Monday, September 16, 2013

New York Yankees Wild Card Update

Before play begins on Monday

Jim Miller Outrighted To AAA Scranton Wilkes Barre


Jim Miller has cleared waivers and has accepted an outright to AAA with the Scranton Wilkes Barre Railriders after being designated for assignment last week. Miller was DFA'd to make room for the recently acquired Brendan Ryan and has spent most of his age 31 season in the Yankees minor league system. Miller saw all of one game with the big club and will be a free agent after this season.

Manny Banuelos Is Pitching In Simulated Games


The Yankees, in true to form New York Yankees fashion, have been babying the heck out of Manny Banuelos after his Tommy John surgery but Manny is finally back on the mound and throwing in simulated games. Three weeks ago Manny B was throwing live batting practice and bullpen sessions so this is the next step in the long journey back from Tommy John.

Manny is in his age 22 season and looks to be on track to be back on the mound for the 2014 season after getting the surgery almost a year ago. Simulated games generally take place in months 8-10 but Banuelos is already halfway through month 11 which makes you scratch your head in regards to what the Yankees are doing but I have grown used to this babying and pandering to our players period, especially our young pitching.

Sucks losing two seasons of development at his age especially considering the fact that 2014 has to be at least partially a lost cause as he works to gain stamina, control, and knock the general rust off. We will not see the finished product of Manny Banuelos until 2015 at the earliest and I am not exactly sure that the Yankees can wait for that long the way things look right now.

Pair Of Yankees Relievers In The Running For Awards


Mariano Rivera has been named one of six finalists for the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award honoring those players who have not only outstanding on the field performances but also off the field contributions to the community. The other five finalists are Nick Swisher, Chase Utley, Carlos Beltran, Adrian Gonzalez, and Raul Ibanez. Past winners of the award were Curtis Granderson, Chipper Jones, and Jim Thome most recently. I cannot fathom a way where Mo does not win this award whether it be because, well he deserves it, because I am a homer, or because it is his final season. Whatever one it is or combination of the three it takes to get Mo this award is okay with me.

David Robertson has been named the Yankees nomination for the Roberto Clemente Award that honors the players who "best exemplify the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement, and the individual's contribution to his team" both on and off the field. Past Yankees winners have been Derek Jeter, Ken Singleton, and Ron Guidry and every team has a nominee that will be voted on by the fans.

New York Yankees Off Day Movie Recommendation


Watch the entire movie "Bingo Long" right here on The Greedy Pinstripes. Enjoy the off day as the sprint towards October starts tomorrow in Toronto. 

The Sprint To October Starts Tomorrow In Toronto


The New York Yankees find themselves on this off day with 12 games left and one off day splitting them up. The Yanks have a very favorable schedule compared with the other teams involved like the Texas Rangers, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Cleveland Indians, the Kansas City Royals, and the Baltimore Orioles. Six teams are fighting for two wild card and playoff spots and the marathon that is the 2013 baseball season has now become a sprint so let's look at what each team has left and how things can shape up when the season ends two weeks from today.

The Yankees start the sprint for October with three games in Toronto with the last place Blue Jays followed by three games this weekend at home with the struggling San Francisco Giants. The Yankees will take next Monday off and then start a crucial three game set at home with the Tampa Bay Rays and finish out the season in Houston against the worst team in the world the Astros. If the Yankees have a legit shot at making the playoff they have to win at least nine of these final twelve games, which is very doable, and may still need a little help.


The Tampa Bay Rays do not have the luxury of another off day before the end of the season and have 14 games left including tonight's game with the first wild card owning Texas Rangers. The Rays play the next eight games at home including four against the Texas Rangers and four against the Baltimore Orioles. The next six games include three games on the road with the Yankees and they finish the final three games are at Toronto with the Blue Jays. These are going to be a tough 11 games stretch but if the Rays are in contention the final three games of the season they may be able to strike.


The Texas Rangers also do not have an off day remaining on the schedule but they have the luxury of owning the first wild card spot and a little more wiggle room in their final 14 games. They start off tonight on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays for four games followed by three games with the Kansas City Royals in Kauffman Stadium. The Rangers then go home to finish out the season with three games with the Houston Astros and four games with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. I think unless the Rangers just simply implode they will have at least one of the wild card slots.


The Cleveland Indians have 13 games remaining on their schedule although they do have the luxury of one off day thrown in the middle. The Indians start tonight on the road with the Kansas City Royals followed by four games at home with the Houston Astros. Next Monday we have the off day followed by a quick two game set with the Chicago White Sox at home and they finish up with four games on the road with the Minnesota Twins. The Indians have one of the easier schedules remaining so we can only hope for the Royals to play the Indians tough down the road.


Finally we have the Baltimore Orioles who also are off today before finishing out their final 13 games in 2013 with what is probably the toughest schedule of any team in the hunt. The Orioles start play tomorrow with three games in Fenway Park against the Red Sox followed by four games in Tropicana Field against the Tampa Bay Rays. The final six games are at home with three against the Toronto Blue Jays and then the final three games of the season with the Boston Red Sox.


The Yankees probably have one of the two easiest schedules remaining so if they take care of business they should be fine. The Yanks will need a lot of help from the teams in front of them but this wild card sprint is definitely doable but we have no room for error and no time for slip ups. The time is now so come on Yankees rest up and let's make it to October! All hands are on deck now and we are all in so let's do this!

New York Yankees Off Day Meme


New York Yankees Off Day Music Recommendation


I found this song to be rather fitting given our certain circumstances heading into the final two weeks of the season...

Yankees lose series finale to Red Sox, 9-2

Well, if I didn't hate the Red Sox already, I do now. 

In last night's series finale, the Yankees embarrassed themselves on National TV for the third straight day, losing by the score of 9-2. I don't know if the Red Sox played were playing really good this weekend or the Yankees were playing really bad, but either way they lost. They are now 3 out of the wild card with little hope left. And it's all because of the BoSox. Sorry I didn't actually talk about the game in this post, but I don't think you guys would want to hear about it anyway. 

Unrealistic 2014 Free Agent Targets: Brian McCann

Brian McCann

If anyone has been reading the blog at all during the 2013 season you all know that I want Brian McCann on this team in the absolute worst way. His left handed swing was made for the short porch in Yankees Stadium and I think he can return to being a perennial .300 hitter in New York. His power and production would be a welcomed addition behind the plate and would be a sight for sore eyes after the absolute lack of offense the Yankees have seen from behind the dish this season. This signing would also make any combination of JR Murphy, Chris Stewart, and Austin Romine available on the trading block to get us another missing piece. Do I expect Brian McCann to sign with the Yankees? Well no, but the blog is called the GREEDY Pinstripes so of course I want the best catcher on the market in pinstripes for 2014.

If I am the GM I hand McCann a four year deal worth $62,000,000 with a club option for a 5th season. I know that is too much given his injury history and such but it will take at least four years to sign McCann and unlike this "bad" deal we will not be paying him in his late 30's and early 40's unlike Alex Rodriguez.

Alex Rodriguez Leaves Game With A Tight Calf


Alex Rodriguez left last nights game blowout bloodbath game with a tight calf. This is not good news but with the off day tonight maybe the Yankees caught it in time before it becomes a huge issue. I fully expect if Alex does not play on Tuesday that he will DH for the remainder of the season no matter what.

This Day In New York Yankees History 9/16


On this day in 1914 the Yankees fired their manager Frank Chase and replaced him with their 23 year old short stop Roger Peckinpaugh. Peckinpaugh would manage the Yankees for 20 games and would put up a 10-10 record for the 6th place team.


On this day in 1948 Joe DiMaggio hit his 300th career home run in a loss to the Detroit Tigers. DiMaggio would only be the 8th player to ever reach the 300 home run milestone.


On this day in 1979 the Yankees held Catfish Hunter Day at Yankees Stadium to honor the pitcher who would be retiring at the end of the season. Hunter would only be 33 when he retired and opened the door for a 20 year old rookie named Dave Righetti who would also make his major league debut on this day.