Postgame photo I took last night.
You can almost hear Dandy Don Meredith sing,
"Turn out the lights, the party's over."
It was a great experience, with great atmosphere, and a pretty good game, with a lousy result. A 9th inning comeback fell just short, and Boston won 4-3, and eliminated the Yankees from the postseason.
As Walter Cronkite used to say, when signing off The CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981, "And that's the way it is."
If every Yankee had CC Sabathia's talent and passion, we would have advanced to the AL Championship Series. Some have one of those, but not the other.
The cause of last night's defeat, and the elimination from the postseason, was not, as was the case so often during the regular season, insufficient guts. The Yankees showed some guts. Rather, it was insufficient luck. A lot of balls were hit hard by the Yankees, but either right at Boston fielders, or just foul, missing doubles or triples by mere inches. It was frustrating. For the most part, the Yankee pitchers deserved a better fate.
I can't fault the Yankee hitters for not trying. They tried. They had the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the 9th. They gave themselves a chance to win, and a fan has no right to ask for more than that.
And the last play of the game was a grounder, and the throw to 1st was ruled just in time, close enough to challenge, and Aaron Boone did challenge it, stopping the Sox celebration in its tracks. On the replay, though, it did look like he was out. That was the final call, and then the Sox celebrated.
And their fans, perhaps 3,000 or 4,000 of them in The Stadium, celebrated with them. The bastards.
And so, another Yankee season comes to an end without a Pennant, for the 14th time in the last 15 years without a Pennant, and for the 17th time in the last 18 years without a World Series win.
There's already been a lot of talk online about who should stay for next season, and who should go, much of it figuring on Boone. Let's make something completely clear: Boone is not the problem. He led this team to 100 wins. He has both intelligence and courage. What he doesn't have is the best possible team, and that is the fault of the man who assembled the team, Brian Cashman.
As Wallace Matthews said in today's New York Daily News:
But this Yankees team turned out to be surprising in another way. Surprisingly flawed for a team with the second-best record in baseball. Surprisingly anemic at the plate despite leading everyone in home runs. Surprisingly weak in the starting rotation, a unit their front office did not see fit to improve in the offseason.
By contrast, Giancarlo Stanton, the bright shiny toy the Yankees front office couldn't pass up this past winter, failing to come through in two key at-bats changed the course of the game, and the series.
As I said when the trade of Starlin Castro for Stanton was made in the off-season, Cashman wanted "the shiny." And Matthews used the word "shiny" in his column.
As another Daily News writer, Kristie Ackert, pointed out about the team:
Tuesday night they went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, an issue they struggled with all season. They were 4-for-26 (.153) in the series with RISP. They hit just .253 with RISP, sixth in the American League and 12th in the majors, this season...
The Red Sox, who finished with the best offense in the majors, were the best at producing runs with runners in scoring position -- and even better in this series. In the first three games, the Red Sox hit .429 in those situations, 12-of-28.
The Yankees were built to win on power, scoring over half their runs on homers. They traded for Stanton last winter in part to bulk up that power-based lineup, but he went without an extra-base hit in the four ALDS games.
What was it, exactly, that I said at the time of the trade? December 9, 2017 -- interestingly, the 52nd anniversary of a legendary bad trade in baseball history, Frank Robinson to Baltimore for Milt Pappas to Cincinnati in 1965:
Here's what the Marlins get: A 2nd baseman who turns 28 during Spring Training (that's right: Younger than Stanton), who's already been a 4-time All-Star and a 2-time postseason player.
Here's what the Yankees get: A righthanded-hitting right fielder who led his League in home runs this year, but strikes out a lot -- which they already have, in (Aaron) Judge.
The Yankees have a glut of outfielders, and only 1 guy can be a DH, unless you want to go with a lefty-righty platoon there, which weakens a team as often as it strengthens.
In other words, Cashman went for the shiny, and increased the Yankees' needs. Now, we also need a 2nd baseman.
Who's going to play 2nd? (Ronald) Torreyes? Gleyber Torres, who's coming off an injury, is listed at shortstop, and still hasn't proven he can hit Triple-A, let alone major league, pitching?
Meanwhile, we still need 1 or 2 more starting pitchers.
So unless Cashman can fill those 2 (or 3) needs, where he previously needed to fill 1 (or 2), trading Starlin Castro for Giancarlo Stanton looks like an incredibly stupid trade...
It is true that Torres developed into a major league star this season. It is also true that he did not help the Yankees win either the Division or the Division Series, although that can hardly be said to be his fault. I underestimated him, but that's still better than so many other people's overestimation (thus far) of Stanton.
I continued:
Do I hope Stanton does well for the Yankees? Of course I do. It would help the Yankees win games, and I'm all about the Yankees winning games. Specifically, winning enough games to get into the postseason, and then winning 11 games in the postseason, and thus the World Series. Maybe Stanton can help us do that.
But what are we supposed to do, win 30 of the 95 games we need in the regular season, and 4 of the 11 in the postseason, by 11-10 scores?
The 2018 Yankees are looking not like the new Murderer's Row (1927), or the new M&M Boys (1961), but like the football team at the University of Nebraska in the early 1980s, which ran up huge numbers against weak opposition (scoring at least 51 points 16 times in 5 seasons, at least 62 points 5 times, and topping out at 72), but lost games they should have won against good teams (to Florida State and Oklahoma in 1980; to Iowa, Penn State and Clemson in 1981; to Penn State to cost themselves the 1982 National Championship; to Miami to cost themselves the 1983 National Championship; and to Oklahoma again and Syracuse in 1984)...
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: In August 2017, I would have traded the entire remaining career of Gleyber Torres for the next 3 months of Justin Verlander. It would have made all the difference in the World (Series).
Now, Cashman has gone for the sports car, while the heater is broken and Winter has arrived.
Dumb GM is so dumb. How dumb is he? If he doesn't find another starter and a 2nd baseman, either from someone else or already in the Yankees' organization, Brian Cashman goes down as the worst executive in Yankee history.
And those of you still defending him, I ask you this: How can you type while bowing your heads and kneeling?
I would have used another analogy, but, this time, I wanted some people to read this who might have objected to R-rated language.
Cashman did find another 2nd baseman: Torres. And he did find 2 new starters: J.A. Happ and Lance Lynn -- except that was to replace Jordan Montgomery, who was injured after only 6 starts, and might be done before turning 26; and Sonny Gray, who had become much less effective in 2018 than he was in 2017. And, given that CC is 38, and might not be coming back next season, Cashman still needs to find another starting pitcher.
Which means he's probably going to take some of the money that's coming off the books this off-season, making the luxury tax threshold less of an issue, and splash it on Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, neither of whom fills a current Yankee need.
Or he's going to get desperate, and finally part with some of his precious prospects, including perhaps Torres or Miguel Andujar, and send them to the Mets for Jacob deGrom, forgetting about the many National League pitchers (including Kevin Brown and Javier Vazquez, 2 of the more notable Cashman futzups, and R.A. Dickey, another pitcher who was much-ballyhooed as a Met) who got lit up like a pinball machine when they went to the AL.
This is Brian Cashman's team. He assembled it. Their valiant effort in last night's 9th inning showed -- Stanton's pathetic, inning-altering strikeout excluded -- that they have found the courage, the guts, the fortitude that was so often missing during the season, including in the hope-crushing 4-game sweep at Fenway Park in early August.
This team has replaced the 2013 Yankees, with their many players who were great from 2004 to 2008, but were no longer, as the definitive Cashman team: Long on youth and potential and ability to hit the hell out of the ball, but short on experience and timeliness of hitting.
Cashman has never been held accountable for failure after failure after failure. To borrow a line from one of my favorite movies, V for Vendetta, We are being buried beneath the avalanche of your inadequacies, Mister Cashman!
Or, since the V character liked to quote William Shakespeare, particularly "The Scottish Play" (for actors, speaking the name of the play is supposedly bad luck, but when used as the lead character's name, it's safe) I present Macbeth, after finding out his wife has died, in Act V, Scene 5:
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Which means he's probably going to take some of the money that's coming off the books this off-season, making the luxury tax threshold less of an issue, and splash it on Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, neither of whom fills a current Yankee need.
Or he's going to get desperate, and finally part with some of his precious prospects, including perhaps Torres or Miguel Andujar, and send them to the Mets for Jacob deGrom, forgetting about the many National League pitchers (including Kevin Brown and Javier Vazquez, 2 of the more notable Cashman futzups, and R.A. Dickey, another pitcher who was much-ballyhooed as a Met) who got lit up like a pinball machine when they went to the AL.
This is Brian Cashman's team. He assembled it. Their valiant effort in last night's 9th inning showed -- Stanton's pathetic, inning-altering strikeout excluded -- that they have found the courage, the guts, the fortitude that was so often missing during the season, including in the hope-crushing 4-game sweep at Fenway Park in early August.
This team has replaced the 2013 Yankees, with their many players who were great from 2004 to 2008, but were no longer, as the definitive Cashman team: Long on youth and potential and ability to hit the hell out of the ball, but short on experience and timeliness of hitting.
Cashman has never been held accountable for failure after failure after failure. To borrow a line from one of my favorite movies, V for Vendetta, We are being buried beneath the avalanche of your inadequacies, Mister Cashman!
Or, since the V character liked to quote William Shakespeare, particularly "The Scottish Play" (for actors, speaking the name of the play is supposedly bad luck, but when used as the lead character's name, it's safe) I present Macbeth, after finding out his wife has died, in Act V, Scene 5:
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
The 2018 New York Yankees. It is a team built by an idiot, Brian Cashman; hitting lots of home runs, some of them quite long, thus full of sound and fury; but, since they failed to win anything, all those home runs have signified nothing.
Enough is enough. Cashman has failed too many times. It is time for him to go.
And yet, when I got back online after the game, I saw people suggesting new managers in place of Boone.
Including Buck Showalter, Yankee manager from 1992 to 1995, recently fired as manager of the Baltimore Orioles because he lost 115 games this season. He has managed in 21 different MLB seasons, and has never won a Pennant. (The record is 0-for-26, by Gene Mauch.)
Somebody even suggested Alex Rodriguez, who has exactly as much managing experience right now as Boone did a year ago: None at all.
In the words of the immortal George Carlin (who was a Yankee Fan), "Some people are really fuckin' stupid... Then, there's some people, they're not stupid, they're full of shit... Then, there's some people, they're not stupid, they're not full of shit, they're fuckin' nuts!"
Any rate, this season is another failure. Maybe next year, with some big contracts coming off the books, Hal and Hank Steinbrenner can allow themselves to forget about staying under the luxury tax threshold, and start spending not on big sluggers, but on guys who can actually get the timely hits necessary to win the damn ballgame, and the pitchers who can make the difference in the rotation.
Or maybe they'll think about money again, and still not give the GM what he needs to do the job, which is to win the World Series.
Maybe.
Maybe not...
*
Days until the New Jersey Devils' home opener: 1, tomorrow night, against the Stanley Cup holders, the Washington Capitals. Boy, there's words you never thought you'd read! They opened in Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden, part of the NHL Global Series, last Saturday, beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2.
Days until the U.S. national soccer team plays again: 1, tomorrow night at 7:30, a friendly against Colombia, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
Days until East Brunswick High School plays football again: 2, this Friday night, away to Edison. Dear Old Alma Mater lost to South Brunswick last Friday, although this one ws close, to fall to 0-4. It could be an 0-10 season for Bob Molarz' Green-White Army.
Days until Rutgers University plays football again: 3, this coming Saturday, at 12:00 noon, away to the University of Maryland. After a season-opening win over Texas State, they have lost 5 straight.
Days until the New Jersey Devils next play a local rival: 10, a week from this Saturday, 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 New York Red Bulls play again: 11, on Sunday, October 21, a "derby" away to the Philadelphia Union. Metro remain in the hunt for the MLS regular-season title, the Supporters' Shield. It would be their 3rd time with the honor in the last 6 seasons. But they're still looking for that elusive 1st MLS Cup.
Days until the Red Bulls next play a "derby": See the previous answer. The regular season ends the following Sunday, home to Orlando City. Then comes the MLS Cup Playoffs. New York City FC and Philly have qualified. D.C. United still can, but the New England Revolution are out.
Days until Arsenal play again: 12, on Monday, October 22, at 3:00 PM New York time, home to Leicester City. Right now, we're in the middle of an international break, a.k.a. an "Interlull," so, until then, The Arsenal are sitting on a 9-game winning streak in all competitions.
Days until the next Congressional election, when we can elect a Democratic Congress that can impeach and remove Donald Trump from the Presidency: 27, on Tuesday, November 6. Under 4 weeks. Get out and vote!
Days until the next Rutgers-Penn State game: 38, on Saturday, November 17, at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Under 6 weeks.
Days until the next East Brunswick-Old Bridge Thanksgiving high school football game: 43, on Thursday, November 22. A little over 6 weeks.
Days until the next North London Derby: 53, on Sunday, December 2, at the Emirates Stadium. Under 8 weeks. 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: 85, on Thursday, January 3, 2019. Under 3 months.
Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Mariano Rivera: 105, on January 23, 2019. A little under 4 months.
Days until the Yankees' 2019 Opening Day: 169, on Thursday, March 28, home to the Baltimore Orioles. A little over 5 months.
Days until the next Yankees-Red Sox series begins: 188, on Tuesday, April 16, 2019, at Yankee Stadium II. A little over 6 months.
Days until the next Women's World Cup kicks off: 240, on June 7, 2019, in France. Under 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: 262, on June 29, 2019. Under 9 months.
Days until my 50th Birthday, at which point I can join AARP and get discounts for travel and game tickets: 434, on December 18, 2019. A little over a year, or a little over 14 months.
Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Derek Jeter: 469, on January 22, 2020. A little over a year, or a under 16 months.
Days until the next Summer Olympics begins in Tokyo, Japan: 653, on July 24, 2020. Under 2 years, or under 22 months.
Days until the next Presidential election, when we can dump the Trump-Pence regime and elect a real Administration: 755, on November 3, 2020. A little over 2 years, or under 25 months.
Days until Liberation Day: 833, at noon on January 20, 2021. A little over 2 years, or a little over 27 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: 1,213, on February 4, 2022. A little over 3 years, or under 40 months.
Days until the next World Cup for which the American team will be eligible is scheduled to kick off: 1,503, on November 21, 2022, in Qatar. A little over 4 years, or a little over 49 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.
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