N.Y. Yankees: Evil Empire Once Again Undone By Rebel Forces

From the desk of: THE SULTANS OF SO WHAT

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

Rays defeat Yankees; 3-2

I - NYY 9; TBR 3

II - TBR 7; NYY 5

III - TBR 8; NYY 4

IV - NYY 5; TBR 1

V - TBR 2; NYY 1

A.L. East Champion Tampa Bay Rays Eliminate Bronx Bummers

The Yankees lineup features a keen balance of young talent and veteran leadership, as well as this season's American League batting champion and home run leader.  Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are healthy and in the line-up together.  Kyle Igashioka is batting over .300 and providing a needed upgrade behind the plate in place of beleaguered catcher Gary Sanchez.  On the mound, New York's $300 million dollar man is on the mound while one of baseball's more formidable closers stands at the ready.

Entering Game Five the Yankees have everything perfectly set up.  All is going according to Brian Cashman's plan.

Pitching on only two days rest, Tampa "opener" Tyler Glasnow allows no runs and no hits in 2.1 innings pitched.  In the fourth inning Aaron Judge takes reliever Nick Anderson deep to right for a 1-0 Yankees lead.  Tampa ties the score in the bottom of the fifth when right fielder Austin Meadows connects against Gerrit Cole who is pitching on three days rest.  In the bottom of the sixth Brett Gardner reaches above the left field wall to intercept left fielder Randy Arozarena's potential home run.  Aaron Boone immediately makes a pitching change.  Enter Zach Britton who holds Tampa scoreless for 1.1 innings.  After which Aroldis Chapman is brought into the game with two outs in the seventh.  Rays reliever Peter Fairbanks contributes two scoreless innings and Diego Castillo holds the Yankees scoreless in the top of the eighth.  With one out in the bottom of the eighth Michael Brosseau deposits Aroldis Chapman's tenth offering of the at-bat into the left field seats for a 2-1 Rays lead.  Diego Castillo closes out the game with strikeouts of Giancarlo Stanton and Luke Voit and retiring Gio Urshela on a liner to third.  The A.L. East champs win the series three games against two and advance to the ALCS versus the waiting and defending World Series champion Houston Astros.  

#StayAngry

The Yankees fall short of their mission statement, again, forgoing an opportunity to avenge last year's ALCS loss against the Astros.  With no banging garbage cans anywhere to be heard the Yankees have no excuses.  No Luis Severino?  No, sorry, that's hardly a viable reason why the Yankees lost in five to Tampa.

They couldn't prompt the offensive machine at will when faced with superior post-season pitching.  Home run or nothing loses again.  The Yankees do not string together hits.  That's a difficult task with Aaron Judge batting second and Giancarlo Stanton hitting clean-up.  Despite a .316 average in the series, Stanton's six home runs are largely inconsequential.  Aaron Judge goes 4 for 30 (.133) with three home runs, five runs batted in and ten strikeouts.  Together, Stanton and Judge combine to hit .214 (12 for 56) with nine home runs, 18 runs batted in and 20 strikeouts.  The Yankees strikeout eleven times in Game Five and 18 times in Game Two (accounting for 66% of their allotted outs).  Yet, Yankee analytics say strikeouts be damn; it's better than grounding into a double play.  

Therefore ... the Sultans of So What!

Someone tried getting too cute and completely botched Game Two.  Without knowing who is largely responsible, both Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone are equally to blame.  They tried outsmarting the small market Rays and failed.  This is the organization Chaim Bloom left behind in favor of the Boston Red Sox position.  Cashman the general manager needs to reassess himself and this grand master plan of his.  Some on the outside looking in might say Cashman has done everything perfectly.  But the results do not agree.

Game Two essentially becomes a lesson in upper management meddling and analytical oversight.  You can not script games ... at least not like the Rays.  Aaron Boone was clearly left speechless.  But when Jordan Montgomery saved the Yankees from elimination, Game Two became less of an issue.  Now that the Yankees have bowed out of the playoffs Game Two again becomes a most glaring issue.

Brian Cashman has essentially recruited a bland band of narrowly focused stormtroopers.  Armed with analytics the Yankees have become robotic and stationary.  I'm sure everyone knows what bad shots stormtroopers are - these aren't the pitches you're looking for.  The Yankees ability to tap into the force at the flick of a switch is equally suspect.  Analytics may steer teams during the regular season when the law of averages rule the day.  The playoffs, however, require far more humanism in order to deal with the nuance of short series baseball.

Michael Brosseau avenges an Aroldis Chapman fastball aimed right at his head back in September.  

Tampa outclasses the mighty Bronx Bombers.

The Evil Empire is once again outdone by smaller rebel forces.

N.Y. Yankees: Bronx Bombers Complete Successful Sortie at Progressive Field

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

NEXT STOP: SAN DIEGO

Yankees defeat Indians; 2-0

I - NYY 12; CLE 3

II - NYY 10; CLE 9

Yankees Bats Go WILD at Cleveland

Nothing WILD about this series.  The Bronx Bombers play to their strength and the Cleveland Indians do not.

Through two games the Yankees face eleven different pitchers (Phil Maton is the only Tribe pitcher to appear in both games) and score against all but three of them.  They pound out 18 hits and 22 runs in 18 innings of play.  Eleven hits go for extra bases: seven home runs, three doubles and one triple.  Shane Bieber and Carlos Carrasco join to yield eleven runs on eleven hits and five walks in just 7.2 innings pitched.  Neither starter lasts five full innings.  All Indians pitchers join together for an 11.00 earned run average.  In game two they issue twelve walks.  Brad Hand, who does not blow a save in 23 regular season appearances, blows his first game at the worst time.  At the plate Cleveland hits .253 in 71 at-bats, with seven extra base hits and just one home run.  They play with the lead for just three innings out of eighteen.

Gio Urshela's grand slam in the fourth flips the tables on Cleveland and embattled catcher Gary Sanchez gains a measure of vindication with a home run, a game tying sac-fly and three runs batted in.  Urshela's great diving play at third and ensuing 5-4-3 double-play in the fourth is a game changer.

Now the bad news ...

Masahiro Tanaka does not pitch well.  He allows six earned runs on five hits (four doubles) and three walks with three strikeouts in four innings pitched.  He faces 20 batters and throws 77 pitches with 50 (65%) going for strikes.  

The Yankees move on to San Diego where they will take on the A.L. East champion Tampa Bay Rays.  The Rays finish the season with an American League best 40 wins, eight of which come against the Yankees.  Not coincidentally, the Rays win the division by a seven game margin over the Bombers.

N.Y. Yankees: Bronx Bombers Quietly Advance Into Off-Season

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

MINUTE MAID PARK

SEPTEMBER 2019

AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Astros defeat Yankees; 4-2

I - NYY 7; HOU 0

II - HOU 3; NYY 2

III - HOU 4; NYY 1

IV - HOU 8; NYY 3

V - NYY 4; HOU 1

GAME SIX

Yankees   4

Astros      6

FINAL

Like a Bottle Rocket in the Night the Bombers Season Goes Pop

ALL AROLDIS CHAPMAN COULD DO WAS GRIN, AND BEAR IT.  I believe it was more a curt expression than anything else.  Dismay manifests itself in many forms.  But the look on Chapman's face no doubt punctuates another confounding New York Yankee exit from post-season play.

