Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Yankees Release Promotional Schedule

The New York Yankees have released their promotional schedule for the giveaways that will happen this season at Yankee Stadium

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Yankees Release Spring Training Television Schedule


The New York Yankees spring training games are always popular across the popular networks of YES, MLB Network, ESPN and MLB TV and 2015 is no different. The YES Network, MLB Network and MLB TV have released their Yankees ST broadcast schedules, while we wait on ESPN as usual, and I bring them to you below for your convenience.

  • March 3, Yankees @ Phillies, 1:05 p.m: MLB.TV, MLB Network (tape delay)
  • March 4, Phillies vs. Yankees, 1:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB.TV, MLB Network
  • March 5, Yankees @ Pirates, 1:05 p.m: NONE
  • March 6, Yankees @ Phillies, 1:05 p.m: MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • March 6, Pirates vs. Yankees, 7:05 p.m: MLB.TV
  • March 7, Yankees @ Astros, 1:05 p.m: NONE
  • March 8, Nationals vs. Yankees: 1:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB.TV, MLB Network
  • March 9, Rays vs. Yankees, 1:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB.TV, MLB Network
  • March 10, Yankees @ Orioles, 1:05 p.m: MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • March 11, Red Sox vs. Yankees, 1:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • March 12, Braves vs. Yankees, 7:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • March 13, Yankees @ Red Sox, 7:05 p.m: MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • March 14, Tigers vs. Yankees, 1:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • March 14, Yankees @ Blue Jays, 1:07 p.m: MLB.TV, MLB Network (tape delay)
  • March 15, Yankees @ Phillies, 1:05 p.m: NONE
  • March 16: OFF DAY
  • March 17, Blue Jays vs. Yankees, 7:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • March 18, Yankees @ Braves, 6:05 p.m: MLB.TV, MLB Network
  • March 19, Phillies vs. Yankees, 1:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • March 20, Yankees @ Tigers, 1:05 p.m: NONE
  • March 21, Astros vs. Yankees, 1:05 p.m: NONE
  • March 22, Yankees @ Mets, 1:10 p.m: YES Network, MLB.TV
  • March 23, Yankees @ Nationals, 1:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB.TV
  • March 24, Tigers vs. Yankees, 7:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • March 25, Mets vs. Yankees, 1:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • March 26, Yankees @ Rays, 1:05 p.m: MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • March 27, Yankees @ Phillies, 1:05 p.m: MLB.TV, MLB Network
  • March 28, Orioles vs. Yankees, 1:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB.TV, MLB Network
  • March 29, Yankees @ Astros, 1:05 p.m: NONE
  • March 30: OFF DAY
  • March 31, Yankees @ Twins, 1:05 p.m: MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • April 1, Rays vs. Yankees, 1:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • April 2, Pirates vs. Yankees, 1:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB Network, MLB.TV
  • April 2, Yankees @ Tigers, 1:05 p.m: MLB.TV
  • April 3, Nationals vs. Yankees, 1:05 p.m: YES Network, MLB.TV
  • April 4, Yankees @ Nationals (Nationals Park), 1:05 p.m: MLB Network, MLB.TV

The Yoan Moncada Rant You All Knew Was Coming




You guys read my stuff and you know I tend to pour my heart into subjects that I truly feel passionate about. With that said I think you all were waiting and knowing that this rant about the Boston Red Sox signing Yoan Moncada was coming, right?

Moncada ended up signing with Boston for $31.5 million which equates to $63 million after penalties for going over the International Free Agents cap. When you consider that any team that blows past the cap like the New York Yankees and now the Red Sox have they cannot sign an IFA for more than $300K for each of the next two seasons. New York always spends in the International market and cannot for the next two seasons so signing Moncada for $63 million this season would really only equate to $21 million annually spread across three years, also known as chump change for New York.

I’ve always been under the impression that you bring in the best possible players and then you find a spot in the field and in the lineup for them. It doesn’t matter, to me, if Robert Refsnyder looks like the next Babe Ruth in Triple-A, it’s Triple-A for a reason. If they both work out, great, and if they don’t then at least you have a backup plan. It’s also worth mentioning that Moncada is 19 years old. If he’s “blocked” at second base see if he can play shortstop, or first base, or third base, or the outfield, or catcher or something. He’s young, agile, versatile, and teachable while still a year or more away from the big leagues anyway.

My plan, and I urge you all to follow me in this plan, is to hit the Yankees in the pocket. I’m not going to see any Yankees games this year. I’m not buying the YES Network this year. I’m not planning on buying any new Yankees merchandise or memorabilia. They will get my MLB TV money and that’s it. If the team cannot justify to me, the consumer, that their ticket prices and merchandise prices and YES Network subscriptions (which I know they have basically sold out of) then I cannot justify shelling out major dollars to see the team live. I can’t do it. I’m not going to spend hundreds of dollars to go see Andrew Miller, Didi Gregorius, or an over the hill CC Sabathia or Carlos Beltran. I would for Masahiro Tanaka or Michael Pineda and I damn sure would have for Moncada, but you had that chance and you blew it. It’s time to hit them in the pockets.


And notice that I waited almost a full day to post this. I am not shooting off from the hip and I am not letting my emotions or anger write this. I am calm, I am level headed and I know what I am saying to be true and factual. I hope that you fall in line and follow me. Rusney Castillo and now this…

Greedy Pinstripes Top 28 Prospects List: #5


Prospects Month is winding down as we're well into our final week of the month. Today we will showcase our #5 prospect inside the New York Yankees system, Mr. Robert Refsnyder. Refsnyder is coming to Yankees camp ready to compete for the second base job and/or a bench position out of Spring Training. 

Here is the write up from Kyle McDaniel on Refsnyder:


Robert Refsnyder, 2B Video: Refsnyder was below the radar as an amateur, going in the 5th round in 2012 out of the University of Arizona. He played right field in college and was seen as a potential reserve. The Yankees saw a little more and moved him to second base, where he’s fringy to average defensively now. The bat has played more than expected, with a huge 2014 in Double-A and Triple-A at age 23, flashing advanced feel to hit and bat control with average raw power and an above average hit tool.

Refsnyder’s swing is a little awkward, but he makes it work: he starts with high hands and has a high leg kick, but it’s controlled and he loads his hands lower late, allowing him to have a short, direct stroke. The expectation is that he’ll compete for the second base job this year and if the bat, power and defense all play as expected, this could be a solid everyday player.

Note: I split the 45 and 40 FV groups further with 45+ and 40+. Clarkin and Refsnyder are the 45+ FV prospects and Austin, DeCarr, Wade, DeLeon and Flores are the 40+ FVs.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5. Robert Refsnyder
6. Gary Sanchez
7. Jacob Lindgren
8. Ian Clarkin
9. John Ryan Murphy
10. Luis Torrens
11. Tyler Austin
12. Bryan Mitchell
13. Miguel Andujar
14. Eric Jagielo
15. Jake Cave
16. Austin DeCarr
17. Tyler Wade
18. Juan DeLeon
19. Dante Bichette Jr.
20. Domingo German
21. Slade Heathcott
22. Nick Rumbelow
23. Jose Ramirez
24. Ramon Flores
25. Gosuke Katoh
26. Chasen Shreve
27. Taylor Dugas

28. Johnny Barbato

Meet A Prospect: Hank Steinbrenner


Henry George "Hank" Steinbrenner III was born April, 2 1957 in Culver, Indiana to parents George and Elizabeth Steinbrenner. Hank is the older son of former Yankees principal owner George Steinbrenner and is currently involved in the day to day operations as owner of the Yankees today. Steinbrenner's little brother Hal is the other half of the Steinbrenner duo that inherited the team when The Boss passed away in 2010 and Hank also has two sisters in Jessica Steinbrenner and Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindall. Henry, or Hank, was named after his grandfather, Henry George Steinbrenner II, who made the family fortune in the shipping business. 


