Seems like we have the genuine possibility of some MAJOR stars on the rise in both Boston and the Bronx, which should make for a very exciting and intense run for a while. Look at the 27yo-and-under talent on each team:
Yankees
1b Greg Bird (24) - 11 hr in just 157 ab in 2015, before getting hurt...serious power potential
2b Starlin Castro (27) - .360/.402/.550/.952 so far, already a 3x all star
SS Ronald Torreyes (24) - .310/.310/.423/.732
OF Aaron Judge (25) - 12 hr, 1.219 ops so far, good fielder
C Gary Sanchez (24) - 20 hr, 1.032 ops last year in just 53 games
SS Didi Gregorius (27) - solid player, just back from injury
SP Luis Severino (23) - 3.86 era, 0.95 whip, 9.9 k/9 so far
(avg age of these 7 guys: 24.9)
- Plus the #2 ranked farm system in MLB
Red Sox
SS Xander Bogaerts (24) - .333/.386/.333/.769 so far, 21 homers, all star last year
OF Andrew Benintendi (22) - .330/.391/.464/.855 so far
OF Jackie Bradley (27) - 26 hr, 87 rbi, GG defense, all star last year
OF Mookie Betts (24) - 2nd in MVP last year, 31 hr, 113 rbi, 122 r last year
C Christian Vazquez (24) - outstanding defensive catcher
SP Eduardo Rodriguez (24) - 2.70 era, 12.0 k/9 so far
RP Matt Barnes (27) - 3.27 era, 9.0 k/9 so far
(avg age of these 7 guys: 24.6)
- Plus Swihart, Devers, Groome, Travis in the minors
The Yankees' farm system is better, and they have some prodigious power in Sanchez, Judge, and Bird. The Sox probably have better overall players in Bogaerts, Bradley, Betts, and Benintendi, but their farm system isn't loaded anymore.
There's just a LOT of incredibly talented, young baseball players in NY and Boston right now, and it's really fun. As much as I hate the Yankees, baseball is better when the Sox-Yanks rivalry is loaded.
A fun game would be to rank these players in order of either how good you think they are right now, or how good you think they WILL be (obviously those are different things).
Yankees
1b Greg Bird (24) - 11 hr in just 157 ab in 2015, before getting hurt...serious power potential
2b Starlin Castro (27) - .360/.402/.550/.952 so far, already a 3x all star
SS Ronald Torreyes (24) - .310/.310/.423/.732
OF Aaron Judge (25) - 12 hr, 1.219 ops so far, good fielder
C Gary Sanchez (24) - 20 hr, 1.032 ops last year in just 53 games
SS Didi Gregorius (27) - solid player, just back from injury
SP Luis Severino (23) - 3.86 era, 0.95 whip, 9.9 k/9 so far
(avg age of these 7 guys: 24.9)
- Plus the #2 ranked farm system in MLB
Red Sox
SS Xander Bogaerts (24) - .333/.386/.333/.769 so far, 21 homers, all star last year
OF Andrew Benintendi (22) - .330/.391/.464/.855 so far
OF Jackie Bradley (27) - 26 hr, 87 rbi, GG defense, all star last year
OF Mookie Betts (24) - 2nd in MVP last year, 31 hr, 113 rbi, 122 r last year
C Christian Vazquez (24) - outstanding defensive catcher
SP Eduardo Rodriguez (24) - 2.70 era, 12.0 k/9 so far
RP Matt Barnes (27) - 3.27 era, 9.0 k/9 so far
(avg age of these 7 guys: 24.6)
- Plus Swihart, Devers, Groome, Travis in the minors
The Yankees' farm system is better, and they have some prodigious power in Sanchez, Judge, and Bird. The Sox probably have better overall players in Bogaerts, Bradley, Betts, and Benintendi, but their farm system isn't loaded anymore.
There's just a LOT of incredibly talented, young baseball players in NY and Boston right now, and it's really fun. As much as I hate the Yankees, baseball is better when the Sox-Yanks rivalry is loaded.
A fun game would be to rank these players in order of either how good you think they are right now, or how good you think they WILL be (obviously those are different things).