• 2019 ALCS - BR

What a brilliant at-bat in the top of the ninth inning by D.J. LeMahieu.  He demonstrates great discipline in laying off a slider low and away for ball two.  With a 2-2 count he fouls off four straight pitches (five in all), which I felt was attributable to poor sequencing.  But when Roberto Osuna finally elevates an enticing eye level fastball, LeMahieu smartly takes it for ball three.  That forces Osuna into throwing a hitter's pitch.  His tenth offering of the sequence is just that.  LeMahieu deposits the ball over the right field wall just beyond the outstretched arm of a leaping George Springer tying the game at four.

With two outs in the last half of the ninth Aroldis Chapman walks George Springer.  That brings to the plate Jose Altuve who promptly ends the Yankees season by crushing Chapman's fourth offering, a slider, high and deep over the left field wall for a walk-off victory.

If you're wondering why Chad Green is starting game six of the ALCS, look no further than Brian Cashman.  Otherwise the decision to bullpen an elimination game is Aaron Boone's only recourse.  Although no stranger to starting games, Green nevertheless yields a double, a walk, and a three run home run by Yuri Gurriel for an 0-3 first inning deficit.

Gary Sanchez drives in a run in the second, and Gio Urshela's home run in the fourth closes the gap to one.  But Houston picks up an insurance run when Altuve scores on Alex Bregman's fielder's choice in the sixth.

And into the ninth inning they go ...


NUMBERS OF THE BEAST

Both sides utilize seven pitchers in GAME SIX:

• NYY: six earned runs on six hits and six walks with six strikeouts through 8.2 innings pitched.  They throw 170 pitches with only 101 (59%) going for strikes.
• HOU: four earned runs on ten hits and four walks with eleven strikeouts through nine innings pitched.  They throw 154 pitches with 101 (65%) going for strikes.

SWING AND A MISS

• Jose Altuve: .348/.444/.652; two home runs; three runs batted in; four walks; one strikeout!
• Carlos Correa; George Springer; Yuli Gurriel: five home runs; 13 runs batted in.

• Aaron Judge: .240/.321/.360; home run; two runs batted in; three walks; ten strikeouts!
• Gary Sanchez: .130/167/.261; home run; three runs batted in; one walk; twelve strikeouts!
• Edwin Encarnacion: .056/.227/.111; four walks; eleven strikeouts!
• Brett Gardner: .136/.208/.136; one run batted in; two walks; ten strikeouts!
• Giancarlo Stanton: 2 for 7, home run; three strikeouts.
• Thank goodness for Aaron Hicks?

• HOU: slash .179/.281/.318; eight home runs; 27 walks; 54 strikeouts; 24 runs scored.
• NYY: slash .214/.289/.383; ten home runs; 22 walks; 64 strikeouts; 21 runs scored.

THE REAL BRONX BOMBERS

• DJ LeMahieu: .346/.414/.615; two home runs; three runs batted in; three walks; two strikeouts.
• Gleyber Torres: .280/.333/.600; two home runs; six runs batted in; two walks; four strikeouts.
• Gio Urshela: two home runs; two runs batted in; two walks; .828 OPS; two strikeouts.

THE REAL BRONX BUMMER

• HOU Three Starters: ten earned runs in 31 innings for 2.90 ERA; 24 H; 10 W; 34 K.
• NYY Three Starters: seven earned runs in 23.2 innings for 2.71 ERA; 18 H; 12 W; 23 K.

• HOU Bullpen: ten earned runs; 21.1 innings; 4.26 ERA.
• NYY Bullpen: seven earned runs; 26.1 innings; 2.41 ERA.

• HOU hit eight home runs, only four are solo shots.  They leave 45 runners on base and bat (5/46) .108 w/ RiSP.  Team slash .179/.281/.318.
• NYY hit ten home runs, but seven are solo shots.  They leave 42 runners on base and bat (6/35) .171 w/ RiSP.  Team slash .214/.289/.383.

SO, WHAT THE F&@% JUST HAPPENED.!?

Game Two Loss:

• Starter James Paxton lasts just 2.1 innings; reliever J.A. Happ surrenders game winning home run in 11th inning.

Game Three Loss:

• Luis Severino is far from mid-season form.  He misses the entire season until returning to action in September.  He makes three appearances and pitches just twelve innings prior to the ALDS versus Minnesota.  Opposed by Houston's Gerrit Cole, Severino yields two earned runs on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts through 4.1 innings pitched.  Cole throws seven scoreless innings allowing just four hits and five walks with seven strikeouts.

Game Four Loss:

• Zack Greinke and Ryan Presley outperform Masahiro Tanaka and Chad Green.  Tanaka surrenders four runs (three earned) on four hits (George Springer home run) and two walks with just one strikeout through five innings pitched.  Chad Green yields a two-run home run in the sixth to Carlos Correa.  Greinke and Presley surrender just one run on three hits and five walks with seven strikeouts through five innings.

Game Six Loss:

• Chad Green serves as game opener.  He promptly surrenders a first inning three-run home run to Yuli Gurriel.  LeMahieu hits a game-tying home run in the top of the ninth.  Aroldis Chapman loses control of his fastball, Altuve crushes a slider in the bottom of the ninth, series over.

Brian Cashman's failure to land a viable starting pitcher at the trade deadline comes to pass.  The plan to bullpen game six backfires horribly.  No one could have predicted Domingo German's season ending in suspension.  Although with 30 home runs allowed and a 4.03 ERA through 143 innings pitched, I'm not quite sure German would have made a series altering difference.  However, waiting on Luis Severino proves a mistake.  C.C. Sabathia's physical condition and overall effectiveness was also a known factor.  Moreover, last season's money acquisition of J.A. Happ fails to pay dividends.  His ineffectiveness was likewise a known factor heading into the deadline.  Happ posted a regular season 4.91 ERA through 161.1 innings pitched.  Relegated to the bullpen for the playoffs, he makes just two appearances against the Astros, yielding a hit, a walk, and a run, through 2.2 innings pitched.  Otherwise game six "opener" Chad Green posts a 9.64 ERA through four appearances and 4.2 innings pitched.  Adam Ottavino is worse, allowing four runs on six hits through five appearances and 2.1 innings pitched for an 11.57 ERA.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Houston's outstanding defense; Houston's game saving defense, that is.  Meanwhile four Yankees errors in game four contribute to three unearned runs in an 8-3 loss.  Gary Sanchez once again proves a liability behind the plate.

Failure to improve rotation depth; a bullish bullpen; too many strikeouts; and lack of clutch or even situational hitting; make of it what you will.  At the end of the day, Houston's top star rises to the occasion and the Yankees top stars do not.


TRENDING

Once is an event; twice is a coincidence; three times is a trend.  The Yankees are eliminated from post-season play for a third consecutive year, twice at the hands of the Houston Astros.

2017 ALCS: Astros Defeat Yankees; 4-3

• HOU: slash .187/.271/.294; 20 runs; 40 hits; four home runs; 24 walks; 45 strikeouts.
• NYY: slash .205/.274/.347; 22 runs; 45 hits; six home runs; 19 walks; 70 strikeouts.

• HOU Four Starters: 13 runs on 32 hits through 46.1 innings for 2.54 ERA (6.2 innings per start).
• NYY Four Starters: 9 runs on 21 hits through 36 innings for 2.25 ERA (5.1 innings per start).

• HOU Bullpen: 9 runs on 13 hits through 12.2 innings for 6.64 ERA.
• NYY Bullpen: 11 runs on 19 hits through 23.1 innings for 4.28 ERA.

2018 ALDS: Red Sox Defeat Yankees; 3-1

• BOS: 27 runs; 39 hits; .279/.358/.429; 18 walks; 29 strikeouts.
• NYY: 14 runs; 28 hits; .214/.295/.321; 15 walks; 31 strikeouts.

• BOS Four Starters:  7 runs on 18 hits through 20.2 innings pitched for 3.12 ERA.
• NYY Four Starters: 15 runs on 19 hits through 13.0 innings pitched for 10.38 ERA.

Stick It With Your Analytics ~ Acquire Starting Pitching ~ Stop Striking Out So Damn Much ~ Stick It With Your Analytics ~ Acquire Starting Pitching ~ Stop Striking Out So Damn Much ~ Stick It With Your Analytics ~ Acquire Starting Pitching ~ Stop Striking Out So Damn Much ~ Stick It With Your Analytics ~ Acquire Starting Pitching ~ Stop Striking Out So Damn Much ~ Stick It With Your Analytics ~ Acquire Starting Pitching ~ Stop Striking Out So Damn Much.  Stick It ...

N.Y. Yankees: The Empire Strikes Back

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

Astros lead Yankees; 3-2

I - NYY 7; HOU 0

II - HOU 3; NYY 2

III - HOU 4; NYY 1

IV - HOU 8; NYY 3

V - NYY 4; HOU 1

AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
GAME SIX

New York Yankees 

vs.

Houston Astros

FROM

JUICE BOX PARK

James Paxton Out-Duels Justin Verlander; Yankees Stave Off Elimination; Series Shifts Back to Houston.

Baseball wisdom says in order to achieve success against the game's best pitchers you need to get at them early before they settle in.  On Friday, the Yankees do just that.  D.J. LeMahieu homers on Justin Verlander's second offering of the game.  Four batters later Aaron Hicks' three run home run off the right field foul pole stakes the Yankees to 4-1 first inning lead and final margin of victory.  After which Verlander retires 20 of his next 21 batters faced.  Through the next six innings he allows no runs, no walks, and just one hit with seven strikeouts (nine overall) albeit in a losing effort.

Meanwhile James Paxton's night doesn't start well.  He unleashes a first inning wild pitch permitting George Springer to score from third with the game's opening run.  But after throwing 52 pitches through the first two innings, Paxton settles down to provide the Yankees with much needed length and effectiveness.  He strikeouts out the side in the second, fans two in the fourth, and two more in the fifth, while throwing a more economical 60 pitches over his final four innings.  Overall Paxton allows just one earned run on four hits and one walk with nine strikeouts through six innings full.

• Per YES Channel post-game, Paxson's 112 pitches were the most this season by a Yankees starter.

Making his seventh appearance in seven post-season games Tommy Kahnle yields a hit and a walk while throwing just eight pitches in the seventh.  Otherwise Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman are perfect over the final 2.2 innings with three strikeouts.

The Yankees generate just five hits, draw no walks, and strikeout ten times.  Aaron Hicks who is limited to just 59 appearances this season with an elbow injury strikes the major blow of the night.  That's not as promising as it sounds as the Yankees still must win two in a row at Houston.  Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gary Sanchez, join forces on 1 for 10 with seven strikeouts.

N.Y. Yankees: Astros Pitching Short Circuiting Bomber Bats

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

AMERICAN LEAGUE 

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

ASTROS LEAD YANKEES; 2-1

I - NYY 7; HOU 0

II - HOU 3; NYY 2

III - HOU 4; NYY 1

GAME FOUR

Houston Astros

vs.

New York Yankees

FROM

BRONX COUNTY

Having now faced Houston's big three, the Yankees trail the ALCS (1-2) with two games left to play at Yankee Stadium.  Baring a pinstriped implosion this series is heading back to Houston where the Yankees in game one score seven runs on 13 hits against Zack Greinke.  However, New York's momentum at the plate only carries them as far as the next game's opposing pitcher.  In game two Justin Verlander and five Astros relievers join in limiting the Yankees to six hits and a pair of runs.  On Tuesday Gerrit Cole and a trio of relievers yield just one run on five hits.  That's three runs on eleven hits for the Yankees over their last two games.  Not very Bomber like, save for Gleyber Torres.

• Gary Sanchez: 1 for 13 (.077); six strikeouts; and presently a defensive liability.

Game four strikes me as a coin flip.  Each manager has limited pitching options and none seem terribly promising.  The tentative plan is to bring Tanaka back on short rest.  Plan B would be to bullpen the game.  There's always C.C. Sabathia.  Or just pray for rain.

For what it's worth, Paxton would be on his bullpen day three days after being yanked from game two after allowing an earned run on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts in just 2.1 innings pitched.

Meanwhile the Astros appear only slightly more well off handing the ball to Wade Miley.  This all remains to be determined.  But it sure looks like game four is building up to be a hitter's game.

Famous last words ...

Which ever team wins game four I believe seizes the advantage.  Houston, obviously, because they'll have three opportunities to win one game.  But if the Yankees should take game four, Masahiro Tanaka is in line for game five.  Tanaka pitches brilliantly against the Twins, and more so in game one at Houston in which he allows the Astros just one hit and one walk, with four strikeouts through six scoreless innings pitched.

Rewind back to the final weeks and days of June.  Brian Cashman turns his back on what he believes to be a rigged trade market, electing instead to hold his ground.  Luis Severino perhaps plays a part in Cashman's decision.  But we just witnessed the consequences of his decisions in game three and now leading into game four.  It's clear Severino is nowhere near mid-season form, much less ALCS ready.  But in lieu of pitching upgrades, this is precisely why Brian Cashman acquires Edwin Encarnacion ...

... to win game four.

N.Y. Yankees: Minnesota Twins Pose More Trouble Than Meets The Eye

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

GAME ONE

Minnesota Twins

vs.

New York Yankees

FROM

161 Street at River Avenue

This marks the seventh meeting in post-season play since 2003 between the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins.  Suffice it to say things have not gone well for the Minneapolis/St.Paul Nine.  The Yankees own a 16-2 record in post-season games against the Twins.

• 2003: NYY def. MIN; 3-1
• 2004: NYY def. MIN; 3-1
• 2006: NYY def. MIN; 3-0
• 2009: NYY def. MIN; 3-0
• 2010: NYY def. MIN; 3-0
• 2017: NYY def. MIN; WC

The Twins averaged a 91-71 regular season record during the six aforementioned seasons.  This year Minnesota will offer the Bronx Bombers no quarter.  They come into these playoffs with a 101-61 regular season record.  The Yankees finish 103-59, while the Houston Astros finish with an American League best 107-55 mark.  New York won the regular season series versus Minnesota four games against two, outscoring them by a 43-38 margin.

STRENGTH OF DIVISION

• A.L. EAST: Tampa; Boston; Toronto; and Baltimore; post a combined a 301-347 (.464) record.
• A.L. CENTRAL: Cleveland; Chicago; Kansas City, Detroit, post a combined 271-375 (.419) record.

AMERICAN LEAGUE RANK
Link: STATS/New York Yankees

I - PLATE

• RUNS SCORED: NYY #1 (943); MIN #2 (939)
• HOME RUNS: MIN #1 (307); NYY #2 (306)
• TOT BASES: MIN #1 (2,832); NYY #3 (2,735)
• TEAM AVG: MIN #2 (.274); NYY #4 (.267)
• TEAM OBP: NYY #3 (.339); MIN #4 (.338)
• TEAM SLG: MIN #2 (.495); NYY #3 (.490)

II - MOUND

• TEAM ERA: MIN #5 (4.18); NYY #6 (4.31)
• TEAM WHiP: NYY #t5 (1.30); MIN #t5 (1.30)
• AVG AGAINST: NYY #5 (.248); MIN #8 (.257)
• STRIKEOUTS: NYY #4 (1,534); MIN #6 (1,463)
• SAVES: NYY #t1 (50); MIN #t1 (50)
• * BLOWN SAVES: NYY 28; MIN 22

In a short five game series with a travel break after game two, there's every chance Aaron Boone limits his starters to no more than four innings of work.  Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ, and James Paxton average under six innings per start to begin with.  J.A. Happ owns a 4.91 ERA through 161.0 innings pitched.  Tanaka this season pitches the second most innings of his career but also posts the second highest ERA (4.45) of his six year career with the Yankees.  Of the three, only James Paxton posts a season ERA (3.82) below four.  The biggest unknown is Luis Severino.  He has appeared in three games since returning from a season long absence, yielding just two earned runs on six hits with six walks and 17 strikeouts through twelve innings pitched.

The Yankees struck out 1,437 times this season which ranks seventh most in the American League.  That's a vast improvement over previous years. Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, and Gary Sanchez, have missed considerable time with various injuries.  But just in time the band is back together.  Out since Sept. 12, Gary Sanchez is back from a groin injury.  He played two games against the Texas Rangers going 1 for 6 with four strikeouts.  In 396 at-bats this season he has struck out 125 times.  Giancarlo Stanton returned to action on Sept. 18, and has since struck out eleven times in 28 at-bats.  For the season Stanton has fanned 24 times in just 59 at-bats.  Then there's Aaron Judge with his 141 strikeouts through 378 at-bats.  That's 552 strikeouts in 833 at-bats!  The Minnesota Twins struck out the fourth least times this season.

Mets vs. Yankees: 2019 Subway Series II

From the desks of: 

HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET  and  BLAME CARLOS MAY

Mets/Yankees Split Series 2-2

I - Rain Out

II - NYY 12; NYM 5

III - NYM 10; NYY 4

IV - NYM 4; NYY 2

V- NYY 5; NYM 1

SUBWAY SERIES

New York Yankees

vs.

New York Mets

FROM

41 SEAVER WAY

QUEENS

Welcome back to the second installment of Subway Series featuring the American League's best team taking on the National League's third worst team.  The Bombers are coming off a weekend wherein they score 29 runs on 32 hits through two games against the Red Sox at London Series.  On Sunday, the Mets won their first game in a week and are 3-7 over their last ten games.  With any luck the moribund Metropolitans face a flight fatigued jet lagged sleep deprived strung out Yankees squad when both teams meet Tuesday evening at Citi Field.  Better yet, maybe the entire Bombers line-up all pull their hamstrings considering they're just one day removed from another seven hour return flight back home.  The Mets need all the help they can get considering they're blowing more than half of their save opportunities.

Mets All-Stars:

• Jacob deGrom; selected.
• Jeff McNeil; selected.
• Pete Alonso; selected.

Yankees All-Stars:

• DJ LeMahieu; voted
• Gary Sanchez; voted
• Aroldis Chapman; selected.

AMAZIN'

• During an otherwise stellar ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1969 New York Mets Saturday at Citi Field, the organization incorrectly included two members of the '69 roster into their video tribute to those no longer with us whom are still very much alive.  The Mets front office apologized.  How does this happen?

HOLY COW!

• ICYMI: LONDON SERIES Recap and Pics.

GAME ONE

Yankees  2

Mets       4

FINAL

I do not buy into the notion Zack Wheeler was auditioning for the Yankees Tuesday evening at Citi Field.  The teams still strike me as very unlikely trade partners.  That said, Wheeler toes the rubber in game one of Subway Series II.  He throws 116 pitches with 75 (65%) going for strikes, yielding two earned runs on five hits and just one walk with eight strikeouts.  He leaves the game after 6.1 innings with the Mets trailing 2-1 through seven.  The Mets finally break through for three runs in the eighth on a two RBI double from Michael Conforto, and JD Davis's double scoring Pete Alonso to give the Mets a 4-2 lead.  Just as the rains begin falling down upon Citi Field, Edwin Diaz pitches a scoreless ninth and strikes out Brett Gardner to end the game.  Seth Lugo - the latest hard luck pitcher of note - earns his fourth victory.  Edwin Diaz records his 18th save of the season.  Mets pitching issues two walks all game.

Playing left field, JD Davis is 2 for 4 with a double and his ninth home run in the sixth.  Robinson Cano, finally moved out of the three spot and hitting fifth, goes 2 for 3 with a walk and run scored.  Jeff McNeil and Amed Rosario also register multi-hit games.

Aaron Hicks strokes the Yankees lone extra base hit of the game.  Starter James Paxton yields just one run on eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts through six innings pitched.  Adam Ottavino earns his third loss for his work in the eighth.

The Yankees record setting streak of hitting at least one home run in 31 consecutive games ends at Queens.

GAME TWO

Yankees  5

Mets       1

FINAL

Domingo German out-pitches Jason Vargas.  There's your game.

The Yankees starter yields one run on five hits and no walks with six strikeouts through six innings.  He improves his record to 10-2 with a 3.67 ERA.  Jason Vargas surrenders three runs on seven hits and two walks wit six strikeouts through 5.1 innings.  Steven Matz makes a relief appearance in the seventh.  The Yankees get home runs from Didi Gregorious and Gio Urshela.  Jeff McNeil's home run accounts for the Mets only run.

Subway Series: Battle at Bronx Ends in Draw

From the desks of:  

HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET  and  BLAME CARLOS MAY

SUBWAY SERIES

Mets/Yanks Double-Header Draw

I - NYY 12; NYM 5

II - NYM 10; NYY 4

The Mets now sport a 14-23 record on the road.  They needed to sweep Tuesday's twin-bill in order to rise above the elusive .500 mark.  As such, they remain a game under par heading into their four game home series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

A season ago first baseman Pete Alonso was still a minor leaguer.  In game two on Tuesday Alonso his his 22nd home run of the season.  He is now four home runs shy of Darryl Strawberry's club record for most home runs to start a season by a rookie.  He just also happens to be second in all the National League in home runs.  Through 65 games played, he is slashing .254/.337/.596, with 49 RBI through 240 at-bats.

After 13 starts and 84 innings pitched through Tuesday's losing effort at Yankee Stadium Zack Wheeler's ERA sits at a 4.61 mark.  At no time this season has his ERA ever dipped below three.  And for only the second time this season he failed to pitch into the fifth inning.  Wheeler yielded 13 runs over 28.1 innings for a 4.16 ERA in his four starts previous to Tuesday.  Tasked with pitching game one at Yankee Stadium, Wheeler surrendered nine runs (five earned) on ten hits and one walk with six strikeouts.  He allowed two more home runs, making it 13 for the season.  It marks the fifth time this season he has allowed two home runs in a game.  It's also the third straight start, and fourth start in his last five in which he's allowed two home runs in a game.

*                *                  *

Coupled with Tampa's loss against the A's, at least the Yankees were able to reestablish a tie for first place along side the Tampa Rays.  Both teams now sport identical 41-25 records.  The Red Sox meanwhile are still floundering in third place a game above .500 with a 34-33 record.

A season ago catcher Gary Sanchez was getting ridden out out town.  In game one on Tuesday Gary Sanchez hit his 20th home run of the season.  He went 3 for 5 with three RBI.  Despite missing 18 games this season, he is slashing .268/.337/.628, with 40 RBI through 183 at-bats.  After leading the American League the last two seasons in passed balls, he has yielded but four to date.  That said, I've heard nary one complaint about his all season.

N.Y. Yankees: Bombers Hanging Sox Out to Dry

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

YANKEES LEAD SEASON SERIES 4-0

I - NYY 8; BOS 0

II - NYY 5; BOS 3

III - NYY 4; BOS 1

IV - NYY 5; BOS 3

Look what the Bronx Back-Ups did to the Red Sox, again.

So far the biggest take-away from games one and two is how the Yankees have had their way against Boston's starters.  Despite striking out ten batters in Game One, the Yankees scored all four of their runs against Chris Sale whom saw his record fall to 1-7 on the season.  In Game Two, the Yankees knocked around Rick Porcello for all their five runs.  Otherwise the Yankees remain scoreless against the Red Sox bullpen, managing just three hits through 5.1 innings.

Tale of Two Lead-Off Hitters: 

• Mookie Betts is now 1 for 7 with two walks through games one and two.  Through 57 games this season, last year's A.L. MVP is slashing .286/.398/.473, with nine home runs, 27 RBI, and 45 runs scored.  
• DJ LeMahieu is 3 for 9, with a double, home run, and four runs batted in over the last two games.  In 52 games this season, he is slashing .314/.364/.456, with six home runs, 34 RBI, and 36 runs scored.

How Do You Like Me Now?

• Through 39 games and 148 at-bats, Gary Sanchez is slashing .264/.331/.655, with a league leading 18 home runs and 35 runs batted in.  His two run home run in the fifth inning of Saturday's game put the Yankees ahead for good.  
• As J.D. Martinez goes, so go the Sox.  He is just 1 for 8 with a walk over the last two games.  Reports say he has been battling a sore back for the last month or so.

With a 38-19 record, the first place Yankees lead the Tampa Bay Rays by 2.5 games.  Boston has fallen back to .500 after losing their fourth straight game, and now find themselves 9.5 games back of the Yankees.

SUNDAY

Red Sox   8

Yankees   5

FINAL

Like I said, as J.D. Martinez goes, so go the Sox.  

First inning home run off CC Sabathia; 2 for 5 on the night.

N.Y. Yankees: Bombers at the Gates

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

Just when you thought the coast was clear, 

here come the Red Sox.

New York Yankees: Bombers Season Starts Now

April of last year I was road tripping in Boston the weekend following the Yankees/Red Sox series - the one featuring the rather un-cordial exchange of pleasantries between Alex Cora and third base coach Phil Nevin.  While there I listened to a pair of WEEI-radio guys say among other things that Aaron Boone had no pulse.  Their comment stuck with me all summer, then into Fall.  After what transpired in the post-season I continued pondering this throughout the off-season still not sure of its merits. 

Now when I compare Aaron Boone's demeanor so far this season versus all of last season, I would agree the Bean Town talkies may have been on point.  But only insofar as last season.  One year later Boone seems far more comfortable in his pinstriped skin.  He's blown his top a few times and received some well deserved ejections.  Call it window dressing, but at least it demonstrates a confidence of character.  At the same time it instills either by design or otherwise a sense urgency into a young group.

In any event, Adversity and Defeatism since day one have been sitting in the Yanks dugout spitting out seeds with hardly a glance from the skipper.  As we know this year's 25-man roster has been decimated by injury after ruinous injury.  To borrow a phrase: it was getting late really early in the season.  Or so everyone imagined when the Yankees opened the season minus Didi Gregorius and Aaron Hicks; or after March 31 when both Giancarlo Stanton and Miguel Andujar went down; or after April 3 when Troy Tulowitzki followed suit; or after April 13 when Greg Bird joined them; or after April 20 when even Aaron Judge got overruled; etc., etc. 

Yet, thanks to their baby Bomber reinforcements, the Yanks own a 14-6 (.700) record since Judge went down 20 games ago.  Moreover, with Sunday's victory over the Rays they closed out the week eight games above .500 and are now within one-half game of first place.  So, yeah, Aaron Boone has a pulse.  In fact, he's very much alive and doing quite well - calm, cool, and delightfully less collected than ever.

But for how long?

The baby Bombers are doing things well, like limiting their strikeouts to sixth least in the American League, rating fourth in average, and sixth in OPS.  But what's going to happen when Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are reunited in the middle of the lineup with Gary Sanchez?  We're speaking of anywhere from 550 to 600 strikeouts a season between the three.  If you do not believe this poses a potential negative affect to the present dynamic, I'll agree to disagree.

On May 12, 2018, the Yankees owned a 27-12 record.  One year later, they enter Monday's action with a 24-16 record.  It's been a remarkable story to date replete with kids, comebacks, and competitiveness.  There's a case to be made this season is now New York's to lose.  That said, Aaron Boone knows somewhere out there lurks an undetected iceberg ready to slice a huge gash into all this smooth sailing.

Just don't look now because here come the Red Sox whom seem to be over their World Series hangover.  After sleepwalking through a 7-13 start, the Sox have since gone 14-6, improving to 22-19 and creeping back into the mix just three games back of the division lead.  Not until May 8 did they reach the .500 mark for the first time this season.

And by no means are the Rays to be overlooked.  They won 90 games last season.  Make no mistake.  They're a good team and presently in first place for a reason.  They'll continue proving a troublesome Yankee foe just as they've done throughout their existence.  After their upcoming three game against the Orioles, the Yankees host the Rays next weekend.

The Red Sox are due to arrive in town at the end of the month.

Steady as she goes.

N.Y. Yankees: Bronx Bummer Leave Bombers on Brink

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

Red Sox lead series 2-1

I - BOS 5; NYY 4

II - NYY 6; BOS 2

III - BOS 16; NYY 1

GAME THREE

RED SOX   16

YANKEES    1

FINAL

Boston Red Sox Hand Bronx Bombers Worst Defeat in Franchise Post-Season History.

Featured prominently across the front of Boston's warm-up jersey reads their post-season mantra: Do Damage.  Monday at Yankee Stadium the Red Sox do just that, handing the Bronx Bombers their worst post-season defeat in their 115-year history, and pushing them to the brink of elimination.

Already lost upon Bomber fans' collective memory is Gary Sanchez becoming the first Yankee catcher to hit multiple home runs in one playoff game, or that Aaron Judge becomes the first Yankee since Reggie Jackson to homer in three consecutive playoff games.  With one more loss in this ALDS, all fans will remember is a 100-win regular season spiraling counter-clockwise down the toilet; rookie manager Aaron Boone's failure to get out of the first round a year after Joe Girardi leads them within one game of the World Series; and something a little closer to their heart, getting eliminated yet again by the rival Red Sox in their own yard.  Nothing short of two straight victories changes that narrative now.

This much, however, for the moment remains true as ever: the Yankees live and die by the home run.  Through two Yankees losses, they total just one home run - an Aaron Judge blast in the ninth inning of Game One.  In their Game Two victory, Judge hit his second of the series, and Gary Sanchez adds two.  From a Red Sox perspective, they trade home runs in Game One, and win; get out homered in Game Two and lose; then hit one home run versus zero for the Yankees in Game Three, and win.

Boston had already scored 14 runs on 17 hits before Brock Holt's two-run jolt in the ninth.  As an aside, he becomes MLB's first player to hit for the cycle in a post-season game.  Cycling back, the Yankees have hit four home runs versus Boston's three, but the Red Sox have now out-hit the Yankees 31-23, and outscored them 23-11, through three games of the ALDS.

Luis Severino's very first offering of the game clocked in at 95-mph.  Leading off for Boston, Mookie Betts hits said pitch 405 feet away to the base of the center field wall for a very long out.  After which, the route is on.  Severino faces 18 batters through three innings, allowing six earned runs on seven hits and two walks, with two strikeouts.  The Yankees bullpen (Austin Romine aside) allows eight more runs on ten hits and five walks, with just two strikeouts.

In a tale of two acquisitions, the Yankees acquire J.A. Happ, who through his career has pitched very effectively against the Red Sox.  In Game One, Boston knocks him out of the box after just two innings upon allowing five earned runs on four hits and a walk.  In turn, the Red Sox acquire Nathan Eovaldi, a one-time Yankee, whom likewise has a reputation for pitching well against his former club.  In Game Three at Yankee Stadium, Eovaldi pitches a gem, allowing just one earned run on five hits, no walks, with five strikeouts, through seven full innings pitched.  In the seventh he pops the radar gun at 100-mph.

With another victory on Tuesday, the Red Sox clinch a trip to the ALCS, but not before making a complete mess of the visiting locker room at Yankee Stadium for a second time this season.  If you're the Yankees, there's all the motivation you need.

Game Four features C.C. Sabathia versus Rick Porcello.

Sabathia last pitched twelve days ago against Tampa, in which he pitches five scoreless innings of one hit ball, with no walks and five strikeouts before being ejected.  Sabathia is afforded a similar break coming out of the all-star break, when he goes two full weeks between starts.  Upon his return, he allows two earned runs on six hits and two walks, with eight strikeouts against Kansas City.  Over his last five starts, however, C.C. has allowed 13 earned runs over 21.2 innings pitched for a 5.51 ERA.

In Rick Porcello's last start against the Yankees on Aug. 3, he tosses a one-hit complete game victory at Yankee Stadium.  Porcello's last appearance against the Yankees comes in relief, when he records two game critical outs on 15 pitches in the eighth inning of Game One at Fenway.

Should the Yankees win, another match-up between J.A. Happ and Chris Sale awaits in Game Five.

N.Y. Yankess: The Price is Right

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

Series tied 1-1

I - BOS 5; NYY 4

II - NYY 6; BOS 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

GAME TWO

YANKEES  6

RED SOX   2

FINAL

New York Yankees: Look what the Bronx Bombers did to David Price, again!

Beware!  Aaron Judge is slipping.  

Judge homered in last Wednesday's Wild Card game against Oakland on only Liam Hendriks' ninth pitch of the game.  On Friday, Judge homered again, but not till the ninth inning on Craig Kimbrel's ninth offering upon entering Game One of the ALDS at Fenway Park.  In Game Two, however, Aaron Judge didn't homer until David Price's tenth offering of the game.  

All kidding aside, Aaron went 5 for 9 through two ALDS games at Fenway Park with two home runs, two RBI, two runs scored, a walk, and just as importantly, only one strikeout.  Now the Yankees return to Judge's Bronx County court where he undoubtedly plays his best ball.  With an equal 56 games played at home and on the road, he struck out 87 times on the road but only 65 times at home.  When wielding his bat in the confines of Yankee Stadium, Aaron slashes .352/.471/.699/1.170, with 18 of 27 home runs and 45 of 67 regular season RBI.

And don't look now, but here comes Gary Sanchez.  In Game Two, he and Aaron Judges join to hit somewhere in the neighborhood of 12,000 feet worth of home runs.  Judge's first inning tater was measured at 445 feet.  Gary Sanchez homer in the third clanged off the light fixtures above the Green Monster, while his second home run of the game sailed up and over Fenway's walls, and onto on Landsdowne Street some 479 feet away.

This game actually marks the first time David Price faces the Yankees in a post-season game.  After Saturday's failed effort, Price is now 2-9 in 18 playoff appearances (ten starts) with a 5.28 ERA, according to Baseball Reference.  Price previously faces the Yankees four times during the regular season, and is downright terrible.  He makes starts in April, July, August, and September in which he totals 15.2 innings pitched for an average of just 3.2 innings per start.  He faces 79 total batters, allowing 16 earned runs on 21 hits (including nine home runs) for a 9.47 ERA, with seven walks and just 12 strikeouts.

I don't know how to say "clutch" in Japanese, but as a Yankee Masahiro Tanaka has been just that.  He surrenders just a run on three hits and a walk, with four strikeouts in earning Saturday's victory over the Red Sox.  In five career post-season starts for the Yankees, Tanaka is now 3-2 with a minuscule 1.50 ERA through 30 innings pitched, while surrendering just 17 hits for a 5.1 H/9 average, and seven walks for a 1.8 W/9 average, resulting in a stellar 0.800 WHiP.

The Yankees bullpen accounts for another four innings, allowing just one earned run on two hits (off Dellin Betances), with two walks and two strikeouts.  Through two games, they've allowed just one run through 10 innings for a 0.90 ERA, on just six hits, four walks, and seven strikeouts.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox bullpen is enduring a heavy tax.  In Game two, they call upon five more relievers whom render 7.1 innings pitched, allowing three runs on five hits and five walks, with seven strikeouts.  Through two games, they've allowed five earned runs through 9.1 innings pitched for a 4.94 ERA, on 10 hits, eight walks, with nine strikeouts.  

Boston pitchers throw 165 pitches in Game Two, and have thrown 347 overall.  The Yankees throw 133 pitches in Game Two, and just 260 overall.  That's been paying small dividends, to date.  With more pitches to chose from, they've out-hit the Red Sox through two games by an 18-13 margin, and own the edge in home runs, four against two.  The Yankees limited their strikeouts to just seven in Game Two, and there's no coincidence they win.  After striking out 13 times in Game One, they lose by one.

N.Y. Yankees: Chris Sale Silences Bombers and Critics

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

GAME ONE

YANKEES   4

RED SOX    5

FINAL

New York Yankees: Move to bring in Rick Porcello saves the day.

Chris Sale is arm weary; Chris Sale is fading; Chris Sale is just not a good second-half pitcher.  All these maladies are based in truth.  Sale's history as a starter says so.  He indeed suffered shoulder inflammation this season.  To what extent, we don't know.  But his regular season speaks for itself.  After making 18 starts from March/April through June, he is limited to just nine starts from July through September.  His velocity goes from upwards of 98-mph in the first half, down to the low 90's by September.

However, Alex Cora continually downplays Sale's condition throughout the second-half.  As I wrote yesterday, no one person understands his own team better than Cora - Dave Dombrowski included. He put both the Red Sox and Yankees through a comprehensive audit last season while serving as bench coach with the Houston Astros.  Last year's post-season experience makes him a veritable treasure trove of information with unique insight into his own club, the Yankees, and the defending champion Astros.

For as long as the Red Sox maintain a somewhat commanding regular season lead over the Yankees, Cora is afforded an opportunity to utilize Chris Sale sparingly, and massage him back into the post-season rotation.  Friday against the Yankees, Aaron Sale is charged with two earned runs on five hits through 5.1 innings pitched, with eight strikeouts for the victory.  He tops out at 96-mph.

The Red Sox lead the Yankees 5-0 through the fifth.  With two on and one out in the sixth, Cora removes Sale.  That's when the fun stops.  Boston's bullpen goes on to surrender four earned runs (two charged to Sale) on five hits and three walks.  Despite their overall inefficiencies, Cora's move to bring in Rick Porcello proves brilliant.  Utilizing him on his throw day, Cora gets fifteen pitches and two important outs from his Game Three starter.

Aaron Judge's home run off Craig Kimbrel leading off the ninth cuts the Red Sox lead down to one.  But Kimbrel regroups to strike out the next three Yankee batters and complete a four out save.

So much for J.A. Happ's career success against the Red Sox - the very reason why Brian Cashman acquired him in the first place.  Happ surrenders a three-run home run to J.D. Martinez in the first inning, and is removed before recording an out in the third.  For the record, Happ allows five runs on four hits and a walk over two innings pitched for the loss.

Giancarlo Stanton goes 1 for 5 with four strikeouts.  The bottom four of the line-up (Didi Gregorius, Miguel Andujar, Gary Sanchez, Glayber Torres) go 2 for 13 with four strikeouts.  Yankee batters total 13 strikeouts for the game; the Red Sox fan seven times (three by Ian Kinsler).  On that note, the Yankees leave ten runners on base, and go just 1 for 7 with RiSP.  The Red Sox are 3 for 6 with RiSP, and leave just six runners on base.

Yet, the Yankees out-hit the Red Sox by a 10-8 margin, and more importantly make Boston pitchers throw 182 pitches, versus just 127 pitches thrown by the Yankees.  They were able to piece together three runs before Aaron Judge's blast in the ninth, which is important for a team that generally lives and dies with the long ball.  Meanwhile, Judge appears healthy as ever, going 3 for 5 with an RBI and run scored.

The Yankees bullpen throws six scoreless innings of four-hit ball, issuing just two walks and fanning five.  Although called upon to pitch more innings than anticipated, Sunday is an off day as the series shifts to Bronx.  For the moment, Aaron Boone should be able to absorb the tax.

Overall, the margin of difference in this game proves very slim.

The move bringing in Rick Porcello to pitch the eighth saves the day.

But make no mistake, the Yankees can easily escape Boston with a split.  Masahiro Tanaka faces off against Yankees pinata David Price in Game Two, Saturday night at Fenway Park.

N.Y. Yankees: Where The Wild Teams Are

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

Road to Boston Goes Through Bronx

AMERICAN LEAGUE WILD CARD

Oakland Athletics

vs.

New York Yankees

FROM

Bronx County Grounds

New York Yankees: Aaron Boone Juices Up His Battery.

You can't get fired for doing what you're told.  At least that's what Joe Girardi thought.

Can it be that Aaron Boone - manager of the team with the most expansive analytics department in all of baseball - is betting the Yankees entire 100-win season on a gut feeling?

I heard the same stupid stats as you - about the A's team batting average against pitches above/below 95-mph, etc.  I don't buy it - not in a one game scenario.  Go ahead and throw the A's a 97-mph fastball over the middle of the plate, and see what happens.  However, I do say Boone is starting Severino because he's the known element here; Happ is Boone's unknown.  So if Boone is indeed acting on a hunch, he is taking an awfully big risk.

Brian Cashman makes no bones about it: he wants his manager utilizing every last bit of information his staff provides.  That's how Joe Girardi earned the moniker Joey Notebook.  I'd argue Girardi's famous blue binder was only somewhat different than George dialing-up Billy Martin on the dugout phone, in the sense that Girardi actually listened.  Billy, not so much.

Be that as it may, Aaron Boone is placing the Yankees hopes of a continuing post-season run on the right arm of Luis Severino and his demonstrated ability to win at home.

In the days leading up to Wednesday evening's showdown against the Oakland A's, strong arguments have been made favoring J.A. Happ starting the Wild Card game.  He's been the better pitcher since his acquisition from Toronto, and traditional wisdom says you want a southpaw pitching at Yankee Stadium.

Happ, 35-years old, is 7-0 since joining the Yankees with a 2.69 ERA, and 1.052 WHiP through eleven starts, and edges Severino with a 7.2 H/9 average.  For the season, Happ is 17-6 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.131 WHiP.

I'm sure Boone is aware of Luis Severino's start in last year's Wild Card game against Minnesota, when he faced just six batters, allowed three earned runs on four hits (two home runs) and a walk, and failed to complete the first inning.  Undeterred, Boone is nevertheless trusting his so-called ace.  Severino started 32 games this season, posting a 19-8 record with a 3.39 ERA and 1.145 WHiP.  He allowed 173 hits through 191.1 innings, with a 2.2 W/9 and 10.3 K/9 average, with 220 strikeouts.

Boone is also overlooking Gary Sanchez's inefficiencies behind the plate in the hopes he impacts the game at the plate.  However, that does not negate the numerous disagreements which took place this season between Severino and Sanchez in the dugout for all to see.  Only hindsight at this point will determine whether Boone should have gone with Austin Romine - the better defensive receiver - behind the plate.

Perhaps someone from MLB ought to test Boone for backbone growth hormones or management enhancing drugs.  If you're familiar with how the Yankees general manager operates, might as well test Boone for other street doping agents, as well.

All eyes are on him.

That said, Boone's mind appears set.  Either Severino and Sanchez perform like Energizer bunnies, or Boone and the Yankees fall victim to a dead battery.

N.Y. Yankees: Stanton Continues Wielding Potent Gavel In Judge's Absence

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

Stanton Keeps Yankees Heading in Right Direction

New York Yankees: Giancarlo Stanton Successfully Leads Bombers Through Dog Days of Summer.

A running joke entering the regular season, and for much of Spring, was that each successive game Giancarlo Stanton plays as a New York Yankee would be his most important game ever played in his entire career.  Considering his near decade spent with the Miami Marlins, it wasn't that outlandish to say.  Despite 1,120 major league games played, to date, Stanton has yet to participate in the post-season, not even a remotely meaningful pennant race.

In the same vein, his 2017 National League MVP meant little in the Bronx.  The reality of the situation was that he was coming to Aaron Judge's team - a young dynamic Yankees team lead by a new age hero which came within one game of reaching last year's World Series; which gained invaluable experience, and now grasps the magnitude of meaningful baseball games.

Stanton himself engineered his trade to the Yankees by invoking his no-trade clause.  He took on this challenge knowing full well the potential perils and pitfalls faced by previous mega buck carpetbaggers attempting to endear themselves to the New York crowd and its media saturated city.

When Aaron Judge sustained a fractured wrist on July 26, the Yankees owned a 65-36 record.  Since then, Giancarlo has carried them to a 19-14 record, for an 84-50 record overall.  He is slashing .274/.376/.593/.969 in the month of August, with ten home runs and 22 RBI since Judge went down, all while playing with a sore hamstring.

Only through Giancarlo Stanton's continued availability did the Yankees withstand the loss of Judge, and Gary Sanchez, and Didi Gregorius, while also negotiating numerous pitching inconsistencies and injuries, and still achieve the second best record in baseball.  They do not stay within striking distance of Boston (8.5 games back) without him.  Those six late September games against the Red Sox still remain relevant because Stanton is making it so.

No one is laughing now.  His naysayers are nowhere in sight minus those few inventing issue with a 3.8 WAR because they either don't like him, cling blindly to contrived statistical misinformation, or just aren't watching, or all the above.

But I digress ...

My main point is how Giancarlo Stanton almost single-handed guided the Yankees through the dog days of summer.

September morn awaits.

N.Y. Yankees: Bombers Invade Boston for Pivotal Series Against Sox

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

New York Yankees

vs.

Boston Red Sox

FROM

Fenway Park

New York Yankees: You Talkin' To Me?

If you're a regular rider of the Trolley, perhaps you're familiar with one of my sayings: once is an event; twice is a coincidence; three times is a trend.

Phil Nevin, third base coach of the Yankees, if you remember, calls out Red Sox manager Alex Cora during the first series between them and the Yankees back in April.  This past Wednesday, Nevin rips into select members of his own team which Aaron Boone is made to address during the post-game.

Entering this weekend's four game series, what are the chances Phil Nevin blows his top again over something or at someone?  I'm curious to see just how much power Phil Nevin thinks he wields.  Not before last night did I harbor any conspiracy theories.  But being as Boone is the calm, cool, collected one, I wonder if he and Nevin are employing the old good cop/bad cop routine upon young impressionable players?

I'm not so sure that's a good idea.  Brian Cashman let Joe Girardi go partly because he was too hard on Gary Sanchez, but generally because of his no nonsense, clenched jaw manner.  I have to question whether Brian Cashman agrees with Phil Nevin's tact.  I'm more inclined to think that if Nevin keeps this up, Cashman will suggest Boone seek out an alternative third base coach.

The Rivalry: No Chris Sale; No Xander Bogaerts; No Dustin Pedroia; No Aaron Judge; No Gary Sanchez; No J.A. Happ; No Problem ...

Here we go again.  The two best teams in baseball clash this weekend at Fenway Park.  Despite being thirty games over .500, the Yankees trail the first place Red Sox by 5.5 games.  The Bombers have a more favorable schedule ahead than do the Red Sox, but not if they keep giving away games to the moribund Baltimore Orioles.  The Red Sox, on the other hand, enter this series with the best record in baseball, 41 games above the .500 mark.  Even after their franchise record 17-2 start, the Sox still own a 58-32 record since then.

However, neither team is lacking in compromising issues.  The Yankees enter this series minus the services of Gary Sanchez, Aaron Boone, and newly acquired J.A. Happ.  The Red Sox are without their ace, Chris Sale.  Xander Bogaerts will not play Thursday, and is questionable beyond that.  Meanwhile, Dustin Pedrioa will likely continue missing the rest of the season.

Losing Sale (for any stretch of games) is a particularly painful blow to Boston.  After 22 starts, Sale is 11-4 with a league leading 2.04 ERA.  With only 90 hits allowed in 141 innings pitched, he likewise leads the league with an 0.87 WHiP.  He also leads with 207 strikeouts and a 13.2 K/9 average.

Luis Severino leads the league with 14 wins against just four losses, and owns a 2.94 ERA.  Rick Porcello is right behind him with 13 victories.

Boston features two of the league's top three hitters.  Mookie Betts leads the A.L. with a .338 average, J.D. Martinez is third with a .323 mark, and is tied for the lead with 32 home runs, and leads with 89 RBI.  Mookie Betts is third with a 6.5 WAR.

When the Bombers are at bat, I discussed the other day how all eyes will be on Giancarlo Stanton.

If the Yankees are to make headway, they need to win three games.  Of course, a split doesn't hurt.  But to lose three of four, or worse, is putting themselves in a big pickle.  Starting with Thursday night's game at Fenway, the Yankees and Red Sox have nine games remaining.

N.Y. Yankees: Gary Sanchez Is, As Gary Sanchez Does

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

Look what Tampa did to the Yankees, again.

New York Yankees Fall Six Games Behind Red Sox.

If you want to know why the Yankees find themselves six games back of the Boston Red Sox, look no further than Monday's respective opponents.  The Yankees were in Tampa playing the ever gamely Rays, while the Red Sox were in Baltimore playing the moribund Orioles.

With Monday night's 6-7 loss at Tampa, the Yankees fall to 5-5 against the Rays this season.  The Red Sox are 9-4 against the Tampa Rays.  With Monday's 5-3 victory at Baltimore, the Red Sox improve 10-2 against the Orioles.  Meanwhile, the Yankees are just 5-5 against the Birds.  Add it up, and the Red Sox are 19-5 against Tampa/Baltimore, while the Yankees are just 10-10 against them.

GARY SANCHEZ: LACK OF HUSTLE, NO SENSE OF URGENCY COSTS YANKEES.

The Yankees catcher is, as the Yankees catcher does ... or not.  If asked to single-out one player, I'd say Gary Sanchez is perhaps most responsible for influencing Brian Cashman's decision to move on from former manager Joe Girardi, who would have reprimanded Sanchez for Monday's performance, or lack thereof.  Instead, Cashman wants someone to coddle his young players and therefore settles on Aaron Boone, who doesn't appear too keen on putting his catcher's feet to the fire.

Two plays in particular bookend Monday's Yankee loss.  His lackadaisical retrieval of a passed ball in the opening frame directly leads to Tampa's first run of the game.  In the ninth, his gross lack of hustle running out a ground ball surely cost the Yankees an opportunity at tying the game.  Throw in an unsightly dugout discussion between him and Luis Severino, and the Yankees officially have a situation.

I understand Sanchez is feeling a little tender.  But someone needs to remind that young man he is in the midst of a pennant race, and that his present thought process is unacceptable.  He cost the Yankees a game at a time when they can least afford to lose.  Joe Girardi would have addressed this post-haste, and did so as manager of the Yankees.  But he's not here anymore.  And so Sanchez plods along unchecked.

After the game, Aaron Boone implemented non-committal damage control with the media.