The biggest issue the Yankees face in this next round is... the return of Judge.
Not to be negative, but the team is poorly structured to the point that unless Judge can play the outfield, a huge plus over Ramos, he has to DH.
This takes Rice out of the line-up or moves him to first where he hasn't played in a while. This turns both Garcia Jr. and Goldy into pinch hitters. It also reduces the defence.
That's bad.
So I think the reason that they don't just activate Judge is that amazingly, he's a net negative if all he can do is DH.
Is a rusty Judge at DH better than Rice at DH? Doubtful.
Why take the chance? They need to wait until he can play right field. Sucks but true.
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Yeah, plus Judge doesn't hit Tampa. So no need to rush him. This new injury to his soleus was apparently more serious than they let on. It was lower down, towards the Achilles. I think he was fortunate that he didn't tear his Achilles tendon. Not good.
1000%, Doug
Strongly agree
Orthopedists recommend 3-6 weeks rest/recovery for a non-athlete with a grade 2 hamstring strain. Athletes are urged to wait an additional two weeks because of the high impact. Since it happened on September 16, the timeline for game 1 against Tampa is less than the 3-week best case outcome Therefore, I highly doubt that he will play. If they advance, he might be ready for the ALCS. But more realistically, he would be ready to play in the WS, which are both the team and Judge's ultimate goal.
Rodant should be starting game one.
I repeat . . . myself when I'm distressed
I repeat myself when I'm distressed
I repeat . . .
RODAN SHOULD BE STARTING GAME ONE
They're going to rush Judge back because if they expect if he gets hurt really bad, he can always rehab for all of 2027.
Choosing between Cole and Rodon is a luxury that most teams don't have. Personally, I would go with Cole because Rodon becomes apoplectic when an error is made, an umpire call goes against him, or someone gets a timely hit off him. He then implodes, and the game becomes out of reach. Cole's problem has mostly been location, and with time plus throwing to live batters,( don't forget he came back in mid-season with no spring training) hopefully, that kink will be remedied. Add in his psychological makeup in big games and the choice is clear( for me).
Carl - I must add that Cole has often demonstrated the same mental collapse that you pointed out above about Rodon. So - - - > Lettuce see what happens.
(Please enjoy a Macoun Apple for me today or sometime over the weekend. Can't get 'em OUT HERE and they were always one of my faves)
AA, I'm surprised that you can't get a wide variety of apples since Washington state is fairly close. Perhaps Macouns aren't indiginous to that state.
Okay, just checked.....they're grown mostly in NY, New England. and Michigan.
Rodon has quietly moved ahead of Cole on the totem pole, in my view. He's just better right now. But it doesn't matter what we think. The Yankees will start Cole, come hell or high water.
AA - https://www.honeycrisp.com/macoun-apples.html
Doug - You gifted mind reader.
I was just on the honeycrisp website. In the past I ordered Macouns for shipment through a couple of different vendors/orchids and often they just didn't arrive in the best of shape. So I stopped.
But I might pull the trigger again this year.
(oh and......Yankees)
Rodon won't start because Cole would sulk. And Judge needs to pipe down. Unless he can play the field the whole apple cart (couldn't help myself) breaks down.
Well played, Kevin.
Dr. Phibes would be proud of you .
Great thinking, Doug. Though I think there's nothing wrong with Judge expressing a desire to play, and I don't quite understand the knock against him for wanting to. If he said nothing, people would be doubting his heart..
I will say that Stanton and Grisham should not be on the roster. I'd rather have those extra pitchers, even for a best-of-five...
And critical as I've been of Flouncy Cole, I think his track record definitely weighs in his favor, even if Rodon is looking better right now.
Lifetime, Cole is 11-6 in 22 postseason starts, with a 2.77 ERA. He had a 0.71 ERA in the 2024 World Series, and would've won both his starts if only the Yankees had played like human beings behind him, instead of lab chimp escapees.
Rodon, by contrast, is 1-3, 7.53 in October, albeit in a much smaller sample size. He is just too much of a loose cannon, always, to trust in anything save a Game Four...
As for the ALDS itself...I go with the general consensus that Game 1 will be critical. IF the Yanks win that, I could see them sweeping. Big IF.
IF they win, and IF Schlittler stays hot (likely), and Max Fried again looks as determined and ferocious as he did against Boston...yeah, it's possible.
If I were forced at gunpoint to bet cash money—an unlikely scenario, I grant you—I would bet on...Cash. And his team.
The Red Sox were, conveniently, a funhouse mirror of the Yankees. Good starting pitching, and not much else. Tampa is a very different beast, and they could easily sweep us. Or, more wrenchingly, pull out a late-inning, Game 5 win against us.
All too likely. But if we take Game 1...
Fair enough.
Agree with all of your points, Hoss.
They now have my permission to start Cole in game 1.
Try a different online seller. I hope they weren't rotten. And the shipping now is probably a killer now.
Good info Doug!
Have you compared Jugdes's postseason numbers to his regular season? No? Don't worry about it. He alway comes through and carries the Yankees on his back to victory. Let him rest this season if he needs to rest. He has already done so much.
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