This camel has a broken back!
If there was any belief in my mind that this year, somehow, was going to be different from the last decade +, last night was the final nail in that particular coffin.
Hoss and I did our
grading for the FIRST half and for the most part I stand by them BUT here is how I really feel about the team.
Gleyber
Enough of this guy. It’s too bad MLB banned stimulants
because I’m pretty sure he could use Adderall. Since he can't focus, TRADE HIM and give DJ second base. I know DJ’s versatility is worth more
than if he just plays second, but watching Gleyber field and run the bases is... there are no words. Just a sick feeling.
Donaldson
I’ve tried. I’ve made excuses. Called him a professional
winner. All kinds of crap to delude myself into thinking he’s not an albatross.
He’s an albatross. A $50 million dollar washout. Can DJ play 2nd AND
3rd at the same time? Get
this lunkhead off the team.
Stanton
I’m back to disliking him. WTF was he doing at the All-Star Game
if he’s hurt? Selfish. How many years are left on his contract?
Gallo
Make it stop! For the love of G-d make it stop!
Pitchers
How many times are we going to take the lead and then have them cough it up in the next inning?
But, more than all of them combined...
BOONE!
It’s not just the incredibly bad decision making.
It’s not just the post-game insipid, disingenuous, fantasy
land industrial grade bullshit.
It’s not just his “loner” on the dugout steps posture, as opposed to
talking strategy with a bench coach.
It’s not just his voice.
It’s not just that he is by far
and away the worst manager the Yankees have had in my lifetime (And yes, I
remember Dallas Green)
It’s that we could have had Buck.
A guy a team plays hard for. Who changes a culture. A guy
who would bench a bonehead like Gleyber and force him to focus. A guy who
inspires! A guy who is as engaged in the
game as the players. Maybe more so.
A manager who… manages.
---
I’m back to hating them. I’m back to wanting them to blow
the division to force Hal to lose Brain and Boone.
If the trade deadline comes and goes and all we add is some reliever with great peripherals and a left fielder with a hard contact rate, I’m done. Life is WAY to short.
We are in total agreement.
ReplyDeleteI like DJ at third, personally. But Gleyber...Jesus, I don't know what wrong there. Like I said on a previous post, some Sanchez Disease there for sure. Not sure where to put him on the spectrum, though.
As I said in the final comment on the last post, we'll end up with a Heaney or two who is/are no match for good teams. And a .260 hitter who has decent power.
You know. Like Ohtani. And Ohtani.
Doug,
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing up Donaldson. He doesn't get enough criticism around these parts because of Joey Gallo's historical incompetence. Donaldson is our third-highest paid player for goodness sake.
Josh Donaldson is hitting .225/.309/.389 (.698 OPS).
Gio Urshela is hitting .265/.312/.422 (.733 OPS).
I was told that Donaldson would be an offensive upgrade.
And I know he's played solid defense at third base, but he's only started 52 games at the position so far.
And he's hitting .174/.277/.265 (.541 OPS) at Yankee Stadium.
So in total what do we have?
A third baseman who is
1. hitting worse than our last guy
2. an automatic out at home
3. only playing defense around 50% of the time
4. being paid $25M this year and next.
Unless Donaldson is saving an MVP performance for August and September, this is a disaster.
DOUG,
ReplyDeleteAwesome job.
You're like the anti-Bruce Banner.
People are going to like you when you're angry because the passion and intensity of your prose becomes inspirational.
There was much to brux and grind about during last night's game.
But what really got my fillings vibrating was watching Buck managing in the dugout.
Comparing his overall presence, his process, his power made me angry and sad at the same time.
SANGRY or ANGRAD - it for greater minds to decide, but good golly what a goofy idiot we've got on our side, alone on the top step.
