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Clint Frazier
Yankees 10 Game Report – 2021 Season
Posted on April 13, 2021 by Charlie Ricker
It's that time again! Last year, I broke down the Yankees season in chunks, ten game increments. I am going to do the same thing in 2021, because it's simply more manageable. I don't want the reports to be super long, and I can better detail what's happening with the team this way.
The Yankees are 5-5 after ten games. They lost two of three at home against the Blue Jays to kick things off. They followed that by taking two out of three against the Orioles. The Bronx Bombers went to St. Petersburg and promptly lost the first two of a three-game set against the Rays. The Yankees avoided the sweep by winning the final game of the series, and won again last night against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, FL.
Gerrit Cole has been as-advertised, racking up 29 strikeouts over 18.1 innings. His ERA is a scant 1.47 and WHIP is 0.82. Cole is a pitching savant, and guys flock to him. On April 11, YES Network cameras captured Jordan Montgomery talking to Cole shortly after Monty was removed from the game. A reporter asked him about it after the game.
"He just told me to keep battling" – Jordan Montgomery on what Gerrit Cole told him after his outing pic.twitter.com/q5A3RvIGXv
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 11, 2021
Montgomery wasn't as sharp in his start against Tampa Bay as he was in his first start, but kept his team in the game. In his two starts, "Gumby" has a 3.27 ERA in eleven innings. Corey Kluber's first pair of starts (7 runs, 6.1 innings) leave something to be desired, but he's a professional. Despite early troubles, I think Kluber will be ok in the end. Domingo German stunk it up in his two starts (12 hits/7 runs over seven total innings) and was optioned to the Alternate site (AAA Scranton Wilkes Barre) account of several off days. Jameson Taillon's first start in Pinstripes went well. Despite not pitching in a major league game since 2019, he wasn't rusty, giving up only two runs in 4.2 innings (he was on a pitch count).
Gerrit Cole got Taillon to crack a smile 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/DfCGV6TjtH
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) April 8, 2021
Yankees relievers have been very dependable in the early going. Aroldis Chapman, Darren O'Day, Luis Cessa and Jonathan Loaisiga have all provided valuable scoreless relief. Chad Green suffered a pair of "Rob Manfred runs" (including an extra-innings loss), thanks to his stupid extra innings runner on 2nd base rule. Otherwise, Green has been money. Youngster Nick Nelson was flogged by the Rays in a mop-up outing. Lucas Luetge gave up a few runs in his three appearances. Without a doubt, the bullpen has been valuable.
The bats have been lagging, which isn't unusual early in the year. It's April and it's cold. Yankees hitters have left a not-so-nice 69 runners on base. Overall, the team is hitting .232 with 41 runs scored in ten games. Gary Sanchez has hit quite well, with a pair of home runs, four RBI and a slash-line of .296/.406/.556. D.J. LeMahieu has been his usual steady self (.268/.362/.415), with at least one hit in eight of ten games. Aaron Hicks and Giancarlo Stanton struggled at times, but still have found a way to drive in a combined twelve runs. Gleyber Torres has an anemic slash-line of .205/.295/.231, and is also struggling in the field. He already has a pair of errors and just seems shaky out there. Also, Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge have contributed with their bats and outfield glovework. Clint Frazier has lagged, but I'm confident he will shake it.
Gardy covering some ground. pic.twitter.com/juou7WoS3n
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 10, 2021
Rougned Odor made his Yankees debut at Tropicana Field and quickly made his mark, driving in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning.
Put a little Rougie in it. pic.twitter.com/3fkqSkExw1
I like the move, trading for the 27 year old second baseman. No question, Odor has more upside than Tyler Wade (who was optioned to AAA Scranton). With his soft hands, I can eventually see him getting work at 3rd base and perhaps even shortstop.
Ok that's it for the Yankees ten game report. We'll see you again after the next set of 10 games!
Posted in MLBTagged Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Aroldis Chapman, Brett Gardner, Bronx Bombers, Chad Green, Clint Frazier, Corey Kluber, D.J. LeMahieu, Darren O'Day, Domingo German, Gary Sanchez, Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton, Gio Urshela, Gleyber Torres, Jameson Taillon, Jay Bruce, Jonathan Loaisiga, Jordan Montgomery, Lucas Luetge, Luis Cessa, Major League Baseball, MLB, New York Yankees, Nick Nelson, Rob Manfred, Rougned Odor, Scranton Wilkes Barre RailRiders1 Comment
Yankees Take 'em or Trash 'em – Position Players
Posted on October 14, 2020 October 15, 2020 by Charlie Ricker
Well, the time has come once again. For the past few seasons, I have graded New York Yankees players based on performance. I then recommend to either take 'em or trash 'em. Former Yankees beat writers Wallace Matthews and Andrew Marchand had their own annual take 'em or trash 'em when they were with ESPN, they deserve the credit. When they left ESPN, it was no more. I always enjoyed it and missed it, so I decided to do it on The Titanium Spine.
This first installment of Take 'em or Trash 'em will cover position players. Without further adieu, let's begin with the catchers.
Gary Sanchez – OOF. It's been a long ways down since Sánchez made a splash back in 2016, when he hit 20 home runs in 53 second half games for the Yankees. This year, he averaged roughly one hit every seven at bats and his on base percentage (OBP) fell to a career-low .253. He did manage 10 home runs, but he just can't hit. Coupled with his ongoing defensive problems, it doesn't seem feasible to hang onto Gary when an established star like Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto will be available in free agency. That said, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner gave Sánchez something of a vote of confidence when speaking to the media yesterday.
Hal Steinbrenner said that he believes Gary Sanchez will return to form in 2021. "We'll get him back."
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) October 13, 2020
That may well be lip service. Yankees GM Brian Cashman addressed the media Wednesday afternoon at his season-ending press conference, and did not commit to Sánchez as the full time starting catcher in 2021.
Brian Cashman says it's a "fair question" if Gary Sánchez will be the Yankees starting catcher in 2021.
Says "we'll evaluate that particular position because we'll be forced to now."
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) October 14, 2020
My opinion? Trash 'em!
Kyle Higashioka – Higgy became a popular man with "#YankeesTwitter", simply by being a reliable guy with his bat and behind the dish. After spending a chunk of August on the shelf with an oblique strain, Higashioka returned in September and played the bulk of games as their starting catcher. He cemented that status when he slugged three home runs in a 13-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. However, his defense and game-calling made him popular with the pitching staff. Higgy became Gerrit Cole's personal catcher, or as Cole describes it, "I'm his personal pitcher". It made a difference. With Gary Sánchez catching, Cole's ERA was 3.91 after eight starts. With Higashioka behind the plate for seven starts (including the playoffs), it fell to 1.79. The ace of the Yankees staff is clearly more comfortable with Higgy, whom he was college teammates with at UCLA.
Take 'em!
Luke Voit – In a season full of injury and instability, Voit was one of the few sure things the Yankees could count on day in and day out. The 29 year old slugging first basemen played 56 of the teams sixty games, and led the major leagues with 22 home runs. Voit's OPS (on base plus slugging percentages) of 948 was second on the team, only behind D.J. LeMahieu, and he cut his strikeout rate from 33 percent to 25 percent. Luke also provided a steady glove at 1st base, all while dealing with a painful foot-injury often described as "foot stuff". He did have a platelet rich plasma injection and will spend some time in a walking boot.
Luke Voit had a PRP injection for plantar fasciitis and will be in a boot for a week, Cashman said.
No surgery has been recommended for Gio Urshela's elbow bone spur, Cashman added.
— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) October 14, 2020
Mike Ford – This one hurts. When Ford hit a walk-off game winning home run off Oakland A's closer Liam Hendriks in 2019, I thought he might have cemented himself a place on the Yankees roster going forward. Like Tyler Wade, I watched Ford play a good number of games at Triple-A Scranton and he had grown on me. As fate would have it, Luke Voit seized the Yankees 1st base job from him and hasn't looked back. Ford hit a paltry .135 with only a pair of home runs, and went 0 for September in 22 plate appearances. Ford was sent to the Yankees alternative site in Scranton. One of the last memories of the Yankees postseason was manager Aaron Boone sending Ford to the plate to pinch hit for Kyle Higashioka late in Game 5 of the ALDS. The reactions were as you would expect.
Why is Mike Ford on the roster, let alone taking an at-bat in this game?
— River Ave. Blues (@RiverAveBlues) October 10, 2020
The cut to Mike Ford in the batter's box is the biggest jump scare I've experienced in cinema history. my genuine reaction is so ridiculous lol pic.twitter.com/H3TFHIT8Wg
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) October 11, 2020
I hate saying it because Ford is such a good guy, but Trash him.
