WHEN LEADERS DON'T LEAD, FRANCHISES CRUMBLE

Is it almost Dead Day for this guy? I mean Boone is awful and needs to be canned. Sure, suggest I'm being dramatic, but the truth is I'm right. Bad leaders destroy a franchise. Google it.

Every week, I get emails. Facebook comments. DMs from confused Yankee fans asking the same question:

“Why do you keep going after Aaron Boone and Anthony Volpe? Nothing’s going to change.”

Here’s why: I don’t do “nothing.” Never have. If something I care about is rotting from the inside out, I speak up. And right now, the thing that’s decaying faster than day-old fish in the Bronx sun is the New York Yankees.

Once a proud franchise. Now? A parody of itself.

The front office is asleep at the wheel. Brian Cashman? Complacent, clueless, and somehow allergic to making an actual impactful trade. He’s been GM so long, he probably thinks VHS tapes are coming back. And Aaron Boone? Oh boy. If there’s a Mount Rushmore of managers who shouldn’t be managing, Boone is George Washington.

This guy couldn’t lead a marching band in a one-horse town. If Boone were in charge during WWII, we’d all be toasting bratwurst in Berlin. He’s soft. He doesn’t lead; he babysits. He’s turned the Yankees clubhouse into a summer camp where nobody gets cut and everyone gets a trophy. He yells at the media because of the pressure, but doesn't understand what comes with the job. It's not about arguing balls and strikes, its about leading players to victory... and he can try and suggest "players aren't playing well" all he wants, but there's a reason why... and it's him.

And his obsession with Anthony Volpe? Borderline Shakespearean. Volpe could boot three ground balls and strike out looking twice, and Boone would still run out like a helicopter parent screaming at the ump for hurting his “special boy’s” feelings. It’s not just cringe—it’s deeply weird. A grown man managing a professional baseball team should not act like he’s defending his son in tee-ball.

Meanwhile, I’ve been calling for Boone’s firing since Aaron Judge had baby cheeks. And at long last, baseball insiders are starting to see what I’ve been yelling about. Enter Ken Rosenthal, who—diplomatic as ever—finally hinted that Boone might just be a problem.

Rosenthal wrote:

“The Yankees’ performance is again lacking. And until they play cleaner baseball, it will be fair to question whether Boone is doing enough to hold the players accountable. If he is not, the accountability ultimately will fall on him.”

Translation: We’re getting close to Boone’s dead day. In other words, his firing.

This feels like 2022 all over again. Or worse—2004 Red Sox Highlight DVD levels of dread. Only now, we don’t have a manager with fire. We have Boone, who looks permanently confused and sounds like a podcast host who forgot to prep.

Last night’s game? Embarrassing doesn’t cover it. Four defensive errors, mental gaffes, and a total lack of urgency in an 8-4 loss that pushed the Yankees even further out of the division race. Boone says this is a “very good defensive team.” That’s either gaslighting or he’s watching the wrong sport. Because the Yankees out there? They looked like the Savannah Bananas with a head cold. And the Bananas are better fielders AND do tricks

.As for Volpe, he’s got all the hype and half the glove. He’s a walking error. But Boone still treats him like he's the chosen one. It’s beyond favoritism—it’s delusion. And it sends the worst possible message to the rest of the team: Play poorly, and the manager will defend you like a fangirl.

Fans like me? We’re tired. Tired of the excuses. Tired of the gloss. Tired of Boone acting like this is Little League and not the freaking New York Yankees.

Managers used to hold players accountable. Boone hands out warm milk and bedtime stories. And guess what? The team reflects that. Sloppy, slow, uninspired.

At the end of the day, leadership matters. Performance matters. The Yankees aren’t performing. And Aaron Boone, the manager who somehow thinks effort is enough, should be out of a job today. Not next week. Not in October. Today.

Because until someone in charge actually holds these players responsible, the only thing we’ll be winning is participation ribbons.

MLB'S FIRING OF KEN ROSENTHAL PROVES MANFRED'S GRUDGE IS AN ATTACK ON JOURNALISM

Ken Rosenthal was fired from MLB Network. Not because he's bad at his job. No. They fired him because he has been critical of the way Rob Manfred is handling the MLB. And you know what? Rosenthal is right! Rob Manfred has destroyed the game!

