The Yanks hit a bunch of loud home runs last night—solo shots from Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge (of the Winfield line drive variety), and a 3-run bomb by Clint Frazier. Combined with Masahiro Tanaka’s masterful 14-K performance, it was more than enough for the Yanks to cruise to a 6-1 win, and bump the Red Sox out of first place.

More this afternoon on a cool, gray summer day in July. A kid named Caleb Smith gets the start for the Bombers. He’ll probably need a mess-o-help from the offense.

Never mind the chill:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags.

The Yanks blew a 3-0 lead, the Rays squandered a 5-3 lead, and our boys stole a victory when Brett Gardner hit a solo home run in extra innings. Sure, it was not pretty, but against the Rays, sheeeeeeeeet, we’ll take it.

Our man Tanaka is on the hill tonight.

Never mind Evan Longoria:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Belated but not too late. Here goes a game thread.

Never mind the storm clouds:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Whenever I think of Homer Bailey, I’m reminded of how treacherous it is to anoint a pitching prospect as a future star. Sure, things worked out with Clayton Kershaw, but we don’t have to look beyond our own backyard to remember the trials and tribulations of Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. According to Baseball Prospectus, the top five pitching prospects in 2008 were Clay Buchholz, Joba Chamberlain, Clayton Kershaw, David Price, and Homer Bailey. That group has produced a first-ballot Hall of Famer, an occasional All-Star, a middle of the rotation innings-eater, a flash in the pan, and Bailey.

Homer’s had a nice career, if you allow that any eleven-year stint in the major leagues is a nice career, but he appears to be nearing the end of the road. He’s only made six starts this year, but they’ve been forgettable. In 27.1 innings he’s allowed 26 runs (I’ll spare him the embarrassment of calculating that ERA) along with 43 hits and 13 walks. He did manage two wins in his first two starts of July, allowing a total of two runs over 12.1 innings, but his last two starts have been abject disasters — 14 runs in 4.2 innings. (That sound you hear in the background is Gary Sánchez starting up the Score Truck.)

It seems perfect that the Yankees have their own phenom on the mound today. Luís Severino has been exactly what you’d expect from a young pitcher with a huge future. He hasn’t been Dwight Gooden, but no one has, really. There have been bumps in the road, but in general he seems to be getting better over the course of the season. At his worst he tends to lose focus and make mistakes; at his best he is virtually unhittable, carrying his 100-MPH velocity deep into his starts. His spot in the rotation is the one that I look forward to the most. Each dominant outing pushes my memories of the misguided handling of Hughes and Chamberlain deeper into my subconscious. Severino will be a star.

All of this, of course, points to a huge win and a series sweep for the Yankees, so relax and enjoy!

As Alex would say, Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Gardner, LF
C. Frazier, RF
Sánchez, C
Holliday, DH
Gregorius, SS
Headley, 1B
Triple Play Frazier, 3B
Ellsbury, CF
Torreyes, 2B

Severino (6-4, 120.2 IP, 136 K, 30 BB, 104 H, 3.21 ERA, 1.11 WHIP)

When I think of the Cincinnati Reds, I will always and forever think back to the Big Red Machine of the 1970s. I’m not old enough to remember watching those teams, but after a fortuitous trip to Yankee Stadium when I was seven years old transformed me into a Yankee fan for life, I vividly remember flipping through a pack of baseball cards and painfully reading about the Yankees’ sweep the previous year at the hands of the Reds in the 1976 World Series. Sure, that was decades ago, and the Reds have since given us players like Paul O’Neill and Aroldis Chapman, but the little boy in me still holds that grudge.

Tonight the Reds come in to town for a brief two-game series. It would behoove the Yankees to win both games, because these Reds aren’t big, and they aren’t a machine. Only three teams in baseball have worse records than Cincinnati, and if it weren’t for Scooter Gennett’s four-homer game from a few weeks ago or the trade rumors surrounding shortstop Zack Cozart, they’d be completely irrelevant.

Our young Jordan Montgomery takes the mound against the equally young Luís Castillo. The Yankees have historically struggled against rookie pitchers (Castillo will be making just his seventh career start), but hopefully that won’t be case tonight. Perhaps the Score Truck will even make an appearance. As Alex would say, “Let’s Go Yank-ees!”

Gardner, CF
C. Frazier, LF
Judge, RF
Holliday, DH
Gregorius, SS
Headley, 1B
T. Frazier, 3B
Wade, 2B
Romine, C

Montgomery (6-5, 101.1 IP, 93 K, 32 BB, 4.09 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, .247/.305/.413)

Good match-up to start the weekend series in Seattles—Little Luis vs. King Felix.

Never mind the contenders:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: Food & Wine]

A loss on Monday night was followed by a win last night in Minnesota. And then some news: Todd Frazier and David Robertson are headed to the Yanks.

Always did like that David Robertson.

Picture by Bags

Are you kidding me? Down 1-0 in the 9th, the Yanks tie the game on a Matt Holliday home run and it takes them 16 innings to outlast the Sox, 4-1.

And today gives a day-night doubleheader.

Summertime, summertime, sum-sum-summertime.

Never mind the bollocks:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

The Yanks opened the second half slipping on the banana peel in the 9th as Aroldis Chapman blew a lead and the game.

Fug.

And Dr. Doom—Chris Sale—on the hill today. With A.J. Pierzynski on the broadcast. This is going to be a long day.

Never mind the odds:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

What did I miss?

The Home Run Derby? The All-Star Game? Big Mike possibly done for the season?

And what could be a 4-game beatdown up in Boston this weekend?

Anything else?

Part Two begins now.

Picture by Bags

Well, that sucked. The Yanks won a laughter on Friday night but then Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman blew Saturday’s game (spoiling a nice debut for Clint Frazier) followed by yesterday’s beat down. No, that wasn’t how it was supposed to go at all.

Right now, the Astros are the Man. And the Yanks ain’t.

Our boys are back home where it is Hotter than July—wait, it is July. Those damn Jays.

Picture by Bags

That was the verdict when the Yanks and Astros met earlier this season in the Bronx. Now, they play a weekend series down in Houston.

Never mind the heartache:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

As if we need another reason to love Aaron Judge, there’s this.

Couple of rookies got their first big league hits last night—Miguel Andujar went 3 for 4 with 4 RBI in his first game!—as the Yanks blitzed the White Sox, 12-3.

Going for the series win tonight. Be a shame not to get it.

Never mind the Bromo:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Except some feelings. (Okay, Matt Holliday was placed on the DL but we already knew he was sick.)

Yanks come back late, then Betances blows the game, Yanks lose, everyone is sad, though some are also angry.

Maybe tonight won’t suck.

Never mind the disabled list:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Our Yanks beat the White Sox on Monday night but it wasn’t easy as the bullpen decided to make things nervous late. But they didn’t totally shit the bed and the Yanks got a much-needed win, 6-5.

Starlin Castro heads to the DL because, why not? All the cool kids are doing it these days.

The only good news is that another bright young prospect—this time, Tyler Wade—gets called up.

Never mind the M*A*S*H unit:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Yanks are in Chicago for four games against the White Sox.

Never mind all this sucking:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture via Eater.

Ronald Torreyes is not just a cute mascot who is hosted on Didi Gregorius’s shoulders every time A-Aron Judge homers. Last night, he made a trio of terrific plays in the field and then came through with a looping base hit in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Yanks a much-needed, 2-1 win.

Masahiro Tanaka was excellent, he looked like his old self, and matching him was Yu Darvish.

Alas, Chris Carter—who made a few nice scoops at first last night—has gone the way of Garrett Jones and any number of other sluggers picked up on the cheap in the hopes that they would catch fire. Carter never did with the Yanks and he was DFA’d after the game. Seems like a good dude. And while this is likely a wise move by the team, and I won’t miss watching Carter’s at bats, I always feel badly when things don’t work out. Then again, he is making $3.5 million this year so I am not too broken up about it.

And Tyler Austin gets called up so be nice to see him again.

It is muggier than muggy today. Afternoon game at the Stadium.

Never mind the stupidity:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Man, the Yanks kicked the ball around like a bunch of bumbling dillweeds the other night, Severino was Bump, Dellin Betances got lit up and the Yanks lost the game and the series.

Final Score: Angels 10, Yanks 5.

Hot and muggy in New York with thunderstorms on the forecast for this evening. They should get it in but it might be a long night.

The Rangers are in town.

Never mind the gloom:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags

Hey, a win. We remember those.

8-4, Yanks. Not pretty, but comedy never is.

Tonight, they go for the series win.

Never mind the heat:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Yanks came home and got pounded by the Angels as their slump continues.

Big Mike was deliberate to the point of being insufferable and also not that good. But it was the bullpen again that shit the bed.

Final Score: Angels 8, Yanks 3.

More tonight. After an afternoon shower it is hot and humid.

Something’s gotta give.

Never mind the bitchin’ and moaning’:

Let’s Go Yank-ees!

Picture by Bags