Uncustomed Heroes of 2024: Diamondbacks

 

[I'm gonna post about the other thing later today. For now, I've gotta do the Year by Year post. We'll talk betrayal later on.]

It still baffles me that with everything the Arizona Diamondbacks were able to put together, especially over the last few months, they still wound up missing the playoffs. I'd say they were a way more worthy playoff team than Atlanta this year. They still went 89-73, which was a better record than three different AL playoff teams, and had an incredible July-August run that was only topped by their own competitors the Padres. They were very good, they were just unlucky. Some piled up losses from a period of the season where some of their best players were hurt cost them glory this year.

In 2023, you can argue that the factor that kept them from winning a ring was the fact that their rotation depth was infuriatingly limited. They had Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, the sudden rise of Brandon Pfaadt, and that was basically it. So for 2024, the D-Backs signed two proven starters, and...not only did they struggle with consistency and injuries, but Gallen and Kelly got hurt too. Which left Pfaadt as one of the few D-Backs starters to go the whole season without getting hurt. In a full season of work, Pfaadt was a bit more humbled by opposing offenses, but stood his ground and came off as a durable workhorse. In 32 games he went 11-10 with a 4.71 ERA and a team leading 185 strikeouts. In a season where so many young pitchers have gotten hurt after getting to the league, Pfaadt stayed strong through a tumultuous Diamondbacks season.

2025 Prediction: Well this would be a funny time to get hurt, right? No, honestly I think he'll have a lower ERA but miss a month of playing time.

Ryne Nelson, one of the more troubled starters of 2023 for the D-Backs, wound up starting a ton of games this year as well due to the rotation vacancies. I would say that Nelson's 2024 was not only an improvement, but the fullest taste of his repertoire yet. In 28 games, 25 of them starts, Nelson went 10-6 with a 4.24 ERA and 126 Ks. He proved he can be a strong fill-in when needed, but can also continue to role-play if pressed.

2025 Prediction: Mostly appears in long relief, though I think he'll start at least 20 games because of all the turnovers.

Jordan Montgomery arrived D-Backs training camp late after tense deliberations with Scott Boras, who Montgomery later fired. That, coupled with some lingering injury issues after two straight consistent campaigns, tanked Gumby's season before it began. This was ultimately not going to be peak Montgomery, much like the wait to sign ruined Blake Snell's season [til he got it going midyear]. In 25 games, Montgomery went 8-7 with a 6.23 ERA and 81 earned runs. He'd be moved to the bullpen for four games. Ultimately, Montgomery declined the option and looks to reinvent himself going forward.

2025 Prediction: I actually see a Cardinals reunion happening, and I see it going about as well as it did in 2022. 

Geraldo Perdomo, en route to a 3.4 WAR season despite missing 60 games, was hurt for a solid stretch of the year, meaning shortstop was wide open in Arizona. Having foolishly dealt away Nick Ahmed the year before, the nearest option was former Pirates and Reds middle infielder Kevin Newman, who hadn't been terrific in a few years. This, ultimately, was Newman's best season since 2019, as he hit .278 with 80 hits in 111 games, plus some excellent defensive SS, ensuring that the position accounted for 5.7 WAR combined [meaning we're talking about a 12.5 WAR DP combo this year]. He made for a decent enough depth piece upon Perdomo's return, but I really don't think they survive the summer without him.

2025 Prediction: I don't think Newman will deliver anything as big as his 2024 first half, but I think he'll be efficient and low-key for whoever he suits up for next.

Meanwhile, Randal Grichuk, who's on team #5, had HIS best season since 2018 after getting an everyday gig filling in for various OF pieces. He hit .291 with 12 homers and 46 RBIs in 106 games, at last proving he can be a consistent lineup presence again, even as a replacement pick. 

2025 Prediction: Is an Opening Day starter with a team that needs OF help/is waiting for an OF prospect to bloom.

In a season where A.J. Puk, Ben Joyce, Aroldis Chapman and Mason Miller revitalized the status of the 100mph reliever, the D-Backs had an entry of their own. Justin Martinez debuted late last year, and struggled to find his control in 10 games. In 2024, Martinez was the most utilized bullpen piece, and not just because of his high heat. In 64 games he had a 2.48 ERA and 91 Ks, plus 8 saves from the tail end of the year. I think this team sees the future of the ninth with this guy, and I think he can deliver on that promise...for a bit anyway.

2025 Prediction: 25+ saves. I think the strain of 2024 may catch up to him at some point.

So the D-Backs struck out with Jordan Montgomery. Eduardo Rodriguez, who signed a longer contract, didn't fare much better. After missing four months with injuries, Rodriguez appeared in 10 games for Arizona, and went 3-4 with a 5.04 ERA. With Rodriguez, you get seasons like this, but they come in between gold, and I think that's what the D-Backs are banking on.

2025 Prediction: Like clockwork, a 5 WAR season.

I don't think the D-Backs have figured out exactly what to do with Pavin Smith. They tried starting him in 2022, it wasn't great. He missed swaths of the last two seasons due to inefficiency. He's not good enough at either OF or 1B to warrant an everyday position, and there's better options at DH this year. So this year, Smith was relegated to a bench spot, and somehow that kinda worked. In 60 games he hit .270 with 9 homers and 36 RBIs, and down the stretch he was very useful, if...still limited.

2025 Prediction: I don't think he finishes the season with the team, but it won't be without some fun moments.

Right at the end of July, Christian Walker gets hurt, which is something that could be a setback for this team. Their star 1B is down, and their next-nearest option is...as discussed, not a defensive genius. So the D-Backs trade for Josh Bell. It's a ballsy move, getting an out-and-out rental, especially if you're giving up Deyvison de los Santos, who's supposed to be a mammoth hitter. But Bell did exactly what was asked of him, and filled in very well for Walker. In 41 games, he hit .279 with 5 homers and 22 RBIs, a line nobody could be too dissatisfied with. 

2025 Prediction: Bell has played for six teams in three seasons. Team #7 will be the closest thing to a keeper of the bunch [at this rate it'll be the Mets], and he'll give them a surprise 30-homer year.

And also in the mix of the D-Backs/Marlins swappage, A.J. Puk, who'd struggled out of a starting role in Miami, wound up in Phoenix as well. When no one expected him to, Puk put together an extraordinary season, with a 1.32 ERA and 43 Ks in 30 games. Puk brought this team dominance, consistency and pure heat, which is what he'd been teased to provide for years. 

2025 Prediction: Perhaps a little more human, but I think the D-Backs are gonna be his team for a bit.

Coming Tomorrow- Surprisingly there are a lot of Dodgers members I didn't get to during October.

Wild Card Series' Day 1: Starting Guns

 

My rooting interest lies with the Rangers during their leg of the AL Wild Card games, solely because the fact that they got the AL West yanked out from under them by technicalities installed essentially this season needs to be rectified.

The Astros aren't good enough this year for a first round bye. They just aren't. But with a commissioner who clearly loves them and hates when they don't win things, they're gonna get by a lot easier even when they don't need to. Which is why the Rangers are pit against the 99-win Rays rather than Houston getting them. To this end, it does mean that I can root against the Rays, rather than rooting for them in this series and hoping they don't get too hot.

The Rangers have been an exceptional team this year, they've just been very unlucky. They run out of steam at the worst times. So my hope was that they'd strike the Rays when they least expect it, and before they have an opportunity to fall apart. Having the Rangers strike first, and before they get to Eovaldi or Dunning in the rotation, makes me very confident.

It also tells you how good of an idea it was for them to pick up Jordan Montgomery. Once again, Brian Cashman never should have given that guy up, he is a handy guy to have around, and his stock has only rose since leaving the Yankees. Gumby got a Game 1 start and went 7 innings without allowing a run. That never could have happened for the Yanks. 

I'm optimistic that the Rangers can keep things going for one more game, though you can never completely count the Rays out.

My rooting interest also lies with the Twins for their Wild Card series, solely because I want them to surprise everybody. The whole season they've been accused of just being carried to the playoffs on the power of the rest of their division [sucking], and while they did become a much better team in September, there's still a lot of skeptics out there. Plus, they're against another unlucky postseason team, the Blue Jays, who've had great teams but no postseason series wins to show for it. 

Yesterday's Twins victory was their first in 2 decades. So if you think the Jays have gone a bit without succeeding, give them time; the 2016 team's barely in the rearview. 

The Twins only really needed two guys to bring down the Jays in Game 1. One of them was Royce Lewis, who hit two home runs, making up for his injury-plagued seasons with ferocity. The other was Pablo Lopez, who had an excellent start, striking out 3 and only giving up 1 run. Those two guys did all the work. It does make me worry that it's keeping the team from being fully versatile, as a lot of guys in this lineup did nothing at the plate in Game 1. They may all get rolling today, you never know. Or, it could be the Jays' turn, as Berrios may have a score to settle in Minneapolis. 

One of the hooks of the Diamondbacks making the playoffs was the opportunity for MLB fans to see rookie Corbin Carroll in the playoffs. And he delivered almost immediately against Milwaukee. 

The Brewers did put up some nice numbers against Brandon Pfaadt, which I sort of thought they'd do, with Carlos Santana and Tyrone Taylor making it 3-0. Then, like magic, Corbin Carroll arrived, and took something Corbin Burnes threw out there yard. Then Ketel Marte followed suit. An inning later Gabriel Moreno got into it. What began as a one-sided pitching matchup turned into a dangerous, versatile lineup getting the best of one of the strongest pitchers in baseball. I'm shocked...but I'm not, like, completely gobsmacked by it. This D-Backs team is not to be trifled with, they could do some real damage going forward.

Christian Walker and Paul Sewald made it an easy finish. Against a Brewers team that's been hard to tame all year, they made it look like child's play. 

And then there's the hometown team.

Gotta be honest, as good as this team has been, the Marlins are the exact kind of team that can cause trouble for us. They can beat you up late, creep up and flip the script while you're relaxing. Josh Bell had me sweating a little late with his hard-hitting theatrics and multiple doubles. There is enough to this team that even when things were going well, especially when Zack Wheeler was on the mound, I wasn't completely assured. 

And yet this team delivered. And yet people like Harper, Realmuto, Stott, Bohm, and even Johan Rojas and Cristian Pache, just kept outdoing the Marlins' pitching. And yet Wheeler stayed unrattled. And yet Jose Alvarado mopped up multiple messes. I'm still very hesitant that these Phillies may not catch fire like last year's could, but this game was a very good sign, and one that could lead to something great. 

May they keep at it for as long as they can. I love this team, and I love seeing them outdo the odds.

Gumb Luck

 

The Harrison Bader for Jordan Montgomery trade, at least for a few years, is gonna go down as one of the strangest trades in recent memory. Two competitive teams trading something they should probably conserve for each other, leading to an impeccable August from Montgomery in St. Louis and an incredible October in the Bronx for Bader. The initial repercussions made for a very interesting end to the 2022 season, but, like with the similar deal that swapped Luke Voit for Giovanny Gallegos, I want to see the long term effects.

Jordan Montgomery, for instance, looks to make a rotation that includes Adam Wainwright, Miles Mikolas, Steven Matz and a hopefully healthy Jack Flaherty. Right now he's relatively high up in the depth chart, higher than Flaherty even, but the team also has Matthew Liberatore waiting to strike once he's majors-ready, and could use Andre Pallante in a similar swing role to last year. Also, Dakota Hudson still exists. Montgomery is a durable pitcher who can eat innings, and had some serious upsides with the Cards last year, but as Yankee fans can tell you, those good times come after some waiting time. Montgomery has pitched three seasons where he's made all of, or the majority of, his starts, but those came in between three seasons of injuries. 

And the irony is, you can describe a lot of the Cardinals rotation like that. Oh yeah, durable pitcher except for those seasons in the middle where he isn't. Wainwright famously missed entire seasons and then bounced right back, Mikolas was injured for a few years then came back strong last year, Matz did this a lot with the Mets, and right now is still technically in the midst of Flaherty's 'I'm not gonna make all my starts' period. So honestly, he'll fit right in. The goal, though, is for all of these guys to be healthy and dominant at the same time, and Montgomery seems to be in good shape to accomplish this so far. I reckon he might be the top arm by the end of the season, and Cashman's gonna regret the deal even more.

...which is odd, because I also think Harrison Bader's gonna have a great season. So it'll be pretty equal. Y'know, while I don't think we should have traded Montgomery, I also think we should have gotten Bader anyhow, especially if Benintendi wasn't gonna make it to October. What probably happened is Cashman wanted to give up Gallo, the Cards didn't want Gallo, and they pushed til he relented. And so here we are.

The Cardinals will probably go further in the playoffs this year than they did last year, as people like Willson Contreras and maybe eventually Jordan Walker will ensure that there literally aren't any weak points across the entirety of the roster. Will they infuriate me? Probably, but I still like these guys better than the early 2010s Cardinals because they're deserving of their accolades.

Also, it's just funny that a Cardinals team will now have multiple people named Jordan on it once Walker gets promoted. Like they're just begging me to like them. 

Wild Card Series' Day 2: Was This Trip Really Necessary?

 

Okay, one year into the new playoff schematic, how we doing? ...Alright, I suppose.

On one hand, you have a lot of matchups that shifted the balance of power in the race, where a higher seed lost out to an underdog competitor with less regular season wins. We've already lost a division leader in this stage [and it is one I am very happy about], and we've already lost a high-seeded wild card team and could lose another. There has been drama, there have been excellent games, a 15 inning game broken up by a clinching home run, a game with an incredible 7 run comeback, an inning with a win-sealing 6 run ninth inning. It has definitely been entertaining baseball.

But...from a full series standpoint, only one series is going to three games, and it's Mets-Padres. All the others are the 'riding momentum' type wins that the play-in wild card game would have done. So I feel like the MLB brass are wishing there were more lengthened dramatic series rather than just 'they win and they also win again'

I bet they're pleased with Mets-Padres, as are Mets fans, because you know that if they lost to San Diego in 2 games you wouldn't have heard the end of it for years. It's really a matter of who you put up, and Darvish is a surer bet than Snell, while deGrom was healthier than Scherzer. And so the Mets' offense could get the better of Blake Snell last night, including the extension of Eduardo Escobar's killer September, and yet another homer by Pete Alonso. Of all the series', I'm kinda glad this one went all 3 games, solely because it's the only one I have no rooting interest in. My cousins are Mets fans, but I don't really want them to suffer. And I like the Padres, but they're no longer the scrappy underdogs they were in 2020. I think I actually want the Mets to take it, y'know? It'd be fun.

As for the ones that ended yesterday...I was hanging out with my friend Josh yesterday, he's a diehard Cleveland sports fan. I feel like things concerning our teams always happen when we're in the same room. I was having lunch with him when we found out Cliff Lee was going to Philly. I've seen him go through it. So I'm hanging out with him yesterday and he's asking me for the score. And for most of the afternoon there isn't any. And then it's 'okay, we're going to extras'. It became an experiment in patience. Would we even still be at my friend Matt's place when the game eventually ended? And what would happen if Cleveland got that far and still screwed it up? Sure enough, by the time we were waiting for food, it just ended abruptly. And I was relieved that it was Oscar Gonzalez who came up with the winning blow. 

I can't imagine having to attend that game, y'know. 15 innings of nothing happening. At least you get what you wanted if you're a Guardians fan, but man that was a lot of leadup for it. Happy for the Guards, though. I think there's gonna be a lot of back and forth in this series. Honestly, the Guardians could win it. They've beaten the Yankees before. What if this is the team that goes back?

A seven-run deficit, man. I love baseball.

There was already a story in the Jays coming back on Robbie Ray and Gausman holding down the Mariners offense, and then at some point the story shifted, the Ms came back, and the Jays completely collapsed. Potentially screwing Springer up is just the icing on it. The Blue Jays came in here confident and strong and they did not at all prepare for the amount of power the Mariners were capable of. And so the Ms came back, used people like Ty France and Cal Raleigh and a MASSIVE HOMER FROM CARLOS SANTANA to stymie them and take the series. With everything the Jays were doing late in the season, I did not think their postseason hopes would go out with a whimper. 

Happy for Seattle. It's about time.

And then...I'm gonna be honest, I did not see this coming.

Cardinals have been great all year, have this incredible storyline with Pujols and Molina on their last legs and this incredible youth movement reestablishing dominance. And then the little Phils come in, hit little things off them, and hold onto it against all odds. The Philadelphia bullpen legitimately held onto a lead, and stopped the Cardinals from tying the series, and...I just can't believe they did this. This is a good Phillies, team but I didn't think they were this good. 

Now, granted, they do have to play the Braves now, and that's not gonna go well AT ALL unless things really change, but...Phils actually won a playoff series, got a prime playoff spot, they did it. 2022 Phillies slayed the dragon, and put the 2011 grievance to bed. 

And now, to commemorate the fallen:

The Rays did the same thing they do every year, except with less healthy stars and more homophobes. They will probably do the exact same thing next year, only with more success, and hopefully less homophobes.

The Blue Jays had a pretty exceptional team that built on what they'd accomplished previously, but once again disappointed when it came time to defending their status as a playoff team. Next year should, in theory, be their year, but I'm not sure how many opportunities this team is going to get.

The Cardinals were more likable than they've been in years, made some excellent moves in terms of player development and trade deadline moves, and were able to send off Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina gracefully. Next year will require a great deal of both Andrew Knizner and Juan Yepez, as well as the continued upward rise of this team's tentpoles, even as the Brewers remain competitive. Will they build on this and infuriate me once again? Probably.

Should be a big match today, Mets-Padres. Then the important stuff.

Examining This Deadline's Lateral Selling Trend

 

One of the big aspects of this past trade deadline was watching to see where Joey Gallo would land. We knew the Yankees would be getting rid of him with Benintendi coming to town, we knew that maybe Gallo himself wasn't the problem, and we knew that teams still want a guy like him to compete. Very much like Sonny Gray a few years ago, the demand is there, and New York is happy to let a guy like that succeed. 

So when I found out the Yankees dealt Gallo to the Dodgers, I was a little puzzled.

I was kind of thinking the Yanks would unload Gallo in a deal for another piece, but perhaps he didn't wanna play for a rebuilding team again. Or maybe they would have given him to a mid-level competitor like Cleveland, San Francisco or Seattle. But...the Dodgers. A team that will likely be chasing the Yankees all the way up the league this year? The team that might even meet them at the World Series? THEY get Gallo? I mean, I'm not Brian Cashman, but...doesn't that seem like you're helping out the enemy?

This was a trend I would soon find wrapped around the league entirely this deadline. Teams on the same standing helping each other out and staying even, which isn't always the point of deadline deals to me. Some of these, like trading Josh Hader for Trevor Rogers, I kind of understand because there's looming contractual stuff on the horizon, but a lot baffled me. Here's a few of the others:

Luke Weaver hasn't really found much of a place for himself this year in Phoenix, so the Diamondbacks decided to deal him. It's WHERE they decided to deal him that confuses me- they sent him to the last place Royals, which means instead of the usual upgrade one would expect from someone leaving the Diamondbacks, Weaver somehow got a downgrade. And he was swapped for Emmanuel Rivera, who had been a pretty decent starting 3rd baseman in Kansas City and now is stuck behind Josh Rojas in Phoenix. I sort of get why the Royals would ship Rivera out, the prospects are coming up, Pratto's getting more starting time at first so Dozier's starting more at third, but...two low-rung teams trading with each other vexed me. It vexed me greatly.

Eric Hosmer, like Gallo, I figured would be dealt eventually. The Padres have been trying to get rid of that contract for years, and they tried to even get rid of it in the deal for Soto and Bell, but Hosmer said no. I was honestly expecting Hosmer to take the L, start at DH and ride out the rest of the season, but A.J. Preller decided to dump Hosmer in Boston. Boston is...sort of competitor, though they've been losing ground. And I suppose Hosmer could be an upgrade at first from Bobby Dalbec. But...Hosmer's the kind of hitter that could really work in Boston, and the Padres just sort of gave him away. If the Red Sox come back with the help of Hosmer, even if the Padres also do well...that's gonna look a bit odd. I understand, they needed to get rid of him, and he had 10 teams he didn't want to go to, but this still seems kind of lateral.

This one also confused me. The Astros were easing Odorizzi out of the rotation. The Braves were trying to give Will Smith less innings. I understand both these teams trading these players...but why for each other? Why do the Braves, who just frigging played the Astros in the World Series last year, want to help the Astros get better by handing them Smith? And why do the Astros, who just got BEAT by the Braves last year, want to give the Braves another starter who they can trust? Why are so many teams willing to pat each other on the back all while low-rung teams are tanking and selling? Is there a class metaphor in this?

The Cardinals, as they did last deadline, confused me the most. They hadn't been able to find room for Edmundo Sosa in the infield this year, and had wanted to bring up Paul DeJong again, so they deal Sosa, which is fine. But...the Cardinals also made deals for Jose Quintana and other players on competitors. Why didn't they deal Sosa to Pittsburgh or something? Why did they make a trade with their main NL Wild Card competitor the Philadelphia Phillies by giving them another infield piece they can work with in exchange for a reliever that, unless the Cards know something, isn't gonna really make much of a difference? I mean, I guess Sosa can work in Philly, he's flexible enough, but this mostly felt like an absentminded handoff.

But that's tame compared to what they did to finish the deadline:

This, folks, is the single most baffling deal of the deadline. And we're gonna talk about it.

About 10 minutes before the trade deadline ended the other day, it was reported, out of absolutely nowhere, that Jordan Montgomery had been traded to the Cardinals. The first words out of myself and my father's mouths were the same: "WHY?" Montgomery had been an extremely efficient starter for the Yankees, and it had become clear that, with Severino injured and Domingo German shaky, as well as J.P. Sears now playing in Oakland, we needed as many starter innings as possible.

So we traded him...to St. Louis...where there is currently a rotation of Miles Mikolas, Adam Wainwright, Dakota Hudson, Jose Quintana and Andre Pallante. That makes SIX viable starting options for the Cardinals, and it leaves the Yankees with 4 and a half. Closer to four now after what the Mariners did to Gerrit Cole. When we needed as many innings eaters as possible...Brian Cashman gives one away...

...in exchange for Harrison Bader. Who is currently injured.

Immediately, the Cardinals are going to reap the benefits of Jordan Montgomery, he's gonna be an excellent starting option for them, they may even just release Steven Matz at this point. He'll make the Cardinals even more of a playoff threat. Meanwhile, the Yankees have Bader as an eventual backup defensive outfielder. The Yankees are going with Judge-Hicks-Benintendi right now in Stanton's absence, and when Bader returns, he will likely usurp Hicks's spot, despite Hicks's improved play recently. Then it'll be what happens to Stanton when he comes back, who gets the DH spot, it'll get crowded, and it'll be a whole thing. Good news is we have one roster spot we don't need to devote to a friggin starter anymore, so that'll work.

Which brings me to the million dollar question. If the Yankees wanted Harrison Bader, and wanted to give them a suitable bounty to keep them competing without altering their immediate plans...why not just trade Miguel Andujar? He'd made it clear that he wanted to be traded. The Yanks haven't been doing anything with them. He'd fill an outfield hole, albeit not terribly well, and eventually be a DH after Pujols leaves. Why not do that? Did the Cardinals get too greedy and Cashman just shrugged? Come on.

As good as the Yankees have been, and as smart as they were this deadline, that deal made absolutely no sense and I don't know when it WILL make sense. If we lose in the playoffs because of starting pitching, it will go right back to this deal. Maddening. 

That is the last I'll be talking about trade deadline deals on the blog for a while. Back to regularly scheduled customs tonight. 

Gumb Luck

 It's very affirming to have someone doing well for your team that shares your first name.

Jordan Montgomery, in past years, has been either the fifth starter in a jacked rotation or the extra 'if we need him' guy off the IL. But last night, he made a case for New York legitimacy with six strong innings against the Baltimore Orioles. Not only did the O's have momentum from winning their first 3 games, but they had the youth movement of Cedric Mullins, Ryan Mountcastle, Ramon Urias and new call-up Ryan McKenna...and Montgomery shut them down, with 7 Ks, 4 coming specifically from that youth movement. 

It's even more impressive when you remember that the opening triptych of the rotation weren't able to get any wins. Cole and Kluber were impressive and formidable, but the bullpen either avenged or spoiled things for them. And then German couldn't get through the Blue Jays lineup without blowback, perhaps as payback for his domestic abuse. The Yankees are also being very careful about Jameson Taillon, making sure Gerrit Cole gets his second start in before he debuts for the year, and most likely limiting his innings in the first bunch of starts. 

So, for the first big starting performance of the year to come not from Gerrit Cole but JORDAN MONTGOMERY? Fun Gumby from the back of the rotation? That's nuts!

As I predicted, the lineup is beginning to show up in the Bronx, as Stanton hit a grandy last night, Judge and LeMahieu are pretty hot finally, and Frazier and Torres are hitting somewhat for average. If you're shocked that most of this team isn't hitting for average, you must be expecting a different team. These are the Yankees, they swing for the fences or for the dugout, every time. Jay Bruce and Aaron Hicks are gonna strike out a bunch of times, but eventually their averages are gonna realign once the team comes around more wins. 

I just hope the wins keep coming. This division could be tricky, considering how Toronto, Tampa and even Baltimore have been looking early. The Yankees are stacked, but they're human, and they could spend a lot of April trying to find .500 and still being a few pieces from great. Hopefully they can be as good as the sportswriters want them to be this season, but it's not a guarantee until this team finds the momentum. 

Coming Tonight: I am no longer wondering why nobody predicted this team to be good this year. Their new outfielder and his underwhelming numbers. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2017: Yankees

Boy, we sure got close, didn't we?

This was a Yankees team that didn't look like much initially, and looked like they'd do what they usually did this decade for a second...but then they got good, and they got good QUICKLY. By the end of the season they were red-hot, and nearly got to the World Series, if it wasn't for the infinitely better Houston Astros, who were gonna take us out no matter what.

Jacoby Ellsbury, despite his usual mid-year injury, hit well for us, eventually heading to the DH position once the Yankee outfield well got mighty thick. I'm not sure how he's gonna factor into the 2018 season- everything he's done can just be done by someone younger and healthier.

Dellin Betances had another great, ASG-worthy year as set-up man/occasional closer, and cemented his status as being one of the best relievers in the game, even outdoing Aroldis Chapman at some points.

Chase Headley had moments of greatness in pinstripes this year, but for the most part, his performance bled into the usual for Headley- too inconsistent, too ineffective, not worthy of being a Yankee. Once Todd Frazier entered the picture, it was game over for Headley in New York- he's been shipped off to San Diego for Jabari Blash.

Jordan Montgomery, aka Gumby, had a pretty nice rookie season, despite bringing up the rear in the rotation. The guy had a strikeout-heavy year, with a 3.88 ERA and a 9-7 record, which was not bad at all for a guy who essentially snuck into the fifth spot.

Tommy Kahnle was snagged in the Frazier deal, and gave some great numbers in relief, allowing for a great bid for what will surely be an amazing 2018 bullpen. However, his ex-Chicago cohort one-upped him...

..by having a 1 ERA and being an incredible asset in the postseason. It's wonderfully nice to have David Robertson back in the bullpen, and I'm sure he'll be a very nice tool to have next season.

I'd be remiss if I didn't end this year of customs without saying one more thing about Aaron Judge.

This was the year of Aaron Judge, by far. The guy broke out like nobody we've seen in this city in years, with home runs right and left, some incredible plate presence, some great outfield work, and with a hero complex that's satisfying the young fans of the Bronx. What I'm saying is if Aaron Judge can do what he did in 2017 for the rest of his career, we're all gonna be just fine.

Also...I received a Yanks t-shirt for the holidays. And I was happy to find a Judge 99 on the back. Life is good.

That was this year of customs, guys. Expect more of these in Spring Training, but sporadically, as you can never tell when a good photo of someone relevant is gonna pop up. I'll try to fill the void with posts about cards, as tough as that may be. I want this to be worthwhile for you guys, as well as for me.