2. Everybody knows that Clay Holmes cannot close.
3. The mere sight of Clay Holmes warming up rouses the opposition into believing they will win.
4. We have nobody to replace Clay Holmes.
5. All our closer options are worse than Clay Holmes.
6. Nobody will trade us a replacement for Clay Holmes.
7. Our farm system has no replacement for Clay Holmes.
8. Boone will not make a change on Clay Holmes.
9. When Clay Holmes does get a grounder, the Yankee infield won't necessarily field it.
10. If Clay Holmes could close, the Yankees would have a substantial lead over Baltimore.
A few days from now, when it happens again, I will be repeating these words...
When will they DFA Mark Lightmyfire?
ReplyDeleteI say, make Kahnle the closer. Hell, he won't be any worse, and he could very well be better. A couple extra wins would do it.
ReplyDeleteI like Kahnle because he's a grizzled veteran. And he strikes guys out.
ReplyDeleteI was talking with my friend, Tommy Shirts, last night. He follows this blog, but never comments. Some of you have met him at the Huckleberry Meetups© that we hold on an infrequent basis. Anyway, we were discussing some of the hitters and their abysmal batting averages. Forget all the other metrics, we were just talking the good old "BA." And it struck me that a team that really wants to win WOULD NEVER IN A MILLION FUCKING YEARS carry some of these losers, wasting a precious spot on the roster for a quadruple A player. There is simply NO HUNGER OR DESIRE FOR WINNING on this team. The problem - and it still rests with Hal and Brian - is in our GOAL. It's not to win, nor is it to contend. It's merely to pack the stadium and hope for the playoffs each year, where we can make the sign of the cross, clench out butt cheeks together, grab our dicks and dive into the abyss. "The playoffs are a crapshoot," or whatever Brian likes to chirp every year. We are NOT in it to win it. From our goals comes our attitude, and from our attitude comes out lackluster performance.
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ReplyDeleteHow about Gil as the closer? It will limit his innings and turn him loose. He may have hit a wall as a starter (this year) anyway. Get's Ks. Looks dominant more often than not.
ReplyDeleteI'd be fine with Gil. I'd even try Cousins. Anyone but Holmes.
ReplyDelete#ABH
VERY well said Bitty and Tommy Shirts, there seems to be a Yankee corporate imperative to strive for perverse mediocre equilibrium, unlike the teams of the late 90s, there's no urgency or culture of petal to the metal to win win win, it's a lazy fat cat luxury box leisure sport Halitosis driven yawn fest.
ReplyDeleteAnd everybody involved is rich, Ken. Not always easy to be motivated, and we're led by a manager who isn't going to get anybody motivated.
ReplyDeleteExcellent observation JM $$$$$! And I absolutely agree about Holmes,,,,
DeleteWhy, why, why does this team stick with people who obviously can't do what they're supposed to do? Pitchers who can't pitch, batters who can't hit, a closer who can't close, a second baseman who can't concentrate on the game, a manager who can't manage, a GM who can't GM, coaches who can't coach, trainers who can't train...it's just incredible.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with Tommy Shirts, JM, and especially Bitty!
ReplyDeleteWhat am I chopped liver?
DeleteIn a way, we are all chopped liver. Better than Soylent Green (on most days....especially on a cracker)
DeleteHolmes needs to be disappeared immediately.
ReplyDeleteI’m on board with the alternatives being tossed about (although we sorta still need Gil the starter to be Gil the starter for us).
Let me take a moment to repeat something for the bloated rich and dimwitted out there in Yankeeville:
HOLMES NEEDS TO BE DISAPPEARED - IMMEDIATELY
AA - Here's the thing... Gil gets say, 5-6 more starts. Wins 3 and has one blown by Holmes. So plus three. Holmes blows at a minimum another 5 so minus 2 if we keep Gil as a starter and Holmes in the bullpen.
DeleteMore importantly... come playoff time Schmidt is back and Gil could easily be a really good closer and we will need one more than another starter.
I see it now Doug. It would be a bold and brainy move. Make it so.
DeleteAMEN to the Great Holmes Banishment,,, sometimes you can predict baseball
ReplyDeleteQuadruple A? We wish some of these players were that good.
ReplyDeleteFuck CashBrain.
Doug K. I love me some chopped liver!
ReplyDeleteDeCicco & Sons. Very good. Also Seasons on the border of New Rochelle and Scarsdale. But DeCicco's get it done quite nicely and so far is always fresh.
DeleteIt might also be worth noting that the Yankees hit into three double plays and executed none. One run wont cut it. Not without a closer.
ReplyDeleteLet me add that the team is doing exactly what it wants to do - making money! That is the goal, the prime directive. All other considerations, including winning, are secondary.
ReplyDeleteHal was at the game yesterday because he knew he wouldn't get booed. assuming he stayed to watch he had to see how much it sucked to watch Holmes blow the save. This is assuming he has a soul. Not sold on that idea.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, b4 I came to this page, I thought GIL CLOSER NOW too. Not in '25, NOW. I don't much care what becomes of Holmes.
ReplyDeleteHere is Holmes' problem this year (and 2023) compared to when he first arrived in NY: His sinkerball is worse than horrible. Batters are hitting close to .350 on the pitch he throws more than 50% of the time. Here's a comparison to other MLB closers in regards to their out pitch, the % of times they use it, and what batters are hitting against that pitch:
ReplyDeleteClay Holmes most frequent pitch is his Sinker, which he throws 55% of the time and batters are hitting .348 against this year.
Meanwhile, here are other Closers most frequent pitch which they throw, with how often it's thrown and what hitters are batting off of it this year.
Emmanuel Closer - Cutter- 81% of the time, batters are .160 against it
Tanner Scott - Fastball - 60% of the time, batters are .103 against it
Mason Miller - Fastball - 62% of the time, batters are .133 against it
Ryan Helsley - Slider - 48% of the time, batters are .173 against it
Josh Hader - Sinker - 72% of the time, batters are .185 against it
Robert Suarez - Fastball - 74% of the time, batters are .199 against it
Alexis Diaz - Fastball - 56% of the time, batters are .185 against it
Kenley Jansen - Cutter - 82% of the time, batters are .221 against it
Craig Kimbrel - Fastball - 68% of the time, batters are .179 against it
Raisel Iglesias - Changeup (32%, .153), Fastball (28%, .122), Sinker (20%, .120), Slider (20%, .172)
Nestor Cortes will never sniff a starting opportunity when the playoffs arrive, barring an injury. So he will be in the pen. Unfortunately, he gives up too many HR and walks. But, at least, he's capable of shutting down the opposition more than coughing up the lead. I would hope Leiter is banished from the team and someone from AAA or AA would be ready with a very high K rate.
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