MLBRT 7/11/2024

The questions and discussion…

1) After half the season was in the books… 81 games played…the New York Yankees record stood at 49-22. Since then the Yankees have lost 6 straight series and lost 14 out of 19 games.

Have the Yankees just hit a wall and are going through a slump that all teams tend to experience during any season and still have plenty of time to get back on track and make the playoffs if not still threaten to win the AL East? Or is the team reverting back to its play of last year when they a missed the playoffs and barely finished the season over .500? Why or why not?

Dan: I think the Yankees are going to turn it around, heat up and get back in the race for the AL East title.

Every team, throughout a season, will go through cold and hot streaks. It just happens to have happened now, and it’s coming at a good time. Middle of the season, going into the All-Star break, the team can desperately use the break. Judge is still hitting at a torrid pace. Soto is still performing. But Volpe has been struggling, even being removed from the leadoff spot this weekend against the Red Sox. They still have Cole and Gil pitching at elite levels. And I believe that they will turn it back around.

They have better hitters this season, and it’s just a cold slump they’re going through. Once they come out of the All-Star break, they’ll be rejuvenated and ready to get back winning. By the time August comes around, they’ll heat up with the weather. 

Joe: While I tend to think the Yankees will rebound from this bad stretch of baseball they are going through, I also believe that they have some holes in the team that they need to through a trade or by bringing up someone from the Minors. In my opinion they need to add players who can hit at third base and possibly at second base. While first was also a problem it appears they might have found a solution for the lack of production from that position due to the fact that they brought Ben Rice from the Minors and he’s been something of a revelation with the bat. Their starting pitching which was outstanding for the first 45 games or so has also suddenly gone south for the team, too. If they could add an arm it wouldn’t hurt but I think some pitchers have just hit a wall and with the All-Star break coming up it is just a case of perfect timing and will provide time for some needed   R&R. l expect the pitching to come around after the break and it is those holes at third and second that are the bigger concern. The team right now is too dependent upon their two All-Stars in Juan Soto and Aaron as well as for a time Giancarlo Stanton before his recent trip to the IL. They need some offensive production from third and second and not the mostly automatic outs that they are presently getting.

Because in my opinion if they don’t fix those holes then forget winning the East because their bigger problem will be just getting a Wild Card into the playoffs.

Could be some interesting stuff happening for GM Brain Cashman and the Yankees as the trade deadline comes close and closer.

2) Considering the topic of Question 1…

Is the Yankees manager Aaron Boone in danger of being a mid-season casualty.. getting fired… if the Yankees don’t quickly right the ship and start winning games on a regular basis? Why or why not?

Dan: Aaron Boone is not at risk of getting fired mid-season.

The Yankees believe that they can still win the AL East. And if they do that, then there is no reason to get rid of Aaron Boone.

But if I’m the Yankees’ GM, I’m giving Boone the rest of the season to right the ship and endure the cold streak they’ve had over the past six series. I think the Yankees are going to turn it around, and I don’t think it’s a smart move to relieve him of his managing duties. However, if the Yankees miss the playoffs or have a quick, early exit as a Wild Card team barely slipping into the playoffs, I think Boone would get a very hard look at, and, depending on who is available or might be interested in taking over, I’d strongly consider moving on from Boone after the season. His seat is hot, but it’s safe for the rest of the season. 

Joe: Under the ownership of Hal Steinbrenner the Yanks don’t tend to fire people mid-season but depending how long this stretch of bad baseball goes on that could change.

I think while maybe isn’t the best team in MLB, like they were earlier in the seson, they are still a decent team especially when Soto, Judge and Stanton are producing in the middle of the order  who will win a lot more than they lose. That should go a long way to stifling any talk of Boone getting fire mid-season.

However I do believe that what happens during the postseason will go a long way in determining if Boone still is  the manager of the New York Yankees going into next season.

3) Cleveland, one of MLB’s biggest surprises, have held first place for over 100 days and presently holds a six-game lead in AL Central.

Minnesota is in second place and the Kansas City is in third 8 games out of first.

At this point Cleveland is obviously the favorite to win the Central but bigger leads than the one the Guardians presently possess have gone by the wayside in past seasons and more than a few first place teams in July have gone on to lose divisions and sometimes not make the playoffs.

Can the Guardians hold off the Twins and Royals, or will one of the challengers take down the favorite? Why or why not?

Dan: Cleveland has had the excellent play of Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan on offense, as both were selected as All-Star Game starters for the American League. They’ve had a nice lead in the AL Central and will maintain it throughout the rest of the season.

I think the only team that’s going to compete with them are the Kansas City Royals, but the Guardians are going to win the AL Central.

Cleveland has been dominant at home this season, which has been outstanding this year. And, luckily, they have more home games than road games remaining on the schedule, which should play to their favor.

David Fry has been excellent behind the plate for them, Josh Naylor has been a nice power addition competing with Ramirez for the team’s home run title and Andres Gimenez has posted a 1.9 WAR, which is third on the team, according to ESPN.

Tanner Bibee as a starter has been improving as the season has progressed and Ben Lively has also been a nice starter posting a 3.14 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP.

Emmanuel Clase, their closer, has been lights out on his way to 27 saves this season, and has a nice supporting cast giving him relief before he enters games in Hunter Gaddis and Tim Herrin, who both have posted ERAs under two.

I think this Cleveland team is poised to win the division. 

Joe: I think the Cleveland Guardians are for real. Their starting rotation can be iffy… but then which MLB team couldn’t that be said about? With their bullpen those starters have been… and they should continue to be… just good enough.

And at this stage of the season their offense has answered a lot of questions with big time production coming from the likes of José Ramírez (23 HR/77 RBIs), Josh Naylor (22 HRs/70 RBIs) and Steven Kwan (.361 BA/55 runs scored).

It’s past the midpoint in the season and what is going on in Cleveland has me believing they will continue their winning ways through the remainder of the season.  

Having said that, I just don’t think their two closest competitors… Twins and Royals… have teams that can win at the rate that the Guardians have been winning at and, in my opinion, will continue to win at throughout the rest of the season and into the playoffs as the winner of the AL Central.

The All-Star team voting is complete, and the results are in…

The starters in the AL are: Catcher/Adley Rutschman/Orioles; first baseman/Vladimir Guerrero/Blue Jays; second baseman/Jose Altuve/Astros; third baseman/José Ramírez/Guardians; Shortstop/Gunnar Henderson/Orioles; outfielders/Aaron Judge and Juan Soto/Yankees and Steven Kwan/Guardians and DH/Yordan Alvarez/ Astros.

The starters in the NL are: Catcher/William Contreras/Brewers; first baseman/Bryce Harper/Phillies; second baseman/Ketel Marte/Diamondbacks; third baseman/Alec Bohm/Phillies; shortstop/Trea Turner/Phillies; outfielders/Christian Yelich/Brewers and Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jurickson Profar/Padres and DH/Shohei Ohtani/Dodgers.

4) In your opinion did the fans get the voting for this season’s All-Star teams get it right? Why or why not?  

Or in your opinion did any players wind up getting snubbed who deserved to be voted in as a first team All-Star selection? Why or why not?

Dan: I think the fans finally got the All-Star roster correct this season as far as starters go.

Steven Kwan in the American League has been great, and the only argument that could be made against him is the time he has missed. But flirting with a .400 batting average and being as reliable as a player could get on offense has been a huge strong suit for him. He definitely deserved it.

Gunnar Henderson, Bobby Witt Jr, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto have all been MVP-caliber players and were shoo-ins to the nomination.

On the National League side, I think it was a toss-up at catcher between Will Smith and William Contreras, but I’m leaning Contreras because he kept the Brewers’ offense rolling on all cylinders when Christian Yelich missed some time earlier in the campaign. The only problem I had in the National League was Trea Turner, but only because of the time he has missed this season. But his numbers definitely pop out and it’s hard to argue taking him out of the lineup, other than the time missed argument. 

Joe: Considering that the players on both the AL and the NL teams almost mirror exactly the players I picked on my ballots during the voting I say we the fans did a damn good job this year picking the starters.

5) And finally if you had the power to decide…

Which two pitchers should be this year’s All-Star game starters? Why?

Dan: In the American League, I believe Seth Lugo from Kansas City should be the starter. He’s leading the American League in ERA this season at 2.21 with 110 strikeouts in 122 innings pitched and has an 11-3 win-loss record. He’s beating out Corbin Burnes in most statistics and has a much better WAR (4.3 for Lugo, 2.8 for Burnes).

Corbin Burnes wouldn’t be the wrong choice though, either, because of the teams he has faced in the AL East and is playing for a new team and league this season. 

In the National League, Chris Sale, who’s also switching teams and leagues, has been dominant taking over the ace spot in Atlanta after Spencer Strider went down for the season… 2.73 ERA with an 11-3 win-loss record, a high 11.3 strikeouts-per-nine-innings, including 127 total strikeouts in 99.2 innings pitched and a WHIP under 1 (0.91). He’s also only allowed 19 walks all season and has just been spectacular back to his old self. Give him the starting nod in the All-Star Game. 

Joe: In the AL I think it’s a toss-up between KLC’ Seth Lugo (AL best 2.21 ERA, 11-3 W/L, 11o Ks, 1.04 WHIP) and Detroit’s Tarik Skubal (Second best AL 2.37 ERA, 10-3 W/L, 132 Ks and AL Best 0.90 WHIP). If I’m the manager…  I go with Skubal.

In the NL I think the starter should be without a doubt Atlanta’s Chris Sale… 2.74 ERA (3^rd in NL), 12-3 W/L, 136 Ks (3^rd in NL), and his 0.94 WHIP is  the second best in the NL only to Tyler Glasnow’s NL leading 0.93.

Extra Innings…