The Last Time Masahiro Tanaka Lost A Game Meme

Let's hope this afternoon is just the beginning of a new streak for the Japanese sensation Masahiro Tanaka. Above is a list of just a few of things that were going on 42 starts ago when Tanaka last lost a game. As we all know Tanaka lost his last start against the Chicago Cubs snapping the streak. 

Preview: New York Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox 5/25

The New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox will finish their four game set in Chicago this afternoon at US Cellular Field. The Yankees will send ace Masahiro Tanaka to the mound looking to start another streak and will be opposed by Andre Rienzo for the White Sox. The game will be played at 2:10 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB TV, and WFAN.

Tanaka had his streak of 42 straight games without a loss snapped last time out against the Chicago Cubs and looks to start a new streak tonight in Chicago. Tanaka gave up four runs in six innings in a 6-1 loss in Wrigley Field. Tanaka's K numbers are still impressive though as he comes into today's start with 73 K's in 64 IP.

Rienzo is coming off a start in which he struck out a career high eight batters in a 7-6 win over the Kansas City Royals last time out. Rienzo allowed two runs and pitched six innings against the Royals. Rienzo is now 4-0 on the season.

Go Yankees!!

Pineda Rehab Assignment Starts Tomorrow

Source tells me that Michael Pineda will start for @ChasRiverDogs on Monday. Suspect plan is to have him pitch for Thunder Saturday #Yankees
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer74) May 25, 2014

Michael Pineda will begin a minor league rehab assignment tomorrow while trying to come back from a teres major strain in his back/shoulder. Pineda will pitch for the Charleston Riverdogs on Monday and is slated to throw two innings or 35 pitches, whichever comes first. The Yankees were expecting to get Pineda back in mid June so if he starts tomorrow and gets three starts in that puts him right on track for an early to mid June return.

If the Yankees need anybody back the most right now I think it definitely has to be Pineda so this is great news for the Yankees. If all goes well tomorrow the Yankees could bump Pineda up to Trenton with the Thunder for a Saturday start as he would not count against the roster since Trenton has a double header. The Yankees could finally be turning things around if they get Pineda back and can get a couple of their other injured stars back as well.

Can't Predict Baseball: Ted Williams Goes Above .400

On this day in 1937 future Hall of Famer Mickey Cochrane's career ends after he is beaned by Yankees pitcher Bump Hadley. The Tigers catcher would spend six weeks in the hospital only to return later as a manager, not as a player.

On this day in 1941 Ted Williams goes 4-5 against the New York Yankees in Yankee Stadium to raise his batting average over .400 for the first time this season. Williams would finish the 1941 season batting .406.

Quick Hit: David Robertson & His Closer Memory

What a weekend we have seen in Chicago so far. It all started Friday night when the Yankees got an early lead only to give up that early lead so they could come back and regain the lead. David Robertson gave up a walk off home run to Chicago's Adam Dunn for his first blown save in ten chances. A great sign for the Yankees is that Robertson did not have to wait long for his 11th chance as he got another save opportunity yesterday afternoon. The Yankees had another amazing comeback and this time Robertson sealed the deal and got the save for New York.

This is a great sign for the Yankees and their fans as they were worried all offseason long about replacing the great Mariano Rivera. If Robertson blows a save or two, and he will just for the record, as long as he comes right back then I think we're gonna be alright.

Charleston Riverdogs Game Recap 5/24

Judge Hits Fourth Homer in Loss at Hickory

RiverDogs have chance to even series in Sunday's finale to close eight-game road stretch

HICKORY, NC - Aaron Judge's two-run home run in the eighth inning highlighted a late Charleston RiverDogs rally, but the Hickory Crawdads held on to a 7-3 victory on Saturday evening at L.P. Frans Stadium in South Atlantic League action. Hickory's Ryan Cordell almost hit for the cycle in a four-hit performance for the Crawdads.

Charleston drops to 24-23 while Hickory moves up to 23-24. The Crawdads also have a 2-1 advantage in this four-game series, which closes with the finale on Sunday.

In the second inning, the Crawdads garnered a 1-0 lead. Cordell led off the frame with a double against Rookie Davis and advanced to third base when Ronald Guzman grounded out. A sacrifice fly from Kellin Deglan scored Cordell for the first run of the contest.

Cordell struck again in the third, pushing Hickory's lead to 3-0. With two outs and two runners aboard, Cordell tripled to center field and brought in Nick Vickerson and former Citadel Bulldog Joe Jackson. Davis ended three innings with three runs allowed and no strikeouts.

Crawdads southpaw Chad Bell was in search of his first win since August 29, 2012 and recorded a shutout start. Bell escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the second inning and also received big help from his defense. Deglan ended the third by throwing out a runner trying to advance to second base while Michael De Leon, Travis Demeritte, and Guzman turned an inning-ending double play in the fifth. Bell tossed five shutout innings with only five hits surrendered.

The Crawdads took a six-run advantage in the bottom of the fifth after Bell's final frame. Guzman's one-out double off Jordan Cote plated Nomar Mazara and Cordell for a 5-0 lead. Deglan drove in Guzman with a single to stretch the lead to 6-0.

Charleston broke up the potential shutout by scoring in the seventh inning against Ricardo Rodriguez. A Miguel Andujar single and a Dustin Fowler double, each with one out, set up Jose Rosario. Andujar scored when Rosario grounded out to first base, trimming the deficit to 6-1.

Hickory got that run back and improved its lead to 7-1 in its half of the seventh. Cordell, who reached on a single in his previous at bat, opened the frame with another single. A wild pitch and a balk put him on third base before Deglan brought him in with a groundout to first base. Cordell went 4-for-4 on Saturday and fell a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.

Judge tagged Josh McElwee with an eight-inning home run to get the RiverDogs within four. Michael O'Neill was hit by a pitch and stole second base prior to Judge's at bat. Judge cleared the left field wall with a line drive as Charleston cut Hickory's lead to 7-3. The RiverDogs brought up the tying run in the ninth but left the bases loaded at the end of the game.

Bell is 1-0 following the win, his first victory since a late-season triumph with the Triple-A Round Rock Express in 2012. Davis' fourth straight losing decision sends him to 2-4.

COMING UP: The finale of this four-game series and eight-game RiverDogs road stretch is scheduled for 5pm on Sunday. Charleston RHP Luis Severino (1-1, 1.76 ERA) will face Hickory RHP Akeem Bostick (2-2, 3.66 ERA). Beginning on Monday, May 26, the RiverDogs host an eight-game homestand at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. Re-Opening Night is on tap for a May 27 doubleheader with the Greenville Drive at 6:05pm while Bark for Your Brew on June 1 at 3pm precedes the finale against the Asheville Tourists at 5:05pm. Tickets may be purchased at the Riley Park Box Office, (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or on-line at www.riverdogs.com. If fans cannot make it to the ballpark, they are encouraged to tune in to all the action this year both home and away worldwide onwww.riverdogs.com and locally on 1250 WTMA, the new radio home for RiverDogs baseball.

Box Score: http://atmilb.com/1grSgCg

Being posted with permission from the Charleston Riverdogs. The original post can be seen HERE. 

This Day In New York Yankees History 5/25

On this day in 1922 Babe Ruth was called out at second base trying to stretch a single into a double and started a tirade. Babe Ruth threw dirt in an umpire's eyes and then went after a heckler in the stands. Ruth finished by standing on the roof of the dugout and calling the crowd yellow cowards. Ruth would receive a one game suspension, a $200 fine, and would lose his captaincy.

On this day in 2002 former major league pitcher and former Yankee David Cone was hired as a part time television analyst by the YES Network. Cone'd deal included covering five games for the Class A Staten Island Yankees, he would be a radio announcer with WCBS for the June 14th game between the Yankees and the Mets, and would be a pregame and post game show announcer.

On this day in 2011 Mariano Rivera became the first pitcher to appear in 1,000 games for the same team. The 41 year old right handed pitcher compiled 572 saves and 75 wins during his 17 seasons in New York at the time.

Yankees Interested In Venezuelan OF Antonio Arias

The New York Yankees are set to go ape crap crazy in this year's International signing period and have been linked to just about everyone in the market including Venezuelan outfielder Antonio Arias. Arias is currently 15 years old but will be 16 years old and eligible for signing when the new singing period opens up on July 2.

Arias is 6'2" and 170 lbs with plenty of time and room to grow physically. Arias is a good fielder who could stick in center field in the major leagues which makes him much more valuable. Arias is right handed and has not shown much power yet but with a mechanical fix or too he could absolutely begin to show some power.

No word on what kind of contract he would sign if he came to New York but as one of the youngest players in the field I wouldn't expect it to reach seven digits.

Wondering If Robinson Cano Is Missing Yankee Stadium

This meme got me wondering, is Robinson Cano missing Yankee Stadium and the short porch yet? Oh and winning but I wasn't going to mention that. Cano has two home runs this season and is being out homered by Brett Gardner among a plethora of other Yankees. Miss me yet?

Yankees rally in ninth to steal win from White Sox

Going into the ninth inning of today's 4-3 win, the Yankees looked terrible.

The struggling team, just 1-4 in their last five games coming in, had mustered just three hits through 8 frames off White Sox Starter John Danks, making Vidal Nuno's three-run, seven-inning outing irrelevant.

Still, they did have three outs to work with. I guess you could say they made the most of them.

After getting a man to second with two gone, New York's bats suddenly came to life in their final chance of the contest, rallying to tie thanks to an RBI Double from Alfonso Soriano, an RBI Single from Yangervis Solarte, a walk from Ichiro, and a bloop single from PH Brian McCann. 

At that point, the Sox and Pinstripes were even at 3, and, after a perfect bottom of the ninth from Dellin Betances and a solo home run from Jacoby Ellsbury in the tenth, the latter had somehow taken the lead.

The bottom of the tenth wasn't exactly stress free for the visitors, as David Robertson did give up a two-out single followed by a stolen base, but in the end, the eager-to-rebound closer got the job done, getting Gordan Beckham looking to clinch the W.

Was this victory necessarily pretty? No, but it was definitely fun. I guess you need to play bad sometimes in order to get things working.