Here's a clue. Disregard the won-loss record of 17-6 (which is 17-7 after last night.) That's fake news. Check the column that says "Earned Runs." Can you say, "Holy Shit?" Because that's what I say.
In All-Star Sevy's best outings - against Triple A Toronto and Baltimore - he didn't last beyond six innings and still gave up several runs.
This chart doesn't show last night.
About last night...
This was going to be the game that killed Oakland's shot at the Wild Card home field advantage. A Yankee win would seal the deal. We had our "ace" on the mound, while Oakland sent out a ho-hum journeyman. So, what happens? Sevy added fuel to his emerging late summer legend - the great collapse of 2018.
2.2 innings, six hits, five earned runs. Game over in the first.
He was helped, of course, by Gary Sanchez, who is carving out a personal reputation as a disaster behind the plate. Home Run Derby Gary let four balls get by him in the first inning - two were ruled wild pitches, though all four were basic passed balls - leading to four Oakland runs, which was all the A's would need.
The most enduring image of 2018 thus far remains Home Run Derby Gary in his HR trot chasing a passed ball, while an opposing runner scores from second. It pops into my head whenever Sanchez saunters to the plate. He's been a millionaire since age 16, and it shows. The Yankees spent last spring touting his new, rock-ribbed physique and deep commitment to the game. He was going to make himself the best catcher in baseball. This was going to be his year.
What a crock of bullshit, but the worst part is that we ate it with a fork and spoon. We wanted so badly to believe it - just as we wanted to think that when Home Run Derby returned this week from the disabled list, he would jump start the offense. His home run last night - first sign of offense since he returned - made it an 8-2 game in the seventh. Earlier, when it might have mattered, he hit into a double-play.
The weirdest part about Sanchez is the frightening truth to John Sterling's home run holler. He yells, "GARY IS SCARY," and, damn, he nails a lot more honesty than homer announcers are supposed to offer.
I don't know what to do about Severino and Sanchez, but here's a suggestion:
Next time around, skip Sevy in the rotation. Give him a week off. When his turn comes, try the Tampa method, with a reliever pitching the inning, and then try a journeyman. Why not? It can't hurt.
And from now on, let Sevy pitch to Austin Romine, instead of Home Run Derby Gary. Give him a major league catcher, and see what happens. Seriously, can it get worse? (Why am I asking this? Of course it can!)
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Well, you know, the Yankees really need to get him right before the postseason.
Him meaning half this team.
The impossibility of which was described in Hoss's previous post.
regarding Sevey: never forget the 1997 Wild Card game against the Twins. Never.
So endeth this quite sad JuJu.
And the “rebuilding” campaign is now smoking rubble, as well.
Well, we've got Tanaka in the wild card game. Then, if we somehow win that, Happ to go in Game 1 in Boston. After that . . . ????
Sorry, I ain't buyin' the rush to bury Gary this time around.
You know me. I wanted him sentenced to death by Cincinnati. The guy has who-knows-what major problems.
But Duque, come on. Those should ALL have been passed balls? Whenever you're bouncing that many balls in front of the plate, or throwing them that high and wild, it's not SOLELY the catcher's fault.
The night before, Houdini's pitches were dipping and breaking like a Wiffle ball in a hurricane, and Sanchez was all over them. It's not just him. And whenever Severino DID get a ball over the plate, it was rocketed somewhere by the A's less than stunning lineup.
Here is the ugly breakdown on Sevvy, courtesy of the NY Post:
Sevvy in his first 18 starts (many of them with Sanchez): 16-2 1.98 ERA
Sevvy in his last 11 starts (almost all of them WITHOUT Sanchez): 4-5 6.83 ERA
Something is wrong with our No. 1 starter. Something major.
And it's not just something requiring a small adjustment, just like Didi had not missed, what, 3 weeks now with a heel "bruise" and just as Aaron Judge was not going to bounce back from a chipped wrist bone in no time, and just as it was only a matter of Greg Bird getting his timing back.
This team has bought a permanent vacation home on the Nile, if you know what I mean.
As one more sign of the mental Sahara that exists in the brains of Yankees management (don't know what's up with all the Northern Africa references, must have watched some documentary on Rommel recently), here is Severino's quote about the game, referring to pitching to Sanchez and Romine:
"We use different signs."
Oh, well of course! That explains EVERYTHING!
So, as that game immediately disintegrated, neither he nor Sanchez, allegedly major-league ballplayers, had the wherewithal to start using the same signs?
Infinitely worse, neither Ma Boone nor any of the other weighty baseball intellects on the Yankees' bench had it in them to make sure, before the game or during that first inning, to make sure they were using the same page?
Oh, and hey, what is the sign, from Sanchez or Romine, that is for a big, flat, Sonny Gray-style meatball, right down the pike?
Just wondering.
Use different signs? Really?! to prevent sign theft, aren't pitchers and catchers supposed to mix their signs during a game? To be on the same page as your catcher regarding signs ought to be second nature to an MLB pitcher and catcher.
or is this another outmoded skill set now discarded by proponents of The New Baseball?
It's starting to get silly now. Hal, where the fuck are you? Don't you own this team?
no leadership. we have a Yankees team run by a committee.
did you guys (and one lone gal) notice that over at RAB they have disabled comments? I would sometimes lurk over there during games, reading the game threads. sometimes funny and insightful but also a lot of asshats. hope the asshats stay away but a few of the regulars could very well fit in here.
anyhow, I am looking forward to see what happens with duque's comments section.
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