Six game losing streak? Relax!

This moring I read an article of the New York Post about the Yankees and their new policy regarding trading for players.

Now the Yankees have lost six in a row, many fans hit the panic button and shout for Cashman’s release. The New York Post on the other hand has a different opinion. Of all newspapers the New York Post. The New York Post that burns players who are in a six game slump. Of all newspapers the New York Post.

In fact the paper wrote what I have been saying/thinking for quite a while now.

The article was something like this:

Let’s pretend that the Yankees had traded for Cliff Lee in 2010. Several Yankee prospects like Jesus Montero, Ivan Nova and Zach McAllister would not have been here anymore. And for what? After a deal with Seattle fell through, Lee was traded to the Rangers. He pitched a mediocre World Series vs the Giants and the Rangers fell short. Cliff left the Rangers after the 2010 season and signed a contract with the Phillies , who had traded him to Seattle in 2009. The only thing the Yankees would have gotten instead? A few compensation draft picks.
If the Yankees would have sent Nova to Seattle among others in exchange for Lee, he would be a very valuable part of the rotation there. And if the Yankees would have traded for Lee, they would never had Michael Pineda.
So all the prospects would have been given up for nothing and we would not have Pineda in our ranks. Okay Pineda isn’t doing great lately, but still.

Now we still have Jesus Montero in our ranks. Same for Ivan Nova.

Now the Yankees are half a game out of first place, many Yankee fans ask for Cashman’s head. But remeber this: Sure the Blue Jays solidified their rotation and infield. But what did they give up? Like I said before, their farm system was loaded with talented players. Many are gone now. The Blue Jays’ farm system was ranked 10th. Now they have fallen back to the 20th spot. True, since the trade they are riding an eight game winning streak and the Yankees lost three of their last ten.

More and more the Yankees shy away from the policy they used to have: Signing players to LONG term contracts with BiG bucks. More and more other teams have taken over that role. More and more I start to believe that the Yankees are really rebuilding and have patience with their prospects. More and more I start to believe that the Yankees do not use their talented farm hands as trade bait. Of course you have to make a trade once in a while, especially when your roster is lacking a piece of the puzzle.

So did the Yankees do the right thing? I tend to say yes. But we have to keep in mind that you always have to wait how a prospect pans out in the Bigs. Rob Refsnyder was said to be one of the better hitters in the Yankees farm system. In his first shot in the Bigs he had a great debut, but faltered afterwards.

Anyhow, there is no need to hit the panic button right now. The Yankees announced that they are in a rebuilding mode, even though they tried to improve the roster with limited funds. So far they are doing a lot better than many expected.
Remember the Didi Gregorius trade? Another move that was questioned by many fans. Gregorius would be a bad fielder and a lousy hitter. Jeter was better…. Look where Gregorius is right now. He is seeing the ball very well lately and his batting average is at .266, a lot better than at the start of the season. His defense is quite an upgrade over Derek Jeter’s.

Perhaps Girardi should juggle the lineup a bit. It may help to start hitting again. And even if the Yankees completely fall out of contention, remember that baseball just is a game and that you cannot win all games. You cannot even win the World Series every year. Even the World Series winning streak from 1949 through 1953 came to an end.
This team has been streaking all season long; winning streaks have been followed by losing streaks and vice versa. If they can catch fire again the current losing streak will be forgotten soon.

For once have some faith in the front office and don’t start to ask for someone’s head when the team is struggling. There is still a month and a half to go. Still anything can happen.