It’s not that the Yankees are losing; it’s the way they are losing that matters. With regret, there is nothing good to say about last night…
The Yankees dropped another game last night, this time to the Red Sox, and they are now losers of seven of their last ten.
Now, I received a comment from Luis Garay, who is the Administrator of the New York Yankees Baseball Talk, one of many Yankees Facebook groups. His question to me was simple enough – “Why don’t you ever post anything positive”?
We exchanged some thoughts, agreeing to disagree, but the question lingered with me, so I have a question to ask all Yankees fans in return – Can anyone tell me one positive thing to be seen in last night’s Box Score or anything else from last night’s 5-2 loss?
Should I write about Aaron Judge hitting a home run in the sixth inning, or the fact that he did it when the Yankees were already down 5-0 with zeros on the board before then – or that Judge had grounded into a double play (the Yankees league-leading 54th) in the first inning with two men on?
Or maybe I should point out the Yankees did manage to scrape up eight hits off Nathan Eovaldi, one of the best pitchers in the American League this year (7-2, 3.78 ERA), without also adding the Yankees gave up on him, releasing him in November 2016, the same they have done with Michael Pineda, Justus Sheffield, and James Kaprielian – all of whom are now making contributions to their respective teams?
Yankees Fans: Sorry, This Glass Is Not Half Full
Or maybe I should write about Corey Kluber playing catch yesterday, and he experienced no negative symptoms, per Aaron Boone – without also pointing out it’ll be a medical marvel if Kluber returns to the Yankees at full strength before season’s end.
Some think I enjoy writing as I do (now) about the Yankees, a team I have been rooting for since my early years in Little League when our team made its annual visit to watch the Yankees, yelling “Hey Yogi – Hey Boo-Boo,” stuck behind one of those massive poles at the old Yankee Stadium.
Or, the time when myself and a friend stayed up half the night making a banner from a bedsheet so we could participate in the parade on Mickey Mantle Banner Day, hoping for and receiving a glimpse from The Mick as we passed by the dugout.
A Yankees Fan – Diehard But Not Blind
People say we get crustier in our old age (I’m 73), but that’s not true. More to the point is that we older ones have a vast experience to draw from – good and bad – and many of us use it to decipher and think through things while having the ability to separate the past from the present.
In doing so, I can tell you (unequivocably) that this is not your garden variety Yankees team we have seen in the past. They’re not even close, and they are a chore to watch.
What are you supposed to say about a Yankees team that is 2-21 with runners in scoring position in their last three games – that the bats will come around – sooner or later?
Soon, there will be no later for these Yankees, unless you are living in a cave and believe they will catch both the Red Sox and Rays to win the AL East, but then again, you probably haven’t checked the MLB Standings in a while, and I don’t mean the regular standings, I’m talking about the AL Wild Card Standings.
Joe Maddon nailed it when he said you are only as good as your record says you are.
There can be no silver linings for a Yankees team that was widely picked to be playing the Dodgers in the 2021 World Series. The Yankees are what they are, a team that will be fortunate to even qualify for one of the two wild-card spots in the American League.
I’ll listen if you can say different, but it better be good…
Here’s What Readers Are Saying…
Ross Mazin Oh ye of little faith
Michael S. Marchesano Except, pathetic and embarrassing
Michael Miracco Losing is losing, no matter how you look at it, you are doing something wrong. When you look back at losses, they all look the same in the win-loss column. The important thing is to turn those losses into wins, and then how you lost won’t matter anymore.
Jim Kulhawy Silver Lining: Let them get blown out of the AL East and Wild Card races, and a change will HAVE to be made. The Stadium will be empty by August, the fans will be all over them, and they’ll have to do something about it. I said it before, I’ll say it again…Move Cashman upstairs (if he doesn’t want to, let him go), hire a new GM/Pres of Baseball Ops, a new manager, and new coaching staff.
Change the philosophy from the HR/K/BB attitude, and hold these players accountable for all the mental mistakes. In other words, LPAY THE GAME THE RIGHT WAY. Losing BIG now speeds up these necessary changes, unless John Smoltz is correct when he says “the biggest problem with the Yankees is that the Yankees Front Office doesn’t think there is a problem.” Author’s Reply: Once again, Smoltz nails it.
Kervin Delgado The silver lining is Yankees start slow and get hot in July, August, September, and October.
Luis Garay Unfortunately there’s nothing I can say to defend them at this point. Author’s Note: Luis is the one who triggered this post. Hang in there my friend…
Hubie Mercado The basics of how to get on base are lost with this team. Can’t win all the time, trying to hit home runs
Bruce Chester Agree but I am pretty much prepared for this all season which is why I can’t watch the games. Sorry but it is pathetic to see 2nd and 3rd no-outs and not score a run or KO 15 times a game or hit into a million DP and base running blunders etc. it ain’t fun and it ain’t exciting. And still village idiot Boone sugar coats it with I saw better AB and better pitches bla bla bla. The worse team I have seen in over 40 years now
Sher Heide My thoughts exactly!!
Freddie Santiago I saw something good. SANCHEZ looks like he’s improved in blocking the ball and keeping it in front of him.
Mark Piechowiak Worst batting avg since ’68. Lowest run output since ’90. Elias. Very, very difficult trying to watch a full game
Sal Presti The “Silver Lining” is that it’s the 1st Time this Season facing the Red Sux Pitching Staff. I’m cutting them “some” slack for that reason.
David DeGrood I think Boone has to give the players some stability and regularity for things to improve. People perform better under such conditions and it’s a manager’s job to provide this. The constant shuffling of positions and batting order isn’t good for anyone.
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.
