CONCERNED YET ABOUT YANKEES STARTING PITCHING?

Source: AP

I love all of the banter about shortstops and left fielders swirling around the 2023 Yankees. Infield and outfield depth, impressive rookies pounding the ball and laughable Aaron Hicks nonsense have filled my social media feeds and likely yours as well. But what I am actually most concerned about is Yankee starting pitching or lack of it. I have been underwhelmed by the Yankee rotation so far this spring and guess what, if we don't get that buttoned up, it doesn't matter who the starting shortstop is.

Exhibit 1—Wednesday afternoon slugfest: Luis Severino gives up four earned runs against the Phillies raising ERA to 10.64 in Grapefruit League play.

Exhibit 2—Friday night lights: Domingo German gives up four homeruns against the Tigers

Exhibit 3—Saturday afternoon: Nestor Cortes is not so nasty in his outing against the Toronto Blue Jays giving up home runs to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Whit Merrifield. Analysts calling the game said it looked like they were hitting off a tee.

Source: AP

I point out these three games because we are nearing the end of Spring Training and other than Gerrit Cole, the Yankee starting rotation does not have a look and feel of a championship one. Now, I realize that as I write this, it is early. But I wish I had the faith in pitching that I have in the rookie position players.

"Last time Severino pitched, allowing two home runs against the Tigers in Lakeland, he admitted that his slider “sucks.” On Wednesday, Severino’s slider was better, but his fastball command faltered," reported NJ.com. Severino does not look himself and hasn't for some time. His control has been off and he does not have that swagger that he needs to have to be confident and impactful. Severino is a guy the Yankees will need to lean on especially that Carlos Rodon is on the IL at least until May and Frankie Montas will be out most of season.

"The best starting rotations are the ones when you have a deep talented staff, and every day, yesterday’s starter hands the ball off and the competitive spirit to his teammate and says, ‘Now top that.’ If you can get a collection of talented pitchers that have that type of capability and makeup, that’s when some magical things have a chance to happen,” reported MLB.com. Yea, the Yankees don't seem to have what Aaron Boone was preaching right before pitchers and catchers reported in February.

So now what? How will the Yankees best their competition with the current rotation? As Forbes points out, "The health of those three starters will mean a great deal to the fortunes of the Yankees." Those three starters are collectively: Montas, Severino and Cortes. You can throw Rodon into the mix as well because we have seen nothing from him but the outing nightmare he had before being shut down. 

I think I make a good case for concern for Yankee pitching and if I had the opportunity to ask our manager what he is doing to plan for this, I absolutely would put him in the hot seat. The Yankees will go no further into the postseason as they have done in years past, let alone make the postseason, unless they are preparing their bullpen for the inevitable—low innings for starting pitching that is not quite ready for prime time. 

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

BREAKING: NESTOR CORTES HURT! OUT OF THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC

This just came down a short time ago. It looks like Nestor Cortes is not going to be participating in  the World Baseball Classic and it's because he's hurt. That sucks, but better the WBC than the regular season with the Yankees.

Elite Sports NY writes:

"Yankees southpaw Nestor Cortes will not participate in the World Baseball Classic due to a right hamstring injury. He told reporters Monday in Tampa that he hopes to be ready for the start of the season. But he will be off a mound for at least two weeks with a Grade 2 strain."

Bryan Hoch has the video out of Tampa on his Twitter:

Nestor Cortes has a Grade 2 right hamstring strain that will keep him off the mound for two weeks. As such, he will not pitch in the World Baseball Classic. pic.twitter.com/VYDNCxBTRk

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) February 13, 2023

That is all for now. Let's hope the injury doesn't linger. We need a healthy Nestor for sure!

Get well soon buddy.

NESTOR CORTES IS A TOTAL FAN FAVORITE

You gotta root for a guy like Nestor Cortes. 

The road has been long. But the best part about Nestor is that he's determined and hard working.  This is the type of guy that visualizes what he wants to accomplish and no matter how long it is, will work on it. This is the type of guy that grew up working hard, understanding sacrifice and understanding patience.  Nestor is a fan favorite because of it. It's the American way.

NJ.com writes: 

"Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes avoided arbitration on Friday night by agreeing to a $2.3 million contract for 2023, according to several reports.

Cortes then delivered an emotional message on Twitter: “It’s a special day for my family and me. Specially my parents. Sacrificed so much for the “American dream”. Always put me ahead of their needs. For EVERYONE keep grinding and stay hungry. This is the start! No matter what comes next.”

