CASHMAN ON YANKEES: WE'RE PRETTY BAD RIGHT NOW

Source: The New York Post

I could not have said it better myself. Cashman took the words right out of my mouth. Except maybe to say, they are stressful to watch or listen to, which I prefer to listen to Sterling and Waldman a lot of evenings on my deck. But this year's team is erratic and unpredictable. One night they are slaying it and the next night, they are being slain. The Yankees are pretty bad right now and I am not sure where the ring of hope is for this team.

“I know they urgently want to get on track, but I also know that we suck right now, as bad as you can be,” the general manager said Tuesday before the Yankees tried to snap a four-game losing streak against the Angels. “Trying to knock ourselves out of that is the effort, but until we get online and start playing high again, it’s gonna look bad. It plays bad and it stinks to high heavens. Right now, we gotta own that," said Brian Cashman according to The New York Post. 

Source: NJ.com

Just when the Yankees appear to snap out of this nightmare and play good baseball, they get beat up by the Royals, swept by the Red Sox, and smacked around by the Angels. They can't get ahead and the season is just about at the midpoint. 

“We’re not giving up on our season,” Cashman said. “There’s enough time left, but there’s massive frustration by how it’s played out right now because we’ve pissed too many games away. We haven’t played to our expectations. It makes it, at times, unwatchable. That’s frustrating to be a part of because we’re used to so much different than that,” reported The Post. 

Source: ESPN

So what do the Yankees do? What does Cashman do? He said multiple times that it is not the coaching staff's fault. It's not Aaron Boone's fault but I find it hard to believe that Boone doesn't have a hand in the decision-making as games unfold. I mean once again starting pitching continues to be a problem and bullpen pitchers seem to be in one day and on the IL the next. So pitching has consistently caused some issues but truthfully speaking, not hitting when it counts. Not putting runs up on the board after loading the bases, that's been the reoccurring weakness. You can't win if you can't cross home plate. 

I hope the Yankees can soar past the first-place Mets and not be embarrassed by their midtown rivals. But as Giancarlo Stanton told the media this week, we can't just do these spurts of winning. The Yankees have to win consistently, series after the series and they have to beat the Red Sox and the Rays and not be shellshocked anytime they come near their rivals as Suzyn Waldman added in last night's game against the Angels. 

The Yankees are pretty bad right now, moral-wise and performance-wise. But the only ones that can pull them out of this funk, is quite frankly, themselves. And leadership needs to play a hand in this. It is going to take the entire team's effort to pull this off. It is doable but as each day, each game passes by, another opportunity to move forward is lost. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN

When you're a kid they tell you a lot of things. 

"Have good manners." 

"Play hard, study harder." 

"Eat your veggies so you grow up big and strong."

They give you a basic road map for what is to come and how to deal with it. What they don't tell you is that all of us will tow a "Sled of Sorrow" during our lives. It's always there. Somedays, and hopefully most, you don't even feel it. You skip through the day and feel untethered and easy like Sunday morning. Yet that sled is still very much there. It's looped around your shoulders, invisibly dragging behind you. When we lose something or someone close to it, the sled is loaded up. Suddenly taking a short step forward seems daunting. The heaviness is unbearable. You feel hallow inside and weak with a sick feeling. The sled weighs so much that you don't know how you will advance, or why it had to fill up so fast and often without warning. Each day there is a little change. The reason the sled is heavy doesn't go away, but like weight training you get stronger and learn to maneuver with it. A bit down the road you find that awful sleds a bit lighter. You regain some strength and fight your way back...the thing that filled the sled is still there but it has turned into something new...it's a lesson, love, or peace. That awful sorrow you carried leaves you and you run again not feeling the weight. You never forget that struggle, but find the beauty in the sled. The hard thing to know is that it won't be the last time you tow that Sled of Sorrow in walk through life.

10 years ago I wrote about my best friend in a piece called BYB, THE GOOSE & MY DOG.

