And in the end…

By Ed Botti

November 8, 2024

It’s been a little over a week since the end of the 2024 World Series. As fans' broken hearts start to heal, and the exasperation begins to dissipate, I figured a week or so was long enough before giving my thoughts and impressions on the Fall Classic and the 2024 season in general.

First and foremost, if you read my articles you will know that from the day they broke Spring Training way back on March 25, I was not sold on this team.

Despite all of the talking heads opinions to the contrary on the various shows and broadcasts, I was not thrilled with the roster construction and management.

I did not like the out of position outfielders, I thought a lack of athleticism was an issue, I wasn’t convinced that the terrible base running had been improved, I did not like the fact that they did not bother to get a third baseman in the winter of 2023/24, I did not like that they broke camp with Clay Holmes as the closer, I did not like that their star right fielder and MVP was being asked again to switch positions due to an acquisition, and I did not like the starting rotation addition of Marcus Stroman.

Nonetheless, the big off season prize was Juan Soto, and the Yankees won that prize in a big way dealing Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, Drew Thorpe and Kyle (Ziggy Stardust) Higashioka for Soto and defensive wiz Trend Grisham.

I thought to myself back on December 6 “Wow, great start to the offseason”.

But, I also wrote right here on these pages “Where is he going to fit”? Judge tore a ligament in his right big toe on June 3 and was a shadow of himself the the rest of the way and looked terrible running, “are they serious about making him a center fielder since DH is locked in with Stanton who can’t run at all?”  “Did they not learn a thing about the square peg --round hole strategy they have tried to win with over the last 4 or 5 years”?

But, then again, we are talking about Juan Soto.

I knew Soto alone would be able to cover up some of the limitations with his offensive prowess (you didn’t have to be a genius to figure that out!). Bat him in front or even behind MVP Aaron Judge, and we are in for a potential summer of great offensive production. “Let’s see what else they do, they can’t be done!”

Well, it really wasn’t just a start, it was essentially their final substantive addition.

Right before they broke camp, we learned that defending AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole had a bum arm and would miss most of the first half. In his place, they added recently demoted Luis Gil to fill in the final rotation spot.

So, let me get this right “Gil wasn’t good enough to make the team, but now he is in the rotation,” I thought? Interesting. They had to do what they had to do at that point, and as it turned out they were right about him.

He did his job well. I congratulate Boone, Blake, and Cashman for the good call!

I always liked his arm, it was his command that left us wanting, and he was coming off of Tommy John surgery.

However, they did tell us (in so many words and $ signs) they were all in in 2024. If so, why then didn’t they try and get a proven top end starter? Was it a money issue? Did they not have the prospect capital to get it done?

Corbin Burnes was available in the offseason (he went 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA in 2024) and was grabbed by rival Baltimore.

Blake Snell (the defending NL Cy Young winner, & 2 time Cy Young winner) who didn’t sign until March 19th due to his agent Scott Boros over valuing the living hell out of him, was still available and eventually signed a 2 year deal with San Francisco.

Snell  owns a career 3.19 ERA, has had post season success, has had a 3.38 ERA or lower in each of the last three seasons, and went on to throw a no hitter in 2024.

At the time I thought he might fit great for Boone. After all, Boone can stick to his notes and scripts and pull him after 5 innings each start, as we see he does with everyone else, for the most part.

I was also interested in looking into Seth Lugo, as I saw him pitch a lot as a Met, and thought he had the repertoire to start (and did San Diego in 2023).

They decided to go with Stroman instead.

So, they get Soto and added Stroman to the rotation, and now Gil due to an injury, plus Alex Verdugo to play left field? Let’s not forget, they acquired Jon Berti on March 27.

If you recall, after the 2023 debacle of a season (I won’t rehash it today) Managing Partner Hal Steinbrenner made a statement alluding to hiring an outside firm to analyze the operation (or at least that is what was being reported).

Many were happy to hear this as the frustration of an 82-80 season spilled over.

As we eventually learned, that actually was not an accurate depiction of what they planned to do.

They engaged a firm to provide a gateway so that they could view how an outside firm runs analytics, and then compared it to the way they operate their analytics department. It was nothing more than a self-assessment, since they were looking at another firm, instead of having a firm look at them.

I don’t recall that we ever heard what that analysis concluded nor seen the results of that conclusion.

I believe, based on what I saw in 2024, that whenever that report was provided, it obviously made little mention of fundaments, execution, and base running. That is what should have been analyzed, not how they plug and play analytics.

They do not prioritize fundamentals, In my opinion.

That was why I was not too high on the 2024 team when they broke camp. I saw more of what we have been force fed for the last 6 or so years, and the addition of a true slugger.

Soto clearly would be a force to be reckoned with as he and Judge posted up almost every night, and delivered in a big way. But, I didn’t think it actually addressed their core problems as a team.

Right or wrong, that is how I felt when camp broke.

They started the season making me look silly by hitting the floor running going 40-19 in March, April and May. Was I wrong by over valuing fundamentals, execution and defense?

Regardless of the record I still didn’t see it that way. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy as a pig in mud that they were winning, but I still didn’t have confidence in the roster and style of play.

My problems were that they still had holes, in my opinion. They still had weaknesses carrying over from the disappointing 2023 season. But my biggest problem was the fact that they kept the management personnel in place. They had a chance with expiring contracts to make a big change(s), but instead they doubled down.

That would be the same management that subordinates things like fundamentals and execution of plays in favor of long home runs, 100 MPH fastballs, and 5 inning starts.

The same people that gave us Joey Gallo & Frankie Montas in a pennant race, and a finished Josh Donaldson (with $50 mm remaining on his contract) as the starting third baseman during 2022 spring training (no, I am not mentioning Aaron Hicks).

I had/have little to no faith in their management, and I was worried about how they would manage the roster going forward and manage the games to come.

I actually have more issues with the front office than I do with the field manager. I was never in favor of hiring Boone, and I am still of the opinion that the field manager is very important to the team’s performance on the field and culture, despite what is now commonly claimed. I thought Boone should have been replaced after 2022 because I did not see strong fundamentals and discipline from his teams in his first 5 years, notwithstanding his regular season record. I put the presence of, or lack of those characteristics squarely on the Manager or Head Coach in any sport.

But, they went another way. So I rooted for him.

June hit, Cole came back and a funny thing happened on the way to the heart of the summer; they proceeded to go 54-49 the rest of the way, including a 4 game -- season sweep at the hands of the Mets (boy are they lucky George wasn’t around!).

In other words, the veritable love fest of April and May came crashing down in June.

Holmes broke down and had 13 blown saves.

Gil who started out 9-2 came back to earth.

Stroman had his normal/predictable second half let down.

Gleyber Torres was moved around the lineup and stopped hitting.

Anthony Volpe was moved around the lineup and stopped hitting.

Alex Verdugo was moved around the lineup and stopped hitting.

Many players stood at home plate selfishly admiring a long hit, instead of running hard to first base.

They kicked the ball around and made mental errors.

Anthony Rizzo broke his arm.

They ran the bases without determination.

Giancarlo Stanton hurt his hamstring and missed 5 weeks, and

They acquired Jazz Chisholm a centerfielder/2nd baseman/ shortstop to play third base.

Injuries happen to every team, so let’s not use that an excuse for the final 103 game record of 54-49.

What happened is what happens every year to every team. Over the long haul of 162 games you will have highs and lows that ultimately determine exactly what type of team you are after 162 are played.

This isn’t football that plays roughly 10% of the games MLB teams play.

You might be able to put band-aids on for a while, but the truth comes out after 162. It happens to every team, every year.

Why would the Yankees be an exception?

Many teams in 2024 had inflated records because the White Sox lost 121 games (divisional rivals the Tigers & Royals as examples -- both made the playoffs). The Yanks were 5-1 head-to-head against the Sox.

The 2024 Yankees went on to a 94 – 68 very respectable record, won the AL East, and beat the Royals and Guardians to reach the World Series, and yet I still had concerns and a lack of confidence in them.

I looked at them as I look at my martial art students who pin or get a clean shot in on a brown belt. “Do it against a black belt before you start pumping your chest and strutting around like a big shot.”

A complete contradiction to how I felt, in let’s say 1996, their first World Series since 1981.

In 1996 I was over flowing with confidence and pinstripe pride.

https://youtu.be/o0XcIgwcOAc

Photo by Stephen Dunn

As a matter of fact, I was thinking about this over the weekend; looking back on their most recent history, the last time I felt contented and saw a prospective promise was the 2017 team (91-71).

A fundamentally sound, well managed, hustling and culture developing team. Who knows what they could have done if the Astros weren’t cheaters and if Brian Cashman didn’t conclude that Girardi was all of a sudden the wrong voice for the team?

I could not say any of that about the 2024 team in March and definitely not in October.

You may not agree, and you may have analytics and stats that say something different.

My views are based off of my eyes. I played the game and watched the game long enough to know right from wrong, strong from weak, truth from fantasy.

Prior to the series a friend and longtime Yankee fan called me and told me this was the first World Series Yankee team that he never really bonded with, and I get what he meant.

Derek Jeter stated they had an easy path to the World Series, and he was exactly right.

So, I became cautiously optimistic. I rationalized things and thought “Hey, all they needed to do was win another 4 games, just 4 out of 7, and they do have the defending Cy Young winner going in at least 2 of those games, plus they have Soto and Judge”.

I may have even forced it out of mind that they did make 3 base running blunders against Cleveland, and booted the ball around the infield, but they got away with it.

My transcendental journey was short lived and redirected by reality.

Once they got there, all those weaknesses came out in a big way

The 2024 Dodgers were an altogether different opponent (Black Belts). Make mistakes, and they will make you pay and finish you off -- as we all saw in the series and especially in Games 1 and 5. The Yanks missed cutoffs, had a catcher’s interference, failed to scoop throws out of the dirt, booted a few ground balls, failed to drive in runners at third with less than two out, and of course missed a routine line drive to centerfield, and failed to cover first base on a weak inning ending ground ball to first base.

 Photo AP

Traditionally, there is an acceptance or an understanding for physical errors like booting a ground ball, or even missing an easy catch in centerfield. However mental mistakes like not covering first base on an easy put out, not hustling 100% of the time or not backing up a throw to second base are completely different.

Mental errors are a sign of deficient preparation and focus. If a team isn’t prepared or focused, it is on the coaching staff, regardless of sport.

Incidentally, I have heard a great Yankee right fielder named Paul O’Neill state more than once that the biggest difference for a corner outfielder switching to centerfield is the ball hit right at you. I guess Judge can tell us if that is true, now.

Had the Yankees played clean and had a mastery over the fundamentals as they should have, they would have had a legitimate chance of going back to LA up 3-2, instead of going home in 5.

That I lay at the feet of management.

Not all of the mistakes were made between the lines however. In Game 1 with a 3-2 10th inning lead, Boone selected lefty starter Nestor Cortes to pitch to Ohtani, Betts and Freeman instead of going to the very effective (in the ALCS) lefty side arm pitcher Tim Hill (who was warmed up). Cortes hadn’t thrown a pitch in the ALDS or ALCS or in a game since his injury on September 18.

Was this his best option? No chance. Hill was great in the ALCS and should have taken the mound in that Game 1 situation.

We know what Mr. Freeman had to say about that after 1 pitch. To this day, I cannot figure that move out.

In Game 5 Boone didn’t bring in newly installed closer Luke Weaver to start the eighth with a lead, and went with Tommy Kahnle who quickly allowed all three Dodgers he faced to reach base before Weaver was brought in anyway with the bases loaded to protect a 1 run lead. Boone doesn’t have a crystal ball, but after the 2nd batter reached, I think he should have pulled Kahnle, he waited one more batter. Boone was just complying with those new 3 batter rules as our friend Alan B pointed out, so he had his back against the wall. Thank you Mr. Manfred.

Further, he failed to make a simple mound visit during the fifth-inning, five-run calamity that lasted 21 minutes. (Pitching coach Matt Blake did go out for a visit during the fifth, but not Boone).

What I saw was a complete and categorical breakdown of the fundamentals of Baseball.

