Here we are, nine games into the season. The Yankees have gone 1-2 in each of its first three series of the year, putting them at 3-6 — and in last place. Meanwhile, the Red Sox (6-3) and the Mets (7-3) are in first place. Yikes!
So Yankee GM Brian Cashman was doing damage control yesterday, giving multiple interviews to the media to set the subject of the reporters’ off-day articles. I noticed in particular this comment to Newsday’s Erik Boland:
“We have fumbled, whether it’s running the bases, defense, starting pitching, the bullpen,” he said by phone. “All of it in some form or fashion has factored in the six losses.”
How about hitting, Bri? Maybe the lack of hitting might have something to do with the sorry state of the team? You know, the thing that was an issue *last* year?
I also do find it hilarious that Cashman, who has used Alex Rodriguez as the bright shiny object to distract the media for years, is now doing his best to distract the media from bringing up the obvious: that the team’s best all-around hitter is the 39-year-old DH with two bad hips who Cashman didn’t want on the roster!
Then there is Michael Kay, who was battling with Yankee fans yesterday on Twitter, defending the team that he ultimately draws a paycheck from:
I’ve covered the NYY for 29 years & have never seen a rush to judgement like this year. Disgraceful. Unfathomable. Some don’t know the game.
— Michael Kay (@RealMichaelKay) April 16, 2015
A Yankee fan who pointed out that the money for Robinson Cano could have easily been found by not signing Stephen Drew, Chris Capuano, and Chase Headley got this response:
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Are you going to want Cano in 8 years? And in case you forgot, NYY offered Cano 25 mil a year for 7 years. https://t.co/V6cjRLhun1
— Michael Kay (@RealMichaelKay) April 16, 2015
To which I said:
.@RealMichaelKay instead of keeping cano, yanks pay Beltran $45m for those lousy yrs, w/o great yrs. they’ll also pay Ellsbury $25m in 6 yrs
— Subway Squawkers (@subwaysquawkers) April 16, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Kay also criticized Yankee fans for being upset with the state of the team, since they won a World Series six years ago. He even brought up the Cubs in his argument!
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
And 5 in 19. And 7 appearances in the WS since 1996. Outrageous! How dare they! https://t.co/8sDlhdKkWq
— Michael Kay (@RealMichaelKay) April 16, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
So Cub fans should be a bit more angry, right? NYY fans haven’t won a WS in 6 years! Outrageous. https://t.co/q1Oi0xD2sn
— Michael Kay (@RealMichaelKay) April 16, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
@RealMichaelKay are you really comparing the yankees displeasure with the cubs yankee fans should be mad this team is downright bad
— Scott Ashkenazy #23 (@scottAsh23) April 16, 2015
Of course, Kay is framing this in the best possible way for the Yankees. One World Series championship in 14 years, with sky-high payroll and ticket prices, and the so-called Core Four in their prime. One World Series appearance in the last decade, the same as the Houston Astros. I broke down the numbers a few months ago, and they are not pretty.
Yes, it’s only nine games this year. (But you know darn well that the Yankees were 8-1, Kay and Cashman would be crowing about it!) However, this team was not improved from last year, with the exception of A-Rod’s bat being back in the lineup. And last year’s team was worse than the 2013 team, which also didn’t make the playoffs. But if we groan about the Yankees, the team’s TV broadcaster brings up numbers from the 1990s and the Cubs to try to shut people up, and sez Yankee fans are “disgraceful” for being concerned. Oh, please.
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
