The Broken Yankees

After the Yankees were humiliated by the Detroit Tigers right before Memorial Day, the entire team stressed the urgency of their most recent home stand.
Four games with the Tampa Bay Rays and three games with the Boston Red Sox.
To say the Yankees failed miserably doesn’t even do justice to what we watched last week at Yankee Stadium.
The performance of the team goes beyond the 2-5 performance over the seven games.
It’s obvious to anyone watching the first two months of the year that there is a simple truth regarding the Yankees: they are broken.
It’s funny to think about the 2021 Yankees being the Vegas frontrunner to win the American League.
Vegas assumed, like I did, that this would be a Yankee team that would be able to score a whole lot of runs and hit the ball out of the park pretty consistently.
But two-plus months into the year, the Yankees are dead last in the American League in runs scored.
Look up and down the lineup, and aside from Aaron Judge, where is the production?
There are plenty of guys underperforming. Who in their wildest dreams could have imagined DJ LeMahieu’s start to this year.?
The Machine has turned into the ground-ball machine and has been a shell of the player he was in 2019 and 2020.
He is not alone though, because the overall construction of the Yankee lineup is flawed. They are too right-handed and too reliant on the home run, which they are not hitting.
This lineup loves to do two things especially well: strikeout and hit into double plays.
They have also been an insanely sloppy team. They lead baseball in getting thrown out on the base paths. They play terrible defense and make way too many mental mistakes.
The sloppy play falls at the feet of manager Aaron Boone. Boone is a likable guy, but sadly his team has reflected his personality, and not in a good way.
The Yankees continue to make the same mental mistakes over and over again, and there is a major lack of accountability from their leader. Boone’s nice-guy act and constant cliche’s postgame have become a tired act.
Meanwhile, the difference in the Boston Red Sox from a year ago was on full display over the weekend.
The biggest reason for the Sox turnaround is Alex Cora returning to manage the team. He’s given them instant credibility, and they are back to playing a winning-brand of baseball since his arrival.
I see the impact that Cora has had on the Red Sox, and it’s the opposite with Boone and the Yankees.
With Boone in the final year of his contract, his seat could not be any hotter going into the summer months.
But the scrutiny shouldn’t stop with Boone. Longtime general manager Brian Cashman must take responsibility for the flaws with this team and the way it has been built.
The Yankees had a championship window starting in 2017 after a feel-good regular season and a surprise trip to Game 7 of the ALCS. Four years later, the Yankees seem further away from a championship.
Sure, there’s a lot of baseball left, and yes things can change.
But the Yankees are in a stage of development where they should be “World Series or Bust” mode.
This was supposed to be a down year for the American League, the Yankees time to capitalize. They’ve done nothing but fizzle and disappoint.
If it’s more of the same over the next four months, wholesale changes up and down the organization are needed.
For now, we’ll see if Cashman, Boone and the Yankees can put the pieces back together.

You can listen to my podcast New York, New York every Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday night on The Ringer Podcast Network on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Can I kick out my tenants who aren’t paying rent?

Q. I have an apartment that I rent. The tenants have not been paying their rent. Can I just change the locks? Is there anything COVID-related that affects this?
A. Evicting tenants is a process that must be done through the court system. I strongly recommend contacting an attorney who specializes in landlord/tenant disputes. They will start a process through the court system, and your tenant will have the opportunity to contest it.
Until a judge rules in your favor, the tenants cannot be removed, harassed, or otherwise intimidated into moving. Additionally, as of right now, there continues to be a moratorium on evictions in the City of New York.
You might try negotiating a settlement with your tenants, e.g., offering to let them leave without having to pay the back rent.
Q. We are currently renting and have been considering a purchase. I have been hearing that people are moving out of New York. Should we wait to buy?
A. While it is often difficult to predict future markets, I can tell you from experience that the market continues to be very active.
Additionally, the COVID-19 issue is slowly being overcome with a large percentage of the population at least partially vaccinated. This will bring some “normalcy” back to the market.
The conditions are still very good if you plan to purchase now. Interest rates continue to be very low, although there has been a slight rise recently. If you consider the amount of money that you spend in the space of five years of renting, you will see that purchasing is definitely a good idea.

Send your real estate-related questions directly to jambron@bhsusa.com.

A Summer of Renewal for our Students

This year has demanded that all New York City families and students do so many things differently. They’ve had to think differently, learn differently, and connect differently with teachers, peers, and the whole school community.
At the Department of Education, we know we also have to think differently as we look towards the summer. For the first time ever, we are inviting all students to join us for a free, fun-filled, enriching summer program: Summer Rising.
This year, we will serve any student in grades K-12 in July and August who wants to participate, and I am excited to be partnered with the Department of Youth & Community Development to reimagine what summer can be.
Our children’s days will be filled with innovative academic support, social-emotional learning, and engaging enrichment activities. These programs will be designed by school teams in partnership with local community-based organizations and offered in hundreds of sites across all five boroughs.
After all the trauma and disruptions caused by the pandemic over the past 15 months, our children need a chance to reboot their education in fun and supportive ways as we approach the full reopening of our schools in September.
It is time to begin regaining what the pandemic took away. Summer Rising is an opportunity to do just that, creating spaces for students to learn, grow, play, and explore the city around them – from field trips to Central Park and museums to dance and art classes.
Summer Rising will also provide an enormous relief to families by keeping children safe, supported, and productive this summer.
After enduring months when so many of our students were isolated from their teachers and peers, the opportunity to rebuild those face-to-face relationships will do so much to support their healing process and prepare them for returning to school in the fall.
All K–8 students participating in programs will have access to academic classes and enrichment programming, including field trips, arts activities and outdoor recreation.
Students will also engage in daily community building and social emotional learning activities. We know some students with disabilities may require additional supports to participate in Summer Rising, and those supports will be provided as needed.
In addition, Summer Rising is a chance for high school students to complete courses in progress, make up credits to march towards graduation, and participate in academic acceleration opportunities.
They will also be able to engage in important work experience and internship opportunities, like the Summer Youth Employment Program.
As always, health and safety remain a top priority. Summer Rising will follow the rigorous health protocols that succeeded in keeping our schools among the safest places in the city this school year.
To support these efforts, parents will need to complete a testing consent form for their child so we can keep everyone healthy and safe,
Summer Rising will be the start of revitalizing the powerful joy of learning together as we head toward a strong reopening of our schools and warm homecoming for our students in the fall. I strongly urge the families of every child who can join us over the summer to sign up now.
To learn more about the options available for your child or to sign up, go to nyc.gov/summerrising. All programs are free, in-person, and have something to offer for everyone.

Meisha Porter is New York City Schools Chancellor.

City Spending Money We Don’t Have

You don’t need a degree in economics to understand the common sense principle that you can’t spend more money than you have.Yet year after year, our City Council and mayor are in a race to outspend prior fiscal years.
The most recent budget proposed by the mayor is well over $98 billion and fails to take into account the money from the federal government , without which the city and state would be reeling in bankruptcy. Instead of proposing a lean and responsible budget, the mayor is driving the city into further debt.
The city’s out of control taxation, fines and fees is causing a population shift away from New York City to states like Florida and Texas. People who move to Florida can save up to 33% of their income taxes.
Our elected officials tax the heck out of the rich and big corporations, failing to understand that they can easily leave and cause decreasing revenue collections as a result of their departure. We saw this in Long Island City when Amazon was chased out by our elected officials, devastating collateral businesses and causing tremendous job loss and opportunities.
Supporting businesses and companies meant creating good-paying jobs and opportunities. Today’s Democrats believe that the rich are evil and that corporations are demonic.
More pernicious is the real truth. The budget gets bigger and bigger on the backs of the working class. Our elected officials pander to special interests and lobbyists for donations and endorsements.

John J. Ciafone is a lawyer and Democratic candidate for City Council in northwest Queens.

Need to address safety in subways

Workers are steadily returning to their offices in Manhattan and across the five boroughs, but a new poll shows that 60 percent of them still fear for their safety.
But they aren’t worried about contracting COVID-19, they’re worried about their physical safety as they return to the city’s subway system.
Stations across the city were nearly deserted for the first few months of the pandemic last year except for the brave men and women working on the front lines, paving the way for an unsavory element to feel more comfortable taking over the system.
We have all heard the stories of random attacks, including people being assaulted or pushed onto the tracks or both, that have become far too common in the mass transit system. If the city is going to get back to work, people need to feel comfortable using the subways.
Would more cops patrolling the platforms and trains help? Mayor Bill de Blasio recently added 250 more cops to the 3,000 already safeguarding the subways, and it certainly can’t hurt.
But in addition to the criminal element, there is a far bigger problem with the homeless and mentally ill living in the stations. More cops won’t necessarily solve that issue.
Instead, the city and MTA need a social solution. They need people who are trained in dealing with the homeless and mentally ill to join the police in engaging these individuals and try to get them help.
Simply locking them up and then releasing them back on the street won’t accomplish anything.
After a year of us all worrying about our health due to the pandemic, we need to feel safe in the subways as our lives slowly return to normal.

104th Precinct Police Blotter (5/24/2021-5/30/2021)

Monday, May 24
Jaron Reid was arrested at 1740 Stanhope Street for robbery by Officer Duran.
Victor Rodriguez was arrested at 64-02Catalpa Avenue for criminal possession of a weapon by Detective Fogus.
Christopher Mancebo was arrested at Woodhaven Boulevard and 64th Road for robbery by Officer Foppiano.
Patryk Laszczkowski was arrested at 64-02 Catalpa Avenue for criminal obstruction of breathing by Detective Rochford.
Zhen Li was arrested at the rear of 59-55 70th Street for criminal mischief by Officer Incantalupo.

Tuesday, May 25
Kelvin Douglas was arrested at 64-02 Catalpa Avenue for grand larceny by Detective Moon.
Thomas Stallone was arrested at 64-02 Catalpa Avenue for felony assault by Detective Lodato.
Sean Davis was arrested at 1590 Gates Avenue for petit larceny by Officer Rosalez.

Wednesday, May 26
Aulexis Rochell was arrested at 1824 Hart Street for criminal mischief by Officer Jiminez.

Thursday, May 27
Johnny Ortiz was arrested at 1680 Madison Avenue for criminal mischief by Officer Nessler.

Friday, May 28
Angel G. Pagan was arrested at Troutman Street and Flushing Avenue for aggravated unlicensed operator by Officer Lenoci.
Francesco Daguanno was arrested at 1723 Menahan Street for misdemeanor assault by Officer Hopson.
Angel Maros was arrested at 2047 Gates Avenue for resisting arrest by Officer Gutierrez.

Saturday, May 29
Nothing To Report

Sunday, May 30
Angamarca Zhicay was arrested at 61-17 Linden Street for driving while intoxicated by Officer Mark.
Brandon Slay was arrested at 78-19 Myrtle Avenue for criminal mischief by Detective Golen.
Elizabeth Hayden was arrested at 80-00 Cooper Avenue for misdemeanor assault by Officer Calvagna.
Grace E. Shin was arrested at 329 Wyckoff Avenue for petit larceny by Officer Calybrooks.

CB5 to hold virtual meeting on Wednesday

Community Board 5 will hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday, June 9, at 7:30 p.m.
On the agenda is a public hearing regarding a citywide health and fitness zoning text amendment. Currently gyms, martial arts studios, spas, licensed massage therapists and many other health-related businesses require a special permit from the Board of Standards and Appeals to open in most parts of New York City.
The Department of City Planning is proposing new rules to ease these restrictions. Under this proposed zoning text amendment, the special permit requirements would be removed. The BSA process for obtaining a permit can be extremely costly, often adding six months and as much as $50,000 in startup costs to open a gym or other physical culture establishment.
There will also be a public hearing regarding a citywide Open Restaurants zoning text amendment. The City Council has passed legislation making the Open Restaurants program permanent.
The Deptaartment of City Planning has worked with the Department of Transportation and other city agencies to draft regulatory changes that would allow sidewalk restaurants and cafes to remain.
There will also be a public forum to review applications for the sale of alcoholic beverages and building demolition notices, and committee reports, as well as nominations and elections for Executive Committee positions.
Members of the public can view the meeting at youtu.be/9UIGFJ2c4xg or nyc.gov/qnscb5.
Anyone wishing to offer a statement at the public hearing or during the public forum is asked to submit a typed statement to QN05@cb.nyc.gov by 2 p.m. on JUne 12, so that it can be read into the record.
For additional information, call the Board 5 office at (718) 366-1834.

Battle Royale: Local Pro Wrestlers Shoot on COVID-19, New York State Athletic Commission

In a middle-of-the-block building in Williamsburg, concealed by the absence of any obvious sign, school is in session at the Technique 2 Training Wrestling Academy. Promoter Tom Frazier is looking on as about ten prospects – males of all sizes, a pair of females, and even a masked marvel – assemble the ring for the twice weekly classes he established for aspiring pro wrestlers. Frazier uses the Academy to develop local talent for Industrial World Wrestling (IWW), the promotion he’s been trying to get up and running since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’ve spent the whole pandemic getting things in order, buying the ring, and working out my deal over here at Technique 2 Training,” Frazier says. “Right now the State capacity laws are rapidly improving so I think Indy wrestling in New York will see a big boost as soon as people start feeling comfortable going out to shows again.”
Frazier, who got his start in 2019 under the banner of “Imperial World Wrestling” before adopting the new moniker, says that he did see some benefits to the break in action caused by the pandemic. Frazier and many other wrestling organizations nationwide pivoted towards producing wrestling shows from training gyms and other venues directly for the Internet.
“It allowed me to take my time and put together something way bigger than what I would have done without the pandemic. If there were no pandemic, I would have been doing live shows in a traditional fashion,” Frazier says. “The pandemic is indirectly responsible for my starting T2T, which allowed me a space to film so much IWW content.”
While the dark time allowed wrestling organizers to concentrate on marketing and leveraging social media, few debate the negative effect that more than a year without live shows with fans has had on the entire community.
“The pandemic was certainly devastating to indy wrestling, particularly among younger wrestlers and smaller promotions,” says Wesley Bolls, a ringside commentator on the local scene. “Doing stuff on the Internet without a crowd is not the same as having that experience of going to an indy show.”
Despite the impact of COVID-19 on virtually all domestic wrestling promotions, local pros say that it was already hard enough to run shows in New York because of the strict standards imposed by the State Athletic Commission. Local promoters and wrestlers alike say those adherences often drive talent and money related to pro wrestling to neighboring states.
“It’s very hard to run a wrestling show that fits into the Athletic Commission’s standards,” says Jake Gomez, T2T Academy’s head trainer and wrestler working under the name “The King of Chaos” Logan Black. “They have a lot required of you. Most people don’t do it, so there wasn’t a lot going on within New York.”
New York State classifies wrestling as a combative sport no different than boxing or mixed martial arts. In January 2017, the NYSAC imposed rules concerning a wide range of issues related to pro wrestling shows. The Commission ruled wrestlers could no longer taunt fans, and that things like tables and chairs could no longer be used during the choreographed combat. 
Most crippling to small, independent promoters, the state prohibited the “renting” or sub-assignment of their license to promote, which had been a long-held practice in New York. Promoters licensed in New York are required to secure a $20,000 bond.
In addition to requiring a doctor and ambulance at each event, pro wrestling promoters are required to secure “combative insurance,” a type of medical insurance for athletes which can cost more than $600 per event. Those in the pro wrestling business say these costs handicap their operations. “Doctors and EMTs are a necessary cost, but it’s a bigger cost for the license; and when I was starting out I had shows cancelled because I was renting a license from someone whose license was suspended for not following guidelines,” Frazier said.
But for now, pro wrestlers are staying active however they can, wherever they can. Some locals have traveled to New Jersey and Rhode Island where restrictions on gatherings and wrestling in general are less stringent.
Astoria native James Dijan Bonavia, who has wrestled independently as ‘Malta The Damager’ since 1996, traveled to Mexico to compete during the pandemic and plans to appear in an upcoming match in Puerto Rico. “I wrestled in Mexico City six weeks ago,” Dijan-Bonavia said. “Wrestling is very scarce right now and people are willing to wrestle for anything or nothing. It’s really affected the industry.”

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