What I feared in March was jammed down their throats in a lousy 21 minutes in October.

As one scout stated “How the $%@# was there no visit to the mound in 36 pitches and three errors” (actually two errors plus the failure of Gerrit Cole to cover first base)?

That is a good question.

I don’t want to act like I know more about his team then Boone does, because I don’t.  But based on what we were in the midst of witnessing, I have to ask, what kind of leadership was that? I still can’t fathom why he didn’t go out and talk to his guys and get them refocused.

Have you ever watched a basketball game when one team is on a prolonged run? What do the coaches do? They call a time out, huddle the guys up and regroup.

That was all he had to do. Stop the action, go to the mound, slow things down, get in a few faces and sit down with a 5-0 lead. I can’t tell you all would have went exactly as planned, but maybe, just maybe he could have reminded his infielders and pitcher of their assignments and responsibilities if the ball was hit to one of them. I know I would have.

It still blows my mind 10 days later.

He took it for granted that his team was on the same page as him, sat back and assumed they knew what they were doing. And you know what happens when you assume something, right?

My sister (who lives in LA and went to Game 2) asked me how disappointed I was after the series ended. I told her in order for me to have been disappointed I would have had to have had high expectations, which I did not have for all of the above reasons.

Like many of you reading this, I see over 150 Yankee games (at least) a year, plus the playoffs and spring training. The 2024 team never looked like a championship caliber team to me.

Maybe I expected too much from them. Maybe I unfairly compare them to teams of the past. Maybe I am unrealistic, but I never saw them that way.

But once they got there, I did dream a little and went against my gut feeling. You never know what can happen, right?

I will tell you all the truth; I was at a packed bar in Naples, Florida for Game 1 and once they lost, and the turning point (in my view) could be pinned down to the missed cutoff at second base with no one backing up that allowed Ohtani to go to third and score on a sac fly to tie the game (more fundaments), I had a feeling it was the tip of the iceberg with Boone’s squad.

I am not saying I was ready to give up. All I am saying is I was reminded in a quick and impactful way, how this team plays.

I saw then what I saw in March. A flawed team, a weak defense, players playing out of their natural positions and poor basic fundamental skills.

Say what you want about high salaried superstars hitting the ball 450 feet, we all love it! However, if you can’t make the basic and fundamental plays, you more often than not lose.

We all celebrate the big plays, and rightfully so (Tino’s Grand Slam in Game 1, 1998 still gives me chills). But those boring, little, almost unnoticeable nuances of the game are just as important. For some reason, I tend to focus on that stuff, and as soon as the backup failed his assignment on that play, I had really bad feeling.

The Dodgers scored their 6th and 7th (tying and the winning runs) in Game 5 on simple sac fly balls. It doesn’t get any more basic than that, does it?

As the NY Post pointed out, the Dodgers batted .206, hit seven home runs, scored 25 runs, won four games and won the World Series.

The Yankees batted .212, hit nine home runs, scored 24 runs, won one game to lose the World Series.

If you just read the stats (Yankee management spent how much analyzing analytics?) one may conclude this was an evenly played World Series. If you used your eyes, you know better.

On the playing field, the Yankees were schooled on the value of basic fundamentals, hustle, focus and execution, IMO.

The Yankees lost the 2024 World Series because they made mistakes. The Dodgers won because they executed fundamentals and capitalized on those mistakes.

That is the formula for winning that goes back to the earliest days of the game. It stands today, and it will stand in another 100 years despite how hard Hal Steinbrenner, Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone, and Mike Fishman try to tell/sell us otherwise.

So now we go into another winter season with an empty feeling, and this year with a boatload of “what ifs”.

Who stays, who goes, who gets paid? All of that will be addressed and analyzed as the winter evolves (we will dig in deep on that as it unfolds). But for today, you can have 1 of 2 opinions. You are either happy that they are AL Champs and got to a World Series, or you are annoyed and even humiliated a little by how terrible they played, thought, and executed in the World Series.

It’s your call.

Congrats to the Dodgers, they played better and won!

PS. Joe Kelly should learn how to win with class and keep his mouth shut. Maybe he needs a reminder from Tyler Austin!!