Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Orioles @ Yankees 7/31/12

Yankees lose their 4th straight 11-5


The trading deadline and all that hysteria is finally over, although we have the waiver period through August 31st which always gets interesting, and the Yankees look reloaded and ready to go. Tonight they will try and stop a three game losing streak and put some more distance between them and the second place Orioles, who they play tonight. On the mound for the Yankees will be Ivan Nova and will be facing off against Chris Tillman. The game will be televised at 7:05 pm ET on the YES Network and on MLB Network.

Lineups

Derek Jeter DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher 1B
Raul Ibanez LF
Eric Chavez 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Russell Martin C
Ramiro Pena SS


Go Yankees!!

The Trade Deadline Comes & Goes

And a few notable deals got done and some of them could impact the Yankees.

The Rangers acquire Ryan Dempster for Christian Villanueva and Kyle Hendricks. Personally this does not scare me because I do not think Dempster's stuff translates well into the American League but hey what do I know.

The Reds acquired Kansas City closer Jonathan Broxton for Donnie Joseph and JC Sulbaran. Who? Yeah I know right...

The Marlins fire sale was over stated but they did trade Gaby Sanchez and Kyle Kaminska to the Pirates for Gorkys Hernandez and a competitive balance pick.

The Cardinals also acquired Marlins set up man Edward Mujica for Zack Cox.

The Red Sox acquired Diamonbacks reliever Craig Breslow which I find odd. The Red Sox sent Matt Albers and Scott Podsednick in the deal. I get that they needed a left handed reliever but Albers has been pretty solid for them.

The Giants may have got the best player at the deadline this year when they traded for 2013 arbitration eligible Hunter Pence. The Giants gave up Nate Schierholtz, Seth Rosin, and Tommy Joseph.

The Dodgers acquired Shane Victorino for Ethan Martin and Josh Linblom.


Victorino The Newest Dodger


With the Dodgers trading for Shane Victorino today, after adding Hanley Ramirez last week, I thought I'd add a bit to the Trade Reaction that was posted yesterday.

I had the Dodgers winning the NL West already. Although the pitching for the Dodgers and Giants is close, I  though LA had the better offense. Shane's line of .261/.324/.401 so far this season isn't going to give the Dodger lineup that big a boost, but it does improve their situation. After all, Victorino does have 24 stolen bases, so when he does get on base he's a pest. And seeing as how the Dodgers have gotten -0.9 WAR out of their left-fielders (I'm assuming Kemp stays in CF), it can only make them better.

However, it still doesn't mean anything to the Yankees, as I expect the National League Pennant winner to be one of Washington or St. Louis.

Joba Headed to New York

Joba Chamberlain was headed for Trenton, but had to make a u-turn and get to Yankee Stadium, as he's been activated.

credit: Andrew Marchand

Yankees Trade For Casey McGehee



Preliminary reports say the Yankees have shipped Chad Qualls to the Pirates for 3B Casey McGehee. The Pirates or even more surprisingly going to be adding cash in the deal to the Yankees.

From Bryan...

Casey is nothing to get excited about, as he currently has a triple-slash of .230/.297/.377 for the Pirates. If this were at least 2010 I'd be ecstatic, but at this point he'll be depth only.

But there is one thing to be excited about... the Yankees dealt Chad Qualls for McGehee. In Chad's 7.1 innings with the Yankees he's put up an ERA of 6.14 and a WHIP of 1.773. And with Joba returning soon anyway, chances are Qualls would have been released.

Trade Reactions - Wandy Rodriguez


Not too long ago, going from the Astros to the Pirates would be a sideways move.

Wandy Rodriguez to Pirates, Rudy Owens & Robbie Grossman & Colton Cain to Astros

It's great to see the Pirates as buyers, because not only does it show that the team is doing well after years of ineptitude, but it shows that their management believes in them too.

I'm not a big fan of Wandy Rodriguez, as his career WHIP of 1.339 is a tad high, but he's sure to make a nice addition to a rotation that already has James McDonald and AJ Burnett in it. For the record I didn't want to see the Yankees trade for him, as I don't see Wandy fairing as well in the American League. He would probably make a good #4 or #5 starter, but I wouldn't want him to start a pivotal game for my team at all.

Anyway... are the Pirates for real?

So far this season the Pirates own a team wOBA of .302, which is ranked 11th in the National League. Pittsburgh's pitching has a FIP of 3.89, which ranks 6th in the National League. Going by those stats alone I'd say that they are, at least in the National League Central, where the Reds have a team wOBA of .316 (8th) and FIP of  3.68 (13th), while the Cardinals have marks of .336 and 3.69.

