THE LATEST YANKEE RUMOR MEANS BAD NEWS FOR JUDGE

I can't believe there is less than one month left of the regular season, but it is. Today is the trade deadline and we are all anxious to see what the Yankees might do, or not do. 

The Yankees would like to add pitching, but the latest rumor may be even more important than adding another arm to the pitching staff. According to the New York Post HERE, the Yankees have their eye on outfielder Starling Marte from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

That could be a really bad sign. I was already worried about Aaron Judge weeks ago when we posted TRY NOT TO PANIC ABOUT JUDGE....BUT IT'S HARD NOT TO! because I had a feeling the Yankees were going to bring him back too soon and then he was going to re-injure himself and we would be back at square one and...here we are. Just as quickly as Judge returned he is out again. Aaron Boone's "hope" strategy to rest him to avoid a prolonged issue didn't work. Weird how that whole "hope" strategy just doesn't work, huh?

But here we are. Judge is out again and will likely be out longer than the 10 day minimum. Now it feels like a race against the clock to get him back in time for the postseason. The fact that the Yankees are checking in on Marte is a good indicator that Judge's injury is not something the Yankees feel they can cover up with a short term band-aid fix and he could be out for a good chunk of time.

It sucks to be in this position, but here we are. Realistically, if the Yankees are going to go out and spend money on an outfielder Marte is a good option. The Yankees don't want to add much salary if any and Marte is pretty affordable. He is set to become a free agent at the end of the season and has less than $2 million remaining on his contract. He's been playing center field for the Diamondbacks but can be used anywhere in the outfield. The Yankees like his versatility and his .322BA and five stolen bases so far for the season.

The batting average is nice, and the rest of his stats would probably be more impressive if he wasn't playing for the Diamondbacks right now who have lost 9 of their last 10 games and are at the bottom of the NL West division. The Diamondbacks are ready to make a deal, and the Yankees need help and they want to spend as little money as possible.

On paper the Diamondbacks and Yankees are a good match but the Twins and the Marlins are also interested as well. The Yankees have outfield depth, but the fact that they are looking at Marte could be a sign that Judge's injury is worse than they thought and he won't be back for awhile and want some more options.

I really wish the Yankees were spending all of their energy on adding some pitching, but it sounds like they aren't. It sucks that Judge is out again....but this is what happens when the Yankees use "HOPE" as part of their strategy. 

I guess we wait and see what happens today....will we see Marte in a Yankee uniform? I wish it didn't have to come to this.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

DELLIN BETANCES LEADS YANKEES TO WALK OFF WIN!

Source: Corey Sipkin, New York Post

I have never been so disappointed in a performance in my life. Friday's double header against cross town rival Mets was something to forget.  Between the injuries and replacement players I actually forgot who was playing the Mets. If it was not for some of the heroic efforts of Luke Voit and Clint Frazier, I would be completely devastated.  Saturday's game could have gone the same way; down the tubes for the Bombers. Yet, a beautiful disaster exercised by former Yankee now Met reliever, Dellin Betances gave the Yankees the walk off and end of a seven day losing streak the injured plagued Yankees needed.

"Betances walked Frazier to start the ninth, struck out Brett Gardner looking and gave up a soft single to Jordy Mercer that put runners at the corners for Kratz. At 0-1, Kratz showed bunt on his own and Betances’ pitch was too high for Ramos to handle as Frazier scored," reported the New York Post. Betances lack of control and inability to hold runners set up the perfect storm for the Yankees whose bats could not give their starter JA Happ a win.

Source: Associated Press

"Happ, meanwhile, was excellent. The left-hander has publicly called out the Yankees, accusing them of skipping his starts in an attempt to avoid his vesting option of $17 million from kicking in next season. Asked about the situation — and Happ’s accusations — before the game, GM Brian Cashman stated Happ has not pitched well this season or in 2019. Happ responded with 7 ¹/₃ scoreless innings in the 90-pitch outing," reported the New York Post. 

