HOLY COW! THE YANKEES JUST SIGNED A SHORTSTOP!

Source: MLB Pipeline

No... Don't get too excited. Yet, this could be something that could turn into a great move for the franchise in the long run. I mean anyone can peak and grow, right? Whenever I make a statement like that, I think of Derek Jeter, who clearly excelled from a potential to the real thing. So, back to the signing...the Yankees have grabbed the top prospect on the international market. And he happens to play shortstop. 

Source: MLB Pipeline

"According to industry sources, the club has agreed to a $4 million deal with shortstop Roderick Arias, the No. 1 international prospect in the class. The Yankees, who have a base signing pool of $5,179,700, have not confirmed the agreement," reported MLB.com. 

January 15th matters, according to MLB.com, because it is the day when "hundreds of international prospects will take the next step in their development when they sign with big league clubs on the first day they're eligible to do so." International signings continue through December 15, 2022. But what's cool about this is that Yankees picked up a guy who exhibits terrific defense and what MLB.com is calling "above-average bat-to-ball skills and strike zone awareness." The Dominican Republic native "shows good plate discipline and doesn’t swing and miss often." 

Source: Mike Janes/Four Seam Images via AP

Player development will be key and likely will start with Tampa Tarpons, the low Class A affiliate of the Yankees and the newest Yankee manager, Rachel Balkovec. I can't help but think of the scene from the 2012 movie Trouble With The Curve with Amy Adams' keen eye for talent, as she identifies an unknown pitcher for an impromptu tryout. Balkovec is well respected. Working with her and helping this young man move through the ranks has a recipe for success. 

Source: Twitter

Meanwhile at the gym, Yankees current shortstop is found working out to stay competitive and focused, despite the clear deficiency he has demonstrated over the last year and half. This signing might help motivate Gleyber Torres to push himself harder to improve defensively and swing a better bat in 2022.

Source: Screen Crush

The positive news is that the Yankees signed the top prospect in the international market, positioning them with a guy who is above average in defense, offense and speed. On the flip side, he is likely not ready for prime time, but he will "study" under Balkovec in the Yankee system. Oh and the Mets signed the second top prospect, so there's that too! 

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

CAMERON MAYBIN COULD LAND IN THE YES NETWORK BROADCAST BOOTH!

I don't know how any of you feel about Cameron Maybin, but I gotta tell you, I love him as an athlete and I like this guy's personality. He's a very positive person, always smiling and a perfect addition to the big rumor that he may be entering the broadcast booth because he's retiring.

You heard that right. Cameron Maybin has retired from baseball.   MLB Network radio on SiriusXM tweets:

As @CameronMaybin hangs up the spikes, he shares some of his favorite moments from his 15-year big league career. @Yankees | #Yankees pic.twitter.com/uN6bqADnRb

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) January 6, 2022

Look, listen to Maybin here. He's just a happy, great, respectful dude. And his retirement means that maybe he can continue with the Yankee family. 

Fansided writes:

"Ex-Yankees outfielder Cameron Maybin might join the YES Network broadcast booth. Talk about a smooth transition to a post-baseball life...Could that dream be continuing in 2022? There’s a spot in the venerated Bombers broadcast booth for the taking, and if Maybin’s reaction to the rumor was any indication, he’d be ready to sign on the dotted line shortly."

Bottom line, I would love to see this move made and I would love Maybin in the booth. I think it would be an incredible addition. Bottom line.

DON'T WORRY... YANKS JUST SIGNED RYAN WEBER

 Alittle Yankee news right now. Nothing much but it's something.  The Yankees signed a pitcher.

NJ.com writes: "...the Yankees have signed former Red Sox right-hander Ryan Weber to a minor-league contract. However, expectations should be kept low for the 31-year-old, who has a lifetime 5.28 ERA in 63 appearances (16 starts). 

Weber broke into the majors in 2015 with the Atlanta Braves. The Seattle Mariners claimed him off waivers before the 2017 season. Weber signed with the Tampa Bay Rays as a free agent in 2018, then joined the Red Sox ahead of the 2019 campaign. 

He hung around in Boston until June of 2021, when Weber was claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers, who waived him one month later, and watched him go back to the Mariners."

Sounds great. Yay!

More to come.

THE YANKEES COACHING STAFF IS MAD AT ME

I'm kidding... or maybe I'm not.

I was harsh.  I was mean. I get it. I also get that when you are posting comments as UNKNOWN... most likely you don't want to be identified. I get that too. And that's what they do.

Here's the thing... that also means you can write whatever the hell you want. Fair.  But you know what's also fair? Being critical.

Critics have been way longer than me. And so, when I came down hard on the Yankees coaching staff as young and inexperienced, I was stating a fact.  What is definitely unfair is that I slammed them all insinuating that the Yankees future with these guys is flawed.  That's a guess. I don't know that... it's probably unfair but it's also an opinion.

I wrote MEET THE YANKEES LOSER COACHING STAFF. It was harsh. I was quickly meant with an attack back to me along with another that made a very good point... 

Unknown #1 is absolutely right. Should I give them a chance? I will. If they are successful I will be the first person to say I was wrong. But there's something that I firmly believe in when it comes to a coaching staff. They need to know what they're doing. Coaching College is a bit different than coaching the minors. Coaching in the minors is different than the majors. And I understand stepping stones, but do the Yankees have to have every single one of these guys move up at once? Serious question.

I mean even Aaron Boone is pretty green. He's not a good manager. And so if he can't manage well... and can't lead well... how do you think these other guys are gonna follow his lead? Do you see what I mean?

Now in reading the comment from Unknown #2 above, I'd bet you it's Casey Dykes or Tanner Swanson. You can just tell. I'm kidding. 

Bottom line... criticism in New York can be plenty. I'm not the only one who is underwhelmed by these guys, fact. 

But this I know... I'm probably the ONLY one that was a total dick about it.  And what's my main reason?  Experience.

If I was too hard on these guys, I apologize.  As a fan... I want experience and wins galore. That's not too much to ask. 

WOW! MANNY BANUELOS IS A YANKEE...

Again!

I'm always a fan of adding more useful arms but this news made my head turn pretty quick. We were raving about the "Killer B's" 11 years ago, who remembers them? It feels like a lifetime ago, but back then I had pretty hopes for one of them who was only a young 19 year old.

My have times changed. Who remembers Manny Banuelos? He was one of a trio of young pitchers nicknamed the "Killer B's" who was full of promise, but didn't pan out. Well....now he's reuniting with the Yankees according to CBSSports.com HERE.

Banuelos was invited to Spring Training back in 2011 and Mariano Rivera even said he was one of the best pitching prospects he had seen. He struggled through injuries during the 2012 season and then underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2013 season and then pitched for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2014. Then in January of 2015 the Yankees traded him to the Braves in exchange for Chasen Shreve and David Carpenter who I had a love-hate relationship with and started calling him CRAPenter when he consistently failed to get the job done.

Since then Banuelos has bounced around to several teams until he had brief contracts with the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in 2020 and then the Sultanes de Monterrey in the Mexican League last season where he finished with a 2.94 ERA.

Once this lockout ends and the season finally starts, Banuelos will be 31 years old. It will interesting to see if he can make it back to the big leagues and be effective. His last MLB appearance was disastrous and the Red Sox released him after one inning....a really bad one.

It's an interesting homecoming for Manny, he will make an appearance at Spring Training and I am rooting for him. I hope he proves that he has learned a lot and can be a good arm for our pitching staff. You can never have enough arms, right?

Welcome home, Manny.....now show us what you've got!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

WHY CAN'T THE NEW YORK YANKEES BE MORE LIKE THE NEW YORK GIANTS?

Source: The Washington Post

God help me but I couldn't help myself with this headline. If you are reading this and scratching your head, I'm sorry. If you know exactly why I wrote it, you are a true Yankees and Giants fans. On Monday, January 10, 2022, the NY Giants sent their General Manager, Dave Gettleman packing on an "early" retirement citing their disappointment with the team's performance on the field. On Tuesday, January 11, 2022, the NY Giants showed Joe Judge the door with the sentiments that they did not see any improvement in team, instead saw a decline. It sounds like The Odd Couple, and it turned out to be so, but at least the organization acknowledged the need for change.

The ownership stated, "It is an understatement to say John and I are disappointed by the lack of success we have had on the field. We are united in our commitment to find a general manager who will provide the direction necessary for us to achieve the on-field performance and results we all expect," reported ESPN. Why can't the Yankees be more like the Giants and actually make moves to improve?

Source: Sports Illustrated

The 2021-2022 MLB offseason has been defined by fast and furious transactions, juxtaposed with a screeching halt of activity due to a lockout that looks to poison the beginning of spring training. Word on the street is that the two sides are coming together on Thursday, but at this point it is unclear if the two sides can come to an agreement in time for the start of spring training in mid-February. If you’re a Yankee fan, and clearly you are if you are reading this, you're likely feeling excluded from this year's transactions as well as let down by the Yankee management who has done nothing to support competing for a championship in 2022. So maybe the lockout is a welcome delay to what is yet to come; same disappointing team, different season.

Source: NY Post

"The Yankees have nary made a major move, happy to sit out the historic November shopping frenzy in favor of rejiggering their coaching staff and signing the occasional minor league deal. The club’s silence is at odds with their stated intentions prior to the offseason, and has left many of us confused as to why Brian Cashman and Co. suddenly froze when the rest of the sport sprang into action," reported SB Nation. And even more difficult to swallow is the failure to acknowledge what the NY Giants have: the performance over the last few seasons have been embarrassing and it is time for a change in leadership. And to add insult to injury, we as fans have had to suffer with this lackluster offseason prior to December 2nd's surging halt. The silence was deafening, even prior to the lockout. 

Source: NY Post

"While the Yankees did make the playoffs this season, Boone represents a milquetoast embodiment of accepting the status quo, which extends to how the Yankees have approached free agency this offseason: no big, game-changing signings that would push this team over the edge in the AL East. If anything, the Mets are the NYC team able to pull off big moves in the offseason, not the Yankees," reported Fansided.

Just when Giant fans lost the will, the organization stepped up and acknowledged the deficient leadership and did something about it. Where are you Hal Steinbrenner? What rock are you under? Why not take a page from the NY Giants play book and do something? Because as it stands now, the winningest franchise in sports seems complacent with mediocre with no will to do anything about it. 

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

CENTERFIELD UPGRADE OPTIONS FOR FAILING AARON HICKS

I'm confident that EVERY fan knows this and I hate to point out the obvious but I will....Aaron Hicks contract was a huge mistake. So obviously, thinking Hicks will magically be better this year and live up to expectations is just beyond stupid. So that's why the Yankees need to get an upgrade when this lockout finally ends. The Yankees said they would look for options and they are out there.

But the question is, who? I found an interesting read on NJ.com HERE and I agreed with most of it. I even liked the scouts explanations on the Yankees choices. The article mentions four targets, but honestly only two make sense here. 

1. Bryan Reynolds

Some people may be asking "WHO?!" and that's not completely surprising. Bottom line is he's young (turns 27 this month) and he's under team control until 2026 and he's been overlooked. He's only been playing in the majors for 3 years and while 2020 was not a great season for him I don't think 60 days was a fair assessment. I do look at 2019 and 2021 and like what I see though. I will gladly take a .302 BA, 24 home runs, and 90 RBI on our roster right now. He's not a natural center fielder but he's playable out there. And let's face it Hicks is playable....nowhere. Reynolds is still young and moldable and he can play defense! He's not a liability. He made 2 errors in 137 games in center field, so he's not so new that he's a mysterious gamble. We already have the gamble with Hicks and we should be 95% confident what that outcome will be. He has experience in left field too so if the Yankees need help there he can easily fill in.

The downside: He will cost a ton. If the Yankees have ANY hope in getting the Pirates to trade him it will cost four good prospects and that is guaranteed to include either Oswald Peraza OR Anthony Volpe.

2. Ketel Marte

It's easy to find a lot of reasons to like Marte. He's the "hit for average" player that we all wish the Yankees could find and stockpile. He's been a consistent hitter his last three seasons and he has power also. Countless teams are salivating to get this guy in their lineup....but there are two challenges here.

1) The Diamondbacks are gonna have to be blown away to deal him. The Diamondbacks insist they are not considering a full rebuild. He's easily their most valuable piece. The Diamondbacks are highly unlikely to be a contending team anytime soon in the NL West but, he's still a very affordable player and if the Diamondbacks don't want to commit to rebuilding, they probably don't want to disenfranchise the fan base they have by getting rid of their most popular player. 

2) Scouts have a lot to rave about but he may be a better fit elsewhere. He's got the pop, versatility in the outfield and second base, can run and steal bases but....he's a better defender at second base. Find a Diamondbacks fan and ask them about Marte's effectiveness in centerfield. You will be hard pressed to find one that says he's a great option. The consensus is he's better at second base. We don't need second base, we already have a clog there with both Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu. Is he an upgrade over Hicks? Sure, but any uninjured body is. If the Yankees are serious about upgrading centerfield I wouldn't put Marte on the top of my list especially at what the Diamondbacks will want for him.

I think everyone is in the "Anyone is better than Hicks" camp and it will be interesting to see if the Yankees can upgrade from Hicks whenever this lockout finally ends. Hicks doesn't even deserve to be a benchwarmer, so hopefully the Yankees will finally make the right move considering they really did a "swing and miss" with Hicks.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

CHECK THIS OUT, NOW ESPN HAS KAY-ROD!

Source: The New York Post

As the drama of the baseball lockout and Yankees coaching staff woes continue to define the 2021-2022 off season, another move may have Yankee fans scratching their heads when it comes what they are used to seeing and hearing in the broadcast booth. Late last week ESPN Sunday Night Baseball announced that David Cone, YES analyst and former Yankee and Met pitcher, will serve as lead analyst for their broadcasts this year. And as an alternative broadcast on Sunday nights, you can catch Alex Rodriguez and our very own Michael Kay on ESPN2. Buckle up fans for "Sunday Night Baseball with Kay-Rod,'' is being billed by ESPN as its "newest, unique alternate presentation.''

"According to Marchand, the A-Rod-Kay broadcast might consist of about 10-12 Sunday night games, roughly half of ESPN’s SNB schedule. Cone would essentially replace A-Rod, 46, in the updated SNB booth, alongside Karl Ravech and Eduardo Perez," reported NJ.com. 

Source: NJ.com

The changes stem from Rodriguez looking to streamline his schedule a bit in favor of being an active owner of his new team the Minnesota Timberwolves. Cone will remain on a reduced schedule with YES who touts a number of analysts including Paul O'Neill, Ryan Ruocco (who also calls a number of Brooklyn Nets Games) and John Flaherty. 

Source: USA Today

"The exact format of the “Kay-Rod” broadcasts has not been finalized, but presumably will include guests, just like Peyton and Eli. ESPN has been doing alternative “Megacasts” for years, so it has a wide variety of choices to pick out of its bag. The Kay-Rodriguez duo will do somewhere between 10-12 games. ESPN has about 25 weeks of “Sunday Night Baseball,” reported The New York Post. 

Perhaps the shakeup will make the YES broadcasts more interesting as they have been flat over the last couple of years. Not really their fault since the Yankees themselves have been flat over the last few years. I will confess, however, I often turn down the sound in favor of the John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman's radio broadcasts. I am a fan of Ruocco, whose energy makes the game more interesting and so I look forward to hearing him more often in 2022.

Will Kay-Rod take root? Will the national audience embrace of couple of Yankees on Sunday Nights? I hope so. If it is anything like Eli-Peyton duo, it has the possibility of being fun and lighthearted, with some humor. More and more changes in store for 2022. Here's to building a better team for everyone to get excited about!

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

MEET THE YANKEES LOSER COACHING STAFF

Eric Chavez didn't even put a Yankee uniform on yet... and he bailed for the Mets. First off I find that kind of messed up that you agree to a gig and then bail, but secondly, I am very curious to if the Yankees actually offered the veteran a job. I wonder if they just threw Chavez in the mix when they announced their coaching staff a few weeks ago as a way to distract from the fact that the Yankees coaching staff has LITERALLY NO EXPERIENCE. I mean what are we doing here?

Dillon Lawson is not the answer. The Yankees hitters can probably teach him a thing or 2 about hitting. Dillon was the Yanks minor league hitting coordinator since 2018. Here is where Dillon's been since 2008:

2008-2009 Assistant coach Lindenwood University
2010-2011 Assistant coach Morehead State University
2012-2015 Assistant coach Southeast Missouri State University
2016 Coach Tri-City ValleyCats
2017 Assistant coach University of Missouri
2018 Coach Quad Cities River Bandits

And any person can make this next suggestion. This is an actual quote from Lawson. Lawson told The Times-Tribune of Scranton, Pa., in July that the organization’s goal was “to square the ball up more, which in turn is going to increase average exit velos.”

I mean, you're not fooling anyone.

Let's talk about Casey Dykes. By the way, Casey Dykes is not the answer. Dykes played for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in 2011 and 2012. I know what you're think... SO??? Right. 

Before that Dykes graduated from Franklin High School in Franklin, Tennessee, in 2008, a year before the Yankees won their last World Series. He bounced around as baseball assistants at a few universities. And then in 2019, the New York Yankees hired Dykes as a minor league hitting coach...September 2019.

2021, Dykes was the hitting coach for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Fail up I guess. Moving on...

Carlos Mendoza is not the answer. Mendoza played in Minor League Baseball for 13 seasons.

After that be bounced around in the minor leagues Yankee farm system as a coach, and after the 2017 season, Mendoza was promoted as an infield coach for the Yanks. Mendoza became the bench coach in November of 2019. And he's done nothing for the Yanks since.

Right, let's put trust in this.

Matt Blake is not the answer. Blake became pitching coach for the Yankees in 2020, succeeding Larry Rothschild. He has never played professionally. He was a high school coach in Massachusetts for Cressey Sports Performance.

In 2010, he became an associate scout for the Yankees, whatever that means and then in 2015, he became a pitching coach in the Cape Cod League. That same year he went to the Indians organization as a minor league pitching coordinator. And that's it folks. 

You feel good right now?

Luis Rojas is not the answer.  Rojas was signed in 1999 as a third baseman by the Baltimore Orioles for $300,000 after graduating from high school. He was in the Marlins and Expos and Nationals farm system trying to make it. He even played in the Gulf Coast League for a hot moment in with the Expos minor league system. But he got hurt, and that was the end. He managed for the Mets in 2020 and 2021. You all know how that turned out.  

But gang, that's it. Nothing more.

Tanner Swanson is not the answer. 

Swanson is the major league quality control coach and catching coordinator for the Yankees and was the Minor and Major League Catching Coordinator for the Minnesota Twins. Before that you ask? He was hired as a full-time assistant coach at Santa Clara University in July 2017. Oh yeah and he played College ball for Green River Community College. Sounds like a winner.

Desi Druschel is not the answer. Desi started coaching in 1996 as an assistant at Vinton-Shellsburg. That went until 2000. He was also an assistant coach for Indiana University from 1999 to 2000 and Mount St. Clare College from 2000 to 2001.

He bounced around and then was hired as director of operations for the University of Iowa's baseball program in 2014. In 2017, he was the pitching coach for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

The Yankees promoted him to their major league staff as a pitching coach after the 2021 season. He was brought in by the Yankees in 2019 and worked his way up. No offense... that doesn't sound too promising.

Travis Chapman is not the answer. Chapman had one major league at bat with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2003. His Major League average is .000. 

Before that he played college baseball for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Chapman spent 7 seasons in the minor leagues with the Phillies, Reds, Royals and Pirates and retired in 2006. 

He served as a coach for the Charleston River Dogs for a while, and now he's with the Yankees big team... because I guess lack of experience really catapulted him there.

And this brings me back to that big word...EXPERIENCE.

Mike Harkey has it and while the bullpen coach, he knows these players, understands them, understands what works and what doesn't work. 

He is content being out there. Why? Because he's good at being the Yankees bullpen coach. After all, he grew up as a pitcher in the MLB. 8 years to be exact. He's no slouch.

And Eric Chavez has experience and could have possibly been a nice fit. But the Mets poached him. That alone is fucked up but Steve Cohen wants to be big dog in Queens. Let him. I could care less. I do believe in ethics and morals however and I can't for the life of me understand why he thought going across town and taking coaches was ok. But don't worry, it will bite him in the ass.

CBS Sports writes: "In December, the Yankees announced that former A's slugger Eric Chavez was joining the club as an assistant hitting coach. On Thursday, however, MLB.com reported that Chavez will actually join the other New York team, the Mets, as their hitting coach."

Seems like the Mets want some experience. Why don't the Yankees?

Remember when excellence was a thing Yankee fans? What the hell happened?

CAN THE NEW YANKEES HITTING COACH TEACH THEM HOW TO HIT?

I love the Yankees, but it's been a while since I have loved some of the managerial decisions they have made. I still don't love the new coaching staff and if you read "NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED" ON BOONE'S YANKEE COACHING STAFF then it's no secret. I hope this staff proves me wrong but I don't have high hopes, especially not after what I read yesterday.

If you read the New York Post you probably saw it too, but in case you missed it check it out HERE. Our new hitting coach Dillon Lawson's hitting philosophy is "hit strikes hard" and I'm just sitting here scratching my head asking "that's it? That's the new strategy?!" 

Come on. Our team that has been a "swing for the fences" kind of team and look at how well that has worked for us! All the Yankees know how to do is try and hit the long ball. They don't know how to successfully hit for contact. It's all about the short porch. Why hasn't Yankee brass figured that out yet?

Seriously, the LAST piece of advice that Lawson and company should be giving Gary Sanchez is to swing hard at strikes because that only leads to more strikeouts....and he has plenty of those. In fact he had 121 last season and 125 in 2019 (the last full season prior to the pandemic)! This has to be the worst idea for Sanchez, it makes ZERO sense. How about helping Sanchez better identify the strike zone and develop some plate discipline? Let's teach him how to hit rather than continue to be unproductive. There's some rocket science, right? 

Here's an idea - how about a "put the damn ball in play" philosophy? Or is that rocket science, too? What's wrong with making contact and minimizing outs and double plays? There's something to be said for moving the runner already on base. That whole hitting with runners in scoring position idea would probably lead to more runs. Again, rocket science. How about a bloop single? Or a strategic bunt? Or hitting to the opposite field? Beating the shift sure sounds well also. I mean....we could go on and on.

The sarcasm runs deep within me (obviously) but what we've been doing for YEARS now isn't working. Sure, we all like a sexy home run but what about a hit parade? I like that idea even more. 

I just feel like we hired more of the same and it's INSANITY. It doesn't work. It's not getting us to a pennant and it sure as hell isn't getting us to the World Series! I know it sounds too simplistic but how about putting the ball in play and making contact?!

I know it is a crazy, OLDSCHOOL idea but IT WORKS! That will help us get deeper into the postseason and even a World Series ring.....rather than the early and embarrassing exit but the Yankees just don't get it and we are all tired of losing.

Sorry (not sorry) Lawson, but I'd like to go on the record to say your philosophy sucks....just like the Yankees track record and batting average.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

MLB'S FIRING OF KEN ROSENTHAL PROVES MANFRED'S GRUDGE IS AN ATTACK ON JOURNALISM

Ken Rosenthal was fired from MLB Network. Not because he's bad at his job. No. They fired him because he has been critical of the way Rob Manfred is handling the MLB. And you know what? Rosenthal is right! Rob Manfred has destroyed the game!

Clutch Points writes:

"Firing somebody due to his opinion is definitely not a good look, especially in a Major League sport. MLB Network did a horrible job here by letting go of him and Rob Manfred should also be ashamed not only because of the bad product that he puts out in the world but also for allowing this to happen. Some of the rules that he has implemented in today’s game are simply not made for the MLB and have certainly ruined the game."

Manfred is like a dictator. A man with control over his entire conglomerate of MLB and killing anyone who doesn't think the same. It's harsh, but it's true. But here's the thing. When it comes to opinions, that's what makes this country great. Ken Rosenthal wasn't lying about what Rob Manfred was doing in his ruining of the MLB, he was stating fact and then offering an opinion after that. And guess what... Rosenthal is not off base. He's allowed to hate the way Manfred runs things. That's because he's not wrong. We all hate it.

Puckett's Pond writes:

"We as fans would love to see him gone, with multiple petitions popping up across the internet have asked for his firing, and the players despise his lack of love of the game and maltreatment of the sport as a whole, but despite that, he’s not going anywhere.

This means baseball is headed for a dark place, and unless Manfred grows a spine soon, he’ll be the one leading the charge towards the end of America’s Pastime. Get ready Twins fans and baseball fans in general: Things will get ugly, and it’s all because of Manfred and his owner overlords."

For Manfred, it's all about the business. And sure, I understand the MLB is business, but it's a game meant to be played at a baseball game's pace. Speeding up the game is for the networks and real fans hate that. We like walking the batter intentionally on 4 straight pitches. We hate having a runner on second in extra innings. It's stupid! It's not real baseball... it's TV manufactured.

And this goes back to Rosenthal. What the hell did he do? Suggest MLB changes and Manfred ideas were ruining what baseball is all about! He's right! 1000%.

Look at what Ken Singleton tweeted, courtesy of the New York Post:

"Ken Singleton, the former three-time All-Star who retired from YES Network in 2021, also was displeased with the news.

“Ken Rosenthal has been an excellent writer and reporter on all things baseball since covering the Orioles years ago in Baltimore,” Singleton tweeted. “For the MLB Network to let him go is terribly shortsighted and reduces the credibility of the whole product.”

And Covering the Corner writes:

"This is the only thing you need to know today: the owners will not stand for criticism from their own media mouthpieces n the lockout. If Ken Rosenthal can be fired for criticism, how safe are the positions of any other lesser-known reporting staff? There are only so many times that one can dive into the archives and talk about the best “gifts” that each team has received and not become a parody of one’s self."

We stand with Kenny over here at BYB. This is journalism and what the editorial pages are built on. If you can't say what you believe as a respected journalist, all while reporting the news, what the hell's the point of any of this?

Manfred is a clown. His cronies are oompa-loompa's and he has disgraced the game since the day he showed up. He needs to go and it became quite clear to me the day the Houston Astros got nothing for cheating the league, and he was seen paling around with the Astros owner. 

You're caught dick!

This isn't about the fans folks. MLB is about the money and owners and the power and whatever they all can do collectively to make money and sucker us fans out of it. They do not care about us. This is why I have slowly moved away from being such a huge MLB and Yankee fan. Because corporate greed has latched on worse than ever and Manfred is the worst of them all.

If FOX Sports and the Athletic were smart, they should protect and let Kenny Rosenthal do whatever he needs to stay and spew hard opinions against Manfred and the league. I would tune into that for sure.

I leave you with this: 

"It’s understandable why Manfred would be upset at what Rosenthal wrote; it made him look bad. A decent leader would have forgotten about it two days, if not two hours, after he read it. Instead, he held a silly grudge, and it’s an unfunny joke that Rosenthal, a shoo-in to be honored someday with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award from the Hall of Fame, got dumped.

Perhaps the real sympathies should be directed at the hard-working reporters who remain at MLB Network, because the decision to dump Rosenthal did their reputations no favors. Major League Baseball executives, particularly original network president and CEO Tony Pettiti, have insisted since the beginning that they want MLB Network to be editorially credible and they would not interfere with the journalistic duties of the correspondents.

Then, because the commissioner cannot accept that criticism comes with his job, the network goes and dumps the popular and respected Rosenthal for what were accurate rebukes? The perception is not fair, but Manfred’s actions implicitly suggest that the reporters who remain are in lockstep with how the commissioner’s office wants the league covered. At the very least, they now know what the consequences are for being critical of the boss."

That comes from Boston.com, and the most important part of this entire story. The firing of Rosenthal is an attack on journalism and opinion in journalism.  The journalists and reporters at MLB? Be ready to not speak the truth. Be ready to be State TV. Be ready to have no real passion and no real reason to be on the air other than being a puppet. Why? Because your boss sucks and only cares about making money, not making baseball memories.  

MLB loses. They lost the day Manfred took over and they are losing worse than ever when Rosenthal got fired.

We at BYB had one rule when I started this Yankee fan site. My writers are to speak their OPINIONS. They are allowed to disagree with the boss. That's me. They are allowed to speak their mind, have a harsh opinion, and attack, as long as they know that when there is push back by fans and players, or even journalists, they have to fight their battles. They say it, they own it. 

David Cone and Suzie Pinstripe got into a scuffle a few years back. Jeana and Mike O'Hara have gone back and forth about Mark Teixeira... and I've had beef with all of our writers once of twice since we started in September 2010. I remember fondly bitching out Curt Schilling on Twitter as well. What a tool.  But here's the thing about journalism and opinions.... you know why it works? Because a rant is healthy. A rant... opinion is important in the public forum. And for Manfred to come forward and say goodbye to Rosenthal tells me one thing... he's a clown with no balls and thin skin, plain and simple.

And speaking of clowns... BYB has put out some products for sale.

Manfred the Clown is on sale now on TeePublic.

We are also making an MLB shirt which reads: MLB: Manfred Lacks Balls.  (In many Colors!)

Both will be live soon so be sure to check them out and see if you can find something nice to wear!

I'm so over Rob Manfred. Anyone who doesn't understand how much of an attack this is on journalism is out of their minds. This is bad.  

In closing, understand this. Ken Rosenthal is respected. He has respect from us all and will be fine with the Athletic and FOX Sports... but trust me when I tell you... freedom in journalism took a hit. And it's not good! It's just not!