AT LEAST GERRIT COLE HAD SOME STONES...

If you want to roast Gerrit Cole for what happened last night, go ahead. I'm not joining the pile-on.

Yes, Cole lost the game. After six dominant, scoreless innings, eight strikeouts, and 90 pitches in just his 10th start back from Tommy John surgery, he issued a leadoff walk to Mookie Betts in the seventh. Aaron Boone made the slow walk to the mound while Brent Headrick got loose in the bullpen. Boone asked his ace if he had one more hitter in him.

Cole didn't hesitate.

Absolutely. Two pitches later, he was ahead 0-2 on Max Muncy. Then came the mistake. A hanging slider. Muncy didn't miss it, launching a two-run homer that turned a 1-0 Yankees lead into a loss.

Afterward, Boone said he probably should have taken the ball from Cole. Maybe he's right.

But here's the thing.

Historically, when Aaron Boone decides it's time to play bullpen chess, it usually ends with Yankee fans wondering why they even bothered watching the game. Managing pitchers has never been Boone's strength. So, while it's easy to second-guess the decision because it backfired, I'm not going to criticize a manager for trusting the one guy on his roster who actually demanded the baseball.

Sometimes, just sometimes, you've got to trust the horse that wants to keep running.

Especially now.

The Yankees are only 2.5 games out of first place, but don't let that fool you. They've been playing mediocre baseball, and the schedule isn't about to get any friendlier. This is the stretch where you need Gerrit Cole taking the ball. If there is one player on this roster, I'm willing to ride or die with, it's the guy who refuses to come out of the game.

Give me that mentality every single time. Truthfully, that's exactly what this team has been missing.

I've said it over and over again: the Yankees don't have enough edge. They don't have enough accountability. They don't have enough players willing to put everything on the line.

David Wells recently said something that should be plastered on the wall inside the clubhouse. If a player isn't performing, send him down. Triple-A. Double-A. Wherever. Let him sit. Let him understand that poor play doesn't automatically earn another week in the lineup.

Imagine that. Competition. Accountability. Consequences.

Instead, the Yankees coddle players. They protect them. They keep handing out opportunities like participation trophies.

I'm not exactly lining up to join the Jomboy fan club. In my opinion, they've become far too comfortable playing nice with the Yankees' machine. But even they pointed out something impossible to ignore: Anthony Volpe has been given one of the longest leashes we've seen from a struggling everyday player in years. The production hasn't justified the patience, yet the opportunities keep coming.  It's actually the best thing they ever put out.

That's on leadership.

And that's where this organization continues to fail.

So, if you want to crush Cole for giving up one bad pitch, that's your choice.

I'd rather focus on the fact that he stood on that mound and wanted the moment. The Yankees need more guys with that kind of backbone, not fewer. I'd rather watch Gerrit Cole bet on himself than watch Boone overmanage another game into oblivion.

Last night wasn't about one hanging slider.

It was about a competitor refusing to back down.

Frankly, this team could use a lot more of that.

Now the Yankees have a chance to bounce back against the Dodgers today. They'd better, because the road ahead isn't getting any easier.

WE KNOW HOW TO FIX THE YANKEE ROTATION PROBLEM FAST!

With Gerrit Cole down and the specter of surgery looming, the Yankees are staring at a massive hole in their rotation. Max Fried steps up as the ace—rightfully so—but after that? Chaos. Carlos Rodón is a roll of the dice, Luis Gil is still banged up and possibly for the season, Clarke Schmidt is as durable as a paper straw, and Marcus Stroman arrives in the Bronx with a chip on his shoulder. This is a mess, plain and simple.

The New York Post captured Cole’s unease: “Asked if he was worried about having to undergo surgery on the same elbow that caused him to be shut down for much of the first half of last season, Cole said, ‘I’m concerned. I’m hoping for the best.’” Last year, it was elbow nerve inflammation and edema. This year, it's déjà vu with worse stakes. For a team that aced the offseason, this is a brutal twist.

So, what’s the move? Brace yourselves—I’ve got a suggestion that will get Bronx cheers and Bronx cheers: Sign Trevor Bauer.

