Opening Day at the Stadium.

Now, that there is a beautiful sentence.

Never mind the glare—it is sunny out there:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Well, there is life after the Yankee season after all and the true baseball junkies will likely be following their antics at this point, so here’s a thread to get your fix on. I hope that a few of us will come through with individual post-season observations about what the Yanks have done so far and intend to do for next season. I’ll be waiting after the “fun” is over, but in the meantime feel free to scoop or speculate while watching the cream rise to the top. One thing I notice already, the umps aren’t gonna make this easy...

Goodness, what a beating. Funny how the game speeds up in October and it got ahead of Boone last night in the 4th, leaving Severino in too long, replacing him with Lance Lynn, oh, man, was got ugly to the tune of the worst playoff loss in team history, 16-1. Suck on that, Bronx Bummers.

Dag.

And so the Yanks turn their eyes to the Big Fella, ol’ C.C. to save their season tonight. C’mon guys, nobody likes watching a rival celebrate on your own turn. Find a way to get it done. At least don’t go down easy. Make ’em earn it.

Never mind the inevitable:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

The Yanks did what they needed to do in Boston and that’s swipe a game. They are back home tonight with their ace, Luis Severino on the hill. He’ll face former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi, who has looked good in his outings vs the Yanks this year. I have high expectations for Severino. Hope he can give them 6 solid innings and keep the team in the game. And I hope the worm turns and the Yanks can touch up Eovaldi—nothing personal, of course.

Porcello is the guy that makes me nervous so it’d be great if the Yanks find a way to win tonight.

Never mind the bromo:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags 

Think David Price will get his first career playoff win tonight? In Boston, they are holding their breath. And some Yankee fans might think he’ll roll over. But I expect he’ll be tough tonight and the Yanks will come back home down 0-2.

Hope I’m wrong—again:

Never mind the late night:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

How did we end up here?

Well, if you ask Boone and the Bombers, it all went according to plan. I was wrong, I admit that right away; Yankees did get the home field for the wild card. After that, they punched their ticket emphatically and now are invading Boston to continue their quest for the expected: a trip to the Whirled Serious and a chance to make good on the promise they showed last year, not to mention to justify all the moves and deals they made to get there.

And maaaaaybe just a little revenge for 2004? Not that anyone on this roster would recall that series (nor should they try), but some of us would just love to get those games back, and this is the first time since then that the two teams have had a chance to hash it out again in the playoffs. And look who’s leading those teams to this fancy reunion: rookie manager Alex Cora and equally-rookie manager Aaron F***in’ Boone.  Of course, neither were part of that series, but both had contributed to their teams in important ways when they were playing for the teams they now manage.  And both won at least 100 games in their first year at the helm.  Trivial, but fun facts heading into this showdown, which promises to be Very Interesting Indeed.

Lots to take into this series in terms of expectations; Boston sprinted past the Yanks early on in the season and held tight or stayed close through the mid-season, then turning on the afterburners after the ASB and leaving the rest (especially the Yanks) to fight it out for second place. If nothing else, having two 100-game winners in the same division has begun and interesting discussion about what teams should actually qualify for the playoffs; had the Yanks won their hundred games, yet failed to reach the post season while a team with maybe fifteen less wins was automatically in because they won their division, there certainly would have been a lot of outrage among fans if it were not the Yankees (but definitely outrage if it were from MLB and their television partners).  But that’s for a later debate. For now, let’s revel in the chance for fireworks and Score Trucks and who knows what.  Both teams are coming in with chips on their shoulders, so it oughtta be “lit” as the young players would likely say.

As for me, I’m feeling the Yanks in five; now that Brother Judge is up to speed and has brought life back to the lineup and clubhouse in general, it’s up to the starters to get the job done. Scientific Happ leads off, followed by Major Tanaka and The One (Whom Most Doubted) , then C-Squared ready to shut the door on Boston’s aspirations if that were actually the case. This makes sense; I think that’s the right order. I could be wrong about what we’re about to encounter (and kinda hope I am, but in a good way). Fasten your seat belts, ladies and gents, the show’s about to begin! >;)

Will the Yanks have a brief October appearance, one-and-done at home against the upstart Oakland A’s? Or is tonight just the beginning, with none other than the Boston Red Sox waiting next, standing in the way of a chance to compete for the pennant?

You’d be fool to pick a one-game playoff with any degree of certainty and part of me has a bad, bad feeling about this game. Been feeling that way for the past couple of months. So, let’s hope I’m wrong and our Dudes survive the A’s and push on to a heart attack city series against the Sox.

Either way, we’ll be here, root-root-rootin’ our guys on:

Never mind the nerves:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

When the schedule-makers had the Yanks and Sox playing twice in the last 2 weeks of the season, you figured these games could be enormous. Instead, they are nothing but a warm up for the playoffs, that is if the Yanks can squeak past the A’s in the dummy Wild Card game.

Our boys have not given us much encouraging news of late. But things change, and change quickly.

