Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Game Thread Open Thread: Yankees vs. Indians 7/9


Welcome to tonight's game thread and open thread for the game between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians. The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with WFAN. Brandon McCarthy will be making his Yankees debut and will face off with the Indians Josh Tomlin. Should be a fun one to watch.

Get your Yankees tickets for this game or for when the Yankees return home late next week after the All Star Game right HERE on the blog. If you can't see the Yanks live them tweet with us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes or leave us something on our wall on Facebook by searching for The Greedy Pinstripes. It's an open thread so get to talking in the comments section, maybe Patrick will sing you a song.

Enjoy the game Yankees family and enjoy the rest of your evening.

Swisher Has Solved His Postseason Problems


I only pick on you because I love you Swish. It's like booing the opposing teams best player. I respect you and truly want you back in New York. But really though, no more worries about your production in the postseason. That's not something you have to worry about anymore since you're a Cleveland Indian.

Brett Gardner Out w/ Injury, Beltran Scratched


And the hits just keep on coming, in one case literally more than figuratively. Brett Gardner is dealing with a mild abdominal issue and will not be on the field tonight. Gardner saw team doctors and they rules out a hernia or anything serious like that and are calling it a mild strain or aggravation. Gardner himself said he could play tonight but in typical Joe Girardi fashion Gardner is going to "get a day."

Carlos Beltran was originally in the Yankees starting lineup tonight before being hit in the eye during batting practice. Derek Jeter will take his spot at designated hitter. Hopefully this is nothing too serious for Beltran.

Stay tuned...

Masahiro Tanaka Placed On 15 Day DL

UPDATE:

Masahiro Tanaka has been placed on the 15 day DL with elbow inflammation. Damn. Chase Whitley is likely to start for him Sunday in Baltimore. Zoilo Almonte has been called up to the 25 man roster in the corresponding roster move.

Originally George A. King reported that Masahiro Tanaka was on his back to New York to get an MRI on his right arm. King has retracted that statement and now says that the MRI is for his right elbow. Somebody kill me, please kill  me now.

Tanaka, an All Star in his first season in the states with 12 wins and a 2.51 ERA, has been the Yankees saving grace. New York cannot ride out a Tanaka loss, this has the potential to be season changing.

New York Yankees Game Preview vs. Cleveland Indians 7/9


The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians will play in their third game of this four game set at Progressive Field tonight in the debut in Yankee pinstripes for Brandon McCarthy. The Indians will counter with Josh Tomlin in an attempt to ruin the debut for McCarthy. The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

McCarthy is making his debut for New York after coming over in a trade from Arizona for Vidal Nuno. McCarthy won his last two starts in Arizona allowing a combined three runs in 12.2 innings.

Tomlin allowed five runs on 10 hits over 5.2 innings including surrendering a late home run to the Royals Mike Moustakas in an Indians loss. This marks the third time Tomlin has allowed at least five runs in his last four starts.

Go see McCarthy make his Yankee debut live by grabbing a set of Yankees tickets right HERE on the blog. If you're a native New Yorker then you get another chance when McCarthy starts at home after the All Star Break. Get yours now!

Go Yankees!!

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Scott Brosius


Scott Brosius was an integral part of the Yankees dynasty years in the early 90’s after being traded to New York for Kenny Rogers. Brosius hit .304 and belted 22 home runs in 1996 for the Oakland Athletics but struggled mightily in 1997 and finished last in the batting title race with the lowest batting average, on base percentage, and slugging out of all the players eligible for the batting title that season. Rogers was also struggling with the Yankees and a change of scenery was in order for both men and the rest, as you will read below, is history.

Brosius hit .300 and knocked in 19 home runs and 98 RBI’s in his first year in the Bronx as an integral part of possibly the greatest team of all time, the 1998 Yankees. Brosius would make his only All Star Game appearance this season and hit .471 with two home runs and six RBI’s in the 1998 World Series to capture his first ring. Brosius was named Most Valuable Player of the series after hitting two home runs in Game 3 of the World Series including one off the San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman to give the Yankees a 3-0 series lead.

Brosius never matched his career year in 1998 statistically but was still always a fan favorite of the 1999-2001 teams. Brosius worked hard, played the game right, and was always on the field no matter what if humanly possible. Brosius was a part of three World Series championship teams and one more that lost the World Series in 2001 to the Arizona Diamondbacks, his final professional season. Brosius’ went out big time though as he hit a two out, two run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 5 of that World Series against Arizona to send the game to extra innings in an eventual Yankees victory, possibly his finest moment.


 Brosius has a Gold Glove Award from 1999 sitting in his trophy case in his home and also has a great story to tell about playing in the field in 1999. Brosius was at third base when the Montreal Expos Orlando Cabrera hit a foul popup that Brosius caught and sealed a perfect game for David Cone. Brosius will forever be known to many Yankees fans, and ESPN’s Chris Berman specifically, as Scott Supercalifragilisticexpiali-Brosius or Bosius the Ferocious, as John Sterling called him, but for me personally Brosius will forever be remembered as a Yankee. 

McCarthy Excited to Join Yankees

To some players, a trade to the Yankees is the end of their fun.

As we all know, wearing Pinstripes usually brings expectations that are too high, possibly causing guys like Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran to fall apart.

Still, newcomer Brandon McCarthy, who was traded to the Yanks from the Diamondbacks Sunday, is excited to join his new club, citing their winning history as a reason. 

“It’s the Yankees," the 31 year-old, 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA so far this season, recently told ESPN New York's Wallace Matthews. "It’s a team that’s in contention. It’s a team that’s known for winning. There really is no other answer other than, it’s the Yankees. To be a part of that and get to say that I played here and contributed to something, it’s pretty special.” 

Be that as it may, McCarthy's going to get a lot of negative reactions from his new fans if he loses his debut tonight, an occurrence that could end up changing his current perception of the team.

Then again, he could always dominate like Shane Greene on Monday, an accomplishment that'd instantly make him a savior, something most Bombers' fans are desperate for right now.

Ninja Cashman, I Have A Plan! Please Read?


This is going to seem a little far fetched and honestly unrealistic but that's usually when Ninja Cashman, Brian Cashman's alter ego when he is actually a good GM, is at his best. Enter the Philadelphia Phillies and their lackluster 2014 season. The Yankees need pitching and the Philadelphia Phillies definitively have it, but would they be willing to trade some of it? Sure, why not?

The Yankees may have lost CC Sabathia for the season, and possibly forever, while Michael Pineda is still playing catch, Brandon McCarthy and his three win season and plus five ERA is considered an upgrade, and Chase Whitley may have hit an innings wall in the rotation. The Yankees have gotten by with this makeshift pitching staff and it's finally starting to show holes, let's plug them. The Phillies have three starting pitchers this season to trade, but only two of them the Yankees would want, in AJ Burnett, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels. Ninja Cashman, make the call.

Lee looks like a pure salary dump at this point of the season as he struggles to come back from an elbow injury. Lee is owed $25 million this year and next and the Phillies franchise isn't going anywhere with that contract on the books. To take on that kind of salary the Yankees could pay less in prospects and save their better pieces for a run at Hamels. Hamels, like Lee, is weighing down the club with $22.5 million a season through the 2018 season and a has a club option written into his contract for 2019 worth $19 million. Whether Sabathia and/or Alex Rodriguez retires or not the Yankees could easily absorb these contracts with the likes of Hiroki Kuroda and others coming off the books after this season.

Before you jump down my throat saying how I am out of touch the Phillies are going nowhere, they know it and we know it. The only players Philadelphia has under the age of 30 years old are Ben Revere, Cody Asche, and Domonic Brown who are hitting a combined .221 in 2014. The Phillies have finished in third, fourth, and look likely to finish in last place in their last three seasons respectively and it may be time to hit the reset button in Philadelphia.

The Phillies could sell off their high priced talent much like the Red Sox did a few seasons ago and re-tool and rebuild. Gary Sanchez or John Ryan Murphy could replace the departing Carlos Ruiz. Robert Refsnyder could replace the departing Chase Utley. Abi Avelino could replace the departing Jimmy Rollins. Ian Clarkin and throw in Shane Greene/Chase Whitley could replace Hamels and Lee and the rest is history.

All Star Game Snubs: New York Yankees Edition II


Yesterday we took a look at how Brett Gardner was snubbed from the All Star Game festivities and today we will look at another New York Yankee I feel that should be there, David Robertson. Glen Perkins of the Minnesota Twins probably deserves to be there, especially for the home team, but D Rob deserves to be there more.

D Rob outperforms Perkins in ERA, saves (and Robertson is replacing the greatest closer of all time in the hardest market in Major League Baseball), hits, runs, earned runs, strikeouts, ERA+, FIP, WHIP, and WAR. Robertson is also comparable in many other stats including his walk numbers.

Perkins deserves to be there but Robertson deserves to be there more. #ASG14 snub!

Quick Hit: Shane Greene & The Plan For The Pen


Have no fear Yankees family I have a plan for Shane Greene, Chase Whitley, and the rest of the New York Yankees bullpen. It has been announced that Greene will make his next scheduled start on Saturday, which is great news that I have been clamoring for since last night. Chase Whitley may be hitting an innings wall and will basically become useless in the starting rotation for the rest of the season so put him in the bullpen.

Designate Jim Miller for assignment, if we lose him oh well you need to give the kids a shot anyway, and clear a 25 man roster spot and 40 man roster spot. The rest I leave up to the people who are getting paid to make these decisions, namely Brian Cashman, as there are a plethora of options to choose from. The Yankees are playing an outfielder "short" after designating Alfonso Soriano for assignment and can call up Zoilo Almonte, who is already on the 40 man roster, Jose Pirela, or Adonis Garcia to take over. Robert Refsnyder has played the outfield before but I prefer to keep him in the infield. The Yankees also finally have a window to bring in a true first base backup in Kyle Roller with their new found roster flexibility.

Just a week ago we were basically stuck with what we had barring a shake up, which we may be in the middle of, or a trade or two. Now the options seems endless and that makes me happy. I have a plan, hopefully the Yankees do too.

This Day In New York Yankees History 7/9: DJ3K


The New York Yankees have had their fair share of cycles in their history and on this day in 1937 Joe DiMaggio would hit for the first of his two career cycles as he hit two home runs, the triple, double, and single helping the Yankees beat the Washington Senators 16-2. Joe D would accomplish the feat again in 1948 for the Yankees.

The New York Yankees have not had their fair share of 3,000 hit members, actually they only have one in Derek Jeter, but they got their first in the franchise's storied history on this day in 2011. Jeter would step up to the plate in the third inning at Yankee Stadium against the Tampa Bay Rays and their ace David Price and would belt a home run to the left field stands. Jeter would become the 28th player to ever collect 3,000 hits. Jeter had a 5-5 day including a game winning RBI single in the bottom of the eight inning.