Zeroes Across the Board

 

On occasion, whenever I know I have a ballgame attendance on the way, I like to check the ESPN schedule to see if they have the pitching matchup posted yet. In a week and a half I'm catching a game in the Bronx against the Cubs, I wanted to see who we'd be getting. So yesterday afternoon I checked.

As of that very moment, it was looking like the matchup will be Domingo German, who I saw pitch a few months ago, vs. Drew Smyly, who I saw pitch for the PHILLIES back in 2019. Dupes, I thought. Two guys I'd seen pitch already, and one I'd already seen pitch this year. Sometimes seeing someone pitch twice in the same year is cool, I saw two Zack Wheeler starts last year and I'm not especially complaining. But German has been inconsistent and streaky all year, already got caught using tack, and I was worried it'd be more of the same.

Alright, fine, I thought. German it is.

...and then I checked the Yanks score around 11ish last night and my jaw dropped. Was this the same Domingo German we'd been dealing with all year?? How on earth was he doing this. Part of me didn't want to jinx the perfection that #0 was working with through seven...but I just had to know. How on earth could DOMINGO GERMAN, who'd struggled in his last two starts, be dealing like this? Yes, it was against the Oakland A's, but that doesn't always lead to a rout. Earlier this year, Jordan Diaz hit two home runs against us even during a blowout. The previous night, Sean Blackburn and the gang held us to one run. And now with Domingo German on the mound, they weren't doing anything.

I watched every A's at-bat in the next two innings with fingers crossed. If something this inexplicable could start happening, it had to see itself through. The eighth ended without a hit. Then after the Yanks added even more insurance in the ninth, it was down to the 25th, 26th and 27th outs. And part of me was nervous, even if, again, this was the 2023 Oakland A's. Even the last out, where Esteury Ruiz got up, I got a little nervous. Yes, he can't hit, but this is the exact kind of guy that could get us. And German I kept worrying was gonna get tired and do something silly.

But somehow, German tucked the last out away and Oakland exploded. I was in shock. Pumped as hell, yeah, but shocked. How on earth does Domingo German achieve perfection? It's never always the most iconic players that throw perfect games; Dallas Braden and Phillip Humber did theirs. But I'd seen German struggle in multiple scenarios, and yet he sustained perfection through nine on the road. Absolutely incredible.

I don't know what version of German we're gonna get in a week and a half when I catch a game, but hopefully there's more good things on the way. 

Sticky Season

 

The 2023 season has given us a lot of 'is it okay to like this guy again?' situations. The most obvious ones are huge stars like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Max Scherzer who were caught cheating,  but there's some other people with murky events to recover from, like Tommy Pham, Josh Donaldson, Josh Hader and Sam Coonrod, and their success rates in coming back from whichever misdeeds varies. I think Donaldson is washing away some of his racist crap he threw at Tim Anderson last year, but he hasn't exactly won back Yankee fans yet. Anthony Bass was working on getting over his social media complaint on airline etiquette, then he managed to outdo THAT post in terms of tastelessness and got himself kicked off the Blue Jays.

And then we have Domingo German. Who was slowly reclaiming his reputation after the domestic abuse suspension, and now has to come back from a tack suspension as well. While also being one of the best starters in New York.

It's...a complicated situation. While the Yankees haven't especially let cheating in-house bother them before [I think we all collectively forgot about our own sign-stealing because the Astros did it A.) way worse and B.) against us], this is a few more levels of iffiness. German has been a good pitcher for us, and has certainly had his high points, but he's also been unloyal at several points, and has missed a ton of time due to suspensions for various crap. German was looking like the sixth man heading into 2023, but Rodon and Montas got hurt, then Severino started the season on the IL, and all of the sudden he was looking pretty good.

Through 11 starts, German has a 3.49 ERA and 64 Ks. I saw him pitch earlier this year, and while he gave up some runs early, he followed them up with sheer dominance and virtual indestructibility. He's just not as consistent as somebody like Gerrit Cole, who can go like 10 starts between really having a bad day. German isn't perfect, but right now he's really all we've got other than Cole. Clarke Schmidt is still struggling, despite striking a lot of people out. Sevy is back but he's still kinda shaky. Randy Vazquez is a cool rookie option but considering that Jhony Brito also had a strong start, I'm not convinced yet.

And that's really where we're at. Because so many people are injured, we really have to rely on German to stay strong, and I really wish we weren't in a situation where everything was riding on someone as unreliable as Domingo German. 

It's a team-wide-struggle, too. Judge and Bader are out, and with Aaron Hicks in Baltimore, the outfield schematic currently consists of Willie Calhoun, Jake Bauers and either Oswaldo Cabrera or Billy McKinney. This is not the ideal outfield we thought we'd be powering through this season with. Yes, Calhoun and Bauers aren't doing terribly, but this isn't the idea squad to go into battle with, especially considering that the Red Sox have been chasing us lately. Once again, it's waiting for people to get back, and hoping we don't lose too many before they do.

Frustrating times for the Yankees, but we're not out of it yet.

Coming Tomorrow- The second-best former Oakland Athletic currently starting for the Braves.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2022: Yankees

 

As we are about to ring in a New Year, let's remember a Yankees season that was very much reminiscent of the last few. A huge rise, a steep midyear drop-off, some close playoff wins and an inevitable loss to Houston. Same Yanks, different year.

I'm not gonna lie and say there weren't any improvements to this Yankee team, because there certainly were. People like Nestor Cortes and Jose Trevino showed up and became surprise heroes, late additions like Harrison Bader and Matt Carpenter made for an exciting second half, and, well, Aaron Judge hit 62 home runs and gets to be a Yankee for the rest of his life. Even as the highs were higher than a lot of Yankee seasons of late, we still couldn't make a World Series, and it's getting to be that this team may not be able to leg it out for an entire postseason now that it's a month+ ordeal.

Aaron Hicks, this year, played his fullest season in a Yankee uniform since 2018. Though his defense has improved since the injury-plagued years, Hicks' plate numbers left a lot to be desired, as he hit .216 with 40 RBIs and 8 home runs. We've got him for another 3 or so years, and it's looking like he'll be starting the year in the outfield, so I hope he has something left.

2023 Prediction: He doesn't. Oswaldo, you're up, buddy.

2022 was Aroldis Chapman's final one in Yankee pinstripes, and in his absence, Clay Holmes, a 2021 pickup, got the ninth. The first half he was incredible, scoreless through May, and nabbing an All-Star nod. His July was almost enough to sink him, and he allowed 16 earned runs from July to September after allowing just two before then. Postseason Holmes was more akin to his earlier behavior, as he went scoreless in 5 appearances with 7 strikeouts, even if the ninth inning role had been given to another pitcher by this point. Still, Holmes ended the season with 20 saves and a leg up on the closing position going forward.

2023 Prediction: 30 saves. Not cleanly, but still. This is the post-Rivera era of Yankees pitching, not every closer is gonna be clean.

Inevitably, Domingo German had an opening this season to start again. I don't know if the Yankees have forgiven him in the way they forgave Chapman [initially], but he at least improved this year, with a 3.65 ERA and 58 Ks in 15 starts. Not perfect, but the exact kind of extra arm the Yanks had in mind.

2023 Prediction: Seeing as the Yankees will be going with a Cole-Rodon-Cortes-Montas-Severino rotation, and four of those guys have had health issues to this point, I expect 20 starts.

We signed Marwin Gonzalez to be a useful utility bat who can play just about anywhere, and that's exactly what he was for us. His fielding numbers were excellent, with his best fielding statistics since 2019 in Minneapolis. At the plate, while he did have 6 home runs and 18 RBIs, he still struggled to hit for average. 

2023 Prediction: Uses a Korean Leagues season as a ramp to eventually be a useful piece of a 2024 contender.

The Yanks had two relevant bullpen hidden gems for me this year. One of them was Ron Marinaccio, the rookie from Toms River, NJ who began the year in the Yankee bullpen. In 40 games he had a 2.05 ERA, 56 Ks and gained a fan-following. For a kid that grew up a Yankee fan, that's gotta be pretty cool.

2023 Prediction: Finishes in the top tier of the Yankee bullpen and lasts the whole season.

Additionally, Wandy Peralta continued his strong work since coming over from San Francisco. In 56 games he held a 2.72 ERA, only allowing 17 earned runs and coming away with 4 saves. Peralta was the team's primary closer during the postseason, and got 1 save during the Cleveland series, while striking out 8 and allowing 3 earned runs.

2023 Prediction: A down year, but the bullpen won't exactly suffer.

Of all things I expected going into this season, the Yankees signing Matt Carpenter and him being one of their biggest midyear successes was certainly not one of them. After his subpar years with St. Louis, and after a botched Spring Training gig with Texas, I figured he didn't have anything left. In just 47 games, Carpenter hit .305 with 15 home runs and 37 RBIs, finishing the season with a higher OPS than even Aaron Judge. Yes, an injury robbed him not only of a second half continuation but of any pop during the postseason, but that June was enough for us to appreciate him.

2023 Prediction: I don't think the Padres are gonna get much of what we just got.

Speaking of great performances stunted by an ill-timed injury, Andrew Benintendi was a high-profile trade for us, coming over from Kansas City. Though he took a while to get used to New York, he was just getting the hang of things, notching 5 RBI in the last weeks of August and keeping his season batting average above .300. Then, beginning of September he gets injured, Bader takes his place and becomes a postseason hero.

2023 Prediction: A worthy sequel to his 2021 KC numbers in Chicago.

And finally Frankie Montas, the one move I really wished the Yankees wouldn't have made. I figured Luis Castillo was a surer bet, but the Mariners got him and locked him up. Montas always came off as streaky and ineffective. After trading J.P. Sears and Ken Waldichuk to Oakland for him, Montas pitched 8 starts, and had a 6.35 ERA with 28 earned runs in the midst of injuries. 

2023 Prediction: I really hope there's some level of improvement. I really, really do. Cause if not, we just wasted another trade deadline. 

That's all I've got for 2022. I hope you've enjoyed the blog this year. Hopefully there'll be some level of content in the next few months before pitchers and catchers report.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2021: Yankees

 

...look, man. I don't know what to tell ya. The Yankees can stock their team with god knows who and god knows what, they can net some of the best talent at the deadline, they can have momentum from a good portion of their big stars, and it's not gonna do anything. And everybody else in baseball's fine with it, cause, well hey, they've won 27 of these, it's not a big loss. Meanwhile, teams like the Rays, with much cheaper payrolls, are getting further and acting like it's nothing. 

It's exhausting, guys. My first year blogging, both my teams played each other in the World Series. Now both of them are just doomed to horrible luck and being outdone by smaller competitors.

Brett Gardner is the last remaining Yankee who remembers the 2009 World Series, and I'd like to think this is the end of the rope for him. We've done the Andy Pettitte thing of just re-signing him on year deals just out of goodwill, but I don't think he has much left at all. Once again, Gardy was intended as a backup outfielder and played 140 games, hitting .222 with 39 RBIs and 10 home runs. 

2022 Prediction: I think he finally retires. The Yankees have signed Ender Inciarte to play the backup outfield role, and Gardy will be 38 next year. Maybe I'm wrong and some low-ball team brings him on. 

With Luis Severino and Deivi Garcia playing little part in the 2021 season, once-disgraced starter Domingo German had a pretty prominent role in things pre-injury. German started 18 games, had a 4.58 ERA, 98 Ks and a 4-5 record. A few shaky starts, but generally a strong option.

2022 Prediction: Well. The 2022 rotation seems to look like Cole, Montgomery, Taillon, Severino barring another injury, and someone else in this post. I don't think German has a spot here because everybody else in that schematic hasn't let the team down as much. So he does relief work and waits for an injury. 

One of the most exciting developments heading into 2021 was seeing Corey Kluber, to this point one of my favorite non-Yankee pitchers, pitch in the Bronx. It went mostly pretty well, as Klu even notched a no-hitter before, conveniently, landing on the IL. In 16 starts he had a 3.83 ERA, 5 wins, and 86 of his trademark Ks. 

2022 Prediction: Will play a similar role to Rich Hill last year when he suits up for the Rays. Some great starts, some human moments, but surprising quality. 

Undeniably, the best bullpen asset of 2021 was Joathan Loaisiga. Not even close. Loaisiga had the 4th-highest WAR on the whole team with 3.3- only Cole, Judge and Gumby had higher. In 57 appearances, he had a 2.17 ERA, 9 wins [more than any starter not named Cole], 69 Ks and only 17 earned runs. 

2022 Prediction: A step back, but still reliable numbers. Might even have to work the ninth once or twice.

Never made a Tyler Wade custom prior to this year? Well damn, here's one. Complete with a cool 9/11 inspired cap. The Yanks' resident super-ute had another nice year, hitting .268 with 34 hits and a team-high 17 steals in 105 games. 

2022 Prediction: I see him making a small team and by the end of the year he's starting. The Yanks kept him hid, he's pretty damn underrated. 

Now a few people who joined the team just barely into the season. Rougned Odor joining the Yankees was a pretty big deal- yes, he hadn't hit for average in a few years, but he's a fun, pesky little hitter who used to infuriate me. Better on our side than theirs. Rougie was a decent replacement during injuries to D.J. LeMahieu and Gio Urshela, and hit .202 with 15 homers and 39 RBIs in 102 games. Not perfect, but capable of some upsides.

2022 Prediction: The O's are going to like him. He might be in the top half of production in Baltimore, given their quality.

The biggest surprise was this guy, Nestor Cortes Jr. A former Orioles low-tier starting prospect, he relieved some games for us in 2019, was cut by the Mariners prior to the season and wound up back here. We initially used him in a long relief role/taking over for a short start, but we eventually gave him a rotation position, and he was honestly pretty phenomenal, with a 2.90 ERA, 103 Ks, and a 1.075 WHIP in 14 starts. During the stretch run, where we were looking for any bit of stability, Cortes was a nice safety blanket that we did not expect.

2022 Prediction: 10 wins, a similar unsung hero role behind bigger names, and hopefully some higher pay for it.

In a moment of starting droughts, the Yankees called up farmhand Luis Gil, to give him a shot. Gil raised some eyebrows early when he went his first three starts before allowing a run, eventually finishing with a 3.07 ERA and 38 Ks in 6 games. A little less than perfect towards the end, but some stellar energy in August. 

2022 Prediction: Not sure if there's an immediate place for him in the rotation, but he will get some starts in the majors eventually. 

And we end on the big deadline deal I didn't do during the season, that one dimensional outfield bat Joey Gallo. Gallo in New York did exactly what I thought- he had some great defensive numbers, but barely hit for average, with a .160! He didn't completely erase his stellar start, but he did stall in place for a bit. Bottom line is his power numbers didn't suffer, with 22 RBIs and 13 homers. 

2022 Prediction: Numbers a bit more similar to his first half, some more defensive dominance, and giving Stanton and Judge a run for their money with homers.

That's Uncustomed Heroes for this year. Regular customs will be back in February [?], and I've got some things cooked up for the next few months. 

Domingo German Crashes the Party

Yeah, when we started this season, I was not thinking that the Yankees starter with the most amount of wins by September would be Domingo German. I don't think German was thinking that either.

But, there he is, 17-4, with a 4.21 ERA and 146 strikeouts. Not bad at all, especially for a guy who got chewed out in multiple 2018 starts. Now, he may not the most potent and powerful starter on the Yankees right now (that...quite clearly is James Paxton), or the best innings-eater (that would be Masahiro Tanaka), but he is a strong, dominant starting option, and the kind of pitcher that makes up for the loss of Luis Severino.

However...what happens when Severino comes back, as he will be next week? What happens when the Yankees go into the postseason relying heavily on Severino, Paxton and Tanaka, and then potentially German if they need to? What happens when the guy with the most wins ends up a long-man in a postseason roster? We may find out. Because that's honestly where I think German is on the depth chart, and that may be where we go if Sevvy returns in full force.

Meanwhile, the Yankees' postseason lineup is beginning to straighten out- with Tauchman gone til next year, that final outfield spot is between Clint Frazier and Cameron Maybin, and honestly I think Maybin has the edge. Yes, Stanton's coming back, and they'll probably want him to start games, but...after two aborted seasonal runs by Stanton this year, how sure are we that Stanton's better numbers will be back this year?

Additionally, Edwin Encarnacion was removed earlier today with an oblique strain, so...his status could be in jeopardy. Which means we may have some DH flexibility, which is good for Frazier and Maybin, because then Stanton can just take DH and they can get OF starts. Also, Voit can do games at DH, LeMahieu can do games at first, and so on. This is only if Edwin misses substantial playing time, which is likely but not definite. It is good that we have this kind of flexibility going into a potential playoff run.

Good that we're having this conversation in September about the Yankees. Hope we go further than usual.

Coming Tomorrow- One of the two holdouts from the free agent season that signed mid-year. This is the one that flourished...and it's not the one that any of us thought.