RAB Thoughts

Thoughts before the 2024 trade deadline

The trade deadline is somehow only three days away (6pm ET on Tuesday) and the Yankees, clearly, need h...

July 26th, 2024: Subway Series, Rengifo, Mailbag

The Old Timers’ Game will not return this season. Dan Martin says th...

July 23rd, 2024: Cole, Volpe, LeMahieu, Rodón, Holmes, Wells, Paredes

Ten years ago yesterday the Yankees traded for Chase Headley. He got to Yankee Stadium in the middle of that night’s game (2024-07-23 10:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post

July 19th, 2024: All-Star Game, Hitter Trade Targets, Mailbag

UPDATE: I've been told some folks did not receive today's post email, so I'm resending it. There is no update to the post below. Just sending out another email.

* * * 2024-07-19 10:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post

Thoughts following the 2024 Draft

Gotta call him Hess Truck at 6-foot-5 and 255 lbs., right?

The 2024 MLB Draft is complete and 6...

RAB’s Midseason Grades for the 2024 Yankees

At 58-40, the Yankees entered the All-Star one game back in the AL East, 5.5 games up on a Wild Card sp...

July 15th, 2024: Orioles Series, Rodón, Wells, Vivas, Gil, Cole

The 2024 draft began Sunday night and the Yankees used their first round pick (No. 26) on Alabama RHP Ben Hes...

July 12th, 2024: Grisham, Rodón, Soto, Hill, 2024 Draft, Mailbag

We’ve made it. The final post of the first half. The Yankees have three games in Baltimore this weekend, the draft begins Sunday night, the All-Star break is next week, and then the second half b...

July 9th, 2024: Rice, Holmes, Volpe, LeMahieu, Gil, McMahon

UPDATE: It has been brought to my attention that some folks did not receive today's email, so I'm sending it again. There are no updates to the post below, just another email....

July 5th, 2024: Gil, Volpe, Rodón, Ferguson, Rice, Mailbag

As expected, Aaron Judge was named AL Player of the Month for June, which usually happens when you slash .409/.514/.864 (277 wRC+) with 11 homers in said month. He’s currently on pace for 102 ext...

July 2nd, 2024: Rodón, Stroman, Volpe, Soto, Torres, Chisholm

Aaron Judge is officially an All-Star. He led all players in votes in Phase 1 and that got h...

June 27th, 2024: Torres, Cole, Pitching Staff, Judge, Mailbag

You gotta hand it to the 2024 Yankees. They’ve managed to (temporarily, I hope) suck the fun out of baseball despite having Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. I didn’t think such a thing was possible. ...

June 25th, 2024: Rodón, Judge, More Bullpen Trade Targets, Prospects

Watching the College World Series over the weekend made me wonder how we ever had baseball without a pitch clock. Oh there is a pitch clock in college, but it’s 20 seconds with or without runners...

Quick thoughts after Giancarlo Stanton lands on the injured list (and the Yankees trade for J.D. Davis)

UPDATE: Forget Garrett Cooper. The Yankees acquired the recently DFAed J.D. Davis...

June 21st, 2024: Judge, Cole, Rice, Trevino, Injuries, Mailbag

The great Willie Mays...

June 18th, 2024: Red Sox Series, Cole, Rizzo, Domínguez, All-Star Game, Pereira

UPDATE: The Yankees are indeed calling up Ben Rice to replace Anthony Rizzo, according to 2024-06-18 10:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post

June 14th, 2024: Rodón, Tonkin, Bullpen Trade Targets, Mailbag

Turns out the new road jerseys were Aaron Judge’s idea. Well, not entirely. Judge liked the 2024-06-14 10:00:16 +0000 UTC View Post

June 10th, 2024: Dodgers Series, Volpe, Cole, Domínguez, Trade Deadline

I don’t know how many of you made it out to Yankee Stadium this weekend, but my goodness, what an atmosphere. It was postseason-like between the crowd, the hordes of media, every pitcher throwing...

June 7th, 2024: Gil, Torres, Volpe, Judge, Rizzo, Soto, Rice, Mailbag

All-Star Game voting opened earlier this week, if you’re into that. It’s two phases again. Phase 1 runs through June ...

June 4th, 2024: Soto, Judge, Poteet, Verdugo, Cortes, Domínguez, Prospects

UPDATE: My bad, folks. Anthony Volpe's triple did not tie the game Sunday. It merely drove in a run and put the tying run at third. Doesn't make Volpe's triple any less impres...

May 31st, 2024: Schmidt, Gil, LeMahieu, Rizzo, Volpe, Holmes, Mailbag

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for this West Coast trip to be over. Not for baseball reasons. For sleep reasons. Once upon a time West Coast trips were light work. Stay up late, watch th...

Poll: What to do with Jasson Domínguez

Between now and next Monday, the Yankees have a decision to make with Jasson Domínguez. Today is Day 1...

May 27th, 2024: Judge, Soto, LeMahieu, Gómez, Volpe, Rizzo, Bullpen

It hadn’t occurred to me that Petco Park was the Yankees’ longest ballpark “drought” until Michael Kay mentioned it during Friday’s broadcast. Before this weekend the Yankees had not play...

May 24th, 2024: Schmidt, Andrews, Cole, Volpe, Kahnle, Mailbag

I’m not sure when exactly it happened, but at some point during the homestand Aaron Judge moved into the franchise’s top 24 in WAR. He bumped Jorge Posada out. Open up the 2024-05-24 10:00:16 +0000 UTC View Post

May 21st, 2024: Stanton, Offense, Gil, Rodón, Holmes, Berti, Prospects

The Yankees had their first seven-game winning streak since Sept. 2022 snapped in rather brutal fashion Monday, though they are 12-2-1 in their 15 series this season. 2024-05-21 10:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post

May 17th, 2024: Judge, Schmidt, Cole, Domínguez, Kahnle, LeMahieu, Peraza, Mailbag

I get a kick out of the “these Twins are different! they’re not a pushover anymore!” takes we see each year, only for the Yankees vs. Twins series to play out like a bug hitting a windshield....

May 13th: 2024: Bullpen, Gil, Schmidt, Injury Updates, Volpe, Weaver, Jones, Judge, Stroman, 2024 Draft

Paul Skenes, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, made his MLB debut Saturday and 2024-05-13 10:00:10 +0000 UTC View Post

May 10th, 2024: Judge, Soto, Gil, Volpe, Peraza, Kahnle, Rodón, Mailbag

Fun fact: Wednesday and Thursday were only the third time this season the Yankees allowed at least four runs in back-to-back games (they also did it in Arizona and Toronto). They’re the only team...

May 7th, 2024: Judge, Weaver, Stroman, Arraez, Prospects

Does it feel like the Yankees play an inordinate amount of close games? Well, you’re not wrong. Sunday’s win was their 24th game decided by two or fewer runs (they're 15-9 in those games). The ...

May 3rd, 2024: Offense, Judge, Gil, Holmes, Wells, Schmidt, Delgado, Mailbag

Not sure about you, but I love Joe Girardi in the YES booth. He can be funny and he has good stories, two important broadcaster qualities for me, and he knows the modern game. With all due respect ...