IT TOOK SOME TIME, BUT EXPERIENCE IS THE DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO YANKEE OFFENSE

Dillon Lawson wasn't a scapegoat. He was an inexperienced fan boy. That's why he was fired. And now we know why.  DJ LeMahieu is praising newest hitting coach Sean Casey for his recent surge.  You never, ever heard that kind of stuff about Dillon Lawson.  So while Lawson's somewhere flipping burgers, check this latest compliment out from DJ.  The New York Post writes:

"LeMahieu has been a different hitter after the All-Star break.

And in Friday’s 6-2 win over the Rays at Tropicana Field, LeMahieu provided a reminder of how dangerous he can be with his first multi-homer game in over two years.

He credited Casey with sparking the turnaround at the plate that’s resulted in three homers in his past three games after going deep just once over a 44-game span.

“I think Sean Casey has been a huge help for me,” LeMahieu said. “I relate to him really well. He has great, positive energy.”

It's a compliment to Casey and the organization for getting Sean, and a subliminal shot to the organization and a cry for help to the fans to signal that "Yeah, I can't talk out of turn, but you see what I'm telling you... Sean Casey IS HELPING. It was the right move!"

Of course, that's my own take on this, and hopefully for DJ, for more hitters on the Yankees it does help them down the stretch... if anything for confidence building going into the Fall, cause that's really all we got.  A long cold, troubling winter is coming to New York.  I am looking forward to the moves they soon will make.

Nice nugget Dan Martin.

WHAT HAPPENS TO ANTHONY RIZZO NEXT?

The big news of the day is that Anthony Rizzo is taking batting practice.

Rotoballer writes:

" Anthony Rizzo (concussion) was seen hitting home runs in batting practice at Yankee Stadium on Thursday. Rizzo said he was encouraged about his progress from post-concussion syndrome, and the expectation is he'll be back before the end of the season."

I have news for you though... the Yankees are essentially playing for nothing. Why the hell are we gonna rush this guy back.  Let him take his reps, hopefully he feels better. I like Rizzo alot, trust me I want the guy back.  I just don't know what we're playing for anymore.

Anyway, that's all I got.  Good update at least about taking BP.

BREAKING REPORT: BIG FIRING COMING IN THE BRONX!

I have my own prediction and I have no idea if I'm right about it, but if you know anything about major league baseball... when things don't go well for a team, historically it's the manager that gets the axe.  Now you can sit there and say, "But Casey, it's not Boone's fault!" 

You might be right, but I think it is and I think that Cashman set this team up to fail as well.  Jeff Passan is right. When he was on Michael Kay, he said that Cashman and the Yankees draft poorly and have for years and when Cashman comes out and says the season for the Yankees is a disaster, it is for sure.  But that disaster happened because of Brian Cashman with the help of fan boy Aaron Boone who wants to hang out with his buddies on the Yankee clubhouse and make excuses for them playing poorly rather than managing.  Look, say what you will about a guy like Joe Girardi. I was never a huge fan of him as a manager, but one thing I really respected was the fact that he'd ride his players if they sucked.  Aaron Boone holds their hand and then goes out to the press reminding everyone that "It's right in front of them".  We all know that, TELL YOUR PLAYERS, BUDDY!"

Well, the latest reveal comes from legend Bob Klapisch with the help of Inside the Pinstripes:  Check this out:

"Sources within the organization have indicated someone has to be sacrificed for the debacle," wrote Klapisch. "And it won’t be (general manager Brian) Cashman."

If not Cashman, it seems that manager Aaron Boone would be the one to lose his job. Klapisch says this is a possibility, and although Boone has been more at-ease as of late, Klapisch says It's "highly unlikely" that he has been assured of his job next season. There is a chance that he has already been told he won't be back next year."

Now there are people out there that are not baseball purists when it comes to bad managers.  These days there are people that are like "Well if you fire Boone, he is just the Scapegoat." Whatever.  The bottom line is bad leaders have to be fired.  I want Cashman gone too, but guys like Cashman can surround himself with better baseball people than Brian Sebean and Omar Minaya who TOTALLY sucked at their job this year.  Those guys should not be back either.  But back to the stupid "scapegoat theory" when it comes to Boone.  It's BS. He needs to be fired.  Think about it. Think about 1995. Think about Buck Showalter, a guy that managed well and yes, he was getting his team to the playoffs. But one thing that didn't happen that year is we lost to the Mariners.  And then what happened? Buck got fired.  For the record, Buck Showalter is a hell of a lot of a better manager then than Boone will ever be now.  

Great nugget from Klapisch.  Love it.  I wonder how it will all go down.  Oh, and by the way, if they do fire Boone, they really need to think about firing some of those non-experienced coaches too.  This whole coaching staff is an absolute disaster.

A disaster of a season that didn't start in 2023, but started after Stick Michael left.  It was a slow burn.

IKF DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE BENCHED! HE'S ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTING!

This is why I know that Aaron Boone is a puppet... because if you are a manager of a team and you're watching your team lose consistently, but there's one guy that's moving positions, making terrific defensive plays and actually hitting and getting on base, you know that certain guys should not sit.  

IKF is one of the Yankees that no one believes in, but he just keeps doing great things and no matter the challenges, he is not doubting himself, he is out there playing.  Sure, he's not a superstar, but dammit he is contributing much more than the rest (except Judge, I get it). But back to my point...

If Boone had any stones, he would keep IKF out there. Instead, he is directed by Brian Cashman (I have no doubt), to play Oswald Peraza over IKF.  

Now look, we all get a kick out of Peraza, but this is a rookie, and one kid is not going to change the dynamic of this losing team.  We need consistent hitters... we need to keep good defenders out there.  Boone should have put his foot down, but of course, he's fighting for his own job and will do whatever the boss says... even if the boss is wrong about this one. (Cashman's wrong about a lot of them.)  By the way, this is my own opinion. I don't know that this actually happened, but damn I feel like it happened just like I described.

Anyway, the New York Post writes:

"Kiner-Falefa had a chat this week with Yankees manager Aaron Boone as rookie infielder Oswald Peraza was called up.

Peraza is going to play every day, typically at third base, and Kiner-Falefa, who has been a valuable utility man but had settled in at third recently, is going to sit often.

The full-circle moment was a difficult one.

“Definitely tough and not what I wanted to hear,” said Kiner-Falefa, who did not play for a third straight game in the Yankees’ 6-5 loss to the Nationals in The Bronx on Thursday. “But at the same time, we are where we are in the season, I’ve been a part of this [before].”

IKF is a good sport about it, but I know the guy's pissed.  Here's the worst part, since Peraza came up, he is 1-11.  Yes, it's a small sample, but the reality is it's no better than what IKF has been doing?

I'm not Peraza hating, I just find the Yankee dealings with their players ridiculous and typically wrong.  

All that aside, the Yankees need some wins.  If anything, to make it interesting at the end of the season.  No, we won't make the playoffs, but damn, I still love this team. We need a good ending.

MAYBE THE PEREIRA CREW CAN JOLT THIS YANKEE TEAM! VIDEO!

Everson Pereira got his first hit as a professional New York Yankee and his family was so excited, it reminded me of when the Yankees used to win. You gotta see this clip:

A moment to cherish forever 💙

Everson Pereira's family couldn't contain their emotions after seeing him collect his first big-league hit.#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/vqVnktu80W

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 24, 2023

Look, I was alittle down on Pereira because he came up and appeared to be alittle sluggish. What I mean is he wasn't doing anything! I was beginning to wonder why we called this guy up. I wanted instant satisfaction, I guess.  But the kid plays well, and I am looking for more of this.

Jared Bloom of Sportskeeda writes about Pereira:

"Pereira got his first hit in the majors as he roped a double off Jordan Weems in the eighth inning.

Understandably, Pereira's family in attendance went nuts....

This should be the first of many hits to come. He is the team's third-ranked prospect, just behind Spencer Jones and Jasson Dominguez....

Pereira is aggressive at the plate, which can hurt him at times. His overaggressive nature tends to lead to more strikeouts than most would like to see. This is something he will have to work on as he progresses."

Look, that is one thing I don't want to see. I don't think this Yankee team needs more strikeouts. I firmly believe the Yankees coaches in the lower levels need to concentrate on what makes these kids get signed in the first place. It's been reported that he's building a lot of muscle and power now that he's a Yankee, but I say keep this kid aggressive but getting hits.  Pereira is not big power hitter and sure the Yankees probably want him to convert to that, but that's why we are losing big time on the Yankees farm... we are ruining players.  Let Pereira's approach be to get on base like he's done since the Yankees signed him in 2017.  It will benefit this team in the future, trust me.

Strikeouts? We already do that way too much.

Congrats to Everson and his family! It was a great moment.

GREG ALLEN MAKES A DECISION TO LEAVE

I am a Greg Allen guy. Just keeping it real.  I like what he offers to a broken-down Yankee team.  Sure, the guys no All-Star, but he's hungry and plays hard and this new Yankee world where they can't keep a lead, I long for that. I long for hardworking, passionate players. Greg Allen is one.  Well now, it appears he's out of there... and he made the decision on his own.

