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Saturday, July 3, 2021

THE ART OF MANAGEMENT, the Poetry of A.J. Boone, Vol. 4


 THE ART OF MANAGEMENT

by A.J. Boone

Ultimately, one of my most important jobs
is to make sure that I’m part of getting
the most out of each and every player

and that I’m creating an environment
and a culture where guys can thrive.
For my part in that, I need to better at that.

 

69 comments:

HoraceClarke66 said...

As for Sweeney among the analytics, yes, Hammer, obviously we do this worse than most people—maybe anybody!

But also, as we all know, players just have their own ways. The great Aloysius Simmons, a lifetime .334 hitter, was nicknamed "Bucketfoot" because he always batted with his foot in the bucket. Yogi Berra was "a notorious bad-ball hitter," who once said he couldn't be expected to hit and think at the same time. How the hell was Carl Yastrzemski ever going to get a hit with that bat way up there?

And on and on.

Sure, corrections are necessary at times. But just as likely, the Yanks' crack minds are screwing up guys they should leave alone.

HoraceClarke66 said...

So all the little lambiekins are well-rested...and look what vigor and dash they bring to the field today!

Perhaps one of them will even manage to bloop a base hit.

TheWinWarblist said...

... to the opposite field ...


Fuckers.

Ken of Brooklyn said...

Yanks have no hits after 4, how appropriate if the Met's got a no-no today,,,, Fuckers indeed!

HoraceClarke66 said...

Lordy, Lordy, the Lutefish is up! Heaven help us all.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Well, an awfully game effort by Monty. An entire 86 pitches and 4 1/3 innings.

And in comes Lutie.

You know Ma's baseball philosophy:

When it comes to hitting, rest the hot hand.

When it comes to pitching, throw the cold hand.

When this blows up, the boos should be resounding.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Terrible jump and run by our supposed defensive wizard in center.

Carl J. Weitz said...

WTF? Why bring in Lutge to face 3 consecutive rightness? Boone is an asswipe!

HoraceClarke66 said...

AARGH! AARGH! The Lutefish are swarming!!!

HoraceClarke66 said...

Well, THAT was an inspiring inning all around. Glad to see the Yanks have got their groove back.

Now comes the real contest: can they get a hit???

HoraceClarke66 said...

That was the inning. You watch: this mediocrity is going to pitch the first true, complete-game no-hitter against us since Hoyt Wilhelm in 1958.

After all the bitching about how tired they were, you are now going to hear all about how rusty that two-day layoff made them.

JM said...

This is pathetic.

Anonymous said...

Who IS this tub of lard defiling our mound?

JM said...

They must all be emotionally drained after the players-only meeting called by Judge.

JM said...

I remember when Justin Wilson used to be good. Must be why we got rid of him.

HoraceClarke66 said...

The second walked-in run of the afternoon. Along with one scored on a wild pitch, and another on a bloop hit.

HoraceClarke66 said...

6-0. You know what would make this day complete?

Luis Cessa.

We want Cessa! WE WANT CESSA!

JM said...

6-0.

Jesus.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Tumultuous boos from the crowd. Even Michael Kay is saying, "You know what? You can't blame them."

Anonymous said...

The games are so much more enjoyable when we get to root against the Yankees.

Doug K.

JM said...

This is just really sad. I'm sure our guys have pride. This has to be embarassing beyond belief.

Scottish Yankee fan said...


Murder to to watch this

Pathetic in every aspect of the game

Waste of space the lot of them

JM said...

We could easily be under .500 by the break.

Kay was noting that the Yanks haven't been this far back in the standings at the halfway point since 2007. He went on to explain that could be a good thing, because we ended up in 2nd, made it to the playoffs. Of course, then lost to the Indians in the Division Series 3-1.

Ken of Brooklyn said...

OMG JM> LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was thinking the same thing, I hate myself for this but I just KNEW the Mets were going to blow it open,,,,,,, totally pathetic indeeeeeeeed!

Stang said...

“Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are one of the league’s best one-two punches, and when they’re fully healthy, it’s almost impossible to avoid their power in key situations. Bringing back star infielder DJ LeMahieu was massive in keeping the Yankees’ core together, and bringing in a superstar, two-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher in Corey Kluber was just icing on the cake for Aaron Boone’s bunch.” The Swing of Things (sotsports.com), March 21, 2021

Stang said...

“The Yankees are once again heavy favorites in the AL East, sucking up big-name free agents and leveraging their financial might to steal small-market teams’ players in lopsided trades.” The Ringer, March 30, 2021

JM said...

Well, you know, Ken, we look good on paper.

JM said...

Whoever wrote that for The Ringer must have missed the past 12 years.

JM said...

8-0.

We steal small market teams' players in lopsided trades? What? And what does financial might have to do with trades?

HoraceClarke66 said...

Truly unforgivable at-bat by LeMahieu. You cannot watch that pitch sail by.

JM said...

He's really having a lousy year.

Judge, solo shot. Well, in this game, it couldn't have been anything else. First hit.

HoraceClarke66 said...

And hey, a "big" hit by the big guy.

Mission accomplished!

No no-hitter.

Hurrah.

I think the best statement all the Yankees fans could make now would be to leave. Just leave.

Joe Formerlyof Brooklyn said...


Hoss

You might disagree, but I would add --

. . . and not come back, at least for a few weeks.

JM said...

Bases loaded. Two outs. What are the odds?

HoraceClarke66 said...

I completely agree, Joe. Time for a vacation!

JM said...

Gio!

8-3.

HoraceClarke66 said...

DID YOU SEE THAT???

Urshela actually protected the plate with two strikes! He tried to get a hit where he could, not bash a home run or hope for a walk.

He...he drove in two runs!!

RBIs stink! How dare he! Sit him down now!!!

JM said...

There are already two outs, and even if Miggy can come through, he's followed by the reliably safe out, Gardner.

Christ, why does Boone keep putting him out there, game after game?

JM said...

Not a good at bat by Miggy.

Somehow I think their chances ended with that strikeout.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Clint Frazier on the DL with vertigo.

He keeps swearing that he saw Kim Novak with some friends downtown, but Barbara Bel Geddes thinks he's crazy.

Anonymous said...

I can imagine the screaming in The Bronx if we had signed Lindor......




Kevin

JM said...

At least Frazier doesn't have Psycho. That would be Trevor Brauer.

Anonymous said...

God, if WE had signed Bauer.......

Kevin

JM said...

DJ looks awful.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Okay, well, that was our one inning for the day: everyone into the pool!

You can't expect more than fifteen minutes of concentration from this team on Fourth of July weekend. I mean, there are sparkler to light, and fireworks to see, and a big parade, and...and...and...it's just so exciting!

JM said...

Wonder if they're having a team barbecue at somebody's gazillion dollar house in the 'burbs?

HoraceClarke66 said...

Maybe. Though I don't get the feeling these guys socialize much. They seem more like amiable strangers to each other. No unhappiness, no grudges, but not much close feeling, either.

They're probably off to families and friends. Yeah, it's a bummer, but they avoided TOTAL humiliation today, so no biggie, we'll get 'em tomorrow. Or not, whatever.

JM said...

This sucks.

JM said...

At least Voit gets pissed off when he whiffs.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Yanks have 3 runs and 3 hits...and this game has gone on for 3 1/2 hours already.

They have also made an error, and surrendered five walks and 13 hits.

What young person in their right mind could possibly consider this entertainment?

JM said...

A Mets fan, Hoss.

HoraceClarke66 said...

And the shift! Yes, the shift is on, trailing 8-3 in the 9th. Strategy!

While McNeil yucks it up on first. As the Mets have been doing all game long.

These are the moments I long for the 1977-78 team. Anybody came into (Real) Yankee Stadium and cavorted like these guys have been doing? There would have been a fight. Or rather a running series of fights, punctuated by beanballs and bats wielded Juan Marichal style.

This team? They're barely there.

JM said...

The Zen Yankees. They've achieved lightness of being. The physical world is not of great consequence. They are dominant on paper and in the mind.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

What time is the game on today?

At least the Yankees will be well rested.

JM said...

You missed a Klassic Klunker, Rufus.

But two games tomorrow! How exciting.

JM said...

Potentially eight or even more hours of excruciating pain, spanning Sunday afternoon AND evening.

JM said...

We've achieved a full 10-game deficit in the division now. Pop the corks, baby.

Joe of AZ said...

Looks like that players only meeting worked wonders...WTF did Judge tell them

DickAllen said...

I was tempted to watch the highlights until I saw the score and realized there were no highlights.

DickAllen said...

I am surrounded by dementors.

13bit said...

Just a reminder - there will NEVER be consequences for Brian Cashman's awful record. He and Hal can blame the players, but this is the team that they assembled and my guess is that, by season's end, they will all be playing to the back of their baseball cards and healthy or injured as much as they lifetime records would suggest.

Must be great to have a job where you can suck in a deep and endless way and never have to pay the price.

Oasisdave said...

"We need to suck so they don't trade away what's left of our farm system for another old guy"

TheWinWarblist said...

They will always trade away the farm system for another old guy.

13bit said...

Hal can blame the players all he wants, but he is Cashman's boss and Brian is the one who built this team.

We should start trying to tag them as "Hal's Folly" or "Cashman's Team." Those idiots might be more susceptible to that than we think.

It's a thing called "vanity" and monumental ego. And lack of responsibility. What about "the buck stops here?" What happened to that?

Hal's Yankees.
Cashman's Yankees...

I may start hash-tagging that...

Carl J. Weitz said...

So, I see no one ventured a guess as to why Boone brought in the lefty Luetge to face 2 straight right-handed batters (and 3 of 4) after he lifted Montgomery in the critical 5th inning. Is there something I'm missing? Did the analytical staff come up with some legit statistics regarding McCann, and Alonso and Pillar? Why not bring in King to get the last two outs? Or Green? I seriously think Boone is really fucking stupid.

Joe of AZ said...

#TheTeamThatCashBuilt

ranger_lp said...

@Carl...no way Boone could be entrusted to make such an important pitcher selection at any time. Blame the players for not following what the analytics say about them. There...the players are to blame for not performing to their analytical potential so Hal is right...there is some sarcasm in what I just typed somewhere...

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