Wednesday, August 30, 2017

American League Wild Card Strength of Schedules


The American League Wild Card chase may go down as one of the most entertaining, the most confusing and one of the best playoff hunts in the history of North American sports. There are eight-or-nine teams depending on who you ask vying for just two spots in the American League and this one looks like it will go down to the absolute wire and the last weekend of the season. I wonder if Major League Baseball is prepared for tie breaker after tie breaker and possible outcome after possible outcome. I guess there’s only one way to find out, watch until the very last pitch is thrown during the 2017 regular season. Until then all we can do is look at the strength of schedules, for what they are worth anyway since any team can beat any team on any given night in MLB, and analyze which teams have the best shot on paper of reaching the 2017 postseason.

I have included home games, away games and number of days off left for each time and I have also bolded the series that I believe this team could win. Could win, not will win. You can’t predict baseball.




New York Yankees

4 games vs. Boston Red Sox
3 games @ Baltimore Orioles
3 games @ Texas Rangers
3 games @ Tampa Bay Rays
4 games vs. Baltimore Orioles
3 games vs. Minnesota Twins
3 games @ Toronto Blue Jays
1 game vs. Kansas City Royals
3 games vs. Tampa Bay Rays
3 games vs. Toronto Blue Jays


2 days off
18 home games
12 away games




Minnesota Twins

1 game vs. Chicago White Sox
3 games vs. Kansas City Royals
3 games @ Tampa Bay Rays
4 games @ Kansas City Royals
2 games vs. San Diego Padres
4 games vs. Toronto Blue Jays
3 games @ New York Yankees
4 games @ Detroit Tigers
3 games @ Cleveland Indians
3 games @ Detroit Tigers


2 days off
10 home games
20 away games




Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

3 games @ Texas Rangers
3 games @ Oakland Athletics
3 games @ Seattle Mariners
3 games vs. Houston Astros
3 games vs. Texas Rangers
3 games vs. Cleveland Indians
3 games @ Houston Astros
4 games @ Chicago White Sox
3 games vs. Seattle Mariners


4 days off
12 home games
16 away games




Baltimore Orioles

4 games vs. Toronto Blue Jays
3 games vs. New York Yankees
3 games @ Cleveland Indians
3 games @ Toronto Blue Jays
4 games @ New York Yankees
3 games vs. Boston Red Sox
4 games vs. Tampa Bay Rays
2 games @ Pittsburgh Pirates
3 games @ Tampa Bay Rays


3 days off
14 home games
15 away games




Seattle Mariners

3 games vs. Oakland Athletics
3 games vs. Houston Astros
3 games vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
4 games @ Texas Rangers
3 games @ Houston Astros
3 games vs. Texas Rangers
3 games vs. Cleveland Indians
3 games @ Oakland Athletics
3 games @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim


4 days off
15 home games
13 away games




Tampa Bay Rays

3 games @ Chicago White Sox
3 games vs. Minnesota Twins
3 games @ Boston Red Sox
3 games vs. New York Yankees
3 games vs. Boston Red Sox
2 games vs. Chicago Cubs
4 games @ Baltimore Orioles
3 games @ New York Yankees
3 games vs. Baltimore Orioles


5 days off
14 home games
13 away games




Kansas City Royals

3 games @ Minnesota Twins
3 games @ Detroit Tigers
4 games vs. Minnesota Twins
3 games vs. Chicago White Sox
4 games @ Cleveland Indians
3 games @ Toronto Blue Jays
3 games @ Chicago White Sox
1 game @ New York Yankees
3 games vs. Detroit Tigers
3 games vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

2 days off
13 home games
17 away games




Texas Rangers

1 game @ Houston Astros
3 games vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
3 games @ Atlanta Braves
3 games vs. New York Yankees
4 games vs. Seattle Mariners
3 games @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
3 games @ Seattle Mariners
3 games @ Oakland Athletics
3 games vs. Houston Astros
4 games vs. Oakland Athletics


2 days off
17 home games
13 away games




Toronto Blue Jays

4 games @ Baltimore Orioles
3 games @ Boston Red Sox
3 games vs. Detroit Tigers
3 games vs. Baltimore Orioles
4 games @ Minnesota Twins
3 games vs. Kansas City Royals
3 games vs. New York Yankees
3 games @ Boston Red Sox
3 games @ New York Yankees


3 days off
12 home games
17 away games




Who do you have making the 2017 American League Card Playoffs? Personally, homer alert, I have the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels on Anaheim squaring off inside Yankee Stadium when all the dust has settled but who knows what will go down. The great thing about baseball is that you can’t predict baseball. Stay tuned and have a great rest of the evening. Also keep in mind that some games are still playing today or set to be played. I have not included those in this post and all schedules laid out in this post begin tomorrow, 8/31.


Fine I’ll Say It, Jaime Garcia Sucks


When the New York Yankees sent Zack Littell and Dietrich Enns to the Minnesota Twins for left-handed starting pitcher Jaime Garcia I have to admit that I was a bit underwhelmed. I have to admit that I understood the logic behind the deal, the Twins were paying Garcia’s entire salary basically while the Yankees cleared a bit of their 40 man roster and Rule 5 Draft logjam while acquiring a veteran starter with playoff and postseason experience. The deal allowed the Yankees to limit the innings on Jordan Montgomery, which I also get, and the team improved their bullpen on paper making Garcia’s starts on the mound presumably less important and shorter. The problem is, and no one else is saying it just yet, Jaime Garcia sucks. There, I said it.

The good news is, as I alluded to, that Garcia is not only a rental but a rental on another team’s dime. The even better news is that we are two days away from September call ups meaning that reinforcements could potentially be on the way for New York. Chance Adams may be added to the 40 man roster this September and if he is then he will all but be called up to the Major Leagues after the Triple-A season ends, congrats to the RailRiders by the way for winning their division and clinching a postseason spot for the third consecutive season. Adams was on the mound when the team clinched their division title as the righty pushed his career minor league record to 31-6 with a 2.23 ERA. Roster jam and all Adams has very little to nothing left to prove down in the minor leagues and the Yankees need to realize that.


Jordan Montgomery will also be back at the Major League level after rosters expand and after the RailRiders season ends just in case the Yankees need some innings, although I know the team wants to limit his innings as much as they can. If Adams doesn’t come up I could totally see Montgomery making some starts down the stretch including the series finale against Boston over this coming weekend instead of Garcia leaving Jaime as the long reliever in the bullpen. That’s what the Yankees should do anyway, whether they do it or not is anyone’s guess. I guess you’ll just have to stay tuned to find out. One thing is for certain though, Jaime Garcia sucks. 

So it Seems… We Took a Long Weekend


Good morning everyone. Call of the search parties, I’m here and I am alive. Work has been absolutely crazy lately as I work in the heating and air conditioning field. I barely had time to write anything for Friday and Saturday, very little for Sunday and Monday and nothing for yesterday. It’s been crazy and so have these games the Yankees have been playing. Taking two-of-three from Seattle was nice but that Friday night game was so winnable, it hurts. Sweeping would have been extremely helpful with Cleveland coming to town, that series ends this afternoon, and the Red Sox series for the weekend. Oh well, the playoffs are in sight and the August 31st trade deadline is tomorrow!


I haven’t done this in what feels like forever. HEY YOU!! I LOVE YOU!!

This Day In New York Yankees History 8/30: A Rod Hits 40 Home Runs




The New York Yankees are also well known as the Bronx Bombers but in their long storied history they have only had two right handed batters that have ever hit 40 home runs in a single season, Joe DiMaggio and Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez joined DiMaggio, who hit 46 home runs in 1937, on this day in 2005.

Also on this day in 1961 a computer named Casey was used to predict the chances that Yankees outfielder Roger Maris would surpass Babe Ruth's single season home run record of 60 within 154 games. The IBM 1481 predicted that Maris had a 55% chance of hitting 61 home runs in 154 games to establish the new mark for home runs but ultimately Maris hit his 61st home run in the Yankees 161st game of the season.

Finally on this day in 1939 the Yankees Atley Donald throws a recorded 94.7 MPH pitch to establish a new record for the fastest fastball in Major League Baseball history. Donald would also win 12 straight games that year to set an AL record for most consecutive victories by a rookie starting pitcher.