Aaron Boone Explains What the Yankees Offense Needs to Break Out | 898

Today is April 25th the Yankees are losing more than they're winning it feels like I don't know if that's true But I think there's some stretch that you can make up of not good. Anyway, we're gonna talk all about it. Let's do it Let's talk Yanks Hello and welcome to talking Yanks brought to you by seat geek use code Yanks over there And yeah, I was I just did the math on it Jake They are four and three in their last seven games and two of those wins came on walk-offs The offense has been not right. We're gonna do sharp stats. We're gonna talk to manager Aaron Boone Have ourselves a show. How are you doing over there? I'm good. I'm good. Yeah I think if you extrapolate it to the last 11, they're five and six. So we've been watching a Slightly below 500 baseball team for the past week and a half now and the worst part about a gym and you know It's I think it's easy to say because if you're five and six or five actually no Because the offense is anemic. Yeah, and you know, I don't like to extend my vocabulary So, you know what? I was gonna say it in the intro and then I Didn't because it just feels like a word only said about bad offense I think that's like the only time I use that word and low iron me my mother and my sister we've each had times where we've had low iron and they're like you're anemic and Fibber, I'm like, I don't know. It's like what that means amphibious Jeff Nelson. He is he goes for it in the booth I'll tell you that much. I like it. I mean Yankee fans gonna like it straight-up Smoltz hates the Yankees Brooke was like, come on. Don't say that you're like every fan. He's like, well, okay. Yeah Smoltz is a good guy he does hate the Yankees it cracks me up cuz he and good for him, you know, he's got his Limited games in the booth so he goes for it when he's there and you know If there's a 2-2 pitch that's on the corner and a Yankee hitter strikes out He goes, well, that's off the plate. And then if a Yankee pitcher gets a call, he goes and he that's perfect pitch I almost so funny. I don't know if he was doing this himself He might have or the producers in his ear towards the end of the game It almost felt like they were like Nelly throw some compliments out like let people know it's gonna be okay Because at the end of the game he started saying, you know With it with three they're fully tapped depth and blah blah blah and they're you know had it lost a series and pretty good off like and I agree with him, but I mean even Volpe at one point like Rucco said something nice and he goes yeah hasn't done anything with the bat, but defense has been good Yeah, they need the yes needs someone like that on air it's a homer for the fans, right? right, and he's Pandering but the fans like yeah, it's it's big pandering and hey if that's I think it's just funny that he's I think He's figured out like if he wants that to be his lane in like that'll be his lane Like if instead of just doing a dance or giving more hot takes he's like, I'm gonna lean into it Hey, it's working for those talking Yanks guys be a fan honest as it can be Oh, I forgot to mention that this episodes brought to you by SeatGeek, but it's really brought to you by SeatGeek They got the code Yanks for $20 off your first purchase at SeatGeek $20 off your first purchase promo code Yanks Click the link in the description to download the app or the website I use the app there are more than 70,000 events every single day on SeatGeek including sports concerts festivals and more Yanks are away right now. So if you're a you know, non Regional local fan go to an away game fly out to Texas this weekend. Why not Rangers are playing? Well, what are you doing? Also, the coal company is having a race to a hundred K subscribers on YouTube and talking Yanks isn't even on the leaderboard So if you could help us bump up if you enjoy the show if you find yourself watching regularly And you want to subscribe that would be helpful to us. We appreciate that. We we haven't done too much looking ahead in the schedule Subscribe go to SeatGeek and yeah fly down to Texas this weekend and watch the Yankees take on teeny Hmm Grom nice Evaldi So of all these had our number to Grom's the best pitcher ever and he's gonna join the sunny gray gallo Yeah bandwagon. So and the Rangers are really good there in first place. Yeah Yeah, holy cabasa Should we get right in the sharp stats? I think we get into the sharp stats because I think it's basically about the topic every Yankee fan wants to talk about it What that lineups doing or not doing Boeing? Boeing with the sound effects I got sound effects. Hey guys It's the Queen of Stats and I really wanted to have something positive to talk about this week Unfortunately, the Yankees offense is just awful right now. So we gotta talk about that So just on a high level they scored just 93 runs through their first 22 games and taking this on On Monday before their twins games I have one and that is the third fewest runs by Yankee team through 22 games in the wildcard era It's only 2021 in 2016. Did they score fewer runs? through 22 games and in their last 10 games has been pretty awful 32 runs over the last 10 games on that homestand and Since April 13th, that's the start of the homestand to be 10 games Over in the major leagues, they have the worst batting average and the fifth worst OPS in that time frame since April 13th So it's just been horrible recently and two other things. I want to talk about First is lineup and balance. So if you look at the top four Batting order the one two, three four in the batting order They have the fifth best weighted runs created plus in MLB this season the top four guys Look at the bottom five in the batting order. They have the third worst what runs created plus ahead of only the Rockies and the Royals and that's in that's in a an offensive staff that you can find on stand graphs on a way to go and create it plus and The next the last thing I want to talk about is what I've talked to you guys about this before black hole in the lineup And this is basically just players that are performing way below league average So what I did is I looked at OPS plus which is OPS adjusted for league average and a hundred is league average and anything below that below by the same percentage point so I looked at players on each team with at least 25 plate appearances and An OPS plus below 60. So they're 40% worse than league average Yankees have five of those players