Case Closed: Aaron Judge is the Best

One day last week, I was in the routine of most of my workdays. I left the office around 5:30 and turned to “Evan and Tikki” on WFAN as the soundtrack for my commute home. The guys (Evan Roberts, Tikki Barber, Shaun Morash and Tommy Lugauer) were debating who was the better player, Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani. Lugauer was firmly in Camp Ohtani while the other three gentlemen sided with Judge. At this point, until Ohtani pitches, it’s not even a question of who is better. There is no debate. Anyone can see who is the best player in Major League Baseball.

No debate needed. Aaron Judge is simply the best. Credit: Sports Illustrated

It’s Aaron Judge and it’s not even close.

One thing I hate about these debates is that it is so easy to put down the player you oppose almost as much, if not more than praising the player you favor. In no way should Ohtani be slighted. Judge is simply having one of the most historical seasons in over 130 years of Major League Baseball. We are nearly 42% of the way through the season and Judge still has .400 in his sights, batting .392. If you look on his baseball reference page, most offensive statistics are in bold, an indication that he ranks first in all of these categories. He is on pace to set career highs in nearly every offensive category. Heck, with six stolen bases, he has an outside shot of eclipsing 20 steals for the first time in his career. All of this on top resuming his Gold Glove caliber defense in right field. Some may hit more home runs (hello Cal Raleigh) or could eventually surpass him in batting average (Jacob Wilson, anyone?) but there is not a player alive who will come close to matching Judge’s all around greatness in 2025.

All that could change depending on how often Shohei Ohtani pitches this season and if he can dominate like he did in 2022. If he can sniff those numbers from 2022 or even 2023, then the “no debate” argument will swing the other way. Until that happens, the case is closed: Aaron Judge is the best that Major League Baseball has to offer.

David Peterson Was My Last (Best) Pick

I am currently in third place in my 12 team fantasy baseball league. I will admit I have been pretty fortunate on a week in and week out basis. I only have the sixth highest point total in the league. Part of that can be blamed on Rafael Devers‘s horrific March and early April. I am strong on bats and subpar in the bullpen. The rotation has been improving as of late but by no means would be considered stellar. There has been one guy on my staff who I feel could evolve into my “ace”. He is also considered the Brock Purdy of my team.

David Peterson is one of my best pitchers. Credit: Newsday

David Peterson is blossoming into one of the league’ best pitchers…..and he was my last pick.

Tonight, he threw his first career complete game against the Washington Nationals. Incidentally, the one New York Mets’ game we went to last season also saw Peterson shut out the Nats over seven innings. Peterson is now 4-2 with a 2.80 ERA over 12 starts. He a posted a 2.90 ERA in 21 starts last season, indicating the 29-year old lefty could possible be heading for the best season of his six year career. My other starting pitchers (for now) are Luis Severino, Cristopher Sanchez, Matthew Boyd, Bailey Ober, Zac Gallen and Tanner Bibee. It’s not a stretch to say that Peterson will be my best pitcher by the end of the 2025 season.

If I am going to win my first championship in this league, my starting pitchers have to step up. There will be roster tinkering as no good can come from standing pat. One thing is for certain. Barring injury, David Peterson will be in my rotation for the remainder of the season.

Living With a Rough Phillies’ Month

The Philadelphia Phillies are in the middle of a pretty bad stretch. They just snapped a five game losing streak, have lost eight of their last ten games and were swept this past weekend by the woeful Pittsburgh Pirates. On May 24, they were up by three games in the National League East; today they trail the New York Mets by four games. Bryce Harper is on the ten day injured list with a wrist injury. June has not been a kind month, to say the least, to the Phillies.

It’s making our house both tense and amusing at the same time thanks to a certain Phillies’ fan.

Bryce Harper’s IL stint is compounding the Phillies’ problem. Credit: Seattle Times

You can only imagine the pain Caitlyn is feeling and the endless one liners delivered by her. However, there is only so many, “My team is so bad” and “We stink” sentences a guy can stand. I will say her quote on Sunday of, “It’s ironic that we have a pride logo because we have nothing to be proud of” was a great zinger. We (yes, it’s more than just me) have to remind her how long the baseball season is. I get it. In a division where the Mets seem to be on an endless loop of playing the Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox, to her, Philadelphia is heading for a 100 loss season. She also can’t get out of her head the “regression” her team has made: World Series in 2022, NLCS in 2023, Division Series in 2024. Instead of lamenting her current sorry state, Caitlyn should realize that there 96 games left in the season, plenty of time for her beloved team to capture a second straight division title.

At least there is some good news. The Phillies defeated the Chicago Cubs, 4-3 in 11 innings. Also, the Atlanta Braves are ten games under .500. much to Caitlyn’s delight. I hope tonight’s victory kick starts a winning stretch for the Phillies. If not, maybe I can publish more comedic material courtesy of one of their biggest fans.

I Was Wrong About Carlos Rodon

It’s hard to admit publicly when you are wrong abut a take. It happens all the time in the world of sports, both by fans and members of the media. However, it is kind of a good thing to be wrong about something that turns out to be positive. I’d rather be wrong about underestimating the impact of a bullpen arm than be wrong about overestimating a bat in the middle of the lineup. As it relates to this post, I am happy to say my opinion about a free agent pitcher the New York Yankees signed has turned out to be extremely foolish.

Carlos Rodon has been a great free agent acquisition, proving me wrong. Credit: Sports Illustrated

I was wrong about Carlos Rodon.

This blog started in March 2024 so technically my incorrect take on Rodon was not public. I did tell all of my fellow Yankee friends and other baseball acquaintances that the signing was a mistake. It is true that he was coming off back-to-back All Star seasons before inking a six year deal prior to the 2023 season. I saw a guy that made 30 starts only once, ironically, in his walk year. He was hurt many times earlier in his career. Rodon’s first year with the Yankees seemed to verify my suspicions. He first pitched in July and ended the season with a 6.85 ERA in only 14 starts.

2024 was so different in a number of ways. First, he started a career high 32 games with 175 innings pitched. Though his ERA finished near four, he was a reliable number two starter for much of the year. Any thought of Carlos Rodon being a bust has been squashed with his performance in 2025. He carries a 2.49 ERA and is fifth in strikeouts with 98 through 13 starts. He has stepped up enormously in the absence of Gerrit Cole. Max Fried has assumed the mantle of staff ace and has been nearly untouchable so far this season. However, it has been the performance of Rodon as well as the unexpected rise of Ryan Yarbrough that has helped carry the Yankees to a five game lead in the American League East.

I am ecstatic to have whiffed on my Carlos Rodon opinion. If the Yankees win the World Series this year, he will have been a key player. I will also be sure to be a little more careful when making such a bold prediction in the future.

Reflecting on the Colorado Rockies

I have been paying extra attention to the Colorado Rockies recently. After all, each of the teams we root for will have played this woe-filled team by the end of next weekend. The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees took turns fattening their records in Colorado earlier this week while the New York Mets will be hosting them next weekend. I don’t think we have to get into how bad the Rockies are except for this one fact. They could eclipse the Cleveland Indians’ (now Guardians) 22 game winning streak by a game and still be 11 games under .500. Perhaps I am in the minority but I don’t think it’s really that funny. Actually, it’s quite sad.

Nothing but love for Brenton Doyle and the Rockies. Credit: MSN.com

I often wonder what goes through the minds of players who are on a histroically bad team. Do they come to the ballpark anticipating a loss that day? How upset are they that by the end of April, they realize they won’t be in the playoffs? Are they saying, “Here we go again” after falling behind early? I have been a fan of some pretty bad teams. The 1990 New York Yankees come to mind. I had no illusions the Yanks were going anywhere. Their eventual 67-95 record bore that out. It’s depressing to know that your favorite team will be toast by June 1. It will be a long Summer. The Rockies are so much worse. They could be 30 games behind those Yankees by the end of the season. What do their fans think? Do they see any hope? After all, Colorado is coming off consecutive 100 loss seasons. Those two teams are miles ahead of the 2025 version.

It’s not as though the Rockies are devoid of talent. Brenton Doyle had 23 home runs, 30 steals and a Gold Glove last year. Ezequiel Tovar‘s 45 doubles led the league in a season ago. Zach Agnos looks promising as a closer. However, the fortunes of the franchise could be summarized with the Kris Bryant contract. His seven year, $182 million dollar contract has defined this era of Rockies’ baseball. He has played no more than 80 games in any season so far and there are still three years left on his deal. I don’t have any real insight or opinions on the state of the organization as I don’t follow it religously. However, this article from Sports Illustrated is pretty insightful about we have arrived at this point.

I really hope the Colorado Rockies don’t finish with the worst record in MLB history. We just went through that with the Chicago White Sox. Yes, the players make more money that we will ever see. However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t show sympathy for their losing. The best way they can make us smile is by sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers June 24-26.

MLB Rivalry Weekend: Where Are They?

I love the idea of a Rivalry Weekend in Major League Baseball. It adds a little spice to a regular season that can experience some downtime. With the right matchups, this can be a weekend that baseball fans all over the country can be fired up about just as we get to the start of warmer weather. Because the season is so long, you can actually have two Rivalry Weekends.

The key phrase is “having the right matchups”. This current weekend does not provide them.

Aaron Boone should be leading the Yankees against the Red Sox this weekend. Credit: USA Today

I don’t want to be the guy to pooh-pooh a Yankees-Mets weekend tilt. Anytime they meet during a late Spring or Summer weekend, you are bound for some excitement. However, when I think of a rivalry series the Yankees should be a part of, I’m thinking of the Red Sox. Same goes for the Mets. It’s the Phillies they should be playing this weekend, not the Yankees. Yankees-Red Sox and Mets-Phillies are actually playing for playoff seeding and divisional supremacy. Yankees-Mets, Cubs-White Sox and Dodgers-Angels generate fan excitement for their respective cities but there is not the “hatred” for the Mets for a Yankees fan as there is for the Red Sox. The Dodgers-Giants rivalry is over a century old. Is any Dodgers fan jacked up for three games against the Angels?

That’s the other fault to this particular scheduling of Rivalry Weekend. By having the Mets and Yankees play one another, the Red Sox are facing the Braves while the Phillies are squaring off with the Pirates. Are those really rivals? This weekend would have been perfect for the Dodgers to face either the Giants or the Padres. This could have been the first matchup for the Dodgers and Padres since last year’s playoffs where San Diego almost derailed Los Angeles’s path to a World Championship. How about the Cubs and Cardinals? While the Cubs are hosting their fellow Chicago citizens, the Cardinals are in Kansas City to face the Royals. KC is not a bad substitute but the temperature is much lower for Cardinals’ fans than if they were facing their heated rivals from Chicago’s North Side.

As stated in the beginning of this post, I love the Rivalry Weekend concept. There should be two weekends of these games, one with true divisional rivals and one with the intracity/intrastate state contests. MLB gets an A for effort (most, if not, all games will be free on MLB.TV) but a B for matchups. I advise MLB that in 2026 make one Rivalry Weekend in May at this time and the other in August right before Labor Day. And next time, make the true rivals face one another.

Yankees, Mets and Phillies: Problems Abound?

The Major League Baseball season is seven months of ups and downs. It is important to not get too high or too low, particularly during April. It goes double for a team with high expectations. The first five game losing streak doesn’t necessarily mean a complete re-evaluation. Conversely, winning eight out of ten from April 15 through April 27 doesn’t translate into a parade. I have three fans in the house that I have to periodically remind that we have more than 75% of the season left to play. The New York Yankees, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies have already dealt with some adversity and should still be playoff bound. However, that doesn’t mean that there are situations that bear watching.

Devin Williams will hopefully regain the closer’s role. Credit: NY Post

New York Yankees: It is a month into the season and Devin Williams has already lost his closer’s role. On Friday night, chants of “We Want Weaver” resonated throughout Yankee Stadium as his latest poor outing concluded. Call it an adjustment period, call it a lack of confidence right now. Williams is too talented to go an entire season like this. I don’t think this is going to be a situation where the home run he gave up to Pete Alonso in last year’s playoffs starts the decline of his career. However, if the Yankees are to repeat as American League champions, Williams will need to fix his confidence, his mechanics and whatever else ails him. If not, those chants Friday will be mild compared to what will come later.

New York Mets: Out of the three teams, the Mets seem to have the least amount of worry. Despite a brutal loss on Sunday, they still own the league’s best record. It feels like they need bullpen help after coughing up a six run lead on the day A.J. Minter went on the Injured List. That is merely a coincidence. Until Juan Soto starts hitting more consistently, I feel as though the offense will still go on these wild swings of ten runs in one game and then ten over the next four contests. That seems like a contradiction considering the Mets’ record, however it is something that has happened in the early going.

Philadelphia Phillies: It seems like the Phillies have been searching for a guy to lock down the ninth inning for years. They signed a previous All Star closer, Jordan Romano but so far, the early results have been discouraging. The defection of Jeff Hoffman to the Toronto Blue Jays has made a shaky part of the team even more suspect. Outside of Jose Alvarado, is there anyone to trust to keep a one run lead? Also, Alec Bohm‘s second half slide from 2024 has carried over to this season. He hasn’t homered in 107 at bats and his OPS is .532. Perhaps all of the trade talk surrounding him in the offseason has affected his on field play.

New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies: One Girl’s Pain

On Monday evening, we made the trip to Citi Field to watch the New York Mets take on the Philadelphia Phillies. It was the four of us (Ryan went back to Siena earlier in the day), one of Caitlyn’s friends and a couple whose son is friends with Matthew. Beatrice and I remained neutral while everyone else (minus Caitlyn) was a Mets’ fan. If you know the result of the game, then you know that one of us went home not happy. In fact, after today’s game, it became clear that Caitlyn was almost ready to throw the towel in on the Phillies’ season.

Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto ready for action. Credit: Matthew Lynch

This was the third time we have seen Aaron Nola pitch in person. And for the third time, Philadelphia came out on the short end of the score. We had good seats, section 329 row 16. In came in handy when on this chilly night, we managed to avoid the brief drizzle that fell during the course of the contest. When Francisco Lindor led off the first inning with a home run and Jesse Winker led off the second inning with a home run, Caitlyn knew it was not a good omen. It didn’t help her cause watching Tylor Megill whiff ten Phillies’ batters, either. For Matthew and the rest of the Met fans, it was sheer delight when Lindor cranked a three run homer in the seventh inning to give the home team what seemed to be an insurmountable 5-0. It was around this time that Caitlyn reminded me emphatically that the Phillies needed bullpen help and that I would tell her they would be fine. Their second highest bullpen ERA that flashed across the TV screens above us made me a liar. She did have some joy in the ninth inning when Bryson Stott smacked a three run home run of his own to cut the lead to 5-4. Unfortunately for Caitlyn, Bryce Harper struck out to end the game, leading to yet another disappointing stadium outcome for her.

This is why I love my kids and marvel at how wonderful they are. There was no trash talking between Matthew and Caitlyn. Matthew was surely thrilled his Mets were victorious but was happy for Caitlyn that she got to see a big Phillies’ rally. As for Caitlyn, the rest of this series went as poorly you can get. Cristopher Sanchez left Tuesday’s start early with forearm trouble. Wednesday’s game was an extra inning loss, even after Philadelphia took the lead in the tenth inning. The series sweep left the team with a record of 13-12 and a certain young lady in my house ready to challenge them all to a fight.

Help Me Out, Mark Vientos

I have started my fantasy baseball season 2-0. The record is extremely fortunate as my team has not really performed up to expectations as of yet. Kyle Tucker has been wonderful and I have enjoyed Jackson Chourio on my team for the second straight year. I could have done a better job drafting pitching though it was hard to envision Justin Steele being done for the year less than a month into the season. To win a championship, you can’t have a huge drop-off in production on a player you drafted to start for you.

Mark Vientos needs to find his way back to my starting lineup. Credit: Newsday

I need Mark Vientos to revert to his 2024 form.

Vientos was a black hole for me during the first two weeks of our season. He had seven measly hits in 63 plate appearances during that span, resulting in a batting average whose equivalent weight wouldn’t allow you to donate blood. I put him on the bench to start this third game, fearing another lost week. The depth of my team is allowing me to post one of the higher scores of the week so far. However, I know that I am going to need Vientos to rediscover his stroke in order to be a playoff contender. Maybe it is just good managing on my part that my score is so good without my best pitcher in Steele and the benching of an important player in Vientos.

New York Mets’ manager Carlos Mendoza took a page from my book and benched Vientos on Wednesday. The 25-year old third baseman responded by hitting his first home run of the year Thursday night. As the weather warms up, I hope Mark Veintos gets hot. Perhaps it is my benching that will propel him to another excellent campaign in 2025.

Will Ben Rice Keep Starting in the Summer?

Giancarlo Stanton has yet to appear in a Major League game this year. But you already knew that. The latest word on Stanton, last year’s ALCS MVP, is that he is coming along slowly due to torn tendons in both elbows. He is in New York and continues to hit off of a machine, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. Despite the loss of the prodigious slugger in the middle of their lineup, the New York Yankees have learned to win without him over the years given his numerous injuries. However, this time a viable alternative has emerged, providing thump at the designated hitter spot, though mostly from the leadoff spot.

Ben Rice is a legit Major League hitter. Credit: Associated Press

Ben Rice is turning into a bona fide Major League hitter.

Let’s face it, Rice could have 25 home runs by the All Star Break and the minute Stanton returns, the rookie will head to the bench. It’s a matter of economics. There is no way the Yankees will make the $32 million Stanton a part time player when he is ready to rejoin the team. However, will that be the right move? How do you take a guy out of the lineup who will be (presumably, hopefully?) still a force in the lineup? Yankee fans will not be patient should Stanton come back and start with ten strikeouts in his first fifteen plate appearances. Rice has been successful reaching base in 13 of his first 14 games. He has five home runs and his on base percentage is over .400. That does not sound like a player who should be benched for any reason.

Could we be looking at a platoon situation? The Yankees don’t want to relegate Stanton to pinch hitting duty but you also cannot take Rice out the lineup should he keep producing at this clip. It’s a nice problem for the Yankees to have. In fact, they should tell Stanton to take all the time he needs in rehab. This will be a fascinating storyline as the season flips to Summer.