By Mike Whiteman June 9, 2024 Born on this day in 1931 was Bill Virdon. Virdon had two connections with the Yankees. First, he was a centerfield prospect for the team in the 1950s when someone named Mickey Mantle had a hold on the position. Virdon was dealt away to St. Louis in a trade for Enos Slaughter and went on to play for 12 years with the Cardinals and Pirates.
In 1974, he became the Yankees' manager and piloted the team to a surprising second place finish in the American League East, just behind Baltimore. The Yanks struggled in 1975, and Virdon was replaced in August by Billy Martin, who had recently been fired by the Texas Rangers.
Quick Stats: The Yankees are 45-21, in first place in the American League East, two and a half games ahead of Baltimore.
Big Story: After Friday's crushing loss, the Yanks fell behind early on Teoscar Hernandez's solo home run in the second inning. They came back to tie it in the bottom of the frame and again in the third when the Dodgers added another run. The rest of the game was all Los Angeles, as they poured on nine more runs, highlighted by a grand slam by Hernandez in the eighth.
The Yankee lineup couldn't get untracked, and the glaring hole was the four/five hitters Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo, who were hitless in a combined nine plate appearances. In the ultimate embarrassment, infielder Oswaldo Cabrera was brought in to pitch in the ninth, walking two batters - one with the bases loaded - in a third of an inning. Dodgers 11, Yankees 3. Ugly, ugly loss. Player of the Game: Hernandez opened the scoring with his home run, and closed the door with his slam, six RBI on the day. Notable Performances: Aaron Judge smacked his 22nd and 23rd home runs of the season, leading all of MLB.
Better to Forget: Nestor Cortes allowed seven hits and four runs in five-plus innings, taking the loss...Tommy Kahnle served up Hernandez's grand slam...Before the slam, Gleyber Torres booted a possible double play grounder - he leads all second basemen across MLB in errors. They Said It: "I know today, he felt really good - noticeably better" - Aaron Boone on Juan Soto. My Take: Back in 1977, Reggie Jackson famously proclaimed himself as "the straw that stirs the drink", and that the team "flows from me." These marks rippled throughout the baseball world, and the Yankee rightfielder was vilified for his remarks. Fast forward almost 50 years, we have a true "straw" in Juan Soto. Aaron Judge not withstanding, the Yankee lineup looks very ordinary without Soto. Obviously, the drop in skill and production between Soto (189 OPS+) and Trent Grisham (25 OPS+), who is basically taking his place in the lineup, is huge. Soto also brings a swagger and confidence to the team that has looked shaken the past two games without him, both losses. Soto's absence has taken some of the luster off of what looked to be an exciting (for June) Yankee-Dodger series. Thankfully, he seems to have a solvable problem, and should be back in the lineup soon. And it can't be soon enough! There are certainly other concerns in the lineup and the bullpen, but these two missed games have revealed the Yankees' most indispensable player. Next Up: This should be a good one - Luis Gil (8-1, 1.82) takes the mound facing Tyler Glasnow (6-4, 2.93). Game time is 7:10 and the game is on ESPN.
It's 2 games in June. There will plenty more ups and downs. Lets get them tonight and move on. Hopefully they'll run into LA in October. I'm not concerned anymore then i already was.
they re-made the outfield
they will re-make the infield.
these are pretty desirable jobs and there will be a goodly number of applicants
if the incumbents continue to prove to be disappointing.
Teoscar Hernandez was a big time Yankee killer once he starting playing for the Jays. That success has not left him since he eft them either.
Maybe Cashman will now know what part of the roster to work on. One thing he can't be afraid to do is either sit money, or DFA a vet (because he is out of options) for someone NOT on the 40 (Phil Bickford anyone?). Or the replacement COULD already be on the 40, but it's still the right move to make, and enough prospects getting it done who at the end of the season will be 40 man roster worthy.
Let’s face reality. The Yankees are not in the same class as the dodgers, not even close. And without Soto, it’s even worse. Yankee fans this year so far, we’ve been fooled by a weak schedule. They’ve basically played two good teams, Orioles and Dodgers and have been owned by both. This is a very good regular season team but an extremely mediocre playoff team. Period.