Yankees Acquire Chris Capuano For Cash

More when I am not mobile but the New York Yankees have acquired left handed starting pitcher Chris Capuano from the Colorado Rockies. The Yankees will send cash considerations back to Colorado for the veteran lefty. 

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Wade Boggs

Chase Headley wearing Alfonso Soriano’s old #12 got me thinking about another Yankee third basemen that was acquired “a year or two too late” in Wade Boggs. Wade Anthony Boggs will forever be remembered as a Boston Red Sox, his Hall of Fame plaque (and all the controversy that surrounded that ordeal) even has him wearing a Sox hat, the only place he was a winner was in New York.

In 1992 Wade Boggs slumped to a .259 batting average which was only one of three times in his career that he failed to reach the .300 mark. Boggs left Boston at the end of that season and was heavily recruited by both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Yankees. We wouldn’t be here speaking about him if he hadn’t chose the Yankees as New York added a third year to a contract offer that Los Angeles would not. Boggs rewarded the Yankees with three straight All Star appearances, four straight seasons of hitting .300 or better, and won a Gold Glove award while in New York.

Boggs helped the Yankees win their first World Series championship in 18 years in 1996, Boggs’ only World Series title of his career. Boggs was asked to pinch hit in the tenth inning of Game 4 against the Atlanta Braves and drew a bases loaded walk against Steve Avery that gave the Yankees the lead and eventually led to an 8-6 victory. The Yankees came back from six runs in that game and the Yankees won in six games. Boggs most memorable moment was when he was celebrating the victory by riding a on the back of a horse with an NYPD officer touring the field with one finger raised in the air. Boggs was scared of horses but Boggs was a champion.

Boggs finished his career by collecting his 3,000^th hit in a Tampa Bay Devil Rays uniform. What could have been though if he had been at third base in that 1996 World Series Game 6 six and not Charlie Hayes. Boggs may never get a plaque in Monument Park and won’t get much recognition at all as a member of the Yankees but we thank him anyway, have some chicken on us.

Predicting the 2015 Yankees Lineup

Earlier today we took a look at whether the Yankees had enough at bats and baseballs to go around throwing both Alex Rodriguez and Chase Headley in the same infield next season and that got me thinking. What would next year’s lineup look like assuming everyone is healthy and back with the club next season including Headley and A Rod.

The thought intrigues me as having three switch hitters in the lineup reminds me a lot of the dynasty Yankees and the 2000’s Yankees where the success was there, just not in October. Having the right handed bat of Rodriguez, again assuming health and productivity, balances out of a pretty lefty heavy lineup as well which looks more like the Bronx Bombers of old then what we have seen for the past two seasons.

This was just for fun really but this is the lineup I came up with. I assumed that the Yankees would replace Brian Roberts at second base with the right handed Robert Refsnyder and did not even attempt to make a prediction at the Derek Jeter replacement. Let’s just assume he hits 9^th and is Brendan Ryan at this point but if it were Troy Tulowitzki or Hanley Ramirez then obviously this lineup changes a lot.

Brett Gardner

Jacoby Ellsbury

Carlos Beltran

Mark Teixeira

Brian McCann

Chase Headley

Alex Rodriguez

Robert Refsnyder

That guy replacing Derek Jeter

I love having the two leadoff hitters at the top of the lineup before the absolute barrage of switch hitters and McCann. If you wanted to make things realty difficult for opposing managers to match up you could plug in Headley, Rodriguez, or even Refsnyder in the second spot to break up the lefties and become even more balanced. Either way you look at it that’s one tough lineup to run through four times a night without giving up too many runs and that’s just what the Yankees need after two years of dismal offenses and less than stellar lineups. 

McCarthy Throws Another Quality Outing in Series-Clinching Win Over Rangers

Since he was 3-10 in Arizona this season, it's obviously expected that Yankees' newcomer Brandon McCarthy will struggle sometimes.

The 31-year-old right-hander, 1-0 with a sub-two ERA in his first two appearances with the Yanks, is not exactly an ace, but rather a number three who will usually give you six-seven innings. 

Just make sure not to tell him that, as the veteran again tossed six frames of one-run ball today in the Bombers' 4-2 win over the Rangers.

