JOE KELLY'S RIGHT. BOONE NEEDS TO SHUT UP

Leaders don't dwell; they lead.

I didn't bother covering Aaron "No Championships" Boone's recent comments on BYB because, honestly, they felt more like whining than anything else. Boone seemed upset about losing to the Dodgers and didn’t appreciate their players rubbing it in. He mentioned how the Yankees prefer to "handle things with a little more class" if they win the World Series. Sure, the Yankees are a traditionally classy organization, and they probably wouldn’t gloat—but the Dodgers did. That’s life. Move on.

The fact that Boone is still bringing this up in February 2025 makes him look more like a sore loser than a real leader. Leaders don’t waste time talking trash; they learn from their mistakes, regroup, and focus on execution. It didn’t take long for Joe Kelly to respond—and I won’t lie, I kind of loved it because I can’t stand Boone.

On the "Baseball Isn't Boring" podcast, Kelly hit back at Boone’s suggestion that the loudest Dodgers weren’t even the stars of their championship team.

“He’s just so hurt. It’s so sad,” Kelly said. “When your fearless leader has fear, it’s a little tough to see. Feelings are hurt.”

Kelly even laughed at the Yankees’ disastrous defensive meltdown in Game 5 of the World Series. With Spring Training 2025 underway, and still unsigned, Kelly has all the time in the world to sharpen his trash-talking game. He didn’t stop with Boone, either—he took another shot at Yankees ace Gerrit Cole.

On the same podcast, Kelly even mocked Cole’s Game 5 blunder, saying his nine-year-old son’s travel team had better instincts.

“Knox’s nine-year-old travel team, first move after a ground ball to the right side, all of them are breaking. Every single one of them. Kids that pitch once a week know to get over. ... Not one of them forgets to get over. I promise you. I know who does forget to get over, and it’s not the nine-year-olds.”

Yeah, losses sting. But the reality is, the Yankees haven’t won anything under Boone, so their World Series collapse wasn’t exactly shocking. Kelly may be a bit of a bully and a loudmouth, but he’s not wrong. 

Boone needs to quit talking about the past, show some leadership, and focus on making real adjustments for next time. Enough with the excuses—just lead.

JON BERTI BACKS THE YANKS & TORCHES TRASHY DODGERS

Jon Berti isn’t here for the nonsense. And frankly, neither are we.

The Yankees may have come up short in last October’s World Series, but they earned their spot in the Fall Classic—despite what some classless Dodgers players had to say afterward. Berti, who gave his all for New York, wasn’t about to let the disrespect slide.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever heard a championship team talk that much trash about the runner-up,” Berti said on Foul Territory this week. “It was like they didn’t even think we deserved to be there.”

Let’s get one thing straight—New York fought hard. They took the division, handled business against Kansas City and Cleveland, and battled their way to the biggest stage in baseball. Did they fall short? Sure. But let’s not pretend the Yankees lucked their way into the World Series.

Yet, instead of celebrating with class, certain Dodgers—like Joe Kelly chose to take cheap shots. Kelly called the series a "mismatch from the start." 

First of all, two elite teams make it to the World Series. That’s just how it works. The Yankees didn’t get there by accident. And second—win with some dignity. Berti didn’t have to say anything, but he stepped up and defended his squad. That’s the kind of guy you want in your clubhouse; the kind of guy Yankees fans will always appreciate.

Yes, the Dodgers were the better team in the series. That’s baseball. But running your mouth after the fact? That’s weak. Berti showed up for the Yankees, just like he always did on the field. He was a soldier in pinstripes, and we love him for that. We love him even more for calling out the nonsense.

Dodgers, enjoy the rings. But maybe next time, try winning with a little class.

DODGER PITCHER TRIES TROLLING RIZZO, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO HE IS

Michael Kopech, a guy whose name you probably had to Google, decided to take a swing at Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast. Spoiler alert: much like his pitching career, it didn’t land. Kopech, who’s been about as relevant as MySpace in 2024, used his time on the mic to mock Rizzo’s well-known leadership and constant mound visits during high-pressure games.

“I’m just gonna say it,” Kopech started, which is usually code for I’m about to embarrass myself. “Rizzo made hundreds of mound visits in the World Series games. You could almost see the pitchers’ faces, just like, ‘What could they be talking about right now?’ We had a running joke in the bullpen of ‘Rizzo visits remaining.’ Every time there was a visit, it was Rizzo.”

