Sunday, October 30, 2016

Brett Gardner a AL Gold Glove Finalist


Major League Baseball has released their finalists for the American League and National League Gold Glove Awards and one Yankee made an appearance, Brett Gardner. Here is your complete list including Gardner in the outfield. Also check out a game saving catch from Gardner during the 2016 season. Enjoy!


American League

Catcher
James McCann
Carlos Perez
Salvador Perez

First Base
Chris Davis
Eric Hosmer
Mitch Moreland

Second Base
Robinson Cano
Ian Kinsler
Dustin Pedroia

Shortstop
Jose Iglesias
Francisco Lindor
Andrelton Simmons

Third Base
Adrian Beltre
Manny Machado
Kyle Seager


Left Field
Brett Gardner
Alex Gordon
Colby Rasmus

Center Field
Jackie Bradley Jr.
Kevin Kiermaier
Kevin Pillar

Right Field
Mookie Betts
Adam Eaton
George Springer

Pitcher
R.A. Dickey
Dallas Keuchel
Justin Verlander


Meet a Prospect: Matt Wivinis


The New York Yankees made a couple of minor league signings this week according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America. One was for an oft-injured but uber talented pitcher named Jose Pena and another will be the focus of our Meet a Prospect series this afternoon, Matt Wivinis.

Wivinis went undrafted out of Eastern Illinois University before hooking up with the Evansville Otters of the Independent Baseball League. Wivinis is a starting pitcher by trade but pitched out of the bullpen some for the Otters during the regular season posting nice strikeout numbers overall.

This is more than just a "fill out your roster" type signing for the Yankees in my opinion. With the World Series still going on and the winter ahead of us the Yankees must see something in Wivinis that others teams haven't yet. Maybe it's his durability or his impressive strikeout numbers but either way the deal is now official.

Wivinis finished the regular season with a 4-0 record and 1.52 ERA in 39.2 innings with 43 K's while he pushed in the postseason posting a 2-1 record with a 3.92 ERA in 18 innings as a member of the Otters. Welcome to the family Matt!

Baseball America's Top 10 Yankees Prospects List


It's the most... wonderful time... of the year. No, not Christmas, although you couldn't tell that if you have been to a Wal Mart this week, but it's the time of the year where a bunch of post-season top prospects lists begin getting released and Baseball America usually starts it off. Well BA has released their list and while I can't give you the write ups, they are behind a pay wall, I can give you the complete list and let you guys fight it out on the comments section. So without further ado, let the fighting begin. 

1. Gleyber Torres
2. Clint Frazier
3. Blake Rutherford
4. Jorge Mateo
5. James Kaprielian
6. Aaron Judge
7. Justus Sheffield
8. Chance Adams
9. Dustin Fowler
10. Domingo Acevedo


And go.....

Recapping Joe Girardi's Tenure in Pinstripes


This morning on our daily "This Day in Yankees History" post we learned that it was on this day in 2007 that the New York Yankees said goodbye to manager Joe Torre and hello to manager Joe Girardi. It's never easy replacing a legend and Girardi had big shoes to fill from Mr. Torre so let's see how he has done as a manager of the New York Yankees and let's see if the Yankees made the right decision. (Spoiler alert, they did).

Games managed: 1458
Wins/Losses: 819 - 639
First Place Finishes: 3
World Series Wins: 1
Missed Playoffs: 4
Total Season: 9
Binders: 1
Fans Annoyed: Too many to count

This Day in New York Yankees History 10/30: Joe Replaces Joe


On this day in 2007 the New York Yankees signed manager Joe Girardi to a three year deal worth $7,500,000 to replace longtime manager Joe Torre. Girardi was coming off of a Manager of the Year award with the Miami Marlins in 2006 and beat out coaches Don Mattingly and Tony Pena for the job. Girardi would be the Yankees 42nd manager in their storied history.


Also on this day in 2001 President George W. Bush became the eight President to attend a World Series game and the first since Dwight D. Eisenhower to throw out a ceremonial first pitch. This all obviously came on the heels of the September 11th terrorists attacks. Bush brought the nation back together with his thumbs up and his perfect strike off the mound. 'Merica!

Saturday, October 29, 2016

This Day in New York Yankees History 10/29: Jeter Wins Clemente Award


On this day in 2009 Derek Jeter would win the Roberto Clemente Award which is given to the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, and community involvement. Jeter would be the 3rd Yankees to ever win the award, Ron Guidry and Don Baylor the other two, and would join 13 Hall of Fame players with the award.


