[Image credit: Wikimedia Commons]
Okay, hear me out.
What if these are the glory days, the good old days, and the beginning of a golden era all happening right before our eyes? What if in December when Juan Soto signs a mega deal to stay in the Bronx he says something like, “Winning the World Series was great, and I can’t wait to win a few more, but it was during that run in early August when I realized that I never wanted to play anywhere else, that I wanted to listen to the Bleacher Creatures chanting my name for the next fifteen years, that I wanted all of my at bats to come with Aaron Judge standing in the on deck circle. This is home for me.”
With the June swoon seemingly behind them, things are looking up for the New York Yankees. Sure, there are still huge concerns about Clay Holmes and Marcus Stroman and Nestor Cortes, but there are encouraging signs elsewhere. Anthony Volpe seems to have found another serving of chicken parm, as evidenced by his 1.026 OPS since the all-star break; Austin Wells looks more and more like the best catcher on the roster, slashing at .340/.444/.520 during that same stretch; and even though his Yankee stats are dramatically skewed by two games, Jazz Chisholm has a nice .300/.364/.700 line since he arrived.
Meanwhile, Aaron Judge is Aaron Judge. The run that he’s on isn’t just about the last three months, it stretches through the last three seasons. During that time he’s slashed at .302/.429/.670 and averaged 47 home runs and 103 RBIs (with 49 games left to play this season). Aaron Judge isn’t hot, he’s just Aaron Judge. This is who he is.
So maybe we’re through the hard part. Maybe.
Let’s go, Yankees!
Ah, rain out tonight. Expect more ver the weekend as Debby’s remnants move north.
Gil doing his best Phil Hughes impression. 30+ pitches to start the 1st.
Hey, a non-wasted lead off double.
Followed up by, a half wasted two out double.
Honestly ... is one of the requirements for being the Yankees 3rd base coach that you're terrible at reads?
Wells isn't a sprinter, but he's average fast AND ... it's a wet damn field ... VERY good chance that ball is wet and things happen from there.
[1] More like later in the week, though the weekend is at risk as well.
I don't Gil is going to make it through 5 today.
55 pitches through 2
Getting greasy out there ... I saw the water skiff up on that Judge grounder.
Phew, now that’s more like it, second and third, no outs, and don’t score.
2nd and 3rd ... nobody out ... ZERO runs ... well done, boys, well done.
That’s better
Wells would be f'ng fantastic if he had another 10-15 feet on balls he hit like that one.
Hey, they got 5 from Gil.
Fantastic ... now watch them burn 5 more pitchers
2 down already.
And NOW? it's a save situation, so ... you now what *that* will mean (if it stays within 3).
How about a bunch of insurance.
Boo!
What in the world is going on with YES???
Yes, a win.
Good to see Clay dominate like that. Maybe his ship is righted.
[18] Or maybe it's MLB.tv ... those last few innings were WEIRD.
[20] Sinkerball pitcher ... more winning = more usage = more sinker-ing
Okay let's play another!
Not getting hit hard ... but death by paper cuts IS a thing.
Well ... let's hope the rains come.
Now getting hit hard.
This is one of the weirdest half innings I've seen.
Three singles, then the ball isn't actually in play for the next five batters.
Make that the next six!
Very weird.
Three singles followed by six True Outcomes.
Chizz Jazz doesn't dog it
Well ... there goes THAT hope
It’s hard to sweep a doubleheader
Well ... when one of your starters gives up 8 runs in 4 innings ... yes.
YES it is.
Late to the game but going back to Hank's original theme above:
I remember after the Seattle collapse in 1995, my friend was telling me she feared the team had crested a high-water mark and missed the moment. "It won't be the same team next year," she warned. "What are they going to do without Mike Stanley?? This was their shot!"
So, yeah, anything's possible. The good times don't arrive on a schedule. They sneak up on you.
Don’t do that, Nestor.
That was not a swing, blue
Jazz!
Yeah, not enough to overturn. Stupid to challenge such a close call early in the game.
Well this isn’t going well.
9 -1? Woof.
By far my biggest concern about this team is Nestor Cortes. Yes, there are issues with the bullpen, but when Nestor's on the mound I feel like there's about a ten percent chance for a win, and a fifty percent chance for a blowout like tonight. Clarke Schmidt can't get back fast enough. I'll happily watch a rotation of Cole, Rodón, Gil, Schmidt, and Stroman. I mean, I feel far better with Stroman on the mound than Cortes at this point.
That’s quick, rained out already, DH tomorrow
A RISP hit!
Well phew.
You can’t take a hot bat out of the line up.
Ah, three more while I was walking the terrorists, getting the mail, and fixing mom’s tea.
Jazzercise!
Nice win.
Game two
A manufactured run?
Well that’s gone to hell.
Just checked the score of the second game. Man. My first reaction was that Cole had gotten lit up, so I guess it’s good that he was solid, but this bullpen. Wow.
Me: WTF is Frank batting 4th against a RHP ... Austin Wells should be in there to go R-L-R-L!!!
Frank: RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH!!!
Ah, more runs. Dinner then terrorist walking.
Dinner?
It's 2:15 (CST)????
Sunday dinner. Usually 1-2 pm. Steak, mashed potatoes, and broccoli. The terrorists love the leftovers.
Ugh, wrong chord, Jazz
Nothing is ever easy. JFC.
Pay him, Hal.
Belly to belly. Quick way to get those runs back.
Um, not good.
This is some bullpen.
Dammit ... this team is like a collection of Ralph Wiggums ... if you leave them alone for a minute they start eating paste, dammit!
Oh great, Holmes for a four out save
Honestly?
I trust Holmes more when he's sorta, but not completely tired.
Ok, to be fair to DJ, I was thinking double too.
Atta boy, Clay! Make it extra exciting.
Well PHHHHEEEEEW!
Fucking brutal win.
Just like Boone-y drew it up!
Nice to win when the bullpen has a terrible outing. Two games in a row. Hopefully we got it out of our system.
Now I know how the late 2000s Tigers fans felt, with Todd Jones as the closer. Great hitting and starting pitching, but a weak bullpen. And those Tigers never won the WS.
Ugh, 8pm start.
[72] I heard it from you first. I thought it was on off day for some reason. Go Yankees!
[72] Wait until they play on the West Coast.
OMFG!
It looked good to start, but the next 3 didn't really work the count.
Impressive, getting Soto and Judge out with bases loaded.
At least 2 base runners every inning. They are showing how to lose to an inferior team.
Ooooooohhhh...That's a new one.
Fucking bollocks!
I've been out of the loop and did not know the CWS had lost 21 games in a row until a few days ago. Yikes. Making this game extra excruciating.
Nice work, Jazz! Hot damn!
Volpe has really grown on me defensively. His errors on routine plays still haunt me, thoug.
Jazz likely headed to the IL. Damn.
Not what I wanted to hear today. : (
Pay that man.
If I’m Hal, I’m offering $600M right now. Forty million a year over fifteen years. Even if it causes roster problems down the road, having Judge and Soto back to back will solve a lot of problems and allow for a few replacement level players. Seems like an easy decision.
[87] I would like to see that. I am sure Judge would like Soto hitting in front of him for the rest of his career. Maybe they can do the player opt out after 10 years like ARod. The Yankees should have let him walk at that point.
To be clear, my comment above was before his home run tonight. I’d say $601M now.
Soto might just need the Boss playing, not even the whole band
https://youtu.be/QFvxomhYioc
Judge looks human these last couple of abs.
I happened upon a lowlight reel of Aaron Hicks' defense just before that Grisham fly ball.
Have the Yankees had a 2 out hit with a risp in August, yet?
I guess watching 2 strikes down the pipe and swinging at a ball in the dirt to k by Volpe is considered trying.
No team want to face the White Sox in October. They look pretty formidable.
Doesn't DJ know how to bunt?
Well I'll be!
300 for Judge.
Soto and Judge tonight:
3 for 6.
4 walks.
5 runs.
1 double.
2 home runs.
4 RBIs.
On base 7 of 10 times.
Orioles at Red Sox, ugh, can’t they both lose?
Good news on Jazz.
Yup, out.
There’s Oswald!
Tidy win
Judge working on his next 100.
Well this is not what I wanted to wake up to.
Rodon is not long for this game.
Four letter network game & little league game, so expect LL play
NO ... EXPECT THE MARTIAN!!!!
HE COMES TO EARTH!
Playing LF and batting 5th!!!
Ah, had been helping my parents get rid off stuff, forgot the game was on. Ah it’s a one night only for the Martian
Walking the terrorists got a run, might be the only run.
Six scoreless innings from Stroman? Great stuff.
Another blown save for Holmes, and a rookie mistake from Dominguez. Sigh.
At this point can we kidnap Holmes and leave him in the swamps of south Jersey?
What's wrong with the Meadowlands?
Also ... we need to dump Leiter Jr. next to him.
The Yankees are who they are. Holmes is who he is, Leiter is who he is. When they fail to make the WS, this will be why. Cashman knew this about his closer but he is who he is. He survives on the mistaken belief that he had something to do with building the 1998-2001 Yankees.