Big dilemma for the Yankees.  Should Jacoby Ellsbury’s number be retired?  For those of you keeping score at home, he was number 22 (at least I think he was).  I mean, should they give him credit for having signed the worst free agent contract in team history?  There has to be some lasting monument or memento to him in the Stadium.  Perhaps a urinal with a plaque over it?  You have to give the guy credit.  He leveraged one great year with the Red Sox with 30+ home runs (drug aided?) to a 7-year deal with the desperate Yankees.  His body then disintegrated with injury after injury (of course, surprising as he wasn’t even playing when he got the new ones) which, as we know, often happens to players who possibly had a drug aided career.  As the saying goes, “the world will never know.”  SU says he should start a foundation with all the money he has made for not playing to help people.  Just a thought.

And then, the news that long-time Yankee fave, Greg Bird, has been designated for assignment.  The end of an era.  SU hopes that he can catch on with some other team.  He’s perfect for Tampa Bay who likes to give the cast-offs another chance.  SU says we have not heard the last from Greg Bird.  His plantar will be heard from again.

Did you see Carmelo made his 2019 debut last night for Portland?  Shot 4 for 14 – in mid-season form with some defensive lapses.  The Blazers must be excited that he has hit the ground running like that.

As a long-time subscriber to the NBA Season Pass, SU has been reduced to watching favorite players around the League vs. focusing on favorite teams these days.  Now that Jeremy Lin has been banished to China, SU follows the ex-Michigan players.  It’s actually a science to look up which teams are playing when, and then to anticipate when your favorite players will actually be on the court.  Starters play at certain times vs. bench players.  Well, I missed it last night, but Duncan Robinson made 9 3-pointers for the Heat.  This is a guy who started out at Williams College and then transferred to Michigan.  And some of the 3s that he made last night were about 10 feet behind the 3-point line.  He is a legitimate shooter in the League.  What’s great about the NBA is that in many of the Heat’s games, he is wide open but they never pass to him.  Especially the point guard, Dragic.  The NBA has the best players in the world… and the most selfish players in the world.  But Robinson hustles, is 6-9, somewhat athletic, and it’s a great story.  He has been starting of late until Justice Winslow returns.  Then the coach will put him back on the bench because…….  Sorry, not sure why but it will happen.

More and more, the NBA is now an isolation, 1 on1 league.  I guess the analytics support this style of play but SU will continue to search for a team that actually passes to the open man night in and night out.  I will keep you updated on my search.

Finally, MLB is apparently pissed off at Houston.  They are going to be the poster child for technological cheating.  I guess other teams will have to go back to reading lips again to steal signs.

Maybe some of you have been following the developing scandal with the Houston Astros and their stealing of signs during the playoffs the past few years at home.  Does this make you angry?  Upset?  Or is this just baseball where as long as everyone is cheating, we are okay with that.  See PED usage where you know the players knew who was juicing but they wanted to keep doing it as well so no-one was looking to rat out anyone else.

Check out this tweet by Yankees’ 3rd Base Coach Phil Nevin who had this to say in game 1 of the ALCS in Houston:

Phil Nevin to Alex Bregman: “Tell your f-cking hitting coach I’m going to kick his f-cking ass.”

The Yankees were well aware that the Astros had been doing this for some time.  Baseball is a small community and there are few secrets.  From what SU has read, the Astros, for their home games, had a camera in center field that was showing the catcher’s signs going to a feed in their dugout.  Someone in the dugout would then bang a metal waste container to relay information on the incoming pitch to the batter.  Clever enough.  They also used a whistling sound to relay the information.  Was anyone surprised in game 5 of the ALDS this year vs the Rays when the first 5 or 6 batters hit rockets off of the Rays’ pitcher? SU says how cool would it have been if the announcers were aware of this and started talking about it?  And SU says,  how is it that the sports reporters who are around these teams do not know what’s going on?  Is that the deal?  If you out them, you won’t have access to the players and coaches/manager?

Already, Carlos Beltran, who was on the Astros’ 2017 team that is the focus of the investigation is being asked questions about what he knew.  Big distraction.  SU saw the home and away splits for the 2017 World Series for the Astro hitters.  It’s pretty obvious: guys hit about .500 at home with multiple home runs and .150 on the road with little power.

SU says it’s not that different from what the Patriots did a few years ago with their videotaping of coaches on the sidelines.  Before technology, baseball coaches could try and figure out signs and use that information to their advantage.  In baseball, that is considered to be acceptable – it’s using your brains to get an edge.  But apparently using technology to do it is taboo as not every team has the camera feed into the dugout.

The problem for baseball is that in order to thwart the sign stealing, yo have to start using multiple signs with no-one on base.  Have you ever seen Gary Sanchez go through his signs?  Do you wonder why Yankee games are 4 hours?   This is a direct result of what the Astros are doing and who knows which other teams.  It is directly impacting pace of play.  No one wants to watch games where the signs with no one on base take that long.

So, what is the solution?  A few options:

• Start hitting batters.
• Use technology to relay pitches to the pitcher.  Maybe the catcher can have something on his wrist like an Apple watch that relays it to the pitcher.  Of course, the Astros will bring in a new department of technology guys to break in or find a few Russian election hackers to do that for them (we know who they can contact for that – oh wait, no political talk here!!)
• Fine the Astros and hope it stops – which it won’t

SU says you cannot use this an excuse if you are the Yankees, Dodgers or whoever.  If Phil Nevin and the Yankees knew about it, then they should have knocked down multiple Astro batters and gotten their point across.  SU believes everyone is trying to steal signs and maybe some others even use technology.  The Yankees have long suspected the Red Sox of doing this.  Let’s introduce technology – it will also speed up the game and it just can’t be that hard to do (see NFL and how they call plays).

SU is just not that upset.  But MLB is and it will be interesting to see how it shakes out.

Your thoughts?

SU has been in a reflective mode as we complete the baseball season and gear up for college hoops and the never-ending NBA season.   Here are some things to watch for in no particular order:

• The Yankees could have re-signed Didi for $17.5 million for one year and took a pass.  OK, I get it.  They were unhappy with Didi’s finish to the season after coming back from Tommy John surgery.  But as they look to make a move and potentially move on from Didi, SU asks t his question, “What is the most important factor to consider in bringing new players to the Yankees?”  We all know what that is.  It’s not talent, career ERA, on-base percentage.  It is CAN YOU PLAY IN NEW YORK?  Well, Didi can play in New York – he succeeded Derek Jeter at shortstop and excelled.  He’s a leader in the clubhouse, a mentor for the younger players.  SU says either overpay for one year or 2 years, but you bring him back.  It’s an obvious move.  It could happen as there is not a great market for shortstops out there this year.  But US is nervous they will take a pass and put Gleyber at shortstop.  The Yankees need his left-handed bat in there.  They don’t have to do it as LeMahieu can move to 2nd base and Voit to 1st but it’s short sighted.  Case closed.
• Joel Sherman at the New York Post had an interesting observation about hitting into the shift at Yankee Stadium.  With the short porch, it really reduces the area where a ball can fall in.  So, when teams shift against a left-handed batter, there is nowhere for the ball to land without being fielded.  As a result, there is less interest now, perhaps, to have more left-handed batters in the line up for the Yankees.
• DJ LeMahieu opened a lot of eyes in NY.  A guy who puts the ball in play.  Cashman thought he was getting someone like that a few years ago with Chase Headley (long-time SU fave – not) but LeMahieu came as advertised.  SU says he is the model that they should look for now.  Guys that put the ball in play.  Not the Stantons, Encarnacions, even Aaron Hicks who has potential/talent but needs to also go the other way.  SU saw that they got a more innovative pitching coach, apparently, now to replace Rothschild.  Then, make the batters in 2020 go the other way starting in February.  The home runs that go out during the regular season are harder to come by against the top pitchers in October.  Let’s make the move now.  I would say trade Stanton but not happening and there is no market out there as he has a no trade clause.  But then you need to limit the similar type hitters around him which means no more Encarnacion pick ups during the year.  SU likes Tauchman.  He needs to play.  You can bring Gardner back for a season but Tauchman needs to play.
• Do not sign Gerret Cole.  No.  He is going to get $35 million a year for 7 years which is ridiculous.
• The Yankees are close.  2019 was a great, enjoyable and fun year.  They went as far as I thought they would go.  Houston won’t be as good.  Note to Brian Cashman: don’t screw it up.

SU liked the Beltran signing by the Mets.  He is a good guy, smart and pays attention to the details.  The Mets are close and they have a GM who is not afraid to gamble which SU likes.  Of course, gambling means bringing in Robinson Cano who is running on fumes now.  He is a DH, not an every day player.  He will have to figure out what to do with Cespedes should he ever get healthy again.  He may be on the Ellsbury recovery plan now – who knows?

Alabama vs. LSU yesterday was one of those great college games.  Teams marching up and down the field with ease.  Few punts, rosters full of NFL prospects and draft picks.  SU says it’s why college football is more fun than the NFL.  A match-up of LSU vs. Ohio State in the BCS playoffs would be great.  LSU’s QB transferred from Ohio State – great story there.  It is interesting how the same schools are always competing for the BCS title now: Ohio State; Alabama; Georgia; Clemson; Oklahoma; sometimes Notre Dame.  SU watches a lot of Big Ten games and the speed of the SEC is just a level faster.

The last tournament of the men’s tennis season is starting today in London at the ATP Finals – top 8 players.  The field is very interesting.  You have the Big 3 in Fed, Djokovic and Nadal.  Dominick Thiem, at 26, is there.  The other 4 are the Next Generation players.  It’s great for tennis that the next group is finally making their move.  It’s interesting to note that the group that was 5 years behind the Big 3 is not there anymore – Del Potro, Raonic, etc.  For tennis fans, you hope the Big 3 keep playing but the clock is ticking.  The good news is that men’s tennis has a great crop of guys coming up in their early 20s.  SU will be watching on the Tennis Channel along with 12 others nationally.  Check it out.

Finally, a note on the NBA.  Where did the term “load management” come from?  Why is it so hard to play 82 games over about 7 months?  And is it so hard to travel in chartered jets and stay at Ritz Carltons?  I know some guys have chronic injuries (see Kawi Leonard) and some are older like LeBron.  But for a fan who buys tickets in advance expecting to see the stars, this is not a good deal or a smart strategy.

Anyone on your personal wish list for the Yankees and Mets?

Let’s face it: being an official or an umpire can put you in the spotlight more than you would like to be.  The NFL has been dominating the news of late as the officials can’t seem to get the call right on the loose ball plays – meaning whether to blow the play dead or let it go and then decide afterwards if it was a fumble or a forward pass.  They seem to go back and forth and some of these plays have come in crucial moments down the stretch of games.

SU has not been following the World Series – at all.  Once the Yankees went out, just not that interested.  However, I did wake up from a brief nap last night to catch the play in the top of the 7th inning of a 3-2 game.  Truth be told, we have all seen this play before during the regular season.  In baseball, it’s a stupid rule to have the bases in fair territory.  It forces the runner to have to cross the bag in fair territory.  SU says the home plate umpire was fooled by the fact that the first  baseman’s glove actually fell off trying to catch the ball.  The runner did not appear to hit his glove – the ball knocked it off.  To SU, the runner actually did nothing wrong and if the glove had not flown off, the umpire would not have called it interference.  It was actually funny that after the game when Joe Torre was interviewed on the field, he still thought the runner had knocked the glove off.

It’s a judgment call for the umpire and not reviewable.  Similar to pass interference in football although now coaches can appeal the call and, at least so far, generally not win the appeal.  Nationals’ manager Davey Martinez went berserk.  SU can see him being upset but it’s not reviewable.    The umpires called NY but that was just to have the rules read to them over the headset.  SU is sure they already know this rule – kind of stupid.  They were also confirming that the Nats could not protest the game over this play.

SU says that the play should be reviewable and if it was, they would have reversed it as the runner was in the proper position and did not knock off the glove.  Case closed.  Something to consider for the off-season.  Credit to Rendon who promptly hit a 2-run home run and avoided weeks and weeks of controversy.  Now, the Nationals can make this their rallying cry for game 7 and you have to figure that they have the  momentum.  SU says not a bad thing for baseball.  More passion, more interest in a World Series that has had few dramatic moments so far other than the road team winning every game.

What’s up with the Larry Rothschild firing?  Rumor is that the Yankees want someone who is more all in on analytics to be in that role.  SU thought he was an excellent pitching coach for all of his years with the Yankees.  No complaints.  Got the most out of a staff of brittle starting pitchers.  Keep an eye out for David Cone to get this job.  He is up on his analytics and has Yankee pedigree.

Finally, enough of not allowing your starters to face a line – up for a 3rd time.  If you are a stud pitcher, you know how to get through it.  SU says: “Save a reliever!” and let your starters pitch longer into games.  It’s good for the environment.

The Yankees are getting a nice jump on 2020.  Aaron Hicks is going to have Tommy John surgery and will be out 8 – 10 months.  SU is curious that he was able to play in the ALCS with that injury?  Not sure I follow that.  Meanwhile, Tanaka already had surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow but will be ready in the spring.  And Luke Voit had surgery for that core injury and should also be ready.

The good news is that Mike Tauchman should have a nice role now in the first half of 2020.

Joe Girardi to the Phillies as their new manager.  SU has always been a Girardi fan and this is a good hire.  He will have a definite impact there – in a positive way.  Rumor has it that the Mets’ GM is good friends with AJ Hinch on the Astros, and that he may make a run at him to be their new manager.  Especially in light of the debacle with the Astros’ Assistant GM who apparently verbally abused some female reporters in the clubhouse celebration.  It took the Astros 3 press releases to say the right thing and Hinch ended up being the team spokesman.  Not the first time.

SU is happy for the Nationals’ quick start in the World Series but as we know, in baseball, home field is not that critical.  SU was struck by how Washington puts the ball in play to score runs – what a concept!  Rather than swing for the fences at all times and have zero awareness of situations, they actually look to move runners and pay attention.  That one’s for you, Gary Sanchez.

People flock to SU for wisdom and insight, and on a day like this, where else do you want to be?  Tough loss last night and the season ends in sudden fashion.  Older Yankee fans like SU have been there before, e.g., 2001 in game 7 vs. Arizona.  It’s tough to take but we need to reflect this morning.

Many will refer to SU’s post on October 2nd for the playoff preview:

“Earlier in the season, SU felt it was necessary to get to the World Series to say this season was a success but I revised my thinking to just getting to the ALCS and play Houston. This is a bad match-up for the Yankees. Too many hard throwing, right-handed starters. Losing German is a problem. Getting Stanton back is a problem. But playing a long, competitive series would be great to see. Losing in 6 feels like the outcome there and SU can live with that.”

And 3 weeks later, SU can live with that.  My thoughts:

• I think in a post-season series, like in tennis in a Grand Slam final, you win and lose on the margins.  It’s the little things that do you in and it comes down to a few points in tennis and a few plays in baseball.  If you live and die with the  home run and that is your strategy, you will have to hit home runs in the  post-season against the elite pitchers and that is harder to do.  Of the runs that the Yankees scored vs. Houston, only 1 or 2 came not via the home run.  Not a formula for success.
• Enough of the opener strategy.  Enough.  Face it, in the National League, this would never work – you would not have enough position players to do the double switches.  Sure, there is more strategy and second-guessing but I have no desire to watch any more 4+ hour games.  Not that interesting.
• The Yankees overcame so many injuries.  Credit to Cashman and credit to Boone.  Well done.  Even being here was an achievement.
• The suspension of German was enormous and not talked about enough.  The Yankees could have avoided the opener strategy if they had one more reliable starter and he was that guy.  For 2020, you have to hope he can get his life together, accept his suspension and learn from it.  Or not…
• If you want to win it all which is the Yankees’ mission statement, then get your players to play like DJ LeMahieu.  It’s that simple.  The Yankees have some players who see that and play that way and they are not the starters/everyday players.  For this season, the team was the most enjoyable to watch when they were in the line up and over-achieving (Romine, Tauchman).  It wasn’t a joy to watch Gary Sanchez and his .235 average hit the occasional home run.  SU is not putting this series on his shoulders but I do not want to watch his passed balls, wild swings and confused looks anymore.  I am sure I am in the minority and he is an All-Star but he more than anyone needs to change the way he hits.  SU says he is the key to 2020.  Either come to camp with a new approach or move on.
• Do not bring back Encarnacion.  Good guy, great career, time to go.  Gardner is an interesting decision.  If he comes back, he is the 4th outfielder.  Keep Tauchman – SU favorite player at this point.  Keep Didi but SU is worried they will let him go at 30 years of age.  Big mistake.  Great guy in the clubhouse and really was recovering from Tommy John all year.  Overpay him for 3 years but he needs to return.
• Stanton: there is not time or room to whine here so I won’t.  He will be back as he is now untradeable.  Get used to it and get comfortable.  He can spend the off-season planning out his injury schedule for 2020.
• Voit and Clint Frazier: interesting choices there.  Encarnacion put Voit off the roster and that was too bad.  He struggled down the stretch but is a good guy and should return.  SU is ready for Frazier to move on.

The question is do the Yankees pursue Gerrit Cole.  Long-time subscriber J. Gross has already weighed in that they need to get him.  SU does not like the expensive, long-term contracts.  They just never go well.  Clearly, the Yankees need the next great thing but they do have Devi Garcia ready to make the next move up from AAA.  It’s not my money but how do you pay both Stanton and Cole when guys like Judge, Sanchez are coming up right behind them and you want to lock in LeMaheiu for a couple more years?

Final thought: SU enjoys the journey – not just the outcome.  This was a great season – like 1998 – when they won every day.  The team was fun, had personality and good guys.  Chapman hung an 84-mph slider and that was that.  He was very good all year – can’t get too down on him other than who called that pitch?  Even if they won last night, they were not set up for game 7 the right way with pitching.  The Astros were the better team and the World Series will be a classic match-up of baseball’s best starting pitchers.  And that is the bottom line.

OK, here is your chance to weigh in.  Good season?  Disappointment?  Want to blame someone?  SU welcomes all comers.

Clearly, the Yankees are listening to SU – to a small, very limited extent.  Edwin Encarnacion is out for tonight’s game and Stanton is in.  Of course, he is batting clean-up (well he is hitting .500 for the series).  Gary Sanchez is also in the line up and will promptly hit 2 home runs.  Gardner is batting 9th (that feels better).

SU read an article this morning in The Athletic about how Sanchez is actually the Yankees’ best signal caller and really studies the analytics produced by the staff.  The pitchers love to pitch to him and the brass feel he excels behind the plate.  Who knew?

While the situation is bleak, do the Yankees adopt a rallying cry of “Win this one for CC?”  “CC or bust!”  He was dropped from the roster and his career is over.  Can it be?  We will soon find out.

Film at 11 (er, more like 12:30 am).

Full disclosure: SU did not watch the bottom of the 9th inning of last night’s Yankee playoff game.  SU is a true, blue fan and always stays to the bitter end.  But when your team basically gives up, well it’s hard to stick by them.  Very disappointing effort – but not surprising as SU has been writing.  A few observations:

• What made this season so enjoyable, was the “next man up” mentality of the team.  There were never any complaints about injuries.  Boone just slotted in whoever was available and healthy and an amazing number of role players came through.  In particular, Maybin, Tauchman, Romine.  They put the ball in play.  Got big hits.  Hit close to .300.  Now, come playoff time, what do they do?  You put in guys that really barely played down the stretch and did not have enough at bats to be ready.  You know who they are.   But hey, it’s more fun to be critical.  Encarnacion: he had one, I repeat, one hot stretch for the Yankees all year (after SU had said he was a bad acquisition), first broke his hand and then hurt his oblique and except for one game vs. the Twins, has done nothing.  Should not be playing.  Gary Sanchez: a walking groin injury waiting to happen.  Missed much of September and Romine was truly outstanding all year.  WHY MUST HE PLAY EVERY GAME?  And if you have to play him, then DH him and sit Encarnacion.  Let Romine catch tonight.
• As SU has commented all season, this team is too right-handed.  With Hicks and Tauchman out, you only had Gardner and Didi.  I get wanting to play Hicks but why bat him 3rd?  Truth is so few hitters can hit in this series, it probably doesn’t even matter how you design the line up but another odd move.
• The plan to only allow your starters to go through the line up twice and then turn to the bullpen is stupid.  It’s in vogue these days but SU says the more you expose your relievers to the opposition game after game, well isn’t that similar to going through the line up 2 times and not wanting to face them a 3rd one?  Same theory.  Tanaka wasn’t perfect but his pitch count was still in the 70s.  You cannot expect Green who has been great to always get the same guys out.  Plus he has been hit hard this series but right at the outfielders.  SU says Boone is open to the second guess.
• Ottavino has just been bad.  He was excellent in the regular season.  It feels like he is trying to be too perfect with his pitches.  But he has a 3-year deal and SU is confident he will grow from this experience.
• John Smoltz has been showing his inner Al Leiter/A-Rod.  Please, please stop talking.  For 9-inning games that run 4 and a half hours, just cannot take it.  And face it: there is almost no action in these games.  Walks, strikeouts, lots of time between pitches.  What should be a chance for baseball to show it’s best face, it’s showing what some of the issues are for younger fans.
• It was very cold last night and the Yankee fielders lost their concentration.  LeMahieu’s errors were actually both tough plays.  SU gives him a pass.  Glayber is a young guy and became frustrated.  He needs to reset and I think he will starting tonight.

What to do?  First, put Stanton on the IL.  Or start him tonight as DH.  SU has no love for him but he cannot be any worse than Encarnacion.  Second, put Maybin in left field.  Why not?  If you need to play Hicks, OK, but then sit Gardner.  He is scuffling too.  And start Romine at catcher.  Nothing to lose and he will call a better game to boot.

With Verlander starting, it probably doesn’t matter but rolling out the same cold hitters again makes no sense.  SU still believes that the loss of German was huge this series.  But Houston has the stud pitchers.  No doubt, it will make the Yankees overpay for Cole this off-season and he will promptly have arm issues.  But we have time for that.

Sad to see CC go out with a shoulder/arm injury but he had a great career and was a gamer.  Only fitting that more players get hurt in the playoffs.

Not over yet.  But as Joe Girardi says, “it’s not what you want.”

High wind warnings in NY today and no doubt it will still be windy tonight for game 4 of the Yankees – Astros series.  It will be blowing from left to right field so that fly balls to right field will be wind aided, and the ones to left field might be knocked down a bit.

No doubt Gary Sanchez is already thinking about this and will look to hit to right field tonight (OK, thought you might like some humor this morning).  Nah, he will reread his Mark Texeiria notes that say “ignore the shift at all costs.”

But the other issue is that the wind will impact the pitchers – especially the ones that have a lot of movement.  That would be Tanaka.  Now, that can help but also hurt.  Time will tell on that front.

For the Yankees, this is like a game 7 as you have Verlander going in game 5 and potentially Cole in game 6 on short rest.  SU says Greinke coughs it up in the post-season.  He is not as strong mentally as Cole and Verlander.  This is a winnable game but the batters need to have a better plan.  And so does Boone.  You cannot just roll out the relievers so early again as you may be playing 4 days in a row.  SU says be smart, or actually be smarter than you have been so far.

SU caught most of the game.  OK, the Gary Sanchez prediction fell flat but face it, the Yankees were not expected to win this game.  Cole is tough and wasn’t even at his best tonight.  SU has seen enough – I have watched a lot of games this year – and it’s time for Aaron Boone to make some adjustments:

• Gary Sanchez, have a seat.  You need hitters who can put the ball in play and are your best defensively.  Give Romine a start.  There is no downside to this move.  Sanchez has done nothing.  You need hitters who hit the ball.  There is enough power in the line up.
• Edwin Encarnacion, you are next.  You are either red hot or ice cold.  There is no in between.  True, you had a double but SU has seen enough.  And get this: I want to start Stanton over you at DH.  You can’t put the generational one in the outfield with the quad.  DH is the answer.  Figure it rains tomorrow.  Another day to recuperate.
• Juggle the line up.  Torres is your best hitter – put him 3rd.  Gardner hit 9th most of the season.  Good spot for him as he can start a rally.  I keep Urshela in there for his defense and he can hit here and there and makes contact.
• Ottavino: yikes.  He has been terrible.  Cessa looked good tonight.  Give him a shot.

Assuming a rainout tomorrow, start Tanaka Thursday and Paxton Friday.  You don’t see Cole again until Sunday.  Greinke is beatable as is their opener.  The Yankees are paying the price for having too many right handed hitters in the line up but you knew that.  The offense looks bad but hey, you just faced Verlander and Cole.  It’s a 7-game series.  Not over but don’t assume you roll out the same guys next game.  SU has spoken.