Sunday, September 30, 2018

Yankees Achieve 100th Win of the Year...

Photo Credit: Getty Images (Omar Rawlings)
For a meaningless game, Saturday’s game featured huge milestones…

Congratulations to the 2018 New York Yankees for their achievement of 100 victories. It is something they have not done since the championship year of 2009 and it is not something that many teams do each year. It usually means that you win the division but the Boston Red Sox were just a little better this time around.  

The Yankees also busted the MLB record yesterday for Team Home Runs. When Gleyber Torres hit his two-run shot in the 4th inning off Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, it gave the Yankees one more than the previous record of 264 set by the Seattle Mariners. Giancarlo Stanton added the 266th of the year with his 38th dinger in the 7th inning. For Stanton, he also had two RBI’s to give him 100 for his new team, matching the team’s win total when the Yankees closed out the 8-5 victory.  But I have to give a big... 

RED SOX SUCK! 

...for their fan who threw Stanton's home run ball back onto the field and hit Giancarlo as he rounded second.  

Miguel Andujar set the new Yankees’ rookie record for doubles with two yesterday to increase his season total to 46, eclipsing the old mark of 44 set by Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio back in 1936.That’s special company when you can rub shoulders with Yankee legends. If Shohei Ohtani wins the AL Rookie of the Year, it won’t detract from the brilliant season Andujar has enjoyed. He deserves the hardware as much as Ohtani, but all things considered, I’d rather have a World Series trophy. Andujar has a chance, Ohtani does not.

In taking the first two games of the three-game series with the Red Sox, the Yankees have prevented Boston from reaching 110 victories which I personally appreciated. Today’s game is probably about as meaningless as a spring training game, but it is a day the Yankees can enjoy and get ready for Wednesday’s Wild Card Game in the Bronx against the Oakland A’s.  

I look back to Boston’s sweep of the Yankees in early August as the defining moment for the AL East. It gave the Sox the momentum and the separation they needed from the Yankees to propel them to the AL East championship. If the Yankees could have at least split that series, I think the race to the finish would have been much tighter.  

Within the last couple of weeks, I had my doubts if the Yankees would be able to hold the lead in the Wild Card standings and thought they could potentially lose home field advantage for the game to the hard charging Oakland A’s. I apologize for the ‘glass is half empty’ approach. Thankfully, the Yankees have picked up some momentum over the last week and grabbed the pole position earlier this week. The A’s did pick up their 97th win of the year yesterday against the Los Angeles Angels, 5-2, which boggles my mind. They are truly a team that came out of nowhere but are loaded with lethal bats and a deadly bullpen. The A’s have a chance to avenge the famous Derek Jeter “Flip Play” which erased the A’s Jeremy Giambi in the 2001 ALDS.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

I like the 2018 Yankees and their chances but I’ll temper any excitement until the conclusion of Wednesday’s game. Anybody can win one game. Heck, the Baltimore Orioles, even with 115 losses, could beat the Boston Red Sox in one game. I know, the stakes are much higher in the post-season and guys elevate their game, but in the span of nine innings, anything can happen. If the Yankees can beat the A’s, then I feel they have a great shot moving forward. It will mean a quick return to Boston for the next round if it happens.  

I honestly do not know which pitcher I’d go with to start Wednesday’s game. I like the job J.A. Happ has done since he joined the Yankees. I look at his last game against the Red Sox when he gave up four runs as really just a bad pitch to Steve Pearce who didn’t miss it for a grand slam. I am sure that Aaron Boone would have pitched that inning differently in the playoffs and Happ would not have faced Pearce. On recent performance, I’d have to go with Happ, but I can’t discount the argument David Cone made on yesterday’s FOX telecast of the game, “Severino is your Ferrari”, “you can’t keep your Ferrari in the garage”. Sevy has been the ace for the last couple of years and despite his stretch of struggles this summer, he’s still the leader of the staff. So, I’d probably go with Sevy but I can’t really argue against Happ if Boone decides to go that direction. I thought Masahiro Tanaka might the one rounding into form for the one-game ‘do or die’ playoff but his last start showed me that we don’t need his propensity for allowing home runs in a game against a team filled with sluggers like the A’s. Khris Davis hit his 48th of the year yesterday, proving that if you throw him a mistake, the ball will go very, very far. I’d prefer not seeing Tanaka face guys like Davis, Matt Chapman, Matt Olson and Stephen Piscotty. So, in my mind, Tanaka is not an option when your season is on the line. Nevertheless, the Wild Card game is an ‘all hands on deck’ situation so any signs of trouble for the starter should be a quick signal to the pen.  

I was a little disappointed with the forgettable performance of Yankees reliever Jonathan Holder yesterday. This has been a breakout year for Holder who has been relied upon as one of the bullpen’s key performers. Holder was given the ninth to finish off the game, in relief of Sonny Gray who had done a fine job for a couple of innings. The Yankees had a comfortable 8-3 lead, but Tzu-Wei Lin walloped Holder’s first pitch for a ground rule double to left. Brock Holt followed with a homer to right to close the gap with the Yankees to three runs. Sam Travis was next and he singled to center. With Aroldis Chapman warming in the pen, Holder finally got the first out when he struck out the past-his-prime Brandon Phillips. Chapman had to come in and close out the game, picking up his 32nd save in a game that should not have been a save situation. Hopefully this was just an isolated poor outing for Holder. The Yankees need him for middle relief in October if the team advances beyond the Wild Card. Chapman did walk a batter to bring the tying run to the plate, but I am glad to see the Cuban Missile is rounding back into form. He is still not where he needs to be, but I like the insurance card (Zach Britton). A combo of a healthy Chapman and an elite closer like Britton is a solid recipe for success.

Credit to the Yankees for their accomplishments this year. To win 100 games for a team that seemed to struggle for extended periods this year shows that they are a very talented group when healthy. In looking at the National League, it’s not easy to make the playoffs, let alone win 100 games. There are two dead heats entering the last day of the season with ties atop the NL Central and NL West. The NL Central co-leaders, the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers, have the most wins in the NL at 94. For the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies, today’s games could either mean winning the division or heading to Los Angeles for a tie-breaker game tomorrow. The loser of the tie-breaker would then head to Milwaukee or Chicago depending upon who loses the NL Central. The Brewers and Cubs would play a potential tie-breaker Monday in Chicago. Very complicated. I am glad the Yankees don’t enter the final regular season game with so much uncertainty and potentially chaotic travel schedule over the next couple of days.    

Buck Showalter probably manages his last game today. His team has lost three consecutive games and stands at 46-115. They’re facing the Houston Astros at Camden Yards so today they’ll probably see Houston’s backups and minor leaguers. Hopefully it means one final victory for Buck before he goes. His managerial record is 1550-1517-1 for a .505 winning percentage. In my mind, he helped prepare the 90’s Yankees for its run of success even if he never saw the fruits of his labor. Farewell, Buck. I hope this is not the end of the road, but just the closure of another chapter before a new one begins. Maybe the Angelos Family surprises me and decides to keep Buck around but I seriously doubt it. 

Also, farewell to David Wright of the New York Mets. I don’t care for the Mets but I recognize Wright was a special player and it’s too bad his final years were filled with injuries. He is one of the game’s better ambassadors and I am hopeful he stays in the game for his post-playing career. Major League Baseball needs more guys like David Wright.

Photo Credit: Getty Images (Jim McIsaac)

Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like the Yankees were just assembling in Tampa in Spring Training. Pitchers and catchers in camp, awaiting the arrival of the position players including new Yankee Giancarlo Stanton.This has been a very fast year. Although the bullpen management has driven me nuts at times, I think Aaron Boone has done a good job as the team’s manager. So many of those bullpen decisions are driven by Brian Cashman’s analytics team so it’s hard to place all of the blame on Boonie. I like the calming effect his personality has on the clubhouse, not too much unlike former Yankees manager Joe Torre. I know that many Yankees fans have anointed the team’s former manager as Saint Girardi, forgetting his faults. But entering Wednesday’s game, win or lose, I am glad Aaron Boone is the manager of the New York Yankees.

Photo Credit: Associated Press

A loss on Wednesday does not end the hopes of this team. They’ll be back, stronger than ever, in 2019, and I think they’ll overtake the Boston Red Sox next year. The Sox benefited from career years from multiple players but I don’t think they’ll catch lightning in a bottle again next year. The Yankees can have a say in ending Boston’s highly successful season with a win on October 3rd. A perfect ending and a beautiful beginning for the Yankees if they can survive the Wild Card game and defeat the Red Sox. The Yankees, right now, can beat anybody. That’s not a boast, but a fact. Let’s prove it on the field.