Okay, Mike. First of all, Rizzo’s mound visits are the stuff of legend. He’s the guy everyone wants in the trenches — calming pitchers, cracking jokes, and leading the team with class. Yankees fans love Rizzo because he’s the heartbeat of the clubhouse. Meanwhile, Kopech is over here acting like a Dollar Store Trevor Bauer, taking cheap shots to stay relevant.

The irony? This is coming from a guy who, if we’re being honest, is mostly famous for sharing a bullpen with better pitchers. Kopech’s contributions to his team are about as memorable as a mid-July rain delay. And yet, here he is, throwing shade at one of the most respected players in the game.

Kopech didn’t stop there. He went on to pat himself on the back by talking about how Max Muncy and Miguel Rojas came out to “settle him down” during games.

“To put in perspective of how it was for us, our guys were doing it at the right time,” Kopech said, somehow managing to turn the podcast into an audition for a Participation Trophy Hall of Fame.

Let’s be clear: Kopech talking about “the right time” is like a backup dancer criticizing Beyoncé’s choreography. Nobody’s here for your take, buddy. The Dodgers may have had the last laugh in the series, but Kopech trying to use Rizzo as a punchline reeks of desperation.

And it’s not just Kopech. His teammate Joe Kelly also took shots at the Yankees, claiming their defensive mistakes in Game 5 helped the Dodgers win. “They started kicking the ball around and playing Yankee baseball,” Kelly quipped. But at least Kelly’s been around long enough to have his own highlight reel of annoyance. Kopech, meanwhile, is hanging on by association, like the guy in the group project who takes credit for everyone else’s work.

Here’s the thing: Anthony Rizzo doesn’t just lead; he defines what it means to be a team player. He’s the guy everyone wants on their side, the glue that keeps the clubhouse together, and the kind of player who gets standing ovations from Yankees fans no matter what. Kopech, on the other hand, is... well, let’s just say his career highlight so far might be this podcast appearance — and that’s not a compliment.

So, Michael, maybe focus less on Rizzo’s mound visits and more on figuring out how to not be the bullpen punchline yourself. Because right now? You’re not a guy taking jabs at the Yankees. You’re just a tool.

CLUELESS BOONE IS EITHER BLIND OF YANKEE ISSUES OR JUST LYING TO US!

OPEN YOUR EYES, AARON BOONE! Or maybe, I should tell him to use his brain. What little of a brain he has. He's in complete denial, and based on what he is saying it is hard to have much faith for what is to come in 2025.

In case you missed it, check out his comments HERE. Baboonie says the Yankees and their weaknesses were not exposed in the World Series. They just didn't play as well as they should have. He also says "everyone's going to have their opinions," which Joe Kelly and Miguel Rojas weren't shy about at all. They weren't even opinions but facts. Meanwhile Baboonie believes "we won a lot of games because of little things that we did well over the course of the year." It's infuriating to see a manager as clueless as Baboonie remain in their role.

Let's talk about facts. We had an entire 2024 regular season filled with too many to count fans seeing it, numerous metrics and stats supporting the exact opposite of what Baboonie is babbling on about. Wake up dummy, none of this is an OPINION, it's FACT. Check this out:

1. Fangraphs ranks the Yankees the WORST baserunning team in all of baseball. Giancarlo Stanton's tag out at home in Game 3 is a good example. He never should have gone and Luis Rojas should've known better than to send him, he was out by a mile. 

2. Yankees were second worst in baseball for extra bases taken. Base runners advanced more than one base on a single or more than two bases on a double. Complete lack of fundamentals.

3. Defensively, the Yankees made the seventh-most errors in baseball but were generally rated as slightly above average by most comprehensive defensive metrics. That blows my mind. What we watched is NOT a slightly above average team based on defensive metrics, they are awful. Jazz Chisholm and Aaron Judge's errors continue to haunt me. You can't make those mistakes and expect to win!

Baboonie, exactly what "little things" are the Yankees doing well? Fangraphs data isn't even focused on the World Series, that is a 162-game regular season. The Dodgers studied our weaknesses, and they used them against us. They just waited for us to screw up and then took advantage of it. They did nothing special. All they did was expose us.... but Baboonie wants to live in fantasy land and Yankee brass brings him back thinking this clown is going to give us a championship!

