New York Yankees 2018 Season Thread

[Déjà Bru]

Local writers are already dumping on Stanton for his slow start, especially in home games. References are being made about his ability to handle the pressure of playing in New York. Where is that smiley? Oh, here it is:

[BaseballMan]

I think Stanton will turn it around. Its only April.
Maybe its just adjusting to the pitchers in the AL.

[Déjà Bru]

I think the Yankees may have a problem with Torreyes. A good problem.

This guy may ultimately prove to be too good a player to be on the bench. Yet, he is so valuable as a utility infielder, it may be that is the best situation for him and for the team.

The good news is, Torreyes does not seem to mind the UI role although I am sure that like any ballplayer, he would prefer to play everyday. Torreyes is the kind of guy that I like to have on my own roster in OOTPB. I'm currently scouring the FA market for one, as a matter of fact!

[Déjà Bru]

12-1: Beatdown. Three reactions: Don't get excited, Yankees fans. This is just the Marlins. And, even so, this was a lot of fun to watch. Can we play the Marlins more often? And, Jeter was smart to stay home. Can you imagine him forgetting himself, jumping up out of his seat, and yelling "Yes!" as the Yankees blasted their way to victory? "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot . . ."

Drury: Still suffering from blurred vision "that he's played with for years." Two reactions: How in the heck can he have done whatever he has accomplished in these years at the professional level in this condition? And, my heart goes out to him. Now that it's out in the open, I'm thinking he either needs some serious surgery and/or his career is open. Would you send him out there to face 90mph+ fastballs knowing that he has blurred vision?

Ellsbury: Now it's his foot, plantar fasciitis. (Stupid forum spellcheck gives me a failing grade on "fasciitis" but The Free Dictionary confirms it. I have resolved to look it up for another reason; that is, what is it?*) One reaction: Are you kidding me? This is getting beyond ridiculous.

*It's muscle and ligament inflammation in the foot. Wikipedia says, "The causes of plantar fasciitis are not entirely clear. Risk factors include overuse such as from long periods of standing, an increase in exercise, and obesity. It is also associated with inward rolling of the foot and a lifestyle that involves little exercise." In Ellsbury's case, I'd have to go with the latter.

[Déjà Bru]

The blue birds of the North took us down again last night. You know, I set up a league yesterday in which I debated moving the Blue Jays from Toronto to Portland, Maine and calling them the Black Bears. I had the BB logo from years ago, still good, but the uniform looks a little dated these days so I skipped. (Actually, I'm being harsh. I would like to see more Canadian baseball, including moving a team back to Montreal.)

[Déjà Bru]

The Daily News reported that Drury's migraines and blurry vision are being caused by an irritated tendon in his neck. As much as we would hope that to be the case, and as much as none of us here are physicians, does that sound like a legitimate diagnosis? I hope he is getting second opinions.

[Déjà Bru]

Newsday made a big deal of this . . . as well they should. Look at these dates and realize what has changed about this organization since, say, 1989.

[Déjà Bru]

Hidden silver linings in yesterday's 14-1 drubbing of the Twins:

• Stanton goes 4 for 4 to raise his batting average UP to .224!
• Tanaka gives up only 1 earned run in 6 2/3 innings to lower his ERA DOWN to 5.28!
• Torres gets his first major league hit (in only 8 AB's, of course) to raise his batting average UP to .125!

Progress!

[Déjà Bru]

This thing with Didi . . . what is going on?

https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseb...els-1.18296363

[Antonin]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

This thing with Didi . . . what is going on?

https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseb...els-1.18296363

Before he rocked Kluber last October I didn't pay any attention to him, but gee whiz was he fun to watch in that series.

How is Sabathia doing for you guys? Is he popular among Yankees fans?

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Antonin

How is Sabathia doing for you guys? Is he popular among Yankees fans?

You miss him? He isn't doing badly at all even though many fans, including me, keep thinking that he's washed up. Then he gets better and carries the team along for a while. You know, with a shape like his, he makes me think that I could still pitch! He's getting like Bartolo Colon in that regard.

[Antonin]

Yeah, I do miss him. The cap pulled down low to hide his eyes, with the bill of the cap slightly off-center. Overpowering hitters. He was really fun to watch.

At one point after he left us he lost a bunch of weight. I seem to remember that he had a cousin or some other relative who had died because of weight-related issues, and he was really worried about winding up the same way. I hope he gets back on track and slims down again.

It was sad when he left Cleveland, but anyway ownership just didn't want to pay him.

I will admit that it bothered me when he wound up in New York. Nothing personal or hostile toward the city or its fans--it's just that when I was growing up in the 60s it was just a given in my family that we "hated" the Yankees. Nobody could explain why, it was just taken for granted.

It was one thing for CC to go off and get paid, as any pro athlete with any sense would do, but to go off and join a team we considered to be a "rival"...oh no! How could that be?

Anyway we will have the pleasure of watching CC tonight. Good to see that he's still out there getting it done.

Re Bartolo Colon: I can always get a laugh out of my wife when we watch baseball when I point at the TV and go, "Look at Bartolo! The guy is 73 years old and weighs 532 pounds."

Fans in Cle sure were angry when the Indians traded him away...

[Déjà Bru]

There is something to this personal catcher business, I have become convinced. And it's not just the latest example of Sonny Gray and Austin Romine clicking, getting Gray out of his doldrums. (Thank goodness for the DH in the AL, where a guy like Gary Sanchez can still contribute if he is odd-man out in the situation.)

There have been quite a number of such pairings in baseball history, as these articles will attest:

https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseb...ine-1.18408639
http://seamheads.com/blog/2018/04/24...-combinations/

It's not always the situation where the more experienced catcher is favored. Some of it seems to be personality as well, guys thinking the same things at the same time rather than having different opinions. In a pressure situation, that must be a big plus.

[Déjà Bru]

Wow, this is starting to look bizarre. Both clubs playing .700 ball and it's still not enough to lead the division!

[Leo_The_Lip]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

There is something to this personal catcher business, I have become convinced. And it's not just the latest example of Sonny Gray and Austin Romine clicking, getting Gray out of his doldrums. (Thank goodness for the DH in the AL, where a guy like Gary Sanchez can still contribute if he is odd-man out in the situation.)

There have been quite a number of such pairings in baseball history, as these articles will attest:

https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseb...ine-1.18408639
http://seamheads.com/blog/2018/04/24...-combinations/

It's not always the situation where the more experienced catcher is favored. Some of it seems to be personality as well, guys thinking the same things at the same time rather than having different opinions. In a pressure situation, that must be a big plus.

More interesting is when three future FOFers are in the rotation and only one pops up on the list. For example, Glavine and Javy Lopez have almost 5000 innings together. So where are Smoltz and Maddox? The 'favorite catcher' list should not be players such as Javy Lopez who were all-stars and near all-stars. Rather they are the catchers who were deemed necessary by a Maddox or a Smoltz despite losing a huge amount of offense from the catcher spot in the lineup.

That is the list I'd like to see.

[Déjà Bru]

May the Yankees resume playing games soon? The BoSox have a four-game lead on them in games played!

Hmmm. However, if all Yankees games were to be cancelled from this point on due to inclement weather, that would work for me. Instant playoffs!

[Déjà Bru]

Heh, what's surprising to me is that none of the more well-heeled members of the team didn't just pick up their phones and order a charter jet or two.

[Antonin]

How do Yankees fans feel about Alex Rodriguez? I was surprised recently to see him working as a TV baseball analyst. At first I didn't recognize him because he was smiling. I asked my wife, "Isn't that A-Rod???" She confirmed that it was indeed him.

I have to be honest and say that although he seemed to do a decent job as a TV analyst, he's not my favorite guy by a long shot. I wonder why the network couldn't find someone else to do the job.

An Indians game was recently on national TV and he was one of the analysts, and I'm sorry to say I turned to something else.

During his last year or so as a player I got the impression that the team really wanted to see the back of him as soon as possible. Is that an accurate or inaccurate perception? Is he still well-liked among Yankees fans?

[Déjà Bru]

I'm only one Yankees fan so I will tell you how I felt/feel about A-Rod, at least.

First of all, when the Yankees gave him those contracts which would be still be paying him past the age of 40, I remember saying "they are going to regret this big time." He actually did have a decent year in 2015 at the age of 39: 151 G, .250 BA, 33 HR, 86 RBI but that was it. The Yankees paid him $42 million for 2016 and 2017; he batted .200 in 65 games in 2016 and they released him for 2017. So sure enough, the team and the fans indeed "really wanted to see the back of him as soon as possible" and nobody cared about his 696 homers in the end.

Personally, when he was a player, I resented him for being the epitome of an over-hyped, egotistical superstar who was in it for the money which to me has ruined, or at least badly hurt, the game of baseball. Did I appreciate the home runs that he hit for my team? Yes but only until I learned that his performance was drug-enhanced. Then I really did not like him at all.

But a funny thing happened to A-Rod toward the end: He learned humility at last. At the end of his career, he realized that he had thrown away an opportunity to be one of the truly great players of baseball - he didn't need those PED's for a ticket to the Hall of Fame, such was his natural talent - and he wanted to go out in style at least. He showed contrition and it was not an act.

Today he talks openly about the mistakes he made and how he encourages young guys to not go down the paths that he chose. He has kept himself out of trouble - no stupid stories about drugs and alcohol, reckless driving of extravagant cars, spats with jealous girlfriends, gambling debts, organized crime, none of that - and he demonstrated even more humility in acknowledging his need to learn how to be a broadcaster now that his playing days were over.

Americans are funny in this way. We tend to forgive a lot if someone acknowledges having been a jerk and wants to turn his life around. Much depends on whether it seems genuine. The thinking is, we all make mistakes, we want to learn from them, and we appreciate getting a second chance. That is why people, some anyway, have forgiven A-Rod and no longer dislike him.

I must say that I am one of them. I have seen and heard A-Rod on sportscasts and frankly, I think he is rather good at it. I enjoy listening to him. He actually appears to be a likeable guy and I have heard and read that opinion expressed about him more than once.

I'm not looking for you and your wife to change your opinion of A-Rod, of course, but maybe you can understand why some people have done so.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Heh, what's surprising to me is that none of the more well-heeled members of the team didn't just pick up their phones and order a charter jet or two.

I am beginning to suspect Red Sox sabotage!

Yankees again stranded at an airport