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| Photo Credit: Mary Altaffer, AP |
A win is a win is a win…
First and foremost, prayers to those who were shot last night outside of Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. during a game between the Nationals and the San Diego Padres. Three people were injured in the gunfire exchange between two cars, but thankfully no deaths. The number of shootings in the United States this year is incredibly disturbing and quite sad. Last night’s incident, at an intersection outside of the Third Base Gate of the stadium, had the potential to be much worse than it was. Play was suspended with the Padres leading 8-4 in the sixth inning. The game will be completed later today.
As for the Yankees, they finally found a way to beat the Boston Red Sox for the first time this year. In the rain-shortened game called after six innings due to rain with the Yankees leading 3-1, we should be thankful play was unable to resume, potentially bringing Aroldis Chapman into the game. I know, he pitched better on Friday night, but still, Yankee relievers in the ninth inning have not been fun to watch for the last couple of weeks. Perhaps they have turned the corner, and the talent will re-emerge to restore its usual dominance. Nevertheless, I will gladly take the win any way it is delivered (within ethical boundaries, of course). If the Yankees were 7-1 against Boston this year instead of the other way around, the AL East standings would look so much differently (and much, much better).
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| Photo Credit: Mary Altaffer, AP |
I feel very badly for outfielder Tim Locastro. When he made the leaping catch in left field against the wall padding, the injury did not appear so badly at first. Obviously, reaching for your knee is never a good sign, but Locastro stayed in left to finish the inning. He even ran back to the dugout after the inning was over, but he never came back out, replaced by Tyler Wade in the second inning. After the game, it was disclosed Locastro had suffered a season-ending torn ACL. Even though he does not have much of a hit tool, Locastro’s speed had brought a nice dimension to the Yankees lineup. I always love to see native New Yorkers do well in Pinstripes. It is unfortunate but it was probably Locastro’s final moment in Pinstripes. I guess there is a chance the Yankees keep him for 2022, but I am expecting more roster activity this off-season for deconstruct/reconstruct if the team continues to play below expectations. Locastro’s acquisition had appeared, at least to me, to be a temporary solution for the Yankees because of the loss of Aaron Hicks for the season and the declining performance of the aging Brett Gardner, better used in situational spots than extended play. I did not really expect Locastro t be a Yankee in 2022, but now the torn ACL could rob Locastro of his primary weapon…his speed. The deck is clearly stacked against him. I hope for the best and pray that he can resume his MLB career, regardless of whether it is with the Yankees or another team.
Gerrit Cole, fresh off his 129-pitch start/gem, continued his dominance with 11 strikeouts in six innings even if things got a bit dicey in the top of the sixth, in what would prove to be the game’s final inning, when the Sox loaded the bases with two outs. But Cole was able to end Boston’s threat by striking out Christian Vazquez in a heavy downpour.
Nasty Nate, aka Nathan Eovaldi, almost matched Cole with an equally dominating performance as he yielded only two hits and a run, while striking out 7, in five innings. It was tough going early as the Yankees did not get their first hit until the fifth inning against the former Yankee pitcher. Fortunately, the Yankees, unlike the Red Sox, they were able to get into the opponent’s bullpen. The Yankees made it count with consecutive homers by Gary Sanchez and Gleyber Torres in the bottom of the sixth, two outs before the rain delay. The home run by Sanchez was disputed by the Red Sox for fan interference, but it was upheld upon review as the ball landed past the wall despite the fan’s reach. For Gleyber, hopefully the homer in a key opportunity is the start of his rediscovery of power.
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| Photo Credit: Robert Sabo, New York Post |
With the win, the Yankees are still 8 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East, so the team has much work to do to dig out of their hole. They are 4.5 games from the second Wild Card spot, with a few teams ahead of them. I will always pull for the Yankees, but I am trying to maintain perspective. I am not optimistic, but I am hopeful. Throughout the history of Baseball, teams have overcome bigger challenges so anything is possible. For now, it is just to hold the words of former Yank Mariano Duncan close, “We play today, we win today…das it”.
It is great that Hoy Jun Park and Trey Amburgey are on the Yankees roster, but Aaron Boone should play them. I have seen enough of the Rougned Odor Show to know that I would rather see another option while D.J. LeMahieu temporarily handles third base for Gio Urshela. It is hard for me to think of Trey Amburgey as anything more than a Quad-A hitter, but he deserves the opportunity to perform. Like Locastro, I cannot really see Amburgey retaining a spot on the 40-man roster despite his years in the organization. I always love to see a player outperform expectations and it would be nice to see the homegrown Amburgey achieve some success at the big-league level even if he will never be a star.
All seems to be going well for Corey Kluber so it is exciting to think the Yankees could have both Luis Severino and Kluber back within the next two months, with August looming a possibility for Sevy. I am getting excited at the prospect of seeing #40 on the mound again. I know there will be rust, but hopefully he will be the #2 starter as soon as 2022 if all goes well. It has been too long since we last saw Severino and I look forward to his continued journey back to league excellence.
I felt the Yankees could have done better during the recent MLB Draft, but admittedly, I do not follow the minor leagues very closely. While it has been said that first round pick shortstop Trey Sweeney (Eastern Illinois) was a reach, I trust the Yankees for their ability to evaluate players (setting aside the state of the current big-league club, of course). I had expected the Yankees to grab Mississippi RHP Gunnar Hoglund, but the Blue Jays selected him a pick ahead of the Yankees, so we will never know. The MLB Draft, unlike the NFL Draft, has always seemed like a crapshoot. You look back at prior drafts, and the picks are littered with so many names that never made it.
I did like the second pick of pitcher Brendan Beck, 22, a college senior out of Stanford. I knew in 2017 when the Yankees selected Brendan’s brother Tristan in the 29th round, he was not signable. I had kind of hoped the Yankees would somehow convince him to sign, but it was never realistic. Tristan was picked the next year (in the 4th round) by the Atlanta Braves, and is now in the San Francisco Giants organization. Brendan, unlike Tristan, gets the opportunity to pitch for Baseball’s most storied and historic franchise, and I wish him the best for much success. Beck’s signing bonus is $1,050,000; below the slotted bonus of $1,307,000. I hope they can use the extra money to entice the third pick, Hamilton High School (AZ) LHP Brock Selvidge from fulfilling his commitment to LSU.
Although Sweeney has yet to sign, the Yankees have signed 2B Cooper Bowman (4th Rd); Pitcher Robert Ahlstrom (7th Rd); Pitcher Chandler Champlain (9th Rd); and SS Benjamin Cowles (10th Rd). They have also signed a copy of the later picks (C Ben Rice, 12th Rd; and Pitcher Danny Watson, 15th Rd).
I would love to see the Yankees sign the 20th round pick, RHP Sean Hard, but that is just the latest late round pick of a guy headed for college, ala Tristan Beck and Jack Leiter, hoping to create good will for future discussions. Aside from Hard’s obvious talent, his name is right up there with Yankees’ prospect Janson Junk for greatest pitcher names.
As always, Go Yankees!
