SOX ON FIRE, YANKEES ON EDGE!

Almost 4 months ago, the Boston Red Sox fired Alex Cora and it looked like Boston was done for. All of Yankee land was laughing as we enjoyed looking down at Boston all the way at the bottom of the AL East. They were deflated, we were in first place and that what we want to see. 

My how times have changed. Since then, the Yankees have lost heavy hitters in Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger. Add in pitcher Carlos Rodon and it is doomsday. The Yankees have been trying to tread water and the Red Sox literally lit a fire underneath everyone and went on winning streaks of 26-3 and 32-5 while the Yankees continue to stagger and stumble. Now the Yankees are literally feeling the Red Sox breathe down the necks. Suddenly a slip to third is very possible.

And I sit here and hate it all while being in amazement of George Lombard Jr and be pleasantly surprised at times by Spencer Jones. Those bright moments have come too late though because we are now as uncomfortable as it gets. What was once a 15 game lead over the Red Sox is now down to a game and a half.

I always say never underestimate the Red Sox. You never count them out....ever. They just reminded us of this. Months ago it looked like a minimum of a first Wild Card spot was likely. The American League is curiously weak compared to the National League. If the Yankees couldn't catch the Rays, we would at least have the first Wild Card spot. But....that the reality is, that might not be what happens here.

Not unless the Yankees start playing like their hair and asses are on fire! Rodon should be back soon, and Judge is progressing. Hopefully we also have Bellinger back by the time we see Boston again but that's not a guarantee. No doubt our injuries have hurt us, and we are missing our star power but both teams feed off of their starting pitching. The Red Sox have still found a way to win with a lineup that is not exactly loaded with big names or contracts.

The difference between these two teams is heart. The Yankees have shown we have that recently, but we need more of it to get us to the finish line. This is going to be a dog fight to the very end, and it's not going to be easy. 

Just in case you need a reminder.....NEVER underestimate the Red Sox.....EVER!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE BASEBALL BRAINS, IT SHOWS!

Why the Yankees continue to trust Aaron Boone, I will never know. It infuriates me more than I will ever be able to truly articulate. The guy who hit a clutch home run back in October 2003 who beat the Red Sox in the ALCS and went to the World Series just got beat by the Red Sox.....badly.

He just showed all of baseball what not to do. He gambled big time against Alex Cora and the Red Sox and it bit him in the ass. I used to make fun of Joe Girardi and his binder back in the day but Baboonie doesn't have a binder. He doesn't even have a brain. He's the real life Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. He has no brain, only bad analytics. 

I think Casey said a lot of what I feel in BOONE & THE ANALYTICS DEPARTMENT LOST GAME 1 FOR THE YANKEES. Boone pulling Max Fried after 7 innings and replacing him with Luke Weaver was asinine! I guess Baboonie wanted to save him for his next big start in March? It's a big contributing factor to the loss....you need to trust your ace more in these scenarios. It doesn't make sense to go to the bullpen too quickly. You just don't know who doesn't have it on any given night. But that's not the only problem.

It's the same story. The offense didn't do enough last night. Yes, Garrett Crochet is a freaking beast of a pitcher, but the offense still could've done more. If Anthony Volpe (or as I like to say VolpE6) can make something happen it's not impossible. More importantly, by the time Aroldis Chapman made it into the game the Yankees LOADED THE BASES WITH NO ONE OUT.....and couldn't bring runners in! The Yankees can't get out of their own way. They just can't stop failing! 

So we have two big failures in pulling Fried too quickly and then not driving in runs. What else? Benching Jazz Chisholm until late in the game is a joke. He's too much of a spark plug. Some people are irate that Ben Rice did not start. I get it, I think it's a valid point. However, I'm okay with him not starting and leaving him as a powerful bench guy for an opportune moment. That's okay. Rice on the bench should ALWAYS find a way into the game at some point. He's been hot as of late. Not plugging him in was the mistake....because Boone has no brain. Thank god Baboonie wasn't a manager way back when. I swear if this was 1927 he would've benched Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig! He has no common sense.

You always need to put the best team on the field, but when you have a short three game series you have to be even smarter. There's no room for error here. Play the guys who are hot and maximize the opportunities. This is exactly what Baboonie did not do. 

Brainless bubblehead Baboonie doesn't have the brains it takes to win....and we saw it again last night. If he only had a brain, he's the new scarecrow. 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

A.J. PIERZYNSKI SLAMS MLB OVER PETE ROSE HALL OF FAME ELIGIBILITY & IT'S HILARIOUS!

