1. The Yankees easily won our 2018 Tabloid Covers Race (see left), but they finished 40 fewer covers than in 2017. That's a significant drop, especially when you consider that the Mets and Giants showed growth, even while sucking. NYC is growing tired of the Yankees' failure to win anything meaningful. If Hal Steinbrenner thinks his team will always rule Gotham, he is wrong.
2. The Sonny Gray trade looks increasingly like a dead canary in a coal mine. 1. The Yankees wasted three top prospects to obtain Sonny. 2. He failed miserably in his NY trial. 3. He's not going to bring much in a trade. 4. He'll probably pitch well for his next club. It's a grand slam of failure.
3. Considering "Cooperstown" Cashman's woeful track record in trading for power arms, it's strange to see so many Gammonites and fans assuming that James Paxton will be an ace. The guy has major injury issues. If he goes south, we're back to a three-man rotation - (I'm sorry, folks, but writing in CC makes no sense) - without Justus Sheffield on the horizon. No matter what Manny decides, the Yankees need one more starter.
4. Against the advice of my cardiologist, I watched the Giants' yesterday. They are certifiably worse than the wretched teams of the 1970s with Rocky Thompson and Bobby Duhon. And next year, nothing will change. The statue of Eli Manning will return as QB. He can't avoid pass rushers, so the OL gets blamed for everything. Odell Beckham Jr.'s career will be squandered, with Saquan Barkley waiting for his turn. The defense - once a proud Giants tradition - will remain horrible. How can New York City so consistently produce hapless professional sports teams? Is it something in the water?
5. I still can't decide if I want Machado as a Yankee. But I do know this: If the Yankees sign Machado and then wave the white flag - that is, they claim to have no more money to spend (a complete lie) - we are screwed. Next year will look a lot like 2018.
6. Call me a fool, but dammit, I still believe in Greg Bird and Clint Frazier. Certainly, the Yankees gave Bird numerous chances, and he failed. But we desperately need a LH bat in that lineup. As for Frazier, he's been dealt bad cards. I hope he gets the chance that Sheffield never received.
7. I cannot shed a sense that 2019 will be a crazy year in America and the world. So many tectonic plates are crashing together - (political, economic and even actual tectonic plates!) - that we will need the Yankees more than ever to celebrate or ridicule. America's tribal culture will seek to divide us. Let's not let that happen.
Duque....I agree with you on Greg Bird. He hasn't been right physically since he fouled off a pitch on his ankle in the last spring training game 2 years ago. Last year, you could see he was uncomfortable at the plate. He couldn't seem to find his foot balance or proper weight distribution between the two feet. Therefore, the timing was off a lot and his frustration was palpable and Bird's impatience with these problems exacerbated the situation even further. The year before he fouled off the ball on his ankle he was out because of the shoulder separation. I know, I've read the analysis of his inability to catch up to fastballs which have extra velocity behind them. Again, his physical ailments probably contributed to this deficiency.
ReplyDeleteThat said, he should (or better be) in top physical condition as he has had ample time to heal and train hard.This will probably be his last chance to justify management's trust and belief that he is the player they think he can be.
Frazier, on the other hand,even before his concussions, never really showed any power or average consistency.Granted, he didn't have a lot of opportunity but he is in a position where he might never find that opportunity with the Yankees. If he is over his symptoms (and he says he is) then I'd like to see him start in left over Gardner.
WHAT A DISASTER THE INITIAL SONNY GRAY DEAL HAS BEEN.
ReplyDeleteNOW IT'S ANOTHER DISASTER TO GET RID OF HIM.
DOUBLE CLUNKER.
NICE WORK COOP.
AS FOR BIRD, I JUST CAN'T SEE HIM TURNING IT AROUND AND STAYING COMPLETELY HEALTHY AT THE SAME TIME.... ANOTHER NEGATIVE IS, WHENEVER HE GETS ON BASE (WHICH HASN'T BEEN OFTEN), HE CLOGS UP THE BASES BECAUSE HE IS SO DAMN SLOW.
AS FOR CLINT....
I KNOW EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT, BUT HOW DO THESE FOOTBALL PLAYERS GET CONCUSSIONS AND PLAY A WEEK LATER AFTER BEING "CLEARED" FROM CONCUSSION PROTOCOL?
WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH CLINT?
I DO LOVE CLINT'S TALENT, HUSTLE, AND FIRE, AND IF HEALTHY, I AGREE WITH CARL WEITZ, AND WANT TO SEE HIM TAKE OVER LEFT FIELD FROM GARDY.
MR. DUQUE IS RIGHT AGAIN ABOUT US NEEDING ANOTHER STARTER.
SIGNING CC ALREADY LOOKS LIKE A DISASTER, AND A WASTE OF MONEY.
MAYBE COOP IS A SECRET OPERATIVE FOR THE RED SOX..?
First of all, I want to wish every one here a Happy New Year. 2018 was a tough year for me and having a place like this to go and spend time with all of you has really meant a lot.
ReplyDeleteSo, thank you Duque for giving us this forum and thank you everyone else for filling it with interesting, funny, and sadly accurate commentary about the Yankees and everything else. Again, Happy New Year.
I have a resolution for 2019. I'm going to try to make fewer grammatical errors. I always see them after I hit "publish". What makes it worse is, I have an English degree and was an editor for years. (Albeit a long time ago.) You'd think I could proof my own stuff. I'm sticking with the parenthetical asides though. I like the cadence.
Now to the matters at hand...
2) Sonny Gray - Hey, it was a good trade in theory. Worth a shot. The guy crapped out. It happens. The guys we gave up haven't done anything and we don't know who we end up getting. It's like the Paxton trade. It ended up being Andrew Miller for Paxton and Red Thunder. The jury is still out.
3) Yes we do.
4) I was really happy with yesterday's Giant game. Barkley went over 2K and set some other records. It was entertaining and most importantly, the Giants lost. When they took the lead late I thought, "I can't believe these idiots are going to win. Now they will draft 10th."
Fortunately, their defense truly sucks. I know it was the Cowboys, a team I despise as much as the Red Sox. Actually, on some levels even more,(America's team my ass.)but I take the long view. Giants draft 6th. Fix the D.
5) Machado: Sign him. He's really good. Then sign Harper, Britton, and that reliever who I've never heard of whose name begins with an O and call it a day. (Oh, wait, we need another starter.)
6) I don't believe in Greg Bird. When I was growing up there was a kid named Neal who was a rock magnet. It didn't matter what you were aiming at or where you threw the rock, it always hit Neal. Greg Bird is Neal. I hope Frazier has a long and great career either with us or somewhere else.
7) Amen.
Doug K.
Duque, I think you're quite right about Paxton; he is the sleeping dog in 2019, the arm injury just waiting to happen. Who knows if Sheffield will make it, but he was much less of a risk than this guy.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right about Sonny Gray, a complete disaster. Now that they can't get rid of him, I really think their only possible solution is something I originally suggested in jest: pitch him on the road, and CC at home.
ALL-CAPS, I know how we both counted on Bird to be the key to the middle of the lineup. Don't know if it'll ever happen. I love Doug K.'s "Neal" story.
And Doug, sorry it's been a hard year. That seems to be the story for a lot of us. It is, I think, a hard time, and I can only hope that Duque's sense of impending doom won't prove right.
Me, I've had my ups and downs, but I've really been pretty lucky this year. Let's hope for all good things in 2019.
duque, I agree heartily with most of your sentiments expressed in this post - - especially #s 1, 3 & 7. in #2, however, I believe you are giving a bit too much credit to Mr. Power-Arm Diviner aka, Coops, Brian, and Cash-Puss: I feared that this would be the result, and had wished the trade might fall through. In re: , I can share your hope, re: Birdie, but sadly, not your faith; I am fearful he has had his best chances in previous years - - and, as Alphonso has said, I also feel it is largely his fault for not telling the Yanks there was a physical problem with his foot. Regarding #7, I would bet the farm you are correct on that. Let's just hope the good outweights the negative.
ReplyDeleteDoug K.,
Very sorry you have had such a traumatic year; perhaps it's something the juju gods have against English majors (I, too, have been an editor, on and off, for many years, and have a couple of degrees in English - - from Iowa, when Vonnegut & Engel were there, among other luminaries. I didn't have the pleasure of studying directly with either, though)...or, perhaps it's just the inevitability of age taking its toll. I want you to know, though, that you are not alone: from my reading of this blog - - religiously - - I know I can assure you that just about all of us hold you in regard and consider you a friend. I know you have my support...and by all means, stick with the parentheticals. Cadence and tempo are important aspects of writing, as you are obviously aware - - as are our fearless leaders, for which I, too am grateful for their titanic efforts.
