YANKS IN FREE FALL & BOONE KEEPS HANDING OUT FREE OUTS

Oh my. How this Yankee Franchise has changed. Mediocrity leads the day. The New York Yankees have officially gone from first-place powerhouse to baseball's biggest mess.

Sunday's 7-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers extended the Yankees' losing streak to five games. It wasn't just another defeat—it was the latest chapter in an ugly collapse that included a four-game sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox and an offensive drought unlike anything in franchise history.

For the first time ever, the Yankees have been held to three hits or fewer in four consecutive games.

Think about that.

This is the franchise of Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Derek Jeter. And this version of the Yankees is making history for all the wrong reasons.

The offense has completely disappeared. Ben Rice, who carried the lineup for stretches earlier this season, is batting a miserable .103 over his last 10 games. Cody Bellinger has gone ice cold as well, leaving enormous holes in the middle of the order.  But let's be clear, for these guys, they have just reached a temporary cold stretch but have been consistently hot all year.  The others? Guys like Wells, guys like Volpe are handed the keys to their positions and don't deserve to be there.  THEY HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW FOR THE SEASON.  That's where handing automatic outs to the opponent stings most for the fans. That's on Boone.

The catching position has become a black hole. Austin Wells is hitting just .157, and Yankees catchers own an MLB-worst .264 slugging percentage. That's not just bad production—it's practically automatic outs. That's the fault of the front office.

The pitching hasn't helped either. Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole have had inefficient outings that have forced the bullpen to absorb too many innings. The relievers, who were brought in to lock down games, have instead delivered crushing losses, including Sunday's devastating 10-inning walk-off defeat against Boston.

But if we're talking about giving away outs, nobody embodies the Yankees' problems more than Anthony Volpe. At what point do we stop pretending this isn't a major issue? Over the Yankees' last five games, Volpe is hitting .059.

That's one hit in 17 at-bats.

One. His game log reads like a horror movie:

• June 24 at Detroit: 0-for-4, one strikeout
• June 25 at Boston: 0-for-3, one walk, two strikeouts
• June 26 at Boston: 1-for-3, one double, one run, two strikeouts
• June 27 at Boston: 0-for-3
• June 28 at Boston: 0-for-1, one walk, one run after being benched
• June 29 vs. Detroit: 0-for-3

No home runs. No RBIs. One hit.

Yet every day, Aaron Boone pencils him right back into the lineup.

How many times do fans need to watch the same movie before admitting the ending isn't changing? You cannot win baseball games by giving away outs. Every time Volpe steps into the batter's box right now, opposing pitchers get a breather. In the middle of a historic offensive slump, the Yankees simply cannot afford passengers in the lineup.

This is where managing is supposed to matter. When a team is healthy and Aaron Judge is launching baseballs into orbit, almost any manager can sit back and let talent carry the day. But when injuries pile up and the offense disappears, that's when managers earn their paychecks.

Winning ugly requires adjustments. It requires accountability. It requires putting the best possible lineup on the field. Boone is not doing that.

Boone has struggled in these situations throughout his managerial tenure because his style is built for cruise control, not crisis management. Even his messaging feels detached from reality. Describing the Yankees' play as merely "not clean" after repeated defensive mistakes and fundamental breakdowns is the definition of fair-weather managing.

This isn't a team making one or two errors. This is a team forgetting how to play winning baseball. The defense has been sloppy. The offense has vanished. The fundamentals are deteriorating. And the response from the manager has largely been to stay the course.

Fans deserve better than this. The Yankees are supposed to be baseball's gold standard. They're supposed to be elite. Ruth. DiMaggio. Mantle. Jeter.

Instead, they look like a team more interested in padding Aaron Boone's regular-season managerial win total than fixing the glaring problems that are dragging them into the abyss.

Right now, the Yankees aren't contenders. They're a team in a full-blown free fall. And unless something changes soon, this historic slump may be remembered as the moment an elite season completely unraveled.

RAMBLINGS OF AN 82 YEAR OLD YANKEE FAN: WHERE ARE WE GOING?

Interacting with our Bleeding Yankee Blue readers is something I love, especially if everyone is respectful in the conversation.  I want to introduce you to Len Ferrara who reached out to me and had a few things to say.  So, I asked that an article be written. Here you go, folks, enjoy. And thank you Len.

-Casey

Every once in a while, on Facebook, an ad pops up for people to show that they are the oldest Yankee fan. I have put my name in, but I am obviously not the oldest because every Wednesday I have breakfast with a bunch of guys, three of whom are Yankee fans and are older than I am. Thus, age is just a number.

Since I’m rambling, I thought I would share some Yankee Stadium experiences.

My first trip to Yankee Stadium happened when I was seven or eight. I can’t really remember how old I was. You have to understand that was 75 years ago. It was a bus trip from Saint Anne’s Church in Newark, New Jersey. Basically, most of my family went.

