Hey Bartender, Serve Me Up Another Brew...

  

Garrett Mitchell & Teammates / Photo Credit: Morry Gash, AP

First beer fared poorly on the arms of Montas and Holmes…

I am not sure who wants a Wild Card spot more…the Milwaukee Brewers or the New York Yankees? The Yankees blew yet another game. Up by five runs early, starter Frankie Montas continued the latest rendition of Sonny Gray in Pinstripes. Then, the Brewers received a ninth inning gift, the unreliable Clay Holmes on the mound. It was all they needed despite two outs to get the walk-off hit (by a rookie no less) to beat the Yankees, 7-6.

Losses like this are agonizing and they reinforce why I do not carry great confidence in the Yankees in the playoffs. A lockdown closer on the roster seems like such a distant memory. It is a sad statement that Wandy Peralta, who can be a Weeble wobbling at times, seems to be the most effective closer. Where For Art Thou, first-half Holmes? A healthy Aroldis Chapman active on the roster for the first time in weeks, and there is absolutely zero confidence to bring him in late. Not by Aaron Boone, or any of us fans. The Yankees have two weeks to figure this out.

I have felt that Luis Severino would be best served out of the bullpen when he returns from the Injured List later this month but with the ineffectiveness of Montas, Sevy is needed in the rotation to give the Yankees any hope. Hoping the time off has rested Sevy’s arm so that he can take the additional innings without blowing out his arm (I get visions of Billy Martin asking too much out of Matt Keough’s arm many years ago when Billy Ball was in play in Oakland). The concern is obviously the limited number of innings Sevy has pitched over the last several years and the heavier workload this season. Win or lose, Sevy inspires confidence on the mound and that is not something I experience with Montas…or Jameson Taillon for that matter. I am not a big fan of Domingo German, but I have infinitely more trust in him over Montas. I hope it changes but it is what it is.

Frankie "Sonny Gray" Montas / Photo Credit: Morry Gash, AP

With the loss, the Toronto Blue Jays closed the gap in the AL East to five-and-a-half games. While the Yankees (87-57) were stumbling in Brew Town, the Jays (82-63) were beating the Baltimore Orioles, 6-3, at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

It does not get any easier for the Yankees today. Jameson Taillon takes the hill against Brandon Woodruff. Woodruff is 10-4 with 3.39 ERA. His K/9 rate is 10.74 (152 strikeouts in 127 1/3 innings pitched). I know, the Brewers are a good team and there was no way the Yankees were going to sweep this series, particularly on the road. I just hate losses that are wins that get away from us. I hope for better results today. Woodruff has only given up fifteen home runs this year, but everybody has an off day every now and then. Today seems like a good day for him to mix in a disaster. The Yankees can still take two of three, and that would leave me feeling good about the weekend despite the Friday night meltdown.

Oswald Peraza has the best seat in the house to see baseball games. I have no idea why the Yankees refuse to play Peraza in recent days. When Isiah Kiner-Falefa botched the backhanded attempt to scoop the hit by former Ray Willy Adames with runners on the corner, allowing the Brewers to briefly take a one-run lead in the eighth inning, my thought went immediately to Peraza and how he might have performed under similar circumstances. Maybe Aaron Boone has plans to play Peraza today, but it does seem that he will go to great lengths to show he is not going to punish IKF.

Oswald Peraza / Photo Credit: Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images

I firmly believe that IKF is not a starter. I like him as the utility guy since he can hit a little, and he plays a decent third base (perhaps better than he does short). Oswaldo Cabrera, who does get regular playing time, was 2-for-2 last night, with three walks. Plus, he spelled Marwin Gonzalez at first base, a position he has never played before. Let the kids play. There is a reason that Peraza is the second-best prospect in the Yankees organization.  Top prospect Anthony Volpe has two home runs and four RBIs in twelve games for the Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders (.280/.357/.460 and .817 OPS), but the Yankees will not call him up this season, so why not give Peraza a better chance? Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and I firmly believe his floor is IKF’s ceiling. I sound like a broken record when I say it but there a reason the Texas Rangers invested a half-billion dollars in their middle infield to replace IKF. 

