The Yankees took a 2-run lead into the ninth inning last night. In 167 previous instances in postseason play, the Yankees had never blown that lead. Meanwhile Cleveland was 0 for 41 when trailing by two or more entering the ninth in their postseason history.
Unfortunately for the Yankees last night, there is a first time for everything. The Yankees blew a 5-3 lead, giving up three runs in the bottom of the ninth, and lost 6-5. They were ONE STRIKE away from winning the game. They are down two games to one in the series and must win tonight to stay alive. Gerrit Cole will start for the Yankees. The odds aren’t good for the Yanks. The winner of Game 3 in a series that was tied at one each has won the series 72% of the time. The Yanks did beat the odds in 1977.
If Cleveland is to slay the dragon, so to speak, they aren’t doing it by chopping its head off. They are doing it with pinpricks. Little bleeders and dinkers that find a hole. Cue Roberta Flack. They are killing you softly.
The Yanks roster usage and bullpen usage is coming into question. Here is a link
taking you to that. Clay Holmes wasn’t used, much to the surprise of Holmes and teammate Luis Severino. Holmes said he was available. Manager Aaron Boone said he didn’t want to use Holmes back-to-back games because of soreness. Fine good that does you, to have relievers compromised come playoff time. Of course, the Yankees are already shorthanded in the bullpen with King, Green, Marinaccio, Abreu, Britton, Montas (even though he’s a starter), and Effross all down. That lack of bullpen depth is hurting them right now. A 10-inning loss followed by blowing a 2-run ninth inning lead.
With Holmes down, the way Boone handled the bullpen the rest of the game comes into question. See the article. It’s not just Bryan Hoch of mlb asking the questions about Trivino or Loaisiga’s usage. The YES postgame broadcasting team, like Michael Kay and John Flaherty (and, should Boone need to be replaced, Flaherty would be my choice to replace him) asked the same questions.
The article I referenced above also alludes to some communication problems it seems the Yankees have in the clubhouse. If so, there is a major problem with the front office or manager, or BOTH.
In five seasons as Yankees manager, Boone has had two seasons of 100 or more wins and another of 99. Of course, one season was the 60-game Covid shortened season. Success there. But you now have to wonder if he is a “push-button” manager, who can take a team to the playoffs, but can’t go further because he gets outmanaged by a Kevin Cash, Alex Cora or Terry Francona come playoff time. Just my opinion, but I think it is a fair question, and has Brian Cashman run his course?
Put it this way. When your own broadcasting team second guesses you…
The game didn’t start out well. Luis Severino struggled in the first and second innings, giving up a run in both innings and the Yanks were down 2-0 after two innings. They were lucky it wasn’t worse. A couple balls looked like they would leave the yard, but Aaron Judge caught them on the warning track.
In the top of the third, Oswaldo Cabrera doubled, and Aaron Judge later hit a 2-run HR to tie the game. Judge was 0 for 9 with 8 strikeouts before finally coming through.
In the fifth, Harrison Bader singled and one out later, Cabrera homered to put the Yanks up 4-2.
Cleveland got a run in the sixth, all after Severino got the first two outs. Isiah Kiner Falefa’s defense has been shaky this series and I would not be surprised if Oswald Peraza is the Yanks’ starting SS next year. One play to start the rally was ruled a hit, but you wonder if Peraza would have made the play. Heck, you could make a good case that Peraza should be on THIS postseason roster. It could have been worse. A line drive caught by Gleyber Torres was the third out. That would have tied the game. Instead, the Yanks still led 4-3.
Bader, impressive in his short time with the Yanks so far after the trade, homered in the seventh to make it 5-3 Yanks. The Yanks’ runs were on the HR. They only got five hits all game to Cleveland’s 15. Cleveland strung hits. The Yankees did not.
Then to the ninth. Boone wanted to stretch out Wandy Peralta, who had pitched well, and have him close it out. A one-out blooper to left for a double. Just like in Game 2, Cabrera could not get to it. On the postgame show, Paul O’Neill, the Yankees legend, stated that Cabrera is a good fielder, but the converted infielder is great laterally but still has to learn more coming in or out. My question is, with Tim Locastro being a more experienced outfielder, and with more speed than that of Cabrera, should Boone have replaced Cabrera with Locastro for defensive purposes late in Game 2 and Game 3? Could Locastro have made those plays? And what is Aaron Hicks doing on the roster for if you aren’t going to use him for defensive purposes there? Or Marwin Gonzalez? You have to use the WHOLE roster come playoff time, not just have guys on there to fill out the roster. Hicks and Gonzalez are two guys I don’t expect to be on the team in 2023. If your confidence in them is that low where you can’t use an experienced outfielder for a rookie with 9 games of LF experience under his belt (he had 27 in RF), then why are you carrying them?
Steven Kwan, who had three hits in this game and who is killing the Yanks in this series, served a ball to left to move the runner, Myles Straw, to third, and I do mean served. Looked like a tennis backhand. In came Clarke Schmidt, not Holmes. A single to score the runner and make it 5-4. Then, another blooper. Had the infield not been in a shift, it would have been an easy popup to SS. Instead, bases loaded. Schmidt got a strikeout for the second out, then got two strikes on Oscar Gonzalez. But on a 1-2 pitch, Gonzalez singled up the middle for two runs and the ballgame. 6-5, Cleveland.
Judge 2-run HR Bader 2 hits, solo HR. I’d consider leading him off. He’s hot, has speed … Cabrera 2 hits, 2-run HR.
The Yanks in three games, are hitting .172. Of the 11 runs they have scored, 10 are by the HR. Trevino’s SF in Game 1 is the only run not via HR. They have to start stringing hits together.
Severino 5 2/3 IP, 3 R, 8 H, 0 W, 6 K. Settled in after rocky start. Trivino (H) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. Could have been stretched out more? Loaisiga (H) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. See Trivino. Peralta (H) 1 2/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. Two bleeping bleeding bloopers. Schmidt (LOSS, BLOWN SAVE) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Concerning: Severino: 10 postseason games, ERA 5.17. He needs to be dominating. He hasn’t done so.
If the Yanks advance, they will face their nemesis, Houston, in the ALCS. Houston swept Seattle by winning Game 3, 1-0, in 18 innings.
A shocker in the NL. #5 and #6 will meet each other (Padres vs Phillies) for the NL pennant. Gone are 111-win LA, 101-win Atlanta, 101-win Mets. Even the 92-win Cardinals. Instead, it is an 89-win vs an 87-win matchup.
UPDATE: One more thing. Aroldis Chapman gave up HR that sent the Yanks home in 2019 and 2020. This year, his own selfishness may doom the Yanks. It is becoming apparent that losing his closer spot affected him, and that the possibility of being left off the playoff roster made him mope so that he missed a mandatory workout. So that selfishness may wind up costing the Yanks again. He is a free agent. Good riddance. May he never wear a Yankees uniform again, not even to an Old-Timer’s game.
Sorry if this arrives a bit late. I had to get sprung from Facebook (or do I call it Meta now?) prison again, so I couldn’t copy or post anything for a while.
An Aside: Fight for your First Amendment rights. Fight censorship. What they do is B.S. as far as restricting those rights.
The Yanks set their ALDS roster, and there may be a few surprises. First who is on.
Who is not on: LeMahieu, who apparently has a foot fracture, Benintendi, and rookie Oswald Peraza.
As for the pitchers. On: Cole, Cortes, Severino, Taillon, German, Schmidt, Trivino, Loaisiga, Luetge, Peralta, Holmes, Castro.
Not on: Effross (needs TJ surgery), Montas, Chapman (we will get to that in a bit), Marinaccio, Abreu, Britton, King (went down a few months ago), Green (lost at beginning of the year), Weissert.
The Yankees’ bullpen is a concern. Chapman was inconsistent, and not reliable. There was no certainty he would be on the roster. But then, since he wasn’t sure, Chapman blew off a mandatory workout, his excuse was unacceptable, and the Yanks told him to stay home. With Effross’ surprising diagnosis, Chapman would have made the roster. Instead, he is replaced by Castro. Chapman is a free agent, and it is certain he won’t be back with the Yankees. Who would want him after this selfish incident, who knows. But that would be their problem.
