Sometime, in the next few days, the Yankees will alter this team, either massively - (think: Gleyber gone) - or microscopically - (so long, Estevan Florial.) They will also decide between Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza at SS. Then, and only then, this year's team will take shape.
Meanwhile, we ingest recycled crapola: For example, this bottomless blathering of nothingness from the dean of NYC sports talkers, Mike Francesca. Yesterday, on the matter of Volpe, the Oracle said.
"If he's ready and they feel that he's ready - they're around him every day, and they know if he's ready. If he's ready... I think you put him on the team and let him be. It doesn't mean he's going to blossom into Jeter. But if he's ready to be there on a daily basis, you don't bring him up here and put him on the bench. You bring him up here if he's going to play. If he's going to play every day, then you play him. If he's not, then you don't bring him up here."
WTF? Should I disagree? If he's ready, DON'T bring him up? Send him to Scranton! And if he's NOT ready, bring him up?
The saddest part is, right now, that's all there is to say: Nothing. Just wrap it into a loop and let it run.
It's not Francesca's fault. Across the Yankiverse, this is the most excruciating period known to fans: With Opening Day approaching, we must simply sit here, crapping pineapples, and wait for Cashman to do his thing. Shoot me. In the meantime, a few thoughts, which may or may not be fully basted...
1. Whatever happens, cheers to Isiah Kiner-Falefa! With trade talk swirling, there he is, donning catcher's gear, hitting his usual .241, and giving the Yankee fans one more reason to love the guy. Last year, it didn't work for IKF, playing fulltime SS. But he remains a great teammate. And trust me on this: We will need a third catcher.
Whatever we get for him in a trade, it won't be enough.
2. Michael King continues to excel: He hasn't given up a run this spring, and he pitches two-to-three innings at a time. Shouldn't the Yankees consider him a short starter? Especially if/when German or Schmidt go belly-up. This is not some acid trip idea. It's how most teams develop their starters: They rise up from the bullpen. It's the path traveled by Nasty Nestor. Could King be the next Nasty Nestor? I'm just saying, it's worth exploring.
3. Yesterday, our two biggest spring disappointments - Peraza and Florial - went a combined 0-for-7. How enjoyable this last week in Tampa could be, if only they looked good. There'd be no debate, no red tide, no fear of a looming Cashmanic disruption. Both would be locks for Opening Day. Instead, Peraza is hitting .188 and Florial, .167. Sad.
Nothing to say.
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9 comments:
I've got nothing against Peraza, but in the Oz category, I greatly prefer Oswaldo. Maybe I'm wrong, but Peraza feels like another would-be great who isn't. And Oswaldo like the kind of guy who can spark a team and excite the fans. Sue me. I'd rather see Volpe.
Hey, check this out: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/yankees-brian-cashman-takes-blame-for-blockbuster-trade-that-didn-t-work-out/ar-AA18WsFz?rc=1&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=87b5c43f87d8461fc173347c345e3fe1&ei=6
So Brain is saying that, gee, maybe he screwed up with the Montas trade. I guess admitting his incompetence is supposed to make us happy he has a fat five-year contract because he's humble. Of course, he has so many deals like that, you have to wonder why he got a fat five-year contract. Maybe if he doesn't admit how badly he sucks overall, he thinks we won't notice how badly he sucks.
This guy is poison. There's no antidote.
Hot takes:
I think IKF sticks around; his role is currently undefined, but injuries have a perverse way of clarifying things.
Of course if Volpe makes the team he has to play. Otherwise he’s Scranton bound. Nothing to be gained sitting on the bench and rubbing shoulders with the likes of Hicks, Donaldson, Stanton and any other self-entitled characters.
Great take on King. Necessity is the Mother of Invention, and more pitchers will go down this year. Hope King isn’t one of them.
I guess Florial has played himself off the team. He doesn’t have a big contract as justification for keeping him around, so…Peraza will either make the team regardless of his sub-par Spring or resurface in Scranton. He will still have a role to play this year.
Still hate Cashman. And we haven’t even started on Boone yet.
Yikes!
On a lighter note, from today's edition of The Athletic. An evaluation of the food concessions at Yankee Stadium. And yes, there is "Rat-on-a-Stick"! It's the fifth one in the article.
https://theathletic.com/4336521/2023/03/23/yankee-stadium-food-concessions/
Carl - Thanks for linking. He did a really good job. Should have listed all the prices though.
For starters, King started as a starter.
Mmmm...rat on a stick...with Utz potato chips on the side.
River Ave. Blues Retweeted
Max Goodman
@MaxTGoodman
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6m
Nestor Cortes looked tremendous today against the Cardinals, his second start of the spring.
4 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 7 K, 0 BB
Cortes threw 66 pitches (47 strikes). The target was 60-65 pitches today, so he was right on track.
JM - I thought he looked pretty nasty myself
I'd rather see King as a closer.
Foolish to trade Florial; they won't get anything. Why not play him until Bader gets back, and see what he has, once and for all?
(Oh, right. Because Bader might not be back until 2024.)
I appreciate the effort, Duque. But sorry, I can't feel it.
No hope. No anxiety. No nothin'.
It would be nice to sit there worrying about just what great, last-minute changes the Yanks might make. But I can't. Because there are none.
This season was blown last August, at the Trade Deadline Debacle. It was blown the off-season before, with the disastrous JD-IKF deal. It was blown over the course of the previous 4-5 years, as the Yankees passed on one key free-agent signing after another.
Too late now to make up for it, and The Brain will not.
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