Go Yankees!

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 9/27



And just like that it is game time here inside Tropicana Field between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays. In the finale of this four-game set the Yankees will send CC Sabathia out to the mound to face off with Jamie Schultz of the Tampa Bay Rays. The game will be played at 1:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field down in Tampa/St. Pete and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and on Twitter! You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the Yankees all season long. Enjoy the game, notch another win in the record books, and go Yankees!!

Predicting the Wild Card Game Starter



New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is being pretty secretive on who will start the American League Wild Card Game for the New York Yankees on October 3rd, but I think I figured out who will start the game and I am prepared to share my prediction with you this morning on the blog.

The game is played on Wednesday, October 3rd and the game will more than likely take place in the Bronx at this point with New York holding a slim lead and the potential tiebreaker advantage over the Oakland Athletics. With that said the game is officially seven days away.


Luis Severino pitched on Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays which all but counts him out of the running to start the Wild Card game. I guess the Yankees could pitch him on seven days rest, but it seems like the team is more than likely banking on a Wild Card Game victory and having Severino come back in the ALDS after essentially skipping a turn through the rotation.

JA Happ last pitched on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles, meaning his next turn through the rotation (including the bullpen game on Monday) would be Saturday the 29th against the Boston Red Sox. Without much maneuvering that would leave Happ available on just three days of rest for the Wild Card Game in the Bronx, presumably. Not ideal, and probably not going to happen.


Masahiro Tanaka pitched last night and could pitch the game on Wednesday with six days of rest, something he has done exceptionally well throughout his career. Tanaka knows the bright lights of Yankee Stadium and knows what it is like to pitch a game in the Bronx in the postseason and specifically in the Wild Card “win-or-go-home” type atmosphere. To me it makes the most sense for him to make the start on October 3rd for the Yankees, so he is my prediction. It explains the Yankees bullpen game on Monday and it puts New York not only in the best position to win the Wild Card round, but to compete and win the ALDS against the Boston Red Sox as well.

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 9/27



The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays will finish off their four-game set this afternoon with the finale of the series inside The Trop. In the game this afternoon the Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound to face off with Jamie Schultz of the Rays. One more game, hopefully one more win, and one more step towards hosting a Wild Card Game in the Bronx. Let’s get to it.

Sabathia won his first start in his last six tries last time out against the Baltimore Orioles allowing just two runs in six innings of work. The victory against Baltimore was Sabathia’s 245th of his career. Sabathia has not been sharp this month pitching to a 1-3 record with a 7.02 ERA in four September starts.


Schultz will start another presumable bullpen game this afternoon for the Rays. Schultz pitched a perfect ninth inning against the Yankees on Monday that included strike outs of Adeiny Hechavarria and Aaron Judge. Where's Tyler Glasnow?


The game will be played at 1:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field down in Tampa/St. Pete and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and on Twitter! You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.


Enjoy the game, follow @GreedyStripes on Twitter, and go Yankees!!

Hello… Respecting Jacob deGrom’s 2018 Season



Good morning Yankees family and welcome back to the blog. Give credit where credit is due, Jacob deGrom was an absolute animal here in 2018 despite not having much of a team behind him to speak of. I saw this tweet on Twitter the other day, but I cannot find it since so I am having to paraphrase (after doing the research myself on Baseball Reference).

If the Mets had scored just four runs or more in each of deGrom’s starts entering last night the Mets righty would be 30-0.

If the Mets had scored just three runs deGrom would have been 25-1.

If the Mets gad scored just two runs deGrom would have been 20-6.

Tell me again why New York held onto him at the trading deadline?

Baby, I love you and I hope you have the very best day.


This Day In New York Yankees History 9/27: 4 Million Fans



The New York Yankees continued to sell tickets and smash records in the 2000’s and on this day in 2006 the stadium in the Bronx saw its 4,000,000th fan enter the ballpark. This marked the second consecutive season that New York surpassed 4,000,000 fans in one season. The Yankees and the 1991-1993 Toronto Blue Jays are the only teams in major league history with 4,000,000 plus fans in more than one season.


Also on this day in 1998 the Yankees won their seventh straight game to end the 1998 season 114-48. The Yankees .704 winning percentage marked the first time a team finished a season with over a .700 winning percentage since the 1954 Indians who went 111-43.



