FOUR STRAIGHT LOSSES. SEVEN CLICHÉS. ZERO ANSWERS.

The Yankees didn't just lose four straight games to the Red Sox.

They looked completely lifeless doing it.

The offense vanished. The situational hitting was atrocious. Every big moment seemed to end with another weak at-bat. Boston played with urgency. The Yankees played like they were waiting for someone else to wake them up.

Then came Aaron Boone's postgame press conference.

Here was his response:

"That's what we do, baby. You gotta love this stuff. You got to eat this stuff up, it's a sickness. That's what the grind is. We got a really good frickin' team. We played crappy on this trip kinda. Feels bad, kinda pissed off, right. But that's what we do. It's what you sign up for. We'll dig ourselves out of it and get it going here in short order."

Let's break that down.

"That's what we do."

"You gotta love this stuff."

"Eat this stuff up."

"It's what you sign up for."

"Dig ourselves out of it."

"Get it going."

"In short order."

Seven clichés.

One answer.

And somehow, he managed to say almost nothing.

When someone constantly leans on clichés instead of original thought, it tells me they're struggling to communicate anything meaningful. Clichés become verbal crutches. They're easy. They're familiar. They fill time without offering insight.

Now look, everyone uses them occasionally.

But when nearly every answer in a high-pressure moment is built from one stock phrase after another, I start questioning whether the speaker actually has a deeper explanation—or whether they're hiding behind language they've repeated so many times that it's become automatic.

That's how Boone sounds. Not prepared. Not analytical. Not like someone with a firm grasp of why his team just got swept by its biggest rival. He does not sound intelligent.

He sounds like a manager reaching into a bag of baseball sayings and hoping one of them lands. To me, that's not effective communication. It's lazy communication in my opinion.

The Yankees had just lost four straight games. Fans wanted to hear about adjustments. They wanted specifics. They wanted accountability. Instead, they got bumper-sticker quotes.

Leadership is communication.

A leader has to inspire confidence not just with optimism, but with clarity. He has to explain problems, identify solutions, and convince people that there's a plan.

Boone did none of that.

He simply piled cliché on top of cliché until the press conference was over.

And honestly, I think it says a lot about why this team continues to drift whenever adversity hits. The manager sets the tone. When the clubhouse hears empty slogans instead of substance, eventually those slogans start sounding hollow.

That's been the Aaron Boone era in a nutshell. Same script. Same catchphrases. Same promises that they'll "get it going."

Meanwhile, the Yankees just got swept by Boston for the fourth straight loss, and the manager's biggest contribution afterward was seven clichés in less than a minute. For me, that's the clearest sign yet that the Yankees don't simply have a talent problem. They have a leadership problem.

And Aaron Boone's press conference may have been the most revealing performance of the entire series.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST, BUT WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR BOONE

Forgive me for this post dad, but I can't hold back anymore. My dad has been a Mets fan forever. He's from Queens after all. My mom is a Bronx girl. I got my baseball passion from her. So it saddens me to set myself up for the potential that my dad sees this post shortly after Father's Day but.....

Good Grief the Mets are a trainwreck. I mean, I am not delusional to think that we aren't but the Mets can't seem to get anything right. Queens is the land of former Yankees that sucked or failed with us and they still do. The change of scenery didn't fix anything.

The list of 2025 Yankee castoffs include Luke Weaver, pathetic Devin Williams, money chaser Juan Soto and now fired manager Carlos Mendoza. You know...the old Yankees bench coach that was Aaron Boone's right hand man. Yeah, him. He couldn't effectively lead the flawed roster that Steve Cohen bought and constructed for him.

The Yankees and the Mets are similar teams. Filled with big names, big money spent and flaws up the wazoo. They both love their analytics and think they can out slug anyone but they fall flat. The Mets are as flat as you can get in last place with a 35-49 record. The Yankees have a bruised ego with a 48-34 record and are back in second place. There's one major difference though.....

The Mets have an axe to grind and a chip on their shoulder. They have big money behind them to buy anything they need so they can finally win a World Series again. The Mets aren't getting where they need to be. They aren't winning, Cohen knows a change needs to be made.....so they made one. They weren't gonna wait around for Mendoza to have a breakthrough. Mendoza was fired but Baboonie is that unwanted house guest that just won't leave for the last nine seasons.

