Facing The Criticism: Lack Of Fundamentals Don't Win World Series

Watching the Yankees’ undoing in the fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series was painful, but not surprising. As I shared with my CEO today who calmly asked me if I was okay a week later, the Yankees simply cannot win when they lack basic baseball fundamentals, and I have not been able to watch or read anything baseball since that horrific loss. He advised, “Write that in your blog post and you will feel better.” So, like a good employee, I am doing just that. The Yankees’ lack of fundamentals don’t win World Series. And I am not over it.

The Dodgers knew of the Yankees’ lack of defensive play ahead of the World Series. In fact, they were extremely confident going into the games against the Yankees because their scouting reports indicated that they would make mistakes defensively when the ball was in play. According to NY Post’s Joel Sherman,  “What the Dodgers told their players in scouting meetings was the Yankees were talent over fundamentals. That if you run the bases with purpose and aggression, the Yankees will self-inflict harm, as was exposed by Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, Freddie Freeman, etc. That the value was very high to put the ball in play to make the Yankees execute.”

It was hot head Dodger pitcher Joe Kelly who bashed the Yankees on his “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcase calling their ranking inflated and placing them at the bottom quarter of the 12 teams that made the MLB playoffs this year. “Just let them throw the ball to the infield, they can’t make a play,” Kelly said. “I mean, you saw. Shohei got an extra base going to third on a sloppy Gleyber play. It’s well known. We all knew. I mean, we’re the Dodgers. We know every little detail,” ranted Kelly. Yeah, I get it. We all know it. We are with the team 162 games. We have seen it all and we don’t need the Dodgers or anyone else to rub it in our faces.

In response to the criticism, General Manager Brian Cashman acknowledged the Yankees poor performance in the World Series. “Our A-game didn’t show up when it counted the most,” he continued. “I also think, objectively, if you take a step back and analyze who we played, whether it was the Dodgers or any of the other postseason teams that were participating, whether it was us playing them or other teams in the National League, those rosters are all constructed with players that do things in some category better than others. You have exceptionally great defenders that don’t hit as well, you have really good hitters that don’t defend as well. And the combination of how it all fits together plays out a certain way over the course of 162 and then in the month of October if you’re lucky to get there,” reported Yahoo Sports.

I think we can all acknowledge that both teams deserved to be playing in this World Series. And yes, there can only be one winner. But it absolutely was not a mismatch as Kelly and others have stated. 162 games is a long season and the Yankees won out. Then they battled through some very tough ALCS games and won out. But the Yankees have to figure out October and that’s just what the GM admitted.

“And to be the world champs you gotta be really good – which I think we produced really good teams – you gotta be healthy and you gotta be lucky. We’ll try to continue to figure out how to navigate October. We’ve done it before, but as many times, in many years the best teams going in don’t win. And it’s not because they’re flawed it’s just navigating October is difficult,” reported Yahoo Sports. 

For me, I’d like to see less of these fundamental mistakes, more small ball all season long not just in October and less emphasis on big bats. It is not just about the home runs; it is not just about swinging for the fences but rather it is about putting the ball in play when it counts and then defending that lead. It is a whole-team effort. And the Yankees just weren’t able to execute that plan. Fundamentals executed well win ball games and absolutely win World Series. 

–Suzie Pinstripe