Never mind the back-to-school blues:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Are we watching a James Cameron blockbuster in the making or something? Or is he producing and Michael Ray Richardson is directing?

The Yanks have been playing like horseshit freshly baked meadow muffins for much of the second half of the season (they are playing tag with the Mutts for Most Mediocre Record to date), which has caused all kinds of ennui among the rational fans, while the real fans are all-like, “we’re GOING to the playoffs, modammit!”, to which one has to wonder as to what they intend to do there. Rodeo clowns are forbidden from entering the field of play, after all.  For all that matter, you might as well see the grounds crew in the lineup the rest of the regular season while the regular suspects perform “Y-M-C-A” during the seventh. At least when you’re drunk out of your mind trying to erase the past couple of months from your memory, you’ll find that dynamic to be a keeper.

My no-fault prediction (aka wild guess) is that Yanks will lose the home field for the wild card, come close to falling out of the playoffs before turning on the boosters to save face and win the one-off, but then fall back and get swept by whomever they face in the divisional series.  Then the real fun will begin. I almost think this has to happen in order for the organization to wake up from the nagging sense of complacency that seems to have befallen them recently.  Bad baseball has bum-rushed the Stadium and the team plane.  You know bad baseball when you see it, so don’t kid yourself.  Just hope that the Hail Mary that is Aaron Judge returning to active duty before he’s actually finished healing lands in good hands. Other than that, everything else I speculated could be bullshit pons de la rue (a la mode).

Ugh.  I’ve purposely avoided Yankee ball (or at least bantering about it) for the last couple of months as I’ve found myself doing a lot more griping and complaining than enjoying, and I can’t imagine anyone around here would care to read what they’ve already written in comments during that same time period, so I will not add more dung to the pile…

Oh, whom am I kidding? Regardless of how the Yanks do the rest of the way, changes are needed and likely imminent.  The starting rotation needs an overhaul, the infield needs mending and reconfiguring and the outfield needs to be refurbished.  Cashman gambled away his outfield depth and the remains of the day immediately went kablooey, so now he has to figure out what to do with whom not only in the post-season, but beyond. Here are a list of possible bullet-points for him to hash out…

• Does Gardner stay a little longer than expected? (like to 2050 perhaps?)
• Will Clint Frazier ever get a full season to show his worth without having to deal with his bully, the outfield wall?
• Is Aaron Judge rushing back to save the lineup really a good thing?
• Is Stanton really a backup outfielder forced to play everyday at this point?
• Does McCutchen actually exist? Or is he just a story made up to scare impending free agents?
• Is it a sin to not hit a homer in every at-bat? Do you get sent to baseball purgatory for bunting against the shift or hitting for the cycle?
• Would it help if we put an extra row of seats between shortstop and third base?
• Would Ritalin improve the infield defense?
• Is Gary Sanchez really just Jesus Montero trying to sneak back into major league baseball?
• Do you think CC would look good as a pitching coach next season? Yeah? Huh?
• Would it have helped some if Tanaka had gotten that surgery he’s needed for the last two or three seasons right after the slight tear in his UCL was first noticed?
• Does saying “We don’t necessarily need Chapman” three times automatically wipe away his 5 yr/$86 mil (17+Mil per) salary?
• Did Pedro really cover all bases while he was mentoring Severino over the winter, or was that a sample since he wasn’t paid (as far as we all know)?
• Do you think Lance Lynn would do well to appear for a couple of seasons on Westworld rather than on the mound?
• Could he take Sonny Gray with him?
• What’s the over/under for J. Happ bolting the Yanks within minutes of the end of the Whirled Serious? And will that be him saying he “can’t get with Da Bronx” or Cashman and Co. low-balling him?
• What is the purpose of the Yankee coaches, really?
• Is Aaron Boone @#$%ing crazy? Or is he just @#$%ing right for this job?

I know, a lot to take in. You don’t have to think about it now, just enjoy the game(ssssss…).  These things always have a way of working themselves out. If I’m lucky, I’ll come back with more by the end of the, er… month.  >;)

Jeez, I know I’ve been remiss but dag, go away for a week and see what happens. Yanks drop 2 of 3 to the White Sox and then a ball-buster last night to the lowly Tigers. Poor Greg Bird can’t get himself right, though at least Mr. Voight, who looks like an extra from Eight Men Out, is making up for it. The news on Aaron Judge seems to be worse than originally expected as the Yanks went out and traded for none other than Andrew McCutchen. I know he may be past his prime but I have always liked him and am pleased to see him around these parts even as a short-term rental.

Lots going on. Including three more games against these lousy Tigers. Yanks need to run the table this weekend. Starts tonight with Luis Severino.

Never mind the aches and pains:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

And by dumb ass I am thinking mostly of Kendrys Morales, who couldn’t get out of the baseline the other day when Didi Gregorius crashed into him. Didi shot the big oaf a quick look when he first hit the ground, the same look you shoot at the dumb ass in the middle of Costco who cuts you off blindly. There was no bad blood between them but Didi is now on the DL and he might be there awhile.

Dumb asses.

Otherwise a good weekend as the ’98 team was feted at the Stadium. Oh but don’t it make you feel old. Ha.

But the Yanks won all three games. They are down in dumb Jeterville, Miami for a pair and then up to Baltimore for the weekend. The games they are expected to win.

We’ll be watchin’—and rootin’!

Never mind the beach:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

After the Yanks took that beatin’ in Boston they’ve gone 6-1, thank you very much. That guy Stanton has been on fire, and what style! He’s like Dave Winfield and Karl Malone had a kid.

They got the make-up game with Los Mets tonight—deGrom vs. Severino. Could be a long night.

But we’ll be there rooting.

Never mind the rain drops:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Damn, that smart. Not only did the Yanks get swept in Boston but the way it unfolded, especially last night, was just painful. Up 4-1 in the 9th, they blow a lead—an error by Miguel Andujar extended the game—and lose in extra innings. It was long and brutal, a mid-summernight’s dream for the home team and nothing but misery for the visitors and their faithful. Which is us. Who are presently irked. Or pissed off, whatever you want to call it.

But there is more baseball to play tonight.

In Chicago.

We’ll be there rooting for our fellas, hoping they put an end to this losing business.

Never mind the Division:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Holy crap, did the Sox—who are having a ridiculously good year—ever lay it on the Yanks last night. Just leveled them. Which prompted ESPN to run a headline today calling this the greatest Sox team of them all. Which then prompted a Red Sox pal o mine to leave me a message trying to make me feel better by complaining about ESPN putting a hex on his team … after they beat the shit out of the Yanks last night … during a virtually flawless season so far….

Ever thus to deadbeats, as the saying goes.

Anyhow, the Yanks have played like doo doo lately. No better place than Fenway Park to break out of a slump and show some fight.

Never mind the standings:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Even minus Chris Sale and E. Rodriguez this weekend, the Sox are in the driver’s seat in the AL East division race. Yanks need to win 3 of 4, a tall order, in order to feel good about themselves, particularly given how uneven they’ve been recently.

We’ll be there, root-root-rootin’ them on:

Never mind the nonsense:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Can I just say something? Even though I still watch or listen to every Yankee game I have lost connection with how things work—why players can be lost to the rule 5 draft, things like that. I just don’t care that much. Which sometimes lets me just react to trades from an emotional point-of-view without really being too tied into whether or not the trades are solid or terrible.

All of which to say, I really liked Adam Warren and Tyler Austin. Especially after reading that Warren is one of the all-time good guys in the sport. I spent a couple of days in the Yankee clubhouse last summer on an assignment for Esquire and let me tell you, Tyler Austin is built like a fullback—his thighs were enormous, he was all trunk. He had a few nice hits for the Yanks, was right in the mix against the Sox earlier in the season. Now, the Yanks are headed up to Boston for four huge games this weekend and Austin isn’t even a Yankee anymore. That must be hard to wrap your head around if you’re Austin. Yes, he is a professional, and perhaps now he’ll even get more playing time, but he won’t be a Yankee, even though he’s been part of these Yankees, and that will take some getting used to.

We wish him well. And Adam Warren too, who was a very solid Yankee. And also Chasen Shreve, the pointy-faced lefty out of the pen who looks like a bad guy with a gun from an old movie, but always seemed like a good enough sort. I never trusted him and each time he came into a game I worried that he’d shit the bed, but he’s battled and hung around a competitive Yankee bullpen for a few years. Certainly hope he keeps pitching long as he can.

Yanks get some pieces back, including Lance Lynn, who will likely now be minus the beardski.

Couple of few against the lousy Birds as a warm-up for the weekend. But the games still need to played and won. So never mind looking ahead:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Oh, man, our dude Aaron Judge got hurt last night. Hit in the hand, fractured, can’t swing a bat for at least 3 weeks: totally blows.

Great reaction from the crowd—sure to be the start of a new trend.

But the game goes on and we’ll be here root-root-rootin’.

Never mind the blues:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

I suppose “What’s the Haps?” has already been taken. Anyhow, the Yanks picked up J.A. Happ in exchange for a minor league outfielder and Brandon Drury, a guy who was just expendable. I feel for Drury, he never really got a chance to show his stuff for the Yanks.

Yanks lost again yesterday. They host the Royals at home tonight.

Never mind the slump:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Gary Sanchez got everyone good and mad at him last night by jaking it not once but twice, both costly, both painful to remember, as the Yanks lost by a run in Tampa. To make matters worse, turns out Sanchez is headed back to the DL. Now, it didn’t seem like an injury kept him from just giving up on the play in the 9th inning, but man, talk about some bum luck. Now he’s got the growing perception that he is some kind of a chump. Is he a great young talent or the next Joba? Just another over-hyped young New York Yankee?

Stay tuned. In the meantime, Yanks have to get out of their own way and start winning again.

Tonight gives our pal Masahiro.

Never mind the chatter:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags