THAT NEWS ABOUT JUDGE THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY

Aaron Judge has been out for a bit and since then the Yankees have been sucking the life out of the fan base.  Look, playing well against Seattle is always a good thing, but we need to keep winning. Guys like Jakes Bauers and Billy McKinney have done what they're supposed to do and we fans are appreciative, but we want Judge... that's the bottom line. We like Coors light, but we really want a Coors... you feel me?

Well, here's a terrific update for ya'll. Empire Sports Media writes:

"MLB Network’s Brian Hoch reported that Judge has commenced pool, balance, and strength work, aiming to resume throwing and light hitting by week’s end."

Hitting by the end of the week is something that I find to be amazing.  I wonder how he feels jogging or running, or even how his foot feels in the batter's box. I guess we will soon see but trust me when I tell you (and I know you know) This is great news!

STANTON DOWN! STANTON DOWN!

Quick note because we all knew it would happen eventually, but he was doing so well that I guess we all just got greedy. Giancarlo Stanton is out... down... injured and on the IL.

Our fave Nancy Newman has the story with Bryan Hoch:

Giancarlo Stanton is placed on the 10-Day I.L. and Oswald Peraza is called up from AAA. @BryanHoch joins @NancyNewmanYES and gives us the latest on the Yankees slugger. #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/xpkDlPgp64

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 16, 2023

And so this means Stanton to the 10-day IL and they will call up Oswald Peraza from AAA. So, a corresponding move and our power hitter on the IL and getting an MRI today. 

Better this in April than in September! 

IF TRUE, YANKEELAND CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT AARON JUDGE RETURNING TO THE BRONX

I was just reading Twitter. It's weird tonight. Andrew Tate is back, there is plenty of parody accounts of all sorts of celebrities and I can't tell which is actual news and which isn't.  So I left because my anxiety was through the roof.

And then this report came out. Yardbarker has it but it originally comes from legend Bob Klapisch:

"For a piece published Friday, Bob Klapisch of NJ Advance Media noted that Judge "will allow the Yankees to finish as the highest bidder" after the new American League Most Valuable Player hit free agency last week. That update comes after Steinbrenner confirmed he had "very positive conversations" with Judge following the season, including one face-to-face meeting, and after Klapisch and others claimed that re-signing slugger Anthony Rizzo improves the Yankees' chances of keeping Judge through his physical prime.

"I saw it as a good sign that (Steinbrenner) reached out and wanted to sit down one-on-one and get a chance to talk," Judge explained during a Thursday conference call. "I saw that as a great sign."

Here's the thing, the bad news is this is going to drag on long, meaning, Judge is going to listen to EVERY SINGLE CLUB that has a legit chance of building a championship and winning one in the future. And he has that right and we will let him do it. And if I'm Judge, I go to January out of spite. Make the Yankees sweat!  Bryan Hoch tweeted this:

Now look, give Judge time. Let him test the market. Here's the good news for Yankee fans... We appear to be the ones that will get final say. 

So, what does that mean? It means if the San Francisco Giants go the Aaron Judge and say, "Hey, we wanna give you $310 million for 8 years", he can go back to the Yankees and say, "This is the offer from the Giants, they have a good group there, they wanna win, what do you think?"  

Hal and Cash can stand up and say, "Hey look, we will give you $312 million. You know these guys, the fans love you, we love you, and we want to make you our Captain for the next 8 years with a 9-year option."

Guess where he's going?

Case. Closed.

Do it Yanks... do it.

 

THESE ARE THE GAMES THE YANKEES HAVE TO WIN

 Do you think it's easier in the playoffs?

No. It's not.

With the last 3 games against the Tampa Bay Rays, you as a fan knows just how important these games are. And last night, despite how close they were... they didn't win and that sucks.

MLB.com writes:

"Should the Yankees handle the next two items on their to-do list, securing entry to the American League Wild Card Game and then winning that contest, their reward will be a best-of-five showdown against the Rays in the American League Division Series.

Friday’s performance served as a reminder of how challenging that task will be. Their bats cold after the first inning, Joey Gallo and Brett Gardner delivered run-scoring hits in the ninth, but the rally fell short as the Yankees opened their final regular-season homestand with a 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay at Yankee Stadium."

Challenge in this game is the most difficult thing a team will have to deal with in their season.  And the Rays are a powerhouse. Bryan Hoch is right... it doesn't get easier after this last series of the season.  The Yankees have to strap in, lock in and do damage.

I have said this all season... the Yankees have the ability on paper.  The season has been a streaky struggle, but they have still managed to have a pretty great run this season.  But the playoffs are a different animal with any streaky team and the reason is simple... you never know what you're gonna get with this Yankee team. Will the Yankees go on a tear and win several straight or will they be on the losing streak side? These playoff series' are too short and the better Yankee team needs to show up!

But there's something more and that's Aaron Boone. You have to wonder what the hell he was doing in the 9th inning yesterday. I mean it's decisions in critical moments that can be the undoing of this team and he is at the helm and that scares the hell out of me.

Yahoo Sports writes:

"German continued into the ninth, starting off by sitting Wendle down on a three-pitch strikeout. After walking Mejia and Kiermaier, though, Boone called on RHP Albert Abreu. The move did not pay off -- Abreu nearly got a 3-6-1 double play, but Arozarena beat out the throw back to first. Arozarena stole second and Franco deposited a two-RBI single up the middle, putting the Rays up 4-1 entering the bottom half.

Hindsight is 20/20, but not going with LHP Aroldis Chapman -- the Yankees' closer, who was warming up -- to start the inning or at least follow German rather than Abreu was a head-scratching decision."

It's moments like this that shows inexperience and uncertainty with this team. Boone will be the downfall of this team if they don't get to the World Series. No question about it.

2 more games this season with a hell of a team in the Tampa Bay Rays. We need to win these games. We need the taste of champagne and we need to reset for the playoffs. Every game is a must win now.  Anything less just makes the playoffs more difficult.

Come on Yanks, let's go.

2 YANKEE NAMES THAT ARE CONSTANTLY MAKING HEADLINES

This gritty Yankee team is truly turning some heads across Major League Baseball.  No one really knows why they are winning.  With so many injuries, both short term and long term, it is hard to really understand the formula for winning except perhaps chemistry and positivity.  But, there are two names that Suzyn Waldman feels like she mentions constantly throughout the month of April: Luke Voit and DJ LeMahieu.

Source: NJ.com

Waldman said during the broadcast yesterday afternoon that mentions both Voit and LeMahieu for both their incredible hitting and remarkable defense what seems like every other play.  And I can't disagree.  Luke Voit has outwardly stated that he always felt he could hit, but really needed to work on his defense at first base.  He picked off the lead runner in a bunt play early in the game yesterday and he has made Mark Teixeira-like defensive catches and stretches at first base.  Then there's his bat, which has not only been game-saving but a team-leading and the kind of clutch the Yankees so desperately need.

Source: Associated Press

“He is such an important player for us,’’ Aaron Boone said of Voit, who went 3-for-4, leads the Yankees in homers (eight) and RBIs (22) and has reached base in 37 straight games — which is second best for a Yankee since 2005. “He has become a premium hitter. I don’t think any of us are surprised. I think a lot of people were wondering if after last year could he come in and do this, but this is the kind of hitter we see him as. He has the ability to get on base and hit the ball out of the ballpark," reported NY Post after Friday night's win.  He picked up another RBI yesterday and has been hitting .375 over the past seven games.

Then there's his peer infielder DJ LeMahieu whose incredible performance since the Yankees grabbed him up from Colorado as been in a word, "life-saving" for the Yankees.  "DJ LeMahieu also enjoyed a three-hit performance, doubling twice, as the 11 hits permitted tied Bumgarner’s career high.
DJ gets on base every freaking at-bat, it seems like," Voit said. "It's nice to hit with guys on base all the time," according to MLB.com.

