Recapping Yankees Postseason History: 2003

Set the scene. The New York Yankees had just had their World Series in the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees and Red Sox played seven epic games in that American League Championship Series including the epic come-from-behind win against Pedro Martinez and eventually Tim Wakefield. You know the one, the Aaron Boone walk-off home run that went sailing into the left field stands at Yankee Stadium sending the Yankees back to the World Series.

The Yankees had their emotional World Series so when the Florida Marlins came strolling into the Bronx you would think New York might have not noticed. Six games later they were going home and the Marlins had their second World Series title while George Steinbrenner and the Yankees faithful were sent home with their hats in their hands.

It was epic, but it sucked at the same time.

ICYMI: Yankees Potential Trade Partners: The Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves had a miserable campaign in 2016 as the team looked to rebuild towards their new ballpark in 2017 and the future of the organization. The Yankees took a similar stance in 2016 as they jump started their rebuild with a few midseason trades for prospects that stockpiled their farm system. The Yankees are at the beginning of this long path towards rebuilding while the Braves are more towards the end presumably which leaves me wondering if these two teams are potentially trade partners this offseason. I mean, you have to think so right?


The Atlanta Braves have most notably been interested in Yankees catcher and former Braves product Brian McCann but who could the Yankees be interested in if a hypothetical trade were to go down? Who else, if anyone, could be involved in a potential deal?


The Atlanta Braves have shown that they are willing to take on a bad contract if it means they get prospects or draft picks in return. See the Matt Kemp trade for a recent example of this. Could the Yankees package together maybe McCann and Chase Headley, Jacoby Ellsbury or Brett Gardner in the deal and pull some of those key prospects away? Atlanta has said they need star power to attract the fans to the new stadium, could the Yankees maybe sneak in a bad contract with McCann for that reason? Honestly the Braves are so unpredictable lately I have to think that there’s at least a chance of them saying yes to the deal.


So who do the Braves give back? The Yankees need pitching and one name is floated around more in Atlanta trade rumors than any so why not ask for Julio Teheran? Teheran’s stats don’t jump off the page at 7-10 with a 3.21 ERA in 188 innings but his sabermetrics tell a completely different story. Teheran was an ace on a bad team that pitched well and could continue to pitch well in the Bronx being to the Yankees what Michael Pineda was supposed to be for all these years. Teheran is just 25-years old and is controlled through the 2020 season including a club option for that final year.


Brian McCann, an outfielder (more along the lines of Jake Cave or Mason Williams and not Aaron Judge) and a third prospect or one of Headley/Gardner (which would lead Atlanta to including more in the deal to even it out) for Teheran? I make that deal 10 times out of 10. Would the Braves? I don’t think they would immediately hang up and that’s how every trade starts every single offseason. Make the call Cash, all the Braves can say is no.

Most Popular Article of the Week: Yankees Potential Trade Partners: Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks are one of those teams that I’m not entirely sure even they know what direction the team is going. The team gets younger and starts to build a core before they trade Dansby Swanson, first overall pick Dansby Swanson, for Shelby Miller and before handing Zack Greinke huge money on the free agent market. To be completely honest I don’t know if the Diamondbacks will be coming or going here in 2017 but if they are looking to move a few pieces as they progress either way I think the Yankees have to at least be listening.


Unfortunately the bigger named pieces like Shelby Miller, Zack Greinke, AJ Pollock and Paul Goldschmidt are likely off the table but what about their third baseman Jake Lamb? If the Yankees move Chase Headley, and they could seeing as he does not have a no-trade clause written into his contract, the team could fill the gap with 26-year old Lamb. Lamb is a left-handed hitter who somehow found a way to hit 29 home runs and drive in 91 RBI without anyone on the East Coast taking notice. Lamb comes with his issues of course, his .249 batting average and 154 strikeouts lead that list of concerns, but in the era of sabermetrics you take that for driving in runs and hitting it over the fence any day.


The Yankees would lose a step or defensively in the hypothetical Lamb for Headley swap but Lamb is still at least two years from entering his prime while Headley is at least three years from his which could make up the difference in the long term. Lamb is not arbitration eligible for two more years which means he is going to cost a ton. How much is a ton? Well suddenly the once shortstop heavy Diamondbacks need middle infielders and it has been speculated already that the team would move Jorge Mateo in a deal this winter. I don’t want to give up on or give away Mateo but for a 26-year old power hitting lefty like Lamb you always make the deal, especially for a player who has never seen Double-A.


Arizona also needs a catcher and the Yankees have three on their 40 man roster with Kyle Higashioka soon to be added per the team. Why not include Austin Romine in the deal and bring back a prospect or two in the deal while Brian Cashman is at it? This is one of those “too good to be true” sounding deals for New York but you never know until you ask so Cashman, ask.

Happy Birthday to the BYB Hub

The BYB Hub. What can I say about the BYB Hub here on its second year in existence? The Hub started out as an idea from Robert Casey and Bleeding Yankee Blue as an opportunity for newer blogs or lesser known blogs to get free exposure all in one central hub and it's done that and more. So here we stand two years later still going strong. Still fighting, still clawing our way to the top. And that climb and that fight and that struggle is made so much easier thanks to the Hub.

So Happy Birthday to the Hub and once again, and I can't say it enough, thank you to Mr. Casey and the crew over at BYB.

Weekly AFL Prospects Check In w/ Greg Bird

Another week in the books already, where does the time go? I'm not sure it's the same way in the world of an MLB player but the work week seems to drag only for the weekend to fly by. It's not right and it's borderline not fair but I digress. This morning rather than discuss things we cannot fully understand nor things we cannot change I'd rather just check in with Greg Bird and see how he is doing down in the Arizona Fall League. 

Remember the stats are not as important as his health. Greg Bird is playing in his first live game action since his shoulder surgery back in Spring Training of this season. 

.231/.355/.385/.739 with six hits, four doubles and three RBI in 26 at bats. 

Cubs vs. Indians 2016 World Series Schedule

The 2016 field is set for the World Series and it will be the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs going at it head-to-head. The Cleveland Indians will have home-field advantage throughout this series after the American League won the 2016 All-Star Game inside Petco Park while the Cubs don't care where they win it as long as they can reverse the Curse of the Billy Goat. Let's look at the schedule for this upcoming series.

Game 1 - Tuesday October, 25th

Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians

Game 2 - Wednesday, October 26th

Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians

Game 3 - Friday, October 28th

Cleveland Indians @ Chicago Cubs 

Game 4 - Saturday, October 29th

Cleveland Indians @ Chicago Cubs 

Game 5 (if necessary) - Sunday, October 30th

Cleveland Indians @ Chicago Cubs 

Game 6 (if necessary) - Tuesday, November 1st

Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians

Game 7 (if necessary) - Wednesday, November 2nd

Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians

All games are 8:08 pm ET and all games can be seen on FOX.

This Day in New York Yankees History 10/24: El Duque Orlando Hernandez

Orlando Hernandez was a God send to the New York Yankees during their Dynasty run during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, especially in the postseason. El Duque started his career 8-0 with a 1.90 ERA in the postseason before the Mets got to him on this day in 2000. The Mets beat the Yankees on this day in the Subway World Series after Benny Agbayani hit a game winning 8th inning double to give the Metropolitan's a 4-2 win. New York native and Mets closer John Franco secured the victory for the Mets ending the Yankees 14 game World Series winning streak.