The wounded are slowly starting to return. The activation of Aroldis Chapman on Friday was the first of what should be multiple activations over the next week or so. Of course, the question will be at the expense of who? Next up appears to be first baseman Anthony Rizzo who could be activated on Sunday. Harrison Bader, currently on a rehab assignment in Double A, did not play last night, but he was 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs on Thursday night for the Somerset Patriots. He will make a couple more rehab starts and could be activated next week to make his long-anticipated Yankees debut. 

Harrison Bader / Photo Credit: Somerset Patriots

Scott Effross, Zack Britton, and Miguel Castro are three relievers who could be close to rejoining the Yankees to help bolster the pen. I probably have the least confidence in Britton. It has been a long, hard road for him. Healthy, he can be effective, but the question is whether there is enough time to get him ready to play a vital role. I am not so sure. Time is certainly not his friend at this juncture. The return of Effross alone will be invaluable.  There is an outside chance that Stephen Ridings could work his way into the bullpen before season’s end, but it would probably take an injury to someone else to make it happen.

DJ LeMahieu is beginning baseball activities again after time off for the inflamed toe so his return could be right around the corner. The Yankees need to make sure he is 100% since his offensive production disappeared with the toe injury. As anxious as I am to get Le Machine back, I want to ensure that we have the best version of him. 

Hopefully the Yankees do not lose Jose Trevino. He left Friday night’s game after taking a foul ball on his right knee. It is unclear if the right knee contusion will cause him to miss significant time. I am sure Ben Rortvedt is keeping his phone close while he waits in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Hopefully Trevi is doing better today and only misses a game or two. Barring any roster moves, Kyle Higashioka should be the starting catcher today, backed by IKF. Hey that’s a great reason to start Peraza at shortstop today. IKF is needed for catching duties!

The magic number is… It is hard for me to even look at magic numbers when there is still doubt about the division race. It sucks in a season that started so tremendously for the Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros have already secured playoff spots while the Yankees continue to fight for one. The Yankees have eighteen games left. The magic number to win the AL East is 13 while a Wild Card berth is 8.  No doubt the Blue Jays are salivating at the thought of hosting the Yankees for three games at Rogers Centre on September 26^th through 28^th. I guess we do not have to worry about whether Andrew Benintendi has been vaccinated.

Ex-Yankee to make Major League debut. I realize that Adam Ottavino did not work out for the Yankees, but the decision to trade him to the Boston Red Sox never made sense to me, particularly since the Yankees had to ship pitching prospect Frank German in the deal to get the Sox to pay the money left on Ottavino’s contract. While Otto pitches in Queens now, Frank German is set to make his Major League debut for the Red Sox. He was promoted today at the expense of backup catcher Kevin Plawecki who was designated for assignment. I liked German and I was disappointed when I heard his name included in the Ottavino trade.  German should thrive in the Boston bullpen. He will be able to share Yankees stories with Garrett Whitlock, Kaleb Ort, and Nathan Eovaldi. 

Frank German / Photo Credit: Katie Morrison, MassLive

Congratulations and good luck to Frank…except for four games next week. 

As always, Go Yankees!

Garrett (don't call me Gary) Cooper in a Webb of Intrigue...

Mini Cooper he is not...

The Yankees have made their first trade of July 2017 with the acquisition of Garrett Cooper, a first baseman for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, the Triple A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.  When I first heard that the Yankees had traded lefty reliever Tyler Webb to Milwaukee to acquire Cooper, I admit that I was skeptical.  I have not been following the Brewers farm system nor did I watch this week's Triple A All-Star Game.  If I had, I would have realized that the Yankees have acquired a promising first baseman which happens to be a great need.  

