This is nuts.
Do it, Yankees.
WTF are you waiting for? Make the move.
The call is simple. After 135 games, Alex Verdugo - our one-year-rental in LF - has simply failed. It doesn't matter that, last night, the guy fanned three times in three at-bats. Verdugo has floundered all season, including the Immortal Belly Flop against Baltimore, a moment that will forever define his brief stopover in the Bronx.
Make. The. Move.
Yes, the last time we saw the 21-year-old Dominguez was in that devastating loss in Williamsport, before a Pepsi generation of Little Leaguers, when he double-pumped on a fly ball and let the winning run score. Yeah, he blew it. And some will argue that the Yankees should play cheap, limiting The Martian's ABs to squeeze another year of contractual control over him.
That's what the Rays would do. Last I checked, we were still the Yankees, the top team in Tampa.
Bring. Him. Up.
Listen: I hate to bash Verdugo. I have Boston friends who wrongfully called him a clubhouse toxin, who suggested he'd self-immolate in NY, like a drummer in Spinal Tap. Didn't happen. He has proven to be a fine teammate, and - in fact - I think he will handle being benched, in part because a) he surely knows what a disappointment he has been and b) he has no choice.
Before last night, Verdugo had enjoyed a recent uptick. But the numbers don't lie: He's hitting .232 with just 11 HRs and an on base percentage below .300. Plus, there's the ridiculous excuse being troweled out on his behalf: He was allergic to - gulp - his batting gloves. Blow me. That's a Henry Cotto Ear Tampon level excuse. How do you get blisters hitting .232?
It's time for the Yankees to play an outfield for the ages: The Martian, Judge and Soto. Yeah, I'm diving face-first into the swimming pool of hype, and it's possible that there is no water. But we won't know whether Dominguez is truly an impact player until we throw him into the froth. It's time for him to sink or swim. And if he goes 0-for-25, there'd still be time for Verdugo to reappear in Act III. Crazier things have happened.
Sunday, the rosters expand. Folks, it's time for The Martian.
Who knows what the team will do ? Hard to know what goes through cashman & co’s head. Like most, I’m eager to see what JD can do, fully realizing it may take time for his potential to be realized, That seems to be the logic applied to Volpe, why not the same for Dominguez?
ReplyDeleteBecause, y'know, Cashman.
DeleteI'm not holding my breath on this one
ReplyDeleteMe neither, Dick. I just read that the Martian has 35 major league at-bats, and the Yanks would want to keep him under the 130 AB total so he could be Rookie of the Year next year--and the Yanks get a special draft prize if he does.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand it. But basically, he'd have 94 official plate appearances to go for this year. And does he make the playoff roster?
Why this is at all complicated is ridiculous. The Yankees should be, but won't be, ashamed of themselves.
If the Martian is brought up - we all know that our manager will use him to the best possible advantage. Boone is simply the best at being himself in most if not all of these high leverage situations. There is no one in all of baseball capable of making the decisions that Boone makes, day in and day out. I am fully confident in these things. And other things that pertain to Boone. Our manager.
ReplyDelete"no one in all of baseball capable of making the decisions that Boone makes, day in and day out."
ReplyDeleteSadly, you are correct.
He is the manager of our New York Yankees. I am confident that Boone will continue to continue to meet or exceed all of our expectations.
DeleteI agree with you, Duque, 100%. And let him hit leadoff.
ReplyDeleteOh, no! The bodysnatchers got to AA! They're coming! They're coming!
ReplyDeleteA-fucking-men, Duque. And that's horrendous, JM. I didn't realize this team could get any stupider. Obviously, I was wrong.
ReplyDeleteThe Yankees have already wasted a month playing Chisholm at 3B. He should have spent all that time in CF and especially at 2B. Cabrera should have been polishing his game at 3B in that time. For that matter, Peraza should have been given a serious shot at SS in that time—putting Volpe on notice that there are alternatives to his continuing mediocrity.
But no did do. And no will do.
Nah, play Verdoody. So he can make numerous outs. Dominguez might help the team.
ReplyDelete