THE CRASH & BURN OF A PATHETIC ASTROS FRANCHISE

They were brazen and they got caught... and now the entire world is falling down around the Houston Astros.  They deserve every ripping, pile-on, fine, punishment they deserve. They are absolutely disgusting.

You can't down play this clip:

Rays @ Astros, Aug. 1, 2017 (🎧)
(This might be one of most egregious uses of the banging for Houston)

Chris Archer vs. Carlos Beltran

0-0 slider: 1 bang
0-1 changeup: 2 bangs
1-1 changeup: 2 bangs
2-1 slider: 1 bang
2-2 fastball: no bang pic.twitter.com/1M3DkZjdeF

— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildstein) November 15, 2019

You just can't.

While sign stealing has always been a thing, sign stealing using new technology... sign stealing being communicated among a Astros brazen front office IN WRITTEN EMAILS, and then executing is just wrong if not worse. They need to be held accountable.  This image is one of the Astros personnel literally trying to clean up as fast as he can after a game is over.  You can't sit here and look at this and say, "Hey, that guy was just playing Fortnite."

Nope, the Astros were strategic and they knew what they were doing... and it's bigger and bigger and bigger and when they kept winning at home and they got too big for their britches... and now, they got caught.  I love it.

But it's not just cheating at this point... it's lying too. This article from USA Today from 2018 has this headline:

MLB clears Astros of cheating, Houston GM Jeff Luhnow says team was 'playing defense'

In that article, this: "Major League Baseball cleared the Houston Astros of any illegal activity Wednesday, but ordered them to stop doing surveillance on teams they suspect of cheating by using electronic equipment to steal signs. 

Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow vehemently denied any wrongdoing in an impromptu news conference, saying the Astros have never used illegal surveillance to steal signs, only to detect whether their opponents were cheating. "

But it turns out the Astros WERE "doing surveillance on teams" and they were "using electronic equipment to steal signs."

So Jeff Lunhow should lose his job and be banned for life just like and anonymous GM told Andy Martino of SNY:

"'If Jeff Luhnow knew about this, he should be banned for life,' the general manager said. Another team executive said he wanted to see the league throw the book at the Astros. 'How naive I was,' the executive told Martino. 'I hope MLB buries the Astros.'”

In fact, the Astros need to be fired... all of the front office.  And no fines for the players folks... this is bigger than a fine.  STRIP THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

They did no earn it.

Remember that guy Pete Rose? Remember when the baseball world not only turned his back on Pete Rose for gambling, but for betting on baseball as a manager for the Reds? The Astros Scandal is just as bad if not worse.  The Astros are frauds.

Look at AJ Hinch? He's openly mocked anyone trying to accuse the Astros of doing wrongdoing. But he's in trouble just like everyone else. AJ HINCH IS THE FACE OF THE FRANCHISE. He is guilty. He too is a cheater.

Remember when @AJHinch said the #Yankees were wrong about their whistling allegations regarding the #Astros?

Let’s revisit this topic now. pic.twitter.com/byPTzi2hVx

— Chris Dixon (@cdixon25) November 17, 2019

He said "There's no evidence of anything." Oh... but there is.

Hinch gets defensive when others come out and say things about the Astros cheating. Listen to his say it.

He said not to be anonymous when they make accusations against their Astros team. In other words, make the accusation like a man. Use your name.  What he forgot was that players leave teams and Mike Fiers did.  And thank god for Mike Fiers… because without him, we wouldn't be talking about this.

I have news for you. AJ Hinch? He needs to be fired.  His coaching staff... they need to be fired.  They too are lying and trying to deceive. Disgusting.

And then of course there's this.  The moving of the Astros center field camera after the 2016 season.  Wow.  How obvious are they?

This year vs last year pic.twitter.com/Kb6v9mcG0V

— Hill (@Hill713) March 31, 2017

Back then Reid Ryan told MLB this... courtesy of Larry Brown Sports:

“'We think the new angle will give viewers a better look at the strike zone and advertisers more balanced signage placement,' Astros president of business operations Reid Ryan said of the move via the Houston Chronicle. 

