The Winning Ways...

 

Trevi for the Win! / Photo Credit: Frank Franklin II, AP

Yankees Juggernaut continues to steamroll the AL...

Well, it was not a kind week for the elite Yankees starting rotation, but the team continues to find ways to win. After last year’s roller coaster season, it is so wonderful to have a team that competes hard every night (Wednesday night’s 8-1 clunker against the Twins excluded). No question this team has the “it” quality and this might be the most joyous season since the historic 1998 championship run. Not saying the team is going to win 114 (or 125) games but the 2022 Yankees can write their own script. To slightly change Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio’s famed quote, “I want to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee fan.”

The Captain

The Yankees are currently 42-16, .724 winning percentage, and lead the AL East by 7 ½ games. They have the best record in baseball and the only team that can join the Yankees with forty wins today is the crosstown Mets.

The Yankees faced a major challenge this week when they traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota to face the recharged Minnesota Twins. After off-season retooling following a season of disappointment, the Twins currently hold first place in the AL Central and will most likely be a team in the October hunt. For the Yankees, it was a warm reunion with former Yanks Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela. Old friendships aside, the Twins were not so hospitable with the Yankee starters. Jameson Taillon gave up nine hits and four runs over four innings on Tuesday night; Nasty Nestor Cortes Jr, the All Star to-be, went 4 1/3 innings, allowed seven hits and four runs, taking the loss in Wednesday night’s disaster; and Gerrit Cole, who gave up three consecutive home runs before recording on out on Thursday night, was the worst, giving up eight hits and seven runs in only 2 1/3 innings. The five home runs he surrendered was a career worst. If a starter deserved to take a loss among these three, it was Cole. Fortunately for him, the Yankees bullpen and the hitters bailed him out as the Yankees clawed back from a four-run deficit to win, 10-7.

Despite the inflation of ERAs among the three starters, the trip to Target Field was successful as the Yankees took two of three. Win every series and life is good. I know the Yankees have owned the Twins for the past twenty years but one of these days the law of averages will turn the tables on the Yankees. I am glad it was not this week and I hope it is not this year.

Aaron Judge / Photo Credit: Jim Mone, AP

Last night, Luis Severino brought order back to the rotation. He struck out ten, yielding only seven hits and limiting the Chicago Cubs to one run in six innings. The game was tied when he left so no decision, but his performance was invaluable, and it set the stage for later team heroics. It took thirteen innings, but the Yankees emerged victorious when Jose Trevino came off the bench, on his son’s fourth birthday, for a run-scoring single in the walk-off 2-1 win over Anthony Rizzo’s old club. There were some brilliant defensive plays along the way that kept the game tied so it was a tremendous all-around team win.

Aarons Judge and Hicks / Photo Credit: Robert Sabo, NY Post

I felt bad for Aaron Judge. He had several key spots taken from him with intentional walks. Sure, walking him was the right thing to do for the opposing manager (former Red Suck David Ross), but as a fan, it was still slightly disappointing to miss a potential "Judgian" moment for arguably the American League’s most valuable player.

Despite the home run on Thursday night, Aaron Hicks at-bats are painful to watch. He may be great defensively behind the plate, but you can put Kyle Higashioka in the same category. I was ready for Manager Aaron Boone to pull Higgy in the ninth inning (to bring in Jose Trevino) when he led off the bottom of the frame. A line out to center only reinforced my opinion that it was a missed opportunity for Boonie.

Clearly the Yankees must do something about Hicks or Joey Gallo. Gallo is starting to hit a little better which probably places the spotlight on Hicks. With Aaron Judge taking most of the starts in center, it seems like the clock is ticking on Hicks and it is only a matter of time until he is just another ex-Yank. Time will tell. I guess we will know if his continued Yankee career is to be or not to be by the anniversary of Thurman Munson’s death.

There was irony before last night’s game when the Chicago Cubs announced they had designated Clint Frazier for assignment. Kind of funny since he had been given a locker in the visitor’s clubhouse, complete with his Cubs jersey. Perhaps Frazier clears waivers and is sent outright to the Iowa Cubs. Or maybe the Cubs should just send him back to Cleveland to see if he can restart his career. I did not really appreciate the ‘cookie cutter’ comments Frazier made this week about the Yankees organization, but it seems that Karma took care of it. 

Clint Frazier, The DFA Man / Photo Credit: AP

The Cubs also announced that another softie, Marcus Stroman, had been placed on the IL so he will miss the return to New York. I am proud to be one of those on Twitter who have been blocked by Stroman. He took offense when I once said that I wanted no part of him on the Yankees. My opinion has not changed.

Former Yankees joining the managerial ranks. The past week saw one former Yankee player and manager fired in Philadelphia (Joe Girardi), but it resulted in the promotion of long-time Yankees coach and recent Phillies bench coach Rob Thomson to serve as Girardi’s interim replacement. Out in Anaheim, CA, or about ten miles from where I am writing this post, Joe Maddon could not survive an extended Angels losing streak after a hot start to the season and was ousted. Former Yankees and current Angels third base coach Phil Nevin will serve as the interim Halos manager. Congratulations to both men. I doubt Nevin manages the team beyond this year, but I am hopeful Thomson wins the audition for permanency as the Phillies manager. You can certainly say that he has paid his dues for this opportunity.

Phillies Manager Rob Thomson / Photo Credit: MLB.com

Bullpen returns. Bryan Hoch reported that Aroldis Chapman is pain free and is scheduled to throw a bullpen today. He will need at least another bullpen session before the team considers activating him or sending him to the minors for rehab. With all honesty, I do not see how Chapman can be reinstated as the Yankees closer. To me, Clay Holmes is the man until he is not. The way he is pitching right now slams the door most nights. The Yankees cannot disrupt a good thing. I know that the end of games has been less painful for me. I am not yearning to see a sweaty pitcher on the mound in the ninth with a loss of control and reduced velocity.

Hoch also reported that Jonathan Loaisiga left the team to deal with a family matter in Nicaragua on June 7^th. Hopefully, all is well for him and his family. It is unclear if he has resumed throwing, but his return seems further away than Chapman.

Zack Britton stays on track for return as early as August. He will be a welcome addition. He is currently doing bullpen work and will go on a minor league rehab assignment sometime in the coming weeks. I wish him the best for a full recovery and successful rehab. Same for Chapman and Loaisiga.

Zack Britton / Photo Credit: CBS Sports

Despite the relievers that will be rejoining the team in the coming weeks and months, I hope GM Brian Cashman can make another one of those sneaky good Clay Holmes type of trades to bring an unheralded reliever oozing with talent ripe for blossoming to New York.

As always, Go Yankees!

 

Twin Near-Perfecto's...

 

Gerrit Cole / Photo Credit: Frank Franklin II, AP

Taillon and Cole take perfection to late innings…

David Wells and David Cone once threw perfect games in back-to-back seasons. Jameson Taillon and Gerrit Cole nearly did it in back-to-back games although both fell in the later innings of their respective runs for perfection.

Thursday, Jameson Taillon was perfect until Los Angeles Angels first baseman Jared Walsh lined a hard shot that bounced off shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s glove for a double in the eighth inning. The game had been scoreless up to that point. Angels’ catcher Kurt Suzuki followed with a single that gave the Angels a 1-0 lead. Fortunately, Taillon held the damage there. Potentially facing the loss despite giving up only two hits and a run, Taillon was bailed when Anthony Rizzo hit a two-run single which put the Yankees ahead by a run in the bottom of the eighth. Clay Holmes made it interesting in the ninth, in Aroldis Chapman fashion, by walking Shohei Ohtani, one out away from victory, and then hitting two consecutive batters, Mike Trout and Jared Walsh, to load the bases. Fortunately, Luis Rengifo grounded out to Isiah Kiner-Falefa to end the game, giving Taillon the win and Holmes the save.

Jameson Taillon / Photo Credit: Robert Sabo, NY Post

Taillon, much like the entire Yankees rotation, has been brilliant this year. Through ten games started, he is 6-1 with a 2.30 ERA. In 58 2/3 innings, he has only given up fifteen runs on forty-eight hits and has struck out forty-four batters while walking only five. His fWAR is currently 1.6. Taillon, 30, will be a free agent at the end of the year. I have not heard any extension talks, but I hope the Yankees bring him back. He has always had excellent potential. It was only the injuries that held him back. I am glad he is a Yankee and I hope he stays beyond this season.

