PLAY IT AGAIN, HAL

Are you listening to Brian Cashman’s end of the year presser? WHY?! Why do it again? It’s like the same awful Christmas sweater that you bought in a pinch 10 years ago to make it a friends Holiday Party! Now you keep dusting it off to re wear each year. Throw it away! Donate it to Goodwill! Better yet don’t go the the next “Bad Christmas Sweater” get together…those parties are worse than fruitcake.

The Yankees are now like that Christmas sweater in a way. Sure, they’re still the NEW YORK YANKEES. They are synonymous with big time sports like the Tree at Rock Center is with Christmas. But the magic is gone! It feels like the years after we were told Mom and Dad were Santa (Though I’m still investigating that one).

Who changed it all? Well, it seems to be the 3 UNWISE MEN! Hal isn’t a baseball man or a competitive titan like his father was. He is a silver spooned bank teller who reads from a Steinbrenner script…but he can’t sell it. George NEEDED to win. He believed he owed it to New York. Hal hears about all the subways in the city and probably thinks they just have a lot of low-rate, chain sandwich shops! He isn't NYC.

It's like that movie “Funny Bones” with Oliver Platt and Jerry Lewis. The great comedian and his unfunny son. “There are some that can read funny, and there are those with funny bones…you’re neither.” See it. It’s great and sums up the massive gap between “The Boss” and “The Bust”.

Cashman is a clown. He was the wunderkind under the Stick Michael regime and just a figure head while the Dynasty was playing and winning. Then he took the massive checkbook at his disposal and found a way to get it done in 2009…still with Mo, Jeter and company.

He constructs bad teams! He makes dumb moves. Sure, the sun shines on a dog’s ass now and then but…well hell, I'll just shout Ellsbury and leave it there! He is defiant every year when the press asks why the Yankees are a broken record of broken teams. He needs to go! FOR THE SAKE OF CHANGE!! They canned GI Joe Girardi and he was good! Cashman is like 10-week-old milk at this point. He stinks and you’ll get violently ill if you drink any of his nonsense. Hit the Deegan, Brian. You need to move on.

Then we have Boone. I like Aaron Boone. Had the chance to meet him a few times, He is genuine. He loves the game, and I KNOW he gets that he is the skipper of the greatest franchise in sports. He has been ok. Not great. Not the main reason they fall short. He’s been ok. But this is NEW YORK! Like Colin Quinn once said about New York audiences, “I don’t care if Jack Nicolson gets up on that stage…if he isn’t funny within the first 5 minutes he’s gonna get booed.” 

 

 

Boone is a nice guy…but my Uncle Jack is a nice guy, and he shouldn’t manage the Yanks either. I think Aaron would be better suited skippering the DBacks or Pads. He’s a So Cal guy and they can skate by with the laid back thing. NOT IN THE BRONX.

Sadly, ZERO will change. The great player we have…and we have 1…will be another year older and edging closer to the Pat Ewing, Charles Barkley club. Pitching is touch and go. Max is good, Cam could be great, and Cole is on a new elbow. They are selling a dream, and we haven’t shown interest in buying into it for years now.

Change is the only thing in life that is guaranteed…somehow the New York Yankee Brass is the exception to the rule. They won’t for yet another year. Firing a bullpen coach named Mike Harkey? He was the problem???

Look, I still believe in Santa. I stopped believing in the Yankees…and that is more of a kick in the head to my childhood than fading faith in a jolly elf from the North Pole, gang.

That's the bottom line.

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

STANTON, RICE & CABALLERO THE KEY TO THE YANKEES PLAYOFF DREAMS

The Yankees have officially done it — three wins in a row. That, my friends, is called a winning streak. Don’t get used to the rarity; just enjoy it while it lasts. And today? Another shot at the Nationals. If they don’t sweep this team, cancel October.

