Tanaka's winning streak ends with 6-1 loss to Cubs

At least it was a quality start.

Masahiro Tanaka, the Yankees $155 million #4 starter, gave up 3 earned runs over a rough six innings tonight, as the Yanks fell to the Cubs in non-competitive fashion, 6-1.

In this evening's bottom of the first, Tanaka looked alright, striking out two of the three hitters he faced, but after that things started to fall apart, as Chicago circled the bases four times over the next five frames to end this contest early. 

Obviously, with the score being 4-1 when he left, #19 went on to take the loss in this one, dropping his 2014 record to a slightly less-than-perfect 6-1.

In tonight's top of the sixth, the Bombers actually showed some signs of life, getting a run off Jason Hammel (5.2 IP, 1 ER) when Mark Teixeira lined a single to center. At that point, the Pinstripes were within just 1, although that momentum would quickly die, as the Cubs would circle the bases twice in the both the sixth and the seventh to make this ballgame a blowout. 

And if things couldn't any worse, the Orioles beat the Pirates over in Pittsburgh this evening, again knocking the Yankees out of the division lead. 

Game Thread: Yankees @ Cubs 5/20

The New York Yankees will travel to Chicago to take on the Chicago Cubs tonight in Wrigley Field in the first of a quick two game set. The Yankees will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound to face off with Jason Hammel. It seems like every time Tanaka starts lately it is in a National League park where he has to bat, baseball Gods are not kind to everyone. The game will be played at 8:05 pm ET and can be seen on MY9, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Enjoy the game Yankees family and enjoy the rest of your night.

Kevin Hart Is A Funny Guy That Hates The Cubs Meme

There is some truth to this maybe? Relate-able? 

Preview: New York Yankees @ Chicago Cubs 5/20

The New York Yankees will travel to Chicago this week to take on both the Chicago clubs and it starts tonight when the Bronx Bombers take over Wrigley Field. The Yankees will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound to face off with Jason Hammel for the Cubs. The game will be played at 8:05 pm ET and can be seen on MY9, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with WFAN.

Tanaka is coming off yet another victory in his last start extending his record to 6-0 in the majors. Tanaka is the first pitcher since 1900 to get six wins and strike out 60 batters in his first eight starts to start his career. Tanaka has not lost a decision in his last 42 starts dating back to his time in Japan and including his time in New York.

Hammel did not record a quality start for the first time this season last time out against the St. Louis Cardinals. Hammel has already lost one game to the Yankees this season on April 16 in New York giving up three runs in seven innings pitched. Hammel owns a 3-4 record with a 5.04 ERA in 18 career games against the Yankees.

Go Yankees!!

Stephen Drew Thankfully Comes Off Yankees Board

The wait is finally over Yankees fans, Stephen Drew has finally signed a contract. It's not with New York, it's with the Boston Red Sox. Drew will replace the injured Will Middlebrooks at third base and more importantly will be kept away from the Yankees, thank you Boston. I am so over this and I am so glad this is over. See you in September when he's batting .240. By the way, in case you were wondering, Drew signed for a one year deal worth $14 million and somewhere Scott Boras thinks he won.

Yankees RF Beltran not yet ready to undergo surgery

Don't panic yet, Yankees fans.

According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, Bombers Right Fielder Carlos Beltran, currently on the DL with a bone spur in his elbow, will attempt to play through the pain when his 15-Day stint ends.

Beltran, who's hit .234/.286/.430 with 5 home runs and 15 RBI so far this season, visited Dr. James Andrews earlier today, with the bone spur diagnosis unsurprisingly being confirmed. 

Despite that, the 2013 NL Champion is apparently still not ready to give up, planning to stay on the field rather than undergo a surgery that would sideline him for at least 2 months.