It's funny, because I never really imagined a moment that I would agree with A.J. Pierzynski on anything baseball related. I also thought of him as polarizing. He's been very vocal about a lot of issues in baseball and that is especially true about another polarizing name in the sport....Pete Rose.

There's been a lot of chatter about Rose recently. Now that he is reinstated for Hall of Fame consideration it's been a major topic at my dinner table and here at BYB, read PETE ROSE IS ELIGIBLE, BUT WILL THE WRITERS DO THE RIGHT THING? It's a polarizing topic. There are very strong opinions on both sides.

So, what's A.J's beef now? Well, he went on Foul Territory this week and didn't hold back at all. He believes Rose should NOT be reinstated. I know many people who are on both sides of the argument. His argument is that article 21 of MLB's Rule Book prohibits players and coaches from betting on baseball. If that was the argument he wanted to stick with I wouldn't be laughing as I am now. Check out the video clip below.

There's a real hole in this argument for me. As soon as he ran with the "You can't have the integrity of the game questioned at all" is where it went sideways for me. Has he been living under a rock? Serious question because this sport has lost all of its innocence. The integrity went out the window a long time ago. Let's just go back to the steroid era, shall we? Is Barry Bonds so long ago that baseball got a "get out of jail free" pass and I missed the memo? I mean, he and Bonds were playing at the same time from 1998-2007 so it's not like it's ancient history. It happened, while AJ was getting his feet wet on the big league stage and it's a huge part of history. 

Let's fast forward to 2017. It's a topic I will NEVER let go of but the Houston Astros literally cheated their way to a World Series Championship. Trash can signals and buzzers are NOT part of the game, AJ. Integrity went out the window there. To make it worse, after Carlos Beltran is named one of the leaders of this cheating scandal the same time he is in consideration for a Manager role with the Mets? So you cheat, you work your way up to a manager gig. That's the message sent here. If you ain't cheatin, you ain't tryin? The Mets only "mutually agreed" to part ways with him after details came out which was a horrible message to send. They changed their mind to save their hide. I have despised the Mets more just for that alone. It was completely tone deaf.

And what about Alex Cora? The equally tone deaf Red Sox hired him for 2018 & 2019 knowing he was implicated in the cheating scandal, then took a brief step back to let the dust settle and let Ron Roenicke manage in 2020 and then reunite with Cora again in 2021 and ever since. What a minor slap on the wrist for a guy that was involved in the biggest cheating scandal in decades and then put him in charge of a different team. Integrity gone....

Oh and to make it more disturbing the General Manager of the Astros at that time Jeff Luhnow lost his job after the scandal. He's not back in the baseball world. In fact he is the CEO of Blue Crow Sports Group, which owns several soccer clubs, including Leganés in Spain and Cancún FC in Mexico. The guy with the least amount of involvement with the scandal not even around the team every day like Cora was and he pays the ultimate price. Integrity gone....

And last but certainly not least....you can't talk about gambling without talking about the Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal that rocked baseball last year. It was alleged that his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, stole millions of dollars from the star to pay off massive gambling debts. Shohei denies placing any bets or paying off any bookies and it's funny how the money just disappeared without being detected, huh? Because are we supposed to be that nieve to believe the person who is in charge of Shohei's personal finances just didn't notice that massive amount of money just magically vanished into thin air? Apparently, because AJ himself came out in defense of Shohei saying there was no evidence to prove he was in fact gambling. So, it's okay for his money to be used on betting even if he didn't bet himself? Come on....if "you can't have the integrity of the game questioned at all" why is this any different?

If Pete Rose can't be reinstated for betting on games when he was a manager, why is it okay for Ohtani to be accused of it as a player and have no consequences even though his money was used? If the integrity of the game can't be questioned at all then this is no exception and it's hypocritical. By the way, Ippei took the fall for this and in February was sentenced to 5 years in prison over it....but he's not actually sitting in prison yet. His sentence has been pushed back, read more HERE. 

So yeah, A.J and I agree that the integrity of the game can't be questioned at all. If the ban is good for Rose, it should've been good for Ohtani, too but you can't really ban the new face of baseball can you?He brings international draw. Unfortunately, the integrity of the game has been questioned many times, and will continue to be (especially under Rob Manfred's command). 

We agree on the sentiment, but AJ is oblivious to how un-innocent baseball really is. His argument is a swing and a miss. It did give me a good laugh though.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

WHY DID THE YANKEES WALK AWAY FROM ALEX VERDUGO?

Well, I am gonna bet free agency was a stressful and humbling experience for Alex Verdugo. It can't be easy going from an American League championship team to a minor leaguer. I also wouldn't be surprised if he's aware of what is being reported out there because it doesn't paint the prettiest of pictures.

There are several sources talking about this story, but you can check out one of them HERE. As several have cited, teams were concerned with Verdugo's off field issues including the Yankees. Over the winter we wrote a few pieces, shocked that he didn't have more interest. Sure, he struggled especially in the second half of the season but he was well liked in the clubhouse and was a great defender. Anthony Volpe described him as a "ride or die" and Giancarlo Stanton raved about him and called him an "incredible dude." Aaron Judge also sang his praises. He fit in well with the team....but apparently didn't impress Yankee brass enough to bring him back.

Even Aaron Boone at least pretended to be shocked by it when he gave words of support for Verdugo, read more HERE. I loved his glove for sure, even though his bat frustrated me. Considering what the Braves signed him for, it was a no-brainer financial commitment. "The Braves got a really good player for not a lot of money," Boone said and I can't say he's entirely wrong for once.

But apparently, enough teams were concerned enough to not pay $1.5 million even on a minor league deal. Verdugo is not a big leaguer now, and maybe this will be a wake-up call to help get him back to show. There are a lot of rumors out there, and the only ones I like to talk about are free agent ones so this one doesn't excite me enough to go into details on the why's.

It does make me think about the bigger picture though. The three big name teams all walked away from him. In his minor league days, the Dodgers walked away from him, then Alex Cora had a strained relationship with him in 2023 after Verdugo's tardiness on game days. He was benched and eventually led the Red Sox to trade him to the Yankees before the 2024 season and now he's got a minor league gig. Three of the top organizations in baseball decided to move on to other players. The Yankees could've easily brought Verdugo back after Juan Soto split... but they didn't.

Which makes me wonder if there was also more to the story about Verdugo and his chains. The Yankees told him to cut it down from several to one. It felt like Boone half-jokingly told that story last season, but it doesn't paint a good picture now. I've seen people online jump to their own conclusions that Verdugo was more interested in his jewelry than playing baseball, which made the Yankees walk away after he didn't meet offensive expectations.

So many rumors out there with not a lot of facts (as usual) which leads everyone to jump to their own conclusions. Here's a real fact though, Verdugo has another chance with another top organization and honestly, I hope he makes the most of it. The Yankees are a disaster right now....and his own teammates wanted him back. Apparently, that wasn't worth enough to give him what the Braves did....which is strange.

Good luck in Atlanta, Verdugo.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

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RIZZO & VERDUGO GET BIG TIME SUPPORT!

THE SAD STORY OF ALEX VERDUGO

THERE ARE MUCH BETTER IN THE BUSINESS, ALEX CORA

I still can’t get over how absurd Alex Cora sounded when he suggested that Aaron Boone is "the best in the business." The best in the business? Are you kidding me? That has to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. That’s why I titled this article DUMB AND STUPID. Because that’s exactly what this statement is. If Boone is the best, then what does that make Bruce Bochy? Or Joe Torre? Prophets? Baseball gods? Maybe we should just start building shrines to them because, compared to Boone, they’re untouchable legends.

It’s as if Cora just pulled this shit out of thin air to make his buddy look good. But let’s be real—Boone sucks. He always has. And Cora, by making such a laughable statement, just proved he has no integrity. He’s out here playing PR manager instead of speaking facts, and I’m not buying it.

There was an interesting sentence, a take from ClutchPoints that bothered me when writing about Cora and Boone. They wrote, and I quote, "A lack of talent cannot fairly fall on the manager, but it often does." I mean, what? The Yankees have had plenty of talent for years. The problem isn’t a shortage of skilled players—it’s a manager who has no goddamn clue how to use them effectively.

I’ve been saying it for years—the Yankees weren’t going to win the World Series under Boone, and guess what? I am right so far. Sure, they made it further than I predicted last year, but that wasn’t because of Boone’s genius managerial skills. That was because of talent. The same talent that Boone consistently fails to utilize properly. When things get tough, when a manager has to make the hard calls like Boone, that’s when you separate the truly elite from the frauds and that's where Boone does not rise. That’s when the so-called "best in the business" proves their worth. And Boone? He fucking folds, literally every time.

If Boone were anything close to elite, he’d be able to maximize his team’s potential. He’d recognize strengths, adjust for weaknesses, and make the tough, smart decisions that lead to winning. But isn't managing, the front office is. Boone doesn’t have the guts, the intelligence, or the leadership ability to do it. Girardi did. Girardi won. Girardi wasn't asked back because Girardi had balls!  And so back to Boone... that’s why, after all these years, he still hasn’t won a single goddamn championship.

Look at the history of baseball—managers get fired for far less. Some are let go after missing the playoffs. Some lose their jobs after a 10-game losing streak. The reason? Because they fail to manage, lead, motivate, and problem-solve. Yet somehow, Boone continues to skate by doing the bare minimum. The Yankees have embraced mediocrity, and it’s embarrassing.

And let’s talk about that mediocrity for a second. It’s not just Boone—it’s the entire Yankees front office. This team used to have a standard. A fire. A demand for excellence. But now? Now it’s all about participation trophies and "we’ll get ‘em next year." This isn’t Little League. This is the New York Yankees, the team that built a dynasty on winning. And here we are, stuck with a manager who embodies the very definition of "just enough."

Alex Cora’s statement was complete nonsense. That's why everyone is writing about it today. But we here at Bleeding Yankee Blue are going to be the only Yankee fan site to be honest about it. It's stupid. And ClutchPoints wrote in their piece was wrong, love you guys, but it's not accurate. Talent matters, but what a manager does with that talent matters even more. If this were the 1980s, Boone would have been fired a long time ago. If George Steinbrenner were still around, Billy Martin would be back in the dugout replacing Boone because, say what you will about Billy, he knew how to lead. He wasn’t a puppet. Boone? He’s nothing but that. A puppet controlled by an organization that has lost its way.

So, before we start throwing around empty praise, let’s remember what baseball is really about. It’s not just about trying—it’s about winning. And as Derek Jeter once said if a team doesn’t win the championship, the entire season is a failure. 

Well, Yankees fans, we’ve had plenty of failures. And it all comes down to one thing—we have a failed leader as our manager. F Cora. F Boone.

DUMB AND STUPID

Imagine this scenario: You have a friend who was once well-respected in baseball, but his success came with a dark cloud—he cheated his way to stardom. Now, let’s say this friend is none other than Alex Cora, infamous for his role in the Houston Astros' 2017 cheating scandal. If you're trying to build your own credibility, like if you are Aaron Boone, is Cora really the guy you want vouching for you?

That’s exactly what happened when Cora, a key figure in one of the biggest MLB scandals, praised Aaron Boone, calling him "one of the best in the business." Let’s be real—this endorsement is laughable. Cora, who should have been banned for life for his involvement in the Astros’ sign-stealing scheme and lying about it, and this is the last person anyone should want backing them. His reputation is tarnished, his integrity questionable, and yet, here he is, trying to give credibility to Boone, a manager who has yet to deliver a championship for the Yankees and fights with umpires over balls and strikes rather than actually manage a ball club.

Cora’s presence in baseball remains a disgrace. He knowingly was part of one of the most shameful cheating scandals in modern sports history, deceiving fans, players, and the integrity of the game itself. Any rational person would have expected him to be exiled from the sport permanently, yet here he is, still managing, still talking, and now, somehow, still influencing narratives. The fact that his words are given any weight is an insult to baseball purists everywhere. This is a man who leveraged deceit for success and now expects his opinion to hold value or better yet, why would any sportswriter report it unless they want trouble. Please.

And then there’s Aaron Boone, the supposed beneficiary of Cora’s glowing endorsement. If that’s not the kiss of death, I don’t know what is. Boone’s tenure with the Yankees has been a masterclass in mediocrity. Sure, his 603-429 regular-season record looks good on paper, but Yankees fans don’t care about regular-season wins. The only thing that matters in the Bronx is championships, and Boone hasn’t delivered. Not even close.

Year after year, Boone’s Yankees falter when it matters most. His in-game decision-making is suspect at best, his bullpen management is a guessing game, and his lineups often feel like they’re drawn out of a hat. But the worst part? He has no real identity as a manager. He’s not a strategist, he’s not a motivator, he’s not a visionary—he’s just… there. A placeholder. A figurehead who tries to say the right things in press conferences but lacks the ability to turn words into results.

The Yankees organization, led by Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman, continues to prop him up as a great leader, loved by his players. But what does that mean? Yankees fans don’t want a best buddy for the clubhouse; they want a manager who wins championships. Boone’s biggest supporters say he handles the media well, but it's not true?  Plus, handling the media doesn’t win playoff games. At this point, Yankees fans have every right to be fed up with the false promises and empty seasons.

So, when Cora—the architect of baseball’s most infamous scandal—steps in and calls Boone "one of the best in the business," it’s almost comical. It’s like a convicted con artist vouching for a struggling businessman. If you’re Boone, do you even want this kind of support? Because when your biggest advocate is a man who represents everything wrong with the sport, it doesn’t exactly scream credibility. If anything, it further highlights Boone’s lack of real stature in the game.

