Play Today, Win Today...

  

Aaron Judge & Oswaldo Cabrera / Photo Credit: Getty Images

Time to start a winning streak…

The Yankees’ Great Collapse of 2022 continues. It is hard not to look at the New York Yankees with a ‘glass is half empty’ lens.  Since the Trading Deadline (August 2^nd), the Yankees are 10-20. A five-game winning streak in late August that included a two-game sweep of the New York Mets and the first two games of the series in Oakland, things had started to look better. It was a façade. The Yankees proceeded to lose the last two games of the four-game set with the A’s, then dropped three of four in Anaheim, and barely avoided being swept in Tampa this weekend. 

The Yankees return home today to play Gary Sanchez, Gio Urshela and the Minnesota Twins. The Yankees have handled the Twins with ease for years but if there was ever a year for the Twins to get revenge, this is it. Minnesota has had their own struggles, but the Yankees would be foolish to underestimate the Twins given the state of their current play. The Twins are 68-64, which is good for a first-place tie in the AL Central with the Cleveland Guardians. The Twins and the Guardians are currently five games out of the Wild Card chase, so the pressure is on the Twins to win the division if they have October aspirations. In other words, I fully expect the Twins to be ready to play. Former Yank Mike Ford was slugging like Babe Ruth when the Yankees were in Anaheim (okay, not really, but it seemed like it). No doubt former Yanks Sanchez and Urshela would love to do the same. 

Gary Sanchez & Gio Urshela

The Yankees desperately needed a win yesterday to keep the Rays from pulling within two games in the loss column. They may have won the game, 2-1, after thwarting a Rays rally in the bottom of the ninth, but the Yankees got away with one when Clay Holmes’ 3-2 pitch to Yandy Diaz, slightly below the zone was a called third strike with the excellent glove work by Jose Trevino who brought his glove up quickly on the reception. If it had been called a ball which is what it really was, the Rays would have had the bases loaded against a reliever they clearly had on the ropes. The stage was nearly set for a Rays walk-off which would have been agonizing. 

Regardless of how the Yankees (80-54) got the win on Sunday, they stand five games up on the Rays (74-58) entering play today (four games in the loss column). The Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles are six and eight-and-a-half games back, respectively. The Orioles trailing by only single digits. I type those words in disbelief, yet sadly they are true. The Orioles are a success story, and I am not excited they stand in the Yankees’ path the last week of the regular season when the teams play at Yankee Stadium for three games starting Friday, September 30^th. The Yankees’ last homestand of the year (they head to Arlington, Texas for the final regular season series), could have playoff implications for both teams. The Boston Red Sox seemingly have a stranglehold on the AL East Cellar as they have a five-game lead on the O’s for worst record in the division, and Baltimore seems content to let Boston reign as the bilge water of the division. 

The Rays get the Red Sox at home for three games starting today before they head to New York to play the Yankees again. It is imperative the Yankees hold ground against the Rays to protect the five-game lead heading into play on Friday. It sucks the Rays get the soft Red Sox, but their schedule gets noticeably tougher as the month progresses. They have nine games against the Blue Jays (those teams could cancel themselves out in division play), six against the AL’s winningest team, the Houston Astros, and three against the AL Central co-leader Cleveland Guardians. By the time they get through those challenging teams, a three-game pillow at Fenway Park awaits them to end the season. Hoping the season does not come down to which team, Yankees, or Rays, does better in their final regular season series.

Hopefully the Yankees can play winning baseball again this month. Last month was hard. The injuries have not helped, and they lost another valuable player in Andrew Benintendi whose injured wrist has landed him on the 10-day Injured List. Hoping Matt Carpenter and Harrison Bader are back soon to help the lineup. The Yankees must figure out the bullpen. Clay Holmes’ near meltdown yesterday is a reminder that his struggles have not gone away. I look forward with cautious optimism. I know the team, despite its challenges, can win. Unless they get some guys back, I cannot say I am so optimistic about October, but we will cross that bridge when it comes. The focus today should rightfully be on securing the AL East championship and gaining a first-round bye. The dog days of summer are over so no more time for lackluster play. Yankees, you got this!

Andrew Benintendi has been shelved. It was not a good sign when there was a ‘pop’ heard from Benny’s wrist during an at-bat against the Rays. Even though the early test results were negative, the sound alone was cause for concern. Turns out it was an indicator of greater problems as Benny was diagnosed with a broken hook of the hamate bone.

He will undergo surgery and we await his timeline. There is still hope he could be back for the playoffs, but time will tell. It is not like he can roll out of bed one morning and start hitting .300 again. Who knows how much time he will have to get ready…if he is ready at all. With typical rehab entailing three to four weeks of immobilization, there will not be much time to get back into baseball shape. Look at Giancarlo Stanton, he left his bat at the All-Star Game, and it has not rejoined him on the active roster yet. 

Although his Yankees career started slowly, Benny was rounding into form as a much-needed consistent source of hits. Since he was acquired from the Kansas City Royals on July 27^th for minor league pitchers Chandler Champlain, T.J. Sikkema and Beck Way, Benny has hit .254/.331/.404 with .734 OPS. He was four of five in stolen base attempts, and had hit two home runs, nine doubles, and a triple while walking thirteen times in 33 games. Can Aaron Hicks match that production? Not sure I would hold my breath on that one.   

I like Benintendi and what he brings to the team’s offense. I just wish the other guys not named Aaron Judge were hitting better. Hoping for a swift recovery and Benny’s return as a source for extra base hits.  The offseason free agent focus will be Judge, however, I hope the Yankees do not lose sight of Benintendi and bring him back for next year. Or trade for Ian Happ, that would work too. 

