YANKEES GIFTED A WIN THANKS TO THE BRAVES

Source: AP Photo/Kathy Willens

I have been quite vocal about the Yankees' performance over the last three weeks of the season. Honestly, that's just it. It has been only a few short weeks since the 2021 season began. But the holes in this team's clubhouse are dense. From poor defense to lackluster offense, this team is struggling. It took the small ball and poor Braves' pitching to lift the Yankees to a 3-1 win over Atlanta and an end a pitiful five game losing streak.

"The days of Aaron Judge hoisting up Ronald Torreyes or “Savages in the batter’s box” feel like a different generation. The word that keeps resonating with me is “stale,” like there was a stay fresh date that has expired on this core. Maybe a binge of homers will change it or a benches-clearing incident like early in 2018 at Fenway when that seemed to stir a sleepwalking team toward 100 wins," wrote Joel Sherman of the New York Post. 

This Tweet by a reader continues to ring in my head as I watched the Yankees last night. "Can we all agree that the problem with the @Yankees IS Boone & the fact that he places so much emphasis on being a “power hitter” instead of the defensive side of the ball & being a skilled position player?" I would also like to add that Aaron Boone cannot manage pitching either. Not sure why Boone chose to take out Chad Green when he did last night after a great performance in relief in favor of Justin Wilson. It worked in the Yankees' favor but Green was terrific, as is most of the bullpen this season. They have had to pick up a fair share of innings due to the Yankee starting pitching appearing to be more like senior citizens, brittle and broken than pitchers for the most decorated ball team in baseball.  The only diamond of the starting pitching rotation is Gerrit Cole. The rest...sigh. We don't even have the consistency and grace of Masahiro Tanaka. I really miss him.

The Yankees really needed last night's win. And I am glad they got it. But it does not change anything about this team. They have talent but they need a manager that can lead that talent and make decisions based on more than just analytics and past practice. Sometimes you have to manage based on the situation, based on your knowledge of the game and based on your gut. And that means making difficult decisions, demoting players who are not performing and placing hitters in the lineup where they belong, not always dictated by the opposing pitching or data. 

The Yankees take on the Braves again tonight and then usher in the Cleveland Indians to round out the weekend before heading to Baltimore next week. These next five games are not only important but critical for the Bombers. Let's hope the Yankees snap out of this bad dream and start playing baseball the way they not only are expected but capable of playing. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof