Some fans would say that a manager has very little to do
with the overall outcome of a game. Some fans would argue that a manager has
little-to-no outcome on the team’s wins and losses throughout the season. Some
fans didn’t watch Aaron Boone fumble through the American League Division Series
in 2018. Aaron Boone did not win Manager of the Year in 2018, despite his team
winning 100 games and beating the Oakland Athletics in the AL Wild Card Game,
but these two men here will likely win the award for their respective teams in
2019.
If you read my predictions post for the 2019 season these
two Manager of the Year Award candidates should be simple to predict. In the
American League, I had one team taking a huge step forward in their rebuild,
adding a bunch of wins onto their total from the 2019 season. Rocco Baldelli of
the Minnesota Twins, the youngest manager in Major League Baseball at just age
37, will lead this team into the 2019 season and will ultimately win the award
in his first season at the helm.
If you read my standings, postseason, and World Series
predictions you also know that I had a bit of a surprise team not only winning
their division but winning the National League pennant as well. No team has
ever won a NL Penannt, and I am assuming this, but I feel confident in saying
it, without a great manager, and the Brewers won’t this season either without Craig
Counsell. Congrats on the award and the trip to the Fall Classic.
A lot of people sleep on the Yankees center fielder and I
truly don’t know why. Even as recently as this offseason I have seen trade proposals
from fans, by the way… as Mike Axisa of River Avenue Blues says… your trade
proposal sucks, involving Hicks and others for pitchers like Madison Bumgarner,
etc. Why? Let me ask you a question, we all know that Mike Trout is the best
center fielder in the game, but according to WAR, do you know who the second
best was? While you Google that and pull up Baseball Reference let’s meet the
man with the second highest WAR for all center fielders in the game in 2018,
and the man that still gets no respect. Mr. Aaron Hicks, everybody.
Aaron Hicks, 29-years old, is a switch-hitting and right-handed
throwing center fielder for the New York Yankees that was acquired from the
Minnesota Twins. Hicks, 6’1” and 202 lbs., is entering the final year of
arbitration eligibility and will become a free agent at the end of the season
if he and the team do not work out an extension before the end of the 2019
World Series. Hicks has a patient approach at the plate and will take his walks
when given to him, and personally I see him leading off for the Yankees here in
2019.
Aaron Michael Hicks was born on October 2, 1989 in San Pedro,
California. Hicks attended Wilson Classical High School in Long Beach, California
where he caught the attention of the Minnesota Twins who drafted him in the
first round of the 2008 MLB First Year Players Draft. Hicks, considered a top
prospect in all of baseball and the Twins top prospect for much of his Minor
League career, spent time in Minnesota’s minor league system until March 24,
2013 when it was announced that he would be the team’s Opening Day center
fielder entering the season.
Hicks chose to honor Dave Winfield by choosing #32 for his
uniform number. Hicks struggled in his rookie season, batting just .192 before
being sent down to Triple-A for the remainder of the season on August 1. Hicks
was back in center field on Opening Day 2014 for the Twins, although he
struggled once again out of the gate and was once again demoted to the Minor
Leagues on June 9. Hicks gave up switch-hitting in 2014 due to the lack of
confidence in his ability to hit left-handed, however he went back to
switch-hitting less than a month later after being sent down.
Hicks improved in 2015 and finally showed glimpses of what
he could be, finishing the season with a .256 average and 11 home runs with 33
RBI in 97 games. The Twins decided to sell high on Hicks and traded him
following the 2015 campaign to the New York Yankees for catcher John Ryan
Murphy. Hicks regressed a bit in 2016, posting a .217 average with just eight
home runs and 31 RBI in 123 games, but his defense and ability to hit
left-handed pitching intrigued the Yankees enough to give him the starting
center fielder job once again in 2017.