MLB Trade Rumors writes:

"The New York Yankees announced that outfielder Greg Allen has elected free agency after clearing outright waivers. New York had designated him for assignment on Tuesday when bringing up rookies Everson Pereira and Oswald Peraza from Triple-A."

It was a business move and he's at the bottom of the barrel, but I gotta tell you, the way the Yankees handle personnel decisions has been horrible all year.  

Anyway, Greg Allen's gonzo, and for me personally, I'm sad to see him go.

Good luck.

AMAZING THAT YANKEE OFFENSE CAN'T HELP AARON JUDGE

If we are basing the New York Yankees on 1 man, then it would make sense why we cannot typically score. Now last night we won, which was great, but it was the Aaron Judge show and while his feat was fantastic, hitting 3 home runs... he was the only one to do anything offensively. That's not the way a team works.  This is our problem!

The New York Post writes:

"He proved to be a one-man wrecking crew on Wednesday, when he erupted for the first three-homer game of his career on Wednesday against the Nationals.

He homered in the first, second and seventh inning, with The Bronx crowd chanting “MVP” after his third blast of the night."

But where was anyone else? I mean sure, DJ LeMahieu homered, and we need more from him, but there was nothing really else going on.  And this Everson Pereira kid? 0-7. This is a number 3 prospect. 

Don't get me wrong... I am thrilled with this Yankee win, but Judge is not the only guy on this team.  Maybe this is the start of a nice run down the stretch?  Not sure, but what I do know is that this is an awful season... it truly is.

OUR ONLY HOPE

Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

We've reached this point, haven't we? Broken down players, injury, losses, smiles in the dugout like everything's great, a bad manager and a horrendous General Manager that set us up for this. What's the fix? Call up the kids I guess.

Look, I am for literally ANYTHING to fix this Yankees season.  What I don't want however is for the kids to come up, we almost make the playoffs and at the end of the season Hal stands up and declares "We salvaged the season almost making the playoffs and Boone and Cashman are safe." If that were to happen, I would be angry.  And so right this second, the prospects the Yankees call up are our only hope. Sad. I'm happy for them, but sad that it's come to this.

NorthJersey.com writes:

"According to multiple reports, the Yankees are calling up top outfield prospect Everson Pereira along with Oswald Peraza. Jack Curry of the YES Network was the first to report the transaction.

Pereira, 22, in currently enjoying an excellent season in minor-league baseball. In 46 games with Class AA Somerset Patriots, he hit .291 with 10 homers, 31 RBI and a .362 on-base percentage. After moving up to Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pereira boasted a .312 batting average, 8 homers, 33 RBI and a .386 on-base percentage.

Peraza has struggled in his 19 games with the Yankees this season, hitting .173 with zero homers and 6 RBI."

And so, we cross our fingers to win a few games, but if you're like me, we root just enough and not overdo it to make Boone and Cashman's job remain.  I firmly believe we need some changes at the top.  As far as the players we have, they haven't done much, there is no way Hal will cut them loose and eat and contract and we all know Cashman is not the guy to make a quick fix to better the team, that ship has said. And so, we are limping through the season once again, it sucks, but predictable knowing Cashman's track record.

I wish Periera and Peraza well. I believe they can jolt this team... it's just too bad it's come to this.

FIXING THE YANKEES STARTS NOW BY FIRING BOONE!

The Yankees are not the Yankees anymore. They are a shell of what they used to be. They are a distant memory of yesteryear and decades prior. It's a cold, hard fact that fans can all see. We agree on that. We just don't agree on the same ideas on how to fix it.

Some people say Aaron Boone isn't to blame, he would only be the scapegoat. I won't say he is completely to blame but does that mean he should get to keep his job? NO, not at all. Should he be fired? Yes, absolutely and I think it should happen right now. Actually, it should've happened a long time ago but that is another argument. Timing is everything but let's just say I believe it matters if the Yankees fire him TODAY versus at the end of the season.

Remember when the Yankees were known to fire their managers? Sure it feels like centuries ago but when I was little I remember hearing my uncles talk about Billy Martin and his long history of being fired I would be completely confused. But as I got older I understood the Yankees demand for excellence. Accountability mattered, especially to George Steinbrenner and we are so far from that now.

Then we fast forward to 2017 when Hal Steinbrenner now runs the show and Joe Girardi is one game away from a World Series berth....and they fire Girardi. He accomplished more than Boone ever will as a Yankee manager and instead of regrouping for 2018 they fire Girardi and bring in Baboonie. It's amazing how Brian Cashman said Girardi's "connectivity" wasn't there so they decided to part ways because of it even though the Yankees "don't make changes at that level lightly," but it sure felt rash at the time.

And here we are, coming to the end of the regular season for 2023 and the Yankees are EIGHT games out of the last Wild Card spot but yet somehow there are no "connectivity" concerns with Baboonie. I'm sorry but....WHAT WORLD ARE WE LIVING IN RIGHT NOW? Apparently, a world of zero accountability where it used to exist. Boone has done NOTHING to connect and help this team win. Girardi had a better season than Boone and was still given the boot. Make it make sense!

In what world do we live in that we don’t fire managers anymore? Firing managers is symbolism for change to fans & with it typically comes changes in a ball club. Please STFU with the Scapegoat narrative. Boone needs to go. U all know it. We fired Girardi for sucking less.

— Robert Casey (@BleednYankeeBlu) August 20, 2023

The only way to make it make sense is to fire Baboonie. Before you give me the nonsensical argument of "change comes from the top" blah blah.... yeah. It does. I don't disagree with that, but it starts and ends with the manager. Forget about roster construction, that is Brian Cashman's fault. But this "connectivity" isn't working. 

If it wasn't working for Girardi it sure as hell isn't working now and the end result should be the same. The respect from the players just isn't there. There is no chance in hell that every single player on this team (position players and pitchers) go in a slump at the same time for this long. This is no slump, it's a lack of leadership period. Baboonie lost this team this season, period so he should also lose his job.

So yes, the front office Hal and Cashman are a huge problem. However, firing a manager is symbolic for change to both the fans and the organization. The Yankees fired Girardi with more success so there is no justifiable reason to keep Baboonie.

Sorry, not sorry.... this is the truth.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

STOP ROASTING ME BECAUSE THE YANKEES STINK

Every morning, without fail, I get two text messages. One from an avid reader of BYB and one from a colleague who also seemingly likes baseball but likely not the Yankees. Then I get multiple messages throughout the day from my son which evens everything out and gives me solace that it is not me failing the fans, but rather the Yankees failing the fans—but it's more than that. The Yankees are failing baseball and their fans. They are embarrassing. So, stop roasting me because the Yankees stink.

Source: Associated Press

“It’s tough. I don’t recall experiencing anything like this before,’’ Gerrit Cole said of the Yanks’ continuing downward spiral, after the Boston Red Sox’s 8-1 win at Yankee Stadium. “How you handle adversity, and how you get through it, is really ultimately how you’ll be judged, ’reported NorthJersey.com. Well stated but it does not make any of us feel better. 

The roasting I mentioned earlier happens first thing in the morning and lasts throughout the day and then into the night. Here are some sound bites for you to enjoy:

"There are some great stories in baseball this year. Just not in NYC."

"The Yankees have not adapted to modern ball."

"You know you can always become a Cubbie." 

"Want me to get you Rays tickets?" 

"Shouldn't that subway wreck be in your piece?"

"Abandon ship." 

"Can we finally give up?"

Saturday evening was truly the last straw for me. And then to boot, I have to listen to the Mets announcers share that the Yankees losing streak is the worst one they have had since 1995. Sports Illustrated added, "New York has been outscored 34-7 since the start of their series against the Atlanta Braves on Monday. The minus-27 run differential is the Yankees' worst in a five-game span since 2005, per ESPN."

What's in store for today? More roasting, I am sure. The Yankees play the Red Sox and hopefully avoid a sweep. And the team continues to plow through the final days of August into September. Aaron Boone says it this way, “I know it’s a boring answer…but we’ve got to try to win a ballgame (Sunday) and expect when we walk in those doors (that) today’s the day,’’ said Boone, irritated. “That’s how we look at it. That’s how we are. We’re sick animals in a lot of ways,’’ reported NorthJersey.com. Sick animals. Okay. Let's go with that. Perhaps they are worth roasting then. Not me, I'm just the messenger. 

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

JUDGE SAYS YANKEES "PASSIVE"

pas-sive
     (adjective)
1. accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance.

If no one caught what Aaron Judge said today after the 8-1 loss to the Red Sox, then you're not paying attention.  It's the best crumb you're ever gonna get from a frustrated Captain that wants to win more than anyone.

Aaron Judge goes over what's been missing of late for the Yankees. pic.twitter.com/G5qhXgd13x

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 19, 2023

It's better than anything Aaron Boone has ever said to the media about this team. That's because he coddles the Yankees, he doesn't manage them. He's not tough, he's soft. If he were a President in the free world, he would be toppled by a dictator. When you put it that way, you understand that weak leaders never win and never understand how to navigate when times are tough.   

It's easy to manage a team of All-Stars when everything goes right.  Now try managing when everything is going wrong! See what I mean? Boone is drowning, in over his head.  Boone sucks. Judge is a leader. 

Look, I'm not looking for yelling and screaming and anger, but what I am looking for is someone on this team to call out the rest of them for lack of effort and complacency.  They need to turn it around!

Boone says the Yankees "have to get after it" and "I still believe in this team" and "we still have a chance", but let's be honest... who bets on chances this late into the season.  As a fan, I would rather a Yankee leader would say it like it is... yes Aaron Judge thank you... THE YANKEES ARE PASSIVE!  Judge called the Yanks passive today, something that needed to be said!

Clearly Boone's clubhouse meeting showed this Yankee team nothing.  He cannot command respect from this team. He cannot lead. He is going through the motions and living in a world of guesses.

Maybe Judge's "passive" line wakes this team up. We need someone to call it what it is and stop sugar coating it. We stink right now.

THE RANKINGS DON'T LIE. THE YANKEES FARM SYSTEM THESE DAYS DOES NOT EXIST

The Yankees have clearly decided to build a team around Aaron Judge.  Gone are the days of breeding a winning mentality down on the farm with guys that would play together for a bit before being brought up to try and win on the big team.  Jeter, Pettitte, Mariano, Jorge and yes, even Bernie Williams.  It's that thing that was pushed by Stick Michael, and even if George Steinbrenner wanted to trade a guy like Mo, Stick would jump in and say, "No, No George. You need to trust me on this one."  And George... would listen.  Now yes, George would go rogue and pick up big time free agents that many times didn't do much.  But for the most part, the farm was Gene's and life was good.  Hence, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

During Cashman's tenure with the Yankees, he was GM and Senior Vice President since 1998 don't forget, . the Yankees have won six American League pennants and four World Series championships.  But if you really think about it, only 1 championship was manufactured by Cashman.  The others were created by the great Gene Michael.

Not to go on a tangent, but it's become clear to me that the Yankees 2nd biggest problem, the first being bad leaders in top management, is the diminished farm system.  The Yankees don't teach baseball and they sure as hell don't mold team comradery like they did when Michael was alive.  Look at this chart... I mean really look at it:

It's pathetic.  

Since 2015 we are barely ranked in the top ten. Do you know how bad that is?  and look at 2021 and 2022.  The teams that have molded and formed a solid farm are the teams that are pretty unstoppable this season.  The Orioles. The Pirates.  The Dodgers.  Texas.  The Reds. Team with futures... teams that will make the playoffs while the Yankees will not.

And it makes sense. Former Yankee farmhand, Ben Ruta blasted the team for lack of effort down on the farm. Sports Illustrated writes:

Former prospect @benJAMINruta tells a story about Chris Gittens and others getting "reamed" by minor league analytics coaches.

▶️ https://t.co/41ZpraoE45 pic.twitter.com/pACY4zNH7M

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) August 17, 2023

"Former outfielder Ben Ruta, who played in the Yankees’ minor league system from 2016 to ’20, criticized the franchise for leaning too heavily on analytics and lacking in proper baseball instruction while on the Foul Territory podcast on Wednesday.

“Fully expect them to clear house in the minor leagues … they will change developmental culture back to old Yankees days,” Ruta wrote in the episode’s comments section, per host Scott Braun. “Keep in mind, I played in the Yanks org. before analytics in ’16 to ’18, and then after in ’18 to ’20. Stark difference in development.”

And CBS Sports has another quote from him:

"Here's all you need to know: In 2020, before COVID, we played a game called pitchers vs. hitters," Ruta wrote. "The only way to win was to walk or hit a ball 95-mph-plus. There is no baseball being taught there anymore. No baserunning, moving runners, fundamentals, etc."

Sure, it's Ben Ruta, and I'm positive when the Yankees got wind of him speaking out they thought "It's Ben Ruta, no one cares about Ben Ruta", but the truth is, the Yankee fans care. The Yankee fans want answers. All of this is bullshit.

The Yankees are on a losing streak and sinking deeper and deeper into the basement. They aren't going to the playoffs, folks.  But imagine having a farm system that could go through the wins and losses and development together.  Would there be a difference? I think there would be, I really do.

You want to build a team around a superstar like Judge? Go watch the Angels. Trout and Ohtani are surrounded by that team... and they've done nothing.  Have we become the Angels?

#FireBoone