We've all wanted to evict Baboonie for years now. The Yankees won't do it though because they like their insanity. They like sticking with the same things that are proven to be ineffective since 2018. It's just easier to stick with it hoping for something to finally click and magically work. That's our mathematical strategy to win.

The Mets may have a better long term strategy, I don't know. I've seen a lot of crazy over the years. One of the things I remember the most growing up was how many times my dad would sit in front of our tv and watch "Let's Go Mets!" on VHS. I have to wonder if the Mets will be able to get back to that before we do.

We certainly aren't winning anything under Baboonie.....he should suffer the same fate as Mendoza.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

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BOONE & MENDOZA ARE EXACTLY THE SAME MANAGER

ENOUGH EXCUSES. FIRE BOONE ALREADY.

The Yankees didn't just lose three straight games to the Red Sox. They looked completely unprepared, fundamentally unsound, and utterly incapable of responding once things started going sideways. That's no longer just a bad series—it's become the identity of this team.

Boston swept New York by exposing every flaw the Yankees have tried to ignore all season. The offense disappeared. The starting rotation failed to set the tone. The defense gave away outs and runs. And perhaps most alarming, there never seemed to be any sense that someone was capable of stopping the bleeding.

That falls on Aaron Boone.

One of the biggest responsibilities of a manager isn't filling out the lineup card—it's steering the club through adversity. Every team hits rough patches. Championship managers recognize when something isn't working and adjust. Boone continues to do the opposite. He sticks with the same struggling players, repeats the same messaging, and waits for things to magically fix themselves. That's not leadership. That's hoping talent bails you out.

The Yankees scored just five runs during the first three games of the series while Boston piled up 16. Their lineup was embarrassed by rookie left-handers, including Jake Bennett, who carved through a veteran offense as if he were facing a Triple-A lineup. The Yankees looked late on fastballs, fooled by breaking balls, and completely devoid of any offensive plan.

Then there was the defense.

Mental mistakes extended innings. Routine plays became adventures. Miscommunication cost the Yankees outs they desperately needed. Good baseball teams don't continually beat themselves. The Yankees did exactly that all weekend.

Even Gerrit Cole couldn't stop the slide. When your ace can't keep you in the game early, the offense has to answer. Instead, the lineup offered almost nothing, constantly putting itself into early deficits it had no chance of overcoming.

Anthony Volpe's struggles have become impossible to ignore.

Across the three-game sweep, Volpe went just 1-for-10 with five strikeouts, hitting .100 while once again failing to deliver in key situations. On June 25, he struck out twice and came up empty with runners in scoring position. On June 26, he managed one hit but punched out twice against another rookie starter. By June 27, he finished 0-for-4 as Jake Bennett completely neutralized him along with the rest of the Yankees lineup.

The bigger question isn't whether Volpe is struggling.

Everyone can see that.

The real question is why Boone continues to pencil him into the lineup every single day without any accountability. At some point, performance has to matter. If a player consistently isn't producing, continuing to hand him everyday at-bats sends the message that results don't matter.

Austin Wells isn't helping either.

Over the series, Wells failed to record a hit, finishing 0-for-4. He also played a role in one of the weekend's most frustrating defensive moments when a routine pop-up dropped between him and Cam Schlittler because of poor communication. Offensively, he offered little resistance as Boston's pitching dominated New York from start to finish.

Yet Boone continues to run the same lineup onto the field expecting different results.

That's where the front office deserves just as much criticism.

Brian Cashman assembled this roster. He built a lineup with glaring holes and has watched those weaknesses become more obvious by the week. The Yankees continue to rely on struggling hitters at premium positions while expecting everything else to simply work itself out.

Where are the adjustments?

Where is the urgency?

Where is the accountability?

Instead, the organization seems content to let the season drift while hoping established veterans suddenly rediscover their swings and young players magically figure everything out at the major league level.

That's not a championship strategy. It's wishful thinking. I am convinced we will limp into the playoffs and not win the World Series.  Hate to be a hater, but I hate this front office.

The Yankees love talking about championship standards, but standards require consequences. When players consistently struggle, changes have to be made. When the offense repeatedly disappears, solutions have to be found. When the manager can't pull the team out of prolonged slumps, leadership has to be questioned.

Right now, the Yankees have none of those answers.

The Red Sox didn't just beat New York, they exposed an organization that looks stuck—stuck with a manager who struggles to navigate adversity, stuck with a front office that refuses to address obvious problems, and stuck believing that tomorrow will somehow be different despite doing the exact same thing every day.

Until that changes, so will the results.

CASHMAN'S BIGGEST PROBLEM ISN'T MISSING ON PLAYERS, IT'S REFUSING TO ADMIT IT

The Yankees don't have an Austin Wells problem.

They have a Brian Cashman problem.

Austin Wells is simply the latest example of a front office that falls in love with its own evaluations and refuses to let reality get in the way. Once Cashman decides a player is "the guy," the organization spends more time defending the decision than fixing the problem.

Wells has become Exhibit A.

Last season, fans were told to overlook a weak offensive season because his defense supposedly made him indispensable. Fine. But this year, the bat hasn't just regressed—it has disappeared. Nearly halfway through the season, Wells is hitting .164 with just nine RBI. He's been one of the least productive hitters in the lineup, yet he continues to get every opportunity imaginable.

How many more chances does he need?

The excuse has always been his excellent pitch framing. Yankees fans heard over and over that Wells was an elite receiver who stole strikes and saved runs. That argument doesn't carry the same weight anymore.

With ABS continuing to become part of Major League Baseball, framing is no longer the game-changing weapon it once was. If your biggest strength is becoming less valuable, then you'd better bring something else to the table.

Wells hasn't. Meanwhile, the Yankees continue pretending there's nothing to see here. That's the part that drives fans crazy. This organization has become obsessed with proving it's right instead of doing what's right.

Which brings us to Hunter Goodman.

Why are the Yankees acting like upgrading behind the plate is some impossible task?

Goodman is exactly the type of player this roster needs. He brings legitimate right-handed power, he's driving the baseball consistently, and he has been one of the most productive offensive catchers in the game this season. Put that bat in Yankee Stadium and suddenly the bottom of the order becomes a threat instead of a scheduled inning off for opposing pitchers.

Instead, the Yankees continue rolling out Wells and asking fans to believe tomorrow will somehow look different than yesterday.

That's become Brian Cashman's trademark.

Every obvious weakness somehow requires months of internal debate before action is taken. Every struggling player gets another chance. Then another. Then another. The front office talks about patience while fans watch games being handed away because the roster has glaring holes everyone can see.

Except, apparently, the people running the team.

Cashman deserves credit for many successful moves throughout his career. But he also deserves criticism when loyalty to his own evaluations blinds him to what's happening on the field. This front office has become too invested in winning the argument. Yankees fans don't care who wins the argument.

We care about winning championships.

The frustrating part is that solutions exist. Goodman represents one of them. He would give the Yankees a legitimate offensive upgrade at catcher, add much-needed right-handed thump to the lineup, and immediately put pressure on a position that has produced almost nothing offensively.

That's what good organizations do. They identify weaknesses and attack them. The Yankees identify weaknesses and explain them away.

At some point, Cashman has to stop treating criticism like a personal insult and start treating it like valuable feedback. The standings don't care about prospect pedigrees. Opposing pitchers don't care about draft position. And fans certainly don't care how highly the front office once rated a player.

They care whether he can produce. Right now, Austin Wells isn't.

And every day the Yankees refuse to address it is another day Brian Cashman is choosing pride over progress.

By the way, the Rockies will probably never give Hunter Goodman away.  But the Yankees need to try and find a stud to go behind the plate. Because right now we have a bunch of spare parts and nothing else... and it's all the fault of the front office.  Pathetic.

BOONE & MENDOZA ARE EXACTLY THE SAME MANAGER

One of the more absurd questions thrown at Aaron Boone after the Mets fired Carlos Mendoza was whether he agreed with the decision.

Why bother asking? Of course, Boone defended him.

