Thursday, May 8, 2014

Nik Turley Officially Back In The Fold

Yesterday we brought you the news that Nik Turley was close to re-signing with the New York Yankees after being released last week and today the move became official. Turley signed another minor league deal with the Yankees a la David Adams from 2013. Turley was released to clear a 40 man roster spot and came right back to the organization.

No word on how much longer he will rest and rehab his sore arm that has kept him out of all of spring training and the 2014 season to date. Stay tuned.

Monument Park To Add O'Neill, Torre, Gossage, & Martinez Plaques


Here's the press release from the New York Yankees:

The New York Yankees today announced that Class of 2014 Hall of Fame Inductee Joe Torre, Hall of Famer Rich “Goose” Gossage, Tino Martinez and Paul O’Neill will all be honored with plaques in Monument Park. Torre will also have his uniform No. 6 retired. The ceremonies are part of a recognition series that will include Bernie Williams in 2015.
Martinez and Gossage will be celebrated during Old-Timers’ Day weekend on Saturday, June 21, and Sunday, June 22, respectively. O’Neill’s ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 9, while Torre will take his place in Monument Park on Saturday, August 23.
Acquired by the Yankees in a trade with Seattle prior to the 1996 season, Martinez went on to play in seven seasons with New York (1996-2001, ’05), helping to lead the team to four World Series victories during that time (1996, ’98-2000). He combined to hit .276 with 192 home runs and 739 RBI in his pinstriped career. He is arguably best known for his grand slam off San Diego’s Mark Langston in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series at Yankee Stadium that gave the Yankees the lead and helped propel them to their 24th World Championship in franchise history.
Gossage, who was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008, played in parts of seven seasons with the Yankees (1978-83, ’89), winning a World Series with the team in 1978. The nine-time All-Star compiled a 42-28 record with a 2.14 ERA with the Yankees, including 151 saves and 512 strikeouts in 319 games. He allowed just 390 hits in 533.0 innings pitched during his time in pinstripes. Gossage trails only Mariano Rivera (652) and Dave Righetti (224) on the all-time Yankees saves list.
O’Neill, who currently serves as a game analyst for the YES Network, spent the final nine seasons of his 17-year Major League career in the Bronx (1993-2001), winning four world titles with New York (1996, ’98-2000). He concluded his Yankees career with a .303 batting average, 304 doubles, 185 home runs and 858 RBI, claiming the American League batting title in 1994 with a .359 average. Affectionately known as a “warrior” to many of his fans, he played in 235 consecutive games in right field without making an error from July 1995 to May 1997. In 2001, at the age of 38, O’Neill became the oldest player in Major League history to steal 20 bases and hit 20 home runs in the same season.
Currently serving as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, Torre spent 12 seasons as Manager of the Yankees (1996-2007). He piloted the team to six World Series appearances (1996, ’98-2001, ’03) and four World Championships (1996, ’98-2000). Torre compiled a 1,173-767 (.605) regular season record and a 76-47 (.618) postseason mark during his Yankees tenure, leading the club to the playoffs in each year that he managed the team. While with the organization, he went 21-11 in the World Series, 27-14 in the ALCS and 28-22 in the ALDS. His regular season wins total is second in club history to only Joe McCarthy, who went 1,460-867 (.627) over 16 seasons.
Tickets may be purchased online at www.yankees.com, www.yankeesbeisbol.com, at the Yankee Stadium Ticket Office, via Ticketmaster phone at (877) 469-9849, Ticketmaster TTY at (800) 943-4327 and at all Ticket Offices located within Yankees Clubhouse Shops. Tickets may also be purchased on Yankees Ticket Exchange at www.yankees.com/yte, the only official online resale marketplace for Yankees fans to purchase and resell tickets to Yankees games. Fans with questions may call (212) YANKEES [926-5337] or email tickets@yankees.com.

 I love the fact that Tino Martinez, Bernie Williams, and Paul O'Neill are getting recognized. We all knew that Torre's #6 would be retired eventually but the rest of the group is a great and well deserved notion. 

Understand Sabermetrics : On Base Percentage (OBP)

The entire premise of the movie Moneyball, and the whole moneyball craze, was the thought that defense did not matter, home runs did not matter, batting average did not matter, the only thing that mattered was getting on base. I , without doing hours of research and still not getting a 100% correct  answer, would say that OBP was the first SABR stat that started it all when it comes to being in the mainstream media and being used to calculate value for players. OBP basically calculates the players ability to reach base without the help of a fielding error, fielders choice, dropped third strikes, fielders obstruction, or catchers interference.



