New York Yankees: Team development is wonderful to watch
The New York Yankees have been wonderful to watch as the calendar has turned to May.
The New York Yankees on Tuesday night on the first day of May put on a display that not only made the heart warm but it created a sense of ease that earlier in April I had to write a calming post just help ease the mental anguish of Yankees fans.
The bullpen could do no right to start the season and just “couldn’t get right”. On this night the bullpen completed a shutout after starter Jordan Montgomery only made it seven pitches in before experiencing arm tightness. Yet 21 scoreless innings later, a Yankees bullpen who was struggling to get on track is wildly impressive. The offense of the Yankees which has been held together by Didi Gregorius and powered through by Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez has finally started clicking at each phase of the lineup with rookies consistently hitting multiple base hits in each game.
But the power of the Yankees was to be expected, the excellence of the starting pitching staff was in question and the turnaround of the bullpen with the addition of the strong starts from the big five have been a thing of beauty. Luis Severino brings the heat; Masahiro Tanaka the spin, C.C. Sabathia is the savvy veteran using every pitch and Sonny Gray with Montgomery are looking to come into their own very soon. But what has been visually appealing is that the bullpen seems to have gotten its swagger back, before it was biting their nails struggle.
The catchers weren’t comfortable with who was coming in, the fans would inch up on their seats (myself included) and the broadcaster would then mention something horrible the night before and then it would come true again the next night. Finally that feeling is coming back that when the bullpen comes out we have a 90% chance of holding the lead or staying in the game till the offense can come to the rescue. {See 9th inning of May 1st game}
Next: Walker's days are numbered
Quick Hit from May 2
For further evidence you can look at a dime of a complete shut out game that Sevy threw on Wednesday, taking the first series in Houston and winning two out of three games in Minute Maid Park for the first time in years. Not often can I be excited about the pitching for the Yankees but I swear I had a brief flash back to the 90’s when the boys use to let the starting pitchers finish what they started.
The Yankees are young, clean-cut and putting it all together and maybe it’s the warm weather on their travels or the excitement of summer baseball but the truth of it all is the Yankees are hot, and they are showing no signs of cooling off.