KING OF THE BRONX!

Every once in a while, a young pitcher takes the mound, and you can almost feel that something special is about to happen.

Friday night was one of those nights.

Cam Schlittler didn't simply outpitch the Phillies. He flat-out embarrassed one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball. Twelve strikeouts. Zero walks. More than seven scoreless innings. Against Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and a lineup that can ruin a pitcher's evening in a heartbeat, Schlittler never blinked.

Think about that for a second.

This wasn't some rebuilding club swinging at bad pitches. This was a veteran team with legitimate World Series aspirations. And for most of the night, they looked completely lost.

That's what great pitching does.

Schlittler pounded the strike zone from the first inning, worked quickly, trusted his stuff, and attacked hitters instead of nibbling around the edges. His fastball exploded through the zone, his secondary pitches kept hitters guessing, and every time the Phillies looked like they might build a little momentum, Schlittler slammed the door shut.

You couldn't help but smile watching it unfold.

The Yankees have been searching for homegrown starting pitching they can truly build around for years. Fans have heard the hype before. They've watched prospects arrive with enormous expectations only to disappear just as quickly.

Cam Schlittler doesn't look overwhelmed. He looks comfortable. More importantly, he looks like he expects to dominate. That's a completely different mindset, and it's showing every single time he takes the ball.

The Yankees' offense didn't exactly make life easy. Paul Goldschmidt supplied the only run of the game with a solo blast, leaving almost no margin for error. One mistake could have changed everything.

Schlittler never gave the Phillies that opportunity.

He trusted his defense, trusted his catcher, trusted his stuff, and kept firing strike after strike. No panic. No free passes. No unnecessary drama.

Just baseball the way it's supposed to be played.

When Aaron Boone finally walked to the mound in the eighth inning, Schlittler left the mound after putting together one of the most impressive pitching performances we've seen from a Yankees rookie in a long, long time.

The bullpen finished the job, but make no mistake—this game belonged to Cam Schlittler. Maybe the biggest takeaway isn't the 12 strikeouts. Maybe it's how ordinary he made greatness look.

That's what separates good pitchers from potential aces. Great pitchers make elite hitters look uncomfortable. Great pitchers control the pace of the game. Great pitchers pitch like they know they're the best player on the field.

Schlittler checked every one of those boxes. The Yankees still have plenty of questions to answer as this season rolls along. There will be ups and downs. There always are. But one thing suddenly feels different. Every fifth day, the Yankees aren't just sending another starter to the mound. They're sending out a young pitcher who is beginning to look like he could anchor this franchise for years to come.

If this is the beginning of Cam Schlittler's story in pinstripes, baseball better start paying attention.

This kid is taking over.

THE LOCKOUT IS LOOMING & A FAMILIAR FACE COULD TAKE CENTER STAGE IN NEGOTIATIONS!

Forget about the pit you feel in your stomach right now with Anthony Volpe back in the big leagues. It's about to get really real. The thrill of the regular season is still heating up, but the real drama is going to unfold off the field this winter. Buckle up, this is the start of a very long lockout with a twist that could come out of left field.

The season is still young, but we are already talking about the end of the season. The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires December 1st and Major League Baseball and MLB Players Association (MLBPA) met face-to-face Tuesday to give opening presentations for negotiations, read more HERE.

The league will pursue both a salary cap AND a salary floor, something that players have firmly opposed, including Bryce Harper openly criticizing it most recently when he cursed out MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, check it out HERE.

Even though talks have started, progress on the proposals probably won't be significant until after the season ends. If an agreement can't be reached by March, schedule adjustments for 2027 will need to be made. In a lockout, no transactions can be made so that means no trades or free agent signings. I still remember the last lockout which was 99-days right on the heels of a pandemic. That irritated me beyond belief when Sonny Gray was whining like a baby about money while the rest of us were dealing with our own lockdowns and hardships. That was bad, this could be even worse. 

