JURICKSON PROFAR TESTED POSITIVE FOR PEDS....A SECOND TIME!

Here we go....again. The new face of cheating and stupid choices is Jurickson Profar after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs a SECOND time. So much for the "I would never willingly take a banned substance," speech he gave us in March of 2025 after accepting his 80 game suspension.

This is a real problem in Rob Manfred's world. Major League baseball officially announced a 162 game suspension for Profar. The Atlanta Braves now how to figure out how and when they add to their team now that Profar will not be a factor. Losing Profar is a big blow for Atlanta after a disappointing injury riddled 2025 season and then they had a very quiet winter. They were counting on Profar adding some stability to the lineup. In addition to missing the 2026 season, Profar will not be allowed to participate in the World Baseball Classic and represent the Netherlands. Play stupid games....win stupid prizes, Profar.

Testing once is bad, but this is now the second positive test in two years. It's a huge black mark to add to Manfred's already messy record. It's even uglier when Profar claimed he was innocent the first time around. Clearly, he hasn't learned anything or he's just too stupid to think he would never be caught again. It's bad enough we still have guys like Jenrry Mejia and Alex Rodriguez to talk about and remember.....but now we get one more moron to add to the list.

How much more of this do we have to endure in baseball? Seriously, it's frustrating to watch this continue to happen with just a slap on the wrist for Profar and the backing of the Players Association who are reportedly filing a grievance to challenge his suspension which is stupid. Profar doesn't need to be defended. He needs to admit he screwed up again, and take his punishment like a man. He was caught cheating twice. Years ago he was the top prospect in all of baseball, but obviously he couldn't make it on just his talents. This should not be overlooked, but this is Manfred's world so it will. 

I'm sick of this. All I keep hearing is "if he does it again he is banned for life!" and that's not the answer. We shouldn't accept that and make that a normal reaction. Guys like Profar ruin the integrity of the game and then fans like me get mad hearing about it after we see teams through stupid amounts of money to put them on their teams and play....which we also end up paying for in the grand scheme of things.

When it comes to cheating - it shouldn't be a "three strikes and you are out" ruling. This isn't a plate appearance. This is a bad choice in your job that is a massive character flaw. It's just a bigger mess in Manfred's circus and I am tired of it!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

MUSHNICK MISSED THE MARK

Phil Mushnick has made a late-career hobby out of wagging his finger at modern baseball, and his latest swipe at CC Sabathia feels less like sharp commentary and more like someone angrily shaking a fist at a game that passed him by somewhere around the invention of the fifth bullpen specialist.

Let’s be clear: Mushnick’s larger argument—that Major League Baseball has loosened Hall of Fame or honor standards over time—isn’t completely absurd. There’s a fair debate to be had about evolving benchmarks in a sport reshaped by analytics, expanded playoffs, specialized bullpens, and load management. Fine. That’s a conversation.

But using CC Sabathia as your Exhibit A? That’s where the argument collapses faster than a hanging slider in the Bronx.

Sabathia wasn’t some compiler who accidentally wandered into October relevance. He was an ace. A stopper. A bulldog. And most importantly for those of us who watched every high-stakes inning in the Bronx — he delivered when the pressure was suffocating.

And Phil? This is where you sound less like a critic and more like a man yelling at a cloud.

When Sabathia signed that massive contract with the New York Yankees before the 2009 season, he didn’t just arrive with a big arm. He arrived with expectation bordering on hysteria. This wasn’t Cleveland. This wasn’t Milwaukee. This was the stadium where legends are measured in rings and October innings.

And what did he do in Year One?

He led the Yankees to a World Series title.

In 2009:
19–8 record
3.37 ERA
230 innings
197 strikeouts

ALCS MVP
3 postseason wins in the ALCS alone
He was the ace the Yankees paid for — and he pitched like it when it mattered most.

Over 11 seasons in pinstripes:
134 wins
3.81 ERA in the AL East pressure cooker
Over 1,700 strikeouts as a Yankee
Multiple 200+ inning seasons
3 All-Star selections

Veteran leader during multiple postseason runs

And this wasn’t empty calorie pitching. He transitioned mid-career from power flamethrower to craftsman, reinventing himself with a cutter when his velocity dipped. That’s not lowered standards. That’s pitching evolution. Before New York, Sabathia was already elite with the Cleveland Indians and had one of the most ridiculous stretch runs in modern history with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008.

