WHY ARE WE FORCING VOLPE ON THE NEW YORK YANKEES?

Apparently, Anthony Volpe is Barry Bonds now.

Wonderful.

Alert Cooperstown. Somebody get the plaque ready. Jasson Dominguez says Volpe has “become Barry Bonds” down in Triple-A, and while I understand a teammate pumping up another teammate, can we please come back to planet Earth for five freaking minutes?

Barry Bonds? Anthony Volpe has five homers in his last five games in Scranton. That's terrific.

Barry Bonds hit 762 home runs in the major leagues.

Small difference.

And before everybody starts screaming that I'm picking on poor Anthony again, understand something: I'm actually happy Volpe is hitting. Since being sent down, he's put up good numbers — .299/.393/.701 with 10 homers over 97 plate appearances.

Bravo. Seriously. Now leave him the hell down there.

Why is that controversial?

We've spent three years watching the Yankees try to hammer a square peg into a round hole while insisting that if they just hammer hard enough, eventually we're all going to see the superstar they promised us.

I'm tired. How many Anthony Volpe auditions does one organization get? He struggled. We waited. He struggled some more. We waited some more.

More adjustments. More patience. More Aaron Boone speeches about how Anthony is “really close.” Close to what?

Because apparently he's finally arrived — in Scranton. Maybe this isn't a comeback story. Maybe it's a discovery. Maybe we've finally located Anthony Volpe's natural habitat.

Triple-A.

Mean? Not really. This is reality. It's the article you will not read anywhere else. Sometimes honesty needs to peak through the looniness of this entire story.  Perhaps we've learned something incredibly important here.

When the lights aren't as bright, when Yankee Stadium isn't packed, when the New York media isn't hovering and when 40,000 people aren't wondering why you just chased another slider off the plate...

Anthony Volpe can rake. Great. Unfortunately, Yankee Stadium isn't moving to Scranton. The Bronx doesn't come with training wheels. Maybe New York is simply too damn big for Anthony Volpe.

It happens. Some guys walk into Yankee Stadium and become bigger. Other guys get swallowed by it. Maybe Volpe needs Miami or Kansas City. Seriously.

Send him somewhere he can play second base on a Tuesday night without every at-bat becoming a referendum on whether he's the next Derek Jeter. Let him breathe. Let him play. Let him figure himself out somewhere that doesn't require him to carry Yankee expectations around like a refrigerator strapped to his back.

Because I already know what's coming. September. Expanded rosters. Volpe keeps hitting bombs in Scranton. And somewhere inside Yankee Stadium, Aaron Boone starts getting that look in his eye. You know the look. His boy toy is hitting again. And Boone is going to want his boy toy back.

“Anthony's in a really good place right now.”

Oh, Jesus Christ. Here we go again. Boone's crush is coming home. Then we'll get the press conference.

“He's worked really hard. He's made some adjustments. We really like where he's at. He's impacting the baseball.”

Maybe Boone will even tell us he's been “elite.” They love that word over there. And before Volpe's Scranton apartment has even cooled off, Volpe will be back in the Bronx and we'll begin another exciting season of Everybody Pretend Anthony Volpe Has Finally Figured It Out.

Why?

Leave. Him. Down. There.

For once, let the kid actually develop. If he's finally comfortable, let him stay comfortable. Give him 200 more plate appearances. Give him 300. Hell call him Scranton's Captain for crying out loud!

Let him destroy Triple-A pitching until the International League files a restraining order.

There is absolutely no rule saying that because Anthony Volpe gets hot in Scranton, the Yankees must immediately drag him back to New York to see whether he can find a brand-new way to disappoint everybody.

Meanwhile, George Lombard Jr. is here and he's better anyway. So play him! Stop treating the Yankees' major-league roster like Boone's boy toy has a lifetime membership.

And please stop pretending Triple-A success means the Yankees were right about Volpe all along.

Maybe the scouts weren't completely wrong about Anthony Volpe. Maybe they just had the wrong league... on the smaller stage, without the suffocating pressure and expectations of New York, Anthony Volpe really can be a star.

Beautiful.

Then let him be the Babe Ruth of Scranton. Let him hit 40... 60.

I'll send flowers.

But until Anthony Volpe proves he can consistently hit major-league pitching, spare me the Barry Bonds comparisons. Barry Bonds terrorized major-league pitchers.

Anthony Volpe is currently terrorizing Triple-A.

