Sports

All hands on deck

After watching the New York Yankees bury my hapless Red Sox over the weekend, and after seeing what they’ve done in the last year and a half, I have to give them some credit; they’re one heck of an organization.  But as far as lessons go, the Yanks are an interesting case; not only do they provide a blueprint for how to build—and sustain—a winning culture for the long haul, they can also be used as an example for young athletes waiting for their time to shine.

It goes without saying that the majority of the Yankees’ success over the last 25 years rests firmly on the shoulders of GM Brian Cashman.  As an executive, Cashman has utilized all the strengths of his organization, such as financial flexibility, to outbid other teams for high-priced marquee free agents, something which often draws the ire of non-Yanks fans such as myself.  But Cashman’s true value to the club has never been tied to the Steinbrenners’ deep pocketbooks, it’s been his own ability to draft talented prospects and target the under-utilized talent from other teams.

And the proof is in the pudding, so to speak.

Over the last two seasons, the Yanks have been absolutely decimated by injuries to their top stars, as players like Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are frequently sidelined with a wide assortment of ailments.  But where the Yanks thrive is a product of their depth. It seems that every time a guy goes down, there’s another unheralded player ready to take his place.

Andujar needs surgery?  Meet Gio Urshela.  Stanton’s on the shelf again?  It doesn’t seem to matter because for a few weeks, Mike Tauchman can look like
Mickey Mantle.

And that’s why I say that looking at the Yankees can be an eye-opener for younger athletes.

The idea of “next man up” is a familiar one through all levels of sports.  It’s a phrase that conjures up the image of a star player going down with an injury, only
to be replaced by the undersized, scrappy bench guy who ends up making the big play to help his team win.

It’s a romantic notion in theory, but it’s something that requires faith, both on the part of coaches and on the part of the players who might not be getting as
much playing time as they think they deserve.  It’s easy for bench players to become discouraged, to sulk and complain.  It’s much harder to show up to practice every day with the mindset that you have the ability to challenge a starter for his or her spot.

But the Yankees have somehow fostered that mentality within the clubhouse.  Even a guy like Clint Frazier—who would be starting on 90% of teams in MLB
but has seen limited time in pinstripes—might complain to the media about his lack of playing time, but it hasn’t affected his mindset.  When he gets the chance
to prove his doubters wrong, he does; just look at Saturday night, when he homered, drove in a career-high five runs and made a diving catch in the outfield to
help his team win.  And Frazier’s not alone.  It seems like every Yankee who gets a chance to contribute has done just that.

Does it mean they’ll win the World Series?  Who knows.  But if I was a Yankee fan, I’d be proud of the way my team has been able to overcome adversity over
the last two years.  And if I was a young athlete, I’d be watching as well.  You never know when you’ll get your chance; you just have to be ready.

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