The New York Yankees are off to a solid start, and that’s due to the veterans pushing a message.
New York is off to a 4-1 start and is making a statement after plenty of questions around the roster, after not making many new additions. Yet, the Yankees veterans, like Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, and Paul Goldschmidt, among others, are sending a message to the team to bring their highest level of focus to every game they play this year.
“At the end of the day,” Stanton said to The Athletic, “it’s focus with it being everyday: late nights, cross-country, early mornings — whatever you want. Focus is the main thing that sways, with energy, as well. But low energy is low focus. It’s one and the same.”
New York felt like the team made too many mistakes last season, which cost them against the Toronto Blue Jays in the playoffs.
“It’s a hard game,” Stanton said, “but if we beat and finish the teams we’re supposed to beat and finish, and not just be satisfied we won the first two (games) and come in like we won the series already. Because it’s important.
“It’s important clearly from last year and we did a great job at the end of the year when we won, what, eight in a row or whatever — and it still didn’t get us where we wanted. Take that energy across the whole year instead of, ‘Here’s the comparison and the numbers. Let’s try to beat them now (and) catch up.’”
The Yankees know they have what it takes to win a World Series, but the team needs to play better.
Yankees Focusing on Doing Little Things
New York opened the season with a sweep of the San Francisco Giants, and Judge knows that is important.
Judge believes getting the extra win and sweeps will help the Yankees win the division this year and not have to play in the Wild Card round.
“That’s what’s going to make a difference between winning a division or end up tying and losing it,” Judge said.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone, meanwhile, said the team’s emphasis on the minor details is key.
“What’s been apparent with our guys from the start of spring is just their attention to detail,” the manager said. “And, again, not that they haven’t been that way in the past. But, man, it’s just been an über focus everyday. Every little thing, the importance of all of it. There has been a lot of that. Judgey and those guys have really driven that and they have been on top of stuff all spring.”
The Yankees will go for a series win against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.
Ryan McMahon Praises Veterans
After the Yankees were blown out by the Blue Jays in the ALDS, New York knew it needed to make some changes.
So, Judge, Goldschmidt, and Stanton became even bigger leaders in spring and to begin the season, which the players have noticed.
“I remember at times last year,” McMahon said, “(Stanton) would be like, ‘This is an easy one to give away. We’ve already won the series. This is an easy one to give away. Make sure we lock it in, go out there and do what we need to do. We’re not just going to win the game because we’re the Yankees. We need to go take care of business.’
“Those three dudes do such a good job of making sure everybody is on the same page of what we’ve got that day.”
The Yankees will have their home opener on Friday against the Miami Marlins.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Yankees Veterans Reveal Message They Are Sending to Begin Season appeared first on Heavy Sports.