CARLOS RODON HAS BECOME A TRUE YANKEE LEADER

Carlos Rodón’s Yankee story has been nothing short of a redemption tour. When he first landed in the Bronx, the lefty looked like he couldn’t throw a strike if the strike zone was the size of Yankee Stadium. But fast-forward to now, and he’s turned into exactly what the Yankees paid for: an ace with bite on the mound and leadership in the clubhouse.

That transformation makes it fitting that Rodón is the Yankees’ 2025 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, baseball’s annual honor recognizing players who go above and beyond—both on the field and in the community.

Together with his wife, Ashley, Rodón launched the Rodón Foundation, which supports couples navigating pregnancy complications and infertility. One of their biggest initiatives is the “Willow Grant,” named for their daughter, which provides $10,000 to $20,000 annually to 25 couples still fighting for their dream of starting a family after enduring miscarriages or pregnancy loss.

And it’s not just check-writing philanthropy—Rodón also rolls up his sleeves. Back in June, he volunteered at Bottomless Closet in New York City, an organization that helps women in difficult financial situations prepare to enter the workforce.

The Yankees have a strong track record with this award: Aaron Judge brought it home in 2023, Derek Jeter in 2009, while Ron Guidry and Don Baylor earned the honor back in the mid-80s. Rodón now carries that torch, showing he’s not just a comeback story on the mound—he’s the kind of player Clemente himself would have been proud of.

I have always believed that Rodon would be a stud in the Bronx, and I am thrilled to see that he is having such a great personal season but now getting this nod. It's refreshing.

SPINELESS MANFRED MAY FINALLY DO WHAT HE SHOULD HAVE DONE WHEN ROSE WAS ALIVE

Pete Rose was a baseball player unlike any other—a man whose grit, passion, and relentless work ethic turned him into the greatest hitter the game has ever seen. The numbers don’t lie: 4,256 hits, an MVP award, three batting titles, and three World Series championships. He was the heart and soul of the Cincinnati Reds' Big Red Machine, a dynasty that dominated the 1970s. Rose played with an intensity that set him apart, diving headfirst into bases, refusing to take a play off, and inspiring a generation of baseball fans, myself included.

I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, and like so many others, I fell in love with Pete Rose and the way he played the game. He wasn't just another player; he was the embodiment of everything baseball was supposed to be—gritty, relentless, passionate. It wasn’t until I moved to New Jersey in 1978 and witnessed Ron Guidry’s 18-strikeout masterpiece that I found my team in the Yankees, but my admiration for Rose never wavered. He was still the player I idolized, the player who made me believe in baseball.

And yet, despite everything he gave to the game, despite all the records he shattered, Major League Baseball turned its back on him.

Let’s be clear—Pete Rose made mistakes. He gambled on baseball, a violation of one of the sport’s cardinal rules. But he never did anything to diminish his effort or his performance on the field. And for that, he was banished from the sport he helped define, denied the one honor he undoubtedly deserved—a place in the Hall of Fame.

For years, he sought redemption. He acknowledged his wrongdoing. He served his time. He waited for baseball to come to its senses. But Rob Manfred, the commissioner who has done more to damage Major League Baseball than any man before him, refused to reinstate Rose while he was alive. Manfred, in all his cowardice, dodged the responsibility, claiming he would “mull it over” but never actually doing a damn thing. It wasn’t until the President of the United States suggested pardoning Rose that articles even started to circulate about Manfred reconsidering. And now, Pete Rose is gone. Dead. Probably of a broken heart, after being cast aside by the very game he gave everything to.

And now, after years of ignoring Rose, Manfred is supposedly considering lifting his ban posthumously. What a gutless, empty gesture. It would have meant something if they had done it when he was alive, when he could have maybe one day stood on that stage in Cooperstown and received the honor he fought for his entire life. But now? Now it’s just another example of baseball’s spineless leadership under Manfred.  But here's the worst part of reinstating Rose. Even if he is reinstated by Manfred, the baseball writers, who let guys in like Harold Baines before they'd ever let in Alex Rodriguez would cockblock Rose for as long as they were alive.  In other words, while perhaps we are moving in the right direction, there are too many stop gaps to continue to prevent Rose to head to his natural destination... Cooperstown.  It's a wicked web and all those a-holes are in on it.

Look at the facts: Pete Rose is the all-time hits leader. He played harder than anyone before or after him. He made baseball better. And yet, there are idiots like Patrick Sauer of the Washington Post trying to rewrite history, suggesting that Ichiro Suzuki is the real hit king. No disrespect to Ichiro—his accomplishments in Japan and the MLB are remarkable—but Pete Rose’s record stands above all in the MAJOR LEAGUES. It’s 4,256. That’s the number. That’s the legacy. That’s what matters.

Was he a perfect man? No. But neither were countless other Hall of Famers. The Hall isn’t about moral perfection; it’s about baseball greatness. And Pete Rose was greatness incarnate.

MLB had a chance to do the right thing. They failed. And now, they’re trying to make up for it after the fact. Too little, too late. But for those of us who grew up watching him, who saw the passion, the determination, the sheer love of the game—Pete Rose will always be a Hall of Famer, no matter what some spineless commissioner says.

THERE AIN'T NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING CRITICAL OF AARON BOONE

I've been incredibly critical of Aaron Boone for years. I've called him a mouthpiece, a puppet, and an empty manager with no championships to show for it. These are my observations and opinions—I don’t speak for my staff—this is simply what I’ve seen over the past several seasons.

When it comes to making tough decisions, Boone fumbles. When he needs to juggle personnel, he drops the ball. During long, brutal losing streaks and stretches of mind-numbingly bad play, sure, you can blame the team. But a true leader, a manager worth his salt, makes the hard calls to right the ship. Instead, Boone stands in front of the press with his trademark blank stare and utters, “It’s right in front of us.” What does that even mean if you do nothing to fix the problem? It’s not inspiring. It’s not insightful. It’s nothing. It’s a whole lot of nothing. And that, to me, is the essence of Aaron Boone’s tenure as Yankees manager.

I’ve never believed Boone should be managing this team. Not for a single second. He simply doesn’t have the edge, the grit, the championship mentality this franchise needs. His winning percentage might look nice on paper, but numbers without rings are just numbers. They don’t shine. They don’t matter.

Recently, Essentially Sports published a piece highlighting Terrance Cam’s blunt assessment of Boone on Pinstripes Territory. Cam didn't hold back, saying, “Yeah, I really just think that Boone is, I don’t want to be mean here, but I will be a puppet. I think he’s a puppet. I think he’s a front-office puppet. I think that the front office basically gives him, 'Hey, this is our game plan, and this is what we think you should do, and we highly recommend you do this.'” And let’s be honest—that sounds like an order, doesn’t it?

Cam hit the nail on the head. As someone who has bled pinstripes since Ron Guidry’s legendary 18-strikeout game, it’s crystal clear to me that today’s Yankees are soft. Soft compared to the gritty, fight-for-every-pitch teams of the late 1970s and even the powerhouse squads of the 1990s dynasty.

And the biggest reason for this decline? The manager. Aaron Boone is soft. You can’t change my mind. Sure, someone might argue, “A manager doesn’t pitch or swing a bat.” Fine. But if that’s true, why do managers get fired when teams don’t win? Because they’re supposed to be the glue that holds everything together, the captain steering the ship through stormy seas. Boone, despite what Aaron Judge or anyone else might think, is not that guy. Not by a long shot.

I had to get this off my chest. Big props to Essentially Sports for spotlighting Cam’s comments. It’s okay to criticize a bad manager. It’s not just okay—it’s necessary. More Yankees fans need to speak up. We deserve better leadership. We deserve a manager who brings fire, not fluff. It’s time to reclaim that championship swagger that defined this franchise for generations.

Like This? READ THIS:

I WANT A WORLD WHERE AARON BOONE HOLDS PLAYERS ACCOUNTABLE

WHEN AARON BOONE BROKE HIS CONTRACT & MADE IT ALL ABOUT HIM

COMPLACENCY & MEDIOCRITY WIN THE DAY WITH STOOGE BOONE'S EXTENSION!

FEEL GOOD MOMENT FOR CC SABATHIA AFTER THE CALL TO THE HALL

CC Sabathia has always been a fan favorite, and for good reason. From the moment he joined the Yankees, he made an unforgettable impact. Now, the fact that he’s officially headed to the Hall of Fame is nothing short of incredible. This achievement is a testament to his remarkable career and solidifies his place among baseball’s greats.

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees include Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki, and Billy Wagner, as selected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Additionally, Dave Parker and Dick Allen were chosen by the Classic Baseball Era Committee to round out the 2025 class.

While all the inductees are deserving, it’s Sabathia’s story that resonates most with me. His reaction to the honor, as reported by Bryan Hoch, was perfect: “It means a lot to be in the Hall of Fame, period. But first-ballot, I know what that means as a baseball player. It’s very special.”

Former teammate Jorge Posada also reflected on Sabathia’s impact, particularly on the legendary 2009 Yankees team. “That 2009 team was special, and he was a big reason why we were the last team standing. CC earned this great honor. He had a remarkable career, and he was one of my favorite teammates I played with.”

With his Hall of Fame plaque featuring a Yankees cap, Sabathia’s career stats speak for themselves: 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts—trailing only Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton among left-handed pitchers.

For me, CC is one of the greatest Yankee pitchers I’ve ever had the privilege of watching, second only to Ron Guidry. No matter where you rank him personally, there’s no denying his legendary status. Congratulations to CC Sabathia on this well-deserved honor.

FORGET IT. THE YANKEES WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE FALL CLASSIC ANYWAY

Last night I cannot blame on Aaron Boone. Crazy right?

But as a whole, in the bonehead moves he has made, in our 4th place finish last year... in the way he over tinkers, befriends his players, argues balls and strikes in meaningless games, and just plain sucks as a manager because of his inexperience, and now because we have gotten to the World Series and lost it, it only makes sense that we say goodbye to this guy and turn the page on making the Yankee organization leadership brighter and better moving forward. This HAS to be the end of the Boone Era. The experiment didn't work... not even alittle bit! Hal, are you listening?

Look, the Yankees were never supposed to be in the World Series this year.  Let's not fool ourselves. The Yankees have been so inconsistent all season, so the idea of making it to the World Series was a gift.  Did I hope they won this year? Of course, but do I think they actually are the best team in baseball, nope.  I'm a realist, this Yankee team is deeply flawed.

The Yankees made a few minor offseason tweaks even though we all knew they needed better pitching and that was the priority.  We got Juan Soto instead. Now, don't get me wrong, Juan Soto was fantastic, I loved seeing him in pinstripes, but as I said then, we got this guy for one year, what happens if we DON'T win it all?  And here we are... we didn't win it all.  And so, what happens next?

For one, Juan Soto will be a free agent.  That's big.  Seems like we had one opportunity, and it was just now, and yet, we didn't win. And so, if he leaves, do you really think we have what it takes to try and win again? We were lucky to get to the World Series this year WITH Juan Soto. If Juan Soto leaves, you can forget our chances. And that is where you really need to go after our Yankees front office and lightweight manager Aaron Boone.

Leadership in any business is vital, and this guy just doesn't have what it takes to lead this Yankees team.  

It's been a long time since Boone has been in the driver's seat. Here's the problem; he doesn't know how to drive stick.  This isn't a team you just hand over to a JV coach and say, "Here, try and tinker with this." These are the New York Yankees. They are celebrities, personalities and they are wearing the pinstripes and so the stakes are much higher.  While many people didn't like Joe Torre taking over after Buck Showalter in the 90's, the one thing Joe Torre had was experience. He was a long-time player and a manager, and while not a successful manager, he understood the game and surrounded himself with wisdom. In other words, he had a plan.  

I see Aaron Boone as a guy who wants to hang out with the celebrity Yankees, have barbeques, a few drinks, play a pickup basketball game with Cortes and Judge, and just enjoy life as a millionaire. The problem? He's not actually doing his job.  Being in the friend zone with Gerrit Cole doesn't win you a championship.  He doesn't understand the stakes, He doesn't understand much of anything.  

And I'll take it further. Better, smarter and more experienced managers in baseball have been fired for way less than what Boone's mistakes have led this Yankee team over the years.  Buck Showalter is probably one of the most respected baseball minds in the game and the Mets lost a few years ago, and they cut him loose right away.  Billy Martin was back and forth with George Steinbrenner for years, but when he couldn't win, he'd be fired. It was pretty simple.  

The White Sox fired La Russa after the club got off to a 26–38 start in 1986, yet LaRussa is one of only two managers in MLB history to win World Series championships in both the American and National leagues.  What's my point? My point is Boone should have been fired years ago. He's terrible.

Now last night's game you cannot blame on Aaron Boone. The 5th inning for the Yankees was the strangest thing I've ever seen.  You always hear that errors will cost you ballgames, and last night it was evident. It was big. It was horrible.  The Yankee club should be embarrassed. But let me be clear, errors are part of the game, and while no one wants to see the Yankees fold like they did, the bigger issue is our leadership.

Hal Steinbrenner either doesn't have his finger on the pulse or Brian Cashman has fooled him enough to handle this team and tricked big Hal into believing that "close enough" with Aaron Boone is "good enough" and the bottom line is as fans, we are very in tune with what's going on, but as fans we also love to watch our team win it all.  Us fans spend the money, and we root hard only to be heartbroken and then we do it all over again the next year with our shitty manager and a wish and a prayer that we can retain Juan Soto long term.  

None of it makes sense, yet we do it anyway. It's a trap. It's an abusive relationship and we're the ones getting mind fucked every season. And so, my biggest gripe with this team is simple; the management is stale, the hunger only comes when we hit home runs, and the idea of manufacturing runs is a very small part of the Yankees game and that my friends has been going on since the days of Jason Giambi.  We will never break the mold if the manager gives Hal what he "thinks" he wants.  Boone does not think for himself. Boone panders. Boone does what he's told. In essence, Boone isn't running this team as a true manager would.  

I will give Joe Girardi credit for one thing; he was tough as nails when it came to managing this club. He wasn't the best at it, but he also didn't bend over and tried his best to manage the team his way.  Many times, it didn't work, but one time it did and 2009 was glorious.

But 2009 was a long time ago and everyone knows that Aaron Boone's not winning us a championship.  I mean, that lineup never changed in this World Series and there were major problems with our hitting.  I am still baffled by the fact that Boone started Jose Trevino because Austin Wells was slumping just to then pinch-hit Wells for Trevino later in that game anyway.  That's a manager that doesn't trust himself and it's embarrassing.

And so now the season is over.  Last night will I PRAY brings real changes to the New York Yankees manager and coaching staff.  Seeing the Dodgers celebrate at Yankee Stadium was sad, but this is the game.  Someone had to lose and why not us... we don't have leadership anyway.

Finally, I'll leave you with this; Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" is a staple for the Yankees when we win at the Stadium.  Last night the Yankees played that song while the Dodgers were celebrating.  While this was a total mind fuck for many of your fans, I clearly understood why they did it.  There are 2 reasons actually and while it's my opinion, I know I'm right. 

For one, it was a Thank you. It was a Thank you to the Yankees for the fight. It was a Thank You to us fans for sticking around and believing in the pinstripes. It was a "so long" as we head into the winter, not a "Goodbye".  Maybe it's my maturity, maybe I just understand symbolism, but for the love of God for silly fans and this Jomboy hack to make it appear that the Yankees "messed up" for playing that song are just ridiculous.

idc what it costs, Juan Soto needs to be a Yankee for life

You can't let this generational talent and attitude walk out the front doorpic.twitter.com/yd7a7eh1sr

— Mike Salvatore (@MikeSalvatore10) October 31, 2024

I have been a fan of this team since the old Yankee stadium, 1981, Yankees vs. Dodgers Game 1 of the World Series.  Even before that in '78 when I saw Ron Guidry strike out 18 Angels, but definitely in that World Series. The fans were loud, it just made sense to me that the Yankees were my team. And so, yes, I understand symbolism. I understand appreciation. The Yankees organization as a whole may not appear to be about the fans, but even they understood the gut punch last night.  It was a peace offering, a "we're sorry, but thank you". It was supposed to make you feel good about our team. And Secondly, they probably snuck this in too; While Sinatra was a Hoboken kid, he was a Dodgers fan. 

I know, I know, your brain just exploded. Well calm down, it's not that deep. It's symbolism and a gesture all the same. You may not have gotten it, but it was actually nice and guys like Jomboy make it about them and it's not. 

And so now we crawl into our caves and wait.  Hopefully Boone gets canned, it just makes sense at this point.  Hopefully the Yankees can figure out a way to retain Juan Soto while getting another top starting pitcher.  Hopefully we will see the fall classic next year and we win with a new manager and new hunger and an Aaron Judge who just tees off every at bat.

To our Bleeding Yankee Blue audience.  You are loyal, you are wonderful, and we thank you for your support and love. Many of you have been reading BYB since we started in September 2010. That is a long time, and we love you very much.  To the newbies, yeah, we complain about our Yankees a lot here, but we also celebrate them. Thank you for finding us and we hope you enjoy the ride.

Congrats to the Yankees for making it this far. You weren't supposed to be here, but you did prove many of us wrong and I respect the hell out of that.  I always will.

Go Yanks.

See you all in the offseason. We will not stop writing and will bring you as much news, info and humor as we can.  Thanks for reading Bleeding Yankee Blue.

-- Robert Casey
Chief & Head writer of Bleeding Yankee Blue
Twitter: @BleednYankeeBlu

YANKEES- DODGERS RIVALRY IS BACK AND IT'S BETTER THAN EVER

Source: Yahoo Sports

I love it. I have been waiting for this since the late 1970s when it was Billy Martin against Tommy Lasorda. Those were the days when Tommy John went toe to toe with Ron Guidry and when Steve Garvey and Reggie Jackson belted bombs across the diamond. Today, that fierceness is back with guys like Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts heating up the Dodgers lineup against the Yankees with the mighty Aaron Judge and young shortstop Anthony Volpe. This Yankees-Dodgers rivalry is fire. And it feels better than ever.

Writes the New York Post, "It is one of the most unique rivalries in all of sports, one that tugs at heartstrings and memory banks, and whenever there is a game and those two teams are on the field, it seems like it should be televised in black and white, feels like Mel Allen and Red Barber should share the call." And the games against the Dodgers yielded so many great moments like the only World Series perfect game in 1956. 

Despite being one of the most well-known, well-established rivalries of all time, it has not been this anticipated since those days in the late 70s and early 80s. And no wonder. It has been some time since the Dodgers and Yankees were both this good at the same time. It has been some time since the Dodgers trotted into Yankee Stadium with this much confidence backed behind slugger Shohei Ohtani. And speaking of Ohtani, I don't remember a time when the Yankees sold an out of town jersey in their very own stadium team store. And a collaborative New Era cap featuring Judge and Ohtani on the front which is making Yankees fans dizzy.

