If there is a Plan B, that may need to be changed.

Things have been quiet, and I don’t want to get into rumors, but if the Yankees’ off-season strategy is go after Gerrit Cole, but have a Plan B in case Cole rejects the Yankees offer, Plan B probably needs some alteration.

The top two targets for the Yankees, pitching-wise, are Cole and Stephen Strasburg. The Yanks have met with both, but it is expected that Strasburg will go back to Washington. Cole is a different story.

The Yanks have wanted Cole for a long time. They drafted him out of high school but Cole decided to go to UCLA instead. Then, when the Pirates were shopping him, the Yanks wouldn’t meet the Pirates’ demands (Miguel Andujar for one) and Pittsburgh traded Cole to Houston instead.

Apparently the Yanks told Cole that the money is there. It’s up to Cole, a Southern Californian, to decide if he wants New York.

But if the Yanks can’t get Cole (and it appears, for now, that all their eggs are being placed in that basket), or Strasburg, who is or was the Yankees Plan B?

If it was Zack Wheeler, forget it now. Wheeler signed a 5-yr., $118MM deal with the Phillies yesterday.

Cole Hamels reached a 1-yr., $18MM deal with Atlanta.

There are other Plan B’s out there, like Madison Bumgarner, Dallas Keuchel, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Gio Gonzalez, but they aren’t the WOW factor Cole or Strasburg are.

And if these Plan B’s are off the market when Cole decides, and he decides against the Yankees, what then?

Besides the pursuit of Cole, the Yanks also have to see about re-signing or letting go some of their own—Brett Gardner (most likely will be back what with Hicks going to miss most of 2020), Didi Gregorius (most likely gone), Austin Romine and Dellin Betances.

Of course, Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner may look to the trade market. If that is the case, Clint Frazier and/or Andujar could be names (among others) dangled.

Trade deadline. No major move done by the Yanks. Thoughts.

The Yanks did not make a major move at the trade deadline.

They only made a minor one, trading rookie RHP Joe Harvey (1-0, 4.50 in nine games this year for the Yanks) to Colorado for LHP Alfredo Garcia. Per the NY Post: Garcia, 20, has pitched for Single-A Asheville and Boise this season. With the two teams, he’s combined for a 3-10 record and 6.00 ERA in 22 starts.

They apparently were looking at LHP Robbie Ray of Arizona but Arizona wanted OF Clint Frazier, RHP Clarke Schmidt (the Yanks’ #1 draft pick in 2017, who is now pitching at High A Tampa) and two other prospects. The Yanks thought that price was too steep.

Arizona did trade Zack Greinke to Houston (they made other moves as well). Now Houston is really scary with Justin Verlander, Greinke, Gerrit Cole and Wade Miley.

Greinke never would have come to the Yankees. He has a no-trade to the Yanks, and with his problems with depression and anxiety early in his career (2005/2006) NY wouldn’t be right for him at all.

That is the situation at the trade deadline. Some teams are asking too much of you, like the teams that wanted Gleyber Torres for a pitcher that other teams say is an ace but you know they are middle to back end of the rotation caliber. And Torres shouldn’t be going anywhere. He is not even 23 yet, a 2x All-Star, and someone with 20+ HR in both of his seasons in the majors. Torres for Matthew Boyd of Detroit (6-8, 3.94 now, career 28-43, 4.82)? Please. Spare me.

Some players, like Greinke and Madison Bumgarner, have no-trade clauses. Whether Bumgarner would have waived his to go to the Yankees, who knows. But we also don’t know what SF would have wanted for him.

Some teams, like the Mets, won’t deal with the Yankees. I can see that with the Red Sox not dealing with the Yankees, but the Mets are in a different league. But the Mets have the fear of looking bad in a deal with the Yanks, and don’t want the Yanks to “take over the city” or is it “Citi”? LOL. But the Yankeephobia the Mets’ front office has hurts them if they are making trades with other teams and getting less return from them than in what the Yankees would give them for say, Wheeler or Syndegaard—and neither Wheeler or Syndegaard went anywhere.