Career totals:

251 wins
3,093 strikeouts
3.74 ERA
3,577 innings pitched
6× All-Star
2007 AL Cy Young Award winner
World Series champion

Those aren’t “lowered standards” numbers. Those are Hall-of-Fame-caliber numbers in any era — especially the steroid-era offensive explosion he pitched through.

And let’s talk about that Milwaukee stretch in 2008. Sabathia practically carried the Brewers to the postseason on short rest, throwing complete games like he was pitching in 1975. That wasn’t analytics babying. That was dominance.

Here’s what critics like Mushnick often miss because it doesn’t fit neatly into a stat column: leadership.

Sabathia became the adult in the Yankees’ clubhouse. The bridge between eras. The mentor to young arms. A stabilizing force during the transition from the Core Four era to the Baby Bombers.

In a city that chews pitchers up and spits them into the East River, Sabathia stood tall. He owned bad outings. He reinvented himself. He confronted personal struggles publicly and returned stronger. Teammates respected him. Fans trusted him.

That matters.

Look, I’m Casey of Bleeding Yankee Blue. I’ll be the first to admit I can get cranky about the Yankees’ front office. I’ve bitched. I’ve moaned. I’ve questioned decisions like it’s my side hustle.

But when it comes to the athletes themselves? I respect the grind. The game is hard. The Bronx is harder. And what CC Sabathia accomplished under that spotlight cannot be dismissed because someone nostalgic for 1968 thinks only 300 wins should count.

Phil Mushnick built his reputation in a different media era — when sports columnists were gatekeepers and outrage was printed on paper once a day. Today’s sports landscape has moved on. The conversation is broader. The analysis is deeper. The audience is smarter.

Taking shots at Sabathia doesn’t make you a standards warrior. It makes you sound disconnected from how the modern game works — how workloads have changed, how bullpens evolved, how run environments fluctuate.

If MLB standards have shifted, it’s because the sport itself has shifted.

Sabathia didn’t lower the bar. He met it. He exceeded it. He thrived in the toughest market in baseball and left the mound with over 3,000 strikeouts and a ring. That’s not diminished greatness. That’s greatness adapted to its time. And no amount of grumbling from an aging columnist changes that.

SHOP FOR GREAT BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE GEAR DEALS: 

THE YANKEES HAD A CHANCE TO TRADE VOLPE & THEY FAILED!

It certainly took a hot minute for this nugget to come out, but now that it has it is both fascinating and infuriating at the same time. Over the winter, the Yankees had the opportunity to trade Anthony Volpe and actually get a guy that could field and hit his weight for average....but they foolishly backed down.

You have to have a paid subscription to see this, but check it out HERE. It's certainly compelling. The Yankees and Red Sox were both talking to the Texas Rangers about Corey Seager. The Rangers were willing to make a move and are still in process of reworking their finances. They are still dealing with significant operating losses and are trying to reduce payroll and moving Seager would've helped. The Yankees need a shortstop upgrade, and the Rangers are looking to shed some payroll....on paper it looked like a match.

Internally, Marcus Semien and Seager were also not getting along with some clubhouse drama mentioned in reports. They helped the Rangers win the World Series but things behind the scenes had reached a breaking point. It ultimately led to the Rangers keeping Seager and trading to the Mets instead because the Yankees were not willing to meet the Rangers trade request. There a wide range of rumors out there about what and who the Rangers were looking for but it sounds like the Yankees were not willing to negotiate.

And so here we are.....still with awful Volpe. So now we know the Yankees are willing to acknowledge that Volpe is not the answer but they are hoping for a miracle and a deal to fall out of the sky that isn't going to happen. The are of the negotiation isn't there right now. So we'll be seeing Volpe soon.

And hoping that Volpe's conversation with Bucky Dent moves mountains and creates a divine miracle, read more HERE. It's year four of the Volpe experiment and instead of a capable shortstop like Seager we get VolpE the error machine. I'm really hoping that Jose Caballero plays so well that the Yankees just can't find room to play Volpe....here's hoping the baseball gods hear me.

Volpe just isn't the answer. He was "supposed to be" but it didn't work out. The Yankees are trying to fit a square peg into a round whole. The sooner they stop doing that and realize Volpe NOT playing is what is best for the team, the better chances we have at winning.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

ROOT HARD FOR JASSON DOMINGUEZ, HE'S HOT!

