Is time to replace Alex Verdugo with Jasson Dominguez? (Q&A) | Yankees Podcast

when teams are inconsistent like that it opens it up wide for the postseason so the Yankees have as good of a chance as anyone to win the World Series I think it's going to be pivotal they win the division you are locked on Yankees your daily New York Yankees podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team everyday good evening and welcome to lockon Yankees part of the lockon podcast Network your team every day thank thanks for making us your first listen and I'm Brian mcke Supply house.com is the reliable way to get parts fast shop your next Plumbing HVAC or electrical job and get fast shipping from coast to coast at supplyhouse.com before we get started don't subs don't forget to subscribe to our podcast on whichever podcasting platform that you prefer and subscribe to our Channel on YouTube like the video and hit the Bell so you're notified whenever we go live coming up on today's show it's fan mail Friday and I'll be your host throughout the entire one it's going to be a solo fan mail Friday venture very much looking uh forward to it Stacy is away she's traveling and uh I'm going to do a solo F Friday for you guys it's very much looking forward to it because generally it's a uh dual Venture for us um we're gonna start off as usual as always the first question Betty with our insiders and Betty asks in the playoffs with our injured pitchers back how would you construct the starting rotation and Bullpen use Stacy it's a great question um personally I've thought about this a lot I want Luis heel in the back end of that Bullpen I want to see what he looks like as a closer he's got the most electric stuff on the team he's the best strikeout stuff all season and it comes down to two I don't trust Klay Holmes in a big spot I really don't I don't trust him to get a strike out when you need one and a lot of times in big playoff games you're gonna have Runners on base and you're gonna need a strikeout when you need one and I don't trust him to close out a game I don't um I think Luis Hil has the most dominant strikeout stuff and I think this IL stint could wind up being sort of a blessing in disguise right like there's a chance with this stint that he's going to be able to take his time to come back and when he gets back work on coming out of the bullpen and really take that wear and tear off of his arm so I really think you have a great opportunity here and I think Luis SE should be the guy coming out especially closing not saying Kay Holmes can't have a position of purpose in the bullpen at some point but he can't be your closer I don't think so let's go to Danny wag for the next question he asks every time Aaron judge calls timeout he will reach down and pick up a pebble or rock and toss it away is this just a habit or a Superstition or is there some story behind it that I'm not aware I've looked into this there is no story behind it um it's just a weird Superstition thing that he has it's actually funny because they ask Aaron judge often if he has any superstitions because a lot of baseball players do and it's a popular thing with players and Aaron judge unequivocally says every single time no I don't have any superstitions but I do reach down and grab he grabs it and he usually like mashes it between his fingers and then tosses it to the side it's a weird I think it's a focus thing and I think it's that helps him stay focused and helps him stay grounded in the atat um and you know players have all these kind of weird superstitions so if that's his that there's so much more and so much weirder that players have out there uh thanks for the question Danny let's go to David F says Brian and Stace why haven't the Yankees become more open to replacing Verdugo with Dominguez has he has been terrible at the L is it just a boon thing you're right Verdugo has been terrible at the plate really for a large bulk of the season and I'll tell you what it is they're manipulating dominguez's service time it's all it is he's gonna be a September call up he's gonna get called up at the end of the year and I I fully anticipate Dominguez is gonna play over Verdugo every single day in September I I think there's a chance Verdugo gets cut I do um if you're gonna carry a fourth outfielder it's going to more than likely be Grisham um he's got a better glove than Verdugo I don't think there's a chance Verdugo definitely doesn't last pass this season maybe he stays on the roster but I don't think he's going to play and I think I think doming is going to play every single day I think he's gonna be the left fielder in the postseason and they're gonna make it that way let's be real if Dominguez doesn't get hurt at the end of last season he's more than likely on your opening day roster he is so there's no way to me he's not gonna remain a an everyday player he's got a lot of pop in his backat there's a chance him to hit home run there's no chance for Verdugo to hit home run and I think gish's a better Fielder so I that gishan will stay on the roster Verdugo I think personally more than likely gets cut um it's unfortunate for him but hey he had plenty of opportunity All Season to to play his way onto this roster fulltime and he hasn't done it so it's not a boon thing it's it's it's an organizational thing and I fully expect the mingz to be up as soon as September 1 hits um Adam Cole asks looking ahead at the series that we are scheduled before the playoffs which ones do we need to win or play well in besides all of them should we keep an anxious eye on how the Orioles and Red Sox are playing will clay Holmes send us to the point of ciac arrest will the bullpen hold it together which of our hitters are you worried about we need to be playing consistently well in the leadup to the playoffs we can't fall over fall fall over the line and magically expect that we will do we will do well in October um I love this question uh I'll answer all of them here um yes you should keep an anxious eye on the Orioles not the Red Sox I don't think the Red Sox will catch you um I don't even know if the Red Sox are going to catch the the Royals to be honest with you it's been for the Red Sox they like they're like every other team in baseball honestly every good team in baseball this year if you really paid attention has been consistently inconsistent every one of them the Phillies the the um the Baltimore Orioles all the good teams done the same thing even Houston everyone's been good bad good bad the Dodgers have been the same way too and when teams are inconsistent like that it opens it up wide for the postseason so the Yankees have as good of a chance as anyone to win the World Series I think think it's going to be pivotal they win the division pivotal and I would watch out for Baltimore now Baltimore for some reason has an inability to take advantage of any of anything the Yankees can't do when the Yankees don't win games Baltimore doesn't win games either so the Yankees have gotten seriously lucky and the sports books think the same way because the Yankees are heavily favored to win the division they are um I don't I don't worry about the Red Sox as much I think the Red Sox can sneak into the postseason however do I think the Red Sox going to win the division I don't think they're going to catch the Yankees I don't um Kay Holmes will bringing to the point of cards I can't picture Kay Holmes at any point closing in the postseason or in big spots but who knows what the team winds up doing um I don't know if the bullpen holds together and the hitters that I'm worried about are the ones that you're wor are the ones that you're also worried about right I kind of know chism's gonna perform I'm a little worried about Wells as a rookie but not too much first base I don't know who's playing first base in the postseason is lameu is it rice it's confusing glaber I'm worried there's a lot of guys you gotta be worried about at the end of the day in the postseason you're going to need judge and SoDo to show up and is that crazy to say no they're your best players they have to show up in the biggest spots but you have to ride those guys and they're the two best hitters in baseball having two insanely amazing Seasons time to perform in the postseason the great teams don't win without those guys performing anyway it's time for those guys to step up let's go to Lauren Ernest she asks what kind of energy would you would your dog bring to a bark at the park pups in the Park event my dog is a femon old chocolate Labrador Retriever my dog would bring an insane amount of energy it is so hard being a single dog dad raising a chocolate lab puppy of five months all she wants to do is eat sleep and play emphasis on the play she has grown a love for my couch and tearing it apart um she is just I mean she's great and I love her but she would be an absolute Menace at bark at the park there's no chance I could take her right now she is not well behaved at this AG she has not mellowed down she is not there so my dog would not be a pleasant time at bark at the park maybe some other people's dogs would especially the dogs love to like sit and chill my dogs got her sit and chill moments but they're few and far between and they're more dominated by play so right now there's no way I would even test to bring her to a dog a at the park not even close um Haled shal actually as as pronounced um he asks is it just me or am I the only one not impressed to pza how long should it take for his success to transfer over to the majors like he performed in the minors it feels like we are just waiting I disagree with you uh shalid I like what I see out of perza I love his Fielding I love his at bats I think he's got more pop than Cabrera um I don't know if the Yankees feel the same way I do think the Yankees are more on your side with things he doesn't seem to have the same pop in the major leagues as he does in the minors but I'd argue you with this he hasn't played as much in the in the major leagues he hasn't got as much consistent time and I think you need that to really adjust fully um I love what he brings I love his game I love his style of Play It's just got to be on more of a consistent basis getting him to play and I think you're going to see that in September I still do think there's a legitimate chance pza makes this this playoff roster If he if he comes up proves himself and plays well and glaber doesn't there's a legitimate chance that he makes the playoff roster uh guys your questions are awesome we're going to um we're going to be uh going to a short break and then we're going to get right back into the the questions we're done with fan with uh actually we're fully done now with the fanil Friday Insider questions but we're getting get into uh Twitter and YouTube uh questions there's a lot on there too um you guys have been great with the questions so I'm really looking forward to those on the way back um don't forget to subscribe to the channel hit the 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lock on Yankees your first listen today for your second listen enjoy the lock on MLB podcast where host Paul Sullivan AKA Sully is here daily to provide National expertise to his trademark humor and help you get ready for the MLB playoffs prepare for the fall classic with Sully who has it all covered every single day on locked on MLB it's available on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts it's part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day and don't forget that you can catch every pitch of the Yankees Hometown broadcast with SiriusXM just download the and search the word Yankees welcome back we're going to get into more fan mail Friday questions these come from YouTube and we're going to start off with John bz will the yank will they DFA DJ lameu before the end of the season between him and Verdugo neither can hit the ball out of the infield and consistently kill rallies thanks I enjoy the show and listen every day I think one of them gets DFA if not cut or move to the iil here's why I think it's a good decision to put DJ lameu on the I keeps him on your roster um ensures he doesn't play the rest of the year ensures that he doesn't take up a roster spot and it allows him to come back for spring training next year and give it one more harra and if at that point you find out that DJ lameu can no longer play then there's your answer I think it's fair enough to give him another year give him a chance in spring training you'll know by the end of spring training whether you can play or not if you can't play you can't play that's what I would go forward with doing um I I don't think he should be on the play off roster and I think Verdugo should be cut I think you're going to see a drastically different lineup going into the postseason seen most of the year I do um Javier valz 2007 what additional moves would you like to see in the playoffs come in October again I think lisal needs to be in the bullpen I think he need a different closer you can't have Clay Holmes you can't trust Klay Holmes to be closing games in the postseason with a spotty infield and that's what they have right I mean vulp is a tremendous Fielder after that you can't trust Gaber whoever's going to play Third and whoever's going to play I'm gu I guess Chism you can kind of trust but he's not a natural third baseman you can't trust glabber at second and can you trust rice or if it winds up being lameu or I mean I guess Rizzo at that point will be back can you trust either of them you know so there's a lot of issues and unfortunately Klay Holmes is a ground ball pitcher and he the ball gets put in play with him a lot he doesn't get big strikeouts and that's something that you're going to need in a playoff game in a big playoff game you need guys that are going to be able to get strikeouts and Kay Holmes doesn't do that I think the best move that I want to see is is Luis heel I wonder what they do with Schmidt he had a great year this year when he was available when he wasn't hurt I wonder what they wind up doing with him it's a very very peculiar situation with him um Eric Simmons thank you for that last question um Eric Simmons 7920 says should the Yankees try a closer by committee here's the thing Eric I think it's too late like I think they're I think they're they're beyond out of that party at this point they can't try a closer by committee at this point it's too late um I don't think kley is a natural closer I don't think they'll put a guy like tonan in there right like there's too many guys in this bul that I don't think they're going to naturally trust in that position but I don't think you can go closer by committee at this point I think honestly your plan has to be Luis heel put him in the back end that Bullpen let him pitch out of the back at at bu for most of September use this IL stint as a way to get him healthier to take less Innings off his arm and go with it that way listen he's got Elite stuff and he's got strikeout stuff that's what you need in a situation like this so that's how I go forward um I know that there's going to be push back on that I can't picture them allowing clay holes to pitch in a big game I just can't and and maybe he will maybe they will go forward like that I don't think it turns out well though he doesn't consistently throw strikes he loads the bases a lot it's too tough of a spot to allow him be pitching in big games like that let's go to Vincent M Durham 1695 he says where do you all see the Yankees finishing the 2024 season Al E's Champions or the number one wild card and how far do you all think that they all go in the postseason keep up the great work Stacy and Brian it's a great question um personally I have invested in the Yankees to win the American League East um I sure as heck hope they win the American League East I think they will win the American League East um let's be real the Orioles have had every imagable opportunity this season to win the American League East seriously the Yankees have given them every opportunity imaginable they've not played consistent the Yankees went through an awful stretch for a month and a half and the Orioles never took advantage of it even this past weekend the Oriol l two out of three to the Mets or this past I guess early week Orioles lose two out of three to the Mets after the Yankees lost the first game to the Guardians the Oriols could