Cervelli's Wild Throw, No Offense Spoil Phelps' Great Start

After today's extra inning loss to the Twins, you can't help but feel bad for David Phelps.

The 27-year-old right-hander, now 3-4 with a 4.01 ERA, tossed 7 frames of one-run ball that kept the Yankees in the game, yet ultimately was forced to settle for a no decision due to a lack of offensive support.

To make things even worse, the team he gave his all for in the contest didn't even bother winning, eventually falling in 11 innings to the Twins, 2-1.

In the early stages of the ballgame, Phelps did give up a decent amount of baserunners, but since he always found ways to get out of jams he definitely deserved a W.

From one out in the bottom of the third to the lead-off hitter in the seventh, Phelps was even perfect, an accomplishment ruined by a Josh Willingham home run that tied things at 1. 

Willingham's blast to deep left also took Twins' Starter Yohan Pino (6 IP, ER) off the hook, as the latter had surrendered a two-out, RBI Single to Francisco Cervelli in New York's half of the fifth. 

After Phelps was taken out, the struggling Shawn Kelley was brought in, surprisingly shutting out Minnesota in the eighth and ninth.

Still, the dead Bombers' bats couldn't find a way to bring a run in, eventually putting Matt Thornton in a tough position.

In the bottom of the tenth, the one-out-a-game Thornton faced the minimum three hitters, yet struggled in the next frame, loading the bases with just one out.

At that point, Trevor Plouffe was the batter, dribbling a ball in front of home which Thornton fielded easily.

The veteran, not known for his defense, flipped the ball home to Cervelli, getting a much-needed out that should've allowed the infield to move back for the next guy.

Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the case, as Cervelli would go on to overthrow first on a double play attempt where Plouffe would've been safe anyway. 

So, Minnesota won on a walk-off error, ending the Yanks' two-game winning streak and dropping their record to 43-43, pretty much killing the momentum they had gained over the last two days.

Dean Anna Claimed By Pittsburgh

Breaking in with the yanks was great. Now I get to try with the Pirates. #IndyBound #bucs
— Dean Anna (@DinoBaseball247) July 5, 2014

From the man himself the New York Yankees shortstop Dean Anna will be heading to Pittsburgh to become a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Yankees designated Anna for assignment after calling up Zelous Wheeler after struggling at the major league level and in Triple-A this season. I knew he wouldn't clear waivers and I knew we would lose him for nothing, and we did. Not a major loss but I hate to lose depth to keep an overpaid veteran that is not performing in a job.

The "Best" Of What's Left On The Trade Market

After the Oakland Athletics soaked up all the good starting pitching we had a legitimate chance of acquiring by trading for Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel the Yankees find themselves in a not so great predicament. I personally don't believe that the Yankees can acquire David Price, not from the Rays anyway, so the "best" of the rest is really scary to look at.

I do not have links or sources that say these guys are actively available but I simply looked at the 2015 and 2016 free agent classes for starting pitching and looked at the non contending teams specifically. I compiled a short and no so sweet list of pitchers the Yankees could look at this July.

Edinson Volquez (Padres): 30 years old, 4.07 ERA, 87 ERA+, 4.39 FIP, and 1.242 WHIP.

Kyle Kendrick (Phillies): 29 years old 30 in August, 4.12 ERA, 89 ERA+, 4.12 FIP, and 1.326 WHIP.

AJ Burnett (Phillies): 37 years old, 3.92 ERA, 93 ERA+, 4.00 FIP, and 1.359 WHIP.

Jhoulys Chacin (Rockies): 26 years old, 5.40 ERA, 78 ERA+, 4.80 FIP, and 1.437 WHIP.

Ian Kennedy (Padres): 29 years old, 3.87 ERA, 87 ERA+, 2.88 FIP, and 1.235 WHIP.

Jorge De La Rosa (Rockies): 33 years old, 4.86 ERA, 86 ERA+, 4.81 FIP, and 1.335 WHIP.

Cliff Lee (Phillies): 35 years old 36 in August, 3.18 ERA, 115 ERA+, 2.67 FIP, and 1.279 WHIP.

Cliff Lee isn't healthy which really complicates things, complicates things that got real complicated when Billy Beane cornered the starting pitching market. It may be worth selling pieces this season and building towards 2015.

Game Thread Open Thread: Yankees vs. Twins 7/5

Welcome to today's open thread and game thread for the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins game this afternoon at Target Field. The Yankees will send David Phelps to the mound to face off with Yohan Pino for the Twins. 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 WFAN.

Get your Yankees tickets for this game or any Yankees game home or away right HERE on the blog. If you can't make it live, no problem. Head to Twitter and follow @GreedyStripes or head over to Facebook and search for The Greedy Pinstripes to interact with us during the game, maybe we'll use your tweets and posts on the blog. Drop us a line in the comments section to interact with Yankees fans across the globe.

Enjoy the game Yankees family and enjoy the rest of your afternoon and weekend.

World's Most Interesting Man Hates The Twins.. Meme

I'm sorry but it's true, the New York Yankees own the Minnesota Twins and I can't help it. It's the only time I watch the Twins, and I love baseball. Enjoy the game Yankees family and lets get another victory.

Jeff Samardzija & Jason Hammel Come Off The Board

We posted this on Twitter last night but I spent the evening the way it should have been spent, with family, and I am getting caught up now. The Oakland Athletics have sent their top two prospects, Addison Russell included, and pitcher Dan Straily to the Oakland Athletics for both Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel. Hammel and Samardzija will join an already talented pitching staff that includes Scott Kazmir and Sonny Gray. The Athletics just won the American League pennant and the Yankees options are dwindling, fast.

Yankees Game Preview vs. Minnesota Twins 7/5

The New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins will play in the third game of their four game set this weekend at Target Field this afternoon. The Yankees will send David Phelps to the mound to face off with the Twins Yohan Pino. 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.

Phelps is coming off a start in which he allowed just two runs in 5.2 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays in a no decision and a loss for the Yankees. Phelps was coming off a four start losing streak before the no decision and looks to improve again today in Minnesota. Phelps is 2-0 with a 3.70 ERA in four starts since his four start losing streak.

Pino is making his fourth career major league start and has yet to record a win yet, a trend we all hope continues today. Pino allowed four runs and seven hits in his last time out while pitching 5.2 innings against the Kansas City Royals.

Head out to Target Field to see the Yankees live or save up and go to the first Yankee home game after the All Star Break. Get your tickets here on the blog without fees or shipping costs as we bring the cheapest Yankees tickets on the web. 

Go Yankees!!

Girardi Not Surprised Roberts Had a Big Game

For arguably the first time this season yesterday, Yankees Second Basemen Brian Roberts had a really good game.

The 36-year-old ex-Oriole, who has hit .248 with 4 home runs and 18 RBI so far in 2014, went 4-for-5 with three doubles (one drove in a run) and a triple, tying the Yanks' franchise record for extra-base knocks in a single contest. 

Now to most of us, the fact that Roberts was able to do something like that was surprising, although team Manager Joe Girardi apparently doesn't think so, arguing after the stressful 6-5 win that Roberts has actually been good this year.

"We've said all along that his numbers aren't really indicative of how he's swung the bat," Girardi told The Newark Star Ledger's Brendan Kuty. "We think he's hit the ball pretty hard. He just didn't it at people (Friday)."

Whether you agree with that observation or not, the veteran finally doing what we know he can has got to be refreshing, as a productive Roberts driving the ball in all directions would obviously improve the club. 

Still, we have to make sure to remember that this was just one game, and that it doesn't necessarily guarantee any future success. 

Can't Predict Baseball: Four Consecutive Double Headers Lost

In an event that I doubt will ever happen again the Boston Red Sox established an American League record for losing four consecutive doubleheaders. The Red Sox amazingly had no other games in between the eight straight losses in doubleheaders making the feat extraordinary. The streak started with four losses to the New York Yankees before the Red Sox went home to Fenway Park to lose four more to the Washington Senators. Four straight doubleheaders is brutal and losing all eight games is historic, just not the history you want to be a part of.

Also on this day in 1985 the San Diego Padres Gary Templeton tied a major league record held by the Yankees Roger Maris by being intentionally walked four times in a game. Maris set the record in 1962 and Templeton was intentionally walked in the 12th inning of this 1985 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, a game that saw Templeton score in that 12th inning before the Pirates scored three in the bottom of the inning to win the game.

This Day In New York Yankees History 7/5: Roger Clemens Strikes Out #3000

The New York Yankees and their 1998 squad are widely thought of as the best team in major league history with 114 victories and one loss on the way to a World Series victory. The Yankees started off extremely slow but went on an absolute roll that included 61 victories in their first 81 games. The Yankees 61-20 record ties the best start in major league history by a team matching the 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates and the 1907 Chicago Cubs.

Also on this day in 1998 against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays the Toronto Blue Jays, and future New York Yankee, starting pitcher for the day Roger Clemens entered the history books himself. Clemens struck out the Devil Rays outfielder Randy Winn for his 3000th career strikeout. Clemens would become only the 11th pitcher to join the 3000 K club in major league history.