The Yankees won yesterday, beating the embittered Gleyber Torres - now of Detroit - and squaring their spring record at 9-9 - (three behind Toronto in the Grapefruit race.)
Lost in the agate were HRs by the youngest and oldest Yanks - Jasson Dominguez (22) and Paul Goldschmidt (37) - and a triple by somebody named Ismael Humberto Munguia - age 26 - who could become the 16th Nicaraguan to ever reach MLB, in case you're scoring at home.
Three Yankees, three hitters, moving in three directions, if they're moving at all.
The Martian bumped his average up to .229, and he's now tied for second in HRs on the team with 2.
Goldy is now hitting .300 and leads the team in HRs and RBIs.
Ismael Humberto Munguia is now 10 for 20, a crisp .500 with two SBs.
Close your eyes, and you can see in this trio the hopes and fears of the 2025 Yankees. If Goldschmidt hits as he used to, the Yankees have protection for Aaron Judge and a raging migraine for opposing pitchers. If he doesn't, well, 1B becomes a time share between Dom Smith and Ben Rice, and the floorboards could collapse beneath us.
Last year, worst of his career, Goldschmid suffered a bad back in April and slumped all the way into July. On August 24, he was hitting .226 - tanking the Cardinals. In September, the month of coffee cups, he hit .275, (though, with only 2 HRs.) This spring, he has three.
What's there to say? If he's healthy, Goldy bats behind Judge. We rise or fall, based on his output.
As for the Martian, who knows? The question is where he'll be in the order. Lately, Boone has been batting him high, apparently seeking to provide ABs. When the games count, he'll probably slide to the bottom, next to Anthony Volpe. If they hit, the Yankees can win the AL East. If they don't, well, there's Ismael Humberto Munguia.
He's 5'7" and 158 pounds - the Yankees seem to have a fetish for tiny people - (is it because of how Jose Altuve has treated us?) but they don't always keep them. (Caleb Durbin, whom they touted all winter and then traded to Milwaukee, is currently hitting .161, though he has 2 HRs.) Last year, in 93 games between AA and AAA, Munguia hit .286 with 7 HRs. He's fast - stole 18 bases, caught 7 times. In 2023, his Richmond manager, Dennis Pelfrey, said of Munguia, "He's one of the favorite players I've ever had the opportunity to coach," and cited the guy's joyousness.
Joy, eh? What a concept? I'm rooting for him. This team is going to need a spark.
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21 comments:
Ismael Humberto Munguia - the person with this name deserves to be in pinstripes. I hope they don't break his heart.
According to the book of James, we’re suppose to count all our trials as joy because it’s suppose to strengthen our belief. Maybe this little man knows this and has such strong belief due to all the trials his diminutive size brings, but it just makes him stronger. I think Munguia is the now the key to our whole season. Long Live Munguia!! BaBoone you’ve done it again!
Just wait....the Yankees will find a way to beat the joy out of Munguia to the point of suicide.
Van Lingle Munguia is doomed. Reporters will never learn to spell his name. And he's too small to see from the bleachers.
Call him Ismael.
In the words of the immortal Jesus Montero, just don't call him late for dinner.
Wait….what time IS dinner?
The Yankees have never won a World Championship with someone named Ismael. You can look that up....
" In 2023, his Richmond manager, Dennis Pelfrey, said of Munguia, "He's one of the favorite players I've ever had the opportunity to coach," and cited the guy's joyousness. "
Baseball is life!
I was kind of thinking Humberto Humberto. Kind of a Nabokov thing.
So…Jon Heyman reports that Stanton is also dealing with a “chronic calf condition”, the dreaded CCC
I've got a soft spot for anyone named Ismael or its alphanumeric equivalents. "Call me Ishmael." Perhaps the greatest opening line of a novel this side of "it was the best of times; it was the worst of times". At the close of The Great American Novel, Ishmael says "and I only am escaped alone to tell thee". Lone survivor, indeed. And perhaps a portent of the 2025 Yankee apocalypse. Requesting permission to come aboard, Captain Ahab Boone, sir!
(This succinct 15 second book review was brought to you by your friend HAL. Remember to spend all of your hard earned money on 2025 Yankee pay per view television, stadium tickets, and merchandise. Did you know that almost all of the New York Yankees' annual support comes from generous donors like you? Less than 1% of our operating budget is paid for by taxpayer subsidies. And Donald Trump's DOG-EE Elon Musketeer is threatening to excise even that tiny portion.)
I saw highlights of The Martian's two homers this spring. First one, he hit a slow breaking ball out the opposite field. Second one, I think he pulled a change up down in the zone into right field. Most homers happen on challenge fastballs over the plate or hanging sliders. When this kid goes down and takes a low off speed pitch out the other way or hammers a change up, these are the kinds of things that make me think he's a superior hitter.
Hopefully, his elbow is fully healed from the Tommy John surgery, and he gets his groove back from the right side of the plate. He was supposed to be a better hitter right handed, but with the elbow blow out, we haven't seen that. Come to think of it, we haven't really seen him get back to those lofty heights that he had reached pre-injury. But maybe he's starting to heat up now.
GOOD GOD! ... Franks and beans!
(Sorry, couldn't resist!)
understandable
In that case, let’s just hope he doesn’t go full Luis Polonia on us.
Carlos Rodan will start Opening Day for the Yanks. 0-1, here we come!
Clay Holmes will start Opening Day for the Mets
Scooter was also a little guy.
We need an AI version of Bob Shepherd to introduce IHM.
Or with someone named Aaron Boone. Hmm...
Also: "This is the saddest story I have ever heard." Ford Maddox Ford, "The Good Soldier" (Boone's clubhouse nickname).
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