Game 160. Yanks lose, 8-1.

There isn’t much to write about regarding this one. On a lousy weather night for a game, the Yanks only got one run on three hits and lost to Baltimore 8-1.

Michael Pineda was victimized by the HR ball again as Baltimore got 2 in the fourth and 6 in the fifth. The Orioles belted 3 HR in that fifth inning, two off Pineda.

While we root for the Yanks to have success, every year there are players that make you shake your head.

For me, that is Pineda right now. So much talent and potential, so little results.

Sterling and Waldman were mentioning his lack of results on the radio last night.

One thing is for sure, the Yanks need to upgrade their starting pitching for 2017. How, is a good question. The free agent market for starters is weak. It’d have to be via trade, and that will make this off-season very interesting.

The Yanks could go after Chapman on the free agent market. He won’t come cheap. Then they can move Betances to the 8th, and Warren and Clippard can move up, to the sixth and seventh.

But they really need some young pitchers to develop, especially starters.

Green? Cessa? Mitchell? A rookie like Enns, Adams, both high up in the system? How far away are Justus Sheffield and James Kaprielian?

They also need power in the outfield, which is why Gardner or Ellsbury may be dealt. You can’t have three outfielders out there where none can hit 15 HR. The Yanks are finding out that they can have either Gardy or Ells, but not both.

It’ll be an interesting off-season for Brian Cashman.

Pineda (L, 6-12, 4.82) 4 1/3 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 3 walks, 5 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Pazos 2/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 1 walk, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 13.50
Swarzak 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walks, 1 K.5.52
Shreve 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 walks, 1 K. 5.18
Heller 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 1 K. 6.43

Yanks trade Miller, get back Clippard.

I’ll admit, I hate to see Andrew Miller go.

But in the space of a week, the Yanks faced facts—that they were a pretender, not a contender for this year and for the next few years—and decided to look at the future.

And Brian Cashman made it clear that he doesn’t look at the future as a one or two year thing, but wants that future, say, 2020-2034, to be as dominant as say, 1993-2012 was.

The trade with the Cubs brought back the Cubs’ #1 and #7 prospects, Adam Warren, and one other prospect.

The trade of Miller to the Indians brought back their #1 prospect (OF Clint Frazier (YAY! A RIGHTY HITTER to go with Aaron Judge!—they had too many lefties with Williams, Cave, Fowler, Gamel and Rutherford) their #5, and two more.

The Yanks now have one of the best farm systems in the majors. Be patient, this may take a few years, but

Torres, Mateo, Frazier, Sheffield (LHP included in the Miller deal, #5 prospect), Sanchez, Judge, Kaprielian are seven of the top 100 prospects in baseball.

This doesn’t include prospects like:

LHP Dietrich Enns, 11-4 at AA/AAA this year.
RHP Chance Adams, 12-0 between Tampa and Trenton this year.
Pitcher Ian Clarkin, also Jacob Lindgren, Lefty relief pitcher who has had elbow trouble the last two years,
Brian Mitchell, who’s missed this year,
C Luis Torrens ; C Kyle Higashioka (having a great year)
1B Greg Bird; 1B/OF Tyler Austin
INF Tyler Wade
3Bs Miguel Andujar and Mandy Alvarez (Alvarez hit in all of his first 25 minor league games)
OF Blake Rutherford, their 1st round draft pick. .384 in first 24 minor league games.

OF Dustin Fowler. SS Kyle Holder.  SS Wilkerson Garcia.

… and a couple guys they got in the deals, like relief pitcher Ben Heller.

They got Tyler Clippard back for Vincente Campos. Campos was in the Montero for Pineda deal, started out well, but hurt his arm and has been trying to get it back since. Clippard started his MLB career with the Yanks (2007), was traded for Jonathan Albaladejo (bad deal) and became a 2x all-star after the Yanks traded him away. He is 31, was 2-3, 4.30 for Arizona this year, and has a career mark of 44-32, 2.97 with 54 saves. 162 g. average, 6-4, 2.97, 7 saves, ERA+ 135.

And hey, Severino, despite his bad year, is young, just 22.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll give up the next two to three years for 15 years of dominance.

Game 104. Yanks fall back to .500 with 5-3 loss.

I am going to address the deals made today in a separate post.

The Yanks fell back to .500, at 52-52, with a 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay today. A lost weekend, getting swept 3 straight by one of the worst teams in the league. It is the Yanks’ fourth straight loss. To me, it made today’s deals more relevant, and more of a good thing. Getting swept by the Rays made clear the “pretender” and not “contender” label for this year . If there is nothing this year or the next two, build for the future. Build for 2019 and beyond.

All the more reason to follow the minor leagues a lot more closely in the next few years.

And Brian Cashman made clear that he isn’t buiiding a team for a year or two of getting relevant again. He is building to get back an “uberteam”, a team that dominates from say, 2020-2034 like the Yanks dominated from 1993-2012.

