HELLO, YANKEES— IS ANYONE HOME?

Here's what I have to say. The Houston Astros are not that great, but they have a great manager in Dusty Baker. They have taken advantage of the Yankees' bad decisions, bad offense, bad leadership and overall bad baseball. If I am honest, the Phillies, who are the likely winner of the National League Championship Series, will steam roll right over the Astros as the more dominate team. And if not the Astros, then certainly the Yankees, if they could come back after what has been the most disappointing set of losses in the postseason since 2004. Recall that the Boston Red Sox came back from an 0-3 deficit to beat the Yankees and claim their first World Series since 1918. Yeah, that was bad. This performance is equally bad. 

To hear the words, desperate, outmatched, and lifeless as the unfamiliar TBS analysts frame the Yankees to the postseason audience is embarrassing. I want to call the Stadium and see if someone, anyone can find the Yankee team that started off 2022. That team is clearly not this team. And it does not appear they are coming back.

"Even in the latter half of October, manager Aaron Boone is scrambling to adequately fill in the lineup around Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo. In Game 2, he moved Harrison Bader, the club’s hottest hitter, into the leadoff spot and bumped Gleyber Torres, batting .148 in October, to the No. 5 slot. Bader and Torres helped create the Yankees’ runs and opportunities for more, but if anything the shuffle accentuated just how unsettled the bottom half of the lineup remains," reports Yahoo Sports.

Even in front of the media the Yankees don't have a united front—not having each other's back, pointing fingers, and making excuses. The biggest offender is the Yankees' skipper Aaron Boone and guess what he looks like the biggest jackass of them all. Sure, the Yankees look terrible on the field, but Boone makes it worse with bad decisions and even worse excuses. Fans have taken to Twitter to share their disappointment in this Yankee team.

Even with their Ace on the hill Saturday, the Yankees could not back him up with proper defense or God forbid, hits. And this is the game that was supposed to turn things around for the Yankees, well, according to ESPN in their article "4 reasons not to count the Yankees out yet."

"The series starts anew in Game 3. No, you obviously can’t wipe away that the Astros are up 2-0 in the series, but there’s nothing the Yankees can do about that right now. All they can do is focus on what’s next, and the truth is this: Houston just used their best two starting pitchers, and the Yankees are about to use their two best starting pitchers." Doesn't matter how well you pitch. If your team doesn't back you up with offense, you don't win. Ask Jacob deGrom. He knows that story all too well.

The facts are these: the Yankees struck out more than 38 times and only drew five walks in this entire series. Their defense has not done them any favors in the Bronx last night. And they have not had any offense at the DH position nor has their leadoff batter done anything to help them. The Yankees injury-ridden team has been exposed and unless they can somehow wake up and get fired up, this series, and this season is over for them. 

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof