So it Seems the Yankees Suck on their “Days”

Boy, the New York Yankees have made it a habit of losing on all these special events and days that they hold at the stadium don’t they? It’s becoming a trend more than a coincidence at this point and it’s a scary precedent that I don’t like being set. Let’s look at recent “days” at Yankee Stadium and their success rates. What does this mean in the long run? Absolutely nothing but it is still fun to take a look at regardless.

Derek Jeter Day – 5/14/17

10-7 loss to the Houston Astros

Jorge Posada Day – 8/22/15

6-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians

Bernie Williams Day – 5/24/15

5-2 loss to the Texas Rangers

Joe Torre Day – 8/23/14

5-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox

Paul O’Neill Day – 8/9/14

3-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians

Andy Pettitte Day – 9/23/13

4-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians

Tino Martinez Day – 6/21/14

6-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles

Did Andy Pettitte Set The Precedence for Alex Rodriguez?

The New York Yankees set a precedence this past weekend whether they intended to or not. Unless I am mistaken this is the first time that a team knowingly retired a number or honored a player that admitted to using any sort of PED's or steroids in the game's modern era. The Yankees not only honored Andy Pettitte with Andy Pettitte Day this weekend in the Bronx but the team also retired his #46 jersey ensuring that nobody would ever wear the number again as a Yankee. Pettitte, as we all know, admitted to using steroids to help rehab an injury earlier in his career. Did the Yankees potentially open the door for another great Yankees player, like him or not, to get his number #13 Yankees jersey retired?

The two cases are not an ideal comparison, Pettitte admitted it seemingly from Day One that he used and asked for forgiveness while Alex not only denied it once but he denied it and got caught with them twice. Andy never faced a steroid suspension and he never sued the MLB Players Association, his team doctor or his own cousin either while Rodriguez has burned every bridge from Miami to here dropping millions of dollars in legal fees and lawsuits along the way. If Andy has taught A Rod one thing though it's that it may never be too late for a player, especially in New York.

If Alex finishes his current contract without retiring he would finish with coincidentally 13 seasons as a member of the New York Yankees. During his tenure with the Yankees he led the team to a 2009 World Series Championship while exceeding a 52.0 fWAR along with a slew of crooked numbers in the Yankees record books. Currently, at the time of this writing, Rodriguez has 335 home runs as a Yankee and has passed the 400, 500 and 600 home run plateaus as a member of the Bronx Bombers. A Rod has won a pair of MVP Awards while playing his home games inside Yankee Stadium and has also surpassed the 1,000 RBI plateau with the team passing names like Berra, DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle along the way. In a word A Rod has been a living legend despite the steroid allegations.

Is it enough? Can the Yankees organization continue to rebuild that bridge with Alex and can Rodriguez continue to build that bridge back with his peers and his fans? If you disagree with the Yankees retiring the number I couldn't keep a straight face and tell you that you're wrong for that but for me personally it is something that should be done, eventually. The world hated Reggie Jackson and he did a hell of a lot less for the team in his short tenure, why not A Rod?

ICYMI: Andy Pettitte & Jorge Posada Day Videos

Pettitte's Speech

Pettitte's Gifts from the Yankees

Pettitte's Plaque

Andy Pettitte throws out the first pitch

Posada's Speech

Posada's Gifts from the Yankees

Posada's Plaque

Posada's First Pitch

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros 8/24

The New York Yankees are off an emotional weekend and a big series with the Cleveland Indians that didn't see enough victories for the Bronx Bombers. The team had all the breathing room they had in the American League East basically disappear so victories in this series with the Houston Astros are as important as they've ever been. The Yankees will send Nathan Eovaldi to the mound tonight to face off with Scott Feldman for the Astros. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11, MLB Network and MLB TV.

Eovaldi has only faced the Astros twice in his career and owns a 1-0 record against the team that calls Eovaldi's birthplace home. Eovaldi had a perfect game into the 6th inning last start before earning his 13th win of the season behind Greg Bird's two home run game. 

Feldman has been one of the best Astros pitchers this season and has been good as of late allowing two earned runs or fewer in four of his past five starts. Feldman held down the Tampa Bay Rays in his last start holding them to just two runs in seven innings in a victory. 

MLB Network has picked up all three games for this series expecting a good three games head-to-head between these two teams. Eovaldi is searching for his 14th victory, Ivan Nova looks to bounce back from a terrible start and Michael Pineda returns off the disabled list for New York this series as the Yankees begin their quest with the six-man rotation. With Eovaldi on the mound tonight we should expect plenty of offense, some frustration and maybe a few more 102 MPH fastballs. Go Yankees!

Andy Pettitte Career Highlights- Open Thread

The most amazing weekend of the 2015 season, to date anyway, is over with both Jorge Posada Day and Andy Pettitte Day officially in the books. HOPE Week is over, this series with the Cleveland Indians is over and so is this weekend unfortunately. Instead of ending this weekend with a song out of my personal collection let's end it by honoring Andy one more time. Andy Pettitte's career highlights, enjoy!

Andy Pettitte Tells The Andy Pettitte Story

Andy Pettitte is the best person that can tell the Andy Pettitte story and he does so in this five minute video. Andy touches on everything from his relationship with God, his HGH use, and so much more. It is a very touching story and everyone needs to watch this. This is Andy Pettitte Day.

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians 8/23

Wow, what a ceremony. This weekend and this entire week has been an emotional roller coaster ride hasn't it? It may or may not be affecting the team on the field so part of me is glad that the ceremonies and that HOPE Week is over so we can start focusing on making the playoffs and winning the American League East. The Yankees send a veteran to the mound in CC Sabathis this afternoon that shouldn't have issues focusing on this game and this game alone while the Indians counter with Trevor Bauer. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

New York stays home to begin the week with a three-game series with the Houston Astros in the Bronx. Click the Yankees Tickets link at the top of the blog to get your tickets to see the team inside Yankee Stadium before the team is gone and on the road once again. If you can't make it then simply jump on Twitter and give @GreedyStripes a follow to root for the home team and interact with us during each and every Yankees game for the remainder of this season.

Pettitte's number is out of circulation, CC is ready to take the mound and Ellsbury is ready to lead the team to another victory. I'm ready to watch it all go down, Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians 8/23

The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians are ready to finish off their four game series at Yankee Stadium this afternoon, thank goodness. The Indians have given the Yankees all sorts of fits this weekend although the team could not put a damper on Jorge Posada Day yesterday no matter what. The same can be said for this afternoon as the Yankees once again honor one of their own as the team presents Andy Pettitte Day at Yankee Stadium. For the game the Yankees will send their big man CC Sabathia to the mound to face off against the Indians starter Trevor Bauer. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

Sabathia will face off against the team where his career began for the second time this month looking to snap a winless streak. Sabathia has started eight times against the Indians and has posted a 4-2 record with a 2.95 ERA. 

Bauer has struggled as of late against these same New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox in consecutive starts. Bauer got bombed for the only Cleveland loss in the last series between these two teams and then lasted only 1.2 innings against the Boston Red Sox in his last start after giving up five earned runs. Six of his starts this season have lasted less than five innings, lucky number seven today?

The Yankees are setting up the field for Andy Pettitte Day and are prepared to retire the #46 so no man can ever wear the jersey again. The Yankees have had a mixed bag of results in these games after pregame ceremonies as the emotion and the adrenaline either helps the team through the game or it is expended in the ceremony leaving the team to fall short in the contest. Let's hope the team takes a page out of the Andy Pettitte book this afternoon and finds a way to win. Go Yankees!

My Thoughts on the Career of Andy Pettitte

What can you say about the career of Andrew Eugene Pettitte? The big lefty brought the New York Yankees five World Series championships, he was a three time All-Star, an AL wins champion in 1996 and a ALCS MVP in 2001. Andy Pettitte, like Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera before him, was a walking and living legend and the epitome of being a New York Yankees player in my opinion. He loved playing baseball and he loved to win.

Andy's career was not without disappointment to the fans though and when he decided to leave for three seasons with the Houston Astros I have to say that I took it pretty personally. I think all of us were highly invested in the Yankees back in 2003 and to learn that Pettitte and Roger Clemens would be throwing strikes in Houston with the Astros for the next three seasons hurt pretty bad. Who could  blame him though? The way George Steinbrenner put him on the back burner, disrespected him and merely expected him to come back would have pushed anyone away. The wrong was righted before the 2007 allowing Pettitte to retire as a Yankee.

When Pettitte retired before the 2011 I always kind of thought he had more in the tank, and I was right as he announced that he would be back for the 2012 season. Pettitte came back no longer blowing away batters like he did back in 1996 when he out-dueled John Smoltz in that historic Game 5 of the 1996 World Series, no Andy Pettitte came back as a pitcher.

Andy Pettitte once again disappointed me when he was exposed for and admitted to using steroids while working himself back from an injury  but as everyone knows, I forgave him. I forgive all steroid users, especially those who simply wanted to get out there on the field and win for their team and win for the fans. That's all Andy wanted to do, he wanted to play the game of baseball and he wanted to win.

I have the utmost respect for the Yankees south paw that will have his #46 retired today and I thank him for everything he has done. The Yankees will too this afternoon in a pre-game ceremony before the game with the Cleveland Indians. Expect chill bumps.... I do!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians 8/22

The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians will face off this afternoon head-to-head in the Bronx and Yankee Stadium with adrenaline running through their veins. The Yankees will honor Jorge Posada on Jorge Posada Day here in just a few minutes before sending Luis Severino out to the mound to face off with the Indians starter Danny Salazar. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and MLB TV.

• Severino has made three starts for the New York Yankees in his Major League career and while he has pitched well enough to win all three of them he is still searching for his first victory. Severino has started his career 0-2 with a no-decision due in large to the fact that the Yankees offense has been non-existent in many of his starts this season. 

• Salazar comes into this start this afternoon with seven consecutive quality starts for Cleveland and will look for his 8th today. Salazar pounds the strike zone and gets a ton of strikeouts while not walking a ton of batters, neither of which are good signs for the Yankees offense this afternoon.

This is going to be busy weekend for the Yankees and their faithful after an even crazier week in the Bronx. First the Yankees had a very successful HOPE Week that only made me cry once or twice, seriously that Chris Singleton interview on Monday was a tear gusher, and they have Jorge Posada Day going down today. If that wasn't enough tomorrow is Andy Pettitte Day and the Yankees welcome the Houston Astros to the Bronx starting on Monday. Wow what a week, sleep is for the weak, let's do it. Go Yankees!