"The cancellation of the 2020 Memorial Cup was an inevitability given the current state of affairs in the world, but now that it's official, one unfortunate byproduct is that Kelowna will miss its turn to host the CHL's three-league championship. The bucolic B.C. town is home to the Rockets Paul Pierce Kansas Jersey, a franchise that has enjoyed great success over the years under the stewardship of owner/GM Bruce Hamilton. The team has been to the Memorial Cup four times since moving from Tacoma, Wash., in 1995 and won as hosts back in 2004. During that time, Hamilton has become one of the most influential voices in the CHL and currently serves as chairman of the WHL's board of governors. In that respect, it's surprising that Kelowna will just straight-up lose its hosting rights. As per a CHL press release Russell Westbrook Ucla Jersey, the 2021 Memorial Cup will be hosted by the OHL and based on the bids that were put in earlier this year, that host will be either Sault Ste. Marie or Oshawa. Given how early in the process we are, it seems like there could be an exception made in which Kelowna hosted in 2021 and the OHL got the 2022 tournament. The Memorial Cup gets rotated between the WHL, OHL and QMJHL, but there was a recent exception that proves the rotation is not iron-clad. Back in 2018, the QMJHL should have technically been the host league for the Memorial Cup, but it was also the 100th edition of the end-of-year classic, so a little more pomp and circumstance was put into the festivities. Because of this, the CHL announced that franchises from all three leagues would be allowed to bid on hosting duties and in the end, three teams went for it: the WHL's Regina Pats and the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs and Oshawa Generals. Regina ended up as the host and, ironically, a small-market team from the ‘Q' took home the trophy when the Acadie-Bathurst Titan blanked the host Pats 3-0 in the final. Would there be any issues in simply shifting this year's hosting rights a year? There would be some, to be sure. Teams always load up for Memorial Cup runs and though WHL squads tend to pride themselves on not splurging too much (favoring internal development) Trae Young Oklahoma Jersey, the Rockets did make a series of “now” trades to bolster their lineup. Veterans Matthew Wedman (FLA), Dillon Hamaliuk (SJ) and Jake Lee (undrafted) all came over from the Seattle Thunderbirds for example, playing substantial roles for Kelowna this season. But the city itself deserves some sympathy here, too. The Memorial Cup is a big event in the majority of CHL towns and given how popular the Rockets are, it goes without saying that crowds would have been stellar for the tournament, had a global pandemic not hit. While the CHL has teams in major markets such as Seattle, Portland, Edmonton, Quebec City, Calgary, Winnipeg and Vancouver (not to mention suburbs of Montreal and Toronto), the majority of teams are in junior hockey-mad locales around Canada and parts of the U.S. These are the towns that live and breathe for their teams and the communities are very tightly connected to hockey. And while the economy is going to be on every city's mind for the foreseeable future, it probably would have been nice for the hotels and restaurants of Kelowna to know they could have recouped some lost business in a calendar year. Finally, I'll give a shout-out to all the volunteers who would have made the tournament hum. In my experience, the folks who donate their time during the Memorial Cup are integral and they're always incredibly helpful (even when I tell them I'm from Toronto!) Tyler Herro Kentucky Jersey. I know the OHL will do a great job in 2021, no matter which team hosts, but it is a shame that Kelowna lost its turn." "You might have been scrolling through the NHL transactions today - because, really, that's about all we have at the moment - and noticed that a 22-year-old kid by the name of Connor Ingram signed a three-year deal with the Nashville Predators. You might have thought to yourself, “Wasn't that the kid who played for Canada's World Junior team a couple of years ago?” Because as much as these teenagers are household names and superstars for two weeks during the tournament, the hockey memory fades pretty quickly in a lot of people. And in terms of the WJC, 2017 was a long, long time ago. Then you might be confused because you could have sworn he was a pretty good prospect for the Tampa Bay Lightning at one time. Then you might say something like, “Whatever happened to that kid?” Well, the answer to that is, not much out of the ordinary, actually. It's not at all uncommon for a goalie to be in his mid-20s and be on his second or third organization by the time he blossoms into an NHLer. The Carter Harts of the world are the exception and the Connor Ingrams are more of the rule. (Fun fact: Ingram and Hart made up Canada's goaltending tandem in the 2017 WJC in which USA defeated Canada in a shootout in the gold medal game.) If you want a comparable for Ingram Vince Carter Unc Jersey, you might just want to look at the guy who won the Stanley Cup last year. Of all the goalies currently in the NHL, only Corey Crawford played more games in the minors than Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues prior to cementing his status as an NHL goalie. Crawford played 245 games in the American League prior to becoming a full-timer in Chicago. Binnington played a total of 204 in the minors, including 44 in the ECHL. To this point in his career, Ingram has played zero NHL games and 106 in the minors, including 16 in the ECHL. Care to know who else has played at least that many minor-league games before becoming full-time NHLers? Well, how about Jimmy Howard (181), Devan Dubnyk (181), Ben Bishop (175), Jakob Markstrom (163), Martin Jones (159), Craig Anderson (156), Mike Smith (154), Pekka Rinne (145), Brayden Holtby (144) and Carter Hutton (134)? Tuukka Rask played 102. If all goes according to plan for both the Predators and Ingram, he'll likely play at least one more year for their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee while Rinne and Juuse Saros play out the last seasons of their contracts. Rinne is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2020-21 season, while Saros will be restricted with arbitration rights. It's pretty clear the Predators think Ingram has what it takes to be at least a backup in the NHL by Year 3 of the deal, since they made it a one-way deal in the last year at $750,000. Even if Ingram doesn't play a game in the NHL, he's guaranteed to make almost $1 million over the three years, with a minor-league guarantee of $120,000 next season and $125,000 the season after that. So if the Predators are tracking for Ingram to become an NHL goaltender, does that mean the Lightning messed up in trading him to Nashville last summer for a seventh-round pick, the draft's equivalent of a bag of pucks? Well, obviously if he ends up being an NBA star Zion Williamson Duke Jersey, the Lightning might have some 'splaining to do at some point. But the reality is that the Lightning actually did him a favor by giving him a fresh start somewhere else, because it wasn't coming in Tampa. Ingram played in the AHL All-Star Game last season and not long after found himself demoted to the ECHL. This may come as a surprise, but organizations tend not to do that when they're happy with a prospect. Word is that the Lightning were not thrilled with Ingram's work ethic and demoted him to send that message, one that ultimately soured the relationship between the two parties. So off goes Ingram to Nashville and becomes one of the better goalies in the AHL. Sound familiar? Well, that's pretty much the way the relationship went between Binnington and the Blues for a couple of years. The Blues didn't trade Binnington, but they tried to. In fact, they sent him to Boston's farm team in Providence for a season and basically made him available to anyone who wanted him. And then Binnington got it. And once he did, there was no stopping him or the Blues. It's far too early to suggest Connor Ingram will follow the same path, but don't be terribly surprised if it looks roughly the same."
"As days continue to pass, we inch closer and closer to the reality of no more professional hockey in 2019-20. There are bigger things to worry about, of course, but it'll be disappointing to see such a fantastic year of AHL hockey - highlighted by a host of top prospects making their marks on the league - end on such an unfortunate note, especially when this season will also be the last for longtime AHL president Dave Andrews. At the very least Kevin Durant Texas Jersey, we can look back fondly on the talent the league has produced this season. While the AHL is often dominated by veterans or bubble players whose shot at full-time NHL work is fading or slim to begin with, many of the league's top players this season were either rookies or sophomores preparing to make the jump to the NHL in 2020-21. That's promising because at a time where teams often like to shoehorn players into a lineup before they're ready, we saw many teams take a patient approach with their young guns. A few of the players listed below have already had a shot at NHL action, but all of them have a legitimate shot at becoming full-timers in the NHL next season. Here's a look at 10 AHL standouts and NHL prospects who could be major players next season: Igor Shesterkin, G, 24 (NY Rangers) Shesterkin proved in a 12-game stretch why he's been touted as the goalie of the future in the Big Apple for more than half a decade. He posted a 10-2-0 record in those dozen games, and his .931 save percentage and 3.95 goals-saved above average at 5-on-5 put him among the best goaltenders since Jan. 1 despite sharing the net with Alexandar Georgiev and Henrik Lundqvist. Since becoming a full-time pro in 2016-17, Shesterkin has lost just 18 of his 121 contests between the NHL, AHL and KHL Kyrie Irving Duke Jersey. No goaltending prospect has been as dominant in that span. Shesterkin has nothing left to prove in the AHL and is ready to dethrone ĄŽKing Henrik' in the Rangers' crease. Owen Tippett, RW, 21 (Florida) Tippett made the Panthers out of training camp in 2017-18 but failed to find his footing in his seven-game stint. Two seasons later, Tippett finally became a full-time pro and was one of the AHL's most electrifying rookies, scoring 19 goals and totalling 40 points in 46 games prior to the league shutdown - good for first on Springfield and eighth among all rookies Larry Bird Indiana State Jersey. Tippett, a pure goal scorer, worked on some