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Thursday, June 28, 2018

It Is 2016 All Over AgaIN



In 2016, if the Yankees did anything consistently, they would score 2 runs and go home.

If the other team scored more than two, early, we lost.  No comeback offense.  Just a lay-down.  You could tell how the Yankees were going to do early.  Game after game.

Last night, I got to see my first Yankee game on TV in three weeks.

The moment I saw that we had a line-up with Neal Walker, I knew trouble was at hand.  Then, I realize the starting battery is Gucci Cessa and That Higashioka person from Scranton.

I have never liked Cessa.  Not ever.  Not for an inning.

And the "kid" at catcher was the player for whom I predicted:  " he will never get a hit as a
Yankee. "  That prediction still holds, even though he hit well in spring training.

Cessa, per usual, used up close to 40 pitches in his first inning, and pretty much " doomed " us to a Tampa -style pitching event....use all the relievers for an inning or two.  He escaped that inning.

However, when I saw him put two on, with two out, in the bottom of the second, I sent the following to Mustang and Duque:

" Here comes a 3 run homer."  And there it came.

This erased any chance of Cessa fooling me and giving a decent, even if short, outing.

Then I watched a few Yankee hitters do nothing and said:

" If we win this game, with Neal Walker in the line-up, and with Cessa and Higashioka as our battery, I think we can go all the way.  But we won't."

After Cessa struck out, with two Yankees on base ( and the commentators saying how Cessa didn't look like an automatic out ), I could see the pattern.

After Andjuhar was left stranded I said:

'If you are still watching, you will see nothing.   A shut-out means we score no runs.  Double plays, pop-ups and strikeouts.  Why bother ?"

This was after the top of the third inning.  It drew no response from M or D.

This game had a 2016 feeling.  Where we had no hope.  Where we would and could do nothing.

It was a game where Boone decided not to compete.

I hope the rest was worth it.

14 comments:

HoraceClarke66 said...

I do love how we have now added the critical double-play to the usual repertoire of called and swinging strikeouts.

A true artist is never content!

Joe Formerlyof Brooklyn said...


I am not a potential managerial replacement for ABoone. However, I am wondering about a lineup for the Wed. game which featured

-- the pitcher hitting (a must)
-- the pitcher starting is Cessa, just off the DL (no innings in real games b4 this)
-- no Bird, against a RHP
-- no Judge (hits RHP better than LHP)
-- no GaryS, of course -- but no Romine, either, with a day off coming
-- Walker, a curse of some kinda or another from an unhappy goddess somewhere.

It would almost seem that, in his quest to give a small group of (YOUNG) guys two days off in a row before the big series, ABoone basically threw Cessa out there and said "let's get out there and lose this one, guys!"

Do these relatively young guys (Romine is 29, Bird and Judge younger) really need TWO DAYS OFF in a row? Yeah, the catcher works hard -- and Romine prob starts all 3 games vs. the RedSux -- but would it not be nice to have Judge getting on base for the suddenly hot GStanton?

Also: This kind of managerial thinking reminds (me anyway) of some of the mysterioso maneuvers of one Joseph Girardi......is he running the ship via a cell phone?


ranger_lp said...

Bird is 3 more non-hit games away from Scranton. Rumor is that if they keep Drury in Scranton until after the Braves series, the Yanks get an extra year of control over him. They'll bring up Drury after that and have him play first. Let Bird figure it out in SWB. Bird needs reps as he never really had a spring training. Bird can come up in September with roster expansion and confidence and it will be like the playoffs last year. Sounds like a plan.

Anonymous said...

A few of questions for any takers:

Cessa had abysmal FIP numbers in 2016 and 2017--over 5.00. He looked rather ordinary last night. What's the big infatuation of Yankee management with this guy? Certainly both German and Loisiga ought to be ahead of Cessa on the rotation depth chart. Are they?

Why is Neil Walker still on this team? Is there some tactical/logistical issue here? He's obviously a dead weight on the roster, whose every appearance in the lineup reduces the team's chances of winning that game. What gives?

