February 23, 2025 • 27 mins
EJ and Tim discuss the first three Spring Training games, the end of The No Beard Policy and Aaron Boone's three year contract extension.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:16):
What do you want of the Bronx Beat Podcast? I
am E. J. Fagan tonight, joined by Tim Cable. Tim,
how are you doing tonight?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I'm fine? How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Tim? I am doing wonderful. We have baseball. We got
to watch some actual baseball games sort of. You know,
they're always fake, they're fake, they're spring training games whatever.
But but I don't know, I love it. I the
beginning of spring training. It feels like it feels like
spring is sprung, New Year started, and and I really
enjoyed it. The Yankees have played three games now we're
(00:50):
recording this on Sunday night. Two of them have been
on TV. One was barely a game and that the
Yankees didn't send anybody, but we had things to talk
about from that game. We have a major policy changed
by the Yankees. We have some other kind of news
about Aaron Boone, and so Tim, let's uh, let's start
with the headline beards. Yankee is gonna have beards. Now.
(01:13):
What was your reaction?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Well, I mean, I think I don't think it's as
big a deal as a lot of people are making
it out to be. And you know, I think it's
it's something that probably should have happened a while ago,
and as long as they're neat and well trimmed, it's
(01:35):
not an issue. I mean, think about it. You can
have a we have a vice president of the United
States has a beard.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I mean, it's this is not okay, John, Thank you
for joining us, John. I think this is the most
I don't know if you guys watched the press conference
of hal and Cashman and and how talking very earnestly
about the beard policy. Like I don't know what world
I am living in where it's even a debate like
is it okay for people to wear beards? Yeah, Like
(02:02):
that's just like this is just normal. This is a
dumb policy from the seventies. It was George Steinbrenner attempting
to like like bring in the Bronx zoo a little bit,
and for whatever reason, it just like became a thing
that we couldn't get rid of, and like it became
like a weird like moral dilemma for how Steinbrenner to
lift it when it's just it's just ridiculous. I was
(02:24):
watching that that press conference like I was in another world,
Like beards are a thing I get not wanting to
have like a Brandon marsh beard on players like fine, whatever,
but like this is not a thing in any other sport,
for any other team in baseball, Like beards are just
are just a fact of life. John, am I going crazy,
Like what is going on with this stupid thing? Unfortunately
(02:49):
I don't have any audio from John who had just joined,
uh and so unfortunately I think John's gonna have to
leave and rejoin. But I don't know, man, I beards
are the beard house. He was always dumb. I think
it's insane that they made Devin Williams shave is very
well maintained beard and then change the policy right after it.
Devin Williams does not look good without a beard. He
(03:11):
look great with a beard. And I don't know, man,
Like I this is this is not a revelation. It
is it is crazy. And so it's not like.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
It's face tattoos or anything like that.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
It's not like it's gang symbols. It's not like a
like whatever, right, like this this is just how normal
people live their lives, and adults get to wear beards sometimes,
and yes, you need to look presentable, but like, beards
are well within the realm of normality in this world.
And I I just don't I don't understand why it
(03:45):
became such a weird thing. I don't know. Just watching
that that press conference, I just feel like we're being
laughed at, like like like the rest of the world
is just laughing at the Yankees, Like what the hell
was this? Thank God it's over. We'll see who I'm
the Yanke. He can grow beard And this is really
the last time I hope that we talk about it. Tim.
Let's move on to talk about some actual baseball. They
(04:08):
played some games. Yankees played three games. You watched the
first game. I watched the first and the second game.
I want to know, do you have any observations coming
out of that. Out of that first game, what stuck
at you?
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Well. I like the fact that both Bellinger and gold
Schmidt had hits in that first game. I think that's
going to be very important. I think, you know, it's
going to be interesting to see how third base develops.
(04:40):
But I'm not really I know some people are worked
up about the fact that Dominguez bungled the ball in
left field today, but that's not uncommon, especially in Florida
and in spring training. It's happens every year. I wouldn't
worry about it. I think will be fine. But mostly
(05:03):
I think I've seen some positive It's very early, but
I've seen some positive signs.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Yeah, you know, I agree. I think I think that
I watched those games and it felt like there was
there there. The team was kind of starting to look
like a baseball team again. I like to read like
I tried to look at the spring training stats because
they always lie, right, Like I think about when Folpi
(05:31):
had that incredible spring training a few years ago. We
can point to lots of spring trainings that were just misleading.
And but what I do look for is I look
for kind of what the team like, the signals the
team is sending. And it was interesting that Jason Domingez
was leading off first game they had. They could have
put Jazz there leading off, they had a right handed
(05:53):
pitcher on the mound and uh, instead they had they
had Domingez. And you know, he he looked good to me, right,
drew a tough walk. Did it looks so great in
Game three when he dropped a ball, But like so far,
it seems like the team kind of has faith in
Domingoes and and and maybe maybe we're gonna see him
(06:13):
leading off early in the season. I think it's definitely
definitely a possibility. John, you've regained us. Is your microphone working?
We're gonna test this again, John, you, Mike, what go
for it? Try? Oh okay, sorry, guys. John is was
going to join us. We're going to talk about spring training,
but we're having audio problems here and so John, unfortunately,
(06:34):
I think I'm gonna have to have have you on
next week. Let me talk about UH, let's talk a
little bit about some other things. Any other individual players
that kind of struck out stuck out to you in
UH in the spring training game.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Not really, I mean we don't. I don't know if
he can get any type of a read this early.
About the backup catcher position. I thought it was interesting
that Ben Rice was doing some catching yesterday and leading off. Yeah,
and I.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Think he could That was a no veterans game, So I.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Think he could be. He could fill a very important role.
He could be the backup first baseman and one or
maybe the only backup catch.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Yeah. I mean we talked how I don't think that
Alex Jackson is like a legitimate option. The guy's a career,
like one to eleven hitter, he'd be you know, even
for a backup catcher, he'd be really really really bad.
