Too Many Damn Strikeouts… And Who Cares?

Remember when the New York Yankees were the team that hit “too many damn home runs?” Everyone was up in arms, fans and writers alike, because the team was too reliant on the home run ball and that philosophy simply did not translate well into the postseason. Now the general gripe amongst the fans seems to be that the 2018 version of the Bronx Bombers are the team that has “too many damn strikeouts.” The team is striking out at an alarming rate, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is a bad thing. Let me explain.  

First of all, we have to preface by reminding many of these fans that Major League Baseball is a game where you can fail seven times out of every ten at-bats and be considered GREAT. Striking out 2.5 times every ten at-bats makes you average, and most people fall somewhere in between the two. Failure is a thing in Major League Baseball that is just going to happen, period. Many would argue though that it is how a team makes an out that is important, and I agree. Productive outs are the best outs. The outs that move a runner over, the outs that bring in a run on a sacrifice, giving yourself up for the team with a bunt, etc. are all great outs, but believe it or not strikeouts can be good outs too. 

Baseball Prospectus did a 10-year study on strikeouts and how they affect a pitcher’s total number of pitches thrown spanning the 2005-2015 seasons and the findings are alarming. Gone are the days of Kerry Wood striking out 20 batters in a single game while throwing just 122 pitches, bullpens are specialized, pitchers are babied more, and it simply taxes a pitcher more in today’s game to strikeout a batter than it used to. The studies and the research show it. 

The study showed that on average it took a pitcher 4.5 pitches to strikeout a batter during this span while it took on average just three pitches to retire a batter without a strikeout. With pitch limits being lowered, bullpen usage at an all-time high and it is taking more and more pitches to strike out a batter the team is tiring pitchers out sooner and getting into opposing team’s bullpens earlier and earlier. FYI, this study was done before Aaron Judge seemingly worked a full count every single at-bat as well, so I am curious to see the studies and numbers from beyond the 2015 season as they continue to climb every single season. 

The Yankees are going to make at least 27 outs every single night, unless they are winning at home where the out total drops to 24 outs, so it is imperative for the Yankees to make the most of those outs. This is a team that is built on power and the ability to strike at any time in any situation offensively, wouldn’t that chance likely increase if the opposing pitcher was laboring or tiring on the mound? I would think so, so maybe the fact that the New York Yankees have “too many damn strikeouts” could be a good thing in the grand scheme of things. Ideal? No. Damming and telling of the team though? Absolutely not!

Meet a Prospect: Nolan Martinez

The 2016 MLB Draft is in the books after the New York Yankees selected 40 potential prospects to add to the farm system. We've already met the first two in Blake Rutherford and Nick Solak so this morning we meet the Yankees 3rd round pick, a High School right-handed pitcher named Nolan Martinez.

Martinez was drafted in the third round by the Yankees out of Culver City High School in California, yeah another California pick for Damon Oppenheimer and the Yanks. Martinez was drafted as a pitcher but in High School he could hold his own with the bat as well standings at 6'3" and 165 lbs. Martinez brings a fastball that sits between 87-93 MPH but it can tough 95 MPH with plenty of room to grow into his frame and into his body adding movement and velocity. Martinez also throws a power slider, seemingly the Yankees favorite pitch for a player to throw in their system, that can hit around 78 MPH and that he can command for strikes. Martinez also owns a changeup but it is considered to be raw at this point which is not uncommon for High School pitching. Especially pitching that fell to the third round.

On the scout's scale of 20-80 Martinez has a 55 ranked fastball while his curveball and control are both ranked at 50. His changeup was graded at a 45 and his overall game and repertoire was also ranked as a 45 which made him the 10th best pitcher in the state of California. Again you must remember the Yankees have drafted a High School pitcher and not a college pitcher that is polished and MLB ready. Martinez is a project and he has projectability, that's why New York drafted him in the third round.

So Martinez comes with two above-average pitches and a repeatable delivery that should lead to some durability in the big show. Baseball America ranked Martinez 67th on their rankings while MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus had him 99th and 108th overall respectively. Either way Martinez was said to be excited about joining the organization and that's the type of players we need here. Players that want to be here. Congratulations Nolan and, unofficially of course, welcome to the family!

Quick Hit: MLB Player’s Salaries to Hit $4 Billion in 2016

Major League Baseball is ready to set a mark that the NFL, NBA and NHL have never hit and will likely never hit, MLB’s salary is about to hit the $4 billion mark. The American League will make up nearly a quarter of a billion dollars more than the National League according to post-season 2015 numbers according to Yahoo Sports.

These numbers will change before Opening Day as many free agents still find themselves without a job as we near Valentine’s Day and more importantly pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training camps. Names like Tyler Clippard and Yovani Gallardo will simply continue to push these numbers higher and higher leaving many to wonder why so many young people are still choosing the NFL and NBA over Major League Baseball.

The #1 salary in Major League Baseball as it stands today is the Los Angeles Dodgers at $235 million if my numbers are correct while the New York Yankees come it at #2 with a $229 million team payroll. These salary figures come from Cots Baseball Contracts and Baseball Prospectus. What’s funny is neither of these two teams have dipped significantly into the free agent waters and in the case of the Yankees, not at all. Los Angeles’s biggest acquisitions were the Howie Kendrick re-sign and the additions of Scott Kazmir and Kenta Maeda.

Major League Baseball is now over a $10 billion and growing machine and it shows no signs of slowing down or letting up. There is an absolute influx of money in the game right now and with the Chicago Cubs television network on deck and the recent $1 billion TV deal with the St. Louis Cardinals the sky seems to be the limit on this thing. I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of it. 

Most Popular Article of the Week: Jacob Lindgren the Forgotten One

Major League Baseball is a thankless job, isn’t it? It’s almost like parenting, you work your tail off and you’re still expected to do a little more. Give a little more. Do a little better. It’s a large weight to carry on your shoulders every day but like parents MLB ball players do it. Again, much like parenting, there are times that you succeed but the first time you fail it’s all washed away. I said all that to bring to light exactly what is happening right now to a Yankees prospect, a Yankees prospect that is being severely overlooked this offseason. Jacob Lindgren.


Lindgren was taken with the first pick the Yankees had in the 2014 MLB Draft and was expected to move through the Yankees system rather quickly. Lindgren made his MLB debut early on in 2015 but an elbow injury derailed the beginning of his MLB career. Lindgren has bone spurs removed from his left elbow and missed the remainder of the 2015 season with surgery. While in the majors Lindgren did well and seemed to be slipping his way into Joe Girardi’s Circle of Trust but now it seems like no one remembers the name or mentions him anymore. Jacob Lindgren, the forgotten one.


Lindgren was not listed on either of Baseball America’s or Baseball Prospectus’s Top Yankees prospects list, although he did make my personal list, and was not listed in the Top 10 on MLB.com’s Pipeline list of prospects either. Lindgren is not being mentioned anywhere but here on The Greedy Pinstripes and that may be a good thing for him.


Lindgren went into the 2015 season with high hopes and expectations, entering the 2016 season he is the forgotten one. That’s a lot of weight off his shoulder and his left elbow and that may allow Lindgren to relax and do his thing like he did for Mississippi State or for the Yankees farm affiliates.


Don’t forget Jacob Lindgren ladies and gents or he’s going to make you regret it.

Jacob Lindgren the Forgotten One

Major League Baseball is a thankless job, isn’t it? It’s almost like parenting, you work your tail off and you’re still expected to do a little more. Give a little more. Do a little better. It’s a large weight to carry on your shoulders every day but like parents MLB ball players do it. Again, much like parenting, there are times that you succeed but the first time you fail it’s all washed away. I said all that to bring to light exactly what is happening right now to a Yankees prospect, a Yankees prospect that is being severely overlooked this offseason. Jacob Lindgren.

Lindgren was taken with the first pick the Yankees had in the 2014 MLB Draft and was expected to move through the Yankees system rather quickly. Lindgren made his MLB debut early on in 2015 but an elbow injury derailed the beginning of his MLB career. Lindgren has bone spurs removed from his left elbow and missed the remainder of the 2015 season with surgery. While in the majors Lindgren did well and seemed to be slipping his way into Joe Girardi’s Circle of Trust but now it seems like no one remembers the name or mentions him anymore. Jacob Lindgren, the forgotten one.

Lindgren was not listed on either of Baseball America’s or Baseball Prospectus’s Top Yankees prospects list, although he did make my personal list, and was not listed in the Top 10 on MLB.com’s Pipeline list of prospects either. Lindgren is not being mentioned anywhere but here on The Greedy Pinstripes and that may be a good thing for him.

Lindgren went into the 2015 season with high hopes and expectations, entering the 2016 season he is the forgotten one. That’s a lot of weight off his shoulder and his left elbow and that may allow Lindgren to relax and do his thing like he did for Mississippi State or for the Yankees farm affiliates.

Don’t forget Jacob Lindgren ladies and gents or he’s going to make you regret it. 

Weekly Check in: Jorge Mateo

Jorge Mateo has been the talk of the town in recent weeks in regards to prospects in the Yankees farm system. Both Baseball Prospectus and Baseball American released their post-draft Top 50 Prospects List and while Mateo was not quite able to crack the list and join Luis Severino and Aaron Judge the Yankees 20 year old shortstop did get honorable mentions on both lists.

Mateo has eclipsed the 50 stolen base plateau this season for the Charleston Riverdogs and has opened eyes not only at Baseball Prospectus and Baseball America but has also opened the eyes of many Yankees fans. Mateo seems to be the future for not only these top prospects lists but also seems to be the future of the Yankees farm system and the future at the shortstop position.

Mateo’s biggest knock against him has been his bat and he has made tremendous strides this season with it. While he isn’t a .300 hitter, and honestly he may never be, he has shown an ability to get on base, gap power and a baseball IQ beyond his years.

Mateo is the future and we are all witnesses, cheesy I know but it really is the way I feel. 

Year	Lev	G	PA	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2015	A	76	325	37	79	13	7	2	29	56	25	64	.271	.333	.384	.717

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Two Yankees Make Baseball America's Top 50 Prospects List

This morning we went over the Top 50 Prospects List that was released earlier this week by Baseball Prospectus, which was a subscription only piece, but BP wasn't the only group to release a list as Baseball America also did. I trust Baseball America's rankings a lot more than I do Baseball Prospectus personally because Keith Law does not work for BA but both are just opinion and it's really to each their own. One similarity between the two lists is the two names of Yankees farm hands that made the list, Aaron Judge and Luis Severino.

Much like BP's list the Yankees outfielder, and the best outfielder in the game according to both lists,Judge was ranked 13th overall but the similarities stop when it comes to Severino. While BP and Law think Severino is destined for the Yankees bullpen before it's all said and done BA thinks more highly of the New York RHP and has him ranked 17th overall on their list. Before the season BA had Severino ranked 35th and Judge ranked 53rd showing that both players have made significant climbs on the list this season.

Much like BP's list the Dodgers Cory Seager is the top overall prospect in Major League Baseball followed by the Nationals Lucas Giolito and the Rangers Joey Gallo.

Two Yankees Make Baseball Prospectus Top 50 List

Baseball Prospectus released their Top 50 Mid-Season Prospects List this week, subs required unfortunately, and a pair of New York Yankees made the list. While the two Yankees farm hands who made the list, Luis Severino and Aaron Judge, seem obvious but who was ranked higher? What positions were they ranked in? Keep reading.

Baseball Prospectus likes Judge a lot more than they do Severino which is evident by Judge's #13 ranking and Severino's #28 ranking. Judge was praised for his ability to use all fields and his plus defense despite being a bigger guy in stature while Severino's frame and size once again came into question. BP wonders if Severino is a Major League starting pitcher or a pitcher better suited for the back end of the bullpen while the group's questions surrounding Judge have been limited.

Judge was ranked 49th overall on BP's pre-season list while Severino was ranked 51st so both have made significant strides this season not only because of promotions but because of their on the field play. You have to remember one thing though, Keith Law is probably the biggest Severino "hater" for lack of a better word and is on the BP payroll which probably explains the low ranking.

For your information the Los Angeles Dodgers have the top prospect in all of baseball now with shortstop Cory Seager while Washington Nationals RHP Lucas Giolito and Texas Rangers first baseman Joey Gallo round out the Top 3. With all the promotions of the likes of Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs and Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins the list has been shaken up quite a bit lately.

ICYMI: Baseball Prospectus Release Yankees Top 10 Prospects

Baseball Prospectus released their Top 10 Yankees prospects list so here's the list HERE with write ups and such. If you're lazy or don't want to leave the blog, and who could blame you, see below for the list.

1. OF Aaron Judge
2. RHP Luis Severino
3. C Gary Sanchez
4. LHP Ian Clarkin
5. SS Jorge Mateo
6. 2B/OF Rob Refsnyder
7. 1B Greg Bird
8. CF Leonardo Molina
9. LHP Jacob Lindgren
10. C Luis Torrens

Baseball Prospectus Ranks Yankees Farm #21

The New York Yankees farm system has been ranked from Baseball Prospectus and their ranking is a far cry from Kylie McDaniel's #10 ranking. BP ranked New York's farm system as the 21st best in the majors according to their rankings. The Cubs, Twins and Dodgers took the Top Three spots in that order while the Yankees are up two spots from last season.

Here is an excerpt from the ranking from BP:

State of the System: A spending spree last summer in the international market, the depths of which might force a change in the international spending structure, has turned the Yankees system into one of the most balanced in the game. There isn’t a ton of impact talent near the majors, though Aaron Judge is emerging as a key piece of the future, and Luis Severino is going to make an impact soon, though 10 different scouts will give you 10 different answers on how. Then there’s the youth movement from last summer, most of whom are still teenagers and won’t be seen in the big leagues for a half-decade, if at all, but could make for some of the most intriguing GCL teams in the league’s history. - See more at: http://riveraveblues.com/#sthash.BIiPHnaZ.dpuf

Two Yankees Appear in Baseball Prospectus Top 101 Prospects List

Another day of Prospects Month here on the blog and another Top Prospects list to bring you, this time the list from Baseball Prospectus ranking the Top 101 Prospects in Major League Baseball. We wouldn't be here reading this if there weren't a couple of Yankees that made the list so let's get right down to it. There is no shock here that both Aaron Judge and Luis Severino made the list representing the New York Yankees.

Aaron Judge ranked 49th while Severino ranked 51st which is surprising to see Judge actually ranked ahead of Severino. You have to pay for the write ups so I cannot exactly bring those to you unfortunately but if you were wondering the Twins Byron Buxton still occupies the top spot.

Baseball Prospectus Release Yankees Top 10 Prospects

Baseball Prospectus released their Top 10 Yankees prospects list so here's the list HERE with write ups and such. If you're lazy or don't want to leave the blog, and who could blame you, see below for the list.

1. OF Aaron Judge
2. RHP Luis Severino
3. C Gary Sanchez
4. LHP Ian Clarkin
5. SS Jorge Mateo
6. 2B/OF Rob Refsnyder
7. 1B Greg Bird
8. CF Leonardo Molina
9. LHP Jacob Lindgren
10. C Luis Torrens

Yankees Rank Low On 25-and-Under List

Baseball Prospectus released their 25-and-Under Talent Rankings, which you can check out for free. Then again, as a Yankees fan, you might not want to.

The Yankees were ranked 28th on the list, which honestly isn't all that surprising. The only player 25 or under who, will for sure make the big league roster for sure, is Masahiro Tanaka. Other than Tanaka, Michael Pineda may make the team as well. After that you have 8 players who have yet to make an impact in Major League Baseball.

Personally I couldn't care less about how old the Yankees are. Sure, having good/young players is great, as it helps the future of the team, but I'm more concerned with whether or not they can win. And I think this Yankees team, although they certainly have room for improvement, can win.

Baseball Prospectus: Yankees Have 23rd Best Farm

Baseball Prospectus has released their annual rankings of all 30 Major League Baseball's farm systems and the Yankees came in at #23. Ouch! You don't need a subscription to read the article, SEEN HERE from BP, that has the Minnesota Twins with Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano at the top spot followed by the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Much like every other list the Los Angeles Angels are the last team on the list followed closely by the Milwaukee Brewers and surprisingly the Oakland Athletics.

Here is the Yankees write up from the article:

23. New York Yankees
Farm System Ranking in 2013: 14
2014 Top Ten Prospects: Link
State of the System: The Yankees have talent in the minors—which helps separate them from the poorer systems in baseball—but down years from key prospects caused the system to yo-yo from middle of the pack to the bottom third.
Top Prospect: Gary Sanchez (85)
Breakout Candidates for 2014: Luis Severino and Luis Torrens
Prospects on the BP 101: 1
Must-See Affiliate: Short-Season Staten Island
Prospects to See There: Luis Severino, Luis Torrens, Ian Clarkin, Gosuke Katoh, Thairo Estrada
Farm System Trajectory for 2015: Up. In a talented yet schizophrenic system, all it takes is a return to form from some of the more heralded names on the farm and the Yankees will shoot back up the org rankings.