D.J. LeMahieu – There aren't enough superlatives to properly describe how much LeMachine means to this team. Simply put, the 2nd baseman is the Yankees heartbeat. When D.J. missed nine games due to a left hand injury, they went 2-7 in those games. The Yankees went 30-20 in games D.J. played and 3-7 when he didn't. He led Major League Baseball in hitting with a .364 average and 1.011 OPS. The Machine gets on base 42 percent of the time, a true catalyst. He's going to command a large salary this winter as a free agent, and the Yankees can't afford to let him walk away. Oh, and he can play anywhere in the infield except shortstop.
Take him!
Tyler Wade – I'll admit I always had high hopes for Wade, having watched him play a lot when he was with the Yankees Triple-A club, the Scranton Wilkes Barre RailRiders. It goes to show the talent in the minors doesn't always translate to the big leagues. T-Wade hit a lethargic .170 in his limited at bats, which made him about as popular as a case of the clap. That said, Tyler is still a solid defensive replacement in the infield and can steal bases as a pinch-runner. I suppose there still is value in that, plus he's still only 25 years old.
Take him (if you don't have to rely on him every day)
Gleyber Torres – Gleyber had a very uneven, up and down 2020 season for the Yankees. After whacking 38 home runs in 2019, the number fell to three. In a normal full season, that would probably equate to 10-12. Torres's average fell from .278 to .243 and the OPS from .871 to .724. In the field, Gleyber made nine errors in 40 games at shortstop. It was a painful season to be sure, but he did rebound in the playoffs and absolutely raked. Ten hits in 23 at bats, a pair of home runs, 5 RBI and a 1.262 OPS. And still, Torres is 4-5 years from even entering his prime. He will be ok, just keep working on defense.
Gio Urshela – Gio picked up where he left off last season, providing excellent defense at third base (only one error) and reliable offense. Urshela really took off in September, raking to the tune of a .390 average with a 13 game hitting streak. The power numbers dipped, likely due to painful bone spurs in his throwing elbow. Gio will not require surgery at this time, as noted in the tweet above in Luke Voit's paragraph.
Miguel Andujar – When Andújar went down with a shoulder injury early in 2019, Urshela took over and Miguel has been unable to wrestle the third base job since. Miggy made the Yankees 28 man roster at the beginning of the season in late July, but his playing time was sparse. In order to keep him in playing shape, Andújar was optioned to Scranton to play every day in daily simulated games. His agent wasn't happy about that.
New story: Miguel Andújar's agent questions Yankees' timing of his client's latest options https://t.co/MZSDfwvyKq
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) September 17, 2020
When Urshela went on the injured list in September, Andújar was recalled and gave the Yankees offense a shot in the arm. He went 11-31 in nine games (eight of them starts) for a .355 average and .975 OPS in that span. When he gets regular at bats, Miguel has proven he can hit. Still, defense is an ongoing issue with Miguel. In six games at third base, he made three errors and made another in left field where he looked uncomfortable. With Gio Urshela firmly entrenched at third and nowhere to play, I believe the Yankees would be best served to seek to trade Andújar for more pitching help.
Trash 'em.
Brett Gardner – Gardy has been a mainstay in the Yankees outfield since his arrival in 2008. He's the last remaining holdover from the 2009 World Series winning team. Brett hit a personal best 28 home runs and drove in a career high 74 RBI in 2019. Unfortunately, time is catching up with Gardy, now 37 years old. His average dipped to a career-low .223, his worst as a full time player. Gardner's bat speed has slowed after six thousand plate appearances. Gardy said he still wants to play in 2021, and would be a good fit as a reserve outfielder and defensive replacement. That said, I don't think he fits as a productive every day player anymore. The offensive stats back that up. However, his speed in the outfield and glove still play. And his hitting could easily rebound if not subjected to the rigors of playing every day.
Take him – only as a back up.
Clint Frazier – Frazier came to the Yankees back in 2016 when Brian Cashman traded then-closer Andrew Miller to Cleveland in a trade-deadline deal. After a series of ups and downs, Frazier is now healthy from post-concussion symptoms and showing why the Yankees were and are excited about his future. "Red Thunder" provided thunder with his lightning-quick bat speed when he was recalled from Scranton in mid-August. In his first four games, Frazier went 8-15 with a pair of homers and five extra-base hits. Before hitting a 1-20 skid to end the 2020 regular season, Clint was hitting .306 with a 1.017 OPS. Frazier finished at .267 with 8 HR, 26 RBI and an OPS of .905. I believe he's earned a shot at the left field job full time. He's paid his dues.
Aaron Hicks – I can best describe Aaron Hicks as a case in frustration. One category he improved in is staying healthy and on the field. Hicks also improved his walk rate. Everything else offensively is in decline, at a time when most athletes are in their prime. Hicks's average, slugging percentage and OPS are in decline since 2017. Aaron made only two errors, but he made a few misplays in center field that shouldn't have happened. At times, he looked disinterested. No worries, though. He's under contract through 2025 at the minimum, when he will be 36 years old. It's not a bank-breaking annual salary (in relative terms, at least), but still a long time to be tied to a player who has regressed when he should be improving. This was NOT one of Brian Cashman's best signings.
I would love to trash him, but doubt he's going anywhere.
Giancarlo Stanton – Stanton started off the season hot, whacking a pair of home runs in Washington against the Nationals. After five games, Giancarlo had eight hits in 16 at bats, with 6 RBI. Unfortunately, bad luck struck once again and Stanton missed five weeks with a bad hamstring. After he came back in mid-September, he went 7-35 (.200) in nine games with one home run. But Stanton was there when the Yankees needed him in the postseason. In seven playoff games, he went 8-26 (.308) with 6 HR's and 13 RBI, and showed truly fun Stanton is to watch when locked-in.
In Cashman's post-mortem presser this afternoon, he indicated Stanton will be primarily a DH going forward.
Cashman said the Yankees will be moving forward pretty much looking at Giancarlo Stanton as DH-only.
He'll here through the 2028 season. Try the veal. Take him.
Mike Tauchman – After emerging as an excellent left handed option in the Yankees outfield in 2019, Tauchman had an equally uninspiring 2020 campaign. He finished at .242 with no home-runs and 14 RBI. After a three game series sweep at home against the Red Sox, Tauchman had six hits in 12 at bats. After that, he promptly fell off the face of the earth. From August 17 through season's end, Mike had eight hits in 65 plate appearances for a .151 average and .462 OPS. Like Tyler Wade, Tauchman is a defensive replacement and pinch runner, and can't be counted on for production as an everyday player. The sentimentalist in me would take Brett Gardner over Tauchman.
Take him (strictly as a reserve/defensive replacement).
Aaron Judge – Let me start by saying I love Aaron Judge. I really do. The broken hand he suffered from an errant inside pitch from Jakob Junis in 2018 wasn't his fault. He pulled an oblique on April 20, 2019, the day after my son and I were lucky enough to watch him play from the Judge's Chambers at Yankee Stadium. He fractured his rib in September 2019 on a diving play in the outfield that wasn't officially diagnosed until March. The extra time from the season being delayed gave Judge more time to heal.
When the season started in late July, Judge hit the ground running. After 18 games, Judge hit .292 and slugged 9 HR's with 20 RBI. Then he pulled his right calf. The injury bug nailed him less than three weeks into the season. After missing nine games over 15 days (thanks to an unscheduled COVID break), Judge returned for three at bats against the Baltimore Orioles in the second game of a doubleheader. He was removed in the sixth inning after reaggravating the calf, missing 21 more games as a result.
Judge returned for the team's final ten games, but he looked out of sorts. He had no home runs, two RBI and only seven hits in 36 at bats. In the postseason, Judge didn't look much better, with four hits in 35 plate appearances (.133 average). At least he hit the ball a long way when he DID make contact, sending three of them over the fence.
Bottom line, Judge has to find a way to stay on the field. People with large bodies like his are more prone to injury. But he's not doing the Yankees any help in the dugout (the same can be said for Stanton). Judge is better off as a DH but Cashman said Stanton is a DH going forward. It's a conundrum, but I think Judge and Stanton should split their time in RF and DH to help preserve both of them.
Anyway, Take him.
Thanks for reading my "Take 'em or Trash 'em", next time we'll take a look at Yankees pitchers.
