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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Striking out 17 times and collecting just three hits isn’t exactly a winning formula.
On its face, that should've doomed the Yankees to another soul-crushing loss, at a critical time – facing the AL East-leading Rays, with an MLB-best 31-12 record at quirky Tropicana Field.
But on Monday night, the Yankees had the familiar, electric version of Cam Schlittler across eight innings, in the opener of a four-game set against their toughest opponent.
And those three Yankee hits?
All of them left the ballpark, the first two clubbed by Jose Caballero – who also launched his bat twice in celebration, lifting the Yankees at a desperate hour.
“I’m glad he had a little extra chip on his shoulder, playing against the Rays,’’ Schlittler said of the shortstop's power show against his former team in a 5-1 Yankees’ win.
“That (Caballero) energy, it’s contagious. Definitely put some life into us tonight,’’ said Ben Rice, who drilled a ninth-inning solo homer.
And maybe this essential, double espresso shot of Caballero should’ve helped settle any debate about his right to remain the regular shortstop over Anthony Volpe.
Only, Yankees Universe heard manager Aaron Boone maintain his shortstop decision is a “day by day’’ choice, and that Caballero’s defensive versatility “is of value too.’’
Anyone watching these Yankees can recite the inconsistencies in Caballero’s game, too.
He’s also capable of nights like this, when the jolt he provides – on the bases, at the plate – can drive the opposition to distraction while boosting his own club.
“He’s electric. He gets under the pitcher’s skin. He’s really good at that,’’ Schlittler said of Caballero. “When he’s locked in and not too over emotional, he does things like that tonight.’’
Rays starter Griffin Jax, not one of the stalwarts of a solid Tampa Bay staff, had retired the first 13 Yankees before issuing two walks – setting up Caballero’s three-run shot in the fifth.
Caballero led off the eighth with his 10th homer of the year, connecting off reliever Chris Roycroft for a 4-1 lead.
That led to a rerun of Caballero’s first “full-on skit’’ casual trot around the bases, as coined by Boone.
Caballero’s show began with a javelin-type bat toss toward the Yankee dugout and featured a mimed bow-and-arrow shot during a pause before hitting third base.
“Trying to spark the team somehow, some way,’’ said Caballero, whose only other multi-homer game came at the Rays’ expense, last Aug. 19, about three weeks after his trade to the Yanks.
“It’s always special to play here. The environment gets me going,’’ said Caballero, as did his own team’s need to reverse an ugly course – with nine losses in the last 10 games entering Monday.
“We are struggling now,’’ said Caballero, looking for “something that can get the team going a little bit, get them excited.’’
Schlittler wound up yielding one run on four soft hits, with zero walks and eight strikeouts.
A newly minted AL All-Star, with the league’s best ERA, Schlittler said he dedicated himself to “being more locked in’’ coming off last week’s six-run, four-homer, four-inning loss to Detroit.
“Stick to my strengths and do what I do best, and that’s attack hitters with three fastballs,’’ Schlittler said of his intent. “I had one bad outing.’’
Naturally, Boone “wasn’t surprised’’ at Schlittler’s dominance, and he’s not shocked that Caballero established a personal season high with his ninth and 10th homers of the year, in this setting.
Those performances came amid questions about the Yankees' energy and attention to detail, with injured captain Aaron Judge - who recently aired his opinion about the club's focus, expressing a need to "dial it in'' - surveying things from the visiting dugout.
We've seen Schlittler respond in spotlight games, like last October in the playoffs against Boston.
As for Caballero, he "likes the action,’’ said Boone. "He thinks he’s the best player on the field every night. That’s powerful.
“In a game of failure, you’ve got to have that. And he does.’’
Boone was not pleased with plate umpire Emil Jimenez’s decision not to grant Jasson Dominguez an ABS challenge during his last at-bat Monday.
Dominguez immediately tapped his helmet after the pitch, but Jimenez either didn’t hear an accompanying verbal response or thought the challenge was provoked by the Yanks’ bench.
Boone said a similar thing happened with the same crew recently.
“It’s a bad call. It’s a bad look. And I don’t get it,’’ said Boone, adding that he didn’t finish his argument, nor wait for a full explanation of the matter “because I was going to lose my mind.’’
In Boone’s opinion, “the (ABS challenge) should’ve been accepted.’’ If Jimenez didn’t also hear Dominguez ask for it, that’s one thing.
“But I think he went, ‘No, you were influenced’ (by the bench, which cannot sway a player to challenge), and “that was wrong,’’ said Boone. “The bench always reacts'' to a questionable pitch call.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Jose Caballero makes a powerful case to remain as Yankees' shortstop
Continue reading...
On its face, that should've doomed the Yankees to another soul-crushing loss, at a critical time – facing the AL East-leading Rays, with an MLB-best 31-12 record at quirky Tropicana Field.
But on Monday night, the Yankees had the familiar, electric version of Cam Schlittler across eight innings, in the opener of a four-game set against their toughest opponent.
And those three Yankee hits?
All of them left the ballpark, the first two clubbed by Jose Caballero – who also launched his bat twice in celebration, lifting the Yankees at a desperate hour.
“I’m glad he had a little extra chip on his shoulder, playing against the Rays,’’ Schlittler said of the shortstop's power show against his former team in a 5-1 Yankees’ win.
“That (Caballero) energy, it’s contagious. Definitely put some life into us tonight,’’ said Ben Rice, who drilled a ninth-inning solo homer.
And maybe this essential, double espresso shot of Caballero should’ve helped settle any debate about his right to remain the regular shortstop over Anthony Volpe.
Only, Yankees Universe heard manager Aaron Boone maintain his shortstop decision is a “day by day’’ choice, and that Caballero’s defensive versatility “is of value too.’’
"Locked in'' Jose Caballero
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Anyone watching these Yankees can recite the inconsistencies in Caballero’s game, too.
He’s also capable of nights like this, when the jolt he provides – on the bases, at the plate – can drive the opposition to distraction while boosting his own club.
“He’s electric. He gets under the pitcher’s skin. He’s really good at that,’’ Schlittler said of Caballero. “When he’s locked in and not too over emotional, he does things like that tonight.’’
Rays starter Griffin Jax, not one of the stalwarts of a solid Tampa Bay staff, had retired the first 13 Yankees before issuing two walks – setting up Caballero’s three-run shot in the fifth.
Caballero led off the eighth with his 10th homer of the year, connecting off reliever Chris Roycroft for a 4-1 lead.
That led to a rerun of Caballero’s first “full-on skit’’ casual trot around the bases, as coined by Boone.
Caballero’s show began with a javelin-type bat toss toward the Yankee dugout and featured a mimed bow-and-arrow shot during a pause before hitting third base.
“Trying to spark the team somehow, some way,’’ said Caballero, whose only other multi-homer game came at the Rays’ expense, last Aug. 19, about three weeks after his trade to the Yanks.
“It’s always special to play here. The environment gets me going,’’ said Caballero, as did his own team’s need to reverse an ugly course – with nine losses in the last 10 games entering Monday.
“We are struggling now,’’ said Caballero, looking for “something that can get the team going a little bit, get them excited.’’
The Cam and Caballero Show
You must be registered for see images
Schlittler wound up yielding one run on four soft hits, with zero walks and eight strikeouts.
A newly minted AL All-Star, with the league’s best ERA, Schlittler said he dedicated himself to “being more locked in’’ coming off last week’s six-run, four-homer, four-inning loss to Detroit.
“Stick to my strengths and do what I do best, and that’s attack hitters with three fastballs,’’ Schlittler said of his intent. “I had one bad outing.’’
Naturally, Boone “wasn’t surprised’’ at Schlittler’s dominance, and he’s not shocked that Caballero established a personal season high with his ninth and 10th homers of the year, in this setting.
Those performances came amid questions about the Yankees' energy and attention to detail, with injured captain Aaron Judge - who recently aired his opinion about the club's focus, expressing a need to "dial it in'' - surveying things from the visiting dugout.
We've seen Schlittler respond in spotlight games, like last October in the playoffs against Boston.
As for Caballero, he "likes the action,’’ said Boone. "He thinks he’s the best player on the field every night. That’s powerful.
“In a game of failure, you’ve got to have that. And he does.’’
Jasson Dominguez vs. the umps
Boone was not pleased with plate umpire Emil Jimenez’s decision not to grant Jasson Dominguez an ABS challenge during his last at-bat Monday.
Dominguez immediately tapped his helmet after the pitch, but Jimenez either didn’t hear an accompanying verbal response or thought the challenge was provoked by the Yanks’ bench.
Boone said a similar thing happened with the same crew recently.
“It’s a bad call. It’s a bad look. And I don’t get it,’’ said Boone, adding that he didn’t finish his argument, nor wait for a full explanation of the matter “because I was going to lose my mind.’’
In Boone’s opinion, “the (ABS challenge) should’ve been accepted.’’ If Jimenez didn’t also hear Dominguez ask for it, that’s one thing.
“But I think he went, ‘No, you were influenced’ (by the bench, which cannot sway a player to challenge), and “that was wrong,’’ said Boone. “The bench always reacts'' to a questionable pitch call.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Jose Caballero makes a powerful case to remain as Yankees' shortstop
Continue reading...
