LEFTY STUD ANDREW HEANEY THE NEWEST YANKEE PITCHER!

We needed another stud and we got one! I love Andrew Heaney... this is very exciting.

NJ.com writes:

"Unless (Nestor) Cortes pinch-runs again like he did Friday night in the Yankees’ 3-1 win over the Marlins, his next adventure will be back in a middle relief role. That was set in motion when the Yankees’ beat the 4 p.m., trade deadline by a few minutes acquiring Los Angeles Angels lefty starter Andrew Heaney for a pair of Class AA righties, Janson Junk and Elvis Peguero.

Heaney has logged some impressive numbers this season making 18 starts for the Angels, especially his 113 strikeouts and 31 walks in 94 innings. Allowing only 92 hits is solid, too."

Heaney is a solid dude, a gamer. Personally he's one of the nicest guys to know. Yes... I know him and so I'm biased. But, I personally believe he is exactly what the Yankees need to help get them over the hump, especially after we also acquired Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo. It's pieces like this that make it better for the Yanks. 

That's why I was going nuts the other night when Gallo was the ONLY guy. You can't do anything with ONLY Gallo. You can when you start to see the pieces that the Yankees will be sprinkling in to their already stacked team and they gear up to embark on the second half of the season.

Congrats to Andrew for making it to the east coast in pinstripes. Pretty cool. I wish you the best!

STARLIN CASTRO HAS SOME SPLAININ' TO DO

You don't hit or sexually assault a woman. I mean, you don't do it to anyone, but you definitely don't to a woman.  Starlin Castro is in trouble. Not sure what's going on right now but he's away on what the Nationals describes as "family matters".

The New York Post writes:

"Castro has been suspended for 30 games without pay for violating the MLB’s policy on domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. He has been fined an undisclosed amount, and the team announced it will release Castro at the end of his suspension.

“Having reviewed all the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Castro violated our policy and that discipline is appropriate,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement...

In 2011, Castro was accused of sexual assault as a member of the Chicago Cubs, but he was not charged.

“We take all allegations of abuse and harassment very seriously,” the Nationals said in a statement. “We fully support the Commissioner’s decision and will be releasing Starlin Castro upon the completion of his suspension. Per the terms of the policy, we will have no further comment on this matter.”

We will keep an eye on this one. I feel bad for everyone involved. I hate these stories, but we gotta report them.

HOW DOES THIS "BASEBALL INSIDER" ALWAYS GET IT WRONG?

I find Bob Nightengale to be the guy that is just outside to circle. The guy that wants to be part of it, but he just doesn't have the stuff to get in.  Not a cool kid, more like an outcast.  Passan, Rosenthal, Caldera, Boland, Curry... they're all exchanging good info. Nightengale and Olney are scrambling trying to find the cool rumor just to be excepted. 

I know, that's mean, because I'm sure he's a nice man, but for the love of everything holy, he is never right when it comes to trades or potential moves teams make in the MLB.  You may remember one of his most famous debacles that brought Bauer to the Mets, according to him... Read BAUER TO THE DODGERS & BOB NIGHTENGALE BLOWS IT for more on that.

Now comes the latest mess up... he's so ridiculous:

I don't know what to say other than the world knew Bryant was going to the Giants before he did. And it was all because he didn't realize it was a non-registered Jeff Passan account. I mean, attention to detail is find of important right? Look at this:

Now look. People will say I'm hammering Nightengale. Well, I am, but you need to understand why. THIS IS HIS JOB. You can't get this stuff wrong, but that's all he does.

pic.twitter.com/56pt03Tdt3

— Coach Joe Thornhill (@CoachJThornhill) July 30, 2021

pic.twitter.com/V1rx6fzYuL

— rick steves STAN account (@____Aubree____) July 30, 2021

I'm so tired of the mis-cues, false info and guys being called "baseball insiders" but they ain't inside anything baseball until players actually trade hands. Being a baseball insider is a guess job. Face it.  Guys like Jeff Passan, I mean the real ones are legit.  Bob Nightengale should stick to recaps... you can't get that wrong.

Finally, let me state for the record that guys like Eric Boland and Pete Caldera are NOT characterized as Baseball insiders... same with Jack Curry. But what they do have is integrity. They will double check sources and facts before putting anything on the air.  So kudos to them.

TYLER AUSTIN IS STILL THE ABSOLUTE MAN WEARING 'USA' ACROSS HIS CHEST

Quick note... Tyler Austin has still got it and I just wanted to share this piece of video because it's awesome!

Former Yankee Tyler Austin flexin in Tokyo pic.twitter.com/wr5XdlY5vL

— Pinstripe Strong (@PinstripeStrong) July 30, 2021

Now we love this guy, we always have. We interviewed Tyler and his mom Kim a while back here at BYB. Read  EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: TYLER AUSTIN... WONDERBOY.

I always called Tyler Wonderboy because I was always just so impressed by the way he handled the pressure and game, despite the travels he's made in baseball. He always lands on his feet.

I love this bomb... I just needed to share it.

WHY THE STARLING MARTE DEAL FELL THROUGH...

The trade never happened. It comes down to one thing. The Marlins didn't like what the Yankees were offering, and that's the business at the trade deadline, isn't it?

Everyone was talking about the Yankees acquiring Starling Marte from Miami for weeks. But in the end, nothing happened. In the end, Marte went to Oakland.

The Miami Herald writes:

"The Miami Marlins on Wednesday traded outfielder Starling Marte and cash considerations to the Oakland Athletics in return for left-handed pitcher Jesus Luzardo, a Parkland Stoneman Douglas High graduate. Miami is paying the bulk of what remains on Marte's contract, about $4.5 million, to complete the trade."

But why you ask? Well... it came down to this...

Miami wanted Anthony Volpe straight up, but the Yankees were not budging. See this tweet from Eric Boland:

In the end the Marlins didn't like enough in the Yankees' system when it came to a Marte deal. Asked for Anthony Volpe & were not impressed enough w/ what the Yankees were offering. This is a reoccurring theme with rival teams & how they view/evaluate the Yankees' system overall

— Erik Boland (@eboland11) July 28, 2021

And that's really it. And it's true, while the Yankees have a solid farm system, they don't have an outstanding one by any means. 

Plus, in the end, the Yankees landed Rizzo and Gallo, a signficant move compared to if it was ONLY Gallo or only Marte. Now we have some muscle on the left side for sure.

Whatever the case... it's a win for everybody here and especially the Yanks.

NOT TO BE OUTDONE, HOT RED SOX SNAG SCHWARBER

I knew something was coming and there it is. The Red Sox hace acquired Kyle Schwarber from the Nationals.

The New York Post writes:

"The Red Sox acquired Kyle Schwarber from the Nationals late Thursday night, The Post’s Joel Sherman confirmed.

Schwarber, 28, is on the IL with a hamstring strain and likely will be sidelined for a couple of more weeks. Schwarber is hitting .253 with 25 home runs and 53 RBIs this season, with most of the damage being done in his absolutely scorching month of June."

Let's see what happens next... it's been a nutty trade deadline period... almost nuttier than usual.

HELP THIS ICONIC RESTAURANT SURVIVE COVID!

Covid destroyed small businesses. We all know this. My buddy sent me this a short time ago. I actually know this place and I wanted to pass on. If you can find it in your heart, make a donation. It can be 5 bucks of $5,000. The point is it's about helping others in this time of need. Here's the GoFund me link:

 https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-fireplace-paramus-nj-relief-fund

If you need background, this place has been standing for 65 years. NJ.com writes:

"Former FBI agent Frank Reilly, a Navy veteran from Albany who served in World War II, opened The Fireplace in 1956. Burgers went for 35 cents (40 cents with cheese), and a milkshake would set you back a nickel and a dime. Reilly died in the late '90s. His son Patrick Reilly currently owns the business..."

Also:

"When the virus hit in 2020, the Bergen County restaurant was temporarily shuttered. But the local fixture introduced drive-thru takeout and curbside pickup service and made a comeback with indoor dining in the fall, rallying to stay open. Now The Fireplace is calling it quits.

Generations of North Jersey residents bear solemn witness as its flame is extinguished by the pressures of the pandemic...

Customers devastated by the sudden announcement commiserated on the restaurant’s Facebook page, remembering their favorite orders and wishing for another day, week, or month to get in one last visit.

One customer, David Brown, even started a Fireplace “relief fund” GoFundMe to raise money in an effort to keep the business open, with a goal of generating $500,000.

“We cannot let our neighbors down, and this is precisely what The Fireplace is - a spot for friends, family, and neighbors to enjoy,” Brown said on the page. “This restaurant is cherished by so many, and we owe it to future generations to keep their doors open and not let the economic pressures from COVID-19 take it away from us.”

Do a good deed today. Make a donation. Nice work David Brown. I read that if the Fireplace does NOT accept the donation in this final push, all money that goes through GoFundMe will be returned to the people that donated. It's a win win.

Damn.

A MUST WATCH: RIZZO IN HIS OWN WORDS

Anthony Rizzo spoke about how it came down today when he was told about the trade and what he will be looking forward to and what he will miss about the Cubs. A stand up guy. Be sure to watch this:

Anthony Rizzo, on getting the news of the trade to the Yankees… pic.twitter.com/FJkekTraC0

— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) July 30, 2021

Class act. Looking forward to seeing this dude do damage in the Bronx!

BREAKING: DODGERS ARE "TEAM GLUTTON" NABBING SCHERZER & TURNER

Don't come crying to me telling me the Yankees spend for every top free agent or heavy hitter. The Yankees haven't made those kind of signficant moves since Sabathia, Burnett, Swisher and Teixeira came over in 2009. I mean sure... back then we won it all, but that was the last time we grabbed everything out there.  

Yes, as we ease up to the trade deadline we were able to snag Rizzo and Joey Gallo, but it was done smartly and surgerically as not to go over the luxury tax. Now I'm hearing alot of rumblings that the Yankees aren't finished, but I seem to think they're close to done. I mean sure, I want Trevor Story, but I don't know how the hell they can pull that off at this point. We will have to see. 

Meanwhile the big fat freaking Dodgers just snagged 2 more all-stars like they are pulling money and the Yankees old playbook out of Magic Johnson's ass. It's pretty incredible. Here's the latest... 

Max Scherzer and Trea Turner are gonna be Dodgers... and here it is:

BREAKING: MAX IS GOING TO LA

Dodgers are ‘finalizing’ a deal for Max Scherzer AND Trea Turner in exchange for four prospects, per @JeffPassan pic.twitter.com/Jsvp1xjm0Y

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 30, 2021

Now, just a short time ago there was a rumor that Trevor Bauer and Corey Seager were traded in this deal, but that appears to be false. 

And that goes back to my point. The Dodgers are "Team Glutton"... grabbing evrything in their sight, monopolizing the league for their own... and it annoys the shit out of me.

Hey... they're doing what takes. You have to admire that I guess... I just hate it.

BREAKING: LUKE VOIT IS DRAWING TRADE INTEREST

I mean, we saw it coming. With the latest news that brings Anthony Rizzo to the Bronx, where else can Luke Voit go? Turns out the Yankees are listening to offers in an attempt to unload him. MLB Trade Rumors writes:

"Luke Voit’s name has come up in trade discussions the Yankees are having with various teams, reports the YES Network’s Jack Curry (via Twitter). Voit is currently on the injured list with a bone bruise in his knee, but he’s nearing a return to the active roster."

And even if he sticks around, the DH spot is gonna be hard to squeeze into too:

"The presence of Joey Gallo, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton crowds the DH scene..."

And so, now we see what happens to Voit. 

It's unfortunate, man. Voit's been a good solider, but injury has killed him as of late.  When the guy is healthy he's terrific, but now with Gallo and Rizzo coming to New York... Voit's time may be up.

HUGE GET! ANTHONY RIZZO TO THE YANKEES!

The Yankees just got Anthony Rizzo! The Yankees just got Anthony Rizzo! This is the trade we needed.  Breaking now, more to come.  This is from Jack Curry of YES!

The Yankees are moving closer to acquiring Anthony Rizzo from the Cubs. #yankees

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) July 29, 2021

The Yankees are trading Alcantara and Vizcaino for Rizzo. The Cubs are picking up all of Rizzo’s remaining salary.

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) July 29, 2021

But this is what makes the Joey Gallo trade yesterday so much better for me. Bottom line, Gallo couldn't be the fix the Yankees needed... moves that follow make Gallo more signficant.

More to come, stay tuned on BYB!

Huge!

IS ANYONE EXCITED JOEY GALLO IS A YANKEE?

The Yankees are trying to save their season and they think their trade for Joey Gallo can do that. I was wondering if Brian Cashman was going to make a splash before the deadline and I don't want to say I am disappointed but Gallo wasn't at the top of my wish list....not that the Yankees care about my wish list.

Regardless, it sounds like Gallo will be Bronx bound pending review of medical records. The Yankees will send a haul of prospects to get him. I can't wait to look back on this in the future and see who the "winner" of this trade is.

Some people love this move, some hate it. I know my Twitter feed was absolutely blowing up when the news broke. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. Even those who aren't in love with this move there are some positives to this move.

My biggest buy in with Gallo in the lineup is we FINALLY get a left handed bat that we really need to help balance the lineup. Our lineup has been too right handed, and adding a power guy like Gallo could make a difference....I hope.

And speaking of power, the Yankees finally get a gut that can smash one over the fence with runners in scoring position. He can also strikeout but I am focusing on the positives here because I am a "glass half full" kind of gal. He's not perfect or my dream of a contact hitter BUT in 310 AB this season he has 25 home runs....ALL Yankee lefthanded batters this year have 22 home runs in 722 AB. Gallo is tied for fifth in the AL for home runs, won a gold glove in 2020 and was an All-Star this year and 2019. He's got some good credentials.

I also like Gallo's versatility, he will probably be the Yankees regular left fielder but he has made 140 starts in right field and 117 in left field and 30 in Center. He's only played right field this season but considering how fragile Aaron Judge and Clint Frazier are his versatility isn't a bad thing. Oh and giving Brett Gardner some bench time wouldn't be bad either. In a pinch, he can also play infield if needed he's started 72 games at first base and 73 games at third. There's nothing wrong with options, right?

Hopefully Gallo makes a big impact. At least the Yankees didn't give up a lot of good pieces for a rental but I guess if you don't like the Gallo move you don't care that he's not a free agent until 2023. Like it or not welcome to the Bronx Gallo....but time to say goodbye to that beard.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

BREAKING: SCHERZER RUMORED TO GO TO RAYS SOON, BUT YANKS SETTLE ON GALLO. DUMB.

Fire Hal. Fire Cashman. Fire Boone. Fuck this team. 

The Yankees don't need Joey Gallo. The Yankees need a solid contact hitter OR a DOMINANT PITCHER! We are doomed.  What has happened to my New York Yankees? We have turned soft and complacent... even in the front office.

We love Jeff Passan here at BYB. He tweeted this a short time ago:

Mind you. I was on the phone trying to find out that this wasn't true. It was. I wanna kill myself. Can this season be any worse? 

If we wanted a power hitter we can look at guys like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. And if we wanna play alittle small ball, score some freaking runs, run alittle, make plays, we could look at a move like Trevor Story, who can also FIELD THE FUCKING BASEBALL AND HIT ONE AND NOT INTERCHANGE HOMERS FOR STRIKEOUTS. What are we doing here???

You gotta wonder what is going through the mind of the Yankee brass right now.  We all thought Hank Steinbrenner was the fuck up. Everyone in Yankee corporate headquarters must have COVID brain right now because they have BLOWN IT!. 

It's clear to me that they really have no idea how to turn this team around. And the only thing they can think of is to TRY AND WOW A YANKEE FAN BASE WITH A FEW HOME RUNS THAT WON'T MATTER BECAUSE WE'RE 9 GAMES OUT. The problem is the manager. Get a few pieces to bring the team consistency and a manager who can actually lead and you will win. Right now they have no clue what's happening with their team. I won't go to a single game the rest of the season. No Way!

This is disgraceful. 

Meanwhile, BYB is hearing from many folks that the Tampa Bay Rays are close to Max Scherzer. No idea is this is true. No idea is this is happening but I can tell you this...  if the Tamp Bay Rays get MAX SCHERZER, OUR SEASON IS FINISHED... not just in 2021, but beyond!

ATHLETES MAKE IT LOOK EASY, BUT THE PAIN AND DIFFICULTY IS REAL

Source: Fox Sports

Waking up to Simone Biles leaving the Olympic Gymnastics Arena was a difficult moment for me, let alone for her. I cannot imagine what was happening to her both mentally and physically as she made the decision to step out of the team competition. The fight. The grit. The determination of Simone over the last several years has not only been superhuman but incredibly noble. But everyone has a breaking point. Although athletes make it look easy, the pain and difficulty is real and cannot be overlooked. 

Source: Swimming World

Life is hard. Control what you can control. Accept what you can’t. Be kind. Open your heart. Laugh. Invest in yourself. This is the kind of self talk that needs to happen because it is not easy to compete at the level that Biles, the Yankees, or any other competitive athlete is expected to compete at and bring home the reward. Early mornings. Late evenings. Workouts. Nutrition. Focus. Discipline. This is the routine. And sometimes you have to step away. And you know what, that's okay.

Clint Frazier has been on the IL list since July 1st. He is currently going through neurological testing for dizziness, perhaps vision issues. Is it physical or psychological or both? Earlier this season, Yankees first baseman Luke Voit underwent surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus in his left knee and later on he went out with a strained oblique before his current left knee inflammation. Do these injuries weigh on your psyche? You bet they do. And do the teammates feel the pain? Are they impacted by the missing presence in the clubhouse? Yes.

Source: Los Angeles Times

How much do the media add salt to the wounds of these athletes? By putting so much pressure on athletes like Naomi Osaka or even Katie Ledecky, are they putting these athletes at a disadvantage? They cannot carry their sport, their team or their country on their shoulders. It is just too much to ask. When commentators criticize the way athletes compete, I wonder how they would feel to have so much criticism placed on them? 

Source: NJ.com

I have been hard on the Yankees this season. I would like them to play flawlessly. I mean, don't you? But so much pressure on Gerrit Cole to strike out 20, on Aaron Judge to hit 40 home runs and the bull pen to close out every game without an earned run is not realistic. And maybe it is time to just give it a rest and just enjoy the game for the love of it. As the trade deadline approaches, let's hope that the Yankees front office finds the right players to support their team, both physically and mentally. Wellness, both physical and mental, is just as important as winning. 

Source: Los Angeles Times

I wish Simone Biles nothing but success as she battles through her mental competition with herself. If she decides to compete I am with her and if she decides to step away, I am with her too. And if the Yankees don't have it this season, I am there for them next season, and the season after that. Because a fan is a fan. You don't give up on your athletes. And you don't give up on your team, ever.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

CESSA & WILSON ARE GONZO

It was fun... but now it's over. Both Luis Cessa and Justin Wilson are gonzo. They were just aquired by the Reds.

MLB Trade Rumors has this:

"In a surprise transaction, the Yankees announced they’ve traded relievers Luis Cessa and Justin Wilson to the Reds in exchange for a player to be named later. Cincinnati designated Ashton Goudeau and Edgar García for assignment to open 40-man roster space....

                                                               In Photo: Ashton Goudeau

Goudeau bounced around waivers throughout last offseason. He now seems likely to wind up back on the wire after making five MLB appearances for the Reds this year. He’s tossed 31 innings across eight appearances (five starts) with Triple-A Louisville, working to a 4.65 ERA with a below-average 16.1% strikeout rate. García has also spent most of the campaign with the Bats. He’s been quite good in Triple-A but hit hard over his five big league outings.

From the Yankees perspective, the deal frees some payroll space and clears a pair of spots on the 40-man roster."

And that's it... which makes you wonder what will happen next?  Are that Yankees about to make a big pickup somewhere?

Stay tuned.

THE IDEA OF TREA TURNER ON THE YANKS IS AMAZING... BUT IT'S JUST AN IDEA

Could you imagine Trea Turner on the Yankees? I can. He'd fit all our needs.

But with a guy like Peter Gammons still alive and kicking and throwing out weird and random nuggets like this, it's kind of annoying... because, lets face it, blogs like us go crazy starting to think of the possiblities.  

Let me state for the record that there is ZERO indication that the Yankees would go after this guy. I mean, they should after reading that tweet from Gammons, but they won't because they have other pokers in other fires that are further along. Not this one for sure.

Yanks go Yard writes:

"Let’s get it out in the open: there’s a version of a Trea Turner trade that includes Jasson Dominguez as the deal’s centerpiece. In this version, the Yankees have to surrender significantly less surrounding the 18-year-old future star. If Dominguez is on the table, you can add Luis Medina and Anthony Volpe/Oswald Peraza and probably call this one.

Presuming Dominguez is not included in this trade, though, the Yankees probably up the ante with Plan A: Gleyber Torres, future Washington Nationals … second baseman?"

In my opinion... we're giving away too much if we do what Yanks go Yard wants. No disrespect to them, I just don't see it. you'll piss off the entire Yankee fan base. We haven't even seen Dominguez play on the big stage yet. I mean, why all the hype if you're just gonna flip him for a guy like Turner and the Yankees are 9 games out. It doesn't take one player to get to the playoffs... it takes a team.  Plus, wouldn't it make sense to move Torres to second on the Yanks, maybe make Odor the DH? I don't know... I'm spitballing here. 

I think personally we have the pieces we need on the field. We just need 1 or 2 more people. One of which, could be (probably not) Trea Turner... but for the right price of course.

Anyway... it's interesting the fire storm dinosaur Gammons brings to the table. Good banter.

For me... personally I think the deal with be with Colorado for Trevor Story... a deal that needs to get done. 

That is all.