The anticipated lockout is only in talks, but it already has the attention of Congress. It is rumored that a lockout would cause an intervention from politicians and President Trump would be possible. The last thing I want is congress or the president meddling with America's favorite pastime, but it's possible that politics and baseball could collide in a new way.

In case you hadn't heard, one of my favorites Mark Teixeira is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas' 21st Congressional District in 2026. By the way Mike O'Hara....if you are out there buddy, LOOK Tex is relevant again unlike Greg Bird! Sorry, I couldn't resist the throwback to old times when we traded zingers. Anyway, Tex is a former member of the MLBPA's executive subcommittee so if he wins his race, he could play a pivotal role in negotiating a new deal. Interesting thought to see him go from one of the MLBPA members, to someone who could potentially bring both sides together in a different capacity.  

I've had several people tell me not to worry about this now because "It's too early" but this is going to be a negotiation unlike any other. Baseball as we know it could look VERY different here soon. Things are gonna get ugly....and this is just a warmup for what's to come.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

JETER & AROD HOLD CASHMAN'S FEET TO THE FIRE

Brian Cashman is at it again—puffing out his chest and promising Yankees fans he’ll “do whatever it takes” to bring a World Series to the Bronx this year. Cute. We've heard that song and dance before, Brian. The needle's worn out, and the record’s skipping.

Every year it's the same recycled line: “We’re all in.” Meanwhile, the only thing actually in is another October off for the Yankees while Aaron Judge gets older and his prime ticks away—wasted like leftover garlic fries in the seventh inning of a blowout loss.

But here’s the twist: this year, some Yankee legends are finally stepping up and calling BS.

During FOX’s All-Star Game broadcast, Derek Jeter took off the gloves. When asked for his World Series pick, he smirked and said, “Cashman basically said that he’s all in. So I expect the Yankees to do something at the trade deadline.” Translation: "Your move, Brian. Don’t screw it up again."

And then came A-Rod on The Michael Kay Show, delivering a fastball to the ribs. “This is all to do with the construction of the roster,” he said bluntly. “And the price you pay for missing on Harper, Machado, Bregman… It’s costly.” Oof. Not even a hanging curve, just straight heat. And he's right—every ghost of a player Cashman didn’t sign still haunts Yankee Stadium like a fog machine that won’t turn off.

Now, you’ve got two guys with rings—two guys who carried this franchise on their backs—basically telling the front office to stop polishing excuses and start building a real contender. And Yankee fans? We’re not just nodding along. We’re livid. We’re sick of the excuses, the caution, the “we tried” pressers.

Nobody wants to hear about “good conversations” at the deadline. Nobody wants to hear, “Prices were too high.” We want results, not regrets. Not another year of Brian saying “we were close” and Boone defending mediocrity like he’s giving out participation trophies.

Enough with the babying. Enough with the half-measures. This fan base wants a ring. You know, the kind of thing Judge deserves while he’s still in one piece. So, here’s the challenge: prove Jeter right. Don’t make A-Rod’s words prophetic. No more spin. No more waiting for the perfect deal. The window’s open now.

Pull the damn trigger, Brian. Or hand someone else the gun. We're tired of this.

PETE ALONSO COULD BE THE LAST FIRST BASEMAN STANDING

Remember when Bryce Harper and Manny Machado were the belles of the ball back in 2019, but had to wait until after spring training to get their $300 million dances? Well, it looks like Pete Alonso might be stuck in a similar slow dance, and let’s be real—he ain't Harper.

Alonso’s got the stats, no doubt. With 226 home runs and four All-Star appearances, he’s been a beast for the Mets. But here’s the kicker: giving Alonso a long-term, mega-bucks deal in 2025 feels more like a delusion than a solid investment. Last season’s .788 OPS was his worst, and it's my opinion that it’s making teams hit the brakes harder than a rookie driver on a freeway.

Let’s talk Mets for a moment because I can't stand Steve Cohen. They’ve already thrown $918.1 million around this winter like its Monopoly money, with a mind-blowing $765 million for Juan Soto. Why? Because Steve Cohen wanted to flex on the Yankees, not because it made strategic sense. Now, when it comes to Alonso, they’re not exactly in a rush to commit big money for the long haul. And who can blame them?

Teams across the league are showing some interest—eight of them, including the Blue Jays and Red Sox—but it’s like they’re all waiting for someone else to make the first (and probably regrettable) move. Alonso’s agent, Scott Boras, isn’t helping with his legendary high demands either.

Honestly, it’s tough not to feel a little bad for Alonso. He’s still a solid player but calling him a top-tier star at this point is a stretch. The idea of anyone offering him a long-term, high-dollar contract feels more like fantasy than reality. It’s no wonder teams are holding back.

So, what’s the likely scenario? Alonso probably heads back to the Mets on a short-term deal, maybe with an opt-out clause. Even then, Cohen and the Mets might be hesitant to open the checkbook again. They’ve already made their big splash with Soto, and they might soon realize that splurge was more about ego than team strategy.

MLB fans do like Pete, Mets fans definitely do. But big money and a lengthy contract for him now? That’s a fairy tale I would never buy into.

YANKEES' AARON JUDGE PLAYING IN THE 2028 OLYMPICS IN LOS ANGELES? BET ON IT!

The latest buzz about the Yankees and our captain Aaron Judge is that since baseball will be in the Olympics, maybe guys like Judge could be part of it?  I love the idea! I mean, every night I am glued to the TV watching Team USA dominate. I love the Olympics so much... so wanting to see guys like Judge there in 2028 would be incredible to me and many others!

The New York Post writes:

"I’d love to play,” Judge said Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. “If they give us the opportunity — I don’t know what the ruling [is] or [if] anything has come out about that.

“But I’m all in on that.”

Last month at the All-Star Game, commissioner Rob Manfred — while not committing to allowing major league players to participate in the Olympics — said that the early player interest in doing so (from stars such as Bryce Harper to Shohei Ohtani) was “important.”...

“There’s very few opportunities to get to do that and especially, hopefully, in the prime of my career where I can still do it and make an impact, I’d love to,” said Judge, who would be 36 for the 2028 Olympics. “I’ve never represented my country before, never got invited to those Team USA [camps], never really made the cut for those. Hopefully now I can make the cut.”

We have seen such great popularity with the basketball team over the years, it just makes sense.  Honestly, I can't stand Manfred, but hopefully the idea of having major leaguers compete in 2028 will happen.  I'd love to see Judge in a Team USA jersey!  How about you?

SOTO WANTS TO HAVE A REUNION WITH SNELL

Source: Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post

Blake Snell is still without a team for 2024. It is almost laughable that the NL Cy Young Winner is sitting on the couch while the spring training games continue throughout in Florida and Arizona. But in an interesting twist, Snell's former teammate, new Yankee Juan Soto, is all about having Snell join the 2024 team, in fact he has flat out put out the welcome mat.

"New Yankees superstar Juan Soto enthusiastically endorsed the idea of the team signing National League Cy Young winner Blake Snell, which would make the Yankees the first team to combine the two reigning Cy Young winners in one Opening Day rotation," reported The New York Post. 

Source: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

The Yankees are clearly concerned about a number of things when it comes to Snell. One is his salary, next is the luxury tax, third is his consistency and depth and last is how he will be as a veteran in the Yankees clubhouse.

"Snell’s market has been surprisingly quiet despite a superb overall track record that actually includes two Cy Youngs (one more than even Cole, who won the AL award last year for the first time), but Soto wanted to clear up any misperception about Snell’s persona, if that’s what’s holding up his market," reported The Post. “He’s a great dude, he’s a great guy,” Soto said. “He’s always right there, cheering for his teammates. He’s a funny guy, too. He’s great in the clubhouse.”

