Schmidt Happens, Yankees Lose to Orioles

Yankee radio broadcaster John Sterling likes to turn to his partner, Suzyn Waldman, and say to her, "You know, Suzyn, you just can't predict baseball."

That's a crock. Under Brian Cashman, the Yankees are so predictable. For example, when I heard that the starting pitcher for yesterday afternoon's game was going to be Clarke Schmidt, who's not a good relief pitcher, and messed up his chances of starter last Saturday, I knew the Yankees were going to lose the game.

Well, they did put up a good fight in yesterday's game, against the Baltimore Orioles, who were playing their home opener at Camden Yards. The thing is, though, when you score 6 runs, you should win.

It didn't, because, to coin a phrase, Schmidt happens. He started, because Cashman has assembled a Yankee starting rotation that would be the best in baseball if fully healthy, but never will be fully healthy. Schmidt gave up 2 runs in the 2nd inning, 2 more in the 3rd, and didn't get out of the 4th.

And yet, in the top of the 4th, Franchy Cordero hit his 1st Yankee home run, and we closed to within 4-3. In the 6th, we scored 3 runs, the key hit being a 2-run double by Oswaldo Cabrera, and led, 5-4.

Now, we needed some good work by the bullpen to hold the Birds off. We didn't get it. Ian Hamilton allowed a run in the 6th, and both Ron Marinaccio and Jimmy Cordero allowed a run in the 7th. The Yankees trailed, 7-5.

They did make a run at it. They started the 8th with a Giancarlo Stanton double, and singles by Gleyber Torres and Cabrera, to make it 7-6. But a pitching change meant 3 straight outs. After 2 strikeouts to start the 9th, Aaron Judge drew a walk, stole 2nd, and advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch. But there would be no fulfillment of the cliché about walks "killing" anybody: Anthony Rizzo got under a pitch, and flew out to left.

Orioles 7, Yankees 6. WP: Cionel Pérez (1-0). SV: Félix Bautista (3). LP: Marinaccio (0-1), though this loss is on Cashman first and Schmidt 2nd.

After the game, manager Aaron Boone said of Schmidt, "Stuff is fine. He has the pitches, and he has all the weapons. Can he get to that next level to be that starter, that front-line starter? That’s what it's gonna take. That's all there is to it."

Pardon my French, but DeFuque? Schmidt can't pitch! His "stuff" is not fine! He has no pitches! He has no weapons! In his case, "that next level" is mere major league competence! He shouldn't even be on the Yankee roster.

The Yankees have started the season 4-3. Not good enough, under any circumstances. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays have started the season 7-0.

The series continues tonight. Jhony Brito, who did a pretty good job of filling a hole in the rotation this past Sunday, starts against Cole Irvin.