WHAT SHOULD THE YANKEES DO WITH A SLUMPING AUSTIN WELLS?

It's no secret, Austin Wells is in an offensive slump. It's baseball, slumps happen but now is definitely not the best time to have one. So what do the Yankees DO about? The series shifts to Cleveland, and the Guardians NEED a win today. So do the Yankees ride with Austin behind the plate or make a move?

The Yankees definitely need a shake up in the lineup. Aaron Boone has already suggested he could move Giancarlo Stanton up in the lineup against lefty Matt Boyd and give him cleanup duties.... but is that the ONLY change he would make? Maybe not, because he's also hinted at giving Jose Trevino some playing time, read more HERE. Maybe this is where Bonne makes the switch, but should he?

Gotta love playoff baseball, where anything can happen, and anything should be considered. Any move made, could help determine when you play for championship or not. If I am Boone, my move would be cleaning up the cleanup spot. Wells needs to move down in the order but I'm sticking with Wells behind the plate. He hasn't made an impact with the bat, but he sure has with his glove.

Just because the Yankees are up 2-0 in this series, these games are too important to consider playing lineup roulette and rotating impactful pieces in and out. Nothing against Trevino, but even without any offense from Wells, he still gives the Yankees the best shot at winning. He may be ice cold with the bat, but he's hot with the glove. He was important to the Yankees win on Tuesday night.

The Yankees batting lineup can be reworked and still be effective. I still prefer Wells' bat over Trevino's. If you move Wells down in the lineup it takes some pressure off him so it may help him start hitting more. Trevino isn't an upgrade over Wells, and he hasn't played since September 29th, he's cold. Behind the plate, Wells has the better arm, and I have more confidence that he will keep the Guardians honest. He's better defensively and he's got the better arm. He has a better shot of throwing a runner out then Trevino. The Guardians could really test Trevino's arm and that's not something I want to be brave and experiment with when the Guardians have their backs against the wall. 

I'm riding with Wells. He's the better catcher. We saw him start to show hints of him coming out of his slump the other night. He hit one pretty hard.... but right at a Guardian. Take off some of the pressure in the batter's box and I still think he gives the Yankees the better chance to win, especially on the road.

Boone just needs to reimagine his batting order.... but not who's catching behind the plate. Don't overcomplicate and try to get fancy. You go with your best catcher, and there is no doubt that is Wells.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

JUDGE ENDS PLAYOFF DROUGHT BECAUSE OF MECHANICAL ADJUSTMENT

I have to admit, I was watching Aaron Judge hit for weeks and I felt like something was off.  My kid is a pretty solid hitter, but he's a wizard when it comes to hitting mechanics, and he saw something that I didn't really see. All I saw in Judge was that he was "off". I didn't see the other stuff and how the upper body was not working with the lower body, but my kid, now a senior playing college ball did see it.  After a few at bats last night, he texted me this:

Well, something happened after that because when Judge hit his homer last night, it was clear he figured it out, through tape, through reps, whatever.

I was at the game and when Aaron Judge hit the home run, Yankee stadium was literally shaking. The stadium sounded like a library on TBS. The fact that TBS lowers the crowd noise is an absolute disgrace. pic.twitter.com/JHWQncdLdJ

— Evil Empire (@octoberstanton) October 16, 2024

 No, this isn't our Bleeding Yankee Blue feature today... that will come from Suzie Pinstripe. This post is a nugget, a quick note to talk baseball shop, mechanics and just how much we needed Judge to "figure it out" in this ALCS.  

Who knows what will happen in Cleveland. What I do hope however is that the Yankees make it to the World Series.  As my friend texted me last night, "Boone seems to be doing everything right for a change." I quickly answered, "Yup, that's what it appears."  

There's always time for Boone to mess this up, but you need to give him credit... he's finally playing chess with the Yankees... not checkers. It's about freaking time.

RODON'S BEST PERFORMANCE & YANKEES AHEAD IN ALCS!

