Buffalo just a minor stop in strange season

BUFFALO — The Yankees dressed in a tent Monday night. J.A. Happ compared it to being in one of those big prospect tournaments. The strange 2020 MLB pandemic-shortened season continued with the New York Yankees in Buffalo for the first time in 57 years.

For most of the players — and even their manager — it was not so long ago that Sahlen Field was familiar. For Aaron Boone, it brought back memories of his minor league days.

“Those were some good times. I was obviously an Indianapolis Indian with with the Reds playing against Buffalo,” Boone said. “We actually ended up playing them in the championship that year. Two really good teams. So I remember having some battles here.

“One of my memories is playing here in an April series, and the first two games of the series got ‘colded out,’ and the third game was equally as cold. But we had to play and I remember it being about probably 28-30 degrees with the wind blowing like crazy and Bartolo Colon on the mound throwing 100,” Boone said. “The wind was moving you in the batter’s box. Some fun memories from playing some really good ball games here.”

The Triple-A home of the Blue Jays’ affiliate is serving as the big league ballpark this season because the Canadian government would not waive its coronavirus quarantine requirements for MLB players and teams.

The field was improved with temporary additional lighting brought in to accommodate the television broadcasts. The visiting team’s clubhouse is a football-field sized tent behind the right-center outfield wall, tucked into a parking lot just in front of the downtown on-ramp to Interstate-90.

Most importantly, the early reports from games at Sahlen Field (and just general observations) are that it is a bandbox and keeping the ball inside the park is difficult. The distance to left-center field is 371 feet, compared to 399 at Yankee Stadium. Right-center here is 367, compared to 385 in the Bronx and center field here is 404, similar to the Bronx’s 408.

NO JUDGING ON PROGRESS

Aaron Judge ran on the field Monday. The slugger is on his second stint on the injured list with a strained right calf. Giancarlo Stanton continues to progress from his left hamstring strain as well.

Asked about the extended timeline for Stanton and if it was related to Judge re-injuring himself in the first game back from the IL, Boone said no.

“I think it’s just making sure that that thing is completely healed and he’s in a position where he can go out and hopefully not be in a position to reinjure it,” Boone said.

Stanton hit off the pitching machine and did some throwin gas well as running the bases.

EYES ON THE PRIZE

When the Yankees took the field for batting practice, GM Brian Cashman was on the field watching and talking to hitting coach Marcus Thames, bench coach Carlos Mendoza and Boone.

It’s unusual to see Cashman on the road with the Yankees, but Boone said it wasn’t surprising considering the team is going through a bad stretch.

“I think he’s here just to be with the team and keep his eyes on what’s going on and obviously support us as we go through a tough time,” Boone said after Monday night’s 12-7 loss to the Blue Jays.

Monday, Cashman got to see his “super bullpen” implode, blow a four-run lead and give up 10 runs in an inning for the first time in nearly a century.