2. Giancarlo whacked an insurance HR. Second deck. Not sure how to process a big Stanton night. On one hand, we're getting something. On the other, it just lengthens his tether toward the inevitable slump/injury. We cannot trade him. No one will bite. At some point, we'll cut him. But as Arya Stark responded, during the final battle, to Melisandre's question, "What do you say to the God of Death?" Not today.
3. Gleyber homered. Okay, I'm gonna play Dershowitz. Considering the revival of Aaron Judge in May, the Death Barge must give Torres at least the month of June. He's spent two months in the shitter, but he recently cracked .230. Over the last 14 days, he's hitting .268 with 2 HRs. That's a Gleyber season. Yeah, there are the troubling brain farts. But to deal him at his absolute lowest trade value? That's a bad idea.
4. Glad that Boone pulled Luis Gil after six innings, 88 pitches. Yeah, he was throwing a one-hitter. And yeah, Kahnle gave up a quick HR. But the Yankees must not overuse Gil. Right now, he is a precious toy. They better not leave it out in the rain. The big fear: Our Yankee bullpen implodes, pressuring Boone to push Gil deeper and deeper. That's how we'll wreck him.
5. Last night in the minors, Gerrit Cole threw 3.1 shutout innings. He hit 97 mph on the gun. That makes today the most important day of his year. Will he feel weird pain? That's what shut him down - troubling pain afterwards. Whatever Cole feels - or doesn't feel - rest assured the Yankees will claim all is groovy. They lie to the fan base.
6. Anthony Volpe recently called Soto and Judge the two best hitters in baseball. Jose Ramirez might not like it, but - damn - check out the leaders. The kid has a point.
7. Watching Soto kibbutz with the ump last night, laughing during a key at-bat - (he worked a walk) - boosts my sense that this guy won't fold in October. No Grandyman. No Ellsbury. He has the look. Next winter, the Mets will dispatch the hordes of Hell to sign him. We must never let up on Hal.
8. Jose Trevino legged out a grounder last night, reminding me what a gritty player he is. He was ruled out on the replay - originally, he was called safe. But it conjured memories of him legging out a DP grounder this weekend, opening the gates for a Yankee rally. By now, I figured Austin Wells would be our starting catcher. Well, Wells has flopped, and Trevino - hitting .268 - is one of the great successes of 2024.
9. DJ LeMahieu is hitting grounders, a DP ball waiting to happen. It's too soon to draw conclusions. Surely, he'll heat up. But last night, the idea that he'd lead into the Yankee big three - it didn't work.
10. Temps in Phoenix hit 104 yesterday. Big heat dome. Fuckem. I'll never forgive the Diamondbacks for derisively playing "New York, New York" on the loudspeaker moments after the 2001 world series ended. Let'm fry. Vengeance is a dish that is best served scalding hot, like the asphalt in your driveway.
It is wise to protect Gil.
ReplyDeleteIt is impotent that we keep him as a starter even after Cole’s return.
Allow him to continue to succeed, start the all star game and see how far he can go …
And Stang, as you ready your run for the presidency, I must request that the ties you wear feature patterns that have been focus tested as being confident and upbeat.
Americans need to know that you will lead the way to a new and better world.
Next up: your shoes.
104 is nothing in the desert. 115, 120, now you're talking.
ReplyDeleteMe and the missus will be heading to Palm Springs soon to enjoy some 100-115 weather by the pool. The humidity has crept up over the years, but a lot of days, it's still pretty dry. A sauna in comparison to Manhattan's steam bath.
Stanton isn't doing too badly. If I forget how much money he's getting, I actually like seeing the guy come up to the plate. He's there for power, and 16 HRs isn't bad at all for the first two months. I do wish he could learn to lay off that low and outside stuff, finally. It's a bad look.
Stang, here's a swell idea. Don't wear ties at all. Wear ascots. Paisley always works.
ReplyDeleteThis is something amusingly “Cashmanesque” about my typo above.
ReplyDeleteIt stays!
JM - you and the wife should not forget your daily date shake whilst in Palm Springs.
ReplyDeleteHelps to keep your taste buds happy AND if you’re lactose intolerant - LOOK OUT!
