SPANISH HARLEM – It has been quite some time since I wrote about the New York Yankees. I was all caught up in everything Knicks – but I’m back. It has been a hell of a ride so far and I want to dig into some things that have caught my eye.
Juan Soto is Special
Yes, I know he was special before he got here, but to see his ability everyday is something I really appreciate. A generational talent indeed, and a favorite of mine – just watching his at bats. The eye he has for the strike zone is second to none and even umpires lay off calling balls that should be strikes because he is taking them. I don’t know what he will be worth to the Yankees by the end of the year, but it will take a boatload of money to keep him. To that end, I say… give him whatever he wants.
Aaron Judge is Special, Too
I love Judge. Every year it seems like he gets better. There was a lot to like before, but now you see how much of a complete hitter he is. Seeing Soto only makes you appreciate Judge even more because he is just as good, if not better. Sure, he is older and that may make Soto more valuable in the long term, but Judge is amazing. That May streak was something else. It felt like he was going to hit a home run every at bat. Oh, and the moonshots coming off his bat; it never looks like he is swinging hard and yet they fly off the bat.
Great Starting Pitching
What more can be said about this group that hasn’t already been said? They are the best starting rotation in baseball. (I hope I’m right on this because I did not check any stats). Luis Gil is on pace to be the Cy Young of the first half, and he didn’t even pitch last season. It’s crazy to think now that he wasn’t traded for Soto. I bet the Padres are kicking themselves. No one knows that he would be this good and I’m sure the Yankees feel they struck lightning in a bottle. Stroman, Schmidt, Rondon and Cortes have all been really really good, but Gil is, by leaps and bounds, the best pitcher right now. I’m giddy just thinking what this rotation will look like when Nestor Cortes, Jr is healthy.
That’s it for now, come back tomorrow for Jackson Sternberg, who is in London covering the Mets, thinking Management is picking up the tab.
