By Tim Kabel
September 17, 2022
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The Yankees have been playing better lately and were 8-4 in September heading into last night’s game. They seem to have righted the ship. At least, they are not actively collapsing anymore. However. last night’s game was extremely frustrating. It was played at a snail’s pace and the Yankees coughed up a five-run lead. They had opportunities to win this game. Heck, they had a 5-0 lead. They should not have lost the game. At this point in the season, they need to wrap things up. The Yankees need to accumulate wins and chip away at the magic number to clinch. They don't want to go into the series against Toronto ten days from now with the Blue Jays having realistic aspirations to overtake them.
Quick Stats:
Oswaldo Cabrera entered the game with 10 defensive runs saved this season, which ranks him second on the Yankees after Jose Trevino, who has 17. Cabrera has only been in the majors for about a month and is not a natural outfielder.
Gleyber Torres has 11 hits in his last 27 at-bats. That’s a .407 batting average.
The Yankees’ magic number entering play last night was 13 over the Blue Jays and 12 over the Rays.
Oswaldo Cabrera reached base five times last night, with two hits and three walks.
Aaron Boone was ejected for the 8th time this season. Unfortunately, it was only for one game.
This was the Yankees’ first series in Milwaukee since May of 2014.
On yesterday’s date in 1993, Dave Winfield, playing for the Minnesota Twins, had his 3.000th hit, a single off Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley.
The Big Story:
The Yankees acquired Frankie Montas to upgrade the starting rotation and to help lead this team into the playoffs. As a Yankee, he has given up 28 earned runs in 32 innings. He gave up 37 earned runs in over a hundred innings with Oakland. This is not meant to be a criticism of Brian Cashman, because virtually everyone said that Montas was the pitcher to get. He was viewed as a major upgrade to the rotation. So far, he has been inconsistent, to put it kindly. He does not provide quality or quantity in his outings. You have to say at this point, that this might have been a trade the Yankees should not have made. J P Sears has done very well with Oakland since the trade., and the Yankees sent three additional players. On top of that, the broadcasters often say that Montas is a lock to start in the playoffs for the Yankees. I can't imagine why. It also seems a bit unfair that the Yankees have moved Domingo German into the bullpen now that Luis Severino will be returning. German has pitched better than Montas but, because Montas is the big acquisition and has a reputation, he will remain in the rotation. After Gerrit Cole, who would you, as a Yankee fan, want to pitch in the playoffs? I would put Nestor Cortes, Luis Severino and Jameson Taillon ahead of Montas.
Player of the Game:
Not only did Oswaldo Cabrera reach base five times, but he also switched to first base for the first time in his career after Marwin Gonzalez became ill.
Notable Performances:
Josh Donaldson hit a home run and had three RBI.
Lou Trivino pitched one inning and struck out the side on 17 pitches.
Better to Forget:
Frankie Montas pitched 3.1 innings and gave up 4 runs. He threw 79 pitches.
My Take:
Do you remember when you were a kid, and you asked your parents why you had to do something, and they said,” Because I said so.”? Well, that seems to be Aaron Boone's managerial strategy and philosophy. He doesn't make decisions based on the game that's being played on the field in front of him. He makes moves because he thinks he's supposed to. That is Boone in a nutshell. He makes moves, not decisions.
After the game, Boone said he was convinced Frankie Montas would be a key pitcher down the stretch and into the playoffs because they need him to be, and because he has history. “Because I said so.”
Isiah Kiner-Falefa has been serviceable at shortstop at best. His fielding is inconsistent and sometimes erratic. He made a very costly error last night that contributed to the loss. Yet, Boone refuses to play Oswald Peraza, who is considered to be a far superior fielder at shortstop. Before the game, Boone insisted that Kiner-Falefa is one of the best shortstops in the game. “Because I said so.”
As usual, Boone ran a parade of relief pitchers out to the mound. Sure, Montas was awful and didn't even last four innings. However, Greg Weissert threw just seven pitches, Jonathan Loaisiga and Trivino each threw 17 pitches, and Wandy Peralta, threw only four. Boone does not adjust to the game as it is unfolding before him. He doesn't observe how pitchers are doing. He paints by the numbers. The fact that a pitcher can throw four pitches effectively, and then be out of the game Is absurd. It’s as if Boone is using a manual to work his way through the game. “Because I said so ," or because the manual he's reading said so.
Aaron Hicks has been a lost cause for the whole season. Last week, he gave up on a ball that bounced off his glove and cost the Yankees the game. A couple of days later, he was back out there, as if nothing happened. It's not as if they don't have alternatives. Miguel Andujar, Tim Locastro, and Estevan Florial are better choices. Gosh, either of Derek Jeter’s ambulatory daughters would be a better choice. (Give River a few months) I certainly hope that when Harrison Bader comes back and assumes the centerfield position, and Aaron Judge shifts back to rightfield, that Oswaldo Cabrera becomes the regular leftfielder. However, I will not be surprised to see Aaron Hicks out there, doing pirouettes and playing dodgeball. Why? “Because I said so.”
Next Up:
Tonight, the Yankees play the second game of a three-game series against the Brewers in Milwaukee at 7:10 PM. Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff (10-4 3.39 ERA) will face Jameson Taillon (13-4 3.94 ERA).
