IF THE YANKEES ONLY FIRE BOONE, IT DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM!

The "FIRE BOONE" chants are at an all-time high (as they should be). Even though BOONE PREDICTED TO BE TOAST BY SEPTEMBER would make most of Yankeeland happy when it happens....it's not enough. 

That should only be the start. I say should because I don't think Hal Steinbrenner will be smart enough to do what is REALLY needed to fix the organization. He just doesn't have the knowledge (or I would argue desire) to start a new legacy. Firing Baboonie is only step 1 in this gigantic mess of a franchise. The manager is only a small biproduct of the real problem.

Mickey Mouse could be the manager of this team and it wouldn't matter. Until Brian Cashman is gone the identity of the manager is irrelevant. Cashman is the puppet master and even if Aaron Boone is fired, Cashman is just going to bring in a clone of Baboonie. It will be someone else that Cashman can control. The reality is until the ENTIRE organization is stripped down and rebuilt from the top all the way down to the bottom nothing is going to change. I do mean everything. From the coaching staff, medical staff, training staff, scouts, analytics team and contributors in the front office. Burn the whole thing down and start over! As painful as that may sound to some people, it would not be an addition by subtraction.

Unless Cashman and his crazy ideas on how to construct this team are gone this team will not evolve or win. Cashman's ideas are crazy. The rosters he has built over the years are insanely stupid and some of the contracts he's given are certifiably stupid. Some of his most criticized moves include the signings of Jacoby Ellsbury, Kei Igawa, Carl Pavano, and the trade for Javier Vazquez. We can't forget about the extensions given to Aaron Hicks and Aroldis Chapman. I still think about all of these....and Giancarlo Stanton isn't going to be pretty when that is said and done. The list is quite lengthy, he's been screwing up since 1998.

It's painful to think about how we went from a real thinker in Gene Michael who understood that the farm system is meant to develop good talent to benefit the Yankees to Cashman who only values the farm for trade chips. He cant draft the best pieces for the Yankees to develop in the Bronx....they have to be used as trade chips. It hasn't worked out well for us considering we haven't won a championship since 2009.

If the Yankees miss the playoffs for the second time in three years firing Baboonie isn't enough. It's not even a band-aid fix. It's an embarrassment. It's time to strip it down. Time to fly the "Fire Boone" and "Fire Cashman" banners together!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

RODON'S JOURNEY HAS BEEN INSPIRING!

Let’s be honest—when Carlos Rodón first put on the pinstripes, he might as well have shown up in clown shoes and a fake nose. Big contract, bigger expectations, and… a start that felt like Carl Pavano: The Sequel. The injuries. The inconsistency. The thousand-yard stare after a three-inning meltdown. Yankee fans weren't just skeptical—we were practically sharpening pitchforks in the Bronx.

Then came the facial hair saga. First the beard—gone. Then the mustache phase, where Rodón looked like he should be tying someone to train tracks or robbing a saloon. It was all part of an identity crisis that mirrored his pitching. Was he the ace we paid for or just another name on the Yankees’ long list of cautionary tales?

But here’s the twist: Rodón stuck with it. 

He didn’t run from the pressure, didn’t make excuses, and didn’t try to beard his way out of trouble. And now, in 2025, he’s doing what many of us thought he might never do—he’s shoving. Consistently. Confidently. Quietly.

On Tuesday night, Rodón was absolutely filthy. He blanked the Angels over seven innings, struck out 10, and made Anaheim’s hitters look like they’d never seen a fastball before. Not a single baserunner got past second. It was clinical, it was dominant, and—frankly—it was everything Yankee fans have been dying to see.

This wasn’t just another win. This was Rodón stepping into the void left by Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil, and saying, “I got this.” His ERA’s down to 2.60. The Yankees are rolling. And Rodón, against all odds, is starting to look like the co-ace we hoped for.

Let that sink in. Carlos Rodón, the same guy we once feared might be the next chapter in the “Disaster Contracts” section of Yankees history, is now one of the most reliable arms in the rotation. He’s tough. He’s efficient. He’s throwing darts.

I’ll admit it—I was ready to slap the Pavano label on him and never look back. But Rodón? He kept grinding. The Yankees kept believing. And now, I’m eating crow with a side of humble pie—and loving every bite of it.

If there's any justice in baseball, this version of Carlos Rodón should be headed to the All-Star Game. He’s earned it. He’s endured it. And maybe, just maybe, we’re finally witnessing his true Yankee moment.

So here’s to you, Carlos. Keep mowing ’em down. Keep proving us wrong. And please—stay mustache-free unless it’s for a postseason villain arc, in which case... let’s ride.

METS ALREADY PLAYING UP HOLMES LIKE HE'S THE NEXT MARIANO...

 But Yankee fans know differently.

Leave it to the Mets to use the media to hype up Clay Holmes as if he’s about to become the greatest closer of all time. Let’s be real—they kind of have to.

Why? Because Mets fans already know they overpaid for Holmes. Sure, he was an All-Star with the Yankees, but by the end of last season, he had lost his way in the Bronx. Now, the Mets are in full spin mode, selling him as the next big thing to justify signing him to a three-year, $38 million deal.

To be clear, Holmes isn’t a bad guy or a terrible closer. He’s a solid pitcher—when he’s not stumbling. But let’s not pretend he’s on the level of Mariano Rivera or Dennis Eckersley. He’s not even in the Cy Young conversation. If anything, maybe he’s a more likable version of Carl Pavano.

And now, here we are, with Mets PR pushing the narrative that Holmes is a game-changer. The latest example? NJ.com reported that Holmes threw three simulated innings on the first day of pitchers and catchers, something no other Mets starter did. Manager Carlos Mendoza even chimed in:

"The fact that on day one of pitchers and catchers, he’s already at three ups, that’s pretty impressive. You got to give him credit because that shows all the work that he did as soon as we signed him, like I said, with the mindset that he was making that transition. So he knew he needed to get here and (be) ready to go to face hitters."

Come on, man. It’s Day 1 of spring training. Let’s pump the brakes on the Clay Holmes hype train.

ROKI SASAKI: A YANKEE PIPE DREAM

Baseball’s version of a generational talent auction is here, and Roki Sasaki, the flamethrowing prodigy from Japan, is about to make MLB general managers everywhere wish they had an unlimited budget (or at least more convincing PowerPoint presentations). Jeff Passan of ESPN dropped the news today: Sasaki will be posted at the Winter Meetings, opening a 45-day frenzy after January 15th for teams to throw their proverbial hats—and wallets—into the ring.

For the Yankees, this is like showing up at a billionaire auction with a shiny nickel and a dream. The Bombers are not the frontrunners as it is being reported, but could you imagine a Yankees offseason where they didn’t at least act like they had a shot? The pinstripes are practically contractually obligated to wine, dine, and Zoom Sasaki in hopes of convincing him that the concrete jungle is better than, say, sunny Los Angeles or surfy San Diego.  

Let’s be honest: the Dodgers are like that kid in school who aces every test, wins class president, and still manages to be voted “Most Likely to Succeed.” They’ve already got Shohei Ohtani on speed dial and a West Coast address that screams, “Hey, you won’t need a snowblower here!” Add to that their reputation for turning talented players into Hall of Famers, and it’s no wonder they’re leading the charge.

Then there’s the Padres, baseball’s version of the scrappy underdog who occasionally punches way above their weight. They’ll likely try to lure Sasaki with promises of beaches, fish tacos, and a chance to dethrone the Dodgers in the NL West. San Diego might not have the Yankees’ or Dodgers history, but they’ve got that “Hey, we’re fun!” energy.

Now back to the Yankees. Yes, Sasaki is every scout’s dream—a 2.10 career ERA with 1,543 strikeouts in 394.2 innings in the NPB. That’s the kind of stat line that makes even the most stoic analytics guy get misty-eyed. The kid’s arm is so electric it might as well come with a surge protector.