Currently, #36 has mainly been replaced in the outfield by usual DH Alfonso Soriano, with Ichiro Suzuki also filling in occasionally. Since taking over, Soriano has done pretty well, not making an error while also recording an assist, so in my opinion Beltran's presence isn't completely needed on this team right now. He's undoubtedly still good, but really, the Pinstripes seem to be doing fine without him. 

My point in that last paragraph: Beltran needs to be smart in this situation. If he's not hurt he should play, but if he is then what he's doing here is pretty dumb.

Remembering Tris Speaker On This Day

Tris Speaker made history more than once in this day in Major League history. 

On this day in 1918 Tris Speaker was struck in the head with a pitch off of Red Sox submariner Carl Mays. Mays would also hit Ray Chapman two years later in the head with a pitch that would kill him as a member of the New York Yankees. Speaker thought that Mays hit him on purpose in the head but Mays always denied the allegations.

A mere seven years later Speaker scored from first base on a single scoring the winning run in a 10-9 walk off win over the Yankees. The Indians scored six times in the bottom of the ninth to cap off the comeback. Where was Mariano Rivera when you need him?

Classic Player A vs. Player B Comparison NYY Style

No introduction is necessary because the numbers will speak for themselves here...

Player A:

Year	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2014	38	155	134	19	42	10	0	5	24	0	0	17	17	.313	.387	.500	.887	144

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/19/2014.

Player B:

Year	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2014	43	186	170	19	54	10	1	1	24	2	1	14	21	.318	.366	.406	.771	123

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/19/2014.

Player A is Yangervis Solarte. Player B is Robinson Cano. Remember when all of Yankeeland was up in arms about Cano leaving town for the Mariners? Me either.

Can't Predict Baseball: The One Armed Outfielder

On this day in 1945 Pete Gray led the St. Louis Browns to a doubleheader sweep of the New York Yankees after scoring the winning run in the second game. Gray collected three hits in the first game and the one-armed outfielder makes ten putouts in the field in the second game.

Quick Hit: Exit Alfredo Aceves, Enter Pat Venditte

The New York Yankees were built on depth and versatility this season so why is switch pitcher Pat Venditte still in Triple-A? The Yankees were built to win so why is Alfredo Aceves still on the roster giving up home runs to guys who will hit one more the entire season and Venditte is still in Triple-A? If the Yankees want versatility, a second lefty in the bullpen, and a fresh arm or two in the pen then it may be time to bring up Venditte.

Venditte is not the side show that everyone thought he was, although he may be old as far as prospects go though, but he has definitely earned the spot. It's worth mentioning that Venditte has faced five batters since being called up to Triple-A and has a 0.00 ERA and has five strikeouts.

Charleston Riverdogs Game Recap 5/19

RiverDogs Blanked by Sand Gnats

Mike Ford's on-base streak stops at 15 consecutive games in shutout loss

SAVANNAH, GA - Charleston RiverDogs infielder Mike Ford's career-high and team-best 15-game on-base streak ended as Kevin McGowan pitched a personal-best seven scoreless innings in a 6-0 two-hit shutout for the Savannah Sand Gnats on Monday evening at Historic Grayson Stadium in South Atlantic League action.

Charleston is now 23-20 this season as Savannah goes up to 29-14. The RiverDogs still lead this series at 2-1 heading into Tuesday's series finale.

The Sand Gnats scored two runs in the first inning to take the lead. Patrick Biondi singled against Charleston's Ian Clarkin in the bottom of the first and came in on Jeff McNeil's one-out double for a 1-0 Savannah lead. McNeil stole third base before a walk to L.J. Mazzilli and scored on a single by Dominic Smith to put the Sand Gnats up 2-0.

Savannah's lead grew to 6-0 with two more two-run innings. In the second inning, Jorge Rivero hit hisfirst home run of the season, a two-run clout to left field. Mazzilli opened the third with a solo blast to center field while Champ Stuart drove in Victor Cruzado with a two-out single later in the frame.

