MICHAEL KAY FINALLY SAID "STUMP MERRILL". WE DID THAT ALREADY

Michael Kay finally did it.

He looked at this Yankees mess and uttered two words that should send chills down the spine of anyone who's lived through the late '80s and early '90s:

Stump Merrill.

Welcome to the conversation. But if you're going to go after this team quoting the "Stump Merrill era" you have to blame Boone for being just as bad as Merrill was, but you won't because you get paid by the Yankees. We here at Bleeding Yankee Blue? We'll say it.

But seriously, the funny part isn't that Kay finally made the comparison. The funny part is that Bleeding Yankee Blue has been connecting those dots for years, long before it became acceptable on the airwaves.

Back in 2021 THE YANKEES ARE DEAD BECAUSE OF POOR LEADERSHIP, we wrote exactly where this train was heading:

"Aaron Boone is the reason this Yankee team is terrible. Leadership is vital in this game and Boone doesn't have it. You know who else didn't have it? Stump Merrill. Dallas Green. Those were dark times as a Yankee fan. We're back to those times."

That wasn't written after one bad week. That wasn't written to grab headlines. That was written because the same problems kept showing up over and over again and it's still happening.

Now here's where Michael Kay—and much of the mainstream Yankees media—stops because he has to. We don't.

Because if you're going to compare this era to the Stump Merrill years, then you have to be honest enough to explain why.

The Stump Merrill Yankees weren't remembered simply because the roster wasn't good. They were remembered because there wasn't leadership. There wasn't accountability. The clubhouse wasn't being driven by a manager capable of getting more from his players. That's why those teams drifted.

That's why those years became synonymous with mediocrity.

And here's the uncomfortable question...

What's different today? Sure, blame the players. Absolutely. They're the ones swinging the bats. They're the ones making the errors. They're the ones failing to deliver in October—or, lately, just failing to deliver. But baseball has always been bigger than the box score.

Leadership matters. Culture matters. Direction matters. A manager isn't there just to hand the baseball to the starting pitcher and fill out a lineup card. He's supposed to set the standard.

When the same mistakes happen every game and every season... When fundamentals disappear every season... When urgency vanishes every season...eventually the conversation has to move beyond the players.

It has to move to the men in charge. Aaron Boone.

Brian Cashman has wrapped Boone in enough bubble wrap to survive a five-story fall.

Every collapse comes with another excuse. Every poor decision is explained away. Every postseason disappointment is followed by another vote of confidence.

The result? No championships. No meaningful progress. The same movie playing on repeat. We've said it before because it's true now as it was then:

Leadership isn't optional. It's everything. That's why Buck Showalter changed the Yankees. That's why Joe Torre changed the Yankees. That's why Joe Girardi squeezed everything he could out of his clubs.

Managers matter. The Yankees themselves proved that for decades. So why are we suddenly pretending they don't? And here's where things get really interesting.

Michael Kay made the comparison. But he stopped short of saying what naturally comes next.

Why? You can decide for yourself, but hey, I'll tell you my thoughts...

Kay works inside the Yankees' orbit. Whether consciously or unconsciously, there are realities that come with that position. He can push the envelope, but only so far. We're not in that position at BYB. We don't answer to Yankee executives. We don't answer to YES Network producers. We answer to our readers.

That freedom matters. It allows us to say the quiet part out loud. If this really is the Stump Merrill era all over again—and we believe it is—then the comparison isn't primarily about the players.

It's about the leadership. It's about the manager. It's about a culture that has grown comfortable with excuses instead of accountability.

Michael Kay deserves credit for finally saying "Stump Merrill." But finishing the thought?

That's a different story. We've been finishing that thought for years. And until someone is willing to admit that leadership is just as broken as the roster, don't expect anything to change. Because championship teams don't just have talent.

They have leaders and right now? They don't have one.  Just ask me... I'll be truthful with you.

WANT MORE ABOUT STUMP MERRILL? READ THIS:

DOMINGUEZ JUST PROVED TO EVERYONE THAT BOONE'S NOT QUALIFIED

FORGET IT. THE YANKEES WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE FALL CLASSIC ANYWAY

Last night I cannot blame on Aaron Boone. Crazy right?

