WHY THE BAD NEWS BEARS STRIKE AGAIN

“Listen, Lupus, you didn't come into this life just to sit around on a dugout bench, did ya? Now get your ass out there and do the best you can.”
–Coach Morris Buttermaker

(In Photo: Lupus, The Bad News Bears)

If you don’t know who Coach Buttermaker is, go online and order the Bad News Bears from Netflix. Not the new version with Billy Bob Thornton, the 1976 version. It's a real movie that explains and teaches every fundamental and emotion about the game of baseball. It’s a classic.

“But Casey, I don’t get it, what do the Bad News Bears have to do with the Yankees?” you ask. Everything.

Look, every night the Yankees players have a job to do. Win. The best part is none of them want to sit on the bench all season, they want to contribute. Their job is to get out on the field, and do their best. Look, I’m not going to lie, I expect a win. What we don’t want are our professional ballplayers and heroes to suddenly turn into uncoordinated kids, but that is exactly what has happened and I keep thinking about the second inning of the last game against the Royals and how they fell apart. Now, we are up to 3 losses in a row and I worry about this Yankees, Red Sox series.

We are the New York Yankees, held to a higher standard than any other team. I have felt this way about my team since the Yankees won in 1996. Before that, in the 80’s, I wanted them to win, but they never did. And if I go back further, the late 70’s they were true winners again. Now that I dated myself, back to my point. Since 1996, I expect wins every year. The last 3 games were a terrible display of ball playing. I didn’t feel like they were my Yankees, I felt like they were the Bad News Bears.

As @YankeesGalaxy wrote on Twitter yesterday:

It’s true, the Yankee defense lately has been terrible. Their bats have been horrible. Miscues and errors and hitless and strikeout and I thought for sure it was Tanner and Oglivie out there. It was enough to make even Buttermaker pissed. (Again, rent The Bad News Bears. It will all become crystal clear.)

The Yankees have low confidence right now. Not only did they lose to the Royals, they lost to the evil Red Sox tonight and Lord knows the Sox may not be great right now, but the rivalry brings out the best in both teams, except tonight, the Yankees weren't the best, they were mediocre.

Solution? The Yankees need to put these three losses behind them and come in clean with a big win against the Sox Saturday. Any other option is ridiculous and unacceptable.

Thursday night’s final Score vs. Kansas City: Royals 11 – Yankees 5. Yuk.

Friday’s against Boston: Red Sox 5 – Yankees 4. Barf.

Time to turn the page Gentlemen.

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