GM Brian Cashman’s moves at the trade deadline do not look good. There is nothing he can do about the injuries, but Benintendi, Montas, and Effross aren’t on the ALDS roster, and Bader barely made it after the Yankees had to wait on his injury to heal.
But anyway, the Yankees did take Game 1 of the ALDS (best-of-five) Tuesday night, 4-1.
Gerrit Cole pitched into the seventh and ran into trouble in the third inning. Cole, who gave up 33 HR in the regular season, gave up a one-out HR to Steven Kwan. We’ve seen Cole fall apart when something throws him off, and it appeared that would happen again. Cleveland loaded the bases after Kwan’s HR, and you were afraid they would break things open with a big inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Cole got a force at home. A bad call by the umpire didn’t let Cole get the strike three he wanted, but he held it together and got the strike three a bit later to get out of the inning surrendering only the one run.
In the bottom of the third, Harrison Bader homered for the Yankees to tie the game at one.
In the bottom of the fifth, Josh Donaldson led off the inning by hitting a ball that looked like a HR. It hit the top of the wall and bounced back into play. Donaldson was into his HR trot and got thrown out. Had he been running all the way it would have been an easy double. Lesson: Run them out!
Isiah Kiner-Falefa picked Donaldson up by singling to right, then advancing all the way to third on a 2-base error by RF Oscar Gonzalez. Jose Trevino made Cleveland pay for the error by hitting a SF to put the Yanks up 2-1.
In the sixth, the Yanks got some insurance runs. Aaron Judge led off with a walk and stole second. Judge went to third when catcher Austin Hedge’s throw went for an error. Anthony Rizzo followed with a 2-run HR to make it 4-1, which wound up as the final score.
Rizzo 2-run HR. Donaldson 2 for 2, walk. Bader solo HR.
Cole (WIN) 6 1/3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 W, 8 K. 1 HBP. Gave up 1 HR. Loaisiga (H) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. Peralta (H) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. Holmes 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 HBP.
Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday night, with Nestor Cortes on the mound. Friday is supposed to be another off day. However, the weather forecast is not good and Game 2 could be postponed to Friday, which would mean havoc to the pitching rotation. If you play Game 2 on Thursday, Cole could come back for Game 4 on regular rest on Sunday, with Cortes on 3 days rest for a Game 5.
But if Game 2 is postponed until Friday, Cortes won’t be able to do that. Now if Cole goes in Game 4 you cannot bring Cortes back for Game 5 on two days’ rest. Instead, the Yanks would probably use Cole in Game 4 only if down 2 games to 1, then figure out later who goes in Game 5 (Taillon or German). If the Yanks are UP 2 games to 1, then they save Cole for Game 5 if necessary and go with Taillon or German in Game 4.
Of course, no matter what the weather does, the easiest way to avoid that headache is just to win in a 3-game sweep.
Recently, Tyler Wade, who was picked back up by the Yanks and sent to SWB after being DFA’d by the Angels, declared free agency.
In other game ones, the Phillies held on beat the Braves, 7-6. The Dodgers won Game 1 over the Padres 5-3, and those hated Astros got a 3-run walk off HR by Yordan Alvarez to win 8-7. Seattle blew a 7-3 lead they had after 7.
Former major leaguer Derek Dietrich, who was with the Yankees’ AAA team at SWB (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) was suspended for 80 games (done for season) for violating the rules against using certain stimulants.
AAA: SWB (54-50) won 5-1. SS Oswald Peraza 2 hits #2 prospect .259-15-42, 26 SB RF Michael Beltre 2-run HR (1st in AAA)
Clarke Schmidt (W, 1-0 in AAA) 5 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 0 W, 3 K 3.63 M. Gomez (H, 3) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 5.93 Espinal 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 3.38 Shane Greene 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 2 K. 4.21
AA: Somerset (61-39, won 1st half division title) won 4-2. LF Jeisson Rosario 2 hits. 2B Max Burt 2 hits, RBI
Boyle (W, 8-4) 7 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 0 W, 7 K. 3.75 Ramirez (S, 2) 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 W, 1 K. 1.35
High A: Hudson Valley (53-47) lost both games of a DH. Game 1: lost 8-2. CF Jasson Dominguez 2 hits, 2 RBI. 2-run HR (2) #3 prospect. (Total A/A+ numbers: .264-11-44, 22 SB)
Panacual (L, 2-4) 3 IP, 6 R, 9 H, 2 W, 3 K. Gave up 2 HR. 5.28 Ruegger 2 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. 5.24 Milam 1 IP, 0 R, 0 R, 0 W, 0 K. 9.00 (High A ERA only; started at Low A)
Game 2: Lost 2-0, getting just two hits.
Matt Sauer (L, 5-3) 6 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 W, 5 K. 1 HBP. 3.77 #30 prospect.
Low A: Tampa (48-51) won 5-4 in 10 innings. SS Alexander Vargas 2 hits, 3 RBI. Solo HR (8) #14 prospect .201-8-31, 25 SB 3B Benjamin Cowles 2 hits CF Madison Santos 2 hits, RBI LF Christopher Familia 2 hits.
Messinger 4 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 H, 5 W, 6 K. 1 WP 4.23 van Zijll 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 4 K. 3.10 Dees (H, 3) 2 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 2 W, 2 K. 3.86 Santana (BS, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. 2 WP 1.33 Kohn (W, 3-0) 1 IP 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 6.75
STANDINGS AAA: SWB 54-50 Tied for 4th, 10-team division, IL East, 5 GB
AA: Somerset won the first half-division title, going 44-25. Eastern League Northeast, 6-team division. In the second half, they are 17-14, 3rd, 1 1/2 GB
High A: Hudson Valley was 3rd, 34-32, 9 GB in the first half. 6-team division, SAL North. In the second half they are 19-15, tied for 2nd, 1 1/2 GB
Low A: Tampa was 27-39, 6th and last, in the first half, 15 GB. Fla. State League West. 2nd half: 1st. 21-12, virtual tie, percentage points ahead (.636 to .629)
Aaron Judge can’t do it all himself, although he tried. The rest of the lineup has to help out, and that lineup was compromised on Monday night.
Josh Donaldson joined Joey Gallo and Kyle Higashioka on the Covid list, and D.J. LeMahieu had a day of rest (except for pinch-hitting late in the game) as the Yanks (29-13) lost to Baltimore 6-4. It was their third straight loss. Before the game, David McKay was sent back to SWB. Estevan Florial stayed with the team because of the players lost to the virus, and C Ben Rortvedt was moved to the 60-day IL.
Judge homered in the first to give the Yanks a 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, Aaron Hicks walked, and Estevan Florial reached on a fielder’s choice. Hicks went to third on an error. Jose Trevino then singled to make it 2-0.
Gerrit Cole had one bad inning, but that, and a HR given up later, cost him the game. You hoped the ace would be the stopper after the Yanks lost both games of a doubleheader on Sunday, but it wasn’t to be. Cole gave up four runs in the third inning, and Baltimore was up 4-2.
Judge hit his second homer of the game, #17 for the season, a 2-run blast, that tied the game in the bottom of the fifth, but Cole gave up a HR right away in the top of the sixth, and the Orioles were up 5-4.
Wandy Peralta gave up a run to Baltimore in the ninth, and the Orioles had an insurance run as they won 6-4.
Judge 2 hits, both HR (17) 3 RBI. He had 2 of the Yanks’ 5 hits.
Cole (L, 4-1) 8 IP, 5 R, 7 H, 0 W, 11 K. 1 WP. Gave up 1 HR, 3.31 Peralta 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1.93
When Donaldson is healthy, he faces a one game suspension for his altercation with Tim Anderson of the White Sox on Saturday. Donaldson is appealing.
OF minor league prospect Jake Sanford was released by the New York Yankees yesterday. Here is the NY Post report. (edited)
Following in the footsteps of the infamous Ruben Rivera, another Yankees prospect has been released for allegedly stealing from his teammates. The Yankees cut 2019 third-round pick Jake Sanford last Thursday for allegedly stealing from his minor league teammates and scamming people for money online, The Post confirmed. According to a source, the 24-year-old outfielder was released last week after a team investigation found Sanford had stolen from teammates, including equipment that he would then try to sell online, as first reported by NJ Advance Media. Additionally, a source said Sanford, who played college baseball at Western Kentucky, also accepted money from prospective buyers for the equipment then failed to deliver the products.
Sanford spent last year at A ball, both Low-A Tampa and High-A Hudson Valley. He hit .285-16-61 combined in 101 games.
Yankees’ #10 prospect, Luis Gil, injured his elbow in his start last night for AAA SWB. He called for the trainer and said “I’m done”. Gil has started 7 MLB games for the Yankees, including one this year. We’ll see how bad it is and if he needs TJ surgery.
AAA: SWB (13-24) lost 5-2. CF Estevan Florial 2 hits, solo HR (4). ( #30 prospect .266) 3B Miguel Andujar 2 hits (.310) DH Greg Bird 2 hits (.169)
Gil 4 2/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 3 W, 6 K. Gave up 1 HR. 7.89 #10 prospect. INJURED. SEE ABOVE. M. Gomez (L, 1-2) 2/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.91 Lane 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.29 Marinaccio 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 5 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.70
AA: Somerset (23-11) won 7-6. SS Anthony Volpe 2 hits (#1 prospect, but off to slow start, hitting just .183) RF Elijah Dunham 2 hits, 2 RBI (#27 prospect, .226) DH Josh Breaux 2-run HR (6) (#26 prospect, .195) CF Brandon Lockridge 2 RBI (#18 prospect .236) 1B Chad Bell 2 hits 3B Max Burt 2 hits, solo HR (3)
The purpose of the batting averages above is to emphasize the point I have made that a lot of the Yankees’ top prospects, and even ex-major league players now in the minors, are not hitting so far this year. And it’s not just the ones listed here.
Spence 5 IP, 6 R, 7 H, 1 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR 5.46 Coleman 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 0.00 Ramirez (W, 2-0) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.00 Espinal (S, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.25
High A: Hudson Valley (15-19) lost 5-4. 1B Spencer Henson 2 hits DH Eric Wagaman 2 hits. LF Aaron Palensky 2-run HR (2)
Warren (L, 1-3) 3 2/3 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 5 H, 1 W, 2 K. 3.41 Myatt 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 3 K. 1 WP 1.20 C. Gomez 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 W, 2 K. 0.00
Low A: Tampa (14-20) lost 9-3. SS Alexander Vargas 2 hits, 2 RBI CF Jasson Dominguez 2 hits, RBI. (#3 prospect, .240) DH Anthony Garcia 2 hits.
Castro (L, 0-2) 4 1/3 IP, 7 R, 7 H, 1 W, 6 K. Gave up 1 HR. 1 HBP 4.09 Anderson 1 2/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 2 W, 2 K. 2.50 Messinger 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. 4.26 Watson 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.60
One final note. I haven’t seen any Yankees games on WPIX Channel 11, New York, this year, nor do I see any games scheduled for them. If so, it’s sad a long tradition has ended. Channel 11 and Yankees games go back to before I was even born, and that was a little over 60 years ago. I grew up on Yankees’ games on WPIX Channel 11.
There was no agreement between the owners and the player’s union at the deadline, and the first couple of series for the baseball season have been cancelled. With no talks on the immediate horizon, you wonder how many more games will be cancelled. When will they finally come to an agreement?
What’s your guess? A 140 game season? 120? 100? Will there be a season at all?
Enjoy your minor league games and get a good look at the prospects. It looks like that is all you’ll have for a while.
Jeremy Giambi, brother of Jason, died yesterday at the age of 47. Sadly, reports are that it was a suicide at the home of his parents.
Giambi played for the Royals 1998-1999, A’s (alongside his brother for a while, before Jason came to the Yankees in 2002) 2000-2002, Phillies 2002 and Red Sox 2003.
He had three decent seasons. In 2000, he hit .254-10-50, OPS+ 95 (100 is average). In 2001, it was .283-12-57, OPS+ 124, and in 2002 his combined total was .259-20-45, OPS+ 147. He was a platoon player.
In 2001, in Game 3 of the ALDS, he was the runner tagged out at home plate on the famous Derek Jeter “flip” play. The Yankees, down 0-2 in games at that point, won that game 1-0 and went on to win the AL pennant.
Later, Giambi confessed, along with his brother, for using the “cream and the clear”—steroids—during the BALCO scandal.
So his career stats are (and probably skewed because of the steroid use): 510 games, .263 career average, OPS+ 111. 162 game average .263-17-66. He was a corner OF, 1B. In 9 postseason games, all against the Yankees, he was 7 for 22 (.318) with 1 double, 3 RBI and 1 SB.
Sad ending to a life, and a sad footnote to an iconic baseball play.
The YES network will have a very different look this year (that is, if there IS a season).
For one thing, Ken Singleton has retired. Buck Showalter is now the Mets manager.
David Cone will be doing games not only for YES, but also Sunday nights on ESPN.
Michael Kay will be doing games with A-Rod, kind of like that Manning brothers style that Eli and Peyton do for football.
To help fill in the gap, Carlos Beltran will be doing 36 games.
For Beltran, its redemption for his part in the Astros cheating scandal. That part may hurt him as he comes on the HOF ballot next year. Beltran, according to baseball-reference. com and an elaborate grading scale, is ranked as the 9th greatest CF of all-time. He played for the Royals, Astros, Mets, Giants, Cardinals, Yankees, Rangers and finished up back with the Astros (and the scandal). He hit .279 in his career with over 2700 hits, 435 HR and 312 SB. An OPS+ of 119 (100 is average; 119 means 19% above average).
He was supposed to become the Mets manager, but his involvement in the cheating scandal had him fired before he even managed a game.
I’m all for redemption and giving someone a second chance, as long as the person is contrite. It matches my faith (not to get religious, here, but the comparison is apt). That goes for me in my own life. I make mistakes and ask the Lord to forgive me.
So for Beltran, a chance to redeem himself (much like A-Rod as A-Rod in trying to do with his broadcasts). I get the hunch that Beltran will be more successful, simply because A-Rod is more flamboyant than Beltran, and, it seems, more likely to mess up again (hope he doesn’t).
You have to wonder if this step back into baseball may lead Beltran into the manager’s office. Will some team forgive Beltran and give him the managing job that Beltran was going to have with the Mets?
Aaron Boone just did get an extension. But with Beltran now working for YES, if the Yanks were going to make a move, could Beltran now be on their short list of possible replacements?
All quiet in Yankeeland but some ex-Yankees found new homes.
Darren O’Day==Braves Clint Frazier—Cubs Rougned Odor—Orioles Phil Nevin—now 3B coach for Angels.
Chris Gittens was released and is going to Japan.
With the catching market thin, the Yankees did tender Gary Sanchez a contract. A couple of potential catching targets dried up. Florida traded Jorge Alfaro to San Diego, and Yan Gomes signed a 2 yr, $13MM deal with the Cubs.
Former CYA winner LaMarr Hoyt died at the age of 66. Hoyt won the 1983 CYA with the White Sox, going 24-10, 3.66 ERA+ 115 in leading them to the AL West crown. He also finished 13th in MVP voting that year. He led the majors in wins.
From Wikipedia: He pitched a complete game victory over the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of the 1983 American League Championship Series, giving up only one run on five hits with no walks.
Hoyt had led the league in wins with 19 in 1982 (19-15), but led the majors in losses in 1984, going 13-18. After spending 1979-1984 with the White Sox, Hoyt went to San Diego, where he was 16-8 in 1985, and the All-Star game MVP, but (from Wikipedia, below) Hoyt frittered away his career.
Following the 1985 season, he was arrested twice within a month (between January and February 1986) on drug-possession charges, checking into a rehabilitation program nine days after the second arrest. This prevented him from playing most of spring training. He pitched through an injury to his rotator cuff rather than risk a surgery that could end his career, and he logged an 8–11 won-loss record with a 5.15 ERA.
(This was his last year as a MLB player).
Barely a month after the season ended, Hoyt was arrested again for drug possession when he tried to bring 500 pills through the San Ysidro Port of Entry on the U.S.–Mexico border.[3][10] He was sentenced to 45 days in jail on December 16, 1986, and suspended by then-Commissioner Peter Ueberroth on February 25, 1987. An arbitrator reduced his suspension to sixty days in mid-June and ordered the Padres to reinstate him. Though the Padres still owed Hoyt $3 million under the terms of his contract, the team gave him his unconditional release the following day.[3]
Later career The White Sox gave him a second chance, signing him after his San Diego release and giving him time to get back into shape. A fourth arrest on drug charges in December 1987 ended his return.[11] He was sentenced to one year in federal prison in January 1988.[12] He began to serve his sentence at Federal Correctional Complex, Allenwood,[13] and was transferred to a halfway house in Columbia in July.
Just 31, and just 3 years after his CYA winning season, Hoyt was done. Drugs ruined him.
Hoyt was originally drafted by the Yankees in 1973, and was traded to the White Sox in 1977 with Bob Polinsky, Oscar Gamble and $200,000 for Bucky Dent.
Hoyt was 98-68, 3.99 in his career, ERA+ 99. His 162 g. average was 16-11, 3.99. .
Having DFA’d Tyler Wade a few days ago, the Yankees traded the utilityman to the Angels today for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Since Clint Frazier and Rougned Odor were also DFA’d we will see what happens with them.
Doug Jones, a 5x All-closer closer who saved 303 games in his career, died at the age of 64 due to COVID symptoms. Jones pitched for the Brewers (1982), Indians (1986-1991), Astros (1992-1993), Phillies (1994), Orioles (1995), Cubs (1996), Brewers again (1996-1998), Indians again (1998), and A’s (1999-2000). He got MVP consideration 4x. He went 69-79 in his career with an ERA of 3.30 (ERA+ 129). His 162 game average was 6-6, 24 saves, 3.30.
The 2022 HOF ballot (writers, not Veterans’ committee) is out.
New to the ballot are: A-Rod (should get in on accomplishments, but steroids and the suspension will most surely keep him out). David Ortiz (will get in, but had steroid accusations himself and I wonder about that). Also Mark Teixeira, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Carl Crawford, Jake Peavy, Justin Morneau, Prince Fielder, Joe Nathan, Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Papelbon, and A.J. Pierzynski. Some MVPs in that list, also some Cy Young Award winners, Teixeira over 400 HR but I don’t think any of them make it.
Returning are: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling, all for the last time. Steroids has kept Bonds and Clemens out while Schilling’s political views and outspokenness hasn’t helped his cause. Also back are Scott Rolen, Billy Wagner, Omar Vizquel (recent accusations against him won’t help him), Todd Helton, Gary Sheffield, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Manny Ramirez (steroids won’t help him), Sammy Sosa (steroids), Andy Pettitte (HGH hurts him, too), Mark Buehrle, Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter, and Tim Hudson.
One crowded ballot.
The early baseball ballot has: Bill Dahlen, Lefty O’Doul, Allie Reynolds, George Scales, Vic Harris, Dick Redding, John Donaldson, Buck O’Neil, Bud Fowler and Grant Johnson. This Yankees fan would love the see “Superchief”, Allie Reynolds, get in. As for Dahlen, he is the best SS that is NOT in.
The Golden Days Ballot has: Ken Boyer, Dick Allen, Minnie Minoso, Billy Pierce, Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva, Roger Maris, Maury Wills, Danny Murtaugh and Gil Hodges.
The Sommer Frieze 