Source: USA Today

According to Bryan Hoch after Friday night's game in San Francisco, "(Luke) Voit said it seems like the Yankees have been welcoming new players into their clubhouse on a daily basis, but it has not seemed to change the end result. Adhering to their "next man up" mantra, the Yankees are getting it done on this West Coast trip, most recently producing a 7-3 victory over the Giants," prior to a 6-4 victory yesterday.  LeMahieu is batting .306 with 29 hits, 9 doubles and a home run since his addition to the lineup this spring.

Source: Associated Press

“The credit goes to all the guys. They have embraced this next man up thing,’’ Boone said. “There are so many guys contributing," reported the Post.  And Luke Voit and DJ LeMahieu are certainly leading the charge as the Yankees continue to win despite the odds, the injuries and the no-name team they have been fielding over the last month.  As each "regular" player makes his way back into the lineup, I hope that Boone recognizes the depth of the team he has and let's other key contributors like Gio Urshela and Mike Tauchman continue to play regularly for this gritty, incredibly balanced Yankee team.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

DAVID CONE & JACK CURRY HAVE A BOOK COMING OUT!

I remember seeing this a few weeks ago on Twitter, and I guess with everything going on in my life, I accidentally glossed over it. But the truth is this is Bleeding Yankee Blue. We are not only huge Yankee fans, we are true YES fans.  And it goes beyond that.  I've been following Jack Curry since the New York Times. Love him. Love his journey. And obviously when it comes to Coney, We followed him with the Mets, Royals, Yanks and even the Red Sox if you can believe it.

Put these 2 together and it's a powerhouse.  Check this out.

That was our second choice! Lol. Anyway, here's how to pre-order. Thanks for the interest. https://t.co/WUaVbaniIy

— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) January 20, 2019

That's right. David Cone wrote a book with Jack Curry and you can pre-order it on Amazon. The book comes out in May.

Now, much like I did with our bud Bryan Hoch or when Billy Sample had his movie and book out a few years ago... I need to make sure I share this stuff with all of you all so that you can take a moment and pre-order it, read it, watch it... whatever it is.  I know Full Count is gonna be a good read with these 2 involved and I'm excited about it.

Take the time, click on this Amazon link and support Coney and Jack. Pre-order HERE! Great baseball people... and just amazing people as well.

Happy Friday.

GLEYBER TORRES COMES TO THE BRONX

Source: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Finally, Gleyber Torres' day has come.  Today, the Triple-A Phenom will officially join the NY Yankees major league team during their current home stand in the Bronx.  As Jack Curry tweeted after yesterday's 9-1 win against the Toronto Blue Jays, "Gleyber Torres will be promoted and will join the Yankees on Sunday. So the Gleyber Era will begin." 

Source: WFAN

Torres was pulled from second base in the sixth inning last night, signifying his official call-up ceremony with his current teammates at his side. Perhaps Torres can help add some much needed consistency into the Yankee lineup in lieu of the erratic ups and downs the team is now experiencing.

Source: Todd Hiller

"Entering Saturday’s game, he (Torres) was hitting .370 with a home run and 11 RBIs in 13 games. He had played eight of those at third, adding diversity to his game. He has two errors on the year but said wherever he plays, he feels he’s both athletic and prepared enough to thrive," reported the NY Post.

 Source: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America

Torres will join the red hot Miguel Andujar who skipper Aaron Boone believes has that "little bit of swagger" this team needs.  "He's getting better and better at laying off some pitches that they want him to chase and I think it's a result of him getting a little more comfortable and him being a really talented hitter," said Boone as reported by NJ.com.  Andujar talked about his recent adjustments, crediting his coaches for their guidance and mentoring.  “There’s been a lot of communication between me and the hitting coaches. They told me I was a little too anxious, so I’m going out there a little more relaxed. That’s what I feel. I just feel more relaxed. That’s helping me a lot right now," as tweeted by Bryan Hoch.

The potential dynamic duo of Torres and Andujar and their chemistry could be just the antidote to this very slow start by this Yankee team, a team with a long road ahead, which includes a lot of twists and turns, significant to finding success.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

WHEN A TEAM BONDS

As a baseball coach, I always like to see a team develop out there.  Coaching Little League is mostly about helping to grow these young players into believers in themselves, but also about bonding with their teammates.  You know the drill... you learn to work together, you can quickly learn to win together.  Some of the best teams have done that in history at every level.

