N.Y. Yankees: Rays Victory Pushes Bombers to Brink

From the desk of: THE SULTANS OF SO WHAT

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES
Rays lead Yankees; 2-1

I - NYY 9; TBR 3

II - TBR 7; NYY 5

III - TBR 8; NYY 4

How Does Analytics Department Propose The Yankees Get Out Of This Mess?

After Game Two's analytical misfire with Deivi Garcia and J.A. Happ, Boone in order to prevent a two game skid and being faced with elimination in Game Four needed an effective performance from Masahiro Tanaka.

To Boone's continuing dismay, he gets nothing of the kind.  Tanaka continues trending negatively.  After yielding six runs on five hits in four innings against the Indians, Tanaka surrenders five earned runs on eight hits in a second straight four inning playoff appearance.  He surrenders a three run home run by Kevin Kiermairer and a solo shot by Randy Arozarena, and exits on the losing side of a 5-1 game with no outs in the fifth.  

In four starts this season against the Rays, Tanaka has now yielded 12 runs (5.68 ERA) on 20 hits and two walks with 18 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched.  Boone is now forced into handing the ball in Game Four to Jordan Montgomery and a fully exposed bullpen.  Montgomery made ten regular season starts, allowing 25 runs (5.11 ERA) on 48 hits and nine walks (1.30 WHiP) with 47 strikeouts though 44.0 innings pitched.  He has no playoff experience.

Giancarlo Stanton in the eighth inning hits his sixth home run in three games, a two run blast reducing the Yankees deficit to four.  But the Bombers would manage no more.  Rays starter Charlie Morton yields just two runs, one earned, on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts over five innings pitched.  

Both teams have now scored 18 runs apiece through four games.  The Yankees are 27 for 106 (.254) with seven home runs; Tampa is 27 for 105 (.257) with nine home runs.  

The Rays have already committed to bullpening Game Four.  They will open with rookie Ryan Thompson.  However, they still have starters Trevor Richards and Josh Fleming at their disposal as potential long men.

As it stands the Yankees are ever so slightly being out-slugged, out-pitched, out-managed, analytically out-strategized and organizationally outperformed by the Tampa Bay Rays.

N.Y. Yankees: Tampa Bay Rays Seek to Topple Evil Empire

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

AMERICAN LEAGUE 

DIVISION SERIES

New York Yankees

vs.

Tampa Bay Rays

FROM

BUBBLE BALLPARK

HEAD TO HEAD

Regular Season Results

AT THE PLATE

• Season Series - Rays 8 wins;  Yankees 2 wins
• Total Runs - Rays 47;  Yankees 34
• Team Average - Rays (69/312) .221;  Yankees (69/316) .218
• Extra Base Hits - Rays 34;  Yankees 22
• Home Runs - Rays 16;  Yankees 13

STARTING PITCHING

Tampa Bay

• Trevor Richards - two starts; 8.2 innings; 9 hits; 2 runs; 2 walks; 9 K; 2.19 ERA
• Tyler Glasnow - three starts; 14.1 innings; 9 hits; 6 runs; 7 walks; 22 K; 3.82 ERA
• Blake Snell - two starts; 8 innings; 4 hits; 3 runs; 4 walks; 8 K; 3.37 ERA
• Tampa bullpens three other games.
• Charlie Morton and Josh Fleming.

New York

• Masahiro Tanaka - three starts; 15 innings; 12 hits; 7 runs; 1 walk; 14 K; 4.20 ERA
• Gerrit Cole - three starts; 16.1 innings; 12 hits; 9 runs; 6 walks; 27 K; 5.03 ERA
• James Paxton - two starts; 11.1 innings; 5 hits; 6 runs; 5 walks; 19 K; 4.86 ERA
• Yankees bullpen two other games.
• J.A. Happ and Deivi Garcia.

BULLPEN

• Tampa Bay - 54 innings; 47 hits; 21 runs; 22 walks; 49 K; 3.50 ERA
• New York - 41 innings; 31 hits; 23 runs; 27 walks; 39 K; 5.04 ERA

"We don't like them; they don't like us." - Tampa center fielder Kevin Kiermaier

Tampa Bay is the reigning A.L. East champion.  They won the division by seven games over the Yankees.  Forty victories led the American League and were second in MLB behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.  This is the Rays sixth ever trip into the post-season.

When these teams last met Aroldis Chapman whizzed a 100mph fastball near the head of Tampa first baseman Mike Brosseau.  It was only the latest in a string of occurrences involving pitchers (Masahiro Tanaka) throwing with intent following incidents in August and September.  Although, this merely scratches the surface.  Lest we forget CC Sabathia was also involved in past incidences. 

Gerrit Cole is a New York Yankee for this very reason: to beat the Tampa Bay Rays and help lift the Yankees to another championship.  This is when he is supposed to earn his keep, or not.  He's been inclined to yield the long ball.  Against Cleveland in the first round Cole yielded two runs, one home run, on six hits and no walks with 13 strikeouts.   

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 Rain Destruction at Progressive Field

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

AMERICAN LEAGUE

WILD CARD ROUND

GAME ONE

Yankees   12

Indians      3

FINAL

GERRIT COLE JOINS ELITE COMPANY

New York announces their presence with authority.  

With mission in hand they open the bomb bay doors dropping four high kiloton dingers upon Progressive Field.  

Aaron Judge zeroes in right away when he blasts Shane Bieber's fourth pitch of the game over the right/center field wall for a prompt 2-0 lead.  Gleyber Torres also hits a two run home run off Bieber in the fifth.  Reliever Cameron Hill yields yet another two run home run off the bat of Bret Gardner in the seventh and Giancarlo Stanton closes out the Bronx Bombers barrage with a solo home run in the ninth.

The bottom portion of the lineup proves particularly devastating.  Number seven batter Gleyber Torres is a perfect 4 for 4 with a walk, three runs scored and three runs batted in and batting eighth  Brett Gardner goes 3 for 5 with two runs scored and three runs batted in.  The Yankees hit a combined 15 for 41 (.365), with five extra base hits, three walks and ten strikeouts.

American League Cy Young candidate Shane Bieber does not make it through the fifth.  It's easily his worst outing of the season.  Despite seven strikeouts he yields seven runs on nine hits and two walks through 4.2 innings pitched.

Otherwise, this is why Gerrit Cole gets paid the big bucks.  He joins Tom Seaver as the only two pitchers with 13 strikeouts and no walks in a post-season game, according to @MLBStats.  He surrenders just two runs on six hits through 7.0 innings pitched.  He throws 105 pitches with 73 (69%) going for strikes.

Gerrit Cole or not, the Indians can not play catch-up ball against the Yankees.  They go 8 for 35 with eight hits, three for extra bases, one walk and 14 strikeouts.  Left fielder Josh Naylor is the only disruptive bat of the lot, going 4 for 4 with a double, home run and two runs scored.

The Yankees play a clean game in the field after leading the circuit with 48 errors.

Masahiro Tanaka goes in game two.  This is his fifth post-season with the Yankees over which he's nothing but brilliant.  Through eight appearances dating back from 2015 Tanaka owns a 5-3 record with a 2.13 ERA and a stellar 0.90 WHiP.  He has walked just 11 batters and fanned 37 while yielding just 25 hits through 46.0 innings pitched.  In ten regular season starts Tanaka posted a 3-3 record with a 3.56 ERA and 1.17 WHiP.  He has allowed 48 hits in 48.0 innings pitched with eight walks and 44 strikeouts.

Cleveland is counting on 33-year old right-hander Carlos Carrasco to help stave off elimination.  He went 3-4 in twelve starts with a 2.91 ERA and 1.21 WHiP, and struck out a robust 82 batters in 68.0 innings pitched.

N.Y. Yankees: Streaky Bombers Open Playoffs Against Cleveland Indians

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

ROAD TRIP!

AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

WILD CARD ROUND

New York Yankees

vs.

Cleveland Indians

FROM

Not League Park

The rollercoaster ride which has been the 2020 New York Yankees regular season is about to take another two-G turn around the bend.  

Next Stop: Cleveland, Ohio, for the Wild Card round against the Indians.

This was clearly not the season the Yankees anticipated.  After jumping out to a 16-6 start, they go 5-15 over their next twenty games to flatten out at 21-21, then go on a decisive ten game win streak before stumbling into the post-season winners of just two of their final eight games.  Bronx finishes second in the A.L. East behind the Tampa Bay Rays and enter the playoffs as the five seed with a slightly lower winning percentage than the Indians.  All games if the series goes three will be at Progressive Field.

New York owns the advantage at the plate:

• AVG - Yankees #6 (.247); Indians #12 (.228)
• OPS - Yankees #1 (.789); Indians #13 (.689)
• RUNS - Yankees #1 (315); Indians #13 (248)

Cleveland owns the advantage in pitching:

• ERA - Indians #1 (3.29); Yankees #8 (4.35)
• WHiP - Indians #1 (1.11); Yankees #5 (1.24)

The offensive disparity is notable.  Cleveland struggled enough to be overlooked.  But they're obviously better than the numbers indicate.  If the Indians play with a lead, they'll own the advantage.  However, trouble awaits them if forced to play catch-up.  After all, the Yankees were one of three A.L. teams to eclipse 90 home runs.  They are better equipped for comeback baseball.  Cleveland's lineup just isn't as lengthy as that of the Yankees, who one through nine can instantly change the outcome of a game.  Plus, with Gary Sanchez in semi-benched status that cluster of strikeouts packed into the middle of the lineup also featuring Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton is somewhat lessened.  Otherwise, the disparity in pitching is less discernible.  Advantage: Yankees.

Game one will feature an extraordinary match-up pitting Gerrit Cole against Shane Bieber.  Cole posted a 7-3 record with a 2.84 ERA over twelve starts and 73.0 innings pitched.  Cy Young candidate Shane Bieber was 8-1 with a stellar 1.63 ERA through twelve starts and 77.1 innings pitched.

Masahiro Tanaka is penciled in for game two and will be opposed by Carlos Carrasco.  Tanaka was 3-3 with a 3.56 ERA in ten starts.  Carrasco posts a similar 3-4 record in twelve starts but with a 2.91 ERA.

If this series requires a decisive game three ... we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

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: Mother Nature Throws Aaron Boone a Change-Up

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

GAME CALLED

AMERICAN LEAGUE 

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

GAME FOUR

Houston Astros

vs.

New York Yankees

Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone, and Mother Nature walk into a bar ...

Aaron Boone's (potential) plan to bullpen his way through game four knowing Thursday would be a travel day is compromised by Mother Nature.  Wednesday's rain-out means the remainder of the ALCS must be played out on consecutive days.  While Aaron Boone gets to pitch his starters on normal rest, he now must act with far more prudence when giving them the hook.  With only four chances to win three games, the spotlight is fixed on Aaron Boone and how efficiently and effectively he utilizes his bullpen going forward.

After six games the bullpen already has more innings pitched than Yankees starters.  Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, and Luis Severino, have each made two post-season starts.  They've collectively yielded seven runs through 26.1 innings pitched for a 2.41 ERA, but only average 4.1 innings per start.  Even if you take away Paxton's 2.1 inning effort in game two, the Yankees top three still only average five innings at best.  To date, only Masahiro Tanaka has pitched into the sixth.  Meanwhile the bullpen boasts a 2.23 ERA through 28.2 innings pitched.

Adam Ottavino has appeared in all six playoff games; Zack Britton and Tommy Kahnle are next in with five appearances each.  Meanwhile J.A. Happ has been nothing short of a liability.  It's no wonder Aaron Boone has only called his name twice through six games.  Makes me wonder which left-hander Boone will trust more in a big situation: C.C. Sabathia or J.A. Happ.

On a related front, Brian Cashman's failure to land a pitcher at the trade deadline was just about coming to pass when the rains hit early Wednesday afternoon.  Had Wednesday's game been played and the Yankees lost, Cashman would surely have been brought to task.  He escapes that criticism, for now, with help from Mother Nature.

But, boy, she really did stick it to Aaron Boone.

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: Bombers Offer Twins No Quarter

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

OFF TO MINNESOTA

Yankees lead Twins; 2-0

I - NYY 10; MIN 4

II - NYY 8; MIN 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

GAME THREE

New York Yankees

vs.

Minnesota Twins

FROM

TARGET FIELD

Look what the Yankees did to the Twins, again.  They say it's not a series until the home team loses.  By then it may be too late for the Twins as the series shifts to Minnesota for game three on Monday.  Up two games with two chances to win one at Target Field, if the Yankees return to Bronx County for a decisive game five it's because something went terribly wrong.

In the meantime the Yankees have been a bunch of savages in the batter's box, outscoring the Twins by an 18-6 margin.  They're batting .297 with seven extra-base hits, 16 walks, and 18 strikeouts.  Of their 19 total hits, only three have gone for home runs.  That means they're stringing together hits.  They're additionally batting (8 for 24) .333 with runners in scoring position.

IF IT'S HIGH, LET IT FLY; IF IT'S LOW, LET IT GO

• Aaron Judge: 4 walks; no strikeouts!
• Giancarlo Stanton: 4 walks; one strikeout!

CALL TO ARMS

Masahiro Tanaka pitches brilliantly on Saturday, yielding just one earned run on three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts through five innings.  In game one James Paxton allows three runs on five hits (two home runs) and one walk with eight strikeouts through 4.2 innings.  Through two games the bullpen has allowed two runs on five hits and five walks with twelve strikeouts over 8.1 innings pitched.


Minnesota's last playoff victory over the Yankees occurred on back on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2004, in game one of the ALDS at Yankee Stadium.  Johan Santana and Mike Mussina duel for seven innings.  Twins relievers Juan Rincon and Joe Nathan complete the 2-0 whitewashing of the Yankees.

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.

N.Y. Yankees: Champagne Won't Make Pitching Issues Go Away

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

NEW YORK YANKEES

Clinch A.L. East Division Title With 100th Victory of the Season;

Second Straight 100 Win Season

• 19th A.L. East Title Since 1969 Division Play *including '94 strike
• Tenth A.L. East Title of New Millennium
• First A.L. East Title Since 2012

CALM BEFORE THE STORM

Congratulations are in order for a tremendous 40-man effort put forth by the New York Yankees.  They not only set a modern record for incurring the most injuries, but persevere through them en route to their second straight 100 win season.  In the latest example, for every game catcher Gary Sanchez misses Austin Romine steps in and rakes.  Miguel Andujar who?  It's been that kind of season.  Lest we forget only now are Giancarlo Stanton and Luis Severino returning after missing virtually the entire season, respectively.

I know Aaron Boone's naysayers have little to say, if anything at all.  This year's regular season performance douses any lingering suspicion or doubt.  He's proven beyond all question the Yankees are being expertly managed.  In fact, the man is a mental savage both in and out of the dugout.  It's in his blood.  Umpires know to beware.

Unlike the Yankees did last year with Boston there was no team this season capable of similarly trolling them in return.  Boston won the division with 108 victories, and of course went on win the World Series, but the second place Yankees applied sufficient pressure with 100 victories of their own.  Having already clinched, the Yankees presently own an eight game lead over Tampa and a 20 game lead over the third place Red Sox.  This year baseball will crown a new champion.

In the meantime the race for league's best record continues.  The Yankees have 102 victories with five game left, while the Houston Astros have 101 victories with seven games left in their season.  Bronx lost three of seven in their regular season series against the Astros.

Aaron's savages are number one in runs scored; Houston is third.  A 32-run difference is noteworthy.  Look no further than the dreaded solo home run.  The Yankees are third in total bases and slugging but first with 294 home runs.  The Astros are third with 271 home runs, but second in total bases and first in slugging.  The Yankees (.833) are also second to Houston (.849) in OPS.

On the mound Houston (3.71) is third in ERA, while the Yankees (4.31) rank sixth.  The Yankees lead the league with fifty saves; Houston's 43 saves rank fourth.  The Astros lead the league in both strikeouts and average against; the Yankees are fourth in strikeouts and fifth in average against.

Of course this makes no mention of the Twins, Indians, Rays, or Athletics ...

We all know you can never have enough pitching ... unless you're Brian Cashman.  For reasons known to him, he makes no transactions by the trade deadline aimed at bolstering the pitching staff.  Fast-forward: with one week left in the regular season the Yankees are suddenly down a starting pitcher.  Therefore a post-season rotation of Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, and J.A. Happ, is all but confirmed.  Tanaka offers the most length, 5.2 innings per start.  Paxton and Happ average 5.1 innings per start.

• On Saturday James Paxton wins his tenth straight decision.  He strikes out seven through six scoreless innings pitched.  After going 0-3 with two no decisions in July, he has since allowed just 15 earned through 60.1 innings for a 2.24 ERA with 69 strikeouts.  More recently he has allowed just one earned run over his last three starts and 24.2 innings pitched.  His 4.72 ERA back on July 26 has since been shaved down to a 3.73 mark.  In fact, he is presently the only pitcher among the Yankees starters with an ERA below four.

Said another way, the Yankees bullpen begins factoring into the game no later than the sixth.  C.C. Sabathia stands a chance of playing a greater role than originally anticipated.  If the Yankees are in need of left-handed relief in the fifth or sixth innings ... who knows.  But we know short series post-season baseball is made for bullpens to either stand or fall.  And therein lies the Yankees strength.

The rest remains to be determined.

N.Y. Yankees: Trade Deadline Silence is Deafening

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

Nothing Ventured; Nothing Gained

I'm sure Brian Cashman spent the weeks, days, hours, and minutes, leading up to Wednesday's MLB trade deadline negotiating very earnestly.  Cashman has been serving in his present capacity a long time and to coin a recent Aaron Boone quip, he's a savage in his general manager's office.  If Cashman feels teams were being unreasonable in negotiations, he's entitled to that opinion.  After all, the Yankees are dealing from a position of strength.  And so in his view preventing the Yankees from getting ripped off is justified.

Unfortunately, reasonable minded thinking makes fans break out in a rash.  They don't wanna hear that crap when the competition is making deals all around them.  Yankee bugs wanted a starting pitcher or two, if not another relief pitcher.  Coming out of this empty handed was completely out of the question, and at one time considered unfathomable.  Bewildered fans will spend the next few nights talking in their sleep asking themselves what in the name of Col. Jacob Ruppert were they thinking.

LUIS SEVERINO IS NOT WALKING THROUGH THAT DOOR

Cashman leaves Aaron Boone to press forward with starters Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, C.C. Sabathia, J.A. Happ, and Domingo German.  The five account for 95 starts over the Yankees 107 games played to date.  Chad Green accounts for another eight other starts.  Not one of them presently sport an ERA below four.  Domingo German is their best at 4.08 through 17 starts and 97 innings pitched.  He also leads the staff with a 1.11 WHiP.  Here is the Yankees problem: Sabathia, Tanaka, Paxton, and Happ, together combine for a 4.88 ERA.  The Yankees offset that with a +119 run differential.  However, in a short playoff series we know the dynamics of baseball play out very differently.

When the Mets acquired Marcus Stroman they somewhat cornered the market on high end movable starters (if you include Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler).  However, the biggest news to impact the Yankees occurs when Houston acquires pitcher Zack Greinke from Arizona.

Brian Cashman is essentially telling Aaron Boone he had better win with what he has.  Thus the manager's toughest assignment lay dead ahead; negotiating his deep and effective bullpen through the next 55 games of the season and getting them to October all in one piece.  In other words prepare for more Sunny Gray days ahead. 

And don't @ Cashman if someone gets injured.  

Call Scranton.

Yankees and Red Sox Rivalry Invades London

THE RIVALRY

LONDON SERIES

Yankees win series 2-0

BOSTON RED SOX

vs.

NEW YORK YANKEES

FROM

Across the Pond

LONDON

A year ago today the Yankees and Red Sox open a three game series at Bronx County.  First place Boston arrives in town with a 55-27 (.671) record.  Their second place hosts own a 52-26 (.667) record.  The Bombers wind up winning two of three and take over first place by percentage points over the Red Sox.  But whereas Boston stays the course with a 53-27 (.662) record over their final 80 games the Yankees fail to keep pace posting a 48-36 (.571) record over their final 84 games.  The Red Sox clinch the A.L. East at Yankee Stadium and go on to register an MLB best 108-54 (.667) regular season record.  Despite hitting the century mark in wins (100-62) the Yankees must settle for one of two Wild Card berths.  Their one game playoff victory over the Oakland A's at Yankee Stadium sets the stage for an ALDS showdown against the Red Sox.  Boston goes on to befuddle the Yankees in four games, and for a second time within three weeks pop off champagne celebrations in the visitor's clubhouse at Yankee Stadium.  The Red Sox roll on, defeating the defending world champion Houston Astros for the American League pennant then taking out the Los Angeles Dodgers in five to clinch Boston's ninth championship in franchise history.

The Yankees enter this year's London Series in first place of the A.L. East with a 52-28 (.650) record, the same number of wins as last season but with two more losses.  Remarkably they've not only withstood a season long spate of injuries but have thrived to the extent of achieving a tie with the Minnesota Twins for most wins in the American League.  Miguel Andujar has not been apart of the season; they most recently lost Giancarlo Stanton again this time to a knee injury; and still remain without Luis Severino.  Aaron Judge only recently rejoined the line-up.  In the meantime, acquisitions DJ LeMahieu and Luke Voit are becoming stars before out very eyes.  Gleyber Torres is another.  The 22-year old has 19 home runs with 47 RBI in only his second season in the bigs.  This past Tuesday DJ LeMahieu and the Yankees break and set the MLB record for hitting a home run in the their 28th straight game.  With center field at London's facility reportedly only 385' away from home late (Olympic standards), there's a good chance this series devolves into a gas house gorillas skit.

The defending world champion Boston Red Sox enter London Series with a 44-38 (.537) record and in third place of the A.L. East, a distant nine games behind the Yankees.  This season, it appears the Red Sox will be the one sweating out a Wild Card berth while the Yankees run away with the division.  In that regard they must contend with the Tampa Rays, Cleveland Indians, and damn near the entire A.L. West save for Seattle.  Unlike the Yankees, the Red Sox Achilles heel has been their bullpen.  Out of 33 save opportunities, they've converted only 17 for a 51% rate of blown saves.  The Yankees on the other hand are saving 71% of their games.  And therein lies your difference from one season to the next.

True Story: I visited London back in 1989.  A waitress says to me, "Oh, you're from the colonies, are you?  I wanted to respond with something innocuous, but what came out of my mouth was far from that, "If by that you mean New Amsterdam, then, yes, I am."  To my fellow Americans crossing the pond, please behave won't ya!

NO ROUNDERS!

PLAY BALL!!

SATURDAY

Red Sox  13

Yankees  17

FINAL

In a game more resembling Batting Practice With the Stars, the Yankees outlast the Red Sox by an unsightly 17-13 final score requiring nearly five hours to decide.  Each team takes turns scoring six runs in the game's first inning alone.  With a total of 37 hits and 30 runs scored, Saturday's respective pitching performances leave much to be desired.  Parties of both sides are guilty as charged.  The feature match-up pitting Masahiro Tanaka against Rick Porcello never makes it out of the first as each are given the hook prior to recording a third out.  Perhaps we owe #UK fans an apology for treating them to such a poor exhibition of pitching.

The Yankees get home runs from Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks, and Aaron Judge.  Boston matches them with one home run from Jackie Bradley Jr., and two off the bat of Michael Chavis.  DJ LeMahieu goes 4 for 6 with five runs batted in.  Didi Gregorius is 2 for 5 with a double and three RBI.  Yanks bat 9 for 18 with runners in scoring position.  Yankees are now 9-2 in their last ten trips.

With a 44-39 record Boston now trails the Yankees by ten games.

SCENES FROM LONDON STADIUM

Courtesy my cousin who made the trip.

SUNDAY

Yankees   12

Red Sox    8

FINAL

So what did we learn?  That pitchers need more time recovering from overseas flights?  It's my understanding when flying the body suffers dehydration.  Did pitchers need to better hydrate?  Is that it?  So much for Boston's $500,000 charter flight with all the fixings.  Let's face it, just about every pitcher from both the Yankees and Red Sox whom toed the rubber sucked.  The Yankees outscore the Red Sox by a 29-21 margin.  However Boston out-hits the Yankees 33-32 and hits six home runs to the Yankees four.  The common denominator is the roughly seven hour flight to London.  

Otherwise I have no idea ...

Congratulations London, England, and greater UK on your first ever major league baseball games.  Although the series lacked somewhat the more artistic aspects of pitching, sometimes a good old slug fest works just as well.  Thing about baseball is you never know what you're going to get.

Entering Monday night's action, the first place Yankees own a seven game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays, and an 11 game lead over the defending champion Red Sox.  The Yankees 54-28 record presently tops the American League.  The Los Angeles Dodgers lead baseball with a 57-29 record.

N.Y. Yankees: Masahiro Tanaka Reminds Rays Who's Number One

From the desk of:  THE HOUSE THAT HAL INHERITED

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

SHOWDOWN

Tampa Bay Rays

vs.

New York Yankees

FROM

161st Street Grounds

Bombers Open Slim First Place Lead; Masahiro Tanaka Tosses Nine Inning Gem.

For the entirety of their existence Tampa has always been a regular season thorn in the Yankees side. In this latest episode they return to Bronx County a mere half-game behind the first place Yankees.  Toeing the rubber for Tampa is 25-year old right-hander Yonny Chirinos whom enters game one with a 7-3 record and 2.88 ERA.

None of which seems to matter much to the Yankees.  DJ LeMahieu's two run home run in the first, and Cameron Maybin's solo shot in the fifth are all the Bombers need as Masahiro Tanaka takes care of the rest.  Making his fifteenth start Tanaka tosses a complete game shut out allowing just two hits, no walks, and fanning ten en route to his fifth victory of the season.  He faces two batters over the minimum, throwing an economical 111 pitches with 76 (68%) going for strikes.

Monday's victory gives the Yankees a somewhat less precarious 1.5 game lead over second place Tampa.

This is a Fully Operational Death Star

Since taking two of three from the Red Sox, Brian Cashman has watched his team lose a series against a bad Toronto Blue Jays team; lose a second consecutive series against a fading Cleveland Indians team; split two games against the sub par Mets; then split four games against an equally pedestrian Chicago White Sox.

So what does he do?

Cashman trades for Edwin Encarnacion, whom presently leads the American League with 21 home runs.  The 36-year old has hit no less than 32 home runs in each of his last seven seasons and twice topped 40 home runs.  He's taken 401 career trips around the bases and owns an .851 career OPS.  In 2016 while with Toronto he hit a career high 42 home runs to go with a league leading 127 RBI.  He's also exceeded 100 RBI in each of the last four seasons and six times throughout his career.  Moreover, his rate of strikeouts isn't nearly as glaring as those of Gary Sanchez, Aaron Boone, and Giancarlo Stanton.

N.Y. Yankees: The Curse of Bucky F. Dent

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

Red Sox win ALDS 3-1

I - BOS 5; NYY 4

II - NYY 6; BOS 2

III - BOS 16; NYY 1

IV - BOS 4; NYY 3

New York Yankees: The Curse of Bucky Effin Dent?

• Date: Monday, Oct. 2, 1978.
• Setting: Late afternoon, Fenway Park, Boston.
• Condition: Yankees and Red Sox finish the season tied necessitating regular season game #163 in order to decide the A.L. East title.  The winner moves on to the ALCS against the Kansas City Royals.

The Red Sox take an early lead on Carl Yastrzemski's second inning home off Ron Guidry.  Jim Rice drives home a run with a hit in the sixth giving Boston a 2-0 lead.  Mike Torrez pitches six scoreless innings, but with two outs in the seventh, he surrenders consecutive base hits to Chris Chambliss and Roy White.  Into the batter's box steps shortstop Bucky Dent.  He is 0 for 2 on the day with a fly to right and a pop-up to short.  Dent takes Torrez' first offering for a ball, then fouls the second pitch off his left foot.  The game is delayed as Dent receives attention from trainer Gene Monahan.  Dent also switches bats, then finally steps back in.  With the count at one ball and one strike, Mike Torrez delivers a fastball square over the plate ...

Here is Yankees WPIX announcer Bill White's call:

"Deep to left ... Yastrzemski will not get - It's a home run!  A three run home run for Bucky Dent!  And the Yankees now lead it 3-2!  Bucky Dent has just hit his fifth home run of the year, into the screen!  And look at that Yankees bench, led by Bob Lemon."

Catcher Thurman Munson shortly thereafter doubles home the Yankees fourth run of the inning.  However, it is Reggie Jackson's eighth inning home run to straight away center field which proves most pivotal, as Yastrzemski and Fred Lynn help the Red Sox rally for two runs off Goose Gossage in the bottom half of the frame, but no more.  Gossage closes out Boston in the ninth, and the Yankees clinch the A.L. East title.  They go on to defeat the Kansas City Royals in the ALCS, then for a second successive World Series defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers.

That historic one-game playoff takes place forty years ago.  Twenty-six years later the Yankees invite Bucky Dent to throw a ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium during the 2004 ALCS against the Boston Red Sox.  We all know what happens next.  The Curse of the Bambino if finally and forever broken.  Fourteen years later, the Yankees again invite Bucky Dent to throw out the first pitch prior to the start of Game Four of this year's ALDS. 

I have a saying: Once is an occurrence; twice is a coincidence; three times is a trend.

Just saying ...

Now for the ALDS that was.

Dave Dombrowski is a highly regarded executive.  He develops a reputation towards the latter part of his tenure with Detroit for spending like a drunken sailor and receives criticism for leaving the Tigers in a state of financial crisis.  When in truth he operates according to the mission statement handed him by Mike Illich during the late great owner's latter years of life.  But there's also a case to be made for Dombrowski's continuing fiscal folly with the Red Sox.  Releasing Edgar Renteria ($$$) is merely one example that hardly scratches the surface.  However, owner John Henry appears copacetic with the state of his economy, and his team.

Once the Red Sox are eliminated by the Astros in last season's ALDS, Dombrowski fires manager John Farrell with haste and immediately requests permission to speak with and ultimately interview Houston's bench coach Alex Cora while the Astros are still in the midst of their post-season run.

With regards to modern analytics, the Red Sox recognize its value and embrace baseball's newest evolutionary mutation with three arms.  Like most managers these days, Alex Cora is handed reams of information.  Dombrowski, however, leaves its application in Cora's hands to manage as he sees fit, or deems necessary.

Unlike Dombrowski who very early set his sights on Alex Cora, Brian Cashman informs Joe Girardi his contract will not be renewed, but then remains strangely idle.  Meanwhile, other available, and (to varying degrees) desirable candidates begin finding employment elsewhere.  Aaron Boone's name is presented to Brian Cashman as a late, unexpected, and obviously inexperienced candidate.  But the two are far from being strangers.  According to most reports Boone overwhelms the Yankees general manager and is hired on the spot.  I would argue, though, Aaron Boone isn't signed until December - two months after the World Series ends - when the market for managers had already thinned considerably.

Unlike Alex Cora, Aaron Boone is beholden to a far more restrictive operating procedure.  Brian Cashman is addicted to analytics, and has on numerous occasions appeared on sports radio making no bones about it: he wants his manager(s) adhering with strict compliance to information provided by the front office's expansive analytics department.  For both Joe Girardi and Aaron Boone, deviation was/is not an option.

Despite a most disappointing outcome I still believe this is one of general manager Brian Cashman's finest seasons on record, if not his best.  He put one dynasty to bed, and is in the process of potentially building another.  He's done everything a fan base could ask for: revitalizing the farm system; graduating new major league talent and legitimate stars; making subtle and well received transactions; following through with off-season maneuvering; and procuring reinforcements by the trade-deadline.  Then there are his boss' requirements.  Cashman not only satisfies Hal Steinbrenner's desire for being under the salary tax threshold, but has the Yankees supremely positioned to spend big money again on free agency.

All that being said, the manner in which this team sets their on field priorities and go about the game of baseball - losing this year's ALDS included - fall on the general manager for what I believe is his flawed application of analytics driven baseball.  Additionally, by parting ways with Joe Girardi and his ilk, Cashman shifts away (IMO) from demanding player accountability.

Cashman once mandated that Joe Girardi follow a script set forth by his Ivy League info squad, and presently demands Aaron Boone follows suit.  Outside of Boone being more affable with players and the media, there is no philosophical difference to speak of from one manager to the next.  There's no change with regard to in-game approach.  In fact, what's new is actually old.  I would argue Yankee analytics are just a 21st century cover of Earl Weaver's school of thought: reliance on strong pitching and three run home runs.  Problem is, the Yankees in the ALDS got neither.  Thus, in this results driven business Aaron Boone fails to elevate last year's band of overachievers to the next level.  Despite a 100-win season, they effectively take one step backwards.

Aside from Masahiro Tanaka, the trio of J.A. Happ, Luis Severino, and C.C. Sabathia all struggle mightily.  Boone, however, appears unprepared to negotiate three early exits.  Thus his failure to act in a timely manner ultimately contributes rather considerably in all three Yankees losses.  There's something to be said for all-hands-on-deck.  In Monday's Game Three at Yankees Stadium, Mookie Betts hit Luis Severino's very first offering of the game 405 feet to straight away center.  The bullpen should have began stirring right then.  After all, the Yankees main strength in both quality and depth is their bullpen.  Instead, Boone plays right into Alex Cora's hands.

Otherwise, a general lack of execution should be blamed on players.  After all, Aaron Boone is just doing what he's told.

Alex Cora brings his bench coaching experience and a share of Houston's World Series winning sensibilities to Boston where one of his first acts is to let his new team know just how bad they've been, and exactly what they're going to do in order to change it.  He inaugurates sweeping changes to the extent both Houston and Boston rank top two in most key statistical categories.  Under Cora, the Red Sox win a franchise record 108 games.  He stresses throughout each and every game to play aggressively.  The ALDS proves no less differently.  Many of his positional moves are in conflict with analytical directives.  Not to mention he twice gambles with Rick Porcello and Chris Sale in relief.  And there's the rub.  Alex Cora abandons the book and goes for the kill.  If Chris Sale blows Game Four, he loses him for a decisive Game Five.  Rick Pocello is scheduled to pitch Game Three.  Instead, he becomes one of the heroes of Game One.  His relief appearance necessitates Nathan Eovaldi pitching Game Three, who winds up tossing a gem.  And that's how Alex Cora circumvents his precarious bullpen bridge to Craig Kimbrel.

From bench coach and friends to being opponents and adversaries, Alex Cora now faces A.J.Hinch; Grasshopper versus Sensei.

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.