Royals Archives - Jane Heller

My Heart Belongs to Judge

July 30, 2018

The Yanks acquired Britton and Happ since I last posted, and I’m supposed to be heartened by that. I’m pleased we got a starter and a premier reliever, really I am, but I’m still reeling from the loss of Judge. His injury could have been worse – a fractured wrist is better than, say, a torn ACL – but when they say he can’t swing a bat for three weeks, that means rehab afterwards, then getting his timing back, then playing some minor league games, etc. We won’t see him for awhile – and this is occurring during a crucial stretch in the season.

As for Happ, he only gave up a solo homer at the Stadium yesterday so his debut in pinstripes was a success, and the Yankees won the finale in the series with the Royals. Britton will add to an already strong bullpen, so that’s all good.

But what’s up with Severino? Talk about going through a slump. He’s been awful the last couple of times out. I wonder if he’s hurt, thrown too many pitch and has “dead arm” or it’s something else? We need him desperately to be our ace, as Sonny Gray is unpredictable, CC is CC, Tanaka tends to alternate really good outings with not-so-good ones and Cessa isn’t cutting it.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox hardly ever lose, and it’s going to be tough to catch them and win the division. We have head-to-head series coming up and I’m nervous about those contests. Boone will be tested to see how he handles this tricky time in his rookie season.

Aborted End to Yanks-Royals

May 25, 2017

Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The finale in the four-game series was postponed, but there’s still lots to talk about regarding the past few days – primarily the starting pitching. Wow. It was great throughout. Pineda, Montgomery and Severino were spectacular with Severino going his deepest – into the eighth inning. Bravo to all. If the bullpen hadn’t blow Game 2, Montgomery would have had the win, but that’s an area the Yankees will have to address: middle relief. It’s shaky. Betances, on the other hand, has been terrific filling in for Chapman as our closer. (Take that, Randy Levine!)

There was just enough offense (Gardner and Didi have been hot and Sanchez seems to be coming around), and the defense was superb for the most part. The bad news was losing Ellsbury. I didn’t see his collision with the wall in real time, only the replays, but I winced each time. Big-time ouch. And now he’s out with a concussion. I wish him a speedy recovery and in the meantime we have Hicks…and Refsnyder, who will get another chance to prove he’s Major League worthy.

Next up is Oakland this weekend. More rain is forecast on and off, so we’ll see how much baseball we’ll get in. Ditto for the Memorial Day matchup at Camden Yards against the O’s. I’m sure the players don’t mind getting a rest. Some of them are pretty banged up. And Tanaka could really use the extra time to figure out how to pitch like an ace.

Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad

May 19, 2017

The Yankees’ offensive might was on full display in Games 1 and 2 of the series against the Royals, with a combination of small ball, big ball and really big ball. I love the combination of power and speed, but what I really love is this team’s ability to take the extra base. Remember how frustrating it was when we had all those older, slower veterans who lumbered to get around the bases and often didn’t even try? Not anymore. The 2017 Yankees are athletic and frisky, and it’s paying dividends.

Last night’s finale was a bit of a bummer, as the KC pitcher stymied the hitters and the sweep was lost, but overall I was happy with the way they played.

And let me spend a second on Aaron Hicks. I thought I’d be talking about Gary Sanchez and then Aaron Judge relentlessly this season, but Hicks has really been an eye opener. He gets his hits, is fast, makes good plays in the outfield, does it all. Impressive. One of the broadcasters – maybe O’Neill? – compared him to Bernie Williams, and I agree to a point. Let’s see what he does over the course of his career and then we can pin the “Bernie” label on him. Still, I’m excited to see what he can do.

Next up: the pesky Rays. We should beat them every time we play them but somehow The Trop proves bedeviling. It’s tough to even watch games there. I always feel as if they’re playing inside a gym. But maybe the Yanks will overcome and mute the cowbells.

Yankees Have Extra-Inning Hocus Pocus in KC

September 1, 2016

Wow. Two back-to-back wins in extras over the Royals. I’m impressed.

I wasn’t feeling so great after losing that last game to the Orioles. Ditto: the first game to the Royals. But the Yanks came out of KC with another series win and drew a tiny bit closer to the second Wild Card spot. I’ll take it.

Gary Sanchez’s bat seems to have cooled off (how could it not), but others have picked up the slack. Castro has been a beast lately and Didi continues to be an offensive weapon for us. McCann has lifted his game. Ellsbury too. And Tanaka and Cessa were great the past couple of nights. It’s Pineda who’s always a question mark.

After today’s off day, it’s back to work against the O’s, this time at Camden Yards where the homers will be flying out. I hope they’re our homers, not theirs, and by the end of the weekend we’re right where we need to be in the playoff race.

Two Janers in a Row and Then We Score….

August 28, 2016

The first two games against the O’s this weekend were a thrilling display of offense, featuring the miraculous hitting of Gary Sanchez along with Castro and others. It felt good to gain ground against a Wild Card contender. Which is why today’s shutout by Baltimore was such a letdown. I thought the Yankees might actually sweep them. Instead, the team wasted a pretty decent performance by CC and didn’t score a single run. Days like today were bound to happen. It’s just much more satisfying when we win in a blowout. At least we won the series.

Now it’s on to KC to take on the Royals. Sanchez can’t possibly keep up his torrid pace, but wouldn’t it be nice if he did? It seemed to be contagious and get everybody else fired up, including me. Suddenly, it’s fun to watch the Yanks again.

Our Excellent Legends Adventure

May 12, 2016

Thanks to Michael’s sister, Lawson Forester, we sat in Yankee Stadium’s best, cushiest, and priciest seats in the house last night. (The wide angle lens on the iPhone isn’t exactly flattering, but I took the selfie anyway.)

Positioned perfectly just to the third base side of home plate, we could see every aspect of the finale (reader Darren just reminded me it wasn’t the finale – there’s another game tonight) against the Royals as if we were on the field. Unfortunately, what we saw on that field wasn’t so hot. Pineda got into the trouble in the first inning and things went downhill from there. I’ve been calling him Piñata lately, reminiscent of my nickname for Eduardo Scissorhands. He’s capable of pitching really well, but sure hasn’t shown it so far this season.

But let me back up to the fun before the game. We arrived early, so we could have dinner in one of the fabled Legends Suites dining rooms. First impression? Sheer gluttony. The concept of “all you can eat” has never appealed to me. Neither has buffet-style dining. I much prefer being served at a restaurant, so call me a food snob if you must but there it is.

Our server, Marcos, was a doll. So thoughtful, so accommodating. We loved him and he ended up telling us his whole life story. (This happens to me wherever I go. Michael calls me The Interrogator.) He brought me a glass of terrific Malbec and explained the food setup. And then off we went to get some grub.

The raw bar was top on the list of Must-Try items. We loaded up with shrimp, primarily. They were big but limp and not cold enough. (I warned you. I’m a food snob, and I care about quality more than quantity.)

Next, Michael headed straight for the carving station as he’d been salivating at the very thought of sliced rare beef. He wasn’t disappointed, although he was hoping for tenderloin, not flank steak. He gave the mashed potatoes a thumbs-up.

Not seeing a fish entree, I ordered up the roast chicken “au jus” that came without any “jus.” It was tender but absolutely flavorless. No salt and pepper. No seasoning whatsoever. I might as well have been eating hospital food. The featured side dish was – I kid you not – peas and corn. I could have opened a bag of Bird’s Eye frozen stuff and it would have tasted the same. Disappointing. Our buddy Marcos told us they were experimenting with different chefs and had gotten numerous complaints about the food, so I wasn’t the only whiner. But the salads were winners. (I know. How does someone get excited about salads? I did.) I had a delicious arugula salad with grilled peaches and feta cheese and a fantastic quinoa salad with black beans and scallions.

In the dessert category, we shared a slice of carrot cake (Michael loved it), an Oreo cake (meh) and, once at our seats, a banana sundae (satisfying).

But as much fun as the dining room was watching Yankee fans loading up their plates and then going back for more, what we enjoyed the most was being at the game. The Legends seats are swell – super comfortable and right there for all the action. It was a terrific night. Thanks again, Lawsie. xo

Ugly in Texas Except for Him

April 28, 2016

Watching Eovaldi almost throw a no-hitter in the middle game of the Yankees’ series in Arlington was a thrill. Evo has had trouble going deep into games, but he lived up to Cashman’s expectations in that one.

The rest of the series, however, was more of the same from this team: limp bats. Yes, A-Rod came back last night from his oblique injury and got some hits, but the Yankees are in last place and look like it.

Chase Headley. Why? Isn’t there a younger, more sure-handed option at third who can hit? He’s just not inspiring. But then who is right now? They can’t seem to break out of their malaise even with decent starting pitching performances across the board. Batters are stranded. The offense can’t get the big hits. Blech. And now they go to Boston? Double blech.

I was just given Legends seats for Yankees-Royals on May 11th and, aside from the fact that I don’t do cold temperatures at night and that my idea of perfect weather for Yankee Stadium is a sweltering afternoon in July, I can’t pass up the opportunity to go. Maybe playing against a really good team like the Royals will motivate the Yanks to play better. I sure hope so.

Didn’t See This Coming

May 27, 2015

Good for the Yankees. They bounced back from an awful stretch and knocked off the AL’s best team. Pineda also bounced back, which is a relief. I was worried that he was hurt and not saying anything. But he seemed more than OK in today’s finale. A-Rod continued his hot hitting; it feels weird seeing him pass Ruth and Gehrig and, soon, Jeter on the milestones list, but he’s definitely spearheading a lot of these wins.

And now the Yanks travel to the West Coast and that feels weird too. When I lived in CA, I loved the games against the CA teams because they aired at a decent hour there. Here? Not so much. I’m not staying up to watch them now that I’m in CT – just won’t happen – but I wish them a good trip.

Memorial Day Homerpalooza

May 25, 2015

I didn’t watch today’s series opener against the Royals, but I checked the score around the third inning and was stunned that the Yanks were up 11-0. A big thank you to Jeremy Guthrie, the Royals’ starter and former Oriole, who clearly didn’t have his best stuff and allowed homers by seemingly everyone, even Stephen Drew. The Yankees tacked on three more runs in the game, including a homer by Slade Heathcott, and snapped their losing streak, got a very good performance by Eovaldi and ushered in the auspicious debut of young pitcher Jacob Lindgren. Wouldn’t it be great if Lindgen turned out to be really good – the star player I’ve been hoping for?

Losing Isn’t Fun – Duh

May 18, 2015

The Royals are a good team, so I pretty much expected the Yankees to struggle against them. I’m also not a fan of Capuano, who, if he’d really been good, wouldn’t have been signed and released by so many teams. He is not the answer to the holes in our starting rotation. Maybe Tanaka will come back soon and be okay for awhile. Maybe Nova will appear at some point and regain his form. And maybe pigs can fly.

My point is that we’ve now seen that we need a solid starter to round out the rotation. Is he a kid from the farm system? Fine, then where is he? Is he a proven entity we get in a trade? More likely, it seems.

As for the anemic hitting, it happens. But Beltran, despite a tiny resurgence, isn’t the Beltran of before and McCann still hasn’t proven to be the powerhouse we were promised, and Tex – well, he’s hurt again. It will be entertaining if Girardi uses A-Rod at first base, won’t it?

I’m sure all the players are grateful for the off-day. It was a grueling road trip – for them and for us.

Another One Bites the Dust

May 15, 2015

What is it with these young pitchers who think that “playing hurt” is some kind of badge of courage? Chase Whitley’s failure to inform the Yankees that he had a sore arm well before he was pulled from the finale against the Rays last night was just stupid. And now we wait for the requisite MRI to see what’s what. Could we just get Cole Hamels and be done with it already?

Not that the pitching was to blame for the debacle at the Trop. The offense dried up – the same offense I was extolling in the last few posts. I know it’s a long season and teams go through slumps all the time, but it’s too early to know whether the home run power of Tex and A-Rod, the crafty hitting by Ellsbury and Gardner and the emergence of McCann as a threat at the plate are the norm or a fluke.

And now come the Royals, a team that wins games – a lot. The Yankees have their work cut out for them on this road trip. If the offense continues to sputter, I vote for shaving off those awful mustaches.

Hirings and Firings

October 12, 2014

I liked Mick Kelleher. Not just because he lives in the Santa Barbara area in the off-season and is a good friend of my neighbor. But because the players seemed to like him and his work with infielders (I’m especially thinking of Cano) was said to be exemplary. So I was sorry to read that he’d been let go earlier this week along with Kevin Long, who was not as big a loss for me; Long was the expected fall guy for the lack of offense.

The re-signing of Brian Cashman wasn’t a surprise, but it does boggle my mind how cozy he’s become with the current generation of Steinbrenners. Would George have kept Cash around for another three years? Or would he have made a change by now? I’m guessing the latter. Not that getting Headley, Prado and McCarthy weren’t clever moves, and the trade for Pineda a couple of years ago is looking like a big win for our side. I was just hoping for a fresh perspective.

I’ve been watching the Royals through their Wild Card playoff game, the ALDS and now the ALCS and marveling at what a superbly crafted team they are. So many ways to beat the opposition. They can do it all: steal bases, play Web Gem-type defense, excel at situational hitting, even go deep. And then there’s the pitching; they’ve got starters and relievers galore. And they’re young! What a joy not to see some overpaid, overfed, past-his-prime player lumber around the bases or take a giant hack at the ball when just a poke through the shift would do! Obviously, I’m rooting for them to go all the way because they’re so much fun to watch, but I’m also envious. What I wouldn’t give for a Yankees team that had so many weapons in their arsenal.

In the end, winning is about personnel, not coaches, and the guy in charge of personnel is the GM. I rest my case.

At Least There Was Something to Celebrate

September 7, 2014

Or should I say “someone.” The Yankees brought out a veritable Who’s Who of stars for Derek Jeter Day at the Stadium, including members of the Yanks. I did miss Andy Pettitte, but it’s always good to see Jorge, Mo and Bernie. I’m still not sure why this ceremony wasn’t saved for the last home game of the season, but it was a fitting tribute. Having Cal Ripken there was an especially nice touch. And yikes Tim Raines is large these days.

As for the game against the Royals, well, there’s nothing to say that hasn’t been said during the season. It was the same old same old: good pitching, no hitting. And aside from yesterday’s win, the series was futility in general. The only upside is that both Pineda and Green look like great candidates for the rotation next year. Now if they could get some bats and be done with the dead wood so to speak, they’d be in business.

A Happy Ending

September 4, 2014

Mark Teixeira made it a tie ballgame in the bottom of the ninth against the Red Sox tonight, and then Chase Headley sent the Yanks to a game win and a series win. I was on my feet cheering.

The Yankees may not win another series this season, who knows, but all I wanted for them was to get out of their offensive doldrums and play entertaining baseball and they did. The Red Sox are only a shell of their former selves, except for Ortiz who just keeps hitting bombs year after year, but taking two of three at home was fun anyway. I loved how excited the players got tonight after Headley’s walkoff, like a bunch of little kids. So cute.

As for Headley himself, he was a nice pickup. I wonder what’ll happen to him when A-Rod comes back next year (theoretically). Come to think of it, how will the Yankees deal with A-Rod coming back? (Hal said he’s looking forward to it. Yeah, sure.) In the meantime, Headley has played a solid third base and had a few timely hits.

The weekend series against the Royals should be interesting, with Sunday’s Jeter Farewell ceremony certain to be a tear jerker. I still can’t imagine the Yankees without him, but it’s clear that it’s the right time for him to head off into his new life. I have no doubt that he’ll succeed in whatever arena he pursues. He’s The Natural.

Fading, Fading……

June 8, 2014

That’s what the Yankees have been doing for the last ten games or so and that’s what I feel like when I either watch/listen to the games or check the box scores. Depressing.

The defense has been spotty, the pitching unreliable, albeit Kuroda was good today, and the offense practically nonexistent. Remember the days of “too many home runs?” That all seems like a hallucination right now. Thank God for playoff hockey, even though the Rangers are down two to the Kings.

And back in the baseball world, things were much more interesting between the Orioles and A’s than they were between the Yankees and Royals:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/manny-machado-ejected-after-bat-toss-incites-benches-clearing-altercation-213609066.html

The Mike Piazza/Roger Clemens bat throwing incident was minor compared to that little dust up!

Good News/Bad News

July 11, 2013

I’m in the car after celebrating Michael’s birthday, but I watched the game before we left and it was great to see Jeter back in pinstripes, if only symbolically.

He legged out that single in the first inning and scored the Yankees’ first run, and while he didn’t get the ball out of the infield it’s totally understandable. He was rusty. He was still rehabbing. He was tired from not having slept the night before.

What’s disconcerting is the quad strain. Tomorrow’s MRI will tell the tale, but why was he rushed back so soon? The same thing happened when Youkilis came back too soon and look where he is now. Maybe it’s “just a strain” and all will be well. Fingers crossed.

Andy hasn’t looked good, especially in early innings and on bunt attempts. Is he “done?” I don’t think so. But with the emergence of Nova and the eventual arrival of Pineda, I’m not worried about our pitching.

And how about the offense over the past two games? Not too shabby.

What a weird, weird season so far

Never Mind That Last Post

July 10, 2013

What would the Yankees do without Lyle Overbay, otherwise known as Lyle Loverbay on Twitter. It was almost predestined that he would hit a grand slam when he came up with bases loaded. But an opposite field slam? Tremendous, and it put the Yanks up 8-0.

Cano’s homer got things started, but it was Overbay’s blast that made the game comfortable.

And Nova…..Wow…..Where did he come from all of a sudden? Now he goes eight innings without breaking a sweat and only seemed to run out of gas tonight after his 100th pitch. Whether it’s the threat of Pineda showing up in the Bronx and filling his slot or he’s just matured to the point of being really, really good, I don’t know, but I hope he keeps up the great work. He was fun to watch.

So were the clips on YES of Jeter’s outing in Scranton. He’s coming, unless something weird intervenes, and I’m getting excited.

There’s really not much to say about A-Rod’s supposed suspension that’s on the horizon. He’ll meet with MLB and not answer questions about PEDs and this thing will drag on or it won’t. No point in speculating now. Besides, Cruz made a dazzling play at third tonight, so maybe he’ll be fine there.