Pinstripe Alley open thread - 7/28/2020

Hello everyone, hope you’re all doing well. I also hope that the Phillies are doing well, because we’re all sitting in limbo waiting on word of their test results after they played against a COVID-19 outbreak’d Miami squad. This is far more than just getting back on track and playing today’s game, the direction of the 2020 season feels like it’s balanced on a knife’s edge with this news. Scary stuff to be thinking about just five days into the season.

The show goes on at Pinstripe Alley regardless of whether there will be a game today, and we’ve got a stacked lineup for you. Josh opens the day with a discussion of why the expanded playoffs for 2020 is a smart move, and Tom follows him with an analysis of James Paxton’s worrisome season debut. Peter dives into why Aaron Boone should be more aggressive in deploying his top-tier relievers this year, and Matt wraps things up with the latest installment of his OOTP alternative Yankees history series.

As always, feel free to use this space as your open thread for the day. Stay safe, and enjoy.

Fun Questions

1. Will the AL East put up three playoff teams under the new format this year?

2. What’s the most impactful midseason trade the Yankees have ever made?