Let’s talk Giancarlo Stanton. The man is on fire — volcanic, even. In 19 games this month, he’s hitting a blistering .404 with 21 hits, nine homers, 23 RBIs, and 12 runs scored. This isn’t just hot; this is Stanton putting the team on his back and saying, “Follow me or get out of the way.” And while Aaron Judge has been a bit sluggish lately, you can’t exactly rip the guy. He’s been carrying this franchise all season, and even legends get tired. That’s why Stanton stepping up right now feels huge. This is leadership. This is clutch. This is the guy we thought we were getting when they first brought him to the Bronx.

Momentum? Yeah, they’ve actually got some. They snagged the final game of the four-game set against the Red Sox and have started chipping away at Toronto’s division lead. Make no mistake, though — this “push” wasn’t the plan. The Yankees are in this spot because of bad baseball and worse management. And speaking of bad…

Anthony Volpe. Look, I’ve tried to be patient, but enough is enough. The kid can’t play right now. Zero impact. Zero consistency. Zero reason he should still be out there. Jose Caballero? He may not be a household name — I literally wrote that weeks ago before ClutchPoints swiped it (read CABALLERO IS NOT A HOUSEHOLD NAME, BUT EVEN BOONE KNOWS HE'S BETTER THAN VOLPE) — But Caballero is better than Volpe. Period. The Yankees’ energy is different with him on the field. Volpe, meanwhile, went 0-for-4 last night, extending his hitless streak to 19 games. Nineteen! He’s in a 1-for-32 nosedive, and Boone is still feeding us his “development” nonsense like it’s 2023 all over again. It’s gross.

Volpe’s numbers earned him a benching against Boston and in Monday’s win over Washington, but it hasn’t done a thing. He looks cooked. Worse than cooked. This whole situation is flirting with Jacoby Ellsbury territory — except Ellsbury was at least injured. Volpe’s just bad and still getting every chance in the world.

And Boone? Oh, Boone. After another rough night for Volpe in a 5-1 win, he said:

“Hits one 106 [mph] to the wrong part [of the ballpark] the last at-bat… He had some good swings, got out in front of some breaking balls. He was OK.”

Translation: “Nothing to see here, folks. Trust the process.”

No. Stop. Enough with the exit velo excuses. You don’t get postseason berths for hitting “loud outs.” The guy blows right now — there, I said it.

The solution is simple: sit Volpe. Give Caballero the keys to shortstop and let him cook. Between Caballero locking up the infield, Stanton demolishing baseballs, and Ben Rice quietly saving the catching position, the Yankees actually have a shot at October. Without those pieces clicking? Forget it.

This isn’t just about today’s Nationals game. It’s about survival. And if Boone keeps clinging to his “Volpe will figure it out” fantasy, the Yankees’ playoff hopes will be toast.

That’s the bottom line.

IF THE YANKEES ONLY FIRE BOONE, IT DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM!

The "FIRE BOONE" chants are at an all-time high (as they should be). Even though BOONE PREDICTED TO BE TOAST BY SEPTEMBER would make most of Yankeeland happy when it happens....it's not enough. 

That should only be the start. I say should because I don't think Hal Steinbrenner will be smart enough to do what is REALLY needed to fix the organization. He just doesn't have the knowledge (or I would argue desire) to start a new legacy. Firing Baboonie is only step 1 in this gigantic mess of a franchise. The manager is only a small biproduct of the real problem.

Mickey Mouse could be the manager of this team and it wouldn't matter. Until Brian Cashman is gone the identity of the manager is irrelevant. Cashman is the puppet master and even if Aaron Boone is fired, Cashman is just going to bring in a clone of Baboonie. It will be someone else that Cashman can control. The reality is until the ENTIRE organization is stripped down and rebuilt from the top all the way down to the bottom nothing is going to change. I do mean everything. From the coaching staff, medical staff, training staff, scouts, analytics team and contributors in the front office. Burn the whole thing down and start over! As painful as that may sound to some people, it would not be an addition by subtraction.

