On Sunday afternoon, the New York Yankees will wrap up a disappointing 2023 season that will see them win no more than 83 games. They did extend their winning season streak to an impressive 31 seasons, but the fact of the matter is the 2023 Yankees posted their worst record since 1992. When the season started, they were expecting to contend for a World Series.
Prior to Sunday's game, Aaron Judge spoke about the state of the Yankees, and the typically reserved captain made it clear the organization needs to change how it operates, particularly with how it uses analytics. From MLB.com:
"On the analytics side, I think the information and the resources the Yankees provide are great," Judge said. "I think it's just about how we use them and how we value them is an aspect that we just maybe need to look at again. The Yankees are top-notch in the numbers we get. I think we're the best in the game at that. I think it's about funneling those down to the players in the right format.
" … I wouldn't say [we are] overloaded. I think it's just looking at the right numbers. I think maybe we might be looking at the wrong ones. We need to value some other ones that people might see as having no value."
Last month, owner Hal Steinbrenner said the Yankees may hire an outside company to review the team's front office operation, and NJ.com reports that is happening. The Yankees have hired an unknown consulting firm to essentially audit the team. The work will be after the season ends. Judge sounds skeptical of this front office audit, however.
"With anything with numbers, you can change them and see them the way you want," Judge said Sunday, according to the New York Post. "So I don't know how an independent company -- what they're gonna really give us. But I guess it's another set of eyes and they can give us another opinion."
Judge also wants to see more urgency from the team's young players -- "Just because you get to the big leagues and you get to New York, you've still got to improve," he said, according to MLB.com -- and he intends to meet with Steinbrenner and GM Brian Cashman after the season to discuss the state of the organization.
"I've talked mostly with Hal, more than Cash," he said, according to the Bergen Record. "I'm looking forward to having some meetings with Hal and Cash, both in the room, and kind of all of us voicing our opinion."
Needless to say, the 31-year-old Judge is not happy the Yankees missed the postseason and have yet to win a World Series in his seven full seasons. As constructed, the Yankees' ceiling is being eliminated in the postseason by a team that operates the same way, only better. It happened every year from 2017-22.
The Yankees badly need a fresh set of eyes and new perspective. Steinbrenner is apparently ready to run it back with Cashman, however, so it's unclear how much change will happen. Clearly though, Judge is not happy, and he made sure everyone knew it Sunday. When the captain calls you out publicly, you have no choice but to listen.
