A livid Mike Francesa issued his sharpest condemnation of the Yankees so far after their 3-0 defeat against the Chicago Cubs on Friday night. The former WFAN host slammed the performance of veterans Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton while flaying the team as anemic, ridiculous, and patently stupid.
Mike Francesa was furious to see the Yankees struggling to muster any offense at Yankee Stadium and managing only a solitary hit in eight innings against Jameson Taillon. Taillon, a former Yankees starter with a lackluster 2-6 record and an ERA could be mistaken for an area code. But this vulnerable target became impenetrable for the team thanks to their offensive slump on a day that saw the highly anticipated debut of Carlos Rodon in the pinstripes.
A devoted Yankees fan, Mike Francesa, took to Twitter to express his disbelief at the lackluster performances of Rizzo and Stanton, stating:
“Watching Rizzo and Stanton, it is hard to believe how bad they are.”
“The current Yankee lineup would have to improve to be called anemic.”
Mike Francesa, continued: “Taillon came in with a 6.33 ERA and had allowed 78 hits in 69 innings. Yanks have a single in six innings. Past embarrassing.”
Peter Ackermann | Asbury Park Press
“Yanks continue to fill the lineup card with terrible players. Didn’t get a player to second base. Rizzo and Stanton should donate their paychecks to charity. They haven’t earned them in the least.”
“How can the Yankees have one legitimate LH hitter in the lineup at home against a RH pitcher. It is a ridiculous and patently stupid design,” Mike Francesa added.
Watching Rizzo and Stanton, it is hard to believe how bad they are.
Yanks continue to fill the lineup card with terrible players. Didn't get a player to second base. Rizzo and Stanton should donate their paychecks to charity. They haven't earned them in the least.
Mike Francesa also slammed the Yankees lineup composition that had one LH hitter pitted against a RH pitcher and called it a ridiculous and stupid strategy.
How can the Yankees have one legitimate LH hitter in the lineup at home against a RH pitcher. It is a ridiculous and patently stupid design.
While Mike Francesa may have slightly miscalculated Taillon’s statistics, the sentiment behind his words remains noteworthy. Curiously, following his angry tweets, the Yankees failed to secure any hits against Taillon during additional two innings.
If Taillon had experienced a decline in his pitching abilities since departing from the Bronx and joining the Cubs under a lucrative four-year $68 million contract, the familiar surroundings of Yankee Stadium seemed to have revitalized his right arm, reminiscent of his impressive 14-5 record from the previous season while donning the pinstripes.
During the early stages of the game, Paul O’Neill, a former Yankees outfielder turned YES analyst, expressed his belief that the Yankees hitters held an advantage against Taillon due to their familiarity with his pitching style. However, this raised doubts about whether O’Neill genuinely observed the games closely. But Mike Francesa did.
As the Yankees were on his way to another loss, Michael Kay, O’Neill’s colleague at YES, described the performance as “dreadful,” emphasizing the need for the Yankees to assess the issues at hand.
Mike Francesa’s comment on Stanton and Rizzo bears weight. Giancarlo Stanton, who struggled in June with a .145 batting average, three home runs, and eight RBIs, only marginally improved in July, managing four hits, a double, and an RBI while batting .222. In the encounter against Taillon, Stanton went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.
Anthony Rizzo, who hasn’t hit a home run since May 20, spanning 36 games, currently holds a .261 batting average with 11 home runs and 38 RBIs. Despite the implementation of a major rule change that bans shifts and the favorable dimensions of Yankee Stadium’s right-field porch, Rizzo’s performance has not significantly improved. In the game against his friend Taillon, Rizzo went 0-for-3 at the plate.
After the game, manager Aaron Boone acknowledged that they have relied on certain players who have been unable to perform at their expected level.
Gleyber Torres, who may potentially become a trade candidate, and Franchy Cordero, who was recently called up, were the only Yankees to secure hits during the game. However, in a critical situation in the ninth inning when the Yankees desperately needed a baserunner, Torres swung at pitches well outside the strike zone, resulting in a striking out to conclude the game.
The Bronx Bombers, once known for their explosive offense, have transformed into the Bronx Balmers, acting as a soothing remedy for opposing pitchers.
One possible starting point for their evaluation could be Mike Francesa’s tweets.
