By Paul Semendinger
August 14, 2024
***
Here then are scattered random thoughts...
Boy this has been a crazy season, not just for the Yankees, but all of baseball. Teams are red hot and then ice cold. It's amazing.
The Yankees especially have this ability to look like world beaters one day and then look like they can't beat the teams I play on.
Last Sunday, my one team's season ended in the playoffs. I came out of the bullpen, pitched two innings and didn't allow any runs in the game that we lost. I believe I pitched over 40 innings this year and walked just five batters. I'm proud of that. I'm waiting for my official stats to be posted, but I believe I went 4-3 with an ERA under 4.00. It was a good year. I am always sad when the seasons end. I wonder how many more years I even have in me. I'm not a young guy any longer.
The game we played was at Larry Doby Field in Paterson, NJ. I have always wanted to play there. I greatly enjoyed it. Larry Doby never got the credit he deserved for breaking the color barrier in the American League the same season Jackie Robinson did it in the N.L.
After the game, we met my son, daughter-in-law, and the babies at an Iron Pigs game in Allentown. It was a spur of the moment thing. As we arrived, I found out they were playing Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Yankees' Triple-A team. The ballpark in Allentown is beautiful. The game was good, but, I have to admit, I paid more attention to my grandkids. I did see Jasson Dominguez. He didn't do anything great. At this point, he's not ready for the big leagues from what I saw.
I know Jazz Chisholm has taken to third base, and he's done well enough, but it hasn't been perfect. So far, he's been better there than I would have thought. Still, I simply do not understand why the Yankees have had this fascination over the last few years with playing players in positions other than where they have had big league (and sometimes any professional) experience. It can work. Sometimes it does work, but it's not a smart overall strategy.
Now it seems Chisolm is injured. I do not understand why the Yankees almost always downplay injuries at first. Making no one believe a word they say - makes no sense to me. When one's first reaction is, "Let's not tell the truth," it's always a bad sign.
People are already making guesses how bad the injury to Jazz Chisolm is and when he'll return. "It might be surgery..." I remember so many doing this exercise last year with Jasson Dominguez. "I'll be nine months." "We will see him by the All-Star break." "Dominguez will be starting for the Yankees by August." On and on. I'll say this again (and again) - coming back from an injury is not a science. It is different for every single player. Sometimes one injury leads to another as the player compensates for the first injury. Some guys heal slowly. There is no guarantee a player ever comes back at his same level of effectiveness.
In regard to Jasson Dominguez, we're now (just about) halfway through August and he doesn't seem close. Imagine that. Who would have thought that? (Me.)
I have always rooted for Giancarlo Stanton. Everyone knows that. But when I see him get a hit against the last guy in the opponent's bullpen, it concerns me because I start to wonder if the Yankees' decision-makers start to believe that Stanton is better than he really is at this point in his career. That means he'll get more playing time which isn't a great thing.
I have the same concern about D.J. LeMahieu at this point in his career.
Sure, I hope these players dominate, of course, but with their best days behind them, or so it logically seems, I'd rather they see them having less rather than more playing time. This will hold for Anthony Rizzo, as well, when he returns.
I have to wonder, if the Yankees don't advance through the playoffs if Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone will keep their jobs for 2025.
The Yankees have had a rotating television announcers booth and now they also have one on the radio. I don't think that's a good plan in either case. The play-by-play voice become part of the sounds of the season. When it's different people all the time, that continuity is lost. If I were making the decision, Justin Shackil would be the radio play-by-play person going forward.
If you have ever wanted to be a baseball writer, we are always open to accepting new talent. To write for SSTN, please reach out to us at spreadingthenewsblog@gmail.com and we can give you an audition. Please note, we do not pay our writers. The content we have always provided is free to all. Of note, I don't get paid for any of the podcasts I do. We do this out of a love for the sport, the team, and because it is a passion. We are always seeking great writers who are dedicated and reliable. If you fit that description, please reach out. It is great to be part of a great team.
Ennui De Loss Stinkos: Goodbye. I worked on that nickname, but I'm glad it got retired quickly, given how much you, well, stink. Enjoy the DFA, DLS; I hope you never darken a Major League mound again -- unless it's to pitch against the Yankees, of course.
Just like players are brought up from the minor leagues to the majors, why not do the same with broadcasters? This is not unprecedented with the Yankees. Back when the Columbus Clippers were the Yankees AAA farm team, when Fran Healy moved on from the Yankees to the Mets, the Yankees "called up" Columbus…
Oswald Peraza is being called up to replace Jazz. Yankees also have Durbin getting reps at 3B down on he farm.
The Yankee PR machine is legendary in two areas: propping up the perceived value/reputation of their MiLB players and lying about or downplaying injuries. Their staff may change but the philosophy remains the same. Not sure if every team does this? For other sports, the NHL gives you almost nothing on injuries while the NFL seems to give the most. The Yankees are closer to the NHL. Maybe worse because the NHL doesn't mislead as much.
BC loves the round hole square peg strategy. I'm with you. As nice of a surprise jazz has been, I'll say it again, they needed and still need a MLB third baseman.