About the Postseason: Meanderings of My Mind

About the Postseason: Meanderings of My Mind

By Tim Kabel

October 1, 2024

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The Yankees ended the regular season on Sunday. They won the American League East and finished with the best record in the American League with 94 wins. They earned a first-round bye and will begin the ALDS at home on Saturday, October 5th. They will play the winner of the wild card series between the Baltimore Orioles and the Kansas City Royals. Since there is no game to recap, I will now wander from topic to topic in a purposefully aimless way like the immortal Phil Rizzuto delivering his Hall of Fame induction speech (I took this one from reader Jeff Korell.- Thank you, Jeff)

·      The Yankees entered the playoffs as the number one seed in the American League. That is impressive. However, they only won 94 games. They went through a long stretch of playing mediocre baseball in the middle of the season. They were streaky and inconsistent. It's wonderful that they have the best record in the American League but, that speaks more to the fact that no team had a truly great year. The Yankees were as the saying goes, “the best of a bad lot.” There had to be a winner.  In 1952, The Greatest Show on Earth won the Academy Award. I don't think anybody is going to tell you that was a great movie.

·      My wife and I spent several hours on Sunday building a cat tower for our little gang of freeloaders. They seemed to be more intrigued by the cardboard box it came in. However, in time I think they will choose to spend at least some of the 23 hours a day they sleep nestled on this giant structure. The building of the pyramids seemed easier in comparison.

·      Anthony Rizzo fractured two fingers on his right hand in Saturday's game. I know that Aaron Boone said he wanted to look at all the options before ruling him out but, I don't think Rizzo will be playing in the postseason this year, at least not in the ALDS. Before we get too hysterical, since his return from the IL, Rizzo didn't hit any home runs and only drove in seven runs. We are not talking about losing Aaron Judge’s level of productivity here. Rizzo is a team leader and perhaps he would have gotten hot in the playoffs but, the Yankee should be fine with the combination of Oswaldo Cabrera and Ben Rice.

·      So far, my “weight loss journey” has not been difficult so far. It is all supervised and monitored by a doctor. There have been no unpleasant aspects to this, and I dropped eight pounds in the first week. I could have done that by trimming my mustache, so let's not have a parade just yet. By the way, since my afternoon meal now consists of a handful of trail mix and a piece of fruit, I began to wonder. how much trail mix is actually eaten on a trail? I suspect very little.  I imagine that the majority of it is eaten at  desks, or in recliners, or at the beach. However, “in a recliner mix” doesn't have the same ring to it.

·      Aaron Boone’s contract technically expires this year, but the Yankees have an option to pick it up for next year. I believe his future with the Yankees, including that option year, is entirely dependent upon what happens in the postseason. If the Yankees win the World Series or lose in the World Series but play well, then Boone will definitely be back. However, if the Yankees lose in the ALDS or fall to the Houston Astros in the ALCS for example, I do not believe Boone will return. This would be particularly true if the Yankees loss in the playoffs was closely tied to any of Bone’s decisions.

·      I can't believe anyone would seriously consider having DJ LeMahieu return to the Yankees’ roster for the playoffs. He has not played since September 3rd and he was dreadful then. He is washed up. Now, after a month-long layoff, he is not only dreadful, but also rusty. That is not a winning combination. I would put Steve Balboni at first base before the LeMahieu. Reportedly, LeMahieu may begin baseball related activities this week. His baseball related activities should be the same as mine and yours: watching the Yankees on television.

·      I suspect the reason Clay Holmes pitched the 9th inning in the last game of the season against the Pirates was because it was a test. If he had collapsed and given up the lead, he may not have received any meaningful innings in the playoffs. He might possibly have been left off the roster. I still wouldn't have much faith in him but, i think he will only be used in non-crucial situations.

·      As we enter fall, we will be approaching soup season. I have always liked to make soup. I learned from following the recipes of Paul Prudhomme, that soup is made in layers. It is much more complex than you might think. It will also be a wonderful meal option during my fancy “weight loss journey.”

·      The Yankees could get very big postseason contributions from unexpected sources. At this point, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are expected to be stars. If Jazz Chisholm, Jr., Austin Wells or the revitalized Gleyber Torres do well, no one will be surprised. However, if Jasson Dominguez explodes offensively or Anthony Volpe goes on a hot streak or either Oswaldo Cabrera or Ben Rice has game-winning hits, that could be what the Yankees need to make this postseason special. 

·      It was a very good thing that the Yankees won in the American League East and have home field advantage through the ALCS, if they make it that far. The danger is that they might go into play against either the Royals or the Orioles on Saturday flat and lackluster. While that is true, playing in the wild card round can be extremely dangerous. If the Yankees faced a team with a hot pitcher or two in that series, they could have been eliminated. Look at what the Mets and the Braves had to go through yesterday. They played a double header before flying off to begin the wild card round today. It is not a perfect system but, it is better to avoid the wild card round. 

·      At this writing, the Yankees have not solidified their playoff roster for the ALDS. I just hope that Aaron Boone doesn't do anything silly. I heard him talking about getting some work in for Trent Grisham at first base. That would be a mistake. It's not as if Grisham is Tony Gwynn. He did not have a great season for the Yankees and probably will not be tendered a contract for next year. The Yankees should go with Oswaldo Cabrera and Ben Rice at first base. Austin Wells should start every game at catcher. They should not make some last-ditch effort to put DJ LeMahieu or Anthony Rizzo on the roster. I realize those are more in Brian Cashman’s territory but, Boone had been discussing these notions.     

It will be a slow week for the Yankees as they prepare for the ALDS. Other than some conditioning and getting rest for those who need it, their primary activity will be waiting to see who they will be playing. I would prefer the Royals because although the Orioles did not finish strong, they beat the Yankees 8 times in 13 games this year and they are a young team that believes it can beat the Yankees, which could be very problematic.