In a dark, dark winter, the Yankees are not inspiring hope

First, let's recognize that it's merely mid-January - four weeks to Super Sunday and six until pitchers and catchers - and we must not live and die on relentless trade rumors that herald the Yankees' growing insignificance. 

In this desolate outpost, in the names of Babe & Mickey, of Thurm & Yogi, and of John & Suzyn, we remember what was once the world's greatest sports dynasty - hands down. 

Now, though, halfway through the gloomiest winter in memory, the Yankees look like just another baseball team.

Somewhere within this burgeoning matrix of disappointment, there must be a plan - a strategy, a set of moves that will eventually make sense, like in the final acts of those Knives Out movies, where everything gets explained. 

Somewhere in here, the Yankees must have a plan to lead us from this darkness.

It sure hasn't happened yet. While Boston adds pitchers, and the Mets shovel money on Kyle Tucker, the Yankees are struggling to reconstitute - gulp - last year's team.

Yesterday, they celebrated a farm-system-draining deal for a pitcher who hasn't thrown 100 innings in the last two years, while they continued to romance Cody Bellinger, a free agent outfielder who, frankly, hasn't strung together two solid seasons since 2019.

Somewhere, there must be a plan, right? Because from here, the Yankees are acting as if a) they won the 2025 World Series, b) Trent Grisham is a sure thing, and c) Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt will all return to former glories. Meanwhile, we're supposed to believe Iran will capitulate, Greenland will happily come aboard, and the city of Minneapolis will magically achieve peace with a brutal, occupying army. 

This winter is starting to give a vibe of 2013, the year of Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay and Pronk. 

Darkest winter in memory.  

I wonder if baseball is gonna save us. Do the Yankees have a plan?