My Cousin Vinny's Picks On or Against the Yankees

[stander]

Girardi is a lame duck says Vin. Lame is the wrong word says he, Joe is paralyzed from the neck up not vice versa.
His Charlie Brown management style cost us a win last night, Vin said. Fucker outsmarts himself time and time again. Smart is as stupid does. Snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.

We almost did that in Detroit. If their runner hadn't have gotten tagged out at home.... well...

Team has almost zero chance for the post season based on past statistics, says he. If a team hasn't shown they've got anything in two months, that's pretty much it.

It's going to be a long four months for the Yankees and the Yankee fans. It already feels like it.

O's tonight, says Vin. They're hot. And we are definitely not.

GLTA!

6/4/16 7:15pm MLB Baseball 926 Baltimore Orioles -123* <small>vs</small> New York Yankees (I Nova - R must Start T Wilson - R must Start)

 

[stander]

Standings: 30-23
On: 17-16
Against: 12-6
Totals: 1-1
$: +4.72

 

[stander]

Second straight losing week, regardless of today's outcome. Vin regressing towards .500 and potential fade territory but we shall see. It's hard to fade a play a day (versus someone who plays 4-5+ games and loses more than half and is definitely on a downward trend) but I'm still following for now....

Vin likes the Bombers today - with Tex gone we're actually hitting the ball and the Big Man has found his groove, says he.

GLTA!

6/5/16 1:35pm MLB Baseball 969 New York Yankees +118* <small>vs</small> Baltimore Orioles (C Sabathia - L must Start K Gausman - R must Start)

Standings: 30-24
On: 17-16
Against: 12-7
Totals: 1-1
$: +3.49

 

[stander]

Insane bad juju for the bombers... One run off ten hits at the start of the delay.... then Blaster serves one up down the pipe on an 0-2 and the O's win. Are you fucking kidding me? And now it's raining like fuck in NYC and I believe I saw two of every animal heading down Broadway..... is this the sign?I think it might just be, but we'vegot a homestand coming up. Let's see what providence will bring.

Standings: 30-25
On: 17-17
Against: 12-7
Totals: 1-1
$: +2.49

 

[stander]

Vin hadn't touched his donut this morning when I passed him and had a full ashtray in front of him on top of a few spread out newspapers.

Rough few weeks, I said.

Goddamn this team, he growled. Bobbin' when they should be weavin'... Last night almost can't happen.

Yeah, we score one run off ten hits and the other night two runs off one hit.

And you know those pitch calls come from the dugout. That was Charlie Brown that had that one served down the middle! That's two losses that blockhead is directly responsible for on this last road trip!

Oh surely Chapman just missed.

But why even throw anything close?! I'm telling you this Girardi has got to GO! Everyone knows that a high fastball is the hardest fastball to hit - because if the pitch has the power behind it there's no way you can get the bat there in time to make contact. 0-2 high heater - it takes a strong will not to swing that bat. But that blockhead tells Chapman to put it somewhere that was obviously too close to the main pipeline, and we paid for it.

So what's the call for tonight?

Yankees. Gotta go with Tanaka. And the Angels are coming off a great comeback win against the Pirates and we're coming off yet another road shitshow. We're better in the Bronx (just barely 13-12 so far this year -Stand) and the Angels have had bad juju in the new stadium (8-23 overall there).

But their bats are hot, said I.

Well hopefully Tanaka can cool them off and their guy - Shoemaker - will have butterflies for his first start in the stadium and we can get on top of them early and win this game tonight in spite of Charlie Brown.

Will Done BMC be ready to roll if called upon?

Betances probably won't pitch tonight- he threw a lot of pitches last night - but Miller and Chapman should be available. Blaster will definitely want to get in there and redeem himself from last night.

Oh, whatever happened with Mrs. Big Butt's cousins? They ever come looking for you?

