About Last Night: The Yankees Were Walloped by the Rockies 7-2
By Tim Kabel
July 15, 2023
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The Yankees opened a three-game series against the Rockies to commence the nominal second half of the season last night. They did so with a new hitting coach. The Rockies have the worst record in the National League. Only Oakland and Kansas City are more inept than they are this season. The hope was the Yankees would come out roaring and start the second half of the season rejuvenated and ready to make some hay. Unfortunately, the Yankees came out with a whimper and very little hay was made. Obviously, it is much too early to draw any conclusions about the change in the hitting coach. Although, I'm sure some people will. The Yankees offense was stale and lifeless. other than in the first inning. Unfortunately, baseball games last nine innings, not one.
Quick Stats -
Austin Gomber was the 34th pitcher to go six innings and give up three or fewer runs against the Yankees this season.
The Yankees have lost 5 of their last 6 games.
The Yankees used Franchy Cordero as a pinch hitter in the 8th inning in honor of Bastille Day. He managed to strike out on two pitches. If there is a way to strike out on one pitch, Franchy will find it.
Anthony Rizzo has gone 38 games without a home run. There hasn't been a drought this bad since The Rainmaker. Where is Burt Lancaster when we need him?
In the 7th inning, Anthony Volpe struck out swinging. He believed he tipped the ball. Aaron Boone began waving frantically at the umpire to review the play. The YES Broadcasters pointed out that a foul tip is not a reviewable play. How could Boone not know that? As Yul Brynner said in The King and I, “is a puzzlement."
By virtue of a tiebreaker against the Red Sox, the Yankees are now officially in last place in the American League East. They have not been in last place this late in the season since 1992.
On July 14th, 1934, Lou Gehrig was suffering from a bad case of lumbago. His streak for consecutive games played was in jeopardy. His manager, Joe McCarthy, decided to bat Gehrig leadoff on the road in Detroit, so he could pull him after one at bat, preserving the streak. Gehrig singled and was lifted for pinch-runner, Red Rolfe. By the way, when was the last time you heard of someone suffering from lumbago? It conjures up images of Abe Vigoda wincing in pain and holding his lower back
Big Story -
The Yankees look more like a team that is on the verge of a collapse, rather than a team that is about to go on a long winning streak. They find unique ways to lose each game. Aaron Boone has a different excuse every night. It is becoming extremely frustrating and disheartening to watch this team on a regular basis. I am tempted to volunteer for one of those requests for living organ donors that they show between innings. I would be doing something nice for somebody and I would get a few weeks' break from watching awful baseball.
Player of the Day -
Giancarlo Stanton had two hits, including a two-run home run.
Notable Performances -
Gleyber Torres had three hits, and DJ LeMahieu had two. Between those two and Stanton, that was essentially the Yankees' offense last night.
Better to Forget-
Josh Donaldson picked up where he left off, going 0-3. Carlos Rondon struggled in his second outing after coming off the IL.
My Take -
Consistency can be an admirable quality. Unfortunately, if someone is consistently bad, inept, or indecisive, that is not so admirable. Aaron Boone returned to form as the Yankees resumed the season last night.
The players who most Yankee fans would not want to see in the game are Josh Donaldson, Franchy Cordero, and Albert Abreu. We probably don't want to see Isiah Kiner-Falefa as a regular either. Well, last night, Boone gave them all to us.
There were more questionable decisions, blank stares, and poor choices last night. To expect anything different from Boone is foolish. He doesn't have the answers. He doesn't even know what the questions are. He's just floating along, like the feather in Forrest Gump. Unlike watching that movie, seeing Boone as the manager every day is not a heartwarming experience.
After the game, he trotted out his same, tired drivel. He offered excuses and vapidly encouraging statements that really made no sense. He claimed that it didn't matter that the Yankees were in last place because they knew what they had to do. Well, knowing what you have to do and doing it are two different things.
It was refreshing to see Sean Casey in the dugout as the hitting coach. He seemed interested and engaged. It appeared as if he was communicating with the players in meaningful ways, and quite probably in complete sentences. That is something that is needed. After the game, Gleyber Torres commented on how he had a long discussion with Casey.
I am not suggesting that Casey should replace Boone. I'm saying that it is nice to have the new hitting coach appear to be as involved as he is. He seems enthusiastic about his job. According to all reports, he is willing to do the work required to do it effectively.
What I am saying is that if we expect that from the hitting coach, shouldn't we expect more from the manager? Shouldn't we get more than gum chewing, spitting, bubble-blowing, inane platitudes, and an occasional temper tantrum that results in him being thrown out of the game? The Yankees are losing to last place teams. They are losing more often than they have won lately. They are now just six games over .500 and are in last place. How much deeper does the hole have to be before Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman realize they need to make a change? It's nice that they changed hitting coaches, but they need a new manager.
Next Up -
Tonight, the Yankees play the second game of the three-game series against the Rockies at 8:10 PM at Coors Field. Clarke Schmidt (4-6 4.40 ERA) will face Colorado's Connor Seabold (7-5 4.10 ERA). (As a writer. I have to say that I like the name Connor Seabold. It sounds like he should be a pirate or a movie star.)