Pump the freaking breaks, Jasson.

This one's for you Boh.

SCHWARBER & THE BABE

Baseball has a funny way of sneaking history up on you. One minute you’re watching a routine Thursday doubleheader, the next you’re blinking at a stat that makes you do a full-on cartoon double take.

Here it is—the kind of number that deserves a dramatic drumroll:

Through 1,321 MLB games, Babe Ruth smashed 348 home runs.
Through 1,321 MLB games, Kyle Schwarber… hit 350.

Yes, you read that right. The Sultan of Swat has company, and it’s a guy who looks like he could just as easily be grilling burgers at your neighborhood cookout as launching baseballs into orbit.

Let’s set the stage. Ruth isn’t just a legend—he’s the legend, still sitting third all-time with 714 home runs, trailing only Barry Bonds and Hank Aaron. His name isn’t just in the record books—it practically is the record book.

So when Schwarber’s name pops up next to Ruth’s in any statistical sentence, it’s not just notable—it’s borderline absurd in the best way.

And yet, here we are.

On a breezy day at Citizens Bank Park, with the Philadelphia Phillies locked in a tight game against the San Francisco Giants, Schwarber casually did what Schwarber does: he went yard. That swing marked his 350th career home run, delivered with the same no-nonsense energy he brings to every at-bat—step in, grip it, rip it, admire the chaos.

The kicker? He reached that milestone in his 10th season, at age 33, putting him squarely on a trajectory that could see him cruise past 500 if he keeps this pace. That’s not just “pretty good.” That’s “start-clearing-space-in-Cooperstown” territory.

Schwarber’s rise isn’t built on myth or mystique like Ruth’s. There’s no sepia-toned nostalgia, no called shots—just raw power, a sharp eye, and a swing that treats baseballs like they’ve personally offended him. He’s the modern slugger: efficient, fearless, and perfectly comfortable living in the three-true-outcomes era.

But stats like this? They bridge eras. They connect black-and-white legends to high-def heroes. They remind us that while the game evolves, greatness still leaves the same unmistakable mark—over the fence.

So the next time Schwarber digs into the batter’s box, remember: you’re not just watching another at-bat. You’re watching a player who, game for game, kept pace with the most iconic power hitter baseball has ever known.

Not bad for a guy just casually rewriting expectations one moonshot at a time.

YANKS DESPERATE TO FIX THEIR PLAYERS, BUT NOT THEIR FRONT OFFICE

The Yankees don’t need another star. They need a spine.

I mean seriously, here we go again — cue the offseason smoke machine and all the fake urgency out of the Bronx. The Yankees are “ready to make moves,” the insiders say. Translation: the same brain-dead front office that built a regular-season math club instead of a postseason baseball team is about to make another bad decision.

The Yankees didn’t lose because of talent — they lost because their leadership has the spine of a pudding cup. The front office has turned this once-feared franchise into an Excel spreadsheet that wears pinstripes. The analytics guys sit in their bunker crunching numbers while the product on the field looks heartless, gutless, and soulless. Baseball isn’t a science project — it’s a fight. And the Yankees? They’re built for seminars, not street fights.

Now the talk of the town is Munetaka Murakami, the 25-year-old “Babe Ruth of Higo.” The Tokyo Yakult Swallows are about to post him this winter, and of course, the Yankees are drooling. Murakami’s a beast — 56 home runs in 2022, a .318 average, 134 RBIs, and a .458 on-base percentage. Youngest player in Japanese history to win the Triple Crown. Two-time MVP. A career .273/.394/.550 slash line with 246 bombs in 892 games. This kid mashes.

But let’s ask the real question: what’s the point of buying a Ferrari if you’re just going to let Brian Cashman drive it into a wall?

Cashman’s been running this team for 25 years like a man who’s allergic to accountability. He’s complacent, insulated, and out of touch. Every offseason he finds new ways to overspend and underthink. He hides behind his analytics army like a coward afraid of a gut instinct. The Yankees’ identity used to be power, poise, and pride — now it’s paralysis by analysis.

And then there’s Aaron Boone — the softest manager in Yankees history. A yes-man. A corporate puppet. A dugout mannequin who claps through collapses and apologizes for mediocrity. Boone has no fire, no authority, and absolutely no guts. The man manages like he’s afraid of hurting someone’s feelings. Every time the team crumbles, Boone gives the same glassy-eyed speech about “trusting the process.” Buddy, the process stinks. The process is the problem.