Source: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

And Soto is not the only advocate for Snell. In another article published by The Post on Monday, "Superstar, team captain and sometime adviser Aaron Judge spoke hopefully upon arrival about the potential for one more pickup (though Judge didn’t specify who he was talking about or if he had any inside info). “I definitely think there might be another move on the way. But you never know. We’ll see,” Judge said then. While Snell’s name was unsaid, a couple of the big voices in the clubhouse are thought to be endorsers of Snell."

Source: SNY

The pitching in the minors is very promising and Hal Steinbrenner seems content with what he is seeing there and in his current starting rotation with the addition of Marcus Stroman. Steinbrenner stated that he believed that Luis Gil and Will Warren will see time in the majors this season and that Clarke Schmidt has come out strong this spring. Signing Snell means Schmidt would be the odd man out in the starting rotation. 

Soto says it will be a wait and see kind of game. “I think he’s just waiting for the perfect spot for him,” Soto said. “It is what it is. It happened before, with [Manny] Machado, and with [Bryce] Harper. Those guys signed late, in spring training. They were asking for the money, and they got it,” reported The Post.

It will be an interesting few weeks as the Yankees continue their spring training schedule into late March when the actual season begins. Do the Yankees feel they have what they need in their current pitching staff to pass on Snell? Hard to say but if Soto and Judge were buying, Snell would be headed to Tampa today. 

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

JOBA & WELLS SPEAK OUT ON THE YANKEES HORRIBLE SEASON!

Joba Chamberlain is the recent Yankee hero in my mind.  He says that the fans have a right to be pissed off about the Yankees ridiculous season.  Meanwhile David Wells is shouting that it's not Brian Cashman or Aaron Boone, but instead the players who need to step up and do their job. 

The New York Post writes:

“Everyone’s blaming Cashman, they’re blaming Aaron Boone,” Wells said during an appearance on “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich.” “… So to me, it’s a matter of if the players don’t produce, send them a message, and I don’t care how much money they’re making. Send them down, and let them sit in the minor leagues for a bit.

“Yeah, they got guaranteed contracts, but they’re not getting the publicity that they want in a big-league stadium. Go to a minor-league stadium. It’s not fun when you’re in the big leagues and you go back down, because it’s humiliating when you get sent down. But do your job, and that’s what they gotta do.”

Let me tell you something. Both guys are right.  But when it comes to the fans, they take it personally.  There is no question that Cashman brought in players that did not do their job.  But we're rehashing alot of garbage now.  

Guys like Montas, Rodon just didn't work. Trading Montgomery for Bader proved to be stupid.  Not signing Harper when the Yankees should have bit the Yankees in the ass.  All this is true.  Wells can complain all he wants about how the players needed to do their job, but who can forget the time Wells didn't do his job when the Yankees needed him.

October 2003.  In the first inning against the Marlins, David Wells was pulled from the mound when we needed him most... for... back spasms.  ESPN writes:

"Back spasms forced New York Yankees pitcher David Wells from his start in Game 5 of the World Series against the Florida Marlins after only one inning Thursday...Florida went on to win 6-4, taking a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series."

David Wells didn't do his job that day. We lost the series. What's my point? I hate when guys can spew their mouth about crap and forget what they didn't accomplish on the field for us fans for merely the same thing.  Say what you will about the players doing their job, but at the end of the day if comes down to the talent on the field and what they can do on any given day. And these players were brought in by YOU GUESSED IT... Brian Cashman.  Cashman thought he was putting the best guys on the field, like Wells, like Stanton or Rodon... but those players failed.  Let me say this again... Cashman brought them in.

Wells is loyal to Cashman because Cashman defended Wells after that 2003 game. That's all it came down to:

"He is as big a competitor as you can find and he fights through a lot of stuff, but today he couldn't get through it," Cashman said."

Joba has stepped up finally to say that fans deserve better, and they have the right to be critical. Great job Yanks Go Yard with this interview!  (34:22)

He said that the fans should be mad and that's all us fans really want. Us fans want to see change. We're the ones that pay a ton of money to see the players that Cashman puts on the field compete.  And when they don't, we want Cashman's head. It's pretty simple. When the Yankees lose, we lose money. When the Yankees win, we feel satisfied because we spent a $1000 bucks on the game that day, money to get tickets, to park and to buy food for our family.  It's pretty simple and to be honest, obscene.  

The prices at the stadium are outrageous... do pardon us fans for not being happy when Cashman gets us Rodon and he lays an egg 5 games straight.  The front office picked Rodon because Rodon was supposed to be good. Analytics, top office guys made that decision and Cashman was in on it.  But at the end of the day, they picked the wrong player.  And so, that's why fans are mad.  And Joba gets that. 

Look, The Yankees will get through this, but only if they make changes.  Wells is a good dude with great opinions... Joba too.  I just love how to players have different perspectives on this situation. It's fascinating to me.

Anyway... Happy Sunday!

THE WORD "OFFER" IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KILLING MOMENTUM & EXCELLENCE

Bryce Harper is one of the most injured guys around.  But yet, he's a star player always making things happen for the Phils. I found this headline super-interesting and I wanted to delve into it a bit with my thoughts on managing and trusting abilities and momentum killers and all of that.  First, see what I grabbed from Facebook just a short time ago:

Now I don't know what the Liberty Line is, and I'm reading this story, but I was taken by the part on top.  "Rob Thomson offered Bryce Harper a rest day today."

Now I want you to think about Aaron Boone and the Yankees and for this exercise, Aaron Judge will be part of this example.  

Day after day we'd have a guy on a hot streak and then out of nowhere... Boone decides to rest the guy.  Here are just 3 headlines of Boone resting Judge... without offering, without asking... just doing it... even during hot streaks, even when the team needed him.

And so, lets get back to that word OFFER.  For me, it comes down to bad personnel decisions by Boone. He never offers, he just does it. To me, I observe Boone as a guy that doesn't think big picture... that doesn't understand the true dynamic of a hungry ballplayer, or trust of talent and the irony is that is WAS a ballplayer.  Now this is the best part... Bryce Harper's answer:

"Absolutely not. We're in the middle of this thing. Trea's not here. We've got to go."

Do you know what happened next? Rob Thomson played Bryce Harper.  Why? Because he offered with the idea that he trusts his players, understands momentum, ability and the hunger to want to go out there and win.  

We have Aaron Judge on our team, in many regards the leader of the team like Harper is to the Phils.  They both get hurt a lot yes, but they both mash the ball and lead their respective teams.  But the difference is the manager, isn't it?

Aaron Judge can try and back Aaron Boone all he wants.  But that's because he's got a friendship with the guy. It's not because he's a good manager, trust me. Boone isn't a true manager or baseball guy, is he?  You don't shut guys down for rest if they don't want to rest.  Thomson gets it... why doesn't Boone?

Offering star players rest is much better than making them rest.  It allows streaks to be extended... momentum to continue.  Making players rest during hot streaks kills momentum.  I mean... it's common sense. What's he missing?

"WE CAN'T REPLACE HIM" ATTITUDE PROVES YANKS NOT EQUIPPED WITHOUT JUDGE

Aaron Judge will be out for "weeks".  Because of that, the feeling around Yankeeland has suddenly become gloomy.  Bob Klapisch writes a great column about life without Judge today. In the headline, "It's not pretty" should be enough to want you to dive in.  Bottom line, reading it, you feel like doubt has entered that clubhouse.  There's a void, a dark cloud lingering.  As Bob says "It's grim enough to make Aaron Boone wake up in a cold sweat."  There's some truth to that.  Boone doesn't understand or navigate well when he's challenged as a manager. It's his biggest flaw. Not only will it be a test for the team, it will be a test for our manager, who is unqualified and unsure of himself.  Yelling at umpires does not make you a leader... it makes you a whiner and that's where we're at with this guy. So, in short, with Aaron Judge out, this will be a wacky ride.

With Judge out for what looks like weeks, the Yankees need to step it up, that's the bottom line.  Getting a quote from Josh Donaldson say "we can't replace him" worries me. Look, the Yankees just have to play hard. It wasn't great last night losing to the White Sox 3-2, but maybe that was the "initial shock" of not having Judge there.  It's one game, we need to improve on that.

But I guess the bigger question is these athletes and how they play the game. If I'm paying my hard earned money to see these athletes work their tails off, I really can't blame Aaron Judge for making a fantastic catch and then slamming into a wall to do it. He'd tell you he'd do it again. It's what athletes should do.  

Reminds me a lot of the Robinson Cano debate about longevity in baseball. Top athletes and playing hard, not jogging to first.  It was years ago now that that idiot Peter Keating of ESPN the magazine tried desparaging me writing that my opinion as a fan and journalist was twisted and wrong.  His solution was let them play 162 games at 50% so they can play for a long, long time.  

Everyone knew looking at Cano he was always looking for shortcuts except Keating. In the end, Keating was wrong. Cano banged around the league for a few more years and was even caught using PEDs. He was laughed out of baseball, and Keating was mocked on Bleeding Yankee Blue for years to follow and I will never stop. Dummy.  

But that "not playing hard" narrative continues on Pinstripe Alley, a site I admire, but the thinking is crazy to me:

"I’m not going to file this into the column of “Judge is injury prone,” but it is perhaps illustrative of why guys like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Bryce Harper have largely stopped trying in the outfield. These kinds of players are just so valuable at the plate that the runs they cede defensively are made up tenfold by the runs they produce by being healthy and at the plate. It’s impossible to tell a pro athlete not to try hard, but maybe Judge should have gone less than 100 mph trying to make that play."

The last statement is odd to me. Every athlete knows you can't stop momentum and going "100 mph trying to make a play" sometimes isn't a choice but exactly what it is, momentum.  But more to that, athletes should never stop trying. Athletes need to continue to play hard and no doubt Judge will too. That's what makes him great and the sport amazing. I actually think for the Yankees this is less about Judge's injury and more about how the Yankees and Boone will react.  They NEED to step up. Boone NEEDS to make hard decisions and navigate smarter than the nit-wit he is.  Boone's about automatic, and now he actually has to think.

Can the Yankees do it? Yes, but it won't be easy.

Get well soon Aaron, you will be missed. No doubt Yankee fans will rally. But can your manager? Serious question. Sadly, I don't know the answer.

WEIRD, BUT PROVOCATIVE ANALYSIS OF WHY JUDGE WON'T PLAY IN CALI

Jon Heyman drives me crazy. There, I said it. 

But that being said, I can actually appreciate this piece of his analysis when it comes to ballparks, home runs, team needs and where Aaron Judge will play next.  Now, dare I say it means nothing when money comes into play, but it is still very interesting, and I appreciate it! Kudos to Heyman here. 

Heyman writes:

"While the Giants and Dodgers seem like the biggest threats to sign away superstar Aaron Judge, both carry potential complications in pursuits against the Yankees, who hold edges for Judge in legacy, ballpark and familiarity.

The Giants are clearly gung-ho in their efforts and said to be “elated” by their visit this week with Judge, but the idea they hold an advantage as his “hometown” team seems specious; he’s from Linden, Calif., two hours and a lifestyle away. (Judge actually lives now in Tampa, which is Yankees territory.)

The Giants have tried before for big power stars, but came up short for Bryce Harper and were rejected by Judge’s friend Giancarlo Stanton. They may have learned from the Harper try, when they came in late and low, but Oracle Park remains ranked in the bottom third for homers even if it wouldn’t hold most of Judge’s super long drives. "

In other words, what Heyman is saying is the ballpark isn't great to showcase Judge homers. Also, that while Judge's parents live in Linden, CA, he actually doesn't live there.  And when it comes to the Dodgers, they need a shortstop because Trea Turner is going through the free agency process right now. That's more important than trying to steal away Judge from the east coast.

