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New York Yankees August 29 – 31 Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger
The 44th installment of Jake Schoeneberger’s opinions on the Yankees
After splitting a 4-game series with the lowly, lowly A’s (no offense to A’s fans), the Yanks bumbled their way, like the bumbling oafs they’re playing like, down to Anaheim to meet the Halos for a 3-game series.
Here are some thoughts in random order on the series of Yankees baseball from Jacob Schoeneberger:
The Yanks lost the 1st game of the series 4-3, with the lineup once again not providing much punch.
The exceptions to that were Rizzo cranking his 29th dinger as he continues a solid season (though a .223 average ain’t exactly bragging material), and Judge walloped his 50th. Judge continues to be basically the only Yankee proving he wants to win every game, as the rest pretty much stumble through. His chase of Maris and the AL home run record are providing basically the only reason to watch the Yanks over the past month. If you like good, crisp baseball featuring clutch hitting, the Yanks aren’t for you.
Montas got the start and according to the YES announcers we’re still supposed to feel optimistic about getting him. Yeah I guess, if you say so. He surrendered 3 homers which accounted for all the Angels’ runs. While 6 innings pitched, 8 hits (including the 3 homers), and 4 runs allowed isn’t the worst evening ever, it’s not the best either. But obviously Montas shouldn’t take all the blame for this loss, as the feeble offense continued to not support their pitcher.
Holmes threw a scoreless 7th inning with a K, so there’s some good news. Just trying to give the Yankee fans a positive to take away from their 3rd straight loss.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Winning 5 straight games loses some of its luster when you immediately lose 3 straight after. This team does not look motivated. That’s a Boone thing.
Big Man Carrying the Team
The bullpen really stepped up big in the 2nd game of the series. Taillon got hit on the forearm by a line drive on the last out of the 2nd inning. He had to leave the game for x-rays after, and the game was left in the hands of the pen. (X-rays came back negative on Taillon, so Boone is hoping he won’t even miss a start. That’s good news.)
The score was tied after 2 innings. Benintendi and Rizzo both hit solo homers, and Stassi hit a 2-run shot off Taillon. Leading 4-2 in the 5th, Judge decided to put the team on his shoulders once again and cranked his 51st homer of the year, a 3-run shot that put the Yanks up 7-2 and gave the bullpen some breathing room. That homer turned out to be the difference in the game.
Weissert threw 2 scoreless innings, Luetge only went 0.2 innings and gave up a solo homer in the 5th, Trivino turned in an inning, Marinaccio went 1.1, Loaisiga turned in 1.1, then Peralta came in and got the last 2 outs, but also surrendered a run himself to make the final 7-4.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Always fun to watch a guy chase history. You really can’t say enough about the season Aaron Judge is having. Even now that the team is struggling mightily, he comes in every day and hits and plays hard. He’s a true MVP candidate and he’s going to give voters a tough decision between him and Ohtani when the season ends. He’s now batting .297, 1.065 OPS, 51 HR, 113 RBI. Those stats jump right off the page, and he still has a month of hitting to do.
Cashman has absolutely no leg to stand on in his offseason negotiations with Judge. This team would barely be .500 without him, and the guy is going to set the AL record (or come crazy close) for homers in a season and at least be 2nd in MVP voting if he doesn’t win it. Cashman will have a lot of competition to get the guy signed and he’ll probably have a fan revolt on his hands if he doesn’t keep him in pinstripes. The Big Man bet on himself, and boy is it ever going to pay off. But I’m sure he’s worried more about winning the AL East and then getting to the World Series first. This team is going to have to get a lot better for those things to happen.
Another Series, Another Lost Series
And the lows just keep getting lower as the Yanks fell 3-2 in the final game and lost another series. Cole got the start, but of course Yankee fans weren’t expecting any magic from him because it was a fairly high-pressure game. The team needed the win, so there was no way Cole would deliver. And he didn’t.
Can’t pin this one on Cole too much though. He went 7 innings, allowing 6 hits, but the big blow came on a 3-run jack he surrendered to Ohtani in the 6th. That proved to be the difference.
But the lineup was really to blame here. They mustered a mere 2 runs on 3 hits and once again showed an utter lack of any pride. They now lead the Rays by just 5 games in the loss column and they’re heading to Tampa for a 3-game series next. They also play the Rays for another 3 games in the Bronx later in the month, so the Rays have to feel pretty good knowing they have some say in their destiny now.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: If your manager can’t get results from his team, why is he your manager? I had the thought after the Yanks lost their 3rd straight game to the Jays, that if they got swept by the Jays and lost to the Mets that maybe Aaron Boone shouldn’t travel with the team to Oakland. Then a small miracle happened as they won 5 straight games and saved Boone’s job. But now they’ve subsequently dropped 4 of 5 games and once again look like rubbish. Boone has not figured this thing out and every day gets drearier. It’s now September and their lead is tenuous at best.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Yankees Thought of the Day
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: A lot can happen in September. We’ve seen some crazy things happen in the month of September in the past. The rosters expand, teams play with increased gusto, and leads get swallowed up. Jacob Schoeneberger hopes the expanded rosters invigorates this lackadaisical Yankee team and they get inspired to go on a run. What once seemed inevitable has now become endangered.
More Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger
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New York Yankees August 25 – 28 Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger
The 43rd installment of Jake Schoeneberger’s opinions on the Yankees
After taking both games of a quick 2-game Subway Series against the Mets, the Yanks headed to the West Coast for a 4-game series with the A’s. Oakland is in last place so this was a chance for the Bombers to right the ship and grab some wins.
Here are some thoughts in random order on the series of Yankees baseball from Jacob Schoeneberger:
While it’s just the A’s, there’s reason for some cautious optimism for Yankee fans now. By thumping the A’s 13-4 in the 1st game of the series, the Yanks have now won 4 straight games after their thoroughly miserable slide. It’s hard to forget that they played such bad baseball as recently as last week, so I’m approaching this recent upturn with cautious optimism because everything went right in this game.
Stanton came back to the lineup and immediately knocked in 3 RBIs, Donaldson went 3-5 with 3 RBIs of his own, Cabrera went 3-6 with an RBI, and basically every starter got a hit. That’s a really good sign.
Taillon got the start and cruised through 6 innings, allowing just 1 run on a solo homer to Langeliers in the 6th inning. Weissert relieved him in the 7th for his first major league appearance, but it didn’t exactly work out for him. He hit the first 2 batters with his first 2 pitches, and man your debut could have only gone worse if they had been homers on your first 2 pitches. He recorded just 1 out and had 3 earned runs charged to him. Luckily the Yanks were firmly ahead and it hardly mattered. Luetge came in and put away the last 2.2 innings, allowing just 2 hits and no runs.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: If you’re going to win, win big. This was a feel-good night for the team, the bats came alive, the runs piled up, and for a night they looked like their old selves again. They need to make this a habit and take at least 2 more games in Oakland over the weekend.
But of course the big win couldn’t come without some bad news. Nestor headed to the 15-day IL with a groin injury. That’s ok though, because the Yanks have Monty and JP Sears ready to pick up the slack. Oh wait, Sears is on the A’s pitching like an animal (in fact, the Yanks will probably see him in the 2nd game of this series), and Monty has been absolute gold in St. Louis. Meh, who needs starting pitching? It’s overrated anyway.
Cole and Judge Carry
Cole got the start in the 2nd game of the series, and since there was no pressure and he was facing the second-worst team in baseball, he actually pitched well. He went 7.1 innings, allowing just 1 run on 3 hits. The only run came on a 7th-inning homer from Bride.
Judge cranked his 49th homer, a 3-run shot in the 5th, that amounted to the only runs for the Yanks as they won 3-2. Sears had a decent start for the A’s and just threw that one mistake pitch to the big man. Judge has been an absolute machine, and that’s the good news. The Yanks have won 5 straight and that’s good news. But the bad news is the offense isn’t exactly cranking. Judge had the only big hit of the night. But the series is off to a good start, and they need to win another one of the next two games in Oakland to call it a successful series.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: You have to win series against lesser opponents. The Yanks have put themselves in a good position, they just need to see it through.
Terrible
The Yanks seemed to be in good position in the 3rd game of the series. They won the first 2 games, and Oller, the starter for the A’s, had a whopping 5.66 ERA. All things were lined up for a good day for the Bombers. Buuuuut, the Bombers forgot how to bomb and stumbled through the day as Oller threw 8 scoreless innings, allowing just 1 hit. That’s truly pathetic. Hats off to Oller for a fine start, but this lineup has no pride. Zero.
German started for the Yanks, and he matched zeroes on the scoreboard with Oller, going 7.2 innings allowing 0 runs on just 3 hits. A fine start and with any other lineup in baseball that isn’t these sad sacks he probably would have gotten a nice win.
But it wasn’t to be on this day. The teams headed to extra innings with 0 runs on the board. Yes, the vaunted New York Yankees, in 1st place in the AL East, a team that was on pace to break the single-season wins record in July, headed to extra innings with the worst team in the AL with 0 runs on the board. Needless to say they lost in pathetic fashion.
The 5-game winning streak was nice, but this was a lousy loss. They mustered 1 hit in 11 innings. Ouch.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Hits win games.
Horrible
No point in rehashing the final game of the series other than to say the Yanks lost 4-1 and mustered just 4 hits. They just split a series with ostensibly the worst team in baseball. Wow.
No pride on this team. None. Any optimism that sprang with the 5 straight wins has pretty much evaporated. Look, I still feel this team can win enough to take the AL East. It’s probable they’ll play postseason games and that will be nice. Lots of fans of other teams would kill to be able to see their team play playoff games. But it’s hard not to feel like this team has fallen flat.
And with how good this team was, fans were looking at their ability to win it all. Now it looks highly improbable that they can with the AL. A lot can change in a month, but right now you have to ask yourself what that will be? What will actually change? Will it be Sevy returning from the IL and being a beast? What confidence could anyone have that that will happen? He was improving as the year went on, but he certainly wasn’t a monster starter. And now will he be back to square one after this latest injury?
Will Bader come to the team and inject a huge shot of energy? I guess anything is possible but why would anyone think he will be a difference-maker?
Will the team miraculously remember they’re good and start hitting again? Yeah, I think this is possible. It’s really the only thing I’m hoping for. I mean, this lineup just mustered 3 runs against 2 starters with ERAs over 5.00 over the past couple days. That’s really unacceptable. At some point, it’s time to start showing some pride and having good at-bats.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Hit the ball, that’s how you win.
I’d have to say my favorite part of the weekend was when Chapman had to head to the IL because his tattoo got infected. That’s a new one, Jacob Schoeneberger likes that. I have nothing against tattoos, obviously, but I’m betting there will be stipulations in contracts going forward that no one can get tattoos during the season. It’s just laughable at this point. Hey, maybe he’ll come off the IL and actually remember how to be a closer again! There’s another pipe dream for Yankee fans to cling to.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Yankees Thought of the Day
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: It’s never too late to play good baseball. The Yanks now head to Anaheim to play the Angels for a 3-game set to finish the month of August. They maintain a 7.5 game lead over the Rays (7 in the loss column). They have a month left to play good ball and set themselves up for postseason success.
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New York Yankees August 22 – 23 Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger
The 42nd installment of Jake Schoeneberger’s opinions on the Yankees
After dropping 3 of 4 to the Jays at home, the Yanks are reeling and looking completely lost. Yankee fans are starting to feel hopeless, and even Boone is starting to flip his lid during post-game interviews. The only bright side to any of this is that they had built a big lead in the standings, so they had some cushion, but even that is dwindling away daily. Now they welcome the red-hot Mets to the Bronx for a quick, 2-game set.
Here are some thoughts in random order on the series of Yankees baseball from Jacob Schoeneberger:
Jacob Schoeneberger doesn’t want to overstate anything here because the Yanks have been bad for several weeks. And they’ve had several chances to break out of their slide but have been unable to. But the Yanks got a really big win in the 1st game of the series.
On paper, it looked like the Mets had the advantage. They had Scherzer heading to the hill, while the Yanks countered with German. German has been solid, and gaining arm strength back steadily, but he certainly isn’t in Scherzer’s league.
But the Yanks were able to put 4 runs up on Scherzer, including Judge’s 47th dinger of the year and 2 RBIs from Benintendi who’s starting to get hot in pinstripes. German gave the team 6.1 innings, allowing just 4 hits, and the only mistake pitch he threw was a 2-run homer to Vogelbach in the 7th. Marinaccio gave the team 1.1 innings, then Loaisiga threw 1.1 innings to get the save in a 4-2 win.
The way Boone used the pen is pretty telling here too. He didn’t go to Chappy (who’s looked hittable lately) or Effross (who is the other presumed closer). Interesting moves, but they paid off on this night.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: One big win can change momentum. I’ve said this several times throughout this bad streak the Yanks have been going through, but they either need to ride the momentum of this win into playing better baseball, or this season could end ugly.
An Unlikely Sweep
If you had asked Jake Schoeneberger going into this series if there was any way the Yanks could grab a sweep, I would have said no way. After they had lost the 3rd straight game of the Jays series, it seemed to me like the Yanks were finished. They were going to face 3 of the toughest pitchers in baseball over the next 3 days. First Manoah, then Scherzer, then deGrom. Then Boone slammed the table and yelled at reporters after that game, and the unlikeliest thing happened.
First they found a way to beat Manoah, then they found a way to beat Scherzer, and then the Mets decided to hold deGrom’s start off until their next series so the Yanks faced Walker in the 2nd game of the series. And again, they found a way.
Montas got the start and turned in a solid 5.2 innings, allowing just 2 runs on 6 hits. It was the start he desperately needed, and it came at the perfect time. Judge cranked his 48th homer and had two RBIs, bringing his total to 105. Benintendi added another RBI and Cabrera had his 1st RBI as well.
Schmidt relieved Montas and was cruising, looking like he’d get both the win and a 3-inning save, but then he faltered in the 9th. Peralta came on with the bases loaded and got the final out, earning a 1-out save in the 4-2 victory. Boone’s bullpen use has been interesting to say the least, but it certainly seems like he’s not exactly showing much faith in Chapman and Effross. Or maybe he’s preserving their arms a bit with a huge playoff push coming over the next month? Ya got me, but his maneuvering has been interesting, especially with a travel day coming after this quick 2-game series.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Beating a rival can really jump-start a team. Make no mistake about it, the Mets are a rival. Any Yankee fan who denies that is fooling themselves. Both teams and their fans want bragging rights in NY, so every time they meet up it’s a fun time.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Yankees Thought of the Day
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: When you’re in slump, stomping on a last-place team can fix your issues. The Yanks now head to Oakland for a 4-game set against the last-place A’s (who have the 2nd-worst record in baseball). They absolutely need to win at least 3 of these games. Not just for their confidence, but also because the Rays and Jays are playing good baseball and the division lead has dwindled a bit.
Plus, after they play the A’s and Angels, things are going to get really tough. It will be September and they’ll see the Rays (for 6 games), the Twins, the Red Sox (for 6 games), the Jays (in Toronto), the O’s… these will be tough games and they’ll all be hungry for playoff spots. Jacob Schoeneberger knows September will not be an easy month, better grab some wins in California now.
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New York Yankees August 18 – 21 Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger
The 41st installment of Jake Schoeneberger’s opinions on the Yankees
The Yanks only mustered a single miraculous win against the Rays, and now they welcome the Jays to town for a 4-game set. Jake Schoeneberger can honestly say that it’s no understatement to say the fate of this series may ultimately decide the fate of the Yankees’ season. If they get swept, or lose 3 out of 4, I can pretty much guarantee they’re not a championship team. This slide has gone on too long and they may not even make the playoffs at all. If they split, we’re still in wait and see mode. If they win the series, there could be cautious optimism that they’re turning things around.
Here are some thoughts in random order on the series of Yankees baseball from Jacob Schoeneberger:
The Yanks lost the 1st game of the series in decidedly ugly fashion by the score of 9-2. Once again, Brian Cashman (who YES announcers are never ashamed to call “the best in the business”) has egg on his face as Montas got shelled again. Montas went 6 innings allowing 6 runs on 8 hits. Shall we compare that outing to Jordan Montgomery’s last outing? Yes, let’s do that. Monty went 5.2 innings, allowing just 1 run on 6 hits as he picked up a win for the Cards. Montas now boasts a lovely 4-10 record (2 of those losses with the Yanks) and a 3.87 ERA, while Monty is 6-3 with a 3.29 ERA.
Oh and since the day the trade of Monty was made, the cards are 12-3 and the Yankees are 3-12. People, these numbers speak for themselves.
But Montas wasn’t solely to blame as the lineup continued to struggle. This collapse is starting to look inevitable.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Just shut up and find a way to win the game. Sometimes it becomes time to stop talking, stop saying you’ll figure it out, and just go out there and do it. That time has come for the Yankees. It’s officially late August and it’s time to start winning again.
Can’t Win Without a Run
The Jays took the 2nd game of the series 4-0 with the Yanks mustering only 4 hits and 0 runs. Hmmm, what can one say about this game? Let’s see here. The Yankees are not very good.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Runs help you win games.
Lookin’ Like Our Ace
After losing the first 2 games of the series the Yanks were desperate as they turned to their “ace” Cole who promptly did what he always does and folded. After not allowing a hit over the first 4 innings and clinging to a 2-0 lead, Cole imploded in the 5th allowing 4 runs and pretty much deflating everyone in the Stadium who thought the Yanks had a chance to get things turned around.
In Cole’s defense, the lineup forgot that you’re actually supposed to hit the little round thing with that wooden thing you carry into the batter’s box. They looked timid and didn’t put up much of a fight and left 19 men on base on the day. I mean, that’s just pathetic.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Maybe try knocking in some of those baserunners, it really makes a big difference.
Boone Desperation
But the big fireworks of the day came in the post-game interview with Boone. He was visibly angry and pounding the table, and he sure looked to me like a manager who knows he’s about to be doing a lot more golfing.
The part I really took exception to was when he snapped at Meredith Marakovits. Let’s be honest here, the reporters for the YES Network are homers and that’s ok. They know 99.9% of viewers are Yankee fans so all I really expect out of them is that they do their homework and ask decent questions when their time comes. For the hard-hitting stuff, I’m waiting on the NY Post beat reporters and the Daily News team. But Meredith gets the first 3 questions in any post-game interview and they’re usually softball questions that don’t put any pressure on Boone.
So when she asked him how he thought the team would get out of this (there is no adequate word for it) funk they’re in, Boone had the audacity to snap at her and say, “You can ask that every day…” Whoa whoa whoa. Of course reporters are going to ask that every day, Boone, when your team loses every day. And that’s still a softball question! It could get way worse than that with how bad this team is.
After that he snapped a couple more times and then it started to look like exactly what it was, a big routine that he hopes will snap his players back to life. Whatever. At this point I don’t expect any miracles so I’m just going to watch and hope they turn it around. No idea how they’ll do it, maybe Stanton’s return soon will help, but we’ll see.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Sometimes the strangest things will ignite a team. If your manager being a big baby during a post-game interview helps, so be it.
The Actual Ace Steps Up
In the final game of the series, Nestor gave the team 6 innings, allowing just 1 run on 3 hits. The only run came on homer he gave up to Merrifield in the 3rd inning.
The lineup wasn’t exactly chugging as Manoah held it close, but the Yanks held a 2-1 lead in the 7th. Loaisiga and Peralta couldn’t hold the lead and it was 2-2 heading into the bottom of the 7th. Then Benintendi picked the perfect time to hit his first home run as a Yankee, a 2-run shot that made it 4-2. Trivino was pitcher of record and he got the win, but he also threw scoreless 8th and 9th innings so he deserves huge credit for a gutsy performance when the team needed it. Game balls go to both Benintendi and Trivino in this one.
It’s a nice win but it’s definitely not one of those “all problems are now solved” kind of wins. They can just be glad they didn’t get broomed at home.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Three out of four ain’t bad. I’m sure this series gives the Jays a lot of confidence. They have the same record as the Rays and they both trail the Yanks by 8 games (7 in the loss column).
Also, there was some tension during the game when Manoah hit Judge, with some jawing between Manoah and Cole, but Jacob Schoeneberger chalks that up to both teams needing to get this rivalry heated. It was a great weekend for the Jays, but they know they still have a lot of work to do to catch the Yanks. The Yankees have stunk recently so they know they needed to get a fire lit somehow too. I think both Cole and Manoah knew what they were doing by trading some words. They’re both just looking to fire their teams up.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Yankees Thought of the Day
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: To be the best, you have to beat the best. The Mets now come to the Bronx for a 2-game Subway Series set. The Amazin’s now boast a better record than the Yanks, and their projected starters will be Scherzer and deGrom, while the Yanks put German and Montas on the hill. The on-paper edge clearly goes to the Mets, so we’ll see how it plays out.
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New York Yankees August 15 – 17 Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger
The 40th installment of Jake Schoeneberger’s opinions on the Yankees
The New York Yankees are not a good baseball team right now. They lost 2 of 3 to the Red Sox in Fenway and overall had an ugly road trip going just 2-7. They stumbled back to the Bronx for a 3-game series against the Rays.
Here are some thoughts in random order on the series of Yankees baseball from Jacob Schoeneberger:
Jacob Schoeneberger Knows It’s Getting Ugly
The Yanks were shut out for the 2nd straight game after losing the 1st game of the series 4-0. They’ve now scored just 5 runs in their past 4 games and this slide has officially become an epidemic.
Hicksy had himself a wretched night, and it seems like some Yankee fans have decided to make him the scapegoat for this loss, or somehow the scapegoat for all the recent woes, but that’s just ridiculous. He did misjudge a fly ball that led to a run and that definitely stinks. But it was only 1 run, and this guy is pretty solid in center with the glove. I mean, this is the first time I’ve ever seen him misplay a ball. Yes, it came at a bad time, but it certainly didn’t decide the game and it shouldn’t be blown out of proportion. He also had a bad night with the bat, striking out to end an inning with RISPs, and grounding into a double play with the bases loaded. No question those are tough at-bats, and no doubt it was a rough evening for him, but to place all the blame on him is just silly. Hicksy is hitting just .218, and a paltry .173 with RISPs this year, so he does need to get it going a lot better, but he’s not the sole issue here.
This team, as a whole, looks horrendous right now. Do not single out any one player because, make no mistake about it, the whole team is reeling. They’ve scored 0 runs the past 2 games. That is not the result of any one player, that’s a whole team issue.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: If the entire team is scuffling, look no further than its leadership to find the problem. No, Yankee fans, this is not an Aaron Hicks problem. This is a Yankees problem, and it starts from the top and trickles down. Boone needs to get this thing sorted. Cashman had his chance but instead he poured gasoline on a tiny spark and started an inferno. Now it’s down to Boone.
And that smell on the air isn’t just the smoke from this fire they started, it’s also the smell of a general manager and a manager looking for new jobs come October.
Dumpster Fire
The Yankees went from a trainwreck to a bona fide dumpster fire in the 2nd game of the series, losing 3-1. They’ve now scored just 6 runs in their past 5 games, and they look about as feeble as a baseball team can possibly look.
There is zero fight, zero hustle, zero pride in this team right now and it’s out of control. If you want Jacob Schoeneberger to find a single way they can turn this around, you’re out of luck. I’ve got nothing. I’ve followed baseball my whole life and I’ve never seen a team go from being the best in baseball to the worst in a couple of weeks. It’s astounding. Sure, teams blow big leads sometimes, but this is abysmal.
I was talking to another Yankee fan the other day and this fan assured me the lead in the AL East was safe. Really? Not sure what team he’s watching but no lead is safe unless a team can win a few games. The Yankees do not look like a team that is ready to win. The Rays have leapfrogged the Jays to gain 2nd place, now trailing the Yanks by 9 games (8 in the loss column). Certainly not an insurmountable lead by any means if the Yanks lose every series they play.
The only somewhat bright side to this is that the pitching hasn’t been terrible. Nestor went 7 innings, allowing just 3 runs in this game. On any other night, that could earn a win. So if the bats awaken somehow, there’s still hope for this team. But I’ll hold off on optimism until I see that.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Runs win games. 1 run over the past 3 games ain’t gonna cut it.
Miracles Do Happen
No, it’s not just that the Yankees actually won a game that made it miraculous (though it is a miracle these days when they win at all), it was how they did it. The final game of the series was not going their way at all early on. The Rays were staked to a 4-0 lead in the 6th as they plated 3 runs off starter German, and another off Luetge who relieved him. As the Yankee lineup continued to snooze away through 5 innings, you can bet I figured this would just be another pathetic loss.
Then Gleyber got things turned around as he belted a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 6th to cut the Rays’ lead in half to 4-2. Judge had an RBI in the 7th to make it 4-3, then Rizzo slammed a solo shot in the 8th to tie it 4-4.
That feel-good vibe didn’t last long though, because Effross and Chapman (the two guys vying for the closer role now that Holmes has hit the IL with back spasms) both got knocked around in the 10th, surrendering 3 runs between them. Trailing 7-4 in the bottom of the 10th, it once again looked like a dismal outcome was in store.
Judge was on 2nd to start the inning, then Gleyber singled and Rizzo walked, loading the bases with no outs, and setting the stage for some drama. Donaldson then came up and scorched an 0-1 pitch into the right-field stands for a walkoff grand slam, giving the Yanks a miraculous 8-7 win.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Walkoff grand slams when the team is trailing by 3 are just the best. Nothing more thrilling.
This game had its share of positives and negatives. First, the negatives. German wasn’t exactly awesome going 4.2 innings and allowing 3 runs. The lineup dozed most of the night against a good pitcher in Kluber. Effross and Chapman getting smacked around is not a good sign since they’re all we’ve got in the way of closers. A win is nice, but this felt like a miracle. You can’t count on coming back from 4-0 and 7-4 deficits consistently. That’s luck.
Now the positives. Obviously, a win was desperately needed to avoid the sweep. This was the kind of win that can get a team hot. It was a “never give up, never give in” kind of win and something they can rally around. They’ve called up Florial and Peraza so maybe those guys can light a fire under this team and get the confidence and swagger back up. Jacob Schoeneberger and all Yankee fans will see if this win creates a positive trend for the team.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Yankees Thought of the Day
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: You never know when the momentum can swing in a baseball season, or what will swing it. Sometimes one game can create a new trend. The Yanks have to hope this is the case. The Jays now come to town for a 4-game set. It’s crucial that the Yanks get back on track. The Jays and Rays now have the same record, and the Yanks hold a 10-game lead over both (9 in the loss column). Seems big, but it’s no guarantee.
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New York Yankees August 12 – 14 Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger
The 39th installment of Jake Schoeneberger’s opinions on the Yankees
After losing 2 of 3 to the resurgent and cocky Mariners, the Yanks headed to Boston to take on their old rivals for a 3-game set. The Yankees really need to turn this thing around because they’re not in a good place at all right now.
Here are some thoughts in random order on the series of Yankees baseball from Jacob Schoeneberger:
In the first game of the series, Judge cranked his 46th homer of the season (100 RBIs) and the Yanks held a 2-1 lead heading into the 9th behind the great pitching of German, Effross, and Chapman.
German went 6 solid innings, allowing just 1 run on 5 hits as he continues to rebound. Effross handled a clean 7th inning, and Chappy breezed through the 8th with 2 K’s. Then came the trouble.
Holmes allowed the tying run in the 9th, then after the Yanks failed to score in the top of the 10th, the Red Sox walked it off in the bottom. While it’s easy to complain about Holmes losing it, you can also look at this Yankees lineup and wonder where the pop has gone. A snoozy 2 runs is pretty pathetic.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: If your closer forgets how to close, you’ve got problems. Holmes has been stumbling quite a bit recently and it looks like he’s probably losing that closer role.
Much-Needed Win
Montas bounced back from his first, frankly disastrous, start in pinstripes by going 5 innings and allowing just 2 runs in the 2nd game of the series. The Yanks were able to rally back from 2-0 to tie the game in the 6th on a 2-run jack from Kiner-Falefa.
Then in the 9th, Kiner-Falefa was able to bunt Benintendi in from 3rd to score the go-ahead and eventual winning run. The guy did it all in this game to help the Yanks get a desperately needed win. Effross wound up closing this game, so it seems we may have a little competition to see who will be the closer for this squad going forward.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Small ball isn’t dead. You almost never see guys bunt anymore, which is a shame because it can be an effective weapon in the arsenal.
Pathetic
The lineup slept right through the 3rd game of the series, getting blanked 3-0. No need to remind anyone that this is a Red Sox team that is just a couple weeks removed from allowing 28 runs to the Jays. The Yankees mustered a pathetic 5 runs in this 3-game series and basically looked listless, uninspired, and lost as they bumbled around Fenway.
It’s hard to believe this is the same team that steamrolled their way through the first few months of this season. During their excellent run, they were doing everything possible to find ways to win. When the offense was off, the pitching would pick them up. If the pitching faltered, the lineup would start grinding and find a way to score more than the other team.Now it’s the opposite. When the pitching is solid, which it was during this series, the lineup will sleep. When the lineup is hitting, the pitching is allowing the other team to smoke them.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: There comes a time in every season when you either put up or shut up. Time to put up for the Yanks. This recent slide isn’t just a valley in the long season of ups and downs. This is officially an emergency. The Yanks built up a big lead in the AL East standings (it’s still 10 games over the Jays), so sometimes teams with big leads will take their foot off the gas a bit. This is way more than that. This is a team that can’t figure out what’s going on.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Yankees Thought of the Day
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Leadership needs to take responsibility for the fortunes of their team. Cashman and Boone need to take responsibility for this.
Boone hasn’t been awful with his managing during this bad stretch. A couple bad reliever decisions, but by and large this is mostly lackluster field performance from his team. His main responsibility is getting them back into a winning mindset. He did that before the 1st game of the Seattle series, and it worked for 1 game. He needs to continue to press until this team gets feeling good.
Cashman needs to take the onus that he didn’t fully succeed with augmenting this team. Benintendi and Effross are looking like solid acquisitions. We haven’t seen much from Montas or Trivino, and obviously the Montgomery for Bader trade is playing out like a trainwreck thus far.
But it’s not just the trades he made, it’s also the ones he didn’t (or wasn’t able to) make. He failed to land Ohtani, he failed to land Castillo, and he failed to land Soto (or some combination thereof). So now he’s playing with a bunch of fallback players and the results have been terrible thus far.
While I’m not in full panic mode yet, I also don’t want to mince words here. If the Yankees don’t go to the World Series this year, Cashman and Boone have to go. (I consider making the World Series a success because it’s hard to know how you’ll perform against the NL team. It’s easier to build to beat your own league, and right now they’re inferior to the Astros.)
Cashman fired Girardi after the team went to game 7 of the ALCS. They haven’t been anywhere near that point yet with Boone. After having the team geared for a historic season this year, they’ve now faltered based on Cashman’s changes to the club at the deadline.
These guys need to be held accountable, otherwise the organization is just admitting that “almost” is always good enough. Yankee fans like Jacob Schoeneberger are getting tired of the almosts.
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New York Yankees August 8 – 10 Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger
The 38th installment of Jake Schoeneberger’s opinions on the Yankees
The Yankees are now bumbling and stumbling through August, losing 5 straight games after having just been swept by the Cards. They headed to Seattle to face a Mariners team that just won a series against them in NY.
Here are some thoughts in random order on the series of Yankees baseball from Jacob Schoeneberger:
The Yankees Actually Win a Game!
In the first game of the series, Taillon shook off the mental baggage he carried into his last start, the day Monty was traded, and gave the team just the performance it needed. He went 7 innings, allowing just 3 runs on 3 hits, including 2 solo shots. He really limited the damage and allowed the Yanks to hold the lead and never surrender it as they prevailed 9-4 in this one.
The offense got rolling as Judge cranked his 44th homer (giving him 98 RBIs), Donaldson had 4 hits (including his 11th homer) and 3 RBIs, and Benintendi added 3 RBIs as well. It was good to see the team clicking on all cylinders once again.
Boone held a team meeting before the game to get everyone’s heads straight. He said he reminded them who they are and what the ultimate goal is. But there was one quote that I found telling. He said, “Just more kind of dust settling from the trade deadline, people coming and going a little bit, wanted to get the group together and talk to them…” This sounds to me like the team was a bit upset about the Monty trade, where one of their own was unexpectedly gone all of a sudden. What else could that quote be referring to? We all saw how they reacted after that trade.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: A starter can go out there and completely change your fortunes (that’s why you don’t trade them away). Taillon needed this and the team needed it, and he delivered. The team rallied around Boone’s meeting so he deserves big credit for that.
Of course, it couldn’t be all good news. Carpenter fouled a ball off his foot and fractured it. He’ll be out a while because of that. No timeline is determined yet, but he said he was hopeful to return this season. We’ll have to cross our fingers for that. In the meantime, Andujar is back with the team in his absence.
Plus, Holmes gave up a run in the 9th. It didn’t matter in this game, but he has looked a bit shaky recently so it’s something to keep an eye on. Though Chapman worked a scoreless 8th and he’s looking to be regaining his dominant form, so that’s a good sign.
Lineup Goes to Sleep
Cole and Castillo turned in an amazing pitchers’ duel in the 2nd game of the series. Cole went 7 scoreless innings and Castillo went 8. The M’s finally pushed a run across in the 13th inning to win 1-0 after the Yanks squandered several chances with poor baserunning.
The Yanks mustered a paltry 3 hits all evening and pretty much looked like they were asleep. Now winning the series will come down to the rubber match with Nestor on the hill.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Not easy to win a game with only 3 hits. Hopefully the lineup wakes up from its little snooze and wins this series.
Reeling
The Yanks lost the final game of the series in heartbreaking fashion. Nestor was solid in his outing, but he and the pen couldn’t hold the lead and the Yanks fumbled once again.
With the score 1-0 in favor of the M’s, Higgy hit a 2-run shot in the 7th to give the Yanks the lead. Then Judge cranked his 45th dinger (RBIs now up to 99) that made it 3-1. But Nestor was shaky in the 7th, and when Abreu relieved him he gave up a 2-run homer that put the M’s up 4-3 and that’s how it ended.
Nothing is going right for the Yankees right now. Abreu might not have been pitching that inning if they hadn’t had to play 13 innings the night before after blowing several chances to win that game with bad baserunning. They’re really not doing anything right recently. After being the best team in baseball up to the All-Star Game they have come out stumbling in the second half. They’re 2-8 in their past 10 games, and only the A’s and Tigers have been that bad over the past 10 games in the AL. Not great company to be in, the 2 teams with the worst overall records in the AL. That’s how bad it’s gotten.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: A good team has to overcome adversity. It’s pretty obvious to anyone with a brain that this team was shaken by Cashman’s bad trade of Montgomery. They’re now 1-7 in the games they’ve played since that trade. They were 6-6 after the All-Star Break and before the trade, not great but not horrible. It’s not rocket surgery figuring out the correlation of their record after that trade. But the team needs to shake that off and get back into their groove.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Yankees Thought of the Day
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Beating bad teams can snap a team out of a funk. The Yanks now head to Boston for a 3-game set and there’s no sugarcoating this: The Red Sox are a bad baseball team right now. After being in 2nd place for a significant time, they’ve now fallen to 4 games under .500 and are firmly in last place in the AL East. Jacob Schoeneberger realizes the Sox will play tough in Fenway and records go out the window when these teams face each other, but the Yankees need to dominate this series against a team they absolutely should dominate.
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New York Yankees August 5 – 7 Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger
The 37th installment of Jake Schoeneberger’s opinions on the Yankees
After dropping 2 of 3 against the M’s, and a flurry of deadline activity (some good, some really bad), the Yanks headed to St. Louis for an important 3-game set against the Cards. The Yanks need to rebound in this series and prove they’re still the team to beat in the AL.
Here are some thoughts in random order on the series of Yankees baseball from Jacob Schoeneberger:
Holmes imploded in the 9th and gave the Cardinals a walkoff victory in the 1st game of the series. Nestor started and was solid, turning in 5.1 innings and allowing just 2 runs. The team was staked to a 3-2 lead in the 8th when Boone made yet another absolutely ridiculous decision when he sent in Holmes for the 8th. Holmes was just fine in retiring batters in the 8th but once again, expected by everyone with a pair of eyes and even the slightest understanding of how baseball works EXCEPT Aaron Boone for some reason, he was completely ineffective and lost the game in the 9th.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: A manager needs to understand both the strengths and limitations of his players. After a travel day off, Boone had every reliever in his arsenal ready to go in that 8th inning (other than Abreu and Effross who pitched the 6th and 7th). Instead he chose to try to get 2 innings out of Holmes and the exact thing that everyone on Earth, EXCEPT Aaron Boone for some reason, was expecting to happen happened. Boone absolutely needs to stop pushing Holmes to 2 innings. He is a 1-inning reliever and that’s that. Period, end of story. If Boone is indeed dumb enough to try to get 2 innings out of him again, he needs to be called out in a very public way by the press and team executives. Bad bad managing.
Good For You, Monty!
Jordan Montgomery had a great day in the 2nd game of the series. He gave the Cards 5 scoreless innings and helped them secure a 1-0 victory. I honestly couldn’t be happier for the guy. He didn’t want to leave the Yanks, and this had to feel really good for him to come in and be so effective in his first start for the Cardinals. While I’m not happy to see the Yanks lose, this was karma and they absolutely deserved to have their noses rubbed in it.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: It’s a bad idea to trade good starting pitching. I’ll be harping on the poor decision Cashman made to trade away Monty quite a bit in the coming months. No trade can be judged after just a few days but let me be clear. This trade has the potential to be a Jay Buhner level of bad trade. There are several reasons for this.
The first is because quality starting pitching is by far (by absolute leaps and bounds) the hardest skill to acquire in this league. When you have a quality starter, you hold onto him. Getting a good defensive outfielder with speed, yeah, not that hard.
The second is because Bader is in a boot not playing right now and has plantar fasciitis. That ailment is hard to predict and who knows when he’ll be back or if he’ll be 100% when he is. So if this was a trade to bolster playoff effectiveness (as Cashman has stated it was), he better be praying to the baseball gods that Bader is 100% by playoff time (provided the Yanks make the playoffs which is never a given).
The third is because you shouldn’t get cute and mess with a winning formula. That Yankees clubhouse was expecting to add players at the deadline, not subtract them (other than Gallo which is an understandable move). They had earned the best record in the AL over the first half and a great deal of their success was due to the solid starting pitching. That rotation fed off one another and they were, with no exaggeration, the best rotation in the AL for months. Then you decide to trade one of them away? Bad decision. It shook the clubhouse that a guy who had been so effective and so instrumental to the team’s success all season could be shipped out. And the reward they’ve given Cashman since he made the move is 4 straight losses. He shouldn’t need any more proof that he made a poor decision than that.
Call It 5 Straight Losses
After losing out on Castillo to the M’s, Cashman settled for Montas and what did he deliver in his first start for the Yanks? An ugly 3 innings pitched, and 6 runs allowed, including a 3-run jack surrendered to Arenado as he blew the 4-1 lead the lineup gave him.
Look, it’s only 1 outing, and a trade can’t be judged this quickly, but the Yanks included JP Sears in their trade for Montas and lest any of us forget, Sears was awesome during his spot starts for the Yanks. Something tells me he would have done better than what Montas provided.
The lineup woke up and put 9 runs on the board, but it really didn’t matter. They lost 12-9 and played exactly like a team that has lost its confidence as they got broomed out of town by the Cards.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Yes, 5 straight losses are a cause for panic. Cashman has been dealt some humbling blows this week. He didn’t get Castillo, then Castillo came back and smoked his team. He traded away Monty, then Monty came back and smoked his team. He got Montas by trading away another guy that had been effective for him, then Montas pitched terribly in his debut. No question about it, this was a bad week for Brian Cashman.
We’ll all have to wait and see how the decisions he made this week work out in the long run, but for now the results have been damaging. The team is reeling, they’ve lost their confidence, and they need to get back on track. Cashman messed with a winning formula, and Boone hasn’t made great in-game decisions.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Yankees Thought of the Day
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Good teams need to bounce back from adversity. The Yanks now head to Seattle for 3 games against the M’s (including a rematch of Cole-Castillo that ended so embarrassingly for NY a few days ago), then to Boston for 3 against the Red Sox. Jacob Schoeneberger knows it is time to see what this team is really made of now.
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New York Yankees August 1 – 3 Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger
The 36th installment of Jake Schoeneberger’s opinions on the Yankees
After taking 3 of 4 from the Royals, the Yanks welcomed the M’s to town for a 3-game set. The Mariners are firmly in 2nd place in the AL West and very much in Wild Card contention, so they come into the series much improved and hungry for wins.
Here are some thoughts in random order on the series of Yankees baseball from Jacob Schoeneberger:
Cashman was busy before the series even began, getting some big pitching help a day before the trade deadline. The good news was he was able to grab three solid pitchers without sacrificing any of the organization’s top prospects.
First he nabbed Scott Effross from the Cubs, a righty reliever with some nasty stuff. He traded away the number 7 prospect in the organization for him. Effross has some solid numbers this year, boasting a 2.66 ERA and holding opponents to a .220 average. This will definitely help ease the pain of losing King for the season and having to put Castro on the 60-day IL.
Then Cashman made a deal with his old pal Billy Beane to grab Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino from the A’s. The Yanks gave up 4 prospects in the deal, but this really helps soften the burden of having Sevy on the 60-day IL, and it shores up the bullpen even further.
Montas is a hard-throwing starter with a solid 3.19 ERA and he will really solidify a rotation that has felt a bit shaky lately. While Trivino is having a bit of a down year, the Yanks are hoping the change of scenery to a team with a legit shot at a title will invigorate him. He’ll become another piece in an already strong bullpen so hopefully he can embrace whatever role Boone gives him.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Anytime a GM can improve the team without fully sacrificing the future is a big win. Cashman has brought in 4 really good players over the past week and still retains the organization’s top 4 prospects. Plus, there’s 1 more day until the deadline so it’s possible more can happen. Gotta tip your cap to that.
Getting It Done
The team responded to the great work their GM had done during the day by putting together a solid win in the evening. German started on the hill and turned in a decent night, going 5 innings and allowing just 2 runs on 2 hits. Another positive sign that his arm is gaining strength back slowly but surely.
Then Marinaccio bounced back after his ineffective outing the day before by getting all 3 batters he faced in the 6th. Chapman, Loaisiga, and Peralta each threw scoreless innings as well to ensure the victory.
Meanwhile the lineup was slugging away en route to a 7-2 win. Rizzo cranked a 3-run shot in the 1st to get things rolling. That’s his 26th of the year getting him up to 65 RBIs. He’s turning in a really nice 2022 campaign. Then, of course, the Big Man had to get his daily homer. Judge went deep in the 2nd with a 2-run shot bringing his season total to 43 and bringing his RBI total to 93. He’s absolutely unconscious right now and having a monster season, obviously gunning for that Roger Maris record of 61 home runs. Those 61 dingers are the most for any AL player, and obviously the franchise record.
Not to be outdone, the All-Star catcher Trevino belted 2 solo homers himself bringing his total to 9 on the year. What an absolute breath of fresh air Trevino has been after years of watching Sanchez. Which would you rather have? Sanchez who is currently hitting .211 with 10 HRs and 40 RBIs but plays absolutely dreadful defense, or Trevino who is batting .260 with 9 HRs and 32 RBIs and plays outstanding defense? Yeah that’s not a difficult choice.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Always nice to see a team respond with a win after their GM went out and got some great new teammates. Cashman has built a strong team here and he’s improving them before the deadline. Hope they can deliver on all this potential.
More Trades
Before the 2nd game of the series began, Cashman made a couple more trades before the deadline. These were a bit less than ideal. I had no problem with shipping Gallo to the Dodgers, but they got a pretty low-rated prospect in exchange. It’s fine, Gallo needed a change of scenery, and I definitely wish him well. He struggled in NY, but he never barked at reporters, and he never gave the fans any attitude. Gotta respect the guy. Just wish Cashman could have gotten a better return than just the Dodgers’ 15th-ranked prospect though. Let’s be real here, the Dodgers are statistically the best team in baseball as of the trade deadline and we just helped them fill a serious need by giving them a left-handed bat with pop. We could have held out for a better return. Bad trade in my opinion. I think Cashman got caught up in the trap where he knew he had to move Gallo, the Dodgers were willing to take on his salary, so he took a lower ranked player to make it happen.
But I really dislike the other trade of the day. Monty to the Cardinals for Harrison Bader? Say whaaaaaaaaa? Ok let me get this straight. Sevy is sidelined right now with no way of knowing if he’ll be back in top shape (or at all) for the playoffs. You bring in Montas, and then you trade away a consistent lefty arm for an outfielder? Makes no sense. Ok, Bader is a good defensive outfielder with great speed… when he can run! He has plantar fasciitis right now and is in a boot. I guess we have to pray he’ll be ready by playoff time. But apparently Cashman forgot about another centerfielder he once had who suffered from plantar fasciitis. Goes by the name of Ellsbury.
Cashman says this move was all about October success. I get that. And he’ll have some insurance if one of his current outfielders has any issues. But trading a solid, consistent starter for a 4th outfielder just seems duh-umb to me.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: You don’t trade starting pitching for a position player. Starting pitching is the lifeblood of a baseball team. I don’t think Monty has peaked; I believe he’ll get better. And what happens if another Yankees starter goes down? Not a great trade.
What Did Jacob Schoeneberger Just Say About Starting Pitching?
Annnnnd right on cue, Cashman’s starter in the 2nd game of the series laid a big fat egg. Taillon was on the hill, and he was simply not good. He lasted just 4.2 innings, allowing 6 runs, with 2 homers and 4 walks mixed in. Seriously hope Cashman doesn’t wind up regretting trading away a starter at the deadline, I really do. And since Monty and Taillon grew really close this year, it seems pretty obvious his performance was affected by this unexpected and, frankly, ill-advised trade that Cashman dumped on the clubhouse.
The lineup did their best to rally but they fell short in this one 8-6. Trevino knocked his 10th homer, Rizzo his 27th, and Donaldson his 10th as well, but they weren’t enough.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: When you have a winning formula, don’t mess with it. Cashman got cute and at least for one night it blew up in his face. Time will tell how this trade works out, maybe Bader will be instrumental in helping the Yankees succeed in October. Maybe Monty won’t improve in the long-term. Maybe. Doesn’t mean Cashman didn’t break a cardinal (pun intended) rule with this trade.
The rubber game of the series will feature Cole vs. Castillo, a trade piece Cashman wasn’t able to land. The consolation prize of Montas isn’t bad but I think Castillo was preferable in every way.
What Was Jacob Schoeneberger Saying About Starting Pitching?
The rubber match was just absolutely hilarious and couldn’t have gone worse for Cashman if it was written as a Bad News Bears movie plot. After Cashman traded a starter away, Cole went out and stunk up the place for his second straight bad start and allowed 6 runs in the 1st inning on 3 homers. Ridiculous.
Meanwhile, the guy Cashman missed out on, Castillo, took the hill for the M’s and held the Yanks to just 3 runs in 6.2 innings as the Mariners cruised to an easy-peasy 7-3 win and took the series in NY.
The Yanks are still a good team, and Cashman was able to land Montas, who will start in the next series. But the recent starting pitching woes, his inability to land his main target Castillo, and trading away Monty will be the deciding factors for whether this season is a success or a failure for Cashman. No question this is a good Yankees team, but did he get a little too cute at the deadline? Time will tell, but for now there can’t be a single Yankee fan on Earth who’s happy with the final trade he made.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Yankees Thought of the Day
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: The difference between being good and being great for a baseball team is a short memory. The Yanks need to put this stumble behind them and refocus on the big prize. They now head to St. Louis for a 3-game set against the Cards. And boy does Jacob Schoeneberger hope Monty gets a start in that series.
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New York Yankees July 28 – 31 Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger
The 35th installment of Jake Schoeneberger’s opinions on the Yankees
After dropping 2 games against the Mets and looking like they were sleepwalking the whole time, the Yanks welcomed the Royals to the Bronx for a 4-game set.
Here are some thoughts in random order on the series of Yankees baseball:
The Yanks won the 1st game of the series, but they have to count themselves very lucky. It was a pitcher’s duel of epic proportions. Taillon started for the Yanks and gave them 6 strong innings of shutout ball, allowing just 4 hits and striking out 8. He continues to have a really solid year.
Singer started for the Royals and shut the Yanks out over 7 innings allowing just 1 hit and tallying 10 Ks. You have to tip your cap to a performance like that, but this is becoming a trend for the Yankees. The lineup is absolutely asleep right now and they have to get their collective act together soon. Benintendi went 0-4 in his debut, but we’ll expect to see bigger things from him soon.
Marinaccio took over and provided a scoreless 7th and 8th, allowing no hits and striking out 3. Then Holmes threw a scoreless 9th (with 2 Ks), setting the stage for walkoff heroics. They were provided by (who else?) Aaron Judge who cranked a 1-out homer that sent the crowd home happy and created a pretty miraculous win.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: You just don’t expect to win a game where you only have 2 hits. The Yanks mustered just 2 hits on the night, one being a clutch homer. They got this win on the arms of Taillon, Marinaccio, and Holmes who willed a huge win on their shoulders. The lineup really, really needs to wake up. They’re in a midsummer funk and while they’re still lucky to hold an 11.5 lead over the Jays, things can get interesting if you let these funks last too long. And that race for home field between the Yanks and ‘Stros can’t be overlooked either. Houston is right on their tails and if these teams do meet in the playoffs, both would greatly prefer to have home field for that final game.
Hmm, That’s Strange
Cole got the start in the 2nd game of the series, and he stunk royally (pun intended) which is odd because usually he waits until the pressure is on to stink up the place. There was no pressure in this game, but he still decided to turn in 6 innings pitched, allowing 5 runs on 7 hits and blowing a 3-0 lead the team had built for him.
But the lineup rallied and scored 8 runs in the 8th inning to secure an 11-5 victory. Judge continues to be an absolute force of nature as he cranked 2 more home runs (now up to 41 on the year), the first a 2-run shot in the 3rd inning, and the 2nd a grand slam with 2 outs in the 8th. That gave him 6 more RBIs to total 89 for the season. Incredible.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: An 8-run inning is a good way to pick your pitcher up. The lineup had been snoozing a bit so it was great to see a huge offensive outburst to wake them up.
Cruising
The Yanks were clicking on all cylinders in the 3rd game of the series, securing a series win with an 8-2 victory. Nestor got the start and turned in 5 decent innings, allowing just 2 runs on 5 hits with 5 K’s. That’s a solid outing. Then Chapman pitched a scoreless 6th and Schmidt put the game away with 3 scoreless innings of his own.
DJ cranked his 10th homer of the year, Judge hit his 42nd bringing his RBI total to 91, and Carpenter hit his 15th as he continues to enjoy a strong renaissance in NY.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Protecting your house is key to having a successful season. The Yanks absolutely needed to win this series at home against an inferior opponent and they made it happen. That was good news as coming into this series they were stumbling a bit.
Bad Pitching or Bad Managing?
Monty got the start in the final game of the series and didn’t look great. He lasted just 4 innings, giving up 4 runs on 4 hits. Certainly not his best day ever.
But the Yanks rallied after trailing 4-0 and took the lead 6-4 in the 7th on a 3-run blast from Rizzo. Then in the 8th, Marinaccio had some issues. He surrendered a leadoff homer to cut the lead to 6-5, then had to exit as he had runners on 1st and 2nd with only 1 out. Now it became the manager’s decision and I say Boone screwed up.
Boone relieved Marinaccio with Holmes. Mistake in my book. I think you should only use your closer in the 8th during the playoffs or in absolute must-win games. But Boone has been putting him out there in the 8th a lot lately and I hate it. Closers pump themselves up to get out there and get 3 outs and call it a day. Asking them to get a couple outs, then go sit on their butts in the dugout for 15 minutes, then head back to the mound to work again is idiocy. Yet somehow Boone continues to run with the strategy, no matter how many times it fails spectacularly, and this one ended as expected. After getting out of the 8th, Holmes got knocked around in the 9th, giving up a 3-run homer to Perez, and he took the blown save and the loss as the Royals rallied for an 8-6 win.
I’m choosing to give Boone the benefit of the doubt and say maybe he’s just seeing if Holmes can do this 2-inning stuff when it matters in the playoffs. But it still annoys me. He had Luetge to try to finish the 8th, there was no need to ask too much of Holmes and he needs to stop doing that.
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: Let your closer be a closer. Stop trying to make him a multiple inning guy. That just leads to ugly days like what happened today.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Yankees Thought of the Day
If there’s a single Jacob Schoeneberger Baseball Nugget of Wisdom it’s this: You can hit all the right buttons all day, but that one wrong button will cost you. Boone has been hitting the right buttons all year, but he needs to stop messing with his closer.
Next the much-improved Mariners come to the Bronx for a 3-game set. And the Yanks will likely see Castillo who the M’s won the battle and were able to trade for. Still a little time before the trade deadline, hopefully Cashman has another gem up his sleeve to improve this team.
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Jacob Schoeneberger
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Jacob Schoeneberger 