New York Yankees

New York Yankees: Playoff Push Has Been Unexpected

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

I’m beginning to believe that in spite of the naysayers, including this writer at times, the New York Yankees knew they had the makings of a good, though not necessarily great, team. They’re proving it right now as they race to the finish line.

As with anything, sometimes you think you know, but you really don’t. You think you have insight, but it turns out to be merely a blurry set of circumstances that lead you down a wrong path. It’s been that way a lot with the New York Yankees this season. But now, the Yankees are beginning to show what (hopefully) are their true colors by entering themselves into the thick of the Wild Card race in the American League.

Up to now, the Yankees season has been one continuous struggle to get to and stay at one or two games over .500 without sliding back again. All along, they played decent baseball that embarrassed no one. But no matter what they did or tried to do, they just kept spinning their wheels.

That is, until the trade deadline arrived and the Yankees went on a binge trading away the core of the team in return for a cache of young talent destined to help them in the future. The purge continued when Mark Teixeira announced his retirement effective at the end of the season, and Alex Rodriguez was politely but resolutely shown to the exit door.

Almost immediately, the buzz around the Yankees shifted and a new wave of hope swept in. Still, some Yankee fans, myself among them, believed that the Yankees needed to go further by getting rid of the deadwood veteran performers along with their back wrenching contracts to make the movement forward complete. Have, if you will, a fire sale and just be done with it.

Not so surprising, the veterans on the team like Gardner, McCann, and even Teixerira who has one foot out the door, have awakened themselves and are now making contributions. They are also singing the mantra of youth, especially with regard to the Yankees new Bomber, Gary Sanchez.

Additionally, their starting pitching and the team as a whole have received a much needed boost from the likes of Chad Green and Luis Cessa, while CC Sabathia has put together some good outings.

It hasn’t all been roses though. Both Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin are in woeful slumps and the Yankees window of opportunity to make decisions on them is closing rapidly. Plus, Chase Headley has been mouthing off about his reduced playing time, something no team needs at crunch time.

It’s basically all good though. To his credit, Joe Girardi, who by the way I also blasted a couple of weeks ago, is masterfully working the blend between veterans and rookies in the Yankees lineup. Plus, he’s showing extreme patience with Austin and Judge.

Still, the games remain to be played. And the Yankees need to win the bulk of them. The past few weeks have given us more than hope. They’ve given us proof on the field where it counts most that the Yankees are once again a team to be reckoned with in the sprint toward a spot in the playoffs.