We Play Today, We Win Today...

 

Juan Soto (Photo Credit: Godofredo A Vasquez/AP)

Mariano Duncan’s memorable quote ages like fine wine…

When former Yankees infielder Mariano Duncan uttered the now-famous words, “We play today, we win today…das it,” he was encapsulating the spirit of the 1996 Yankees. This team would clinch their first World Series championship since 1978, marking the beginning of the iconic 1990s Yankees Dynasty. Today, Duncan’s words continue to resonate with the Pinstripes. As we look ahead to the 2024 Yankees Season, the most crucial element is a team firing on all cylinders. While challenges like injuries and slumps are inevitable, an undeniable aura surrounds this year’s Yankees squad.

After triumphing in the first two games in San Francisco on Friday and Saturday nights, the Yankees could have easily let the Giants slip away with a win on Sunday. But this Yankees team is different. Trailing 5-3 in the top of the ninth inning, Gleyber Torres ignited the rally with a single to center. Jose Trevino hit into a force out to get Gleyber at second, but showing the grit of this year’s squad, Trevino, not known for his speed, sprinted to first base to beat the throw and keep a man on base. Continuing his stellar sophomore year, Anthony Volpe smashed a triple to center, scoring Trevino and narrowing the gap to one run. Then, the game’s premier free-agent-to-be, Juan Soto, stepped up. He added to his rapidly growing Yankees legacy with a two-run bomb to center field, propelling the Yankees into the lead.

Giancarlo Stanton's ground-rule double, following Aaron Judge's walk, added an insurance run, but the true heroes of the ninth inning were Trevino, Volpe, and Soto. Clay Holmes also deserves recognition for closing the door on the Giants in the bottom of the ninth. But as with all games, it was a team effort. Nestor Cortes Jr showed resilience, bending but not breaking under pressure. Alex Verdugo's clutch two-out, two-run double in the fifth inning tied the game, which helped to set the stage for Soto’s later heroics. The contributions could continue, but the Yankees emerged victorious, 7-5. This was a game that the 2023 Yankees would have lost. Team chemistry is crucial, and despite the criticism of GM Brian Cashman, he has assembled a team that thrives on playing together and, more importantly, winning.

Road trips generally mean more losses, yet this West Coast visit ended with the Yankees taking seven of nine games against the San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the San Francisco Giants. No stopover at Dodger Stadium, but they will see the Dodgers in New York this coming weekend. Granted, there is not much to be scared about the Mike Trout-less Angels, but the Padres and even the Giants are competitive teams. To win at least half the games on a road trip is a success, so the Yankees were much better than that.

I am surprised at how quickly the AL East has become simply a two-team race between the Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles. The Boston Red Sox started strong, but they have faded. The Tampa Bay Rays seem to have an off-year, and the Toronto Blue Jays continue to play below their talent level. The Yankees lead the division by three games with a 42-19 record. Baltimore stands at 37-20. The Red Sox, Rays, and Blue Jays are at .500 or slightly below. There is a lot of baseball to be played, so the standings can and will change, but as a Yankees fan, it is delightful to be atop the division as the schedule breaks into the month of June.

The 2024 Yankees are fun to watch. I hope this wonderful ride continues throughout the summer.

The Yankees pitching took a hit when it was announced this past week that Clarke Schmidt had been placed on the 15-day Injured List with a right lat strain. He is expected to be shut down for four to six weeks, meaning when he resumes pitching and works his way back through minor league rehab, it most likely will be August before he takes a Major League mound again. 

Clarke Schmidt (Photo Credit: Brad Penner/Getty Images)

Everyone was worried about who would come out of the rotation when Gerrit Cole is activated off the Injured List. I know that Luis Gil will be under an innings watch, which probably made him the most likely to be pulled for Cole, but Gil’s performance has been so tremendous that the Yankees would be foolish to pull the plug now. Not that I think they would have or that it is time to think about it, but Schmidt’s absence takes the Gil decision off the table for now. The starter losing his spot will be Schmidt’s fill-in, Cody Poteet, regardless of how well he pitches.