Happy New Year to all - - except Yankee management & ownership, and screw them! LB (No J)
P.S. Screw Yankee management & ownership, I mean...there will be a special place in the netherworld for these bozos for the lack of coherence in their movements (and NON-movement, as well) in the post-season, to date.
ReplyDeleteI, too, saw the last few minutes of that Giants/Cowpunks game, after the conclusion of the Disaster at Lambeau. Stunned by the horrid play of my Pack without their QB, and my favorite FB player, the genuine A-Rod, I was too dazed to move, so I watched that fiasco unfold. On the last series of downs, in which in four tries, Eli failed to gain a yard, he looked pathetic. Cowpunks and the Pats are the only two other teams in sports for which my level of disdain approaches that I reserve for the Red Sux. I can't agree that I am happy they couldn't beat said Cow-Punx...As you said, "America's Team", my ass!
I fear that we may get loaded down with Manny - - and I can't see him straightening out and playing flat-out baseball. I forsee multiple possible behavior problems, good player, or no. I would simply rather NOT have him become a Yankee - - even in name. Further, that would also almost certainly give Halligator Arms (aka, Food Stamps) an excuse to stop spending, leaving us short on the position which duque recently forbade us to mention - - both in starting, and in the pen - - perhaps, especially in the pen.
My collection of Yankee hats of all types & styles sits idle, and I vow it will stay that way, save the 2009 World Series hat, which I vow to keep wearing, no matter how grubby & disreputable it becomes, until we win another World Series. Sad to waste all those nice size 7 3/4 hats, but my vow will stick - - I swear (frequently).
Once again, HNY to one & all (with the above exceptions, plus, perhaps, Puckered), and I am honored to post what appears to be the first of 2019. LB (No J)
LB (NoJ) and Hoss,
ReplyDeleteThank you. Seriously. Thank you. I consider you friends as well.
Most of what destroyed the year for me was the passing of my father. A great Yankee fan and an even greater human being. Everything else was pretty much what passes for the normal vagaries of life. Nothing that can't be fixed. Except my pop.
LB (No J),
I understand about the hats. This year I had to retire both my Bernie Williams 1996 Yankee T-Shirt AND my Tino Martinez one as well. They made the final transition from Holy to just filled with holes and had to go. My Matsui T-shirt is still going strong however probably because I only wear it while viewing porn. :)
Elsewhere, Manny Machado was following YES on twitter for two hours and this counts as "big" news. How many days to pitchers and catchers?
Doug K.
I guess I should have written "last year" not "this year". Then again, I'm still writing "5778" on my checks.
ReplyDeleteDoug K.
Pretty funny, Doug K. And I hear you. My father and I weren't so close, but it was still a blow when he died two years ago, and then when my favorite uncle went the same year. I think it is never easy.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, keep the parentheses! In case you haven't noticed, my e-mails are choc-a-bloc with them, as well as m-dashes, semicolons, and the like. All improperly used, I'm sure. But cadence is everything!
LB(no J), we not only share the same hat size but favorite football player. Great minds—or at least, fat heads—think alike.
As a longtime Packers fan, it's especially galling that the Pack has now had one of the very quarterbacks in football for some 25 years now, and almost never contend for the Super Bowl. How bad can their front office be???
Sunday's performance was particularly disgraceful. Rodgers had just played through an injury to get a comeback win over the Jets, and gave a little pep talk afterwards about never letting his team down. So their response is to let him get hurt again, then chew their fingernails for the rest of the afternoon. Can you imagine how it must feel having spent money and time on that game?
At least it reveals that their fill-in should no more come back than their fired head coach should. Time to start over—though the seasons are running out for the real A-Rod.
As for my Yankees hats, I used to wear the championship ones, too, and the great "Team of the Century" cap. Now, I don't even wear Yankees caps, just my Brooklyn Cyclones or Yomiuri Giants ones. i I refuse to give Hal any free advertising until he spends.
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