SU knows it’s early but the Yankees’ 7-game winning streak with both Sanchez and Didi on the DL is impressive. I agree that in baseball, a lot of winning and losing comes down to when you play certain teams. Look at Toronto: 2-10 and you know they are much better than that. The Cardinals are off to a slow start and the Yankees have played 6 games vs. Tampa Bay. But… their bullpen is airtight, they are actually getting timely hitting and the starters are showing that there are no weak links as of now in the rotation.
SU was relieved that Greg Bird got off the schnide last night with a long home run – that should get him going and keep Chris Carter chained to the bench. What’s really more amazing is that Chase Headley is actually hitting .400 and going to the opposite field. SU attributes that to the retirement of Mark Texeiria who had to be a bad influence on everyone with his pull at all costs mentality. With Judge and Hicks now finding the range, the Yankees and their youngsters are becoming quite entertaining. Hicks’ improvement this year was certainly unexpected and he is showing that he should be getting regular at bats. Quite frankly, SU predicts that the guy who may be the least productive is going to be Matt Holliday. And that will create a problem for Joe Girardi as he will want to play the hot hands.
The Mets blew three games over the weekend as their bullpen was exposed without Famillia. Their rotation is still lights out but they were exposed a bit down in Miami. It would be great to have both teams in the mix come September.
SU has to comment on the umpiring in last night’s Yankee game. First, Judge’s home run was clearly a home run. Did MLB not have anyone working the replay room last night? The decision took over 5 minutes and then they awarded a triple to Judge for fan interference? Second, there was a force play at 2nd base where the infielder clearly just dropped the ball but the umpire said he was taking the ball out of his glove. Is that not reviewable? Again, not even close to what happened there. Finally, there was a fan interference call down in the right field corner where the umpires ruled that the Cardinals’ right fielder would have caught the ball. Again, not even close as the outfielder made no attempt to catch it – pulled up. SU says we are not that far away from electronic umpiring for balls and strikes and everything else. And I have always maintained that umpires get the close plays wrong more than 50% of the time.
Long-time SU subscriber B. Levine commented that the Golden State Warriors should not be rewarded for stacking the roster with Durant. Thoughts? SU says they are fun to watch and I generally root for them. But apparently many do not.
Finally, Phil Jackson appears to have made up his mind to deal Carmelo. Of course, he had no leverage now and will not get good trade value from the handful of teams that Melo will even consider. Who is at fault here? Melo or Phil? And is Jackson the one that should go?
Sports Update Intergalactic 
Jackson needs to go.
Like i have heard many times over the year is that its a long season. Don’t get to high nor too low. If the Yanks just continue to do their business and of course remain healthy then I can’t see them not being in the hunt for either winning their division or getting a Wild Card spot. Lets see how they do when they are back on the road. 2-4 isn’t horrible, but isn’t good either. By June 1st we should know what we have here.
So Porzingus is close to being completely fed up with the Knicks. How can you blame him. What we have been unable to see but can only guess is the internal friction and disappointment on may levels with this team. They remain a rudderless ship.
So Eli, who many thought was the Derek Jeter of his sport is no longer a candidate. Your thoughts?
The Yankees are playing well and having fun. The pitching has held together so far. I don’t want to read too much into it because the sample sizes are ridiculously small but check out the team ERA by catcher:
Sanchez: 4.14
Romine: 2.81
Higashioka: 1.18
Is Sanchez the DH of the future? I don’t know. But frankly, if he’s a great hitter I don’t mind keeping a great hitter from catching too many games.
I am sure that Bird will build on last night and get his average up in the high 200s before long. But I do not believe that he’s the kind of guy that is going to be a top offensive threat on a championship team. I want him hitting 6th or 7th in the order. That’s where I see him. By the way, does he play any other positions? We’ve been spoiled with great fielding lefty first-basemen in NY for 30 years. (I guess there was Giambi but his offensive upside was higher.) Bird isn’t bad in the field but I’ve seen a couple plays where he’s suffered from the awkwardness of a righty at first base.
The call on Judge’s shot to right center was absolutely wrong. I can’t imagine what they saw or didn’t see but there’s no explanation for letting it stand as a triple. Of the three calls you mentioned this seemed the most obvious. If the fan catches the ball cleanly, they would have called it a HR no question. A fan’s ability to hold onto the ball should not impact the ruling on the field, or in the replay office. Great job by Judge running hard through the play to get to third. I like a lot of what I see from this guy. He’s really cut down on the strikeouts and doesn’t seem lost, as he did last year. Maybe he’s figured it out. Maybe the pitchers are yet to rediscover the holes in his swing. I like Bird but think Judge has much higher upside.
Hicks may be showing some of the ability that got their attention in the first place. He’s going to be getting plenty of at bats because Ellsbury and Gardiner can hurt themselves at any moment and should get plenty of rest anyway.
Don’t discount the value of Holliday and the other veterans. This winning streak has come with performances up and down the lineup and the veterans have been some of the biggest contributors.
You know where I come from regarding Carmelo. I don’t think it matters what Jackson wants to do. No team wants him. He is a net negative to any team. He will clog the offense of an established team. And he will stunt the development of a young team. He has been available as a free agent and through trade several times during his career. The only two people to bite were Donnie Walsh and Phil Jackson and they both did it grudgingly. (Walsh was under pressure from James Dollan and Isaiah Thomas and Jackson was under pressure from the media.)
I am a long time Phil Jackson fan – but I am not so sure that he is cut out for the job that he has. We of course don’t know what he is doing behind the scenes, but this type of job requires a degree of time and energy that I don’t think Phil can deliver. And I think he has hired two coaches really not up to the task either.
Actually, I think Dolan needs to go. I’m guessing the big deal to resign Melo was more of Dolan’s doing than Phil’s. Sort of how Dolan apparently was so upset that he got fleeced on the Bargnani deal that he pulled the plug on the Kyle Lowry deal for fear of being fleeced again. Too bad it is hard to fire the owner.
Phil Jackson as GM of the Knicks reminds me of Mike Millbury with the Islanders. For some reason he had the trust and respect of an innept owner while the players and the rest of the League know him to be a joke. He left the Islanders wondering in the dessert for 40 years, much like the Knicks are now. Like Millbury, Jackson almost seems to be intentionally sabotaging the team. Even Porzingas and Hemengomez can’t stand him.
Yes, if Chase Headly continues to hit 400 the Yankees may be the better NY team. Enough said. I do like Montgomery but Severino seems more suited to the bullpen in my opinion.Therefor, Betances seems like a good trade candidate for a top young starting pitcher. He could be the top reliever available at the All Star break and much like last year the Yanks would get quite the bounty in return.
It is a long season and I do think the Mets are a playoff caliber team but it is tough when your manager blows 4-5 games a year. Well, one down and only 4 more to go( hope that is all) TC is a difference maker but in the wrong way. He will turn a 95 game division winning team into a 90 win wildcard team. Why is Wally Backman banished to Mexico? He would swing 5 games in the right direction.