The talent is incredible in the New York Yankees farm system but it’s their attitude towards the game and each other that makes them winners.
Calm, cool and collected, Luis Severino took the mound for the New York Yankees last evening against the rival Boston Red Sox. With that approach, he completely shut them down en route to a thrilling victory.
Severino is just one of many young prospects who has impressed in the big leagues. Along with the likes of Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge and, most recently, Jordan Montgomery, these guys have made waves with their talent.
However, it’s their attitude that stands out and makes them candidates to be incredibly successful players throughout their entire careers.
Rising through the ranks and finding yourself in the Bronx is a challenge for many players. Donning the pinstripes requires a certain confidence and attitude about your performance. Winning isn’t everything but the attitude is.
And that’s exactly what these prospects bring to the table. They want to be the best and they won’t accept anything less.
Take Montgomery, who has now officially made three starts for the Yankees in his first call-up. While Gumby (or Jo-Mo, you decide) gave up two runs and took the loss in a tough contest with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he looked pretty good.
But he wasn’t happy.
He didn’t have his best stuff and still gave an impressive performance on the road. Yet he wanted to do more for his own team. He held himself accountable for his few mistakes and placed the blame on himself.
The Yankees ooze success and they have that attitude engrained in their upcoming players. Even if the Yankees don’t win, these young players are constantly seeking out the opportunity to be their very best.
Not only do these players hold themselves accountable but they provide praise and encouragement to their teammates in front of the media. It’s easy to get carried away and discuss your great moments, but what about other people’s great contributions?
That’s what Aaron Judge does practically every time he’s approached by a camera… So, a lot.
25th birthday?
Fenway Park debut⚾
2-run opposite field HR?
Highlight reel diving catch?What a Boston debut for @TheJudge44.#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/cc7P2feAok
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 27, 2017
Judge’s humble attitude has drawn comparisons to Derek Jeter, the ultimate role model for handling the media. Judge is constantly striving to be his best but he’s also sharing the spotlight and promoting the impressive teamwork on display.
These young Yankees are focused on their own personal performances while also drawing attention to the joint performances as a team. That’s something that some veteran players are still trying to figure out.
They have great role models in veterans, Brett Gardner and Matt Holliday. However, it seems the winning attitude has already been engrained in them since their beginnings in the Yankees system.
There’s no attitude problem for these young players. They know their role and they know what they are capable of. They don’t need any coaching on how to present themselves; They know exactly what they’re doing.
Although they’re young, they have the attitude of seasoned pros. Judge, Sanchez and many other realize that it is ultimately a team game. However, everyone is expected to play their own role and if they don’t, they need to do better.
The great thing about watching these young Baby Bombers is that they bring the excitement of new players who are already acclimated to this stage of the game. You may call any struggles “growing pains” but the reality is these players aren’t shocked when they struggle. It simply makes them want to work harder.
These are the guys that will spend their offseason working with bitter rivals to improve their approach on the mound, a la Severino. These are the guys that will come out early to get extra swings in the cage in hopes of improving little by little.
These are the attitudes the Yankees want on their team and they have loads of these similarly-minded athletes on their way to the Bronx.
It’s easy to let the talent speak for itself. However, the Yankees are lucky enough to have winning talent and attitude on their side with these Baby Bombers. And that will carry them to more successful seasons a lot sooner than you think.
