DJ LEMAHIEU CONTINUES TO DAZZLE

 Quick note.

It was the Yankees to beat the White Sox today in what was a game that was won because of a grand slam by DJ LeMahieu.

But DJ is one of the most non-flashy guys out there. In fact, he comes in to play the game as hard as he can, because it's his job and its business. My guess, DJ isn't "tight" with anyone in that clubhouse, but yet, friendly and respectful to all his teammates.  You can tell.  I just love the guy. He's a hard worker, he's a dynamic hitter and leads with his abilities, and probably not his voice and that's just fine with me because it's working.

Here's today's grand slam:

¿Cuál canción quieres? 🤔 ¡Grand Slam de DJ LeMahieu! 🎶 pic.twitter.com/bAAPCptoJe

— LasMayores (@LasMayores) May 21, 2022

And after that he was asked about hitting his grand slam on the same day as his 10th anniversary of service in the MLB:

DJ LeMahieu on hitting a grand slam to celebrate 10 years of MLB service time:

"10 years, had a good game and get a win, can't ask for much more" pic.twitter.com/CzO38tdjG9

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 21, 2022

Love this guy! 

Today was a big day for the Yankees and DJ's grand slam was overshadowed by this continued feud between Tim Anderson and Josh Donaldson.  Too bad, but nice win by the Yankees!

RARE RIZZO EJECTION PROVES HE'S LOCKED IN, NOT ANGRY

I love baseball because there are guys that understand the feel of the game so well, they will call out anyone who they know is wrong just to establish they are correct, and the wrong guy is just blowing it... especially in a televised game where video proves it!

Rizzo got ejected yesterday. Not because he was being disrespectful, but because he was right.  Fansided's Scott Rogust wrote:

"During an at-bat in the top of the eighth inning, Rizzo watched as two low pitches thrown by Joey Krehbiel were called strikes by home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez. The pitch was thrown in a same general area during Giancarlo Stanton's at-bat immediately afterwards, and it was called a ball.

After noise was heard in the dugout, Gonzalez called for an ejection, and it was none other than Rizzo."

Watch the video:

"I'm better than that! You know I'm better than that."

Anthony Rizzo gets ejected for the third time in his career. He watched two bad strike calls go by then argued when the same pitch was called a ball to the next batter pic.twitter.com/quddnrKvmK

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) May 19, 2022

But it's what bothers me about Scott Rogust's article is the headline and accusation that Rizzo is a hot head.

"Watch: Rare Anthony Rizzo ejection proves he has an angry side"

Rizzo isn't angry. He's a true ballplayer. Rizzo is passionate. Rizzo is locked in.  Any team would love and appreciate a guy like that in their clubhouse. It's guys like that who make a team better.  Rizzo isn't there for himself, he is there for the team. Sure, Rizzo lost 2 pitches because he knew those pitches were balls, but he didn't get truly fired up until he realized the umpire was just plain inconsistent.  When it comes to sports, we need umps and calls to be right. If those pitches came to Rizzo in the first inning and then that happened to Stanton in the 8th, this conversation isn't had. But it was back-to-back. I mean give me a break.

Anger is NOT what Rizzo is. Passion is Rizzo... Fansided and Rogust got this one wrong.  Who wouldn't want passion on a Yankee team like this?

HEY BELTRAN - QUIT CRYING FROM THE BOOTH!

Carlos Beltran is back, or trying to get back to a job in baseball that he actually wants. For now he has to be satisfied with calling the game from the broadcast booth while I am very unsatisfied with him on my tv screen. This is just a stepping stone though for what comes next. He just isn't admitting that.

Although, Beltran says he's "not sure," you can read more HERE. Who is really buying that though? Not me. Not from Mr. Cheater himself. It's all just an act and he wants everyone to believe in his words and his broadcasting 'talent.' Here's what he wants everyone to believe:

"Honestly, I’m taking this step-by-step," Beltran said of his future in the game. "I think if I show interest, there are gonna be opportunities. Right now, I’m satisfied with what I’m doing. I want to give [broadcasting] a shot and see where it goes. … But I might want to really pursue being back [in the dugout]. I have to make a decision and decide what I want. Right now, I don’t really know. But I love being around baseball."

Translation: I know there will be interest, but I need to buy some time. Until then, this is how I keep myself relevant. I want to get back in the dugout, I want that jersey on my back. I remember how it felt when I was introduced as manager of the Mets. I just need to wait a little while longer to get what I really want.

Beltran still feels singled out from the 2017 ASSTROS cheating scandal and he really wishes we would all stop reminding him about it.
"I don’t really want to get deep into that. I would not go anywhere with that. I hope people have seen how I feel about how everything played out and the person I am. What happened, everyone knows what happened. It was a team. The fact I was in trouble [as the only player], that’s the hard part. But I’ve got to move forward."

Translation: I'm not going to talk about this anymore. This was done by the entire team, not just me. I have done my time and served my suspension. I was singled out and I just want to everyone to stop talking about it.

At the end of this awful YES Network broadcasting experiment there will be another managing opportunity for crying Beltran. Everyone else in this scandal got a second chance and he will too. He has no skills in the booth at all, so if he wants to stay in baseball what else is he going to do? Some stupid team is going to take a chance. Until then....I count down the days until I no longer have to hear his babbling nonsense. THAT truly can't come soon enough.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

"I WISH I WAS DJ LEMAHIEU"

Source: NJ.com

I remember when the Yankees gave DJ LeMahieu his payday. I was all for it. He carried this team, despite their injuries, subpar defense and inability to hit with runners in scoring position. Those days seem so long ago as the Yankees continue to tear up the American League with the best record in baseball. Of course one of the top contributors to this team's success is LeMahieu and one of the worst has to be Joey Gallo. In a recent interview Gallo addressed the regular boos he hears with each at bat. And guess what he said? 

Source: NJ.com

“This is what happens all the time when you’re slumping,” Gallo said, glancing at his locker neighbor. “I wish I was DJ LeMahieu. I don’t get how he hits the ball so much. A lot of times, I wish I was a contact hitter, but I’m playing the hand that I was dealt,” reported NJ.com. That's pretty blunt, reflective, but surely blunt. Not that he is wrong. He has never been a career baller, but honestly LeMahieu had his most success in his career right here in New York.

"As expected, he’s healthy and doing exactly what the Yankees hoped he’d do when they initially signed him as a free agent. (Coming into last night's game) LeMahieu has played 32 games, split among second, third and first. And in his 132 plate appearances, he has a .758 OPS," reported The New York Post. 

Source: NY Post

 Gallo on the other hand has performed far beyond expectations since replacing Brett Gardner in left field. "Gallo says he avoids looking up at scoreboards because his average usually is among the lowest of any player who gets regular at-bats. He has hit as high as .210 just once since reaching the big leagues in 2015, finished below .200 two seasons in a row, and 32 games into this season he is hitting .191, thanks to a recent surge. Yankees fans, frustrated by the strikeouts, have booed him regularly," reported NJ.com. Hence provoking Gallo to answer to his boos with a reality check—he is no LeMahieu.

"A 6-foot-5, 250-pounder, Gallo was a big kid who always swung hard and for the fences. Growing up in Las Vegas, he hit a lot of long home runs, but when you combine a big strike zone and a long swing, there will be strikeouts. Gallo said he often has attempted to alter his swing and his approach at the plate in hopes of sacrificing a little power for more contact," reported NJ.com.

Source: NY Post

With the team winning, Gallo's lack of contribution at the plate is been mostly overlooked. If the Yankees were falling fiercely, there would be more of a spotlight on the left fielder. Still, the front office has a lot of hope in Gallo and his ability to perform at a higher level than what we are currently seeing.

“He’s a really talented player,” Cashman said. “He has a chance every time he’s at the plate to change whatever’s happened prior. The fact that we’re winning our games as much as we have, there’s a lot of gas in that tank in terms of contribution that I think is still there for us to be had," reported NJ.com. 

