ONE TO GROW ON
Youthful Yanks can look forward to even deeper postseason runs
One of them is 25, at the start of what the Yankees hope is a long stay in The Bronx spent launching monster home runs. The other is 37 and on the back nine of what is today a borderline Hall of Fame career that still has legs.
Together, Aaron Judge and CC Sabathia believe the Yankees can travel deeper into October next year than they did this one, which ended Saturday night in a 4-0 loss to the Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS in Houston. “We are all excited for next year,” AL Rookie of the Year lock and serious AL MVP candidate Judge said shortly after the Astros denied the Yankees a trip to the World Series for the first time since 2009. Sabathia was the ace of thatt championship-pionship-winning staff. Now, after tying Luis Severino for the staff lead with 14 wins, the veteran lefty is a free agent. However, late Saturday night, he was looking forward to beinging part of a team that pushes into MLB’s showcase event nexnext October. “This team is unbelievable, a great bunch of guys,” said Sabathia, who took the loss in Game 7, allowing one run on five hits in 3 ¹/3 innings. [Hopefully] we will be here next year to finish it off.” Of course, players are programmed to believe next year wwill be better because when was the last time somebody said, “No way we get back here next season.” Yet Judge doesn’t act, talk or play like a rookie, and the 37-yearold Sabathia has been in the big leagues for 16 years, so they kknow nothing is guaranteed. Ask the Red Sox, who won the past two AL East titles, got bounced in the ALDS each year and watched manager John Farrell get axed.
After 2009, the Yankees made the postseason in 2010, 2011 and 2012. October was dark in 2013 and 2014. A wild-card loss to the Astros followed in 2015, and 2016 was dark again.
Yet from 2010-2016, the Yankees’ roster was filled with aging superstars in decline. This bunch is different. Greg Bird is 24, Didi Gregorius 27, Gary Sanchez 24, Judge 25, Severino 23, Jordan Montgomery 24, Chad Green 26, Starlin Castro 27 and Aaron Hicks 27.
And the minor league system is highly respected throughout the game due to high-end prospects such as Gleyber Torres, Estevan Florial, Miguel Andujar, Thairo Estrada, Justus Sheffield, Dillon Tate and Albert Abreu.
After his Yankees won 91 regularseason games, beating the Twins in the wild-card game, coming back from 0-2 in the ALDS to topple the Indians and escaping a 0-2 ditch in the ALCS to take a 3-2 lead over the Astros before losing twice and failing to get to the World Series, Joe Girardi said he believes there is room for improvement.
“I think there are things we can do better,” said the manager, who isn’t signed for next year and will wait to see what his family wants him to do before committing to returning.
“I think guys will mature, and at times, I think there is mental growth as well as physical growth. The mental growth sometimes can be not trying too hard, being able to control your emotions in situations. I think there are things that individual players can do better and that will continue. And if I am a part of it, it will be a focus.”