Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Too Bad This Isn't A Movie

Doesn't it always rain at the end of Act Two? 

The Superstar can't hit.

The bullpen is in shambles.

The "real" ace, who didn't get it done last time, has to come back on short rest. 

Aaron Hicks is back in the line up.

The "Miracle Kid" is batting in the 100s.

Josh Donaldson. (No explanation need)

Sheriff Carpenter still rides the pines, limping like Walter Brennan.

And, should we win... the Final Boss of all Final Bosses, the Asstros sit warm, happy, and rested, eating roast suckling pigs off of silver skewers and getting massages by toga clad women, in a town that represents pure evil.

Do we get an Act Three?

 

27 comments:

AboveAverage said...




…..m a y b e ?

JM said...

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Me, I go right to the liquor cabinet in the kitchen. Something I won't do at the start of today's game because it starts too early. I'll hold out for awhile.

Mildred Lopez said...


Drink o'clock here is 5. Hopefully we're somewhat comfortably ahead by then and the drinking can be relaxed.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Did we panic when the germans bombed pearl harbor? NO!

Publius said...

IKF as "Suzyn's Star", after hitting a 30 bouncer through a drawn in infield in the bottom of the 14th to drive in the winning run. That's how this one should end.

DickAllen said...

A drawn-in infield is like the plot of a movie you’ve seen before. It has a predictable ending:

Bring everyone in and the hitter’s BA goes up 100 points.

DickAllen said...

JM, it’s not called drinking too early in the day.

It’s called brunch. The bottomless screwdriver.

ZacharyA said...

What season-ending blunder will Aaron Boone make? Vote now on your phones.

A) Leaves Nestor Cortes in too long, despite him clearly laboring
B) Pulls Nestor Cortes too early, despite him clearly dominating
C) Pinch runs for Giancarlo Stanton way too early and Tim Locastro bats in a huge spot late
D) Brings Lucas Luetge into the game with runners on base
E) Tries to use Jameson Taillon as a reliever again a la Lance Lynn in 2018
F) Doesn't use a top reliever because he was "saving him for an emergency"
G) Lets Aaron Hicks or Jose Trevino bat in a big spot instead of pinch hitting Matt Carpenter
H) Tries to squeeze extra outs from a back-end reliever and it backfires

Doug K. said...

zach - you left out I) All of the above.

Those of you who are logically inclined might ask, "How can Boone remove Nestor both too soon and too late."

I would answer, "If it's an Aaron Boone decision it is both poor and defies logic."

HoraceClarke66 said...

I dunno. I understand that, in baseball, momentum only lasts to the next day's pitcher. But somehow...it just feels like last night was our shot.

Night. With the creatures of the night making animalistic sounds deep into the evening. With the Guardians of Traffic wondering how the hell they're even going to get out of the Bronx when this is all over.

A mellow, sunny fall day? Somehow, it doesn't feel right.

I know they're starting Aaron Civale, a 5-6, 4.92 pitcher this season, who the Yanks have already battered twice. A guy who tends to run a little wild—7 HBP this year—and give up the long ball.

Still. Still. There's something about it I don't like.

Is it a trap? Two innings from Civale, then out pops Justin Bieber? Or they just keep shuttling in guys from the pen?

Nope. I have a bad feeling about this game. Don't like it, don't like it at all.

Ken of Brooklyn said...

Hoss, I'm with you on this, I have a bad feeling,,,,,,,, can the offense PLEASE show up big time today?!?!?!?!

HoraceClarke66 said...

I agree with "all of the above," Doug. And the way that works, is: Boone goes out, prematurely, to talk with Cortes on the mound, interrupting his momentum. After an extended consultation, he goes back to the dugout. Then, when Cortes starts to struggle, he pulls him too late.

Ta da!

Doug K. said...

Hoss - Well done. Captain Kirk has nothing on you.

The Hammer of God said...

Like what happened in Game 2, after the rain out that previous evening, if this game goes into a long, slow, drawn out, low scoring affair, you know it means big trouble. The most likely way for the Yanks to win this game is to score a bunch of runs early. But how likely is that?

One thing I have noticed about Nester Cortes is that he gets into trouble with two outs and nobody on. That's been going on since last year. He also often has some trouble in the 5th inning, if he has a lead. It must be a psychological thing. Gotta keep your concentration, if you wanna be the ace of the staff.

The Hammer of God said...

@Doug K., Spock to Kirk: It's never been done before, Captain. It's just a theory. A one in ten thousand chance.

Kirk: Spock, we've ... got ... to take ... that ... one in ... ten thousand ... chance.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Love it, guys!

Very true, Hammer. Is it that he loses his concentration—or guys start to see him for the third time around?

Last time out it was that damned little dribbler by Naylor—and then Naylor's injury, running it out—that led to a long delay, and threw him off.

BTR999 said...

I was surprised to see Civale instead of Beiber. They are very confident (over-confident?) that they will beat us and want a rested Beiber ready for the Ass-tros

JM said...

If Civale gets into any trouble, we'll see Bieber. Francona won't let the game get away from him. After Nestor, we have Taillon, but we also have German. He's been resting quietly out there. Totally fresh. Unless he's hurt, that'd be my choice.

Interestingly, I had WFAN on earlier and the two guys were spending quite a long time going over the managerial mistakes made by Boone in this series. Most notably, how bad he is at managing the bullpen, but there was other stuff, too.

But if we win today, all will be forgiven. And if he doesn't blunder his way through an Astros series, he'll be back, win or lose.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

I vote for I). Boone is impressively innovative in his ability to fuck up a game.


BTR999 said...

In the most important game of the year, here is your NYY lineup:

Gleyber Torres R) 2B
Aaron Judge (R) RF
Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B
Giancarlo Stanton (R) DH
Josh Donaldson (R) 3B
Oswaldo Cabrera (S) SS
Harrison Bader (R) CF
Jose Trevino (R) C
Aaron Hicks (S) LF

2 of the worst players in MLB, a still raw rookie and a few others straining to reach up and touch the bottom of mediocrity. We cant beat CLE with this lineup, but perhaps CLE can beat themselves? They are helping us by starting Civale.

JM said...

So Jack Curry is tweeting about a conversation with Boone, about using Nestor, Taillon, even Cole if it's necessary. But absolutely no mention of German. It's like he's disappeared from the face of the earth.

Isn't that weird? His name has completely dropped from talk about the bullpen. Is he not available, or is this some kind of surprise the Brain and Boone have cooked up?

Francona's not stupid. He knows German is on the roster.

Very strange. There was this from Sunday: "while many Yankee fans may be displeased with Taillon getting the nod over German, FIP and xERA would suggest that German is the worse option between the two. Run prevention is key, but in October, your regular season ERA is meaningless."

https://empiresportsmedia.com/new-york-yankees/yankees-lay-out-starting-pitching-plan-for-game-5-if-they-tie-up-series/

BTR999 said...

Yes, Ruf and JM, and then there's Cleveland's ace in the hole...BOONE!

JM said...

LOL!!!! Too true!

JM said...

Oh, fuck. Robert Gordon died. Couldn't have been that old.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Right, of course, for the playoffs, ERA means nothing, just Supercalifragelisticexpeallidosius ERA! And Wally Pipe! Er, FIP!

Both German and Taillon are considerably better pitchers at the Stadium than on the road. I would use them, both, if necessary today.

ranger_lp said...

Someone putting up game thread?

ranger_lp said...

Wow Robert Gordon died...sigh...