Sunday, May 25, 2014

Tanaka, Jeter lead Yankees to easy win over White Sox

This was nice.

Lately, as you all already know, the Yankees haven't played all that well, making today's 7-1, split-clinching win over the White Sox extremely enjoyable.

Not only did it end early, as the Yankees scored four times in the second inning alone, but the pitching made it pretty stress-free, surrendering just one earned run in the team's first non-extra inning W in a week. 

Of those 9 frames, 6.2 of them came from Starter Masahiro Tanaka, who, as usual, dominated, surrendering just one 1 trip around the bases while striking out 6 to improve his record to 7-1.

Backing up the Japanse phenom on offense was the trio of Brett Gardner, Derek Jeter, and Jacoby Ellsbury, who combined to drive in five of the team's seven runs. 

In the Bombers' big top of second, Gardner drove in two with a single, Jeter knocked in another with a bloop hit, and Ellsbury drove in the rally's final run with a line-drive sac fly, giving New York an early 4-0 lead. Besides that play, Jeter also led the Yanks to their fifth run of the contest in the fifth, tripling to right-center to set up a run-scoring wild pitch.

Overall, Jeter was 4-for-5 with 2 RBI on the afternoon, scoring a runner from third in the sixth with another base hit.

Following that play, the red-hot Pinstripes would circle the bases for the final time in the eighth, when Brian Roberts made it 7-1 with his second home run of the year.

Game Thread: Yankees vs. White Sox 5/25


The New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox will finish up their four game weekend set this afternoon at US Cellular Field. The Yankees will look to start a new streak with their second straight victory and their pitcher this afternoon, Masahiro Tanaka, will also look to start a streak of his own. The White Sox will send Brazilian and 4-0 starting pitcher Andre Rienzo to face him. The game will be played at 2:10 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Get your Yankees tickets for this game or any game when the Yankees come home RIGHT HERE on the blog. If you can't make it out to the ball park then join @GreedyStripes on Twitter to chat with us during the game. The comments section of the site is always open as well if you're interested in some Yankees discussion.

Enjoy the game Yankees family and enjoy the rest of your weekend. Let's get the hell out of Chicago.

Yankees Set-Up Man Kelley Likely Out Two More Weeks

Yep, more bad news.

Despite the fact that he was supposed to come back for this weekend's White Sox series, Yankees Set-Up Man Shawn Kelley (back) will likely be out two more weeks, The Newark Star Ledger's Jorge Castillo reports. 

Kelley, who is eligible to come off the 15-Day DL today, suffered a set back on Tuesday, causing him to miss his scheduled rehab activities (games of catch, bullpen sessions).

Because of that, #27 will have to do everything over again this week, keeping him out the extra time.

“If he did everything he was supposed to this week, he would’ve been back maybe tomorrow,” team Manager Joe Girardi told Castillo yesterday. “So we were going to take a week, but with the extra week, it probably takes a little longer.”

Right now, as you all know, the Yankees bullpen is still doing alright, with minor-leaguer Matt Daley and veteran Matt Thornton filling in nicely for Kelley.

Lately, the two have pitched seventh innings, with Adam Warren moving up to the eighth. 

Due to that switch, it again appears that the team can withstand the loss of Kelley, as the rest of their relievers seem good enough to carry the temporary extra load.

The Last Time Masahiro Tanaka Lost A Game Meme


Let's hope this afternoon is just the beginning of a new streak for the Japanese sensation Masahiro Tanaka. Above is a list of just a few of things that were going on 42 starts ago when Tanaka last lost a game. As we all know Tanaka lost his last start against the Chicago Cubs snapping the streak. 

Preview: New York Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox 5/25


The New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox will finish their four game set in Chicago this afternoon at US Cellular Field. The Yankees will send ace Masahiro Tanaka to the mound looking to start another streak and will be opposed by Andre Rienzo for the White Sox. The game will be played at 2:10 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB TV, and WFAN.

Tanaka had his streak of 42 straight games without a loss snapped last time out against the Chicago Cubs and looks to start a new streak tonight in Chicago. Tanaka gave up four runs in six innings in a 6-1 loss in Wrigley Field. Tanaka's K numbers are still impressive though as he comes into today's start with 73 K's in 64 IP.

Rienzo is coming off a start in which he struck out a career high eight batters in a 7-6 win over the Kansas City Royals last time out. Rienzo allowed two runs and pitched six innings against the Royals. Rienzo is now 4-0 on the season.

Go Yankees!!

Pineda Rehab Assignment Starts Tomorrow

Michael Pineda will begin a minor league rehab assignment tomorrow while trying to come back from a teres major strain in his back/shoulder. Pineda will pitch for the Charleston Riverdogs on Monday and is slated to throw two innings or 35 pitches, whichever comes first. The Yankees were expecting to get Pineda back in mid June so if he starts tomorrow and gets three starts in that puts him right on track for an early to mid June return.

If the Yankees need anybody back the most right now I think it definitely has to be Pineda so this is great news for the Yankees. If all goes well tomorrow the Yankees could bump Pineda up to Trenton with the Thunder for a Saturday start as he would not count against the roster since Trenton has a double header. The Yankees could finally be turning things around if they get Pineda back and can get a couple of their other injured stars back as well.

Can't Predict Baseball: Ted Williams Goes Above .400


On this day in 1937 future Hall of Famer Mickey Cochrane's career ends after he is beaned by Yankees pitcher Bump Hadley. The Tigers catcher would spend six weeks in the hospital only to return later as a manager, not as a player.

On this day in 1941 Ted Williams goes 4-5 against the New York Yankees in Yankee Stadium to raise his batting average over .400 for the first time this season. Williams would finish the 1941 season batting .406.

Quick Hit: David Robertson & His Closer Memory


What a weekend we have seen in Chicago so far. It all started Friday night when the Yankees got an early lead only to give up that early lead so they could come back and regain the lead. David Robertson gave up a walk off home run to Chicago's Adam Dunn for his first blown save in ten chances. A great sign for the Yankees is that Robertson did not have to wait long for his 11th chance as he got another save opportunity yesterday afternoon. The Yankees had another amazing comeback and this time Robertson sealed the deal and got the save for New York.

This is a great sign for the Yankees and their fans as they were worried all offseason long about replacing the great Mariano Rivera. If Robertson blows a save or two, and he will just for the record, as long as he comes right back then I think we're gonna be alright.

Charleston Riverdogs Game Recap 5/24

Judge Hits Fourth Homer in Loss at Hickory
RiverDogs have chance to even series in Sunday's finale to close eight-game road stretch

HICKORY, NC - Aaron Judge's two-run home run in the eighth inning highlighted a late Charleston RiverDogs rally, but the Hickory Crawdads held on to a 7-3 victory on Saturday evening at L.P. Frans Stadium in South Atlantic League action. Hickory's Ryan Cordell almost hit for the cycle in a four-hit performance for the Crawdads.
Charleston drops to 24-23 while Hickory moves up to 23-24. The Crawdads also have a 2-1 advantage in this four-game series, which closes with the finale on Sunday.
In the second inning, the Crawdads garnered a 1-0 lead. Cordell led off the frame with a double against Rookie Davis and advanced to third base when Ronald Guzman grounded out. A sacrifice fly from Kellin Deglan scored Cordell for the first run of the contest.
Cordell struck again in the third, pushing Hickory's lead to 3-0. With two outs and two runners aboard, Cordell tripled to center field and brought in Nick Vickerson and former Citadel Bulldog Joe Jackson. Davis ended three innings with three runs allowed and no strikeouts.
Crawdads southpaw Chad Bell was in search of his first win since August 29, 2012 and recorded a shutout start. Bell escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the second inning and also received big help from his defense. Deglan ended the third by throwing out a runner trying to advance to second base while Michael De Leon, Travis Demeritte, and Guzman turned an inning-ending double play in the fifth. Bell tossed five shutout innings with only five hits surrendered.
The Crawdads took a six-run advantage in the bottom of the fifth after Bell's final frame. Guzman's one-out double off Jordan Cote plated Nomar Mazara and Cordell for a 5-0 lead. Deglan drove in Guzman with a single to stretch the lead to 6-0.
Charleston broke up the potential shutout by scoring in the seventh inning against Ricardo Rodriguez. A Miguel Andujar single and a Dustin Fowler double, each with one out, set up Jose Rosario. Andujar scored when Rosario grounded out to first base, trimming the deficit to 6-1.
Hickory got that run back and improved its lead to 7-1 in its half of the seventh. Cordell, who reached on a single in his previous at bat, opened the frame with another single. A wild pitch and a balk put him on third base before Deglan brought him in with a groundout to first base. Cordell went 4-for-4 on Saturday and fell a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.
Judge tagged Josh McElwee with an eight-inning home run to get the RiverDogs within four. Michael O'Neill was hit by a pitch and stole second base prior to Judge's at bat. Judge cleared the left field wall with a line drive as Charleston cut Hickory's lead to 7-3. The RiverDogs brought up the tying run in the ninth but left the bases loaded at the end of the game.
Bell is 1-0 following the win, his first victory since a late-season triumph with the Triple-A Round Rock Express in 2012. Davis' fourth straight losing decision sends him to 2-4.
COMING UP: The finale of this four-game series and eight-game RiverDogs road stretch is scheduled for 5pm on Sunday. Charleston RHP Luis Severino (1-1, 1.76 ERA) will face Hickory RHP Akeem Bostick (2-2, 3.66 ERA). Beginning on Monday, May 26, the RiverDogs host 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 at 3pm precedes the finale against the Asheville Tourists at 5:05pm. 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 onwww.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 5/25


On this day in 1922 Babe Ruth was called out at second base trying to stretch a single into a double and started a tirade. Babe Ruth threw dirt in an umpire's eyes and then went after a heckler in the stands. Ruth finished by standing on the roof of the dugout and calling the crowd yellow cowards. Ruth would receive a one game suspension, a $200 fine, and would lose his captaincy.


On this day in 2002 former major league pitcher and former Yankee David Cone was hired as a part time television analyst by the YES Network. Cone'd deal included covering five games for the Class A Staten Island Yankees, he would be a radio announcer with WCBS for the June 14th game between the Yankees and the Mets, and would be a pregame and post game show announcer.


On this day in 2011 Mariano Rivera became the first pitcher to appear in 1,000 games for the same team. The 41 year old right handed pitcher compiled 572 saves and 75 wins during his 17 seasons in New York at the time.