Posted in MLBTagged Aaron Boone, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Andrew Miller, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Brett Gardner, Cleveland Indians, Clint Frazier, D.J. LeMahieu, Gary Sanchez, Gary Sánchez, Giancarlo Stanton, Gio Urshela, Gleyber Torres, J.T. Realmuto, Jakob Junis, Kyle Higashioka, Luke Voit, Major League Baseball, Miguel Andújar, Miguel Andujar, Mike Ford, Mike Tauchman, MLB, New York Yankees, Scranton Wilkes Barre RailRiders, Toronto Blue Jays, Triple-A Baseball, Tyler Wade, Washington Nationals, Yankees1 Comment
A week and a half ago, as I was typing out my Yankees 40 game report, I was doing it with a sense of doom and resign. The Yankees seemed to be in a free-fall. They were in the middle of a five-game losing streak and lost six of seven. The team wasn't hitting. When they did hit, they couldn't pitch. Things looked bleak.
What a difference ten games make! After losing the first pair of games on the road to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Yankees have reeled off eight consecutive victories. In four of them, the Bronx Bombers have lived up to their moniker, scoring ten runs or more. They are coming off a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays at home, making up for losing three of four in Buffalo earlier this month.
Yankees bats have never been hotter. The team scored 43 runs over the three games, including a mind-blowing 18 (!!!) home runs. No Yankees team has ever done that. Amazing.
A line from ex-MLB hitter Mark DeRosa in the game "MLB The Show 20" come to mind. "There's a fight at the bat rack for who's gonna hit next". Let's start at the top of the Yankees lineup and work our way down.
D.J. LeMahieu continues to rake like a man-possessed. He played all ten games and brought his lunch pail to work, going 16-40 (.400) with six bombs and 11 RBI. Why the Yankees haven't extended his contract is beyond comprehension. They can't afford to lose him.
Luke Voit has firmly seized the first base job. Initially splitting time with lefty batting Mike Ford (who has since been optioned to Yankees alternative site in Scranton) in a platoon situation, Voit has been scorching hot no matter who is pitching. Over the last ten games, Voit went 14-43 (.326) while mashing 7 taters and bringing him 18. None of his home-runs are cheapies, either.
Gleyber Torres hasn't shown the power he displayed in 2019 when he belted 38 home runs, but still is very productive. Over the last ten, "Glasses Gleyber" went 9-26 (.346) with a pair of homers and eight RBI.
Injured superstars Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are back! Both players took an o-fer in their first games back, but last night Giancarlo went 4-5 against Toronto. He only came a triple shy of the cycle, bringing home a pair of runs. Having Judge and Stanton in the lineup makes an already potent lineup more dangerous.
Third baseman Gio Urshela missed a handful of games while on the injured list with bone spurs in his throwing elbow. He returned Tuesday and has since gone 5-14 over three games. No RBI's, but it's hard to drive in runs when everyone else is clearing the bases with home-runs.
OF Clint Frazier has been consistently productive in 2020 for the Yankees. Injuries to Stanton and Judge opened the door for Frazier and he's earned his everyday playing time. He played all ten games, going 11-34 (.324) with a pair of homers and nine RBI. On Monday, Frazier revealed he was still dealing with concussion issues that carried over from 2018. He suffered from depth perception problems, which explains his defensive struggles last season. This year, Clint's defense has been top-notch.
Clint Frazier on the lingering effects of his concussion and his defense in 2019:
"I was having issues with my depth perception. I was having issues with not wanting to run into the wall and have it happen again."https://t.co/lPTOlprCjf
It's been no secret Gary Sánchez has struggled in 2020, so we'll take any silver linings. Always streaky, Gary went hitless in his first nine at bats over this ten game stretch, followed by six hits in the next 22. Sánchez socked a pair of homers in the Toronto series, driving home six. Backup catcher Kyle Higashioka has caught Gerrit Cole's last two starts, and all he's done is hit four HR's, including a three-homer game against the Blue Jays.
Veteran outfielders Brett Gardner (6 for 22) and Aaron Hicks (7 for 28) have been suffering through abysmal seasons, hitting .198 and .215, respectively. The defense is still there for both of them, but for some reason the offense hasn't been there. Mike Tauchman had a three hit game against the Baltimore Orioles on September 11, but has otherwise been non-existent. Light hitting Tyler Wade has subbed in for Gio Urshela and Gleyber Torres when needed. When he's on base, Wade is always a threat to score. The problem here is, he's rarely on base.
It all starts with Gerrit Cole. The ace starting pitcher, Brian Cashman's so-called "White Whale", made a pair of starts against the Orioles and Blue Jays. Both outing were seven-inning gems, a two-hit complete game shutout against Baltimore in the first game of a doubleheader, followed by a three-hitter against Toronto. Cole gave up one run in his collective 14 innings, striking out 17 hitters. Filthy.
Masahiro Tanaka follows Cole in the Yankees rotation, and is a nice contrast. Masa is going to give up his home runs, it's just who he is. The good thing is Tanaka never walks anyone, so usually the bombs are solo jobs. He had the benefit of a lot of run-support over his last pair of starts, his teammates giving him ten runs. This allowed Tanaka to pound the strike-zone and get outs efficiently. Against the Blue Jays, the long-time mainstay of the Yankees rotation had his longest start of 2020, seven innings. The only damage was a pair of homers to Lourdes Gurriel.
Deivi García, all of 21 years of age, has continued his impressive rookie season. The young righty made a pair of starts against the Blue Jays, pitching seven innings each time. In Buffalo, he only allowed a pair of runs on five hits in Buffalo, a start that helped stop a five game skid. Six days later, he made another start against Toronto. This time, the Yankees won 20-6 and his seven innings helped rest a weary bullpen. His WHIP and SO/BB ratios are better than Gerrit Cole's. Imagine that. Did I mention he's only 21??
Rounding out the rotation are lefties Jordan Montgomery and J.A. Happ. Montgomery's last outing was a very solid 5.2 innings of one-run ball against the Orioles at home. He struck out a career-high nine and lost a win opportunity on an unearned run that scored after he departed. Monty's season high is six innings, as he seems to hit the proverbial wall after about 75 pitches. Aaron Boone doesn't seem to give him a lot of rope, and Montgomery seemed unhappy when the manager relieved him in the Baltimore game.
https://t.co/r8XH8QvlMV pic.twitter.com/IE92iMm6XG
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) September 12, 2020
After a rough pair of starts to begin the 2020 season, veteran J.A. Happ has reeled off five starts where he's kept his team in the game, if not pitch outstanding. Over the five starts, Happ has pitched to a 2.45 ERA, with 27 strikeouts over 29.1 innings. Over that span he has allowed a scant five walks and 23 hits, translating to a WHIP of 0.95. Happ is earning his money, although he only has a record of 1-2 to show for it.
In the bullpen, Chad Green and Adam Ottavino combined for a horrific meltdown inning against the Blue Jays in Buffalo on September 7. The Jays scored four times on Green and six against Ottavino in a 10 run inning that lasted 43 minutes. Green rebounded with a pair of good outings against Baltimore, while Ottavino struggled again six days later. Boone used Adam again last night against Toronto, and he looked much better. He gave up a hit, but struck out a pair of Blue Jays in a 13 pitch inning.
It's hard to predict what the Yankees will get from Jonathan Holder. The 27 year old Holder was lights out over the last month where he only allowed one run over 10 innings (eight appearances). He came in last night to close out last night's game against Toronto with a 10-3 lead. He departed 28 pitches and four runs later when closer Aroldis Chapman had to come in to put out the fire and lock down the save. Holder's ERA jumped two full runs after the game, now sitting at 4.08.
Zack Britton continues to bring his lunch pail to work and get the job done. Britton provided four efficient scoreless innings over games 41-50 and picked up a win along the way. I applaud his unselfishness, as he could probably close for every other MLB team not named the Yankees.
The aforementioned Chapman notched a pair of saves this past week and added another memorable moment he probably would prefer never happened. Chapman recorded the first out in the 9th inning of a tie-game against the Orioles. We'll just let Jomboy break it down, as he always does so well.
Mother Nature Calls while Chapman is pitching, a breakdown pic.twitter.com/rHLpnU4JnL
Of note, Chapman's appeal for the suspension he received for throwing a pitch over Tampa Bay Rays hitter Mike Brosseau was supposed to be heard this past Monday (September 14), but there has been nothing reported since. Stay tuned.
Luis Cessa, Mike King, Jonathan Loaisiga and Nick Nelson are the leftovers who usually come in to mop up or cover in the event of injury. Cessa and Loaisiga are generally the more trusted pitchers of this quartet to get the higher leverage innings.
Next time, we'll cover the final ten games of the season. We'll also take a peek at what will be ahead for the Yankees as we enter the expanded postseason in this crazy year that is 2020.
Posted in MLBTagged Aaron Boone, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Adam Ottavino, Aroldis Chapman, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Brett Gardner, Brian Cashman, Buffalo, Chad Green, Clint Frazier, Deivi García, DJ LeMahieu, Gary Sánchez, Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton, Gio Urshela, Gleyber Torres, JA Happ, Jonathan Holder, Jonathan Loaisiga, Jordan Montgomery, Kyle Higashioka, Lourdes Gurriel, Luis Cessa, Luke Voit, Mark DeRosa, Masahiro Tanaka, Michael King, Miguel Andújar, Mike Brosseau, Mike Ford, Mike King, Mike Tauchman, New York Yankees, Nick Nelson, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Tyler Wade, Yankees, Zack Britton1 Comment
For Yankees, Playoffs Start Now
After tonight's game against the Toronto Blue Jays, the New York Yankees will have completed 80 percent of their 2020 schedule. It has been a roller-coaster season for the Bronx Bombers, with injuries and uneven play up and down the lineup and pitching staff.
The Yankees begin a three-game homestand, taking on Toronto this evening at Yankee Stadium. Last week, the Blue Jays took two of three games against them at Sahlen Field in Buffalo. Thus included a demoralizing 12-7 loss on September 7 when relievers Adam Ottavino and Chad Green thoroughly imploded. The Yankees rebounded, winning the series finale and followed by sweeping the Baltimore Orioles in a four-game set at home.
Looking ahead, this upcoming series against Toronto is the beginning of the (unofficial, of course) playoffs for the Yankees. Their final 13 games consist of the three games at home against the Jays, followed by three games against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway, then four games back in Buffalo against Toronto. Finally, the 2020 campaign closes with a three-game set against the Miami Marlins at home September 25-27.
The Yankees will be healthier in the days ahead. Injured players Gio Urshela, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are expected to all return by the weekend. Scranton Wilkes Barre Railriders reporter Conor Foley (@RailRidersTT) sent this tweet yesterday showing them working out at PNC Field.
Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gio Urshela are all here at the alternate site in Scranton. pic.twitter.com/jsx1Tp7SyE
— Conor Foley (@RailRidersTT) September 14, 2020
The returns of Urshela (expected back tonight), Judge and Stanton give the lineup a nice boost. While players like D.J. LeMahieu, Luke Voit, Clint Frazier and Gleyber Torres have carried the team, the addition of the three injured sluggers makes the Yankees much more potent.
It may take a few games for Urshela, Judge and Stanton to get back in a rhythm and feel comfortable. However, the Yankees have to show they can win against their upcoming opponents. The Blue Jays have been rolling, winning twelve of their last 18 games. Their lineup is potent, and their bullpen is quietly effective. They added three starters before the trade deadline and won't go quietly. The Red Sox have had a miserable season, but will want to gear-up and play spoilers against their longtime rivals. The Marlins won't roll over, as they are only four games out of first place in the NL East behind the Atlanta Braves. The Yankees will have their hands full over the next two weeks.
For more coverage, you can listen to me as I join the great Sal Maiorana on his podcast "SalSpeaks". I join Sal each Tuesday as we break down the week for the New York Yankees. The link is below.
https://www.salmaiorana.com/posts/8332010?utm_source=manual
Posted in MLBTagged Aaron Judge, Adam Ottavino, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, Bronx Bombers, Buffalo, Buffalo Bisons, Chad Green, Clint Frazier, DJ LeMahieu, Giancarlo Stanton, Gio Urshela, Gleyber Torres, Luke Voit, Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, Sahlen Field, Sal Maiorana, SalSpeaks, Scranton Wilkes Barre RailRiders, Toronto Blue Jays, Yankee Stadium, Yankees
Posted on September 7, 2020 September 7, 2020 by Charlie Ricker
It seems like it was just the other day when I cranked out the 30 game report for the New York Yankees. Time flies when you're having fun, right?
The last ten games for the Yankees and their fans have been anything but fun. The same can be said for the ten games before that. It's been a very ugly stretch for this battered team. Let's get on to assess the carnage, shall we?
Or lack thereof. Where do we even begin? I guess we will start with the guys actually producing. D.J. LeMahieu came back for the team's 30th game after missing ten games with a hand injury. He picked right up where he left off. "LeMachine" logged 10 hits in 36 at-bats in this ten game stretch, including back to back two hit games against the Tampa Bay Rays. The second of which he slammed a pair of home runs in a rare Yankees win over the Rays.
First baseman Luke Voit was productive against the Mets and Rays, but cooled off considerably against the Baltimore Orioles. Backup catcher Erik Kratz has been a pleasant surprise for many reasons (see this YES Network video about him helping Latin pitchers realize their dreams), but he has swung the bat well (8 hits in 27 AB's) and gunned down a couple runners. Saturday night, he caught O's catcher Pedro Severino napping off 2nd base from his knees. Not bad for a 40 year old.
Kratz gets Tanaka out of a rough first inning by picking off Severino at second. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/tSrlv0XGJ0
— Tom Hanslin (@TomHanslin) September 6, 2020
There's not much else positive to say about the rest of this Yankees lineup. 3rd baseman Gio Urshela has battled a troublesome bone spur in his throwing elbow, and was placed on the IL. Gary Sánchez still looks lost at the plate (13 hits in 100 AB's), including strikeouts in each of his last seven plate appearances. He did manage a home-run, a grand slam that proved to be a game-winner against the Mets in the first game of a doubleheader. However, Aaron Boone is planning to sit him for a couple days to get himself right.
Aaron Boone on sitting Gary Sanchez: "Just kind of deliberated on it a lot last night, just feel like this is the way I need to go right now and hopefully a day off or two or however I decide to do it here can help get him going."
— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) September 6, 2020
Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks, Mike Ford and Tyler Wade continue to struggle and give non-competitive at bats. Mike Tauchman has one hit over his last 17 at bats. Clint Frazier is still hitting well (8 for last 26), but only drove in three runs. It's hard to drive runs in when no one else gets on.
You know things aren't going so hot when Jonathan Holder has the lowest ERA on the team (minimum 10 IP). Sigh.
It's been a tough last few turns for Gerrit Cole, but he deserved so much better Saturday night against the Orioles. He has his best stuff of the season. Cole struck out five of the first six hitters and sat 97-99 with his four-seamer. He had nine K's through five innings on only 63 pitches. The next inning, the roof caved in. D.J Stewart hit a home-run. Hanser Alberto reached on an error. Cole issued back-to-back walks, then followed those up with a two-run single and a ground-rule double. Next thing you know, five runs have scored (one earned) and that's all she wrote.
Masahiro Tanaka tossed six innings of two run ball in a 5-3 Yankees win against the Rays on September 1, punching seven tickets. Sunday against the Orioles, Masa was charged with four runs (two earned) over 5.1 innings in Baltimore. Like Cole the night before, Tanaka deserved a better fate. Luis Cessa relieved him for some reason only Manager Aaron Boone knows (more on this later). Cessa inherited two of Tanaka's runners and allowed a single to load the bases. He went on to walk in a run, followed by a single for another Baltimore run. The O's went on to a 5-1 win Sunday. Again, Tanaka deserved better.
Jordan Montgomery imploded in a his start against Tampa on September 2, giving up five straight hits and two home-runs to a fired-up Rays team. The day before, closer Aroldis Chapman sailed a 101 mph fastball just inches over the head of Mike Brosseau. The Rays felt they had something to prove, and they made a statement, jumping on Montgomery, who only recorded two outs on 39 pitches.
J.A. Happ made a start in Thursday's makeup game against the Mets, going five innings, giving up 4 runs on eight hits. His season continues to be up and down.
Deivi García pitched a beautiful six innings against the Mets in his debut on August 30, striking out six. He looked like a seasoned veteran, allowing a scant four hits. He drew praise across MLB, including Pedro Martínez, whom García is often compared to.
Congrats to 21-year old Dominican pitcher Deivi Garcia on an excellent debut today for the @Yankees he did a great job at mixing in his pitches, his body looked stable, and fully extended!! I was impressed with the way he commanded his pitches today. From Bonao city the DR
— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) August 31, 2020
His second start wasn't as great, but pitched into the 5th inning before he was relieved by fellow rookie Clarke Schmidt, who was just called up to make his Major League debut. It didn't go well, with the Orioles ripping him for three straight hits, allowing four runs to score. We'll also touch on this move by Boone later.
Michael King made a couple of uninspiring starts and abbreviated starts, against the Mets and Orioles, respectively. King didn't pitch badly, only giving up a total of five runs between the two starts. But Boone doesn't give him a lot of rope. His longest outing of the season was his start against the Mets, four innings. That puts a lot of work on the bullpen.
