Let's Take A Poll.....

Poll:  How many of you knew, the moment you saw our starting line-up, that we were going to lose this game?

I have long maintained, that when Girardi trots out a line-up card that starts:  Gardner, Ellsbury.....the team has no shot.

Sprinkle in Torreyes,  Romine and Carter, and we are trying to steal one.  The first two played, and hit, like seasoned pros when they started.  Both over .300 at that time.  But as guys trying to play once every five days ( and Torreyes not at his best position ), some of that edge got lost.

Carter is a once in a blue moon contributor on offense, and usually in games the Yankees win 14 -2.  He, of course, plays due to Bird's injury cover-up, which will cost him at least 50% of this season.  Please note, this now aging future star ( Bird ) missed all of last year, due to injury.  We should really start thinking about the kid playing first at Scranton.  Bok Choi, or some similar name.  He is tearing the cover of the ball.

But the persistent problem is our pitching;

1.  Tanaka - no longer the assured ace.  Now, a risk element every time he pitches.  Sometimes, he'll go 7 or 8 innings.  recently, he went 1 inning and left us in shambles.  We were all looking
for the " mercy rule" to be employed.  If this happens again today, for example, ......

2.  Pineda - the 2017 surprise.  Our best pitcher so far.  But does this fact give us a gnawing terror, or comfort and satisfaction?

3.  CC - Mr. inconsistent.  But he always gives effort and at least 5 innings.  When in a rhythm, he is still a fine number three or four starter.  When not, he is like every no name we have trotted up and back from Scranton, only to see them drop off the forty man roster.

4.  Luis - I don't know what we have here.  Lately, it is about 5 innings of work which leaves the team in a position to win.  But he can't seem to get the big outs.  He also has a tendency to get his fastball whacked.  Usually, as luck would have it, right at somebody.  But you can hear the contact of the bat on the ball from here.

5.  Montgomery - I am already tired of hearing how young he is (24 ), and how much the Yankees love him. Desperation can make strange bedfellows.  This guy has no out pitch and I don't see him with the command of, say, Jimmy Key ( for those of you old enough to remember ).  As a result, he goes 4+ innings, and leaves us with a 4 run deficit, and a bullpen required to secure 15 outs.  If he ends up a .500 pitcher, will we all say, " great?".....  a learning year?  If he is any good, he
must " shock " us with an outing next game he pitches.  Enough with this mediocre crap, where he has no command and gets into trouble with two outs and no on on ( and an 0-2 count).  Chad Green is much better, from where I sit.

The bottom line is, and we saw this in the last few losses, our bullpen is being burned out.  When they have to earn, day after day, 12 -15 outs, it is taxing.  Not to mention that El Chappo is down and out.

As for the line-up, I turned off the game as soon as Gardy struck out.  I just fuc***g knew it was going to be another " pineapple" day.

The ship is beginning to list.