A replacement starter, not an additional starter. (Getty)
The trade deadline has come and gone and everything the Yankees did was smart and sensible right up until they threw us a curveball about five minutes before the 6pm ET deadline. Things went from sensible to confusing real quick. We’ve already ...
2022-08-03 05:22:55 +0000 UTC View PostTwo impressive streaks came to an end Sunday. Ron Marinaccio went 56 batters between allowing a hit, the third most ever behind Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley (71 in 1977) and former Yankee Doc Gooden (57 in 1996). Also, Clay Holmes went 178 batters before allowing a home run this season, the most in baseball. Alas and alack, both streaks ended Sunday and they cost the Yankees the game. So it goes. It’s not an off-day, but here is Tuesday morning’s post Monday afternoon because the trade ...
2022-08-01 17:00:22 +0000 UTC View Post
The Yankees have gone from a 116-win pace to 6-10 in their last 15 games and 15-15 in their last 29 games. 10 of those 15 losses have been by no more than two runs, so they’re in just about every game, but all those comebacks the Yankees were mounting earlier this season are now falling short (or, more annoyingly, they tie the game late and lose anyway). Anyway, I don’t have much to say about the last few games, so I’m going to skip the weekday thoughts and get straight to the trade dea...
2022-07-29 02:11:30 +0000 UTC View Post
Please be more Damon than Ellsbury. (Getty)
Trade season has arrived and the Yankees have landed a badly needed lefty outfield bat, albeit not the one I think we all wanted. Wednesday night the Yankees acquired Andrew Benintendi from the Royals for pitc...
2022-07-28 05:27:53 +0000 UTC View PostThe trade deadline is a week away and the rumor mill should heat up soon now that MLB and the MLBPA failed to reach an international draft agreement, and the qualifying offer system will remain (more on that later). Trade rumors are coming. Now here is Tuesday morning’s post Monday night since it’s an off-day.
1. King lost for the season. The pitching injuries are mounting and the Yankees suffered their biggest loss yet over the weekend. Ace setup man Mike King is d...
2022-07-25 23:01:22 +0000 UTC View PostThe All-Star break is over and the Yankees begin the rest of their season Thursday. The trade deadline is less than two weeks ago too. Fun fun fun. Here is my midseason review and here is my 2022 draft recap. Now let’s get to today’s post.
1. Second half preview. Thursday the Yankee...
2022-07-21 12:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Thumbs up for this year’s first round pick. (Vanderbilt)
The three-day 2022 MLB draft is complete and 616 picks were made across 20 rounds. The Yankees made 20 picks and every single one was a college kid: 18 from four-year schools and two from junior colleges. That’s a first. Ignoring the five...
2022-07-20 12:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post
The 2022 draft began Sunday night and the Yankees selected Vanderbilt slugger Spencer Jones with their first round pick. Here’s my pre-draft profile. Last week I mentioned the Yankees really like Jones (I’m not sure another team would have taken him in the first round) and he’s very Yankees-like. Big k...
2022-07-19 12:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
PSA: Next week’s post schedule will be a little wonky because the draft begins Sunday and it’s the All-Star break. I’m thinking a first half review-y post Tuesday, a single dedicated draft post Wednesday, and then a second half preview-y post before the Astros doubleheader Thursday. Sound good? I’m not 100% committed to that plan, so no promises, but that’s what I’m thinking right now. Let’s get to today’s post.
1. Weekday thoughts. The Yankees are now a...
2022-07-15 12:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostThe four-city, 10-game, 11-day road trip is finally over. The Yankees went 5-5 during their longest road trip of the season and I’d say it was closer to being an 6-4 trip than a 4-6 trip. Feels like the Yankees haven’t been home in a month. I’m ready to watch a few ballgames in the Bronx before the All-Star break. Anyway, here is Tuesday morning’s post Monday evening since it’s an off-day.
1. Weekend thoughts. I feel like I’ve been watching the same Yankees ...
2022-07-11 22:18:12 +0000 UTC View Post
On this date in 2000, the Yankees and Mets played baseball’s first two-stadium doubleheader since 1903. The Yankees won the day game 4-2 at Shea Stadium and the night game 4-2 at Yankee Stadium. Mariano Rivera saved both games. Here’s the video. MLB should make two-stadium doubleheaders an annual thing. It doesn’t always have to be Yankees-Mets. Rotate Yankees-Mets, Cubs-White Sox, Athletics-Giants, etc....
2022-07-08 12:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostMonday was the Yankees’ first Fourth of July of
2022-07-05 12:00:08 +0000 UTC View PostThe Yankees played five games against the Astros in the last week and did not take a single at-bat while holding a lead. They’re gonna need some other team to beat Houston in the ALDS, because not they’re beating them in the ALCS. Kidding! Or am I? Anyway, there’s a lot of black holes in the lineup right now and I’m confident in only a few snapping out of it. Seems like a bit of a problem. Let’s get to today’s post.
1. Weekday thoughts. Hands down, my favori...
2022-07-01 12:00:08 +0000 UTC View PostSelf-promotion: I was asked to write a thing at CBS explaining why the Yankees will (and will not) win 116 games this season, matching the single-season record (2001 Mariners and 1906 Cubs). They’re currently on pace to win 118 games. I hated every second I spent writing that post, but it’s there if you want t...
2022-06-28 12:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostUPDATE: I woke up and felt like writing a bit more, so I added stuff throughout the Weekday Thoughts section. I also fixed a typo in the Trevino section. He's been great, but not +21.9 WAR great.
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Folks, I have a confession: I thought the Yankees would lose Thursday night. The last two nights, really. That’s baseball, you know? Sometimes you lose. Well, I’ll never make that mistake again. This team, man. If you combined the 1998 juggernaut with the 2009 w...
2022-06-24 12:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post
The 50-17 start is not just one of the best starts in Yankees history, it’s one of the best starts in baseball history period. The 2022 Yankees are the 11th team to win at least 50 of their first 67 games, and they’re only the third team to do it in the Expansion Era (since 1961). Here are those other 10 teams, listed chronologically:
The Yankees are 47-16 (this is tied for the third fourth best 63-game start in franchise history) and they have a 10-game lead in the AL East. The Mets have the second best record in baseball (42-23) and they’re six games behind the Yankees. The Mets are closer to having the tenth best record than the first best record. Still a lot – A LOT – of season to be played, but the Yankees are lapping the field right now. Ho...
2022-06-17 12:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostThe Yankees begin a 20 games in 20 days stretch Tuesday and it’ll be a tough one: 13 of the 20 games are against the Astros, Blue Jays, and Rays, including the first 12. If you haven’t noticed, the rest of the AL East has gotten on track the last few weeks. Here are the best records in the American League since the cherry-picked date of May 15th:
MLB released the 2022 All-Star ballot earlier this week, if you care about such things. Gotta think Aaron Judge will be voted in as a starter for the fourth time (2017, 2018, 2021). Judge and some combination of Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Clay Holmes, Mike King, and Jameson Taillon are the best bets to represent the Yankees at the All-Star Game next month. Anyway, the voting’s open. Now let’s get to today’s tho...
2022-06-10 12:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostIt’s reunion week. The Yankees first head to Minnesota for three games against Gary Sanchez, Gio Urshela, and the Twins (Sonny Gray is on the injured list), then they return home for three games against Clint Frazier, David Robertson, and the Cubs. That’ll be fun. Beating them will be even more fun. Here are Tuesday morning’s thoughts Monday afternoon since it’s an off-day and there's no reason to wait to hit publish.
1. Weekend thoughts. I have a confession: I ...
2022-06-06 20:26:56 +0000 UTC View PostAt 36-15, the Yankees are off to the eighth best start in franchise history, and their best since the 1998 team started 38-13. The Yankees went to the World Series every previous year they started this well and won it four times. Granted, most of those trips came when there was one postseason round, but good vibes are good vibes. Let’s get to today’s post.
1. Weekday thoughts. Aaron Judge robbed Shohei Ohtani of a homer on Tuesday (2022-06-03 12:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
The 23 games in 22 days stretch is over and the Yankees went 15-8. I would’ve happily signed up for that going into those 22 days. The Yankees split four games in Tampa this weekend with like 3.5 Major League hitters in their lineup, which is a good outcome, except they won the first two games and I’m annoyed they didn’t win the series. Sequencing matters. Speaking as a fan, I’d rather lose the first two and win the last two than the other way around even though it all counts the same...
2022-05-30 22:57:40 +0000 UTC View PostThe Yankees have wrapped up the “easy” part of their early season schedule. Thursday night’s win in Tampa was the first game of a 29-game stretch in which the Yankees will play the Angels, Astros, Blue Jays, Twins, and Rays a combined 23 times (the other six games are against the Cubs and Tigers). Those five teams have a combined .600 winning percentage, or a 97-win pace. Given the injuries and the degree of difficulty, I think going 13-10 in those 23 games would qualify as a good outco...
2022-05-27 12:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostRoger Angell, the greatest ballwriter to ever live, passed away Friday at his home in Manhattan. He was 101. If you’re only going to read one thing today, read Angell’s 1975 profile on Steve Blass. Just a masterclass in combining serious reporting with sensitivity. Now let’s get to today’s post.
1. Weekend thoughts. Banner weekend for the Yankees, eh? They went f...
2022-05-24 12:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostUPDATE: I goofed on some of the math in the mailbag question about the improved base running. They're small changes that don't change anything in the big picture, though the numbers are correct now. My bad.
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As much as Thursday’s walk-off loss stunk, I can’t really complain about the Yankees losing their tenth game of the season on May 19th. Would’ve signed up for that in a heartbeat on Opening Day. I don’t have much to say about the Orioles series (T...
2022-05-20 12:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostThe Yankees have won 26 of their first 35 games for only the sixth time in franchise history. They previously did it in 1926 (26-9), 1928 (28-7), 1939 (28-7), 1951 (26-9), and 1998 (26-9), and they won the World Series in every one of those years except 1926, when they lost the World Series to the Cardinals in seven games. The 2022 Yankees are the first team to win at least 26 of their first 35 games since the 2016 Cubs started 27-8. Good things tend to happen when you start the season this w...
2022-05-17 12:01:03 +0000 UTC View PostAt 23-8, the Yankees are tied for the fifth best 31-game start in franchise history, behind 1928 (25-6), 1939 (25-6), 1958 (25-6), and 1998 (24-7), and tied with 1923, 1950, and 2003. The Yankees went to the World Series in every single one of those years and won it every year except 2003. If we assume it’ll take 95 wins to get a first round bye, the Yankees have to go 72-59 the rest of the way. That’s an 89-win pace. Extremely doable. If nothing else, the Yankees have put themselves in a...
2022-05-13 12:47:32 +0000 UTC View PostThe impromptu All-Star break is over and the Yankees are two days into this 23 games in 22 days stretch. So far, so good, even if the offense makes you want to pull your hair out. The Yankees are 7-1-1 in their nine series this year. Keep winning series and everything will work itself out. Here is today’s post as 2022-05-10 12:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post
UPDATE (3:55pm ET): Clarke Schmidt is starting the second game of Triple-A Scranton's doubleheader today (box score), so he won't be the 27th man for tomorrow's doubleheader. It'll be someone else. Intrigue!
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The Yankees and Rangers were rained out Friday and again Saturday. The forecast looks good (enough) for S...
2022-05-07 15:07:17 +0000 UTC View PostPretty incredible the Yankees are sitting on a +49 run differential a month into the season. Only the Dodgers (+57) are better, and the Angels (+27) are a distant second in the American League. It’s still early enough that run differential is only descriptive, not predictive, but in the games the Yankees have played, they’ve played extremely well. Here are Friday morning’s thoughts Thursday evening since it’s an off-day and there’s no reason to make you wait.
1. Weekda...
2022-05-05 22:39:17 +0000 UTC View Post