The New York Yankees and all of the world have been suffering now for some time with the ever-present coronavirus pandemic. This article doesn’t deal with that or the effect on sports and the Yankees. As sheltering in is getting boring, this is an idle mind look at what a Yankee World Series season could look like. Late in May, the Red Sox were censured by MLB for cheating in the 2018 season. They were fined the maximum $5 million. No other actions were taken as Manager Alex Cora had already been fired.
Fans finally have something to cheer about, it’s July 4th the opening day of the 2020 baseball season. With changes to the schedule, the New York Yankees open at home against the Houston Astros. With gathering restrictions lifted and the coronavirus totally eliminated Yankee Stadium is standing room only. The celebrate the occasion; the Yankees are offering free Yankee caps and Hot Dogs and a Soda for just $2.
Finally, welcoming Yankee fans to the Stadium the traditional message from Bob Shepard was played: “Ladies and Gentleman welcome to Yankee Stadium.” Upon hearing his voice via recording the Yankee faithful both cheered wildly while tears of happiness flowed. After a short pause, public address announcer Paul Oden echos the welcome and announces the opening day celebration.  As part of the opening day celebration, the West Point Glee Club sings the National Anthem as a formation of F-15 jets from Westover Airbase flies over Yankee stadium that has a ruffling Olympic pool size American Flag donning the field.
There is a podium set up at the home base. Michael Kay takes to the podium and introduces Yankee great Bernie Williams.
The crowd starts to cheer “Bernie” “Bernie”, when the crowd settles, Williams gives an emotional speech summarizing all the world and the team has gone through during this difficult time. At the end of his speech, he says “Let’s play ball” to the roar of the game hungry crowd.   As the cheering fans began to settle the PA announced Derek Jeter as throwing out the first pitch to Yankee catcher Jorge Posada and the crowd erupted again.
The players for both teams took to the baselines. Over the public address system, the Astros players were announced, the crowd was eerily quiet. Then each of the Yankees who were all healthy and ready to beat the Astros. Then the game started as Jose Altuve was announced. The loudest boos ever heard at Yankee stadium bounced off River Avenue buildings. The PA warned Yankee fans from throwing anything onto the field. Starting pitcher Gerrit Cole was expected by fans to bean Altuve with a wild pitch, but it didn’t happen; instead, he struck him out on three pitches much to the delight of Yankee fans.
The game ended after eleven innings with Gerrit Cole having a complete game of 118 pitches. At the bottom of the eleventh inning, and with the bases loaded with Yankee’s, first baseman Mike Ford walked to the plate. As I said, the bases were loaded, and reliever Roberto Osuna had the Yankees down to their last out. Ford swung at the first two pitches missing both, down to the last strike Ford swung and blasted one into the Astros bullpen for the 5-1 Yankee walk-off win.
With the shortened season, the All-Star break was only a 3-day break with no home run Derby in mid-August. Not surprisingly, the American League won 3-0, and Gerrit Cole was named MVP of the game. Returning to Yankee Stadium, the Yankees had accumulated a 25-8 record leading the American League East. The Yankees had already played 4 doubleheader games. As they approached the “second” half of the season Gleyber Torres and Aaron Judge were tied with 16 homes runs.
The shortened season ended on October 4th. It was an unusual season for most teams having only 8 days off during the season. The Yankees won the East Division with a 61-23 record on the 84 game season. Highlights of the season were DJ LeMahieu being named MVP for the second year in a row. Gleyber Torres played all 84 games at short and played beyond expectations. New outfield star Miguel Andujar played errorless ball in left field as Giancarlo Stanton remained healthy and was mostly a DH. Proving it was no fluke, Gio Urshela received the Golden Glove award while hitting .277. But the big reveal of the season was during the last game of the regular season when Aaron Judge hit three homers in the game to overtake Torres in the home run race with 42 home runs.
In the postseason the Astros and the Red Sox were at the bottom of the league just above the Baltimore Orioles and the Detroit Tigers. The ALCS was again between the Minnesota Twins and the New York Yankees and again the Yankees swept them in four games. In the NLCS the Nationals edged out the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to three. With the Yankees sweeping the Twins they were fully rested and primed for the World Series.
The Yankees had the best record in baseball so the opening two games of the World Series were played at Yankee Stadium. Previously the MLB had projected that the entire series would be played in the southern neutral Miami Marlins Park, but by the time of the All-Star game due to fan pressure Commissioner Rob Manfred relented and let the games be played in their respective parks.
The Yankees won game one behind the excellent pitching of Gerrit Cole but lost the second game to the Nationals Max Scherzer. The games switched to Nationals Park. Even though DJ LeMahieu hit two homers in game three the Yankees went behind 2-1 games in the series. The Yankees won the next two games and traveled back to New York where a storm system can cold temperatures threatened to delay both remaining games.
Luckily the system passed just to the south spearing the fans from wet and cold stands. On the morning of November 7th with clouds still in the background, the sun started to shine on Yankee stadium; the game was scheduled for 2:15 that Saturday. At 9 am the temperature was 29 degrees. With the sun and temperature warming to 42 degrees by the game time fans and the Yankees alike would be relatively comfortable compared to what it could have been. Unfortunately, the Yankees lost the game 1-0 as the Yankee bats were silent. Now the series was tied up at three games apiece.
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone made the bold decision to start Gerrit Cole in the final game of the series on just three days rest. The move paid off as he pitched 5 innings and 78 pitches of scoreless ball. In another bold move, Boone brought Jonathan Loaisga out to pitch the sixth. Loaisiga struck out the side. In the bottom facing Stephen Strasberg, he gave up a second homer to Aaron Judge for the 2-0 lead. Loaisiga struggled in the top of the seventh allowing the Nationals to tie it up at 2.
Jordan Montgomery pitched a scoreless eighth but the Yankees failed to score in the frame. Boone sent Aroldis Chapman out in the ninth and even though he clocked one of his pitches at 103mph he failed to hold the Nationals as former Yankee Starlin Castro homered off him for the 3-2 lead. With last licks for the Yankees and the series on the line, the Yankees had to score two to win the series.  The Yankees couldn’t do it, but Aaron Judge hit his third homer of the game, as the game was tied going into the 10th inning.
The New York Yankees replaced Chapman with Zack Britton, Britton finished off the Nationals with just 12 pitches in the inning and issuing just one walk. Daniel Hudson took the mound in the bottom, and with the new rule had to face three Yankee hitters. Brett Gardner forced him to throw eleven pitches before he walked him. Gleyber Torres singled and Gary Sanchez who had a so so season hitting .261 stepped to the plate. Sanchez had struck out 57 times in the shortened season. Hudson threw him three balls in a row seemingly unable to find the strike zone. On his fourth pitch, Sanchez hit his longest home run of the season 465 yards for the Yankee walk-off 6-3 win of the game and their 28th World Championship. Gerrit Cole was MVP of the series winning two games.
This writer wishes he could hug you all, but please except this elbow tapping to all Yankees fans as we wait out this baseball delay and the uncertainty of these difficult times. My hope for all of you is to stay safe and remain healthy.