The race for Roki Sasaki is shaping up to be a blockbuster. Will the Yankees play the underdog card and somehow win him over with the promise of Broadway shows and unlimited bagels? Will the Dodgers just flex their baseball empire muscle and sign him while barely breaking a sweat? Or will the Padres convince him that a SoCal vibe beats East Coast hustle?

Whatever happens, it’s going to be an offseason to remember. Stay tuned for what’s bound to be a wild ride.

WOULD THE YANKEES TARGET PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT?

The Yankees are no strangers to bold moves and high-risk signings, so it’s no shocker that whispers are swirling about seven-time All-Star and 2022 NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt possibly manning first base in the Bronx come 2025. But before we roll out the red carpet, let’s dig into what this really means—because as Yankees fans, we’ve learned to hope for a parade but prepare for a circus.

Goldschmidt’s résumé is undeniable. His 2022 season was video-game good: .317/.404/.578, 35 home runs, 41 doubles, and 115 RBIs. He was the engine of the Cardinals’ lineup and looked every bit the MVP. But here’s the catch—2022 feels like ancient history in baseball terms. His last two seasons have been… let’s call them “fine,” but not exactly “flashy billboard in Times Square” material. At 37, he’s no spring chicken, and while the Yankees have been known to bet on experience, sometimes those bets age about as well as milk.

Still, the timing isn’t crazy. The Cardinals are reportedly ready to move on from Goldy, opting for a “reset” in 2025. His $130 million contract expires at the end of the season, making him a free agent. For a team like the Yankees, always chasing October glory and occasionally forgetting about November regret, a short-term, cost-effective deal could be appealing. Maybe a one-year, $10 million pact? That’s pocket change for Hal Steinbrenner’s wallet—barely enough to cover the electricity bill for Yankee Stadium’s floodlights.

But let’s be real: is this the guy to solve the Yankees’ first-base problem? If Rizzo hangs up his cleats or opts for a quieter life full of golden retrievers and pasta, Goldschmidt could bring a steady glove and some veteran poise. On the other hand, the Yankees have been burned before by aging stars with shiny pasts. (Hello, 2005 Randy Johnson. Hi, Jacoby Ellsbury. We see you, Carl Pavano.)

And what about his bat? In Yankee Stadium, where lefties thrive with that tantalizing short porch, Goldschmidt’s right-handed swing might not translate into the 30-homer season fans dream of. Could he still drive in runs? Sure. But will he silence the inevitable boos by mid-June if he’s batting .240? Unlikely.

Then there’s the clubhouse factor. Goldschmidt has always been a consummate professional, the type of player who lets his bat do the talking. That kind of steady presence could be valuable in a locker room that sometimes feels like it’s one loss away from a reality TV meltdown. But is he dynamic enough to bring the spark this team needs?

At best, Goldschmidt is a low-cost, high-upside addition—a potential 2025 redemption story who helps the Yankees navigate Soto’s theoretical megadeal without completely blowing up the payroll. At worst, he’s the latest in a long line of former stars who make their farewell tour in pinstripes feel more like a farewell plod.

So, could Goldschmidt be the Yankees’ first baseman in 2025? Absolutely. Should we be cautiously optimistic? Sure. Will we be holding our breath? Only when he’s running out a double. Whatever happens, this is the Yankees we’re talking about—hope for the best, expect the bizarre, and prepare to cheer like crazy either way.

"THE MOST HATED MAN IN THE BRONX"

It was four years of hell.

In the winter of 2004, the New York Yankees were in desperate need of solid pitching. Following a humiliating collapse in the 2004 ALCS against the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees' front office was under immense pressure to bolster their rotation. Enter Carl Pavano, a pitcher who had just come off a stellar season with the Florida Marlins, where he posted an 18-8 record with a 3.00 ERA and helped his team clinch the World Series in 2003. Yankees fans saw Pavano as the potential savior of their beleaguered pitching staff, and the Yankees, eager to make a splash, signed him to a four-year, $39.95 million contract on December 20, 2004.

