To exorcize last season's debacle, they horded players in contract years - Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, Gleyber Torres, Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle - and stars approaching career twilights - Gerrit Cole, Aaron Judge, DJ LeMahieu, Andrew Rizzo, Carlos Rodon.
If all goes well, this team wins the AL East. But add a few blips, and it could collapse sensationally - a meltdown that might even topple Brian Cashman, the front office, deep state Rasputin who has run the team 15 years without even conjuring a world series fart.
But for a franchise so desperate to win, the Yankees are standing naked and flaccid at the point of making a full commitment. It's worth wondering: Are they real... or Memorex?
Look, we all harbor suspicions about the value of Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, and the chance of concocting another disastrous Rodon deal is as unsettling as dealing with a shirtless Jason Kelce after a 30-rack of Jenny Cream. But the Yankees have a glaring weakness in pitching, and that's before the inevitable first wave of injuries has hit.
Want to see a team that cannot afford to lose in '24? Check out the Dodgers. As for the Yankees, they can sign all the thrift shop Luke Weavers in captivity, but unless they step over the line, they're just pretending, hoping the fans and media don't notice.
Pitching aside for a minute, I saw Bellinger wants a $200 million deal. Must be for, what, eight or ten years?
ReplyDeleteI could live with that, but the glut of outfielders would be a problem. Unless we trade Verdugo for whatever we can get. And sit Stanton so Soto can DH, which makes a lot of sense. So we won't do it.
And yes, I do have a soft spot for Clay's kid. Always liked the dad, and the kid, too, even with his inexplicable trough a couple/few years back.
Anyway, Verdugo might help get a lugnut for the pen. Which we could use right about now.
Oh...Monty over Snell. Snell over anyone Cashman's squints are squinting at.
I find it impossible to visualize this team winning the AL East. So many weaknesses, not enough strengths. The starting rotation is a disaster waiting to happen. I can’t believe how many fans fall for the teams bullshit year after year. The old saying, “Fool me once , shame on you - fool me twice, shame on me”? They’ve been fooling the fans for 15 years, with only a few pinpoints of light, such as this learned blog, shining through the darkness,
ReplyDeleteOr as George W. Bush famously said, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...won't get fooled again."
ReplyDeleteOr Bojack Horseman:
ReplyDelete"Fool me once, shame on you. Teach a man to fool me, and I can be fooled for life."
And then there's our fearless leader, The Boondoggle, having this to say:
ReplyDelete“Whether that’s Warren, Hampton, Beeter, Luis Gil returning from injury this year...we’re really excited about the signing of Cody Poteet, we think there’s a lot potentially in there from a depth standpoint. And obviously bringing Luke Weaver back to be kind of that sixth starter/long man depending on what’s needed. I do feel like we’ve replenished some of that depth, that six through 11 if you will.”
He's off to a good start. I don't think I can take seven months of this.
Duque, I was just trying to remember who said that line - brilliant!
ReplyDeleteBrian Cashman certainly learned a thing or two during his internship, and fooling his boss, the media, and casual fans seems to be his specialty. I really don't understand how he does it, but he succeeds in fooling everyone he needs to fool, year in and year out. It's really an amazing skill, pity he can't use it to improve the team.
Straddling and peeing on Yankees Fan's legs and telling us it is raining.
ReplyDeleteI hate these people so very very much.
ReplyDelete