The patience and work with Hicks finally paid off for New
York and for Aaron in 2017. By early June, Hicks had already surpassed his
entire 2016 totals in home runs (10) and RBI (34) and was among the top ten in
the league in both OBP and OPS. Hicks was slowed by an oblique injury in June
and again on September 3, finishing the season with a .266 average and 15 home
runs with 52 RBI, all career highs. Hicks was again among the best center
fielders offensively and defensively in 2018 and finished the season again with
career highs in home runs (27), RBI (79) and hits (119).
What does the future hold for Hicks in 2019? Will we see an
all new set of career highs? Honestly, I think so, and naturally I hope so, but
you will just have to stay tuned to the 2019 Yankees to find out. We are
rooting for you A-Aron!!
Aaron Boone has made the decision on who will start the American League Wild Card Game for the New York Yankees and it will be Luis Severino. Severino finished his 2018 season with a 19-8 record and a 3.39 ERA with 220 strikeouts and will get the nod despite being knocked out in the first inning of the Wild Card Game last year inside Yankee Stadium against the Minnesota Twins. Severino will look to rebound from a terrible second half and from a terrible AL Wild Card Game start in 2017 tomorrow night in the Bronx.
JA Happ, Masahiro Tanaka and Lance Lynn will join a nine-man Yankees bullpen for tomorrow night's game.
And just like that it is game time here inside Target Field
as the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins finish up their three-game set.
In the finale of the series tonight the Yankees will send Luis Severino out to
the mound to face off with Jake Odorizzi for the Twins. The game will be played
at 8:10 pm ET inside Target Field in Minnesota and can be seen on the YES
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 on WFAN with 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, head into the off day with a victory, and go Yankees!!
The New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins will finish off
their three-game set and their season set tonight inside Target Field with the
finale of the series. In the finale the Yankees will send Luis Severino to the
mound on an extra day of rest to face off with Jake Odorizzi for the Twins. Must
win for the Yankees with the A’s nipping at their feet, so let’s get to it here
inside Target Field.
Severino heads into the start tonight fresh off his shortest
outing of the season last time out against the Oakland Athletics. In the start
Severino lasted just 2.2 innings while allowing six runs in the Yankees 8-2
loss out in Oakland. Since July 7th Severino has posted a 4-5 record
with a 6.83 ERA in 11 starts and the Yankees hope an extra day of rest can help
the right-hander turn things around.
Odorizzi also struggled in his last start against the
Houston Astros where the right-hander gave up five runs in 4.2 innings pitched
in a loss. Odorizzi was strong early, but it all came apart in the fifth
innings, which has been an issue for him all season long.
The game will be played at 8:10 pm ET inside Target Field in
Minnesota and can be seen on the YES 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 on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.
Enjoy the game, gain some breathing room in the Wild Card
chase, and go Yankees!!
Good morning Yankees family and welcome back to the blog. As
many of you know earlier this year I wrote a book, well I wrote another. Here is
Chapter 1. Enjoy. And baby, I hope you especially enjoy because these books are
for you. They are our love story!! I love you.
From Defiance to Undefeated, available for purchase on Amazon.
Prologue
Standing in a room called the Hygge House are the last known
remaining members of the Valkyries regime, the faction of men and women that
once ran and owned the Land of Bartow. Dan, the former Valkyries council member
and Territories expert that was in charge of not only keeping the Valkyries
safe, but was also in charge of keeping tabs on the numerous splinter cells of
resistance that popped up across the region, namely the group called Defiance.
Andy, the former leader of the Valkyries after one of their own, a Defiance spy
and operative working undercover, assassinated the former leader, Poke. Andy’s
first decision as leader of the Valkyries ended up being his last after his
orders to send the entire Valkyries military out to attack in response to the assassination
kicked off the plan for Defiance to take over not only their compound, but all
of Bartow. Jax, another leader of the Valkyries council and the man in charge
of recruitment for the entire Valkyries regime. Jax had brought in many heavy
hitters during his time with the Valkyries and his charm and skills as a
recruiter were unmatched until Defiance came along. Jax could see things in
people that many others couldn’t or wouldn’t. Jax saw potential in people that
no one else did, and for that he was special.
Zero, the leader of the Valkyries military and war machine.
Zero could have been the leader of the Valkyries, or in their council in the
very least, but he always decided to simply stay where he was atop the
Valkyries war list. If the towers needed taken, the opposing generals needed to
be blown up, or if the final blow of the war needed to be handed down Zero was
the man to do it. Zero led the Valkyries military with pride, precision and a
heavy hand that you didn’t want to get in the way of when he was on a mission.
Adam, a member of the Valkyries military that worked under Zero. Adam preferred
to stay quiet and out of the limelight with his head down doing his job. Adam
didn’t speak much but when he did his commanding presence and authoritative voice
to match demanded the attention of the room. Phil, a member of the Valkyries
military that also worked under Zero and with Adam. Phil was small in stature
and his voice did not command the attention of a room, but there must have been
a reason he was in the Valkyries military. Whether it be his brains, his brawn,
or the fact that he had a wild streak that didn’t mix well with adrenaline
remained to be seen, but there was certainly a reason he was picked by Zero to
work under him.
These were the six remaining Valkyries, at least to the best
of their knowledge, and they were all huddled up in a place north of their
former compound in a house known as the Hygge House. After their battle with
Defiance had come to an end with devastating losses and casualties for the
Valkyries their remaining members and soldiers were left to pick up the pieces.
Now the crew was left with the decision of what to do next. Do they run and
hide? Do they try to rebuild and bring the fight back to Defiance? Or do they
sell their souls in exchange for security, peace, food and a home to join
Defiance?
No one knew right now, but they were all about to figure it
out rather quickly.
Chapter 1 Six
Remain
“So, what are we going to do now?”
In the Hygge House stood the six remaining Valkyries left
after their brutal war with Defiance. The Valkyries took heavy losses and had
lost control not only of their compound, but of Bartow as well. Like the
Valkyries had done to Scopely all those years ago Defiance showed off their
might and seized control over the region. The Valkyries as everyone knew them
were gone, they had fallen, but if anything, the war with the Defiance gave the
remaining Valkyries members something they never would have had before, a clean
slate. As far as anyone knew all the remaining members of the Valkyries were
dead, and with the amount of revolutionary leaders that Dan had seen die before
his eyes there were fewer and fewer people that could even identify these six
men even if they wanted to. They could run, but where would they run to? They
could hide, but no one really knew who they would be hiding from. The group
could try to blend in, but Nacho, the leader of Defiance, had seen Dan’s face
as well as many others including the Phoenix Rises members that joined Defiance
along with Dan’s girlfriend, Kari Ann. Tee, Gee and Darth could all identify
Dan. So, what would they do? The group of six sat in the empty room surrounded
by nothing but glass panes and brainstormed.
“I think we have to run, bro!” Jax exclaimed to the group.
“Where the hell are we running to, Jax?” Andy questioned.
“Hell, I don’t know, but we can’t stay here” Jax replied,
sounding almost annoyed.
“Why can’t we stay here?” Zero was speaking up now. “Nobody
knows where this place is but Daizie, who is dead, and the Valkyries, which are
all in this room as far as we know.”
“As far as we know!” Adam was speaking up now. “We don’t
know who the hell is alive out there. None of us thought that Dan was alive.
None of us saw Phil lying there besides the Ultra-Rare Gear shop. There could
be Valkyries still out there!”
“Yeah, and we don’t who was working with Defiance from
within. This wasn’t just a coincidence that they knew just when to hit, and
where. Someone was spying for them from within the Valkyries, I just know it.”
Andy didn’t know about Jessica apparently, not yet anyway.
“Jessica…” was all that Dan was able to mutter amidst all
the talking that was going on. Dan knew he was going to have to tell the story
that Jessica told him, and he knew that he was about to break at least five
more people’s hearts by doing so.
“Yeah, did anyone see Jessica when all this shit started?”
Jax asked the question that Dan was waiting for someone to ask. The question
that would jump start his story.
“I saw Jessica, yeah. I saw Jessica in her house right
before I jumped the wall, and she was meeting with the leader of Defiance. His
name is Nacho.” Dan began to tell his story as the jaws of the Valkyries
members collected in the room seemingly dropped all at once. Dan revealed every
detail to the men that stood in that room beside him. Dan told them how she was
abducted by a man named Fox and he told them how they held medical treatments
over her head in exchange for her cooperation. Dan explained to the Valkyries
how Jessica infiltrated the Valkyries council, and Poke specifically, with the
intent of bringing down the Valkyries after spending time with the rebel group
named Kill All and Dan explained how she was the one that ordered Dan to be
abducted, much like she was however many years before. Dan explained to them
that it was Jessica, or “Light” which was apparently her code name with
Defiance, that came over the wall and set off the alarms, seemingly on purpose,
the night that Dan was abducted, and it was Jessica that sent Fox to his home
with orders to burn it down and to kill Dan if he resisted.
The room was silent, and all eyes were on Dan. He had their
full attentions as he continued to recant his story of what happened just a few
hours prior within the home that Jessica and Dan shared. Dan explained how it
was Jessica who pulled the trigger, killing Poke the fallen leader of the
Valkyries and he explained how it was her who tipped off Defiance that the
military was on its way in full force outside the walls of the compound and
headed towards Phoenix Rises. Dan told them everything, even down to the
smallest of details. Dan especially told them about when her story was just
about over how Nacho busted into the room and put a bullet through her head as
if she was no longer useful to Defiance or to their leader any longer, discarding
her like yesterday’s trash.
“… and before I knew it Nacho was gone from the room, and
from the house, and I was left there watching who I thought was my friend bleed
out. I knew I couldn’t stay there and I knew I had to get out, so I took off running
from the house and I jumped the wall closest to the armory. I didn’t know where
else to go, so I came here hoping that a few of us made it and would follow.”
Dan was done telling his story, but he knew he left out many key pieces of
information. Dan never mentioned Kari, not even once, or the fact that he had
been outside the walls and inside the Phoenix base strapped to a table as a
prisoner as the assault began from the Valkyries military. Dan also left out
that he had a choice whether to join Revolution or not after he was abducted.
Sure, declining meant death but how could Dan justify his decision in that way
when Ellie, his partner within the Valkyries territories room, was given the
same choice and declined. Ellie sacrificed her life to die as a Valkyrie rather
than live as a traitor to the regime, a decision that Dan would have to live
with for the remainder of his days here in Bartow.
“There was one thing I remember from Jessica’s story that
may be able to help us though, if we do it right. Maybe it can give us a
starting point anyway.” Dan had the attention of the room as a glimmer of hope
came across many of the eyes of the remaining Valkyries members. “When Jessica
was talking to Nacho in the kitchen I overheard her talking about a man named
ABB, and a place called ‘The Peach.’ Does anyone know a place like that? Or a
man named ABB?” Silence overtook the room as the remaining members of the
Valkyries all racked their brains trying to think if they ever heard of ABB or
The Peach until finally Phil spoke up.
“I know what The Peach is… it is a bar maybe 30 miles or so
from here. I know exactly where it is. You think if we went there we would be
able to find other Valks?” Phil now had the attention of the room, but he
really had the attention of Dan. Members of the Valkyries never referred to
themselves as “Valks.” In fact, most members of the Valkyries hated being
called Valks, it was almost like a condescending term to them. Poke would never
allow a member of his Valkyries to call one another Valks, so it was weird when
Dan heard that word come out of Phil’s mouth. Dan never mentioned this in front
of the group, he knew he could just paranoid at this point after everything
that has gone down and he knew that he may be looking to deeply into it. For
all Dan knew, Phil could be a new Valkyrie and he just didn’t have that rule
cemented into his head yet like the rest of the Valkyries did. Jax was in
charge of recruiting, not Dan, and he didn’t bat an eye when Phil said it. Dan
quickly put the idea out of his head and chalked it up to just being paranoid,
although that didn’t mean he was going to forget it completely.
“Well, going to The Peach is a better lead than anything
else we have to go on. Let’s go!” Andy was still leading the Valkyries, even
from the dirt and no longer from the throne, and his Valkyries followed. No one
questioned Andy, everyone simply gathered their things and they began shuffling
out the door of the Hygge House and back into the unknown. No one knew what
they would find when they got to The Peach, but each one of them knew that the
five men they stood with was all that they had at that moment, with the
exception of Dan who had Kari still in his life. As Dan packed his bags and
began walking towards the door thoughts of his beautiful blue-eyed vixen came
to his mind. He wished he had time to call her back on his laptop. Even more so
he wished that she didn’t have to be such a secret, a feeling that I am sure
she reciprocated for Dan. She was patient though and never said a word, but Dan
knew that she would grow tired of this secretive world eventually. “Cross that
bridge when you get there Dan, if we even get there” he thought to himself as
he walked out the door and began his march towards The Peach.
And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between
the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins. In the middle game of their
three-game set this week the Yankees will send Sonny Gray to the mound, welcome
back, while the Twins will counter with Tyler Duffey. The game will be played at 8:10 pm
ET inside Target Field and can be seen on the YES 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 on WFAN with 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, hope for Sonny skies ahead, and go Yankees!!
The New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins will continue
their three-game set tonight with the middle game of the series. Welcome back
to the starting rotation, Sonny Gray. Tonight the Yankees will send Sonny Gray
out to the mound to face off with Tyler Duffey for the Twins. This could either be
really good, or really bad, so let’s find out and let’s get to it here in
Minnesota.
Gray will re-enter the Yankees rotation for a spot start tonight
against the Twins. The Yankees have seemingly conceded the division with this
move and are focusing on the Wild Card as they are giving each of their
starters an extra day of rest with this move. Since Gray has been removed from
the Yankees starting rotation the right-hander has gone 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA in
19.2 innings that spanned six games, one of them as a starting pitchah.
Duffey is tonight's starter for the Twins "bullpen game" tonight inside Target Field. Duffey will pitch an inning or two and will look to improve on his 1-2 record and 9.00 ERA in 14 appearances with the Twins this season.
The game will be played at 8:10 pm ET inside Target Field
and can be seen on the YES 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
on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.
Enjoy the game, even though it appears the Yankees have officially
conceded the division with this pitching move… and go Yankees!!
Good morning Yankees family and welcome back to the blog. September
11th, 17 years later. While many have forgotten or don’t think about
the tragedies that happened on September 11, 2001 these incidents still go
through my mind from time-to-time. When those terrorists attacked New York
City, the Pentagon, and other attempted areas I took that personally. New York
City is MY city. New York state is MY state. So, today we remember… but we will
never and can never forget. When you get comfortable and complacent is when you
become vulnerable, and we need to never become vulnerable ever again. Thank you
to everyone who served on this day 17 years ago, in whatever capacity, and my
thoughts and prayers are with anyone who was affected and/or lost someone on
this tragic day. Much love.
And my baby, my heart always belongs to you and will always
be with you. No matter what. I hope you are feeling better this morning, I love
you!
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.
And just like that the rants are over for the day and it is
time for getaway baseball in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the
Minnesota Twins. In the finale of this four-game set here in the Bronx the
Yankees will send Jordan Montgomery to the mound looking for his third
consecutive win while the Twins will counter with Kyle Gibson. The game will be
played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium 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 John
Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.
Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on
Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the New York Yankees
all season long. Enjoy the game, headphones in and MLB TV on at work, and go
Yankees!!
Good morning everyone and welcome to the fourth game of the
four-game set this week between the Minnesota Twins and the New York Yankees.
The Twins have been just what the doctor ordered for the struggling Yankees as
New York will look for yet another victory here this afternoon in the Bronx.
Donned with the task of keeping the Yankees win train rolling this afternoon is
Jordan Montgomery for New York while Minnesota will counter with Kyle Gibson.
Montgomery has won each of his last two starts against the
Toronto Blue Jays and the Detroit Tigers respectively. Montgomery combined in
those two starts to allow just four runs and nine hits in 12 innings of work.
Montgomery was not sharp the last time he faced Minnesota though on July 19,
2017 inside Target Field where the lefty gave up six runs and seven hits in a
loss for the Yankees.
Gibson on the other hand is coming off a loss in his last
start against the Tampa Bay Rays despite it being his best pitching performance
of the young season. When Gibson was removed from the game the Twins trailed
the Rays 2-1 before the Minnesota bullpen imploded in an eventual 10-1 victory
for Tampa Bay.
The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium
and can be seen on the YES Network locally and MLB Network if you’re outside of
the Yankees market. 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 on WFAN with John
Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.
Enjoy the game, getaway games are the best, and go Yankees!!
And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between
the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins. If it feels like we have done
this two times already this week there is probably a good reason for it, it’s
because we have. And you want to know the best part? We get to do it all over again
tomorrow afternoon in the Bronx for the finale. In the start tonight the
Yankees will send Sonny Gray to the mound looking to bounce back while the Twins
will counter with Lance Lynn. The game will be played at 6:35 pm ET inside Yankee
Stadium and can be seen on the YES 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 John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.
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, the Minnesota Twins have a mental block keeping them from
beating New York and go Yankees!!
The New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins will face off
once again tonight in the Bronx as the third part of their four-game set to
start the week. This is good news if you’re a Yankees fan and probably bad news
if you’re a Twins fan. The Yankees have just seemingly dominated the Twins in
every aspect of the game for a long, long time now and I just can’t see that
changing any time soon. Looking to keep this dominant streak going tonight will
be Sonny Gray who takes the ball for the Yankees while the Twins put their
fortunes on the arm of Lance Lynn. Let’s get to it here in the Bronx.
Gray will look for sunny skies over the Bronx tonight after
bringing the rain in his last couple of starts, especially his last start
against the Toronto Blue Jays. In his last two starts Gray has pitched a total
of 6.1 inning including five runs and four walks allowed performance against
the Blue Jays in his last start. This will be the first time Gray faces the
Twins in a Yankees uniform.
Lynn is still looking for his first win as a member of the
Minnesota Twins after losing once again in his last start for the club. Lynn
allowed five earned runs and five walks in six innings of work against the
Tampa Bay Rays in his last start. Lynn will be making his Yankee Stadium debut
tonight in the Bronx.
The game will be played at 6:35 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium
and can be seen on the YES 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
on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.
Enjoy the game, leave Lynn still winless, and go Yankees!!
And just like that Yankees fans we are back in the Bronx as
New York and Yankee Stadium get ready to play host to the Minnesota Twins in
the second of a four-game set this week. In the start tonight the Yankees will
send CC Sabathia to the mound to face off with Jose Berrios for the Twins. The
game will be played at 6:35 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium 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 or by tuning into the Yankes radio broadcast with John
Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.
Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on
Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the Yankees all season
long. Enjoy the game, continue the beatdown on the Twins, and go Yankees!!
The New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins will be back at
it again tonight in the Bronx, and back to that weird start time, with the
second game of their four-game set this week inside Yankee Stadium. Last night
was Tanaka time and tonight the Yankees watch as the veteran CC Sabathia heads
out to the mound to face off with Jose Berrios for the Twins. CC looked good in
his first start since coming off the disabled list, but the Yankees will need a
little more length out of the veteran southpaw before he is truly relied upon
here in 2018.
Sabathia will make his fourth start of the 2018 campaign
tonight here in the Bronx and will be looking to pitch past the fifth inning
for the first time in this young season. Sabathia has been effective tossing a
2.70 ERA and is fresh off a start against the Toronto Blue Jays where he
allowed just two unearned runs I 4.1 innings pitched but will need to provide
some length tonight against the Twins if at all possible.
Berrios had a breakout season for Minnesota in 2017 posting
a 14-8 record with a 3.89 ERA and will look to improve on that here in 2018.
Berrios is off to a good start this year with a 2-1 record and a 1.63 ERA and
will look to improve on his career numbers against the Yankees which currently
sit at 1-1 with a 3.62 ERA. However, Berrios is 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA in his
only trip to Yankee Stadium in his career, where he makes his return to
tonight.
The game will be played at 6:35 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium
and can be seen on the YES Network locally and MLB Network outside of the
Yankees market. 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 on WFAN with John
Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.
Enjoy the game, the Yankees are the Twins daddies, and go
Yankees!!
The New York Yankees made an interesting move this week when
they swapped outfielder Kendall Coleman for New York Mets prospect L.J.
Mazzilli. It was interesting to see Mazzilli join the organization that
currently employs his father, Lee Mazzilli, who is a special advisor to the
Yankees front office, and his twin sister and YES Network personality Lacey
Mazzilli. While trading Coleman makes sense for the Yankees, the former 11th
round pick has struggled in Low-A ball since his drafting in 2013, it hurts a
bit as a fan as I have grown close to Coleman and even interviewed him shortly
after the Yankees drafted him here on the site. I will try not to hold my
fandom and personal feelings against L.J. as I introduce him to the Yankees and
Greedy Pinstripes faithful here this morning. This is Meet a Prospect: The L.J.
Mazzilli Edition.
Lee Louis Mazzilli Jr. was born on September 6, 1990 in
Greenwich, Connecticut to former MLB player and pitching coach Lee Mazzilli and
his wife Dani. Lee Louis, or L.J. which stands for Lee Jr., played Little
League Baseball while in Greenwich and even won a Little League Home Run Derby
at the age of 12 before truly beginning his amateur career at Greenwich High
School. Mazzilli later transferred to Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle,
New York due to their stronger baseball program before ultimately ending up at
the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida for his senior year of High School. All
the bouncing around did some good for Mazzilli as the shortstop was able to
enroll at the University of Connecticut where he continued his amateur baseball
career.
While playing for the Connecticut Huskies baseball team
Mazzilli was moved to second base as the Huskies had Nick Ahmed already manning
the shortstop position. Mazzilli showed great potential with his bat as a
freshman, sophomore and junior garnering the attention of the Minnesota twins
who selected Mazzilli in the ninth round, 280th overall, of the 2012
MLB First Year Players Draft. Mazzilli ultimately decided not sign with
Minnesota despite being offered a $260,000 signing bonus and returned to UCONN
for his senior season. The decision turned out to be a good one for Mazzilli
who hit .354 with 51 RBI and 29 stolen bases as a senior.
The New York Mets selected Mazzilli in the fourth round of
the 2013 MLB Draft with the 116th overall selection and was
immediately signed to the New York-Penn League. Mazzilli was named to the Short
Season All-Star team in 2013 before earning a promotion to Class-A Ball and the
South Atlantic League (SAL) for the 2014 season. Another year and another
All-Star Game appearance for Mazzilli in 2014, this time earning the nod in the
SAL All-Star Game, before making stops in Class-A Advanced, Double-A and even
Triple-A with the Las Vegas 51s before the end of the season.
The 2014 season was kind to Mazzilli but the offseason
before the 2015 season could not say the same. During the 2014-2015 offseason
Mazzilli was suspended for the first 50 games of the season after failing a
second test for “drug abuse.” Mazzilli was assigned to Double-A Binghamton for
the remainder of the 2015 season where he would remain for the rest of that
season and for the majority of the 2016 season. In August of 2016 Mazzilli
found himself back in Triple-A with Las Vegas, where he finished the 2016 and
2017 seasons. Mazzilli, drafted as a second baseman, was learning the outfield
position with the Mets which led to the slow down in progression for him as a
prospect.
