Monday, June 27, 2022

Gleyber's injury shows how quickly everything can change - and how far away October is

If they can be believed, the Yankees say Gleyber Torres suffered a minor ankle sprain Sunday. Thus, he'll miss weeks, not months... 

Frankly, they lie - especially in the early hours, when Cooperstown Cashman goes dumpster-diving for spare parts. He doesn't want to look desperate, swimming amid the Big Mac wrappers and the Huggies, so the official Death Barge line goes that Torres feels great! that DJ LeMahieu can play 2B! and that all is - no lie, bro! - totally, seriously, wondrously, awesomely excellent!  

It's bullshit, of course. I say this without rancor, but merely to remind everyone that the Yankees always spin hopeful drivel about injuries, and the YES announcers have no problem with it. Everyone joins in, and who knows? maybe Cashman will scare up a Brigadoon Refsnyder, who can straddle the bag for the next month. Because ankles are slow to heal.

Watching Gleyber writhe on the dirt yesterday, I felt an immediate rage towards Aaron Hicks - for striking out. It later reminded me of my insane anger at Nick Swisher, after he botched the line drive that wrecked the 2013 playoffs and led to Jeter's broken ankle - an injury that messed up the next two years. To this day, I blame Swisher, and if Gleyber had broken his ankle, right or wrong, I would never, ever, forgive Hicks.  

I'm still dazed from the weekend. Idle thoughts:

1. Despite the great finales, Houston looked like the superior team. With a blip or a blooper, the Yankees could have been swept at home. Houston was always leading, and no-hitters aren't easily digested. The Astros have a genuine Yankee killer, and my guess is they'll finagle their rotation so the Yankees don't see Christian Javier until October, in the post-season. Ow.  

2. Something's wrong with Nasty Nestor. Opposing batters have collectively published a book on him, and they're not lunging for curves in the dirt. I think Cortz  possesses the guile to adjust, because that's how he got this far. We always knew this time would come. Well, it's here.

3. Boston continues to rise, now the AL's third best record. Late next week, (beginning July 7) we play four in Fenway, last games before the all star break. That's the next crucible, to determine whether the AL East will have a second-half divisional race. And later that month, the Mets. A long way between here and October.

4. Aaron Judge just keeps going. Where would we be without him? What if he breaks a thumb? (Like Bryce Harper.) The drop-off would be insane - from MLB's premier slugger to - say - Estevan Florial, or another month of waiting on Gallo? Gulp. Not trying to scare folks, but at some point, somebody else - looking at you, Giancarlo - needs to go on a massive tear. 

Dusty Baker yesterday described the series as "Judge 2, Houston 2," and the scary thing is, he's sorta right. 

An in a seven-game series, bet on the team, not the player. Just sayin'...

30 comments:

  1. The Season is Long.

    AAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhHHHHHHHHaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh.

    So endeth the JuJu.

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  2. I have rage at Hicks, too. Not withstanding his infrequent display of power on Thursday. Once again, in that position, all he needed was a fly ball or a grounder to either side not directly at an infielder. Especially the left side where there was much more open space. But no. He swings for the fences.
    Also, in the 10th inning with Gleyber on third and one out. The perfect contact hitter up in DJ. Why not try a push bunt down the first base side. A squeeze (non-suicide) play would have scored Torres easily. Is that no longer an option in the 21 st century?

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  3. The Yankees didn't lead for a single inning in the entire series.

    I guess an optimist would say, "hey we still managed a split despite not playing well."

    A realist might say, "the Astros seem specifically built to beat the Yankees."

    Guess we'll find out in the ALCS.

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  4. Mostly agree Duque, but I’m not sold on Cortes’ ability to “adjust”. That doesn’t mean he can’t be an effective back of the rotation starter, just that he’s not an ace. All the hype, the suggestion he would start the AS Game, was always too much for me.

    Much as I hate Hicks, I can’t blame him for Torres. What I didn’t like was the clip showing him walking away from his AB; he finally glanced back at Torres, then unconcerned, continued to stroll back to the dugout. Supposedly, he’s a “GREAT TEAMMATE”. I wonder why? Maybe he gives free golf lessons? If Torres hits the IL (and count me among those who say he will: Boone is an inveterate liar) I guess the replacement would be the retread Jose (not Oswaldo) Peraza, a veteran of 600 MLB games mostly at SS/2b with a mediocre .679 OPS.