This just doesn't look right. I mean... good catch, but... ouch.

Those numbers would make you think that if the Bucs have a chance to win the division, it's on the coat tails of their pitching. But looking at their team BABIP of .289, which is well below the league median of .295, I'd say that this team could start scoring more runs than we've seen so far in 2012. On that note, the Cardinals own the highest team BABIP in the NL at .321, while the Reds BABIP is at .295.

Oh, and the Pirates own the 2nd best wOBA in the NL over the last 30 days... .346.

What does this mean for the Yankees?

I believe the Pirates can take one of the two Wild Card spots in the National League. I see the Nationals taking the NL East, St. Louis coming back and taking the NL Central, and the Dodgers taking the NL West, while the two wild card spots will be taken by two of the Reds, Braves, and Pirates.

"Hey, what about us?" - Stop allowing so many runs against and maybe I'll include you.

The real question to me is not whether Pittsburgh can get to the NL Championship Series, but whether or not they can beat the Washington Nationals. I already showed through stats that the Pirates can hang with the Cardinals and Reds, but neither the Dodgers or Giants are that good either. And so far, in 5 meetings this season against the Nats, the Pirates have won 3 games.

By the way, if the Nats don't have Stephen Strasburg throughout the playoffs (which would be stupid on their part), then we could see them in the World Series.

Which leads back to my belief that Wandy isn't "all that", and would not be that big a help against the Yankees. But while this trade, I don't think, has much of an affect on the Yankees, the Pirates could be around for a while.

Caption This & Win A FREE Yankees Keychain


THIS ENDS TODAY AT MIDNIGHT!!!


You all know how it works. Caption this photo by shooting us a comment on this post (totally free to sign up and you dont even have to give out ANY information unless you win), shoot us an email @ TheGreedyPinstripes.com, or tweet us on twitter @GreedyStripes. Winner wins THIS keychain absolutely free, shipping included. 

Add Mark Teixeira To The Injured List

UPDATE:

Mark Teixeira has some inflammation in his left wrist and will be out until at least Friday. He received a cortisone shot but there is no structural damage. Great news as we dodged a bullet. 



Mark Teixeira apparently injured his wrist while playing against the Red Sox on Sunday night and tried to play through the pain. On Monday, after making a diving play, was noticeably hurt and shaking that same wrist and left the game. X Rays were negative and he will be going for an MRI today. We dodged one bullet with the x rays maybe we can dodge another with the MRI today. Mark Teixeira going on the DL is the last thing that we need right now with half of his teammates already there, including clean up hitter Alex Rodriguez.

Meet A Prospect : Jose Mesa Jr


The New York Yankees used their 24th round pick on Jose Mesa Jr. Jose Mesa is only being mentioned here not because of his 6'4" 220 lb frame or because of his high school career at Flanagan High School but because his father is former major league closer Jose Mesa. Jose Mesa JR signed a deal that is expected to be above slot but the details have not been released. 

Jose Mesa has a fastball that tops out at 94 MPH with a curveball, slider, and a changeup. He relies on the fastball a little too much but that is to be expected out of a young pitcher. Mesa also plays 1B and 3B and has a power swing and power approach with a good glove in the field. 

Follow Jose on Twitter @JoeTable



Would You Give Cano 10 Yrs 200 Million?



All signs point to the Yankees having to really over pay to keep Robinson Cano a Yankee, especially if they do not wait until he is a free agent like they normally do. Scott Boras even went as far as to hint towards a 10 year $200 million contract to keep the slugger. My question to you is should the Yankees be willing to give him this contract in order to keep him?'

I personally have to say yes. Robinson Cano's do not come around very often, his defense is great, his bat is great and consistent, he has been very durable and has a great club house attitude. The ONLY problem is that Robinson Cano will be 30 years old this August so he would be 40 by the time the contract expires. My thing is though how can we give Alex Rodriguez a contract through his age 42 season and NOT give Cano his big pay day?

Monday, July 30, 2012

Ty Hensley Debuts With The Yankees



Ty Hensley made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast League Yankees and it was probably one to remember. He allowed three runs in 2 IP with 2 walks and a strike out. His velocity sat at 92-93 mph but touched as high as 95 mph. He looked very rusty and uncomfortable but you try not pitching for two months and see how well you do.

Orioles @ Yankees 7/30/12

Yankees lose their third straight 5-4 to the Orioles



On the eve of the July 31st trading deadline the Yankees will take on the Baltimore Orioles at Yankees Stadium. On the mound for the Yankees will be Freddy Garcia and will be facing the Orioles Miguel Gonzalez. We can really put the nail in the coffin for the division with a sweep here but it has to start tonight. The game will be televised at 7:05 pm ET on YES.