Also on this day in 1991 the Yankees hired Buck Showalter to replace Stump Merrill as the Yankees manager. In four seasons, including the strike shortened 1994 season, Buck would compile a 313-268 (.539) record as a 36 year old manager. Buck would win the American League Manager of the Year Award and the AL East title in 1994 and would lead the Yankees to the playoffs in the first Wild Card series in 1995.


Finally on this day in 1920 the Yankees hired ex-Boston Red Sox manager Ed Barrow to be their General Manager. Over the next quarter of a century the Yankees would see 14 American League pennants and 10 World Series Championships while Barrow would see a Hall of Fame induction.

Friday, October 28, 2016

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! 

Joe Girardi & The 2010 Offseason That Could Have Changed Everything

The New York Yankees went into the offseason of the 2010 season after failing to defend their World Series crown and with an early exit in the postseason. The Yankees faced much uncertainty that offseason, much like they do most winters mind you, but this winter was a little different as their manager Joe Girardi was set to become a free agent.

Girardi was hired for the 2008 season on a three year deal to replace the popular and legendary Joe Torre and promptly snapped the Yankees skid of 13 straight seasons of making the postseason. This was not exactly the way the Yankees wanted to say goodbye to Yankee Stadium and goodbye to Joe Torre but the team bounced back in 2009 to win the World Series. The Yankees were back in the playoffs in 2010 but failed to defend their crown leaving Girardi unsure about his job security.


The Chicago Cubs pursued Girardi hard and heavy this offseason but ultimately on this day Girardi signed a new three year deal to stay with the club. What would the state of the Yankees be in today if Girardi had not signed on with New York and went back to Chicago where he spent some of his playing career? Would the Yankees have made the playoffs in 2011 and advanced past the ALCS in 2012? Would the Yankees have missed the postseason in 2013 and 2014? Does the team win the AL Wild Card Game in 2015? What about 2016? Who knows! One thing I do know is that if he had not signed on with New York on this day in 2010 Joe Maddon would probably be donning pinstripes right about now.


It’s something to think about anyway as we head towards a long and cold, dark winter.

World Series Game Three Preview: Cleveland Indians @ Chicago Cubs


It’s Game Three of the World Series already? Wow. The series began in Progressive Field in Cleveland and as the series shifts to Chicago for the next three games expect the crowds at Wrigley to be absolutely insane. The Cubbies, like the Indians, are three wins away from a World Series but this means so much more to Cubs fans I think. It means so much more to baseball too for the Cubs to win in my opinion but maybe that’s just the historian in me speaking. Anyway tonight the Cubs will send their Game Three starter Kyle Hendricks to the mound to square off against Josh Tomlin of the Indians.

Tomlin has two good starts already this postseason for the Indians and will look to deliver a third tonight in Chicago. All told Tomlin has allowed just three runs in 10.2 innings pitched this October for Cleveland.

Hendricks gave the Cubs a huge Game 6 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers last time out and will start tonight looking to somehow improve on his 1.65 ERA in 16.1 innings this October. In that NLCS start Hendricks allowed just two hits in 7.1 innings pitched in the victory.

The game will be played at 8:08 pm ET inside Wrigley Field and can be seen on FOX. Good luck to both teams.


Rob Manfred Wants to Change the Indians


The logo of teams like the Washington Redskins of the NFL, the Cleveland Indians of MLB and others have always been controversial, especially over the last 10-or-so years, and it seems like Commissioner of Major League Baseball Rob Manfred wants to change that. Whether he can or not remains to be seen but news was reported this week that Manfred plans to meet with Indians owner Paul Dolan following the 2016 World Series to discuss the Indians longtime mascot and logo Chief Wahoo.

Manfred said in an interview this week that the Native American chief is “offensive to some people and all of us at Major League Baseball understand why.” The Indians, under pressure from outside sources and presumably the league, dropped Chief Wahoo as their primary logo three seasons ago replacing it with a generic “C” on their jerseys and uniforms but there are still some logos seen with Wahoo’s face on it. Some groups want it completely gone, including Manfred.


Eventually Chief Wahoo will be completely gone from the game and the Cleveland Indians organization, we all know it’s coming, and 2016 might just be the year that this happens. Stay tuned.