Carlos Rodon was exceptional last night.  This is the guy I knew we had; we just couldn't find him for a while.  But we did when it counted and that's all I could ask for. The New York Post writes:

"Rodon did not let his night unravel because of a long ball — as he did in the ALDS when Salvador Perez took him deep — retiring the top of the Guardians’ lineup in order to finish his night in style.

“It’s not that it’s hard,” Rodon said of keeping his emotions in check. “It’s just being mindful of it and being focused on the next pitch, and I think that kind of leads to that robot, that poker face.”

Rodon is an emotional guy, and I think that's what I love about him most. I like that he gets alittle cocky out there, shows his arrogance when he's on.  It bit him in the ass in his performance before, but this time around he was calm, cool and collected, almost like he's been there before, or at least been there before as a Yankee.  I appreciate it. It means he's adapting.

Now the Yankees didn't stomp on the Indians too hard, but what they did do is take advantage of mistakes, passed balls, walks.  That was vital.  The Yanks started out leaving men on base but before we knew it things were clicking. CNN writes:

"With the bases loaded and sitting on two outs, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt turned to rookie reliever Joey Cantillo, who struggled with his command. Cantillo threw an AL postseason record four wild pitches, two of which allowed runs to score to hand the Yankees a 3-0 advantage.

“That’s what good teams do,” Soto said about the team’s pivotal third inning. “It’s not about one guy, it’s about the whole lineup and we showed, we put pressure on those guys.

“Taking pitches and getting our walks, getting guys over, bases loaded, making those guys make wild pitches and everything. At the end of the day, it’s a team effort and we showed up today.”

Manufacturing runs is the name of the game, and also let me state that Giancarlo Stanton is on fire right now.  Where has this guy been hiding. Incredible. CBS Sports:

114.3 MPH, 439 FEET

GIANCARLO GOES BOOM! #ALCS pic.twitter.com/J7I1MkaVSQ

— MLB (@MLB) October 15, 2024

"Stanton has very good playoff history. He went 6 for 16 (.375) with two doubles, a home run and four RBI in four games last round. The home run was a go-ahead shot in the eighth inning of Game 3 to turn the series toward the Yankees' favor. The home run here in Game 1 of the ALCS was simply insurance, but it was so booming..."

My only suggestion for the Yankees and his fans? Keep going.  

Let's go Yanks!

STRAP IN! #YANKEES GIVE THE BALL TO RODON IN GAME 1!

I'm on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster as I write this. Aaron Boone has made up his mind, and Carlos Rodon will be on the mound for game 1 against the Cleveland Guardians. I am not feeling confident in this choice, but honestly, I don't think I would feel more confident with another name either.

Let's leave Gerrit Cole out of this, because he is pitching game 2. We wouldn't have to debate Cole over any other starter, but in this case he isn't an option. The Yankees were torn between Clarke Schmidt and Rodon and honestly neither are the "perfect" option and have their pros and cons....but dfid they make the "best" choice?

Tough call. I have to say I really like the potential I see with Schmidt. I think he is poised on the mound and doesn't emotionally unravel like we have seen from Rodon. He doesn't have the same experience as Rodon does though, so that could be a reason why Baboonie ultimately chose Rodon. I strangely feel like if Rodon doesn't deliver in game 1, I think Schmidt in game 3 is a good strategy. 

As for game 1, based on Rodon's splits home and away he pitches better at home. I still think he gives up too many home runs at home, but his 3.11 ERA at Yankee stadium is better than his 4.69 ERA away. It's a big difference. When Rodon is on, he's tough to beat but when he's not it gets ugly fast. I'm sure the Yankees will have a short leash on him but it's still something to think about. Not to mention, he better be "on" today because the Guardians love to face left handed pitching.

I am very critical of Boone, I know a lot of us are... but for once I am not absolutely hating on his decision. I'm not super confident with it, but there is a strategy behind it. I just hope the strategy works. The Guardians have some good talent on the team, so this won't be a walk in the park. The Yankees need to be strategic and play good fundamental baseball to get to the World Series.

So here it is. Today is the start of the anxious feelings and nerves that haven't been THIS elevated in a long time. Rodon starts the tone. I hope Baboonie makes the right moves at the right time. Here we go....

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE YANKEES WERE BUILT FOR MOMENTS LIKE THIS

 

I write that headline, and I need a little bit of time to soak in the meaning. After the Yankees beat the Royals on Thursday night to head to the American League Championship Series (ALCS), I got that sense of relief, realizing that the hardest hump to the World Series has just been overcome. I say this because the Yankees have hit a wall in the ALDS way too many times over the last several years. It is like they just don't have enough depth to get over that wall. This year it is different. This year, the Yankees are showing that they were built for moments like this.

"Ger-rit Co-le," they repeated, with a clap-clap-clapclapclap in between, the same chant with which Yankees fans had serenaded him in the immediate aftermath of the win. And when Gerrit Cole, brought to New York specifically for moments like this, finally arrived, the Yankees broke out into a cheer and could properly capture the aftermath of a series that made them look as dangerous as they have in years," reported ESPN. 

Perhaps I am being a little off-putting to some as I make this statement, but I don't agree with Aaron Boone when he said, "We played a really good brand of baseball in this series,"per ESPN. I think the Yankees edged into the ALCS, not dominated their way through explosively. If the good brand of baseball Boone is referring to is just doing enough, then yes, sure. But the Yankees are a way better team than we have been seeing. Aaron Judge has not even showed up yet. But the bullpen has.

"When Luke Weaver re-signed with the New York Yankees last January, he was hoping to jump-start his flagging career as a starting pitcher. Ten months later, the 31-year-old is integral to the team’s post-season run. Weaver never started a game during the season for the first time in his career. Instead, he had his best year ever, all out of the bullpen," reported Forbes. Weaver appeared in all four games of the ALDS, saving all three of New York’s victories, sending them into the ALCS. As much as I would like to say that what Weaver and the bullpen did is sustainable, that is not realistic. If the Yankees are going to make it World Series, they need their big guys to hit.

"Aaron Judge has not been himself this postseason. The All-Star slugger that led MLB with 58 home runs in the regular season went a combined 1-for-11 (three walks) in the first three games of the ALDS after a New York Yankees Wild Card bye," reported ESPN. On the flip side, his bat woke up on the final game against the Royals, so perhaps the captain is on the other side of this timing thing that has been plaguing him thus far.

Giancarlo Stanton however did show up and likely is the reason, offensively, the Yankees are where they are right now. If the Yankees continue to turn on the bats, and relieve some of the pressure from the bullpen, the Yankees will be dangerous and unstoppable in the ALCS into the Series.

So I go back to the headline: "The Yankees were built for moments like this." In unpacking their depth, from their upgrades defensively to the explosive bats they added to augment Judge and Stanton, the Yankees are tailor made to get to the World Series. The only thing holding them back, is of course, themselves. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

THOSE MUSTACHES DON'T BEAT THE ULTIMATE!

I am watching these Yankee games and I'm seeing dudes like Austin Wells and Jon Berti and I have to say, they have great mustaches... but none of them measure up to our guy Brendan Ryan when he was wearing his proudly with the Yankees.

Look, there's no question that Austin Wells and his mustache are a team. The guy has had that thing for a while. It's full, it's part of him and no question he takes care of it.  

Then you got Jon Berti's stache, and I felt like that thing just showed up.  I don't remember Berti to ever have a mustache... am I wrong?  I felt like he was looking at Wells one day and was like "I can do that" and just grew it.  Look, it works for him I guess, but it's not my favorite stache at all.

My favorite stache is Brendan Ryan's hands down.  First off, Brendan was for a while one of our faves in this Yankee house. When he was on the Yanks, my kid was a young baseball player, middle infielder and Ryan was the guy... he loved Ryan.   And it was right around that time that the stache was in full force. I think what was so special about Ryan was not only his athleticism in the field, but the fact that that mustache just showed up and was perfect from day 1.  

I guess all this mustache talk brings me back to the Ryan days... 2013 to 2015.  No, the Yankees weren't the best, but for me in my life I was comforting, and I almost equate it to a simpler time, a positive time. The Yankees were right there, but in my life the kids were younger, there was less going on... my kids would hang out more.  These days everyone is grown... the two older ones are in college, my younger ones have reached that teenager age where they're too cool for their parents... and here I am sitting with my wife thinking about the way it once was, and when Brendan Ryan had the ultimate Yankee mustache.

Life moves pretty fast sometimes. Cherish every moment and soak it in, because before you know it... it all is just a memory.

Shout out to a simpler time... and one of the best dude's out there with one of the best mustaches in Yankee history... Brendan Ryan.

Hope all is well my guy! The best to you, Sharyn and the kiddos!

THE YANKEES HEAD TO ALCS, BUT THERE'S MORE...

It was a good night for the Yankees. While still a little sleepy and sluggish, they did what they needed to do to get a victory against a hotter, younger, probably better Kansas City Royals team.  

Gerrit Cole was exceptional and hard on himself, and I like that about him.  He came up clutch when we needed it.  Luke Weaver has proven that he can close out a game with grace and balls.  What an opportunity to shine and he has.  Wow.  And truly, not enough credit is being given to Clay Holmes.  He was pushed out of the closer role and accepted "whatever the Yankees needed" to help the team win and he has.  Bravo to Clay. Total team player and awesome that he was able to reinvent himself.  

But I think we have to understand the bigger picture here and that is Aaron Judge.  Last night he finally showed life, a bat that we definitely need in the post season and partially why the Yankee games have appeared slow and boring.  Sure, Bob Costas was once a legendary broadcaster, but those days are over.  He's old, forgetful, sour and just impossible to listen to.  But it's the big bats that the Yankee fans truly need to drown out old Bob.  I think Judge is coming to life when we need it most.

The New York Post writes:

“Since I’ve been here with the Yankees, we haven’t secured a pennant,” Judge said, looking forward to the ALCS. “The group that we have, just excited for this opportunity. It’s going to be something special.”

Judge wasn’t the driving force behind the Yankees advancing — he went 2-for-13 over four games and continued his career-long playoff struggles — but he came up big in the clincher.

He doubled and scored in the sixth inning, drew two walks and stole a base.

“I think we got a little bit of the ghost from the old stadium,” Judge said. “A little bit of magic there, too.”

Now the ghost bit is overplayed.  He heard about it over the years when the Yankees moved stadiums, and to be honest, I hate the idea of superstition and rooting for something that doesn't exist.  Literally Citi Field wants to give Grimace the key to the city... that's how bad it is in the Mets world.  So, Ghosts? No... we're not going there.  Working out of a slump and seeing Judge contribute like he finally did in the ALDS is vital to the Yankees moving forward and I applaud it.

 

Look, there is no question the Yankees need everybody to contribute in some way to win this year.  I have to give Boone a tiny bit of credit because he is actually making smart moves which is weird because he's a total dunce.  But it's working for now.  The guys have been jumping in when they can.  But much like I wrote in YANKS CAN WIN IT ALL, BUT ONLY IF JUDGE & SOTO ARE ON... Judge and Soto need to be ON.  If they are not, we will not win.  Let's hope they wake up.

Nice clinch Yanks... let's get this ALCS now!

DOUBT THE YANKEES ALL YOU WANT, BUT THIS AINT OVER!

 "These $310 million Yankees just aren't particularly good."

A friend of mine texted me that yesterday morning with a link to THIS opinion piece. I expect no less coming from a Dodger fan whose team is barely holding on in their own division series. Always something to try and stir the pot, right? My friend tried, and so did USA Today.....they just weren't very successful.

It's interesting because when you look at ANY team with that kind of price tag you expect them to be the best of the best of the best and unstoppable. I get it. This is an expensive team. This team has the same issues its been dealing with for years now, especially offensively. I've been critical at times and I won't deny that but to say they "just aren't particularly good" is an interesting take.

The Yankees have some serious holes and without Juan Soto this is the same team from last season. Last season the Yankees finished fourth with an 82-80 record with a damn good Gerrit Cole. This season, the Yankees won the AL East with a 94-68 record. They dethroned the Baltimore Orioles as the division winners AND managed to get where they are without Cole for the beginning of the season and a starting rotation with a lot of question marks early on. This isn't a team that is going to roll over and play dead so don't count on that "early exit." You can call us "punchless" but that was one game in a best of five series. We're hungry, we want that winning feeling back.

So I love when we are underestimated. Do I think the Yankees SHOULD beat the Royals or anyone in the AL Central? YES, our 24-7 record against central teams this season shows we are capable. At the same time, this is about which teams get hot at the right time. Look at the Mets! They rode their momentum and eliminated the Phillies, and I expected the Phillies to win. A lot of people did, it just didn't work out that way. Let's look at the cheating ASSTROS. Who on earth would've predicted the Tigers to sweep the ASSTROS?! The Kansas City Royals are a Wildcard team that defeated the Orioles, and the Orioles have a good team they were no walk in the park. Welcome to postseason baseball. Teams like the 86-win Royals in a weaker division can and do get in.....but you still gotta outplay the other team.

Now, let's get back to those Yankees that "just aren't particularly good" and so timely written opinion right after the Royals won Game 2. Now Game 3 just happened....and the Royals lost. Now the Royals have to HOPE to do well against Cole again in KC. I wouldn't bank on that. Could it happen? Sure, anything can happen in the postseason. Is it likely for a gamer like Cole? NOPE. Especially not after his last start. He's gonna come back hungrier. He's no slouch either. He may not be 2023 Cole, but he's going to give Lucas Erceg a run for his money.

If the Royals do win Game 4, they have to go back to Yankee Stadium and try to win the series there. An elimination game in the Bronx is no picnic and the Yankees know it. Game 3 is in the rearview mirror (even though I am glad we won). Game 4 won't be easy for the Royals.....and a Game 5 in the Bronx would be even harder and a huge advantage for the Yankees. I'd say the Royals have more of an uphill battle.

Don't count us out, because the Royals aren't particularly better, either.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

FOUR THINGS THE YANKEES NEED TO DO TO ADVANCE

Welcome to that article that is always the most obvious, but you read it anyway. These are the 4 things that are concerning and are needed for the Yankees to advance to the ALCS.

Clarke Schmidt needs to be on

Clarke Schmidt is ready to shine Wednesday in Game 3 of the ALDS, with the Yankees and Royals all tied up after splitting in The Bronx. Schmidt’s been a beast this season, mixing in a nasty cutter, a wicked sweeper, a deadly sinker, and a knucklecurve that has hitters swinging at air. After missing three months with a lat strain, he came back better than ever, posting a solid 2.85 ERA over 16 starts. Schmidt has said he had been grinding through rehab with this exact moment in mind. Now, it’s October, playoff baseball is here, and Clarke is fired up for his chance to dominate. Let's home Schmidt can deliver!

Aaron Judge needs to break out

The other night when we needed him, Judge stepped up and struck out on just four pitches, leaving the crowd feeling deflated after Torres and Soto reached. This unfortunate outcome added to Judge's alarming postseason strikeout rate of 34.3%, the highest in MLB history among hitters with at least 200 plate appearances.

Despite this, Judge did manage to finish the night with a walk and an infield single, ending up 1-for-3. However, he now sits at just 1-for-7 in this postseason, raising concerns among us fans.  Judge has said, "If I'm not hitting 1.000, I'm not feeling good," and that concerns me a bit.

But if the Yankees look to advance, they need Judge desperately. Fans are really hoping he finds his rhythm soon. Maybe tonight.

Volpe needs to do his job

After another rollercoaster regular season, Anthony Volpe is finally starting to show some promise at the plate in the first two games against Kansas City. Sure, he made a costly throwing error in Game 1 that led to a couple of runs—pretty frustrating, honestly—but he’s otherwise held it down at shortstop. At the plate, Volpe has made some solid contact, like that 100-mph shot to the warning track and another well-hit ball to right in Game 1. He did work a bases-loaded walk and followed it with a hard-hit single to left on Monday, along with another walk and a rocket to shortstop.

Volpe’s been hitting the ball with some serious pop, cranking three balls over 100 mph in the series, including two over 105 mph on Monday. But while the Yankees are excited about his potential, it’s hard not to feel a little impatient—this kid has talent, but those long slumps? They’re starting to wear thin. Some scouts may question if Volpe will ever fully live up to the hype, but the Yankees are holding out hope that he’ll break through. What he does in the rest of this series might finally start to clear things up.

Continue to keep Bobby Witt Jr. quiet

It might not last forever, but it’s sure sweet while it’s happening! The Yankees have put Bobby Witt Jr. on ice. Heading into Wednesday’s Game 3 at Kauffman Stadium, the rising star shortstop is 0-for-10 with four strikeouts, and the Yankees’ pitchers are in total control. They’ve kept Witt from finding anything to hit, and even when they’ve slipped up, they've dodged the bullet. This is especially satisfying since Witt normally gives the Yankees trouble, boasting an .864 OPS in 17 career games against them and an .887 OPS this season. But right now? The Yankees have him locked down—and they're loving every second!

The New York Post had a scout quoted as saying: “The Yankees have been a lot more disciplined in how they deal with Witt, but they’ve gotten away with a couple of mistakes and that won’t last forever.’’

Next game's tonight. Let's go Yanks!

MORE OF THE SAME WHEN IT COMES TO THE YANKEES IN THE PLAYOFFS

The Yankees in the Boone era can't walk and chew gum in a short series at the same time. It's the story of our lives.  Last night, with ample opportunity to go ahead 2-0 against the Royals they pittered out.  It doesn't matter that Bob Costas was the biggest anti-Yankee bitch I've ever heard in my lifetime... I mean that added to it. But it was the fact that Aaron Boone was managing the pitching like it was Game 7 of the World Series and yet we had bodies on the bench that might have been able to spark some kind of rally.  The fact that he's misguided, a non-leader and not worthy to be sitting in the manager seat is baffling to me all these years.

The Royals are going home. Going to Kansas City is not a good thing for New York, especially in an existing hitting slump.  Not the mention our pitching hasn't exactly been lights out.  Pitching wins ballgames, this is true, but only if we hit.  Sure, I sound like Yogi there, but the truth is this Yankee team is not in sync at all and it's awful.

MLB writes: 

"...the Royals are officially bringing postseason baseball back to Kauffman Stadium, a goal of theirs from the start of 2024 after hearing what the ‘14-15 runs were like and seeing how the sports city has embraced an NFL dynasty right across the parking lot at the Truman Sports Complex with the Chiefs -- who, by the way, are undefeated after beating the Saints on Monday night at Arrowhead Stadium.

A “Let’s go Royals” chant broke out there. The Royals had the end of the Chiefs’ game playing in the clubhouse postgame...

“It’s going to be electric,” shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. said. “... Going back home is going to be a lot of fun. Get the boys right, getting hot at the right time."

Synergy works and the Royals ARE getting hot. The Yankees? They are not.  Aaron Judge can't figure it out. Juan Soto looked flat.  Sure, it's important to have everyone contribute at the right time, and that is something that essentially makes good teams, team contributions, but if we've seen anything from the Yankees this season it's that day in and day out, it was often Juan and Aaron, and tiny contributions from the rest of our hitters. 

I have written about this all year long; the Yankees are not built for this. Our pitching was NEVER sorted out last winter and should have been... we're seeing it now.  Our hitting is sporadic... we are seeing that again and our defense... is NOT what we were told we were getting.  I have seen the sloppiest shortstop in Anthony Volpe the last 2 games. He is not the shortstop we need.

So, what now? Well, we go to Kansas City as a mouse in a lion's den.  It will be loud, it will be hard and we just have to try and win and not be complacent.  Complacency kills teams.  We walk around often with our chest puffed out talking about how we are 27 world championship winners a lot. But what does it matter?  Touting it means nothing unless we can keep going.  It's like your town winning "best family town", although that was a decade ago and the town looks pretty run down these days.  You can harp on your reward in the moment... but it's what comes next?  What are the Yankees going to do next to add to those rewards?    

We will see, but my feeling is it ain't happening with amateur Aaron Boone.  We need something better. That's the bottom line.