From Bryan Hoch:
For the first time this season, the Yankees’ new formula worked exactly as they hoped it would. Juan Soto brought his patience, making the opposing pitcher labor through a seven-pitch walk, and Aaron Judge followed with the power.
Judge sparked the offense with a two-run homer as the Bombers sent Kevin Gausman to an early exit. Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo also went deep to help build a big lead, and the Yankees needed every run as they held on for a 9-8 victory over the Blue Jays on Saturday evening at Yankee Stadium.
It feels like Hoch had that headline locked in before the Yankee bullpen fell apart, right? I have no idea how you stick with “That’s how you draw it up” when you nearly blow a seven-run lead late in the game, and have to use your closer AND your best (only?) high leverage setup man.
That said, yes, it was nice to see the Yankees score so many runs. And Hamilton, by the way, didn’t even pitch CRAZY poorly in the ninth. The walk to Vogelbach was really the worst part of Hamilton’s outing. He gave up a single to Turner to lead off the ninth, up 9-5, but Turner is a good hitter, can’t complain about that. Then, with two men on, he gave up a groundball for an out, and then a double that was a flyball that a better defensive right fielder than Soto would have caught pretty easily. Then he was out of the game, and Holmes allowed both of his runners to score. So Hamilton’s outing looks a lot worse than he actually pitched.
However, the bullpen is definitely going to be an issue with Lo now out for the season (UCL surgery while out already for two months due to a hip flexor). You could say, “Just wait for Effross, Trivino and Kahnle,” but, well, I don’t think Kahnle and Trivino are even that good, and while Effross is, it’s going to be a year and half on the IL for that dude, how can we possibly expect anything from him? I think we’re at a point where the Yankees can only trust Holmes, Hamilton, Burdi (when he is not throwing wild pitches) and, to a certain extent, Gonzalez and Ferguson. Weaver is a fine longman, but Boone is treating him like he is Michael King. He is not Michael King.
You know who COULD approximate Michael King? Clarke Schmidt, and I think there might be some logic in calling up Beeter or Warren to take Schmidt’s spot in the rotation, and using Schmidt in the King role this season. I think he might be more valuable that way, at least so long as Schmidt continued to show he can’t pitch deep into games as a starter. If he turns that around, then sure, keep him in the rotation, and let Beeter or Warren give the King role a shot (I guess Beeter, since he’s already on the 40-man).
By the way, speaking of King, seven shutout innings from him tonight to move to 2-0 on the season. I’m not saying I wouldn’t do the deal, but boy, I can’t believe that King was involved in that trade. It still boggles my mind that a playoff contender traded away a guy who might be their #2 starter (and realistically was their #4 starter at least). I get that it apparently was “Give us King or no deal,” but, well…damn.
I’d rather see Schmidt stay in the rotation and stop nibbling. He didn’t want to challenge hitters up by 6 last night. Why would he be an option in leverage spots? They need someone who can give them 6 innings and if he’d spent less time trying to dot Keirmeier and the backup C last night, he would have gotten there
I totally agree, it’s just a question of whether he CAN do it. If he can, then yes, no doubt he’s more valuable in the rotation, but if he can’t, let someone else take a crack at it.
He’s spoken about the difficulty adjusting from the pen to the rotation after his success being more aggressive in higher leverage innings in 2022.
id stay w Schmidt in the rotation for at least another 4 starts.
7 pitches doesn’t sound particularly laborious or unusual for a walk.
hooray gil day
I’m a bit miffed at the sitting of Oswaldo the day before. Just ride the f*ing hot hand instead of systematically dousing it in ice water. Yes, the player should be able to deal with sitting for a day, but you’re supposed to be making success as easy as possible for the player, not the polar reverse. Have Oswaldo get used to being good on a daily basis – as long as it lasts. He’ll cool off eventually, that’s when you’ll get the other players their playing time. It’s probably nothing in this one case, but it’s a bafflingly stupid tactic to apply across the board.
and…
Can we identify who we were before the mass renaming?
UJD’s still UJD, I see. Knuckle Curve, excalibur is Don, Clay is Clay, Brian, Big Fan. Who’s Calla, Dolce? …there was one more. One of you is sic…….? Yfin? Who else is still here under a different name?
Can neither confirm nor deny.
I´m me, still lurking from time to time, but a lot less in the last few years.
I am me.
The Walrus?
Wells starting day game after night game.
Will Warren 4 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Clayton Beeter 3.1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 5 BB, 5 K
How do you walk that many guys?! You’d think you would just start grooving pitches before walking that many guys.
mostly not throwing strikes