Sunday, September 21, 2014
Tanaka Solid in 5-2 Win Over Blue Jays
If This Is It For Kuroda In Pinstripes....
If this is it for Hiroki Kuroda in pinstripes I think New York can say that he was the best free agent starting pitching signing since Mike Mussina. Kuroda likely has one more start against the Baltimore Orioles in Yankee Stadium this season and could conceivably return in 2015 as a 40 year old pitcher. However unlikely that is we won't know for sure until the offseason but Kuroda has expressed an interest in finishing his career either in Los Angeles with the Dodgers or in Japan where his career began.
Kuroda has spent three seasons in a Yankee uniform and has a career 38-33 record with a 3.46 ERA. Kuroda currently sits at 96 starts in his American League career with a 117 ERA+, 3.67 FIP, and 1.165 WHIP. If you're not a statmatician let me break it down for you, Kuroda has been great for the Yankees.
If this is it I can't say I am sad but I can say that I'm grateful. Thank you #HIROK.
9/21 Open Game Thread vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Kuroda: There's a "Possibility" Thursday's Start is My Last as a Yankee
"It's always a possibility at this age,” Kuroda told The New York Daily News. “Since I started making one-year contracts, I always take it year-by-year. I take every outing as if it’s going to be my last.”
Be that as it may, his Pitching Coach, Larry Rothschild, still has no clue what he'll do when the offseason comes, citing the hurler's being hard to read as a reason.
“I don’t know; he’s hard to read,” Rothschild said. “I wouldn’t have been surprised if he retired last year. I don’t think he knows right now.”
In recent years, Kuroda has often claimed that he wants to finish his career in Japan. Nonetheless, if a sudden change of heart happens soon it's likely the Yanks would bring him back for another campaign, as the veteran has been nothing but good for them since coming over from the Dodgers.
Yankees Reinstate Tanaka, Designate Chaz Roe
The New York Yankees have officially activated Masahiro Tanaka off the 60 day DL and will pitch him this afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays. In a corresponding move the Yankees have designated Chaz Roe for assignment. For all you guys that bought your Roe jersey, I'm sorry. Welcome back Tanaka!
9/21 Game Preview vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Happy Tanaka Day! We haven't been able to say that in a couple of months. Today the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays will play for the final time this season as the Yankees continue to play out their Yankee Stadium schedule. The Yankees will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound for the first time since July 8 and he will be faced off with the Jays Drew Hutchison. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET and can be seen on on the YES Network, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.
Tanaka has been out since July with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament that four doctors suggested he attempt to rest and rehab rather than surgically repair, for now anyway. Tanaka is back and is slated to throw somewhere around 75 pitches this afternoon in the Bronx. Expect Tanaka to be a little rusty and struggle with command and control but the important factor here is to see if he can make it through the start healthy and pain free.
Hutchison is coming off a bad start last time out against the Baltimore Orioles when he allowed six runs to the AL East leading Orioles. Hutchison was shaky early allowing a three run home run in the first inning and a solo home run in the second inning before retiring 15 of 17 batters.
Get your Tanaka Day Yankees tickets for this afternoon's game right here on the blog through Ticket Monster. You get to see Derek Jeter, Tanaka's return to the mound, and you get a Ty Beanie Baby. What you don't get are annoying fees and hidden shipping costs. Buy now.
Go Yankees!!
SNY Rant Calls Derek Jeter a Fraud
Just in case iframes continues to give this site fits for whatever reason HERE is the direct link to the video.
TGP Daily Poll: The Yankees Won't Use Jose Pirela
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This Day In New York Yankees History 9/21: Farewell to Yankee Stadium
The New York Yankees announced that 2008 would be the final season of the House that Ruth Built as a new billion dollar stadium was nearing completion across the street. Yankee Stadium III, or the House that Jeter Built, was set to be used for the 2009 season and on this day the Yankees said goodbye to the old stadium as they played their final game of the season in Yankee Stadium. The Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles in the last game 7-3 with Julia Ruth Stevens, the daughter of Babe Ruth, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. Derek Jeter and teammates stood on the mound after the game and bid farewell to Yankee Stadium in front of 54,610 fans in attendance.