The excitement surrounding Pavano's arrival quickly turned to disappointment. In his first season with the Yankees in 2005, Pavano struggled to find his form. He started 17 games, managing a mediocre 4-6 record with a 4.77 ERA. Pavano's season was cut short due to shoulder inflammation, and he was placed on the disabled list in late June, missing the remainder of the season.  The following seasons saw Pavano's tenure with the Yankees devolve into a running joke. In 2006, he didn't pitch a single game due to various injuries, including a bruised buttock, broken ribs from a car accident he failed to report immediately, and recurring elbow pain. Yankees fans were beginning to see Pavano as the embodiment of wasted money and unmet expectations. His reputation was further tarnished by reports of him being unwilling to play through pain, earning him the derisive nickname "American Idle" from fans and media alike.

In 2007, Pavano made a brief return to the mound, starting the season as part of the Yankees' rotation. However, his comeback was short-lived. After only two starts, Pavano was once again sidelined, this time requiring Tommy John surgery, effectively ending his season. His two starts were unimpressive, and his continued absence fueled further resentment among the Yankees faithful.

Pavano's 2008 season was a last-ditch effort to redeem himself. He managed to pitch in seven games, achieving a 4-2 record with a 5.77 ERA. While there were fleeting moments of competence, it was clear that Pavano's time in New York was coming to an end. His best performance for the Yankees arguably came on August 23, 2008, when he pitched five innings and allowed only three hits in a win against the Baltimore Orioles. However, this isolated moment of success did little to erase the memories of his injury-plagued tenure.

Carl Pavano's contract mercifully expired after the 2008 season, and the Yankees did not pursue re-signing him. His departure was met with a collective sigh of relief from Yankees fans, who viewed his signing as one of the most regrettable moves in recent memory. Pavano finished his Yankees career with a 9-8 record and a 5.00 ERA over four seasons, having pitched in only 26 games.

Yankees fans' disdain for Pavano was palpable. The New York Post famously dubbed him "The Most Hated Man in the Bronx" due to his inability to stay healthy and contribute to the team's success. Pavano's legacy with the Yankees is one of unfulfilled potential and constant frustration. Despite his promising start, his time in New York is remembered as a cautionary tale of high expectations and disastrous outcomes.

Carl Pavano's tenure with the Yankees is a stark reminder that not all high-profile signings lead to success. His story is often cited when discussing the pitfalls of investing heavily in players with a history of injuries, making it a lesson that resonates with Yankees fans to this day.

--Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor

WHAT ARE WE PAYING YOU FOR CARLOS RODON?

We've been here before Yankee fans. Carl Pavano was an absolute loser. Jacoby Ellsbury's contract was a disgrace, and the guy was always hurt.  Frankie Montas just needs to be dropped off in middle of the country with $20 bucks and a "Good luck" post-it stuck to his forehead. There is nothing worse than getting a new guy, a guy that's supposed to be the difference maker for a team and they just lay an egg early and are useless.  And that is where we are when it comes to Carlos Rodon right now.

We wanted this guy. We trusted this guy would be the 3rd punch in our rotation after Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes... and he's been everything else instead.  It blows.

Yardbarker writes:

"Rodon experienced discomfort in his back in early April. New York shut him down for a few days before sending him to have a second CT scan; The results came back positive.

Speaking to the media prior to Sunday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, "Hopefully, he continues with the throwing program throughout the week and hopefully the back continues to subside, but I don't think it's anything major structurally from the test."

Having his throwing program pushed back means that Rodon is looking at a mid-June..."

$163 million to rehab a bad back. Seems like a steal for Rodon and not for the Yankees.  

Now I understand that no one can predict when an injury happens, but one thing I do know is that the MLB and their teams have some of the best physicians out there and something just doesn't sit right with me when it comes to the medical staff of the Yankees and these recent trades.  Guys like Montas and Rodon were delivered essentially hurt to the Bronx.  Why? What physical are we doing that they pass just to be injured later? Why does it keep happening? 

I'm suspicious about our medical staff. I have been for a while. We kind of need some answers, cause right now the perception is that guys like Rodon and even Montas are damaged goods and when it comes to Yankeeland, you don't want us fans against you before you take the mound officially. In fact, it's a death sentence.

Get well quick Carlos...we are losing our patience.

YANKEE FANS CAN GET A SIGNIFICANT RODON UPDATE HERE!

I don't believe it. I just do NOT believe it.  I hope this guy isn't out all season, I'm starting to get antsy. It looks like Rodon's come back from injury could be on hold even longer. I just threw up in my mouth.

Fansided writes:

"Fans in the Bronx are still waiting for their high-priced acquisition to throw his first pitch of the season.

Rodon began the year on the injured list with a left forearm injury. The Yankees were hopeful it would only sideline him for a few weeks. The latest news on the 30-year-old southpaw further delays his potential Yankees debut. Stiffness in Rodon's back has pushed his progress back "a few days" according to manager Aaron Boone."

A few things here. First off, Boone is saying "a few days" but Boone is the puppet of this crew. He says what Yankee management want him to say. He has no insight.  So that's one.

Two is back issues when it comes to pitchers scare the hell out of me. It bothered me with Don Mattingly and that guy was a dynamic hitting first baseman.  I can't imagine what is really going on behind the scenes with Rodon, his back, and Cashman wondering if he blew this acquisition like he did Frankie Montas. So far if you think about it, Cashman hasn't done a thing right with his pick-ups. Think about it.

Anyway look, I really hope Rodon gets well soon. No one wants to hear about stuff like this, especially Yankee fans. Let's just hope this guy isn't the NEXT Carl Pavano.

DON'T BE MAD AT ONLY FRANKIE MONTAS, FOLKS!

This is the Carl Pavano 2.0 trade. Is it too soon to call this trade a disaster? Because right now it feels like it. It's also hard NOT to be agitated at several parties.

I agree with Casey's post: DON'T TRY AND BE A HERO, FRANKIE MONTAS because his confession doesn't spare him from scrutiny, in my opinion. Sure, no one can blame him from wanting to get out of Oakland, but why not just keep your damn mouth shut, Frankie? My mom taught me I don't always need to SAY what I am thinking in my head. That couldn't be truer here.

When players are traded, they have physicals. So standard protocol here, Yankees trade for Frankie Montas and he gets a clean bill of health from Yankee doctors. In exchange for Montas we send Cooper Bowman, Luis Medina, JP Sears (above) and Ken Waldichuk to Oakland. We were supposed to get one full year before Montas hit free agency but, now that will be a few months if we are lucky. We got hosed ladies and gentlemen. 

Literally. We gave up some good pieces for a guy that made eight starts and pitched to a 6.35 ERA. Even Brian Cashman knows how bad this is and said, "obviously he wasn’t healthy, so the trade goes into a bad category," Cashman said. "We gave up assets and we didn’t get anything for it," read more HERE. So, thank you Cashman for admitting the A's are laughing at us because we dropped the ball, and they still have a good return. It's time to stop shopping in Oakland, Cashman. It's not working out well for us.

As mad as I am that Frankie opened his big mouth and Cashman admitted what we are all thinking what about the accountability Yankee doctors should have for this? It's their job to perform these standard physicals and find any concerns. So the Giants and Mets could do it with loser Carlos Correa but our doctors can't? Maybe we should be shopping for new "medical experts" because we could've caught that. Even Frankie knew he didn't have the "clean bill of health" Cashman said our doctors gave him. We look stupid.

At he end of the day, we gave away four guys with upside for a short-term rental. You can't make up this kind of insanity and at the end of the day no one is held accountable for it. The medical staff and Cashman all walk away with money in their pockets....and I hate it.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

DON'T TRY AND BE A HERO, FRANKIE MONTAS

Sometimes it's better to just keep your mouth shut. 

Frankie Montas is pretty much to most hated Yankee ever. It was Carl Pavano for a while. Many couldn't stand Sonny Gray. But now it's Frankie Montas. Why? Because he wasn't truthful with his injury. He was just trying to be a hero. And when you do that in Yankeeland and you're wrong, you're toast. Why? Because the fan base will crucify you.

ESPN writes:

"Frankie Montas said he was not "100 percent" healthy last year when he was traded to the New York Yankees and emphasized that he expects to pitch this season...

