Where Are The Yankees Right Now?
After a hold your breath 8-6 win over Buck and Baltimore Orioles, the Yankees are now 26-29, good enough for fourth place in the AL East. They trail the division leading Boston Red Sox by a cool 6.5 games.
Stale, tired and boring; these are just a few of the descriptions of the 2016 Yankees. Most importantly, though, they’re simply old.
At the current moment New York ranks 23rd in the big leagues with an average age of 29.3. Last season they were in the top three in terms of age, but, unfortunately, it’s much more than just a number. The problem is that at every starting position (aside from shortstop and second-base) an over-priced aging veteran is clogging up a spot a youngster can prove his worth.
- Alex Rodriguez, 40
- Carlos Beltran, 39
- Mark Teixeira, 36
- Brian McCann, 32
- Chase Headley, 32
- Jacoby Ellsbury, 32
- Brett Gardner, 32
These seven individuals comprise the rest of the starting lineup. All are age 32 or older. The only reason Rob Refsnyder is now playing is because of injuries that we all knew were going to come. Assuming Greg Bird never got injured, fans would’ve suffered through the sin of seeing him start the season in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
What the Yankees need to do is admit they aren’t the team of the past who assured themselves a playoff berth simply by shoveling out the money.