Look, there’s absolutely no reason Jasson Domínguez shouldn’t be on the Opening Day roster. None. Zero. Zip. He already got a taste of the big leagues last year. Sure, he showed us that the outfield might not exactly be his forever home, but let’s not pretend we don’t know what the real skill is here: the guy can flat-out hit.

And with Giancarlo Stanton currently looking like he’d pull a hamstring opening a bag of barbecue chips, the Yankees need thump. I can't understand the elbow thing with Stanton for the life of me. But if “The Martian” ends up as a DH weapon off the bench instead of Stanton while he recovers? Sign me up. I’ll drive him to the Stadium myself.

Right now, he’s torching Spring training, and I’m loving every second of it.

On Friday, Domínguez batted second in a 17-5 demolition of the Twins and went 3-for-4 with a homer, two singles, three RBIs, and three runs scored. Through four spring games, the 23-year-old is hitting .417 with a home run, two doubles, five RBIs, and a walk. Yes, it’s early. Yes, it’s spring. No, I don’t care. When the ball jumps like that off the bat, you pay attention.

Let’s not forget: this is the same kid the Yankees handed $5.1 million to back in 2019 as the crown jewel of the international class. Sixteen years old. Five-point-one million dollars. That’s not “we like him.” That’s “clear a locker in Monument Park just in case.” A switch-hitter with explosive bat speed, legit raw power, speed on the bases, and a cannon for an arm — he was the kind of prospect that makes scouts talk in bold font.

His minor league track record? Solid. Across 352 games over four seasons, Domínguez hit .274/.373/.444 with 47 homers and 189 RBIs. Not flawless. Not mythical. But plenty good — and still loaded with upside. Funny how the minors helped him. Volpe? Rushed through the minors. Yup, I'm taking another shot at that bum. The Yankees ruined that kid to please their own ego. But I digress.

The Yankees have been waiting for the full breakout from Jasson. Maybe this is the year it finally shows up for good. I’d love to see him grab the job, refuse to give it back, and make the “what do we do with him?” conversations look ridiculous in hindsight.

Let the Martian play. And let’s see what happens.

DEVIN WILLIAMS BACK TO HIS OLD YANKEES FORM

Oh, Devin Williams is “doing great".

Credit where it’s due — the Mets made a splash bringing him in. And honestly? The smartest move the Yankees made all winter might’ve been holding the door open on his way out. Because if his debut with the Mets was any indication, that first impression came with fireworks — unfortunately, they were launched by someone else.

Williams’ opening act? One pitch. One swing. One 422-foot missile courtesy of top Cardinals prospect J.J. Wetherholt. That’s not easing into spring — that’s a batting practice donation.

Let’s keep it real: Williams hasn’t looked like his old self since his days with the Milwaukee Brewers. The dominance, the mystique, the Airbender magic — it’s felt more like turbulence lately. The Yankees saw the dip, saw the price tag, saw other bullpen options on the board, and said, “We’re good.” For once, restraint might’ve been wisdom.

Meanwhile, Steve Cohen continues his ongoing quest to out-Yankee the Yankees. If that means collecting former Bronx names like they’re rare baseball cards, so be it. The irony? Modeling yourself after a team that hasn’t won a championship since 2009 might not be the blueprint you think it is.

Now, could Williams bounce back? Of course. It’s spring training. Weird things happen in February and March. Arms are stretching out. Hitters ambush fastballs. Stats lie. But still — when your Mets tenure begins with a 422-foot reminder that baseball is cruel, it’s at least a little funny.

Let’s just say: the Yankees may not have solved all their problems this offseason, but dodging that first pitch? That might age very well.

VOLPE SPEAKS TO US FANS & IT DOESN'T CHANGE HOW I FEEL

 I’m just going to say it: I never bought into Anthony Volpe.

From day one, it felt like he was gift-wrapped, hyped to the moon, and presented to us as The Chosen One. And look, sometimes that works. Sometimes it’s Derek Jeter. Other times it’s a kid who mashed high school pitching and suddenly gets fast-tracked into the Bronx like the minor leagues are just a suggestion box.

The Yankees fell head over heels for Volpe's high school stat line. The spreadsheets purred. The projections sparkled. But reality? Reality is 95 mph with movement and a slider that disappears into another zip code. You can’t romance that with SAT scores and prep-school OPS.

Volpe looks like a talented young player who needed time — actual seasoning, not a crash course in front of 45,000 critics. Instead, we’ve been watching a development project unfold in real time at Yankee Stadium. Three years in, and we’re still talking about “growth.” In the Bronx. In a pennant race. That’s not how this usually works.

And now he’s addressing the boos.

“I know people really care. I want them to react,” Volpe told NJ.com’s Bob Klapisch. “Obviously, I want them to cheer for me, but for them not to do so say anything is not what I’d want, either. With the booing, I know I’d be doing the same thing if I was in their shoes. I want them to know I’m doing everything I can to be the best player possible.”

That’s fine. Professional. Measured. But effort is the minimum requirement, not the merit badge. Nobody doubts he’s trying. Fans just want production. This isn’t a science fair — it’s the American League East.

And here’s where it gets interesting.

While Volpe rehabs, the job goes to José Caballero. For the first time since Volpe arrived, shortstop isn’t penciled in with permanent ink. It’s open. Earn it.  If Caballero grabs that opportunity and hits another gear — plays with energy, makes the routine plays, chips in offensively — the Yankees have a real dilemma. You don’t yank a guy who’s producing just to honor a preseason brochure. Or do they?  

At Bleeding Yankee Blue, we’ve been banging the Caballero drum for months. He brings spark. He brings edge. He looks like he understands the assignment. With him out there, the Yankees resemble a team chasing down the AL East. With Volpe, too often it’s felt like they’re trudging through wet cement.

This isn’t personal. It’s performance. It's business.

For four years, shortstop production has been a question mark. If Caballero steps in and thrives, it won’t just be a feel-good story. It’ll be an indictment. It’ll suggest that Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone bet on projection instead of proof.

Volpe was supposed to be the answer.

Caballero is starting to look like the solution.  if Cab thrives and the Yankees still pull him out when Volpe is ready to return, there is definitely a political-favor game going on and my suspicions will be correct.

Play the guy who earns it, Cashman. Don't play favors.

CC MONSTER GETS WHAT HE DESERVES

The Yankees are finally doing what everyone in the Bronx has known was inevitable: they’re putting No. 52 in permanent pinstripes.

On Sept. 26, before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees will retire the number of Hall of Famer CC Sabathia. And honestly? It feels less like an announcement and more like a formality. Of course, 52 was going up. The only surprise is that it didn’t happen five minutes after he walked off the mound for the last time.

Everybody knows I’m a huge CC guy. Not just because of the numbers — though 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts over 19 seasons will do nicely — but because of what he meant. Sabathia wasn’t just an ace. He was the ace. When the Yankees needed someone to grab the rotation by the collar and say, “Follow me,” CC was already laced up.

Let’s not forget 2009. The last time the Yankees actually finished the job and won it all. Sabathia didn’t just contribute — he anchored that staff like a battleship in October. Big games, short rest, hostile environments — didn’t matter. He wanted the ball. He demanded it. That postseason run is stitched into modern Yankee history, and CC’s fingerprints are all over it.

Beyond the mound, his popularity was off the charts. Teammates loved him. Fans adored him. The big lefty with the booming laugh and the bigger heart embraced New York, and New York embraced him right back. He didn’t treat the Yankees like a stop on a résumé. He treated it like a calling. His love for the franchise was obvious — in interviews, in charity work, in the way he carried himself as a leader in that clubhouse. He chose the Bronx, and he meant it.

When the Yankees retire No. 52, Sabathia will become the 25th player honored with a number in Monument Park. The franchise already leads the league in retired numbers — because when you’re the Yankees, you collect legends the way other teams collect bobbleheads.

And CC? He fits right in.

On Sept. 26, 52 goes where it belongs — up high, forever — a reminder of the last championship parade and the big lefty who powered it.

A SOLID SIGNING & WHAT IT MEANS FOR DOMINGUEZ

The Yankees have finally decided that maybe — just maybe — adding a proven right-handed bat to the bench isn’t the worst idea in the world. And honestly? I like this move. It’s smart. It’s practical. It’s the kind of thing they could’ve handled back in December instead of waiting for the baseball equivalent of aisle-cleanup season.

