Saturday, June 25, 2016

Greedy Pinstripes Saturday Night Open Thread


The top prospects in the Yankees farm system have been checked in with, the Yankees and Twins game is in the books, we decided for Brian Cashman and company who should go down if and when Mark Teixeira returns from the disabled list and now we’re beat. So tonight I leave you with this Saturday night open thread to talk about whatever you like. Keep it respectful please.

Have a great night Yankees family and a great rest of your weekend.


Weekly Check In: Jorge Mateo


You know how we normally have a schedule for these weekly check in posts? Well yeah that schedule has gone out the door the last few weeks with injuries to Gary Sanchez, Brady Lail, James Kaprielian and others and somehow Jorge Mateo got lost in the fray. Mateo is usually our Friday morning special but this week he’s been bumped to Saturday. My apologies and no disrespect intended to Mr. Mateo if he’s reading this, which he’s likely not.

Mateo continues to open eyes down in A-Ball and I know I keep saying this but he is due a promotion to Double-A Trenton any day now. The All-Star Games and such are being played and the time to move for most prospects is now. Mateo’s time is now. Let me be a little premature in welcoming you to the Trenton Thunder.


I like being first. Sue me. 

YearAgeTmGPARH2B3BHRRBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLGOPS
201621Tampa6529545748853326102361.278.336.425.760

A Minnesota Miscue Leads to Yanks Victory, 2-1

     A day after once again getting back to .500, the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins squared off in the middle game of the three-game set. Taking the mound for New York was Michael Pineda, with a 3-7 record and a 5.82 ERA. Pineda has really turned his season around, allowing three or fewer runs in his last four starts where the big righty is second in all of baseball with 14% of his pitches are swung at and missed. Receiving the nod for Minnesota was Ervin Santana, who's coming off his best outing against the Yankees where he beat the Bombers for the first time in 13 tries. Overall, Santana is 2-7 with a 4.83 ERA in 2016. And both starters were excellent in this Saturday afternoon pitcher's dual.
     Minnesota was first to light up the scoreboard coming in the top of the second. Brian Dozier improved his hit streak to seven games when he hit a towering shot off of Pineda, giving the Twins a one run lead. Outside of the homerun, Pineda pitched exceptionally well, allowing just two hits through five innings, Ervin Santana held the Yankees in check through the first four by keeping them off the scoreboard, retiring nine consecutive batters at one point.
     Clutch two out hitting was the key in the bottom of the fifth as the Yankees came back to tie the game. The Pinstripers ripped three consecutive two out singles by Jacoby Ellsbury, Brett Gardner and Carlos Beltran, with the latter scoring Ellsbury from second and tying the game at one. Santana would be pulled from the game after allowing a leadoff single to Brian McCann in the bottom of the sixth. He left with a final line of 103 pitches during five innings of work, giving up just the one run on six hits while walking and striking out two.
      Even though he was not eligible to win the game, Michael Pineda was brilliant again today, as he left the game with his fifth consecutive quality start. Pineda allowed one run on just two hits while punching out eight and walking just one. And, now that both starters were out of the game, it was definitely advantage New York as they deployed No-Runs DMC. Betances threw just nine pitches and Miller threw twelve pitches as they kept the game tied as they headed into the bottom of the eighth.
      Minnesota recorded three errors in last nights game and it was another error that gave the Yankees the lead and the victory. Twins reliever Ryan Presley allowed singles to Alex Rodriguez and Brian McCann, putting runners on first and third with one out for Starlin Castro. The Yankee second baseman reached base when he smoked a ground ball that errantly got through shortstop Eduardo Escobar that allowed Aaron Hicks(pinch running for ARod) to score, permanently pushing the Yankees ahead, 2-1. Aroldis Chapman did allow the first base runner in two games for No-Runs DMC, but ended the game and put the Yankees back over .500 by striking out Brian Dozier with a 100 mph fastball.
     The Bombers are now 5-1 against Minnesota this season and look to complete the three-game sweep tomorrow, with first pitch scheduled for 1:07 PM ET.

Live Game Updates: Twins at Yankees - 6/25

1:40 p.m., Mid 2nd: Twins take the lead on a solo shot by Brian Dozier. Pineda fails to get through the first two innings scoreless.

2:24 p.m., End 4th: Yankees leave two on in the fourth. They still trail 1-0.

2:47 p.m., End 5th: Beltran ties it with an RBI single. Finally, the Yankees show some life.

2:54 p.m., Mid 6th: Pineda throws a 1-2-3 sixth. Now it's up to the Yankees' bats to give the bullpen a lead.

3:04 p.m., End 6th: Yankees put two on with no outs in the sixth, but waste it after a double play and a strikeout. Needless to say, Castro -- who grounded into that DP -- probably should have bunted.

3:11 p.m., Mid 7th: Betances retires the Twins in order in the seventh. His ERA on the year has dipped below three -- 2.97 to be exact.

3:28 p.m., Mid 8th: Miller continues his dominance with a two-strikeout eighth. Again, the Yankees will look to pull ahead with the middle of the order due up.

3:44 p.m., End 8th: Yankees scrape across a run thanks to a big error by Eduardo Escobar. With runners on and the corners and one out, the Twins shortstop is unable to field a sharp grounder from Castro, likely costing his team a double play. Heading into the ninth, the Yankees lead 2-1.

3:52 p.m., Mid 9th: Chapman locks down the save. Not necessarily the prettiest of victories for the Yankees, but it does get them above .500.

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins 6/25




I know I’ve said it time and time again but that’s only because I truly mean it. There is nothing better than Saturday afternoon baseball in the Bronx. It’s the definition of American to me but that may be bias since I was born there and has been a Yankees fan my entire life. So today we watch as the Yankees send the rejuvenated Michael Pineda to the mound looking for another solid start since a slight mechanical adjustment to his arm slot was made while the Twins will counter with Ervin Santana. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the WPIX Channel 11 locally, MLB Network nationally and of course MLB TV wherever you are.

To see the finale between these two clubs tomorrow in the Bronx or any of the series with Cole Hamels and the Texas Rangers click the Yankees Tickets link at the top of the blog to secure your seat now. Show up to the Cathedral in the Bronx in style by clicking the TGP T-Shirts link also at the top of the blog to grab one of our Jacoby Ellsbury milk carton shirt or any other great shirt currently being sold by our partners and friends at BreakingT.

Follow along during this game and every game this season with us by either liking us on Facebook or by following @GreedyStripes on Twitter. Pineda is ready and so is the Yankees offense so let’s get to it. Go Yankees!


Teixeira is Back but Who Should have Went Down?


The New York Yankees had another set of tough decisions coming down the pipeline as Mark Teixeira finished his rehab assignment down in Scranton with the RailRiders. The Yankees were faced with making a 25 man roster move and that move, looking at the current makeup of the roster, was not going to be an easy one to make. The choices for demotion were Robert Refsnyder, Ike Davis and Ronald Torreyes so who was it you ask? I have my suggestion but you know what they say about opinions… everyone has one and they are usually wrong? Close enough. But as you can see in this post my opinion was wrong because it was Ike Davis who got dropped from the roster to make room for Teixeira.

Ike Davis is a first baseman only and was only signed to a MLB deal because of the fact that the Yankees had lost everything that wasn’t already tied down at the position. He was signed when Teixeira went down so if Teixeira is back shouldn’t Davis go down or get cut? Well no. Do we know Teixeira isn’t going to tear his knee even worse on the first play he has to reach for and end his season prematurely leaving the Yankees back at square one? We sure don’t and it doesn’t hurt to keep him around a little bit longer just to make sure.  Davis does not have a minor league option remaining just as an FYI.

Torreyes lends his value on the left side of the infield playing third base and giving Didi Gregorius and Chase Headley occasional days off. It also doesn’t hurt that he has been somewhat able to hold his own with the bat this season making this an obvious keep for now in my eyes. The biggest thing with Torreyes it that he just doesn’t seem to play anymore. He has five at bats this month and only one hit. If you don’t use him you lose him? The Yankees should. Torreyes has a minor league option left, use it.

Anything I say about Refsnyder can be taken as me being bias because, frankly, I am bias. He’s my favorite prospect and I’ve said it many times that I am his biggest fan that doesn’t have the last name Refsnyder or who isn’t friends or related to Rob. Refsnyder has been the best of the three and adds value at first base in a platoon, right field and second base. Starlin Castro can play third base if Headley needs a day off and Refsnyder can be plugged in at second base. It works. Refsnyder has a minor league option remaining and his has been used for 2016 already but why? Because he earned the spot? Come on Girardi and Cashman, do the right thing.


So keep Refsnyder and Davis until at least the All-Star break to make sure that Teixeira is healthy. You can always call up Torreyes in the case of an injury before the 10 days is up anyway. This is what should have happened in my opinionbut in true Yankees fashion it didn’t. What a surprise. Rant over. 

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins 6/25


The New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins face off again this afternoon in the Bronx in the usual day game after a night game the MLB scheduler’s love to pull on the weekend. Either way we should see some Yankees regulars sit today to make room for the bench guys, Robert Refsnyder is possible and maybe even a Ronald Torreyes sighting?, although with the off days on Monday and Thursday who knows what Joe Girardi will do. One thing we do know for sure is the pitching matchup this afternoon as the New York Yankees will send Michael Pineda to the mound to square off against Ervin Santana for the Twins for the second time in a week.

Pineda lasted just 5.1 innings in his last start against these Twins but he made short work of them tying his season high in strikeouts with nine. Pineda did allow four runs, three of them earned, and six hits while taking a no decision but the Yankees did win the game 7-6.

Santana’s last start came against this same Yankees team where he delivered a victory, the only victory in the four game series for Minnesota. This was just Santana’s second victory of the season. Santana allowed three runs in 7.1 innings in the victory against the Yankees last Sunday.


The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11, MLB Network and MLB TV. Santana handed the Yankees their only loss in the last series between these two clubs so here’s to hoping that history does not repeat itself this afternoon and that lightning does not strike twice. It’s almost comical for Yankees fans to beat up on the Twins at this point so even in a down year where I want to see the rebuilding process jumpstarted with a few trades by the Yankees I’d still like to see a win this afternoon in the Bronx. Go Yankees!

Weekly Check In: Domingo Acevedo


Yesterday we promised it and today we delivered, a weekly check in post for possibly the Yankees top pitching prospect Doming Acevedo. Acevedo has returned from a lower leg injury that he suffered earlier in the season and picked up right where he left off when he was injured, dominating. Acevedo is still progressing through the Yankees system at an alarming rate and it will be interesting to see just where he ends up by the end of the minor league season.


Is Trenton out of the question? Does he finish the season in Tampa and begin 2017 in Double-A with the Thunder? That’s all really up to him and his monster right arm. Obviously the closer to the Bronx the better though, right?

YearAgeLevWLERAGGSIPHRERHRBBSOWHIPH9HR9BB9SO9
201622A-A+322.41101052.1451814211561.0707.70.31.99.6
201622A311.908842.23413917480.9617.20.21.510.1
201622A+014.66229.211551481.55210.20.93.77.4

This Day in New York Yankees History 6/25: Bat Boys Wear Helmets


On this day in 1985 the Yankees bat boy Butch Wynegar is hit by a line drive foul ball. The line drive caused the Yankees to instate a new rule mandating that the team's bat boy must wear a helmet while on the field for all games.


Also on this day in 1934 Lou Gehrig, the Yankees first basemen, would complete one of his two career cycles in his career, the other coming in 1937. Also in the game John Broaca tied a major league record by striking out five consecutive times in the game but still gets the victory over the Chicago White Sox by the score of 11-2 in Yankee Stadium.