and that's tied with the Reds the Marlins and the Royals for the Major League Baseball the five players with at least 25 plate appearances and an OPS plus below 60 And then I looked at position. So just like how is each position performing? They have five positions with an OPS plus below 75 And that's the second most in MLB behind only the Tigers who have six. So there you go We all know it the Yankees have a serious offensive problem right now that needs to be fixed Whoa Just putting numbers and actual stats to what we all are feeling and and know is Yeah, the top of lineup a judge is going through skid right now, but he was on fire Glaber was doing really well at the top for a little bit Volpe had a good week when he was batting leadoff Rizzo's having a good season and then it's just nothing and I Guess the question is Jake and I think I know somewhat of the answer There's only one way out These guys start playing better. Oh Yes, and no Yes, and no, I because I mean Let me start here here in Katy Sharpe say black hole again and referencing that 21 team I think made all the Yankee fans shudder a little bit because I saw a lot of 21 Yankees Tweets last night I I Sneaky love looking at the positions in the lineup because there was that one year Maybe it was 21 that like the six hole was just like you were done in the batting Yeah, if you were a Yankee hitter and right now again early in the season Yankees seven hole hitters this year 133 batting average of 172 on base of 377 OPS The ninth hole isn't far off from that So, I don't know It's it's funny to look at that positionally and we've been in the seven hole a lot Cabrera I think as Waldo's been hopping around there Cabrera nine times the Cordero Keiner for each little juggle, so It's funny to look at it that way and yeah, the second half of the lineup Has been bad has been bad. So when you say the players I guess the concern and problem for me is I don't believe in a lot of the players that will be in that part of the lineup by You know Franchi Cordero. He ran into a couple fastballs and that was nice I don't know how much I can believe in Franchi Cordero with yeah, I wasn't including the rest of his resume Willie Calhoun You know Hicks like These are guys that are playing. I'm not talking about the bench though Like, you know these but there's two starters last night, there's no one else to call up That would you sometimes be an answer here Cole Calhoun? That that you believe will be like change like and there's not a lot of trade out there So the only way is Bader stand come back and then the rest of the guys who are there Volpe Barraza IKF that are gonna be on this team for the whole year start hitting Donaldson, yeah, uh, you know, I I guess I'd love to see Peraza get more run like like we've said, you know There's there's hope in those at bats or feels like there's hope and if he gets on their speed Not that he's been a world beater so far this season I guess Jim there's it goes back to what I've been kind of saying from the start is that you know when when you go into the season with a bench, you don't love and you've been a team that has a history of Getting hurt Every season that now we're tapped into our bench that now we're tapped into a secondary bench that I think we're saying the same thing But I'm saying where's your hope? It's in new players. It's in giving Cole Calhoun a chance It's calling up a chaparro and seeing what they have in their back because that might help for a stretch But that's not gonna be a deep playoff. Oh, no, but I mean, you know, you can't replace it in Carlos Stan and April so I'm saying that he comes back at the end of the year Donaldson, right? But I got to do something before then right so I'd rather give guys a shot I mean look what Matt Carpenter did for the team last year I'm not saying I don't want to put that on a Cole Calhoun, but I'll tell you Cole Calhoun the next carpenter Cole Calhoun's had a lot of really good major league seasons I know his past couple years haven't been good, but you talk about a lefty swing I mean, I want them to bring him up and just why not there's no harm in it But I don't think he's the Win the division hope like if to get this team back to win the division. It's these it's mostly these guys Bader Stan Bader should be back soon. The Donaldson thing is a complete wild card and like right now Donaldson peraza in my head You know are a coin flip as of now and that might surprise people but you know, I haven't seen peraza do it I haven't seen Donaldson really do it I guess in previous years he did But at least there was there's always like a semblance of a threat or that wish that Donaldson can tap into a career of baseball that he's had For peraza, it's being a young player a top 40 prospect that you know, he could get hot that yeah, man. I just think How how many episodes have we talked about Aaron Hicks being in a bad spot over the past week over the past year? That I'm sorry, like I just I don't think it's gonna click for Hicks at this point No, Willie Calhoun like hey, you know if if Willie Calhoun if you want him to be your Matt Carpenter Well, you'd have to roll him out at DH every day and you don't believe in him enough to do that you know Franchi at it's been a tough couple weeks offensively and defensively that like You know at a certain point how attached are you to these guys in the organization By the way, fangraph says Franchi has an option that if you can send him down I don't know but I believe that is a choice. They Have he signed that it was a weird two-way deal So you're getting Harrison Bader back who you know, he can get hot and for periods time But he's out there to play at least really good defense and maybe you put judge in right field your defense now gets better at Two spots maybe judges a little fresher because he's not playing center field But yeah, I mean Stanton's not gonna be back for a little while We I'm interested to get a Donaldson update because he was doing one rehab game and now he's hurt worse than ever From there. Let's give a Cole Calhoun a shot. Let's give a chaparro a shot Like let's let's try something and then you know when it's the middle of May or we're approaching June and hopefully we we know A better Stanton timeline, you know, I've the other name I think I saw Dan Rourke throw it around first was an Edwin Ed Carnation type trade like, you know find Find a middling or lesser team That you know take you're gonna have to take some shots on guys because an an Ian Hap Might not be available at the deadline Brian Reynolds I mean they supposedly had an extension and the Pittsburgh Pirates have like the second best record in baseball So, I don't know who's gonna be available come the deadline. Here's what I do know. The Rays are rolling Baltimore is rolling The Blue Jays are really good And well the Sox can hit they've kind of got the opposite problem of the Yankees So, I don't know you've you've got to try something because I guess Do you think? Hicks IKF Franchi or Willie Calhoun, we're gonna be sitting here in the middle of May saying like ooh it clicked for them No, but I don't think they're gonna matter in the middle of the way. I think the only way this team becomes a Division winning team is The players they have now click. I don't think there's any magical trade that helps them And I think that's probably what the ancient thing I want them to make trades to help on the margins But the fact of the matter is if Bader doesn't have a plus offensive season and come back it's done if Stan doesn't come back for the last two months and be ready for the playoffs if Volpe Paraza as well to one of them Finds it out offensively Even with the trade for an Edwin or a carpenter type All that still needs to happen, right? I mean you said I mean the core best parts of the team need to be good Yeah, absolutely. The problem is they've been pretty good. That's what Katie Sharp was saying. No, no I mean I've Rizzo judge have been good Rizzo judge DJ and even labor season Yes, I think those guys will be good the other half like they They have to start performing Right. So I mean you put Volpe in that I'm rather hopeless unless these players Yeah, I think that's not I don't even think that's a conversation like those guys have to be good for the Yankees to be good Well, I think that's gonna defer deter them from making moves Like you're saying like you're wanting because they're like, well if these guys can't do it, there's no need right? But the whole that whole sharps that topic is how bad the second half of the lineup is and we can address them By trying different things Yeah, I mean I think with with a lot of guys who have been the ire of Yankee fans You know existence for you know Couple of them for a year or two a couple of them like we have zero heartstrings to if Willie Calhoun and I but I Mean Calhoun is not starting. I mean he he's out. He's he's not a problem. He played one game of the last five right Ranch it and it going back to something you've been driving home that our bench is bringing nothing like let's try other things Well, we're so but that was when we were winning It was like hey, let's fix this bench like they need to fix the starters, right? And and it's not with the bench. So we gotta go somewhere else Yeah, I just don't I just I don't see that helping in the long run I think it can help Temporarily and it can help the core of that lineup because going back to the whole black hole theory if you know And you're a starting pitcher and you're Sonny Gray and that DJ lemay you five spot is in the lineup You can dance with him because if he gets on, you know, six seven eight nine aren't gonna give you a problem like it if you don't have anything in that second half of the lineup if Cole Calhoun's on a nice 10 game bender if as Waldo gets hot like You know and and I do think some of these things are gonna happen like as as Waldo Cabrera when he got called up last Year, he had an awful first 21 games in the major leagues worse than he's been playing now for the next 22 He went off. So like, you know, are you gonna need young guys to click? Yes, and can I think Volpe can play better? Absolutely. Can I think as Waldo can play better? Yes, I think peraza Yes, so we want the young guys They're not all gonna click at the same time that you need a little extra sauce and it goes back to rewarding good play and Not rewarding bad play and we've got you know, that was Hicks's first start in a week and that was pretty tough to watch Yeah, I mean I agree I I agree. I think I just don't know if it's worth it Like I agree with changing Hicks out obviously and the whole bench obviously, but that doesn't change that doesn't make the team go from fourth place the first place They need it can keep them in the race if they raise keep going and the way the Yankees are gonna think about it Is we need this group to get us to where we need to go. So we're not gonna Sit them like I think they're gonna ride Volpe Cabrera They're gonna keep peraza in the mix Well down sir, because they're winning formula is those guys doing well, and we've seen them do this so many times Right, but I think the divisions change they got up Yankees also got off to an incredible start last year They were 28 and 9. Yeah magical start 28 and 9 through May 18th. They just got their 10th loss last night And man every year There's other you need your core good guys to be good. I mean, yes, I Mom, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying they need the rookies to be good if Volpe doesn't turn it on if One of the three doesn't turn it on and if Bader doesn't hit better than his league average There's not much this team was just constructed Yeah, I you just got to give other guys a chance. You you got to look for some Matt Carpenter's You got to look for Mabin's talkman's like those those guys cycling through the team every year You know Luke Voight being the 2020 home run chant Like you need guys that can you need other guys to help those guys to get you through a long baseball season? Yeah, I would love to find one of those guys. I don't know if they're out there. They're not currently on the team So why don't we give other guys a look they should? Calhoun Cordero Hicks shouldn't not get another start But they like have to right now, yeah, but they can bring up other people I fully agree with that I just think To get excited about a winning the division first place team So much of what you already have needs to change Really pick it up, right? But I think if that second if that second half of the lineup is a complete hole It makes it so much harder for that top half to go Agree, but the catchers are gonna be there Volpe's gonna be there when he slides back those positions need to go Trevino was an all-star last year like that really helped like Lot of things does Volpe gonna slide back. Oh I don't know. I mean, I mean is he has to at some point. He's not playing well at all his numbers the last 11 games he has 795 OPS like I think he's Running the right. I don't think I can afford to and they him being up there being Not one of the biggest problems Gives them five guys in the lineup. You guys don't think Volpe's a problem right now. I don't know at all It sounds like you guys I think he needs to be better Eventually, but we knew this year was gonna be we just have to be patient with Volpe Then he is the shortstop and he's been sure patient. He's been fine the last However, you slide up Well, I think when Bader comes back they might They can they you can try him in different tries Well, they can try DJ back up there if Donaldson comes back which they might do. I Don't really love that. I'd love I'd love for Volpe to start hitting but I mean, he's not I I would say in ten of the last well, I would say like you're saying like they believe in Volpe I I think they're gonna use this opportunity to keep him up top and wait for him to click Like I think now that that band-aids off. I think he's like up there He needs to go they all do yeah, but wait, he's a mainstay like if he's getting lead off reps, I Want patience I had patience with him in the nine hole and I hit all he's in though Is he batting lead off my patience now cuz cut in half? We get to me still in the one hole and he hasn't fully gone. I'm with you should be at the bottom I think that's where the whole circle links in where if say a Cole Calhoun Came up and he's having a hot he's having a hot two weeks Then you move it over you can move DJ up to lead off again. You can slip Volpe to nine You can have Cole Calhoun that five or six for a week or two and you that's where the whole chain This Aaron Boone interview is brought to you by Vizio Vizio. They have award-winning TVs and soundbars You're probably more familiar with the TVs They got the sound bars to 4k screens under $500 and catch baseball all year long with your Vizio TV if you've got an MLB TV Subscription link it to your Amazon Prime account then stream live games on Amazon Prime video app Vizio Has always been the MVP of value premium performance and surprisingly low prices So head over to Vizio comm check out how you can elevate your viewing experience all season long And whatever your budget or size your home Vizio has you covered go check out the link in the description and take care of your AV and TV set up a V a V audio Good morning morning morning Booney joining us from Minnesota cold, Minnesota. It's nice and sunny here So that sucks for you, but it's nice here Little bit of a slide Boone what's going on? First question What's the temperature of the room? Still April or a little little like come on or still? Yeah, I mean, I mean, you know, we've we've we've struggled to score runs here a little bit, you know last night We didn't play real well and really all phases. So You know, we're at a tough stretch we're a little beat up but again we got a we got to continue to have some guys step up and take advantage of some opportunities here and You know, we're playing a good twins team here and then we're going on and playing a good Texas team over the weekend so You know a little hard right now. We've got find a way talk about last night There's a couple moments. Like you said, it wasn't a great game over like all around but there's a couple moments I think fans, you know throw their hands up like oh, come on Hicksey Bunting with two outs is that is Do you chalk it up to pressure trying trying to make something happen that Isn't or is that a called bunt? No, no, that's that's that's on your own there, but I didn't have an issue with that You know, we're you know trying to get on base there They're giving them the the bunt with their kind of little shift Quasi shift you can do now No, I don't I don't have a problem with that We're trying to create a base runner there and you know Hicksey's trying to make something happen So no, I don't have an issue with that. All right, just seems like you know a guy with such a good eye is Working working that bad as Hickson strength seeing a lot of pitches. Yeah They give you the bunt though, and you like it executed your that I he's on first So I didn't have I didn't have a problem. What about the next one where I was like what was? The Gallo home run Weissert throwing low breaking ball to Gallo when you know We saw firsthand and the scouting reports been the same on him forever as high fastballs and that pitch is just right in his swing path You know, right is that well? Well, you you want to go breaking balls below the zone The one you get hurt on is is the sinker down the zone to seamer down the zone that flattened out and stayed right there That's a mistake. Yeah And and Joey's been hitting those to start the season. So that's obviously a place you want to stay away from with Gallo Yeah, last one was as Waldo who you know We love but chasing that that pitch with the bases loaded in a pitcher on the ropes at that last at-bat Is that is that a a teachable moment, you know a talk in the future on a skid like this Do you just give the take sign or you have to let him have the feel there? That's no you there's there's a take sign on what what count I think it was two and one or or Right, I think it was two one. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean you're not gonna get a take sign one but that's that's where Oswaldo is can he get to that next level of Control in the strike zone, you know, we've seen signs of it even within at bats we've seen signs of it, but to be able to really find that next level of of Chase and then that's gonna allow him to then be an on-base guy because so far he hasn't you know kind of got to that next level of really really controlling the strike zone and that's you know, that's a young player that is Is trying to get there and is invested But I mean he's I mean that's that's what happens in the game like guys chase Guys that don't are special are different, you know and you're always working to try and get there especially young players as you're learning yourself as you're learning the league as you're gaining experience of how how teams are attacking you and how people are attacking you like those are the next levels of average good great you know, whatever levels you want to do can you get there and Yeah, it's easy to say don't swing at that one why'd you swing at that one swing at that one? That's that's what separates players Yeah, and if it was a fastball and he jumped it and he hit it out We would have said a great piece of hitting right? He gets a read on it, but that's how it goes When he going back to where you started, you know at the the offense has been in a tough spot for a little bit now I think you know people are chopping up the last 10 11 games or whatever it is. I guess on your end, you know It you know, we always think about managers pressing buttons but at the same time something you've been great at you keep the same message if the Yankees are an 11 game win streak you go Into the postgame press or you you know, the smiles a little bigger But if the Yankees are having a tough time, you know, you're you keep the same message I guess coming out of a game or going into a game is what do you look at as like? Am I gonna am I gonna change my tone a little bit or do you look at some of the other leaders of the team like A judge or a Cole and you guys are kind of looking each other Like do we do we need to give the boys just a little a little harder pat on the butter or how does that go? Yeah, you're always trying to measure that and weigh that and feel that at the same time, you know Look, we talked about being neutral and and in the long season like you said like We're going through a stretch of a couple weeks where we're banging and we're rolling or or we're going through a week or two Where we're struggling or whatever it may be you do I always try to maintain a level of consistency and you know, Emotional stability and you know what you're gonna get when you walk in into the clubhouse in our work environment Yes that fluctuates somewhat. We're human we react to things And I try to react honestly to things not just you know, oh, we're doing great. I'm gonna be that, you know So yes, we want to have this maintain this level of where we can have normal Strong effective conversations all the time without the emotion of what we're going through But you also want to you know, you know, it matters to a lot of everyone, you know, it matters to us. So You know, you pick your spots when you have to have a difficult conversation or or a difficult conversation with the team Whatever it may be the main thing I want us to maintain whether again whether we're flying high or scuffling a bit is that level of consistency in our work Consistency in our approach and consistency and and how we're getting after it Okay, and if if we're checking those boxes then I Know we'll eventually be in a good space and not to say like eventually like we're you know Say and we're anywhere right now. I mean we're whatever we're at the start of the season here We've won some ball games a little bit of a rough patch this week swinging the bats. That's part of it But you know, we got to have some you know, again, I keep going to opportunities for guys Guys got to kick the door in a little bit and take advantage some playing time there's a it's kind of his identity of the offense and You know 17 even 2018 2019 that I loved That hasn't we haven't seen since and and a couple at not at the level that it was but a couple of those aspects was Crushing starting pitching getting these guys out of the games early and in this stretch I think there's one hit or one run off starting pitchers in the last five games Good starting pitchers, but good teams need to hit starting pitchers. The other is Pitches per plate appearance, you know, the Yankees have always been, you know averaging four plus I think last year in this year. That's down It's kind of the Hicks and the Gardner effect when they were both going well and in the lineup and then on base percentage right now the team is below average and on base percentage those were kind of the Identities of the lineup that I loved for a while that the team seemed to pride themselves in like we're gonna make this starting pitcher grind Even last year when things were going really really well It's a lot of comebacks versus their bullpen, which I love that aspect But is there a different approach a different mentality to get back to that or is that just personnel changes? Yeah, I think part of that is personnel changes being down some guys right now Is it is important to note? We did lead the league and run scored last year. That's that really did happen. Yes, I And again, it's a different with there's different ways to go about it. But it yeah now We have you know, I think you know as a team we've tried to you know, emphasize being a little more aggressive in you know early on an account like not being as passive in some situations where you know, we're seeing the league, you know, Throw a lot more first pitch strikes or really emphasize getting ahead in the count So we don't want to just give that away, but that's always been an emphasis of something we've talked about While maintaining hopefully what's in our DNA of being able to grind and wear down a pitcher and have that on base And and I think we'll get there but you know again, we're in April and we're talking about a stretch where we've had a week or ten days of Struggles, it's gonna it's gonna magnify it in in the grand scheme of things But that said we got to continue to improve on that part I saw you write a note, but I don't understand that note Last year Carpenter really helped out when Be a big a big piece that could provide runs in his limited time alongside judge But other than that judge carried that carry the team But you know in August and later in the year like judge really carry the team and he's going through just a little cold streak Right now, I don't think anyone's worried about judge at all But they got to find a way to score runs when he goes through that. Otherwise, I feel like the Pressure of judge is even more. So Is there anything is there any way to manufacture like the bottom of the lineup? Do you start trying to manufacture runs? Is there like hit runs? Is there really like going NL style right now? You got a lot of young guys, but I mean you got it You got a base run You know to do things and you know you start Oh forcing things too much and then all of a sudden you're putting yourself in a position to Hopefully score a run, you know, we need to create traffic on the bases Yeah When that situation presents itself and you got the right matchup on the mound a hit and run comes in play The base the base dealing is obviously played a big role But right now, you know We've had a lot of innings where we haven't had a lot of traffic to really have opportunities to do much of anything again, while you know Around judgy and around Rizzo and DJ. I feel like Getting it rolling here a