The Yankees are in serious trouble, their woes continuing with a 7-4 loss to the Rays Sunday that pushed them to 1-10-2 in series in the second half, 7-17 in August, and 62-68 overall – records that put in danger not only their playoff chances, but also their consecutive winning seasons streak, as they need to go 19-13 down the stretch to even reach .500.
Compounding that was a blown lead and two benches-clearing incidents in the same half-inning Sunday, with Albert Abreu and Randy Arozarena getting into it in the eighth after Arozarena was the fourth batter hit in the game.
“There’s no way Abreu wants to do this, not in this situation – but if I’m getting plunked, I’m getting angry as well,” Boomer said, “but this wasn’t like a retaliatory thing, someone’s gotta start throwing some fists!”
The Yankees and Rays have had a long chippy history when it comes to hitting batters – this year including Abreu plunking Arozarena after a home run once already – and Ian Hamilton, who started the plunk parade, called the Rays out while Brandon Lowe dismissed it as “worrying about a last-place team.”
Quite the stark difference from Yankees-Rays of old, at least in the standings, although Kevin Cash and Aaron Boone did get into it on the field as well…
“Boone is probably saying there’s no reason for us to hit anyone, but the point is, was it done on purpose?” Boomer asked.
“So hitters are only allowed to react if so?” C-Lo replied. “They’re annoyed he can’t throw…it’s a 3-1 pitch and not close to the plate, and oh, when he steals second and third, Abreu has a problem with that too – and that pitch almost drilled the guy too! How about you learn how to throw the ball over the plate?”
Arozarena did the right thing in Boomer’s eyes – steal the bases and make the pitcher look like a fool – and Randy thought it was on purpose, given the Yankees have hit 12 Rays to just two on the other side.
And all that led to the Hamilton and Lowe comments, and Boomer’s reaction to Hamilton saying he wishes the two teams played again is simply, “why?”
“It’s embarrassing what has happened to the Yankees; they’ve fallen off a cliff, it is amazing,” Boomer said. “We knew two weeks ago that this season was ending for them, but this is a disaster. It’s unbelievable.”
“Just the actions here – they’re annoyed Arozarena is ticked they’re drilling him in the ribs? Come on man,” C-Lo said. “Just shut up and turn your back. Out on the field, take the ball and walk back to the mound. It’s crap is what it is.”
Boomer tried to invoke injuries, but C-Lo wasn’t feeling it.
“We all waited for Judge to come back, how’s that going? Did you see his numbers this weekend?” C-Lo asked. “He killed the Nationals, but he was 0-for-12 with eight strikeouts against the Rays. Great.”
“It’s kind of like when the Mets play the Braves…they play awesome against bad teams, but when a real team shows up, they disappear.”
Oh, and as for Lowe’s “last place team, not worth our time” comments?
“You can’t argue with anything the man said,” C-Lo said.
“He was very factual and took his jabs at the same time,” Jerry replied.
Lowe could’ve been a lot worse, as even Boomer acknowledged, and Jerry brought up the “waving the white flag in August” rant from last week – even more compounded now that the Mariners are in first place, while the Yankees continue to free fall.
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