Sunday, May 17, 2015

Recap: Royals 6, Yankees 0

Chris Capuano surrendered four earned runs in three-plus innings and the Royals easily beat the Yankees, 6-0, on Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

Capuano Struggles: The veteran's 2015 debut started out well -- the Royals scored just one run on two hits in the first three frames -- but the bottom of the fourth was another story. Indeed, Kansas City plated three more in that at-bat to build a 4-0 advantage -- one the floundering Yankees' offense couldn't overcome.

Wet Newspapers: That's basically what the Yankees' bats looked like in this one, with the team not even recording a baserunner until the top of the fourth. In all, the Yanks logged just six hits on the day -- three of which came during Edinson Volquez's seven scoreless innings.

Don't Wanna Do That: The Yankees loaded the bases against the Royals' Wade Davis in the eighth, but failed to cross home after Alex Rodriguez struck out and Garrett Jones grounded to first. New York's average with men in scoring position this year is now .249, including a .295 line on this road trip.

A Painful Tex Message: Mark Teixeira took a fastball off the foot in the fourth, removing him from the contest and forcing the Yankees to bring in Jones. X-Rays on Teixeira were negative, though, so the infielder shouldn't miss more than a game or two.

What's Happening to These Guys?: The Yankees have had a rough time scoring this week, being held to two runs or less in five of their last six. That adds up to 11 runs since Tuesday -- the same total they reached in Monday's win in Tampa.

Next Up: The Yankees will look to bounce back from this 2-5 stretch on Tuesday when they visit the Nationals in DC, beginning at 7:05 p.m. ET and airing live on MLB Network. Nathan Eovaldi (3-1, 4.14 ERA) will start for the Yankees hoping to rebound from a tough loss in St. Petersburg, facing inconsistent Nats lefty Gio Gonzalez (3-2, 4.25 ERA).

Sunday Night Open Thread


The New York Yankees are done playing a 17 games in 17 days stretch and have a much needed day off tomorrow before traveling to Washington to take on the Washington Nationals. Honestly this weekend has been crazy for me so I am leaving this open thread for you because I will be away for much of the evening. Chat it up about anything including whether or not the NL should adapt the DH position (Yankees pitchers will hit on Tuesday and Wednesday), the Jorge Posada book or whatever you like.

Enjoy your evening Yankees family.

Miguel Sulbaran Promoted To RailRiders


Prior to tonight's game with the Harrisburg Senators, the Trenton Thunder have a pair of roster moves to announce.


LHP Miguel Sulbaran - Transferred Trenton to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
RHP Matt Wotherspoon - Transferred Tampa to Trenton, wearing #19


The Thunder roster stands at 24 active players, one short of the Eastern League maximum.


The Thunder will play the third game of their series with the Harrisburg Senators tonight at 7:00pm at ARM & HAMMER Park. RHP Brady Lail will throw for the Thunder, the Senators will send RHP Austin Voth to the mound. Listen live to Thunder baseball on 91.3 WTSR and online at Trentonthunder.com beginning at 6:40pm.

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Kansas City Royals 5/17


The New York Yankees will play their 17th game in their last 17 days this afternoon when they make one more trip to Kauffman Stadium to take on the Kansas City Royals. This afternoon the Yankees will watch as Chris Capuano makes his season debut after being activated off the disabled list against Edinson Volquez of the Royals. The game will be played at 2:10 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

You now have less than a week to get your Yankees tickets in hand before the team returns home to the Bronx and Yankee Stadium to play host to the Texas Rangers. The team will also honor Bernie Williams with a plaque in Monument Park and will retire his #51 jersey next Sunday in the Bronx and you can be there live if you click the Yankees Tickets link at the top of the blog. If you can't make it to the Bronx to watch the games live or you just prefer to watch the games at home then that's not a problem as long as you join us on the comments section of the site or on Twitter (@GreedyStripes) to chat it up with us during the game.

Mr. Capuano, take it from here and take care of my light work. Go Yankees!

Thunder To Host Joe Plumeri Book Signing On May 30th



On May 30th prior to the Thunder's game with the Portland Sea Dogs, fans at ARM & HAMMER Park will have the unique opportunity to meet Joe Plumeri, the author of the brand new National Bestseller book The Power of Being Yourself: A Game Plan for Success--by Putting Passion into Your Life and Work and have their copy personally signed.

The Power of Being Yourself offers a simple yet profound guidance on how to stay positive, motivate yourself and others, and achieve success in your life and work. By sharing personal experiences, Plumeri, shares a secret to success that is not found in the boardroom or within a corporate philosophy, but rather in allowing passion, purpose, and true emotions to inform your approach and guide your relationships.

Plumeri's Game Plan for Success outlined in The Power of Being Yourself features eight key principles, from Everyone Has the Same Plumbing, in which his experience as CEO for the Willis Group revealed how cultural differences can be overcome as people everywhere respond authentically, to You Gotta Have Purpose, which explores the transformative ingredient that leads to tangible progress, to the final section; Applying the Principles.

The book will be available for purchase and personally signed by Plumeri on the concourse during the Thunder's game with the Portland Sea Dogs on May 30 at 7pm. TICKETS.

Fans that purchase The Power of Being Yourself: A Game Plan for Success--by Putting Passion into Your Life and Work at the Thunder game on May 30 will also receive a Home Run Meal Voucher good for a free Jumbo hot dog, popcorn and a fountain soda.

Plumeri is currently the Vice Chairman of the First Data Board of Directors. He was the chairman and CEO of Willis Group Holdings from 2000 to 2013 and prior to that served for 32 years as an executive with Citigroup and its predecessors.

The field at ARM & HAMMER Park is named for his father Samuel J. Plumeri Sr. Joe Plumeri grew up in Trenton, NJ and is a co-owner of the Thunder and Lakewood Blue Claws (Philadelphia Phillies, Single-A). The Power of Being Yourself: A Game Plan for Success--by Putting Passion into Your Life and Work is also available for purchase at the Thunder Company Store throughout the 2015 season at ARM & HAMMER Park.

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Kansas City Royals 5/17


There is no better way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon then sitting on the couch and watching your favorite team win a game. That brings me to this afternoon's game between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals inside Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. The Yankees got spanked on Friday night as the bullpen imploded forcing the team to look for some length tonight from their starter Chris Capuano who is making his 2015 season debut. Opposing Capuano for the Royals will be Edinson Volquez for the Royals in a game that will be played at 2:10 pm ET and in a game that can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. 

  • Capuano will be making his season debut this afternoon and his first ever start against the Kansas City Royals after being activated off the disabled list. Capuano suffered a strained right quad muscle in spring training that has kept him off the field since April. Capuano will be taking the roster spot and the rotation spot of the now injured Chase Whitley. 


  • Volquez is coming off a start in which he pitched to a no-decision against the Texas Rangers allowing four runs in five innings pitched. Volquez has been dealing a blister problem on his right thumb, his throwing thumb, but it improving which is a bad sign for the Yankees. 

The Yankees have an off day tomorrow followed by a quick two game Interleague matchup with the Washington Nationals before another off day on Thursday so it may be all hands on deck this afternoon in Kansas City. Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller have been used sparingly since New York started losing so expect them for multiple innings each if the Yankees get a lead this afternoon. Not if they do, scratch that, when they do. Long live optimism and go Yankees!

TGP Daily Poll: Yankees Turn Things Around in Washington



The New York Yankees have struggled to score in consecutive series against the Kansas City Royals and the Tampa Bay Rays but the team will turn things around in Washington in a quick two game series against the Washington Nationals.

Vote in our prediction poll on Knoda.com

Weekly Check In: Luis Severino


Luis Severino started this week off by being placed on the seven day DL with the Trenton Thunder as he battles a blister problem on the middle finger of his left hand. Severino is only expected to miss one start with the issue, which he has already missed, and is expected to be back on the mound for his next start if all goes as planned. Severino doesn't seem worried about it, his manager doesn't either and the Yankees aren't especially worried either so neither am I. If the Yankees were worried then I would be too because they tend to really downplay injuries with their players and prospects so Severino must be fine. With that said this is the stat line that Severino will sport when he makes his return to the mound later this week:

YearLevWLERAGIPHRHRBBSOBFWHIPH9HR9BB9SO9
2015AA123.86628.0291528341211.3219.30.62.610.9

Recap: Yankees 5, Royals 1

CC Sabathia logged his second consecutive win, hurling seven solid innings of one-run ball to help the Yankees beat the Royals, 5-1, on Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium.

CC Impresses: Sabathia surrendered just six hits and an earned run in his seven frames, walking none and striking out five. He loaded the bases with no outs in the third, but prevented a crooked number with K's of Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer.

Headley is Deadly: The Yankees broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth with a three-run home run from Chase Headley, a line-drive to left on a changeup up in the zone. Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran had singled prior to the blast, Headley's second already this week.

No Location: Royals starter Danny Duffy issued three bases-on-balls in the Yankees' half of the third, setting up the suddenly-hot Beltran for an early sac fly. The Yankees had a chance to do more damage against Duffy in the inning -- they had two on with two out after Beltran's RBI -- but Headley ended the threat with a pop to center.

They Have Returned: Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller haven't pitched back-to-back since last Friday, so it was a welcome sight for Yankees fans when the duo relieved Sabathia in the eighth. Betances retired the Royals 1-2-3 in that at-bat, and Miller did the same in the ninth to seal the victory.

An A-Bomb: The Yankees also got some insurance in the ninth courtesy of an Alex Rodriguez solo shot, a high fly to right-center the Royals' outfield could only watch. It was A-Rod's tenth long ball of the season, giving him 664 for his career.

Next Up: The Yankees will try to take this series on Sunday when they battle the Royals in the finale in KC, beginning at 2:10 p.m. ET and airing live on the YES Network. Chris Capuano (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start for the Yankees in his 2015 debut, facing surging Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez (2-3, 3.19 ERA).

This Day In New York Yankees History 5/17: David Wells Perfect Game



On this day in 2002 Jason Giambi finally earned a stripe and became a "true Yankee." The Twins would score three times in the top of the 14th inning at Yankee Stadium and would take a 13-10 lead. Jason Giambi would hit a one out grand slam the next half of the inning off reliever Mike Trombley to give the Yankees the victory. In Giambi's first year after replacing the very popular Tino Martinez this helped the fans warm up to the slugger.


On this day in 1998 almost 50,000 fans flocked to Yankee Stadium for Beanie Baby Day at Yankee Stadium and got to witness a piece of history. David Wells retires all 27 batters he faced, and rumor has it still drunk from the night before, while beating the Minnesota Twins 4-0. This was only the 13th perfect game in modern day major league history.



On this day in 1961 Roger Maris hits the first home run of his season at Yankee Stadium en route to his record breaking 61 home runs. This is Maris' fourth home run of the season but the Senators still win the game 8-7.