From 2007 to the present George Steinbrenner stepped down from the day to day operations of the New York Yankees and the job was left to both Hank and Hal Steinbrenner. It would take until November, 8 of the 2008 season before Major League Baseball owners approved the shift of power to the Steinbrenner Brothers. Hank is more like his father in the fact that he is the more outspoken Steinbrenner brother and is considered to be a bit of a hot head. He also likes to talk without speaking a lot as seen below in this quote from Hank in a 2008 interview:

"Red Sox Nation? What a bunch of bullshit that is...That was a creation of the Red Sox and ESPN, which is filled with Red Sox fans...Go anywhere in America and you won't see Red Sox hats and jackets, you'll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We're going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order."
Hank would receive a Red Sox nation membership card a few days later from  Red Sox owner John Henry and also received team newsletters, bumper stickers, pins, Green Monster seats, and a Boston Red Sox hat autographed by none other than David Ortiz. I have to say that is a pretty awesome gesture by the Red Sox and even generated a laugh from a Yankees fan, good work.

Looking at the 2015 Draft: 5th Best Prospect



Continuing our look at the 2015 MLB First Year Players Draft we take a look at the #5 ranked prospect expected to enter the draft. As always we will include the mini scouting report from MLB.com as we introduce the #5 prospect, Nathan Kirby. Kirby is a LHP and Junior currently spending his time at Vanderbilt University. 



Here is the write up from MLB.com:


Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55 | Overall: 55


After pitching out of the bullpen in 2013, Kirby became Virginia's No. 1 starter and shared Atlantic Coast Conference pitcher-of-the-year honors last spring. He threw an 18-strikeout no-hitter against Pittsburgh and emerged as the best prospect on a Cavaliers team that finished second at the College World Series and featured a first-round pick (Nick Howard) and two supplemental first-rounders (Derek Fisher, Mike Papi).

A Virginia high school product who removed himself from the 2012 Draft, Kirby has a 90-94 mph fastball that plays up because of its life and angle and his ability to work it to both sides of the plate. He backs it up with one of the better sliders in college baseball, and he also can throw opponents off balance with his changeup.

Kirby usually fills the strike zone, though his control disintegrated in the opener of the CWS finals when he walked five batters in the third inning against Vanderbilt. Though he had been named to the U.S. collegiate national team, he opted to take the summer off and focused on adding 20 pounds to his 6-foot-2 frame.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5. Nathan Kirby
6. Kyle Funkhouser
7. Kolby Allard
8. Daz Cameron
9. Dansby Swanson
10. Ashe Russell
11. Justin Hooper
12. Carson Fulmer
13. Alex Bregman
14. Nick Plummer
15. Trenton Clark
16. Ian Happ
17. Phil Bickford
18. Mike Nikorak
19. Kyle Cody
20. Cody Ponce
21. Riley Ferrell
22. Chris Betts
23. James Kaprielian
24. Jake Lemoine
25. Beau Burrows
26. Richie Martin
27. Kyle Tucker
28. D.J. Stewart

CC Feels Comfortable at 305 lbs. But Will His Stats Bounce Back?


For the past two offseason’s there have been countless texts, emails, and tweets sent to me about CC Sabathia’s weight and how it will affect his pitching. I continuously shrugged those comments off because I didn’t see a problem with the big man getting healthy for the long haul. Then the 2013 and 2014 seasons happened and I joined everyone in asking for “Fat CC” back. Sabathia did not disappoint in 2015 as he gained some, not all, of his weight back and is back at a reported 305 lbs. Will his stats also bounce back like we, the fans, have been asking for?

CC admitted to our very own Chad Jennings of Lohud that he was “kind of off balance and didn’t know really how his body was working.” CC consulted the Yankees team doctor Dr. Ahmad and the team of trainers employed by New York and all agreed that the 300 lbs. – 305 lbs. CC is the best CC going forward for the remaining three years (including the option) of his current contract.


If CC can regain his balance, regain his control, regain his effectiveness and regain some velocity I think we would all be better off.

This Day in New York Yankees History 2/24: Ed Lopat, Come on Down


On this day in 1948 the Chicago White Sox traded Ed Lopat to the New York Yankees for Aaron Robinson, Bill Wright, and Fred Bradley.