So, here's today's wish: What if we could somehow scan the Yankee roster and determine - using ages - what players were in line for career years?
Well, through the miracle of birth certificates, we can!
Before continuing, let's accept that Luke Voit - at 29 - had the best season of his life. He'll be a fine player; he will never again lead the majors in homers. Also, DJ LeMahieu - at 31 - probably won his last batting title. Each could have long careers, but their memories of 2020 - despite the shit show - will always bring smiles. A great year. Good for them.
But that's two career seasons that won us, as Kurt Vonnegut would say, "doodilly squat."
Generally, players reach peak foliage between 28 and 30. Thus, 2020 should have brought career bests from:
Luke Voit (was 29)
Geo Urshela (28)
Aaron Hicks (30)
Giancarlo Stanton (30)
Aaron Judge (28)
Mike Tauchman (29)
Kyle Higashioka (30)
Gerrit Cole (29)
Chad Green (29)
Luis Cessa (28)
That's 10 possible career seasons, including three by genuine, MVP-level "stars:" Stanton, Judge and Cole.
The Tampa Rays also showed 10 potential career seasons, but none from their biggest forces of nature: Brandon Lowe, Austin Meadows, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and - dear god - Randy Arozarena - all of whom were younger than the threshold. The Dodgers had seven peak players. (Note: Mookie Betts was still 27; his peak is still coming.) The Blue Jays had seven, with their top talent also ascending.
What do we take from this? Well, you can blame the pandemic, blame the fates, blame the trainers, it doesn't matter... I offer these conclusions:
The Yankees were primed to win everything last year, and they didn't.
They squandered potential peak seasons for Judge, Stanton and Cole.
Add another year to the Yankee roster, and it doesn't improve.
Add another to Tampa and Toronto, and they look even scarier.
So... MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY!
But but BUT... this can change, depending on what happens with LeMahiue. The Yankees have rising talent, most notably Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar. Trouble is, they are often mentioned as trade bait for pitchers, which the Yankees desperately need.
No matter what happens with DJ, somehow, the Yankees must get younger.
To think they can win with last year's lineup, one year older? That's delusional.
Raise a glass tonight to all the sad, pathetic and lonely creeps of the world, for there are many, and do they not need recognition too?
ReplyDeleteAnd perhaps to get out of their mothers' basements to go play in the snow??
Commentariat, Happy Holidays! Stay Safe! Do not let you guard down until this is over!
Fuck you Cashman, you freaking moronic pustule on this great franchise.
PS: Hi Puckered!!
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ReplyDeleteJudge seemed to have his career year in 2017, the year that made him and that he's never got close to again. He's never played enough, rarely was healthy enough when he did play, and seems to have settled into being a future Old Timer's Day favorite ever since.
ReplyDeleteLike Sanchez, great out of the gate, great potential, but for one reason or another, not really great (which is much better than Sanchez, who is abysmal). A better outfielder than Shane Spencer, though.
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ReplyDeleteUh oh. Looks like someone has stolen my name.
I can tell simply because I would use more verbose and colorful language to express my sentiments.
Very sad that some sad, pathetic, lonely creep would use my alias instead of creating one of his own.
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ReplyDeleteNot really - I just thought it would be fun to write that.
Yeah, hard to say when this team's peak season really was, since they all get injured so often.
ReplyDeleteDid they really have a chance to win it all last year, with Machine-Gun Chapman "closing" games? Hard to believe.
Nice to see Brain saying that signing LeMahieu is the team's priority...but sad to see that it seems to be their only priority. Incidentally, after 2020 I'd classify Torres as more on the decline than the rise, but who can say.
Of course, Stanton's best years are still ahead of him. Spending countless long, lazy days soaking in the whirlpool bath, getting massages, and bench-pressing models...yeah, I'd say those are pretty good years to look forward to.
The best years anyone has ever had, Hoss; the best years.
ReplyDeleteFuck you Hal!
PS: I received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine today. Dose number 2 in three weeks. Hopefully will have good degree of immunity by mid January. Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteWinnie, let us know if the vaccine kills you. It may affect whether I get it (not). I'm old, so I'm going for the gold.
ReplyDeleteApologies for being not here, but what the..
I haven't been around. Did puckered return, due to the interwebs not working in his mommy's basement? If so, I accept the challenge.
Otherwise, Happy Holidays to all, a little late for the chosen ones, but sincere all the more.
Stay happy all. It WILL get better!
Glad to hear it, Warbler.
ReplyDeleteAnd frankly, I'm not interested in hearing from you if it kills you (that would scare me). But if you grow another head...THAT would interest me! (Because...you know two heads are better than one.)
You really have to have no life to go imitate people on a blog. do you ejaculate as you hit the “post“ button or do you wait until you’re done first?
ReplyDeleteSABR research suggests 26 is peak age. You may maintain your peak through the late twenties, early thirties, but still... the view out the window is even more dour than this analysis would seem to suggest. The only ones yet to reach peak age are Gleyber and Andujar.
ReplyDeleteA personal note: I peaked in first grade when the most popular girl kissed me in exchange for a Disneykin. Just sayin....
I peaked at a Grateful Dead concert more than once.
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