Saturday, March 22, 2014

Tanaka okay as Yanks clinch winning spring

Masahiro Tanaka gave up 3 earned runs in 5.2 innings and Scott Sizemore, Zelous Wheeler, and Roybell Herrera all drove in runs today as the Yankees impressively completed a 7-0 week with a road win over the Twins, 5-4. So yea, as you can see by that line, Tanaka was good here, but just not great. He struck out 6, but also gave up a not-so-pleasant 5 hits.

And to be honest, I'm a little concerned about this guy. Sure, he's still getting adjusted to having just 5 days of rest, but that doesn't mean that he has excuses for not looking sharp. I mean, he's getting paid $155 million, isn't he?

New York Yankees @ Minnesota Twins 3/22


The New York Yankees played a night game last night and now travel to play a day game against the Minnesota Twins. The game will be televised at 1:05 pm ET on MLB Network and MLB TV. Masahiro Tanaka will be on the mound for the Yankees to take on Kevin Correia. Too bad it wasn't Phil Hughes, oh well. Either way enjoy the game and the rest of your weekend Yankees family.

Here is the Yankees lineup

Brett Gardner DH
Eduardo Nunez SS
Kelly Johnson 1B
Francisco Cervelli C
Scott Sizemore 3B
Dean Anna 2B
Zoilo Almonte RF
Zelous Wheeler LF
Antoan Richardson CF

Predicting The Rolaids Relief Man of the Year


If you have been reading my blogs over the last two years, or if you know me from my days of owning a sports forum or two, you know that I suck at predictions. I don't know why, I watch the games, I pay attention to the analysts, I research the stats, and I really try. Never works out for me and I do not expect it to this year but I plan on giving it my all once again, today with the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award.


In the American League I see the award going to Jim Johnson of the Oakland Athletics. As we all saw with Grant Balfour the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland is huge with lots of foul ground and can really help a pitcher, even a fly ball pitcher. I expect to see a similar trend here with Johnson in Oakland. Jim Johnson was great with the Baltimore Orioles racking up tons of saves and will continue the trend in 2014. The defense is young and speedy behind him, the offense is good enough, and Oakland never doesn't have a surplus of power arms. Johnson is my man in the American League.


In the National League you would be a fool to bet against Craig Kimbrel of the Atlanta Braves. He has been the best closer in the National League for a couple seasons now, ever since he came into the league, and will continue to be this season. He has a great bullpen in front of him once again, an even better defense behind him, and an even better offense with him. No one is touching this award not named Kimbrel for a long, long time.

Greg Bird & Shane Greene & Kevin Lawn Awards For 2013


Yankees minor league first basemen Greg Bird and right handed starting pitcher Shane Greene received the Kevin Lawn Awards for 2013 for the Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year. Greene really worked his butt off for the award and pitched his Trenton Thunder team all the way to the EL Championship while Bird finished his season in Charleston with the Riverdogs.

Bird finished the season with a .288/.428/.511 triple slash with 20 home runs and 84 RBI's. Greene finished with a combined 12-10 record, finishing with an 8-4 record in Trenton, and a 3.38 ERA, improving with the Thunder with a 3.18 ERA.

New York Yankees Spring Training News & Notes 3/22


Jacoby Ellsbury is expected to do another workout today containing the same things he did yesterday, hitting, running, and fielding. Ellsbury is supposed to pick up the intensity  a little today to really test the tight calf. Hopefully he comes through alright. Ellsbury will not be in a game any earlier than Tuesday.

Hiroki Kuroda is pitching at the minor league complex today and expects to be stretched out to somewhere around 90 pitches, like Masahiro Tanaka today. Austin Romine and John Ryan Murphy are heading down to the minor league complex to catch a slew of potential Yankees relievers. Seems like that answers the backup catcher question, although I don't think it was much of a discussion in the first place.

Kelly Johnson is getting his second start at first base, looks like he won the backup first base job, and the back up everywhere else job, as well as the starting third basemen job.  Adonis Garcia, the outfielder, gets another start at third base today while Johnson is at the other hot corner.

Vidal Nuno, David Phelps, and Adam Warren all threw bullpen sessions today before the game.

Chad Jennings with the assignments for the day. more to come I'm sure after the game.

Today’s second string: C Jose Gil, 1B Francisco Arcia, 2B Yangervis Solarte, SS Ali Castillo, 3B Adonis Garcia (there are no backup outfielders listed, though Mason Williams and Ramon Flores are up from minor league camp to make the trip).
· Today’s scheduled relievers: Danny Burawa, Fred Lewis, Shane Greene, Yoshinori Tateyama, David Herndon (with Mark Montgomery, Aaron Dott, Jeremy Bleich and Pat Venditte up from minor league camp just in case the Yankees need innings).
· Batting practice groups in Tampa:
Group 1: Carlos Beltran, Derek Jeter, Brian Roberts, Alfonso Soriano, Ichiro Suzuki
Group 2: Russ Canzler, Jacoby Ellsbury, John Ryan Murphy, Austin Romine, Mark Teixeira


Fifth Starter Announcement Will Come Tuesday


The race for the fifth starter is almost over as the New York Yankees are expected to announce the winner of the competition on Tuesday. The race is down to Michael Pineda and David Phelps with Adam Warren and Vidal Nuno likely headed to the bullpen to start the season. Phelps started on Thursday night against seven or eight regulars in the Boston Red Sox lineup and held them down until the sixth inning when he was noticeably tired. Pineda starts tomorrow in his last tuneup before the announcement and pretty much locks the job down with a strong outing.

Just in case you were wondering the bullpen slots that are available will probably not be announced Tuesday, maybe later in the week. The latest the decision can be made is Saturday for the bullpen slots so expect to see a lot of the pitchers with real chances to make the club between now and then.

Yankee Stadium Legacy: #9 Urban Shocker


Urban Shocker was a starting pitcher for the New York Yankees beginning in 1916 and 1917 and stayed in New York for good starting in 1925. Shocker won 49 games over a three year period  and the right hander finished his career with a .615 winning percentage.

9 days until Yankees Opening Day

Quick Hit: Mark Teixeira As The Cleanup Hitter


Just when you thought Joe Girardi's binder couldn't get any more off base and ridiculous we hear speculation of Mark Teixeira being the Yankees cleanup hitter this coming season. Obviously Girardi did not deny or confirm these reports but you can tell the difference between him dodging a question and denying a question and this was a definite dodge.

Putting Teixeira in the middle of the Yankees lineup makes absolutely no sense, none. First of a switch hitting Carlos Beltran is hitting third and left handed hitting Brian McCann is somewhere in the middle of the order as well, don't you want to split them up a bit? Also, that leaves Alfonso Soriano to hit way lower in the order than he should be. Hell in my opinion Soriano should be cleaning up preceded by Beltran, followed by McCann, and then inserting Teix into the lineup.

Just my two pennies, what are yours?

This Day In New York Yankees History 3/22


On this day in 1962 the New York Mets defeat the New York Yankees the first ever time the two New York teams would meet. It was just a spring training game but the Yankees were the reigning World Series champions so that is worth mentioning. The former Yankee manager Casey Stengel and the Mets would beat the Bronx Bombers 4-3.


On this day in 1972 the Yankees trade first baseman Danny Cater to the Red Sox for left handed reliever Albert Walter Lyle. Over the next seven years Albert, you may know him as Sparky, will pitch in 420 games in relief with a 57-40 record and a 2.41 ERA with 141 saves. Lyle appeared in three World Series with the Yankees and won two of them while with New York.


On this day in 1986 the Yankees 18 game winner Britt Burns announces he will miss the entire coming season due to a degenerative hip condition.