Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Can Corey Kluber's core keep kloobing? And can Higgy have a heavier holler?

Last night brought something totally unexpected: 

The Yank bullpen didn't get roused before the old Daily News 5th.

Imagine that? A starter, not named Gerrit, lasting into the 7th. The stuff of wizards and wild cards, of peyote dreams and Lotto commercials. Could Andrew Yang be mayor? Could Caitlin Jenner run California? Can the Death Barge find a No. 2?

Alas, it came against Baltimore - home to the musical team of Mountcastle and Mancini. Let's not count the teeth on this stallion. Still, for the first time in 2021, Corey Kluber transmitted a thin beam of hope through the Stygian black pandemic skies. The Yankees' most expensive free agent from last winter lasted into the seventh, the 7th!, where Jonathan Loasiga could take over.

Dare we believe the rotation has a No. 2?

Here are Kluber's 2021 game logs, last night at the top.


As you see, it hasn't been pretty. Still, last night was by far his best of 2021. The  Yanks took an early lead, steadily widened it, and  Kluber squashed the O's like a carny fat lady sitting on a heckler.

Tonight, it's Domingo German, whose last outing went six innings and gave up 2 earned runs. Thursday, it's "The River" Jordan Montgomery, who - well - has been Kluber in reverse. He started April like Whitey Ford. He's finishing like Whitey Bulger.

June and July are light years away. We could all be dead. But after basically missing two years, it's fair to think Kluber would need a month to regain command. He's like a stroke patient, relearning how to talk. He may never dominate, as he once did for Cleveland. But if he becomes a No. 2, that is a tumbler clicking into place. We'll still be three cards shy of a full house, but we won't go four days a week cringing at the cosmos. 

Secondary note: Kyle Higashioka is soooooo the starting Yankee catcher that it's no longer funny or pleasurable to badmouth on Gary Sanchez. I am hereby calling for an IT IS HIGH moratorium on ripping Gary unnecessarily  - (note the qualifier.) 

Traditionally, the Yankees go through a phased mating dance with diminishing sluggers, before they finally invoke the Scranton option. If the slugger accidentally leans into one - blasts it 500 feet - raising his average to .120, the YES announcers zestfully rejoice, proclaiming that this was just the hit he needed to snap out of the funk. Thus, he gets to go another 0-30. 

Gary Sanchez is deep into that sad cycle, so well into the drain that it will even be hard for Aaron Boone to claim rebirth and resurrection. He is now the backup catcher, and a hitter who needs to seriously rethink his game before it's too late. It's no longer worth treating him like the IT IS HIGH pinata. Frankly, we should worry. 

Meanwhile, John Sterling needs to upgrade the Higgy call, which is "Higashioka... the home run stroke-ah!" Many Yankees have a prefix and suffix HR holler - (Example: It's a Tex message... Oh, you're on the Mark, Texieira!") Did I  miss something? Has The Master created a suffix for Kyle? If not, I would like to submit one.

Higgy... comes up biggy!

That's all I got.

22 comments:

  1. Kluber is the new Iron Joe McGinnity. They should extend him now! the guy threw 6 innings.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think I remember something to the effect of "Gettin' Higgy with It" from two/three years back, which was a surprising nod to hip hop culture from The Master,,, or was that just a dream??? LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed, The Master used it last night! "I'm getting Higgy with it!"

      Delete
  3. Higgy, he sure crushed that piggy!

    I still need to finish my first coffee.

    ReplyDelete

  4. A sad tale. I have been Sanchez's biggrest (maybe only) supporter here, but this ending to the beginning (or is it the beginning of the ending?) of a potentially great career may be over.

    Unless something really unusual happens, I can see him being shipped out by the trade deadline for a few warm bodies, maybe someone else's disappointment.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The master really needs to rethink his Stanton call. Last night, he stumbled all over the Eye-talian phrasing. Not a good look! Maybe "Stanton leaves 'em starin'" (I got nothin')

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kluber got into the 7th, but he probably should've been removed in the 6th. You could see he was starting to get hit hard. Boone got lucky that Kluber didn't blow it. I guess Boone was fixated on getting Kluber to 100 pitches. The managing is so robotic and unresponsive to reality that I can't believe that this is really happening. To the list of all the stupid things that are wrong with the Yankees, you can add "worst managed team".

    The Hammer of God

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dick, he couldn't adjust. And mostly, couldn't catch. That's a pretty deadly combination.

    As for Higgy..."Kyle hits one a mile" is my contribution. The Master is free to use it as he sees fit. He really did botch the Stanton call. Less of a tongue twister, maybe in, say, English, might be a good idea. I'm not a big fan of the "Judgian" and "Stantonian" blasts, either.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Should we really blame Sanchez for our being butt-hurt because our expectations for him were higher than he was capable of?


    I, of course, say, "Yes!"

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ky! Kare wa tomera RENAI!!! [Approximate Japanese equivalent of Giancarlo! Non sepo STOPARLO!]

    ReplyDelete

  10. "Kyle hits one a mile"" - good one. He should use it.


    Doug K.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Duque, apologies in advance but your comment moratorium on Gary Sanchez left me more flat footed than Stanton rounding third.

    What am I supposed to do with these?


    What’s the safest place at Gary Sanchez’s birthday party?
    Inside the piñata.

    Knock Knock
    Who’s There?
    Gary Sanchez
    Gary Sanchez who?
    Exactly!

    And last…

    The night before the 2020 ALCS Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres, and Luke Voit walk into a bar. The bartender asks them, “What’ll you have?” Gleyber says, “Give me two shots of Cuervo Gold” and Luke Voit says, “An ice cold beer” and Gary Sanchez says, “Surprise me.” and the bartender says, “OK. You’re benched.”

    I'm good now. I promise.

    Doug K.




    ReplyDelete
  12. Love it, Duque—and all of you crazy munchkins!

    ReplyDelete

  13. Top Reasons to Love This Blog:

    1) The addition of the Astros/Jose Altuve Countdown Clock

    2) Duque's post of today (e.g., "Let's not count the teeth on this stallion.")

    3) The concept that we actually need an IIH moratorium on ripping Gary.

    4) The comments above, particularly Doug K's jokes.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Just saw that Chris Gittens had three HR's on Sunday.

    also Judge is banged up again. So it's, hit a HR (by using his HR swing) hurt self. don't play for three days?

    Doug K.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Uh, Doug...

    Where did he hit these three homers?

    Strat-O-matic?

    The local arcade?

    In a Scranton nightclub?

    Never mind Gittens - our lord and savior Luke (The Gospel) Voit is on the horizon.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Glad we got rid of our best back-up outfielder. Who could have foreseen Aaron Judge getting hurt?

    ReplyDelete
  17. DickAllen,

    That's a good point. Now I have to go find where I read it.

    Doug K.

    ReplyDelete

  18. OK it was

    https://www.nj.com/yankees/2021/04/yankees-prospect-chris-gittens-impressing-at-alternate-site-pretty-freaking-special.html

    Apparently I missed the quotes around the word "game"

    From NJ.com : Gittens posted a 1.248 OPS in spring training and has continued to club the ball in April, mashing three home runs in Sunday’s “game.”

    Mea culpa maxima.

    Doug K.

    ReplyDelete

  19. I really want the world to know about this great man who brought back happiness into my life again after my husband left me and the kids 3 years ago for another women online when i contacted Dr Believe he cast a love spell for me within 48 hours my ex husband start calling me and begging for forgiveness for everything that have happened between us. I was so happy to have my family back together with love again here is the email of Dr Believe via believelovespelltemple@gmail.com a man with the great powers you can also call him or add him on Whats-app: +2348156148821
    God bless you
    I am very grateful for your help in my marriage.

    ReplyDelete

  20. LOTTO, lottery,jackpot.
    Hello all my viewers, I am very happy for sharing this great testimonies,The best thing that has ever happened in my life is how I win the lottery euro million mega jackpot. I am a Woman who believe that one day I will win the lottery. finally my dreams came through when I email believelovespelltemple@gmail.com and tell him I need the lottery numbers. I have spend so much money on ticket just to make sure I win. But I never know that winning was so easy until the day I meant the spell caster online which so many people has talked about that he is very great in casting lottery spell, . so I decide to give it a try.I contacted this great Dr Believe and he did a spell and he gave me the winning lottery numbers. But believe me when the draws were out I was among winners. I win 30,000 million Dollar. Dr Believe truly you are the best, all thanks to you forever

    ReplyDelete

Members of the blog can comment. To receive an e-mailed invitation, write to johnandsuzyn@gmail.com. And check spam if it doesn't show up. (Google account required.)

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.