Sunday, May 3, 2015

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox 5/3


For the third time already this season the New York Yankees will be showcased on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball and for the second time already this season the Boston Red Sox will be joining them. Rivalry Renewed! Tonight the Yankees will send Adam Warren to the mound to face off against Joe Kelly for the Red Sox in the 8:05 pm ET game that will be on ESPN as a part of ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. In case you were wondering the last time these two teams met on Sunday Night Baseball John Kruk was quieted and Curt Schilling became a Yankees supporter in a victory for New York, how about a second one tonight?

The Yankees play the Toronto Blue Jays tomorrow night inside the Rogers Centre so hopefully the team can play a Rob Manfred Special tonight and get out of Boston before the clock turns to midnight. Get your Yankees tickets for that series or for the next series at Yankee Stadium against the Baltimore Orioles right here on the blog using our Yankees Tickets link at the top of the blog. If you can't make it live then jump on Twitter (@GreedyStripes) and/or the comments section to finish off a great sports weekend with us and the Yankees. Go Yankees!

Jacoby Ellsbury is ready, Joe Kelly is ready, the Yankees are ready, are you ready?

ICYMI: Pace of Play Rules Adjusted Slightly on Friday


In case you missed it Major League Baseball slightly adjusted their new pace of play rules this Friday and have made the changes effective immediately. The main objective to the changes in the pace of play rules was to give hitters and pitchers a little more leeway before simply imposing fines for the new rules which I think everyone is grateful and thankful for.

The new rules have been agreed upon by the MLB owners and their players after game times dropped to 2 hours and 54 minutes through April 29th’s slate of games. This is down by eight minutes from the same period last year and includes a 19 inning marathon between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox and a 13 inning game between those same Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays on the 29th.  These are encouraging numbers as far as pace of play but whether this is helping draw in the casual fan and new fans is yet to be determined.

Under the previous set of rules a warning and the subsequent fines would begin on May 1st and would become cumulative and carrying over throughout the month. If a player took too long, pitcher or batter, they were subject to a $500 fine with those fines stacking every time a reoccurrence happened. Under the new set of rules each penalty would be erased and all previous infractions would reset and start over with each new series.


This is likely to be the first of many changes and tweaks to the pace of play this season but it’s hard to argue with positive results and that is what Rob Manfred and Major League Baseball is facing right now. I have not seen any radical or significant changes in my viewing experience or to the purity of the game of baseball so I for one am very happy when a 7:05 pm start is over by 10:00 pm. Good work Manfred and company, keep up the good work. 

Can't Predict Baseball: Four Balks In One Game?!?!


On this day in 1950 the Yankees Vic Raschi balked four times in a win over the Chicago White Sox. Apparently Raschi was unable to adjust to the new rule that required a pitcher to come to a full rest for a second before coming to home plate with the pitch.

Also on this day in 1951 the Yankees Gil McDougald tied a major league record with six RBI's in one inning in a 17-3 victory over the Browns. The Yankee rookie hit a grand slam in the ninth inning, the first of his career, and then added a two run triple later in the inning as New York scored 11 times in the inning.

Also on this day in 1959 the Tigers Charlie Maxwell absolutely went off for the 2-15 Detroit team as he hit four straight home runs in a double header against the Yankees. This was Tigers manager Jimmy Dykes first game as the skipper for Detroit and was responsible for Maxwell being in the lineup even though he was hitting .136 at the time.

Finally on this day in 1966 the Indians Luis Tiant threw his third consecutive shutout of the season when he beat the Yankees 1-0. El Tiante is still yet to give up a run this season after shutting out Boston and Kansas City earlier in the season.

You know what they say Suzyn, you really can't predict baseball. 

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox 5/3


The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox have played two games already this series and these games have certainly lived up to the hype that is the Yankees and Red Sox rivalry. On Friday night we all watched a pitchers duel between CC Sabathia and Justin Masterson which was aided by strong defense on both sides and on Saturday afternoon we watched both Nathan Eovaldi and Wade Miley come out of the gates pitching well. We all saw as Alex Rodriguez tied Willie Mays with his 660th home run of his career and with the first two games being played well by both teams I expect nothing less than another instant classic tonight inside Fenway Park. Tonight the Yankees will send Adam Warren to the mound to face off against the Red Sox right hander Joe Kelly. The game will be played at 8:05 pm ET and can be seen on ESPN as a part of ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.


  • Warren has only been a starting pitcher full time for about a month in the major leagues but has still yet to complete six innings in his career. Warren has made spot starts in his career for New York after being a starting pitcher in the minor leagues and came close to finishing out six innings in his last start against the Tampa Bay Rays. Last time out Warren allowed one run on five hits with six K's in 5.2 innings. Whether Warren gets six innings tonight or not is less important than if he can keep his team close enough to come from behind and win it with the bullpen like they have so many times already this season. 



  • Kelly  has dominated the Yankees already once this season on a Saturday afternoon game in the Bronx and is fresh off a 10 strikeout performance against the Toronto Blue Jays in his last start. Kelly lasted just six innings and did allow five runs in the contest pushing his average K's per nine innings to 10.65 on the season, the highest mark of his young career. 


Will the Yankees see the Kelly that dominated them on a Saturday afternoon or will they see the Kelly that allows a lot of hits, runs and home runs in his career? Will Warren hold a strong Red Sox offense down like he did last time out against the Rays or will he allow a ton of runs like he did in his last start against the Detroit Tigers? Only one way to find out Yankees family, tune in tonight on ESPN. You bring the popcorn and I'll bring the headphones, go Yankees!


Alex Rodriguez the Human Being


We all watched as Alex Rodriguez hit his 660th home run of his career off the bench on Friday night in Fenway Park. Some cheered, many booed and Alex Rodriguez cried. Alex was interviewed by the MLB Network crew and I tweeted out "Cry, Arod. Cry!" and he did not disappoint. While A Rod did not cry on camera with MLB Network and he did not cry on camera with the YES Network or even Suzyn Waldman, although it got close with Ma Baseball, Mr. Rodriguez balled his eyes out on the field in Fenway Park. Rodriguez won't say it but I will, take that to everyone that says he is a robot, not a human being or all ego because he's not, anymore.

Believe it or not the former New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez said it best last night when the MLB Network camera caught Alex balling on the field, Rodriguez was letting everything go. Alex knows he did wrong and knows he dug every single hole he's ever had to claw himself out of and most importantly knows that it may be too late to make amends on any of it. I think Alex finally realizes how far the might has fallen when Major League Baseball, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees basically ignored his milestone home run Friday night in Fenway Park.

Alex did not ask the Boston fan who caught the historic home run for the baseball back and mum has been the word regarding the $6 million bonus the Yankees seem unwilling to pay. Alex may have finally matured in the game of Major League Baseball and may finally be putting the team and the game first as Rodriguez may have finally dropped his guard and shown a human side and that's an awesome site to see. See you again at 3,000.


TGP Daily Poll: John Kruk & Curt Schilling Will Annoy


If you're voting on Knoda please vote yes because there is a 100% chance that either John Kruk, Curt Schilling or both annoy the ever loving crap out of me tonight on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. Hopefully the Yankees can win and shut these clowns up.

Vote in our prediction poll on Knoda.com

Weekly Check In: Luis Severino


The New York Yankees have one pitcher that truly excites the masses and his name is Luis Severino. With Masahiro Tanaka down for at least the month and Severino throwing bullets in Double-A you have to wonder how long the Yankees RHP prospect is for the minor leagues. Is it June? Is it July? Is it September? Well with stats like this I can't see it being very much longer...


YearLevWLERAGIPHRERHRBBSOWHIPH9HR9BB9SO9
2015AA112.25420.0188517261.2508.10.43.211.7

Update: 2015 Alex Rodriguez Milestones


On April 1st we posted the potential milestones that Alex Rodriguez could reach this season if he remains effective and healthy and a little over a month later we have an update for everyone. Obviously the home run that tied Willie Mays forced the issue of this post but Alex is within striking distance of a few other big names in Major League history including the stats that were included in THIS original post:

Alex Rodriguez despite missing the better part of the last two seasons is still within striking distance of more than a few milestones in 2015. We all have heard the dead horse being beaten about if and when Rodriguez hits his sixth home run of the season to tie Willie Mays on the all-time home run list because of the $6 million bonus the team reportedly plans on fighting but there are quite a few more that the soon to be 40 year old may reach this season.

Check!

Rodriguez is just 61 hits away from the historic 3000 hit plateau while also sitting 6th all-time in RBI with 1969 RBI. Alex is a mere 61 home runs away from tying Babe Ruth on the home run list and just 26 RBI behind the great Yankees legend Lou Gehrig in RBI. Rodriguez may also pass Barry Bonds (1996 RBI) on the RBI list to take sole possession of third place all-time. Rodriguez sits just 245 RBI behind Ruth for 2nd place all-time and with a healthy next three seasons could conceivably push for that record, although it looks less and less likely.

44 hits away from 3000 hits. 12 RBI behind Lou Gehrig. 55 home runs behind Babe Ruth.
Pass Bonds on the all-time RBI list, Check!

Alex also sits 10th all-time in runs scored with 1919 runs. Even with a diminished Yankees offense I believe Rodriguez could at least pass Derek Jeter (1923) and Stan Musial (1949) on the list with an outside chance of passing Cap Anson (1999) for 8th all-time with less than 100 runs scored.

Pass Jeter on the all-time runs list, Check!

Recap: Yankees 4, Red Sox 2

Nathan Eovaldi tossed 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball and the Yankees beat the Red Sox again, 4-2, on Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park.

Evo's Exceptional Outing: Eovaldi held the Red Sox to just seven hits and a walk during his time on the mound, striking out two while throwing 111 pitches. The only inning in which he really had trouble was the fourth, when he escaped a two-on, one-out jam with a double play from Mike Napoli. 

Gardner Gets it Done: Heading into this one on a bit of a cold streak, Brett Gardner drove in three with a pair of hits off Boston's Wade Miley -- an RBI double in the second and a clutch two-run single in the fifth. The latter of those knocks broke a 1-1 tie with two outs in the frame, immediately following an unproductive groundout from Jacoby Ellsbury. 

Young and Hot: One of just three Yankees currently hitting above .300, Chris Young gave his club some much-needed insurance with a solo shot in the ninth -- extending their lead to 4-2 with the Red Sox last chance approaching. It wasn't a bomb necessarily -- just reaching the first row of the monster seats -- but it counted all the same for Young's sixth long ball of the year. 

Betances Faces Four, Fans Four: Upon entering with a man on and two outs in the eighth, Dellin Betances went right to work against a quartet of Red Sox hitters -- striking out each on fewer than five pitches to seal the Yankees' victory. The dominant performance earned Betances his first save of the season, and should keep usual closer Andrew Miller available for Sunday.

We Need Better Sunglasses: Losing balls in the sun hasn't proved to be an issue for the Yankees so far in 2015 (snow has actually been a bigger problem), but at least in this contest's bottom of the first, the most underrated obstacle in the game cost the team an out. Indeed, on a seemingly-routine pop-up from David Ortiz, Chase Headley failed to track down the little white thing -- resulting in a gift single to end Eovaldi's no-hitter. 

Next Up: The Yankees go for the sweep on Sunday when they battle the Red Sox in the series finale -- beginning at 8:05 p.m. ET and airing live on ESPN. Adam Warren (1-1, 4.35 ERA) will take the hill for the Yankees looking for his second win, opposing inconsistent Sox right-hander Joe Kelly (1-0, 4.94 ERA). 

This Day In New York Yankees History 5/3: Three Sac Flies in One Game


On this day in 1986 Don Mattingly hit three sacrifice flies in a 9-4 victory over the Texas Rangers. The Yankees first baseman and All Star is only the sixth player to ever have three sac flies in one game in major league history.

On this day in 1952  the Yankees traded Jackie Jensen and right handed pitcher Spec Shea to the Washington Senators for veteran outfielder Irv Noren. The Yankees felt the need to make the move after Joe DiMaggio retired and Mickey Mantle required a knee surgery that season. In 1958 Jensen would win the American League MVP award for the Boston Red Sox.

On this day in 1936 Joe DiMaggio finally makes his major league debut after his season was delayed due to a foot injury. The 21 year old rookie outfielder started off great with three hits, one of them a triple, and scored three runs in a Yankees 14-5 victory over the Browns.