Since I was an insignificant seven-year-old, I got to sit directly behind one of the vertical girders in the original Yankee Stadium. I can't recall how little of the game I saw, looking back and forth on either side of the girder. Since the year would have been 1950 or 1951, let me list some of the people who would’ve been playing in that game: Berra, Mize, Coleman, Rizzuto, Brown, Woodling, DiMaggio, and Bauer.

Now let me jump forward to when I was in the eighth grade. I was a school crossing guard. The reward for eighth graders who got the crossing guard assignments was a trip to Yankee Stadium. We sat in the bleachers. It was a sunny day. We roasted.

I remember telling the chaperone, my history teacher, that we had “found our place in the sun” (you have to dig back into your history book to understand that reference). The highlight of the day was my favorite player, Andy Carey, who played third base. He hit a home run right in the direction where we were sitting, but it didn’t quite reach us, proving you can’t have everything in life.

Some 25 years later, in the “new” Yankee Stadium, I was able to grab a foul ball that came into the upper deck at the weirdest angle I could ever imagine. I never thought you would get a foul ball sitting in that section, but I did.

That brings us to the latest and current iteration of Yankee Stadium. The best thing about it, I find, is the steak sandwich.

Was I there for Mariano’s last game? Yes, I was.

Am I crying now as I write about it? Yes, I am.

We, as Yankee fans, are so spoiled by players of that caliber, and I guess it’s just that we demand excellence, which is so hard to come by at this point in time.

As far as the current team is concerned, I don’t think it’s difficult to point to the holes. I don’t think you can win a championship when you have three guys batting below .200, or close to it. I also don’t think a hitting coach can take a .210 hitter and make him into a .250 hitter, but I have been known to be wrong a few times in my life.

Does the bullpen need help? Absolutely.

What I don’t understand is why we seem to have excellent prospects in the minors who stay in the minors while we get to watch relievers give up runs every time they come in.

The Yankees are worth $7 billion, or something like that, and Hal Steinbrenner thinks salaries are out of control. He's in favor of a salary cap that may cause him to cut $70 million in payroll. How is that going to happen?

Did the fans vote to give Trent Grisham $20.2 million for the year?

Will he be on the team next year?

Why do the owners vote in favor of selling teams to guys or groups that have absurd amounts of money and then complain when those same people give out absurd contracts?

Why did the league allow the bankruptcy sale of the Dodgers, and now they have a ridiculous financial advantage? Excuse me, you didn't see that coming?

When Stanton is healthy, will Boone put Rice in at catcher so the lineup would include Goldy, Rice, and Giancarlo? Or are they worried that his legs are not in shape to catch? Has Boone noticed the increase in Rice's size over the last two years?

Will Volpe playing second help with his hitting or mental gaffes? Or do we have to settle for a shortstop with less range?

You know Hal does not want to pay Jazz.

What is it about Yankees prospects that causes them to flame out in New York and then succeed elsewhere?

I still have my 1959 and 1960 Yankees yearbooks. I have a scrapbook with a newspaper clipping from April 18, 1948. That should tell you who I am.

Do you think I bleed Yankee blue?

I love the Yankees, but sometimes they just tick me off.

I am an observational scientist by occupation, although you can tell by my age that I am retired.

These are a few of my observations and concerns.

--Len Ferrara

WATCHING JUDGE PLAY BALL IS HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Aaron Judge didn’t just hit a home run Friday night—he swung his way into Yankees history and left Joe DiMaggio in the rearview mirror. With one thunderous crack of the bat, a 468-foot blast into the Boston night, Judge secured career homer No. 362, leapfrogging the Yankee Clipper for sole possession of fourth place on the franchise’s all-time home run leaderboard.

Let that sink in for a second: Joe DiMaggio, the icon who gave us the 56-game hit streak, Marilyn Monroe, and a name that still rolls off the tongue like a jazz solo, just got passed by a guy who looks like he could probably punt a sedan if you asked him nicely.

A Monster Mash for Cap's 362nd Career Homer 🫡#AllRise pic.twitter.com/BdPIrwI2lk

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 12, 2025

The moment wasn’t just symbolic—it mattered in the standings, too. Judge’s moonshot put the Yankees up 1-0 on the Red Sox, a game they went on to win 4-1. That victory nudged New York a game and a half ahead of Boston in the AL East, turning what could’ve been just another chapter in Judge’s personal record book into a pivotal night in the playoff race.

And true to form, Judge played it cool afterward. “It’s special,” he said. “But just like all those guys in front of me on those lists, they weren’t playing for records. They were playing to win. I’m just trying to follow in their footsteps. I’m here to win.”