Clutch Points writes:

"Firing somebody due to his opinion is definitely not a good look, especially in a Major League sport. MLB Network did a horrible job here by letting go of him and Rob Manfred should also be ashamed not only because of the bad product that he puts out in the world but also for allowing this to happen. Some of the rules that he has implemented in today’s game are simply not made for the MLB and have certainly ruined the game."

Manfred is like a dictator. A man with control over his entire conglomerate of MLB and killing anyone who doesn't think the same. It's harsh, but it's true. But here's the thing. When it comes to opinions, that's what makes this country great. Ken Rosenthal wasn't lying about what Rob Manfred was doing in his ruining of the MLB, he was stating fact and then offering an opinion after that. And guess what... Rosenthal is not off base. He's allowed to hate the way Manfred runs things. That's because he's not wrong. We all hate it.

Puckett's Pond writes:

"We as fans would love to see him gone, with multiple petitions popping up across the internet have asked for his firing, and the players despise his lack of love of the game and maltreatment of the sport as a whole, but despite that, he’s not going anywhere.

This means baseball is headed for a dark place, and unless Manfred grows a spine soon, he’ll be the one leading the charge towards the end of America’s Pastime. Get ready Twins fans and baseball fans in general: Things will get ugly, and it’s all because of Manfred and his owner overlords."

For Manfred, it's all about the business. And sure, I understand the MLB is business, but it's a game meant to be played at a baseball game's pace. Speeding up the game is for the networks and real fans hate that. We like walking the batter intentionally on 4 straight pitches. We hate having a runner on second in extra innings. It's stupid! It's not real baseball... it's TV manufactured.

And this goes back to Rosenthal. What the hell did he do? Suggest MLB changes and Manfred ideas were ruining what baseball is all about! He's right! 1000%.

Look at what Ken Singleton tweeted, courtesy of the New York Post:

"Ken Singleton, the former three-time All-Star who retired from YES Network in 2021, also was displeased with the news.

“Ken Rosenthal has been an excellent writer and reporter on all things baseball since covering the Orioles years ago in Baltimore,” Singleton tweeted. “For the MLB Network to let him go is terribly shortsighted and reduces the credibility of the whole product.”

And Covering the Corner writes:

"This is the only thing you need to know today: the owners will not stand for criticism from their own media mouthpieces n the lockout. If Ken Rosenthal can be fired for criticism, how safe are the positions of any other lesser-known reporting staff? There are only so many times that one can dive into the archives and talk about the best “gifts” that each team has received and not become a parody of one’s self."

We stand with Kenny over here at BYB. This is journalism and what the editorial pages are built on. If you can't say what you believe as a respected journalist, all while reporting the news, what the hell's the point of any of this?

Manfred is a clown. His cronies are oompa-loompa's and he has disgraced the game since the day he showed up. He needs to go and it became quite clear to me the day the Houston Astros got nothing for cheating the league, and he was seen paling around with the Astros owner. 

You're caught dick!

This isn't about the fans folks. MLB is about the money and owners and the power and whatever they all can do collectively to make money and sucker us fans out of it. They do not care about us. This is why I have slowly moved away from being such a huge MLB and Yankee fan. Because corporate greed has latched on worse than ever and Manfred is the worst of them all.

If FOX Sports and the Athletic were smart, they should protect and let Kenny Rosenthal do whatever he needs to stay and spew hard opinions against Manfred and the league. I would tune into that for sure.

I leave you with this: 

"It’s understandable why Manfred would be upset at what Rosenthal wrote; it made him look bad. A decent leader would have forgotten about it two days, if not two hours, after he read it. Instead, he held a silly grudge, and it’s an unfunny joke that Rosenthal, a shoo-in to be honored someday with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award from the Hall of Fame, got dumped.

Perhaps the real sympathies should be directed at the hard-working reporters who remain at MLB Network, because the decision to dump Rosenthal did their reputations no favors. Major League Baseball executives, particularly original network president and CEO Tony Pettiti, have insisted since the beginning that they want MLB Network to be editorially credible and they would not interfere with the journalistic duties of the correspondents.

Then, because the commissioner cannot accept that criticism comes with his job, the network goes and dumps the popular and respected Rosenthal for what were accurate rebukes? The perception is not fair, but Manfred’s actions implicitly suggest that the reporters who remain are in lockstep with how the commissioner’s office wants the league covered. At the very least, they now know what the consequences are for being critical of the boss."

That comes from Boston.com, and the most important part of this entire story. The firing of Rosenthal is an attack on journalism and opinion in journalism.  The journalists and reporters at MLB? Be ready to not speak the truth. Be ready to be State TV. Be ready to have no real passion and no real reason to be on the air other than being a puppet. Why? Because your boss sucks and only cares about making money, not making baseball memories.  

MLB loses. They lost the day Manfred took over and they are losing worse than ever when Rosenthal got fired.

We at BYB had one rule when I started this Yankee fan site. My writers are to speak their OPINIONS. They are allowed to disagree with the boss. That's me. They are allowed to speak their mind, have a harsh opinion, and attack, as long as they know that when there is push back by fans and players, or even journalists, they have to fight their battles. They say it, they own it. 

David Cone and Suzie Pinstripe got into a scuffle a few years back. Jeana and Mike O'Hara have gone back and forth about Mark Teixeira... and I've had beef with all of our writers once of twice since we started in September 2010. I remember fondly bitching out Curt Schilling on Twitter as well. What a tool.  But here's the thing about journalism and opinions.... you know why it works? Because a rant is healthy. A rant... opinion is important in the public forum. And for Manfred to come forward and say goodbye to Rosenthal tells me one thing... he's a clown with no balls and thin skin, plain and simple.

And speaking of clowns... BYB has put out some products for sale.

Manfred the Clown is on sale now on TeePublic.

We are also making an MLB shirt which reads: MLB: Manfred Lacks Balls.  (In many Colors!)

Both will be live soon so be sure to check them out and see if you can find something nice to wear!

I'm so over Rob Manfred. Anyone who doesn't understand how much of an attack this is on journalism is out of their minds. This is bad.  

In closing, understand this. Ken Rosenthal is respected. He has respect from us all and will be fine with the Athletic and FOX Sports... but trust me when I tell you... freedom in journalism took a hit. And it's not good! It's just not!

YANKEE RUMORS: A FUTURE WITHOUT AARON JUDGE?

Things that make you go "hmmmm...." 

What makes you do that related to the Yankees? Lately it's been a few things for me, but to narrow it down to one subject for this post it would be Aaron Judge and I know I am not the only one. 

We all love Aaron Judge. He is talented, has a good head on his shoulders, he's respected and he is the face of the Yankees franchise. There are many reasons to love him, but there are also things we may not like. For me, the injury history is very concerning to me. Right now he is on the Injured List with a grade 1 calf strain and the Yankees are considering bringing him back as soon as he is eligible, which would be this weekend against the Mets, read more HERE. Now, as much as I want Judge back, I also don't wantto rush him back and risk him not healing properly and having a setback. That's not irrational considering his injury history.

But back to the 'things that make you go "hmmmm"' idea I found some interesting pieces the past few days from NJ.com and The Athletic both have long-term ideas for the Yankees that do NOT include Judge. If you do not have a subscription to The Athletic you can still read pieces of it HERE. 

Interesting take. So Judge won't be a free agent until after 2022, so if the Yankees wanted to lock up Judge to a long term extension they should do it while he is arbitration eligible. Makes a lot of sense, but Ken Rosenthal prefers a different idea. The Yankees have been tied to Francisco Lindor in rumors for a while now. Rosenthal thinks the Yankees should move on from Judge and use their outfield depth instead. The Yankees will still have Giancarlo Stanton signed through 2027, Aaron Hicks through 2025, Clint Frazier and Mike Tauchman under control through 2024 (assuming the Yankees don't trade Frazier, of course).

Instead of spending money on Judge, Rosenthal suggests upgrading the infield and signing Lindor.
"The Yankees already will owe their other outsized and oft-injured slugger, Giancarlo Stanton, $208 million from 2021 to ’27 when he does not opt out after this season. Great player, great guy, much like Judge. But would the Yankees want to make another uncertain long-term investment when Judge’s first free-agent year would be in 2023, his age-31 season? Lindor is eligible to hit the market one year earlier at a significantly younger age, entering his age-28 season. He has missed only 30 games since 2016, making his only career trip to the IL at the start of last season with a strained right calf and a left ankle sprain. And he is every bit as magnetic as Judge, a native of Puerto Rico with the nickname “Mr. Smile” who would light up New York."

So I guess Rosenthal loves Lindor as much as some fans may love Judge, and that's fair. From a depth perspective, the Yankees have more options in the outfield and Lindor would be a nice upgrade for the infield. It may make sense on paper....but Judge is more than just a transaction, he's the face of the Yankees franchise now. Baseball is a business, but emotions are added when it comes to Judge.

So I get Rosenthal's idea, I understand the thought process. Judge is injury prone, and as he gets older the injury risk only increases. The idea of a Yankees team without Judge though is shocking. I'm still sitting over here saying "hmmmm."

So what do you think about Rosenthal's idea? Should the Yankees sign Judge long-term or get Lindor....or maybe not Lindor but someone else instead? Comment and tell us what you think.

--Jeana Bellezza

BYB Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

PLOUFFE SAYS BASEBALL IN JULY? CROSS YOUR FINGERS!

I'm trying not to get too excited, but I can't help it. The baseball rumors are starting again. Yes, we've heard several plans for baseball to return and we've covered some of them....but maybe it getting closer. Maybe we are getting closer to a plan. Let's cross our fingers.

I'm sure a lot of you have seen this tweet. If not, former major leaguer Trevor Plouffe started the frenzy on Monday. I didn't buy into it too much at first.

Plouffe got some blacklash on Twitter. People were asking for sources, which is reasonable. July 1st wasn't being talked about until he put it on on social media. He never offered any sources but then yesterday I saw two things that caught my eye, including another Plouffe tweet.

So Ken Rosenthal is also talking about a possible July 1st date and he references that. So there is another source. Then Plouffe says he has had texts from players in SIX different organizations telling him the same story? Sounds a little more promising....

Again, trying not to get too excited here but MAN that would be awesome. It's something to look forward to. But oh wait....not done yet. Now CBSSports is also confirming that the Cleveland Indians are preparing for a possible July 1st start, read more HERE. Maybe the Yankees are too.

Plouffe may not be playing anymore, but he has been involved in some alternative media projects, TalkinBaseball podcast being one of them. I'm sure he still has friends in the game too so I'm sure he still gets some of the inside scoop from time to time, and this is an example of how he is still very connected to the game.

I dug a little deeper, and now the New York Post reports MLB will present the proposal to the Players association by no later than beginning of next week BUT it could be as soon as the end of this week, read more HERE.

I'm sure there is a lot to figure out still. Logistically this is probably going to be a nightmare. The schedule needs to be figured out, safety and health concerns as well as family time for the players. Salaries are still a work in progress too. It's a lot to figure out in a short amount of time....but it gives us hope and something to look forward to.

I just want to see a healthy Aaron Judge (crossing fingers) hit some dingers a ripped Aroldis Chapman take the mound and most of all....Gerrit Cole make his Yankee debut and embarrass a bunch of hitters. Oh throw in a good Aaron Boone screaming match too just to top it all off. It's not too much to ask, right?

Keep your fingers crossed and send some positive vibes out there Yankee fans....we are getting closer!

--Jeana Bellezza
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

MADISON BUMGARNER SAYS NO TO THE YANKEES

Or so he wants us all to believe.

Veteran lefty Madison Bumgarner's contract allows him to put eight teams on his no-trade list, and he has done so very strategically. I would argue he did so masterfully. He's a genius, actually.

Now you may think I am crazy. Truth be told, I am a little. I have crazy theories all of the time and some of them actually work out from time to time and I think this one will too. By now, a lot of you know which teams are on his no-trade list. But in case you didn't get the full list, Ken Rosenthal tweeted it:

So the Yankees are on the list. No big deal. It really doesn't make it any less likely that Bumgarner becomes a Yankee. Bumgarner is actually more in control of his own destiny than you may initially think.

This is smart. Bumgarner knows that the Giants are unlikely to trade him to an NL West rival which takes out four potential teams. They are also unlikely to trade him to the bottom two teams in all other divisions as a short term rental which eliminates 10 other teams. There are probably six other teams who either aren’t really in contention or have bigger needs than just a starting pitcher. Factor in his eight team list and you are pretty much left with just one or maybe two teams he is likely to be traded to without his consent. One of those would likely be the Minnesota Twins. He may just be a mathematical mastermind.

At this point there may be one or two teams that aren't on his list that may be interested in him. If this unknown team or teams wants to sign him they will likely have to give him a very enticing contract extension to make it happen. Bumgarner has so many options coming his way it's insane.