'We wanted a new camera angle that improves the strike zone the fans see on TV as well as the benefit of the advertisers getting more value for their signs,' Ryan told MLB.com. 'Before, you always had a little bit of brick on the side. It didn’t look centered.'"

Now to be honest, for advertisers, the change of angle really doesn't make much of a difference.  For the fans, it certainly does, and I guess when he said "fans", he meant Astros front office fans.  So they could get a better view of the signs to benefit their team. FIRE THEM ALL.

They really have some dumb folks in that front office.  CLEAN HOUSE... FIRE THEM ALL. They are all cheaters.

Sean Doolittle says it best:

Sign stealing is part of baseball. It’s gamesmanship. A runner picking up signs from 2nd base or looking for how a pitcher might be tipping his pitches based on how he comes set is fair game. If you can do it using your eye balls it’s ok. If you’re using technology it’s cheating.

— Obi-Sean Kenobi Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) November 15, 2019

This tweet needs to be placed into the investigation. It's simple, but it's accurate.  MLB needs to take this into account.

And CBS Sports says it best in their report on the scandal:

"An email from the front office to the scouting staff discussing the use of cameras to steal signs is a damning piece of evidence, and the Rosenthal and Drellich report says the Astros also discussed stealing signs with their scouts over the phone and in an online chat room."

Ladies and Gentlemen... there is proof.

There is no "accusing" and fake news and no made up story here.  The Astros organization is a disgrace.  And to all the Astros fans out there that want to jump down our throats calling us cry babies and liars and stupid.  You should be mad at the Astros. You are their fans and they lied to you too.  They disappointed you.  They messed things up for your fandom.  No one likes cheaters... they cheated... you should demand your money back on a fake team.

MIGUEL ANDUJAR IS DRAWING TRADE INTEREST

It's hard to imagine a guy that is one season removed from being runner up for Rookie of the Year has an uncertain future. But, here we are and that is what Miguel Andujar is facing. The 2019 season was a lost one for Andujar and while he was out, Gio Urshela had his own breakout year. It definitely leaves the Yankees with a lot to think about.

If the Yankees don't have a continuing interest to keep Andujar around it sounds like other teams are interested. According to Brian Cashman HERE, teams had a lot of interest in Andujar at the GM meetings last week in Arizona. So, should the Yankees consider trading Andujar after all or could the Yankees still have big plans for him going forward?

No one can discredit Urshela for what he did last season for us, and Brian Cashman said that when Spring Training stars "It's his position to lose" and that doesn't surprise anyone. We've hear him say that in the past and quite frankly it is the truth. Andujar would have to show the Yankees why he would be the better choice. But even if not, the Yankees could choose to send him back down to the minors or maybe the Yankees would consider a new role for him. It sounds like it has crossed their minds lately....

“Whether it’s, ‘Can he play first? Can he play the outfield?’ You start playing those mind games, it’s anything that you want to do, but I’ve been around long enough, when a bat’s good enough…” 

That quote from Cashman should tell us a lot. We've seen that the bat is good enough. We all know there is room for improvement defensively. We also know that Greg Bird hasn't been what the Yankees have expected. We don't know what Luke Voit's future holds after he was left off of the postseason roster AND the Yankees have questions with the outfield too especially with Aaron Hicks recent Tommy John surgery. The Yankees like the bat, maybe they like a position change too.

Maybe the Yankees have a new vision for him. Or do the Yankees take advantage of the interest and trade him? Maybe there is a mutual fit out there that makes sense. I don't know if the Yankees feel confident enough in Urshela's breakout season to just get rid of Andujar. It's a tough call to make.

I don't know where this goes. I just found Cashman's quote to be interesting. It's one of those quotes that peaks your interest, and we all know how good Cashman is at that. Guess we will just have to stay tuned.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @NYPrincessj

WHO ARE YOU WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING

Source: NY Daily News

Do you remember buying your first car? Do you remember how you felt?  How about being the parent of a child buying his first car?  Saturday, I experienced what it is like to chaperone my son in his first car shopping exertion.  And as unpleasant as it was, I was glad I was there to support him and fend off some of the used car drama.  It is in these tense moments when you figure out who you are and what you want to accomplish.  And who you are when no one is looking, is your true self, your authentic self.  So what does this all mean when it comes to the Yankees?  The 2019 Yankees are a team we will remember as that team that held it together; despite the boundless injuries, the pressures of winning in the competitive sports city of New York and without a consistent starting rotation.  Sure, that bit them in the ass at the end, but that team will be remembered for resilience.  Too bad the baseball gods didn't exactly see it that way.

Source: Chris O'Meara/AP

"Boone, getting snubbed for Manager of the Year, brings up a much bigger conversation. The conversation that baseball voters don’t like giving Yankees these types of awards. Before we take a look into the past, allow me to bring up the fact that DJ LeMahieu was snubbed as an AL MVP finalist," stated Fansided earlier this week.  I could not agree more.  For as much as Boone made mistakes from time to time, his next man up mentality when injuries prevailed enabled the 2019 Yankees to win 103 games this season.

"Boone ran through 53 players in 2019 and used 151 different batting lineups and 136 different defensive lineups. In other words, he had to really manage through all the injuries and it’s fair to say no manager in the history of baseball had to deal with more injuries than Boone. And yet, when it comes to manager of the year consideration, his fate could likely be tied to the Yankee payroll," reported the Daily News.

Source: USA Today

DJ LeMahieu carried this team well beyond the measures set for him in spring training.  No one predicted the kind of success he had this season.  His consistent performance at the plate and in the field made him invaluable to this team.  His contributions carried this team and his home run in the last game of the post season just showed how much he meant to the Yankees.  But alas, he was snubbed of the AL MVP Award, finishing fourth in the voting.

"LeMahieu, 31, had arguably the best season of his career in 2019. He bat .327 with 26 home runs and 102 RBIs, and was the leadoff hitter for the majority of the year. DJ was signed before the 2019 season on a 2 year/ $24 million deal but it’s likely that his contract will be extended if he expresses interest in staying. He had a 6.0 WAR, was voted to the all-star team, and won a silver slugger award," reported Empire Sports.  I get the stats and I believe Mike Trout is very deserving of the award but an MVP award should also take into consideration the circumstances of the player and his contributions to the team.  An MVP leads his team to victory, which means the division, and to me that guy has to be LeMathieu.

Both Boone and LeMathieu can look themselves in the mirror and know they gave it everything they had; their authentic selves carried their team to the heights they experienced this season.  No cheating. No stealing of signs.  No BS.  Just good hard baseball, even when it was tough and even when the drama of this baseball season tried to swallow them up.

YANKS LOOK BEYOND CHEATING TO BUILD THE BEST AL TEAM!

While the ASSTROS are busy cheating, the Yankees are looking beyond this to build the best team in the AL.

On the first day of GM meetings, Brian Cashman stated that improving the Yankees' starting rotation would be a team priority. This is no surprise as we all know that pitching was the team's biggest weakness during the past season. The team's 4.51 ERA among starters ranked fourth among the five AL playoff teams during the regular season.

Source: Bleacher Report

 The biggest targets at the moment are Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg. However, these are not the only ones.

"Obviously, starting pitching is always something that we want to try to continue to look at and shore up," Cashman said. "There are some exciting opportunities that exist in the marketplace via trade as well as free agency. Of course, we're going to talk to Strasburg; we'll talk to Cole. We'll talk to the higher-end guys, clearly, and have conversations, and we'll also talk about some surprise guys, I'm sure."

Source: NYPost

In regards to our free agents, Cashman said that there is no ownership mandate on a maximum payroll, however, if the Yankees sign Cole or Strasburg, it might be hard to resign Brett Gardner, Didi Gregorius, and Dellin Betances.

"Trust me, I know one thing. We are going to stay connected, get as much information as we can, and gravitate to what is the most realistic," said Cashman.

I am feeling confident that Cashman will do the right thing when it comes to the GM meetings. So far it seems like he knows what to do in order to get us our next ring...the honest way.

--Missy O'Rourke
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @missy_orourke

MIKE FIERS: FROM CHAMPION, TO CHEATER, TO SNITCH!

I post this disclaimer at the beginning of this piece....this opinion is MINE and mine alone. I do not claim that Casey or anyone else on the BYB staff shares in my opinion. If they agree, so be it. If no one else agrees then I am fine on my own baseball island. So let there be no confusion as you read on.

Sign stealing happens in baseball. It's part of the game, but HOW the Astros did still isn't right so they are appropriately named ASSTROS! in my eyes, just like we posted yesterday. I can't even say I get MAD when a team steals signs on the field. It happens. However, using technology to do it like the Boston Red Sox did in 2017 with Apple watches and now how the ASSTROS did DOES make me mad because that is different. That's a headline and it is something we should all react to, BUT I have a bigger question here.....

Why aren't people talking more about Mike Fiers? Yeah, the Astros should be held accountable all the way from the top of the organization down because that is a CULTURE that the organization has fostered but Fiers is a SNITCH! How STUPID do you have to be to talk to the media and admit he was part of a team that cheated, read more HERE. HEY DUMMY....we know sign stealing happens but quit painting yourself to be a saint just because you are the only one willing to come forward and identify yourself. Your 15 minutes back in the spotlight does not make you look good here.

The other part of the story that got buried here is that Fiers has a strained relationship with his former team. After he got his World Series ring, the Astros non-tendered him and then he signed with the Tigers and he was quick to warn the Tigers about the Astros cheating ways.
"I just want the game to be cleaned up a little bit because there are guys who are losing their jobs because they're going in there not knowing. Young guys getting hit around in the first couple of innings starting a game, and then they get sent down. It's [B.S.] on that end. It's ruining jobs for younger guys. The guys who know are more prepared. But most people don't. That's why I told my team. We had a lot of young guys with Detroit [in 2018] trying to make a name and establish themselves. I wanted to help them out and say, 'Hey, this stuff really does go on. Just be prepared.'"
"That's not playing the game the right way. They were advanced and willing to go above and beyond to win."

THEY were advanced and willing to go above and beyond. He's no longer an ASSTRO anymore, he was but then he went to the Tigers before being traded to the Oakland A's so now he can just SNITCH about it and that makes everything okay. All is forgiven....I guess in his mind. This is just him bringing cheating to light. He was part of the problem but by raising awareness he is part of the solution. Now that he's won he wants to game to be cleaned up. Right! I'm laughing over here.

So yes, I am angry about the sign stealing just like Aaron Judge and Luis Severino are. The Yankees recent history against the Astros just becomes more painful now. It always sucks to lose, but to lose to a team that cheats just makes it feel like that "cheaters never prosper" idea applies to everyone but the ASSTROS.

The cheating makes me mad, but the fact that Fiers announces it two years later and then tries to condemn it makes him a pathetic loser in my book. He has a chip on his shoulder....and now fans and players alike have a reason to not like you, Fiers.

Congrats on your new reputation as a dirty snitch, Fiers. You earned that more than you earned your World Series ring, obviously.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @NYPrincessj

ASSTROS!

Cheaters always get theirs.  The Houston Astros are cheaters.

Alex Bregman's a cheater, Jose Altuve should just give back his MVP from 2017, Justin Verlander is a cheater and everyone in that Astros front office needs to be removed.  Oh... and that World Series championship? It's a sham.

My 17 year old said it best, reading everything about this latest development involving the Astros stealing signs.  "F Altuve", "F all of them."  A huge baseball fan, and someone who is the first to give credit to players that earn it... doesn't feel that way about the Astros these days. No one should.

While stealing signs isn't illegal on the field... if you are strategically using electronics to manipulate the game and then getting that information to your players... you're cheating and heads should roll, but the top on down.  And I don't mean fines... because fines are easy to play for these rich players. I'm talking about suspensions... firings and having a World Series championship stripped.  Make it hurt.

In case you have zero idea what I'm talking about, it turns out the Astros are doing some pretty bad things.  The New York Post writes this:

"The Astros, already under investigation by commissioner Rob Manfred for conduct during an off-the-field incident last month, announced Tuesday their intention to cooperate with Major League Baseball in investigating allegations they illegally, electronically stole signs from opponents in 2017 by utilizing a center-field camera in Minute Maid Park focused on the other team’s catcher and then deploying methods — most notably relying on employees or players to bang on a trash can to signal when a breaking pitch or offspeed pitch was coming — to alert the hitter at the plate.

Given the timing of the accusations, which current A’s pitcher Mike Fiers, a member of the 2017 Astros, voiced on the record to The Athletic, the Yankees must wonder whether they were cheated out of a World Series appearance that season. Houston edged the Yankees in that American League Championship Series, winning all four games at home and losing all three at Yankee Stadium.

As Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge tweeted, above a link detailing the story, “Wait…what….?”

Another member of the 2017 Yankees, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, 'To actually have somebody hitting a garbage can, pretty much the whole game, that’s pretty much your job, whoever is doing that. It stinks. You wish you could go back in time and figure that out earlier, because we thought we were the better team. We probably were the better team.'"

And Astros fans will say "Hey, this is an investigation, let it play out first before you start the accuse them of cheating."  Um... they cheated. Using the word investigation just makes it official, but there's definitely a problem here.

And Cashman is smart to not say too much right now, but did say this: “I don’t think it’s a technological question alone. It’s just conduct... You decide to play by the rules, or you don’t. And if you don’t, there’s consequences."

Conduct. Damn straight! And that brings me back to the punishment. When it becomes clear this happened, take the championship away... because they didn't actually win it.

Why cheat when a team like the Astros, with the talent and strength are perfectly capable of winning a championship ANYWAY? Why do players and teams... Alex Rodriguez comes to mind... when everyone knows they are talented, do these dudes think they need to have an edge to ensure they win?  Cheating is wrong.  That's one thing I teach my kids every day.  I'd rather you work and earn it, than cheat your way to the top... because with that manufactured win comes curiosity and skepticism next.  Do it right the first time.

And so yeah, the Astros cheated.  And it doesn't matter if it was 1 guy of half the team, THEY ALL DID.

Congrats to the Yankees for winning the 2017 ALCS. fair and square. And to quote my kid when referencing the Astros... "F all of them."

Disappointing.

NO ONE IN YANKEELAND WANTS ZACK WHEELER...

Hopefully Brian Cashman will agree.

I think last year if there was a need for an extra arm, which there was... picking up a guy like Zack Wheeler would have made a lot of sense.  But now, in this offseason it should be all about Gerrit Cole, Madison Bumgarner and Stephen Strasburg.

And so, the fact that NJ.com's Randy Miller would write the word "surprisingly" when suggesting the Yanks are not on the suitor list for Wheeler this offseason is ridiculous. Randy... the Yankees need to think BIGGER!

He writes:

"The Yankees reportedly showed interest in Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler before this past season’s July 31 trade deadline. The price tag for the Yankees – and everyone else – was too high, so Wheeler finished out his walk year with the Mets. 

Before 5 p.m. Thursday, Wheeler almost certainly will join the free agent market because he has until then to reject the Mets’ $17.8 million qualifying offer for 2020, which is a near guarantee. the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres “are among the teams showing interest in Wheeler during the early days of free agency.” 

Surprisingly, the Yankees weren’t listed among the early suitors because their No. 1 offseason priority is believed to be starting pitching."

Surprisingly?

Madison Bumgarner is one of the best pitchers in baseball. He's a free agent and the Yankees have money.  Stephen Strasburg? Yup, he just won with the Nationals, he's a boss, he's a free agent and yes, the Yankees have money.

Gerrit Cole... he doesn't want to be in Houston, CC Sabathia is trying to lure this guy to New York, the dude's a gamer, he's a free agent, AND THE YANKEES HAVE MONEY.

But yeah, let's go with injury-riddled Zack Wheeler and limp through 2020 with he and J.A. Happ.  Makes sense... SAID NO ONE EVER.

I can't stand bad stories.

Bottom line, the Yankees need to go big on 1 starter. You do that, we get Domingo German back,  you have Luis Severino, Tanaka... we have something pretty substantial.  Just saying, we don't need to duct tape it together anymore.  We have the offense, we just need 1 more significant starter. Bottom line.

That's how I feel at least.

THE YANKEES SHOULD BE LOOKIN' FOR LEFTIES

Balance is a key word for me this winter. The Yankees have some additions to make in order to make improvements on this team. The Yankees will shop for more balance in the starting rotation, but that's not the only balance they need. The Yankees have had a potent offense for the last three years but relied on righty dominated lineups. The Yankees may lack even more left handed bats this season unless they make a change.

Last season Aaron Hicks, Brett Gardner and Didi Gregorius took the majority of the Yankees' lefty plate appearances and things next season could look very different. The Yankees are likely to re-sign Gardner, they are already talking about another deal. But Hicks and Didi are much more complicated scenarios. Since Hicks needed Tommy John surgery he will likely miss a few months of the season, and Didi did not get a qualifying offer from the Yankees so he may not be back at all.

So if Hicks misses extensive time and Didi doesn't come back the Yankees only have five other left handed bats on the 40-man roster....and technically I would say four because Jacoby Ellsbury just doesn't count. Honestly, Greg Bird may not count either because he could be non-tendered, then the Yankees have Mike Ford and Tyler Wade. The Yankees still have Mike Tauchman, who is the closest option to a regular player in that group.

So the Yankees have a lack of left handed hitters and Didi is available. The Yankees could bring him back, maybe. The Yankees don't need him since they could just play Gleyber Torres at shortstop but the Yankees could look to bring him back for that left handed bat. There isn't a big market out there for Didi so the Yankees could get him back at a more affordable price. Looking ahead, the Reds and the Brewers are the teams in most need of a shortstop but they don't have a lot of payroll to spend and they also have other options available in their own farm systems and other free agents out there that won't cost as much as Didi.

On paper, there is still a mutual interest between the Yankees and Didi. The Yankees righty-heavy lineup could be an advantage to an opposing manager with a strong bullpen that can maneuver through the Yankees lineup with a good righty specialist. It's always a strategic possibility anyway.

Could Didi's left handed bat bring him back home to the Yankees after all? Left handed bats are valuable. The question is, will the Yankees value his left handed bat more than any other team? Only time will tell.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @NYPrincessj

DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON THE OFF SEASON

Source: USA Today

Labor Day moves straight to Halloween and Halloween moves straight to Christmas. That appears to be the way things are, but there is just so much happening in between that if you don't pay attention, you will miss the good stuff. 

Keeping up with the off season is just like that...keeping up with it, making sure you don't lose it before it's gone.  We know that the stove is heating up and there are so many prediction scorching the headlines. Behind the scenes, it's anyone's game.  And whisking or wishing it away before some major moves are completed, is just not acceptable.  I am not counting down to Spring Training until I have had my Thanksgiving turkey and Christmas presents delivered.

Source: Matt Kartozian/USA TODAY Sports

Gerrit "Cole’s agent, Scott Boras, said in a text message on Saturday that he would address the media at the GM meetings. That address will not only focus on Cole and the Yankees, but on a handful of other starters in Boras’ stable who have hit the open market," reported the New York Post. Washington Nationals pitcher and World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg, Atlanta Braves Dallas Keuchel and Los Angeles Dodger pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu are all free agents represented by Boras.  Boras will be speaking about all of them and expectations of them during the upcoming GM Meetings.

Last winter we made some key signings before the official start of spring training in February.  We actually traded for James Paxton in November right around Thanksgiving and signed J.A. Happ in early December before Christmas.

Source: NY Post

"Though Hal Steinbrenner recently said the Yankees had a “very good rotation” as 2020 approaches, they will no doubt be looking at adding to it in the coming months," reports the Post.  And quite frankly, they better.  Keep up with the off season, Yankee brass and don't let the months escape you before you start counting down to pitchers and catchers.  The Yankees have some work to do before then and that does include the strength and conditioning of their key fixtures now who better be taking care of themselves.  Stay sharp fans and keep an eye on what's going to happen in the next few weeks.  We are just getting started and let's be hopeful that we see two aces making their way to us before December 31st.

BEFORE YOU RIP MATT BLAKE, KNOW WHO HE IS

When Matt Blake was hired by the Yankees to be the new pitching coach, some Yankee fans went bananas.  I guess they all wanted David Cone because he was a name that they can recognize.  He's also very smart and a perfect fit for the Yankees clubhouse. But for whatever reason, the Yankees thought that Matt Blake was a better candidate.  By the way... Matt Blake is a GREAT hire.

Now weirdos are out there blasting this guy, I guess because they have no idea who he is.  But trust me, it's a great move.

The New York Post writes of Blake:

"Blake was perhaps a name not heard of outside of those familiar with the inner-workings of the Indians and others who knew his reputation in New England, where the Holy Cross alumnus had come to be thought of as something of a “pitching guru,” according to his old college coach, Craig Najarian. 

Just four years ago, Blake was a pitching coach at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School near Boston, where he was also the owner and founder of Elite Pitching Development and the pitching coordinator at Cressey Sports Performance, a program that has worked with the likes of Noah Syndergaard, Max Scherzer and Curt Schilling, among others.

'He’s ahead of his time,’ said Kirk Fredericks, who brought Blake on as his pitching coach at Lincoln-Sudbury about a decade ago.'"

And Sweeny Murti writes:

"Who is he? Part of the new breed. ...Pitching Coordinator at Cressey Sports Performance, a factory similar to Driveline. And Driveline, coincidentally, is where the Yankees found Sam Briend who they named Director of Pitching earlier this year. Someone who has worked with Blake told me he is

'extremely smart on the analytic side but doesn’t have much actual coaching experience. That might be the challenge, but it might not. He’s easy going, but very smart.'”

And isn't this what we want? Larry Rothschild, God love him, was there too long.  There needed to be a change. Plus, good for the Padres, they just hired him to do the same role.

And sure, it wasn't Coney, but whatever... give Blake a chance.

I like this move a lot.

HERE'S OUR 'GM MEETING WISH LIST'

The post-season blues are starting to set in. However, a lot needs to be done during this downtime. With GM meetings approaching, let's make a wish list of what the Yankees need to flourish in 2020.


1. Spend money on starting pitching.

Source: Sports Illustrated

There are a ton of free-agent options that the Yankees can pursue such as Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Zack Wheeler, and Madison Bumgarner.

CC Sabathia has been chatting to Cole about going to New York.

"Me and Gerrit Cole have spoken at length many times about me pitching as a Yankee as a West Coast Guy," Sabathia said. "If you give [him] enough money, he's going to want to come here. I am speaking from experience."

2. Re-sign Brett Gardner.

Source: NY Daily News

Even though Gardner is a free agent, I cannot see him leaving the Yankees. Last season he hit .251/.325/.503 with a career-high 28 home runs and 10 stolen bases. Plus, the outfield needs help with Giancarlo Stanton being injured for most of the season, and Aaron Hicks getting Tommy John surgery.

“I don’t think there’s any question as to what his capabilities are,” GM Brian Cashman told reporters. “He’s tremendous on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively, including playing center field.”

3. Figure out a deal with Didi Gregorius?

Source: 12up

With no qualifying offer to Didi, is it the end of him in the Bronx? As sad as it is to say, the Yankees would be okay without Didi. Gleyber Torres can take over shortstop, problem solved. But, it would be sad to see Didi go.

With an already solid team, the one thing that is most important this post-season is pitching. Let's hope these meetings build the foundation for number 28.

--Missy O'Rourke
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @missy_orourke