LADY AT THE BAT

After A Yankees Win, Some Personal News

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Sun, 20 May 2018 22:14:00 +0000

After their Odysseus-like experience last week, the Yankees finally made it to Kansas City Thursday. By the end of the weekend, they had righted the ship, having taken two out of three from the Royals. It was their eighth straight series win, something they haven't done since 1998.

Back in 1998 I was still eight years away from leaving my full-time job to begin what turned out to be a freelance writing career. I supplemented my writing by working part-time for an organization I have been with for nearly nine years.

Two weeks ago I was offered a promotion by this organization, which I accepted. It is a full-time position and I am very happy to have gotten it. 😁

You may be asking, why am I announcing all of this here? The answer is that, because of the long commute to and from my new job, and a few other issues I am dealing with right now, this post will be my last for a while. I will decide this off-season whether or not there will be posts in 2019 and beyond.

Thank you all for your support over the years. In my next post, which, hopefully, will be after the Yankees win the World Series, I will either announce plans for the blog going forward, or give a final goodbye.

Enjoy the rest of the season, everyone. 💓

Yankees Complete 7-2 Home Stand, Capitol Awaits

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Mon, 14 May 2018 00:24:00 +0000

As Ken Singleton says, they won this series the hard way. After losing the first game on Friday night, the Yankees took the next two, giving them a 2-1 series win over Oakland, which completed a 7-2 home stand. They are still tied for first place with the Red Sox.

The A's are such pains in the neck. They annoy you constantly, always threatening to smother you to death. Saturday's win was fought hard for, and though Sunday's was easier to come by, the A's made Luis Severino work. He didn't have his best stuff, which could have caused him to be smothered had he been a lesser pitcher. But Sevy did what an ace does when he doesn't have his best stuff: grinded it out.

Weird week coming up. An off-day tomorrow, then a brief two-game set against the Nats in Washington, then another off-day before they head to Kansas City. What gives? This isn't basketball.

Anyway, Sunday, of course, was Mothers Day. I love the idea behind all the pink clothing, bats and accessories. I love what they stand for. I just don't like them. I don't like the stuff. It's ugly as hell. At least the interlocking NY on the uniforms wasn't pink this year. They went too far last year with that.

Gio Gonzalez and Max Sherzer await. Ugh, things could get ugly in the nation's capitol this week. For a change, I wish I meant that politics could get ugly. No matter, go Yankees, anyway.

Yankees Lose But Recent Stretch is Beyond Impressive

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Colgan) — Fri, 11 May 2018 07:48:00 +0000

When the Yankees finished a home sweep of the Minnesota Twins on April 26th, their season record was 15-9. That home stand seemed to lift the Yanks from the early season doldrums. It ended with an impressive eight wins.

But the schedule was about to get a lot tougher.

The Yankees had won that April 26th game on a getaway afternoon thanks to a walk off home run by Gary Sanchez. The next scheduled road trip would take them to Anaheim to meet the Angels, then to Houston to face the World Champion Astros. The home stand which followed would start against two first place teams, Cleveland and Boston.

And in that thirteen game stretch which concluded with Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Red Sox, the Yankees went 11-2, winning in all sorts of ways. Late rallies were the order of the day a few times over.

And Thursday's loss produced another Yankees late rally. Trailing 4-0 into the seventh, the Yankees rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the inning 4-4. Unfortunately, Dellin Betances allowed the tie breaker in the top of the 8th inning as the Red Sox salvaged the final game of the series, barely avoiding a sweep. The home run Betances surrendered was a typical Yankee Stadium short porch home run, which barely eluded the glove of Aaron Judge. You might remember it wasn't long ago the Yankees trailed the Sox by 7 1/2 games in the standings. Many among us wondered how long it would take for the Yankees to dig out of that early season sinkhole. Friday morning we wake up to a first place tie between said rivals, with identical 26-11 records.

And the Yankees had the tougher road to get all of that 7 1/2 game deficit back.

Bring on the Oakland A's

The Yankees meet the Oakland A's to complete the current home stand this weekend. One irony is the A's have swept the Yankees in a series each of the last two years. The A's took all three games at Yankee Stadium in their only meeting in the Bronx in 2016. Last year the Yankees were swept by the A's in Oakland in a four game series. The Yankees did manage to return the favor in 2016, competing a four game sweep of the A's in Oakland, meaning in 2016 the home team lost all seven games the two teams played that year, which gave the Yankees a 4-3 season series advantage. In 2017 the Yankees lost five of seven overall to the A's.

There will be some intrigue from the Yankees starting pitchers in this series. Sonny Gray will meet his former team Friday night for the first time. Gray has pitched much better in his last two starts, having struggled in most of this early season. On Saturday Domingo German gets the start for the second time this year, coming off his six inning no hit performance. Can we expect to see some more German dominance in his second career start? We'll know Saturday.

And remember Dustin Fowler? Last June the Yankees called Fowler up from triple A to join the big club in Chicago. His Yankees career lasted almost all of one half inning. Fowler injured his knee chasing a foul pop fly running into a solid steel electrical box along the right field line of Guaranteed Rate Field. Fowler was later included in the deal with the A's which made Gray a Yankee. The A's called Fowler up earlier this week, and he finally got that elusive first MLB at-bat, grounding out in a pinch hit appearance.

Here's wishing Fowler all the best, except in the win column this weekend. Let's start another winning streak, Yankees.

Yankees Beat Boston Again, Take Sole Possession Of First

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Thu, 10 May 2018 11:27:00 +0000

When Hanley Ramirez homered off Chad Green last night, I thought to myself, okay, the winning streak ends tonight. I looked ahead to the next game, trying to think good thoughts about CC Sabathia.

Shame on me.

After a shockingly great performance by reliever Jonathan Holder (of all people!), along came the eighth inning. Brett Gardner had been raking all game, but his biggest hit came in that inning. (He and Aaron Judge were a one-two punch, from the first inning, before even one out was made.)

Let's not forget the table setters in that eighth inning: Miguel Andujar moving the runner to third, and Gleyber Torres drawing a walk. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the rookie had a "veteran at-bat."

So, what is it now, 17 out of 18? I Can't even keep track anymore. They're in first place by one game, that's the most important stat, in my opinion. They will still have at least a share of it when the Red Sox leave town tomorrow night.

Let's get that sweep. Go Yankees.

Yankees Win Again, Grab Share Of First

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Wed, 09 May 2018 11:47:00 +0000

That's seven in a row. Their 16th win in 17 games. They are now tied for first place in the AL East--after being 7.5 games behind Boston as recently as April 20th.

Who's "they?" The 2018 New York Yankees. Not the 1953 Yankees. Not the 1998 Yankees. The 2018 Yankees. Not even the 1998 team did what this team is doing right now. Will it translate to a World Championship? Who knows? Right now, however, this team is clicking on all cylinders, and they seem unstoppable.

Not even shoddy defense and bad sends by the third base coach could stop them last night. Honestly, Phil Nevin, were you too busy worrying about looking fat on MLB Network? Ridiculous.

Regarding the defense, Gary Sanchez deserved the passed ball he was charged with last night. He deserved to be criticized. But, that is not always the case. If you ask me, the kid is over-confident and very stubborn, not lazy like so many people believe. I can understand being lazy when it comes to game prep and practice (by all accounts, that does not apply to Sanchez), but in-game laziness? Putting a game in jeopardy??? He would have to mentally ill to do that. Think about it! It's so easy to label a Latino player as lazy. Make an effort not to, folks.

Game two tonight. Tanaka vs Porcello. (Damn you, David Price!) Keep it moving, fellas.

Rookies Lead Yankees To Sweep Of Indians

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Mon, 07 May 2018 08:35:00 +0000

Remember when the experts swore up and down that the Yankees would never field a team with two rookies (Andujar and Torres) on it? Well, they were forced into it, but they did it nonetheless. And it's been working.

I remember trying to get the nickname Baby Clutch stick for Melky Cabrera. That didn't work (though, it should have). Maybe it can stick for Gleyber Torres. Come on, guys, get it started.

Miguel Andujar walks it off on Friday. Torres walks it off yesterday. Both wins were part of a sweep of the Cleveland Indians, which is part of a six game winning streak, which is part of a just-completed 18-game stretch in which the Yankees were 16-2.

Oh! Can't forget Domingo German. Six no-hit innings. If the Yankees had lost the game, all anyone would be talking about now (grousing about, actually) is the fact that he was removed after 84 pitches. Look, people: The year is 2018. This is not your father's MLB. Get over it.

This team looks unstoppable right now. As Terry Francona said after yesterday's game, they're a dangerous team as well. That's because they refuse to quit. They play to the end.

Baseball Armageddon, Round 2, begins tomorrow night. The Red Sox currently have a one-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East. Let's fix that.

Ninth Inning Rally Caps Yankees Successful Road Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Colgan) — Fri, 04 May 2018 10:51:00 +0000

I have to admit I didn't want to see this road trip come at the time it did. Three games against the Angels at Anaheim and four in Houston to follow seemed like a daunting task. But maybe not that bad. Thinking we could see the Yankees go 3-4 or 4-3 in this stretch, right? That would be holding their own. Nothing to hang your head about such a trip to these two cities.
The Yankees have not experienced many winning series in Anaheim in recent memory. Houston won all four games at home in the ALCS against the Yankees, as the Yankees did the same to the Astros in three games in New York. And following Thursday's matinee at Minute Maid Park the results are in.

The Yankees thumped both the Astros and Angels to the tune of a 6-1 road trip with the one loss a squeaker won by the Astros 2-1 Monday night as Sonny Gray held his own.

Thursday afternoon the Yankees did what they had to do to claim a win, scoring three runs in the ninth inning, tying the game on rookie second baseman Gleyber Torres' two run single. Aaron Judge drove in the winning run with an RBI ground out, 6-5 Yanks. Spoiler alert: Gleyber is here to stay. Watching him in the field and at bat gives you the sense he has done this for awhile. Before the heroics of Torres and Co. the Yankees endured an unfortunate 7th inning with the Astros at bat, which erased the Yanks 3-0 lead. Two dinky singles followed by a hit batsman and Masahiro Tanaka's shutout was in jeopardy as he was pulled from the game in favor of Chad Green. Long story short, all three runners scored as did another run and the Yankees trailed 4-3 after seven innings. Carlos Correa hit what appeared to be a insurance solo home run in the 8th inning, but the Yankees weren't finished.

The series in Houston, won three games to one by the Yankees, was not without its mishaps. Jordan Montgomery left game two on Tuesday after throwing one inning and seven pitches, with an elbow problem, which will likely keep the Yankees lefty out of action until after the All Star break in July. With a little luck, they found Montgomery's replacement in Domingo German, who followed Montgomery's exit that game with four shutout innings. The Yankees managed to win with a four run 9th inning rally against Astros reliever Ken Giles, who left the mound and gave himself a solid punch to the jaw as he entered the dugout, a blow which will forever be seen among the all time bizarre baseball highlights.

Two of the Astros losses highlighted what has changed in baseball over the last three or four decades. Justin Verlander was sailing along through eight innings, having allowed 3 hits, no runs, no walks and 14 strikeouts. But his pitch count was over 100. So they pulled Verlander in favor of Giles who turned a 0-0 deadlock into a 4-0 loss. Thursday afternoon Astros reliever Chris Devenski threw just 12 pitches, striking out the side and the heart of the Yankees order. And Devenski was nowhere to be seen when the 9th inning started. Will Haris relieved and, just like Giles on Tuesday night, Harris surrendered the 9th inning, runs which cost the Astros the game. Once upon a time, a Verlander like performance would have earned the Astro starter a chance at a complete game. Devinski would likely not have been pulled having just fanned three of the Yankees big guns, Of course, the irony in all of this is Luis Severino's performance in the series which resulted in a complete game 4-0 shutout on Wednesday night.

Talk about a throwback.

Looking ahead.......

Yankees return home Friday to start a three game series with the Cleveland Indians, with Boston and Oakland to follow on the nine game home stand. The Yankees start the home stand trailing the Red Sox by one game. Seems like yesterday the Sox were running away with the AL East doesn't it?

Yankees Win As Sevy Goes Distance, Stanton Goes Yard Twice

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Thu, 03 May 2018 11:19:00 +0000

Should we call them the S & S Boys?

David Cone joked that the rest of the team didn't have to get off the bus, because Giancarlo Stanton and Luis Severino took care of business all by themselves last night.

On a warm Houston night, the roof at Minute Maid Park was open, and that might have contributed to the success of both players. Stanton, from the Los Angeles area and having begun his career in Miami, and Severino, born and raised in the Dominican Republic, were in mid-season form. Stanton drove in all four runs for the Yankees, and Sevy notched his first career complete game shutout.

It was the Yankees' second-straight win in Houston, a chamber of horrors up until the previous night's game. It was also the second-straight shutout of the Astros, to whom that has not happened since 2013, I believe.

Sevy was on the ropes at one point, until Gleyber Torres made a spectacular play at second, saving at least one run. Yep, it's definitely true: Gleyber Good.

The Yankees have now won 11 of their last 12 games. According to a tweet from Buster Olney, over those 12 games, they have outscored their opponents 73-20. Wow.

I had been hoping for a split of the four games, but they have a chance to win the series today. It'll be Masahiro Tanaka vs Lance McCullers, Jr. Let's get it done!

Yankees Get Off Schneid At Minute Maid

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Wed, 02 May 2018 11:12:00 +0000

When Jordan Montgomery left last night's game with elbow tightness after just one inning pitched, I became convinced that the Yankees were just eight innings away from their second straight loss to the Houston Astros. After all, Justin Verlander was on the mound for Houston, in Houston, in a ballpark the Yankees hadn't won a game in in seven tries.

I didn't count on the bullpen doing the stellar job it did. Nor did I count on the bad decisions AJ Hinch made after the eighth inning. But there you have it. The Astros went on a collision course towards Gary Sanchez, and he made sure it hurt, and that it hurt badly.

But, the bullpen! They were horrendous out of the gate and, at times, it seemed as if they'd stay that way all year. But last night, led by the kid, Domingo German, they threw eight scoreless innings. Green gave a representative performance, Betances turned back the clock (please stay back, please), Robertson was terrific, and Chapman reached 100 mph while striking out the side.

Back to Sanchez. What a shot. And what a bat flip, too. On the YES post-game show they suggested that Sanchez was showing off to get back at Ken Giles, who they say celebrated too much after he recorded the save the previous night. Really? I've seen worse. As the saying goes, you're trying to hard, bros. Then again, they pointed out that Sanchez glanced at Giles twice shortly after he began his home run trot. Is that why Giles tried to beat himself up? Ha, oh well.

Depending on what we find out about Montgomery (hopefully, it's nothing too serious) Domingo German will slot right into his spot in the rotation. He deserves it. In the past, every time an opportunity arose, Luis Cessa always got it. Well Cessa's on the DL, so they have to give German his chance, now.

Sunday on Sunday. Let's do it.

Gray Better But Yankees Lose To Astros

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Tue, 01 May 2018 11:26:00 +0000

Things went as expected in Houston last night. Charlie Morton was better than Sonny Gray, and the Astros beat the Yankees 2-1, ending their nine-game winning streak.

Then again, things didn't go exactly as expected. Gray probably had his best start to-date: 6IP, 4H, 2ER, 3BB, 4K. Austin Romine was his catcher again, renewing the argument about personal catchers. But was it really Romine that made the difference? Maybe it was the weather. Who knows? I just hope he builds on this start. We'll see this weekend when, as it turns out, Romine will catch him again, since it will be a day game after a night game.

Speaking of Romine, it was he who broke up Morton's no-hitter. I joked around on Twitter that it happened because I had just arrived home. If only I had that power!

There were only two other Yankee hits in the game. Brett Gardner awoke from an offensive malaise to drive in rookie Gleyber Torres, who had doubled earlier in the inning.

Torres is off to a fine start, both with the bat and with the glove. There's a growing consensus that he will not be sent back down to Scranton. The kid is here to stay.

Is Miguel Andujar here to stay, as well? Brandon Drury won't be joining the Yankees in Houston, but no announcement has been made about the series this weekend at the Stadium. I'm in the camp who believes Andujar should continue to start while Drury sits on the bench. (I actually don't believe there is anyone in the other camp.) They will just have to DFA Neil Walker, although, perhaps they will string him along until Greg Bird is ready to return. We'll see what happens.

Awards, Past & Present

To no one's surprise, Didi Gregorius was named AL Player Of The Week. He was his usual humble self when it came to discussing it, much like Aaron Judge was all of last year, when he was winning awards and getting so much recognition.

Judge was so successful last season that now, anything he does becomes big news. He had a day off last night (though, he did draw a walk during a pinch-hitting appearance), his first of the year. There was an entire article about it on MLB.com. I remember when such a big deal was made when he played his first full game in spring training a few months ago. It all reminds me of celebrities who get a ton of attention for just walking down the street. Of course, hearing about Judge sitting down is way more interesting than, say, Kim Kardashian walking down the street.

Jordan Montgomery vs Justin Verlander tonight. Let's hope Detroit Tigers Verlander shows up. Go Yankees.

Yankees Sweep Angels, Astros Up Next

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 11:30:00 +0000

The last time the Yankees traveled to Anaheim, it turned into a 1-6 road trip. It was about a quarter way through last season, they had just had a hugely successful home-stand and were clicking on all cylinders. I believe they won the opener against the Angels, then proceeded to lose all the remaining games on the trip, including three in Oakland. Really, it was typical of the lack of success the Yankees have had on the West Coast for many years.

When they departed for La La Land this time around, it was hard not to be afraid the same results would materialize. When Shohei Ohtani took Luis Severino deep on Friday night, I was tempted to say, "Here we go again." But the Yankees managed to pull out the win in 10 innings, thanks, in part, to Didi Gregorius's go-ahead homer.

Saturday's laugher was fun to watch, and CC Sabathia on Sunday night showed fans outside of New York why the Yankees re-signed him. The entire pitching staff was great during the series. In fact, during the nine-game winning streak, the starters ERA has been under three, and the bullpen ERA under two.

Speaking of that laugher, the Yankees scored 11 runs, and hit 0 home runs. "You can't predict baseball, Suzyn." You might have better luck predicting Gary Sanchez home runs. The one he hit last night was so long it cleared both bullpens at Anaheim Stadium.

This was the first three-game sweep of the Angels in Anaheim since 2003. That was one of those years after the last dynasty, which always ended so painfully, usually with a first round exit in the playoffs. The Angels had a bad weekend, but they could be right up there at the end of the season. The Yankees might have to go through them on the road to the World Series. Keep your noses to the grindstone, guys.

Next up: A rematch with the Houston Astros. The winning streak should go by the boards tonight with Sonny Gray pitching for the Yankees. Then again, maybe he'll surprise us. I hope so. Go Yankees.

Sanchez Walk Off HR Sets Stage For Yankees' West Coast Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Colgan) — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 10:57:00 +0000

That Fernando Rodney signature bow and arrow shot never came Thursday afternoon.

And the Yankees were trailing 3-1 when Twins closer Rodney came into the game in the 9th inning, attempting to protect that lead on a getaway afternoon, hoping to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Yankees. The inning began when Didi Gergorius reached on an error. Giancarlo Stanton became the tying run and reached on a weak grounder to third, good for an infield single.

Enter Gary Sanchez.

Sanchez has been hitting below the Mendoza line for much of this early season. He was 0 for 3 with a strikeout on Thursday afternoon as the 9th inning started. One swing and the game was over. Rodney recorded no outs. Three hitters and all three reached base with the last of them, Sanchez, reaching the left field seats for a 4-3 walk off victory, the Yankees' (15-9) sixth consecutive win.

Sanchez is only hitting .202 but Thursday it hardly mattered. Jordan Montgomery tried to match zeros with Twins starter Kyle Gibson (no runs on one hit in six innings), but Monty's pitch count reached 98 after five innings though with only two runs allowed. Seldom used reliever Domingo German replaced Montgomery and threw three solid innings of one run baseball. Trailing 3-0, the Yankees could only muster a run off the Twins bullpen as Dellin Betances took the mound to start the ninth inning. Thirteen pitches and eleven strikes later, all three Twins batters in that 9th were strikeout victims of Betances, setting the stage for the game changing bottom of the ninth. Those who could see the immediate future could have said:

Unleash the Kraken.

Notes
Tyler Austin will begin his four day suspension Friday, so Neil Walker takes over at first base. The Yankees will be one man short for those four days, so expect them to add another bench player, probably when Brandon Drury returns from the disabled list. The 13 man pitching staff will likely be reduced to 12 to make room for Drury. I read many fans on social media who are calling for Walker's immediate release. First, let's get past the Austin suspension. I don't expect we will see Walker finish the season as a Yankee, but Walker will probably hang on for awhile, at least until Greg Bird returns in about another month.

The Yankees are on a western road trip which begins on the west coast Friday night at Anaheim but does not remain on the coast, moving on to Houston for a four game set with the World Champion Astros. The Yankees have fared poorly at the big A versus the Angels for some time now. They are 15-24 the last ten seasons at the Angels home park. As for the Astros, you might remember the last four games the Yankees played there this past October, all losses in losing the ALCS four games to three, with the home team winning all seven games.

Here's hoping for better results on this seven game trip.

The Yankees finished the ten game home stand at 8-2, suffering only that humiliating defeat at the hands of the Marlins 9-1 and losing to Toronto 7-5 in the midst of another Sonny Gray struggle. Gray lasted only 4 2/3 innings in his last start against the Twins this week, but the Yankees managed to win with lots of bullpen help. The rest of the home stand was Yankees dominance with the heroics of shortstop Didi Gregorius (9 home runs and 29 RBI's for the season) and the introduction of Didl's new double play partner, Gleyber Torres, who in a small sample appears to be ready to take command of the second base job for the foreseeable future. Gleyber is going to be fun to watch.

The youth movement is alive and well and again the Yankees appear to be back on track as a contender in the AL. Get it done out west, guys.

Gray Slightly Sunny As Offense Carries Yankees Past Twins Again

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 11:11:00 +0000

Sonny Gray had the guy he wanted behind the plate last night: Austin Romine. But, before anyone could get really comfortable, he had given up a two-run homer to Miguel Sano. I pictured Gary Sanchez, who DH'd last night, sitting in the dugout, watching Romine watching the ball sail over the fence, and saying, "I could have done that."

Gray did settle down. A little. He was saved by the bullpen, and by the Yankees' prolific offense, which I hope is finally here to stay. Imagine what it would be like if Sanchez and Giancarlo Stanton truly joined the party. Then it would really be a circular lineup.

Even Gleyber Torres did some partying last night. It was really only his first game in which he never even made it to the door. Since then, he has either knocked on the door or made it inside and bellied up to the bar. In the very early going he is batting .313 with three runs scored and an RBI. The kid knows what to do with the bat, and he knows how to handle the glove. He won't be going back to Scranton any time soon.

As for Miguel Andujar, that might be another story. Can't the Yankees just DFA Neil Walker? He only has a one-year deal. DFA him and let Brandon Drury take his place on the bench. Simple as that. Then again, what do I know? We'll just have to wait and see what the Yankees decide to do.

No decision needs to be made about Didi Gregorius. Another home run last night, giving him one in four straight games. He leads the Majors in RBIs. The Majors. Gene Michael is resting in eternity, smiling and nodding his head right now, saying, "Yep. Told ya." If he hadn't recommended the trade for Didi, we would not be witnessing all of this right now. Well, we probably would be, but as highlights of games played by another team. Thanks, again, Stick.

Yankees go for the series sweep this afternoon. Keep the line moving, Jordan Montgomery.

Didi, Yankees Take Down Twins Again

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 10:53:00 +0000

I still remember the reaction from fans when the Yankees acquired Didi Gregorius in that three-team deal a few years ago. It was pretty bad, and as we all know, it got worse during the first few weeks of Didi's Yankee tenure.

Shortly after the trade was announced, I recalled the interleague game between the D-backs and Yankees at the Stadium, in which Didi hit his first Major League home run. Off Phil Hughes. I thought that, by mentioning it on Twitter, I could jog my followers' memories, since, upon hearing the name Didi Gregorius, so many were asking, "Who???" Someone tweeted back, "Doesn't everybody [do that against Hughes]?"

For Didi, the Yankees had given up Sean Green, who had been lights out on the mound the previous season. When he got off to a great start for the Tigers, at the same time Didi fell on his face, well, we all know what happened.

Now he has established himself as one of the elite shortstops in the game, even though he is often forgotten by people who tout guys like Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa. Well, if his own team forgets how to spell his last name, what can you expect?!

Last night he he hit his team-leading eighth home run, part of a barrage of long balls by him, Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, who hit two. (Unfortunately, Giancarlo Sanchez did not build on the great game he had the previous night, going 0-4 with three strikeouts.)

Didi's improvement that first season might be comparable to the play of the 2018 version of his team. While Green was Didi's counterpart a few years back, perhaps it is the Red Sox who are the Yankees' counterpart this year. We can only hope. After their historic start, Boston has lost four straight, including being no-hit in Oakland last week. The Yankees, on the other hand, have won four straight.

It all goes to show that the division isn't won in April. The Red Sox may very well win it, but they haven't won it yet. The Yankees definitely will have something to say about it.

Yankees Win As Stanton Has Best Game To Date

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 11:49:00 +0000

Was this the game in which Giancarlo Stanton became a Yankee?

There always seems to be that game for a new Yankee. Although, it doesn't happen as often as we like to think. The last one I can remember is the one in which Jason Giambi homered in the rain. Against the Minnesota Twins. It wasn't raining, but Stanton homered against the Twins last night. All together, he was 4-4 with 2 RBI and three runs scored along with the home run. He did not strike out. He and the rest of the offense provided plenty of support to Masahiro Tanaka in a 14-1 victory.

The Yankees have now won four of their last five games. They still have three more games this week against the Twins, to which they have been daddies forever, it seems. It might be tough to eke out a win tonight with their young ace Jose Berrios on the mound but, as the saying goes, "you can't predict baseball, Suzyn."

The guy who famously said that, John Sterling, has come up with a pretty cool home run call for Miguel Andujar: "Andujar, hits it far. And he's gettin' miggy with it." Not bad. Not bad at all. I think we're going to be hearing that a lot from now on. Andujar is definitely the goods.

Unfortunately, we may have to listen to one of the calls he uses for Stanton, as well. What lunacy. But, I guess, having the opportunity to use those calls is what really matters. So, let's grin and bear it, folks.

CC Sabathia on the hill tonight. Go get 'em, big fella.

Yankees Win On Gleyber Day As Andujar Shows How It's Done

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 11:11:00 +0000

The day we had all been waiting for finally arrived yesterday. Gleyber Torres, all smiles with his new bride watching from the stands, batted eighth and played 2B in a 5-1 series-clinching win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Though he didn't show us anything in the game, his former Arizona Fall League teammate Miguel Andujar did, going 4-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Andujar apparently had marching orders yesterday. Before the game, he told Didi Gregorius he was feeling good. Didi's response was, "Show me." He showed us all, pushing his BA over the .300 mark in the process. He's had a great week, and I would not be surprised at all if he won the AL Player Of The Week Award.

I agree with what Jack Curry said on the postgame show: The 3B job now belongs to Miguel Andujar. In hindsight, there really was no reason to trade for Brandon Drury, though Drury was a very good pickup. He's under team control for a while, and can play other positions on the diamond. Along with the pain and blurred vision, he'd best get the idea of playing the hot corner out of his head. All three should be easy to do, since they have finally found out what's wrong: an irritated tendon in his neck.

Drury is only 25 years old. If he had played yesterday, he would have been just under the average age of the starting lineup, 26 and change. They haven't put together a lineup that young since 1989, a horrible season as I remember. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say things will go a tad better this season.

The Minnesota Twins come to town tonight, sort of a re-match of the Wild Card Game. The Twins had a rough weekend, getting swept by the Rays at the Trop. Carlos Gomez celebrated his walk-off home run as only he can. And fans are angry about the celebration as only they can be. Normally, I would be just as outraged about it. But, you know what? Let the guy have his fun. The Rays suck. They will never play an important game this season. Sweeping the Twins is probably as good as it's ever going to get in 2018. Also, it was a walk-off home run. It's not like he did what he did after hitting a first inning solo shot. Just chill, everyone.

Tanaka vs Odorizzi tonight. Go Yankees.

Yankees Win Close One Over Jays

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Colgan) — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 13:47:00 +0000

Now that's more like it.

Recent exploits of the New York Yankees have been all over the board. Last weekend the Yankees took the first game of a three game series at Detroit. There would be no other game. Credit the Yankees with a one game to none series win at Detroit. (Which makes you wonder why they would schedule the Yankees' only trip to Detroit so early in the season. Now another visit back to the Motor City looms as part of a 13 game stretch away from the Bronx with a June 4th doubleheader added to make up for the two games which were called due to ice.)

Then Miami came calling with their AAA lineup--at best (except old friend Starlin Castro and probably Justin Bour) and the Yankees dismantled the lowly Marlins 12-1 in a Monday night game back in the Bronx. Looking for a sweep of the brief two game series the Yankees sent Masahiro Tanaka to the mound. After five horrible innings, Tanaka was in the showers, having surrendered mega runs as the Yankees were still looking for their first hit (though there were walks aplenty) Long story short, the Yankees were manhandled by the lowly Fish 9-1 with the shutout erased by Miguel Andujar's first Major League home run in the 9th inning.

And no one was happy.

So after another day off the Yankees played the Toronto Blue Jays for the second time this season--series-wise. These two teams split a four game series in the late March opening series in Toronto. It was not a laugher and the Blue Jays were not put away until Aroldis Chapman recorded his third strikeout of the ninth inning, saving a 4-3 victory. And old friend Tyler Clippard allowed the Yankees one insurance run, which was needed, surrendering a 7th inning solo home run to Aaron Judge. Judge joins Didi Gregorius on the Yankee leader board with five home runs apiece.

These are the kinds of games that win pennants, I've always thought. Nice when a win comes by a lopsided score, but these one run games, especially winning them, are golden. I seem to remember last year the Yankees were terrible in one run games. Kudos to Judge for hitting the deciding home run. CC Sabathia is back but he didn't get out of the fifth inning. That's okay. Sabathia wasn't all that bad and we should expect better results next time around as he builds up innings and pitch counts. So kudos to Chad Green, the winning pitcher, who stepped in for Sabathia and closed the door through the sixth inning. Dellin Betances got through a key seventh inning with no damage. Chapman closed it out with the three K's after David Robertson pitched his way into a bases loaded jam and pitched out of it with allowing a run to score but no other damage. It could have been worse for Robertson

A win is a win, 4-3 or 12-1. They all count. Yanks go up one game above .500 at 9-8 on the season. Here's hoping .500 remains in their rear view mirror until it fades in the far distance.

Saying Goodbye To An Old Time Baseball Fan

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 21:16:00 +0000

Last week, the woman who raised me and introduced me to the greatest game in the world, passed away. My Aunt Lillian, who was 91 years old, was a huge fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Lillian grew up in Brooklyn and, I believe her interest in the game began upon Jackie Robinson's arrival to the Big Leagues. Jackie was her favorite player, and she followed every aspect of both his game and his life. She took great pride in Jackie, the same way any individual takes pride when a member of their own race/ethnic group breaks a cultural barrier: he was part of her family, and a member of the family had made good.

She attended many games at Ebbets Field, of course. She even sat through inclement weather, cheering on Jackie as he danced off first base, made his way around the diamond, and stole home.

When the Dodgers left her for Los Angeles, Lillian, an evangelical Christian, decided to let her fandom leave her, as well. One of the 10 Commandments orders believers to "have no other gods before Me." She had put baseball ahead of God, she felt, and that needed to end.

I came to live with her in 1969, and a few years later, I learned of her old baseball life. TV show reboots are very popular these days, but they were occasionally done back in the day, as well. A show called "This Is Your Life" was rebooted in the early 1970s, and Jackie Robinson was the guest on one episode. Lillian was very excited, and told me all about him. As we watched, she pointed out how sick and frail he looked. It could not have been more than a few months before he passed away.

Lillian put her old life back on the shelf, and I didn't hear about it again until she heard Willie Mays was returning to New York to finish his career with the Mets. She didn't actually say anything; she just turned on Channel 9 one afternoon and watched for a few innings while she did her ironing.

In 1974, when Hank Aaron was about to break Babe Ruth's home run record, Lillian's interest was piqued again. I'm not sure how she found out, but she turned the TV on just after it happened, just as a small ceremony was beginning. (Perhaps she'd been listening to the all-news station and they'd announced it.) I watched with her, not understanding any of it, but not caring either way.

Fast forward four years, to the 1978 World Series. That's when I did start caring. It was Yankees vs Dodgers, the match-up she'd watched many times all those years ago. We watched the Yankees win the Championship, and while Lillian's fandom once again went back on the shelf, I discovered mine, and have worn it as a badge ever since.

Her grandson Eddie and I became die-hard Yankee fans, and begged her to take us to a game. We finally went, along with Eddie's younger brother John, two days after Yankees Captain Thurman Munson was killed. The left field bleachers were open that day, and when we entered, Lillian complained about the sun before we even sat down. She announced she was going back to the car for her umbrella. They'll never let you back in, I told her. They let her back in, and she sat in the last row of the bleachers, holding the umbrella over her head for all nine innings. We watched Tommy John (whom she liked because he was a Christian) pitch a complete game, as the Yankees defeated the Baltimore Orioles.

She also took an interest in Reggie Jackson, lovingly chastising him as if she were his auntie. I am pretty sure she would have had said some rather blunt things to him if she'd ever met him. But, he probably would know that it was just auntie talking.

Sometimes we could get her to tell us stories about the Dodgers. She remembered the one time they beat the Yankees in the World Series, and once compared Eddie Stanky to Billy Martin. They both were "always arguing" she said.

We all went to the Stadium together one other time. It was probably in the early '80s. We sat way up in the upper deck and watched the Yankees destroy Kansas City, 9-2. On the way home she laughed as she told us what she heard a man sitting nearby tell his very young son (who could not sit still): "This is your first and last ballgame!"

That was probably Lillian's last ballgame, as well. It definitely was the last time we went together. As the years passed, we chatted about the Yankees every now and then. She was not entirely informed about the changes made to the game during her "absence" and, with the exception of the Mets, always seemed a bit bewildered when I mentioned teams that had come into existence after 1959. When the Yankees swept the Padres in the 1998 Series, she asked if the Padres were a good team. She sounded as if she were asking if they were an MLB team.

The last time I tried to talk to her about baseball, I was saddened to learn that she had completely forgotten that part of her life. She had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.

That was about 10 years ago.

I am glad I still have those memories she lost. I'm also glad she will always be a part of them. RIP, Aunt Lillian.

Yankees Embarrased in Lopsided Loss to Marlins

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Colgan) — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 14:52:00 +0000

Maybe this is what the Yankees needed.

Yes a blowout, at home, at the hands of what amounts to a AAA team is just what the Yankees may need to kick start this .500 team. Sixteen games into the season the Yankees are indeed a .500 team. Sixteen of 162 games is only 9.88% of the season. Even good teams play .500 ball in a sixteen game stretch. Then again, the Yankees fired a manager after 16 games (Yogi in 1985) and another manager after 20 games (Johnny Keane in 1966).

Aaron Boone isn't going anywhere, I know.

The Yankees lost 9-1, scoring on a Miguel Andujar home run in the ninth inning thus avoiding losing by the forfeit score. If that would have been the case I guess they could have all stayed home and had the same result? Seriously, there were too many sub par performances to count. Giancarlo Stanton was hitless in the two games against his former team going 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts Tuesday night. Masahiro Tanaka was awful in five horrible innings. The defense was poor and the offense while producing ten base runners through eight innings (7 walks and 3 measly hits) did not score a run. Then Andujar hit his first home run in the majors and on a forgettable night. Andujar should have a better game to remember his first dinger.

So what's to be done? Call a club house meeting. If not manager Aaron Boone, than the players should call a players only meeting to clear the air. This is beyond embarrassing but give Don Mattingly and his players credit. They are professionals. They will show up to play. They're not very good but they aren't going to roll over to the mighty Bronx Bombers. Something the Yankees need to remember as the season progresses.The Marlins simply showed up to play. Any little weakness in their opponent needs to be exploited. And Tuesday night there were plenty of Yankees weaknesses to exploit.

Someone in that Yankees clubhouse needs to remind the team this is unacceptable. They have a day off Wednesday to think it over.

As Reggie Jackson once said "Get it done. NOW."

Yankees Trending Wrong Way Despite Presence Of Talent

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Colgan) — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 10:59:00 +0000

So the Yankees, struggling at the start of the season, are 6-7 having just lost 2 of 3 in Boston.

And they almost gave away the one game they won, but the bullpen bailed out Masahiro Tanaka. Tanaka, Luis Severino and Sonny Gray were all bad in their respective Fenway starts. The rubber game of the series brought another Yankees loss, 6-3 with a 9th inning rally that fell short. Now it's on to Detroit.

There's not much to say about either series this past week, at home with Baltimore (three losses in four) or the Fenway struggle. Just some lousy baseball by the Yankees.

So many of the fans on social media already want the head of Aaron Boone. Remember, George fired Yogi after 16 games in 1985. The Yankees started winning under Billy Martin, just not enough, falling two games short of Toronto in the division. Johnny Keane got the boot by the CBS owned Yankees in 1965 after game 20 (and the Yankees rallied for awhile for returning manager Ralph Houk, but still finished last).

Truth is, for the Steinbrenner siblings, these aren't their father's Yankees. I think Boone is safe for awhile.

But for those of you who seemed determined to trash this team because of poor play through 13 games, why not take that frustration to the extreme?

The Yankees were sellers a couple years ago. You don't think the Yankees of 2018 will recover? Okay let's do the deed.

Let the sell off commence.

Brett Gardner is a potential free agent following the season (with a club option for 2019). Jettison him and his salary somewhere and bring along a couple of prospects. While we are at it, David Robertson, whose contract is up this winter can also go for prospects. There are some who cannot be traded, like Tanaka, but Sonny Gray could be had from the rotation for someone needing a starter

And if you really want to get crazy, let's see if Giancarlo Stanton might be willing to waive his no trade clause (he did it once, you know) as one of the other three teams Stanton had considered might offer enough in prospects for the Yankees to part company with last year's NL MVP.

Is this what everybody wants? Some of the comments I've read seem to suggest it.

Alright, enough of this. What the Yankees really need, first and foremost, is to settle down and see if a season can be built first out of what they already have, plus getting guys gets healthy. Then a significant call-up or two and maybe that one big trade we have all been waiting for.

Let us count the ways.........

With Aaron Hicks back, the Yankees face issues of when all the remainder of the disabled players will return. Barring another outfield injury it appears Clint Frazier, when he returns, will be optioned to AAA. Anything involving Frazier playing every day is a good thing, even in the minors. Unfortunately for Frazier, his performance at AAA may be about as much showcasing for the inevitable mid season trade for pitching.

There are more roster moves to be expected in addition to sending Frazier to AAA as outfield depth:

CC Sabathia

Has anybody heard if CC will return from the disabled list when he is eligible, or within a few days, thus missing only one start in the process? I am not yet in the camp saying CC should retire because he has nothing left in the tank. I do believe ultimately, CC's career will come to an end due to an injury or chronic condition such as his knees. I am not yet convinced that time has arrived.

Greg Bird
They are saying late May, perhaps, for Bird's return to the lineup. As with CC, I am not in the camp that says Bird is so fragile he will never make it as a regular in the Bronx. Some injuries do linger. Some recur or need additional treatment unforeseen at the time of prior treatment. Of course, an injury can stall or threaten a career. Not thinking Bird is at that point just yet, past history with Nick Johnson notwithstanding.

Brandon Drury
Tell you what, I am more concerned with Drury's issues than Sabathia's or Bird's. Any type of head or vision issues are tough on a ballplayer. Scary to think this has been affecting Drury for a few years in one way or another. Seems uncertain Drury will be of help anytime soon. If he can return then Miguel Andujar can get some much needed work at AAA rather than the Bronx.

Jacoby Ellsbury
Here's everybody's favorite. But the Yankees cannot rid themselves of him due to the albatross that is his remaining contract. Why not try and make the most of it?. Maybe he can become a useful part time player once healthy? Wishful thinking, perhaps, but why not try and get some production from the veteran, even in a limited role?

Or perhaps there are some things more exciting to consider......

Gleyber Torres
Gleyber is not already up with the big club because he blew out his elbow in a head first slide last June. But he is not far away. Second base and third base are working disasters so far. Certainly, if timed correctly, a Torres call up could be the shot in the arm this team needs.

Other youth
Lost in the drudgery of Thursday's loss at Fenway is the relief performance from a young Domingo German, who pitched three solid innings. There are other kids at AAA and AA who may earn an opportunity as the season progresses. One is pitcher Chance Adams. Others may be knocking on the door as well.

We need a pitcher (?)
Yes, I think if there is a big mid season addition it will be a pitcher. Lots of Yankees fans were unhappy when both Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole went to Houston in separate deals. But if the Yankees are showing some life and are contending around mid season they might actually go out and snag another quality starting pitcher. Prospects will have to be dealt and Clint Frazier is expendable given the current Yankees outfield situation. Other prospects will have to go as well if the Yankees want the quality of a Verlander or Cole.

And never forget, the Yankees have a new core group developing as we speak. Didi Gregorius, Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Luis Severino are leading that charge and may be joined by a few others.

But if all of this fails, bring on the fire sale.

First give it some time to work out. We're still only thirteen games into the season, everyone.

Yankees Get Off Mat, Put Red Sox On It

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 09:41:00 +0000

So things weren't so terrible this time around. Nobody really sucked.

Gary Sanchez especially didn't suck. Going 3-5 with 4 RBI is certainly a night. Red Sox super fan Paul Francis Sullivan was loathe to admit it, however:

Gary Sanchez is PROBABLY getting the AL hitter WOB, but I needed to see if Khris Davis does anything else against LA
— Sully Baseball (@sullybaseball) April 12, 2018

Alas, Sully grudgingly added Sanchez to his daily list of players Who Owned Baseball:

Zack Wheeler, Javier Baez, Carlos Carrasco, Gary Sanchez, Jarlin Garcia, Buster Posey, Danny Duffy and Alex Bregman all owned baseball yesterday ( @mlbreports ) https://t.co/1oBaKaaRgR
— Sully Baseball (@sullybaseball) April 12, 2018

If Sully hadn't added Sanchez to his WOB list I would not have gotten upset over it. Like Brock Holt did over Tyler Austin's clean slide. What a brawl! Good job by Aaron Judge, putting Joe Kelly in a headlock. Hopefully he won't get suspended for that.

Series finale tonight, Porcello vs Gray. Shut 'em down, Sonny!

Yankees Did Terrible Things, Sucked

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 09:35:00 +0000

It's times like this I wish I didn't have a blog. I know, I don't have to post to it. No one is holding a gun to my head making me write about terrible things the Yankees do. But, here I am. Doing my due diligence, as they say.

Everything sucked.

Okay, due diligence done.

Well, not quite. It was nice to see Aaron Judge go 3-4 with a solo home run. And off Chris Sale at that. And he didn't strike out!

On to the next one. Tanaka vs Price tonight. Go get 'em.

Few Bright Spots In Lost Weekend For Yankees

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 10:28:00 +0000

Famous last words.

I ended my last post by saying the Yankees needed to take no fewer than three of four games against the Baltimore Orioles this past weekend. The baseball gods are laughing at me right now. What's that expression? Make plans and you make God laugh?

Losing a series like that to a team not expected to compete this season is horrendous enough. But to go through the indignities (at least, for us fans) of what happened in Games 2 and 4 is enough to nearly make a stable person cry like a weak wuss. 😭😭😭 Or, turn a generally happy person into a raging maniac. 😡😡😡

The usual suspects of this young season caused most of the tears and mania. The bullpen and Giancarlo Stanton. Depending on the game, the bullpen's failure could be blamed on ineffectiveness, fatigue or both. Stanton continued to strike out at an alarming pace, acquiring his second platinum sombrero of the week, and he'd never even had one as a Marlin.

Maybe he's hurt. That would just beat all, wouldn't it? The Yankees are already the walking wounded, with CC Sabathia and Brandon Drury the latest to be added to the DL. Speaking of Drury, I posed this question on Twitter last night:

The #Yankees didn't know about Brandon Drury's migraines and blurred vision, but did the #Dbacks?
— Bernadette Pasley (@LadyWriting) April 8, 2018

I'm sure the Yankees are doing their due diligence as you read this--if they haven't already--and will get to the bottom of it--if they haven't already. Could we be looking at a voided traded in the near future?

Two bright spots from yesterday's series finale were Austin Romine and Miguel Andujar. Romine was 3-5 with 3RBI. In the early going, he's having a better year than Gary Sanchez, numbers-wise. Andujar was 2-5 with 2RBI and a run scored. He also had a good day at 3B. Thanks to Drury's migraines this kid is getting a run, and I'm so happy for him. I hope he truly solidifies himself at the hot corner as well as with this bat.

Finally, I need to remind y'all of something: the date. Today is Monday April 9, 2018. April 9th. APRIL. NINTH. There is NO reason to act as if the Yankees have already been eliminated from playoff contention. Chill, folks.

Off-day today. Baseball Armageddon restarts tomorrow up at Fenway Park. Rest up, everyone.

Yankees Off On The Wrong Foot Vs Orioles

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Colgan) — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 09:42:00 +0000

Dreams of a four game sweep against the Orioles have been dashed in the very first game of the series. Following the obligatory (seemingly with the Orioles in town) Aaron Judge home run, which gave the Yankees a 6th inning 1-0 lead, the roof caved in and the Orioles sent Masahiro Tanaka to the showers, and once again, the bullpen (Chad Green this time) made it worse as the O's put up a five spot in the 7th inning on their way to a 5-2 win. Tanaka went from an excellent start to a mediocre, but still okay start in that disaster of a 7th inning.

And the Yankees comeback fell way too short. As various social media sites show, there are a lot of upset Yankees fans.

And there is snow in the forecast over the weekend. Meanwhile, the Red Sox are off to a good start, and the Yankees visit Fenway following the possibly abbreviated home series with the Orioles.

Things aren't going quite as planned with the Yankees, whose season record falls to 4-3. Batting averages through the first seven games tell more of the story: Gardner .172, Stanton .185, Sanchez .077, Walker .250, Austin .188, Wade, .176 and Drury .238. Only Aaron Judge .280 and Didi Gregorius .391 are respectable.

Add that to the ERA of the bullpen which hovers well over six, and things look pretty glaring. But you know why? It's seven games into the season. It doesn't really matter. Any other seven game stretch going 4-3, say around mid season, nobody would notice such numbers.

There is opportunity ahead to right the ship. The numbers after seven games are not good but in three weeks do we really think they will resemble what we have seen so far? It's possible but highly unlikely.

Better days are right around the corner. All we have to do is believe.

Or, at least stop going on social media to complain about every little thing.

Notes
Lots of strikeouts for Giancarlo Stanton. After striking out five times in the home opener, he homered in his first at-bat the next day. But Stanton struck out the next three plate appearances going 1 for 9 in the series with eight strikeouts. Thursday against Baltimore Stanton fanned only once in four plate appearances but went 0-4 in the game.

The Yankees will start, weather permitting, CC Sabathia, Sonny Gray and Jordan Montgomery the final three games against the Orioles in this weekend series. Weather permitting might be as much of the story for the remainder of the series than any slumps, Didi-type heroics or bullpen struggles.

As mentioned, the next road trip takes the Yankees into Boston for three games and a series in Detroit for the Yankees only visit to the motor city. If there is a place worse off than New York City for rough winter weather in this early spring, it is the Midwest, where Detroit is front and center for snow, sleet or a cold rain so far this April.

Should be an interesting week to ten days ahead.

Yankees Complete Sweep As Big Three Hits Three

noreply@blogger.com (Bernadette Pasley) — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 11:28:00 +0000

It was the Big Three's first home run trifecta of the season.

Wait. Is that what we're calling them? Is that what we're calling it? Them, of course, refers to Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez, and Aaron Judge. All three homered, in that order (but, not back-to-back-to-back) in the same game, for the first time this season.

Sometimes people try too hard to come up with nicknames for people and things. Someone on Twitter came up with the Hashtag #AaronStanChez yesterday. I kid you not. Come on, plain and simple is best. Some have referred to them as the Big Three, so that's what we all should do.

The beneficiary of all that power was starting pitcher Luis Severino. He was the first starter in the rotation to pitch into the seventh inning. He is the ace, so, of course he was. Once, again, plain and simple is best: The rest of the rotation needs to follow his lead.

Ronald Torreyes made his 2018 debut in the game, playing 2B, making a spectacular catch and batting in a run, just as if he's played in all six games this season. A pro's pro, fundamentally sound, I can definitely see Toe as a coach or manager one day.

The Baltimore Orioles come to town tonight for the first of four. The O's are 1-5, coming off being swept by the World Champion Astros. Don't expect the Yankees to have as easy a time with them. However, anything less than three out of four won't be acceptable.

Go Yankees!