Verlander Reminds Us Again That Cashman Is an Idiot

Q: How many times do the Yankees have to fail to beat Justin Verlander in order for people to realize that Brian Cashman blew it by not trading some of his beloved "prospects" for him at last year's trading deadline?

A: At least 3.

The Yankees lost to him in Games 2 and 6 of the 2017 American League Division Series, and are now 0-1 against him in the 2018 regular season. Yes, they won a game he started against them on May 1, but that was by scoring 4 runs in the 9th off a reliever. After 8 innings, it was 0-0, and Verlander had allowed just 3 hits, struck out 14 and walked exactly none.

This time? Greg Bird hit a home run off him in the 7th inning, but nobody was on base, and that was the only run the Yankees got.

Meanwhile, Domingo German, who has shown signs of being a good reliever, got hit hard, and showed that he should not be a starting pitcher.

Astros 5, Yankees 1. WP: Verlander (7-2). No save. LP: German (0-3).

There was one good thing about last night's game: Rudy Giuliani got booed. That's right: The man known as "America's Mayor," whose vicious racism we decided to put aside because he busted insider traders and mafia guys and slashed the City's crime rate, before he became a national security psychopath and a Donald Trump fan, went to Yankee Stadium, probably his favorite place in the world, last night.

And it was his birthday, his 74th. And it was mentioned on the video board during the birthday listings. And Yankee Fans, already angry that Trump claims to be one, booed. And when Giuliani was shown on the board, the boos got harder.

Booed by your favorite team's fans on your own birthday. That had to hurt.

Good.

But Brian Cashman is still an idiot.

Don't tell me how well Gleyber Torres is doing. He must help the Yankees to win at least 1 World Series for that trade to be a success. At least 1.

*

Days until the next Yankees-Red Sox series begins: 31, on Friday, June 29, at 7:05, at Yankee Stadium II.

Days until the New York Red Bulls play again: See the next answer.

Days until the Red Bulls next play a "derby": 4, this coming Saturday night, against the New England Revolution, at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. Their next game against New York City FC will be on Sunday, July 8, at Yankee Stadium II. Unless it's forced to be moved to Citi Field, East Hartford, or, this would be funny, Red Bull Arena. Their 1st game against D.C. United, and their 1st game ever at the new Audi Field, will be on Wednesday night, July 25. Their next game against the Philadelphia Union will be on Sunday, October 21, at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester.

Days until the U.S. national soccer team plays again: 4, this coming Saturday, a "friendly" against Ireland, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, built on the site of the old national stadium, Lansdowne Road. Last night, they beat Bolivia 3-0 at the Philadelphia Union's stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania. After Dublin, they will face France in Lyon the following Saturday. These 3 games should have been warmups for the World Cup. Alas...

Days until the next World Cup kicks off in Russia: 16, on June 14. A little over 2 weeks. But the U.S. team won't be playing. At least now, Donald Trump doesn't have to choose, and can root for his favorite country, the host nation, Russia.


Days until The Arsenal play again: 58, on Thursday, July 26, against Atlético Madrid in the International Champions Cup, a glorified friendly, at the National Stadium in Singapore.

Days until the 2018 trading deadline, after which we won't have to fear Yankee general manager Brian Cashman trading any proven good players for "prospects": 63, on Tuesday, July 31. Just 9 weeks.

Days until Arsenal play a game with a manager other than Arsène Wenger: 74, in the 2018-19 Premier League season opener, on Saturday, August 11. Time, opponent and location as yet unknown.

Days until the next North London Derby: Unknown, but not until next season. The only thing we know for sure is that you never see a derby on the opening weekend. So, more than 74 days.

Days until Rutgers University plays football again: 95, on Saturday, September 1, home to Texas State University. A little over 3 months.

Days until East Brunswick High School plays football again: Unknown. The 2018 schedule hasn't been released yet. But the season opener is usually on the 1st Friday in September. that would be September 7, which is 101 days from now.

Days until the New Jersey Devils next play a local rival: Unknown, as the regular season is over. It is possible that the Devils will play the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but that wouldn't happen unless both teams reach the NHL Eastern Conference Finals. Otherwise, they wouldn't face the Flyers, the New York Rangers or the New York Islanders until the start of the next regular season, which is usually on the 2nd Friday in October. That would be October 12, or 136 days.

Days until the next Congressional election, when we can elect a Democratic Congress that can impeach and remove Donald Trump from the Presidency: 161, on November 6. A little over 5 months.

Days until the next Rutgers-Penn State game: 172, on Saturday, November 17, at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Days until the next East Brunswick-Old Bridge Thanksgiving high school football game: 177, on Thursday, November 22. Under 6 months.

Days until a Democratic Congress can convene, and the impeachment process can begin: 219, on Thursday, January 3, 2019. A little over 7 months.

Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Mariano Rivera: 239, on January 23, 2019. A little under 8 months.

Days until the next Women's World Cup kicks off: 374, on June 7, 2019, in France. A little over a year, or a little over 12 months. The U.S. team, as 3-time and defending Champions, has, as usual, a better chance than the men's team would have had in 2018 anyway.

Days until the Yankees and Red Sox play each other in London: 396, on June 29, 2019. A little over a year, or exactly 13 months.

Days until my 50th Birthday, at which point I can join AARP and get discounts for travel and game tickets: 568, on December 18, 2019. A little over a year and a half, or a little under 19 months.

Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Derek Jeter: 603, on January 22, 2020. Under 2 years, or under 20 months.

Days until the next Summer Olympics begins in Tokyo, Japan: 787, on July 24, 2020. A little over 2 years, or under 26 months.

Days until the next Presidential election, when we can dump the Trump-Pence regime and elect a real Administration: 889, on November 3, 2020. Under 2 1/2 years, or a little over 29 months.

Days until Liberation Day: 967, at noon on January 20, 2021. Under 3 years, or under 32 months. Note that this is liberation from the Republican Party, not just from Donald Trump. Having Mike Pence as President wouldn't be better, just differently bad, mixing theocracy with plutocracy, rather than mixing kleptocracy with plutocracy.

Days until the next Winter Olympics (after the current one in Pyeongchang, Korea) begins in Beijing, China: 1,347, on February 4, 2022. Under 4 years, or a little over 44 months.

Days until the next World Cup for which the American team will be eligible is scheduled to kick off: 1,637, on November 21, 2022, in Qatar. Under 4 1/2 years, or under 54 months. The charges of corruption against Qatar may yet mean that they will lose the tournament, in which case it will be moved to a nation where it would not be too hot to play it in June and July.