was watching the basketball playoff game. Looks like they hit the long ball again, scoring a bunch of runs. Keep it going.
IKF struggling a bit in the field it appears, I don't see another Torres situation, he'll get over it. He is too athletic with his feet, not too.
Is the way he stands in the batter's box the whole time and almost never moves any of his body. No kicking the dirt, no adjusting anything, just holds the bat up and stares at the pitcher the whole time almost daring him to throw the pitch. He's like "sooner or later you have to throw the pitch, I'm not going anywhere"
Is the way he stands in the batter's box the whole time and almost never moves any of his body. No kicking the dirt, no adjusting anything, just holds the bat up and stares at the pitcher the whole time almost daring him to throw the pitch. He's like "sooner or later you have to throw the pitch, I'm not going anywhere"
Nice to be so strong that you can just lash at the ball and it goes 450 ft at 120 mph. Looks awkward as hell.
He and Judge are in a zone right now.
Also, love how almost everyone is willing to go the other way with the pitch.
I read an article that I thought was very interesting in The Athletic
The difference between this year’s Yankees team and last year’s is the return of their productive offense. After hitting barely above league average as a team in 2021, the Yankees have MLB’s best offense in 2022 by FanGraphs’ wins above replacement formula. Their 7.1 fWAR outpaces Houston (6.9) and Anaheim (6.5).
As a team, the Yankees are hitting .243/.323/.419 for a .742 OPS. Those numbers may look low for the game’s best offense, but league-average right now is .234/.307/.373 — a paltry .680 OPS.
the Yankees are hitting .239/.313/.470 with runners in scoring position for a .783 OPS. By wRC+ (127), this is the sixth-best offensive performance with runners at second or third in MLB this season. Last season, they hit .238/.328/.371 with runners in scoring position, which was 8 percent below league-average.
The Yankees have scored 150 runs so far this season. As of Friday morning, 60 of them came in the seventh inning or later. They've been very good late in games, hitting .266/.359/.476 for an .835 OPS in the seventh inning or later this year. The next-highest OPS in late innings belongs to Milwaukee, at .796. This shakes out to a 149 wRC+ in the seventh inning or later. They’ve hit 16 late-inning home runs
This information wasn't in the article. The Yankees are still leading MLB in runs scored via HRs at a little over 50%. The league average is in the low 30%'s. But the Yankees have hit the 2nd most HRs too. They are MLB average when it comes to striking out, they are MLB average when it comes to hitting into double plays. They are well below average in doubles and triples. They are above league average in stolen bases. They're 8th in walks, 8th in batting average, 5th in OBP, 4th in SLG, 4th in total bases, 2nd in OPs and OPS+ at 122. In 2021 the Yankees had an OPS+ of 99. So far the offense even with a black hole at catcher and Hicks and Gallo contributing almost nothing from the OF has been an enormous upgrade from 2021.
Now if they could just find a real defensive SS and the pitching continues to excel - what a difference elite defense at catcher makes - they could be positioned to beat any team in a playoff series. But it's only mid May so I'll enjoy this and hope that it lasts all season. The offensive and defensive transition back to playing fundamental winning baseball has been a very pleasant surprise.
If you're a sports fan you need a subscription to The Athletic
I don't work for them or know anyone who works for them. This is not a paid endorsement but I just read something that made me - the multi year Cashman basher - rethink some things.
It's very easy to say all of the people who have bashing Brian Cashman were wrong and he's an elite MLB GM because the Yankees have been a playoff team for so long and they are off to a great start in 2022. I've always called BS on that. IMO any MLB GM who has a 200M+ payroll for 15 years in a row would make the playoffs almost every year.
I've been of the strong and loud opinion that almost any GM in MLB would have a better record and a better roster with the 15 year + financial advantages Cashman has had.
But I just read something that made me think that maybe the all noise from the vocal minority of the fan base that saw how poorly philosophically constructed and how inefficiently the Yankees were spending their money has been heard and that the old dog GM may have learned some new tricks even if it took much longer than it should have IMO.
I should also say the article reflected well on Aaron Boone, who did what excellent business managers do by identifying a passion for and a skill for something in a new hire that wasn't in the original job description and empowered the new hire to run with it. Aaron Boone seems to have a little more confidence and edge to him this year. I like it. Maybe Boone is growing into a personality that his team can reflect and have a positive affect on the field. Maybe it's just the winning so far that makes everything look better. Time will tell.
I think all of us agree that Cashman replacing Larry Rothchild with Matt Blake has worked out really well, better than most of us could have imagined. This year the Yankees promoted Dillon Lawson to MLB hiring coach and the results have been a huge improvement so far. Even more importantly IMO Gleyber Torres who was completely miscast trying to hit like he was 6' 5" and 250 lbs is back to hitting line drives and hitting the ball where it's pitched. That's just one example. There have been other coaching changes that Cashman has made that have had a positive affect that I won't go into out of fear of jinxing it. I finally feel like the Yankees are giving their players the best chance to succeed.
Finally onto the article that lead to this semi mea culpa - which will become full blown if this becomes a special season.
Quote:
The team’s painstaking attention to detail is showing in all aspects of its play — defense, baserunning and, in a particularly unexpected twist, shutting down the opponents’ running game.
Equally unexpected: The coach spearheading the Yankees’ increased emphasis on throwing out baserunners attempting to steal is new third base/outfield coach Luis Rojas, who was part of the Mets’ organization when that team allowed more stolen bases than any other in 2018 and 2019.
The Yankees’ announced Rojas’ hiring on Nov. 15. He was at Yankee Stadium, meeting with Yankees manager Aaron Boone. Their conversation turned so spirited, the two strolled out to the field and talked through different offensive and defensive plays.
Upon returning inside, Boone and Rojas began speaking with some of the Yankees’ analysts about controlling the running game. Rojas explained that he took on that responsibility with the Mets, who last season ranked 20th in stolen bases allowed — a dramatic improvement from years past.
As Rojas recalled, Boone said, “You want to do it? Let’s go. Go ahead and do it.”
Last season, the Yankees threw out only 17 percent of opposing base stealers, the second lowest rate in the majors.
This season, with Gary Sánchez traded to the Twins, Kyle Higashioka and Jose Trevino sharing catching duties, and the Yankees making use of PitchCom to enhance the communication between their catchers, pitchers and middle infielders, the Yankees have allowed the fewest stolen-base attempts (13) and fewest stolen bases (seven, tied with the A’s).
Boone and his coaches started actively discussing ways to better protect against stolen bases in offseason meetings at Yankee Stadium and on Zoom. They outlined their plans during a meeting with players in the middle of spring training, then extended that focus into the season. Before each series, the Yankees review their performance in greater detail than in the past. They’re also using the latest technology to their advantage.
In 2021 opponents were a combined 31-for-39 in attempted steals against the Yankees’ three most frequently used starters — 9-for-9 against Gerrit Cole, 15-for-18 against Jameson Taillon, 7-for-12 against Jordan Montgomery, who as a left-hander operates with an advantage when a runner is on first.
Each of those starters has now pitched six times this season. Cole has yet to allow a stolen-base attempt. Opponents are 2-for-2 off Taillon. And Montgomery has yet to allow a stolen base while picking off two runners.
“I take it really seriously. I take it personal. I tell the catchers that. I tell the pitchers that,” Rojas said.
There's more detail in the article about Matt Blake and his role in shutting down the running game and some other pitching tweaks. I didn't know that the Yankees were ranked so low at throwing out runners last year. Maybe the Yankees have stopped following and jumped ahead of the curve? That would be a very welcome change. How the Yankees turned a weakness into an advantage and cut down opponents’ stolen bases - ( New Window )
1) They are at the top of the majors in OPS at .755, with the league median under .700.
2) They are third in ERA (2.78), very close to the best at 2.78, with a big gap from third to the Mets at fourth (3.25).
3) The only other teams close to the top in both are the Dodgers and Angels, and they are well behind the Yankees.
On the pitching side, it so much fun having such talent at the back end, with Holms, King and even Castro pitching well before Chapman. Opponents get to the 7th inning in most games, and they stop scoring runs. And, of course, the starting rotation is impressive and healthy, and doesn't need to throw too many pitches.
In practically every category, they are better than last year, except perhaps shortstop and offense from the catcher. Otherwise, they are running the bases better, and fielding better.
Right now, hitting has become contagious, with even Donaldson and Gallo contributing. Gleyber has begun to look a lot better, staying within himself in hitting and doing a lot less stupid stuff.
The Athletic is great. What's best is they get right to the point and just put it all out there. They are so great with the advanced stats in all the sports.
Were there commercials on the Amazon Prime Yankee telecast?
If so, the viewer is paying to watch commercials in addition to paying to watch a baseball game - and Jeff Bezos has found yet another way to make an inordinate amount of money.
RE: Were there commercials on the Amazon Prime Yankee telecast?
If so, the viewer is paying to watch commercials in addition to paying to watch a baseball game - and Jeff Bezos has found yet another way to make an inordinate amount of money.
Funny to think back on how everyone was reacting at 5-5
Quote:
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Funny to think back on how everyone was reacting at 5-5
I was thinking the same reading the box score this morning. Yankees are 19-3 since then. Amazing run.
Donaldson and Torres bats seem to be waking up, and Judge and Stanton are absolutely mashing. Bad news for the rest of the league
IKF struggling a bit in the field it appears, I don't see another Torres situation, he'll get over it. He is too athletic with his feet, not too.
Nice to be so strong that you can just lash at the ball and it goes 450 ft at 120 mph. Looks awkward as hell.
He and Judge are in a zone right now.
Also, love how almost everyone is willing to go the other way with the pitch.
As a team, the Yankees are hitting .243/.323/.419 for a .742 OPS. Those numbers may look low for the game’s best offense, but league-average right now is .234/.307/.373 — a paltry .680 OPS.
the Yankees are hitting .239/.313/.470 with runners in scoring position for a .783 OPS. By wRC+ (127), this is the sixth-best offensive performance with runners at second or third in MLB this season. Last season, they hit .238/.328/.371 with runners in scoring position, which was 8 percent below league-average.
The Yankees have scored 150 runs so far this season. As of Friday morning, 60 of them came in the seventh inning or later. They've been very good late in games, hitting .266/.359/.476 for an .835 OPS in the seventh inning or later this year. The next-highest OPS in late innings belongs to Milwaukee, at .796. This shakes out to a 149 wRC+ in the seventh inning or later. They’ve hit 16 late-inning home runs
This information wasn't in the article. The Yankees are still leading MLB in runs scored via HRs at a little over 50%. The league average is in the low 30%'s. But the Yankees have hit the 2nd most HRs too. They are MLB average when it comes to striking out, they are MLB average when it comes to hitting into double plays. They are well below average in doubles and triples. They are above league average in stolen bases. They're 8th in walks, 8th in batting average, 5th in OBP, 4th in SLG, 4th in total bases, 2nd in OPs and OPS+ at 122. In 2021 the Yankees had an OPS+ of 99. So far the offense even with a black hole at catcher and Hicks and Gallo contributing almost nothing from the OF has been an enormous upgrade from 2021.
Now if they could just find a real defensive SS and the pitching continues to excel - what a difference elite defense at catcher makes - they could be positioned to beat any team in a playoff series. But it's only mid May so I'll enjoy this and hope that it lasts all season. The offensive and defensive transition back to playing fundamental winning baseball has been a very pleasant surprise.
It's very easy to say all of the people who have bashing Brian Cashman were wrong and he's an elite MLB GM because the Yankees have been a playoff team for so long and they are off to a great start in 2022. I've always called BS on that. IMO any MLB GM who has a 200M+ payroll for 15 years in a row would make the playoffs almost every year.
I've been of the strong and loud opinion that almost any GM in MLB would have a better record and a better roster with the 15 year + financial advantages Cashman has had.
But I just read something that made me think that maybe the all noise from the vocal minority of the fan base that saw how poorly philosophically constructed and how inefficiently the Yankees were spending their money has been heard and that the old dog GM may have learned some new tricks even if it took much longer than it should have IMO.
I should also say the article reflected well on Aaron Boone, who did what excellent business managers do by identifying a passion for and a skill for something in a new hire that wasn't in the original job description and empowered the new hire to run with it. Aaron Boone seems to have a little more confidence and edge to him this year. I like it. Maybe Boone is growing into a personality that his team can reflect and have a positive affect on the field. Maybe it's just the winning so far that makes everything look better. Time will tell.
I think all of us agree that Cashman replacing Larry Rothchild with Matt Blake has worked out really well, better than most of us could have imagined. This year the Yankees promoted Dillon Lawson to MLB hiring coach and the results have been a huge improvement so far. Even more importantly IMO Gleyber Torres who was completely miscast trying to hit like he was 6' 5" and 250 lbs is back to hitting line drives and hitting the ball where it's pitched. That's just one example. There have been other coaching changes that Cashman has made that have had a positive affect that I won't go into out of fear of jinxing it. I finally feel like the Yankees are giving their players the best chance to succeed.
Finally onto the article that lead to this semi mea culpa - which will become full blown if this becomes a special season.
Equally unexpected: The coach spearheading the Yankees’ increased emphasis on throwing out baserunners attempting to steal is new third base/outfield coach Luis Rojas, who was part of the Mets’ organization when that team allowed more stolen bases than any other in 2018 and 2019.
The Yankees’ announced Rojas’ hiring on Nov. 15. He was at Yankee Stadium, meeting with Yankees manager Aaron Boone. Their conversation turned so spirited, the two strolled out to the field and talked through different offensive and defensive plays.
Upon returning inside, Boone and Rojas began speaking with some of the Yankees’ analysts about controlling the running game. Rojas explained that he took on that responsibility with the Mets, who last season ranked 20th in stolen bases allowed — a dramatic improvement from years past.
As Rojas recalled, Boone said, “You want to do it? Let’s go. Go ahead and do it.”
Last season, the Yankees threw out only 17 percent of opposing base stealers, the second lowest rate in the majors.
This season, with Gary Sánchez traded to the Twins, Kyle Higashioka and Jose Trevino sharing catching duties, and the Yankees making use of PitchCom to enhance the communication between their catchers, pitchers and middle infielders, the Yankees have allowed the fewest stolen-base attempts (13) and fewest stolen bases (seven, tied with the A’s).
Boone and his coaches started actively discussing ways to better protect against stolen bases in offseason meetings at Yankee Stadium and on Zoom. They outlined their plans during a meeting with players in the middle of spring training, then extended that focus into the season. Before each series, the Yankees review their performance in greater detail than in the past. They’re also using the latest technology to their advantage.
In 2021 opponents were a combined 31-for-39 in attempted steals against the Yankees’ three most frequently used starters — 9-for-9 against Gerrit Cole, 15-for-18 against Jameson Taillon, 7-for-12 against Jordan Montgomery, who as a left-hander operates with an advantage when a runner is on first.
Each of those starters has now pitched six times this season. Cole has yet to allow a stolen-base attempt. Opponents are 2-for-2 off Taillon. And Montgomery has yet to allow a stolen base while picking off two runners.
“I take it really seriously. I take it personal. I tell the catchers that. I tell the pitchers that,” Rojas said.
There's more detail in the article about Matt Blake and his role in shutting down the running game and some other pitching tweaks. I didn't know that the Yankees were ranked so low at throwing out runners last year. Maybe the Yankees have stopped following and jumped ahead of the curve? That would be a very welcome change.
How the Yankees turned a weakness into an advantage and cut down opponents’ stolen bases - ( New Window )
2) They are third in ERA (2.78), very close to the best at 2.78, with a big gap from third to the Mets at fourth (3.25).
3) The only other teams close to the top in both are the Dodgers and Angels, and they are well behind the Yankees.
On the pitching side, it so much fun having such talent at the back end, with Holms, King and even Castro pitching well before Chapman. Opponents get to the 7th inning in most games, and they stop scoring runs. And, of course, the starting rotation is impressive and healthy, and doesn't need to throw too many pitches.
In practically every category, they are better than last year, except perhaps shortstop and offense from the catcher. Otherwise, they are running the bases better, and fielding better.
Right now, hitting has become contagious, with even Donaldson and Gallo contributing. Gleyber has begun to look a lot better, staying within himself in hitting and doing a lot less stupid stuff.
Great post, too, btw.
no different than cable?