So the Yankees don’t get a starter that could have helped them. No Minor, Bumgarner, Wheeler, Ray, Stroman, Boyd, Bauer, Roark, Leake, etc. Most, as I stated, don’t fall into the “ace” category.

They didn’t get relief help either. Shane Greene and Mark Melancon (both former Yankees, by the way) both went from their respective teams (Tigers and Giants) to the Braves.

By the way, ex-Yankee (twice) David Robertson, who went to the Phillies last offseason as a free agent, and who has barely pitched this year, is headed for elbow surgery that could include TJ surgery. If TJ (Tommy John) surgery, then he misses ALL of 2020.

So the Yankees have to hope some, or all of the following, get healthy enough to contribute soon: Luis Severino, Jordan Montgomery, Jonathan Loaisiga and Dellin Betances. Loaisiga had a rehab stint (2 innings for AA Trenton last night). The others haven’t pitched yet in a game for any rehab assignment yet.

Either that or some pitchers need to pick up the slack and pitch better than they have so far this season (Happ/Paxton, even Tanaka).

I don’t know if I would call the Yanks’ efforts at the trade deadline here a failure. If you DO want to point any blame for not improving the rotation, I don’t think it is now, but things that happened BEFORE getting to this point.

For example, the free agent market. I didn’t mind bringing back Happ at the time (and that may be a mistake, given what he’s done this year and that he has a couple years left on the contract). But Happ wasn’t my first option. He was a fallback option. I think that the Yanks felt as I did. Getting Patrick Corbin being the top priority, with Happ as a fallback. But Corbin wanted more than the four years that the Yanks were offering, and got six from Washington where he is 9-5, 3.23. The Yanks sure could use that now.

Then there was Gio Gonzalez. The Yanks signed him at the end of spring training to a minor league deal, one that Gonzalez opted out of a few weeks later when it was obvious, at that time, that there was no place in the rotation for him. He is 2-1, 3.48 for Milwaukee right now.

Lastly, Dallas Keuchel. The Yanks wouldn’t go an extra mile to land him, lost him to the Braves, and Keuchel is 3-4, 3.86 right now.

Any of those three would not have cost players, just money. Now the question is why the Yankees were not more proactive towards those three? And that may not be the fault of Cashman, but of Hal Steinbrenner, who, let’s face it, is more frugal than his dad. Hal may have set a certain price that he wouldn’t allow Cashman to exceed, and if a deal then wasn’t made, the blame falls on Hal then, not Cashman.

If there is something to gripe about, I feel as if it isn’t because of what wasn’t done today at the trade deadline, but what wasn’t done BEFORE—namely, Corbin, Gonzalez and/or Keuchel. For those three have/had better potential and results than almost all of what was out there today.

One more thing. I wasn’t too keen this offseason about bringing back CC. He hasn’t been bad this year, but you are getting what you expected you’d get from a guy who just turned 39. Two trips to the injured list. Not much length in his starts. He has not recorded a “W” in more than a month. Yes, having him retire as a Yankee is nice. It’s his final season. But sentiment doesn’t win titles. You think with your head, not your heart.

Being a clubhouse presence and a great teammate is great. But you also have to do it between the lines, and of course, CC isn’t what he used to be.

So we hope now for help from within. Severino, Montgomery, Loaisiga, Betances. Maybe Deivi Garcia, but I doubt it. I’d be surprised. At 20, he probably needs a full season of AAA, so maybe 2021 for him (or late 2020?)

And after this season is over, don’t mess up on the free agent market. For example, Gerrit Cole of Houston, who the Yanks once drafted (he didn’t sign) and later coveted (traded by Pittsburgh to Houston because the Yanks wouldn’t give the Pirates Miguel Andujar) is a free agent after this season. He is 12-5. 2.94 for Houston now. He was 15-5, 2.88 for them last season. He struck out 276 last year and leads the majors with 212 strikeouts right now. Houston is one of your top competitors right now for AL supremacy. You can improve yourself and hurt Houston after this season in one move. Are you listening, Hal? Cash?

 

 

Game 103. Pitching woes continue in Yanks’ 10-5 loss.

For the third straight time, James Paxton gave up a HR to the leadoff hitter.

And this time, that leadoff hitter then proceeded to go deep two MORE times against Paxton.

Mookie Betts hit three HR, all in the FIRST FOUR INNINGS, off of Paxton, to lead Boston to a 10-5 win over the (66-37) Yankees Friday night.

The loss cuts the Yanks’ lead to 8 1/2 over Tampa Bay and 9 over Boston.

Paxton has struggled, while targets like Patrick Corbin, Gio Gonzalez, and Dallas Keuchel are doing Ok elsewhere. Three guys the Yanks could have had (they had Gio, but he opted out when there was no room in the rotation for him).

Also disheartening is when guys like Paxton or Sonny Gray have success elsewhere (and what do you think Gray would tell his former Vanderbilt teammate, Mike Minor of Texas, a trade target, about NY?) come to NY and don’t do well. In Gray’s case, now that he is out of NY, he’s doing well again. You could put J.A. Happ in that category for this year, but to be fair, Happ did pitch well last year for the Yanks before the playoff outing.

Another disheartening thing is not having some players, like Michael Pineda or Nathan Eovaldi, realize their potential while in pinstripes.

You may say, that some guys can’t pitch in NY. True. But when it happens over and over and over again, that pitchers good elsewhere come to NY and have difficulties, when do you start looking at the pitching coach, and not just blame it on NY?

Remember that Larry Rothschild was inherited by Aaron Boone. Boone picked some, not all, of his coaching staff. He inherited the pitching part, Rothschild and bullpen coach Mike Harkey.

If the Yanks don’t turn this abysmal week by the starting pitchers around, they not only could blow their lead (Boston worries me more than Tampa Bay, because the Rays have now lost Snell for a month) and if so, could Rothschild be on the hot seat? The next few months will be very interesting to see how the starting pitching does. Because if it continues to flounder as it has, it won’t be good. Changes would have to be made, and maybe not just the pitchers but also the coach. Maybe this is only a blip. We hope so.

For the first 14 games of July, the Yanks’ starter’s ERA was 2.88. In the last six games, an atrocious 15.61. The Yanks have given up 64 runs in their last six games. 10.66 per game. Amazingly, they won two of those games. No Yankee starter in the last six games has pitched in the fifth inning. None in seven games has pitched in the sixth.

Forget about any of these starters, even when they are going GOOD, pitching in the seventh, eighth or ninth. They just don’t do that.

One worry I have is this. Even if they rebound, and wind up with 100 to 105 wins, who, amongst all the starters in the rotation, do you absolutely trust to start a must-win postseason game? A fair question, I think. None are “old reliable” Andy Pettitte’s, El Duque’s, or David Cone’s.

With this bad stretch, the Yanks’ ERA+, which was about 110 most of the year, has dropped to 104, just 4% above league average. No starter has an ERA less than 4.00.

Tanaka 7-6, 4.79. ERA+ 93 (7 % below league average)
Happ 8-5, 5.23  ERA+ 86
German 12-2, 4.03  ERA+ 111 ( his youth and inexperience are a concern)
Sabathia 5-5, 4.50  ERA+ 99
Paxton 5-6, 4.72  ERA+ 95.

As I mentioned, which of these would you trust to start a must-win playoff game? It’s a huge concern.

One last thing before the game recap. Could it be that Boston sees some guys tipping pitches or has some Yankee pitching been too consistent in their approach? Rumors are that Severino was tipping pitches in Game 3 of the ALDS last year. Boston has pounded Tanaka this year, and Tanaka thought he made good pitches at some points the other night. Did Boston know what was coming? Paul O’Neill on WPIX last night mentioned Boston waiting for hard stuff inside from Paxton, got it, and creamed it.

Paxton’s line is strange. 9 K in 4 IP. But 4 HR given up, 3 to Betts, 7 runs allowed.

If guys ARE tipping, why isn’t the pitching staff seeing it? Remember that Chad Green was straightened out at AAA, not by the major league staff. Once sent down, he worked it out. Also, Jonathan Holder has had to go down. He also, couldn’t work it out at the big league level.

Could there be a problem with the pitching coach? Sorry, Rothschild, but that has to be addressed right now. To stop that, the starting pitching, once again, has to improve, and IMMEDIATELY.

Let’s remember that Gray took some parting shots at Rothschild on the way out to Cincinnati, where Gray is doing well. Could there be something to what Gray said?

And it’s not just Rothschild. Let’s remember that the Yanks lost out on possibly getting Verlander, Cole, Corbin, Keuchel, and Gonzalez, all of whom could certainly be helping right now.  If the Yanks would have just one of those right now…

So something is amiss with their pitching philosophy. Whether it is the coach, or the whole organizational approach of what is coached, who is targeted, what you’ll give up for a stud pitcher…

Anyway you look at it, corrections and improvements are necessary. The Yanks have two more games against Boston this weekend, and after two games against Arizona on Tuesday and Wednesday, have four more against Boston next Friday to Sunday, including a DH on Saturday. If they don’t turn it around, and FAST, Boston could be right back in it. Let’s just say Boston takes 6 of 8 in the games this weekend and next. The lead goes from 11 to 7. If they take 7 of the 8, it’s 5. Sweep and 3. Yankees’ fans don’t want 1978 in reverse. Yes, there is the wild card to fall back on, and that wasn’t there in 1978. We don’t want that. Win the division, avoid the wild card game.

This is the time to bury Boston, not have them rise from the dead. So far, the shovels have been put away. Boston has woken up.

As for making a trade, I am getting really discouraged that that may happen. Teams are asking for Gleyber Torres in any deal. That is a non-starter. The two-time All-Star, who has hit 20 or more HR in both of his MLB seasons, isn’t even 23 yet.

As for the game, Paxton gave up, as noted above, a leadoff HR to Betts, marking the third straight time he gave up a HR to the first batter of the game. He has had (like German) first inning woes all season. Then a single, strikeout and HR (by J.D. Martinez) and it was 3-0 already. After the week the Yanks have had, it was like here we go again.

A HR by Betts and an RBI triple by Martinez made it 5-0 after three innings.

Then Betts hits his THIRD HR of the game to make it 7-0 in the fourth.

The Yanks got a run in the sixth when with two out, they got consecutive singles by Encarnacion, Gregorius and Voit.

Boston got two in the bottom of the sixth to make it 9-1. Betts doubled in one run and scored the other on another double. He was 4 for 5 with 5 RBI—3 HR and a double.

Before the game, Stephen Tarpley was sent down and Cameron Maybin came off the IL. Maybin walked to lead off the seventh, and went to third on a double by Mike Tauchman. Austin Romine singled in one run, and another scored when D.J. LeMahieu GIDP.

Boston got a run in the bottom of the seventh, 10-3.

The Yanks got two in the ninth before succumbing. Tauchman led off the inning with a single, and scored on a double by Romine. A walk to LeMahieu and an error on a ball hit by Judge loaded the bases. But then three consecutive outs ended the game. One out was a SF by Gregorius.

It is hard to win when you are giving up 10 or more runs a game.

Tauchman 3 hits
Romine 3 hits, 2 RBI

Paxton (L, 5-6, 4.72) 4 IP, 7 R, 9 H, 0 W, 9 K. Gave up 4 HR, 3 to Betts. Weird line.
Hale 2 2/3 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 0 W, 0 K.   2.89
Ottavino 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  1.59
Britton 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  2.57

The Yanks really could use a well-pitched, crisp victory right now. They are taking it on the chin right now.

July 27. The trade deadline is just four days away.

Is any pitching help coming from the outside? Or do the Yanks have to keep their fingers crossed that internal options who have been on the IL (Severino, Betances, Montgomery, Loaisiga) will be coming to the rescue?

 

 

 

 

 

Game 24. Yanks comeback to win 6th straight, 6-5.

With all the injuries, the scrubs are somehow finding a way.

Down 5-0 going into the sixth, the Yanks (14-10, 2nd in AL East, 1 1/2 back) came back to win 6-5 for their sixth straight victory. They are playing with some guts and grit.

Before the game, it was announced that Gio Gonzalez, who opted out of his contract with the Yanks, went back to Milwaukee on a one-year deal.’

Chad Green did have an option left. The struggling Green was sent down and Stephen Tarpley was brought back up. Also, the Yanks reactivated Gary Sanchez and sent down Kyle Higashioka.

More disconcerting was that Clint Frazier was out of the lineup again, and was getting an MRI on the ankle he twisted Monday night.

UPDATE: Frazier going on the IL.

Not only that, but Giancarlo Stanton had a setback in his recovery from his biceps injury and needed a cortisone shot in his SHOULDER.

Aargh. We are still looking at a couple of weeks until some of the starters start coming back.

You hope the team can tread water until then, and with this winning streak, they are doing more than that. Give them credit for that. Give Boone credit for holding things together. Things really could have fallen apart.

CC started and got 3 strikeouts to take him to 2997 for his career, but he was off. He gave up a HR to Andrelton Simmons in the first inning. 1-0 Angels.

He then gave up 4 runs in the fourth. Simmons touched him for another HR to make it 2-0.  Kole Calhoun later that inning hit a 3-run HR to make it 5-0.

The Yanks got two back in the sixth. Tyler Wade beat out an infield hit and D.J. LeMahieu doubled him home. 5-1.  Luke Voit singled LeMahieu to third. After two outs, it appeared the Yanks wouldn’t score anymore, but a PB by Angels’ C Jonathan Lucroy (who has made a couple of costly mistakes this series) enabled LeMahieu to score. 5-2 Angels.

The Yanks tied it in the seventh, but could have had more. The Yanks loaded the bases on a walk to Mike Ford, a single by Gio Urshela and a walk to Mike Tauchman. Wade walked to force in a run, 5-3. LeMahieu hit a SF, 5-4. Voit reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Tauchman to tie the game at five.

But then Brett Gardner hit a screaming liner that Mike Trout made a fabulous play on. But in throwing the ball back to the infield, the Angels picked off Tyler Wade with a hidden ball play. Wade can’t do that. You just can’t adjust your feet or come off the bag even for the slightest moment without knowing EXACTLY where that ball is. He was tagged out, inning over.

Wade made up for his gaffe in the ninth. With two outs, he singled and stole second. LeMahieu singled him in for what proved to be the game-winning run.

Kudos to Jonathan Loaisiga for relieving CC and shutting down the Angels to enable the Yanks to come back and win the game.

Not a good first game back for Gary Sanchez, who took the “Golden Sombrero”, 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts.

LeMahieu 2 hits, 3 RBI, GW RBI.
Wade 2 hits, RBI

Sabathia 5 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 6 H, 0 W, 3 K. Gave up 3 HR.  2.40
Loaisiga (W, 1-0, 2.70) 3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Chapman (S, 4) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.  2.70

Game 19. Yanks beat KC, 6-2.

The Yanks (9-10) did get good news on Sanchez and Andujar coming off of the DL soon.

CC was ok and got the win. He needs 3 more wins  for 250 and six more K’s for 3000.

Brett Gardner is only hitting .200 but he is making his hits count. HR #5 made it 2-1 Yankees, who were losing at the time in the bottom of the third after KC scored an unearned run in the top of the inning.

In the fitth, Mike Tauchman HR’d (2) to put the Yanks up 3-1.

KC cut it to 3-2 in the top of the sixth but the Yanks came right back with two runs.

Aaron Judge doubled, Luke Voit walked, and Gleyber Torres singled to load the bases. D.J. LeMahieu hit a SF that Billy Hamilton of KC made a great play on to save it from being a bases-clearing hit. Judge scored, Voit moved to third. Voit scored on a PB when Clint Frazier walked.

Frazier, and also Gleyber Torres, made great defensive plays in the game.

In the seventh, Kyle Higashioka doubled. Tyler Wade (two hits on the night) beat out a bunt single and Higashioka scored when the ball was thrown away. Wade was thrown out trying to go to second.

Sabathia (W, 1-0, 0.00) 5 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 H, 4 W, 5 K.
Cessa (H, 1) 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K.  1.93
Ottavino (H, 3) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.  0.90
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 2.84
Britton 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.  3.24

Gio Gonzalez was supposed to pitch for SWB last night but the game was postponed. He’s only had three outings since the Yanks signed him, and his opt-out is today. He fired his agent, Scott Boras, and is expected to opt out today.

The Yanks did make a depth move. With Bird out a while, the Yanks signed Logan Morrison to a minor league deal with an opt-out date of July 1. Morrison is the guy who, two years ago, criticized Gary Sanchez being in the HR derby instead of himself. Morrison doesn’t hit much for average (.239 career) but does have some pop. Morrison only hit .186-15-39 for the Twins last year (OPS+ 74) but did hit 38 HR for Tampa Bay in 2017. His 162 g. average is .239-23-71, OPS+ 105. He can play 1B/LF/RF. He’ll get $1MM, probably pro-rated, if he makes the majors. He’ll go to extended spring training, then to AAA.

Ex-Yankee Mike Pagliarulo has been fired as Marlins’ hitting coach.

Minor League Report.

AAA: SWB (7-4) won 9-5. 2B Thairo Estrada 2 hits, RBI. 1B Mike Ford 2 hits, 3 RBI. HR.  (.471=5-14). Doing much better than Greg Bird right now. DH Ryan McBroom solo HR. SS Gosuke Katoh 2 hits, RBI. LF Zach Zehner 2 hits. C Kellin Deglan 2 run HR.

Gio Gonzalez 5 IP, 2 R, 8 H, 2 W, 8 K. Interesting call coming up for the Yanks soon.  I really don’t know if he has pitched well enough to be brought up to the big league club yet. Opt out date, April 20.

AA:  Trenton won 10-0 to go to 6-3 on the season. SS Kyle Holder 2 hits, 2 RBI. RF Ben Ruta 3 hits, 3 RBI. C Francisco Diaz 2 hits, RBI. Despite 3 pitchers giving up 6 hits and 8 walks, an ugly shutout. The other team was 0 for 15 w/risp and stranded 13.

High A: Tampa (4-7) won 4-3 DH Dermis Garcia 2 hits, 2 RBI. RF Isiah Gilliam 2 hits, 2 RBI, HR. Rony Garcia 5 shutout IP.

Low A: Charleston (5-6) lost 11-2, getting just 4 hits.

 

Minor League Report. Gio rebounds nicely.

AAA: SWB (3-3) wins 5-1 over Lehigh Valley. Gio Gonzalez, who after the Yanks had signed him to a minor league deal, gave up 13 R, 12 ER in six innings in his first two appearances (one spring training and one AAA game) , put it together last night, pitching six shutout innings, giving up just 3 hits, and striking out 10. He walked one.

DH Mike Ford and SS Thairo Estrada each had 2 hits and an RBI. CF Billy Burns 2 hits.

With Luis Severino shut down, and, it appears, out until late June/early July, Gonzalez could now become an option for the Yankees’ rotation, or even the bullpen.

Another option could be signing free agent Dallas Keuchel.

But both options as far as the rotation goes, would most likely affect Domingo German, who so far, has pitched very well. As far as the bullpen, it most likely would affect Stephen Tarpley.

AA: Trenton (3-2) won 7-2. 2B Wendell Rijo 2-run HR. SS Hoy Jun Park solo HR. DH Rashad Crawford 2 hits. 3B Angel Aguilar 2 hits, 2 RBI. Three bullpen pitchers 5 IP, 0 R, 1 H.

High A: Tampa (2-4) lost 9-8. DH Matt Pita 3 hits, 4 RBI. 1B Dermis Garcia 2 RBI. 3B Oswaldo Cabrera 2 hits. Starter Rony Garcia 5 IP, 1 R, 7 K. End of game bullpen meltdown.

Low A: Charleston (3-3) lost both games of a DH, 17-3, then 8-3.

Game 1: CF Josh Stowers 2 hits. 2B Kyle Gray a 3-run HR.
Luis Medina 2 IP, 10 R, 10 H, 4 W, 3 K. Gave up 3 HR
Rodney Hutchinson 3 2/3 IP, 7 R, 3 H, 4 W, 3 K. Also gave up 3 HR.

Game 2: Got just four hits.
Alex Vizcaino 4 2/3 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 W, 7 K
Aaron McGarity (L) 1 1/3 IP, 6 R, 7 H, 1 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR.