Many baseball fans will agree that the New York Yankees is one of the most exciting teams to follow. The Yanks have been known to go all out when it comes to celebrating their World Series victory. It seems as if every year they get even better. This past season was no different when the Yanks took home the World Series trophy. Here are some things that we know about this great team and how they will fare in the playoffs:
The Yanks haven’t been able to repeat as champions since: they lost the infamous 1997 Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, they did bounce back last year when they went into the World Series against the Houston Astros. They were swept in their first two trips but this may be enough to get them back in the hunt for a championship in the fall.
The pitching has been outstanding for this team: Starter Curt Braden has pitched a no-hitter while multiple other pitchers have delivered complete games. David Wells has been outstanding as a designated hitter, tallying a team-high nine home runs. hitters include Markakis, Beltran, Montero, Clevinger, and others that have had great success. The pitching has done a lot of work to get this group on base, but it hasn’t worked every time. That’s what happens when you can’t hit the baseball when you are up against the other team’s top hitters.
The offense has been great, too: Carlos Beltran, pinch-hits, and benches have made this team a formidable unit. Although the defense has been dominant, the offense has been too aggressive, especially with runners in scoring position. The last time these two teams played, the offense came in loaded with bases loaded in the fourth inning and the Bluebacks were able to score three runs in the bottom of the ninth to win the game in four.
The pitching and the hitting have both been exceptional throughout this World Series: The team on offense has been clutch, too, as each player has produced clutch performances, like those in the championship series. When was the last time the Yankees were this consistent?
The pitching and the hitting is what has created this success: but a combination of great defensive play and the right attitude can get this team over the hump. Every time they step into the dugout, they want to win for the city and the fans. Any loss hurts, but this team does not want to be defined by one moment in the championship series.
This team has an amazing opportunity to go far and will ride the momentum from the thrilling victory in Boston to the next step in their historic journey.