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Wednesday, July 31, 2024

THE YANKEES ARE FINDING SPARE PARTS EVERYWHERE!

 So, this happened.  


The Yankees just signed Brett Phillips to a minor league deal.  MLB Trade Rumors writes:

"...outfielder Brett Phillips is attempting to get back to the big leagues as a pitcher. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times recently wrote about Phillips and his journey, then reported Tuesday that Phillips had a agreed to a minor league deal with the Yankees.

Phillips, 30, appeared in the majors as an outfielder from 2017 to 2023, not hitting much but providing value via his speed and defense. He hit .187/.272/.347 over 395 games for the Brewers, Royals, Rays, Orioles and Angels, stealing 39 bases in 45 tries."


"Phillips, 30, is looking to make his way back to the Majors as a pitcher, and his raw stuff has enticed the Yankees to sign him to a Minor League deal... During an appearance on Monday for the GPS Legends in the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan., Phillips became a surprise social media star by throwing 97 mph fastballs and featuring a pretty good slider while striking out the side in the first inning."

Hey, I am pulling for the guy. It just surprises me how often Cashman is looking for parts in a dumpster and guys like Trevor Bauer are mowing people down in the Mexican league and he would practically pitch for nothing, and we turn to a guy like Brett Phillips.  Whatever the case... It had to be reported.  If Phillips makes it back to the Bigs and is successful... that's a wonderful story.  






JAZZ FEVER BRINGS NEW LIFE TO OUR OLD YANKEES!


Maybe it's the energy Jazz Chisholm brings to the reenergized Yankee team. Maybe that DJ LeMahieu has figured it out.  What it isn't is Aaron Boone, this is clear.  Whatever it is however, it's working. The Yankees look good again.

Yanks win another one against the Phillies who looked like the Yankees looked just a week ago. Baseball is fickle like that.

The New York Post puts it best:

"It was culminated by a sweep of the team that began the series with the best record in baseball, as the Yankees beat the Phillies 6-5 for their fifth straight win on Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.

DJ LeMahieu, who has essentially been relegated to reserve duty, took advantage of a start by putting together his biggest game of the season, driving in all six runs with a grand slam and two-run double."

DJ broke through which is huge for the guy. Now just wait, Aaron Boone will be swinging his dick around all day screaming "I TOLD YOU ALL IT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US AND HE WAS WORKING THROUGH IT." You know... something a monkey could say. Why? Cause the results are usually 50/50.  

Nice job by the Yankees. Momentum is high. Gotta love it.  Now they just have to keep going.




NESTOR'S LAST STAND?

 

Source: The Athletic

I have to say the distractions of the Olympics have kept me from the trade deadline frenzy. This along with the Yankees dominating the teams they need to in order to remain on the road to the championship have all been happening parallel to the torch blazing in Paris. One detail I have been monitoring is the one that involves a possible movement of Nestor Cortes. Could this be Nestor's last stand?

According to The New York Post, "It’s no longer a secret that the Yankees at least considered trading the left-hander to St. Louis in exchange for infielder Tommy Edman, who ended up going to the Dodgers as part of a three-team deal with the White Sox and sent Erick Fedde to the Cardinals." Cortes followed his regular routine including throwing a bullpen session ahead of Monday night's game in Philadelphia that saw the Yankees dominate the Phillies in a 14-4 win.

“Of course I want to stay,” Cortes said of his desire to remain a Yankee. “It’s a winning team, it’s the team I was drafted by. They’ve given me many opportunities and I’ve done a lot of good, some bad, but I’m still fighting, still trying to claw my way up to being a proven starter and winning for this team,” reported The Post.

Cortes is slated to pitch against the Phillies in the afternoon series closer today. And after Gerrit Cole was scratched from Tuesday night's game against the Philadelphia, the team got a closer look at rookie Will Warren who could be a worthy replacement down the road for Cortes.

Source: The Athletic

"Warren was a candidate to make the Yankees out of spring training as the team’s fifth starter, but Luis Gil won the competition over him", reported The Athletic. “He’s a confident kid,” Boone said. “We love his makeup. We love his stuff. He’s had some bumps in the road this year but has also dominated a lot of outings, too. He has all the equipment to go out there and be successful. He’s not a guy who’s overwhelmed. He’s got a really good presence to him.”