Mazzilli was back in Triple-A to begin the 2018 season
before the need for infield and outfield depth at the upper levels of the
organization led the New York Yankees to come calling. The Yankees traded
Coleman to the Mets thus bringing Mazzilli to the team and to the organization.
Welcome, L.J.! Do us proud.
The 2009 season was a season for the Yankees and their fans that came with a lot of hope but a lot of pressure at the same time. The team had went out and signed huge free agents like CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Mark Teixeira while acquiring the likes of Nick Swisher from the Chicago White Sox while their big-money star third baseman Alex Rodriguez started the season on the DL with a hip injury. Alex came back seemingly healthier than ever hitting a home run on the first pitch he saw this season and he ended up with 30 home runs and 100 RBI on the dot after a huge final game of the season.
Alex was riding high into the postseason as he looked to finally break out like a 13-year old boy and while the Yankees searched for the 27th World Series title in the franchise’s history. Alex finished the 2009 postseason with a .365 average, six home runs and 18 RBI but no home run may have been bigger than the one he hit on October 9th, 2009.
On this day against the Minnesota Twins the Yankees DH slugged a two-run home run late to tie the game, a game that the Yankees ultimately went on to win. Without that win the ALCS and eventually the World Series may never have come.
The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians are not
division rivals. The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians are not bitter
rivals or even postseason rivals. Really, the Indians and the Yankees are just
two teams both in the American League that are both vying for one thing, the
World Series championship. The Indians are facing a drought that has kept the
World Series trophy from the team since the 1948 season while the Yankees won
their last World Series in 2009, their 27th overall. This is the
story of two different teams with two different histories and two different
paths to get here… and as of tonight at 7:30 not a damn bit of it matters
anymore. This is October. This is the postseason. This is the American League
Division Series.
Now I know I may be contradicting myself a bit by covering
what these two teams did against one another this season just a few lines after
saying none of it matters but stick with me. Even if I spend the next 2000-3000
words talking about the battles that these two teams endured head-to-head here
in 2017 it doesn’t change the fact that none of it matters. The playoffs are a
second season and it’s not always the best team that wins these short series,
sometimes it is the hottest teams and the teams with the most momentum. After
Tuesday night you have to think that’s the Yankees, right?
The Yankees and the Indians squared off seven times
head-to-head this season with Cleveland winning five of those seven games, ouch
if you’re a Yankees fan. You can see a basic breakdown of those games below
thanks to Baseball Reference. There’s a few games that look especially scary if
you’re a fan of the Bronx Bombers, especially the fact that two of the Yankees
five losses were against tonight’s starter Bauer. Again, second season though.
Here are the stats:
The pitching matchup is an interesting one if you ask me,
especially on the Indians side, as the Yankees send Sonny Gray to the mound to
face off with Trevor Bauer for the Indians. You have to wonder why Corey Kluber
isn’t starting Game One as he could still be saved for Game Five if necessary
but I am not one to question Terry Francona, he has been here before and he
probably forgets more baseball knowledge than you or I will ever hope to
contain. What have the Yankees done against Bauer here in 2017? What have the
Indians done against Gray here in 2017? See below:
Photo credit and stat line credit to Baseball Reference.
The Yankees are the underdogs in this series and you didn’t
need my post and my ramblings to tell you that. It doesn’t look good but to be
honest, who thought the Yankees would even be here right now? Who thought the
Yankees would even make the postseason in 2017? Not many. Who thought the
Yankees would come back on Tuesday night when the Twins got them down 0-3
early? I’m sure there were more than a few doubters. Who thought the Yankees
would even make the postseason when Aaron Judge hit his little slump after the
All-Star break? See my previous statement about doubters, yet the Yankees are
still here. Yet the Yankees did make the playoffs. Yet the Yankees did survive
an early onslaught by Minnesota in the American League Wild Card Game. Yet the
Yankees are here and this is their October. I am not afraid, and you shouldn’t
be either despite what these stats say.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61577051/usa_today_11282632.0.jpg)
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55962567/usa_today_10184887.0.jpg)
