Hal Steinbrenner was in New York for the quarterly owners’ meetings earlier this week and he spoke to reporters afterward. Here’s what he said. I find Hal insincere and patronizing, so I’m not going to analyze everything he said, but there it is if you’re interested. Let’s get today’s post. It’s another off-day, so here’s ...
2023-06-15 19:56:52 +0000 UTC View PostJohn Sterling added to his legend this weekend. A foul ball ricocheted and hit him in the forehead Saturday night, but he shook it off and didn’t miss a pitch. Here’s the video. Sterling was bloodied a bit, otherwise he’s okay, and he called Sunday’s game. “It did not hurt me. That’s the odd thing,” Sterling told 2023-06-12 19:45:48 +0000 UTC View Post
Between off-days, postponements, and the West Coast trip, it feels like it’s been a month since the Yankees played a normal schedule. They've been playing at some odd hour or under an apocalyptic sky or not at all. Hopefully things get back to normal soon, in more ways than one. Let’s get to today’s post.
1. Injury updates. Been another tough few days on the injury front. The Yankees lead baseball in days lost to injury (2023-06-09 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Do you know what Tuesday is? Tuesday – June 6th – is the 10-year anniversary of the Yankees drafting Aaron Judge. Where does the time go? Here’s my draft prospect profile. Judge was at the MLB Network studios on draft day and got to go up on stage and shake Bud Selig’s hand and all that after the Yankees made him the No. 32 pick. 2023-06-05 20:07:23 +0000 UTC View Post
Mike Petriello has a good breakdown of Anthony Rizzo’s season – .304/.376/.505 (146 wRC+) with 11 home runs! – and notes that while the limit on extreme infield shifts has helped, that’s not all it is. More than anything, Rizzo is hitting the ball better. Better contact, better placement, etc. Going from a .224 AVG last year to a .304 AVG this year is not just the result of a few gro...
2023-06-01 23:07:02 +0000 UTC View PostIt's Memorial Day, traditionally an important mile marker on the baseball calendar (I wrote a Memorial Day thing at CBS, if you’re interested), and the Yankees are on pace to go 94-68. Pretty good! Especially considering all the injuries. But in the AL East in 2023, a 94-win pace means you’re in third place. H...
2023-05-29 18:12:52 +0000 UTC View PostI’m sure many of you have noticed a little less John Sterling in your lives lately. He skipped a few games two weeks ago because his triplets graduated college, and more recently he’s been under the weather. Andrew Marchand says Sterling, now 84, will skip this weekend’s Padres series and the West Coast trip next week, then return to the booth when the Yankees c...
2023-05-26 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostWhen’s the last time the Yankees and Orioles played an important series? 2012? Gotta be. That was the last time both teams were serious contenders in the same season. It’s only May, but yeah, this upcoming three-gamer with the O’s is pretty important. The new schedule gives you fewer opportunities to take care of business against division rivals.And hey, this could be a Wild Card Series preview. Too early to think about that though. Here is Tuesday morning’s post Monday evening since ...
2023-05-22 22:53:52 +0000 UTC View Post
So long, Hicksie.
Honestly, I’m surprised it happened. Well, no. It’s more like I’m surprised it happened when it happened. The Yankees stuck with Aaron Hicks the last two years and gave him a long leash to show he had something to offer, then they designated him for assignment after a seven-game stretch in which he went 6-for-17 (.353) with two doubles and a home run. Props to the Yank...
2023-05-20 19:41:42 +0000 UTC View Post
Memorial Day is approaching and this is the time of year things in the baseball world start looking normal. Projected contenders that started slow are heating up (Astros, Cardinals, Dodgers, etc.) and projected bottom feeders that started hot are coming back to Earth (Cubs, Pirates, etc.). The Yankees are 11-5 in their last 16 games and on the upswing, though at no point this season has it felt like they were firing on cylinders. I’m not sure that’ll happen until they get more guys back f...
2023-05-19 10:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostUPDATE: Thank you everyone for the well wishes about my cat. We had to put her down Monday afternoon. The poor thing had tumors all over her liver. I’m sad but it’s also a relief because her condition deteriorated so much so quickly. She turned 11 in March and I got her when she was a few weeks old, so she was part of the RAB family for a long time.
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Hey everyone. There was a pet medical emergency in the Axisa household over the weekend and I've had neith...
2023-05-15 12:49:27 +0000 UTC View PostIt took 425 days, but MLB and the MLBPA finalized the 2022-26 Collective Bargaining Agreement earlier this week. They agreed to terms last March and the lawyers spent the last 14 months haggling over the fine print. J.J. Cooper went through the CBA and highlighted the most interesting nuggets, like, for example, if the All-Star Game is tied after nine...
2023-05-12 10:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostVida Blue, a key member of the 1972-74 A’s dynasty, passed away over the weekend. He was 73. Blue has an interesting place in Yankees history. He and Athletics owner Charlie Finley hated each other – "I hope the next breath Charlie Finley takes is his last. I hope he falls flat on his face and dies of polio," 2023-05-09 10:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Six years and one day ago, Brett Gardner hit a go-ahead two-out, two-strike, three-run home run in the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Here’s the RAB recap. It was an absolute stunner (video) and one of those early se...
2023-05-04 23:05:02 +0000 UTC View PostThe Yankees were in last place on May 1st for the first time since 2016 and eight games back on May 1st for the first time since 1984, when the Tigers were in the AL East and started the season 35-5. The Yankees went the entire month of April without winning more than two games in a row (first time since 2016). Going on an extended run with this offense and three-fifths of the rotation being what it is will be a challenge. Even a simple little three-game winning streak has proved elusive. The...
2023-05-02 10:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostOn this date in 2017 the Yankees erased a 9-1 deficit and beat the Orioles 14-11 in 10 innings at Yankee Stadium. Here’s the RAB recap. It was one of the most memorable games of the Aaron Judge era, if not the most memorable game of the Aaron Judge era, and I remember thinking afterward that hey, this team might actually ...
2023-04-28 10:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostShameless self-promotion: I wrote a thing at CBS the other day about the Yankees' offense, or lack thereof. Nothing groundbreaking in there, you all know what’s up, but that’s there if you want to read it. Now let’s get to today’s post.
1. On a struggling offense (with little help coming). Fo...
2023-04-25 10:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Six series, no series losses. The Yankees are 5-0-1 in their six series this year and they’re the only team in baseball without a series loss. They keep making it difficult on themselves by losing Game 1 (they’ve done it each of their last four series), but they always rally. This is the first time the Yankees have gone undefeated in their first six series since 2003. Keep it going against the Blue Jays this weekend. Not losing Game 1, I mean. Winning series. Let’s get to today’s post...
2023-04-21 10:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostThe four-series winning streak to begin the season came to an end this past weekend, though the Yankees are the only team in baseball to not lose a series this year, so that’s something. Series splits are better than series losses. Anyway, here is Tuesday morning’s post Monday evening since the Yankees have an off-day and there’s no reason to wait to hit publish.
1. Weekend thoughts. The Twins scored nine runs Thursday in what was essentially a once in a generatio...
2023-04-17 23:24:42 +0000 UTC View PostWould you believe this is only the fifth time in franchise history the Yankees have won their first four series of the season? They also did it in 1922, 1926, 2010, and 2020. I would have guessed a team that’s been around this long and has been this successful would have won their first four series, I dunno, 10-15 times? Shows what I know. Following Thursday’s beatdown the Yankees have to win the three remaining games with the Twins this weekend to tie the 1926 and 2010 teams with a franc...
2023-04-14 10:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostWeekend series in Baltimore just aren’t the same without Kenny Singleton in the booth. I’m not sure what Singleton is up to these days (other than having his Twitter account hacked) but I hope he’s enjoying retirement. Let’s get to today’s post as the Yankees and Guardians play the biggest New York vs. Cleveland series of the week.
1. Weekend thoughts. Three series, three series wins. Winning two of three all season will get you to heaven. The Yankees brought ...
2023-04-11 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostEsteban Rivera wrote a good piece this week examining Anthony Volpe's leads. With the new limit on pitcher disengagements, it’s much easier to use what amounts to a running lead. Volpe is not the fastest dude but he went 50-for-57 (88%) stealing bases in the minors last year and is 3-for-3 six games into his MLB career. Make sure you check Rivera’s post out. Now here is Friday m...
2023-04-06 22:45:39 +0000 UTC View PostI’ve seen enough: the Yankees are the best team in the National League. Three 5+ run wins and one two-run loss (in which the go-ahead run was on base in the ninth inning) is a fine start to the new season. Two more interleague games on the schedule before the Yankees see their first American League opponent of 2023. Let’s get to today’s post.
1. Weekend thoughts. Is it just me or have there been a lot of really bad strike zones so far this season? Not just in Yank...
2023-04-04 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostMy pal Dayn Perry wrote a long, thorough, and exhaustive history of the old Yankee Stadium, which opened 100 years ago this April. Make sure you check that out. It gets the highest recommendation. Now let’s get to the post-Opening Day post.
1. Opening Day thoughts. That was close <...
2023-03-31 10:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
YES DTC update: The YES Network launched their direct-to-consumer streaming service Wednesday. You can buy it through the app. It’s $20 a month or $200 for the year if you sign up before the end of April, otherwise it’s $25 a month and $240 for the year. Pretty reasonable. NESN and MSG charge $30 a month for their DTCs. So, that has...
2023-03-30 15:04:37 +0000 UTC View PostIt was a busy weekend in Yankeeland. Some good news (Anthony Volpe won the shortstop job!) and some bad news (Luis Severino is hurt again). So it goes. The new season is only a few days away. Let’s get to the final post of Spring Training.
1. Grapefruit League observations. The Flori...
2023-03-28 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
I wonder if he’ll live with his parents.
#VolpeningDay has become a reality. Sunday afternoon the Yankees announced top prospect Anthony Volpe has indeed made the Opening Day roster. The Yankees posted video of Aaron Boone giving Volpe the news and 2023-03-26 22:24:34 +0000 UTC View Post
Ugh, not again.
Yet another pitcher is hurt. Luis Severino has been shut down with a “low grade” right lat strain, Aaron Boone revealed Saturday morning. Severino missed more than two months with a right lat strain last season, and I will note the Yankees called that one “2023-03-25 17:48:38 +0000 UTC View Post
How great was the end of the World Baseball Classic? Shohei Ohtani vs. Mike Trout in a one-run game with two outs in the ninth. Incredible. If it were a movie, it would have been cheesy as hell, but it happened in real life and it ruled. The strikeout pitch graded out as an 81 on the 20-80 scouting scale by one of those pitch grader algorithms. That slider was so good it broke the 20-80 scale. Cr...
2023-03-24 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Two good shortstop prospects > one good shortstop prospect. (Getty)
Opening Day is eight days away and we still don’t know who the Yankees will have at shortstop against the Giants and their team of Not Aaron Judges. Well, we know who it won’t be: Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Kiner-Falefa has not played short since March 8th and has moved all around the field the last two weeks. That’s a str...
2023-03-22 10:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post