And here's a withering reality: Come October, we will have to go through Boston, Toronto and Tampa again.
The Yankees sit at a cartoonish 44-16 - prompting John Sterling to opine that anybody who complains about an underperforming player (re: Gallo) must be "an unbelievable curmudgeon." Shortly thereafter, he wistfully visited the alt-universe where the Yankees didn't lose the final two in Tampa last month. If not for those losses, both close games, the Yankees would have won 17 out of 18.
Even when bathing in a bathtub full of nipples, The Master rues the ones that got away.
On that note:
1. Glad to see Kyle Higashioka hit his first HR. Gladder that it didn't come off a position player's Eephus - which would have been a stain on Higgy's record.Yesterday, Ben Rortvedt - the muscular pug we got from Minnesota for Gary - started rehabbing in low single A Tampa. He hits LH, a big advantage, suggesting a platoon with Jose Trevino. When Rotvedt is ready, unless he's started to hit, Higgy might vanish into the Scranton either, if not the waiver wire.
We glimpsed his perfect "You assholes, I can't believe you're doing this" look, as the team gave him the silent treatment following his first HR. Would hate to see him playing for another team.
2. Quietly, eternal prospect Estevan Florial has notched it up in Scranton. Over the last 30 days, he's hitting .329 - lifting his season's average to a worthy .293 with 5 HRs. He's 24, bats LH, plays CF and can run. So, what's keeping him on the farm?
Apparently, the brain trust thinks Florial strikes out too often - hilarious considering the alternative is Joey Gallo. Still, as long as they keep winning 7 of 10, it's hard to conjure reasons to shake up this team.
Also, Florial doesn't walk much - his On Base Percentage is only .379 - and, despite his speed, he's only 8 out of 12 in SBs. He's probably trade bait, unless somebody goes down.
3. Speaking of the last month, the two most hyped Yankee prospects - Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez have also turned it around - sorta.
Volpe, in the last 30 days at Double A , is hitting .284 with 2 HRs. Not Ruthian, but it's the highest average on the team. That's not nuthin. Keep in mind that Volpe will turn 22 next April.
Dominiguez - aka "The Martian" - is also leading the low single A Tampa Tarpons over the last 30 days. He's hitting .272 with 3 HRs - not much, but best on the team.
Okay - small sample sizes and, overall, nothing spectacular. But if you're gonna be the supermodel, it starts with being the prettiest girl in the office pool.
4. Tampa has its rotation lined up for us, beginning with turncoat Cory Kluber. Win tomorrow night, we get payback and can listen to the air whistle out of that wretched dome. Also... revenge for the Rangers!
If we go 5-5 over the next crucibilian games, we'll have the most ridiculous winning percentage in baseball and a big lead on everyone.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it would be nice to whomp the Rays and take two out of three from the Jays.
Which brings to mind, "You can call me Ray or you can call me Jay or you can call me Ray Jay, but don't call me Boston."
Thanks, Duque. The AL East, overall, 43 games above .500—easily the best in baseball...
ReplyDeleteThe big question on the Rangers—will they ever see 44 tabloid covers again?
ReplyDeleteTheir record over the past five years, according to the side panel:
2017—10
2018—2 or less
2019—1 or less
2020—8.5
2021—4
And thanks for the update on the minors.
ReplyDeleteFlorial's not drawing enough walks? That's hilarious. Joey has all of 22 on the year, his ratio going from less than 2:1, Ks-BBs (when he led the AL in both), to worse than 3:1 this season.
And finally, gotta say, Duque, I think your analogy is wrong about minor leaguers.
ReplyDeleteIt's not so much that the greats go from being prettiest woman in the office pool to supermodel; more like, "local Helen of Troy" to supermodel.
("I'm so tired of all those damned Greeks fighting over me!")
Almost always, they run up phenom stats in the low minors. .273 with 3 dingers? Even for the Florida Complex League, that ain't nothin'.
Volpe got off to a slow start but he has stolen 22 bases, something the big team could use.
ReplyDeleteAlso, with 6 home runs and 10 sb on the season Jd is actually starting to look like half the prospect they hyped him to be
ReplyDeleteActually, Florial has 17 SB in SWB and 1 as a NYY ; that’s more than any current major leaguer.
ReplyDeleteAlso his walk rate is 11.3%, while the MLB average is 8.3 %.
My point is not to trade stats but to point out that Florial’s value is on the upswing. The reasons he is behind Hicks/Gallo is he lacks a MLB resume, making him something of an unknown quality for a team with championship aspirations, and of course the fact that we are paying both Gallo and Hicks over 10M each. The old “we’re paying them, so we’re playing them” philosophy. Florial should at least be looked at as an increasingly valuable trade asset, one whose value may never again be this high. In any case, he shouldn’t be allowed to wither and die on the SWB vine.
" The Yankees sit at a cartoonish 44-16 - prompting John Sterling to opine that anybody who complains about an underperforming player (re: Gallo) must be "an unbelievable curmudgeon." "
ReplyDeleteHrrmm, I find it very possible that The Master is a long time lurker and completist reader of this blog. I mean c'mon, "Unbelievable curmudgeons" are us to a Tee.
Uh uh uh uh uhuhuhuhuhuh!!!
So endeth the fucking JuJu.
I believe the Yankees won't be making any changes in player personnel until forced to do so.
ReplyDeleteSo the Dutch guy re-habbing with the Tarpons will stay in the Yanks minor league system for this season. See if he can remain uninjured for more than a week. And prove that he is better than any other catcher we have in the moors.
Higgy is a fine back-up even if Trevino becomes " the starter." But the switching off is working so why shake that up? Remember, Trevino didn't exist ( as a Yankee ) when the deal was made for Rortveldt.
Florial improving is a wonderful thing to hear. But, once again, we are "deep" in veterans. The addition of Carpenter is staggering ( a Josh Donaldson with better character for "free."). So another bench position is taken. Florial has been described as a left handed hitter ( improving ) with speed. No one ever speaks to his overall defense ( arm, angles taken, gold glove stuff ). Is he regarded, defensively, as one of the best in AAA? Any minor league awards for " b east outfielder?"
If he can stay at Scranton and show continued improvement, he might have a shot competing for a place on the Yankees next year. And, of course, trade value increases.
Volpe has a long way to go. But it is nice to see him hitting above .200. Is he drawing raves for defense? Clearly, no shot this season. Unless a September call-up ( if earned ).
Top hitter (Dominguez) on our Tarpon team at .272 is hardly Micky Mantle stuff, but better than being the worst on the team.
It still seems ( even without mentioning Andujar ) that the development of players in the Yankee system is headed no where this season. But there is no need to shake-up the roster, given how it is now performing.
Injuries will dictate change.
We'll know a lot more at the end of this month.
During the dynasty years we had real hitters on the bench. Straw, Raines... All the difference and nice we don't now have all turkeys.
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