I have a confession: I kinda dig the extra innings tiebreaker rule. The Yankees haven't played an extra innings game yet, but I've seen it in action elsewhere around the league, and I like the chaos. I don't miss marathon extra innings games -- they're more fun as a concept than in reality -- and teams haven't gone overboard with bunts (yet). Not ready to say the rule should become permanent but I don't hate it as much as I thought I would. Anyway, let's get to today's thoughts as 2020-08-14 14:40:53 +0000 UTC
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Good article by Marc Carig and Patrick Mooney (subs. req'd) detailing how the Yankees (and Cubs) have turned the team hotel into a bubble on road trips. They gobble up all available outdoor space and conference rooms, and provide players with food and entertainment so they don't have to venture out into the world and won't go stir ...
2020-08-10 22:58:31 +0000 UTC
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If not for the expanded postseason format, this weekend's four games in three days series at Tropicana Field would have been a Very Big Deal. Instead, it feels like just another series to me. Maybe that'll change at first pitch, but the expanded postseason has eliminated some of the drama. Oh well. Hope you're all staying safe/sane and thanks as always for the support. Now let's get to today's thoughts.
1. Andujar demoted. Rosters were trimmed from 30 players to 28 play...
2020-08-07 13:59:23 +0000 UTC
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Nine games into the season -- 15% of the schedule -- the Yankees are 8-1 for only the third time in franchise history. They also did it in 1988 and 2003. According to FanGraphs, their postseason odds have gone from 72.9% (preseason with old format) to 91.4% (preseason with new format) to 99.0% (today). Been a productive 12 days. Now for today's thoughts.
1. Judge's extreme pull ap...
2020-08-04 13:36:18 +0000 UTC
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I'm gonna miss Tommy Tightpants. (Getty)
The pitching injury epidemic has hit the Yankees: Tommy Kahnle will undergo Tommy John surgery. He struck out the side Sunday, had forearm tightness Tuesday, and couldn't throw at all Wednesday. Tests Thursday and Friday revealed the damaged ligament and Kahnl...
2020-08-01 18:46:01 +0000 UTC
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The season is a week old but it doesn't feel like it. What a year this week has been. The Yankees are 4-1 (10.8-2.7) and they will play their first home game at Yankee Stadium later tonight, two days after they were originally scheduled to play their first game in the Bronx. "We’re drinking out of a fire hose right now on all this stuff," Brian Cashman said earlier this week. Let's get to today's thoughts.
1. Revised schedule. One week into the season and we've alread...
2020-07-31 14:48:13 +0000 UTC
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The Yankees won games started by Max Scherzer and Patrick Corbin this weekend and lost a game in which Stephen Strasburg was scratched and replaced by Erick Fedde. Go figure. Gotta say though, the new postseason format has taken some of the edge off. Corbin mowed the Yankees down Sunday and I caught myself feeling frustrated, then I remembered it doesn't matter because there isn't a significant difference between first and second place this year. I don't love it but I'll live with it for one ...
2020-07-28 00:24:10 +0000 UTC
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Every game this season is equivalent to 2.7 games in a 162-game season, so the Yankees are currently 2.7-0. Aside from the annoying rain delay, I'm not sure we could've scripted a better Opening Day win. Gerrit Cole tossed a complete game one-hitter and the offense banged against a three-time Cy Young winner. Max Scherzer allowed four earned runs last night. He allowed four earned runs in his previous four Opening Day starts combined. Let's get to today's thoughts as Mother Nature gives us th...
2020-07-24 14:29:38 +0000 UTC
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Hooray baseball. (Photo via Presswire)
Weather permitting, the Yankees will open the 60-game 2020 season later tonight against the defending World Series champion Nationals in Washington. The forecast calls for rain bu...
2020-07-23 17:52:01 +0000 UTC
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Summer Camp started a few weeks ago but only now do I feel like baseball is really, truly back. The Yankees played other teams (!) in exhibition games the last three nights and it felt ... normal. It felt normal watching actual baseball games again even though not much about this season is normal. The next time the Yankees play, the game will count. That's fun. Let's get to today's post.
1. Exhibition game observations. For the first time since the 2020-07-21 14:09:58 +0000 UTC
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The regular season is less than a week away and once teams begin traveling, the league's COVID-19 protocols will really be put to the test. "We got four months to go out and win a championship. We want everybody on the field. You can spit and chew sunflower seeds and go to a restaurant once this is all over with," Aaron Judge said two weeks ago. It only takes one person doing something they shouldn't do for this to all go sideways. I'm hoping for the best. Let's get to today's thoughts a...
2020-07-17 14:22:23 +0000 UTC
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Tigers prospect Riley Greene made a spectacular Endy Chavez-esque catch in left field during yesterday's intrasquad game. Here's the video. I bring this up because look at that joke of a swing. I know C.J. Cron has power but good gravy. Is that one weird batted ball or a sign the rocket ball is coming back in 2020? I think MLB will do everything possible to get people talking about baseball this ...
2020-07-14 14:18:48 +0000 UTC
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The Yankees still have two open spots on the 60-man roster and you know, CC Sabathia is looking mighty fit these days. He's been hanging around the team in his special advisor role the last few days and there's room in the bullpen for another left-hander. In all seriousness, Sabathia looks great. He's always said he felt most comfortable pitching at a higher weight, and now that he's retired, he...
2020-07-10 13:56:02 +0000 UTC
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The Yankees played the Yankees tonight and the Yankees won, I think. The pitchers looked way ahead of the hitters, which isn't surprising after the long layoff. It'll take guys a while to find their rhythm at the plate. The Yankees will play the Yankees again tomorrow night and Gerrit Cole will be on the mound. The intrasquad game will air live on the YES Network at 7pm ET. It's fake baseball, but if I can watch it, it's real enough for me. I have to get up early to do something tomorrow so h...
2020-07-07 01:58:15 +0000 UTC
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Intake testing is complete and Summer Camp at Yankee Stadium officially begins later today. The Yankees will work out in staggered groups and they'll use all of Yankee Stadium to remain socially distant, so pitchers may do their flat ground work in the Great Hall. "The reason we're here now doesn't change from our goal at the start of Spring Training. We want to be champions," Aaron Boone said during a conference call earlier this week. I'm ready for you to break my heart again, baseball. Let...
2020-07-03 14:52:05 +0000 UTC
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Spring Training 2.0 begins this week and it is officially "MLB Summer Camp presented by Camping World," because everything needs a sponsor. To be fair, Camping World sponsors Spring Training, and this is probably how MLB is fulfilling the contract after the shutdown. Today's thoughts? Today's thoughts. Let's get to 'em.
1. 60-man player pool announced. Sunday was the deadline to submit the 60-man roster and the Yankees announced their player pool later that afternoon. O...
2020-06-30 14:12:07 +0000 UTC
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Baseball is on the way back and I am weirdly ambivalent about it. I can't wait to watch some games, don't get me wrong, but labor battle fatigue has me feeling relieved more than excited, and of course I'm still worried about the pandemic. Completing this season without a major COVID-19 outbreak would be a massive success. I'm rooting for that more than anything. Let's get to today's thoughts now that we can talk about actual baseball stuff.
1. Return to play plan. Comm...
2020-06-26 14:36:24 +0000 UTC
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In a world without pandemics, the Yankees would have opened a three-game home series with the Orioles last night. It would have been their 79th game of the season, meaning tomorrow's series finale would have been Game No. 81. Midpoint of the season. Instead, we're still waiting for Spring Training to resume. So much baseball lost. Anyway, let's get to today's thoughts. (Sorry for the shorter than usual post. The return to play stuff broke late last night and I was busy with CBS. I'll make up ...
2020-06-23 12:55:17 +0000 UTC
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Some of you may know Jay Gordon, who handled the technical side of RAB for years. Jay's wife Betsy ran RAB's Facebook account and was our social media guru for a while. Their dog Rico is having some health problems and they've set up a Go Fund Me to help with the costs. Rico is part of the RAB family and any help is appreciated. Thanks.
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Y'all ready for MLB and...
2020-06-19 13:57:04 +0000 UTC
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I didn't mention this last post because it was a happy fun day after the draft, but last Friday was the 257th day since the end of the 2019 regular season. This is the longest MLB has ever gone between regular season games, breaking the record held by the 1994-95 work stoppage (256 days). The drought is up to 261 days with no end in sight. Sigh. Let's get to today's thoughts as 2020-06-16 14:40:18 +0000 UTC
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I hope Wells has a good bat flip tool. (Photo via Arizona Daily Star)
The 2020 MLB draft is in the books. The Yankees made three picks in the five-round draft after s...
2020-06-12 15:08:56 +0000 UTC
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In a pandemic-less world the Yankees would have started a three-game home series with the Royals later tonight. It would've been their 67th game of the season. So much baseball has been missed already, and I feel like so much more baseball will be missed unnecessarily. Dark times for this sport. Anyway, here are today's thoughts.
1. Still no deal for 2020. With each passing day I find it harder to believe MLB wants baseball to be played this year. For starters,
2020-06-09 13:28:46 +0000 UTC
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As the NBA and NHL finalize their restart plans, MLB and the MLBPA continue to publicly bicker over money and season length. It's getting tiresome. I think bickering is better than radio silence, but who knows. I guess we'll find out eventually. Let's get to today's thoughts.
1. German and the 50-man roster. As MLB and the MLBPA kinda sorta maybe possibly get closer to an agreement to play the 2020 season, I've been thinking a bunch about the 50-man roster and how teams...
2020-06-05 13:45:25 +0000 UTC
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For the first time since the shutdown, I am optimistic we will have baseball this year. I have upgraded from "hopeful" to "optimistic" because there has been (a little) progress on the money the last few days. Things are starting to move in the right direction. Hopefully MLB and the MLBPA figure it out and can safely play the season soon. Would be cool. Now for today's thoughts.
1. Latest economic proposal. Let's start with the latest negotiations and get it out of the ...
2020-06-02 14:16:56 +0000 UTC
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I've been instructed to inform you Patreon is required by law to start collecting sales tax on July 1st. They're going to send you an email about it next week. Depending where you live, you'll automatically be charged an extra 0-30 cents starting July 1st, and the money goes right to Uncle Sam. To be perfectly honest, I'm not even sure whether t...
2020-05-29 13:24:26 +0000 UTC
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In a pandemic-free world, the Yankees would have wrapped up a four-game home series with the Mariners yesterday afternoon. It would've been their 54th game. The 2020 season should now be exactly one-third complete. Instead, it hasn't even started. I really miss baseball, you guys. I hope MLB and the MLBPA can work things out and the season can be played soon and safely. Hope you're all staying safe. Let's get to today's thoughts.
1. Paxton's new fastball grip. Hark, som...
2020-05-26 13:30:26 +0000 UTC
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Whenever Spring Training 2.0 begins, teams will have the option of training at their spring complex or at their home ballpark, and Bob Klapisch hears the Yankees will train in Tampa rather than the Bronx. That's smart. There is way more room to spread out (multiple fields, multiple clubhouses, etc.) at the Tampa complex and that's important during the pandemic. Smart move. Now let's all hope MLB and...
2020-05-22 13:51:42 +0000 UTC
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Twenty-two years ago today Armando Benitez drilled Tino Martinez in the back, sparking the craziest baseball brawl I have ever witnessed. Here's my RAB Retro Week post on the brawl. I think brawls are mostly dumb, but I gotta say, I do miss the days when rival teams legitimately hated each other. It added another level of intensity. Maybe the Astros sign-stealing scanda...
2020-05-19 14:04:38 +0000 UTC
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Sad news: former Yankees player and general manager Bob Watson passed away last night following a long battle with kidney disease, his family announced. He was 74. Watson played for the Yankees from 1980-82 and was the general manager from 1995-98. In 1996, he became the first African American general manager to win the World Series. Here's the RAB Retro Week post on the transitio...
2020-05-15 14:09:40 +0000 UTC
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Self-promotion: I wrote a CBS post telling the story of the Aaron Judge transactions tree. It's something I mentioned in a mailbag a few weeks ago and figured it was worth a longer breakdown. Check it out, or at least d...
2020-05-12 14:04:30 +0000 UTC
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