This is a systemic issue, plain and simple. The Yankees lack fundamentals and based on what Baboonie said we should expect more of the same in 2025. "There's nothing that we don't lean into heavily and invest a lot in from a detail standpoint, and we'll continue to do that," Boone said, "and also try and continue to get better and evolve where we think we need to." It's the definition of insanity - doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. It's the Yankee way, and it's the reason this team will struggle with more of the same. 

The first step to solving a problem is acknowledging you have one. The Yankees have many problems and that's not an opinion, it's a fact. Aaron Boone is a dumb clown.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

DISGRUNTLED YANKEE FANS SEE BOONE'S FLAWS WAY CLEARER THAN THE YANKEE FRONT OFFICE

What do you want me to say; That I love the idea of Aaron Boone coming back to the Yankees to manage in 2025? I don't. I think it's ridiculous, silly, ignorant and baffling, but I also recognize the laziness of the Yankee front office enough to know that that option was put out there to make it easier for them to just keep the puppet around long enough to find someone knew... eventually.  

I don't like the leadership of Aaron Boone. Let me rephrase this; I find the lack of leadership of Aaron Boone worthless to this Yankee club. In short, the New York Yankee players and their fans, us, deserve better. That's it plain and simple.

I have to laugh.  The Yankee front office was clearly hurt by the tone and chirping of LA Dodger pitcher Joe Kelly over the past few weeks.  The old Yankees would have ignored it, moved on, shrugged it off.  You know why I know it bothers them? Because it's true.  

If it wasn't Cashman and Boone wouldn't be out there addressing, it.  If you live under a rock, Joe Kelly called the Yankees a mismatch in the world series against the Dodgers.

BIB on the Go: Joe Kelly Isn't Letting Up On The Yankees
Listen here ➡️ https://t.co/CabMY3ksGx pic.twitter.com/iaXMRIXfv3

— Baseball Isn’t Boring (@BBisntBoring) November 4, 2024

And you know what? He wasn't wrong. Ya'll can act all high and mighty and act like Joe Kelly is a fool and should shut up, but looking back on the series, the Yankees were mismatched.  The Yankee fundamentals were terrible, baserunning, errors, we all saw the same games. You can't act like it wasn't an issue, in fact during and days after it was Aaron Boone that was in the frying pan because between sports radio and the papers, it was clear that the Yankees don't practice fundamentals regularly during the season, and if they actually do, well then it is not enough. That falls on the manager.  

A failed season of not winning the World Series is a failure of the manager.  Everyone knows it and that's been going on since the day baseball began.  But for the Yankees, they reward with an option to stick around in 2025.  And that goes back to me being disgrunted. The Yankees are not a good team.  They don't address the issues, all Yankee stadium is is a money maker for Hal. The tickets are too expensive, the bad food is too and all you get as a Yankee fan is the hope the Juan Soto comes back... and that's it.

All Cashman can say is:  "I acknowledge we played poorly in the World Series. We saw that and, unfortunately, our A-game didn’t show up when it counted the most. I also think, objectively, if you take a step back and analyze who we played, whether it was the Dodgers or any of the other postseason teams that were participating, whether it was us playing them or other teams in the National League, those rosters are all constructed with players that do things in some category better than others.”

And if you really look at that, it's a non-answer. First off we know we played terribly and we were definitely mismatched, but the word salad that Cashman and Aaron Boone do with our media is embarrassing.  All it shows me is we don't have a finger on the pulse, and we have no idea what we're doing as a front office.

As Joel Sherman says in the New York Post: "what the Yankees suffered in blowing Games 1 and 5 to the Dodgers was not mercurial. It was predictable. They never cleaned up the finer points of the game. If anything, they worsened as the season progressed. This was not an October problem or a World Series problem. You could see this mounting from April onward."

Bleeding Yankee Blue echoes exactly this, and if you look at the body of work that BYB has been together since April here, you will see that we knew this was going to be how it would end.  The reason? Fundamentals, lack of leadership, complacency.  You see, it's much harder to see those things when you're part of the problem and Boone and Cashman are exactly that.  But anyone on the outside, Sherman, BYB, Joe Kelly sees the Yankees for what they are. Lucky, Sluggish, not fundamentally sound.  It hurts to hear it, but it's true.... all of it.

I gave up my Yankee tickets in 2023. In 2024, I went to 1 game, it was against the Rays. I sat in right field and watched a quiet Yankee team lose 9-1 in July. In fact, we left the game in the 7th because they looked like absolute garbage.  And the tickets I got for free, because I will never pay for tickets at Yankee stadium again.  Why? Because they have a lousy manager and a shitty front office.

Don't believe the hype folks.  I will always love my Yankee TEAM, but I will never ever cave to the Yankee front office or support Aaron Boone as our manager. He is unqualified, meaningless and just plain awful.  

Oh yea, and when Soto signs elsewhere this offseason, remember that I told you so.  

FACING THE CRITICISM: LACK OF FUNDAMENTALS DON'T WIN WORLD SERIES

Watching the Yankees' undoing in the fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series was painful, but not surprising. As I shared with my CEO today who calmly asked me if I was okay a week later, the Yankees simply cannot win when they lack basic baseball fundamentals, and I have not been able to watch or read anything baseball since that horrific loss. He advised, "Write that in your blog post and you will feel better." So, like a good employee, I am doing just that. The Yankees' lack of fundamentals don't win World Series. And I am not over it.

The Dodgers knew of the Yankees' lack of defensive play ahead of the World Series. In fact, they were extremely confident going into the games against the Yankees because their scouting reports indicated that they would make mistakes defensively when the ball was in play. According to NY Post's Joel Sherman,  "What the Dodgers told their players in scouting meetings was the Yankees were talent over fundamentals. That if you run the bases with purpose and aggression, the Yankees will self-inflict harm, as was exposed by Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, Freddie Freeman, etc. That the value was very high to put the ball in play to make the Yankees execute."

It was hot head Dodger pitcher Joe Kelly who bashed the Yankees on his "Baseball Isn't Boring" podcase calling their ranking inflated and placing them at the bottom quarter of the 12 teams that made the MLB playoffs this year. "Just let them throw the ball to the infield, they can't make a play," Kelly said. "I mean, you saw. Shohei got an extra base going to third on a sloppy Gleyber play. It's well known. We all knew. I mean, we're the Dodgers. We know every little detail," ranted Kelly. Yeah, I get it. We all know it. We are with the team 162 games. We have seen it all and we don't need the Dodgers or anyone else to rub it in our faces.

In response to the criticism, General Manager Brian Cashman acknowledged the Yankees poor performance in the World Series. "Our A-game didn’t show up when it counted the most,” he continued. “I also think, objectively, if you take a step back and analyze who we played, whether it was the Dodgers or any of the other postseason teams that were participating, whether it was us playing them or other teams in the National League, those rosters are all constructed with players that do things in some category better than others. You have exceptionally great defenders that don’t hit as well, you have really good hitters that don’t defend as well. And the combination of how it all fits together plays out a certain way over the course of 162 and then in the month of October if you’re lucky to get there,” reported Yahoo Sports.

I think we can all acknowledge that both teams deserved to be playing in this World Series. And yes, there can only be one winner. But it absolutely was not a mismatch as Kelly and others have stated. 162 games is a long season and the Yankees won out. Then they battled through some very tough ALCS games and won out. But the Yankees have to figure out October and that's just what the GM admitted.

“And to be the world champs you gotta be really good – which I think we produced really good teams – you gotta be healthy and you gotta be lucky. We’ll try to continue to figure out how to navigate October. We’ve done it before, but as many times, in many years the best teams going in don’t win. And it’s not because they’re flawed it’s just navigating October is difficult,” reported Yahoo Sports. 

For me, I'd like to see less of these fundamental mistakes, more small ball all season long not just in October and less emphasis on big bats. It is not just about the home runs; it is not just about swinging for the fences but rather it is about putting the ball in play when it counts and then defending that lead. It is a whole-team effort. And the Yankees just weren't able to execute that plan. Fundamentals executed well win ball games and absolutely win World Series. 

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof

YOU WANNA REALLY STIR THINGS UP? GO GET JOE KELLY!

Turn the entire Yankee roster upside down. Trust me, we need it.  In the midst of all the Yankee chaos, the angry Yankee fans, the Rangers winning the World Series with a real manager, players are now opting in and opting out with their teams, and some are just getting cut or teams are declining their options. It's Armageddon in the MLB.  I recently read that Joe Kelly's option was declined by the Dodgers.  MLB Trade Rumors writes:

"The Dodgers won’t be exercising their $9.5M club option on Joe Kelly’s services for the 2024 season, according to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford (X link). Kelly will instead collect a $1M buyout and enter the free agent market...

For the 2023 season as a whole, Kelly posted a 4.12 ERA over 39 1/3 innings for Chicago and Los Angeles, with strong strikeout (35.7 percent) and grounder (58 percent) rates..."

And so, I say to you, why not Joe Kelly? This guy's about as bad ass as you get. He's obnoxious and a total gamer. Put him against any team and he will fight for the Yanks like it was his last team on earth. He's tough, defends his teammates and I gotta say, that strikeout rate is delightful.  It's something we need to juice up our bullpen.  

Hey, I'm out of ideas. I'm still waiting for Hal to fire everyone but nothing's happened. At least I can make suggestions about who the Yankees should pursue, right?

What do you think? Would you sign Kelly? Comment.

PRESSURE BUILDING ON THE ASTROS... EVEN IN A SHORT SEASON WITH NO FANS

Ballplayers may be loyal to each other, but when it comes to cheating, I mean REALLY cheating like the Astros did... stealing signs and stealing a championship, I am relieved to see that the players don't forget.  

I think it's also refreshing because there are no fans in the ballparks.  So, it's essentially man to man. Peers settling the score on the field, be it with pitchers head hunting or just snide comments to the dopey Astros in the press.  It's the way it should be. Hell, they didn't get punished, and so the punishment really needs to be a good razzing and an uncomfortable career moving forward, orchestrated by their peers. Fellow teams settling the score. That's Manfred's fault. F them.

Joe Kelly did it knowing good and well he'd be suspended, a ridiculous rule Manfred put in place when Dusty Baker became the Astros new manager.  Here's the problem with that.... Rob Manfred is NOT a leader.  You can't sit there and not punish a team for cheating the league out of the biggest trophy and then nit-pick about punishment for players who throw at the Astros. 

He's a terrible leader... P.S., that asshole still owes me a phone call after I called his office about it. Still waiting. 

Joe Kelly threw at Bregman and Correa the other night and should have. Again,  F them.  

Orel Hershiser, the Dodgers pride and joy made a comment about Jose Altuve the other night as well.   I guess Preston Wilson didn't like it and attempted to take a shot on Twitter.

I faced Orel when he pitched for the Mets and everyone knew the way his pitches moved was not normal. Our whole team knew it so does he. The worst part was he had the audacity to send bibles over to clubhouse (autographed if I remember correctly). Maybe not the best messenger. https://t.co/iynNQKVnzF

— Preston Wilson (@PrestonWilson44) July 30, 2020

Look, autographed bibles are a little weird, but let's get back to the story at hand, tiny Altuve sucks without his garbage can.  And let me be more specific about this. Most of the Astros are solid hitters. They are in the major leagues, that's pretty much a solid overview. They are good players. The problem? 

They fell into the trap of depending on a garbage can to determine how they hit. Couple that with them afraid they're gonna lose their head in the batter's box, and suddenly they need to reinvent themselves and they can't do it fast enough. That's why you see more strikeouts, more uncomfortable dancing in the box. In other words, they did this to themselves, and now they have to live with it.   Well too bad.

Dusty Baker followed up with more from Joe Kelly the other night when he got into a spat with bitch Carlos Correa. Bleacher Report says:

" Houston manager Dusty Baker said Kelly, the L.A. reliever, shouted at shortstop Carlos Correa after a strikeout, causing both teams to come running onto the field.

After throwing near Correa's head earlier in the sixth-inning at-bat, Kelly came back with a knuckle-curve that sent him flailing for strike three to end the frame. Baker said Kelly shouted, "Nice swing, b---h," at the shortstop while walking off the mound, clearing out the benches."

So? Hey Dusty, do you think these ballplayers are happy about how the Astros presented themselves? You think they like the arrogance of them? After all, they cheated their way to a championship and got caught AND DIDN'T GET PUNISHED. If anything they need to be apologetic, not arrogant.  No once cares. Correa is a piece of garbage anyway.

We're starting to see cracks in the porcelain. These Astros players cannot sustain the pressure of fan hate and opponents coming down on them. George Springer may have hit a homer the other day, but that was his only hit all season. And now, suddenly he's "a little sore" after making a catch in the outfield, so he's getting a day off... IN A 60 GAME SEASON. Really Loser? No, the truth is the dude was in a slump because he's waiting for a garbage can to bang to determine what pitch to swing at. A 1-21 slump. Dummy.

MLB writes: "Mired in a 1-for-21 slump to start the season -- and nursing a sore knee -- Astros leadoff hitter George Springer was out of the starting lineup for Wednesday’s series finale against the Dodgers. Springer banged up one of his knees when he ran into the wall making a catch to rob José Marmolejos of a hit in the first inning Sunday against the Mariners."

Oh... poor baby. Bitch.

What's the point of this post? Pressure. Uncertainty. Keep it on them and they will eventually go away.

The Astros did this to themselves, and they and some of their ridiculous fans better get used to the new normal of feeling really uncomfortable in the batter's box moving forward. Because when it comes to baseball and getting something legitimately... players and true fans take that seriously.   These Asstros players are gonna have a hard time moving forward and it's a good thing, because maybe, just maybe it will clean up the game for the better.

I leave you with this idiot.

@NYYCarrie33 You need to fuck off dude. Seriously. Does that mask go over your entire face? You should be grateful the Asstros aren’t banned for life. Keep clinging to those losers. Real Great for your image. Align yourself with failure. Nice work.

— Robert Casey (@BleednYankeeBlu) July 30, 2020

Sorry.... I couldn't sit quietly.

 

HOW DUMB IS THIS?

The Red Sox drive me nuts.  This one takes the cake.

NESN has this one.  Sweet Lord...

"The Pawtucket Red Sox will host the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the New York Yankees Triple-A team, at McCoy Stadium in what’s being called “Evil Empire Weekend.” The promotion stems from the Red Sox-Yankees brawl between Joe Kelly and Tyler Austin earlier this month at Fenway Park."

PawSox will host "Evil Empire Weekend" at McCoy Stadium on May 5 and 6. Any fans named Joe or Kelly will be admitted for free to the weekend's games, while any fans self-identifying as Tylers or Austins will be banned from the premises. #RivalryRenewed https://t.co/LQYnGQSzJ6 pic.twitter.com/XtllPNvgYz

— PawSox (@PawSox) April 19, 2018

So let's keep this real. This "promotion" doesn't get more people in the door. It just gets under Yankee fans skin.  And sure, that's what the damn Sox want, but what's the purpose of calling it a "promotion" then?

I find this tactic stupid. It shows immaturity. It shows bad business. After all, this was started because the Red Sox infielder Brock Holt was "offended" because Tyler Austin allegedly broke up a double play and touched his leg with his spike.

By the way... THAT'S PART OF THE GAME.  And in fairness, if you look at that slide, like I did about 100 times since then, there was nothing outrageous about it.

So when that Nancy Joe Kelly threw at Austin, it made perfect sense that Tyler would want to bash his porcelain face in.

Photo: New York Post

Look... baseball is about athletes playing hard.  It's not about being upset or offended by players spiking or getting too close to their opponent. I'm over all of it, and I sure as hell hate this ridiculously, stupid "promotion".

Can't we all just get along?

BRAWL SUSPENSIONS HANDED OUT & A GREAT PLAY BY PLAY

Photo: Sports Illustrated

Quick note. Both Tyler Austin and Joe Kelly had suspensions handed down to them for their glorious brawl the other night.  This is really not a detailed post... I just wanted to show more pictures and the video again.

The Boston Globe writes:

Photo: Getty Images

"Sox pitcher Joe Kelly was suspended for six games by MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre and fined an undisclosed amount for intentionally hitting Tyler Austin in the seventh inning. Austin was suspended five games and fined for charging the mound and fighting. Both players appealed their suspensions and will be available to play until their cases are heard.

Photo: USA Today

MLB also fined Sox manager Alex Cora and Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin.

Four players on the disabled list who went onto the field — Xander Bogaerts, Marco Hernandez and Dustin Pedroia of the Sox and Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia — also were fined."

By the way, love this play by play:

Tyler Austin & Joe Kelly, A Breakdown pic.twitter.com/T02AszLEqF

— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) April 12, 2018

And I loved and appreciated that injured teammates ran out too. Shows unity.

Anyway... a news update and there you have it!

TYLER AUSTIN IS BRINGING THE RIVALRY BACK!

"The Yankees grab the headlines every time!"

-- Billy Joel, Zanzibar

Photo: USA Today Sports

I loved what Tyler Austin did last night!  He just energized a Yankee team and brought back a slowly dying rivalry!  The dude's bad ass, there is no question about it.  Was it over the top? Maybe... but it was also necessary.  And it all started because someone was "offended" by the way Tyler slid into second base.  I am tired of this new culture. Play the damn game...and play it hard!

If you don't know what I mean,  The New York Post writes:

"(Brock) Holt apparently took exception to Austin’s slide into the bag on a Tyler Wade grounder to third. Austin was called out on the play."

Photo: NorthJersey.com

So right there it all started. Not by Austin, but by the Red Sox and sissy Holt.  If you watch the play, it's debatable.  Did he spike Holt on purpose? Maybe, but it wasn't blatant and for crying out loud... now we can't break up double plays? Why don't we all wear skirts too?

But the best part of last night, besides the win in Fenway was when Austin went friggin' nuts after Joe Kelly threw at him.  USA Today writes:

Benches clear, punches thrown in Yankees-Red Sox after Tyler Austin is hit by a pitch from Joe Kelly. pic.twitter.com/wvqoak8QMV

— MLB (@MLB) April 12, 2018

"The brawl began when Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly threw inside toward Yankees designated hitter Tyler Austin on one pitch, and two pitches later drilled Austin with a 97-mph fastball aimed at his back. Austin yelled and angrily threw his bat to the ground. Austin took several steps toward the mound, looked at Kelly, and Kelly motioned for him to come at him.

Photo: New York Post

And before you knew it, everyone was in on the fray, with the bullpens, coaches, and players began pushing and shoving as Kelly and Austin exchanged punches. Austin was punched several times by Kelly and was left with a fat lip. And Austin connected with Red Sox coach Carlos Febles."

Now fighting in baseball has been going on forever and when it comes to the Yankees, there are plenty of great ones.  But this one takes the cake.  Tyler was angry, and energized not only this sometimes stale Yankee club, but a Yankee fan base that has been looking for this team to wake up.

As my buddy Chris said last night... "The Yankees are back!"  Let's hope so...

Smart, Strategic move, Tyler.

BYB HOT STOVE: VOLUME XV

We are in the final stretch of the spring training waiting period and I have cabin fever!  Saturday is the first official workout day for Yankees pitchers and catchers and I am hopeful that we see more than ARod drama when the rest of the team reports.

On to some Hot Stove news...The Los Angeles Dodgers could be a market for a steady, hard throwing relief pitcher.  According to the Los Angeles Dodger Public Relations Department, "This morning at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, Dodger pitcher Kenley Jansen underwent surgery to remove a growth from a bone in his left foot." He is expected to be out 8-12 weeks and is certain to miss the first month of baseball.  "There are still a couple of relievers on the free agent market with ninth-inning experience — like Francisco Rodriguez and Rafael Soriano — so look for the Dodgers to seriously explore those options," states NBC Sports.  Jansen had 44 saves in 49 attempts last season with the Dodgers with a 2.76 ERA. This is a tough blow for Don Mattingly and his team.

WEEI's Rob Bradford reports that "According to one source, at no point during the offseason did Boras hint that he was concerned Scherzer wouldn’t get his money, potentially leading to a more palatable reduced rate. In the end, the former Tigers hurler inked a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Nationals."  Bradford goes on to say that "Cole Hamels rumors or not, this potentially ace-less collection has already dug in on believing they are all the Red Sox need."  The collection he is referring to is  Clay Buchholz, Justin Masterson, Rick Porcello, Wade Miley and Joe Kelly.

According to MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko, after signing a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles yesterday, the team has invited 32-year-old utility infield Jayson Nix to spring training workouts.  Good for Jayson.  I always thought he added something to the injury-ridden Yankees.  I hope he does well but not against us.

Finally, a word of tribute to the late great player and mentor Tony Gwynn.  In an interview on the MLB Network with Ted Leitner, the voice of the San Diego Padres and the San Diego State Aztecs, Gwynn brought a sense of honor and presence to the young people of the sport of baseball.  Earlier this week, the Aztecs retired Gwynn's number in the opening game of the season.  "Leitner introduced the unveiling of a No. 19 out in right field to a standing ovation. There’s also a new mural above the right-field wall that depicts Gwynn alongside murals of Golden Spikes Award winners and former SDSU baseball players Stephen Strasburg and Travis Lee," reported a senior staff writer at The Daily Aztec.

Guys like Gwynn need to be remembered for what they brought to the game- hard work, determination and leadership.  These are three cornerstones to a successful team, both on and off the field.  So, let's remain hopeful for the Yankees this season as we enter in the final days before pitcher and catchers report.  That's Hot Stove...see you next week!

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



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