    Yes, the division is still not settled, and the Yanks will come back to earth. Back up a truckload of bubble wrap for Judge!

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  5. 2 or 3 weeks of Jose Peraza is not the end of the world. It's not like Gleyber is Wille Randolph.
    I think that it is more important to jettison Gallo than worry about no Gleyber from now til All-Star Game.

    Oh and el duque, Fuck the Fucking Astros and the fucking donkeys they rode in on...., just saying.

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  6. "A long way between here and October."

    Nice to see you finally sobered up.

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  7. Some Numbers

    6-3-3-3 = 15

    Those are the number of runs the Astros scored in this series.

    7-1-0-6 = 14

    Those are number of runs we scored.

    As Bill Parcells said, "You are what your record says you are." and in this case the only number that matters is 2-2.

    Doesn't matter how they got there. The Yankees didn't break. And they could have.

    Judge came through. That's what MVP's are supposed to do.

    As was said in the comments yesterday, "Stop pitching to Altuve."

    I'm sure on some Astros blog, assuming those home schooled in Texas can write, they are saying something along the lines of, "Don't pitch to Judge."

    ---

    BTW -

    John Heyman, who prior to today is writing really well in his current stint at the NY Post actually told his readers it was time to stop heckling Altuve.

    But unlike here, where I suggested that we stop because it fires him up, he says we should stop because HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! Didn't cheat! WTF?

    ---

    While it’s possible to be overtaken by the Red Sox eventually, because anything is possible, there are just too many tomato cans in this picture.

    Before we play Boston we have three against Oakland, one against Houston, three against Cleveland and two against Pittsburgh. Gotta figure we win at least 2/3 of those right?

    The Sox play three against Toronto, three against the Cubs, and three against Tampa Bay before facing us. Want to give them 2/3 as well? OK but 5-4 seems equally probable.

    The whole rest of the season looks the same. A few tough series and then a bunch of tanking teams. Rinse and repeat.






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  8. First, it was 2012, Duque. And yes, Swisher's pathetic effort and result on that flyball gnaws at me to this day, too.

    But I can't blame him for Jeter, who was already playing on a damaged stem, which finally gave out on a routine groundball, right after the Swisher flop. Even if Swisher had made an outstanding catch out there, chances are Jeter's ankle would've given out.

    By the same token, I can't blame Hicks for The Gleyber. The Yankees don't put on plays in those situations—NOT Hicks' fault.

    And Gleyber, often a klutz on the basepaths—this is a man, you'll recall, who once ended up on the DL after sliding in with the hand that did NOT have the sliding glove—managed that one all on his own, feinting and faking up and down the line like a Little Leaguer.

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  9. Also, I agree with The Archangel. Gleyber ain't Willie Randolph. Or Robinson Cano.

    Yes, he's having a much, much better season than he did in his awful 2020 or 2021. Which still puts him far from the heights he scaled in...2019, when he made the All-Star team, and finished 17th in the MVP voting.

    The Gleyber is hitting .250 (compared to .278 in 2019), with an OPS of .789 (down from .871 that year).

    Yes, he's a loss. But one we should be able to survive.


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  10. As soon as I saw it, I turned to the wife and said, "Sprained ankle." Those can be bad, but they can also be pretty mild, albeit painful. Hard to say without seeing how bad the swelling is.

    Hicks still sucks. Gallo still sucks. And I still don't like Donaldson, who fields OK but hitting .150 against righties? Why is he even playing when we face a right-hander? It's another stupid move by Boone, who played Ichiro largely against righties, when he hit a hundred points or so better against lefties. What an idiot.

    Yes, sure, we have a shot at a magical season. But until something is done about Gallo, Hicks, and--though it will never happen--Boone, we can also fold like a house of cards. Or Kevin Spacey's reputation.

    Kudos to Castro and Peralta. Both of them looked sharp and did a better than expected job. Hope they stay in this mode.