Oh yeah, laughed Vin. They came to the cookout. We actually hit it off. Turns out they like baseball as much as I do and the Stander chicken was a big hit. She's been keeping a low profile ever since, well as low as she's able towing that watermelon behind her.

Well, at least something has worked out when I was gone, because the baseball Gods have not been kind.

Yeah, sighed Vin. Someone's gotta get Jobu some more damn rum. Pronto.

GLTA!

6/6/16 7:05pm MLB Baseball 910 New York Yankees -150* vs Los Angeles Angels (M Shoemaker - R must Start M Tanaka - R must Start)

FYI: Vin was 2-4 last week and (I believe) 3-4 the week before. And he's lost the last four.

 

[WinnersOnDeck]

BOL tonight. Tanaka turns it around for us.

 

[LENBO]

A soft spot in the schedule for the next couple of series could point the ship in the right direction , but then again those teams could be saying the same about the Yanks.

 

[stander]

Thanks guys. Vin can't help himself. He's on the Yankees to win again. Papa Midnite can do this, says he. (I don't know about that. Many voices here are calling for him to be sent to the minors.-Stand)

Let's ride the wave of last night's emotional win, says Vin. No Miller or Chapman but Betances will be ready to close. Yates to set up or that kid - what's his name - Bieber (??)

GLTA!

6/7/16 7:05pm MLB Baseball 964 New York Yankees -151* vs Los Angeles Angels (D Huff - L must Start M Pineda - R must Start)

 

[stander]

Papa Midnite and the Yankees ridin' dirty baby! Get in! Robovaldi and Weaver tomorrow.

Standings: 32-25
On: 19-17
Against: 12-7
Totals: 1-1
$: +4.49

 

[stander]

Vin was in a better mood when I saw him.

Last night's win ended up being a bit harder than it looked at first, said I.

Surprisingly we got out in front early, said Vin. Seems like we hardly have been scoring at all until the late innings (sometimes not even then) for the past week or two. (This is something I will check on when I have time. Could under the team total for the first five have been hitting at a good clip? - Stand) Midnite about gave me a heart attack after that 3-run homer but I was impressed with the way he got them out 1-2-3 the following inning.

Agree, said I. Looks like he won't be getting sent back to the minors. That's his second quality start. Maybe he was turned it around.

Ah they couldn't send him anywhere unless he went willingly, Vin said. In the contracts. They just started that talk to shake him up a bit and get him back on track. Looks like it's working.

So what's the call for tonight?

Bombers again, says Vin. I smell a sweep. Weaver's record in the Bronx is horrible and the Halos big bats are cold. Eovaldi's hitting his stride and has been pitching well. Sure Weaver put in a great start against Pittsburgh but the Yankee juju will come back on him. That and we've remembered how to hit the ball. No Miller tonight but Betances and Chapman will be ready to go. Jobu needs more rum. And when Jobu's had enough we can give the rest of the bottle to Carlos. He deserves it.

Well, this one is really juicy, but here we go.

GLTA!

6/8/16 7:05pm MLB Baseball 914 New York Yankees -178* vs Los Angeles Angels (J Weaver - R must Start N Eovaldi - R must Start)

 

[stander]

Ivan's on the hill tonight and he's bringing the broom, says Vin. The big three are rested and ready! (I assume they'll be bringing brooms as well. -Stand) The bats are awake! Jobu is on a bender and the rum is flowing!

In the next few weeks, we've got a real chance to make up some ground and rack up some wins, says Vin. Detroit is hovering around .500 and we've got them coming up in the Bronx. I think we can win that series. Then sets with Colorado (south of .500) and Minnesota (deep south of .500).

Stop. Homertime!

GLTA!

6/9/16 7:05pm* MLB*Baseball**958 New York Yankees*-144*vs*Los Angeles Angels* (J Chacin - R must Start***I Nova - R must Start)

 

[stander]

Standings: 33-25
On: 20-17
Against: 12-7
Totals: 1-1
$: +5.49

 

[stander]

Standings: 34-25
On: 21-17
Against: 12-7
Totals: 1-1
$: +6.49

 

[stander]

Yankees again says Vin. The big man is pitching great and Pelfry is a bum. Jobu's on a bender and has a fresh liter of rum ready to open. Bats are hot. Let's roll.

GLTA!

6/10/16 7:05pm MLB Baseball 916 New York Yankees -148* vs Detroit Tigers (M Pelfrey - R must Start C Sabathia - L must Start)

 

[stander]

Yankees again tomorrow night, says Vin. Tanaka Tanaka!

GLTA!

6/11/16 7:15pm Reduced Baseball 974 New York Yankees -109* vs Detroit Tigers (J Verlander - R must Start M Tanaka - R must Start)

Standings: 35-25
On: 24-17
Against: 12-7
Totals: 1-1
$: +7.49

 

[stander]

Record mistake


Standings: 35-25
On: 22-17
Against: 12-7
Totals: 1-1
$: +7.49

 

[stander]

Shit, that wasn't supposed to happen. Pretty sure we're going against Papa Midnite Sunday....

Standings: 35-26
On: 22-18
Against: 12-7
Totals: 1-1
$: +6.40

 

[stander]

Third straight quality start for Papa Midnite and a Yankees win to take the series? I don't think so, says Vin. Bad matchup for Pineda. This Detroit team hits the low balls really well, so it won't matter if his slider is on or not, balls are going to fly. X-factor is the 15mph winds blowing WNW & NW - might help some balls get out of the park and/or go foul. But pitches might move more than usual too - for Pineda and Fulmer alike. Take the Tigers.

GLTA!

6/12/16 2:05pm MLB Baseball 919 Detroit Tigers +120* vs New York Yankees (M Fulmer - R must Start M Pineda - R must Start)

 

[stander]

Great week - 6-1! Vin makes up for the two-week slump. Hopefully the next few weeks against the Rockies and the Twinkies will bring more of the same! Day off tomorrow with Eovaldi pitching in Colorado Tuesday.

Standings: 36-26
On: 22-18
Against: 13-7
Totals: 1-1
$: +7.60

 

[stander]

Nathan's Famous tonight, says Vin. Should be a fun game. Both Robovaldi and De La Rose should give up some hits.

De La Rosa is a lefty and he threw 4 good innings against the Pirates, I cautioned.

4 innings of relief in Pittsburgh and starting at Coors Field are two different kettles of pot, says Vin. I always liked Colorado, said he. Great stadium. Right across the street from the bars and restuarants. And all of them have balconies where you can see the field. Great road trip.

(Vin usually goes to one road series every year. He's seen the majority of AL parks and some NL parks as well.)

They didn't have recreational pot when I was there says Vin, but what they did have is more Yankee fans than Rockies fans.

Really, I asked. That's hard to believe.

True, said Vin. Think about before the Rockies existed, there was this huge expance of 6-7 states with no baseball team. People like baseball, but have no local MLB team to cheer for. Lots of those people gravitate toward the Yankees because people love a winner.

When I was there I met people from Iowa, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Wyoming wearing Yankee colors. Some beautiful women too, said Vin wistfully.

So they liked the boy from New York City, I asked.

He laughed. Maybe twenty years ago, said he. I bought several girls a bunch of drinks and ended up passing out before I could call an escort service.

Father time.

More like low alcohol tolerance, said Vin. I can still get a root on but drinking all night has never worked out well for me. I wonder if you can buy pot or THC infused food at the stadium these days, he wondered.

I don't think so, I said. MLB would probably frown on that kind of thing.

Too bad, says Vin. The concessions would sell out every night, - people would just get hungrier the more they ate.

So there we have it. Smoke 'em if you've got 'em and take the Yankees.

GLTA!

6/14/16 8:40pm MLB Baseball 929 New York Yankees -108*vs Colorado Rockies (N Eovaldi - R must Start J De La Rosa - L must Start)