Borntorun’s comment in the previous thread “I never rooted against the team, but I have never loathed and despised a manger as much as I do Boone.” Sums up the challenge of being a Yankee Fan for the rest of 2021.
Is it possible to root against a
team that you’ve loved and followed for your entire life? Can one openly root for
a team that you despise, such as the Red Sox, if it makes for a brighter
future?
A couple of years ago the New York
Giants played the Washington Redskins in a meaningless game standings wise. However,
the winner would… win, and the loser would get to draft Chase Young. Think Dick
Butkus.
Knowing the stakes, and as much as I wanted the Giants to lose,
I still couldn't bring myself to root for the Redskins. (Fuck the Redskins
excuse me... fuck the Washington Football Team) The Giants, of course, stupidly won
the game and still suck.
Fortunately, the stakes are not as clear cut with the
Yankees. And, because not making the playoffs does not guarantee that Boone
(and Brain) are removed it becomes even more muddled.
At one point I wrote here that I
would root against them but had to retract it because:
1) The other participants in the blog pointed out that,
despite our level of disgust it is wrong to root for the Red Sox, Jays etc.
Ever.
2) I tried it and it just doesn’t work. Seriously, try saying this out loud, “I hope
they put in Heaney.”
Develop Knowing Indifference
I recommend developing Knowing Indifference. There are no good or bad outcomes. If they win,
we watched them win. If they lose, they are closer to elimination and hopefully
rebirth. Therefore we can relax.
By developing Knowing Indifference, you can still get to
watch the games but will no longer be upset by flagrant examples of managerial stupidity
or by watching players do the same things wrong over and over again.
They put in Chapman? “Hmmmn... that doesn't seem wise. Yep.
That was a bad choice.” Joey Gallo is
batting second again despite... well despite being Joey Gallo. Oh, he went 0-4
and they lost. Yeah. Oh well. Perhaps they will trade him in the off season.
Take comfort in the validation of your superior
understanding of the team. You know that you know better than them. Doesn’t that feel good?
You will no longer get angry when they make mind blowingly
dumb moves like not starting Gil or using Mr. Haney as a reliever.
By the way, WHO USES A PITCHER WHO ALWAYS SUCKS IN HIS FIRST
INNING AND TAKES AT LEAST TWO INNINGS TO SETTLE DOWN AS A RELIEF PITCHER?!!
WHAT KIND OF MORON MANAGER MAKES DESCISIONS LIKE THIS?!!!!!
Breathe. Breathe. Go to your Yankees Chambliss HR happy
place. Breathe.
Sorry. As I was saying. Developing Knowing Indifference is
the ticket to the rest of 2021. Maybe they will make the wild card. Maybe
not. Maybe they will make it all the way
to the Canyon of Heroes. BUT WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF THAT?!!!!!!!
Breathe. Use your
Mantra. Hi-de-ki-Mat-su-i. Hi-de-ki-mat-su-i.
Hi-de-ki-Mat-su-i.
It doesn’t matter. This too shall pass. Like a sinker with a guy on third thrown to Gary Sanchez!
No matter how they finish we’ll be fine. Or not. It doesn’t
matter. See? It works.
As Killer Dave meditated in Slapshot, "one with the universe, nothing matters ... one with the universe, nothing matters...".
ReplyDeleteThe Hammer of God
For a number of years I rooted against the NY Knicks...I wanted them to tank...I mean really tank...didn't work out that well...they never got a number one pick.
ReplyDeleteRooting against this team is only worthwhile if you believe a) Brian Cashman will be fired and b) Steinbrenner will pick a quality replacement.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone here believe those two things?
Hey, 13bit, you're a fucking lucky bastard my old mate ! ! !.
ReplyDeleteTallion will not get past 4 innings...he's probably tired with all the innings he's pitched this year...
ReplyDeleteMake that 3 innings...
ReplyDeleteHee-hee! Hilarious, Doug K.!
ReplyDeleteIt reminded me of something Jonathan Schwartz wrote in a little book, adapted from an SI article, about his agony as a Red Sox fans watching the 1978 playoff at Fenway Park. It's called "A Day of Light and Shadows" and is, I think, the greatest book ever written from a fan's perspective.
"Bailey looked at strike three and went away, out of my life, off the team, out of the league, out of the country, away, away.
"Reggie Jackson homered in the eighth. I affected bemusement as I watched him round the bases. I thought: Let's see, just for the fun of it, how bad it's going to be. What does it matter, anyway? It's only a game.
"Official bemusement on the left field roof."
Speaking of which, the Blue Jays have actually managed to come up with the most obnoxious HR celebration yet: a ritual in which they put a jacket on a player who has just homered. Said jacket has the names of all the places they're from because, of course, in baseball today only the Toronto Blue Jays have a multicultural team.
ReplyDeleteI suspect we will see a lot of that jacket this week.
Taillon threw 37 total innings in 2019-2020. I think he just hit a wall when he got to around 120 IP. The Yanks should give him one of those “shoulder inflammation” IL stints for a few weeks.
ReplyDeleteOh, and channeling Jennifer Hudson here for all of you who may believe failure will lead to big firings on the Yankees:
ReplyDeleteCoops:
"And I'm telling you, Boone ain't going."
Cue HAL:
"And I'm telling you, Coops ain't going."
The Steinbrenners, together, as a family:
"And we're telling you, we ain't selling!"
Quote of the day from Paulie:
ReplyDelete"I think the velocity of this ball fooled Gio Urshela."
Yeah, the velocity explains why the ball pops out of his glove—and right after Gleyber's error. Oh, the boys are fired up today!
After 1 inning, I've seen enough. Too nice of a day to watch this shit show.
ReplyDeleteAnyone want to buy 4 tickets to Wednesday's game? My son knows one of the Blue Jay's coaches and he has 4 great seats in the team section. He bought them during the Yankees 13 game win streak. Yesterday, his 3 pals backed out of the game.
You may be right about Taillon, Zach, and in any case there is only so much to expect from a guy like this on a season. (Incidentally, what is the status of Domingo German? Is he out for the year, too? I've lost track.)
ReplyDeleteBut the thing you can already see right here, on a bright, beautiful afternoon game at home, day game after a day game, is that this Yankees team is going to do absolutely nothing at the plate against a decent but hardly overwhelming pitcher.
You can SEE it, just as you can so often. I don't understand why it is, but you can just sort of KNOW when these guys are not up for it. And his inability to get this team up for games, day in and day out, is a major failing of the manager.
No, thanks, Carl. But I hear you. It is indeed a beautiful day, but I have to be inside, working.
ReplyDeleteI'm switching to the Mets broadcast, though. At least there I might see some ballplayers who feel like playing today.
Urshela stinking up the ballyard...
ReplyDeleteGallo sucks
ReplyDeleteJoey Gallo is now 7-67 (.104) in his last 20 games and 3-34 (.088) in his last 10 games.
ReplyDeleteWhy am I watching?
Today in "Boone is an idiot":
ReplyDeleteStanton DHing, Gardner in center. Guess yesterday's running around just tired Giancarlo out.
Professional athlete.
Taillon doing his part to tease us that the game remains for the taking.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteGreat piece, Doug K. Please allow me to document my 3 LOLs:
Seriously, try saying this out loud, “I hope they put in Heaney.”
Breathe. Use your Mantra. Hi-de-ki-Mat-su-i. Hi-de-ki-mat-su-i. Hi-de-ki-Mat-su-i.
This too shall pass. Like a sinker with a guy on third thrown to Gary Sanchez!
Very good stuff. If you were a pitcher, the umps would check you for illegal sticky substances.
Man, gotta give Taillon props for bouncing back after the first inning. I think we all woulda signed up for 6 IP, 2 R from him before the game started.
ReplyDeleteBut once again, the lineup is lifeless. This is what I was saying last night: the Yankees pitching staff looks much worse than it actually is because the offense doesn’t score consistently.
See comment above re: Gallo
ReplyDeleteMan, Gallo is quickly turning into this year's Stephen Drew. I know it's only been a few weeks, but you just know the Yankees will keep slotting him second and they'll keep him next year. He'll hit a home run here and there just so Kay and Co. can fellate him and Cashman for a while. "The Yankees Analytics people saw something in him and he repaid their trust. What a swing!"
ReplyDeleteHe'll keep being Gallo, though. Every day
Just checked the game box score: 3 more strike outs for Gallo in 3 AB.
ReplyDeleteWhat fucking kind of genius manager puts a .195 hitter who strikes out 50% of the time in the number 2 hole??? You put a contact hitter number 2, not a Gallo type.
Why not bring up Allen and let him bat first. If not, at least put Judge # 1 because on this team, he has the highest OBA, highest batting average and despite striking out a lot still makes contact. Put DJ #2.
I seriously just do not understand Boone at all. It's like he and his family never played baseball.
Genius GM brings in two home run hitters who were prodigious with shit ball clubs and now that it matters, opposing pitchers discover they both have huge holes in their bats.
ReplyDeleteWho the fuck in their right mind would bat Gallo second? The guy doesn’t even make contact. Does anybody in the Yankees organization not understand the need for contact in the 2 hole?
Greg Allen hitting .352/.425/.592 in AAA since being demoted.
ReplyDeleteAmen Carl! You got to it just ahead of me. But you’re still buying the beer!
ReplyDeleteGallo shouldn't even be in the lineup and neither should Gleyber and please get Heaney out of my life. Yanks had energy and excitement with Velesquez, Greg Allen and Gil.
ReplyDeleteLol, yeah Zombies have more life than this lineup. The look more like corpses
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAnd Wade.
ReplyDeleteKriske Kreme now pitching...the Yankee equivalent of waving a white flag...
ReplyDeleteFFS he just gave up a HR...
Why are Kluber and Heaney pitching for this team not not Gil? Why is creaky old without Gardner playing ahead of Allen? Why was Allen ever demoted? Why was Wade disappeared after galvanizing this team with his speed and defense? Why are Torres, Urshela, Gallo, and Rizzo, washouts all, seemed necessary starters when this is the same slow lifeless core that rendered this a .500 club? Why is Cashman not in treatment for cognitive deficits? What is the meaning of being?
ReplyDeleteAnd you can Kriske this game goodbye.
ReplyDeleteLOL Dick...I probably will be buying the beer. My only chance is that Lucky Louie Severino either is used as an opener or starts by Sept 25 and gets bombed and then has one last start by the last day of the season.
ReplyDeleteOMG. Heaney is warming up. New paradigm case for insanity.
ReplyDeleteThis is starting to look like the worst team in baseball.
ReplyDelete"Why are Kluber and Heaney pitching for this team not not Gil? Why is creaky old without Gardner playing ahead of Allen? Why was Allen ever demoted? Why was Wade disappeared after galvanizing this team with his speed and defense? Why are Torres, Urshela, Gallo, and Rizzo, washouts all, seemed necessary starters when this is the same slow lifeless core that rendered this a .500 club?"
ReplyDeleteWhy is this obvious to all of us here but Cash Boone and Hal can't see it??
And let's not forget that Lemahieu has regressed to the mean of mediocrity that characterized most of his seasons in Colorado, as I alone foresaw on this blog. Suck on that!
ReplyDeleteSo if the Jays sweep we have a chance to finish 4th in the East. That could actually get it done (Boone and Brain gone.) Not that I'm rooting for that outcome. Hi-de-ki-mat-sui-i. Hi-de-ki-mat-sui-i. Hi-de-ki-mat-sui-i.
ReplyDeleteIt's all good. Well not Rizzo. He is not good.
Doug K.
Joey Gallo, like Jerry Gallo, is dead.
ReplyDeleteActually I meant Gallo but really I meant the whole team.
ReplyDeleteDoug K.
Rizzo is not good either.
ReplyDeleteDouble play. Perfect ending.
ReplyDeleteA perfect ending to a 2021 Yankee game - A Gallo strikeout and a double play ground ball
ReplyDeleteWell done, Anonymous. Got that in before me.
ReplyDeleteMichael Kay warned his radio/tv show listeners that when Urshela and Torres were coming off the EL, they were playing. The balance that we had with their substitutes is missing now. We're trying to hit home runs again and not situational hit. Today, we didn't even hit. Yanks better start working on postseason early tee times because this is what we are envisioning now...
ReplyDeleteKay warned as in endorsing or dreading? Probably the former. He's a craven suck-up and every bit as stupid as Cashman.
ReplyDeleteMay I amend my prediction? No way this team wins 86 games.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of E&J Gallo, how do you know when lifetime .206 hitter is in a slump?
ReplyDeleteWhen his OPS starts to dip into the .700s, which is where Gallo's is heading right now. Great pickup, Cash!
ReplyDeleteCelerino --
ReplyDeleteQ: "how do you know when lifetime .206 hitter is in a slump?"
A: When Boone moves him up in the lineup.
Sorry. Can't resist a good set up.
Doug K.