This week has been an eye opener for Yankee fans. It started with 2 rousing wins over the Orioles which prompted thoughts of a big 2nd half of the season run towards the playoffs. It was followed by a rare bullpen implosion on Wednesday and then the latest Severino disaster last night. IKF will soon have the lowest ERA on the team as he seems to be pressed into service to pitch the 8th inning fairly regularly now in blowout losses.

For the Yankee fans, it’s really just numbing and reaffirming. This is a slightly better than .500 team now – SU can accept that. Great bullpen, a few good starting pitchers and an uneven offense that is frankly unenjoyable to watch day in and day out. Great stat on Josh Donaldson: they are 1 – 7 in games that he hits a home run. Sums it up: he hits meaningless home runs in losing games. Judge is showing no signs of a possible return and SU believes he will need to opt for surgery some time in July. He covered up for the non-performance of his teammates in 2022 and the first half of 2023 but now they are exposed. This team plays sloppily, runs infielders out there in the outfield and has so many overpaid veterans who are in the downsides of their careers now. SU does not see any trading deadline solutions as no one wants any of these guys and their long-term, expensive contracts.

SU says time to blow it up. Sell at the deadline or just DFA players and eat their contracts. It’s not a championship caliber roster – not even close.

Now, the Mets on the other hand have won 5 in a row including 3 over a good Arizona team. They may have finally turned the corner and can start feeling better about themselves. Atlanta is a far superior team but the goal is to get into the playoffs and rely on your stud starting pitchers. SU says they will be the NY team of interest for the next 3 months.

I have to say the bar for making an All-Star team is a lot lower than other years. Batting .250 puts you right in there now. How did that happen? And how is a projected 70 RBI total now a reasonably good outcome? SU has been reading Jack Curry’s book on the 1998 Yankees team. Only 25 years ago but feels like a different era of baseball when players hit .300, 100 RBIs was not that unusual and lineups valued on base percentages. Today? Mediocrity rules.

SU is enjoying the Wimbledon action this week. The rain really throws the scheduling off but the men’s draw should have some great match ups next week. While Djokovic is still the betting favorite, SU says that will be a big lift for him. Sinner and Alcaraz are ready now, and even a match with Wawrinka later today will not be easy. Nice to see Andy Murray competing and he is a factor on grass given his experience and home court advantage.

SU likes the Knicks’ signing of Donte DiVincenzo. I watched a lot of him on Golden State last year. He is a first rate defender and can shoot. A fun guy to root for. It’s not clear how the minutes get spread around next year but the Villanova pedigree on this roster is a definite plus. Keep an eye on Jordan Poole in Washington – he will have a huge year in a high paced offense. I will not be rooting for the Warriors anymore out West – that ship has sailed for me.

College football is less than 2 months away! Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald just got suspended for 2 weeks over a hazing incident. Whoa – that is the last school where you would think that is happening.