little bit But you got to have people That's even at times Unexpected people really step up and play a role for you if you're gonna you know Be the team you expect to be especially while you're waiting on certain people to get back part of things and you know, that's why like, you know Franchi Cordero to start he got off to There was some there was impactful moments and plays and big home runs in there that were significant parts of us winning ballgames and That's what we got to have those little those Maybe guys that you don't necessarily expect Stepping up in some spots that help you win ballgames and right now. What are we 13 and 10? So we got it We got to have those moments why it's a little bit of a grind a little bit tough like you've got to have one or two guys kind of step up and stick a ball in the gap or you know, you know create something on the bases or you know Get a big hit that allows us to hopefully get the offense as a whole going a little bit more for For some of the bench and some of the new guys You know consistent playing time in baseball is kind of everything right like, you know pinch hitting I think it's probably the hardest thing to do in sports. Like hey, you're cold. You haven't been playing come in hit the ball you know baiters on his way back and I do want to ask if you have a Little bit of a Donaldson update because he was going for like a one-game rehab and then it's Sammy It sounded like it was worse than originally but so I guess with that and then for the franchise and the Willie Calhoun's if guys are on the way back is their kind of a let's get these guys playing time to see where the decisions kind of gonna land on them because I feel like right now it's kind of been a Revolving door and that that bottom half of the lineup some we just we do a sharp stat segment every week And the second the bottom half of the lineup some of those numbers there are tough, right? Yeah, I mean those guys are though though Calhoun's and the Corderos. I don't know what you're where you go They are getting that chance It's not an endless Run out there, you know, they're not gonna be in there against lefties You gotta you know play it play it straight a little bit But those guys are getting those those opportunities exist right now and we you know, we need to have you know, somebody You know really step in and take advantage of that. You know, I feel like in Willie's case, you know I think he hasn't quite hit like there's no doubt in my mind Willie Calhoun can bang and And is going to hit We just got to get him roll in front. She obviously had his stretch there early where it was really impactful Falling off a little bit here now So we got to work to get those guys as consistent as possible when they are getting those opportunities because they exist Is there any I don't know that I entirely understand your question You don't just right but I mean Willie Calhoun's played one game since the 19th, so it's it's you know, I Want to speak for Willie Calhoun as a short King representative, but I think Willie Calhoun wants probably a couple more regular bats right, but we've also faced three three left-handed starters in those times, so You know, he's he's in there tonight and I just I think you're quick. Do you really break down your question? Think about it like Yeah, it's great to say all these guys There's only nine spots every night and like five or six of them are pretty certain every night like You gotta Kind of rotate the guys in beyond that Especially from a matchup standpoint or who we might be playing and then it's about taking advantage When you talked about unexpected people come in and helping the Yankees we've seen this a lot We saw Matt Carpenter last year get picked up in in May You know what 2019 you traded for Edwin in June you picked up Cameron Maben in April who really helped out I know that's not your department. That's the cash and fish, but We're looking at a bench right now that honestly looks like, you know, there's room to to wiggle like we said there's there's guys coming back from From injury, but there's also guys that I I don't know if if We're gonna get much wins running them out once every five games. Is there hope is there talk about? Hey, let's go scour Let's go find the next surprise. That's not currently with with Organization. Oh that I mean that that's all I'm going. I mean, that's you know, that's That's always happening. I mean, that's why at the last minute start to season Or you saw Willie Calhoun or you know So we're always looking for those things cash and the Scouts and analysts are always looking for you know to find that little piece that could be a little bit of a spark or a little bit of a fit for Us so that that that's ongoing Hey to sum up some of that like hey the offense needs to go It's tough to win games if you don't score I want to go to something we've talked about a lot over the past few years and it used to be a Monty thing or Monty just Montgomery had one year where it just felt like every time he came off the mound it just ended on like a Bad note Clark comes out against the Jays and he drops it and it's awesome. You know, we we love Clark He they've got all those righties. He attacks in that final inning, you know, I know Volpe ends up booting one, but I I guess is there anything in your head because it's it's very not analytical But getting him off the mound Feeling good because again, I know he's a pitch away But he's also facing Vladdy and you know VAR show after that, but are you guys thinking about that? Like hey, we'd love to get Clark. He's done his job We'd love to get him off the mound feeling good because I do think that matters a little bit Yeah, but that feeling good can be arbitrary every single day It could have been in the fourth inning could have been in the fifth inning could have been at this point And at the same time, you know, we've around You know Garrett and Nestor and to some degree Hermann now, you know, we've struggled for some innings and you start Consistently stacking up those innings especially in April on your bullpen and that can be that can start to get Problematic and you put yourself in a bad spot and overextend those guys and overexpose those guys So, yes, there's always that thought and there was certainly that thought, you know moving through there in that sixth inning with Clark, but you know, he also got a You got to get to the finish line a little bit too and guys got to find their way through that sometimes seems like we haven't had a True long man in a while like, you know, you stretched Y 30 or at times Hamilton to like 35 40 pitches but kind of that what what maybe Domingo was at the end of last year what he might have maybe would have been if The rotation was healthy. We're like I can come out of bullpen and he can give you 60 70 pitches Is that just the way baseball is going or is that the way the Yankees and the options and the bullpen is? Yeah, we have a number of guys that are built up. So we you know Hamilton through 45 pitches his last time out Albert Bray used on 45 pitches and then came back on two days and through another 38 last night Which is probably a little more than you'd like to see but we those guys are capable of giving them all multiple innings Obviously, we've got King built up to where his role we're using him in that to two plus even three roll Maranatio's, you know depending on him, you know, if he pitched two days ago yesterday, whatever it may be You know, he's capable of giving us a couple innings So I feel like most of the guys are built up down there and because for the most part they've pitched really well You know, we've preferred to go that route instead of having just there's gonna come a time when you know and Having optionable relievers and having that flexibility all plays into that The moment in time plays into that like what's going on in the last couple days? Where are you at from your bullpen? Do you need that long man? So I feel like, you know coverage-wise for the most part We've had four or five guys capable of giving us two innings You know two plus innings on given days Honey, we've been keeping you a little long lately and we didn't want to do that again So we'll guess the lineup without you I I guess Allah our first interview and you you know, you kind of had the right Volpe smile going Do you have anything for us? Do you have anything you want to ask the pulse of the fans that we need to relay back to you? Stop appreciate you guys Now we'll get a roll in here No, I don't you guys put me on this other than you asked me About the Hicks bond and then you ask there's their way to manufacture things National League style so it's like well, I mean, I don't like it with two outs and what you're wanting it all want it all We're having fans boonie throw it all at the wall and whatever sticks. I'm gonna say good job No, I know. I know we'll get it up. Hopefully this time next week We're we're we're talking about some guys that are getting a rolling for us offensively We'll get it clicking reports of Bader for that. May 5th. Is that similar timeline? I don't know if that's exact from you said or speculation from the beat but Speculation right now is the the Rays series for Bader to return I Don't know. I actually haven't looked at the end of his schedule. I know he's going today I think he's going today and tomorrow I think he's his first back-to-back in a DH in one of those so I'm not sure about that. Okay. All right I will let you go. Thanks booty All right guys, have a good week see you skip booty you too that Was manager of the Yankees Aaron Boone brought to you by vizio Jim we had You know, we represent the people a little bit and we felt we had to turn it up a notch Yanks five and six in their last eleven the offense has been tough Yeah, I mean majority of the tough questions you want to ask is more for cashman, right? Like the roster construction wasn't great breaking camp We've been we said that the whole time you've been concerned about the bottom lineup since January and and I don't think believe they have the pieces to make a trade like they did last year because now all these pieces if These three kids don't play above their shoes their value actually drops from last year So they don't have as many pieces last year to go out and make the Pablo Lopez trade or the Luis Castillo trade who was Offered to them last year, right? And who's out like, you know, you can't always bank on a carpenter or someone coming up or even we're graduated all our prospects, right? so It's all the tough questions are really more for cash. I kind of like the lineup Boone's been running For the most part like I'd rather play Praza play Volpi like because I rather those guys get hot But he opened up saying that yesterday's game was bad all around and that's like yep. Okay. Okay handshake age same page We agree. There was a lot of bad in that game yeah, I guess the only thing you could say is, you know, depending how the next couple weeks go if if Brito is good or if Clark fully turns it around Or like you said Praza or someone like that It you know There is a lot of baseball to be played that if one of those guys does start to go and there is a big trade out There then those guys proving their MLB talent their stock could rise Instantly because that's the prospect game like go we end up laughing every year at the top prospects because normally there's a guy that doesn't lose His prospect eligibility, but played pretty good in the majors and they're like top Randy Rosarena Oh, he's up on the list now after his after his 2020 postseason He was still technically a prospect and they he was never a top prospect. They made him like top ten I think or something like that so that that would be your spin with some of these young guys You need them to go and yet, you know I did you don't at the end of the day Booney and us want the Yankees to hit and that's kind of what we were squirming around a little bit and and I have something to say that is Bullshit. Okay, I would call myself out for this nice the Yankees Have the second best team era in baseball right now I believe according to the fangraph chart that I'm looking at their first and bullpen era 6th in starting pitching era and Combined second behind Tampa Bay and you said first in bullpen, right? So this is such bullshit of me to say, okay, they're bullpens a bummer. No, man, let me I think This is True fan stuff Every time someone comes out I'm like, oh and then they pitch pretty well and I'm like No one's getting my juices flowing besides King Bondi this bullpen conversation and guess the lineup is brought to you by DraftKings America's top rated sports book Go find a team you think is gonna win Thanks have been tricky on that lately But if you see that pregame money line bet you put five dollars on it if they win you'll get a hundred and fifty dollars Bonus bets they got their same game parlays join in the big league action now on DraftKings Sportsbook download the app and sign up a Kodiak's new customers can bet just five dollars on any pregame money line and get $150 in bonus bets if their team wins only a DraftKings Sportsbook promo Kodiak's. All right, the bullpen thing. You're right we've made some jokes about in Hamilton a Just the the scariest looking guy on earth. Like what's the there's a who's a Owen Wilson Owen Wilson and Armageddon they they explain How scary it is up there and how bad it's gonna be and Owen Wilson and there's good gifts of it But he goes, okay. Yeah, just the the scariest thing you could ever imagine. Perfect when Hamilton's face comes out It's intimidating as hell. He throws a weird pitch. He's a hardened man. That's how they describe his face He's a hardened man Jimmy Cordero. I will say gives me a slight bit of hope like he's ripped He pumps it like he gets me a little bit excited. It's there I mean even Hamilton's been good man, like in right and his outlying stats are better than his other stats. I guess Maybe this is intervention for me. I should start buying into these guys I guess I didn't want to accept them because I just thought they'd be flipped around but now Trevino's hurt for longer and Maybe they stay so maybe I got a buy-in There's one guy can't and you know who it is over the Braille Alberta Braille The problem is there's old emotions there that hopefully we can overcome and he can help us overcome them Weiser can be a tough watch the fastball fluctuates from 90 to 95 on a given pitch which just feels weird Watching base runners run on ease on him was tough and Jeff Nelson was really good on the broadcast with that He's like well when your turn that much it takes longer to get to the plate So base runners can go the Minnesota expected numbers are terrible His actual results are good the menace the Minnesota Twins had one stolen base coming into This in the season coming into last night. They got a couple And Weiser Jim, I'm I'm with you the the slider I think for major league hitters because it does sweep a lot and and that's cool And I think you can harness it differently But if you're a major league hitter if the ball starts at you with his slider That means it's gonna end up over the plate if it starts over the plate. It means it's gonna end up awesome It's so slow. It's it's 80 miles per hour to react to that You know It's very sweepy that I I'm very much on the same page with you and a lot of the Yankee fans are in our office That if you're throwing the slider and a night a low 90s fastball in today's baseball I mean currently the slide of the sweeper has a 429 batting average against and that's supposed to be his like 10% whiff rate That's supposed to be his dominant knockout pitch. It's like visually like this ain't gonna work That yeah, and then he tried to tap into some changeups last night and that was where so I was trying not be a downer Yesterday's game game one versus twins and then when they brought Weiser didn't down for nothing. I was like, oh and Then he he like survived an inning They got the strikeout throw him out which was a really good throw by Trevi that he went back out there and you're like Oh like that you want hope and it didn't feel like there was a ton of hope So not pinning any of the downfalls of the season on him I'm just saying like the feeling is like Greg Weiser does not been the problem with the Yankees offense, which is the main problem But yeah, that's that's why over the offseason when we talked about it Matt Blake has proven he can get guys to pitch like in Hamilton is performing That I guess I wasn't worried about the pitching because you're gonna figure it out There's a guy you snag at the deadline with whatever hole you're at and kind of like I guess what I was relaying with the offense Like, you know, the Yankees postseason hopes will come down to Cole Nestor Rodan and Seve for the starting pitching the lineup It it had the second half of the lineup hasn't made sense for a little while. It was the problem in the playoffs It's a problem right now that uh, yeah, you either need to give young guys opportunities Cycle in it seems like older guys and then hope that your main dudes are locked in for the playoffs I don't know if Boone is saying this to the clubhouse. They tried to sign Ben and D Yeah, openly said after Rodan how and casted we're not done and then they were done. So it's like, oh I had to do something and With Boone's message there. I said it on the show I wonder if he's saying in the clubhouse or he's just hoping it happens But is we need some an unexpected hero and that's And he was saying for the short run like to help us win games now Like what we were saying earlier, like it's not a postseason thing or deep but you need Unexpected heroes to help you in the short term and it seemed like a bit of a challenge to Everyone not named judge Rizzo DJ or Glaber because those are expected it's It's where you got a little bit excited on Josh Donaldson's PPP because if he was hurt last year at least he has a resume that goes back that you could talk yourself into him being a threat and an additive part of the bottom of the lineup the other guys Some of it's gonna be tough and it ties back in to the catcher That's that hey, I believe when what they're doing with the catcher But if you're going to guarantee What they are offensively Then you have one or two things happen Then you have a thin second half of the lineup and then it's tough to score Yeah. All right, if you're still listening to the show at this point, thank you very much And please hit subscribe on YouTube that helps us out a lot of lines Just like haven't noticed that you didn't hit the button. Yeah, and some people listen on just the podcast app That's fine But we did put out a couple videos that are not podcast episodes on the channel Like we want to start ranking all the defensive plays with Joe's and Kenobi Oh and her crew. That is a fun idea maybe we do that again today if we have time Joe's wants to do it every week and then there's like a There's like winners that stay like this is this week's winner beat last week's winner And I do think that's a fun very simple concept. So some of those will happen in their YouTube only so even if you just listen on the just other podcast app Go to YouTube subscribe help us out. We got to beat these other chumps in the office who think they're better than us. Hmm All right Enjoy the rest of the Yankees road trip. Enjoy your week Peace and chicken grease. Hmm. Go Yanks. Tell him grams. Oh, yeah