overworked.
2) I felt the batting order was too Lefty & too dependent on the Home Run
and management does not put a premium on batting average & On base% (another key to Dynasty)
You can get away with that type of line up during the regular season but
need to be able to be situational, and manufacture run vs. premier pitching in the playoffs.
Beltran lead the team this year (every day players) with .276 B.A.
Ellsbury lead the team last year with a .271 B.A.
It’s hard to believe that for 2 years not one regular hit above the .270’s
when you consider that in 1998 they had a .288 TEAM B.A. !!!
Having said all of that, making the playoffs (even the WC) is
an accomplishment that should be appreciated and enjoyed.
Top prospects are quickly turning into Stars, (with more around the corner
on the minor league level), making the future bright. The Starting Rotation,
and also the philosophical approach to hitting are the two key issues
I would like to see addressed in the off season.
As always,
GO NYY !!
