Monday, June 18, 2018

Yankees disappoint their fathers

Throughout the pageantry and institutional self-love of yesterday's Old-Timers game - producing an avalanche of bittersweet memories from the likes of Ron Bloomberg, Willie Randolph and Ramiro Mendoza - one absolute certainty rose above all others: 

Surely, the Yankees would win the real game.

There was no doubt. A done deal. Best team in baseball vs the 32-38 Tampa Rays. A four-game McBroom. Surrounded by so much Yankee tradition, they absolutely HAD to win that game.

Well, so much for that.

Today, we're once again tied with Boston - a dangerous dogfight, with the loser  facing a one-game post-season. On a stunningly clear afternoon, when players could glimpse themselves 30 years from now, still drawing cheers, they couldn't score two measly runs against an ingrown toenail of a pitching staff. 

I realize that nobody wins them all, that shit happens, and that going 7-3 in their last 10 games is nothing to whine about... that is, unless you are a Yankee fan.

Surely, Gary Sanchez soon will emerge from his slump, see his shadow and have six more weeks as starting catcher. 

Surely, Giancarlo Stanton will heat up, carry the team and produce in meaningful situations.

Surely, Greg Bird will start hitting, or hurt his foot again and disappear.

That the Yankees are winning despite those three testifies to the power of their lineup and an unexpectedly quality starting rotation If Domingo German and Jonathan Loiasiga can continue - big questions there - the Yankees should be in the driver's seat at the trade deadline. You can't ask for more.

And even if Brett Gardner's knee goes blooey - he says an MRI yesterday showed no structural problems (of course, the Yankees never tell the truth about injuries, so there's that) - the Yankees are jacked with young outfield talent. Even if Gardner goes on the DL, along with Clint Frazier, Billy McKinney and Tyler Wade, there remains the mysterious Jacoby Ellsbury... though something is increasingly fishy about his situation in Tampa. 

Still, how could they lose yesterday... on Old-Timers Day, on Fathers' Day, on any sunny day before such a home crowd? 

Now and then, everybody loses. That's baseball. But there remains a queasy uncertainty about this team. For all its power, for all its young talent, we still don't know whether this is a championship lineup, or just an early October check-out. Ask me which Yankee I want up with two-outs in the ninth and the tying run on third, and I'd probably say Gleyber Torres, who hasn't even yet been tested. That's a problem, folks. And if the Yankees don't see it, their fathers do.

13 comments:


  1. I'm not sure the pitching will NOT hold up. Yesterday was CC's best game in a long time. Sevvy is adjusted "rocky" if he gives up 2 runs. Sonny may or may not have figured it out (we'll see tonight).

    Lasagna and German are question marks, of course. But behind them are Hale and Cole, Cessa (started a rehab), and those other guys (Chance, Justus, etc.).

    However:

    I am puzzled by the NYYs use of pitcher slots on the roster. AJ Cole threw in a game May 28, and since has only warmed up two times. Yesterday was June 17.

    That's 1 actual appearance in 20 days. For this, you use a roster spot?

    Incidentally, RAB posts (and updates!) bullpen appearances here: http://riveraveblues.com/resources/bullpen-workload/

    NOTE: I have absolutely nothing to do with RAB. But I do visit the Bullpen page frequently, for info I could not possibly keep in my head.

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  2. Others may be right - we should never mention the name “McBroom” again. Ever. It’s bad juju.

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  3. Too many pitchers on the roster, too few contact hitters.

    This is turning into the usual Yankee problem. We'll lead the league in runs but somehow struggle to score more than 1 or 2 when it matters.

    Here we go again.

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  4. Beat me to it, 13bit. That name (which I shall not type) is just too perfect not to be used by duque. One might say that our Leader is fixated.

    Listen, I got no problem with a guy being fixated. It's happened to me plenty. The sight of a squirrel at my bird feeder sends me running for my pellet gun. I just can't help myself. I feel bad tossing their limp little squirrel bodies into the neighbor's yard. I really do. Just can't help myself. (However, the neighbor's dog loves me.)

    Duque is relentless. This bad JuJu must run its course, I fear. Let us hope that it does not propel us into the one-game play in.

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  5. KD, I was trying to remember who said that the other day. It must have been you. I felt that putting in quotes would isolate the bad energy, but I agree, it should not even be typed. Far be it from me to question Duque's advanced Juju skillset (JUJU V. 3.0?), but I still don't like playing with fire.

    As for the squirrels, can you just grease the pole or put an upside down coffee can on it near the top?

    Or maybe you can incinerate them on little pyres as offerings to the gods. Then again, I'm happy for your neighbor's dog.

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  6. If you hadn't called for the jinx McBroom, Stanton would have delivered.

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  7. Can we figure out how to work some Frazier and Drurey into the mix here? They appear to be raking and have nothing to prove. The yankees are winning due to their great young players. These 2 would represent more of a good thing no? Give a little more rest to those who are banged up and/or slumping. All good things. Never watch another Neil Walker at bat. More wins, less losses. I could go on.

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  8. Cut Hicks, hand Drury a 1st baseman's glove.

    https://nypost.com/2018/06/17/why-yankees-think-greg-bird-is-about-to-explode/
    I laughed when I read that headline

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  9. And UP COMES FRAZIER!!!

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  10. Up for the DH. might be last chance to see him in pinstripes, sad to say.

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  11. On the Bird explode thing...do they mean literally?

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  12. Pack up that cloud of feathers and ship it to Chernobyl.

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