My Thoughts Following a Week of MLB Baseball

The New York Yankees almost have a week under their belts as well as all the other 29 MLB teams in the league so here are my thoughts on the first week of a wild 2016 MLB Season.

• The Yankees were one blown call and one pitcher not wanting to drill Carlos Correa away from a sweep of the Houston Astros in the opening series of the season. They say you can't win a division in April but you sure can lose it, keep this one game in the back of your heads come September. 

• The umpires were told to strictly enforce the new slide rule. Jose Bautista was called for it once this season on a perfectly legal slide, legal until he grabbed the second baseman's ankle that is. When did Bautista become such a dirty player?

• After the start to the season that Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story got we may never see Jose Reyes in a Rockies uniform again. 

• Robert Refsnyder who? Starlin Castro looks like an absolute steal in the first week of the season. 

• Kyle Schwarber is done for the season. You have to think that will affect the Chicago Cubs this season. They are deep, deeper than most, but he is a big bat to lose. 

• Carlos Correa is showing off and Carlos Gomez is a show off. One has every right to be and the other has no right to be. You choose which is which. 

• It's still early and it's still cold. I'm not worried about the starts from the Yankees staff yet nor am I worried about the lack of offense at times or the bullpen. Talk to me again in a few weeks, then I may start worrying. 

• David Ortiz is not going to go out in his final season quietly.

When Did Bat Flipping & Showing Up Your Opponent Become Okay Again?

Many times I find myself not watching the MLB Playoffs or the World Series if the New York Yankees aren’t in it, I can’t help it but the games just aren’t as interesting for me without a vesting personal interest. This season I decided to go against the grain a bit and watch as much playoff baseball as I could, although obviously I’ve missed more than my fair share, and I see a trend developing that I find to be pretty disturbing, the bat flip and showing up your opponent apparently is okay again.

I saw it happen in the American League Wild Card Game when the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros faced off head-to-head. Carlos Gomez is known to be a confident player, I call it cocky but whatever, and had a bat flip while Colby Rasmus did as well on what turned out to be the game-winning home run off Masahiro Tanaka. I didn’t like it as a fan and I’m sure the Yankees players and Tanaka specifically didn’t appreciate it either, just a hunch. The bat flipping didn’t stop there though as Jose Bautista did one as well in Game 5 of the ALDS. I understand that was the biggest postseason home run since Joe Carter’s walk-off home run against the Philadelphia Phillies but there is a higher purpose at stake here, it’s called respect.

In Game One of the 2015 World Series the Kansas City Royals came from behind to beat the New York Mets on a walk-off sacrifice fly by Royals star Eric Hosmer. Naturally when the winning run crossed the plate in front of his home crowd an emphatic bat flip and helmet toss came along with the victory once again. Celebrating is one thing, disrespecting the opposing team, pitcher and fan base is another and there is a fine line. Bat flips, in my opinion, are crossing that line.

Come to think of it… the Astros lost the series after their bat flips. The Blue Jays lost their series against these same Royals after the Jose Bautista bat flip seen round the world. Are the Royals the next victim of some instant karma? Guess you’ll have to stay tuned. 

AL Wild Card Game: New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros 10/6

Here we go ladies and gentleman the game that we as Yankees fans have been waiting 162 games for, the return of the New York Yankees to the postseason. Call it a play-in game if you want to, call if a playoff game if you don’t but regardless there are 20 MLB teams sitting at home right now while New York is among the 10 teams still vying for the World Series trophy. The first step in most anything you do is usually the hardest and Major League Baseball is no exception as the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros face off head-to-head in a do-or-die one-game playoff series tonight. When you have one game to win who do you turn to? Well if you’re the Yankees you turn to your Japanese-born ace and star Masahiro Tanaka and if you’re Houston you turn to Dallas Keuchel the AL’s only 20-game winner in 2015. The game will be played at 8:08 pm ET and can be seen on ESPN.

Keys to the Game for the Yankees brought to you by The Greedy Pinstripes (@GreedyStripes on Twitter):

• Keep Jose Altuve off the bases
• Jump on Keuchel early and often in the 1^st inning
• Patience! Take pitches and get into the bullpen after the 1st
• Don’t beat yourselves defensively
• Talent overrides bad decisions, this team is talented just have to show it
• Hit Carlos Gomez. I mean, just if you want to

I only ask one thing from the fans tonight, bring the confidence and bring the optimism. There’s no need to boo the team for every strikeout, every RISPfail and every hit or run allowed. This team will go NOWHERE without the cheers and the energy of the crowd, nowhere. I also ask just one thing of the team, send me a sign. If you’re going to lose put me out of my misery early. If you’re going to win then jump out early and often. My heart can’t take it, although you have my heart regardless. Go. Yankees!

Recap: Yankees 1, Astros 0

Nathan Eovaldi tossed eight shutout innings and the Yankees edged the Astros, 1-0, on Monday night at Yankee Stadium.

Just What They Needed: With the team's bullpen gassed following Sunday's loss to the Indians, Eovaldi gave the Yankees eight frames of four-hit ball -- holding the Astros to 0-for-7 with RISP while walking three and striking out seven. Eovaldi stayed out of trouble for the most part on the evening, but when the visitors put men on base in the fifth and sixth, the righty saw to it they never passed third.

Walk-Off: The Yankees' bats were virtually nonexistent in eight innings against Scott Feldman, but their luck began to turn when Oliver Perez took the hill for the ninth. Perez -- a lefty with a 3.06 ERA -- walked three consecutive (one intentionally) to load the bases, and after he was removed for Chad Qualls, the Yankees won it on a sac fly by Carlos Beltran. 

Probably Should Have Scored There: The Yankees put runners on the corners with none out in the seventh, but failed to score when Greg Bird struck out and Chase Headley lined into an 8-2 double play. Headley, hitless in three at-bats on the evening, actually made good contact on the inning-ender, but his efforts ultimately went for naught after Carlos Gomez gunned down Brian McCann at the plate.

Probably Should Have Scored There, Too: Didi Gregorius and Stephen Drew -- of all people -- led-off the third with a pair of singles, but again, the Yankees couldn't capitalize on the threat. Jacoby Ellsbury hit into a fielder's choice, Brett Gardner fanned and Alex Rodriguez flied to shallow right, wasting an opportunity they usually won't get from the bottom of the lineup.

He's Baaack: Mark Teixeira was seen in the on-deck circle prior to Beltran's sac fly, apparently pinch-hitting for the 0-for-3 Bird. Teixeira obviously never got a chance in the batter's box, but this could be a sign that his health is improving.

Next Up: The Yankees and Astros continue this three-game series with another meeting on Tuesday, the Yanks starting Ivan Nova (5-5, 3.72 ERA) versus Houston's Dallas Keuchel (14-6, 2.37 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET, with YES and WFAN calling the action.

Most Popular Article of the Week: Milwaukee Brewers Potential Trade Partners

The New York Yankees are still atop the American League East despite essentially black holes at second base and right field while the bullpen that was showcased as a plus has been anything but. I’ve said it in every one of these posts and I’ll say it again here, the American League East Division will be decided by the July 31st trading deadline. While the last two teams we covered, the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox, are unsure of whether they will sell or not but one thing for sure is the Milwaukee Brewers will sell this summer, could the Yankees take advantage?


Milwaukee has stated that they would like to build around, not sell off, pieces like starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson, catcher Jonathan LuCroy and shortstop Jean Segura but the team would be willing to sell on about anyone else. The list of available players for trade is highlighted by center fielder Carlos Gomez and closer Francisco Rodriguez while Aramis Ramirez and others will likely be shipped off before seasons end. The only two players that would really fill a need for New York would be second baseman Scooter Gennett, who the team would like to hold onto if they could, and very expensive outfielder Ryan Braun. Gennett is hitting .240 and has posted a .279 OBP this season with four home runs and 16 RBI. Gennett would not come cheap and is likely out of the Yankees budget as far as prospects go. Young middle infielders with upside, good defense and pop are hard to come by these days making Gennett unlikely to even be traded, let alone to the Yankees.


Braun is intriguing to some, not so much to others. He has had issues with his thumb for the last few seasons and has seen a steep decline in his numbers as well. Braun was also involved in the Biogenesis scandal that cost Alex Rodriguez his 2014 season while he also comes attached to a hefty salary with all these questions marks making his acquisition questionable. What is not questionable is his on the field performance which is evident by his .273 average, .339 OBP, 15 home runs and 55 RBI. Braun would give the Yankees another middle of the order bat that hits from the right side and an enormous upgrade over Carlos Beltran. If the Yankees take on the whole salary they could also pay less in terms of prospects, but would they?



Honestly New York would not make the trade for Braun. The team has aspirations of getting under the luxury tax threshold either in 2017 or 2018 and Braun’s contract that runs through the 2021 season (his age 32-37 seasons) for $111 million doesn’t exactly fit into that plan. If Braun was able to replicate his numbers he posted earlier in his career he’d still be a bargain for $20 million or less annually and could replace the production left behind when Mark Teixeira and A-Rod’s contract expires but I just can’t see the Yankees doing it. It makes too much sense to do it now when they can wait until he’s broken down and 35 or 36 years old and get him in a “salary dump” type trade. Silly Yankees.

Potential Trade Partners: The Milwaukee Brewers

The New York Yankees are still atop the American League East despite essentially black holes at second base and right field while the bullpen that was showcased as a plus has been anything but.  I’ve said it in every one of these posts and I’ll say it again here, the American League East Division will be decided by the July 31^st trading deadline. While the last two teams we covered, the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox, are unsure of whether they will sell or not but one thing for sure is the Milwaukee Brewers will sell this summer, could the Yankees take advantage?

Milwaukee has stated that they would like to build around, not sell off, pieces like starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson, catcher Jonathan LuCroy and shortstop Jean Segura but the team would be willing to sell on about anyone else. The list of available players for trade is highlighted by center fielder Carlos Gomez and closer Francisco Rodriguez while Aramis Ramirez and others will likely be shipped off before seasons end. The only two players that would really fill a need for New York would be second baseman Scooter Gennett, who the team would like to hold onto if they could, and very expensive outfielder Ryan Braun. Gennett is hitting .240 and has posted a .279 OBP this season with four home runs and 16 RBI. Gennett would not come cheap and is likely out of the Yankees budget as far as prospects go. Young middle infielders with upside, good defense and pop are hard to come by these days making Gennett unlikely to even be traded, let alone to the Yankees.

Braun is intriguing to some, not so much to others. He has had issues with his thumb for the last few seasons and has seen a steep decline in his numbers as well. Braun was also involved in the Biogenesis scandal that cost Alex Rodriguez his 2014 season while he also comes attached to a hefty salary with all these questions marks making his acquisition questionable. What is not questionable is his on the field performance which is evident by his .273 average, .339 OBP, 15 home runs and 55 RBI. Braun would give the Yankees another middle of the order bat that hits from the right side and an enormous upgrade over Carlos Beltran. If the Yankees take on the whole salary they could also pay less in terms of prospects, but would they?

Honestly New York would not make the trade for Braun. The team has aspirations of getting under the luxury tax threshold either in 2017 or 2018 and Braun’s contract that runs through the 2021 season (his age 32-37 seasons) for $111 million doesn’t exactly fit into that plan. If Braun was able to replicate his numbers he posted earlier in his career he’d still be a bargain for $20 million or less annually and could replace the production left behind when Mark Teixeira and A-Rod’s contract expires but I just can’t see the Yankees doing it. It makes too much sense to do it now when they can wait until he’s broken down and 35 or 36 years old and get him in a “salary dump” type trade. Silly Yankees.