In August of 1990 I left my house for the 39-mile trip to Anaheim Stadium to see a very bad Yankee team take on the Angels, but I never made it. I was driving an orange late 70s model Ford Pinto, and numerous things went wrong. First, I ran out of gas soon after getting off the freeway near the park, but after walking a few miles to and back from a gas station I discovered a deeper problem, the details of which have faded, but on that evening demanded a trip to a service station and some hard-earned cash out of my pocket. While I was walking the hard streets of Anaheim and haggling with a mechanic, the Angels’ Luís Polonia was hitting an inside the park grand slam, if you can believe it. The Yankees would lose 9-5, the fifth of six consecutive games they’d drop on a road trip that was as abysmal as my wanderings that night, and they’d end the season 67-95, buried in last place.
What I’m telling you is that things have been worse.
So even though I was disappointed as I watched the Yankees lose two of three to Colorado and confused by their first two losses in this series, I knew there was no way my son and I could skip the series altogether.
The late afternoon start was a double-edged sword. Ticket demand was low, so I was able to get two seats in the fifth row, midway between first base and the foul pole, without having to sell a kidney; but I knew we’d be baking in the ninety-degree sun for most of the game. It was a tradeoff I was willing to make.
When I took a tour of Fenway Park last spring I bought an MLB Ballpark Passport, a binder with pages for each major league ballpark so you can validate your visits to stadiums around the country by stamping the appropriate page with postage-style cancellation stamps available in every park. It’s fun. What I didn’t know when I bought it was how much I’d enjoy each exchange with the person armed with the stamp. In the Fenway gift shop, the sales woman at the counter was too nervous to do it, so she called over a co-worker; at Dodger Stadium the woman at Guest Relations positively lit up and said, “Oh, I love when people bring these in!” And then we talked for a minute about the parks I’ve been to and which ones I’m hoping to visit next.
In Anaheim last night, it was even better. The gentleman behind the counter was happy to apply the stamp and sign his name next to it, but then he noticed the scorebook I had with me, eyeing it as if it were a relic from the past.
“Hey, look at that! Where’d you get that? Can I take a look at it?”
It was actually a gift from a reader of this site several years ago, and I take it with me to every game, showing my age more than anything else. Why would any normal person spend time tracking information that’s readily available in real time on any smart device? I suppose for the same reason that I wear a tie to work, do crossword puzzles, and call friends on their birthdays.
“Hey, John. Come out and take a look at this! Look what this guy’s got…”
John emerged from a back office and immediately stepped into his role.
“Wow. Where’d you find that? My daughter plays softball, but everybody’s gone digital now. They’re using iPads.”
I half expected someone from Antiques Roadshow to come out and give me an appraisal.
Once we got to our seats, armed with a pretzel and a couple sodas, first pitch was still thirty minutes away and there were a handful of players out on the field. Nearest to us was Giancarlo Stanton, languidly stretching in the sun, then jogging a few gentle strides into the outfield before returning to the foul line to begin it all again. Dozens of fans stood in a crush along the rail, desperately calling for his attention, but Stanton didn’t seem to hear them. This was every single day for him, a superstar getting ready for work.
But then after a few minutes he turned towards the rail and slowly, slowly, slowly walked towards them. The mass of humanity before him surged and roiled, and dozens more fans flooded down from the seats above, each with a ball or a card or a hat or a jersey to be signed. They stood on the plastic seats to get better angles for their photos or to extend their reach into Stanton’s orbit. Two members of stadium security trundled down the steps and one dutifully told everyone not to stand on the seats; when no one heeded he only shrugged his shoulders and watched. Stanton stood in the eye of the storm, neither relishing the attention nor resenting it. We were ten or fifteen feet away, and I’m not sure if he ever spoke, ever smiled, or ever interacted with anyone beyond the exchange of the object to be signed. It didn’t matter, though. A small boy in a Yankees t-shirt emerged from the pile and bounced towards his father, clutching an autographed ball and a story he’ll tell for the rest of his life.
The Angels grabbed a 2-0 lead after Carlos Rodón walked Shohei Ohtani (two days late) and then coughed up a home run to Tyler Ward. There was another walk and a bomb (Luís Rengifo) in the second inning to make it 4-0, and then two more runs from a rally in the third and the Yankees were down 6-0. In the space of thirty minutes, all hope was gone.
