LEADERSHIP IS LOST BUT EJECTIONS ARE PLENTIFUL!

 

"I don't want him getting tossed there. I want me to get tossed there in those situations." 

- Aaron Boone

We all know that Aaron Boone is a pro at getting tossed out of a game. He's much better at causing the right kind of shenanigans to get tossed than he is managing a baseball team. It's what Boone is best at! Bless his little heart.... too bad he just doesn't have it in him to be a good leader. I wish he was half as good at being a good leader as he is at getting thrown out of a game.

The worst part is, that just spreads. It spreads even faster amongst a team that is in a massive skid that can't win games. Boone's talents for getting ejected have spread to his players. It's no secret that Jazz Chisholm was screwed in Tuesday's game. Umpire Mark Wegner made a bad call. It's not surprising anymore, since that is "the norm" in today's game, but what is surprising is how much rope Wegner gave Chisholm to let him get it out of his system before he was tossed. 

That was ejection number two for Chisholm this season. I get it. And for the record, I don't disagree I'd rather have Boone get tossed there. But in that scenario, a player can strategically say their peace while at the plate and then maybe have a Paul O'Neill moment in the dugout but then when it's time to go out to the field you reset and get your head in the game. Even Aaron Judge was trying to calm him down between innings. Instead, Chisholm kept carrying on in the field and then had to mouth off to Wegner and earn his ejection. 

Bad calls are a part of this game (especially in recent years). Expressing frustration in the moment is understandable, but Chisholm let it consume him long after. I'll even say that Wegner might have fanned the flames by staring at him in the field and causing Chisholm to bark at him. Hell, you can even say Jose Trevino helped spark that tantrum. This is just another example of a lack of fundamentals and leadership. This team is flawed on so many levels and now we see it highlighted when the ball isn't even in play. What Chisholm did only hurt the team when we are already in a bad slump.

"Everybody knows how I am: If I'm going to go at an umpire, I'm going to go at an umpire," Chisholm said HERE. "I'm not going to hide it, none of that. If I wanted to say something to him, I would have said it. Nobody's going to stop me from saying something to an umpire if I want to. I'm a grown man. So for me not even to say nothing to you, and me to ask you why you're looking at me and you toss me, I feel like there's a problem."

He's a grown man alright, he's just not acting like it and it's causing his team (that is already struggling) to suffer the consequences. There is a problem....in this scenario it's his reaction to a known problem called bad umpiring. That doesn't mean it's time to make it worse!

Sorry Jazz, I like you.... but the problem was you. It's time to pull your head out of your arse and rise above. We need to get back to winning series, and this doesn't help.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

SUPERBOY FERNANDO CRUZ IS CRUISING!

Who is happy with Fernando Cruz? I know I am.

I absolutely love these kinds of stories—ones where a change of scenery and a chance to shine unlock something special. That’s exactly what’s happening with Fernando Cruz.

When the Yankees struck a deal with the Cincinnati Reds on December 20, 2024, sending Jose Trevino to Cincinnati in exchange for Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson, most fans saw it as a minor move. Now? It looks like a sneaky stroke of genius. Trevino’s doing just fine over in Cincy, but let’s give the spotlight to Cruz, who’s quietly turning into one of the most electric arms in the Yankees bullpen.

The secret sauce? A splitter so nasty it should probably be illegal. Cruz came into the Bronx already flashing a strong version of the pitch, but under the careful guidance of pitching coach Matt Blake, that thing has become an absolute weapon. The Yankees have all but scrapped his cutter and dialed back his fastball in favor of the pitch that’s putting hitters in the blender. His splitter usage has jumped from 41.9% last season to a staggering 54.7% in 2025. And the results? Filthy.

Fernando Cruz, Disappearing 82mph Splitter. ✌️ pic.twitter.com/ZfS10VcglD

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 19, 2025

Even Empire Sports Media couldn’t help but gush over the numbers, highlighting Cruz’s absurd stats against hitters who dare swing at the splitter: a microscopic .053 batting average and a .105 slugging percentage. The whiff rate? 65.7%. The put-away rate? 50%. Translation: hitters aren’t just missing—they’re flailing like they’ve never seen a baseball before. As ESM cleverly put it, “It’s like having a Ferrari parked in your garage—why not drive it every chance you get?”

Cruz isn’t just passing the nerd test either. Sure, he’s in the 99th percentile in both whiff rate and strikeout rate, fanning 42.1% of batters he faces. But the eye test tells the same story: this guy can chuck. The ERA sits at 2.79, and he looks every bit like a late-inning weapon. Every outing feels like a revelation—he’s confident, nasty, and clearly pitching with something to prove.

Asked about his splitter, Cruz didn’t get into spin rates or mechanics. He simply said, “That’s my gift from God.” And honestly? Watch him throw it and you might believe him.

The Yankees clearly do. They’ve committed to maximizing what makes Cruz special, and it’s paying off in a big way. For a guy who came over in a relatively quiet trade, he’s making a whole lot of noise in pinstripes. These are the stories that make baseball so damn fun. A guy gets a shot, grabs it with both hands, and runs with it.

Tip your cap—Fernando Cruz is no longer just a nice story. He’s a weapon. And in my book, he’s a keeper.

JOSE TREVINO JUST GOT HIS

Break out the Skyline Chili and raise a toast (or, you know, a Cincy-style three-way), because Jose Trevino just locked down his future in the Queen City! According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Cincinnati Reds have signed Trevino to a three-year contract extension worth nearly $15 million, with a club option for 2028. That means Trevino, one of baseball’s genuinely good dudes, gets some well-earned job security—and a whole lot of opportunities to catch fastballs before it rips a hole in his glove.

Trevino landed in Cincinnati this past December after the Reds pulled off a trade with the Yankees, sending reliever Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson to New York in exchange for the 2022 Platinum Glove-winning backstop. Under his old deal, he was set to hit free agency in 2026, but now the Reds have locked him in through 2027, with a chance to keep him around even longer if they pick up that option. Smart move, Cincy—good teammates and good people aren’t always easy to find.

For Trevino, this is nothing but a win. He gets some well-deserved financial security, a fanbase that already appreciates his energy, and, let’s be real, a much friendlier hitter’s park than Yankee Stadium. And for the Reds? They get a defensive wizard behind the plate, a clubhouse leader, and a guy who absolutely deserves every bit of this extension.

So congrats, Jose! Here’s to more web-gem framing, clutch hits, and being the guy every pitcher wants to throw to. Cincinnati just got a little better—and a whole lot luckier—to have you.

YANKEES MAY HAVE FOUND THEIR BREAKOUT RELIEVER!

Hold onto your pinstripes, Yankees fans—Fernando Cruz might just be the secret weapon you didn’t know you needed! This is exactly what Brian Cashman had in mind: snagging a couple of "lightning in a bottle" guys who could set spring training ablaze. CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson is all-in on Cruz as a breakout candidate, saying he’s got "high confidence" that the right-hander is ready to make a leap in 2025.

Okay, sure—Cruz was on last year’s breakout list too, and usually, that’s a bit like showing up to summer school: not ideal. But Cruz’s story feels different. A change of scenery could be just the magic spell he needs to transform into a Bronx gem. The smart money says the Yankees will toss Cruz’s ineffective cutter into the Hudson River—a pitch that served up nine of his 15 home runs allowed over the past two seasons. Instead, expect New York to unleash his filthy splitter, following the blueprint they used with Tommy Kahnle and his devastating changeup. That splitter isn’t just good; it’s downright disrespectful to hitters, holding them to a minuscule .353 OPS over the last two years. With a few tweaks, Cruz could morph into a high-leverage nightmare for Aaron Boone and the defending American League champs.

With the return of Luke Weaver and the addition of Devin Williams, the Yankees’ bullpen was already shaping up to be a strength. But if Cruz can cash in on this breakout potential, that bullpen could go from "tough" to "absolutely terrifying." Let’s not forget, the Yankees sent José Treviño to the Cincinnati Reds this offseason to snag Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson. Now it’s Cruz’s turn to make the Yankees look like trade wizards.

Get ready for some Cruz control in the Bronx—this ride could get wild!

DO THE YANKEES HAVE THE MAGIC TOUCH?

Source: NY Times

Gleyber Torres to the Tigers earlier this week was a bittersweet move. He'd be hot, but then he was not and his defensive acumen is extremely weak. So as position players leave and new ones enter through the Stadium turnstile, the question I have for all of you as we move toward our last few days of 2024, do the Yankees have the magic touch for what's ahead in 2025? Or do they need more?

Besides moving ahead with key acquisitions for first base, outfield and starting pitching, the Yankees have some bull pen needs to round things out. Last season, the Yankees bull pen had the magic touch until it didn't. This year, there can be no holes, no flaws if they want to be all in. According to SI.com, "The free agent market for relief pitching always moves slow on an annual basis but should begin to heat up once January and February roll around." Who can bring that magic to the Yankees?

The Yankees added right-handed reliever Fernando Cruz in a trade with the Reds which sent Jose Trevino to Cincinnati. They also picked up Devin Williams from the Brewers in a trade that sent Nestor Cortes to Milwaukee. The Yankees will get Jonathan Loáisiga back as well come February. But they need likely more depth to get the finish line first.

According to Newsweek, "New York could look to add more to the bullpen, with St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley being the top option potentially available. The Yankees could attempt to center a trade around Marcus Stroman, although St. Louis has reportedly declined a Stroman for Nolan Arenado deal." Analysts say that adding Helsley and perhaps his teammate Miles Mikolas could give the Yankees what they need. In fact, that could be the exclamation point. 

"Helsley is a two-time All-Star and the reigning Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year. He will be a free agent after this season. Helsley is one of the few players in the league who could give the Yankees an actual decision to make at closer. Devin Williams is also a two-time All-Star and a two-time Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year. Having both guys in the bullpen would make the Yankees nearly untouchable in close games. Mikolas is also a two-time All-Star. He had a down year last season, but the Yankees could hope to help him reach his All-Star form again," reported Sporting News.

Magic Touch or confidence? I think it is a bit of both. And with that bit of both, the Yankees can be the team to beat in 2025. Let's see what the New Year rings in and then see how things progress leading into a very much anticipated Spring Training. And let's hope that Aaron Boone doesn't mess things up. 

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

BOONE AIN'T NO GENERAL, HE AIN'T NO MANAGER OR LEADER... HE'S A HACK

This entire series was predicted... by me.  

It takes a true leader to lead a team.  I have said this for years. Aaron Boone is not that leader.  He doesn't truly understand how to manage a short series, and he doesn't truly understand what needs to get done during tough times. This, my friends is the toughest time of his career and he is a no show, he's nowhere. He ain't no manager, he surely ain't no General.  

Generals are tough. Managers are smart.

Yup General Patton is there, for good reason.  Now you can get angry at me and say that war is not baseball and how dare you.  My imagery is for heavy reaction because it's not about Patton leading soldiers to war... it's about a leader leading his players to deliver.   Boone doesn't understand what it takes. He has been exposed. How else to you explain changing up the lineup last night and pulling Austin Wells, putting in Jose Trevino to replace him, and then pinch-hitting Wells for Trevino later on?  

That's a manager second guessing himself.  For me, it was the most glaring indication of a manager that is unclear on how these games work and the importance of a short series.

I don't know why any Yankee fan is surprised by the way this World Series is going.  The New York Yankees are the most inconsistent team in 2024 and Bleeding Yankee Blue has been harping on this and writing about it since the season began.  They are just moving along, a win here, a lose here and a hot streak in the beginning of the season and a hot one near the end.  It was like a fake season. And by the way, absent Boone had really nothing to do with anything except make bad decisions and trust me, Bleeding Yankee Blue has documented all of them.

I don't understand what is wrong with the integrity of these Yankee players.  They defend Aaron Boone for "Backing them".  If backing them means he argues ball and strikes as theater to get kicked out of try and fire up the fan base, I have news for you, that's not what true leaders do.  If that's what they hang their hat on they are also part of the problem and they should all be fired.

Last night the Yankees had a big opportunity, probably the only one they were going to get all game.  Gleyber Torres at bat, men on base and on a ball out of the strike zone and high. The umpire calls a strike three.  Now for you, for me, for Gleyber, for my mom, for the typical Dodger fan that at this point takes pitty on us... we ALL knew it was a ball and an opportunity to walk and maybe Soto could have started something big... you know, momentum.

Got him!

Torres is caught looking at strike 3 up in the zone.

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/YDLHNBlVVt

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 29, 2024

  

But Gleyber struck out on a bad call.  And what do we get? We get a cutaway of Aaron Boone spitting out seeds.  No fight in a game that actually means something.  All season long this guy looked like a fucking clown arguing balls and strikes in meaningless games.  But this is when we need him most. This is a leadership moment.  And he doesn't budge.  He spits his bacon ranch seeds and sits there lifeless.  WHERE IS OUR MANAGER?

Let me also state the worst part of last night's game and something a lot of Yankee fans do not know.  Joe Davis is on the Dodgers broadcast team. John Smoltz is just anti-Yankee ever since the Yankees beat him and the Braves in the '90s.  So, it's no wonder why they took every opportunity to slam the Yankees with backhand compliments and critical comments for the past 3 games.  My favorite "rooting of the Dodgers" moment came when the Yanks pegged out the Dodgers runner at home.  Listen to Smoltz:

My favorite highlight of Game 3. Because he was wrong. pic.twitter.com/0VL59opESL

— Robert Casey (@BleednYankeeBlu) October 29, 2024

Now I'm sorry but why are you rooting?  

Look, the broadcast BS doesn't help, but back to our weak leader in Aaron Boone.  This note's to Hal Steinbrenner....

Dear Hal,

We have tried it your way for a few years now.  It's clear that Daddy Boone made a phone call to someone in the Yankees front office to get Aaron Boone a job.  And we tried it, but it's not working.  Aaron Boone is a guy that hit a home run against the Red Sox in 2003 and everyone seems to forget that we actually LOST that World Series and then he broke his leg in the offseason and violated his contract. So, he is hardly a noble, hardworking and smart individual capable of managing the biggest franchise in baseball.  But what's worse is the fan base has been telling you this for years.  Fire him.

Thank you.

Fondly,

Casey 

The Yankees can win the World Series, but obviously the percentage is very low.  But if they do not we can blame this entire World Series on one play.    

Aaron Boone not bringing in Tim Hill into the game in Game 1 and instead going to a guy that hadn't pitched since September 18th.  If Freddie Freeman doesn't hit that Grand Slam, we are in a much different situation today.  Why?

Momentum.  

Momentum is a very powerful thing and much of the momentum that surround teams comes with a subtle move made by their leader.  It could be a fired-up speech in the clubhouse before the game. It could be a last-ditch effort of putting Wade Boggs in to work a really good at bat.  It could be a moment in time where a pinch hitter bunts in a suicide squeeze.  And it could also be a guy named Tim Hill coming in in that inning with that sick windup and hopefully shutting Freddy Freeman down.  

But Boone didn't make the right decision.  He chose the friend zone, not the must win. He chose Nestor at the worst possible time and that moment killed the Yankees, brought momentum to the Dodgers and will ultimately (hopefully not) cost the Yankees the World Series.

And after this season, win the Series or not, Aaron Boone MUST BE FIRED. Because he is not a manager, he is not a General... he's a hack.  That's the bottom line.

THE YANKEES CHANNEL 1996 & HOPE HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

I'm thinking back to 1996 and suddenly feeling very old. The Yankees are down 2-0 in the World Series and it doesn't feel good at all. We've been here before though, and we ended up beating the Atlanta Braves. So, anything is possible. This could be the inspiration we need that changes everything. As Yogi Berra once said "it ain't over till it's over."

And we are now back in the Bronx, back on our own home turf. Back to that rich tradition of Yankee greats of the past. Back in 96 Joe Torre was in his first year of his managerial career (soon to be legacy) and his back was up against the wall. He had a much more demanding boss in George Steinbrenner back then who was expecting nothing short of miracles and victories to become World Series Champions. 

Here we are again in 2024. While it is clear that Aaron Boone is no Joe Torre (nor will he ever be), and Hal Steinbrenner doesn't have the passion to win like his dad did, the Yankees can still pull this off....but it's going to be really hard. It also makes tonight's game a MUST WIN. We ain't dead yet, but we are hobbling and stumbling. If the Yankees want this, they are going to have to play their butts off.

Playing their butts off also means getting Aaron Judge right again. He's getting plenty of pitches in the zone, he's just not hitting them. Judge looks lost at the plate. His mechanics are okay, they aren't wonky but his timing is. Judge is pressing at the plate and cracking under the pressure instead of just going with the flow and trusting his talent. It's hard to watch and he needs to pull himself out of this. 

If Baboonie were smart, he'd make some changes that might help get the lineup going instead of making some cutesy move that backfires like he did in game 1 that I'm still mad about. Baboonie needs to cut some of the pressure. Maybe swap Juan Soto and Judge in the batting order and see if that sparks something. And speaking of making swaps, don't get cute and bench Austin Wells for Jose Trevino. You need your best catcher playing right now, even though Wells is struggling offensively. Trevino is not an offensive upgrade but would be a defensive liability behind the plate. The Dodgers are already capitalizing on our weaknesses.... let's not add a catcher with lesser defense that can't throw into the mix.

This series comes down to Judge. We've got to get him going again. He left a lot of runners on base during the first two games that could have turned the game around. This ain't over yet....but it's get late early out there if Judge can't pull himself out of this slump and hit. 

I'm not giving up.... but I am frustrated. Let's hope some of that 1996 magic is still out there and makes an appearance tonight. We need it.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

FREE FALLING BOONE CAN'T WAKE UP HIS YANKEE CLUB

You want to know why? Because he's not a true leader. 

A lot of fallout still over last night's Yankee loss to the Dodgers.  A lot of different opinions about it.  Opinions matter in baseball, it's what makes being a fan significant.  In essence, no one's wrong, but everyone has to say something.

First off let me say that the best comments about Boone mismanaging the Yankee pitching last night comes from Derek Jeter who said this so perfectly.

"Gerrit Cole was dominating this game... And if you take him out after 88 pitches for I don't know what reason, it's a domino effect on not only this game tonight, tomorrow's game, and the rest of this series." - Derek Jeter on Aaron Boone's decisionpic.twitter.com/DpfEYNmFpu

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 26, 2024

So, what he was saying without saying it was that Aaron Boone made a major mistake.  That mistake ended up with us relying on relievers way early. And we did.  Yesterday we worked our pen and for what? The Yankee lost the game. Oh yeah and it was only Game 1.  

And so now, you as the New York Yankees have to turn the page.  Yankee fans will have a much harder time turning the page, I know I did.  I was killing Boone last night. The loss was on him. And tonight, it didn't get much better, but this time it's a true group effort.

Besides the Yankees not hitting and losing Game 2, the starting pitching tonight wasn't good.  Carlos Rodon couldn't get out of the 4th and already Boone went to his regular bullpen guys again. Cousins, again. Holmes, again.   The point is if the Dodgers see these guys every time, they'll become very familiar with them and it's just a bad habit to get into as a manager.  It goes back to what I've been saying all year long. Boone is inexperienced and now on MLB's biggest stage, he has been exposed.  He's a hack, plain and simple. The Yankees have 13 pitchers with this roster, he needs to mix and match much better.

The Yankees had a huge opportunity in the 9th tonight.  Soto did what needed to be done, Stanton gets on, Jazz gets on, Rizzo gets hit by a pitch, but they stall once again. Anthony Volpe's inexperience was obvious and then I have to question Boone again.  Why did the Yankees put Trevino in for Wells? 

Why not put Jasson Dominguez out there? He's got the power. Trevino is just not a professional hitter. He hits, but it's just like the other Yankees right now, the chances aren't great.

Wasn't easy, but nothing worth having is, and, in the end, Vesia and the Dodgers got it done and that's all that matters.

Trevino wanted no part of Vesia's breaking ball, he tried to ambush a fastball and he almost did, but he didn't. #dodgers pic.twitter.com/uwjK4xMCU2

— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) October 27, 2024

Sure, you can say the same about Dominguez, but the kid doesn't overthink, he just swings to hit dingers. I would have tried it. You literally have nothing to lose.

Look, there is nothing great about being down 0-2 against the mighty Dodgers, they are good.  But at least we head home to the Bronx and it will be vital that us fans make Yankee stadium the greatest welcome home party for our Yankees.  

Day off coming and then Monday night in the Bronx.  The fans need to rally now... and the Yankees and Aaron Judge needs to break out!

Let's Go Yanks!

WHAT SHOULD THE YANKEES DO WITH A SLUMPING AUSTIN WELLS?

It's no secret, Austin Wells is in an offensive slump. It's baseball, slumps happen but now is definitely not the best time to have one. So what do the Yankees DO about? The series shifts to Cleveland, and the Guardians NEED a win today. So do the Yankees ride with Austin behind the plate or make a move?

The Yankees definitely need a shake up in the lineup. Aaron Boone has already suggested he could move Giancarlo Stanton up in the lineup against lefty Matt Boyd and give him cleanup duties.... but is that the ONLY change he would make? Maybe not, because he's also hinted at giving Jose Trevino some playing time, read more HERE. Maybe this is where Bonne makes the switch, but should he?

Gotta love playoff baseball, where anything can happen, and anything should be considered. Any move made, could help determine when you play for championship or not. If I am Boone, my move would be cleaning up the cleanup spot. Wells needs to move down in the order but I'm sticking with Wells behind the plate. He hasn't made an impact with the bat, but he sure has with his glove.

Just because the Yankees are up 2-0 in this series, these games are too important to consider playing lineup roulette and rotating impactful pieces in and out. Nothing against Trevino, but even without any offense from Wells, he still gives the Yankees the best shot at winning. He may be ice cold with the bat, but he's hot with the glove. He was important to the Yankees win on Tuesday night.

The Yankees batting lineup can be reworked and still be effective. I still prefer Wells' bat over Trevino's. If you move Wells down in the lineup it takes some pressure off him so it may help him start hitting more. Trevino isn't an upgrade over Wells, and he hasn't played since September 29th, he's cold. Behind the plate, Wells has the better arm, and I have more confidence that he will keep the Guardians honest. He's better defensively and he's got the better arm. He has a better shot of throwing a runner out then Trevino. The Guardians could really test Trevino's arm and that's not something I want to be brave and experiment with when the Guardians have their backs against the wall. 

I'm riding with Wells. He's the better catcher. We saw him start to show hints of him coming out of his slump the other night. He hit one pretty hard.... but right at a Guardian. Take off some of the pressure in the batter's box and I still think he gives the Yankees the better chance to win, especially on the road.

Boone just needs to reimagine his batting order.... but not who's catching behind the plate. Don't overcomplicate and try to get fancy. You go with your best catcher, and there is no doubt that is Wells.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

SMALL BALL HAS FINALLY FOUND ITS WAY INTO BOONE'S STRATEGY BOOK

Source: New York Post

Wow, we actually are witnessing small ball in the Yankee lineup. "Mr. I love a home run", AKA Aaron Boone cracked open a new chapter into his strategy book. And it called for DJ LeMahieu to bunt, the team to execute hit and runs and play single-fest with early scoring. The Yankees demonstrated that they don't actually need the long ball to win games and guess what it was just as exciting to watch.

“Not that I expect us to be a team that’s bunting a lot or stealing bases a lot — it’s not necessarily our personnel,” Boone said after the Yankees reached a season-high-tying 26 games over .500. “But we have guys that can play that game. There are certain times you have to do little things on a diamond to help you win a ballgame,” reported the New York Post.

Source: ESPN

In a Monday night game where Juan Soto was back in the lineup, and Aaron Judge had the night off, the Yankees were fearless on the base paths and mighty with the bunt; bunting three times before the fourth inning, executing two of them flawlessly. To say that you don't expect the Yankees to be a bunting team is just immature. They are ball players; bunting and stealing are fundamental to the game. Let them play that game. Maybe they will have less injuries.

"The bunt show was only just beginning. In the fourth, LeMahieu knocked a one-out single before Trent Grisham attempted to bunt but got plunked on the foot. The next batter, Jahmai Jones, successfully got the bunt down to set the table for Jose Trevino, who came through with a two-run single that helped the Yankees pull away," reported the New York Post. When you keep the opposing team guessing, you are doing your job. And you make the game interesting. How about that?

Source: AP

Carlos Rodon pitched a gem of a game on Monday night and the Yankees found a way to win behind him. That is good baseball. And the way the game needs to be played. Strategy is important but culture is key. As legendary management consultant Peter Drucker said, "Culture eats strategy for breakfast." And the Yankees can win with the right attitude, despite some of the blundering strategies Boone typically prescribes. 

Bottom line, small ball belongs in any team's lineup, even ones with big bats. It puts stress on the opposing team's defense, causing them to have to be on their toes or even to make misplays. Small ball is back, and I hope for the team's sake it stays. 

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

CASHMAN HAS A PLAN FOR THE YANKEE CATCHING SURPLUS

I've been focused on two areas all winter. First, the need for more quality starting pitching and the second is more complex. My second concern is how to "fix" the same lineup from last season that couldn't hit with Juan Soto as the notable exception. I still think about these areas, but right now Brian Cashman is not.

Opening Day will be here before we know it and I am still thinking about the starting rotation and the offense. I know I am not alone, many of you reading this have said the same thing. Brian Cashman on the other hand, he's trying to spin something crazy. 

The Yankees have some roster questions to figure out as Spring Training winds down, read what the New York Post had to say about it HERE. The Yankees have five catchers on the 40-man roster, which is an interesting dilemma to have. The Yankees are familiar with Jose Trevino and Austin Wells has impressed the Yankees both defensively and offensively. I've liked what I've seen from Wells also. But what about the other three?

Agustin Ramirez and Carlos Narvaez need more time but have promise. The Yankees also have Ben Rortvedt and we've talked about him a lot. He's got potential. He was groomed to be a strong defensive catcher, but Wells has looked sharper lately and Rortvedt still needs work. I wasn't impressed to watch Rortvedt check out behind the plate with a ball five feet away from him that allowed two runners to score this weekend. Not a good time to make that kind of error. Pair that with his lack of offensive pop and he's not standing out as an easy add for the Opening Day roster.

So where do the Yankees go from here? Ben Rortvedt may need more time, but he is out of minor league options. So the Yankees either need to take a leap of faith and give him a spot, or expose him to waivers where someone will scoop him up. Cashman of course is trying to take advantage of this scenario and turn into a salesman. Here's what he had to say:

"It's certainly an area of depth. Everybody's actually done a great job showcasing their abilities, not just for us but for others. So clearly a dam is going to break one way or the other toward the end of camp, so we’ll see how we navigate that," said Cashman.

So, Cashman is waiting for someone to pay up for a catcher....and get what out of it? Who knows, but Cashman is definitely trying to drum up more interest than he has right now. His choice of words also makes me laugh at him hysterically.

I do like his dam analogy for something else though....I am sitting, hoping and waiting for his dam of failures to finally break and get washed away from the Yankees. Let Hal Steinbrenner fire him. Let him get carried away to somewhere else far, far away. I know I won't get that lucky though soon enough. 

The Yankees catcher situation will be solved before Cashman goes away. It's unfortunate but, a girl can dream. 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

PINCH ME! BEN RORTVEDT IS REAL & BACK IN ACTION!

You may have forgotten that Ben Rortvedt exists, and if you did I can't say I blame you. We've talked about him for so long, but never got to see him in action. Now we have physical proof he exists!

It's been the longest wait ever but after being traded to the Yankees during the 2021-2022 offseason, Rortvedt made his incredibly long overdue Yankees debut and he did not disappoint. I will gladly take two for four with a run scored in his first appearance. It may not sound exciting, but hey for the longest time nobody truly knew if he existed! It's a step in the right direction.

Now that Jose Trevino is on the Injured List, Rortvedt will get some time behind the plate when Kyle Higashioka needs a day off. Baby steps for a guy that did not get to play at all in 2022 and has the potential for the everyday catcher the Yankees have been missing for a long time.

I salivate when I think about a left handed hitter, because we always need those. But add in a guy that has great defensive capabilities and I'm ready to do some backflips. Rortvedt may not have the Jorge Posada pop that I always loved and miss to this day, but he has the arm that I would love to see throw out runners and make exciting jaw dropping plays. Oh and the fact that he can frame and block pitches doesn't hurt either. He's the opposite of Gary Sanchez and after that nightmare, I love the change.

I'm looking forward to the future. This is just the first step, but I like that his first game back in the big leagues and all of the potential that is there. For now, Trevino and Higashioka still stand behind the dish, and Rortvedt will still need seasoning in Triple-A, but I can't remember the last time I was this excited about the third catching option.

I can't wait to see more. Good to see ya back in action, Rortvedt!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj