Connect with us

Sports

2018 Yankees’ Season Preview

Aaron Boone is Yankees new manager

By now, I’m sure all of my Our Time Press readers are up to speed on the rumblings that is going on in the Bronx after an overachieving 2017 campaign which saw the New York Yankees come one win short of making the World Series. General Manager Brian Cashman felt the team needed a new voice along with some fire. After 10 seasons as the Yankees skipper, manager Joe Girardi and the team decided to part ways. In comes former Yankee third baseman and ESPN analyst Aaron Boone. Boone, who played 12 seasons in the majors, was always known to have a tremendous baseball mind. He will now get to channel that as the team’s new skipper.

With a new voice now in place and a flurry of talent waiting in the team’s minor league system, many wonder what Cashman would do to improve the roster. How adding some fire from the reigning National League MVP? The Yankees were able to acquire slugger Giancarlo Stanton from the Miami Marlins. The piece the Yankees would send to Miami was Starlin Castro. The Yankees now pencil in one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball to a batting lineup that led the majors in home runs. I think it’s safe to say the home runs will be a continuance at Yankee Stadium. You have Aaron Judge, 25, who became the first rookie ever to hit 50 home runs in a season. You have Gary Sanchez, who hit over 30 home runs last year. Left-fielder Brett Gardner hit over 20 homers and shortstop Didi Gregorious hit a career-high 25 home runs despite missing the first month of the regular season. It’s safe to say this lineup (1 through 9) will not be easy for opposing pitchers.

The pitching rotation has a balanced mixture of the past, present and future. You have the veteran pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who once again proved age ain’t nothing but a number with some great pitching performances in the post-season last year, which earned him a new contract with the team this off-season. Masahiro Tanaka and Sonny Gray are expected to do big things with the experience and success they have had in the past. While newcomers like flamethrower Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery look to improve even more this year from their successful rookie campaigns and avoid the “Sophomore Jinx.” The bullpen, as expected, will be one of the team’s strongest weapons. All should lead to a successful and exciting season which will hopefully lead to adding another championship to their historic franchise. The case for championship No. 28 begins today!

Sports Notes: (Baseball) The Yankees will begin the 2018 season in Canada to begin a series with the division rival Toronto Blue Jays. The Mets will host the St. Louis Cardinals.

The newest Yankee, Giancarlo Stanton (left), and new Manager Aaron Boone (right), team up for one goal in mind, a Yankee Championship.  Photo credit: Kim Klement/USA Today Sports

Advertisement
Continue Reading