If in fact this is Cortes' last stand, it would make sense that the Yankees bring in another starter. And he does not have to come from a trade. With new bullpen addition Mark Leiter, Jr. joining the Yankees Tuesday from the Cubs, Warren could find his way into the rotation with a Cortes trade.

"If Cortes were traded, it would make sense for the Yankees to add another starter. Clarke Schmidt, who is recovering from a lat injury, isn’t expected back in the rotation soon; he recently started throwing off a mound. Luis Gil has workload concerns and might be moved to the bullpen to preserve his arm for October. Marcus Stroman, despite his 3.64 ERA, has career-worst strikeout, walk and ground-ball rates. His advanced metrics suggest he is a major candidate for regression," reported The Athletic. 

So although I remain more engaged in gritty Olympic athletes like Simone Biles, Rafael Nadal and Leon Marchand, I have kept my eye on the Yankees and their recent climb back into my graces after an abysmal few weeks preceding the games in Paris. And if it's goodbye to Nasty Nestor, then it is only fair to say that they are executing a plan to stay on the upward path toward championship baseball. 




--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof








ONE MORE TRADE FOR YANKS IN A PRETTY UNDERWHELMING TRADE DEADLINE


We all knew the Yankees weren't going to do anything significant at the trade deadline this year. If you thought otherwise, you would have been mistaken. Remember, they have their guy... Juan Soto. They really can't spend much and can't give away much because 9 times out of 10, somehow the Yankees end up paying out contracts when Cashman negotiates his trades.  In other words, somehow, we get hosed and yesterday was no different.  Yea, we got Mark Leiter Jr, but that's it.  Oh yeah, the Yankees and Padres made a move too... a move to bolster the Yankees depleted bullpen.

Pinstripe Alley writes:

"Righty pitcher Enyel De Los Santos is joining the Yankees from the Padres. Initially reported by Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, the full move has minor-league righty Thomas Balboni Jr. (wonderful name) also joining the organization. Speedster Brandon Lockridge is on his way to the Padres in the return...

De Los Santos has pitched in parts of six MLB seasons, most notably with Cleveland and San Diego since 2022. That year helped him emerge from anonymity to record a 3.04 ERA, 2.62 FIP, and a 1.069 WHIP for the AL Central-winning Guardians. De Los Santos fanned 61 batters in 53.1 innings, and combined for 3.1 shutout frames in the playoffs against the Rays and Yankees."

Is it a good move? Sure.  Am I holding my breath? Sure, I always do, because the Yankees are so streaky and so are their players.  Look, we all love Jazz Chisholm right now, but Jazz is playing like Ken Griffey Jr right now, not Jazz... let him settle in. Sure I'll take the wins, but I'm not getting crazy yet.  But I will tell you this about Jazz, the dude's so damn likable, how do you not wanna root for him. It's great.

So yea, the Yankees didn't do much, probably because their front office's arrogance on how good our team is on paper is really taking the forefront of the entire trade deadline for them. Whatever.  

We always want more, we never get it. Fire Cashman. I'm over it.





Tuesday, July 30, 2024

TRADE BETWEEN YANKS & CUBS BRINGS HOT RIGHTY ARM


The Yankees made a move to bolster their bullpen and it involved a name that the Yankees are familiar with in their history.  Leiter.

Empire Sports Media writes:

"The New York Yankees have completed a trade with the Chicago Cubs according to Jeff Passan, and it involved right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr. While his 4.21 ERA isn’t pretty, the 33-year-old right-hander is under control for two more seasons after this one...

He’s spent most of his Major League career with the Chicago Cubs, where he’s enjoyed plenty of success in late-game situations.

In return, the Yankees are dealing RHP Jack Neely and infielder Benjamin Cowles..."

Mark Leiter Jr. is the son of Mark Leiter who played for the Yankees 1 year... 1990.  And of course, his brother Al was also there.  Both Leiter Bros had solid careers in the MLB.  Now let's see how the next generation will do.  

Welcome to the Yanks, Mark!





Monday, July 29, 2024

YANKEES MAKE ANOTHER PITCH AT A BLAKE SNELL TRADE!

Let the Blake Snell speculation and rumors return again! It's the name that never goes away. The Yankees pursued him during the winter and now they are doing it again. They are desperate to improve their roster to make a playoff run and I guess old habits die hard when it comes to Snell.

According to Jon Heyman, the Yankees and five other teams have called the Giants to talk trade. Timing is everything, and the Giants are loving the position they are in right now. Seriously, they are 4.5 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot and have options to weigh before Tuesday's trade deadline. If they think they can make a run at the postseason they can hold onto him. Or, if they want to retool for next season they can trade him to the highest bidder.


Snell has turned the corner in July, so again timing is everything. This month, he has given up two runs in 24 innings with 30 strikeouts. His best start was on Saturday where he pitched 6 innings, only allowed two hits and two walks and struck out 15. Before July, his season looked like a dud with ten total starts after being plagued with injuries. His 5.1 ERA isn't impressive, but if Snell is starting to settle in after not having a typical Spring, that number could change even more.

It's not a secret, the Yankee rotation needs a lot of help. Marcus Stroman, Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodon overachieved early on and aren't getting hte job done. But do the Yankees really think Snell will? I am not convinced. The Yankees made a 6-year $150 million offer over the winter and weren't willing to go higher. They didn't need to outbid themselves, and Snell ended up settling for a 2-year $62 million contract with an opt out after this season. The Yankees weren't willing to go higher when it would've only cost a financial obligation.

I say "only" because even though the price tag is hefty, it's nothing for the New York Yankees. Now if the Yankees want Snell, they take on the rest of his contract and have to give up more prospects. The Yankees weren't willing to go higher with money, why would they give up more of the farm for what is likely to be a short-term rental? I just don't see it.

And maybe because there is nothing to see. The Yankees are good at driving up price tags, and I think this is what they could be doing here. Snell isn't as good NOW as he was in the winter when they passed on overpaying for him the first time. 

Time will tell what happens, but I am not betting on Snell coming to the Bronx... and I won't lose any sleep over it either.




--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj







Sunday, July 28, 2024

YANKEES ACQUIRE JAZZ CHISHOLM... BUT IS THAT A GOOD THING?

I mean, should we be excited? I just don't get it.


As you know by now, the Yankees have acquired Jazz Chisholm from the Marlins.  But as a 26-year-old who is injury riddled.... I can't quite figure out what the Yankees are doing.

ESPN writes: "Chisholm, 26, lengthens a Yankees lineup that has relied too heavily on Aaron Judge and Juan Soto for run production on most nights since Giancarlo Stanton was placed on the injured list last month. Signed as a shortstop out of the Bahamas, the versatile Chisholm primarily played second base in his first three major league seasons before transitioning to center field last season.

Chisholm, however, has never appeared in more than 124 games in a season as various injuries have hampered his career. A stress fracture in his lower back limited him to 60 games in his 2022 All-Star campaign and he played in 97 games last season, but he has appeared in 101 games this season. He is under team control through 2026."

So, in other words, when he's healthy, he can produce... just like Stanton or Judge.  But when he's hurt... he's just another guy on the bench like Rizzo or DJ Lemahieu.  Got it.   I leave you with this... if the Yankees are dumping 3 prospects you barely heard of in Triple-A catcher Agustin Ramírez and infielders Jared Serna and Abrahan Ramírez, gauge it that way. Are we getting a good player in return really?

Look folks.  I hope this guy is good for us, but there is really no improvement with these Yankees. The front office is clueless.  I hope he's great... but this isn't an upgrade, just keeping it real.






Friday, July 26, 2024

JASSON DOMINGUEZ ALMOST READY TO RETURN!


I gotta tell you. I am excited to see Jasson Dominguez back in the Bronx. The word is that he will be returning very soon. Well damn, it's about time.  Judge, Soto and Dominguez in the same lineup? That's a modern-day Murderer's Row!

The New York Times writes:

"Domínguez (oblique strain) is slated to head to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and could be ready to start playing in games within the week. Once the 21-year-old begins playing in games, he’ll be in consideration to join the big-league roster. But there’s a catch.... the Yankees will likely give him a week of playing games before promoting him."

I cut out Boone's quote there because it wasn't important and told me nothing. In essence, what will happen is Dominguez will be in AAA, they will see how he's moving and how he's feeling and I suspect that after next week, we will see him back in the Bronx... and that sounds great to me!

That is all!





COULD THE YANKEES BE IN THE MIX FOR THE CUBS' NICO HOERNER?

 To be honest, if Jon Morosi is claiming there's a connection, I doubt it... but humor me.


This story comes from him, and while there is always a connection between any player in the MLB and the Yankees at any time, one thing Bleeding Yankee Blue will always do is at least share what's out there, but we're very skeptical about everything.  It's like meeting a new person in my life... I go in not believing much of anything they say.... they gotta earn my trust.  It's backwards, but let's be honest... everyone walks around these days trying to top everyone else, and if they need to throw around a rumor or story that makes them feel like a big man just to get some notoriety of "likes"... they'll do it, cause everyone's a sellout.  Wow... I guess that's another bag of issues about me I need to express to my shrink next week. Anyway... this is what Morosi says this, reported by The Sporting News:

"Jon Morosi of MLB Network named the Yankees as a landing spot for Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner — along with former Yankees outfielder Mike Tauchman.

Hoerner, a 2023 Gold Glove winner, has a .257 batting average with four home runs, 30 RBI and a .686 OPS. He's fared better as of late with a 120 OPS+ over his last 11 games.

He's an elite contact hitter but doesn't provide much juice in terms of barrels and extra-base hits.

Hoerner might not make the offense completely better, but he does have a .730 OPS from the leadoff spot this season. That's a spot in the order the Yankees desperately need an upgrade.

Bringing on Hoerner would likely mean kicking Torres to the bench..."

Again, I don't believe much of this. Remember Morosi doesn't get it right much. I wrote ADD MOROSI TO THE "BASEBALL NON-INSIDER" LIST back in December. That opinion has not changed. I do however love the trade deadline season and love to see the names thrown around.

Carry on.



Thursday, July 25, 2024

TORRE MAY BE DEFENDING BOONE, BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT BOONE'S NO LEADER


Joe Torre is the latest guy to back up Boone (or I guess any manager who has struggled.)  I mean look, the big thing happening for the past four years when it comes to Aaron Boone is that he just doesn't know how to get over the hump.  

When players are clicking, pitching well, hitting well, that's always a great thing for a manager, because, well, things are just working.  But a manager's job is the hardest when they have to manage through tough stretches.  Boone don't know how to manage through tough times.  And that's where I have my biggest beef with Boone.  

He's not good at the ultimate challenge of righting the ship.  He doesn't know how to navigate through tough times and that is evident when you see him losing his mind in front of the press with profanity.  He's been exposed at that point, and he knows it.  And so, banging on the desk and suggesting that "It's right in front of us" may be a true statement, but you're never gonna achieve it if you don't know how to manage your players.

Fans will say "this is Cashman's fault, fire him."  I am not a big Cashman guy these days either, but he got the players that he could because he thought he could get us moving this year.  In essence, he really only got Soto and Verdugo.  It just so happened that the Yankees went on a tear in the beginning of the season... call that luck.  

But in the end, the players leveled out, as we predicted here at Bleeding Yankee Blue, and now, with the team in turmoil, you need a manager to lead.  A manager to take the reins, to dictate what needs to be done... not just saying "It's right in front of us" every night. 

Enter Joe Torre who makes a great statement, but an obvious one. And to be honest, he really didn't move the story forward in my eyes as much as I love the guy. Audacy has this:


"You don’t know what happens behind closed doors," Torre explained, as shared by Ryan Chichester of Audacy. "You may be sitting there in your seat saying, 'You have to do something about this guy,' but you don’t know if he has done something. 'Boonie' doesn’t miss anything. He understands what’s necessary to go out on the field and not necessarily win, but get the effort on a regular basis."

Torre suggested it's important for a manager to know how to interact with different players at different times.

"They’re not all the same, so you can't really treat them all the same," Torre continued. "You have to treat them all fairly."

"You have to gain perspective here by saying that it’s 162 games," Torre added. "Yeah, you hate to lose to the crosstown rivals. There’s a certain embarrassment to that…you’re the Yankees."

So break this down. 

First off, Joe and Bob Boone are buddies. You don't think Joe's doing a favor there for the old man's kid? Of course he is, but there's more to it... Boone misses a lot. Torre is wrong about that.  Boone makes terrible personnel changes, pitching changes, horrible lineups batting JD Davis fourth.  He doesn't go by feel, he goes by analytics and that idiot Michael Fishman in the analytics Yankee office needs to be bound and gagged and thrown in the women's room because he's wrong all the time.  That's one.

2.  Manage a game by feel.  Watch the way Bruce Bochy works... analytics is important, but so are matchups in the moment.  The best hitter in the game could come up to the plate, but you don't know how he's truly feeling. Same with the pitcher pitching to him. And is it cold, warm, rainy? Whatever analytics were compiled in a matchup, think about it, BUT THINK ABOUT THE MOMENT YOUR'E IN.  Sometimes you need to make adjustments based on a gut check.  Boone doesn't leave the book of analytics... Boone follows it like a bible and at this point it has really hurt him.  

3.  Manage the team, don't be managed.  Aaron Boone is a puppet. He is told what to do, how to build the lineup, who to play.  This has been going on since he got there and the reason why we know this is because when Joe Girardi started to do it his way, he was asked not to come back.  We all knew when Boone was being interviewed for the Yankee managerial job, he wasn't qualified, and I think that's what bothers a fan like me most. No experience... just a puppet mentality.

Now Torre is right to say that we don't know what he does behind closed doors with his players. Sure, makes sense, but what we also know is that he coddles, and he coddles more than most managers. He's a player's coach, not a manager that commands respect.  

There is a difference;  Bochy is "buddy-buddy" with his guys, but his guys respect him to guide him through the tough times.  I personally feel like Aaron Judge saying Boone "backed up his guys" last year was a pretty surface thing, meaning, it wasn't that deep because Boone isn't that deep.  Sure, Judge is right to back his manager, but Boone "backing them up" and commanding respect from his guys are two very different things.  Boone doesn't command respect. Boone just likes to have the title of manager of the New York Yankees. It doesn't mean he actually knows how to do it.  

In the end, I love Joe Torre, but let's face it, it doesn't change my mind and it shouldn't change yours either. Boone is no leader. 

He never was, he never will be.  We won't win a championship this year.  And it's all because of him.  
Boone ain't no Patton.  He's more like Paddington Bear and that's exactly how the Yankee front office likes it.

Just keeping it real.  Now go buy my new design below!




IF THE YANKEES WANT GARRETT CROCHET, HERE'S WHAT IT'LL COST


The clock is ticking. There are five days left to magically transform this roster into a World Series favorite again. Right now, they are just pretenders. There's a lot of work to do. The Yankees have a lot of needs....so just how much are the Yankees willing to give up to get it?

My wish list at this point is ridiculously long because we can't hit an oversized beach ball or miss a bat to save our life. The more I think about pitching, the less I can stomach the idea of Nestor Cortes or Carlos Rodon pitching ever again. We could use a good starter, and Jim Bowden has an idea for the Yankees HERE.

Then Chicago White Sox will be sellers, and they have plenty of suitors for Garrett Crochet. The white Sox will get a pretty penny for him, and Bowden says the Yankees could get him for these four prospects:


1. Jasson Dominguez - MLB ready, Yankees #1 prospect and future everyday outfielder.
2. Roderick Arias -Yankees #4 prospect, 19-year-old shortstop in Low-A.
3. George Lombard Jr - Yankees #5 prospect, 19-year-old shortstop in Low-A.
4. Chase Hampton - Yankees #6 and best pitching prospect with only 9 1/3 innings thrown so far.


I was talking about with some of my baseball buddies and they were not sold on giving away two Low-A shortstops. They thought it depleted the Yankees depth too much, but prospects are suspects until proven otherwise. Crochet is the arm any team would love to have, and the White Socks are going to want top rated prospects....it makes sense.

That being said, there's only one part of this package I'd want to change up. I'm not ready to just part way with Dominguez yet. I'm concerned with his ability to stay healthy, but the short time we saw him in the big leagues I liked what I saw. I'd try to hold on to him and offer up Spencer Jones. The Yankees have fielded a lot of calls for him. Teams want him....so why not? I know a lot of other people are high on Jones....but I'm not. He's 23 and struggling to hit Double-A pitching. I just don't see it.

We said earlier this week the Yankees have had a change of heart and would moves Jones in the right deal, so it's no surprise that the Yankees would consider doing the same with Dominguez....but that wouldn't be my choice. 

The Yankees are in WIN NOW mode with Juan Soto's pinstripe future uncertain so to win it all you got to make some sacrifices otherwise that trade for Soto was for nothing. Nothing should be off the table.


--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj






Wednesday, July 24, 2024

I SAW THE LINEUP FOR YANKEES VS. METS GAME & I GAVE UP

Can someone share how the heck these lineups come to be? I was discouraged once I got the lineup alert to my phone. Jahmai Jones leading off, JD Davis batting cleanup what in the actual...? Yeah, I saw the lineup for the Yankees-Mets Series and I gave up.

"In the last month, the Yankees have too often been a top-heavy mess. Anthony Volpe and Alex Verdugo particularly cratered and the first and fourth spots in the order now feel like a reality show with anybody capable of landing in those slots. In the Subway Series opener Tuesday night, it was Jahmai Jones and J.D. Davis, who you might have forgotten were even on the roster," reported The New York Post. I certainly forgot about them. 

Source: Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

But everyone knows who is leading this team: Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. Even former Yankee Luis Severino jabbed at his former team by calling the Yankees "a two man team." According to the Post, "The Yankees pretty much must find a righty complement for Verdugo (.196 batting average .556 OPS versus lefties) whether it is Jasson Dominguez or comes from the outside. This is just another area Gleyber Torres (.208 vs. lefties) and DJ LeMahieu (.118) were hurting the Yankees." 

The Yankees will need to be at the table for the trade deadline which is quickly approaching. The Series against Tampa was the best of times, worst of times kind of series. Sure they split but it was so lopsided. And it revealed so many glaring holes in the Yankees lineup. So as much as I hated the starting lineup in Tuesday's bout against the Mets, I see the desperation, which is equally concerning.

"We dominated most of the first half, so I don't think this is only about one or two players," Soto said. "It takes every single guy in the lineup and our relievers in the bullpen and everything, so I think it's not only a two-player team. I think it's a really good team right now," reported ESPN

It is a weird part of the season we are experiencing right now. A time of uncertainty and a time for revisions. The Yankees are in the midst of both. If they can find a way to win in New York before they leave for Boston and then to a series against the best in baseball Phillies, they may have the fuel they need to withstand some tough games ahead. But hitters better hit, because the lineup on Tuesday looks like surrender to me. 




--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof







CLEAN SHAVEN HARRISON BADER SENDS A MESSAGE TO CASHMAN: HERE I AM!


Call it desperation, call it respect.  I call it common sense.  Harrison Bader is a better New York Yankee than he ever will be a Met.  And guess what... he's giving the Yankees a signal.  "Trade Deadline coming, Alex Verdugo is shitting the bed... you know what to do."

Bader was a solid Yankee when he was in the Bronx. I mean sure he got hurt a lot, but if you think about how he performed when he was in the lineup, and especially in the playoffs, it kind of makes up for time missed due to injury.  

Is he the best option for production? Mixed bag, I guess.  But not for me and it comes down to one thing... wanting to be there and contribute.  Don't believe me look at a guy like Marcus Stroman.  I am not a fan, or should I say I wasn't. But there is something pretty respectable about a guy like that. Marcus Stroman WANTS to be a Yankee and it shows. His passion is evident and to be honest, that's something that appeals to me and something that I see in Bader.  

You know Bader wants to come back.  This guy cried when it was over for him in the Bronx.  It just makes sense to get this guy back. I mean, the dude is clean shaven for crying out loud. That's enough for me at this point. 





Tuesday, July 23, 2024

IF YOU'RE GONNA RIP AN ATHLETE, MAKE SURE YOU SPELL IT RIGHT


Quick note.  Now everyone makes mistakes, but sometimes when you work for a major publication it's important to double check your work.

Let me start at the beginning.  The Yankees lineup came out for tonight's Yankee / Mets game. The lineup is hardly Murderer's Row. In fact, it's not even regular row.  It's just a line up for like the Talladega Balloon Knots or something.  It's not impressive. The fact that the Yankees are relying on two guys to do great things in Aaron Judge and Juan Soto in every single game gets old quickly, especially for us Yankee fans.  The Yankee front office is killing us.  Awful... and you know Aaron Boone made that lineup.


But that gets me back to my point... mistakes.  Jose Canseco's name is Jose Canseco... not Jose Conseco, and the fact that the Sporting News took the time to wanna complain about Canseco for clicks and not even get the fucking guy's name right is a ridiculous error.  The guy is an 80's baseball icon. The guy is in the news every day.  Just google the guy.  

Big error by the Sporting News and Kevin Hickey.  Silly.  By the way, Canseco and hundreds including myself commented on this weird lineup tonight.

Win or lose tonight, no Yankee fan wants to spend a fortune on tickets parking and meals to see this lineup ever.  The Yankees need to do better. The Sporting News does too apparently.



WHY IS JUAN SOTO DOING AARON BOONE'S JOB?


You want to create friction in the clubhouse? Do what Aaron Boone does... coddle your players and never rip them when they suck.  That is what is going on right now and you all know it.  And the worst part? The worst part for Aaron Boone is now everyone is starting to take notice.  This loser's been exposed.  How do I know? Simple.

Now there are actual players calling out teammates for not pulling their weight.  When that happens, players get angry, resentful, annoyed. That's why you have managers... to right the ship.  But now what's happening is because Boone's not doing his job, others have to and it's all Boone's fault.  Here's Juan Soto:

Now he's not the only one.  David Wells gave a great example about Joe Torre back in the day. He said this on the Tierney / Licata podcast:


“In 1998, we lost three of the first four games of the year, and Joe Torre was pissed. He came in and laid it on the line,” Wells said. “That’s what you want a manager to do. He called everybody out. He called Jeter out, he called Bernie out…and this was the first 3-4 games of the season. Whatever Joe said, it resonated with everybody. We came together as a team.”

Wells doesn’t see that happening with the 2024 Yanks...“If we would get in slumps, we would talk about it, we would sit in the clubhouse after the game, we’d go out to dinner as a team…and we would talk about the game and how we can get better,” Wells said. “These guys don’t do it. They have their headphones on, they play video games, they watch film, film, and film.”

What's my point? Managers are supposed to be there to guide, to pick up, to call out guys when they suck.  Instead, Aaron Boone coddles, talks about how great they are, how they are "Right there" and they are "hitting balls hard" and "It's right in front of us."  That's to the media.  In private, clearly there is no one calling out players if Juan Soto has to go out there and publicly shame his teammates. To me... that's Soto doing Boone's job.  It also causes issues within the clubhouse and maybe this is the core of the problem.

I don't know why we continue to talk about how Aaron Boone is a bad manager for 4 years.  Oh, that's right, I do know why, because he sucks.  

The Yankee front office doesn't care about us fans and they sure as hell don't want a strong, opinionated manager in that seat, and that's why Aaron Boone is there.  The puppet lives another day.  Trust me, winning against the Rays 9-1 yesterday doesn't change the fact that this guy's a bum.  It's a damn shame.




Monday, July 22, 2024

YANKEES HAVE A CHANGE OF HEART ABOUT SPENCER JONES - BUT IS IT TOO LATE?



This is going to be a trade deadline unlike any other in recent history. It's not going to be easy for any team to upgrade their roster. Why? It all comes down to supply and demand and the Yankees may not have enough chips to play the game this time.

Realistically, there are only five teams that have zero playoff contention right now. Only the Los Angeles Angels, Oakland A's, Chicago White Sox, Colorado White Sox and the Miami Marlins are out of the hunt, so that means lots of demand to improve rosters before July 30th but very little supply. That's not a good scenario for 25 other teams.

This is NOT a good scenario for teams looking to upgrade their rosters. The Yankees know they haven't been in this scenario for a while, so to be competitive they are changing their mind about Spencer Jones, read more HERE. He's been virtually untouchable until now as it should be. I've been saying the Yankees need to be ready to move Jones for the right pieces since before the season started, but I was more committed to this idea last week when we wrote IF THE YANKEES WANT TO "WIN NOW", THEN TRADE JONES AT THE RIGHT PRICE! Reality is, any trade with the Yankees starts with Jones.


So IF the Yankees are going to get a meaningful piece that improves this team the Yankees not only need to give away Jones, but others.....and that could be the hard part. The Yankees already gave up a lot over the winter just to get Juan Soto so the Yankees are in a disadvantage when it comes to other desirable pieces when you compare them to other teams, even division rivals.

I'm not gonna lie, I have been watching Tarik Skubal a lot, and could see him in pinstripes but so do many other teams. I'd be surprised if the Tigers decided to move him. They've said they would have to be completely overwhelmed to do it and it makes sense. Rumor has it, the Baltimore Orioles are very interested and are prepared to open their prospect pool to get him. Their prospect pool is definitely a lot deeper than the Yankees and they proved they weren't afraid to tap into it when they traded for Corbin Burnes


This trade deadline is going to look different. I think the Yankees waited too long to come to the realization that Jones isn't untouchable. The more he struggles in Double-A, the less he will bring back in a trade.

 There's not a lot out there to buy....and what is for sale is going to come at a premium. Trades will be very expensive this year folks.....buckle up.



--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj