TYLER WADE WAS JUST DFA'D BY THE ATHLETICS...

Could Tyler Wade be a guy the Yankees would be willing to pick up for yet a third stint in the Bronx?

Look, there is no question the Yankees have an offense / energy problem. Injecting someone like Tyler could be helpful.  

Inside the Pinstripes writes:

"The 28-year-old joined the Athletics on a minor league deal ahead of the 2023 season and in 26 games at the big-league level slashed .255/.309/.314. At this point, it wouldn't be too surprising to see a reunion back with the Yankees. New York could use more offensive depth and Wade already has had two stints in the organization.

Now that Wade has been designated for assignment clubs will have one week to claim him off waivers. If a team does so, they would immediately need to add Wade to the 40-man roster. If no team claims him, he can opt for free agency and sign elsewhere. Hopefully, he can get another opportunity shortly. "

Wade is 13-51, a .255 average with 4 stolen bases. He's also 28.  Point is, while it's not outstanding, this guy knows the Yankee way, and is still spry.  Honestly, I've never been a big Wade fan, but it could inject some life into this club.  Think about it.

FOR GALLO, IT'S A TKO IF HE'S BUMPED FROM THE BRONX

Nothing worse than being terrible at your job and the media and fans just trashing you nightly. That's what's going on with Joey Gallo. The big body strike out machine cannot play baseball.  You can tout him on his defense all you want, and try to root for him if he can work a walk, but this automatic out-hole needs to go. The problem? The Yankees probably can't even get rid of him because his value is in the shitter. That's just reality.

Now, picking up Tyler Wade was a smart move. Here's why; you have a great defensive player in Wade. He can't his for shit either, but he can bunt, he can run and he can bring a better energy than a big body holding his bat in horror as he walks back to the dugout after a monsterous air swing. 

Plus, Tyler can play the outfield. We saw a glimpse of a ballplayer in Wade with the Angels. My theory? Bringing Wade back to the Bronx can help the Yankees try and unload Gallo. And if they can, great. If they can't he can sit more and maybe Wade takes his place some days. Either way, they need to keep that big oaf away from the batter's box, because he's stinking up the joint. For the record, "Oaf" means awkward person. That best describes this guy. Get him the hell out of there.

So this is New York. Big media here. And with big media comes the trashing of lousy players when it fits. Gallo is hearing it. This makes Gallo sad I guess.

SI writes that Gallo said: "I’m aware of that possibility... “I’ve been in the league a while and I understand if you’re not performing, things can change quick. For me, I don’t see myself being anywhere else. I think we have a great team here with great chemistry. We’ve got the best record in baseball and I don’t envision myself anywhere else. I want to be here.”

Dude, no offense. You can't envision yourself anywhere else because you know no one would take you. You're safe with the Yankees. You get paid with the Yankees. With Gallo, there really needed to be a contract with incentives....

DON'T STRIKE OUT FOR 2 GAMES STRAIGHT OR YOU DON'T GET $100,000.

IF YOU STRIKE OUT 4 TIMES IN A GAME, YOU DON'T GET A MILLION.

WALKING IS GREAT, BUT YOU'RE PAID TO HIT.

Shit like that. 

And look, there was a possibly trade with the Padres in the offseason. This is before the 2022 awful season he's having now. Back then we may have had a shot to get rid of this bum, but now? Forget it. We might be better off trading him to the NJ Jackals out in Montclair, NJ. They'd love him.

Bleacher Report writes:

"Heyman cited a scout who said the Big Apple is a "challenge" for the two-time All-Star and "gets in his dome."

Gallo is eligible for free agency in the offseason, and it looks increasingly likely based on his performance the Yankees won't move heaven and earth to re-sign him. A trade makes the most sense for both parties, but that would also probably mean New York taking a loss on the whole thing.

Although it doesn't appear the front office was willing to do that..."

It's very mental with this guy. New York is too big for Gallo. Hell, you will be judged on a good day at the plate. A bad day? They will literally beat you with your own bat.  And that's where Gallo is now.

So, does Gallo feel safe in New York right now? Yup, cause he's getting paid to suck. Will any other team take him? Maybe... as a favor to Cashman, but that's about it.  If Gallo leaves New York though... he's done, and he knows it. He will fade away... and that's fine with me.

Get that Linkedin resume going... it's over.  

YANKS CAN'T QUIT TYLER WADE

 But I can.

Too bad for me, the Yankees just brought him back.

Sportsnaut writes:

"Wade’s career in the Bronx was nothing to write home about, it appears that New York just can not quit him. Mere days after being designated for assignment, the Yankees have acquired the veteran from Los Angeles. According to Joel Sherman of the NY Post, Wade will report to Triple-A.

Prior to being designated by the Angels, Wade was hitting a mere .218 with one homer, eight RBI and a .544 OPS in 67 games on the season. With that said, he’s considered a good defensive player and could provide versatility at myriad positions in New York."

Look, for me, the bottom line is if Wade can play the outfield and we can get Joey Gallo the hell out of New York, I will be a happy man. At least Wade is scrappy and can scratch out a hit or a run and he's great defensively. Galloy does nothing.

Welcome back Tyler. Let's go Yankees!

WARNING TYLER WADE—BETTER NOT STEAL MY GUY

Tyler Wade is having terrific year out in Anaheim. I am happy for him as I am sure you are too. But...I don't want him sharing all of his southern California fun and success too loudly with his former team, in particular one guy who could be easily persuaded to head out to the west coast next season. Warning Tyler Wade- stay away from Aaron Judge.

"Memorial Day, an off day for the Yankees and Angels, Wade had dinner with one of his BFFs, Aaron Judge. Wade flashed a big smile mentioning Judge during his pre-game media availability, so NJ Advance jokingly looked ahead to next winter’s free agent market: Did Wade let Judge know happy he is in Anaheim in case Angels are suitors next winter?"

He better not. Judge is having a spectacular season for the Yankees, the only team he has ever known. He's leading the league in home runs with 18 and defensively he gives the Yankees flexibility in the outfield, playing both right and center field. That short porch has seen a lot of love from the Yankee slugger, so let's keep it that way.

“He’s having a great year,” Wade said. “I’m happy for him. He deserves everything that’s coming to him and you guys have seen it for six years now, what he does on the field and off the field, it’s special and you can’t replicate that,” reported NJ.com. Exactly, we don't want to even try to replicate Judge and his impact on this team, so Tyler Wade you can love him from across the country.

"Wade feels blessed. He played with a lot of great players and always made the playoffs when he was with the Yankees, and now he’s with an AL West contender as a teammate to superstars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Making this ride even better, he’s playing close to home," reported NJ.com. 

Judge is also from California, which makes leaving New York for his hometown a possibility. But here is the thing— I love watching Mike Trout play, but no one really pays attention to the LA Angels. Much like the Mets are to the Yankees, the Angels are to the beloved Dodgers. So, Judge can consider going across the country, back home but if he does, I'd say the next best team to play for besides the Yankees is Dodgers.

Wade can chirp all he wants about his success at the Angels. And he has found success, so I am not underplaying what he has done so far this season (starting 31 of 50 games at five positions and batting  .229 down from .286 only a couple of weeks ago). He just can't smile too loudly around Judge. And no more special dinners with our slugger. Tyler Wade, Aaron Judge is off limits. 

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

COULD FREDDIE FREEMAN BE A YANKEE IN 2022?

It is no surprise that Freddie Freeman is one of the top, if not the top, free agent in this year's cohort. The 2020 NL MVP and World Series Champion first base man is being pursued by the Yankees and division rival Toronto Blue Jays. Could Freeman be a Yankee in 2022? Why not!

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network's Tweet on Tuesday afternoon, "Teams are trying to pry superstar 1B Freddie Freeman from Atlanta. Some say they still don’t think it will happen but r surprised he’s still free. Dodgers, who lost Seager and could move Muncy to 2B, may have best hope for SoCal product, NYY, TOR (h/t Carlos Baerga) reached out." Would the Yankees even want to bring in another first baseman when they need a shortstop and likely a center fielder, not to mention more starting pitching? Stranger things have happened.

"Freeman is one of the game’s most consistently productive hitters, having been at least 32 percentage points better than average at the plate (by measure of wRC+) in each season since 2013," wrote MLB Rumors. Even though that is an attractive reason to go for Freeman, plus he is an all around great guy and would add amazing chemistry to the Yankee clubhouse, the Yankees need to go after what they need right now: short stop, center field and a starting pitcher. 

MLB Network's Jon Morosi tweeted, "Free agent Chris Taylor is drawing broad interest and could sign by Wednesday. Dodgers would like to retain him. Blue Jays, Mariners, Angels, and Nationals also have been involved over the past week." What about Taylor, who can play outfield, shortstop and second base? He put up great numbers this past year and would be a better choice given the Yankees current needs. 

Could Freddie Freeman be a Yankee in 2022? Sure. Will he be? Not likely. Given the Yankees deficits, they need to stay focused on filling positions of high need. And with Corey Kluber, Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade and other players off the roster and on other teams, the Yankees need to start to fill the void with players who can keep the team competitive and fresh for a fight for the East and eventual World Series run. As much as I would love to see Freeman in pinstripes, they need to pass. 

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

IT WAS TIME TO DUMP TYLER WADE

I never liked the guy. I'm sure he is a great dude, but in the world of the New York Yankees, we really needed that guy that did the things that the big boppers did not do, and while Tyler had the body type for speed and dynamic plays and doubles hitting, he just really didn't ever deliver... and now it's over, the Yankees got rid of him. And for me? All is right in the world.

NBC Sports writes:

" Tyler Wade was traded from the New York Yankees to the Los Angeles Angels for a player to be named or cash.

Wade was designated for assignment when the Yankees needed roster spots to protect prospects ahead of the winter meeting draft."

Over 5 seasons with the Yankees? This kid batted .212. Think about that. Think about what we could have done with that spot 5 years ago if we cut him then.

Whatever the case, California is where Wade is, and believe me, I see it coming... when the Yankees play the Angels, Wade will burn us with outstanding games. That's the way it always happens. On the Yankees however, he just couldn't break through.

Good luck Tyler.

SANCHEZ SURVIVES YANKEES FIRST CUT

Source: Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

If you have not heard the news, the Yankees parted ways with Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade and Rougned Odor on Friday. But somehow, Gary Sanchez was spared. Yet as the New York Post points out, "The Yankees clearly recognize they need to mix up their pool of position players, with Miguel Andujar and Luke Voit joining Sanchez on the endangered species list between now and the Dec. 2 non-tender deadline. Sanchez stands out because, as a catcher, he is the hardest to replace." Will the Yankees part ways with Sanchez? I hope so, but if not him than who?

Here is an interesting and innovative way to address the problem: What if the Yankees take the opener strategy in pitching and apply it to catching; meaning why not have an arsenal of catchers, well not an arsenal but carry three or four, who can play other positions as well. This idea is not that far off base.

"The thin free-agent group of catchers includes Roberto Perez, who performed poorly for Cleveland last season, and old pal Austin Romine, whose health and performance struggles the past two seasons validated the Yankees’ decision to keep Kyle Higashioka over him. Romine might have to settle for a minor league deal. The Yankees should make Higashioka a co-starter behind the plate and deploy their trademark arbitrage skills that just last summer unearthed Nestor Cortes Jr., Clay Holmes and Lucas Luetge to locate the other co-starter, be it one of the aforementioned free agents or someone else," reports the Post.

Source: Associated Press

Interesting. Right? Co-catchers which might give the Yankees more confidence in moving away from Sanchez slowly. Also part of the free agency is Yan Gomes from the Oakland A's who on paper is not much better and in some cases worse than Sanchez. "Gomes, 34, tallied a .723 OPS, seven points lower than Sanchez, as he split his 2021 season between the Nationals and A’s. His July (1.078) actually topped Sanchez’s June, if with far fewer plate appearances. More to the point, while his April (.556) ranked lower than any of Sanchez’s months, he exceeded .694 in three of the six months, adding a fourth (.646 in August) that surpassed Sanchez’s third-best month, April," reported the Post. 

Source: NJ.com

The most important takeaway from the Gary Sanchez saga or experiment is this: The Yankees need to pledge more of their resources toward player development than trying to fix a deficit that was clearly theirs. Home growing your players is the best bang for your buck and if you can't do that well, consistently than you will continue to "buy" your way into the playoffs, or just be ok with how things have been. 

The Yankees lack of synergy, athleticism and chemistry has been their undoing. So really this conversation isn't about who Sanchez has become but rather it's about who he could have been had the Yankees dedicated the time and resources necessary to help him realize his potential. Now we are left with platooning him with two or three other catchers and see what fits. 

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

SEAGER, CORREA & THE YANKEES SHORTSTOP RUMOR MILL REVISITED

Source: CBS Sports

How are you enjoying the World Series? Are you rooting for the Braves? Not a fan, but the Yankees did sweep the Braves the last time they made it to the Fall Classic—way back in 1999. That was when the Yankees were consistently good, like dynasty good. But that was a long time ago. We had a great shortstop back then and since Derek Jeter retired, we haven't had consistency in that position. Sure the Yankees had Didi Gregorius and I liked him, but we let him test out free agency, so perhaps the Yankees didn't like him that much. Which leaves us where we are right now. Without a consistent middle infielder who offensively and defensively adds value to the team. And that's where we begin the rumor mill story.

Corey Seager: a hot bat in Los Angeles, the 27-year-old is a free agent and is among a number of shortstops available this off-season. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan per The Michael Kay Show, Seager could be a Yankee come 2022. "The former NL Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Star and World Series Champion has a career .297 batting average with 104 home runs, 364 RBI and a .870 OPS. However, an argument could be made that his defense isn’t always there and for a team who just watched Gleyber Torres struggle mightily defensively all season until ultimately getting moved to second base, perhaps the Yankees will elect to value defense at that position more than offense," reports Yahoo Sports. We need defense—next candidate. 

Carlos Correa: Now don't shoot the messager. I am not a fan either. But he is a premier shortshop and could bring a lot of power to the position.  But the New York Post is spot on here—"If not for the scandal, Correa would look like a potentially terrific fit for the Yankees. He clearly embraces the big stage, as exemplified by the postseason numbers — a .273/.346/.522 slash line and 18 home runs — that he brought into Tuesday night’s Game 1 of the World Series at Minute Maid Park." If Correa was the Yankees' only option this winter, then maybe you overlook 2017, but he's not—next candidate.

Marcus Semien: Toronto Blue Jay's second baseman can also play shortstop and could be a fit for the Yankees given his incredible 2021 season. "He’s coming off a breakout campaign, posting a .265/.334/.538 slash line and a career-high 45 home runs and 102 RBIs, making his first All-Star team in the process," reported ESPN Seattle. But he could get some interest from the Mariners, and he is from the Bay Area, so there will be competition. Yet what better Divison to play in than the AL East and what better team than the Yankees. 

Source: NY Post

Let's not forget the Yankees can home grow their shortstop too. As the Post reminds us, the Yankees could go with who they have in "Gio Urshela, Andrew Velazquez and Tyler Wade out of respect for those youngsters and divert more resources to their pitching staff or first base." But, then we are back where we started. Unless Velazquez or Wade can morph into a Jeter?

Look the Yankees can't fix everything but they have to make some moves to offset this multiyear slump without a World Series bid. 1999 feels like a lifetime ago. The dominance of the Yankees back then was fierce and deep. I want that again. You want that again. So, let's go Yankees—assemble that team, and if that means getting a shortstop, then there are plenty to choose from—so get after it!

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

A MUST READ ON THE STATE OF THE NEW YORK YANKEES

Time to discuss what went wrong and what needs to be fixed. The Yankees frustrated me this year, just like everybody. Well, I've been thinking about it long and hard as you will see.

When the goal is to win the World Series, this will now make 5 consecutive failed post-seasons. 2017 was a great success, yet we were so close to beating the Astros and going to the Series. Had the Astros not cheated, I believe Yanks would have won that championship. 

2018 was just a magical year by Boston and they outplayed us. 2019 again with the loss to Houston with Altuve using a buzzer and cheating his way to a walk-off homer off Chapman. After those seasons, it was clear we needed an ace to win the big games for us in October, so Cole was signed. 

2020 was all screwed up from COVID, but Yanks still made it past Cleveland and to the ALDS game 5 vs. Tampa. Cole was lined up and pitched well, but couldn’t go deep. Yanks had a 2-1 lead into the 8th and then Chapman gave up the 2-run HR and the season was over. Devastating. 

So 2021 was supposed to be a year where the Yanks and Cole finally got things right. What went wrong? A lot. Let’s review.

Yanks Must Fire Boone

Before I discuss players, I want to make my pitch that Yanks need to get a new Manager. Seems like they are going to bring Boone back however. I am not so sure I would. Everyone says that it’s the players, not the Manager, but that implies that Manager of a team is irrelevant. No doubt, the players deserve a lot of the blame in 2021, but that doesn’t mean the Manager is irrelevant. As bad as Yankees hit this season (not Boone’s fault), Boone made terrible in-game decisions all season long. 

I am telling you that his managerial decisions in the bullpen alone, probably cost the Yankees 5 to 10 games in the standings. Yes, as bad as they hit, I truly believe with the right Manager, this team would have won 100 games this year. At some point, I may go back and give you a list of the games and his bad decisions. There were a stretch of games in July when he continued to leave Chapman in games where the Yanks had leads long after it was obvious that Chapman was going to blow the save. We had other options available in the bullpen to win those games, but Boone stubbornly allowed Chapman to fully blow these games, as if to try to force him to recover from his pitching slump. Every game is valuable. With 1 more win, Yanks would have had homefield in that Wild Card game, so wasting these games proves immensely costly. One example is below, but trust me, there were 5 to 10 of these:

--June 30th vs. Angels: 

Yanks led 8-4 in the 9th after scoring 7 in the first inning off Ohtani. Chapman walks the lead off batter, then after a forceout, walks the next 2 batters to load the bases. Boone leaves Chapman in. Anyone in the world watching knew what was going to happen. Chapman proceeds to give up a game tying Grand Slam to Jared Walsh. Chapman is pulled (too late) and Luetge replaced him and he walked the first batter, then gave up a single sending the go ahead run to 3B. After a strikeout for the 2nd out, he gives up a 2-run single to Luis Rengifo and Angels take a 10-8 lead and win 11-8.

--July 4th vs Mets: Yanks led 5-4 going to the 7th of a 7-inning game. Despite Chapman’s meltdown vs. the Angels 4 days earlier, he comes in for the save and immediately gives up the game-tying HR to Pete Alonso, then puts the go ahead run on base by hitting Conforto. After a walk to McNeil, Chapman is pulled and replaced by Luetge, who promptly allows a single and (after a strikeout) a go-ahead double to Jose Peraza to essentially win the game (Yanks didn’t score in the bottom of the 7th). Mets win 11-5 with 7 runs in the 7th inning.

--Andrew Heaney: 

There were a series of games where Andrew Heaney was amazingly bad, yet Boone kept going to him. Even when he was pulled as a starter, there were close games where Heaney was relied upon for big outs (and, of course, he failed). This led to several losses that I pin directly on Boone. He didn’t trade for Heaney, but he did decide to use him in big spots when we had other options. That’s on him.

Cashman did a Terrible Job this Year

I am not sure I am ready to fire Brian Cashman, but if he were fired, I would not be able to say he did not deserve it. He really screwed up in constructing this team in 2021. While Cole was great in 2020 and did his job in the 2020 postseason, Yanks needed to improve the other starters and their offense. Let’s look at what Cashman did, none of which worked:

Starters: 

Cashman staked his entire offseason attempt to improve our starters by signing Cory Kluber and Jameson Taillon. I won’t quibble over Taillon because it was low risk an he was not being counted on as a #2 starter, but relying upon Kluber was a very bad decision. It was too unlikely that he would stay healthy and he did not. He had a good start (and a no-hitter), but got injured and was a shell of himself upon return from the injury. So, while other top starters moved all around the league in the offseason and trade deadline (Blake Snell, Joe Musgrove, Charlie Morton, Jose Berrios, Max Scherzer, Yu Darvish to name a few).

Mike Ford: 

This might seem trivial, but I really believe that Cashman’s refusal to give up on this guy, cost us 4 or 5 games at least. When Voit was injured at the start of the season, Yanks had to decide how to fill 1B. It was my feeling that they should let Tyler Wade play 2B and use DJ at 1B. Instead, Yanks kept DJ at 2B and tried to fill in with shitty 1B. First, it was Jay Bruce who got 10 games of .118 hitting before he gave up, but then Ford continued to get AB despite it being clear that all he could do is strike out. There were a lot of 1-run games in April and early May where Ford was 0 for 4 with 3 K’s. 1 good AB from Wade in those games could have been the difference. The Ford experiment went on for WAY TOO long. This was Cashman’s doing. He is responsible for that. For hit .133 in his 22 games before being cut.

Yanks Offense: In a year where Yanks were finally relatively healthy for the first time in a long time, the offense was terrible. Look at the drop off in 2021 in offense:

2017 858 runs 2nd in MLB 5.30 runs per game

2018 851 runs 2nd in MLB 5.25 runs per game

2019 943 runs 1st in MLB 5.82 runs per game

2020 315 runs 4th in MLB 5.25 runs per game

2021 711 runs 19th in MLB 4.38 runs per game

This can only be described as pathetic, which is what the offense was for most of the season. Judge and Stanton were healthy and both had very good seasons. But everyone else underperformed. Gleyber and DJ had very poor years and Urshela never looked like the player that his .314 in 2019 and .298 in 2020. Strikeouts are a major problem for this team. They struck out 28% of their AB. So when we needed reinforcements at the trade deadline, we needed to get players that put the ball in play. Oakland, for example, traded for Starling Marte, who hit .305 for Miami, then hit .308 after being traded to Oakland. He puts the ball in play. Plays good defense in CF. Has speed (43 SB this season).

Gallo and Rizzo: The trade for Gallo, particular, was HORRIBLE. Gallo was exactly what Yanks did not need. Another guy that strikes out a lot. Gallo had a few big hits for us, but essentially struck out almost 50% of his AB. Now, we are stuck with him for next season, although I would non-tender him and not pay him $10M.

So with the offense broken and with no moves to really fix it (I suppose Rizzo helped a little bit… I am less concerned about the Rizzo trade because he is a free agent and it does not impact us for 2022… although I still don’t think it was worth giving away the prospects), Cashman failed Yankee fans in 2021. Nobody can try to argue he did a good job.

And so you're wondering, "Hey Douglas, how do we fix this in 2022?" Glad you asked.

One of Cashman’s problems, in his defense, is that Yanks were trying to stay under the luxury tax. When you stay under the tax for one year, you reset and then pay a lower tax in future years. Hopefully, this means that now that the Yanks have reset, they will be back to spending this offseason. While I am reluctant to use spending on free agents as a means of trying to win a championship, I don’t think the Yanks have a choice now. They have Cole for big money and Judge and Stanton in their primes, so they are a win-now team. Trying to build for the future is not an option for them and we all know that. But the team has major flaws, mainly on offense, that need to be fixed. Here is what I would do? I warn you, it’s expensive:

Sign Corey Seager to play Shortstop: Seager is young (27) and plays good SS. He is lefty, which is crucial. Its clear Yanks will add a SS and Carlos Correa hopefully is not an option. Seager looks like the guy. Seager hit .306 this year with a .394 OBP. Only strikes out about 20% of the time, which is pretty good these days in MLB. He is a clutch player with many big hits for LAD in their 2020 WS run. He is a winner. Get him.

Sign Freddie Freeman to play 1B: If Yanks added Freeman and Seager, the offense would take an immediate and dramatic upturn. 2 lefties and positions that we have basically open, no offense to Luke Voit. I love Voit, but he is injured too much, he is a righty, and he strikes out too much. Freeman stays on the field. He has barely missed a game the past 4 years. He hits .300 and 30 HR every year. He will be very hard to pry away from the Braves, but with money, anything is possible.

Sign Starling Marte to play CF: The third and final portion of my plan is Marte. Yanks need this type of athleticism and speed. We cannot rely upon Hicks coming back and being healthy and cannot keep going to Gardner to bail us out in CF. Marte is a real CF. He is a perfect fit for the Yanks.

These three signing will come at a high price, but we all know Yanks can afford it. They pay a lower tax now that they were under the threshold this year. So spend the money and fix the team.... read this Cashman... READ IT!  This would immediately take Yanks from 19th in Runs to likely into the Top 3 if not 1st. If you add these 3 guys to Judge and Stanton, and get DJ back to his 2019-2020 self, it will be a world of difference.

I will have more thoughts on the Yankees in the next coming days to help bring some stability and strategy to this team. Look for it here at Bleeding Yankee Blue!

--Douglas Solomon
BYB Guest Writer

WAS THE YANKEES BIG WINNING STREAK AN ANOMALY?

I miss the thirteen game win streak. It forced Aaron Boone and the analytic junkies to stop relying on their failed system. I wish all of the injuries didn't come with all of that, but it still proved an important point.

The win streak came when some of the regulars were not in the lineup. The Yankees had to get creative and patch together a lineup in the worst of circumstances that actually worked. It's a reminder to stick with what works. Don't be afraid to shake things up. Before the win streak things weren't working and the trade deadline got some pieces for us that were a band=aid but while the 13 win streak was fun to watch, was it an anomaly?

What we saw from April-July was representative of what the "regular" team really is....ineffective. The addition of the lefty bats was welcome because it added balance but it wasn't the solution. So IS ANYONE EXCITED THAT JOEY GALLO IS A YANKEE? I'd say NO now.

I still like the Anthony Rizzo addition, he adds consistency in the infield and some additional leadership....which the Yankees need. I never liked the Andrew Heaney move. I've watched him long before he ever put pinstripes on and honestly, Brian Cashman added a weakness there. The Angels are the winners in that trade and they are very happy about losing his 7.71 ERA. These were band-aids, not fixes and some of them didn't even pan out.

I'm not the biggest Tyler Wade fan these days but he gave the Yankees the energy and speed on the bases that has been missing. That snapped as soon as Gio Urshela was brought back and Andrew Velazquez is definitely superior at shortstop than Gleyber Torres. The Yankees have handicapped themselves because while the "regulars" are back, there's no room for the guys that were productive and getting the job done. The same goes for Rougned Odor who is now back on the bench. I believe Torres can be developed the Yankees shouldn't give up on him BUT leaving him at shortstop is not the answer.

So the Yankees went back to their tired lineup because they are the regulars and the guys who were getting the results are not playing. The analytics are back, it's managing with a formula that hasn't produced results instead of rolling with the lineup that was producing. That's the only explanation that makes sense. The sad thing is, the season is on the line and a Wild Card spot is once again in jeopardy. October isn't even a guarantee. The Yankees are in real danger of missing the postseason.

The win streak showed us what is possible, but not with Cashman's current approach to building rosters or with Boone's management skills. I believe the Yankees are capable of a lot more, but we wont see the full potential with this ideology. The streak may have been an anomaly, but if the Yankees changed their thought process and played real baseball it doesn't have to be.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

FIRE BOONE! HE BROKE HIS YANKEE TOY!

 

Aaron, you might be the worst manager in New York Yankee history. You make bad lineups, you rest better players too often and play the wrong guys all the time. And when it comes to the bullpen, you have managed to dismantle it, hurt it and put in guys that don't belong there.  You have ZERO urgency, are more concerned about how you look than how to win and are truly unqualified to lead any major league team.  Just because Ray Boone, Bob Boone and Bret Boone all played the game and were praised for years during their time doesn't make you a good manager. You're a Beta. You wanna be an Alpha. You wanna be part of that elite Boone liniage, but you just fall short, in the family tree... and in Yankee history. In short, you've fooled no one. You're awful.

Gary Sanchez should never play the field! I don't care how much money we're paying him. He has no grit. He can't catch, he can't block and he cannot call a game. 

You've managed to strip Andrew Heaney of any confidence he's ever had on the mound because you're trowing him into roles he's not accustomed to and not prepared for. If you want quality, you need to build this dude up because you've happened to ruin everyone else out there in the pen.

You can't rest guys like DJ LeMahieu and play Tyler Wade who's been hanging on to the Yankees for way, WAY too long. He's just not good.

What the hell are you doing?  We're supposed to win games, especially down the stretch, but your moves have jeapordized that.  You can come back at me and say "Hey, what about that 13 game winning streak?" I can say, I only care about the next game, and last time I checked... we're losing alot.

Hey Boone... You need to be gone when the season concludes. You have no command of respect... it's clear these players don't wanna play for you. You don't have that THING.  The thing that players look up to. You're a pal, not a leader and that's a major problem. We were supposed to beat the Mets last night, not look like them.  You are embarassing.

I have to tell you Boone, you're soft. Not only that, you know that you're protected by your friend Brian Cashman, but I have news for you... if this was the 80's, you'd be gone. The Yankees have fired people for less in previous decades. Your problem is you cannot command respect from these players and you continually make the wrong moves.  

Phil Nevin's an Alpha. Phil Nevin knows how to win. If I'm Phil Nevin right now, one of the only truly seasoned coaches on your staff, I'm finding a way to off you. The dude has the heart of a lion and wants to win! But he's looking around and he recognized that he's the most qualified on your inexperienced staff... and that includes you. I mean think about this... you have no true veteran except Nevin and Harkey and if you think for a second that these guys and you can come up with a solid, strong winning strategy, you are sadly mistaken.  

Hitting is a major problem these days for the Yankees and all Marcus Thames ever did was hit a few dramatic home runs for us when he was in pinstripes.

P.J. Pilittere? He's a career minor league player. What the hell does he know? Reggie Willits played as a part time player for the Angels for 6 years and he's a first base coach. Why? He's got some experience, find a better role.And this about Tanner Swanson's job. He's quality control and catching coordinator. QUALITY CONTROL!!! 

Did anyone see Gary Sanchez last night? There was ZERO quality and no control. WHAT ARE YOU AND YOUR STAFF DOING TO HELP BETTER THIS TEAM? Did you surround yourself with young bucks so you could look like a prophet or something? Cause you're failing.

My advice? Take a walk. Leave... don't do this gig anymore, you're bad at it. 

We need a manager who's more in tune with playing the best and winning than worrying about feelings and giving bad players chances.  If I see Joey Gallo in that damn lineup again I'm going to scream. He cannot hit a god damn thing. I said it before we got him, I'll say it again... he's not a hitter. He's what I call ONE FOR 15. That one he might hit a homer... or not, but that's about it. If he didn't play good defense he'd be in AAA. 

Work harder or leave, Boone. 

Be dedicated to winning and stop making stupid decisions and setting this team up for failure. You're the worst manager I have ever seen. Even if we make the playoffs, we have no drive to get to the finish. Hey... maybe that's a good thing... maybe then they'll fire you and that incredible inexperienced staff. 

My god!