But as a whole, in the bonehead moves he has made, in our 4th place finish last year... in the way he over tinkers, befriends his players, argues balls and strikes in meaningless games, and just plain sucks as a manager because of his inexperience, and now because we have gotten to the World Series and lost it, it only makes sense that we say goodbye to this guy and turn the page on making the Yankee organization leadership brighter and better moving forward. This HAS to be the end of the Boone Era. The experiment didn't work... not even alittle bit! Hal, are you listening?

Look, the Yankees were never supposed to be in the World Series this year.  Let's not fool ourselves. The Yankees have been so inconsistent all season, so the idea of making it to the World Series was a gift.  Did I hope they won this year? Of course, but do I think they actually are the best team in baseball, nope.  I'm a realist, this Yankee team is deeply flawed.

The Yankees made a few minor offseason tweaks even though we all knew they needed better pitching and that was the priority.  We got Juan Soto instead. Now, don't get me wrong, Juan Soto was fantastic, I loved seeing him in pinstripes, but as I said then, we got this guy for one year, what happens if we DON'T win it all?  And here we are... we didn't win it all.  And so, what happens next?

For one, Juan Soto will be a free agent.  That's big.  Seems like we had one opportunity, and it was just now, and yet, we didn't win. And so, if he leaves, do you really think we have what it takes to try and win again? We were lucky to get to the World Series this year WITH Juan Soto. If Juan Soto leaves, you can forget our chances. And that is where you really need to go after our Yankees front office and lightweight manager Aaron Boone.

Leadership in any business is vital, and this guy just doesn't have what it takes to lead this Yankees team.  

It's been a long time since Boone has been in the driver's seat. Here's the problem; he doesn't know how to drive stick.  This isn't a team you just hand over to a JV coach and say, "Here, try and tinker with this." These are the New York Yankees. They are celebrities, personalities and they are wearing the pinstripes and so the stakes are much higher.  While many people didn't like Joe Torre taking over after Buck Showalter in the 90's, the one thing Joe Torre had was experience. He was a long-time player and a manager, and while not a successful manager, he understood the game and surrounded himself with wisdom. In other words, he had a plan.  

I see Aaron Boone as a guy who wants to hang out with the celebrity Yankees, have barbeques, a few drinks, play a pickup basketball game with Cortes and Judge, and just enjoy life as a millionaire. The problem? He's not actually doing his job.  Being in the friend zone with Gerrit Cole doesn't win you a championship.  He doesn't understand the stakes, He doesn't understand much of anything.  

And I'll take it further. Better, smarter and more experienced managers in baseball have been fired for way less than what Boone's mistakes have led this Yankee team over the years.  Buck Showalter is probably one of the most respected baseball minds in the game and the Mets lost a few years ago, and they cut him loose right away.  Billy Martin was back and forth with George Steinbrenner for years, but when he couldn't win, he'd be fired. It was pretty simple.  

The White Sox fired La Russa after the club got off to a 26–38 start in 1986, yet LaRussa is one of only two managers in MLB history to win World Series championships in both the American and National leagues.  What's my point? My point is Boone should have been fired years ago. He's terrible.

Now last night's game you cannot blame on Aaron Boone. The 5th inning for the Yankees was the strangest thing I've ever seen.  You always hear that errors will cost you ballgames, and last night it was evident. It was big. It was horrible.  The Yankee club should be embarrassed. But let me be clear, errors are part of the game, and while no one wants to see the Yankees fold like they did, the bigger issue is our leadership.

Hal Steinbrenner either doesn't have his finger on the pulse or Brian Cashman has fooled him enough to handle this team and tricked big Hal into believing that "close enough" with Aaron Boone is "good enough" and the bottom line is as fans, we are very in tune with what's going on, but as fans we also love to watch our team win it all.  Us fans spend the money, and we root hard only to be heartbroken and then we do it all over again the next year with our shitty manager and a wish and a prayer that we can retain Juan Soto long term.  

None of it makes sense, yet we do it anyway. It's a trap. It's an abusive relationship and we're the ones getting mind fucked every season. And so, my biggest gripe with this team is simple; the management is stale, the hunger only comes when we hit home runs, and the idea of manufacturing runs is a very small part of the Yankees game and that my friends has been going on since the days of Jason Giambi.  We will never break the mold if the manager gives Hal what he "thinks" he wants.  Boone does not think for himself. Boone panders. Boone does what he's told. In essence, Boone isn't running this team as a true manager would.  

I will give Joe Girardi credit for one thing; he was tough as nails when it came to managing this club. He wasn't the best at it, but he also didn't bend over and tried his best to manage the team his way.  Many times, it didn't work, but one time it did and 2009 was glorious.

But 2009 was a long time ago and everyone knows that Aaron Boone's not winning us a championship.  I mean, that lineup never changed in this World Series and there were major problems with our hitting.  I am still baffled by the fact that Boone started Jose Trevino because Austin Wells was slumping just to then pinch-hit Wells for Trevino later in that game anyway.  That's a manager that doesn't trust himself and it's embarrassing.

And so now the season is over.  Last night will I PRAY brings real changes to the New York Yankees manager and coaching staff.  Seeing the Dodgers celebrate at Yankee Stadium was sad, but this is the game.  Someone had to lose and why not us... we don't have leadership anyway.

Finally, I'll leave you with this; Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" is a staple for the Yankees when we win at the Stadium.  Last night the Yankees played that song while the Dodgers were celebrating.  While this was a total mind fuck for many of your fans, I clearly understood why they did it.  There are 2 reasons actually and while it's my opinion, I know I'm right. 

For one, it was a Thank you. It was a Thank you to the Yankees for the fight. It was a Thank You to us fans for sticking around and believing in the pinstripes. It was a "so long" as we head into the winter, not a "Goodbye".  Maybe it's my maturity, maybe I just understand symbolism, but for the love of God for silly fans and this Jomboy hack to make it appear that the Yankees "messed up" for playing that song are just ridiculous.

idc what it costs, Juan Soto needs to be a Yankee for life

You can't let this generational talent and attitude walk out the front doorpic.twitter.com/yd7a7eh1sr

— Mike Salvatore (@MikeSalvatore10) October 31, 2024

I have been a fan of this team since the old Yankee stadium, 1981, Yankees vs. Dodgers Game 1 of the World Series.  Even before that in '78 when I saw Ron Guidry strike out 18 Angels, but definitely in that World Series. The fans were loud, it just made sense to me that the Yankees were my team. And so, yes, I understand symbolism. I understand appreciation. The Yankees organization as a whole may not appear to be about the fans, but even they understood the gut punch last night.  It was a peace offering, a "we're sorry, but thank you". It was supposed to make you feel good about our team. And Secondly, they probably snuck this in too; While Sinatra was a Hoboken kid, he was a Dodgers fan. 

I know, I know, your brain just exploded. Well calm down, it's not that deep. It's symbolism and a gesture all the same. You may not have gotten it, but it was actually nice and guys like Jomboy make it about them and it's not. 

And so now we crawl into our caves and wait.  Hopefully Boone gets canned, it just makes sense at this point.  Hopefully the Yankees can figure out a way to retain Juan Soto while getting another top starting pitcher.  Hopefully we will see the fall classic next year and we win with a new manager and new hunger and an Aaron Judge who just tees off every at bat.

To our Bleeding Yankee Blue audience.  You are loyal, you are wonderful, and we thank you for your support and love. Many of you have been reading BYB since we started in September 2010. That is a long time, and we love you very much.  To the newbies, yeah, we complain about our Yankees a lot here, but we also celebrate them. Thank you for finding us and we hope you enjoy the ride.

Congrats to the Yankees for making it this far. You weren't supposed to be here, but you did prove many of us wrong and I respect the hell out of that.  I always will.

Go Yanks.

See you all in the offseason. We will not stop writing and will bring you as much news, info and humor as we can.  Thanks for reading Bleeding Yankee Blue.

-- Robert Casey
Chief & Head writer of Bleeding Yankee Blue
Twitter: @BleednYankeeBlu

BUCK NEEDS TO COME BACK TO THE YANKEES FOR A GIG YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT

Buck Showalter is a New York Yankee.  Why are we not looking at what happened over there in Queens and consider bringing in Buck Showalter to straighten things out in the Bronx? He's got the baseball mind, the experience and was Manager of the Year last year in the National League.  It makes sense to me.  And let me ask this again... why is Aaron Boone in ANY high-level Yankee meeting when he is actually the problem.  We just saw Gabe Kapler get fired from the San Francisco Giants and Buck from the Mets.  Boone's still there... why?

There's a great article out about bringing Buck back home to the Bronx, but not as the manager. Crazy right and it's a great idea, but I'd like the manager gone too. Baby steps. Anyway, Check this out:

"The Yankees should hire Buck Showalter.

But not to manage.

I believe the Yankees would do better creating an executive of quality control who has an unquestioned understanding of what works on the ground in the majors to help bridge a divide between philosophy and application in the big leagues. Showalter would be an ideal hire for that....

What the Yankees would be appealing to if Showalter would even consider this is that at his core he is a Yankee. That the organization that drafted him and gave him the first chance to manage in the minors and majors remains his true home base, and putting the franchise back on a championship path would be ultra-meaningful to him. "

I am all for this.  Buck needs to be with the Yankees again in some executive capacity. He's too smart, he's too good and he is respected.  Even Francisco Lindor didn't want the Mets to get Buck go. But ultimately the Mets were in panic mode. They'll regret getting rid of Buck.  We wouldn't regret getting rid of Boone.  But more to that point, bring Buck in and let him tinker on the executive level and get things straightened out.  It's a huge start and something that needs to be done.  

Great Article, Joel Sherman.

BUCK'S GONE BUT BOONE'S NOT?

I want you to think about this for a second; 

Last year Buck Showalter was Manager of the Year for the New York Mets franchise. This year, after the 2023 season he was fired because the Mets finished 74-87 .460 and second to last place.  

Now look at Aaron Boone.  Last year the Yanks ended the season in first place in their division.  Then they lost in the playoffs... typical.  In 2023, the Yankees finished 82-80 .506 and 19 games back.  NINETEEN.  But Buck Showalter gets fired and I guess because the Yankees are above .500, Aaron Boone gets to keep his job? 

What's worse... the Yankee organization was actually celebrating their 31st winning season streak.  Words like "Rallying" and "Clinch" were used almost to make it seem like it was a great achievement. I mean, let me ask you a question... WAS ANYONE WATCHING THE SEASON OVER THERE?  Even Aaron Judge was sitting there when the entire season ended pissed off and all symbolic like thinking "Shit's gotta change."

Yankees captain Aaron Judge takes in the final moments of a challenging 2023 season. #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/hRjtrGlFQQ

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) October 1, 2023

Look, Captains? They go down with the ship. How do you not admire Judge right there?  It's symbolic.  But it gets worse...

The reports are Aaron Boone will in fact be back.  Meanwhile, a pretty damn good manager in Buck Showalter is shown the door.   It only means one thing, all that chatter from Hal Steinbrenner about doing a "deep dive" into fixing the organization doesn't mean a thing, especially when they haven't even gotten into the "retooling" yet. Hal's taking care of keeping the manager and GM first I guess.  River Ave Blues said it best.

Hard to take this front office "audit" seriously when the Yankees are making personnel decisions before it's even started. https://t.co/clO18VLCAb

— River Ave. Blues (@RiverAveBlues) October 2, 2023

The Yankees have no idea what to do or how to do it. YES Network actually put out a "highlight reel of the 2023 season" like everything was great. Did you see it? Better yet, did you see the activity on it?

Relive all of the top sights and sounds from the Yankees' 2023 season on YES ⚾ #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/AhWU3jshGN

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) October 2, 2023

The fan base really didn't care. It's embarrassing.

The Yankees think you're stupid, ladies and gentlemen. The Yankees know you're going to come back to the stadium next year with the same damn team, the same loser manager and the inflated ticket prices and they will "try again".  Hal will pound his fist on the podium and say what a disappointment this season was, but they won't change what needs to be changed. They'll find scapegoats and trade guys like Gleyber Torres, one of the bright spots this season, just to get more shiny things for you to wonder at. But that front office is what truly needs an overhaul.  

