Three games above .500, six losses behind the Devil Rays - (the actual chasm looks far worse when the two teams occupy the same field) - we are pursuing the final, last-ditch, pot luck, also-ran, American League Wild Card birth... also known as the "Congratulations, Chump" award.
To win this prestigious flag - or is it a zirconium belt? - we must not only overtake Houston and Cleveland, but stave off Toronto, a young and ascending team that will soon start playing home games again. Frankly, our chances don't look so hot. I'd say Kevin "Hercules" Sorbo has an equal shot at an Oscar.
To boost hope, the YES team has been touting the returning cavalry: Luis Severino, Zack Britton, Luke Voit and - um - Darren O'Day! The problem? None bats left-handed. Without a LH hitter to protect Judge, Stanton, Torres, LeMahieu, et al - the Yankees will face endless waves of RH relievers. Seriously, maybe Kevin Sorbo can hit lefty!
Today, in one of the most terrifying news bits since J-Lo took up Ben - (yeah, suck on it, Boston; your biggest fan is drooling over A-Rod's leftover chicken tenders) - the Murdoch Post suggests the Yankees will trade Oswald Peraza at the deadline.
For those who monitor the dismal Yankee farm system - the lonely, thankless job of a demented mortician - Peraza has been 2021's brightest peephole of light. He's a 20-year-old shortstop who last week was promoted to Double A. Last night, after a rough first few games, he homered.
Until Jasson Dominquez - aka "The Martian" - actually appears in professional baseball games rather than YouTube videos - the Yankees have one positional jewel in their system: Peraza. To think they would peddle him this summer to climb from a hole of their own making - (seriously, what front office genius builds an entirely RH hitting lineup in Yankee Stadium? Have they looked at the field contours lately? Did that RF porch ever make an impression?) - well, someone should be charged with treason.
If Cooperstown Cashman empties the system to obtain another deadline dump Sidney Ponson, I will don face paint and shaman horns, and we will launch a "Jan. 6 insurrection," led by Yank fan Rudy Giuliani, who can call for "trial by wombat." For several years now, this franchise has quietly drained its system to bail out the front office from its bad decisions. If anything, the Yankees in July should seek to dump high salary vets, even if it lessens their shot at the glorious, final AL Wild Card Birth flag.
Look at the standings, people. Look at the truth. The Yankees are chasing yet another Wild Card. They are a second division team in their own division. This is not a summer to mortgage the future.
Well, most of the prospects the Yankees traded over the last few years have been mirages so I’m not too worried. Maybe we’ll get an Aaron Small instead of a Ponson
ReplyDeleteYanks could trade Rolaids again for some prospects. If the Yanks were like the Red Sox, they would jettison ICS and Judge for prospects...but we're not because we don't make moves that make the most sense.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, Ranger. Judge is the best we have at the plate and in the outfield. I would rather build around him than get rid of him. Keep Judge and DJ, Miggy and Gio, Cole and Gleyber, then see how it goes. And Stanton is going nowhere, which is fine if he hits like he hits when he gets on a tear. As long as he doesn't tear something.
ReplyDeleteOf course, get rid of Boone and get someone like Buck, giving him a big say in rebuilding the team. It may not be as bad as it looks with the right manager and coaches.
Worth a shot before burning the whole place down.
Why do we have to trade the future when what's needs to happen is fire the GM?; Oh yeah, that's right. Trading young players doesn't cost Hal a dime. As long as Cash keeps payroll down, he's doing his job. Hal doesn't care about winning or the Yankees place in baseball history or whether or not they are the laughingstock of the AL East, just so long as they make him a fortune every day.
ReplyDeleteDon't know why they would trade Peraza.
ReplyDeleteIf he has a shot and I think he does, (I saw him play. Granted very small sample size but his talent jumped off the field) they will keep him because he is the ultimate Yankee five-tool player.
1) He's cheap.
2) Cost controlled.
3) Not expensive.
4) Hal wouldn't have to pay too much.
5) Not eligible for big money for years.
And... that rarely discussed sixth tool... His salary will be low.
Doug K.
Just read Winnie who said the same thing, Oh, well truth bears repeating.
ReplyDeleteDoug K.