The Yankees played great baseball in the first half, managing to stay healthy and getting peak performances from a number of players. But that was a relatively small sample, and it's not who they are right now. Taillon, Cortes, Monty, Sevy, even Holmes...uncharted territory now re workloads and effectiveness. The offense thrived on a mini comeback from Gleyber, surprising but likely unsustainable production from Trevino, good BABIP for IKF, and monster production from Judge and Stanton. I doubt we'll see Stanton before 1 Sept, Judge is probably due for a little "rest", and everybody else will likely regress significantly. Soto or no (it's "no", probably, expect Benitendini or some other middling move) the Yankees will be playing meaningful games in September. If they hold on to win the division, it'll be by less than 4 games. And if they manage to hold on to one of the 2 best records in the league, rhey might squeak out an ALDS win against a team that blew up it's pitching staff in the wild card series. But the Yankees aren't getting farther than the ALCS. Pitching simply isn't there.
ReplyDeleteDoug K., I feel your pain! Great post—and I agree all around, guys.
ReplyDeleteIn general, somebody like Ma Boone is a good clubhouse manager for today, when the ballplayers are just too rich to skin like you used to be able to. Witness Phil Jackson in basketball.
But Torres is a good example of the limits of this approach. He's someone whose butt you really need to kick, over and over again, because he's such a damned idiot on the field.
No can do—or at least Boone can't do it. And The Brain won't trade him because he's one of Cashie's boys, the would-be Jeter of his would-be dynasty.
Doug, you are entirely correct. The Yankees with Hal as the owner have become The Wilpons. If we pay him, we play them. Gallo, Chapman, Donaldson. Don't worry about Tissue Mon Stanton. He will be back and not hit for a month. All moves by The Genius Cashman. I hear I believe in Cashman on sports radio. I believe that the Yankees will never win a World Series with The Genius at the helm.
ReplyDeletePublius said: "But the Yankees aren't getting farther than the ALCS. Pitching simply isn't there."
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, and yes.
Zach, I've been hating Donaldson since before "Jackie." He stinks, and his defense isn't that great, either. It's OK.
He is not really any upgrade on Gio at all, just more expensive. If Gio had Rizzo catching his throws, he'd be a Gold Glove at third.
Brilliant write up Doug, I'm in total agreement with you all,,,, that mirage was nice while it lasted.
ReplyDeleteI think this season and Gallo's performance in it deserve a book.
ReplyDeletePerhaps "Gone with the Wind." Catchy title.
Stanton is far from the worst thing about this team. But he IS the most expensive worst thing.
ReplyDeleteThat's what Alphonso had the foresight to see—and which I didn't.
Giancarlo simply takes up much too much of the payroll—nearly one-eighth—for that level of production, and considering all the injury time. Had the Yanks only gone for J.D. Martinez instead in 2018, as the Sox did, they'd likely have won it all in 2018-2019, and possibly last year.
J.D. Martinez has now been made available by the Red Sox HC66 - so if nothing else YOU can acquire him for some yard work or various other chores around the hoss. . .
ReplyDeleteI'd take him!
ReplyDeleteI myself don't really need him as I am off to an afternoon screening of NOPE.....which I was convinced was just an overlong documentary of hundreds of Yankees fans individually answering on camera the question; "Should we trade for Joey Gallo?"
ReplyDeleteBut I was told its a new science fiction/horror film by Jordan Peele.
ReplyDeleteVery nice wonderful fantastic post.
Before this season I had visions of Seager at short, Gio at third, and the imbecile with the 72 baseball IQ at second. At some point I could see Seager moving to third, Peraza at SS, and Volpe playing second with the imbecile having been traded to Kansas City or some other gritty midwestern city. I really believed this, which is how stupidly naive I am.
I removed the posts that were attacks. I am able to do this when I am the author.
ReplyDeleteTake it somewhere else.
Dear HAL,
ReplyDeletePlease sell the team to an owner that will actually want to win a championship.
Signed,
Millions of Yankee Fans
Here, here, Rufus!
ReplyDeleteWe need a "1978 Meadowlands" moment.
thanks for removing the attacks
ReplyDeleteDoug,
ReplyDeleteWhat AA said.
Hoss,
If only it were that simple. I still think HAL is a bastard child.
I wish I could have seen the attacks. Most regular commenters here don't indulge in that.
ReplyDeleteBut what was there to attack? It was simply common sense opinion.
Carl,
ReplyDeleteNot against me. They were personal attacks on other commenters. Zero tolerance.
Ahhhh, OK. Gotcha.
ReplyDelete