"I was trying to push through," Montas told reporters, according to MLB.com. "I got traded to a new team and wanted to show what I could do. Things didn't go the way I was expecting."

This is the world we live in folks. A world of heroes and a bunch of new generation people that think that fake news and deception is the new way of life. What ever happened to honesty? What ever happened to being truthful?

And more to that. Didn't the Yankees give this guy a physical? This injury couldn't be picked up in that? I find the whole thing a big annoying.

For me... I move on, but not without taking a shot at this guy.  Don't try and be a hero when you come to New York, Frankie. Just don't. I would be a lot better with this if he literally came to us and the Yankees announced there was tenderness or a strain or something. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd still be pissed, but I would know there was some honesty going into the rest of the season. Instead, we got a guy that was broken before he even got to the Bronx.

What a bunch of shit.

Go away Frankie Montas... go away.

DONALDSON & HICKS TOPPING THE LIST OF PUBLIC ENEMIES OF YANKEE FANS

Source: Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

So I have been doing a lot of deep reflection on this upcoming Yankee team based on my post traumatic stress leftover from last year's failure to get passed the Houston Astros into the World Series. Last week I wrote about Aaron Hicks and the bs that he is the frontrunner for the starting left field job. I shared my elation with Aroldis Chapman as he exited the Bronx. But now I am bracing myself for the fact that Josh Donaldson is likely the front runner for the starting third base job. He just doesn't deserve it nor the big salary the Yankees are giving him. So, today's piece unpacks Donaldson and Hicks and their rise to top of public enemies list for Yankee fans.

Source: MLB.com

According to the New York Post, "When general manager Brian Cashman has proclaimed Donaldson the starting third baseman and Hicks the frontrunner in left field, it resonates with the fan base as if he is championing Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Pavano for Monument Park. Mainly due to their big salaries and small production, Donaldson and Hicks currently are enemies No. 1 and No. 1A of the Pinstripe State."

I have deep dislike for players who are hanging around to collect money for work they don't or are incapable of doing. Donaldson doesn't have the bat speed to keep up with today's pitching and Hicks can't hit a lick nor does he put in the effort necessary to be a star outfielder. Heck he isn't even a mediocre outfielder.

"If not for what they were owed (plus Donaldson’s less-than-pristine reputation), the Yankees would have traded Donaldson, Hicks or both in the offseason. Hicks has three years at $30.5 million still due — plus he would receive a $1 million assignment bonus if traded. Donaldson, between his 2023 salary and a 2024 buyout, is due $27 million," reported The Post. 

We have two really great prospects who could easily slide into these positions in Oswaldo Cabrera and Anthony Volpe. Volpe likely will be in the running for the starting shortstop position and Cabrera has already proven himself in the outfield. Both are more than capable of the corner infield position, which is occupied by Donaldson, who other than his defense, offers nothing to this Yankee team. And his attitude certainly doesn't scream Yankee lore to me either.

"Donaldson did not endear himself to the fans for, among other things, going into homer trots on several flyballs that were not homers, but mainly for his strikeout addiction, which worsened late in the season and carried into a 5-for-29, zero-RBI, 16-whiff postseason. That included a 1-for-13, 10-strikeout eyesore in the ALCS versus Houston— in which Donaldson’s mere appearance in the on-deck circle at Yankee Stadium brought derision," reported The Post.

Source: Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

So brace yourself, fans—Cashman believes his big salary signings will rise to the top of the spring training competition in a few short weeks. Which could mean we are stuck with Hicks and Donaldson at least until they get hurt, which they undoubtedly will or just suck so much that Aaron Boone will be forced to give them some days to reset. If they have not been able to contribute so far, what makes this their standout year? We will find out this and much more soon. 

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

FRANKIE MONTAS & CARL PAVANO MUST BE FRIENDS

Frankie Montas drives me nuts and he hasn't even been with the Yankees that long. It was kind of the same way I felt about Carl Pavano when he came to New York. 

Often injured and looked like he never was going to return to the Yankees rotation.  Jacoby Ellsbury was another one. I pulled my hair out. The guy would be healthy, but oh wait, he just pulled a hamstring.

Frankie Montas was a pitcher that the Yankee fan base wanted only because the media fueled our need for him. We never really needed Frankie Montas. And now that we have him, he's literally a 6th starter, the odd man out... the guy that we no longer need because, let's face it, he's not that good. 

Now comes word he's hurt. How convenient.

The New York Post writes:

"Frankie Montas’ first full season with the Yankees will start much in the same way his ended last year, with the right-hander dealing with shoulder inflammation.

Montas is expected to miss the first month of the 2023 regular season and is, according to sources, between eight and 10 weeks behind in his offseason training."

Whatever.  Maybe and up and comer with our team can slip into that 5th starter slot and we can be done with Frankie.  He does nothing for me.

CASHMAN - THE RICH KID

We all remember them. I'm not saying they are bad kids. I'm not saying that at all. Nope. If you're looking for an "Eat the Rich" Class Warrior...that ain't me, babe. It ain't me you're lookin' for... babe.

No, what I'm making the comparison to is the kid in school that seemed to have it all without being driven or talented enough to earn it on his or her own smoke. I myself went to high school with one kid in particular that had no athletic ability, no hidden talents and grades that would make him a scratch golfer! And despite the shortcomings on all fronts, he was accepted to Princeton (Early Admission). PRINCETON!!! This simpleton went to the Ivy League when he should've been playing catcher in a slow pitch softball beer league!! How? Why? A big bank roll that could buy away problems of ANY type.

Brian Cashman IS that same kid on the Major League level...only unlike my buddy Jimmy in High School, Cashman is an arrogant, analytic jerk off.  There, I said it.

He had the foundation built by MASTERS (Stick Michael and Buck Showalter). He has money to burn and has tossed it on HOUSE FIRES like Pavano, Ellsbury and McCann, etc, etc, etc. 

I believe Brian Cashman is a JOKE of a GM!! Look, Boonie is over his skis too, no question about that, BUT this is Cashman's ass 1st as far as I'm concerned. 

The sad thing is Hal, Randy and Lon seem like they are just corporate stooges in most companies thinking, "F it. I'm rich and will stay that way. Why rock the boat?" I genuinely dislike that cabal of clowns. 

The Boss would not only have canned this collection of company man cowards (Hal too), but he would also have had their houses in Vail torched and they would have all woken up with the heads of their prized stud horses lying next to them under their 1,000,000,000, thread count silk sheets!

Name one baseball move Brian Cashman made on his own that he's been right about. Do it. DO IT.  His "tough guy" talk to Derek Jeter, remember that? He'll do the same to Aaron Judge. He is a mutt. A bank rolled mutt who thinks he's good at his job. 

Remember he was still on the leash when he bought ARod and got the stacked crew for 2009. Cashman is complacent, has no baseball IQ and carries a weakly veiled contempt for the Yankee Fans. Show him the door. I hope he lands in Tampa, and they become doormats again because it'd be Cashman with no checkbook.

The Yankees didn't deserve to beat the ASStros. They didn't hit. They were mismanaged and lifeless aside from rock star Harrison Bader. It's on the players...but Cashman should hang for it. And he should before the Yankees offer Judge his deal. This hobbit has WAY overstayed his welcome. 

The Yankees look and feel like the Yankees of the 80s again. Big Names, CRAZY money and no plan. Get Jeter and Donnie in here to turn this ship around. Sometimes you need to fix a baseball team with actual BASEBALL people and not these video game zeroes holding calculators, spreadsheets...and Daddy's checkbook in case they F it up royally.

Time for change.

This one's for you Brian!

SCREAM IT DICKY!!

--Mike O'Hara
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @mikeyoh21

SMOKE & MIRRORS & THE KEVIN BROWN EFFECT

It's like the scene in "JAWS" when everyone is on Amity Beach enjoying a fun-filled summer day. Suddenly they're drawn into a nightmare when a pretty, young, hippie girl yells, "Sh-Shark! There's a SHARK IN THE POND!"