As always when the Yankees are playing in this stadium, there were Yankees fans everywhere, especially along the right field line where supporters of the Bronx Bombers traditionally sit after raiding the secondary market to be closer to their heroes. It’s normally the most raucous area of the park, but on this afternoon it was subdued, and not just because of the oppressive heat. Everywhere I looked there were Yankees fans shaking their heads. There was muttering to my left and right. Out on the field it was the same. When a Yankee would strike out to end an inning — there were a preposterous sixteen strikeouts — he’d trudge slowly towards his position, shoulders sagging, head shaking in disbelief. A teammate would arrive with his cap and glove and there might be a pat of encouragement, or there might be more head shaking. They were a somber bunch out on the field, and so were we.
I didn’t notice it during the game, but as Carlos Rodón walked off the field after one of those disastrous innings, he responded to some heckling by blowing a kiss towards some dissatisfied Yankee fans sitting behind the dugout. This might’ve been the worst thing that happened, simply because Rodón has no idea what could be in store for him if he brings that nonsense to the Bronx. After Tommy Kahnle gave up a run in a messy eighth inning, he returned to the dugout and destroyed an electric fan.
No matter how frustrated you are with this team, I guarantee that the players are even more frustrated. On Wednesday afternoon, the weight of it all was showing.
But as I say, it’s fun going out to the park. When Franchy Cordero went deep to lead off the eighth and then the Yankees loaded the bases later in the inning, putting them one swing away from tying the game, the stadium suddenly woke up and it seemed louder than it had been when the Angels were scoring.
It isn’t like Friday night in the Bronx against the Red Sox, but there’s something special about being in a visiting stadium surrounded by so many cheering Yankee fans. It brought me back to a similarly warm afternoon in July of 1994 when Don Mattingly came off the bench in the ninth inning with the Yankees trailing 4-2 and promptly blasted a ball into the seats, sending all of us into a frenzy, or even just last season when we were in the stands to watch Aaron Judge hit his 50th home run.
All of us were poised for something similar, and the “Let’s-Go-Yan-kees” chants were echoing across the stadium, but when Oswaldo Cabrera struck out to strand all three runners, all the air came out of the balloon.
If you’re wondering why things look so bleak for this team, it’s really quite simple. The Yankee hitters struck out sixteen times on Wednesday afternoon and evening, and the Yankee pitchers yielded eleven walks. If you were to feed only those two numbers into the Baseball Probability Machine, I’m sure it would return a win probability of five percent or so.
As we walked out of the park, my son asked how long the flight back to New York would be, and my answer was quick. “About five hours or so, but it’s gonna seem an awful lot longer for them.”
We were home in a blink, though, and even if I’d known ahead of time how it was all going to shake out, I still wouldn’t have missed it.
The players could salvage some pride tonight if they run onto the field and proceed to rip off those odious Starr patches.
Nice write up, Hank.
So the Yankees aren’t quite the draw these days. Maybe the reduced gate receipts will get Hal’s attention.
That first pitch hit the Starr patch.! Everybody fucking hates it.
So that’s why the Royals are so bad.
And the Yankees too.
Franchy!
And there goes the ballgame.
Ok, only mostly dead.
Phew
Gleyber!
Billy on both sides of the ball!
I walk the terrorists for the bottom of the seventh and the Royals add a run?
Just walk him and reset the DP.
Phew, a win.
Good play, Tony ... good call umps.
Kinda seems appropriate that on the day we say goodbye to Anthony Benedetto we say thanks to Anthony Volpe.
In case people missed it ... Trevino is done for the year and Rortvedt has been called up.
Trevino has evidently been playing through injury since Spring Training, which I'm sure has had no contribution to his putrid performance at the plate.
This team, siiiiiiigh.
Yay, afternoon baseball.
Boo, DP from Rizzo.
What the hell happened to him this season?
Hey, the Yankees actually scored a run
Sigh.
Now they'll need at least another ...
[17] I heard that during pre-game. Wonderful.
[23] It's stories like that that make me wonder when they deny that Rizzo is playing through injury, for example.
And there it is.
Two! Two runs, a-ha-ha!
Uhhhh.....why can't that be challenged?
It would have been amusing if the Royals had challenged that fair call ... and won!
Thanks for finally getting there, guys!
LOL.
Ah, fair or foul in the infield is not reviewable.
Why?
Who knows.
Le sigh
C'mon, KC. How about one more key 2 out hit to show the Yankees how it's done.
Gonna need another ... again.
Completely irrelevant and off topic but I saw something on Twitter today that I can't stop thinking about. "Did you know that through today (July 21, 2023) in baseball history, and since 1876 (first year of the National League), there have been a total of 20,441 Major League ballplayers?"
