The Brooklyn Trolley Blogger: Jacoby Ellsbury

Showing posts with label Jacoby Ellsbury. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

N.Y. Yankees: Hal Steinbrenner Backs His General Manager

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

First stop ... Roosevelt Avenue, Queens

Next stop ... River Avenue, Bronx

SUBWAY SERIES

New York Yankees

vs.

New York Mets

Series tied 1-1

I - NYY 6; NYM 5*

II - NYM 7 ; NYY 1

Game Three @ BRONX

Game Four @ BRONX

*10 innings

New York Yankees: The dreams and hopes of a whole generation of seven year olds ... ruined. But in time, they'll understand.

A famous New York football coach once said, "You are what your record says you are."

The New York Yankees entered this year's Subway Series with a par 52-52 record.

Meanwhile, after posting a 15-7 record in April, the Mets have played below .500 baseball since. There's hope, though. After Sunday's victory over the Colorado Rockies, the Mets finished 13-13 for the month of July, and entered Monday's Subway Series opener with a 54-50 season record.

The teams, however, couldn't be headed in more opposite directions. The Mets are struggling, but are nonetheless attempting to defend their National League title, while the Yankees have officially entered rebuilding mode.

Monday's numerous non-waiver trade deadline transactions confirmed that.

If you ask me, Hal Steinbrenner played this one correctly. I began the season thinking Brian Cashman needed to be fired, and the only thing saving his employment was Hal's perceived lack of baseball experience on my part.

I still do not think Hal is prepared to move forward without Cashman, but having them operating on the same page of music trumps all ... to include Randy Levine.

* * * The PHANTOM MENACE * * *

The law of diminished returns caught up with the Yankees. It happens. But one must first recognize the situation for what it is.

It was indeed becoming painfully evident Randy Levine and Brian Cashman were on divergent paths with regards to the present state of the Yankees, and the club's future. Now Cashman gets to be general manager, and do general manager stuff. For a change, the Yankees will cultivate their own farm system instead of relying on 28 other team's developmental efforts.

He gets to rebuild a team a la Gene Michael, instead of just writing checks for other team's all-stars and jacking up YES ratings.

In fact, Brian Cashman has already done well to quietly reinvigorate a long dormant system. The Yankees AAA affiliate (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders) presently owns the best record in the International League. Their AA affiliate (Trenton Thunder) owns a 68-40 record, and their New York-Penn League affiliate (Staten Island Yankees) are just 1.5 games out of first place with a 24-19 record.

Then consider Cashman's transactions:

Top relievers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller were traded to the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians, respectively, for a clutch of highly touted prospects.

Carlos Beltran was traded to the Texas Rangers for likewise highly touted Dillon Tate, among others.

Ivan Nova was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for ... it doesn't matter (two players to be named later is a steal).

Then consider Mark Teixeira's contract will come off the books after this off-season, while C.C. Sabathia has a vested $25 million dollar option for next season with a $5 million dollar buyout which I fully expect the Yankees to explore.

Alex Rodriguez' contract will finally expire after the 2017 season, but I have a strong belief the Yankees just may eat that money too.

That leaves Jacoby Ellsbury's pact as the lone remaining albatross to resolve.

There's certainly something to be said for winning. Brian Cashman doled out nearly a half billion dollars to purchase the 2009 World Series. Well worth it for the Core Four - without a doubt.

The Yankees have been paying an onerous price ever since.

But there's good news. Better days are not that far away.

Head-Butting Mr. Met is next...

Friday, May 06, 2016

N.Y. Yankees: BoSox Visit Bronx Aiming to Rub Salt in Bombers' Wounds

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

Attention passengers. this train is presently being held up in the station due to sick Yankees fans. Please be patient through this wait for help to arrive. We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause. If and when Hal Steinbrenner hires a qualified baseball person needed for searching out a new general manager for the team, we'll let you know.

Otherwise, thank you for your patronage.

That is all.

New York Yankees: Joe Girardi didn't flip the buffet table last week in Boston, opting instead for getting ejected from Thursday's latest lack-luster episode in Baltimore.

"Hey Joe, think about where you're going with that book in your hand.."

Sing to the music of Jimmy Hendrix ~ Hit it!

I'm not advocating Joe Girardi quit (because I do not think Brian Cashman would fire him), but if Hal does not start exerting greater power within his organization, i.e., over Brian Cashman, then maybe Joe should con$ider an e$cape plan out of thi$ old Hou$e of continued idol wor$hip.

Just a though ... but obviously not practical. The media would never let him live down quitting the Yankees before his contract expires after 2017 ~ key word being, Before!

* * * * * * * * *

Losing in extra innings is never pleasant, especially on the road and losing series after series against their division leading rivals (Orioles and Red Sox) in their ballparks - much less being firmly anchored in last place of the A.L. East.

Thursday night, the Yankees managed just 4 hits in 10 innings. Their lead-off batter went 0 for 4 with no walks and a strikeout. Their 3-4-5 hitters combined to go 1 for 11, with 3 strikeouts. We all know who they are. And lower down the batting order, the Yankees continue getting rarely seen hits from the once highly thought of Didi Gregorius.

Most teams (maybe even 29 other MLB member clubs) can usually shake off such an extra inning loss in May and just move on ... unless you're Brian Cashman and the New York Yankees, that is, where cost vs. production levels have never been more divergent over the previous two decades of Bronx County baseball than right now.

Last week, the on-field condition called for reactive measures as prescribed by David Cone and Ken Singleton during last Saturday's telecast against the Red Sox. Problem is they wanted Joe Girardi to flip the buffet table. That's fine, but in truth, Girardi is an innocent party to this all. He is provided players of the general manager's choosing, then simply follows said general manager's bidding to the letter, as written in the Brian Cashman Binder of Baseball (bullpen maneuvering aside, because Joe is good at that).

After the Red Sox completed their series sweep of the Bombers last Sunday at Fenway, ~~Dr. Frankenstein~~ Brian Cashman rightfully took it upon himself to address the media with full intent of expressing his great displeasure regarding his team's ~~monstrously~~ poor play throughout the start to this season, and threatening them with potential changes if they do not get things turned around, and soon.

Shudder to think....

After Boston, the Yankees then moved on to Baltimore where they lost 2 of 3 games to the Orioles, and wound up placing both Alex Rodriguez on the disabled list for a pulled hamstring, and more recently C.C. Sabathia for a groin. It's worth noting A-Rod wielded the lone productive bat against the Red Sox, with actual, genuine, meaningful home runs, while C.C. threw 7 strong innings against the Orioles.

Circling back ... if the Yankees performance was problematic last week, then what's this week's appropriate level of escalation.., dire?

Beaten and battered, the Bombers are back in the Bronx where, this time, they'll host the first place Boston Red Sox. If you remember, it was Boston's sweep of the Yankees last weekend that propelled the Sawx into first place to begin with, then ensured the A.L East remains a tight race by bowing out in Baltimore.

Friday night, this vicious cycle potentially starts all over again. Some might call that spiraling out of control. I don't know...

But, all things are as they were then, only tonight Yankee fans get to see it in person.