Anthony Rizzo’s back! I wish that meant he was back in the lineup but unfortunately it is the continued back problems that have caused Rizzo to miss extended time. After receiving an epidural for his back pain, there is hope he will be ready to play in a couple of days. He is needed now more than ever. With the injuries, Rizzo plays such a huge role in the lineup and the diversity of his left-handed bat in a predominantly right-handed batting order, worsened by the loss of Benintendi, is essential.

Anthony Rizzo / Photo Credit: AP

I have mixed feelings about bringing Rizzo back next year. I love the guy for how he plays and the leadership he brings to a clubhouse, but chronic back trouble is not a favorable sign. It will continue to be an issue for him moving forward, and that alone would give me pause to spend millions of dollars to keep him in Pinstripes. It really sucks to say that, but I am trying to be a realist. Austin Wells is frequently mentioned as a player who will eventually switch from catcher to first base, but he is still a few seasons away. There are no immediate or obvious first base solutions for next season beyond Rizzo.  I am sure this will be a topic of discussion for the team’s offseason rebuild strategy.

As for Rizzo’s epidural, let's hope he gives birth to an AL East championship.

The Roger Maris Watch. The historic season for Aaron Judge continues. His 53^rd home run yesterday in the first inning of the Yankees’ 2-1 win was accomplished in the Yankees’ 134^th game. Roger Maris, the American League record holder with 61*, did not hit his 53^rd until his 135^th game. So, Judge remains slightly ahead of the pace. I feel bad for Maris. The conditions he played under while in pursuit of Babe Ruth’s record must have been unbearable. I have heard the stories of the stress he endured while chasing a legend. The hate he received, the hair loss, etc. Judge, for the most part, does not get the same level of scrutiny since the fans…and more importantly, the media…are cheering for his success.

Aaron Judge / Photo Credit: @Yankees, via Twitter

I am glad it is a Yankee assaulting the AL home run record. Records are made to be broken, and even if the Maris record falls, his name and image have received tremendous attention this season. His 1961 season will not be forgotten regardless of what Aaron Judge does. I would love to see Judge hit 61 home runs in 154 games to eliminate the asterisk, but regardless, Judge has earned the right to stand next to the legends.

As always, Go Yankees!

Ford v Voit...

Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

The Battle for First Base…

I guess you could call ‘Ford v Voit’, the prequel or sequel to the upcoming movie, Ford v Ferrari, starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale. The only difference is that the stars of Ford v Voit are Mike Ford and Luke Voit. I know, when the playoffs start, D.J. LeMahieu will be the first baseman for the New York Yankees. Undoubtedly, Voit will be on the playoff roster but the question on every Yankee fan’s mind is whether Ford is more deserving.

Since he returned from the Injured List on August 30th, Luke Voit has hit 2 home runs with 8 RBIs. He has 16 hits in 90 plate appearances with .208 batting average, .322 OBP, .351 SLG, .297 wOBA, and 83 wRC+. His strike-out percentage is 30.0%.

Given Mike Ford has not had the same number of plate appearances over the same time period due to limited play, let’s take Ford’s view back to August 11th, which gives him 91 plate appearances for comparable comparison. Since that time, Ford has 26 hits, 9 home runs and 17 RBIs, and has scored the same number of runs as Voit (11).  His batting line is .310 batting average, .363 OBP, .690 SLG, .427 wOBA, and 171 wRC+. His strikeout percentage is only 14.3%. 

Photo Credit: Tony Gutierrez, AP

Based on numbers alone, Ford seems to be the guy. He has shown a knack for the big hit and I don’t think I’ve seen many guys who are as appreciative of being a big leaguer as Mike Ford. I suspect the Yankees will go with Voit over Ford based on the larger body of work, but there’s no doubt in my mind they would be better off with Ford, especially with his proven ability to pinch hit successfully. I am not convinced Voit is completely healthy. Look, I wish Voit was tearing the cover off the ball and making the first base competition a non-issue like he did with Greg Bird. But he’s not, and right now, at this moment in time, Ford is the better player. Regardless of the choice made by the Yankees, I am glad we have LeMahieu to cover first. Gio Urshela at third is better than having Voit or Ford at first, allowing the Yankees to use D.J. at the position of need. I don’t envy the Yankees for the upcoming roster decisions. I am sure they will make the right choices to put the Yankees in the best possible situation as we move into October.  

Like many, I was disappointed with the lackluster play by the Yankees this past week when they dropped both games of the two-game set in Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, FL to the Tampa Bay Rays. I bet the Cleveland Indians were disappointed as well as it gave the Rays the Wild Card advantage and set the stage for the Rays to eliminate the Indians last night when the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland fell to the Bryce Harper-less NL Wild Card Washington Nationals. With their pitching staff, the Indians would have been a threat in a short series but now we’ll never know. Meanwhile, there could be playoff baseball at the ugly warehouse known as Tropicana Field. The Oakland A’s lost last night so the Rays and A’s have the same record at 96-64. The A’s hold the tie-breaker with the season series advantage, but with two games left, the Rays have the potential to top the A’s by at least one game which would bring post-season baseball to the junk tank that no one attends. If for no other reason than the teams’ respective fans, I hope the Oakland A’s beat the Rays in the Wild Card game next week. I think the A’s have the best chance of defeating the Houston Astros which, if the Yankees can advance past the ALDS, would give them home field advantage.  

Despite the hate he receives on Social Media from Yankee fans, I am glad Giancarlo Stanton is a Yankee. He’s finally healthy, and was 3-for-3 last night with a monster home run and a couple of walks. He can be an October difference-maker. We should appreciate what Stanton can be for this team. The one-time NL MVP can carry a team on his back. His presence helps those around him. There’s nothing wrong with a guy that can force pitchers to throw better pitches to Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez. I am content watching Stanton’s bat shut up the haters. He remains one of the game’s best and most feared players.