It's a crumb, but interesting.

This theory is comforting to Yankee fans I imagine as we wait for Judge to decide on what he wants to do.

Carry on...

A RIDICULOUSLY SUBJECTIVE & SKEWED TOP 5 MLB PLAYERS LIST JUST CAME OUT...

Baseball is built on fandom and the players are there because they are talented. And picking guys as "top" guys is usually based on popularity, who's hot, who's not and once again... the fans.

Ben Verlander came out with a top 5 MLB players list today. I don't understand why we are hanging on every word Ben Verlander says but we are.  I mean, what are his credentials? He's Justin Verlander's younger brother. He played baseball. OK... and then what?  My point is why is he important? But this isn't actually about Ben. DON'T TROLL HIM. He's a good dude, has great ideas, he's a good-looking guy, smart.  

But to put his name on a "TOP 5 MLB Players" list is to just get this guy trolled and that's not fair to Ben. Why? Because look at the list FOX is getting behind.

First off, are these the Top 5 MLB Players of the Decade? Of the season? Of the week? Why do you ask? Here's why.  

Mike Trout may be the best player in baseball since he got into the pros. That's a fact. Bryce Harper had a great week last week, is he in the Top 5?  And we all know Cody Bellinger is a total gamer even though he's batting .202. What about him? Should he have been considered? And let's even go further as a baseball AND Yankee fan...

When you're talking the most meaningful hits with games on the line, bottom line is this year, at this moment, it's Aaron Judge! Hands down. 

Judge SHOULD be #1.  But you want to know why Ohtani is #1? Because MLB props this guy up because he's a two way player. But you know what? There should be more two ways in the Major Leagues. Here's the problem high schools and colleges make players 'pitchers only' or players and they don't have a choice. And so, by the time they get to the Majors they don't get to choose to be a two way. But Shohei Ohtani is an international player, signed a big contract and he was able to demand what he wanted.  And now, because of that, he's beloved.  But look at his numbers...

Ohtani is a .257 hitter this year. And pitching? His ERA is 2.78 and a 3-2 record this year. Strikeouts? 46 in 6 games. HARDLY THE BEST.

You know who's better? Several pitchers, but Max Scherzer is 4-1 with a 2.66 ERA and 55 strikeouts. 

And what about Justin Verlander? 5-1 with a 1.38 ERA? Those numbers alone move Ohtani down the list, maybe even knock him off the list. And what's worse is Justin was ignored. Why? Because Ben Verlander can't pick Justin because they're brothers.  And that's the ONLY reason, but we all know that Verlander is better than Ohtani.

Look, I in no way want to give Ben Verlander a hard time. But lists like this one are clearly political and strategic and orchestrated and silly.  And the biggest word? Subjective, especially if you're a baseball fan, because we all have lists.  

If we're making lists, here's my 19-year old's list, who, by the way, has no credentials other than he plays college ball and loves the game. 

1. Aaron Judge

2. Manny Machado

3. Mike Trout

4. Nolan Arenado

5. Rafael Devers

And by the way... YOU WILL HAVE DIFFERENT PICKS. That's my point... backing a list that is so skewed is madness.

And I'm curious... what's your list? If you're on Twitter, RT and list your top 5. I'd love to see it.

CHASING THE DOLLAR NOT THE DREAM

Source: NJ.com

Aaron Judge. I am just beyond disappointed. Are you? Did you read our skipper's piece on Saturday: SELFISH JUDGE FEELS SNUBBED BY YANKEES & NO ONE CARES? If you haven't hit pause on this piece and go do it. PAUSE.

Now fans at the Stadium showed Judge how they felt when he was met with boos instead of his usual echoing applause. But it is not Judge's fault that he wants more. It is not his fault he is selfish. It is all the guys that came ahead of him, demanding the dollar instead living the dream. And it is enough to make any fan sick.

As MLB.com wrote, "When you look at the list of highest average annual values and say that the proposed $30.5 million -- the highest in Yankees history -- would be “only” 12th, it’s worth noting how many of those ahead of him signed earlier in their 20s -- or, in the case of Max Scherzer, for only three years. Just last year, George Springer, then 31 and comparable to Judge in terms of accomplishments, received six years and $150 million from the Blue Jays. Teams have made it exceptionally clear how much they value youth."

Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune

And by youth, they mean 30 and younger. Big dollars have been flashed in young players' eyes—eager, greedy eyes. It is like they forget how they got there or that they should be paid for getting here. But once you cross over to the 30+ bucket, your value drops as with Judge. Plus Judge's trips to the IL have been frequent. In 2018 and 2019 he played 112, and 102 games respectively. He played half the 60 games in 2020. Last year was the first time he crossed over 140 games since 2017. He is a crowd pleaser and runs maker when he is hot and in the lineup. When he is not, he is a dud. And the Yankees want to pay him for his past and future service based on what they have seen and what they believe he can provide. Nothing wrong with that. 

Source: New York Daily News

Brian Cashman told us exactly what the Yankees were willing to pay, ahead of Judge's deadline of Opening Day. The Yankees "had offered seven years and $213.5 million atop the $17 million it offered for the 2022 season -- making the entire package eight years and approximately $230 million." Fair deal, right? But Judge simply turned his snobby nose up at it and declined. I would love your take on this line from Casey's piece yesterday,  "Judge came back to the media and said “I’m not afraid of searching for a job.’’ In the days of George, that statement will get you traded." I would love to see that through some sort of simulation—Boss George would have sat Aaron Judge's ass right down and said, "we don't do that here at the Yankees."

Source: NBC Sports

"If it sounds like we think Judge will have a hard time topping this offer on the open market, we do, because teams have made it increasingly clear that deals stretching a decade or more are reserved for the youngest stars (like Wander Franco, 20; Fernando Tatis Jr., 22; Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, each 26), since deals that long for players already in their 30s (like Albert Pujols, at 32, or Miguel Cabrera, at 31) have generally been poor investments for team success. (For the team, anyway; they were well-deserved rewards for superstar players.)," reported MLB.com.

No one is indispensible. As a Yankee fan, I worried about what the Yankees would do without anchor and Hit Man, Donnie Baseball. Guess what, they survived. Derek Jeter, same thing. The Yankees kept growing, kept moving forward and so did we as fans. I mean we can go all the way back to Joe DiMaggio who by the way would NOT be snubbing his nose at any opportunity to play or even throw out a first pitch. Check out this piece, APRIL 9, YANKEE STADIUM OR BUST,  earlier this spring about Joe D and his love of the game. 

Source: Clutch Points

Anthony Rizzo said something about Judge and contract extensions more broadly earlier this week which I have not been able to get passed. I am paraphrasing here, but he said, there is no loyalty in baseball. You just don't know what is going to happen. Sometimes you do. In Judge's case, there is loyalty. The Yankees met Judge's deadline with an offer. Judge publicly stated he wanted to stay a Yankee. But his actions are contradictory. Was there loyalty when Freddie Freeman left Atlanta for dollar signs in Los Angeles? And Freeman at least brought a championship to the Braves. Has Judge brought one to NY? I think you know that answer.

Does Judge deserve more? No. He's lucky that he got what he did. He is one step away from an injury, unfortunately. We all are. Take what you are offered, and stay a Yankee or go and get another job and hope you can be what you have been to New York, and its fans somewhere else. Good luck with that.

The grass is always greener as they say. But is it? You have a good thing, Judge. Too bad all you see are dollar signs instead of the tremendous gift you have been given just to be a baseball player, playing for the best sports franchise in the world. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof