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New York Yankees
Overall: 100
Title track: T19
Ownership: 58
Coaching: 76
Players: 83
Fan relations: 76
Affordability: 119
Stadium experience: 82
Bang for the buck: 119
Change from last year: -10
The Yankees think of themselves as the greatest franchise in all sports, so their barely making the top 100 goes against corporate culture. (Of course, they've also played a grand total of one playoff game since 2012, so this ranking could be even worse.) This offseason, New York finds itself in a transition period, with Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira joining the likes of Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera on the sideline and making way for the next generation of Yankees, led by catcher Gary Sanchez.
What's good
Sure, the Yankees have just one playoff appearance since 2012, but they still have 52 in their history. It will take a lot more than four bad years to drop the Yankees too far in title track, in which they are currently tied for 19th. Postseason appearance No. 53 might come sooner than expected too. By trading veterans Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman, Carlos Beltran and Ivan Nova at the July deadline, GM Brian Cashman managed to transform his team's farm system into one of baseball's best. The newly loaded system, combined with the team's always loaded wallet, should allow the Yankees to be buyers with both trades and free agents. If all goes right, New York's Baby Bombers will combine with a few free-agent mercenaries to form another dynasty.
What's bad
The Yankees aren't winning championships anymore, but they are charging championship prices. The team's bang for its buck is 119th, which makes it harder for some fans to justify making the trek to the seven-year-old new Yankee Stadium ( take heart, Yanks fans: The Red Sox are 122nd in that category). At $51.55 per seat, Yanks' tickets are the second-most expensive in baseball and $20 more than league average. That, plus another playoff-less season, helps explain why the Yanks' 2016 attendance was their worst in 16 years.
What's new
Over the past three seasons, the Yankees have lost established stars Jeter, A-Rod and Rivera to retirement. Although Sanchez, Aaron Judge and the Yanks' other youngsters have plenty of promise, it will take time before they fill those very large shoes, and in the meantime, New York fell 16 spots in players. Joe Girardi is also perhaps wearing thin on fans' patience, as he dropped 29 spots in coaching this year after missing out on the playoffs for a third time in four years. Just remember, New Yorkers: He has also gotten you a World Series, two ALCS appearances and another division series in his tenure. Most teams would manage to forgive a temporary lapse.
Next: Atlanta Braves | Full rankings
