The Yankees dropped another one today at Fenway as the Red Sox showed why they’re the better team. But did Boone fail again, or…
Yankees manager Aaron Boone watched in awe with the rest of us as Domingo German flirted with a no-hitter into the seventh inning.
But after 93 pitches and the stress accompanying a pitcher going for a no-no (and don’t think they are unaware), Boone made the move he or any manager would make to go to his bullpen.
Now, remember, the Yankees at this point had tacked on another run by a Gary Sanchez triple (he tired me out to get there) and a single by Gleyber Torres, extending the lead to 4-0.
Aaron Boone makes to call to give the ball to Jonathan Loaisiga (above) to pitch the eighth. Now look, Loaisiga is not Asher Wojciechowski, a pitcher Brian Cashman handed to Aaron Boone out of desperation.
Loaisiga, just returning to the Yankees from COVID induced layoff that hurt the team in his absence, is 7-4, with a 2.06 ERA and a .979 WHIP (anything under 1.0 is spectacular), over 37 appearances.
Alas, today he had nothing, and it took Loaisiga only ten pitches to give up four hits and four runs without retiring a batter for Boone’s selection to once again backfire on the Yankees.
Yankees: Beat By A Better Team – Again!
This is baseball, my friends, not a science, and the fact is the Yankees were defeated by a team far better than they are today.
As for the Yankees offense, down by only a run in the top of the ninth inning, down they went with Tyler Wade stealing second base, representing the tying run.
Today’s box score has the Yankees going 3-12 with runners in scoring position while leaving eight stranded on the bases.
This is not a winning formula, and it has nothing to do with a reliever coming in to surrender a lead.
It is, however, the Yankees’ formula for the 2021 season that has kept them from being the team Las Vegas and a lot of others pegged them to be in March, or even June for that matter, when the drums were still banging.
Yankees: Who Hasn’t Said It…
Face it, my friends and as many others have said – this is a faulted New York Yankees team that has no business pretending to be a team that even makes the playoffs, much less a team built to compete to the end.
I said it once, and I’ll repeat it (with this fire sale image) – it’s time to clean house – and if you’ve been following along here, readers say the same thing.
They’ll add that Boone needs to go, but the thrust is the Yankees need a complete makeover from a team built to compete at the turn of the century to one that’s able to be a focrce in the 2020s.
Speed, flexibility with the bat, and a youth instilled spirit are lacking from this team.
Talking position players only, who would be your “keepers” in a Fantasy League in which you fielded a Yankees’ team? Aaron Judge, DJ LeMahieu, Gio Urshela – stop!
Except for Giancarlo Stanton and his contract, every other player is tradeable. At some point, the Yankees will say “no mas” and be forced to “give” away Stanton and agree to pay a portion of his remaining salaries.
Are the Yankees, as they sit in their clubhouse dressing for a flight to Tampa where the Rays await and after losing three of four in Boston, still following the “we can do this” mantra?
It would be sad if they are, and even sadder if Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman are still out there looking for players who can carry the Yankees “over the top” in 2021.
The Yankees Do Have A Future
Make no mistake; the New York Yankees have a future; it’s just not this year.
Estevan Florial, Greg Allen (probably not Chris Gittens), possibly even the older man at 32, Ryan LaMarre, and Miguel Andujar have a promising future.
Still, they lack experience, so let ’em play all day – every day – to finish out the season and go from there.
I feel confident in saying Yankees fans have seen enough of this team, and they will lend their support to anything that looks like the team trying to get younger and more athletic.
But as far as this year, it’s time to cash in our chips and move on…
Here’s What Readers Are Saying…
Luis Garay I didn’t see this as the Red Sox proving they were the better team in the series just Aaron Boone making some very poor decisions that cost him. Like I said, here we go again…
Nelson Edward Sachs Enough already, they once again blue the game, Boone should have left German in for the rest of the inning. I’ve had it, if there are no changes to Management or in the Executive Suites the Yankees will not be contenders for the next several years.
Al Pratt I think this was all Boone. Ditto (Above)
Juan J. Morales This team at this point….Don’t deserve to be in the playoffs…I believe if this team doesn’t get help where it’s needed… And end up in the playoffs somehow… They’re gonna disappoint us again…Right now… The only chance to reach right now is a wild card spot…
Elisa Granata- PoitrasYes I would say it falls on Boone today, but it also falls on a completely ineffective bullpen again. Plus, you can’t have bases loaded with one out in Boston and NOT score. It’s has been so frustrating for me as a fan to watch them with loaded bases and not score. I don’t know what the answers are, I do know the Yankees have many changes to think about.
Theresa Engel I’m not sure who it goes on today, bullpen stunk but who else would you have to go to other than Loaisiga Seems to make the most sense, no?
Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.
