Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Ellsbury, Beltran Likely Out for the Year

Yankees' Center Fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (hamstring) and Right Fielder Carlos Beltran (elbow) likely won't return to the team this weekend, Daniel Barbarasi of The Wall Street Journal and Chad Jennings of The Journal News report. 

Ellsbury, who signed a seven-year/$153 million deal with the club last December, hit .271 with 16 home runs and 70 RBIs this season, numbers often considered disappointing given the ones he used to put up as a member of the Red Sox.  

Nonetheless, since he still got some big knocks over the course of the schedule while also being pretty reliable defensively it's fair to say that 2014 was an overall solid campaign for the left-hander, who wore #22 on his uniform since his original #2 was obviously already taken by Derek Jeter. 

As for the other injured player whose time on the field is probably over, Beltran, this news really isn't that surprising, as the veteran's been hurt on-and-off this season. Still, due to his being set to have surgery next month he is expected to be ready when the Yankees begin Spring Training in Tampa next February, a fact that should uplift them given their current situation with Starting Pitcher Ivan Nova. 

Greene's Rough Start Officially Ends Yankees' Postseason Hopes in Loss to Orioles

Shane Greene surrendered six earned runs in just 4 2/3 innings and the offense struggled to gain momentum in their final six turns today as the Yankees' October hopes officially dissappeared with a 9-5 loss to the Orioles.

After three frames today, thanks to an RBI Double by Mark Teixeira and a pair of solo home runs by Stephen Drew and Chase Headley, the Yanks actually led 3-0, a score that appeared to be in their favor with the usually-reliable Greene on the mound. 

Nonetheless, due to a Ryan Flaherty two-run double, a Nick Markakis two-run single, and a couple of more run-scoring knocks by David Lough and Adam Jones in the top of the fourth New York found themselves behind for the majority of this one, a fact that basically ruined their day in the end.

Indeed, from that at-bat on Baltimore held complete control of the contest, a happening greatly assisted by Bud Norris' three-run, six-inning outing. Fortunetaly, in the bottom of the eighth the aforementioned Teixeira would line a Brad Bach offering off the right-field foul pole to bring the Yankees to within four, but since just two more men would reach base for them on the afternoon they still eventually fell, a dissapointing truth that dropped their record on the year to a pretty average 81-77.

Looking Back: My Predictions For the Cy Young Awards in 2014


The Cy Young Award is the most prestigious award that a pitcher in Major League Baseball can win, it is basically the MVP of pitchers. Back in March when I took a stab at predicting the winners I originally had Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners winning the award for the American League and Clayton Kershaw winning the award for the National League. Could I conceivably get them both correct in the same season?

See below for the original post made back in March:

n the era of the pitcher, I am coining that now since the "steroid era" is all but over, there is an emphasis on young, effective, and power pitching. The Cy Young Award voting is getting harder and harder, less obvious every year, and tougher and tougher to call. The era of the pitcher is upon us and here is who I think will be the Cy Young Award winners for this coming season.


In the American League the winner of the Cy Young Award winner will be Felix Hernandez. King Felix finally has a little bit of offense behind him and is still probably the best pitcher in the AL. It may not be enough for the Seattle Cano's to make the playoffs but should be enough to net Felix 15-18 wins and a minuscule ERA once again.


If you pick against Clayton Kershaw, no offense, but you are a moron. I do not consider myself to be a moron so I pick Clayton Kershaw to win the award in 2014. The guy is the best in the game right now and while he had a ton of mileage on his arm from 2013 I do not think we see the effects of that just yet. The highest paid player in the history of Major League Baseball, AAV wise, is going to earn his money in 2014 and take home the award.

9/24 Open Game Thread vs. Baltimore Orioles


Welcome to the afternoon edition of the open thread for the game between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees were so ever gracious enough to schedule a day game on my wife’s birthday knowing I was going to miss the game anyway due to work, what a pal. This afternoon the Yankees will send Shane Greene to the mound to face off with the Orioles Bud Norris. The game will be played at 1:05 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 right here on the blog to say goodbye to the Captain Derek Jeter. Also be sure to follow us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes and also like our page on Facebook by searching for The Greedy Pinstripes.


It’s an open thread so go crazy Yankees family. Enjoy the game, Go Yankees!

Derek Jeter Denies Gift Basket Rumors


Many around the league and on Twitter, myself included, have had fun with the rumor that Derek Jeter gave gift baskets to all his one night stands over the years. The gift baskets reportedly included signed memorabilia, pictures, and baseballs of the Yankees captain. Either someone finally worked up enough nerve to ask the Yankee captain or Derek finally stopped caring and answered the question but Jeter opened up about the issue to New York Magazine's Chris Smith.

The New York Post reported way back in 2011 that Jeter was handing out gift baskets to one night stands after one of the women came forward because one woman in particular received two baskets. Lucky girl.

Anyway here is the direct quote from Jeter and the link above:

“Like I’m giving them signed baseballs and pictures of myself on the way out! Who comes up with a story like that?” (Jeter) laughs, incredulous. “It said the reason people found out was because I gave the same girl the same basket and I had forgotten I’d given her one—like there are so many people coming through I forgot!”

Now that we have that out of the way we can go back to playing and worrying about baseball.

9/24 Game Preview vs. Baltimore Orioles


The New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles will play in a day game in this third game of a four game set at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees and retiring captain Derek Jeter have just two more home games this season including this afternoon before the season is over barring a miracle. The Yankees will send Shane Greene to the mound to face off with the Orioles Bud Norris. The game will be played at 1:05 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.

Greene will be making his final start of the season this afternoon against the Baltimore Orioles. Greene just faced Baltimore 11 days ago on September 13 when he held the Orioles offense to just two runs in 5.1 innings at Camden Yards. In Greene’s last start he threw 6.2 shutout innings against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Norris is coming off a start in which he beat the Toronto Blue Jays after pitching 5.1 innings on Wednesday. Norris had four strike outs and five walks in the contest. Let’s hope the control continues to be an issue this afternoon in the Bronx.



Go Yankees!!

Derek Jeter Finally (kinda) Opens Up to the Media


Being syndicated from nymag.com CLICK HERE for the original article:

It’s a steamy Saturday morning, and Jeter is standing in the first-floor dining room of the brick 1830s West Village townhouse he’s renting. “Come on in,” he says. He’s wearing a gray, maize, and blue University of Michigan T-shirt in anticipation of his beloved Wolverines’ football game tonight against Notre Dame. At 40, he is ancient for a major leaguer, but up close he is leaner than he appears in uniform. With his shaved head, light-green eyes, and coiled serenity, Jeter could pass for a charismatic yoga instructor.
Instead, he is, of course, New York’s reigning sports star on its most glamorous team. And yet, despite being on our television sets seven months a year for the past 20 years, despite the regular appearances at charity events and a social life that seems to have included dating three-quarters of the Maxim Hot 100, he’s always felt just out of reach, available for all to adore but somehow still protected by an impenetrable, cannily constructed bubble of privacy. Opening the door to his home is a hint of a looming shift in Jeter’s life, and in Jeter, Inc.
Tomorrow is Derek Jeter Day at Yankee Stadium. It’s his latest stop on a cross-country farewell tour celebrating not just Jeter’s Hall of Fame–caliber playing career but his humility and rectitude off the field. Jeter announced in February, via Facebook, that he would be retiring after this season. Since then, he’s done a remarkable job of tuning out the impending end of his athletic life, at least publicly. At home, though, down to his final days in pinstripes, Jeter is by turns wistful, proud, funny, even a bit cranky. Mostly he seems relieved. “No more off-seasons,” he says. “It’s just over.”
He has no interest in the traditional jock afterlife: coaching or commentating or getting fat. Instead, he’s launched a publishing imprint at Simon & Schuster. A children’s book comes out September 23, followed in October by Jeter Unfiltered, a collection of evocative, documentary-­style off-field photographs by Christopher Anderson—and a significant departure for the privacy-conscious icon.
Jeter Publishing, however, is only the first step. In a media landscape where stars are increasingly taking ownership of the means of production—Oprah Winfrey rose from talk-show host to media conglomerate, Dr. Dre went from producer to music mogul, and Beyoncé runs a management company—one option for Jeter is an ambitious media play. After two decades of being content, he’s intrigued by the possibility of becoming a multi-platform content provider. His business pursuits will likely be varied, but they will all be characteristically Jeter: He will be the one in charge.
There is the rustle of keys. The front door opens. It’s Chef Debbie, Jeter’s personal cook, back from the farmers’ market with a load of groceries. “Do you have to work down here?” Jeter asks as she opens the refrigerator. “We’ll go up, so we won’t bother you.” With that, we’re climbing the stairs, dark-brown wood with black steel railings, past a colorful painting of Miles Davis, one of the few visible decorative touches. “Oh, great, I get a tour,” I say.
Jeter’s response is immediate and firm. “I wouldn’t say tour,” he says. “I’m letting you go up one level.”



Meet a Prospect: Eury Perez


Eury Perez was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees on Monday from the Washington Nationals and was immediately added to the 40 man roster. While Perez was officially a member of the Yankees on Monday you're REALLY not an official member until we do one of these for you so it's time for Perez to earn his first stripe right here. This is meet a prospect, the Eury Perez edition.

Eury Eduardo Perez was born on May 30, 1990 in San Luis, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Perez came up in the Washington Nationals organization and participated in the All Star Futures Game as recently as 2010. Eury was added to the 40 man roster for the Nationals after the 2011 season and was ultimately protected from the Rule 5 Draft.

Perez is a speedy type outfielder who is unlikely to hit for much power at all. In 2010 Perez stole 64 bases and followed that up with 45 in 2011, and 51 in 2012. Perez thanks to his speed is considered to be an above average defender and can play all three of the outfield positions. Perez's speed is ranked as an 80 on the normal 20-80 scale which is rare for any player to achieve.

Perez is adequate with the bat at least in Triple-A where he combined for a .301/.354/.411 triple slash in the Nats farm system in 2014. Perez was designated for assignment on September 18 of this year after the Nationals claimed Pedro Florimon from the Minnesota Twins. Perez fell all the way to the Yankees and is now a member of the greatest organization in the world after the team claimed him, designated Josh Outman for assignment, and added Perez to their 40 man roster.

Congratulations on the opportunity Mr. Perez, make us proud.

Quick Hit: Happy Birthday to My Better Half


What better way to start a hump day then to get a little mushy, right? I want to take a minute to wish my beautiful and lovely wife a very happy birthday. I promised her I wouldn’t tell everyone it was her big 30th birthday so if she asks, you didn’t hear it from me.

She truly is the MVP of this site. I am a father of two and a husband, a home owner, and a blogger. Sometimes I spend a little too much time being a blogger and not enough time being a husband and a father and when I do she is always there to pick up the slack. She never complains about me working late for you guys or when she has to cook dinner for the 19th day in a row because news just broke about this guy or that guy, she always just does what needs to be done. She is a great person, an even better mother, and if possible and even better wife and I am truly blessed to call her mine. Thank you Crystal and I love you!

By the way everyone always gets curious on what you buy your significant other as a birthday present on such a “milestone” as 30 years old. I bought her a Volkswagen Cabrio and a trip to Ruth’s Chris steakhouse just in case you were wondering.


Posts may be a tad sporadic tonight, tomorrow, or Saturday depending on how much I can do I advance so just be aware of that. Thank you for your understanding Yankee family. 

This Day In New York Yankees History 9/24: “The Yankees Were My Daddy”


Only five players in the history of the New York Yankees have ever hit 40 home runs in consecutive seasons. On this day in 2012 Curtis Granderson, the fifth player in franchise history, joined Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Mickey Mantle in a 6-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

Also on this day in 2011, speaking of home runs, the Yankees honored and celebrated the 50th anniversary of Roger Maris hitting his record breaking 61st home run on the season. Derek Jeter carried the actual bat that Maris used to hit the home run out to the plate in a pre-game ceremony while the fan who caught the ball, Sal Durante, brought the actual ball to home plate as well.


Finally on this day in 2004 the New York Yankees beat Red Sox pitcher so bad in Fenway Park that Martinez called the Yankees his daddy, literally. The Yankees fans did not let Pedro live that one down as chants of “Who’s your daddy?” rained in the Bronx during every Martinez start after that.