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  11. The Major plays 2nd. Hothead has to play 3rd and not DH. Infield is set unless it IS a 60 day DL stint.

    As the Master would say...

    *HOWEVAH*... That means more of Glass Man at DH and Joey Callo in the field. Maybe they'll get lucky and twitch will have one of those "out-of-town-girlfriend" hot streaks. (talked about a lot but never seen).

    Even luckier would be a minor leaguer called up and contributing.

    One can hope, but shouldn't on this blog.

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  12. JM, I don't think Boone ever managed Ichiro.

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  13. What we just saw was a preview of the playoffs. The two miracle wins? Ain't happening in the playoffs. Lance McCullers Jr will come on in the 5th inning, throw 85 consecutive slurves like he did a few years ago. Not a fastball to be found anywhere. And that will be that.

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  14. Hit strikes hard.

    Miss balls in the dirt even harder.

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  15. Verlander is the real key between these teams. I won't even watch a game when he pitches. Just a Great pitcher, wish we had him.

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  16. And the killer is...we COULD have had him. IN 2017!

    But no. The Great Brain went for Sonny Gray, instead. Then dealt him away for nothing.

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  17. Verlander gets away with throwing fastballs over the middle of the plate like no one else you've ever seen. Must be something with his motion. Maybe he hides the ball well. Maybe spin rate. I don't know. But he can throw fastballs over the middle all day and no Yankee ever makes him pay.

    You have to go back to a game when A-Rod hit a home run off Verlander to win one for us. I think Verlander was still a Detroit Tiger then. And Verlander said after the game that it was a cheap home run. The guy is obviously a sourpuss, but he can pitch.

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  18. Weird split I was just looking at regarding Josh Donaldson:

    2010-2021 at Yankee Stadium (visitor)
    .167/.261/.312 (.573 OPS) in 158 PA

    2022 at Yankee Stadium (home)
    .163/.270/.245 (.515 OPS) in 115 PA

    Just noise? Or is something going on here? Is the batter's eye at the Stadium messing with him in some way? Or is just pressure to perform (first vs. the rival Yankees, now with the home crowd)? But this is weird.

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  19. Have you ever seen a guy dancing off 3rd base sprain an ankle, even though no one touched him? WTF? Gleyber Torres is an injury magnet. Obviously made out of paper mache and toothpicks.

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  20. Thanks, Zachary. And hey, great job by The Brain: get a guy who can't hit in your home ballpark.

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  21. How did our crack analytics team miss that one?

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  22. @ Dick Allen

    That's just it.

    The ANALytical team is on crack.

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  23. While I was doing the dishes this morning - the pile I've been ignoring these past few days - I got to thinking about Justin Verlander. He's 39 years old; has pitched in 17 seasons. Had TJ last year and has thrown over THREE THOUSAND INNINGS to date.

    It can't last. I'm sorry, but as good as he's throwing this season, I can't imagine his arm is going to hold up into October. I don't wish him ill, but...

    Unless he's juicing, I refuse to believe he's the next...you know...that footballer...whose name I refuse to utter...

    The baseball season is a war of attrition. Only the healthiest survive. And I don't believe he will. At least at his current level of production.

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  24. And, Dusty Baker is full of shite. Credit all around. The Yankees bullpen did them in. When those <_____> had a chance to put the game away in the tenth, they soiled their trousers.

    Think about it: The Yankees got no-hit for nearly two whole games and still came away with a split. Any other team crawls away losing three of four.

    Nice try Dusty. You and Tony need to move to Florida - where old New Yorkers go to die. Judge did come up big, but so did the whole team.

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  25. Verlander? You don't wish him ill? He's married to Kate Upton. He should only fall on his face and break his surgically repaired arm! He should get rickets! He should lie in the ground and bake bagels! (One of my favorite, old New York imprecations.)

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  26. His mother was a hamster, and his father smelt of elderberries.

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  27. Made elderberry wine.
    Drunk all the time

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  28. BTR, That seems a better option than listening to the game right now.

    If I didn't know any better, I'd think the Yankees were being beat like a rented mule by the worst team in the league.

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  29. Doesn’t Matt Carpenter play 2nd? Cashgrab already has his dumpster prize

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