Friday night, Gerrit Cole took his run at perfection. Unlike Taillon, Cole had no problem receiving run support. With two outs in the seventh inning, Detroit’s Jonathan Schoop hit a grounder up the middle which made it past a diving DJ LeMahieu, spoiling Cole’s gem. At that point, the Yankees were ahead of the Tigers, 12-0, so Cole did not have to sweat it out like Taillon did the day before. Manuel Banuelos made his long-awaited appearance for the Yankees in relief, preserving the shutout by holding the Tigers to only one more hit over the final two innings.

Obviously, Cole is expected to be the staff ace. Expectations are high for a man carrying a $324 million contract. After his freezing weather struggles earlier in the season, I would say he is warming up as the weather does. Cole has started eleven games and is 5-1 with 2.78 ERA. He has given up twenty runs on forty-seven hits and fifteen walks over 64 2/3 innings. He has struck out 81 batters and currently carries a 1.9 fWAR.

It was reported that Taillon and Cole are the first teammates to have perfect games through six innings in back-to-back games since the Expansion Era began in 1961. I kept thinking that David Wells probably got drunk the night before his perfect game in 1998. Maybe Taillon and Cole should have gone on a bender this week.

I honestly cannot remember the last time the Yankees were this strong from one to five in the starting rotation. The success of Nasty Nestor Cortes, Jr has eliminated the fanbase’s pleas for starting pitchers like the Reds’ Luis Castillo or A’s Frankie Montas. The guy who entered the season as a fifth starter, with a shaky hold, to highly probable selection for next month’s All-Star team. It has been an incredible success story.

Nasty Nestor Cortes Jr / Photo Credit: MLB.com

I know it is still early. The Yankees have only played fifty-two games which means there are still 110 games to go, but at 37-15, this has felt like a magical season thus far. Please keep it going. I literally have not enjoyed a Yankees season as much as this since 1998. No pressure, guys.

Aaron Judge’s campaign for excessively massive contract extension is going well. He hit his 20^th home run of the young season last night and has driven in forty-two runs. His batting line is .316/.384/.679, with .446 wOBA and 201 wRC+. His fWAR is currently 3.2. Pay the man and name him the new Yankees Captain.

Aaron "Future Billionaire" Judge / Photo Credit: Frank Franklin II, AP

Hopefully the two sides can come together on a new contract. I know the public stance is contract extension talks are on hold until after the season, but I would really like to see the Yankees sign him before he gets the opportunity to visit other organizations, particularly those in his home state of California like the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, or San Diego Padres. I would never count out the Los Angeles Dodgers from entering the chase even if they have an exceptionally good right fielder in Mookie Betts. It would be fantastic to hear news over the All-Star break that the two sides have agreed on a new deal. That would be truly special in an incredibly special year.

Joey Gallo or Aaron Hicks must go. As much as I want to, I will not say that the Yankees must get rid of both Gallo and Hicks, but they do need to eliminate at least one. Both have been dreadful, and I cringe every time I see both in the same lineup and especially when they are consecutive at-bats. Hicks finally got a big hit last night, scoring Isiah Kiner-Falefa, but he soured the moment by getting thrown out at second. Sure, Judge got thrown out similarly later in the game, but with Hicks, it is always something negative. It was hard to get excited about his RBI because it came with a 4-0 lead, and he has failed so miserably in situations when the games are on the line.

I think the Yankees can afford to keep one of the guys around but not both. The writing is on the wall for Hicks. Aaron Judge has played center field for 146 innings so far this season. He is only twelve innings behind his CF total for last year. As much as I would prefer to see Judge in right, I am always relieved when I see Judge’s name in center over Hicks.

I like Joey Gallo and I hate that his transition to New York has not been successful. You can say it should have been evident given his reputation as a high strikeout, low average guy (as they keep saying over and over, a true three-outcome hitter). I was hoping the on-base percentage and his defensive skills would shine through, but it has been too painful to watch. Before Anthony Rizzo came through with the huge bases loaded two-run single to rescue Taillon’s near-perfecto, Gallo struck out immediately preceding Rizzo. It could have been a brilliant moment for him, but instead, it was just another strikeout. So far, this season, he has struck out in 37.6% of his at-bats. His OBP (.282) is the lowest it has been since he was a 22-year-old kid trying to make the Texas Rangers roster in 2016. Gallo is a guy who would thrive in a less pressurized environment (like Kansas City, while thinking about what Andrew Benintendi, and his .399 OBP and 14.4% K ratio, would look like in pinstripes).

Andrew Benintendi

We are probably a month away from any potential deals, but hopefully the clock is ticking for Hicks and Gallo. While the Yankees seek perfection, the sources of imperfection must be purged.

Yankees acquire former AL East outfielder. Okay, it was a low-level trade for a guy headed to Triple A, but I remember when Jake Bauers was a promising, up-and-coming outfielder for the rival Tampa Bay Rays. Originally drafted by the San Diego Padres, he made his Major League debut for the Rays in 2018 and had a walk-off home run off Chasen Shreve to beat the Yankees that year. It felt like he was going to be one of those annoying Rays thorns in our sides, but his career has never managed to take off. He was traded to the Cleveland Indians after the 2018 season in a deal that brought Yandy Diaz to the Rays. The Indians (sorry, the Guardians) traded Bauers to Seattle last summer and he signed a minor league free agent deal with the Cincinnati Reds last December during the lockout. The Reds dealt him to the Yankees yesterday for cash, ala the Gio Urshela trade a few years ago.

Jakes Bauers / Photo Credit: Sam Wasson, Getty Images

Bauers, who was once a highly regarded prospect, makes Joey Gallo and Aaron Hicks look like hit machines. Who knows if the Yankees can find anything in him? More than likely, he will be a failed project that will move on to his next organization if not out of baseball. But if the Yankees’ advanced hitting instruction in the organization can turn Bauers around to be something useful, it will be an incredible accomplishment for them. A left-handed bat is always nice, and Bauers is only twenty-six. I have extremely low expectations for him but do hope he can miraculously find success.

Joe must go. Joe Girardi’s time as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies has ended. The former Yankees manager was fired yesterday by GM Dave Dombrowski, the man most responsible for the team’s struggles in 2022. I feel bad for Joe, but certainly not enough to pine for his return to the Yankees. Been there, done that. I would not mind seeing Girardi get a gig with the YES Network, but it seems more probable that he would go back to the MLB Network to await his next managerial opportunity if he gets one.

"Binder Joe" Girardi

It must be hard for Girardi to see the Yankees having success after the dramatic overhaul of their hitting and pitching instruction and philosophy, while the Phillies threw millions at flawed free agent defensively challenged hitters last off-season and failed to provide legitimate support for Bryce Harper. While you can argue that Girardi is a better manager than Aaron Boone, Boone has been the beneficiary of new and improved vision from the Yankees front office. I have no wish to see Boone ousted unless he woefully underperforms and is out managed in October. Even then, Girardi would not be my first choice for a possible replacement. Yet, I hope Girardi finds a team that looks for his leadership. In the right spot, he can find the October gold again.

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!

The Unsinkable Josh Donaldson...

 

Yasmani Grandal & Josh Donaldson / Photo Credit: Sarah Stier, Getty Images

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but…

Suffice it to say that Tim Anderson will not be inviting Josh Donaldson over for Thanksgiving dinner in November. The bad blood between the two players this season boiled over yesterday after Donaldson called Anderson “Jackie.” The White Sox took the approach it was a racist comment. Donaldson, trying to defend himself, stated it was about Anderson’s 2019 Sports Illustrated story where the White Sox shortstop described himself as “today’s Jackie Robinson.”

The Athletic, via Twitter

I am a Yankees fan, so I am biased toward Donaldson, but I honestly do not believe he is a racist. When I first heard Donaldson’s rebuttal to the allegation, I could see how Donaldson might use Jackie’s name in mocking manner to imply that Anderson was no Jackie Robinson or, the way Donaldson described it, he was just being playful with the reference in jest to Anderson’s prior proclamation. Not saying that is right. I certainly would not have used those words, but Josh Donaldson is his own man. If there were any racial overtones with Donaldson’s words or actions, I strongly believe the Yankees clubhouse would call him out on it and take the necessary disciplinary action through their own means behind closed doors.

For the White Sox, it is easy for them to try to make this worse than it was. They have not been successful against the Yankees this year, and frustrations are rising. The White Sox, beneficiaries of current elite Major League talent derived from having one of the best farm systems in baseball from 2017 to 2020, were projected by many to reach the World Series this season. They are 19-20 entering play today and sit 4.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central. They are 2.5 games out in the Wild Card chase. So far this season, the teams have played five games and the White Sox have only one win to show for it. Over the last three years, the Yankees have won nine of eleven games against the White Sox. They conclude their regular season play today with a double-header, weather-permitting. If both teams make the playoffs, it is possible this feud will be reignited in October when tensions are even higher.

But setting aside my defense of Donaldson, I understand and accept those who say that how words affect the recipient is the key point which must not be lost. Regardless of what we may think, Tim Anderson took exception to Donaldson’s words. It is his right, and only he knows how deeply the words hurt. We cannot speak for Anderson. If Donaldson’s words did hurt Anderson, then MLB or more specifically the Yankees should take the appropriate action against Donaldson and sit him for a few.

One thing is for sure. Josh Donaldson will never back down from a fight. He brings an edge to the team, and whether we agree with his methods, he gives the team toughness it did not previously have. I truly hope in my heart there was no racial motivation or intent. 

More Clay Holmes, less Aroldis Chapman. Holmes, arguably one of the best relievers in baseball among non-closers is quickly becoming a much stronger ninth inning option than Chapman. Anytime Chapman enters a game, you can only hope the Yankees have put enough runs on the board to offset the runs the opponent will score off Chapman. A one-run lead? Give me Holmes over Chapman any day of the week. I know Chapman has not blown a save this year, but every outing feels like a tightrope walk with a few wobbles along the way.

Aroldis Chapman / Photo Credit: EPA

As it stands, Chapman has not pitched since last Tuesday. It is never a good thing when he does not pitch for long stretches. With two games on tap for today, it seems he will be used out of necessity. It may be the best opportunity for the White Sox to take at least one of the games. I have always liked Aroldis Chapman but my confidence in him has waned. I would have no problem if the Yankees moved Chapman at the trading deadline although I am not sure what they could get. Chapman will be a free agent at the end of the year. He is gone. There will be no further reunions.

Jonathan Loaisiga was my choice for closer-in-waiting at the start of the year, but Holmes has re-written the script. He seems likely to be the next closer, perhaps as early as this season. Move Chapman around in other innings, dependent upon the situations. It might reinvigorate Chapman to face other high leverage spots instead of exclusively the critical, tension-filled ninth inning as he transitions away from a once dominant fastball.

Chad Green placed on the Injured List. As frustrated as I was this year with Chad Green, this is not the way I wanted it to go. If the injury, right forearm discomfort, is serious and requires surgery, it is very probable that Green will not wear the Pinstripes again. He will be a free agent at the end of the year, and it was already unlikely the Yankees would extend him given his struggles for the last season and a half. It was great when Green was one of the most dominant relievers in the Yankees bullpen and rated as one of the best relievers in baseball. Sadly, he is no longer that guy. Age happens, and the life cycle of a dominant reliever, unless your name is Mariano Rivera, seems to be noticeably short. Whatever happens with Chad, I wish him the best. If he can get back out on the field this season, I hope that he is able to rediscover the magic. If not, I hope he finds success with his next team.

Chad Green / Photo Credit: Nick Wass, AP

RHP Ron Marinaccio was recalled from Triple A, taking Green’s spot on the roster.

Luis Gil meets Tommy John. Unfortunately, it is not an opportunity to meet the great former Dodgers/Yankees starting pitcher, but rather the misfortune to go under the knife. This, the Tommy John surgery, is not news that any Yankees fan wanted to hear. Gil was removed from a Triple A game on Wednesday against the Worcester Red Sox after turning to face the RailRiders dugout while pointing to his right elbow after throwing a pitch. It has been confirmed that Gil will require surgery. Gil had met with Yankees team physician Christopher Admad in New York City on Friday and presumably received other medical opinions.

Gil made only one start for the big-league club in 2022, when he pitched four innings on May 12^th against the Chicago White Sox. He started, giving up four runs over four innings, and departed with a lead, but the White Sox later tied the game ultimately won by the Yankees, 15-7. Jonathan Loiasiga picked up the win in relief.

Recovery and rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery generally takes at least one year to eighteen months. It can take some athletes up to two years to reach their previous level of ability. It is going to be a long road ahead for Gil, and hopefully he is successful in his journey back to the Major Leagues in either late 2023 or early 2024.

It is a tough break for the Yankees since they lose a starting option. Presumably, Clarke Schmidt becomes the ‘go-to’ if the rotation needs assistance. It would be enticing to consider Michael King, but he has been so hugely valuable in the pen. The dominance of King and Clay Holmes has helped cover for other bullpen flaws.

