Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Lack of run support dooms Kuroda in second straight loss to Astros

Despite getting a solid six innings of 3-hit, 2-run ball from Starter Hiroki Kuroda, the Yankees again lost to the Astros tonight at Minute Maid Park, 3-1. For most of his performance here, Kuroda really wasn't that sharp, but in the end, he did throw a quality outing and definitely deserved to get the win. But, you know, the world's just unfair. 

Anyway, pretty much all night here the Yanks did nothing but strand guys on base and swing at bouncing pitches, so yea, let's just be logical and forget this one. There's no need for us to stay pissed about it.

Game Thread: Yankees @ Astros 4/2


The New York Yankees will play the Houston Astros in the second game of this extremely young 2014 season tonight at Minute Maid Park at 8:10 pm ET. The pitching match up is Hiroki Kuroda on the mound for the Yankees and Jarred Cosart for the Houston Astros. The game will be televised on the YES Network, MLB TV, and WFAN.

Here is the Yankees lineup:

Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Derek Jeter SS
Carlos Beltran RF
Brian McCann C
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alfonso Soriano DH
Brett Gardner LF
Brian Roberts 2B
Kelly Johnson 3B


Join the discussion with us on Twitter by following @Greedystripes or join us in our ever growing comments section of the site. Enjoy the rest of your night Yankees family and enjoy the game.

Odrisamer Despaigne Comes Off The Yankees Board

The Cuban defecting right handed starting pitcher Odrisamer Despaigne has come off the New York Yankees board after signing a free agent contract with the San Diego Padres. The deal is a minor league deal and is considered to be not worth "huge money" so that's probably less than the $2 million AAV Aledmys Diaz received from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Despaigne is 27 years old and is not subject to international spending caps and is considered to be a true free agent. Despaigne posted a 2.58 ERA in his final season but had a career Cuban ERA of 3.65. I figured Despaigne would receive a lot more than a minor league deal for little money but that goes to show you what I know.

Yankees Release Addison Maruszak

The New York Yankees have announced that they have released infielder Addison Maruszak making him a minor league free agent. This just a day after the Yankees designated Eduardo Nunez for assignment leaving the question, who will play shortstop this year in AAA for the Scranton Wilkes Barre RailRiders? Your guess is as good as mine, maybe Zelous Wheeler?

Yankees Draft & International Free Agent Slots Are In


The New York Yankees draft slots and International Free Agent pool numbers are in according to Baseball America, no subscription needed. The draft pool for the Yankees is $3.2 million and the International signing period cap is set at $2.2 million, a number the Yankees plan on blowing by this signing period.

The Yankees do not see a draft pick in this June's draft until the 55th overall pick and will have $1,018,700 to spend on that pick. The next Yankees pick comes in the third round and is set at $585,100. The Yankees will have to get creative if they want to sign many guys with that low of a signing pool.

The Yankees have the second lowest pool of cash for the draft while are ranking 17th overall in the international market. The Yankees surrendered their first three picks this offseason to sign Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, and Jacoby Ellsbury and lost their first round pick plus the two compensation picks they received for Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano's departures.

Preview: New York Yankees @ Houston Astros 4/2


The New York Yankees and the Houston Astros will play their second game of the young season tonight at Minute Maid Park. The Yankees will send Hiroki Kuroda to the mound to face off with Jarred Cosart for the Astros. The game will be televised at 8:10 pm ET on the YES Network, MLB TV, and WFAN.

Go Yankees!

Masahiro Tanaka Considered Offer From Houston Astros


Oh how the offseason, and Opening Day, for the New York Yankees could have been so much different. The Yankees ended up getting Masahiro Tanaka on a seven year deal worth $155 million, plus the $20 million posting fee, this offseason and really solidified a great offseason. The Yankees almost lost out on Tanaka's services to the team they are opening up against with this season, the Houston Astros.

The Astros offered Tanaka a deal reported over $100 million according to the Ultimate Astros blog. Tanaka admitted to thinking about joining the Astros, as well as the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Chicago White Sox before ultimately signing with New York.

Here is the direct quote from Tanaka, well Tanaka's translator anyway

“Including the Astros, all the teams that had interest in me, I really took it seriously,” Tanaka said Monday through a translator before the Yankees held a workout at Minute Maid Park. “And I thought about the possibility of going to each and every one of the organizations.”

Two Yankees In Top 10 Paid Players List


There are two members of the New York Yankees in the Top 10 highest paid player list this year, along with one big named former Bronx Bomber. . It would have been three members but obviously Alex Rodriguez was not included on this list since he was suspended without (most of his) pay for the entire 2014 season. 

Here is the Top 10 list:

1. Zack Greinke, Dodgers: $28 million
2. Ryan Howard, Phillies: $25 million
3. Cliff Lee, Phillies: $25 million
4. Robinson Cano, Mariners: $24 million
4 (tie). Prince Fielder, Rangers: $24 million
6. Cole Hamels, Phillies: $23.5 million
7. Mark Teixeira, Yankees: $23.125 million
8. Albert Pujols, Angels: $23 million
8 (tie). Joe Mauer, Twins: $23 million
8 (tie). CC Sabathia, Yankees: $23 million


Just as a reminder A Rod was scheduled to make $25 million not counting a $3 million signing bonus or the $6 million he would have received for passing Willie Mays on the All-Time Home Run list. Also, as a side note, how come no one ever talks about the Phillies payroll?

Quick Hit: Derek Jeter Could Have Been An Astro


Does anyone really remember way back when the New York Yankees drafted Derek Jeter in the first round of the 1992 MLB First Year Players Draft with the sixth overall pick? Well the Houston Astros had the first overall pick that season and needed a shortstop, even went as far as to scout Jeter while in High School in Michigan. Oh what could have been huh?

Here are the five picks that went before Jeter in that draft:

3B, Phil Nevin, Houston Astros
P, Paul Shuey, Cleveland Indians
P, B.J. Wallace, Montreal Expos
OF, Jeffrey Hammonds, Baltimore Orioles
OF, Chad Mottola, Cincinnati Reds

This Day In New York Yankees History 4/2


On this day in 1972 New York Mets manager Gil Hodges suffers a fatal heart attack and dies after a round of gold in West Palm Beach. The Mets would name Yogi Berra as the manager to run the team after the strike ends.


On this day in 1996 Derek Jeter hit a home run off Dennis Martinez in a Yankees 7-1 victory over the Indians. The 22 year old infielder became the first rookie Yankee shortstop to start the season since 1962 when Tom Tresh filled in for Tony Kubek. Joe Torre also won his first game as the Yankees manager on this day, the first of 1,173 victories in his 12 season tenure.


On this day in 2001 on Opening Day Roger Clemens became the all time American League strike out leader moving ahead of Walter Johnson when Roger struck out the Kansas City Ryals Joe Rana for his 3,509th K of his career. Roger was now in seventh place in Major League history in strikeouts.


On this day in 2003 Todd Zeile hit a home run in his first at bat as a Yankee becoming the only major leaguer to hit a home run for ten different teams passing Tommy Davis and his nine clubs. Zeile's list of teams he has homered with includes the Yankees, Cardinals, Cubs, Phillies, Orioles, Dodgers, Marlins, Rangers, Mets, and Rockies.