of the deficiencies in his game and has become more well-rounded. Tippett should get his chance to seize a top-six role as soon as a spot opens up in Florida. And given there were rumors surrounding Mike Hoffman and Evgeni Dadonov at the deadline, Tippett's opportunity could come soon. Henrik Borgstrom, C, 22 (Florida) Borgstrom played 50 games with the Panthers in 2018-19, which made him a surprising omission from the opening-night roster. But that's fine, because while a move to the AHL was a definite step down for a talented player, it allowed Borgstrom to work on other aspects of his game. Injuries limited his action in Springfield and he couldn't find any consistency in a four-game run with the Panthers, but the team still has faith that he'll be a contributor in the near future. It could be do-or-die for Borgstrom if he's serious about making a long-term impact on a team searching for a seat at the playoff table, but he's got the talent to be an everyday NHLer." "Bouchard was passed by Ethan Bear in the Oilers' depth chart this season Lonzo Ball Ucla Jersey, leaving some wondering when Bouchard would be ready for the big time after failing to crack the parent club's roster at any point during the season. Fortunately, Bouchard's status as a top prospect hasn't changed: he's still going to be a valuable defenseman, he just needed some extra time. Bouchard, the top scoring defenseman during his four-year run in the OHL, was third in scoring among rookie defensemen in the AHL this season and represented Bakersfield at the all-star game in January. In terms of on-ice play, Bouchard is comparable to Tony DeAngelo, and given DeAngelo's rise this season, that's a good thing. Erik Brannstrom, D, 20 (Ottawa) Brannstrom won't technically be a rookie next season after spending 31 games with the Senators this season, but he was sent down to the AHL on Jan. 3 and never made his way back up. The Senators liked what they saw from Brannstrom, but injuries and inconsistent play hurt the explosion many expected this season. It's a minor setback for Brannstrom, but the mobile, two-way defender is ready for the show next year. Josh Norris, C, 20 (Ottawa) Sticking with the Senators Michael Jordan North Carolina Jersey, Norris needed just one season to prove he's ready for the NHL. At the time of the league lockdown, Norris was leading all AHL rookies with 31 goals and 61 points. The leading candidate for the AHL's rookie of the year, Norris was acquired in the deal that sent Erik Karlsson to San Jose and, early on, the former NCAA forward has looked like a star in the making. Norris is a high-volume shooter, attacks both ends of the ice and can be relied upon to get the job done with and without the puck. Added bonus? Norris and Senators teammate Brady Tkachuk are good friends. There's the possibility for instant chemistry. Morgan Frost, C, 20 (Philadelphia) Frost had a pair of call-ups this season and even had a few shots in the top six, but he struggled to adjust to the NHL game immediately. His big-league run started off with goals in his first two games, but he failed to find twine in his next 16 games and was demoted to the AHL in the final days of December. Frost, a two-time 100-point forward in the OHL, altered his style as the season went on and showed he can handle the pro transition. Depending on who you talk to, Frost could benefit from another year in the AHL Michael Jordan Unc Jersey, but it's hard to think he'd last long before earning another shot in Philly. Jack Studnicka, C, 21 (Boston) Providence was one of the best teams in the AHL this season, and no other baby Bruin had the impact that Studnicka did as a rookie. In 60 games, Studnicka had 23 goals (fourth among all AHL freshmen) and 49 points (third) and had a 10-point cushion over veteran Paul Carey for the Bruins' team lead. Studnicka played all situations for Providence this season and faced a heavy workload each night, so the big club knows they're getting a hard-working, two-way force that will add depth in the middle six for years to come. Jesper Boqvist, LW, 21 (New Jersey) The plan was for Boqvist to factor into New Jersey's middle-six this season, but he struggled mightily, scoring just four points in 35 games before a demotion to AHL Binghamton. Once in the minors, Boqvist found his game again, recording eight goals and 11 points in 19 games as one of the baby Devils' best wingers during that span. New Jersey is still in full rebuild mode and wasting a talented goal-scorer's potential by limiting his ice time wasn't going to work, so that taste of AHL action could be a big benefit for his career. Conor Timmins, D, 21 (Colorado) A 16-month battle with concussion symptoms, including a complete lost season in 2018-19, put a damper on Timmins' potential as a top prospect, but the former OHL star rebounded in a big way in 2019-20. He was still limited to 40 games with the Colorado Eagles, but Timmins had 27 points after starting the season in the NHL. The Eagles gave Timmins a chance to play heavy minutes and while a crowded blueline with the big club means he won't be thrust into a big role in the NHL next season, having a player of his caliber, and one with something to prove, further down the lineup can pay serious dividens."