That's just like today in Yankee Fanland...except instead of yelling "Shark" she's yelling, "SLUMP!! THERE IN A SLUMP IN THE BRONX!" We stink as of late...like company that's overstayed their invite or 3 day old flounder you brought home in a doggy bag and forgot in the back of the fridge. 

But maybe...hear me out...maybe it's been a lot of smoke and mirrors? Look, Aaron Judge is ALL WORLD. He should be offered 300 million over 7 years, a player option on the 8th and name him Captain. That's the break wall. Just offer that. If he turns it down...well, I'd be disappointed but not shocked. He may know what many of us do and don't want to say out loud...this team isn't going anywhere. 

Stanton has been great...but never healthy. DJ has bounced back and is effective...but ain't gonna carry the club. We FLAT OUT overpaid and over valued Gerrit Cole. He is an ace...at times. When the planets are aligned, the weather is a comfortable 77 degrees, winds are moderate at 5 to 7mph and out of the south, south east and the Yanks are at home...playing Baltimore. 

Sevy? He's broken. Nestor? He's a great story and a 5th starter or long man in disguise. Jameson? I need at least 5 to 6 shots of Jameson watching him. Frankie? That's the Kevin Brown effect Cashman LOVES to pull. We didn't get you a Warrior on the bump like Schilling...HERE'S KEVIN BROWN!! Then he blows up like a gender reveal stunt in the ALCS!!

The rest of the roster is O-K to poor. Donaldson is not going to cut it. He may run into one here and there but he's been Clint Frazier playing the infield. 

I-K-F is a W-T-F. What was Cashman thinking there? Go get Didi. It's a move sideways and he's loved in the clubhouse. I love Benny as a pickup. He is a solid player and is a major upgrade from Joey (so no harm no foul there). He looks the part of a Yankee and it drives the Massholes mad.

Aaron Hicks gets his own paragraph for all the WRONG reasons. This guy sucks. No sugar coating on this one. He was a bum in Minnesota and an often injured bum here. He should be selling pretzels in the
centerfield concessions stands not playing on the field. The BEST centerfielder they have in the big fella wearing #99. (when healthy it should be Benny, Judge, Stanton Left to Right...EVERYDAY!). Hicks is killing this team. 

He is an automatic out and it's time for him to go to the land of forgettable Yankees with the likes of Pavano, Brown, Gallo and Maas. Cashman's ego may be holding on to him...Brian is WRONG.

The rest of this club is just like the others. We have two closers...one a once great one on his way out and one a pickup from Pittsburgh that was over his skis in the first half. The Pen is taxed already and the stretch won't be kind to them.

At it's core I believe, like so many clubs, the Yankees have WAY over hyped their farm. For every Aaron Judge who pans out there is a full bus load of bushers that never will. But we hold onto them and miss out on trigger pulls The Boss wouldn't have ever allowed. Yes, George almost pissed away Mo and Jeter, but he wouldn't have let Soto go to save Volpe. We got Frankie we NEEDED Luis. We traded Monty...again, it won't kill us but he was more reliable than Tallion!

The Yankees got a lot of breaks early on. The Two Towers were ranking (Judge still is). The staff looked strong, but you could see the strings and tape if you looked closely. They are better constructed

over in Queens...kills me to say that but it's a fact.

I don't blame the skipper...I blame Brian Cashman. 

He has the checkbook and means to always be competitive...but not the real baseball sense to make better moves. He was lauded at the deadline for being active...but c'mon his act was a cover band. It was a D+. Benny was a good move, but not enough to make up for Hicks on this team or Stanton being hurt...again.

The 2022 Yankees are a front...a put on. The Pinstripes are sharpie'd on this year. There is no true backbone.

My fear isn't the Yankees not winning the series...no. My fear is the 2023 Yankees lose Judge and return a team of older, overpaid, overhyped, overvalued players....and it's 1985 for the next 10 seasons...and Stick Michael ain't here to save us.


Tell 'em Pete...

--Mike O'Hara

BYB Contributor

Twitter: @mikeyoh21