Photo Credit: Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

I was a little concerned when the Yankees pulled James Paxton after an inning last night but the team doesn't seem concerned about the tight glute that caused the Yankees to protect their ace. Hopefully this won't be a recurring problem as the Yankees clearly need Paxton to be successful.

Photo Credit: Tony Gutierrez, AP

The Yankees took the team home run lead over the Minnesota Twins last night, with six bombs compared to Minnesota’s two dingers in a weather-shortened game. The Twins had entered the day with 301 home runs, and the Yankees were two behind at 299. The day ended with the Yankees ahead, 305 to 303. This is probably a stat the fans want more than the players, but still, it’s fun to watch. It seems like when the Twins extend the current MLB record for team homers, people act like the Twins won the seventh game of the World Series. When the Yankees surge ahead, it is the quiet rumble of a late March spring training game. It’s amazing to think when the Minnesota Twins travel to Yankee Stadium next week, the ALDS will feature teams that have combined for over 600 home runs.  

I admit I was one of Brett Gardner’s biggest detractors last off-season. I was ready to move on and give the backup outfield role to younger players. I certainly never expected Gardy to hit 28 home runs. He’s been so invaluable this season with the plethora of injuries. As a result, I’d like to see the Yankees bring Gardy back next year on another one-year deal. As a team leader, he brings so many intangibles to the clubhouse. There’s no way to expect another 28 home runs next season, but his leadership is invaluable, especially with CC Sabathia soon stepping away. Last off-season, I was ready for Clint Frazier to be the fourth outfielder. This off-season, I will be anxiously awaiting the deal that puts Frazier in another uniform. Moving forward, I do feel Mike Tauchman will be the fourth outfielder but there’s room on the team for Brett Gardner too, especially with active rosters increasing from 25 to 26 next season.  

Photo Credit: Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

Maybe when the Yankees ship Frazier away, they should include Chance Adams. He’s been such a disappointment. He was handed an 11-run lead last night in the bottom of the 9th, and he proceeded to give up four runs on a couple of homers until he was mercifully replaced by Nestor Cortes, Jr, who only needed three pitches to record two outs and close out the game. I have no trust in Adams and I think I’ve seen enough. Hopefully the Yankees have too. I feel much better with Michael King and Deivi Garcia as the arms of the future. Adams has had his chance and he’s failed.   

It’s hard to believe that this is the final regular season weekend of the year. It seems like we were just in Spring Training with Troy Tulowitzki pimping the home run off his former team, the Toronto Blue Jays. But 103 wins later, the regular season is over in less than 48 hours. I can’t say that I would have ever envisioned how this season would play out or that the Yankees would have more than 100 wins with the record-setting number of injuries the team has suffered. But here we are. Last season, our social media feeds were overflowing with Red Sox posts but they’ve been largely silent for most of this season. Note to the last man out of Fenway Park tomorrow, please shut out the lights. The stadium’s services are no longer needed this year and that feels great to say. 

I am very proud of the 2019 New York Yankees, and I look forward to next week’s ALDS against the Minnesota Twins. I don’t buy the claims the Yankees own the Twins. All bets are off, and I am sure the Twins will come to play. Hopefully the Yankees emerge from the series with three wins and an invitation to play the Houston Astros, Oakland A’s or Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series. But first, Mission Beat Minnesota is the focus. Hopefully the Twins continue the Minnesota tradition of my beloved Vikings, the failure to win the big games.   

Let’s Go Yankees!

The Sweet Sound of Victory...

Photo Credit: Mary Altaffer, AP

As John Sterling said, “David John makes long gone!”…

Finally, the Yankees solved the A’s even if it took eleven innings and a few innings of bases juiced with stranded Oakland runners (the A’s left a total 15 men on base, which seems like a 2018 Yankees stat). 

Sure, the Yankees should have called for replay of Matt Chapman’s “double” to left that temporarily gave the A’s a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning. TV replay clearly showed the ball landed outside the left field foul line even if by a fraction of an inch. The entirety of the ball’s imprint in the dirt was on the other side of the chalk line. After the game, Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged he should have asked for replay but the speed of the moment and some uncertainty caused the missed opportunity. Nevertheless, as the saying goes, all’s well that ends well. 

DJ LeMahieu’s lead-off first pitch home run to right in the bottom of the 11th inning gave the Yankees the win, 4-3, and snapped the Yankees’ losing streak to the A’s.  The 11th inning happened with such lightning speed. No sooner than I had let out a groan when the A’s Matt Olson led off the top of the frame with a single to center, a quick double play and a pop out ended the inning for Oakland before I could even exhale and set the stage for The Machine’s rapid fire ending.  

Living in Denver, I can remember DJ’s bottom of the ninth, two-out two-run come-from-behind home run as the Colorado Rockies defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-4, on September 12, 2018. Clearly, big moments do not phase this man. I am sure that more than a few Rockies fans were wishing the Big Fundy was wearing purple yesterday.

Photo Credit: Andy Cross, The Denver Post

The Yankees scored all of their runs on solo homers. Two, his 31st and 32nd, by the  so-called ‘fat and lazy’ Gary Sanchez (leaving him one short of his own team record) and a game-tying dinger by Aaron Judge in the bottom of the eighth which set the stage for LeMahieu’s late game heroics. The four home runs in the game gave the Yankees 74 homers for the month, setting a new MLB record for most team homers in a single month. For the record, I do not think El Gary is fat and lazy and he’s had my support from the start of his career.  

I was worried the Yankees had lost another player to a critical injury when Zack Britton left the game in the eighth inning with a slight limp. With a ‘glass is half empty’ view, I immediately thought there might be issues with the achilles he tore a couple of years ago. Fortunately, it was reported after the game to be nothing more than cramps and no further tests are scheduled. Whew! We need a healthy Britton in the March to October. Losing Britton would have placed greater urgency on getting Dellin Betances ready to pitch for the first time this year.

Photo Credit: AP

The win gives the Yankees (89-48) the best record in MLB. The Houston Astros lost, 6-4 to the Toronto Blue Jays, to fall a game behind the Yanks. Their record is 88-49.  The Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-5 losers to the Arizona Diamondbacks, dropped to 88-50.  

I was optimistic after the game that the Yankees could win this series against the A’s today, but then realized the starting pitcher will be J.A. Happ.  Oh well. I really wish I had more confidence in Happ but unfortunately any confidence has left the building. My only hope is that Happ proves me wrong. Oakland’s Sean Manea will make his 2019 season debut after recovering from left shoulder arthroscopic surgery last September.  

He’s back! Clint Frazier has returned to Yankee Stadium and will be in the Yankees lineup today at DH. I am glad to see Frazier back in Pinstripes. A couple of months ago, I thought he had worn them for the final time. I am hopeful he takes advantage of the latest opportunity to show that he belongs here. With rosters expanding today, the Yankees also recalled RHPs Ryan Dull and Chance Adams. They also moved RHP David Hale to the 60-day IL and signed LHP Tyler Lyons to a MLB contract and selected him from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. I am glad to see the former Cardinals reliever get a shot. Poor Adams has to take a chance on a new number since the last two he has worn are taken. Jonathan Loaisiga has 43 and Mike Mussina “lookalike” Cory Gearrin has Moose’s number 35. I’d call Gearrin ‘Mussina’s Clone’ but that would imply he has the same set of skills which couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s too bad that today, a day Mike Mussina will be honored for his induction into MLB’s Hall of Fame, his number will be active and worn by a journeyman reliever. I love Don Mattingly but I’ve long believed the Yankees should have the same policy as the Los Angeles Dodgers to only retire numbers for Hall of Fame players. Moose now fits that criteria. Well, I guess that I should preface that by saying I am glad nobody will ever wear 15 again. 

Last year, the Yankees set the Major League record for most team home runs with 267 long balls. Sadly, the record was erased yesterday when the Minnesota Twins hit six home runs. Mitch Garver’s second bomb of the game, in the ninth inning of Minnesota’s 10-7 loss to the Detroit Tigers, gave them 268. The Yankees are within striking distance, with 254 home runs, but time is running out to make up ground on the 14 dinger shortage. It really makes you wonder where the Yankees would be if health had been their friend in 2019. No doubt a healthy Giancarlo Stanton could have been the difference maker.  

The Yankees made a minor trade yesterday when they sent Triple A first baseman Ryan McBroom to the Kansas City Royals for international signing bonus pool money and a player to be named later or cash considerations. I realize that McBroom was buried behind more talented players and at 27, he’s not really a prospect anymore. But I liked the guy and he was tearing up Triple A pitching this season with a batting line of .315/.402/.574 and 146 wRC+ (26 home runs and 87 RBIs). The Yankees acquired McBroom from the Toronto Blue Jays on July 23, 2017 for Robert Refsnyder. I’m happy for McBroom. I was hopeful he’d get a shot with the Yankees but it was not meant to be. With rosters expanding today, he should get a shot to make his Major League debut this month with the Royals. Or at least I hope he does. He’s earned the opportunity.

Photo Credit: Tim Dougherty, The Free Lance-Star

I didn’t see how much international signing bonus pool money the Yankees acquired but it’s too bad it came too late to save the signing of talented international outfield prospect Jhon Diaz, who grew tired of waiting for the Yankees to make room for his   $1.4 million signing bonus and signed with AL East rival Tampa Bay. Of the international prospects linked to the Yankees, Diaz was second behind only outfielder Jasson Dominguez who was the head of the class and recipient of most of the year’s allocated bonus pool money. 

Okay, let’s hope our favorite team will HAPPen to find victory today.

As always, Go Yankees!

Sonny Gray Sucks...

Photo Credit: New York Post (Charles Wenzelberg)

Despite team win, another dismal performance by Gray…

The Yankees are winning and I am mad. 

Deeply disappointed might be a better description. Sonny Gray was supposed to be an upper rotation arm capable of delivering ace-like starts. To borrow an overused line from Brendan Kuty of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, “Sonny was not Gray-t”. Sadly, we’re saying that after every not-so-Sonny start. 

Based on five starts this season, he averages barely more than four innings per start, and has given up 18 runs in 21 innings. Sure, he lowered his ERA with yesterday’s start if you want to call 8.27 to 7.71 an improvement. He has walked 16 batters including five more last night. 

I know that TGP’s Daniel Burch is a huge Sonny Gray fan but I can say…right now…I am not.  He has yet to deliver a start that has made me say “Wow!”. Yet, every other member in the starting rotation has. Even the Yankees’ nearly 38 year old over-weight veteran with bad knees who has already lost time on the 10-day DL has delivered impressively. 

Gray should have gotten the win in last night’s 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins after the Yankees had staked him to a 5-3 lead but he couldn’t get out of the fifth inning so the victory went to his replacement (Chad Green). For 14 outs, Gray threw 104 pitches with only 60 for strikes. You can’t blame this one on Gary Sanchez since it was Austin Romine behind the plate. 

For his Yankees career, Gray is 5-8 with 4.69 ERA. He has given up 84 hits and 49 runs in 86 1/3 innings. His WHIP is an unsightly 1.471. He has been nowhere near the pitcher for the Yankees that he was with the Oakland Athletics. He is starting to feel a little too Javier Vazquez-ish for my comfort. A guy who pitches great in a low pressurized environment but has the ‘deer in the headlights’ look with the bright lights of the big city. Gray would probably be an ace for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Until he can prove otherwise, he is “Sonny Gray Sucks” to me. 

Meanwhile, the two pitchers connected to the Yankees in rumors during the off-season have gotten off to tremendous starts. Patrick Corbin, a lifetime Yankees fan, is currently 4-0 with a 1.89 ERA and a miniscule 0.66 WHIP (6 walks to 48 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings). Daniel Burch did a great piece on Corbin yesterday and the Arizona Diamondbacks lefty should be on the Yankees radar when he becomes a free agent after the season. He’s a terrific potential replacement for CC Sabathia in the rotation. Gerrit Cole, whom I would have loved to have seen as a Yankee while many scoffed, is 2-1 with 1.29 ERA. His WHIP is slightly higher than Corbin’s at 0.771 but it is still very good. Cole has only walked 8 batters while striking out 49 in 35 innings. 

Photo Credit: Associated Press (Mike Stone)

I want Gray to succeed as a Yankee. I really do. But I am getting tired of these pedestrian starts and his inability to throw strikes. His next start will be in Houston against the World Series Champions. He really needs to “man-up” and deliver like we know he can. 

Okay, I’ll let it go for now.

As for the Yankees, I am very pleased with the overall performance of the team in recent days. With Didi Gregorius playing at All-World level, the Yankees have won five consecutive games to improve their season mark to 14-9. The Boston Red Sox won yesterday to stop their three-game losing skid, but the win dropped the Toronto Blue Jays into a second place tie with the Yankees in the AL East. Both are teams trail the Red Sox by four games. The standings certainly look much better today than they did a week ago.

I hate to see the current series with the Minnesota Twins end later today. Even if the Yankees lose, they will have won three of four before jumping a plane bound for Orange County, California. I’d prefer to keep the winning streak alive as the Yankees invade So-Cal. My love for ten-game winning streaks is only five games from fruition. Of course, if the Yankees win the next four games, it will pit Sonny Gray against Charlie Morton for the tenth win. Dammit. 

Before I go, I do have to say that I think Logan Morrison really, really sucks. For him, I’ll borrow Derek Jeter’s words from his recent interview with Bryant Gumbel on HBO’s Real Sports. But unlike DJ, my use of the words is not light-hearted. Morrison is “mentally weak”. I know that the off-season was tough for all free agents, but there’s a reason it was hard for Morrison to find a job. The Tampa Bay Rays made no attempt to bring back a bat that slugged 38 home runs last year. Sure, money played into it but if Morrison was ‘all that and a bag of chips’, the Rays would have found a way to bring him back like the Kansas City Royals did in re-signing their 38 home run slugger, Mike Moustakas. Morrison’s comment about Yankees fans that “you can’t fix stupid” was actually a self-analysis on his own part. The guy’s a jerk. The Minnesota Twins are a classy organization and having such a degenerate on their roster is out of character for them. 

I have no desire to see Morrison walk off the Yankee Stadium field a winner today. So, hopefully, Jordan Montgomery and company keep the winning streak alive. As long as Didi Gregorius is in the lineup, life is good.

Go Yankees!

Yankees Dominate Twins in Series Opener...

Photo Credit: New York Post (Charles Wenzelberg)

Solid Hitting, Pitching and Defense…ü

The World always seems to be a better place the day after a Yankees win. Even better when the Yankees’ vaunted offense goes ‘Postal’ on the Minnesota Twins en route to the convincing 14-1 win. So much for Minnesota’s plans for the revenge game following their loss in last year’s Wild Card game to the Yankees. As a Vikings fan, I generally have a soft spot for Twins fans since we share a common alliance in football but all bets are off when they play the Yankees.

Photo Credit: Pioneer Press (Richard Marshall)

Miguel Andujar continued his consecutive game streak with extra-base hits to rub shoulders with none other than Mickey Mantle and Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio. The trio of two Hall of Famers and a rookie are the only Yankees under the age of 24 to have an extra-base hit in at least seven consecutive games. When the Yankees acquired Brandon Drury to be their third baseman during Spring Training, I was solidly in Camp Drury. But when Drury returns from the DL, there’s no way the Yankees can sit Andujar. With no offense to Todd Frazier (a player I loved as a Yankee), third base is in better hands with Andujar and Drury than it was Frazier and Chase Headley. The dilemma for Manager Aaron Boone will be how to make room on the roster for guys like Drury, Jacoby Ellsbury, Clint Frazier and Greg Bird when they are healthy. Actually, it’s GM Brian Cashman’s job but still, there are some difficult decisions awaiting the team on down the road.

The first major league hit is in the books for young future star Gleyber Torres. His single in the bottom of the eighth inning off Twins reliever Tyler Kinley halted an 0-for-7 skid to start his Major League career. Now that the first one is out of the way, Torres can settle in and play the game his way. I don’t know what was more exciting…Gleyber getting his first hit or Giancarlo Stanton’s 4-for-4 night with a home run, three runs scored and two RBI’s. Or the grand salami courtesy of The Shredder’s non-Top Ten shortstop, Didi Gregorius who continues to elevate his game to heights previously unimaginable. 

Tyler Austin, Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks…so many Yankees that contributed to last night’s big win. And, oh by the way, Masahiro Tanaka did not suck. He held the Twins to three hits and a single run over 6 2/3 innings and 91 pitches. He struck out five Twinkies while walking only two. Not bad for a day’s work. Chad Green and David Hale finished off the game, keeping the Twins from adding any further runs.

Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports (Brad Penner)

The Yankees are now 12-9 and have pushed themselves back to five games behind the division leading Boston Red Sox. They trail the second place Toronto Blue Jays by just a game. A few consecutive wins and everything looks rosy again. Of course, if they lose tonight against the Twins, it will be doom and gloom all over again. But for now, I am enjoying the win streak and hope it continues for the foreseeable future. I’ve always been a huge fan of ten-game winning streaks and there’s no time like the present to achieve one. 

After holding the Twins scoreless over the final two innings last night despite allowing three hits, David Hale found himself in DFA limbo after the game. His roster spot was taken by former Washington Nationals right-hander A.J. Cole whom the Yankees acquired for cash considerations. All winter I wanted Brian Cashman to acquire RHP Cole. I guess I should have been more specific. Cole, 26, a former fourth-round pick, has been an occasional spot starter for the Nats and was scheduled to be their fifth starter this year until his performance forced the Nationals to replace him with veteran starter Jeremy Hellickson. His season line is horrific. He has given up 16 hits and 15 runs (including six homers) over 10 1/3 innings. He has walked six while striking out ten. It’s kind of funny. In his last appearance for the Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Hale gave up 12 hits and 6 runs. It earned him a promotion to the Bronx, where he gets his walking papers after pitching two scoreless innings. He is replaced by a guy who has been arguably worse. I guess the Yankees want Sonny Gray to feel like he isn’t the worst pitcher on the staff. To Cole’s defense, he has greater upside than Hale so I don’t necessarily have a problem with the move. But I hope pitching coach Larry Rothschild can fix whatever ails Cole’s pitches. At this point, he looks like a worse version of Bryan Mitchell, but who knows, maybe the Yankees see something in Cole that is not outwardly visible to the rest of us. Or maybe he’s just the next DFA candidate. I’d like to see Cole succeed. He’s still young enough to figure this thing out.

Photo Credit: Associated Press (Matt Slocum)

Tonight’s game features the Twins’ very talented young righty Jose Berrios (2-1, 1.63 ERA) pitching against crafty veteran CC Sabathia (0-0, 2.70 ERA).  In his last start, Berrios held the Cleveland Indians scoreless with seven innings of work, allowing only three hits. In fact, he’s held three of his four opponents to three hits and no runs. The only blemish was an April 7^th start against the Seattle Mariners when he was roughed up for five runs in 4 2/3 innings. It will be a tough game for the Yankees hitters but conversely it’s not going to be an easy one for Berrios.

Go Yankees! 

The Road from the Bronx to Cleveland...

Credit:  Frank Franklin II-AP

American League Wild Card Game

Yankees 8, Twins 4...

Eventually, the Minnesota Twins will find the answer for their struggles in the Bronx but this will not be one of those years. Admittedly, I was not feeling too good after Luis Severino had given up three runs on two homers in the opening inning and the Twins were threatening for more with only one out. But exit Severino and enter the stellar Yankees bullpen, plus a few timely home runs, and the Yankees found themselves with a date with the Indians in Cleveland for the American League Division Series.  

For Luis Severino, it was a game to forget. Whether it was his youth and/or his lack of post-season experience, he was overwhelmed and unable to find any of his pitches. He needs to have another talk with Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, this time about life in October. It was a learning experience for the youngster and I am sure that he'll be stronger for it as we move forward.  

Credit:  John Munson-NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The Twins quickly took the lead when Brian Dozier led off the game with a home run that landed in the first row of the left field stands, bouncing off a fan's hands and back onto the field. Still, I thought that it was something that Sevy could overcome. He got the next batter, Joe Mauer, to pop up which Todd Frazier caught in foul territory for the first out. But then Sevy was unable to put away Jorge Polanco and walked him. Eddie Rosario hit a line drive to right that carried out, and it was 3-0 Twins. Manager Joe Girardi picked up the phone to get the bullpen ready. Eduardo Escobar singled to left center, and Max Kepler followed with a double to right, moving Escobar to third. Unfortunately, it was evident, by then, that Severino was not going to overcome the jitters. Girardi made the call to the bullpen and brought in Chad Green. Using Girardi's words, it's not what you want.  But the decision to go to Green paid off with two huge strikeouts of Byron Buxton and Jason Castro to hold the game to a three-run deficit. There's no question that the Twins could have easily escalated it to five runs or more. Holding the Twins to only three runs was tremendous, and the set the stage for the events to follow.

The game was billed as a battle of Dominican Republic pitchers. Ervin Santana, the Twins ace, was born about 70 miles away from Severino's hometown. Santana, carrying an 0-5 record in six starts at Yankee Stadium, had been asked how many wins he had at Yankee Stadium earlier this week and he responded that Tuesday would be one. Tuesday has passed and he's still looking for that first win.  

Handed a three-run lead, Santana walked Brett Gardner to start the bottom of the first inning. Aaron Judge  battled Santana before finally hitting a single to center to put runners at the corners. Gary Sanchez popped up to the catcher for the first out. It brought Didi Gregorius to the plate. Didi has been nothing short of spectacular this season and he came through in a big way. On a full count, he got a hold of a Santana pitch to deposit it into the right field seats. Suddenly, with a swing of the bat, the game was tied.  

After Chad Green easily retired the Twins in the top of the 2nd including two by strikeout, Brett Gardner hit a two-out solo homer into the second deck of the right field stands in the bottom of the inning to give the Yankees their first lead, 4-3.  

Credit:  John Munson-NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

However, with Green still pitching, the Twins charged right back in the top of the 3rd. Perhaps overstaying his welcome, the Twins loaded the bases when Jorge Polanco led off with a single to right and Green walked two of the next three hitters to load the bases with only one out. Despite two starters in the bullpen, Girardi pulled Green and brought in David Robertson. Byron Buxton grounded into a force out at second but Polanco scored on the play when the Yankees were unable to turn the double play to re-tie the game. D-Rob struck out Jason Castro to end the inning and prevent any further damage. That was a huge spot for D-Rob and he came up big holding the Twins to only one run when they could have easily scored more.

Credit:  John Munson-NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

In the bottom of the 3rd, Ervin Santana was gone, replaced by young Twins starter Jose Berrios. Gary Sanchez led off the inning with a double to the left field wall.  When Berrios struck out the next two batters, it looked like he might be able to get out of the inning without Sanchez coming home to score. Greg Bird had other ideas as he lined a single to right bringing Sanchez around for the go-ahead run. 5-4, Yankees. Aaron Hicks singled on a soft grounder to third to put runners at the corners, but the Yankees couldn't capitalize when Jacoby Ellsbury, starting at DH over Chase Headley and Matt Holliday, popped out to third to end the inning.

The Twins made a defensive substitution in the bottom of the 4th inning. Byron Buxton, who had hit the wall to catch a Todd Frazier fly in the 2nd inning, was removed due to lingering effects of back tightness and replaced by New York native Zack Granite. With the Twins' best player, Miguel Sano, off the playoff roster dealing with his prior shin injury, losing Buxton, their next best great player was tough for the Twins.  Nothing against Granite, but he's not the player Buxton is. I hope that Buxton is okay and you never want to see a player leave through injury.  But that one hurt the Twins (no pun intended). Todd Frazier struck out for the first out but Brett Gardner followed with a single to left on a fly dropped in front of the left fielder. Aaron Judge stepped up (literally and figuratively) and hit one of his shorter home runs to left. I was unsure for a moment if it was a home run but the ball had indeed hit above the fence line before bouncing back on the field. Judge, showing the most emotion I've seen from him as he rounded first base, circled the bases to give the Yankees a 7-4 lead.  

David Robertson was still pitching in the 6th inning, making one of his longest appearances. Zack Granite led off with a single to right on a ball that got under Starlin Castro's glove. D-Rob struck out Jason Castro and Robbie Grossman for two outs, but that final out would prove elusive. With Brian Dozier at the plate, a wild pitch allowed Granite to easily move to second. Dozier subsequently walked to bring the tying run to the plate. Girardi signaled for the bullpen and brought in Tommy Kahnle to replace D-Rob. Joe Mauer hit a long fly to left and for a moment I couldn't tell if it was in or out when the TV crew switched cameras as the ball was falling. Fortunately, Brett Gardner made the catch on the warning track for the final out. Another huge spot with success for the Yankees.

Kahnle easily retired the Twins in the 7th inning. In the bottom of the inning with Twins reliever Trevor Hildenberger on the mound, Aaron Judge got things started by taking a walk. I thought it was an excellent at-bat for Judge as he avoided chasing any pitches. Gary Sanchez hit a ball through the hole on the left side into the outfield.  Judge advanced to third. The throw from the outfield sailed over the third baseman's head (they probably could have nailed Judge at third had the throw been accurate) so Sanchez was able to move to second. With no outs and two runners in scoring position, the Twins elected to intentionally walk Didi Gregorius. Great strategy to open up the potential for the double play or a force out at home, but it left no margin for error. Starlin Castro had the first crack at the potential scoring opportunity but he flied out to right. With Greg Bird up next, the Twins brought in reliever Taylor Rogers, a lefty, for an all-Denver, Colorado battle (Bird is from Aurora, CO while Rogers hails from Littleton, CO). Rogers won the battle when he struck out Bird for the second out. The Twins made another call to the bullpen and brought in Alan Busenitz to face former Twin Aaron Hicks. Busenitz couldn't throw strikes and walked A-A-Ron on four pitches to bring Judge home. The Yankees had increased their lead to 8-4. Jacoby Ellsbury flied out to leave the bases full, but the Yankees added an important insurance run.

Tommy Kahnle came back out for the 8th inning and retired the Twins in order. The Twins nearly had a base runner with one out but Zack Granite ran over first base without touching the bag on a grounder to first. Bird tossed the ball to Kahnle who dropped the ball but Starlin Castro alertly picked up the ball to tag Granite out before he could get back. I didn't expect to see Dellin Betances given his struggles in September so I was very glad to see Kahnle continuing to pitch very strongly to get the game into the 9th inning and into the hands of Aroldis Chapman. Chapman gave up a two-out single to Joe Mauer but the inning was never in doubt as Chapman easily shut down the Twins, striking out Jorge Polanco to end the game. The Yankees win!  

Credit:  John Munson-NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

I am still not a fan of the single-game elimination but the Yankees persevered and head for Cleveland to face the Indians for Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Thursday. Now I can say that I am very joyous about the Yankees being in the post-season. It is so hard to be excited about a potential 'one and done' situation and I was very uneasy coming into the game. It didn't help when Luis Severino had nothing and gave the Twins the strong early lead.  You'd think that the Law of Averages would eventually tilt in Minnesota's favor given the Yankees long-standing history of dominance over the Twins. I was very pleased that Tuesday was not their night. They'll eventually get a key victory in the Bronx but it won't be this year.  

Credit:  John Munson-NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Congratulations to the New York Yankees for moving to the next round! I have very proud of this team and their accomplishments this year. They may not win the next round but the Yankees have shown the world their future is bright. This team has the potential to surprise but if not, there's no doubt this will be a stronger team when they take the field next season.  

Game Notes...

Chasen Shreve threw out the first pitch. The Las Vegas native symbolized representation for his home city after this week's senseless tragedy that claimed 58 lives and injured more than 500 people. There was a moment of silence observed for the victims.   

Credit:  Paul J Bereswill-NY Post

Earlier this season, Chase Headley took one near the family jewels. The same fate was bestowed upon Gary Sanchez when a foul ball hit the catcher where the sun doesn't shine causing Sanchez to roll on the ground in pain while David Robertson was still on the mound. Ouch! Fortunately, he was able to continue. That was a painful experience to watch. It would not have been fun to be the recipient.  

Have a great Wednesday! We have a day to enjoy and then the work begins on Thursday. Go Yankees!

"B" Team Bats Go Down Quietly To End Regular Season...

Credit:  MLB.com

Blue Jays 2, Yankees 1...

I can't say that I went into this game feeling very strongly about a win or loss.  In the grand scheme of things, the playoff format has been decided so it didn't really matter if the Yankees went 92-70 or finished 91-71 (which they did).  They still finished second in the American League East and hold home field advantage in the AL Wild Card game on Tuesday. Despite holding the Blue Jays to two hits, the Yankees were unable to muster any significant offense and lost by a run.

The Yankees lineup featured many backup players as key starters got the day off in advance of the AL Wild Card game. The only notable starters were Todd Frazier and Starlin Castro. Chase Headley got the start at first base, but he's probably the team's DH heading into the post-season. Greg Bird got into the game later.  

Credit:  Kathy Willens-AP

It was nice outing for Jordan Montgomery. He held the Blue Jays scoreless until the top of the 4th inning. Richard Urena worked a one-out walk.  Justin Smoak singled to right on a grounder that went just past the glove of Tyler Wade, with Urena moving to third. Jose Bautista, making perhaps his final start as a Blue Jay, lofted a high fly to center. Urena scored on the sacrifice as the throw from Aaron Hicks was off line. 

Credit:  Associated Press

I thought the Yankees had a chance to potentially pick up a run in the bottom of the 4th. Tyler Wade singled to left barely over the stretched glove of shortstop Richard Urena with one down. While Matt Holliday was batting, Wade appeared to steal second to move into scoring position. However, replay showed that the tag was applied before Wade reached the base as Urena's foot blocked the base to prevent Wade from touching the bag. Matt Holliday flied out to end the inning so the Yankees were still down by a run.

Credit:  Getty Images

Montgomery made it into the 6th inning, striking out Ryan Goins. But that was all for Monty's successful rookie campaign as Manager Joe Girardi took the ball and turned it over to Adam Warren. 5 1/3 innings for Montgomery. Two hits, a walk and a run.  He struck out three batters for the eventual no-decision. 

Credit:  Kathy Willens-AP

Adam Warren, making his first appearance since being activated off the disabled list, retired the two batters he faced to end the inning and show that he's ready to be a potential weapon for Tuesday night.  

Warren retired the only batter he faced in the top of the 7th (pop out by Justin Smoak) and was replaced by Domingo German.

With Blue Jays reliever Danny Barnes on the mound in the bottom of the 7th, Matt Holliday homered into the left field seats with one out, a solo shot. The game was tied at 1.   It looked like the Yankees might get more when Greg Bird followed with a walk. Miguel Andujar doubled to left center (ball dropped in front of a sliding Teoscar Hernandez), with Bird moving to third and there was still only one out. But the Yankees couldn't get either runner home as both Austin Romine and Clint Frazier grounded out to leave the runners stranded.

The Blue Jays scored the eventual winning run in the top of the 8th despite no hits. With Domingo German still pitching, Rob Refsnyder reached first base after striking out when Austin Romine couldn't catch a wild pitch from German (a low pitch that hit the ground behind the plate and bounced away).  Ezequiel Carrera walked, with Refsnyder advancing to second. Darwin Barney laid down a good sacrifice bunt with two strikes to push the runners to second and third. Ryan Goins took advantage of the runner at third with perhaps the shortest RBI I've seen this year, a slow dribbler that went no more than 10 feet. Refsnyder came home to score as the only play was to get the runner at first. The Blue Jays had  recaptured the lead, 2-1. German struck out Teoscar Hernandez to get out of the inning but the Jays had the run they would need to win the game.

From there, the Yankees couldn't do anything against Toronto relievers Ryan Tepera and Roberto Osuna with Greg Bird popping out to the shortstop Richard Urena for the final out to end the game. It would have been nice to close out the season with a win but as I stated when I started this blog post, it didn't really matter one way or the other. It's hard to take momentum from a game when most of the starters are sitting on the bench.  

The second-place Yankees (91-71) finish the season two games behind the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox (93-69) fell to the Houston Astros, 4-3, as those two teams prepare to resume their battle in Houston, Texas with Game 1 of the ALDS on Thursday. The Minnesota Twins, the Yankees opponent on Tuesday, beat the Detroit Tigers, 5-1, to finish the season at 85-77.  

It's been a long, run season and I hope that it continues beyond Tuesday. If not, I feel that Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner has been given the message that this team is ready to compete now and that he needs to ensure the team is given the best possible chance for success in 2018. 

GM Brian Cashman and Amateur Scouting Director Damon Oppenheimer presented Aaron Judge with an inscribed Waterford Crystal Gavel for his rookie record of 52 home runs.

Next Up:  American League Wild Card Game, Minnesota Twins versus New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY...

Here it is...do or die. We've endured the rigor of 162 regular season games and the pay-off is a chance to advance to the American League Division Series. Win or lose, this has been a tremendous year for the Yankees. They've surprised the experts who didn't expect the Yankees to contend this quickly. The Minnesota Twins have had an excellent year as well, going from a team that lost 100 games in 2016 to a play-off contender.  

Here are the scheduled pitching match-ups. Suffice it to say that every pitcher on both teams will be ready for the call.  

Tuesday, October 3rd, 8:00 pm ET

Twins:  Ervin Santana (16-8, 3.28 ERA)

Yankees:  Luis Severino (14-6, 2.98 ERA)

This should be a great game! The winner advances to play the Indians for Game 1 of the ALDS in Cleveland on Thursday.  

Odds & Ends...

The Yankees announced on Sunday that "they will significantly expand the protective netting during the upcoming off-season at both Yankee Stadium and George M Steinbrenner Field". The action comes after the young girl was hit in the mouth on a foul ball by Todd Frazier on September 25th.  

The managerial firings should begin shortly. It's been announced after much speculation that Terry Collins will not be returning to the dugout for the New York Mets in 2018.  He'll move into a front office position. Ironically, neither of the AL Wild Card managers have a contract beyond this year. I guess Tuesday will have a say in their respective futures although you'd have to believe that both would be back after unexpectedly successful seasons.  

Have a great Monday! Enjoy the day off, and let's get ready to root, root for the home team on Tuesday night. Go Yankees!