Is this the Yankee team that we’ll be watching for the next five months? Some of the faces will certainly change, but is this the quality of play we can expect? After opening the season with an indifferent 10-9 mark, suddenly things came together and the Yankees rattled off eight straight wins, including sweeps of the Royals and the Red Sox (likely driving the final three nails in Alex Cora’s coffin before leaving town), and two wins in Houston before seeing the streak come to an end in Sunday’s series finale.
The Yankees might not see another eight-game winning streak this year, but the quality of play that produced that dominant streak definitely seems sustainable. They still have the best offense in the league, and that’s with several players still struggling. But Ben Rice has quietly (or perhaps loudly) become one of the best hitters in baseball, Aaron Judge is looking more like Aaron Judge, and other guys are rounding into shape.
If possible, the starting rotation could be just as good as the offense. Max Fried and Cam Schlittler have been inarguably the top 1-2 combination in baseball over the first month, while Will Warren and Ryan Weathers have exceeded expectations to the point where Luís Gil’s disappointing start hasn’t caused much of a concern. We’ve always known someone would have to go when Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón return in May (Cole) and June (Rodón), and there are always the tantalizing prospects of flamethrowers Elmer Rodríguez and Carlos Lagrange waiting in the minors.
It could be really fun summer. Let’s Go, Yankees!
The Bronx Bombers keep on bombing! Jazz, Rice, and then Judge -- just to remind everyone what's up. And regarding Jazz, I really think he just isn't a cold weather player. He looked miserable in all those frigid games, so it's not a surprise that's heating up as things are getting warmer.
Yeah, I was wondering that about Jazz, too.
Also: did you see that yesterday the Yankees had only twelve pitchers on their roster???? OMG! How can Boone manage under those conditions? What if the game had gone to extra innings???
It was because they sent Gil to the Rail Riders, and of course they brought Jasson D up to replace him. Now they're going to need a starter. I mean, before Cole gets back. I guess Friday.
The whole MLB roster situation is so weird. Also, did you know that there's actually a limit now? Teams can have no more than 13 pitchers. (Except the Dodgers, of course, because somehow the best pitcher in the National League doesn't count as a pitcher.)
I remember when Billy Martin was at the depth of his craziness in the early '80s and, I believe, used five pinch hitters in a single inning. That's not even possible anymore.
Elmer Rodríguez on the way!
I did know the limit is 13 now, yes.
Yeah, Elmer, looking forward to it!
What if he's, like, 87% as good as Cam?
Cam is so much fun to watch. "Rock and fire," as Cone put it.
Whew. Okay that's one.
(Sixth inning jam.)
Infield fly rule!
That's two.
This bullpen makes me angry.
[5] Love watching Cam pitch. I know this isn’t how the Yankees operate, but it seems like it would be a great idea to offer him something like eight years and $120M. It won’t be a surprise at all if he’s commanding $250-$300M when he’s a free agent in six years.
Hank, you love this bullpen.
Oh, that was good -- Michael shouts "No mas!" when Duran goes down.
My problem is that intellectually I know that Mariano was once in a lifetime, the best that ever did it. But he still has ruined all relievers for me forever.
I don’t have a lot of faith right now.
And ten seconds later the game is over. Doesn’t change my level of faith in the bullpen.
Yeah bullpen hasn't been reliable.
I wonder if Gil would be good in relief. His near-homophonous teammate has been, right?
Not a great start for Elmer.
But, we shall see.
The Yankees, Rays, and A's are the only AL teams over .500.
That's sort of stunning.
In other sports: the Knicks have scored three quarters of the first 100 points this evening.
I don't think I've ever seen that in professional basketball. It's like the Dream Team in the Olympics.
Dear Anthony Volpe,
It was fun. We like you. But... have a terrific career wherever in the NL the Yankees trade you.
The way Ben Rice is hitting against lefties is bonkers. He has no holes right now. I hope we see Rice hitting second and Judge third for the next six years.
I took the terrorists for their walk at 1-1. Nice
[17] Yeah, I wouldn’t mind 150 games at short for Caballero, especially if a Volpe trade could yield a strong bullpen arm. But I can’t imagine they’ll trade him.
We knew Ben could do this, though.
From last year.
He had the most freakish underachievement given his barrel rate, exit velocity, all that crap. He was hitting hard enough to be in the top ten batters in baseball, but he was merely 'very good'.
Honestly, I was expecting this from Ben. (Maybe not against lefties though, that is astounding.)
Also why is Will Warren so good? I guess his location, and the movement of those breaking pitches.
Also, the Astros have two really good hitters, but they are a terrible team.
I now see why: they just pitch batting practice. MAN they are bad. Spectacularly bad.
Huh, first base umps never miss that call!
But that one missed that one.
[17] I like the kid, but he has been one of the worst SS's in MLB. His only advantage is that he is cheap.
[21] Mr. Rice IS for real... the only question is HOW REAL IS HE!
This starting rotation is so good, even now. Can’t wait to add Cole and Rodón.
Okay that's sort of what I was imagining when I heard we were getting Doval last year.
Haven't seen a whole lot of that dominance. It would be nice if he turned it around and became the bullpen arm that Hank wants us to trade for :)
Good.
It's just dumb to use your closer with a four run lead. Even Boone knows not to use him with a five run lead.
Nice quiet day for Judge. Nothing showy, just .667 SLG and .800 OBP. You'd hardly notice him in the lineup.
Wow. Cone just said Caballero leads the league in defensive runs saved.
I love watching him, but I didn't realize he was the best.
gg
Back from taking the parents grocery shopping
Cody!
Uh oh.
We’ll have to see it he comes back out.
That really wasn't a good slide by Cowboy. A good slide and he wouldn't have been clocked in the jaw like that.
More Cody
What a selfish, A-Rod homer from Grisham. Come on. With a runner on third, you homer?
But okay, Rice singles, maybe Trent didn't kill a rally.
Ummmmmm.
Don't they practice that???
When Rice fields the ball with two men on, nobody covers second or first???
Ruh roh
Nice, Cody
I have decided to accept that Bellinger infield rbi hit!
I will definitely accept that double. Now that is satisfying.
Okay, the lead is now certified Yankee Bullpen Safe!
Got all those runs back
Shoot, no chance at history for Cody today.
Well, at least I hope not!
Nice win
Too close to challenge
Dang had to take the terrorists out, missed the Rice homer
All rise
Hmm, is Max ok?
Cody just missed
Max starts the sixth?
A lead!
Not a Fried-level start.
Let's see if the back end of the bullpen can make this lead stick...
Some insurance would be good
Thank you Martian!
Breathing room.
Oh, Martian Insurance, my fave.
Jazz really wanted to steal, but... not required.
That bunt was rolling foul.
Yeah was it ever. Dumb play.
But, I accept it!
Acceptable
Aaaaand....
it's Yankee Bullpen Safe now.
Even more? I don’t recognize this year’s Yankees
Hm, is Bednar going to pitch?
I would say yes, but... there's no day off tomorrow. Maybe he shouldn't pitch today.
Double digits.
Yes, he is, he hasn’t pitched in 5 days. As per the Orioles broadcasters
That was an extremely good inning for the Martian.
Yankees outscored the Os 27-9 so far
More and more it looks like they knew what they were doing when they decided to run it back.
So Volpe will be staying in Scranton for the time being. There's a narrative out there that the front office is approaching this season with desperation and that they're making ruthless decisions that they wouldn't have in years past. (Sending Gil down instead of giving him more starts to figure it out, sitting McMahon down against lefties, unlike when they gave people like LeMaheiu and Donaldson almost a full season.)
This move with Volpe is the strongest evidence of this yet. In the old days, Volpe would be leading off and playing shortstop in the Bronx tomorrow, whether he deserves it or not. I'm not anti-Volpe, but this is clearly the best decision for the team, and I love it.
RIP, John Sterling.
The first time I remember hearing John Sterling was on July 4, 1985, when the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets played 18 innings through multiple rain delays on his birthday. The game went on until around 4:00 AM. For some reason, I stayed up and watched the entire thing between episodes of old sitcoms. He called pitcher Rick Camp's 17th-inning 2-out game-tying homer like the Braves had just won the World Series. Unfortunately, they were still the Braves and managed to blow it the next inning.
As a Yankee announcer, I always thought he was the tops, and I loved all his home run calls and how he announced a Yankees' win. I can recall so many driveway moments, like one night when Jorge juiced a grand slam to win a game (maybe in 2006 or 2007). And my wife and I regularly listened to him, and Suzyn Waldman, who brought the game to us on our front porch in the evenings until he retired. I'm confident that he would tell her about the news of his passing, "Well, Suzyn, that's baseball."
RIP, Mr. Sterling.
Oh wow.
I guess I listened to him for almost my entire Yankee fan life. Not quite -- I certainly remember Scooter -- but pretty close.
[72] Listening to games on the radio has always been a part of my life. Back in the 80s, I used to sometimes catch Yankees games on a clock radio that I'd move around my room to get a signal with varying degrees of success. Since the early 2000s, I've always printed out the schedule of games before the season and hung it on my wall above my credenza. I always go through the schedule and highlight all the Monday through Friday day games, so I'll remember to tune in at the office. And I put a W or an L on every game on the schedule. Someday they'll find a big pile of seasons in one of my drawers at work :)