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Yankees’ Aaron Judge suffers injury setback, here’s the latest

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New York Yankees, Aaron Judge

Following last night’s loss against the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Aaron Judge could possibly be headed back to the Injured List after being removed early from the second game of the doubleheader. The club is going to reevaluate him today and make a decision from there.

First reported by Marly Rivera, Judge apparently tightened his calf while rounding second base. Boone said, “Doesn’t seem to be serious, but we’ll see tomorrow.”

A week ago Judge told the media that he was feeling 100% and was ready to get back in the lineup. It’s difficult to say if this injury was rushed or if he just reaggravated it again.

Judge was having a great year before having this injury stint. He’s currently batting .290 with nine home runs and 20 RBIs in just 17 games.

The Yankees are notorious for having injury problems and this year isn’t any different. DJ LeMahieu, James Paxton, Gleyber Torres, Zack Britton, Giancarlo Stanton, and Kyle Higashioka are all out for at least a couple more weeks. Star pitchers Tommy Kahnle and Luis Severino are both out for the whole season with Tommy John.

The Bombers have lost the last five games they’ve played, being swept in the last two series. They fall to a 16-11 record and after being atop comfortably in the AL East for the first few weeks of the season, the Yankees are now second behind the Tampa Bay Rays.

The New York Knicks should be all-in on Fred VanVleet

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New York Knicks, Fred Van Fleet

With most of the talk being about how the New York Knicks need to address their point guard situation through the draft, there’s also a very intriguing option in free agency whom the Knicks shouldn’t overlook. That player is Toronto Raptors’ Fred VanVleet, and according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Knicks are expected to be one of the teams in the mix for him:

VanVleet is a shoe free agent and has multiple suitors for a new deal, sources say. And on the court, expect a strong market for the free-agent-to-be: Detroit, New York and Phoenix are expected to emerge as suitors for VanVleet outside Toronto, sources said.

VanVleet has built off of his breakout performance in the playoffs last season with a stellar season this year. He’s established himself as a borderline All-Star who can play both ends of the floor at a high level. Also, being only 26, VanVleet is just entering his prime, so his best basketball is ahead of him.

He’s averaged 17.6 points, 6.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.9 steals in 54 games played this year. He’s shooting the ball 41.3 percent from the field and 39 percent from three, so the efficiency is there too.

The NBA shutdown seemed to have no effect on VanVleet’s game either, as he’s been tearing it up in the Orlando bubble. Since the restart, he’s averaged nearly 18 points and seven assists while playing lockdown defense and shooting about 42 percent from the three-point line.

In the first round of the playoffs, VanVleet has averaged 21.3 points, 7.8 assists, four rebounds, and 1.3 steals while shooting 52.7 percent and 56 percent from three en route to a four-game sweep of the Brooklyn Nets.

Charania mentions in his report that VanVleet is also a “shoe free agent,” which means he’s looking to cash in on a shoe deal in addition to a basketball deal. He should have plenty of suitors in that area as well, and that could benefit the Knicks’ chances in landing him. Even though it may not carry as much weight as it once did, New York is still the ideal place to play when it comes to endorsement opportunities and brand building.

There are more possible advantages to being a star in the media capital of the world, more so than any other market. This could be very appealing to VanVleet and his camp. On top of that, he would be the perfect fit with the team.

The Knicks have been in desperate need of a franchise floor general for far too long now, and VanVleet can finally fill that void. Elfrid Payton was solid for the Knicks this season, but he’s weak offensively. Frank Ntilikina has shown flashes, but he’s also limited offensively and is better suited as a complementary piece. Dennis Smith Jr. has had his moments, but he’s not the answer either.

The Knicks could try and draft their guy, but that brings more uncertainty and hope with the chance of that player not panning out. Hopefully, the Knicks will be able to better develop their players now with the new regime to reduce that likelihood, but they need to prove they can do that. The Knicks can’t afford to keep banking on potential, and VanVleet would bring a proven, productive player who is still ascending in his young career. He can be a piece that helps the team in the present while also being a core building block for the future.

VanVleet is the kind of tough, determined player who Tom Thibodeau would love due to his two-way ability and strong work ethic. He’s come a long way from going undrafted in 2016, and his stats show he’s consistently been improving. His shooting and facilitating would be huge for the Knicks and would open up many more opportunities for the players around him, particularly RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson.

It’s good to see that the Knicks are going to try and make a run at VanVleet because he would do wonders for this team. He’ll not only accelerate their rebuild and catapult them back into contention more quickly, but he’ll help a lot in the development of the Knicks’ younger pieces. His market will be competitive, but he should be Leon Rose’s number one priority once free agency begins even if the price is steep, which it likely will be.

Knicks hire Jazz assistant Johnnie Bryant as associate head coach

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Johnnie Bryant, New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have added another member to Tom Thibodeau’s staff, as they agreed to terms with Utah Jazz assistant coach Johnnie Bryant on Tuesday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Bryant, 34, has been with the Jazz since 2012 and is touted as an elite player developer. He has been an integral part of turning players such as Damian Lillard, Gordon Hayward, Paul Millsap, and yes, Donovan Mitchell into stars.

Here’s what Mitchell had to say about Bryant to The Salt Lake Tribune back in 2018:

He’s [Bryant] really intense, but he’s laid back at the same time — he’s always got something to say. I work as hard as I possibly can to shut him up.

Lillard also credited Bryant for his help turning him into the player he is, referring to Bryant as a “big brother” to him. Both grew up in Oakland, California and Bryant mentored Lillard during his AAU days while Bryant was in college.

Bryant’s hire now marks the second hire from the Jazz organization, as the Knicks brought in long-time front office staple Walt Perrin as an assistant general manager in May. This raises speculation that the Knicks are trying to bolster their appeal to Donovan Mitchell in an attempt to acquire him via trade in the near future.

Trade rumors surrounding Mitchell, who is from New York, have been circulating since he got to the league and started making a name for himself. The rumors have only increased since drama started between he and teammate Rudy Gobert over Gobert’s irresponsible COVID-19 handling, which resulted in Mitchell getting infected with the virus.

While the Knicks reportedly want Mitchell “badly,” a source with knowledge of the Knicks thinking told Adam Zagoria, it seems as though the Knicks hired Bryant mainly from a player development standpoint. Bryant and the rest of the coaching staff will have their hands full with the slew of young talent on this Knicks roster, plus the new players brought in with the multiple draft picks they possess over the next few years.

Thibodeau’s coaching staff is starting to take shape, as he and the front office have been working together to decide who will accompany him on the bench. Bryant now joins University of Kentucky associate head coach Kenny Payne, whom the Knicks agreed to terms with last week. Former Knicks head coach Mike Woodson is still expected to be added to the staff as well.

As for Mike Miller, who took over for David Fizdale last season as the interim head coach and led the team to a 17-27 record before the league shut down, he is not expected to return as a Knicks assistant. This isn’t because the Knicks have anything against him, as they reportedly like him a lot and admired the work he was able to do last season. It is more a case of Miller wanting to explore better options where he would be higher than the 4th assistant on the team, which he likely would be now with the Knicks.

There’s still the possibility Miller could return to the Knicks in a different capacity if he doesn’t find a better coaching gig, as he’s under contract for next year, but teams will likely be interested in his services. He may not get consideration for a head coaching job yet, but he’s definitely earned a lead assistant role somewhere.

Even without Miller, Knicks’ new president Leon Rose had mentioned repeatedly how vital player development is, and he seems to be backing up his words now with his recent coaching hires.

Opinion: Have a little faith in your New York Giants

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

I recently got into what the kids call a Twitter beef over the New York Giants’ chances of winning their first game of the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. My online combatant had many good, well-qualified arguments as proof that the Giants will surely lose that game. He may not be wrong. This is true.

What baffles me though is a person’s complete unwillingness to have any sort of faith in their team. It’s one thing to say here are a few reasons they might lose but hopefully, they can find a miracle. It’s something else entirely to be more confident in your team losing than finding an empty subway car during rush hour.

Sport is about many things but one of its pillars is faith and the power of belief. If every fan sat in front of their TV, turned on their radio, or went to the game expecting their team to lose before the opening kick-off then what’s the point of sport at all?

Sport is meant to inspire and give people hope. It’s that overcoming adversity that drives people from every walk of life to join together and watch with the sort of zealotry that most religions can only dream of.

The New York Giants have a lot of things to be excited about and a lot of reasons to dream a little bigger than the nightmares of all those naysayers. Daniel Jones is entering year two and he may have to learn a whole new offense but he also looks ready to hold onto the ball a little better. He’ll also be much more equipped to handle the intensity of the NFL. Saquon Barkley is 100% healthy, which is reason enough to feel at least a little hopeful.

Speaking of a new offense, new offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett, should inject it with some new life, and if he leaves at the end of the year to be a head coach somewhere else that can only mean the team exceeded expectations. They also have a new head coach, Joe Judge. He might be a rookie himself, he might be working in less than ideal conditions but he is new and that’s a blank canvas if nothing else. He might lead the team to an 0-16 record but he might just surprise everyone.

We have some talented veterans joining the squad like James Bradberry and a few potentially breakout stars in rookies Andrew Thomas and Xavier McKinney.

I’m not saying the Giants are going to win the Super Bowl this year. I’m not that crazy. What I am saying is have hope. I’m hopeful they’ll do better than they did last year. I’m saying that without a single down of football in the books this season I’m hopeful they might just beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in their opening game. Now they might win and they might not but right now I’m going to have some faith. I encourage you to do the same.

New York Islanders: Islanders take Game 3

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New York Islanders

The New York Islanders defeat the Washington Capitals in overtime with a score of 2-1 to make the series 3-0. The Islanders made the Capitals play their style of Hockey today, and it worked. No team in the NHL can beat the Islanders in a defensive matchup. The only way to beat the Isles is to outscore them. But, if Seymon Varlamov has a game like he did today, they’re pretty much unbeatable.

The Islanders are in a great position to sweep the Capitals on Tuesday night. The mindset for the Isles right now is: “We’re up 3-0, we’re dominating board play, playing great defense, Varlamov is standing on his head, let’s just play our game.”

This team is a system team, without Trotz who knows where the Isles would be. But, the only way the system works is if everyone buys in. That’s why in the post-game press conference Mat Barzal said “the 4th game is the hardest, but we just gotta buy into the system”. The system is an easy, yet complicated one. All Trotz asks is for his players to forecheck hard, play tough in the neutral zone, and make smart passes. This system doesn’t lead to 30 goal goal-scorers, but it leads to championships if you buy-in.

The Islanders have very little work to do to win game 4. Especially if Nicklas Backstrom is still out with a concussion. The Islanders need to stay on their toes, don’t take any stupid penalties, and wait for their opportunity to arise.

None of these players are true “snipers,” but you don’t need snipers if you can get gritty goals. The Islanders play within the dots, real rough and tough Hockey, so they don’t necessarily need a sniper. If the Islanders play their game again and buy into the system, there will be a sweep coming.

Should the New York Yankees consider benching Brett Gardner?

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New York Yankees, Brett Gardner

The New York Yankees are off to a good start with a 3-1 record after defeating the Baltimore Orioles 9-3 on Wednesday night. The bats got rolling early with Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, and D.J. LeMahieu all going yard by the third inning. Some not so great developments, Brett Gardner and Gary Sanchez continued their beginning of the season slumps, going 0-3 and 0-4 respectively.

I’m not so much worried about Gary. Big MLB hitters tend to hit cold streaks, and this appears to be one of Sanchez’s. If this was happening in August, then it may be time to panic, but I don’t think it’s defcon five for Gary, at least right now. Gardner on the other hand is a different story.

Now don’t get me wrong, I was one of the many fans advocating to bring Gardy back for 2020. He had a very productive year for the team in 2019 and is one of the few veteran locker room presences for an otherwise very young team. But it may appear that Gardy’s best years are behind him. He is 0-10 with six strikeouts thus far this season and just looks lost at the plate. What makes it all the more frustrating is the fact that Clint Frazier is just sitting in Scranton twiddling his thumbs waiting for his next opportunity to be called up.

An easy solution: Bench Gardner. Move Stanton to left field where he can start every day so the outfield can consist of Hicks, Stanton, and Judge. Put Miguel Andújar as the every day DH. Andújar is one of the hottest bats on the roster and inserting him into the lineup is a significant improvement over Gardner as of right now. Brett Gardner is a smart veteran who knows how this game works. An unhappy decision, but an obvious and necessary one nonetheless. In a shortened season, the best way to expedite success is to insert your most talented players into the lineup to produce the best results to win ball games. Right now, Brett Gardner just simply isn’t contributing.

New York Giants: Dalvin Tomlinson talks new defense, Dexter Lawrence

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New York Giants, Dalvin Tomlinson

The New York Giants are learning a new defense under first-year head coach Joe Judge, administered by new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson is enthusiastic about the new defense, comparing it to his “Alabama days” (quotes are courtesy of Giants.com’s Dan Salomone)

“I’m super excited about the new defense. I want to help in the run and pass this year.” He says the scheme is “fun” and reminds him of his Alabama days in terms of technique.”

The Giants selected Dalvin Tomlinson with the 55th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Last season he totaled 49 combined tackles, three and a half sacks and nine quarterback hits. The Alabama product has started 48 games while totaling 158 combined tackles, four and a half sacks and 10 quarterback hits across his three-year NFL career.

Tomlinson is entering the final year of his rookie deal, making the 2020 season a money year. He’s one of four holdovers from former general manager Jerry Reese’s reign, wide receiver Sterling Shepard, tight end Evan Engram and running back Wayne Gallman being the other three.

The Giants projected starting defensive line features Tomlinson, Leonard Williams, and the second-year Dexter Lawrence.

Tomlinson sees Lawrence getting more “comfortable” at the NFL level in training camp.

“You get used to the NFL. You get a little more comfortable going into Year 2.”

General manager Dave Gettleman selected Lawrence with the 17th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Clemson. He was one of the team’s three first-round draft selections, Duke quarterback Daniel Jones (6) and Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker (30) being the other two.

Lawrence started 16 games in his rookie season, totaling 38 combined tackles, two and a half sacks and nine quarterback hits.

Last season the Giants defense was third in the NFL in points surrendered (451), fifth in penalties (117), eighth in yards surrendered (6,037), 22nd in sacks (36), and tied for 28th in takeaways (16).

New York Yankees: Chad Green has been underappreciated so far this season

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New York Yankees, Chad Green

The New York Yankees are currently 12-6 and are comfortably sitting atop the American League East in first place. Although their starting pitching (besides Cole) would make fans think they’d be somewhere around .500, the team has found a way to score a ton of runs every game to keep them winning.

There have been several players that have flown under the radar so far who have been helping the Yankees a ton and Chad Green is the biggest of them all. I don’t think Yankee fans realize how solid a reliever Green is and he doesn’t get enough credit. The only time fans are talking about him is when he has a bad outing.

Take a look at his game logs up until this point in the season:

7/26 vs. WSH: 2.0 IP, 7 BF, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K

7/29 vs. BAL: 1.0 IP, 4 BF, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K

7/31 vs. BOS: 2.0 IP, 6 BF, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 K

8/3 vs. PHI: 0.2 IP, 2 BF, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K

8/5 vs. PHI: 2.1 IP, 7 BF, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K

8/8 vs TB: 1.1 IP, 6 BF, 0 H, 1 ER, 2 K

8/11 vs. ATL: 0.2 IP, 2 BF, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K

8/12 vs. ATL: 1.0 IP, 3 BF, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K

These numbers speak for themselves. Green has been absolutely dominant for the Yankees so far and not enough people are talking about him. In eight outings and 11 IP, Green has allowed just two hits and one earned run. Every time he comes into a game, he consistently pounds the zone and gets guys out. In that time on the mound this year, Green has only issued three walks and has struck out 15 batters.

One of the biggest reasons why Green is so effective on the mound is his ability to throw strikes consistently and get a ton of swing and misses. According to FanGraphs, when Green is in the zone, hitters z-contact % is 77.8% and the average is around 87%. Although he doesn’t get a ton of guys to chase out of the zone, his hard four-seam fastball blows by hitters.

Chad Green has been everything and more for the New York Yankees this season. With a struggling and inconsistent starting rotation, it’s crucial that the bullpen picks up the slack. Green has been doing it all for the Yanks, and fans should expect to without hesitation.

Should the Yankees consider trading Miguel Andújar and Clint Frazier to bolster their rotation?

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New York Yankees, Miguel Andujar

The New York Yankees have optioned Miguel Andújar to an alternate training site along with Nick Nelson and Thairo Estrada. Andújar started the season going 1-14 with no walks and three strikeouts. What most would consider a surprising move given Andújar’s potential, there might be certain implications here behind the decision.

Interesting enough, the surprise demotion of Clint Frazier on July 25th is something else that left Yankee fans scratching their heads. Gary Sanchez and Brett Gardner both seem to have fallen asleep at the plate, and during a shortened season, there is no time to waste. Trade rumors have surrounded these two players, but mostly just speculation from the fanbase due to how many times they have both been sent down and then called back up.

One of the things Yankee fans have to look forward to is the development and progression of their young core. Gleyber Torres, Aaron Judge, Miguel Andújar, Luis Severino, and even Frazier were all at one point looking to be the building blocks for the next Yankees dynasty. But with Andújar not exactly being the model of consistency, Severino requiring Tommy John surgery before the 2020 season and Frazier’s defensive struggles, it might be time for the Yankees to reevaluate their options.

Interesting Scenarios:

Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers.

There are benefits to each of these destinations. But they all have one thing in common: Viable starting pitchers. A package deal including Andújar and Frazier could send back a top pitcher to add to the Yankees rotation.

The Yankees would need to sell the farm in order to acquire Indians ace Shane Bieber, so even a package of Andújar and Frazier might not be sufficient. A more realistic option could be Mike Clevinger, who posted a 13-4 record and a 2.71 ERA in 2019. A modified trade package including either Andújar or Frazier, who could both start in the outfield, could be beneficial for both teams.

Detroit is another interesting destination. Being ranked the number five farm system in Major League Baseball by MLB.com, the Tigers have a similar problem that the Yankees are faced with. Filled up with young talent, the Tigers have multiple players that can be used as trade chips. Pitchers like Matthew Boyd, Casey Mize, and even in the future Matt Manning could all be capital the can be used to send to New York in exchange for Andújar or and/or Frazier.

Texas could be another possible trade scenario. After acquiring former Cy Young winner Corey Kluber from Cleveland in the offseason, they could look to move one of their starters to put some bats in the lineup. A trade package of Andújar and Frazier for a pitcher like Mike Minor, who’s name circulated in the most recent free agency period, could be mutually beneficial.

Just because Frazier and Andújar have been bounced back and forth between the Majors and elsewhere, does not by any stretch mean that they’re scrubs. Both were top prospects at the time of their selection and have both shown flashes of all-star potential. Either they get their opportunity to perform for the New York Yankees, make a decision to maximize their value, and get something in return.

New York Yankees: Giancarlo Stanton’s injury has opened the door for one underrated slugger

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New York Yankees, Mike Ford

The New York Yankees are 18 games into the season and to no one’s surprise, Giancarlo Stanton was already placed on the Injured List with a hamstring injury. Stanton is expected to miss three to four weeks with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. With Stanton’s absence, this has allowed one slugger to step up and take his role.

First basemen/designated hitter Mike Ford has been called upon to take Stanton’s role as the DH. In eight games played so far this season, Ford is 5-22 with one homer. Last season, Ford appeared in 50 games and batted .259 with 12 home runs and 25 runs batted in. His biggest moment of the season was when he took a 98MPH fastball into the Yankee bullpen to walk-off against the Oakland Athletics.

After spending seven years in the minor leagues, the New York Yankees are finally calling upon Ford to have a big spot in the Yankee lineup. The jump between triple-A ball and the MLB is tough, but Ford has handled himself great so far and will get better with time.

With a smooth left stroke, Ford’s bat stays in the zone for much of swing which allows him to make quality contact. His ability to stay short to the ball and finish long is one of the main reasons why he can catch up to the high-90s fastballs and send them a long way.

I fully expect Ford to have a much bigger impact this year than he did last season. Especially with Stanton’s injury, this will allow Ford to step up to the plate (no pun intended) and be a big role in the lineup for the New York Yankees.