Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Cheer up El Duque! It's going to be alright...

Sure it looks hopeless. This current lineup would have trouble beating our 1967 team.  And, let's face it , when Gerrit Cole looks in the mirror he's starting to see Mel Stottlemyre.  

And yes, 2/3 of the line up's baseball cards would be bicycle spoke food if they actually qualified to have their own baseball card, which I'm not so sure they do. 

And OK, imaginary savior Brian Reynolds just signed an eight year 106 million dollar contract with Pittsburgh taking him off the trading block...

(BTW eight years for only 106 mil?  How... reasonable. What's with that? If we traded for him his extension would have been twice that.)

And, I know. I KNOW. We are still stuck with The Brain calling the shots but we're going to be OK. 

Why?  I will tell you...

1) The Yankees will still make the playoffs! 

MLB in their infinite prescience changed the qualifications to make the play in game to the play in game easier than ever. By the end of the year both The World Champion Houston Astros and their perennial whipping boys The New York Yankees will both get in. Ratings uber alles. 

2) Aaron Hicks just had his "Two quarterback sneaks in a row moment".

For those of you that are not NY Giant fans (and there's still time to climb aboard with out being called front runners - a lot of time actually. Years. But, they are going in the right direction.) former and currently disgraced Head Coach Joe Judge had so little confidence in his offense (designed by Offensive Coach and Cowboy mole Jason Garret) that, with the Giants pinned back in their own end, called not one but TWO quarterback sneaks in a row so they could punt.

It ended his tenure. 

Aaron Hicks bunting with two outs the other day and his failure to catch last nights deep fly, after which Aaron Judge actually looked at him with contempt, was it for him. He will not make it back to the stadium. They will bring up someone/anyone to take his place. 

The Captain will take Boone aside and then call Cashman. We won't hear about it for years but if you saw the look on his face... 

It would be fitting to leave Hicks in Minny from whence he came.

3) The kids will be alright.

Anthony Volpe is dealing with being elevated from a prospect to the next NY Media Market Superstar. He's at a Ranger game with Aaron Judge, hobnobbing with Pete Davidson, getting fitted for a bobble head... It's a lot to deal with for anybody much less a 21 year old. He's pressing. It's understandable. The talent is there. Also, he should be the second baseman and let Peraza play short but that's for another day.

Jasson is dealing with the opposite problem. After kicking ass in spring training and being one of the chosen ones he's back in the minors and not AAA... AA. Back to a shabby Motel Six with a roommate who snores. He is depressed and facing pitching that is "beneath him". In a couple of weeks he will have shaken off his slump and start crushing the ball again. He'll be in AAA by mid June at the latest. Who knows? Maybe a call up in September. 

Peraza is pressing as well. Trying to prove that the job he earned last year and then lost to Volpe, should be his.  Plus he's learning 3B. A lot of pressure. No glory. 

He will straighten out.

4) Our pitching is not that bad and will get better 

Eventually Sevi and Rodon will return. They will. I'm pretty sure they will. At least one of them will. For a while anyway. 

We just can't hit. 

5) We will hit.

Eventually the hitters will revert to the mean and play like the back of their baseball cards and...

OK fine. We stink. At least the Knicks and the Rangers are still playing. The NFL draft is tomorrow. The brand new MLF football league will have a NY team and who doesn't like watching MLFs.  




42 comments:

Publius said...

I don't think the Reynolds deal takes him off the trading block at all. In fact, it makes him more attractive. 8 years, $106 mil? A soft brain like Cashman thinks that's a steal.

Doug K. said...

Pub

That thought crossed my mind as well.

I guess the reason that I think it takes him off is, why would he accept such a "reasonable" home team discount kind of offer if he didn't want to stay?

Like I mentioned he would have asked for a lot more if he were traded to the Yankees.

I don't know if the deal had a no-trade clause or opt-outs.

Publius said...

And it might be a good deal, depending on the cost in players/draft picks. But Cashman will fuck it up. If he takes the bait.

Publius said...

It has a no trade, Doug. But the player can waive that.

DickAllen said...

I've been thinking as I watch this alleged "championship caliber" team play itself out:

This might finally be our year.

Everyone, at one time or another has prayed for a disaster year where the Yankees wouldn't even make the playoffs as the only way to get rid of The Intern (I can hear Robert Goulet in the background singing "To dream the impossible dream...")

After so many years of knowing exactly how the season is going to end, but always coming back for more, (...no matter how hopeless, no matter how far...) this just might be the year when the wheels fall off so completely that Harold fires (or retires) him.

So, every morning when I wake up and tune in to this blog I will root for Hicks to have another horrible year but play every game; to pray to the juju gods that Jackie Donaldson returns to a perpetual state of mediocrity; that Giancarlo sets a new season record for whiffs and disabled list appearances, and that BaBooooooone continues to utter his endlessly apologetic platitudes, and lastly that the 2023 Yankees fall flat on their faces, wind up without a winning record and out of the playoffs (but barely finish the season ahead of the Sux) and hopefully all that will result in...

The Intern becoming retired, fired, resigned, or relegated to the scrapheap of baseball hell.

(...and the world will be better for this that, one man scorned and covered with scars...)

Doug K. said...

DickA,

I could get on board with that if the outcome is what you hope for.

edb said...

C'mon Doug. Get real.

The Archangel said...

DickA,

Let's take it a step further. The Yanks come in last behind the Sux. Perhaps THAT will get rid of ASSman.
Today will help with 5 starters batting .212 or less with German lobbing hangers .

Plus, Judge continues to be a .250 hitter and Volpe is .215 and the $150.00 jerseys stop selling.

Don't worry guys, that 2016 International Signing class is just about ready.

[Seriously, they need to pull a Watergate on the Ray's Scouting Dept, for the next two MLB Drafts and International Signing Periods.
That is the only chance in our inexorably shrinking lifetimes.]

Retired Stratman said...

So Dick A - are you saying that you’re willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause?

JM said...

Empire Sports Media sez we should give Bauer a shot. What the hell, might as well.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/the-yankees-should-call-up-this-former-top-prospect/ar-AA1ann3Y?rc=1&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=5f20eeafb8c7499fe1c25d509413eba1&ei=8

JM said...

We will never be rid of Cashman until we're rid of Hal.

We will never be rid of Boone until we're rid of Cashman.

We will never be rid of three non-hitting coaches until we're rid of Boone.

We will never be rid of more than half our lineup batting ~.200 until we're rid of our three non-hitting coaches.

We will never be rid of mediocrity until more than half our lineup is batting well above .200.

We will never win another championship until we're rid of mediocrity.

Return to top for what we must do to win another championship.

Celerino Sanchez said...

Jake Bauer is 27 and has a .213 lifetime BA in 977 AB. He is a cross between Gallo & Fraunchy. Can they bring up someone born after 2000?

BTR999 said...

Bauer no worse than Calhoun, Cordero, Hicks…maybe slightly better? Maybe…

I’m less optimistic than most (…all?) here. Too many “what ifs” to make this a truly successful season. Longer term, with all these ruinous contracts, the outlook is darker than Hell’s asshole.

Need a strong performance from Herr German today. Looked like the First inning went well…

BTR999 said...

Judge hurt?

Platoni said...

What the fuck is Judge doing stealing third while leading 5-0?

ranger_lp said...

Just turned on game…we got runs….

ranger_lp said...

Judge is definitely hurt…season is over…

BTR999 said...

Looks like a wrist injury, hopefully just a tweak

ranger_lp said...

Tony does it again…

BTR999 said...

Judge still hitting

ranger_lp said...

Rizzo…

ranger_lp said...

Maeda looking like sacrificial lamb…

BTR999 said...

Judge must be okay, you know the Yanks - they’d have pulled him for the slightest twinge if he wasn’t.

BTR999 said...

9 runs, 11 hits so far - an embarrassment of riches.

ranger_lp said...

Gleyber!!!

ranger_lp said...

Now German can blow lead…

el duque said...

We won't lose this (fingers crossed) but it's going to end up blowing up our bullpen. We'll probably end up using Holmes, or whomever is supposed to be our closer.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Holmes is in.

In other encouraging news:

https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/yankees-injured-list-salary-list-payroll-other-teams-01gyzcjtypc0

AboveAverage said...

Yankees pull out a squeaker of a win!

ranger_lp said...

Yankees Win!!!

AboveAverage said...

RufusTF - I pulled a hammy just glancing at that list . . .

Joe Formerlyof Brooklyn said...


You look at that list and you just know that every GM of the other 29 teams is really excited when the phone rings and it's Brian Cashman.

BTR999 said...

Certainly needed this one today

Heard after the game (really):
Reporter (to booone) How is Aaron Judge’s hand?
booone: he said it was ok
Reporter: was it the right hand
booone: uhhhhhh, I don’t know.
Reporter: will he play tomorrow.
booone: ummmm….well we’ll have to see
Judge (later) I’m fine, just upset I got thrown out in that situation.

TheWinWarblist said...

Theeeeee-uhuh-UHUH-uhuhuuuuh-eww-ah-uhuh YANKEES WON EARLER TODAY WHILE I WAS AT WORK!!! Uh!!

Did you all see Little Tony, Big Tony and Biggest Best AAron light it up today??? Did ya??? Because I did not. I forgot to put the game on this afternoon.

Little Tony!!
VolpeSS 3 3 2 3 2 1 0 .228

DickAllen said...

Calm down Winnie. One meaningless game in April is not going to stop this team from flushing itself down the toilet.

Hopefully.

DickAllen said...


I would be willing to walk directly into the flames of hell to get rid of The Intern and BaBoooooone,

HoraceClarke66 said...

I attribute this magnificent win to Doug's calming post. Also, great comment by DickAllen.

Together, men, we can do this!!!

And yes, the world WILL be better for this...

Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside said...

“ Aaron Hicks bunting with two outs the other day and his failure to catch last nights deep fly, after which Aaron Judge actually looked at him with contempt, was it for him. He will not make it back to the stadium. They will bring up someone/anyone to take his place. ”

Is this just wishful thinking? It is possible this will be true? Especially that “will not make it back” bit? I’ve read some real ridiculous baseless optimism on this blog mixed in with the ridiculous reality we face but… I mean… are you messing with me or can we really go full Ellsbury at the Hebrew Home and retire everything about this clown except his number?

Just tell me there is no Santa if there is no Santa. I’m old enough to handle it now.

Doug K. said...



beau -

I have no idea but I did see Judge's face and it said, "This guy has to go"

Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside said...

I’m looking everywhere for a clip of this, but I keep getting results from past seasons. Like this one in Sept 2022:

https://www.si.com/mlb/yankees/news/new-york-aaron-hicks-benched-tampa-bay-rays-dropped-fly-ball-left-field

The guy has done it before, and he’s still there. Can the Captain really make this happen?

When does Volpe the Errorople become worrisome? JS just says he’s trying too hard and it will solve itself… I thank the old man for his wisdom. It doesn’t seem like a case of the Knoblochs but if he ever does two in one game he’s… gonna end up where Hicks should be.

AboveAverage said...

PINSTRIPE COURTESY TELEPHONE please!

Publius said...

Volpe's trajectory, unfortunately and through no fault of his own, looks to be ...great promise, flash of potential, identification of shortcomings, demotion and demoralization, intermittent and indifferent call ups with a very short leash, more demoralization, never realized trade rumors, outright release in 2028.

No fault of his own, again, because he has the potential to be an impact big leaguers. But he won't be, because he plays for Cashman's Yankees and Cashman's Yankees simply do not nurture and develop young talent properly. Recall, Judge goes outside the irganization for his real training and development.

Poor kid, Volpe. Hope he keeps it all together enough to latch on as a journeyman 4th infielder for five or six years after the Yankees release him.