It’s Deja Vu all over again 1998:2019
The injury-plagued New York Yankees finished May with a 20–7 record. The last time New York had 20 wins in May was 1998. The Yankees have now won 8 straight series for the first time since 1998. The 2019 team never seems to be out of a game, and the clutch hitting is very reminiscent of the 1998 team.
The 98 team’s ace, David Cone, had an aneurysm in his shoulder and missed the majority of the season. Luis Severino, the ace of the 2019 Yankees, has been out all season. Orlando Hernandez replace Cone. Domingo German has done a great impression of Sevy.
The 98 Pen featured Mariano Rivera, Jeff Nelson, Mike Stanton, Ramiro Mendoza and Graeme Lloyd. The 19 Pen features Aroldis Chapman, Adam Ottavino, Zack Britton, Jonathon Holder and Tommy Kahnle. Home grown superstar Derek Jeter was going into his third season with the Yankees, and had been in the playoffs the previous two years, just like Aaron Judge.
The Blue Jays pretty much handed breakout star Gio Urshela to the Yankees for nothing last August, much like the Oakland Athletics did when they sent Scott Brosius to the Bombers. Great glove, underperforming bats finally put it together.
The 1998 Squad featured a 22 year old super star in the making in Alfonso Soriano. This year’s team features 22 year old super star in the making Gleyber Torres.
Jorge Posada struggled to win the starting job away from Joe Girardi because of 17 passed balls. Gary Sanchez doubled that over the 2018 (18) and 2017 (16) seasons with 34, but so far has only 4 PBs this season. Overall, Posada batted .268 with 17 home runs and 63 RBIs over 111 games in the 1998 season. Sanchez is hitting .264 with 17 Home Runs at the end of May.
Both teams used 7 outfielders; Chad Curtis, Ricky Ledee, Paul O’Neil, Tim Raines, Shane Spencer, Darryl Strawberry, and Bernie Williams all saw time in outfield in 98. This year has seen Mike Tauchman, Brett Gardner, Cameron Maybin, Aaron Judge, Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade and Aaron Hicks.
DH Giancarlo Stanton=Chili Davis
Giancarlo Stanton was the other Mike Stanton before he changed his name.
Do you see a pattern here? This team in 2019 has a lot in common with the 1998 Yankees, arguably one of the greatest teams of all time. Let’s see if they can finish the job.