That’s classic Judge—downplaying the feat while everyone else scrambles to update the record books. But make no mistake: this is history we’re witnessing. DiMaggio’s 361 homers once looked like a skyscraper few could climb, but Judge scaled it with ease, pausing only to tip his cap to the legends above him.

Now the conversation shifts. If Judge has already moved past DiMaggio, who’s safe? Mickey Mantle? Babe Ruth? Lou Gehrig? The answer: no one should feel too comfortable. Judge isn’t just rewriting Yankees history—he’s erasing lines and penciling in new chapters at a pace that feels inevitable.

So, while Toronto and Boston keep stressing about playoff math, Yankee fans are basking in the bigger picture. Every Judge at-bat is a chance at another milestone, another “I was there when” moment. Beating DiMaggio’s mark is incredible, yes—but it feels less like a finish line and more like a mile marker on a journey that still has plenty of thunder left in it.

Friday night wasn’t just a win over Boston. It was a reminder that we’re watching one of the greatest sluggers in Yankee history live out his prime—towering home runs, shattered records, and all.

And somewhere, Joe D is probably smiling.

DEAR HAL STEINBRENNER, STOP HIDING & START LEADING!

When a team loses its fan base, there’s only one person who can change the temperature of the room—the owner. The man who signs the checks. The man who’s supposed to set the tone. That means you, Hal Steinbrenner. And right now, you’re nowhere to be found.

You’ve ducked behind closed doors while the Yankees collapse under the weight of their own incompetence. Radio silence. No leadership. No statement. Nothing. And let me tell you, Hal: it’s sickening.

Meanwhile, we’ve watched Aaron Boone suck the life out of this franchise year after year, handing him extensions like participation trophies while he delivers absolutely nothing. Boone’s in-game management has bled this team dry of millions, and in return? Smiley faces on the lineup card and excuses in the postgame pressers. He should be thanking you for his job security every day, because the fans sure as hell aren’t.

Then there’s Brian Cashman. Oh, Brian. The man who strutted out of the trade deadline acting like he just cracked the code to baseball itself, only to deliver a worse team than the one we had before. His grand plan? A spit-and-duct-tape rotation that can’t get past the fifth inning. A Frankenstein pitching staff that collapses nightly. Even Max Fried—when he’s on the mound—looks exhausted from carrying this circus. I wonder if this poor guy wishes he never came to the Yankees.

And so, my question is what’s the approach here? What’s the strategy? Because from where the fans sit, there isn’t one. It’s pathetic.

And again, where the hell are you, Hal Steinbrenner? Do you even care?

This is the Yankees we’re talking about. The franchise of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Jeter. The pinstripes that once struck fear into opponents. And yet, we just dropped three straight to the Red Sox. We are 1-8 against Boston this year. Let that sink in: one win, eight losses. These are games you absolutely must win, and instead, we’re getting humiliated.

Yesterday’s loss was maybe the worst I’ve seen in 15 years of covering this team. And the most insulting part? Nobody in that clubhouse seemed angry. Nobody smashed a bat, nobody flipped a table, nobody even looked ticked off. No fire, no edge, no pride. Just another day at the office for these guys.

You know it’s bad when even the broadcasters can’t hide their disgust. Michael Kay and Paul O’Neill could only sit there and watch in horror as the Yankees melted down in real time:

“It can’t get much worse than this,” Kay said.

“Every once in a while, you get embarrassed on the field and this game has just snowballed…” O’Neill admitted. “The Yankees have absolutely fallen apart here in the last couple innings.”

“Quite frankly, the Yankees are getting schooled by the Red Sox…” Kay jumped back in.

That’s your brand right now, Hal: embarrassed on national television. Schooled by the Red Sox. Fallen apart.

A few weeks ago, I did something I never thought I’d do: I wrote, HEY HAL STEINBRENNER, WE HATE THIS TEAM RIGHT NOW. Guess what? Nothing’s changed. In fact, it’s gotten worse. I’ve reached a point in my 15 years of Bleeding Yankee Blue where I flat-out don’t give a damn anymore. That’s how far this has gone.

I haven’t been to Yankee Stadium in almost two years—and it’s not because I don’t love baseball. It’s because I refuse to spend a dime on this embarrassment. Not on tickets. Not on food. Not on merchandise. Nothing. Why should I? Why should any fan bankroll this clown show while you sit in silence?

Hal, you need to speak. You need to act. You need to care. Because right now, Yankee fans are losing their minds as they watch the team they love sink deeper into mediocrity while Cashman counts his job security and Boone happily sharpens his pencils for tomorrow’s lineup card.

We’re furious. We’re exhausted. And yes, we HATE this team. Not because we’ve stopped being fans—because we are fans. Because we know what this team should be, what it once was, and what it’s failing to be now.

This? This ain’t it.

Fix it. Fire someone. Light a fire. Make a statement. Do something. Because if nothing changes, then what’s the point? What the hell are we even doing here?

We are the Yankees. Start acting like it.

And here’s the thing, Hal—it’s not even the roster. On paper, this team should be stellar. It’s not the players, it’s the philosophy. The Yankees have become slaves to numbers, strangled by analytics, blinded by spreadsheets. They’ve let computers replace common sense and they’re dying by their own algorithms.

Clint Hurdle once described what’s missing in baseball these days: “guts and nuts.” The intangible traits that actually win games. He’s right. You can’t measure heart, toughness, or ice in your veins on an Excel sheet. You need guts. You need balls. You need a front office willing to trust its instincts instead of its calculators.

But guess what? We’re running out of time. The postseason is slipping away fast, and honestly? I don’t see this team making the playoffs. And maybe—just maybe—that’s exactly what needs to happen.

Maybe missing October is the only wake-up call that’ll force you to fire Boone. Maybe it’s the only thing that’ll make you finally show Michael Fishman and his analytics cult the door. Maybe it’s the only thing that’ll burn this failed philosophy to the ground and let real baseball people take over.

Because right now, Hal, this isn’t baseball. This is an embarrassment. And it’s happening on your watch.

So, I’ll ask it one last time: Where the hell are you, Hal Steinbrenner?

JUDGE IS JUST RACKING UP THE ACCOLADES

Aaron Judge isn’t just the guy who smashes baseballs into orbit—he’s the guy who sets the tone for an entire clubhouse. Leadership isn’t just about putting up numbers; it’s about driving a team forward with motivation, guidance, and a presence that commands respect. And when you lead like Judge, the accolades follow.

On Monday, Major League Baseball recognized Judge as the American League Player of the Week—for the 13th time. That puts him alongside Alex Rodriguez for the third-most in AL history and ties him with A-Rod and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan for sixth place ever. That’s not just good company; that’s baseball royalty.

And let’s talk about what got him there. Judge absolutely crushed the Milwaukee Brewers to start the season, hitting an absurd .545 with four home runs, 11 RBIs, and eight runs scored. 

As FingerLakes1.com noted, “Judge joined Yankees legends Lou Gehrig, Alex Rodriguez, and Joe DiMaggio as one of the few players in franchise history to record at least three three-homer games. His 40 career multi-homer games now rank second among active players, trailing only Manny Machado.” Yeah, that’s kind of a big deal.

Oh, and by the way? The Yankees are 3-0, the last unbeaten team in the AL. Coincidence? Not when Aaron Judge is leading the charge.

JOHNNY DAMON SPEAKS OUT ON THE YANKEE HAIR POLICY

 I didn't see this one coming.

Johnny Damon, known for his famously unkempt look during his playing days, might have seemed like a natural fan of the New York Yankees' recent change to their strict grooming policy. However, his reaction to the news was anything but enthusiastic.

Damon, who had to chop off his long hair and shave his full beard when he joined the Yankees in 2005, shared his thoughts in a recent Instagram video. "I just heard that the Yankees are not requiring people to cut their hair and trim their beards..." said the two-time All-Star. "I think we need to keep it how it was, with respect to legends like Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera."

For Damon, the Yankees' grooming rules were a part of the team's storied tradition. "The Yankees are a tradition," he said. "Let's keep it. I cut these lovely locks off many years ago because George Steinbrenner was such a great human being, such a great boss, that I wasn’t even going to question it. Let’s keep the policies the same. Listen to your bosses, always bring your A-game, and let’s go!"

In a side note, Damon also mentioned his support for Jorge Posada’s Hall of Fame candidacy, a sentiment many fans share.

While the tradition of the Yankees' clean-cut image has its charm, there’s another perspective worth considering. Beards and hairstyles can play a role in a player's personality and performance. For some athletes, their hair isn't just a style choice—it’s a part of their identity, almost like a source of strength or confidence.

There’s a psychological aspect to it. When a player arrives in New York sporting a rugged beard and leaves looking like he just went through basic training, it can mess with his mindset. It might affect how he pitches, how he hits, or even how he sees himself. It’s like taking Superman’s cape away and expecting him to be the same hero.

Personally, I’ve always been well-groomed and appreciate the Yankees' classic approach. But I also think there’s something exciting about letting players find their groove with a bit more freedom. If a light beard helps someone like Devin Williams thrive in New York, then why not?

Tradition is important but so is adapting to the times. Finding that balance could be the key to helping the Yankees maintain their legacy while allowing players to feel like themselves.

THE INJURY THAT CHANGED MICKEY MANTLE'S CAREER

In the fifth inning of Game 2 of the 1951 World Series, a seemingly routine fly ball to right-center field brought together three of New York’s greatest centerfielders in a moment that would change baseball history. Giants rookie Willie Mays hit the ball, sending Yankees veteran Joe DiMaggio, in his final season, and rookie Mickey Mantle, in his 98th major league game, on a collision course.

