Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics

And just like that playoff baseball has returned to us all and returned to the Bronx, New York as the New York Yankees and Yankee Stadium play host to the Oakland Athletics. One game to decide a season. One game to decide the fate of both clubs. One game to decide it all. The Yankees will send Luis Severino to the mound with the pressure of protecting Yankee Stadium and continuing their season while the Athletics will send Liam Hendriks to the mound looking to play the spoiler. Neither team wants to go home and neither team wants their seasons to end here, but which team wants it just a little more? Let’s find out.

The game will be played at 8:00 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and can be seen on TBS.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the New York Yankees all season long. Enjoy the game, put up a five-spot in the first inning, and go Yankees!!

2018 Playoffs: Oakland Athletics Offense vs. Luis Severino - Career

Will we see Luis Severino circa the 2017 AL Wild Card Game against the Minnesota Twins inside Yankee Stadium tonight? Or will we see dominant, young ace right-hander Severino tonight inside Yankee Stadium against the Oakland Athletics? Stay tuned...

All stats and images courtesy of ESPN and Baseball Reference.

2018 Playoffs: New York Yankees Offense vs. Liam Hendriks - Career

How does this bode for the Yankees, and for Hendricks, tonight in the Bronx? Stay tuned...

All stats and images courtesy of ESPN.com and Baseball Reference

New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics 2018 Showdown

The New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics are set to face off head-to-head tonight in a one-game, win-or-go-home playoff scenario to decide the American League Wild Card winner. What has happened before tonight means very little in the grand scheme of things, it is the “second season” after all once the postseason begins, but for fun and for informational purposes we will take a look at what the Yankees and Athletics did against one another during the regular season. Will it tell us what is likely to happen tonight in the Bronx? Who knows, but it could… so let’s take a look.

Team Game-by-Game Schedule

Gm#	Date	Tm		Opp	W/L	R	RA	Win	Loss	Save
38	Friday, May 11	NYY		OAK	L	5	10	Graveman	Gray	Treinen
39	Saturday, May 12	NYY		OAK	W-wo	7	6	Cole	Hatcher
40	Sunday, May 13	NYY		OAK	W	6	2	Severino	Anderson
138	Monday, Sep 3	NYY	@	OAK	L	3	6	Cahill	Sabathia	Treinen
139	Tuesday, Sep 4	NYY	@	OAK	W	5	1	Robertson	Rodney
140	Wednesday, Sep 5	NYY	@	OAK	L	2	8	Fiers	Severino

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

As you can see these games were played so far apart that it was a bit of a tale of two seasons. The New York Yankees were steamrolling the entire league when the first three games were played and eventually won two-of-three in New York for another series win. In the second series the games were played without Aaron Judge in the Yankees lineup and inside the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s took care of their homefield winning two-of-three against New York to even the series at three games each.

Who wins tonight? History would say the New York Yankees, but I, for one, will not be the person who counts out the Oakland A's, no matter how confident in the Baby Bombers I am. 

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics

The New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics will kick off the American League Wild Card Playoff Round and the 2018 American League Postseason tonight in the Bronx. Get excited. Whether you believe this is a playoff game or not is irrelevant as the 2018 postseason officially kicks off tonight to everyone who makes those decisions and to everyone whose opinion matters, so leave your negative thoughts about the contest at the door. The second season has begun, let’s get to it.

In the game tonight the Yankees have named Luis Severino as their Wild Card Game starter while the Athletics have decided to counter the Yankees right-hander with Liam Hendriks.

Severino will start his second consecutive Wild Card Game at Yankee Stadium hoping for better results in this start than his last. Severino was knocked out in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins in the 2017 American League Wild Card Game after allowing three runs on two home runs in an eventual Yankees come-from-behind victory. None of that tonight. Nothing but zeroes, please and thanks. Severino, a 24-year old right-hander, was 19-8 this season with a 3.39 ERA and 220 strikeouts, although the righty was 14-2 at the All-Star Break before a second half collapse of sorts.

Hendriks has been a relief pitcher for the Athletics here in 2018, but he is no stranger to the life of a starting pitcher. Hendricks has seen his season ride a roller coaster after being designated for assignment and clearing waivers in June, only to come back and start the biggest game to date for the Athletics here in 2018. Hendricks, a 29-year old right-hander, was 0-1 with a 4.13 ERA in 25 appearances this season,

The game will be played at 8:00 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and can be seen on TBS.

Enjoy the game, win the game or go home… and I am not ready to go home just yet, and for the love of God… go Yankees!!

Hello… Wild Card Playoff Game

Good morning Yankees family and welcome back to the blog. Yankees family, the playoffs begin tonight and they kick off in the Bronx and inside of Yankee Stadium. Stand up, all rise, and get ready to scream your little asses off. Oakland has never been here before, this collective team hasn’t anyway, and we, the fans, can take them out of it early with our cheers, screams, and enthusiasm. Shake the place tonight, and let’s win this damn game.

And baby, get ready… your return to watching baseball begins tonight. The things you do for me, and with me. I love you for and an appreciative of each and every one of them, and for you. I love you!

This Day in New York Yankees History 10/3: Wild Card Winners

As we learned yesterday in this same series the New York Yankees and the Colorado Rockies became the first ever set of Wild Card winning teams when a fourth playoff team was added to the mix. On this day in 1995 the first American League and National League Division Series were played with the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, and the Atlanta Braves winning the first ever games.


Also on this day in 1947 in Game 4 of the World Series the Yankees pitcher Bill Bevens came within one out of pitching the first no-hitter in World Series history. Cookie Lavagetto of the Dodgers came up with two outs in the ninth to pinch hit for Eddie Stanky and hit a two out double. The Dodgers would miraculously come back to win the game 3-2.