Ultimately, this is where the Yankees stand: led by a man who hasn’t proven anything, praised by a man who should have been exiled, and backed by an ownership that seems content with the status quo. And Yankees fans? They’re left to watch, year after year, as their once-proud franchise drifts further from its championship expectations.

With friends like Alex Cora, who needs enemies? With managers like Boone, don't expect a World Championship.

#FireBoone #BanCora

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BOONE DISRESPECTS YANKEE PROGRESS WITH ONE HORRENDOUS DECISION

AUSTIN WELLS IS NOT A LEAD OFF GUY

A CHEATER IS A CHEATER AND MLB SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF ITSELF

I NARROWED IT DOWN TO 3 TEAMS WHO WILL SIGN JUAN SOTO

Listen, Yankees fans, we’ve seen a lot of nonsense on the internet, but the latest batch of baloney from Red Sox "burner" accounts about Juan Soto verbally agreeing to join their team is next-level comedy. It’s like watching someone insist their $10 scratch-off ticket is a winning Powerball. Let’s dive into the absurdity and why this is all just another attempt by delusional Boston fans to rile everyone up.

Apparently, the Red Sox—a team that has spent like a middle-market mall kiosk since 2017—are suddenly in the mix for Soto with a 12-year, $650 million offer. Oh, really? This is the same ownership group that looked at Mookie Betts, homegrown actual MVP, and said, “Nah, too rich for our blood.” But now, they’re going to back up the Brinks truck for Soto? Get out of here with that fantasy.

Alex Cora can’t even figure out his own pitching staff, and we’re supposed to believe he’s about to convince one of the best hitters in baseball to come to Boston? Please. And let’s not forget, Red Sox fans are acting like they’ve got a deal done because some random burner accounts with fewer followers than my dog posted in Spanish about a "verbal agreement" that still has “a lot left to accomplish.” Newsflash: that’s not an agreement. That’s an idea someone yelled into the void.  You guys know how much I hate that garbage.

MLB insider Jeff Passan, probably in the middle of carving his Thanksgiving turkey, took time to squash these rumors faster than you can say “Fenway frauds.” But do Boston fans care? Of course not! They’re too busy sending out more burner tweets about how Soto is already house-hunting in Back Bay. Guys, take a lap.

Let’s set the record straight. Juan Soto is only going to one of three teams in my opinion:

1. The Dodgers: Because they have more money than anyone, and Andrew Friedman collects All-Stars like Pokémon.
2. The Yankees: Because Hal Steinbrenner cannot lose another generational player to Boston.
3. The Mets: Because Steve Cohen is that guy at the auction who keeps raising the paddle just to flex, even when he doesn’t need the item.

Mets owner Steve Cohen wanting to outbid everyone is peak comedy. He doesn’t need Juan Soto—he just wants the satisfaction of knowing he made Hal sweat. “Twelve years, $650 million? Pfft, make it $800 million. What’s another yacht, anyway?” Calm down, Steve. You already signed everyone available last year, and where did that get you?

Here’s the reality: Boston isn’t a draw anymore. You think Juan Soto wants to play for a team where the most exciting offseason move was re-signing their utility guy? No chance. Soto’s going to a team with real championship aspirations, not one clinging to memories of Big Papi and 2004. I kid, I kid. They actually are. 

The idea of Soto in a Red Sox uniform is hilarious, but it’s not happening in my opinion. Meanwhile, the Yankees, Dodgers, and Mets are gearing up for the real bidding war. And when the dust settles, John Henry will be left clutching his wallet, Steve Cohen will be laughing maniacally, and Hal Steinbrenner will (hopefully) be celebrating another star in pinstripes after he has the runs through December.

But hey, Red Sox burner accounts, keep tweeting. It’s adorable.

A CHEATER IS A CHEATER AND MLB SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF ITSELF

 Alex Cora is a piece of garbage. Always has been.  

He's a guy that bought into the notion that he's a great manager and great baseball mind.  Now he might be a good baseball mind in some regards, but when you're cheating your way through life, sooner or later you are banished for bad behavior.  You would have thought that MLB would have banned Alex Cora and AJ Hinch for life after the Astros cheating scandal, but clearly a deal was struck between Jim Crane, the Astros owner and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and for that I will always frown on Manfred.  Integrity didn't matter to him... friendships and back-room deals were more important.

And so, Cora gets to come back after his suspension and tries to redeem himself. And sure, the Red Sox has had some successes, but it's just like any team... if you don't have top talent, your manager isn't going to look good because the team won't win.  It takes a really good manager to understand how to navigate a mediocre team.  And when teams are really good, it's clearly the talent pool and not the manager.  I mean, look at Aaron Boone.  

The games we lose are usually because he made a horrible decision and then tries to gaslight us in the presser after the game.  The games we win are always guys like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto and have NOTHING to do with Boone.  Same thing could apply to Cora.  While he a decent status among peers in the league, is he really that good of a manager? Nah.

Now look; when it comes to hitting players in the batter's box, it's kind of an unspoken thing.  I mean, we have seen head hunting before with the greats of Bob Gibson, or Gus Weyhing, but it was not something you talked about in the dugout. You as a team collectively knew what had to be done and sometimes you did it and sometimes you didn't.  Well, when it's talks about OUT LOUD, that's just being a dick and when Alex Cora does it, that just goes to show the MLB world that he really hasn't learned his lesson when it comes to giving his team an edge.  

He's a cheater and he'll always be someone trying to get away with whatever is unsavory.  In other words, MLB messed this one up.  MLB should look long and hard in this latest situation about Alex Cora publicly stating that he wanted to hit Aaron Judge.

Pinstripes Nation writes:

Alex Cora basically admitted that Brayan Bello tried plunking Aaron Judge on purpose. He was asked if he considered yesterday's IBB/HBP fiasco closed:

"It was closed yesterday around the sixth inning. We had our chance. It didn't happen." pic.twitter.com/x1z4iA0HfF

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) September 15, 2024

"Major League Baseball is reportedly investigating comments made by Red Sox manager Alex Cora that suggest his team intentionally targeted Aaron Judge with a pitch. As of Monday evening, the league had yet to reach a decision on the matter.

Cora hinted on Sunday that the Red Sox might have retaliated during Saturday’s game after Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole hit Rafael Devers with a pitch in the first inning and later intentionally walked him in the fourth. Cora, visibly upset, believed the walk indicated Cole’s earlier hit-by-pitch was no accident and stemmed from a desire to avoid Devers.

When asked about the situation on Sunday, Cora implied the matter was settled during the sixth inning of Saturday’s game, noting they had an opportunity but failed to take advantage of it."

Not ultimately MLB will protect Alex Cora. Crane was so far up Rob Manfred's butt back in the day there will be calls from fake folks saying "Well hitting guys in baseball, Rob.  Alex was doing what any manager would do."  But if Manfred had any balls he would look long and hard into the kind of person Alex Cora is.  He lacks character, professionalism and he's just a dick.  

While I don't think anything will happen to Alex Cora, I am a man of integrity, and I believe in common sense.  Something should be done, even if it's small.  The Red Sox have no shot this year, the Yankees do, and any baseball guy will tell you that if that ball hits Judge on the knee and he's out for the remainder of the season it would be a free for all among fans.  Thank God it didn't... but think about if it did.  My point is there is also an unspoken rule about tipping your imaginary cap to the teams that have had success and not playing dirty.  Alex Cora knows better, but Alex Cora is about himself.

A cheater is always a cheater.  Alex should be ashamed, but MLB should have nipped this in the bud a long time ago and didn't. Shame.

BLABBERMOUTH PAPELBON IS IRRELEVANT & CORA SHOULD BE BANNED ANYWAY

Alex Cora should have been banned from baseball with AJ Hinch for the 2017 Asstros sign stealing scandal. That is something that these coaches should never be able to get away from.  And Jonathan Papelbon is long retired... so why is he running his stupid mouth?

If you don't know what's going on, it all stems back to new Yankee Alex Verdugo, who, unless he knocks it out of the park every single time he's in pinstripes, I was never jazzed about AV, and I'm still not.  First of all, he's doing this thing where he's kissing the ass of Aaron Boone, the most unqualified manager in baseball... but he's also sparking a lot of unneeded drama.  The other day he was asked about coming over to the Yankees from the "rival" Red Sox and said this:

“I’m very, very excited to work with Aaron, I’ve seen the way he has his players’ backs... That’s something I want to see out of my head coach. I want to see some fire, some fight for the guys, and I think just instead of airing people out, have their backs.”

Alex Verdugo loved Aaron Boone's unforgettable "Savages" rant in 2019 🤣 pic.twitter.com/fKXtUJXL57

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) December 21, 2023

It was clearly taking a shot at Alex Cora, and I back that just because I think Cora is a total piece of shit anyway.  

But saying this kind of garbage just brings the Sox zombies out of the woodwork.  Jonathan Papelbon might be the biggest irrelevant player out there right now.  And of course with Verdugo's comments, Jonnie woke up. He wrote this on social media:

everyone point and laugh at Jonathan Papelbon pic.twitter.com/Sd4Z86qMBV

— ZT (@NY_EvilEmpire) December 22, 2023

"Verdugo I mean Vertigo is a B----... Cora has his players and teammates backs more than anyone in the game. You aired yourself out by being late, lazy and unproductive. If I played for Cora I’m drilling this b----, just saying.”

