JUSTIN VERLANDER'S STILL GOT IT APPARENTLY

The San Francisco Giants have agreed to a one-year, $15 million deal with starting pitcher Justin Verlander. While it’s not Yankee news, Verlander is one of those players you have to report on when he’s on the move.

A nine-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young winner, Verlander has been one of the most dominant pitchers of his generation, earning accolades with the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros. He even snagged the AL MVP award in 2011, the same year he won his first Cy Young with the Tigers.

However, Verlander is no longer in his prime. His 2024 season was rough, posting a 5.48 ERA over 90⅓ innings and hitting a career-low in strikeout rate. Despite his determination to pitch until 45, the declining velocity of his fastball has been hard to ignore.

There was some doubt about whether Verlander would continue his illustrious career, especially after last season’s struggles, which included a career-worst ERA in 17 starts for the Astros and two stints on the injured list. Still, it’s good to see him giving it another go. I’m not a Verlander hater—he’s had a fantastic career and deserves respect. Let's see if he has anything left in the tank.

I wish him well.

YANKEES SWEEP OUT THE TRASH!

What a great ending to a Easter holiday weekend! A three-game sweep is hard enough, but we just watched the Yankees sweep a four-game series against the team I hate the most. Now I want to see this team stay hungry and carry that into Arizona.

It's a small sample size, but the Yankees are doing better than I thought they would. Last year the Yankees would be lucky to split a four-game series....and I do mean lucky. Maybe this team is hungrier than I thought. Maybe the ASSTROS are struggling with their new identity. Let's face it, Dusty Baker was an energizer to that team... and now he's gone.

Meantime, the Yankees have a new spark. We all knew Juan Soto was going to add steady offense that this team was lacking, but he exceeded almost everyone's expectations with his 9-for-17 in the series, a double, home run, four RBIs and three walks and add in two game winning hits. Aaron Judge was a cool 2-for-16 in the series, but he started similarly in 2022 and he still finished with an American League record of 62 home runs. I am imagining what it looks like if Soto and Judge go on an offensive run at the same time.

It's no secret, I HATE the ASSTROS and their owner Jim Crane. I think they are the dirtiest team in baseball and their returning cheaters Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Justin Verlander are disgraceful lowlifes. We've owed the ASSTROS a punch in the face for a long time. We gave them four in a row, and now I hope Verlander is healthy when we play them at home in May so we can smack him around, too. That would make this even sweeter for me.

I'm trying not to get overly excited here, because I know we just barely got started but I am liking what I see so far. The Yankees are headed to Arizona, and I will be at Tuesday's game, so I hope they bring this momentum with them, and sucker punch the Diamondbacks also. Last time they came here, we didn't play well and my husband who supports the Diamondbacks for his NL team wouldn't let me hear the end of it.

Don't let me down boys!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

WHEN IT COMES TO THE YANKEES, LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY...

Are you mentally checked out? Let me put it to you this way: Have you stopped investing time and money in the 2023 Yankees? I am looking for a series to stream and other hobbies to occupy my time between now and the World Series. I ran over 130 miles in the month of July, can I do 150 in August? Where will you allocate your time now that the Yankees have sent a message that they are no longer competing? Honestly, I don't even know if they are building.

Source: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

"There was no enormous trade-deadline splash in The Bronx on Tuesday. No 6 p.m. gasp at Yankee Stadium when a game-changing trade hit social media or lit up the pre-game blather on the scoreboard. No thunderous bat for left field. No starter who might replace the struggling Luis Severino or even just add insurance to the pinstriped rotation," reported Yahoo Sports.

Just status quo. Nothing brewing. No sense of urgency. They have given up. And therefore, so have I. Work is a lot. Plenty of other things to do than watch the Yankees piss their talent and season away. Just need to figure out what to do with all my newly opened calendar space.

According to CBS Sports, "The last place Yankees -- made two minor trades at the deadline, picking up relievers Keynan Middleton and Spencer Howard in separate deals, and that's it. They neither bought nor sold, and they didn't address their season-long left field problem either." 

