HARRISON BADER IS READY

I know none of you think Harrison Bader is worth the trade of Jordan Montgomery to the Cardinals, but let's face it, you were fine with Gumby while he was in New York. But you didn't love him. Don't lie. I'm calling you out. I remember the tweets. I remember the frustration. You were happy with him... but you weren't happy happy.

Then JoMo goes on a pitching tear in St. Louis and ya'll are like "Whoa. Why did we get rid of Cardinals Ace Montgomery for a broken centerfielder again?" That was desperation. The Yankees were losing consistently then.  Calm down... all of you.  Harrison Bader will be good, I know it.  Cashman trusted his team enough to get Bader to rehab in pinstripes for September. And now here we are.  

Empire Sports Media writes:

"The New York Yankees have been waiting patiently for the return of outfielder Harrison Bader, who is expected to bring premium-level defense and quality base running upon his activation....

Luckily for the Yankees, they are seeing the type of value he brings to a team with Double-A Somerset as he continues his rehab assignments. Bader has made four appearances with Somerset over the past few days, enjoying 14 at-bats. He’s hitting .429 with a 46.7% on-base rate, including a home run and four RBIs.

Harrison Bader showing off the wheels with his second double and third hit of the night. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/dw49OSYQ1E

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 16, 2022

He’s tallied two doubles over his six hits, striking out twice. He’s also stolen a base in that timeframe, once again showing off his incredible speed and athleticism. Before the injury, he has stolen 15 bases with the Cardinals, tying his career-high from back in 2018."

And this is what we want guys... a spark plug. There is nothing worse than a team who just wants to hits homers.  We need a small ball element as well as a defensive guy in the outfield. Do you hear me Aaron Hicks?

I'm looking forward to seeing this guy in the bigs again. As for Montgomery... you gotta wish him well. This guy will always be a competitor and now he's found a home to show it off.  I tip my cap.

VOTE FOR JOSE TREVINO!

Quick note. 

Jose Trevino is up for getting the Roberto Clemente award! As you may have read from MLB...

"The Roberto Clemente Award is bestowed annually to the player who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.

Every year, each MLB Club nominates a player to be considered for the Award in tribute to Clemente's achievements and character. This year's list of nominees features players whose various community and philanthropic activities have focused on important issues ranging from awareness & fundraising to support those with cancer and other illnesses or special needs, education for young people, natural disaster relief, outreach to underserved children & communities in the United States and abroad, and more."

As we all know, Trevino has come to the Yankees and have given them everything they need by going above and beyond as a Yankee catcher and team leader. We need to give back to him as a fan. Do the right thing, check out this link, and VOTE for Trevino!!! 

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR HIM!

WHO'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON ON THE YANKEES INJURED RESERVED?

Source: NJ.com

Watching the Yankees on YES last night, I heard David Cone say, "Who's the most important person on the Yankees injured reserved right now?" I paused. Just as Marwin Gonzalez answered with a 2-run homerun in the top of the 3rd inning. Now recall that Gonzalez has been asked to step into a big hole in the infield, a position he has not played before as a utility player. That position first base—where both our regular position player, Anthony Rizzo and back up, DJ LeMahieu have left absent for the last couple of weeks. So that most important person on the Yankees IL—one could argue both Rizzo and LeMahieu collectively.

According to YES reporter Meredith Marakovits, Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo hit off a tee on Tuesday in Boston and is hopeful to return for the Brewers series in Milwaukee or the Pirates series at home—which is likely more probable. As the New York Daily News reported, "The first basemen has been recovering from headaches he suffered after receiving an epidural to relieve back pain. Rizzo underwent a blood patch procedure that immediately relieved his symptoms."  

Source: Mark J. Terrill/AP

The Yankees have been plagued with injuries again this season. Rizzo has been out of the lineup since August 30th ironically when he hit his 30th home run against the Los Angeles Angels. He has played only 117 games this season, with multiple games missed due to his re-occurring back issues. And Rizzo's back up at first base, DJ LeMahieu has been on the IL on and off dealing with a lingering toe inflammation. The toe injury has been impacting LeMahieu’s performance at the plate, where he was hitting an abysmal 10-for-78 (.128).

Source: N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg

“It just got to a point where I wasn’t even rotating at all [on my back foot],” LeMahieu said. “I can deal with that [in the field]. That’s manageable. It is what it is. But when I can’t be myself and can’t hit, I’m not doing anyone any favors by just being a body out there,” reported The New York Post.

Sure one could argue that not having their pitching staff at full strength is the reason why the Yankees are underperforming, but I actually think Cone is onto to something. Having that first base hole there disrupted the infield synergy, bringing up rookies to "fill-in" for veterans and compromising the consistency the Yankees had in the first half of the season. 

Source: Robert Sabo/New York Post

According to the New York Post, "Whenever Rizzo returns, it would be a welcome addition for a Yankees lineup that has missed his left-handed at-bat while also dealing with injuries to DJ LeMahieu, Andrew Benintendi and Matt Carpenter. “The fact that I think we have the [back] problem behind us and he feels really good physically and we’re going to hopefully get that healthy version back is huge,” Boone said. 

Let's hope that both LeMahieu and Rizzo make their way back into the lineup by our next home stand against the Pittsburgh Pirates schedule for next week. And that this brings back consistency, energy and yes big bats to this much needed Yankee offense as they move toward the home stretch of this long baseball season in hopes of extending it even longer. 

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

JASSON DOMINGUEZ GETS PROMOTED!

Quick note and big news about "the Martian".

The Bridgewater paper of NJ.com writes:

"Dominguez, a 19-year-old outfielder, was somewhat unexpectedly promoted to Double-A prior to Tuesday night’s game at TD Bank Ballpark. against the Portland Sea Dogs.

Nicknamed “The Martian” for his otherworldly tools on the diamond, the 5-foot-10, 190-pound Dominican native is ranked as the No. 42 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and No. 2 in the Yankees organization, behind Volpe."

There is no doubt that Dominguez and Volpe are important pieces of the Yankees future, but as always you have to wonder if the Yankees have the right balance when it comes to grooming guys and when to bring them up. Remember the Killer B's? 

Only Dellin Betances worked out. Banuelos has bounced around and hasn't done much and Brackman doesn't even play anymore. I'd say the Yankees ruined those guys.

Aaron Judge is the exception as he has been everything we could have asked for, but remember Eric Jagielo out of Notre Dame that same year? 

He ended up playing for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and ended his career in 2018.

The point is I want Dominguez to really work out. I just hope the Yankees don't mess it up.  Who knows... maybe we see those guys in September call-ups. We shall see.

Anyway... cool note. If you're going to TD Bank Park tonight, go Patriots!

MCGWIRE BACKS AARON JUDGE FOR THE YANKEES HOME RUN RECORD & BEYOND

It's not exactly a glowing endorsement. I mean Mark McGwire was a cheater... why should we care what he has to say, right? Well... he actually makes alot of sense here, and it's provocative, and that's why I'm sharing it with you all. In the end, Big Mac believes that Judge is on the right path to break Maris's home run record, but thinks he could even go further.

Clutch Points writes:

"McGwire stated that he believes that Judge would break Maris’ record this season, which isn’t exactly bold. But what is bold is that McGwire also predicts that Judge will be able to surpass Bonds’ number in the future, and he thinks that his desire to achieve that historic feat could influence which team he signs with in free agency this offseason.

“He’s definitely going to break Maris’ Yankee record, but I truly believe he’ll break Barry’s record, too. I think he’ll finish with at least 65 home runs this year, and then position himself to hit, get to 73 to 74 in the next five to eight years. I really believe he’ll have that opportunity. He’s going to get close to it, and say, ‘Where can I bunch in nine more homers?’ God willing that he stays healthy, he’s going to do that, too.’’

Now look, as a Yankee fan, my biggest wish is that the Yankees can turn their season around and win the whole damn thing this year. I think that would be great for New York.  At the same time, I want Judge to break Maris's home run record because it shares baseball history with a whole new generation of baseball fans. But Judge's record is not the priority... and even he will tell you that.

Look... after Maris, the whole home run record was tainted anyway. I don't consider McQwire, Sosa or Bonds as true home run leaders. I know the record books say otherwise, but as far as I'm concerned it's Maris.  But to wipe that whole steroids scandal clean and to show a clean record... I would love to see Judge break Bond's tainted record one day.  It would be good for baseball and great for the New York Yankees as we move forward in history.

Enjoy your Tuesday.

THE RETURN OF THE RIZZ MAY JUST BE A TEASE

Source: USA TODAY Sports

I am a big fan of Anthony Rizzo. When the Yankees resigned him, forgoing Matt Chapman and Freddie Freeman this past free agency, I was excited. His start with the Yankees in 2021 was very lackluster, contracting Covid and then trying to make up for lost time. But from the start of the 2022 season, Rizzo has been a great and essential addition to the Yankees—filling a big void at first base which traditionally been held by strong defenders and big bats. More recently, however, Rizzo has been sidelined with back issues followed by more back issues and migraines due to treatment of the the back issues. Sunday, expect Rizzo to start baseball activities, but not quite ready for the rubber game against the Rays, a must win game for the Yankees. The return of the Rizz is critical for the Yankees. Waiting too long will be too little too late for this team.

Source: ClutchPoints

"He had a blood patch yesterday [Friday], which so far has been deemed really successful," manager Aaron Boone said before Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. "Immediately, they had him moving around and walking, and I think it freed him up right away. Headaches are gone so far. And if he's still in this position tomorrow [Sunday], we'll start ramping up. But he's really excited about how good he feels," reported ESPN. Ramping up does not mean necessarily he will play anytime soon, but there is a possibility that we could see Rizzo return to the lineup later this week.

Source: ESPN

"We'll see," Boone said when asked about a timeline for Rizzo. "He's been basically laying down for a while. At the back end of the trip (against Boston) it may be possible. But it'll kind of depend on how the ramp-up goes. Hopefully, we've gotten through what we need to, and now we can start building that process. We'll just pay attention to how he's doing and how long it takes him to get rolling."

Rizzo's stats, although not as impressive as they look, provide a decent offensive contribution from the first baseman. Batting .225, Rizzo has 30 home runs and 71 RBIs. His best batting average was in 2019, when the Rizzo hit .293 but only had 27 home runs. Playing in New York has definitely been an advantage for the Yankees left hander but he needs to be healthy. Rizzo has been sidelined this time around since August 30th. He had two other stints to the IL for the same back issue. 

Source: NJ.com

The backup at first base is currently rookie Oswaldo Cabrera, with DJ LeMahieu on the IL due to lingering right toe injury. Although Cabrera is naturally a shortstop, he has been taking reps at first base and has been doing well according to first base coach Travis Chapman.

I mean, we need Rizzo. And if the Yankees wait too long to bring him back into the mix, he won't have enough time to get acclimated in order to be truly effective for this team down the stretch. We have seen this with other players who have been out almost too long and just don't have enough time to ramp up. Giancarlo Stanton is the perfect example. He is just now getting around on the fast ball but he's not 100%. I feel like this coaching staff babies these players just a bit too much. I wish they could be more like New York Mets Manager Buck Showalter—trusting his veterans to self regulate themselves. 

The return of the Rizz might just be a tease. It will take time; time this team simply does not have to ramp him up to be effective. I could be wrong. And I hope I am, but the Yankees appear to be too broken to be impactful for this postseason. Despite having an easier schedule than their fiercest AL East opponent the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees have a long way to go in order to overcome teams like Houston in the postseason. Anything can happen of course but for now, I feel like it will take a big rally and a lot of momentum for the Yankees to steamroll through to the World Series. 

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

WITH HICKS GIVING UP ON THE BASEBALL & YANKEES, BADER IS COMING

 

Aaron Hicks time in the Bronx may be over. 2 outfield plays last night and both he just looked like he wasn't hustling, not able to see the ball, or just not trying all together. Whatever it is, he basically was pulled from the game because he's awful.

Aaron Hicks just dropped a ball and didn't know it was fair, and two runs just scored with two outs pic.twitter.com/HvOzhT3FXh

— MLB Errors (@mlberrors) September 10, 2022

The worst one for me was when he literally put his head down and didn't finish the play as the Rays scored 2 runs. Just really bad, especially if you're in the MLB.

But maybe there is good news on the horizon for our Yankee outfield. His name is Harrison Bader. CBS Sports writes:

"...Boone said Bader (foot) could begin a minor-league rehab assignment as early as Sunday...The 28-year-old is expected to require about a week's worth of games in the minors before being cleared for big-league action, so he shouldn't be expected to make his debut for the Yankees until at least Sept. 20 versus the Pirates."

Bader is the polar opposite of Hicks in the outfield. One of the best defensive outfielders in the game. It can't come soon enough... trust me!

YANKEE FANS HOPE TO GET A GLIMPSE OF BEN RORTVEDT THIS WEEKEND

Quick note. With Jose Trevino leaving the Yankees on paternity leave, they needed an extra catcher right? So it makes sense that we grab one.  Turns out Ben Rortvedt will be that guy. He's with the team right now in case you didn't see that in last night's game.

WFAN Radio New York writes:

"Rortvedt has heated up in Triple-A, slashing .294/.385/.647 with three home runs over his last 10 games."

Don't forget, this guy was recovering from knee surgery when the Yankees got him, so it will be nice to see him finally play in pinstripes. Hopefully we see him this weekend as Trevino lives in Texas and most likely will miss this entire series while on leave.

That's all I got. Stay tuned.

THINKING ABOUT OUR YANKEES AND MY LIFE 12 YEARS LATER

Being a fan is tough.  

Sometimes fandom gets the best of us.  It's hard. When the Yankees are winning, there is nothing better in the world. When the Yankees are bad, the whole world's falling in on us.  But let me say, reflecting on the season... reflecting on my life as a Yankee fan... I will always be true to this team and to the fan base. I will always applaud this team. Even in it's dark days. Even when fans get angry. We're a family.  We're a Yankee family and for our diehard Bleeding Yankee Blue readers, we are a true unit.

In the end, I am a die hard. So are you. Over the past few weeks, something unique has happened to me. I thought a lot about my life as a Yankee fan.  I remember the really hard days over the years, the amazing days and how this team developed over the years. How we built great teams, and how we've seen Yankee brass give away key players too.  But that's the give and take of baseball, isn't it? Believe it or not, sitting here, thinking about all of us very frustrated over the past several weeks, one thing I do not believe. Write this down...   I do not believe the Yankees are trying to implode on purpose.  I don't believe top Yankee brass wants them to fail. I don't believe Aaron Boone is truly a bad man or that Brian Cashman sucks. Believe it or not, they all want it just as bad as we do.  

I know, I know, you don't believe me.  Well... I realized something this morning. BYB started 12 years ago this month. Our birthday is next week. I started it because I was annoyed with the Yankees and the quest of them HAVING TO WIN EVERY GAME. A pipe dream, right?  I realize today that all that stuff is great, but the Yankees will always be my Yankees win or lose.  Venting about a bad team is healthy. Being angry because my team loses is ridiculous.  Why? Because life gets in the way and especially now for me at 51 years old.

Thing about this, I started this blog when I was 39 years old. THIRTY NINE.  I was in a much different place.  I didn't have loans for colleges, I didn't have to pay for an extra car or worry about my kid's well being and  their futures and all that stuff. I was working class with a passion to write and love of my Yankee team. Life was simple.

These days it's about my family. You may have seen that I don't write all the time. I vowed I would always write for you. I failed you and I'm sorry. But understand why. As Ferris Bueller so eloquently said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." I don't know why but I remember watching that film in the theater and it stuck with me even back then. And as my family grows up now, I really have taken that quote to heart. I will not miss life. I will always love my Yankees and always want success in them... but I will not get angry over a game I can't control.

Sure, I love the feeling of a good cry of happiness when they win the World Series... but teams fight hard every year. While the Yankees might make the playoffs, they may not win the whole thing. We want it sure, but you just don't know if that's truly in the cards this year... and for me? I'm good with that. Life goes on.

 So enjoy the Yankees ride however you prefer. I will never judge a fan for being angry and having a fit when the Yankees lose. You do you, I'm not here to judge. I'm just saying reflecting on life and my Yankees and this amazing blog that started because I was "Angry" in a time in my life where I could be, things have changed for me these days. I've matured. I've grown up. I will always love this team.  But I have shifted my heart to another achievment, very personal in my life these days... my growing and incredible family.

I want to thank you all for your incredible support, banter, love and relationships we have made because of Bleeding Yankee Blue's existence.  I value your friendships and our conversations.  Suzie and Jeana are like my sisters, you are all my extended family.  We have ALL built a great product.  We have all built a great space.

Never stop rooting. Always be a die hard, and thank you all for your continued love and affection for this little thing called Bleeding Yankee Blue.  Keep helping us drive the train.  Happy Birthday to us on September 14, 2022.  And may we keep climbing for another 12 years after that.

Love you,

--Robert Casey
Bleeding Yankee Blue Chief and Head Writer

Twitter: @bleednyankeeblu

IS RANDY LEVINE MAKING A PROMISE HE CAN'T KEEP?

As frustrating as it has been to watch the Yankees this season there is one part that I have really enjoyed. It's been fun to watch Aaron Judge slug his way through a historic season, it's been the bright spot we've all needed. He bet on himself in his walk year and he will end up winning a big jackpot....but will the Yankees come out as winners on the other side?

I hope so, and Yankee President Randy Levine said that the Yankees "will be extraordinarily competitive" in their quest to keep Judge in pinstripes, you can listen to more of what he said HERE. But just how competitive remains to be seen and I certainly hope the Yankees handle talks with Judge much better than they did with Dellin Betances, who had his name completely butchered by the one and only Randy Levine.

I don't think I will ever be able to forget the arbitration hearing between Betances and the Yankees which Levine said some really stupid things, you can refresh your memory HERE. He didn't value Betances at the height of his career with us....so can we really be confident he values Judge enough? He says the Yankees do. "we know his worth and what he means. All we can do is show him how much we'd like him to remain a Yankee," Levine said.

"There's no issue about, 'Do we want Aaron Judge back?'" Levine said. "There's no issue [with] 'how much we value him.' It's a negotiation. What we'll talk about with him and his representatives in the offseason is, 'How do we keep him?' And then it will be up to him to see, does he want to stay here [or] does he want to go someplace else? Is somebody offering him a better deal?"

So hopefully that means the Yankees are ready to open their wallets if Levine meant what he said when he called Judge "an all-time Yankee." I trust the Yankees more without Levine's comments. I guess we will have to wait and see what dollar amount they feel is appropriate for an "all-time Yankee."

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

YANKEES BATTLE IS MORE THAN JUST AGAINST OTHER TEAMS

The Yankees have experienced more trauma this August than I ever remember any team in history experiencing in one season, let alone one month. From a tattoo infection, to paternity leaves to slumps and more than their share to the IL, the Yankee skid is more than their offense not performing. One could say that this is all part of the game, but I think the Yankees have battled harder and fiercer than any other team I have ever seen. This battle is more than just against your average opponent; it is a battle against themselves.

Source: AP

“Thank God August is done,” he (Gleyber Torres) told NJ Advance Media. “It’s September right now. Just, really, mentality-wise, I’m staying really positive to (make) an adjustment really quick and try to hit better.” Torres basically shared the sentiment of the entire team—thank God that part of the season is over, now let's hone in and get it done. But can the Yankees rev their engine or even start the car for that matter if they have lost their keys?

On Monday's game against the Twins, Brendan Burke calling the game with John Sterling on WFAN said it is hard to replace your keys when there is no replacement. So essentially how are you replacing Giancarlo Stanton with Oswaldo Cabrera? It is simply not doable. It is a good point. I hadn't considered that. My mentality is sort of the college football mentality—next guy in. But it is not like that in baseball. It takes time to learn the game, play with confidence and maneuver through the mental part of the sport. 

Source: NJ.com

"Ultimately, the Yankees will only go as far as veterans like Judge, LeMahieu, Rizzo, Stanton, and Torres take them. They do have to get something from the kids though. Cabrera and Peraza can't just be along for the ride. Cabrera's at-bats have been solid despite the lack of results, and he had two three-hit games early in the club's road trip," reported CBS Sports. 

Source: CBS Sports

With both the Rays and Blue Jays creeping up on the Yankees, the team sent Anthony Rizzo to the IL due to his lower back issues, DJ LeMahieu is still feeling the impact of his sore toe, Giancarlo Stanton is not 100% back and Josh Donaldson is a shell of his former self and causing more stress on this team due to his horrendous temper. Plus if you add the pitching injuries of Chad Green, Michael King, Luis Severino and the revolving IL door of Clay Holmes and Jonathan Loáisiga to the mix, you have a broken down team with no replacement parts. 

Source: NY Post

"It's time to roll," Stanton told MLB.com over the weekend. "I mean, we know where it's at. We've got to keep pushing and get it tomorrow. It's still ours. We're not where we want to be, but we're still in a fine opportunity. It is definitely ours for the taking," reported CBS Sports. 

The Yankees have 27 games left in the regular season, and 15 of them will be played at home. Their home record far exceeds their road record, even in the August skid. And these two series against the Twins (double-header scheduled for Wednesday) followed by the Rays are do or die for the Bombers. But again, their battle is not just against other teams; it is the battle to be injury-free, to stay healthy and to mentally be prepared go after it. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

THERE ISN'T ANYONE GOOD ON THE YANKEES ANYMORE

Winning 2 in a row isn't great, but it's something. That being said... nothing's going right. 

Aaron Judge is doing his job, and yes, he's doing a great job right now. He needs to be paid and extended, but I gotta tell you something... Why the hell would he want to stick around in this new Yankee environment where no one knows how to play?

What happened with the Yankees earlier in the season was a feel good story of inspiration and dramatics. They were playing out of their shoes.  If you thought for a moment it would translate to a World Series win, you are not a true baseball fan and do not understand the highs and lows of this game. Stories about teams like that are rare. At the time, there weren't injuries and slumps and inconsistencies. Now however we have all of the above and it's a problem. How Judge can play in this environment is mindboggling.

The other night, Michael Kay went right down the list of the staring lineup and basically demolished the whole team with the problems they all have and this was just the other day. By the way, nothing has changed.

In fact the lineup that went out yesterday had Gleyber Torres leading off and Marwin Gonzalez batting 9th. I'd rather put my mom and dad in those spots, because they're essentially automatic outs.

Jesus please tell me why you are batting Gleyber Torres leadoff? @ThisIsSteveAzul @JayBilly2 @Carbs_ @BleednYankeeBlu pic.twitter.com/vG0UJN0jPv

— Suzanne (@suzieprof) September 5, 2022

You got to be kidding me. Everybody is happy when your team is playing well.  Everyone is quiet when you're not. And that goes for the players too.

NJ.com writes this about Torres:

"Gleyber Torres spoke softly at his locker in the back of the visitors clubhouse at Tropicana Field. He paused to collect his thoughts before answering each question.

“Thank God August is done,” he told NJ Advance Media. “It’s September right now. Just, really, mentality-wise, I’m staying really positive to (make) an adjustment really quick and try to hit better.”

But I've said this for years and I'll say it again. Limping into the playoffs is no way to go.  Winning the wild card is a failed season. Not hitting when it's your job is pretty horrendous.  And Aaron Boone replacing bad hitters or hurt ones with other players who don't hit is no way to manage.

Boone is the manager. I've said this a thousand times, it's worth sharing my tweet from the other day. When the Yankees are good, it's the Yankees. When the Yanks are bad, it takes a good manager to find the right combo to find wins, and that's where Boone fails. That's why he's a terrible manager.

Lots of peeps bitching about the @Yankees. Teams are good & teams are bad. It’s a chemistry thing and right now things are off. But when things are bad, player switches and lineup shake ups sometimes fix things. But that must come FROM THE MANAGER. Boones useless on dark days

— Robert Casey (@BleednYankeeBlu) September 1, 2022

So what needs to happen? Find ways to win. It's pretty simple. We have to tools, we just don't have the direction and leadership. And so, it's up to the players.  Judge is a player and leader but not the manager. He can only do and say so much. It takes the guy in charge of the team, Boone, to right the ship. 

Otherwise it's just another year of BS in the Bronx.