In 2034, I’ll be 73 years old. That is what I want before I depart this earth. One more 15-20 year run where the Yanks are top notch. (Of course, if there is another run when I am 80-95 years old, great, but I won’t get greedy).

As for today, Michael Pineda proved why he exasperates us, and why I think he could be trade bait. If he, Nova, and Eovaldi don’t improve on what they are right now, why not trade them? After all, Pineda is now 5-10 with an ERA over 5. As Peggy Lee sang, Is that all there is?

Pineda gave up two in the fourth, one in the fifth on a HR, and after Beltran got the Yanks back in the game with a 2-run HR in the sixth, two more in the sixth.

Beltran’s HR, #22 on the season, was #414 of his career, tying him with Darrell Evans on the all-time list.

Brian McCann got an RBI single in the eighth.

The Yanks struck out 13x. For A-Rod, who PH, it was his fifth consecutive at bat with a strikeout.

I remember when Mike Schmidt retired in the middle of the season, saying he didn’t have it anymore. I remember Willie Mays and Steve Carlton hanging on too long.

Right now, I kind of wish A-Rod would call a press conference and hang it up.

I don’t mean that to be mean.I just don’t want A-Rod embarrassing himself. When it is time, it is time. Four homers short of 700 or not.

Pineda (L, 5-10, 5.13) 6 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 4 walks, 8 K. 1 HR given up.
Severino 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walks, 2 K. 6.69.

Game 103. Yanks fall, 6-3.

The Yanks lost their third straight, 6-3, to the Rays Saturday night. It’s their second straight loss to Tampa Bay, who is one of the worst teams in baseball.

So I have to ask those in the front office who are in “buy” mode (Randy Levine?), what are you looking at?

I am not a fan of Levine for many reasons, one of which was his arrogant answers to some questions the media asked him earlier this season. Some people may harp on Girardi (who, I think has done ok, given some limitations on this team. They should be under .500 this year, as well as should have finished under .500 in 2013 and 2014, but he has kept them afloat) or Cashman, but when I read and hear about what Levine wants to do, that’s where I get upset.

Rumors are that most of the front office was in “sell” mode, but Levine and possibly Hal Steinbrenner, were a bit stubborn in thinking this team still was contenders and should buy. After the two losses to the Rays this weekend, I wonder if they have changed their minds. I also wonder as the clock ticks down on the trade deadline, if it is too late to get something back that you can build around.

They could have sold on Cano and Robertson, instead of losing them to free agency and getting nothing. They shouldn’t repeat those mistakes.

The Yanks need new, good, young players. A new foundation for future success. That comes with selling some assets now that are not part of your future.

Nathan Eovaldi, just like Ivan Nova the night before, gave up a first inning homer to put the Yanks in a hole, 1-0 after one.

The Yanks’ offense once again didn’t do much. Except for a 2-run HR by Brett Gardner (7) in the third (and Eovaldi gave it right back in the bottom of the third by giving up a 2-run HR) and a solo HR (10) by Chase Headley in the eighth, the Yanks’ offense was non-existent—and this was against someone who came into the game 2-11.

Alex Rodriguez got the golden sombrero. 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts.

After Eovaldi coughed up the lead in the bottom of the third by giving up another HR, Anthony Swarzak let the game get away in the seventh, giving up 3 runs, two on a  HR.

The Yanks are now 52-51. Were they some four games better, maybe hit the “buy” button. Instead, look to the future. Sell.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see a deal or two get done today, if they could swing it.

Eovaldi really didn’t pitch too badly, but his inconsistency and tendency to give up the gopher ball hurt him again. 3 hits given up, but 2 HR.

Eovaldi (L, 9-7, 4.78) 6 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 walks, 4 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Swarzak 1 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 5.66. Gave up 1 HR.
Bleier 0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 3. 75. Faced one batter, gave up a hit.
Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 5.59 (combined ERA Cubs/Yanks).

It is what it is. The two losses to the last-place Rays sealed the deal. Sell.

Game 89. Yanks fall, 5-3.

Once again, the Yanks get to .500 only to fall back. Michael Pineda gave up three home runs in a 5-3 loss to Boston Friday night in the first game after the All-Star break. The loss dropped the Yanks to 44-45.

Boston’s Ryan Hanigan hit a solo HR in the third, Travis Shaw a 2-run HR in the fifth, and  Xander Bogaerts a 2-run HR in the sixth to put Boston up 5-0.

The Yanks got three in the sixth on a 2-run bases-loaded single by Carlos Beltran and an RBI groundout by Brian McCann. The first 14 Yankees went down in order, and the Yanks manaaged just four hits.

The game was the first of a tough 10-game homestand in which the Yanks face Boston, Baltimore and San Francisco.It very well may determine the Yanks’ season. There are rumors that there is division in the front office about whether the Yanks should be buyers or sellers. The rumors have Hal Steinbrenner and Randy Levine as buyers but everyone else as wanting to be sellers. Personally, I think they should be sellers.

