Yankee fans have themselves a dilemma these days. Happiness. The daily success and absence of drama in the Yankee season thus far has some fans in a pickle. A team that once wore the label “The Bronx Zoo” is now as serene as the New York Botanical Gardens on Fordham Road. A fan base that has spent their lives criticizing the team from within and defending it from outside critics now has a team with little to find fault with. The 2010 Yanks seem to have a pitching edge on a nightly basis. The lineup can either bludgeon an opposing team until they cry ‘Uncle’ or little ball you to death, your choice. Everyone seems to be getting along in the clubhouse and front office. It’s too soon for the Yanks to be chasing history as a team, where they will be looking to match or beat other all-time great editions such as the 1927, 1939, 1961 or 1998 teams. But on a daily basis we look at a team with few flaws, a team that wins easily against the American League’s best opposition. This, despite the fact that our #2-4 hitters have yet to get going. What’s going to happen when Alex and Tex get going? Will we start following the 2010 teams chase of the 1939 Yankee all-time record (+411) for Run Differential?
Steve Lombardi of WasWatching is so content that he’s sitting around wondering which Yankees he likes and which he doesn’t. Tyler Kepner of the New York Times penned a piece over the weekend discussing how little there is to discuss. Even Bill Madden, who often doesn’t need a rational argument to find fault with the Yanks, recently wrote about all the joy in Mudville.
Much of this is due to the fact that George Steinbrenner is gone from daily Yankee life. He always held the organization on edge, with the threat of a firing or a big trade looming over everyone’s heads. Also gone is Joe Torre and his never ending issue of job security. Many elements in the Yankee hierarchy were never sold on Joe, and as his success waned post-2003 there was constant backbiting, undermining, and rumor mongering spread between the pro and anti Torre forces in the media. With Joe Girardi, we have the fact that he’s a 45 year old man wearing braces, which he did in solidarity with his daughter, who was hesitant to get them. How much conflict can you derive from Father of the Year?
What do we do? Do we take the road of the rich, suburban housewife and have a fling with the gardener, or in this case the Mets? Do we finally get around to redoing the bathroom and listen to the games as we work? Do we invent drama between elements of the clubhouse? You know AJ and Jorge . . . no, that’s been ironed out. Maybe we should just accept the fact that we won’t have much drama until we get to October this year. But whatever we decide to do, it’s going to be a long, serene summer for Yankee fans this year. Good luck dealing with it.
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20 Responses to Yankee fans grapple with an absence of drama in their lives
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TIQ IQ
This doesn’t bother me at all. The games themselves will have drama, even if the division doesn’t. As for the division, lets not get crazy yet- I still see Boston getting back into the race, and Tampa will be there all year. I still see this as a three year race, which should be fun.
Oh I’m not bothered either, I can watch two out of town teams play Baseball and love every minute of it, even more so my beloved Yanks. This was a very light-hearted piece and I’m surprised how serious some of the comments are. I agree that Tampa will be in it all year, as will Boston if their rotation stays healthy.
Personally, I’m perfectly happy to just enjoy the games all season. Besides, I’m sure people will start stirring up Jeter/Mo/Girardi contract nonsense sooner or later.
Solution: trade for Milton Bradley.
I like the way you think, Cowboy.
Who exactly were the anti-Torre forces in the media. The guy was untouchable and never criticized by the media even after the 04 collapse. The only criticism he got was on the blogs.
Kay was a constant critic, as were some of the sportswriters close to George, like Madden.
A little early for this kind of post, don’t you think? I’m almost afraid we’ll jinx the season. Things are going great now, sure, but what about when Burnett finally gets injured, Pettitte starts working in the middle of the plate and Jorge shows his age? A lot of players on this team are so old that all these things – and a lot more – could happen all at once. What do we do if we need another starter? Presumptively we’d put Mitre in there, but he’s awful! Do we drag Joba back into the rotation? Imagine the media frenzy. What if we need a catcher. Do we bring up Montero prematurely and put him on some ridiculous “Jesus Rules” games-played regimen? And what if the unthinkable happens: Mariano Rivera pulls a Brad Lidge and becomes completely ineffective and never regains his stuff?
Right now the Yankees look great. But I don’t think they look unstoppable at all. They are one or two key injuries away from disaster. I will be enjoying the games for sure, but I’m holding my breath.
Wow. You are quite the negative fan. Do you expect a bridge to collapse every time you drive over it.
Ha, maybe “disaster” is overstating it, but with 150 games left, I wouldn’t start selling playoff tickets yet. This is a tough division and the Yankees are old at a lot of positions.
The Yankees are good at a lot of positions.
All he’s saying is that we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves and take it for granted that this team is going to steamroll through the entire season. He’s not saying the Yanks aren’t a good team. I’m not sure what you’re objecting to.
The use of the word disaster. This is a really good team.
He specifically said, in his response (at 10:17 am, above) to your first response, that the use of the word “disaster” was an exaggeration.
It looks like this thread is proving Steve S’s point with the post. Fans, grappling with the lack of drama so far this season, having taken to creating drama about the lack of drama. As Nietzsche put it, “In times of peace a warlike man takes upon himself.”
I think we’re all on the same side here, with THCM and I having a bit more of a reserved attitude about presuming this team’s success. I like almost all of Cashman’s moves this offseason and I think the Yanks will win the division, but a lot can go wrong.
What we should do is count our blessings, because it’s a virtual certainty that the whole season won’t be as smooth as these first couple of weeks have been. Enjoy the good times, appreciate that we root for a strong organization from top to bottom, and appreciate the performances, but at the same time, keep things in perspective. I don’t mean to be a downer – I’m psyched with this organization and their prospects for this season and beyond… For all we know, we could very well be watching the beginning of an historic season. But we also need to remember that it’s April 19th, that whatever flaws this team had a couple of weeks ago (age, injury concerns, etc.) still exist even though they’ve been hot on the field, and that the season has barely gotten going.
I feel like I’ve seen a lot of fans who in recent seasons would have been counseling people to relax about slow starts and keep things in perspective suddenly wondering whether we’re seeing a team that’ll win more games than the ’98 team and celebrating Boston’s demise. There’s definitely reason for (a very high level of) optimism right now – this team is REALLY good, and, if healthy, certainly has the potential to continue playing at this level. But we can’t escape the cold, hard fact that it’s April 19th, and that there’s a VERY long road ahead in 2010.
Btw, just my two cents, but I thought this was a nice post, Steve.
No doubt, and I agree with just about everything you said. But what has impressed me most has been the competition they have assembled their 9-3 record against. Boston, Tampa, LAA and Texas are supposed to be top teams this year, and the Yanks handled them with ease. That has to raise an eyebrow.
Oh totally, it’s definitely an impressive start. If this team stays healthy, the AL is in big trouble.
The season thus far reminds me a little of 1998, which I found boring about half way through the season — rather like watching the Harlem Globetrotters versus the NJ Americans or whatever their opponent is called. I am sure things will take a more interesting turn, with plenty of bumps in the road, and we will dredge up posts like this one and say, “Not so fast…”
Ha! Love the Nietzsche reference.