And just remember this post next year when Aaron Boone is still talking about "hitting strikes hard".  Showalter will be on his couch, or better, managing another team. Why? Because he's a terrific manager with a great track record that just had a bad season.  You can't say the same about Aaron Boone.  But I guess because Boone plays puppet better than Showalter does. And so, it's easier to retain the guy like Bozo. And that's exactly what the Yankees are doing, manipulating the manager.  

This season was a disgrace, no one can deny this... and so much would need to change before I even consider my next visit to Yankee stadium.  

Shame.

BREAKING REPORT: BIG FIRING COMING IN THE BRONX!

I have my own prediction and I have no idea if I'm right about it, but if you know anything about major league baseball... when things don't go well for a team, historically it's the manager that gets the axe.  Now you can sit there and say, "But Casey, it's not Boone's fault!" 

You might be right, but I think it is and I think that Cashman set this team up to fail as well.  Jeff Passan is right. When he was on Michael Kay, he said that Cashman and the Yankees draft poorly and have for years and when Cashman comes out and says the season for the Yankees is a disaster, it is for sure.  But that disaster happened because of Brian Cashman with the help of fan boy Aaron Boone who wants to hang out with his buddies on the Yankee clubhouse and make excuses for them playing poorly rather than managing.  Look, say what you will about a guy like Joe Girardi. I was never a huge fan of him as a manager, but one thing I really respected was the fact that he'd ride his players if they sucked.  Aaron Boone holds their hand and then goes out to the press reminding everyone that "It's right in front of them".  We all know that, TELL YOUR PLAYERS, BUDDY!"

Well, the latest reveal comes from legend Bob Klapisch with the help of Inside the Pinstripes:  Check this out:

"Sources within the organization have indicated someone has to be sacrificed for the debacle," wrote Klapisch. "And it won’t be (general manager Brian) Cashman."

If not Cashman, it seems that manager Aaron Boone would be the one to lose his job. Klapisch says this is a possibility, and although Boone has been more at-ease as of late, Klapisch says It's "highly unlikely" that he has been assured of his job next season. There is a chance that he has already been told he won't be back next year."

Now there are people out there that are not baseball purists when it comes to bad managers.  These days there are people that are like "Well if you fire Boone, he is just the Scapegoat." Whatever.  The bottom line is bad leaders have to be fired.  I want Cashman gone too, but guys like Cashman can surround himself with better baseball people than Brian Sebean and Omar Minaya who TOTALLY sucked at their job this year.  Those guys should not be back either.  But back to the stupid "scapegoat theory" when it comes to Boone.  It's BS. He needs to be fired.  Think about it. Think about 1995. Think about Buck Showalter, a guy that managed well and yes, he was getting his team to the playoffs. But one thing that didn't happen that year is we lost to the Mariners.  And then what happened? Buck got fired.  For the record, Buck Showalter is a hell of a lot of a better manager then than Boone will ever be now.  

Great nugget from Klapisch.  Love it.  I wonder how it will all go down.  Oh, and by the way, if they do fire Boone, they really need to think about firing some of those non-experienced coaches too.  This whole coaching staff is an absolute disaster.

A disaster of a season that didn't start in 2023, but started after Stick Michael left.  It was a slow burn.

BELTRAN'S BACK WITH A NEW GIG... INSERT GROAN HERE

My moral compass is disappointed right now, but my ears will be happy now that I won't have to listen to Carlos Beltran in a broadcasting booth anymore. I guess I will take this as a very small win.

In case you missed the news HERE, Beltran won't be broadcasting on YES Network anymore, but he will be serving an "unspecified role" for the New York Mets. He finally gets ANOTHER chance that actually might get him closer to the opportunity he REALLY wants. Last year I wrote HEY BELTRAN - QUIT CRYING FROM THE BOOTH! because I really believed that he was using his broadcasting gig as a stepping stone to something else. It appears I am right.

Part of me is REALLY happy that I won't have to listen to his terrible broadcasting "skills" and I won't have to hit the mute button a hundred times but I don't like the fact that this guy disgraced the game and he is weaseling his was back towards what he wants. He's not there yet....but I think he will get there.

Here's what I mean. Buck Showalter is in the second year of his three year contract managing the Mets. This gives Beltran time to learn more doing whatever he is going to do in the front office and be groomed to take over managing in 2025. He's inching his way back to that spot in the dugout that he really wants and that the Mets also want him to have. They wanted their All-Star fan favorite to take over three years ago before Beltran's cheating past derailed his post player career path.

But obviously, it hasn't derailed him for long. It will only be a matter of time before he puts that Mets jersey back on. I said last year I was going to count down the days until I didn't have to listen to his babbling nonsense, and the time has finally come. One small victory, but the guy is still a disgraceful cheater.

Now Beltran - get the hell out of the YES Network booth. Adios!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

ROB MANFRED'S NEW CHANGE TO THE GAME - WHEN WILL HE STOP?

Oh boy....baseball purists are going to HATE this. Diehard baseball fans are never going to forget Rob Manfred and his mission to change baseball. He's already made some changes coming this season, but he's not done yet. Yes, friends....more is coming.

We all know about the pitch clocks, the bigger bases and eliminating the shift this season but there's more coming in 2024. Hold on to your hats folks, Blue behind the plate may be going bye-bye sooner than you think. We talked about this last summer when we wrote RUMOR: ROBOTS ARE COMING TO A MLB STADUM NEAR YOU and all Triple-A teams across the country are going to test the Automatic Balls and Strike System (aka ABS). Half of these ballparks every call will be made by an electronic strike zone and in the other half a ABS challenge system will be in place.

Interesting. It's hard for me to imagine the game transitioning to more Artificial Intelligence technology. It's just not something I ever pictured coming into the game, but as Manfred continues to look at attracting younger fans and shortening the game length I understand why we are talking about this.

I get it, but I am not sure that I am sold on the idea. My opinion clearly doesn't matter but when Buck Showalter talks, people listen and he likes the idea, read more HERE. I wouldn't say I HATE the idea but I am definitely not in the "It's about time. I can't wait!" mindset either. 

So I guess I have to wonder if retired umpire Dale Scott had the right idea when he said "I tell people the strike zone is three-dimensional. It changes with every at-bat, sometimes with every pitch. A human being will use judgment and common sense and understands how the game is played. And that’s not something you can program."

Is Dale right? Are we trying to turn baseball into a programmable video game? I think change is inevitable in all parts of life but I also love the human element of the game. Without the human element, I couldn't complain and state the obvious like....Angel Hernandez is one of the worst umpires to ever call a game.

If we take away a human element and replace it with ABS are we inevitably taking away the human interest of the game? Would our children and grandchildren even watch it? Sounds like robots will be in our stadiums and living room televisions whether we like it or not.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

CASHMAN - THE RICH KID

We all remember them. I'm not saying they are bad kids. I'm not saying that at all. Nope. If you're looking for an "Eat the Rich" Class Warrior...that ain't me, babe. It ain't me you're lookin' for... babe.

No, what I'm making the comparison to is the kid in school that seemed to have it all without being driven or talented enough to earn it on his or her own smoke. I myself went to high school with one kid in particular that had no athletic ability, no hidden talents and grades that would make him a scratch golfer! And despite the shortcomings on all fronts, he was accepted to Princeton (Early Admission). PRINCETON!!! This simpleton went to the Ivy League when he should've been playing catcher in a slow pitch softball beer league!! How? Why? A big bank roll that could buy away problems of ANY type.

Brian Cashman IS that same kid on the Major League level...only unlike my buddy Jimmy in High School, Cashman is an arrogant, analytic jerk off.  There, I said it.

He had the foundation built by MASTERS (Stick Michael and Buck Showalter). He has money to burn and has tossed it on HOUSE FIRES like Pavano, Ellsbury and McCann, etc, etc, etc. 

I believe Brian Cashman is a JOKE of a GM!! Look, Boonie is over his skis too, no question about that, BUT this is Cashman's ass 1st as far as I'm concerned. 

The sad thing is Hal, Randy and Lon seem like they are just corporate stooges in most companies thinking, "F it. I'm rich and will stay that way. Why rock the boat?" I genuinely dislike that cabal of clowns. 

The Boss would not only have canned this collection of company man cowards (Hal too), but he would also have had their houses in Vail torched and they would have all woken up with the heads of their prized stud horses lying next to them under their 1,000,000,000, thread count silk sheets!

