Thank you, 'Sota. (Springsteen should write you a song) and 10 other ponderings for those who were not invited to Taylor and Travis' wedding.)

 

The Twinkies came to Gotham, and the Death Barge broke its seven-game, slow motion skid. They play two more afternoons against 'Sota, then visit Tampa and Trumptown (DC) next week, before tumbling into the All-Star break. Four against the Rays: We will soon know the truth about this team. 

In the meantime, 10 meanderings thoughts...

1. To win in baseball, it's not rocket science. You supplement a strong farm system with a few star free agents. The Dodgers do it quite well. But the 2026 Yankees have neither. 

2. Someday - maybe next year - the Mets will rise. We can smirk about their record - fourth most losses in MLB. But they are building the farm, and they are spending the money. One of these days, we will feel the whoosh of them passing us, as NY's favored baseball team. (If you look at tabloid covers, they are already ahead of us, but that won't last through September.)   

3. It's taken half the season, but Jose Caballero has apparently won the SS position, (I'll believe this when he plays an entire series.) Congrats to all who are still suffering from Volpe Derangement Syndrome.

4. Cooperstown Cashman has four weeks to find what he can get for Anthony Volpe. Right now, not much. A bullpen lug nut, maybe?

5. The Yankees are yet to see the ballyhooed rotation with Gerrrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Max Fried pitching at the same time. It's possible that they never will. This should blare sirens about mortgaging the farm for Tarik Skubal. When you obtain an ace pitcher, you're paying for every pitch he's ever thrown.

6. Still bumming over the loss of Carlos Lagrange, the star of spring training. He's out with a strained shoulder, and he probably won't return until - gulp - spring training. Damn. The Yankees had one breakout pitcher last spring, and they will probably get nothing from him in 2026. I realize that young pitchers are always fragile, but the Yankees pitching gurus blew this one, horribly. They had one job: Get this kid - and his 102 mph fastball - to the majors. They botched it.

7. After last night's game, Spencer Jones was dispatched to Scranton. That's strike two for his Yankee career. Unless somebody gets hurt - always a possibility - he's done with this organization. Gone at the trade deadline.

8. Jones is just another reminder that Yank fans - thirsty for news about the farm system - should never raise their hopes about Yankee prospects. They are simply a commodity to be traded. 

9. The seven-game losing streak made it a given that Cashman will remake this roster on or about July 31. Last year brought two disasters - (Bird and Doval) - two successes - (Bednar and Cabby) - and a no decision (McMahon.) I don't know how anyone can look at last year's trades and find great optimism for this team.

10. One of these days, the Twins will stop rescuing the Yankees from themselves. 

Happy fucking fourth.