Friday, August 31, 2018

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers 8/31



And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers. In the second game of this four-game weekend set in the Bronx the Yankees will send Luis Severino out to the mound to face off with Jordan Zimmermann of the Tigers. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network. 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 team all season long. Enjoy the game, Sevy goes for 18, and go Yankees!!

The Addition Of Andrew McCutchen Means So Much More

You've likely already read dozens of people's takes on the trade for Andrew McCutchen, so you're either reading this because you're bored or because you actually care what I think.

Either way, thank you. So here goes...

My first reaction to seeing the trade was something like "oh no".

That's not because I think McCutchen is bad. On the contrary, I think he makes a good addition to the team. Andrew may not be a Most Valuable Player award candidate anymore, but he's still an above average hitter (OPS+ of 110 this season). And while I think he's a bit overrated defensively, as I've heard some say go as far as to say he's a "great" outfielder, McCutchen will not hurt you with his glove (-0.9 UZR/150 as a right fielder this season).

See, with Judge returning, I saw the addition of another outfielder being unnecessary. Especially since that would mean the Yankees may have to give up something decent in a trade (for the record, thankfully that's not true as the organization has plenty of pitching as good as, or better than, Juan De Paula, and I don't see Avelino being anything more than a bench piece in MLB). Sure, Shane Robinson is far from ideal, but he's not single-handedly responsible for the Yankees losing the series to the White Sox. In fact, the Yankees are 13-7 in games that Shane started since August 1st, which is a better winning percentage than the Yankees have for the season (.650 to .627).

The big thing I take away from this deal is that Aaron Judge may be further away from returning than we hoped. To be honest, this could mean Judge doesn't return at all this season. Even though the Yankees have shown us that they can win without Aaron in the lineup, that doesn't mean the loss of Judge for the rest of the season wouldn't be a huge blow. Frankly, there's no way any team, in any sport, can lose their best player and be as good.

Just add Judge's return to the large list of things we Yankees fans hope...

1. Giancarlo Stanton keeps tearing the cover off the ball. By the way, I'm so glad #300 is out of the way, as milestones such as that have to get into a players head.

2. Luis Severino turns things around. Oh, check out this article.

3. Didi and Sanchez return strong from their injuries.

4. J.A. Happ is more like the pitcher we saw in his first five starts with the Yankees, rather than the guy we saw last night.

5. Aroldis Chapman returns and is able to continue dominating the way he was before he went on the DL.

6. Luke Voit and/or Neil Walker can provide some stability at first base, something Greg Bird hasn't been able to do there all season.

7. Andrew McCutchen gets fired up playing for a real contender and is closer to the player he was last year with the Pirates, when he had an OPS+ of 123.

8...

yeah, I'm going to stop there. I'm starting to get really depressed.


Although Twitter, like Facebook, can be full of some really stupid junk, it's a good place to chat and get some up-to-the-minute information. You can chat with me @BryanVanDusen

The Best Moves the Yankees Can Make Today?



(WRITTEN BEFORE THE YANKEES ACQUIRED ANDREW MCCUTCHEN)

Call me Phil Hughes, because I have potentially an unpopular opinion. Wrigley Field and Fenway Park are… just kidding. I was joking about Wrigley Field and Fenway Park, but not joking about having an unpopular decision about what the Yankees could potentially do today before the August 31st trade deadline. In a word, I think the Yankees should do nothing before the deadline. Riot gear is on, let me have it. Really though, do the Yankees really NEED to do anything? No, they don’t. Not in my opinion anyway. Would it be nice to add a lesser depth piece like Curtis Granderson? Sure. And does Curtis Granderson make the most sense for the team right now? Damn right, I said as much this week and I am not flipflopping on that. Does the team NEED to though? No, not really.

You know what the best moves the Yankees can make before the trade deadline are and the moves that they can make into the month of September? Activating Gary Sanchez off the disabled list giving the Yankees a huge upgrade offensively and in controlling the opposing team’s running game over Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka. You know what other move the team can make? Activating Didi Gregorius off the disabled list adding better defense at shortstop and a left-handed middle-of-the-order type hitter to the lineup that can break up all the right-handed bats and add balance and depth to the roster. You want a third roster move? Activate Aroldis Chapman off the disabled list and immediately improve the bullpen allowing everyone to take a step back and slide into their natural roles with the club. You want one final move? Eventually activate Aaron Judge off the disabled list and get Shane Robinson the hell off of my team and do it now.

