Aaron Judge, MVP...

 

Aaron Judge / Photo Credit: LM Otero, AP

Judge homers his way to the record books…

It has been a few days, but I would like to express my gratitude that Aaron Judge was able to hit his 62^nd home run in the regular season’s final series in Texas. Admittedly, I had begun to have thoughts Judge would conclude the 2022 season in a tie with Roger Maris for the American League and Yankees franchise home run record. It has been an incredible season for Judge, and the ultimate ‘betting on yourself’ event we have witnessed in Sports in recent memory.

There is sadness Judge will be free to sign with any team in a few weeks. Like Derek Jeter, Judge’s best legacy is to remain in Pinstripes as the team’s next Captain. The thought of him in Boston, Queens or San Francisco is horrific. Hopefully, the Yankees can reach an agreement on a contract with Judge shortly after the season and bring back the team’s best player for the 2023 season and beyond.

I do not understand those who bash Judge and try to belittle his accomplishments by trying to empathize that his home run total fell short of the MLB mark by eleven home runs. I personally never took the approach that Judge’s total represented MLB’s best. I recognize Barry Bonds as the MLB single season record holder with 73 home runs. Or that Mark McGwire held the mark before him, and Sammy Sosa had a few dinger seasons in the sixties. The difference and great distinction about Judge’s accomplishments is that he did it cleanly, without the assistance of performance-enhancing drugs. The home runs by Bonds, McGwire, and Sosa will always be tainted by their involvement with steroids. I would have liked to have seen what Bonds could have accomplished without the drug-induced assistance. In his younger days, I always marveled at his tremendous hand/eye coordination, and I believe he would have/could have been great without the PEDs. Sadly, we will never know. Nevertheless, Bonds holds the MLB record so we can only look suspiciously at his numbers.

Setting everything aside, celebrate Aaron Judge for having one of the most historic seasons in Yankees history. To walk among Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Roger Maris, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and others is truly special and assures Judge will always be remembered for his Pinstriped accomplishments regardless of what the future may hold.

For everyone who believes that Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels should be the AL MVP, there is no denying he is a special talent. His elite performance as both a pitcher and hitter is unlike anything we have ever seen. But despite his greatness, the Angels finished third place in the AL West, thirty-three games behind the division champion Houston Astros. They were thirteen games behind the last Wild Card team, the Tampa Bay Rays. Judge’s performance lifted his team to the AL East championship, and a bye for the first round of the playoffs. It was an incredible year for Judge who was the most valuable in leading his team. Maybe they should create a new award for two-way guys like Ohtani to recognize his greatness, but this season belongs to Aaron Judge.

Cheers to the apparent 2022 AL Most Valuable Player!

Aaron Judge and wife, Samantha Bracksieck / Photo Credit: Getty/Gotham

The Yankees will soon announce (or set) the 2022 ALDS roster. I have never really found the need to predict a roster. Those decisions will be made by Yankees leadership, and they have far greater insight than any of us. Therefore, I will roll out the projected roster presented by Yankees beat writer Kristie Ackert in this morning’s New York Daily News (for no other reason than it is a reasonable representation of what to expect).

CATCHERS

Jose Trevino, Kyle Higashioka

No surprises here.

INFIELDERS

Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Josh Donaldson, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza

LeMahieu scares me. If his toe is still bothering him, he is a liability on the roster. Hopefully, he is better even if he was uninspiring during his late season return. I would be happy to see the young Peraza make the roster. We know IKF’s yips can be damaging at times, and there are situations I would feel much better with the steady glove of Peraza at short. Assuming he is not traded in the offseason, Peraza will fill a much larger role for the Yankees next season, and the experience he is gaining this October is invaluable.

OUTFIELDERS

Aaron Judge, Harrison Bader, Oswaldo Cabrera, Tim Locastro

It is funny how a player who was in the minor leagues (and more notably “not” an outfielder) when the season began is now a huge part of the outfield crew. Testament to the athleticism, energy, and commitment to excellence demonstrated by Cabrera who has made himself indispensable to this team. He has been a revelation and has forced the Yankees to make room for him on the big-league roster for the years to come. The surprise here is clearly the omission of the much-maligned Aaron Hicks. The Yankees need speed which makes Locastro the better option, and of course with Bader and Cabrera, there is no longer a starting role for Hicks. I hope the Yankees have the same vision as Kristie with the outfield.

DESIGNATED HITTER

Giancarlo Stanton, Matt Carpenter

I am happy to see the return of Matty Mustache, but the challenge will be to find playing time for both him and Stanton in the same lineup. Stanton was starting to heat up as the regular season winded down, and he is capable to carrying the team to greater heights so he must play. Carpenter’s continued recovery from the fractured foot makes him an unlikely prospect for the outfield. So, it seems he will be the pinch hitter extraordinaire. Maybe he can have one (or more) of those Kirk Gibson-like moments.

STARTERS

Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Luis Severino, James Taillon

Although Cole goes into the ALDS as the likely Game 1 starter, there is no question (in my mind) that Nestor Cortes, Jr is the best starter on the staff. Those are words I never thought I would type. Yet here we are. On the bright side, if Cole falters in Game 1 like Max Scherzer of the Mets did last night, Cortes is ready to pick him up in Game 2. Funny that I have greater trust and confidence in the Game 2 and 3 starters (Cortes and Luis Severino). Maybe Cole can finally have his Yankees signature moment to propel himself to October success. I hope so. Masahiro Tanaka always seemed to elevate his play when the stakes were higher. For the record, I wanted the Yankees to trade for Frankie Montas at the trading deadline after they lost out on Luis Castillo over someone like Jose Quintana, however, watching Quintana shove yesterday showed that, at least for this season, Quintana would have been the better (and cheaper) option. As the saying goes, Hindsight is 20/20.

