Only DJ, Judge and Torres are hitting. I can understand not hitting Cole ... but their bullpen is not that great and the Yanks can't do anythign against ANY of their pitchers. Horrible! Unacceptable. Many players are getting themselves labeled as not big game players.
I agree with you 100% on that last statement Steve!
One of the ugliest and saddest games to watch last night in the history of Yankee playoff games for me. You felt the chokehold being firmly placed around their proverbial necks after Chapman walked Springer, All hope and optimism being squeezed out as Chapman threw that last pitch. At what point do you stop with ALL of the analytics and feast or famine approach and realize that mashing your way through the playoffs, unlike the regular season, JUST DOESN'T WORK! Great pitching will ALWAYS beat great hitting, especially the undisciplined, always trying to hit the long ball with a 120 mph exit velocity type. They couldn't hit with runners in scoring position, ALL of their runs with the exception of 1, came on home runs. The one run they did manage was on a bases loaded walk. Where are the analytic idiots to explain that?
They need a true ACE / STOPPER or two for 2020. They also need to consider moving on or trading Sanchez. For me, he has always been meh. He swings and misses way more during crunch time and hits meaningless hr's to mask it. The lineup needs to be overhauled in a way that it offers more contact, and less swing and miss types. Gap hitters, contact hitters. Put the ball in play and ANYTHING can happen. The DJ types are what the lineup needs to have more of. For me, Sanchez, Voit, Stanton, Encarnacion,and Gardner are all expendable in one way or another. The first three never do anything when it really matters, and Gardner, although a nice story, has really come back to earth last 2 months of the season. Stanton we know can't be moved, but man has he punk'd out for such a statuesque type of athlete. Encarnacio was atrocious, All he did was strike out.
I want the 1980's Cardinals, rallies, stolen bases, pitching, great D. Where does 103 wins and 306 home runs get you? Being eliminated AGAIN by the better built team. Analytics can't measure a players guts/their heart or desire to want to win and be clutch. Less is more, balance through a lineup, someone has to agree with me. Somewhere over the next few years one team will buy back into this approach and dominate. Nothing more irritating then an Altuve type ALWAYS getting on base and being a threat to run. Manufacture a run, all these little things matter and should be a consideration for Cashman and how he "fixes" yet again another flawed team he has built.
I hope Chapman opts out, guy always walks a fine line and can never have a clean inning.
Lots of questions that have to be answered.