Mendoza spent years sitting next to Boone as his bench coach in the Yankees dugout. They're close friends. Boone has championed him for years. There was never a scenario where he was going to say, "Yeah, the Mets got this one right."

The answer was scripted before the question was even asked.

Sure enough, Boone called Mendoza a "really good manager" and "a great leader" who will get another opportunity. Fine. That's what friends do. But Boone's comments accidentally exposed something Yankees fans have known for years and something the organization still refuses to admit:

Aaron Boone and Carlos Mendoza are essentially the same manager.

Both are obsessed with analytics. Both manage games like they're following an instruction manual. Both stick with struggling players long after everyone else can see it isn't working. Both make baffling bullpen decisions. Both seem allergic to urgency. And both routinely leave fans wondering if anyone in the dugout is actually reacting to the game unfolding in front of them.

The difference? One inherited a Ferrari. The other got a sedan with a few missing tires.

Boone's entire managerial reputation has been built on the backs of talented rosters. Year after year, the Yankees roll out lineups filled with All-Stars and payrolls that dwarf most of baseball. They pile up regular-season wins, and Boone gets credit for "steady leadership." That has always baffled me.

But when the talent gap shrinks in October and every managerial decision actually matters? The same problems appear for Boone and the Yankees. The same questionable bullpen choices. The same inability to adjust. The same loyalty to underperforming players. The same scripted feel that has haunted this organization for years. And the same ending.

Another playoff disappointment. Boone can't close.

It's remarkable how Boone has become almost untouchable despite repeatedly overseeing postseason failures. Other managers get fired after one or two October collapses. Boone has had years of them.

The Yankees have consistently chosen to excuse his shortcomings because the regular-season win totals look pretty. Winning 95 games with a roster loaded with stars doesn't automatically make someone a great manager.

Sometimes it simply means you had better players than everyone else. If Boone were managing the Mets' roster, would the results be significantly different than Mendoza's?

There's almost no evidence to suggest they would. In fact, many of the complaints Mets fans had about Mendoza sound identical to the criticisms Yankees fans have been screaming about Boone since 2018.

Too much faith in analytics. Poor in-game feel. Stubborn loyalty to struggling players. Questionable pitching decisions. Lack of accountability.

The only reason one manager still has a job and the other doesn't is because one team has Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, and a far superior roster.

That's it. Boone's defense of Mendoza wasn't meaningful analysis. It was a friend standing up for another friend. But perhaps the more uncomfortable truth is this: Boone wasn't just defending Mendoza. In many ways, he was defending himself. Because if Carlos Mendoza isn't a good manager, then the Yankees might have to confront a question they've avoided for years:

What exactly has Aaron Boone done to prove he's any different?

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METS SIGN MENDOZA TO MANAGE. TAKE THE REST OF THE YANKEES COACHES WITH YOU

BOONE NEEDS TO STOP FORCING VOLPE ON US FANS...

Meanwhile, maybe Volpe has a tiny bit of trade value these days hitting .260 that we can finally get rid of him by the trade deadline. Alot to talk about, huh?

I mean, Anthony Volpe's batting average is finally climbing, and predictably, the Yankees are treating it like validation. It isn't.

A hot stretch at the plate doesn't erase what fans have watched for months—an increasingly unreliable defensive shortstop who continues to make mistakes at the most important position on the infield.

If anything, Volpe's recent offensive surge has given Brian Cashman exactly what he needs: an opportunity to sell high before the rest of baseball remembers why his value dropped in the first place. That's my hot take. Get rid of this kid while we still can.  The Yankees' front office has spent the better part of three seasons trying to convince everyone that Volpe is the franchise shortstop. Every slump is met with another vote of confidence. Every error is brushed aside as part of the learning process. Every brief offensive streak is treated as proof that the organization was right all along.

At some point, enough is enough. The Yankees aren't rebuilding. They're supposed to be chasing championships. Instead, fans continue to watch a player who was advertised as a Gold Glove-caliber defender struggle with routine plays, inconsistent throws, questionable decisions, and defensive lapses that simply cannot happen from a Major League shortstop.

The most frustrating part is that there is already a better defensive option on the roster. Jose Caballero.

Yet Aaron Boone continues to move Caballero all over the diamond while stubbornly keeping Volpe planted at shortstop. Caballero... Third base. Outfield. Anywhere but the position where many fans believe he could immediately improve the Yankees' defense.

It's hard not to wonder what exactly Boone is trying to accomplish. Keeping Caballero in the lineup while refusing to let him play shortstop doesn't solve the Yankees' biggest defensive issue. It simply moves a quality defender away from the position where he could have the greatest impact.

Nobody is fooled by the revolving door of defensive alignments.

If Caballero is one of your best infield defenders, and he is, then let him play the premium infield position. Instead, Boone appears completely committed to Volpe, regardless of the results.

Whether it's loyalty, belief in Volpe's long-term potential, or simply refusing to admit the organization may have overestimated him, the Yankees continue doubling down while fans watch the same mistakes happen over and over again.

Yes, Volpe has raised his batting average. Good. That's his job. But to me, that still doesn't outweigh the defensive problems. A championship-caliber shortstop has to save runs just as often as he creates them, and too often Volpe has done the opposite.

That's exactly why the Yankees should capitalize while his value is trending upward. Several clubs around baseball could still view Volpe as a young player capable of reaching the ceiling that made him one of baseball's top prospects.

The Seattle Mariners immediately stand out as a logical partner. They are constantly searching for more offensive production and have the pitching depth to make an intriguing deal. The Yankees could target starter Bryan Woo or right-hander Logan Gilbert if Seattle believed Volpe could become its long-term answer in the infield. Either arm would immediately strengthen a Yankees rotation built to contend now.

Another intriguing match is the Miami Marlins. They're in a position to gamble on young, controllable talent while continuing their rebuild. The Yankees could inquire about left-handed ace Sandy Alcantara. Volpe's pedigree may still carry weight with an organization looking toward the future.

Would those deals require additional prospects? Absolutely. But that's exactly the point. Volpe's value may never be higher than it is today. His batting average has people talking again. The Yankees should take advantage before another stretch of defensive miscues reminds everyone why so many fans have lost confidence in him as the everyday shortstop.

This organization has spent years trying to force Anthony Volpe into becoming the face of the Yankees' infield. Maybe it's time to stop forcing the issue. Maybe it's time to let Jose Caballero play the position he plays best.

And maybe it's finally time for the Yankees to admit that Anthony Volpe simply isn't the answer at shortstop.

I'm done with this front office and this kid they are forcing on us. The worst mistake since trading away Jay Buhner.

BLOW ONE LAST KISS GOODBYE WITH YOUR BLOW POP, JAZZ!

I'm just over it! I mean all of it. Jazz Chisholm is a trainwreck. He's a circus side show that's nothing but a distraction and a disappointment. Then there is that pathetic excuse of a manager in Aaron Boone. This team is nothing but a laughing stock. 

It's bad enough we just dropped a series to the Cincinnati Reds, now we have another embarrassing follow up with Jazz playing second base with a blow pop in his mouth on Monday, and then flaunting it in the dugout again on Tuesday, read more HERE. Oh wait, that's after there was confusion of whether it was a blow pop or a piece of gum because there was a can of Dubble Bubble. Is this really what the New York Yankees have become?

I guess so. Jazz doesn't care. I mean we are talking about the guy who doesn't understand basic rules in baseball. He did botch a play in April with one out and the bases loaded in a tie game that cost himself a chance at a tag-and-throw double play. Then he admitted he didn't know the basic rule and Trent Grisham had to jump in and try to save him in front of the media, read WHEN JAZZ'S BLUNDER ISN'T ENOUGH - BOONE MAKES IT WORSE! I thought that was bad enough, especially when he thinks he is worth $35 million a year for his next contract!

So should I really be surprised that the clown had a blow pop in his mouth as his team is LOSING a game? No. I'm not surprised....but I am PISSED! Who the hell does this? Someone who doesn't give a sh*t that's who. Meanwhile, Baboonie claims he is pissed but who really buys that? He's soft and doesn't hold his players accountable. He's more like an emotional support puppy than he is a manager of a storied franchise trying to get back to winning a championship.

