The New York Yankees and their fans got an early Christmas present yesterday. They got a bag of Cole, as in Garrett Cole who agreed to a record-setting free agency contract with the Bombers.
Cole, the top free agent of the 2019-20 class, has reportedly agreed to nine-year, $324 million deal. It’s by far the biggest deal ever given to a pitcher. Stephen Strasburg received seven years and $245 million from the Washington Nationals earlier this week. Cole should thank Strasburg, who’s deal pushed up Cole’s asking price. Gerrit Cole's new $324,000,000 contract with the Yanks is worth more than the GDP of four different countries. Palau ($293,823,500), Marshall Islands ($204,173,430), Kiribati ($185,572,502) and Tuvalu ($39,731,317), where ever that is. Cole is coming off the best season of his career. At 29 years old, he should have plenty of elite seasons left. The Yankees are surely banking on that. But, is 9 years too long? The Yankees have traditionally balked at long term deals for anyone approaching 30. (see Robinson Cano). Cole has a no-trade clause, deferring none of the money and allowing Cole to opt out after five years if he wants. Advantage Cole. Cole will pitch at 29 next season. He is in his prime and at the peak of his career. Cole struck out 326 in 212¹/₃ innings last year. He proved he could handle the postseason. He is athletic, studious, serious and marketable. He’s also exactly what the Yankees needed: a legitimate number 1 starter. That enables James Paxton, Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka to fit in at Nos. 2-4. The Yanks won 103 games last season pretty much without Severino. Now, they have Severino and Cole. How does 107-8 sound? For once I don’t mind getting a bag of coal, err, I mean Cole for Christmas.
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With the Giants season basically down the tubes at this point in the season, I wondered if I would even bother to watch this week’s game against the Eagles, then I heard the news…Eli’s coming (back). Well, fate, in the form of a Daniel Jones high-ankle sprain, has given me one more chance to watch Eli Manning play for the Giants. With Jones in a walking boot, coach Pat Shurmur all but announced Manning as the starter Monday against the Philadelphia Eagles, saying that was “very likely” going to be the case. Always known for his stoic, even-keeled demeanor, Eli kept it cool on Wednesday, treating it like it’s just another game. For us long time fans, it could be the last hurrah for the 2 time Super Bowl winning quarterback, unless Daniel Jones walking boot remains on for longer then expected. Pat Shurmur said that he doesn’t expect Jones to be shut down for the season, and added he will reclaim the starting job when he is healthy. There has been much speculation about what Manning will do once this season ends. The 38-year-old said, in his typical style, that he would “just take it one game at a time.” Now I have a reason to start watching Monday Night Football and the Giants again. Well at least for one more time, simply because Eli’s coming! It seems like Taylor Hall can’t buy a goal. One of the many reasons the Devils sit dead last in the Metro Division (with the Blue Jackets and Rangers). What we have is a group of talented forwards and offensive-minded, puck-moving defensemen who can’t seem to find the net. The offense in New Jersey is as cold as the temperature outside (28th in the league).
Now 20 games through the season, the Devils have won just three times on home ice. They do have a current 2 game win streak, and perhaps that's a sign of things to come. Regardless, the fans have been loudly booing…most of it directed at Hynes. Can’t say I blame them. Mackenzie Blackwood has been the only somewhat bright light for the Devils. So, what can the Devils do? Well, it’s highly unlikely they'll replace Hynes. And even if they did, an entirely new system isn’t going to be implemented overnight. With so much roster turnover, the learning curve was steep enough already. Trying to get a team to start from square one would set them back even further. At some point, it becomes about the talent, not the system. And right now, the Devils are severely lacking in blue line talent, especially with Sami Vatanen and Connor Carrick both injured. If the Devils really do have the talent they believe they do, all they have to do is play better. But until they can put together a sustained winning streak and protect a lead on home ice, the boos and the chants will continue. They'll keep getting what they deserve. The Giants Stink! There I said it.
This coming Sunday will be a stress free one as I don’t have to watch the Giants embarrass themselves again . It’s a bye week. In fact, maybe I’ll just ask my wife if there’s something she would like to do come Sunday. I can just imagine the shock on her face. I mean it is Sunday afternoon! The Giant’s 2-9 GM Dave Gettleman told us that you can win while you build, and he and Pat Shurmur are 7-19 in this nightmare rebuild. He must have had a plan. But it wasn’t obvious after last Sunday’s Blooper Bowl, or any previous Sundays. Gettleman’s plan is in disarray, but he isn’t on notice if only because firing GMs after two years is not what ownership usually does (McAdoo the exception) … and because Daniel Jones has a chance to silence critics who preferred Sam Darnold over Saquon Barkley. The offensive line was supposedly upgraded, but it is clear now that it hasn’t yet been fixed, and until it is, banged-up, beaten-down Saquon Barkley is being devalued and diminished and finding too many potholes on his Road to Canton. Barkley’s hard-to-fathom performance — 13 rushing attempts, 1 yard gained — was aided and abetted by the above mentioned “upgraded” line. Our so called Defense is the worst I’ve seen in years. I won’t ignore the fact there are no fewer than nine players on that side of the ball in their first or second seasons. And there weren’t any trade deadline buyers for Janoris Jenkins? Gettleman brought these players to the Meadowlands, to replace the ones we already had, which by the way, as bad as they were, were better. Those pups are mostly running around like chickens with their heads cut off and are disgracing the uniform Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson, Justin Tuck and Michael Strahan once wore. Aldrick Rosas has gone from the Pro Bowl to putting the Giants in a hole. Rosas missed a PAT for the third straight game, and a botched snapper-holder exchange prevented the kicker from even attempting another as the Giants wound up point-chasing in their embarrassing loss to the Jets. There have been few positives, like Daniel Jones who hasn’t yet shown he’s a rookie sensation, but who might just develop into the signal caller we all hope he will be. With all the shortcomings the Giants have on both sides of the ball, Shumer and Gettleman need to turn things around in a hurry, and to be honest, I don’t see that happening any time soon. It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything about baseball and specifically the Yankees. Perhaps I have been in mourning over the way the Yankee season ended.
We all worried about our starting pitching going into the playoffs. Ironically, while it wasn’t great, they did pitch well enough to keep us in games 2-6. The culprit of course was the lack of timely hitting with runners in scoring position. Many of those at bats ended in strike outs. Funny thing is the Bombers, led the league in RISP during the 2019 season. Since the subject matter is the baseball playoffs… games take far too long. People say that true die-hard baseball fans love this, and why would I want something I truly love to be shorter? As if a great two-hour movie couldn't get worse if they added another 30 minutes. Sometimes less is more. Game 1 of the World Series started at 8:08 p.m. ET and lasted three hours and 43 minutes. That gets us an end time of 9 minutes till midnight. Imagine a hypothetical casual fan lives in the Eastern time zone and has to wake up at 5:30 a.m. Are we reeling that fan in? I've even talked to die-hards who say they simply can't stay up that late on a weeknight. I know I struggled to stay awake, but since the Yankees weren’t playing, I chose to bail out before the end of some of those games. Nats fans had it rough. I personally love pitchers' duels, but if a game is going to last four hours, please give me a slugfest (like 2017 World Series Game 5, which seemed like it lasted all night but was one of the best games ever). Game 3 was a lot closer to a snoozefest. I can handle great pitching and defense in a close game, but not when it takes almost 4 hours. Part of the problem is the strike zone and how it’s called. You never see a pitch over the belt called a strike, yet in the rule book, it’s strike. Check it out. Then there is the umpires and their inability to consistently call balls and strikes which of course causes arguments and raises pitch counts. I hate the idea of a computer calling pitches, but after what I’ve seen over the last few seasons, bring it on! I was happy for a limit on mound visits, which has worked and no one even notices any more. The next step after computer called balls and strikes, is the pitch clock. I've been to minor-league games and they flow a lot better. You really don't even notice it. Baseball has changed dramatically over the last 5 years (and not always in a good way) . Some of the changes were needed, many put into place to gain back younger viewers who seem to struggle with focusing on a game, that’s not fast paced with plenty of home runs and high scores. Baseball desperately wants their attention and money. I hate to change such a traditional game, but it’s time, not just for the millennials, but for us old school die-hards. You knew sooner or later it was going to happen…As the Cleveland Browns stumbled to a 2-6 start in a loss to the Denver Broncos Sunday, CBS sideline reporter Jay Feely reported on air that Odell Beckham Jr. complained about not getting the ball. Surprised?
“I don’t recall saying that,” Beckham said when asked. Of course not. After the Browns failed to convert a fourth down late in Sunday’s loss to the Broncos, many people noted that quarterback Baker Mayfield threw incomplete to Jarvis Landry despite Odell Beckham looking open down the sideline. Maybe he’s right, or is it another “look at me” comment from Odell. He does have a Brand to protect. Maybe Beckham isn’t Mayfield’s “go to guy” anymore. Mayfield said he thought he and Beckham “made a step in the right direction” on Sunday as the wideout posted five catches for 87 yards. Beckham has eclipsed 100 yards just twice since joining the Browns, with Sunday’s performance marking his third-highest yardage total on the season. In Cleveland’s other five games, Beckham has tallied between 27 and 71 yards as he’s averaged 71.9 yards per game on the season. He’s also regularly held out of the end zone, with his lone touchdown of the season arriving via an 89-yard catch-and-run in Week 2 against the New York Jets. One thing we do know for sure, the Browns season is on the brink of total collapse at the halfway point of the season. Now all that remains is to wait and see when the diva starts playing the victim and makes sure everyone knows. All last week long Odell Beckham Jr. was gushing about Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Beckham even revealed that one of his dreams was to play alongside Brady because he respected the QBs work ethic. After the Patriots beat down the Browns yesterday, Beckham presented Brady with a pair of custom “GOAT” hair Nike cleats. Baker Mayfield could be seen lurking in the background as Odell gave Brady the cleats and he looked salty as hell. How long do you think it will be before Mayfield and OBJ’s relationship starts to splinter? Another 2 or 3 more losses? I don’t think anyone was expecting much from any New York area hockey team not named the Islanders. Both the Devils and Rangers are so called “rebuilding”. As a Ranger fan, It’s not the losses that bother me, it’s the way the Rangers are totally being dominated, save for a couple of periods this year. Even the opening game, we were dominated but still able to win. Houston, we have a problem. Yes, it wasn’t the starting pitching that led to the ALCS loss to the Astros, it was lack of timely hitting with men in scoring position. With that said, we know the Yanks still need another front line pitcher. To get that, Cashman will have to make some trades. Were I to place a bet who is still on the roster come spring training, I'd go with Judge, Hicks, Gardner, Tauchman and Stanton, because they couldn't move Giancarlo. Maybin will fly away. Frazier will get traded for that pitcher we desperately need. Now that I recovered from last week’s devastating boot from the ALCS, I can finally talk about the Bombers and what happened this past season and what should or could happen in 2020.
So let’s get started on my biggest pet peeve. The way the Yankees perceive Gary Sanchez. While he has power, and a cannon for an arm, I think he is the most over rated catcher in MLB. There, I said it! After Sanchez’s injury-plagued inconsistent regular season was followed by a wildly unproductive postseason at the plate, general manager Brian Cashman praised the catcher’s defensive skills in yesterday’s press conference. Cashman praised Sanchez’s handling of the pitching staff, as well as his ability to limit Houston’s base-stealing in the ALCS. He also said: “On the offensive side, you know, he didn’t swing the bat as much as he’s capable of,’’ “But he’s one of the biggest difference-makers at that position in the game. And so, Gary’s been a big plus for us and one of the reasons why we’ve been able to excel.” Nice spin Cash! He never mentioned about all the strike outs, his .232 season batting average, and his sloppy defensive play. October struggles are now part of his résumé: 1-for-13 with six whiffs in this ALCS, 2-for-25 with 12 strikeouts and no extra-base hits in these playoffs and 16-for-92 with 34 strikeouts in his postseason totality. Still, Boone would not sit Sanchez for Austin Romine, and Cashman has nothing to say but wonderful things about his prized catcher. Are we watching the same Gary Sanchez?? The Yankees, known as one of the most analytical teams in MLB, have seen quite a few decisions backfire in falling behind, 3-1, to the Houston Astros in the ALCS. Coming on the heels of last year’s ALDS defeat that featured some questionable decisions, the Yankees have not had much go their way while being outclassed by Houston. As good as Boone has been in the regular season, his post season decisions have pretty much blown-up. Here’s a look at some of the decisions that have backfired on the Yankees. Adam Ottavino had been terrible in his previous postseason outings against the Minnesota Twins despite not allowing a run, but the Yankees liked the match-up with righty Georgie Springer at the plate. Springer homered to tie the game, a series-changing hit. Two days later in Game 3, Boone again went to Ottavino in a key moment, this time with the Yankees trailing 2-0 in the seventh. When Ottavino departed after failing to record an out, the Yankees trailed 4-0. Boone again tried Ottavino last night with the Yankees in a 6-3 hole, and Ottavino allowed a run while not recording an out, all but ending the Yankees’ chances. While a 6-3 hole is not a high-leverage spot, the Yankees were still within striking distance. Then there is the line-up. On Tuesday, with bases loaded, Gleyber Torres is 5th in the line-up. Brett Gardner, not a typical three-hole hitter, then hit a shallow fly out to center. Slumping designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion followed with a pop-out. Cole then pitched around Torres to retire Didi Gregorious and end the threat. I love Gardy, but he’s No 3 hole guy, Torres is. The Yankees tried to rectify their error in Game 4 by moving Torres into the four-hole, in front of Encarnacion and Gardner, but that did not work either. Torres went 0-for-5 and failed in two critical situations, including when he struck out in a bases-loaded, one-out spot in the fifth inning with the Yankees trailing, 3-1. The Yankees ultimately failed to score that inning. Maybe the change effected Torres. And finally, there’s the most over rated catcher in baseball, Garry Sanchez who has started every game and looks completely over matched at the plate (except for one at bat) and sluggish on defense. Yet he is “their guy”. Austine Romine may not hit home runs, but he puts the ball in play and plays a superior level of defense. The bottom line is Cashman and Boone have managed this post-season poorly, and Cashman continues to believe that hitters that hit homers against back end of the rotation pitchers and do little but strike out against good pitchers, will for some unknown reason hit the best pitchers in baseball come the post season. Good pitching almost always wins over good hitting. The Astros have really Good, no, Great pitching. So far things have backfired for the Yanks and unless we stop striking out and put some hits together we won’t score enough runs to out- score the runs our pitchers are giving up, this series will end tonight. The decisions for tonight’s game should be full of risk regardless of what Cashman’s numbers say. Anyone and everyone should be available for the game. Pull out all the stops. It’s Do or Die! Last night wasn’t a great night in Yankeeland. Hardly anything went right as the Yanks were outplayed by the Astros in every phase of the game. We need a blow.
Where to start…Gerrit Cole was not at his best last night, yet he shut down the Bombers. The offense could not come up with a knock in a big spot to save their lives. They really did a fine job keeping traffic on the bases against the nightmare that is Cole, but they just came up short time and again whenever they manufactured an opportunity to score. Four times in the first five innings did they put multiple runners on against Cole, but he slipped away en route to seven shutout innings. The Yankees’ ALCS offense. LeMahieu, Judge and Torres are 14-for-38 with three homers, eight RBIs and five walks — Torres’ eighth-inning homer off Joe Smith accounting for the Yanks’ lone Game 3 run. Everyone else is 10-for-71 with two homers, two RBIs and six walks. Gary Sanchez is 1-for-13 with six whiffs in this ALCS, 2-for-25 with 12 strikeouts and no extra-base hits in these playoffs and 16-for-92 with 34 strikeouts in his postseason totality. Still, Boone said he would not sit Sanchez for Austin Romine. Say What? I’m still trying to understand Boones decision to not have Gardy bunt. Then there is his decision to keep using Adam Ottivino in high stress situations. Ottavino has appeared in all six postseason games and has an 11.59 ERA. Why Aaron? Outside of the currently-erratic right-handed setup man, the Yankees’ bullpen continued to earn their money. Both Tommy Kahnle and Chad Green looked excellent covering the middle innings, and even Luis Cessa got in on the fun with two scoreless innings. It didn't help. The Yankees need a breather. They need a blow. Mostly, they could use the break to being able to hand the ball to Masahiro Tanaka on full rest. Our manager needs a blow…time to reconsider his “patience” with certain players. Time for Kahnle, Green, Britton and the rest of the bullpen, to get some rest. It’s supposed to rain tonight due to a Nor’easter. If it doesn’t rain maybe we can organize a few buddies to sneak into Yankee Stadium when no one’s looking and turn on the sprinkler system. We all need a blow. Even I need a blow from all the negative social media comments from so called Yankee fans who were ready to give up and declare the Astros series winners in the second inning of last night’s game. They forgot you need to win 4 to take home the big trophy. We Don’t want to play tonight. We need a blow. |
WhatWhatever strikes you as interesting, absurd, ridiculous, funny or serious about all sports, then this is the place to hear my slant on it. My focus will be mainly on the New York area, but anything going on in sports anywhere is fair game. If you are interested in sausage race results, basket weaving, or politics, you may wish to click elsewhere. Your comments are always welcomed and encouraged. Archives
December 2019
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NHL 12/5/19 1 Bruins 2 Capitals 3 Islanders 4 Blues 5 Oilers 6 Flyers 7 Hurricanes 8 Avalanche 9 Jets 10 Coyotes NFL 12/5/19 1 Ravens 2 49ers 3 Seahawks 4 Patriots 5 Saints 6 Cheifs 7 Vikings 8 Packers 9 Bills 10 Texans |