The Magnified Lows of a Long MLB Season...

 

Oswald Peraza, Luis Rengifo, and Anthony Volpe (Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

After sweeping the Royals, the Yanks have lost six straight…

Just when you thought the Yankees were getting a good mix of pitching, hitting, and defense, they forgot how. The team's hitting slump has been a primary culprit, but Friday night’s error by Anthony Volpe in the eighth inning that botched a potential inning-ending double play, allowing the winning run to score for the Los Angeles Angels, was the poster child of what ails this team. It is blowing the key moments of games. It seems like baseball always comes down to a few key plays and how you perform during the game’s most intense moments.

Anthony Volpe is what he is. He is a decent player on a team with championship aspirations. He is not a superstar and will never be. Being a good player on a great team is not a terrible thing. Great teams need good complementary players to support the elite guys on the roster. My only request is for Volpe, or anyone on the team, to make the routine plays.

Losing six straight games is certainly not solely Volpe’s fault. This has been a team effort, or lack thereof.

Every season has its highs and lows, and this losing streak will end. Will the Yankees be in first place in the AL East when they start winning again? Maybe, maybe not, but there are still more than three months left in the season. In other words, there is time to turn the ship around and point it in the right direction despite the recent lackluster play.

The sting of the losing streak is playing so pathetically against the team’s most hated rival, especially since the Boston Red Sox had been playing so poorly until they ran into the Yankees (or rather, ran over the Yankees). Then, an inferior baseball organization like the Angels has taken advantage of every mistake, every gift handed to them by the Yankees. These are two teams the Yankees should easily beat, and they would have earlier in the season. When the season ends, the Yankees will have a better record than either the Red Sox or the Angels. It is time for the team to wake up and start playing baseball to the best of their abilities. Hopefully, it starts today.

My biggest frustration with the Yankees in recent years is how they always leave a hole or two in the roster construction. For the longest time, it was left field after Brett Gardner’s career had ended. This past offseason, third base was such a glaring and obvious hole to even the most novice fans, yet the Yankees did nothing but try to patch it with converted in-house second basemen. There was a time that I loved DJ LeMahieu, but he is not helping this roster, and while Jazz Chisholm may have the heart to play third base, his highest and best use is his work at second base. Arizona’s Eugenio Suarez is the current name most often mentioned for the Yankees. The Diamondbacks are currently 36-37, nine games behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, and three games out of the Wild Card chase. It is the distance to the Wild Card that will determine if the D-Backs are buyers or sellers at the deadline, and whether Suarez will be available. I do not care if the Yankees acquire Suarez or another experienced third baseman; I just want a good third baseman to manage the position. Getting an elite player is unlikely, but the Yankees would be improved by putting people at their best positions…not asking them to play out of position.

If the Yankees were contemplating designating LeMahieu for assignment last year, it is something they need to consider in the coming weeks, especially if they can get Chisholm back to his natural second base. Oswald Peraza is another guy who needs to go. His spot on the roster can be upgraded. The former top prospect, who turned twenty-five last week, is not going to be a star, and the Yankees would be better served by getting a better infielder who can provide stronger support for Volpe at shortstop. No doubt if the Yankees dropped Peraza, he would get picked up by Boston and become a star. That is how it works these days as the Red Sox continue their rebuilding through the effective play of multiple former Yankees. Oh well, I have seen enough of Peraza, and I am ready for other options.

I am always amazed at how Boston can get itself out from under heavy contracts, and the Yankees never can. Boston stunned the baseball world following their recent sweep of the Yankees when they sent their best hitter, Rafael Devers, to the San Francisco Giants in a surprising trade. When I first saw the trade reports, I thought it was just another one of those hypothetical trades with a clickbait title. The Red Sox had strained their relationship with Devers, and regardless of whether it was Devers’ fault or the team’s fault, it was starting to look like an irreparable situation. The Red Sox made their bed when they signed former Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, pushing Devers off third base. The breakdown was how poorly the situation was handled. Better communication with Devers would have helped ease the transition, but there was probably much behind the scenes that we may never know. Still, shipping Devers away when the Red Sox had just started to build some momentum after a slow start does not seem like the best move for October aspirations. I would not say the Red Sox only got a bag of balls for Devers. There is talent in the young players they acquired. One (James Tibbs III) was a first-round pick in last year’s draft. The worst aspect of it is the talent acquired is not ready for the Major Leagues, outside of Jordan Hicks. Boston may get some value this year, but more than likely, the incoming players (most notably Tibbs and Kyle Harrison) will help in future years, not this year unless the Red Sox can reignite the hard-throwing Hicks to the potential he once held. Boston seems to get more out of their young players than the Yankees, and I expect the Red Sox will do more with their recent acquisitions in time. However, in any way you slice it, losing Devers from their lineup hurts this year.

Rafael Devers (Photo Credit: Jeff Chiu/AP)

It is funny that Boston will immediately find out what life is like watching Devers from the opposing dugout when they travel to San Francisco this weekend. I hope Devers gives Boston the taste of some of those clutch late-inning home runs. Let them feel the pain and aggravation that we have suffered over the years. Devers was the biggest Red Sox thorn on the Yankees’ side since David Ortiz. I am glad the Yankees will rarely see him now that he resides in the Bay Area. He is the Dodgers’ problem now.

My biggest fear with Boston’s salary relief is that they will become a major player for Kyle Tucker when he hits free agency after the season. I know Tucker would be great in Yankee Stadium, but my preference is for him to wear the famed Pinstripes, not the Boston Road Gray uniform. It is hard to get excited about a potential superstar free agent signing, considering the Yankees have rarely been the winning bidder for the game’s best players in recent years. Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge, plus the brilliant signing of Max Fried, are the notable exceptions, but the Yankees have generally lost out on the game’s best talent. I assumed the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tucker’s current team, the Chicago Cubs, would be major bidders for his services later this year, but we can now add the Red Sox to the list of teams with stupid money to burn. Well, the Dodgers might be out with the news that their owner is purchasing a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers for ten billion dollars. Well, not out, but enough to give some pause about adding another high-dollar contract.

For all the negative comments on social media about Yankees manager Aaron Boone, I thought it was a class move on his part to add Joe Torre as an honorary coach for the American League squad during next month's All-Star Game in Atlanta. 

Joe Torre (Photo Credit: Corey Sipkin/New York Post)

Torre, as a former Braves player and manager, will be well received by local fans, and his presence next to Boone brings back so many warm feelings about those great Yankees teams under Torre.  Boone also added Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt to his All-Star coaching staff.

The trade deadline is a little more than a month away. It is time for Brian Cashman and company to start cooking. Fix what ails the team. I am not overly optimistic they will, but we can always hope. Go ahead, Brian, make our day.

Today is a good day for the start of a winning streak.

As always, Go Yankees! 

Meet a Prospect Special Edition: Giancarlo Stanton

Wow guys, Daniel Burch be slacking. Somehow, someway the New York Yankees shocked the world acquiring the reigning National League MVP from the Miami Marlins in Giancarlo Stanton and I did not formally and officially introduce him to the Greedy Pinstripes family. My apologies, I do not know how this one slipped through the cracks. With that said, and I don’t need to say much because it is Giancarlo freaking Stanton we are talking about here, let us honor and introduce one of the newest members of the Yankees the only way we know how. This is Meet a Prospect Special Edition: The Giancarlo freaking Stanton Edition baby!!

Giancarlo Cruz Michael Stanton was born on November 8, 1989 as a future man of many names. I say this because his mother calls him Cruz, but his father and other relatives call him Mike or Mikey. Stanton was known as Mike Stanton all the way through High School, his minor league career and through the 2011 season MLB season before letting it be known that he preferred to be called Giancarlo. Giancarlo comes from African American, Irish and Puerto Rican descent and grew up idolizing both Roberto Clemente and Ivan Rodriguez, who are both from Puerto Rico.

Stanton attended Verdugo Hills High School in Tujunga, California for two years before transferring to Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California where “Mike” became a three-sport athlete. Stanton obviously played baseball, but also played wide receiver and cornerback in football, and also played basketball. Stanton was offered football scholarships from UCLA, UNLV and USC to play football but decided that baseball was his passion leading him to accept a scholarship from Tulane to play baseball, thus beginning his amateur career. Well, that was the plan anyway until the Florida Marlins came calling in the second round, 76^th overall, of the 2007 Major League Baseball First Year Players Draft with a $475,000 signing bonus. Rather than go to Tulane to play baseball like he committed to Giancarlo was headed to the minor leagues instead with the Gulf Coast League Marlins.

Giancarlo was moved through the Marlins system quickly after signing making quick pit stops in the Gulf Coast League, the Class-A Short Season New York – Penn League, and A-Ball through the 2008 season. While in A-Ball with the Greensboro Grasshoppers Giancarlo showed the Marlins what kind of power he could possess hitting 39 home runs with a .293 batting average and 97 RBI. Giancarlo opened a lot of eyes within the Marlins organization and even received an invitation to the 2009 Marlins spring training camp after winning numerous post-season awards for his performance in the 2008 minor league season. With that showing Giancarlo was ranked as the 16^th best prospect in all of Major League Baseball according to Baseball America, all at age 18 (soon-to-be 19).

Stanton continued his quick move towards the Major Leagues in 2009 with stops with Class A-Advanced and a trip to Double-A after being named to the All-Stars Futures Game for Team USA. After the season Giancarlo represented the Marlins in the Arizona Fall League and was named the 3^rd best prospect in all of Major League Baseball and the top prospect in the Marlins system according to Baseball America and John Manuel. Stanton began the 2010 season in Triple-A for the Marlins, but he was not long for the league as Florida decided to call up Giancarlo to the Major Leagues on June 6^th of 2010. Giancarlo was just 20-years old at the time of his call up making him the third youngest player in Marlins history to be called up to the Show behind Edgar Renteria and Miguel Cabrera. Stanton debuted with a 3-for-5 night with two infield singles and two runs scored. Giancarlo had a great rookie season that ended with him being named as an outfielder on Baseball America’s 2010 All-Rookie Team as well as an outfielder on the 2010 Topps Major League Rookie All-Star Team.

For as many highs as Giancarlo had in 2010 he had just as many lows in 2011 due to leg and eye injuries that kept the outfielder from really being consistent at the plate. Stanton overall finished the season with 34 home runs and 87 RBI in 516 at-bats but finished with just a .262 batting average. Giancarlo used the injury riddled season as motivation for him in the 2012 season which saw Stanton be named to the National League All-Star Team for the first time in his MLB career. Giancarlo was slated to participate in the Home Run Derby as well that season but ended up missing both events after undergoing knee surgery in July of 2012. Despite the injury and missing the Mid-Summer Classic Giancarlo finished the season with a .290 batting average, 37 home runs, a .361 OBP, and a .608 slugging percentage. The 2013 season was another typical season for Giancarlo, just with a few more injuries than he would have like sprinkled in.

Stanton represented Team USA in the World Baseball Classic before the 2013 season, but it was downhill after that as by the end of April the right fielder was on the disabled list with a Grade II hamstring injury. Stanton missed six weeks of the season ending the season with just 425 at-bats, a .249 average, 106 hits, 62 RBI and 24 home runs including his 99^th and 100^th of his career. Stanton came into the 2014 season more determined than ever to stay on the field and stay healthy, and that he did with another NL All-Star Game appearance representing the Marlins. Stanton finished the 2014 season with a .288 batting average, 37 home runs, 105 RBI, and 94 walks, but his 2014 season may best be remembered as the season he took a fastball to the face off then Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Mike Fiers. Stanton was hit in the face with the ball resulting in multiple facial fractures, lacerations and dental damage which is why he wears the protective head piece on his batting helmet that he can be seen wearing even today, four years later. Stanton, despite the injury, finished second in the NL MVP vote behind Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw. The runner up position in the NL MVP vote was likely disappointing, but he wasn’t disappointed long after the Miami Marlins approached their right fielder about a contract extension that offseason.

On November 17, 2014 the Marlins and Stanton agreed to the most lucrative contract in sports history when the two teams decided on a contract that would pay Stanton $325 million over the next 13 seasons. The deal included a no-trade clause and an opt-out clause written into the contract that Stanton could exercise after he turns 30-years old. Stanton’s salary would increase each year he played for the Marlins per the terms of the deal. Heading into the 2015 season all eyes were on Stanton and whether he could live up to the most lucrative contract given in all the major North American sports and Stanton did everything he could, and everything his body would let him, to do just that. Stanton hit bombs in 2015, 27 of them in 74 games, but his season would end prematurely once again due to injury in 2015 after breaking the hamate bone in his left wrist during the month of June. Once again, a season ended much earlier than it should have for Stanton.

Stanton was determined to make the 2016 season not only a full season, but his best season yet at the Major League level. Stanton did not get elected to the National League All-Star team in 2016, but he was selected to participate in the 2016 Home Run Derby and Stanton made a statement for all to see on that eventful Monday night. Stanton hit a total of 61 home runs winning the Derby, a new record for a single Home Run Derby, including the 10 longest home runs hit that night and 18 of the 19 longest among the eight competitors. Stanton once again missed time in August and September after suffering another Grade II hamstring strain, this time missing 22 games. Stanton ended the season with a .240 batting average, 27 home runs and 74 RBI. While this was a down season by all accounts for Stanton he was able to make it back on the field by the end of the 2016 season, something that his doctors and the training staff did not see happening after the hamstring injury.

Stanton finally put it all together for a complete season in 2017 earning his fourth selection to the All-Star Game as a representative for the National League. Stanton once again participated in the Home Run Derby but lost in the first round by one home to the New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez despite putting on another show for the fans. Stanton set a Marlins franchise record for the most home runs in a season with his 43^rd home run on August 14, passing Gary Sheffield’s 42 home runs set in 1996, and even hit a home run in six consecutive games in 2017, also a franchise record. Stanton ended the 2017 season with 59 home runs, 132 RBI and a .281 batting average earning Giancarlo not only his second Hank Aaron Award of his career, but his first National League Most Valuable Player Award as well, beating out Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto by two voting points.

During the offseason of the 2018 season the Miami Marlins ownership changed hands to a group that included former Yankees legend Derek Jeter. New ownership sought to dump salary and start fresh with the organization which began and ended with Stanton. The Marlins began the process of trying to deal Stanton and his no-trade clause to the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants, but Stanton exercised his NTC in both deals. In the end the New York Yankees acquired Stanton and cash considerations from the Marlins for Starlin Castro and minor leaguers Jorge Guzman and Jose Devers. Stanton became just the second player in Major League history to be traded the season after hitting 50 home runs, the other being Greg Vaughn, but instantly the reigning NL MVP became first in the hearts of Yankees fans after his acquisition.

Stanton has immediately become a fan favorite in New York and the “best friend” (as evident by the tweet sent by his new teammate on Twitter after news broke of the trade) of current Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge. Stanton will split time between the outfield and the DH position here in 2018, something that will hopefully keep him fresh and healthy all season long and should be penciled in for about 173 home runs this season. Marlins Park was named one of the six hardest parks to hit a home run out of in 2017, so hitting inside Yankee Stadium III at least 81 games a season should truly benefit the right-handed slugger.

I know I am late and I know this has probably been said numerous times before, but better late than never. Giancarlo, Mike, Cruz, whomever. Welcome to New York, welcome to the biggest stage, welcome to the team, welcome to the tradition and the history that is the Yankees, and most importantly WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!!!

There Was Almost Life After Sale...

Credit:  Paul J Bereswill-NY Post

Red Sox 3, Yankees 2...

The Yankees had victory in their hands but Aroldis Chapman was unable to hold a one-run lead in the 9th and the Yankees fell to the Boston Red Sox in extra innings.  

This was one tough.  I felt very uneasy with Chapman taking the mound.  The Yankees really needed an insurance run in the 8th when Didi Gregorius struck out in the bottom of the 8th with runners at the corners and two outs.  I was concerned that Chapman would not be able to hold a one-run advantage.  Unfortunately, I was right.  Dellin Betances may have righted the ship but Chapman has not.  I don't know if it's the World Series "hangover" (too many pitches thrown in an extended season), but...right now...the Yankees have two better closers in Betances and David Robertson.  

It was expected that Chris Sale would be tough and he was.  Entering the game, his season ERA was only 1.15 against the Yankees in two starts.  We could have used that 0.15 of a run.  After Boston had scored the game's first run in the top of the 5th on a run-scoring single by Jackie Bradley, Jr, the Yankees struck back against Sale when they got their turn at bat.  Chase Headley lined a one-out single to center.  After Ronald Torreyes struck out, Austin Romine tripled to right to score Headley.  Mookie Betts was at the wall but couldn't make the catch on Romine's hit.  The game was tied at 1.  It would be the sole run the Yankees would score off Sale.  He went 7 strong innings and only allowed 4 hits and the single run, while walking 2 and striking out 12.  

Credit:  Frank Franklin II-The Associated Press

Still, the Yankees had a chance.  Jordan Montgomery, struck in the head by a line drive during batting practice on Saturday, was excellent.  He kept the Yankees in the game, holding the Red Sox at bay to match Sale's dominance for 5 1/3 innings.  The Red Sox were able to get only two hits off Monty, and the run in the 5th.  Throwing 84 pitches, Monty did walk 3 batters but struck out 4.  

Credit:  Jason Scenes-EPA

With Sale out of the game, the Yankees finally broke through with a run in the 8th against Red Sox reliever Matt Barnes.  Aaron Hicks worked a one-out walk.  Aaron Judge singled to right, Hicks moved to second.  Another walk, this time to Gary Sanchez, loaded the bases.    Todd Frazier hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Hicks with the go-ahead run.  The Yankees led, 2-1.  The Red Sox pulled Barnes and replaced him with reliever Robby Scott to face Didi Gregorius.  A single by Didi in this spot would have been huge, but sadly Scott struck out Didi on three pitches.

Enter Aroldis Chapman, goodbye potential win.  With two strikes on Rafael Devers, Chapman unleashed a 103 mph fastball and Devers was ready for it.  Brett Gardner and Aaron Hicks could only watch as the ball landed over the wall in left center.  The game was tied.

Credit:  Bill Kostroun

The Yankees could have won the game in the bottom of the 9th.  With Addison Reed pitching, Chase Headley led off with a walk.  Ronald Torreyes laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Headley to second.  Jacoby Ellsbury, pinch hitting for Austin Romine, grounded out to first, but Headley was able to advance to third.  The potential winning run just 90 feet away.  The Sox replaced Reed with closer Craig Kimbrel to face Brett Gardner.  It was a big opportunity for Gardy but but he struck out to end the inning.

Aroldis Chapman was still on the mound when the Yankees took the field in the 10th.  With one out, he hit Jackie Bradley, Jr with a pitch and walked Eduardo Nunez.  Manager Joe Girardi finally had the stones to remove Chapman and replaced him with Tommy Kahnle.  Kahnle walked the first batter he faced (Mookie Betts) to load the bases.  Andrew Benintendi's single to right scored JBJ with the go-ahead run.  Kahnle was able to retire the next two batters but the damage had been done.  The Sox were up, 3-2.

Craig Kimbrel easily retired the Yankees in the bottom of the 10th, and the Red Sox walked off the field with the game and series win.

It won't get any easier when the Yankees play in Boston next weekend.  The Red Sox do not fear Chapman, nor should they have any reason to.  "He's my closer", Joe Girardi said after the game.  Live by the sword, die by the sword.  

Credit:  Frank Franklin II-The Associated Press

The Yankees (61-55) fell a season high 5 1/2 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East.  They had a chance to make a statement and it didn't happen.  The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles were unable to make up any ground on the Yankees.  The Rays lost, 4-3, to the Cleveland Indians while the O's were thumped, 9-3, by the Oakland A's.  The A's are 3 1/2 games behind the Yankees, while the O's are trailing by four.  The Yankees hold the Wild Card advantage by 1 1/2 games over the Los Angeles Angels (where did they come from?...) and 2 games over Jaime Garcia's former team (for 6 days), the Minnesota Twins.  

Aaron Hicks made a great diving catch in the first inning to rob Eduardo Nunez of an extra-base hit.  

Aaron Judge had three more strikeouts on Sunday to extend his consecutive game streak to 30.  He trails the record that Adam Dunn set, for non-pitchers, in 2012 with strikeouts in 32 consecutive games.  The Yankees really need Judge to make the necessary adjustments to get out of this funk if they are to have any October aspirations.

Credit:  Mike Stobe-Getty Images

Next Up:  New York Mets at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY (2) and Citi Field, Flushing, NY (2)...

The Yankees play a quick two-game set at home against the Mets before the series resumes at Citi Field for two games beginning on Wednesday.  The series follows some recent bad blood between the two teams over contentious failed trade negotiations leading up to the trading deadline.

Here are the pitching match-ups:

TODAY

Mets:  Rafael Montero (1-8, 6.06 ERA)

Yankees:  Luis Cessa (0-3, 4.83 ERA)

TUESDAY

Mets:  Jacob DeGrom (13-5, 3.21 ERA)

Yankees:  Sonny Gray (6-7, 3.39 ERA)

WEDNESDAY

Yankees:  Jaime Garcia (1-1, 5.82 ERA)

Mets:  Seth Lugo (5-3, 4.85 ERA)

THURSDAY

Yankees:  Luis Severino (9-5, 3.32 ERA)

Mets:  Steven Matz (2-6, 5.54 ERA)

May Sonny Gray and Jaime Garcia finally got some runs to work with, and may Luis Severino pitch much, much better than he did last Saturday against the Red Sox.  As for Cessa today, at least he's facing a pitcher with 8 losses and ERA above six.  

Odds & Ends...

Prior to Sunday's game, the Yankees returned reliever Giovanny Gallegos to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and recalled LHP Caleb Smith (who had been scheduled to pitch for the RailRiders on Sunday but was scratched with the promotion).  LHP Nestor Cortes made the start for SWB in Smith's place.  Cortes didn't get the win but he held the Durham Bulls to one hit and one unearned run in 4 2/3 innings.  With no free passes, he struck out eight.  The RailRiders won the game on a two-run homer by Ji-Man Choi in the top of the 9th.

The Texas Rangers have released infielder Pete Kozma who was on the Yankees' opening day roster as an injury replacement for Didi Gregorius.  The Rangers had previously sold reliever Ernesto Frieri, who was in spring training with the Yankees, to the Seattle Mariners for $1 earlier in the week.  

The Houston Astros have acquired reliever Tyler Clippard from the Chicago White Sox for a player to be named later or cash considerations.  Clippard rebuilt his stock after the trade   from the Yankees to the White Sox.  Although he lost his first appearance for the White Sox, he won his only other decision in 11 appearances and finished with a 1.80 ERA and two saves.  The Astros get a much better pitcher than the Yankees had earlier this year.

Have a great Monday!  A win today would be great!  Let's Go Yankees!

International Free Agent Spending Starts Tuesday 7/2

Starting on Tuesday July 2nd the International Free Agent spending free for all begins at midnight and the Yankees look to be busy on that day. We learned yesterday that the Yankees would not be interested in Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez but today we learned that the Yankees will be interested in Dominican third baseman Rafael Devers. We should also be interested in Dominican left fielder Leonardo Molina. 

Devers is only 16 years old but was ranked as the best international free agent in this pool by Baseball America. BA also calls him the most advanced left handed hitter in the pool thanks to his bat speed, power potential, and ability to hit and recognize off speed pitching. His only issue is that at age 16 he is already 6'1" and 215 lbs so he may grow himself out of the hot corner.