Why We're Better Than Last Year

I'll play contrarian, or as Val Kilmer said in Tombstone, “I’m your huckleberry.” and don't worry, we're still nowhere good enough to beat the Asstros. 

As Alan Price sang in O’ Lucky Man:

Hope springs eternal in a young man’s breast

And he dreams for a better life ahead.

Without that hope you are nothing, nothing, nothing…

You’ve got to find out for yourself that dream is dead.

The Outfield is Better!

Right Field

Judge is Judge

Will he hit 70? Maybe on the Deegan late at night but not in the HR race.

That said, he will still provide no small number of good at bats and perhaps, as one of the faces of baseball and newly anointed Yankee Captain, start to get the benefit of those “strike” calls at his shin.R

But the main reason is… Judge now gets to play ALL his games in right field, saving his legs and making that position better than every time he had to play center because...

Bader is Better!

Better than Hicks. Better than the Ghost of Gardy and defensively, better than Judge, who was no slouch.

Supposedly he is one of, if not THE, best defensive centerfielders in the game. That’s runs saved. He also hit in the playoffs (Alas, he was really the only one) He wants to play well for his hometown team and he will. This year he takes to another level. Oh, and it’s his walk year.  Yeah we only get one year of him – (Cashman! Grrrrr.)

Left Field is Left Field. But…

Gallo is ALREADY GONE! That’s a half year of unbelievably bad at bats off the books. Whoever they shove out there will be better. Even Hicks. But it won’t be Hicks. At least not as much as we saw Gallo. Remember GALLO?  Yeah…. We’re better.

The Infield is Better

Rizzo is Rizzo+

I added the plus because that’s what we do now. Like when the kidz added a Z to everything to make it cooler.

Competence thy name is Rizzo. A real first baseman. The Judge whisperer. Oh, and this the real reason he will be better. No shift! No shift means at least another 10-15 balls that were caught by the beer league short fielder will now drop in.

Shortstop will be WAY better

I have to do shortstop before second for reasons you will understand.

Peraza is the shortstop. He is SO much better than IKF both in the field and with his bat. He will either start all year making it a vastly improved position or give way to Volpe.

Either one is fine with me. IKF is not going to be the shortstop unless there are injuries.

All the 2^nd Base options are good

Gleyber stays - He was OK.  Not great. Not bad.  A wash.

Gleyber goes - For an upgrade in left field.

DJ is the starting 2B – It is his best position.

Peraza is bumped to 2B – Because the #7 prospect in baseball has established himself at SS.

Cabera is the back up 2B because let’s not forget about him either.  

3B is better

As much as I hate Donaldson he supposedly did a really good job defensively. He’s crossed the tipping point with me so it’s hard for me to recognize anything good about him but I suspect that DJ will get more games at 3^rd especially if the Yankees are covered at 2B and I believe they are.

More DJ means more offense while providing solid D at third. So better.

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The Catcher will be more of the same. Maybe a little worse since we can't count on a great first half by Trevino.

So all that’s left is pitching.

The Pitching is Better 

The starters are better

Cole = Cole

Rodon = Big improvement! 

Sevi = Until he’s hurt is Sevi. Was #2 now #3.

Nestor =  Nestor. The injury was a fake way to bow out of the the WBC. Was #3 now #4. That's right. Nestor is #4. What other rotation has an All Star at #4? 

5^th Starter?   Doesn’t matter really.  I think Montas would have sucked anyway.  Doesn’t absolve Cashman. Worst. Deadline. Trades. Ever. But, the Yankees will fill in somehow.

Bullpen is MUCH better

Why? Two Words. No Chapman.