But I think it's absolutely fair to wonder if they've taken too many half measures and tried to cut corners since 2017 at a time when their championship window has been wide open.
Their obsession with the luxury tax continues to baffle me
Thus far this is definitely looking like a season where the front office gambled and is going to lose on expecting former aces to regain their pre-injury form. The bats look lifeless. They look like they're stuck in mud running the bases and trying to compete, like the rest of MLB has left them behind and they're still trying to win with a method the rest of baseball has moved on from. It's not fun to watch.
doesn't this happen every year with them? don't they start slow typically and then end up 20 games over 500 or whatever it usually is? I'm surprised fans are this annoyed
be fine. Right now, the back end of their starting pitching and driving in runners is severely lacking. The pitching is probably the most critical because leaving men on base generally evens out in the longer run.
The issue they have currently is that two teams (Boston and TB) are hot, and they can't let the deficit get too wide. They need to start turning it around very quickly.
TB isn't hot. They're 5-1 against us and 3-7 against everyone else. They will need to prove they can beat more than the Yankees.
doesn't this happen every year with them? don't they start slow typically and then end up 20 games over 500 or whatever it usually is? I'm surprised fans are this annoyed
This is a much slower start than normal, but it is true to an extent.
Then again, during the Opening Day loss, you had posters calling for Cashman and Boone to be fired, so take from that what you will on the actual competency of those opinions.
doesn't this happen every year with them? don't they start slow typically and then end up 20 games over 500 or whatever it usually is? I'm surprised fans are this annoyed
Not this bad. Worst start since 1997. If they lose tomorrow, it's their worst start since 1972. Lose the next two, it's the worst since 1966.
but let's not act like the Yanks haven't done just about everything right the last 4-5-6 years. They didn't panic or make any desperate win now moves. They exhibited patience in regards to player development. When the best player in the world was available, the sprang to action and signed Cole.
Now, after their first horrible month in 5 years, they are horrible to watch, Cashman is a monster, every player is lazy and uninterested and Boone is in over his head. Oh and the owners don't want to win.
I still can't believe they went into the season with this rotation, Cole and a bunch of unprovens. The offense continues to struggle just like it did last postseason. They can't play defense. They're sloppy. Sanchez and Judge continue to plateau. Torres looks like he's doing the same thus far. It's scary bad right now and they can't do anything right.
38-37 over their last 75 games with a first round playoff exit mixed in. I'm not calling to blow it up, but it's fair to have some skepticism and wonder if the arrow is still pointing up for this group.
Ownership, general management, and field management
all have their heads up their ass. They all need to go.
This isn't just a slow start - it's a team in very deep trouble.
It's very poorly constructed, with a ton of right-handed hitters in a left-hander's ball park. They have three 2nd basemen, no shortstop, no first baseman until Voit returns, and several guys severely under-performing going back to last season. They aren't hitting and they aren't fielding.
Since you can't fire the owner, start by firing Cashman and Boone and all the so-called baseball people (the anal-ytics crowd) behind them. Then clean house on the player roster. Jay Bruce retiring before he was released was a small start.
I thought this was the case coming into the year, and it’s gone much worse than expected. Great teams are strong up the middle. Coming into the season I had huge doubts about Hicks, coming off an injury plagued season with one solid year as a starter. I did not want Gleyber’s glove at SS . He has had a horrific start there and at the plate. I’m confident he will hit but at his Very Best he will be a barely adequate glove.
Gary Sanchez will hit HR and .230, flailing at low and away sliders and coming up small against good pitchers in big spots. They should have moved on from Gary, made a run at Lindor, and done something about CF. I will be shocked if they get to 90+ wins. This has the look of an 80-85 win team. I fault Cashman for the missteps stated above.
Rant over. Go Knicks! Go Giants! The script has flipped....
If you swap "Mets" for "Yankees" now, will this clip work?
and lack of interest in high on-base players, is killing me as a fan. This has been going on for too many years. Torch me for it but this is my viewpoint.
RE: RE: RE: Ownership sucks. Boone looks over his head.
Cashman can't stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room. This team is hard to watch.
Just curious, why do you say they suck? They’re spending money, just not in the right places in some cases. Is that Cashman or the GM?
IMO, it is philosophy. This all or nothing offense is just brutal to watch. I don't get how analytics see strike outs as just another out. I really wish this team went after Michael Brantley. We need more players like him. Why did everyone cream their pants over DJ last year? Oh, it is because he puts the ball in play. Why do people get frustrated with guys like Judge, Stanton, and Sanchez? Oh, it is because they K way too much.
The pitching has been a disaster this year too.
Eschewing productive outs is what kills this offense. Need a deep fly? K. Need a ground ball? K.
Home runs are great, but the most consistent way to score is by not making outs. Baseball is a game of resource management, with that resource being 27 outs.
and they have ways to improve the rotation. Devi and Sevi will be here in time. Dont wanna rush it but we could use it.
Bruce leaving is a step up, Voits bat will be a big add still. Hicks and Fazier are stinking it up bad. almost time to send them down or to the IL and try to reset both of them before its too late.
it’s not the main reason why the team is playing so poorly right now. The only teams with worse wOBA than the Yankees are 4 teams who were widely predicted to be among the 4-5 worst teams in baseball this season. That’s not going to continue all season. The sloppiness of the defense and base running is UNFORGIVABLE and is 100% on the manager.
As for Cashman, the shortstop situation is a disaster entirely of his own making. I believe it’s also had a negative effect on Torres at the plate. The Stanton trade has proved to be a disaster simply because the player needs to be elite in order for the contract to not be an albatross. He took risks with the starting pitching and I think that it’s too early to call those failures.
and lack of interest in high on-base players, is killing me as a fan. This has been going on for too many years. Torch me for it but this is my viewpoint.
That is not true. This team has been constructed with analytics in mind: OPB, OPS, HR's and walks. Remember, the analytics say that a walk is as good if not better than a hit. Part of the problem is that teams with solid pitching (like Tampa) seize the initiative by throwing strikes early in the count, while Yankee hitters are waiting for walks or hanging breaking balls.
RE: RE: RE: Ownership sucks. Boone looks over his head.
Cashman can't stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room. This team is hard to watch.
Just curious, why do you say they suck? They’re spending money, just not in the right places in some cases. Is that Cashman or the GM?
They have the highest revenue (at least pre covid) of all teams and yet have treated the luxury tax like a hard cap at a time when ostensibly they're trying to win something. They put in price floors for the ticket resale market so regular fans couldn't pick up great last minute tickets on the cheap on stubhub. They built that monster stadium with a freakin steakhouse and sushi bar in it that's more like going to a vegas casino than a ballpark. Expensive seats sit empty on TV and the actual fans are farther away from the game then ever.
And the family is running it like a business, not the fever dream passion project their dad did before them. They have every right to make money but I miss the owner who actually gave a shit about how the team played and not the balance sheet. Everything they've done since 2009 has been geared toward catering to wealthy fan and has left the regular fans behind.
George was a boob. it's no coincidence that both title runs began while he was banned from baseball.
RE: RE: RE: RE: Ownership sucks. Boone looks over his head.
Cashman can't stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room. This team is hard to watch.
Just curious, why do you say they suck? They’re spending money, just not in the right places in some cases. Is that Cashman or the GM?
They have the highest revenue (at least pre covid) of all teams and yet have treated the luxury tax like a hard cap at a time when ostensibly they're trying to win something. They put in price floors for the ticket resale market so regular fans couldn't pick up great last minute tickets on the cheap on stubhub. They built that monster stadium with a freakin steakhouse and sushi bar in it that's more like going to a vegas casino than a ballpark. Expensive seats sit empty on TV and the actual fans are farther away from the game then ever.
And the family is running it like a business, not the fever dream passion project their dad did before them. They have every right to make money but I miss the owner who actually gave a shit about how the team played and not the balance sheet. Everything they've done since 2009 has been geared toward catering to wealthy fan and has left the regular fans behind.
George was a boob. it's no coincidence that both title runs began while he was banned from baseball.
I am starting to believe that Gleyber and Judge are NOT franchise cornerstones who should be given $100M+ contracts. I'd have scoffed at the idea 18 months ago, but the upcoming free agent class of players like Seager, Story, Correa are superior players outright. I'm not saying to dump these guys, but it feels like they may be lacking lacking the true stud bat.
Outside of Dominguez, there also aren't any premium position player prospects on the horizon. By all accounts it's a solid and deep system, but most of the intrigue seems to be on the pitching side (very high risk, unpredictable, and low hit-rate). Bottom line - offensive help isn't exactly "on the way".
But...I guess this is baseball. When you're running bad, it feels like everyone stinks and it's never going to end. I try to be measured in my assessment, but one month from now, even this post will hopefully seem like over-wrought hysteria.
Final point - I always steer myself out of the banter about frugal ownership, George is rolling over in his grave, etc etc etc. And I probably still will, because I don't find that stuff particularly interesting. But, I think they are due to fire some big rounds in a really solid FA class after resetting on the luxury tax in 2021.
while I agree it's still only April and early, a few things are
* the team is poorly constructed with too many of the same type of players. Big, muscle bound, HR or K hitters
* as many here have said, the Stanton trade was idiotic. they just get out from under the Ahole contract and they take on a worse one for an inferior (to Arod) player who can bench press models but can't stay on the field. Arod was a jerk and a roider, but he could play the whole game and was generally healthy until the very end. Stanton is untradeable and takes away any chance at versatility. Maybe work him out at 1b? IDK, probably can't stretch without popping something
* no lefty hitters at Yankee Stadium. Enough said.
* great Yankee teams traditonally are rock solid up the middle. How does Sanchez-Torres-DJLM-Hicks compare to Posada-Jeter-Knoblauch et al-Williams? or Munson-Dent-Randolph-Rivers? Berra-Kubek-Richardson-Mantle? Dickey-Crosetti-Gordon-DiMaggio? It doesn't.
* it's time to consider that some of these guys aren't going to be the players they had hoped. Judge is much better all around than Stanton, but has yet to prove he can stay healthy and is already 29. Sanchez has regressed as a hitter and not improved as a catcher. Hicks is great when he's hot, but it's never for long, and he's another who's always hurt. I Think Torres will hit if they move him to 2b. He can't play SS and it seems to be in his head now. Frazier still has fielding issues, but in his defense he doesn't get nearly the leash that others get. Voit is another boom/bust/always hurt guy who should be traded as soon as he shows something again.
* what would I do? 1) try to trade Voit as part of a package to get SS who can field and run. 2) move Torres to 2b, DJLM to 1st. Leave Frazier in LF every day until he proves that he truly can't handle it. Platoon Gardner and Hicks for a while.
RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Ownership sucks. Boone looks over his head.
Cashman can't stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room. This team is hard to watch.
Just curious, why do you say they suck? They’re spending money, just not in the right places in some cases. Is that Cashman or the GM?
They have the highest revenue (at least pre covid) of all teams and yet have treated the luxury tax like a hard cap at a time when ostensibly they're trying to win something. They put in price floors for the ticket resale market so regular fans couldn't pick up great last minute tickets on the cheap on stubhub. They built that monster stadium with a freakin steakhouse and sushi bar in it that's more like going to a vegas casino than a ballpark. Expensive seats sit empty on TV and the actual fans are farther away from the game then ever.
And the family is running it like a business, not the fever dream passion project their dad did before them. They have every right to make money but I miss the owner who actually gave a shit about how the team played and not the balance sheet. Everything they've done since 2009 has been geared toward catering to wealthy fan and has left the regular fans behind.
George was a boob. it's no coincidence that both title runs began while he was banned from baseball.
How have the title runs been without him?
Same as with him. I guess you missed the point.
Were you around when he ran the team into the ground as the '80s progressed into the '90s? They were a joke. Gabe Paul built the '70s run while GS was banned, Gene Micheal in the '90s. When every decent baseball mind left and George ran the team, it was a circus on managerial and roster changes that resulted in an empty stadium and fans wildly cheering when his 1990 suspension was announced.
Or strikeout team is exactly what they are and Cashman is simply not very good, he blew this rebuild, had he got a real shortstop and returned Torres to second maybe the guy would have relaxed a little, put some time on his hitting and he may have been able to get on a good track again, and Didi was there for the taking. Paying a DH 26 million a year when he can't stay healthy as a DH, add in the fact you already had Judge, a similar player who plays the same position. He has stuck with a horrible catcher who is beyond awful defensively and didn't hit .150 last season while he keeps the much better catcher on the bench. He has ruined the careers of Andujar and Tachman by not doing anything with them, could have traded Andujar instead of doing nothing with him. Has kept a player like Tachman benched when he could add an element the team sorely lacks. He continues to run out below par starting pitching staffs, all this with the highest or second highest payroll, and fired a great manager just when the team rebuild was looking great, we all know why he did that, but since he fired Giradi it was then that the stupid decisions started, nobody left to disagree with him.
i meant to say platoon Tauchman and Hicks, not Gardner
Cashman can't stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room. This team is hard to watch.
Just curious, why do you say they suck? They’re spending money, just not in the right places in some cases. Is that Cashman or the GM?
They have the highest revenue (at least pre covid) of all teams and yet have treated the luxury tax like a hard cap at a time when ostensibly they're trying to win something. They put in price floors for the ticket resale market so regular fans couldn't pick up great last minute tickets on the cheap on stubhub. They built that monster stadium with a freakin steakhouse and sushi bar in it that's more like going to a vegas casino than a ballpark. Expensive seats sit empty on TV and the actual fans are farther away from the game then ever.