Cooper was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week for the week ending July 9th.  He was also the starting first baseman for the PCL in the Triple A All-Star Game yesterday.  He has steadily progressed through the ranks.  He was taken in the 6th round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Brewers, and is considered a "late bloomer" in the midst of a breakout year.  Cooper is currently hitting .366 with 17 HR and 82 RBI in 75 games for the Sky Sox.  There's not much doubt he'll soon be the latest Baby Bomber in Pinstripes even if he has never played a game for the organization.  He's 26 and is a "big boy" (6'6", 230 lbs).  He has benefited from the altitude of Colorado Springs and playing in a hitters' league but why not roll the dice.  

After watching the Chicago Cubs send their top prospect, outfielder Eloy Jimenez, the #5 prospect in the MLB according to Baseball America's midseason update, and other prospects to the Chicago White Sox for starting pitcher Jose Quintana, it's clear that the cost of pitching is astronomical (as if we didn't know that already).  There's no way I would have signed off on a deal to send Gleyber Torres or even Clint Frazier to the White Sox for Quintana.  Let the Cubs fork over the farm.  This reinforces that the Yankees should stay the course and continue to build for the next few years and avoid the "quick fix" for the Wild Card.  So, I am okay with the under-the-radar moves that do not cost high-ranking prospects.  

I hated to see Webb go as I've liked the pitcher and I was excited that he finally had his opportunity at the big league level.  I felt that he performed well in his few appearances for the Yankees.  He obviously was not one of Joe Girardi's "go to" guys in the pen but he played a valuable support role.  I guess all things considered, this was a modest cost for a guy who has torn apart Triple A pitching.  How that translates to the Major Leagues only time will tell.  But if my name was Ji-Man Choi, I'd probably be packing my bags.  Yanks will want to see how Cooper performs in the International League before making his MLB debut but the guy with the similar name to the actor who played Lou Gehrig in The Pride of the Yankees is on his way.  If he fields his position, knocks in a few runs, and doesn't kill rallies by hitting into double plays, he'll be better than anything we've seen yet at first base.  

Cooper has been assigned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  

Welcome to the Yankees, Garrett!

Solution: 15 K’s & Red Thunder…

Credit:  Al Bello-Getty Images

Yankees 5, Brewers 3…

Finally!  A fun and dramatic game.  Clint Frazier was the man of the hour with three hits.  The first hit broke up a no-hitter by Milwaukee starter Brent Suter in the fifth inning.  The second hit brought the Yankees within a run when the ball landed on top of the Stub Hub sign in left for a triple to score two runs.  The third hit was a game-winning walk-off home run to left as the Yankees overcame the Brewers on Saturday afternoon.  

The first inning didn’t get started on the right foot.  After Eric Thames looped a double to right field, Travis Shaw was awarded first base in a controversial “hit by pitch”.  The umpire didn’t react until Shaw said something which caused the ump to send Shaw to first base, drawing the ire of Manager Joe Girardi.  Girardi could be overheard saying “He called it, you didn’t call it”.  The TV replays, to me, were inconclusive.  If the ball hit Shaw, it was fabric only but even then, the jersey didn’t move as the ball passed through to the catcher’s mitt.  

Credit:  Julio Cortez-AP

Domingo Santana followed with a fly ball just over the right field wall which gave the Brewers an early 3-0 lead.  

Credit:  Getty Images

For the Brewers, it would be the end of their offensive show for the day.  Luis Severino made the necessary adjustments (I hope you were watching, Michael Pineda!) and shut the Brewers down for the next six innings.  By the time he departed, he had pitched 7 innings, allowing 6 hits and the 3 runs allowed via the first inning home run.  He walked two, both in the 6th inning, while striking out 10.  It was a no-decision for him but the Yankees do not win this game without Severino’s performance.

Credit:  Julio Cortez-AP

The Yankees had a scoring opportunity in the 2nd inning when Didi Gregorius lofted a fly ball to center.  Four Brewers converged at the same time and the ball fell between them for an error on Brewers shortstop Orlando Arcia.  But the Yankees were subsequently caught with awful base-running. Chase Headley hit a come-backer to the pitcher and the Brewers had Didi caught between second and third.  Didi didn’t try to extend the rundown and the Brewers were able to tag Didi out and nail Headley off first base for the double play.  If Didi had tried to evade the tag, it would have given Headley the time to get back to first.

The Yankee bats were silent until the fifth inning when Clint Frazier finally collected the Yankees’ first hit off Brent Suter, a two-out single to right.  The Yankees weren’t able to do anything with it but it was a start.

After Luis Severino struck out Eric Thames with a runner in scoring position to end the top of the 7th, the Yankees finally got some runs on the board.  Chase Headley hit a one-out ground rule double to center.  Jacoby Ellsbury singled to move Headley to third.  A failed pick-off attempt at first allowed Headley to score while Ellsbury moved to third.  Clint Frazier hit a fly ball that momentarily looked to be a home run but it bounced off the lower part of the left field wall for a triple which scored Ellsbury.  The Yankees had closed the gap to 3-2.  Ji-Man Choi, pinch hitting for Austin Romine, and Ronald Torreyes were unable to bring Frazier home.

Onto the 8th inning and it was time for the Yankees bullpen which has been an Achilles Heel in recent days.  Dellin Betances took the mound in relief of Severino.  It was a ‘hold your breath’ moment until Betances proved to be the All-Star that he is, allowing everyone to exhale.  He induced Ryan Braun to ground out and then struck out both Travis Shaw and Domingo Santana.  Whew...Welcome back, Dellin!

Credit:  Corey Sipkin-New York Post

The Yankees were unable to generate any offense in the bottom of the 8th.  Moving to the top of the 9th, Aroldis Chapman replaced Betances.  Chapman has struggled with his command in recent games, but not yesterday. Three strikeouts later, it was off the bottom of the 9th with the Yankees still trailing by one run.  The Brewers brought in their strong closer, Corey Knebel, who has been a very pleasant surprise for the Brewers this year.  Knebel has struck out 72 batters in 41 innings while saving 13 games for Milwaukee.  He came into the game having only allowed 5 runs in 41 games.  The only knock against him is a tendency to walk too many batters. The weakness appeared right away as Didi Gregorius walked to open the inning on four straight balls.  Chase Headley went down swinging but Jacoby Ellsbury, like Didi, also walked on four straight balls as Knebel continued to struggle with his control.  So, the Yankees had runners at first and second with one-out when Red Thunder strolled to the plate.  After a ball in the dirt, Knebel grooved a 97 mph four-seam fastball down the middle.  With his blazing bat speed, Frazier quickly blasted a shot into the left field stands for the game-winning three-run home run as the Yankees won the game, 5-3.  

Credit:  Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Aroldis Chapman (2-0) was the winner.  The Yankees (45-40) were able to pick up a game on the Boston Red Sox so they are 3.5 games out in the AL East.  The Tampa Bay Rays remain a game behind the Yankees, courtesy of their 1-0 victory over the Red Sox.  

Credit:  Julio Cortez-AP

The Yankees conclude the first half today when Masahiro Tanaka (7-7, 5.25 ERA) takes the mound against Milwaukee’s Jimmy Nelson (7-4, 3.20 ERA).  Hopefully, yesterday’s dramatic win and stellar bullpen work provide the momentum for a new surge by the home team.

Odds & Ends…

The rumor mill is certainly heating up.  Within the last 24 hours, it has been reported the Yankees have heavy interest in first baseman Justin Bour of the Miami Marlins and reliever Brad Hand of the San Diego Padres.  I am always a little suspect of the trade rumors you openly hear about as GM Brian Cashman generally plays his cards close to the vest.  The more likely trades are the ones that you never hear about in advance. I would love to have Hand in the bullpen but the issue is cost.  I’d hate to lose Chance Adams or Miguel Andujar (a couple of the names that have been mentioned). There would be a bit of irony with the Marlins (which includes Manager Don Mattingly) sending Bour to New York to be the Yankees first baseman.  Bour hit his 20th homer of the year yesterday in Miami’s 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants.  There’s no doubt he’d be an upgrade over Ji-Man Choi. 

Credit:  Ben Margot-AP

The YES Network’s Michael Kay mentioned an interesting stat during the telecast.  Yesterday was the 17-year anniversary of the Yankees’ double-header sweep over the New York Mets which featured games at both home parks.  Dwight Gooden and Roger Clemens were the winning pitchers in the subway double-header.  It’s hard to believe that it has been 17 years as I can clearly remember that day well.  It was a preview of the memorable Fall Classic that would pit the two teams against each other.

Matt Holliday was 2-for-4, both singles, with two runs scored in his rehab assignment for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.  The RailRiders won the game, 8-1, over the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.  Jake Cave was 3-for-3 with 2 HR’s and 5 RBI’s.  Miguel Andujar also chipped in a home run.

Have a great Sunday!  I am looking forward to more Red Thunder! But, please, no Tyler Clippard. Let’s Go Yankees!

Warning: Highly Flammable...

Credit:  Kathy Willens-AP

Brewers 9, Yankees 4…

In a game that should have been about young Aaron Judge shattering a mark long held by the great Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio, Tyler Clippard  torched a chance at yet another win as the Yankees fell to the Milwaukee Brewers.

We have gone from hoping the starters can successfully get the game to the bullpen to “OMG Joe, don’t take ‘the starter’ (insert name) out!”.  

But first, Aaron Judge.  With his 30th home run of the season, Judge broke the Yankees season record for most home runs by a rookie which has been held by Joe DiMaggio since 1936.  The homer, a shot to center off Brewers reliever Josh Hader, traveled 432 feet.  Judge has reached base in 37 consecutive games that he started, the only blemish being a recent unsuccessful pinch hit appearance.  He is also only one of three Yankees to ever have 30 home runs by the All-Star Break (joining Roger Maris who had 33 in his historic 1961 season and Alex Rodriguez who had 30 in 2007).  

Credit:  Mike Stobe-Getty Images

As for the game, it was a bend and mostly not break performance for Jordan Montgomery.  He worked out of a potential run scoring opportunity for the Brewers when they had two on with no outs in the second inning and got out of the inning by striking out Keon Broxton with a runner at third.  

With one out in the bottom of the second inning, Didi Gregorius lined a sharp fly ball to right but right fielder Domingo Santana made a slight turn in the wrong direction that caused him to miss Didi’s ball as it glanced off his glove for an error.  Didi ended up at third on the play.  Clint Frazier followed with a sacrifice fly and it was 1-0 Yankees.

The Brewers finally got to Montgomery in the 4th inning when Ryan Braun opened with a double and Jesus Aguilar homered to right as the Brewers took the 2-1 lead.  The Yankees came right back in the bottom of the inning when Didi Gregorius reached first base on another fielding error and Ji-Man Choi, providing something that we have rarely seen from the team’s first basemen…production, homered in the rain to right.  “Track, Wall, See Ya!” courtesy of Michael Kay. The Yankees had re-taken the lead with the second deck towering blast, 3-2.  

The rain started coming down in buckets and the game moved into a delay.  When play resumed in the top of the 5th, Montgomery got into trouble again when Orlando Arcia and Jonathan Villar hit consecutive one-out singles.  I am sure the rain delay factored into his performance.  Tyler Webb was brought in to replace Monty and he induced Domingo Santana to hit into an inning-ending double play.  For the game, Monty went 4 1/3 innings, giving up 7 hits and the two-run homer.  He didn’t walk anyone and struck out 4 in the eventual no-decision.  In the bottom of the inning, Judge led off with his historic home run.  4-2, Yankees.

Webb was back out on the mound in the top of the 6th.  He walked Ryan Braun on a 3-2 count and former Red Sock Travis Shaw followed with a double to push Braun to third.  Then, in a move that brought a groan from me, Manager Joe Girardi pulled Webb and brought in the flammable Tyler Clippard.  A wild pitch allowed Braun to score and Shaw to move to third.  Jesus Aguilar lofted a fly to center that scored Shaw and the game was tied.  

The Yankees were unable to do anything in the bottom of the 6th as Josh Hader and the Brewers struck out the side.  

With another groan when I saw Clippard back out on the mound for the 7th, any optimism I had was quickly evaporating.  With one out, Clippard walked Jonathan Villar and Domingo Santana.  A fly out by Ryan Braun moved the runners to second and third.  Clippard issued an intentional pass to Travis Shaw and the bases were loaded for the only reliever who is worse than Dellin Betances right now.  Jesus Aguilar, loving every minute of Yankee Stadium, took advantage of the opportunity and destroyed the Clippard offering for a grand slam with a blast to center (his second homer of the night).  I know that Girardi was trying to avoid using Chad Green or Adam Warren, but Clippard should have never been the guy on the mound at that point in the game.  When I fire up the grill, I don’t use lighter fluid, I just throw pics of Clippard on the charcoal and flames erupt.

Girardi pulled Clippard at that point, but his replacement, Chasen Shreve, had the Clippard-Betances Syndrome and gave up another run with the first two men he faced.  A double by Hernan Perez and a single by Manny Pina (who?) which scored Perez.  The Brewers had the 9-4 lead and coasted to the four-hit victory.  Clippard (1-5) took the loss with his fifth blown game.  

The Yankees (44-40) are on the fast track for third place in the AL East.  The Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 8-3, to pad their lead by 4.5 games.  But even with the loss, the Rays are just a game behind the Yankees.

Brett Gardner had four walks in the game but wasn’t able to do anything with the free passes.  He was caught stealing third in the 3rd inning.  Clint Frazier, in addition to the sac fly RBI, had a triple in the 8th with one out, but was left stranded.

I remember back in the good old days when the Yankees bullpen meant a complete shutdown of the opposition’s offense.  I miss those days...  

Credit:  MLB.com

Odds & Ends…

When an “unnamed Yankees insider” speaks, it always sounds exactly like the words are coming out of the mouth of Yankees Idiot...sorry I mean...President, Randy Levine.  The “insider” told The New York Daily News, speaking about Greg Bird, that “You have to wonder what’s with this guy.  You’d think with Judge and Sanchez, the guys he came up through the system with, doing so well up here, he’d want to be part of this.  Apparently not.”  I may be frustrated that Bird  has been unable to get back on the field with his ankle injury but I do not blame the player.  If he feels that he is not 100% and would be a liability on the field, I will not fault him for trying to find pain relief and good health before he returns.  Bird responded “I want to play.  I’ve always wanted to play since I can remember.  I love baseball.  For me, I’m doing everything I can to come back.  I love it and I want to be playing with these guys.  I would hope people see it”.  I see it and wish that Levine would shut the h*ll up…

Bird will consult with Dr Martin O’Malley, a foot and ankle surgeon, on Monday.  So, we should have clarity on whether or not he’s lost for the season soon.  This is shaping up to be two consecutive lost years for the young slugger. 

Credit:  Seth Wenig-AP

Matt Holliday and Starlin Castro are now expected to rejoin the Yankees when they open the second half next week in Boston.  Holliday is going to start a rehab assignment today.  Castro bowed out of the All-Star Game and in a move that was a little bittersweet (for me) to take, Robinson Cano of the Seattle Mariners was named as his replacement.  Nothing against Cano as I still think he’s a good player, but it’s a reminder of the sting I felt when he left in free agency.  

In a surprise move today, the Yankees have optioned Jordan Montgomery and Luis Cessa to Triple-A and have recalled relievers Ben Heller and Jonathan Holder.  I can only assume that the moves were made to strengthen the Yankees bullpen in light of Clippard's meltdown.  Montgomery will be back after the All-Star break.

Have a great Saturday!  A new day and a new opportunity to win a game.  Let’s Go Yankees!