They’ve signed Randal Grichuk to a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp, and that’s exactly the kind of low-risk, common-sense addition this roster needs.

Grichuk, 34, isn’t flashy. He’s not a headline. He’s not going to sell jerseys in Times Square. But what he is? A legitimate right-handed power bat on a team that leans so left-handed it might as well be writing with its off-hand. Against lefties, he owns a career .819 OPS. That’s not theoretical upside — that’s production. He can step in, punish southpaws, and sit down without drama.

Defensively, he brings flexibility. Left field. Right field. In a pinch, center. DH if needed. That’s real insurance, especially when your MVP right fielder — yes, Aaron Judge — has had his share of “please don’t dive for that” moments over the past few seasons.

And then there’s the ripple effect.

If Grichuk looks like his 2024 self, the Yankees suddenly have the freedom to let Jasson Domínguez marinate in Triple-A instead of forcing the kid into the Bronx spotlight before he’s fully cooked. And honestly? That might not be the worst thing. Poor Domínguez. The Yankees hype machine launched him into orbit before he had 200 big league at-bats. Was he overhyped? Maybe. That’s not his fault. That’s what happens when a franchise needs a savior and starts printing the T-shirts early.

Grichuk, meanwhile, is no savior. He’s something rarer in this organization lately — a steady adult in the room. Twelve years in the majors. Knows his role. Knows how to hit lefties. Knows how to show up ready.

Look, I’ve been critical of this front office. Loudly. Frequently. Deservedly. But this? This is a solid move. Depth matters. Balance matters. And adding a veteran who can actually do the job is better than hoping a spreadsheet manifests one.

Let’s see how it plays out. But for once, this feels like a move rooted in baseball logic — not just math.

YANKEES & GIANCARLO STANTON ON REPEAT

 Here we go again. Same script, same spreadsheets, same stunned look when reality barges in and flips the table over.

The New York Yankees — yes, the mighty, historic, allegedly buttoned-up New York Yankees — are once again trying to out-math the human body. Spoiler alert: ligaments don’t care about your stupid spreadsheet projections.

Last year, Giancarlo Stanton’s elbows barked. Then they quieted down. And the Yankees’ brain trust probably leaned back in their ergonomic chairs, tapped a few keys, and declared: “Issue resolved.” The spreadsheets said his exit velocity still sparkled. The hard-hit rate looked sexy. Therefore, problem solved. On to the parade route.

Except elbows aren’t Excel formulas.

Now Stanton is being brutally honest again:

“I can’t open a bottle,” he said. “I can’t open a bag of chips … a bag of anything. That’s the way it is.”

Read that again. The man can’t open a bag of chips — but sure, pencil him in for 162 and call it a bounce-back year.

He says he wants to play a full season. He hasn’t reached 140 games since 2021. He’ll mostly DH in 2026, maybe sprinkle in some outfield “as health allows.” That’s not a plan. That’s a hope and a prayer wrapped in medical tape.

And then this gem:

“That’s not going to be fixed in surgery, and I don’t care what any doctor says because they don’t know what’s going on,” Stanton said. “What’s written is what me and the Yankees give you.”

Translation: nobody really has a grip on this thing. But sure, let’s forecast 35 homers and act shocked when the elbows flare up again in July.

Since 2019, the injury log reads like a CVS receipt — elbows, hamstrings (multiple times), foot, Achilles, calf, quad, knee, bicep. Courtesy of FOX Sports, it’s basically a rotating tour of the lower half and now the arms too. At some point you stop calling it “bad luck” and start calling it a pattern.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: when Stanton is healthy, the guy absolutely rakes. The ball sounds different off his bat. It’s thunder. It’s violence. It’s why you keep convincing yourself this will finally be the year.

But betting on a full season at this point? That’s a long shot. A big one.

What makes it worse is that this feels like the same organizational blind spot we’ve watched for years. The Yankees fall in love with data. They worship at the altar of projected WAR. They convince themselves that if the numbers say it should work, it will work.

Meanwhile, the human condition — aging, pain, recovery, mental grind — sits there waving frantically.

This isn’t fantasy baseball. These are human beings with tendons that fray and muscles that scar. You can’t just CTRL+ALT+DELETE chronic inflammation.

And honestly? It’s getting embarrassing. The Yankees keep selling “this is the year” while ignoring the obvious red flags. At this point they’re starting to feel less like a ruthlessly efficient empire and more like the Mets with a bigger payroll.

Look, I feel for Stanton. I really do. I love watching him when he’s right. Few things in baseball are more electric than one of his moonshots disappearing into the night.

But pretending that durability isn’t the defining issue here? Pretending that last year’s flare-up magically means this year will be smooth sailing?

That’s not optimism. That’s denial.

And until the Yankees start acknowledging that spreadsheets don’t ice elbows, we’re going to keep having this exact same conversation — every single spring.

ARE THE YANKEES LYING ABOUT CAM SCHLITTLER'S INJURY?

I'm trying not to think the worst here, but we are talking about the Yankees here. Something doesn't feel right about Cam Schlittler's ailment. First, it was minor back inflammation but now there's also lat discomfort. I have alarm bells going off....and I REALLY want my skepticism to be wrong.

The Yankees have a horrible track record when it comes to diagnosing and treating injuries, Aaron Judge with his fractured rib and partially collapsed lung always be the example that sticks out for me. The Yankees say they aren't worried about Schlittler, read more HERE but Aaron Boone gives his words of encouragement which only makes it worse for me.

"I expect him to be good (for the start of the season) now," Boone said. "I don't think he'll be at 80-90 pitches yet, but short of that....I think he'll two ups, 30-something (pitches) in four days and then fall into his five days. And then that next one will probably be in the game, three (innings) and 40 (pitches) or whatever."

That sounds like a load of Baboonie crap to me because it's very unconvincing. Lat discomfort is tough, and it is very rarely minor. I'm thinking back to Luis Severino back in 2019 and 2023, that was a big blow. What about Clarke Schmidt? He missed time from May to September 2024 with a partial tear. These injuries are not ones you bounce back quickly from. They are very slow to heal and if you try to rush back before they properly heal setbacks are common, especially if players don't understand the cause of that injury and don't make adjustments. This is what concerns me the most.

Last year was a heavy workload for a rookie that throws hard. I love that he can throw a fastball up to 98 mph and it fooled a lot of batters last year. While he was wowing all of us on the mound, he also pitched himself to a career high of 146 innings pitched between the big league stage and down in the minors. That's a lot for a hard throwing rookie pitcher. It's also hard if he didn't rest it enough over the winter. Call it a rookie mistake.

But it could be a costly rookie mistake. I don't know if the Yankees have done enough testing on this. Even if they have....could they honestly identify any bigger problems like a tear? Our medical staff is a joke. The Yankees already have enough to deal with pitching wise. We are already starting the season without Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole, we can't afford to lose anymore pitching.

It's early in spring....but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't going to be following this storyline like a hawk. I just hope the Yankees aren't lying to us.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

DID JASSON DOMINGUEZ FALL VICTIM TO THE YANKEES OVERHYPE MACHINE?

The answer is yes, but please continue reading.

Why haven’t the New York Yankees won a World Series since 2009?

Because blaming the players alone is the laziest take in baseball—and also the wrong one.

Yes, players have to perform. If you wear a big-league uniform, excuses don’t come standard. But let’s stop pretending the Yankees’ long championship drought is just a matter of underachieving athletes. The common denominator here isn’t the clubhouse—it’s the front office. Specifically, the decision-makers who keep betting big on spreadsheets while ignoring the messy, inconvenient truth that baseball players are human beings.

We’ve seen this movie before. Bad casting, bad evaluations, and blind faith in numbers that look great in theory and crumble in reality. Joey Gallo wasn’t an accident. He was a front-office decision. And he wasn’t alone. These moves all trace back to the same source: Brian Cashman and the machine around him.

Back in 2007, Cashman famously said the Yankees had “three years” to rebuild the system and chase another title. Well, congratulations—the system got rebuilt. Multiple times. The championships? Still stuck in 2009, collecting dust next to the old DVDs.

What did thrive during that time was the hype machine.

Stephen Parello of Yanks Go Yard laid this out perfectly when he walked through the Yankees’ long history of prospect inflation. Remember when Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy were supposed to save the franchise? Or when Eric Duncan was untouchable? Then came Jesús Montero—anointed as the next superstar with mythical scouting grades and zero follow-through. Parello forgot to mention the killer B's in Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances and Andrew Brackman, but he didn't really need to, it's more of the same.

