SU asks: how do you explain Stanton, the Generational One? He, literally, went most of the month of July hitting off balance, swinging at balls low and away in the dirt (you know what I mean here) and being almost an automatic out. Lots of strike outs with men on base (a right-handed Joey Gallo who does this the entire season) and looking lost at the plate. But then, he gets red hot – which he is now – and is balanced, sees the sliders coming – and carries the team for a week or two.
He has been this way his entire time with the Yankees. SU says it must be incredibly frustrating for his managers who have to endure the cold periods with the hope of a hot streak on the horizon. From what we can tell, Stanton is a hard worker all the time and cares about his performance. SU finds it interesting that over the course of a long career, he hasn’t been able to figure out how to be a more consistent hitter. Of late, he seems to have responded to playing the outfield more regularly and perhaps that will help him extend the hot streak. Something to watch for.
Luke Voit needs to start tonight’s game. Rizzo seems a bit out of sorts since coming back from his bout with COVID and may need some time to get back in the groove. The Yankees don’t have enough hot hitters to not have Voit in there. Btw, I must say it’s amazing how hot and cold their hitters run. Odor is now slumping and he may be pressing with Urshela ready to come back. SU feels that is an upgrade for the team and Odor can fill in here and there. The bigger issue is going to be when Gleyber Torres returns as Velazquez brings energy, good feelings and great fielding at shortstop. He has made a number of big plays that Torres would never make, and Gleyber’s offense this year has not been missed. SU notes that the team’s most recent hot streak has occurred with him out.
Things are going the Yankees’ way right now. Great catch by Gallo in left last night (apparently, he views himself as a defensive player first and a hitter next – SU agrees 100%!) and Sanchez powered a hit through the shift for insurance runs. But we know the baseball gods are fickle and there is a reason that teams don’t play at a .750 clip for months and months. SU will take it one game at a time.
Sports Update Intergalactic 
While explaining anything relating to Stanton’s hitting is like trying to explain the Mona Lisa, I’m not sure his hot and cold streaks are any more unusual than typical hitters in modern baseball.
Consider AL MVP favorite Shohei Ohtani – his ops from June-August, respectively, is 1.312 (!), 1.067, and .767, with a 2-23 streak in August and a current 2-10 streak. Even in that incredible June, there are a pair of 2-14 streaks thrown in for good measure.
Not sure Stanton is any more or less consistent than any other hitter, but would be curious to see statistics on it.
Fair point, Eric. I will refer this to the SU Research Department to see if they have any statistics to share.
As cold as we were before July we are equally as hot since then. One thing that really hasn’t changed throughout the year is our Starters on the mound. Collectively, they have done the job for us. It was just a matter of our hitters getting going. Every night there is another star player. Yes, Voit and now Stanton have been hot but others, especially near the bottom of the order have participated. At the beginning of the season my hope was that on any given day that 3 of the 9 hitters would make an impact during the game. It was so bizarre to see may be 1 at best do well. Now at least 3 players are performing well. That’s enough to earn us a good chance on winning. One big, big thing that is way overdue in happening is to get LeMahieu hot. he has been floating around the 270 mark over the past 6 weeks. Gallo, on the other hand should only come in for defensive reasons or to require one swing of the bat late in the game or possibly in the playoffs to hit in the pitcher’s spot if they know that they will be making a change. He looks like a hulk but he strikeouts out more than any Yankee by far. I wonder why he can’t make more contact. His eye is pretty good as he has taken his share of walks. Very strange…
If the boat ain’t broke why fix it. Gleyber will get a start sometime but he is not a given as an everyday player. Too bad for him, but its now all about winning as many games as possible with 2 teams breathing down your neck and one to possibly catch or at least go into the final 3 games against Tampa Bay down hopefully by only 1 game….
Lastly, what happened in the past with the Yankees playing in Oakland I think you can throw that out the window. Our focus is laser sharp. I expect a great series. Both teams have very good pitching. With our more aggressive base stealing we will play both small ball and big ball.
Hope springs eternal! I agree about Gallo. No way you can bat him in the middle of the line up. 7th is as high as they should go there. Good point on the pitching – the starters have been excellent except for Heaney in the last month or so. Chapman is still a bit scary in the 9th in a close game. I don’t think LeMahieu will heat up this year. Sometimes as Paul O’Neill says, you just have a down year. I do think Oakland is Oakland, and the Yankees just don’t seem to play their best there. Time will tell.
Always disappointed to see a “home game” for the visiting team at Truist Park (Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees, and whomever is the current “hot player” – for 2021 it was the Padres). I guess it could be worse, we could have the fan base of the Los Angeles Chargers…
I guess it’s a function of so many residents of the Atlanta area who are not from Atlanta. I did note the crowd noise when the Yankees scored last night was pretty loud.