1. And they say we're Debbie Downers? In the 2nd inning yesterday, down 4-0, Michael Kay began lamenting that the Yankees will play their opening series in domed stadiums, with no chance of a bullpen-bolstering rainout. Yikes. Three innings into 2024, and the host of CenterStage was already praying for rain?
2. Big HR by Oswaldo, whose lighthouse smile is a wonder of nature. Unfortunately, hitting .211 doesn't warrant many grins. I've forgotten Oswaldo's Homer Holler from The Master. (Considering that he only hit 5 last year, The Master might have, too.) Anybody catch it?
3. At game's end, seeing Verdugo, Judge and Soto embracing in the outfield roused the biggest hope-boner I've received from the Yankees in a long while. They hugged like Little Leaguers, even the captain, who by now should be resigned and craggy. Verdugo made a desperate, over-the-shoulder catch in LF, a shot that would have turned the game. Soto made The Throw. Damn. It's been a long time since a Yankee outfield looked so solid, so locked in.
4. ... Which cannot be said of the pitching staff. Nobody shut them down. Jonathan Loaisiga is not a middle-innings long man. If they overuse him, he'll be burned out by June. And of particular concern: Clay Holmes, who escaped in the manner we came to expect from Aroldis, the human waterfall. That final out, a sharp grounder, went directly at Volpe. Ten feet either way, it goes through, the game is tied, and we probably lose.
5. I don't want to offend the juju gods with ingratitude - thank you, madams and sirs - but it sure would be nice to take the opening series from the Altuve Crime Family. (I remain a 2019 Playoffs Denier.) Houston still looks stacked, though Valdez looked shaky. Three out of four would be a step toward justice. I'm not even suggesting a visit from Ryan McBroom.
6. Giancarlo - one for five - looks like a leading candidate for the Higgy Bird Award, named after Kyle Higashioka and Greg Bird, given to the Yankee who blazed through spring training and who then goes ice cold as the season begins. Let's hope Stanton gets it together. Frankly, we have no choice. No matter how badly he hits, he's going to play.
8. Joe Girardi's return to the booth brought a bit of Professor Showalter, lecturing on strategy and insider scuttlebutt. (Somehow, Paul O'Neill has turned into a country singer with a belly full of beer.) Of note, Girardi's claim that he only walked out to the mound to give his pitchers a breather, never to talk strategy. He claims that David Cone once screamed at him so harshly, that it changed Girardi's view on mound visits. I trust Coney will be asked about this. A running bit?
Cabrera, Oswaldo : Oswaldo! The wizard of Oz!
ReplyDeleteWondering what it will be for Verdugo...
Oswaldo's HR call was The Wizard of Oz. Was there more involved? I don't remember.
ReplyDeleteI'm still a little giddy. And in disbelief about that Soto throw. I thought he was defensively questionable? Not yesterday.
Ranger, how about "Verdugo! The wizard of Verd!"
ReplyDeleteYeah, that doesn't work.
Oh, and I keep forgetting...Holmes is not a closer.
ReplyDeleteLOL no that doesn't...
ReplyDeleteAs for the belly full of beer...Paulie has his own beer now...
https://www.lohud.com/story/life/food/restaurants/2024/01/31/wolf-and-warrior-brewery-white-plains-ny-yankees-legend-paul-oneill-ipa-collaboration/72408468007/
Haven't tried it yet...I'll try any IPA...
nice win, but this pitching staff looks like a bunch of batting-practice coaches lobbing meatballs. Holmes? Yikes! Maybe we all need to pray for rain or a leak in the ceiling
ReplyDelete@JM Verdugo's nickname is Dugie so maybe something like "Dugie did it!" maybe...
ReplyDeleteExcellent analysis, Duque.
ReplyDeleteYes, I completely agree about the outfield. Great to see! Especially Soto's general fire and verve. We haven't had fire and verve since that time we had to call the FDNY. No doubt, we'll remember this day when he's leading the Mets to their 4th pennant in 5 years...
...First Opening Day I ever remember was in 1967, when Mel Stottlemyre pitched a complete-game, two-hit shutout in Washington, and the Yanks won, 8-0. New Yankee Bill Robinson—"The next Mickey Mantle!"—homered, as did old Yankee Elston Howard. My eight-year-old self was convinced that we would be moving out of the cellar, where we had finished in 1966.
ReplyDeleteAnd we did...all the way to 9th place (Thank goodness for Kansas City.). And surely that kindly, avuncular president who threw out the first ball was going to find a way out of the kerfuffle in Vietnam.
This Opening Day reminded me more of 1977, when Reggie Jackson, new in town, had two singles and scored two runs—one on a suicide squeeze. ("See? He's NOT just a big slugger. And what a team player!")
Though again, a dominant start that year, a 3-0 shutout, from Catfish Hunter.
Do we have anyone close to Stottlemyre or Hunter in the rotation? No, we do not. And the pen looks like a piñata on a kid's birthday.
A FANTASTIC win, the best of the season! Thrilled to have Soto on board, but OMG Holmes,,,,, that said, we were gifted that win by Houston's middle relief, so they also have their issues,,,,
ReplyDeleteIf the season ended today, the Yankees would be in the playoffs. Not sure about tie-breakers so could be as a wild card. But anyway, it’s like October in March! Kudos to ownership & managemen!
ReplyDeletePerhaps Fire and Verve has replaced Mystique and Aura?
ReplyDeleteHappy for the win, but yes, Holmes does give one pause. I was hoping the team would sign Hader in the offseason, I think he’s the best in the game right now. Didja see him blow us away in the ninth?
ReplyDeleteRodon tonight, and who the hell knows what to expect?
Well, we all know that Michael Kay will Say:
ReplyDeleteVERRRRR
DOOOOO
GOOOOOOOOOES!
SEE YAH!
meh...
ReplyDeleteBitty- I only see the future- I cannot be responsible for those that create it.
ReplyDeleteHow about:
ReplyDeleteVerdoooooGoooooze Yard. He NOVAKS one deep into the bleachers.
ReplyDeleteCone: THE ONLY THINNG YOU KNOW ABOUT PITCHING IS THAT IT'S HARD TO HIT !!!
Giradi: Hrrmm ... he may be right about that.
A Dugie Howitzer
ReplyDeleteSo, are we supposed to "HURRAH!!!" after that slopfest spectacle last night? Honestly, it didn't even feel like a win. It felt like a reprieve ... from execution.
ReplyDeleteThree double play balls are almost always a death-knell for offense. They still managed to scratch out five runs. In that respect, it was impressive. The pitching? Not so much.
We should've signed Hader over the winter. Only required some money. And after Yamamoto was gone, why the hell not? But we forget that HAL/Cashman are not really trying to win. That's the only explanation that makes any sense.