From Bryan Hoch:
One pitch from extinguishing a late rally, Mark Leiter Jr. turned to his most trusted weapon, a splitter that has been listed among baseball’s best pitches over the past several seasons. This one didn’t reach its intended target, and the Yankees’ bullpen faltered for the first time this year.
Leiter surrendered a go-ahead grand slam to reigning National League Player of the Week Eugenio Suárez, representing the difference in the Yankees’ 7-5 loss to the Diamondbacks on Tuesday evening at Yankee Stadium.
“It’s a long season, so it’s all right, but it’s definitely disappointing,” Leiter said. “We had a chance to win that game, and I’ve got to make better pitches right there.”
Looking to build upon a three-game sweep of the Brewers in their season-opening series, the Yankees carried a two-run lead into the eighth inning. That would have presented a clear lane for right-hander Luke Weaver, but with closer Devin Williams on the paternity list, manager Aaron Boone was saving Weaver for the ninth inning.
Well, THAT sucked.
But, as I said in the game thread, when everyone in the bullpen is healthy, Mark Leiter is, like, the sixth guy on the totem pole, behind Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Jonathan Loaisiga, Ian Hamilton, and Jake Cousins, and very likely Fernando Cruz. It’s just early, and with Williams on paternity leave, they had a short bullpen. Even WITH the short bullpen, Luke Weaver should definitely have come in to face Suarez, but whatever, I get it, it’s really early in the season.
So, yeah, I don’t think Leiter sucking is that big of a deal. A better thing was that Will Warren looked decent, and his stuff was EXCELLENT, so that’s why you have to be happy about the guy. The Martian also hit a home run, and Ben Rice had a great offensive game.
There was a lot of good things in this game, but yeah, with Gallen pitching in this series, as well, the Yankees are going to have a problem getting through this series.
The featured image is Mark Leiter’ dumb face watching Suarez’s home run go over the fence.
Long season etc. but would it have killed Boone to use Weaver there? If he gets the out great and if he doesn’t, well, you don’t use him in the 9th.
I wouldn’t have used him on a cold April night either.
I don’t get that at all. So you wouldn’t have used him in the 9th, either?
I get the argument, bop, and I’m not saying there is a clear cut answer, but i still think I’d go to Weaver there. But yes, sticking with Leiter wasn’t insane or anything.
In the 9th sure.
I was caught off guard and didn’t realize it was the 8th. I would have gone with Weaver, but eh.
Leiter seems to be pretty good for about 2 hitters and then it’s 50/50 if he completely implodes or gets the third out.
Wouldn’t it be colder (slightly) in the ninth? It’s the same day, why is the 8th on a cold day a problem, but the 9th on the same day isn’t?
What’s the difference?
Bring him in when it counts most.
And yes, this wasn’t one of Boone’s endless bonehead moves, but really.
I believe the argument is that you only want to have him get ready in the cold once, not twice.
I’ve never watched Pat McAfee, one look at him in a tank top with Aaron Rogers was enough. Apparently he opened his show a little while ago by spreading a rumor that some freshman at Old Miss was sleeping with her boyfriend’s dad. The thing is that no one in the story had anything to do with sports, not the girl, not her boyfriend, not his father.Since then her life has been kind of shit.
It’s the double edged sword of hiring a guy because he isn’t a journalist, but then having him fuck you because he isn’t a journalist.
Wishing Pat Mcafee a very burn in hell afterlife
I really hate sports talk radio/TV. It’s steaming garbage ran by garbage people and presented by garbage personalities.
Grantland Rice, he ain’t.
sports radio/tv was just ahead of the rage-bait engagement algorithm
Red Sox sign elite prospect Campbell to 8-year deal
https://www.mlb.com/news/kristian-campbell-red-sox-contract
Smart move. I wish the Yankees had a player who it would make sense to lock up longterm like that.