TRANSITION

Life waits for no one or nothing.  As hours, minutes, and seconds pass by, life transitions.  We can all relate to transition.  As a Yankees’ fan, I am overly excited for the huge transition we have been going through these past few years and especially these past few weeks.   I’ve written about the youth for a few years when the Yankees first began their aggressive International League acquisitions (players who are still progressing); about their resourceful draft picks (even though they always draft late due to their successes);  and, most recently about the youth we had acquired.

This past Friday, A-Rod played his last official game as a Yankee.  As soon as A-Rod’s vacancy became available, two Yankees were brought up from the farm system (Tyler Austin and Aaron Judge).  The latter is one name that most fans began to learn approximately 2 years ago.  Neither one of the newest Yankees wasted any time yesterday showing that they had MLB skills as they both hit homeruns in their very first MLB at-bats.  With that collective feat, they have already accomplished something never historically done!  Yes, they both already contributed a positive MLB record to the Yankees’ record books!  (Oh, and by the way, Judge’s homer traveled over 448 feet!!  The only reason it stopped at 448’ was because its travel was obstructed.)

Prior to Austin and Judge being added as new blood onto this season’s team, the Yankees had acquired Didi Gregorius (a year-and-a-half ago); acquired Ramon Castro and Aaron Hicks this past off-season; promoted Dellin Betances a few years ago; and promoted other youth-movement players most recently Rob Refsnyder, Luis Severino, Austin Romine, and Gary Sanchez.  Again, as I continue to personally be excited about our potential stars, keep in mind that there are still more getting close to joining the team soon.  In fact, by the middle of next year, the NYY will have youth represented all over the field!

We all typically resist transition; but, again, it’s inevitable.  For the most part, it offers much more that we initially see.  During 2009, the Yankees transitioned into a new, modern stadium with reservation about creating a jinx, leaving the spirits next door, and dispelling tradition.  Yet, that very year, the Yankees tossed every doubt aside by immediately winning their 27th World Series Championship!

The transitions  the Yankees have been making over the past few years, and aggressively transacted and demonstrated these past few weeks, will become a new chapter, but not a new book.  For the Yankees’ fans that are so tied to the Core-Four, don’t worry - it’s just a transition that's happening now.  We will win more championships with new names just like other past Yankees’ teams did.  Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig,  Tony Lazzeri, Red Ruffing, and Lefty Gomez transitioned throughout the last 80-plus years into players such as Joe DiMaggio, Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford , Mickey Mantle, Thurman Munson, Goose Gossage, Ron Guidry, Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, Andy Pettitte, Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera.   I strongly believe some of these new names will achieve their first championship sooner rather than later.  One thing’s inevitable for sure…transition.