"We're in it to win it. We stayed the course because of that," GM Brian Cashman said after the trade deadline. "This was the best play for us with the team we have, still within striking distance," reported CBS Sports. Are they serious? What world are they living in? And it must be nice to simply not care and get paid a lot of money to not care.

"The trade deadline makes you wonder whether anyone upstairs, specifically Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner, has a grasp on reality and the team's current situation. Are they honest with their self-evaluation? Do they understand they have an aging roster and have struggled to finish off the development of their young players at the MLB level, or that the other four teams in the AL East are on the rise? They're so sure of themselves even though the team on the field inspires no confidence," reported CBS Sports.

The Yankees have been coasting since 2009, living off their prior wins and complacent with where they are. They are not racing toward anything. They are stuck in the salary mud, with deadbeat, used to be players not interested in doing anything but giving us lip service that they are trying.

Let's put it this way...if the Mets are two years out from having a championship team, unloading key fixtures in Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander to AL teams that are contending, where are the Yankees? Three years, four years out? What are they doing to improve? 2023 was a disaster but unless the Yankees are going to have a hard look at that themselves in the mirror will 2024 be any different? 

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

"THE PLAN NOW IS FOR ALL OF US TO CLICK AT THE RIGHT TIME."

9 games back. 

But things are taking a turn.  The addition of hitting coach Sean Casey will prove significant, and the addition of Andy Pettitte offers hope for Yankee fans everywhere.  It shows a true effort to surround an unqualified manager with smarter, more qualified former players are now in the mix. The Yankees decision making just got better. Pettitte and Casey will help pump up players, offer approach strategy, and hopefully show the fans that Yankee brass is serious about improving this team.  Will it work? I think seeing guys like Casey and Pettitte shows the Yankees are throwing everything at the problem without disrupting the clubhouse with major trades, firings or demotions.  There's no doubt that things are starting to change for the better.  Not we just need everyone to contribute.

That title above is actually a Giancarlo Stanton quote.  The New York Post writes:

"After DJ LeMahieu and Giancarlo Stanton crushed key home runs on Saturday, Anthony Rizzo ended a two-month homerless drought among his four hits on Sunday as the Yankees completed a three-game sweep of the Royals...

They will face a more formidable test Tuesday night in three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, who has posted a 1.74 ERA over his past five starts for the Mets.

“It doesn’t matter who they have going, we have a job to do and we gotta be ourselves and do what we have to do,” Stanton said Sunday. “Good at-bats, tough outs, that’s what builds four-, five, six-run games. … The plan now is for all of us to click at the right time.”

It's simple thinking, but that's the kind of thinking you need to have when you're a ballplayer.  Us fans treat these losses like it's the end of the world. I cannot believe how many times I hear from fans that the Yankees "suck".  Yea, on paper we're better than we're playing, but 9 out is not as bad as saying "last place" and it's a mindset.  I really think the Yankees have a shot this year. I hate thinking this way, but they're only 2.5 out of the wildcard.  My point is, it's not as bad as Yankee fans make it out to be. And the Yankee press has been pretty bad as well. It just plays to the baseball insiders favor, throwing possible trades against the wall... all guesses, but helps their readership.  Everybody calm down.

But what Stanton says is key. All of the Yankee players have to click at the right time.  There are winning streaks, losing streaks, hot streaks and slumps.  We got the worst of all of that recently, but we're turning a corner.  

It's July 25th. Not August 25th. That too is a significant part of it.  We need to be patient, but we need to turn it up now!  It's a hard approach when you think about it.  But I have no doubt that guys like Casey and Pettitte will be influential with this latest winning streak.  The bottom line however is that we just need to keep going.

We got this.

LET'S GO WITH FOUR & SEE WHAT THE SPRING BRINGS!

With the Yankees being bit by the injury bug only a few weeks before spring training, I have to wonder do the Yankees need to decide who slides into the fifth spot now? In case you are unaware, the Yankees stated late last week that their fifth starter, Frankie Montas will not be ready for the start of the 2023 season—leaving that slot wide open. I don't like the obvious choices of Clarke Schmidt and Domingo German to fill that void—sorry skipper aka Robert Casey. Not a fan of Schmidt and honestly he has been given dozens of chances last season alone and he has underperformed. And German, I have no desire to even see him in pinstripes any further. So my question is this: Can the Yankees go with four and see what the spring brings before naming their fifth starter?

Competition does a lot for a team. It brings out the best in people as they work to be their best selves. Personally, on Tuesday mornings right at sunrise, you can find me at a local track, running 200 repeats to increase my speed and endurance for an upcoming 10-miler this spring. Putting in the work, hard work, is humbling and reminds you what you are going for, what you want in your goals and aspirations. Spring Training does the same thing—giving players an opportunity to perform at their best, showing the coaches and scouts what they can do and pushing themselves to their threshold of power. All this to say, why not let the spring play out, bringing the best of today's youth to the mound, throwing for their spot in the rotation.

"Almost all of the time since the Yankees did last win the Series, they haven’t had enough pitching. They never had the starters to drag them across the finish line the way Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez did against the Phillies when the ’22 Series was two games apiece, and the way Lance McCullers Jr. and Charlie Morton did against the Yankees in that ’17 ALCS," reported Mike Lupica in his recent post on MLB.com. The Yankees have four great starters: Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Carlos Rodon and Luis Severino. When healthy, they can be lethal to the batters they face. Are they akin to the Yankee starters of 20 years ago? Andy Pettitte: 21-8, Mike Mussina: 17-8, Roger Clemens: 17-9 and David Wells: 15-7 were those starters and the answer to the question, why not?

Source: NY Post

"The best starting rotations are the ones when you have a deep talented staff, and every day, yesterday’s starter hands the ball off and the competitive spirit to his teammate and says, ‘Now top that.’ If you can get a collection of talented pitchers that have that type of capability and makeup, that’s when some magical things have a chance to happen," said Brian Cashman when he introduced the Yankees newest starter Carlos Rodon.

This brings me back to the point of competition. Healthy competition can put you and your team in the best position to reach your goals. So, let the pitchers compete for a spot. This spot could be permanent or temporary as Montas continues his rehab to full strength. We really have not seen a healthy Montas pitch and perhaps the almost 30-year-old needs to see a youngster in his slot to empower him to get better and take his spot back. The Yankees have one of the best farm systems in the majors. So, let's see them compete. And go with four and see what the spring brings.  

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

WILL THE YANKEES REUNITE WITH JAMESON TAILLON?

The pitching market is intriguing this winter. One of the two big names are off of the board and another name we all know well is getting a lot of attention.

Everyone is waiting to see where Justin Verlander lands, and after that the smaller pieces will come off the board faster....and one of those will be Jameson Taillon. It's easy to overlook that he was the Yankees winningest pitcher last season with a 14-5 record. It wasn't Gerrit Cole or Nestor Cortes, even though those are the names we think of immediately. Taillon's success last season has opened the eyes of other teams, including that other New York team.

Mark Feinsand talked about Taillon on MLB tonight and said Taillon has taken several Zoom meetings with other teams, read more HERE. The Mets and the Phillies are very interested in adding Taillon to their rotations, maybe even as a number two type starter and he impressed teams with his knowledge and his passion with the way he thinks about pitching. We shouldn't be surprised, when the Yankees signed him scouts called him a smart pitcher and that he could be a number two starter if he rebounded from his injuries.

And you can argue he has turned into that number two starter. I was a fan of the Taillon signing two years ago, and I still am today. I'd like to see him return to the Yankees. I really wouldn't like to see him go to the Mets or head over to Philly either. I still think could be a big difference maker for the back end of the rotation....but do the Yankees?