Source: YES Network

Distractions like contract extensions cause teams to pull apart. And with the injuries overwhelming this team once again, worrying about money when there is a season to play is just not considerate. If Happ is missing starts it's because the Yankees are trying to win and put the best team on the field every time. Happ's performance, outside of Saturday's, has left much to be desired. Ironically, the same reason the Yankees shipped off today's "winning" pitcher, Betances, out of the Bronx; Lackluster and focused on money. 

A win is a win and the Yankees got one, to break a losing streak that was quickly becoming one of the worst in 50 years. The Yankees need to focus on one thing: winning. Any other distraction will lose them more ball games, which in this sprint of a season, is just not welcomed. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

THE YANKEES NEED TO FIGHT THROUGH ANOTHER INJURY PLAGUED SEASON

Last night Aaron Judge left the second game of a doubleheader against the Braves due to a right calf issue. 

“We are waiting on the results but it seems like a recurrence of what he had before. Pretty much the same spot and everything,’’ Aaron Boone said Thursday on WFAN. “It does seem minor in nature again, but it is something that could turn into an IL stint again. It tightened up on him, which was a little bit similar to before. I think he understands, hopefully minor, but a setback. I think he is obviously frustrated.’’

Even though the Yankees' star is struggling with an injury-plagued season, there is some positive news about DJ LeMahieu that could mean him getting off the IL soon. 

“DJ hit on the field live [Thursday] with Giancarlo [Stanton] and DJ is going to get some at-bats [Friday] in Scranton and be back this weekend,’’ Boone said of LeMahieu.

Another positive note regarding Judge's injury is that after he was removed on Aug. 11, the team won five games straight with him out as well as Stanton, LeMahieu, and Gleyber Torres. The team can still do it without their best guys. However, it would be great to see our guys really step up the plate and go above and beyond during this tough time. 

Gary Sanchez is hitting .139 in 23 games. Five of his 10 hits have been homers though, meaning when he does hit it usually ends up being worth it. In 21 games this season, Brett Gardner is hitting .172 with a .290 on-base percentage, 52 points below his regular-season career average. Aaron Hicks is hitting .192 in 23 games with two home runs and 15 strikeouts. 

The Yankees really need to start hitting like we know they can, especially during the Subway Series this weekend, and especially with the plague of injuries that is once again haunting this team. 

--Missy O'Rourke

BYB Contributor

Twitter: @missy_orourke

HAPP ISN'T HAPPY & I DON'T CARE!

The Yankees have a lot of drama right now, and I'm not just talking about the division race. That's frustrating right now, but so is a newer feud that is brewing now between the Yankees and J.A. Happ.

So what's the deal? Basically, Happ isn't Happy about how he is being used this season, read more HERE.
Happ has been skipped in the rotation, most recently after the postponement  of the Yankees-Mets Subway Series and he's unhappy with how often he is pitching because it will directly effect how much money he makes. Happ has a $17 million vesting option for next season if he makes 10 starts or pitches 61 1/3 innings which is the prorated amount due to the pandemic shortened season.

At this rate, he isn't getting to that benchmark. Happ has made three appearances, pitched 12.2 innings and has a 6.39 ERA. The media has asked him if he thinks his lack of work is related to his vesting option....and this is what he said:

“You guys [in the media] are pretty smart. It doesn’t take too much to figure out, sort of, what could be going on.”

He's frustrated and that's understandable. But the SMART observation here also is the fact that he's just not getting the job done. I know he would rather have $17 million rather than the $6.3 million he will make if the option does not vest but to get the extra money....you have to earn that, and he hasn't.

After we picked Happ up at the 2018 trade deadline he made 11 starts and impressed everyone. That's what got him a $48 million contract after, but he hasn't been productive since. He pitched to a 4.91 ERA last year and so far this year he's been worse. He got off to a bad start and was embarrassed by the Phillies and the Orioles early in the season. He did look much better in his last outing against the Red Sox, but it's hard to get excited about that outing because the Red Sox offense sucks and even then he was still pulled after 5 2/3 innings and 75 pitches.

The story here isn't that the Yankees are purposely trying to save money by not allowing Happ to pitch, that's crazy. The story here is the Yankees have a very unfavorable schedule right now and will play 20 games in 17 games starting tomorrow! The Yankees NEED Happ to pitch right now and Aaron Boone will probably be forced to give him a start on Saturday....but the problem is they NEED him to pitch more than they WANT him to pitch. 

So I agree with Happ....we need another guy to pitch every five days besides Gerrit Cole and Masahiro Tanaka. We need someone to step up and perform on this incredibly difficult schedule going forward and we all would like him to pitch every five days but the problem is it is hard to justify giving him that opportunity instead of someone else.

Sorry Happ, we can't trust you to pitch every five days right now. I wish it were different, but if you want to pitch you need to show us that you can still be trusted to pitch and help us win games. If you pitch well, you play more games and you earn more money. It's that simple.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

YANKEE TARGETS? WHO WILL THEY CHOOSE?

There's a ton of talk about what the Yankees will do to try to upgrade their pitching, especially now that we have some injury and now that of course... it's a shortened season and we should really make a move.  The Yanks want support big time, and there are big time names that keep on popping up.

Check out these names:

Mike Clevinger: 

The New York Post writes the following:

"The Indians righty was optioned to the minors along with Zack Plesac for violating team COVID-19 protocols then not being forthright with teammates about it. Clevinger cannot be a free agent until after the 2022 season — 2023 if this current option lasts 20 days, which it would not if he were traded and brought to the majors by the acquiring team by Aug. 31. Over the last four years — since joining the rotation full-time — Clevinger has a 2.97 ERA and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings. However, his walk numbers were noticeable in three starts this year, plus would a new clubhouse look at him problematically, as his current one now does?"

Trevor Bauer: 

Empire State Media writes:

"Bauer is off to an incredible start this year at 3-0 with a 0.68 ERA and a WHIP of 0.570. Those are just silly numbers through his first four starts. Imagine if the Yankees were to go out right now and make a deal with the Reds for Bauer?

I know many people are going to point to the past issues with Gerrit Cole and his temperament, but I think at the end of the day, Bauer wants to compete for championships."

Kevin Gausman:

CBS Sports writes:

"As for Gausman, the Yankees know him well from his time in the AL East with the Orioles, and San Francisco has helped him post a career best strikeout rate in the early going thanks to an improved pitch mix (fewer sliders and more splitters). Gausman is a rental and has experience pitching out of the bullpen, so if Paxton returns before October, there's still a way for Gausman to contribute significantly."

Jon Gray:

The New York Post writes:

"The Rockies’ righty falls into the currently struggling talented guy who might need a change of scenery along with the Diamondbacks’ Robbie Ray, the Tigers’ Michael Fulmer and maybe even the Mets’ Steven Matz. The expectation with financial uncertainty is for there to be more non-tenders this coming offseason than ever before and that could impact players such as Gray, Fulmer and Matz, so perhaps better to get something for them now rather than nothing in the offseason."

Look, it's the rumor season.  No one actually knows until it happens. That comes from the Jon Heyman toolbox, but one thing I do know is that the Yankees are looking to make a move.  

Time will tell... we shall see.

ANDUJAR'S FUTURE IS MORE UNCERTAIN THAN EVER

I feel bad for Miguel Andujar right now. He went from Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2018, to missing most of 2019 and now in 2020 he's the odd man out and some new outlets don't know what to do with him. I have seen rumors that Andujar is trade bait or that Andujar will be waiting on the bench, a victim of roster depth. So which one is it?

According to NJ.com HERE, at least one scout says Andujar could be traded because "a change of scenery might be good." We've all heard that before. Andujar would definitely benefit from regular playing time. Plugging Andujar back in as a part-time player is not going to help him get back to the player we saw in 2018. He's also only 25 years old, so not playing him everyday is not going to help him develop, especially not defensively which is where the Yankees would like to see him improve the most. There are other teams out there that are not as deep as the Yankees are, so many other teams he could be playing on regularly. 

So whoever this scout was in the article made some good points. The current situation is not the best for his development, but just because playing full-time somewhere is ideal for him doesn't mean that is what will happen. 

Instead, I think the New York Post may be more accurate, read it HERE. I don't see a big trade market for Andujar right now. He's young, but coming back from a missed season and he's already been optioned back to the alternate training site twice this season. He's struggled to learn how to be an outfielder and he's just not hitting. It's hard to trade a guy with a 0.95 batting average for the season, there's no trade value there. 

For the time being, the Yankees are more likely to hold onto him. The Yankees believe in his bat and they still have options with him, he's not arbitration eligible until 2021 and won't be a free agent until 2024. Looking at the trade market, the Yankees biggest need would be pitching, and Andujar isn't going to help the Yankees get what they need. The trade value just isn't there.

The Yankees are lucky to have Gio Urshela because we know how important he was to us last season, but at the same time that leaves no clear path for Andujar right now. Depth is a blessing and a curse here, good for the Yankees and bad for Andujar's progression after missing last season.

I just don't see Andujar going anywhere right now. I don't know how some blogs and news sources seem to think Andujar is a valuable trade trip....what do you really think the Yankees are going to get for him? I just don't see a big return.

--Jeana Bellezza

BYB Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

DON'T WORRY, WE GOT ADDISON RUSS

The Yankees are stinking up the joint and there are plenty of injury. It's not a good situation in a short season. 

So the Yankees made a trade and added a pitcher.  It's Addison Russ. Will it help? Who the hell knows.

NBC Sports writes:

"The Phillies made a trade Friday, sending right-handed reliever Addison Russ, who pitched last season at Double A, to the Yankees for 32-year-old right-hander David Hale.

From a Phillies perspective ... at least it's something. Russ could one day be a more effective reliever than Hale but the Phillies needed bullpen help today and obviously feel the veteran Hale can help them more now...

Russ was the Phillies' 19th-round pick in 2017. He spent last season at Double A Reading and had a strong year, posting a 2.54 ERA and striking out 81 batters in 56⅔ innings to earn an Eastern League All-Star appearance last summer and an invite to big-league camp earlier this year."

Bottom line, it's sad to see David Hale go, but we need help.  Hope Russ helps! Welcome!

HAVE THE YANKEES MET THEIR MATCH?

Going into this season, it was safe to assume that the Yankees' biggest issue was going to be COVID-19. It turns out that their biggest issue is actually the Tampa Bay Rays. After this series against the Rays, the Yankees are 1-6 against the team, making them the team's new nemesis. They have also been knocked off their first-place perch, falling half a game back from the Rays.

Not only did the series against the Rays take our number one spot, but it also took some of our players due to injuries. Zack Britton was placed on the IL due to a strained left hamstring and was joined by Gleyber Torres who also had tightness in his left hamstring. Worst of all, James Paxton is out with left elbow and arm discomfort. 

“Adversity’s coming our way, whether we like it or not,” Aaron Boone said. “That’s part of this game. That’s part of being a major league athlete and player, and I don’t care how great of a season we have and we expect to have a great season and hopefully finish with a championship.“But adversity, we know, is inevitable. It’s going to come in different ways, unexpected ways, and certainly, in 2020 it’s been a lot of unexpected ways. I do feel like we’re uniquely equipped to handle it and deal with it, and that’ll be the expectation as we grind through a tough spell here with some injuries and a tough series.”

The battle is not even close to being over as the Yankees have three more series to play against the Rays. They might have more luck against their new nemesis if Aaron Judge, DJ LeMahieu, and Giancarlo Stanton can get healthy for the next time up. Not going to lie, this feels like a bad repeat of what happened to our players last season, and I'm not the only one who thinks that.

“It’s crazy it’s happening again,” Luke Voit said. “But you know what? We’re going to fight through it.”

Now, the Yankees' next game against the Mets has been postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests from their opponents. Meaning that there might not be any New York games to watch this weekend. However, the Yankees could benefit from a few days off to hopefully recover some injured players as well as reset mentally. 

Let's hope they can because this is starting to feel a lot like the last season when we lost so many players. The losses against the Rays are not helping morale either. It is time for the Yankees' to turn this adversity around and come out stronger!

--Missy O'Rourke

BYB Contributor

Twitter: @missy_orourke

YANKEE RUMORS: A FUTURE WITHOUT AARON JUDGE?

Things that make you go "hmmmm...." 

What makes you do that related to the Yankees? Lately it's been a few things for me, but to narrow it down to one subject for this post it would be Aaron Judge and I know I am not the only one. 

We all love Aaron Judge. He is talented, has a good head on his shoulders, he's respected and he is the face of the Yankees franchise. There are many reasons to love him, but there are also things we may not like. For me, the injury history is very concerning to me. Right now he is on the Injured List with a grade 1 calf strain and the Yankees are considering bringing him back as soon as he is eligible, which would be this weekend against the Mets, read more HERE. Now, as much as I want Judge back, I also don't wantto rush him back and risk him not healing properly and having a setback. That's not irrational considering his injury history.

But back to the 'things that make you go "hmmmm"' idea I found some interesting pieces the past few days from NJ.com and The Athletic both have long-term ideas for the Yankees that do NOT include Judge. If you do not have a subscription to The Athletic you can still read pieces of it HERE. 

Interesting take. So Judge won't be a free agent until after 2022, so if the Yankees wanted to lock up Judge to a long term extension they should do it while he is arbitration eligible. Makes a lot of sense, but Ken Rosenthal prefers a different idea. The Yankees have been tied to Francisco Lindor in rumors for a while now. Rosenthal thinks the Yankees should move on from Judge and use their outfield depth instead. The Yankees will still have Giancarlo Stanton signed through 2027, Aaron Hicks through 2025, Clint Frazier and Mike Tauchman under control through 2024 (assuming the Yankees don't trade Frazier, of course).

Instead of spending money on Judge, Rosenthal suggests upgrading the infield and signing Lindor.
"The Yankees already will owe their other outsized and oft-injured slugger, Giancarlo Stanton, $208 million from 2021 to ’27 when he does not opt out after this season. Great player, great guy, much like Judge. But would the Yankees want to make another uncertain long-term investment when Judge’s first free-agent year would be in 2023, his age-31 season? Lindor is eligible to hit the market one year earlier at a significantly younger age, entering his age-28 season. He has missed only 30 games since 2016, making his only career trip to the IL at the start of last season with a strained right calf and a left ankle sprain. And he is every bit as magnetic as Judge, a native of Puerto Rico with the nickname “Mr. Smile” who would light up New York."

So I guess Rosenthal loves Lindor as much as some fans may love Judge, and that's fair. From a depth perspective, the Yankees have more options in the outfield and Lindor would be a nice upgrade for the infield. It may make sense on paper....but Judge is more than just a transaction, he's the face of the Yankees franchise now. Baseball is a business, but emotions are added when it comes to Judge.

So I get Rosenthal's idea, I understand the thought process. Judge is injury prone, and as he gets older the injury risk only increases. The idea of a Yankees team without Judge though is shocking. I'm still sitting over here saying "hmmmm."

So what do you think about Rosenthal's idea? Should the Yankees sign Judge long-term or get Lindor....or maybe not Lindor but someone else instead? Comment and tell us what you think.

--Jeana Bellezza

BYB Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE RAYS ARE THE NEW RED SOX

Source: NJ.com

Well, maybe that is a bit dramatic. I mean the Red Sox have had players over the years that have taken on the role of nemesis to the Yankees.  These players pushed the Bombers' buttons and sometimes their heads. But over the last two years, the Yankees have had a harder time besting the Rays than the Red Sox. And that is just frustrating for fans and players alike.

"We have a special group and a group that is willing to do kind of whatever is asked of them in whatever role. When you have flexibility like that, it puts all of us in a better situation to mix and match to get the most advantages possible throughout the season and in individual games in series," said Rays Manager Kevin Cash regarding his club's bull pen. According to ESPN, the Rays and Yankees bull pens could inevitably end up in a chess match in the post season.  This is because of the talent of arms the two teams have among them but as of late, check mate goes to Tampa.

Source: Robert Sabo

"When the Rays and Yankees met in St. Petersburg earlier this month they chirped at each other. The Yankees didn’t appreciate the Rays pitchers working up and in to their hitters and the Rays chirped back," reported The New York Post. Last night Blake Snell bested Masahiro Tanaka and the Rays bull pen held the Yankees from battling back in their first loss in six games. 

According to the Post, "The Yankees were 37-13 in their last 50 games against the Rays in The Bronx entering the game. Conversely, they have had one winning season at The Trop in the last 11 years." 

With two more games in the three game series, the Yankees need to figure out how to win against the Rays. It is just that simple. If not, we are going to fall short to potentially our new modern day nemesis. The Rays are the new Red Sox and I can't stand it!

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

THE YANKEES ARE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT JUDGE'S RETURN

Cautiously optimistic....those are the words I am going with this morning, and it sounds like the Yankees are too. I said we should TRY NOT TO PANIC ABOUT JUDGE....BUT IT'S HARD NOT TO! It still is, but we've had enough bad news lately.

So Aaron Judge is already getting closer to a return....maybe. According to Sports Illustrated HERE he could be back sooner rather than later, and we will know more hopefully sometime today. But can he really be close to a return after only being placed on the Injured List four days ago? I don't know, it is Judge we are talking about and he has really bad luck when it comes to injuries.

Let's face it, the Yankees in general have bad luck when it comes to injuries. It took no time for us to lose our three biggest bats in the lineup now that DJ LeMahieu is out now too. Have you ever seen a game show called Press Your Luck? If you have, you know you have to avoid the evil red cartoon character with a high pitched cackle that steals all of your cash and prizes. The contestants spin the wheel to avoid the evil WHAMMY. In the past two seasons, the Yankees can't seem to avoid the evil whammy and instead of taking our cash he takes our players. 

So that's how I feel right now about the Yankees injury situation, we are a whammy magnet and we continue to hope for the best. "This is something that in a couple of days he will be ready to push through but I also think when you’re talking about calves, when you’re talking about hamstrings, it’s a situation where you can tweak it more and all of a sudden, you’re looking at a four to six week situation," Aaron Boone said on Friday. "That’s really what we’re trying to avoid here."

But we aren't avoiding things very well, are we? Giancarlo Stanton's grade 1 hamstring sprain and Judge's mild calf strain are big blows for this team. The Yankees think Judge can resume some baseball activities today but can he do it without aggravating the injury more and can he do it without a setback? We are lucky to have a team with a lot of depth and good players. The Yankees will still get the job done without Judge and other big bats but it would be nice to get back to full strength sooner rather than later.

We will take all the good news we can get, and I am glad to hear that the Yankees are feeling confident in his progress so far. We are strong without Judge, but we are stronger with him. I just hope Judge isn't rushed and this becomes the injury that Boone says they are trying to avoid.

So cross your fingers everyone, it's some good news but we need some more so we can get Judge back in uniform in the next week. Until then....stay cautiously optimistic, fans and hope for NO MORE WHAMMIES!

--Jeana Bellezza

BYB Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

LEMAHIEU GOES DOWN, BUT THE YANKS CONTINUE TO STEP UP

Source: FOX Sports

Gary Sanchez, Clint Frazier, Gleyber Torres, Gio Urshela and Mike Tauchman, are the unlikely crew of heroes who continue to step up to the plate night after night, doing damage against their rivals in this shortened season.  With Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton out on the IL until who knows when, and DJ LeMahieu leaving the game last night with a sprained left thumb, this group of guys are essential for the Yankees and their success this season.

"This is quite a stint for Clint," bellowed John Sterling following Frazier's three-run home run at the bottom of the sixth. Frazier is making a case for himself and his place on this team, picking up multiple RBIs in last night's win against the Red Sox. There is also guys like Luke Voit, Mike Ford and veteran Brett Gardner giving the Yankees something to write home about as well. 

Clearly the Yankees are working like a team, pulling from its parts, setting each other up for success and giving the team a lift despite the absence of the big guys of Judge and Stanton and starting pitching, which has been lackluster except for Gerrit Cole. Would the Yankees even consider resigning James Paxton after his two last outings?

"The Yankees have James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka and likely JA Happ heading for free agency after the season, and they will have to make decisions to make on how to fill those holes. Paxton and Tanaka are strong candidates to return, but 29 other teams will also have a say when free agency begins," reported SB Nation. 

Source: USA Today

With the unknown in full play as we await the fait of our best hitter and the best hitter in baseball, DJ LeMahieu, it is good to know that the team has the potential to keep stepping up and doing their job. I know losing LeMahieu for even five minutes is something unfathomable, but on the bright side is that the team has his back and continues to put wood on the ball night after night. Let's hope the Yankees are just being cautious with Judge and now LeMahieu and they bounce back quickly but until then, the consistency of the unlikely bunch keeps the Yankees going. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

THEY DON'T MAKE 'EM LIKE THEY USED TO

We've all heard it, "I walked uphill to school...BOTH WAYS!" We've all been given the tales of guts and glory from generations past. "In my day..." was ALMOST ALWAYS a better day than today. Music meant something! Kids had jobs at 11 years old and it usually entailed lifting blocks of stone...in short, they were tough and we are soft, self-centered, gimme gimme brats. Ya know what? They're sorta right on the money.

Let's take Baseball as a smaller scale example of the larger problem when comparing generation to generation. In fact, let dial it in further to our oft injured WWE wrestler of an outfielder...Mike "But I go by Giancarlo "Now" Stanton. Yes, he's hurt again. It's his hamstring. He'll be out 4 weeks or so...this song is more familiar than the Piano Man! "Oh Giancarlo at the bar is a friend of mine...he's on the IL again tonight...and he's making big money...so it's not too funny...that he probably will be for life..."

Think of it...a hamstring. Cast your mind back to not even a generation ago. 1996. World Series. Atlanta. Paul "The Warrior" O'Neill chases down a smoked rope to the gap on ONE GOOD HAMSTRING!! The other blew out earlier in the series like the inner tube of an old Schwinn!! Yet O'Neill played. He play his ass off. 

 

Think about Munson, Nettles, Goose, Bucky, Bobby, Mick the Quick...do actually think any of them would've lasted in the Bronx Zoo claiming a tender hammy? NO. A. PRAYER. Am I saying Stanton is soft? YES!! Sure he's a muscle bound adonis, but the guy makes Tex look like a blood and guts type....by the way, Tex wasn't.



We are soft. Why? Because it's all about the image these days. The sizzle more than the steak. We specialize training, celebrate Tik-Tokers, take selfies...we are soft. Nobody is expected to go all out anymore. It's not about the fight, it's about sitting near the ring.

Look there is a much deeper undertone to this post that takes a shot at the lack of backbone in the world on a whole...but let's frame it with Mike Stanton. He's big, he's strong, he's wealthy, he's a handsome cat, seems like a good guy....and he's soft. And don't get me wrong...it ain't all Stanton's fault...he is a product of the environment of today's sports/celebrity culture. 

They get hurt so often because they train to be true specimens of the Greek Gods...it's show in THE SHOW...the game, sadly is no longer the reason...it's making that Nike swoosh flash on the pecks stretched pinstripes. They aren't ballplayers the way we remember ballplayers...they are comic book heroes...

Yes, I'm getting older and becoming my Dad in many ways...and I'm darn proud of it. He taught me things that you just don't see anymore. 3 inning saves...gone. Grinding out innings to save a taxed pen...nope. Playing so hard that you launch yourself, and that moneymaking mug into the stands to catch a foul ball against Boston...thing of the not-so-distance past. 

We won't fight. We won't sacrifice. We won't put ourselves out there....because it's just too damn hard.

Hopefully Giancarlo and this generation of Bombers will look harder....its not just about the pinstriped uniform on the player...it's about the hardened resolve and passion underneath that helps the player make those stripes mean something.

THIS ONE'S FOR THE GUY THAT PLAYED THE GAME ON RIPPED UP HAMMY....BUT MORE HEART THAT STANTON'S GOT MILLIONS!!

Where have you gone Paul O'Neill our NATION turns it's lonely eyes to you!! Atta boy, #21

 

--Mike O'Hara
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @mikeyoh21