FanPost

Can youth salvage the 2015 Yankees?

So far the 2015 Yankees are beyond flat. Of course it's the first week of the season and all the old cliches are coming forward, "it's a marathon. Not a sprint" "it's not how you start. It's how you finish." Blah blah blah. If you are looking at this team realistically as it stands right now, they play like a team destined to lose 90 plus games. The strong points going into season was defense and pitching. Both strong points haven't played out as well as expected. Especially the defense. We knew coming into 2015 this team was not going to be good offensively. Why would you expect players who have contracts mostly made up of 80 to 200 million dollar deals,why you expect them to hit at a superior level? Let's be realistic.

But is it time for Brian "Braniac" (starting to resemble the character every day passing) Cashman to embrace his Farm System? Something we all know he is reluctant to do. Considering this website that is based around fans who follow the careers of young Yankee players who eventually someday will be playing for the Seattle Mariners (Cano,Montero,Jackson) or maybe the Chicago White Sox (Robertson,Melky).

Can youth salvage a season? Well you need the front line talent which the Yankees on paper do have. Remember back in 2005 the team struggle out of the gate. Jason Giambi went down with a tumor, Tony Womack was horrendous. Then some bright spark had the idea to bring up second baseman Robinson Cano and pitcher Chien Ming-Wang. That team went on to win their division. Or how about in 2006 when both Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield went down, they brought Melky Cabrera. Cabrera the previous year embarrass himself at Fenway Park. In 2006 provided a spark throughout the summer including clutch hits and memorable catch robbing Manny Ramirez of a homerun. He was an instant fan favorite. Then of course the 2007 Yankees who were god awful, just a few games over 500 in June. Then they started clicking a bit, and then in mid August of that season they brought Starting Pitcher Joba Chamberlain, and they even thought outside the box and converted him into a dominant 8th inning reliever. The list doesn't stop there, Cervelli's first big league home run against the Braves in 2009 provided such a spark that the team didn't even do that wacky bit where don't pay any mind to a players first big league homer. Phil Hughes and David Robertson pitching out the pen in 09. Brett Gardner providing game changing speed. The best part is none of these names I mentioned have anything to do with the Dynasty Yankees.

Do the Yankees have Mookie Betts? Or a Kris Bryant? Probably not. But can Rob Refsnyder provide a spark with his bat, of course he can. Don't sell me on the fact he can't play defense, because how many errors is Didi Gregorious going to make? Why does he get a pass? And I like Gregorious and I think he is a better than he has shown throughout the first week, but really? You cut a guy like Refsnyder, who is doing something in Baseball which now seems rare that is that he can actually hit. Right now the Yankees best hit and spiritual leader I may add is the pariah himself 39 year old Alex Rodriguez. Mark Texieria is worrying about his tee time, Brian McCann looks more like Kevin Mcallister (Home Alone 2: Lost in New York reference), and CC Sabathia despite what Joe Girardi says he has look awful since March 1st. Will an injection of youth get this team over the hump? I don't know. Will they make them a hell of a lot more interesting, most certainly. Because if you haven't notice there is a particular player across town who is becoming the face of baseball his name Matt Harvey. And as a Yankee fan, with this 2015 Yankees team, I even question if it's "Matt Harvey day" yet?



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