"It had to be among the easiest decisions of St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong's tenure at the helm of an NHL club, the decision whether or not to remove the interim tag from coach Craig Berube's title. It had only been earlier that season that Berube had been promoted from his role as associate bench boss and into the top job, but he had guided a once-foundering Blues team to not only the one of the 10-best regular season records, but a storybook playoff run. It began in November 2018 Anthony Davis Kentucky Jersey, when Berube was handed the interim and took over from Mike Yeo, and over the next several weeks, he transformed St. Louis from a listless club into a possession juggernaut that was far more than a perceived also-ran in the Western Conference. And on the strength of his guidance and a rookie goaltending performance for the ages from Jordan Binnington, Berube and the Blues not only made their way through the first round, second round and earned a Western Conference crown, St. Louis went out and won the whole thing, hoisting the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. Though it was all but certain to come, it was less than two weeks after that historic worst-to-first victory that the Blues made it official and removed the interim tag from Berube's title. He earned himself a three-year pact to become the 26th coach in Blues franchise history, and prior to the stoppage Carmelo Anthony Syracuse Jersey, he and his St. Louis charges looked prepared to defend their title. The Blues led the Western Conference and Central Division with 94 points. Only six point separated St. Louis from top spot in the NHL. And while there doesn't appear to be another Berube-esque story waiting to be written this season, there are several interim bench bosses who are awaiting their fates. So, who stays and who goes once the 2020-21 campaign rolls around? Geoff Ward, Calgary Flames No interim coach has had the job longer than Ward, who stepped in in late-November and put in more than a half-season's work before the season interruption. And, at the risk of spoiling the direction of the rest of this rundown, there may not be another current interim coach who has a better shot at having the interim tag removed. Calgary has been one of the league's top teams since Ward took over, with the Flames' .616 points percentage since Nov. 26 - Ward's first night running the bench - the eighth-best mark in the NHL. Even the underlying statistics are somewhat promising. While Ward's Flames don't play the same incredibly possession-heavy style as they did under predecessor Bill Peters, Calgary has had a more aggressive attack. While shot attempt, shot, scoring chance and scoring chance against rates at 5-on-5 have all increased by modest amounts, the Flames have also generated more in each category and, in some cases, the additional attacking power outweighs the slight defensive downturn. Such is the case in high-danger chance percentage Ja Morant Murray State Jersey, which has increased from 47.8 percent under Peters to 52.5 percent under Ward. The Flames' expected goals percentage has also risen from 49.6 percent to 50.8 percent since Ward took over. Rick Bowness, Dallas Stars The Stars had an 18-11-3 record at the time Jim Montgomery was let go by the organization and they've had similar success since Bowness took over, posting a 20-13-5 record in his 38 games as coach. Four-thousandths of a point separate the winning percentages of the two bench bosses. And while that may seem like reason enough to keep Bowness around, there's ample reason why it might be time for a change. For the analytically inclined, for instance, there's the across-the-board downturn in the Stars' 5-on-5 play. But more pressing might be the need to find a coach who can not only make this team successful, but get Dallas a bit more return on their investment from the top players. Offensively, the Stars have struggled greatly and the results prior to the season suspension were concerning, to say the least. Dallas had dropped six straight, had scored nine goals over that span and were in peril of falling out of their spot in the Central Division. The Stars were a mere two points up on the Winnipeg Jets and four points ahead of the Nashville Predators when the NHL pressed pause. Given the results, it seems more likely Bowness is shuffled back into an assistant position than it is he sticks around as the voice behind the bench beyond this season." "Dean Evason, Minnesota Wild A 12-game sample is hardly enough to get a firm grasp of a coach's impacts on a club, but, hey, let's not let that stop us from trying. What we knew about the Wild at the time of Bruce Boudreau's stunning sacking is that they had the ability to be a bubble team and were interested in pushing for the post-season. Despite there being every reason for the coach's firing to derail that, too, Evason has worked some wonders since taking over. Not only did he post an 8-4-0 record in 12 games, but the underlying numbers are positive James Harden Arizona State Jersey, as well. The Wild were only one point out of a wild-card spot and five back of the Stars for third place in the Central at the time of the stoppage. Interesting about Evason is that it feels like it's only a matter of time before he gets his shot behind an NHL bench. He was a long-tenured assistant with the Washington Capitals before moving to Milwaukee to the run the Admirals' AHL bench for six seasons, and he had been an assistant in Minnesota for a season-plus at the time of his interim promotion to the top job. Wild GM Bill Guerin is likely to have interest in interviewing a few of the free agent coaches, but Evason has thus far earned the right to get a second or even third look. Alain Nasreddine, New Jersey Devils Given the Devils' woeful record at the time of now-Nashville Predators coach John Hynes' firing, Nasreddine came aboard with relatively low expectations. That said, based solely on New Jersey's record since he stepped into the interim role, it's safe to say he's exceeded them Jimmy Butler Marquette Jersey. The Devils are three games above .500 with a 19-16-8 record since Nasreddine assumed the coaching gig, and New Jersey's .535 points percentage is 11th in the Eastern Conference and 21st in the league. That's not enough to make the Devils a post-season contender, but a full season of that would have made New Jersey a fringe contender. However, there's some reason for pause here, in large part because Nasreddine's success has been driven almost solely by goaltending. Under the hood, the Devils have been subpar at 5-on-5, to put it mildly, but New Jersey's .921 save percentage at five-a-side and .911 mark at all strengths are above average in the time since Nasreddine landed the interim post. That said, it feels as though with the coaching talent available and the Devils' lengthy history of struggles - one playoff appearance in eight seasons - New Jersey should be looking for an established bench boss and proven winner who can help this team iron out its many flaws. Bob Boughner, San Jose Sharks Last week, speaking with The Athletic's Kevin Kurz, Boughner said that he plans on being back behind the Sharks bench next season after taking over from now-Vegas Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer earlier this season. At first, Boughner's comments seemed somewhat premature Kemba Walker Uconn Jersey. After all, not only do the Sharks find themselves at the very bottom of the Western Conference standings, that fall came almost entirely under Boughner. San Jose was one game below .500 when DeBoer was fired and they're six games below breakeven since Boughner stepped into the job. Further, the Sharks' .419 points percentage under the interim coach is worse than the .485 points percentage prior to his hiring. But is it fair to measure Boughner's performance that way? Consider the Sharks were without Tomas Hertl for the past several weeks prior to the pause, that Erik Karlsson was sidelined in mid-February and out for the remainder of the season with a broken thumb and Logan Couture missed 17 games during Boughner's tenure with injuries to his ankle and head. It should also be noted that the Sharks' underlying numbers have been better almost across the board since Boughner moved into the interim role. This season was close to becoming a wash for the Sharks when he came aboard and it has since become clear they're destined to finish near the bottom of the heap. But Boughner might be deserving of another chance. With a healthy group in San Jose, the results could be vastly different."
Horace Clarke, a second baseman from the U.S. Virgin Islands who had a solid 10-year playing career but unwittingly became the face of the Yankees' fall from grace from the mid-1960s to mid-'70s, died Wednesday at age 81. Clarke played for the Yankees from 1965-74, almost precisely the period of time when the team did not win anything -- the longest stretch that the Yankees did not reach the postseason since their rise to prominence in the '20s. But while Clarke wound up playing for a lot of losing and mediocre teams, he became the face of the team's decline that began the very season he arrived. "The Horace Clarke Era" is something many might have heard about. It's the punch line that's repeatedly been used by a certain generation to describe the Yankees' period between Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, Elston Howard and Whitey Ford to that of Thurman Munson Joe DiMaggio Jersey, Reggie Jackson, Graig Nettles and Ron Guidry -- the dark period during which the Yankees lost more games than they won, lost more fans than they drew, the Bronx began to burn and baseball's greatest franchise became mostly faceless. But it shouldn't be forgotten that Clarke, signed out of Saint Croix in 1958 and having spent parts of eight years total in the Minors, led the American League in at-bats in '69 and '70, hit .285 in '69 and walked more often than he struck out throughout his career, 365-362. The numbers weren't great, but Clarke twice led the AL in singles ('67 and '69), and though he was criticized by some for bailing out on double-play pivots, he turned more than 100 of them in three seasons and had a .983 career fielding percentage. His numbers were fine for the time in which he played, and they kept him a starter for more than seven seasons. He played in the field with his batting helmet on, and he finished his 10-year career with a .256 average and 151 stolen bases. Clarke was the fifth U.S. Virgin Islander to play in the Major Leagues, according to the St. John Source, succeeding Bobby Richardson as the Yankees' second baseman in 1967. He is one of just five Major Leaguers in the Modern Era whose first two career homers went for grand slams. And in 1970, he broke up three no-hit bids in the ninth inning, against Jim Rooker of the Royals on June 4, Sonny Siebert of the Red Sox on June 19, and Joe Niekro of the Tigers on July 2. “I know I got a lot of criticism for playing Horace Clarke as much as I did, but he was a lot better ballplayer than anyone gave him credit for,” late Yankees manager Ralph Houk once said, as quoted in numerous outlets. With Major League rosters trimmed to 28 players on Thursday, the Yankees optioned infielder/outfielder Miguel Andújar, infielder Thairo Estrada and right-hander Nick Nelson to the club's alternate training site in Moosic, Pa. In a corresponding move, the Yankees purchased the contract of right-hander Nick Tropeano. A product of West Islip, N.Y., Tropeano figures to provide bullpen depth with a doubleheader scheduled for this weekend against the Rays at Tropicana Field. “We felt like we needed another pitcher,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We needed some coverage for this stretch of games with guys having some pretty good workloads a number of days in a row.” Tropeano, who attended Spring Training and Summer Camp as a non-roster invitee, has pitched to a 4.51 ERA over 42 career games (39 starts) with the Astros and Angels since his big league debut in 2014. The Yankees have spoken highly of Andújar, a third baseman by trade who increased his versatility by agreeing to play the outfield earlier this year. The 25-year-old Andújar was 1-for-14 (.071) this season, appearing in five games -- four in left field and one at third base. “Unfortunately, I've had to have a few of those conversations with really good players that are good big league players,” Boone said. “It's the result of having a deep and talented roster, but that doesn't make it any easier when you're telling a Major Leaguer that you have to option him Jorge Posada Jersey.”Estrada offered defensive versatility to the Opening Day roster, boasting the ability to play three infield positions as well as the outfield, but playing time was scarce for the 24-year-old. Estrada was 2-for-2 with one run scored and one RBI in two games this season. Boone said he considers players like Andújar, Estrada and outfielder Clint Frazier to be “a play away from a regular opportunity.” The 24-year-old Nelson enjoyed a Major League debut to remember on Aug. 1 against the Red Sox, firing three scoreless, hitless innings of relief to earn the win in a 5-2 victory over Boston. He struggled in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Phillies, charged with seven runs (six earned) and seven hits in 1 2/3 innings. MLB has announced that 28-player rosters will remain in place from Thursday through the end of 2020 season, including the postseason. Doubleheaders will allow a 29th player, and taxi squads may increase from three to five players. Fans have loved watching the Yankees'ongoing power display -- 23 homers in 11 games entering Thursday Lou Gehrig Jersey, a franchise record to begin a season -- so imagine how the pitchers in the team's bullpen have felt. Luis Avila?n said the relievers are cheering right along with those viewers at home. “It's phenomenal,” Avila?n said. “When you have this kind of offense, it will take pressure away from the pitching staff. You still want to go to the mound and not give up runs, obviously -- no pitcher wants to do that. But it definitely takes pressure away, because we know if we have a bad day and give up runs, we have a really good lineup at our back.” Boone said the Yankees held a meeting between players and the security team to discuss the more stringent protocols handed down this week by Major League Baseball Luke Voit Jersey, which will include mandatory face masks for any players or coaches who are not on the field and several other measures related to travel. “There's obviously more eyes and more people monitoring,” Boone said. “Whether it's at the hotel or in the clubhouse, guys are going to be checked on that, more than just from peer-to-peer. … Being a little more stringent, it will give us an opportunity to all stay safe.” Bomber bits Aaron Judge and DJ LeMahieu were not in the Yankees'lineup on Thursday, which Boone said was a strategic decision to offer rest in advance of this weekend's series against the Rays that includes a doubleheader. Gary Sánchez reported “some soreness and some stiffness” in his left elbow after being hit by a pitch on Wednesday, according to Boone, but the catcher was “pretty adamant” that he wanted to play on Thursday. Aroldis Chapman's first bullpen session on Wednesday “went well,” Boone said. Chapman is scheduled to throw his second bullpen session on Saturday at the alternate training site. The plan is for Chapman to face hitters early next week. NEW YORK - As the Yankees belt balls out of the ballpark at an impressive pace Mariano Rivera Jersey, Gary Sánchez is one of the few hitters who has experienced a slow start at the plate, but the catcher is earning consistent praise from the team's new ace right-hander. For the third time in as many starts, Gerrit Cole spoke highly of his developing relationship with Sánchez following the Yanks'6-3 victory over the Phillies on Monday at Yankee Stadium. Cole credited Sánchez for guiding him through six innings of one-run ball, which bolstered his record to 3-0. “I think it's going great,” Cole said. “He's always finding me in between the innings, communicating about what pitches he liked. He picked up on a couple tips in the batter's box [on Monday], which I thought was really helpful. He's been on his game behind the dish, especially pitch-calling and picking up some tips here and there.” Sánchez went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in the victory, and he's 2-for-25 (.080) with 14 strikeouts this year. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that he believes Sánchez is showing signs of improvement offensively, dating to a solid at-bat in the final game of the Orioles' series on July 30. “He had a couple of the games in the Boston series where I thought he was better,” Boone said. “He's kind of chasing that hit a little bit. He's just got to continue to trust that he can control the zone and really stay in his legs. When he does, that will take off.” Sánchez batted .232/.316/.525 with 34 homers and 77 RBIs in 106 games last season, compiling a 119 OPS+. Cole said that he and the Yankees'pitchers have appreciated Sánchez's dedication behind the plate, even as he battles a rough stretch in the batter's box. “It's not easy to not take the offense out on the field,” Cole said. “As players, we all kind of understand that. It's easy to rally around a guy that is really taking pride in his defense, even though he may be a little bit frustrated with how it's going in the batter's box.”
NEW YORK -- One night after being removed for a pinch-hitter, Aaron Judge was not in the Yankees'lineup on Wednesday as the slugger receives treatment for “lower body tightness,” manager Aaron Boone said. Judge was lifted in favor of Mike Tauchman during the sixth inning of Tuesday's 9-6 victory over the Braves. Boone said that Judge is dealing with the effects of playing four games on the artificial turf at Tropicana Field this past weekend. “It's something that I've tried to be mindful of and aware of,” Boone said. “Judge is a guy that always wants to post. He always wants to play, even when he's playing through things.” Boone said that Judge tried to talk his way into the lineup on Wednesday, but Boone factored Thursday's off-day into his decision, as well as an upcoming series against the division-rival Red Sox. Asked to elaborate on Judge's problem areas C.C. Sabathia Jersey, Boone mentioned his hips, calves and hamstrings. “It's kind of all over the lower body where he's dealing with some rigor,” Boone said. “The hips and down into the hamstrings and calves. I think it's a result of the four games'pounding in three days down in Tampa.” Sidelined in February and March due to what was eventually revealed to be a right rib fracture and a collapsed lung, stemming from a September 2019 dive in the Yankee Stadium outfield, Judge's improved health has been thought to be a major component in his early-season success. Judge leads the Majors in homers (nine) and slugging percentage (.758), and he's tied with the Rockies'Charlie Blackmon for the lead in RBIs (20). Judge has appeared in all 17 of the Yankees'games entering play on Wednesday, batting .290/.343/.758 with a 201 OPS+. Boone was asked if he believes that Judge will be able to return to the Yankees'lineup on Friday, when the club opens a weekend series with Boston. “I hope so,” Boone said. “But in a lot of ways, that's a long way from now. So let's just kind of get through [Wednesday]. Obviously, [Thursday] will be valuable in being able to just treat it and get some rest. We'll see where we're at.”Gary Sánchez isn't hitting, even a little Derek Jeter Jersey. While 37 plate appearances aren't exactly enough to tell you anything about anything, a line of .091/.189/.212 and a 51% strikeout rate -- no, really -- does at least tell you that he's not exactly helping the Yankees lineup right now, even with a homer on Thursday night. He'll be fine, of course. Last July, he hit .102/.172/.186. In June 2018, he hit .121/.215/.259. You're noticing this one a little more because it's at the start of a season, but he goes through these things all the time, and he'll most likely still end up being one of the best hitting catchers in the game by the time the season gets to the finish line. So instead of focusing on that, let's point out the thing he's worked very hard on that seems to have really improved. Let's talk about his pitch framing. If it seems like we talk about Sánchez's defensive liabilities every year, well, we do. Whether it's framing or blocking, it's an annual story; here it is in 2017, and 2018, and 2019. No one doubts his cannon of a right arm, but no one over 2016-'19 had more passed balls than his 47, and, if we can borrow a graph made by Jay Jaffe for FanGraphs back in February, Sánchez's framing wasn't exactly stellar either. That was especially true along the bottom edge of the strike zone, where Sánchez turned only 42% of takes into called strikes last year. That was well below the Major League average of 50%; it ranked 56th of 64 qualifying catchers. It's not like Sánchez and the Yankees didn't know that Don Mattingly Jersey, obviously. One of the bigger moves the team made this winter -- not as big as signing Gerrit Cole, obviously, but big nonetheless -- was hiring Tanner Swanson away from the Twins to serve as catching coach. In 2019, Swanson received a lion's share of the credit for helping Minnesota catcher Mitch Garver improve from one of baseball's weakest framers into a much more valuable receiver. That was especially true low, where Garver had a 34% called-strike rate in 2018, before turning that into 58% in 2019 and 56% so far this year. ("It's the only reason I'm still catching," Garver told FiveThirtyEight. "Really.") And so, a million stories about that were written this winter, most focusing on how Swanson was helping Sánchez -- as he did Garver -- by teaching him to receive with one knee on the ground in all situations, rather than the traditional equal crouch on both feet. “If you get into a lower position where you can control the bottom of the zone, you handle more pitches with depth,” Swanson told MLB.com's Bryan Hoch in February. “That's where a majority of borderline pitches live, and it's probably the part of the zone that can be exploited from a framing standpoint. We all know what Gary can do with his arm, so it's mostly the receiving and the blocking -- trying to clean that up and find a position that allows him to do a lot of those things at a high level.” You can see exactly what that looks like here Gary Sanchez Jersey, comparing 2019 to 2020 but otherwise in identical situations -- each at home, with James Paxton on the mound facing a right-handed Red Sox hitter, and with a runner on first base in a 0-0 count. This July, after months of work, Sánchez told Hoch that he thought the effort was paying off, saying that "I definitely feel the improvement. I want to say that I definitely have gotten better, especially with pitches low in the zone." It's early in the season, of course. But so far ... he has improved, by a lot. As we said above, Sánchez has generally been among the least effective receivers of pitches on the bottom edge of the zone. This year? He's among the best (and, in an extremely small sample, New York's backup backstop Kyle Higashioka is at the top.) We can show you exactly what that looks like. On Aug. 3, Sánchez helped Gerrit Cole strike out J.T. Realmuto on a low pitch, and while you might watch this and argue whether or not it was actually a strike, that's entirely the point. A year ago, Sánchez would have been unlikely to turn this into an out. Here he is on Aug. 1, hanging onto a breaking ball from rookie Nick Nelson for a called third strike against Xander Bogaerts. Last year, the Yankees as a team were 17th in called strike rate, across any location. This year, they're 12th. If you're wondering how much this matters, each extra strike is worth about .125 runs, and since the rule of thumb is that 10 runs roughly equals 1 Win Above Replacement Gleyber Torres Jersey, you can see why the spread between Austin Hedges' +15 and James McCann's minus-15 last year -- that's 30! -- is so important. Or, put another way, think about how the first pitch of a plate appearance can make a huge difference. After 0-1 last year, the Majors had a .631 OPS. After 1-0, it was .858, a 227-point difference. All of which is a long way of saying: Even if Sánchez isn't hitting (yet), he's now got a new way of benefiting the Yankees. While it's obviously still early, it's easier to feel confident in small sample numbers when it's reflecting something that was very clearly worked on all winter long. Now, it's worth noting: This is not just about Sánchez. While he might be our poster boy today, because he's a big name on a popular team, if you go back to the chart we had above, remove him, and zoom in a little, look what's happened low in the zone across the league: That's also true, to some extent, around all the edges of the zone, but let's focus on the low zone for a moment. Just in that area alone, there is growth of more than 1,000 extra called strikes from 2016 to '19. That's partially because poor framers just don't get to stick behind the plate these days, and it's partially because framing seems like a skill that can be improved, and because catching coaches like Swanson are doing such a great job of helping catchers learn how to do it. (There's also, it's worth noting, many more pitches on the lower edge of the zone. In 2008, there were 25,095 pitches that didn't get a swing in that area. In 2019, it was 28,805. That's a pretty large jump.) That's because the examples of improvement are plentiful. In addition to Garver and Sánchez, the Phillies helped J.T. Realmuto go from minus-11 runs in 2016 for Miami to +7 runs with the Phillies last year. That was partially due to catching coach Craig Driver, who joined the Cubs this past winter with a goal of helping Willson Contreras improve from last year's dreadful showing. So far, his called-strike rate at the bottom of the zone has improved from 48% to 56%. Meanwhile, Jorge Alfaro, who was traded for Realmuto, was +9 with Driver in Philadelphia in '18, and minus-6 in Miami without him in '19. As far as Sánchez goes, don't worry about the poor hitting line. He'll hit. He always hits. Pay more attention to what's happening behind the plate. It's different, and it's real, and it's important. For maybe the first time, he's adding some real value on the field even when the bat is cold.