Big Hits By Headley and Ryan Lift Yankees to Sweep-Avoiding Win Over Rays

Brandon McCarthy tossed seven innings of two-run ball and the Chase Headley/Brendan Ryan duo connected on a pair of RBI Doubles tonight as the Yankees avoided a sweep of this midweek series with a 3-2 win over the Rays.

For the Yanks, though they collected just four hits in it, the W was their first since Saturday, when they beat the Orioles by the same score. 

And yes, the two contests share a lot of similarities.

For one, in this evening's competition New York's offense really only had two good at-bats, coming in the fifth and sixth.

In the former of that couple, the aforementioned doubles by Headley and Ryan turned a 1-0 defecit into a 2-1 lead against Alex Cobb (6 IP, 3 ER), with Chris Young also contributing to the rally with a leadoff HBP.

Then in the latter, thanks to a Derek Jeter single and a couple of walks that loaded the bases, the Yankees were able to cross home again on a hard-hit sac fly by Brett Gardner that was caught at the wall by Wil Myers, doubling their advantage and essentially ending the ballgame.  

Yes, in the sixth Tampa Bay got one back on an Evan Longoria groundout, but since McCarthy bounced back with an immaculate performance in the seventh and Dellin Betances and David Robertson put up zeros in the last two frames the Yanks still ended up emerging victorious, something that thankfully improved their record to a solid three games above .500. 

9/17 Open Game Thread vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Welcome to the final open thread or game thread from Tropicana Field for the 2014 season. The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays will play for the final time this season tonight in Tampa St. Pete as Derek Jeter’s career comes to an end. The Yankees will send Brandon McCarthy to the mound to face off with the new Rays ace Alex Cobb. 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.

Get your Yankees tickets now for the final eight game at Yankee Stadium this season right HERE on the blog. Also be sure to give the blog a follow on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes and check out or Facebook page by searching for The Greedy Pinstripes.

It’s an open thread so get to chatting about that ugly cat walk or your favorite Derek Jeter moment in Tampa. Enjoy the game Yankees family and as always, Go Yankees!

Girardi to Rays After Jeter is Hit on Hand: "Pitch the Right Way"

Yankees' Manager Joe Girardi attacked the Rays' pitching staff after Derek Jeter was hit on the hand in last night's 6-1 loss, calling for them to "pitch the right way."

Yesterday's eighth inning plunking of Jeter, which resulted in Girardi being ejected, happened just six days after team Thrd Basemen Chase Headley took a Jake McGee fastball to the face, an event that caused him to miss four games.

"If you are going to pitch inside, pitch the right way," Girard told ESPN.com's Andrew Marchand. "If you can't pitch inside, don't pitch inside. We are not pincushions."

The aforementioned Headley, someone whose voice definetely matters in this case, also expressed frustration. 

"You shouldn't be in the big leagues if you keep doing that consistently," Headley said. "I mean, guys are throwing too hard with too good a stuff. Granted, I know that balls get away every now and then. I get it. It can't keep happening. If a guy can't control the fastball, he can't pitch in there. He can't be in the game."

Unfortunately for both sides, Jeter's HBP was only the beginning of a much bigger problem. Because shortly after it happened, New York Reliever David Phelps was also disqualified for throwing at Rays' OF Kevin Kiermaier, something that ultimately cleared both benches.

9/17 Game Preview vs. Tampa Bay Rays

The New York Yankees will travel to Tampa St. Pete to take on the Tampa Bay rays for the final time during the 2014 regular season. This will mark the final time that Derek Jeter will play in Tropicana Field so I am curious to see the kind of reaction he gets from the crowd. The Yankees will send Brandon McCarthy to the mound looking to give Jeter a going away “W” while the Rays will counter with ace Alex Cobb. 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 coming off a start in which he threw seven shut out innings shutting out the Baltimore Orioles in a much needed win for the Yankees. McCarthy struck out six and walked none building on his previous start against the Tampa Bay Rays where he allowed four runs in 6.1 innings in a Yankees loss. 

Cobb took a no hitter into the bottom of the eighth inning last time out against the New York Yankees only to surrender a double to Chris Young ending his night. The Rays would later give up a two run home run to Martin Prado scoring Young and a three run walk off home run to Young the next inning to lose the game giving Cobb a no decision for his troubles. Cobb will look to avenge the no decision tonight in the Trop.

Get your Yankees tickets off the blog today as the Yankees begin their final home stand of the season tomorrow night against the Toronto Blue Jays. It’s your absolute final chance to see Derek Jeter in pinstripes so act now!!

Go Yankees!!

Masahiro Tanaka Conceivably Has Two Starts Left This Season

The New York Yankees are being cautious with ace starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka as he attempts to rehab a less than 10% tear of his ulnar collateral ligament in his right throwing elbow. Tanaka threw a simulated game against Instructional League batters this week as what was thought to be the final step before returning to the mound in the Bronx. If the Yankees play their cards right with Tanaka they could conceivably get two starts out of the 25 year old before the season is over.

The Yankees want to evaluate Tanaka now rather than in the offseason so they can either go ahead with his Tommy John surgery or not. If Tanaka gets on the mound now and finds out he needs the surgery the team saves four or five months of rehab and recovery time. If New York finds out he needs the surgery either in Spring Training or during the season they are looking at even more lost time for Tanaka. With the contract that is associated with Tanaka it is imperative to get him on the mound as soon as possible either way.

Tanaka threw Monday and the Yankees stated they wanted to give him a day or two of extra rest if possible so conceivably Tanaka would not throw before Saturday or Sunday. The Yankees could welcome back Tanaka against the Toronto Blue Jays this weekend in the stadium and he could also pitch on the final day of the season in Boston and Fenway Park.

If Tanaka cannot make either of those starts it is under the knife he goes so keep your fingers crossed that everything goes well. If Tanaka can make his two starts he will rest for the rest of the winter, he will not attend any sort of Winter Ball or league, and will be ready in Spring Training 2015. Fingers crossed. 

FORG1V3: This Sounds Familiar

Bald Vinny and his House of Tee's does a great job of making T-shirts and Vinny has become a mainstay at Yankee Stadium so this post is in no way mean't to target him or disrespect him. This is more of a question for all those Yankees fans who are coming out of the woodwork to support Bald Vinny and buy this T-shirt. I saw this posted on Facebook as the shirt is available for pre-order, by the way check it out HERE if you want one for yourself, and I immediately checked the comments section. What I saw there really perplexed me. Support for Alex Rodriguez and tons of fans ready to forgive him?

I have been asking for forgiveness for Alex Rodriguez and all steroids users for what feels like forever now.

October 4, 2013:

Yankees Fans & JuJu Believers, It's Time To Forgive AROD

November 8, 2013: *especially read some of the comments on this one 

We Must Forgive All Steroids Users Starting Right Now

November 6, 2013: 

Yankees Fans & JuJu Believers, It's Time To Forgive Again

I even pinch hit on Lohud asking for forgiveness for Alex and others and got KILLED in the comments section on February 2, 2014

Pinch hitting: Daniel Burch

So how come when Bald Vinny says it that it becomes acceptable and cool? Also, using that logic, why are we still doing the wave?

Meet a Prospect: Jose Pirela

Jose Manuel Pirela was born on November 21, 1989 in Valera, Trujillo, Venezuela. Pirela is a right handed infielder in the New York Yankees organization. Pirela has also played for the Aguilas del Zulia of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League while under contract with New York, with permission from the team of course.

Pirela signed with the New York Yankees as an International free agent in 2007 after signing for a $300,000 signing bonus. Pirela was immediately sent to the Dominican Summer League Yankees 1 team. Pirela stumbled around the Yankees minor league system until he reached Triple-A with the Scranton Wilkes Barre RailRiders for the first time in 2013 where he stayed until yesterday afternoon. Pirela spent the entire 2014 season with the RailRiders where he hit .305/.351/.441 with ten home runs.

Pirela will spend the rest of September in the Bronx with the Yankees before he becomes a minor league free agent after this season. I have been beating the drum to get Pirela on the team for quite some time now so this made me smile, although the loss of Prado really hurts.  Good luck Jose!

TGP Daily Poll: Does Derek Jeter Get A Win In His Final Trip To The Trop?

Simple yes or no question, does Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees get a victory in their final stop this season and the final stop in Jeter’s career at the home of the Tampa Bay Rays? Can the Yankees exercise a demon or two and put the struggles they have had in Tropicana Field behind them?

Vote in our poll!

Video: The Last Time the Yankees Faced Alex Cobb

Chris Young did this….. Encore anybody?

This Day In New York Yankees History 9/17: Jeter All Time Hits Leader In Yankee Stadium

The final season of the old Yankee Stadium, or better known as the House that Ruth Built, was 2008 before it was demolished and turned into a parking lot for the new Yankee Stadium that we see today. Yankee Stadium had one more milestone in it's blood before being demolished as on this day in 2008 Derek Jeter became the All-Time hits leader in Yankee Stadium. Jeter passes Lou Gehrig with a first inning single in a 6-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Jeter would accomplish the feat with his 1,270th hit in the 85 year old ballpark in the Bronx.

Also on this day in 1977 Yankees DH Dave Kingman became the first player to hit a home run for four different teams in one season. The veteran would have a total of 26 home runs that season including nine for the Mets, eleven for the Padres, two for the Angels, and four for the Yankees.