ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST, BUT WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR BOONE

Forgive me for this post dad, but I can't hold back anymore. My dad has been a Mets fan forever. He's from Queens after all. My mom is a Bronx girl. I got my baseball passion from her. So it saddens me to set myself up for the potential that my dad sees this post shortly after Father's Day but.....

Good Grief the Mets are a trainwreck. I mean, I am not delusional to think that we aren't but the Mets can't seem to get anything right. Queens is the land of former Yankees that sucked or failed with us and they still do. The change of scenery didn't fix anything.

The list of 2025 Yankee castoffs include Luke Weaver, pathetic Devin Williams, money chaser Juan Soto and now fired manager Carlos Mendoza. You know...the old Yankees bench coach that was Aaron Boone's right hand man. Yeah, him. He couldn't effectively lead the flawed roster that Steve Cohen bought and constructed for him.

The Yankees and the Mets are similar teams. Filled with big names, big money spent and flaws up the wazoo. They both love their analytics and think they can out slug anyone but they fall flat. The Mets are as flat as you can get in last place with a 35-49 record. The Yankees have a bruised ego with a 48-34 record and are back in second place. There's one major difference though.....

The Mets have an axe to grind and a chip on their shoulder. They have big money behind them to buy anything they need so they can finally win a World Series again. The Mets aren't getting where they need to be. They aren't winning, Cohen knows a change needs to be made.....so they made one. They weren't gonna wait around for Mendoza to have a breakthrough. Mendoza was fired but Baboonie is that unwanted house guest that just won't leave for the last nine seasons.

We've all wanted to evict Baboonie for years now. The Yankees won't do it though because they like their insanity. They like sticking with the same things that are proven to be ineffective since 2018. It's just easier to stick with it hoping for something to finally click and magically work. That's our mathematical strategy to win.

The Mets may have a better long term strategy, I don't know. I've seen a lot of crazy over the years. One of the things I remember the most growing up was how many times my dad would sit in front of our tv and watch "Let's Go Mets!" on VHS. I have to wonder if the Mets will be able to get back to that before we do.

We certainly aren't winning anything under Baboonie.....he should suffer the same fate as Mendoza.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

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BOONE & MENDOZA ARE EXACTLY THE SAME MANAGER

BOONE & MENDOZA ARE EXACTLY THE SAME MANAGER

One of the more absurd questions thrown at Aaron Boone after the Mets fired Carlos Mendoza was whether he agreed with the decision.

Why bother asking? Of course, Boone defended him.

Mendoza spent years sitting next to Boone as his bench coach in the Yankees dugout. They're close friends. Boone has championed him for years. There was never a scenario where he was going to say, "Yeah, the Mets got this one right."

The answer was scripted before the question was even asked.

Sure enough, Boone called Mendoza a "really good manager" and "a great leader" who will get another opportunity. Fine. That's what friends do. But Boone's comments accidentally exposed something Yankees fans have known for years and something the organization still refuses to admit:

Aaron Boone and Carlos Mendoza are essentially the same manager.

Both are obsessed with analytics. Both manage games like they're following an instruction manual. Both stick with struggling players long after everyone else can see it isn't working. Both make baffling bullpen decisions. Both seem allergic to urgency. And both routinely leave fans wondering if anyone in the dugout is actually reacting to the game unfolding in front of them.

The difference? One inherited a Ferrari. The other got a sedan with a few missing tires.

Boone's entire managerial reputation has been built on the backs of talented rosters. Year after year, the Yankees roll out lineups filled with All-Stars and payrolls that dwarf most of baseball. They pile up regular-season wins, and Boone gets credit for "steady leadership." That has always baffled me.

But when the talent gap shrinks in October and every managerial decision actually matters? The same problems appear for Boone and the Yankees. The same questionable bullpen choices. The same inability to adjust. The same loyalty to underperforming players. The same scripted feel that has haunted this organization for years. And the same ending.

Another playoff disappointment. Boone can't close.

It's remarkable how Boone has become almost untouchable despite repeatedly overseeing postseason failures. Other managers get fired after one or two October collapses. Boone has had years of them.

The Yankees have consistently chosen to excuse his shortcomings because the regular-season win totals look pretty. Winning 95 games with a roster loaded with stars doesn't automatically make someone a great manager.

Sometimes it simply means you had better players than everyone else. If Boone were managing the Mets' roster, would the results be significantly different than Mendoza's?

There's almost no evidence to suggest they would. In fact, many of the complaints Mets fans had about Mendoza sound identical to the criticisms Yankees fans have been screaming about Boone since 2018.

Too much faith in analytics. Poor in-game feel. Stubborn loyalty to struggling players. Questionable pitching decisions. Lack of accountability.

The only reason one manager still has a job and the other doesn't is because one team has Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, and a far superior roster.

That's it. Boone's defense of Mendoza wasn't meaningful analysis. It was a friend standing up for another friend. But perhaps the more uncomfortable truth is this: Boone wasn't just defending Mendoza. In many ways, he was defending himself. Because if Carlos Mendoza isn't a good manager, then the Yankees might have to confront a question they've avoided for years:

What exactly has Aaron Boone done to prove he's any different?

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METS SIGN MENDOZA TO MANAGE. TAKE THE REST OF THE YANKEES COACHES WITH YOU

PLAIN & SIMPLE: STEVE COHEN ISN'T GETTING WHAT HE PAID FOR

When Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets this past offseason, he didn't just accept a contract—he accepted a crown. A record-setting deal that made headlines for its size, scope, and symbolism: Steve Cohen’s Mets were not only willing to back up the Brinks truck, they were ready to build around Soto for the next decade and a half.

Yes, the Mets gave him the most money. More than the Yankees, more than the Dodgers, and more than anyone else even dared to offer. Soto chose the Mets, plain and simple. But now he has to show why he was worth that decision—not just in dollars, but in desire.

Instead, it’s been a slow, uninspiring start in Queens. And the questions are piling up fast.

Soto's body language? Flat. His smile? Nowhere to be found. His hustle? Noticeably missing. And it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Mets fans, already exhausted by years of bloated payrolls and underperformance, are beginning to turn. It's not just that Soto's struggling at the plate—it's that he doesn’t look like he cares.

Even Mets manager Carlos Mendoza has acknowledged Soto's sluggish demeanor, noting that the star outfielder is “frustrated” with his slow start. Mendoza didn't share details of their conversations, but it’s clear something is off. He’s not running balls out. He’s not playing with fire. He's not, well, Juan Soto.

Inside the clubhouse, some say the mood is just as concerning. Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay recently said Soto seems “very, very glum.” There’s chatter that he already misses the Yankees—who were serious contenders in free agency but, in the end, weren’t ready to go as far as Cohen financially.

Which brings us to Scott Boras.

Soto’s agent defended his client in a May 23 interview with Jon Heyman of the New York Post, insisting that a bit of regret is natural when all your options are elite. According to Boras, Soto is just adjusting to his new reality. “It’s taking time to learn how to wear the crown,” he said. Boras described this transition as a “90-day assimilation period,” saying there’s still another month to go before Soto fully acclimates.

Boras went on to say he’s advised Soto to "swing less" and be patient. Wait—what? Swing less? Ease into a $700 million contract? What kind of message is that sending? Is this really the time to slow-play greatness?

Let’s be blunt: there’s no time for a 15-year honeymoon. When you accept the richest contract in baseball history, the spotlight doesn’t dim—it blazes hotter. This isn't the time for excuses. It’s the time to lead. To electrify. To perform.

Because right now, Soto doesn’t look like the centerpiece of a championship team. He looks like someone who’s unsure of his choice.

And maybe he is. In a Sports Illustrated profile from spring training, Soto struggled to explain why he ultimately picked the Mets. He acknowledged that the Yankees "did a pretty good job" recruiting him, but hesitated, rambled, and admitted that their lack of urgency bothered him. “I wanted to get it done,” he said, referring to a deal with the Yankees, but they were "still bouncing around.”

Eventually, he chose the team with the most certainty—and the deepest pockets. Soto said Cohen’s commitment to contention made him believe the Mets were best suited for the long haul. He mentioned Cohen’s hands-on recruiting efforts. Family-friendly. Big vision. Big wallet.

But none of that matters now if the performance doesn’t follow.

Because here’s the hard truth: Juan Soto looks miserable in a Mets uniform. And that’s not what a nearly billion-dollar man should look like. He should be bursting out of the dugout with fire. He should be running out every ground ball like his contract depends on it. He should be leading—not sulking.

And if he isn’t, it’s on Steve Cohen to step in and ask the tough question: Are we getting what we paid for? If not, the conversation shouldn't just be about patience—it should be about accountability.

If this continues, Cohen has every right to sit down with Boras and Soto and say, “We need to talk...we need to restructure this contract. We're not getting our return.” Because elite money demands elite effort. And right now, Juan Soto looks like anything but a generational superstar.

He took the money. Now he has to earn it. That's the bottom line.

METS ALREADY PLAYING UP HOLMES LIKE HE'S THE NEXT MARIANO...

 But Yankee fans know differently.

Leave it to the Mets to use the media to hype up Clay Holmes as if he’s about to become the greatest closer of all time. Let’s be real—they kind of have to.

Why? Because Mets fans already know they overpaid for Holmes. Sure, he was an All-Star with the Yankees, but by the end of last season, he had lost his way in the Bronx. Now, the Mets are in full spin mode, selling him as the next big thing to justify signing him to a three-year, $38 million deal.

To be clear, Holmes isn’t a bad guy or a terrible closer. He’s a solid pitcher—when he’s not stumbling. But let’s not pretend he’s on the level of Mariano Rivera or Dennis Eckersley. He’s not even in the Cy Young conversation. If anything, maybe he’s a more likable version of Carl Pavano.

And now, here we are, with Mets PR pushing the narrative that Holmes is a game-changer. The latest example? NJ.com reported that Holmes threw three simulated innings on the first day of pitchers and catchers, something no other Mets starter did. Manager Carlos Mendoza even chimed in:

"The fact that on day one of pitchers and catchers, he’s already at three ups, that’s pretty impressive. You got to give him credit because that shows all the work that he did as soon as we signed him, like I said, with the mindset that he was making that transition. So he knew he needed to get here and (be) ready to go to face hitters."

Come on, man. It’s Day 1 of spring training. Let’s pump the brakes on the Clay Holmes hype train.

JUAN SOTO & THE METS WERE VERY COZY IN CALIFORNIA

Soto in a Mets uniform even looks weird, Steve Cohen, calm down.

Mets owner Steve Cohen, clearly desperate to make Queens relevant for once, spearheaded a glitzy meeting with free-agent superstar Juan Soto in Orange County, Calif., on Saturday. As usual, Cohen assembled his entourage of top executives and rolled out what insiders have generously labeled an “elaborate” and “extremely detailed” pitch. Because nothing screams prestige like a desperate attempt to dazzle at an undisclosed location in Newport Beach.

Despite their most fervent wishes, the Mets still reek of that familiar “close, but not quite” energy. Reports suggest they’re “hopeful”—translation: clinging to the faintest shred of optimism that they’ll finally land a star capable of lifting them from perpetual mediocrity. Manager Carlos Mendoza reportedly joined Cohen in making a “strong impression,” which, knowing the Mets, probably involved over-the-top promises and Cohen’s signature checkbook theatrics.

While formal offers are still murky, the baseball world is certain that Soto’s contract will obliterate Shohei Ohtani’s record $700 million deal (which, let’s not forget, featured significant deferrals because not everyone can be the Yankees). Projections place Soto’s potential haul north of $600 million, without deferrals, because quality players don’t need layaway plans. Sure, Cohen’s wallet might be fat, but will it really be enough to lure the 26-year-old superstar to a team whose biggest claim to fame is “almost winning”?

Meanwhile, the Yankees are waiting in the wings, ready to host Soto on Monday. This is a team that knows how to get deals done—just ask Aaron Judge, who inked a nine-year, $360 million deal when Hal Steinbrenner decided to flex and match the Giants’ offer. In The Bronx, Soto already made waves with 41 home runs and a stellar .989 OPS, forming a powerhouse duo with Judge. Unlike the wannabe royalty in Queens, the Yankees don’t need to make elaborate displays; their history, prestige, and position as MLB’s top revenue-generating franchise speak volumes. Hal, GM Brian Cashman, and manager Aaron Boone are heading up Monday’s meeting, where Soto will be reminded why winning with pinstripes actually means something.

Sure, Cohen can throw money around—he’s done it before. The New York Post writes:

"Cohen is viewed as their biggest edge, as he’s shown a willingness to operate in the red and is believed to have done so the past couple seasons in an effort to bring a winner to Queens. Additionally, they have $150M coming off their books, which also doesn’t hurt. "

The Yankees, on the other hand, are simply waiting to remind Soto that the real New York team knows how to win, not just spend. The upcoming battle for the outfielder’s signature is shaping up to be a familiar tale: Cohen’s desperation versus Steinbrenner’s legacy. One side shouts with money, the other whispers with history. And if Soto wants to win, he knows exactly where the road to glory begins—and it’s not in Queens.

BRAD AUSMUS IS A SOLID YANKEE CHOICE!

 The Yankees did something right.

We needed a guy with major league managerial, coaching experience and we got it in Ausmus.  MLB.com writes of Ausmus:

"....managed the Tigers from 2014-17 and the Angels in 2019, going a combined 314-332 in those stints. He also served as the manager of Team Israel in the qualifiers of the World Baseball Classic in 2012, as an assistant for Team Israel in the 2023 WBC and as the Athletics' bench coach under manager Mark Kotsay in 2022.... Ausmus brings a wealth of experience gleaned from his 18 years as a big league catcher for the Astros, Padres, Tigers and Dodgers. Ausmus collected 1,579 hits and won three Gold Glove Awards during his career..."

We wanted credentials, we get it with Ausmus and not only that, but Brad also started out as a draft pick of the Yankees way back in 1987. Wikipedia writes:

"A 1987 draft pick of the New York Yankees, he chose to alternate between attending Dartmouth College and playing minor league baseball. "

And so, what does this all mean? Well for me, it means progress on that Yankee bench.  I was never a big fan of Carlos Mendoza. Ausmus brings more weight and hopefully able to sway Boone when Boone becomes complacent or just not good.  Also, and one can cross their fingers here, Ausmus can handle managing the New York Yankees if the Yanks are bad enough under Boone's direction in 2024 and Hal wants to fire the son of a bitch.  Ausmus has the experience, longevity in the game and is respected.  I like this move a lot.

Welcome Brad.  I'm looking forward to having you join us. We need your leadership, that is for sure.

REGGIE JACKSON CONTINUES TO RIP THE YANKEES!

The Yankees have many problems, we all know this. Now, we are seeing how bad the CULTURE problem is more and more. This isn't going away any time soon.

Reggie Jackson went after the Yankees a few weeks ago... read REGGIE GOES OFF & HE'S RIGHT. Well... he's continuing. That's when you know it's bad.

Look, the Yankees didn't need a "deep dive" ordered by Hal Steinbrenner to see it. There's a massive disconnect between the people who call the shots and those who actually play or used to play the game. Instead, analytics from yahoos influence everything....and has broken the whole thing.

Two things stuck out to me over the weekend, one Aaron Judge's meeting with Hal and Brian Cashman. We all know Judge is right, the Yankees place value in the wrong data. Their obsession with launch angle is fruitless and insane, meanwhile Judge told Cashman the Yankees need to value batting average and RBI's. Let's add basic baseball fundamentals into that and by golly, I think the captain may be on to something!

What Judge values is what the Yankees should value because they contribute to scoring runs, which helps win baseball games! Of course, that is paired with good fundamentals like knowing how to bunt and running effectively on the bases. It sounds so basic, but he isn't wrong. Too bad I have zero faith that Yankee brass will actually listen to what Judge has to say and make the changes. After all, the Yankees goonies know better, right? (Sarcasm). The Yankees have a history of not listening to the right people.

But Judge isn't the only one who is pointing out what hasn't worked. Have you seen what Reggie Jackson had to say? Read it HERE. If this doesn't put a bad culture problem on display, nothing will. Reggie doesn't hold anything back. His Amazon Prime documentary that was released back in March, said the team made him feel like "a hood ornament" back in his playing days. Note he said that before the Yankees had their epic failure of a season. So, this wasn't Reggie shining more light on a bad season.

But seriously, Reggie is talking A LOT, lately. NJ.com also released THIS last month. It's pretty shocking to hear him say "opinions really don't get valued" within the organization considering he was so respected as a great Yankee. Pair that with his tweet from Sunday morning and it just adds more fuel to the fire.

Reggie's X post about Rob Thomson hits home for me. I was a big fan of Thomson during his bench coach days with us. I really liked him, and I did want him to be the new Yankee manager after Joe Girardi was fired. I get why he wasn't given the opportunity, because the Yankees wanted to go an entirely new direction and now in retrospect, we see that we got Aaron Boone, I hate that he is gone now even more!

I will admit, I am not as much of a fan of Carlos Mendoza as I was Thomson, but I agree with Reggie that he will be a big loss for the Yankees. I think he is smart to leave and go to the Mets and honestly, I hope he exceeds all expectations there because if he does, it's more proof that the Yankees are clueless and only know how to screw everything up. Both of these guys are great baseball men and I wish them luck in their managerial roles going forward.

Mr. October has spoken...and so has Judge. The Yankees would be wise to start listening and making some real changes before they destroy the entire organization.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

METS SIGN MENDOZA TO MANAGE. TAKE THE REST OF THE YANKEES COACHES WITH YOU

Carlos Mendoza, the Yankees bench coach has apparently accepted the managerial position of the New York Mets.  I will not lose sleep over this. In fact, if the Mets need any more of the Yankees inexperienced coaching staff, I strongly suggest they poach every single one of them, and then hire Dillon Lawson to sit there and talk about "hitting strikes hard" too... just for comic relief.

ESPN writes:

"The New York Mets are hiring Carlos Mendoza as their new manager, sources told ESPN on Monday.

Mendoza, 43, comes to Queens after spending 15 years with the Yankees in multiple roles, including managing in the low minor leagues in 2011-12, and the past four seasons as Aaron Boone's bench coach."

Look, I may sound harsh, but this is a non-story. 

In fact, maybe it's a better story for the Yankees than the Mets.  This is nothing but good news. Let's hope more Yankee coaches' interview for other coaching jobs on other teams and totally deplete the shitty coaching staff we have.    Let's say what it is... Mendoza did nothing to better the Yankee organization. One thing he did do was collect a paycheck.  

In this world of the Yankees sucking and change needed, this is a plus.  Look, Mendoza may be a nice guy, good player coach, but that means nothing if you don't win.  So... clean slate for Carlos Mendoza... good for him.

Can we get Tony Pena back... please?  

MOVE OVER IKF, ANTHONY VOLPE IS STEALING YOUR THUNDER!

Spring training just started, so it's REALLY early but Anthony Volpe is already WOWING everyone. He is shining at the right time which may be bad news for Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

Opportunity has knocked loudly for Volpe, and he didn't hesitate to answer and rise to the challenge. He didn't just have a good first game against the Blue Jays, "he was showing off" according to Josh Donaldson, read more HERE.

Volpe led off and played five innings at shortstop and was two for four on the day with a second-inning hustling double to right, and a fourth-inning single to left that was followed two steals. He also handled two ground balls at shortstop making them look easy. The more I watch him at short, the more I forget that IKF plays the same position. 

I'm not going to lie, I am more excited about the young kids coming up that IKF just gets lost in the background for me. He was meant to be a stop gap, and maybe this year he is a bench guy. No offense to IKF, but Volpe is the number one prospect and important face of the future, even if it isn't at shortstop he is looking pretty good there right now.

I've been excited about Volpe for a while now. Even if he moves to second base in the future (which I think will happen) the more I read about him the more I want to see him play in the Bronx. "It's easy to focus on the results, but just the way he went about it," Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza said, "the hustle, the intensity, the focus... First at-bat, first pitch, ready to go, line drive right at the shortstop. Second at-bat, single but out of the box he's thinking two and sure enough he got to second base. Again, the way he went about it and the way he played the game, that's what I loved." That's what we will all love to watch.

Sunday was a day of firsts for Volpe, who is in his first big-league spring training: first spring-training start, first hit, first two-hit game, first two stolen bases. Hopefully we get to see many more first to come....and hopefully sooner rather than later. 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

MEET THE YANKEES LOSER COACHING STAFF

Eric Chavez didn't even put a Yankee uniform on yet... and he bailed for the Mets. First off I find that kind of messed up that you agree to a gig and then bail, but secondly, I am very curious to if the Yankees actually offered the veteran a job. I wonder if they just threw Chavez in the mix when they announced their coaching staff a few weeks ago as a way to distract from the fact that the Yankees coaching staff has LITERALLY NO EXPERIENCE. I mean what are we doing here?

Dillon Lawson is not the answer. The Yankees hitters can probably teach him a thing or 2 about hitting. Dillon was the Yanks minor league hitting coordinator since 2018. Here is where Dillon's been since 2008:

2008-2009 Assistant coach Lindenwood University
2010-2011 Assistant coach Morehead State University
2012-2015 Assistant coach Southeast Missouri State University
2016 Coach Tri-City ValleyCats
2017 Assistant coach University of Missouri
2018 Coach Quad Cities River Bandits

And any person can make this next suggestion. This is an actual quote from Lawson. Lawson told The Times-Tribune of Scranton, Pa., in July that the organization’s goal was “to square the ball up more, which in turn is going to increase average exit velos.”

I mean, you're not fooling anyone.

Let's talk about Casey Dykes. By the way, Casey Dykes is not the answer. Dykes played for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in 2011 and 2012. I know what you're think... SO??? Right. 

Before that Dykes graduated from Franklin High School in Franklin, Tennessee, in 2008, a year before the Yankees won their last World Series. He bounced around as baseball assistants at a few universities. And then in 2019, the New York Yankees hired Dykes as a minor league hitting coach...September 2019.

2021, Dykes was the hitting coach for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Fail up I guess. Moving on...

Carlos Mendoza is not the answer. Mendoza played in Minor League Baseball for 13 seasons.

After that be bounced around in the minor leagues Yankee farm system as a coach, and after the 2017 season, Mendoza was promoted as an infield coach for the Yanks. Mendoza became the bench coach in November of 2019. And he's done nothing for the Yanks since.

Right, let's put trust in this.

Matt Blake is not the answer. Blake became pitching coach for the Yankees in 2020, succeeding Larry Rothschild. He has never played professionally. He was a high school coach in Massachusetts for Cressey Sports Performance.

In 2010, he became an associate scout for the Yankees, whatever that means and then in 2015, he became a pitching coach in the Cape Cod League. That same year he went to the Indians organization as a minor league pitching coordinator. And that's it folks. 

You feel good right now?

Luis Rojas is not the answer.  Rojas was signed in 1999 as a third baseman by the Baltimore Orioles for $300,000 after graduating from high school. He was in the Marlins and Expos and Nationals farm system trying to make it. He even played in the Gulf Coast League for a hot moment in with the Expos minor league system. But he got hurt, and that was the end. He managed for the Mets in 2020 and 2021. You all know how that turned out.  

But gang, that's it. Nothing more.

Tanner Swanson is not the answer. 

Swanson is the major league quality control coach and catching coordinator for the Yankees and was the Minor and Major League Catching Coordinator for the Minnesota Twins. Before that you ask? He was hired as a full-time assistant coach at Santa Clara University in July 2017. Oh yeah and he played College ball for Green River Community College. Sounds like a winner.

Desi Druschel is not the answer. Desi started coaching in 1996 as an assistant at Vinton-Shellsburg. That went until 2000. He was also an assistant coach for Indiana University from 1999 to 2000 and Mount St. Clare College from 2000 to 2001.

He bounced around and then was hired as director of operations for the University of Iowa's baseball program in 2014. In 2017, he was the pitching coach for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

The Yankees promoted him to their major league staff as a pitching coach after the 2021 season. He was brought in by the Yankees in 2019 and worked his way up. No offense... that doesn't sound too promising.

Travis Chapman is not the answer. Chapman had one major league at bat with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2003. His Major League average is .000. 

Before that he played college baseball for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Chapman spent 7 seasons in the minor leagues with the Phillies, Reds, Royals and Pirates and retired in 2006. 

He served as a coach for the Charleston River Dogs for a while, and now he's with the Yankees big team... because I guess lack of experience really catapulted him there.

And this brings me back to that big word...EXPERIENCE.

Mike Harkey has it and while the bullpen coach, he knows these players, understands them, understands what works and what doesn't work. 

He is content being out there. Why? Because he's good at being the Yankees bullpen coach. After all, he grew up as a pitcher in the MLB. 8 years to be exact. He's no slouch.

And Eric Chavez has experience and could have possibly been a nice fit. But the Mets poached him. That alone is fucked up but Steve Cohen wants to be big dog in Queens. Let him. I could care less. I do believe in ethics and morals however and I can't for the life of me understand why he thought going across town and taking coaches was ok. But don't worry, it will bite him in the ass.

CBS Sports writes: "In December, the Yankees announced that former A's slugger Eric Chavez was joining the club as an assistant hitting coach. On Thursday, however, MLB.com reported that Chavez will actually join the other New York team, the Mets, as their hitting coach."

Seems like the Mets want some experience. Why don't the Yankees?

Remember when excellence was a thing Yankee fans? What the hell happened?

YANKEE BODIES ARE FALLING... IS BOONE NEXT?

When it comes to inexperience... all you had to do was look at the Yankees coaching staff and laugh.  No one really had experience in the Major Leagues except maybe Marcus Thames and Phil Nevin. I've been screaming about this for months at BYB. The coaching staff is awful.  In fact, I would suggest that the manager was the more inexperienced than Phil Nevin too! Boone is a baffoon, a puppet, put there to torture Yankee fans who pay their hard earned money to go see their team win.  And yes, they did win, sometimes... when there was usually a 10 game losing streak attached to it.

Streaky teams have a hard time being consistent and that was their downfall. And yes you can blame the players to some extent, but you need leadership and the Yankees didn't have that. They had a bunch of college coaches who became fan boys in the process.  We don't need that. We need solid coaches.

The New York Daily News writes that things are starting to change... thank God!

"Over a week after the Bombers were booted from the postseason by the Red Sox, the team informed hitting coaches Marcus Thames and P.J. Pilittere along with third base coach Phil Nevin that they would not have their contracts renewed for 2022, sources confirmed Thursday.

There is still no decision on Aaron Boone, the team’s manager for the past four years, whose contract will officially expire after the World Series."

Then this came out of nowhere from Kristie Ackert, same article:

"So what does shuffling the coaching staff mean? More importantly, what will it actually accomplish? This is just two years after they made what they thought were significant changes, firing long-time pitching coach Larry Rothschild and Josh Bard as bench coach and rebuilding their strength, conditioning and training staff. How big of a difference has that made?"

And so the question to harp on is "What will it accomplish?" Well for one, the Yankee front office has to do a deep dive to look for guys that actually know what their doing.  And if they can actually vet guys this time and maybe find a rythmn... IT WILL ACCOMPLISH ALOT.

You see, the Yankees look good on paper. But mismanagment, sitting guys "cause they need a rest" is no way to coach a team.  Sitting players for sucking is important. Tell that to Joey Gallo.  We are the Yankees. We play to win, that's our legacy and so fans aren't in the business of watching inexperience help navigate a team.  And so, one example of Bard for Rothschild is probably a pretty ridiculous one Ackert... relax. Fans know what we want. I mean look at these coaches that we currently have excluding Marcus Thames and Phil Nevin: 

                                                                          (Photo: Matt Blake)

PJ Pilittere (played baseball at California State, minor leaguer) 

Carlos Mendoza (played minor league baseball for 13 years) 

Matt Blake (pitching coachin the Cape Cod league, moved to pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians), Reggie Willits (played for the Anegels, 2006 to 2011) 

Tanner Swanson (minor league catching coordinator with the Twins).  

Does anyone realize how embarassing this is? They look more like a boy band than an actual EXPERIENCED MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL COACHING STAFF.  And Boone the clown at the top? Give me a break.

I am glad Yankee bodies fell yesterday... but I want them all to fall.  Sadly, I have a sneaking suspicion that Boone will stay, but he shouldn't.

Give us experience.  Try and bring in a David Cone.  Try and bring in a Paul O'Neill. Try and bring in anyone that knows this game and all it offers and look for the win, not a streak.  I am telling you... you find the right leadership and we will right this Yankee ship.

But right now it's sinking and I can't stand it.

I leave you with this. I received a note from the Yankees trying to get me to get my 2022 ticket package. I hid the person's name because I don't want to embarass that person. They are just trying to do their job. Anyway, here's the exchange...

They never emailed me back. Oh well.

DON'T BLAME HEANEY. IT'S NOT EASY TO BE A STARTER IN A RELIEVER ROLE

The best starter to dominate in a reliever role in recent Yankee history that I can remember was Mike Mussina against the Boston Red Sox in the 2003 ALCS. 3 scoreless innings of pure dominance... and the Yankees won that game. 

After that? Plenty have done it... none have dazzled quite as great.  

Why? Well, because it's not that easy. There's a mindset involved with starting pitchers and it's the same as for a reliever much like when a closer comes in to a tie game. It's hard... you feel differently, you pitch alittle differently. The pressure is different... it's just the way it is. You can sit in your stadium seat or on your couch and scream at these guys like "Come on! This is what you work toward! You need to crush the competition!" It's not as easy as turning it on and dominating. It's a mindset. Believe me.

Andrew Heaney is a 5th starter on a Yankee pitching rotation that has struggled most of the year.  He laid an egg today and I would suggest he did because he was put in a spot wearing the most storied franchise's uniform in front of judgy group of Yankee fans that was expecting automatic dominance against a shitty Orioles team.  But you know just as well as I do that Heaney is not a reliever, and the Orioles are not shitty against the Yankees.  So... who you wanna blame? Honestly... who's to blame in that situation?  Heaney? Sure... go for it.  He's a class act, he'll own it because he's a stand up guy. But you can't blame him entirely. Sorry.

I chalk this up to a Yankee coaching staff that just doesn't react as quickly as the underdog.  Did you watch the game today? I mean did you REALLY WATCH IT?  The Orioles knew when there was trouble they needed to stop the bleeding fast.  When a pitcher was getting pounded, they quickly make a change. When things were going well... they kept it the same. Now think about the Yankees. When Andrew Heaney was struggling pretty quickly, nothing was being done. It was a "Wait and let's see what happens." We saw what happened... you waited too long. EVERYONE SAW IT. Everyone.  

We knew what was going to happen and many times you know when you watch a pitcher that doesn't feel comfortable that you need to make a move fast. They didn't. The Yankees were "working through it." The Orioles played today like they were playing for something.  That was the difference with the entire series. Orioles played for something. Yankees played to survive. Duct tape and spit doesn't make a championship team folks, and if this is the way it could be in the playoffs with the Yankees, I can guarantee you we will be timid, slow, run out of pitching options fast and be gone after the Division Series.  We can't play to get by... we need to play for something. We need to play to win like the Orioles did today.

I don't blame Andrew Heaney today. I blame an ejected Aaron Boone, sitting in the clubhouse still making moves on what pitcher should come in next. The Yankees were slow, not dedicated to winning and all about trying to balance a bad weekend against a team 41 games back. Boone and his crew seriously have to learn to manage in tight sitations with the right personnel and stop guessing.  

Heaney coming in in a relief role was a miserable and stupid guess, much like Aroldis Chapman coming into a 3-3 NON-save situation the day before. The mindset is different, pitchers like these are NOT automatic and it's just not that easy to switch it on and off. Boone's never been a pitcher. He's never been a catcher. He does not see this and that is the problem. You wonder why catchers make better managers? The last 2 days is a perfect example of why they are better. Pitchers are wired differently. Catchers know this.

Now Heaney is not well liked in New York these days. And I am not one of those people. I think Heaney was a last minute pick up who's not used to a big market and the pressure of New York City. But he's not a loser either and he certainly is not a reliever. Today was hard on the guy... but I don't fault him. Once again I fault the Yankee manager.  In the game or ejected and out of it, Boone needs makes the decisions.  

Tody on Twitter some dude asked me how I knew Boone was still running the show after he was ejected.  I mean, I thought everyone knew this, but I guess it's worth repeating...

Managers that get ejected are thrown out of the game. It is true that they have to get out of the dugout and go in the clubhouse and be out of site.  But do not think for a second that these guys aren't still pulling the strings.  You think Carlos Mendoza knew what to do today? No... he checked with the manager... Aaron Boone.  Boone sets the day, he sets the strategy or lack there of... and he knows what he wants for his team.  And trust me when I tell you... Boone blew it.

You can wish to DFA Andrew Heaney all you want Bob Klapisch. Kind of irresponsible for a sports writer to root, but whatever.  How about instead the haters give him a few more shots as a starter and see how he does. 

Hell, we gave Corey Kluber a shot today and he laid an egg... but that's OK?  Heaney laid an egg too... IN A ROLE HE'S NOT TYPICALLY UTILIZED IN. Meanwhile NJ.com Boone glosses over Kluber and instead throws Heaney under the bus after the game:

"...In the end, just couldn’t get out of the inning. It’s an important role down there and he’s going to have to share some of that role. He’s going to have to step up."

I mean, of course Heaney is going to have to step it up... but your boy Kluber just replaced him as a starter and he sucked today! Where's that mention? Let me guess, "Kluber's working through things?" The point is those decisions aren't made by a bunch of players in the clubhouse by flipping a coin.

Boone makes them... these are his mistakes. But somehow Heaney has a bad day and ya'll want him gone? Whatever Klapisch... whatever guys.  Give me a break. How about Aaron Boone...  can we DFA him?