Anyone else watching the Yankees....

[Déjà Bru]

Thumbs up for these four guys



Unsure about: Cessa and Chapman

Don't want to see anymore of: Nelson, Wilson, and especially Peralta

[Déjà Bru]

Kudos, kudos, kudos to Aaron Boone who had the b***s to leave Cole in to finish the game tonight. He could have hid behind the stats and analysis and yanked him, as Cole was well over the feared 100-pitch count. Instead, he went with his eyes and ears and judgment which wasn't all that hard to do, considering Cole was still throwing 98-99 MPH at the end.

Sure, I celebrate any Yankee victory but this 1-0 shutout hearkens back to the days when managers and pitchers had guts and the sport wasn't run by goddamned eggheads.

[Déjà Bru]

Good for Judge, too, for the gesture he made for Altuve's benefit as he passed him in his home run trot.

Aaron Judge takes apparent dig at Jose Altuve during home run trot in New York Yankees win

As Judge rounded third base, he seemed to take a shot at 2017 American League MVP Jose Altuve. Judge briefly held his jersey and seemed to imitate Altuve gesturing to his teammates to not rip off his shirt after his pennant-winning, walk-off homer in the 2019 American League Championship Series ... Video replay of Altuve agitatedly motioning to his jersey and shaking his head and finger in a "no" gesture as he rounded third base inspired a debate over whether the Astros were cheating by using buzzers under their jerseys which would let them know what pitch was coming.

Now the story is: "Altuve purported that a bad tattoo on his collarbone was the reason why the Astros All-Star second baseman did not want his jersey ripped off." I forget what the original story was, something about his wife, but I don't recall anything about a tatoo.

I don't blame Judge for still being rankled at Altuve. The guy had just hit an ALCS-clinching homer, and he's worried about keeping his jersey intact, a bad tatoo, or what his wife will think of him at this moment? Altuve will always be a lowlife in my book.

I can't link to it directly, but see if you can catch Judge's post-game interview during which a reporter asked him about his gesture. Judge handled it perfectly.

[Déjà Bru]

Heh: Stanton, leading off second, had to twist, gyrate, and hit the deck to avoid a sharp line drive single by Torres. He managed to get up, sprint, and score.

The "Heh" is about what we will probably see in tomorrow's news: "Stanton experiencing hamstring tightness (substitute all sorts of possible injuries) — he may be on the IL after the All-Star break."

[Déjà Bru]

You know, it was like watching a slow motion train wreck. You could tell that the Yankees, particularly German and Green, were relaxing with a 7-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth. Seven Astro batters, six hits, culminating with the walk-off home run by ... guess who ... Altuve.

Altuve was stripped of his jersey by his teammates. Why? To show that he was not wearing a buzzer. The Astros even won the battle of the gestures.

It would have been good to sweep the Astros in Houston, with 2017 and 2019 in mind. It wasn't meant to be. But to end like this is galling.

You know what? There's an old expression about how the worm turns. And it will, some day.

For now, I am going to be following the Astros every day, rooting against them. May my negative energy and vibes have an effect on their fortunes.

I seriously hate the Astros' guts today, and that is not like me. But I am hyped; I am looking forward to every piece of bad news they get from here on.

If they win the championship, I will resume my voodoo next season.

[andyhdz]

You should hate their guts. They are the reason the Yankees went oh-fer in WS wins the entire last decade. 2015, 2017, 2019...must gall you that it's all because of one little 'ol team. Let the hate flow.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by andyhdz

Let the hate flow.

As I said, this is not like me. Too many fans "hate" other teams out of jealousy or the misguided idea that hating needs to be part of intensely rooting for a team that in turn must hate its opponents in order to be competitive.

There is too much goddamned hate in the world. I might as well be talking to the wind in this regard, as it is and always will be part of human nature. It is the reason why we will destroy ourselves someday because, while we possess the intelligence to create the means of our mass destruction, we are too stupid as a group to prevent it.

But it is galling to know that many of the men on this Astros team cheated and gained by it. That Altuve was wearing some electronic thing to assist him that day in 2019. And that, when reminded and chided for it, succeeded in mashing it into the faces of one of the teams who were most cheated by their actions.

Something snapped as I watched that game unfold, seeing Altuve advancing from the in the hole, to the on-deck circle, to the plate; and knowing what was about to happen. For the first time in my fanhood career, I hate a team, an organization.

I hate the goddamned Astros.

[andyhdz]

There is absolutely no proof that he was wearing a buzzer. Trashcans in 2017 yes. Buzzers in 2019 no. The silly twitter pics that were posted trying to show "proof" were pretty ridiculous including streamers being confused with buzzers. And finally...guess what. The 1951 New York Giants did the same exact thing.

https://sabr.org/research/article/du...ating-in-1951/

[Déjà Bru]

Hmmm. And yet, the Yankees that were there believe it.

[Déjà Bru]

Yankees outfield tonight: Amburgey, Allen, and LaMarre. Amburgey fits in immediately, pulling a hamstring running to first base.

I have a mildly interested eye on Greg Allen who is not a rookie. At 28, and with his third major league organization, he probably senses that this is his last chance. So far, he is making something of it.

Heh, as I am typing this, LaMarre looks like a klutz going for a ball over his head, slams into the fence, and hurts his leg (stays in the game, so far). This guy has played for seven teams in seven years!

[Actually, on second look, make that six teams; two separate tours of duty with the Twins.]

That's because, like Tim Locastro, Brett Gardner, Clint Frazier, and probably Trey Amburgey, he can't hit.

[The single that he just got, raising his average to .111, notwithstanding.]

But this fellow, Allen, lays good wood on the ball and brings in a run with a SF. He retains my eye for now.

[Westheim]

The above post made me laugh. In despair, sorta.

But hey, a laugh a day keeps the doctor away? No? Maybe Amburgey (who??) should have tried that.

Edit: So Amburgey is a nearly-27-year-old debutee. No wonder I never heard of him.

He also wears #95. Not so long ago that number was only ever used in March and you better look up and listen if they call you Trey Nolastname if you are assigned it for the split-squad game in Bradenton.

The Yankees are not doing so great, huh?

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Westheim

The Yankees are not doing so great, huh?

You can say that again! But please don't.

[Déjà Bru]

I guess the Yankees are short of starters right now. Asher Wojciechowski?



His stats:



Somebody will comment on this tonight, but I believe he ties the record for the longest surname in club history, sharing it with Bill Knickerbocker.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Somebody will comment on this tonight, but I believe he ties the record for the longest surname in club history, sharing it with Bill Knickerbocker.

Sure enough.

[Déjà Bru]

My God, but this is the worst Yankees team in a long time. And you know what? Based on their win-loss record, they could be even worse. I wonder if this is the beginning of an extended era of futility.

[Westheim]

We got updates on the no-hitter-in-progress during the Mets game. How do you go from eighth-inning no-hitter to losing 5-4?

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Westheim

We got updates on the no-hitter-in-progress during the Mets game. How do you go from eighth-inning no-hitter to losing 5-4?

Besides having a team that seems to find ways to lose whenever possible — take the night off from hitting, four wild pitches in one inning, the bullpen blowing up, etc. — once again we have the phenomenon of treating a healthy pitcher like he is a Fabergé egg.

Yankee starter: 90 pitches going into the eighth inning, no hits, 4-0 lead. Three pitches later, he's given up a double. Uh-oh, take him out!

Whereupon the next guy gives up four straight hits and the next guy, although he gets the three outs, allows the final two runs to score.

How many times does this have to happen? How many times before managers wise up and assess the situation on the field instead of in a rule book?

Maybe I'm cranky these days (I have to watch it) but I am SICK of these pusillanimous managers who hide behind the stats book and current fads to avoid managing. Gutless sons of guns.

This now includes Aaron Boone, of whom I have changed my mind: He deserves to be fired and I will be glad to see him gone.

Boone had to actually be barked off the mound to avoid taking Cole out when he was facing his last batter in a recent 1-0 shutout. That's how bad a manager he is.

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

four wild pitches in one inning

Scientists have shown that having an actual catcher that can move rather than a human catapult can help prevent these things.

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Maybe I'm cranky these days (I have to watch it) but I am SICK of these pusillanimous managers who hide behind the stats book

(browses his dictionary)

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Boone had to actually be barked off the mound to avoid taking Cole out when he was facing his last batter in a recent 1-0 shutout. That's how bad a manager he is.

Well yes, but maybe the Mets would be 3-time champs if Terry Collins, Leader of Men, had actually taken the ball from Matt Harvey... You're always smarter afterwards.

But I agree that this "Our bespectacled nerd says you can't face Bobo Lumpkins three times in one game, even though lefties are hitting .181 off you and you have a 2-hitter in the sixth inning, so hush-hush, to the showers with you" is extremely ******ed (and is one reason why the Rays are 0-time champs). Baseball is not a deterministic game. Any sort of stupid **** you can make up in your head can happen - or not. And sometimes things happen you can't even make up in your head. Ask Brett Phillips.

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Maybe I'm cranky these days (I have to watch it) but I am SICK of these pusillanimous managers who hide behind the stats book

Ah, found it!

I agree completely!

Y'know, I will try to weave this into today's Raccoons post in your honor, because you made me learn a new word today.

[Déjà Bru]

RP Clay Holmes for a couple of nobodies, eh? Not much to write home about but I will take it, considering some of the garbage that has been trotting out of the Yankee bullpen recently.

[RosaRoo]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

I'm in a crappy mood anyway, made worse by them losing the third game to the 'stros, so take this with a grain of salt.

This Giancarlo Stanton dude is shaping up to be the

Yoenis Cespedes

of the New York Yankees. Stanton missed most of the season because he slid into third base. Not slid too hard; not slid into the third baseman; no, nothing like that. It was because he over-stretched himself sliding. He injured himself merely by sliding.

Apparently he doesn't do that very much. Or, more accurately, he doesn't train his body so that it won't tear anything when called upon to play baseball in ways other than swinging a bat. Even then, come to think of it.

Now the clown has a right quadriceps strain. Why? Because he ran too hard to first base. Are you kidding me?

Trade this bum if you can. We proved we didn't need him during the season. Away with him.

EDIT: Goddamnit, I'm not done. Forget about Dellin Betances and Greg Bird. Anybody out there reading this: Do you realize that Jacoby Ellsbury is still on the payroll? That he hasn't played since 2017 (and only 112 games that year)? That the ballclub still owes him over $26 million for 2020 and 2021 (technically $42 million but the team will certainly use their $5MM buyout option in 2021)?

You may say, "What do you care? It's not your money." No sir, that's incorrect. It is my money. Even if I never set foot in Yankee Stadium, I pay all year round for the privilege of viewing (or even not viewing; it's part of a package) the Yankees on TV for six months. I also paid for these guys for the two years that I subscribed to MLB.TV.

And as a fan, I damned well resent these leeches taking down huge amounts of money only to injure themselves because they cannot be bothered to do the work to prevent it. Or because they are such pansies that they'd rather sit at home "recuperating" than take the field with their teammates.

Like I said, get rid of these bums and watch who you sign in the future. Anybody who has ever injured himself merely sliding, running, crouching, swinging a bat, or throwing a ball (pitchers excepted but that's another caution) should not be signed to long term mega-contracts. It can be taken as a sign that they don't have the work ethic to be professional athletes.

Uncommon injuries happen all the time man, the human body is, at its core, surprisingly fragile. I think it says more about the amount of wear and tear on an athlete's body when something like this happens. Though a lot of people forget this, Giancarlo's had IL stints for a majority of season's he's played, is it really surprising that he continues to hurt himself in the same areas he has previously suffered injury to?



I feel the Yankee's mistake with Giancarlo is obtaining a man with a history of injury and a mega-contract that stretches into his late 30s. Even if he rakes while on the field, his IL stints will make him a money pit.