About the Off-Day: Meanderings of My Mind

About the Off-Day: Meanderings of My Mind

By Tim Kabel

September 23, 2025

***

Yesterday, the Yankees had their last day off of the regular season after winning three of four games against the Baltimore Orioles. Tonight, they will open a three-game series against the White Sox at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees are 88-68 and in second place in the American League East, 2 games behind the Blue Jays. The Yankees are 3 games ahead of the Red Sox for first place in the Wild Card race. Since there is no game to recap today, I will now dash from topic to topic like as if I was trying to figure out the playoff match ups on a daily basis. 

·      The Yankees now have the second-best record in the American League and are 20 games over 500 for the first time this year. That is wonderful. Unless they totally collapse over the next six games, they will make the playoffs. The only question is what position they will they be in for the playoffs. Winning the division is in the realm of possibility but it would be difficult. They currently have a three-game lead for the first Wild Card position. Maintaining that and the home field advantage for the first round of the playoffs seems to be realistic. However, things are changing day-to-day. Coming into this weekend, the Houston Astros were clinging onto first place in the American League West. They are now in second place, three games behind the Seattle Mariners. The Cleveland Guardians have won nine of their last ten games and are currently in the playoffs. The Tigers are trying to hang on to the lead in the American League Central. It is extremely likely that the playoff matchups and Division winners will not be determined until this coming weekend, and possibly the last day of the season. There is a fine line between exciting and nerve wracking, and we are walking that line right now.

·      My second novel, The Sea Change of Dr. Abernathy, was just published on September 4th. It was released on Amazon on Saturday night. So far, after one day it is doing well. I have not had any advertising or done any interviews yet, but I am very excited about the process. It is the story a recently retired Ivy League college professor who has his entire retirement mapped out in minute detail. His plans are thrown into upheaval when he receives an unexpected medical diagnosis. It is the story of what he does as he is forced to change the direction of his life. As a bonus, he is a Yankees’ fan. In addition to this book, I have two other novels and a novella that are ready for publication. I have another novel that needs to be tightened up and edited but is essentially ready to publish. I also started a new book last weekend and have already written over 30,000 words. At the very least, it keeps me off the streets.

·      It is virtually impossible to have any confidence in making a prediction regarding how the Yankees will do in the playoffs. They could be eliminated in the first round, or they could make it to the World Series. To be honest, neither of those outcomes would be a surprise at this point. I think the best thing to do is to enjoy the ride for however long it lasts.

·      My kitten, Clancy, came through his neutering surgery with flying colors. He did not even need to wear the cone of shame. I have noticed that he is even more affectionate than he was before the surgery, which seems to be very common with Maine Coon cats. He follows me around the apartment all day and frequently comes over and embraces me with his enormous paws. My wife woke up the other morning with him hugging her arm as she was sleeping. I have owned cats that were aloof and distant. I prefer affectionate and demonstrative. If you're going to have a furry friend, you should have one who enjoys your company.

·      Unsurprisingly, The Jets’ season has ended before the Yankees’ season. No statement in the history of sports has ever rung truer than, “Same old Jets.”

·       No matter how the season ends for the Yankees, there have been some very favorable developments that should have long term benefits for the team. For example, Will Warren was not expected to be a member of the starting rotation at the beginning of the year. He was supposed to be in Scranton, developing as a pitcher with the potential of coming up to help at the Major League level. Instead, he has been a regular member of the rotation since the season started. Despite some ups and downs, he has posted a solid season and should improve as his career continues. Similarly, Cam Schlittler was not expected to be in the Major Leagues, but now he is being discussed as a potential starter in the playoffs. Luis Gil has been very good since returning from the IL and hopefully will be able to be in the rotation from the beginning of the season next year. Austin Wells struggled quite a bit at various points of the season but still has over 20 home runs and is a very good defensive catcher. Many people suspect that he may have been injured but the Yankees did not report it. How shocking that would be. Ben Rice has become a very important member of this team and could be the regular first baseman next season. Jasson Dominguez has seemingly been placed in the witness protection program but when he does get into the lineup, he does well. Considering that he is only 22 years old, he could very easily become a major contributor next year if his role is expanded. The Yankees have other young players such as Spencer Jones and some of the pitchers who are currently and AA Somerset, including Ben Hess, Elmer Rodriguez- Cruz, and Carlos Lagrange.  George Lombard, Jr. is also looming on the horizon. In other words, the future looks bright. Don't forget that Gerrit Cole will be returning at some point next year and Clark Schmidt might as well.

·      I have found that using a to-do list, even in my retirement helps me maintain focus and accomplish a good deal more than if I did not have one. It was something I used during my career at DCF and now I still use it. I have also started writing down ideas for books or short stories as they come to me, including titles, basic storylines, and names for characters. I never quite know when an idea will hit me and if I don't write them down in some fashion, they may very well slip out of my head.

·      With all the uncertainty and changes of fortune in the playoff race, the Yankees cannot afford to let up over their final six games. The Division and Wild Card races are very tight and could change very quickly. That is why the Yankees need to take full advantage of the fact that they are playing weaker teams in their final games of the season. At the very least, the end of the season is very exciting.