On this date in 1996, the Yankees won Game 3 of the World Series thanks to David Cone, Bernie Williams, and Joe Torre pulling Mariano Rivera so Graeme Lloyd could face Fred McGriff and Ryan Klesko. It was the first of four straight wins to clinch the first championship of my lifetime, and the 1996 Yankees will forever have a special place in my heart because of it. It’s amazing the Braves...
2021-10-22 12:01:02 +0000 UTC
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When the grift is good. (Presswire)
It had become increasingly clear the last two weeks the Yankees would retain manager Aaron Boone, and they made it official Tuesday morning. Boone is back on a new three-year contract with a club option. The contract extends beyond Brian Cashman’s deal (his expires after 2022), though that was inevitable. No manager signs a one-year contract.
“We ...
2021-10-19 17:10:39 +0000 UTC
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It has been two weeks since the Yankees lost the AL Wild Card Game and we’re still waiting for the team to say something -- anything -- publicly. Brian Cashman should hold a press conference just to show proof of life. Starting to get a little worried here. Anyway, let’s get to today’s thoughts.
1. Peraza, Volpe, and the future of shortstop. Every once in a while a team’s needs and the free agent market align perfectly, and the Yankees are there this offseason. ...
2021-10-19 12:00:05 +0000 UTC
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It has been 10 days since the Yankees lost the AL Wild Card Game and we’re still waiting for the team to break its silence. This is the longest they’ve gone between the end of their season and the end-of-season press conferences in the RAB era. Never before did they go more than five days. I dunno. We’ll hear from the team soon enough. To today’s thoughts.
1. The latest on Boone (and the coaching staff). Hark, some news: 2021-10-15 12:00:08 +0000 UTC
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A week ago today the Yankees lost the AL Wild Card Game, and there has been radio silence since. No word on Aaron Boone’s future, no word on offseason surgeries, no word on anything. Usually the end-of-season announcements and press conferences come within 3-4 days of being eliminated. Crackpot theory: MLB doesn’t like teams announcing news during the postseason and stealing headlines away from the games themselves (which is totally understandable), so the Yankees are waiting for the off-...
2021-10-12 12:01:02 +0000 UTC
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The first post of the offseason. I always hate it. Next season feels so far away because it is. The wait will probably be worse than usual this winter because the Collective Bargaining Agreement is up, and there’s no way MLB and the MLBPA work that out peacefully. Sorry today’s post is mailbag heavy. It’s been a busy week and I haven't had much time to think original thoughts. There should be some actual news in the coming days (Aaron Boone’s future, various offseason surgeries, etc.)...
2021-10-08 14:21:35 +0000 UTC
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Thanks for coming, Gerrit. (AP)
I will miss the Yankees in general but I will not miss this team specifically. What a joyless slog of a season. Good riddance to the 2021 Yankees. The Yankees lost the AL Wild Card Game last night and it wasn't competitive. The Red Sox took control four batters into the bottom of the first inning and never gave it up. They were the better team start to finish.<...
2021-10-06 15:36:47 +0000 UTC
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Getting sick of the Wild Card Game, you guys. (AP)
UPDATE (11:58am ET on Tuesday): The Yankees announced their Wild Card Game roster this morning, and they are in fact carrying Rob Brantly. Also Greg Allen rather than Estevan Florial. Andrew Heaney and Brody Koerner were designated for assignment to clear 40-man roster space. I don't get why Koerner was added over the weekend...
2021-10-05 00:25:30 +0000 UTC
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It took the entire 162-game season, all the way down to the final at-bat of the final inning, but the Yankees are going to the postseason. Jameson Taillon had a mini-bloody sock moment, the bullpen stood tall, Aaron Judge walked it off, and the Yankees are heading to Fenway Park for the Wild Card Game on Tuesday. Fun fun fun. We all deserve a free dinner at NYY Steak after this regu...
2021-10-04 01:29:13 +0000 UTC
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One week remains in the most rollercoastery regular season I can remember. I mean, if this season doesn't qualify as rollercoastery …
… then no season does. The postseason odds went from 97.8% to 28.9% to 81.1% in 30 days. A 121.1 percentage point swing in a month. The Yankees authoritatively swept the Red Sox in Fenway Park this past weekend, and currently sit in the top Wild Card spot. T...
2021-09-27 23:46:07 +0000 UTC
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UPDATE: I misunderstood one of the mailbag questions. The updated answer is below.
* * *
The Yankees took care of business against the Rangers earlier this week, and now they embark on a season-defining six-game trip through Boston and Toronto. And if those six games go well, the Yankees then have to come home and try to beat the Rays three times. A Rays team that will probably hang a banner at Tropicana Field if they keep the Yankees out of the postseason. Fun fu...
2021-09-24 03:28:17 +0000 UTC
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Only 11 games remain in the 2021 regular season and the Yankees need to go 8-3 in those 11 games to reach 92 wins, the projected threshold for a Wild Card spot. Nine of those 11 games will be against the Blue Jays (in Toronto), Red Sox (in Boston), and Rays. The postseason has already started. The Yankees are playing for their season right now. They’re on pace to go 90-72 with 11 games to play. Let’s get to today’s thoughts.
1. Weekend thoughts. The Yankees are 8-...
2021-09-21 13:17:33 +0000 UTC
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The Yankees lost eight games to the Orioles this season. The other three AL East teams have lost 10 games to the Orioles combined. If the Yankees miss the postseason, I’m not sure losing eight times to the O’s will be the No. 1 reason (all those coughed up four-run leads in the late innings top the list for me), but it’ll be up there. Awful, awful loss yesterday. To today’s thoughts.
1. Winning season streak lives on. The winning season streak is alive and well....
2021-09-17 14:08:28 +0000 UTC
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God bless the Minnesota Twins. The Yankees mounted their biggest comeback of the season yesterday -- they’re now 1-35 when they trail by at least four runs this year -- and starting tonight they’ll play nine straight games against the Orioles, Cleveland, and the Rangers. Three teams that are a combined 91 games under .500. The Yankees then finish the season with a nine-game gauntlet against the Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Rays. They're on pace to go 90-72 with 18 games remaining, and figure t...
2021-09-14 14:34:45 +0000 UTC
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I am wrong about stuff all the time -- all the time -- but I couldn’t be wrong about the Blue Jays being a headache down the stretch, huh? The Yankees didn’t hold a single lead in the series (first time they’ve done that in a four-game series at Yankee Stadium since 1924) and the score was tied for only five innings. And even if the Yankees had a lead at some point, how could you tru...
2021-09-10 14:13:00 +0000 UTC
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It was fun thinking the Yankees turned a corner for a few weeks there, wasn’t it? The first half offense is back, the late inning relievers are hurt or unreliable, and the trade deadline additions have been a net negative (even Anthony Rizzo hasn’t been anything special). Tough to feel confident in this team right now. The Yankees are on pace to go 92-70 with 25 games remaining. To today’s thoughts.
1. Weekend thoughts. Luke Voit has started six of the last 13 gam...
2021-09-07 12:00:04 +0000 UTC
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So long, West Coast. You will not be missed. It gets a little harder each year to bounce back from those late start times the next day. Anyway, the Yankees begin a 20 games in 20 days stretch tomorrow, and all things considered, it could be worse. 16 of the 20 games are against the Mets, Orioles, Rangers, Twins, and Cleveland. Not exactly powerhouses. The Yankees are on pace to go 94-68 with 29 games remaining. Here are Friday morning’s thoughts Thursday evening since today is an off-day.
2021-09-02 21:56:54 +0000 UTC
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Aug. 31st already, huh? That happened fast. Still feels like we just got to 2021. The regular season ends in four weeks and five days, and I still have no idea what to expect from this Yankees team during that time. They could dominate, they could fall flat on their face. Nothing would surprise me. The Yankees are on pace to go 94-68 with 31 games remaining. Let’s get to today’s thoughts.
1. Judge’s MVP case. Let me start by saying Aaron Judge won’t (nor should)...
2021-08-31 13:10:09 +0000 UTC
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Make it 12 straight wins for the Yankees. This is their longest winning streak since a 13-gamer in Sept. 1961, when Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle were chasing Babe Ruth’s home run record. Pretty crazy it’s been that long given how much success the franchise has had since then, no? The Yankees are on pace to go 96-66 with 35 games remaining. To today’s thoughts.
1. Weekday observations. Going into last night’s game, the Yankees were 1-9 in their previous 10 games...
2021-08-27 14:25:39 +0000 UTC
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Last night’s game was only the third time in baseball history that two teams met while riding 9+ game winning streaks. The Phillies and Pirates did it on Sept. 7th, 1901, and the Nationals and St. Louis Maroons did it on Sept. 13th, 1884. The Yankees prevailed and tonight they’ll try for their first 11-game winning streak since Sept. 1985. Never would’ve guessed it’s been that long. The Yankees are on pace to go 95-67 with 36 games remaining. To today’s thoughts.
1. We...
2021-08-24 14:13:30 +0000 UTC
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Self-promotion: I wrote a thing at CBS about the unsung heroes who’ve helped the Yankees get back into the postseason race. You can probably guess who the players are without reading it (I wrote it before Andrew Velazquez started doing great things, hence his omission), but do me a solid and give it a click anyway. Thanks. The ...
2021-08-20 14:08:58 +0000 UTC
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Feels like every series the Yankees have played the last six weeks or so has had two nail-biter wins and a soul-crushing loss that would be the worst loss of the season in any other season. Nothing is easy these days, but you know what? The Yankees were 41-40 at the halfway point and are 25-12 since. Come Friday’s post, they could be in postseason position for the first time since May 29th. The Yankees are on pace to go 91-71 with 44 games remaining. To today’s thoughts.
1. ...
2021-08-17 12:57:18 +0000 UTC
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Through 115 games, the Yankees are 63-52, which is okay. Not great, not terrible, certainly well below expectations. Through 115 games in 1998, the Yankees were 86-29. Ridiculous. Once or twice a year I like to go back and compare the current Yankees to the 1998 Yankees just to remind myself of their greatness and usually to make myself feel better. That team was unreal. The present day Yankees are on pace to go 89-73 with 47 games remaining. To today’s thoughts.
1. Weekday ob...
2021-08-13 14:10:24 +0000 UTC
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Going 9-2 against the Marlins, Orioles, Mariners, and Royals (with two more games to play in Kansas City) is what the Yankees needed to do these last 11 days, but geez, I wish they’d win games convincingly once in a while rather than scratch and claw for everything. The Yankees are on pace to go 90-72 with 50 games remaining. To today’s thoughts.
1. Torres to the injured list. The Yankees stole 20 bases (fewest in MLB) in 25 attempts (also the fewest in MLB) in the ...
2021-08-10 14:17:57 +0000 UTC
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At 13-6, the Yankees have the best record in the American League since the All-Star break. It hasn’t always been easy or pretty, but the Yankees have put themselves in position to win the second Wild Card spot (one back of the Athletics in the loss column) and think about a run at the AL East title (five back of the Rays). The 2021 Yankees in GIF form (2021-08-06 14:16:09 +0000 UTC
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UPDATE: Jon Heyman reports Gerrit Cole is fully vaccinated and there's "a bit of hope" his positive test is a false positive. That would be wonderful. At least he's vaccinated and thus less likely to experience severe symptoms and spread the virus.
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Four-run lead ag...
2021-08-03 14:36:16 +0000 UTC
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Ayyy I’m hittin’ dingers here. (Getty)
The trade deadline has come and gone and the Yankees were among the most active teams in baseball these last few days. It was a nice change of pace after the last few years. All told, the Yankees made five trades involving 17 players (plus one player...
2021-07-31 17:39:26 +0000 UTC
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Boy, when the Yankees give up on a game, they’re not subtle about it, huh? Today’s 14-0 loss was their largest shutout loss since a 16-0 loss to the Tigers on Aug. 27th, 2007. Here’s the box score if you want to Remember Some Guys. Very on-brand for the 2021 Yankees to follow up very exciting news with that performance. Anyway, the Yankees are on pace to go 85-77 with 61 games remaini...
2021-07-29 21:47:55 +0000 UTC
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Coming soon to a lineup near you. (Getty)
UPDATE: The trade is official and it is as reported: Gallo and Rodriguez (and cash) for Duran, Hauver, Otto, and Smith. 2021-07-29 15:20:33 +0000 UTC
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