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.

MAYDAY! SOS! YANKS TANK IN BOSTON

I thought the first place New York Yankees were playing the last place Red Sox this weekend. That's what the schedule called for anyways....but that's not what we watched.

We saw the opposite and we've been watching a deflated a team for a while now. The Yankees have fallen and it happened hard and fast and I'm honestly sick of it. Yes, the Yankees had a great un in the beginning of the season and the injury bug has hit us hard lately but that happens to all teams. Good teams will find a way to win instead of having a TERRIBLE road trip and went 2-7. We've won ONE games of our last 10 and lost four series in a row. This is embarrassing.

I'm frustrated after watching Michael Wacha pitch like he was Cy Young! He made the Yankees look like little leaguers. Aaron Judge went hitless in four at-bats with three strikeouts....that hurt. Then Josh Donaldson, Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres combined to go 0-for-10 with three strikeouts. 

The offense failed us again after Jameson Taillon gave up three hits over seven innings. He kept the Yankees in the game but the offense couldn't do their part as usual. At this point we are so used to seeing this, but it's not acceptable. WE looked like the last place team on the field and I am tired of that being acceptable! Not making changes to the management of this team is accepting mediocrity and I'm just tired of it!

And I am tired of listening to Aaron Boone rattle off nonsense, too. His postgame interview is an insult to baseball enthusiasts. In case you missed it, he said that we should all "take a bigger snapshot look" because "the offense has been sharp." He needs to lay off whatever he is drinking, because only he can truly believe that and be that incompetent. If the offense was that sharp, we wouldn't be on such a serious freefall. Oh and Wacha wouldn't have made such short work of the Yankees. That game lasted a whole 2 hours and 15 minutes which must make Rob Manfred really happy right now. Oh and our two hits last night....came from guys that weren't even on this team three weeks ago!

This team isn't running on all cylinders and it makes them impossible to watch. We went from World Series favorites to imploding in no time at all. It's a good thing that the Blue Jays aren't playing great baseball either so we still have a good lead....as long as the Yankees don't choke that away down the stretch.

Someone needs to stand up, be a leader and get this team back on track before it is too late.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

 

PHILLIES SIGN ZACK WHEELER FOR A STUPID PRICE

What a dumb deal. 5 years? Zack Wheeler ain't Cy Young. He's not even Sonny Gray.

Zack Wheeler's your fifth starter with the hope that you don't need to pitch him every 5 days because to be honest, you don't really know what you're gonna get.

ESPN writes:

"Right-hander Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a five-year, $118 million contract, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. Wheeler turned down a larger offer from the Chicago White Sox that was in excess of $120 million, sources told Passan. 

Wheeler, 29, was considered the prize of the free-agency class for teams in search of starting pitching that didn't want to compete in stratospheric bidding for Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg."

The prize?  Are we living in Bizarro World? Have you seen this guys numbers over the fast few years?

Zack Wheeler has never won 18 games. Zack Wheeler didn't pitch for 2 years. What's the prize, that's he's 29 and still has time? Is being "just OK" the next "Great" when it comes to baseball?

The Phillies can have Wheeler. Have him for the next decade. I am THRILLED the Yankees didn't get in on this.

Buh Bye.

WHAT SONNY GRAY SAID IS A FACT! GET OVER IT!

Photo: Getty Images

Yankee fans can be crazy.  By the way... that's a fact too.

Sonny Gray said this after last night's game. I give you Bryan Hoch's Tweet here:

Sonny Gray on the loss: "We lost one game. We're fine. I feel like everyone is in good spirits and we'll come out tomorrow and get behind Sevy and try to win a series here."

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) September 12, 2018

Here's the strange irony. Brett Gardner said this. Hoch Tweet again...

Brett Gardner: "If we play the way we're capable of, we'll look back a few months from now and none of it will really matter. Or if we don't play the way we're capable of, we'll be going home early."

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) September 12, 2018

What's the friggin' difference?

Now here's my question. Are Yankee fans mad because Gray doesn't seem engaged and "good enough" to be part of this team? Or... are they mad that he said that.

Here's the reality. The Yankees aren't exactly lighting it up as a team.  They are not winning consistently and are literally limping to the finish line. And you know what? Sometimes that happens to teams.  Look at the Phillies.  I want my Yankees in the playoffs. But there are better teams out there that can take that away.  Am I giving up? No. But I also don't play on the team... the players play and the players need to win.

Photo: Getty Images

If Sonny Gray craps the bed in his start that's on him. But what Sonny Gray said isn't a crime. Yanks lost a game.  The bigger part of that Tweet is that the Yankees are going to keep going in good spirits and back Sevy.  And you know what? I want that attitude on my team.

Is Sonny Gray, Cy Young? Nope. Not even close. He has a lot of work to do and to be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if the Yankees trade him in the winter.  That being said, his support for his other teammates should be celebrated. Instead, Yankee fans are looking for any reason to trash this guy.

Photo: Getty Images

He's a major league pitcher... and he's struggling. You try it.  Not an easy thing to accomplish.  Getting to the majors is one thing. Staying there? Another.  It ain't easy. I give Gray a pass here. He's speaking truth.

P.S. Most ridiculous tweet responding to Gray.

That’s exactly what losers say

— Sledge (@DaYoungBoiiCroc) September 12, 2018

Give me a break.  From a kid sitting behind a computer tweeting for a living. Like anyone cares.

WE WILL DO IT FOR CC!

Win one for CC...and that is exactly what we are going to do. The Yankees have been waiting since 2012 to get back to the postseason and now they have to take the field without him. There will be a noticable void tonight in the Bronx, but don't be mistaken.....the Yankees are going to fight to the finish for CC Sabathia.

This team played like crap for awhile. There is no doubt about it. We all watched the Yankees fall apart against the Red Sox and Orioles at the end. Those were series that they should have won. They lacked heart. Now, their teammate is out and suddenly the Yankees have a new purpose. It's time to finish what was started even if we are a man down. It's what CC Sabathia would expect his team to do. Now it is time to pick him up and get this team to the ALDS.

I know this team has been less than impressive, in fact they have sucked but if the Yankees ever needed motivation to actually show some heart and courage now is the time and they will. Losing is a great motivator and in this case the Yankees have lost a leader on the team as well as games that they should have won. This is the time that our team turns it around.

This is a wake-up call. I expect to see an entirely different team tonight. The Yankees had no spark before. They had champagne victories last week but no fire. Now that CC is gone I expect to see a renewed team. This is now a GO BIG OR GO HOME moment...and I am tired of going home and I am tired of not winning. The Yankees are tired of going home and not winning. and will rise to the challenge. Now it is about pride and finishing what they started as a team even though CC is not going to be in that dugout. The mission is still the same, but now it has an even greater purpose.

The dugout will be incomplete tonight, and the Yankees are going to use that extra emotion to their advantage. For me, the words pride and determination have always defined CC. The Astros are coming to our turf. It's our house and CC has always been the first to step up and defend it. Anytime one of our guys is hit by a pitch, CC is the first guy you see reacting to it. We are finally playing in the postseason after a long hiatus. Pride is on the line and a wildcard appearance isn't enough. The Yankees can finish this if they come out and grind it like we know they can.

It will be hard to watch tonight and not see CC standing in the dugout, but the team can carry on without him. Tonight it is time to pitch like Cy Young, and make contact. We are not intimidated by Dallas Keuchel and will make him work in OUR house. Tonight isn't the end and the Yankees will rise to the occasion. Tonight, we do this for you CC! We are all thinking about you and fighting for you.



   

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ 




 



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PATHETIC AT THE PLATE

sac ri fice [sak ruh fahys] noun, verb: the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.

I'm not sure if certain Yankees' egos are just so big that they just think they can homer every single time they come up to the plate, or they're just stupid and they don't realize that sometimes hitting a sacrifice when a man's on third base actually helps momentum for a ball club and... helps your club win.  The New York Yankees are horrendous offensively, there I've said it and now I'm aggravated! They have officially been exposed. I'm not even sure how the hell they won the division playing like this.  Too many times are runners left in scoring position and as fans, these runners are staring at us fans in the face from third base screaming "I can score on a sac fly!"  But no.  Guys like Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson come to the plate with the fence on their mind.  In the end, they strike out almost every time they show up to the plate and not to mention, the Yanks continue to pile up a RISP fail made for the record books. It's a freaking embarrassment.

What the hell is going on with my Yankees? Why did the Yankees make Doug Fister look like Cy Young last night and why did they yet again blow big opportunities. The Tigers are not the Royals! Doug Fister is in fact not Cy Young... he's not. He's a good pitcher that they allowed to look great.  And Nick Swisher? Let me tell you something about this chump; The smiles in the dugout are now old and tired and if you can't get a hit, you should also be benched because it's becoming more and more evident that Alex Rodriguez is in fact the whipping boy for all ya'll.  Sure, Swish finally got a double tonight, but what about those lousy post season numbers before that? We can't expect Raul Ibanez to just pick us up every time, every guy on this Yankee team has to contribute. Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano, Grandy and ARod are clearly lost and now they're clogging up holes for guys that are dying to get out there... Brett Gardner anyone?

The Yankees have problems, major problems. I have preached this RISP fail since May when I made a mockery of the Yankees failing to hit the runner over or sacrifice the runner in. The RISP ghost keeps showing up. The Yankees can't walk to the plate thinking they're going to hit a home run every time so they can be the hero. Nick Swisher swinging for the fences in the 10th? Seriously? Trying to be a hero are you? You can't hit a lick right now, how about you just hit the ball!

How about Russell Martin with 1 out and a man on second in the 10th, swinging for the fences like it was the only way to get the run in. Ridiculous. Sure, we love when the walk off happens, but the reality is, when there are men on 2nd or 3rd base and 1 out, you have to get them home, YOU HAVE TO! I don't care if you need to slap it over 1st base for a single or hit a fly ball the center, you have a job; win the game! I have news for you, you can't win a game if you don't drive in runs. That's it, nothing more than that! If the Yankees continue to play like this,  they played themselves out of the ALCS, because I'll tell you something, each round gets tougher.

Andy Pettitte did everything right last night. The problem was when his offense needed to pick him up, they couldn't.  For the record, Pettitte is allowed to give up a run or 2, but the Yankees are also allowed to knock in runs. In fact, they must! They didn't until the 9th inning and while that's fine, for the fan like you and I, it's agony. The truth is there were 8 innings before that where runs should have been scored.

Am I too hard on my guys? Well, I'm not exactly hammering all 25 of the Yanks, there are 4 guys I'm shocked about, because as professional ballplayers, I understand slumps, but I do not understand a mental block of baseball fundamentals. Why do you ask? Because if my 10 year old son, who I allowed to stay up late with me last night, yells at the TV "all he needs to do is sacrifice the run in", well, that cemented it for me.  He's 10 and he's thinking like a ballplayer. What the hell is Swisher's excuse? 

Grandy, Swisher and Cano are better than they're playing! So I say this, "Hey guys, shake the monkey off your backs, and wake up... this is the ALCS, not game 6 of the 2012 season... you're better than that!

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ONE GAME AT A TIME

(Photo: AP)
The Yankee Stadium crowd was hushed today by Max Scherzer, doing his best Cy Young impersonation. Look, Scherzer is not an incredible pitcher, but for some reason, he has the Yankees number. You have to give him credit, he came into our house and took over. I watched today in frustration, but I didn't watch it real time believe it or not. Thank God for my DVR.

At 3 o'clock, I was at my kid's Little League game. There's a lot going on as you can tell. My son told me as we pulled up to the baseball field, "Today, I'm going with my Cano stance." He was clearly honoring Cano after last night's grand slam. I looked at him and said "Just be you." My guy was on his own mission today, he was fighting for more playing time next game as well as a shot at moving up in the batting order. To him, the playoffs and his personal challenge we're similar. You have to give him props, he's hungry.(Photo: AP)
Meanwhile, Freddy Garcia gave us a good pitching performance today and delivered what we needed him too. In 5.1 innings, he allowed 6 hits and 4 runs and struck out 6. Although, it started out rough, with a quick 2 run home run by Miguel Cabrera and by the bottom of the first inning, it was 2-0 Tigers. The only thing that would make that worse would be Max Scherzer man-handling the Yankees... and he did. The Yankees we no-hit for the majority of 6 innings. Scherzer left the game just giving up 2 hits.

Meanwhile, back at the Little League field I was constantly pacing, watching my son play and listen to the radio at the same time. I was a wreck. My boy creamed a liner down the first line in his first at bat, but right at the first baseman. 0 for 1. Then, he worked a walk and came around to score. The next time up, he singled on a softy dribbler...my man beat it out. Then, in his fourth time up today, a nice line drive over the head of the second baseman and into right center. 2 for 3 today and a smile as he stood base. Good. One stress is over, my kid did good today, but now the Yankees need to win.

As we came in the house, we turned on the TV. It was 4-0 Tigers and then Curtis Granderson came to the plate and crushed a homer run to make it 4-1. The Tigers got the run back making it 5-1 in the top of the ninth off of Luis Ayala. More on him in a moment.
In the bottom of the ninth, Nick Swisher came up to face a lethal Jose Valverde. Well, he wasn't that lethal to Swisher who crushed a solo shot to make it 5-2. Then Jorge Posada came up and he cranked a shot to center and Austin Jackson was lost. Posada got a triple. Next, Russell Martin worked a walk and Andruw Jones who was 3-7 lifetime against Valverde came up. He had a nice shot to right, but ran down by Don Kelly . Jones sacrificed Posada home. One out.

Derek Jeter came up. Russell Martin was on first. After Jeter had him chucking pitch after pitch, Jeter eventually struck out. 2 outs now and hope was dwindling. Curtis Granderson came too the plate and it was a huge moment. Martin is now on second base. Granderson hits a high pop up to the Tigers side in foul territory. Alex Avila slips on the Yankees on-deck circle logo trying to catch ball, but misses... how ironic. I thought for sure, that would be the turning point. Then... Granderson walked.The table was set for Robinson Cano. Men on first and second and Cano is up. The score was 5-3. The rain was now pouring in the Bronx and with an 0-2 count on Cano, a soft grounder to second... Game over... Tigers win. The ALDS Series is now tied at 1-1.

Now I mentioned Luis Ayala and I noticed the Twitter world is hammering Ayala. Yes, Ayala is giving up runs, but I think I understand Girardi's thinking. I think Joe wants to have the big guys fresh for the next 3 games and if Ayala can get some outs and not allow games to get too out of control, that's a good thing in Joe opinion. Look I don't know if that's what he's doing, and if it is, I don't agree, but I think that's what his thinking is. My thinking is, this is the playoffs, we need to shut down the competition. Look, I really don't think we're going to see Ayala much more this ALDS. I really think it's a strategy by Girardi. All I'm saying is don't panic yet.

Final Score: Tigers 5 - Yankees 3.

Tomorrow in Detroit is Game 3. It's being billed as the Matchup of the Century...CC Sabathia vs. Justin Verlander. Interesting stat for CC... As a Yankee, his record in Comerica Park is 0-3 6.00 ERA. Now, stats don't mean much because CC could come in tomorrow night shut down Detroit. The good news is, if for any reason CC can't hack it, the Yankees have a well rested bullpen in Rafael Soriano, David Robertson and Mariano Rivera.

Justin Verlander at home is 10-3 with a 2.37 ERA but with no day off, anything can happen. Don't forget, Verlander has never pitched on short rest, CC has. It's going to be a tough pitched game.

Yankees need to pull this off... and I know they can. Let's Go Yankees!

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