By June, the Yankees likely will be desperate for a LH bat

Yesterday, Aaron Judge wasted a delirious human cry into the Canyon of Heroes, saying he would happily move to CF if the "Eco-Yankees" would break ranks with the MLB ownership cartel and sign Bryce Harper. 

Judge's words prompted the Yankee brain trust to spring into action. Quickly, the congenial Aaron Boone - aka "the expendable Aaron" - dismissed the notion, suggesting that "Judgy" - (yes, he really called him that) - had consumed too much Super Bowl dip. He assured the Yankiverse that no deal is coming: Just because we found horseshit under the Christmas tree, no pony is waiting for us in the back yard.

These days, the Yankee front office cannot stand to hear the words "Manny" or "Bryce," fearful of spurring the hopes of fans who swallowed their carefully parsed lies over the last two years. Since 2017, the ownership meticulously cultivated the notion that cutting payroll would lead to a big 2019 free agent spending splurge. Some fans still believe it. They think the Yankees will rise up to sign Harper. Yesterday, Boone did everything but turn a fire hose on those wisps of hope. 

Nevertheless, like a judge instructing the jury to ignore that recent outburst from the witness, what's done is done. Judge's words have laid bare a glaring  Yankee underbelly: They are almost an entirely RH lineup - a team with no lefty power - in Yankee Stadium, no less.

Oh, technically, we have two. One is the graying, 35-year-old war horse Brett Gardner, who hit .236 last year. The other is Greg Bird -  either injury prone or overrated, take your pick. It's easy to imagine both on the DL. If you think opposing managers won't stack their bullpen, you missed what happened last season in Tampa. The fact is, some teams will be more likely to exploit the porch in right field than we will. Folks, that's insane.

So, it's rather strange to hear Boone to desperate to strangle any hopes for Harper, who would instantly make the Yankees baseball's best team. You'd think he'd favor the idea. But that's what toadies do, isn't it? By mid-May, Boone will be lamenting the lefty weakness, and Cooperstown Cashman will be sleeping in junkyards, looking for somebody, anybody. Can the Giambino come out of retirement?  

Well, at least Judge won't have to change positions. He'll just never see a lefty pitcher. And never be protected. Make no mistake: That's going to hurt this lineup. And there's nothing they can put in the Super Bowl dip that will change it. Trouble.