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

FEELING LIKE A PROUD MAMA WATCHING NUNEZ PLAY FOR THE GIANTS!

I am not the biggest Eduardo Nunez fan by far, but I liked Nunie as much as the next fan.  Actually, watching him in a Giants' uniform on national television this weekend, I think I like him even more.  I felt like a proud Mama watching Nunez scoop up ground balls and take swings like the All Star he has become with the Minnesota Twins.  He even got a game tying double with the bases loaded in Saturday's game against the Nationals, his first two RBIs since becoming a Giant.  Sure, he has always lacked consistency and had more errors than I would like any MLB player to have, but he holds his own and he most certainly drew the attention of Giants' General Manager Bobby Evans who needed some insurance in the field as the team's post season seems more and more a reality.

"As we look at the rest of the season, we just want to have the protection of (Nunez's) experience -- given the time these guys [Joe Panik, Matt Duffy and Hunter Pence] have missed and how much time they may need to have off down the stretch," reports Fox Sports.  Smart planning for a club who has seen more post season and quite frankly, media coverage than any other team in the last decade.  We could learn a little something from this crew.

Nunez has grown up to be a player who is very much valued.  "Here’s a guy who was expected to be a bench bat for the Twins this season after succeeding in the role last year, and two and a half months into the season manager Paul Molitor is joking that his own biggest struggle regarding Nunez is finding time to rest him." Nunez said that the key for him has been playing more consistently. "Before I was getting one shot every week, so it’s hard to make adjustments. … I think I’m the same player, I just have more opportunity to play, so you can prove more, you can show more what you can do," stated Nunez in an interview earlier this season.

So the fact that his hard work and consistent playing time has gotten him to one of the best teams in baseball is like winning the lottery or making it to the Olympic Games.  This journeyman/utility player has finally made it to a team that values his efforts and could get him a shot deep into the post season, if not the World Series.  Sometime the good guy wins and for Nuni, I am so proud of his grit and determination.  I can't wait to see this guy shine in San Fran!

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof

HALL OF FAMER MOLITOR TO MANAGE THE TWINS

Big ups for the Minnesota Twins. They have one of the top players in my recent baseball history to manage their club.  It's a big story.

According to several sources, but we'll go with the CBSSports.com on this one:

" The Twins are expected to hire Paul Molitor to be their next manager in a press conference Monday... All signs indicate this is Molitor's job. He is believed to be a favorite of Pohlad, was born and raised in St. Paul, attended the University of Minnesota and spent the final three years of his playing career with the Twins, so this is definitely a marriage that makes sense.

Molitor has no managing experience but was the Twins bench coach in the past."

Pohlad, is Jim Pohlad, owner of the Twins.

A fresh start for the Twins will be significant I believe. I just wanted to share this with our audience. I'm a guy who really got to love the game of baseball in the 1980's.  Guys like Molitor, and Robin Yount, Ron Guidry and Rickey Henderson were my heroes.  This is very cool to see.

Enjoy your day.

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!