The highest OBP ever posted, career wise, was Ted Williams when he posted a .482 OBP. The lowest ever was .194 OBP by Billy Bergen. The highest total for a single season was Barry Bonds when he posted a staggering .609 OBP.


 Here is how OBP is calculated:

On-base percentage (OBP) = (H + BB + HBP) / (AB + BB + HBP + SF)

Basically what you do is add the players number of hits, walks, and hit by pitches, and put that number aside to be used later. You then add the number of at bats, walks, hit by pitches, and sacrifice flies while putting that number aside. You then will divide the first number you got by the second number you got and you will have the players OBP.



Let's use a Yankee's 2011 season stats as a way to hopefully simplify it. Let's use Nick Swisher only because he was the first "moneyball" player that Billy Beane ever drafted using the system because he was the only player that he and traditional scouts could agree on.



In 2011 Nick has 137 hits, 95 walks, and 5 hit by pitches adding up to 237.

He had 526 at bats, 95 walks, 5 hit by pitches, and 8 sacrifice flies adding up to 634.

You will then divide 237 by 634, getting Nick's OBP of .374.

The modern era league average for OBP is considered to be .340. A good way to measure a "good" OBP is to compare it to the players batting average. Nick's 2011 batting average was only .260, meaning he has a OBP 114 points higher then his batting average. Anything over 100 points higher then your batting average is above average at getting on base. Anything 50-100 points is considered below average to average. If it is possible to be below 50 points would mean you are terrible at getting on base. Nick Swisher, Mr. Money Ball, is a great example of what Billy Beane was trying to draft when this craze started.

New York Yankees Off Day Movie Recommendation


It's 2:00 pm ET and it's an off day so it's movie time on The Greedy Pinstripes. Today we bring you "Rawhide." Rawhide was made way back in 1938 and is set in the old wild west. Why it's significant to this site, besides the fact that Youtube is really pushing back on full movies on their site making them harder to find, is because Lou Gehrig is in the movie. Enjoy the off day Yankees family and enjoy the movie.

Understand Sabermetrics : Walks + Hits / Innings Pitched

We have done the first three stats mainly geared towards hitters, let us let the pitchers get their time to shine shall we? A great way to look at how well a pitcher is doing is to look at his walks + hits by innings pitched, or more commonly known as WHIP. It is basically the pitchers statmeticians answer to moneyball and OBP. Basically what WHIP studies is the number of base runners a pitcher allows per inning pitched. Moneyball guys want players who get on base and pitchers WHIP, invented in 1979 by Daniel Okrent, shows a pitchers ability to keep those moneyball guys off the bases. 


The lowest single season WHIP in baseball history was posted by Red Sox starter , and son of the Yankees, Pedro Martinez with a 0.7373 WHIP in 2000. Addie Joss has the current record for career lowest WHIP with a 0.9678 WHIP in nearly 3000 IP with the Cleveland Indians. Currently Mariano Rivera is ranked third in WHIP for his career. 




Let us use a Yankee to put this more in perspective so let us use Mariano Rivera.  Mariano , in 2011, had a staggering 8 walks and 47 hits allowed in his 61.1 IP. That makes Mariano's WHIP set at 0.90 which is amazing. 

New York Yankees Off Day Music Recommendation


It's a New York Yankees off day so we have been trying to bring you some baseball related music to pep you up so today we bring you "Mrs Robinson" from Simon & Garfunkel. This is significant to the Yankees and this site because of the Joe DiMaggio reference asking where he had gone. Our lonely eyes definitely did turn to Joe back then when you think about it. Enjoy the day Yankees family and my apologies for this being stuck in your head all day in advance.

Quick Hit: Traveling To Play The First Place Brewers


I know it may be hard to believe but the Yankees are traveling to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers starting tomorrow and the Brewers find themselves comfortably at the top of the National League Central division. The Brewers are one of the biggest surprises in the league this season which means we will probably go in and sweep them, right? Why does it seem like the Yankees always struggle against the teams that they should dominate and more than hold their own against the toughest teams in the league? I don't have an explanation so I am really asking.