Speaking of the bullpen, it's worn out. Any starter not named Gerrit Cole or Masahiro Tanaka simply doesn't get to pitch very deeply into games. Sometimes it's for a good reason (they are getting shelled), sometimes it's because Aaron Boone gets an itchy trigger-finger or analytics call for a move.
Adam Ottavino (16 appearances), Chad Green (15) and Zack Britton (13) are getting worked a lot, and the team is averaging 4.5 innings per start from their starting pitchers. Things are getting thin, and cracks are beginning to show. Jonathan Loaisiga, who's been valuable as an opener and multi-inning reliever, was put on the IL with an illness unrelated to COVID.
As mentioned earlier, Aroldis Chapman threw a pitch above Mike Brosseau's head. This ended up getting him a three game suspension from Major League Baseball. He has appealed and is awaiting a hearing. Even if reduced, it adds more to an overworked bullpen. Another unwise and selfish move by Aroldis.
Britton returned from the injured list last week, and will help ease the burden. He looked a bit rusty in his first couple games back, but should be fine with more work.
Luis Cessa and Jonathan Holder have received higher-leverage innings out of necessity, reaffirming how much the Yankees miss Tommy Kahnle (Tommy John surgery).
Aaron Boone/Coaching
The Yankees have now lost 13 of their last 18 games. Aaron Boone has made some questionable decisions. Bringing in Luis Cessa into a runners-on situation in relief of Tanaka trailing only by a run (it didn't work). Having Clarke Schmidt, a starter, make his debut in the middle of an inning with runners on base (it failed miserably) when he had a couple other arms to chose from. Not having Erik Kratz catch J.A. Happ (who raved about working with Kratz after the game) when the pair was spectacular together in Happ's previous start, having Kyle Higashioka catch him instead (it didn't go that well).
I realize managing a team is difficult, managing a struggling team in New York magnifies it tenfold. But it seems like Boone is making things harder than it needs to be.
It's easy for me, other writers and fans to be armchair managers. One thing is obvious. The Yankees need to turn this around, or they may be watching the playoffs along with us in our armchairs.
Posted in MLBTagged Aaron Boone, Aaron Hicks, Aroldis Chapman, Baltimore Orioles, Brett Gardner, Chad Green, Clarke Schmidt, Clint Frazier, Deivi García, DJ LeMahieu, DJ Stewart, Erik Kratz, Gary Sánchez, Gerrit Cole, Hanser Alberto, JA Happ, Jonathan Holder, Jonathan Loaisiga, Jordan Montgomery, Kyle Higashioka, Luis Cessa, Luke Voit, Masahiro Tanaka, Mike Brosseau, Mike Ford, Mike Tauchman, New York Yankees, Orioles, Pedro Martínez, Pedro Severino, Tommy Kahnle, Tyler Wade, YES Network, Zack Britton
Yankees 30-Game Report
After yesterday's walk-off win against the New York Mets, the Big Apple's other team, the Yankees officially reached the halfway point of 2020's abbreviated schedule. The Bronx Bombers are 17-13 heading into Sunday's doubleheader against these same Mets.
The past ten games for the Yankees was a brutal stretch. They won the first two games against the Boston Red Sox, were swept by the 1st place Tampa Bay Rays in a three-game set. Then the team was idled due to a handful of Mets players testing positive for COVID-19, followed by an off-day and a rain-out in Atlanta. After play resumed, the Yankees were swept by the Braves in a doubleheader. The Yankees traveled back home to be swept in another doubleheader Friday night against the Mets. Finally the Yanks won Saturday afternoon, snapping a seven-game losing streak.
In fairness, that five day stretch where the Yankees didn't play a game did not do them any favors. The team has scored 11 runs in five games since resuming play. Not playing for close to a week, doesn't do any baseball player much good.
After spending 15 days on the shelf recovering from a calf injury, Aaron Judge was penciled into the lineup in the second game of a doubleheader in Atlanta. His return lasted six innings before re-injuring the same calf. After hitting a single in three at bats, Judge was replaced by Clint Frazier in right field.
OK then. Aaron Judge out of the game, replaced by Clint Frazier in right field.
This of course sent Twitter into a raging frenzy. After a couple of days, Brian Cashman told a group of Yankees fans on a Zoom call Judge would be returning to the injured-list. On the same call, he also said shortstop Gleyber Torres was looking at 3-6 weeks for his recovery from a quad strain and hamstring injury.
On a Zoom call with fans yesterday, Brian Cashman said "Judge just went back on the IL," and "we'll probably have to give him twice as long as the first time." Said timeline for Gleyber Torres (hamstring/quad) is "anywhere from 3-6 weeks." The call was organized by @BAT1STA.
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) August 28, 2020
As for the players still on the field, it wasn't a pretty ten game stretch. The Yankees did get excellent production from first baseman Luke Voit. Aaron Boone installed Voit in the lead-off slot, and has been a revelation. Luke has hit at a .452 clip in the past ten game (14-31) with 7 HR's and 10 RBI. He's simply on fire.
D.J. LeMahieu missed a bunch of games due to a left hand ailment, but returned yesterday. Raking with a .411 average before going on the IL, he picked right up, smoking a triple in the bottom of the 3rd inning. LeMahieu is a welcome sight for this Yankees team.
Third baseman Gio Urshela was held out of the last few games with a bone spur in his right elbow. This may explain why he only had four hits in his last 24 at bats.
Tyler Wade and Miguel Andújar saw increased playing time due to Torres and Urshela being out. Neither player has hit well, combing for four hits in 35 at bats over the past ten games. At least Wade provides reliable defense; a 55-gallon drum is more dependable than Andújar at the hot corner. After a horrible day in Friday's twin-bill, Miguel was sent back to the team's alternate site in Scranton. Both Andújar and Wade might benefit from a change of scenery at this point.
With Judge back on the IL, Mike Tauchman and Clint Frazier will continue to see increased playing time. Both are productive at the plate, countering the lack of productivity by veterans Aaron Hicks and Brett Gardner.
Behind the dish, Gary Sánchez is going through a nightmarish season. On the season, Gary has 10 hits in 77 at bats with 37 strikeouts. In Friday's doubleheader, he left a small army of Yankees stranded on the bases in two separate crucial plate appearances. Manager Aaron Boone went with 40 year old veteran back-up Erik Kratz to catch J.A. Happ the following day. Kratz and Happ were teammates way back in 2014 when they were with the Toronto Blue Jays. Happ responded with 7.1 scoreless innings, and said he felt very comfortable with Kratz back there.
Let's start with the aforementioned Happ. Coming into Saturday's start against the Mets with a 6.39 ERA, he did it with a chip on his shoulder. Speaking with the press on a Zoom-call, he said this……
J.A. Happ said he thinks it's "fairly clear" why he hasn't had a regular starting schedule. Says reporters are smart, alludes that hey can figure it out. Was asked if he thinks his looming vesting option is what has the Yankees creating this schedule for him.
— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) August 25, 2020
Given Happ's age (37) and his contract situation (17M/year), there may be something to it. On Saturday, he delivered 7.1 scoreless innings on three hits, with no walks and 5 K's. He raved about working with Erik Kratz, who may find himself catching Happ in his next turn later this week.
Let's talk about Gerrit Cole. He's the undisputed ace of the Yankees pitching staff. As great as he is, he's giving up home runs at a break-neck (10 over 41.1 innings). Cole allowed one blast in each of his first five starts, followed by a pair of solo shots in St. Petersburg against the Rays. Following that start, Gerrit gave up three bombs to the Braves, including one by Ronald Acuña, Jr. (473 feet) that may still be in orbit. Cole's stuff is still crisp as ever, and he is his own harshest critic. He's not someone to worry about because he will figure it out.
Masahiro Tanaka made a pair of starts, one in Tampa where he was pretty bad (6 runs/4 innings/2HR), and one on a hot/humid day in Atlanta (5 scoreless innings). Tanaka still hasn't thrown more than 71 pitches in a start, and was gassed after 66 pitches against the Braves. The steamy weather in Atlanta may have pushed his endurance a bit.
James Paxton made a start against the Rays at Yankee Stadium that was bizarre. He held Tampa hitless through four innings. Paxton went out for the 5th and struck-out the first batter, followed this with a pair of walks and a wild-pitch, which put the runners on 2nd and 3rd. Joey Wendle doubled home the runners, and went to 3rd on the throw home. Paxton walked the next batter, then allowed a sac fly which scored Wendle. Paxton struck out the next guy, ending the inning. I called the inning bizarre, as Paxton normally has excellent control. Also notable his velocity, already lower in 2020, dropped further – barely touching 90 mph.
A few days later, the Yankees announced Paxton is heading to the IL.
Earlier today, the Yankees made the following roster moves:
· Placed LHP James Paxton on the 10-day I.L. (retroactive to 8/21) with a left flexor strain.
· Placed INF Gleyber Torres on the 10-day I.L. (retroactive to 8/21) with a left hamstring strain.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 24, 2020
Jordan Montgomery performed well in two starts, the first on August 17 against Boston. He allowed one-run ball into the 4th inning before the game was stopped by rain. The second start was the first game of Friday's doubleheader. Cruising through five innings, the only blemish an unearned run, thanks to another error by Miguel Andújar. Jordan started the 6th inning allowing a pair of singles on consecutive pitches, which brought Aaron Boone out of the dugout to make a change. Chad Green came in and promptly gave up a home run to Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. Montgomery deserved a better fate.
The bullpen – Yankees relief pitchers haven't provided much relief. Let's start with Chad Green since we already touched on him. Coming into the 7 inning twin-bill in Atlanta, Green was his usual dominating self with a ERA of 0.71. Taking over after Tanaka's five scoreless, he gave up a pair of bombs, handing a win to the Braves. Two days later, Green came in following Jordan Montgomery and it was batting practice. Three homers later, it was all over but the shouting. Those two outings raised Green's ERA almost three runs.
Adam Ottavino has also tossed gasoline on the fire, coming in after J.A. Happ's start yesterday only to blow the lead after allowing a home run to Wilson Ramos. On August 20, Ottavino gave up three runs after a poor performance by him and Luis Avilán (since released).
Zack Britton has been a wonder this season, especially while close Aroldis Chapman recovered from a bout with COVID-19. Britton made his first appearance in a non-closing situation against Tampa on August 19, and had a tough outing. After he departed, the team announced he will be going on the IL with a left hamstring problem. He has been throwing bullpens over the past couple days, and should be activated soon.
The 32 year old Chapman has made three appearances. He has yet to earn a save, but looked much better in his last outing, compared to his first pair. The velocity is bumping up for Aroldis, touching 99-100 mph.
Jonathan Loaisiga has worked as an opener and long reliever, turning in reliable work when needed. Jonathan Holder and Luis Cessa have provided decent work, normally in low-leverage situations. It's asking a bit much for them to pitch with the game on the line, however.
Next time, we will cover the next ten games for the Yankees and see what progresses. Thanks for reading!
Posted in MLBTagged Aaron Boone, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Adam Ottavino, Aroldis Chapman, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Brian Cashman, Chad Green, Clint Frazier, DJ LeMahieu, Erik Kratz, Gary Sánchez, Gerrit Cole, Gio Urshela, Gleyber Torres, JA Happ, James Paxton, Joey Wendle, Jonathan Holder, Jonathan Loaisiga, Jordan Montgomery, Luis Cessa, Luke Voit, Masahiro Tanaka, Miguel Andújar, Mike Tauchman, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Pete Alonso, Ronald Acuña, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Tyler Wade, Yankees, Zack Britton1 Comment
Welcome back, everyone. It's that time again! We're going to take a look at the New York Yankees in ten game increments instead of half-seasons like a normal 162 game season. Last time out, we covered games one through eleven, this time we will even things out by covering games 12 through 20.
Yankees pitching over these nine games was a mixed bag. Gerrit Cole pitched well in Tampa against the Rays, but didn't make it out of the fifth inning because he got into a lot of deep counts that ran his pitch count up. Five days later, he silenced the Red Sox over seven innings of one-run ball.
James Paxton also had a pair of starts against those same Rays and Red Sox. The Big Maple gave up three runs in both starts, and looked much more like himself. His fastball velocity has been a source of concern as he continues building strength after back surgery over the winter. In his starts this week, his velo continues to trend upward, touching 95 a few times against the Red Sox. Equally as important, his spin-rates are also improving. Paxton's 7.04 ERA is still unsightly, but he looks more like himself.
Masahiro Tanaka gave a pair of good starts, albeit abbreviated as he continues building his pitch-counts after a late beginning to his season after taking a liner off his head during summer camp. Jordan Montgomery and J.A. Happ contributed serviceable starts, the latter coming last night against Boston after ten days off. Montgomery and Happ both looking much better than their previous outings.
In the bullpen, Zack Britton continued his great work filling in for Aroldis Chapman, converting every save opportunity. Chad Green and Adam Ottavino have been amazing, giving the Yankees nearly flawless work in relief. Jonathan Loaisiga has been dependable, the same can't be said for Jonathan Holder.
By the way, Aroldis Chapman has been activated ahead of tonight's series finale against the Red Sox.
Yankees say they've brought back Aroldis Chapman from the coronavirus IL, DFA-ed David Hale for the 873rd time.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Yankees scored 54 runs over the last nine games. Gary Sánchez and Gleyber Torres made significant progress after slow starts to the season. Gary homered in three straight games, while Torres has 13 hits in his last 25 at bats.
In the OF, Mike Tauchman and Clint Frazier have been tearing things up this week. Tauchman has shredded Boston, going 6-12 with 4 RBI, while Frazier (recalled for the injured Giancarlo Stanton) has announced his presence with authority by going 8-15 (2 HR, 8 RBI) over four games. Aaron Hicks's defense has been spot on, and his bat is starting to rebound while taking a lot of walks. Brett Gardner's struggles continue, but he earns his money as a much as a leader as his on-field work.
Mike Ford and Luke Voit have covered first base with their bats as well as solid defense, and Gio Urshela continues to prove his 2019 wasn't an outlier.
D.J. LeMahieu (.456 OBP) and Aaron Judge (9 HR, 20 RBI) were tearing the covers off the ball, but both went down to injury this past week. Because 2020 can't be normal, the Yankees again are dealing with health problems.
Aaron Boone said that the timeline for DJ LeMahieu's return is 2-3 weeks, similar to what he had in 2018 with the Rockies.
Giancarlo Stanton said that "words can't describe the disappointment I've had" over his latest injury.
Stanton has been receiving treatment and said he should resume baseball activities soon. The Yankees' timetable for Stanton's return is 2 to 3 weeks.
With Stanton out, Judge sidelined until Saturday and LeMahieu sidelined for the better part of a month, the Yankees need production from everyone.
Tonight, the Yankees wrap up the series with Boston. Jordan Montgomery gets the start for the Yankees, while Martín Pérez takes the mound for the Sox.
Posted in MLBTagged Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Adam Ottavino, Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox, Brett Gardner, Chad Green, Clint Frazier, David Hale, DJ LeMahieu, Gary Sánchez, Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton, Gio Urshela, Gleyber Torres, JA Happ, James Paxton, Jonathan Holder, Jonathan Loaisiga, Jordan Montgomery, Luke Voit, Masahiro Tanaka, Mike Ford, Mike Tauchman, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, The Big Maple, Zack Britton
Yankees 10 Game (Plus 1) Report
With Major League Baseball having a shortened 60 game season in 2020, I thought we could cover the New York Yankees in ten game increments. I like the idea, to me it makes things more manageable as opposed to 81 game halves.
With that, let's get to it. A disclaimer – the Yankees played a doubleheader yesterday against the Philadelphia Phillies, which were the tenth and eleventh games. They made a nice run in the late innings after laying an egg early in the first game, and played well in the second game, so I couldn't omit that. Therefore, this entry will cover games one through eleven. The next report will canvas games twelve through twenty.
It all begins with Gerrit Cole, the "White Whale" of General Manager Brian Cashman's last off-season. He's been everything the Yankees expected so far. Cole is 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA, striking out 16 over his 17.2 innings of work. If not for a pair of rain-shortened outings, the "Cole Train" would likely have a couple more innings under his belt.
Jordan Montgomery and Masahiro Tanaka looked good in their first starts of 2020, and both appear healthy. Montgomery, beginning his first full season after recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2018, has regained his velocity and command. Tanaka, who took a 112 mph line-drive off the side of his head in Summer Camp, showed no ill-effects in his start against the Boston Red Sox on August 1. He will still be on a pitch count, likely 65-70 pitches.
James Paxton and JA Happ are points of concern for Aaron Boone and Pitching Coach Matt Blake. Paxton, coming off back surgery at the beginning of 2020, hasn't regained his velocity. Over his two starts, the "Big Maple" has been sitting at 91-92 mph, about 5 mph short of his normal velocity. Paxton's numbers are ugly – 12 hits and 8 runs allowed over four innings. Meanwhile, Happ is healthy but he's not hitting his locations. He doesn't have the velocity to cover a lack of command, and his results have been predictable. Happ owns a 10.29 ERA, walked eight over seven innings and allowed three long balls. Yikes.
The bullpen has done nice work, with Zack Britton converting all five save opportunities. Britton, Chad Green, Adam Ottavino and Jonathan Holder have all held opponents scoreless. David Hale and Michael King have pitched well when needed to give innings, and Jonathan Loaisiga has performed well at times. Nick Nelson earned his first major league win in relief of Tanaka, before getting hung out to dry in Game 1 of yesterday's doubleheader (and being subsequently sent down afterward). Closer Aroldis Chapman is probably at least a week away, and the reliable Tommy Kahnle is lost for the rest of the season (and likely much of 2021) after undergoing Tommy John surgery on Tuesday.
Welcome to the Aaron Judge Show! Seriously, Judge is white-hot right now. After starting the season 2-12, he went on a tear, hitting home-runs in five consecutive games. When Judge lowers the gavel, he doesn't hit wall-scrapers, they get stuck in orbit.
Luke Voit has launched four homers over nine games and looks back to his second half of 2018 level. Giancarlo Stanton and Gio Urshela are also raking, with OPS's of 1.028 and 1.088, respectively. Urshela came up early in 2019 when Miguel Andújar injured his shoulder and has firmly seized the 3rd base job. Andújar, now healthy, has struggled to the tune of 1-14 (.071) and was optioned to the Yankees "Alternative Site" (2020 version of being sent to Triple-A Scranton) last night. He could also be trade-bait if Brian Cashman decides to look for more help in the rotation.
Roster Moves: Following last night's game, the Yankees optioned INF/OF Miguel Andújar, INF Thairo Estrada and RHP Nick Nelson to the Alternate Site.
— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) August 6, 2020
Gleyber Torres, Aaron Hicks, Brett Gardner and Gary Sánchez have struggled, to the consternation of many on Twitter. It's a matter of time before they get going, particularly Torres ( I think Gary will also be fine as well). Gardner, now 36, may be best off in a platoon situation if the Yankees decide to bring Clint Frazier back up from Scranton. Mike Tauchman has earned a lion's share of playing time, but only so many at bats are available with this log-jam.
Next time, we will cover games 12-20 and see if the Yankees can continue to stay hot.
Posted in MLBTagged Aaron Boone, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Adam Ottavino, Aroldis Chapman, Brett Gardner, Brian Cashman, Chad Green, Clint Frazier, David Hale, Gary Sánchez, Gerrit Cole, JA Happ, James Paxton, Jonathan Holder, Jonathan Loaisiga, Jordan Montgomery, Masahiro Tanaka, Michael King, Miguel Andújar, MLB, New York Yankees, Nick Nelson, Tommy John Surgery, Tommy Kahnle, Zack Britton
Despite Injuries, Yankees Have Depth to Overcome
Posted on March 6, 2020 March 7, 2020 by Charlie Ricker
After an injury-riddled 2019 season where they used 54 different players, one would think the New York Yankees 2020 season would be better in terms of health simply by default.
Concerned about the alarming number of injuries and treatment of them, the team overhauled the strength and conditioning department, hiring Eric Cressey as Director of Player Health and Performance.
The Yankees today announced that they have restructured their Player Health and Performance staff, which will be led by new Director of Player Health and Performance Eric Cressey. pic.twitter.com/dPxE1F8kvR
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) January 14, 2020
Longtime Yankees trainer Steve Donahue, with the team since 1979, has been reassigned as Director of Medical Services in the restructuring.
So far in 2020, the "Medical Gods" still aren't being too kind to the Yankees. As of this writing (March 6), the team has lost starting pitcher Luis Severino (Tommy John surgery) for the season. James Paxton (lower back surgery) will be out until May at the earliest, OF/DH Giancarlo Stanton strained his right calf doing defensive drills last week and may miss the first week of the season. It has been reported Stanton has resumed running, so he may be able to ramp things up again soon. Aaron Judge has been dealing with pain in his shoulder/chest area, and today it was revealed he has a fracture in one of his ribs.
Aaron Judge has a stress fracture in a rib. Yankees are going to try two weeks of rest but surgery is not off the table.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 6, 2020
It was also revealed Judge originally suffered this injury in a game last September 18 on a diving catch attempt, and felt a "crack and a pop". Preliminary tests were performed and Judge received a cortisone injection.
More on Judge's injury can be read via Yankees beat writer Bryan Hoch's Twitter feed.
Judge has fractured rib; shut down for 2 weeks https://t.co/ij97kHMt5t via @MLB
Despite these injuries, the Yankees have depth to overcome. Even with the early losses of Stanton and Judge (and loss of CF Aaron Hicks for first half of 2020), the team has Mike Tauchman, Clint Frazier and Estevan Florial on the 40 man roster to go along with Brett Gardner. Miguel Andújar has looked promising in left-field, to the point where manager Aaron Boone says he is comfortable continuing to give him reps. Also in the mix is 27 year old Zack Granite, a 2013 draftee from the Twins organization. The lefty hitter spent last season in Nashville, the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers.
For the starting rotation, Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ and newly-signed Gerrit Cole have looked very good in the early going. Jordan Montgomery looks like he's back to his 2017 pre-surgery form and youngsters Jonathan Loaisiga, Clarke Schmidt and Deivi Garcia are in competition with holdover Luis Cessa to nail down the 5th starter spot.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman makes it a point to stock up on depth, and it served them well in 2019, still winning 103 games. They look poised to make another run at a World Series title in 2020.
Posted in MLBTagged Aaron Boone, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Baseball, Brett Gardner, Brian Cashman, Clarke Schmidt, Clint Frazier, Deivi Garcia, Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton, Injuries, J.A. Happ, James Paxton, Jonathan Loaisiga, Jordan Montgomery, Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Miguel Andujar, Mike Tauchman, MLB, New York Yankees, Steve Donahue, Yankees


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Reichsadler Coat of arms of the Weimar Republic (1928–1935) and Bundesadler of the Federal Republic of Germany since 1949.
The Reichsadler (Imperial Eagle) is the heraldic eagle, derived from the Roman eagle standard, used by the Holy Roman Emperors and in modern coats of arms of Germany, including those of the Second German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) and the Third Reich (Nazi Germany, 1933–1945).
The same design has remained in use by the Federal Republic of Germany since 1945, albeit under the name Bundesadler (Federal Eagle).
Assorted Gallery of Photos
Seal of Conrad II (1029), with a depiction of the eagle-sceptre.
Royal coat of arms of the Hohenstaufen emperors (1155–1197), after its appearance in Codex Manesse (c. 1304) with Henry VI (r. 1169–1197).
Imperial eagle on a coin of Frederick II (r. 1197–1250).
13th-century depiction of the arms of Otto IV (early depiction of a double-headed Reichsadler).
Coat of arms of Emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg in 1433.
The imperial eagle depicted with one, two and three heads (Conrad Grünenberg 1483).
Quaternion Eagle c. 1510, the eagle displaying the imperial quaternions on its remiges.
Coat of arms of Augustus III of Poland (r. 1734–1763), as Prince-Elector of Saxony being the Vicar of the Holy Roman Empire.
Coat of arms of the short-lived German Empire 1848/49; the German Confederation used a similar eagle.
Reichsadler (official design 1888–1918) of the (Second) German Empire.
Coat of arms of the Austrian Empire (1804–1867); also used as the lesser arms of Austria-Hungary (1867–1915).
Reichsadler (1919–1927) of the Weimar Republic.
Parteiadler of the Nazi Party (1933–1945).
Parteiadler of the Nazi Party (1933–1945) variant.
Reichsadler (1935–1945) of Nazi Germany.
Austrian coat of arms used during the austrofascist Corporate State 1934–1938.
Bundesadler of the Republic of Austria since 1945; the same design, without the broken chains symbolizing the end of fascism, was used 1919–1934.
Medieval Use
The Reichsadler can be traced back to the banner of the Holy Roman Empire, when the eagle was the insignia of Imperial power as distinguished from the Imperial states. It was meant to embody the reference to the Roman tradition (translatio imperii), similar to the double-headed eagle used by the Palaiologi emperors of the Byzantine Empire, or the tsars of Russia.
A double-headed eagle was attributed to Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in the Chronica Majora by Matthew Paris about 1250, and also appeared on the seal of the Imperial city of Kaiserswerth in the 13th century. The Reichsadler was widely used by Imperial cities such as Lübeck, Besançon and Cheb to underline their Imperial immediacy. The Teutonic Order under Hermann von Salza had the privilege to display the Imperial eagle in their coat of arms, granted by Emperor Frederick II. The black eagle was later adopted when the Teutonic State was transformed into the Duchy of Prussia in 1525, and a modified version was used in the arms of Royal Prussia from 1466–1772. The ducal arms later formed the basis of the arms of the Kingdom of Prussia and its successor the Free State of Prussia until it was formally abolished in 1947.
Sigismund of Luxembourg used a black double-headed eagle after he was crowned Emperor in 1433. From this time, the single-headed Reichsadler represented the title of King of the Romans, and the double-headed one the title of Emperor. Over the following century, Albert II of Germany was the last King-elect of Germany who did not go on to be crowned emperor. After the German Reformation, beginning with Ferdinand I in 1558, emperors were no longer crowned by the pope.
In 1804, Holy Roman Emperor Francis II established the Austrian Empire from the lands of the Habsburg Monarchy, and adopted the double-headed eagle, aggrandized by an inescutcheon emblem of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and the Order of the Golden Fleece, as its coat of arms; the Holy Roman Empire was subsequently dissolved in 1806. Since 1919, the coat of arms of Austria has depicted a single-headed eagle. Although not a national symbol in the modern sense, the Reichsadler evoked sentiments of loyalty to the empire.
Modern Use
Following the revolutions of 1848 in the German states, the Reichsadler was restored as a symbol of national unity: it became the coat of arms of the short-lived German Empire and subsequently the German Confederation from its restoration in 1850 until its dissolution in 1866. It was once again restored in 1871 when a single-headed eagle with a Prussian inescutcheon became the insignia of the German Empire; the single head was used to represent the so-called Kleindeutschland, i.e. it excluded Austria. After World War I, the Weimar Republic under President Friedrich Ebert assumed a plain version of the Reichsadler, which remained in use until 1935.
During Nazi rule, a stylised eagle combined with the Nazi swastika was made the national emblem (Hoheitszeichen) by order of Adolf Hitler in 1935. Despite its medieval origin, the term Reichsadler in common English understanding is mostly associated with this specific Nazi era version. The Nazi Party had used a very similar symbol for itself, called the Parteiadler (Party's eagle). These two insignia can be distinguished as the Reichsadler looks to its right shoulder whereas the Parteiadler looks to its left shoulder.
After World War II the Federal Republic of Germany re-implemented the eagle used by the Weimar Republic by enactment of President Theodor Heuss in 1950.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Well, we can see perhaps a modern equivilant in beach gold. I do some prospecting as a hobby and I could see large regular tides acting as a mixing and sorting agent, but any U present wouldn't be alone, and most of the heavier agents associated with such (predominantly gold, iron, lead) would tend to moderate or dampen any "natural" reactor formation. I just don't see it as very plausible in mechanism of formation. The natural reactors of which we are aware (http://www.ocrwm.doe.gov/factsheets/doeymp0010.shtml), formed from different processes.
Hydraulic sorting and segregate minerals very efficiently according to density, and high grade uranium-bearing sands are not impossible in a reducing environment. It would be interesting to moddel and see whether you could get a sufficient concentration to generate a nuclear reaction, given historic isotope ratios.
You bring up an interesting point I wasn't considering in my earlier post. We are talking about several Billion (million million, for some) years ago, not only would U have been much more plentiful, but the isotopic compositions of such would probably have been quite different as well. This would indeed affect the viability of such a "natural reactor" proposal as it would generally mean much lower concentrations of raw ore would tend to be more reactive. I'm still hesitant to endorse such as probable, but it does seem potentially possible.
As we actually seem to have numerous sources for the energy which stimulated the emergence of abiogenesis, and radiation tends to be more inimical than beneficial to the compounds we are currently looking at as potential precursors, I don't really see this as positive step in that process. Seems more like an unlikely, but potential, solution in search of a problem, at least at this point.
thi is why you could get natural reactors at Oklo, because the isotopic ratio was equivalent to slightly enriched nuclear fuel, and why such phenomena are impossible today.
Some prebiotic synthesis has been demonstrated using X-rays, proton beams, and alpha particles.
actually, a bit more than just "slightly" enriched, which was my original impression. around 2million years ago which is the approximate age of most of the natural reactors known ore enrichment was at around 3.7% U235, which as you say is slightly enriched. But drop that figure back another nearly 2 billion years at around the time of abiogenesis, and we're pushing up closer to 7%, which is a pretty potent fuel mix. Most modern reactors use fuel at between 3.5 - 5%, IIRC.
I wasn't aware that these specific energies and radiations were being proposed as plentiful and typical of these types of reactors/reactions,....but if you are just saying, that we don't know what we don't know and that this creates similar processes and may produce unknown similar prebiotic percursors, ...yeah, anything's possible, I just don't see any strong compelling evidence of it yet.
Many other more common processes precursors that may have yielded abiogenesis. I'm not trying to slam any doors, just doing a bit of shaving until presented with a reason for what so far seems an unneccesary complication.
That's a good point. Thanks for the calculation.
[QUOTE=Trakar;1155186]I wasn't aware that these specific energies and radiations were being proposed as plentiful and typical of these types of reactors/reactions,....but if you are just saying, that we don't know what we don't know and that this creates similar processes and may produce unknown similar prebiotic percursors, ...yeah, anything's possible, I just don't see any strong compelling evidence of it yet.
It's not a complication, so much as an additional "factory" for making complex prebiotic compounds. The more the better to improve the quality of the soup.
Uranium is a lithophile element and so is concentrated in fractionated crustal rocks. Under reducing conditions uranium is insoluble and will therefore be further concentrated as a detrital mineral in sediments.
[QUOTE=Trakar;1155186]Uranium is a lithophile element and so is concentrated in fractionated crustal rocks. Under reducing conditions uranium is insoluble and will therefore be further concentrated as a detrital mineral in sediments.
But, if not for unusual circumstances, shouldn't we expect that like the vast majority of iron and other heavy metals, it should have been differentiated and sought levels more appropriately in the core/deep mantle?
Just a casual look and consideration seems to present that the Earth possesses a lot more of the heavier metals in its crust than I would expect from the accretion and differentiation phases of planetary formation.
Even granting the lithophilic nature, we are still talking average specific gravity for most U minerals in the 7.5 to almost 10 range, I believe. Are there other obvious processes that I'm overlooking? I mean, I understand that there is never perfect differentiation, and once the core forms it tends to remain distinct from the mantle and the crust, and all you have to do is look at Mars to see that heavier elements like iron are not all that uncommon on the surface of planets (though Mars looks like it had a few big late period impacts itself - Tharsis Bulge, etc.). But we seem to have a lot of heavy metal ores that seem a bit out of place in our planet's crust, even given the nature of mantle circulation and plume upwellings. Any recommended reading material that covers this topic in more detail would be greatly appreciated.
Actually couple corrections there. Most of the natural reactors were around 1.8 "B"illion years ago and U235 was about 3.7% of the U ore then, and if we stretched it back to life originations at around 4 "B"illion the ratio of U235 to U238 is almost 1-2 or much closer to 30%! Not weapons grade, but definitely some hot fuel. Good catch and thanks for calling my attention to it, looking at it in your post, I realized it didn't look right but it took me a bit to see where I'd been sloppy. U235 half-life ~700Myears.
Where metals end up in the Earth (or any other planet for that matter) is not determined by density but by geochemical behaviour, as determined by Goldschmidt (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldschmidt_classification). Heavy metals can be lithophiles (rock loving), chalcophiles (literally copper loving but in practice they could be better described as sulphur loving) and siderophile (iron loving).
The lithophile elements include uranium and thorium, these tend fractionate into crustal rocks, the more fractionated the better. Siderophile elements partion into metallic iron, and tend to occur as alloys or native metals, gold and the PGEs for example. Chalcophiles tend to form sulphides, like bismuth, copper, lead, zinc, etc.
So during planetary differentiation U and Th will end up in the crust, metallic iron and the PGEs in the core, and copper, lead, zinc where ever there is sulphur, be that in the core, in igenous rocks, or hydrothermally concentrated in the crust.
The caveat is that the Goldschimdt classification indicates patterns of geochemical behaviour. Some elements, iron for instance, can behave as siderophiles, chalcophiles or lithophiles, depending on circumstances. Others are much more narrow in their beaviour. Uranium is one and is always lithophile. PGEs are another, and are always siderophile.


text:
FOUNDATION_EXPORT double Pods_HZAdditions_TestsVersionNumber;
FOUNDATION_EXPORT const unsigned char Pods_HZAdditions_TestsVersionString[];

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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I do not have a specific memory but wanted to offer my sincerest sympathies. Jim was my bus driver for many years and I loved how he handled the kids. I was never afraid of him & he would even wait for me if I was late getting to my stop. Very sweet man. I did not know Penny had passed as well. Very sorry for your loss.