Roderick Arias will be delayed. It was reported this week that the Yankees’ latest elite international free agent signing may be delayed this season. He ceased baseball activities two weeks ago for an undisclosed injury. Yankees international scouting director Donny Rowland described it as nothing major, just a tweak that is lingering. Hopefully, it is nothing significant, and Arias will be able to make his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League this season. The DSL is scheduled to begin play on June 6^th.

The Yankees signed the 17-year-old Dominican shortstop in January for $4 million.

Minor League free agent signings. Over the last week and a half, the Yankees have signed three players to minor league contracts. On May 13^th, they signed Danny Salazar, once a promising pitcher for Cleveland, who has not pitched in the Major Leagues since 2019. The right-hander is now thirty-two. Who knows if he will be successful in the Yankees organization but I wish him the best of luck in his journey to find his way back. Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake knows a thing or two about Salazar from their days in Cleveland, so perhaps the signing was based on his recommendation.

The Yankees also signed LHP Rafaelin Nivar and RHP Ryan Miller. There are no minor league stats for Nivar, and I was unable to locate any information on him. Miller, 26, is a former Arizona Diamondbacks prospect who was released in 2020. Miller was assigned to the Yankees High-A Affiliate, the Hudson Valley Renegades.

As always, Go Yankees!

The Rise of the Unicorns...

 

Giancarlo Stanton & Aaron Judge / Photo Credit: Nam Y. Huh, AP

Enjoying the Yankees Ride…

For a team that generally starts slowly, the 2022 New York Yankees are different. Of course, I mean it in the best conceivable way. Their 24-8 record through thirty-two games is the first time it has happened since the legendary 1998 championship season. They were matched by only three other teams in franchise history (1928, 1939, and 1958). World Series championships awaited those four teams. Time will tell if the 2022 team joins that achievement, but the season, thus far, has been a tremendously fun ride. Surprisingly, the famed 1927 Murderers’ Row Yankees who won 110 games in a 154-game schedule and swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series only had twenty-one wins after 32 games.

1928 Yankees, 101-53, Swept St Louis Cardinals in the World Series

1939 Yankees, 106-45, Swept Cincinnati Reds in the World Series

1958 Yankees, 92-62, Beat Milwaukee Braves in 7-game World Series

1998 Yankees, 114-48, Swept San Diego Padres in the World Series

It is way too early to talk about the World Series this year. Too many games between now and October. Yet, it is obvious that this team has an exceptional quality, and the team cohesiveness seems to be its strongest since the 2017 Baby Bombers made a deep October push that was thwarted by trash cans.

Leading the charge are Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. When both guys homered in last night’s 10-4 win over the Chicago White Sox, it improved the Yankees’ record to 5-0 in games when both giants go yard. Since Stanton joined the Yankees in 2018, the team is 21-1 in games when both men homer. Putting this season into further legendary status, Judge (12 home runs) and Stanton (10) are the first Yankees duo with double digit home runs after 32 games since Mickey Mantle (16) and Yogi Berra (12) in 1956. The only other time it happened was 1930 when Babe Ruth (14) and Lou Gehrig (10) achieved it. Standing among the Legends…

Stanton & Judge / Photo Credit: Si.com

Yogi Berra & Mickey Mantle / Photo Credit: AP

Lou Gehrig & Babe Ruth / Photo Credit: Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center

In speaking about what it must be like for opposing pitchers to face Judge and Stanton, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, last night’s winner, offered, “It’s brutal. There’s a lot of power. There’s different types of hitters, and Judge and Stanton are obviously kind of unicorns.” His inner dialogue was probably, “I am fuckin’ glad that I don’t have to face them!”

According to Fangraphs, the Yankees lead Major League Baseball with 7.6 fWAR. The closest team is the Houston Astros at 7.0. Comparing the Yankees to their AL East Rivals (courtesy of Fangraphs), I would say it is a clear and distinct advantage Yankees.

 

TEAM	WINS	LOSSES	GB	AVG	OBP	SLG	wOBA	wRC+	fWAR
Yankees	24	8	-	.246	.325	.430	.335	125	7.6
Rays	20	13	4 ½	.236	.305	.381	.306	110	5.6
Jays	17	16	7 ½	.236	.299	.384	.304	99	3.8
Orioles	14	19	10 ½	.233	.308	.352	.299	97	2.9
Red Sox	12	20	12	.231	.287	.346	.283	83	0.7

If the Yankees can get Josh Donaldson and Joey Gallo going (both men homered last night), the offense becomes even more formidable. I love watching away game crowds flood the exit gates early like we have seen the last two games at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

While I felt the Yankees had given Aaron Judge a fair contract offer prior to the season, there is no doubt Judge has let his play put the pressure on the Yankees to raise the ante.

This year’s trade deadline should be fun. Given how much last year’s moves helped the Yankees, it seems a few of the team’s current flaws could be eliminated with the right moves come July. Despite last night’s multi-hit performance and three-game hitting streak, Joey Gallo heads my list of regulars who could be dealt. A frequently rumored outfield target, Andrew Benintendi, defeated the Kansas City Royals in his arbitration case yesterday which increases the likelihood he will be moved. Benintendi, the former Red Sox outfielder, will make $8.5 million (or $1.2 million more than the Royals were offering). He will be a true rental since he will become a free agent following the season.

As Gallo, it is tough. I really like the guy. He plays good defense and has an enjoyable personality. The home runs, when they happen, are beautiful, and the walks are nice, but the strikeouts are too much. Through last night’s game, Gallo has a 37.5% strikeout ratio. It is pretty much his career norm (lifetime percentage is 36.9%) so the Yankees clearly knew what they were getting when they acquired him. Yet, this is his last year with the Yankees. Either they trade him in July or let him walk in the off-season when he reaches free agency. I cannot see an extension on the horizon for him. Gallo could potentially flourish in a less-pressurized environment so I would prefer to get something for him rather than nothing.

The Yankees should include Chad Green in any Gallo deal. I remember when I dreaded it when Chad Green would start a game. The switch to the bullpen was magical for a couple of seasons, but now I get the same dread I used to when Green enters a game in relief. No lead is safe. Zack Britton could possibly return in August, and there will be other guys available later this summer like Domingo German and Stephen Ridings. At some point, there will be no room for Green. He is another guy who could benefit from a change in scenery.

I am not ready to give up on Jonathan Loáisiga. He is too talented, and I am confident he will find his way back to his standout 2021 performance. If the Yankees can get him right, it will be the latest testament to the success of pitching coach Matt Blake and the new superior philosophies developed and implemented by organizational pitching leadership team. The Yankees most likely need a new closer in 2023. Earlier this year, I had thought the natural successor for free agent-to-be Aroldis Chapman would be Loáisiga. Right now, he does not seem to be a viable candidate, but he can change that perception. I hope he does.

Jonathan Loaisiga / Photo Credit: Si.com

Setback for Ben Rortvedt. I feel badly for the young Yankees catcher. When he was dealt to the Yankees with Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa for Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela, he seemed primed for a tremendous opportunity in Pinstripes. The oblique injury delayed his start and forced the Yankees to acquire elite framer Jose Trevino from the Texas Rangers, who has essentially become a Major League block for Rortvedt. Rortvedt finally got into two rehab games for the Single-A Tampa Tarpons, picking up two hits including a home run, but has been sidelined again, this time for a knee injury.

This is shaping up to be a lost year for Rortvedt. Hopefully, the knee issue is not serious, and he can get back to his rehab games soon. If he is healthy and ready, he would be the first call if/when the Yankees need catching help. I really want to see him get to that place so that he can be prepared for his opportunity when it arrives. Get well soon, Ben.

Ben Rortvedt / Photo Credit: Si.com

Robinson Canó finds a new team. When the New York Mets designated Canó for assignment and subsequently released him, it appeared to be the end of the road for the one-time Yank. No way I wanted the Yankees to consider reuniting with the 39-year-old infielder (they did not have the room for him anyway), but I am surprised that a first-place club, the San Diego Padres, rolled the dice. The Padres have been struggling with consistent offense despite sharing the NL West lead with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and they look to Canó for bench support and leadership. I hope it works out for him. This may be his last chance for another World Series championship. The Padres are hoping Canó can provide them what Albert Pujols gave the Dodgers last year.

Robinson Cano / Photo Credit: San Diego Padres

Canó will always be an ultimate ‘what if’ player for me. What if he had stayed with the Yankees and not traveled down the PED highway. What if he had kept up his numbers and performance through natural means. There is no doubt, in my mind, we would be talking about making room for him in Monument Park and pulling #24 out of circulation. I wish him the best in sunny San Diego as he attempts what might be his last opportunity in Major League Baseball.

As always, Go Yankees!