Sunday, April 12, 2015

Game Thread: Boston Red Sox @ New York Yankees 4/12


Get your popcorn, get your sodas, get your ear plugs and grab your Twitter app having phone because it is ESPN Sunday Night Baseball and it's the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Popcorn is great and Coke is better but the ear plugs are for John Kruk and the ESPN crew because you should expect a ton of injury talk about the Yankees starter tonight, Masahiro Tanaka. Tanaka will be on the mound after a less than stellar Opening Day start against the Toronto Blue Jays that did nothing to quell the doubters on his elbow's health. Opposing Tanaka tonight will be Clay Buchholz for the Red Sox so hide your laptops everyone. The game will be played at 8:05 pm ET and can be seen on ESPN as a part of ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.

The Yankees head to Camden Yards after this series to face off with the Baltimore Orioles so get your Yankees tickets for that series, the next Yankees home series or any series right here on the blog through our partnership with Ticket Monster. TM doesn't charge you those annoying fees or bulky shipping costs just to email you a paper copy of the ticket, the way it should be, and keeps the prices even lower if you're a Greedy Pinstripes reader. If you can't make it or would rather pay $10 for a 12 pack of beer instead of for one feel free to join us on Twitter (@GreedyStripes) or in the comments section to chat during the game.

It's going to be a long game, and a frustrating game to listen to, but that can all be made better if the Yankees win the game... so go Yankees!!

Same Old Recycled Alex Rodriguez News


Bill Madden of the New York Post is recycling the same old news regarding Alex Rodriguez and his $6 million bonus for home runs again. This presumably came about after Alex hit his first home run of the season this week moving within just five home runs of tying Willie Mays on the all-time home run list and moves just five home runs away from a $6 million bonus that the New York Yankees don't want to pay him.

Alex hit his 655th home run of his career in the game three loss to the Blue Jays making you wonder if we're going to see one of these posts by Madden and crew with every home run he hits this season. New York is prepared to go to an arbitrator rather than simply pay the deal since the Yankees no longer think this is a milestone.

According to Madden's sources the deal was signed separately from his mega-deal and it is up to the Yankees discretion whether to call his home runs milestones or not. New York considers the home runs tainted and not milestones meaning once again this is going to get ugly between the Yankees and Mr. Rodriguez. That I have no issue with, the fact that responsible journalists are running with this like it's new news is my issue. Must be a slow day and you guys must be out of ideas.

Kyle Davies Up, Matt Tracy DFA

Chasen Shreve took it on the chin for the Yankees Friday night and Matt Tracy was called up to give the Yankees a fresh arm on Saturday. Well apparently the Yankees need another fresh arm and have designated Tracy for assignment to make room on the roster for Kyle Davies. Davies will be active for tonight's finale in the Bronx against the Boston Red Sox. 

Davies is a veteran on a minor league deal so it will be interesting to see what kind of leash he has on the team. If he were a rookie I would say a little to none on the leash but since he is a veteran you never know. 

Guillermo Heredia & Vladimir Guitierrez Close to Free Agency


Two of the better prospects left in the country of Cuba are named Guillermo Heredia and Vladimir Gutierrez and they are both nearing free agency in Major League Baseball. Heredia is 24 years old and established residency in Mexico while Gutierrez is just 19 years old and may have established residency in Mexico by the time you're reading this. Both are expecting to file paperwork with Major League Baseball to get the free agency process going as soon as next week.

Heredia is an outfielder and was once listed as the 11th best prospect in Cuba by Ben Badler. Heredia plays center field in Cuba and is considered to be a defensive first and on base percentage type center fielder. From what I have read he reminds me some of Jacoby Ellsbury as he will play great defense and hit at the top of the order. Heredia has shown power in his time in the Serie Nacional but it not considered to be a big time power threat at this time in his career.

Gutierrez is a pitcher who has an "advanced" curve ball and a projectible frame at 6'1" and 172 lbs. Gutierrez will have to go against whoever's international free agents cap that signs him while Heredia would be a true free agent.

Both players may interest the New York Yankees but I cannot find a way to get excited about it. When New York signs a Cuban I'll begin to get excited about Cubans again, until then the Yankees seem scared of the players that come from that little island that Fidel Castro used to run. I would personally prefer Gutierrez over Heredia simply because he's 19 years old and the team is stacked at the outfield position right now but I wouldn't mind either of them to be honest. Stay tuned.


Game Preview: Boston Red Sox @ New York Yankees 4/12


Done are the 19 inning affairs from Friday night and no longer is Alex Rodriguez playing first base and cleaning up for the Yankees. It's a new day and it's a night game tonight at the Bronx that showcases the New York Yankees playing host to the Boston Red Sox on ESPN's first Sunday Night Baseball game of the season. Tonight we are in for a treat, as long as you watch the game on mute, as Masahiro Tanaka takes the mound for his second start of the season as he faces off against Clay Buchholz for the Boston Red Sox. The game will be played at 8:05 pm ET and can be seen on ESPN.


  • Tanaka lasted just 82 pitches and four innings on Opening Day against the Toronto Blue Jays in a start that did not go as planned. Tanaka threw just 27 fastballs in the contest and saw his velocity dip as expected since he relied heavily on his offspeed pitches. Tanaka faces off with a Boston Red Sox team that hit him well in 2014 as Tanaka went 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA last season. 




  • Buchholz had a great start on Opening Day that was aided by a Hanley Ramirez grand slam in a victory for Boston. Buchholz recorded nine strikeouts and allowed just three hits in seven innings against the Philadelphia Phillies. In seven career starts at Yankee Stadium Buchholz has a 4-3 record in his career with a 4.05 ERA so let's hope her gives up at least that in this game tonight. 


It looks like it's going to be another late night for us Yankees family so you may want to get that coffee or that Monster energy drink ready for the grind that is Monday morning. The Yankees head to Baltimore after this series so a win would be great, let's take care of that on national TV. Go Yankees!!!

Meet A Prospect : Matt Tracy



Matt Tracy was called up for the game yesterday between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees to give New York a fresh arm in the bullpen after a 19 inning marathon the night before. Tracy was not on the 40 man roster at the time of the call up and is likely not long for the 40 man this time around so we better hurry and introduce you to the latest pitcher to come out of the bullpen for Yankees manager Joe Girardi. Let's meet Mr. Matt Tracy. 

Matthew J. Tracy was born on November 26th, 1988 in St. Louis Missouri. Matt Tracy was drafted in the 24th round of the 2011 MLB First Year Players Draft out of Ole Miss University. Tracy spent most of his time playing in the outfield for the Rebels but the Yankees announced that they would be drafting him as a pitcher after signing him for a $2,000 draft bonus. He has a great pitchers frame at 6'3" and 212 lbs while hitting 94-95 mph on the gun with his two seam fastball.

In his first professional season for the short season Staten Island Yankees Matt pitched 47.1 IP between the bullpen and starting while striking out 48 batters for a 9.13 K/9 and only walking 16 for a 3.14 BB/9 ratio. Matt helped the Staten Island Yankees win the New York Penn League title in 2011. While pitching out of the pen Tracy had a .108 batting average against in 22.3 IP before being moved to the starting rotation. Combined Tracy finished with a 3-2 record with a 2.43 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. Matt split his time between Low A Charleston and the Tampa Yankees as a full time starter in 2012 and had a combined 6-7 record with a 3.20 ERA in 19 starts and 104 IP while compiling 68 K's and a 1.29 WHIP.

Since the 2011 season Tracy has been all over the Yankees system including stops in Scranton and Tampa in 2012, Trenton in 2013 with return trips to Trenton and Scranton in 2014. Tracy holds a career 20-22 record in the minor leagues heading into 2015 with a 3.81 ERA and 265 K's in 366 IP. Tracy is not going to go out there and throw 100 MPH and he isn't going to strike out 10-15 batters per nine innings but he can give you solid relief and take one on the chin, or the left arm, much like Rogers and Shreve did on Friday night for the Yankees. 

Welcome to the family and welcome to the big leagues Tracy. You earned it. 



TGP Daily Poll: Tanaka Looks Much Better in Second Start


Masahiro Tanaka did not do anything in his first start to silence the doubters and stop the questions about the health of his right elbow. He will do that tonight in the Bronx with a quality start against the Boston Red Sox on ESPN.

Vote in our prediction poll on Knoda.com

Kids Opening Day at the RiverDogs is Sunday


This Sunday is more than just free parking and kids eat free


CHARLESTON, SC -- Even though the Charleston RiverDogs successfully opened their 2015 season with a standing-room-only crowd on Thursday night, Sunday will serve as Kids Opening Day.

On April 12, kids will take over Riley Park and its box office, public address system, radio and even Dave Echols’ general manager’s duties. As on every Sunday home game throughout the season, there will be no charge for parking and kids 12-and-under can eat free, courtesy of Pepsi, as they receive a coupon for a hot dog, fountain drink and chips. The RiverDogs will host the Lexington Legends in the final game in the four-game series, and first pitch is slated for 5:05 pm.


Every Sunday at The Joe again this season is a Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission Kids Club Sunday, presented by Y102.5. All members of the RiverDogs Kids Club receive free admission to every Family Sunday Game. And if the kids stick around after the game, he or she can receive free autographs from all of the RiverDogs players down on the field.


Also on Sunday, the Charleston Jazz Orchestra’s Swingin’ BANDits, will perform the pregame National Anthem, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh-inning stretch and more entertainment throughout the evening for the second-ever Jazz Night at The Joe.


The first 1,000 kids to enter the Riley Park gates on Sunday will receive an Opening Day youth t-shirt, presented by Vapor Apparel. Also, all children will have the opportunity to paint a free picture at the park, courtesy of Wine & Canvas and take part in a LEGO ® building tutorial thanks to Bricks 4 Kidz.

This Day in New York Yankees History 4/12: Pope on a Rope Soap


On this day in 2008 the Yankees Low A affiliate, the Charleston Riverdogs, commemorate the first visit of Benedict XVI to the United States with a Pope on a Rope Night promotion. The first 1,000 fans received a soap figurine which looked like the Holy Father.

Also on this day in 1953 Mickey Mantle was informed via the public address announcer that Mickey Mantle had just became a father. Mickey Mantle Jr. was the first of four sons by Mickey and Merlyn. Here is the Brooklyn Dodgers announcement at Ebbets Field: "Mickey doesn't know it yet but he has just become the father of an eight-pounds, twelve ounce baby boy."

Also on this day in 1935 the Yankees named Lou Gehrig the fifth captain in their history. The then 33 year old first baseman joined Hal Chase(1912), Roger Peckinpaugh (1914-1921), Babe Ruth( six days in 1922), and Everett Scott(1922-1925).

Finally on this day in 1931 former Chicago Cubs Joe McCarthy made his managerial debut for the New York Yankees. The future Hall of Fame manager, who has the most wins of any manager in Yankees history with 1,460, saw eight pennants and seven World Series titles during his 16 years in the Bronx.