Tonight, Aaron Judge, who's been hitting around .380 and OPS'ing way over 1.000 since making a slight adjusment with his hands and his load early this month, cracked his 16th homerun tonight and has hit 8 in the last 12 or 13 games. He also walked again. He's been doing that more than striking out since his adjustment, and he's no longer chasing the low and away. The Cubs, who are a much better team than the Yankees these days (which is unforgivable) are still able to call up their star prospects when the ligh goes on. The Yanks don't seem to have that flexibility, even though they have a bad team. What's more, the GM seems to have an egoic attachment to Aaron Hicks, an older former first rounder for whom the light have never gone on, and earlier intimated that Hicks is somehow an obstacle to Judge's immediate call up. That's an example of ego protecting a bad decision and it's no way to run a baseball team. The Yanks should in fact, DFA Hicks, call up Judge, and make Beltran the regular DH.
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Yet another reason that Cashman's sell by date has long passed.
Great point about the Cubs being the better team and can play prospects, It's a joke, we'll turn into the Yankees of the mid 80's early 90's here shortly.
Also, whenever a NY Team says that we don't give in, we always try to win, that is a farce. These owners just want the playoff revenue, even if it's one game or one round. They do not want to rebuild and miss a few years of playoff money.
Me, I'd rather sacrifice a few years and build a team that will win it all.
That's because we're fans who root for a baseball team. The Yankees are a marketing firm who happen to employ a baseball team.
I never did understand Cashman's fascination with Hicks. I guess he was hoping for another Adam Jones, who admittedly was pretty good in his mid-20s. But it's not gonna happen, and Cashman needs to stop pretending like it is.
At least Hicks' contract won't limit their financial flexibility, unlike Castro, McCann, Ellsbury, and Headley. This team is not well run on the ML level, and it's impeding what might be going right on the mL level. We just don't know for how long.
There is a lack of courage and imagination.
Also, that comment about Judge being blocked may be the first positive comment he has made about Refs, but basd on playing time, Hicks is blocking Refs as well.
Why isn't he being asked about the non-reason he has for Sanchez not being here?
Trading Refsnyder would solve one problem.
“There was always some question [about] where he fit defensively,” Girardi said. “And I don’t think they were ever looking at a bat that necessarily hit 30, 35 home runs. So it was kind of a ‘Where do we fit him in?’ I think that’s been part of it.”
I have yet to see Refsnyder play defense horrendously as these Mgmt types are saying, even if he does slip up at least he's hitting and can make up for any defensive mistakes, which like I said I have not seen.
It's about playing the guys they brought in because ultimately they refuse to admit all the money and bad decisions they are making.
No, trading Castro or Headley. Castro had been bad for years.
It's virtually impossible to argue that the people at the major-league level know what they're doing.
Refs is showing that he makes the ideal bench player, as he can play at at least four positions (1st, 2d, and the corner OF positions) and is learning 3B. Having someone like that gives the manager and GM tremendous roster flexibility, especially as he wouldn't be seriously impairing the offense when he plays. He can get 80-100 games per season out of that, which ain't bad. His close friendship with Judge is also a plus, as they've used it to keep each other on track so far. I think he'll be a real asset in the clubhouse when he gets established.
I think the light has gone on at least for Girardi. I think Girardi appreciates having players who work hard, learn, are willing to do whatever it takes to help the team, and bring a positive attitude to the team -- after all he was that kind of player himself.
Maybe the light went out for Cashman
Taking on that contract was just stupid because it was so unnecessary and it is symptomatic of the Cashman/Girardi mindset that is holding them back:
RAB
There are 168 players qualified for the batting title as of this morning. Starlin Castro ranks 156th with a .285 OBP. That is terrible. I know he’s hit some big dingers and has generally been better than Stephen Drew, but man, his at-bats are consistently the worst on the team. He hacks at everything. Execute a slider off the plate in a two-strike count and Starlin will go fishing, no doubt about it.
Refs is no lower than the 4th best hitter on the team and should play everyday, and if that means playing second ahead of Castro, whom he's superior to, so be it. GIrardi still plays contracts over players.
That's true, but Cashman in consultation with his right-hand man Hendry are the reason they went after Castro, and it's clear from his public comments that Cashman doesn't think highly of Ref's second base defense.
I don't think this group will ever move away from defense first mindset.
That's why I want to move away from this group.
IMO, It's gotten to the point where you have to play Refsnyder at second and just deal with whatever his defensive shortcomings are.
I don't think Castro is immovable from a contract standpoint; I do think Cashman's acquisition of him (and Hicks for that matter) mean they're given a much, much longer leash than they're due.
Alderson has unequivocally done a tremendous job developing/trading for the Mets' young starters, but look how fragile pitching, especially young pitching, is.
He may have at least partially done that because of his budget constraints, though.
Give me offense, young dynamic bats with good enough pitching and defense is the way to build long term winners. That's been the key to the Yankees' success for a good part of their history, including the most recent success that the current group had little to do with byt continually takes credit for.
Hicks again. It's hard not to think that's coming from the top.
Brendan Kuty
@BrendanKutyNJ
Source: #Yankees prospect James Kaprielian's elbow still hurts, flies to NYC to see team doctor
-Mike K. posting from work
Not what you want to hear
And yet another reason why a pitching first mentality is basically a sign you that you should be in another business.
Cashman says he doesn't tell Girardi who to play, but I'd think this is them giving Hicks a chance to sink of swing.
rings of harmony around Kaps throwing arm.
Cashman just said that Hicks is blocking Judge; you don't think they're on the same page with him?
He's had virtually three months. As I said before, when's the last time a homegrown prospect got that kind of time?
A genius move to tempt fate with Beltran staying healthy.
It's beyond amazing that Refs can't get at bats over the junk they play.
They are, quite simply, a team that is unable to make the tough decisions necessary to truly turn the franchise around. They are 100-percent committed to the sunk cost fallacy.
@BryanHoch
Yankees announce James Kaprielian's MRI showed a flexor tendon strain of the right elbow. He will now be evaluated by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
Does anyone know what that is?
Tendons connect muscles to bones. Ligaments, bones to bones. That's all I remember from physio.
It sounds like Judge call is being made above Girardi:
Girardi has Rob Refsnyder and Aaron Hicks to fill in for Beltran on a short-term basis but didn’t bite on the possibility of Aaron Judge being elevated from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he is on a tear (13-for-32 with 12 RBIs in his previous nine games).
“It’s not a call for me,’’ the manager said.
--------
Almost no one on the 25 man roster hits for AVG and takes walks. Yet Refs sits.
No Levine, no one knows what they are doing in this under achieving franchise.
As per Francesca. Cashman wanted to sell two years ago but he was overruled.
Who would he have traded for? Hicks? Castro? Another starter with stuff doesn't know how to pitch? Another hater who doesn't take walks?
He knows the deal here yet he keeps signing big contracts.
Hater = hitter
I'm a hater, of phonies, like Cashman.
I think Cash man is Francesca's main source. He's onFrancesa's show alot.
Which is where we heard that Refs had an attitude problem. I don't listen that showing more, EVER. Not because of that, just because he's a jerk Who can't keep his politics out of the show.
Rutherford supposedly close which would be great so they can get him in the system.
There seems to be disagreement about the implications of a flexor tendon relative to TJS.
$3.282m bonus
Yay, they got something right!
Love Francessa or hate him....He does have his sources. Who knows what to believe really.
He's dead to me.
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