But really, how can Boone be pissed after he admits he didn't even see Jazz with the lollipop in his mouth on Monday? I think Baboonie is a braindead bonehead and I'm sure he's oblivious to many things in his small world....but how do you miss THAT? He claims he did. Only a completely absentee manager misses that and then admits he didn't even see it. He's a bigger dumbass than I thought he was and that's saying A LOT.

Where is the leadership on this team? The manager is clueless and doesn't hold his players accountable. All he can do is coddle them and be their friend. What I wouldn't give for Billy Martin to whip these guys into shape right now. The manager is useless, Captain Aaron Judge is sidelined, and mediocrity rules the world as long as Hal Steinbrenner's pockets remain full of cash. This just isn't how a team should be run!

Jazz is a disgrace to this team. This isn't going to be his last blunder either, there will be others if the Yankees stupidly decide to keep him around the rest of the season. This guy is a detriment to the team and the franchise and the sooner he's gone the sooner I can't stop writing these stupid stories about both of these clowns!

I'm over all of it. It's time for Jazz to go away and it's time for the Yankees to grow a brain and get rid of their dumbass manager too! Take your Blow Pops with you, Jazz!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE "WORK IN PROGRESS" YANKEES OUTFIELD

You can say that the Yankees have been a "work in progress" for many years. You can say they are a "work in progress" with their leadership or their roster construction. Now we add the same tagline to centerfielder turned right fielder Jasson Dominguez. 

This team is a perennial "work in progress" or maybe it's just always work because the progress part is elusive at best. You can call it many different things. Dominguez is no exception to this debate but he's hanging in there. We are surviving in an outfield strategy shaped entirely by the injury bug. Dominguez has done better than I thought he was going to, honestly, but that doesn't mean it has been without it's stressful moments.

The Yankees series against the Reds definitely showed some weaknesses or areas of opportunity for Dominguez. Friday night he did overrun a hard hit ball, but he miraculously made the catch. He wasn't quite as lucky in the third inning when he couldn't hold onto a double hit by Blake Dunn. It was hard to watch.

On Saturday, he made a nice catch on JJ Bleday's liner to right field but made an error throwing to second base that prevented a potential inning-ending double play. It was a mental error. Something already not out of the norm for Dominguez but when you add playing a new position it makes potential for errors even higher. It also can be the difference between a win and a loss. Even if Dominguez didn't have that error, it wouldn't have changed the lopsided loss but something like that could be a difference maker in a close game.

That's what worries me. We have to do what we have to do while we work through these injuries. It's not perfect and even Aaron Boone knows it.
"You see his speed come into play," Boone said. "Overall, he's played pretty well. It's early. He's still a work in progress there."

The Yankees have faith in Dominguez. It's not like they have much of a choice right now, but they always have. We've seen it for years now as the Yankees have stayed loyal to Dominguez even with concerns in his development showing. If there is ever a time for him to prove to the Yankees and fans that he can be a big leaguer.....it's now.

In the meantime, we are a "work in progress" and I hope that doesn't eventually cost us the division.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE WEIGHT ON GERRIT COLE'S SHOULDERS GETS HEAVIER

It's not easy being "the ace" of the pitching staff. It gets incrementally harder when the ace is coming back from reconstructive elbow surgery. The expectation is always high. The expectation is higher when your team is riddled with injuries and you need to execute every pitch and do everything you can to help your bruised team win.

The already heavy weight is now heavier for Gerrit Cole. Big bats of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are missing and they will be for a while. In addition, Max Fried is not pitching. Difference makers are not on the field, on the mound or in the batter's box. It's a big ask for a guy that hasn't pitched since the 2024 World Series and has been back in action for less than a month.

But Cole is doing it and as much as we need it, I am still uneasy. What we saw Tuesday against the White Sox isn't the norm for the Yankees. It always stings to give up that first inning home run, but then to retire 13 batters in a row while the offense scores 11 runs by the fourth inning is a rare treat. It's a rare treat as the Yankees need to find ways to win to maintain their lead against the Rays. It's not an easy ask.

