SNY’s Andy Martino does a great job on the Yankees beat and knows the the team well. So well that he wrote a book called The Yankee Way: The Untold Inside Story of the Brian Cashman Era. It was released last spring, and we actually discussed it at length with him.
Well, a season later, the original-yet-ever-evolving Gene Michael-conceived “Yankee Way” still runs strong. The Yankees mashed home runs, took plenty of pitches to draw plenty of walks, and pitched well all the way to the World Series. However, the team’s glaring lack of baseball fundamentals cost them, and New York lost the Fall Classic in five games.
It just so happens we had the opportunity for a follow-up talk with Andy Martino and he agreed. While the team on the whole is very good and should prioritize Juan Soto in the offseason, there’s still room for improvement.
“Not that this isn’t a team without some flaws that they need to address, but the continuity of baseball ops philosophy that they have is just literally unmatched,” Martino said. “It has led to this, what people inside the game would call perennial success that got them to the World Series this year.
“They’re a Gene Michael/[Bill] Livesey team right now for the most part, and we’ve seen some of the ways in which they’re not sort of bite them against the Dodgers.”
Indirectly referencing the fundamentals, Martino also addressed the differences in both the Yankees’ and Dodgers’ infields. While Jazz Chisholm Jr. was a ball of energy and overall a great pickup for New York, he’s not as much of a gamer as LA’s Tommy Edman, who was acquired at the trade deadline despite not having played a single game.
Edman proceeded to hit .328 with 13 RBI in the postseason, while Chisholm hit a meager .182 with a pair of solo homers.
“They have to figure out second base and a few other things,” he said. “But I think Soto is the main thing. I think the Mets will be the main competition because they’re motivated to get Soto and have prioritized him.”
Needless to say, the New York Yankees still made the World Series for the first time in 15 years. Brian Cashman won’t be satisfied just making the trip and, given Martino’s insight, expect the Yankees back in October soon.