I feel sorry for Schmidt. This has been a breakout year for him, and he looked like an integral part of the rotation. Thankfully, Schmidt’s condition was not worse than it was. When you hear a pitcher is injured, Tommy John Surgery is the first thing that always comes to mind. I am glad that Schmidt avoided surgery, and I hope rest allows him to recover and pitch at the same level as he did before the injury. For as much as I wanted the Yankees to sign Jordan Montgomery or Blake Snell over the winter, Schmidt had proven to be the far greater investment by the Yankees. Maybe the Yankees will make a trade for a starting pitcher at the trade deadline, but, sorry for the old joke, Schmidt will be like a deadline acquisition when he returns. I look forward to his return, and I know the Yankees will need him in a few months. We hope for a full recovery and successful rehabilitation for young Mister Schmidt.

The Yankees do have a tough decision ahead with Jasson Dominguez. Dominguez has proven he can play at the Major League level, but there is no position as the team is currently structured. The easy answer would be to trade Trent Grisham and make Dominguez the starting centerfielder. In turn, Aaron Judge would have to move to DH, but then what do you do with Giancarlo Stanton? Putting a good defensive outfielder like Judge in a DH-only position also does not make sense. Trade Alex Verdugo to make room for Dominguez in left field, but then you are messing with the terrific team chemistry of this year’s squad and their ‘Dawg’ mentality. The most likely outcome seems to be Dominguez at Triple-A until an injury opens a spot on the active Major League roster. It is not ideal, but there is no clear answer with everyone healthy.

As much as I did not like Alex Verdugo before this season, he has solved the black hole in left that has plagued the Yankees since Brett Gardner departed. I genuinely like the guy now. He is an enthusiastic player, and you know he loves the Yankees as much today as he hated them last season. Everybody deserves a second chance, and he found his way to Pinstripes. It seems like he is most likely a goner after the season (via free agency), and I will be sad. I am excited about Jasson’s future, but it does not mean I will be happy to see Verdugo go. Of course, I will probably dislike him again after he is gone and wearing another uniform. Is it too much to want a future that includes Alex Verdugo, Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones?

Alex Verdugo (Photo Credit: Charlie Neibergall/AP)

Oh well, as long as the Yankees keep winning, the World is ours!

As always, Go Yankees!

A Wish: To Beat Justin Verlander...

Photo Credit: Getty Images (Elsa)

Eventually, the Wish will become Reality…

I was not too confident about the Yankees’ chances against Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander yesterday and unfortunately I was right as the Bombers fell to the Astros, 5-1. As if the cold bats against Verlander weren’t bad enough, the sight of him walking off the field while tipping his cap to the jeers from the Yankee Stadium crowd was sickening. When I think of Verlander, I can still see his ugly mug in the midst of the brawl in Detroit last summer.    

I don’t like Justin Verlander. I’ll just get that out there. I do not wish the Yankees had been the team to acquire him last summer regardless of what he has done wearing an Astros uniform. I don’t want him on my team. I want my team to beat him, to crush him like an ant. If the Yankees can beat Verlander in the post-season, a regular season loss to him will mean absolutely nothing. So, for now, I’ll take solace in the fact the Yankees are watching and learning. The day will come when they tee off on Verlander and he’ll look like the aging pitcher he was in the final days of wearing Detroit Tigers gear. I look forward to our next meeting with Verlander which could very well happen in October. 

The next two games against the Astros will be tough. Whatever it is about pitching in Houston, Charlie Morton is drinking the water. An average starter at best in Pittsburgh, he’s become a different man in Houston and has pitched very well against the Yankees. Morton is undefeated this season (7-0), carrying a low ERA of 2.04 (which of course is high compared to Verlander’s 1.11). I wish I felt more confident with CC Sabathia on the mound. Frankly, I don’t know what we are going to get today with CC (2-1, 3.55 ERA). I guess my philosophy is the same as yesterday. Try to keep it close and get the game into the hands of the bullpen. Bullpen to bullpen, I like the Yankees’ chances. 

Tomorrow, for the series finale, the Astros will have proven Yankee-killer Dallas Keuchel on the mound. If there is a silver lining, this has been a down year for Keuchel (3-6, 3.39 ERA) which also happens to be his walk year. We’ll throw the best we’ve got (Luis Severino, 7-1, 2.28 ERA) at Houston but down year or not, I expect Keuchel to be on his game. It should be a classic pitching duel.    

One positive from yesterday’s game (at least for me)…Greg Bird’s swing is a thing of beauty.

Photo Credit: New York Post (Charles Wenzelberg)

I know there were positives in Domingo German’s performance yesterday with the number of whiffs (he did record seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings) but a loss is a loss. I know, he’s learning and it is part of the process. The Astros fans were probably very confident yesterday knowing who was pitching for them. I want that kind of guy. Again, not Verlander (for me), but a pitcher who instills confidence the way he does for his team. It’s not Sabathia, it’s not Masahiro Tanaka nor German, and it sure the hell isn’t Sonny Gray. I am getting a little tired of the usual suspects with rumored potential trade candidates. Michael Fulmer is 2-3 with 4.08 ERA and 1.273 WHIP. He may be young and controllable but his numbers are trending in the wrong direction. Same with Chris Archer. He is 3-3 with 4.29 ERA and 1.304 WHIP. To Archer’s defense, outside of a poor start against the Baltimore Orioles on May 12^th when he gave up six runs in a loss, he has pitched much better in May than he did in April. At the end of April, Archer had a 6.61 ERA so even with the dog start against the O’s, he has lowered his ERA by more than two runs in a month. Fulmer is probably the better option since he’s younger and maybe his numbers help make his price tag more affordable. I don’t know. I can’t see either pitcher being “the guy” in October. 

Hopefully, GM Brian Cashman uncovers a gem (or two) prior to this year’s trading deadline. Go ahead, surprise us with a true ace. An improved pitching staff to go with the team’s offense would be the catalyst for the Yankees to overcome the Boston Red Sox and charge into October with significant momentum. I want another shot at Justin Verlander.  Only next time, I expect to win.

So, the Cleveland Indians have promoted Justin Bieber to start this week. Oh sorry, make that Shane Bieber. Bieber was taken in the MLB Draft two years after the Indians selected Justus Sheffield and three rounds later. Bieber is a year older than Top Sheff and has blazed through the Indians system. I think we’ll see Sheff in a couple of months. Not really trying to draw a comparison between the two given Bieber was a college pitcher and much closer to the Majors than Sheffield was when he was taken in the first round of the 2014 Draft. But the emergence of rookie starters for contenders is heightening the excitement of Sheff’s impending arrival even if we have to wait awhile longer. Josh Rogers (4-3, 2.80 ERA) is scheduled to pitch today for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. He is quietly inserting his name above Chance Adams as another arm that could make his Major League debut for the Yankees in the not-so-distant future.

Josh Rogers / Photo Credit: Scranton Times-Tribune

Despite the home run he allowed to Jose Altuve yesterday, I’d probably give German’s next start to A.J. Cole.  I remained intrigued with the pitcher. I know, he’s not the answer and he was never more than a borderline Number 5 starter for the Washington Nationals. But I’d still like to see what he could do with a spot start. At one time, Nats fans thought Cole could be dominant but it never materialized. After originally being drafted by the Nationals in 2010, he did spend a year in the Oakland A’s farm system, but was reacquired by the Nats in 2013. The optimist in me tries to see Cole as a late bloomer (tapping on the potential that Washington scouts once saw) but the realist in me knows that he is a future DFA candidate. I’d just like to see what we have before he goes. 

Today is a new day. As the Mariano Duncan quote goes, “We play today. We win today.” Let’s do it. Go Yankees!

