WHAT ROLE WILL GIL HAVE IN SEPTEMBER FOR THE YANKEES?

The Yankees recent 13-game win streak proved that this team has the endurance necessary to win ball games consistently. The pitching staff is diverse—they have specialists in the arsenal as well as starters who can not only eat up innings but dominate. With the recent outing of Corey Kluber not exactly a welcome back party, what role with rookie pitching stud Luis Gil have as the Yankees head into September?

"Over three starts in August, Gil posted a pristine 0.00 ERA across 15.2 innings, striking out 18 batters along the way. Going three starts without allowed an earned run wasn't just impressive, it was historic," reported SI.com.

Source: NJ.com

Guys like Nestor Cortes, Jr. and from the bullpen Jonathan Loaisiga have really stepped amidst the injuries that have plagued not only the pitching staff but the entire team. Zach Britton will undergo surgery next month to remove bone chips from his left elbow, so his season is done. The Yankees will need to fill that hole in the bullpen so although Gil has been a starter coming up for the Bombers in recent weeks, there is a possibility that he could come into games from the pen, which he did on Sunday for the RailRiders. 

"One of the reasons we did bring him out of the 'pen, even though it was more of a start an inning and do his starter's workload, was to just give him a little bit of a different routine to keep that potentially in play," Boone added according to SI.com. 

Source: CBS Sports

The Yankees will have a long stretch of 20 games after they come back from the West Coast and play back at the Stadium on Thursday. Pitching will be a commodity given the marathon ahead of them. Luis Severino and Mike King could both be back with a week or so giving the team extra depth, but having Gil in either a starter, opener or long reliever could really add that extra push the Yankees need to finish the regular season with a postseason future. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

HICKS, KING, & BRUCE OH MY!

Source: Sports Illustrated

We are just shy of 10 games until Opening Day 2021 and the Yankees have a lot of reasons to be smiling. Three of them are Aaron Hicks, Mike King and Jay Bruce. And here's why!

Skipper Aaron Boone announced Friday that Aaron Hicks is a natural number three slot hitter (Read DEMOTIONS & REWARD FOR THE NEW YORK YANKEES), and that is great news for Hicks, the Yankees and fans. But in addition to his lefty bat in between righties in the lineup if Hicks hit from that left side, he is adding a new/old secret weapon to his arsenal and strategy to get on base more in 2021.

Source: MLB.com

"I feel like by adding a bunt, being able to use the middle of the field a little bit more, [it] will definitely take away that huge shift on the right side and ultimately give me more chances to get more hits,” said Hicks, who batted .225 with a 121 OPS-plus last season," reported the New York Post. Wow, bold statement from a team that places the long ball ahead of any kind of short ball tactic. But this could be a good one, if Hicks can stay in the lineup consistently and keep his opponents thinking that he could go long or short at any moment. 

Source: Adam Hunger | AP

Right hand pitcher Michael King struck out six Orioles over 4 innings in his bid to make Yankees staff on Saturday. He is looking strong and could be a great option for the Yankees in a starting role or out of the bullpen as a long reliever. "King has stated that his goal is to give the Yankees at least 100 meaningful innings, regardless of whether it’s as a starter or in a relief role. Other pitchers are ahead of him on the depth chart and he probably won’t make the Opening Day roster, but the odds are good that he’ll be needed at some point," reported SB Nation after Saturday's loss to the Orioles. And with the injuries that the Yankees have faced over the last few years, King will be in pinstripes 2021. 

Now how about Jay Bruce? The veteran has certainly turned some heads this spring but was it enough to make the cut? With his bat and ability to play both corners of the outfield plus first base, I would have to vote yes. 

Source: USA Today

"Obviously I’ve had some struggles the last few years, I do kind of give that to injuries, but I feel like when I’m on the field and I’m healthy, I’m pretty much in line with my career numbers,” Bruce said. “I feel good, I feel normal, I feel like myself, you know, I know that I can help a team, I know that I can, you know, be a part of a winning team and help a team win a championship,” reported The New York Daily News. 

King and Bruce who are bubble players will know their fate on Thursday, March 25th. As for Hicks, glad to see he is switching things up in order to get on base amidst the shift that has taken its fair share of hits away from the Yankee switch hitter. Opening Day 2021 is almost here and the Yankees are certainly making things even more exciting for all of us fans who are not only craving baseball but a championship in 2021. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

BATTER UP!

Source: N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg

And just like that, it's the first official spring training game for the Yankees in 2021. The Bombers take on the Blue Jays in a seven inning battle that could be the precursor to many more competitive stints against these two teams. Mike King takes the mound today at George Steinbrenner Field as right-hander fights for a spot in the starting rotation. And fans will be there to root on "King for the Day", the first time fans have seen baseball in person since early March 2020.

Source: Warwick Beacon

“It’s very welcome,’’ DJ LeMahieu said of the return of fans. “I’m really excited to get some people back in and hopefully more as the season goes on. It’ll be good to play in front of fans again, that’s for sure,” reported the New York Post. Steinbrenner Field will welcome around 2400 fans today, which will energize the team and give some life back into a game who has been hard hit by the pandemic.

“Watching other events throughout the offseason, college football [and] NFL games, where fans were there in a limited capacity, it does change the look and feel — even watching on TV,’’ Boone said according to the Post. 

Source: WJCT News

The team will need to gel despite the limitations the pandemic has put on baseball, including limited touching and separate sites. But the presence of real fans is the first step toward normalcy which everyone craves.

“Just the adrenaline wasn’t there as much as a player,’’ LeMahieu said. “When you stretch [on the field] before a game, you get the juices flowing, usually. There was no one out there, so we had to dig deep. … Having fans, at least some, is good for the game, " reported the Post.

