TAMPA — As dominoes fell across the league, Aaron Boone has seen his group signal … no one among notice. And commerce for … nobody — as of Sunday afternoon.
Boone, although, has religion normally supervisor Brian Cashman.
“The winter, so to talk, will not be over,’’ Boone stated Sunday in his first media session for the reason that MLB lockout ended on Thursday.
“And the winner is topped on the finish of October,’’ Boone stated. “There’s loads of instances you may win the offseason — or lose the offseason, regardless of the notion could also be. In the long run, we wish to be the final group standing in October. And I'd say, evaluating our offseason and winter is somewhat untimely.”
However on the day gamers had their first voluntary exercise at Steinbrenner Area, Boone additionally famous that the present roster is near the one which made the wild-card recreation final 12 months.
“We are able to win now with what we have now,’’ Boone stated. “That stated, I do know we’re working laborious to see if there are areas the place we are able to make enhancements in trades or free company. With the lengthy [transaction] freeze by means of the lockout, issues are choosing up in earnest proper now. We’ll see. The fact is, we’ve acquired loads of nice individuals in that room [and] loads of nice gamers in that room. And for all of the ups and downs we had final 12 months, we nonetheless managed to get into the playoffs with all these guys.”
For essentially the most half, although, 2021 was a failure, with the Yankees barely squeaking into the wild-card recreation, thanks partly to ending simply forward of the Blue Jays, who have been pressured to play in three totally different cities (Dunedin, Fla., Buffalo and Toronto) as a consequence of Canada’s COVID protocols.
Cashman famous earlier within the offseason that the group wanted a shortstop, in addition to assist at first base and maybe heart subject and catcher.
None of these areas have been addressed with simply over three weeks left earlier than Opening Day.
A part of Boone’s optimism relies on his perception that among the gamers who upset final season — resembling Gleyber Torres, DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Hicks, amongst others — are due for bounce-back seasons.
“There’s no excuses, it doesn't matter what occurs,’’ Boone stated. “We anticipate to be a terrific group and whether or not we make zero strikes from now til Opening Day by means of the top of the season, the expectations are excessive in that room and that gained’t change.”
Boone’s enthusiasm apart, it’s clear the Yankees want upgrades in a number of areas, and in the event that they face the Pink Sox in The Bronx on April 7 with Gio Urshela at shortstop and Luke Voit at first, one thing hasn’t gone in keeping with plan.
“I do know [Cashman] and the entrance workplace proper now are clearly in overdrive and evaluating and having these conversations,’’ Boone stated of potential transactions. “That stated, my job as supervisor is to attempt to get our guys able to play at a championship stage. That’ll be the main focus whether or not we make a transfer or we don’t.”
The expanded playoffs included within the new collective bargaining settlement signed final week will make it simpler for groups to succeed in the postseason, however Boone stated it gained’t affect how he approaches the season.
“Ask me because the season unfolds,’’ Boone stated. “However as I sit right here proper now, it doesn’t have any affect. We anticipate to be in it whether or not it’s 4, six or eight [teams].”
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