Isn't it likely that Clint Frazier is a better overall player than either Gardner or Hicks at this point? Hicks is a good fielder--not great. His OBA average is somewhat above league average, but not staggeringly great. He's a cripple hitter from the right side of the plate. Gardner has a very good on-base percentage and is a great defensive left fielder--but Frazier would likely put up superior batting numbers while sacrificing little if anything on defense. Clearly Frazier would be an overall upgrade. What's the deal with Cashman's paralysis clearing a spot for him on the roster? Does he like the excitement of a wild card game and so refuses to put the organization's best talent on the field--his key responsibility as a GM?

Anonymous said...

Anon,

I will take a shot at it.

1) Johnny Lasagna is definitely ahead of Cessa on the depth cart. I guess the Yankees wanted to see what they have/showcase Cessa. I am in the never have to see the guy pitch again camp. If they give him another start in MLB (at least before re-proving himself in the minors) they are insane.

2) Neal Walker - Yeah seriously. But Ranger provides a clue above. Walker stayed on the roster as the back up first baseman and clearly it is time for him to go but as Ranger points out (and I was unaware) they are close to getting another year of control for Drury.

So if Drury becomes an "adequate" 1B backup he becomes the "Golden Zobrist" The good hitting /good fielding guy that can get 300-400 plate appearances by giving everyone a rest. And they get to pay him bupkis. It's a balance between short term (We could lose a couple of games)and long term (cheap guy for extra year) thinking. I'm kind of good with it as long as Walker goes right after the Braves series.

Frazier - The guy should be up. Especially vs. Boston. The thing is Cashman loves Hicks and right now he is playing really well. That said, he is streaky and injury prone so I guess they are riding the horse for as long as it can run. Gardner is one of those intangible guys. Our guy. The overachieving home grown vet. Gritty Gutty Brett Gardner.

In a cold world Frazier starts. But doing it that way sends a very chilling message to the team and chemistry is important. My take is they don't renew him but it's done in the off season a la Bernie Williams. Sucks for Frazier. Sucks for us on a production/wins level. But I get it.

Doug K.



Anonymous said...

Doug K.--thanks. All sound like reasonable hypotheses. I frankly still think Cashman needs tame his ego, admit that Frazier is a better player than Hicks--at least Hicks if not Gardner--and make an appropriate move. Otherwise he's simply not putting his best talent on the field, which ought to be considered a capital crime for a GM.

I hope you're right about Walker and that it's not simply another instance of Cashman's reluctance to admit he was flagrantly wrong about something (this might apply to Hicks as well).

TheWinWarblist said...

Why does any baseball player need a day off before a day off? The are all young athletes playing a game that's meant to be played everyday. Am I missing something?

ranger_lp said...

So looks like they are not waiting...Ken Rosenthal...

Source: #Yankees promoting infielder Brandon Drury from Triple A. Will be active tomorrow night against #RedSox.
11:37 PM - Jun 28, 2018

Anonymous said...

There might be aches or minor injuries that are not made public and that require a bit of rest. Also, it's quite a long season--bodies wear down. A spot of rest here and there is a wise policy to ensure long-term availability for everyone.

Anonymous said...

WARBLIST IS RIGHT...

DAY OFF BEFORE A DAY OFF?

C'MON...

WITH BOSTON WINNING EVERY DAY, WE CAN'T PUT OUT "GIVEAWAY" GAME LINEUPS LIKE OUR LAST GAME.

Anonymous said...

Sure--win a minor battle but lose the war. Great idea.

HoraceClarke66 said...

ALL-CAPS, I continue to insist that—like his last day-off-before-a-day-off—Judge is hurt. That jammed thumb against the Mets has accounted for his lower power numbers, and need for such frequent "rest."

This Yanks team is probably much, much more banged-up than it lets on—witness Andujar's slump—and we will reap the whirlwind this weekend.

And injuries or no, there is still no reason to have Neil Walker on this team.

Anonymous said...

I can find no corroboration from any creditable source that Andujar's "wrist is barking."

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