Finally on this day in 1938 we finish on a somber note as Lou Gehrig would hit his 493rd and final home run of his career. Gehrig’s home run came off Dutch Leonard of the Washington Senators. It is also worth mentioning that one this day 15 years earlier Gehrig hit his first home run of his major league career off the Red Sox Bill Piercy.

Sunday, September 23, 2018

Remembering My 2018 Predictions: The World Series



Here is a quick look at my predictions for the 2018 World Series!

The field is set. 162 games are in the books. Three rounds of the postseason are done and over with. Two teams remain. This is the World Series. This is the Fall Classic. Let’s do this. Prediction Season continues here on The Greedy Pinstripes as we take the next step towards our yearly predictions by predicting the World Series. I have laid out the division winners, the Wild Card winners, and even went as far as to predict every win/loss record for all 30 MLB teams. I then went one step further and predicted the entire postseason for both the American League and the National League, and it has all come down to this. The 2018 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals.  

Can you imagine the ratings on FOX that we are going to see for this potentially epic series? The Yankees head into Washington as the road team for Game One since the Nationals will have home-field advantage throughout the World Series garnering all the attention that the young Baby Bombers should. Aaron Judge can be seen answering questions by reporters out in right field, Giancarlo Stanton can be seen doing the same in the dugout as we prepare for a game without a designated hitter. Luis Severino is out in the bullpen throwing to Gary Sanchez, while Didi Gregorius is signing autographs out by the third base visitor’s dugout. The stage is set. Bryce Harper is in the Nationals dugout being asked more questions about his plans for his impending free agency and whether he wants to play for the Yankees than he is the World Series at hand, but Bryce is answering those questions with political correctness and a swag unmatched by any impending free agent before him. The stage is set.  

These two teams are surprisingly evenly matched up at every turn. The Yankees may have a slight edge in starting pitching, especially if the team goes out and acquires a great starter in July like many expect them to while the likes of Severino, Masahiro Tanaka and Sonny Gray pitch to the backs of their baseball cards, and in the bullpen, although when Brandon Kintzler is your 7th inning guy it goes to show you how deep the Washington bullpen can be, but the offenses can both potentially be spectacular. How will the Yankees fare playing four games in a National League park while having to leave one of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Greg Bird, Aaron Hicks or Brett Gardner on the bench? Just fine, that’s how they will fare.  

The Yankees lineup is deep, powerful and intimidating from top to bottom. This team was built from within and is deep as they come offensively. This offense does not center around just one or two men, the entire lineup from top to bottom can beat you on any single pitch in any single game. There is potentially a different hero every night, which brings goosebumps to the skin just thinking about the possibility and the similarities to the Dynasty Yankees from the 90’s and 2000’s. The Nationals are a good team, maybe even a great team, but this New York Yankees squad is just special. Period. Get off the tracks, the New York Yankees are coming. It may take all seven games, although I am leaning towards six games here to be honest, but the Yankees will be hoisting that World Series Championship trophy over their heads one more time, and that one more time is here in 2018.


Remembering My 2018 Predictions: The Playoffs



Here is a quick look at my predictions for the 2018 season and the grueling playoffs that follow!

Welcome back to Prediction Season here on The Greedy Pinstripes. With the standings, division winners and Wild Card winners now predicted here on the blog by yours truly it is time to move on to the postseason. Just as a reminder, not that I have to remind any of you reading because you are all dedicated and hardcore Yankees and MLB fans, the first Wild Card winner will host the second Wild Card winner in a one-game playoff. The winner of that game heads out on the road to face off with the team with the best record from their respective league, who has a “bye” in the first round of the postseason. ALDS and NLDS series are best-of-five while the ALCS, NLCS and the World Series are of course best-of-seven. Let’s get to it!



American League Wild Card Round

Seattle Mariners @ Boston Red Sox

The first time in what feels like forever that the Seattle Mariners make the postseason. Is this 1995 all over again? Honestly, I don’t think so, but I went with it anyway… because to hell with the Red Sox. Anything can happen in a one-game playoff. Anything. Even the Mariners taking down the might, mighty Red Sox. Dave Dombrowski should be fired at the end of the game, but he won’t be which is great news for Yankees fans.







National League Wild Card Round

San Francisco Giants @ Chicago Cubs

These two foes have matched up time-and-time again it feels like in the postseason, so what is one more time for old times sake, right? The Chicago Cubs will, in my opinion, take a step back in 2018 in terms of production from their previous two seasons, which will suit the Giants just fine. The Giants have potentially a strong starting staff and enough veteran leadership to get them over the hump in Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen and I truly think they will find a way in the later innings to take down the Cubs. Chicago goes home, San Francisco moves on in an even-numbered year. Both road teams winning the Wild Card Round? That has to be unheard of, oh well.




American League Division Series

Seattle Mariners @ New York Yankees (Yankees win series 3-1)

I am going to give the tie-breaker for home field advantage to the New York Yankees (a) because I am a homer that owns a Yankees blog, and (b) because of some head-to-head matchups or something like that. With the Mariners high off their “1995 all over again” victory of the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card Round the New York Yankees are here to remind the Mariners of another playoff series they were both a part of, the 2001 American League Championship series where the 116-win Mariners came into the series the heavy favorites over the Dynasty Yankees. The Mariners lost, and sometimes history repeats itself. Sometimes it just takes 17 years to do so. Yankees win.






Cleveland Indians @ Houston Astros (Astros win series 3-2)

In a matchup of two titans, two powerhouse offenses and two dynamic pitching staffs this series has all the makings of being an instant classic that will undoubtedly go all five games. These kinds of series remind me of those games that come down to the last second with the winner being the last team who has the ball, the last team to take an at-bat, whatever the case may be. I truly think both teams will be amazing once again in 2018, but the pitching staff and the depth that the Astros have will prevail in the five-game series. Plus, I wanted a rematch of the 2017 ALCS between the Yankees and the Astros, I mean who doesn’t? Right? It is time for Justin Verlander to eat his preseason words regarding the Yankees.




National League Division Series

San Francisco Giants @ Washington Nationals (Nationals win series 3-1)

The window for the Washington Nationals to win is just about closed, hell it will be all but closed once the calendar turns to October of 2018, and the Nationals will play like it this postseason. The Giants are a great team but having to presumably burn Madison Bumgarner in the Wild Card Round will come back to bite them as the Nationals dominate the series on all sides of the game. The Nats will pitch better, they will hit better, they will defend better, and they will do the little things they have to do when it counts in order to win. Nats in 4.


St. Louis Cardinals @ Los Angeles Dodgers (Dodgers win series 3-2)

Here is a series we haven’t seen before in recent memory, a playoff matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals are younger than ever, and subsequently hungrier than ever, in the ever-changing aspect that is Major League Baseball. This is truly a David v. Goliath type situation, but in this one I think the Cardinals, like the Yankees from 2017, have one more year to wait before they can knock off the big boys. The Cardinals will be back in 2019 with another year under the wings and a chip on their shoulder, but this year it will be the Dodgers once again moving on after a hard-fought five-game series.







American League Championship Series

Houston Astros @ New York Yankees (Yankees win series 4-2)

Here we go again, so much for parity in Major League Baseball, huh Commissioner Manfred? In a rematch of the 2017 American League Championship Series the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees will once again square off head-to-head. This time around the Yankees will have homefield advantage, and this time New York will have Giancarlo Stanton and a slew of others at their disposal that they did not have last time around. The young, inexperienced Yankees took the Astros to an eventual Game 7 before falling to the reigning World Series Champions, but that was last season. This is 2018 and the New York Yankees are on a collision course with a certain team from the National League, and not even Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander or some dude with a long beard could stop them. Call me a homer, call me an optimist, just don’t call me late to the Canyon of Heroes. Yankees in six.



National League Championship Series

Los Angeles Dodgers @ Washington Nationals (Nationals win series 4-3)

Remember how I said the Cardinals and Dodgers series was a David v. Goliath type series? Well if that is the case then this series is a Goliath vs. Goliath type series as both teams here matched or exceeded the 95-win plateau during the 2018 regular season. This will be a hard-fought battle that will go all seven games, but one man in particular will be the difference maker in my opinion. Bryce Harper knows what he is playing for. Bryce is playing for a chance at a World Series ring, his legacy as a part of the Washington Nationals and his next free agent contract after the season ends, and for that reason I think we will see a version of Harper that we have never seen before. We will see a focused, yet unruly, and disciplined, yet unyielding, version of himself both at the plate and in the field that will go unmatched by anyone wearing a Dodgers uniform this series. It won’t be easy, but it will be fun to watch as the Washington Nationals shock the World and head to the World Series to face off with the New York Yankees.





BOLDED teams are predicted as the winner in each respective series.








The 2018 World Series, folks. The New York Yankees and the Washington. Let us keep in mind that the last two seasons I didn’t have the Yankees making the World Series, but I did have them winning a second Wild Card in both, so my predictions, albeit biased, are usually pretty spot on with them. “Haters gonna hate” though, am I right?

Two million strong and counting folks! I can’t say it enough. Leave your thoughts, comments and predictions down below in the comments section, or drop us a line on Twitter @GreedyStripes. Another day closer to Opening Day, can you smell the fresh cut grass yet? Because I can…


Remembering My 2018 Predictions: The Standings



Here is a quick look at my predictions for the 2018 season and the overall standings for all 30 teams!

As we count down the days until Opening Day 2018 I wanted to take the opportunity to say this, it is Prediction Season here on The Greedy Pinstripes. Every season I make a series of predictions, sometimes bold and sometimes not so much, before the season, and then I look back on them at season’s end to see how in tune I really was with my wizardry. Spoiler alert, I usually don’t do well in these predictions, but I put them and myself out there nonetheless for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy, and leave any constructive criticism in the comments below, or hit us on Twitter by tagging @GreedyStripes. Two million strong and counting folks!!





American League East

New York Yankees (X)                       94-68
Boston Red Sox (Y)                           90 -72
Baltimore Orioles                               80 - 82
Toronto Blue Jays                               76 - 86
Tampa Bay Rays                                 72 - 90





American League Central

Cleveland Indians (X)                        93-69
Minnesota Twins                                84-78
Kansas City Royals                            83-79
Chicago White Sox                            73 - 89
Detroit Tigers                                     64-98





American League West

Houston Astros (X)                           94-68
Seattle Mariners (Z)                          88-74
Texas Rangers                                   85-77
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim      83-79
Oakland Athletics                             75-87





National League East

Washington Nationals (X)                 96-66
Philadelphia Phillies                          84-78
New York Mets                                  82-80
Atlanta Braves                                   71-91
Miami Marlins                                   62-100





National League Central

St. Louis Cardinals (X)                       92-70
Chicago Cubs (Y)                               89-67
Milwaukee Brewers                            86-76
Pittsburgh Pirates                                74-88
Cincinnati Reds                                  70-92





National League West

Los Angeles Dodgers (X)                 95-67
San Francisco Giants (Z)                  87-75
Colorado Rockies                             85-77
Arizona Diamondbacks                    83-79
San Diego Padres                             70-92





(X) denotes Division Winner
(Y) denotes Wild Card 1 Winner
(Z) denoted Wild Card 2 Winner





Yes, I went bold in the American League West. I don’t have a real and true reason why I feel like the Seattle Mariners will have a great season, but I just do. They have a younger team with a few key guys in key positions that are hungry, and I just have a hunch. This will be one I will likely regret when we look back at the end of the 2018 season, but oh well. For now, the Seattle Robinson Cano’s are in as the 2nd Wild Card team in the American League while the Texas Rangers are selling off pieces in July. Another bold prediction in the National League East as I have the young Fightin’ Phils in second place behind the big right-arm of Jake Arrieta. It isn’t so much that I feel like the Phillies are ready to compete, although they have a young core and nucleus that could easily sneak up on people this summer, but I feel like the NL East is just going to be that bad this season. I truly wanted to put the Atlanta Braves a little higher, but with Philadelphia (and the rest of the NL East) facing off with the Braves and Marlins around 40 times a season each we should see some inflated win numbers out of that division in my opinion. I truly think the most competitive division in all of Major League Baseball this season will be the National League West who will have four potential teams that could make the postseason, with the exception being the San Diego Padres. I like all their teams, and I think it could be fun to watch all summer long out West this season.

Again, leave your predictions in the comments section below or hit us op on Twitter, @GreedyStripes.


Remembering My 2018 Predictions: MVP Award



Here is a quick look back at my 2018 predictions for the American League and National League Most Valuable Player Award winners! 

And for my grand finale, the American League and National League Most Valuable Player Awards!!!! But really, in all seriousness the MVP Awards in both leagues are the big one, the award that every player wants and the award that only a select few get to obtain during their Major League tenures. We all grew up pretending to be the batting champion, the World Series MVP that came up with the big hit in Game 7, and the perennial MVP and that feeling undoubtedly doesn’t change as you grow older and your dreams begin to come to fruition. The childhood dreams of being the league’s MVP is about to come true for these two men. 

Will Aaron Judge get robbed again? Will he get robbed by one of his own teammates in Giancarlo Stanton or Gary Sanchez? Will Judge truly get robbed by someone who can’t even see over the counter at McDonalds? In all seriousness, no he won’t in my opinion. That doesn’t mean I think he will win it either, although I do foresee a special kind of productive season for him once again here in 2018. No, I like to go bold and a little bit against the grain in these decisions. With that in mind I am going to go with Josh Donaldson of the Toronto Blue Jays as your 2018 AL MVP. Now I know what you are thinking, Dan… MVP’s generally don’t go to a player on a losing team. No, they don’t. But Donaldson is in the final year of a contract with a team that doesn’t look likely to contend even for a Wild Card here in 2018, which means there is a huge possibility that the Blue Jays third baseman will be traded at or before the July 31st trading deadline. If Donaldson were to be traded to an American League team where his stats don’t have to be started over I truly think the Toronto right-hander will win the award and head into free agency fresh off a huge statistical season. 

Remember when Miguel Ozuna hit over .300 and smashed 37 home runs in a season? It feels like it was forever ago, but it was just last season with the Miami Marlins. Now that Ozuna has some protection in the lineup and is on a team in the St. Louis Cardinals that is expected to contend here in 2018 I think a lot more people will start to know and recognize the name, and just what he brings to the table. Ozuna could easily surpass 40 home runs here in 2018 with an average around .285. Sprinkle in 100+ RBI and a nice OBP and SLG percentage and ladies and gentlemen, we have an MVP in the making. It is a bold prediction, mainly because it isn’t Bryce Harper or Paul Goldschmidt, but that’s what I do. Bold predictions, and sometimes they come true. Stay tuned. 

That’s it. Prediction Season is over here on The Greedy Pinstripes. I hope you enjoyed, and we will see you after the season concludes to check in on some of these predictions to see how well I did. Until then, ciao and enjoy your day. 

The Yanks are a Wild Card...

Photo Credit: NY Post (Paul J Bereswill)
New York secures one-game ‘do-or-die’ playoff…

As expected, the Yankees secured a post-season berth on Saturday when the Tampa Bay Rays lost followed by the extra-innings win by the Yankees over the Baltimore Orioles. 

The only thing that seems weird to me is breaking champagne as if you had just won the division. I think I read that 120 bottles of Moet & Chandon met their fate. I guess I should appreciate the Yankees have extended their season by one game and if they can win that one, they’ll move on to join the division winners for the divisional playoffs. Once they are in the divisional playoffs, anything can happen. We know the Yankees can beat any team if they are playing to their abilities. I know that it was not officially a Wild Card game (which didn’t exist back then), but I am sure the 1978 Yankees and Red Sox did not pop bubbly at the end of the regular season when they finished in a tie for the AL East and had to play the memorable Bucky “F——ing” Dent tie-breaker at Fenway Park. I know, there are ten other teams in the American League that wish their season wasn’t ending a week from today and would be very excited to play one game for the right to advance. So, congratulations to the Yankees for giving themselves a chance.

I have a more business-like approach. Let’s secure the home position for the Wild Card and focus on winning the single game elimination. When it is over and if the Yankees emerge victorious, that’s truly cause for celebration.

Photo Credit: Getty Images (Mike Stobe)

Right now, my primary concern for the Yankees is to hold off the Oakland A’s for the top spot in the Wild Card standings. After the Yankees game had ended, I watched the end of the A’s matchup against the Minnesota Twins. The A’s loaded the bases against the Twins in the bottom of the ninth with the game deadlocked at two. Mark Canha battled Twins closer Trevor Hildenberger in an 11-pitch at-bat before striking out for the second out. It looked like the Twins might get out of the jam with one more out, but on the very next pitch to Matt Chapman, Hildenberger threw a wild pitch past catcher Willians Astudillo to basically gift wrap the victory for the A’s as Stephen Piscotty easily raced home for the winning run. That moment was very disheartening. So, the Yankees maintained their 1 1/2 game lead over Oakland (two in the loss column and the Yankees hold the tie breaker).  

The A’s can clinch the second Wild Card spot today with a Rays loss or an A’s win. If the Rays are eliminated, I think they’ll still be very motivated to beat the Yankees in the upcoming series because it will be their “playoff” even if they aren’t going anywhere. Hats off to Kevin Cash and his Rays. I know I certainly did not expect them to have 86 wins on September 23rd.  

For those of you who follow Twitter (some very begrudgingly like Bryan Van Dusen), you probably saw this tweet. Courtesy of the twitter account of Brendan Kuty, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com (@BrendanKutyNJ):

Judge said he pulled aside Luke Voit during the celebration. “We wouldn’t be in this position right now if it wasn’t for you. You coming over here, I know it was a slow start, but you picked it up and you picked us up and when we needed the big hit, you came through for us.”

Big words from a big man, and words very well deserved for Luke Voit. Voit launched his 11th home run for the Yankees yesterday with a solo blast in the second inning. It eventually ensured the game would go into extra innings for the Yankees to win it. For those counting at home, Voit has 11 homers and 25 RBIs for the Yankees and his batting line is .314/.385/.648 with 1.032 OPS. The guy’s been incredible and he has made Greg Bird irrelevant.  

Photo Credit: Getty Imaes (Mike Stobe)

As for Aaron Judge, his return to the active roster has been huge. I know he was a presence in the dugout during his lengthy stay on the disabled list, cheering on his teammates, but this is a different team when he is in the lineup. I’ve felt all season that he is the heartbeat of the team and this month has proven it to be so true. I really think Judge should be the next Captain for the Yankees. He is the team’s MVP and clearly its leader, a role that will continue to grow for him. The “fun” is returning to the team and it is no doubt directly tied to Aaron Judge. He is a worthy successor for future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.

Hopefully Aaron Hicks was not hurt too badly when he fouled the pitch off his ankle in the bottom of the eleventh yesterday before he hit the game-winning double. Tests after the game were negative but that foul looked so painful. There’s no doubt we’ll see Hicks in shin guards moving forward.  I heard he had the ankle heavily taped after yesterday’s game. My hope is that he is feeling much better today without too much swelling. Hicks is the unsung hero for this team and they cannot afford to lose him for any extended time.  

Yesterday, it was reported CC Sabathia intends to play another season. Sadly, I do not feel it should be with the Yankees despite how much Sabathia has done and meant for the organization over the years. He has been a great Yankee and I’ll always be appreciative of his time in Pinstripes. But the Yankees can do better for the fifth spot in the rotation even if that just means re-signing J.A. Happ in the off-season. I expect the Yankees to upgrade the starting rotation (Patrick Corbin, please) and at this point in his career, Sabathia is not going to get better and will only regress. Age sucks but it is a terminal affliction for all of us.  

The Yankees should also not pick up the $12.5 million club option for Brett Gardner and should go with the $2 million buyout. Another great Yankee but it is time to move on.  Regardless of what happens for the rest of 2018, I have very high expectations for the 2019 New York Yankees. It is time to end the AL East reign of the Boston Red Sox and I think the ’19 Yankees will be the team to do it.  It will be weird to see Sabathia in a different uniform but even stranger to see Gardy in other colors after a career isolated to Pinstripes. There are tough decisions ahead for the Yankees. I suppose it’s possible the Yankees could re-sign Gardy to a lower salary, but I am hopeful for the future of Clint Frazier and would like to see Red Thunder given every opportunity to break camp with the big league club next year. Or sign Bryce Harper, that works too.

Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe reports the Yankees would like to have Andrew McCutchen back next year if they “can cut a reasonable deal”. I would support his return, but of course Cafardo also threatens “And yes, Jacoby Ellsbury could return in 2019”. Now, that’s one guy I do not want to see in a Yankees uniform next year. I am done with DL’s-bury. Time to cut bait with Ellsbury if he is healthy. If Cafardo is to be believed, the Yankees will rekindle talks with the San Francisco Giants in the off-season about Madison Bumgarner so that’s one to keep an eye on.

With heavy speculation J.A. Happ will be the starter for the Yankees on October 3rd against the Oakland A’s (sorry Rays fans, you’re not catching them), today is a big day. Happ  (16-6, 3.62 ERA) takes the mound against Alex Cobb (5-15, 4.90 ERA) and the Orioles. If Happ dominates Baltimore, he’ll solidify his chances to be “the man” in the Wild Card game. If not, Yankees Twitter will be announcing the end of the World by late afternoon.

A win today would be a beautiful thing. Let’s get this sweep. Go Yankees!