When the Royals come to town, you have certain expectations. You expect that they’re going to pepper you with hits. You expect that they’re going to play stellar defense. You expect that you’ll need to score your runs early, before they reach into their elite bullpen. You don’t expect a four-home run power display against […]
Category: Articles
Who should close? A point/counterpoint
Aroldis Chapman made his return to the mound Monday night after completing his 30-game suspension for a domestic violence incident that occurred last fall. Chapman represents the final head of the Yankees’ bullpen Ghidorah, joining Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances to form a three-faced monster intended to tear through the back end of ballgames. One […]
On the Chapman conundrum
“Baseball is the most perfect of games, solid, true, pure and precious as diamonds. If only life were so simple.” — W. P. KINSELLA, Shoeless Joe Baseball, at times, is a simple game. You catch the ball, you throw the ball, you hit the ball. You win or you lose. Sometimes you tie, but only […]
Game 30 Recap: Home runs for everyone
The Yankees got what they needed from starting pitcher Ivan Nova and more than what they needed from their hitters in a 6-3 win over the Royals on Monday. The ball was jumping out of the stadium tonight; the Yankees (5) and Royals (2) hit seven combined homers. Carolos Beltran had two dingers and Brian McCann, […]
Though pessimism prevails, promise makes brief appearance vs. Red Sox
Through the dark clouds of doubt that have steadily moved toward the sky over Yankee Stadium, a ray of promise peek through this weekend in a series win over the Red Sox For 52 hours, it appeared the Yankees were back out of their coma. For the last 20, the outlook has to returned to a bleak state. […]
On game theory and Michael Pineda’s fastball
Mariano Rivera’s cutter. Kenley Jansen’s cutter. Zach Britton’s sinker. There are pitches in baseball that are just so lethal that it doesn’t matter if the hitter knows it’s coming. The hurler that possesses these pitches will throw the pitch nine out of every ten times without consequences. Well, there are consequences, but those consequences are […]
Game 29 Recap: The Wright stuff ain’t right
Two batters into the game, the Yankees were losing 2-0. Luis Severino had walked Mookie Betts on four low and away pitches, and then Dustin Pedroia hit a ball into the right field porch. Severino proceeded to retire ten batters in a row. Seven of them were sat down by way of the strikeout. Then, David […]
Game 28 Recap: No bullpen, no problem
The Yankees have won back-to-back games. For most teams that isn’t something newsworthy enough to lead off an article. For the Yankees? It’s just the fourth time this season that they’ve managed the feat. After stealing a tense showdown with the Red Sox on Friday night, the Yanks won in much more comfortable fashion Saturday, […]
Watch: David Ortiz ejected after throwing fit over strike call
For one night, the new Stadium almost felt like the old one. David Ortiz came charging out of the dugout at umpire Ron Kulpa after he was tossed from a 3-2 loss for losing his composure over a pair of controversial strike calls, nearly making contact with him behind home plate. Yankees closer Andrew Miller painted […]
Game 27 Recap: Hicks dig(s) the longball
Uneasiness turned into jubilation as Aaron Hicks’s solo blast in the eighth inning, out of nowhere, lifted the Yankees to a much-needed 3-2 victory in the opening game of their three-game set with Boston. It was an unusual night to say the least. Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury left the game in the first inning due […]