Unless Cashman and his crazy ideas on how to construct this team are gone this team will not evolve or win. Cashman's ideas are crazy. The rosters he has built over the years are insanely stupid and some of the contracts he's given are certifiably stupid. Some of his most criticized moves include the signings of Jacoby Ellsbury, Kei Igawa, Carl Pavano, and the trade for Javier Vazquez. We can't forget about the extensions given to Aaron Hicks and Aroldis Chapman. I still think about all of these....and Giancarlo Stanton isn't going to be pretty when that is said and done. The list is quite lengthy, he's been screwing up since 1998.

It's painful to think about how we went from a real thinker in Gene Michael who understood that the farm system is meant to develop good talent to benefit the Yankees to Cashman who only values the farm for trade chips. He cant draft the best pieces for the Yankees to develop in the Bronx....they have to be used as trade chips. It hasn't worked out well for us considering we haven't won a championship since 2009.

If the Yankees miss the playoffs for the second time in three years firing Baboonie isn't enough. It's not even a band-aid fix. It's an embarrassment. It's time to strip it down. Time to fly the "Fire Boone" and "Fire Cashman" banners together!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THEY CALL HIM "NO-GO" NOLAN

Actually. I call him that.

Our New York Yankees and their endless quest to dominate baseball headlines this offseason, gotta love it. This time, the chatter continues around Nolan Arenado. Now some Yankees fans have been daydreaming about Arenado donning the iconic pinstripes, striding into Yankee Stadium like the hero Gotham deserves. But here’s the kicker: this is starting to look more like a rom-com where the couple never actually gets together.

Let’s rewind to December, The Athletic’s Katie Woo spilled some tea, saying the Yankees had their eyes on Arenado. That little nugget of info sent the rumor mill spinning faster than a Giancarlo Stanton strikeout (sorry, had to although he owned the post season). Things got even juicier when the Yankees signed Paul Goldschmidt—Arenado’s buddy and Cardinal's teammate for the past four seasons—to a one-year, $12.5 million deal. Cue the speculation: “If Goldy’s here, why not Arenado?” It was almost too perfect, like a baseball version of peanut butter and jelly.

But as much as some Yankees fans love a good blockbuster, reality bites. Multiple league sources have made it clear that while the Yankees appreciate Arenado’s talent, they’re not exactly lining up to take on the majority of his massive contract. And honestly, can you blame them? Sure, Arenado is still a wizard with the glove, but at 33, he’s not exactly the offensive juggernaut he once was. Those numbers in St. Louis? Let’s just say they’re more “meh” than MVP.

Now, let’s talk logistics. Even if Arenado came to New York, the Yankees don’t need him like they need, say, a magic potion to fix their injury woes. DJ LeMahieu can handle third base just fine. Yes, I know DJ hasn’t been the golden boy lately, but let’s not forget he’s a Swiss Army knife in cleats. Slot him at third, mix in that shiny offseason roster, and the Yankees are looking pretty good.

And let’s be honest: do the Yankees really need another massive contract weighing them down? The last thing they need is to repeat the mistakes of the past (hello, Jacoby Ellsbury, we haven’t forgotten). This franchise is supposed to be smarter, savvier, and, well, more financially selective these days.

So, after reading every report and wild fan theory, it looks like the Yankees are swiping left on Arenado. And you know what? I’m okay with that. Not every big name needs to end up in the Bronx. Sometimes, the best move is staying the course, letting the guys you’ve got do their thing, and avoiding yet another financial albatross.

Sorry, Arenado fans. This love story isn’t meant to be. But hey, there’s always next offseason for Yankees fans to dream up another big-name crush. 

Let's move on now, huh?

WOULD THE YANKEES TARGET PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT?

The Yankees are no strangers to bold moves and high-risk signings, so it’s no shocker that whispers are swirling about seven-time All-Star and 2022 NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt possibly manning first base in the Bronx come 2025. But before we roll out the red carpet, let’s dig into what this really means—because as Yankees fans, we’ve learned to hope for a parade but prepare for a circus.

Goldschmidt’s résumé is undeniable. His 2022 season was video-game good: .317/.404/.578, 35 home runs, 41 doubles, and 115 RBIs. He was the engine of the Cardinals’ lineup and looked every bit the MVP. But here’s the catch—2022 feels like ancient history in baseball terms. His last two seasons have been… let’s call them “fine,” but not exactly “flashy billboard in Times Square” material. At 37, he’s no spring chicken, and while the Yankees have been known to bet on experience, sometimes those bets age about as well as milk.

Still, the timing isn’t crazy. The Cardinals are reportedly ready to move on from Goldy, opting for a “reset” in 2025. His $130 million contract expires at the end of the season, making him a free agent. For a team like the Yankees, always chasing October glory and occasionally forgetting about November regret, a short-term, cost-effective deal could be appealing. Maybe a one-year, $10 million pact? That’s pocket change for Hal Steinbrenner’s wallet—barely enough to cover the electricity bill for Yankee Stadium’s floodlights.

But let’s be real: is this the guy to solve the Yankees’ first-base problem? If Rizzo hangs up his cleats or opts for a quieter life full of golden retrievers and pasta, Goldschmidt could bring a steady glove and some veteran poise. On the other hand, the Yankees have been burned before by aging stars with shiny pasts. (Hello, 2005 Randy Johnson. Hi, Jacoby Ellsbury. We see you, Carl Pavano.)

And what about his bat? In Yankee Stadium, where lefties thrive with that tantalizing short porch, Goldschmidt’s right-handed swing might not translate into the 30-homer season fans dream of. Could he still drive in runs? Sure. But will he silence the inevitable boos by mid-June if he’s batting .240? Unlikely.

Then there’s the clubhouse factor. Goldschmidt has always been a consummate professional, the type of player who lets his bat do the talking. That kind of steady presence could be valuable in a locker room that sometimes feels like it’s one loss away from a reality TV meltdown. But is he dynamic enough to bring the spark this team needs?

At best, Goldschmidt is a low-cost, high-upside addition—a potential 2025 redemption story who helps the Yankees navigate Soto’s theoretical megadeal without completely blowing up the payroll. At worst, he’s the latest in a long line of former stars who make their farewell tour in pinstripes feel more like a farewell plod.

So, could Goldschmidt be the Yankees’ first baseman in 2025? Absolutely. Should we be cautiously optimistic? Sure. Will we be holding our breath? Only when he’s running out a double. Whatever happens, this is the Yankees we’re talking about—hope for the best, expect the bizarre, and prepare to cheer like crazy either way.

STEINBRENNER CRIES PAYROLL IS "NOT SUSTAINABLE" & CHANGES ARE COMING!

I can't listen to Hal Steinbrenner talk anymore, it's worse than nails on a chalkboard for me. It's been this way for far too long and I am over it. So, when I read THIS yesterday, I just wanted to scream. Hal just needs to shut up and stop talking.

I get it. No business wants to spend tons of money to operate their business. Baseball is a business. Hal has committed just over $300 million in payroll to this team and that's a ton of money. It's too much money. You DON'T need to spend that kind of money to have a winning team.... period. There are no hard facts to prove only big payrolls win World Series Championships. In fact, teams that are the best of the best DO win championships with less money.

But that's not the Yankee way. It never has been. George Steinbrenner spent money and demanded excellence and championships. Granted, nothing is run today is like it was when George was alive, but the Yankees have always spent money and expected to win. We all know, the Yankees aren't hurting for money by a long shot.

