Game 90. Yanks miss chances, fall in 11, 5-4. Fifth loss in last six games.

Last night was frustrating. The Yanks (62-28) lost for the fifth time in their last six games, falling to Boston 5-4 in 11 innings. It was the third straight game, and fourth in the last six games, that went into extra innings. The Yanks AL East lead is now 12 games.

Before the game, Miguel Castro left the clubhouse for an MRI on his pitching shoulder. The Yanks’ bullpen has taken a few hits lately, and the replacements just back from the IL haven’t picked up the slack so far.

Meanwhile, check out my other post on last night’s minor league games. It appears that with Luis Severino going on the IL, that Domingo German will be coming off the IL to take Severino’s rotation spot for a while.

Before I get into the game recap, a bit of a rant. Sorry. But in the real world, if you don’t do your job well, you get fired. Apparently not so with MLB umpires (right, Angel Hernandez?). Manager Aaron Boone got ejected last night for arguing balls and strikes. The reason was the same. Granted he was tossed after arguing a bad call on Matt Carpenter, but the frustration was built up by umpires once again refusing or being too lazy to adjust their strike zone to Aaron Judge’s height. Judge’s strike zone, at 6’7″ is obviously different than that of say, Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s. But no player gets more strikes called on him that are clearly way below his knees than Judge does. Pick one. Is it laziness, stubbornness, incompetence or some combination of the three that makes these umps miss these pitches? And as for the punchout of Aaron Hicks on a check swing to end the game, I don’t believe he went, but think that the umps got tired after an 11-inning game and just wanted to eat their dinner.

One more thing before the recap, and it also deals with someone keeping their job even though he is doing it poorly. Joey Gallo is now 4 for his last 55. .161. Two of those hits were flukes (remember the triple lost in the lights at Fenway?). It’s like everyone else is playing with a DH but the Yanks are still letting the pitcher hit. Enough said. Hal Steinbrenner, Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone, please listen to Yankees’ Universe regarding Gallo. It’s way past time. I don’t want to be negative, but it must be said. You can’t keep acting like the emperor has clothes when it’s clear he is naked.

Now to the game. Yankees’ killer Rafael Devers put Boston on the board right away with a 2-run HR in the first inning, and two batters into the game, Boston was already up 2-0. Boston had second and third, with no one out and could have tacked on more, but Yankees’ starter Jordan Montgomery got out of it.

With one out in the bottom of the third, D.J. LeMahieu singled, and one out after that, Anthony Rizzo walked. Giancarlo Stanton then hit a 3-run HR (24) to put the Yanks up 3-2.

The lead didn’t last long. Christian Vazquez homered for Boston in the top of the fourth to tie the game. In the top of the seventh, Bobby Dalbec homered for Boston off of Aroldis Chapman, and Boston went up 4-3.

The Yanks tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, but here is where things got very frustrating, and the Yanks blew their chances to win. Gleyber Torres led off the bottom of the ninth with a single. Matt Carpenter was HBP. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (IKF) laid down a bunt and Boston’s pitcher tried for a force at third and threw the ball away. Torres scored to tie the game and the Yanks had men on second and third with no one out. Aaron Hicks was intentionally walked to set up a force out. All the Yanks needed was a flyball. I kill for sac flies. But Jose Trevino GIDP, 5-2-3, and D.J. LeMahieu grounded out, and they left that winning run on base.

In the bottom of the tenth, more frustration. Clay Holmes left the bases loaded for Boston in the top of the tenth, and now the Yanks started the bottom of the tenth with the ghost runner at second (for the thousandth time, I hate that rule!). After Judge grounded out, not advancing the runner, and Rizzo was walked to set up a force at any base, Stanton singled to load the bases. Once again, the Yanks couldn’t get the hit or sac fly to win the game, as Torres GIDP.

In the top of the eleventh, Boston had the ghost runner in Xander Bogaerts. A flyout moved Bogaerts to third. A groundout kept him there. But then Yankees’ pitcher Michael King threw a WP, enabling Bogaerts to score what was the winning run.

Frustrating. The Yanks are in a bit of a rut which they need to snap out of.

They were 2 for 15 w/RISP last night.

LeMahieu 3 hits
Stanton 2 hits, 3-run HR (24)
Carpenter 2 hits

Montgomery 6 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 1 W, 4 K. Gave up 2 HR. 3.26
Chapman 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.74
Peralta 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.27
Holmes 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 3 K. 1.31
King (L, 6-2) 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 WP 2.19

Minor League Action from 6-10-22.

AAA: SWB (22-36) won both games of a DH.
Game 1: 3-0.
1B Greg Bird 2 RBI
3B Armando Alvarez 3 for 3, RBI

Brito (W, 1-0 in AAA) 6 1/3 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 1 W, 5 K. 0.79
Weissert (S, 6) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.47

Jhony Brito 24, RHP. Started at AA. Combined record this year AA/AAA: 6-2, 2.03 in 10 starts. Moving up on prospect list?

Game 2: Won 6-4.
CF Estevan Florial 3 hits .296 #29 prospect.
LF Tim Locastro 2 hits, RBI.
2B Derek Dietrich 2 RBI
SS Jose Peraza 2-run HR (3)
1B Ron Guzman solo HR (4)

Nittoli 3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 3 K. 4.57
Zach Greene (W, 5-0) 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 4 K. 4.13
Lane 1 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.08
McClain 1/3 IP, 2 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 2 HBP. 7.56
McKay (S, 1) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.56

AA: Somerset (34-20) lost 9-2.
SS Anthony Volpe 2 hits #1 prospect Struggling at .213
RF Elijah Dunham 2 RBI #26 prospect
DH Jeisson Rosario 2 hits

Spence (L, 2-3) 3 2/3 IP, 6 R, 8 H, 4 W, 4 K. Gave up 2 HR. 1 balk. 5.33
Ramirez 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 2.63
Ernst 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. 2.77
Mujica 2 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. gave up 2 HR. 3.00

High A: Hudson Valley (26-29) lost 4-2.
LF Everson Pereira 2 hits #10 prospect
C Carlos Narvaez 2 hits
RF Pat DeMarco 2 hits

Castano (L, 0-5) 6 2/3 IP, 3 R, 10 H, 1 W, 6 K. 2 HBP. 1 Balk. Gave up 1 HR. 3.35
Myatt 2 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 6 K. 1 WP 1.07

Low A: Tampa (24-31) lost 3-2.
LF Grant Richardson solo HR (2)

Fitts (L, 0-5) 5 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 2 W, 6 K. Gave up 1 HR. 7.12
Holloway 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. 1 HBP 1.69
Milam 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 4 K. 2.81

Yanks game rained out. Split DH on June 2.

The Yankees/Angels game Wednesday night was rained out. A split separate admission DH will be on Thursday at 1 and 7 PM.

Will be away for a while.

Just advance notice I will be on the other side of the country from April 15 to 25 visiting family. It’ll be the first time I see my sister out there since our mom died in July 2020. So I’ll be off of here during that timeframe.

Game 21. Oh Happ-y day, Yanks Ford Tough in 4-2 win.

After a couple of really bad starts to the season, J.A. Happ finally came through, and along with a big night by Mike Ford, the Yanks (15-6) beat Boston 4-2 Sunday night.

With one out in the bottom of the first inning, Gio Urshela singled, then a single by Mike Tauchman, and a two-out single by Ford made it 1-0, Yankees.

In the second, Brett Gardner walked, and with two out, Aaron Hicks doubled to make it 2-0, Yankees.

In the top of the third, a solo HR by Boston cut it to 2-1, Yankees.

The Yanks got it to 4-1 in the bottom of the third on a 2-run HR (2) by Ford.

The Yanks gave up a run in the ninth, held on to win, 4-2. They are 9-0 at home this year and 5-0 vs. Boston.

Tauchman, 2 hits.
Torres 2 hits
Ford 2 hits, 3 RBI, a 2-run HR (2)

Happ (W, 1-1, 6.39) 5 2/3  IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 W, 3 K.  Gave up 1 HR.
Ottavino (H, 2) 2/3  IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K.   1.08
Green (H, 5) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 0.71
Britton (S, 8) 1 IP, 1R, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K.    1.08

Chapman should be back tomorrow.

D.J. to IL. Andujar back up.

Virus forces cancellation of games.

From MLB.com:

Major League Baseball announced that two games scheduled to be played Monday night are postponed due to COVID-19 concerns.

Monday’s games between the Marlins and the Orioles at Marlins Park and the Phillies and the Yankees at Citizens Bank Park have been postponed while MLB conducts additional COVID-19 testing.

“Tonight’s scheduled games between the Miami Marlins and the Baltimore Orioles at Marlins Park and the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees at Citizens Bank Park have been postponed while Major League Baseball conducts additional COVID-19 testing,” the league said in a statement. “The members of the Marlins’ traveling party are self-quarantining in place while awaiting the outcome of those results. Major League Baseball has been coordinating with the Major League Baseball Players Association; the Marlins; the Orioles; the Marlins’ weekend opponent, the Phillies; and Club medical staffs, and will continue to provide updates as appropriate.”

The Phillies-Yankees postponement is out of an abundance of caution, given the Marlins completed a series in Philadelphia over the weekend. The Yankees would have occupied the same clubhouse as the Marlins at the Phillies’ facility.

MLB has been coordinating with the Major League Baseball Players Association, the Marlins, the Orioles, the Phillies and club medical staffs and plan to provide updates when appropriate.

“The health of our players and staff has been and will continue to be our primary focus as we navigate through these unchartered waters,” Marlins CEO Derek Jeter said in a statement. “After a successful Spring 2.0, we have now experienced challenges once we went on the road and left Miami. Postponing tonight’s home opener was the correct decision to ensure we take a collective pause and try to properly grasp the totality of this situation. We have conducted another round of testing for our players and staff, and our team will all remain in Philadelphia pending the results of those tests, which we expect later today. We will provide additional information as soon as it becomes available.”

The 60-game season began on Thursday with two games, with the balance of opening games taking place Friday. After taking two of three at Philly, the Marlins were to return home Monday to host a two-game set with the Orioles before playing two at Baltimore, then three this weekend back home vs. the Nationals.

The Yankees traveled to Philadelphia after completing a series win over the Nationals in Washington D.C. They were scheduled to play two games with the Phillies before returning to Yankee Stadium for a five-game homestand, beginning with two with Philadelphia.

With time on hands, the Yankees should consider additions to Monument Park.

With no ball games being played because of the virus, the Yanks have time to consider a few things.

One thing is maybe adding three more plaques to Monument Park. Not retire the numbers, but add plaques. After all, for these three individuals, the numbers have already been retired for someone else.

First, Bobby Murcer. Murcer briefly wore the numbers 17 and 27 with the Yankees but is most known for wearing the numbers 1 (retired for Billy Martin) and 2 (retired for Derek Jeter). A Yankee briefly in 1965 and 1966, Murcer then spent two years in military service before becoming a full-time regular from 1969-1974. He was a 5x All-Star, 4x with the Yankees. In 1971 he hit .331, had 25 HR and 94 RBI. He led all of MLB in OBP, and the AL in OPS and OPS+. He finished 7th in MVP voting that year.

In 1972, he hit 33 HR, led the AL in runs scored and total bases, and had 96 RBI. Had not some seven games been lost to a strike, he may have topped 100 RBI. He never did it in his career. Murcer, according to baseball-reference.com, was the Yanks’ best player in 1972 according to WAR (Wins above replacement). He finished 5th in MVP voting in 1972.

His career OPS+ was a very solid 124. From 1969-1974 he averaged .285-23-89, OPS+ 136, and that’s even with that 1974 year at Shea that hurt his power.

Murcer finished 9th in MVP voting in 1973 and 21st in 1974 then was traded to the San Francisco Giants for Bobby Bonds. He returned to the Yankees from 1979-1983 and after retirement spent many years as beloved a Yankee broadcaster as he was a player.

Second, Roy White.  White wore 48 and 21 for the Yankees but mostly wore #6 (retired for Joe Torre). He was with the Yankees from 1965-1979, got 2 WS rings and was a 2x All-Star. He was, according to baseball-reference, the Yankees’ best player in 1970 and 1971. He led MLB in games played in 1970 and 1973 (all 162), the AL in plate appearances in 1973 and 1976,  the AL in at bats in 1973, the AL in runs scored in 1976, the AL in walks in 1972, and the AL in sac flies in 1969 and all of MLB in sac flies in 1971. He had a solid 121 OPS+ in his career. When he and Murcer played, it was more a pitcher’s era (hence the DH starting up in 1973) and of course, the alleys and CF at the old Yankee Stadium were huge. White got MVP consideration 4x.

Lastly, Graig Nettles. Second to A-Rod among Yankees’ 3B (some may put him first), the #9 he wore as a Yankee is retired for Roger Maris. Nettles, according to baseball-reference, was the Yanks’ best player in 1976 (Thurman Munson’s MVP year) and 1977 (despite Lyle, Munson, Reggie, Guidry all on that team). He led the AL in SF in 1975 and in HR in 1976, becoming the first Yankee since Roger Maris in 1961 to lead the league in HR. He finished 5th in MVP voting in 1977 and 6th in 1978, won the Gold Glove in both of those seasons, and who can forget his defensive show in Game 3 of the 1978 WS? He was a 6x All-Star (5 with the Yankees), and in his 11 years with the Yankees had a 114 OPS+. He won the ALCS MVP in 1981. He didn’t hit much for average, but his power and defense were key to 2 WS titles, 4 AL pennants and 5 division titles.

Plaques are in Monument Park for Paul O’Neill (#21 still in circulation, although no one wears it), Tino Martinez (#24), Willie Randolph and Mel Stottlemyre (both #30) for example. Numbers not retired, but plaques.

It’s time the Yankees consider three more plaques.

Ex-manager Bobby Winkles (Angels, A’s) passes away at age 90.

Bobby Winkles, who built Arizona State into a powerhouse baseball team in the 1960s and then managed in the majors, died at the age of 90.

Winkles managed the Angels in 1973 and 1974, and the A’s in 1977 and 1978. The only full season was the 1973 Angels.

His record was 170-213, a .444 winning pct., which over 162 games would be 72-90.

Ex-Reliever Ed Farmer dies at 70

Ed Farmer, a reliever who was an All-Star for the 1980 White Sox, died at the age of 70. He broadcast for the White Sox after his playing days were over.

Farmer played for the Indians (1971-1973), Tigers (1973), Phillies (1974), Orioles (1977), Brewers (1978), Rangers (1979), White Sox (1979-1981), Phillies again (1982-1983) and A’s 1983.

He saved 30 games for the 1980 White Sox.

He was 30-43 in his career, 75 saves, ERA 4.30, ERA+ 90. His 162 game average was 5-7.

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Not much happening with the Yankees what with the shutdown due to the coronavirus. Tanaka went back to Japan.

Sorry, but nothing to write about…

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!