So it Seems… Happy Thanksgiving

Good morning everyone, I hope everyone reading this is well. I know Thanksgiving isn’t technically until tomorrow but there will be no guarantees that I will be around then so I wanted to go ahead and send my warm wishes to you all today instead. Happy Thanksgiving to all reading who celebrate, and to everyone else… just enjoy your day.

May your day be filled with love, friends, family, food, football or whatever could possibly make this day special to you. Enjoy and remember, those $1.50 towels at Wal Mart and those “cheap” TV’s aren’t worth it people. They aren’t. Enjoy your day and thank you for your continued support of the blog.

Especially you. Hey you. I loves you. Everything I am is because of you so everything I am thankful for begins and ends with you. You are at the center of everything, you are my universe. You are my soul. You are my heart. I love you. 

Potential Black Friday Deals for the New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are preaching austerity once again and the general consensus is the team is not going to be one of 30 trampling over each other to get the next “great deal” via free agency. New York could be looking at adding a starting pitcher, another bullpen piece or maybe even another middle infielder to either upgrade over Brendan Ryan or to fill in at second base if the team doesn’t have the utmost confidence in Robert Refsnyder and Dustin Ackley like I do. New York will be present and accounted for when Black Friday (free agency) really kicks off and rush is on but instead of trampling over people for the latest and greatest toys (David Price, Jordan Zimmerman, Yoenis Cespedes), they will likely be content with these lesser known deals. 

Nobody wants Doug Fister after one bad season in Washington, nobody. If it weren't for the absolutely deep free agent market Fister would still be in high demand. That's baseball and it could be the Yankees gain if they truly want a starting pitcher. Fister may be forced into taking a one year deal to build value and that's right up the Yankees alley. Fister had forearm problems that set the tone for much of his season and if those are behind him the Yankees could get a decent middle-of-the-rotation starter for relatively nothing.

Steve Pearce is a name I keep linking to the Yankees because it makes so much sense. He'll likely come on a one year deal and can play the outfield, first base and second base. Pearce is a right-handed bat with pop potential that pretty much finishes out the Yankees bench. Well, if they didn't have Brendan Ryan and a platoon at second base.

Yovani Gallardo is getting ground balls on nearly 50% of his pitches thrown, that's huge. He doesn't strike out as many batters as he used to but he doesn't give up home runs either. Gallardo proved he could pitch in a hitter friendly ball park after pitching for the Texas Rangers last year so I can't see him pitching inside Yankee Stadium being the problem. You know what is the problem though? Texas offered him a qualifying offer. 

Let the Free Agency Black Friday Deals Begin

Thanksgiving is over. The turkey is cooked, the ham is eaten and the stuffing has me stuffed. What better way to follow up a day of gluttonous eating and showing our thanks for everything we have in this world than to trample over people in a retail store for our own greed and pleasure. In America we call this “Black Friday” where you can risk your life and get in a fist fight over some cheap and flimsy Wal Mart towels all to save a couple hundred bucks. Me personally, I prefer to stay home under the covers and do all my Christmas shopping online, something that many teams around the league are likely doing right about now in free agency.

The first major free agents have yet to fall off the board this season and with the family functions over and the endless traveling back and forth for this dinner and that dinner the wheeling and dealing (you know, to burn calories and such) can begin. We’ve all seen these offseason’s before, it just takes one of these major free agents to pick a destination and the rest of the league scurries to grab up the remaining talent before it’s gone. Free agency is just like Black Friday, and these deals could be going fast.

Ben Zobrist is likely the most highly sought after 34-year old on the entire free agent market. When teams like the New York Yankees and the New York Mets are interested in your services you can understand why the switch hitting utility player is taking his time but until Zobrist comes off the board you are unlikely to see Howie Kendrick, Alexei Ramirez, Ian Desmond or any of the middle infield free agents specifically come off the board.

The Yankees are dangling Brett Gardner out in any and all trade offers this offseason and may have log-jammed the entire outfield market. Until Gardner is secure either in the Bronx or elsewhere it may be a while before we see a Denard Span or a Dexter Fowler come off the free agency board.

The Cincinnati Reds know how to get us all worked up just to let us down as fans. Last season we all thought Aroldis Chapman was going to be traded before the deadline and he wasn’t. Then recently a report surfaced that Chapman was going to be moved again and by that weekend. Chapman is still in Cincinnati which means no one is looking at trading for the Yankees Andrew Miller or any other closer until Chapman’s 2016 home is secure, even if it’s still inside the Great American Ball Park.

David Price despite being older than and presumably more expensive than Jordan Zimmermann is likely going to set the tone for the starting pitching market this winter. Until Price comes off the board Zimmermann, Johnny Cueto and others may simply sit by and wait idly while the left-hander makes up his mind.

And finally the relief pitching department, as fickle as it can be, may be at a standstill until former Baltimore Orioles right-hander Darren O’Day makes up his mind. O’Day is likely the best and most sought after free agent in the bullpen that’s not already a closer and is said to have much of the league interested in his services. Tyler Clippard, Ryan Madson and maybe even Joakim Soria continue to sit in limbo until someone grabs O’Day off that Black Friday pallet and brings him home this Christmas.

I hope everyone had a great and Happy Thanksgiving, an even better and a safe Black Friday and a great weekend.

Cyber Monday Deals Still Left on Tuesday: Positional Players

We’re back still hunting down the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals that are left over on this Tuesday afternoon and I found more than a few capable positional players that New York may want to take a look at.

• Jed Lowrie may only be a shortstop on the back of his baseball card but if the Yankees signed him they would probably see an improvement in range and defense over what the team had the past three or so seasons. Lowrie can still produce offensively and wouldn’t be a terrible fall back option at second base if the team gave the reigns to Jose Pirela or Robert Refsnyder to start the season. This team is built on options, flexibility and versatility and Lowrie gives the team all three.

• Alex Rios does not seem likely in an already crowded outfield in the Bronx but hear me out. The Yankees carried five outfielders last season with the idea of one of them alternating in the DH role. If the team can rid themselves of Alex Rodriguez, which I do not feel is likely admittedly, then a Rios deal makes sense here.

• Like Rios the same can be said for Delmon Young who actually made strides with his bat and his defense in 2014 with the Baltimore Orioles. Delmon is not good enough to not need a platoon partner but it is worth mentioning that he hit a career best .312 against right handed pitching in 2014 while producing his best defensive ratings of his career. Could Young possibly be a late bloomer?

Cyber Monday Deals Still Left on Tuesday: Pitchers

Don’t fret if you missed all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals Yankees fans because there are plenty of good deals still left out there this season. General Managers don’t take the holidays off in most cases so hopefully Brian Cashman is in his office reading this right now. Here are 10 good options to bring to the club in 2015 if the Max Scherzer and Jon Lester rumors from over the weekend are proved to be false.

• Brett Anderson, formerly of the Colorado Rockies, is just 26 years old and battled a disc issue in his back and a broken finger in 2014. If the Yankees can fix those issues or hope they are already fixed the team could get the once top Diamondbacks and Athletics prospect and not the broken down product we saw with the Rockies.

• Gavin Floyd, formerly of the Atlanta Braves, is coming off back to back elbow injuries including a Tommy John surgery and a broken elbow. Presumably Floyd would command a minor league deal with a split contract this season and I would hand that to him every day of the week.

• Jason Grilli, formerly of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim,  is 38 years old and more than likely going to take a one year contract from here on out until the righty decides to hand up his cleats. Grilli will not presumably request a closers role either which helps New York out if David Robertson leaves.

• Luke Hochevar, formerly of the Kansas City Royals, is just 31 years old and not far removed from elbow surgery. While his 5.2 H/9 ratio is not great I believe he is far enough removed from the surgery to improve on that exponentially in 2015. 

Yankees Announce 2014 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Ticket Deals

Yankees Press Release:

The New York Yankees today announced special holiday on-sale opportunities exclusively for MasterCard cardholders to purchase tickets for select 2015 New York Yankees home games in April, May and June.

Beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET on Black Friday (November 28) and continuing through 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24, all fans using their MasterCard may purchase specially priced individual game tickets to select 2015 New York Yankees home games in April, May and June as part of the “MasterCard Preferred Pricing” program, which offers discounts of up to $15 per ticket in select seating categories when purchasing using a MasterCard.

Select MasterCard $5 and Half-price Games will be available for purchase during the above on-sale.

Additionally, from 10:00 a.m. ET on Black Friday (November 28) through 11:59 p.m. on Cyber Monday (December 1) only, there will be a special “Buy 2, Get 2” offer. Fans can save up to 50 percent off select seats with this opportunity by using their MasterCard and the code MCB2G2. The “Buy 2, Get 2” offer is valid for four games during the 2015 season (May 8, May 22, May 26 and June 18).

Fans interested in taking advantage of the above special single-game MasterCard on-sale opportunities may purchase tickets by visiting www.yankees.com/priceless or www.yankeesbeisbol.com, or by calling Ticketmaster at (877) 469-9849 or (800) 943-4327 (TTY). This on-sale opportunity will not be available at the Yankee Stadium Ticket Office or Ticketmaster outlets.

Existing Yankees Season Ticket Licensees using their MasterCard will have special advanced access to all of the above ticket specials during an exclusive pre-on-sale from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ET on November 28.

Also on sale on www.yankees.com beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET on Black Friday (November 28) will be 16-game, 12-game and nine-game value plans for the 2015 regular season. The 16-game, 12-game and nine-game plan offers are available for all fans regardless of the form of payment. Nine-game plan offers are available starting at $90. Existing Yankees Season Ticket Licensees, regardless of the form of payment, may begin purchasing these value plans at 8:00 a.m. on November 28.

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The specifics of 2015 regular-season ticket specials (eg: Senior Citizen, Student, Youth, Military Personnel), as well as the 2015 regular season promotional schedule, will be announced at a later date.

The on-sale for all other 2015 individual game tickets will be announced at a later time.

Select Yankees season ticket plans are now available on both a full-season and partial-season basis. For complete season-ticket information, please visit yankees.com or yankeesbeisbol.com, contact the Season Ticket Sales and Service Department via email at seasontickets@yankees.com, or call (212) YANKEES [212-926-5337].

For group tickets for individual games during the 2015 regular season, a Yankees group sales representative can be reached at groups@yankees.com or by calling (212) YANKEES [212-926-5337]. Individual-game suites are available by contacting the Yankees Premium Sales and Services department at premium@yankees.com or (718) 508-3955.

Yankees Hosting Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals

The 2014 season looks like it has all the makings of another Yankees postseason birth, a long run into the playoffs, and possibly a World Series. The Yankees have already opened up their purse strings for catcher Brian McCann and more exciting and must see players seem to be in the pipeline as well, which not seeing Chris Stewart anymore is reason enough to head back to Yankee Stadium. The Yankees are getting into the Black Friday and Cyber Monday game by offering Black Friday deals on Yankees tickets.

The New York Yankees are the premier franchise in all of professional sports having won an unprecedented 27 World Series Championships throughout their storied history. As such they have rarely offered discounted ticket specials. However for 2014 season they have decided to reward their loyal fan base by offering some fantastic deals for the upcoming season. Beginning at 12 pm EST on Black Friday (November 29) and lasting until December 24th the Yankees, in conjunction with MasterCard, will offer three different promotions for fans to purchase tickets. 

MasterCard Preferred Pricing

• $15 off select seats when purchasing tickets with your MasterCard. 
• Available for every home game through June.
• New for the 2014 season! 

MasterCard Holiday Buy 2, Get 2

• Save 50% on select seats (Terrace Level, Grandstand Level or Bleachers) for the following games:
• Must be purchased with a MasterCard between 12 pm EST on Black Friday (11/29) through Cyber Monday (12/2). 
• Entering the promo code “MCB2G2” at check out. 

Offer available for these games:

• 4/8 vs Baltimore Orioles 
• 4/9 vs Baltimore Orioles 
• 4/15 vs Chicago Cubs
• 4/16 vs Chicago Cubs
• 4/29 vs Seattle Mariners
• 4/30 vs Seattle Mariners
• 5/1 vs Seattle Mariners

MasterCard $5 & 1/2 Priced Games

• Tickets available in select areas of the Stadium in the Terrace Level, Grandstand Level or Bleachers
• Tickets must be purchased with a MasterCard.
• Tickets can be purchased on the day of the game. 

Offer available for these games: 

• 4/9 vs Baltimore Orioles
• 4/29 vs Seattle Mariners
• 4/30 vs Seattle Mariners
• 5/1 vs Seattle Mariners
• 6/3 vs Oakland Athletics
• 6/17 vs Toronto Blue Jays

To take advantage of these great deals on 2014 New York Yankees tickets, click here.