Wednesday, May 30, 2018

The Queasy Season

Welcome to the queasy season, that now annual part of the campaign where we must live in dread and general nausea for weeks, fretting over just what awful deal Cooperstown Cashman will make in his grand illusion that we are one player away from winning it all.

Last year, at least the VERY worst did not happen—although the Sonny Gray deal has turned out to be as bad as pretty much everyone here predicted.

Besides the big bopper fiascoes, there are also the devil-in-the-details little deals that Coops makes almost offhandedly, all while condescendingly assuring us that while he'd LIKE to keep all the amazing prospects he discovered, some will have to go or be scooped up by other teams under the Rule Five draft.

Somehow, despite a lifetime spent in a baseball front office, Coops has still not gleaned just how easy it is for even the deepest ocean of baseball talent to become a desolate Sahara, almost overnight.

Just look at how much thinner our minor-league talent pool is today, as opposed to this time last year. That's not to blame it all on Coops—injuries and flameouts always take their toll. But somehow, Coops always fails to take that into consideration.

And it matters. We could really use, say, a Zack Littell, last seen hurling at a 2.57 clip at the Twins' Triple-A stop—as opposed to the late, unlamented Jaime Garcia.

So who do we have to fear for this year? The obvious answer is Clint Frazier. Who will he be dangled over the fire for...?

Cole Hamels? Now 3-5, 3.74, a 34-year-old whose best season was back in Philadelphia, in 2012? Ex-Met Michael Fullmer, 29 and now 2-3, 4.08 in Detroit, who has deteriorated rapidly from his outstanding rookie year in 2016?

Chris Archer, the Tampa Bay wunderkind, now 29 and not so wunder or kind, who is 3-3, 4.29, with his best season back in 2015? Because, you know, our crack staff is so good at reviving the careers of foundering pitchers?

Something even worse????

Who knows? Except that we shall have to live in torment from now through the trading deadline, and maybe beyond. It's the queasy season.





37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hoss,

I can't disagree I can only add the following for perspective...

Re: How much thinner our minor league talent pool is... In the last few seasons we graduated...

RF actual superstar Aaron Judge (The Big Galoot)and last year's Rookie of the Year.

C Probable superstar Gary Sancheeze. (Swiss - because of all the holes in his defense and his swing.) Despite this I would take him as our catcher any day all day.

2B - Budding superstar Gleybar Torres. Who, in the absence of Otani, would be right up there for Rookie of the Year.

3B Budding star - Miguel CanDUjar. I like him more and more every day.

P Jordan Montgomery - Kid has the goods.

And we are still waiting on potential star Red Thunder. Who shouldn't be down there in the first place.

That's a lot of talent to "lose" from the minors. I'm good with it.

It would have been nice to still have Littell. I think Cashman is a lousy judge of pitching talent and has an obsession with washed up guys that defies logic. Making the Hammel scenario all too real. But overall the minors did what it's supposed to, supply talent to the big club and recently they have been outstanding.

Doug K.

Joe Formerlyof Brooklyn said...


The problem with knocking Csshmoney is that I know -- for certain -- that I don't know nothing. And I know that even without my wife's frequent reminders.

Example: Brett Gardner. I would have traded him for an actual wheel of swiss cheese not too longer ago. For one thing, I'm pretty sure no one else (of the 29 other GMs) would take GStanton (even if we piled $200 million on with him). For another, I wanted Gardy gone -- so we could get Red Thunder out there . . .

Now the guy is hitting .256 with a .363 OBP. His line in his last 15 games (I shit you not) -- .373/.476/.644.

Those numbers omit: (a) the guy's value as a pain-in-the-pitcher's-ass hitter; and (b) his value in the clubhouse (esp. if Toe's gone). Also, I'm fond of his defense, altho (certainly) there must be numbers there to prove the fact that I don't know nuthin' about that as well......

HoraceClarke66 said...

You make a great point, Doug K. The graduations thin out a farm system, along with the injuries and burnouts, and we have to give Coops his props for that. But again, it all speaks to why we should hoard what we have left.

Joe, I completely agree. And a funny thing...my wife gives me the same helpful reminders! It seems to run in the breed.

I wanted to jettison Gardy, too. And infamously, I thought Scranton was the real deal. Wrong on both counts.

Unfortunately, I worry that Coops is generally NOT above our level of acumen...

Leinstery said...

Hicks is leading off...Because we all know he KILLS left handed pitching.

Vampifella said...

Looking to the next two months, the Yanks are facing mostly awful teams. Those teams are realistically already out of it for the season and they will be fighting for the better draft pick. We should be between .700 to .800 against them no matter what we put out on the field.

The big trouble is that right in the center of all that is 9 games in a row against the Phillies, Red Sox and the Braves. Assuming that the Phils and Braves are for real, we'd be lucky to win 3 games against that lot. We couldn't get any pitching help to get us though that but it could send the team into a spending desperation.

Then in August it's 3 games against the Red Sox and everybody else should be a cake walk. No need for new pitching help really.

Then 10 tough games in September, most of which are against the Red Sox. The last three games of the season are against them and it will do doubt guarantee that the Yanks will end up with the wild card birth rather than first place.

So why waste resources for something that is almost a foregone conclusion? I would if it could net a sure bet such as deGrom which we could use for the next 3 years, but we are fighting for sloppy second scraps like Cole and it's just not worth it.

Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside said...

Sure beats the dumpster fire Mets! https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Citi-Field-Fire-Flames-Smoke-Queens-484091111.html

HoraceClarke66 said...

I agree with you, my be-fanged friend. It gets back to Duque's excellent, original point: why sellout when there's nothing to get?

I have a feeling that the Red Sox may wear through their pitching, particularly the bullpen. But Houston should be fine as long as the juice holds out, and Cleveland's pitching will probably improve, especially if they can get Miller back.

We're better off building for next year, and the maybe 5-10 years after that, when we could gain the upper hand.

TheWinWarblist said...

Is Montgomery ever coming back? And I don't want to point out this, but the Red Sox are a very gaudy 22 games over .500 very early in the season.

Leinstery said...

Gary not striking out with the bases loaded, what is this fantasyland?

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Niiiiice!

KD said...

SANCHO decides NOT to hit a homer! SWEET!
!!!!

Joe of AZ said...

Sanchino must have had another luncheon with J-lo-Rod...

KD said...

Didi’s swings are getting better.

KD said...

Urban Farmer, are you lurking? I sense Dutch JuJu.

TheWinWarblist said...

And look who's hitting out of the 6 hole!? IT'S GLEYBER DAYYYYY !!!!! MYFLAMINGSCROTUM-AHH-AHH-AAHHHH-AAaAaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHaaaa-ah-ah-ah-aaaaaaaaAaAaHaHaHaaaAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Flaming Scrotum? Use the salve!

TheWinWarblist said...

IT'S THE FRICTION!! THE FRICTION, I TELLS YA!!

TheWinWarblist said...

"That ball is high ... !!!" I love The Master. Love The Master.

Leinstery said...

Tyler Austin officially has no trade value. Just cut bait with him. Also I feel like they're about to drop at least 3 vs the O's. Tanaka and CC get killed in Camden and the other two are named Sonny Gray and Domingo German. They never stood a chance.

Rufus T. Firefly said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rufus T. Firefly said...

Austin Powers was put into a deep freeze just as he got hot. He's apparently not a bench player.

TheWinWarblist said...

Leinstery, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre could take 3 out of 4 from the Orioles.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

That pitch to AnDUjar was so far and outside, it would have hit a left handed hitter.

Umpires suck using a different strike zone for newer players.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

TWW,

The fourth game would have been a fluke.

KD said...

Two more

KD said...

One more

TheWinWarblist said...

KD, see what you've done!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!

KD said...

THE YANKEES WIN!!!!!

TheWinWarblist said...

MYSCROTUMAFLAME-AFLAME-AHH-AHH-AAHHHH-AAaAaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHaaaa-ah-ah-ah-aaaaaaaaAaAaHaHaHaaaAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!

TheWinWarblist said...

MYSCROTUMAFLAME-AFLAME-AHH-AHH-AAHHHH-AAaAaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHaaaa-ah-ah-ah-aaaaaaaaAaAaHaHaHaaaAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!MYSCROTUMAFLAME-AFLAME-AHH-AHH-AAHHHH-AAaAaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHaaaa-ah-ah-ah-aaaaaaaaAaAaHaHaHaaaAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!MYSCROTUMAFLAME-AFLAME-AHH-AHH-AAHHHH-AAaAaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHaaaa-ah-ah-ah-aaaaaaaaAaAaHaHaHaaaAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!MYSCROTUMAFLAME-AFLAME-AHH-AHH-AAHHHH-AAaAaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHaaaa-ah-ah-ah-aaaaaaaaAaAaHaHaHaaaAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!

KD said...

Just a little hiccup along the way, my friend!

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Flop-sweat had me worried.

On the edge, but statement to Astros that Yankees beat them home and away.

TheWinWarblist said...

I'm spent. Buona notte!

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Prego!

HoraceClarke66 said...

We win the season series, 5-2! Great game, all around.

What a weird and wonderful day in our favorite sport (aside, that is, from Boston's 867th consecutive win over the plummeting Blue Jays).

There was that goose in Detroit (a "Michigander"—huh, huh?), Nathan Eovaldi pitched six no-hit innings against Oakland before being pulled (backed by a three-run homer from Refsnyder!), and the Mets even won, thanks to a great play by Rosario!

As a great man likes to say, well, there's no...uh-huh.

TheWinWarblist said...

Ah, yes, there is no predicting ...

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