For the record, Papelbon never played for Alex Cora.  What the hell does he know?  Also, why do we care about any of this?  Clearly Verdugo has an opinion on a manager that benched him once and that's beef between he and Cora.  Why is Papelbon around? And furthermore, why is this idiot Carrabis commenting on social media? He longs to be important, but he should just go continue peddling Draft Kings and shut up.  

Red Sox Nation has always been annoying to me. Everyone's tough up there.  Now let me be clear, I absolutely love the Sox fans. 

The Red Sox fans are the most passionate and even as a Yankee fan, they were nothing but nice to me when I go to Fenway.  But these moron players need to just go away.  And that starts with a guy like Verdugo who looks at Boone on his surface as someone that has his player's backs.  Maybe I'm in the minority here, but every time Boone fights with an umpire, I don't see it as having the players backs at all. I perceive it as a manager fighting for his job. A manager that is desperate because he sucks. 

Sorry.... that's just me.

JUST TO SUM IT UP... CARRABIS IS A NOBODY WHO HATES THE YANKEES

If we're talking about cheating, we should talk about the Houston Astros.  If you watch Domingo German today being examined by the umpire staff during the Yankee/Twins game, you came away wondering what was actually said, but know that German was clean and the game continued.  Sure, it looks bad, but everything always looks bad if you're the Yankees because assholes like Jared Carrabis is the biggest twerp of them all loving to try and stick it to the Yanks because Alex Cora is an absolute turd and the Red Sox suck, plain and simple. Remember, Cora was suspended for a year for ACTUALLY cheating.

Carrabis sucks off the Red Sox every chance he gets and wondering from Barstool to Draft Kings seemed like a prick move all because he wasn't in the Barstool Documentary, I guess. I remember Portnoy's podcast talking about this creep leaving. It's HERE, Portnoy one year ago:

"I am under the impression that Jared is going to be leaving...he got a big offer from a competitor and we could have kepy Jared at less money then the competitor is paying him. He would have taken a hometown discount. But good for him..."

"Good for him" is like "F You dick, you're nobody without me" speak, but Portnoy is too much of a professional to say it.

The point is, Carrabis loves to point out when the Yankees "CHEAT".

If you're gonna be a total twit like Carrabis and tweet that the Yankees cheated today, remember how Bud Selig obsessed over PEDs champ David Ortiz after the Red Sox won the series in 2013 even though we all knew Ortiz wasn't REALLY baseball's darling and just a pawn for change in the MLB. Yet, Ortiz was a cheater in 2003 for using PEDs and it was swept under the rug because Selig loved the guy.  Double Standard, absolute BS.

Hell yes Rocco Baldelli! Domingo German is cheating, not putting up with that Yankee Bullshit #mntwins glad he called out the umps pic.twitter.com/EF6z8dJXlu

— Alex Micheletti (@AlexMicheletti) April 15, 2023

Rocco Baldelli was pissed today, Jared Carrabis was pissed (and no one cares), but to think for a second that the MLB and the Yankees were "IN ON IT" and the Twins and toolbox Carrabis wasn't is just pure BS.

Let's be clear, the Yankees have been screwed plenty a time in many years of Major League Baseball decisions. To accuse every Yankee and umpire of collusion and cheating today when there is no real proof of anything is outrageous.  

There is an expression that says "perception is everything". That means that what is seen can be construed as something bad (or good). In this case, bad because the haters have come out of the woodwork.  But I truly believe that this is nothing more than a misunderstanding.  Trolls have appeared. Collusion was NOT a thing and accusation or not, does this game between the Twins and Yankees really define the championship in 2023? 

What I mean is, are we all gonna focus on a meaningless game against the Twins in April where nothing actually happened?  After all, the MLB did nothing to the Houston Astros who cheated to a championship in 2017 and nothing to PEDs user David Ortiz. Why in the hell is a guess on cheating important in April 2023 really important?  Oh yea, I know why... it's because it's the Yankees... and Jared Carribas thinks he's important.

F off dude. You're nothing without Barstool. Way to try and stay relevant.

Yankees beat the Twins today: 6-1.

CLOWN CORA ADMITS BEING A CHEATER

 I hate liars.

Years after the 2017 season, Alex Cora admits to having involvement in the Asstros cheating scandal.  The fact that this guy still has a job in baseball is just a testament to how horrible loser Rob Manfred truly is.  Between this, the phantom second base runner and the pizza box bases, why doesn't he just put juggling clowns in the infield as obstacles too. He's a disgrace, and the fact that the MLB made a deal with Astros owner Jim Crane to not punish the entire Astros team severely will be the biggest black eye on the MLB... even worse than the Black Sox scandal... even worse than Pete Rose betting on baseball. 

But back to that loser Alex Cora. NJ.com writes:

"Evan Drellich’s book, “Winning Fixes Everything: How Baseball’s Brightest Minds Created Sports’ Biggest Mess,” was released on Tuesday.

It goes into detail about the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. In 2017, they illegally used electronic equipment on their way to winning the World Series. The Astros bench coach was Alex Cora, now the manager of the Boston Red Sox. The Boston Globe reports Cora was asked about the book Tuesday as the Red Sox opened spring training in Fort Myers, Fla.

“We’ve got to talk about it,” Cora said. “I don’t want to say they are used to it, you know, but I’ve been open with them about the whole situation and they understand that stuff like this is going to come out. We’ve just got to keep going forward. I made a big mistake in ‘17.”

I made a big mistake in '17.  But that's ok Alex... you get to still manage a top Major League club... cause Uncle Manfred will take care of it.

Pathetic.

THE ASTROS OWNER & FRONT OFFICE ARE BAD PEOPLE

You knew it would come out.  We all knew it was bad, but the MLB's slap on the wrist was just not enough.  People should have been fired, banned, removed forever!! But the relationship between Rob Manfred and Jim Crane was too much make the banning a real life thing, and so MLB and Manfred made a fairy tale about how they were wrong, but they will apologize and MLB will move on.  It was all bullshit, and we all knew it. But we the fans have no control over that. We will never stop going to games and never stop loving baseball, and MLB top brass knew that.  

So what happened? We the fans turned on the bad guys when we showed up to games and we will continue to humilate them all until the day they retire. Because that's all we can really do.  Correa. Altuve. Bregman. The others got their jobs back... Hinch, Cora, and even Carlos Beltran became a commentator on YES.  But none of them should have been back.  

Meanwhile, a dope named Jeff Lunhow was the only one who lost a job and still hasn't returned or even works. Why? Well, not because he did the garbage banging and came up with the scam and executed it himself, but because he erased evidence that pointed fingers in his own organization.  

Explain this to me? Explain how Lunhow loses everything and all these other assholes still work in the MLB? It's the wicked web of Jim Crane and Rob Manfred and their friendship... and it's absolute bullshit.

Mark Powell of Fansided writes:

"Jeff Luhnow, the general manager at the time who oversaw this entire mess, has yet to get another job in baseball.

Luhnow, it turns out, tried to warn those within the Astros organization of an impending investigation before the fact. Those close to Luhnow even suggest he deleted data from his own phone, and insinuated others to do the same...Seemingly every reminder and/or update to this cheating scandal makes matters worse. It's another layer and reminder that Houston knew exactly what they were doing, and continued to sweep it under the rug."

Jim Crane is a bad dude. Luhnow? Sure, he is too, but this just proves that even the owner was in on it, and cutting Lunhow loose and creating another narrative is the way to go and that's what Crane is trying to do. Don't know what I mean?

Remember when Cashman came out back in March (CBS Sports) saying:  "The only thing that stopped (us) was something that was so illegal and horrific. So I get offended when I start hearing we haven't been to the World Series since '09. Because I'm like, 'Well, I think we actually did it the right way.' Pulled it down, brought it back up. Drafted well, traded well, developed well, signed well. The only thing that derailed us was a cheating circumstance that threw us off."

He was ripping the Astros and it was amazing. Jim Crane shot back, from Bleacher Report): “I found his comments to be extremely strange,’’ Crane told USA Today's Bob Nightengale. “There’s the letter, and you were doing it, too. You were there dude. What are you talking about? If I was one of the teams, and I knew our team was doing it [cheating], I’d keep my mouth shut and just go about our business."

Crane sounds like a 5 year old. "I pulled his hair because he pulled mine!" Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Go in the corner, you dunce.

By the way, the letter?  CBS Sports writes:  "In that letter, it notes that the Yankees were fined for sign-stealing behavior from 2015-16, but also clears them from wrongdoing"

Whatever Crane.

What we know these days is damaging and guys like Crane should be punished. Mandfred and the MLB should reopen this investigation on the Luhnow phone stuff. It's bad. But they won't.

As long as we are in a MLB world of stupid rule changes and relationships to make more money for the commissioner and the baseball owners, us fans will continue to shout but not be heard.  It's terrible what's happened to the MLB, but what's worse is that this Astros front office found one guy to truly punish and destroy, while the rest of these assholes can continue to live their life. The punishment did not fit the crime.  It's shameful.