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Yankees’ skipper Aaron Boone calls out offense for lackluster performance against Detroit

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New York Yankees, Aaron Boone

It was only a matter of time before the New York Yankees’ starting pitching faced some challenges, as Corey Kluber is out for a minimum of four weeks after suffering a shoulder injury. With the starting rotation being disrupted, they have had their fair share of struggles, as the Yankees try to supplement their deficiencies.

Unfortunately, the Yankees’ usual saving grace would be their offense, which has set records in recent years in some categories. However, this year has been an entirely different story, as the offensive powerhouse team has grappled to get back on track. Having lost four of their last five games, the Yankees have only scored 11 runs in that time frame.

Manager Aaron Boone can only do so much, and while some of his decisions in the relief category and lineup have been coined as poor, he has tried a variety of different combinations to spark things. The reality is, he can’t see into the future but rather put his best foot forward and try different players in different situations to provide a catalyst.

Boone called out the offense for their lack of production lately, and while he does know they are capable of providing sufficient support for the pitchers, they have essentially been a non-factor this season despite the Yankees being six games above .500 and sitting 3.5 games in the American League East.

“Bottom line is we’ve gotta be better. We’ve got to get better if we’re going to be the team we expect to be,” Boone said after the 6-1 loss to Detroit. “A lot of that is built around what we expect to be offensively, and there’s no question that that has to improve. I believe it will improve, but we’ve got to continue to work and make sure we’re making the necessary adjustments every day to get to that point.”

There will come a time where the Yankees face a turning point in their season, and it can go one of two ways. Either they struggle and fall apart at the seams, or they pick themselves up, and the offense performs adequately. They are still in the mix in the AL East, so they have plenty of time to work their way out of this current funk.

Presently, some of those star players of struggle to get going, including DJ LeMahieu, who’s hitting .263 with a .344 slugging percentage. If their star players don’t begin to produce offensively, this could be a long season for Yankee fans despite general manager Brian Cashman doing everything in his power to help bolster the pitching rotation.

New York Yankees secure two essential players on great deals

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New York Yankees, Gary Sanchez

The New York Yankees entered arbitration with several question marks, notably at third base and catcher. Both Gio Urshela and Gary Sanchez were up for massive salary increases or deals worth their while, and both saw nice bumps in pay to play during the 2020 season.

Urshela cashed in at $2.475 million, while in 2019, he earned $528K. Sanchez saw the highest increase, settling at $5 million after earning $670K last season. Both are essential players for the Yankees, who will actively start during the 2020 season.

The fresher Yankee of the two, Urshela, exploded onto the scene last season, compiling a .314 batting average with 21 homers and 74 RBIs. His offensive production was the biggest surprise, considering his highest BA before he joined the Bombers was a seldom .233.

Urshela’s defensive production was equally, if not more impressive, than his offense. With Miguel Andujar preparing to return from a torn Labrum, there will be competition for the 28-year-old, but he will undoubtedly have the first crack on the hot corner to open the season. Andujar, though, has been working diligently, showing up to workouts bigger and stronger, sporting a new smooth clutch movement (double-clutching was a problem for him in the past).

The New York Yankees need Gary Sanchez to remain healthy:

As for Sanchez, he will be looking to remain healthy, as inconsistencies in that category have hurt his efficiency in the past. Last season, it was a devastating groin ailment that limited him during the latter portion of the yeat and was catastrophic to his postseason production.

I expect to see better production out of Sanchez and the remainder of the team in 2020, especially after the hiring of Eric Cressey, one of the best strength and conditioning coaches on the market.

 

New York Knicks: Who stood out in second preseason game against the Wizards?

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New York Knicks, Marcus Morris

After an impressive win over the Washington Wizards last Monday, the New York Knicks followed up their positive performance with a disheartening loss that exposed their lack of defensive prowess.

The New York Knicks still need to build on their improvements:

Falling 115-99 to Washington, the Knicks have plenty of work to do before being considered a quality team and worthy of contending for a playoff spot. Head coach David Fizdale wants to personify his team as a defensive unit, focused on locking down opposing scorers and using his players’ high work rate to put points on the board.

Players like rookie RJ Barrett fit this mold perfectly, as he will increase his work-rate to help supplement his deficiencies in other categories. Against the Wizards on Friday night, Barrett connected on 6-of-15  from the field and 2-of-5 from beyond the arch. He finished with a -13 rating and 15 points — another disappointing performance that we should become accustomed to in RJ’s first year in the NBA. It will take time for the rookie to find his groove and develop into a consistent scorer.

However, the night was tainted by weak defense for the Knicks.

“We stopped guarding the 3. We relaxed,” Fizdale said after Washington connected on 19 three-point baskets. “From Game 1 to Game 2, our closeouts were a nightmare.

“We have to be good defensively. I do think we have more scoring this year, but our first priority has to be the defensive end and taking that challenge.”

The only bright spot on the night was veteran Marcus Morris, who put up a noteworthy 21 points on a +6 performance. He went 8-of-13 from the field over 31 minutes, proving his worth on the offensive side of the ball. His efficiency regarding putting points on the board will be extremely beneficial in helping the Knicks overcome the 17-win benchmark set last season.

Morris and Julius Randle will both play influential roles in the season ahead, and while the latter is expected to be the focal point of the offense, Morris is more than capable of holding his own.