My dog was named by Hall of Famer Rich "Goose" Gossage and came to me while I was hosting the MLB Fan Cave in New York City. Thurman Mattingly O'Hara was my bulldog....but he was so much more than that. In our 10 plus years together my buddy saw my life change for the better, and he was such a big part as to why. T (as we called him) saw my wife and I engaged and then married. He was there to welcome my two children. He was the best big brother they could've been blessed with. Thurman, like his namesake, was the Captain of our family. He was the constant that kept us all happy and moving forward through the ups and downs. He wasn't a dog...he was a furry, wrinkled up guardian angel....Yeah, I'm an Irish Catholic and I believe in that stuff from here to eternity.

As a guy that went into the entertainment business (whatever that means), I always found myself trying to make others smile, forget about their worries and just laugh. But when the shows ended, I always found myself down...don't really know why. I struggled with anger and was always tough on myself, and still very much am. Thurman changed that for me. He just knew how to calm me down. I would laugh so loud at his silly bulldog antics...and when he'd jump on the couch and fall asleep on my lap while I was watching the game I was the kind of happy I never knew before. We had a bond where we took care of each other day in and day out. Now obviously my wife and kids make me happier than I ever could've dreamed was possible...this was just different. It was like my own Jiminey Cricket. He was my Chewbacca. He was my best friend and my heart.

Thurman crossed that Rainbow Bridge this past weekend. He was ready and as hard as it was I owed him that. He'd slowed down, was in failing health and didn't have it in him to stay with me any longer. The cruelest thing about dogs is they gain 7 years every trip around the sun to our 1. 

T was named by a Hall of Famer and lived a Hall of Fame life. I can never pay back what he gave to me and my family. I wrapped him up in a Paul O'Neill jersey and a Mighty Regis t-shirt. I hugged him with my very soul and said goodbye. I will never forget him. He wasn't a dog....he was a Captain....MY Captain.

I wrote this to feel better. 

The Yankees are such a big part of my family...and Thurman is now in the Monument Park of the O'Hara Organization. I believe in the Rainbow Bridge. I believe in the heart and soul of everybody...even the furry little guys that take the ride with us for a time....and change us for the better.

I love you Thurman. You are the best.

--Mike O'Hara

BYB Contributor

Twitter: @mikeyoh21

CHOKED AND SWEPT!

Two weeks ago I had a lot of hope. It looked like we were turning a corner after winning a series against one of the better teams in baseball. It was a brief euphoric feeling of 4.5 games out of first place and getting back into third place in the division.

Now here we are 6.5 games back again and back to fourth place after being swept for the SECOND time this season by the Red Sox. It's another low that none of us can really take anymore. It's a bad rollercoaster ride that I would really love to get off of.

Anytime Gerrit Cole is on the mound there is both great confidence and expectation that the Yankees are going to win. It was a chance to salvage one game, but it went downhill fast. Cole gave up four runs in the first inning including a three run home run by Rafael Devers. In the first inning Cole used his entire pitching arsenal and it was ugly. It all added up to Cole giving up six runs (five earned) on eight hits including three home runs in his worst start as a Yankee.

The Yankees are 21-23 against teams that are above .500, have allowed more runs in a game than they have scored and are now in their fourth losing streak of at least three games in less than a month. This is not a formula to get into the postseason. Here's what the Yankees record looks like against other teams in the AL East:

Red Sox:  6-0

Rays:  5-8

Blue Jays:  6-6

Orioles:  6-4

It's just another reminder of how bad 2021 has been for this team, and we are practically in July so time is quickly running out. It's time to be realistic and accept what has failed to start to fix it. This is nothing short of an organizational flawed concept everything from the General Manager (Brian Cashman), the manager (Aaron Boone), the entire coaching staff, the player development and scouting departments. It's not just one fix and Hal Steinbrenner is the only one who can pull his head out of his rear end and start making some changes. Not all of them all at once, in the middle of a season....but it's time to clean house.

It's time to be realistic now. This team has a lot of flaws that aren't just on the field every night. It's deeper than that. It's easy to point the finger at Cole and the lackluster offense....but that's not the only reason why Cole choked and the Yankees got swept. To fix the problem, it's time to fix the culture too.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

THREE GUYS THE MEDIA THINKS THE YANKEES SHOULD GRAB AT THE TRADE DEADLINE

I love the trade rumor season because it's so much fun. But when I look at the Yankees, I don't feel like it's the players as much as I do the leadership when it comes to fixing. Leadership in the Bronx is terrible, the players we have are good. But let's face it, if a group of players cannot play consistently as a team, they're gonna have a tough time winning.  And that's where my heart is. The Yankees suck because their manager thinks baseball is automatic.  I mean sure, these players are getting paid a ton of dough to play well, but without solid leadership... they're just a bunch of players. It means nothing.

So of course the media jumps all over the players like that's the quick fix. Cashman has said he is engaged in a ton of talks about trades as the deadline approaches, and there you have it. For now, here are 3 names being thrown into the "Yankee fix" ring. You tell me what you think.

1. Starling Marte: 

This suggestion comes from Jim Bowden from the Athletic but lifted from Inside the Pinstripes:

"The third-most talented center fielder, in Bowden's eyes, is Starling Marte and the former general manager believes the likelihood of Marte being traded is high.

Could the Yankees be his destination? Here's an excerpt on Marte from Bowden's in-depth piece this week.

Marte would like to sign a long-term contract with the Marlins. However, it doesn’t appear the feeling is mutual because Miami has yet to offer him an extension. The 32-year-old will be among the most pursued “rentals” at the trade deadline, and if the Marlins falter, I expect them to trade the impending free agent. Marte remains an elite major leaguer who plays above-average defense in center and left field. He still has at least 20-home run and 20-stolen base ability. I think he’d be a difference-maker in the lineup for the Yankees or Red Sox.

Marte isn't a left-handed hitter, but a speedy and skillful defender in center field—a player with some serious pop at the plate—would fit right in with New York.

Entering play on Saturday, the Marlins are sitting in last place in the National League East, nine games out of first place. If Miami elects to sell at the Deadline, Marte would be one of their most valuable assets to dangle in front of other teams, seeking to recoup some talent in return."

Next... 

2. Jon Gray:

From NJ.com: "...the Colorado Rockies have activated starter Jon Gray from the injured list, clearing the right-hander to start Friday’s matinee against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Gray wound up missing three weeks due to a flexor strain in his right elbow. The 29-year-old righty holds a pedestrian 4.29 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 50/27 K/BB ratio across 63 innings (12 starts) this season.

The Rockies are set to be prime sellers before the July 30 non-waiver trade deadline, as they sit in fourth place in the National League West, 17.5 games behind the first-place San Francisco Giants.

Gray is in his seventh season in Colorado. He finished sixth in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2016 and won a career-high 12 games in 2018. According to Spotrac, Gray is making $6 million this season and will be a free agent following the 2021 World Series."

Finally... one more...

3. Jose Berrios: 

From Matt Johnson at Sportsnaut: "José Berríos is the answer to the Yankees’ problems. He is under team control through the 2022 season and should be fairly affordable thanks to arbitration. The 27-year-old righty owns a 3.41 ERA this season and an impressive 20.2% K-BB rate. Plug him in as the No. 2 starter behind Gerrit Cole, this rotation improves significantly."

Look, there are plenty more too. These are just 3 names. Bleeding Yankee Blue will be following the names the media throws out the next few weeks. We love dreaming about new athletes in pinstripes, but for me personally... we have the tools, the manager Aaron Boone sadly doesn't know how to use them.

More soon!

THE PLAYER'S REBELLION AGAINST ROB MANFRED IN FULL SWING!

I have nothing nice to say about Rob Manfred, and I really would be surprised if any of us have anything nice to say about him. I wouldn't believe it to be honest. I never thought I would say I miss Bud Selig.....but I do. Rob Manfred is absolutely killing the sport that we all love and he's been getting away with it easily but now, the players begin to rebel.