At some point, someone in the organization needs to grow a backbone and realize this isn’t about signing another shiny slugger — it’s about gutting the rotten core. You could drop Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds, and Shohei Ohtani into this roster and they’d still fall apart under this spineless leadership.

So yeah, the Yankees might go all-in for Murakami. They’ll flash the checkbook, make headlines, and sell jerseys. But until Brian Cashman gets fired, Aaron Boone is shown the door, and the analytics cult is dismantled, this franchise will keep pretending it’s elite while playing like a mid-market mess.

The Yankees don’t need another superstar.
They need a broom — to sweep out the cowards running the place.

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

PETE ROSE IS ELIGIBLE, BUT WILL THE WRITERS DO THE RIGHT THING?

The first ballplayer I ever saw live was Pete Rose. Lexington, Kentucky, mid-1970s. I was just a kid, but even then, I knew I was watching something special — the guy was a machine. Not a “launch angle” or “exit velocity” machine like today’s stat-sheet nerds. The dude was full-throttle, headfirst-sliding, never-met-a-fastball-he-didn’t-like hit machine. And he just kept going.

To me, that mattered more than anything else. Not the headlines. Not the scandals. Not the whispers and bans. Just a guy who played like the game owed him nothing, and he was going to outwork it anyway.

So, when people wring their hands over what Pete did off the field — the gambling, the ban, the puritanical pearl-clutching — I’ve always thought: Who cares? Not me. Play hard, play honest between the lines — that’s baseball. The rest is just noise.

But then, irony rears its roided-out head. You’ve got the steroid-era guys — Bonds, Clemens, McGwire — who, yes, juiced to hit harder, throw faster, recover quicker… you know, for the actual game. The part we judge them on for the Hall of Fame and the MLB let them play. In fact, they were in on it because baseball was dying after the 1994 strike and we needed baseball back, after all. But yet, the writers hold a moral ground, and they get iced out. The same moral guardians of the Hall let Harold Baines stroll in — a solid player, sure, but let’s not pretend he was a generational talent — while holding back titans of the sport because they broke the "unwritten rules."

Here's the kicker: MLB never even banned those steroid guys. But the BBWAA blackballed them anyway. The writers have taken it upon themselves to be the ethical gatekeepers of the game, when maybe they should just be the historians. Because whether we like it or not, history happened.

And now, we’ve got this strange, sad, cosmic joke. Rob Manfred, in his infinite PR-savvy wisdom, finally removes Pete Rose from the permanently ineligible list — but only after Pete dies. Dead men, it turns out, no longer threaten the "integrity of the game."

"Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game," Manfred wrote. "Permanent ineligibility ends upon death." What a gesture. So meaningful. So… late.

Look, I’m grateful Pete is eligible now. That’s the right call. But it should’ve come while he could still appreciate it. The punishment was decades old. As far as I could see, he did his time. So, what did we get from Manfred? We got a delayed half-apology masquerading as a policy update.

Now it’s up to the writers. Again. They hold the pen, and the power, and maybe — just maybe — the conscience to finally do what’s right. Let Pete in. Let Shoeless Joe in. Both are eligible now. And while we're at it, let the steroid-era guys be considered on merit, not morality. They played the game. They broke records. They defined eras. That’s the job.

Stop pretending the Hall of Fame is a shrine to virtue. It’s not. It never was. It’s a museum of greatness — flawed, complicated, brilliant greatness. And no one embodied that better than Pete Rose.

So thanks, Pete. For playing your guts out. For being the first player I ever saw. For being the greatest I ever saw. They might’ve buried your legacy under bureaucracy and self-righteousness, but now, maybe, they’ll finally let it breathe.

Manfred got it technically right. But he missed the moment. The human moment. Again.

WHEN WILL THE HALL OF FAME WRITERS STOP THEIR MORAL JUDGEMENT?

Alex Rodriguez has shown significant growth since retiring from baseball, and his maturity was on full display as he extended heartfelt congratulations to this year’s Hall of Fame inductees this week. While his graciousness is admirable, it’s hard to ignore that he’s likely feeling some disappointment over not being considered for the Hall of Fame himself. After all, Rodriguez is undoubtedly one of the greatest hitters in baseball history. However, his connection to performance-enhancing drugs has cast a long shadow over his career, and it’s evident that sportswriters are reluctant to honor athletes tied to scandals or controversy.