have easily jumped right on that couldn't the Yankees went up winning the next two games against the guardians but he didn't know that was gonna happen the Mets aren't a consistent team and neither are the Orioles and neither is any good team in baseball that's why then the Yankees have a legitimate shot because all the best teams in baseball all the teams with the top records Cleveland the Yankees Baltimore uh La all these great teams have all have one thing in common and it's been inconsistency all year long so I don't think that the Yankees need to need to do a certain thing or anything I do think though winning the division is important with the inconsistencies a lot of these teams have had it's going to be very important to have these games at home I'll tell you two teams that I'm scared of Kansas City Royals and the Baltimore Orioles because of starting pitching Yankees haven't proven they can beat Baltimore all year and they're gonna have to do it in the last series of the year but also the Royals have been the team that has just been consistent all year they have an MVP candidate he's not going to win but an MVP type player in Bobby Wht Jr and a really good starting staff team you don't want to run into in the postseason however a young team playing in the Bronx in the postseason is a super huge Advantage for the Yankees you want these games at home and Baltimore and Kansas City who I personally believe are the Yankees two biggest threats in the American League you want to have those games the meaningful ones played in The Bronx one more for this seg M3 iy I guess um he asks used to be on the angel used to be that the Angels were the team that being made fun of for being an Otani trout Twan team are we the new Angels no we're not um I don't also don't don't don't use we because I'm not on the Yankees but I'll say this judge and stto have both had MVP caliber years neither one has gotten hurt whereas trout always gets hurt and the Angel's never won like let's not overreact here the Yankees are 20 games over 500 they are one of the best teams in baseball they could potentially finish the best record in baseball I know we get frustrated with their play I know we get frustrated by the different things that they struggle with they S one of the best player one of the best teams in baseball you can't forget that coming up next we're gonna get some more fan mail Friday questions and I'll do a quick preview for the guys of the Yankees Rocky series coming up a series they got to take advantage of even the most dedicated gym goers struggle with 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promo code locked on MLB for $200 off last segment of the show Welcome Back everybody um just a few more YouTube questions here and then we'll get into the rocky series and the pitching and listen the Rockies I'll just give you a quick preview here better win that's it like it's it's as simple as that better win beat the bad teams use it take advantage you're a game above the Orioles right now keep it growing the Orioles have have a series against the Astros this weekend it's goingon to be a little tougher for them you have to beat the Rockies gotta beat up on the bad teams I'm gonna go to Robbie Garnes 7732 Robbie not as long as usual so I'm proud of you um still is a long one though I love vuli but he is the epitome of a streaky hitter money for a couple of weeks weeks and absolutely dreadful for extended stretches my question is this do you think vul's problem is that he is caught between two dis two separate approaches if you look at last season vulpi had somewhat of an uppercut power Sprint that led to a low 200 average with 20 plus home runs but this year his power seems to be gone and he seems like he might hit fewer home runs than we Willie Keeler in 1898 okay maybe I'm slightly exaggerating but you get the point and this drop off in power has not resulted in a huge increase in his average or OBP what would you do to help him fewer James rouson and thanks for the great show I'll say this Anthony vul's 22 years old um did he struggle last year absolutely he hit 209 last year and he was in he was in the 100s for a large amount of time and the Yankees rode with him because his fielding's tremendous and he had the power let's be honest here he's sitting 240 now that is an improvement from one year ago it's 30 points above where he was he's still 22 years old you can't expect him to come in and dominate and be a a Surefire star immediately are there guys that are like that in Major League Baseball absolutely those are generational unbelievable talents no one's ever accused Anthony volia being that nice player really solid player we all like him as a player not a generational talent but he's a young player that might just need time to develop because he's hitting 240 now what if he hits 270 next year you're more happy with him right he has the ability to be hot he he is a very streaky player what if he stays hot what if he gets hot in the postseason can he carry you for a week or two absolutely that's all you need they're not taking him out of the lineup and I don't think there's much to do with him he's still discovering his swing go look at Aaron judge's swing at the start of his career it was way different than it looks right now these things take time he's still developing I appreciate the question Robbie um I'm going to go to Luke 43168 does anyone believe rationally that we can do anything in the playoffs we are the very epitome of unreliability andc consistency I agree with you completely they are unreliable they are inconsistent and they're untrustworthy here's why I believe in them every other team is the exact same thing in baseball every other good team is the exact same way Yankees are tied or one or two games out of having the best record in all baseball right Baltimore a game behind the Yankees unbelievably streaky the entire season heck the Yankees have given Baltimore every imaginable opportunity to get back into it this season and they haven't they haven't um Cleveland 73 and 54 again incredibly streaky Minnesota 7156 incredibly streaky Kansas City two games back to them also in incredibly shrieky Houston got off to a terrible start at the start of this year they're only 10 games over 500 now and also incredibly streaky should we go to the National League Philadelphia unbelievably streaky Atlanta and the Mets unbelievably streaky Milwaukee up and down all year right Milwaukee's been great all year last 10 six and four they're on a two- game losing streak now St Louis unbelievably average LA streaky Arizona just got hot in the last month San Diego just got hot in the last month it's every team in baseball the Yankees are no different than every other team in major league baseball and that's why they have a chance that's why they have a legitimate chance of being able to win a World Series because they're just like every other team does their Bullpen concern me absolutely does the depth in their lineup concern me yeah but every other team also has those problems i' be the first to admit that the Phillies were playing crazy baseball like they played in April and May right now still at this point I'd absolutely sit here and tell you that I don't know if they're gonna be Philadelphia right now there's not a single team in baseball that I can look at and they're definitively not going to beat or can't beat I mean Kansas City concerns me they do you know Houston will always concern me Baltimore concerns me are these teams the Yankees can't beat heck no they're not in fact I think all those teams are worried if they see Cole and rhon on the mound coming into them so I don't think it's a it's a thing that I'd be necessarily super concerned about and I think they have just as good of a chance as everybody else to win a World Series last question Joe Miller 8706 says D I think they should give kley a shot at the closer role seems more consistent as of late Z is good but he walks a lot of guys there's always traffic on base when kanley comes in if you realize I would not give him a a role I don't think he's built for that I don't think he's made for it I think kley is perfect right where he is actually eighth inning seventh inning roll shutdown guy perfect where he's at I don't think kley will be a closer I don't thank you guys for the questions I really enjoyed doing F Friday solo um and I love I we love answering your questions remember if you're an Insider you get to go in the first segment so it's a lot more valuable but we love all the questions that we get and we love answering them every single Friday um the rocky series uh Friday night you're going to get Kyle fre Lind he's three and five with a 597 ra he's going to go up against Carlos Hardon who's 13 and8 with a 434 uh so weird with rodon all year just so weird right he's awesome then he's not and he's awesome and he's not and when rodan's getting hit it looks so easy to hit him but at the same time when rhon is on damn is he good he's so hard to get a hit off of when he's pitching effectively I want to see consistency for him going into the postseason you need that build off these kind of starts Saturday you're going to get Brady uh Bradley block he's zero and zero with a 282 ra and the Yankees haven't announced their starter yet and then Sunday you're gonna get Justin gber 4 and8 with a 464 right another game of the Yankees haven't announced their starter yet I'm assuming you're gonna see a will Warren appearance in one of these games um and then who the heck knows who the heck knows where they're going to go um I don't think they go Bullpen game but their TBD and all these starts I'm going to look at the the the the um online account one more time to see if the Yankees included anyone for Saturday or Sunday but I don't think they have the Yankees are still undecided for Saturday and that means Sunday they're also going to be still undecided um again two out of three you can't expect teams to sweep you just can't but the Rockies are a different team outside of Colorado they're a different team on the road and you got to take advantage and you got to beat those teams you just have to one more time you can catch every pitch of the Yankees Hometown broadcast with serious XM just download the sxm app and search the word Yankees I want to thank all of you for making lock on Yankees your first listen today now you can go check out the locked on MLB podcast prepare for the fall classic with Sully who has it all covered every single day you can find the link to locked on MLB in the description so you don't need to search it's part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day coming up next week recapping the series against the Rockies we'll preview the series against the Nationals and we'll start the week with miners Monday that's going to do it for me for this edition of locked on Yankees I'm Brian mcken and we'll see all of you guys on Monday [Music]