Anthony Volpe, as both a Yankee and a longtime Yankees fan, understands the expectations
Yankees infielder Anthony Volpe throws during a workout Sunday at Yankee Stadium ahead of his start in Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday. Credit: Howard Simmons
Anthony Volpe has seen only one Yankees World Series victory in his lifetime, but even as a kid, he recognized the weight of expectation. The pinstripes were synonymous with victory, and anything short of a championship was considered failure.
That feeling didn’t go away, even as Volpe traded in his seat in the bleachers for one in the dugout. And as he got ready to play in his first ALCS, it was clear he felt a responsibility to a fandom that shaped his own love affair with baseball.
“I grew up a fan, and what makes the Yankees the Yankees is winning and winning a World Series,” he said before Sunday’s workout ahead of Monday night’s Game 1 against the Guardians. “For me, that was always the standard, at least from the outside. Getting drafted as an 18-year-old and coming up through the system, learning from the inside how they treat the players, [it showed me the organization is] first-class for a reason, and the reason [is] to win.”
There’s no hyperbole there. But if anything, there’s even an extra onus this season — one that came to the fore the minute the Yankees traded a package of players for one guaranteed year of Juan Soto.
The Guardians, while formidable, have some glaring holes, specifically in their starting pitching. And though it shouldn’t matter what the other New York team is doing, the fact that the Mets are still in it — and have more than a fair shot against the pitching-depleted Dodgers — puts more pressure on the Yankees to advance and win it all.
And that’s just fine with Volpe, who, despite his youth, has been battle-hardened by years of cheering for this team.
“There was some times where we were basically sitting with our backs against the upper deck top row, and it felt like the stadium was going to come down shaking,” he said. “On the field, I think we want to thrive off that and use it to our advantage. It’s the most fun place to play.”
There also are signs that Volpe may be primed to produce a little bit more than he did in the ALDS, at least statistically. He was 3-for-12 with four walks, an RBI and a steal but consistently made hard contact the other way, even if he didn’t have much to show for it. There’s no thought, Aaron Boone said, of encouraging him to pull the ball more in hopes of getting better results.
“I thought in these games and the week of preparation leading up, he’s looked as good as he has offensively at any time all year,” Boone said. “So I’ll sign up for what he’s got going on right now.”
Added Volpe: “I want to hit the ball hard. I want to barrel the ball up. So, when that’s happening, I feel like I’m in a good spot . . . You obviously want them to fall, especially this time of year, but I feel like if I stick with my process, stick with my plan, especially against those pitchers and the pitchers this time of year, I feel like with the larger sample size, it will all work out.”
Boone and Volpe believe that, as a whole, the Yankees’ best baseball is ahead of them. Aaron Judge has yet to get hot, they haven’t even pitched Luis Gil yet this postseason, and Clay Holmes has returned to form. The Yankees’ .355 on-base percentage is the highest of any team this postseason and their 2.50 ERA is the best of any of the remaining teams.
“I think we’re in a really good spot, but I think at the same time, I don’t think we have played our best baseball yet . . . I think we’re hitting our stride at the right time,” Volpe said. “I think we played really, really well in Kansas City and they’re a really tough team. But I think just the little things, having really good at-bats, having team at-bats and trusting each other, and I think if we just keep playing that way . . . we’ll be good.”
It makes sense that Volpe is pleased but not fully satisfied. That’s the Yankees fan in him. And the Yankee.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