I used to care about no-trade lists. Now when there's a buzz about them I generally don't react with anything more than a shoulder shrug. The Yankees are perpetually on every players no-trade list but the list really doesn't mean anything. We are on Bumgarner's list but he doesn't HAVE to block any trade to those teams, he just has the ability. Generally, there is some sort of compensation for waiving a no-trade clause, so Bumgarner gave himself a great shot at getting extra money. Again I say it....he's a genius.

Do I think the Yankees and Bumgarner are a match? Maybe if the Yankees intensify their search for starting pitching before the July 31st trade deadline this year. Remember, there is only one trade deadline starting this season. He has a lot of time to sit bag and influence his own future.

So again....yes Madison Bumgarner is a genius. His strategy is brilliant and if it works out and he ends up going to a team on his no-trade list he will be a trendsetter. He's not saying NO to the Yankees or anyone else on his list. But he IS saying he could be acquired for the right price.

Fascinating.....smart move, Bumgarner.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

YANKEE PITCHING UPDATES & MISHAPPS!

MisHAPP....get it?

Photo: New York Daily News

Happ likes it. In this picture he's smiling at me.

Anyway... last night Ken Rosenthal took a rare swing and a miss with J.A. Happ. It was reported that Happ signed a three-year deal to return to the Bronx, but later he retracted his statement. It happens, even Rosenthal is human. No biggie.

I've seen multiple reports out there that Happ is holding out for a third year, and is willing to sign with the first team to offer it to him. It is rumored that he has a few two-year offers on the table from other contending teams.

Photo: Yahoo Sports

Happ did pitch well last season, especially against the AL East so him holding out for a third year isn't hard to understand from his point of view. The real question is, should the Yankees feel comfortable giving him that third year he's looking for or are the Yankees just being cheap?

Some sources believe a Happ deal can still happen even without that third year.

I am not eager to give Happ a third year, but then again I am not eager to miss out on another starting pitcher either. The Yankees already missed out on deals with two of the top two starters this season due to ONE year. It's odd to see the Yankees get outbid on a guy, especially over one extra year, but it has already happened twice in this young offseason.

Photo: NBC Sports

The Yankees maxed out their offer on Patrick Corbin at five years but he signed for six. The Yankees didn't want to go beyond three years on Nathan Eovaldi, but Boston gave him four. It's only December, but one year has been a deal breaker for the Yankees so far....will it continue? The Phillies are also in on Happ, too. Will they give Happ the third year? They also lost out on Corbin, so maybe they are feeling extra aggressive.

Photo: New York Post

I guess we will have to wait and see what happens with Happ, and if Joel Sherman is right. One thing we know definitely won't be happening is a reunion with Lance Lynn. He just signed a three-year deal with the Texas Rangers.

I'm surprised Lynn got a three-year deal....and that he got $30 million after his struggles last season. I was thinking Lynn might get to years at $15-16 million. Lynn struggles (a lot) and gets three years, but Happ hasn't yet. Did the Rangers out-bid themselves or is a three-year deal just going to be the minimal going rate?

Photo: USA Today Sports

Oh and in case you liked Charlie Morton, he's no longer an option either. He just signed with the Tampa Bay Rays, so we'll be seeing a lot of him.

So if the Yankees do miss out on Happ, who is next? Dallas Keuchel? We already know THE BRAVES WANT KEUCHEL. DO THE YANKEES? It's a good question. The big names are disappearing, and after Happ the list gets shorter. It would be nice to not have to bat against him anymore. He's willing, he's able and he's proven in the postseason. I think more teams should have shown more interest in him by now.

Can't forget the bullpen either. There have been a lot of rumors out there, and if there is any merit to some of these a reunion with Zach Britton or David Robertson could be bleak.

The Yankees did meet with Adam Ottavino's agent last night. He's a local boy that would be dynamite to help strengthen the bullpen. Oh and he says he would strike Babe Ruth out "every time," read more HERE. Hey, at least he doesn't lack confidence.

It's definitely early, but if the Yankees want to make the necessary improvements to win a championship we NEED the pitching. It sucks losing a guy, especially over one-year. I don't think it becomes a pattern though, at least I hope not. If it does the list gets way too short and names like Gio Gonzalez rise to the top, and that scares me.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj