The Dog Days are here, but they’ve been here so long that it’s hard to know what we’re seeing. The optimistic among us see a summer swoon compounded by untimely injuries and some bad luck, but the pessimists will say the goose is cooked. The first ninety games were a mirage, and this collapse is proof that Brian Cashman isn’t committed to winning, that Aaron Boone is incompetent, and that the entire franchise is a shell of its former self.
Like most issues like this, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. The past has been romanticized to the point that yesterday’s embarrassments (George Steinbrenner, Billy Martin) have become the models that could save this season. “George wouldn’t stand for this, Billy would flip over the postgame spread.”
Perhaps.
Or maybe things will work out on their own.
At least things will look a bit different tonight, with Oswaldo Cabrera starting at third and Estevan Florial in center. The prospects are coming to the rescue. Perhaps.
This team doesn’t need to panic, it just needs to win a game or two. That’s all. The winning streak starts tonight.
Damn straight. Better to free fall now than in a month. Go get 'em, kids! GO Yankees!
Thanks for the fresh thread. : )
I like Cabrera already.
Cabrera is 5’10”, 150lbs..?? Love any guys with no muscle who can play, an Alvaro Espinoza All-Star!
I’m surprised he and Florian are 23 & 24 already though, thought they were younger. Why do the Yankees wait so long to bring their prospects up while wasting ABs on deadwood like Gallo and Hicks?
It seems as if this game, all things considered, is close to being a must win.
Old friend Dellin Betances retiring at 34, he was so great to watch at his peak. $30 million pre-tax&agent fee earnings, hope he’s saved will live well going forward!
[3] Those are my stats, though you’d have to add a decade to their combined ages.
⬆️ Hah! Yeah it was a shock several years back when tracks the age where players could be my kids
The team is unwatchable now, just zero ‘O’
Ok, game over now
Every night....a different kind of suck.
Wow! You almost never see a catch like that good without laying out for it. Impressive.
I would have bet everything that Torres would swing at the first pitch there. Every. Thing.
Gleyber giveth and Gleyber taketh away.
Hope!
Eat shit, blue.
This is exciting. Chapman in a jam.
Whoo-hoo! Walk everybody.
That sums up August.
Bad luck on that hit down the line, but like Kay said, those two walks…
Wow!!!! Always loved JD, what a shot!!!
Wow!
I really hate Springer.
Well this is going south fast
[22] Who doesn't?
Let's see if the offense is up for the challenge.
Springer is the worst. He was the perfect villain to add to a team I was already starting to dislike.
I just heard in the YES broadcast the fans were shouting "Fire Boone" last night. I thought I heard something derisive, but I couldn't make it out.
Cool drone video of YS. Bernie and Matsui are in it.
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1560297646329237505?t=qh5PoJf9fIheXnT3brYGYg&s=19
Put a tent on that circus!
Good luck runs, but they still count.
Springer needs a leash.
With all the excitement over Cabrera, I forgot who our original shortstop was. I guess IKF is that kinda guy.
I don’t see a comeback
I was there last night. This team is a train wreck. At one point after he gave up the five runs, Montas ERA was over 12.00 as a Yankee. Since Catfish Hunter have we ever traded with the A’s and gotten a decent pitcher? Torres, once touted as the SS of the future, now the DH. Should have been used to trade multiple times the past three years. Two rookies starting against the closest division rival? No one is throwing Judge a strike unless it’s on the lowest outside corner of the zone Bacău’s who cares if you walk him? No one behind him hits. Depressing night and little to look forward too.
Ah an Amazon game.
I am spoiled to have Apple and Amazon games. The feeds suck. So inconsistent. Choppy and wonky too often. Nice job, mlb. Real nice. Meanwhile the Yankees remain mired in sludge. Just terrible.
[35] In Japan, I'm being told it's on Apple TV. Either way I can't watch. Looks like I'm better off.
So Cabrera is in RF (?!), just to give IKF more playing time (?!) and sit Florial, who would be playing the whole game, if he was in Scranton. Scratches head.
Oh, Chapman.
But if this team can only manage four hits a game, the pitching doesn’t even matter. Not a bit.
Each run feels like a touchdown at this point.
I've been watching Bananaball on es$#2. If you don't know,think the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball. Not for the purists but better than this game. Ugh.
Two fun facts from Katie Sharp:
1. The Yankees haven't had a batter come to the plate with a lead since August 13 vs Red Sox.
2. Yankees have scored 19 runs in their last 10 games. That's their fewest runs in any 10-game span since September 1990.
They’ve also lost 13 of 16, just the third time they’ve done that in the wild card era.
And…
They’ve lost 12 of 36 since July 9th. That’s .333 baseball, kids.
[40] I’ve been watching banana baseball for the past six weeks.
I don't see number comments on my android, Hank
Lol.... I laugh to keep from crying.
First team ever to play over .700 in the first sixty games and under .500 in the next sixty.
Okay, I’m done now.
Today would be a nice time for Cole to throw a no-hitter.
How about a 7 hitter?
Well at least it’s not a shut out
Dear Kay,
STFU please.
-me
Florial has struck out looking at relative meatballs in 2 straight at bats. Sweet.
I feel like I’m watching a two-month version of the ‘04 ALCS.
Somebody please take Albert Abreu away from Boone.
Make it stop.
These guys are shitty.
And there it is.
Another day, another loss. I hope this portends the end of the Cashman era.
I love seeing the band get back together.
I’m not sure what was going on on top Joe Torre’s head but I kinda liked the look.
Hot diggity
Finally a win
German vs Scherzer is not an ideal matchup..but let’s go Yanks!
No excitement for the Subway Series? I’m enjoying the Mets broadcast very much.
I still don't understand what happened when Rizzo took off during the appeal.
I guess I'm not alone in that.
[60] MLBN has determined that I’d rather watch the Angels Rays game. And my phone is running low.
Rays-Angels sounds like torture except for Ohtani.
All Rise! #47
See that play I do understand.
⬆️It’s been said, don’t middle-aged New Englanders dig the long ball?
Alonso with men in base, scary..
I understand that one too!
[65] Lol, yeah, we love to see 'em pahk one onto Lansdowne St.
Really love watching Scherzer pitch, just wish it was in pinstripes!
[69] I would not have expected you to be so fashion-conscious.
I'd like to see Manoah pitch in a tutu.
(70) Too long in Japan, makes you notice fashion more.
German under 50 pitches in the 5th inning!
Germán is looking good thus far, and two runs off of Scherzer through four innings is more than anyone could ask. Good signs!
[71] Domingo is back!
Big question is who will pitch the last 2 or 3 innings.
He should definitely be bunting here. No other reason to have Marwin in this line up.
Thank you.
Ah, David...that's because it works when you execute.
(Coney complaining about small ball)
Our rookie is better at foul balls that your rookie.
Bennie is a Jet!
⬆️Sure ain’t no Honky Cat!
I dunno, this Scherzer seems drastically overrated.
Hm. Well, two almost-homers don't add up to anything. Except it's a good sign that they both hit Scherzer that hard I'd say.
[79] Ha! Good one.
I'm still wondering what a Honky Cat is and if I would ever want to be one.
Bennie is running a clinic on good baseball right now. Two hands on that fly ball.
Ouch. Domingo took too much time. Good effort.
(82) Elton and Bernie writing what they understood of American slang? ‘So Elton, in this song you’re white so we’ll call you “Honky”, but you move to the city and become “cool” so now you’re a “cool, Honky Cat”’ ‘Sound great! Let me find a cool piano riff!’
[85]Brilliant! You should do stand up. (Best of all, that might be true)
That was embarrassing. Let's hope it won't be costly.
Inexcusable! Fucking Bollocks!
It was.
Unfuckingbelievable.
Least surprising home run I’ve ever seen.
Have the Yankees had an exorbitant amount of 1st pitch outs recently?
Attached boy, B!
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, x4!
Four runs (and maybe more?) off of Scherzer? Yankees are back, baby!
[86] Spent most my high school and college years just reading music magazines, plenty to improvise with now.
Jazz, I’ve started a new blog that you might like reading. My father had a huge collection of jazz records from the 50s and 60s. I’m listening to one a week and writing about it. It’s been fun so far.
SundayMorningVinyl.com
I love lead off walks!
(96) That’s great Hank! I’m going to check it out right now
Okay, so, bring Chapman in to plunk Vogelbach?
No? Not a good strategy?
Yeah that was better.
GG!
Rejoice. Cheers y'all!
That was an incredible win, Team.
We needed the fuck out of that.
Exhale (a little).
Nice to be dodging the de Grom bullet.
Watching Montas pitch reminds me that Jordan Montgomery threw a CG shutout yesterday.
Absolutely no doubt that Vogelbach was a schoolyard bully.
Whew.
I don't like that guys at-bats.
[105] Ya know, I was just thinking: I'm not going to find out more about Vogelbach, because if it turns out he isn't a schmuck I will be so disappointed!
Considering how upset he was about Buchner-Phelps, how do you think Frank Costanza would feel about essentially Gumby-Montas?
Buhler. Damn autocorrect
[104] yup. I read somewhere that there’s supposedly a roster crunch in the off season so that’s why Cashman made the trade. Don’t remember the details.
How about winning the World Series first, Brian.
Well, he's great at getting out of jams, I'll give him that.
So far.
[109] Still autocorrecting, apparently.
Serenity NOW!
This is the 1st game I've actually seen Montas pitch.
IFK getting his Oswaldo on.
Shit! Every time I use the 3 letter initials for our SS I get put in moderation.
Approved.
Ara, you could try "IKF".
Just a thought.
Twenty-nine pitches for Walker to slice through the first nine batters.
Thank, Hank. As an aside, I'm going to see the Braves vs. Pirates tomorrow. My first MLB game with my 79 yo dad. We had tix to see Yankees at Pirates 2 years ago but Covid happened. We've seen many other games together just not an MLB game. We're not getting any younger. Cheers.
Court is in session.
48!
Hot damn. That was a bomb!
So Tatis is going to use his suspension to have surgery on his shoulder. That doesn’t seem right, you should be medically cleared to play, then serve the suspension.
My hat off to Cabrera for that AB. Very nice.
Really great at bat for Cabrera there. Also, Walker has more than doubled his pitch count.
That inning: Two walks. Three singles. A homer.
But, not in the right order. The game coulda been put away!
Hm, well, thank you Buck Showalter!
Unbelievable.
Gleyber is a bonehead half the time. Grrrrr....
Another free out from Buck Showalter.
I like it!
Thanks to Amazon, I’m listening to the Mets broadcast, and I gotta say this — they’re really enjoyable. I never like Darling when he’s on a national broadcast for TBS, but Hernández is excellent, and Darling steps back to focus more on pitching analysis. It’s a good booth.
I never liked Ottavino. He seemed to shit the bed on a regular basis.
Darling said it was a big mistake to send Judge because it takes the bat out of Rizzo's hands.
Sorry, but that's just dumb. Cone would never say something like that.
Yes, I agree. Bases loaded is always a good situation.
Whew!!!!
Sweet. Now avoid another 2 out rbi.
Oh come on. YOU CAN'T WALK HIM!!!!!
Jesus.
WTF????
You're worried he's going to steal third???
Excruciating.
Unbelievable.
Talk about a thin bullpen!
Setting up for a Lindor grand slam
Oh man.
I have a bad feeling about this.
Not feeling real confident.
Boone had too long of a leash. Once 2 men got on they go to Peralta, IMO.
Not that Peralta can't give up walks/hits, but he is fresh.
Oh my god.
Yikes.
Another fortunate foul!
My heart is beating too hard for this time of night.
GG.
Never doubted it.
I wonder what the record is for consecutive 4-2 wins.
Phew!
Huzzah!
Phew, phew, phew.
Clarke is forgiven. 9 outs he was really good.
LF Benintendi
CF Judge
DH STANTON!
1B Rizzo
2B Torres
3B Donaldson
RF Cabrera
C Treviño
SS Kiner-Falefa
Put LeMaheiu at third for Donaldson and this is a lineup I wouldn't mind seeing in October.
Nader to the 60 day DL.
Way to go, Cashman, real shrewd trade their
Bader. Stupid autocorrect.
Well, Bader hasn't played since June 26, so if my understanding is correct, I don't think this really changes his status.
If the Yankees make the World Serious Bader can play in those early November games.
Did Rizzo really just fly out to a guy named Skye Bolt?? Listening in radio here on way to the countryside
Beautiful. Welcome back, Stanton.
Since Bader hasn’t played since June 26, this move is just bookkeeping. The clock doesn’t start again. He’s eligible to play sixty days after June 26, which means he’s eligible right now. I obviously have no idea about his health, but once he gets healthy they can activate him whenever they want.
I like this Oswaldo.
Quite the debut.
Really gotta feel for the new kid. That debut couldn’t possibly have been worse. At least it won’t cost the team tonight.
[165] You're talking about last night's game?
I was worried for a second.
Today, we get Good Ol' Cole.
Jay-sus! Cabrera is a walking highlight real.
He's become must-see TV.
[166] I knew I was gonna regret tying that.
Bleah.
I guess everyone is at da Club tonight.
[169] these days I go to bed at the time I used to go out.
Where's osWaldo?
Crushing it!
Oh ferfuck's sake!
Dang.
He did not need to be at 3rd. Who put that play on.
[171] It took me too long to get that. Good one!
A single? That's horseshit! Wtf!?
Dang
This team is so frustrating.
They should be murdering this guy.
BP blows this game?
So Chapman is on the IL because of a tattoo?
You can't make this stuff up.
Not that they'll miss him.
Score a bunch now!
Who wants to see the worst bunt ever?
That'll do.
Two runs on one wild pitch. Take it. Close it out. Please.
Johnny Wildpitch. Your Yankees MVP.
I see what you did there, Kay.
JFC.
Ah, fer fuck's sake.
If they can’t take four of six from Oakland and Anaheim…
F. Nice throw DJ.
I'll admit to being a bit conflicted today. I'm going to the game tomorrow night, so I'd really like it if Judge could hold off on hitting #50.
I really like Cabrera. And do you notice that he's got a little Juan Soto thing going on when he take a pitch? I'm all for it.
Huh, game blacked out for me.
Okay, I now give Judge permission to hit a home run or two. Or three.
One hit in the last 17 innings for the Bronx Bombers.
The Hawai'i Little Leaguers just won the Little League World Series in one of the most dominant performances of all-time. I believe they outscored their Williamsport opponents by a score of 62-5. Something like that. They hit more home runs than the rest of the teams combined.
If you had Aaron Hicks as the Yankee to break up a no-hitter in the fifth inning, bring your ticket to the counter.
Judge will be glad he doesn't have to face Martinez next ab.
Kay will tell us about the fallacy of the predetermined outcome, but Rizzo's slip going around first seems to have cost the Yankees a run.
[198] He just reminded us. Right on cue.
No one will give the Yankees any sympathy, but they've hit at least five balls that would've been home runs in the Bronx. Three by Cabrera alone.
This stadium is killing the Yanks today.
Roughly 50% Yankee fans here in the park.
Cool. Pujols up to 696 HR. Hate to see him retire at 699.
The booth spent the entire pre-game saying don't let Trout and Ohtani beat you. Hear you go.
Anyone know where the Bombers can buy a hit? Price is not a factor.
The pitching in the AL West is simply too good, apparently.
Does anyone still think Montas is any better than Monty?
[206] Bwhaa, ha, ha, ha!
Time will tell on that one, Boatzilla. I loved Montgomery and will never understand why they traded him. I hope he finds great success in the NL and Montas is a force long-term.
The Angels are a haven (heaven) for ex-Yankees.
[209] Unfortunately, we don't have time. It's 2022 or bust for this team.
Hank, I checked your blog! Awesome project and background story, will be following weekly!
Ohtani is stil going to wear #18 on the Yankees next season?
Cabrera can do no wrong!
Wow. He's lucky that bunt was not caught.
Hot dog. Strike 3. That 55 foot dirt ball was just setting him up.
Kaboooooom!
Of course.
Ford got a lot of mileage out of that one.
Who didn't see that coming?
That was predictable. Don't let Trout and Ohtani beat you. Alrighty then.
After that home run, I turned to my son and said. “Not surprised at all.”
But what did we think of Trout’s two-out bloop that fell in front of Judge? I think that’s why they traded Monty for Bader.
They're gonna lose to the muthafucking Angels. God help us.
[221] I thought that Judge could have made a more valiant stab at that, but what do I know. Not gonna question (or fault) Aaron Judge, but it did look potentially catchable.
Not that it means anything, but the Angels are choosing to put Montas’s Yankee ERA on the board instead of his season ERA. Needlessly snarky.
This offense is despicable.
An abomination.
Offensive. ;>)
Wait a minute. That not what the replay is for. That's a normal DP for for the entire 20th Century. Bollocks.
That. Was worth coming out here and suffering through the first seven innings. History! With an exclamation point!
50!!!
[229] Must have been magical.
Of course, it ended on a Trout basket catch.
We had a perfect angle on Cabrera’s ball. I knew it wasn’t out, just didn’t sound or look like he had gotten it, but my heart fooled me into thinking it was gonna be over Trout’s head to tie the game. Turned out it wasn’t even that difficult a play. At least they made it interesting. Can’t be mad.
[212] Thanks for reading -- I truly appreciate it!
Whoo-hoo. Just in time for a Rizzo tater.
I didn't realize the Angels were this talented.
To think what Judge would have this if he hadn't been run up on so many low "strikes."
All Rise!
As nice as Judge’s three run insurance HR was, it’s good to see the whole team showing up tonight. Including Stanton’s 110mph heat seeking grounder for a 1B. Not everything need to leave the yard.
Just put it on. What happened with Taillon?
Just reported: right forearm contusion.
Taillon got blasted by a line drive in the arm.
Sounds like a Yankee home game. Can The Judge go for 52 now?
[242] Good thing we got Monty, waiting....nevermind.
[243] Aside from Citifield, I don't think there's a road stadium that fills up with Yankee fans like Anaheim -- especially during the last few years when the Angels have been out of it. It's a lot of fun.
It's kind of amazing (and annoying) how often the Rays, Jays, and Astros have all won on the same day.