This is only the start and it's going to get even stickier than it already is. Rob Manfred is determined to crackdown on pitchers' use of foreign substances on the baseball only adds fuel to the fire. Pitchers are already angry and it will only make agreeing on a new CBA that expires on December 1st virtually impossible.

I really don't want to think about the possibility of a lockout but....I believe CBA talks were going to go sideways anyway, so this only makes it worse. The players were already frustrated with Manfred unilaterally deciding how to handle last season due to the pandemic so if 2022 Spring Training starts on time it will be a miracle.

MLB headlines Tuesday night were not pretty. The Yankees lost on Tuesday 6-5 to the Royals and umpires checked Gerrit Cole's hat and glove for foreign substances after the third and sixth innings. You can read about it more HERE, but a picture says a thousand words.

And if a picture says a thousand words, videos tell us even more. Nationals ace Max Scherzer also wasn't very happy when he was checked by umpires three times in four innings. Then in a crazier turn of events Phillies manager Joe Girardi gets ejected from the game after he instigates a fight with him.

By the way, after the game Scherzer had a lot to say to the press. The most interesting part of this is he is a member of the MLBPA executive subcommittee which is the highest level of player involvement in the union. Scherzer is going to have a lot more to say in the coming months.

And there's still more! Oakland A's pitcher Sergio Romo was also checked for sticky stuff and he was a little less PG-13 when he removed his belt. It's highly unlikely that he saw Scherzer's reaction so I doubt he was playing copycat here, just in case anyone thinks so.

This circus is what Manfred has created. This isn't baseball at all. The ASSTROS cheated to win a tainted championship and players weren't punished at all, but pitchers who use a foreign substance will face a 10-game suspension. You can't fix stupid.

Manfred has turned baseball into a circus. He's destroyed this game and infuriated fans but now he's pissed off the players to the point of a rebellion. This is only the start, and as tensions rise it will only get worse. Manfred has destroyed baseball and until the owners are financially crippled by MLB's frustrated fanbase we will be stuck with him. So I hope it happens sooner rather than later otherwise baseball is dead.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

WHY RED HOT GARY SANCHEZ WAS LEFT OUT OF THE LINEUP

Source: Corey Sipkin NY Post

I will be the first to say I have had my hard times with Gary Sanchez. I think he is slow, lazy and cocky to name three reasons. But, he has shown me resilience and more recently, he has shown me that he can take and use feedback to help him improve. And over the last month since he initially lost his job to back-up catcher Kyle Higashioka, Sanchez is 22-for-64 with six doubles, six homers, 14 RBIs, seven walks and 19 strikeouts. So why is the hottest hitter on the team for more than three weeks riding the bench in Tuesday night's game opener against the Royals as his team begins to narrow their gap in the AL East? No friggin idea.

Source: The Athletic

Now recall that skipper Aaron Boone likes to give his players "days off." He says it keeps them fresh and healthy, which I would seriously like to see the data on that. Sanchez played Sunday, there was no game on Monday and the Yankees played against the Royals on Tuesday night. I realize that it is Gerrit Cole's start but at some point you have to say, "Listen Gerrit, we are going with Gary tonight. His bat is hot and we need him." Or, you have him DH and sit or God forbid play Giancarlo Stanton in left field if you want him in the lineup with Sanchez. But sitting Sanchez is just ridiculous, particularly now that he has made changes to his swing which is really paying off. 

Source: New York Daily News

"Last month, he ditched the leg kick, which Boone called a “real adjustment.” “Now you’re seeing a real quiet lower half and a more balanced hitter,’’ Boone said. “He’s just in a much different place than he was a month ago.” Sanchez, though, is notoriously streaky, which has left some to wonder how sustainable this recent turnaround will be," reported The New York Post. Which is another reason you play him while he is hot. 

Source: CBS Sports

I really don't get it. I have always said, play the best team you have every night. If that means you keep guys in the lineup, do it, their careers are short and you never know when it's going to be the last game. There are regularly scheduled days off built into the season. And honestly, if Gary plays the night before a day game and you want to give him a day off from time to time to keep him fresh, that makes sense. But sitting him after he already had a day off is not strategic and certainly not smart managing. Keep Gary hot by keeping him in the lineup and let that momentum give the Yankees an advantage and the chance to battle back and win the division. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

VOIT IS BACK ON THE HORSE AT SOMERSET

We here at BYB are big Luke Voit fans.... and this guy hasn't had it easy. It appears he gets hurt alot. But when he's healthy.... he's the guy you want in the lineup.

Luke is in the minor leagues right now... making the best of it. 

mycentraljersey.com writes:

"After missing all but two weeks of the regular season, New York Yankees first baseman Luke Voit is itching to get back to the big leagues....

Voit is currently making his way back from an oblique strain and rehabbing with the Double-A Somerset Patriots. He missed the start of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus, and returned to the team on May 11. He was sent back to the injured list after straining his oblique two weeks later.

"My second at-bat after I got back in the big leagues I got hit in the hand and I think it kind of changed my mechanics and my swing," Voit said of injuring his oblique. "I think I started overdoing it with my right side to overcompensate. I just felt like I couldn't stay through the ball, and I think that's why I was using my right side to help me get through the ball more and unfortunately my body isn't used to swinging like that."

Look, the Yankees right now are 4.5 out. They have a big shot. It's been a hell of a season trying to get consistency, and hopefully it starts to come together. But we need guys like Voit to get us over the hump.  

Hopefully good things are coming for both King Luke and the Yanks!

TRIPLE PLAYS & DEFEATING THE A'S IS THE BEST FEELING!

Happy belated Father's Day out there to all Yankee dads. The Yankees gave you and the rest of us an improbable win and excitement that we all desperately needed.

I was honestly dreading playing the Oakland A's this weekend. The A's are the second best record in the league and I was still nervous even though we just had a great series against the Blue Jays. I was wishing that we would've had Gerrit Cole lined up to pitch this series because Oakland's pitching is very good. It's hard not to worry about this team this season, but the Yankees showed us all they have some fight in them. 

Maybe the Yankees can turn the corner and will continue to do so. I hope that's what this series proves to us all and makes us believe again. The A's have a very good team and the fact that we just took two out of three and managed to beat Sean Manaea yesterday instead of fail miserably is a good sign.

And what about the fact that yesterday the Yankees turned their third triple play in a season for the very first time? That's a stat I can finally get behind. It makes me even more excited that the Yankees turned three double plays within 31 days! I feel even better knowing this happened against the Blue Jays and the A's, that's something to really feel good about. 

And we need to feel good right now. We needed this high, this boost of confidence heading into an off day. It's been a tough season, but it looks better now that we have climbed out of fourth place and are sitting 4.5 games out of first place. It's a lot better than 8+. It's a start, and it will continue to be a grind but if the Yankees keep their foot on the gas pedal we can continue to climb up the standings and look beyond September.....but it won't be easy.

It's nice to go into a day off with good vibes and with the promise of Luke Voit coming back into the lineup. I can see that fight in them again. They need to keep that fire. They need to continue to believe in themselves and win series.

We've seen enough of the losing Yankees, this feels good again. 

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

GIO IS THE GUY THE YANKEES WANT UP IN THOSE BIG MOMENTS

Source: Newsday

Imagine you are Gio Urshela. Almost three years ago, you were a Toronto Blue Jay after bouncing around Cleveland and their minor league team. On August 4, 2018, the Blue Jays traded you to the New York Yankees in exchange for cash considerations. The Yankees assigned you to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. where you worked closely with Phil Plantier, the RailRiders' hitting coach, to make changes to your batting stance. Things seem to click for you and fast forward to 2021, you are making things happen for the Yankees despite the big time superstars that surround you. Now, you are the guy the Yankees want up in big situations and you know what, you don't disappoint.