Nestor is a class act, a leader. 

Cortes will also represent Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.  But get this, he's gonna make sure he doesn't ignore his Cuban roots.

SI.com writes:

"...the Yankees southpaw will pitch for Team USA in the 2023 installment.

Cortes called the invitation a “full-circle moment,” one that “honored and humbled” him. The 27-year-old went on to explain that while he hoped to play for Cuba in the past – he was born in Surgidero de Batabanó – he is grateful for Team USA’s consideration.

“In the past, I’ve expressed playing for Team Cuba one day, but when Team USA reached out to me towards the end of October I immediately said YES! I was born in Cuba and arrived in the United States very young as my parents were chasing the American dream they so strongly believed in and still stand by,” Cortes wrote. “Today I can say another dream of mine has come true as I will represent Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. I love my Cuban roots and the Cuban blood that runs through my veins, but the land of opportunity has once again put me in a position to be part of what I once saw only as a dream, and to some this dream is more than just baseball, but all I am is a baseball player, and I will represent this great country with honor and thankfulness as nothing less should be expected.”

The dude's incredible. I hope he dominates as a Yankee this year. He's so levelheaded, so positive!

TONS OF TALENT IN THE 2023 YANKEE STARTING ROTATION!

The signing of Carlos Rodon earlier this week pushed the 2023 Yankee starting rotation to number one . Led by Gerrit Cole, Rodon will likely slot second in the rotation as one of the best, most dominant pitchers in baseball. In fact he could certainly position himself as the Yankees lefty ace to stand tall alongside the righty Cole! Then there's Nestor Cortes, the standout surprise of 2022 for the Yankees. Yes, there is tons of talent in the 2023 Yankee starting rotation. But can they work together, stay healthy and have the endurance to push through 162 games into the Fall Classic? Let's unpack it.

We've seen Cole in action for two full seasons now and although he stacks as one of the best pitchers in baseball, he gives up way too many home runs which hurts his ability to pitch more innings and remain consistent. As CBS Sports reports, "Cole led the AL with 33 homers allowed last season. He allowed a home run in all three of his playoff starts and, in fact, has given up at least one home run in his last nine playoff starts going back to 2019." 

The Yankees definitely bring the heat, but the upside is that home runs are more frequent, particularly in the short porch of Yankee Stadium. "In fourseam fastball whiff rate (with 1,000 pitches minimum) last season, Cole was No. 1 and Rodón was No. 2 in all of baseball."

The concern with the Yankee new left hander is that Rodón has dealt with shoulder injuries in 2016 and 2021 and had Tommy John surgery in between. "This means he started, by season,12, 20, 7 and 2 games, respectively, from 2017-20. In 2021, it looked like his career year, but he only managed 23 innings in five starts after Aug. 7. Even in making 31 starts last season, he averaged just 5 2/3 innings per start, adding up to 178 on the season."

Then there Nasty Nestor who had the best season of his life in 2022. Can 2023 be a repeat or even better? And what about Luis Severino and Frankie Montas? Are they able to make a powerful impact this season. If the answers are in fact yes to these questions, the Yankees will be unstoppable defensively, a trait we have not seen since the 2000 dynasty years.

"On a pure talent level, this is the best rotation the Yankees have featured in decades. It wouldn’t surprise me, and shouldn’t you, if the position group tops 20 WAR — a rebounding Gerrit Cole and both Sevy and Cortes able to pitch more innings than last season gets you pretty close, and none of those circumstances would be that outside the realm of possibilities," wrote SB Nation.

To keep their talent healthy, the Yankee coaching staff will need to ensure their big five starters have a consistent strength and conditioning program, good off the field routines and strategies to support their overall health and wellness. 162 games make a very long season. Only the strongest prevail and the Yankees have certainly had their share of injuries. Can 2023 be the new 2001 for Yankee pitching? Now wouldn't that be something!  

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

FOUR TARGETS THE YANKEES ARE LOOKING TO SIGN!

Aaron Judge is the big fish, but he's not the only one out there. Remember, the Yankees didn't get very far in the post season for a few reasons. Judge wasn't the only reason. Their offense stunk and pitching was a little shaky. I had said it all year; I said the Yankees looked great for most of the season, but it's in those short series that you truly find what kind of team you have. The Yanks didn't have it, and so, we really need to think about what to do to improve.

There are some names attached to the Yankees this offseason. I wanted to share four of them with you. Do with it what you want. The rumor season is always a weird one built up with clicks and ideas. So, in the end, who knows what will really happen. But I wanted to share the names anyway... because it's fun.

Pablo Lopez:

The Yankees liked this guy back in August. But nothing ever happened.  Now, his name is back in the fold and this time he's connected to Gleyber Torres to make it a reality. Jon Heyman tweets this:

Biggest name hear available in trade so far is Marlins pitcher Pablo Lopez. Fish need hitters! Came close to dealing him to Yankees at deadline in a Gleyber Torres deal.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 8, 2022

Yanks go Yard says this:

"The Marlins need hitters and they have a plethora of starting pitchers, with Lopez slowly becoming expendable because he’s a free agent after 2024 who likely won’t be re-signed due to the other emerging arms in the organization. He’s expected to make $6.3 million in arbitration in 2023, which would be a cost-effective price for a pitcher of his caliber as well as the Yankees’ needs (a No. 4 and 5 behind Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes and Luis Severino)."

My take? I think Lopez will turn into another Frankie Montas. Looks decent when not in a big market like New York... nerves get the best of him IN New York.  While I do see Gleyber Torres getting moved this off season, I don't want it to be for Lopez.

Michael Conforto:

Why Conforto you ask? I ask that too... why the hell do we want Michael Conforto?  Heyman writes "Conforto, said to be healthy now, would fit Yankee Stadium..."  But why Jon, because he's available and a lefty hitter? Conforto batted .232 in 2021. And he did not play a single inning in 2022. Hardly a powerhouse and definitely not better than what we already have in the outfield. You wanna dump Hicks for him? Sure, then maybe it's an upgrade. But just getting Conforto for the sake of getting him is ridiculous. Heyman doesn't seem to get that missing a year can be a severe blow to a player's ability. Conforto may be fine, but he also could be a bust. Hard sell. 

Andrew Benintendi:

No brainer. The Yankees had Andrew this year and are interested in retaining him in 2023. Benny wants to come back, and so now it's just a matter of time to get that done. Bleacher Report writes:

"Benintendi was supposed to be their answer after they acquired him from the Kansas City Royals, but his season ended Sept. 2 when a pitch broke his wrist. The 28-year-old hit .304/.373/.399 in 126 games with the Royals and Yankees last season."

It's respectable, and definitely a hell of a lot better than taking a chance on Conforto.

Carlos Rodon:

David Cone says this of Rodon:

"Carlos Rodon is in a class by himself. Upper-90s fastball. Left-handed. Power pitcher. Coming off a great year. He’s a cut above. He’s going to command a big deal wherever he goes, as long as you can get past his medicals. He does have a little bit of an injury history. But he certainly had a great year last year once again with the Giants.”

He is not wrong. Yahoo Sports writes:

"Rodon proved the last two seasons that when he’s right physically, he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball.

The southpaw pitched to a 2.37 ERA over 24 starts for the White Sox in 2021, posting a 0.957 WHIP and an eye-popping 185 ERA-plus.

Then last season, after signing a short-term deal (due to his injury history) with the Giants, he went 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA over 31 starts. He racked up 237 strikeouts over 278 innings, and his K rate of 12 per nine innings was the best in the majors for a starting pitcher."

While it appears to be a smart move, it comes down to money, and how this guy will perform in a place like Yankee stadium.  Plus, you always have to factor in injury, which, is an issue with this guy.

Yes. the Yankees are connected to a lot of other guys as well, including Justin Verlander and Cody Bellinger, but I just don't see those names as guys with a big upside. We definitely do not need Bellinger, and while Verlander has been dominant in 2022, I just don't see this guy wanting to come to New York. I mean, I'd love it, but I don't think the marriage is possible.

More names soon.  Stay tuned.

In the meantime, get to shopping. Great deals on the BYB store! Be sure to check it out. Requests are being taken as well, so let me know what you want made and I will do it!

YANKEE PLAYERS LOVE AARON JUDGE & THE FEELING IS MUTUAL

There is no doubt that Aaron Judge was a team leader on the Yankees.  There is no doubt that the friendships he has with his teammates runs deep. He's just that guy, and that is a terrific thing to have in a player and teammate. Of course, the fans love him, but it's all really important that guys can respect each other and play with one another and that starts in the clubhouse.

I found this quote to be terrific, and there are so many more as well. ClutchPoints writes:

"He’ll bail you out of jail at 4 in the morning if you call him,” said first baseman Anthony Rizzo in a Wednesday report from NJ.com, who resigned with the Yankees on a two-year, $40 million contract in mid November."

Even Bozo Boone says this:

"“He’s not out there to be a hero or thinking, ‘I’ve got to do this, or I’ve got to do that,’” Boone said. “For five years, I’ve seen a person that is excited as can be for one of his teammates.”

Even Nestor Cortes has praised Judge on his friendship and leadership. MLB.com writes:

"“He's meant everything,” Cortes said. “I think I'm able to say that if he's back here next year, he's our captain; he's the next captain. We follow everything he does. He leads by example. He's not really a guy that comes out and screams at anybody. But if he has to, that's his job. I think he's earned that right to keep us in check.

“What allows him to be so great, I feel like, is he's a great baseball player, but he's a better human. He treats everybody the same. He follows up on everybody every day. That's what allows him to be who he is.”

This may have been the nicest endorsement and compliment from any teammate I've ever heard. And it's genuine and that's the most important part of it. 

There is no doubt that Judge is a good teammate and friend, but he's a leader. Something that was evident in Derek Jeter before and Mattingly before him. Teams need leadership, and Judge clearly is that guy.

Judge has said this about his teammates:

“They constantly push me day in and day out to show up in play, That’s the hard work they put in, day in and day out. The good days and the bad days, I’ve got to show up just like them. With the special crew that we’ve had this year and the group of guys that I’ve had over the past couple of years, I know I definitely wouldn’t be in this position.”

Let's hope that bond runs deep and it's not only about the money.

HARRISON BADER: THE SMARTEST GUY IN THE ROOM

Today was the ridiculous Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman dog and pony show. 

A whole lot of nothing from a bunch of reporters, whom I respect tremendously by the way, but who are unwilling to deliver a severely tough punch to either Boone or Cashman about the true state of the Yankees. Why? Because they will lose access if it gets too rough. I respect them, but get me in that room, I'd be all over them.

Anyway, listen, today wasn't a great presser. People forget what this presser was supposed to be about. No, it wasn't about beating the Houston Astros and what the formula should be. It wasn't about IKF and trying to put blame on him for the failed season. 

What these press conferences should be about are WHY it went wrong, and WHAT SOLUTIONS are the Yankees going to make.  Boone said nothing significant, and Cashman said that Boone did a terrific job. That made me choke on my chicken wing, because the eye test alone will tell you that Boone is drowning out there every night with his Yankee pals.

But the big question was about Aaron Judge, which needed to be asked.  To that, Cashman said this:

“We’d love to be able to bring Aaron Judge back and have him being able to maintain being a member of this franchise and the path he’s currently on is Hall of Fame-like... Nothing better than to have him continue to man right field for us and impact us on and off the field the way he has thus far.”

When asked if he's talked with Judge and his agent, he said:

“We’ll have certainly the conversations as promised and see where they take us, but he’s put himself in a great position to have a lot of choices.”

Here's the thing though, this is all general banter to get through the press conference. You want to get a real feeling about the love of this guy, you got to talk to the players, his teammates. Rizzo loves him, Nestor Cortes says we need to bring the "captain" back.  Even new guy Harrison Bader loves him. But Bader was the most realistic about the reality of the situation and I actually love this guy for his honesty and bringing everyone back to earth.  At the end of the day, it's a business.

Yardbarker writes:

"Listen, if Albert Pujols … can [leave], anybody could [leave]," Bader explained during a Tuesday appearance on MLB Network...Bader was referencing how Pujols rejected an offer from the St. Louis Cardinals, his employer at the time, to sign with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2011. Meanwhile, Bader joined the Yankees via a trade from the Cardinals in August.

"It’s a business," Bader continued about Judge, who is on track to reach free agency after he turned down a seven-year, $213.5 million contract extension offer from the Yankees before Opening Day. "I learned that very quickly this year. There are no hard feelings at all. It’s never personal. It’s about the game. Selfishly, I’d love to continue to be [Judge’s] teammate. He’s an incredible talent."

"[Judge] earned everything that’s coming his way," Bader remarked. "I wish him the absolute best wherever he ends up. It’s a decision he and his family will make."

And so, here's the thing... Aaron Judge owes this fan base nothing. He's done what he was supposed to do. Is he torn? Maybe. This is the biggest franchise there is. Is he annoyed with the fans? Maybe. I mean you have to admit booing players is pretty JV and childish. But as fans you have the right. I'd never do it, but I understand why people would.  And finally, the big question, does money really effect Judge's thinking?  Sure, it does. It effects everyone's thinking.

But at the end of the day, out of everything I heard about Judge and the opinions about him and his free agency situation? The 28-year-old from Bronxville says it best.  Bader is right, it's business. The Yanks will make an offer, other teams will too. And ultimately whatever happens, life goes on, for us fans, for Aaron Judge. But I will tell you this... if Judge doesn't come back, I bet we see others willing to walk as well, including the fans. And I like this team, I don't want that to happen.

What's the solution? Yanks have to be on their game. A nice big contract within reason, for the rest of his time in NY, some incentives and other goodies sprinkled in and give this guy the captain title.  Oh yeah... and put some guys around him that can win a championship, will ya?  

The last time was in 2009. We want another!

IT'S REDEMPTION TIME AS THE YANKEES HEAD TO HOUSTON

The stage has been set. The field is ready. The walkup music is cued. And just like that, it's Game 1 against the Houston Astros in what will surely be an incredible battle in the American League Championship Series. After rocking some babies in the Bronx against the Guardians, the Yankees move on with a 5-1 victory in a winner takes all ALDS.  Following an abbreviated celebration at the Stadium, Yankees boarded a plane bound for Houston, pumped and ready for redemption at Minute Maid Park tonight, where they have had a storied history since 2017.

As ESPN reports, "New York now faces off against the Astros in a best-of-seven series that starts in Houston on Wednesday when Justin Verlander and Jameson Taillon go head-to-head in Game 1. During the regular season, the Astros and Yankees finished with the two best records in the American League, respectively, while Houston took five of seven games against New York."

In this all hands on deck game, Cortes certainly gave the Yankees early energy, throwing five innings of shutout baseball on short rest. And then it was Giancarlo Stanton who put the Yankees up early with a three-run bomb in the first inning. If they can follow the same formula of striking early, and staying locked and loaded on the hill, the Yankees have more than a chance to redeem themselves and punch their ticket to the World Series. 

In listening in to the post-game interviews, I can't help but be impressed with the laser focus of this team. In particular, one of the newest Yankees Harrison Bader who had a heck of an ALDS with three home runs, speed on the bases and terrific defense in center field, had a lot of positive and mature words for this Yankee team. He told Meredith Marakovits that this team just needs to focus—forget about Verlander, forget about the past, just focus on the present and play good baseball. And Nestor Cortes spoke about the leadership of a quiet guy in the dugout, Giancarlo Stanton. Cortes' simple words about his teammate are below:

From Aaron Judge's fourth home run in a winner-take-all game— the most in MLB history to the absolute stud-like performance of Wandy Peralta in five straight postseason games, the most ever by a pitcher, the Yankees set themselves up for a huge win. Now the momentum of this incredible performance needs to carry them throughout what will surely be a bloody battle against the Astros.

With first pitch set for 7:37 PM EST, The American League Championship Series will provide all of the drama that a good thriller does. The Yankees take on the underdog role, one they embrace as their focus is only on winning against a team that has been their only barrier to the World Series over the last few years. Let's go guys, best the Astros and bring home the American League Championship. Play baseball like you know you can. We believe in you. 

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

YOU DON'T PLAY GAME 4 BEFORE GAME 3 IS WON

I'll put this as straight forward for you as I can be. When your own players go to the press and question a manager's decision to win a baseball game, you have lost control as the manager. It means your own players do not trust you with juggling hard decisions in an important series.

This speaks volumes.

Aaron Boone has had a historic problem juggling pitching personnel. It's always been his issue and it's because of this that we are typically close, but short in the playoffs during his time as Yankee manager.

Some Yankee loyalists can't understand why Aaron Boone lost last night's Yankee game. They are loyal to Boone, the machine, and they love to rather point fingers at Brian Cashman or the players. But players are in games because of a manager's decision and in last night's game, we are able to reveal Boone's weakness. He is in over his head when it comes to MUST WINS and Checkers, not Chess.  

Look, I can see when angry fans point fingers at Cashman at times.  But here's the thing; We made it to the playoffs with the guys we had because they had a pretty good run. Cashman brought them in. No, the Yankees didn't end as well as they started, but they did damn good.  You have to applaud that. Players Cashman picked did the job.  But then there's injury sometimes and that was a big issue for us.  You can't blame injury on Cashman or Boone. That's life, that's the game.

But back to Boone for a moment. It's during tough times that a manager must earn his paycheck. Boone is a guy with a small mind when it comes to hard decisions. When these important series show up, Boone plays the game ahead of the game he's currently in.  He thinks ahead without finishing off the opponent we are currently playing.  Last night was a perfect example of this. And it's bigger than that. Aaron Boone knew he was responsible for last night's loss.  But tried his best to skirt the truth to the press, and not be honest to the fans.  Watch his entire presser last night. What he should have done at the very top was say this:

"Listen, before we get into this, I am the manager and this loss is on me, here's why..." and went into detail about bad decisions.  We would have all been in a better place today. Instead, the entire east coast news circuit is calling for his head.