Bauer is set to return to Japan’s DeNA BayStars in 2025, but why not bring him back stateside now? Yes, it’s an unpopular idea and with a BayStars contract, I really don't know how that would work. But here’s the truth: Bauer was effectively blacklisted from MLB over allegations that didn’t hold up, and the league’s so-called investigation was anything but thorough.

Yankees legend David Wells has no problem with a Bauer comeback he said this is 2024. The New York Post wrote this and had Wells quoted saying, “He was a hell of a pitcher. He should go in. I mean, look at all these guys in the past who crap all over themselves and get in trouble. And they got second, third, fourth chances.” He’s not alone—Bauer’s former Dodgers teammate, Mookie Betts, called him a “great guy.”

Like it or not, Bauer can still pitch. He’s dominated in Japan and Mexico, and more importantly, he wants to win. And guess who else wants to win? The Yankees. Judge. Cole. The entire Bronx Zoo. Sitting on their hands until the trade deadline to chase someone like Sandy Alcantara? Bad strategy. (Read BOLD PREDICTION SUGGESTS SANDY ALCANTARA WITH BE IN PINSTRIPES for more on that,) By then, they might be so deep in the standings that a blockbuster move won’t even matter.

Here’s the plan: Max Fried takes the Opening Day start, Bauer slides into the No. 2 slot, followed by Rodón, Schmidt, and Stroman. Suddenly, that rotation doesn’t look so grim. Cole can take his time healing while the Yankees stay competitive.

Rolling into the season without Cole or Bauer is a recipe for disaster. The Yankees have to be aggressive, not timid. Signing Bauer might ruffle feathers, but guess what? Winning does too. Will it happen? Who knows. But should it? Absolutely.

You’re welcome, Yankees fans.

DAVID WELLS: THE ULTIMATE BAD BOY & THE LEGENDARY RISK

Over two decades ago, one of baseball's ultimate bad boys, David Wells, pulled off a stunt so rebellious and gutsy that it's become the stuff of legend. Wells, known for his fearless demeanor on and off the mound, decided to honor baseball's greatest icon, Babe Ruth, in a way only a true maverick could. He donned an original Babe Ruth cap during a game, breaking MLB's strict uniform rules and earning himself a spot in the annals of baseball folklore.

Let’s set the scene: It’s the 1990s, and David Wells, the big lefty with a reputation for being as tough as they come, walks into the ballpark with a secret weapon. He had shelled out a cool $35,000 for an authentic Babe Ruth cap, the same one the "Sultan of Swat" wore in a real Major League game. To Wells, this cap wasn’t just a piece of memorabilia—it was a living, breathing piece of Yankees history, something that demanded to be celebrated, not hidden away in a collector’s vault.

When Wells decided, “I’m gonna wear this s*cker,” you better believe he meant it. Joe Torre, the Yankees' legendary manager, got wind of the plan and immediately tried to put a stop to it. Torre, ever the professional, knew the rules and tried to steer Wells away from what he saw as a foolhardy move. But let’s face it, Wells wasn’t about to let some technicalities get in the way of making history.

During practice, Torre kept a hawk’s eye on Wells, ensuring the cap stayed off. But when the game was about to start, according to reports, Wells pulled a fast one. He slipped into the locker room, slapped on the Babe’s cap, and ran out onto the field like the rebel he was. The music blasted, the fans roared, and there was Wells, standing on the mound with the Babe’s cap firmly on his head.

Sure, Torre saw the cap and demanded it come off, but Wells, already on the mound, was in his element. He pitched with that cap, knowing full well that a fine was coming his way. And come it did—$2,500, a slap on the wrist for such a priceless moment.

Years later, Wells auctioned off the cap for a staggering half a million dollars. As fans, we can’t help but wish he never let it go, but the story? The story lives on, immortalized in the hearts of baseball lovers everywhere. It’s one of those epic tales that makes you appreciate the audacity of guys like Wells, who dare to break the mold for the love of the game.

So, hats off to David Wells—the tough guy, the bad boy, the legend who turned a simple cap into an unforgettable chapter in baseball history.

--Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor

WHY IS JUAN SOTO DOING AARON BOONE'S JOB?

You want to create friction in the clubhouse? Do what Aaron Boone does... coddle your players and never rip them when they suck.  That is what is going on right now and you all know it.  And the worst part? The worst part for Aaron Boone is now everyone is starting to take notice.  This loser's been exposed.  How do I know? Simple.

Now there are actual players calling out teammates for not pulling their weight.  When that happens, players get angry, resentful, annoyed. That's why you have managers... to right the ship.  But now what's happening is because Boone's not doing his job, others have to and it's all Boone's fault.  Here's Juan Soto:

"It's going to take more than 2 guys to go to the World Series and win it"

-Juan Soto pic.twitter.com/FMa8kl0ncM

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) July 22, 2024

Now he's not the only one.  David Wells gave a great example about Joe Torre back in the day. He said this on the Tierney / Licata podcast:

“In 1998, we lost three of the first four games of the year, and Joe Torre was pissed. He came in and laid it on the line,” Wells said. “That’s what you want a manager to do. He called everybody out. He called Jeter out, he called Bernie out…and this was the first 3-4 games of the season. Whatever Joe said, it resonated with everybody. We came together as a team.”

Wells doesn’t see that happening with the 2024 Yanks...“If we would get in slumps, we would talk about it, we would sit in the clubhouse after the game, we’d go out to dinner as a team…and we would talk about the game and how we can get better,” Wells said. “These guys don’t do it. They have their headphones on, they play video games, they watch film, film, and film.”

What's my point? Managers are supposed to be there to guide, to pick up, to call out guys when they suck.  Instead, Aaron Boone coddles, talks about how great they are, how they are "Right there" and they are "hitting balls hard" and "It's right in front of us."  That's to the media.  In private, clearly there is no one calling out players if Juan Soto has to go out there and publicly shame his teammates. To me... that's Soto doing Boone's job.  It also causes issues within the clubhouse and maybe this is the core of the problem.

I don't know why we continue to talk about how Aaron Boone is a bad manager for 4 years.  Oh, that's right, I do know why, because he sucks.  

The Yankee front office doesn't care about us fans and they sure as hell don't want a strong, opinionated manager in that seat, and that's why Aaron Boone is there.  The puppet lives another day.  Trust me, winning against the Rays 9-1 yesterday doesn't change the fact that this guy's a bum.  It's a damn shame.

JOBA & WELLS SPEAK OUT ON THE YANKEES HORRIBLE SEASON!

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

The New York Post writes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anyway... Happy Sunday!

DAVID CONE NAILS IT WHEN IT COMES TO DOMINGO GERMAN!

I always find David Cone great to listen to. There are plenty that don't. That's their opinion and there's nothing wrong with it. As far as I'm concerned, it's subjective. For me, Coney speaks his mind, very honest and says it like it is.  

Now we all know that he, David Wells and Don Larsen were the only Yankees to have Perfect Games before Domingo German joined the club late last night.  Now we have 4. As a Yankee fan, be proud. That's a huge achievement.

Well, Cone spoke about German and what comes with pitching a Perfect Game.  Clutchpoints writes:

"Cone said that German’s life and potentially his career will be altered for the better after the accomplishment...

"...this could really help springboard him to bigger and better things. It did for Boomer in ’98, he became a different pitcher after that day. He really gained a lot of confidence and possibly that could work for Domingo as well."

It is slightly similar to what I was talking about this morning when I wrote  GERMAN FINALLY TURNS THE PAGE TOWARD GROWTH & WHAT ROLE MODELS NEED TO BE, but I was speaking about German's shortcomings of the past and overcoming those disappointments with achievement and moving forward.  The point is, a spark like this Perfect Game could be a huge boost for German, yes on the field for sure, but definitely in life too.  You feel better about yourself, you want to do better.  We're in the realm of a confident pitcher and positive role model as well. 

Clutchpoints continued with an important nugget that many of us have heard but forgot about last night when we were blinded with the Perfect Game:

"There were murmurs that the Yankees were considering taking him out of the rotation. Now it seems that Domingo German will stick around for a little while longer and could turn out to be an important piece for the Yankees as they trudge through the season without Aaron Judge."

German was about to be removed. I believe that! I'm really hoping Boone doesn't man-handle this guy and remove him from the rotation.  German did something great, but the best part of that is not rest, but to keep going.  If Boone was smart, he'd leave German alone and see what other special stuff can happen with this guy.

But there's no question Cone is onto something.  He's got a great baseball mind, and his point of potential future success rings true.  But at the end of the day, it comes down to German.  Can he stay focused and gain confidence? I believe it's in him, but we shall see.

GERMAN FINALLY TURNS THE PAGE TOWARD GROWTH & WHAT ROLE MODELS NEED TO BE

The Story of the day is of course, Domingo German's Perfect Game.

Look, you cannot ignore a great moment in sports.  Last night, German did something that only 3 other Yankees have done before him. Don Larsen, David Wells and David Cone now are part of the Perfect Game club with German. A monster achievement, and definitely catapults him into a more glamourous, elite club in baseball.  It is something special.  With this moment comes maturity, comes being what a role model should be.  I know what you're thinking, and you're right... there's a life lesson here when it comes to German.

I saw it with my own eyes and when it happened, I had weird emotions about it.  Clearly the Yankees won. Clearly the A's were terrible.  But it felt weird to me because it was Domingo German. It wasn't jealousy. It wasn't hate. It was about integrity and character and maturity for me.  For me, my emotions weren't as large as I wanted them to be.  But when I see this man and the journey he took to get here, I was happy for him. Not as an athlete, but as a person. Does that make sense? 

Look, in sports we root for our teams... we root for our guys.  There's nothing better in sports. But something was off with this guy throughout his journey to get here. Yup, I look like I'm raining on this guy's parade. I should shut up, right? Maybe.  Last night when it happened my buddy texted me when it happened. My bud is a Phillies fan. He had no business watching German dominate, but that's the sweetness of sports. He found it, watched it, texted me because I'm the Yankee fan.  I was already falling asleep, so I went to bed with happiness for the Yankees, but fell right to sleep. This morning I wrote the first feeling I had about it.

Sporadic. That's how I've always seen German.  I always feel like this guy is trying to find his way.  The struggles, the accusation of beating his wife, the punishment, the getting caught cheating with substance on his hands... the nights of him getting shelled, the #0 which to him is a way of being provocative, but to me is subliminal for loser.  That's Sporadic to me. I almost feel like most people in sports haven't had a ride that turbulent.   Last night however, I saw a changed man, a long journey and a man that figured it out.

The 24th Perfect Game in MLB History

It Belongs to Domingo German pic.twitter.com/bPQtb9gbmf

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 29, 2023

As the day goes on today, I will watch the highlights a lot, because over all I will be happy for the Yankees. And yes, to me it symbolizes that sporadic Domingo German turning the page of chaos and uncertainty. Today he looks more mature... more of a role model. Sure, maybe I'm over analyzing it. But that's why you come to BYB right?  

Domingo German deserves congratulations.  He's now in an elite group and because of that more will be expected of him.  He will need to be good the next time out. He will need to now show his own maturity... his own swagger and step up and lead by example.  Maybe that's what will be the difference for me being a true fan of German. Can he carry himself with poise?  Can he grow from this? Can he become a better pitcher and a better person?

I was watching and thinking about it this way. Second chances and redeeming ones self are important in everyone.  We judge people that make mistakes, but what if the person that was making the mistake was you own son or daughter. Would you judge, or would you root for them?

Hypothetical. What if German was my son and he beat his wife and was suspended from the MLB for a while? What would I do? I'd probably rip him behind closed doors, but I'd give him another chance.

What if my son was German and he was caught with substance on his hand and kicked out of a game because of it? Well, I'd rip him behind closed doors and then I'd give him another chance.  And so, as I write this here, I think ultimately, last night's Perfect Game for German was about second chances, wasn't it? It was about him finding his way, not only as a professional athlete, but in life too.

I am not a perfect person, no doubt about that. No one is.  But looking at it that way allows me to enjoy this Perfect Game more for German even more.  And when I think about it that way, he deserves all the praise in the world.  German is even closer to the top of his game, more mature (we hope) and able to stand tall through all the crap and say "Hey, I did this."  For me as a Yankee fan and father... those emotions blend at this moment, and I see that this is a good thing. A good thing for the Yankees, and definitely German.

I leave you with this. I saw this on Twitter and thought it made sense, especially in this situation.

In the case of German, in the case in how I emotionally processed this... it just makes sense. Learn from mistakes, move forward. 

Congrats to Domingo German.  Soak it in, you deserve this moment.  

TIME STOOD STILL FOR A WHILE

Source: Rich Schultz/Getty Images North America

When you engross yourself in your passion for a day, it changes you.  Now, share this day with your son, who shares the same passion, and time stands still, at least for a while.  As luck would have it, I was able to obtain two tickets to the Red Sox-Yankees game at the Stadium for Saturday, but on top of that, I learned late Friday night that #WFAN was having its FanFest and hosting a number of players from days past including David Wells, Mickey Rivers, Bucky Dent and Cecil Fielder across the street from Stan's, in the place where the old Yankee Stadium once stood.  Yankee announcers Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling along with GM Brian Cashman also joined in to sign autographs for fans across the Tri-State before the evening's twilight game against the Sox.

For me, and I think my 19-year-old, time stood still or I lost track of it as I introduced my son to some of my favorite players from days long gone but with memories as thick as a foggy day in April or a black and white milk shake from Shake Shack.  I thanked David Wells for his Perfect Game, I appreciated Mickey Rivers for his incredible speed, I expressed to Cecil my delight in introducing him to my son as the Fielder before Prince and then, I needed to make no introduction to Bucky Dent.

My son said to him confidently, "You're my mom's favorite."  

It's like the day stayed on pause, for four hours and everyone at the FanFest, knew each other.  As one fan said to us as we moved through the different lines together throughout the day, "We are like family; get in line with us!"  But, then at the stroke of four, reality set in and the game began and we quickly realized that the winning teams I reminisced about with my son just moments before first pitch, were not reflective of the team spirit on the field on Saturday evening as the Yankees blew their lead early, only to fall to the Sox, 10-5.

Source: Mike Stobe/Getty Images North America

Losing last night really hurt not just because Aaron Judge went 0-4 and Andrew Benintendi had six RBIs after belting two three-run home runs.  Last night hurt because the season appears to be slipping away from the Yankees and there isn't a darn thing we as fans can do about it.  We can't just press the pause button...June is long gone.

Source: Rich Schultz/Getty Images North America

According to ESPN, "Benintendi's big day came with his grandfather Robert, a Brooklyn native and recovering Yankees fan living in the Cincinnati area, in the stands, a gift for his 85th birthday. It also continued a torrid two-week stretch that followed a team-imposed two-day breather intended to clear Benintendi's head and and help the 23-year-old remember everything that has made him one of the game's most promising young players." As the article goes on to say, "Judge would likely find a similar break to be useful, and if the Yankees weren't scratching for every victory to keep pace in a pennant race, they might consider giving it to him." 

Source: Brian Blanco/Getty Images North America

We only have six or seven weeks left of the baseball season right now.  Judge, a clear contender for Rookie of the Year in June, is falling fast while Boston's Benintendi seems to be on the right road again and could take the would-be crown away from Judge, despite not having a special section dedicated to him at Fenway.  "Odds are, though, the award will still belong to Judge, who nevertheless could learn a lesson from Benintendi. "He's having an unreal year, and he's kind of struggling right now," Benintendi said. "I went through that for two months. I'm sure he'll figure it out," reported ESPN.

When we engross ourselves in the passion of the sport we love, time does stand still and we can relive the memories of our childhood, the fond memories of come from behind home runs, perfect games and World Series championships.  We need times like I had today to reminisce on the way things were so that we can believe that these days could come around again for the Yankees.  It's the calm before the storm perhaps...and who knows, the Yankees' 28th World Championship, whenever it happens, will be worth the wait.  Slumps happen and then they go away.  Let's hope that Judge's luck changes with the Yankees' luck and time can move ahead to better days and World Series wishes.

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Managing Editor
Follow me on Twitter: @suzieprof

A TRUE YANKEE

When the Skipper picks up the bullpen phone and tells the coach, “Get O’Hara up and throwing”, you do hop to. (Read #MILLERISAYANKEE for more.) So let me warm up the ol’ soup bone and flex the so-called “O’HARA WISDOM” (not sure that is a real thing, but I dig it.)

What makes a TRUE New York Yankee? Is it just wearing the famed Pinstripes? Nope. Is it saying all the right things at your introduction presser? Nah uh. Is it being a homegrown, core 4-type player? Well, that helps, but it’s not what makes a Yankee. What makes a Yankee is a combination of things. Andrew Miller possesses ALL of them. He buys into the tradition. He is selfless and cares about one thing, winning. He LOVES being in the Bronx and wants to stay above all else. He has OUTSTANDING warm up music (That’s a personal note. Johnny Cash? I’m sold.)

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
In all seriousness I wish we had a team of Andrew Millers. He is cut from the mold of a Paul O’Neill, Tino Martinez or David Wells. NONE were homegrown Baby Bombers, but I dare you to say none of them are TRUE YANKEE BLUE! Hell, the Boomer wore Babe Ruth’s cap, took the silly fine and would have played for free if THE BOSS asked him too. That’s what makes a Yankee to me. It’s not about the accomplishments right away…no, it’s that desire to accomplish for the team, the fans and the city. It’s to be a part of something bigger than yourself. 

Andrew Miller embodies that. When the Yankees made the move for Chapman did Miller fuss like a Papelbon? No sir! Did he ask for more money or to be traded? Not on you life. Andy simply said, “I want the best for this team.” Kids, grab a pen and take notes. That’s how you do it. On top of everything else Miller is also OUTSTANDING! He is filthy and is the best of the 3 Headed Monster called NO RUNS DMC. 

Being a true Yankee is not an easy thing to be. There have been really good players that I think are truly forgettable in the grand scheme. Tex. Not a real Yankee (despite the ring). I’m sorry. He isn’t a Yankee the way Paulie, Tino, Coney or Boomer were. HE. JUST. ISN’T! Yup, Mattingly was his hero. Sorry, still doesn’t cut the Guldens. I’d say Jason Giambi was more a true Yankee than Tex. Or here, think of it this way. I think Luis Sojo was a Real Yankee. What did he accomplish? He was a ride along guy on some great teams, but Luis was an awesome addition to that clubhouse during his time in the Bronx. He gave all he had to the uniform.

It’s an exclusive club. Talent alone won’t get you access. To be a True Yankee you have to be a Yankee Fan in a way. You see the club for all it stands for and are willing to do all you can to be sure when the PA plays NEW YORK, NEW YORK the scoreboard shows the Bronx Bombers with the W. Andrew Miller is that kind of guy. Let’s keep him here…trade the guy with the rental sign on his back and 103mph on the radar gun.

** Let’s hope Andy Miller runs on as a True Yankee for a long time. **

  
  
--Mike O'Hara, Senior "Features" Writer 
Follow me on Twitter: @mikeyoh21

AND ISN'T IT IRONIC...

Oh how funny the Opening Series is for both New York teams this year. The baseball gods are laughing because this couldn't have been scripted to be any funnier. If this is a sign of things to come then Yankee fans better hold onto their seats because 2016 could be another crazy year.

I don't pay much attention to the Mets because let's face it.....most of my life they have been irrelevant. As I was looking over the Opening Day results I laughed when I saw that both the Mets and the Yankees opened up against the teams that killed their postseason run last year. The Mets had Matt Harvey take the mound yet again but did not get their revenge against the Royals.

 

The Yankees took on Dallas Keuchel once again and well.....it wasn't the ending that we all hoped for. Baseball is funny like that I guess.

So the Yankees started this season with a loss just like they ended last season. More irony, but I am not going to panic. A win last night eases that.



I can't help but think back to how when I was younger the Yankees had some miserable years. The Eighties were not kind to the Yankees. Meanwhile, the Mets were the team to follow. In 1986 the "Lets Go Mets Go" VHS tape was watched regularly in my house and Dwight Gooden, Gary Carter, and Darryl Strawberry were icons to many Mets fans including my dad.

On the other hand, the Yankees took over in the 90's. The Yankee farm system was finally showing off some of their best prospects and the Core Four was born. Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte helped bring winning baseball back to the Bronx and a dynasty was born. The Mets were just the other team on the other side of the city now. The tables had changed and all of the buzz about the Mets I had been hearing was suddenly gone.

Last year was the first time since I was born that the Mets started to steal some of the Yankees thunder again. As our team continues to carry some lengthy contracts on some older players the Mets continue to get younger and start to bring up their own kids, just like we did.

So what will this year bring? I never like to draw similarities about the Mets and the Yankees but I realized last night that the Mets already have a strong identity. They have a starting rotation that could be championship caliber. In fact, their rotation reminds me a lot of the Yankees 1998 rotation where Andy Pettitte, David Wells, David Cone and "El Duque" Hernandez were a powerhouse rotation. This year, the Mets have a killer rotation. Great pitching rotations help win championships. The Yankees had that great rotation in 1998 and won it all......could the Mets be next? Is this their year?

These teams couldn't be anymore different. The Yankees have a veteran lineup and will have a strong bullpen. On the other hand, the Mets have a younger team and their starting pitching is their strength, The Subway Series is going to be very interesting this year.

I can appreciate irony, it keeps things interesting. I believe that you can't predict baseball and just when you think you have it all figured out baseball throws a curve ball at you and you swing and miss. I have a feeling this season will be filled with irony. I choose to leave on this high note though.....the Yankees may have lost the Opening Day game for five years in a row now, but there is this one time in 2009 where we lost the first game of the season but won the championship. Something to think about because if it happens again, wouldn't that be ironic?

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





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MY HUNDRED FOOT JOURNEY

Earlier this week I watched two incredible movies that have inspired me beyond belief.  The first one I screened was THE HUNDRED FOOT JOURNEY.  It was about a passionate young man who became an amazing chef one hundred feet from one of the best restaurants in France.  The second film I saw was UNBROKEN.  A story about another passionate young man who evolved into an Olympic athlete and a war hero.  Each movie opened my eyes to a different part of myself but both enabled me to realize how important passions, dreams and resilience are to a person.  And when it comes to the Yankees, I see all of these ingredients in not only our players but our fans.

One fan in particular, a reader of BYB and a die hard Yankee fan, exemplifies passion when it comes to his Bronx Bombers.  He is known as Hammer by his friends and family and he is the ultimate Yankee fan.  Over the holidays I took the hundred foot journey up to his Yankee room in the upstairs of his colonial in New York.  Each game artifact had a colorful story attached to it.  Each picture, a comment about that awesome game when or how exciting that moment was in Yankee lore.

I sat next to Hammer at Derek Jeter's last game in Fenway park back in late September.  He scooped up some memorabilia there for sure adding to an already impressive Yankee locker in his home.

From his authentic seat from the "old" Yankee stadium to his autographed perfect games of David Wells and David Cone to his Mariano Rivera framed ticket and patch from his final season, the room is a sweet haven for Yankee lovers.  The walls reek history of Don Mattingly, Yogi Berra and Joe DiMaggio.  They glow with World Series games and street signs and Sports Illustrated covers. The pennants, the Yankee border and personalized autographs complete this shrine to the Yankees.

At a time when fans are losing faith in Yankee management and are seeing prospects go to other teams in competing markets, I relished my one hundred foot journey to a real fan's world, filled with passion and excitement of seasons of years far and near.  It is an important reminder that we are fans of our team no matter how many wins they have or who plays third base.  I want to remember his tribute to our team when things are rough next season and when we are on a winning high.  Real fans carry their team no matter what their record is and we are lucky enough to be one of those teams who is on the winning side of Major League Baseball.  We are resilient, we are passionate, we are dreamers and above all, we are Yankee fans.

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof



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