ReplyDeleteAnd in other depressing Yankees news, a guy named Tauchman, in a Giants uniform (that would be the first place San Francisco Giants) made like superman and robbed Juan Soto of a home run yesterday to help preserve his team's win.
A good glove, left-handed bat is something the Yankees could surely use, no?
Maybe they can trade for Pineda or Happ?
ReplyDelete@DickAllen...your hero Tauchman is batting .183.
ReplyDeleteAnother thought...Michael Kay the other day discussed why the Yanks are predominately right-handed in the batting order. The reason is because the shift works more effectively on left-handed hitters if you look at the metrics.
And why the Yanks hit into more double plays than other teams? The distance to first base from the batters box is farther if you are right-handed.
I think that we show hire an airplane to circle the Stadium with a sign which reads "Fire Boone, Fire Cashman, Sell the Team."
ReplyDeleteWe should do it on the 4th of July; National TV game Mets at Yanks. Ultimate, epic embarrassment.
Who's with me?
[Probably can't be done after 9/11rules].
I volunteer to fly the plane
The "Icarus" Archangel
ReplyDeleteRanger, you are one masterfully astute mother. I normally eschew flaming people for their comments, but you deserve to have your dick stepped on for this rare and deep insight.
The Yankees hit into more double plays because the right-handed batters box is farther from first base? Seriously? And you got that from Michael Kay, huh? You deserve each other. Most people use their brains for thinking. You must be sitting on yours.
As for Tauchman's BA, he'd fit right in with this Yankees team, which fielded a lineup with four guys hitting below 200. After Hicks went down with his annual multi-millionaire's injury, a solid outfield glove would have come in real handy instead of the ancient legs of Brett Gardner, who is batting a strong 211 himself, or the guy we got for him, you know, the guy with a 5.73 era.
And what metrics are you talking about? If you're going to use stats to argue, make sure you actually know what you're talking about, and maybe even share those metrics with those of us who are less informed.
Hey guys,
ReplyDeleteLet's not all become like buck's puckered hemorrhoid.
And Roseline, do you work with Archie's friend Gina?
Dick Allen, I think Ranger was pointing out the inanity of Kay's comments, which I heard at the time and thought were hysterically funny.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm wrong, he may be stepping on his wang as we speak.
And btw, Wang is one of several candidates NYC doesn't need running the city. After DeBlahs and Bloomie, you'd think we'd know not to put an out-of-towner into Gracie Mansion. Even if he is from the Capital District, where I grew up.
I love me some Tauchman, but it's pretty clear at this point he was a Yankee for the one good year he'll ever have in the Bigs. But I'd still rather have him over Gardner as the 4th or 5th outfielder.
ReplyDeleteWandy really is awful.
@JM...Yes I was pointing out the inanity...you're not wrong...
ReplyDeleteHere it is 2021 and baseball is relegated to how Kay views baseball as the geniuses who concoct these rosters do.
@Dick...Tauchman is still batting .183 and wasn't going up past .200 here. We need to go younger.
And I'll go out on the limb...the roster has to be blown up. We peaked in 2017 when we should have gone to the WS. The only thing to do is to trade highest valued players so we can get prospects and rebuild. Judge and ICS since their contracts are up soon. Especially Rolaids since he's not the same and we have Britton. And if Zack is still injured, put Loisaga in the closer role. We're not winning the WS this year so ya might as well blow it up...
@ranger_lp Yeah, unfortunately, as time continues to march on, it becomes painfully clear that this team's core hit their peaks in 2017 and that they've been on the decline ever since. Not on the way towards a WS championship, but on the way down to oblivion. It's pretty obvious now that this team is never winning a WS.
ReplyDeleteHigh time to do the garage sale and start rebuilding. So many teams have proven now that rebuilds can happen in a year or two now, if the right moves are made.
The biggest road block to rebuilding is that our GM has no idea what he's doing. Until he's replaced with someone much better, we're dying a slow, agonizing death on a torture rack.
The Hammer of God
El Duque, I think Kevin Sorbo is great! I should say he was, was great during his hey day as Hercules and Kull the Conqueror. Now, it appears that he's just making "straight to video" movies. Sadly, his box office days are over.
ReplyDeleteThe Hammer of God
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