Name one baseball move Brian Cashman made on his own that he's been right about. Do it. DO IT.  His "tough guy" talk to Derek Jeter, remember that? He'll do the same to Aaron Judge. He is a mutt. A bank rolled mutt who thinks he's good at his job. 

Remember he was still on the leash when he bought ARod and got the stacked crew for 2009. Cashman is complacent, has no baseball IQ and carries a weakly veiled contempt for the Yankee Fans. Show him the door. I hope he lands in Tampa, and they become doormats again because it'd be Cashman with no checkbook.

The Yankees didn't deserve to beat the ASStros. They didn't hit. They were mismanaged and lifeless aside from rock star Harrison Bader. It's on the players...but Cashman should hang for it. And he should before the Yankees offer Judge his deal. This hobbit has WAY overstayed his welcome. 

The Yankees look and feel like the Yankees of the 80s again. Big Names, CRAZY money and no plan. Get Jeter and Donnie in here to turn this ship around. Sometimes you need to fix a baseball team with actual BASEBALL people and not these video game zeroes holding calculators, spreadsheets...and Daddy's checkbook in case they F it up royally.

Time for change.

This one's for you Brian!

SCREAM IT DICKY!!

--Mike O'Hara
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @mikeyoh21

PRESSURE IS ON THE YANKEES TO GET BETTER BUT CAN THEY DELIVER?

Source: Frank Franklin II/AP

We've been waiting to ring in the new year ever since the 2021 season ended with the Yankees unable to move passed the Wild Card game against the Boston Red Sox. Now as the other New York baseball team tout their 60th year anniversary in 2022 and make major moves that include the acquisition of stud pitcher Max Scherzer and legendary manager Buck Showalter, the Yankees have everything to prove to remain top dog in a city. Will this pressure to get better, do better and be better actually light a fire under the Yankees and their organization to deliver a championship next season?

The New York Daily News doesn't think so. "Unfortunately for them, there isn’t just one area to address. Even worse, there isn’t a magic wand to turn all of the bad into good overnight, and club employees aren’t even permitted to speak to the players right now." 

From poor baserunning, an inability to hit the change up and even perform well outside of their own ballpark, the Yankees have a lot to fix and not a lot of time to do it. 

Source: NJ.com

"A popular complaint from the fans — “Just put the ball in play!” — applies especially to this problem. The Yankees struck out in 24.9% of their plate appearances against right-handed throwers, the sixth-highest percentage of any team in the league. Simply putting the ball in play is much easier said than done, but that’s a great place to start when it comes to this issue, whether that means altered swing approaches or adding more lefties to the roster," reported the News. 

Source: USA Today

Teams across the division have figured out how to consistently score runs, hit a variety of pitches and take advantage of slow and sloppy defense. But the Yankees appear to be left behind, relying on the long ball and Gerrit Cole to bail them out of difficult situations. 

"Gerrit Cole had a ton of success in his two years with the Yankees with a 23-11 record and a 3.11 ERA. He finished second in the AL Cy Young Award voting in 2021 and was an All-Star. The problem for the Yankees is that Cole wasn’t hired to be the best pitcher on the staff, he wasn’t hired to get the Yankees to the postseason, he was hired to win a World Championship for the Yankees, in that charge, he failed miserably during his first two seasons," reported Empire Sports Media. 

Source: Sports Illustrated

It is not up to Cole alone nor is it just Aaron Judge's or even Giancarlo Stanton's job hit the bombs to put the Bombers on top. It is a team effort, where consistency eats ambition for dinner. 

"The Yankees could only muster a .238 batting average and .699 OPS with runners in scoring position. They were 14% worse than league average in this respect, and it was even worse with two outs. As the pressure mounted, the Yankees shrunk. In two-out, runner-in-scoring-position scenarios, the batting average dropped to .215 with a .643 OPS," reminds the News. 

The pressure to do better, get better and be overall better is certainly there. The Yankees needs to make moves, once the lockout is lifted and business can resume. They will need to play catch up, sign some players to fill roster holes, who can hit for average and do something with the change up,  and then hopefully, have time to gel as a team, build a relationship with coaching staff....sigh. It is a lot to do in very little time. Teams have done it, but can the Yankees? My faith in the organization historically is strong, but this is a tall order for any team, including my beloved Yankees. 

