From Bryan Hoch:
Jasson Domínguez ranged toward the left-field line in the top of the first inning, tracking Colton Cowser’s slicing bases-loaded drive. A moment too late, the Yankees’ top prospect realized he had miscalculated, lunging in vain as the ball fell behind him for a two-run single.
That misplay, one of several that Domínguez has made this month, underscores a difficult decision with postseason games approaching. Will the Yankees opt for the run-producing potential of Domínguez’s power and speed, or the run-preventing defense they believe Alex Verdugo can provide?
It was a question worth pondering on an evening when the American League East remained unsecured, the bubbly kept on ice for a second consecutive night as the Yankees fell to the Orioles, 9-7, on Wednesday evening at Yankee Stadium.
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“I have no excuse. That ball needs to be caught, 100 percent of the time,” Domínguez said. “I didn’t catch the ball, obviously, and that caused my pitcher to have to throw many more pitches and work more.”
Just let the dude work through his shit now in the regular season. Left field in Yankee Stadium is tricky, but these are mostly just inexperienced plays. He’ll be fine. And we KNOW Verdugo sucks as a hitter, so just stick with The Martian. His terrible play still gets the featured image.
I’ll give the Yankees a bit of a mulligan on Nestor Cortes being a late scratch, and the Yankees obviously didn’t want to offend Marcus Stroman by skipping over him for the much-more qualified Cody Poteet. If Poteet starts this game, the Yankees win. So while not taking anything away from how bad Stroman was in this game, it was also some bad luck, as Stroman was clearly not the guy you would ever want doing a spot start. He’s a headcase. No excuse for how bad he was, but just more of a “It was dumb of you to use him.” And then it was even dumber to KEEP using him after he gave up 3504 hits in the first inning. Just shitty managing, but I’ll admit, when you’re up five games with five games to play, you definitely can be looser with this stuff.
Of course, Cleveland won, so the Yankees are in trouble in terms of winning home field advantage in the playoffs, which would also mean getting Houston in the ALDS, which could be berry bad news.
Brian, your analysis makes me mad. Also, stop giving away trade secret(s).
Judge is still within striking distance of a triple crown, currently down .332 to .324 in average. A Bobby Witt mini-slump over the weekend would help. It’s not a likely outcome, but is still within the realm of possibility. Stupid Bobby Witt.
Interesting. If you had the choice, would you give Judge a 3-HR game or a 6-for-6 game?
I’d definitely go with a 6 for 6 at this point. I think the Triple Crown, outdated as it is, is still more impressive than 60 HR.
After thinking further, I think I’d prefer a 6-6 game with 6 HRs. 😉
With only 4 games remaining, that is a tough order. Judge has a shot at 400 total bases and a 700 SLG percentage, currently at 388 total bases and SLG 703. He’d be the first Yankees player to have a 700 SLG since Mickey Mantle in 1956. His 1.163 OPS is also the highest by a Yankees player since 1956 when Mantle finished 1.169. Better than that was Gehrig in 1936 at 1.174, so a chance at that.
I had to specify 6 singles? Or anything but HRs?
In the real world, I’m obviously I’m all on board with your version, but it does kind of knock the quand out of the quandary.
Vlady is also 1 pt ahead of Judge and has been great all summer.
Martian si, Verdugo no.
Cole better pitch a shutout. And when the reporters ask about the Yankee offense, Boone will say they scored seven (meaningless) runs yesterday.
Congratulations to Corbin Burnes on the first-ever 27-strikeout perfect game.
Keep the reverse jinx coming Veggie.
That was very unexpected.
I thought this ump was hitter friendly. What was that?
RAB Jazz has 38 SB and Burnes has allowed 41 SB, yet he never tried to steal there during two at-bats. I dunno man.
Susan?
Congratulations to Corbin Burnes on his first career two-hitter.
Yankees make bad pitchers OK, mediocre pitchers good and good pitchers Sandy Koufax great.
Wells is a mess. And still this unserious organization keeps hitting him 4th, behind Judge.
He hit that DP GB 100+ mph. But it’s him or Stanton.
It can’t be Wells.
Cole 83 pitches thru 5, Burnes 53 thru 4.. Ad Baltimore.
Burnes is going to go 9, Cole will go 7 and give up a tying or go ahead home run, and the pen will will lose it outright.
Be afraid, AL, be very afraid. The ALDS starts October 5, giving Cashman and Boone 5+ days to put their heads together and prepare this team.
Rizzo ahead 3-0 swings and hits a weak ground ball. RIZZO! SWINGING 3-0! NO HOME RUNS SINCE JUNE 13! SWINGING 3-0!
Unserious.
Ump called that a strike against Wells.
Burnes out. Probably to keep him available for next week.
“The maligned Baltimore bull pen has done a good job” Duh.
We might win this only because the percentages say they can’t win the East.
Five pitches to Judge with 1st and 2nd and 1 out, four pitches not even close.
That’ll do. That was a good AB.
Alrighty!
Yay, Wells, bases loaded walk (4 of 6 pitches not close).
Yay, Stanton, bases clearing double.
Gianni 116mph
And the other good news Leiter on paternity leave.
Sterling’s call.
https://x.com/jsterlingcalls/status/1839469425860251743?s=61&t=fhOaqwtc8q2TMSXUDRjPeg
Rizzo! Told people before the season started that the O’s bullpen wasn’t going to be very good, and they proved it.
Judge!
Shouldn’t have switched off the game.
Clay Holmes proof.
New York Yankee stats
Yankees Trios Most Combined HR in Season
143 Maris/Mantle/Skowron 1961
126 Judge/Soto/Stanton 2024
125 Ruth/Gehrig/Lazzeri 1927
125 Judge/Rizzo/Stanton 2022
So all it will take is for Judge to go 6-for-6 with 6 homers every day this weekend against Pittsburgh.
Will be difficult against Skenes, so hopefully it won’t be too much to ask Soto and Stanton to chip in a few against the other two starters.
Shohei: Aaron Judge seems to call you.
How many days does Judge play this weekend?
With a chance to tie Mattingly’s home run streak? All day every day.
Yeah, no way they don’t keep him starting the rest of the way. He’s going to get a WEEK off. He’ll play everyday.
Chance for 60 HR’s again, DH him. Chance for 400 total bases, first Yankees player since DiMaggio in 1937, DH him.
I had a last minute errand, so I missed the start of the game, and I didn’t want to jinx it by starting the thread after they were up 1-0. 😉
Well done.
Your 2024 AL East Champions.
Knew it from the start and never wavered.
…
The S in ChrisS stands for stalwart
Which one?
Yay win! Yay Cole! Yay Stanton!
And of course, yay Judge. Can’t ever, won’t ever take him for granted.
But when Stanton is on, this lineup is a lot longer…
Now comes ‘The Post Season of Gloom’.
That Cole IBB of Devers really sparked the townies and devastated the Yankees confidence.
I truly cannot believe that Cora would say that shit about it inspiring the Red Sox. It was such a BS thing for him to do.
These last two Cole starts have really made the Devers IBB look even WEIRDER in retrospect, though, right?
Cora the new Knute Rockne starring Jimmy Smits as Cora.
Pretty game!
And congratulations to Bradley on possibly the single least consistent strike zone I can remember. I shouldn’t say “single”, it was like eight different strike zones!