BULLPEN

Domingo German, Clarke Schmidt, Lou Trivino, Scott Effross, Jonathan Loaisiga, Clay Holmes, Wandy Peralta, Lucas Luetge

I support a decision to exclude Aroldis Chapman. He was my favorite DFA candidate toward the end of the regular season. He has served his time in Pinstripes and the end is near. There is no way the Yankees re-sign him when he hits free agency in a few weeks. It was a rapid fall from one of the best closers in the game to an in-game liability. There is no trust with Chapman, and his presence on the roster would only reinforce the possibility of a meltdown like one experienced by Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley in yesterday’s loss to the Phillies when he gave up four runs to blow a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning. I wish I had greater confidence in Holmes, but I do not. I miss first-half Holmes. The Guardians showed the value of a lockdown closer yesterday with Emmanuel Clase saving the impressive performance by Shane Bieber to beat the Rays by one run. There is not one pitcher in the Yankees bullpen that one can say is “lockdown.” There is potential with a couple of them, but there is also the potential for disaster. I hope the pen does not become the team’s Achilles Heel in the days ahead.

MANAGER

Aaron Boone

Dammit! Okay, I am just kidding on this last one. Boonie has a chance to change perceptions in the coming days…or not. His moves will be openly criticized by the fan base. If he is right, he will be legend. If he is wrong, he will hear boos that have not been heard since Joey Gallo. With the Yankees fan base, there is nothing in between. Total success or into the depths of hell with defeat. No pressure, Boonie. There may be days I have felt the Yankees would be better under the leadership of a different manager, but not right here, right now. Boone has the respect of his clubhouse, and he has a chance to lead his team beyond the ALDS. He needs our support. We can reevaluate after the season.

Aarons Boone and Judge / Photo Credit: Jason Getz, USA TODAY Sports

I am hopeful that Andrew Benintendi will be ready for the ALCS if the Yankees make it, but first things first. The Guardians can book their travel for New York if they beat the Rays today. Triston McKenzie gets the call for the Guardians and will be opposed by Tyler Glasnow. It should be another great pitching performance by both sides like yesterday’s 2-1 game. Whether it is the Guardians or Rays, the Yankees will have a challenge in the ALDS. Can they succeed? They have the talent, and I am certainly hopeful, but the games must be played on the field so time will tell. For now, we wait.

Tired of Wading. Tyler Wade left the Yankees organization again but this time without a whimper. He did not make any appearances on the active big-league roster for his second go-around in the organization. I believe he may have traveled with the team once as an emergency player but was never activated. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders announced Thursday that Wade elected free agency.

I bet he watched Oswaldo Cabrera thrive in the Bronx and wondered what could have been for him if he had been able to succeed with his limited opportunities. Oh well, I wish him the best for his next destination and hope it proves more fruitful for him than his time this season with his hometown Angels and the reunion with the Yankees’ farm system.

Tyler Wade / Photo Credit: Christopher Dolan, The Citizen's Voice

As always, Go Yankees! 

To Close or Not to Close...

 

Clay Holmes / Photo Credit: Corey Sipkin, NY Post

Bullpen blows another close game…

Yankees lose again. A ten-inning walk-off, 3-2, by the Boston Red Sox. It is never fun to write after a Yankees loss, especially a game they controlled…until the end. Clay Holmes has lost my trust as the closer and it is frustrating. I wanted him to have the job earlier in the season when Aroldis Chapman began misfiring. He started the season so dominant, and it looked like Pitching Coach Matt Blake was a true pitching whisperer. Yet, now, no lead is safe when Holmes comes into a game. Maybe you feel secure with a five-run lead…maybe.

There was a point I was done with Chapman as the team’s closer. He is a free agent at year’s end and the Yankees are highly unlikely to pursue him in the free agent market.  I was ready to move on, and Holmes looked like the next best man for the job. The problem replacing Holmes is no real solution for the job. Even though Chapman has looked better of late, there is no guarantee he will not revert to the sweaty, control-challenged mess he was earlier this season. Wandy Peralta is not a closer and I have no desire to see him try to close games. He did well to replace Holmes last night after the Red Sox had tied the game with two crucial outs, including a strikeout, but Peralta is much better suited for setup. Lou Trivino is a closing option, but of course, he was on the mound last night when Tommy Pham hit the game-winning single in the bottom of the tenth inning for the Red Sox. 

For Holmes, it was his fifth blown save of the season. In his last five appearances, totaling four innings, he has allowed seven runs and has walked four hitters while striking out only three.  This is not the same guy who earned the All-Star nod earlier this year.  I think we are starting to see why Pittsburgh fans were frustrated with Holmes. I hope, for his sake and ours, he figures this out, finds his control, and becomes the dominant reliever he had been. October is drawing closer so soon he will be running out of time to recapture his dominance.

Lou Trivino had ten saves for the Oakland A’s this season and twenty-two saves last year. However, he has surrendered forty-nine hits and seventeen walks in thirty-six and one-third innings in 2022. He gave up five home runs in twice the innings pitched last season and has already matched that number this year. While Holmes’ ERA has risen from 0.47 to 2.36, Trivino’s ERA is an unsightly 5.70.

Manager Aaron Boone needs to figure this out. If the Yankees continue to blow winnable games, it does not bode well for an extended run in October. 

Honestly, I would give Chapman a few trial runs as the closer to see if he can recapture what he once had. If he implodes, then other options should be considered. It kind of sucks the Yankees demoted one of their best relievers, Ron Marinaccio, simply because he had options. I understand the reasons. If the Yankees had not demoted Marinaccio, someone would have been DFA’d. The most obvious candidate is reliever Albert Abreu who has already been DFA’d by two teams, Texas and Kansas City, this season. If it was simply a question of, who would I prefer, Marinaccio or Abreu, there is no question the pride of Tom’s River would still be on the active roster.  I want Abreu to succeed but I also want the twenty-six BEST players in the organization on the MLB active roster and that is not the case right now. 

Team chemistry should not be underestimated. Whether it is football, basketball, or baseball, I have always believed team chemistry plays a significant role in team success. The trade deadline was eleven days ago, and I am still in disbelief the Yankees dumped Jordan Montgomery in the deadline’s final minutes for an outfielder we “might” see in September or October.  Monty was close to guys in the clubhouse and loved being a Yankee, the only organization he had every known. He was good friends with Jameson Taillon, and his world revolved around New York City. Right or wrong, GM Brian Cashman sent Monty packing, a move that left an entire fanbase shaking their collective heads. Even the players in the locker room were confused. The team’s 1-8 record since the trade deadline sums up the impact of this year’s moves and I am convinced the Montgomery trade has played a role in the latest tailspin.   

Yadier Molina & Jordan Montgomery / Photo Credit: Christian Gooden, St Louis Post-Dispatch

I liked Jordan Montgomery. I never thought he was a dominant pitcher, but he kept the team in games and was consistent. Exactly the type of guy you want in the middle to back end of the rotation. It keeps getting said that he would not have pitched in October and the move was made about October. Injuries certainly could play a part in whether Monty would have been an October starter, but I know that I would rather have him on my team than not. Maybe we will feel differently when Harrison Bader is healthy and patrolling center field with his newfound short hair.  Deadline deals are supposed to energize teams, but the Montgomery trade was a royal deflator. 

As for Montgomery, he is thriving for St Louis. After holding the Yankees scoreless last week, he pitched six scoreless innings last night against the Milwaukee Brewers to help power the Cards to a 3-1 victory. He is the first Cardinals pitcher since 1966 to win his first two starts without allowing a run.  For the good moves Cashman has made, this was a bad one and time will tell if it is worse.

46 home runs, 100 RBIs, .305/.400/.688, .450 wOBA, 7.6 fWAR. Is that good? With all seriousness, Aaron Judge is having a truly unbelievable season. Unlike the Yankees as a whole, Judge has continued his brilliant year and is the consensus AL MVP leader. I hope, I pray the Yankees re-sign him in the offseason. To lose Judge after such a dominant season would be upsetting. He should be a Yankee for life, and he should be the next Captain.  Owner Hal Steinbrenner must be as aggressive pursuing Judge in free agency as he was a few years ago with Gerrit Cole. Conversely, if I was a rich owner of another team, I would be loading up trucks overflowing with cash for Judge.  I wish Judge and the Yankees could have come together on an extension before free agency. It sets us up for potential disappointment. If he re-signs with the Yankees, it will be a heavy relief aside from exhilaration. If he does not, sorry, I do not want to think about that…

Aaron "MVP" Judge / Photo Credit: Corey Sipkin, NY Post

Hal, please PAY THE MAN.

Despite pleas from fans, Isiah Kiner-Falefa is the 2022 New York Yankees shortstop. For better or for worse. It is apparent the Yankees made their bed with IKF and have no plans to promote shortstop prospect Oswald Peraza or utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera. I find it hard to believe the Yankees have chosen not to promote Peraza because it would start his service time clock, but they obviously have their reasons for believing Peraza is not ready for the Major Leagues. Whether I think he should be promoted or not is irrelevant. The Yankees know better than we do.  Outwardly, it might not make sense, but I will give the team the benefit of doubt on this one. As for 2023, regardless of what happens this season, IKF should be in a utility role at best, not the team’s starting shortstop. He is one and done in the position once held by the great Derek Jeter.

On a side note, the ugly social media posts directed at IKF’s family are disgusting and unacceptable. While I may not be enthralled with his play on the field, IKF is a human with feelings and a good guy. He is trying his best to help the Yankees win. I do not wish ill will on any player, regardless of the jersey he wears. Separate the man from the player and keep it on the field, fans. We can do better. We must do better.

Here’s hoping for a quick recovery by Matt Carpenter who fractured his foot in Seattle. I hope a possible September return proves to be the realistic outcome. Carp has been such a terrific inspiration in 2022 and I hope there is more to his Cinderella story in October.

Matt Carpenter & Aaron Boone / Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Lastly, I was shocked to hear about the suspension of Fernando Tatis, Jr by Major League Baseball for using a banned substance. Tatis, Jr, one of the game’s young greats, had yet to play in 2022 due to an off-season motorcycle accident, and the 80-game suspension ensures that his 2023 appearance will be delayed.  Tatis is claiming he inadvertently took the performance-enhancing substance (Clostebol) while taking medication to treat ringworm but has dropped his appeal and has begun to serve the suspension without pay.

For as negatively as the trade deadline ended for the Yankees with the trade of Jordan Montgomery, the San Diego Padres were widely hailed as the Deadline champions for their acquisitions of Juan Soto, Josh Hader, and Brandon Drury. Yet, they were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a subsequent series, and the Dodgers have simply decided never to lose again.  The Dodgers have won eleven consecutive games and lead the Padres by sixteen games in the NL West.  So, if it was not bad enough for the Padres, they lose one of their great young players for their Wild Card pursuit.

Tatis will miss the first 33 games of the 2023 season although the number could be reduced by the number of games the Padres play in the 2022 postseason. Mike Clevinger summed up the team’s feelings with his post-game comments last night, “You hope he grows up and learns from this and learns that it’s about more than just him right now.” True, I hope Tatis learns from this, and he can be the player he was meant to be. A sad day for baseball.

As always, Go Yankees!

Matty Moustache Goes Yard...

 

Matt Carpenter

Former Card rejuvenated in New York…

Matt Carpenter, thought to be on the fast track to retirement in his final years with the St Louis Cardinals, has been a brilliant discovery by GM Brian Cashman and his horde of analytical gurus. “Carpenstache,” as Daniel Burch of The Greedy Pinstripes likes to call him, has hit more home runs for the Yankees in 2022 than he did the past two seasons combined for the Cardinals.

In his final season with St Louis, his batting line was a dreadful .169/.305/.275, with .269 wOBA and 70 wRC+. His fWAR was -0.3. He appeared in 130 games, limited to only 249 plate appearances. His Cardinals career ended last November when the team declined his option, making Carpenter a free agent. Reading some comments made by Cardinal fans at the time of his departure, these words seemed to sum up the thoughts of many: “It is pathetic that he didn’t retire after last season and offered to work with younger players for the ridiculous money he was paid. Can’t imagine anyone picking him up for 2022.”

Well, a team did pick him up. The Texas Rangers signed Carpenter, now 36 years old, to a minor league contract on March 20^th. He did not make the Rangers’ Opening Day lineup and was languishing in Triple-A Round Rock, Texas when the Rangers released him on May 19^th. A week later, the Yankees surprisingly signed him to a Major League contract, and we know the rest of the story.

We should be under no illusion that Matt Carpenter is an everyday player. At this stage of his career, he is not. Give him three games a week, and he can show the player he used to be. As the Toby Keith song goes, “I ain’t as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was.” It is hard to believe, even now, that Carpenter’s production is sustainable. In twenty-four games (70 plate appearances), Carpenter has nine home runs and has driven in twenty runs. His batting line is .305/.406/.814, with .499 wOBA and 236 wRC+. His fWAR is +1.3. We should enjoy the ride. For Carpenter, it is no doubt his ride into the sunset. We hope he takes a Yankees World Series championship with him.

Carpenter was born in Galveston, Texas, and attended Elkins High School in Missouri City, Texas where his father, Rick, was a baseball coach. His high school teammates included former Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman James Loney. Interesting that Carpenter’s path, in college, crossed with former Minnesota Twins star Torii Hunter. Hunter is known to have had a huge influence on Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks during their time together in Minnesota. During his junior year at Texas Christian University, Carpenter was rehabbing in Prosper, Texas where his father was then coaching and met Hunter who had recently moved to Prosper. They met through Torii’s son who was playing high school ball for Rick Carpenter. Hunter invited Carpenter to train with him and even covered his gym membership to make it happen. It was a turning point in Carpenter’s baseball career that led to a College World Series appearance, and he was chosen in the 13^th round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Cardinals.

I am glad Carpenter is a Yankee. However, it should not stop the Yankees from getting reinforcements at the trading deadline. It has been a terrific Cinderella story for Matty Moustache, but the slipper could fall off if he is exposed with too much play. Pick his spots and let him hit. The magic of the 2022 season continues.

It seems highly probable the Yankees will have a new outfielder over the next three weeks. I routinely say it, but I like Joey Gallo. He has a fun personality, and he meshes well with his Yankees teammates. I do not get the demands by fans for his release. While he has not hit in New York, he has value. The Yankees are 61-23 and hold a 15 ½ game lead…that is FIFTEEN AND A HALF games…over the second-place Tampa Bay Rays, last year’s AL East champions. There is no urgency to dismiss Gallo. 

Joey Gallo / Photo Credit: Adam Hunger, AP

I recognize these are his final days. Even if he somehow manages to survive the trading deadline, there is no way the Yankees re-sign him in the off-season. While I like Gallo, I know his spot is the one that must be upgraded. Even if he went on a home run binge over the next week or two, it would not change my mind. I do not feel his bat will play in October when he is facing elite starting pitchers and that is what really matters. So, trade Gallo for what you can get, and seek help elsewhere.

It seems most fans prefer Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs. The cost will be high since he is under control through next season. There is no doubt he would look good at Yankee Stadium. He is only twenty-seven, still improving, and can bat from both sides of the plate. I like Happ. My only concern is the potential cost. If the Yankees included Everson Pereira in a trade for Happ, it would give the Cubs two top Yankees outfield prospects in the past year. The other is Kevin Alcantara who was part of the trade last July that brought first baseman Anthony Rizzo to New York. The Yankees will lose quality prospects in the next few weeks if they intend to strengthen areas of need. Honestly, if it does not involve Anthony Volpe or Jasson Dominguez, no prospect should be off the table depending upon the return. You do not give up an Oswald Peraza for some aging outfielder who might help. For Happ? A difficult decision but one you must consider. I personally see Peraza as the Yankees starting shortstop by September but if he must go, make sure the return is worth it. Championships are forever.

I continue to like Kansas City’s Andrew Benintendi. He may not be the hitter that Happ is, but he will be cheaper since he is an impending free agent. He is an upgrade over Joey Gallo. He showed so much promise with Boston when he first came up (hitting 20 home runs and 90 RBIs in 2017). He was a pesky hitter, and I would like to see what hitting coach Dillon Lawson and his team could do to bring out the best of Benintendi. It seems like if he does not come to New York, he will go to Toronto. I guess we will find out in a few weeks.

David Peralta’s name has been mentioned, but it is hard for me to get excited about the Arizona Diamondback outfielder. I know, he is left-handed, but he is also 34. The age alone is not reason to pass on him and maybe he can help, but I prefer either Happ or Benintendi.

Aaron Judge’s recent soreness that caused him to miss a couple of games makes you think center field should be a priority over left field so that Judge can return to right. Everyone would LOVE Brian Reynolds of the Pittsburgh Pirates. I try to temper any excitement for him because the Pirates, if they move him, will ask for a King’s Ransom…as they should. Reynolds is under team control through the 2025 season and would be a long-term solution for center field. I would be tremendously excited if the Yankees acquired Reynolds, and seriously, no prospect can be off the table for those trade discussions. The realist in me recognizes that Reynolds to the Yankees is a pipedream, but the fan in me salivates over the possibility.

We shall soon see. August 2^nd is approaching rapidly.

How do you spell relief? For the Yankees, the names of Jonathan Loaisiga, Domingo German, Zack Britton, and Richard Rodriguez seem to be the reinforcements looming on the horizon. It seems less likely the Yankees will pursue outside help. Given their ability to uncover Clay Holmes, there is part of me that wants them to capture the next Clay Holmes.

Richard Rodriguez

Unfortunately, there are only so many spots on a 40-man roster. Counts fingers, yes, forty spots. If the Yankees can upgrade the outfield and bring in a potential starter to help reinforce the rotation, I think the Yankees can maintain a dominant bullpen with the guys they have. It is easy to say the Yankees have Clarke Schmidt and JP Sears as rotation support, but the recent wobbles of Nasty Nestor Cortes, Jr and Jameson Taillon show more might be needed. Luis Severino has been a stud, but he has not pitched much the last few years. At some point, it might make more sense to move him back into the bullpen for the rest of the year depending upon where he is with his season total innings-pitched count.

Luis Castillo always seems to be the pitcher most routinely connected to the Yankees. I am fearful of the cost, especially if the Yankees pay high for an outfielder. I keep hearing that the Reds want Anthony Volpe and that is not a trade I would make. There are other pitchers who might help as much as Castillo could, so I trust Team Cashman to find the right arm.

The budding Yankees All-Star Tree. After Aaron Judge captured the most ballot votes which ensured his placement as a starter in the 2022 All-Star Game, he was joined by newly selected outfield starter Giancarlo Stanton who beat out Toronto’s George Springer. Congratulations to Giancarlo! He gets a hometown trip to Los Angeles and will play in front of family and friends at Dodger Stadium later this month. 

All-Star Giancarlo Stanton

They will be joined in the AL Outfield by Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels (queue the Angels jokes).

The Yankees will get more All-Stars when the pitchers are announced. If Clay Holmes does not get selected, it will be the biggest snub I have seen in my years of following Major League Baseball. He is the most dominant reliever in MLB today. I felt stronger about Nasty Nestor’s selection a few weeks ago so if he does not make it, I will understand. Gerrit Cole should get a chance to visit his sunny Southern California home turf. Michael King is another worthy candidate, but setup men generally do not get the love.

Lastly, a hat tip to Yankees manager Aaron Boone. After last season, so many Yankee fans were ready for a managerial switch and there was sadness in the Yankees Universe when the Yankees signed Boone to a new contract. I was critical of Boone and thought the Yankees could do better. Yet here we are on July 9^th, 2022. The Yankees have won sixty-one of their first eight-four games. When does Boonie get credit for the team’s success? I know, he does not hit, he does not field, he does not pitch. Yet, his steady influence and support of his players has been invaluable this season. He has made the right calls. He continues to get better as a manager every year. He is the right man at the right time.

Manager of the Year Aaron Boone / Photo Credit: Mitchell Layton, Getty Images

I was listening to Bret Boone’s podcast this week. His guest was his youngest brother Matt. At the end of the conversation, Bret asked Matt a few rapid-fire questions. One was who he thought was the most intelligent among the three Boone brothers. Without hesitation and despite being on Bret’s show, Matt immediately responded with “Aaron!”

I was wrong about Boone last season. I am glad he is manager of the New York Yankees. I supported his choice when he was hired and despite the bumpy road at times, he has persevered to become a true leader of men. I am sure he still has plenty of critics. No one can ever agree it seems. But for me, I am happy, and I love every minute of the 2022 New York Yankees and its contributors.

As always, Go Yankees!

Baseball's Best Team Rolls On...

  

Miguel Andujar & Gleyber Torres / Photo Credit: Julio Aguilar, Getty Images

33 Wins in 46 Games, 6 ½ Game Lead…

It has been quite a week…where do we start?

For starters, the Yankees have a plethora of brilliant ones. Nestor Cortes, Jr has been a godsend, and arguably the best pitcher in the rotation. In the first two games Thursday and Friday against the Rays at the warehouse called Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida, Cortes, and Jameson Taillon each went eight strong innings against last year’s AL East champions, and the only run scored was a runner Cortes left when he tried, unsuccessfully, to pitch into the ninth inning. Both men struck out five Rays. There is no doubt in my mind that these are games the Yankees would have lost last year. It is a testament to the strength and cohesiveness of the 2022 New York Yankees.

When the Yankees win, it is friggin’ FANTASTIC! When they lose, it is the end of the World. Last year’s team gave us too many runs through the valleys. This year, onward and upward! Life is good.

I preface this by saying I wish injury upon no one. However, I am relieved that Aroldis Chapman has been removed, albeit temporarily, from his closer’s role with his placement on the injury list due to Achilles tendinitis. It has allowed the best reliever in the Yankees bullpen, Clay Holmes, to ascend to the throne. I do not know about you, but my confidence at the end of games has improved significantly.

Clay "The Closer" Holmes / Photo Credit: Getty Images

Holmes has pitched in twenty-three games this season, a total of twenty-four and a half innings. He has only given up one run on fifteen hits and has only walked two batters. He is 4-0 and has accumulated six saves and has not blown a save opportunity. He has punched out twenty-six batters and his fWAR is 1.0. I do not need to tell anybody those stats are damn good. Aroldis Chapman is a free agent at the end of the year. The Yankees should not be concerned with Chapman’s ego. It is a foregone conclusion he will not be back. Chapman has pitched a little more than ten fewer innings than Holmes, yet he has walked ten batters to Clay’s two. He has given up thirteen hits, six runs, and two home runs…with three wild pitches. Holmes has not surrendered a home run and has only thrown one wild pitch. Give me ninth inning certainty, give me Clayton Walter Holmes.

As for Chapman, he should join the setup crew when he returns. Choose his spots. If he demands a trade, comply with his wishes. I do not expect Chapman to rediscover gold. He is 34. He was great in his younger days, and maybe he can find new pitches, but not on our dime. It is time to move on. I am more excited about the return of Zack Britton from the Injured List than I am with Chapman. Britton knows a thing or two about being the most dominant closer in the game but even he should not close over Holmes.

Give props where they are due. The Holmes trade, which sent infield prospect Diego Castillo and Hoy Park to the Pittsburgh Pirates last July, ranks as one of the greatest in the Brian Cashman era. I can still remember my first reaction to the trade. “Who?” Cashman’s brilliance won out the day and I am extremely grateful Clay Holmes is a Yankee. Too often in years past, unheralded Pirates would go to Tampa and flourish. Turnabout is fair play. You could put Jameson Taillon on the list of great trades, but he was recognized, when he was still a Pirate, as a potentially great pitcher. His only vice was health. Still, Cashman placed his faith in Gerrit Cole’s buddy, and it has paid off too. So, congratulations Cashman. I have been down on you often, but I recognize you built the 2022 Yankees. Although you chose a different recipe than the one, we, the fans, wanted, the results have far exceeded expectations. Thank you for bringing the fun back to the Bronx.

Josh Donaldson suspended, sick and then hurt. What a week NOT to be Josh Donaldson! For calling Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson ‘Jackie,’ Donald received a one-game suspension. I agree. Something had to be done even if one-game seems light. Although Manager Aaron Boone was supportive of Donaldson, strong words from Aaron Judge brought light to the extremely sensitive issue. Although my initial reaction was the invocation of Jackie’s name was not racist, I have been able to see this in a different light and understand how the word could be viewed as inflammatory regardless of what Anderson may have said in the past.

Donaldson and Anderson will never be best buddies. They did not have the type of relationship that allowed playful words to be exchanged with each other. My bigger concern now is if Donaldson has alienated himself from a few of his current teammates. To Donaldson’s defense, he did issue a public apology to Anderson and the family of Jackie Robinson. Unfortunately, an apology only goes so far. Donaldson is not going to change who he is.

Donaldson was placed on the COVID-19 list earlier in the week with symptoms of the virus and has since been placed on the Injured List for shoulder inflammation. Although I appreciate the job Donaldson has done this year, particularly with the glove and the ‘take no shit’ attitude he brings to the team, the time away is probably good. Team chemistry is particularly important to me. I have not been in the Yankees Clubhouse, but you can sense that there is something different and incredibly special about this year’s team. I do not want anything to disrupt it. Hopefully, Donaldson returns to the team with some degree of remorse and can repair any potentially damaged relationships.

Chad Green, I am sorry. It was announced that Green, like Luis Gil before him, will need Tommy John surgery. I have been down on Green, but this is not how I wanted it to end for him. Since he will be a free agent at the end of the year, I wonder if the Yankees will simply move on like they once did with Michael Pineda and Nate Eovaldi. It would be nice to see the Yankees bring him back on a back-loaded two-year contract to help him through the rehabilitation and eventual return (he is expected to be out twelve to eighteen months), but I understand how valuable spots on the forty-man roster can be. Do you protect Green this winter or a young prospect with Clay Holmes or Luis Severino potential? As much as I appreciated the great years Green brought to the Yankees bullpen, it is most likely time for it to end and I am terribly sorry. I hope Green can recover and eventually find the payday that will set him up for the rest of his life.

Chad Green / Photo Credit: AP

Welcome to the Yankees, Matt Carpenter! The longtime St Louis Cardinals infielder is now a Yankee. I get that he has seen his better days. He is thirty-six and has not been great since 2018. The Cardinals chose not to re-sign him last Fall, and he subsequently signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. Last week, after failing to make the Rangers’ major league roster and stuck playing in Triple A, he asked for and received his release. There is hope off-season work he did to revamp his swing will pay dividends. He will never be the All-Star player he once was, but if he can help, great. Given the recent rash of injuries (Donaldson, Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu, etc.), Carpenter has a chance to contribute. In his first two games with the Yankees, he has homered once (last night) and scored three runs. I have no idea what his future holds. When everybody is healthy, he seems to be the odd one out. Marwin Gonzalez has proven his value with his versatility and appears to be the more valuable of the two players. I guess we will just enjoy the ride and see where it takes us. Feel free to swing for the fences (or into the deep corners), Matt. Welcome!

Matt Carpenter / Photo Credit: AP

Welcome back to the Yankees, Manny Banuelos! Manny, after starting the year with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, has finally achieved his dream of making the Yankees roster. Sporting Dellin Betances’ old number (68), he has yet to appear in a game but hopefully he will get his turn. Like Carpenter, I do not know how long Manny’s pinstriped dream will last. It could be short. I hope he makes the most of his latest opportunity. It has been a long, hard road for him, and I will really enjoy it if he finally achieves success. We are far removed from the Killer B’s (Banuelos, Betances, and Andrew Brackman) and Manny no longer holds the promise he once did, but conversely, he has worked extremely hard to get here and has earned this shot.

The Yankees also brought back another former Yankee on a minor league deal when reliever Shane Greene was signed. Greene was traded to Detroit in the 2014 three-team trade that brought shortstop Didi Gregorius to the Yankees from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Greene developed into an All-Star reliever and saved thirty-two games for the Tigers in 2018. Greene was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers to a minor league deal in March and had been pitching for their Triple A club this year. He was called up to the Dodgers on May 15^th, pitched two scoreless innings and was designated for assignment two days later when the Dodgers activated one-time Yankees punching bag David Price. Like with Banuelos, I would like to see Greene find success with his original team. Given the injuries in the bullpen, he may get his chance.

Thanks to JP Sears for his successful spot start this week. It was a quick trip from and back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but with family in attendance, Sears performed brilliantly on Wednesday, May 25^th when he pitched five scoreless innings against the Baltimore Orioles and held them to three hits. It was the second victory of the year for Sears. No doubt we will see Sears again. It was tough losing Luis Gil for the year, but I am glad Sears is making the most of his opportunities. There is confidence with both Sears and Clarke Schmidt as rotation stand-ins.

JP Sears

Lastly but most importantly, my thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims of the horrific shootings in Uvalde, Texas. Every story of the children and two teachers lost are heartbreaking. I am not against guns, but clearly, this country can do so much better with gun control and safety. I get that it is impossible to keep guns out of the hands of professional, cold-blooded killers, but an eighteen-year-old kid should not be permitted to buy an assault-style weapon. I am disappointed that we, as a country, have not learned anything from the tragedies of Columbine, Sandy Hook and now Robb Elementary. Throw partisanship out the window, the solutions and remedies require full and unwavering bipartisan support. We must all come together to stop senseless violence and loss of life.

Photo Credit: Jae C Hong, AP

As always, Go Yankees!

I Guess It Was In The Cards...

Credit:  Elsa/Getty Images

The World certainly looks better when the Yankees are winning.  We have our  own problems but somehow they seem more manageable when the Yankees win.

While it was technically a quality start by definition, Masahiro Tanaka didn’t have his best stuff on Friday night.  He got off to an ominous start when he gave up a two-run first inning home run to Matt Carpenter of the St Louis Cardinals.  Carpenter, by the way, makes a strong point for the Yankees Facial Hair policy as he proves not everyone looks good with a beard.  Fortunately, the Yankees answered Carpenter’s homer very quickly when Starlin Castro, no stranger to the Cards from his days with the Chicago Cubs, launched a two-run bomb of his own to tie the game.  

An Austin Romine solo homer and a run courtesy of a throwing error by Cardinals second baseman Kolton Wong were the only additional runs the Yankees needed to hold off St Louis for their fifth consecutive win.  Tanaka was strong after the shaky first inning until he got into trouble in the seventh.  He finished the game with 6 2/3 innings, five hits, three runs, two walks and five strikeouts to pick up his first win of the year.

The game was in doubt in each of the seventh, eighth and ninth innings as the dynamic trio of Tyler Clippard, Dellin Betances, and Aroldis Chapman succeeded Tanaka.  Clippard, replacing Tanaka with runners at second and third and only one out, got both Wong and Dexter Fowler on fly outs with a great play by Aaron Judge on the latter as it looked like it could have been an extra base hit.  Betances was solid as he recorded all three outs in the eighth by strikeout, but he did have  brief trouble throwing strikes as he nearly walked Matt Carpenter and then did walk the next batter, Stephen Piscotty, on four consecutive balls.  In the ninth inning, Aroldis Chapman, pitching for the third consecutive day, walked Randal Grichuk after easily getting the first two outs of the inning.  The next batter, pinch hitter Jose Martinez, hit a solid double to left, which Brett Gardner got back to the infield quickly keeping Grichuk from scoring.  The Cardinals third base coach initially wanted to send Grichuk but quickly changed his mind when the ball was returned by Gardner so quickly.  That brought Chapman’s former Cubs teammate Dexter Fowler to the plate in a match-up of World Series Champions.  Chapman won the battle as Fowler grounded out to Starlin Castro, and the baseball safely made it to first base before the speedy Fowler did.  

It was an intense game but with Yankees-Cardinals, you wouldn’t expect anything less.

I watched Matt Holliday with great interest as this was the first time he had played against the Cardinals since May 8, 2008 when he was a member of the Colorado Rockies.  For the game, Holliday did nothing as he was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.  I am sure that it was an emotional night for Holliday, being reunited with his former Cardinals teammates.  It would be hard to spend eight years with a team and not have emotional attachments.  Holliday’s last game against the Cardinals in 2008 was a much greater success.  He was 4-for-5, with three runs scored, in Colorado’s 9-3 victory over St Louis.  On that same night (to put into perspective how long it has been), Mike Mussina was beating the Cleveland Indians, 6-3, with a save by Mariano Rivera.  Hopefully, Holliday will have greater success against his former team today and tomorrow.

I know that Greg Bird has struggled with the foot injury and the flu, but I am concerned about his 1-for-23 start.  He hasn’t indicated any signs of the hitter he was during Spring Training.  I had hoped the days of Mark Teixeira and his ice-cold starts were a thing of the past with the new first baseman but so far that’s not been the case.  Hopefully, Bird will get untracked soon and start hitting like we know he can.  I prefer Bird at first over Chris Carter, but if Bird continues on this path, we’ll be seeing more of Carter.  

The Yankees are currently 2nd in the AL East Standings behind the Baltimore Orioles.  The biggest surprise to me isn’t that the Boston Red Sox are in the 4th place with a .500 record (they’ll catch fire sooner rather later), but rather the last place Toronto Blue Jays with only one win on the year (1-9).  I think I heard a stat that no team that has lost 9 of its first 10 games has ever made the playoffs.  The Blue Jays were predicted to battle the Red Sox at the top of the division.  

I have to comment on two incidents that occurred with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens and two of their former tight ends in the last 24 hours.  One was a very heartwarming story (no pun intended) and the other was one of life’s most devastating moments.  In December, former Ravens tight end Konrad Reuland died of a brain aneurysm.  On Friday, it was revealed that the recipient of his heart and kidney was none other than legendary Hall of Famer Rod Carew.  Ironically, Reuland’s age (29) matched Carew’s playing number for the Minnesota Twins.  Also, on Friday, former Ravens tight end Todd Heap accidentally struck and killed his three-year-old daughter while moving his truck in his driveway in Mesa, Arizona.  This was such devastating news to hear and I cannot possibly imagine how Heap will be able to deal with this tragedy.  I am so very saddened by this news, and my thoughts and prayers go out to Heap and his family.  

It’s kind of hard to say ‘have a great day’ after that news, so I’ll only say hug your loved ones and be thankful they are in your life.

Fantasy Baseball: Second Basemen

We looked at the shortstops of your respective fantasy baseball leagues this morning so it seems only fitting to check in with their double-play combo’s here this afternoon. The second baseman. Second base is generally thought of as a defensive-first and offensively anemic position with a few stars, a few sleepers and a slew of guys stuck in the middle. Here are the stars and the sleepers that could potentially help you win your league in 2017.

If I were to rank my Top Five second baseman in the league in order of how I would draft them I would have to start with Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros and follow it up with Trea Turner of the Washington Nationals, Robinson Cano of the Seattle Mariners, Rougned Odor of the Texas Rangers and Brian Dozier of the Minnesota Twins. If I were to expand that list to include my 6^th – 10^th best second basemen in the league I would include Matt Carpenter of the St. Louis Cardinals, Jason Kipnis of the Cleveland Indians (although a recent injury will likely keep him on the disabled list to start the season), Daniel Murphy of the Washington Nationals, Jonathan Villar of the Milwaukee Brewers (who is also eligible at shortstop) and Ian Kinsler of the Detroit Tigers. Sorry Yankees fans, Starlin Castro would not make this list but the “homer” in me would likely make Robert Refsnyder an honorable mention just for the whole shock value and comedic aspect of it all.

If you want a solid player that can play all over the board you may want to look at Ben Zobrist, although he is far from a sleeper or an unknown commodity at this point so good luck, as he is eligible at the position. If you’re looking for a true sleeper though then look no further than Devon Travis of the Toronto Blue Jays. When healthy Travis can hit .300 with plenty of extra-base hits, RBI and runs scored in that deep Toronto lineup. Travis could give you 10-15 home run power, or more depending on how friendly the Rogers Centre is to him in Toronto, along with a ton of stolen bases if healthy. The best part about Travis is that you can get him at the end of your draft in the 16-18^th round or maybe even later depending on the pool of competitors.

If all else fails you can just take a Dee Gordon of the Miami Marlins or a Starlin Castro of the Yankees and fill in the gaps where they lack elsewhere. Castro should still give you 20-home run power and Gordon should get on base and steal bases with Giancarlo Stanton behind him looking to knock him in. It’s not ideal but sometimes you have to simply do the best you can with what you have.

And that’s that. Now go grab you a fantasy baseball second basemen! Good luck!

Fantasy Baseball: Who are the St. Louis Cardinals?

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of those teams you have to either love or hate, there probably isn’t much room for middle ground. It seems like no injury, down season or loss in free agency affects this team and it seems like the Cardinals are always right there in the thick of things in the National League. This is done by building a team around depth, versatility and through a trusted and strong farm system. This is something the New York Yankees have just recently tried to do inside their own organization and this is something that you can use to your advantage while playing Fantasy Baseball if you use your head and a little bit of patience. 

Since it’s Prospects Month here on the blog we won’t be talking about the new arrival of Mike Leake or the return of Adam Wainwright. We will instead focus on their young core of players and/or their prospects that could make a big splash around June or July when the next wave of the future usually comes around. 

Matt Carpenter is a huge fantasy player that still a lot of people don’t know about for whatever reason. Carpenter found a power stroke he hasn’t seen before in his career during the 2015 campaign and should regress a bit. That doesn’t mean he will hit less than 20 home runs this season which could be a great addition to your squad. Same can be said for Kolten Wong and his potential 20 home run and 20 stolen base potential next season. 

Speaking of home runs the Cardinals young outfielder Randal Grichuk can give you 30 home run power in St. Louis with enough at bats next season. The problem is he’s likely to hit around .250 - .260 doing it so he shouldn’t be relied upon there. If you need the home runs and RBI though Grichuk should be an interesting later round pick up. 

Finally we have a long shot but still someone you should keep your eye on for that second half push, Alex Reyes. Reyes will serve a 50 game suspension next season and begin his season in Double-A but he is one of the best, if not the best, minor league pitcher in the minor leagues right now and could be up throwing heat later in the year. Keep an eye out for him as the long summer begins to take its toll on some pitchers as he could be the reinforcements your team needs late for that final push to the postseason. 

There you have it, the young guys and prospects from the St. Louis Cardinals organization that can help you win your fantasy league. If this helps you out then give it a share and help someone else out too, I would just advise against sharing it with people within your own league. Just a thought J

Analyzing the Castro for Warren Swap w/ a Level Head

The New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs hooked up at the Winter Meetings in Nashville for a trade that sent Adam Warren and Brendan Ryan to Chicago for second baseman Starlin Castro. That much we do know but with every trade the fans want to know who “won” the trade. That much we don’t know, at least I don’t think we know it yet. The problem with being a Yankees blogger and a Yankees fan is that the lines between the two get blurred sometimes. My fandom, as I like to call it, for both Warren and the now bench/demoted Robert Refsnyder, was absolutely getting in the way of my level headed thinking when the trade was announced Tuesday night. Now that I’ve had a few days to digest the trade I come back with a level head ready to analyze this trade for you all.

With this trade there are going to be a lot of what if’s and projections used and a lot will be left up to interpretation. That’s what happens when you send one young guy to a team for another young guy. New York didn’t trade Andrew Miller or Brett Gardner here for an established veteran piece, we don’t know what either party will receive in 2016. At best, and this may be just my opinion but many things I have read agree with it, Adam Warren is a #3 starter. At worst Warren is a weapon out of the bullpen that can give the Cubs two or three innings on Monday and save a game for them on Friday. Castro, at best, is one of the best offensive second baseman in all of Major League Baseball and at worst he’s yet another .240 hitter with occasional pop and questionable, at best,  defense.

Is a #3 starter worth one of the best offensive second baseman in the league for four seasons? Absolutely, every day of the week. That’s like sending Michael Pineda to the St. Louis Cardinals for Kolten Wong or Matt Carpenter right now straight up. You make that deal every day of the week. Warren is a free agent before the 2019 season after posting a 7-7 record and 3.29 ERA in 17 starts and 26 relief appearances in 2015. Castro, on the other hand, hit .353 after being benched and moved to second base in Chicago while hitting 10 home runs for the Cubs.

At best Robert Refsnyder could be the best Castro that Castro could be. At worst he could be yet another .240 hitter with occasional pop and questionable, at best, defense. Castro projects to be a much better player than Refsnyder and I get that you’re buying his age 26-29 seasons, also known as most of his prime, but the trade seems redundant in my eyes RIGHT NOW. This move could lead towards other moves, moves including Refsnyder, which improve the team. Guess you’ll just have to stay tuned. Right now though I am still on the fence. I think Cashman got good value out of Warren and Ryan, I think he will end up “winning” this trade, but I don’t see it as the humungous upgrade at second base that everyone else is thinking that it is.