Over the last 14 games, Hicks is hitting .324 with a HR and 7 RBIs. On the season, he has now lifted his batting average to a Jayson Nixian .237 - after dwelling below the Mendoza line through late May.
For the last six years, Hicks has been an enigma within the Yankiverse. In 2018, he hit 27 HRs and batted .248 - prompting Cooperstown Cashman to give him a long-term deal. Ever since, he has adhered to the Hicks Boson Particle Sequence:
Start cold, get hot, get hurt.
It's not his fault, the injuries. They come with the job. But whenever Hicks gets hot, he seems to then get hurt. At 32, that's an excruciating career thumbnail, and even though the Yankees are melded to him through 2025, the brain trust has more or less benched Hicks so Giancarlo Stanton can romp freely in the outfield. (Let the Big Dog run!)
Last night's double off the right field wall came with its own, unnecessary drama, as Hicks stood at home plate, admiring a HR that didn't happen. He made to second in part because the Rays RF, Manuel Margot, wrecked a knee trying to catch it. Otherwise, it would have been an embarrassment.
Margot, who at .302 was leading Tampa in hitting, was carted off, a bad sign for the Rays, who suddenly look lifeless and lost. Without Wander Franco, the blood seems to have left their erections. They now hold fourth place in the AL East. For the last four years, Tampa has been a divisional juggernaut, with a seemingly limitless tap of young and ascending talent. Last week, in Yankee Stadium, they looked like a lost tribe of Herschel Walker's sons. And last night, the sound of Yankee fans resounded inside that sad, cavernous dome, which only attracted 16,000.
Tampa is a hockey city. Imagine that...
Of course, the Rays always seem to regroup, They could still win the three-game series and restore credibility, heading into the summer blaze. But right now, they look like Yankee teams over the last few years - that is, they don't know how they'll do it, but they know they're going to lose.
Tonight, we have the means to put them out of their misery, perhaps for all of 2022. Tonight...
ReplyDeleteTomorrow is the Judge hearing. If he gets what he's asking for he moves past the Water Rooster to 4th highest paid Yankee. Combover Cashman better not fuck this up.
Past 6 days they've won the three games started by McClanahan and Menoah. Not trying to poke any sticks at the gods but that's not at all shabby.
I'm not up to date on the Judge hearing, Mildred. What hearing? I thought the contract talks were shelved during the season?
ReplyDeleteBoone is still an idiot. Bringing in Peralta almost cost us the game yesterday, the way bringing in Castro and Peralta cost us the game on Sunday. Are there really no better choices in the bullpen?
JM, there are no better options and the options will get worse when the Sweat Sprinkler returns.
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ReplyDeleteFukk Hicks. There he is, standing on third, bounding his chest like a real baseball player when a real baseball player would have been in the dugout get chest bumps from his teammates. That should have been an inside the Parker. But he had to stand at home plate admiring his handiwork. Can’t say I blame him though: it’s been so long since he hit a ball that far it must have shocked him. But next time - if there is a next time - RUN MOTHERFUKKER!
We need not worry. He’ll soon be headed to the IL But never mind about him; let’s look at the most important and unbelievable numbers (where the Yankees are ahead in the AILC):
12
14
14
ReplyDeleteJM...
The arbitration hearing is tomorrow. Decides Judge's 2022 salary. Judge wants 21 million, Yankees offered 17. This (arbitration) usually happens in February but the doors were all locked back then.
Also, Boone. Boone is the James Franklin of baseball managers. Everything is fine until he has to make decisions then it all goes to hell. Leaves Castro in to face the lefty (Talapia), then brings in Peralta to pitch to Springer, and brings him back out for the 7th with seven, SEVEN! right-handed hitters in a row coming up. He's the master at setting up lefty-righty matchups.
Trade Hicks now while he has any value. Not that he has much. Too bad that his 10 million salary is way too high for the Rays because they need an outfielder now. The Yankees should fine him for staring at his drive at home plate and recoup some of that 10 million.
ReplyDeleteAlas Carl, many MLB-ers style and pose at the plate. In order to trade Hicks (which I would love to do) I think the team would have to eat the majority of his contract and perhaps even attach a prospect to the deal. At some point the team will release him, but it won’t be for quite sometime.
ReplyDelete“Lost tribe of Herschel Walkers’ sons” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
ReplyDeleteI hate to be pedantic for Hicks (HICKS!), but he hit a triple, not a double. Which, as DA pointed out, should have been an inside-the-parker. He's hit those in the past, he can definitely get it done.
ReplyDeleteYankees and Judge should avoid the arbitration hearing by announcing a little something today.
ReplyDeleteJudge has a tremendous advantage and, based on his performance this year, should up his asking price. The numbers have probably already been submitted, but how could an arbitrator decide in favor of the Yankees? This is a slam dunk for him.
ReplyDeleteSweat Dispenser? Sweat Fountain? Miserable Sweaty Fucking Choker?
ReplyDeleteSorry about the mixup.
ReplyDeleteHicks got a triple, despite standing and gawking.
Common sense would dictate Judge and the team finding some mutually acceptable middle ground for this year’s salary, but common sense in MLB disappeared with the complete game and the $3 beer.
ReplyDeleteAlso hate to be pedantic, and I HATE guys standing at the plate and admiring their handiwork.
ReplyDeleteBut to get an inside-the-park home run on that ball, he would have had to have Crusty Donaldson carrying him about like a papoose.
Donaldson was, rightly, forced to wait and see if Margot was going to catch that ball. That automatically slowed Hicks, and probably negated his stupidity in watching his mighty fly.
Also...not to get all apologetic for our guys...but in that same inning, Trevino obviously thought HIS ball was gone, too.
ReplyDeleteThat didn't stop him from running, which is good. But I think the idiots who run MLB have now fucked with the ball so many times that players are genuinely confused. Enough with that nonsense already!
Also, I'm a little baffled as to what the beef is with Peralta last night.
ReplyDeleteAfter that opening walk—bad!—he got a foul pop-out, a tailor-made double-play ball that The General inexplicably tossed into the outfield, a strikeout, and another pop fly out.
Seemed like a pretty good inning to me, and points for not losing his cool when his defense betrayed him.
Great points Hoss, I agree. I was also impressed that Peralta didn't lose his cool after that botched double play on a nubber,,,,
ReplyDeleteAnd once again, this is another game that they most certainly would have lost last year, there's been very few pineapples this season!
Hoss? Umm? Pedantry is one of your defining characteristics.
ReplyDeleteNasty Nasty Nasty Nasty Nasty Nasty NESTOR!!!!! *
ReplyDelete*(better catch the ball with his glove instead of his head tonight)
Nope. Sorry Horace. I’m not buying it. Even if Donaldson had to hold up (he was running on the play and was at second when the ball hit the wall) you can’t excuse Hikks admiring his shot. He hasn’t earned the right to stare at a ball like that. If he has 20 dingers on the season, maybe, but with way he’s been (not) playing, he hasn’t earned the right. Especially in a tie game in the ninth. He should have been in the dugout after running right up Donaldson’s back. If Margot hadn’t misplayed the ball it’s conceivable Hikks only gets a single.
ReplyDeleteShades of Joggingson Cano. No excuse. None at all. Bring on the Kangaroo Court.
Right you are, Warbler! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd DickAllen, I don't excuse Hicks' mental meltdown. I just think an inside-the-park homer would've been really tough. I noticed on the replay that Donaldson had to stop, when it looked as though Margot might catch it. Hicks would've been right on top of him. But hey, it would've been fun to watch them score, one after another.
Shades of Dale Berra and Wayne Tolleson—and Ruth and Gehrig—with a happier ending!
Funny column
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