Judge vs. Executioners

You'll notice that I have given up on doing recaps of Yankee games for the season. Since they're not going to win the AL East, and they won't be in a good position for the Playoffs, if they make them at all, I no longer see the point.

Aaron Judge returns to the Yankee lineup tonight, after having been activated only for defensive duty last week, following his injury.

The Yankees have not done well without him. They have fallen from being serious challengers to the Boston Red Sox in the American League Eastern Division to being 1 game away from Division title elimination, and the brink of losing home-field advantage in the Wild Card Game, and possibly being knocked out of it entirely.

Judge was one of the few players on this team that had any guts. You need guts, especially with the Red Sox coming in, needing to take only 1 of these 3 games to clinch -- on our field.

Guts is more important than talent. And Brian Cashman's Baby Bombers, his Precious Prospects, have come up with some big hits, but not when it's counted the most.

The same is true for his big off-season acquisition. I would trade Giancarlo Stanton, right now, even-up, for a 1941 Tommy Henrich, a 1955 Moose Skowron, a 1976 Lou Piniella, a 1996 Paul O'Neill, or even a 2009 Nick Swisher.

Brian Cashman wouldn't. Yet he is the Yankee general manager, and I don't have a job in baseball.

And even if the Yankees do win the Wild Card Game, they'd face the Red Sox in the AL Division Series.

So now, Judge faces the men who are likely to be the 2018 Yankees' executioners.

And we, the jury, need to find Cashman guilty, and sentence him to life away from the Yankees, without chance of parole.

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This countdown required some corrections, and they have been made.

Days until the next Yankees-Red Sox series begins: 0. It's mere minutes away as I type this.

Days until Arsenal play again: 2, this Thursday, at 3:00 PM New York time, home to Vorskla Poltava of Ukraine, in their 1st match of the Group Stage of the 2018-19 UEFA Europa League. After opening the season with losses to Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal have now won 3 straight Premier League games, 2 of them on the road.

Days until East Brunswick High School plays football again: 3, this Friday night, home to Somerset County team Ridge. They opened the season getting clobbered by Piscataway and fumbling away a game to J.P. Stevens of Edison. It could be yet another long year for Bob Molarz' Green-White Army.

Days until Rutgers University plays football again: 4, this coming Saturday, at 12:00 noon, home to the University of Buffalo. After a season-opening win over Texas State, they have been bombed in away games against Ohio State and Kansas.

Days until the New York Red Bulls play again: 4, this Saturday afternoon, at 5:00 PM, home to defending MLS Champions, but now struggling, Toronto FC.

Days until the next Yankee game that matters, the American League Wild Card Game: 15, on Wednesday night, October 3, at Yankee Stadium II, probably against the Oakland Athletics. And if you believe the Yankees will win that game, then you're a hell of a lot more optimistic than I am.

Days until the New Jersey Devils play another competitive game: 18, on Saturday, October 6, against the Edmonton Oilers, at... Scandinavium, an arena in Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden, part of the NHL Global Series. Under 3 weeks. The Mulberry Street Marauders will warm up for it on October 1, with an exhibition game in Berne, Switzerland; while the Oilers will visit Cologne, Germany on October 3.

Days until the New Jersey Devils' home opener: 23, on Thursday night, October 11, against the Stanley Cup holders, the Washington Capitals. Boy, there's words you never thought you'd read!

Days until the U.S. national soccer team plays again: 23, on Thursday, October 11, a friendly against Colombia, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Earlier this month, they lost 2-0 to Brazil at the Meadowlands, but then beat Mexico 1-0 in Nashville.

Days until the New Jersey Devils next play a local rival: 32, on Saturday afternoon, October 20, against the Philadelphia Flyers, a.k.a. The Philth, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The 1st game against the New York Islanders, a.k.a. the Fish Sticks, will be on Saturday night, November 3, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The 1st game against the New York Rangers, a.k.a. The Scum, will be on Thursday night, January 31, 2019, at the Prudential Center.

Days until the Red Bulls next play a "derby": 33, against the Philadelphia Union at Chester on Sunday, October 21. They do not play DCU, New York City FC or the New England Revolution again in the regular season. A meeting with Philly or New York City is possible in the MLS Cup Playoffs, while D.C. United and the New England Revolution are almost certainly out.

Days until the next Congressional election, when we can elect a Democratic Congress that can impeach and remove Donald Trump from the Presidency: 49, on November 6. Exactly 7 weeks.

Days until the next Rutgers-Penn State game: 60, on Saturday, November 17, at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Exactly 2 months.

Days until the next East Brunswick-Old Bridge Thanksgiving high school football game: 65, on Thursday, November 22. A little over 9 weeks.

Days until the next North London Derby: 74, on Sunday, December 2, at the Emirates Stadium. It had been set for December 1, but was moved due to Arsenal once again being stuck playing Europa League games on Thursday nights. No more "Thursday is Spursday" jokes for us Gooners.

Days until a Democratic Congress can convene, and the impeachment process can begin: 107, on Thursday, January 3, 2019. A little over 4 months.

Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Mariano Rivera: 127, on January 23, 2019. A little over 4 months.

Days until the next Women's World Cup kicks off: 262, on June 7, 2019, in France. A little over 8 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: 284, on June 29, 2019. A little over 9 months.

Days until my 50th Birthday, at which point I can join AARP and get discounts for travel and game tickets: 456, on December 18, 2019. A little over a year, or exactly 15 months.

Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Derek Jeter: 491, on January 22, 2020. A little under a year, or a little over 16 months.

Days until the next Summer Olympics begins in Tokyo, Japan: 665, on July 24, 2020. Under 2 years, or a little under 22 months.

Days until the next Presidential election, when we can dump the Trump-Pence regime and elect a real Administration: 777, on November 3, 2020. A little over 2 years, or a little over 25 months.

Days until Liberation Day: 855, at noon on January 20, 2021. A little over 2 years, or a little over 28 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 begins in Beijing, China: 1,235, on February 4, 2022. A little over 3 1/2 years, or a little over 40 months.

Days until the next World Cup for which the American team will be eligible is scheduled to kick off: 1,525, on November 21, 2022, in Qatar. A little over 4 years, or a little over 50 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.