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Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Did the 2016 Yankees not even make it to June 1?

Well, this is no longer humorous. This is not a catchphrase sitcom. Nor is the cavalry coming to rescue us. We've hit the iceberg. We're beyond the point where certain vets were supposed to hit. By now, things should have happened. We remain several notches below that electrical billboard of mediocrity - the .500 record - and it looks like a mythic Trumpian wall, too high to scale.

On the positive side? Well, no asteroids are being predicted, and we soon play Colorado and Detroit. That's our grand hope: Play the 10 teams with worse records. Of course, they will rebuild plans and in two years eat our lunches, while we chase wild cards and retire more numbers. Groundhog Days leading into Groundhog Seasons.

Listen: I realize it would do no good to fire management in the middle of June. But the question looms: How do the architects of this franchise keep their jobs?

The Yankees had the second highest opening day payroll in baseball, below the Dodgers (and above the Redsocks.) We have the 10th worst record, thanks to catastrophes such as the Braves, Reds, Diamondbacks, Padres, Brewers, Rays, Twins, Athletics, Angels and Astros - all of which field younger teams and are looking to 2018 and beyond.

We are the sixth oldest team and second fattest team - behind Washington - if ranked by weight. (217 pounds per player.)

In Scranton, our best prospect - Aaron Judge - is rapidly approaching flop status. He fans three of every 10 ABs. His average is down to .234 - (it was over .300 not long ago). Unless he improves, he might be another complete wipe out - another Slade Heathcott/Cito Culver/Dante Bichette Jr./Andrew Brackman et al. Right now, with Gary Sanchez hurt, practically every position player in Scranton is a late-20s reclamation project, and the starter most likely to join the Yankees if/when Michael Pineda drops his final 2016 turd would be Phil Coke, age 33. Phil Coke, age 33. Phil Coke, age 33...

Seriously, this is not funny. How does one achieve such a mess?

6 comments:

JM said...

It's not easy to achieve such a mess. It takes the collective efforts of experienced, highly skilled veterans in both the front office and throughout the minor league system. These men deserve our respect. They are "Baseball People."

If you think running a major league franchise and its associated organization is so simple, go ahead. See if you can create a disaster as big as this team, I dare ya.

Anonymous said...

BRIAN CASHMAN HAS PRETTY MUCH CRASHED THIS FRANCHISE INTO THE GROUND.... MAKE NO MISTAKE, IT IS 90 - 95% HIS MESS......SINCE GEORGE PASSED, HIS DOPEY SIBLINGS HAVE GIVEN HIM THE KEYS TO THE FRANCHISE, AND LET HIM RUN ALL BASEBALL OPERATIONS.....THIS IS THE RESULT.

Anonymous said...

......AND I AM SLOWLY GETTING THAT SINKING FEELING ABOUT JUDGE.....I KEEP SEEING 0 FOR 3. ....0 FOR 4 EVERY NIGHT LATELY.....PLUS TOO MANY STRIKEOUTS..... I STILL SAY IF, (AND IT'S A BIG IF), HE GETS HOT AGAIN, BRING HIM UP TO THE BIG CLUB, AND LET HIM LEARN MAJOR LEAGUE PITCHING....(THE SOONER THE BETTER)....IT WILL PROBABLY GET REAL UGLY WITH HIM, BUT WE HAVE TO BE IN THIS LONG TERM WITH HIM.....WE DON'T HAVE MUCH ELSE.....SANCHEZ IS OUT, AND BIRD IS OUT.....JUDGE MUST BE FORCE FED....WHAT DO WE HAVE TO LOSE????....HE'S A RIGHTY HITTER AND WE CAN NOT HIT ANYWAY!!!........ ITS AMAZING HOW ALL OUR CHOICES AND MOVES THE LAST 3 - 4 YEARS (CASHMAN), HAVE ALL BEEN WRONG.....THAT, MIXED WITH ALL THE INJURIES, HAVE CRUSHED US.

Parson Tom said...

Seems to me that George Steinbrenner, when he wanted to justify one of his wacky roster decisions, would claim that he had the blessing of his Tampa-based committee of crack baseball advisers. Of course, the NY press would have a field day with this, mocking him and his crack (crack-smoking?) baseball advisers.

Well, judging from the mismanagement of the Yankees, the crack baseball committee is still hard at work. And perhaps they've passed the pipe to Cashman?

Anonymous said...

Please remember, Cashman was "trained" by George, who knew nothing about baseball. All George knew was how to throw away money on ball players, until he had a winning team. Hence, Cashman is a boy among men. Since the present situation is so dire, there would be nothing lost, if the Yankees got rid of him NOW, as it would prevent any further of his idiotic trades...
Concerning Judge, someone is screwing up his swing. PLEASE find a real batting coach
In addition, Cashman, Girardi et al are screwing with the minds of these minor league prospects. This must be corrected!!!.

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