About the Off-Day: Meanderings of My Mind

About the Off-Day: Meanderings of My Mind

By Tim Kabel

September 17, 2024

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The Yankees were off yesterday after winning a series and the season series from the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees are in first place in the American League East and lead the Baltimore Orioles by three games with twelve games left in the season. They need to come down the stretch like Secretariat. It would be a shame if they came down the stretch like Sham. Since there is no game to recap, I will now move from topic to topic as if I were going from exhibit to exhibit at the Big E.

·       There is really no way to put a positive spin on what happened in Saturday's game when Gerrit Cole intentionally walked Rafael Devers with one out and no one on. Things quickly unraveled from there. There is a lack of clarity about how it happened but, it seems that it was at least condoned, if not ordered, by Aaron Boone. Regardless, it was a major blunder. It was essentially Cole or the Yankees admitting that Cole cannot get Devers out. Thank goodness it was the last time these two teams will face each other until next year. There will be enough distance from the incident by then that a fresh start can occur. However, a move of that nature can only boost the confidence of Devers and diminish that of Cole. If this was Boone’s idea, then it's simply confirms my belief that the Yankees will never win a World Series with him as manager. Between now and the first time the Yankees play the Red Sox next year, Cole has to be prepared to go after Devers hard. I'm not saying he needs to hit Devers. I'm saying Cole needs to get him out. This is a narrative that can be reversed but, walking him intentionally is not the way to do it. In case Aaron Boone doesn't realize this, surrendering is never a show of strength.

·       I was unable to attend the Big E this year. I haven't been able to go for a few years. However, my older son went, and it was almost as if I had gone myself. He brought home maple syrup and cheddar cheese from New Hampshire and Vermont, and the best dark chocolate almond toffee I have ever eaten. He also bought me a beautiful wood carving of a grizzly bear that now sits atop the desk in my office and some very nice flat caps, including one from Ireland. What a day. I was spoiled and my feet didn't get sore from walking fifteen miles.

·       Aaron Boone has been the manager of the New York Yankees for seven years. They have not won any championships in his tenure. He has made a litany of decisions that range from bizarre, to ill-advised, to downright ludicrous. Boone gets defensive about these decisions and has steadfastly indicated that he is the one making them. I see no reason to doubt him. Yet, there are still those folks who believe that Boone is merely a hapless stooge for Brian Cashman. These folks believe that Boone actually makes no decisions whatsoever. It boggles my mind, but then again, there are still people who believe the earth is flat.

·       There has been a lot of talk lately that Austin Wells could win Rookie of the Year. I'm not sure if he will but whether he does or not, the important thing is that the Yankees now have their starting catcher for the next several years. I can imagine him only improving in the future and becoming a key component of the lineup as well as a team leader. 

·       My new doctor is sending me on a weight loss journey. That sounds a lot more exciting than it really is. I don't actually get to go anywhere. The only thing that will be going anywhere is the excess weight. Apparently if this is successful, at the end of my “weight loss journey”, I will have gone from looking like Babe Ruth to looking like Ron Guidry.

·       It's really very good that Gleyber Torres is having a resurrection at the end of the season. Hopefully, it will carry into the playoffs. He does seem to do better batting leadoff. His season started off as a disaster but may actually wind up being a fairly solid year. However, it was not a consistent season. No matter what happens, the Yankees should not be persuaded to sign him to a contract for next year or beyond. I suppose a one-year dear deal would not be the end of the world but, I would prefer not to even do that. Remember, Torres leads the league in errors for a second baseman. He is prone to lapses in effort, judgment, and concentration in the field and on the basepaths. He is a streaky hitter and is prone to episodes of moodiness in that he can sulk and malinger in the field or running the bases. The primary focus for the Yankees should be re-signing Juan Soto. If they chose to bring Torres back, he would not be cheap. I don't believe that it would be money well-spent. The Yankees would be better served going with either Caleb Durbin or Oswald Peraza at second base for next year. I know they could always move Jazz Chisholm, Jr. back to second and have one of the two kids or someone else play third base. However, I think Chisholm will be fine at third base with more experience.

·       The little tyke who has moved in upstairs continues with his nightly off-off-Broadway production of the musical Stomp. I feel like the people in Jurassic Park, sitting in the car watching the water in the glass ripple as the T-Rex pounds closer and closer. Hey, it helps me pass the time.

·       The starting pitcher for the Mariners tonight is Bryan Woo. He brings new meaning to the expression, “pitching Woo”.

·       Although Autumn is my favorite season, I will miss Summer. There is nothing better than enjoying a fresh, ripe tomato from my own little garden on the deck. There are two ways I can go with it. One is a simple sandwich with mayonnaise, salt, pepper, on a nice hard roll or, on a toasted bagel with a little bit of spicy mustard. It may sound strange, but it's very good. Another pleasure from the summer is a fresh peach. Many times, the ones you get in the grocery store are mushy and mealy but when you get a good one, it is wonderful. I do like to cook, and I always will but as I've gotten older, I've learned to appreciate the simple things. One of my favorite pasta dishes is made by simply slicing up a jalapeno pepper and sauteing it in some olive oil with garlic. After all the flavor is out of the pepper, you discard it.  Then you mix in some linguine or fettuccine, rolling it in the oil that now has an infusion of jalapeno and garlic. Finally, you put in some butter and the juice of a fresh lemon. That's it. Of course, you can sprinkle some cheese on it afterward. I think it's illegal not to.

·       If the Yankees do re-sign Juan Soho, which I believe they will, they will need to fill out the roster with as many young, inexpensive players as possible. Think about it. Soto is 25, Chisholm is 26, Anthony Volpe is 23, Jasson Dominguez is 21. If Caleb Durbin or Oswald Peraza can be the answer at second base and Ben Rice develops into a quality first baseman, they will have an extremely young team, at least regarding position players. I don't believe Torres, Anthony Rizzo, or DJ LeMahieu will be back next year. If they can work a miracle and find a way to trade Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees could either trade for or sign a young right-handed hitter to be the DH. This team could be a juggernaut for years to come.

·       I recently started watching the spy drama, The Old Man on cable TV. Surprisingly, despite my name, I don't get cable for free. Anyway, it features Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow. It is very well acted and it moves at a good pace. 

·       Jazz Chisholm, Jr. was an excellent acquisition and hopefully, he is here for years to come. There has been some talk of the Yankees possibly signing Alex Bregman to play third base and then moving Chisholm back to second. I would avoid that. To me, you don't need a third baseman who will be over 30 and is possibly on the decline. The baggage he carries from being an Astro is not a major issue, but I just don't think it would be a good idea.

·       Now that my younger son has returned to college, I'm finally able to set up my office the way I want it. I turned my desk so I can see the door and I don't jump fifteen feet every time someone walks in anymore. I bought some nice bookcases which fit in very nicely. I am now hanging several pictures. For our wedding anniversary, my wife gave me an enlarged picture of us from our wedding day. It is a close-up of her giving me a kiss. Unfortunately, my head is blown up so large in the picture that it appears as if she is giving a kiss to one of the heads on Easter Island. I have also acquired some framed quotes which I will hang on the wall. One is a quote from Theodore Roosevelt, “Believe you can and you are half way there.”

·       My next article will be a recap of Sunday's game. I truly hope I am not writing about a disastrous road trip but, I have a funny feeling...