Thursday, June 3, 2021

Let's not kid ourselves: The Yankees have no option but to stick with their mainline players

Lately, shaky floorboards across of the Yankiverse have prompted blaspheme: Talk of an American Pie/Toyota Summer Event tankathon - a 2017 redux, with a fire sale of veteran players and their boondoggle contracts. 

For the moment - that is, after two wins over Tampa - the tortured wails will subside. If we can take, say, two out of three against Boston, we will have survived a week when the 2021 season suddenly -amazingly - seemed on the brink of disaster... on the third of June. 

We're not out of the woods. But Gerrit Cole pitches today, and if the game is a washout, he'll face the Redsocks tomorrow night, and we'll skip a reckoning from Wavy Deivi Garcia.

Whatever happens, the seven games against Tampa and Boston cannot bring a knockout blow. 

But over the last few days, thinking fans have recognized a terrifying reality: We are stuck with this lineup, and no Cashmanic cluster of trades can restart this franchise.

Optimists out there - you know who you are - can sing that, at times last night, only one Yankee was hitting below .200, and that was Red Frazier, who is red hot. Pessimists - aren't we all? - can mumble that we have no options. For example:

Gary Sanchez is our catcher, no matter what. He can get picked off third. Doesn't matter. He can chase passed balls. So what? Ever since Kyle Higashioka began to crumble - we saw it coming - all existential threats to Sanchez's career have been YES booth psychobabble. Gary is the starting catcher. (FYI: He is hitting .205 with 6 HRs - ranked 4th among AL catchers.)  

We can probably trade Gary at the August deadline. You know, shits and giggles. But why bother? We'll get a Zolio Almonte. We have nobody ready in Scranton or, for that matter, Double A. It's Gary. And as John Sterling says, he's scary.  

Giancarlo Stanton is the DH. Yeah, it's maddening to watch him rehab during critical games. What choice do we have? I suppose we can bat him ninth, as a show of disgust, but with Brett Gardner aging poorly and Mike Ford now conducting tours of the Anthracite Museum, who else can DH? Tyler Wade? Our only hope is that Stanton gets hot and then - somehow, and I know this is insane to suggest - doesn't tweak a gonad. Then, maybe next winter, we can package him in a trade? Or am I living in a Christmas tale? 

Move Gleyber to 2B? Nope. Stop doing this to yourself. You're scaring me. This talk about moving Gleyber: it's deck chairs on the Titanic. We have painted ourselves into the corner. Last night's lineup - with Aaron Judge in center - brought a collective gasp from fans. We have to wonder if his legs can stand the strain. But that's about as big a move as the Yankees can make. 

It's fun to speculate about trades. But here's the reality: We have no options but to the play the usual suspects. Luis Severino, Chris Britton and Luke Voit could be with us soon. That's the infusion. We must stay the course, for better or worse. And around here, we usually go with worse. 

14 comments:

TheWinWarblist said...

These Yankees can't take 2 of 3 from Baltimore. Boston? Heh.

TheWinWarblist said...

Severino and Britton will soak up some innings. So what. Voit will be as bad as Ford by August.

Pathetic.

Anonymous said...

Chris Britton???? Ouch

JM said...

Brooks Kriske will save us all. Another example of wasting roster space on bullpen pitchers who can't pitch.

13bit said...

Don't let last night go to your heads, people.

JM said...

The baserunning errors went to my bowels, Bit.

Joe Formerlyof Brooklyn said...


Please construct a scenario -- in your mind, if not on this site -- in which the NYYs win a World Series with Gardy, Stanton + Sanchez on the roster, Odor an everyday player, and anyone except General LeMay at first base.

I can't do it. Obviously, my imagination is limited. Spent too much time thinking about Heidi Klum's legs, I guess.

el duque said...

Joe, you're right.

That's the pessimist I know and love.

But what I'm saying is that it's worse than we think. The Yankees have effectively tied their hands, so a series of trades is not feasible. We literally have no choice but to play these players and hope against hope that they turn it around.

Anonymous said...

No, As Horace McCoy wrote, "They shoot horse don't they?"
Put everyone on the trade block and see what you can get.

Empty the 40-man of useless, replaceable lugnuts and see what we may have at lower levels. Who will miss Ford, Kriske or Nelson and if anybody wants them then trade them for a CF.

Go full tank and get a top 5 pick for next year which should be a good class after the recovery from COVID

Play the Martian someplace for heaven's sake.

Fire Boone, Cashman and the entire MLB staff other than Blake.

Poach good organizations of their front office talent like, A's, Giants, Tampon, low budget teams that get great results.

Never once compare any current Yankee, other than Cole, to any Yankee that ever won a WS.

Let me die with my boots on like Nelson Rocky. [I had to add that while I go full Bluto here.]
The Archangel, alter ego of Senator Blutarsky.

Ceeja said...

Re Stanton, please explain to me the wisdom about ever giving him a day off? He plays DH - something (then called pinch hitting) the Mick could do hungover out of his mind. Play the dumb SOB as much as possible between stints on the DL and hope he can get his groove.

Also if Judge rests today I'll rant. Dont you think they owe it to Cole to field a real lineup?? Does Boone actually want to win games?

JM said...

What amazes me is how they manage to win when they do win. At least, most of the time. That's fun to watch, it's like MLB crossed with Little League--the miscues, mishaps, and stupidity thrown in with a few timely hits, a sparkling play or two, and really good pitching.

It's pretty funny, in a Monty Python Black Death or "Salmon mousse" kind of way.

ranger_lp said...

@Ceeja...Judge is the DH today..

1. DJ LeMahieu (R) 1B
2. Gleyber Torres (R) SS
3. Aaron Judge (R) DH
4. Gio Urshela (R) 3B
5. Rougned Odor (L) 2B
6. Clint Frazier (R) RF
7. Miguel Andujar (R) LF
8. Kyle Higashioka (R) C
9. Brett Gardner (L) CF

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