SUZYN WALDMAN SLAMS THE RANGERS!

 Suzyn Waldman has spoken! So, listen, because she's right!

With all this COVID-19 stuff, people are going crazy. And now with places like Texas opening up to regular life again, and the pandemic not over, it's wrong and it's selfish, just like that idiot Aubrey Huff. If you really wanna read misleading tweets, lies and falsehoods, read that loser because he seems to think that it's about him and not the 532,000 that have died because of this pandemic.

Anyway, enough about that, it's just facts... people are dying and if wearing masks and vaccinations work, then do it. NOT for you... for the rest of our people.  Enter Suzyn Waldman.

The New York Post writes:

"The Rangers announced on Wednesday that they will allow full capacity — 40,518 fans — for Opening Day at their new stadium, Globe Life Field, when they take on the Blue Jays. After that game they will have socially distanced seating.

Yankees play-by-plan man John Sterling brought up the story to Suzyn Waldman on Wednesday night’s Yankees broadcast.

“I am glad I am not there. I am glad I am not there,” Waldman said. “Stupid.”

I really hope that 2 weeks after opening day there isn't gonna be a huge outbreak in Texas after their opening day.  Then again, I hope there is... to make a point. You know what I mean, it's sickening.

I applaud Suzyn Waldman. The greatest! Love that she's speaking her mind.

CELEBRATING ALL WINS DURING COVID-19!

Celebrate everything when it comes to athletics. Especially this season.  Especially during a pandemic. 

Quick note and I know this has nothing to do with the Yankees and baseball, but hey, you know I have a soft spot for the kids when it comes COVID-19. They are getting screwed!! These moments are big and I wanted to at least point it out and hey, if we can get ESPN and Sportscenter to do the right thing and share this story on their broadcast, that would be a huge win too. They deserve it!

Last night the Alvernia University Golden Wolves beat Albright at the buzzer at their complete at Albright.  Apparently Alvernia and Albright are rivals so that's why it's so big. While D3, doesn't matter, this was highly dramatic, wildly exciting and a monster win. Jake Kelly was the kid who sunk it at the buzzer. Take a look at this:

The Golden Wolves school paper writes:

"First-year Jakob Kelly nailed a 3-pointer as time expired in overtime in one of the most chaotic finishes in the rivalry's history as Alvernia University (5-2, 4-2) downed Albright College (6-3, 5-2) 83-81 in overtime MAC Commonwealth Men's Basketball on Friday night at Albright.

With 11 seconds remaining in overtime, Albright's Sam Majekodunmi forced a turnover by Alvernia's Malik Green. But, Alvernia's Avery Walker forced the ball back into the hands of the Golden Wolves on a tip off of a pass by Albright's Sidney Brown. Walker dribbled along the baseline and nearly lost control of the ball, but the junior was able to pass the ball up the court to Keon Taylor. Taylor sent in a long bass to Jakob Kelly, positioned off Alvernia's bench just inside the arc, but Albright's Troy Smoot was able to get a hand on it. Kelly grabbed the deflection, stepped back beyond the arc and let go of the three point shot with 0.2 seconds left on the clock. As the buzzer went off, Kelly's shot drained through the net to give Alvernia the 83-81 win."

Celebrate life. Celebrate the moments. And let's take this momentum of this personal win and let's find more and more to share and applaud. I don't know a single kid on the court in this video... but dammit... I appreciate it!

Go Golden Wolves, nice game. Hey Sportscenter... do the right thing.

WAITING TO EXHALE

I have missed baseball so much and I am glad to have it back....but boy Spring Training is already giving me a good dose of anxiety. I'm tired of being cursed by the injury bug. It's already bit us once already and I'm hoping that we don't see it again for awhile.

I think the loss of Zack Britton is more than enough, so I am crossing my fingers toes, eyes, fingers and legs that Clint Frazier has dodged a bullet. It sounds like he has this time but I'm still worried. In case you missed it, Frazier had a scary crash with the outfield wall again on Tuesday, read more HERE. He lasted one more inning before they pulled him and once again Frazier and the outfield wall are enemies.

Aaron Boone gave an update yesterday and it sounds like it is good news. Frazier "feels strong" and I like the early prognosis, but I am still nervous about taking a deep sigh of relief. I still remember Frazier's collision from three years ago that resulted in a concussion and had lasting effects for two seasons. We finally got to see Frazier at his best last season and that's what instilled enough confidence in Boone to name him the starting left fielder for this season.

I hope Frazier is feeling as strong as he says he is. I know I am not the only one who wants to see him out there again ASAP. Did you see this on Twitter yesterday?

I don't want to prematurely celebrate but I like what I am seeing! This is Frazier's time to shine. He's waited a long time for this. I hope we see Frazier playing in Clearwater today. I'm not breathing easy just yet but....Frazier's tweet does help a little.

I will be able to exhale when I see Frazier in the outfield tomorrow.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

YANKEES GET ELBOWED WITH THEIR FIRST MAN DOWN

Source: USATSI

Sigh. Injury. Sigh. Tough news coming out of Yankee camp on Tuesday and it will certainly impact their bullpen. 33-year-old relief pitcher Zach Britton will undergo surgery to remove a bone chip from his elbow and will likely miss the first two to three months of the regular season. The Yankee pitcher will fly back to New York where he will have surgery in the coming days.

Britton went 1-2 with a 1.89 ERA and eight saves in 20 appearances during the shortened 2020 season. He is a treasured part of the bullpen and his presence will be sorely missed as the Yankees look to make a quick seize on the AL East in the early part of the 2021 season.

Source: SB Nation

"I appreciate the support from everyone. We all have daily challenges we have to overcome in order to reach our goals," Britton tweeted. "Just have to keep pushing ahead! I will get this taken care of during the upcoming week and be back as soon as I can," as reported by ESPN.

Britton actually has not made a game appearance this spring and only discovered the injury after a bullpen session that left the Yankee pitcher sore. He was looking to make up for lost time as he suffered from a case of COVID-19 that set him back in January.

Source: NBC Sports

The Yankees added depth to the bullpen this offseason by picking up former teammate Darren O'Day, and former Met Justin Wilson. Perhaps the blow won't be as bad given these deals but still, Britton has been consistent and a great stand-in when Aroldis Chapman is not available. 

Source: NY Post

Injuries are never welcome but perhaps this time, the timing is actually on point. Yankees third baseman Gio Urshela underwent surgery to remove a bone chip from his arm in December and after a couple months of rehab seems to be a full strength. We could see Britton in early June if all goes well and until then, the Yankee bullpen depth will have to get them through. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

ARE THE YANKEES PREMATURELY IMPRESSED WITH SANCHEZ?

It sure sounds like it. Don't get me wrong, I also want to be blown away by progress from Gary Sanchez. I am ready to be impressed. I am ready to feel that confidence in him, but I don't think I am as easily impressed as other are....namely the Yankees.

Yesterday's game looked good. I saw a lot of things that I liked, especially after being humiliated by the Phillies previously. Sanchez was productive both behind the plate and in the box and I want to see him continue to be. I am in his corner, but the Yankees seem to think this is what we can expect going forward the entire season.

I need to see a longer track record before I am convinced but I am happy that Yankees catching coach Tanner Swanson is a big believer, he had a lot of good things to say during the game yesterday, in case you didn't see it you can read about it HERE.

"He has really invested himself in what we’re doing," said Swanson, who has been working with Sánchez since January. "He has refined his process. Has put in a lot of quality work in. I think we’re seeing that transfer into the game. When we broke camp year last year, and really when we got disrupted with the pandemic and had to come back, we kind of had a foundation laid but weren’t really able to expand much beyond that. I think this year with the work he's done this offseason we've been really able to open the playbook."

I'm sure the pause last year between spring training and summer camp disrupted his routine and didn't help but he had problems before that. He's had problems framing pitches, blocking balls and has hit below the Mendoza line long before Covid-19 came around. I don't think last season is the only reason to be skeptical.

I do have hope that his time in the Dominican League over the winter helped. I hope there is a resurgence to the 2017 Sanchez that a lot of people are buzzing about. I think we all need to see more first....but I will be ecstatic to eat my words later if 2021 is a career year for him.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

HOW ABOUT GIO URSHELA AT SHORT?

Source: Forbes

I have not hidden the fact that I love Gio Urshela. He plays with such passion and persistence. His moves on the hot corner are just that...HOT! He makes magic happen at third base and you know what? He can bring that same magic to shortstop in 2021.

"One interesting hypothetical that arose from watching Urshela's three-inning appearance is whether or not the 29-year-old can play shortstop. With the way the race for the final few roster spots is shaking up this spring, versatility from Urshela to swap over could be a resource for manager Aaron Boone when starting shortstop Gleyber Torres needs a day off," reported SI.com. 

Source: Twitter

Urshela made his spring training debut against the Phillies on Thursday. Recall that the Yankee third baseman underwent elbow surgery in the off season, so the Yankees will be keeping a close eye on Urshela. "I can play shortstop. With shifting a lot, I feel comfortable there," he said. "I can play there," reported SI.com. 

Just because he is comfortable doesn't necessarily mean he will the Yankees starting shortstop but it certainly doesn't rule it out. If Urshela assumes the shortstop position, it opens up a whole different strategy both offensively and defensively for the Yankees. 

"Knowing Urshela is an option there would open the door for a player like Derek Dietrich to make the club, providing a lefty power bat to the bench that can play every other position in the infield. Same goes for Miguel Andújar or invitee Jay Bruce who can play first base and the corner outfield positions," reports SI.com. Not to mention that Tyler Wade, who keeps himself relevant because of his speed and defense, could draw the short straw if Urshela makes his niche as a middle infielder. 

Source: The New York Post

Regardless, it is an interesting nugget, this discussion of Urshela at shortstop. In some ways it makes perfect sense, given his surgery, it shortens the throw to first for instance. Honestly, I have not been impressed with Torres at short. He does not seem to have the agility or finesse that Urshela brings to his defense. Could this be the answer or an alternative from time to time? It is certainly an option and only adds more to the arsenal that the Yankees bring in 2021. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

DIETRICH & BRUCE ARE THE GAME CHANGERS!

Derek Dietrich will fit in nicely as a New York Yankee. He has the energy and he has the talent.  And he's not the only one that fits. Jay Bruce looks good right now.  Oh happy day.  That means one thing... some concern for what happens next with Mike Tauchman... a guy that's given the Yankees everything, but of course, new flavors and new energy sometimes take the forefront. Yes... it's only spring training, but things look really good, especially for a guy like Dietrich who I am personally rooting for!

NJ.com writes:

"Both Bruce and Dietrich have a ton of left-handed power and both have impressed during the first week of Grapefruit League play.

Here are the very small sample size of numbers for all three contenders through Friday:

Bruce: 3-for-4 with a double in two games.

Dietrich: 1-for-3 with a homer in two games.

Tauchman: 2-for-7 with a homer and two errors in three games.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman already feels that Bruce and Dietrich are making early roster pushes.

“They were brought in to get a legitimate shot to try to find a way to make this roster, and it’s a strong roster,” Cashman said on Friday."

Look, it's early and anything can happen, but stuff like this is what true competition is made of. Bring it!

LOU GEHRIG DAY IS AMAZING

The fact that they haven't had a day for Lou Gehrig in the first place is ridiculous, but now that they're doing it, it's just amazing. June 2... mark your calendar.

MLB writes:

"June 2 will hereby be known as “Lou Gehrig Day,” Major League Baseball announced Thursday. The annual, league-wide event will be a time not only to honor and celebrate the legacy of the Hall of Fame first baseman but to raise awareness and funds to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the awful disease that ended Gehrig’s life and informally bears his name."

It's important for a lot of reasons. For one, this guy is an American hero. Secondly, awareness for ALS is so key. Kids these days have no idea about history... they think guys like Gehrig were legends but have no idea why, and of course, no one reads anymore and so, education on ALS is so important.

Good move by MLB. I applaud this! Bravo.

PRAYERS FOR AARON BOONE

Yankee skipper Aaron Boone will be taking a temporary timeout and will be missed for the next few days as he recovers from pacemaker surgery. Everyone was caught off guard by the news yesterday players, personnel and fans. Thankfully, Boone is now resting comfortably in Tampa.

I know when I first read the news and saw "pacemaker" I was pretty shocked. It was a scary reminder of Boone's open heart surgery back in 2009. Boone did say that this surgery is not related to his surgery from 2009 but It's easy to panic considering his history so I can understand Brian Cashman's reaction when he heard about the surgery before it happened. "When you hear 'pacemaker,' it kind of sets off a lot of alarms of concern," Cashman said. "... No one's going to do more research than the person that's going to be going through this, and I felt so comforted by the way he communicated with me on it that he put me at ease," read more HERE.

I think Cashman is right, the word 'pacemaker' it does cause us to panic. Boone will turn 48 next week, and to think about someone still so young not only having open heart surgery as a player and returning to the game then later needing a pacemaker is a scary thought for a lot of people...except maybe Boone based on what Cashman had to say.

"It's a necessary step,'' Cashman said of Boone's surgery. "It's something that's not avoidable and needs to be taken care of, but he has no fear and I know he's just in great hands and it's just a temporary timeout. He looks forward to getting back to doing what he does best and doing what he loves, which is baseball."

For the time being, bench coach Carlos Mendoza will step in as acting manager and the Yankees insist until Boone returns, it will be business as usual. He is expected back "in the next several days." No rush though, we just want you back soon and in good health.

It was a scary headline, but Boone will be back and feeling better. Get well soon, Boone. We are all thinking about you.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

HOW GOOD ARE THE YANKEES? YES, THAT GOOD!

Source: CBS Sports

Depth and talent are keys to winning in this game. Given the rigorous 162 game schedule, the different terrains (grass vs. turf) and the enormous pressure to perform, the Yankees appear to be ready to battle because they have the key ingredients to do. How good are the Yankees in 2021? They are that good!

Source: Sports Illustrated 

According to ESPN's Bradford Doolittle, " The Yankees are the clear preseason favorite. It's fair to worry about the collective health of the starting rotation given the number of red flags in that group. But even if the Yankees end up having to piece things together in that area more than they like, they'll still have a terrific bullpen and the best all-around offense in the division. New York has the most complete roster in the AL East."

That complete roster includes tons of depth in the starting rotation, bull pen and a stacked outfield, anticipating the next guy in mentality giving the Yankees the best potential to win every game. But surely, injuries have beaten up the team over the last few years, so maintaining a good bill of health will be necessary to get through a long season let alone an extended postseason.

Source: The Athletic

"There was a lot of panic last season about the Yankees missing the playoffs when their big bats went down with injuries and the team's depth didn't step up to fill that production at the same levels. The team is replacing Tanaka and Happ with Kluber and Taillon, and the rotation will need them to produce in order for the Yankees to live up to the expectation that the talent on this roster demands," said Joon Lee of ESPN.

I am loving the outfield's depth in Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks and Clint Frazier as starters and Brett Gardner, Mike Tauchman and even Jay Bruce off the bench. The infield also has tremendous promise and some big bats as well as Luke Voit and DJ LeMahieu look to lead the Yankees again this season.

It all come down to strategy and how to play the team while keeping them all healthy and strong throughout the season. The Yankees and the Blue Jays are the teams to watch in the East but don't count out the Rays, who have been the disrupters as of late. The Yankees are that good but are they good enough to bring home a championship? God I hope so!

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

PETTITTE & MONTE EXCHANGE TEXTS

Pettitte: Yo Kid

Montgomery: Who dis?

Pettitte: Jacoby Ellsbury! Lol

Montgomery: Stop playing. Who is this?

Pettitte: It's Andy

Montgomery: Andy Stankiewicz?? I'm a huge fan!

Pettitte: Pettitte you dummy! Hahaha

Montgomery: Dude! I knew it was you. I was playing TOO FUNNY

Pettitte: I just wanted to check in. How you doing. How you feeling???

Montgomery: I feel great dude. I'm just hoping I can perform well enough to get a spot.

Pettitte: You're good dude

Montgomery: what's up?

Pettitte: You're good. You're a good pitcher and you can be great. Just keep grinding like Jorge used to say.

Montgomery: I don't know man. I'm doing my best.

Pettitte: Your fastball is better than mine, so you've just got to throw it in there for strikes.

Montgomery: I appreciate that man. trying

Pettitte: you got what it takes to be the best. that is why the Yankees brought you up when they did. You're a strong kid. You have a huge frame, you have alot of power to go the distance.

Montgomery: thanks

Pettitte: CC and I were talking about it the other day. Grind baby!

Montgomery: CC Deville from poison???

Pettitte: No. wait. WHAT?>?

Montgomery: I'm kidding bro! That's awesome. I love you guys. I love the Yankees

Pettitte: They love you kid. Keep going. make us proud Gumby

Montgomery: I will AP. I will. Thanks for the text man!

Pettitte: No sweat. now i gotta go congratulate DJ and then say a prayer that Stanton doesn't bust a hip running down the line!

Montgomery: Ha. OK... later.

(NOTE: THESE ARE FAKE TEXT EXCHANGES. THIS IS ME USING HUMOR AND MAKING A GUESS OF HOW THE PEOPLE INVOLVED WOULD SPEAK TO EACH OTHER VIA TEXT. THERE IS NOTHING REAL ABOUT THIS. IT IS DONE STRICTLY FOR LAUGHS. ENJOY)

DOES MICHAEL KING HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A STARTER?

Spring has finally sprung! Baseball has returned, we have the crack of the bat and the Yankees had fans for the first time since last year. It was a good day for all of us.

Well, maybe not ALL of us. Yesterday was Michael King's audition for a possible anchor to the starting rotation. He drew a tough assignment too. I'm sure going against the Blue Jays who will likely be the Yankees biggest competition this year was even more intimidating. The Blue Jays are pretty stacked offensively, and unfortunately King didn't stack up well against them. He gave up three runs on three hits, walked two and hit two over two innings.

So I guess next time Aaron Boone gives him the ball it will be all about redemption. I don't read too much into what happened yesterday. First game, he can rebound but for him to do so he will need to work on his control and improving his third pitch, which he has been working on in recent months. Every outing counts right now, especially with Deivi Garcia and Nick Nelson watching and observing while they wait for their chance.

This start was far from the end of the world for King, but it does show important it is for King to develop a third pitch and be effective with it. Maybe this just means is that he needs more time, and if it does then that is okay.

Fortunately, the Yankees added a lot of depth over the winter. Depth is a good problem for the Yankees to have, but not for King or anyone else who is trying to earn a spot in the starting rotation. I guess we wait and see what happens next with King....and add a little payback when we see the Blue Jays again.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj