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Yankees Game Two Performance against Rays is a Taste of 2017

By John Franklin

Apr 4, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia (52) and catcher Gary Sanchez (24) talk on the mound during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 4, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia (52) and catcher Gary Sanchez (24) talk on the mound during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Yankees got off to a slow start on Opening Day, but the 5-0 win last night is a glimpse of what is to come this season.

The Yankees got back to winning ways last night on the back of a strong outing from the pitching staff. It was a full staff effort for the Bombers, and that will be a common theme this season.

CC Sabathia tossed a shutout, but only stayed in for five innings. When most fans see Sabathia out of the mound they expect seven to eight innings from him, but this year is something different.

Obviously Sabathia is getting old, but the team as a whole is changing. They are getting younger, and the strategy is changing.

The Yankees have been synonymous with the word youth. Last night alot of that youth showed itself in the 5-0 win.

The Yankees bullpen is one of the best in the league. If a starter can get through five or six innings with a two-run lead, the game is pretty much over.

This year Joe Girardi is going to use his bullpen quite a bit. The Yankees lineup is hands down one of the best young lineups in baseball, and if it can put up five runs every time out, the Yankees should have no trouble taking the East.

Obviously there are performances like the first game of this set that make people cringe as Yankee fans. Watching your ace get shelled is never fun, but if the starters can figure it out, the

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Yankees have a pretty straight forward strategy.

It is as simple as this. Get your starter to go five to six innings. If he can keep it to a one run game in either direction, the bullpen always has a good chance to pitch however many scoreless innings. If the bullpen can hold it down, the bats are good enough to take the lead, or make it grow.

If the Yankees can keep to that game plan, and execute it well, I don’t see why they can’t make a push for the top of the AL East.

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