Charleston Riverdogs Game Recap 5/7


Ford, de Oleo Homer as Opener Goes to Rome
Charleston trails in every inning before suffering loss in road trip opener

ROME, GA - Mike Ford and Eduardo de Oleo each hit late home runs and Abiatal Avelino earned four base hits in a comeback effort for the Charleston RiverDogs, but the Rome Braves held on to a 5-4 victory on Wednesday evening at State Mutual Stadium in South Atlantic League action.
Charleston's record is now 16-15 while Rome climbs to 10-22. This win gives the Braves an early 1-0 lead in this three-game set and evens the season series at two wins apiece.
The Braves opened the scoring in the home half of the first inning. Back-to-back walks were followed by two outs before Victor Reyes singled to score Connor Oliver for the first run. Rome's lead improved to 2-0 when Victor Caratini came in on a Joey Meneses single.
In the second, Charleston sliced the deficit to 2-1. Ford's leadoff single was complemented by a double from Michael O'Neill that moved Ford to third base. John Murphy responded with a groundout that allowed Ford to score. Two more outs closed the inning on the RiverDogs.
Rome added another run for a 3-1 advantage in the bottom of the third. With one out and runners on the corners, Charleston starter Rookie Davis handled a bunt from Johan Camargo and had a play at home plate. However, A.J. Kirby-Jones managed to score and double Rome's lead.
As the lead grew, Yean Carlos Gil settled in for Rome. Gil faced the minimum from the third inning through the fifth. He allowed a third-inning single to Avelino, but Gil picked him off before Avelino was caught stealing. Gil also struck out six in his five innings of work, including back-to-back called strikeouts to end his outing.
The Braves improved their lead after Gil finished his work. A leadoff walk to Kirby-Jones in the sixth preceded a call to the bullpen for Charleston's Jaron Long. The inherited runner would score as singles by Reyes and Meneses moved Kirby-Jones home. Oliver opened the seventh inning with a double and gave the Braves a 5-1 advantage on a two-single from Reyes.
Solo home runs gave Charleston life in the seventh inning against Navery Moore. Ford opened the frame with a blast to right field before de Oleo smacked a two-out shot to center field. For each player, it was the fourth home run of the season.
The come-from-behind effort continued for the RiverDogs in the eighth. Charleston came within 5-4 when Avelino doubled in Mikeson Oliberto off Rome's Richie Tate. Avelino stayed at second through a groundout and a walk before Tate was replaced by Pete Perez. A pair of Perez strikeouts ended the potential rally and kept the Braves in front. Perez also finished the ninth, picking off a potential tying run at first base and retiring the side.
Gil earned the victory and improved to 3-1. Davis slid to 2-3 after his third consecutive loss. Perez claimed the first save of his professional career.
COMING UP: Game two of this three-game series is scheduled for 10:30am on Thursday morning. Charleston RHP Luis Severino (0-1, 2.16 ERA) will square off with Rome LHP Chuck Buchanan (1-2, 2.63 ERA). A seven-game RiverDogs homestand begins on Saturday, May 10 with a "Tony the Peanut Man" Singing Bobblehead Giveaway, courtesy of WCSC Channel 5, and another Social Media Saturday. Tickets may be purchased at the Riley Park Box Office, (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or on-line at www.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

Trenton Thunder Game Recap 5/7

Fiorito's Homer Wins it for Thunder in 12th


NEW BRITAIN - Three two-run home runs provided all the offense in the Trenton Thunder's 6-4 12-inning win over the New Britain Rock Cats, but none carried the weight of Dan Fiorito's game-winner which was also his first Double-A home run.

With two outs and no one on in the 12th, the inning was extended by Yeral Sanchez' double over the head of left fielder Mike Kvasnicka. Fiorito laced a line drive to left field that quickly got to the wall and banged off a billboard above the left field wall just to the right of the 330-foot mark.

The Wednesday afternoon win came before 6,558 at New Britain Stadium and snapped the Thunder's season-long three-game losing streak.

The Thunder were two outs away from winning the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Tony Thomas singled home Matt Koch on an RBI single to center field to force extra innings. Branden Pinder, who struck out three while allowing one run on one hit in two innings or relief, blew his first save of the season and allowed his first run of the season in 15.0 IP.

Second baseman Robert Refsnyder's two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning turned a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead. Refsnyder's third home run of the season clanked off the scoreboard over the left field wall and scored Kyle Roller who had singled one batter prior. Roller's Eastern League-leading ninth homer of the season in the fifth inning tied the game 2-2 after Trenton fell behind 2-0.

Jeremy Bleich allowed three earned runs over six innings. The Thunder trailed 2-0 in the bottom of the third inning after Rock Cats' second baseman Tony Thomas hit a home run to center field. Trenton tied the game in the fifth when designated hitter Kyle Roller hit his ninth home run of the season, a two-run shot to right field off New Britain starting pitcher Tyler Duffey. Duffey, who retired the first 12 batters of the game, gave up four runs on four hits in seven innings pitched.

With the win, Trenton is now 1-2 in extra-inning games this season.