Rodriguez’s career stats speak for themselves: three AL MVP awards, 696 home runs, 3,115 hits, 14 All-Star Game appearances, and a 2009 World Series championship with the Yankees. Yet, despite these achievements, he remains on the outside looking in, even as he appeared on the ballot for the fourth consecutive year. His predicament isn’t unique, as history shows that Hall of Fame voters consistently penalize players linked to performance-enhancing drugs or other ethical concerns.

Take Mark McGwire, for instance. Despite his record-breaking home run season and an illustrious career, McGwire has not been elected to the Hall of Fame due to his admitted steroid use. Similarly, Roger Clemens—who dominated as one of the best pitchers in MLB history—fell short of the 75% vote threshold in his final year of eligibility in 2022, earning just 65.2% of the vote. This trend reveals a clear pattern: past transgressions, whether proven or suspected, continue to hold players back from baseball’s highest honor. 

And it’s not just players from the steroid era who face scrutiny. Even Carlos Beltrán, whose involvement in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal tarnished his reputation, has found himself under the Hall of Fame microscope. Terry Collins, former Mets manager, recently spoke out about the situation, calling Beltrán’s treatment unfair. Collins pointed out that plenty of Hall of Famers likely benefited from knowing what pitches were coming, yet Beltrán seems to be bearing the brunt of the blame as one of the few players associated with the Astros scandal. Collins stated, “He wasn’t even a starting player, so it’s not like he gained much from what was happening.”

The broader question remains: when will this end? How long will Hall of Fame voters continue to blacklist players from the steroid era or those caught in controversial moments? At what point does the selective moral outrage stop? It’s worth questioning why certain players—such as Harold Baines, whose inclusion in the Hall sparked debate—are inducted while others with far more impressive resumes are excluded.  Think about it; even Jered Weaver tweaked this after Ichiro got in:

"1 writer said no on Ichiro?  another example of why Hall of Famers should vote on it and not writers"

He's not wrong. Why should these writers hold any power?

Barry Bonds, for example, is arguably the greatest hitter the sport has ever seen. Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, and even Pete Rose—all legendary players in their own right—remain outside the Hall due to scandals or suspicions, despite their undeniable impact on the game. Isn’t it time for voters, many of whom have never played baseball at the professional level, to reconsider their stance?

The Hall of Fame is meant to honor the greatest players in the history of baseball, yet it feels increasingly like a battleground for moral judgment. If the goal is to preserve the integrity of the game, perhaps it’s time to reflect on whether this rigid gatekeeping is achieving that—or simply rewriting history.

SABATHIA IS A TRUE TEAM GUY!

Andy Pettitte has always been beloved by Yankee fans, and for good reason. To many—including myself—it's baffling that Pettitte isn’t in the Hall of Fame yet. What stands out most about him, beyond his stellar stats, is the respect he commands from his peers. CC Sabathia, a true leader, phenomenal teammate, and competitor who just loves the game and winning above all else, spoke out about Pettitte's worthiness. Reflecting on his time with Pettitte, Sabathia said, “For me, Andy is a Hall of Famer. Getting a chance to pitch alongside him, getting a chance to still talk to him pretty much all the time, I believe he’s a Hall of Famer.”

Sabathia and Pettitte were teammates for four seasons, including the Yankees' 2009 World Series win. While Sabathia earned an overwhelming 86% of the vote in his first Hall of Fame ballot, Pettitte received just 27.9% this year—an improvement from the 13.5% he garnered in 2024, but still far from the threshold. Unfortunately, time is running out for Pettitte’s case.

For years, I’ve been highly critical of players linked to PEDs, but my stance has evolved. Yes, mistakes were made, and Andy Pettitte admitted to his, but those moments were minor compared to his otherwise remarkable career. His achievements are undeniable:

• Pettitte compiled a 256–153 win-loss record, a 3.85 ERA, and 2,448 strikeouts across 3,316 innings.
• He’s the only pitcher since 1930 to win at least 12 games in each of his first nine seasons.
• He recorded the second-most career pickoffs (98), trailing only Steve Carlton (144).
• Pettitte holds the record for the most postseason wins in MLB history, with 19.
• He had 24 complete games, four shutouts, and never experienced a losing season in his career. In 16 of his 18 seasons, he won 11 or more games.
• He was a five-time World Series champion with the Yankees.

Beyond the numbers, Pettitte’s pickoff move was legendary, and his consistency and poise in big games were unmatched. Yet, some writers seem to place him in the same moral category as others like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Rafael Palmeiro, despite Pettitte’s transparency and the relatively minor nature of his admitted misstep. The reason for the change in my stance is simple. When you start letting in lesser players with less impressive numbers just because you don't want to let monster players like Bonds or Pettitte in that's when things are unbalanced and wrong.

CC Sabathia’s support for Pettitte is a testament to the type of player and person Andy is. Sabathia has always been the kind of teammate to lift others up, and his endorsement should hold weight. Pettitte deserves his place in Cooperstown, and it’s about time the writers recognize it.

JUDGE WINS THE MVP!

Aaron Judge has once again proven he’s in a league of his own. The Yankees’ superstar was named the unanimous winner of the 2024 American League Most Valuable Player award, an honor no one can argue he earned with a season that bordered on legendary. This marks Judge’s second MVP win, the first coming in 2022 when he rewrote history by breaking the AL single-season home run record.

At 32 years old, Judge delivered a performance that defined dominance. His .322 batting average, 58 home runs, and 144 RBIs weren’t just league-leading—they were jaw-dropping. Every at-bat felt like an event, and his ability to rise to the moment powered the Yankees to 94 wins, the most in the American League this season. The numbers only begin to tell the story. Judge also led all of MLB in on-base percentage (.458), slugging percentage (.701), and OPS+ (223), a mark that puts him alongside the likes of Barry Bonds and Ted Williams for one of the greatest offensive seasons in modern history.

If the advanced stats are your thing, Judge’s 10.8 WAR says it all. He wasn’t just valuable; he was indispensable, pacing the Yankees in every meaningful way. And let’s not overlook his 133 walks or the AL-best 392 total bases, a feat few have matched in the game’s long history.

The MVP race wasn’t particularly close, but credit where it’s due—Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. claimed second place with a strong season, earning all 30 second-place votes. Juan Soto, Judge’s outfield partner in the Bronx, rounded out the top three, giving the Yankees another reason to celebrate. The combination of Judge and Soto provided a spark to a lineup that made fans dream of October glory.

Though Judge’s postseason numbers weren’t as gaudy as his regular season stats—he hit .184 with three home runs in 14 playoff games—it’s important to remember that MVP voting is based on regular-season performance. And Judge’s regular season wasn’t just MVP-worthy; it was historic.

Winning multiple MVP awards cements Judge’s place among baseball’s elite. Only 34 players in MLB history have achieved that distinction, and Judge’s name belongs alongside theirs. His consistent brilliance and towering presence at the plate make him one of the most feared and respected players in the game today.

This season was another chapter in a career that feels destined for Cooperstown. Judge’s leadership and excellence continue to set the standard not just for the Yankees but for baseball as a whole. It’s a reminder that when Aaron Judge steps onto the field, greatness is never far behind.

LET'S NOT PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE...

All of these predictions made by baseball analysts' mean absolutely nothing to me. It doesn't matter if you were a bubble team or the division winner; it's a clean slate, an open whiteboard and the future is in each team's hands. As I watched each of the Wild Card matchups on Tuesday, I was impressed. From the Tigers to the Mets, the games were exciting; just as playoff baseball should be. Yet the baseball pundits will continue to predict, and I say, don't listen because the story has not been written yet.

Source: Reuters

"Even in a world where the Dodgers lead off a game with three former MVPs, the Yankees’ combination of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto may be the most fearsome one-two punch in all of baseball. Judge just completed a season that evoked prime Barry Bonds (.322/.458/.701 with 58 home runs and 144 RBI) while Soto led the American League in runs scored (128) in his first season in the Bronx," reported The Guardian. Facts. And all of this will have an impact, if the Yankees can put themselves in the position to leverage more than just those combos of bats. A lot has to stack up first before the Yankees can be predicted to go far in the postseason.

With a bye into the American League Division Series, the first obstacle, if you would call it that, is to keep from getting rusty before their first game against a worthy Wild Card opponent who has battled through another worthy Wild Card opponent. “We’ll do our best to prioritize taking advantage of the rest that I’m sure a number of guys at this time of year will benefit from,” manager Aaron Boone said Sunday. “But also trying to make sure we keep that mental edge and keep guys as sharp as we possibly can with live looks and things like that. Try and strike that balance and then tee it up on Saturday,” reported the New York Post.

From advantage standpoint, however, the Yankees will be fresh, likely the most fresh they have been since the beginning of the season. And that could mean a lot for this club who has been plagued by injuries and setbacks all season. 

Source: ESPN

"Besides avoiding a short series where anything can happen, the Yankees will be able to line up their rotation exactly how they want for the ALDS — Gerrit Cole in Game 1, likely Carlos Rodon in Game 2 and either Luis Gil or Clarke Schmidt for Game 3 (Gil would appear to have the slight edge, with Schmidt having prior relief experience)," reported The Post. While the rest of their AL opponents have had to expend their starting pitching just to compete in the ALDS. 

Again, not a bit of this matters, if the Yankees can't take advantage of what would seem a favorable position. As Yahoo Sports points out, "Any team, no matter how talented, can fall victim to the torturous reality of October randomness." In fairness the writer was speaking to the Phillies who have the most potential to go the distance, because of the team's completeness. Yet, the same writer states, "Whether or not this ends up being Soto’s final year in pinstripes, this looks like as good of a chance as we’ve seen in a while for New York to return to the Fall Classic." 

It is a crap shoot and an endurance exercise all at the same time. And if you say too much, you might talk your way out of the mix. But if you don't hype enough, you might not confident enough to withstand the pressure of the entire enterprise. It takes balance. And an ability to know how much optimism and how much humility you need to contribute. Yet, putting the cart before the horse is a good way to drive yourself right off the rails. So, I like the optimism, and I appreciate the critics, but in playoff baseball, it is about doing just enough to move on. And getting better with each game.

2009 was a long time ago. So was 2017. It is 2024. Go get it, Yankees. Stay hungry like your cross-city rivals. That is the kind of persistence that wins ball games, no matter what horse you have in that stable. 

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

THAT ALEK MANOAH VS GERRIT COLE FEUD JUST GOT INTERESTING AGAIN!

You don't have to be a Yankee fan (or a hater) to be drawn into this story, you just need to be a baseball fan. Do you remember the Alek Manoah and Gerrit Cole drama from last season? Well, it's back and Cole just might have the last laugh....maybe.

In case you forgot, in an interview Manoah was asked who the worst cheater in baseball history was, and his response was Cole, you can read more and even listen to his interview HERE. If you don't want to listen to the whole clip or even read about it all you really need to read is one sentence:

“He used a lot of sticky stuff to make his pitches better, and he kind of got called out on it." --Alek Manoah

Okay, Manoah you have the right to your opinion but for the record you were asked who the worst cheater is in baseball history and your answer just sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder. There are some much bigger names that cheated in baseball's extensive history. Cole doesn't even crack my top 10 names. I guess he forgot about Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez and Jose Canseco just to name a few. What about the 2017 Houston Astros? Talk about a large-scale cheating scandal.

But I digress. I was looking forward to 2023 because I was really hoping to watch these two try and outpitch each other in a division race this year, but that never happened. Even if the Yankees did not tank this season and let's pretend the Yankees were in the hunt.... we wouldn't see Manoah take the mound because he quit!

Manoah has left the stadium ladies and gentlemen, read more HERE. Manoah has regressed since last season, and his 3-9 record and 5.87 ERA has earned him two demotions this season down to Triple-A Buffalo. He was demoted to Triple-A after his last start on August 10th and failed to report for two weeks. He had physical testing done before returning to Buffalo to make sure he was healthy, but then had some additional testing done last week. No concerns were found in any of his tests, but he has not been throwing since his last start. With only 2 weeks left in the Triple-A season, he will not be able to ramp back up again and be available, if he were to be called back up to Toronto.

So basically, homeboy quit. He quit on his team. He had a lot to say last year when he was on the top of his game. So after one year of success, he is back down in Triple-A and can't handle it. Typical. The guy who finished third last season in Cy Young voting has crumbled, while Cole could very well be this year's winner. Funny how that works out.

I wish we would've had the pitching duel I mentioned earlier, so we could see this play out where it mattered but I guess we will have to wait for next season. The baseball fan in me wanted to see two potential Cy Young candidates settle this on the mound. It would be more enjoyable to see though with Cole as the reigning winner.