Oh ….. and whilst the ascots are indeed a swell idea - they too must be focus tested.
ReplyDeleteAnd……they must match Stang’s socks.
Paisley is groooovy, baby!
ReplyDeleteI'm hip, AA. Gotta watch the dairy in the desert. Things can kind of curdle in the gut when the temperature gets up there.
ReplyDeleteIf we must test--which I strenuously object to as a former advertising copywriter--the matching socks would be a good idea. Cannot go wrong there.
Still, paisley. Yeah, like, man.
Some paisleys are groovy - but some patterns may FT too old with young voters.
ReplyDeleteInitial research indicates patterns representing motion, specifically upward motion inspired confidence.
Tie (and ascot) designs will ready by week’s end.
Oh - and how about that Michael Kay going off on the slow exit velocity of Judge’s double yesterday.
He was weirdly whining like a spoiled child.
I WANT MORE EXIT VELO!
JM - l can understand your resistance to testing - however it can be considerably helpful in some applications.
ReplyDeleteKay did really like the fragmented eye black one of the players yesterday- in fact he thought even more highly about himself noticing it when others hadn’t.
I'm so old I remember when Kay was actually good and did radio with the Master.
ReplyDeleteNow, AA, older people vote more than younger people. I don't think that's changed much over time except for a blip when Obama ran. But I'm sure Stang can find some hip, youthful patterns for his ascots. Just look:
https://shorturl.at/BIkPi
Some cool paisleys there.
When I lived in the Coachella Valley I remember always having to eat the candy bar IN the 7-11 because by the time I reached my air conditioned car it would have melted.
ReplyDeleteThen again, as I was fond of saying to my northeastern brethren who mocked me for enduring 110+ degree days... you don't shovel heat.
As to Stang's run... VP Charles Nelson Reilly?
ReplyDeleteMaybe you’re right, JM.
ReplyDeleteMaybe even STANG won’t be able to bring out the young voters.
And to think of all the hard work it was to get STANG on all of the ballots.
But……you’re right, JM. Those are some cool ascots!
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ReplyDeleteSteiner and Sterling are still my favorites.
ReplyDeleteMight I suggest Svengoolie for VP?
Gets the Midwest vote, and he already owns a tuxedo.
I deleted my comment because I realized it was running afoul of the "no politics" rule.
ReplyDeleteStang's candidacy, however, is grandfathered in by dint of his longstanding place in the blogger firmament.
The voice AMAZES me.
ReplyDeleteIf worms were eating his brain, then I can't even imagine what was going on around his epiglottis.
Remember JM - All we have to do is give Herbert West a call.
He can reAnimate anything . . .
I will however leave my ~voice AMAZES me~ post up as I could be referring to just about anyone....(even if I did identify the gender).
ReplyDeleteTrue.
ReplyDeleteAnd if the Reanimator doesn't work, I say screw it and get the Tall Man from Phantasm. That'll teach 'em.
The TALL MAN from Phantasm menacingly calls out to the character of Mike as BOY.
ReplyDeleteI just don't think it could be written that way today.
What would the Tall Man say instead?
KID
THEM
DOOFUS
I just don't know.
AA, the Tall Man would sneer, "Child."
ReplyDeleteThat works well Winny . . . .
ReplyDeleteSTILL pisses me off that Arya was not the star of that show.
ReplyDeleteI mean, she avenges her father, avenges the Red Wedding, LITERALLY KILLS DEATH, and is kinda cute...and they decide on an unelected committee to run everything? Gimme a break.
Also...still want an explanation as to how Arizona in 2001 was able to borrow money to sign those pitchers. WTF? How was it that everybody else in the majors shut up about that? Grrr.
ReplyDeleteI am a man of many grudges.
Perhaps the most important aspect of last night's game...Rickie Ricardo on the English language broadcast. Dios mio, it was great.
ReplyDeletePlus, the ugliest man in baseball sucked when he played for the Yankees.
ReplyDeleteHEY - could somebody please get HOSS a beer and a pretzel?
ReplyDeleteVertigo got billed there and Rodon wants to kiss him really, really hard.
ReplyDeleteI just put up a game thread.
ReplyDeleteVolpe Volpe Volpe
ReplyDelete