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

NO SHOWALTER, BUT WE GOT CHAVEZ

Source: New York Post

Now I don't want to start this piece saying we got second place to the New York Mets, because Eric Chavez is not a runner up. Yet, Chavez was one of the Mets managerial finalists and he didn't get the job. So the Yankees did something they have not done all off season—they actually made move. So Chavez is hired as one of two assistant hitting coaches for the 2022 season; he completes a coaching staff that includes head hitting coach Dillon Lawson and former Met manager Luis Rojas as a fielding coach. So no we didn't get Showalter but maybe we got a bit more. 

"Chavez, 44, who played third base for the Yankees, Oakland Athletics and Arizona Diamondbacks, is a six-time Gold Glove winner who reportedly was in the mix for Rojas' old job with the Mets, before they ultimately hired Showalter," reported ESPN. 

Chavez brings with him baseball acumen and analytics which are keys to the kingdom, not just in New York but across the baseball industry. Before retiring from the game in 2014 and coming to the Yankees as an assistant hitting coach in 2022, Chavez served under Brian Cashman as a special assignment scout and under Los Angeles Angels GM Billy Eppler as a special assistant. His years in the GM office may have served him well to develop as a leader, but can he be effective as a hitting coach?

Hitting 260 homers in a 17-year major league career, Chavez played 171 games as Alex Rodriguez’s backup at third, batting .274/.338/.445 with 18 homers and 63 RBI. He also served as manager of the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees, an Angels affiliate, in late 2018. Sounds like he could bring some spark to a team that needs a new formula for success. 

Source: Yahoo Sports

Fans and I took to Twitter after Showalter was signed by the Mets over the weekend. Many Met fans said we were sore losers and we needed to get over it. Maybe the hiring of a shiny new coaching staff headlined by Chavez is a good way to get over it. Now if they can be impactful and the players can respond with good situational hitting and hitting for average, maybe we'll have something to celebrate instead of rant. 

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

NOW THE YANKEES BASICALLY GAVE AWAY BUCK SHOWALTER TO THE METS

Source: Associated Press

The New York Mets have narrowed their managerial prospects to three finalists for 2022 and the short list includes former Yankee manager and YES analyst Buck Showalter. As of Saturday, Showalter is new Mets Manager. Now in my crazy head, I thought that the Yankees would swoop up Showalter to pair with Aaron Boone in the the clubhouse, enabling a duo like Joe Torre-Don Zimmer - a powerful winning combination that lead the Yankees to several championships. But in true fashion for the Yankees in this off season, they are too late to the table, giving yet another opportunity away to an opposing team.

"Showalter would bring a celebrity element to the position that the Mets haven’t seen since Bobby Valentine managed the team two decades ago. He also would break a string of first-timers hired by the Mets that includes Mickey Callaway, Carlos Beltran and Rojas, following Terry Collins’ departure after the 2017 season. Showalter, since leaving the Orioles following the 2018 season, has interviewed for managerial openings with the Phillies and Angels. He has kept himself visible as an analyst on MLB Network and YES," reported the New York Post.

Source: NJ.com

Sigh. Do something, please, Brian Cashman. Not only were the Yankees silent during the first round of free agency, they are letting great players and now a winning manager who could serve as an incredibly, experienced baseball expert in the ear of unpolished unseasoned Boone. If we are in fact stuck with Boone, at least pair him with the likes of Showalter, please. But no, as of Saturday afternoon, Showalter is headed across town.

"Player agents who continue to believe that once baseball business is reopened, Hal Steinbrenner’s team will be among the more aggressive teams -- and in particular, might revisit conversations with the representatives of (Carlos) Correa and (Trevor) Story," reported NJ.com. 

Source: CBS Sports

Movement on players is surely number 1. but one cannot underestimate the value of good coaching, and having a guy like Showalter interested in coming back to the dugout is just the kind of spark this team needs. Showalter certainly was not a shoe-in for the Mets job, although if you ask their newest most expensive acquisition Max Scherzer, he welcomes the likes of Showalter with open arms. So now that the Mets made their decision, the Yankees need to consider bringing in experience to parallel Boone's lack of it. 

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