And the backup catcher plays a decent amount, and so
you're you're talking about an NL pitcher level of offensive
production there, which is just kind of unacceptable. Even even
even not even KYLEI Ashioka was way way better than that.
(07:47):
And I think it's interesting that that Rice got his
day catching and jac Ascara was catching the first day.
He wasn't just catching, he was batting higher in the lineup.
Then guys that are like would be theoretically higher than
him in the pecking or so. He was higher than Volpie,
he was higher than Parazza, higher than Pereira. All those
guys are like have major league time, and his car
(08:09):
does not. It seems like I would bet on him
being kind of the the the opening day backup catcher
at this point. It looks like he's a good defender.
He got a nice hit today, kind of a hard
roundball down the line. He seems like the guy to me,
And maybe Ben Rice is kind of like has like
a third catcher role. Maybe d H early in the
(08:30):
season stands out, but I think that's the answer. And
I was listening to the broadcast today kind of hype out,
hype up Alex Jackson, and I just don't see it.
I the guy is such a track record of just
not hitting the other.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
The other option is, well, they could do what they
did with Travino a couple of years ago. They could
pick up somebody on the last day of spring training.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Yeah, who was why? Who was going to be the
backup catcher before they picked up Travino? I actually forget right,
wasn't was it was the year after? Or maybe we're
if I get injured. I don't know, but you're right,
like I, I could see them attempt to attempt to
pick somebody up. Austin Well still isn't playing yet, and
(09:13):
it sounds like it's not a big deal, like they're
just kind of starting him a little late so they
can preserve him, you know, you know, preserve him from
after catching so much last year. But it does worry
me a little bit that we're not even sure who
any of our catchers are going to be. So, uh
that that was interesting. I wrote down a few other notes.
(09:34):
You tell me, I'm gonna read these notes down. You
tell me if anything, anything really pops out, is important
to you as something you want to talk about.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Jazz Chisholm played second in two games. He let off
in game three. I thought he looked great in game three,
had two really hard hit balls, one of which went
to the wall for a double. I mean he also
made a really nice play at second in game one
where he was kind of going to his backhand up
the middle, the kind of play that like like Torres
sometimes makes because Toris's range wasn't terrible, but just made
(10:04):
him he just look like a professional second basement back there,
which I think was was was kind of interesting. Gold
made it kind of a tough play. He made like
a classically trained first basement play to get the lead
runner when a ground ball came to him. I thought
that was a play that, you know, a less experienced
first basement not might not make. I think ever since
Prayra looks good. I he was batting ninth and dhing,
(10:26):
so he's still recovering from the like the internal brace
elbow surgery and so he can't play the outfield yet.
But the Yeggs played him in two of the three games,
which I think is telling. And if Stan's gonna be
out like that, Prayer is not a bad pick to
be your to be a d H. He's a right
handed bat, which you know Rice is lefty, and then
that might might not help him very much right now.
(10:48):
And I only looked a little like his swing is
a little different. I was comparing his swing to two
years ago. Just just a little bit of a different swing.
He's standing up a little bit taller. He looked a
little leaner. I'm just another guy who I'm kind of
keeping my eye on.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Uh could be he. I think Perera definitely could be
fill in at the DH role until Stanton comes back.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
I mean, if you think about what Stan gives you,
like Stanton gives you lots of power and not a
lot of contact, right and Pereerra gives you lots of power,
not a lot of contact, and stand's better at it
there right now. Atlea says More has a better track
record even in recent years than than Pereira, who was
just awful in the majors. But there's a world where
like they're very similar players like Pereira ends up being
like a two ninety opp guy who can hit twenty
(11:36):
home twenty five home runs or something, and like Daniel
Adel and more athleticism, you can play the field like
you know, there's there's bonus over Stan, like if stan
Stan can hit enough, but he can't do anything else,
which is why he's a problem, whereas Prera can do
the other stuff. So I've I've been like debating who's
my favorite to be the dah of stands out for
(11:56):
a little bit, and I think Perera is is who
the Yankees signaling right now has the inside track.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Yeah, it would seem that way, although and again maybe
they could do a platoon type situation and work Rice
in there if they need to.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Yeah, I think that'd be good. And that would mean
is the le May who wouldn't be on the roster
right because there's no you can't fit le May on
the roster if you have both Rice and Prayer, I think,
and you already have Grisham as well as an outfielder.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Yeah, and I I don't think that would be the
worst thing in the world.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Yeah, Or if Grisham were to start the season on
the I L which is possible, I think he's playing.
He had he had a hamstring strain and apparently he's
not that bad. But he's not another guy we haven't
seen yet another one. Oswald Caperera. I'm sorry, Oswald Parrazza
bad played third and batted ninth in two games. He
apparently has a new coach, says, you know, he's changed
(12:54):
his swing up, is feeling more confident, comfortable. He's he's
out of options and so he needs to make the
team or be waived. Sounds like he's kind of hungry.
I saw an interview with him, and I just seemed
little more mature than a couple of years. He didn't
seem like he was nervous about being there. I think
it's interesting, maybe I read too much into this, that
is ninth behind some guys who you might expect him
(13:15):
to bat higher than. In both games, particularly Game two.
I think I forget who who was in front of him,
but there was something just like like Alex Jackson was
in front of him, Ellis, I don't even know who
he had, Duke Ellis was in front of him. Ninth
is the position he went bad if he made the team,
and I and so I wonder if that's like Karen
Boone saying like this is your spot, like you're the
(13:36):
third basement batting ninth. I don't think we've seen Oswaldo yet.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Right, No, he played in a game. I believe we played.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
In game one? Was it?
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Yeah? I uh, nothing stuck out to me there. But
like to me, the I think that Parazza is a again.
It feels like it feels like they might be be
signaling Paraza. I actually he didn't play in game one
and he played game two? Is that what happen in here?
Let's see, because I I Cabrera is the one one
guy I've been looking at. Yeah, I don't think he
(14:05):
played yet.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
No, I'm pretty sure he did.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
I mean I'm looking at the box scores here. Did
he play today? And he didn't play today? I don't
think didn't play in game one. And we have a
problem of having an Oswaldo and oswald and a Perera,
who are all different people. I don't think he's played yet.
That is interesting to me. In fact, I haven't seen
(14:29):
him yet. So either he's injured or there's a reason
why Parazza is playing extra games. I mean, maybe Cabrera's
already made the team at least as a bench player.
And so the question mark is Paraza.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Not Yeah, he played third base yesterday?
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Oh, was he on the road game. I guess I
missed it, Oh Cabrera. It's because I didn't watch the
road game.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Three at bats, no hits.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Oh there you go. You're right. Sorry I missed that.
The uh not broadcast road games, So sorry about that.
But uh uh, I just find the Paraza thing a
little bit interesting. I'll add, go for it.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
I think I think you're right. I think that they
like Cabrera in the utility Swiss Army type role, and
they could use him in that, and I think they
would prefer to give third base to somebody else. And
(15:27):
I would definitely think Parazza is ahead of Lemayhew.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Yeah, you know. And I'll add like Paraza is just
more talented than Cabrera. Like Carrera has been a major
league player now and so he's kind of beaked out
a role in the majors that's not very good. Parazza
is a guy who he's still not that old, and
if just a little bit more clicks, he's like a
real starting short stopper, starting player. And you know, Cabrera, like,
(15:58):
I don't know, it's just like I've always been a
little skeptical guy just because he's not that talented. He's
one of those guys who like with like gumption and
hard work, has gotten to where he is, whereas Paraza
I think just has the natural athletic ability, and so
I find it interesting. I wish he had done more, right,
I mean, he hasn't really looked at all. I mean
he hit a couple of week round balls basically, and uh,
(16:22):
and so he still needs to kind of earn a spot.
But spring training, right, you don't, you know, pay attention
to the numbers. You pay attention to with the I
think he did.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Have a pretty good hit the other day, the first day.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
I honestly, I I forget I I remember Pereira. I
I watched a couple of his ad bats and went like,
like good, like he I think he went. He went
down two in Game one and came back into and
took a walk. But uh, again, early spring training stuff.
To me, we're just trying to guess what's going on.
(16:50):
How about this automate ball strikes automatic automatic ball strike system.
Do you do you have any thoughts watching it?
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Really? I mean, you knew it was coming, so I
believe they had The Yankees have had two players challenge it,
and they were both successful.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
I think, yeah, and the Rays had a couple of
unsuccessful challenges. To me, I think the broadcast needs to
be a little bit faster. I bet in the stadium
it's the best fastest and it can get. But there
was a couple of times where there was signaling the
ball strikes and it took a little bit of time
for the broadcast to bring up a graphic. And when
(17:33):
I was in when I saw the Arizona Fall League games,
it was actually faster than what it felt like at
least watching it on TV. And so I wonder if
I wonder if they can speed it up just a
little bit. But I love it like I wanted tomorrow.
They can't implement it today for like collective bargaining reasons,
like they need to wait to think at least forty
(17:53):
five days before pulling the trigger on it, which means
they'll probably do it next year. But like to me,
this just works. It just it just it just makes
so much sense. I I I mean, I wish we
could eliminate umpires entirely, but that that's not really apparently
that that that that would slow the game down quite
a lot. But two challenges. I like that the players
are making the challenges not the managers. We don't have
(18:14):
to wait for the stupid replay room. Right, it's catcher
pitcher and and and practice catcher batter, Right, those are
the two that can make the challenge. There's a good
discussion between on the broadcast today about like what do
you like, like what's the pecking order? Right, Like does
Aaron Judge get to use all the challenges on the team?
You know, are you going to tell Oswald Parazza, like
(18:34):
you better not challenge it because we want to make
sure Aaron Judge has his two challenges late in the game.
I think like that, like that kind of strategy is
going to be actually kind of important to teams and
uh and I like it. I like adding an element
of strategy of the game. And I like also making
the umpires more exact.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Yeah, that that's a good part of it. And I
think that it's gonna be it's coming. I mean it's
not an in place for yet, but it will be.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
So that that was that was the first game. I
think much less happened in this in the second game.
I will say Spencer Jones hit a nice home run.
He took like he had a swing where he clearly
didn't make his best contact going the other way and
the ball still sailed over the wall. That to me
is like that that reminds me of Aaron Judge, right,
like like Spencer Jones. He gets Aaron Judge comparisons, and
(19:28):
they're not fair because Aaron Judge is the best right
hated hit her of all time, or maybe one of
the best. But you get why they're there, right. He
has the physical tools that make Aaron Judge special and
maybe better, Like he's faster than Judge, but Judge was
a miracle, right, Judge was able to solve the swing problems,
and so it's unfair to compare him to Judge, but
(19:49):
you understand why it is. And that home run was
such a judging home run, right, just a fly ball
that would have been a weak flyout for anybody else.
Goes over the goes over the the fence. It's not
even close. That was That tells you the promise of
Spencer Jones, and all he needs to do is just
just make some more contact.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
I think this is a big year for him because
he's probably gonna be in Triple A and if somebody
gets hurt, he could be called up or he you
know he could be traded, so I think one way
or another, he has a pretty good chance of being
on a major league roster by the end of the year.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
I mean, like, I wouldn't shock me for Spencer Jones
to be a full time Yankee player by the time
he hit the playoffs. But just because he's so talented,
it also wouldn't shock me if he bats one eighty
at Triple A because he's had such trouble making contact
in the high miners. You know, he has like the
you think about the when Aaron Judge was just coming up,
and frankly, I remember when he was in the minors.
(20:50):
You look at numbers because you know, you don't have
that many numbers in the minor leaguees like bad batting
average and balls and play, and Judge had like crazy
babbits in the miners because he hit the ball so
hard that like minor league fielders just like couldn't field
the ball, and that persisted into the majors. Like Judge
has has always been very good at at just getting
on base when he hits the ball. He's fast enough
(21:11):
that he doesn't know like John Carlo Stanton's problems that
he's easy to you can play him really far back
and throw him out really easily. And Specer Jones has
a four had a four to zero one Babbitt last year.
Now that's going to go down in the majors. But
he could have a three fifty three to sixty babbet
as a as a major league player, which means if
he if he strikes out like twenty seven percent of
(21:32):
the time, twenty eight percent of the time, which would
be among the highest in the major leagues, he could
still hit two fifty no problem. And then at that
point you're talking about your guy who can hit some
home runs. He could steal some bases, could get to fifty,
play a good defense, like they're the player. The potential
is there. The problem is he hit. He struck out
thirty six percent of the time, which is a lot.
(21:52):
Of course that's at double a right that that was bad,
but maybe it was a mechanical problem that he can
you know that that was fair. You know, he seems
like a guy with a good head on his shoulders.
I'm not a swing mechanics guy. He swing definitely looks long,
but I I don't know Spencer Jones I as as
low as I had been on him. I think you
(22:13):
had been on him. I think everyone on this podcast
has not been a Spencer Jones fan. I get it right,
like I get the ceiling there, and it just none
of us should be surprised if he just kind of
goes crazy at some point, just boom breaks out and
becomes the prospect you always thought he would be the
reason why the Eggs held onto him. Still kind of way,
say they trade him for a bunch of different guys,
(22:36):
but you know that the past has passed and now
he doesn't have a lot of trade values, he might
as well hang on to him.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Yeah, I think so at this point. Besides, you never know.
I mean somebody could get hurt Bellinger. I certainly hope
he doesn't, but he has a you know, he gets
hurt fairly often, so you don't know.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
I mean, Jazz gets hurt. I mean there's a lot
of on this injury risks risks on this team. All right,
So I think I think we can we're done with
the games. We can get to the last big issue.
I saved it for last because we have baseball. I
want to talk about positive things. I know all you're
going to feel about this issue, So Tim the Yankees
have signed Aaron Boone to a two year contract extension
(23:19):
or three year contract extension. Right, so twenty five, twenty six,
twenty seven, what are your thoughts.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Well, I think this couple's in with the Beard policy
because Boone will not shave until they win a World Series.
So he's gonna look like Rip Van Winkle, I.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Mean Brian Cashman joke that he might he met row Beard.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Now, yeah, well, I think that I wish they hadn't
because I firmly believe that they're not going to ever
win a World Series with him as the manager. I
just don't think they will. But the only silver lining
is that, unlike the past, it wasn't a three year extension.
(23:58):
It was a two year extension. So if you know
he in the words of the it's.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
A two year extension, but he had I think. I
think past they extended him after his contract was up,
so it was still three years.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Yeah, but I think that, uh, I think, in the
words of the late great George Steinberg, if he spits
the bit again this year, I don't know. I don't
know if they're just going to keep trotting him out there,
but I'm not thrilled by it. And I also think
(24:34):
it fits in to the whole third base issue because
if le Mayhew was on the roster, there's a good
chance Boone's going to keep playing him no matter what
because he's he's been ringing the bell for him all
during the off season.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Yeah, I think if we if we see we think
about the two or three like problems of Aaron Boom,
I'll be watching for them, right. I mean, number one,
it's your it's preferencing bad veterans, playing veterans too much,
playing players past the point where they're tired, when you have,
(25:11):
you know, a perfectly servable, serviceable replacement player like Oswald Cabrera,
Oswell Cabrera, Oswal Perazza just kind of waiting for you.
I think the second one, or the fundamentals problem, that
the Yankees just didn't pay a lot of attention to
that kind of thing, and that that really that could
have been a personnel issue, or it could have been
(25:32):
a coaching issue, and now it's not. Now the personnel
hypothesis is is gone right, Like they're like the Yankees
have good personnel guys who should be good defenders, good
base runners, good at the fundamental parts of the game,
and and most of the personality problems that they've had
in past years are gone. And then there's like some
of the strategic stuff, Like I I think one's a
(25:53):
better strategic manager. I think that the like like bullpen
usage and stuff is not really his his his big point.
The Yankees can get a little regimented, but they've also
managed to keep guys pretty healthy, so maybe it's working.
I think the to me, the the strategics I have
was more like big picture like batting order, who starts,
(26:14):
you know, like the yank the the Yankees have had
just kind of bad decision making over time, and and
and and and ending up with like substandard things like
lineups for for a long period of time, like batting
for do go fourth for way too long last year.
So I think those are all problems. That said, just
to defend the Yankees, they did go to the World Series,
and like as far as a manage, like a manager's
(26:35):
argument like I brought my team to the World Series
is a pretty good argument, And so I get why
they extended him. They can still fire him, right, Like
that's not that much money in the grand scheme of things,
and and I do think that they would they would
think about that if if they had a really bad year.
That's what I think. Yankees are in a pretty good position.
I think they're gonna have a good year, so maybe
(26:56):
it will all it'll all work out. Apparently Aaron Judge
went to bat for Aaron Boone, which I get a
little worried about Aaron Judge's influence sometimes and I think
that this this might be one of those examples. So
we got boomed back, we got some games. There's some
more games this week, but I think that's that's an episode.
But there's not that much talk about it's still early
(27:17):
early in spring training. We still haven't seen a lot
of the veterans and uh and a week from now
we'll have a whole bunch more games to talk about.
So Tim, thank you so much for joining me. John,
I'm sorry that your microphone count work will have you
on next week. This has been your Bronx Beat podcast.
What do you want of the Bronx Beat Podcast? I
am E. J. Fagan tonight, joined by Tim Cable. Tim,
how are you doing tonight?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I'm fine? How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Tim? I am doing wonderful. We have baseball. We got
to watch some actual baseball games sort of. You know,
they're always fake, they're fake, they're spring training games whatever.
But but I don't know, I love it. I the
beginning of spring training. It feels like it feels like
spring is sprung, New Year started, and and I really
enjoyed it. The Yankees have played three games now we're
(00:50):
recording this on Sunday night. Two of them have been
on TV. One was barely a game and that the
Yankees didn't send anybody, but we had things to talk
about from that game. We have a major policy changed
by the Yankees. We have some other kind of news
about Aaron Boone, and so Tim, let's uh, let's start
with the headline beards. Yankee is gonna have beards. Now.
(01:13):
What was your reaction?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Well, I mean, I think I don't think it's as
big a deal as a lot of people are making
it out to be. And you know, I think it's
it's something that probably should have happened a while ago,
and as long as they're neat and well trimmed, it's
(01:35):
not an issue. I mean, think about it. You can
have a we have a vice president of the United
States has a beard.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I mean, it's this is not okay, John, Thank you
for joining us, John. I think this is the most
I don't know if you guys watched the press conference
of hal and Cashman and and how talking very earnestly
about the beard policy. Like I don't know what world
I am living in where it's even a debate like
is it okay for people to wear beards? Yeah, Like
(02:02):
that's just like this is just normal. This is a
dumb policy from the seventies. It was George Steinbrenner attempting
to like like bring in the Bronx zoo a little bit,
and for whatever reason, it just like became a thing
that we couldn't get rid of, and like it became
like a weird like moral dilemma for how Steinbrenner to
lift it when it's just it's just ridiculous. I was
(02:24):
watching that that press conference like I was in another world,
Like beards are a thing I get not wanting to
have like a Brandon marsh beard on players like fine, whatever,
but like this is not a thing in any other sport,
for any other team in baseball, Like beards are just
are just a fact of life. John, am I going crazy,
Like what is going on with this stupid thing? Unfortunately
(02:49):
I don't have any audio from John who had just joined,
uh and so unfortunately I think John's gonna have to
leave and rejoin. But I don't know, man, I beards
are the beard house. He was always dumb. I think
it's insane that they made Devin Williams shave is very
well maintained beard and then change the policy right after it.
Devin Williams does not look good without a beard. He
(03:11):
look great with a beard. And I don't know, man,
Like I this is this is not a revelation. It
is it is crazy. And so it's not like.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
It's face tattoos or anything like that.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
It's not like it's gang symbols. It's not like a
like whatever, right, like this this is just how normal
people live their lives, and adults get to wear beards sometimes,
and yes, you need to look presentable, but like, beards
are well within the realm of normality in this world.
And I I just don't I don't understand why it
(03:45):
became such a weird thing. I don't know. Just watching
that that press conference, I just feel like we're being
laughed at, like like like the rest of the world
is just laughing at the Yankees, Like what the hell
was this? Thank God it's over. We'll see who I'm
the Yanke. He can grow beard And this is really
the last time I hope that we talk about it. Tim.
Let's move on to talk about some actual baseball. They
(04:08):
played some games. Yankees played three games. You watched the
first game. I watched the first and the second game.
I want to know, do you have any observations coming
out of that. Out of that first game, what stuck
at you?
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Well. I like the fact that both Bellinger and gold
Schmidt had hits in that first game. I think that's
going to be very important. I think, you know, it's
going to be interesting to see how third base develops.
(04:40):
But I'm not really I know some people are worked
up about the fact that Dominguez bungled the ball in
left field today, but that's not uncommon, especially in Florida
and in spring training. It's happens every year. I wouldn't
worry about it. I think will be fine. But mostly
(05:03):
I think I've seen some positive It's very early, but
I've seen some positive signs.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Yeah, you know, I agree. I think I think that
I watched those games and it felt like there was
there there. The team was kind of starting to look
like a baseball team again. I like to read like
I tried to look at the spring training stats because
they always lie, right, Like I think about when Folpi
(05:31):
had that incredible spring training a few years ago. We
can point to lots of spring trainings that were just misleading.
And but what I do look for is I look
for kind of what the team like, the signals the
team is sending. And it was interesting that Jason Domingez
was leading off first game they had. They could have
put Jazz there leading off, they had a right handed
(05:53):
pitcher on the mound and uh, instead they had they
had Domingez. And you know, he he looked good to me, right,
drew a tough walk. Did it looks so great in
Game three when he dropped a ball, But like so far,
it seems like the team kind of has faith in
Domingoes and and and maybe maybe we're gonna see him
(06:13):
leading off early in the season. I think it's definitely
definitely a possibility. John, you've regained us. Is your microphone working?
We're gonna test this again, John, you, Mike, what go
for it? Try? Oh okay, sorry, guys. John is was
going to join us. We're going to talk about spring training,
but we're having audio problems here and so John, unfortunately,
(06:34):
I think I'm gonna have to have have you on
next week. Let me talk about UH, let's talk a
little bit about some other things. Any other individual players
that kind of struck out stuck out to you in
UH in the spring training game.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Not really, I mean we don't. I don't know if
he can get any type of a read this early.
About the backup catcher position. I thought it was interesting
that Ben Rice was doing some catching yesterday and leading off. Yeah,
and I.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Think he could That was a no veterans game, So I.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Think he could be. He could fill a very important role.
He could be the backup first baseman and one or
maybe the only backup catch.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Yeah. I mean we talked how I don't think that
Alex Jackson is like a legitimate option. The guy's a career,
like one to eleven hitter, he'd be you know, even
for a backup catcher, he'd be really really really bad.
And the backup catcher plays a decent amount, and so
you're you're talking about an NL pitcher level of offensive
production there, which is just kind of unacceptable. Even even
even not even KYLEI Ashioka was way way better than that.
(07:47):
And I think it's interesting that that Rice got his
day catching and jac Ascara was catching the first day.
He wasn't just catching, he was batting higher in the lineup.
Then guys that are like would be theoretically higher than
him in the pecking or so. He was higher than Volpie,
he was higher than Parazza, higher than Pereira. All those
guys are like have major league time, and his car
(08:09):
does not. It seems like I would bet on him
being kind of the the the opening day backup catcher
at this point. It looks like he's a good defender.
He got a nice hit today, kind of a hard
roundball down the line. He seems like the guy to me,
And maybe Ben Rice is kind of like has like
a third catcher role. Maybe d H early in the
(08:30):
season stands out, but I think that's the answer. And
I was listening to the broadcast today kind of hype out,
hype up Alex Jackson, and I just don't see it.
I the guy is such a track record of just
not hitting the other.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
The other option is, well, they could do what they
did with Travino a couple of years ago. They could
pick up somebody on the last day of spring training.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Yeah, who was why? Who was going to be the
backup catcher before they picked up Travino? I actually forget right,
wasn't was it was the year after? Or maybe we're
if I get injured. I don't know, but you're right,
like I, I could see them attempt to attempt to
pick somebody up. Austin Well still isn't playing yet, and
(09:13):
it sounds like it's not a big deal, like they're
just kind of starting him a little late so they
can preserve him, you know, you know, preserve him from
after catching so much last year. But it does worry
me a little bit that we're not even sure who
any of our catchers are going to be. So, uh
that that was interesting. I wrote down a few other notes.
(09:34):
You tell me, I'm gonna read these notes down. You
tell me if anything, anything really pops out, is important
to you as something you want to talk about.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Jazz Chisholm played second in two games. He let off
in game three. I thought he looked great in game three,
had two really hard hit balls, one of which went
to the wall for a double. I mean he also
made a really nice play at second in game one
where he was kind of going to his backhand up
the middle, the kind of play that like like Torres
sometimes makes because Toris's range wasn't terrible, but just made
(10:04):
him he just look like a professional second basement back there,
which I think was was was kind of interesting. Gold
made it kind of a tough play. He made like
a classically trained first basement play to get the lead
runner when a ground ball came to him. I thought
that was a play that, you know, a less experienced
first basement not might not make. I think ever since
Prayra looks good. I he was batting ninth and dhing,
(10:26):
so he's still recovering from the like the internal brace
elbow surgery and so he can't play the outfield yet.
But the Yeggs played him in two of the three games,
which I think is telling. And if Stan's gonna be
out like that, Prayer is not a bad pick to
be your to be a d H. He's a right
handed bat, which you know Rice is lefty, and then
that might might not help him very much right now.
(10:48):
And I only looked a little like his swing is
a little different. I was comparing his swing to two
years ago. Just just a little bit of a different swing.
He's standing up a little bit taller. He looked a
little leaner. I'm just another guy who I'm kind of
keeping my eye on.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Uh could be he. I think Perera definitely could be
fill in at the DH role until Stanton comes back.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
I mean, if you think about what Stan gives you,
like Stanton gives you lots of power and not a
lot of contact, right and Pereerra gives you lots of power,
not a lot of contact, and stand's better at it
there right now. Atlea says More has a better track
record even in recent years than than Pereira, who was
just awful in the majors. But there's a world where
like they're very similar players like Pereira ends up being
like a two ninety opp guy who can hit twenty
(11:36):
home twenty five home runs or something, and like Daniel
Adel and more athleticism, you can play the field like
you know, there's there's bonus over Stan, like if stan
Stan can hit enough, but he can't do anything else,
which is why he's a problem, whereas Prera can do
the other stuff. So I've I've been like debating who's
my favorite to be the dah of stands out for
(11:56):
a little bit, and I think Perera is is who
the Yankees signaling right now has the inside track.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Yeah, it would seem that way, although and again maybe
they could do a platoon type situation and work Rice
in there if they need to.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Yeah, I think that'd be good. And that would mean
is the le May who wouldn't be on the roster
right because there's no you can't fit le May on
the roster if you have both Rice and Prayer, I think,
and you already have Grisham as well as an outfielder.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Yeah, and I I don't think that would be the
worst thing in the world.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Yeah, Or if Grisham were to start the season on
the I L which is possible, I think he's playing.
He had he had a hamstring strain and apparently he's
not that bad. But he's not another guy we haven't
seen yet another one. Oswald Caperera. I'm sorry, Oswald Parrazza
bad played third and batted ninth in two games. He
apparently has a new coach, says, you know, he's changed
(12:54):
his swing up, is feeling more confident, comfortable. He's he's
out of options and so he needs to make the
team or be waived. Sounds like he's kind of hungry.
I saw an interview with him, and I just seemed
little more mature than a couple of years. He didn't
seem like he was nervous about being there. I think
it's interesting, maybe I read too much into this, that
is ninth behind some guys who you might expect him
(13:15):
to bat higher than. In both games, particularly Game two.
I think I forget who who was in front of him,
but there was something just like like Alex Jackson was
in front of him, Ellis, I don't even know who
he had, Duke Ellis was in front of him. Ninth
is the position he went bad if he made the team,
and I and so I wonder if that's like Karen
Boone saying like this is your spot, like you're the
(13:36):
third basement batting ninth. I don't think we've seen Oswaldo yet.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Right, No, he played in a game. I believe we played.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
In game one? Was it?
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Yeah? I uh, nothing stuck out to me there. But
like to me, the I think that Parazza is a again.
It feels like it feels like they might be be
signaling Paraza. I actually he didn't play in game one
and he played game two? Is that what happen in here?
Let's see, because I I Cabrera is the one one
guy I've been looking at. Yeah, I don't think he
(14:05):
played yet.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
No, I'm pretty sure he did.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
I mean I'm looking at the box scores here. Did
he play today? And he didn't play today? I don't
think didn't play in game one. And we have a
problem of having an Oswaldo and oswald and a Perera,
who are all different people. I don't think he's played yet.
That is interesting to me. In fact, I haven't seen
(14:29):
him yet. So either he's injured or there's a reason
why Parazza is playing extra games. I mean, maybe Cabrera's
already made the team at least as a bench player.
And so the question mark is Paraza.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Not Yeah, he played third base yesterday?
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Oh, was he on the road game. I guess I
missed it, Oh Cabrera. It's because I didn't watch the
road game.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Three at bats, no hits.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Oh there you go. You're right. Sorry I missed that.
The uh not broadcast road games, So sorry about that.
But uh uh, I just find the Paraza thing a
little bit interesting. I'll add, go for it.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
I think I think you're right. I think that they
like Cabrera in the utility Swiss Army type role, and
they could use him in that, and I think they
would prefer to give third base to somebody else. And
(15:27):
I would definitely think Parazza is ahead of Lemayhew.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Yeah, you know. And I'll add like Paraza is just
more talented than Cabrera. Like Carrera has been a major
league player now and so he's kind of beaked out
a role in the majors that's not very good. Parazza
is a guy who he's still not that old, and
if just a little bit more clicks, he's like a
real starting short stopper, starting player. And you know, Cabrera, like,
(15:58):
I don't know, it's just like I've always been a
little skeptical guy just because he's not that talented. He's
one of those guys who like with like gumption and
hard work, has gotten to where he is, whereas Paraza
I think just has the natural athletic ability, and so
I find it interesting. I wish he had done more, right,
I mean, he hasn't really looked at all. I mean
he hit a couple of week round balls basically, and uh,
(16:22):
and so he still needs to kind of earn a spot.
But spring training, right, you don't, you know, pay attention
to the numbers. You pay attention to with the I
think he did.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Have a pretty good hit the other day, the first day.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
I honestly, I I forget I I remember Pereira. I
I watched a couple of his ad bats and went like,
like good, like he I think he went. He went
down two in Game one and came back into and
took a walk. But uh, again, early spring training stuff.
To me, we're just trying to guess what's going on.
(16:50):
How about this automate ball strikes automatic automatic ball strike system.
Do you do you have any thoughts watching it?
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Really? I mean, you knew it was coming, so I
believe they had The Yankees have had two players challenge it,
and they were both successful.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
I think, yeah, and the Rays had a couple of
unsuccessful challenges. To me, I think the broadcast needs to
be a little bit faster. I bet in the stadium
it's the best fastest and it can get. But there
was a couple of times where there was signaling the
ball strikes and it took a little bit of time
for the broadcast to bring up a graphic. And when
(17:33):
I was in when I saw the Arizona Fall League games,
it was actually faster than what it felt like at
least watching it on TV. And so I wonder if
I wonder if they can speed it up just a
little bit. But I love it like I wanted tomorrow.
They can't implement it today for like collective bargaining reasons,
like they need to wait to think at least forty
(17:53):
five days before pulling the trigger on it, which means
they'll probably do it next year. But like to me,
this just works. It just it just it just makes
so much sense. I I I mean, I wish we
could eliminate umpires entirely, but that that's not really apparently
that that that that would slow the game down quite
a lot. But two challenges. I like that the players
are making the challenges not the managers. We don't have
(18:14):
to wait for the stupid replay room. Right, it's catcher
pitcher and and and practice catcher batter, Right, those are
the two that can make the challenge. There's a good
discussion between on the broadcast today about like what do
you like, like what's the pecking order? Right, Like does
Aaron Judge get to use all the challenges on the team?
You know, are you going to tell Oswald Parazza, like
(18:34):
you better not challenge it because we want to make
sure Aaron Judge has his two challenges late in the game.
I think like that, like that kind of strategy is
going to be actually kind of important to teams and
uh and I like it. I like adding an element
of strategy of the game. And I like also making
the umpires more exact.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Yeah, that that's a good part of it. And I
think that it's gonna be it's coming. I mean it's
not an in place for yet, but it will be.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
So that that was that was the first game. I
think much less happened in this in the second game.
I will say Spencer Jones hit a nice home run.
He took like he had a swing where he clearly
didn't make his best contact going the other way and
the ball still sailed over the wall. That to me
is like that that reminds me of Aaron Judge, right,
like like Spencer Jones. He gets Aaron Judge comparisons, and
(19:28):
they're not fair because Aaron Judge is the best right
hated hit her of all time, or maybe one of
the best. But you get why they're there, right. He
has the physical tools that make Aaron Judge special and
maybe better, Like he's faster than Judge, but Judge was
a miracle, right, Judge was able to solve the swing problems,
and so it's unfair to compare him to Judge, but
(19:49):
you understand why it is. And that home run was
such a judging home run, right, just a fly ball
that would have been a weak flyout for anybody else.
Goes over the goes over the the fence. It's not
even close. That was That tells you the promise of
Spencer Jones, and all he needs to do is just
just make some more contact.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
I think this is a big year for him because
he's probably gonna be in Triple A and if somebody
gets hurt, he could be called up or he you
know he could be traded, so I think one way
or another, he has a pretty good chance of being
on a major league roster by the end of the year.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
I mean, like, I wouldn't shock me for Spencer Jones
to be a full time Yankee player by the time
he hit the playoffs. But just because he's so talented,
it also wouldn't shock me if he bats one eighty
at Triple A because he's had such trouble making contact
in the high miners. You know, he has like the
you think about the when Aaron Judge was just coming up,
and frankly, I remember when he was in the minors.
(20:50):
You look at numbers because you know, you don't have
that many numbers in the minor leaguees like bad batting
average and balls and play, and Judge had like crazy
babbits in the miners because he hit the ball so
hard that like minor league fielders just like couldn't field
the ball, and that persisted into the majors. Like Judge
has has always been very good at at just getting
on base when he hits the ball. He's fast enough
(21:11):
that he doesn't know like John Carlo Stanton's problems that
he's easy to you can play him really far back
and throw him out really easily. And Specer Jones has
a four had a four to zero one Babbitt last year.
Now that's going to go down in the majors. But
he could have a three fifty three to sixty babbet
as a as a major league player, which means if
he if he strikes out like twenty seven percent of
(21:32):
the time, twenty eight percent of the time, which would
be among the highest in the major leagues, he could
still hit two fifty no problem. And then at that
point you're talking about your guy who can hit some
home runs. He could steal some bases, could get to fifty,
play a good defense, like they're the player. The potential
is there. The problem is he hit. He struck out
thirty six percent of the time, which is a lot.
(21:52):
Of course that's at double a right that that was bad,
but maybe it was a mechanical problem that he can
you know that that was fair. You know, he seems
like a guy with a good head on his shoulders.
I'm not a swing mechanics guy. He swing definitely looks long,
but I I don't know Spencer Jones I as as
low as I had been on him. I think you
(22:13):
had been on him. I think everyone on this podcast
has not been a Spencer Jones fan. I get it right,
like I get the ceiling there, and it just none
of us should be surprised if he just kind of
goes crazy at some point, just boom breaks out and
becomes the prospect you always thought he would be the
reason why the Eggs held onto him. Still kind of way,
say they trade him for a bunch of different guys,
(22:36):
but you know that the past has passed and now
he doesn't have a lot of trade values, he might
as well hang on to him.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Yeah, I think so at this point. Besides, you never know.
I mean somebody could get hurt Bellinger. I certainly hope
he doesn't, but he has a you know, he gets
hurt fairly often, so you don't know.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
I mean, Jazz gets hurt. I mean there's a lot
of on this injury risks risks on this team. All right,
So I think I think we can we're done with
the games. We can get to the last big issue.
I saved it for last because we have baseball. I
want to talk about positive things. I know all you're
going to feel about this issue, So Tim the Yankees
have signed Aaron Boone to a two year contract extension
(23:19):
or three year contract extension. Right, so twenty five, twenty six,
twenty seven, what are your thoughts.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Well, I think this couple's in with the Beard policy
because Boone will not shave until they win a World Series.
So he's gonna look like Rip Van Winkle, I.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Mean Brian Cashman joke that he might he met row Beard.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Now, yeah, well, I think that I wish they hadn't
because I firmly believe that they're not going to ever
win a World Series with him as the manager. I
just don't think they will. But the only silver lining
is that, unlike the past, it wasn't a three year extension.
(23:58):
It was a two year extension. So if you know
he in the words of the it's.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
A two year extension, but he had I think. I
think past they extended him after his contract was up,
so it was still three years.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Yeah, but I think that, uh, I think, in the
words of the late great George Steinberg, if he spits
the bit again this year, I don't know. I don't
know if they're just going to keep trotting him out there,
but I'm not thrilled by it. And I also think
(24:34):
it fits in to the whole third base issue because
if le Mayhew was on the roster, there's a good
chance Boone's going to keep playing him no matter what
because he's he's been ringing the bell for him all
during the off season.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Yeah, I think if we if we see we think
about the two or three like problems of Aaron Boom,
I'll be watching for them, right. I mean, number one,
it's your it's preferencing bad veterans, playing veterans too much,
playing players past the point where they're tired, when you have,
(25:11):
you know, a perfectly servable, serviceable replacement player like Oswald Cabrera,
Oswell Cabrera, Oswal Perazza just kind of waiting for you.
I think the second one, or the fundamentals problem, that
the Yankees just didn't pay a lot of attention to
that kind of thing, and that that really that could
have been a personnel issue, or it could have been
(25:32):
a coaching issue, and now it's not. Now the personnel
hypothesis is is gone right, Like they're like the Yankees
have good personnel guys who should be good defenders, good
base runners, good at the fundamental parts of the game,
and and most of the personality problems that they've had
in past years are gone. And then there's like some
of the strategic stuff, Like I I think one's a
(25:53):
better strategic manager. I think that the like like bullpen
usage and stuff is not really his his his big point.
The Yankees can get a little regimented, but they've also
managed to keep guys pretty healthy, so maybe it's working.
I think the to me, the the strategics I have
was more like big picture like batting order, who starts,
(26:14):
you know, like the yank the the Yankees have had
just kind of bad decision making over time, and and
and and and ending up with like substandard things like
lineups for for a long period of time, like batting
for do go fourth for way too long last year.
So I think those are all problems. That said, just
to defend the Yankees, they did go to the World Series,
and like as far as a manage, like a manager's
(26:35):
argument like I brought my team to the World Series
is a pretty good argument, And so I get why
they extended him. They can still fire him, right, Like
that's not that much money in the grand scheme of things,
and and I do think that they would they would
think about that if if they had a really bad year.
That's what I think. Yankees are in a pretty good position.
I think they're gonna have a good year, so maybe
(26:56):
it will all it'll all work out. Apparently Aaron Judge
went to bat for Aaron Boone, which I get a
little worried about Aaron Judge's influence sometimes and I think
that this this might be one of those examples. So
we got boomed back, we got some games. There's some
more games this week, but I think that's that's an episode.
But there's not that much talk about it's still early
(27:17):
early in spring training. We still haven't seen a lot
of the veterans and uh and a week from now
we'll have a whole bunch more games to talk about.
So Tim, thank you so much for joining me. John,
I'm sorry that your microphone count work will have you
on next week. This has been your Bronx Beat podcast.
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