This would make a poorly attended game at Fenway! Carry on....
F.A.I.L!
Pathetic
Le Machine!
DJ!
Time for the vaunted bullpen to shine again.
So ... question time ... *should* we trade Gleyber Torres?
I say yes.
Though we won't.
That'll do, Stanton! Kaboom!
Insurance!
One
Two
Two!
Come on blue
Phew, three
Like pulling teeth, but YAY!
2-0!
Gleyber!!
Frankenstantion RUNS like Frankenstanton.
They might need to bring an oxygen tank into the dugout for Frank.
I approve of all this hitting.
We've got Sevy on the mound ... 4 might not be enough.
Ratso!
Ratso!
Day-um. At least it’s a solo.
That one wasn't
And that isn’t
Phew.
Oopsie!
[54] Told ya 4 wouldn't be enough.
Needed insurance.
Sweep!
8 IS, however, enough.
Hip tightness for Gleyber. So, spring training with this vaunted medical staff.
Verlander? Noooooooooooo!!!!!
I am glad I'll miss the 1st 2 hours of this one. Oi! Go Yankees!
Verlander vs. German. So the Yankees will lose three to negative five.
And it’s on TBS.
And ballgame.
Double ballgame.
7-0. Even I didn't think it would be this embarrassing.
Embarrassing tonight. Particularly some of those soft pop flys that resulted in runs for the Mets. Had thought about going to this game but glad I didn't. I live walking distance to Citi Field and find myself preferring Mets games for the general environment and atmosphere.
Judge might play this weekend.
Now that’s my Yankees, first and third, no outs, no scoring.
Hey, they actually scored!
And a second one.
Wonder why an appeal play is not considered a challenge
Phew, DP
Another RISP hit?
I like Rodon's intensity. The Yankees need more of that.
Police, I’d like to report a robbery.
Higgy is a black hole in the line up.
DJLM should've kept going home.
Bad baserunning by Volpe, getting to third base, when DJ was going to be the 3rd out.
Stanton has really lost his shit. How many more years do we have to suffer?
Yay, a win
Judge back on Friday??? That would be nice.
The Mets dealt our friend Robertson to Miami I would have liked to pick him up. Ohtani is crazy good. Last night he pitched a 9 inning shut out AND hit 2 HRs. Gotta be the greatest game by a player all time!
[89] Oops. Ohtani's super day was over 2 games (double header).
[89] I think we can comfortably say that Ohtani produced the best doubleheader of all time, but yesterday I was reminded of this. In 1971 Rick Wise pitched a no-hitter AND hit two home runs in the same game. That's kind of flukish since no one is confusing Rick Wise with Shohei Ohtani, but still. Pretty amazing.
Willie Calhoun DFA'd. That wasn't the roster move I was hoping to wake up to this morning, but perhaps something else is coming later today.
And there it is -- Judge is up, Peraza is down. There's lots of anger out on the Twitternet about Peraza going down instead of one of the outfielders, but I'm happy to see Judge. I assume he'll be DH'ing for a while, so they'll need the outfielders. All Rise!
Tonight's lineup:
Torres 2B
Judge DH
Rizzo 1B
Stanton RF
LeMahieu 3B
McKinney LF
Bader CF
Volpe SS
Rortvedt C
Cole P
Weather delay.
[94] One of the best lineups we've seen in a long while.
Pulling the tarp
WARNING! DANGER AHEAD!
Judge admits he isn't fully recovered but says he's healthy enough to play.
"It's feeling all right, feeling good. It's not 100%. I don't think it'll be 100% until the end of the year"
Possible 9:35 pm starting time. Eastern (standard? Daylight? I can’t keep those two straight.)
Baltimore has some UGLY uniforms.
These are genuinely the worst unis I can remember.
[98] You just have to resign yourself to the fact Judge is going to try and leg out a double and his foot will simply explode before he reaches Second Base.
Perfecto gone ... no hitter gone.
[101] Yes. Coney would not come right out and say it. Kay has zero fashion sense, I imagine.
There's no cohesion. That big "BALTIMORE" is awful or rather it's extra awful next to those "silk shirts of the 70" trim. White belts do not go with back pants unless the whole scheme is B&W. I could go on and on, but it looks like something a 10-year old girl might have designed for a school project. That's not misogynistic. I have only have one reference, my only child is daughter. Actually, she would have done much better, she's quite a fashion plate at 20.
[102] Anyway, this team has too many problems for Judge to fix. Teams can always pitch around him. Who's gonna make them pay, Santon? Ha!
We're watching a team that plays like every out matters. That's what it takes to win.
Glad I didn’t stay up to watch this.
Had to get up early to get the terrorists’ long walk in, too hot for the regular schedule.
[105] Funny you said that last night, The Ringer posted this, this morning
https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2023/7/28/23810830/new-york-yankees-aaron-judge-gerrit-cole-playoffs
Fox game tonight, ESPN tomorrow.
Scherzer to the Rangers, on top of Robertson to the Marlins. Mutts throwing in the towel.
Stanton
Always nice to see a Stantonian Bomb, deep fences be damned.
Here’s the thing about Stanton. That ball was a laser that was well into the seats beyond the 384ft sign. Clocked at 115.8 mph, and the left fielder only gave a cursory look. But it didn’t even seem like he caught it clean. It was about as hard and as far as a normal human being can hit a ball, but it seemed like a normal line drive for Stanton. As Boone says, he’s weird.
That’s not a great defensive play. That’s a stupid baserunning play.
Oy vey.
Juassst tuning in and saw Bader get thrown out at third….Sigh….
[113] Dude, there's a reason I call him FRANKENSTANTON ...
Uh ... great.
1-1
I wrote this today, elsewhere ...
I've long been a Cashman supporter and defender, but at this point ... I think he has to go and the whole thing needs to be ripped up and rebuilt.
I've always called Hal Steinbrenner "Michael" ... but I think this is the year he needs to pull a "Michael" and send "Fredo" Cashman out fishing on the lake.
Well ... after we take the canolis and leave the Boone-y.
[116] Really. WHat was Bader thinking.
ALL RISE!!!
Maybe move that fence a little further back!
All rise!
[123] I wouldn't throw Judge a pitch he could reach with a boat oar ...
Darn it I missed Judge’s tater….!
I’ll take that sac fly.
[126] I'm still irked at it, but yes.
Good lord, Judge is looking like he never missed a game.
Mad Max Scherzer traded to Texas! Mets selling, what a disaster over there
This sacrilege but..I’m fine if Baltimore wins the division, Yankees finish last and they let Cashman and Booney go. Both those guys will walk into other jobs (well, media work for Boone) so I’m ok hoping they get fired
[130] How is that sacrilege ... I just said it!
;)
I don’t want to make too much of one game, but doesn’t all this feel familiar? The long, grinding at bats? Scoring in multiple ways? Is it possible that this team might be…. good?
I was just thinking about the Mets. It’s not weird that they’d give up on this season, but doesn’t Scherzer have a couple years left on his contract? It makes me wonder if they’re planning on opening the bank for Ohtani.
Define "good".
And the answer is, at the very least, not nearly good enough.
Oh, joy.
[133] player option for next year, north of $40 million. Mutts better send some cash in exchange for better prospects.
Well, bend don't break ... OK.
[136] Got it. That makes sense, then.
Also, seems like a good sign that Nestor is in the dugout. I guess he’ll be back in the rotation next week.
As I said — MOVE THAT WALL DEEPER!
GETTIN' HIGGY WIT IT!
HiggyBOOM!
Judge is ridiculous.
11 hits?
In the 6th inning?
Alright ... who sacrificed a goat to Satan?
ALL HAIL THE FALAFEL!!!
I!!!K!!!F!!!
This team is a juggernaut!
Judge-ernaut?!?
More runs!
How many times do we have to see Yankees get thrown out at third on that play? I mean…
[150] Here's the thing ... it was tactically the wrong play ... but strategically correct.
If Volpe DOESN'T run there ... Torres is out at first and Judge doesn't see a decent pitch in his at bat.
It didn't work ... and it wasn't planned ... but I can make the argument.
Yeah, I was actually thinking that — but I don’t think Volpe was.
Much happier than last night.
Well, the Rangers certainly seem to be going all in. Apparently they're adding Jordan Montgomery to go along with Scherzer.
Looks like the Cubs won't be dealing Bellinger, who would've been the obvious best target for the Yanks. Sigh.
Judge sits, ESPN hardest hit.
⬆️??? Is he hurt again????
According to Cone just “a little sore.”
Ah, phew cable and internet are back on.
But Boone said he’s available to PH? I don’t understand their logic at all. Do they realize they’re in last place???
And there’s the ballgame.
Severino had nothing these days
I wonder if he’s hurt.
Well, at least there’s this — seems like it was a good decision to sit Judge tonight.
‘The Yankees are confident with what they have coming back..’
????????????????????? Sorry is Willie Mays being called up from Scranton?
Seems like when Nestor comes back, Severino should go to the bullpen for a while. Because this is nonsense.
Severino’s ERA currently at 7.53.
⬆️Has he just not recovered from his injuries? Because he’s throwing BP out there…
At least Judge will be rested now
Finally
Hey guys ... sorry I'm late to the party ... did I miss anything???
The other problem is that these Orioles are legitimately good, and they came into this with a clear plan — hunt Severino’s fastball. It’s a shame they actually have to play these next eight innings.
[164] Honestly?
We'd need 2001 Barry Bonds.
[170] Sweep the leg!
But, but Sensei?
SWEEP THE LEG!!!
Look forward to Boone’s postgame where he’ll be like ‘Sevy made some good pitches tonight, the O’s just had good swings…’
Sevy’s previous two starts were solid, which is why this is so frustrating. At least they have some clarity heading into the off season.
Karl Ravech just compared Bader to Judge. I mean…
Falafel is batting 5th.
5th!!!!
If this team burns ONE prospect to make a "run" for it, everyone involved should be fired into the Sun.
[169] Just Sevy turning into a pumpkin.
And now Eduardo Perez is suggesting Bader steal down by seven runs? I think these announcers are high.
[155] The obvious best target for the Yankees is Boone-y and Cashman.
[178] Wait ... people LISTEN the the ESPN announcers?
/mind blown.
What the hell is Sevy doing back out there? Fire Boone, Cashman, and Levine. And Hal needs to sell to an owner who gives a damn about winning.
[181] Innings sponge.
Shutout gone
[181] "And Hal needs to sell to an owner who gives a damn about winning."
I might know a guy, who knows a guy, who has a lawyer he doesn't talk much about ... who knows someone from the Saudi PIF ...
How are you with the ethics of human dismemberment?
That’s a situational ethics issue for me.
What sort of situation ... if you have a chainsaw handy or not?
Homerun.
Double.
K.
K.
K.
Um, yeah, sure. Chain saw.
WITHIN 5!
WITHIN 6!
Within 7.
Sweet Baby Jebus.
I am thankful for this series.
Here's a question ... and two choices ... would you rather:
A) this management team and this team going forward
OR
B) Everyone up to and including Brian Cashman dying in a flaming plane crash, only being able to do an emergency draft of non-protected players from around MLB, so being TERRIBAD for the immediate future, but ... all previous contracts being paid off by insurance.
?
The '27 Yankees had Murderer's Row ... the '23 Yankees have what I will call Suicide Row: Falafel, Bader, Allen, Volpe, Higgy.
Sweet meteor of death.
Double
K
K
Pop out.
I just ...
Remember when Rizzo had 4 hits and everyone wanted to say ... HE'S BACK!
This will do it!
Nope.
K
Reach on error
K
K
The sweet meteor of death is FAR too good for this team.
Just to finish off the shitshow ... 9th inning
K
K
K
18 strikeouts total ... **5** for Rizzo.
Is there a "platinum sombrero"?
“ The 18th strikeout was a Rizzo whiff that completed a “platinum sombrero” of five strikeouts in a single game -- the first of Rizzo’s career, and the Yankees’ first since Judge on May 5. 2021, vs. Houston.”
Apparently yes, yes there is.
Mark Cuban to buy the team?
Everyone excited for the Johnny Brito experience???
What, two runs already? I had to wash the dishes.
At least German copped to being hurt.
[203] Hey ... we're on track for only half the strikeouts of last night ... try to stay positive!
Vaunted Rays baserunning.
Bauers!
Get used to that, gents ... why NOT walk Judge?
[207] See what I mean?
Sigh,
Double sigh.
German is up now?
In the bullpen?
Cashman making no trades???
Yup
I don’t know
[213] What for?
Honestly ... nobody we could get could fix this steaming pile.
Wait, German can’t start so Brito emergency starter..he gives up four home runs, then German comes in mid-game?? WTH is this ‘strategy’???? Kay sounds completely perplexed too..
[216]
CoB: They told me that you had gone totally insane, and that your methods were unsound.
Boone-y : Are my methods unsound?
CoB : I don't see any method at all, sir.
Judge again getting nothing to hit.
[218] See [207]
Damn if this team isn't consistent!
"Giancarlo Stanton grounds into a double play, third baseman Isaac Paredes to second baseman Brandon Lowe to first baseman Yandy Diaz. Anthony Rizzo out at 2nd. Giancarlo Stanton out at 1st."
[216] I think I should simply comment on this Yankees team and season using rephrased Apocalypse Now quotations from here on out ...
Capt. Boone-y: Everyone gets everything he wants. I wanted a left-fielder, and for my sins, they gave me one. Brought him up to me on the Scranton Shuttle like room service.
5 pitch walk to Judge ... ahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Anthony Rizzo has 7 Ks in his last 9 at bats.
I wonder if these last two posts of mine are at all related ...
[221] The horror, the horror...
5 hours left until the trade deadline.
Is Cashman going to get us some help?
[226] Again, I ask ...
" What for?
Honestly ... nobody we could get could fix this steaming pile."
(221) I love the smell of napalm in the Yankee clubhouse.
[227] As shitty as this year has been for us, we are still well within the reach of the last wild card spot. That hope, is the only thing left to save the season.
On top of the Mets trading Max Scherzer and David Robertson, they have now sent Verlander to the (fuckin') Astros. Mets fans are now forming seppuku clubs.
It may not be any consolation, but the Mets and San Diego both had huge payrolls and teams that could easily be World Series bound. Crazy shit happens in baseball... and I have been around long enough to see lots of it.
So as frustrating horrible this team has been, I can't quite give up yet. And I'd be surprised if Cashman does.
"Mets fans are now forming seppuku clubs."
Not the ones I know, they're mostly pretty sanguine about the logic behind the trades.
They're certainly pissed about the way the season has gone, but they're not especially distraught about making the trades.
At least the Mets had shiny objects to trade, even if they had to eat a satchel of Benjamins to a) move them and b) get shiny prospects in return ...
Would anyone give us *anything* for Stanton, DJ or Rizzo right now???
I'm embarrassed for myself at how much I keep refreshing the ESPN page. Like anything I care about is actually going to pop up there.
It's like dialing and redialing the phone to try to get concert tickets in the 80s, except the band already cancelled the tour.
And... swooping in to own the trading deadline... it's...
Special counsel Jack Smith!
(Not being political, please don't take up the thread that way. Just find the timing funny.)
Keynan Middleton. Now who's gonna beat us?
[231] I have MLB.tv on
6 pm, no announced deal.
Oh, a RH reliever. Yawn.
Kenyan Middleton, I always get him confused with Juan Soto.
[236]
[Does the Chris Farley lifting-eyeglasses thing]
I can't see too good, is that Jeff Nelson over there?
Looks like Middleton is listed as one inch taller than Carlos Rodon.
So at long last they went out and got someone... who is... bigger...
No, I just can't.
To repeat ...
CoB: They told me that you had gone totally insane, and that your methods were unsound.
Col. Cashman : Are my methods unsound?
CoB : I don't see any method at all, sir.
To the above.
"Yankees have been frustrating this deadline," a rival executive said, who got the sense that they were in "in-between land waiting to be bowled over for their rentals."
https://twitter.com/MarcCarig/status/1686497727490805760
Also ... this is THIS team's secret sauce:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkJqNDX8VfE
Worst Yankee offense in a jillion years and our deadline hail is two trivia-answer pitchers.
>haul<. dammit
“ The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired RHP Spencer Howard from the Texas Rangers in exchange for cash considerations.”
That’s going to put this team over the top.
Again ... I don't disagree that the lineup was the bigger problem, but who were the Yankees supposed to trade for at this deadline that would fix this offensive mess of a lineup?
Judge got a single!!!
Torres with the GiDP!
This offense is a well-oiled machine!
I nodded off there for a bit.
With this offense, there’s the ballgame.
Bad to worse.
Are the fans booing?
They should be ...
Calm down everyone. Before you know it. Frankie Montas will be back.
Noted OPS+ machine Frankie Montas?
I think rbj and I will have to go back to the start of the season when we were placing the O/U line on Hits vs Ks.
Is Jeff Nelson really blaming ‘analytics’ for this terrible offense??? So th e team is unwatchable and now the announcers are too..Where is Cone???
[254] Yeah, I can't listen to Nelson either.
I mean, Kay watches all the opposing teams. How can he possibly say he still thinks the Yankees are ‘playoff caliber’?
Cone went to ESPN. Nelson is a definite downgrade.
Coney still calls some games, not as many as he used to, but he still is an analyst for YES.
To wit ... ESPN:
In addition to his position as an analyst on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, Cone serves as an analyst on the YES Network and hosts a pitching podcast, Toeing the Slab with David Cone.
[256] Kay is more of a YES yes man than Cone.
Well, walking the terrorists didn’t help.
[242] The production of this team might be one of the worst in history... not just Yankee history. How many teams have gone this many games with 5 or less Hits? It's almost hard to comprehend.
WTF??? DJ was just jogging to first after a terrible jump from the box.
Middle-middle, and Stanton couldn't touch it. SHIT.
As I called it. Maybe put the Yankees offense on milk cartons.
I can't believe so many people are at the stadium. This organization needs to see empty seats. Fans wearing paper bags on their heads. Season ticket pyres.
BTW, I don't blame the players, only the brass.
How about canceling the game and instead staging a gladiator type fight between Cashman, Levine and Trost. Throw in a few hungry tigers as well.
"Are you not entertained!?"
[265] This organization needs to see tumbleweeds in the aisles.
[265] Besides, one can argue they might not be very quick to observe it, since they're used to mostly empty seats in the moated section they *really* cater to.
[268] Easily the most infuriating thing about the new Stadium. BTW, you used to be able to bribe your way in there, or so I've heard. ;>)
BTW ... my nickname for Rodon, for the foreseeable future is Nodor.
As ... Hodor ... hold the door!
But, rather Nodor ... No door! *He's* certainly not going to be much of an obstacle!
Cheer up fellas ... Brian believes!!!
Brian Cashman on the performances of Anthony Rizzo, DJ LeMahieu, and Giancarlo Stanton this season: “They’re professionals, obviously they’re extremely talented. Hopefully they’re saving their best baseball for the last two months."
Woo, German has agreed to go get sober. Best of luck to him.
Awwww ... man ... I was all ready to make fun of the "Falafel in the leadoff spot era begins tonight!"
Thanks for the sobering thought.
But, seriously, good for Domingo.
Hope it goes like it did for CC.
MLBN game.
Sigh, ballgame.
Ahahahahahahahahahaha ...
I step away for 2 minutes and ... 2-0 Rays
You’re out dummy, no review for you.
That is scary wording about German, what an odd season for that guy..hope he recovers but also there hasn’t been another DV crime :(
Down 2-0, is it over already?
[277]
Alright ... I'm setting tonight's Hits vs Ks O/U at -2.5
100 Yankees Mystique and Aura bucks ... which side you got?
For those who use Twitter, check River Ave Blues for a photo guaranteed to make you smile (way more than this garbage lineup will, for certain!)
What's a Twitter ... old man!
[279] Sounds good to me. There have been a couple of loud outs though.
-1
Volpe!
[282] No, no ... you have to choose a side ... O/U.
Then we each bet 100 Magic Mystique and Aura bucks ...
I am going to bet the Under tonight.
See ... [282] ... if you'd gone with your gut ... you'd like have won.
Ah, didn’t know how it works. I’m going under, until this team shows me something.
Well, they are showing me something this inning.
+3!
Stanton! Reverse jinx worked.
Big strike zone tonight.
More vaunted Rays baserunning.
+5 ... looks like we've lost for sure rbj
Let’s always take the under.
I will, but I have to be fair on setting it!
[292] Speaking of which ... WTF was Volpe doing there?
Dunno. Ok with a three run lead I guess.
FranK!
HE LIVES!!!
(at least for tonight)
Well, walking the terrorists did have an effect.
Wait ... what???
Torres steals home????
Did the Yankees just pull off a High School play?
Well, with this team ... 1 out of 3 isn't bad!
As long as we score our runs for Cole and get him his CY YOUNG ... I'm ok with that.
"Anthony Rizzo is headed to the injured list with concussion symptoms, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters before Thursday night's game against the Astros.
The Yankees believe Rizzo's injury stems from a May 28 collision at first base involving the Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. in which Tatis' hip made contact"
A) I already suspected this was the case and said as much
B) FIRE EVERYONE.
I mean go full on Aliens on this entire organization.
That's TWO players the Yankees had play through injury for multiple months while concealing their injuries
That's fucking disgusting.
I'm legit angry about this, because I don't think ANY pro-sport league takes concussions as seriously as they should.
And this sorta shit makes me boil.
I mean ... someone asked this question on another site: "Well, did the yankees know and were ignoring it, or did they not know?"
Honestly, which IS actually worse?
[307] good question. Players do need to fess up if they’re hurting, but telling them to rub some dirt on it is worse.
[308] Here's the thing ... Rizzo fell off a performance cliff after that incident and even IF he cleared "concussion protocol" ... his performance was so bad that the organization HAD to have suspected something was wrong.
NOT sending him for further and more in-depth, specialized evaluation is beyond the pale and just plain negligent.
Rizzo may have bluffed that nothing was wrong, but the club had to pull rank and push for the evaluation.
As it may be obvious ... I am VERY unhappy with this ORG top to bottom.
[307] "Boone said MLB put Rizzo through concussion tests shortly after the play, and those tests came back clean. Rizzo was not placed on the IL at the time and returned to action June 2."
"Rizzo said he informed the team about some of those symptoms after the series against the Baltimore Orioles in late July."
[310] See my [309]
I was *aware* of what Boone-y said in your [310] before I wrote my [309]
Hence:
"even IF he cleared "concussion protocol" ... his performance was so bad that the organization HAD to have suspected something was wrong."
SO ... the question remains.
[313] So... is Stanton injured? He is playing like shit.
Is DJ injured? He is playing like shit.
Is Higgy injured? He is playing like shit.
IIs Oswaldo injured? He is playing like shit.
Was Trevino injured? He is playing like shit.
I know you're angry, but Rizzo fucked up. He KNEW he was injured. It took him a FULL 2 MONTHS to finally report this to the Yankees.
Seriously ... before May 28th and his "neck injury":
.304/.376/.505 .808 OPS
AFTER his "neck injury":
.172/.271/.225 .496 OPS
I mean, c'mon ... are there adult in the room???
[315] Uh, yes ... TREVINO WAS INJURED.
SINCE SPRING TRAINING ... maybe you missed THAT PART!
Yankees never said a word ... just kept running him out there.
Now he's had wrist surgery.
Hmmmmmmmm?
And ... let's see ... Higgy is what he's ALWAYS been, so no .. not injured.
Cabrera's not injured, so NO.
Frankenstanton was always a good fall off the cliff candidate and franKly, so was DJ ... coming off a bad year with a toe injury.
But, I would argue, the timing matters with Rizzo.
Unless YOU have another plausible theory?
I'm all ears.
I'm not really blaming the players ... I'm blaming the "adults in the room" ... the people who should know better ... the coaching staff, the trainers, the front office and above.
This whole organization reeks of not making tough decisions.
So ... this is what we're gonna get.
I'm not sure I trust this team's medical staff with Judge's big toe at this point, though I suppose it's a positive they actually disclosed and diagnosed that (sorta) up front.
Sorry ... it was JUDGE who disclosed the extent of injury ... NOT the team .... Ahahahahahaha ... WHAT was I thinking?
I’m confused, Yankees didn’t give up any first inning runs.
What's the O/U for today?
I say -3.5
I’m taking the over.
Ballsy ... but I'll take the under!
As always, I hope you win!
Infuriating Rizzo news! I’m with you cult, it’s not on the player to make those decisions as these guys will almost always say they can play. The Yankees seem dysfunctional in so many ways these days
Stantonian!
FRANKENSTANTON!!!
[326] I don't mean to be a dick but ... it just seems this club is leaderless and rudderless.
And not on the ball.
Belly to belly!
Maybe I should insult Billy more often!
+1
[326] Is it hotter than bejebus over there?
It's 105 @ 7PM here ...
Sigh..
2-3
3-2
Hmmmmm.
[335] Could you walk "the terrorists" separately ... to double the possible mojo?
I’ll see, but they have a strong contract.
Cult, it’s been three weeks here if above 95F but with the humidity here the heat index is above 103-105. In the concrete jungle it’s really punishing the days I need to commute..
Thanks guys ... we're at 0
[339] We're 108-110, but it's dry ... yeesh.
Did you see the story about the World Boy Scouts Convention in South Korea?
⬆️Yes! That’s a discussion for another place but let me just say South Korea and Japan share a cultural trait of praising ‘endurance’ under conditions that perhaps we would stop all outdoor activity. Especially with the extreme weather caused by climate change…
How do you get the arrows?
It can't get other emojis!
See? I added a inquisitive face to that post ... but ... nothing!
[342] Have you read "The Ministry for the Future" by Kim Stanley Robinson?
Still stuck at +0
⬆️Ah, emojis on my iPad
Apple Bastardos!
[324] We're now at -2!
-1!
And a run!
Crud I picked the wrong half inning to walk the terrorists.
Oh, nevermind.