I know this isn’t the sexy answer, or even the greedy answer, to the Yankees plan to navigate the August 31st trading deadline, but it may be the smartest in my opinion. I am far from conceding the division, but I am also not making the need to win it as large as many other fans. The Red Sox won the division last year and the Yankees won the first Wild Card, both of which will likely happen here in 2018 as well, yet it was Boston who were sitting on their couches watching the Yankees play in the ALCS against the Houston Astros and not the other way around. Do I want anything to do with the one-game playoff game? Hell no, nobody does, but that doesn’t mean I am afraid of it. Not with a consistent starter like JA Happ starting, this explosive offense, the presumably crazy crowd inside Yankee Stadium, and what could be one of the best bullpens in the game behind them.

I’m not conceding the division, but I am damn sure not afraid of the Wild Card Game either. Bring it on and bring back my Yankees healthy and ready to go. It isn’t always the best team that wins in October, sometimes it is the hottest team, the freshest team, the healthiest team, and the deepest team… and that could be the New York Yankees if they just stick to the plan and stand pat at the trade deadline today.

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers 8/31



The Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees will continue their four-game weekend set tonight with the second game of the series in the Bronx. In the start tonight the Yankees will send Luis Severino out to the mound to face off with Jordan Zimmermann. The Yankees starting rotation, not to look too far ahead, is set up nicely to have Happ (last night’s starter) pitch the AL Wild Card Game if it came to that with tonight’s starter, Severino, pitching a potential Game One of the ALDS. I like it, so let’s get to it here in the Bronx.

Severino has won each of his last two starts and has shown at least glimpses of being able to fix what has ailed the right-hander for much of the second half of the season. In Severino’s last start the righty allowed three runs, two of them earned, across 5.2 innings en route to his MLB-leading 17th victory of the season.


Zimmermann has also struggled since the All-Star break this season posting a 2-5 record with a 5.50 ERA. Let’s hope tonight does not mark his magical turnaround this season. Zimmermann may see the Yankees as just what the doctor ordered judging by his career 3-1 record against the Bombers with a 3.09 ERA.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network. 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, play every game from here on out like it is a playoff game, and go Yankees!!

Yankees Acquire Andrew McCutchen


The New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giantss have agreed on a deal that will send Andrew McCutchen to the Bronx for infield prospect Abiatal Avelino and another prospect. Welcome to the Bronx, Cutch!

More to come, stay tuned...

Hello… Trade Deadline Part Deaux



Good morning Yankees family and welcome back to the blog. Trade Deadline Day part two, let’s go. The August 31st trading deadline is a little different than the July 31st trade deadline since players now have to be passed through revocable waivers before being able to be traded to any other team across the league. Also, it is worth mentioning that players acquired after today, because the trade deadline does not stop trades from happening, will NOT be postseason eligible. Will Brian Cashman add a bat? Ask me again in 9 hours.

And my baby, I love you so very much. Always have, always will.

This Day In New York Yankees History 8/31: Indians 22 Yankees 0


The New York Yankees have had a very storied history including a ton of blowouts on both sides of the ball but none bigger than the whooping the Cleveland Indians put on the New York Yankees on this day in 2004. This actually tied the largest shutout margin in the history of Major League Baseball, but set the record in Yankees history, when the Indians beat the Yankees 22-0 in Yankee Stadium. The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs by the same margin way back in 1975 at Wrigley Field to set the original record.

Also on this day in Yankees getting clobbered history Omar Vizquel had six hits in that same 2004 game. Vizquel would become the first player in the 81 year history of Yankee Stadium to get six hits in one game.

Finally on this day in 1997 Don Mattingly Day was held at Yankee Stadium where his #23 jersey was retired in Monument Park. Mattingly was the Yankees captain from 1991 to 1995 and becomes the first Yankee to have his uniform number retired without reaching the World Series.