The RiverDogs only mustered two hits against McGowan during his career performance. Aaron Judge doubled off the right field wall to open the fourth inning but was stranded after three straight outs. Tyler Wade collected a leadoff single in the sixth and worked his way to third base before an inning-ending fly out. McGowan has not allowed an earned run in his last 25.1 innings pitched after a career-high seven innings on Monday.

Both bullpens pitched well to finish the contest. RiverDogs reliever Jordan Cote followed Clarkin with four shutout innings in his longest outing of the season. Paul Paez hurled two scoreless frames for Savannah and completed the two-hitter.

McGowan improves to 2-1 with the victory. Clarkin gave up all six Savannah runs and has an even 1-1 record for Charleston.

COMING UP: The finale of this four-game series will be at 7:05pm on Tuesday. RiverDogs RHP Jaron Long (2-1, 2.59 ERA) is scheduled to face Sand Gnats RHP Ricky Knapp (2-2, 3.41 ERA). The RiverDogs follow this road stretch with an eight-game homestand at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park. "Re-Opening Night" is on tap for a May 27 doubleheader with the Greenville Drive at 6:05pm while "Bark for Your Brew" on June 1 precedes the homestand finale against the Asheville Tourists. 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.

Box Score: http://atmilb.com/1nfhFO9

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

Trenton Thunder Game Recap 5/19

Comeback Win, 6-4, Snaps Six-Game Skid

Trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the Trenton Thunder seemed headed for a seventh-straight loss.

Three seventh-inning runs later plus an insurance run in the eighth, and the Thunder snapped their skid with a 6-4 win over the Harrisburg Senators Monday night.

The Thunder scored used three hits and three walks in the 7th inning to plate three runs for a 5-4 lead, and then benefitted from a three-base error from right fielder Kevin Keyes to begin the 8thinning to position an eventual insurance run down the stretch.
 

Harrisburg led 1-0 when Trenton's Peter O'Brien stepped to the plate and launched his sixth home run in nine games with the Thunder. Once the ball finally stopped rolling through the parking lot beyond the left field wall, the Thunder had snagged a 2-1 lead.

With Manny Banuelos being scratched from his start, the Thunder turned to the bullpen to piece together nine innings. The first two pitchers used, Jairo Heredia and Cole Kimball, struck out nine batters in 5.0 IP before giving way to Manny Barreda.

Barreda entered in a 2-2 game, but allowed two runs in the top of the seventh inning to position the Thunder offense for their come-from-behind victory. Barreda was credited with the win, and moves to 3-0 on the season. Taylor Garrison entered in the ninth inning with two on and no outs with the tying run at the plate and

The Thunder continue their four-game homestand Tuesday against the Harrisburg Senators at ARM & HAMMER Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with a 6:45 pre-game show that can be foundstreaming on 91.3 FM, the TuneIn Radio app and on www.trentonthunder.com

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

This Day In New York Yankees History 5/20

On this day in 1948 Joe DiMaggio had four extra base hits for the fourth time in his career in Chicago in front of 5,001 fans. DiMaggio hit for the cycle for the second time in a 13-2 victory over the White Sox. The Yankees had 22 hits and DiMaggio had two home runs, a triple, a double, a single, and six RBI's.

On this day in 1959 the Yankees enter last place in the American League for the first time since 19 years when they lost to the Detroit Tigers 13-6.

On this day in 1976 the Yankees and the Red Sox are in one of the ugliest brawls in the history of the rivalry when Carlton Fisk stabs Lou Piniella with the ball when Sweet Lou tried to score. Bill Lee suffered a separated shoulder in the fight with Graig Nettles and caused him to miss most of the season.

On this day in 2012 Babe Ruth's 1920 jersey sells at auction for $4,415,658. This was the largest amount ever paid for a piece of sports memorabilia according to auctionreport.com. The woolen uniform was worn by Ruth during his first season as a Yankee after being traded to New York by the Red Sox.