GERRIT COLE'S UNCHARACTERISTIC NIGHT & WHY BASEBALL IS NOT FORGIVING

Last night, Yankee fans witnessed a rare and unsettling sight: Gerrit Cole, the ace of the pitching staff and a former Cy Young winner, gave up four home runs to the Mets. While this performance was spread over four innings, it brought back uncomfortable memories of a similarly painful night for the Yankees back on April 22, 2007, when Chase Wright surrendered four consecutive home runs to the Boston Red Sox.

Wright’s feat is etched in the annals of Yankee history as one of the more bizarre and unfortunate pitching performances. Allowing four home runs in a row is a rarity in baseball, a sport that thrives on its unpredictability. Wright was a relatively new pitcher in the major leagues at the time, and that night in Fenway Park remains a stark reminder of how quickly a game can turn.

Cole’s situation, however, is different in several ways. As one of the top pitchers in the game, he has built a career on consistency and dominance. The four home runs he allowed to the Mets are spread out over four innings, rather than consecutive at-bats, which highlights another form of struggle that pitchers can face. What makes this situation particularly noteworthy is that Cole had just returned from a stint on the injured list.

Injuries in baseball are common, and the road to recovery can be fraught with challenges. Even a pitcher of Cole’s caliber needs time to regain his rhythm and full effectiveness. The Yankees and their fans understand this, yet witnessing such a performance from their ace is still disconcerting. It serves as a reminder of the physical and mental hurdles players must overcome when returning from injury.

Baseball is fickle that way. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Cy Young winner or a fresh face in the majors—this sport has a way of humbling even the best. One night you’re untouchable, and the next, you’re struggling to keep the ball in the park. This unpredictability is part of what makes baseball the greatest game in the world. Every game is a new story, filled with potential for both triumph and disappointment.

For Gerrit Cole, this game will likely be a blip in an otherwise stellar career. For fans, it’s a reminder of the sport’s inherent unpredictability and the reason why we watch, captivated by the drama that unfolds on the diamond. Whether it’s Chase Wright in 2007 or Gerrit Cole in 2024, these moments of vulnerability make the moments of brilliance all the more meaningful.

--Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor

TURN DOWN FOR WHAT?

The first one's a win.  The second one is 2 in a row... and a third is a winning streak.  Let's go for 3 tomorrow night!

The Yankees won another one tonight and this time it was literally a close game with not alot to report but great pitching on both sides!  Luckily for us, we pulled ahead scoring 1 run.  That would be enough.

We needed Chase Whitley to step up big time for the Yankees tonight and you know what? He did his job going 4.2 innings, allowing 2 hits and 0 runs.

(In Photo: Chase Wright, 2007)
The last time I remember a "Chase"on the Yankees, was Chase Wright who gave up 4 consecutive homers up to the Red Sox in his debut. That was in 2007... and he was never heard from since. Luckily Chase Whitley did some great things tonight.  He was followed by a dominant Dellin Betances, striking out 6, then Adam Warren and DRob with the Save.  The Yankee pitching was stellar tonight. I tip my cap.

As far as hitting... it came down to 1 guy... Alfonso Soriano who jacked a double to center allowing Brian McCann to score.  In the end, the Yankees won, and won 2 in row against the mighty Mets.  Yup, it started off slow for the Yankees in this series with alot of question marks, but we sucked it up and won 2 to even the series. Trust me... that's a good thing ladies and gentlemen.

Final: Yankees 1 - Mets 0

So I ask you... Turn down for what? In other words, why stop now?


Go for 3 in a row Yanks!

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MAYBE THE GROOMING OF YOUNG YANKEE TALENT AIN'T WORKING

I'd love to tell you that I'm still "all-in" with the idea of young Yankee talent being trained and groomed to one day be New York Yankee superstars, but it's my opinion that the days of a goldmine grouping of Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera are long gone. That happens once in a lifetime...and guess what? It happened.

This is not as much as a criticism as an analysis. The Yankees have over-hyped talent since their historic run from 1996 to 2000. We've heard every big name youngster be mentioned as "the next best thing." Then, like clockwork, something happens, be it a trade, or they get hurt and are never the same, or, they just disappear.

I remember JB Cox was the next closer for the Yankees back in 2005. Cox is still in the minor leagues years later. He's 28. I'm tired of waiting, when are we going to see this guy?

(In Photo: Jose Tabata)
Jose Tabata was "untouchable", until we traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady, some veteran help.  Tabata was also traded with Jeff Karstens and Ross Ohlendorf.  2 other prospects that were supposed to be the Yankees future.

Chase Wright had a future in pinstripes. He's currently employed by the Somerset Patriots in an Independent League. But back when he came up for New York, he gave up 4 straight Red Sox home runs in 2007, read HERE. That cemented his fate. That was his 1 and only season in the Major Leagues.

Remember when Phil Hughes was supposed to be the next Roger Clemens? I do, read HERE. Hughes is just a regular pitcher these day...not lights out, and it's been a long and sometime impatient road.  I like Hughes and out of all of these stories, he and Joba are dudes I truly want to stay with us, but once you see the Yankee track record, you will understand where my doubt comes from.

Speaking of Joba Chamberlain, he was messed with alittle too much. Ian Kennedy, he was traded away and Tyler Clippard's now a bad ass closer for the Washington Nationals.

Phil Coke beat us in the ALCS after we traded him away to the Tigers. And remember Colin Curtis? I barely do... That's because he was over-hyped and the was released this season after a long time in our farm system, read HERE.

(In Photo: Andrew Brackman)
Oh and the Killer B's story was both dynamic and highly anticipated. But Andrew Brackman eventually went to the Cincinnati Reds, and I don't even think he has a job right now.  Manny Banuelos is recovering from Tommy John surgery and Dellin Betances, while a decent pitcher, will never be the greatest pitcher the Yankees have ever had in their farm system... He's just not ready.

(In Photo: Kevin Russo)
We had Kevin Russo who never had a chance to be a major leaguer, despite what the Yankees said and he's now a minor league Free Agent. And Brandon Laird went to the Astros this season, read HERE. Remember him? The kid who had a future in New York?  Oh and what about Eduardo Nunez?  He's an infielder who can't field, yet, he's the guy the Yankees believe in.

(In Photo: Jesus Montero)
And then there is Austin Romine, a kid catcher with a bad back and Jesus Montero, another catcher and the only kid in our farm system that Yankee fans truly fell in love with, yet, we traded him away for a possible lemon.

(In Photo: Ty Hensley)
And sure, we have guys like Gary Sanchez and Slade Heathcott, Mark Montgomery, Dante Bichette Jr and Ty Hensley down there, and it's exciting to see these guys grow up in the Yankees system, but sometimes I wonder just how much time I should invest emotionally in these guys given the track record of the Yankees and the handling of these kids.  Sometimes I get discouraged, that's all.

Look, no one can predict the future, but the Yankees minor league system in recent memory is a joke and us fans need to stop falling into the trap of wanting these guys up so we can search for our next Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada, because, the reality is, I don't think it's going to happen the way it did when Jeet, Bernie and the rest roamed the field at the same time. We can all agree that that was a special time, but with all those minor leaguers I mentioned above, it's the perfect script for a 4th "Major League: Broken down in the Minors" movie.

I can see it now,  Michael Keaton plays Brian Cashman and he's constantly on the phone making deals, but he can't because everyone's hurt or there's no trade value with the guys they have. Then, with a big veteran bat available, he trades off the top guy we've been developing. No thanks, I've seen that movie before...

Look, I love my Yankees, but the kids thing doesn't seem to work anymore. We're all so used to big spending and winning and it seems that we get too impatient with groom the kids. On a personal note, I tried to stick with my Yanks when they talked about grooming young talent and keeping the payroll down to $189 million, but we need to get back to the way it was, and if the Core Five surfaces again like it did in the 90's, I welcome it. But let's face it, I'm tired of forcing it and I'm tired of being disappointed.

That's my take anyway.

By the way, be sure to read Jeana Bellezza's piece THE YANKEE FARM IS THE FUTURE which will be posted tomorrow. It's another take on our farm system you'll need to read.

Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

WHAT'S IN YOUR JUNK DRAWER?

Back on July 15^th, Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record made me smile.  He did a terrific piece about what every true baseball fan should be doing once in a while. Opening up the junk drawer just to see what types of collectibles, no matter how big or small or expensive or cheap they are. You know, the stuff you've accumulated over the years. Pete's idea for his piece came from the story about the guy in Ohio that found those baseball cards of Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner in his grandfather’s attic…read that story HERE.

Caldera described some of the stuff he found around his apartment, like a matchbook from Rusty Staub’s restaurant (Rusty Staub's on Fifth) that used to be opened back in the 1980’s, a 1980 Yankees Yearbook and an old Abbott & Costello “Who’s on First?” cassette, among other things. I had to laugh.  I own an autographed Rusty Staub menu from the old restaurant somewhere as well as that Abbott & Costello cassette.  But that’s not what I found in my basement.

I have weird stuff that I’ve collected over the years.  I figured I’d share them with you, after all, it’s the beginning of the week, you’re just waking up, you’re having your coffee before work, let's start off light. Check it out:

 

I'm a card collector, but this one seems to have snuck away from my collection and was sitting in a top drawer of my laundry room.  It's a 1956 Topps card of Eddie Robinson, he was with the Yankees from 1954 to 1956 until he was traded to the Kansas City Athletics.  He was a career .268 hitter with 172 homers in 13 seasons.  Anyway... I thought that was interesting. 

 

 This is a pen I bought from at a Newark Bears game a few years back.  I was never good at keeping score while at the ballpark but I gave it shot that day, I didn't have a pencil.  I bailed on it in the 4th, but I kept the pen.

Here's a signed picture of Bo Jackson, someone I really idolized for his talent on the baseball field as well as football field.  The "Bo Knows" days were a phenomenon.  I think I got this signed years later...he was already retired.

This is one of my favorites.  It's an older ceramic Roger Maris bobble head that I bought off a dealer on ebay in the 1990's.  I've always had a thing for Maris and reading the history of how things went down in 1961, and the stress of the Home Run race.  I've always had a soft spot for him. Luckily history happened the way it did for the Maris family.  Anyway, I love this piece.

Look OUT! A 1971 Ken Singleton Topps baseball card.  Love it.  I was born in 1971 and for a while there I was trying to collect every 1971 card so I could complete the set.  That hasn't happened yet, I still have a long way to go. But it's still fun.

Remember Chase Wright? He was going to be the next big thing for the Yankees...or at least the next big thing for the moment. I kept this I guess thinking it may be worth something.  It's from that 2007 season.  It's not worth a thing, but that's OK. I did alittle research and found out Chase still pitches. He's 29 years old these days and plays for the Somerset Patriots. Good for him!

I love this.  This is a 1946 Yankees program and scorecard and inside, the Yankees played the Red Sox.  I got this from a friend a few years ago.  The scorecard is filled in. If you click on the image below, you can just make out some of the players that day for the Yankees...Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto, Bill Dickey.  It's just a cool, yet frail and old collectible that I stare at from time to time.

So, what do you have in your junk drawer, or basement or closet? Tell us here at BYB, comment! I’d love to hear about it.  Better yet, take pictures of your items and send them to Bleednyankeeblu@gmail.com and we’ll do a piece about it.  Include your name and the city you're from with a picture of something you’ve come across.  I can’t wait to see what you guys have!

And thanks for the idea Pete Caldera, you da man! Enjoy this everyone!

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