Game #47. Judge, Rizzo HR, Higgy redeems self in Yanks’ 6-2 win.

Kyle Higashioka was 0 for 3 with three strikeouts in the game at that point in the top of the ninth inning. In the top of the seventh, with men on second and third and just one out, he had struck out instead of helping the Yanks add on to a 3-2 lead. He had pounded the bat into the bat rack in frustration at that point.

It was time to redeem himself, and he did, hitting a two-run double to ensure the Yankees’ win. The Yanks (3rd in AL East, 27-20, 6 1/2 out) beat Cincinnati 6-2 Friday night.

Aaron Judge, hot as all heck, gave the Yanks an early lead with a solo HR (13) in the first inning, and Anthony Rizzo upped that lead to 3-0 with a 2-run HR (10) in the top of the sixth.

In the middle of the game, the Yanks got a scare. Already playing one man short because of the suspension of Domingo German, Clarke Schmidt caused a controversy by being checked out by the umpires. It turned out he was ok with the amount of rosin on his hand, but that the fuzz from inside of his glove was sticking to and making a black mark on this non-pitching hand. He was told to wash it off, and he complied. All good. But Cincy manager David Bell thought that Schmidt deserved the German treatment (which REALLY would have screwed up the Yankees), argued too long about it, and got ejected.

Anyway, Schmidt then ran into trouble in the sixth, giving up a single and double. Jimmy Cordero came in for Schmidt and gave up a two-run double to make the score 3-2. He walked the next batter while there was an SB. So first and third, 3-2 game but Cordero escaped without any more runs scoring.

Then came the ninth and Higgy’s redemption. Gleyber Torres walked, and two outs later, Oswaldo Cabrera walked. Higgy then doubled both runners home to give the Yanks a 5-2 cushion. After a walk to D.J. LeMahieu, Harrison Bader gave the Yanks more insurance with an RBI single. 6-2.

After the game, it was announced that the Yanks traded a minor league pitcher to Boston for OF Greg Allen and cash considerations. Allen, 30, was previously with the Yanks for 15 games in 2021. He has played for Cleveland (2017-2020), San Diego (2020), the Yankees (2021) and the Pirates (2022). He hasn’t played in the majors this season yet, but is expected to join the team in Cincy. We will see what the corresponding moves will be. The switch-hitter can play all three OF positions. He is just a .232 career hitter with an OPS+ of just 71 and I don’t like his BB/K ratio, but he is best for his speed (45 of 53 in his career in SB) and defense.

In return for Allen, the Yanks gave up minor league P Diego Hernandez, who is just 18 and who was 4-2, 2.10 in the Dominican Summer League last year in 12 games, five of them starts.


Judge solo HR (13)
Rizzo 2 hits, 2 RBI. 2-run HR (10)
Higashioka 2 RBI

Schmidt (W, 2-4) 5+ IP, 2 R, 5 H, 2 W, 6 K 6.00
J. Cordero (H, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 2.25
Abreu (H, 3) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 4.50
Peralta (H, 4) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.04
Ramirez 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K 2.45

A different year for trainers and transactions.

One person who gets overlooked is the team’s trainer. We were used to seeing Gene Monahan as the team’s trainer for many years, as well as Steve Donahue.

Their everyday work, from spring training through the end of the year, is necessary, important, and often overlooked.

This year is so much different for them. It’s one thing to deal with a player with a stiff neck, like Kyle Higashioka and Aaron Judge have had, forcing them from some intrasquad games.

It’s another thing to deal with players with or coming back from coronavirus, such as D.J. LeMahieu, Luis Cessa and now Aroldis Chapman.

The transactions sheet sure looks different. Just like with an injury, you don’t know who will show up on it next. Injuries aren’t contagious, but viruses are.

That transaction sheet can also change based on someone’s whim. Many players, including All-Stars or former All-Stars, like Felix Hernandez, Ryan Zimmerman and Buster Posey, have opted not to play this season because of personal, and often family, concerns.

It’s going to be one very different and trying year. It has been already. You wonder if they can get through it.

 

Tanaka struck in head by liner; DJ, Cessa Covid positive; players opt out of 2020

Masahiro Tanaka was struck in the head by a line drive off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton yesterday and luckily a CT scan turned out negative. He was released from the hospital but will undergo concussion protocol. A scary moment.

It was during a simulated game, so no protective screen in front of him. After this happened, a screen was then put up. I was wondering why no screen.

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D.J. LeMahieu and Luis Cessa will be quarantined. Both are Covid positive.

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If there is a season, it still stands to reason what kind of season it may be. No fans in the stands, 60 game season, some special rules….and also, some big-time players are refusing to play due to health concerns with the virus. Ryan Zimmerman, David Price and Felix Hernandez are among those opting out, and Mike Trout may join them.

ALCS Game 4. Yanks pushed to the brink after 8-3 loss. CC ends career by getting hurt.

It can’t be looking worse. An 8-3 loss to the Astros puts the Yanks down three games to one in the ALCS, and the Yanks are looking at Justin Verlander tonight, and if the series continues, Gerrit Cole later, and the Astros can afford to save Cole for a possible Game 7.

Besides giving up the eight runs, the Yanks’ bats were quiet for the most part again, as they blew a couple of chances. Twice they loaded the bases, only to come away with one run total.

In the bottom of the first, D.J. LeMahieu walked, was forced at second by Aaron Judge, but then Aaron Hicks blooped a single and after Gleyber Torres popped out, and a double steal was executed, both Edwin Encarnacion and Brett Gardner walked, Gardner’s walk forcing in a run. But the struggling Gary Sanchez struck out.

The Yanks really could have dropped the hammer there. They let the Astros off the hook.

Masahiro Tanaka gave up a 3-run HR to George Springer in the third inning, giving the Astros a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

The fifth inning was a killer, as the Yanks loaded the bases with one out. You thought here’s where they get back in the game, but Gleyber Torres and the slumping Edwin Encarnacion both struck out.  Torres has carried the team, but this was one occasion where he couldn’t do it.

Things unraveled in the sixth. Normally sure-handed Gold Glover D.J. LeMahieu made an error, the first of four (2 by LeMahieu, 2 by Torres) by the Yanks on the night. That ended Tanaka’s night and brought in Chad Green. An out later, a single, then a 3-run HR by Carlos Correa made it 6-1 Houston and the game, for all intensive purposes, was over.

Gary Sanchez finally woke up, hitting a 2-run HR in the bottom of the sixth to cut it to 6-3. LeMahieu later doubled with two out, but Aaron Judge struck out to end the inning, so the Yanks could not get closer.

I’ve disagreed with Boone’s decisions to keep going back to the struggling Sanchez and also Adam Ottavino. As Joe Torre said, he was advised by Don Zimmer that you can’t have patience in the offseason. Time is too short. Boone, in this series, basically has chosen to sink or swim with those guys (Encarnacion, too, and I’ll get to that in a bit) and it looks like the answer is sink. Ottavino came in for the eighth, and gave up a double right away. Then things got sloppy. LeMahieu, so good with the glove, made his second error of the game to put runners on first and third with one out. In came CC.

Torres then made an error, making it 7-3. A lineout and HBP loaded the bases. CC got another lineout, runners holding, but then had to leave the game with a sore shoulder. Even if the Yanks can come back in this series, win it, and go to the World Series, CC’s career is over. He’ll be replaced on the roster, perhaps by Stephen Tarpley or Jordan Montgomery. Jonathan Loaisiga got a strikeout to get out of the inning.

More sloppiness in the ninth. Torres made his second error of the night, a 2-base error, then a WP and a single made it 8-3 Astros. There was another WP and a walk, but no further damage.

The “savages” have turned tame. The Yanks only had five hits in the game.

The Yanks (.204) are actually out-hitting Houston (.182) in the series, but Houston is getting key hits and the Yanks are not.

Correa is 3 for 17 with 7 strikeouts, but had the GW HR in Game 2 and a 3-run shot last nght. Springer is just 2 for 17 with seven strikeouts but both are homers, the game-tying HR in Game 2 and a 3-run HR last night.

Meanwhile the Yanks were 0 for 7 w/RISP last night.

The late Bill Gallo of the NY Daily News used to draw cartoons, and in big series like this, had the hero with a halo over his head, and the goat with the goat horns.

Encarnacion, 1 for 15 in this series. It could be his last games as a Yankee, as I expect the Yanks not to p/u the $20MM option but buy him out at $5MM instead.

Brett Gardner is 2 for 15. Didi Gregorius 2 for 16. Gary Sanchez 2 for 17. Gio Urshela 2 for 15.

If Stanton can’t play, and he hasn’t, then I do have to question the Yanks’ decision to keep him on the roster and not replace him. If, as Boone states, he can PH, then why can’t he DH instead of the slumping Encarnacion? If he can’t do that, then why is he on the roster? Replacing Stanton with say, Luke Voit or Mike Ford would enable the Yanks to bench the slumping Encarnacion, and get someone off the roster who can’t play anyway.

Also, the decision to stick with Sanchez and not give Romine a game (he couldn’t be worse than Sanchez’ 2 for 17) may come back to haunt them.

There are some decisions made in this series, like the ones I mentioned above and in the last few days) (Stanton/Encarnacion/Ottavino/Sanchez) that it appears the Yanks will rue all offseason.

One thing also appears evident. The Yanks starters are decent, but not elite. That’s the difference between them and say, Houston or Washington.

As good of a bullpen as the Yanks have, consider this. Your best pitchers generally either start or are your closer. The last pitchers on your team are generally the middle relief guys. John Smoltz made a good point in the telecast. You really would like to have your starter go a long way and just hand the ball to the closer. No middleman. Maybe one. But not a bunch of them. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Of all the teams in the playoffs, Washington is in the WS, and had two guys with 200 IP this year. Houston has three starters who went 200 IP or more.

The Yanks haven’t had a starter give 200 IP in a season since 2013 (CC, who had a bad year that year with a 4.78 ERA, and Kuroda, who pitched well that year but had tough luck and no run support).

The Yanks need their starters to give more length, and especially in the postseason. They could really use an ace. An “A” pitcher to go along with a lot of “B” starters they currently have. That would help put them over the top instead of doing what they have the past few years—win 100 or more but come up short to a team that won 106 or more.

Of course, Domingo German, and what he did, didn’t help the Yanks, but that’s another story.

More clutch hitting would also help. The Yanks had 5 hits, and 7 walks, but …  the Yanks struck out 13x.

LeMahieu 2 hits (of the Yanks’ 5). Of course. But uncharacteristically, 2 errors.
Torres 0 for 5, 2 strikeouts, 2 errors. After carrying them so far, a bad game.

Tanaka (LOSS) 5 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Green 1 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Ottavino 0 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 W, 0 K. Once again, couldn’t get an out. An error hurt.
Sabathia 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 HBP.  Last outing of his career.
Loaisiga 2/3 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Lyons 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.

The Yanks aren’t done, but they are close, unfortunately. If they can come back from 3-1 down, and in doing so, beat Verlander and Cole, it’ll be one of the great comebacks ever, and maybe it will wash away some of that bad taste still left from 2004.

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Passings: One -time Yankee (briefly, 20 games) Bobby Del Greco. 86. OF. Pittsburgh (1952, 1956), Cardinals (1956), Cubs 1957,  Yankees 1957-1958, Phillies 1960-1961, KC A’s 1961-1963 and Phillies again 1965. Hit .229, 42 career HR, OPS+ 85. 162 game average .229-9-37.

Jackie Hernandez, 79. Platooned at SS for the 1971 WS Champion Pirates. Angels 1965-1966. Twins 1967-1968. KC Royals 1969-1970. Pittsburgh Pirates 1971-1973. Hit .206-3-26 for 1971 Pirates (WS Champs), and .188-1-14 for 1972 Pirates (NL East champs). 162 game average .208=3-32, OPS+ 49. 7 for 31, 2 RBI in 11 postseason games.

 

 

 

 

Game 141. Judge and Torres HRs carry Yanks, 4-1. Magic #12.

Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres homered, and the Yanks used an “opener” and six pitchers to defeat Texas 4-1 Wednesday night.

With the win, the Yankees (92-49) have a 10 game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East. The magic # for clinching the division outright (no tiebreakers) is 12. They have a two-game lead over Houston for the best record in the AL (Houston owns tiebreaker) and a 1/2 game lead over the Dodgers for the best record in baseball (Yankees own tiebreaker).

Judge got the scoring started with a 2-run HR (20) in the third inning.

Torres hit a solo HR (34) in the fourth to make it 3-0, Yankees.

In the sixth, Mike Tauchman walked and scored on a double by Austin Romine. 4-0.

Texas got a HR on a Rougned Odor HR in the ninth to spoil the shutout.

Judge 2-run HR (20)
Torres solo HR (34)
Romine 2 hits, RBI.

Green 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 4 K.  4.84
Cessa (W, 2-1, 3.82) 3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 3 K.
Ottavino (H, 28) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  1.66
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K.  3.11
Britton 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K.   2.11
Gearrin 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K.  Gave up 1 HR.  4.18

Green’s overall ERA isn’t impressive, but he had that terrible start to the season and was sent to AAA with an ERA of 16.43. Since coming back, his ERA is 3.06. Now THAT is impressive.

There is a report that the Yanks almost made a deal at the trade deadline for Ken Giles of Toronto. It would have required three unnamed prospects.

Thinking how much I would like the Yanks to break the bank for Gerrit Cole and have a rotation next year of Cole, Severino, Paxton, Tanaka and Happ. That is, if Happ can’t be dealt.

In AAA, you could have Montgomery (if Happ isn’t dealt), Loaisiga, Deivi Garcia and Michael King (granted all are healthy). That’s an impressive AAA rotation of guys “on the ready.”

From MLBTR.com:

The Yankees have signed left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe to a minor league contract for a second time, Conor Foley of the Scranton Times-Tribune reports (via Twitter). New York brought Coulombe into the fold on a minor league pact last winter but gave him his release from the organization on July 1. Coulombe signed with the Brewers a couple of weeks later but opted out of that deal late last month and is now returning to the Yanks.

also from MLBTR/com:

The Yankees have released veteran right-hander David Hernandez, per an announcement from their Triple-A affiliate in Scranton (h/t: Conor Foley of the Scranton Times-Tribune, on Twitter).

The 34-year-old Hernandez had signed with New York on a minor league pact back on Aug. 15 after a disastrous season with the Reds, but he didn’t fare much better in his brief time with his new organization

 

One notable passing: Clint Conatser, a backup OF for the Boston Braves of 1948 and 1949, died at the age of 98. He played in the 1948 WS for the Braves. Since the Braves last played in Boston in 1952, I wonder how many Boston Braves players are still alive?

Also, I wonder how far back you can go to still find a living WS participant. I think the answer could be Dr. Bobby Brown, who is still alive at 94 and who played in the 1947 WS for the Yankees.

Minor League Report. Voit on Rehab, SWB at Lehigh Valley.

AAA: SWB (70-60) won 11-4 at Lehigh Valley. 1B Luke Voit started rehab games, 0 for 3 with a walk, scored a run. 2B Wendell Rijo 2 hits, RBI. SS Breyvic Valera (.319) 2 hits, 3 RBI, 3-run HR.  RF Trey Amburgey 2 hits. 2 hits, RBI 2B/1B Gosuke Katoh. 3B Mandy Alvarez 2 hits, 3 RBI.

Adonis Rosa (6-0, 3.51) 5 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 0 W, 5 K. Gave up 2 HR, all runs in first inning.

Recent signings David Hernandez and Ryan Dull each pitched a scoreless inning of relief, Hernandez striking out the side.

AA: Trenton (71-58) won 4-2. CF Rashad Crawford 2 hits, RBI. Trenton pitchers combined to strike out 14.

Abreu 3 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 2 W, 3 K.  4.07
Reeves 3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 W, 5 K.  1.86
Lane (W, 4-2, 2.13) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W 3 K.
Bristo (S, 1) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K.  3.38

High A: Tampa (60-68) lost both games of a doubleheader.

Regularly scheduled game: Lost 7-1, getting just 3 hits, 2 by 3B Oswaldo Cabrera.

Makeup of 8/1 postponement: Lost 6-1. Cabrera, 3B, 2 more hits.

Low A: Charleston (67-63) lost 4-2. RF Josh Stowers 4 for 4, 2 RBI.

These regular seasons will be coming to an end very soon.

Minor League Report. Late inning blues in AAA, High A, Low A. SWB continues slumping; Garcia dominant but wild.

AAA: SWB (65-59) continues to slump, blowing leads in both the 10th and 11th innings to lose 8-7. They scored in the top of the tenth only to give it back in the bottom of the inning. They then scored twice in the top of the eleventh only to give back three.

DH Clint Frazier 2 hits, RBI. 39-year-old C Erik Kratz 2 HR, 3 RBI. 1B Ryan McBroom 2-run HR in the 11th. 3B Mandy Alvarez 2 hits.

Ben Heller back off of IL. Opener. 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  0.00 for AAA.

Deivi Garcia replaced him 5 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 5 W, 7 K.  5.01 at AAA.

Garcia’s total numbers this season (A+/AA/AAA): 5-9, 4.08 but 154 K in 102 2/3 IP (13.5 K/9). 51 walks. Get the walks down a little.  (4.47/9).

Not doing well were recently acquired David Hernandez (2/3 IP, 3 R) and Brady Lail, who recently made his MLB debut, then was DFA’d then reassigned to AAA. Lail lost the game, giving up 3 R, 2 ER, in 1/3 IP.

AA: Trenton (67-56) lost 7-1 to Reading, getting just 3 hits, 2 by RF Ben Ruta. C Brian Navaretto solo HR.

High A: Tampa (56-65) split two games.

Completion of suspended game from Friday: Won 6-1.  CF Estevan Florial 2 hits, solo HR. 2 hits, 2 RBI, 2-run HR for SS Diego Castillo. 1B Steven Sensley solo HR.  A 3-hitter with 16K.

Frank German 3 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 7 K.  3.78
Otto (W, 2-2, 2.31) 4 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 4 W, 7 K.
Wivinis 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K.  2.91

Lost the regularly scheduled game, 5-3, giving up 2 in the bottom of the seventh (with the suspended game, the regular game is only 7 innings). CF Florial 2 hits. 3B Oswaldo Cabrera 2 hits, 3 RBI, 3-run HR.

Low A: Charleston (64-61) gave up 2 in the bottom of the ninth and lost 6-5. SS Oswald Peraza 3 hits, RBI. Solo HR. LF Canaan Smith 2 hits (.309). DH Josh Breaux 2 RBI. RF Frederick Cuevas 3 hits.

Standings:

SWB has blown a big lead. Their lead in the IL North is down to one game over Buffalo, 2 over Syracuse, 3 over Rochester and 4 1/2 over Lehigh Valley. They have lost six in a row and 10 of their last 11.

Trenton won the first half Eastern League East with 38-28 record so they are guaranteed a playoff spot. They are in second, 4 back, at 29-28, in the second half.

Tampa is 28-27, 2 games out, in the second half. They finished the first half 28-38, 13 1/2 out and in fifth place in the FSL North.

Charleston is tied for 3rd, 27-28, 5 out in the SAL South. They were 3rd, 37-33, just a 1/2 game out, in the first half.

Game 123. Ugh. Yanks get hammered, lose 19-5.

Now the Yanks (81-42) know how Baltimore felt. They lost to Cleveland, 19-5, giving up seven homers in doing so. The lead in the AL East got cut to 9 1/2 over the Rays, and the magic # remains at 31. They still lead Houston by 2 1/2 for best record in the AL, and are tied with the Dodgers for best record in baseball.

When you have 162 games, you will have a game where you win like this, but one where you’ll lose like this.

The opener, Chad Green, didn’t open very well.

One out, five runs. Back-to-back HR. Grand slam and solo HR. Six batters into the game, the Yanks were down 5-0 and they didn’t even come to bat yet.

Ugh.

Jonathan Loaisiga came in. He had spent half the season on the IL. He got an out, but then gave up a hit then a HR. 7-0, and the Yanks didn’t come to bat yet. Double Ugh.

Loaisiga has electric stuff, but hasn’t channeled it at the MLB level yet. Injuries have also set him back.

The Yanks tried to come back in the bottom of the first. D.J. LeMahieu singled, Aaron Judge was called out on strikes, then Didi Gregorius and Gio Urshela each singled, Urshela driving in D.J. 7-1.  But they left the bases loaded. A couple hard-hit outs, but no luck. At least they got one back, but still, a long row to hoe, and a deficit they couldn’t overcome.

And that deficit grew larger.

Loaisiga gave up a 2-run HR in the second to Jose Ramirez, who had hit the grand slam in the first, and it was 9-1. Triple ugh.

As I was saying about Loaisiga. He strikes out the side in the second, showing his potential, but between coming in in the first inning and getting the three outs in the second, he gave up 2 HR before getting five outs. He needs consistency. Goes 2 2/3, gets 4 K, but gave up 4 R on 2 HR.

24, so hopefully he learns.

Chance Adams came in and wasn’t better. Adams had a couple nice seasons in the minors (28-6, 2.39 combined 2016-2017) a few years ago, but has regressed. In AAA for 2018-2019 he’s 8-8, about 4.60 and in 11 MLB games, he is 1-1, 7.36. He gave up five runs, including a HR. Adams just turned 25. We’ll see how he progresses or regresses.

The Yanks will have to make key decisions soon on both Loaisiga and Adams. Are either part of the future?

Things got so bad that 1B/DH Mike Ford had to pitch in order to save the bullpen. He gave up five runs in the eighth. He gave up 2 HR that inning. At that point it didn’t matter whether you lost 14-2, 19-2, 19-5, whatever. It still counts as just one loss, no matter what the margin of defeat was.

Aaron Judge is in an awful slump. He went 0 for 5 with 4 strikeouts and is down to .257. You wonder about that oblique.

The Yanks got solo homers from Didi Gregorius in the fifth that made it 12-2, Gary Sanchez in the sixth that made it 12-3, and Gleyber Torres in the eighth for the final run of the game.

LeMahieu 2 hits, .338
Gregorius 3 hits, solo HR (10)
Urshela 2 hits, 2 RBI .337
Sanchez solo HR (27)
Torres solo HR (27)

Close your eyes. These will be ugly.

Green (L, 2-4, 5.59)  1/3 IP, 5 R, 4 H, 1 W, 1 K.  Gave up 2 HR
Loaisiga 2 2/3 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 0 W, 4 K.   5.94        Gave up 2 HR
Adams    3 2/3 IP, 5 R, 10 H, 3 W, 2 K. 7.48        Gave up 1 HR
Cortes, Jr. 1/3 IP,  0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.   4.41
Ford           2 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 0 W, 1 K.      22.50       Gave up 2 HR.

The Yanks signed David Hernandez after he was released by the Reds to a minor league deal. Hernandez, RHP, 34, has had a bad 2019 (2-5, 8.02 for the Reds in 47 games), and is 38-47, 4.12 (ERA+ 103) in his MLB career. He has spent time with Baltimore (2009-2010), Arizona (2011-2013, 2015), Philadelphia (2016) the Dodgers (2017) Arizona II (2017) and Cincinnati (2018-2019). It’s a flyer. He was 5-2, 2.53 for the Reds in 2018.

 

 

 

 

Game 60. Bullpen implodes in 11-7 Yanks’ loss.

A couple of notes before the game recap.

How is Angel Hernandez still a MLB umpire? Some calls he missed on Tuesday night were atrocious, and he’s consistently rated or graded as one of, if not the worst ump in MLB. One pitch Tuesday night that he called a ball was so clearly a strike (Tanaka grimaced and Sanchez turned around) and then the next pitch was a gopher ball.

The Yanks took a flyer and used one of their late draft picks to take Jack Leiter, RHP, son of Al Leiter (and nephew of Mark Sr. and cousin of Mark Jr.). Leiter has 1st round stuff, but has committed to Vanderbilt which is why he dropped and the Yanks took a flyer on him late in the draft in case he changes his mind.

The Yanks also drafted Nick Paciorek, whose uncle, Tom Paciorek, was a MLB player in the 1980s, and who was an All-Star with Seattle in 1981.

MLB.com shows a lot of players who were drafted that have “bloodlines.” Roy Halladay’s son, who is going to Penn State, was one of them, drafted by Toronto.

While we wait for Dallas Keuchel, another top free agent signed. Former Boston closer Craig Kimbrel is going to the Cubs. Out of the AL, and not only for the rest of this year, but for 2020 and 2021 as well.  3 yr., $43MM.

As for the game:

James Paxton was off, and later in the game the bullpen imploded as the Yanks (38-22) lost their third straight game, 11-7, to Toronto Wednesday night.

With the loss, the Yanks’ streak of winning nine straight series is over, and their lead over the Rays was shaved to 1 1/2 games, and the lead over Boston to 6 1/2.

Paxton gave up a 2-run HR to Randall Grichuk (his first of two in the game) in the first inning and a run in the second and the Yanks were down 3-0 after two innings.

Gary Sanchez hit his league-leading 19th HR of the season in the top of the fourth to cut it to 3-1.

The Yanks went up 4-3 in the top of the fifth when Clint Frazier walked, and after a forceout, Gio Urshela singled. Cameron Maybin then singled to make it 3-2. D.J. LeMahieu singled to tie it at 3. Luke Voit walked to load the bases, and Sanchez singled to put the Yanks up 4-3.

Paxton gave up a run in the bottom of the fifth and was knocked out of the game. 4-4.

In the top of the sixth, LeMahieu hit a 3-run HR (7) and the Yanks were up 7-4.

Then the bullpen (and defense) imploded. Two errors helped Toronto get two runs in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to 7-6.

Still, the Yanks were up going into the bottom of the eighth. But in that inning, Zack Britton gave up a 3-run HR to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and then Luis Cessa came in and gave up back-to-back HRs (one by Grichuk, the other by one-time briefly a Yankee Brandon Drury) to make it 11-7 Toronto.

Cessa had a good spring training and a good start to the season, but his last two outings have taken his ERA from around 3.16 to 5.33.

Toronto has the sons of both Hall-of-Famers Vladimir Guerrero and Craig Biggio on the team.

LeMahieu 3 hits, (.315) 4 RBI, 3-run HR (7)
Sanchez 2 hits, 2 RBI, solo HR (19) (DYK: 43 hits, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 19 HR)
Maybin 2 hits, RBI

Paxton 4 2/3 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 H, 3 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR.  3.11
Ottavino 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.   1.27
Kahnle (H, 12) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.   1.48
Holder (H, 4) 2/3 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.  4.15
Britton (L, 2-1, 2.96; BS, 2)  1 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 1 W, 0 K. Gave up HR.
Cessa 1/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. Gave up 2 HR.  5.33

 

 

 

 

 

WS Game 4. Boston takes 3-1 lead in Series as LA blows late 4-0 lead.

A few years back, the Yanks were having some problems and I recommended that they bring up a certain journeyman who was tearing it up at SWB. A certain writer for a NY paper (who now works for MLB) criticized me for suggesting it.

Sometimes, all you need is to be given a chance.

The players’ name was Steve Pearce. Last night, Pearce drove in 4 runs to enable Boston to go up 3 games to 1 over the Dodgers in the World Series.

Funny how things turned out.

It’s a painful loss for L.A. Not only are they one loss from losing the WS for the second year in a row, but they blew a late 4-0 lead in losing 9-6.

They scored 4 runs in the sixth, highlighted by a 3-run HR by Yasiel Puig. Boston entered the top of the seventh with only one hit.

Then they woke up. Rich Hill, pitching so great to that point, walked the first batter, struck out the next, and was pulled from the game. The Dodgers’ bullpen imploded.

A walk. Another pitching change. A popup.

And once again, Boston struck with two out. PH Keith Moreland hit a 3-run HR to make it 4-3.

Ryan Madson has allowed EVERY inherited runner to score in this WS. So why was he on the mound with two on in a 4-0 game only to give up a 3-run HR?

Yes, Hill may have been tiring in the seventh. But he was still working on a one-hit shutout!

I swear, sometimes teams—in every sport—don’t win games as much as the other team’s coach or manager blows it.

In the eighth, Dodgers’ closer Kenley Jansen gave up a game-tying HR for the second straight night. Pearce’s blast tied the game.

Then Boston put it away with five runs in the top of the ninth, highlighted by a bases-clearing 3-run double by Pearce. Pearce’s double, and another hit that drove in Pearce after that, came with…. you guessed it, two out.

Enrique Hernandez hit a 2-run HR for L.A. in the bottom of the ninth, but the final was 9-6, Boston.

WS MVP if Boston wins tonight? Interesting. Pearce has to be considered, but as of now, I might go with Boston reliever Joe Kelly as a frontrunner. He has pitched in all four games, has one win (in last night’s game 4), has pitched five scoreless innings and has struck out seven.

Kelly the winning pitcher last night, Floro the loser.

Seattle’s Edwin Diaz won the Mariano Rivera Award for best reliever in the A.L., and Josh Hader of Milwaukee won the Trevor Hoffman Award for best N.L. Reliever.

Once the WS is over, I’ll take a look at how Yankees’ prospects are doing in the Arizona Fall League.