Source: CBS Sports

Gio Urshela is clearly the Yankees most important asset as they look to ascend from the back of the AL East to put themselves back in contention for the pennant. In Saturday's game against the Oakland Athletics, Urshela, despite getting a splinter in his eye after his bat shattered, hit the game winning home run putting the Yankees up 7-5 against the As. In a terrific comeback, Urshela plays hero again and this performance is something the Yankees are starting to get used to.

"Gio's always been a guy -- since we've had him -- in the biggest spots you love him up there," Boone said "... He kinda seems to go along and he surprises you with how good his power is, to straight away center field especially. Really good player who likes being in the moment when the game is on the line," reported CBS Sports. 

Gio's go ahead run not only gave the Yankees the lead they needed to close this one out against Oakland, but it gave the Yankees confidence and positivity that they need to know that they have what it takes to take advantage of every moment, every inning to turn any game around with good smart baseball.

Besides Gio's offensive advantage, he saves games any time he is on the field. The Yankees have two triple plays this season which Urshela has either ignited or been in the middle of. He plays with such passion and drive, which is extremely fun to watch and appreciated by fans like me who love to see a guy embrace the opportunity he has to make an impact on this team and this sport.

“That was a really exciting game,” Urshela said. “We were fighting all day long. We were losing and then we came back. It doesn’t matter if we’re winning or losing; we always stay positive, doing the right things. It’s going to help us a lot, and today we showed that,” reported MLB.com.

To say that Urshela has been the most valuable player for the Yankees is understatement. And his contributions are not going unnoticed. He is a hot commodity on the All Star ballot and will likely play in the 2021 game this July. But all these things don't faze the 29-year-old third baseman. He is humble and just wants to give his team any chance to win. 

The Yankees try to win this series against Oakland in the rubber game later this afternoon at the Stadium. Seeing Urshela be so successful makes me forget a bit about this team's difficulties. But he can't carry this team nor do it alone. Hopefully his consistency and passion will infect the rest of the team to step up and be just as valuable as he has been for this Yankee team. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

THE YANKEES SUFFER FROM THEIR OWN SPENDING BLUNDERS

I'm sure many of us are unimpressed with Brian Cashman's second press conference. Let's face it, his first one in April was bad and this one was even worse in my opinion. The Yankees have resources galore at their fingertips and they don't know what to do with them. They are doing this all wrong.

It's nice to be a big market team with owners who have deeper pockets. It was nice to go out and finally lure Gerrit Cole and outbid anyone and everyone else interested. Deep pockets are nice....but money doesn't solve every problem for a baseball team. Now, it's turned into a problem.

Before I lose you, hear me out. Brian Cashman said on Tuesday that the Yankees were fully engaged and were buyers for the trade deadline. He even used the word "urgently" a few times. All of baseball knows how much we are in a pickle. They see our desperation to try and right the ship here....but what about the luxury tax situation? That's not going away. Cashman said he would present all options to ownership and see if it fits in the budget. As far as we all know, the remaining budget is approximately $4 million. That's not a lot of room for an awful lot of improvements needed.

Cashman says the Yankees are buyers, but should they be? Instead, shouldn't we take this as a sign that we need to do a better job managing our money and developing our talent? I think so. Our minor league systems are very depleted and while we have a lot of needs to address, we don't have as strong of a minor league to feed from as we did when we reloaded our farm back in 2016 when the Yankees traded Andrew Miller. Looking back at 2016, it was strange to consider ourselves sellers, but those moves did benefit us.

I don't like to ever call the Yankees sellers, it's not in our DNA. In 2016 we had more pieces to move. Now, even though I think we need to make some moves we really don't have a lot that we CAN move. Even if we wanted to move Cole (and I don't) he has a full no-trade clause. Then there is Giancarlo Stanton which has his own no-trade situation so good luck there. Even if he agreed, that's an expensive price tag to move.

Honestly, the way I see it....the Yankees two most valuable pieces to move would be Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman. PLENTY of teams would love to get their hands on good left handed relievers, but even they won't get us a franchise altering piece like Gleyber Torres was when we traded Chapman last time. Even if we could move these guys for a good value we are still going to be in the same position in the future if the Yankees are still hellbent on remaining under the luxury tax.

The Yankees are crippled by money. It's nice to have, but our team can't be built primarily with a focus of spending money on free agents. We need an overhaul of our player development team. We need increased emphasis on scouting. It's nice to have money....until you are crippled by it and can only build a team by spending it and then not getting your moneys worth....here's looking at you Aaron Hicks.

The Yankees don't know HOW to spend their money wisely. So here we are....talking about being buyers with no budget and all because Yankees didn't spend wisely. The Yankees wallet is their kryptonite and until they fix it this problem isn't going away.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

CASHMAN TALKS TO MEDIA CALLING FOR MAJOR CHANGES

Source: AP Photo/Kathy Willens

Major changes. Yea, we all know this. He have all felt the pain of losses, bad losses for this Yankee team over the last week. And to answer the questions, provide feedback about what their next move is, Brian Cashman talked to the media on Tuesday night ahead of the Yankees 6-5 win against the Blue Jays in Buffalo. The Yankee GM told reporters that the team was his responsibility and it was up to him to figure out what was ailing this them, noting he will not allow them to fail. 

“Losing invites scrutiny on us all,’’ Cashman said prior to Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jays at Sahlen Field. “We are all in this together. We made this bed and we’re gonna sleep in it and make sure we find a way to fix this together,” reported The New York Post. 

The Yankees are hovering just around .500 and down 8+ games in the AL East. They are hurting for consistent starting pitching, their fielding and base running are atrocious and there is a big gap in center field to fill before the trade deadline. 

Source: AP

Now the Yankees have not made a big deal at the deadline since the 2016 trade that shipped out Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, Carlos Beltran and Ivan Nova. But this year, the Yankees are buyers. Specifically, center field and the starting rotation appear to be two areas in need of improvement."As the July 30 non-waiver trade deadline gets closer, Cashman said he expects more players to become available. If a high-priced addition becomes an option, he said he will go to ownership to see if that player is in the budget," reported the Post. 

Source: NJ.com

But adding to the frustration is the lack of fundamental baseball which includes smart baserunning, and clean defense. So, my question is what is the coaching staff doing about that? And who is responsible for ensuring that this team actually takes infield practice and coaches are providing instructional discourse to this team, which includes simulated game play to keep the team sharp. 

“We’ve got really good coaches that know what they’re doing and I think we have a really good manager who knows what he’s doing,’’ Cashman said. “That doesn’t mean you’re gonna get the results you want. You’ve got to stay at it. We’re in this together and I’m trying to figure this thing out. We have what it takes in this clubhouse already,” reported the Post

So, my takeaways are this: 

1. Cashman is at least talking to the media and facing the music

2. Cashman acknowledges that changes need to be made, noting this was not the performance he was anticipating and will figure out how to go from here

3. Cashman stands by his coaching staff and believes in them 

4. Cashman is going to be a serious buyer ahead of the July 30th trade deadline

Not sure I am satisfied, but as I said in point #1, Cashman showed up on the road to address his team, his coaching staff and reporters. He isn't hiding. And I can appreciate that. Now let's see if we get some action to those words and we really do see changes. Otherwise, this is going to be a long summer. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

THE YANKEES ARE DEAD BECAUSE OF POOR LEADERSHIP

It's the biggest disappointment in the Yankees 2021 season.... and all of it has to do with failed leadership.

Bleeding Yankee Blue is not the only ones that are piling on.  Several are out there voicing frustration, fans and media alike.  And you can try and blame the players all you want. We here at BYB are not. We go to the top. We blame the top! And I'm not talking about Brian Cashman or Hal. No. Those guys got us the right players to achieve greatness. But much like a bunch of Little Leaguers... motivation from a manager needs to be significant. I mean, these players have MADE it, they're in the MLB, but even players need motivation no matter what level you are.  

And where do you get motivation? You get it from your leader. In the Yankees case... lack there of.  

Aaron Boone needs to be fired. 

Enough of this "friends with my players" bullshit.  You can't be a friend and be a leader.  You need to seperate to 2 until your goal is achieved. And the goal? Winning. Let me rephrase... winning consistently.  

Everyone knows the Yankees can't win 162 games. No team can, but there needs to be some consistency.  There needs to be a guy at the top that knows what to say and when to say it.  No one loved Joe Girardi, but Girardi was competitive. Girardi IS competitive. He brought a loser Phillies team all the way up to .500.  The Yankees? 

They're better than the Phillies. They're one game above .500 and 9 games back.  Worst Yankee team since the days of Bobby Meacham? Probably.

But in the 2021 Yankees team, one thing is missing... leadership. Boone is not a true leader. Boone is the grandson of Ray Boone, son of Bob Boone and brother of Bret Boone and that's where his baseball experience begins and ends.  

Sometimes... sometimes it doesn't translate.  Experience isn't hitting a home run to beat the Red Sox in the 2003 ALDS. It goes much deeper than that.  It was exciting then, but do you notice that's all this guy has?

And so how does that transfer into leadership? How do leaders get respect? How do leaders lead? Well, it's about trust and not about friendship.  And Boone needs to dig deep and see what that means. I don't know if he needs to go to a Vegas desert and take some peyote and reflect or if he needs a nice stern talking to from Cashman and company. But one thing is certain... He needs to change his approach, because he's TERRIBLE at it.

This Yankee team won't play for him. This group of coaches he surrounds himself with don't believe in him.  This guy is on his own island and the team has left him whether they act like it publicly or not. Why you ask? He's not a leader... he's a friend.  That's a loser all day long, folks... especially if you're the manager.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes:

"The 1995 Yankees were 30-35, yet surged to be the first AL wild card in a 144-game season. The 2016 Yankees were 31-34 and for the only time in Steinbenner ownership were sellers at the deadline, yet actually played better after dealing Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, Carlos Beltran and Ivan Nova.

But dig deeper. The 1995 Yankees obtained David Cone and rallied around getting Don Mattingly to the playoffs to have a historic season. The 2005 club received pretty much baseball miracles in Shawn Chacon and Aaron Small, plus the farm system gave that roster Robinson Cano and Chien-Ming Wang — neither of whom were viewed as an elite prospect at the time of promotion. The 2016 Yankees got a historic homer binge from Gary Sanchez after his elevation. The 2005-08 teams still were clinging to key pieces of a dynasty that had winning at the highest level in their muscle memory. The 2007 club received an MVP season from Alex Rodriguez."

Now while comparing teams to each other isn't exactly a good execise because talent and feel are different every season... there is one thing that is pretty signicant in what Sherman is trying to say.  Leadership WAS different. Showalter.  Torre. Girardi. These guys were battle tested. They understood competition. They weren't handed the keys with some blind faith... they used to drive the fucking car. ALOT. Boone didn't drive... he rode shotgun. And while he was supposed to be observing the way it all worked as a manager... he would get easily distracted looking at dogs and street signs as the drive to managerial stardom unfolded for him.

And so here we are.  He can fake it all he wants, but he just wasn't paying attention all these years... despite the pedigree.

Aaron Boone is the reason this Yankee team is terrible. Leadership is vital in this game and Boone doesn't have it.  You know who else didn't have it? 

Stump Merrill

Dallas Green

Those were dark times as a Yankee fan. We're back to those times.

Fire the manager. 

Bring some new light and energy to this Yankee club and find a way to convince them that they are the shining light in the Bronx. Because right now... they don't believe in themselves or their ability. And adults or not... motivation is always vital. That starts with solid leadership. 

Boonie? You're finished.