Lineups

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher DH
Raul Ibanez LF
Eric Chavez 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Chris Stewart C


Go Yankees!

Trade Reactions - Hanley Ramirez

"#1"? I don't know, Hanley.


Hanley Ramirez & Randy Choate to Los Angeles Dodgers, Nathan Eovaldi & Scott McGough to Miami Marlins


Can the Dodgers overtake the San Francisco Giants for the National League West title? 

I think they can, and that they will. Both teams have been close when it comes to their pitching, as the Giants team FIP so far is at 3.84 while the Dodgers team FIP sits at 3.62. Seeing as how the Dodger pitching has been much better than the Giants pitching over the last month, I think that gives LA the nod on the run prevention side of things. 

Neither team has been blowing anybody away with their bats, as San Francisco's team wRC+ has been 92, compared to Los Angeles' wRC+ of 86. But with Hanley Ramirez taking over at SS for the team, where they've gotten a wRC+ of 69 so far in 2012, I can see the Dodgers having a better offense as well.

I don't care how far away from New York you move, Melky, I'm still going to pick on you. Or at least the team you play for.

What does this mean for the Yankees?

Nothing.


Even if I assume the Dodgers win the NL West I don't see them getting past Washington, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, or St. Louis. And looking beyond this year I don't think it matters either. 

Personally, I don't want the Yankees to pay any big money for a starter. Unlike some people, I believe Michael Pineda will return and give the team quite a bit out of the rotation. Along with CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, and Phil Hughes, the rotation looks fine to me. It's the catcher and right field slots that I believe the Yanks will have to address this off-season. 

Don't be sad, Michael. I still believe in you.

I mention all of that for those people that believe signing Greinke as a free agent will be tougher now, as the Dodgers already have their claws sunk into Zack's meaty white flesh.

I'm just glad the Rangers weren't able to sign Greinke, because if there's a team that... as of right now... I think can beat the Yankees, it's the one out of Arlington, TX.

Meet A Prospect : Matthew Snyder


The New York Yankees used their 10th round pick, 347th overall, on college first basemen Matthew Snyder. Matthew has spent his collegiate career at Ole Miss University. Matthew signed for, like his teammates two rounds previous to him, a well below slot deal at 10K.

Matt is a big guy, sitting at 6'6", and has major league blood running through his veins. His father, Brian Snyder, played 12 years in the minor leagues and two years in the show. He also has a brother, Brandon Snyder, who plays for the Texas Rangers. All these traits helped him his .363 with 7 HRs and 29 RBIs as a Senior at Ole Miss. His left handed swing has plenty of time to develop while we work through the Mark Teixeira contract. The only thing that concerns me about Snyder is whether he will be a hitter only type player of if he will round out as a complete player. 

Matt Snyder is already playing 1B for the Staten Island Yankees in the New York Penn League. In 25 games and 87 at bats at the time of this writing Matt has a .322 average, 2 HRs, 22 RBIs, 12 BB's, 9 K's, and an insane .918 OPS. He looks way too good and way too mature to be playing at Staten Island for much longer. 



Sunday, July 29, 2012

Andy Pettitte Suffers Setback In Rehab



Andy Pettitte has suffered a set back in his try to come back from a broken left ankle. Andy apparently "did a little too much" while rehabbing in Seattle and the ankle is not healing the way we all were led to believe. There is no indication on if he will need to miss more time then expected yet but I am sure the Yankees are monitoring it closely with the trade deadline looming on Tuesday at 4pm ET. Apparently 40 year old bones do not heal like they used to.

Joba Chamberlain Dominant In Latest Rehab


Joba Chamberlain had his latest rehab assignment tonight this time for The Yankees affiliate AA Trenton Thunder. Joba allowed a single and got three strike outs in 1.1 IP tonight. Joba was hitting 98 MPH on the radar gun and consistently sat in the mid 90's all game. He threw 30 pitches total and 23 of them were for strikes. 

Joba will presumably make one more rehab appearance just to make sure he is sharp for the big league club. Joba has passed every test though and looks really healthy, sharp, and focused right now. He could be the best move at this years July 31st trading deadline that we will not have to make. 



We Salute You


Last night I received an email from a gentleman that's trying to help send veterans/Yankees fans to games, and he's currently looking for a veteran to go to Wednesday's game with him. So check out his website here, where you can also learn more about veterans and Yankee fans.

Red Sox @ Yankees 7/29/12

Russell Martin did all he could but the Yankees still fall 3-2 and lose the series


Hiroki Kuroda will be on the mound tonight to face off against Felix Doubront and the Boston Red Sox. These two teams have split the first two games so the winner tonight wins the series. The game will be televised on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.

Lineups

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher DH
Andruw Jones LF
Russell Martin C
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Jayson Nix 3B

Go Yanks!

Cole Hamels is NOT a Yankee

Cole Hamels will be a Philadelphia Phillie for the next 6 years, and that makes me happy.

I think the Phillies are better than what we've seen so far this season. Not that I think they're better than the Nationals or Braves, but I think this is a team that will challenge for at least a Wild Card berth more often than not. The thing about this deal is that it doesn't make them better. It just keeps Philadelphia from getting worse.

Seeing as how Cole Hamels has been with the Phillies the past two seasons, I don't think they got tougher at all. What this move did was keep them from getting worse. And since this is a team that couldn't get past the NLCS the past two seasons, and is in a division with one of the best up-and-coming teams in MLB... the Washington Nationals, as a Yankee fans I'm happy with the way it worked out.

See?The Nationals aren't so bad.

And that's not all...

Philadelphia will need to trade away one of their other $20 million pitchers. As of right now, for 2013, the Phillies have $69 million locked up in 3 pitchers, and a payroll of just above $172 million (that's about 40%). For comparison, this season... when healthy, the Yankees have a little under $40 million tied up into their starting five (Sabathia - $23m, Kuroda - $10m, Pettitte - $2.5m, Nova - $527,200, Hughes - $3.2m) with a payroll of about $210 million (about 19%). So unless the Phillies are going to try and win while scoring 2-3 runs a game, they'll have to make a move.

Cole will make $24 million under his new contract, Roy Halladay is slated to earn $20 million, and Cliff Lee has $25 million coming his way. There has been talk of the Phillies trading away Cliff Lee, but with upwards of 4 years and $102.5 million remaining on the contract he signed about a year and a half ago (that 4th year is an option, but it won't be hard to make it guaranteed), that's going to be easier said than done. Especially when you look at the fact that Cliff's ERA+ has gone from 167, 131, 133, and 160 the past four years, to just 100 so far this year.

The Phillies could find a buyer that would be willing to give up more for Roy Halladay, as his average ERA+ the past three seasons has been 163, and he's under contract for 2 more years at $40 million (the option for year 2 is not hard to guarantee either). Then again, Roy's ERA+ so far this season sits at 92, so an acquiring team may be looking at a bit of a discount.

"Regardless of any stat, you know you still want me."

The point I'm trying to make is that the Phillies are not a team that Yankees fans need to worry about... at all. The Dodgers, on the other hand, look like a team to think about as they'll be looking to spend quite a bit this offseason (they were one team that looked to be ready to offer Hamels a big contract). Although offense has been their real problem recently, with the addition of Hanley Ramirez and others on the horizon, that could change soon.

And while the Texas Rangers are already a big threat in the American League (they've won the ALCS the past two seasons), they are looking to add a big piece or two. So if they'd gotten Cole Hamels I would have been worried, as they already have one of the best pitching staffs, to go along with one of the best offenses, in baseball.

The final reason why I'm happy the Phillies shelled out the money to retain Cole Hamels for the next 6 years is that he won't be a Yankee.

I'm one of the few Yankee fans out there that believes Michael Pineda can return next year and be a big contributor to the Yankees starting rotation. I don't think he'll be a second ace like we'd hoped when the trade for him first happened, but I believe he'll make a really good #2 pitcher. Even if the Yankees trade away a young pitcher like Ivan Nova or Phil Hughes, they'll have Manny Banuelos or other youngsters to fill out what should be a formidable pitching staff. After that I see the Yankees adding a "Hiroki Kuroda" or other veteran pitcher to shore things up. So spending $20+ million for another starter is silly to me.

No, Robbie, I'm not forgetting you.

What the Yankees should do with that money is retain Robinson Cano, and possibly Curtis Granderson. They don't have any middle infielders that could come close to filling Robbie's spot on the team. As for Curtis Granderson's contract being up after next year, the Yanks top outfield prospect is still a few years away (Mason Williams). On that note Tyler Austin is looking good, but he's just as far away from MLB as Williams is. With Nick Swisher's impending free agency this offseason, opening a spot in the outfield for a guy that can hit around 25 home runs a season, to go along with Granderson's last year coming up, a move or two needs to be made.

Oh yeah... I forgot about the catching situation too.

So there was no way I'd be okay with the Yankees spending big on Cole Hamels. Then again, I also believe the Yankees are serious about getting down to a payroll of $189 million by 2014. So perhaps I'm one of those delusional Yankee fans you hear so much about.

Trades Around The League 7/29/12



Francisco Liriano has been traded to the first place Chicago White Sox from the Minnesota Twins. What shocks me is how little Twins received for Liriano since they traded him within the division. I know he has been inconsistent at best but he has put together a nice string of pitching performances including his 15 K performance. The White Sox gave up infielder Eduardo Escobar and left handed pitcher Pedro Hernandez.

This will make it harder on the Tigers to make a run at the playoffs and that team scares me a whole lot more then the White Sox do.

Meet A Prospect : Derek Varnadore


The New York Yankees used their 9th round pick, 307th overall, on college right handed pitcher Derek Varnadore. Derek spent his collegiate career at the University of Auburn. Derek also, like Taylor Dugas, signed a well below slot deal for 10K. 

Varnadore is more of a project then any of the top 10 draft picks the Yankees took but the level of competition tends to be a lot better in the SEC then in other places. He has a classic pitchers body but still needs to develop his pitches. The body cannot be taught and the repertoire can and I think that is what the Yankees are looking for. I personally do not see Varnadore ever making the majors and if he does it will be in 4-5 years at the earliest. 

Derek is already pitching for the Staten Island Yankees in the New York Penn League. In 9 games as a reliever Derek has 18 K's, 6 BB's, a .193 BAA, and a 2.86 ERA in 22 IP. 

Follow Derek on Twitter @ D_Varnadore

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Red Sox @ Yankees 7/28/12

Yankees lose 8-6


The Yankees are looking to put the hatchet in the Red Sox season this weekend and that continues in game 2 tonight at Yankees Stadium. The Yankees won 10-3 last night, although it was a lot closer then the score indicates, putting yet another game in between them and the Red Sox. On the mound tonight for the Yankees is CC Sabathia and he will be facing the Red Sox ace Jon Lester. The game will be televised at 4:05 pm ET on YES and FOX.

Lineups



1. Derek Jeter SS

2. Curtis Granderson CF

3. Mark Teixeira 1B

4. Robinson Cano 2B

5. Andruw Jones LF

6. Jayson Nix 3B

7. Russell Martin DH

8. Ichiro Suzuki RF

9. Chris Stewart C

Go Yankees!!

Meet A Prospect : Taylor Dugas


The New York Yankees used their 8th round pick, 277th overall, on college center fielder Taylor Dugas. Taylor spent his collegiate career at the University of Alabama. Taylor signed for WELL under the slot at 10K. 

Another left handed outfielder that will fit perfect in Yankee Stadium if he ever makes it that far. The Cubs drafted him in the same round last year but he returned to Alabama to set the school record with 332 hits in a season in 55 games. While his speed and power numbers are under fire, and for good reason, his hitting ability is never questioned. I tend to pick one guy that is under the radar that I pick as "my prospect" and this is my guy for 2012 and beyond. I cannot explain it but I just love what this guy brings to the table and I am a sucker for a project player. 

Taylor Dugas is already in the outfield playing for the Staten Island Yankees in the New York Penn League. In 22 games and 78 at bats , at the time of this writing, Dugas is batting .333 with 11 K's and 21 BB's, a crazy .490 OBP, and 26 hits already. He does not seem long for the New York Penn League with numbers like that. 

Follow Taylor on Twitter @ T_Dugas1

Friday, July 27, 2012

Tonight's Choice of Music

I'm a big music fan, which makes me similar to the vast majority of people. So how about this? I'm going to share some music every once in a while, and I want you to do the same thing. Whether you're listening to something to celebrate a Yankee win, or something to help you cope with a Yankee loss, let us know about some good music in the comments.

I'm going to start off with the official video for the song "Love Bites (So Do I)" by Halestorm.

Red Sox @ Yankees 7/27/12

UPDATE:

Raul Ibanez bails out Phil Hughes after a shaky first inning with a two run home run to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead

Mark Teixeira sac fly and a Russell Martin two run home run makes it 6-3 Yanks

Grand Slam for the Grandy Man!!! 10-3 Yankees



For the first time this year the Boston Red Sox will travel to Yankees stadium to renew the fiercest rivalry in all of spots in my opinion. Boston is not making things very interesting this year but even in last place they are still a talented team that can make a run at any moment and give teams fits in any series. On the mound tonight will be Phil Hughes for the Yankees and Aaron Cook for the Red Sox. The game will be televised at 7:05 pm ET on MLB Network and YES.

Lineups

1. Jeter SS
2. Granderson CF
3. Cano 2B
4. Teixeira 1B
5. Ibanez LF
6. Jones DH
7. Chavez 3B
8. Suzuki RF
9. Martin C


Go Yankees!!!

Zack Greinke Traded To Angels



The Angels have acquired Brewers right handed starting pitcher Zack Grienke for Jean Segura, Ariel Pena, and John Hellweg. The Angels are already leading that first wild card and with this pitching staff will make it really interesting for the Rangers down the stretch. A good team that tends to give the Yankees fits just got a lot better....

Meet A Prospect : Taylor Garrison


The New York Yankees used their 7th round pick, 247th overall, on college right handed pitcher Taylor Garrison. Taylor spent his collegiate career at Fresno State University as a reliever. Taylor signed for a slot deal of $145K. 

Garrison was drafted last season in the 27th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers before he went to Fresno State and eventually signed with the Yankees this season. In that senior season he struck out 52 batters in 42 IP while saving 11 games with a 2.98 ERA. Taylor looks like another future reliever that can move fast through the system. 

Taylor Garrison is already playing for the Staten Island Yankees in the New York Penn League. He has appeared in 12 games out of the bullpen at the time of this writing with a .208 BAA, 1.98 ERA, 3 saves, 2 BB's , and 12 K's in 13.2 IP. 

Follow Taylor on Twitter @ T_Garrison11

Thursday, July 26, 2012

DeWayne Wise Clears Waivers & Goes To AAA


Color me SHOCKED. DeWayne Wise actually cleared waivers, something I in no way saw coming, and was sent to AAA Empire State Yankees. I fully expect him to be part of the Yankees September call ups when the rosters expand. Even if he isn't we will always remember him for the "catch" pictured above and the bunt that may have turned the season around. 

Off Day Music Recommendation


Last night I saw Stellar Revival while playing in Atlanta for the second time and they were just as good as the first time. They absolutely rocked the house and even got their lead singer, Rino, down in the crowd with us while singing their single (available on ITunes) "The Crazy Ones". Great rock show and I highly recommend them to anyone who likes rock.

What impressed me the most is I use the Greedy Pinstripes twitter rather then my personal one (@GreedyStripes) honestly because I am too lazy to link both account and switch back and forth. These guys not only remembered me from the first show but knew my twitter name without me even telling them (Yes I was wearing a Yankees hat lol). They are genuine guys who do not care to sit down and have a conversation with you at their booths and such and they make great music.

These guys are easily the future of rock music and more proof, if you needed any, that rock and roll will never die. Follow these guys on twitter @StellarRevival, check out the facebook, and all that social networking crap good stuff. 


This band, led by a female guitar player and vocalist, hit the stage right before Stellar Revival and I was pleasantly surprised with their music. It was a great mixture of guitar and shredding with female vocalist. They even covered a popular Nine Inch Nails song that I will not mention because I try to keep it rated PG on here which was a pleasant surprise. They have a single, The Broken, on ITunes as well which I recommend everyone picking up. They also have, must be the female touch, some really awesome T Shirt designs that I am kicking myself for not getting. 

All in all it was a great night of music that I figured I would share since the Yankees are off today.


Joba Passes Final Test In Rehab Assignment


Joba Chamberlain seems like he passed his final test to come back to the majors yesterday after throwing in the second consecutive game in his rehab assignment. Joba gave up an infield single before getting two more ground ball outs (and a caught stealing) to end his inning. No word yet on his pitch count but his velocity was apparently in the mid 90's consistently so that is your biggest concern and he did well. Joba will throw a bullpen session in New York on Monday and will then wait to be activated to the big league club if all goes well there. 

Meet A Prospect : Nick Goody


The New York Yankees used their 6th round pick, 217th overall, on college right handed pitcher Nick Goody. Nick spent his collegiate career as a closer at Louisiana State University, or more commonly known as LSU. Nick signed a below slot deal for $140K. 

Nick Goody's stuff has always been described as electric, especially as he was leading the LSU Tigers in the NCAA Regionals this season. He spots his fastball and slider pretty well and his fastball is already considered major league ready in ever facet of the game. He could become a major league closer with the stuff he possesses and looks like a fast mover. It would not shock me to see him within the next two or three seasons, and when I say we could see him I mean we could see him for good. If you remember seeing Goody's name then you have a good memory because the Yankees actually drafted Nick last season before he turned them down to close for the LSU Tigers. 

Nick Goody is already pitching for Class A Yankees Affiliate the Charleston Riverdogs. After 3 appearances in the NYPL for Staten Island and a 0.00 ERA , 1 H, 1 BB, 1 save and 5 K's he was promoted to Charleston totally skipping the GCL. In 5 games in Charleston he still has an anemic 1.00 ERA at the time of this writing with 2 saves , 4 BB's, 13 K's in 9 IP, and a .167 BAA. Can you say fast mover in the Yankees system?

Follow Nick on Twitter @ Its_All_Goody41

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Trades Around The League 7/25/12



Late in the morning today the Dodgers acquired Hanley Ramirez and Randy Choate in a "blockbuster" trade that sent Nathan Eovaldi and Scott McGough to the Marlins. I called it yesterday, well I said Hanley was going to the Red Sox but still, that the "we're not having a fire sale we're only making trades to make our team better" line was complete crap.

The Pittsburgh Pirates, who already have a scary pitching rotation, acquire Houston Astro's ace Wandy Rodriguez yesterday for three minor leaguers who I have never heard of (and I tend to pay attention to the minors a ton).

The Tampa Bay Rays, for reasons I still cannot understand, acquired Ryan Roberts from the Arizona Diamondbacks. "Tat Man" was designated for assignment sometime yesterday. Roberts will be under Tampa team control through the 2015 season.

Yankees @ Mariners 7/25/12

Yankees win 5-2



The Yankees look to win the series and end their West Coast road trip on a high tonight against the Seattle Mariners in Safeco Field. Ivan Nova will be on the mound for the Yankees and will be facing off against Hisashi Iwakuma. The Yankees won the first game of the series, the night they traded for Ichiro, but lost the game last night, and Alex Rodriguez for two months, so this is the decisive game.  The game will be televised at 3:45 pm ET on YES.

Lineups

Ichiro Suzuki RF
Derek Jeter SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Curtis Granderson CF
Raul Ibanez DH
Eric Chavez 3B
Andruw Jones LF
Russell Martin C


Go Yanks!!

Joba Chamberlain Perfect In Latest Rehab

Joba Chamberlain is THIS close to coming back and pitching in this rehab assignment, something he did against last night for the Tampa Yankees. He had a perfect inning  with two fly balls and a ground out. No news on pitch count or velocity but during this rehab assignment he has hit 100 mph and has sat around 96-98 mph consistently. Joba will pitch again tonight, first time pitching in back to back games, and could join the Yankees as soon as the weekend. 

Yankees Call Up Ramiro Pena.... For Now


The Yankees announced today that they have called up Ramiro Pena to replace Alex Rodriguez on the 25 man roster. Ramiro has been down in the minors becoming a super utility player learning the outfield while perfecting his in-fielding skills. This is just a  temporary fix though , in my opinion, with the trade deadline less then 6 days away.

The Yankees, right away, were linked to guys like Chase Headley, Ty Wiggington, Placido Polanco, and a slew of other available third basemen. Chase Headley makes the most sense with him being cheap, fiscally, and under team control for a while but then you run into the problem of what to do with the guy when Alex Rodriguez gets back. Also for that cheapness and that team control you also tend to have to pay more.... I do not want to have to pay more for a guy for two months then to ride the bench.

The Yankees, who looked to have a quiet trade deadline, look to be buyers now. This should be an interesting July 31st trade deadline to say the least. 

New York Yankees : Where Injuries Happen

I was just looking at the Yankees disabled list, and thought of all the guys that have been on the DL, and I thought "how in the hell are we even in the discussion for a playoff spot"? I do not even know how we have the best record in baseball let alone being in the discussion. Let us look at the current DL and players for the Yankees that have been on the DL:

David Aardsma - Tommy John Surgery
Cesar Cabral - Stress Fracture In Elbow
Joba Chamberlain - Tommy John Surgery & Ankle Dislocation
Pedro Feliciano - Shoulder Surgery
Brett Gardner - Elbow Surgery
Brad Meyers - Shoulder Strain
Andy Pettitte - Ankle Fracture
Michael Pineda - Labrum Tear
Mariano Rivera - Torn ACL
Alex Rodriguez - Broken Hand
Austin Romine - Back
Nick Swisher - Left Hip Flexor
CC Sabathia - Groin Strain
David Robertson - Oblique
Eduardo Nunez - Thumb

That is the makings of a pretty impressive team right there. I may even be forgetting someone as I am doing this off the top of my head. Then when you consider that our two top pitching prospects, Jose Campos and Manny Banuelos, have been hurt.... Good Grief Charlie Brown.

Meet A Prospect : Robert Refsnyder


The New York Yankees used their fifth round pick, 187th overall, on college 2B Robert Refsnyder. Robert has spent his college years at the University of Arizona. Robert Refsnyder signed for $205,900 K. 

All Robert Refsnyder seems to do is hit. He has great bat speed and just has a knack for making contact and hitting it where they aint. He is also a great athlete which should help him in the Yankees infield. I do not think he is on the same level as a Cito Culver or an Angelo Gumbs but he is considered a safe pick as he is close to major league ready already. 

Robert is actually already at second base for Low A affiliate the Charlesto Riverdogs. Obviously the Yankees think a ton of him if he is in Charleston just a few weeks after being drafted. In five games he is only hitting .188 at the time of this writing but his OBP is almost .100 points higher, which is always a good sign when you are a young guy.

Alex Rodriguez To DL With Broken Left Hand

Alex Rodriguez, who took a Felix Hernandez fastball off of his left hand, has been placed on the 15 day DL by the New York Yankees last night. We will be without A Rod for at least 6-8 weeks, which gives us a mid to late September return time. At least he will not miss any playoff time I guess if you want to look at it on the bright side. 

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Yankees @ Mariners 7/24/12


I do not know if you guys have heard yet but the Yankees acquired Ichiro Suzuki to play Left Field for the remainder of this season from the Seattle Mariners yesterday. Those same Seattle Mariners that we have now hooked up with twice for a high profile trade in less then a year are who we are playing tonight in Safeco Field. On the mound for the Yankees, looking to start a win streak, is Freddy Garcia but his job will not be easy... Tonight the Mariners send future Yankee King Felix Hernandez to the mound to even the series. The game will be televised at 10:10 pm ET on the YES Network.

Lineups

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Raul Ibanez LF
Eric Chavez DH
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Chris Stewart C


Go Yankees!!!

2012 Trades Around The League 7/24/12


The impending Marlins fire sale is something that I personally want to keep a VERY close eye on. The Marlins keep falling farther and farther out of contention behind the streaking Braves and Nationals and look to be ready to unload some of their over paid talent on other teams. Do not get me wrong though even if it is over paid the Marlins still have TALENT.

The Marlins started yesterday by sending Omar Infante and Anibal Sanchez to the rival Detroit Tigers for MLB 10th best ranked prospect Jacob Turner and two other prospects.  This is just the tip of the ice burg in my opinion. In the hours following the trade we are already hearing whispers of Hanley Ramirez to the Red Sox (which I think is probably going to happen and that scares me), Heath Bell could be on his way out, Carlos Lee, Josh Johnson (Texas Rangers anyone?), Ricky Nolasco, Randy Choate, and others.

This could make the stretch run VERY interesting depending on where these guys end up. The Marlins claim they are not having a fire sale and will only make moves that make the team better but I am sure they have said that the last few times as well...

Meet A Prospect : Corey Black


The New York Yankees used their fourth round pick, 157th overall, on right handed college starting pitcher Corey Black. Corey has spent his college career with Faulkner University in Montgomery Alabama. Corey signed for a measly $215K.

Corey Black has good fastball with good movement that sits in the upper 90's consistently. Black, which is not odd for college pitchers, has good secondary pitches to go with his fastball. Being from such a small University in Alabama a lot is not really known about him but the Yankees have obviously seen something that intrigues them in Black. He is kind of a small guy only being 5'11" so that always seems to point guys like this towards the bullpen in the future. 

Corey Black is still considered raw even though he is a college pitcher. What Black lacks in polish though he more then makes up in upside and projections. You absolutely cannot teach velocity and reminds me a ton of Joba Chamberlain. I truly think we could see him as early as next season if the bullpen needs an arm in September or earlier. 

Black started one game in the GCL before being promoted to the NYPL and being sent to Staten Island. He has a modest 3.38 ERA in the Penn League while starting three games and holding batters to a .211 BAA at the time of this writing. His biggest problem has been his 5 walks to go with his 8 K's. 

Follow Corey Black, a Greedy Pinstripes Follower (@GreedyStripes), on Twitter @CblackEagle12

Monday, July 23, 2012

Yankees @ Mariners 7/23/12

UPDATE

Ichiro will be in the lineup tonight for the Yankees and batting 8th

Yankees win 4-1 behind an Ichiro single, stolen base, and having him record the final out to get Soriano his 25th save




Tonight the Yankees will try and stop a four game losing streak when they head into Safeco Field in Seattle. On the mound will be the last Yankees pitcher to get a win, in a rain shortened game, Hiroki Kuroda and will be facing the Mariners Kevin "Combined No Hitter" Millwood. The game will be televised at 10:05 pm ET on the YES Network.

Lineups



Go Yankees!!