by Paul Semendinger
September 16, 2024
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The Yankees are three games up with 12 to play. Three of those games are against the Orioles. The others are against the Mariners, A's, and the Pirates.
It's right there in front of them. Destiny is in their own hands.
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There was a lot of debate over who called the intentional walk the other day against the Red Sox. Many people disagree on many of the points. Different members of the Yankees have had different takes from day to day.
What does seem kind of clear is that Aaron Boone didn't seem make that call. It also seems clear that Austin Wells, the catcher, didn't know about it. It also seems clear that some people did talk about it before the game. Bottom line... one reason Aaron Boone was hired was because he was supposedly a great communicator.
That whole situation doesn't sound like one where there was good communication.
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The manager is supposed to be, by definition, the person responsible for the lineup, the pitching decisions, and the in-game decisions.
"Does he have the green light on 3-0?"
"Will he call for a bunt here?"
"Does he send the runner?"
"It looks like he is getting a lefty up in the bullpen."
"Will he challenge the call?"
On and on.
The "he" in all of those instances is the manager. Or it is supposed to be.
Many will disagree with me on this, but, I see it as a sign of weakness if the manager doesn't have control over the stratigical decisions that take place in a baseball game. If the manager isn't running the team, why is he there?
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Aaron Boone has the chance, right now, in 2024, to change much of the narrative about him. It comes down to one simple thing - he needs to win. And by winning, I'm not saying just finishing in first place or getting to the ALCS. Coming up small is coming up small. That won't change any narrative. In fact, that is the narrative.
It's right there in front of him.
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On Friday night, Aaron Judge hit a huge grand slam to basically win the game for the Yankees. Most fans didn't see it because the game was on a "pay again" (many fans are already paying for YES) channel. (By the way, I just invented that term. I like it. I think it'll catch on. Remember where you heard it first. "Tonight the Yankees are on a "Pay Again" channel...")
I stated that the game was taken away from the fans. There were those who disagreed. I wasn't wrong as this graphic proves. The game was originally supposed to be on YES:
They absolutely did take this game away from millions of fans. 100%. It is not debatable. At all. This game was supposed to be on YES, but they got greedy and moved it to a pay channel.
This is the definition of taking a game away from the fans. And it's wrong.
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Some fans then said that it wasn't a big deal (taking the game away) because fans could see the highlights later.
Really?
Its watching the highlight of something you already know is going to happen the same as seeing it unfold in real time?
I find that line of thinking absurd. There is no comparison to seeing an event happen live. None. It's not even close. The drama, the emotion, the excitement, all of that happens in real time. No highlight can ever capture the actual moment. At all.
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The Yankees are 7-3 over their last ten. Maybe, just maybe, they're getting hot at the right time.
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I absolutely want the Yankees to get the bye in the playoffs. I don't buy into the narrative that the team that's off loses their edge or sharpness or whatever.
There are instances across all sports where the team that was off longer lost. And there are instances where they won. This is one of those situations where anyone can point to examples to prove their point.
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Aaron Judge now has 53 homers on the year. He has 132 runs batted in. Wow.
I was very concerned about him playing centerfield regularly this year. It is clear that I was very wrong about that.
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This year I am running the New York City Marathon to support the Sesame Workshop. Unlike most runners who run for charities so that they get into the race, I am not running for the Sesame Workshop to get into the race. I am already in. With or without the Sesame Workshop, I’ll be running those 26.2 miles through the five boroughs of New York on the first Sunday in November.
I am running to support all the Sesame Workshop does to support education, kindness, and more. PLEASE help out with a donation by clicking the link above. (You can read more about my efforts by reading this article.
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I see so many "won/loss" records based on segments of the Yankee season. Slice the season up different ways, and there are different "won/loss records" to emphasize different points. There is the Yankees won/loss record for the first two months of the season, the Yankees won/loss record for June and July, or for July and August, or for "since the All Star Break", as well as the total won / loss record for the entire regular season right from the very beginning. The most important "won/loss" segment is the won/loss record of the LAST 10 GAMES. And in the LAST 10 GAMES, the Yankees are 7 - 3, which is pretty good. The second place Orioles, by comparison,…
This is especially amazing to me. Austin Wells is famous for conferring with every starting pitcher he catches before each game he starts to go over what that pitcher plans to throw to each hitter, and where in the strike zone he plans to throw it, each situation that may come up. Something like the way Cole pitched to Devers SHOULD have come up in the pre-game discussion with Wells. I am surprised it didn't.
I was thinking when I read this, it is actually…
I see Paul, that with your questions and comments that you're starting possibly to come around to what I've always believed about Boone, that he is the manager in name only. Maybe if they happen to win it this year, we'll get what we want, Cashman & Boone walk off into the sunset.
I would disagree with your mea culpa about Judge in CF. Your contention was that it was a bad idea that risked injury. The fact that injury has (thus far) not happened does not negate that risk.
Hopefully over the winter changes can occur which will put him back in RF where he belongs.
Agree 100% on the "pay again" issue. MLB has engaged in yet another money grab by taking games away from fans who have already paid to watch them and forcing the to either not see the game or pay for an entire month of a streaming service they may not subscribe to just to see that game. I don't subscribe to Apple TV and I won't subscribe to them because I despise them as a company and do not wish to do business with them. Someone should ask Rob Manfred and the owners what Bud Fox asked Gordon Gekko in Wall Street - "How much is enough? How many yachts can you water ski behind?". I have read criticisms of Jua…