The 2021 Yankees season did not go the way any of us planned or wanted. Judge and Stanton actually stayed healthy and showed us what we could look like if the rest of the team did what they were supposed to. Now with the season that ended too soon, moves are being made, but what moves should be made.
Coaches
Hitting coach Marcus Thames will not get his contract renewed for the year 2022. Assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere will not get his contract renewed. Lastly, 3rd base coach Phil Nevin will not have his contract renewed. Aaron Boone just got renewed for another 3 years, but why? The answer from this Yankees fan is...because Hal doesn’t care what happens to the Yankees. What has Boone done for the Yankees? Has he made the postseason in his tenure as a manager? Yes. As the manager of the Yankees for 4 years, he’s had two seasons with over 100 wins, and we finished the season in 1st place once. In 2018 we lost to the Red Sox in the ALDS, in 2019 we lost to the Astros in the ALCS, in 2020 we lost to the Rays in the ALDS, and we all know what we did this year. So what is Boone’s major problem?
Let's talk about the lineup for the wild card game against the Red Sox shall we. Why would you put a guy that is batting .158 on the season in the clean-up hole. Not only that, but you have Velazquez start at short (which was a smart decision), to only take him out after one at bat to put in a guy that hasn’t had a plate appearance in how long? Yes Odor is great for the moral of the dugout, but his fielding and hitting is not great. He started Higgy, and that makes sense because of Cole starting, but then in the 8th, after your team is already down 6-1, and Cole’s been out of the game since the 3rd, you decide to pinch hit Sanchez for Higgy and he swings at the first pitch (like the entire team has done this game), and is out in the blink of an eye.
Now as for his post game interviews this year. To sum them up: “we’re turning a corner”, “I thought we played really hard”, blah blah blah. His answers were very politically correct, but not what we wanted to hear. There were times they played well (the 13 game win streak), but that doesn't make-up for the ways they played like absolute garbage. The team had 98 errors (18 coming from Torres), grounded into 154 double plays which was second in the MLB behind the Nationals. Not only that, but his presence in the dugout looked pathetic.
Players: who should stay / go / we resign
There is only one contract up this season since Kluber signed with the Rays for a one year deal, and that is Anthony Rizzo. This is the simplest re-sign we have. Rizzo is a beast at 1st and he has decent, but more consistent, at bats. How long should we sign him for? We need his glove in the field and leadership in the clubhouse, but his bat towards the end wasn’t there, so I would say 5 years $70 million.
Now what has annoyed me already is the men we let go:
Andrew Velazquez was claimed off waivers by the Angels.
Greg Allen was claimed off waivers by the Pirates.
Tyler Wade was traded to the Angels
Velazquez might not have been great at the plate, but his defensive skills were what we needed in the field between Urshela (who we signed to avoid arbitration), and DJ. Allen is another guy who wasn’t eye opening at the plate, but his speed is what we needed in the field (especially with Gardner selecting Free Agency - even though he should probably retire). As for Wade; he might not have been good at the plate, but with his speed…yes I’m biased.
Now for those we’ve signed / agreed to arbitration with:
SS Jose Peraza (even though we let our Bronx boy go)
Traded for 3B T.J. Rumfield and LHP Joel Valdez by giving up RHP Nick Nelson and C Donny Sands
Signed LHP Joely Rodriguez
Avoided arbitration with Sanchez
In other news Clint Frazier signed with the Cubs but who cares.
We are in a strike and we don’t know how long this can last but know that Dani’s Dugout will keep you posted on any news and we’ll get through this strike together.
Written by Sharon Moody
