In case you missed it, Major League Baseball will play the 2020 season with a 60 game schedule, plus the playoffs. That means 102 games were cut off the calendar, and there will be more room for random and spontaneous results for both individuals and clubs.
Despite the situation, and the fact that some in the industry have said that contenders like the New York Yankees have increased pressure with the shorter schedule, manager Aaron Boone fanned the fire and implies that his team is expected to win everything anyway, with a long or short Calendar.
It is important, therefore, to project a message of calm on the short schedule. Yes, there will only be 60 games, but that does not mean the team must play with a huge weight on their shoulders, and that does not necessarily mean that the Yankees must deploy their lineup day after day.
In fact, with the 60 games spread over just 66 days, you will need to rest to stay cool. Additionally, the manager should be careful not to rush anyone who has been injured in the recent past. Boone said something about that a couple of days ago to NJ.com:
“As much as there is the urgency for a 60-game season, injury can end a season in a hurry if you’re forcing a guy more than they probably are ready at the start of the season.” You have an injury in a 60-day season, now suddenly it may have cost them half a year or the season actually. “
This is especially true for three starters with recent injury problems: Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. For what it’s worth, Boone said he will monitor each of them individually.
“The bottom line is that we will try to do individual assessments of where we think the boys are physically. If we feel like they’re ready after this three-week period to go and do their normal workload and play every day, then so be it. ”
Improved opportunities
Having those three games offside earlier in the season is a huge possibility, given Boone’s focus. And that would mean better playing opportunities for the boys who were forgotten: Mike Tauchman, Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar.
That trio may enjoy semi-regular playtime at first, along with Brett Gardner, as Judge, Hicks, and Stanton chill out.
They may have a chance to cement their place with the Yankees for the long haul. For Frazier, who placed a diagonal line of .267 / .317 / .489 and 108 wRC + last year, it could be his last chance to make a lasting impression. He will have to demonstrate that he can play at least a proper defense and reach the base consistently. We know there is a blow to your bat.
Tauchman, on the other hand, is the complete opposite: he needs to prove that his excellent offensive season in 2019 (.277 / .361 / .504, 128 wRC +) was no accident, as he is clearly among the best fielders. in the team.
Andújar, the 2018 Rookie of the Year runner-up, must play a role as a corner outfielder and designated hitter with an occasional start to third.
As it stands now, the Yankees have plenty of options in the outfield. “We also know and trust our depth. If you look at our team, and if we are lucky to be healthy at the end of this camp, we feel like we have a lot of players who are capable of being everyday players who won’t necessarily be that, “Boone said. He said.
Andujar, Frazier and Tauchman have a perfect opportunity to present some statistics and help the team win. “We will rely on those guys, especially in the early days, to make sure we are training the guys correctly,” said the boss.
Will they make a lasting impression?
