CARP DADDY, BRONX "CULT HERO" HANGS IT UP

After 14 seasons of big-league grind and grit, Matt Carpenter is hanging up the cleats—and what a ride it’s been. Drafted by the Cardinals in 2009, he quickly carved out a reputation as a hitting machine with a sweet lefty swing and a flair for clutch moments. Over 11 seasons in St. Louis, he mashed 155 home runs, posted a .262/.368/.449 slash line, and quietly became one of the most reliable bats of the 2010s. 

But let’s talk about his glorious New York encore.

In 2022, Carpenter showed up in the Bronx with a mustache that screamed retro and a bat that screamed revival. He hit .305 with a jaw-dropping 1.138 OPS, sending balls into orbit and Yankees fans into joyful disbelief. In a matter of weeks, “Carp Daddy” went from a low-risk pickup to a cult legend.

 

He brought fire, fun, and a spark to the clubhouse that felt downright cinematic. His stint may have been short, but his impact was instant and unforgettable.

Carpenter parlayed that New York magic into a well-earned deal with the Padres, but to Yankee fans, he'll always be that wild summer story we didn’t see coming—and never wanted to end.

Happy retirement to a guy who gave us a season full of joy, swagger, and mustachioed mashes. You’ll always have a home in the Bronx, Carp.

THE BIGGEST ISSUE THE YANKEES HAVE YET TO ADDRESS THIS OFFSEASON

We all know by now that the biggest concern the Yankees had this offseason was signing Aaron Judge. And now that this has gratefully happened, the Bombers, if you would still call them that, need to address the fact that they essentially have the same offense they had last year—sans Matt Carpenter and Andrew Benintendi. It's a problem and unless they have a plan to rectify this, could the Yankees be in the same predicament they were at the end of last season when the offense just shut off?

As The Athletic reports, "There’s still time — and they don’t have to necessarily address this until the trade deadline — but, yeah, the lineup still needs improvements for an October run. Without upgrades, the Yankees will rely on guys like Aaron Hicks and Josh Donaldson bouncing back, Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu being 100 percent healthy, unproven players like Oswald Peraza and Oswaldo Cabrera being key contributors and Judge being otherworldly." Waiting until the trade deadline is not a risk I want to take and Yankee front office should consider the position they are putting the team in if they don't address this Achilles Heel right now.

Source: NBC Sports

Perhaps the addition of Brian Sabean as executive adviser to general manager Brian Cashman will be just the kick in the butt the Yankees need to make a deal before spring training which is less than a month away. "Sabean, 66, spent 30 seasons with the San Francisco Giants, leading the organization to World Series rings in 2010, 2012 and 2014. He spent the past four seasons as executive vice president for the Giants and previously spent eight seasons with the Yankees, joining the organization in 1985 as a scout. Sabean served as New York's director of scouting from 1986 through 1990, and vice president of player development and scouting from 1990 through 1992," reported ESPN.

With a passion for the game and tremendous experience, Sabean could be the lift the front office needs in getting some late stage off season deals done for the Yankees. The offense just was not there during the last part of the postseason and if they want to remain enduringly competitive, they need to think ahead instead of putting the same lineup in place as they did last fall. 

"A move that very much makes sense is trading for Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds. He is a left-handed presence at the top of the order that the Yankees need and is a good fielder. The price to land him could end up being high; however, it’s the kind of move that would provide balance to their lineup," reported The Athletic.

To improve their chances in the stretch against a team like the Houston Astros, the Yankees need a guy like Reynolds but it will likely cost them more than one of their prospects. And is that a deal they are willing to make? They don't have many more options. Sabean with his experience scouting may be the missing link to make that kind of assessment—stick with your youngsters and develop them or trade one or more away for a seasoned switch-hitting All Star outfielder who requested a trade of his current team earlier this fall. 

The Yankees have a big hole to fill in their lineup and corner outfield position. Is this something they want to fill with current prospects or do they do what Hal Steinbrenner has suggested in his "we are not down yet" statement last month? Make the offense unbeatable and give the Yankees the best chance to win in 2023. Don't wait til the trade deadline to do what needs to be done now. 

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof

CALHOUN A NICE ADDITION TO THE YANKEE OUTFIELD

I've been off the last several days and I loved every second of it. There is something to be said for really taking time with the family, waking up without an alarm and just taking that time for yourself to just reset the battery and look forward to 2023.  And now here we are...

The Yankees and Willie Calhoun made a deal while I was in my slumber. It was technically in 2022.  The New York Post has this:

"The Yankees and outfielder Willie Calhoun have agreed to terms on a non-roster deal, according to MLN Network’s Mark Feinsand. Callhoun will be invited to major league camp.

The move is easy to look past, but the 28-year-old Calhoun was a highly regarded prospect when coming through the Texas Rangers’ farm system. He played six years with the Rangers before being cut and signing with the San Francisco Giants in 2022."

Now people will look at this and think, "I don't get it. We should have just signed Matt Carpenter. Who needs Calhoun." Look, this is what the Yankees and Cashman do. They sign some big dogs and sprinkle around them and if they get another big dog down the road, so be it... and if not, they have guys like Calhoun fighting for a spot.

Look, Calhoun has to prove himself spring training. It could be a train wreck, and may not be, but we gotta see.

I will tell you what though, I'll take this guy over Hicks all day long. Calhoun wants to prove he belongs on the field. Hicks lost clarity with that ridiculous contract of his.  I put money on Calhoun all day long.

CARPENTER GONZO!

Just when we thought the Yankees would reunion with Matt Carpenter, the 37-year-old veteran is headed to San Diego. According to The New York Post’s Jon Heyman, Carpenter signed a one-year deal with the Padres, with a player option for 2024 that guarantees him $12 million. So Carpenter's gonzo; what's next for the Yankees?

Source: Twitter

"The Yankees and the 37-year-old Carpenter talked about a reunion, according to sources, but with Anthony Rizzo at first base and Giancarlo Stanton at DH, there was no clear spot on the roster. Carpenter had a stunning comeback last season after being released by the Cardinals following two subpar years in St. Louis," reported the Post. Recall that Carpenter gave the Yankees much needed life when the injury bug bit the team mid-season. Carpenter homered in his second game as a Yankee and hit 15 home runs in 154 plate appearances. And even when the team came off the IL, Carpenter remained relevant and stayed in the line up until he was hit by a pitch in August, breaking his foot. 

Source: NBC Sports

With Carpenter gone, Andrew Benintendi off to the Chicago White Sox in a five-year, $75 million deal, the Yankees have to make another move to fill that big hole in left field. Or do they? What about 23-year-old phenom Oswaldo Cabrera? Another guy who came in when the Yankees were down, Cabrera represents the Yankees' future. Homegrown, and ready for more consistent reps in the lineup, Cabrera could serve as a utility player, sure, but why not the Yankees full time left fielder?

Source: NY Post

"Across every defensive alignment, he produced 13 defensive runs saved above average, including nine in the outfield, specifically (under 500 total innings, which is incredible). Showcasing solid arm strength and phenomenal athleticism, Cabrera transitioned to a position he had never played before with ease, justifying more playing time in 2023. Offensively, there’s a lot left to be desired from the switch hitter, finishing with a .247 batting average and 31.2% on-base rate. In 44 games, he hit six homers with 19 RBIs and a 25.7% strikeout rate," reported Empire Sports Media.

The Yankees are not done yet and now that free agents are dwindling, and the year is coming to an end, spring training is not that far off. Stepping away from the past, thinking about their future, the Yankees need to consider who they have in their arsenal, who they can position into utility spots and who they need to go out and get. If they want another pure hitter like Carpenter, they may need to trade for a replacement bat. Who that might be? Not sure. But it sure has me thinking...

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof

DESPERATE TO FALL INTO FAVOR WITH FANS, BOONE MAKES LINEUP TO MAKE FANS HAPPY

 

First off, this isn't real. Duh. Secondly, I was taken by what Boone said tonight when asked about being booed. If you didn't hear it, here is what he said.

Question: When Aaron is booed after a few strikeouts, you got a few boos during the introductions. Is that bothersome or is that just understanding knowing the expectation?

Boone: I mean yeah, I mean, we're trying to win a game so, the American League Championship Series, so you can't get caught up in that.

He was squirming the whole time. Look, booing your team is stupid. I will never understand that. If you want to blast them for lousy management style, listening to commentators and creating your lineup and position players based on what Michael Kay or Bleeding Yankee Blue says... well that just tells everybody that you're no qualified to be there.

Michael Kay is earning a lot of fans! pic.twitter.com/JdTV9uZMGe

— 4 Train Savages (@FourSavages) October 23, 2022

Kay's right by the way. I was really hoping our YES Network guys would go after Boone a bit tongiht and Kay did.

But there is no question that right now Boone is a marionette trying to cater to what the fans and analysts want because nothing is working.  But there's more...

Yesterday's lineup was awful.  And when I read it, you could see the desperation.  Rizzo first? Donaldson was still in the lineup and IKF has a higher on base percentage. Now say what you will about IKF, but as a singles hitter, he's like a second lead off in the 9-hole. 

Bader has the energy to be a lead off guy. You wanna move some of the guys around drop Judge down in the order alittle just to take some pressure off.  Rizzo needs to stay where he is because his approach has not changed. Carpenter? 

A great hitter that missed 2 months. But here's the key word... TIMING.  

If you are a major leaguer, you know that missing that much time does not allow you to get into a batter's box and smack home runs as quickly as you want.  What we have seen from Carpenter is a rush job by Boone to get him going, but here's the problem; Live at bats is how you get Carpenter back, but for him? He just can't be part of this post season until he's there.  

And so the irony of Carpenter's entire situation is that he was finally working through it tonight in Game 4, after several strikeouts before that. He finally got a single. If this wasn't the post season it wouldn't be amplified as much as it was, but this is the post season and Boone threw him out there to have him work through LIVE AT BATS IN THE POST SEASON. And oh yeah, Boone crossed his fingers in hopes it would work out. That is no way to manage.

Anyone with a brain in their head knows by the eye test what needs to be done with this lineup.  Looking through matchups on paper has not worked AT ALL SINCE THIS SERIES BEGAN, so throw that away and start over with the gut check. Because at this point? You can't lose.

Our back is against the wall.  We have no choice but to use our gut now. We don't have to look at matchups and spreadsheets and asking Michael Kay for suggestions. Boone just has to let these dude's play, because there is no question Boone's meddling is not allowing these guys to be consistent.

Hey... tomorrow is a new day and when I wake up tomorrow, I was still a huge Yankee fan.  That never dies. So, let's go Yanks... let's go Nestor... keep us alive.

P.S. I'm not in any way picking on Emily Nyman. She was just in my line of fire last night. The fact is we are all Yankee fans, and we all want this team to win.

CARPENTER MADE A NICE TWITTER EXTRANCE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO YANKEES FOR POST SEASON!

You gotta love loyalty in sports. Matt Carpenter , also known as CarpDaddy was only brought into the Yankees this year. He immediately made a splash, immediately became a clubhouse guy with the team and then got hurt. That sucks, but that's what makes us all want him back quicker. Well, he's coming back.

CBS Sports writes:

"...manager Aaron Boone felt confident enough to state during a radio appearance on Thursday that his belief is that infielder Matt Carpenter will be part of New York's playoff roster come next week.

"I expect him to be on the roster," Boone said on the Michael Kay Show on 98.7FM ESPN New York...The biggest thing is him getting in there and seeing live pitching," Boone had told Randy Miller of NJ.com earlier this week. "He's had five or so at-bats each day (of late) and now we'll get eyes on him through the weekend and into next week. I'm optimistic and feel like physically he's in a pretty good place."

