Good morning, all and happy Thursday!
Can you imagine a team striking out 45 times in three games? A major league team? The New York Yankees accomplished the “feat” in the first three games of their crucial, four-game set at Tampa Bay. I offer some comments in the video.
Volpe denies the story
Beleaguered Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe is denying a story that he refused to play second base in the minor leagues, because of his difficulties as a big league shortstop. The story gained traction the last two days, when Yankees television voice Michael Kay, who also hosts a daily sports talkshow on ESPN-New York, stated he had it confirmed by two “reliable sources” that Volpe did not want to try a new position.
On his show yesterday Kay had to backtrack on his claim, stating other people told him the story that Volpe did not want to play second base in the minors was not true. To his credit Kay apologized to his audience.
When Volpe was hit with the story before the Yankees game last night at Tampa Bay, he stated the Yankees have never asked him to play second base. To me that is the real story. Knowing his difficulties as shortstop, how come the Yankees have not asked Volpe to try second base, particularly as it appears Jazz Chisholm will not return to the club, when he becomes a free agent after the season?
Maybe baseball Hall of Fame writer Bill Madden said it best, when he wrote the other day, the Yankees do not like to admit the mistakes they have made with their number one picks. And there have been many mistakes, for sure.
R.I.P. Phil Regan
One of the first baseball cards I ever collected was a Topps card of Phil Regan in a Detroit Tigers uniform. Regan died yesterday at the age of 89. He was a baseball lifer.
Regan was mostly a reliever for several clubs, winning 96 games and losing 81. He was nicknamed “The Vulture” by teammate Sandy Koufax, when he pitched for the Dodgers, because “he would swoop in and win a game in relief.”
Regan’s second act was even more amazing, as he coached collegiately and in the big leagues. In fact, after serving as a roving pitching instructor in the New York Mets system, Regan was named pitching coach at the age of 82 for the Mets in 2019, when Dave Eiland was dismissed early in the season. He did not let his age bother him and would throw batting practice. He said his arm was never sore.
Regan’s departure from the Mets was acrimonious. When the club let him go, he sued the Mets for age discrimmination.
Some other thoughts
Who had Tyler Tolbert on their card for getting hits in 12 consecutive big league at bats?
Red Sox fans may not have much to root about this season - although they are playing better as of late - but they can take delight in sending the Yankees to their demise. The Yankees are 2-11 over their last 13 games, including New York’s 3-0 loss last night at Tampa Bay. It all started with Boston’s four-game sweep of the Yankees last month at Fenway Park.
Wondering if Fox is rooting for a White Sox-Marlins World Series?
Leave it to the NBA to be the one league that could pull off a six-team trade.
That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you so much for being a subscriber
DAN
