Aroldis Chapman

Things I'm Grateful the 2016 Yankees Brought Forth

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:10 p.m. ET

Fansided, Mike Calendrillo/FanSided via Yanks Go Yard

As we celebrate bringing in the new year, I’d remiss if I didn’t take the time to fondly remember the 2016 New York Yankees and look towards the future with joyful hopefulness.

They said it couldn’t be done — that a baseball team in a major market couldn’t begin a smooth rebuilding process without flat out performing poorly on the field. Well, the Yankees put that notion to rest, finishing last season 84-78 (still in the 4th place in the wildly competitive AL East, yet only five games back of a Wild Card spot).

Many within Major League Baseball feel 2017 will be another year of transition for the Yankees — that 2018 is much more realistic for the organization to be thinking about the Postseason. Yet if last season is any indication of what transition looks like, we could very well be looking at a playoff birth as soon as this October.

Obviously, a lot will need to go right for the Yankees for that to happen — the starting staff will need to establish a true No. 4 and No. 5 — the outfield needs to consistently put the bat on the ball and get on base — and the Baby Bombers need to continue to grow.

All of this is possible, if not probable. So as we find ourselves less than two months before pitchers and catchers report, I thought it would be an opportune time to reflect on what Yankees fans should be thankful for from the 2016 season.

From the 2016 Yankees, I am Thankful for:

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Hopefully, next year’s version of this list includes a few more rookies that come on the scene in a big way — a clarification of the outfield log jam, and maybe a trade or two that no one sees coming at this time.