Gary Sanchez got everyone good and mad at him last night by jaking it not once but twice, both costly, both painful to remember, as the Yanks lost by a run in Tampa. To make matters worse, turns out Sanchez is headed back to the DL. Now, it didn’t seem like an injury kept him from just giving up on the play in the 9th inning, but man, talk about some bum luck. Now he’s got the growing perception that he is some kind of a chump. Is he a great young talent or the next Joba? Just another over-hyped young New York Yankee?

Stay tuned. In the meantime, Yanks have to get out of their own way and start winning again.

Tonight gives our pal Masahiro.

Never mind the chatter:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

The Yanks lost one, won one and then had the final game postponed on the count of rain, a theme of sorts this year. Out on the road now, starting in Tampa.

Never mind the bloomin’ Onions:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Yanks host Los Mets for the back-end of the Subway Serious. Always a booby-trap series against the Metsies. Hopefully, the Yanks are rested and ready to roll:

Never mind the Queens birds:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

The Yanks end this long first half of the season with four against the Indians in Cleveland. No easy task. And they both get right to it tonight with a nice duel—Kluber vs. Sevi.

Never mind the upcoming holiday:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

As the trade deadline gossip heats up, the Yanks are in the mix. They split the double header yesterday dropping the the first game (ugh). Tonight, gives the return of Masahiro Tanaka, our guy!

Never mind the frontrunners:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Yanks are playing a pair this evening in Baltimore after taking 2 of 3 from the Jays in Toronto over the weekend.

Long push here before the All-Star break (with congrats to the Bombers who made the squad). Since the Red Sox have decided, you know, not to lose anymore, it behooves our boys to have a strong showing this week—first in Baltimore then, four in Cleveland.

Never mind the the vacation plans:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

The Yanks coughed one up last night—couldn’t cash in on all those men they put on base—and well, sometimes, that’s just gonna happen. Doesn’t mean we have to like it. And hey, at least Belgium won, and seeing how my Ma is Belgian, that made up for it.

Here’s hoping the Yanks can snap back to it and still take this series.

Never mind the rain drops:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Welp, that was a fine way to end the weekend series. After Sonny Gray got banged around on Saturday it was gratifying to see the Yanks return the favor to David Price last night. Good enough for a lot of loud, beautiful sounding hits, and a series win.

It is still hotter n July hot here at the start of July with the Braves in town for three. These guys have been good. No time for the Yanks to get complacent.

Never mind the thermometer:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Whaddayou know, the Yanks are half-a-game in front for the lead in the AL East (also by virtue of having played three games less than the Red Hots), and depending on how you look at it either are the best team in MLB by winning percentage or third best by total wins. This without being at full strength too; Tanaka and Montgomery are missing from the starting rotation, Gary Sanchez is taking a ten-day trip to the DL after a really unlucky/startlingly poor start offensively and the New Monster On The Block being relatively average to sub-optimal.  That’s not to mention Greg Bird finally getting healthy enough to contribute Heinz horseshit at the plate.  But we know what the deal is. Judge is seeming to make some adjustments and settling into a productive streak, whether or not that means more tank jobs is relative at this point.  Sir Didi is also slowly getting back on track, while Hicks and Gardner have both continued to contribute when you least expect it.  Severino is the unquestioned Lord of the Rotation and there’s promise with German and the Thunder from AA Under, Jonathan “Johnny Lasagna”  Loaisiga. Austine Romine is the new Francisco Cervelli (hopefully without the juice) and of course, our true MVPs are the kids the team didn’t think were ready to even start the season with the big team; Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres.  How bad do you think the Yanks would have fallen off without these two?

So with all that, maybe we can discuss what the Yanks can do to sustain their current level of productivity and perhaps build on it.  There’s an obvious need for another top flight starter to share the burden of being consistently good with Sevi.  Sonny Gray is not the guy; if he’s inconsistent with Romine as his caddy, what will it come to when he has no choice but to pitch consistently with Sanchez? It’s a problem many wink at, but few really want to get into depth about. C.C. is older now, and old for a starter of his stature and accumulated mileage.  He’s had a few bad luck starts, but mainly he hasn’t been able to stretch the game enough to give the bullpen a break (back to that soon). German is not the guy… yet.  He and Johnny are both tasked with difficult missions; hold down the rotation until reinforcements arrive.  The latter has been brilliant in two starts, but the sample is still insignificant.  German has been alternately brilliant and lousy, but again you can’t blame him so much because he was supposed to be getting innings on the farm like Justus Sheffield (which makes you wonder what’s going on with Chance Adams, who is ostensibly the next starter on the call-up list were it not for Johnny skipping the line).  Tanaka had also been on/off from the start, which seems to have become his M.O. the last couple of years. So what can all this inconsistency be attributed to? Could the difference be as simple as age, or when Sevi sought advice/training with fellow D.R. compatriot and the Yanks’ nemesis Pedro Martinez? Hmmm… if he ends up winning the Cy Young or dominating in the playoffs, I would certainly advocate for the Yanks putting aside their differences (or pride) and hiring Pedro as their minor league pitching guru before anyone else gets the idea (that is, if Pedro is capable of doing the same).

As for the bench, they have to figure out a way to get Fraizer and Drury back up; those guys are wasting away in Scranton and can contribute right away. Neil Walker, thanks for holding the fort down. Tyler Austin, I’d miss you, but we could get a good lefty relief pitcher for you and Shreve…. well, maybe not put a damper on things with a deal like that.

All in all, the Yanks are either in a good place or really fortunate, all things considered.  They can deal from a position of strength if they want to, but I have a better feeling they will hold with what they have and replenish their pitching/catching stock in the minors.  Still holding out hope that the few under-performers will get really hot soon (Stanton seems to thrive in the heat, and that hasn’t been a key feature in the Northeast of late) and they can keep two steps ahead of the Sox for the east.  As has been the last few years, pitching will determine whether they pass or fail, and hopefully the rotation will not be out of gas when September and October become a thing.

Enjoy the game!

Another lost weekend for the Yanks in Tampa, punctuated by some bad luck—and an injury that sent Gary Sanchez to the DL—yesterday. Sanchez will be gone for a month.

Please, yes, let’s forget that series ever happened.

And here’s hoping the Yanks gather themselves this week against the Phillies before a big weekend series against the Red Sox in the Bronx.

Never mind the lapse:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Ever since Griffey and Edgar and Buhner and the Big Unit and the rest of them I can’t help but be irritated by the Seattle Mariners. When they’re good, that is. And when they’re bad, I don’t have the same kind of compassion I have for the Indians or the Rangers or Padres or any other hard-luck franchise. I mean, the Mariners have never even made the Whirled Serious, you’ve gotta have empathy with that. And yet, I don’t. Not since Griffey and Edgar.

The Yanks split the game-and-a-half in Washington yesterday and now are back for three agains the smokin’ hot M’s. Would be seriously annoying if Seattle comes in and walks over the Yanks, but you can see it happening, right? They played well against the Sox and are on a roll. Here’s hoping the Yanks don’t sleep or get put to sleep.

We’ll be her root-root-rootin’ them on.

Never mind the bum rush:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags 

Sox won again today—man, you seen the box scores this afternoon? nobody is scoring any runs. The Yanks will try to keep pace tonight with Sonny G on the hill. Bombers won last night, 3-0, thanks to a pair of singers by Didi and a good start by C.C. and more ace work out of the pen.

More, please.

Never mind the strikeouts:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Welp, the Mets scored first on Friday and Saturday but the Yanks won both games, both close. Tonight gives Luis Severino who has been on a roll. So, either he’s due for a stinker, or he is going to just fine.

Either way, here we are, root-root-rootin’ the cross-towners on:

Never mind the broomsticks:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Ugh, it’s that time again. Subway Serious. Yanks will face the Mets’ two best pitchers this weekend. The Mets have been slumping lately, their season a series of bad news and failure. Let’s hope the Yanks win two of three and move on without incident.

Never mind the dummies:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

So the Yanks shipped off to Detroit and split a double-header because that’s what happens in double-headers. Luis Severino was aces in the opener, and Austin Romine hit a long home run. Mike Stanton got plunked by an old friend and returned the favor with a dinger and some extra mustard but the Yanks dropped the nightcap, 4-2.

They’re up in Toronto for a pair and news comes in that Jordan Montgomery is done for the year—TJ surgery.

Nobody said it was going to be easy.

Never mind the trade winds:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Man, Yanks take two of three from both the Angels and the Astros. That’s what I call a good homestead. Sure, the Red Sox seem to have forgotten how to lose themselves, but the Yanks are handling their business. I love watching the kids Andujar and Torres learn—they make mistakes but continue to contribute. They aren’t cocky, though like most kids in this generation, they do show their displeasure to umps more freely than rookies dared in the past.

Said it before, this is just a really fun team to watch. Yeah, they could use another starter and maybe Sonny Gray will finally settle into a groove and make things easier.

In the meantime, the Yanks are on a ballbuster of a road trip which includes a make-up double header in Detroit on an off-day. They aren’t playing great teams, let’s hope they don’t have a letdown.

Never mind the scrubs:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Sorry I’ve been remiss you guys.

What I like is that after losing that tough game in Texas—the first time all season I’ve gotten really irked, especially cause you cause see it coming even when they were up 10-5—our boys came back and won last night against a good Angels team.

The kid Ohtani is something and had a great at bat against Aroldis Chapman. He fouled off a 2-1 pitch to left field that was damn near a home run. It was was on the most incredible foul balls I can remember seeing in a long time. Wow, that ab was electric.

Gleyer Torres continues to delight. The kid is so cute and so good! Nice fielder and he hit the game-deciding homer last night. That’s 4 games in a row with homers. And tonight we get Greg Bird back.

Super hot in the city with half the town gone for the long weekend.

Never mind the Halos:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

These are the Salad Days for the new era Yanks. We don’t get one or two or three guys to look forward to each night, we get 9 guys, and few extra on the bench. Good God but this is fun.

More tonight.

Stay hungry.

Never mind the gravy:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Indeed, things ended up going well for the Yanks in K.C. Lots of loud, booming sounds from the Bombers. Man, the lineup has a bunch of mashers, right? Even with Didi mired in a deep slump—he got the weekend off. Even as we wait for Greg Bird to join the fun.

Tonight, they are in Texas facing Bartolo Colon. It is great and hilarious that he is still pitching. I hope they tattoo him but if they don’t that will be hilarious too.

You know, the Red Sox are really damn good and the Astros as the defending champs and they are damn good. The Angels—who the Yanks host this weekend—look tough as well. But these Yanks, man, it’s good to be a Yankee fan these days. They will be a tough out and that’s all you can hope for.

Never mind the brisket:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Pavan Trikutam on Unsplash]

Man, been a weird week for the Yanks, what with Tuesday night’s game being suspended, Wednesday’s postponed and then a loss last night in KC.

Sonny Gray, who my pal Dimelo thinks is the new Jeff Weaver—and I am afraid he might be right—is on the hill and in need of a good outing. So is Didi Gregorious, who is in the middle of a massive slump.

Never mind the burnt ends:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Via: Mon Voyage Hilton]