Yankees manager Casey Stengel had given Mantle simple instructions: "Go for everything." As the ball descended, DiMaggio and Mantle converged. It was a moment where the old guard and the future met, with the game hanging in the balance.

Mantle later described the scene to Jane Leavy in The Last Boy: "I was running as hard as I could. At that point in time, I could outrun anybody. I ran over to catch it as Casey had told me to. Just as I was getting ready to put my glove up, I heard him say, ‘I got it.’ Well, shit, you don’t want to run into Joe DiMaggio in center field in Yankee Stadium. I slammed on my brakes."

Unfortunately, Mantle’s cleat caught on a drain cover in the outfield, a piece of plywood with a rubber coating. His legs went out from under him, and he crumpled to the ground, motionless, his right leg twisted awkwardly beneath him. DiMaggio made the catch and quickly turned to see Mantle lying in pain.

Kneeling beside him, DiMaggio placed a reassuring hand on Mantle’s shoulder, but the damage was done. Mantle was carried off on a stretcher, the initial diagnosis pointing to a torn ligament. Over time, the injury would be described in varying terms, from torn cartilage to torn tendons.

DiMaggio later reflected on the incident: "I said, ‘Go ahead, Mickey. You take it.’ I called out to him as we converged... Luckily, I was close enough to make the catch." Mantle, however, never publicly blamed DiMaggio for the incident. His wife, Merlyn Mantle, once remarked, "He had his own opinion, but he never said it. He ruined his career."

This tragic accident wasn’t the fault of any one player. It was a freak occurrence that left a lasting impact on Mantle's career. Though his achievements were legendary, one can’t help but wonder how much greater they might have been had that injury never occurred.

Mickey Mantle’s 1951 injury is a stark reminder of how one moment can forever alter the course of a player’s destiny.

--Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor

THAT TIME JOE DIMAGGIO WORE ANOTHER UNIFORM

Many don't know this, but after Joe DiMaggio's iconic run with the New York Yankees, he was actually with the A's. Crazy right?

Joe DiMaggio is, was, and always will be a New York Yankee icon. The man who so eloquently thanked "the good Lord for making me a Yankee" is etched in pinstriped legend. But wait—did you know that for a brief, colorful stint in the late 1960s, DiMaggio traded the Yankee navy for the A’s green and gold? It sounds like a baseball urban myth, but it’s true. 

In 1968, after nearly two decades out of baseball, Joltin' Joe returned, not to the Bronx, but to the freshly relocated Oakland A’s. Yep, the man synonymous with Yankee greatness joined forces with Charlie Finley’s band of merry baseball misfits. This wasn’t a return to playing—Joe’s baseball days were long behind him—but as a coach in 1968 and a vice president through 1969, he became a surprising part of the A’s story.

Now, let’s clarify: Joe didn’t spend much time flaunting his green and gold threads on the field. He avoided the base lines like a man dodging autographs at a crowded diner, preferring to remain in the dugout. This strategy not only kept his dapper demeanor intact but also limited the number of photos documenting his allegiance swap. Clever, Joe.

A’s owner Charlie Finley, baseball’s resident maverick, wasn’t shy about making bold moves. He’d lured the A’s to Oakland from Kansas City, where they’d been perennial cellar dwellers, and he had big dreams of transforming them into contenders. Step one? Bring in a Bay Area legend like DiMaggio.

It made sense geographically—Joe lived in San Francisco, just a short drive from Oakland. It also made sense financially—Joe was two years shy of qualifying for MLB’s maximum pension allowance when he retired, and this gig got him over the line. Was he nostalgic for the Yankees? Sure. But if the Yankees weren’t going to offer him a post-retirement role, well, Joe wasn’t going to wait around polishing his championship rings.

For one season in 1968, Joe DiMaggio became a mentor to the A’s up-and-coming talent. His “kids,” as he called them, included future stars like Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, and Joe Rudi. DiMaggio didn’t just teach baseball fundamentals—he gave them the kind of advice only a legend could.

Take Reggie Jackson, for instance. DiMaggio encouraged him to ditch his skinny college bats and opt for something with more oomph. The result? Reggie hit 29 home runs that year, even as he led the league with 171 strikeouts. DiMaggio probably winced at every whiff, considering he struck out a mere 369 times in his entire career. But hey, those 29 homers? Not too shabby for “green as grass” Reggie.

Joe Rudi later called his time with DiMaggio a "doctorate on playing the outfield." And when Joe DiMaggio is your professor, you listen, even if he also sneaks you some postgame lasagna, as one iconic photo seems to suggest.

The 1968 season was a turning point for the A’s, who posted their first winning record since 1952. DiMaggio played his part, imparting wisdom to players and adding a touch of Yankee class to a franchise finding its identity. After one year in uniform, he shifted to full-time front-office duties in 1969. With his pension vested and his job done, he returned to his leisurely pursuits of golfing, fishing, and eventually hawking Mr. Coffee machines to America.

Joe left the A’s on good terms, often returning to throw ceremonial first pitches and receive standing ovations. Of course, those ovations came with a fee, because even in retirement, Joe knew the value of his legendary name.

While it’s true that for a fleeting moment Joe DiMaggio wore green and gold, his heart—and baseball immortality—remained firmly in Yankee pinstripes. His time with the A’s was like a curious chapter in a book full of New York triumphs, a side quest in the epic saga of Joltin’ Joe.

So, the next time someone tries to argue that DiMaggio wasn’t always a Yankee, remind them: Sure, he moonlighted in Oakland for a bit. But the man’s legacy, his lore, and his love will forever belong to the Bronx.

--Alvin Izzo

BYB Yankee History Contributor

STANDARD OF THE OLD GUARD HAS FALLEN

It's one of my favorite movies in recent memory, and the reason is summed up in the dialog of one scene. "Whiplash" is truly outstanding. Even if you're not a musician, and can't read music any better than you can read ancient greek. The message is undeniable. Play to win!

The scene I refer to has Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons having a quiet drink in an East Village club and talking about Jazz legend Charlie Parker's rise to greatest. Simmons, truly one of the great actors ever, talks about how the phrase, "Good job." is the worst thing you can say to someone with talent. It means "ok". It means "fair". It means you wasted a chance to truly be great. I love that sentiment.

We have a similar sin being committed by the current regime heading up the New York Yankees, THE CHARLIE PARKER OF BASEBALL. When the late, great Boss was at the helm this past World Series fumble would have been might with a stool being flung at the heads of the GM, Manager, Star players etc... AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN THE RIGHT MOVE! Can you always win? No. Should you strive for that? YES! Especially when you have the talent to be great.

In recent years I've listened to Brian Cashman's monotoned excuse filled droning on sports talk radio. He loves to highlight numbers of wins, playoff appearances, signing this player or trading for that one. BUT he doesn't get it. He no longer has George holding his feet to the flame and demanding the best. No, he has Fredo Steinbrenner. The softer, kinder, gentler, zero baseball in his blood son of the MIGHTY BOSS running the show. He has allowed the "good job" mentality to drench the organization in mediocrity. Are the Yankees a good team...sure. Are they a great team? No.

Look, it's baseball. In the grand scheme of life, it's entertainment and we all need perspective before letting it ruin our day. But it does offer a lesson to us year in and year out. That's why sport is so relevant! It is the human spirit being pushed to be the best it can be! We unfortunately now live in a time when things are half measure. When being ok or showing up gets you a pat on the back. THE STANDARD OF THE OLD GUARD HAS FALLEN. The New York Yankees are an error filled 5th of that FACT.

What will change? Zero chance. It doesn't have to change. The money comes in. The Yankees are still the Beatles to fans across the world. The Jerseys will sell. The TV contracts will pay up. The hotdogs and beers will be a second mortgage at the Stadium...and being good enough...well, it'll just be good enough.

I know these aren't my Yankees. Mine started in the late '70s and ran through Jeter's last hurrah. When the Yankees were special to me. I still root for them. I think the world of Judge, Rizzo and some of the others...but they aren't a must see to me anymore. The sad thing is outside a select few...I don't see anyone who would watch that great seen from "Whiplash" and get the life changing message in it.

How haunting are Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel's lyrics now? And not just for Yankee fans...

"Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you..."

Band from Jersey singing for all that believe that "good job" is an awful thing to say to someone with the heart and talent to be great.

--Mike O'Hara

BYB Contributor

Twitter: @mikeyoh21

AARON JUDGE AMONG THE GREATEST EVER

As I stated in AARON JUDGE IS JUST A GOLDEN GOD just a few short days ago, there is just something very special watching a player as incredible as Aaron Judge in the modern era.  You hear about the moments and stories about guys like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, etc.  But we never really see that in baseball today.  Sure, there are glimpses of true greatness and mammoth home runs, but it's a moment in time.  This year however we are seeing consistency with what I can safely say is the greatest player in the modern Yankee era and something you all will be speaking fondly off when you're old and gray like me.  It's special to see Aaron Judge not only lead with dignity and integrity, but to see his home run pace year after year is absolutely wild.

Now, he will no doubt be added to a list that only a few have seen.  It's just plain crazy and incredible. The New York Post writes:

"Aaron Judge stands a pretty good chance of becoming the fifth player ever to hit 50 homers in three different seasons.

Mark McGwire, Babe Ruth and Sammy Sosa did it four times each and Alex Rodriguez three. Thus, Judge is in line to join Ruth as the only players to achieve this feat who are not tied to illegal performance enhancers.

It is another sign — regardless of your baseball morality — that Judge is climbing all kinds of lists. Next year, he will be playing in a 10th season, which will make him — when the time comes — eligible for the Hall of Fame. The key part of that previous sentence is “when the time comes” because it seems reasonable that Judge is going to extend his prime longer and mount a no-brainer case for Cooperstown, in case you think he is not there yet."

Not to get ahead of ourselves, but how do you not talk about it?  Yes, there were guys like Mattingly, Mantle, DiMaggio and Jeter is our lifetime and all were dynamic.  But this is a whole new level.

I wish all the best to this role model and true leader.  Judge is very, very special.

CHASING THE DOLLAR NOT THE DREAM

Source: NJ.com

Aaron Judge. I am just beyond disappointed. Are you? Did you read our skipper's piece on Saturday: SELFISH JUDGE FEELS SNUBBED BY YANKEES & NO ONE CARES? If you haven't hit pause on this piece and go do it. PAUSE.

Now fans at the Stadium showed Judge how they felt when he was met with boos instead of his usual echoing applause. But it is not Judge's fault that he wants more. It is not his fault he is selfish. It is all the guys that came ahead of him, demanding the dollar instead living the dream. And it is enough to make any fan sick.

As MLB.com wrote, "When you look at the list of highest average annual values and say that the proposed $30.5 million -- the highest in Yankees history -- would be “only” 12th, it’s worth noting how many of those ahead of him signed earlier in their 20s -- or, in the case of Max Scherzer, for only three years. Just last year, George Springer, then 31 and comparable to Judge in terms of accomplishments, received six years and $150 million from the Blue Jays. Teams have made it exceptionally clear how much they value youth."

Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune

And by youth, they mean 30 and younger. Big dollars have been flashed in young players' eyes—eager, greedy eyes. It is like they forget how they got there or that they should be paid for getting here. But once you cross over to the 30+ bucket, your value drops as with Judge. Plus Judge's trips to the IL have been frequent. In 2018 and 2019 he played 112, and 102 games respectively. He played half the 60 games in 2020. Last year was the first time he crossed over 140 games since 2017. He is a crowd pleaser and runs maker when he is hot and in the lineup. When he is not, he is a dud. And the Yankees want to pay him for his past and future service based on what they have seen and what they believe he can provide. Nothing wrong with that. 

Source: New York Daily News

Brian Cashman told us exactly what the Yankees were willing to pay, ahead of Judge's deadline of Opening Day. The Yankees "had offered seven years and $213.5 million atop the $17 million it offered for the 2022 season -- making the entire package eight years and approximately $230 million." Fair deal, right? But Judge simply turned his snobby nose up at it and declined. I would love your take on this line from Casey's piece yesterday,  "Judge came back to the media and said “I’m not afraid of searching for a job.’’ In the days of George, that statement will get you traded." I would love to see that through some sort of simulation—Boss George would have sat Aaron Judge's ass right down and said, "we don't do that here at the Yankees."

Source: NBC Sports

"If it sounds like we think Judge will have a hard time topping this offer on the open market, we do, because teams have made it increasingly clear that deals stretching a decade or more are reserved for the youngest stars (like Wander Franco, 20; Fernando Tatis Jr., 22; Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, each 26), since deals that long for players already in their 30s (like Albert Pujols, at 32, or Miguel Cabrera, at 31) have generally been poor investments for team success. (For the team, anyway; they were well-deserved rewards for superstar players.)," reported MLB.com.

No one is indispensible. As a Yankee fan, I worried about what the Yankees would do without anchor and Hit Man, Donnie Baseball. Guess what, they survived. Derek Jeter, same thing. The Yankees kept growing, kept moving forward and so did we as fans. I mean we can go all the way back to Joe DiMaggio who by the way would NOT be snubbing his nose at any opportunity to play or even throw out a first pitch. Check out this piece, APRIL 9, YANKEE STADIUM OR BUST,  earlier this spring about Joe D and his love of the game. 

Source: Clutch Points

Anthony Rizzo said something about Judge and contract extensions more broadly earlier this week which I have not been able to get passed. I am paraphrasing here, but he said, there is no loyalty in baseball. You just don't know what is going to happen. Sometimes you do. In Judge's case, there is loyalty. The Yankees met Judge's deadline with an offer. Judge publicly stated he wanted to stay a Yankee. But his actions are contradictory. Was there loyalty when Freddie Freeman left Atlanta for dollar signs in Los Angeles? And Freeman at least brought a championship to the Braves. Has Judge brought one to NY? I think you know that answer.

Does Judge deserve more? No. He's lucky that he got what he did. He is one step away from an injury, unfortunately. We all are. Take what you are offered, and stay a Yankee or go and get another job and hope you can be what you have been to New York, and its fans somewhere else. Good luck with that.

The grass is always greener as they say. But is it? You have a good thing, Judge. Too bad all you see are dollar signs instead of the tremendous gift you have been given just to be a baseball player, playing for the best sports franchise in the world. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof

APRIL 9, YANKEE STADIUM OR BUST

Source: NY Daily News

Although I never saw him play, and maybe I never needed to, Joe DiMaggio is arguably the best the Yankees have ever had, maybe baseball at large. He was a perfectionist til the end, even wanting to warm up before throwing a first pitch at Opening Day in Yankee Stadium in April 1998. He never took the game for granted always wanting to be close to the game, be ready to thrill fans, talk to reporters and mentor a newbie. Before he died in March 1999, he had a sign at his bedside that read, "April 9, Yankee Stadium or Bust" — his motivation to fight to be at another Opening Day.  He didn't get there. But he was ready.

This baseball lockout exposes so many flaws in today's game. For one, it shows the disregard for time that these owners, and players have. Precious time for the game, for their contribution to the game, for their opportunity to do something that most never will. If Joe D had more time, he would have been at Opening Day 1999, stepping up for a game, a career he loved and that loved him back.

One of my favorite writers, Mike Lupica, shared his experience talking with and covering Joe D, during those last years of his life. Earlier this week he posted, 

"But my favorite memory of Opening Day 1998, his last at the Stadium, was after he’d thrown his first pitch, and was making his way upstairs to the Yankees' offices and owner George Steinbrenner’s suite. I was waiting for him after he came off the field and he said, “Walk with me.” Of course, I did. And when we got into the elevator, he was surrounded by young women from the United States Olympic hockey team, which had just won a gold medal at the Winter Games at Nagano. When we got out on the office level, one of the players, Katie King, stepped forward and introduced herself, and told DiMaggio that before every game they’d played in Nagano, their coach would gather them in front of him and tell them to have a “Joe DiMaggio Day.” 

Of course she was referring to when a reporter asked DiMaggio why he ran so hard down to first base when he knew he would be out. DiMaggio without hesitation told the reporter, "there might be people in the ballpark who had never seen you before, and you owed them your best." I can't tell you the number of times I have told that story. And again, I didn't see him play live, I didn't hear him speak to reporters or even say those words. I didn't have to. My dad telling me was enough. 

I have to believe that somehow, someway, someone will put the money aside, put the arguments aside and say, Opening Day 2022 Or Bust! Someone has to remember legendary players like Joe D who got it right. Who appreciated playing, and being at the ballpark even 'til the end of his life. Appreciating the game that served his dream, made his life special and made the game special for all fans. 

Source: Bloomberg.com

Last night Coach Mike Krzyzewski coached his last regular season game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. He gave his entire life to college basketball and in particular Duke University Men's Basketball. I am not a Duke fan nor am I Coach K fan particularly, but I appreciate what he has done for college basketball. He mentored and motivated thousands of players over his storied career. He might very well be the Joe D of college basketball. He appreciates his opportunity to contribute. MLB could take a lesson from Coach K and Joe D. Appreciate the role you have and the responsibility you must take in getting baseball going again. You are wasting time. Time that you don't have. Put your differences aside and compromise for the sake of the game. Opening Day 2022 Or Bust!

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

THAT'S 25 GAMES IN A ROW

Source: Twitter

In a rare night game in Yankee Stadium on Saturday, the Yankees tied a 78-year-old record.  The Bombers have hit a home run in 25 straight games and the feeling among fans and the team is just electric.

"The Yankees' current home run streak is the second longest in Yankees history, trailing only a 25-gamer in 1941. That '41 team went on to win the World Series and included six Hall of Famers, by the way: Phil Rizzuto, Joe DiMaggio, Bill Dickey, Joe Gordon, Lefty Gomez and Red Ruffing," reported CBS.com.

The 2002 Texas Rangers hit a home run in 27 straight games and the Yankees could very well surpass that record, giving them just another reason to get excited about being, well the Yankees!

Source: Newsday

The team has spread the wealth of home runs across the line up, with guys like Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez and Cameron Maybin feeding the streak.  It was Gio Urshela who gave the Yankees the 25th home run of the streak and his excitement was felt across the Stadium.

Although they were not dingers, also exciting the line up has been Giancarlo Stanton, who's clutch hits in the 6th and 7th gave the Yankees the runs they needed to best Houston in the series, taking the first three out of four games against the Astros.

Source: NY Times

With Old Timer's Day today and Yankee Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera back in pinstripes for his first appearance in the Yankee tradition, the Yankees have so much to celebrate these days: A fully stacked line up, tremendous options in the field and yes, a franchise record tie for the most consecutive home runs.

Let's keep the momentum going.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof