Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Yankees Are Finalists For Joel Hanrahan


The New York Yankees are said to be one of the finalists for free agent relief pitcher and Tommy John victim Joel Hanrahan according to Jon Heyman. A couple weeks back Hanrahan threw a showcase for teams and was reportedly very impressive just twelve months removed from the surgery. The teams that are speculated to be finalists for Hanrahan include the Yankees, Tigers, Rangers, Red Sox, and Rockies.

At his showcase Hanrahan was hitting 92 and 93 MPH on the radar gun, which is down from his average of 95 MPH but not enough to be discouraged this far removed from Tommy John surgery, and showed up in excellent shape physically.

The Yankees bullpen, assuming Hanrahan is healthy and available right away, would be pretty stacked with the addition of Hanrahan with Adam Warren, David Robertson, Shawn Kelley, and Dellin Betances. Hanrahan is expected to sign a major league deal and likely a one year deal to showcase his stuff and his health before going back out on the market for 2015.

Sign him up Cashman.

Michael Pineda Appeals To Major League Baseball


David Phelps will be taking the mound in place of Michael Pineda tonight against the Seattle Mariners. Pineda tried to appeal his suspension to Major League Baseball and maybe get his suspension thrown out or lowered but to no avail. At least he tried though, right?

Preview: New York Yankees vs. Seattle Mariners 4/30


UPDATE: This game has been rained out and will be made up on June 2nd. No double header tomorrow.

The New York Yankees host the Seattle Mariners tonight in the second game of a three game set this week at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees will send David Phelps to the mound to fill in for the suspended, and now injured, Michael Pineda in "Welcome Back Cano" episode II. The Mariners will counter with Roenis Elias, don't ask me who he or half of his teammates are because I have absolutely no idea. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with WFAN.

Phelps will be making his first start of the season and 24th start of his career, all for the Yankees of course. Phelps has a career 7-6 win/loss record with a 4.39 ERA to go with it. I can't see how Phelps is very stretched out tonight so expect to see the bullpen early and often in this game.

Elias has made five April starts and pitched well without much run support. The Mariners have score two runs or less just two times and been shut out twice with Elias on the mound this season which is great news for the Yankees.

Be sure to get your tickets to the game through the NY Yankees Ticket Exchange right here on the site.

Go Yankees!!

MLB To Address Use Of Pine Tar For Pitchers


Major League Baseball and commissioner Bud Selig know that there is a problem, they know that it's running rampant around the league, and they know that everyone knows it. Sound familiar? I'm not talking about steroids here this time, I'm talking about the use of pine tar. We all know about Michael Pineda dipping his palm in a can of pine tar three weeks ago against the Red Sox and we all know about the pine tar hickey that got him suspended for 10 games, the longest foreign substance suspension in the history of the game for pitchers, but there may be change on the horizon.

Selig told the Associated Press last week that they would be willing to look at allowing, or continuing to disallow obviously, the use of pine tar for pitchers in the league. Most pitchers, former and current, have admitted to using pine tar for getting a better grip on cold night and most batters admit to have no problem with it. You cannot cut the ball with pine tar, you cannot make it flutter, you can't throw it faster or necessarily better, you just grip the ball better. Batters in the league can use pine tar and batting gloves to grip the bat so I don't personally see a problem with it but maybe it's me. 

Here are the quotes from commissioner Selig to the AP:

"There's a million ways to [use it discreetly]," Selig said. "This one, I can understand why [MLB discipline czar] Joe Torre reacted how he did [with a lengthy suspension]. It was obvious."

"When the year is over, we ought to look at all this."


Tanaka Says Japanese Pitchers Don't Use Pine Tar

Good possibility there is NOT pine tar under the bill of his cap there.

Michael Pineda was supposed to start for the New York Yankees today but is currently serving a 10 game suspension for using pine tar while pitching against the Red Sox for the second time this season. Obviously the talk all over ESPN and the sports media world will be about Pineda and pine tar specifically and unfortunately we will be no different here. Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka was asked by reporters from NJ.com what he thought about pitchers using foreign substances and pine tar and informed us that Japanese pitchers do not use pine tar while pitching, or any foreign substance.

"I obviously don't know every single pitcher," Tanaka said via his translator, Shingo Horie, on Friday. "But what I know is that most of the pitchers don't do anything when they go to the mound."

"And, plus, the thing is, Japanese (baseballs), they're smaller, you get a better grip on those balls than (the ones) out here," Tanaka said. "And the climate in Japan is moist. There's a lot of moisture in the air. So you don't need that."

And now you know, and knowing is half the battle. 

Can't Predict Baseball: Kansas City Protests NYY


On this day in 1999 a group of Kansas City Royals fans, which were frustrated with the economic disparity in Major League Baseball, threw fake dollar bills onto the field in a game against the Yankees. Kansas City fans even turned away from the field each time the Yankees came to bat in the game. They didn't have to do it for long as they all walked out of the game after the fifth inning.

Quick Hit: Ashamed Of Being A Yankee Fan Today


I love this sport of baseball and I love my New York Yankees but last night really upset me and made me ashamed of being a fan when the crowd of 115 people (obviously being sarcastic here but not by much) boo'd Robinson Cano in his first at bat. Where in the hell do Yankee fans get off boo'ing Cano when the other 16 games this season they cheered for Jacoby Ellsbury?

We're doing just fine. We lost one player in his prime to a greedy owner who was willing to way overpay for way too many years and have stolen about 100 of those similar type players this decade alone. Chill Yankees fans, we're gonna be just fine. We got 99 problems but being in fourth place with a AAA lineup ain't one, that's Seattle's problem.

You had your one night, you boo'd the man, it's time to officially move on and give him the hand he deserved.

Michael Pineda Out Three To Four Weeks w/ Injury


Michael Pineda was sent for an MRI on his strained lat muscle and the news is not good for the Yankees. Pineda will be out at least three to four weeks after a strain was found in the teres mjaor muscle in his back, a Grade I strain. This is the same injury that has kept Clayton Kershaw out all month so this is nothing to mess around with. With Michael Pineda and his shoulder history the last couple of seasons I could see the Yankees being a little extra cautious with him on this one.

David Phelps, come on down!

Trenton Thunder Game Recap 4/29

Banuelos, Early Offense Pace 4-2 Thunder Win

MANCHESTER, NH - The Trenton Thunder scored three times in the first four innings and never looked back en route to a 4-2 win Tuesday night over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

Trenton starting pitcher was Manny Banuelos, who was making his first appearance with the Thunder since 2011, tossed three shutout innings to begin the ballgame. The lefty had made five starts with High-A Tampa before being transferred to Trenton prior to Tuesday's ballgame. Over 3.0 IP, he allowed two hits, no walks and struck out three-including all three batters he faced in the 1st inning.

The Thunder used a three-hit game from Kyle Roller to pace the offense, and Yeral Sanchez provided a solo homer in the second inning for his first longball of the year.

The scheduled starting pitcher, RHP Joel De La Cruz, entered in the 4th inning in relief of Banuelos and earned the victory. De La Cruz went 4.2 innings while allowing two runs (2 ER) for his third win of the season.

Pat Venditte recorded the final out of the 8th inning before turning it over to Branden Pinder for his second save of the season with a scoreless 9th inning.

Trenton has now won three consecutive ballgames and moves a season-best seven games above .500 at 16-9. The Portland Sea Dogs won as well Tuesday so the Thunder keep pace in the East Division and remains 0.5 games out of first place.

The Thunder continue their four-game series with New Hampshire Wednesday in the third game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. with the Trenton Thunder pre-game show beginning at 5:20 p.m. on 91.3 FM WTSR or online at www.trentonthunder.com.