It's about as easy of an ask as it is for the Yankees strength and conditioning team or medical staff to be worth a damn. It also means, the team that is 'all or nothing' needs to turn it up a notch and make sure the 'nothings' are few and far between. The streakiness can't exist. The Yankees need to play well against both good teams and bad teams. We can't afford the feast or famine anymore....and we can't put that weight on the shoulders of the guy who missed more than a full season. 

As much as I love Cole, and appreciate his mindset he can't do it on his own. The rest of the pitching staff can't do it on their own either. We need the offense just as much as we need the pitching. We need the "savages in the box" to come out and not the "averages in the box." There's no room for failure....or even average. 

The Yankees have won the last eight of nine games. That's great. But I am tired of the yo-yo up and down. Cole has always done his part for this team. There is no reason to believe he won't continue to do so, but everyone else does to. It can't only come down to Cole. We need next man up mentality! That's what separates the good teams from the best.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THREE BAD CATCHERS, BUT A BIG YANKEE PROBLEM

The Yankees currently have a catching situation that can best be described as a three-ring circus — and unfortunately, nobody's laughing in the Bronx.

Two struggling catchers are on the major league roster, and the third, Austin Wells, is working his way back from the injured list. Wells was sidelined earlier this month with cervical headaches just before a series against the Red Sox, leaving J.C. Escarra and Ali Sánchez to handle duties behind the plate.

The problem? Neither has provided much reason for optimism.

Then again, neither has Wells.

And that's where the real blame belongs: the Yankees front office.

Virtually every Yankees fan saw this coming. The organization entered the season acting as if a collection of backup-caliber catchers would somehow turn into a strength. For one of the most successful and storied franchises in sports, settling for mediocrity behind the plate feels like an odd strategy. If the Yankees thought fans would embrace "good enough," they badly misread the room.

At some point, Wells will return. The question isn't whether he'll be back — it's how long the Yankees can afford to wait for him to figure things out.

If the headaches were contributing to his struggles, which I believe is why he's out, perhaps a healthy Wells can turn things around. But if he returns looking like the same hitter we've seen all season, the Yankees may be forced to confront a problem they never expected to have when spring training opened.

Wells has been one of the least productive hitters on the roster, posting a miserable .166/.278/.255 slash line. Simply put, the Yankees cannot continue getting this little offense from a position that already lacks impact around the league.

That's why trade speculation is beginning to heat up.

One name that continues to surface is Orioles star catcher Adley Rutschman. The fit is obvious. Baltimore has elite catching prospect Samuel Basallo waiting in the wings, while the Yankees are desperately searching for offensive production behind the plate.

Rutschman would instantly become the Yankees' best catcher. Through 51 games, he's hitting .265/.343/.481 with eight home runs and 15 doubles. With Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton currently sidelined, adding another legitimate bat has become an even greater priority.

Of course, talent is only half the equation.

Would the Orioles really trade a star catcher to their biggest division rival? Would the Yankees be willing to pay the enormous price it would take to make such a deal happen?

That's where this fantasy starts to get complicated.

The Yankees clearly need help at catcher. Everyone can see it. The bigger question is whether they have the courage to admit they got it wrong and make a bold move before the trade deadline.

For now, Yankees fans are left watching three catchers struggle and wondering how a franchise with championship aspirations ended up here in the first place.

Stay tuned.

THE INTERNET'S BUZZIN' WITH TRADE RUMORS TO REPLACE INJURED JUDGE

I don't even want to think about this, but after being asked about this constantly at work and now seeing rumors on the internet with every click I make....it feels impossible to avoid. Aaron Judge is sidelined and it's going to be a while. Now the Yankees moved back in first place over the weekend and everyone is asking how the Yankees are gonna keep it, without Judge playing.

If I am being honest, I am asking the same thing too. There are two very different versions of this team. There's the version with Judge playing that averages more runs score per game and then there is the version with no Judge and about two runs less scored per game. Not pretty splits to consider in a very right race with the Rays for the AL East.

And now we have to worry about exactly how long Judge is going to be out. The Yankees expect him to be back this season, but we do not know when. There's still a lot of baseball left so that's a lot of time that he could still be out. So now, the internet is abuzz with who the Yankees could trade for to fill-in for him until he does return.

That Judge fill in could be Seiya Suzuki, read more HERE. The Cubs are in a tough spot, they have been dropping games and the possibility of the Cubs becoming sellers at the deadline is becoming stronger. The Cubs have not played well since May 7th and unless they turn a corner, there is no reason for the Cubs to become a buyer by the deadline when they are 7.5 games back in their division.

And that makes the Cubs likely to trade away some of their impending free agents and that could easily mean Suzuki. He's a free agent at the end of the season and even though he had a rough stretch in May he's rebounded nicely in June with a .383 average, five home runs, and seven RBI's.

Suzuki is currently considered day-to-day after jamming his right knee after diving for a ball on Saturday. Initial reports are fine, the Cubs don't seem concerned but....time will tell. It's an option, and one the Yankees could consider with the injury bug still biting with Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham. Confidence isn't as high as it should be with Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones so the Yankees will sniff around. But the question is where and around who?

The Yankees may need a rental. I don't like to think about it because we NEED Judge, but it might be a harsh reality.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE KNICKS CHAMPIONSHIP CAME DOWN TO HONESTLY, HEART & STRONG LEADERSHIP

The Knicks didn't win a championship because they assembled the most expensive roster. They won because they built the healthiest culture.

For years, Knicks fans were told patience was required. Then Mike Brown arrived.

In remarkably short order, Brown transformed the Knicks from a talented team into a championship team. That's the difference between coaching and merely occupying the clipboard. Brown established accountability, developed the bench, empowered role players, and created a roster where every player knew exactly what was expected when his number was called. The stars shined, but the bench mattered. Walt Frazier has preached that formula for decades, and this team finally embodied it.

And then there's Jalen Brunson.

Forget the statistics for a moment. Brunson did something increasingly rare in modern professional sports: he put winning ahead of squeezing every last dollar out of the organization. By taking less money than he could have demanded when he resigned, he gave the front office breathing room to build a deeper, more complete roster. That's not just leadership. That's sacrifice.

The result? A championship.

Brunson's fingerprints are all over this title. Every loose ball, every fourth-quarter bucket, every moment when the season hung in the balance. Some players talk about culture. Brunson became the culture.

Meanwhile, Mike Brown deserves a statue before the championship confetti is fully swept off Seventh Avenue. Brown didn't need years. He didn't need endless excuses like we hear in the Bronx. He didn't need fans to lower expectations. He showed up, identified what needed fixing, and fixed it. And the most important part? He didn't lie to the Knicks fans. He didn't gaslight about injury or make excuses for his players after a loss.  That's leadership.  Because of it, the Knicks became disciplined, resilient, and prepared. Imagine that: a New York team that consistently looked more organized than its opponents.

Which brings us to Aaron Boone.

Watching Brown lead a championship run is a reminder of what decisive leadership looks like. Watching Boone manage often feels like watching someone repeatedly ask GPS for directions after driving past the exit three times.

Brown spent a short time building a champion. Boone has spent years giving Yankees fans PowerPoint presentations on why things will eventually work out. Brown and the Knicks organization developed depth. Boone has often manages as if the bench exists mainly for decorative purposes.

Brown makes adjustments, takes ownership when things go bad, but compliments players when things go right. Boone sometimes treats adjustments like they're an optional streaming service he forgot to subscribe to.

Brown raised the ceiling of his roster. Boone has too often left Yankees fans wondering how a team with that much talent can feel so ordinary in the biggest moments.

That's what makes the Knicks' championship so satisfying. It wasn't built on excuses. It wasn't built on promises about next year. It wasn't built on explanations. It was built on leadership.

Brunson led with sacrifice. The bench developed into a weapon. Brown established a winning culture almost immediately. And while one New York coach was busy hoisting a championship trophy, another was still searching for answers he's been looking for since the last administration.

The Knicks are champions because they found a leader. Mike Brown didn't just change the team.

He changed the standard.

I am not a true Knicks fan, folks. But I am a New York fan, and I do love heart.  Brunson has heart, Brown has leadership.

In the Bronx? We are lacking.  Last night's Knicks championship? It was a stark reminder that the Yankees need an overhaul... and now.