We all know the old quote from the Wizard of Oz, “Toto, we’re not in Kansas (City) anymore.” Last week, the Yankees had a thrilling (for them) come from behind win over the Royals on Wednesday, and then steamrolled them on Thursday. Some, mistakenly, might have thought this was it. A change in momentum heading into Fenway Park for the weekend.

Clearly, not the case. Friday night, was a typical game of the all right-handed line-up being overmatched by the Red Sox’s all right-handed relievers. SU did not see last night’s game but it sounds like Boston had a ton of infield hits and sacrifice flies. Not as glamorous but that is what winning teams do. The Yankees rallied late but Voit grounded out with the bases loaded in the 8th and Judge, of course, swung and missed with 2 on in the 9th.

As a long-time Yankee fan, let me be clear here: for 2021, and let’s be honest, for 2020 as well, in both cases, as a fan, you would not expect either of them to come through with a clutch hit. That is the reality of this team and you could have written in Stanton in there as well. And especially against right-handed relief pitchers. This team is built to hit home runs early in games, and perhaps against middle relief pitchers. It is not built to come through in big situations late. And that is why it’s not built to win in the post-season.

SU does not need to read analytics to know this. I know the stats back me up as I have watched a lot of games (OK, truth be told, in 2021, the TV is on but SU is snoring away for 20 minutes or so as I don’t have the stamina to be bored for 4 hours at a clip). Surely, Aaron Boone knows this. What was amazing on Friday night is that he didn’t even bother to pinch hit Gardner or Odor in the 9th inning for Frazier against Barnes and go with the left-handed bat because both are hitting below .200 and what’s the point? Note: SU would have put up Odor as Frazier is a lost cause.

It’s painful to watch Alex Cora smirking over in the Red Sox dugout night after night. He knows he has the better team, and while they are far from perfect with their own starting pitching, their offense is light years ahead of the Yankees. Just look at the stats of the starters side-by-side. Not even close.

The Yankees are on pace to win 85 games which is far from making the post-season as a wild card. Four games this week vs. the Angels and then 3 against the Mets, plus a lot more vs. Boston in the next month. It’s definitely getting late early as Yogi would say, and yes, we are not in Kansas (City) anymore. Yankee fans will be well-served to start paying attention to preseason football in August.

Cole starts today. SU says show some heart, please. Show some pride. Do something differently. Put a runner in motion (what??!!). Hit and run. Bunt against the shift. We shall see…

SU caught the end of last night’s Clippers – Suns playoff game last night. In the last 2 minutes, there were 4 stoppages of play for replays of plays where the ball went out of bounds. Each stoppage takes about 5 minutes although the last one with 0.9 seconds left may have taken closer to 10 minutes. I get the need to make sure the calls are correct and now that they have the technology, take advantage of it. But as a fan, it breaks up the flow of the game and makes the final moments feel like a slog (similar to watching any Yankee game this year).

Now, the one that is especially annoying is when a defender knocks the ball away from the dribbler and it goes out of bounds. For 46 minutes of every game, that calls keeps the ball with the offensive team. But when you break it down into super slow mo, well, it seems like the ball always ends up off the finger tip of the dribbler and is awarded to the other team. In effect, you are changing the way that play is called for the last 2 minutes of every game. For SU, that seems stupid. Michigan fans experienced this last year I believe when Zavier Simpson had the ball knocked away and the call went against him in the final seconds. SU says that play should not be reviewable then in the last 2 minutes. One man’s opinion.

Jeff Van Gundy was all over it last night and pointed out that the Clippers had the wrong line-up on the court in the last 0.7 seconds as you can’t substitute on a replay appeal. The refs barely caught this and you wonder if the NBA HQ in NY buzzed them to check on that. It was a great, hard fought 4th quarter – reminds us of how the playoffs bring out the best defense.

Of course, this was in stark contrast to nearly 4 hours of the Yankee game. I am telling you that the fact that the Yankees are only 4-5 games out of 1st place is a mirage. This team is not built to win. I cannot recall any team where so many players are mired in huge slumps at the same time (it’s Gleyber Torres’ turn now). Ask any Yankee fan and they will tell you that when a player gets a 2-out hit, you nearly fall out of your chair. It is SO unexpected. Last night, they were 0 for 12 with RISP with Stanton and Frazier the biggest offenders. Frazier gets 2 hits in one game and is guaranteed to start for the next 25 games. The bar is so low to be in the lineup.

Note to Cashman: blow the roster up. You can be a buyer at the trade deadline but this is not a tinkering situation. You need an overhaul on offense. Stanton does get hot and produce for a period of games but he cannot even run hard to 1st base much less play the outfield. This is now a big issue as Sanchez, one of the few hot hitters (I know, hard to even write that) must play every day. Judge needs a day off as DH once in a while and now Voit is back and he is an injury waiting to happen. Stanton is the obvious player to move but it will never happen due to his no trade clause and $30 million salary. What’s sad is that just a few years ago, fans were excited by the young players. Now, the teams just feels old and past its peak.

It’s probably time for SU to just watch Yankee highlights after the game and go back to Netflix.

SU caught some of the game 7 NBA playoff series games over the weekend. Very exciting. Question for the intergalactic subscriber base: why do NBA teams revert to 1 on 1 play for long stretches of the 2nd half when playing a more team-based approach got you to where you are? Is it really that much more efficient? And help me to understand why James Harden walks the ball up the court and barely clears half court at the 8-second mark on the 24-second clock? And why do you get the ball to Durant with 5 seconds left on the clock possession after possession? Is it to avoid the double-team by the Bucks if you started the offense any earlier?

I don’t love the Nets – I am sort of neutral on them – but I did root for them. With Irving out and Harden really hampered by a pulled hamstring (amazing that he could even play – credit to him for trying and playing huge minutes), perhaps you just don’t have anyone else who can contribute but SU says that is where you have teammates who can step in and play. By shortening the bench (and I mean really shortening the bench), Durant is gassed by the end of the game. And you are making superstars like Harden, Durant and Blake Griffin have to play defense for the first time in their careers. It’s a lot to ask. On top of that, you run all 1 on 1 sets.

Milwaukee was also down a starter (DiVincenzo) at shooting guard – not much mention of that by the announcers. The Bucks were the better “team” and are a legit shot to win it all. Props to them for pulling out that series. The NBA doesn’t have the marquee teams playing in the final 4 but hey, can’t say I miss the Lakers this year.

No way the Sixers should have lost that series against Atlanta. Doc Rivers does not have a good career coaching record in deciding game 7s. Trey Young was in John Starks territory for much of game 7 but made just enough plays at the end to pull himself out of there. I know the Sixers always talk about “the process” but they will need to retool for next season as Ben Simmons was really exposed that series.

The US Open was quite exciting this weekend. So many of the top golfers were in the mix for a time there yesterday. I must say that I was surprised that none of those hang gliders ended up on the golf course by accident.

The Yankees capped a good week and are now only 4.5 games out of 1st place. SU says do not be fooled here. The right-handed line-up is still struggling and Gary Sanchez will not be hot forever – or stay healthy. If nothing else, the team has shown Cashman that he should be a buyer and not a seller come the trade deadline but he needs to go bold.

Good story in today’s New York Times on my man Djokovic:

Finally, SU has checked in on the NY Islanders and they are quite a story in the playoffs. That’s been a compelling series – as some on this site have noted over the past few weeks.

SU says keep an eye on Aroldis Chapman now. He has been virtually perfect all season and the best closer in baseball for the mediocre Yankees. For a team that is just above .500, he has been a difference maker. Of course, Yankee fans know that he always goes on the IL for some period of time each year and that time may have now come. He was lit up for 4 runs last night and his fastball was around 95 mph. That is usually the warning sign for Chapman. The drop in velocity is usually related to some type of shoulder or arm issue.

OR, there may be another theory at work here. Could Chapman be one of the high spin rate pitchers who puts something on his hands to make the ball spin faster? Is he no longer doing that and was last night the result?

OR, is he just human and everyone has a bad day – even the great Mariano?

The reality is that the Yankees have no margin for error with their pitching given their offense is so weak. Sure, they had a good series against the lowly Twins but let’s see if that carries forward. They could have added runs on last night but they continue to struggle with RISP. A sweep would have been nice but even though the Twins have struggled “bigly” this year, the Yankees are not head and shoulders better to expect a sweep.

Today is a monster day for men’s tennis for the 27 people who watch the Tennis Channel globally. Djokovic vs. Nadal and Tsitsipas vs. Zverev. SU says that Djokovic has a decent shot today but he will need to sustain a high level for 4 hours which is the challenge vs. Nadal in best of 5 set matches. He is a relentless competitor. What’s interesting is that if Tsitsipas can win in straight sets, he will have an advantage on Sunday as Nadal is 35 and Djokovic 34, and a tough match today will put them at a disadvantage Sunday vs the younger Tsitsipas. He has had a great 2 months on the clay in Europe and is ready to break through.

OK, I know most of you don’t care but hey, I get to write whatever I feel like so live with it.

As always, SU has its finger on the pulse of the sports media world. SU noted in this morning’s New York Times that excellent columnist, Tyler Kepner, also commented on A-Rod’s remarks from the Sunday Night game on ESPN. Note all of the points were already covered by SU yesterday.

But it gets worse for the Yankees. Check out this story on Yahoo! Sports that the new initiative by the umpires to check on the pitchers is specifically targeted at the pitchers who are throwing with those higher spin rates. Apparently, they are applying some type of substance to their fingers that enhances the grip on the baseball to apply that spin rate. And who is one of the studs doing that? Gerrit Cole, that’s who. His last outing against the Rays apparently showed a lower spin rate which may mean that he is already no longer using a substance. He lasted 5 innings. Er, not good.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/mediocre-yankees-may-nightmare-gerrit-164625092.html

As Yogi used to say, “it’s getting late early.”

Check out the French Open this week. The women have no seeds above the top 15 or something like that given the withdrawls and all of the upsets. The men’s side could feature a Djokovic – Nadal semi-finals match, and today is a Medvedev vs. Tsitsipas quarterfinals. These guys are not just staying back and hitting 30-shot rallies. Good stuff.

Listening to A-Rod last night during the Yankee – Red Sox game, you would have thought he was lobbying for the Yankees’ managerial job (and who knows? Maybe he was). While he, of course, talks way too much, he was spot on with his comments and one would have thought he was a regular reader of SU. His major points (all of which were repeated 17 times over the course of nearly 4 hours):

1. The Yankees line-up is right-handed dominant. Check.
2. They really, really, really miss Didi Gregorius. Yup.
3. They lead MLB in grounding into double plays. A-Rod made the additional point that right-handed hitters take longer to run to 1st base which only contributes to that total.
4. They don’t do the fundamentals – which he constantly contrasted with the Red Sox who do. No thought given to moving the runners over. Case in point in the 10th inning. The Red Sox sacrificed with 1st and 2nd, no one out. The Yankees also had 1st and 2nd, no one out. Andujar swings away. Doubleplay.
5. The Yankees are last in baseball with 17 stolen bases.
6. Gary Sanchez’s catching position with one knee on the ground makes it hard to block pitches in the dirt which in the late innings and men on 3rd base, is not good.
7. When the opposition scores 5 or more runs against the Yankees this year, they are now 0 – 18. Yikes.

If you watch Aaron Boone’s post-game press conferences, he is about to explode with frustration. SU says he has never been a great in-game manager. No creativity, risk-taking, bold moves. But he wasn’t hired to do that. He is the great communicator. A player’s manager. I mean, he is only playing Stanton 2 games in a row as the DH now. They have an off day today. Did Stanton need to rest 2 days in a row? He rarely reaches 1st anyway – what is going on there? Is he that brittle? He did put him up to pinch hit and ESPN revealed that lifetime, he is 2 for 23 as a pinch hitter with about 13 strikeouts. Of course, he struck out.

Luckily for Boone, there is no likely successor to plug in there. And SU says it’s not his fault. The roster is so flawed. Jeff Passan of ESPN said on the pre-game show that the Yankees are “unathletic.” Ouch. 4th best team in the AL East and now 6.5 games out of 1st place. You can also make the case that they have overachieved this year given that their runs for/against are now in the red numbers (-4). Their pitching has been outstanding. If that falters, man, look out.

The Yankees are never sellers come the trade deadline but this roster is not built to win – either in the regular season or in the playoffs. The AL East and the NL West are the best divisions in baseball. Maybe time to blow it up? Cashman will need to get lucky with the hitters he trades for in July.

SU knows that everyone has their reasons for getting or not getting the vaccine for COVID. I am sure that Jon Rahm does as well. He tested positive on Saturday and had to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament that he was leading by 6 strokes. The PGA TOUR does not publicly state these things but it seems like he wasn’t vaccinated. It does make you wonder. Guess COVID is not real.

The Mets quietly hang on in 1st place in the NL East. Their owner has deep pockets and they can easily add a player or two at the trade deadline. Fun times ahead.

Of course, that is the famous line from the movie, Gladiator, where Russell Crowe asks the crowd about his latest battle in the arena. SU wonders how Yankee fans, or baseball fans in general, would answer that question in 2021? I am a lifelong fan and historically, can sit through a 9-inning Yankee game with no issues. But this is a new era and it is officially a struggle. You know the reasons but it’s good to put them down in writing:

1. Lack of offense. I mean, this team just cannot hit. And you can’t blame it on the injuries. Aaron Hicks was already awful before having his wrist surgery – he was the poster child. They don’t grind out at bats like past teams. 7 hits is an offensive outburst. Clint Frazier just passed the 10-rbi mark and he plays almost every day. It’s June 3rd.
2. Ignoring the shifts. You have to assume that the coaches are telling them to hit through the shifts. If you see a game in person, there are huge swaths of open infield just crying out for some attention. It is insane what the hitters are doing. And unwatchable.
3. Fielding an all right-handed line-up. Right now, there is Brett Gardner (who should have retired in 2020) and Odor (who swings so, so hard and is never cheated. All good for a .190 average). Oh, and Tyler Wade. How is this a winning formula and what GM strives for this? (Scratch head and move on).
4. Strikeouts are no longer a bad thing. Last night was another 14 – stirkeout effort and the team regularly fans up and down the lineup.
5. Zero strategy. Last night, Odor comes up against a left-handed pitcher with 1st and 2nd, no one out. Shift is in place. He can barely hit left-handed pitchers. You are up 4-3, 7th inning. BUNT! Nope. Is it the analytics that say you never bunt? He ultimately flied out to center which was considered a victory and Urshela ran himself off the bases before Torres was picked off first base. It’s like watching rec ball or Little League.
6. Pace of play. Last night’s game was just under 4 hours and there were few exciting plays or suspenseful innings. SU says it has become unwatchable. Sure, you get the win but as a fan, you want to be inspired and entertained. This is neither.
7. Regular season records don’t matter. For the Yankees, they may still win 100 games this year but who cares and who will remember that? Memories come from the post-season and they will just strike themselves out of the playoffs as they have in recent years. SU does not buy the rationale that a play here and there in past playoffs would have resulted in them advancing. Who on the team gives you confidence that they will come through in a tight spot? Not LeMahieu – at least not yet – as maybe he is comfortable with the new contract? SU feels he is about to get untracked though. Never Judge and never Stanton. Maybe Urshela and Torres. Sigh.

Bottom line: SU has no favorite Yankee player. I cannot recall that ever being the case. Cashman needs to make a rash of moves. Bring back Didi, bring back Torreyes who is hitting .317 for the Phillies, bring in any left-handed hitter (except Jay Bruce). Please, please, please. Or bring up some youngsters. The Red Sox come in this weekend and they can score runs. No way the Yankees can keep pace if the score goes higher than 2-2.

Knick fans need to step back and appreciate the full body of work for this season. They dramatically over-achieved and the future is bright. There is a good management team in place and the youngsters will only get better. No shame in losing to the Hawks. Move on.

The Nets/Bucks series will be great. Games in the 120s. Too bad it’s not a Conference Finals series.

Did you catch Damion Lillard the other night? 19 straight points in the 4th quarter and OT for the Blazers. SU says every kid in America (and the world) needs to learn the step back jump shot. It is unstoppable. Steph Curry can do it and Lillard can do it from 40 feet. It’s a great shot.

Finally, the Naomi Osaka default from the French Open is interesting. Clearly, she is struggling with some mental health issues and with COVID, so are most people. It’s just a grind for everyone. SU is sympathetic but athletes get the sponsorships, endorsements and long-term deals by being exposed by the media to the fans. That is how it works. I know the athletes want to control the messaging directly to their fans (see The Players Tribune) but the media is important. SU recognizes that some of the questions are annoying (and redundant) and it’s hard right after a game or competition to be up there. But for SU, it’s part of the deal and it only enhances the size of the deal for the athletes. I hope she can figure it out as she is fun to watch and at the top of her sport.

OK, I am done. Feel free to comment. All are welcome.