Statistically, the Death Barge remains MLB's happiest team, with a 10-3 record, two games above bridgeless Baltimore in the AL East (too soon?). Best record in baseball. Best record in baseball...
Then comes last night, a template re-enactment of Yankee losses over the last decade. It showcased all the earmarks of seasons past.
Fall behind early. (check.)
Squander opportunities. (check.)
Dead bottom of the order. (check.)
Ninth inning threat. (check.)
Leave tying runs on base. (check.)
In our three losses of 2024 - (7-0 to Arizona; 3-0 to Toronto; 5-2 to the Marlins) - our suddenly doddering lineup wasn't wearing its First Alert medical necklace: It fell down and couldn't get up.
Other observations from last night:
1. Anthony Volpe batted leadoff, signaling Boone's anxiety about Gleyber Torres. Two recollections from last year: a) Gleyber started slowly and spun a solid season (hitting .302 in the second half), and b) Whenever Volpe moved up in the lineup, he crapped the bed. (Last year, .191 batting leadoff, .273 hitting 8th.)
One thing to NOT sweat: At age 27, in his contract year, if protected in the lineup, Gleyber should be fine.
2. Aaron Judge sucked, ending the game on a meager pop fly with the bases loaded. He's hitting .178, and his name trended on X last night, as the Twitterverse fulminated. I suggest you not go there. If you think we overreact...
Again, there's plenty to worry about. But not Judge. Unless he's hurt, Judge will be fine.
3. Down in the 'Barre, Caleb Durbin went 0-4 last night. He played 3B and made an error. Guy's still batting .417, but suddenly, that Altuve magic looks strained. Fun while it lasted.
Also, celebrity prospect Spencer Jones has yet to play this season. He was a last-minute scratch on opening day, complaining of a neckache and - poof - then disappeared.
4. If Volpe stays atop the batting order, we return to the decimated bottom third. Last night, Torres, Verdugo, Berti and Trevino went 1-14. Nobody is hitting above .200. Gleyber and Verdugo should get hot, LeMahiue should take Berti's place, and Austin Wells should slowly see more ABs. No panic, right?
On to Cleveland...
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The umpiring has been so bad there should be a "Jobs Report" to remind us of which players were jobbed. So here it is...
The Jobs Report: Verdugo. Those calls, yes calls with an s, were atrocious and early enough in the game to screw up all his at bats as he had to figure pretty much everything was going to be a strike.
This has been the IIHIIF Jobs Report.
In the name of Ford Prefect, DON'T PANIC!
I really just want Trevino gone. Maybe I'm being unfair, but he's had his year and isn't going to repeat it. Start Wells and bring up some lugnut--maybe one of our veteran 27-year-old catchers from Scranton--as a backup. Something. But watching Trevino flail and fail whenever he plays is unbearable. And is it me, or has his defense slipped a notch? Whatever.
Where are the Thurman Munsons of yore and why don't we have one now? (And don't say "they're all dead.")
Has the season started yet?
Would somebody please let me know when it does.
Thanks
Not yet, AA.
I want Ron Marinaccio back. That is, I want 2022 Ron Marinaccio back. So far with Scranton this year, he's logged five innings over three games, with one save, an ERA of 0.00 and WHIP of 0.40.
If could can regain his form--and if his fall from grace last year wasn't simply the league catching up to him--he'd be great to have in the pen this year. Especially with King gone.
And, of course, Beeter.
Catching….
Neither Trevino or Wells can hit MLB pitching. Wells looks like the ghost of Dillon Lawson is whispering in his ear. We have a terrific hitting catcher named Ben Rice in the minors. Problem: he can’t throw out baserunners. At all. He needs to be converted to 1B, like 2 years ago. Carlos Narvaez has the glove, not the bat. Our best all around prospect is Agustin Ramirez, currently at Somerset, still 1-2 years away. All this by way of saying we need to upgrade the position to contend this year.
In other news, acquitted murderer OJ Simpson died and my first reaction was “hooray!”
We may never find the real killer then.
My friend Carl said, “Now OJ is in the place where he can search for the real killer.”
Hard to believe that was 29 years ago.
But I don't see HOW the Yanks can be short of catchers. After all, Cashman drafted can't-miss catchers Anthony Seigler and Josh Breaux, 1 and 2, in 2018.
Why, they must be almost ready for the major leagues. Right?
Here comes the shit .... Wow, that game last night was a lot like last year. Funny how Boone sat Wells and Cabrera almost the whole Marlins series. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Yankee management was trying to be ... mediocre.
Judge basically sleep walking through the early goings. Maybe there is something wrong with him. You know he doesn't play well when he's hurt. 'Course, there aren't many who play well injured. It's a talent in itself. So I'm not blaming Judge for not playing well if he's hurt, but maybe he should rest and get back to full capacity. Hitting under .180 for the entire season would be a drag.
I wouldn't lead off Volpe, at least until around July or August. Let him get his reps, let him get settled. Don't touch him.
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