I am not going to write while there is nothing to write about.
A second minor leaguer for the Yankees has come down with the coronavirus.
Opening Day could now be mid-May—or later. So much for the May 9 Yanks/Red Sox game I was going to attend.
We sit, and wait…. and until there is some news, there is nothing to write about.
Take care and be safe, all!
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The latest word from MLB is that we may be looking at mid-May as the earliest date for Opening Day.
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From the NY Post:
MLB issued guidelines Sunday telling clubs to cease any organized informal workouts, further closing down camp activity and, thus, making it more and more obvious that regular-season games will not be played before May — if then.
With this directive, it’ll be hard to keep teams together, and some (most?) Yankees will now be leaving the facility and heading home.
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First the game, then the other MAJOR ramifications.
The Yanks (11-8-2) did beat Washington today, 6-3, to go to 11-8-2 on the spring training schedule.
BUT…. there it will stay for now.
Because of the coronavirus epidemic, the rest of spring training has been cancelled and the regular season has been pushed back two weeks—-AT LEAST. Could be more.
Everything is off right now. The NBA, NHL, XFL… all suspended or cancelled. March Madness for the guys and gals is cancelled.
Schools cancelled. Colleges doing online courses only.
Golf first said that it would go on with no spectators—after all, if there is only two golfers per hole with their caddies, no problem and no one in the next 450 yards, right? But now it looks like that is out, too.
So….nothing.
If you want to look on the bright side of life (cue Monty Python) this actually may help the Yanks regarding injuries/illness like Judge, Sanchez, Stanton and Paxton. But you don’t really want this as the way to help yourselves.
The Yanks did win, 6-3. Tyler Wade had two hits, inc. a 2-run HR. Good. He was struggling.
Diego Castillo had 2 hits.
Loaisiga 3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 3 K. Gave up HR. 2.70
Tropeano (W, 1-1) 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 W, 1 K. 5.19
Hale (H, 1) 3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 6.14. Good job, but enough?
Abreu 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 5.40
So, there won’t be many updates for a while, not until this virus clears up.
Good news: Aaron Judge feels better.
A recent notable passing: Johnny Antonelli, LHP, on Feb. 28, age 89.
Antonelli pitched for the Boston Braves (1948-1950). He only got into four games, all in relief, for the 1948 pennant winning Braves and didn’t appear in the WS.
He then spent two full years (1951 and 1952) in the service during the Korean War.
He then came back to the Braves, now in Milwaukee, for 1953. From 1954-1960 he was with the NY, then SF Giants. He ended his career in 1961 pitching for the Cleveland Indians and finished his career back with the Braves.
He is most notable for being the ace of the 1954 WS Champion NY Giants, for whom he went 21-7 with a major league leading 2.30 ERA. He led the NL in winning percentage that year. He also led the majors with six shutouts and an ERA+ of 178. He was an All-Star that year and finished 3rd in MVP voting (won by his teammate, Willie Mays).
He pitched in two WS games that year, starting one, and was 1-0 with an ERA of 0.84. He gave up 1 run in 10 2/3 IP, striking out 12.
He was an All-Star in five different seasons, and besides his 21 win season in 1954, he won 20 in 1956 and 19 in 1959. He finished 14th in MVP voting in 1956. He led the league in shutouts (4) in 1959.
He was 126-110 in his MLB career, ERA 3.34, ERA+ 116. His 162 game average was 13-12, 3.34.
As a hitter, maybe helped by the short dimensions down the lines at the old Polo Grounds, he wasn’t bad, hitting .178 with 15 career HR.
He was only 18 when he made his MLB debut and only 31 when he pitched in the majors for the final time.
Kendrys Morales has announced his retirement.
He played for the Angels (2006-2010, 2012), Seattle (2013) Twins (2013), Seattle II, (2013), KC Royals, (2015-2016), Toronto (2017-2018), Oakland (2019) and finished his career with the Yankees (2019).
He finished 5th in MVP voting in 2009 with the Angels (.306-34-108, OPS+ 139), who lost the ALCS to the Yankees that season.
He was a member of the 2015 WS Champion Royals, and received MVP consideration. (Finished 18th, got Silver Slugger Award that year). His 162 game average was .265-25-88 for his career, OPS+ 111.
His last 19 games were for the Yankees, going 11 for 62 (.177-1-5), OPS+ just 55.
In postseason play, in 32 games, he hit .224-6-17.
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Team’s brass has “ownership-level approval to offer him a record deal.”
8 yr,. $275 MM? That is my guess. Just under $35 MM a year for 8 years.
Is that the offer? Apparently the Yanks are all in, but what enables all-in?
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