Gary Sheffield, Jr
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When the Yankees gave the game’s top free agent Gerrit Cole 9 years, $324 million, they expected dominance. The fans did, too. His first eight starts have been average at best rocking a 3.91 ERA, but according to stats: He’s exactly where he always is this time of year.
Gerrit Cole in 2019 (thru 43.1 IP):
— The Boys of 161st Street (@The161Boys) September 1, 2020
– 3.95 ERA, 6 HR, 15 BB, 65Ks
2020 (thru 46 IP)
– 3.91 ERA, 12 HR, 12 BB, 60Ks
Gerrit cole 2019 (Sept. & Oct.)
– 1.07 ERA, 74Ks & .140 BA against
…Don't worry about Cole
Patience isn’t exactly a New Yorker’s game and a 60-game season doesn’t call for patience, either. When YES Network’s Michael Kay mentioned this season being a sprint, he meant it. But Gerrit Cole’s numbers in what should have been a Cy Young season last year should give Yankees fans a breath of fresh air.
The bombers can expect healthy bodies at some point and given the 16-team postseason format, the Yanks will make it. If Gerrit Cole replicates last year’s schedule, Aaron Boone and the Yankees should have the game’s best pitcher starting game one’s with a sure handed postseason Masahiro Tanaka slotted right behind him.
A one-two punch no one can mess with in October.
12 homers allowed has to be the only alarming stat of Cole’s considering that’s more than any other pitcher in the game. What gives? Easy to fall into worry when pitching coach Larry Rothschild had Sonny Gray pitching so bad he laughed off the Yankee Stadium mound. Luckily for New York Rothschild was shipped out of town for Matt Blake and Gerrit Cole seems to love the guy.
Yankees now:
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 20, 2020
– Aaron Judge: IL (calf)
– Giancarlo Stanton: IL (hamstring)
– DJ LeMahieu: IL (thumb)
– Zack Britton: IL (hamstring)
– Tommy Kahnle: IL (Tommy John)
– Gleyber Torres: left game (hamstring)
– James Paxton: MRI (elbow)
They have the depth to weather this, but ouch.
When the Yankees get most of their bats back off the IL, everything will fall into place. Too easy to fall into hysteria when the staff can’t afford to give up a run or two. All will be right in the Bronx. Soon.
I trust in Cole-dono and Tanaka-san
I always watch fastball velocity with these guys. Cole is a pure power pitcher, so if he still has the fastball velocity it’s just a matter of time before the rest is going to fall into place. He’s still at 96.5 average fastball velocity, so he’s still got the stuff. It’s a mechanical tweak here or there and he’s back. If you ever see a guy’s fastball dip a couple mph that’s the warning sign that they’re losing it.
You saw it happen with Kershaw, Arrieta, Matt Harvey, Felix Hernandez, etc. The fastball is always the measure of dominance. When the velocity dropped those guys became very hittable.
Verlander’s resurgence in Houston was directly related to the return of 2-3 mph to his fastball. He was down to 92.8 average velocity his last years in Detroit, but has since gotten his average fastball back up to 95. That 2-3 mph is a HUGE difference to a hitter. Watch the heater and you’ll know.
Hey Gary, you still haven’t mentioned the Yankees as cheaters in any of your articles that you have written and the same can go for the Red Sox.
You seem to always remind us of the Astros as being cheaters in any article that you mention them.
If you want credibility as a writer, you must be neutral, but it seems that you are clearly biased.