Friday, April 13, 2018

Wading for Gleyber...

Credit: MiLB.com
 The Gleyber Torres Watch is on…

I’ve seen conflicting reports about the calculation of MLB Service Time. After earlier reports that today could be the day, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic clarified today is the first day that prospects not on the 40-man roster can be called up to ensure an extra year of control. According to Ken, players on the 40-man roster need to wait 20 days. So, the earliest Gleyber could show up for the Yankees would be next Thursday at home against the Toronto Blue Jays. Regardless of whether it is next week or in a couple of weeks, the Gleyber Torres Era will soon officially begin.

With no offense to Tyler Wade (since he currently has none), I am ready to move on from Wade as the team’s second baseman. I have no doubt Wade will be a legitimate big leaguer and he was fun to watch in Spring Training, but he has not done anything in the regular season to excite me. I know, he battled the flu and it’s been friggin’ cold in New York and Boston. But second base belongs to Gleyber. I’d rather take my lumps with Gleyber at the position than taking lumps for the future utility-man. 

Photo Credit: New York Post (Charles Wenzelberg) 

Through yesterday’s game, Gleyber Torres is the hottest hitter for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. His batting line is .370/.379/.556 with .935. He has one home run and six RBI’s in seven games. Sure, it’s early and these numbers are not sustainable nor do they automatically translate to potential MLB numbers. Nevertheless, this is a very talented young man (as we all know) who has mastered his current level. Onward and upward. Soon, young Grasshopper. He’s already snatched the pebble from his master’s hand.


Wade is easily the weakest hitter, right now, on the Yankees. His line is .097/.176/.161 with .338 OPS, no homers, and three RBI’s in 10 games. Like Gleyber’s numbers, these are not sustainable (in Wade’s case, they will get better). Between Torres and Wade, give me Gleyber every day. I am tired of Wading. It’s Gleyber’s Time.

Photo Credit: AP (Lynne Sladky) - The Future Star

Like the entire Yankees Universe, I was very disappointed to lose two of three games in Boston. I am convinced the Yankees are the better team, but right now, the Red Sox are playing better. The season is still very young. The Yankees have only played 13 of 162 games and they have 16 games remaining against the hated Red Sox. The season is not lost on Friday the 13th of April. 

I don’t really want to give a play-by-play of the brawl on Wednesday night, but after watching the replay of Tyler Austin sliding into second base (repeatedly, thanks to ESPN and others), I am firmly convinced Austin did not have the intent to harm. Yes, his foot caught Brock Holt’s leg but when you slow down the replay to say that Austin intentionally tried to take out Holt, it’s grossly unfair. The actual play happened very fast with no time to react. Austin was trying hard to get to second and his mind was more focused on the right foot sliding in. It’s unfortunate that Holt was unintentionally the recipient of cleats on his lower leg/ankle but it was a genuine baseball play with proper determination by Austin. 

Photo Credit: Boston Globe - Austin sliding into 2B

As much as I dislike Joe Kelly and how he baited Austin after hitting him with the pitch, Red Sox manager Alex Cora infuriated me the most with his ‘get back in your box’ gesture to Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin. Cora showed himself to be a punk.

Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports (Kim Klement) - "Piece of S**t"

I was glad Gary Sanchez held back this time to avoid a potential suspension. His bat is starting to heat up so it’s not one we want or can afford to lose. Nice job by Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton for trying to control the situation. Those are definitely two guys that you’d want on your side in a bar room right. 

MLB handed down suspensions and fines yesterday. Joe Kelly (six games) and Tyler Austin (five games) received suspensions. Both are expected to appeal. The fines included Phil Nevin, Alex (“Piece of S**t”) Cora, CC Sabathia, Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, and Marco Hernandez. I do not know the amount of the fines but I appreciate Nevin and Sabathia for their roles in defending the Yankees. 

Photo Credit: AP (Winslow Townson) - Yankees coaches Marcus Thames and Phil Nevin

I wish the Yankees could have left Boston yesterday with a win. Admittedly, I am concerned about Sonny Gray. Unlike the opposing pitcher (Rick Porcello), Gray did not bring his “A” game. Or as Brendan Kuty of NJ Advance Media said, “Sonny is not grayt”. Time and again, Gray has proven he gets into trouble when he nibbles instead of attacks hitters. So there he was nibbling last night and the team paid for it with a loss. At least Aaron Judge broke up the no-hitter and Gary Sanchez ruined the shutout, but I would have preferred to win two of three from Boston. Or really just winning the game after the fight would have been the best case scenario.

I really thought this season would show the return of Gray to top of the rotation dominance. He has had time to adjust to life in the Bronx and he’s healthy. Yet, against Boston, it feels like we’re throwing Jose Contreras out there again.  He is 1-5 with a 5.97 ERA against the Red Sox, and 0-3 with a 7.13 ERA at Fenway Park.  He's dangerously encroaching into 'Sonny Gray Sucks' territory. I really hope warmer weather brings out the true Sonny Gray.  At the moment, I am deeply missing James Kaprielian, Jorge Mateo and Dustin Fowler. Gray has the power to change my line of thinking. Next start would be a great time to start in more ways than one. We know that Gray can pitch exceedingly well. He just needs to show it in Pinstripes.

Photo Credit: AP (Winslow Townson) - A Bad Shade of Gray

No game is ever easy but the Yankees need to take advantage of the next five games. They play three games in Detroit, starting tonight, and then return to the Bronx on Monday for a two-game set against Giancarlo Stanton’s old team, the Miami Marlins. Win these games. If the Yankees can get on a roll, they should have good momentum heading into the four-game series next Thursday with the Blue Jays. It is the start of a brutal stretch that includes the Blue Jays (currently the second place team in the AL East), the Minnesota Twins (co-leaders of the AL Central), the Los Angeles Angels (the AL West leaders), and the Houston Astros (the defending World Series champions). These games are immediately followed with match-ups against the Cleveland Indians (the other co-leaders of the AL Central) and the next showdown against the Boston Red Sox, this time at Yankee Stadium. We’ll have a very good idea about the strength and resolve of the 2018 Yankees by the final game against the Red Sox on Thursday, May 10th.

For the upcoming series starting tonight at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan against the Tigers, here are the scheduled pitching matchups:

Friday the 13th, 7:10 ET
Yankees:  Jordan Montgomery (0-0, 4.82 ERA)
Tigers:  Mike Fiers (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Saturday, April 14th at 1:10 ET
Yankees:  TBA (expected to be Domingo German or Luis Cessa)
Tigers:  Francisco Liriano (1-1, 2.13 ERA)

Sunday, April 15th at 1:10 ET
Yankees:  Luis Severino (2-1, 3.50 ERA)
Tigers:  Matthew Boyd (0-1, 1.38 ERA)

The Yankees currently have two players in DFA limbo. Jace Peterson, who was designated to make room for Shane Robinson, and Robinson, who was DFA’d for the activation of Aaron Hicks. Neither player figures in future plans so regardless of whether they clear waivers and are sent outright to Triple A, traded away or handed their walking papers, we appreciate their brief contributions. Best of luck in their future endeavors.

I’ll borrow a few words from TGP’s Daniel Burch. We need a win; let’s get a win.

Go Yankees!

4 comments:

  1. I would just put Wade on the bench for pinch running .He made a mental and physical error and Sandchez made a mental and a couple of physical errors last night and even though Boone does not want personal catchers it is a proven fact Gray works 2 runs per game better with Romine than Sanchez. So Sanchez would had been my DH last night instead of my C and my bench would had been Wade , Austin and Hicks though I prefer Hicks at 1B over Walker .
    Still believe Andujar will hit , he face some pretty good pitching in Boston but throw him out there with Glyber come Monday and watch the Youngsters win you over.
    Boone gotta just bite that bullet and let Gray and Romine work together .I would rather have a win than Boone's personal philosophy .

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  2. I am sick and tired of this BS with Boone and the Elf. I have seen more than enough of Tyler Wade. I don't want him on this roster until September at the earliest. Performing at the triple A level doesn't always translate into being successful on the major league level.

    Boone has got to stop playing elf baseball and get Ronald T more playing time. He has shown he can play. The twin towers need to be separated by Didi and I really don't like Judge in the two hole. I will probably say this more than a hundred times times but I don't like Boone as a manager. I wasn't a Girardi fan, however I will signup for Girardi to be on the bench tomorrow. This clown has no fire, no intensity

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  3. Hansel....in a former live, you fought in the French Revolution.
    You being the hands-on guy operating the guillotine.
    "Marie Antoinette is heading towards us, she likes Aaron Boone, call Hans!"
    The Elf is one thing, but Boone gets a 'B' rating so far.
    Too early to label him a clown, with no fire. He may have a bit
    of Lou Piniella in him, that has not been played. Time will tell.

    Andujar, and Wade are both digging graves. Correctable situation.
    Is that Torres at the door ?

    Jumpin-Joe Girardi still looks like Elston Howard.

    Don't drop that blade yet !

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  4. Hansel....in a former life....
    Pardon my Long Island spelling.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)