As Fox Sports reports, "Judge and Ohtani are, without a doubt, the two faces of Major League Baseball, and the Yankees are taking advantage in what many perceive to be a peculiar way. First of all, the Yankees are selling Ohtani Dodgers jerseys in their own team store this weekend. But what got fans really riled up were the bodega-style hats featuring Judge's 99 and Ohtani's 17 side-by-side." One fan even called the hat a felony while another said "you have to pay Juan Soto somehow." Soto is eerily absent from the lineup with forearm inflammation. Probably the only downer for this well-anticipated and attended series. 

The Saturday game was played under the lights, which is atypical for the Yankees on Saturdays. And this game has been featured among other must watch events: The London Series, The Belmont Stakes and yes, the Yankees vs. the Dodgers. Yankee Stadium is in a fan's word, "mobbed with so many Dodger fans" this weekend.

1941 was the first time the Bronx Bombers and "Dem Bums" faced one another in the World Series. Back then, they were cross-city rivals; now they a cross-country, bicoastal rivals, driving huge crowds whenever they have the chance to face one another. Altogether, the Yankees and the Dodgers have faced each other in the Fall Classic 11 times, with the Yankees dominating the Dodgers for most. Could this weekend be a preview of what's to come? With all the energy and excitement, one can only hope.

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

THE YANKEES ARE FOR REAL

I have been holding my breath for weeks.  I have been waiting for the other shoe to drop.  I am still of the belief that Juan Soto won't be with us when the season ends. I am positive he will take the money and go to the Mets and so I am having a really hard time rooting hard for a loaner. 

Yup, that's my world.  But let me just say that what this team has done and is doing is unreal and now with the surge of Aaron Judge, the dominance of Carlos Rodon and of course the talent of Soto and every player in between... I have to say it because it's incredible... the Yankees are for real.  It's glorious, exciting and as a Yankee fan... I just want it to keep going.  

This being said, I will never use a useless Aaron Boone quote in my writings on the New York Yankees ever here on Bleeding Yankee Blue pages. Boone is a worm, a slug, and has nothing to do with this surge of greatness. He is a mouthpiece; a puppet and I'm ignoring him. For this run... this is the players. It's all the players (and James Rowson) of course.

Let's also talk about the young guys that want to make a name for themselves.  Luis Gil? What a breath of fresh air.

ESPN writes:

"Gil continued his unforeseen breakout campaign Saturday, delivering the best start of his young career with 14 strikeouts -- a Yankees rookie record -- on 98 pitches over six innings as New York improved to an AL-best 32-15..."

"I have a teacher, Gerrit Cole, who's teaching me how to pitch, how to handle situations and how to execute," Gil said in Spanish. "And that's what we're doing, what he teaches me, and we're applying it in the game."

This alone brings me such joy.  This is teamwork. These are good teammates.  Hat tip to Cole.  

Then there's Clay Holmes. Jorge Castillo of ESPN wrote a great article about him.  

"STUD -- all capital letters there," Yankees reliever Luke Weaver said.

Holmes, in his second full season as New York's closer, has registered 21 strikeouts with three walks in 17⅓ innings and leads the American League with 12 saves. And ask anybody in the Yankees' clubhouse: Holmes' performance in Baltimore earlier this month is still a talker.

Holmes now has 13.

"A lot of it for me is nailing my direction," Holmes said. "I'm able to just move down the mound faster and I just think it helps my body move a little better. Just kind of knowing my lanes, the direction I need to get going. It's a product of me just moving down the mound better. It frees up my arm. The stuff moves from that."

And how about Anthony Volpe. Now I'm going to tell you that I'm not a huge Volpe guy.  But I do like what he's doing with his batting average.  Last year he ended at .209. This year his average is at .270 and that's great.

MLB.com writes:

"Anthony Volpe hit his sixth home run of the season and swiped his ninth base of the season on Thursday. The 23-year-old wasted no time as he launched a lead-off home run, which ended up being the game-winning run. Then, in the second inning, he hit a single and stole second base. After struggling in his rookie season last year, the former top prospect is clearly beginning to find his footing at the major league level. Across 44 games this season, he has posted a .273/.348/.432 slash line, which is significantly higher than his .209/.283/.383 line last year. Volpe was a 20/20 player last season and is on pace to repeat that feat this season."

As Judge said in the Athletic last year: “If he’s going to be the future and be the shortstop here for the next 15 years... you’ve got to have him up here now and just kind of getting used to it.”

And this is why this team is truly unique. Gil, Holmes and Volpe are not top Yankee names, but they are in the mix. They are in the mix of veterans and stars that are offering unique talent and making a contribution to the team.  For me? This team strangely reminds me of 1996. 

The Jeter's mixed in with the Mariano Duncans and Cecil Fielders and Wade Boggs of the team.  Meaning... everyone contributes in some fashion.  It just feels right.  While we have a long season to go, I believe that with the return of Cole, the team will just get better.  There is hope that the Yankees can sustain this run.  

Look, I am a Yankee fan. I have been one since the day I latched on the Ron Guidry all those years ago.  I have seen some great games, great teams and some really bad ones.  I become happy, I become frustrated and annoyed. But in the end, I love this team.  I just want them to do well.

If you're a Yankee fan... a believer... I applaud you for sticking around.  I was almost out of here. The Yankees horrendous season last year coupled with my busy life made it easy for me to try and walk away.  But this team is exciting, and I'll stick around for a bit more. 

To all you Yankee fans and to all you BYB freaks, thank you for being there.  We love you.  We're in it together.  

Go Yanks!

GETTING SOTO IS HUGE! BUT WE NEED MORE!

I love that the Yankees got Juan Soto this off-season. It was a big step forward in what was a gross 2023 season.  We just couldn't get our team going in 2023.  

I'm worried as a fan.  We got Juan Soto and we have a few other parts that are important to this team, but we need more. Yoshinobu Yamamoto would have been amazing, but the Yankees were right to not go too high for him. Let the Dodgers do that, it's fine with me.  But seriously, what happens next with the Yankees? What big name either free agency or trade are we going after?  Like I said on Twitter just a short time ago, "don't look now, but the Yankees have only made 1 legit move this off season, hardly a fix for what was a terrible 2023 season."

This take of course is not popular to some. In fact, if you're not a Yankee fan from the 70's and just became a Yankee fan in the late 1990's, you really don't have a gauge for what the Yankees are all about.  The Yankees are a storied franchise, but that franchise had a lot of great times and bad times way before 1996.  Old guys like us understand the ups and downs and I have news for you, we can get pretty annoyed by it.  But newbies don't get that.  They just think I'm the old guy yelling at a cloud. 

Whatever.  Live a little, that's all I'm gonna say. Crack open an encyclopedia. Read history. Understand the Yankee ownership, the former managers before Joe Torre... the Bronx when things were bad, when guys like Mantle roamed the outfield. When players like Ron Guidry dominated.  For many of you it's all folklore... but trust me, it was all real and the Yankees were very, very good.  And why? Well, because we had decent ownership with a solid front office and for a while there was a guy named George Steinbrenner who wanted perfection out of his players and managers. And while perfection and baseball aren't really a thing, it was nice to know that George held his players and managers at a high standard.  The point was, "at least try to attain it."  

And so, these days, do I like the state of the Yankees? Not really. Have we improved? I love Juan Soto, but I wonder what happens after this season.  Can we keep the guy?  And much like it was last off season when the Yankees got Carlos Rodon and we were still "not done", we were actually done and Rodon gave us nothing in 2023 but heartburn.

And so, if you are curious as to why I'm so annoyed? It's because the standards have changed when it comes to the Yankees.  We're not a superpower anymore. The Yankees are just like the other teams.  We're not strong, we're OK.  So pardon me for being cranky and wanting to get the pieces we need to win.  

Look, Bleeding Yankee Blue was started in 2010 because I was angry at the Yankees and how they mismanaged their team and I hated to watch us lose year after year.  And since 2010, they have not won a championship.  It's 2023, about to be 2024.  That's terrible. We are better than that, or so I thought.  

And so, you ask me why I'm cranky... why I "post controversial stuff".  

Controversial?  Huh?  How about frustration? That's the word! Using the word Controversial is a word the new soft generation uses.  

Next thing you know people on Twitter are "triggered" because I said the word "shit" or something.  

How about as Yankee fans we can all agree on this; The Yankees were not good in 2023... and we need get better in 2024.  Signing only Juan Soto and a few spare parts is NOT the answer.  That's an opinion and in my mind, a fact.  

We need to improve.  That's the bottom line.

THE YANKEE BRIGHT SPOTS IN AN ODD SEASON

There aren't a lot of highlights this season. The Yankees are riddled with injury, they are just not playing well. Boone's a Bozo.  It's just disappointing to be a Yankee fan.  Look, you still have to root, and let's be clear about something; when I rip on my team, I rip on my team because I want success out of my team.  I don't hate my team, I'm frustrated.  But make no mistake... I love my New York Yankees. Always have since the day I saw Ron Guidry strike out 18 to now.

With all the uncertainty, one thing IS happening.  Guys that have not had many chances are getting chances and are stepping up big time. I really love what I have seen from Billy McKinney and Jake Bauers. I'm a fan of both.  And two pitchers are actually really making a jump and a difference for this team. They are getting opportunity and they are running with it.  Those guys? Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito. The New York Post writes:

"...a few young arms have answered the call.

After Randy Vasquez was effective in a bulk role following an opener Friday night, Jhony Brito was better on Saturday, albeit in a 3-1 loss at loanDepot Park....

rookies Vasquez and Brito, who both have chances at significant roles for what the team hopes will be a run at a wild-card spot.

Brito followed up Vasquez’s 3 ²/₃-inning, two-run performance by relieving King in the third inning and tossing five innings of one-run ball."

The rotation's struggling... don't forget. Cortes is out again, Rodon is down.  Ian Hamilton and Michael King have struggled. It's really not fair to Gerrit Cole.  Cole's been amazing, but it's clearly not enough for this team. We need more, that's why Vasquez and Brito are going to be really important down the stretch.

Bottom line, when opportunity knocks, take it.  That's what these young arms are doing.  Let's hope they make the difference, and we can snag a wild card spot. It's literally the only thing we have right now!

Let's go!

BRONX PANIC! CONFIDENT, HARD-NOSED MANAGER NEEDED!

No one, not even Yankee brass believes the Yankees have a shot this year.  I mean look... I am a big Yankee fan. I was there in the days of the last place Yankees in 1990. Days were dark, but I didn't walk away then and I'm not walking away now.  The difference is we can make moves to improve and not sell away key players to get huge name rentals. All we need to do is to inject a little energy into the team... a few pieces.... a third baseman.... an outfielder.... both with some pop. Both with some confidence. I believe that will turn it around.

But I gotta say the fan base giving up with 50 plus games left is ridiculous.  It's disappointing and it's shocking.  Joel Sherman of the New York Post says this about some names on the flip list. Guys like Harrison Bader and Luis Severino, IKF and Wandy Peralta.  But who the hell would want those guys right now? Other than Peralta and maybe IKF, they're worthless. And let's be honest, is that selling or unloading weak players? 

The Yankees time is up when it comes to excellence.  Right now, the best thing they need to do is improve to get by... get into the playoffs and finish this season with the idea that the off season will be huge for them.  But to give up with 50 plus games left is ridiculous. We still have a shot... slim, but a shot.

Like... who is running this team?  

Is anyone truly paying attention? Hal made a statement a short time ago and fired loser Dillon Lawson.  He was no hitting coach... he was a fan boy who liked hanging around the Yankees and had no clue about mechanics and adjustments. That had to happen. But as I have said many times before, he needed to go further. He needed to fire Aaron Boone. 

Now you can say that the constant losing is not Boone's fault that this team just sucks, but I'll suggest to you that sometimes-subliminal moves change a team's approach.  I strongly believe that seeing Boone fired would have been a severe wake up call for this Yankees team.  It would have showed that Hal Steinbrenner was serious about winning. It would have showed the team they needed to wake the F up.  But that didn't happen and then to make matters worse, Cashman came out to the media to let everyone know that Boone's job was safe.  Talk about bursting an entire fan base's bubble. The Yankees seem to forget that they work for us. We pay to see their games, buy their shitty food and suffer through shitty seasons like this one.  Fans want theirs.  

Then of course I'll circle back on that ultimate question.  Do you give up on this team?  Well, great question, but I already know my answer.  

No.

I watched the Yankees since the 1970's.  I watched Ron Guidry strike out 18... saw Reggie Jackson become an absolute monster at the plate. I saw Don Mattingly bat .300 multiple times with hair longer than his collar line, a rebel, and I watched a kid named Derek Jeter show up and win 5 championships.  But one thing those guys all had with those teams was support from the top. 

It might not have always looked pretty with the Billy Martins and Clyde Kings and Joe Torres of our Yankee history, and sure, George Steinbrenner was a lunatic, but he owned that team like a fan.  He wanted to win... he wanted to win all the time and if he didn't, he fired the manager.  Why? Because the manager runs the show. The manager puts the lineups together... the manager doesn't coddle; they tell it like it is.  A manager is not a friend, he's the leader of the team.  And if the players don't respect the manager, the manager benches those players until they do.  Boone is not a respected manager. Aaron Boone would have never been hired by George Steinbrenner because Boone doesn't command respect. He's weak.

What world do we live in that we have hot players in hitting streaks benched for rest? What world do we live in where we need to start a winning streak, Judge returns, homers and gets rested the next day?  The Yankees now need to sprint.  There is no more marathon mentality Mr. Boone... we are past that.  

Urgency is important now.  Fighting to win is vital now.  I think every Yankee fan would appreciate it more if we went balls out to try and stumble into the playoffs than win 1 game every 4 because players need to rest.  It is the absolute worst managing style I have ever seen.  

In the end, I will continue to root. I will continue to throw shit at my TV, and I will continue to remind all of you that being a hardnosed tough player is out the window if you're watching baseball in the Bronx.  The Yankees are now soft because of soft leadership. A definite trickle down from Boone to his players. Sure, I'll continue to root, but I'm rooting for my players and for that uniform.  I refuse to praise loser Boone. He has done nothing for this team but to make excuses.

When it gets hard... when you need to juggle injury and personality and rest, THAT IS WHEN YOU SEE HOW GOOD YOUR MANAGER IS. It is clear Aaron Boone is nothing but a puppet for this Yankee organization.  I cannot wait until this season ends so Hal can prove to the entire MLB and Yankee fan base that this horrible Aaron Boone experiment failed.

#FireBoone. 

GERRIT COLE THROWS 2000

On Tuesday night, the Yankees embarked on an important three game series against their division rival Baltimore Orioles. Those Orioles are always muckrakers against the Yankees. And they certainly had Gerrit Cole's number last night in the early innings. But Cole did something great despite giving up two home runs and a two run double, quickly giving the O's a 4-0 lead. But it wasn't enough to beat the Yankees as they walked off with a 6-5 win in extras. Making the night even more special. 

"Gerrit Cole fanned former Yankees prospect Jorge Mateo in the second inning and became the 87th pitcher with 2,000 career strikeouts. He got there in 1,714 2/3 innings, third fastest all-time. Only Chris Sale (1,626 innings) and Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez (1,711 1/3 innings) beat Cole to the milestone," reported CBS Sports. Good for him. He has been a different person, a different pitcher this season. Though he earned a no-decision in Tuesday night's game, he made history.

"In terms of games pitched, Cole is also the third fastest to 2,000 strikeouts. He got there in 278 games, behind only Hall of Famer Randy Johnson (262 games) and the great Clayton Kershaw (277 games)," reported CBS Sports. Anytime I get to mention Kershaw in a piece, it is a good piece!

Recall that last season Cole set the Yankees franchise single-season strikeout record, moving passed Ron Guidry's 248 strikeouts which he threw during his historic Cy Young season in 1978. Anytime I mention Guidry in a piece, it is a good piece! Cole has the opportunity to do much more as long as he stays healthy. He will be with the Yankees through 2028 given his current contract.

"He’s one of eight pitchers to achieve the milestone while wearing a Yankees uniform, joining the likes of Andy Pettitte, C.C. Sabathia, Catfish Hunter, David Cone, Mike Mussina, Bobo Newman, and Dwight Gooden," reported Sports Illustrated. Okay, I am a Pettitte and Catfish fan, so anytime I mention them...you get the point. 

Cole has shown tremendous growth and leadership as well this season. Often he is seen talking with young pitchers, reviewing their performance on the dugout iPad and even providing some much-needed humor when the team was down. His presence is invaluable to this team. Congratulations, Gerrit Cole on this well-earned accomplishment. And let's go Yankees, beat them O's!

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

BOONE, DON'T BE A BONEHEAD! GIVE NESTOR THE BALL!

What else can we possibly say about Nestor Cortes that we haven't already? We love him, he's the true ace of this pitching staff but the Yankees will never admit that. It's time for the Yankees to give Nestor what he has earned. It's time to give him the ball for the ALDS....but for Game 1.

Saturday's game against the Orioles was nice to see, and we are used to it by now. Another thing we are used to is hearing Gerrit Cole wear the "ace" title but give up too many home runs. He's the Yankees white whale that we waited to get.... but he hasn't panned out to what we wanted exactly. He's been consistent at giving up big hits and that's just not gonna work in a tough postseason.

I give credit where credit is due and I acknowledge tying Ron Guidry's Yankees single-season strikeout record is a huge accomplishment is a big deal. Kudos to Cole, but he's also given up 32 home runs this season which can't be ignored. And what about the bad memories I can't shake with Cole tanking in playoff performances? I can't forgive and forget that easily. Thank goodness we won't be losing to the Red Sox in the postseason this year because I wouldn't be able to handle that.

So is there a chance that Aaron Boone could pull a Joe Torre from 1999? It happened once it could happen again.....maybe. Torre made the right call by starting El Duque in Game 1 instead of Roger Clemens because it worked out. Too bad Boone doesn't think like Torre did because Boone has already committed to starting Cole, read more HERE. 

So it sounds like Boone is gonna go with the pitcher that costs the most money instead of the pitcher that has had the better season. I don't like it....but the Yankees are blinded by the big dollar signs attached to Cole. They are too blinded to think that maybe giving Nestor the ball for game one would like a fire under Cole and motivate him a little more.

Maybe Boone will change his mind, but I am not gonna hold my breath. Hopefully, Cole proves me wrong and pitches like the ace he is supposed to be. I just want to win!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj