The New York Yankees are entering 2017 with uncertainty, but we can always dream about what the fans would like to see this season.
Everyone is making predictions for the New York Yankees as we approach the beginning of Spring Training. Gary Sanchez will emerge as a potential MVP candidate. Aaron Judge will finally find his swing and prove to be a massive threat to opposing pitchers.Blah, blah, blah …
The thing is, no sports writer, coach or even player can predict the future. Anything can happen in any given season. The Yankees can enter the season as a bubble team, yet find themselves as legitimate contenders by September. You just don’t know.
You just don’t know.
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Regardless of logistics, we all still love to make bizarre predictions, in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, one comes true. Or, we can just use these predictions to be entertained until baseball finally starts up again.
Here are the most insane (yet entertaining) predictions for the 2017 New York Yankees:
Prediction #1: CC Sabathia starts a bench-clearing brawl
The big man has been pretty quiet since his return to the diamond last season, but this is the season where he might get his fists dirty.
We all saw the hunger (and laughter) in his eyes when the Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays duked it out last season. With Josh Donaldson on his mind, Sabathia will start a brawl just so he can get a shot at the hot-headed former MVP.
Do I condone fights? Not at all. But each season there is always one, even in an organization as classy as the Yankees. Tempers flare and emotions run high.
Sabathia being an emotional player makes it all the more likely. That, and he was clearly calling out Donaldson in their last brawl.
All right, CC. Show ’em who’s boss.
Prediction #2: Jacoby Ellsbury remains healthy for an entire season.
He might as well be the Derrick Rose of baseball. Each season, Jacoby Ellsbury tends to miss a good chunk of games due to an injury. Whether it’s the hamstring, the back or the pinky toe, Ellsbury finds a way to get knocked out of the game.
But not this year. Ellsbury has a new record to beat: the record for number of times on base due to catcher’s interference.
If that doesn’t give him motivation to stay healthy for an entire season, I don’t know what will. After all, his Clark Kent glasses off the field means he must be Superman on the field. Right?
Prediction #3: Yankee Stadium becomes A-Rod Corp. Park
That’s right, of course you would see a prediction about Alex Rodriguez. Alas, this prediction does not see him coming back to manage or play once again. Sorry.
No, his company, A-Rod Corp., will claim the naming rights to the stadium and forever cement his legacy as a businessman.
I mean, the Yankees didn’t even give him a proper or fair retirement send-off last season. So, I guess it’s only fair if they honor him in the best way possible: a way where he can never be forgotten for his time in New York. Ever.
Prediction #4: Chase Headley gets the last word on Rick Porcello
Remember last season’s brief exchange between Chase Headley and Rick Porcello in Boston? As a brief reminder, Headley was arguing being called out at third base when the CY Young Award winner fired back. And to no surprise at all, Sabathia was right in the middle.
Headley and Porcello barked, but ultimately the Yankees lost the game and the Red Sox reigned supreme in the AL East.
So this season is all about revenge for Headley. Instead of getting embarrassed on the field by a young pitcher, Headley will instead slug a game-winning home run off of him.
In game seven of the ALCS because, why not? It’s about time Headley did something super exciting.
Prediction #5: Micheal Pineda goes 23-0 and unanimously wins the CY Young Award
Ah, the Yankees would not be the Yankees without Pineda. Despite his inconsistent nature, he still is a highly talented young pitcher with a lot of potential. And it looks like the 2017 season will be his breakout year.
Pineda will start the season strong in the third slot in the starting rotation and quickly fly under the radar to a solid 6-0 in his first six starts. While Masahiro Tanaka is the ace, he won’t be for long with Pineda finally settling in.
Joe Girardi will be praised for sticking with the filthy righty and smiles will be thrown all around. For once, Pineda will live up to his expectations. No one knows why, no one knows how, but he will do that because, well, he’s Pineda.
Prediction #6: Aaron Hicks makes the All-Star team and the Yankees extend his contract
Oh yes, Hicks will do something good this year … which will be a huge improvement already over what he did last season.
You can’t get much worse than his performance last year (.217/.281/.336) and he will surprise everyone. Who cares about the youth movement when Hicks makes a case to stay in the outfield?
The Yankees want to win and when Hicks comes through, they’ll practically begging him to stay. But Hicks will represent the Yankees at the All-Star game, along with Gary Sanchez and Ronald Torreyes.
Hey, these are insane predictions, remember? Just trying to keep everyone hoping.
Prediction #7: Yankees make more On-Demand commercials and Brett Gardner’s spot is nominated for an Emmy.
Brett Gardner won the Gold Glove last season, so why not go for the next best thing? An Emmy?
The chances of the Yankees making more On-Demand commercials are like a Gary Sanchez bomb: extremely likely. This time, though, they won’t be sorry spots like the spoof of The Sandlot or the Baby Bombers play date.
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No, these commercials will be something that makes fans laugh out of pure humor, not out of awkwardness. They will be commercials we’ll watch for years to come, not ones that make us cringe.
And Gardner, of all Yankees, will be the one to nab the YES Network a coveted Emmy award. He acts like he’s a serious guy on the field, but we know, deep-down, he’s hilarious.
Prediction #8: John Ryan Murphy makes triumphant return
This prediction is mainly for me. Ever since John Ryan Murphy was traded to the Minnesota Twins, we’ve been dying to have him back for one particular reason.
When the Yankees make the playoffs and are in the center of a champagne-soaked celebration in the Yankees’ clubhouse, a side door will burst open. Silence trickles through the clubhouse like a wave, as realization reaches the eyes of the celebrating players.
A smirk slowly forms on the face of Brett Gardner. He’s back.
John Ryan Murphy walks in dramatically, takes a swig of his coveted Chandon and promptly announces, “It’s time to party!”
Then he gives the most memorable speech in Yankees history. Okay, second only to Lou Gehrig’s famous “Luckiest Man” speech. Thank you, John Ryan Murphy, for embarrassing yourself on live TV for our entertainment.
Oh, you were expecting a Gary Sanchez prediction? Sorry, but he’ll hit 20 home runs in 20 games. There!
A girl can dream, right? This is what the fans want to see so, Yankees, let’s make it happen!