The Yankees can afford anything they want so this hot garbage statement of payroll not being sustainable is crap. The Yankees are the second most valuable sports franchise and are valued at $7.1 billion. Should the Yankees be spending $300 million every year? NO, but they are right now largely because of Brian Cashman and his poor acquisitions. Seriously, the Yankees will be stuck with Giancarlo Stanton through 2027. Even IF someone would be willing to take some of that contract, he's not waiving his no trade clause. Aaron Hicks is still on the Yankees payroll and that was a terrible deal. Jacoby Ellsbury's deal sucked. We can go on and on with his bad deals and have a book of a blog post here. Cashman is a huge part of the problem.

So, I get it when Hal says they are going to rely on a few veterans who do make more money but have proven experience with some young kids who are more cost controlled like Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez, because that makes sense! But Cashman has a long history of making some bad deals and he plays a huge part in where the payroll is now. The fact that the Yankees player development hasn't been very strong also does not help. If you don't grow it, you can't develop it and manage your costs better which means you are going out and paying top dollar to find it. That was in your "deep dive," right Hal? Guess that slipped through the cracks, too.

So, Hal is crying about payroll while he is praising Juan Soto and wants to keep him? Read THE BIG JUAN SOTO TEASE! That doesn't go together. Soto has made it clear; He is going to get his payday. He's had multiple opportunities to cash in with a nice contract and said no in hopes for a bigger piece of the free agent grand prize. If Hal wants Soto, he better be prepared to open his wallet and quit crying about his payroll not being sustainable because these two things do not go together. Also, if that's the case, you shouldn't have went ALL IN over the winter giving up a large haul for a one-year rental. THAT is also not a smart business move.

So, I am tired of Hal's mouth moving. He could have a $300 million payroll for the next five plus years and be completely fine. I'm not saying he should do this, just stating he has the financial means to do so. He's made tons of money since his family bought the team in 1973 for $8.8 million. The Yankees charge an arm and a leg to get into the stadium and buy food and drinks. He also makes more revenue when he makes the playoffs and with tv and streaming deals. Have some cheese with your wine and shut up.

I'm over Hal. Spend money on Soto or don't.... but own your choices, your GM's choices and quit trying to gaslight fans.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

WHEN THE BYB YANKEE FAMILY SPEAKS

Plenty of reaction to my post BEING A FAN WHEN YOU HAVE NO FAITH over the past 24 hours. I did not expect that. 

I'm fine. I'm not suicidal... I'm frustrated and I've lost the heart for my team right now.  Will BYB end? I've seriously considered it. There's only so many different ways you can write that the Yankees leadership has failed us fans.  You gotta appreciate Suzie Pinstripe's post today titled: YANKEES WIN NEW AWARDS... read it. It's about being a true Yankee fan and her mom's perfect words.  That mindset is beautiful.  

But fandom is really an individual thing and the idea of me writing about frustration for my team every day just seems manic and painful.  What's the point?  I did get some advice from many readers saying "See how the season plays out" and "this space won't be the same if you're gone" and that's fair and nice of everyone. I mean, I'll always be a "fan", I just wouldn't be presenting my heart's true feelings for my team every day.  

I did have one reader on Facebook write "It's OK to go away."  Trust me, you don't hurt my feelings with your 200 friends, pal.  You don't stick around in cyberspace since September 2010 if you weren't relevant.  Bleeding Yankee Blue is still here cause we have alot to say and we don't hold back... you still have those 200 friends. Have fun with that.  

But look, ultimately it comes down to the Yankees, right? We're all annoyed, frustrated, happy, concerned, hopeful... insert the word here.  I've always had the approach that it it's how I feel that moment and write about it. That is where I am and have been for months. the Yankees front office and leadership is awful.  They lie to the fans; they don't make true significant changes and a lot needs to change but won't.  We've all been fooled once again.  

And so yea, my problem is I feel this way every day when it comes to my team... that's just me.  But look, I am thankful for the notes and comments and rally cry to keep Bleeding Yankee Blue going.  I haven't truly decided yet.  We will see.  

In the meantime, I wanted to share this heartfelt fan's email.  His name is Rob, and he is a Yankee fan true and true and wrote this to me. I asked him to share it with our audience and he said sure... so here it is.  Thanks Rob

Hey Folks:

I'm not saying you're wrong about Marcus Stroman, but I am saying you might be.

Free agency has upset old notions of team loyalty, and the age of social media magnifies a lot of stuff. Like the NBA or a fight, there's a lot of hype on social media that should be taken with a grain of salt. One could even say that Stroman's brashness will help him in Da' Bronx. (It did wonders for Reggie Jackson, who never loved the Yankees but loved being the straw...)

I might remind you that some very significant Yankees in their day used to lambaste the team. Roger Clemens hated the Yankees–until he came to love them. Ditto Wade Boggs, Johnny Damon, Graig Nettles, and David Cone to name a few others.

There are, of course, players who came to town that hated it and did better elsewhere: Kevin Brown, Ed Whitson, Kyle Farnsworth, Sonny Gray, A. J. Burnett, Carl Pavano, Rick Cerone, Don Baylor. Jacoby Ellsbury never really fit in either and I sincerely wonder about Carlos Rodon.

But agents, GMs, and money talk these days. Jordan Montgomery prefers to stay in Texas, but do you think he'd love the Yankees again if they made him an offer that he & Scott Boras couldn't refuse?

For the record, I've never been a huge fan of Stroman, but if you ask me if I think he'll be better than Rodon or Schmidt, yeah, I do. I also think Cashman has worn out his welcome.

But if Hal's money was mine, I'd make that can't-refuse-offer to Montgomery. That's WAY better than dumping out the minors for Dylan Cease.


Cheers,
Rob


P.S. My MA residency notwithstanding, I've been a Yankees fan since the days of Mickey Mantle.

Sometimes you need an outside perspective to make you understand where we've been and where we need to go. Everything Rob said came back to me like a rush. He's right. He's right in many examples. Let's hope stuff like this can reset my mind and refresh me as we are walking into spring training. Great letter, Rob.... we appreciate you here at BYB.


Happy Sunday everyone. Make today great. Keep truckin'.

--Robert Casey
Bleeding Yankee Blue Chief
Twitter: @bleednyankeeblu

SOTO FEELING 22

Source: ESPN

Juan Soto is getting used to his new digs as the newest Bronx Bomber. Doning #22, Soto is excited about one thing: winning. Soto's mindset is just the kind the clubhouse needs this season; not to mention his hot bat from the left side. Soto is feeling 22 (which is Taylor Swift's code for feeling free and alive) and I am all about it.

“My priorities right now are just getting to know the guys, really,” Soto said. “I’ll try to get a good relationship and really stick together, get to know those guys and try to get to the same goal [from] Day 1. That’s what my main thing is right now," reported MLB.com. Soto dodged questions about contract extension talks, keeping his focus on being a Yankee and assimilating to the organization.

Source: Forbes

“We just gotta get to know the organization, get to know the team,” he said. “Right now I’m more than excited to get there and see those guys and see how big is Aaron Judge and [Giancarlo] Stanton. It’s going to be pretty cool. That’s what I’m looking for right now, is just to get comfortable on the team and watch how it’s going to be and how we’re going to grow,” reported The New York Post.

This is Soto's third ball club in his six years in the majors, starting with Washington, moving out west to San Diego and now to his new home in the Bronx. Soto will decide if the pinstripes suit him over the 2024 season, knowing that next year he will be a free agent and can go elsewhere.

 “We understand that he’s a free agent at the end of this term, and we understand that it’s a possible short-term situation,” Cashman said. “I know he’s just going to make our team significantly better," reported MLB.com. 

I think my favorite part of Soto's press conference on Tuesday was when he said this, “Whatever they need from me, I’m going to be there,” Soto said. “I’m going to be positive to do it. Whatever spot they need me, I’m going to be ready. Whatever spot in the lineup, whatever position they want me to play, I’m going to be right there,” reported MLB.com.

Soto is wearing 22, after a long line of bearers of the same number including Jimmy Key, Roger Clemens, Robinson Cano, Jacoby Ellsbury (yuck) and most recently Harrison Bader. And his youthful presence and mindset is just what the doctor order for the Yankees. Feeling 22 and ready to go, Soto is a Yankee. Now, who's next?  

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

WHAT ARE WE PAYING YOU FOR CARLOS RODON?

We've been here before Yankee fans. Carl Pavano was an absolute loser. Jacoby Ellsbury's contract was a disgrace, and the guy was always hurt.  Frankie Montas just needs to be dropped off in middle of the country with $20 bucks and a "Good luck" post-it stuck to his forehead. There is nothing worse than getting a new guy, a guy that's supposed to be the difference maker for a team and they just lay an egg early and are useless.  And that is where we are when it comes to Carlos Rodon right now.

We wanted this guy. We trusted this guy would be the 3rd punch in our rotation after Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes... and he's been everything else instead.  It blows.

Yardbarker writes:

"Rodon experienced discomfort in his back in early April. New York shut him down for a few days before sending him to have a second CT scan; The results came back positive.

Speaking to the media prior to Sunday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, "Hopefully, he continues with the throwing program throughout the week and hopefully the back continues to subside, but I don't think it's anything major structurally from the test."

Having his throwing program pushed back means that Rodon is looking at a mid-June..."

$163 million to rehab a bad back. Seems like a steal for Rodon and not for the Yankees.  

Now I understand that no one can predict when an injury happens, but one thing I do know is that the MLB and their teams have some of the best physicians out there and something just doesn't sit right with me when it comes to the medical staff of the Yankees and these recent trades.  Guys like Montas and Rodon were delivered essentially hurt to the Bronx.  Why? What physical are we doing that they pass just to be injured later? Why does it keep happening? 

I'm suspicious about our medical staff. I have been for a while. We kind of need some answers, cause right now the perception is that guys like Rodon and even Montas are damaged goods and when it comes to Yankeeland, you don't want us fans against you before you take the mound officially. In fact, it's a death sentence.

Get well quick Carlos...we are losing our patience.

DONALDSON & HICKS TOPPING THE LIST OF PUBLIC ENEMIES OF YANKEE FANS

Source: Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

So I have been doing a lot of deep reflection on this upcoming Yankee team based on my post traumatic stress leftover from last year's failure to get passed the Houston Astros into the World Series. Last week I wrote about Aaron Hicks and the bs that he is the frontrunner for the starting left field job. I shared my elation with Aroldis Chapman as he exited the Bronx. But now I am bracing myself for the fact that Josh Donaldson is likely the front runner for the starting third base job. He just doesn't deserve it nor the big salary the Yankees are giving him. So, today's piece unpacks Donaldson and Hicks and their rise to top of public enemies list for Yankee fans.

Source: MLB.com

According to the New York Post, "When general manager Brian Cashman has proclaimed Donaldson the starting third baseman and Hicks the frontrunner in left field, it resonates with the fan base as if he is championing Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Pavano for Monument Park. Mainly due to their big salaries and small production, Donaldson and Hicks currently are enemies No. 1 and No. 1A of the Pinstripe State."

I have deep dislike for players who are hanging around to collect money for work they don't or are incapable of doing. Donaldson doesn't have the bat speed to keep up with today's pitching and Hicks can't hit a lick nor does he put in the effort necessary to be a star outfielder. Heck he isn't even a mediocre outfielder.

"If not for what they were owed (plus Donaldson’s less-than-pristine reputation), the Yankees would have traded Donaldson, Hicks or both in the offseason. Hicks has three years at $30.5 million still due — plus he would receive a $1 million assignment bonus if traded. Donaldson, between his 2023 salary and a 2024 buyout, is due $27 million," reported The Post. 