Now in this afternoon's contest, as I just mentioned we should look for from him occasionally, McCarthy didn't seem that sharp, throwing 109 pitches in the eighteen-out performance.

Still, since he did allow just four hits and out-dueled Colby Lewis (6 1/3 IP, 3 ER) you can't really complain about how he threw, as it was apparently good enough to earn his second AL W.

Again, McCarthy didn't amaze in this one, but thanks to an RBI Single from Chase Headley, an RBI Double from Francisco Cervelli, and an RBI Sac Fly from Brett Gardner in the fourth and fifth he and the Bombers did hold a two-run advantage when he was removed. 

Later on in the seventh, in a rare showing of weakness, Adam Warren was strangely taken deep to left by J.P. Arencibia, bringing the score at that time to 3-2.

Fortunetaly, though, that blast wouldn't lead to anything big, as Dellin Betances backed up Warren with a scoreless eighth inning, in which the former retired Shin-Soo Choo, Elvis Andrus, and Alex Rios on nine pitches. 

Now when Rios got out, a fly ball off his bat did send Ichiro pretty close to the right-field wall, but since the outfielder still caught it feet from the short fence Betances was given the hold, his fourteen of the year.

Open Game Thread 7/24: Yankees vs. Rangers

Welcome to the afternoon edition of our daily open thread for the game between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers. This will be the finale of the four game set between these two teams that has been played at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees will send Brandon McCarthy to the mound to face off with Colby Lewis for the Rangers. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with WFAN.

Get your Yankees tickets HERE on the blog to see the Yankees home or away for the rest of the season. If you can't see the team live then join us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes or find us on Facebook by searching for The Greedy Pinstripes. We're always live and always looking for more Yankees discussion.

It's an open thread and you're probably not working anyway so leave us a line in the comments section of the site. Enjoy the game Yankees family and enjoy the rest of your day. Go Yankees.

Texas Rangers Finally Have A Championship Ring

I know I'm being a typical Yankee fan right now boasting about the Yankees and the World Series rings the team has but oh well. We do these meme's for fun and I leave that kind of boasting at the door and in the man cave at the blog, get over it Rangers fans. If you don't like it, win something.

Yankees Scouting Padres' Ian Kennedy

Going into next Thursday's trade deadline, it's obvious to us all that the Yankees need another starting pitcher.

Currently, their rotation consists of known-to-struggle-late veterans Hiroki Kuroda and Brandon McCarthy, with the seemingly-reliable David Phelps, Shane Greene, and Chase Whitley rounding things out.

Now overall, that group does look pretty good, but since Whitley and Greene's collapse could be inevitable the team is being cautious, scouting Padres right-hander Ian Kennedy yesterday.

According to Fox Sports 1's Jon Morosi, the Yanks had someone on hand for Kennedy's outing last night, in which the 29-year-old tossed 6 innings of three-run ball against the hometown Cubs.

No, that kind of performance isn't amazing, but considering that the ex-Bomber does have a 3.66 ERA in 135 1/3 IP he is pretty likable, something underrated yet important.

This year's trade deadline, as does every year's, falls at 4:00 pm ET on July 31, leaving a mere seven days for Yankees GM Brian Cashman to add more pieces to his club.

Remember, going into this last week Cashman has to acquire another arm and probably another bat, no easy task when two of your top major-league trade pieces (Vidal Nuno and Yangervis Solarte) have already been dealt.

Yankees Game Preview 7/24: vs. Texas Rangers

The New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers will play in the final game this afternoon of a four game set this week at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees need another win if they want to get back in the AL East division race and Wild Card race to keep pace. The Yankees will send Brandon McCarthy to the mound to face off with the Rangers Colby Lewis. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

McCarthy made his Yankee Stadium debut last time out and got his first home win with his new club. McCarthy threw six innings and only allowed one run to the Cincinnati Reds allowing just six hits and striking out nine. McCarthy also showed great control and did not walk a batter last time out.

Lewis took the loss to the Toronto Blue Jays last time out allowing two runs on eight hits over five innings of work. Lewis had one of the worst starts in his career prior to the game with Toronto allowing 13 runs (11 earned) and 13 hits to establish a franchise record for runs allowed.

Get your Yankees tickets for this afternoon's games and see the home team live in the finale with the worst team in all of baseball. Get your tickets HERE without the annoying fees and shipping costs. Buy now.

Go Yankees!!

Is New York Big Enough For ARod and Headley in 2015?

Somebody slap me and tell me to stop getting ahead of myself. Okay I can’t help it but a discussion in the comments section of the site got me imagining next season and an infield with both Alex Rodriguez and Chase Headley. Again, I realize I am way ahead of myself here as Headley is a free agent after this season and there is no guarantee that Alex even makes it onto the field but let’s pretend we’re playing MLB The Show with retirements and injuries turned off. Could the Yankees find enough at bats for both men at the hot corner? If Joe Girardi got creative then the answer without a doubt in my mind would be yes.

First let’s cover Alex. He has basically missed two consecutive seasons after a hip surgery and various lower leg injuries on top of his steroid suspension for 2014. The fact that he could even make the team and be effective is a stretch in itself. The fact of the matter is he is owed money on a guaranteed deal and unless he retires and forfeits his money, which he won’t, the Yankees are stuck with the contract. There is no trading the guy at this point and even if we did we would have to eat the salary anyway so why not get what you can get out of him and move on after 2016. Next season Alex would essentially become what Hideki Matsui once was, Raul Ibanez once was, what Alfonso Soriano started out being this season, and what Carlos Beltran is now, a full time DH. Sure you could plug him in at third base from time to time to get an extra right handed bat in there and give Headley a rest but most of his at bats would have to come from the DH slot.

Headley is where the Yankees get versatile. Granted this was two knee surgeries ago (a surgery on each knee) but Headley was a shortstop in high school and in his early years of college so to plug him there in an emergency, late in a game, etc. should definitely not be out of the question. Headley plays the hot corner well and in my opinion could easily learn the first base position like Kelly Johnson and Brian McCann have this season. Headley has also played left field in the Major Leagues so in Yankee Stadium he could play either left or right field in my opinion. Headley would give Girardi many options to mix and match and get the most out of his defense and his lineup without taking at bats away from other deserving players.

Girardi would have to close the binder and get creative but the Yankees could definitely make it work next season and beyond with both Rodriguez and Headley if they wanted to. 

I Love Stats: Gehrig Steals Home 15 Times

As many of you already know I am a big time stats guy. I don't rely solely on stats and ignore the eye test but I am a huge stat guy. When I see an interesting stat I like to pass it along and I saw one this morning regarding the great Yankee Iron Horse Lou Gehrig. Gehrig was known for his consecutive games played streak and his luckiest man speech but not for his stolen bases.

On this day in 1926 Gehrig stole home for the second time this season. Gehrig would steal 102 bases in his career and 15 of those was a steal of home plate. I'm not entirely sure if that's a record or anything but it's still an awesome stat.

This Day In New York Yankees History 7/24: Jason Varitek and Alex Rodriguez Fight

One of the best and longest rivalry in Major League Baseball is the rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. This rivalry was especially heated in the early and mid 2000's as both teams were perennial winners. These two teams met 27 times a season and ended up fighting for the American League pennant more times than not.

The rivalry continued on this day in 2004 when then Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo hit Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, the previous night's hero with a game winning home run, with a pitch. A Rod stared down Arroyo as he went down to first base causing the Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek to get in Rodriguez's face. Varitek pushed his glove into A Rod's face that initiated a benches clearing brawl between the two teams.

Also on this day in 1999 the Yankees routed the Cleveland Indians on the way to their biggest margin of victory in 46 seasons with the score of 21-1. Chili Davis would go 5-6 with six RBI in the game in the Bronx.

Also on this day in 1983 the Kansas City Royals and the Yankees played in what is widely considered to be the Pine Tar Game. George Brett's ninth inning home run was disallowed when the umpires ruled that there was too much pine tar on his bat. American League  president Lee McPhail would overrule the decision and the game would resume on August 18th. The Royals would ultimately beat the Yankees 4-3.

Finally on this day in 1978 Billy Martin resigned as the manager of the Yankees. George Steinbrenner would replace Martin with Bob Lemon and Lemon would lead the Yankees to their second consecutive World Series title.