ICYMI: The 1996 Team All Over Again 20 Years Later

The 1996 New York Yankees team was a team of destiny and a team that sparked a dynasty. That 1996 squad was extremely special and never laid down and died or let another team beat them down without knowing that they were in a fight. The 1996 team was fresh off a devastating loss in the Wild Card Round the year prior that marked the first time in quite a few years the team made the postseason. The 2015 version of the Yankees also broke a streak of non-playoff seasons, although it was just a two-year absence, and also lost in the Wild Card Round. The similarities do not stop there.


That team did not spend heavily on the free agent market the offseason before but the team did make the smart signings or trades, something Brian Cashman is currently trying to do. The 1996 squad went into the season with David Cone as their biggest free agent signing followed by a reclamation project in Dwight Gooden and a young gun named Andy Pettitte anchoring the rotation. New York doesn’t have a huge free agent signing this winter as of yet but Luis Severino could be the next Andy Pettitte to take the rotation, and the league, by storm. Mariano Duncan was also signed by the Yankees that winter and while, again, not a huge pickup it was a smart pickup. Duncan’s defense and ability to play small ball played into the hands of the Yankees and Joe Torre perfectly that season. Could that be Starlin Castro?


The Yankees were very active in the trade market that offseason as well pulling off a major trade and a minor notable trade. The major trade saw Russ Davis and Sterling Hitchcock head to Seattle for reliever Jeff Nelson, first baseman Tino Martinez and Jim Mecir. The minor trade was a player to be named later trade that brought Tim “Rock” Raines to the Bronx. New York may already have their minor trade of the offseason, Aaron Hicks for John Ryan Murphy, but the major trade is yet to come.


The final and most glaring similarity is a rookie and the lack of confidence from upper management in the middle infield. In 1996 it was Derek Jeter who George Steinbrenner didn’t think was ready for the show, especially defensively, while it’s Hal and Brian Cashman who lack the confidence in Robert Refsnyder heading into 2016. The stars are aligning, give the kid a shot.


I am in no way comparing the two teams, that 1996 team was built to win for a long time prior to that season, but the similarities are too glaring to ignore.

The 1996 Team All Over Again 20 Years Later

The 1996 New York Yankees team was a team of destiny and a team that sparked a dynasty. That 1996 squad was extremely special and never laid down and died or let another team beat them down without knowing that they were in a fight. The 1996 team was fresh off a devastating loss in the Wild Card Round the year prior that marked the first time in quite a few years the team made the postseason. The 2015 version of the Yankees also broke a streak of non-playoff seasons, although it was just a two-year absence, and also lost in the Wild Card Round. The similarities do not stop there.

That team did not spend heavily on the free agent market the offseason before but the team did make the smart signings or trades, something Brian Cashman is currently trying to do. The 1996 squad went into the season with David Cone as their biggest free agent signing followed by a reclamation project in Dwight Gooden and a young gun named Andy Pettitte anchoring the rotation. New York doesn’t have a huge free agent signing this winter as of yet but Luis Severino could be the next Andy Pettitte to take the rotation, and the league, by storm. Mariano Duncan was also signed by the Yankees that winter and while, again, not a huge pickup it was a smart pickup. Duncan’s defense and ability to play small ball played into the hands of the Yankees and Joe Torre perfectly that season. Could that be Starlin Castro?

The Yankees were very active in the trade market that offseason as well pulling off a major trade and a minor notable trade. The major trade saw Russ Davis and Sterling Hitchcock head to Seattle for reliever Jeff Nelson, first baseman Tino Martinez and Jim Mecir. The minor trade was a player to be named later trade that brought Tim “Rock” Raines to the Bronx. New York may already have their minor trade of the offseason, Aaron Hicks for John Ryan Murphy, but the major trade is yet to come.

The final and most glaring similarity is a rookie and the lack of confidence from upper management in the middle infield. In 1996 it was Derek Jeter who George Steinbrenner didn’t think was ready for the show, especially defensively, while it’s Hal and Brian Cashman who lack the confidence in Robert Refsnyder heading into 2016. The stars are aligning, give the kid a shot.

I am in no way comparing the two teams, that 1996 team was built to win for a long time prior to that season, but the similarities are too glaring to ignore.