What is up with Aaron Judge? He has been so patient at the plate all season long – laying off those down and away sliders for the first half of the season. However, since the All-Star Game, he can’t help himself and is much jumpier and anxious at the plate. It’s clear that the pitchers are making an adjustment and throwing him all off speed pitches – mostly off the plate. They are gambling on him figuring that one of those pitches will be a fastball. Result? A lot of strikeouts and a significant slump. The pitchers adjusted; now Judge must return the favor.
Speaking of adjustments, when does Girardi start to limit the at bats of Matt Holliday and give Ellsbury a shot? At what point does he become an automatic out and incapable of driving anyone in with runners in scoring position? He is not providing any protection to Judge at this point either. SU maintains he is not physically right. SU feels badly for Ellsbury; he has become a 9th inning pinch runner. A modern day Homer Bush. For a veteran earning $22 million a year, it’s an embarrassment. And yet, he has to sit there and watch Holliday ground out or strike out at a record pace. For the record, Holliday is riding a 9 for 66 streak with 4 rbis in his last 17 games a .136 average for those of you keeping score at home. It’s bad enough that Todd Frazier plays every day; Ellsbury deserves a shot now at DH or in the outfield and giving Clint Frazier, Judge or Gardner a blow.
All signs are pointing towards the Yankees making the Sonny Gray deal before 4 pm today. Apparently, Jordan Montgomery is nearing a career innings pitched number and they are concerned about him hurting his arm. The bullpen is rock solid now. The Red Sox picked up Addison Reed from the Mets who are in fire sale mode. The Astros are all of a sudden not looking like world beaters pitching wise. SU says if you can avoid giving up any top prospects, may as well make the deal for Gray and go for it. But they will need to straighten out some of the hitters. Ellsbury playing and producing would equate to a trade deadline pick up. SU says give him his shot now.
Sports Update Intergalactic 
Gray is scheduled to pitch tonight against the Giants.
Sunny Gray now a Yankke. Odds on winning the world series went from 10-1 to 7-1. To win the pennant went from 4-1 th 3-1. Here we go. The colors in NY are pinstripe blue… not Shea blue and orange. George is cracking a small smile now.
Judge’s decline over the past few weeks seems to have coincided with the shift that defenses have begun to use. I found the shift odd because it seems like he spread his hits all around the field. Maybe they’re pitching him differently. Maybe they’re just trying to get into his head. Whatever it is it seems to be working.
Reports are Gray trade is done- Yanks give up Mateo, Fowler and Kaprelian.
Yes, that is the word. Kaprelian was a #1 pick who was actually supposed to make it up to the parent club this season. But he needed Tommy John surgery. Mateo was also a top pick but he is blocked at shortstop by Torres and Didi. Fowler ran into the wall. I am guessing Kaprelian was the player they did not want to include in the trade. Gray is also not the healthiest. It’s a gamble but at least they kept their other top minor league prospects.
Ellsbury has been given a ton of chances but I’m not opposed at giving him AGAIN another shot. Where do you bat him with Frazier still hitting pretty well in the 2 hole. What happens when Castro comes back soon. Ellsbury will be competing with Headley near the bottom of the lineup.
So we got our man to pitch. Now lets see what our pinstripes can do over the next 60+ days.
If there was ever an overpaid underachieving job with the Yankees it is our batting instructor. Do any of them ever do anything. Do you ever hear their names mentioned in all the years?
Dam… the dodgers just picked up Yu Darvish.
They can have Darvish. He wasn’t seen as attractive as Gray from what I was reading on the blogs.
Gotta give the Yankees credit for knowing when to be in “go for it mode”. Also getting the signing bonus money as an add on plays right to the teams strength. The Yanks do have a way of over-hyping their prospects and then getting good value for them. Mateo seems like a head case and Kaprelian seems like a Mets pitcher, always hurt. Fowler may be the most promising but he is blocked in OF right now and faces a difficult rehab. Gray is a solid pick up and slots as a #2 or 3 starter. With 2 more years of control he fits the plan to win now and in the future. I do think Yu Darvish would have been the most effective option for this year. He is not only a true #1 but he also would have brought out the best in Tanaka. So hard to tell if that guy is a top of the rotation guy or 5th starter.
Very disappointing the Mets could not move Cabrera! The team is as cheap as they come and would not include any money to offset his $2 mil buyout for 2018. Also read that Boston was happy to pay all of Reed’s salary so as not to have to give back better prospects. If the Mets do not call up Rosario and Smith for this weekend it may be time to rent the banner plane to fly over Citi Field! Guess we will keep dreaming that some day we will have ownership and management that is committed to winning.
Frustrated Mets Fan!