Pineda (L, 3-9, 5.56) 5+ IP, 5 R, 5 H, 1 walk, 6 K. 3 of the 5 hits given up were HR.
Shreve 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 walks, 0 K. 4.50
Goody 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk, 1 K. 4.70.
Eovaldi 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 5.11
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 2.39

2015 Yankees. Part 3. The Front Office/Manager.

Part 3 of 3.

Manager. I grade Joe Girardi at a B for this year. He took a team most projected at 3rd or 4th place into the wild card game. A lot of pundits had this team at 77-8o wins, meaning first losing year since 1992 and he won 87, about 7-10 more than expected. Girardi is a good manager, and Larry Rothschild a good pitching coach.

That said, I do have issues with Girardi. He isn’t aggressive enough, in my opinion. Maybe it’s the players he has, but he doesn’t play littleball (or Billy Ball, if you will) enough for me. He never bunts, never squeezes home runs, doesn’t hit and run much, and even with Gardner and Ellsbury, didn’t run them much. Too much sit and wait for the big HR instead of making things happen. That I wish would change.

I would also give Cashman a B as well. Some may not like that, thinking that he should have made a big move at the trade deadline. But who do you give up? You have to give to get. I like the fact that he did not give up Bird or Severino, both of whom were needed down the stretch. Maybe he should have dumped Drew for Refsnyder earlier. Ackley, once healthy, proved to be a decent move. Yes, Cervelli did well for Pittsburgh but would he have done as well sitting on the bench most of the time here? Maybe not. Getting Wilson for him turned out OK, and Murphy developed well. The Shreve pickup was a good one for most of the year until Shreve burned out. But he didn’t want to give up the future for the now. Hopefully Cashman, by keeping Refsnyder, Severino, Judge, Sanchez and Mateo will have kept a core that will be the foundation for future Yankees success. We’ll see. But I like that he kept these guys and didn’t do a “Buhner for Phelps” trade like we saw in the late 1980’s / early 1990s

The Front Office. It is far beyond time to recognize that Hal Steinbrenner is not his father. He isn’t just going to throw $$$ at a problem just to throw $$$ at a problem and hope it gets better. He doesn’t spout off to the press like his dad did or make impulsive decisions (like go for a Raul Mondesi). He is more analytical and less impulsive than his dad. Some may not like that he is more stingy. Hal seems to be more inclined to build for the future while his dad was more make things happen now. Time will tell if Hal’s method will pay off with long-term success rather than sacrifice the long-term for a quick fix. I give the front office a B as well.

Don’t expect wholesale changes in the offseason but minor ones. When you are tied into 19 players who have deals in place for next year, there isn’t a lot of flexibility. That will come in 2017 and 2018. That is when we will see if patience regarding Sanchez, Severino, Refsnyder, Judge and Bird will pay off. That is also the time when we see what free agents could replace A-Rod, Teix, Beltran, CC, etc.

Changes could be made on the coaching staff, however. I wasn’t too pleased with the third base coach and feel that Rob Thomson, instead of bench coach, should go back to 3B and Tony Pena should go back to bench coach from 1B coach. Another suggestion? Bring Willie Randolph back to coach, either as 3B coach if you want Thomson as bench coach, as bench coach (since Willie was a former manager himself) or as infield coach. Also, and I know there is a language barrier problem, but consider Matsui as hitting coach. Hideki was a professional hitter. Get him involved more.

Game 145. Rookies lead Yanks, 3-1.

Ok, I wanted Ellsbury benched for a couple games for the rookie Heathcott and Ellsbury did go 2 for 5 tonight (his three outs were all strikeouts) But he did get two hits and hopefully it is the start of a rebound.

The big story tonight is the kids that Cashman refused to trade at the deadline—Severino and Bird.

For the two of them led the Yanks to a 3-1 win tonight over the Rays.

Severino got the win to go to 4-3, 3.12. Bird got an RBI double and solo HR to drive in two of the Yanks’ three runs.

The Yanks struck first. In the second Beltran walked and Bird doubled him in.

The Yanks went up 2-0 in the sixth on an RBI single by Headley after a pair of walks.

The Rays got one in the bottom of the sixth when that joke of a ballpark had a ball hit into or through one of their catwalks and Ellsbury lost track of the ball.

Bird’s seventh HR of the season gave the Yanks an insurance run in the ninth. 3-1 for the final score. The win put the Yanks at 80-65 and kept them 3 back of Toronto in the AL East.

They are 3 1/2 up on Houston (see below) for the first WC spot and five up on the Twins for the second wild card spot.

Their magic # just to get into the play-in game is 13.

Severino (W, 4-3, 3.12) 5 2/3 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 walk and  7 K
Wilson 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 3.17
Betances 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 walks and 1 K. 1.43
Miller (34th save) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 3 K. 1.80.

Tanaka is going Friday for the Yanks, but you wonder what Girardi may have to do to line him up for the wild card game. As of now, Severino is lined up for the WC game & Tanaka for Game 1 of an ALDS (provided the Yanks win the WC game).

If you didn’t see it, Texas has passed Houston in the AL West, meaning the Yanks could see Houston and Dallas Kuechel in a WC game.