Can’t Stop The Bombers
By Rich Bauer
Don’t look now Yankee fans but after demoralizing the Red Sox and the O’s, the Bombers are now 14 games above .500. They have added 5 games in the past week. Baltimore manager Buck Showalter and pitching coach Roger McDowell showed they have no pitching or a clue on how to shut down the Yanks long ball game.
Between the two series attendance in the Bronx for the six games was approximately 260,000 people. This shows that winning and excitement are the underlying factors and will cast aside all that moaning about $40 parking, expensive seats and $12 beers.
Not since 1956 have the Yankees had a 5 game winning streak during which they averaged 10 runs per game. That was the year Mickey Mantle won the Triple Crown with a .353 average, hitting 52 home runs and driving in 130 runs. For you real diehards that trophy is on display at The Stadium sports bar in Garrison, NY, just 15 minutes from the Bear Mountain Bridge.
This year’s lineup is living up to the nickname of Bronx Bombers as they are the only team in the majors with 6 players with 10 or more dingers, Judge (22), Gardner (13), Holliday (13), Castro (12), Hicks (10) and Sanchez (10).
Don’t get me wrong, Aaron Judge’s HR blasts are impressive but I love that the guy’s production has not dropped off since he was moved into the three hole in the batting order and he continues to show that he is a complete player, not just a slugger like Dave Kingman. He has shown that even at 6’7″, 280 pounds, he is a five tool player. Did you know he is leading the team in triples with (2)?
Home cooking has been good in the Bronx as the Yanks are 22-9 at home and 16-15 on the road. Seemed like the last two games with the Angels in Anaheim were home games. My bet: three quarters of those in attendance were Yankees or Judge fans.
Check out this list of Yankee Millennials: Judge (25), Castro (27), Hicks (27), Sanchez (24), Gregorius (27) Bird (24), Torreyes (24), Severino (23), Pineda (28), Montgomery (24), Tanaka (28), Chapman (29), Betances (29), Green (26) Warren (29) and Romine (28).
Thanks to the Yankees offensive barrages, the bullpen has not been pushed over the last week plus and, by the way, has anyone really missed Aroldis Chapman who could be off the DL this weekend. The same could be said of Jacoby Ellsbury thanks to some terrific play by Aaron Hicks.
Take notice folks that Luis Severino has emerged as the Yanks ace. He is leading the staff in ERA (2.75), K’s (84), WHIP (1.02), BAA (.213) and innings pitched (75).
In taking a look at the baseball standings you have to be surprised when you see the Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, and, to some extent, the Yankees sitting atop their respective divisions. I believe the Yanks will be the only team of the group still in first place come the 4th of July weekend.
Did anyone notice the effort this past weekend of pitcher Domingo German? He was impressive throwing two scoreless innings and showed a lively arm with good movement on his ball. The only thing I didn’t like is that he wears his hat a bit off center like vets CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda. Seems to me the Yanks need to add a new rule to the list in addition to that clean shaven one.
photo: The Stadium (Triple Crown Trophy); mlb.com (Severino)
