Heading into the KC vortex, the Death Barge faces several existential questions, any of which could kill the season. For example:
1. Who starts game three? Gil? Schmidt? Stroman? Your mom? Obviously, Gerrit Cole goes in game one. Financially, it's Carlos Rodon in game two. After that, chaos theory. Seriously, this is scary.
What we see is the classic Yankee October trap: We send out the millionaire celebrity pitchers, expecting them to justify their massive contracts, while our opponents go with young, hungry no-names. Guess what happens?
2. Whither goeth Austin Wells? Overall, guy had a great season. But in September, WTF? He hit .111. One, eleven. He finished 2-for-42. (That's .048.) Maybe he was tired? Dunno. But we might have to go with Slow Arm Trevino behind the plate, or at the least move Jazz Chisolm - or gulp - Joggin' Giancarlo - up to hitting fourth. The strongest lineup we played in 2024 was with Wells batting cleanup - and hitting. Can that happen again?
3. Who's the last bullpen guy? It probably comes down to Clayton Beeter, Mark Leiter Jr. or Cody Poteet. That's a bad tweet.
Beeter, Leiter, Poteet.
A choice that isn't sweet.
Beeter Leiter, Poteet.
Suck on that losing teat.
Listen: On the matter of this incredible, world-altering choice, you don't need to care what I think. I don't care what I think. When you reach this level of caring, the game is either lost or in the 17th inning, when you might as well pitch Danny Tartabull (whom I intend to mention in every post, as our chosen JUJU EX-YANK OF 2024.) Still, it's an open question. At the end of the world, who pitches for us? Beeter, Leiter or Poteet? (And remember: The rules were that you weren't going to fact-check!)
Who's in LF? It's either The Martian, Flopsy Verdugo or maybe even the old pro, Trent Grisham. None hit much in 2024, but if you look at the season overall, at least Jasson Dominguez did some damage in the minors. Also, after watching 20-year-old Jackson Chourio in Milwaukee, it reminds me that October is a month for breakout stars. Juan Soto was once that player.
I say, give the slot to Dominguez and never look back. Verdugo can spell him defensively. Show a little faith, there's magic in the night. Let's go all in on The Martian.
Who's on first? Ultimate question. Truth be told, I haven't a clue.
I cannot imagine Anthony Rizzo, with two broken fingers, doing what he didn't do for most of 2024: Hit. That leaves us with Oswaldo or Ben Rice, and if Rice were a glove man at 1B, I'd go with him. But he's a catcher, playing first. It's gotta be Oswaldo, even though he too could use more experience.
Sadly, we don't have a healthy DJ LeMahiue. What a sad loss that is, because this would be the scene in the movie where the old veteran returns to the clubhouse and says, "Put me in, Dad." (Movies take liberties.)
Instead, they're talking up Jon Berti. Fuck that. They'll have to carry Rice, but this is the scariest question we face - this is our Babadook - and a wrong answer might cost us the season.
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The Juju Gods have entered the bookie business:
https://www.espn.com/sports-betting/story/_/id/38801876/2024-world-series-odds-mlb-baseball
The wrong answer may well cost us the season, but it doesn't look like there are really any right answers.
The Brain at work.
I saw this, too, and had to wonder what the odds makers were smoking. Guess when you watch a team a lot, you see things outsiders don't.
1) Alanzo's HR in the ninth last night is why I watch sports. So many storylines converging and ending in a great result.
2) Go with Wells. He has the potential to deliver. Trevino does not.
3) Oswaldo at first. Need the better glove there. Plus he can hit if playing regularly.
4) Martian in left. It's really 50/50 but The Martian is the future. If Verdugo does something great The Brain might try to sign him. Don't want that.
The Ass-tros are home a few games before us, celebrate and hope Ca$h-hole and Ba-Boone go away. I love Judge, but every time he strikes out this post-season, the Dodgers add another zero to Soto’s contract.
I think you're right, Doug. Those are the rightest answers we've got.
Aaron Boone is asked what it will take in the postseason for the Yankees to win the World Series this year:
"Pitch, hit, and catch the baseball. We do those three things, I'll take our chances."
Ya see...it's a crapshoot...FFS...
Doug, it sounds as if Booooone took that line out of Bull Durham.
The Dodgers? Don't make me laugh. Out here in LA, the locals are looking at the hometown team with a great deal of skepticism. You think the Yankees have pitching problems? The Dodgers are this decade's Atlanta Braves - a great team that can't get over the top. Look to the Phillies. Or worse, the Melts.
Melts vs. Phillies will set a MLB record for drunken fistfights in the stands.
Is there a Beer Night in that series that I haven't heard about?
Boone may have a point. We've lost a good number of games because our pitchers couldn't pitch, our hitters couldn't hit, and our fielders couldn't catch. And almost all of them are on our postseason roster.
1. Gil/Schmidt in Game 3. Too much? Then Gil.
2. Unpopular take: Wells can’t hit. Another long loopy swing selling out for power. Trevino can’t throw, and KC will run on him. We traded our best C, Gus Ramirez, for Chisolm. An obvious flaw in the lineup.
3. The issue with the least consequence is also the easiest to answer. Poteet.
4. LF: Horrible choice. JD is still at a Minor League level. He can’t handle MLB pitching yet. TERRIBLE fielder. But he is one of the few on this team who knows how to run and steal bases. So it’s JD, with a defensive replacement.
5. 1B almost a lost cause. Forget Rizzo/DJLM. Rice is a Wells clone minus the ‘stache… gotta be Cabrera.
So many flaws and holes on the team. How the hell did they win 94 games?
And you didn't even mention Boone's stellar managing.
Boone - “if we score more runs than them, I guarantee we win”
JM, I've attended many Philly-Melts games in my life and I cannot recall a game when there was NOT a fight or two in the stands. Usually they devolved into brawls. I think they traveled back and forth for the sheer pleasure of the fight, probably due to the lack of hockey in the summer.
Yeah, not good.
I agree with Doug. Cabrera at least stands a chance of getting some hits, and he can play the field. Go with The Martian—and the really ballsy thing would be to put him in center, where he's a better fielder, but they ain't going to do that. I'd go Schmidt for the No. 3 starter, though you might be better off holding him for long relief. Interesting insight on Wells, 999, and how am I not surprised? But I think we gotta go with him, if only for the arm.
Oh, and Boone is an idiot.
Baseball reference still has Dodgers and Phillies with a better chance to win the World Series than the Yankees. Then again, they also have Houston with a better chance, so something's not updated there. And no, your New York Yankees will not make the "Fall Classic."
JM, that’s in a category by itself.
I dunno Hoss. Maybe Cleveland poses a threat, but I can't see the Tigers or KC getting in the way. Either way, I like the Yankees chances of getting there. But winning it? I dunno that either.
BTW, Hoss, I'm getting ready to finally read your book and I'm undecided whether to get it in print and or audio - I like listening to books in the car. But I want to know: are you happy with the guy who's doing the reading? LJ Ganser?
Rizzo has been out for how many games this season?
A smart front office (not currently available in Yankeeland) would have had a non-outfielder who clogs up the DH slot taking grounders at first every day. You know like every washed up slugging outfielder does in his declining years? I mean, it's not like he's played a lot in the field. Wait, he has played as many innings as Babe Ruth, er - I mean Otani, in the field this year. FUCKING ZERO!
Give the cinder block, aka Mikey, a 1st basemen's glove. Hell miss as many catches as Rice, but will at least free up the blockade in the OF.
Dick, I'd recommend buying the hard copy even if you do the audiobook. The historical photos are very good.
They have a shot at getting into the series, but no chance unless there's some huge upsets in the NL.
And that is what I will do Rufus, thank you
Thanks, DickAllen! I appreciate it. And yes, the guy reading it sounds very good to me. Although Rufus is right: Mrs. Calabash and I managed to find some terrific photos, most of them for free.
And yeah, if we can survive KC, I think we could—COULD—take Cleveland. But I can't see us taking any NL team.
And I agree, Rufus. How the hell do the Yanks, in general, play most of the season like an extended spring training but NOT resolve issues like first base? If not Stanton—who might well have broken down in his first inning in the field—why not try that T.J. Rumfield guy who was killing it at Scranton? I mean, TRY him, already!
All their sinister plots to save money aside, Hal & Pal are indeed just weirdly bad.
Not sure Rumfield would be eligible for post-season roster...
Who's the last guy in the bullpen? That's easy. Poteet. Leiter shouldn't even be on the post-season roster. He's the 2nd most likely pitcher to blow a game up after Warren. Beeter, er, maybe. So long as he knows he's just there to watch and get a taste of what the post-season is like.
Sorry to disagree with the 'feeling in the room', but I have to go with Verdugo in left. He's the better fielder and defense matters in the post season. Put the Martian in as a sub, if the Yankees are comfortably ahead or nobody's hitting to left (that's a joke). He ain't ready defensively. Keep Grisham on the bench as a defensive sub in the later innings, if ahead. The Martian should really be in Tampa shagging baseballs and learning his routes. Sorry. I love his bat and his pepper, but his fielding is disastrous.
Whither Gill, Schmidt or Stroman? A much happier, but tougher decision. All three are a reasonable bet to do good job, possibly even a great job. The other two can be ready for middle relief if I'm wrong. My heart says Schmidt, then Gill, but Stroman has MLB seniority (and an ego), so they will probably go with him.
Defense matters. So I go with Wells at C. Trevino, maybe, if a starter prefers his glove and calling game.
Defense matters even more. So I go with Oswaldo at 1st. He may also offer more offense than Rice or Mr. Broken Fingers.
He would not be unless an injury were to occur during the playoffs.
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