   

Listen to that first question. That questions are direct. The press is looking for answers because we all saw what was happening and no one could understand it. Listen to the questions, listen closely to his answers. He skirts, he dodges, he does NOT take blame. But most importantly, HE WAS SETTING THE YANKEES ROTATION AND BULLPEN UP FOR GAME 4. And he wasn't even finished with Game 3.

QUESTION: Did you have Clay Holmes available?

BOONE: NO. He was available but we would have put him in a tough situation.

Hmm. Weird. Clay thought he was going in last night. Luis Severino was confused why Clay wasn't in. Jack Curry of YES was "baffled" that Clay wasn't in there.

Luis Severino on Clay Holmes not pitching the 9th:

"He's our closer. So of course I was surprised. I don't know if he was down. There shouldn't be people down in the playoffs. That's something you guys need to ask Boone or [Matt] Blake to see what was going on there."

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) October 16, 2022

Clay Holmes said he was surprised that he was not used tonight. He said his arm is fine. Woke up today anticipating he was going to be on the mound tonight.

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) October 16, 2022

Wow. That's interesting. What's the tough situation though? Well, it's when there are men on base and the other team is chipping away.  

But that's ok, Clay was "sore", and they didn't want him to blow it. So, what did Boone decide... or should I say what did Boone and Matt Blake decide? They decided to bring in Clarke Schmidt, a guy that fell out of favor with the organization this year alittle bit. A guy that had a ton of potential, but then just fell off, and dare I say, wasn't prepared for this big moment. 

Here's the best part. The press challenged Boone with not throwing Holmes.

"He threw just 16 pitches the day before."

Sixteen pitches. This about that. Hardly a workload.

Boone's answer?  He didn't want to put Clay Holmes in a back-to-back situation.  Ridiculous. Guys like Goose Gossage and Dennis Eckersley are laughing their asses off right now. Boone is JV.

Boone goes on and says it needed to be "an emergency situation".  What defines "emergency" Boonie? Guardians had a couple guys on and Peralta was pulled and you're up by only 2 runs. The next guy up could homer and win right there. ISN'T THAT AN EMERGENCY? It is. You know how I know? Because every analyst out there could see it as well as every fan.

Boone goes on to say that he loves Cole's chances tonight, and we need to get back to New York.  

And say we do win and get back to New York Boone... Yankee Stadium is heaven to many of us, but it's not bulletproofed. We lose there too.  Sure, having Cortes on the mound at Yankee Stadium is perfect for me and many fans, but none of us really have any faith that you can pull it off as manager.  Let's remember something folks, the Guardians were pushovers a few days ago. Today they have the upper hand, all because Aaron Boone is a clown.

I love my Yankees. I want them to get to the next round of the playoffs, but bad leadership never wins if they don't know what they're doing.  Boone made a terrible decision last night and we all paid the price. The Yankees did what they needed to do to win.  You un-did that, Boone.  You better show up with some smarter decisions. Us fans, your players deserve it.

 Clowns should not be allowed to run teams. 

HOW YANKEE PITCHING WILL GO NOW THAT THIS RAINOUT HAPPENED

Look, with this latest rain out, there's alot of talk and worry about how the Yankees will be shuffling their pitching going forward. Here are my thoughts on why it's not bad that the New York Yankees will not have Nester Cortes available for Game 5. I know, I'm getting ahead of myself, but this is my thinking.

First off, I believe that this latest development actually helps the Yankees.  Here's why; 

The Yankees will need to use Jameson Taillon in Game 4 or Game 5 instead of Cortes in Game 5.  But on the other side of the field, Cleveland will need to use their 4th starter, which is either Aaron Civale or Zach Plesac in Game 4 or Game 5 instead of Shane Bieber.

And so, what's my point? Well, the drop-off for Cleveland is huge. You have to consider that both Civale and Plesac are not good and that is a big advantage for the Yankees as they will avoid one of Cleveland's top 3 starters. 

It's a bigger drop-off for them than it is for us.

But here's the most important part of this scenario... we better not go to Game 5 in this series! There is really no reason for it when you look out our team and what our Yankees can provide offensively.

Go Yanks!

--Douglas Solomon 

 BYB Guest Writer