Being posted with permission from the Trenton Thunder. The original article can be seen HERE

Charleston Riverdogs Game Recap 4/29


Lail Hurls Seven Scoreless Against Augusta
Brady Lail takes victory for Charleston after an efficient seven-inning performance

CHARLESTON, SC - A career-high seven shutout innings on 70 pitches from Brady Lail guided the Charleston RiverDogs to an 8-4 victory against the Augusta GreenJackets on Tuesday night in front of 2,510 fans at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park in South Atlantic League action.
The RiverDogs are now 12-12 and the GreenJackets drop to 12-13. Charleston leads this three-game series 1-0.
Lail retired the first eight batters he faced until a Cristian Paulino triple in the third inning. After that hit, Lail set down the next six batters in a row as his offense built a big lead behind him. His seven shutout innings marked the longest outing of his career. Lail also held Augusta to four hits and struck out three while earning he win.
Charleston scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take the lead for good. Aaron Judge made it to first base on a double play before Mike Ford walked and Michael O'Neill reached on an error. Miguel Andujar cleared the bases with a double to left field that put the RiverDogs ahead 3-0.
More runs came in for Charleston in the fourth, sixth, and seventh innings. Andujar and Gosuke Katoh came in during the fourth inning for a 5-0 advantage. In the sixth, John Murphy scored from second base after an error on a pickoff to give Charleston a 6-0 lead. Judge hit his second career home run and pushed the RiverDogs lead to 7-0 in the seventh.
The GreenJackets answered with four runs in the eighth inning against the RiverDogs bullpen. Paulino, Ryder Jones, and Tyler Horan each drove in runs with base hits that cut the gap to 7-4. Charleston responded with a run of its own when Tyler Wade singled in Andujar and provided the RiverDogs with their 8-4 margin of victory.
Lail's record is 3-1 as he becomes the first RiverDogs pitcher to claim his third victory this season. Chase Johnson suffered the loss for Augusta, dropping to 1-2 with his second loss against Charleston in 2014.
BALLPARK FUN: Ten-year old Kayla Helferich of Summerville was "Batgirl" on Super Hero Night as she trained under Charlie T. RiverDog, Charleston's lovable "Caped Canine." The highlight of the night was how Batgirl and Charlie apprehended The Joker after he kidnapped Chelsea. Couples enjoyed another Harris Teeter 2-for-$20 Date Night Tuesday with two tickets, two tacos, two fountain drinks, and one nacho tray for only $20.
COMING UP: Game two of this three-game series and seven-game homestand is a Wednesday morning contest at 11:05 am. Wednesday's game will be a "southpaw showdown" as Charleston LHP Caleb Smith (2-1, 0.89 ERA) squares off against LHP Luis Ysla (2-0, 3.05 ERA). The early first pitch time allows children and schools throughout the Lowcountry to visit The Joe on Education Day. Seniors Eat Free as all senior citizens (age 65 & older) that arrive at the game before 11 am will receive a voucher for a free hot dog, chips, and a fountain drink, courtesy of Health South. Tickets may be purchased at the Riley Park Box Office, (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or on-line atwww.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 on www.riverdogs.com and locally on 1250 WTMA, the new radio home for RiverDogs baseball.

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

This Day In New York Yankees History 4/30


On this day in 1903 the New York Highlanders, which 10 years later would be renamed the New York Yankees, would play the first game ever played at Hilltop Park. The Highlanders would beat the Washington Senators 6-2. The Highlanders would finish in fourth place but would have a 41-26 home record in their first season which is very impressive.


On this day in 1939 Lou Gehrig's iron man streak comes to an end at Yankee Stadium. Gehrig's final game would be an 0-4 against the Washington Senators and the streak would come to an end at 2,130 consecutive games played. Gehrig finishes with a career .340 batting average and 490 home runs in 17 seasons, all with the Yankees.


On this day in 1988 Dave Winfield ties the major league RBI record for April with 29 RBI's. Winfield was on base for every single game that April and tied the Dodgers Ron Cey in 1977 and Dale Murphy for the Braves in 1985.


On this day in 1989 the Toronto Blue Jays traded outfielder Jesse Barfield to the Yankees for pitcher Al Leiter. Barfield led the American League with 40 home runs in 1986 but would only bat .231 with 62 home runs in four seasons in the Bronx. Leiter would finish 26-24 in seven years in Toronto.


On this day in 2010 Mariano Rivera ties Eric Gagne's major league mark when he saved his 51st straight game at home in as row in a 6-4 Yankees win over Chicago.Rivera also struck out two batters to move ahead of Roger Clemens for 10th place on the Yankees all time list with 1,015 K's.