I wanted to share a moment I saw on Twitter. A quote from Sonny Gray about Gary Sanchez. This comes from our bud, Bryan Hoch who has a new book out, The Baby Bombers. You can buy it now. Here's that tweet:

.@SonnyGray2 on @ElGarySanchez: “I love that guy. I mean, he works so hard every day. ... Just watching him every day, he’s a worker and he’s such a likeable, loveable guy. You get the sense that he genuinely cares.”

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 10, 2018

This may mean nothing to you, but to me, it's the best part about being an athlete and teammate.  A bond so strong that when they hit the field, they work hard together because they have so much respect for the other.  That's baseball.

How many days till Opening day? I cannot wait to see this team grind toward a championship.

By the way, don't forget to check out our great interview with our guy... Bryan Hoch.  Read BYB EXCLUSIVE: BRYAN HOCH, AUTHOR OF "THE BABY BOMBERS".

CLUBHOUSE CULTURE: IT MEANS EVERYTHING

Source: Lynne Sladky | AP

As Spring Training 2018 unfolds with a number of first time managers, I might add, it will be interesting to see whose clubhouse can lead the best.  Yes, I said lead, not hit, not pitch, but lead.  Because behind the clutch hitting and stellar pitching, is a foundation, which supports players taking risks and giving it everything they have. Positive clubhouse culture provides the skeleton of success and this year, it is going to be a change agent when it comes to winning.

Source: NJ.com

"In Culturize, author and education leader Jimmy Casas shares insights into what it takes to cultivate a community of learners who embody the innately human traits our world desperately needs, such as kindness, honesty, and compassion. His stories reveal how these "soft skills" can be honed while meeting and exceeding academic standards of twenty-first-century learning," totes Amazon about the book published in late fall 2017.  Time and time again we have discussed the importance of clubhouse culture and its value to a team.  And when we reflect on the "students" of the game entering Major League Baseball seemingly younger and younger, the connection between Casas's book on culture and baseball could not be more clear.

Source: Twitter

Do baseball players need to be kind, honest and compassionate?  Yes. As Bryan Hoch said in his interview with our BYB skipper, Robert Casey yesterday in his piece BYB EXCLUSIVE: BRYAN HOCH, AUTHOR OF "THE BABY BOMBERS," "What you saw in the dugout with the thumbs-down and the Toe-Night Show stuff was the same kind of vibe we were seeing in the clubhouse. It's the Yankees, so there was a certain responsible atmosphere that still needed to be in place, but there was a much more youthful vibe. They laugh with each other and they pull for each other."

Source: Lynne Sladky | AP

Yankee manager Aaron Boone shared his vision for culture in his first press conference of spring training last week.  "I think it’s having that ability, and maybe it’s a little bit of an art form, but to have the ability to connect in the clubhouse with the guys, to have that trust factor, to have that your players understand that you do care about them, you’re putting the New York Yankees in this case in the forefront , as we’re going to do in the end always what’s best for the New York Yankees," reported NY Daily News.

Source: NY Daily News

Soft skills cannot be underestimated in a ball club, particularly one that is looking to shift its culture, much like we see with the NY Mets and their new leadership under Mickey Callaway and the Philadelphia Phillies with their new skipper, Gabe Kapler.  "I'm going to show them day in and day out, by the decisions I make, the way I communicate with them, that I truly, truly care about them," stated Callaway as reported by Golf Digest's The Loop.

Source: STEVE NESIUS

Kapler has filled the Phillies' spring training quarters with the inspiration of music, stating that music motivates and re-culturizes the clubhouse. "Ultimately, when we’re surrounded by music, we feel good,” said Kapler, whose father is a music teacher and a classically trained pianist. “We smile more, we’re more relaxed at the plate. There’s science behind this. It’s been studied. Workplaces are happier and they are more inspired when music is playing,” reported the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Source: NJ.com

The culture of an organization is the backbone of its success.  Besides warming up arms and bats, teams should be looking to warm up their culture much like we are seeing in the new manager strategies of Boone, Callaway and Kapler.  Clubhouse culture is going to be a main component to whose team is on top come October.  May the best culture win and may that culture be the Yankees.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

BYB EXCLUSIVE: BRYAN HOCH, AUTHOR OF "THE BABY BOMBERS"

With every year Bleeding Yankee Blue is on this planet, we meet new and exciting people.  I've spoken fondly of the journalists that I grew up reading that I am now friends with.  Pete Caldera being one of them.  I've chatted with Yankees present and past and we as a unit here at BYB have met some amazing readers and fans as well.  It's been an incredible journey.

Recently I reached out to Yankees Beat writer Bryan Hoch.  We admire him here at BYB. We follow each other on Twitter, and... as nutty as it sounds... we read each other's stuff.  Yup, a Yankees Beat writer reads BYB.  Who would have thunk it... but it's true.  Bryan Hoch, a well established sports writer has an open mind, and while he rubs elbows with Yankees every day, even he enjoys the pages of BYB.  How flattering.

Hoch has a new book which will be released the beginning of March.  But he was nice enough to give us some time here at BYB and answer some of our questions.  We are happy to share  our interview with Hoch, and promote his upcoming book, The Baby Bombers.  Be sure to check it out. I loved this chat and I hope you do too.

BYB: You have been the guy that Yankee fans and baseball fans alike will come to when there's important news about our Bombers. How did you score the gig as Yankees beat writer for MLB.com in 2007, and is it everything you hoped it would be?

Bryan Hoch: Thank you very much! It has been a dream job. Long story short, I always loved baseball and writing, and was able to merge them into a career. I was freelancing for MLB.com in the mid-2000s, covering the Mets, Yankees and the road teams that came into New York. While covering the 2006 Winter Meetings, I heard that the Yankees beat was about to have an opening – Mark Feinsand, who is now back with MLB.com as my teammate, was leaving for a newspaper gig. I made sure that everyone knew that I would be extremely interested in taking that spot. They called me just after Christmas with an offer, and this is true: I accepted before even asking what the position would pay!

(Oct. 7, 2017 - Source: Mike Stobe/Getty Images North America)

BYB: You've seen the Yankees as a much older than they are today. What was the feeling in that clubhouse this season with guys like Judge, Sanchez, Clint Frazier and Luis Severino? What's the energy like?

Bryan Hoch: It was a fun group to be around, and I think that showed on the field. What you saw in the dugout with the thumbs-down and the Toe-Night Show stuff was the same kind of vibe we were seeing in the clubhouse. It's the Yankees, so there was a certain responsible atmosphere that still needed to be in place, but there was a much more youthful vibe. They laugh with each other and they pull for each other. Winning breeds that atmosphere, but so does the fact that many of them came through the system together. It was one of the more positive teams I've experienced.

Photo: SNY

BYB: I see a lot of similarities between Derek Jeter and Greg Bird with the way Bird speaks to the press. Who do you find to be the easiest to talk to in the clubhouse and the most accessible in the new Yankee clubhouse? How about when the Core Four was there... and why?

Bryan Hoch: Hmm. A few weeks before Joe Girardi said it in that press conference, I remember listening to Aaron Judge and thinking, "Wow, he's Jeter."

Not in physical stature or on the field, of course, but in terms of that cadence and thoughtful nature. Jeter played his entire career in New York without embarrassing himself and I won't be surprised if Judge does too. It's hard to pick just one for easiest, so I'll mention Brett Gardner and CC Sabathia since they've been around the longest. As far as the Core Four, I'll tell you a quick story. Sometime around 2012, the Yankees are in Kansas City and Mariano Rivera calls me over to his locker. Someone had told Mo that I had been dating the same girl for four years and didn't seem particularly close to popping the question.

Photo: New York Daily News

For 10 to 15 minutes, Mariano counseled me one-on-one about the importance of marriage and settling down. I've never forgotten that chat. And yes, we did eventually get married … we have a beautiful 1 ½ year old daughter (and another baby on the way this summer!).

BYB: Did you ever meet George Steinbrenner? If so, tell the BYB audience about the man.

Photo: New York Daily News

Bryan Hoch: Yes, but only briefly. By the time I came on the beat in 2007, Steinbrenner was already letting the young elephants into the tent, so I've dealt much more with his children – Hal, Hank, Jennifer and Jessica. They take a lot of pride in running the Yankees as a family business. I marvel at the stories that the newspaper writers from the 1970s and 1980s can tell about The Boss in his prime, and I can't imagine the stress those guys were under. It was an era without cell phones, so you'd leave a message for Steinbrenner first thing in the morning and then wait by that phone all day. You never knew what Steinbrenner was going to say, but if he called back, you'd better not miss it. That was your back page, and sometimes the front!

Photo: Newsday

BYB: This Spring Training is gearing up to be a bit of a circus with Giancarlo Stanton coming to the Yanks. You have the inside scoop about a lot of thing when it comes to Yankee rumors. If I would have told you last year that the Yanks would be getting Stanton, would you have believed me? 

Bryan Hoch: Nope. I'm not sure I would have believed you if you told me that a week before the trade. I didn't expect him to play for the Marlins in 2018, but for all the world, it looked like he was going to the Cardinals or the Giants. There was a point in time when even Brian Cashman thought that it wasn't going to happen. I wrote an offseason preview where I listed Stanton to the Yankees as a long-shot blockbuster deal that could happen, but no, I didn't expect to be covering that press conference in December. And let's all remember – Jim Leyritz broke the news on Twitter!

BYB: OK, I know you gotta work with all these baseball insiders, and I know you read BYB a lot and know how much I hate the term 'baseball insider". Tell me, who's one of your favorite insiders.

Bryan Hoch: Just one? People should understand the long hours those guys put in. If you ever get a chance, walk through the lobby at the GM Meetings or the Winter Meetings, those events where all 30 teams are in the same hotel. I guarantee that if you go through there at 2 a.m., the national guys like Ken Rosenthal, Jon Heyman, Tom Verducci and Joel Sherman are working the room, hammering away on their cell phones, breaking news. Sometimes I wonder if they sleep at all.

BYB: When you look at Yankee players these days, have you ever seen a guy like Judge in your lifetime watching this game? If so, who?

Bryan Hoch: In a Yankees uniform? I guess Dave Winfield would be the closest comparison, because he was a multi-sport athlete who played right field, but I think Judge's power already exceeds that – and I don't think Winfield would disagree. Around the majors, Stanton is the obvious choice. On the day Judge was drafted, he mentioned that Stanton was someone he modeled his game after. It's going to be a lot of fun to see them hit in the same lineup.

BYB: Growing up, was sports writing always a passion? Tell us about your journey.

Bryan Hoch: Absolutely. As I mentioned earlier, I loved baseball from a very young age, and also had interest in journalism. I can remember working up a newspaper for my fourth-grade class, not because anyone asked me to, but because I wanted to see if I could. Along those lines, in 1996 I launched what you'd today know as a fan blog. It was a Web site devoted to my favorite team at the time, the Mets, and it gained a fairly large following. Remember, this is the Wild West dial-up days of the Web; there wasn't even a Mets.com until 1999. That helped me get an internship with the Mets in 2000, right out of high school. Once I walked behind the scenes at a big league ballpark, I never wanted that door to close.

BYB: What's more fun, cover the Mets or Yanks? And why

Bryan Hoch: The great thing about New York baseball is that people care about both teams, and you know that your stories are going to be read. I made some great memories at Shea Stadium; I ran on the field as a photographer after they clinched the pennant in 2000, was there for Mike Piazza's homer after 9/11, the Game 7 vs. the Cardinals in 2006 (happiest, and saddest, I ever saw that ballpark), rubbed shoulders with Hall of Famers and legends. That said, I always thought there was something special about being in the press box at the old Yankee Stadium. Here's a story. My seat was next to the exit, so when there were two outs in the ninth inning, Bob Sheppard would stand right next to me – book in hand, ready to dash to the elevator. If the batter got on and the game continued, he'd sigh and walk back to the booth. "Catcher, Ken-ji Joh-ji-ma." Then Sheppard would be next to me again. Once that final out went on the board, I'd hear the opening bars of "New York, New York," then look to my right. He'd be gone.

BYB: What's the best quality about a pitcher like Sonny Gray?

Bryan Hoch: I guess I'd say that he's a battle-tested innings-eater who has shown flashes of brilliance. There was a lot of talk that the Yankees had picked up an ace; that wasn't exactly true. He was the A's ace, and he was pitching like one right before the trade, but most would agree that Gray is a solid No. 2 starter or a very good No. 3. Either way, his contract situation made that a smart move for Brian Cashman. Gray wasn't picked up just for 2017, but for '18 and '19 too.

BYB: The Yankees acquired QB Russell Wilson from the Rangers. It seemed to come out of nowhere? What’s your take on this move? Be honest.

Bryan Hoch: It should be a fun distraction for Spring Training. To me, it's no different than when the Yankees have had Nick Saban or Jason Garrett talk to teams in the spring. Wilson has played on the biggest stages in sports, and I'm sure there are valuable experiences in preparation or training that he can share. My understanding is that Wilson will be in uniform during games and workouts, but they aren't promising him much (if any) playing time. If he gets a few ninth-inning at-bats or plays an inning in the field, I don't see the harm. I mean, 60-year-old Billy Crystal got an at-bat once. The franchise survived.

Photo: SI.com

BYB: Looking at the 2009 season, it was a team where everything clicked. After seeing our season last year... what can you tell our audience about this upcoming season? What do you see as the Yankees strengths and weaknesses in 2018?

Bryan Hoch: I think there's a very good chance that we look back at the '17 Yankees as the weakest roster of the next five years or so, which is saying something. They're going to score a ton of runs as long as they can keep Judge, Stanton, Sanchez, Bird, Gregorius and Gardner reasonably healthy, and I won't be surprised if Torres and Andujar play a big role. The starting pitching has plenty of question marks, but that's not uncommon, and the bullpen is elite again. How often are they going to be asking guys to go seven or eight innings with that 'pen? I'd expect a lot of home runs, some quick hooks and a heavy workload for the relief crew.

BYB: OK. Free plug about your new book, The Baby Bombers. Why will people want to read your book?

Bryan Hoch: Thank you. I hope they will! The concept was pitched to me shortly after the Home Run Derby as a Judge biography, but over the next few weeks, I realized there was a deeper story to tell. The best way to describe "The Baby Bombers" is that it traces how the Derek Jeter Yankees successfully transitioned into the Aaron Judge Yankees, with many details that have not been reported previously. Who were the Yankees after the 'Core Four?' And how does a large-market team respond after years of missing the playoffs with an aging, expensive roster? To answer those questions and more, I spoke to many people both inside and outside the organization -- players, front-office executives, scouts, coaches, former players and other personnel. It also digs into the current roster. We go back to college with Judge, high school with Bird, the academies of the Dominican with Sanchez and Severino. Whether you're a casual Yankees fan or you watch every game, I wanted this to bring readers behind the scenes into the clubhouse and the front office to see how a Major League Baseball team operates in today's game. More than anything, I believe readers should come away with an understanding of how special this group could be.

BYB: Finally, so you read Bleeding Yankee Blue? What do you think?

Bryan Hoch: I do! I try to read everything out there as much as possible, and I've found that fan blogs like BYB are a great window into what Yankees fans are thinking at any given time. I love the passion and authenticity. You can tell that these are the die-hards whose evening revolves around nine innings, 162 games a year. As someone who landed on the Web in similar fashion, writing about something I loved without the expectation of making a dime, I completely understand and respect that dedication!

I want to thank Hoch for being a stand up guy and taking the time out of his incredibly busy schedule to answer some questions for the BYB audience.  Hope you all will check out Bryan's new book, The Baby Bombers, out officially March 6th, but you can pre-order on Amazon now.  CLICK HERE.