We have two really great prospects who could easily slide into these positions in Oswaldo Cabrera and Anthony Volpe. Volpe likely will be in the running for the starting shortstop position and Cabrera has already proven himself in the outfield. Both are more than capable of the corner infield position, which is occupied by Donaldson, who other than his defense, offers nothing to this Yankee team. And his attitude certainly doesn't scream Yankee lore to me either.

"Donaldson did not endear himself to the fans for, among other things, going into homer trots on several flyballs that were not homers, but mainly for his strikeout addiction, which worsened late in the season and carried into a 5-for-29, zero-RBI, 16-whiff postseason. That included a 1-for-13, 10-strikeout eyesore in the ALCS versus Houston— in which Donaldson’s mere appearance in the on-deck circle at Yankee Stadium brought derision," reported The Post.

Source: Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

So brace yourself, fans—Cashman believes his big salary signings will rise to the top of the spring training competition in a few short weeks. Which could mean we are stuck with Hicks and Donaldson at least until they get hurt, which they undoubtedly will or just suck so much that Aaron Boone will be forced to give them some days to reset. If they have not been able to contribute so far, what makes this their standout year? We will find out this and much more soon. 

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

FRANKIE MONTAS & CARL PAVANO MUST BE FRIENDS

Frankie Montas drives me nuts and he hasn't even been with the Yankees that long. It was kind of the same way I felt about Carl Pavano when he came to New York. 

Often injured and looked like he never was going to return to the Yankees rotation.  Jacoby Ellsbury was another one. I pulled my hair out. The guy would be healthy, but oh wait, he just pulled a hamstring.

Frankie Montas was a pitcher that the Yankee fan base wanted only because the media fueled our need for him. We never really needed Frankie Montas. And now that we have him, he's literally a 6th starter, the odd man out... the guy that we no longer need because, let's face it, he's not that good. 

Now comes word he's hurt. How convenient.

The New York Post writes:

"Frankie Montas’ first full season with the Yankees will start much in the same way his ended last year, with the right-hander dealing with shoulder inflammation.

Montas is expected to miss the first month of the 2023 regular season and is, according to sources, between eight and 10 weeks behind in his offseason training."

Whatever.  Maybe and up and comer with our team can slip into that 5th starter slot and we can be done with Frankie.  He does nothing for me.

BASEBALL HALL OF FAME 2023 LOOKS SCARY

I look forward to the Hall of Fame every year and last year was rather uninteresting for me so this year should be better, right? I'm not so sure about that.

There's a lot of controversy on this ballot, and when you look at some of the names you understand why. Other names may not have the controversy but when you read some of the names you laugh a little. I mean, who is voting Jacoby Ellsbury into the Hall of Fame? That's a name Yankee fans don't even want to hear ever again.

Then there are the exciting names but not for the right reasons. We have several candidates on the ballot that were either busted for cheating or admitted to doing it. Some of the cheating scandals are fresh in everyone's memory, including the beat writers who vote and some are further in the past....but that shouldn't matter.

At least it doesn't matter in my world. Alex Rodriguez is on the ballot for the second time after receiving 34% of the votes last year and it looks like he should get more votes this year but will likely fall short of the 75% needed. He had so much talent, and we all know the choices he made....but so do the writers. I think he would've had a lot of accomplishments without cheating and he could've made it to the Hall the right way. 

Then we have Carlos Beltran who is on the ballot for the first time but his role in the Astros cheating scandal is still on beat writers minds so it will be interesting to see exactly how many votes he gets. I still appreciate what he did for us when he was a Yankee, but when he went to the Astros and was the mastermind behind the scandal it made me lose respect for him. 

I can't get excited about either Beltran or Rodriguez being on the ballot. I guess it's a good thing I don't have a vote in all of this. I value integrity too much to give them the honor of a place in the Hall of Fame. It's hard for me to see a name and get excited about it this year but I am anxious to hear all about each beat writer's choices in the future. 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj