Yanks

[uconngb]

As lifelong Red Sox fan that has always hated the Yanks, have to give them mad props for what they achieved this season, especially with all the games they lost to injury. Crazy how many guys stepped up and maintained it over the course of an entire season and into the playoffs. And they went down fighting too. Houston has one hell of a team, not sure the WS will even be worth watching unless the Nats big 3 SP can somehow shut down that lineup.

 

[Ts5034]

As a Yankee fan, this is probably the most bummed Ive been about a season ending since 2004. Losing to Houston two years ago in 7 games was bad, but there was a sense of hope that the future was bright. Now, to suffer the same fate again two years later, and the way in which they lost is a gut punch. Maybe Im weird, but the whole “lost to a better team” does not make it any easier, and the same went for last season losing to the Red Sox...even though the Yankees did in fact lose to the better teams the last three years.

Yes this team has a good core of young players, but they clearly have some work to do and pieces to add if they want to finally get over the hump. Nothing is promised, and you never know when you will make it back. Thats why losing like this always hurts. Even with the offensive struggles in the ALCS, I still think they Yankees need to make some serious upgrades with the starting rotation. I think everything flows from your starters. Im sick of being envious of opposing teams starting pitching in the playoffs that make the Yankee hitters look embarrassing. I wish they signed Keuchel earlier this season. He would have been an upgrade over Happ, but I really hope they throw the bank at Cole and get him to sign.

 

[storrsroars]

I really hope they throw the bank at Cole and get him to sign.

As a Cole fan, there will be a number of suitors throwing tons of money at him. Only one of those suitors will ask him to cut his hair. Which is why he'll end up signing in SoCal. Either LAD or LAA. I'm thinking it's the Angels as they've got to do something to finally support Trout. Hiring Maddon is a start.

Anyway, you can still celebrate George Springer.

 

[soxfan23]

This series was never going to be close, NY was built to win for 162, while Houston is about as perfect a playoff roster as you will ever see! The ONLY reason this went to game 6 is because the Astros got ICE cold as a team at the wrong time. That will change in the WS though, and they win the Fall Classic in 5!

 

[storrsroars]

This series was never going to be close, NY was built to win for 162, while Houston is about as perfect a playoff roster as you will ever see! The ONLY reason this went to game 6 is because the Astros got ICE cold as a team at the wrong time. That will change in the WS though, and they win the Fall Classic in 5!

The one thing the Nats lack that Stros have is a bullpen. Scherzer & Strasberg give Nats solid matchups against Cole & Verlander. Nats defense is actually better. Offense is balanced. Rendon is better than anyone Yankees had. However, to win, Nats would need significant length out of their SPs to avoid overexposure of pen. Having Daniel Hudson as your closer... eww. But I wouldn't be surprised if Nats hang past 5 games.

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

As a Cole fan, there will be a number of suitors throwing tons of money at him. Only one of those suitors will ask him to cut his hair. Which is why he'll end up signing in SoCal. Either LAD or LAA. I'm thinking it's the Angels as they've got to do something to finally support Trout. Hiring Maddon is a start.

Anyway, you can still celebrate George Springer.

As a Pirates fan, I’ve got nothing left but misery but it’s humorous to think back to the trade talks that broke down between NYY and us for Cole over the reluctance to trade both Andujar and Frazier. I don’t mean that as an insult to NYY either, as Cole only showed (very) brief flashes of this dominance thanks to the absolutely idiotic and stubborn insistence within the Pirates organization to make him a “pitch to contact” guy. Maybe Houston finds a way to get another stud and it doesn’t matter, but I think NYY is probably in the series right now if Cole is in pinstripes.

 

[storrsroars]

As a Pirates fan, I’ve got nothing left but misery but it’s humorous to think back to the trade talks that broke down between NYY and us for Cole over the reluctance to trade both Andujar and Frazier. I don’t mean that as an insult to NYY either, as Cole only showed (very) brief flashes of this dominance thanks to the absolutely idiotic and stubborn insistence within the Pirates organization to make him a “pitch to contact” guy. Maybe Houston finds a way to get another stud and it doesn’t matter, but I think NYY is probably in the series right now if Cole is in pinstripes.

Honestly, despite the fact Moran is a statue, Martin is not a starting OF, and Feliz is an adventure, I'd still rather have those three and Musgrove than Andujar (who will never have a field position, being worse than Bell and Moran) and Frazier (whose futility at staying on the field makes Cervelli look like the picture of health).

Which is not to say a better deal couldn't have been had. Or that Cole had to go right then and there.

Ha, we found a way to have a Pirates debate on the BY!

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

Honestly, despite the fact Moran is a statue, Martin is not a starting OF, and Feliz is an adventure, I'd still rather have those three and Musgrove than Andujar (who will never have a field position, being worse than Bell and Moran) and Frazier (whose futility at staying on the field makes Cervelli look like the picture of health).

Which is not to say a better deal couldn't have been had. Or that Cole had to go right then and there.

Ha, we found a way to have a Pirates debate on the BY!

I love Musgrove. I’ve learned to get by on little victories with the Pirates, so getting to watch Musgrove compete is one of the few highlights to this group. You’re dead on in regards to the rest, although I hold out some hope Feliz finds the fairway after he stabilized this year.

I have no faith that Huntington could’ve negotiated the right deal for Cole. NYY played it well by standing firm, knowing we were dead set on moving him. They were probably as stunned as everyone else to see the package we eventually traded him for.

In any event, I didn’t mean to hijack an NYY thread. They’ll be back. I’ll never see my team in an NLCS let alone the WS, so it could always be worse

 

[storrsroars]

I love Musgrove. I’ve learned to get by on little victories with the Pirates, so getting to watch Musgrove compete is one of the few highlights to this group. You’re dead on in regards to the rest, although I hold out some hope Feliz finds the fairway after he stabilized this year.

I have no faith that Huntington could’ve negotiated the right deal for Cole. NYY played it well by standing firm, knowing we were dead set on moving him. They were probably as stunned as everyone else to see the package we eventually traded him for.

In any event, I didn’t mean to hijack an NYY thread. They’ll be back. I’ll never see my team in an NLCS let alone the WS, so it could always be worse

Yeah. We can't have nice things as long as Nutting is owner.

Not to mention that even when we get a nice toy, it's broken. It didn't escape me that with the game on the line, two domestic abusers both failed to close out the game. And yet, in light of Vazquez's crimes, it seemed almost perfectly acceptable.

 

[dennismenace]

A lot of mixed feelings about the Yanks and I'm a fan. The sword of "savage strikezone discipline" cuts both ways. They are going with the strict philosophy of controlling the opposing pitcher instead of the baseball when they try to force the pitcher to throw strikes by keeping strictly to the zone. Great. Only they don't control the human umpire. I watched Gardner take not one but two pitches which were clearly just outside the zone in the same at bat with two men on base early in the game. The ump took the bat right out of his hands and killed the rally. The discipline is admirable by the hitters but I sometimes feel that it takes the aggression out of the hitter's natural abilities and forces everything into a split second conflict between do and don't. I think Miguel Andujar who missed the season is a real natural hitter with a very quick bat. Love to watch him hit. Not everyone can thrive in the "regimented team wear the pitcher down" system and I think it makes sluggers particularly look conflicted and uncomfortable at the plate a lot (Judge, Stanton and Sanchez). The launch angle concept has additionally added to the conflict for these guys in particular. Watching Le Mahieu all year brought back something to NY that hasn't been witnessed there by anyone in the recent past. Just hit the ball hard where it is pitched. With bigger and stronger players and fences in (and maybe a livelier ball) the home runs will come but hitting 306 by design and striking out by over swinging, "launching" and taking too many pitches just doesn't look very natural too me and in the end failed. As Yogi would say "you can't think and hit at the same time". Yogi was a bad ball hitter and yet stuck out only 414 times in his career. Old time Dodger fans usually said it wasn't Mantle or Joe D. they feared in the clutch. It was Berra. As a Yankee fan it wasn't Lynn or Rice I feared in the clutch it was Fisk.

Bottom line. Houston was built to win the regular season and the post season as said. They are a better team and find a way to win. Last year NY started to change from strikeout machines (2018) into more situational hitters. Need to keep working on that or find more players who can. Add at least one and hopefully two starters who can really pitch.

 

[djct1999]

Cole is going home, probably to the Angels and maybe the Dodgers. He has no interest in NY. Most baseball people believe that Boras will use Strasburg's opt out as leverage to get an extension with the Nats on the back end of his current deal. Wheeler, Bumgartner, etc is the exact signing the Yankees make repeatedly that doesn't work. Not sure where Cashman turns to. As a Yankee fan, my fear is that they will say that SP didn't lose us the series w Houston, which is true. Is a healthy Sevy, Montgomery, and Devi Garcia enough to get us over the hump? I don't think so. Going to be an interesting off season to say the least. Have we seen the last of Didi and Chapman? My guess is yes on both fronts.

 

[Waquoit]

Good try, Yanks. Wait till next year!

 

[David 76]

It was a very good season for the Yanks. And while Cashman is an otherwise brilliant GM, he has an Achilles heel when it comes to acquiring a top flight starter.
Last one, I think, was Tanaka . He has balked on every great pitcher available and gone with Happ and Paxton.
You just can't win without a dominant ace and his failure to make a move over the past couple of years resulted in this. With Severino out, and, at the time, Tanaka and Paxton struggling, it was neglect. Especially for the richest team in baseball. Thought we might find some magic anyway. I just hope Cash learned something. The money spent on Stanton and Encarcion could have brought in one he'll of a starter.

 

[coachn]

If the Yankees loose it's always someone is cheating (the umpire etc.) They have second highest payroll in baseball- no excuses.

 

[David 76]

I think it is the third highest payroll. And they went further than the second highest and much further than the highest payroll.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

I'm not buying the Astros are a much better team, I see 2 evenly matched teams. Let's not act like the Yanks got swept like the Twins and were destroyed. Yankees actually lead in most stats throughout the series. Unfortunately stats do not win games.

BA - Yankees .214, Astros .179
OPS - Yankees .673, Astros .600
RUNS - Astros 22, Yankees 21
ERA - Yankees 3.13, Astros 3.44
WHIP - Yankees 1.152, Astros 1.200

If you remember 2017. They looked overmatched at Houston. This year they won game 1, lost game 2 in extras and walked off in game 6.

And I agree, I don't think Cole is going to NY

 

[Kitaman]

Yankee's fan here (longtime).

Altuve is not the Astro's highest player. Not sure why, but when I see Astro's in the post season, all I hear is his name. He's more feared than Aaron Judge, especially in critical at bats.

Just saying kid should be making 'bag'.

BTW he seems to be a good man overall. Respect.

 

[djct1999]

If the Yankees loose it's always someone is cheating (the umpire etc.) They have second highest payroll in baseball- no excuses.

You sound bitter. Is it because your team didn't even make the playoffs? Probably. The best thing for the Yanks is relevancy. The Yanks not only will be very good for the next decade, the Mets are an organizational disaster and the Red Sox seem content in slipping further into oblivion. Advantage, Yankees.

 

[HuskylnSC]

59 year Yankee fan. This series ended they way it did because of the last injury. Betances could have been the difference in game 3 and 6. Also losing Herman to stupidity hurt. Houston was without a couple of guys also, but not a significant as the two yankee pitchers. Really proud of the organization and the 40-50 man roster they have put together for this year. I'm curious about the off season moves. They have too many youngsters that have proven themselves capable. Anudjar, Tachman, Frazier all need to be in the bigs. Really like the kids and always was a Gardy fan. Have to say good-bye to Maybin. What happens to Mike Ford hate to lose his clutch bat. I'd hate to see him go. Montgomery and Heller both will be back. Green wants to start. Cash has his work cut out for him.

 

[HuskylnSC]

If the Yankees loose it's always someone is cheating (the umpire etc.) They have second highest payroll in baseball- no excuses.

Can you guess which major league player who across a full season has the most bad calls go against him according to statcast? But it's probably his fault for being 6'7".

 

[jibsey]

Yanks did this without their best starter this year, German, reliever Betances and 3 players coming off injuries going into the playoffs. Then the ump decided to call pitches 8 inches off the plate. We need another ace starter too. It’s time to package some of the extra talent that other teams want and we have plenty to fill in the holes.

 

[mauconnfan]

This series was never going to be close, NY was built to win for 162, while Houston is about as perfect a playoff roster as you will ever see! The ONLY reason this went to game 6 is because the Astros got ICE cold as a team at the wrong time. That will change in the WS though, and they win the Fall Classic in 5!

Yeah thats the only reason. Typical Sox fan. He nice follow up to the WS championship! Season was over in July!

 

[superjohn]

This series was never going to be close, NY was built to win for 162, while Houston is about as perfect a playoff roster as you will ever see! The ONLY reason this went to game 6 is because the Astros got ICE cold as a team at the wrong time. That will change in the WS though, and they win the Fall Classic in 5!

That series was about as close as it gets. Stros are the better team but game 2 decided it, Yankees win that game (had a million chances) and they have a fairly good chance of winning the series.

Yankees and Stros were ICE cold because the pitching was excellent.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

...Yankees and Stros were ICE cold because the pitching was excellent.

And advanced scouting.

 

[mauconnfan]

That series was about as close as it gets. Stros are the better team but game 2 decided it, Yankees win that game (had a million chances) and they have a fairly good chance of winning the series.

Yankees and Stros were ICE cold because the pitching was excellent.

No, no superjohn can't be. Has to be that the Astros picked a real bad time to go into a slump. LOL Unbelievable jealousy coming from that post from someone who hasn't been interested in baseball for 3 months with his team playing awful baseball.