Less than 24 hours after Wednesday night's torturous loss, the Death Barge suffered a Cat-5 meltdown - worthy of Edwar Ramirez and Scott Proctor... of Lyle Overbay and Travis Hafner... of midsummer 2022.
In case you somehow erased it from your mind, in that gelded 2022 season, the Yankees held a 15-game lead on July 8, then played .500 ball in the second half, collapsing into a 4-0 sweep by Houston in the ALCS. A rotten ending to a cruel year.
And now... seriously... who here isn't shell-shocked by the intensity, the purity, the sincerity of yesterday's meltdown?
The game began with Juan Soto misplaying a fly ball into a triple. It ended with Jose Trevino, an existentially embattled catcher, pitching the 9th.
In their last 10 games, the Yankees are 5-5. Their wonder boy, Luis Gil, didn't survive the 2nd. Nobody pitched a 1-2-3 inning. The defense made three errors, including one by Gleyber Torres, who homered and left with an apparent tweak. Jesus Christ.
Okay, gotta regroup. Yes, this team has hit the Girardi doldrums. This is officially our worst stretch of 2024 - a slump we simply must overcome - or something far worse. Either way, it is dangerous. The ownership bet heavily on this season - several walk year contracts - and right now, we are crapping the bed.
Some things I believe about this team:
As currently constructed, the Yankees cannot beat Baltimore. We are now a game behind in the loss column. But the O's mastery of us is in concrete. Not only do they offer a young lineup of ascending stars, but their farm system is bursting at the seams. They are the cream of the AL. This week, they fucking crushed us.
The Yankees remain favorites for a wild card slot. They sit 10 games above the Runnin' Redsocks, which are still fumbling at .500. The rest of the AL is crapola. So... cheer up. If we make the postseason, anything can happen, right?
Jasson Dominguez has moved into "Troubled" status. He will miss 8 weeks with a tweaked lateral, maybe show up in September - in other words, like last year. Basically, 2024 will be a wipeout. Worse, you must wonder if the Martian might turn out to be one of those overly muscled balls of twine that is perpetually fraying. Can he stay healthy? And what will all this lost developmental time do to him?
Biden should declare the Yankee bullpen a federal disaster area, making FEMA assistance available. The search for victims should be downgraded to a recovery effort. What does it say when, on a daily basis, you're swapping out half your bullpen to Scranton?
The Yankee defense is in a shambles, especially with base runners. Yesterday, on her pregame show, Suzyn Waldman noted that the Yankees would be working on holding runners, on timing, on stopping the running game. Then... the massacre. Yikes.
Soon, Brian Cashman will likely seek to remake the team through trades. This is terrifying. Cashman's recent record in midsummer deals is spotty, at best. Three years ago, he delivered Joey Gallo. Two years ago, he brought Effross, Montas,Bader-Ginsburg - a disaster. Last year, he basically stood pat. Cashman excels at picking from the scrap heap, and winter trades generally fare better. But let's brace ourselves for the worst. Would the Jays offer up Jesse Barfield?
The return of Gerrit Cole will help stabilize the rotation. Clarke Schmidt should return, and then there's that Brubaker guy - who the f knows about him? But for now, we face major concerns about closer Clay Holmes. And down in Scranton, the cupboard is bare. I mean, Tim Hill?
Trying times.
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25 comments:
All true, but the reversion to 2022 started earlier than yesterday, methinks.
Let's look at Tim Hill's line:
1 inning. 2 hits 3 runs (one hit a HR). 27 pitches 23 strikes (yes Baltimore hits strikes hard). ERA jumped to 5.63. Wow what a pick up that was...
First trade they should make: Cashman to the Red Sox for a flat beer.
Grumble
Simper
Sniffle
Drool
Boone is a
Huggable
Loveable
Fool *
* I lie. But I am three minutes from landing in Cleveland.
There are all these articles about "Are the O's better than the Yankees?"
How is this even a question. The Yankees have...
One infielder. Volpe.
No catcher.
No bullpen.
No closer.
Two fading outfielders (who are still good but trending downward) in Verdugo and Soto.
and an absolute moron for a manager.
So... the O's?
That was a horror show. Seen in person, it was an apocalypse.
Three things that offered some hope: Judge hit another HR, Gleyber was finally pulled from a game after yet more fuck-ups ("tweak", my ass), and Kahnle looked a lot more like the Kahnle of old. In fact, as he struck out two birds, it looked to me like he should be our closer--if he continues to show a return to form. He strikes guys out. Closers have to do that more often than "pitch to contact" Holmes.
By the way, I had a few New York golden ales. Each 25 ounce can cost $17.25. What a bargain.
Nothing could’ve saved us yesterday, and the apocalypse is indeed upon us.
However….can we at least go down fucking fighting? Tim Hill ? Seriously? Why not Yo Gomez who has emerged as the perhaps the best pitching prospect we have? Even Cody Morris is a better option.
The news about Dominguez is very troubling. Out 8 weeks after a check swing? Is he gossamer? Clayton Beeter, Caleb Durbin have
been on the nebulous MiLB 7 day IL for weeks and weeks. When I was much older than them, I was a serious car crash and ran a marathon less than a week later.
The O’s are indeed better than us, better in every way. The Braves must be licking their chops to get at us this weekend.
@ JM....you'll enjoy this clip ( and this was pricing from 15 years ago!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AViLfaXmdA
Carl - That was an oldie but a goodie!
The Kid from Brooklyn uses the f-word more than Leo Durocher.
And yeah, what about the working man? He wasn't at the game yesterday, by the way, because he was working.
So Gil crapped the bed as soon as Prima Donna Cole showed up. Coincidence? Probably not. Gil shouldn't emulate Cole. No one should emulate Cole or listen to his advice.
Prima Donna is not really a pitcher. He is a thrower of fastballs and breaking balls. If the fastball goes to the location the catcher sets up at, and it's plenty hard with high spin rate, the batter doesn't hit. If the breaking ball is sharp with late movement, the batter doesn't hit. If he doesn't have a hissy fit, he might have a really great game. If he has a hissy fit, no lead is safe. When there is extreme pressure, he is much more likely to have a hissy fit. When there is zero pressure, he is much less likely to have a hissy fit. That is why Cole pitched so well last year. They were out of it early. The year was an exercise in sucktitude. Perfect for a Prima Donna banner year.
All of this is why they probably should've traded Cole last year or over the winter. Would've brought back some big time prospects, no?
Trying times? More like end times, for our boys.
I wouldn't call Soto a "fading outfielder," Doug. Indeed, he's our one hope. And even Verdugo is bringing probably the best Verdugo we could have expected, if you look at his past record—something Brian Cashman adamantly refuses to do.
But yes, I agree with the rest of your assessment. I don't know how we even come up with players like this. "Jose Trevino, the amazing wonder catcher! He can't throw the ball to second base, but he can pitch!"
(Gee, could his assorted late-inning relief appearances have blown out his arm? Hmmm...)
Gleyber Torres, the man money couldn't buy! He'll play worse than ever in his contract year!
And on it goes. Just in time for the soggy dog days of summer.
Well, thank goodness there's an Olympics this year.
Trevino caught again yesterday, day game after night game. Am I missing something here? They must really think that Wells sucks. Or maybe they don't want Wells to develop and be the starting catcher. Or maybe Wells is hurt, playing through some kind of injury. Whatever the reason, it ain't good for the franchise. I expect Trevino will start at least two of the next three, right? Or maybe he starts all three games? Only in Yankee Wonderland is this possible.
I’m once again concerned about how Stang is coping with these recent events.
Can anybody perform a safety check?
I’d send him an ice cream cake but, we all know how THAT’LL TURN OUT!
Note to Doug K:
You didn't even mention our GM in your list! I gather, his overwhelming failures are a given?
Jasson Dominguez hurt again. What'll that do to his development? He keeps getting hurt, what'll happen is that he'll become a seedling that never develops, just rots away into nothing. It'll be a damned shame. But he won't be the first wonder prospect that rotted away into nothing. It happens all the time.
Yankee Funeral Arrangements:
So it's that time of year again. Time for the annual Yankee funeral. Because if that performance yesterday, and that series that just happened, don't convince you that this team is dead, nothing will. But if we do a funeral right now, what about later when they get their butts handed to them by the Tampons, the Mutts, the Blue Jays, & then the Red Sox again and again.
In the immortal words of George Thorogood & The Destroyers, one funeral ain't enough, Jack, better make it three. That's right, we need three funerals for this team. They're so dead, we gotta make it three. Cue the music, boys:
I want Cash-man, I want Hal, I want Boone
Yeah well I ain't seen the Yanks win since two thousand and nine
Can't wait anymore, I'm gonna be sick
I want one Cash-man, one Hal, and one Boone
And when the music's over, here's how the three zombies get their send offs:
Cashman: a la The Cask of Amontillado style, lured into the catacombs to be entombed behind a brick facade.
We don't need no Cashman trades
No rotting prospects in the minors
Hey Cash-man leave us fans alone
All in all you're just another brick in the wall
HAL: a zombie begging for a quarter on the street corner
Walking side-by-side with death
The devil mocks their every step, ooh
The snow drives back the foot that's slow
The dogs of doom are howling more
HAL might've won a lot more if
He wasn't such a miser bitch
He chose the path where no one goes
He asks for your quarter
He asks for a quarter
And finally, Commander Boone, in his tin can spaceship (which was made in China, by the way):
This is Ground Control to Commander Boone
You've really made the grade
This is Commander Boone to Ground Control
I think my spaceship knows which way to go
Ground Control to Commander Boone
Is there something wrong
Can you hear me Commander Boone
Can you hear me Commander Boone
Am I floating in a tin can
Far above the world
Yankee pinstrips are blue
And there's nothing I can do
@ Hammer....The Martian needs no further development. He could start for most teams. The only reason he was still at AAA after he was fully rehabbed was due to the "Curly Effect". That is, he was a victim of coicumstances.
Hoss -
Re Soto: Hey, I like the guy. I hope they sign him. He is our one hope.
That said, this has not been a great month.
April 29 hits 7HR 21 RBI
May 32 hits 7HR 34 RBI
June (9 days to go) 13 hits 3HR 7RBI He did walk A LOT.
Seems like a fade to me. Not saying he will fade to black but his ABs look different.
@ Doug K., He's probably hurt, playing thru injury (the elbow). And after he plays thru the entire year with that, all the more reason not to sign him to a long term mega-deal.
@ Carl, No question about it. Can only happen in Yankee Wonderland. Other clubs make room for a budding star. We keep him buried in the minors because ... well, he might become a star, and then what the hell would we do with Stanton, a guy who only hits straight fastballs and meatballs over the plate when he guesses right. What can you do, except laugh?
The Steppenwulf: And if I refuse to listen to ethereal Mozart, if I refuse to make love to a beautiful woman, if I refuse to laugh?
The Magic Theatre Puppet Master: Then I should offer you one of my excellent cigarettes!
Stanton with runners on: BA .261. OBP .341. OPS .845
Stanton with RISP: BA .292. OBP .363 OPS .946
He's raised his overall BA 15 points in the last two weeks, also.
Stop picking on the big galoot. He doesn't suck. He's just overpaid.
From SNY
The Yankees shook up their bullpen with three moves before opening a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves.
Chief among them, New York designated LHP Victor González. In 23.1 IP over 27 games this season, he struck out 11 and walked 13 while pitching to a 1.11 WHIP and 3.86 ERA. In a pair of corresponding moves, the Yankees signed RHP Phil Bickford to an MLB contract and selected him to the active roster while recalling RHP Yoendrys Gómez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Bickford, whom New York signed to a minor league contract on April 2, struck out 35 and walked 12 while pitching to a 1.27 WHIP and 2.93 ERA in 27.2 IP over 22 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Gomez, in 12 starts this season, had a 3.13 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over 46 IP at the Triple-A level.
Following Thursday's loss to the Baltimore Orioles, the Yankees announced they have optioned right-handed reliever Ron Marinaccio to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.The move doesn't come as a surprise as the Yankees burned through nearly 10 different relievers over the last two games and they'll need some reinforcements for their three-game set with the Atlanta Braves.
A healthy Chris Sale could absolutely eviscerate tonight’s shit lineup (Jones batting 5th; Seriously? I need to know if Boone is making out this lineup or if it’s dictated to him by analytics).
Glad I don’t have Apple, so I don’t have to watch this crap.
We are suffering from a bit of confirmation bias. Most of us have been worried that the pitching staff was over performing, the various issues with the corner infielders, the thin outfield, and the continuing saga of a farm system that never has anyone ready to help stem the tide. Let us not forget that the team is off to a remarkable start, and those wins are money in the bank! A note about the farm system. I read a lot of different publications, the farm is actually rated to be quite good, with the low minors absolutely loaded. We have talent for needed trades, and why not use them since we can't develop players for the Majors, or The Grim ruins their careers by age twenty-two? Ignoring for now that it takes three to five times the number of low A players compared to AAA players.
Something that I can't understand is that every year we sign or draft up the middle talent. A LOT of that talent is universally praised, but right now we don't have anyone better than a third string fill in for any position on the field, or for that matter for a role on the pitching staff! And in twenty-five fucking years we have developed one great player, Judge, one catcher, Sanchez (coulda been champion of the world) who turned into that tomato on the vine stricken with a fungus, Wong a very solid pitcher who was cut down with an hitherto unknown injury (but destined to replace the mud shark in your mythology), and, and Phil Hughes (?). I will grant that The Brain has made a few decent trades using minor league talent (amazingly, almost nobody develops for the teams that they are traded to!!!!!) for some good players.
I've gone on this rant too many times. But this isn't just about Hal being cheap, The Brain and Boooone being imbeciles. No, this runs deeper. Maybe we've become quantumly entangled with the Red Sox and God forbid their fans. Perhaps some kind of deep black magic, or the laws of probability have caught up with us, battering us in a death grip known only to fans of a few teams. Next stop Willoughby.
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