RIP 2014 New York Yankees
This is it guys, I’m officially calling it a season on the 2014 New York Yankees. There have been a few times that we have come close to calling it, but this team would run a 4 game win streak to suck us all back in. After watching last night’s game I don’t think any of us truly believe the Yankees can or will make the playoffs. Not 5 games back in September with 3 teams to beat and no control of our own destiny.
That being said, as a Yankee fan, nothing but a World Series is acceptable, so this season was a failure. During an offseason where we made the biggest splashes, bringing in Ellsbury, Tanaka, McCann and Beltran, the worry was supposed to be the pitching and fielding. Somehow, while losing 4 of our 5 starters, our pitching held up and we saw the emergence of a possible star in Betances. We all want to point fingers and say that Cashman signed these bad contracts and he should lose his job for that, but at the end of the day, we wanted these players. Maybe not these specific players, but every offseason we want the biggest names that will give us a shot at the World Series. Cashman delivered those players, those players just didn’t deliver in return.
I do think that as the game of baseball is changing, and as teams are showing that you can win with lesser names, it’s time to make a move away from Cashman. There may be another role for him in the organization like there was for Gene Michael, but a fresh set of eyes on the entire Yankees system could make the most sense. Oh and Kevin Long has to go. I know he isn’t the one swinging the bat, but if he isn’t inspiring the hitters or whatever it is that hitting coaches do, you make a change. We can’t dump $20mil/yr. players but we can drop a $200k/yr. coach
So what do we do with the rest of the year? Enjoy Derek Jeter! Yes, he isn’t the same player as he was in 2000 but for anyone who grew up watching and admiring him play, this is going to be a sad time.
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Lastly, lets talk about the patch situation. If you listened to Mailtime or read KFC’s earlier blog, you know the Yankees will wear a commemorative patch from Sunday until the end of the season to honor Jeter. This makes perfect sense and if you think otherwise, you are probably simple or a fan of a shitty, poor team with bad fans. Since the beginning of time, the Yankees have worn the same 2 jerseys and had one hat. Recently as part of the MLB’s efforts to grow merchandise sales and grow the league in turn, the Yankees have worn a few different hats for national holidays and military appreciation. However, last year the Yankees broke out the Mariano patch for hats and jerseys because that was what’s best for business and this year for Jeter, doing the same is even better for business. In order to continue to spend the amount that the Yankees do every year, they need revenue. Rather than raise seat prices again to further price out the common fan, they are releasing limited edition merchandise and allowing fans to buy a piece of history. Not understanding this basic concept or hating on it is not a “troll” move, it is pure ignorance. Anyone who hates this patch needs to take a long look in the mirror the next time there team rolls out in camo jerseys.
KFC Editor’s Note: If you think making a few extra bucks on merchandise is what makes or breaks the ability for the Yankees to spend a zillion dollars a year on washed up, over the hill, over priced vets, you’re an idiot. There are some things worth not selling out for. And a few months worth of Derek Jeter patch sales in exchange for the public backlash of everyone thinking you’re selling out and whoring out your franchise icon is one of them.