First pitch is 1:05 PM today and I for one can't wait for the 2021 season to start. It has been a long haul and it's not over yet, but at least we get baseball again and we can work through the rest together. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

IT'S NOT A SPRINT; IT'S A MARATHON

It is Sunday, November 1, 2020. For those of us in the running community or from the New York City Tristate, it is the first Sunday in November which equates to "Marathon Sunday." Normally, myself and 60,000 runners, more than two million spectators from the across the globe would be embarking on a 26.2 journey from my hometown of Staten Island across all five boroughs of New York City. But much like the rest of 2020, this year it is different. We certainly know that the baseball season was different as well. And if we can learn anything from marathon running, it takes time to build a great team, it takes time to train, it takes time to learn and it takes time to overcome difficulties. This year has been anything but simple and we have a long way to go. Keep the mantra, "it's not a sprint; it's a marathon," and we will all be okay.

I think the New York Post put it best in this passage from their article on Saturday afternoon, 

"The fans, who love to spend Hal Steinbrenner’s money, are unanimous about the Yankees’ most complete player not leaving via free agency. Manager Aaron Boone and the players certainly want (DJ) LeMahieu back, and he has indicated he would like to stay. So, it’s is a slam dunk, right? Nothing falls into that bin these days due to the COVID-19 pandemic — except that the Yankees will make the $18.9 million qualifying offer to LeMahieu, who led the big leagues with a .364 average." 

Source: Yahoo Sports

See signing LeMahieu will be part of a bigger plan. Off loading guys like Gary Sanchez, building a pitching staff around Gerrit Cole, getting more consistency in the bull pen and seeing what you can get from other high performing players for 2020, like Luke Voit are also part of the larger plan.

"Without adding a starter or two, the Yankees would be asking too much of Deivi Garcia, Clarke Schmidt and Mike King, their in-house options for the rotation. And no one knows where Domingo German, recently reinstated by MLB after a long domestic violence suspension, fits," reported the Post.

With the Winter Meetings just about a month a way, things will soon starting heating up. But just like ticking off mile after mile in the race, you have to set a training plan to run a marathon successfully and frankly that takes time.  Let's hope the Yankees "are quick but don't hurry," to coin a great coach, and leader John Wooden. "This phrase applies not just to sports, but to every phase of your life. It applies to our expectations of anything we hope to accomplish and how quickly we can expect to get there," according to Success Magazine. I am hopeful we cross the finish line to Spring Training 2021 with a stronger team but that the Yankees are precise in their decisions to get there.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

JORDAN MONTGOMERY DEMOTED

Source: NJ.com

I am as shocked as you. I watched Jordan Montgomery pitch with efficiency, precision and control against the New York Mets on Sunday. I saw him strike out NL Rookie of the Year, Pete Alonso. I saw him pick off Michael Conforto with a move like I haven't seen since Andy Pettitte.  I was excited for his contribution this season.  I have been waiting. And I guess I am going to wait some more.

Source: NY Post

According to MLB.com, "The move to option Montgomery stemmed from the club’s decision not to use a fifth starter during the first turn through the rotation. It is expected that Montgomery will be recalled prior to the Yanks’ sixth game of the season, the July 29 home opener against the Phillies at Yankee Stadium." 

It appears the Yankees will go with a rotation of Gerrit Cole, James Paxton and Mike King or perhaps an opener for the first three games of the season. Mike King also pitched well in the first of two contests against the Mets this passed weekend.  But, Montgomery was amazing, keeping his pitch count down, and throwing a 2-hit, scoreless five innings.

“I just did my best to do as many ups and downs as I could and just elongated bullpens,” Montgomery said. “It's weird; arm strength-wise, I feel the best I've felt in a long time. I didn't take any time off during quarantine, so now it's trying to fine-tune my command and the offspeed [pitches], really,” reported MLB.com.

Even it is expected to be temporary, Montgomery should be with the team.  He earned the spot. He battled back from Tommy John Surgery and he is clearly confident and ready. Roster spots are limited, of course, but he should be in the rotation.  I simply don't understand.

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof

YANKEES & METS BATTLE IT OUT ON SATURDAY NIGHT

Source: SportsNet

With an artificial crowd soundtrack and cut out fan photos donning the seats, the Yankees made the cross town trip to Citi Field and battled the Mets on a rare Saturday night contest, the first exhibition game of the set for 2020.

Source: NJ.com

Yankees right handed pitcher Mike King looked sharp and controlled at the hill for the Yankees and Rick Porcello, Seton Hall Prep graduate and former Red Sox, battled the Bombers from the National League side of things. Despite the changes, despite the delays and despite the lack of in person spectators, it was fun to watch, even though it was a different experience.

Mike Tauchman kicked things off offensively for the Yankees in the first inning, with a double and a run scored off of a Gleyber Torres single. With two outs in the fourth inning, Clint Frazier drove a deep center field 2-run home run to put the Yankees up 3-0. Tauchman wound up getting three hits on the night including one in the 9th inning.

As the YES Network called the game from Yankee Stadium and from their homes to maintain social distancing, they talked about the changes to the game, what to look forward to and how the momentum for the game will only grow as baseball enters back into the evening and weekend lineups for fans across the country.

The Yankees looked sharp in game one of two against their cross town rivals, blowing the game open in the top of the 9th easily beating the Mets 9-3. Tonight they battle again, but this time at Yankee Stadium. Baseball is back my friends and so is the road to #28, no matter the length of the season, a season is a season.

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof