Why I'm Not Afraid of Carlos Carrasco in Game Two Tonight

 The New York Yankees offense was not afraid of 2020's presumptive American League Cy Young Award winner, so should they be afraid of Carlos Carrasco tonight in Game Two? In a word, no. Here's why!

The New York Yankees generally struggle against pitchers that they are seeing for the first time, it doesn't make sense but it is definitely a thing for this team. The good news tonight is that the Bombers have seen Carrasco plenty, to the tune of the stats below provided by ESPN: 

New York Yankees Career Statistics Vs. Carlos Carrasco

PITCHER	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Clint Frazier	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	.333	.333	.667	1.000
Brett Gardner	22	6	1	1	0	3	5	6	.273	.407	.409	.816
Aaron Hicks	10	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	.000	.091	.000	.091
Aaron Judge	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	.000	.333	.000	.333
Erik Kratz	4	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.500	.500	.500	1.000
Giancarlo Stanton	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000	.000
TOTALS	42	9	2	1	0	3	7	14	.184	.277	.263	.540

Is that a huge sample size? Unfortunately not, but it is better than nothing. With the above, do the Yankees start Clint tonight or do they start Gardner? Originally, my thought process was that Clint would get the start, but that was before Gardy's big game last night against Bieber and the Indians. 

Carrasco has made 12 appearances, nine of them starts, in his career against the Yankees and currently owns a 5-5 record with a 4.04 ERA. Carrasco has allowed eight home runs to the Bronx Bombers over that span with a 1.204 WHIP. Carrasco will get his strikeouts against this team, he has struck out Yankees batters 60 times in 55.2 innings pitched against them while drawing just 15 walks. That's not what you want to see, but ultimately I think the Yankees offense should be fine. 

Remember, Carrasco is not the same pitcher he was just two-or-three seasons ago, he is a shell of his former self. A lot of this gaudy strikeout numbers came while Carrasco was at his peak, and Carrasco has since fallen from that level due to injury. Carrasco's 3-4 record, 1.206 WHIP and 1.6 WAR, while good, are not what he was in 2017 and 2018. 2017 and 2018 were his Cy Young contending years, while he has stepped back each of the last two seasons. 

Bieber scared me a little last night, although I wasn't worried, but Carrasco really doesn't. I'm not looking past Carrasco by any means, but I am confident that the Yankees will close out this series with a victory tonight. See you in the ALDS. 

AL Wild Card Game 2 - New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians

 The New York Yankees slugged their way to a victory in Game One of the 2020 American League Wild Card Series with the Cleveland Indians, hitting the first home run of the season off Cleveland ace Shane Bieber while knocking him out of the game after just 4.2 IP. Tonight the Yankees offense will look for much of the same, and a series victory, while they back Masahiro Tanaka. Playoff Tanaka tonight on the mound with the series on the line, let's do this. 

Masahiro Tanaka owns a career 1.76 ERA in the postseason along with 37 strikeouts across eight starts since 2015, thus earning the nickname of Playoff Tanaka. Tanaka also finished the 2020 campaign strong with a 2-1 record over his last three starts, compiling a 2.25 ERA over that span. Tanaka looks to send the Yankees into the American League Division Series with a victory tonight. 

Carlos Carrasco will make his third career playoff appearance tonight for the Indians with their season and backs against the wall. In his two previous postseason starts, one in 2017 and one in 2018, Carrasco has posted a 1.64 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 11 innings pitched. 

The game will be played at 7:08 pm ET inside Progressive Field and can be seen nationally on ESPN. Go Yankees!

AL Wild Card Game 1 - New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians

 This is what 60 games have led to, the 2020 MLB Postseason. The playoffs this year will be a little different than what we are used to, but I don't think that will make the second season any less interesting. Instead of five teams per league we have jumped to eight teams in each league, a total of 16 teams out of 30 have made the postseason, and two of those teams we will see on the field tonight inside Cleveland's Progressive Field. In the opener of the best-of-three series a pair of aces take the mound looking to give their team an early 1-0 lead in the series. On the mound for the Yankees will be Gerrit Cole, Cole World and Higgy, while the Indians will counter with presumptive 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber for Cleveland. 

This is why the Yankees signed Gerrit Cole, for a start just like this one tonight in Cleveland. Cole struggled early on in this 2020 campaign, but has seemingly turned things around just at the right time with his personal (yeah, I called him that. So what? Does anyone really want to continue to doubt me on this subject at this point?) catcher Kyle Higashioka. Cole has a career 2.60 ERA in this postseason across 10 starts including an impressive run in the 2019 MLB postseason that included a 4-1 record and a 1.72 ERA. 

Shane Bieber won the triple crown for pitchers in the American League in 2020, but all that and about $15 will get you a beer at the stadium tonight (if fans were allowed in attendance). Bieber will be making his first career postseason start tonight after posting an impressive 1.63 ERA with 122 strikeouts in 2020. The fans will not be a factor tonight, so I fully expect Bieber to be tough tonight with the Yankees heavy right-handed lineup looking for the big hit. 

The game starts at 7:08 pm ET inside Cleveland's Progressive Field and can be seen nationally on ESPN. Go Yankees!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians 7/13

And just like that it is game time here inside Progressive Field as the Cleveland Indians play host to the New York Yankees in the second of a four-game set that will stretch through the weekend. In the start tonight the Yankees will send Domingo German to the mound while the Indians will counter with Shane Bieber. The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Progressive Field in Cleveland 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 team all season long. Enjoy the game, Happy German Day, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians 7/13

Happy Friday to you all! In the second game of this four-game weekend set between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians we will all watch as these two teams treat us with potentially another great pitching matchup. In the start tonight the Yankees will send Domingo German to the mound to face off with Shane Bieber for the Indians. For some reason I can see this quickly becoming a battle of the bullpens and let me also say that I still hate seeing Andrew Miller coming out of the Indians pen and not the Yankees pen, even if it did net us Justus Sheffield and Billy McKinney. Let’s get to it here in Cleveland’s Progressive Field.

German heads into his second career start against the Indians tonight fresh off a solid start last time out against the Toronto Blue Jays. In his last start the young Yankees right-hander allowed just one run on four hits in a victory against Toronto. In German’s first career start, which came against these Indians, the righty tosses six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in a Yankees victory.

Bieber was not sharp in his last start against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday after allowing four runs on eight hits in six innings of work. Bieber struck out seven and only walked one improving his impressive K/BB ratio as a rookie this season.

The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Progressive Field in Cleveland 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.

Enjoy the game, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Greg Bird take Miller deep again tonight just because, and go Yankees!!

ALDS Game 5 Thread: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians

No games. No bull. Let’s get to this and let’s get it done tonight in Cleveland. The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians will play tonight in a winner-take-all Game 5 in the ALDS. Winner moves on to the ALCS to face off with the Houston Astros while the loser goes home licking their wounds and wondering what could have been. New York will send CC Sabathia to the mound tonight to face off with Corey Kluber for the Indians. The game will be played at 8:00 pm ET and can be seen on Fox Sports One. You can also follow along in your cars and on the radio by tuning into WFAN and ESPN Radio.

Follow us on Twitter and interact with us during the game by giving @GreedyStripes a follow. Need a win, omg is this a huge win so get a win. Go Yankees!

Prediction: Yankees win 4-3

ALDS Game 5 Preview: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians

And it all comes down to this tonight as the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians play in a do-or-die, winner takes all Game 5 of the American League Division series. Let me start by saying damn, what a series. The Indians won both of their games at home to start the series while the Yankees came roaring back in games three and four to even the series setting up this series finale inside Progressive Field in Cleveland tonight. In the start tonight the Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound, undoubtedly with a short leash with a rested bullpen and Sonny Gray available, to face off with the Indians ace and perennial Cy Young Award candidate Corey Kluber. The Yankees got to Kluber in Game Two but there is no guarantee that lightning will strike twice again here in Cleveland. I mean it could though, so you have to watch.

Sabathia will take the ball tonight for the Yankees instead of Sonny Gray after pitching well for New York in Game 2 of this series in Cleveland. Sabathia lasted 5.1 innings in that start in a no-decision which kept his career playoff record at 9-5 with a 4.47 ERA in 20 games, 19 starts.

Kluber was not sharp in that same Game Two matchup yielding six runs in just 2.2 innings. Thankfully for the Indians the Cleveland offense picked up Kluber and got the victory allowing the right-hander to make the start tonight in front of his home field fans.

The game will be played at 8:05 pm ET inside Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio and can be seen on Fox Sports One. You can also follow along in your cars and on the radio by tuning into either the WFAN broadcast with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman or by tuning into ESPN radio. Need a win, get one more win and a free ticket to the ALCS. Go Yankees!!!

ALDS Game 2 Thread: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians

Need something to do on your commute home on this beautiful Friday afternoon? Turn on the radio and follow along with Game 2 of the American League Division Series because it starts here in just a few minutes. That’s one thing I am not a huge fan of in the early rounds of the postseason, these weird and earlier than normal start times, but it’s the playoffs and the Yankees are in them so I guess I can’t complain too awful much. In the contest tonight the Yankees will send CC Sabathia who will look to slow down the Indians offense while Cleveland will counter with their ace and savior Corey Kluber. The game will be played at 5:00 pm ET inside Progressive Field and can be seen on MLB Network. You can also follow along on the radio by tuning into either the WFAN broadcast with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman or by tuning into ESPN Radio.

Follow us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes and enjoy the game. Need a playoff and ALDS win, get a playoff and ALDS win before heading back home to the Bronx. Go Yankees!

Prediction: Yankees win 4-3

ALDS Game 1 Thread: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians

Ladies and gentleman it is game time once again in the 2017 postseason as the New York Yankees have made the trip out to Cleveland and Progressive Field to take on baseball’s best team in the Cleveland Indians. The pleasantries are over and the Yankees are presumably done asking former teammates like Andrew Miller and Nick Goody how they’ve been and now it’s time for baseball. In the opener of this best-of-five American League Division Series the New York Yankees will send Sonny Gray to the mound to face off with Trevor Bauer for the Indians. The game will be played at 7:30 pm ET inside Progressive Field and can be seen on FOX Sports One. You can also follow along in your cars and on the radio by tuning into either WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman or you can also tune into ESPN Radio if you’re a glutton for punishment.

Follow us on Twitter to interact with us during the game, for the entire postseason, the offseason or whenever because we aren’t going anywhere and the rumors of our demise were a bit presumptuous and premature. We’re here as long as the Yankees are so need a win? Get a win! Then get two more. Go Yankees!!

Prediction: Yankees win 4-3

ALDS Game 1 Preview: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians

The New York Yankees rode their wave of emotions and momentum all the way to Cleveland after their roller coaster victory over the Minnesota Twins in the American League Wild Card Game. The postseason is a second season and the Wild Card Round is over, now it’s time to focus on the American League Division Series and the Cleveland Indians. The Indians were the best team in baseball in 2017 rattling off 22 straight wins at one point in the season but that plus $15 will get you a beer inside Progressive Field tonight. It means nothing and the Yankees need to play like that if they want a chance to steal Game One and steal home-field advantage in this series. The arm donned with that task tonight for New York is Sonny Gray while the Indians will counter with Trevor Bauer who is a bit of a surprise to start the game for Cleveland in my opinion. Is it a gift from Terry Francona and the Baseball Gods? Stay tuned tonight to find out.

Gray will get the ball in Game One of the ALDS for the New York Yankees after coming over in a trade from the Oakland Athletics on July 31st. This will be Gray's second time in the postseason after allowing three earned runs over two starts in his first trip to the postseason with Oakland.

Bauer had the best regular season of his young MLB career here in 2017 and will look to build on that here in the postseason for the Indians. Bauer finished the season with a career-high in wins with 17 and strikeouts with 196 K’s. Ten of those wins came at home where Bauer will pitch tonight.

The game will be played at 7:30 pm ET inside Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians, and can be seen on FOX Sports One. Thank God it isn’t ESPN again, that was brutal on Tuesday night. Need three more wins, so get a win tonight. Go Yankees!!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians 8/5

What are two things that are just awesome and that just go together? Peanut butter and jelly. Pizza and beer. Saturday and Yankees baseball. There’s more but those are just the first three that came to mind. It is game time ladies and gentleman as the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians continue their four-game series with the third game of the set here in just a few minutes. In the start the Yankees will send Jordan Montgomery to the mound to face off with Danny Salazar for the Indians. The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Progressive Field in Cleveland and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and MLB TV. You can also follow along on the radio and in your cars by tuning into WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman each and every game.

Follow us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes and enjoy the game. Go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians 8/5

The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians are back at it again today for the third time in their four-game extended weekend set inside Progressive Field. In the first two starts of the series the Yankees had shiny new toys to introduce to their fans in Sonny Gray and Jaime Garcia but tonight the Bombers go back to a young, but old reliable in Jordan Montgomery. Opposing the rookie left-hander for the Cleveland Indians will be Danny Salazar. Montgomery has been compared to a young Andy Pettitte so as the saying goes with great praise comes great responsibility. There isn’t any better praise than to be compared to Mr. Pettitte so… no pressure today Jordan.

Montgomery may be pitching for his rotation spot tonight after the Yankees acquired Sonny Gray and Jaime Garcia before the July 31^st trading deadline. Montgomery didn’t help his own cause in his last start either lasting just 2.2 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays while allowing for runs on six hits.

Salazar was much better in his last start pitching six innings while only allowing two runs with eight strikeouts against the Chicago White Sox. In two starts since coming off the disabled list on July 2 Salazar has pitched to a 1.38 ERA with 16 K’s and a .095 batting average against.

The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Progressive Field in Cleveland and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and MLB TV. You can also follow along with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN with the Mr. and Ms. Baseball broadcast. Enjoy the game and Go Yankees!!!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians 8/4

Friday night baseball here between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians. Let’s get to it. Tonight the Yankees and Indians will play in the second of their four-game set inside Cleveland’s Progressive Field with another interesting pitching matchup. In the contest tonight the Yankees will send Jaime Garcia to the mound to square off against Trevor Bauer for the Indians. The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Progressive Field and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and MLB TV. You can also follow along in your cars and on the radio by tuning into WFAN.

Follow us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes and enjoy the game, and your weekend. Go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians 8/4

The New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians continue their four-game set stretching into the weekend with the second head-to-head meeting tonight inside Progressive Field in Cleveland. Another day another shiny new toy for the Yankees as we all watched Sonny Gray make his debut for New York last night against these Indians. Tonight we get to watch Jaime Garcia make his debut for the Bronx Bombers after coming over in a trade with the Minnesota Twins. Opposing Garcia and looking to spoil his Yankees debut is Trevor Bauer for the Indians. I am very excited to see Garcia pitch so my eyes will be glued to this start, no doubt about it.

Garcia, like Sonny Gray yesterday, will be making his Yankees debut after being acquired from the Minnesota Twins before the July 31^st trading deadline. Garcia made one start for the Twins after being acquired from the Atlanta Braves and picked up a win in the start allowing three runs and eight hits in 6.2 innings pitched against the Oakland Athletics.

Bauer was strong in his last start against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim allowing just one run in eight innings of work. Bauer throughout his career has not been strong against the Yankees though allowing 11 runs in 7.2 innings which cover a three game sample size. More of that tonight please.

The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Progressive Field in Cleveland and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and MLB TV. You can also follow along in your cars and on the radio by tuning into WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman. Enjoy the game and as always, Go Yankees!!!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians 8/3

The New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians are just about set to kick off their four-game set tonight in Cleveland with the debut for Sonny Gray in a Yankees uniform. That in itself is fun for any and all Yankees fans I would say. Facing Sonny Gray and looking to spoil his Yankees debut for the Indians tonight is Corey Kluber. The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Progressive Field and can be seen on the YES 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 following @GreedyStripes and enjoy the game. Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Cleveland Indians 8/3

The New York Yankees had a very successful home stand in the Bronx but now the team heads out on the road as they continue their push not only to the top of the American League East but to stay atop the division. Standing in their way over the next four days will be the Cleveland Indians who welcome the Bronx Bombers to town tonight and through the weekend. In the first game of the four-game series the Yankees will send Sonny Gray to the mound for the first time as a member of the team while the Indians will counter with Corey Kluber. Sonny Gray sporting his Yankees grays for the first time, anyone else feel something significant coming? Or is it just me?

Gray will make his Yankees debut tonight inside Progressive Field after being acquired for three prospects before the July 31^st trade deadline. In Gray’s last start as a member of the Oakland Athletics the right-hander took the loss in Toronto after allowing four runs, none earned, in six innings of work. In Gray’s last six starts as a member of the A’s the right-hander posted a 4-2 record with a 1.37 ERA.

Kluber has been the Indians ace for a few seasons now and has been especially living up to the hype here in 2017. In Kluber's last three starts the right-hander has put up a 1-0 record with a 3.38 ERA and 38 K's. over 21.1 innings pitched.

The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Progressive Field in Cleveland and can be seen on the YES 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. Enjoy the game, see an old face in Andrew Miller (who was added to the disabled list) and always scream Go Yankees! It isn’t fandom, it’s a lifestyle choice. 

World Series Game 7 Preview: Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians

And it all comes down to this..... Game 7 of the 2016 World Series. Tonight we finally answer the question of which World Series drought will come to an end. Will it be the drought of the Cleveland Indians who have not won a World Series since the 1948 Fall Classic or will it be the long-suffering Chicago Cubs and their fans who have not won a World Series since the 1908 season? We are just a few hours away from finding out and I just can't wait for it.

In this decisive Game 7 where winner takes all Terry Francona will send Corey Kluber to the mound for the Indians while Joe Maddon will send Kyle Hendricks to the mound with the city of Chicago and the Curse of the Billy Goat on his back and shoulders.

Hendricks led all of MLB in ERA in 2016 and will get the ball tonight looking to do what he did all season long, keep the other team off the scoreboard. Hendricks has done just that in his last two starts allowing zero runs combined while also lowering his postseason ERA to 1.31.


Kluber has been awesome this postseason and has already given the Indians victories in Game 1 and Game 4 of the World Series. Kluber will once again be pitching on short rest, the third time in a row actually, in the must-win game for both teams. Kluber has made five starts this postseason and has posted a 0.89 ERA thus far for Cleveland.

The game will be played at 8:08 pm ET and can be seen on FOX. Game 7... it all comes down to this.

World Series Game 6 Thread: Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians

It's that time ladies and gentleman, November baseball and Game 6 of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. Get hyped! Will the drought for the Chicago Cubs continue while the Cleveland Indians own little drought comes to an end or will the Cubs live to fight another day tomorrow in Game 7? There's only one way to find out, let's watch.

Tonight the Cubs will send Jake Arrieta to the mound to square off against Josh Tomlin. The game will be played at 8:08 pm ET inside Progressive Field and you can watch on FOX. Enjoy.

World Series Game Six Preview: Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians

Here we go ladies and gentleman, Game Six of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. The Chicago Cubs were able to stave off elimination on Sunday with Jon Lester on the mound and they will look to do so again tonight inside Progressive Field with Jake Arrieta on the mound. Meanwhile the Indians will counter with Josh Tomlin looking to avoid the final and decisive Game 7 by any means possible.

Arrieta won Game 2 of the World Series and will need to win just one more in his fourth start of the 2016 postseason. Arrieta won Game 2 inside Progressive Field, which will play host to these two teams tonight, allowing just one run on two hits in 5.2 innings pitched. Arrieta was a road warrior this season as well posting an 11-3 record with a 3.59 ERA in 15 starts so tonight should be just another day at the office for the 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner.


Tomlin will take the ball on three days rest tonight hoping to clinch the World Series for the Indians for the first time since the 1948 season while also keeping the Curse of the Billy Goat alive. Last time Tomlin took the ball he threw 4.2 innings in Game 3 allowing zero runs in a victory for the Indians.


The game will be played at 8:08 pm ET inside Progressive Field and can be seen on FOX.

World Series Game Three Thread: Cleveland Indians @ Chicago Cubs

Here we go ladies and gentleman, Game Three of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. The Indians were not able to protect home-field advantage, not that this is a huge deal in Major League Baseball in my opinion, and head into Chicago for the next three games with the series tied at a win each. The Cubs will send Kyle Hendricks to the mound tonight looking to take the team to the next step in breaking the Curse of the Billy Goat while the Indians will look to break their own personal World Series drought with Josh Tomlin taking the mound looking for a victory. The game will be played at 8:08 pm ET and it can be seen on FOX.

Enjoy the game everyone!