One in the last 12 seasons. Two in this millennium.
Certainly not this year.
Once upon a time, we had the one and only Iron Horse, Lou Gehrig... then Cal Ripken came along.
We had the majestic HR records of Babe Ruth and Roger Maris... until Barry Bonds crushed them.
We still had The Babe - a one-of-a-kind, two-way star... though now, it's Shohei Ohtani.
Mickey Mantle? Mike Trout. Whitey Ford? Steve Carlton.
Even our current ace, Gerrit Cole, is a remnant from long ago. He grew up rooting for a concept - the mighty Yankees - that simply no longer exists. Whenever the Yankees lose behind him, as they have been doing, it hurts just to see his disappointment. Cole sought to restore the franchise to the greatness that his father knew. Instead, he may become a symbol of its failure. We're going to have him for a long time. How long before the booing begins?
Once, the record books showed Yankees atop every category. Now, we only celebrate our far flung past.
As old Yankee fans, we are dinosaurs. Our sons and daughters look at us and shake their heads. A dying franchise in a dreary sport.
A few decades ago, baseball owners discovered the value of tanking. It's a perfect strategy in systems that reward failure. Finish last, and draft first. You pick from the best young talent in the world - they've added international players to tamp down prices - and luxury taxes force you to pay them less. Trade your stars for younger versions of them. And if the prospects fail, well, you just finish last and start the cycle again.
Last year, by now, the Redsocks had already traded Mookie Betts for a bundle of Dodger prospects. Soon, they would be shopping Mitch Moreland and playing rookies. Everyone knew their strategy: Forfeit the season and play for 2021.
Today, they lead the AL East by 4 1/2 games - and the Yankees by 10 1/2. They also have the fourth pick in the MLB draft. That could net them Jack Leiter, a generational talent.
As for the Yankees? Rest assured, they have no plan for the future. The one player who they could trade - Aaron Judge - is their lone everyday star. Everyone else is a disappointment of sorts, and nobody wants to pay them for years they have already had.
I'm not sure the Yankees can even tank.
So tonight, we wonder whether to root for the Yankees to win. Would a brief winning streak cause the front office to chase the Wild Card? Is it worth it?
TWENTY-SEVEN RINGS!
Hooray.
A dying franchise in a dreary sport.
ReplyDeleteA dying franchise in a dreary sport.
A bit ironic that the only time I can remember the Yankees "tanking" or throwing in the towel was 2016... and that netted the run of 2017-2020 playoff teams with 2 100 win seasons and 2 alcs trips... pretty clear what needs to be done.
ReplyDeleteDoes Hal have the balls to do it?
It's obvious that when you take the sticky stuff away from Cole, he becomes Pittsburgh Cole. Just a good pitcher. When you take the same sticky stuff away from Rolaids, he can't get a good grip on the baseball. He's done. And you can't get rid of him because no team would want him now. BTW, Rolaids has one more year on his contract making I believe 18 mil a year. We're fucked. Maybe not like the Dodgers and Bauer, but fucked nevertheless.
ReplyDeleteLet's be real, baseball died when they banned chewing tobacco.
ReplyDeletePS. FUCK BOONE, FUCk CASHMAN, FUCK HAL,
wash, rinse ,repeat.
The Chawing Archangel
Honestly, the only thing I'm missing as I boycott Hal and the Stadium is the possibility of our 2nd IIHIIFIIC meet up. Instead of attending a game this year, maybe we could meet at one of those mid town sports bars to grab a burger and drinks, and scream at the TVs together? Just a thought,,,, ???
ReplyDeleteKen, that idea does fit nicely with the boycott, and throws some business to a pub/bar that probably could use it after last year.
ReplyDeleteWe have to leave a big tip, too.
This is not your father's Oldsmo...oh, wait...New York Yankees.
Thanks JM! I'm local so anyplace would work for me,,, my thinking about mid town is that it's easier for anyone coming in from out of town, near Penn Station/ Grand central, maybe sometime in August?
ReplyDeleteCan we stop using "generational talent" to describe sports figures over and over again? You can only have one at a time, IMHO, and until Mike Trout retires, he gets the title.
ReplyDeleteFrom a very old time NYY fan.
Rolaids sent a message on Instagram to his fans...
ReplyDelete_thecubanmissile54
Verified
For all those people that criticizes my bad moments, I will tell them that I do not know how my story ends, but in its pages you will never read
"I gave up"
So I will move on, I still have many wars to win and many mouths to shut up.
(start sarcasm) Wow I feel so much better now...(end sarcasm).
I've faithfully read this blog every day for years and rarely commented. But today my pain forces me to spew.
ReplyDeleteMy own awakening to the depths of Yankee despair came when my rabid 42-years old Yankee fan son suggested going to Citi Field to watch DeGrom pitch. This would mean traveling over 100 miles to see the Mets????
Next to the Red Sox, I have despised the Mets from their inception. Now, I'll acquiesce and go with him.
I love the Yankees but have white-hot hatred for bad baseball, especially stupid, fundamentally inferior baseball as we have been tormented with this year.
I echo the venom of the many posters here. There is rot throughout the organization, so systemic that just firing the Brain or Boonie will not be enough. I fear we are doomed to never come close to the former greatness of what was once the crown jewel franchise of sports.
Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteThe Hammer of God
ReplyDeleteAre we,
"Reeling in the years,
stowing away the time,
gathering up the tears,
have you had enough gf mine?"
"They got a name for the winners in the world,
I, I want a name when I lose,
They call Alabama the Crimson Tide,
Call me, The Archangel"
Roll Yanks Roll
straight into the Abyss.
The Darkest Archangel
Archangel - I believe I will
DeleteLearn to work the saxophone
Drink scotch whisky
All night long
And watch the Yankees die behind the wheel
Or something
I hate when that happens.
DeleteWe have become like Cubs fans.
ReplyDeleteTesting one two three
ReplyDeleteI'm here bitty. Even when I do not post I am always here.
ReplyDeleteKen Of B, I have some time off at the end of August. I will go wherever you all are.
ReplyDeleteJust not to the Stadium. Not this year, not next, not until the organization demonstrates a commitment to winning.
ReplyDeleteNot only The Past. We are facing the Ghost of our Future tonight.
ReplyDeleteI hate this mirage of competence we are witnessing here. Good night.
ReplyDeleteFuck this stupid ass team picks an inopportune time to pretend they're good at baseball
ReplyDeleteYES has gone black. I wonder if they'll go back?
ReplyDeleteEvery win is a bridge to the next loss.
ReplyDelete"What's so funny?"
ReplyDeleteMa asked that. Meredith M said something close to, "John Sterling is leaving for the evening and being particularly loud. I apologize for that."
No word yet on whether Ma confiscated Meredith's Pet Rock and locked it in his desk drawer for the remainder of the semester in order to teach her a valuable lesson.
At least we now know everything's good. Make no mistake: this is not one of Stanton's often-referred-to spurts. That win was huge. Expect lots more of the same. Damn it's nice to know everything is aligning so sweetly.
Comment of the night, JM!
ReplyDelete
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