2024 Yankees Offseason Preview
The New York Yankees leave an underwhelming 2023 season behind and must hit the ground running in the 2024 MLB offseason. The future of the organization is at stake. The Yankees must do everything possible to address significant concerns surrounding management, aging players, the next generation of baby bombers, and the upcoming free-agent class. Moreover, the team has had multiple glaring holes in its roster for several seasons and a lack of accountability from the front office and coaching staff. As a result, Owner Hal Steinbrenner ran an audit that should help uncover the underlying issues heading into the 2024 MLB offseason. Yankee fans did not anticipate this would be the state of the team following Aaron Judge’s historic 2022 season.
Yankee Management
The first issue is the need for more accountability in management. Many fans have voiced concern over manager Aaron Boone’s lack of toughness. He has failed to bench players in various instances when they have either underperformed or made unnecessary errors on the base path. This has led many fans to believe Boone does not hold players accountable as he continues to play these players. The lack of accountability, in the minds of these fans, has led to a culture of laziness and a lack of resilience. In one instance, Luis Severino, during the 2022 ALCS in Houston, blamed the open roof for his poor performance.
An excuse to this degree would have never been uttered if Joe Torre or Joe Girardi were the managers. Part of being a Major League player is adjusting to your surroundings and succeeding. Unfortunately, this is not the only instance of poor management.
The front office also must share the blame, as they have underperformed drastically. They need help acquiring new talent and developing the current players. For example, as a Yankee, former Center Fielder Aaron Hicks struggled with a batting average of 188. Once joining the Baltimore Orioles, Hicks had a resurgence, batting 275.
Development
Yankee fans started to have suspicions about how the players were being coached. Yankee rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe sought help from his friend and current Yankee catcher Austin Wells. Their meeting became known as the “chicken parm” discussions, where the battery mates ate chicken parmesan together and analyzed Volpe’s swing. Quickly, they discovered Volpe was more open in his stance than when he was in Double-A. After learning, Volpe returned to his old view and found immediate success. Before the change, Volpe was batting under 200 and following in the 250 region. He became a much more compact hitter who could use all fields. Yankee-hitting coach Dillon Lawson was fired and replaced by Sean Casey after the “chicken parm” meetings. Casey is an experienced player and career 300 hitter who became someone the players could turn to for advice.
With Casey’s arrival, players like Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu started returning to their regular batting averages. Previously, they had been told to do what the front office instructed: swing for the fences, even though it was not what made them great hitters. Casey focused the player’s attention on doing what made them comfortable. It didn’t make sense to ask players to be something they were not since it only distracted them. Slowly, each player grew more confident in their abilities when returning to familiar swings. This is a prime example of the front office meddling and choosing analytics over player experience.
Poor Trades
The Yankees acquired five critical players at the 2022 deadline, all players that should have been significant factors in the 2023 campaign. The players were Frankie Montas, Lou Trevino, Scott Effross, Andrew Benintendi, and Harrison Bader. Montas tore his labrum, requiring surgery despite the Yankee’s knowledge of the damage in his shoulder. Trevino and Effross tore their ulnar collateral ligaments and needed Tommy John Surgery. Benintendi broke his hamate bone, and Bader arrived in a walking boot. These were all transparent misses made at the deadline with potentially lasting consequences. The Yankees had to trade away many good young prospects to acquire these players. The lack of young talent on hand hurt the Yankees when trading new players. In addition, the Yankees could have used some of these prospects when Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, and Giancarlo Stanton were hurt.
Conclusion
The Yankees must address the issues at the top before addressing individual player performances. With a winning mentality from the top brass, it is easier to expect the players to follow. The team has a solid young crop of players on their way to the majors. For players like Jason Dominguez and Anthony Volpe to reach their full potential, they must be held accountable for every good and bad performance. Otherwise, the Yankees may face another Gary Sanchez situation, which must be avoided in the 2024 MLB offseason.
Main Photo Credits: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
