Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers 5/23

And just like that it is game time here in Arlington, Texas between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers. In the finale of this three-game set this week the Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound to square off with Doug Fister for the Rangers. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Globe Life Park in Arlington 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 the legendary duo of 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, it’s Gleyber Day, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers 5/23

Good morning everyone and welcome back to Arlington, Texas, the location of the third and final game of a three-game set between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers. The Yankees offense has remained hot and the pitching has done enough to keep the team rolling and they will look to do so again tonight with CC Sabathia toeing the rubber for New York. The Rangers will counter with Doug Fister for the finale. Let’s get to it here in Arlington, Texas.

Sabathia finally took his first loss of the 2018 season in his last start against the Kansas City Royals. Sabathia pitched well enough to win but his start was foiled by shaky defense behind him including two errors by Gleyber Torres.

Fister does not have a win for the Rangers since March 30 despite having his best start of the season last time out. Fister pitched seven scoreless innings last time out against the Chicago White Sox striking out four while allowing six hits, but the start ended in a no-decision for the Rangers right-hander.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Globe Life Park in Arlington 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 the legendary duo of John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Enjoy the game, like a good Gleyber… Torres is there, and go Yankees!!

Hello… How the Mighty Have Fallen

Good morning everyone and Happy Hump Day to all. We are halfway there, and former Yankees right-hander and phenom Phil Hughes is presumably halfway to finding himself on a new team for the 2018 season. Phil Hughes was designated for assignment by the Minnesota Twins this week, how the mighty have fallen.

Hughes is making $13.2 million this season and will make another $13.2 million for the 2019 season, a total that the Twins will presumably be obligated to pay after the DFA. Hughes has pitched just 12 innings this season for the pitching-starved Twins and sports a 6.75 ERA as both a starter and as a relief pitcher.

The New York Yankees drafted Hughes with their first-round pick in 2004 and subsequently let him walk via free agency before the 2014 season. Hughes signed a three-year deal worth $24 million with the Twins before the 2014 season and posted a 16-10 record with a 3.52 ERA in 32 starts and 209.2 innings pitched. That was a high for Hughes, it was all downhill from there. Hughes dealt with back issues in 2015, a broken leg in 2016, a surgery to remove a rib, a bout with thoracic outlet syndrome, arm fatigue, hand numbness, and shoulder discomfort.

The Twins now have a week to trade him or let him walk with his $26.4 million. Must be nice to suck and make more than I will ever make over the course of my life while being awesome. And humble too. Former Yankees update, Phil Hughes sucks! The end.

And my baby, I love you. Seven more days. Lucky number seven. I’ve always loved you, and I will always love you.

Turkey Leftovers Are History, Bring On Some Baseball Action! ...

Waiting for Otani...

Given every other writer (or blogger in my case) has written that this has been the slowest off-season in recent memory, I will do my obligatory part to say that it’s been so slow.  November 29th and the best we can say is that former Boston Red Sox starter Doug Fister has signed a free agent contract with the Texas Rangers. The Red Sox picked Fister up off the scrap heap last summer and he gave them some decent starts down the stretch when they had holes popping up in other parts of the starting rotation. Good for him that he parlayed it into some sense of short-term job security in Texas.

I expected the Thanksgiving weekend to be quiet and it was. No Yankees news other than the preparation by all teams for the much anticipated posting of Japanese superstar Shohei Otani which should occur shortly after Friday when the MLB Owners ratify the new posting agreement. The Yankees are obvious favorites but of course some teams have been very vocal about their intent to pursue the two-way star.  The loudest has been the Seattle Mariners. We know that this move is not about money so the fact the Yankees can offer the second highest amount of green does not necessarily mean anything. I’ve felt all along that this move, for now, is about the endorsement dollars. I read one writer say Otani could make up to $20 million per year in endorsement deals between the United States and Japan. I realize that Otani played in a smaller market in Japan for a “ham company” but I feel that if he wants to be the best, there is none other than the New York Yankees for him. He’d have the opportunity to play in the greatest city (highest potential for endorsement deals) and he’d join a young team on the verge of something truly special.  His age would fit nicely with the other Baby Bombers to ensure an extended competitive run for the duration of his stay. He’d have a pitcher on the Yankees pitching staff that could help serve as a mentor (Masahiro Tanaka) and he’d have access to one of Japan’s greatest baseball players with Hideki Matsui (who knew a thing or two about incredible clutch hitting), currently special assistant to GM Brian Cashman.

I think it is an easy decision for Otani but of course, at this point, it is anybody’s guess where he ends up. In the end, I do hope it is Team Yankees while recognizing there are risks with a player attempting to both pitch and hit on a regular basis. Otani is a special talent and there may never be an opportunity to get a player of his caliber for only $3.5 million under team control for multiple years. No question that fits into Hal Steinbrenner’s 2018 budget.

Next Up, Carlos Beltran...

Carlos Beltran will become the sixth man interviewed for the Yankees managerial opening today. I like Carlos and I value his ability to communicate with players and the media, but I struggle with the idea of the player-to-manager path with no coaching experience. I wouldn’t mind seeing Beltran as part of the Yankees coaching staff but I’d really prefer someone who at least has coaching experience as its new manager. I saw a bunch of tweets yesterday that compared Beltran to Joe Torre as a player who successfully made the transition. But no one was mentioning that Torre’s record with his first team, the New York Mets, was a .405 winning percentage (286-420). He didn’t experience post-season success until he managed his fourth team, the Yankees. Beltran may prove to be an excellent manager one day but for a team that is positioned for success now, I’d rather not have a guy learning on the job.  

Credit:  MLB.com

Yankees fan yesterday, Yankee today...

Credit to Peter Gammons for this piece that I found interesting. Newly acquired RHP Michael King (who joined the Yankees in the trade that sent LHP Caleb Smith and 1B Garrett Cooper to the Miami Marlins) was a second team All-State performer for Bishop Hendricksen High School in Warwick, Rhode Island in 2012. That summer he played in the Annual Summer Rivalry Classic held for Northeastern high school kids at Yankee Stadium. Among the free offerings that day was bubble gum that King was very fond of, stuffing perhaps 6 or 7 sticks of gum into his mouth at one point. Asked what he did with that big wad of gum, King indicated that he stuck it under the bench. According to Gammons, King, a childhood Yankees fan, said, “I figured I’d get it back when I get back there to the bullpen as a Yankee.” I love that story and the optimism. I look forward to the dream being fulfilled.  

The Bronx, Home of MLB's Best Executive...

Congratulations to Brian Cashman for being named as Baseball America’s 2017 Major League Executive of the Year! It was a much deserved honor for the great GM. It probably doesn’t hurt the contract negotiations for his new deal either. Hal Steinbrenner issued a statement that read, “Brian plays a crucial role in our success, and I’ve known for quite some time how fortunate we are to have him leading our Baseball Operations Department. He cares deeply about this franchise and our fans, and he skillfully navigates the many challenges that come with holding the position he does in the media capital of the world.” Not bad for a kid who grew up as a Dodgers fan. He is ensuring that his name will be forever marked in Yankees history as one of the great pillars of success. Next stop, World Series!  

Credit:  Stan Grossfield, Boston Globe Staff

Like everyone else, I am ready for some real off-season baseball action. But I am sure that once the calendar page turns to December, we’d better hold on. It should be a fun ride! 

Go Yankees!

Seriously? It Was Only Doug Friggin' Fister...

Credit:  Paul J Bereswill-NY Post

Red Sox 4, Yankees 1...

For Friday's starters, the Yankees previously sent three of their top prospects to the Oakland A's for their ace while the Boston Red Sox picked up their's off the scrap heap.  Nothing against Doug Fister but there's no way he should look like Corey Kluber or Chris Sale on the mound.  However, for yesterday's game, the listless Yankees made him appear to be one of the game's aces as the Red Sox easily got past the Yankees.

Credit:  Corey Perrine-Getty Images

When the Yankees scored first, on Aaron Judge's first RBI against the Red Sox since April, it looked like it might be the start of something good with Sonny Gray on the mound.  But after that point, the Yankees didn't have to worry about their problem with runners in scoring position because they couldn't get any.  

After Gray breezed through the Red Sox in the top of the first, the Yankees got to business in the bottom of the inning.  Brett Gardner led off with a double to deep center, bouncing on the warning track and off the wall.  Aaron Judge followed him with another double to the wall in left center to score Gardy with the game's first run.  Sadly, at that moment, the Yankees forgot that it was only Doug Fister on the mound.  The next three hitters grounded out and the Yankees had seen their last RISP when Judge was left standing at second.

The Red Sox erased the Yankees' lead in the top of the 3rd.  After striking out Sandy Leon, Gray walked Brock Holt.  Eduardo Nunez made him pay for it with a two-run shot to left. Brett Gardner could only watch as the ball sail into the stands.  From there, the Red Sox tacked on a couple of unnecessary insurance runs in the form of solo home runs.

Andrew Benintendi, doing to the Yankees what I can only wish Aaron Judge would do to the Red Sox, pounded a Gray pitch into the right field stands (nearly into the Judge's Chambers) in the top of the 5th.

Credit:  Bill Kostroun-Associated Press

Hanley Ramirez, having a down year against any team not called the Yankees, drilled a shot to right center in the top of the 7th.  

I'd like to find a positive in the game but unfortunately I can't.  Both Gray and Fister went seven innings with 98 pitches.  Gray only gave up one more hit than Fister (five to four) but the three home runs were the difference maker.  We needed Gray to have his finest moment in Pinstripes but instead it was the Red Sox partying on the field after the game.  

Credit:  Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Aroldis Chapman pitched the eighth inning.  He gave a hit (a single to Mookie Betts) but recorded all three outs by strikeout. Velocity didn't seem to be a problem with Chapman hitting nearly 105 mph on a pitch that Dustin Pedroia fouled off.  Adam Warren also pitched an inning of one-hit, scoreless relief.  

I'm sorry, there was one positive in the game.  Bernie Williams did a great job of playing the National Anthem on his guitar during pre-game ceremonies.  I will always appreciate #51.  

This was a very winnable game.  Instead, the Yankees (71-63) are back to 5 1/2 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East standings.  The Baltimore Orioles won, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 in extra innings, so they are just 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees.  New York maintained its one game lead in the Wild Card standings thanks to the Minnesota Twins' 7-6 loss to the Kansas City Royals, but there are seven AL teams within striking distance (3 1/2 games or less).  

The Yankees need to take care of business. If they go down fighting, it's one thing.  When they go down meekly, it is unacceptable.  

Odds & Ends...

The Yankees made the first of their September call-ups with names you'd expect to see:  DH Matt Holliday, C Erik Kratz (acquired solely to back up Gary Sanchez and Austin Romine while they serve their staggered suspensions), RHP Bryan Mitchell, LHP Jordan Montgomery, and RHP Ben Heller.  To make room for Kratz on the 40-man roster, the Yankees moved RHP Luis Cessa (ribcage injury) to the 60-day DL.  I am glad to see that the Kratz move didn't result in a "forced" DFA.  I didn't see an easy candidate to dump.  There will be other names to follow but the Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders will begin play in the International League play-offs next week so it may be a few weeks before we see guys like Miguel Andujar or Jake Cave.  

I thought CC Sabathia getting upset about Eduardo Nunez's bunt in the first inning of Thursday's game was a little over-reactionary (why not exploit an opponent's weakness?).  But Hall of Famer Jim Rice's comments about CC's weight were, in my opinion, out of line.  

Tyler Clippard must think he won the lottery.  A couple of months ago, he was pitching like the worst reliever in baseball for the Yankees.  Now, he finds himself with a vital role in the bullpen for a team poised to make a World Series run with starting pitchers led by Justin Verlander and Dallas Keuchel.  

Credit:  Christian Petersen-Getty Images

Have a great Saturday!  Here's hoping that Masa washes those dirty Sox.  Go Yankees!

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox 9/1

Friday night baseball in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Rivalry renewed. Let’s get to it. Tonight in the second matchup of the series between these two clubs the Yankees will send Sonny Gray to the mound to square off with Doug Fister for the Red Sox. Both teams need a win but the Yankees need that win just a little bit more so let’s hope they play like it tonight. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network, NESN, MLB Network and MLB TV. You can also follow along in your cars and on the radio by tuning into the WFAN broadcast with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Follow us on Twitter by giving @GreedyStripes a follow and enjoy the game. Need a win, get a big win. Go Yankees! Enjoy your weekend. 

The Yankees Offense vs. Doug Fister and the Red Sox Offense vs. Sonny Gray

The Yankees and the Red Sox continue their series in the Bronx here in a few hours and like most games tonight’s outcome will likely come down to the starting pitching in one way or another. With that being the case let’s take a look at tonight’s starters and how they have fared against the respective offenses on the other side of the diamond. Will these stats paint a clearer picture as to what we are about to watch? Who knows, you can’t predict baseball.

All stats courtesy of ESPN.com

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox 9/1

The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox will be back at it again tonight for the second time in their four-game extended weekend set. Last night we watched as two left-handed starters faced off head-to-head in CC Sabathia and Eduardo Rodriguez and tonight we will watch as Sonny Gray takes the ball for the Yankees and Doug Fister takes the ball for the Red Sox. Over the past couple offseasons I have clamored for the Yankees to sign Fister, even on a non-guaranteed deal, for insurance and such so if Fister pitches well tonight I may put aside my “small sample size” philosophy and rage a little bit. I can’t help it, it’s the fan and the passion for this team in me. Let’s hope the Yankees offense and Gray can make all this a moot point because I’m sure you guys and girls don’t want to hear me rant again. Or maybe you do J

Gray pitched like the pitcher the Yankees thought they were acquiring at the July 31^st trade deadline last time out against the Seattle Mariners allowing just a solo home run and two other hits while mixing in nine strikeouts in a victory. Gray has made five starts for the Yankees and has posted a 2-3 record with a 2.70 ERA in five starts including a loss to the Boston Red Sox on August 20. Many of these losses were due to lack of run support and not because Gray didn’t pitch well enough to win.

Fister has also made five starts for the Red Sox and will make his first rivalry start for the team tonight in the Bronx. In five starts Fister has put up a 3-2 record and a 3.41 ERA for the Red Sox and will be making just his second career start inside Yankee Stadium tonight as well. In Fister’s only start in the Bronx the righty allowed three runs in seven innings of work as a member of the Washington Nationals.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network, NESN (gross) and MLB TV. You can also follow along in your cars and on the radio by tuning into the WFAN broadcast with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman. Enjoy the game, need a win so get a win and GO YANKEES!!

Finally, Something Yankees Related Today!!!

Yes, what a concept. A Yankees blog talking about something Yankees related. Weird, I know but we finally got there today as we will look at the remaining free agents that are still left out there on the market and see if any of them matchup with the Yankees this season. I will primarily focus on the bullpen and pitching department as a whole because I feel like those are the most wide open positions on the team but if you feel there is a positional player and/or bench piece that needs some extra love and attention then leave that below in the comments section. Thanks.

I was a bit disappointed when I saw that Joe Blanton went to the Washington Nationals. Not that I wanted to give the right a guaranteed $4 million deal but part of me had hoped that the more spring training dragged on the more likely that Blanton was to sign a smaller guaranteed deal or even a non-guaranteed deal. The same thought process is going through my mind with former Kansas City Royals bullpen arm Luke Hochevar. Over the last two seasons, and keep in mind these were his first two seasons removed from Tommy John surgery so he should theoretically get stronger and better the farther away from the surgery that he gets, Hochevar has posted a 3.78 ERA with strong and impressive strikeout and walk rates that should play well inside Yankee Stadium.

I was also a bit disappointed last season when the Yankees did not solidify their starting rotation with a Doug Fister signing so why not right a wrong in 2017 by signing the right-hander. Now before you scroll down to send hate mail in the comments section I am merely suggest Fister on a minor league deal. While Fister’s ERA continues to climb while the MPH on his fastball and sinker continue to fall I still feel like he would make for incredible depth at Triple-A at the very least. I would slide Colby Lewis into this mold as well but for some odd reason I cannot see Lewis pulling a Jon Niese and signing a minor league deal. It doesn’t hurt to ask though, hint hint Brian Cashman.

There’s others out there that are worth waivers including Henderson Alvarez, Jordan Walden, Alfredo Simon and Charlie Furbush but only on minor league deals because there’s no such thing as a bad minor league deal so they say. Well so I say anyway. 

Youth Movement is great, but...

When is there too much youth?…

The Yankees continue to be linked to the Chicago White and their latest ace-in-waiting Jose Quintana but like many, I do not expect, nor want, the Yankees to give up the top prospects it would take to bring him back to New York. At the risk of being a “prospect-hugger”, I want to see Clint Frazier, Gleyber Torres, James Kaprielian and the other top young talent succeed in the Bronx.

Credit: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports

Without getting into the analytics for why the Yankees should or should not pursue a particular pitcher, I think the best move would be to sign one of the remaining free agent pitchers (why not roll the dice, it’s only money). Or perhaps GM Brian Cashman should focus on an ‘under the radar’ trade for an arm with potential that doesn’t carry the current media focus like Quintana.

Of the remaining free agents, I would pursue either Jason Hammel or Doug Fister. Neither pitcher is flashy and both slot in at the back end of the rotation but are capable of delivering 10+ wins, which, for a #4 or #5 starter, is not bad. Fister has been the model of mediocrity for a couple of seasons and Hammel benefited from being part of a World Series caliber staff to garner his highest career victory total last year. For the back end, I want starters who can keep the team in games. Watching Luis Severino go winless in his starts last year was simply brutal. I’d easily take the dependablity and reliability of Hammel or Fister over another ‘0-fer’ performance by Sevy. 

If Severino shows in spring training that he is capable of making the necessary adjustments and can be the 2015 starter version again versus the 2016 bullpen-only guy, great, put him in the rotation. But that’s not a bet I’d take in Vegas. 

I want to limit the ‘see if they can grow into the role’ opportunities in the rotation to no more than one. The certainties in the rotation are Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and CC Sabathia. After that, it is a plethora of young arms. I’d prefer to see Luis Cessa succeed because I admire his attitude on the mound. But the stress is much greater if we have to rely upon Cessa AND Severino, Chad Green, Bryan Mitchell or Adam Warren without a strong backup plan.

If Pineda continues to struggle or if Sabathia gets hurt or further regresses, the rotation will collapse if they have to be carried by unproven prospects. I want nothing more than to see Jordan Montgomery, Dietrich Enns, Chance Adams, and Justus Sheffield get their chances. I also think Albert Albreu was a great addition. But none of those quality arms will be ready in April 2017.

It is imperative for the Yankees to bring stabilization to the rotation. If healthy, Hammel or Fister would help provide it. What is the risk in bringing in a proven veteran to compete with the kids?…

For My Next Trick, Upgrading the Yankees Rotation

The New York Yankees starting rotation is in trouble if the team decides they want to compete in 2017. This is obviously my opinion but I think I’m not alone in that way of thinking heading into the season, especially on paper. A rotation of Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, Chad Green, CC Sabathia and Luis Cessa (speculation of course) doesn’t really scare many teams in a series anymore so for my next trick I want to try and address the Yankees starting rotation and see what I can do to fix it both fiscally and realistically. We all know someone in the Yankees organization reads my material, or I’m a Messiah and I’m far too humble to say that without my tongue placed far inside my cheek, so let’s give them some reading material for this afternoon. Shall we?

The Yankees are already said to be interested in acquiring a former farm hand that they allowed to hit free agency in Jose Quintana. Quintana looks great but I don’t think he is a realistic option for the Yankees. Why? Well Quintana comes with four years of team control and the Chicago White Sox are not in the business, especially lately, of “losing” trades. For that reason you can kiss probably two or three of the Yankees top 10 prospects goodbye plus more. Does Brian Cashman have the gonads to pull off a trade like that? Is the past is any indicator of the future I’d say probably not. Don’t get me wrong, give up Jorge Mateo and Miguel Andujar in a package and get the deal done. That’s what I would do if I were the GM but I just can’t see Cashman pulling the trigger, sorry but I can’t.

The Kansas City Royals are in a tough spot. They have basically a one-year window before some of their young studs begin hitting free agency but at the same time the team also needs to cut payroll to improve the team in order to compete. It’s a Catch 22. The Royals do have a couple of pitchers that might make sense for the Yankees and none more so, and more realistic, then Danny Duffy. Duffy is in the final year of his arbitration and will hit free agency next season at 28-years old. Duffy pitched to a 12-3 record with a 3.51 ERA in 2016 and while he only managed 179.2 innings he did strike out 188 batters next to just 42 walks all season long. He doesn’t fit into the long term goals of the Yankees but he would come at a reasonable price in terms of both prospects and salary while giving the team the option to compete in 2017. My only concern is Duffy’s ability to keep the ball down and out of the right field bleachers inside of Yankee Stadium. That could get ugly, and fast.

The Yankees could also look a short-term reunion with a familiar face who was traded to a different place this past season in Ivan Nova. Nova is not ideal in any sense of the word but he has shown flashes of brilliance and would cost the Yankees nothing but money in terms of acquiring him. Nova pitched much better for the Pirates than he did for the Yankees after being traded before the deadline last season and has seemingly bounced back from adversity to pitch well before which may suggest a trend. Remember when Nova was demoted to the bullpen only to come back to the rotation and put up a 16-win season for the Bombers? Maybe he’s bored? I don’t know but if someone else finds out and keeps him occupied he could be a legitimate buy-low candidate, if there is such a thing in this market.

The final suggestion for the Yankees starting rotation is a suggestion that I made right around this time last year, Doug Fister. Now Fister would have made me look like a fool after posting a career worst 4.64 ERA in 2016 at age 32 but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to give up on the now 33-year old. Fister is a ground ball pitcher and him coming to New York would remind me a lot of Brandon McCarthy and others who came to the Bronx as ground ball pitchers and seemingly figured it all out or put it all together under pitching coach Larry Rothschild. While Fister will not win the Yankees a World Series in 2017 he allows the Yankees to continue to straddle the line between competing and rebuilding as he likely comes on a one-year deal and he also keeps innings off the arms of the Yankees bullpen.

The Yankees, unless they go big for a Quintana or an equivalent, will not substantially upgrade their starting rotation this winter. I believe they need to just hold on and stay afloat until James Kaprielian and others are ready to contribute and Fister, Nova and/or Duffy can do that. Again, these arms will not bring the Yankees a division title by themselves let alone a World Series championship but I believe them to be the best and most realistic options for the New York Yankees as we stand today. Tomorrow, that may change. I guess you’ll just have to stay tuned to that to find out.

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros 7/26

The New York Yankees and the Houston Astros are just about set to continue their three-game set this week in Houston with the middle game of the series. In tonight’s matchup the Yankees will send their big left-handed veteran CC Sabathia to the mound to face off against the Houston Astros starter Doug Fister. The game will be played at 8:10 pm ET inside Minute Maid Park and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

Get your Yankees Tickets now for when the team returns back to the Bronx later next month. There may be a few new faces in different places to see firsthand and talk about so click the Yankees Tickets link at the top of the blog and secure your seats now. Also click the TGP T-Shirts link also located at the top of the blog to grab a Jacoby Ellsbury milk carton shirt for stealing home or any other great shirt to look the part while you root at the stadium. I think it’s a safe bet that Ellsbury isn’t going anywhere but home after he steals it a third time this season so it’s also safe to go ahead and buy now.

Following along during the game and all week as we enter crunch time for the trading deadline. You can follow us on Twitter by giving @GreedyStripes a follow or you can also like us on Facebook. We’re always around and we’re always trying to bring you fresh and interesting content. Enjoy and Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros 7/26

The New York Yankees and the Houston Astros will continue their three-game set this week inside Minute Maid Park with a game that the Yankees have a real shot at winning on paper. Any time the Yankees face Dallas Keuchel you can almost always pencil in an “L” in the loss column, that guy is just really good. No disrespect to the Yankees, just extra respect to Keuchel. The beautiful thing about baseball though is it is a new day and a new game with a new set of lineups and pitching matchups including tonight’s pitching matchup that will showcase CC Sabathia for the Yankees and Doug Fister for the Astros.

Sabathia is quickly becoming yet another example of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the Yankees rotation this season. No one knows what to expect from Sabathia and others from start to start this season so no one knows what to expect tonight from the big lefty in Houston. If he limits his home runs then Sabathia has a real shot at winning but if he doesn’t then it may be another loss for CC and the Yanks.

Fister is coming into this start fresh off a great start against the Oakland Athletics where he threw seven shutout innings in a 7-0 Houston victory. Fister lowered his ERA to the second best on the team in that start and has recorded a victory in each of his last two starts after suffering from a three-game losing streak earlier in the month.

The game will be played at 8:10 pm ET inside Minute Maid Park and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. I know I should probably turn in my MLB fan card for admitting this out loud but somehow I totally forgot that the Astros signed Fister for whatever reason this offseason. Out of sight, out of mind I guess. I don’t know. Either way I had hoped the Yankees would sign him because he could have been a huge help for this ailing team right about now. The past is the past though and that’s where it needs to stay. Only looking forward. Go Yankees!

Brian Cashman & The "He Sucks At Drafting" Myth?

I knew my post about Brian Cashman and comparing him to other general managers around the league would be like comparing apples to oranges would get the discussion going but I had hoped it had been on the Yankees LoHud blog as a pinch hitter. I had it saved as a draft forever just waiting for Chad Jennings to contact me for a third straight year and I realized it was not going to happen so I released it. It caused a stir and it created discussion here on my blog for both the Brian Cashman apologists and the Brian Cashman "haters." One "hater" in specific, and notice that I had the word hater in parenthesis as I use the term loosely and not literally, questioned Cashman's tenure as the Yankees and specifically his ability to draft MLB caliber players. Hmmm, that sounds like a great idea for a blog post.

I told Mr. Hans, someone I have the utmost respect for, that I would humor him sometime this weekend with a comment of some of the guys that Cashman has drafted during his tenure with the Yankees (1998-present) and I decided to do it in a blog post rather than a comment that may not be seen by all. All of these players that I will list below were drafted by Cashman during his tenure, granted not all of them signed with the Yankees unfortuately and not all made their names with New York. It should not be held against Cashman in my opinion to draft a top talent only to trade him later, you cannot hold onto them all.

With that said here we go with the player, the year they were drafted and their career WAR in parenthesis:

1998 - Mark Prior (16.5)
1998 - Nook Logan (3.0)

2000 - Chris Dickerson (3.4)

2002 - Phil Coke (2.0)

2003 - Tyler Clippard (11.6)
2003 - Jeff Karstens (3.2)
2003 - Daniel Bard (4.3)

2004 - Phil Hughes (12.3)
2004 - Mike Dunn (2.5)
2004 - Chris Davis (yes that Chris Davis... 14.9)

2005 - Brett Gardner (26.9)
2005 - Doug Fister (19.4)
2005 - Austin Jackson (22.2)
2005 - Justin Turner (Los Angeles Dodgers version.... 8.9)

2006 - Ian Kennedy (10.5)
2006 - Joba Chamberlain (7.5)
2006 - George Kontos (2.0)
2006 - Dellin Betances (7.2)
2006 - Mark Melancon (7.0)
2006 - David Robertson (11.5)

2007 - Drew Storen (5.7)

2008 - Gerrit Cole (7.6)
2008 - David Phelps (2.2)

2009 - Adam Warren (5.1)
2009 - Jake Petricka (3.5)

2011 - Greg Bird (0.9)

Is Cashman the mad magician in the draft? Nope, not at all. It is worth mentioning though that unlike a GM like Andrew Friedman, John Mozeliak, Dave Dombrowski or others who pick at the beginning of the draft more consistently Cashman had to deal with many of his picks being traded or used as compensation to sign free agents without his consent. Sure many teams find talent late in the drafts as much as teams see busts in the first two rounds but still, it doesn't hurt having the better odds at the more talented players in your favor.

Will this convince Mr. Hans that Cashman has had a better tenure as a Yankes GM and a better draft record than he originally thought? Probably not, this was still fun to do the research and to write though and that's all that matters. After my little rant from Saturday about getting my feelings hurt and feeling disrespected I decided I'm going back to doing this because I want to, because it's fun.. and that's what I did here. I hope you all enjoyed.

Quick Hit: Free Agent Starting Pitching Clearance Carts

The New York Yankees are a franchise that tends to contradict themselves, especially when it comes to the whole hot stove and free agency market. One minute Bubba Crosby is the Yankees starting center fielder and the next Johnny Damon is shaving that ridiculous long hair and beard and flashing peace signs in a Yankees uniform. One minute the Yankees are looking to add a starting pitcher to their rotation for some stability and innings and the next the rotation is full and so full in fact that the Yankees are looking and willing to trade away Ivan Nova one year away from free agency. Who knows what is going on inside Brian Cashman’s head right now and what’s going on in Hal Steinbrenner’s wallet pocket right now but if they need me to lay out a few bargain basement signings for them I will, and I will right now in fact.

Cliff Lee would pitch again in 2016, and has been cleared again to pitch in 2016, for the perfect fit. The Yankees have the innings to give him and they have the need for a veteran left-handed starting pitcher on a short one-year deal worth chump change as far as MLB starters are concerned and that’s all Lee is likely to command. Lee undoubtedly wants to win and with a healthy and effective Lee the Yankees can do just that. Lee is Plan A.

New York has three “Plan B’s” in Tim Lincecum and Doug Fister and they all fit the same mold. They can start or they can relieve. Both of them remind me of what the team traded away this winter and have yet to replace, Adam Warren. Any of these men could be a safety net for the rotation and none of them will require salaries that would come anywhere near that of Jordan Zimmermann, David Price or Zack Greinke.

With every Plan A and Plan B comes a Plan Z and the Yankees have two of them. Mat Latos and Aaron Harang. Both struggled mightily in 2015 in the National League and both are likely to command minor league deals only in 2016, if anything. If the Yankees feel like they need more Triple-A insurance, sure sign them. If not, no thank you.

Quick Hit: Wei-Yin Chen is off the Board… Now What?

Let the snowballing begin? Wei-Yin Chen is off the board to the Miami Marlins on a five-year deal with an option for a sixth year as Chen looks to lead Miami back to the Promised Land. Chen will now pair up with Jose Fernandez and that young core of players down in Miami that struggled so mightily in 2015 and will look to anchor a rotation that can compete in the AL East. Miami struck the big deal but what does this mean for the rest of the league and specifically the Yankees? A lot actually.

The top starting pitcher is off the board now and all that’s left is what I like to call, and no disrespect intended here, bargain basement pitching. What does it mean for the Yankees? It means if they want a Doug Fister or Tim Lincecum his price tag just went up but at the same time you would have to think that Ivan Nova’s did as well. This doesn’t necessarily mean the Yankees will sign Fister or trade Nova but the likelihood definitely increased with this move.

This also means, officially, that Chen will not head back to Baltimore or Boston or anyone that can really hurt the Yankees in 2015. The dominos should now begin to fall as the interested teams list gets narrower not only for pitching but for all prospects. We needed a big domino to fall and it just did in Chen.

Awesome. 

What Would I Buy w/ Tonight’s Powerball Jackpot?

I don’t play the lottery, I think it’s a foolish waste of money and time… well unless it gets to above half a billion dollars like it is tonight with the Georgia Powerball. I’ll throw down a couple of bucks on that and put my ethics and belief aside for greed, I am the Greedy Pinstripes after all but I digress. Let’s just throw a nice round number out there, after taxes, and assume that if I won tonight’s drawing I would take home $500 million in cash. If I were running the Yankees what could I do with said winnings? And spoiler alert, you won’t be calling me the cheap owner when it’s all said and done.

$500 million can buy a lot but I would want to be smart with it. Justin Upton is smart money and is easily the best positional player and best fit left on the free agency market. I personally like him more than I did Jason Heyward so if Upton wants $200 million Upton gets $200 million from me. At 28-years old and with the stats he has put up in pitching friendly parks in Atlanta and San Diego I think he will live up to the contract and then some. Upton hits right-handed, hits for both power and average, will take a walk, steals bases and plays some stellar and underrated defense.

My next thing to do would be to eat the contracts of Jacoby Ellsbury and CC Sabathia. I am personally big fans of both but honestly there is just better ways of spending your money than on oft-injured and under-performing stars. As a fan that hurts but on the business side of things it simply makes sense. I am reluctant to eat the Ellsbury deal with a shade over $100 million left and the Sabathia deal with around $50 million left but that’s business. It’s six of one and a half dozen of the other if you’re paying them on the disabled list anyway. With my final $150 million I would throw a contract to a starting pitcher and/or a relief arm. Wei-Yin Chen and Antonio Bastardo maybe? Chen and Doug Fister? Who knows what it would take but I would improve the pitching in some way, shape or form.

Releasing Ellsbury allows Brett Gardner to slide back into center field and Upton to slide into left field. Releasing Ellsbury and adding Upton balances out a very left-handed heavy lineup and ultimately makes the lineup 100 times better in my opinion. Releasing Sabathia and adding a proven AL-East veteran and bullpen arm finishes out the roster and the pitching staff and all because I bought a stupid $2 lottery ticket and won the Georgia Powerball. You’re welcome Yankees family!

Yankees Edition:What I Want for Christmas, Starting Pitching

It's almost Christmas Day people, get excited. While many are scrambling to get their shopping completed, their presents wrapped and their plans and work week's done I am just over here scouring the free agent market wondering what I would want for Christmas if I were the New York Yankees. The Yankees presumably are interested in many starting pitchers and some have even gone as far to say that the team with six starting pitching options already "needs" another pitcher. Since it's the holiday season and it's time to reach for the stars I'm going for it with this Christmas list I'm sending to Santa this year.

The starting pitching market is absolutely stacked so take your pick. Ian Kennedy, Wei-Yin Chen, Doug Fister, Scott Kazmir, Kenta Maeda was available through the posting system, Henderson Alvarez before the Oakland A's snatched him up, Cliff Lee, Mark Buehrle, Yovani Gallardo, Kyle Kendrick, Mike Minor and a slew of others but one guy is probably better than them all, and younger than most of them too. Mike Leake

Leake is a 28-year old starting pitcher that pitched for the San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds last season. He's not the ace the Yankees "need" but he is a durable arm that can give you 200 innings every single season. Leake was traded mid-season 2015 meaning he is not attached to any draft pick compensation making all the more attractive, even more so than Chen who recently announced he wanted $100 million or Gallardo who in my opinion is just average.

Leake  has posted a 3.0, 1.5 and 2.9 WAR in each of his last three seasons respectively and would be an obvious upgrade over Ivan Nova, CC Sabathia or maybe even Michael Pineda who battles with consistency year in and year out. If I'm the Yankees I'm asking for Leake or a Leake clone. Young, durable, a pitcher that allows the team to keep the 20th overall Draft pick and a pitcher that can make the team better.

Santa, make it happen dude.

Doug Fister Starring in “The New Adam Warren”

Earlier today on the blog I went into the available list of free agent starting pitchers and cherry picked a few that may or may not fit what the New York Yankees are looking for. I was going through the list showcasing the Wei-Yin Chen’s and the Yovani Gallardo’s of the world when I ran across the name Doug Fister and a light bulb went off. I was going to list Fister in that post but I thought he deserved his own post because he could potentially fill a much bigger role on the team, the role that Adam Warren vacated when the team traded him to the Chicago Cubs in the Starlin Castro deal. Could Doug Fister, the once great starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals, come to the Yankees and become the Yankees swingman? Why not!

Fister had a terrible 2015 season, let’s not beat around the bush or equivocate, and was delegated to the Washington bullpen for much of the second half of the campaign. For that reason the Nationals decided against offering Fister a qualifying offer and seem unlikely to be interested in bringing back him and his services for the 2016 season. The Nationals loss can be the Yankees gain because Fister redeemed himself a bit in his time in the bullpen. Fister pitched well out of the pen for Washington in a small sample size and showed that his problems he had earlier in the season were likely due to something mechanical or physical, he did battle injuries last season as well, and not just him falling off the face of the Earth like many pitchers do.

This would be the ultimate “buy low” and lightning in a bottle type signing for the Yankees. Fister can pitch out of the pen, he’s proven it. He’s a veteran arm and the 7^th inning or 6^th inning in the Bronx is not going to fluster him. If a starter goes down, and lord knows the Yankees rotation is littered with its question marks, Fister could easily fill in for a 15 day DL stint or for a month at a time without getting exposed too much. Hell he may even thrive off of a change of scenery and getting out of the mess of a clubhouse and organization that we now know the Washington Nationals were. You never know until you sign the guy.

So a veteran arm without a ton of mileage that can excel at both starting and relieving, Fister sounds more like an Adam Warren mold than a replacement. Either will do for me though so get it done Cash before someone else catches on. 

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.