The Rocky Road to the World Series...

 

Photo Credit: Lynn Sladky, AP

Challenges, old and new, persist in push for October…

Although the Yankees, with their power infusion at the trading deadline, made up significant ground this past week, it seems like nothing goes their way. I guess this just provides more highlights for the World Series DVD that Daniel Burch (@GreedyStripes) is currently producing (allegedly). 

As we know, the great Gerrit Cole (well, not so great in recent outings) and Jordan Montgomery are on the COVID-19 List and today, it was announced that closer Aroldis Chapman (also not so great this year) has been placed on the 10-day injured list with left elbow inflammation. It remains to be seen if Zack Britton, Chad Green or Jonathan Loaisiga becomes the interim closer or if the Yankees go the closing by committee approach.  Either way, it is yet another challenge that requires others to step up. Nick Nelson, called up to replace Chappy, needs to perform better at the Major League level than he has this year.

Speaking of stepping up, the same applies to Kyle Higashioka who becomes the starting catcher in place of the COVID-stricken Gary Sanchez. The less we must see Rob Brantly play, the better.  I don’t know why I was bummed to see the Yankees trade minor leaguer Kellin Deglan to the Toronto Blue Jays. It’s not like he was a strong option for call-up. However, he was always around Spring Training and seems like such a great organizational guy (even if he is not Major League material as a player). He is a native Canadian (British Columbia), although he is currently assigned to Toronto’s nearby Triple A affiliate in Buffalo, New York.  It would be cool if he gets a chance to play in Toronto. This is probably where I wish we had seen better growth and progression by catching prospects Anthony Ziegler and Josh Breaux (particularly the older Breaux who was recently promoted to Double-A Somerset after four years in the organization). I guess we’ll just have to bide our time until top catching prospect Austin Wells is ready. 

The past week, just from a true baseball perspective without all the figurative curveballs that have been thrown at the Yankees, has been fun. The team is winning again (as they have the past month), and the wins are magnified by the sudden downward spiral of the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees, once 9 games behind Boston, now sit 5.5 games out of first place (entering play today) and only 3 games behind the Red Sox.  They are only 1.5 games behind the Oakland A’s for the second Wild Card spot. At this point, there is a very real possibility the Yankees could claim the top Wild Card spot and remain contenders for the division should Tampa derail for whatever reason.  Life certainly looks better today than it did just a week or two ago.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

I have to say I really like the throwback jerseys the Yankees will wear in the upcoming Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa.

Photo Credit: Yankees

Born and raised in Iowa, I love to see the Yankees play baseball in my home state even if I must watch on TV, thousands of miles away in sunny Southern California.  I am excited for the game (Thursday, August 12th at 7:00 EDT) and what it will mean for Dyersville and the state. 

When the Yankees acquired Los Angeles Angels LHP Andrew Heaney at the trading deadline, I figured the Yankees must have seen something in the pitcher they could fix. So, it comes as no surprise to hear that Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake has been working with Heaney to tweak his mechanics. I am hopeful this is not another Sonny Gray situation. Hopefully Heaney responds to the changes in a positive and constructive way and does better than his Yankees debut when the lowly Baltimore Orioles crushed four home runs off him. 

If the Yankees had somehow managed to pull of a trade for a top starter like Jose Berrios at the trading deadline, GM Brian Cashman would look brilliant right now. He looks good for Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo (and maybe Clay Holmes), but a top starter with the unforeseen COVID-19 diagnoses for key starters would have been invaluable.

Is it too early to call for the Yankees to extend Andrew Rizzo? Setting aside what he can do with a baseball bat, I love the defense he brings to first base. He is a natural leader and just one of those guys who seems to make everyone around him better. I am glad Joey Gallo will be back next year despite his slow start and I really hope we see both Gallo and Rizzo together next Spring when the Yankees report to Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.  Many Yankee fans want an elite shortstop (like Corey Seager or Trevor Story) this upcoming off-season to move Gleyber Torres back to second base, which, in turn, would push D.J. LeMahieu to first base, but I really like having Rizzo on this team. He brings so many great intangibles and has meshed incredibly well with team chemistry. The Yankees will figure it out. There are ways to bring in an elite shortstop and re-sign Rizzo.  I am hoping Rizzo is enjoying the Yankees as much as we have enjoyed him. 

Photo Credit: Fox Sports

It’s nice to see Luis Severino pitching again but I have to say I am cautiously pessimistic. Rarely do you see a pitcher coming back from Tommy John surgery have immediate success. It generally takes the next season after his return to see the successful results. So, it’s hard to count on Sevy as a key factor the September push to the playoffs. Same with Corey Kluber. He’s not coming off surgery, but the long layoff can’t be good and the potential for continued trouble for him remains high.  I am hopeful Gerrit Cole can shake off COVID and return with renewed fire, aided by the forced rest.  Same with Gumby.  We need both.

I am anxious to see Luis Gil’s next start. There’s no doubt he’ll fall back to Earth and there will be games the control issues are a problem, but if he can provide serviceable back of the rotation support, it would be huge for this team.  One of these years, I’d like no need for ‘next man up’ yet it is fun and exciting to see guys get their Major League opportunities and make the most of it. 

Lastly, my apologies to dinosaur Brett Gardner for being skeptical he’d come up big in Friday night’s game. His walk-off 11^th inning single in the 3-2 win was/is much appreciated.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

As always, Go Yankees!

The Power of Lefties...

  

Photo Credit: Eric Espada, Getty Images

Busy Trading Deadline for Yanks…

This was the type of trading deadline I had hoped for in 2019 that didn’t come to fruition. The Yankees were heavily involved this year, adding all left-handers. We’ve been screaming for lefty bats (a glaring weakness since the departure of guys like Didi Gregorius) and were gifted two of the most powerful lefty bats on the market. The long-anticipated bat of Joey Gallo and the surprise acquisition of Anthony Rizzo. The moves on the pitching side lacked the substance of the offensive additions but the Yankees also acquired lefty pitchers Joely Rodriguez and Andrew Heaney.

I know the complaints about Gallo (too much like other hitters in the lineup, strikes out too much) but he is a good baseball player. The batting average doesn’t mean anything. His ability to crush baseballs and get on base, to go with excellent baserunning instincts and Glove Glove level defense make him a tremendous addition. The fact he’s not a rental is that much sweeter. I’d rather have Joey Gallo playing for me than against me. For as much talk as I’ve heard how he’ll like the short porch in right at Yankee Stadium, I was a little surprised when I heard that he has not hit a home run at Yankee Stadium. I looked it up and he has one career homer against the Yankees. It was a second inning home run off Masahiro Tanaka at the old Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas on May 21, 2018 (Yankees won that game, 10-5).

As much as I am excited about the addition of Anthony Rizzo, I am less enthused about a rental for this year’s team. If I felt better about the team’s chances this year, it would be one thing, but I do not. Kevin Alcantara was my favorite outfield prospect outside of Jasson Dominguez and I feel he has tremendous potential. I was excited about a future outfield featuring Alcantara and Dominguez. Not trying to “prospect-hug” but sacrificing such a promising player for 2-3 months of Rizzo seems like a huge risk. If the Yankees surprise me and win the World Series this year, no doubt it will have been worth it. But if not, it will be tough to watch Alcantara achieve future Major League success. Nevertheless, now that Rizzo is a Yankee, I am happy. I love superior defense at first base…something that has been missing since Mark Teixeira retired. I’d love to see the Yankees find a way to re-sign Rizzo in the off-season, but not sure if that’s in the cards. Now that the Los Angeles Dodgers have shortstop Trea Turner, it seems like there is a good chance they might let Corey Seager walk at the end of the year. I’d love to see either Seager or Trevor Story take over shortstop to push Gleyber Torres back to second base. This of course would push D.J. LeMahieu to first base and he obviously needs to play. I suppose the Yankees could trade Torres for pitching, sign either Seager or Story AND Rizzo, keeping LeMahieu at second. After one game and listening to Rizzo talk, he seems like he could become such a fan favorite in the Bronx like he was in Chicago. Team chemistry is so important and Rizzo is clubhouse glue.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

There’s no question the Yankees will need to reconstruct the team this off-season. Good for them to stay below the luxury tax penalty but they need to use the savings to help rebuild a team that can be a force in the AL East and not a marginal Wild Card team like they are now. 

I was probably more excited about initially speculated reliever John King as part of the Gallo trade than I was the pitcher who was actually acquired, Joely Rodriguez. The Yankees saw something in the medicals for King (shoulder issue) which caused the restructure of the trade. On the bright side, the step down from King to Rodriguez meant the Yankees were able to hang on to outfield prospect Everson Pereira, another one of my favorites. I am sure the Yankees did their homework on Rodriguez and I am hopeful he’ll find success in the Yankees bullpen.

Photo Credit: Smiley N. Pool, Staff Photographer, The Dallas Morning News

I think all of us wanted the Yankees to acquire former Minnesota Twins ace Jose Berrios. It was a little disappointing a division rival (Toronto Blue Jays) acquired him, but I can’t fault the Yankees. The Blue Jays gave up two top five prospects. Not sure I’d want to see the Yankees pay that price. Given the strength of Toronto’s farm system, the bright side is they depleted some of it. Sure, I’d rather have Berrios than not, but it’s not the end of the world. 

It felt a little underwhelming when it was announced the Yankees had acquired former Los Angeles Angels starter Andrew Heaney. I know he has become a journeyman pitcher, but there was a time when he was considered one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in the game back during his days in the Miami Marlins organization. Perhaps the Yankees can find something in him to help position him for great rotation depth as the team’s “sixth” starter, pushing Nestor Cortes, Jr back into a more traditional bullpen role. 

Welcome to the Yankees family, Joey, Anthony, Joely, and Andrew!  Your mission is simple…get us to October baseball and just win.

Yankees fans have been calling for Kyle Schwarber for years. I guess we’ll painfully see that swing in Yankee Stadium more often now that he is a member of the Boston Red Sox. I am glad Boston was unable to make any significant pitching upgrades at the deadline. I would have hated to see them get Max Scherzer although that was never realistic given Max’s geographical preferences. Unfortunately, the Red Sox will soon get a pitching upgrade in the form of a healthy Chris Sale, but Boston is far from our worry right now. As Buck Showalter said last night, the Yankees may be 3 ½ games out of the Wild Card chase, but if you look at the loss column only, they are two games out. I say this from a biased point of view, but I do feel strongly the Yankees are a better team than the Oakland A’s or Seattle Mariners. Now that they have balance in the lineup, and will soon get help from Luis Severino and Corey Kluber, there is a very strong chance that the team will get hot and go on an extended winning roll with the newly improved roster.

The jury is still out on Aaron Boone. If the Yankees do fail to achieve the playoffs or make the Wild Card game and bow out, his time as Yankees manager must end. Let’s not waste the best years of Gerrit Cole’s career with poor managerial decisions. Time for a pro to handle the reigns. 

As always, Go Yankees!

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 5/25/18

And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In the opener of a three-game weekend set between these two clubs the Yankees will send Luis Severino to the mound to face off with Andrew Heaney. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB 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 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, Mike Trout… Meet Gleyber Torres, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 5/25/18

Good morning everyone and welcome to the weekend. This weekend the New York Yankees and Yankee Stadium will play host to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in a three-game set. Memorial Day weekend and Yankees baseball, now that is American. In the start tonight the Yankees will send out Luis Severino to the mound to face off with Andrew Heaney for the Angels. Let’s get to it here in the Bronx.

Severino has not lost a start in his last seven starts and will look to keep that unbeaten streak alive tonight in the Bronx against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In his last start against the Angels on April 27 the Yankees right-handed ace took a no decision. Severino last pitched against the Kansas City Royals five days ago where pitched six innings allowing three runs in an eventual Yankees victory.

Heaney took the loss in his last start against the Tampa Bay Rays after giving up four unearned runs in six innings of work. In Heaney’s last five outings the Angels left-hander has pitched to just a 1.45 ERA and will look to improve on his career 1-0 record and 1.50 ERA against the Yankees in two career starts.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB 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 with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Enjoy the game, make up your mind what city you want to represent already, and go Yankees!!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4/27

And just like that it is game time here on a Friday night in sunny Orange County, California. In the first of a three-game set this weekend the New York Yankees will send Luis Severino out to the mound to face off with Andrew Heaney for the Angels. The game will be played at 10:07 pm ET inside Angels Stadium of Anaheim 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 with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

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, tell me about it in the morning because I am going to bed, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4/27

Good morning and Happy Friday to you all. I have a question for the Yankees fan base and everyone here on the east coast this morning. If a game between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim happens in the middle of the damn night and no one on the east coast is around to see it (east coast bias and all), did it really happen? Well we are about to find out tonight as the Yankees travel to Anaheim to take on the Angels in a three-game weekend set. In the opener of the series tonight the Yankees will send Luis Severino to the mound looking to stay dominant while the Angels counter with Andrew Heaney. It should be a fun one, even if I won’t get to see a lot of it.

Severino will look for his third straight victory tonight on the west coast as he opens up the weekend series tonight with the Angels. In Severino’s last two starts the Yankees right-handed ace has pitched a combined 13 innings against the Miami Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays allowing just one run and four hits combined to go along with three walks and a staggering 14 strikeouts.

Heaney will be making just his third start of the season tonight and already his second home start of the young campaign. Heaney was not sharp in his last start against the San Francisco Giants where he allowed seven earned runs on six hits with two walks in a loss for the Angels. Heaney will be making his second career start against the Yankees tonight, his first start coming back in June of 2015. Different team, different pitcher, different result tonight in Anaheim.

The game will be played at 10:07 pm ET inside Angels Stadium of Anaheim in California and can be seen on the YES Network. You can also follow along with the game with MLB TV, on the MLB At-Bat app, and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with the legendary duo of John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Enjoy the game, ugh I hate west coast games… even on the weekends and go Yankees!!

Hello… West Coast Road Trips

Good morning everyone and a Happy Friday to you all. TGIF, we made it through another week. This Friday is especially important to me personally because I am moving this weekend. Long story short we were living in a house that we had an option to buy or rent-to-own. Well we had that option until the landlord’s house burned down. Thankfully everyone was safe, but it meant we were now without a place to live. I hate moving, I just moved into this house in August and I am already having to move out again. I hate it, but it is just one of those things in life I guess. Oh well.

I hope everyone has a better and more relaxing weekend than I have ahead of me, but as stressful or back breaking as it may be it will all be worth it in the end. I will still have my health, hopefully, and I will still have my family. I will still have my Kari and we will still have our three wonderful boys that we have together… and that is all I need in this world.

So, if I go quiet this weekend and into next week a little, now you know why. Enjoy your Friday, and your weekend. I love you all, especially you. Hey you.

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 6/30

For the second time in as many nights the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will face off head-to-head inside Angels Stadium in Anaheim. The good news is this is the last time these two teams face off in the middle of the night for us East Coast dwellers while the bad news is this game seems like the stereotypical trap game for New York. The Yankees are sending Ivan Nova to the mound looking to build off a strong start last time out but the team faces off against Andrew Heaney in just his second start of the season as well. Either the Yankees will have a huge lead after the first few innings or the team will be calling the Angels starter Nolan Heaney, there will be no in-between unfortunately. Find out which scenario will come true at 10:05 on the YES Network and MLB TV.

The Yankees have one more game out west with this club before an off day on Thursday and before beginning a big weekend series with the Tampa Bay Rays in the Bronx this weekend. Get your Yankees tickets for that series by clicking the Yankees Tickets link at the top of the blog to grab your pair of seats without paying the bulky shipping costs or annoying fees that those other guys associate with their sale. If you can’t make it to the Bronx then that’s no problem at all, simply jump on Twitter (@GreedyStripes) and/or the comments section of the blog to interact with us during each and every Yankees game that doesn’t begin right at my bedtime and end just a couple hours before I have to be up and at work. J

I will stay up as long as my old bones will let me because I am excited to see how Nova bounces back in his second start. Go Nova and Go Yankees!