Feinsand says Taillon met with "a bunch of teams" and I hope the Yankees are still in the mix. He's proven that he can handle the bright lights of Yankee stadium. They say if it ain't broke don't fix it....and Taillon has proven he's anything but broke.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

FOUR TARGETS THE YANKEES ARE LOOKING TO SIGN!

Aaron Judge is the big fish, but he's not the only one out there. Remember, the Yankees didn't get very far in the post season for a few reasons. Judge wasn't the only reason. Their offense stunk and pitching was a little shaky. I had said it all year; I said the Yankees looked great for most of the season, but it's in those short series that you truly find what kind of team you have. The Yanks didn't have it, and so, we really need to think about what to do to improve.

There are some names attached to the Yankees this offseason. I wanted to share four of them with you. Do with it what you want. The rumor season is always a weird one built up with clicks and ideas. So, in the end, who knows what will really happen. But I wanted to share the names anyway... because it's fun.

Pablo Lopez:

The Yankees liked this guy back in August. But nothing ever happened.  Now, his name is back in the fold and this time he's connected to Gleyber Torres to make it a reality. Jon Heyman tweets this:

Biggest name hear available in trade so far is Marlins pitcher Pablo Lopez. Fish need hitters! Came close to dealing him to Yankees at deadline in a Gleyber Torres deal.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 8, 2022

Yanks go Yard says this:

"The Marlins need hitters and they have a plethora of starting pitchers, with Lopez slowly becoming expendable because he’s a free agent after 2024 who likely won’t be re-signed due to the other emerging arms in the organization. He’s expected to make $6.3 million in arbitration in 2023, which would be a cost-effective price for a pitcher of his caliber as well as the Yankees’ needs (a No. 4 and 5 behind Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes and Luis Severino)."

My take? I think Lopez will turn into another Frankie Montas. Looks decent when not in a big market like New York... nerves get the best of him IN New York.  While I do see Gleyber Torres getting moved this off season, I don't want it to be for Lopez.

Michael Conforto:

Why Conforto you ask? I ask that too... why the hell do we want Michael Conforto?  Heyman writes "Conforto, said to be healthy now, would fit Yankee Stadium..."  But why Jon, because he's available and a lefty hitter? Conforto batted .232 in 2021. And he did not play a single inning in 2022. Hardly a powerhouse and definitely not better than what we already have in the outfield. You wanna dump Hicks for him? Sure, then maybe it's an upgrade. But just getting Conforto for the sake of getting him is ridiculous. Heyman doesn't seem to get that missing a year can be a severe blow to a player's ability. Conforto may be fine, but he also could be a bust. Hard sell. 

Andrew Benintendi:

No brainer. The Yankees had Andrew this year and are interested in retaining him in 2023. Benny wants to come back, and so now it's just a matter of time to get that done. Bleacher Report writes:

"Benintendi was supposed to be their answer after they acquired him from the Kansas City Royals, but his season ended Sept. 2 when a pitch broke his wrist. The 28-year-old hit .304/.373/.399 in 126 games with the Royals and Yankees last season."

It's respectable, and definitely a hell of a lot better than taking a chance on Conforto.

Carlos Rodon:

David Cone says this of Rodon:

"Carlos Rodon is in a class by himself. Upper-90s fastball. Left-handed. Power pitcher. Coming off a great year. He’s a cut above. He’s going to command a big deal wherever he goes, as long as you can get past his medicals. He does have a little bit of an injury history. But he certainly had a great year last year once again with the Giants.”

He is not wrong. Yahoo Sports writes:

"Rodon proved the last two seasons that when he’s right physically, he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball.

The southpaw pitched to a 2.37 ERA over 24 starts for the White Sox in 2021, posting a 0.957 WHIP and an eye-popping 185 ERA-plus.

Then last season, after signing a short-term deal (due to his injury history) with the Giants, he went 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA over 31 starts. He racked up 237 strikeouts over 278 innings, and his K rate of 12 per nine innings was the best in the majors for a starting pitcher."

While it appears to be a smart move, it comes down to money, and how this guy will perform in a place like Yankee stadium.  Plus, you always have to factor in injury, which, is an issue with this guy.

Yes. the Yankees are connected to a lot of other guys as well, including Justin Verlander and Cody Bellinger, but I just don't see those names as guys with a big upside. We definitely do not need Bellinger, and while Verlander has been dominant in 2022, I just don't see this guy wanting to come to New York. I mean, I'd love it, but I don't think the marriage is possible.

More names soon.  Stay tuned.

In the meantime, get to shopping. Great deals on the BYB store! Be sure to check it out. Requests are being taken as well, so let me know what you want made and I will do it!

HERE'S YOUR THANKSGIVING APPETIZER - VERLANDER TO THE YANKEES?!

First and foremost, Happy Thanksgiving BYB family! We hope you are happy, healthy and enjoying your day with friends and family. Before you indulge in some turkey or pumpkin pie, let's have a Yankee appetizer.

That rumor is back again....you know, the Justin Verlander one. This time last year I asked JUSTIN VERLANDER TO THE YANKEES? and I really didn't think anything of it. I STILL don't think anything of it today...but the rumor is back and NJ.com has the scoop on it HERE.

The Yankees are always tied to big name free agents, so why would it change now? Add in that the Yankees wanted him last season and missed out on him so why wouldn't they be interested again? Oh, especially after he was just named the 2022 AL Cy Young winner after winning 18 games and posting a career low 1.75 ERA. EVERY TEAM is going to be knocking on Verlander's door.

And that is also going to make him very expensive. He's going to cash in after the season he just had so now we wait and see who's going to dig the deepest in their pockets to get him. I really don't think it will be the Yankees.

Look, Verlander had the chance to be a Yankee this season and he turned us down. The Yankees supposedly had some inside information.... but boy was it wrong.
"The Yankees tried for him last year, and they’ve gotten word through some high-ranking, political people, that he’d like to go to New York," Jon Heyman said, "They made him an offer, and they felt, the way it was handled, that he didn’t want to go to New York. The Yankees are again trying with Verlander, but I don’t think they’re confident."

So there you go...the Yankees aren't confident in their offer (supposedly) and neither am I. I don't think Verlander wants to be a Yankee and I am okay with that. I really don't want him anyway. I just want this dumb rumor to go away. Let the Mets, Dodgers or Houston throws their money at him.

So there is your Thanksgiving nibble.... personally I think some Apple pie sounds better right now so I am gonna leave it at that. Enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving, everyone!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

IT'S REDEMPTION TIME AS THE YANKEES HEAD TO HOUSTON

The stage has been set. The field is ready. The walkup music is cued. And just like that, it's Game 1 against the Houston Astros in what will surely be an incredible battle in the American League Championship Series. After rocking some babies in the Bronx against the Guardians, the Yankees move on with a 5-1 victory in a winner takes all ALDS.  Following an abbreviated celebration at the Stadium, Yankees boarded a plane bound for Houston, pumped and ready for redemption at Minute Maid Park tonight, where they have had a storied history since 2017.

As ESPN reports, "New York now faces off against the Astros in a best-of-seven series that starts in Houston on Wednesday when Justin Verlander and Jameson Taillon go head-to-head in Game 1. During the regular season, the Astros and Yankees finished with the two best records in the American League, respectively, while Houston took five of seven games against New York."

In this all hands on deck game, Cortes certainly gave the Yankees early energy, throwing five innings of shutout baseball on short rest. And then it was Giancarlo Stanton who put the Yankees up early with a three-run bomb in the first inning. If they can follow the same formula of striking early, and staying locked and loaded on the hill, the Yankees have more than a chance to redeem themselves and punch their ticket to the World Series. 

In listening in to the post-game interviews, I can't help but be impressed with the laser focus of this team. In particular, one of the newest Yankees Harrison Bader who had a heck of an ALDS with three home runs, speed on the bases and terrific defense in center field, had a lot of positive and mature words for this Yankee team. He told Meredith Marakovits that this team just needs to focus—forget about Verlander, forget about the past, just focus on the present and play good baseball. And Nestor Cortes spoke about the leadership of a quiet guy in the dugout, Giancarlo Stanton. Cortes' simple words about his teammate are below:

From Aaron Judge's fourth home run in a winner-take-all game— the most in MLB history to the absolute stud-like performance of Wandy Peralta in five straight postseason games, the most ever by a pitcher, the Yankees set themselves up for a huge win. Now the momentum of this incredible performance needs to carry them throughout what will surely be a bloody battle against the Astros.

With first pitch set for 7:37 PM EST, The American League Championship Series will provide all of the drama that a good thriller does. The Yankees take on the underdog role, one they embrace as their focus is only on winning against a team that has been their only barrier to the World Series over the last few years. Let's go guys, best the Astros and bring home the American League Championship. Play baseball like you know you can. We believe in you. 

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

A RIDICULOUSLY SUBJECTIVE & SKEWED TOP 5 MLB PLAYERS LIST JUST CAME OUT...

Baseball is built on fandom and the players are there because they are talented. And picking guys as "top" guys is usually based on popularity, who's hot, who's not and once again... the fans.

Ben Verlander came out with a top 5 MLB players list today. I don't understand why we are hanging on every word Ben Verlander says but we are.  I mean, what are his credentials? He's Justin Verlander's younger brother. He played baseball. OK... and then what?  My point is why is he important? But this isn't actually about Ben. DON'T TROLL HIM. He's a good dude, has great ideas, he's a good-looking guy, smart.  

But to put his name on a "TOP 5 MLB Players" list is to just get this guy trolled and that's not fair to Ben. Why? Because look at the list FOX is getting behind.

First off, are these the Top 5 MLB Players of the Decade? Of the season? Of the week? Why do you ask? Here's why.  

Mike Trout may be the best player in baseball since he got into the pros. That's a fact. Bryce Harper had a great week last week, is he in the Top 5?  And we all know Cody Bellinger is a total gamer even though he's batting .202. What about him? Should he have been considered? And let's even go further as a baseball AND Yankee fan...

When you're talking the most meaningful hits with games on the line, bottom line is this year, at this moment, it's Aaron Judge! Hands down. 

Judge SHOULD be #1.  But you want to know why Ohtani is #1? Because MLB props this guy up because he's a two way player. But you know what? There should be more two ways in the Major Leagues. Here's the problem high schools and colleges make players 'pitchers only' or players and they don't have a choice. And so, by the time they get to the Majors they don't get to choose to be a two way. But Shohei Ohtani is an international player, signed a big contract and he was able to demand what he wanted.  And now, because of that, he's beloved.  But look at his numbers...

Ohtani is a .257 hitter this year. And pitching? His ERA is 2.78 and a 3-2 record this year. Strikeouts? 46 in 6 games. HARDLY THE BEST.

You know who's better? Several pitchers, but Max Scherzer is 4-1 with a 2.66 ERA and 55 strikeouts. 

And what about Justin Verlander? 5-1 with a 1.38 ERA? Those numbers alone move Ohtani down the list, maybe even knock him off the list. And what's worse is Justin was ignored. Why? Because Ben Verlander can't pick Justin because they're brothers.  And that's the ONLY reason, but we all know that Verlander is better than Ohtani.

Look, I in no way want to give Ben Verlander a hard time. But lists like this one are clearly political and strategic and orchestrated and silly.  And the biggest word? Subjective, especially if you're a baseball fan, because we all have lists.  

If we're making lists, here's my 19-year old's list, who, by the way, has no credentials other than he plays college ball and loves the game. 

1. Aaron Judge

2. Manny Machado

3. Mike Trout

4. Nolan Arenado

5. Rafael Devers

And by the way... YOU WILL HAVE DIFFERENT PICKS. That's my point... backing a list that is so skewed is madness.

And I'm curious... what's your list? If you're on Twitter, RT and list your top 5. I'd love to see it.