Since baseball is in a lockout, there is very little MLB teams can do at the moment. After the New York Yankees did little to improve their roster, here are some of the things they can do while waiting for this lockout to end.
“Fore!”
The term “fore” is used primarily in golf to warn others a ball may be coming their way. The meaning behind it here is that the Yankees will be playing more golf. They probably have been playing a lot of golf lately. The last time the Yankees won the World Series was in 2009 when they beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in game six.
Since 2009, the Yankees have been in the playoffs many times. In 2010, the Yankees made it to the AL Championship Series, but got lost to the Texas Rangers four games to two. The following year, the Yankees lost three games to two against the Detroit Tigers in the AL Division Series.
The only times the Yankees didn’t make some sort of playoff appearance were 2013, 2014 and 2016. In 2013, the Yankees were third in the AL East with a 85-77 record. In 2014, the Yankees record was 84-78, landing them second place in their division. 2016 was a different story. Although they had the same record at 84-78, they ended up third in their division.
They did little before the lockout and unless they have something up their sleeve, they will be missing out on another chance to win the World Series.
The Calm Before the Storm
Maybe the only people that know what is going on is the Yankees organization. Their silence during the lockout may actually be planned. Their number one prospect, Anthony Volpe, is waiting for his moment to arrive in pinstripes at that Bronx and shine. This 20-year-old shortstop, who started out playing second base, is someone the Yankees can look forward to. Is this the reason why they haven’t tried to snatch Corey Seager or Carlos Correa? It could be.
The Yankees may just be waiting for Volpe to arrive. Why would they need to acquire someone if they have their minds set on Volpe? It would make sense not to make any drastic moves if this is what they have in mind. Yankee players like DJ LeMahieu can play all infield positions. This makes things easier for the Yankees too. They can just juggle the players they have until Volpe is ready to move up.
What do Yankee Fans Want?
Yankee fans are tired of seeing another season go by without any Championships. Fans are also discouraged from the Yankees’ lack of acquisitions. If the Yankees had the plan of relying on Volpe this whole time, it may be a good idea to let everyone know. Baseball fans, especially Yankee fans, are easily flustered when something happens to their team.
The Yankees either need to get someone they can depend on for key positions like catcher, shortstop, first base and outfield. Since their options are limited and they can’t make any moves with the lockout in place, the Yankees must set up a plan. If the Yankees fail again, who knows what Yankees fans are going to think? Will the fans just give up on their team? A few might, but this isn’t likely. Fans will definitely be upset and may show their emotion through Twitter and Facebook, but giving up altogether? Doubtful.
If anything, Yankee fans will have to wait another year. It is very un-Yankee-like for this organization to lose year after year like they are, but it does happen occasionally. It is up to the Yankees to figure out what they want. Do they want to sit back and just let things happen? Is their plan all along to play around with players they already have until Volpe joins them? Or is there something nobody is aware of just yet? As agonizing as it is, Yankee fans must join the waiting game. Hopefully, the lockout will end soon and the Yankees’ plans will finally be revealed.
Featured Image Courtesy of nydailynews.com
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