Saturday, April 4, 2015

Yankees Make Final Roster Decisions

The New York Yankees spring training is over and the roster decisions have finally been made.

Austin Romine has been designated for assignment and will likely be traded. I can't see him clearing waivers. John Ryan Murphy will be the team's backup catcher as expected.

Gregorio Petit won the last bench job before he played a single inning with the club and the decision was made official today.

Jose Pirela has been added to the seven day concussion DL retroactive to 4/2. He will be eligible to come off the DL on 4/9.

Chris Capuano has been placed on the 15 day DL retro active to 3/27 with a right quad strain.

Brendan Ryan has been placed on the 15 day DL retro active to 4/1 with a Grade II right calf strain.

Ivan Nova has been placed on the 15 day DL retro active to 3/27 with his Tommy John surgery.

Two Players Still Active from 1994 MLB Strike


I read an interestingly article yesterday from the USA Today that I felt compelled to share. The article showed how there were only two players active today that were active in 1994 when Major League Baseball was shut down due to a strike that cancelled the World Series. One player is currently on the Colorado Rockies, LaTroy Hawkins, and the other is a member of our very own New York Yankees, Mr. Alex Emmanuel Rodriguez.

Through the 1995 season Major League Baseball went through five strikes, three lockouts, the cancellation of 1,720 games and the 1994 playoffs and World Series and the league has been labor conflict free since. When the new collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2016 season there may not be a single player left in the league that remembers the 1994 work stoppage. Rodriguez, a member of the Seattle Mariners at the time, could be retired by then while Hawkins, a member of the Minnesota Twins in 1994, will more than likely be sipping drinks on a beach somewhere by the start of the 2017 season.

The World Series may have been cancelled, wages may have been lost and the game may have gotten a black eye but in the long run the bruises have seemingly healed, the fans are flocking back to the game and the ends look to justify the means of what those players have fought for. The average salary for a MLB player is now $4 million with the highest AAV eclipsing $30 million per season while the league minimum has gotten all the way to $507,500 in 2015. Players are also, if practical, guaranteed first class jet air, hotel accommodations and single rooms on every single road trip since the 1997 season.


762 players were on active 25 man rosters the day the strike began and none of them are on 40 man rosters today. Both Hawks and Rodriguez were on their respected team’s 40 man rosters and saw their minor league seasons cut short due to the strike. When these players are gone and the new CBA is being negotiated the parties involved will have little to no knowledge or understanding of what a strike or work stoppage could mean to the players and mean to the game. That is scary when you think about it because we aren’t sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. If one does not learn from the past they are doomed to repeat it and we see a lot of that going on these days… Stay tuned. 

Recap: Yankees 4, Nationals 3

Nathan Eovaldi surrendered three earned runs in five innings and Chris Young hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth Saturday as the Yankees rallied past the Nationals, 4-3, in a tight one at Nationals Park.

Eovaldi Bounces Back From Rough First Inning: Eovaldi gave up three runs on three hits and a walk in the bottom of the first, but was otherwise solid in his last outing of the preseason. He allowed just two baserunners in innings 2-5 -- striking out six while consistently throwing in the high-90s.

Young Turns the Tides: With a runner on second and one out in the eighth, Young lined a Drew Storen offering over the left field wall to put the Yankees up 4-3 -- the Yanks' first and only lead of the afternoon. It was Young's third homer in exhibition play -- each of which has interestingly come against the Nationals.

Drew Ruins the Shutout: After Brian McCann doubled and Chase Headley grounded him to third in the Yankees' half of the fifth, Stephen Drew got the Yankees on the board with a two-run shot off Doug Fister -- a long fly ball to right that quickly reached the back of the bullpen. Like with Young, the blast was Drew's third of the spring -- tied for the most on the Yankees.

Betances Closes it Out: Dellin Betances struck out the side in a scoreless ninth inning, escaping a two-on, one-out jam with K's of Matt den Dekker and Danny Espinosa. He fell behind to three of the five hitters he faced in the frame, but was able to still earn the save thanks to an effective two-strike curveball. 

Other Bullpen Stats: Chris Martin retired the Nationals in order in the sixth, and Justin Wilson and David Carpenter combined to put up a zero in the seventh. In the eighth, Andrew Miller struck out one before stranding a runner at first -- lowering his Grapefruit League ERA to just 2.25.

Next Up: Masahiro Tanaka will take the mound for the Yankees when they host the Blue Jays Monday at Yankee Stadium -- Tanaka's first Opening Day start in two seasons with the team. First pitch is slated for 1:05 p.m. ET on YES and ESPN, with WFAN and WADO also set to call the action. 

Spring: New York Yankees @ Washington Nationals 4/4


This is it, Spring Training officially ends today after the New York Yankees travel to Washington to face off against the Washington Nationals. No more spring training roster cuts, no more wondering who the fifth starter is going to be and no more missing nine games out of ten because they all come on at 1:05 in the afternoon when I have to work. The exhibition season ends today with an exhibition game at Nationals Park in the Nation’s Capital.


On the mound for the New York Yankees will be Nathan Eovaldi who will be making his final tune up start for New York before the game’s start counting for real. Facing off with Eovaldi is Doug Fister for Washington. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET and can be seen on MASN and MLB TV. 

Weekly Check In: Robert Refsnyder


Robert Refsnyder’s spring training and chances of making the major league Opening Day team went out the window on Thursday when he was officially sent down to Triple-A and minor league camp. With our weekly check in we will showcase Refsnyder’s impressive, and deserving of a roster spot, spring stats:

AgeGPARH2B3BHRRBISBBBSOBAOBPSLGOPS
242450101550162810.357.460.5481.008

TGP Mega Prediction Game Season 7


Wow, I can’t believe I have been running this game for seven seasons now. It’s crazy. We have run this thing on a forum that Bryan Van Dusen, Bryan Knepper and I came from before we had the blog and it has been a hit in every single season. I expect no different this year as Mr. Ken Reed comes to defend his title. If you’re unfamiliar with the games I will link the rules below but basically the name of the game is pretty self-explanatory, it’s a prediction game based on points. You have a certain point total you can wager per game and you bet that on whether the Yankees will win or lose all 162 games. The player with the most points at the end of the season wins the game.

It’s an everyday commitment almost and it’s a grind but it can definitely be fun if you are willing to put in the time. You can predict as far out as you want so theoretically you can predict all 162 games today if you’d like or you can do them one at a time. Usually I do my predictions per series because I feel that’s the smartest thing to do but you can do whatever makes you feel most comfortable.


All you have to do is leave a comment in the Mega Prediction Game thread HERE to be involved. Now about those rules……

You will predict the outcome of every game one series at a time. You will predict whether the Yankees will win or lose the game but will also wager a point amount determined by how many games are in the series. If there is a three game series , like the one starting tomorrow, you will be able to wage a 3 Pt, a 2 Pt, and a 1 Pt game. In a four game series you will see a 4 Pt game added. For example:

4/6/15 - 4/9/15  New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Game 1 Win - 3 Pts
Game 2 Win - 2 Pts
Game 3 Win - 1 Pt

All predictions must be submitted in the comment box, on twitter @GreedyStripes, or via email at The Greedy Pinstripes BEFORE the first pitch of the game. If it is not predicted before the first pitch of the game then you are penalized your highest point game. If you were to miss the prediction then you would only be allowed your two lowest wagers. There is no minimum so even if you miss two games and want to wager 1 point on the third game then that is perfectly fine. See example:


4/6/15 - 4/9/15  New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Game 1 MISSED 
Game 2 Win - 1 Pt
Game 3 Win - 2 Pts 

Tie breakers will be whoever predicts the most perfect series meaning who gets the most series predicted correctly. If there is still not a winner then we will use the playoffs as a tie breaker. You MUST be a registered user to use the comment box to play the game. No anonymous users will be counted in our tallies or be eligible for the prize, although you can still play for fun if you would like.

TGP Daily Poll: Yankees Win in Front of Sell Out Crowd



The New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals finish their spring training schedules with an exhibition game in Washington at Nationals Park. The Yankees will win this game and end their exhibition season on a high note.


Vote in our prediction poll on Knoda.com

Charleston Riverdogs Release 2015 Promotional Schedule


First of Many Terrific Promotions Await
as RiverDogs Open the 2015 Season


“Firsty” Thursday, First Date Night highlight several ‘firsts’ on promotion schedule



CHARLESTON, SC – The Charleston RiverDogs open the 2015 season with a 7-game homestand at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park that runs fromApril 9-15. The RiverDogs welcome the Lexington Legends and Augusta GreenJackets to the Lowcountry for the first week of the South Atlantic League baseball season.


Thursday, April 9, 7:05 pm: Opening Day, sponsored by South Carolina 811, features a night of many “firsts” on the RiverDogs’ promotional schedule. The first 5,000 fans who enter the park (gates open at 6 pm) will receive a 2015 RiverDogs magnet schedule, courtesy of South Carolina 811. Opening Day is also a “Firsty” Thursday, the first of 10 Budweiser Thirsty Thursdays presented by 95SX during the 2015 season. Enjoy “Happy Hour” with $1 beers and music in the Ashley View Pub. DJ Natty Heavy will be returning to The Joe again this year, spinning popular tunes throughout the game. Stick around after the contest for a spectacular postgame fireworks display, the first of 14 this season.



Friday, April 10, 7:05 pm: This is the first ISHPI Red Shirt Friday of the season and it is presented by WEZL, with postgame fireworks presented by Home Telecom. Support the military by wearing red and when you come to the box office, you can and receive $1 off your ticket. Fans will have the option to donate that dollar to Canines for Veterans, which will again bring Titus the Bat Dog out every Friday to perform his bat boy duties! The RiverDogs will wear special red jerseys as a show of support for our military. For the second night in a row, there will be a huge postgame fireworks display over the scenic Ashley River presented by Home Telecom.


Saturday, April 11, 6:05 pm: Take your spookiest Halloween costume out of the closet and wear it to the ballpark as the RiverDogs celebrate Halloween early. Halfway to Halloween, sponsored by Donors Cure and presented by Mix 96, features a night of hair-raising fun and games, starting with a helicopter candy drop for the kids. Gates open at 5 pm for our 6:05 Saturday first pitch. Ever dream of rounding third base and heading for home at The Joe? Saturday night is your chance to make that dream come true. Kids will be able to run around the diamond every Saturday, with the Postgame Kids Run the Bases program presented by CPI Security Systems.


Sunday, April 12, 5:05 pm: Even though the RiverDogs are concluding their four-game series with the Lexington Legends, Sunday is Kids Opening Day. Kids take over the park, box office, public address system, radio and even Dave Echols’ general manager’s duties. Parking is free and kids 12-and-under eat free courtesy of Pepsi as they receive a coupon for a hot dog, fountain drink and chips. The first 1,000 kids 12-and-under to enter the gates will receive an Opening Day youth t-shirt, presented by Vapor Apparel. Also, as part of Kids Opening Day, all children will have the opportunity to paint a free picture at the park, courtesy of Wine & Canvas. Every Sunday at The Joe again this season is a Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission Kids Club Sunday, presented by Y102.5. All members of the RiverDogs Kids Club receive free admission to every Family Sunday Game. The RiverDogs Kids Club, known as the RiverPups, is free to join and open to all kids 12-and-under, and all receive a coupon for a hot dog, fountain drink and chips upon entering the park. Stick around after the game to receive free autographs from all of your favorite RiverDogs players down on the field.



Monday, April 13, 7:05 pm: Feeling a bit nostalgic in the football offseason? Don’t fret, we understand. The Joe will spoof Monday Night Football at every Monday home game this year. Come to the park for Coors Monday Night Baseball, presented by Kickin’ 92.5 and enjoy $1 hot dogs and $1 draft beers in the Ashley View Pub. In addition to the Monday Night Baseball festivities, Monday is also Youth Baseball Night presented by McDonald’s. Join us for a parade around the warning track prior to the game to celebrate youth baseball teams in the Lowcountry.


Tuesday, April 14, 7:05 pm: Whether it is your first date or you have been together for years, bring your special someone to the “First Date Night” at the park. We will celebrate everybody’s first date here at The Joe with Tuesday Date Night, presented by Miller Lite and NASH FM. For each Tuesday home game this season, every couple will receive a special 2-for-$20 deal at the box office. The promotion includes two tickets to the game, two tacos, two fountain drinks and one nacho tray all for $20, brought to you by Miller Lite and NASH FM. New to The Joe this season is the Miller Lite Bromance Lounge – a social area for bros to chill, play corn hole and enjoy some Miller Lites while taking in the game.



Wednesday, April 15, 11:05 am: The Joe will be filled with Lowcountry students for the annual Education Day. Note the special 11:05 amstart time for this game. Every Wednesday home game is also a HealthSouth Senior Wednesday presented by Magic 107.3. As with allWednesday games, Seniors (65 & older) will eat free, receiving a complimentary hot dog, soda and chips.

Steinbrenner Field to Host 70 More Games


Fear Not Baseball Fans!  
Steinbrenner Field has 70 More Home Games


On behalf of the Tampa Yankees Baseball Club, we want to offer our condolences to those in the Tampa and surrounding areas that are mourning the end of spring baseball at Steinbrenner Field. While Yankees Spring Training is a great way to see Big League talent, we want to remind you that baseball at Steinbrenner Field is really just getting started.


The Single-A Advanced Affiliate of the New York Yankees play 70 home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The home opener for the Tampa Yankees is only a week away on Friday, April 10th against the Lakeland Flying Tigers. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00pm with gates opening at 6:00pm.


Baseball fans will have 70 home games to choose from spanning April 10th to September 6th. We never want anyone coming to one of our games feeling stressed or worried about the cost, so we've got a ticket, food or drink discount every home game to keep those worries away.


The home opener and all future Friday night home games offer $10 all-you-can-eat chicken wings and half price drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) from 6-8:00pm. Follow us on social media for a $2 ticket code word to use at the box office. The first 300 fans will receive a three in one magnet schedule courtesy of the Tampa Yankees and Sonny's BBQ. Stick around for a Fireworks Show after the game courtesy of Bright House Networks.


Mourn no more Yankees fans! Baseball is still very much alive at Steinbrenner Field and a great way to see the Major League stars of tomorrow, play today.


Regular priced game tickets can be purchased at the Steinbrenner Field Ticket Office for $6 or $4 and children, seniors, military and college students can receive $1 off each ticket price.

This Day in New York Yankees History 4/4: 1994 Yankees Opening Day Sets a Record


On this day in 1994 a total of 56,706 fans flocked to Opening Day at Yankee Stadium, the largest crowd ever at the House that Ruth Built. Jimmy Key would beat Kevin Brown and the Texas Rangers 5-3 in front of the record breaking crowd.


Also on this day in 1989 Tommy John tied a record on Opening Day by playing in his 26th season. The New York Yankees veteran would beat the Twins 4-2 on this day for his 287th win, putting him 19th overall at the time in career wins.