Watching another pitiful game tonight - these thoughts again crossed my mind. I won't use injuries for any excuse for what's been happening - a death spiral. We've had injuries to nearly every major player on the team some more than once. Gregorius started the season on the DL followed quickly by Sanchez, Ellsbury, Chapman, Sabathia, Castro, Byrd, Pineda, Hicks, Holliday, Fowler, Frasier. Couple this with the horrible start Tanaka had for the first 2+ months. With the hot start the kids got off to, the brass thought we had a chance to win the AL East and traded in an attempt to strengthen those chances: DRob, Todd Frasier, Tommy Kahnle, Jaime Garcia, even Sonny Gray. So what's happened: Judge's stats are coming down; Sanchez struggles both behind & at the plate; returning from the DL - players have not been able to regain previous form. Castro was back less than a week before returning to the DL same with Holliday. Chapman went a period where his heater was hittable; Sabathia might not have the endurance any longer to maintain for an entire season; Byrd has been out most of the year before they finally discovered the source of his injury and might get back for the final month; Gray has two losses in two starts - defense failing in the first, the O tonight as we were shutout by the Jays. Garcia was less than stellar in his first game and is slated to start tomorrow night against the Sux. Jordy Montgomery who was the leading rookie pitcher could start Sunday in place of Sabathia who tweaked his knee - though the MRI revealed no new structural damage. Now we find what was once a 4 game lead over the Sux is a 4.5 game deficit in second place. The only good thing in the last 2 months is the fact that even the Sux haven't gone on a hot streak. Six out of the next 10 games will be head to head - it could make or break the season. With Garcia starting tomorrow not sure I have a lot of confidence pair that with Sale pitching for them Sunday - when we really need a sweep, going to be lucky to salvage one. While I'm ready to concede 2017, my optimism is less than it was before the AS break.
