Schadenfreude 327 (A Continuing Series)

Hits On Sunday

The Entire New York Yankees Team            4-for-30
Jorge Mateo (Who Bats 9th for the Orioles)  3-for- 4

New York went 22-for-102 (.216) against the Orioles, scoring six runs in three games.
In their two losses, the Yankees scored one run in 20 innings.

Dan Martin, Post:

Not even the Yankees' bullpen can overcome the hapless Yankee offense.

Jonathan Loaisiga gave up a go-ahead, two-run single to pinch-hitter Rougned Odor as part of a five-run eighth inning, as the Yankees dropped a series to the woeful Orioles thanks to Sunday's 5-0 loss at Camden Yards.

The defeat came two days after the Yankees managed just one run in an 11-inning loss in Baltimore, as they continue to insist the lineup is on the cusp of finding its footing. . . .

[T]he Yankee bats were almost entirely silent for three games in Baltimore and have largely disappointed through the season's first 10 games.

This time, they were blanked by Bruce Zimmerman for five innings, before three Baltimore relievers finished the game.

To make matters worse on Sunday, the lack of run support wasted a tremendous performance by Nestor Cortes, who tossed five shutout innings — including a career-high 12 strikeouts — in his second sterling effort of the season. . . .

In the seventh, the Yankees went to their left-handed bats . . . Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo leading off against right-hander Dillon Tate. But Rizzo struck out and Gallo lined out . . .

Baltimore broke through in the eighth against Loaisiga, as Mountcastle led off with a single and Mancini walked. Santander popped to short and Mullins flied to left, but Robinson Chirinos drew a 10-pitch walk to load the bases for Odor, hitting for Chris Owings.

The Yankees left Loaisiga in the game instead of going to the lefty Lucas Luetge to deal with the left-handed bat of Odor — and it didn't work, as Odor singled up the middle to drive in the first runs of the game. Luetge then came on and allowed a two-run double to Gutierrez and Mateo then singled to drive in another run to make it 5-0.

Kristie Ackert, Daily News:

Baltimore rallied for five runs in the eighth inning off the Yankees formidable bullpen Sunday and shut out the Bombers 5-0 . . .

The Yankees (5-5) lost two out of three here this weekend . . . Just 10 games into the season, it's not a red flag, but it does bring up the questions from last season. The Yankees were 11-8 against the Orioles last season . . . They ended up . . . having to play the Wild Card game on the road because they didn't dominate the teams they were supposed to dominate . . . 

[T]he Yankees struggles last season stemmed from an inconsistent offense. So far this season, it doesn't look that much different. Through 10 games, they have scored 30 runs, sixth worst in the majors. They are 20th in slugging (.366) and 17th in OPS (.677).

The Bombers managed four hits Sunday, all off Baltimore lefty Bruce Zimmermann. . . .

Despite having lefty Lucas Luetge ready, Aaron Boone let Jonathan Loaisiga, who was superb last season, face lefty hitter Rougned Odor.

"It's Jonathan Loaisiga," Boone said. . . . "[T]hat's absolutely the match up I wanted there."

The former Yankee singled in two runs on a ground ball up the middle. Boone then went to Luetge, who gave up a two-run double to Kelvin Gutierrez. Jorge Mateo singled in Gutierrez.

Dan Martin, Post:

Just when you might have thought Gleyber Torres was about to regain the form he had in 2018 and 2019, the second baseman has started to look like the version of himself from the past two seasons.

After going hitless for a fourth straight game in Sunday's 5-0 loss to the Orioles at Camden Yards, Torres is 0-for-13 with two walks and four strikeouts since . . . Wednesday.

Sunday's effort included a fourth-inning bunt after DJ LeMahieu led off with a single. . . . Torres was trying to get a hit . . . But Torres didn't get enough on the bunt and [Baltimore pitcher Bruce] Zimmermann fielded it easily. . . .

Torres also moved from second base to shortstop after Anthony Rizzo pinch hit for Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the seventh inning . . . Torres then hurried his throw on a grounder by Kelvin Gutierrez with two outs in the inning and it pulled Rizzo off the bag. The play went for a hit, but a better shortstop likely makes it.  . . .

Gerrit Cole is set to make his third start of the season on Tuesday against the Tigers after allowing a homer in the first inning in each of his first two outings — one to Boston's Rafael Devers on Opening Day and a second to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. his last time out against the Blue Jays. Guerrero also took him deep in the third inning of that game. . . .

Cole said he was looking at . . . "just being efficient."

Joel Sherman, Post, April 12:

In the past few years, the pathway to a division crown has been clear — win the season series against the teams that are trying in the AL East and just obliterate the one that is not. For those scoring at home, that would be the Orioles, who are in about Year 60 of what might turn out to be a century-long rebuild. . . .

The Yankees reached the midway point of a 10-game, AL East-only spate to open their season Tuesday night [April 12] by beating the Blue Jays 4-0. In the half-full world, they are 3-2 in that period against Boston and Toronto. In the half-empty, they are exhibiting many of the same offensive foibles that ensnared their 2021 in inconsistency.

Their attack once again is going as far as the ball off the bat. They have won the three games in which they have hit a homer and lost the two in which they did not. . . .

[E]ven in victory, the Yanks were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. For the season, they are 14-for-75 (.187) with men on base, 6-for-33 with runners in scoring position (.182) and hitless in 14 at-bats with runners in scoring position and two outs. . . .

Last season, the Yankees won 92 games and were a wild card, despite their offensive shortcomings, thanks to strong pitching. But what has been lost is fear and dread felt by opponents, especially in Yankee Stadium. There is no sense right now, like say in 2019 that the Yankees can just maul an opponent offensively.

The Blue Jays won eight of 10 games at Yankee Stadium in 2021 then the first meeting of 2022 Monday. They had outscored the Yankees 48-23 in those 11 Bronx games. That has been part of a growing sense from last year that Toronto is ready to win the AL East. . . .

In the past three full seasons (not counting the COVID-shortened 2020), the Red Sox, Yankees and Rays each have won the East, all in pretty much the same fashion. The division champ each time had a winning record against every other AL East team and obliterated Baltimore. The 2018 Red Sox were 52-24 in the division and 16-3 versus the Orioles; the 2019 Yankees were 54-22 and 17-2; and the 2021 Rays were 51-25 and 18-1. Baltimore was a combined 6-51 in those games. . . .

The Yanks were 19th last year in runs while the Rays, Jays and Red Sox finished 2-3-4. The inability to score consistently led to one close game after another. The bullpen, in particular, proved deep and formidable . . . The pen has been great again in 2022 . . .

But that is a dangerous formula to try again . . . For the Yanks to return atop the AL East, they need to return at least near the top in runs scored.

Phil Mushnick, Post (my emphasis):

In 1989, [George] Steinbrenner . . . hired bootlicking John Sterling as the radio voice of the Yankees. The rest is a 32-year continuing history of blown calls, and premature, wildly and inexcusably inaccurate presumptions that, if corrected, are heard on the third try.

Sterling arrived in The Bronx with a reputation as a tattletale, whatever it took to gain favor with team owners to land his next broadcasting gig.

His smug, condescending, ignore-the game, self-promotional cheerleading had already made Islanders and New Jersey Nets radio and TBS's [Atlanta] telecasts a dare to suffer.

And, of course, as the "eyes and ears" of Yankees radio, he has given his one-size-fits-all call to hundreds of Yankees home runs that weren't — a highly unprofessional, self-imposed habit he could've cured 32 years ago by waiting to know for sure rather than embarrassing himself.

But he chose to maintain his course. So what if he leaves Yankees fans disappointed and baseball fans to wonder how the New York Yankees would allow Sterling to represent them on such a stage.

For the past two seasons I've stayed off Sterling's back in deference to his age. But in the past several days, while stuck in the car listening to him, he is no different at 83 than he was at 51. To him, his mere presence is why we listen. The games, as well as the scores of games, both of which he so often ignores, are, at best, secondary.

Before he was hired by the Yankees, I witnessed him as he literally stood at his courtside microphone position to lead cheers for individual Nets while concocting strained and silly nicknames for them, another of his transparently self-promotional, untreated habits.

And since 1989 there has been no one at his station or within the Yankees to fix him, to set him straight, thus the most famous team in baseball history continues to give Sterling its full blessings to destroy broadcasts along the Yankees Radio Network, Florida through New England, and even on a station in Hawaii.

Last Saturday, Sterling announced that DJ LeMahieu, "Pops it foul, outside of third," then returned to his "You know, Suzyn" pontification. Did the ball land in the stands, was it caught by the third baseman? He didn't bother to say. As usual. It's radio, for crying out loud!

It is high! It is far! It is gone!!

but caught. pic.twitter.com/d8APN8XIVQ

— John Sterling Calls (@JSterlingCalls) April 14, 2022

The next batter was Joey Gallo: "There she goes!" Sterling hollered. Then, "If it stays fair, it's gone!"  Then, "off the top of the wall!"

Then back to talking down to us.

Wednesday, Giancarlo Stanton at bat: "Swung on, there it goes! Deep left center! That ball is high! … It is far! … It is gone! … But caught. Boy, I though that was gone."

He's been thinking that for 32 years, and has been wrong hundreds of times. But nothing will change. His botched home run calls will be his legacy. A day at the beach with Sterling is no day at the beach. Pity, he and the Yankees allowed him to do that to himself, not to mention us. . . .

Sluggers a bunch of posers

Aaron Boone seems satisfied with the least his players can do, thus Giancarlo Stanton continues to pose at home plate, even if his blasts land in the first row or bang against the wall. His habit-formed failure to run in last year's playoff loss to the Red Sox turned at least a double into a single.

As a Marlin, Stanton wrecked his groin sliding awkwardly toward second after jogging to first before seeing his fly ball drop. But he doesn't learn — or doesn't care — and it's not as if Boone demands better. . . .