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.

Big decision this week for Aaron Boone on his starting line-up in a National League ballpark. No DH and he will have to decide between Rizzo and Voit at 1st base. About a week ago, it was a no-brainer decision as Rizzo has been great at the plate and in the field in his short time with the Yankees. However, Voit has gone off and is likely the hottest hitter in baseball for the past week. Rizzo is a gold glover at 1st base while Voit has a glove. The Braves are starting 2 right-handed pitchers which makes Rizzo the better choice if that is your criteria. SU says go with Voit one of the games to stay sharp and hot. But I also predict Boone will go with Rizzo and use Voit as a pinch hitter.

The other choice is who to play in the outfield? Gardner was nailed on a pitch last Friday night and may still be a bit banged up. Stanton should be out there with Judge for both games and you can do what you want with Gallo who sat last Saturday. SU would sit Gallo and put him in for defense late in the game. Time to earn his at bats and you don’t get rewarded for striking out 3 times a game day after day (after day).

The Braves are one of baseball’s hottest teams. A good test for the Yankees on the road. Get ready for some mindless Boone double switches just to show that he can do them. Strap in. SU says a split is fine but the big series is in Oakland in a ballpark where the Yankees do not play well. Every game counts – Boston, Tampa Bay and and Oakland are all here for the duration.

What a difference a month makes! Check out the comments from yesterday’s SU. SU subscribers are excited about the Yankees and are (finally) enjoying the 2021 season. Of course, SU is as well but there are still 6 weeks to go and this will go right down to the last series in September.

A few challenges for Aaron Boone to navigate:

1. What do you do when the injured players return? Now, truth be told, so many guys have gone down with injuries and COVID this year that they may never be fully healthy and that will make this go more smoothly. But Urshela will come back soon and so will Gleyber Torres. Odor is now a fan (and SU subscribers’) favorite and he may actually be the odd man out of the line-up. Velazquez has injected energy into the line-up and is a great story. He is also a better fielder than Gleyber and a switch-hitter. Luke Voit wants in and has earned his at bats. But as we saw last night, the contact hitters make the team perform better – amazing how putting the ball in play allows good things to happen? Do not underestimate Boone’s ability to screw up the line-ups and just put in all big boppers.
2. For SU, Joey Gallo can only thrive in a line up like this one. He is not a guy that you can count on. I mean, does he ever hit a single? He can bunt against the shift and should do that more often. But he seems to strike out 3 times a game. Great arm though. Bat him 7th and expect nothing. Do not put him in the 3 or 4 hole – makes no sense to SU.
3. SU checked the upcoming schedules for the Rays, Red Sox and the Yankees (you see? We do it all for you). The Red Sox have the easiest schedule down the stretch, and the Rays have some tough games and finish in Houston. The Mets are going to be factors – they play both the Yankees and the Red Sox. The Yankees are done with the Rays – did not know that. Everyone plays Baltimore and the Yankees have not done as well as they need to against them this year. Yankees finish on the road in Toronto and Boston. Not at all easy here.
4. The bullpen will continue to be a daily unknown, and Boone will have to push the right buttons. SU says the most important thing is to not let Chapman work out of trouble in the 9th. Don’t hesitate to pull him.
5. Next week will be interesting for the Yankees. On the road against the red hot Braves and then 4 in Oakland where they usually do not play well.

Bottom line: love the meaningful games, love the energy on the field and in the dugout and love the balanced line-up (who would have thought that might be a problem this year?). I will enjoy the ride but they are not a lock.

SU subscriber, M. Susser, had this comment yesterday and wants to hear from you:

“Regarding Torres- I think similarly to many of the slumping Yankees who are now excelling (see Judge, Stanton, DJ, and even Torres right before his IL stint)- he was pressing because everyone around him was slumping and the stress mounts to carry the load. The post-July 6 Yankees are doing it together (and even stealing bases in the process- leading the league since the All Star break) and no one single player has to carry the burden of hitting one out every at bat. This version of the Yankees will be highly beneficial and play to Torres’ strengths (see 2018 Yankees when Torres thrived and was just ‘one of the guys’).”

Is Torres still part of the solution? Can he regain his form from a few years ago? Do you go with Velazquez and take the defense over offense?

OK, SU must admit it: the Yankees have exceeded expectations by sweeping the Red Sox. I would have been happy with winning 1 out of 3 games. The team is playing with renewed energy and enthusiasm. Both have been lacking for most of the season until the acquisitions of Rizzo and Gallo.

Now, given all of that success – and they are on quite a roll – the Yankees have to know that they need to continue playing at a high level the rest of the way. The goal needs to be winning the Division and catching Tampa Bay. SU does not feel like they are cut out to win a Wild Card game. No doubt, they will need to pitch Cole down the stretch and he most likely won’t be available for that game. The bullpen is too terrifying to watch in a 1-game playoff. Half of Boston’s games are against sub-.500 teams and the Yankees probably have a tougher schedule including 4 games with Oakland next weekend on the road.

SU must admit I was surprised by Luke Voit’s comments to the media that he was equally deserving of playing time as Rizzo. He cited his numbers from last season and his votes in the MVP voting. Now, the reality is that the only reason Rizzo is here is that Voit can’t stay healthy. Rizzo needs to play every day – period. Boone will most likely rotate every player down the stretch for the occasional day off – see LeMahieu sitting today. SU says watch out for the Oakland series though with a big outfield to cover. Gardner will start all of those games and that means you will see Voit sitting most of that series. For me, Rizzo is clearly the better player and has to play every day at 1st base for his glove. Time will tell if Voit takes his benching quietly. His comments were very, very un-Yankee-like.

The one player that no one is missing right now is Gleyber Torres. He just hasn’t done enough the last 2 seasons to really make you wonder/care about when he will return. Velazquez is a great story and a much better fielder. No way Gleyber makes that play in the 9th inning last night. Britton looked like Britton last night for the first time in weeks. He can be a key guy – especially if Chapman can’t regain his form. But time will tell – that was just one game.

Bottom line: job well done vs. Boston. But there cannot be any let-up as this team cruised to mediocrity for so long that every game down the stretch will be important. Be prepared to buckle up in the 9th inning with this bullpen.

It’s still only mid-August and there are another 40 – 45 games left to be played in the baseball season. The Yankees are the odd team out right now in the wild card chase and ultimately will need to beat out either Oakland or Boston to be in the post-season.

That makes today’s doubleheader with the Red Sox very, very important, as well as the whole 3-game series. Boston has owned the Yankees this year – and the last series in Fenway was especially painful as the Yankees blew 2 of those games late. SU says today we will see which players are able to rise to the moment and be accountable, and which ones shrink. Some things to look for today and tomorrow:

1. Will Aaron Boone deploy the Clay Bellinger line-up of subs and minor league players in one of the two games today? “It’s a long season and we need to rest our best players” is a favorite line. SU says the team has been resting for most of the season, and it’s OK to be a little sore tomorrow. Enough of the Jonathan Davis in centerfield line-ups and remind me again why he is on the roster over Greg Allen who is in Scranton?
2. Will Stanton look at the shift and decide to try and hit the ball towards the part of the field where there are hundreds of feet of green? Will he see a low and away slider and say to himself, “Hmmm, I have seen that pitch 787 times this year and have swung and missed 786 times. Maybe don’t swing?” SU prediction: No and No.
3. The absence of Rizzo is a killer for the line up against the better teams. He is a difference maker and allows Boone to insert a left-handed bat in between Stanton and Voit. Check out Voit and where he is standing in the batter’s box now. He is so far off the plate. Hope this works.
4. Tyler Wade needs to play both games today (can’t believe I am even writing that). He does something good every game (again, what am I saying?).
5. SU read that Odor said that he has played great for the Yankees this year. It’s an interesting self-assessment and speaks volumes about what baseball has become in 2021. It means that a .220 hitter with about 40 rbis who plays pretty much every game and swings for the fences with limited success feels he is killing it. True, some of his few hits have been big but please keep it in perspective.
6. Boone’s handling of the relievers is basically terrifying right now. It’s not all his fault as they are all so erratic. Britton has no idea where his pitches are going (aside from to the backstop and to the batter’s legs) and he can no longer be trusted. Green’s curveball is a home run waiting to happen. Loaisiga is the closest thing that they have to a sure thing but not every game. You can say they miss Chapman but he is right in there with the rest of the group. What is incredible is that the Yankees could have almost gone undefeated the last 30 games if the relievers were more consistent in these close games. Their record in 1- and 2-run games is incredible. Today would be a good day for some offense but SU can’t picture it happening.

SU’s prediction: Judge can be counted on now but the Red Sox will pitch around him all series. There is no one to back him up in the line up. Sure, Gallo will hit the occasional home run but is more likely to strike out. Sanchez will be back for one of the games today and it will take him time to regain his timing. I want to be optimistic but there have been too many meltdowns this season. Taking 1 of 3 games this series will be acceptable for SU and then hope for the best against Oakland. Of course, I want more but be honest – no lead in the 9th inning is big enough in any game, and just scoring runs is challenging when you hit .220 with RISP.

But SU will be watching to see who rises to the occasion and sets the tone. Am I being too pessimistic Yankee fans?

It’s official now. When the Yankees lose another close game in the 9th inning as the result of a bullpen meltdown, you can no longer call it “bone-crushing.” SU says that when it happens on a weekly basis, even when the team is generally playing well, you almost expect it.

Last night’s loss in the Field of Dreams game – which by the way was a great success for MLB on so many levels – was, unfortunately for Yankee fans, something we saw coming. SU’s take:

1. First of all, what planet has John Smoltz been on for the past several weeks? His comments “I fully expect the Yankees to be in the post-season” and “I knew it was just a matter of time before they started hitting” make no sense. They are still playing mostly low scoring close games, and they are winning them at a pace that is hard to sustain. Also, they have to pass either Boston or Oakland to get a wild card spot and that is no easy feat.
2. Aroldis Chapman is out so Boone is managing the closer spot by committee. Now, truth be told, Chapman is no sure thing in 2021. Not even close. Zach Britton has allowed runs in 9 of his last 16 outings. Um, not exactly your lockdown closer. Last night, the White Sox had all right handed hitters coming up in the 9th inning. SU has run the numbers: right handed hitters do better against left-handed pitchers than they do vs. righties. Maybe, just maybe, you bring in Loaisiga there? But Aaron Boone has proven all year that he is just not a good in-game manager. SU acknowledges that Loaisiga could have also blown the lead in the 9th inning but don’t the analytics say he should have been in there?
3. Britton has had a great career but he has no idea where his pitches are going this year. He almost always walks the lead-off hitter or hits him (last night, he waited until the 2nd batter – 9th place hitter – with an 0-2 count and by the way, almost hit him as well) to walk him and then Smoltz basically called the home run right before it happened. Britton can no longer be trusted – sorry. SU says no lead is big enough for any of the Yankee closers now and that is the problem when you play low scoring, close games. No margin for error.
4. The silver lining is that the Yankees have endured so many of these killer losses that the players – and the fans – can move on more quickly. The trick is to assume the worst while it is happening and then if you get a positive outcome, it’s a nice surprise. Much better for mental health.
5. The bad news is when you are battling teams for that final wild card spot, you have less room for error and all of these blown save games in the last month will surely come back to bite them.

Judge really showed up big time in the spotlight – good for him. He needs to go on a hot streak now. Even Stanton, and admit it – no way you see that coming – hit a home run in the 9th for the lead. So unlikely – SU is sure even he was surprised. The key to that inning was clearing Joey Gallo who walked. I do not understand how this is the Yankees’ type of hitter, and why he would bat higher than 7th in the line up. He really is Dave Kingman from the left side for you old timers. Swing for the fences every time up with no regard for the situation, who is on base, how many outs, etc. Of course, he has plenty of company on this team. SU says the Yankees are an incredibly low-IQ baseball team. Hit into the shifts, get thrown out on the base paths, poor fielding (looking at you, Odor) and worst in the AL with RISP (.222). That means you need to put more guys on base in order to score runs as you will fail more often to get a hit (SU has run the numbers and this is true).

Loving Tyler Wade right now. He is – finally – taking advantage of his opportunities. The key is whether Boone will keep him in the line-up every game – somewhere – as he is playing great. No guarantee of that as Boone has to play Stanton every minute and Gallo will get the nod over Wade because…. (actually don’t know the answer to that).

Help is on the way for the starting pitchers. Cole, Montgomery, and maybe Severino and German. The great Heaney experiment can continue on some other planet with heavier air so the ball won’t clear the fences so easily.

SU sees the Yankees as a long shot for the wild card. Oakland is better and probably has an easier schedule and the Red Sox are getting Sale back soon and just kill the Yankees this year. But happy to be proven wrong.

SU stayed up until 1 am last night watching the Yankees – Royals game so you wouldn’t have to. It was actually quite a game – not exactly the poster child for great relief outings – but it went down to the final pitch in the bottom of the 11th inning. It’s only one game out of 162 but SU has a few observations to share:

1. Luke Voit is on a mission. I mean, the dude swings too hard all the time but he cares. The Yankees traded for Rizzo who started red hot both at the plate and in the field, and apparently Voit was almost traded right before the deadline. He would still be in Scranton today if it wasn’t for Rizzo testing positive for COVID (he is not vaccinated btw). Voit looked terrible on Sunday in big situations and owned it in his post-game comments. He acknowledged that he is aware of almost being traded and that Rizzo is there to play first base. So, last night, after striking out with a man on 3rd and only 1 out early, he knocks in a run with a single, hits a home run in the top of the 9th to give them the lead, and then lines out to deep left in his last at bat. SU says good for him and he has put Boone on notice that he is deserving of playing time. He is a streaky hitter (like most of the Yankee sluggers) and SU says he needs to be out there somewhere every day – and that should continue once Rizzo returns.
2. And that brings us to Stanton. He has been better of late but not hitting for power really. Under Boone, Stanton doesn’t have to earn the at bats. He just has to stay healthy. The question is once Rizzo returns, who plays? The best line up has Voit at DH, Gallo in center field and Stanton in left field. If you don’t want to do that, and you want to play Gardner in center field or Allen (oh wait, we sent him down to the minors so this guy Davis can play???? That is called “over-GMing”), then who sits? SU says you sit the guy who is not producing and if that is Stanton, check your ego at the door and do better. Play the hot hitters. Do it.
3. Rizzo has to play. He is a gold glove first baseman and a left-handed hitter. So does Gallo although SU is not sold on him as of yet. So many strikeouts and while no one cares about that anymore, SU does.
4. Tyler Wade was huge last night and the new shortstop, Velazquez, looked good in the field and is a switch hitter. Torres is out a few weeks now and let some of the young guys play.

Let’s be clear: the Yankees are not a lock to make the Wild Card. Oakland, Boston and Toronto are not going away. The hot hitters need to play and others need to earn their at bats. Let’s see how Boone manages this.

SU was able to stay up and watch last night’s gold medal men’s basketball game between the USA and France. Now, this Olympics’ US team was not comprised of all of the top players but you would think that they had enough talent to win gold easily. But they have struggled at times starting with the first exhibition games in Las Vegas and in most of the first halves of the Olympic games.

Durant has been the best player in the Olympic tournament and you would have to say, right now, is at the top of the NBA. Consider that he is coming back from an Achilles tendon tear when many questioned if he would be the same player as before. SU does not see a significant difference and credit to him for working hard to regain his full mobility. If he was not on this Olympic team, SU says that the US would have struggled to get a bronze medal. He was the best player in every game – incredibly consistent from game to game – and really had no one else consistently scoring in each game. In the 4th quarter last night, France but Batum on him and they started double teaming him tempting others to shoot – which of course as NBA players they were happy to do. Brick by brick. Lillard missed 2 fouls shots in the last 15 seconds and there was a turnover. The US came away with the gold but France had its opportunities down the stretch to make it even closer.

Also, how did the US put this roster together? Most of the teams had capable big men and the US was a team of guards and small forwards. Not following the thought process there.

Net fans must be salivating for this upcoming season. If Durant, Harden and Irving can all stay healthy (not a given), they are by far the best team no matter what the Lakers put together.

Boston has been choking earlier than usual – I mean it’s early August – but SU says they will right the ship. The Yankees have edged closer – 3 games behind now – but SU is not convinced that Boston will continue its slide and that the Yankees are a lock for the playoffs. Toronto is equally hot and Oakland won’t go away. The good news is that we will likely have meaningful games in September. No doubt Cashman is running daily computer models to anticipate the next player(s) to test positive for COVID.

And the Mets are out of 1st place! They need to find some offense and fast. Lindor’s return should help assuming he resembles something of his Indians’ type productivity but the Phillies are a loose and excited team with Girardi, Didi and Ronald Torreyes.

And finally, Mike Tauchmann was DFA’d by the Giants. SU was wrong on that one – he really regressed this year. He saved a couple of games with his defense stealing home runs over the fence but wasted every opportunity to play regularly on a hot team. Such is life.

The MLB trade deadline has come and gone, and unlike past seasons, there aren’t going to be any waivers deals in August to bolster rosters. The Mets added Javier Baez which was a great pick-up as perhaps he can push Lindor to regain his career level form before coming to the Mets. He’s a dynamic player and will add some pop to the offense down the stretch.

What about the Yankees? SU is high on the pick-ups of both Gallo and Rizzo. Rizzo brings some charisma to the clubhouse and obviously made a big splash over the weekend in Miami. SU almost fell out of the chair when he hit an opposite field single off of a left-handed pitcher in the 8th inning to tie the game. Surely, the hitting coaches will take him aside and explain that the Yankees never, ever hit away from the shift. Gary Sanchez demonstrated that in the previous inning when after Gallo led off with a double, he immediately pulled the ball to 3rd base to prevent the runner from advancing.

The Yankees swept the Marlins although every game was close and they should have lost 1-0 yesterday as the Marlins’ defense gave away the game in the 8th and 9th innings. SU’s unsolicited advice to Aaron Boone:

1. The world does not revolve around Giancarlo Stanton.
2. The world does not revolve around Giancarlo Stanton (sorry, that one needed to be repeated). Your best line up is with Stanton in left field and Voit at DH. Play him out there every game. Of course, he will break down with some ailment but it’s not like that’s a loss here. Did you see him in the 8th inning as a pinch hitter. Perfect doubleplay grounder thrown away. And SU says even after the 3rd baseman bobbled the ball, and finally picked it up, Stanton, who was jogging down to 1st, would have been out by 20 feet. You are 31 years old. Please run hard. And the younger teammates are watching and learn from him.
3. Voit will come off the IL soon and what happens if he gets hot? That will be interesting to watch. Do we field the best line up every game? Or do we play to the $30 million egos? Not that Stanton ever complains – he is a good teammate. And perhaps he will get hot now after a month of futility – that is his history. But until then, play the best players.
4. Joey Gallo is a .200 hitter. He is not your #3 hitter. That should be your best hitter. I know you are trying to do the lefty-righty thing in the line up (what a concept!) but do better here. Rizzo is clearly that guy right now. Gallo from what US has seen is a #6 hitter – all or nothing swings plus some walks and a lot of strikeouts. A left-handed Sanchez or Stanton when he’s slumping for weeks at a time. Both belong lower in the line up.

The Red Sox were swept in Tampa but Chris Sale is going to return soon and they also picked up Schwarber. Those 2 teams will battle it out down the stretch. The Yankees are in a position to get a wild card but the offense is still a bit all or nothing. They swept Miami but all 3 games were close and low scoring. SU is not sold but the situation is better than it was before last Wednesday.

Oh, and let’s hope Rizzo is vaccinated.

Brian Cashman is emptying the prospect bucket to make a run at the 2021 season. SU is encouraged that he is at least going for left-handed hitters – what a concept! I don’t know much about Anthony Rizzo although he has had a very solid career except for the last 2 seasons. He seems to make contact (I guess they didn’t hold that against him as the Yankees value players who strike out all the time) and is great defensively. Hits to all fields too (no doubt the Yankee hitting coaches will work on that and train him to hit into the shift).

Just kidding – don’t want to go all negative here. Rizzo is a free agent after the season is over so this feels like a rental situation. The strategy long-term has to be to move Torres back to 2nd base and find a solution at shortstop who can field with some range. SU thought they used to have Didi Gregorius in that spot but maybe I am mistaken? That means LeMahieu will move to 1st base long-term. That all feels right to SU.

Now, the addition of Rizzo makes Luke Voit appear to be expendable. Rumors are he will be traded for a pitcher today. But… SU says what about this? Put Stanton in left field and Votto in center. You give Stanton the white glove treatment as a DH but he is flat out bad for long stretches. For $30 million, let him play the outfield too. He was an everyday player in Miami for a number of years and is still only 31 years old. Worst thing that happens is that he pulls a calf muscle and goes on the IL. They have depth now with Gardner and Allen. This would allow them to DH Voit and keep him around in case they can’t make a deal. SU says don’t just give Voit away for nothing.

Bottom line: the Yankees are a station to station team now (still) but at least have some balance in the line-up with the new left-handed hitters. SU would have broken it all down now but clearly ownership wants to go for that 2nd wild card spot and see if they can make a playoff run.

And where are the Mets? The major pieces are now off the board in Scherzer and Turner as the Nationals start over and the Dodgers go all in for 2021 but the Mets have the resources to do something. SU thinks they will be the team to watch today.

SU’s main guy Djokovic goes down in the semis in Tokyo so no Golden Slam for this year. I am not surprised as he doesn’t play well in heat and humidity, and Tokyo sells both in July. One wonders why the Olympics are in Tokyo at all given their weather in July but we know those decisions are a bit complex and mysterious.

Met fans, who’s on your wish list today? Yankee fans, are you happy with the moves? The team is clearly excited by losing 14-0 yesterday to the Rays with Cole pitching. Flawed teams don’t sweep.