But then the Yankees did finally win in 2009—and notice how that happened: by opening the vault for CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, and A.J. Burnett. Not hype. Not hope. Proven stars.

Fast-forward to now, and the pattern hasn’t changed—only the branding has. Today’s names are Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, and Jasson Domínguez. The jerseys sell. The slogans hit. The expectations explode.

Domínguez is the clearest example. A talented kid, no doubt—but the Yankees slapped “The Martian” on him and let the marketing department turn him into something he never asked to be. Even Joel Sherman called it out, noting that the nickname alone created absurd comparisons to Mickey Mantle—comparisons no other organization actually believed. That wasn’t scouting hype. That was New York hype.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: hype is profitable in the Bronx and you are all being fooled. If 100 fans buy a jersey, the team wins financially before the player ever takes a swing. If the kid struggles? He’s the problem. If he succeeds? The front office pats itself on the back and pretends it was genius all along.

Volpe might be the most glaring dilemma yet. Three years in, tons of merchandise sold, and very little return on the field. Internally, the Yankees know it. Publicly, they’re crossing their fingers and hoping surgery magically turns projections into production. But spreadsheets don’t heal players. And humans don’t reboot like software.

This isn’t “self-hating fandom.” This is realism—the same realism Bleeding Yankee Blue has preached for years. The Yankees’ definition of success has shifted. Second place is acceptable. “Almost” is good enough. As long as the money flows, urgency doesn’t exist.

That’s the real rot. So yes, players deserve blame when they fail. But who puts them there? Who overhypes them? Who markets dreams instead of building winners?

The front office.

And until that changes—until the GM is gone, Boone is shown the door, and the organization remembers that banners matter more than branding—the Yankees will keep selling hope instead of championships.

Don’t fall for it. This isn’t a dynasty in waiting.

It’s a business model built on “close enough.”

THE SPENCER JONES & "OHTANI LIKE" HYPE KICK-OFF SPRING TRAINING!

It was a big spring debut this weekend for Spencer Jones. It came with the expected shiny moment that showcased the enormous potential that Jones advocates would expect. It was also followed by the frustration we've seen on repeat the last couple of seasons. But now, Jones has a new batting approach and a new comparison to live up to?

There's been so much talk about Jones and his enormous potential over recent years. We all salivate over the potential of a new addition to this Yankees team that has five tool potential and can catapult this team to the next level. Now he has worked on his mechanics and a swing that has been called "almost Shohei Ohtani-like," read more HERE. 

The new "Ohtani-like" swing was seen Saturday with a gigantic home run that cleared right field and left the stadium. It was all of the excitement you could ask for in a first at bat of a new season, but it was followed by reminders of the past with two strikeouts in the following plate appearances. As much as I want to see Jones hit those exciting home runs, I want to see consistency. Jones and the Yankees are giving us HYPE with the Ohtani references and the great endorsements from Aaron Judge. We are way past promise of things to come. Now we need to see the high level of execution at the minor league level to earn the nig league call up.

And that's still where I stand today. In four years playing minor league ball, he's had 1,493 at bats and 554 strikeouts. His last two seasons have 379 of those 554 strikeouts. There's still some work there to do. The Yankees outfield is crowded. Even if it weren't crowded, and there was an opportunity to give him a clearly defined role....I'm just not there. He's not in a spot to help the Yankees.

That's a tough reality. I'm tired of watching these high strikeout guys that give us all or nothing. When they come up big it's great, but when they don't it is a massive failure in a clutch moment. It's not enjoyable to watch these high strikeout guys that we know have flaws at the big league level and just hope those flaws don't get exposed. We are at the point where athleticism and performance have evolved, but baseball fundamentals and smart play has become less important or emphasized. For me, Jones is not big league ready. He struggles down in the minors, it's not going to get easier for him when he has to face elite pitching. Giving him a promotion to the big leagues with these stats would only be doing him a disservice because we aren't setting him up for success.

I want Jones and the Yankees to stop giving me hype. The Ohtani reference is just a magical illusion. Stop giving me what COULD be. Jones is going to be 25 soon, so he's running out of time. It's time to stop pretending the same issues he's had the past two seasons aren't there anymore.....because they are. 

Sorry, but I am not buying the hype.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj