After a disappointing series against the first-place Orioles, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone provides fans with more excuses for failure, showing a clear lack of urgency
After a disappointing series loss to the Baltimore Orioles, even with the return of Aaron Judge, Aaron Boone looks like he has no problem with what is going on in the field.
During the most recent edition of Sunday Night Baseball, the Yankees lost by an embarrassing score of 9-3, highlighted by another start where Luis Severino struggled. He allowed 10 hits and two walks, which led to nine earned runs. Six of those runs came before he even recorded an out. He has allowed five or more runs in five of his 12 starts this year. Although he has been one of the worst American League pitchers by far with a ERA above 7.0, he has taken full accountability and was honest about himself when talking to the media postgame.
Although it is not fun to see Severino in this state, it at least helps himself and his image to the public, something that Boone and the Yankee offense have not done.
After scoring only three runs, and striking out 18 times out of 27 possible outs, Boone decided to be positive about a loss that had many Yankee fans livid.
The truth is, they did not make it tough at all on O's starter Dean Kremer.
After the Yankees went down 1-2-3 in the top of the first inning, Kremer walked out to the second inning with a seven-run lead. Although they did manage to get the bases loaded with two outs, a pitcher in that spot still is not pressured, especially when challenged by a No. 9-hitting catcher in Kyle Higashioka. It shows by what pitches he got in the at-bat: Four cutters in the lower third or below with one sinker that looked like a waste pitch. When a pitcher can do that and get an easy ground ball, it proves how that chance is the complete opposite of "good scoring opportunities".
Aaron Boone is lacking urgency amid Yankees failings
Boone has been known to be a players manager, and he's not been one to publically criticize his squad, which in this day and age is respectable. But when you defend a struggling offense nonstop, it raises questions.
It is well-documented that players love the 50-year-old skipper, but how is the clubhouse right now? Is there a sense of urgency among the group of players? It's much easier to argue that there is not any urgency, seeming from how Judge did not play in the loss.
From a fan perspective, it is very frustrating seeing Boone with an underwhelming sense of urgency. It is not fair to Yankees fans to display outer-worldly levels of confidence this late into the season with only two series wins since late June, which were against the two worst teams in baseball, Kansas City and Oakland.
Yankee fans, unfortunately, it continues to look more and more like the Yankees will not be playing the baseball you are used to seeing come October.