Long-time subscriber, D. Harmon, posed that question last night: why don’t opposing managers just walk Giancarlo Stanton right now while he is red hot? SU would agree. How do you pitch to him when the next hitter in the line-up is Joey Gallo?
Last night, the Blue Jays pitcher, Ryu, had 2nd and 3rd and 1 out in the 1st inning. First base was open but he opted to pitch to Stanton. He did strike him out and then Gallo, surprisingly, popped out (surprising in that he made contact vs. striking out. More on him later). But later in the game, again with 2 runners on and this time 2 outs, they pitched to Stanton in a 3-2 game. Stanton golfed a 3-2 pitch, change-up low and inside, for a 3-run home run. It was a good pitch but the dude is red hot right now. The play there was to walk him and load the bases and pitch to Gallo.
Here is the point: the Yankees do not have a “circular line-up” like they had in 1998 where every hitter can flat out hit. The 2021 version features Judge, Stanton and a little Rizzo. Really, that is it. No one else should scare you or concern you. After Stanton, it’s Gallo, Torres and Sanchez. Sanchez and Gallo will never get a hit with RISP. Torres can but certainly not a sure thing. For SU, it shows how managers cannot think outside of the box and really assess the situation on a given day. I mean, how hard is it to give Stanton the Bonds’ treatment and just walk him even if means loading the bases? Joey Gallo? Did you see the shift used against him last night? Picture 4 outfielders and then the 3 infielders swung way over on the right side. He could bunt for a double on turf every single time if no one is on base. Nope. Have to swing for the fences as he strives for a below-.200 batting average.
David Cone said last night that the Yankees have only 3 players who are above the MLB average for their positions: Judge; Stanton; and Sanchez (slightly above average). Sanchez is hitting .210. Must be a down year for catchers. It speaks to how the pitching has carried this year’s team.
The NBA Players’ Union will not allow a vaccine mandate for their players this season. Assistant coaches are up in arms as they worry about bringing COVID home to their families – some with young children with health issues. The coaches have to be vaccinated. SU says this is so selfish of these players. Plus in certain cities, e.g., SF, NY, unvaccinated players won’t be allowed into the arena and will not be allowed to play home games. Looking at you Kyrie, Beale, Wiggins.
Sports Update Intergalactic 
It is so selfish of anyone, at the very least to not tell your fellow teammates nor their coaches on whether you have been vaccinated or not. There should be some kind of overruling rule that when it comes to health that Player’s Unions and personal privacy takes a back seat to the good of all. I would not want to be around anyone who at the very least has not been vaccinated knowing that I have children at home who have not been vaccinated or elderly parents who might be living with me. Its simply selfish and disrespectful to the good of mankind. And don’t get me started with Karie Irving. What a primadonna. His teammates should call him out. I’m sure some of them have young kids. Maybe the player’s wives should call him as as well.
MVP Stanton has finally started to hit like his baseball card stats of the past suggest. It is amazing how most of the non-pitching players who have had a down year statistically yet here we stand at 90 wins. You may want to give our team’s MVP to Judge or Stanton but my MVP choice are the collection of the new pitchers (not named Kluber) who have collectively kept us in contention. We have the 4th best ERA behind SF, LA and I forgot the 3rd team…all with much lower ERA’s. With Toronto as one of the strongest offensive teams being held to 3 hits last night says it all.
I’ve been saying this for awhile now: “WILL SOMEONE PLEASE PUT STANTON IN LEFT FIELD, BENCH GALLO AND PUT VOIT BEHIND STANTON WHO WAS SCORCHING HOT YET TAKEN OUT OF THE LINEUP.” Who takes out a hot hitter like that? I feel Boone’s move was the dumbest thing in his coaching during the season. If we do not make the playoffs I will use that move as the worst decision made. The left, right, left strategy is important but not when it comes to taking out a hot hitter.
Will our hitting coach please spend more time with Torrez. He really looks lost up there. His lack of production this season seems to have been the most significant of all our underachieving players. He also looks alot chunkier/bulkier this year…like a baby Sanchez. Gallo is close to an automatic out as it gets. How many times will it take Boone to recognize Gallo as a momentum killer.
PS Who hits a homerun which looks like the bat is a 9 iron on a ball about 6 inches from the ground. That’s crazy. He may have not hit the longest homerun in the game but he has to be considered one of the most powerful batters in the game today…along with Judge. I can’t put Gallo in their because anyone striking out 200+ times does not deserve any votes.