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New York Yankees’ Holding Pattern

By Mike Calendrillo

Jun 27, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi (28) stands in the rain on the field during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 27, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi (28) stands in the rain on the field during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New York Yankees are currently in a holding pattern, as they are unsure if they will be buyers or sellers in the coming weeks.

It’s been some kind of week in New York Yankees-land and we’re only on Wednesday. It all started out innocuous enough on Monday afternoon when the club announced that StubHub would officially become the Yankees’ official team ticket reseller over the span of the next 6 ½ years. Though terms of the agreement were not disclosed, ESPN’s Darren Rovell reported the deal could be worth over $100 million.

This positive news was met with the optimism of many, that the Yankees would now have some extra spending power to go out and potentially fill the many holes that consist on the 25-man roster.

Well, team president Randy Levin did not take to kindly to this assumption saying, “When we decide to become sellers, if we decide to become sellers, or if we decide to become buyers, you’ll know about it. I guess the difference is most of you guys have never run anything. We have a lot of history here of knowing what we’re doing and a lot of confidence in our baseball operations people, so we’ll see what happens.” Yikes.

Then came Monday night in a rained soaked affair that the field umpiring crew allowed to get wildly out of control. With the Yankees up 6-5 in the 9th inning, and torrential rain coming down in sheets, Joe Girardi pleaded with the umps to halt the game.

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It was clear to see that Yankees’ closer Aroldis Chapman was having a difficult time gripping the ball, as he walked the first batter he faced, and then ran a 3-0 count to the following. Sure, Texas Rangers’ manager Jeff Bannister wasn’t pleased with the stoppage, now that his team looked to be on the comeback trail. But when you have a pitcher capable of throwing in the triple digits, who is obviously having control issues, you are best not to chance a potential disaster.

So the grounds crew came out, and for the next three hours and thirty-five minutes, a rain delay ensued. Major League Baseball would certainly suspend play until the next afternoon, right? I mean it was just the first game of a four-game series. Nope!

At around 2:23am play resumed, and the Rangers picked up right where they left off, as Adrian Beltre smacked a two-run single into left field to give the Rangers the lead and eventual win.

Fast forward to Tuesday night, where CC Sabathia faced off against fellow lefty Cole Hamels. In the first inning, Beltre struck again, this time slapping a home run over the short porch in right field to put his club up 2-0.

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Being the consummate professional Sabathia is, he settled down nicely over the next five frames, keeping the ball on the ground, and giving his team a chance.

Unfortunately, the offense could only muster one run; which came it the bottom of the 8th. As for the top of that same inning, there is no way Sabathia should have still been pitching in the contest, well over the magic 100 pitch count.

After allowing the first three men to reach base, and the score now 3-0, Girardi let Sabathia pitch to the left-handed batter Prince Fielder, which resulted in a line drive double down the right field line to open the score to 4-0, and an eventual 7-1 drubbing.

So why was Sabathia allowed to start the 8th inning? Getting a strong seven innings should have been more than enough for a pitcher who was questionable even coming into the matchup with a sprained ankle. Especially when fellow left-hander Andrew Miller only threw 14 pitches the night before, and Chapman a minuscule nine.

If you’re supposed to have one of the most formidable bullpens in the all the game, yet are apprehensive to use them in key spots, what’s the point? Girardi simply mismanaged his hand.

What we have is a catch twenty-two. The Yankees are being cautious to trade away the absolute strength of their team, and rightfully so. But letting precious games slip away, rain-induced or not, is not going to get this club, now nine games back in the AL East, any closer to contention in 2016.

The Yankees sit 3 ½ games back in the wild-card, which is actually a blessing and a curse. A blessing because mathematically, they are long ways from being eliminated. But with a record of 37-39, the current construction of this team is not one that is ready to compete for a playoff birth.

The Yankees lack a spark from one through nine in their lineup. A guy who could potentially help provide one is 24-year-old, monster of a man, Aaron Judge. All he is done down at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is belt 16 homers with 46 RBIs in his first 73 games, while amassing an OPS of .845.

Skeptics, on the other hand, will look at his .266 batting average and 77 strikeouts as a source of concern. But this kid is a legitimate power hitter. He’s paid to drive the ball out of the park, finish off rallies, and excite the fans.

But Brian Cashman is standing by his belief that Judge still needs more seasoning, and that Aaron Hicks (.206 BA, 3 HRs, and 16 RBI) and Rob Refsnyder (.293 BA, 0 HRs, and 8 RBI) deserve the first crack at playing time in right field, even if Carlos Beltran is only day-to-day after last night’s leg cramp. It’s really hard to understand his logic when you look at those numbers. Especially when the manager of your team seems to be waiting for an impact bat like Judge:

"“I think if you felt you can get a jolt from anyone, you would ask for it,” manager Joe Girardi said. “Cash would do something about it. I know [Judge] is swinging the bat well. I know who is swinging the bat well all the time, but that is not my call. We need something. We need to start playing better.”"

Next: 5 Greatest Catchers In Yankee's History

So the Yankees and their fans are in a holding pattern. Cautiously optimistic that Girardi can get this team turned around before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. But perhaps Girardi has done all he can with this group.

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