And the family is running it like a business, not the fever dream passion project their dad did before them. They have every right to make money but I miss the owner who actually gave a shit about how the team played and not the balance sheet. Everything they've done since 2009 has been geared toward catering to wealthy fan and has left the regular fans behind.
George was a boob. it's no coincidence that both title runs began while he was banned from baseball.
How have the title runs been without him?
Same as with him. I guess you missed the point.
Were you around when he ran the team into the ground as the '80s progressed into the '90s? They were a joke. Gabe Paul built the '70s run while GS was banned, Gene Micheal in the '90s. When every decent baseball mind left and George ran the team, it was a circus on managerial and roster changes that resulted in an empty stadium and fans wildly cheering when his 1990 suspension was announced.
The Yankees won 7 times under big Stein, so, uh, no. Not the same as without him at all. Yes, he was a lunatic. But he didn't operate it for corporate partnerships and television revenue. He gave a shit about winning. Hal runs it like it's a publicly traded company. This of course is his right. But IMO it shows in the product on the field.
I spent more than complaining about the team than actually watching
them play. It’s that bad, there is only so much poor defense and missing meatballs down the middle one can take. Thank god for the Knicks.
There is not much room for manuvering with the way the team is constucted. Kluber and Taillon have to find their groove soon. Maybe Hicks will come down with an injury like he always does and Florial steps in to play great. Maybe Stanton pulls another muscle and Sanchez gets hot being the full time DH. Maybe Sevy comes back throwing BB’s and shores up the rotation. Maybe King blossoms into a reliable 5th starter.
Judge and Torres need to carry the team right now, if they want to become Yankee royalties.
I don't care if you dismiss the notion, whether you think I'm daft, ignorant, or stupid. I don't care at all. No one will ever persuade me that this current "window" (2016 to present) wasn't irreparably damaged and the chances for a championship greatly diminished on 9 December, 2017. That day was the beginning of the end.
and lack of interest in high on-base players, is killing me as a fan. This has been going on for too many years. Torch me for it but this is my viewpoint.
That is not true. This team has been constructed with analytics in mind: OPB, OPS, HR's and walks. Remember, the analytics say that a walk is as good if not better than a hit. Part of the problem is that teams with solid pitching (like Tampa) seize the initiative by throwing strikes early in the count, while Yankee hitters are waiting for walks or hanging breaking balls.
This has been another season after season issue. They wait for their pitch, but sometimes that's the first pitch. I can't tell you how many first pitch meatballs I've seen this team take, only to strikeout on a pitch so far in the dirt Sachin Tendulkar wouldn't swing at it
and lack of interest in high on-base players, is killing me as a fan. This has been going on for too many years. Torch me for it but this is my viewpoint.
That is not true. This team has been constructed with analytics in mind: OPB, OPS, HR's and walks. Remember, the analytics say that a walk is as good if not better than a hit. Part of the problem is that teams with solid pitching (like Tampa) seize the initiative by throwing strikes early in the count, while Yankee hitters are waiting for walks or hanging breaking balls.
This has been another season after season issue. They wait for their pitch, but sometimes that's the first pitch. I can't tell you how many first pitch meatballs I've seen this team take, only to strikeout on a pitch so far in the dirt Sachin Tendulkar wouldn't swing at it
I’ll go a step further. How many have looked at a strike 3 right down the middle. Maybe a lot of them are guess hitters. I don’t know.
and lack of interest in high on-base players, is killing me as a fan. This has been going on for too many years. Torch me for it but this is my viewpoint.
That is not true. This team has been constructed with analytics in mind: OPB, OPS, HR's and walks. Remember, the analytics say that a walk is as good if not better than a hit. Part of the problem is that teams with solid pitching (like Tampa) seize the initiative by throwing strikes early in the count, while Yankee hitters are waiting for walks or hanging breaking balls.
This has been another season after season issue. They wait for their pitch, but sometimes that's the first pitch. I can't tell you how many first pitch meatballs I've seen this team take, only to strikeout on a pitch so far in the dirt Sachin Tendulkar wouldn't swing at it
It's plain common sense. Every pitcher wants to get ahead 0-1. You have to be ready to hit it because it may be the best pitch you see. We used to drill that into the kids heads in Babe Ruth.
the more pissed I am at the Astros for stealing that series in 2017. That team had the "it" factor the '96 team had and was going to win the World Series if not for the trash cans and the trash players who benefited. It fair to wonder if that's as close as this group will get.
and lack of interest in high on-base players, is killing me as a fan. This has been going on for too many years. Torch me for it but this is my viewpoint.
Same. I love small ball. Always have. And good defense.
So maybe it's my ignorance and my preferences speaking but I think this HR or SO model is killing the team.
I don't care if you dismiss the notion, whether you think I'm daft, ignorant, or stupid. I don't care at all. No one will ever persuade me that this current "window" (2016 to present) wasn't irreparably damaged and the chances for a championship greatly diminished on 9 December, 2017. That day was the beginning of the end.
.
that trade was a classic "Big Stein" move. Can you hear him saying "my baseball people said "gotta have Giancarlo Stanton!""
RE: Listen, Yanks will turn it around and be in the playoffs as usual
and lack of interest in high on-base players, is killing me as a fan. This has been going on for too many years. Torch me for it but this is my viewpoint.
That is not true. This team has been constructed with analytics in mind: OPB, OPS, HR's and walks. Remember, the analytics say that a walk is as good if not better than a hit. Part of the problem is that teams with solid pitching (like Tampa) seize the initiative by throwing strikes early in the count, while Yankee hitters are waiting for walks or hanging breaking balls.
Analytics don't say that a walk is as good if not better than a hit. Analytics merely say that drawing walks is a skill that adds value and should be factored into a hitter's performance. Any offensive outcome that doesn't result in an out is positive.
But no one says a walk is as good or better than a hit (unless it's bases loaded in a tie game in the bottom of the 9th-- then a walk is as good as a hit).
Generally speaking, averaging across all contexts, here are the run values of each type of result at the plate. If an out is worth 0 runs, a walk is worth 0.55 runs, a single .7, etc. (this was taken from all data from 2010-2015 and so the weights might be updated)
BB 0.55
HBP 0.57
1B 0.70
2B 1.00
3B 1.27
HR 1.65
This is why many people don't love SLG% (and therefore think OPS is flawed since it's half SLG)
who makes the postseason and in the postseason. It's the ultimate "in the long run" sport.
The postseason is more of a crapshoot, prone to cold streaks and slumps.
As a result teams like the Yankees are trying to construct rosters that will give the team the best chance to win in the long run, since that is what will most likely get them into the postseason.
Now, do I think that the postseason rewards teams more who are better at not striking out and being more dynamic at the plate? Yes, but it's a balancing act because you don't want to go away from the ability to first get to the postseason. I'd like to see the Yankees think more about versatility, but I can't ignore the fantastic regular season success they've had.
As a style, I don't love watching the three true-outcome batting (HR, strikeout walk), but as a strategy it has worked for the Yankees.
Run scored rank across all of baseball
2021: 25th
2020: 4th
2019: 1st
2018: 2nd
2017: 2nd
The Yankees didn't change their philosophy writ large. They are just having a down year and a bad start.
signed Stanton to the huge dumdass contract not long after we got rid of the A-Rod ball and chain contract. Cashman sucks and needs to go. Then there is the milk toast Aaron Boone. Fire this chump. Who thinks he is a good leader? See ya! There are 2 good reasons we can't win meaningful games. Ownership needs to kick some butt.
I have watched the Yankees with while writing on these threads. For many years.
Why?
Because I think we have lost some perspective. Just some. A lot I agree with. I would have liked for them to have traded Sanchez two years ago. Or after his first major league season. The data was there from the way he conducted himself in the minor leagues.
I think they over valued Frazier and Torres and Andujar several years ago and now its too late. Compare that to their spot on calls of the over hyped minor leaguers in the past
Lack of boldness. Especially when it came to Didi. But the pre emptive years long play for Cole was the Yankees at their best and may yet pay off.
Here is where our critiques veer off from a fuller perspective (again just imo):
1) If they had Severino alone...uninjured and learning from Cole....we would all be singing differently. Very differently about our devastating 1-2 punch Ace 1 and 1A
Thats not Hals fault, Cashmans fault or Boones fault
2) Ditto German
3) To a lesser extent, Schmidt and Voit. Not Hals fault, Cashmans fault or Boones fault.
Neither was it their fault to assume as many of us on this site did - that Torres could play SS well.
Neither was it their fault (and it colors our frustration) that the Astros behaved perhaps worse than the Black Sox during this time. True shitheads and wreckers of the sport whose stink still lingers for any Yankee fan.
DJ/Urshela/Voit. Brilliant and unexpected calls. Same Cashman that sewed up Severino for his peak years and ended a multi year pursuit of Cole for the Yankees with a win.
They are playing bad. Far below potential. Their pitching staff doesnt have the innings and development carrying over from last year.
Last time I saw such a dissapointing start to the year was 1998. Should have traded Williams and Posada while they had trade value. Silly to expect that Rivera guy to have any more longevity than most relief pitchers. Tino is very limited. Lots of slow aging guys. Brosius on his last legs and hitting under 240. Tampa staff vs NY. Fucking Levine still had a say. George was old and tired and not well. Had to behave given one suspension already. Torre killed pitchers and destroyed bullpens.
I have watched the Yankees with while writing on these threads. For many years.
Why?
Because I think we have lost some perspective. Just some. A lot I agree with. I would have liked for them to have traded Sanchez two years ago. Or after his first major league season. The data was there from the way he conducted himself in the minor leagues.
I think they over valued Frazier and Torres and Andujar several years ago and now its too late. Compare that to their spot on calls of the over hyped minor leaguers in the past
Lack of boldness. Especially when it came to Didi. But the pre emptive years long play for Cole was the Yankees at their best and may yet pay off.
Here is where our critiques veer off from a fuller perspective (again just imo):
1) If they had Severino alone...uninjured and learning from Cole....we would all be singing differently. Very differently about our devastating 1-2 punch Ace 1 and 1A
Thats not Hals fault, Cashmans fault or Boones fault
2) Ditto German
3) To a lesser extent, Schmidt and Voit. Not Hals fault, Cashmans fault or Boones fault.
Neither was it their fault to assume as many of us on this site did - that Torres could play SS well.
Neither was it their fault (and it colors our frustration) that the Astros behaved perhaps worse than the Black Sox during this time. True shitheads and wreckers of the sport whose stink still lingers for any Yankee fan.
DJ/Urshela/Voit. Brilliant and unexpected calls. Same Cashman that sewed up Severino for his peak years and ended a multi year pursuit of Cole for the Yankees with a win.
They are playing bad. Far below potential. Their pitching staff doesnt have the innings and development carrying over from last year.
Last time I saw such a dissapointing start to the year was 1998. Should have traded Williams and Posada while they had trade value. Silly to expect that Rivera guy to have any more longevity than most relief pitchers. Tino is very limited. Lots of slow aging guys. Brosius on his last legs and hitting under 240. Tampa staff vs NY. Fucking Levine still had a say. George was old and tired and not well. Had to behave given one suspension already. Torre killed pitchers and destroyed bullpens.
Because I think we have lost some perspective. Just some. A lot I agree with. I would have liked for them to have traded Sanchez two years ago. Or after his first major league season. The data was there from the way he conducted himself in the minor leagues.
I think they over valued Frazier and Torres and Andujar several years ago and now its too late. Compare that to their spot on calls of the over hyped minor leaguers in the past
How exactly did they “overvalue” Andujar? He had a terrific rookie season and has been injured ever since. He wasn’t exposed in any way. They should’ve foreseen that Frazier’s 350+ wOBA over parts of 3 seasons would turn to 220 as soon as they gave him the starting position? And Torres... I honestly don’t know what to say about that. The guy was a top 10 prospect. Yes, he needs to be moved off of short. But what are you saying? That they should’ve traded him years ago? Heck, why not add Judge and Sevy to the list?
and most of this stuff will be forgotten quickly once these guys start playing to their potential. They're not a juggernaut right now and that's ok. Many championship teams didn't start out as world-beaters - and as fans of NY teams, we have learned that lesson well by this point.
Not to be overly dramatic but I peaked in my athletic career at Division I football and a short semi-Pro career. But I've watched enough sports, played in enough games, practiced enough, worked off-season's enough, and coached enough players back in the day to know when a team is off. Something - something you can't quite put your finger on - is off with this current iteration of Yankees. It's like a soup that has all the right ingredients, but the taste is still off. Something's funky. There's no flavor, no depth, no heart. You can't coach that (to a point), you can't buy it and you can't hope for it.
I was asking myself the other day - who is the leader of this team? Who's the beacon of excellence, leadership, performance and knowledge that everyone can rally around in tough times? To me, it's a team of individuals right now who are pressing. Pressing so hard to the point where the on-field performance is affected adversely.
As fans, we need to be patient - while also being pissed off at signings like Stanton, Hicks extension, Bruce, etc. They never felt like the right moves to begin with. Stanton for hundreds of millions of dollars? A fucking DH?
The pissed off part of me says the build of the new Yankees Stadium was something that changed the trajectory of the organization. Fool's Gold in the new digs despite #27. It was a corporate hellhole with obstructed views, exorbitant prices, accessibility issues, empty seats behind homeplate, and a generic malaise that I found completely off-putting. The new HTRB was predicated on catering to the fat-cat, the well-to-do, and the baseball latecomer more interested in Instagram selfies then filling out a scorecard - such is modern sports, I suppose. Lame-ass attempt at a multi-use stadium with the soccer games, football bowls, concerts, hockey etc. Trost's comment that "rich people can't bear to be sitting next to people not as rich" and the price floor deal with Stubhub was IT for me.
I've not visited the new stadium as a personal choice after growing up going to as many games as possible with my dad at the old address, eating Sabrett's, filling out the books together and enjoying a sunny Bronx afternoon.
It may strike some of you as corny - championship notwithstanding - but 2009 really broke my heart with the new stadium, new outlook on organizational tactics and goals and a real fuck you to the very fans who propped the pinstripes up on a pedestal for decades. I can't even sit through a third of the game now without switching channels, pausing to watch something else and FFW'ing or recording it and rifling thru virtually the entire game.
as the manager. Aaron Boone is a nice guy. I do not like the way he manages the game. He may be great handling the locker room and personalities. He just does not have it on the field. I dislike his lineups.
I think Frazier will be fine. He got his chance and is pressing. His OF defense last year was a huge jump, but why he is freezing at the plate is beyond me besides pressure to succeed.
I agree Torres is also pressing. Bad SS, good 2nd baseman. His at bats have never been questioned or ever been bad in his career. Why now?
Love Judge and all he can do. If he stays healthy, but that is a huge issue.
My question is why all of a sudden, aside from DJLM are they are looking for pitches. All of them are starring at 3rd strikes and meatball pitches. They seem to be all guessing.
Somebody mentioned playing too many minor leaguers in ST and I think this is correct to an extent. About two weeks before the season they started losing every day after winning about 10 or 12 in a row. I do not think the starters got enough ABs late in ST.
It is very hard to understand how an entire team(except DJLM) just stopped hitting and can look so lost. Judge, Torres, Stanton are all .280 to .310 hitters, and Frazier is close to that. What the heck has gone wrong?
Did I remotely say Torres was terrible? I said the management should not be blamed for him not doing well at ss. I said Didi at ss and therfore logically Torres at 2nd made more sense. Period. You confused yourself. We are actually in violent agreement.
Abdujar had several years of poor defensive play and good hitting. Its not like he was a great infielder when he got to the majors. He was never a championship level infielder. He was replaceable with a better player. Witness Ursula. Witness DJ. Witness their judgements and actions instead of trying to fight on the internet.
Frazier I made no comment on whatsoever on this thread. None.
Who are you fighting with? and why? and over what?
Im just another Yankee fan and not any enemy of yours
I was 100% wrong. I did speak of Frazier. My bad. To me Frazier is unproven as an all around full season corner outfielder on a championship team. He was not able to do that in prior years. Lets see if their valuation on him was correct this year.
My miss. Shouldn't have posted last thing half asleep
The issue they have currently is that two teams (Boston and TB) are hot, and they can't let the deficit get too wide. They need to start turning it around very quickly.
TB isn't hot. They're 5-1 against us and 3-7 against everyone else. They will need to prove they can beat more than the Yankees.
This is a much slower start than normal, but it is true to an extent.
Then again, during the Opening Day loss, you had posters calling for Cashman and Boone to be fired, so take from that what you will on the actual competency of those opinions.
Not this bad. Worst start since 1997. If they lose tomorrow, it's their worst start since 1972. Lose the next two, it's the worst since 1966.
Now, after their first horrible month in 5 years, they are horrible to watch, Cashman is a monster, every player is lazy and uninterested and Boone is in over his head. Oh and the owners don't want to win.
Time to get a grip. Wake me up in mid June.
This isn't just a slow start - it's a team in very deep trouble.
It's very poorly constructed, with a ton of right-handed hitters in a left-hander's ball park. They have three 2nd basemen, no shortstop, no first baseman until Voit returns, and several guys severely under-performing going back to last season. They aren't hitting and they aren't fielding.
Since you can't fire the owner, start by firing Cashman and Boone and all the so-called baseball people (the anal-ytics crowd) behind them. Then clean house on the player roster. Jay Bruce retiring before he was released was a small start.
Gary Sanchez will hit HR and .230, flailing at low and away sliders and coming up small against good pitchers in big spots. They should have moved on from Gary, made a run at Lindor, and done something about CF. I will be shocked if they get to 90+ wins. This has the look of an 80-85 win team. I fault Cashman for the missteps stated above.
Rant over. Go Knicks! Go Giants! The script has flipped....
Link - ( New Window )
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In comment 15225543 Heisenberg said:
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Cashman can't stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room. This team is hard to watch.
Just curious, why do you say they suck? They’re spending money, just not in the right places in some cases. Is that Cashman or the GM?
IMO, it is philosophy. This all or nothing offense is just brutal to watch. I don't get how analytics see strike outs as just another out. I really wish this team went after Michael Brantley. We need more players like him. Why did everyone cream their pants over DJ last year? Oh, it is because he puts the ball in play. Why do people get frustrated with guys like Judge, Stanton, and Sanchez? Oh, it is because they K way too much.
The pitching has been a disaster this year too.
Eschewing productive outs is what kills this offense. Need a deep fly? K. Need a ground ball? K.
Home runs are great, but the most consistent way to score is by not making outs. Baseball is a game of resource management, with that resource being 27 outs.
Bruce leaving is a step up, Voits bat will be a big add still. Hicks and Fazier are stinking it up bad. almost time to send them down or to the IL and try to reset both of them before its too late.
As for Cashman, the shortstop situation is a disaster entirely of his own making. I believe it’s also had a negative effect on Torres at the plate. The Stanton trade has proved to be a disaster simply because the player needs to be elite in order for the contract to not be an albatross. He took risks with the starting pitching and I think that it’s too early to call those failures.
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In comment 15225543 Heisenberg said:
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Cashman can't stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room. This team is hard to watch.
Just curious, why do you say they suck? They’re spending money, just not in the right places in some cases. Is that Cashman or the GM?
They have the highest revenue (at least pre covid) of all teams and yet have treated the luxury tax like a hard cap at a time when ostensibly they're trying to win something. They put in price floors for the ticket resale market so regular fans couldn't pick up great last minute tickets on the cheap on stubhub. They built that monster stadium with a freakin steakhouse and sushi bar in it that's more like going to a vegas casino than a ballpark. Expensive seats sit empty on TV and the actual fans are farther away from the game then ever.
And the family is running it like a business, not the fever dream passion project their dad did before them. They have every right to make money but I miss the owner who actually gave a shit about how the team played and not the balance sheet. Everything they've done since 2009 has been geared toward catering to wealthy fan and has left the regular fans behind.
George was a boob. it's no coincidence that both title runs began while he was banned from baseball.
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In comment 15225548 Dang Man said:
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In comment 15225543 Heisenberg said:
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Cashman can't stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room. This team is hard to watch.
Just curious, why do you say they suck? They’re spending money, just not in the right places in some cases. Is that Cashman or the GM?
They have the highest revenue (at least pre covid) of all teams and yet have treated the luxury tax like a hard cap at a time when ostensibly they're trying to win something. They put in price floors for the ticket resale market so regular fans couldn't pick up great last minute tickets on the cheap on stubhub. They built that monster stadium with a freakin steakhouse and sushi bar in it that's more like going to a vegas casino than a ballpark. Expensive seats sit empty on TV and the actual fans are farther away from the game then ever.
And the family is running it like a business, not the fever dream passion project their dad did before them. They have every right to make money but I miss the owner who actually gave a shit about how the team played and not the balance sheet. Everything they've done since 2009 has been geared toward catering to wealthy fan and has left the regular fans behind.
George was a boob. it's no coincidence that both title runs began while he was banned from baseball.
How have the title runs been without him?
I am starting to believe that Gleyber and Judge are NOT franchise cornerstones who should be given $100M+ contracts. I'd have scoffed at the idea 18 months ago, but the upcoming free agent class of players like Seager, Story, Correa are superior players outright. I'm not saying to dump these guys, but it feels like they may be lacking lacking the true stud bat.
Outside of Dominguez, there also aren't any premium position player prospects on the horizon. By all accounts it's a solid and deep system, but most of the intrigue seems to be on the pitching side (very high risk, unpredictable, and low hit-rate). Bottom line - offensive help isn't exactly "on the way".
But...I guess this is baseball. When you're running bad, it feels like everyone stinks and it's never going to end. I try to be measured in my assessment, but one month from now, even this post will hopefully seem like over-wrought hysteria.
Final point - I always steer myself out of the banter about frugal ownership, George is rolling over in his grave, etc etc etc. And I probably still will, because I don't find that stuff particularly interesting. But, I think they are due to fire some big rounds in a really solid FA class after resetting on the luxury tax in 2021.
* the team is poorly constructed with too many of the same type of players. Big, muscle bound, HR or K hitters
* as many here have said, the Stanton trade was idiotic. they just get out from under the Ahole contract and they take on a worse one for an inferior (to Arod) player who can bench press models but can't stay on the field. Arod was a jerk and a roider, but he could play the whole game and was generally healthy until the very end. Stanton is untradeable and takes away any chance at versatility. Maybe work him out at 1b? IDK, probably can't stretch without popping something
* no lefty hitters at Yankee Stadium. Enough said.
* great Yankee teams traditonally are rock solid up the middle. How does Sanchez-Torres-DJLM-Hicks compare to Posada-Jeter-Knoblauch et al-Williams? or Munson-Dent-Randolph-Rivers? Berra-Kubek-Richardson-Mantle? Dickey-Crosetti-Gordon-DiMaggio? It doesn't.
* it's time to consider that some of these guys aren't going to be the players they had hoped. Judge is much better all around than Stanton, but has yet to prove he can stay healthy and is already 29. Sanchez has regressed as a hitter and not improved as a catcher. Hicks is great when he's hot, but it's never for long, and he's another who's always hurt. I Think Torres will hit if they move him to 2b. He can't play SS and it seems to be in his head now. Frazier still has fielding issues, but in his defense he doesn't get nearly the leash that others get. Voit is another boom/bust/always hurt guy who should be traded as soon as he shows something again.
* what would I do? 1) try to trade Voit as part of a package to get SS who can field and run. 2) move Torres to 2b, DJLM to 1st. Leave Frazier in LF every day until he proves that he truly can't handle it. Platoon Gardner and Hicks for a while.
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In comment 15225612 Heisenberg said:
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In comment 15225548 Dang Man said:
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In comment 15225543 Heisenberg said:
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Cashman can't stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room. This team is hard to watch.
Just curious, why do you say they suck? They’re spending money, just not in the right places in some cases. Is that Cashman or the GM?
They have the highest revenue (at least pre covid) of all teams and yet have treated the luxury tax like a hard cap at a time when ostensibly they're trying to win something. They put in price floors for the ticket resale market so regular fans couldn't pick up great last minute tickets on the cheap on stubhub. They built that monster stadium with a freakin steakhouse and sushi bar in it that's more like going to a vegas casino than a ballpark. Expensive seats sit empty on TV and the actual fans are farther away from the game then ever.
And the family is running it like a business, not the fever dream passion project their dad did before them. They have every right to make money but I miss the owner who actually gave a shit about how the team played and not the balance sheet. Everything they've done since 2009 has been geared toward catering to wealthy fan and has left the regular fans behind.
George was a boob. it's no coincidence that both title runs began while he was banned from baseball.
How have the title runs been without him?
Same as with him. I guess you missed the point.
Were you around when he ran the team into the ground as the '80s progressed into the '90s? They were a joke. Gabe Paul built the '70s run while GS was banned, Gene Micheal in the '90s. When every decent baseball mind left and George ran the team, it was a circus on managerial and roster changes that resulted in an empty stadium and fans wildly cheering when his 1990 suspension was announced.
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In comment 15225851 Victor in CT said:
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In comment 15225612 Heisenberg said:
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In comment 15225548 Dang Man said:
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In comment 15225543 Heisenberg said:
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Cashman can't stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room. This team is hard to watch.
Just curious, why do you say they suck? They’re spending money, just not in the right places in some cases. Is that Cashman or the GM?
They have the highest revenue (at least pre covid) of all teams and yet have treated the luxury tax like a hard cap at a time when ostensibly they're trying to win something. They put in price floors for the ticket resale market so regular fans couldn't pick up great last minute tickets on the cheap on stubhub. They built that monster stadium with a freakin steakhouse and sushi bar in it that's more like going to a vegas casino than a ballpark. Expensive seats sit empty on TV and the actual fans are farther away from the game then ever.
And the family is running it like a business, not the fever dream passion project their dad did before them. They have every right to make money but I miss the owner who actually gave a shit about how the team played and not the balance sheet. Everything they've done since 2009 has been geared toward catering to wealthy fan and has left the regular fans behind.
George was a boob. it's no coincidence that both title runs began while he was banned from baseball.
How have the title runs been without him?
Same as with him. I guess you missed the point.
Were you around when he ran the team into the ground as the '80s progressed into the '90s? They were a joke. Gabe Paul built the '70s run while GS was banned, Gene Micheal in the '90s. When every decent baseball mind left and George ran the team, it was a circus on managerial and roster changes that resulted in an empty stadium and fans wildly cheering when his 1990 suspension was announced.
The Yankees won 7 times under big Stein, so, uh, no. Not the same as without him at all. Yes, he was a lunatic. But he didn't operate it for corporate partnerships and television revenue. He gave a shit about winning. Hal runs it like it's a publicly traded company. This of course is his right. But IMO it shows in the product on the field.
There is not much room for manuvering with the way the team is constucted. Kluber and Taillon have to find their groove soon. Maybe Hicks will come down with an injury like he always does and Florial steps in to play great. Maybe Stanton pulls another muscle and Sanchez gets hot being the full time DH. Maybe Sevy comes back throwing BB’s and shores up the rotation. Maybe King blossoms into a reliable 5th starter.
Judge and Torres need to carry the team right now, if they want to become Yankee royalties.
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and lack of interest in high on-base players, is killing me as a fan. This has been going on for too many years. Torch me for it but this is my viewpoint.
That is not true. This team has been constructed with analytics in mind: OPB, OPS, HR's and walks. Remember, the analytics say that a walk is as good if not better than a hit. Part of the problem is that teams with solid pitching (like Tampa) seize the initiative by throwing strikes early in the count, while Yankee hitters are waiting for walks or hanging breaking balls.
This has been another season after season issue. They wait for their pitch, but sometimes that's the first pitch. I can't tell you how many first pitch meatballs I've seen this team take, only to strikeout on a pitch so far in the dirt Sachin Tendulkar wouldn't swing at it
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In comment 15225721 Gregorio said:
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and lack of interest in high on-base players, is killing me as a fan. This has been going on for too many years. Torch me for it but this is my viewpoint.
That is not true. This team has been constructed with analytics in mind: OPB, OPS, HR's and walks. Remember, the analytics say that a walk is as good if not better than a hit. Part of the problem is that teams with solid pitching (like Tampa) seize the initiative by throwing strikes early in the count, while Yankee hitters are waiting for walks or hanging breaking balls.
This has been another season after season issue. They wait for their pitch, but sometimes that's the first pitch. I can't tell you how many first pitch meatballs I've seen this team take, only to strikeout on a pitch so far in the dirt Sachin Tendulkar wouldn't swing at it
I’ll go a step further. How many have looked at a strike 3 right down the middle. Maybe a lot of them are guess hitters. I don’t know.
Clint Frazier is BAD because he's not swinging! - ( New Window )
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In comment 15225721 Gregorio said:
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and lack of interest in high on-base players, is killing me as a fan. This has been going on for too many years. Torch me for it but this is my viewpoint.
That is not true. This team has been constructed with analytics in mind: OPB, OPS, HR's and walks. Remember, the analytics say that a walk is as good if not better than a hit. Part of the problem is that teams with solid pitching (like Tampa) seize the initiative by throwing strikes early in the count, while Yankee hitters are waiting for walks or hanging breaking balls.
This has been another season after season issue. They wait for their pitch, but sometimes that's the first pitch. I can't tell you how many first pitch meatballs I've seen this team take, only to strikeout on a pitch so far in the dirt Sachin Tendulkar wouldn't swing at it
It's plain common sense. Every pitcher wants to get ahead 0-1. You have to be ready to hit it because it may be the best pitch you see. We used to drill that into the kids heads in Babe Ruth.
Same. I love small ball. Always have. And good defense.
So maybe it's my ignorance and my preferences speaking but I think this HR or SO model is killing the team.
that trade was a classic "Big Stein" move. Can you hear him saying "my baseball people said "gotta have Giancarlo Stanton!""
this is sort of what cash didnt want. i think cash has made his bed
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and lack of interest in high on-base players, is killing me as a fan. This has been going on for too many years. Torch me for it but this is my viewpoint.
That is not true. This team has been constructed with analytics in mind: OPB, OPS, HR's and walks. Remember, the analytics say that a walk is as good if not better than a hit. Part of the problem is that teams with solid pitching (like Tampa) seize the initiative by throwing strikes early in the count, while Yankee hitters are waiting for walks or hanging breaking balls.
Analytics don't say that a walk is as good if not better than a hit. Analytics merely say that drawing walks is a skill that adds value and should be factored into a hitter's performance. Any offensive outcome that doesn't result in an out is positive.
But no one says a walk is as good or better than a hit (unless it's bases loaded in a tie game in the bottom of the 9th-- then a walk is as good as a hit).
Generally speaking, averaging across all contexts, here are the run values of each type of result at the plate. If an out is worth 0 runs, a walk is worth 0.55 runs, a single .7, etc. (this was taken from all data from 2010-2015 and so the weights might be updated)
BB 0.55
HBP 0.57
1B 0.70
2B 1.00
3B 1.27
HR 1.65
This is why many people don't love SLG% (and therefore think OPS is flawed since it's half SLG)
The postseason is more of a crapshoot, prone to cold streaks and slumps.
As a result teams like the Yankees are trying to construct rosters that will give the team the best chance to win in the long run, since that is what will most likely get them into the postseason.
Now, do I think that the postseason rewards teams more who are better at not striking out and being more dynamic at the plate? Yes, but it's a balancing act because you don't want to go away from the ability to first get to the postseason. I'd like to see the Yankees think more about versatility, but I can't ignore the fantastic regular season success they've had.
As a style, I don't love watching the three true-outcome batting (HR, strikeout walk), but as a strategy it has worked for the Yankees.
Run scored rank across all of baseball
2021: 25th
2020: 4th
2019: 1st
2018: 2nd
2017: 2nd
The Yankees didn't change their philosophy writ large. They are just having a down year and a bad start.
Why?
Because I think we have lost some perspective. Just some. A lot I agree with. I would have liked for them to have traded Sanchez two years ago. Or after his first major league season. The data was there from the way he conducted himself in the minor leagues.
I think they over valued Frazier and Torres and Andujar several years ago and now its too late. Compare that to their spot on calls of the over hyped minor leaguers in the past
Lack of boldness. Especially when it came to Didi. But the pre emptive years long play for Cole was the Yankees at their best and may yet pay off.
Here is where our critiques veer off from a fuller perspective (again just imo):
1) If they had Severino alone...uninjured and learning from Cole....we would all be singing differently. Very differently about our devastating 1-2 punch Ace 1 and 1A
Thats not Hals fault, Cashmans fault or Boones fault
2) Ditto German
3) To a lesser extent, Schmidt and Voit. Not Hals fault, Cashmans fault or Boones fault.
Neither was it their fault to assume as many of us on this site did - that Torres could play SS well.
Neither was it their fault (and it colors our frustration) that the Astros behaved perhaps worse than the Black Sox during this time. True shitheads and wreckers of the sport whose stink still lingers for any Yankee fan.
DJ/Urshela/Voit. Brilliant and unexpected calls. Same Cashman that sewed up Severino for his peak years and ended a multi year pursuit of Cole for the Yankees with a win.
They are playing bad. Far below potential. Their pitching staff doesnt have the innings and development carrying over from last year.
Last time I saw such a dissapointing start to the year was 1998. Should have traded Williams and Posada while they had trade value. Silly to expect that Rivera guy to have any more longevity than most relief pitchers. Tino is very limited. Lots of slow aging guys. Brosius on his last legs and hitting under 240. Tampa staff vs NY. Fucking Levine still had a say. George was old and tired and not well. Had to behave given one suspension already. Torre killed pitchers and destroyed bullpens.
What a fucking mess.
Why?
Because I think we have lost some perspective. Just some. A lot I agree with. I would have liked for them to have traded Sanchez two years ago. Or after his first major league season. The data was there from the way he conducted himself in the minor leagues.
I think they over valued Frazier and Torres and Andujar several years ago and now its too late. Compare that to their spot on calls of the over hyped minor leaguers in the past
Lack of boldness. Especially when it came to Didi. But the pre emptive years long play for Cole was the Yankees at their best and may yet pay off.
Here is where our critiques veer off from a fuller perspective (again just imo):
1) If they had Severino alone...uninjured and learning from Cole....we would all be singing differently. Very differently about our devastating 1-2 punch Ace 1 and 1A
Thats not Hals fault, Cashmans fault or Boones fault
2) Ditto German
3) To a lesser extent, Schmidt and Voit. Not Hals fault, Cashmans fault or Boones fault.
Neither was it their fault to assume as many of us on this site did - that Torres could play SS well.
Neither was it their fault (and it colors our frustration) that the Astros behaved perhaps worse than the Black Sox during this time. True shitheads and wreckers of the sport whose stink still lingers for any Yankee fan.
DJ/Urshela/Voit. Brilliant and unexpected calls. Same Cashman that sewed up Severino for his peak years and ended a multi year pursuit of Cole for the Yankees with a win.
They are playing bad. Far below potential. Their pitching staff doesnt have the innings and development carrying over from last year.
Last time I saw such a dissapointing start to the year was 1998. Should have traded Williams and Posada while they had trade value. Silly to expect that Rivera guy to have any more longevity than most relief pitchers. Tino is very limited. Lots of slow aging guys. Brosius on his last legs and hitting under 240. Tampa staff vs NY. Fucking Levine still had a say. George was old and tired and not well. Had to behave given one suspension already. Torre killed pitchers and destroyed bullpens.
What a fucking mess.
great post
and who won the world series in 98 ?
Because I think we have lost some perspective. Just some. A lot I agree with. I would have liked for them to have traded Sanchez two years ago. Or after his first major league season. The data was there from the way he conducted himself in the minor leagues.
I think they over valued Frazier and Torres and Andujar several years ago and now its too late. Compare that to their spot on calls of the over hyped minor leaguers in the past
How exactly did they “overvalue” Andujar? He had a terrific rookie season and has been injured ever since. He wasn’t exposed in any way. They should’ve foreseen that Frazier’s 350+ wOBA over parts of 3 seasons would turn to 220 as soon as they gave him the starting position? And Torres... I honestly don’t know what to say about that. The guy was a top 10 prospect. Yes, he needs to be moved off of short. But what are you saying? That they should’ve traded him years ago? Heck, why not add Judge and Sevy to the list?
Not to be overly dramatic but I peaked in my athletic career at Division I football and a short semi-Pro career. But I've watched enough sports, played in enough games, practiced enough, worked off-season's enough, and coached enough players back in the day to know when a team is off. Something - something you can't quite put your finger on - is off with this current iteration of Yankees. It's like a soup that has all the right ingredients, but the taste is still off. Something's funky. There's no flavor, no depth, no heart. You can't coach that (to a point), you can't buy it and you can't hope for it.
I was asking myself the other day - who is the leader of this team? Who's the beacon of excellence, leadership, performance and knowledge that everyone can rally around in tough times? To me, it's a team of individuals right now who are pressing. Pressing so hard to the point where the on-field performance is affected adversely.
As fans, we need to be patient - while also being pissed off at signings like Stanton, Hicks extension, Bruce, etc. They never felt like the right moves to begin with. Stanton for hundreds of millions of dollars? A fucking DH?
The pissed off part of me says the build of the new Yankees Stadium was something that changed the trajectory of the organization. Fool's Gold in the new digs despite #27. It was a corporate hellhole with obstructed views, exorbitant prices, accessibility issues, empty seats behind homeplate, and a generic malaise that I found completely off-putting. The new HTRB was predicated on catering to the fat-cat, the well-to-do, and the baseball latecomer more interested in Instagram selfies then filling out a scorecard - such is modern sports, I suppose. Lame-ass attempt at a multi-use stadium with the soccer games, football bowls, concerts, hockey etc. Trost's comment that "rich people can't bear to be sitting next to people not as rich" and the price floor deal with Stubhub was IT for me.
I've not visited the new stadium as a personal choice after growing up going to as many games as possible with my dad at the old address, eating Sabrett's, filling out the books together and enjoying a sunny Bronx afternoon.
It may strike some of you as corny - championship notwithstanding - but 2009 really broke my heart with the new stadium, new outlook on organizational tactics and goals and a real fuck you to the very fans who propped the pinstripes up on a pedestal for decades. I can't even sit through a third of the game now without switching channels, pausing to watch something else and FFW'ing or recording it and rifling thru virtually the entire game.
I think Frazier will be fine. He got his chance and is pressing. His OF defense last year was a huge jump, but why he is freezing at the plate is beyond me besides pressure to succeed.
I agree Torres is also pressing. Bad SS, good 2nd baseman. His at bats have never been questioned or ever been bad in his career. Why now?
Love Judge and all he can do. If he stays healthy, but that is a huge issue.
My question is why all of a sudden, aside from DJLM are they are looking for pitches. All of them are starring at 3rd strikes and meatball pitches. They seem to be all guessing.
Somebody mentioned playing too many minor leaguers in ST and I think this is correct to an extent. About two weeks before the season they started losing every day after winning about 10 or 12 in a row. I do not think the starters got enough ABs late in ST.
It is very hard to understand how an entire team(except DJLM) just stopped hitting and can look so lost. Judge, Torres, Stanton are all .280 to .310 hitters, and Frazier is close to that. What the heck has gone wrong?
Did I remotely say Torres was terrible? I said the management should not be blamed for him not doing well at ss. I said Didi at ss and therfore logically Torres at 2nd made more sense. Period. You confused yourself. We are actually in violent agreement.
Abdujar had several years of poor defensive play and good hitting. Its not like he was a great infielder when he got to the majors. He was never a championship level infielder. He was replaceable with a better player. Witness Ursula. Witness DJ. Witness their judgements and actions instead of trying to fight on the internet.
Frazier I made no comment on whatsoever on this thread. None.
Who are you fighting with? and why? and over what?
Im just another Yankee fan and not any enemy of yours
My miss. Shouldn't have posted last thing half asleep
Who says no?
Who says no?
Probably Girardi and Didi...