Sunday, March 5, 2023

Searching for Yankee meanings in an overwhelming wind

It's hard to stay calm when your No. 3 starter sports an ERA of 13.50) - a level where Scott Proctor would have torched his mitt and uniform at home plate.

For the second time this spring, Luis Severino was torched by a collection of upstarts and overcooks - three runs in 2.2 innings - the kind of outings that in past seasons would send Setback Sevy to the nearest MRI clinic.

For now, though - and for the sake of our boiling blood pressure - let's give Sevy the benefit of the doubt. Yesterday's game happened in a wind funnel - nine HRs overall - and it's hard to blame a guy when pop flies are being carrying over the red tide all the way to Galveston.  

So, another meaningless day? Maybe. But some notes:

1. Jasson Dominquez continues to make things happen. Two for three and a run. Once again, let me restate what we all know: This is not his year. He will not make this team. Soon, he will disappear into the minor league mists, from which some young players never emerge. 

But it's fun to dream, and I'm leaning into it.

In a minor (?) switch, Anthony Volpe started yesterday at SS, with Oswald Peraza at 2B. Volpe got a hit. Oswald took the collar. 

The Gammonites have been gushing nonstop about Volpe. You'd think the Yankees would muzzle it, not feeding into the uncertainty. Could they be pivoting at SS? If Volpe truly looks ready, why allow anyone to stand in his way. Could Peraza be a trade piece worthy of snaring a LH outfielder or more pitching? 

It's not crazy.

Aaron Hicks homered. Josh Donaldson went 1-3. At this point, I'm not even sure if I'm rooting for them. But a solid spring is a solid spring. If they hit in Tampa, it theoretically adds to their weight in a trade. 

Until injuries cull the herd, the Yankees have too many infielders and outfielders. Somebody will have to go. It's always preferable that they look good, even in matters of meaninglessness. 



 



6 comments:

Jaraxle said...

The whole Martian/ Mantle thing was overblown but…. Maybe this kid is our Juan Soto type? Maybe his early struggles were just a kid adjusting to being a teenager in a strange country, away from home. If he lights up double aa he might just be the left field answer by The all star break. Or maybe I’ve just had too much coffee…..

Mildred Lopez said...


Volpe's last at bat, bases loaded, hit into a double play. However, he hit that thing right on the screws. Just saying, Volpe looks real promising.

Dominguez is a grown man.

JM said...

J'honny Brito does not look as promising as J'asson D'ominguez. Though both may be targets of the Martian Manhunter.

The more I see of Ozzie Cabrera, the more I want to see him as an everyday player on this team. Moreso than Peraza, who may be really good but just isn't very exciting, at least imo. There's something boring going on there.

Hicks and Donaldson--and maybe Gleyber--are millstones around our neck. Those roster spots would be better filled by young guys with promise. Baseball is entertainment, and it's tough to watch Battlefield Earth over and over.

edb said...

Too many outs in the Yankees lineup. But Cheapskate Hal and Genius Cashman think they will get by. They will not!

BTR999 said...

No to trading any top prospects - for now.

The IF logjam will take care of itself. The aging DJL, over the hill JD and the soon to be gone Torres - the last a F/A after next season, with little chance that steinsucker will extend him; he could be gone as early as this year’s trading deadline. Always plenty of room for young players…if they produce.

I’m not one to fret over S/T results, but TB scoring 26 runs against us in 2 games is a bit much. Severino is a F/ A after this year and has done little to justify to being re-signed.

The Hammer of God said...

Look, think about it this way: let's say that we trade or DFA Donaldson & Hicks, trade Torres, and then play the kids. Jasson in LF, Cabrera at 2B, Peraza at 3B, Volpe at SS. IKF would be the bench boy. And we'd still have DJL to be the roving paladin. Would that scenario reduce our chances of making the playoffs by even one micro-smidgen?

I say it would not hurt our chances, in any way. If anything, we'd have a better chance. So why keep these road blocks (Donaldson, Hicks, Torres)? Why play these road blocks to success?

Oh, I know, HAL has ordered Cashman to play a team that will NOT win a championship. Getting rid of a ton of salary (Donaldson, Hicks, Torres) and playing raw rookies would mean that short term profits would explode. More taxes, higher profits, more RISK. According to HAL's accountants, that's bad. They want stability, status quo maintenance, minimal RISK. They don't want to win a championship, but they don't want to finish in last place either. They want a certain amount of money being spent. They want a certain amount of money coming in. No one leaves or comes in without calculations by HAL's accounting staff.