Sunday, September 28, 2014

Jeter Drives in Run in Season-Ending Win Over Red Sox

Derek Jeter hit an RBI infield single in his second and final at-bat and Michael Pineda tossed 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball today as the Yankees ended their season with a 9-5 win over the Red Sox.

Prior to that memorable top-of-the-third knock, the 3,465th of Jeter's career, the Yankees took an early lead off Boston's Clay Buchholz on an Ichiro Suzuki two-run triple, one that could very well wind up as his last big play, too.

So yeah, thanks to that, Jeter's big moment, a Mark Teixeira sac fly and a five spot off Craig Breslow in the seventh the Yanks won this contest pretty handily, a happening that was certainly assisted by the efforts of the aforementioned Pineda.

No, Pineda wasn't able to keep the Sox off the board this afternoon due to Esmil Rogers' allowing of an inherited runner to score, but since he did still strike out nine while surrendering just a trio of singles his outing was definitely a good one, as it helpfully gave New York plenty of time to pull away.

Did Capuano Pitch His Way Onto The 2015 Team


Chris Capuano was acquired from the Colorado Rockies this season making the New York Yankees his third stop this season and boy has he made the most of it. Capuano started the season with the Boston Red Sox as a relief pitcher before heading to the Rockies minor league system. The Yankees traded for Capuano out of bare necessity and plugged him into the starting rotation and the team got more than they could have ever expected.

Capuano's final line with the Yankees isn't as impressive as he really was as he finished with a 2-3 record and 4.25 ERA. Capuano started 12 games for the Yankees and finished with a 3.85 FIP, 1.31 WHIP, and 65.2 innings of work. New York went 6-6 in Capuano's starts but that was more the offenses problem than Capuano's inefficiencies.

Capuano allowed no more than four runs in a game in any of his 12 starts and allowed less than four runs in six of those starts including not allowing a run in three of his starts. Capuano went into the 6th inning in all but two of his starts and finished the 6th or went beyond in eight of those starts saving an overworked Yankees bullpen.

Capuano may have pitched his way onto the 2015 Yankees squad whether it be in the bullpen, as a long man, or at worst on a minor league deal. I can't say I was Capuano's biggest fan but I can't say I would be against it either.

9/28 Open Game Thread vs. Boston Red Sox


Welcome to the Game 162 open game thread of the season and the last in 2014. The New York Yankees will take on the Boston Red Sox in both team's final game. Michael Pineda will head to the mound for the Yankees to face off with Clay Buchholz for the Red Sox. The game will be played at 1:35 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, TBS, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with WFAN.

Follow the blog on Twitter this offseason by following @GreedyStripes because we don't take the offseason off like some. Also be sure to find our page on Facebook by searching for The Greedy Pinstripes. Enjoy the game Yankees family, Go Yankees!

9/28 Game Preview vs. Boston Red Sox


We made it Yankees family, Game 162 of the 2014 Major League Baseball season. This is it, the last game preview of the season. The New York Yankees will finish their season not in the postseason but in Fenway Park to take on the last place Boston Red Sox. The Yankees will get one more look at Michael Pineda this season as he faces off with Clay Buchholz of the Red Sox. The game will be played at 1:35 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, TBS, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio one more time with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Pineda is coming off a start in which he threw 7.1 innings against the Baltimore Orioles giving up just one hit and shutting down a very powerful team. Pineda has thrown 70 innings and went 4-5 with 1.93 ERA heading into his final start of the season.

Buchholz is coming off a start in which he shut out the Tampa Bay Rays for seven innings before falling apart in the eight inning. Buchholz started the inning by giving up a two out two run double which led to five earned runs in the inning.

No more pushing tickets this season so I leave you with this.... Go Yankees!

Shutting Down Betances & Pitching Robertson Doesn't Make Sense But Will Make Dollars


It's the final day of the season and the New York Yankees aren't making the playoffs so I have a long winter ahead of me. What will I complain about and what will I rant about on the blog before the Winter Meetings and free agency start? Better get all my ranting and raving in now and this one has to do with free agency. I can understand that Dellin Betances has thrown a ton of innings this season and Joe Girardi seemingly wants to shut him down and rest him for the 2015 season. Why is the same not being done with David Robertson?

Robertson is the free agent at the end of the season and shutting him down makes sense for his arm and for the Yankees checkbook. Every save Robertson wracks up this season makes dollars and for a newly found fiscally responsible team that just doesn't make sense. D Rob has already stated that he would test the free agent market and that the time had passed for a hometown discount for the Yankees so every appearance, every strike out, and every save tacks on a few dollars on that contract he is going to sign for 2015.

It's the last day of the season so I know this is too late to be complaining about but when it's on my mind I have to put the pad to paper, well finger to keyboard but you get the point. Robertson isn't going to accept a qualifying offer he is going to want the contract of his career and the Yankees are making sure he gets it with every garbage time save he gets this season.

TGP Daily Poll: Jeter Won't Manage Final Game


New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi has told Derek Jeter that he has free reign this weekend to do whatever he wants. Jeter already asked for Friday off and has the opportunity to manage the final game of the season. Jeter has expressed no interest in managing in his career and I think he will respectfully decline Girardi's offer.

Vote in our poll.

Girardi Downplays Recent Team Meeting

Yankees' Manager Joe Girardi downplayed the team's recent meeting after yesterday's loss to the Red Sox.

The assembly, which took place prior to Thursday's walk-off W over the Orioles, is rumored to have included an angry rant by Girardi. According to a source in contact with ESPN New York, the skipper called out his players on their disappointing season in it, even attacking some for their physical status and others for not being "hungry" enough. 

"I addressed the team and told them what I expect for next year," Girardi told the YES Network. "Yeah, we're all disappointed that we didn't make the playoffs. But I addressed the team because it's easier to do it in our ballpark and because we need to be better. We have to be execute better next year."

Girardi also said that he addresses the club after every year, regardless of their record.

"I address the team after every year," he said. "Sometimes I do the night when we make it or are eliminated. I do it different ways. I chose to do it the next day and just to let them know what we expect."

Whatever he said appears to have worked that evening, with the Yankees putting together a great overall performance in the 6-5 victory. Nonetheless, since the nice effort happened on September 25 and not April 1 it's tough to think Girardi's speech didn't come too late, as Saturday's 10-4 defeat clinched for New York their worst winning percentage since 1995.

This Day In New York Yankees History 9/28: Mussina Wins 20 Games


Mike Mussina had pitched many stellar seasons both in Baltimore with the Orioles and in New York with the Yankees but never won 20 games in a single season, until this day in 2008. On the last day of the 2008 season Mussina would improve his record to 20-9 becoming the oldest player in major league history to win 20 games for the first time. It took Mussina 18 seasons to win 20 games when he threw six shutout innings against the Red Sox in Fenway Park in a Yankees 6-2 victory.

Also on this day in 2005 Alex Rodriguez broke the Yankees All-Time record for home runs in a single season by a right handed batter when he slugged his 47th home run of the season. DiMaggio hit 46 home runs in 1937 and Alex passed him as the Yankees beat the Orioles 2-1.

Also on this day in 1955 Elston Howard, in his first World Series at bat, hit a two run home run off the Dodgers right hander Don Newcombe. This marks the first time that a black batter hit a home run off a black pitcher in the history of the World Series.

Finally on this day in 1947 the Yankees held their first Old Timers Day on the final day of the season. General Manager Larry MacPhail came up with the idea along with public relations director Red Paterson as an idea to honor the ailing Yankees legend Babe Ruth.