Over that period...
1. Boston whooshed past us. We don't play them until June - when only God knows what our lineup will be - but it looks like Masataka Yoshida was the missing link to our 2023 hopes. Remember last winter, after we signed Carlos Rodon, and Food Stamps Hal proclaimed that the Yankees were... not... done!
Well, he eventually backed up them fightin' words by signing... um... Franchy "Bet the Ranchy" Cordero! Yoshida is hitting .321, and his 24 RBIs dwarf the current Yankee leader, DJ LeMahieu, who has - yikes - just 16.
Not ready to call 2023 as a Boston breakout season, but they're rising, while we are - putting it charitably - still sitting on the john. Don't be surprised if, at the July trade deadline, they shed big ticket star power for youth, to make a run at 2024. They will do what the Yankees never do: Retrench.
2. Harrison Bader arrived - and holy crap! it's the Bader of last October, not the banjo hitter from St. Louis. Old "Harmonica Mouth" is clubbing HRs, stealing bases, smacking triples and streaking across the OF. I think he should leadoff. It would lessen pressure on Anthony Volpe, who might be starting to crack at the hinges.
Bader in CF and Judge in RF means no more infielders out there. (See below.)
3. Carlos Rodon's wife said he will play in 2023. Well, okay. Meanwhile - shocker here! - Luis Severino had a setback. The Yankees made him throw a simulated game rather than start his minor league rehab. He's still two weeks away, but isn't he always? Instead of "Setback Sevy," maybe he should be "Two Weeks Away."
4. Michael King became the de facto Yankee closer. But, shhh. Don't say it out loud. Don't want to jinx things.
5. We dueled Tampa to the hilt - had game three in a lock - and still lost. Frankly, if not for an unlikely comeback, we woulda been swept.
Damn, I look at our team and then their team. It's hard to hold out hope.
6. Aaron Boone had a wretched two weeks. When he wasn't pulling pitchers too early (Domingo German), he was pulling them two late (Gerrit Cole.) At one point, he mystified the Yankiverse with two lineups. Sunday, he started Oswaldo Cabrera at 3B and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in RF. (IKF had three career innings in RF, all in the previous game.) Then, Monday, he started IKF at 3B and Oswaldo in RF.
So, WTF? What is going on in Boone's head?
Whatever it is, it's clear that Boone needs one less daily decision to make: Who's in RF.
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33 comments:
King. Finally.
Now that Hicks has hit a homer, we're stuck with him. He may bat .150 and not hit another dinger until September, but he's "coming out of his slump," which is total bullshit. But you know that.
As for Volpe, many of us are old enough to remember this kid named Jeter. He got off to a really slow start, and ol' George was ready to demote or trade him, wanting immediate results. Luckily, he was stopped, and the rest is history.
Sevvy, I think to his credit, has complained loudly about being forced to throw a simulated game when he wanted to throw a real game. Maybe they were punishing him for squawking about staying overnight in Scranton (something, imo, that proves he's got his head screwed on straight). But let the guy throw. If he has another setback, so be it. Let him pitch. We need him desperately, so stop screwing around like with King and the closer role.
This team is run by incredible jerks. We trade for and sign injured players, but we baby them to the point they get pissed off. WTF?
Second prize: 2 nights in Scranton.
Agreed, JM. And we've just played the first month-and-a-half of the season as if it were still spring training.
And I hold out hope for Volpe, too. But at the end of April, 1996, Jeets was hitting .274. He dipped to .250 for the month of May, but then just kept getting better and better.
Volpe is now at .205. But yes, of course we should stick with him.
Let me be the first to say it:
"Who's on first?" Right Field.
The Yankees aren't sitting on the john.
They've shite the bed and there's no nurse around to clean up the mess. This team is simply terrible in so many ways, thanks to the clueless leadership of Harold, and the incompetence of The Intern, a man who should be running the mailroom into the ground.
As for Babooooooone, you ask what's going on in his head? Truth be told, he's actually perfect for this organization. The Yankees are in the hands of the three fates: leaderless, clueless, and brainless.
Great article, Duque. Lots to talk about.
Re. the lineup, yes, leading off Bader seems like a good idea. Why not?
I would still like Judge hitting #3, rather than #2. For all the reasons previously discussed. With Judge out, I like what they were doing lately, with Rizzo in the #3 slot. It was better than Rizzo #2.
Tampa had Arozarena hitting #3. You know if the lineups were swapped, Yanks would have Arozarena hitting #2.
Volpe is not the same kind of hitter as Jeter. Not even remotely similar. Jeter was a classic contact hitter, very short compact swing, line drives to the opposite field were his specialty. He could hit home runs, when he looked to drive the ball more, but he was a .300 line drive hitter, not a home run hitter.
Volpe looks to be more of a home run hitter, with a long swing. He does not project as a .300 hitter. But it's still wait and see how he develops up here. I don't know if he always had the long swing or if that's Yankee exit velo & launch angle coaching. I think other teams like Tampa or the ASS-stros would probably have him cut down on that big arc, make it a little more compact, and have him make more contact to raise that batting average. But that's just me.
Re. Boston's signing of Yoshida. If you didn't know anything about baseball, and just read about Yoshida back then, you could sense that would be a pretty good signing and a great fit for the Yanks. In fact, if Yanks had only signed that guy instead of Rodon, things would looke a helluva lot better right now. HAL/Cashman never make smart decisions. Hey, that ship has sailed. Ten years from now, maybe Cashman inks Yoshida to a millstone mega contract.
The Yanks actually won game one of a series. Is that the first time since the San Fran series at the beginning of the season? Wow. Anyway, notice that they scored ALL of their runs on home runs. Home run derby. Someone forgot to invite the A's. This is the blueprint for a Yankee win. Usually, they only win when they hit multiple home runs.
The Gleyber home run: take a look at that front foot, loaded and hovering for an inordinately long time before the pitch comes. No wonder he has problems with the upper and lower body not in sync. Did he always have that or was that a contagious variation of Luke Voit? As long as Torres has that front foot hover, he's going to have long periods of total incompetence. Everything has to be perfect for that swing. If the timing is slightly off, he'll look like his upper and lower body are not in sync.
The DJ LeMahieu homer: In complete contrast to Gleyber's swing, the DJ swing was a thing of beauty. Front foot barely off the ground for an instant before he takes a smooth swing. Timing comes easy for him because of the lack of extraneous movements. The follow through has his right foot driving hard, though, so I can see how he puts heavy strain on his big right toe. I can only hope the toe troubles are behind him.
"Sunday, he started Oswaldo Cabrera at 3B and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in RF. (IKF had three career innings in RF, all in the previous game.) Then, Monday, he started IKF at 3B and Oswaldo in RF. So, WTF? What is going on in Boone's head?"
On this team, everyone MUST play everywhere. Because they are the Alice in Wonderland Yankees. Up is down and down is up. First Alice is small, then Alice is ten feet tall. The White Knight is still talking backwards, while the caterpillar smokes a pipe. The Cheshire Cat disappears, melts away into thin air. Only on the New York Yankees.
Boone is an airhead, just a sock puppet. Clueless Joe Torre? Boone makes Clueless Joe look like Albert Einstein.
One last thing about Judge. Did he rebab already in the minors? If so, didn't hear anything about it. This guy is a notoriously slow healer. I hope they're not rushing him back. Seems at least a week early to me. Hope he doesn't have to be shut down again a week from now with more pain.
Mets sign Gary Sanchez to a minor league deal. Make of it what you will
This year is already irretrievably lost. They're not making the wild card. Seems like a great chance to bring up some kids and develop them up here. When a kid has big time talent, he'll develop up here much faster than toiling in the minors. A half season in the majors can be better than two years in the minors.
Austin Wells is supposedly swinging the bat great. Back from a fractured rib. Perhaps from a dalliance with Viscount Victoria's leg scissors massage service. (She's got a $2,500 two hour leg scissors special. Be in shape, though, because people have accidentally died while in the throes of ecstasy.) Why not promote Wells as a part time catcher and DH? Would help the offense, I'm sure. They can carry three catchers. Send down a bullpen lug nut. Trade Albert Abreu.
From Yankees Twitter
Prior to tonight’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves:
• Reinstated OF Aaron Judge from the 10-day I.L.
• Placed INF Oswald Peraza on the 10-day I.L. (retro to 5/6) with a right ankle sprain.
• Recalled RHP Greg Weissert from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Peraza is the sacrificial lamb/INF.
Sanchez has to get used to a very diminished buffet in the minors. If he hasn't already.
Torres' batting style looks ridiculous. Not sure how he hits anything, much less a home run.
Volpe is not Jeter. But he does deserve the same chance. Given the rest of this crappy team, maybe even more of a chance.
Last PSA
(apparently Hix is now the starting LF-er.)
1. Anthony Volpe (R) SS
2. Aaron Judge (R) RF
3. Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B
4. Gleyber Torres (R) 2B
5. Harrison Bader (R) CF
6. Jake Bauers (L) DH
7. Oswaldo Cabrera (S) 3B
8. Jose Trevino (R) C
9. Aaron Hicks (S) LF
Interesting tidbit on NJ.com.
tHE Yankees, in their latest mandated report to the Bond Holders
SOLD 208.5 million dollars in ticket and suites sales for this season as of 3/31.That is a 26% INCREASE over last year for the same time period.
Fans bought the Judge and Rodon Hype so Hal will make a ton.
Therefore. Nothing .Will. Change.
Fools and their money are soon parted.
Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was.
How the fuck are we losing already? Oh. Schmidt.
Okay. Okay. Unwavering optimism. Unwavering optimism.
You go Schmidty!! I once had a crush on a girl with the last name Schmidt, and she was SWELL!!
I'm going to be exhausted by the All-Star break.
Two walks, a fielding error and then three straight singles.
Archie,
Thank you for following the money, and reminding all of us to not believe in hoping for this team until HAL is no longer the owner.
Thanks Rufus
and from you mouth to God's ear.
Wait, is Hicks HURT already???
As night follows day, Hicks shows the slightest ability at the plate for a couple days, then gets hurt. Allegedly. Unfortunately, we cannot dismiss the possibility that this well-compensated professional athlete is taking advantage of this little flash of competence to shut it down for a while, reassuring himself that he was "coming out of it" just as he got hurt. "Rotten luck".
It’s a Bauers Blast!!!
Three home runs and you’re still so anonymous The Master calls you “Jordan Davis”. Playing for Philadelphia no doubt.
GO GO GO LITTLE TONY!!!
Yanks have put up a TD and a FG…
Doug K. said...
"Quick trade him now before he gets hurt." (Hicks)
May 8, 2023 at 9:22 PM
LOLOL...too late, Doug!
Holmes is coming in to pitch…don’t turn off your television…
Yankees Win!!!
As a decade and a half of success in
Scranton shows, if Brian Cashman knows how to do anything, it's construct a team that can win a lot of games against AAA clubs. Further proof these last couple nights in the Bronx.
This hip injury to Hicks could be devastating to his golf game. I’m swollen with sadness.
The return of the O.I. Hicks! Oft-Injured Hicks takes to the trainer's table again. Oh, well!
This likely spares us three weeks or so of watching him return to form.
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