Thankfully Thursday was an off day for the New York Yankees and for me. The last week has been way too much to fathom and I need a rest. And with the dog days of August comes a 9 game road trip to St. Louis and Seattle, both hunting for a Wild Card spot in their leagues, and a cross-country flight to Boston where, suddenly, the Red Sox have come out of their mysterious slump which has placed them at the bottom of the AL East.
Here’s what has caused me to need a small break from my favorite sport. But I need to start with the good stuff first.
Aaron Judge. Let me repeat that name. Aaron Judge. This is the guy who rejected the Yankees’ significant offer in the spring and bet on himself. 43 homers and 91 R.B.I. later, with a batting average around .300 with under 60 games left in the season, he is the July AL Player of the Month, largely from being the AL Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks.
During the streak of home runs and run-scoring hits, Judge has been so much fun to watch. Taking an old phrase from NBC about their TV shows, Aaron Judge’s at bats have become “Must See TV.”
He is more than just a swinger for the fences. Besides his monstrous homers, number 99 makes pitchers work to try to get him out.
Moreover, he steals bases and is an excellent fielder with a cannon for an arm. Sounds like a classic 5 tool player. One who, because of his height and his impact on the game, towers over his peers.
Former Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, the reigning Home Run Derby champ, got his wish to leave D.C. He is heading to a contender where he can make a case to be the first player to make $500 million with his next contract—whether it will be with San Diego, his new employers or another team with lots of cash.
While I wish Soto success with the Padres, which is now a pretty loaded offensive team with the likes of Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis, Jr., when the latter returns from injury, they still have to overcome the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team which is making mincemeat of the NL West, including San Diego.
Soto’s trade impacts Judge. If Soto, at age 23, could make that astronomical sum, what will Aaron Judge be worth when the season concludes and he hits the free agent market if the Yankees don’t immediately commence negotiations?
I don’t care that Judge is 30 years old. If he is seeking a ridiculous contract in the order of 10 years in length, that might become an impediment.
What if Judge continues this incredible season and ends it with more than 61 homers, establishing the franchise record held by Roger Maris and surpassing Babe Ruth’s 60 home runs in 154 games in the process? Are the Yankees prepared to let him go? And is he worth $40 million a year?
While I am smitten with Judge and his 2022 season thus far, the Yankees are in a funk. The team misses slugger Giancarlo Stanton in the lineup. The hitting has been, for lack of a better term, hit or miss for most of the lineup, with the exception of first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who went on a mini-tear during Judge’s hot streak. I think All Star catcher Jose Trevino has also excelled and DJ LeMahieu has raised his average to the .290 range hitting in front of Judge.
Pitching has been so so. Only Nestor Cortes, Jr. seems to be pitching like he did for much of the year. Gerrit Cole is getting rocked more often. Ditto Jameson Taillon. Luis Severino’s fragile arm is being so over protected that he was placed on the 60 day IL. And even Clay Holmes, once lights out as a closer, has had some mind-boggling outings, including blowing a win against the lowly Royals on Sunday.
This is a team that is struggling mightily to keep afloat when it faces worthy opposition. Seattle, a true Wild Card contender, couldn’t beat Houston, but took two of three in the Bronx. The Mariners simply hit better, fielded better and pitched better. Reminiscent of the Mets series?
GM Brian Cashman made trades at the trading deadline to shore up some of the team’s glaring deficiencies. Who would have thought that would happen when the Yankees were stomping on whomever they played?
Let’s dissect the Anthony Benintendi trade. Good hitter, not tremendous power, and a very adequate left fielder.
Except that Benintendi has absolutely been horrible. So horrible that Joey Gallo, who, mercifully for him and the team, was traded into a good situation with the Dodgers, seems like a better fit.
When the trade was effectuated, Benintendi was hitting .320. Now he is at .305. Plus he is striking out much more—he had a three strikeout game this week against the Mariners.
Without his offense, relying on the others besides the top three of Judge, LeMahieu and Rizzo is indicative of why the team is very average.
Cashman went out and secured Oakland right hander Frankie Montas to plug a hole in the rotation. We will have to wait until Sunday in St. Louis to see if Montas is as good as advertised.
Additionally, Cashman obtained righty reliever Scott Effross from the Cubs and former Oakland closer Lou Trivino. This might soften the workload of a stretched out pitching staff, one where innings aren’t being eaten up by the starters.
In his final, head-scratching move, lefty starter Jordan Montgomery was shockingly sent to the Cardinals in exchange for an outfielder, Harrison Bader, who is reportedly a very fine fielding center fielder. When he isn’t suffering from plantar fasciitis and has his foot in a boot, like he does now. Sure, there is either a player to be named later or cash was a part of the deal, but really, the Yankees have reviewed the medicals and are confident that Bader will be ready in a couple of weeks? When they need batters who can hit and help now?
Let’s face it—Houston made trades that made them even better. Seattle did, too, picking up the top pitcher, Luis Castillo, who promptly shut down the Bombers. Atlanta, San Diego, the Dodgers, Philadelphia all became more formidable with trades. And the Mets have former Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom back and throwing over 100 mph. Somehow, the Yankees don’t seem as fearsome.
Another thing set me off this week regarding the Yankees. There were comments by Gallo to a reporter relating to his stay in New York. As hard as the 28 year old worked to regain the form that made him a feared slugger in Texas—even with strikeouts still a part of his resume—on the field it didn’t work out for him.
It is my understanding that his teammates really liked him, his work ethic and his demeanor. That’s great to hear.
Because what he said about living in Manhattan was absolutely chilling. With his poor performance and the savagery of the Yankees’ fans who booed him unmercifully, Joey Gallo was afraid of venturing from his apartment, lest he receive more ridicule.
Look, I know that he is receiving a ton of money and hasn’t produced. Is it right to go after him when he is living his life apart from the game? Perhaps if he hadn’t retreated so in New York as a result of this kind of treatment, he might still be a part of the team and perhaps a better player than Benintendi has shown thus far. Who will be the next target of Yankees fans—real soon.
Watching the Yankees has raised my level of angst. I have no great comfort level for post-season success. Dreams of 120 wins have been dashed. 100 wins might be hard to achieve the way things are going. Especially with that daunting road trip to St. Louis, Seattle and then to arch-rival Boston.
Hard to believe that a team with a 70-37 record has its season in the balance. Which is one reason why I feel I may need a respite from the Yankees.
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