Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Jeter Okay With Recent DH-ing

During the entirety of his two-decade MLB career, it's been clear to us all that Yankees SS Derek Jeter's main priority is always to contribute.

The 40-year-old veteran, whose legendary career will end in the next two months, has often attempted to make pregame ceremonies this season as short as possible, an act that seems to show what he really cares about at the end of the day.

So, as is expected of him, it's not strange that the face of the team's fine with his recent increase in DH-ing, telling The Journal News' Chad Jennings earlier today that his job is simply to play whenever he's in the lineup.

"My job is to come here, and when I’m in the lineup, play," Jeter said. "I like to play every day. I like to play shortstop every day. Everyone is aware of that. But I get it. I understand it. We’ve had a long stretch here. I think we only have a couple of more days off, and then we have another long stretch at the end of the year. So I don’t know what (Girardi's) plans are. My job is to play.’

Over the week and a half, as you probably already know, recently-acquired utility man Martin Prado has caught fire on both sides of the ball, a turn of events that obviously can't be ignored.

Nonetheless, since Jeter's The Captain and Stephen Drew's strong defensively it appears the Yanks have a tough decision on their hands here, as Prado is clearly too good for the outfield now that Carlos Beltran's healthy.

8/26 Yankees Open Game Thread vs. Detroit Tigers


The New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers will play the first of three this week at Comerica Park tonight with both teams fighting for the chance at a Wild Card and postseason berth. The Yankees will send Brandon McCarthy to the mound tonight to face off with the Tigers Rick Porcello. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on the MY9, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with WFAN.

Get your Yankees tickets for when Boston comes to town nextweek as New York starts the final month of the season in the Bronx. Also be sure to follow us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes and like our page on Facebook by searching for The Greedy Pinstripes.


It’s an open thread and another tough pitcher for the Yankees to face so this one should be fun. Drop us a line in the comments section of this post and interact with other Yankees fans and talk about whatever you would like, within reason of course. Enjoy the game Yankees family and enjoy the rest of your evening. Go Yankees!

Yankees To Send Eight To Arizona Fall League


The New York Yankees have released the preliminary roster of players that they will send to the Arizona Fall League this winter and seven members of the Yankees will play for the Scottsdale Scorpions. The Yankees will send RHP's Caleb Cotham, Branden Pinder and Alex Smith. First baseman Greg Bird will headline the positional players and be joined by outfielders Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin, and third baseman Eric Jagielo.

EDIT: The Yankees will also send an unnamed catcher to the AFL for an eight player. Gary Sanchez could go to join a great crop of Yankees prospects or it could be Kyle Higashioka since he missed half the season with a Tommy John surgery.

Still Rick Porcello's Finest Moment


The tackling of then Red Sox and former New York Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis. 

8/26 Yankees Game Preview vs. Detroit Tigers


The New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers will start a three game series tonight in Comerica Park in Detroit with both teams fighting for their playoff lives. New York has fallen out of grace in the American League East division and are searching for a second wild card berth to get them into October baseball while the Detroit Tigers are within striking distance of the first place Kansas City Royals in the division and the wild card leading Seattle Mariners. The Yankees will send Brandon McCarthy to the mound to face off with the Tiger Rick Porcello. The game will be played at 7:05 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.

McCarthy is coming off a start in which he pitched a complete game shutout gem against the Houston Astros in Yankee Stadium. The game was the quickest in Yankee Stadium history at 2:07 and saw McCarthy go the distance in dominating fashion.

Porcello is coming off his third shutout of the season last time out in a victory over the Tampa Bay Rays last time out. Porcello allowed just three hits and retired 20 batters in a row in the win over Tampa. Porcello has already lost to the Yankees once this season when he was out-dueled by Shane Greene in a Yankees 1-0 victory. 



Go Yankees!!

I Was Nominated To Do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge


I almost dodged the ALS ice bucket challenge bullet, almost. When everyone was raising awareness by jumping into cold water, aka the Polar Plunge, no one nominated me and I didn’t object. While I still donated to the cause, and I have donated on two separate occasions already this year to ALS because I felt the first donation was insufficient, I was hoping to dodge this one yet again.

This has been going on for what feels like forever and I have yet to be nominated on my personal Facebook account or the Twitter account, which honestly really surprised me but again I was not complaining, until I opened up Facebook Monday night and a co-worker was having ice dumped on his head by his wife. I watched and chuckled at the expressions and reactions of everyone but quickly went straight faced when this guy was nominated, and that guy was nominated, and then I was nominated. Crap.

I am a leader, not a follower, so I am tempted to merely decline and quietly make my donation rather than go with the crowd but what’s the fun in that? It’s hot in Atlanta and I needed a cool down so without further interruptions here is my ALS ice bucket challenge. Please don’t be an attention whore and simply do this just because, at least donate. Even if it’s five bucks I am sure that great organization will make it go a long way.



Enjoy as I try to take the ice like a man. Rest in peace Lou Gehrig. Donate!

Discussing a Brandon McCarthy Contract for 2015


Brandon McCarthy expressed a definite interest in returning to the Bronx in 2015 after his complete game shutout last week against the Houston Astros in Yankee Stadium. The Yankees will likely seek to bring McCarthy back in 2015 to basically give the Yankees another seasoned veteran arm in the starting rotation that will likely replace Hiroki Kuroda in the Yankees rotation after he presumably leaves or retires after 2014. What kind of contract would McCarthy command after the 1.90 ERA he has put up so far in New York?

The perfect comparison here in my opinion would be the man he was replacing in Kuroda. Obviously Kuroda has been signing one year deals for the last three seasons as he remains undecided from year to year about his future plans while McCarthy will likely look for some security in his deal. McCarthy is in the final year of a two year deal worth $18 million that he, until the trade, has not lived up to with Arizona. Kuroda is making $16 million this season after making $15 million in 2013 and $10 million in 2012.

Assuming McCarthy finishes 2014 strong, and not even to the 1.90 ERA standards the fans are beginning to expect, I believe McCarthy’s AAV will be closer to Kuroda’s 2014 salary than his 2012 salary. Mike Axisa of River Avenue Blues, great site by the way but I am sure you guys already knew that, had McCarthy making around $25 million on a two year deal after this season but I think that may be a little low. I could see McCarthy wanting at least a three year deal, he is just barely 31 years old, and at least $13-$15 million to return to New York and I could easily see the Yankees giving it to him.

While I say I could see the Yankees giving it to him that doesn’t necessarily mean that I would give it to him. His history of injuries, the shoulder kind not the freak kind, would scare me away if it went past two seasons. While I would have no issue with going as high as $15 - $16 million AAV the Yankees need to find a way to keep the years down, outright or creatively.

New York could always throw in vesting options, club options, mutual options, incentives, or whatever to make McCarthy happy but I hope the Yankees don’t fall for the two month trap and over pay once again. McCarthy has been great on the mound, off the field, on Twitter, and his wife has been a much needed addition to the Wives and Girlfriends section of the site, but New York wants a ring. That is made even harder if they have an AAV of $15 million sitting on the DL with two or three more years on his deal and another stress fracture in his throwing shoulder.


Sign the man up for 2015 and beyond, just be smart about it. 

The August No Trade Deadline


This may come across as a bit of a rant, probably because it is a bit of a rant, but know that it was never intended to be a rant. I am happy with the winning recently, the tough at bats, the never say die attitude, the clutch pitching, and the even more clutch hitting. What I am not happy with is how Brian Cashman and company continues to sit on their hands and do nothing, nothing worth reporting on anyway.  I am calling this the August revocable waivers NO trade deadline.

Maybe I am a bit spoiled by the July 31st trading deadline that brought to the team Martin Prado, Stephen Drew, Brandon McCarthy, Chase Headley, and Chris Capuano and I can admit that but still. Prado has come along recently, Headley has been solid, McCarthy has been a totally different pitcher in pinstripes, Capuano (as much as I want to hate him for some reason) has been solid and is keeping Masahiro Tanaka’s roster spot warm, and Stephen Drew has been the Boston Red Sox version, just worse, of Stephen Drew. I find it hard to believe that the Yankees cannot find any upgrades on the trading market right now.

I really find it hard to believe that the Yankees cannot find a better hitting second baseman without sacrificing too much on the defensive side. I especially find it hard to believe when you consider we have a prospect in the minor leagues in Robert Refsnyder whose bat is making it nearly impossible NOT to call him up. I find it hard to believe that we still don’t have a real backup first baseman option, although Headley has filled in admirably recently, with Kyle Roller still sitting in Scranton. I find it hard to believe that Ichiro Suzuki is still our best option out in right field when Carlos Beltran cannot play the field due to his barking elbow. I find it hard to believe that Matt Thornton was let go and we had this prospect and that prospect’s name shoved down our throat only to STILL have Rich Hill on the roster.


I have no issue with standing pat in the rotation the next six days with David Phelps and Tanaka on their way back but not in the bullpen. Where’s Jacob Lindgren? I continue to read about so many players being put on waivers, equally as many players clearing waivers, the Yankees own players clearing waivers, and yet I don’t read about any rumors, discussions, or even failed discussions. Either Brian Cashman knows something that I don’t or he doesn’t feel the need to work for his job. I know he is supposedly "claiming everybody" but that and two bucks will get you a coke. 

Quick Hit: I Wish This Was RBI Baseball 14


Boy do I wish this season was RBI Baseball 14, things would be so much better. I am not much of a gamer anymore but I did purchase RBI Baseball 14 for my iPhone, $4.99 in the app store case you were wondering, and I am loving every minute of it. With two kids, a wife, a 40+ hour a week job, another writing job on the side, and you guys I don’t get much time to play anymore but I did finally finish the month of April with surprising statistics.

Keep in mind that I could not hit for crap in my first four games for whatever reason. I was either early on everything, I pounded perfect pitches into the ground, or the defense just flat out robbed me. I also pretty much skipped the tutorial and thought I could do it my own way and started the season 1-4. I finished the month of April 20-7 and lead the American League East by 1.5 games over the Boston Red Sox and have the best record in the American League. Two teams, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies, have better records than me in the National League.

My best pitcher by far has been Hiroki Kuroda. I could face the suckiest(not a word but stay with me because I used it for emphasis) batter in the game and still give up a single using CC Sabathia in this game making me wonder if I just suck with him or if the game is that realistic. My best hitter has been Alfonso Soriano and my best clutch hitter has been Brian Roberts. Yeah, they need a roster update and no, it’s not realistic. I just suck with Sabathia.  


Imagine if RBI Baseball were real and Alfonso Soriano and Brian Roberts had great seasons with the Yankees. Imagine if Tanaka was still pitching and Yangervis Solarte was coming off the bench somehow with a 1.000 batting average in nine at bats. Imagine if the Yankees made the playoffs this season. 

Two Yankee Minor Leaguers Suspended 50 Games


Two members of the New York Yankees farm system have been suspended 50 games for drug suspensions, right handed pitcher Andy Beresford and first baseman Leonard Thompson. Both players tested positive for amphetamines and will be suspended for 50 games without pay.

Beresford is a member of the Charleston Riverdogs while Thompson is in rookie ball.

This Day In New York Yankees History 8/26: MLB TV is Born!


This day in Yankees history in 2002 was quite the day for New York players and fans as we were treated to a trio of historic events. First and foremost fans were finally able to watch the Yankees on their computers as MLB TV was born on MLB.com. Sixty three years after the first Major League Baseball game was televised the first live video streaming game took place on the internet. The New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers would face off in a game that approximately 30,000 fans saw on MLB.com and also 42,000 fans saw at Yankee Stadium.

In the Yankees 10-3 victory over Texas Alfonso Soriano hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to set a new team record for home runs by a second baseman. Soriano's 31st home runs passed Joe Gordon's previous mark of 30 home runs by a second baseman hit in 1940. Also on this day Derek Jeter became only the third player to score at least 100 runs in his first seven major league seasons. The Yankees captain joins Ted Williams (Red Sox) and Earle Combs (Yankees) as the only other two big leaguers to begin their careers with 100 runs scored in seven straight seasons.

What a day for Yankees fans and players alike.

Also on this day in 1991 the Yankees reluctantly agreed to a signing bonus with first overall pick Brien Taylor. Taylor agreed to a $1.55 million contract at age 19 at the dismay of suspended owner George Steinbrenner. This came two days after Steinbrenner told the media that "if they (Gene Michael) let him (Taylor) go, they ought to be shot."

Talk about bidding against yourself.