The Thunder return home for a seven-game homestand starting Thursday with the first four games against the Reading Fightin Phils. Limited tickets are available by calling (609)394-3300 or by going to www.trentonthunder.com/tickets.

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

Early offense leads Yankees to 9-2 rubber game win in Anaheim

Vidal Nuno pitched 6.1 innings of one-run ball and Derek Jeter hit his first home run of the season tonight as the Yankees beat the Angels in the rubber game of this three-game set, 9-2. In those 6.1 frames, Nuno was nearly unhittable, tossing five 1-2-3 innings while giving up just 4 hits to earn his first win of the season. 

Anyway, the Bombers offense scored most of their runs early in this one, as Mark Teixeira hit a 2-run double, Brian Roberts connected on a bloop RBI single, and the Angels committed two errors in the top of the first. After that, the Yanks crossed home one more time in the second on the before-mentioned home run by Jeter, followed by a three spot in the eighth when John Ryan Murphy singled home a pair and Carlos Beltran drove in another on the team's second sac fly of the night.

Besides those guys, the Pinstripes' speedy duo of Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner also played pretty well in this W, going 2-for-4 with a single run and 2-for-4 with two runs respectively. Nothing the experts will go too crazy about, but still definitely what the Yankees want from them. Their job isn't to hit home runs, just to get on base. 

JETER-THE FACE OF THE YANKEES

I am not a big fan of Hype, Jeter has been a great SS for the Yankees over the last 20 years. He helped the team win five World Series...But the Hype is, "Jeter won 5 WS's"! My question to that is, "Where were all the other players"? I don't care for a player with the talent he has, getting as much HYPE as he has had over the last 20 years! Thank you very much, Joe T and Mister Kay. 
Jeter is a heck of a SS with great talent and IS the Face of the Yankees and MLB but, Captain Clutch he is not and never has been. As "Captain Clutch" he hit a HR in the November WS and hit well in most WS games, but so did Bobby Richardson and "Scooter".
Jeter is the model for every kid that wants to play baseball…he is the all-American guy, thanks to the great parents he had. Jeter has been one of the five best all around SS to ever play the game.
These things are true but, the sad thing is…he will play until he can no longer do his job, then what? Kids will always see Jeter as he ended his tenure as a SS for the Yankees…not as the bright star and Face of the Yankees.
I had to sit through the endings of HOF players before, Joe "D", Yogi, Mickey Mantle, Willy Mays, and Hammering Hank...all of them waited to long to let go. The only two of them that were Hyped (other than Jeter) was Hammering Hank and Mickey! One for the most HRs ever, and one trying to hit the most in a season.
Believe me when I say; "I had to watch a hurting Mickey get picked off 2nd base." I watched him swing and miss a pitch and almost fall down because of all his leg injuries etc.,!
Now we are presented with an over age Star playing SS and will go into the HOF but, I ask you all out there in Yankee land; What records has he broken or set other then Yankee records? None, he does have over 3,000 hits but, in a few years there will be other guys joining him...to makes him one of 10, with more guys on the way to join him.
Don't misunderstand me, he will make it into the HOF but not for his baseball records, it will be because everyone thinks of him as a super guy and the glue that holds the team together. Granted he is the best PC guy, with great baseball talent, I have ever seen in baseball. And when it all boils down to the bottom line; his being TOO PC and his quest for HOF for doing nothing great is the only thing I have against him. Although, I must admit, it isn't his fault for all the Hype he has gotten over these many years, and he was just what this team needed...the Face of the MLBL!
Jeter has had a very very good 20 years in baseball, with his talents alone, he should be in the HoF and will be. I have the utmost respect for Jeter and his talents on the field, but to say...as many are saying...he is one of the ten greatest Yankees is ridiculous, to say the least!

IF I were manager of the Yankees, would I have him as my SS...Hell yes! But, if another SS had not gotten messed up in the Roid scandal...it would be him hands down.

This Day In New York Yankees History 5/8


On this day in 1961 the Yankees trade fireballer Ryne Duren, relief pitcher Johnny James, and outfielder Lee Thomas to the Angels for right hander Tex Clevenger and outfielder Bob Cerv. This would be the third time that Cerv would be a member of the Yankees. Duren would spend two seasons with the Angels and post an 8-21 record but would set an AL record for striking out seven consecutive batters with the team.


On this day in 2009 Alex Rodriguez made his season debut and wasted no time hitting a three run home run on the very first pitch he saw. The blast helps the Yankees beat the Orioles 4-0 and snap the Yankees five game losing streak.