All of this is true.  And there is no question he can help this Yankees team. But it wasn't this that was the nugget I wanted to share. It was how he Twitter-stomped Marcus Storman the other day.

And this goes back to loyalty. Not only has Carp seen Judge play front and center, we all know the home run record was in reach and then broken.  That feat is historic, and that alone gets you the MVP.

Sure, pitching and hitting is great, but only if you're allowed.

There's this ridiculous fan base like under-qualified Ben Verlander that thinks Shohei Ohtani is the next greatest thing to Jesus.  What people fail to remember is that players in the MLB DO NOT GET TO CHOOSE IF THEY CAN PITCH AND HIT. Ohtani being an international signing made it clear that it was his way, or the highway and they let it happen. If the rules were different, and if high school and colleges in the USA didn't change hitters to straight up P.O.s (pitchers only), we would see a lot more pitcher/hitters, but we don't and THAT IS WHY OHTANI is Verlander and Stroman's shiny thing. It is privilege and it should not be considered "ultra-special" if he's the only one allowed.

Anyway, I could go on and on.  Look, I love what Carpenter did to Stroman. I wonder if he was blocked after that.  But there is no question having Carpenter back in the Yankees line up for the playoffs is terrific. Let's hope he is, and that he delivers like we need him right now.

Go Carp! Go Yanks!

WE WILL SEE MATT CARPENTER AGAIN!

There was nothing better than having Matt Carpenter in the Yankees lineup. There are a ton of players in Yankee history that come to New York and literally suck. But not Carpenter.  Now we get word that he is on the mend and coming back to the Yankees just in time for playoffs.

Bryan Hoch has tweeted this:

Matt Carpenter could take live at-bats this coming week with Somerset rather than fly with the Yankees to Texas, Aaron Boone said. That would give him more reps to be ready for the ALDS.

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) September 30, 2022

And Clutchpoints writes:

“Matt Carpenter could take live at-bats this coming week with Somerset rather than fly with the Yankees to Texas, Aaron Boone said. That would give him more reps to be ready for the ALDS.”

Yankees fans feared the worst when Carpenter went down with a foot injury in early August. But Matt Carpenter never lost hope of returning at some point. Even after the initial diagnosis, he declared that he would return later in the season."

Exciting news! Bring it.

HARRISON BADER IS LIGHTING IT UP IN THE BRONX

Source: NY Post

Aaron Hicks better not see the light of day in this Yankee lineup again this season. By the sixth inning in his first game in pinstripes, Harrison Bader was 2 for 3 with two RBI singles. He looked locked and loaded. Yes, Harrison Bader is lighting in up in the Bronx and I am hopeful he can carry us with his glove and his bat into the postseason.

"Bader, a native New Yorker who grew up near Yankee Stadium, had been on the 60-day injured list with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Bader last played in a game for St. Louis back on June 26. Bader batted seventh and played center field against the Pirates," wrote ESPN.

Source: USA Today

In what is being called as the Wrecking Ball lineup, skipper Aaron Boone believes this is the best Yankee team he has managed in his five year tenure. And he expects that if things align the way he hopes, the Yankees will take it deep into the postseason.

“If we get at least close to fully healthy, yeah, I think it has a chance to be,” Boone says. “Benintendi would be big—to get that other left-handed hitter and a solid defender. [Harrison] Bader should be back Tuesday. It has a chance to be a real complete team. Could be [the best]," reported Sports Illustrated.

Source: NY Times

Since launching the Wrecking Ball lineup,  the Yankees are 5–2 , scoring 51 runs in those seven games, with Anthony Rizzo coming off the IL Sunday. Rizzo has been red hot both on the hot corner and in the batter's box. The Yankees could be set because playoff ball is about bats and bullpens.

Source: NJ.com

Getting Bader back is another piece of the postseason puzzle. Sure, it is just his first game, but if this is any indication of what is to come with this guy, things are definitely looking up for the Yankees. Let's keep the forward momentum flowing, as we see guys like DJ LeMahieu and Matt Carpenter make their way back too. Bader is a great start to what the Yankees can be as they move closer and closer to the postseason. 

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

PLEASE HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE YANKEES ARE LOSING TO THE BREWERS?

Source: Pioneer Press

I am old enough to remember when the Milwaukee Brewers were in the American League and the Yankees played them twice a season. The Yankees played legends like Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and Cecil Cooper, who could eat the Yankees' lunch any time they went head to head. But fast forward to 2022, this team really should have not given the Yankees the trouble it has. I am a fan of Christian Yelich but he is not the guy that almost beat out Cody Bellinger for the MVP a couple of years ago. And sure, there is former Tampa Bay Ray Willy Adames, mucking things up, but it should not be something this team could not handle—yet here we are. Please help me to understand why the Yankees are losing this series against the Brewers?

Source: CBS Sports

"Despite a 4-1 loss to the Brewers on Saturday at American Family Field that dropped the Yankees to 23-30 after the All-Star break, the team remains confident heading into October. With 17 games remaining, it’s go time," reported MLB on Sunday prior to the third game in the series against Milwaukee. But how can the Yankees GO, if the injury train of veterans and late bloomers are just not ready?

"Beyond Judge, though, which hitters will step up? Giancarlo Stanton has looked like a shell of himself since returning from injury, Gleyber Torres has had a very rough second half (though he has turned it on recently), Father Time has apparently caught up to Josh Donaldson’s bat, and the bottom of the order has been fairly bleak," reported SB Nation on Friday. Then there is the pitching, which has battled their share of injuries and readiness for the postseason, which make the Yankees' hopes look bleak at this juncture.

The starting rotation is okay. But there is this mistake with a hanging curve or misplaced fastball that enables pitchers to give up just enough runs to allow the Brewers and other not-so-worthy opponents to beat the Yankees. “I thought his stuff was good,” manager Aaron Boone said of Taillon. “I thought they really took tough at-bats against him. He hadn’t allowed a run until the [Willy] Adames home run. But even those first few innings, I thought his stuff was good,” reported MLB.com. 

Source: USA Today

“Even as we start to play well here, we’re still beat up and banged up,” Boone said before Saturday’s game. “But we’re also excited about the possible returns of some key guys starting [Sunday] and then Tuesday [and] Wednesday,” reported MLB.com. If guys like Anthony Rizzo who was activated today Harrison Bader, DJ LeMahieu, Matt Carpenter, and Andrew Benintendi who in that order make an appearance before the postseason, the Yankees could make a go of it for the American League Championship. 

But when we lose to the teams like the Brewers, I shake my head. And sure, the team is looking optimistically toward hosting the Pirates and Red Sox this week at home, they need to transfer their positivity to wins and go for it. 

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

ANDUJAR'S BACK - BUT FOR HOW LONG?

It sucks to see Miguel Andjuar get another opportunity due to Matt Carpenter's injury. I wanted to see Andujar get his opportunity because Joey Gallo sucked and was useless. Then I realize how crappy this situation is. So Andujar is back but.....for how long?

I know A LOT of people who have been crying for Andujar to get "a fair shot" as they all have told me. I've been told several times he is an underdog and you can make arguments that he is and he isn't. Depending on your own argument, it is the ultimate reminder that we as fans grow attached to our favorites and to MLB this is all business.

And it is for players like Andujar, too. He has hit well and produced in Triple-A this year but hasn't had consistent, lasting success in the big leagues since 2018....and that's a scary thought in 2022 for a 27-year old. Since 2019, Andujar has a .231 BA, 7 HR's, 7 doubles, 1 triple in 312 MLB at bats. Those aren't pretty stats.

So now here we are again - Andujar is back in the show and I know I want to see him catch lightning in a bottle because this could be his last stint with the team. Sure, he's not a free agent until 2025 but the Yankees have been keeping him down in Triple-A because he just doesn't fit on this team. Andujar fans can tell me I'm being mean....or whatever name you want to call me but it is true. He's 27 and not a regular for the Yankees. He could and would be on many other teams....but not this one.

So I really hope that Andujar makes the most of this opportunity. It's August, the end of the regular season will be here before we know it. At the end of the season the Yankees will have to make a decision about if they want to commit to Andujar and my gut tells me.....that's just not going to happen.

Sorry Miggy fans.....don't be mad at me. As I have always said, if I am wrong I will own it and I can honestly say I would also be okay with it.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

WHAT RIZZO'S BACK INJURY MEANS FOR THE YANKEES?

 

Source: NY Post

When I hear the words back injury or back tightness, I think oh no, Don Mattingly and more recently Mike Trout. As someone who has battled her own overuse Achilles heel injury, you hear about a chronic recurring issue and you scratch your head, "is this a warning sign to something more serious?" Before we dig into that, there is a near term concern: What does Anthony Rizzo's back injury mean for the fizzling Bombers?

"The Yankees pulled Rizzo less than a half-hour before the first pitch of their 4-3 loss. Rizzo missed four games July 5-8 while dealing with lower-back tightness/soreness. Two of those games were against another NL Central team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the other two vs. the Boston Red Sox," reported ESPN.

Source: NY Post

The chronic pain is not something new for the Yankee first baseman. And that is the thing that concerns me. I remember reading about how hard it was for Don Mattingly, particularly in his later years, to just get ready to play nine innings—stretching out, performing mobility exercises and I would imagine some over the counter pain-killers. I realize he had a pre-existing condition, but as he aged, his condition worsened. 

"I've dealt with this in years past, and I just feel like we've been ahead of it big time," Rizzo said, explaining that the spasms tends to resolve themselves in 6-8 days. "I went on the IL for it once... that was in April [of 2018] to be super cautious just because it was April. Back pain is the worst, but the progress we've made with the treatment is great," reported ESPN.

Source: Empire Sports Media

Prior to his recent stint to the IL, Rizzo homered in four straight games and is second in home runs to only his teammate Aaron Judge with 27 homers. The 32-year-old has been a big contributor to the Yankees' success this season, so seeing him sit even for more than a day is impactful for this team. His lefty bat has added a lot of versatility to the lineup let alone his stellar defense at first base. 

Source: Sports Illustrated

So what does Rizzo's back injury mean for the short term, assuming this is just a short trip to the IL? It means the Yankees need to double down on guys like Matt Carpenter, Andrew Benintendi and DJ Lemahieu to pick up the slack. Of course, it would be good to have Aaron Hicks contribute, because as of yet, he offers nothing to this Yankee team. Perhaps when new center field Harrison Bader makes his debut in a few weeks, the Yankees can finally get some offense and incredible gold glove caliber defense out of a centerfielder. 

Source: Sporting News

DJ Lemahieu will play a lot of first base over the next few games, which means veteran Josh Donaldson needs to have consistently better at bats. I think he is capable of doing this, but getting it done is another story entirely. With Rizzo out, the Yankees have to step it up as a team to keep their momentum forward flowing. 

What Rizzo's back injury means for the Yankees long term? That is the bigger question. And I hope it is not a Mattingly or Trout situation. My hope is that Rizzo rests, follows a good regiment to strengthen his biomechanics to take pressure off his back and stays healthy for the rest of the season. 

Source: CBS Sports

With any team, there will be injuries and ebbs and flows across a long season. And with a guy like Rizzo out for even a game, it leaves a gap in the lineup that has to be filled with even more offensive power. As the Yankees continue to push through the dog days of summer, the team needs to continue to rely on each other, collectively, to make the plays, hit with runners in scoring position and fill the void when teammates go down. Bottom line—This team needs to win with or without Rizzo in the lineup. 

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