Saturday, October 31, 2015

World Series Game Four Open Thread


World Series Game Four inside Citi Field, this should be fun. The Kansas City Royals have dominated this series as the Mets may be cracking under the World Series pressure. How much longer will this series go on? Honestly I hope as long as possible, it's a long winter.

Thunder and NJM Score for Anchor House

Anchor House and NJM with Boomer


Boomer gives a big "thumbs-up" as Marie Roessel, left, from NJM Insurance Group presents a check to Kim McNear, Executive Director of Anchor House, as the beneficiary of the "Safe at Home" program, in which NJM contributes money to support a worthy non-profit organization based on the number of runs the Thunder score at ARM & HAMMER Park over the course of the season.


The Thunder, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, scored 254 runs on their way to 40 wins at ARM & HAMMER Park this season, but the real winner this season was Anchor House, located at 482 Centre Street in Trenton, thanks to NJM Insurance Group and its Safe at Home program.

As part of the Safe at Home program, NJM made a $12,700 donation, based on $50 per run scored at ARM & HAMMER Park, to Anchor House. With this season's donation, NJM's Safe at Home program has donated more than $57,000 to local non-profits over the last four years.

"Thanks to the outstanding work of the Thunder offense this season and NJM Insurance, Anchor House can further their mission to work with abused, homeless, runaway, at risk and aging out youth to utilize their strengths and the support of their families and communities in order to ensure a stable and successful home," said Thunder GM/COO Jeff Hurley. "This program is precisely the type of program that the Thunder strive to promote; one that includes a great corporate partner, NJM, and enriches our community and its residents."

"One of NJM's core values is to support the communities we have the privilege to serve, and we've truly enjoyed parterning with the Trenton Thunder for the Safe at Home program," said NJM Corporate Communications Administrator Eric Stenson. "This program helps very deserving nonprofit organizations in the capital city such as Anchor House, whose work is critically important in the lives of so many young people in need."

The 2016 season, the 23rd in franchise history, will begin at ARM & HAMMER Park on April 7 when the Thunder host the Erie SeaWolves (Detroit Tigers) at 7:00 p.m. Season tickets and group outings are on sale now by calling 609-394-3300. For more information on the Thunder, visitwww.TrentonThunder.com.

The Free Agency Royal Rumble Returns – Relief Pitchers


The New York Yankees quest for the ultimate “Super Bullpen” will continue in 2016 with the presumed returns of Andrew Miller, Dellin Betances, Justin Wilson, Chasen Shreve and Adam Warren but could the Yankees add one more piece to the puzzle? Possibly two? For the four competitors in tonight’s Free Agency Royal Rumble you better hope so or all this will have been for nothing.

Entering the ring first is the favorite, former Baltimore Orioles right-handed pitcher Darren O’Day. O’Day would kill two or three birds with one stone, pun intended, as it would piss off Buck Showalter, which is always fun, while also making the Yankees better and the Orioles inherently worse. Opposing O’Day is Ryan Madson of the Kansas City Royals who is rebuilding his value after finally making it all the way back from Tommy John surgery and the final two competitors in tonight’s rumble, or more like a battle royal to be completely honest, are Tyler Clippard and Joakim Soria.

Both Clippard and Soria are former closers who wouldn’t mind having the closing role back, for obvious financial advantages, and decide to work together in trying to get out of the ring. Neither Clippard nor Soria want the job or the pressure of pitching in New York and put up relatively no fight to Madson who hits them both with his American League Championship ring. And then there were two…

Madson stands tall in front of O’Day but the side-throwing right-hander catches Madson off guard and socks him back to the rope. Madson, now 36-years old, cannot keep the younger and more energetic O’Day off him long enough to stage a comeback and eventually finds himself over the top rope and onto the floor eliminated from the competition.

No opposing team, and I mean no opposing team, in Major League Baseball wants to see this bullpen. Not even on their worst day. Miller, Betances, O’Day, Wilson, Shreve, Warren. Lights out, game over and start spreading the news.


The Free Agency Royal Rumble Returns – Outfielders


The New York Yankees earned the ultimate gift and the ultimate curse all wrapped up in one player in 2015 and his name was Alex Rodriguez. This isn’t meant to be negative or condescending by any means, I was defending and asking for forgiveness for Alex before Bald Vinny made money off of it made it cool, but him being effective and a huge part of the offense makes the team’s options rather limited. At this point in his career Carlos Beltran should be at least a part-time DH, if not a full-time DH, but is forced to play the field due to Rodriguez being on the roster. With Rodriguez at DH, Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner patrolling center field and left field respectively and Chris Young hitting free agency it looks like the Free Agency Royal Rumble will be a free-for-all for the final roster spot on the Yankees bench in 2016.

Entering the ring for the rumble are a few competitors that I think will at least be in the running for the position. The up and coming superstar Aaron Judge, former Yankees player and current Baltimore Orioles first baseman and outfielder Steve Pearce, Marlon Byrd of the Cincinnati Reds and the San Francisco Giants in 2015, Drew Stubbs and another former Yankees farm hand and current Chicago Cub, Austin Jackson.

Before the match begins Marlon Byrd asks for a microphone and was quoted as saying the following:

“Now I know that if I win this Royal Rumble and I come to New York my playing time will be limited and dictated by injuries, I’m not okay with that. Also I have read numerous times that a fake Jon Heyman Twitter account faked out Daniel Burch at the trading deadline in 2014 forcing Mr. Burch to write over 2,000 words about me and welcoming me to the team only for me to go elsewhere. With all that said I think I’m going to forfeit, just not feeling it today. Thanks though. “


With Byrd out the group of remaining competitors, like they often do in these Royal Rumble’s, gang up on the biggest man in the ring, Aaron Judge. Judge is quickly disposed of and thrown over the top rope to the mat leaving Pearce, Stubbs and Jackson. Pearce, being the multi-faceted player that he is, reminds everyone that he is pennant chase, playoff and American League East tested not only in the outfield but at first base (hello Mark Teixeira insurance policy) and uses that to throw both Jackson and Stubbs over the top rope and to the floor. Stubbs would have been nice, he kills lefties but his right-handed splits aren’t much to write home about, and so would Jackson, another outfielder with the ability to play center field allowing a constant rotation to keep everyone fresh and healthy, but Pearce makes too much sense for the Yankees NOT to sign in my opinion. 

Quick Hit: Happy Halloween

This is every kid's dream isn't it? Halloween on a Friday or Saturday night so you can stay out all night conning people out of their candy and stay up all night eating it all? Happy Halloween everybody from everyone here at The Greedy Pinstripes.

We have a drinking idea, every time you see a minion you take a shot. Get the paramedics on call first though!

Weekly AFL Check In: Tyler Wade


You have to think that the New York Yankees cornered the "Tyler" market this season in the Arizona Fall League sending Tyler Austin, Tyler Webb and Tyler Wade to play for the Surprise Saguaros. Austin has already been checked in with so today we will take the time to check in on one of the

Yankees top shortstop prospects, Tyler Wade.


Tyler Wade:

Games: 8
At Bats: 25
AVG: .200
OBP: .222
SLG: .280
OPS: .502
H: 5
HR: 0
RBI: 5
BB: 1
K: 4

This Day in New York Yankees History 10/31: Stuck in the Middle with A Rod


On this day in 2009 Alex Rodriguez hit a long fly ball in right field at Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia that resulted in being the first instant replay call in World Series history. Originally the fly ball was called a double but the play was overturned and ruled a home run in the Yankees favor. If you can remember back that far this was the ball that hit the camera on the fence in right field and bounced back into the field of play.

Also on this day in 1957 Yogi Berra ruffled a few feathers when he admitted that the Yankees returned money to their players from fines collected in the Copacabana fight. Players like Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, and Moose Skowron to name a few were involved in a brawl while celebrating Billy Martin's 29th birthday in May. This obviously garnered some unwanted publicity for the storied New York Yankees franchise so the fines handed down were supposed to calm the waters until Yogi blew the lid off of the whole ordeal.