On an off-day for the Mother Ship, down in Triple A, The Martian and Mr. Jones start hot

Yesterday, while the Yankees cruised the coast, up to Seattle - the city of Windows '95 - the Railriders of Scranton were shivering in Buffalo, Bronze winner in the 2026 Golden Snowball contest for upstate NY cities. (Note: It was won by Syracuse, the UCONN women's basketball program of snowfall, with 141 inches - or 11.5 feet.) 

After being frozen-out on Saturday, Scranton played two against the Buffalo Bisons, a farm of hateful Toronto, the Gainesville of Canada. 

Fortunately, our two most promising hitters, Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones, seem to have avoided an early Cashman Derangement Syndrome slump. At least, not yesterday. Here's what the kids did:

Jasson Dominguez: 3-for-8, three singles, an RBI, one K.

Spencer Jones: 3-for-8, a HR, 2 RBIs, 3 Ks.

Oswaldo Cabrera: 0-for-7, 3 Ks. 

Yanquiel Fernandez (an interesting 23-year-old Cuban OF castoff, via the Rockies): 1-for-8, a HR (his 2nd on the season), 3 Ks.

On the mound, Carlos "Radar Love" Lagrange pitched 4, fanned 3, gave up a run.

It's too soon to say nuthin. (Not that that ever stops us.) At least Dominguez and Jones are not mired in a hitless funk, depressed from being in Buffalo rather than the Pacific Northwest.  

Tonight, Ryan Weathers pitches. God knows how he'll do. If spring training showed anything, we're in trouble. To get Weathers, the Yankees went Flo - they bundled their home, life and car insurance - a full package of prospects. In Tampa, he pitched 17.1 innings and gave up 17 earned runs. If you're doing the math at home, for your own sake, stop.  

For Weathers, the Yankees paid heavily, then pretended they didn't, doubling down with Cat-4 hype. Ever since, he's been The Babadook. Thus far, our starting rotation has been otherworldly. We know this cannot last. And if Weathers doesn't start showing something, calls for Lagrange are going to increase. 

Technically, these April games matter. Spiritually, I'm not so sure. But tonight could be telling...