Gallo I have a piece of advice for you—Don't let your ice cream melt counting someone else's sprinkles. Don't give the excuse that you are not DJ LeMahieu, so clearly you can't hit for average. Do something about it. Hit against the shift. Change your batting stance. Don't try to kill the ball every time you step into the batter's box. Hit ground balls. Do something. Hell, everyone wishes they were DJ LeMahieu. But you're not. Be you and make something happen. 

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

A RIDICULOUSLY SUBJECTIVE & SKEWED TOP 5 MLB PLAYERS LIST JUST CAME OUT...

Baseball is built on fandom and the players are there because they are talented. And picking guys as "top" guys is usually based on popularity, who's hot, who's not and once again... the fans.

Ben Verlander came out with a top 5 MLB players list today. I don't understand why we are hanging on every word Ben Verlander says but we are.  I mean, what are his credentials? He's Justin Verlander's younger brother. He played baseball. OK... and then what?  My point is why is he important? But this isn't actually about Ben. DON'T TROLL HIM. He's a good dude, has great ideas, he's a good-looking guy, smart.  

But to put his name on a "TOP 5 MLB Players" list is to just get this guy trolled and that's not fair to Ben. Why? Because look at the list FOX is getting behind.

First off, are these the Top 5 MLB Players of the Decade? Of the season? Of the week? Why do you ask? Here's why.  

Mike Trout may be the best player in baseball since he got into the pros. That's a fact. Bryce Harper had a great week last week, is he in the Top 5?  And we all know Cody Bellinger is a total gamer even though he's batting .202. What about him? Should he have been considered? And let's even go further as a baseball AND Yankee fan...

When you're talking the most meaningful hits with games on the line, bottom line is this year, at this moment, it's Aaron Judge! Hands down. 

Judge SHOULD be #1.  But you want to know why Ohtani is #1? Because MLB props this guy up because he's a two way player. But you know what? There should be more two ways in the Major Leagues. Here's the problem high schools and colleges make players 'pitchers only' or players and they don't have a choice. And so, by the time they get to the Majors they don't get to choose to be a two way. But Shohei Ohtani is an international player, signed a big contract and he was able to demand what he wanted.  And now, because of that, he's beloved.  But look at his numbers...

Ohtani is a .257 hitter this year. And pitching? His ERA is 2.78 and a 3-2 record this year. Strikeouts? 46 in 6 games. HARDLY THE BEST.

You know who's better? Several pitchers, but Max Scherzer is 4-1 with a 2.66 ERA and 55 strikeouts. 

And what about Justin Verlander? 5-1 with a 1.38 ERA? Those numbers alone move Ohtani down the list, maybe even knock him off the list. And what's worse is Justin was ignored. Why? Because Ben Verlander can't pick Justin because they're brothers.  And that's the ONLY reason, but we all know that Verlander is better than Ohtani.

Look, I in no way want to give Ben Verlander a hard time. But lists like this one are clearly political and strategic and orchestrated and silly.  And the biggest word? Subjective, especially if you're a baseball fan, because we all have lists.  

If we're making lists, here's my 19-year old's list, who, by the way, has no credentials other than he plays college ball and loves the game. 

1. Aaron Judge

2. Manny Machado

3. Mike Trout

4. Nolan Arenado

5. Rafael Devers

And by the way... YOU WILL HAVE DIFFERENT PICKS. That's my point... backing a list that is so skewed is madness.

And I'm curious... what's your list? If you're on Twitter, RT and list your top 5. I'd love to see it.

NASTY NESTOR GETS HIGH PRAISE FROM AN MLB LEGEND

And rightfully so, he deserves it. Nestor Cortes is the real deal. When it's his turn to start I am counting down the hours and minutes until game time. I haven't been this excited about a pitcher since Andy Pettitte was on the mound. He's finally getting the recognition he deserves....

There are no other words to describe what we saw yesterday other than "nasty" because it's true. He makes it look easy and he leaves everyone watching in complete awe. Nestor looks like an ace out there. No offense to Gerrit Cole at all, he just looks dialed in.

Nestor gave the performance I was hoping we'd see after a disappointing loss on Saturday. He retired 15 straight batters from the first inning until the sixth, and he got 13 swings and misses. He didn't give up a run until an eighth inning solo home run and only gave up three hits and walked no one. He's the steady and consistent gamer that the Yankees have needed for a long time. He's the guy that gets the job done and takes pride in it without the huge salary. He's the savior we have been waiting for. 

Aaron Boone knows how good Nestor was and called his outing "special" but Boone's comments aren't surprising, we all know what we saw was amazing. Boone's comments may not be interesting but someone else gave Nestor some high praise HERE.

Leave it to Pete Caldera to find the real interesting nuggets. It's nice to hear high praise from a legend like Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez who was able to recognize Nestor's strengths and encourage him to be true to the pitcher he is.

"I saw a lot of me in (Cortes)," said El Duque. "His work ethic, his professionalism – going about his craft when few people believed in him. When I saw that, I said, ‘I’ve got to get behind this guy.’ (Because) we have a similar pitching philosophy – you don’t have to throw 95-plus-mph to get batters out."

He was in Nestor's corner and helped him get to where he is now. His journey to the big leagues may not have been as fast as he wanted, but he's learned a lot to help him be successful now that he is here. I can't wait to see what else Nestor does this year.

So far, he's just plain NASTY!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

WHY JOSH DONALDSON CLAIMS THE NAME OF MR. INTENSITY

Source: NY Post

I will admit that I had my druthers with the Yankees signing Josh Donaldson. I felt he was cocky and had an attitude over the years. He has a reputation for talking straight and saying what's on his mind. That kind of mentality can either make you a hero or make you a villain. Donaldson's monologues have certainly rubbed people the wrong way, but so far, in the Bronx he is staking claim to the nickname, Mr. Intensity.

Source: SI.com

"Minnesota’s front office had to know what they were getting when they signed Josh Donaldson. He had a proven track record of being outspoken, but he was coming off being named the NL Comeback Player of the Year. The Twins were willing to deal with his on and off field behavior if he helped push the team to postseason success," report Twins Daily back in 2021. Part of the reason he was attractive to the Yankees was his fierce intensity, excellent third base and his potential to hit the ball hard, all despite being 37-years-old. 

"As his former manager in Toronto, John Gibbons, put it this spring: “He’ll irritate other players and the other teams,” Gibbons said. “He’s emotional and wears it on his sleeve. He’s intense and plays to win,” reported the New York Post.

Source: USA TODAY Sports

Donaldson's intensity was definitely on display in Friday night's game against the White Sox when he forcibly tagged Tim Anderson after catcher Jose Trevino tried to pick the White Sox star off third. There was no brawl despite the benches clearing, but there was definitely a physical exchange between the two. Ironically, Donaldson's bat was also on fire on Friday too, after a very slow start with his new team. He entered Saturday night's game having homered in consecutive games, and he's 16-for-57 (.281) with five doubles, three homers, 10 RBIs.

Source: Sports Illustrated

You may also recall Donaldson's comments about Gerrit Cole last season when Cole appeared to have some mid-season pitching woes after MLB banned foreign substances. No doubt, Donaldson's voice is loud and he is not afraid to use it. 

Yet winning means you have a certain chemistry in your clubhouse. This includes having different players gel with one another, not a cookie cutter clubhouse with all of the same kinds of dispositions around you. Having a fiery presence can bolster a clubhouse, and crank up its intensity. Maybe just what the Yankees needed after many years of missteps and failed postseasons. 

“It was a great move by the Yankees,” said Gibbons, who managed the Blue Jays from 2004-08 and then from 2013-18. “The old Yankees had an edge to them with guys like [Paul] O’Neill. You need more than great players to win. Sometimes, you need some volatility.” 

Josh Donaldson certainly takes the award for Mr. Intensity in the Bronx and carries it with him to every stadium he enters. Besides grit, he has an attitude and guess what, that might just be okay if it is balanced with players who know how to dial it down a bit. It is great to see this Yankee team playing so well, and if it takes some catalysts like Donaldson to do it, I am all for it. 

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

DANNY SALAZAR IS A NEW YORK YANKEE

 

The Yankees are in a groove, this is true, but why not add an arm?

It's being reported that Danny Salazar is now coming to the Yankees and it's gonna be a minor league deal.

MLB Trade Rumors writes:

"Salazar, 32, was signed as an international free agent by Cleveland back in 2006. He climbed up the ranks of the minors and made his MLB debut in 2013. He had a tremendous four-year run from his debut through 2016, making 85 starts and throwing 484 1/3 innings. His ERA was 3.72 in that time, along with a 26.7% strikeout rate, 8.2% walk rate and 41.7% ground ball rate. He made the American League All-Star team in the last year of that stretch."

After that he has surgery on a hurt shoulder. in 2019 he had low velocity and a groin situation. In other words, it's been one thing after another.  So, if you're asking why a minor league deal? That's why.

Anyway... welcome to the Yanks Danny. I hope you can find your mojo.

ROBINSON CANO IS ON THE MOVE

Not that anyone cares, but because Robinson Cano was a popular Yankee while he was in the Bronx, it just makes sense to mention this.  Cano could be on the move... like today.

The Spun writes:

"Cano was released by the New York Mets earlier this season after his lackluster start to the year. It was previously believed his MLB career might be over, but it appears he's going to get one more shot.

Cano, 39, is "expected" to sign with the San Diego Padres today. He could even be available for Friday night's game between the Padres and Braves in Atlanta. "

This information was tweeted by Jon Heyman, who, is like Bob Nightengale of USA Today... nearly wrong all the time, but I do find it interesting, and we should wait to see what happens.

I have always rooted for Cano, and while I'm not a huge fan... I wish the guy well.

THIS MIGUEL CASTRO PITCH THAT WILL MAKE YOUR JAW DROP

I'm still in awe. It's shock and awe. Miguel Castro is some sort of magician. He's a wizard. He's something that just can't be explained right now. He's worthy of a science experiment and then let's CLONE him while we are at it.

If you didn't know, Castro was swapped for Joely Rodriguez in a trade with the Mets.

What I saw on Tuesday made me all tingly inside. It was something that I had to watch again, not once or even twice. Hell, I am STILL watching it. Did you get a good look at this?

THAT right there is a thing of beauty. It is just one reason why I give people a crazy look if someone tells me that "baseball is boring" or "watching players try and hit a ball is lame compared to football." That's straight nonsense and so was that pitch Castro threw!

The pitch itself is BEAUTIFUL but it makes no sense. Like, how is it possible and it needs it's own word. They are calling this a 99mph SINKER but this is no usual sinker. It has crazy movement, it moves more left to right and it looks like a freaking two-seam fastball or even a cutter. I see that and the last thing I think is sinker. Hell, call it the Castro pitch for all I care. It doesn't matter what this is called it's just plain FILTHY.

And Alejandro Kirk was just as stunned as I was. He tried to sell it as a walk but as quick as that looked like the ball was outside it ended up being damn near middle-middle. It's magic I tell ya. He may think it is the best pitch he's seen in his very young career. I think it's one of the best pitches I have ever seen, I can't stop watching it.

Can I just add a big THANK YOU to the Mets for trading him? I'm glad you guys added another lefty arm like you wanted and you decided to get rid of Castro. I hope I get to watch this all season long. This is just super human....it's some sort of witch craft and I love it!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

 

NESTOR CORTES JR HAD TO FAIL IN ORDER TO SUCCEED

Source: Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Some players just make it look easy. That is the key word- make it look easy. Take Nestor Cortes Jr. as a prime example. He looks relaxed on the mound. He seems like he has it all together. YES Network's Jack Curry even likened his relaxed pitching style to a wiffle ball throw—simple but powerful. But to get to this relaxed and successful space, it takes commitment, dedication, practice and yes failure. Nestor Cortes Jr credits this success to having hit rock bottom in order to reset and become the pitcher he is today.

Source: Dan Hamilton/USA Today Sports, via Reuters

According to the New York Post, "The legend of the sometime-sidearming Nestor is growing so big it can barely be contained in The Bronx. Cortes, the former 36th-round Yankees draftee who’s been released, DFA’ed and for good measure traded for international pool money (which isn’t exactly a compliment because it means you’ve been sold for who knows what), out of almost nowhere for now is the Yankees’ best pitcher and one of the best in the league."

In 2018 Nestor Cortes pitched for the last place Baltimore Orioles. They finished 47-115, a record that NJ.com recalls as "the second-worst record in the major leagues since the turn of the century." But what made matters worse is that Cortes got cut from the team. The blow was devastating to the young pitcher.

Source: Associated Press

“Well,” Cortes told himself at the time, “I just got released by one of the worst teams in baseball.” “I was in a bad place,” he remembers now, reported NJ.com. What a difference three years makes. In 2021 Cortes was credited with saving the Yankees. He was called up in May and ended the season with a spectacular 2.90 ERA in 93 innings for the Bombers. This year, Cortes picked up where he left off. 

"On Monday, the Yankees’ left-hander took a no-hitter 7⅓ innings while striking out 11 against the Texas Rangers in a 1-0 win at Yankee Stadium. His team sits atop the majors with a 20-8 record, and Cortes’ 1.41 ERA in six starts was second-best among American League starting pitchers," reported NJ.com.

Source: New York Post

You have to root for a guy like Nestor. He is humble, he is a good teammate, he wants to win and improve his pitching with every outing. He wants to contend and be at his best, even forgoing the Arizona Fall League or in the Dominican winter league for extra money. Nestor Cortes Jr. is the real deal despite his rocky road to success. 

"Cortes, 27, bounced around so much that manager Aaron Boone referred to his many struggles after his masterful outing that included one hit over 7 ¹/₃ innings as “the journey.” Conversely, the game and the games are seeming to come easier by the start for the everyman lefthander who became the first Yankees pitcher ever to rack up 40 strikeouts with six or fewer runs in his first six starts of a season," reported The Post. 

When you watch Nestor pitch or hang over the dugout rail rooting for his teammates, you can see in his eyes the determination and fight to just be here. That is what baseball is all about—working hard, making it look easy and having fun along the way. You have to experience failure in order to learn. You have to feel what it is like to get cut, to lose, to fight, in order to appreciate the win. Nestor Cortes Jr is that guy. And his success is all the sweeter because of how he got here.

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

YANKEES ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME WITH LUIS MEDINA

I like to prospect watch a lot. My favorite prospects to keep tabs on are pitchers, mainly because the Yankees are so terrible at scouting and developing pitchers. I watch these pitching prospects in hopes to finding that special pitcher that we've all been waiting for.

I've been paying closer attention to Luis Medina since Aaron Boone visited the Yankees minor league spring training complex back in February. Medina was fresh from playing winter ball in Puerto Rico where he made some positive improvements that had a lot of people buzzing and Boone was singing his praises.
"I wouldn’t put anything past him because the talent is special," Boone said. "He’s somebody we’re very excited about. … You never know what can happen this year. We feel he has a bright future, a major league future."

But just how special is Medina? We will find out how special in a relatively short amount of time. The clock is ticking on Medina's Yankees future, read more HERE. Medina has been pitching well at Double-A Somerset but is in his last minor-league option year. The Yankees will need to watch his progress this year and decide if he will be part of the team's future. If he is part of the team's future then they need to decide if he will be a starter or part of the bullpen. If they do make room for him, they will need to add him to their active roster next season but if not....they may need to consider trading him over the summer.

Medina has come a long way since he started his journey with the Yankees at 17. He used to crumble under pressure and couldn't maintain control on the mound. His lack of control led to a lot of walks but things are changing. Now he has command, a hard breaking curveball and a trademark fastball that has reached up to 103 mph. He's currently touting a 2.31 ERA in four starts, now if he could just develop an equally impressive third pitch the Yankees just might have something.

Medina has made a lot of improvements and he's headed in the right direction. Now we just have to wait and see what the Yankees do. The Yankees have a year to make up their minds. It sounds like a lot of time, but not if they are considering trading him soon. 

I'm going to keep watching Medina, he's intriguing. Hopefully he can keep the Yankees intrigued also....otherwise he will be wearing another uniform soon.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj