If you gaze up at the mountain of challenges between now and a ride down the Canyon of Heroes, we would simply forfeit Tuesday's game. Why bother? The 2021 Yankees hardly resemble a world championship team. But here we are...
All we can do is take each game, one at a time. Here's what must happen Tuesday.
1. Gerrit Cole must rise above his recent failed starts and give us five solid innings. He can give up a run. He cannot give up two. We might not score two. If Cole is on his game, Boone should go with him until his arm turns blue. But Cole cannot give up two runs. And if he's getting hit, early on, Boone must bring the hook.
2. He should be replaced by Nasty Nestor Cortez. Nestor has a completely different style and an unflappable outlook. In a perfect world, he might go once through the batting order. He might give up a run. He cannot give up two.
3. From there, Michael King, Jonathan Loaisiga and/or Luis Severino get us through the seventh or eighth. In a perfect world, Mean Chad Green sits this one out. (He could start game one of the divisional series.)
4. If we reach the bottom of the ninth, it's El Chapo, of course. But at the first sign of trouble - if he walks the leadoff batter - he must be replaced. Wandy Peralta? Whomever.
5. As for the lineup, I'd love to see Tyler Wade get a start. Yesterday, Brandon Lowe's throw to the plate might have nabbed any other Yankee runner. Somehow, in limited action, Wade contributes to every meaningful Yankee win. If there is a Bucky Dent lurking in the Yankee lineup, his name is Tyler Wade.
6. Against Nathan Eovaldi, Boone should stack the lineup with lefties. If Gio Urshela is limping, he should rest - or at least play 3B instead of SS. That means Wade and/or Rougned Odor.
7. Joey Gallo must bunt or somehow hit to an opposite field. Watching him swing and miss, or lash drives directly at outfielders, has become painful. If the Yankees lose on Tuesday, and Gallo delivers a golden sombrero, he will become the prime Yankee whipping boy for the next six months. Already, he is clearly struggling with New York. A winter of angry fans, and I think he'll be a lost cause.
8. If the Yankees lose, they can be thankful that the game is in Fenway. The chants of "Yankees suck" will barely match the boos they would have heard at home.
9. I'm simply not buying the "Brett Gardner's last game" narrative. If he were thinking of retiring, he would have said so.
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30 comments:
Steinbrenners suck. Steinbrenners suck. Steinbrenners suck. Steinbrenners suck. Steinbrenners suck. Steinbrenners suck. Steinbrenners suck. Steinbrenners suck. Steinbrenners suck. Steinbrenners suck.
Gardner retire? Can't see it. We will be singing "Ol' Man River (Ave)" to Brett years from now while we ponder his possible stepping away.
I knew they would do just enough to let Cashman off the hook,,,,,,
That said, it was really really fun that they pulled through. I'm hopelessly stuck in a dysfunctional relationship, just when I want to slam the door and storm off forever, I'm sucked back in,,,,,, Oh Yankees, why can't I quit you!?
Second Half Record
Red Sox 42-39 (.519)
Yankees 51-30 (.630)
These teams have not been close performance-wise in the second half. A shame we don't get a full series, I'd be much more confident in winning if it was more than one game.
Zachary, thank you for that. It pisses me off.
Death to Brian Cashman (aka The Intern).
If that dumb son of a bitch had noticed there wasn’t a single lefty hitter in the lineup (Hicks and old man River do not qualify) in spring training, this pathetic attempt at a balanced lineup (Gallo does not qualify) might have actually won the division, or at least vied for it.
And maybe, just maybe, I would not have purchased so much pepto-bismol this summer.
Death to Brian Cashman.
I'm guessing you guys are correct: Brett Gardner is not going anywhere until the Yankees tell him there's nothing here for him. And I don't blame him. If he gets another 1-year contract, he'd be stupid to turn it down. Major League Baseball player is not a job/experience/privilege/income that I'd ever walk away from.
Two quick thoughts...
1) Gardy
Parson (and all),
Apparently Gardy's contract was for two years. It's a weird one. He has a player option for next year but there is also a team option for more $.
I don't fully understand it because the way it reads is if he wants to come back, he gets paid less than if he doesn't and the team makes him? There's also some kind of buy out.
I know some of us here are/were attorneys maybe they can explain it.
I still think he will retire. But I thought the Yankees would win 100 games, the Giants are going 13-4, and Joe Manchin will grow a goatee and go live in the East Village, so Kreskin I'm not.
Quick aside: Kreskin at home: "Where the fuck are my car keys!"
2) The Red Sox
This will give everyone a measure of comfort. I predicted earlier in the year that we would lose the play in game in the 9th on an El Chapo melt down.
Doug, I always laugh at your humor, but 'Kreskin at home' made me spray coffee all over my desk, fucking HILARIOUS my friend!
Gardy has a way of coming through when he needs to start doing so, guaranteeing a new contract, which guarantees that we will be gnashing our teeth at especially his offensive deterioration...until he reaches the time when he needs to start coming through to guarantee himself a new contract.
It's more than a little maddening. He is in great shape, so have to give him that.
Wade is an important element in the playoffs. He is clearly the better choice over Odor. Defensively and, though neither are a powerhouse, offensively. Wade is fast as hell and a good baserunner. Odor is not fast as hell. But, since Wade is clearly the better choice, Boone will keep him benched until he feels the need to score a late-inning run, when he will pinch run.
It's also more than a little maddening.
Expect Boone to make bonehead decisions in the postseason, maybe with more regularity than he did in the regular season. Because, you know, he's managing.
That's also more than a little maddening. With a simply competent manager, we might have won the division. Cooling the hot hand, leaving in an obviously flailing pitcher, yanking an obviously effective pitcher, starting Sanchez when defense will be important (as it is in every postseason game, even moreso than regular season games). Sanchez produced a home run in one pinch hitting appearance, so expect Boone to use him of the bench if he doesn't start. Because, you know, he's managing.
We can beat Boston in Fenway. Will we? Who knows. Depends which Yankees team shows up.
Ken,
Thanks. I don't usually laugh at what I write but that one got me as well.
That WAS hilarious, Doug! And great points, Duque.
I would add another one: Do NOT pitch to Devers if there is any alternative. The man is starting to resemble Big Dopi in his ability to come through in the clutch (and probably for the same reason).
Whatever the case: DO. NOT. PITCH. TO. HIM. The Sox lineup otherwise is good but not scary.
Taking the Way Back Machine to all of Sept. 24th, we blasted Eovaldi for 7 hits, 2 walks, and 7 earned runs, in less than 3 innings. In Fenway. No reason we can't repeat that performance. Except that we won't.
STILL. Pitching is Boston's Achilles elbow. We need a big game from Cole, but we can't count on another shutout. Hitters gotta hit.
My gut feeling is that the Red Sux will blow out the Yankees in this one. It will be over early. The other possibility is that the Arson Squad will rear its ugly head again and blow a lead late in the game for another excruciating loss. And there is about a 2 in 100 chance that Cole pitches great, the Arson Squad pitches great, and the Yankee lineup actually scores a few runs and wins this game. Which will the baseball gods choose?
The Hammer of God
@Hammer...at least we will have a rested bullpen...there will be very short leashes on our pitching staff tomorrow...
Cole does face a sticky situation tomorrow night.
Will Chapman allow the season-ending walkoff home run to the Red Sox in the Wild Card Game, the Rays in the ALDS, or the Astros in the ALCS?
among everyday players, the Gardy Party has team's 4th highest WAR, which is a statistic I don't entirely understand but seems to be a popular measure of overall value. Gardy trails Judge, Stanton and LeMahieu, who has just finished his worst WAR season by far since 2014. Gardner still brings it as best he can. Yankees were dragged down by Torres, Sanchez, Urshela and the aforementioned DJ.
Have they set the date for next April when they will raise the WC participant banner?
Second Half Numbers
Judge 152 wRC+
Stanton 140 wRC+
Wade 116 wRC+
Torres 115 wRC+
Rizzo 113 wRC+
Gardner 111 wRC+
Gallo 95 wRC+
Sanchez 78 wRC+
Urshela 71 wRC+
Odor 69 wRC+
Velazquez 57 wRC+
Higashioka 48 wRC+
We've really been carried by Judge and Stanton.
What's the ideal Wild Card lineup vs. RHP Eovaldi (assuming Higashioka has to start)?
2B Torres
RF Judge
1B Rizzo
DH Stanton
LF Gallo
3B Urshela
CF Gardner
C Higashioka
SS Wade
Maybe Gardy doesn't want to distract the team.
If he's smart he retires the day after the Yankees are eliminated, (So basically tomorrow) and takes the buyout because for all we know they'll be a labor stoppage next season and he can grab one last (Well deserved) paycheck before it kicks in.
By the time baseball starts up again, he will be 50.
Parson,
Yes, all the players you mentioned plus not figuring out that Stanton can play the field and that his hitting would improve if he did.
Rougned Odor is hitting .077/.186/.154 in his last 20 games and .151/.257/.244 in his last 40 games, and he can't actually play third base well.... but he's gonna be in the starting lineup for us in the postseason, I just know it.
Parson Tom, I agree with you saver the fact that Urshela sometimes had some good streaks when he was able to play.
Otherwise, yeah, all those guys were awful. Shame that DJ's health went.
Also...they gotta move Gallo out of that 5-hole. I think that was Kevin Cash's strategy in pitching to Judge yesterday.
If he walks Judge, we have Stanton up, needing only to hit a one-out flyball to win it. But if they could, say, get Judge out without the run scoring, then they could have simply walked Stanton and pitched to Gallo with the bases loaded.
Will Velazquez be this year's Brian Doyle?
The yankees dont hit so you're big offensive move is to play Odor, who is at the Mendoza line?? We have admit that we suck and are going to score 2 runs. I say we play our best defense and hope for a pitchers duel. That means Velasquez at short, urshela at third, Gardner in center and Higgy catching
I know Win is going to give me untold grief for saying this, but my hope is that Cole pulls a MadBum and runs the table.
Never forget that you would not all be here, giddy with hope and a little scared at the same time, were it not for the moves, savvy and genius of General Field Marshall Cashman.
Without him, we would not be ONCE AGAIN in the running in the one-game wild card playoff.
Joy courtesy of Crackhead Cash.
The next time The Intern rappels down the side of a building for charity, I'm going to do the charitable thing and cut the rope
Dick,
I respectfully disagree.
He needs to be marketed to the carmines as the best thing since sliced bread. That way, we can pawn him off to the team and fanbase that deserves him.
Democratic President...
The Yankees have not won under a Republican since Dwight D Eisenhower in 1958. A whopping 74% of Yankee championships came under Democratic presidents. Although the Yankees' first 4 came under Republicans, all but 3 of the rest have been under Democrats.
Rufus, would it be okay if, in the fall, he broke many a great many bones but survived to run the Sux?
I wish no physical harm on Mr. Cashman! I hope only that someone makes Coops an offer he can't refuse. I hope that someone is the New York Mets (pointless to hope for it from the Red Sox, they're too smart). That's right: may they pull a dump truck full of money up to his driveway and say, "We'll top any offer HAL can make! Please come to Flushing!"
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