So, Manoah... you quit, and you definitely got called out on it. You can think about that as you sit and watch from your couch.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

MCGWIRE BACKS AARON JUDGE FOR THE YANKEES HOME RUN RECORD & BEYOND

It's not exactly a glowing endorsement. I mean Mark McGwire was a cheater... why should we care what he has to say, right? Well... he actually makes alot of sense here, and it's provocative, and that's why I'm sharing it with you all. In the end, Big Mac believes that Judge is on the right path to break Maris's home run record, but thinks he could even go further.

Clutch Points writes:

"McGwire stated that he believes that Judge would break Maris’ record this season, which isn’t exactly bold. But what is bold is that McGwire also predicts that Judge will be able to surpass Bonds’ number in the future, and he thinks that his desire to achieve that historic feat could influence which team he signs with in free agency this offseason.

“He’s definitely going to break Maris’ Yankee record, but I truly believe he’ll break Barry’s record, too. I think he’ll finish with at least 65 home runs this year, and then position himself to hit, get to 73 to 74 in the next five to eight years. I really believe he’ll have that opportunity. He’s going to get close to it, and say, ‘Where can I bunch in nine more homers?’ God willing that he stays healthy, he’s going to do that, too.’’

Now look, as a Yankee fan, my biggest wish is that the Yankees can turn their season around and win the whole damn thing this year. I think that would be great for New York.  At the same time, I want Judge to break Maris's home run record because it shares baseball history with a whole new generation of baseball fans. But Judge's record is not the priority... and even he will tell you that.

Look... after Maris, the whole home run record was tainted anyway. I don't consider McQwire, Sosa or Bonds as true home run leaders. I know the record books say otherwise, but as far as I'm concerned it's Maris.  But to wipe that whole steroids scandal clean and to show a clean record... I would love to see Judge break Bond's tainted record one day.  It would be good for baseball and great for the New York Yankees as we move forward in history.

Enjoy your Tuesday.

ROGER MARIS JR. & THE HOME RUN RECORD

Records are made to be broken. But when guys who make records die, and the steroid era comes barreling in full steam and breaks records, you really have to think about what the hell's going on here.

Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in 1961, one more than Babe Ruth. It was a stressful, exciting and crazy year for Mr. Maris who received threats and ripping because of the fact that at the time Babe Ruth was sacred in sports. But he did it because his abilities let him.

I have never felt as though that single season home run record was ever broken since Maris did it, meaning to me, Maris still holds the record. I'm probably the only one, but when you talk about steroids in the same conversation, it's clear that hitting the ball further is definitely part of the equation. 

In 1998, Mark McGwire hit 70 home runs, and Sammy Sosa hit 66. At the time, everyone knew what was going on. Even Roger Maris Jr. But do you think for a second he was going to expose that when the mic was in his face about his father's record and legacy? The guy was too classy. He was quiet. These days however he is talking. Why, because since the record was tainted by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, the record was broken again by Bonds with 73. At this point is was a ridiculous circus.

Now, with some seperation between that Bond record and the arrival of Aaron Judge, perhaps the record can be revisited with a legit New York Yankee who does it clean.

The Spun writes:

"Aaron Judge is currently on track to hit 63 home runs this year. If he manages to maintain this incredible pace, he'll break the New York Yankees' record for the most homers in a single season...

Earlier this week, Roger Maris Jr. spoke about his father's record. Believe it or not, he would be "very happy" if Judge breaks the record.

“You don’t want to see anyone get it, but I’d be very happy if Judge did do it,’’ Maris told the New York Post. “Dad always said records are meant to be broken. You don’t want to see Dad’s record go, but if it happened, I can’t think of a better guy to do it. He’s a great Yankee. To do it in New York, how cool would that be? "

For me, I'm not sure Judge can do it, but I hope he does. There are so many variables and situations that can knock him off the pace. Judge would have to be near perfect. Yes, I hope he does, but it's unclear right now.

I do love that Maris Jr. spoke out. I have always appreciated Roger Maris. I loved him as a Yankee. I think his story is wild and he in my opinion never got the true recognition of being a solid Yankee as he should. 

Anyway... I love this story, and yes, ultimately I hope it happens for Judge, for Jr and for the Yankees.

ORTIZ IN, AROD OUT

 

Source: NY Post

What else can I say? Alex Rodriguez was not a popular vote among baseball writers, only gleaning 34.3 percent of the votes. Interesting and ironic, because the guy that was popular wore #34 for many years. And that guy is a Hall of Fame inductee for 2022—David Ortiz. What does this mean for Arod's chances for the future? Let's unpack it.

Source: Associated Press

The New York Post writes, "Rodriguez was always going to suffer on the first ballot, which many writers view differently than others. However, starting off this low, combined with the fact that the writers declined to elect fellow PED suspects Bonds and Clemens, makes it a longshot they will ever vote Rodriguez in." Yet, his numbers speak volumes, and honestly, performance-enhancing methodologies (let's not just call them drugs) were utilized by many athletes in MLB and beyond. It was all part of the time. But unfortunately for Arod, it is also a part of his legacy.

Source: Sports Illustrated

"Rodriguez finished his career with 696 home runs, a 117.5 WAR, and a .930 OPS — all gargantuan numbers. He was also an excellent fielder and the catalyst in the Yankees’ 2009 World Series run," reported the Post. And when he was healthy, he was lethal. The PEDs were part of the package, but is Ortiz absolved of dabbling in performance-enhancing tactics?

Source: WGN-TV

According to CNN, "Ortiz also was the subject of steroid speculation after he reportedly tested positive in anonymous survey testing in 2003. MLB's official testing program went in effect the next year and Ortiz never failed." Everyone knows that PEDs were utilized by all of the top performers during this time period. So, absolving Ortiz and not Arod is just ridiculous. Perhaps Ortiz was able to sell it better?

Others overlooked by the HOF committee included Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds who were linked to steroids in the Mitchell Report. Interestingly enough, "if the vote were on statistics only, Bonds, Clemens, and Rodriguez would have been shoo-ins," reported CNN. Bonds and Clemens claimed only about 65% of the vote, so many years later. 

Source: The Boston Globe

So does it come down to Public Relations? Yes. Exactly. And the fact that Arod played for the New York Yankees who are under a different kind of scrutiny that only New Yorkers and their fans understand. Will Arod ever make it to the HOF? I don't know. Unfortunately for him, it comes down to timing. PEDs legislation across the league was not clearly enforced and not clearly communicated. It was confusing. Much like the CDC and its Covid recommendations. You get it. 

Am I a proponent of PEDs? No. Do I think Ortiz was innocent of using PEDs. No. Do I think Arod deserves a fair vote and opportunity to make the Hall? Yes. Will he get his day? I think so, I hope so. But not now. Ortiz got in and Arod did not. That's all I have. Arod was just so much more of a player than Ortiz. Not because I am a Yankee fan, but because all around, he was a better player. And for that, I hope he gets his day. 

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof

THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL HALL OF FAME BALLOT IN YEARS FEATURING ALEX RODRIGUEZ!

I've been going crazy not having a the usual winter routine. There's no Hot Stove. The signings and trades are on pause thanks to the lockout and I've been going crazy. Then I realized, well I could just focus on this years Hall of Fame class and that's when it hit me like a ton of bricks.....

The most controversial and scandalous Hall of Fame ballot of my life is here. Remember when Derek Jeter received 396 out of 397 votes in his first year on the ballot? You also can't forget about guys like Mariano Rivera, Cal Ripken Jr, Ken Griffey Jr and Greg Maddux. Those were no-brainers. Those were the easy votes. Those days are gone.

Now welcome to the world of the steroid ballot era. There are 30 players on this years ballot, and nearly a third of them are tied to steroid use. Let that one sink in. You know the names forever tied to steroids: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez and.....Alex Rodriguez just to name a few. Yeah, now we get to talk about A-Rod again.

It's the age old debate that will never go away. How do you weigh in on this logically? Do you vote for any of them at all? If so, how do you separate and justify the ones that you do pass through to the hall? 

A lot of baseball writers that I interact with will say that their vote is determined by baseball's timeline. It is the fine line in the sand that can't be crossed. In 2003 MLB conducted a drug survey after MLB players agreed to it in an effort to determine if a need for a firm drug policy was needed. If more than 5% of the tests came back positive then mandatory drug testing and penalties for infractions would begin in 2004. Spoiler alert....more than 5% came back positive which brought us down the road to the system MLB currently uses.

So if a player was punished or suspended after MLB implemented its drug policy after the 2004 season, that is the deciding factor for a lot of writers. That could be bad news for repeat offenders like Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez who is eligible for the first time this year.

I think Alex sabotaged himself on this one. Is it possible that he EVENTUALLY years down the road gets elected into the hall? Sure. Someone was dumb enough to vote against Jeter so I can see someone voting for Alex but that would be a real tragedy for the game.

But that's just my take on it.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj