You could say the same about Mr. Giancarlo Stanton, the pride of the Death Star. Sure, the guy can be expected to put up seasonal numbers, and it's certainly too soon to give up on him, but in the three games he gifted us this season, before harming himself on a swing, Stanton fanned five times and left on base the entire cast of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. In 2019, he has yet to drive in a run.
Speaking of afterthoughts... Aaron Hicks! The 2018 season already seems like a dream. Was it real or Memorex? That's more than can be asked about Jacoby Ellsbury, whose era with the Yankees seems to go back to cassette tapes and Compuserve. Does anyone expect him to ever again don a Yankee jersey? Why? The jury remains out on whether Luis Severino will pitch again this year. Miguel Andujar? We never learned if he solved his 3B fielding woes. Dellin Betawhatizname? Hmm... I just can't place the face.
One month into 2019, and it's normal to see Luke Voit bat second, and Clint Frazier hitting cleaning up (though don't be surprised if he disappears today due to a sprained ankle last night.) We've already seen a sign of the apocalypse that nobody anticipated: Brett Gardner batting third. The Yankees are the tip of the iceberg that is Scranton-Wilkes Barre. But when they win, as they did early this morning in 14 innings, we experience the joy of stealing something valuable... like an ice cream sandwich - the joy of the cat finally getting the canary.
Yes, the Yankees were merely playing the Angels, a certifiable can of tomatoes. But Boston just swept three from Tampa in Cigar City, and suddenly, the long-anticipated two-team race looms. If we must go to Boston with Mike Tauchman in CF and Gio Urshela at 3B, so be it. Until we see otherwise, both of them beat the free-swishing Bird and Stanton.
Old Man Rumsfeld once said, "You go to war with the army you have." We will enter May with Mike Ford as DH, and Tyler Wade at 2B. Both may receive opportunities they will never see again as Yankees, and I for one will root harder for them than perhaps the big names who will eventually replace them.
Here's to the Yankees getting healthy... but here's to the army we have: We might not see such spirit again this season.
I would rather see this team for the rest of the season than have all the stars return. Especially Stanton.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about this yesterday and today read it in the Daily News but is it possible that there is a new "steroid" type drug that players are taking? The old ones gave you a big head and and acne scarred back. Could there be one that weakens lats and makes them susceptible to tears? The Yankees are not alone in having players injure in this way.
ReplyDeleteUrsala (Where's Bella? And major points to anyone who gets that reference.) is reminding us what a great fielding 3B looks like. It's been a while. No disrespect to AnDUjar.
Also, the ump was squeezing Chapman in the 9th. He threw three beautiful pitches to get the third out. 98 on each of the corners and they were all balls. That's why he was pissed.
Doug K.
They were flashing some SERIOUS leather last night, which was indeed great to see.
ReplyDeleteAnd amen, JM! The thought of that guy taking his endless A-Rod Gulps and producing nothing...I'm glad we're at least free of it for a month or more.
I say I don't want to see the stars come back, but I mean Stanton and Sanchez. There's some kind of bad karma there.
ReplyDeleteDon't give the Yanks any ideas. They'll quickly have a Pirates type payroll with all no-name players if they think it could produce a consistently winning team like they have now.
ReplyDeleteActually I would prefer this if they were more "Rays" about it and have a well rounded productive team than roster's worth of injured HR-or-nothing hitters. That reminds me, the Yanks obviously won't beat the most HRs in a year total that many figured they would. LOL
Well, that's the thing, Vampi.
ReplyDeleteSpend your way to a pennant? Fine by me. Fire Coops and his minions and brains your way to a pennant? Also fine by me. Do BOTH? Even better.
Do neither, quite...not so good.
Like the song goes: Don't mess with Mr. In Between.
The Yankees' record is two games worse than expected given the team's run differential. The Mets' record, by contrast, it two games better than expected. Will be interesting to see how this plays out over the course of the season (last year they were one game better than expected).
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