Saturday, August 27, 2016

Greedy Pinstripes Saturday Night Open Thread


The New York Yankees game is in the book, the grass is mowed, the honey-do list is done for another Saturday and frankly, I’m whooped. I’m not as young as I was yesterday so tonight I leave you with this open thread for the evening. Talk about whatever you would like just keep it classy and respectable please, all I’ve ever asked.



-         - Do you think the Yankees have a shot at sneaking into the playoffs this season?

-        -   If Donald Trump would shut up long enough to take a breath do you think he would be elected the President of the United States?

-         -  Who did Negan kill in the season 6 finale of the Walking Dead?

-        -  Are you ready for some football?




Talk about all that and more. Have fun and enjoy the rest of your Saturday night. 

Sanchez Makes MLB History, Yanks Spank O's, 13-5

For the second straight game and for the first time since last August, the New York Yankees put up double digit runs on the Baltimore Orioles on their way to their convincing game-two series victory. Getting the start for New York was rookie right-hander Chad Green, who struggled with command all afternoon, and as a result, did not factor into the final decision as he was unable to record the necessary five innings to qualify. Taking the ball and the loss for the Birds was Dylan Bundy, falling to 7-5 while raising his ERA to 3.47 as he got hit early and often by the white-hot Yankee offense on a sun-drenched afternoon in the Bronx.

Chad Green made it tough on himself as he got into some trouble in the top of the first before showing some real moxie to get out of a bases-loaded jam. After striking out Manny Machado to begin the game, Hyun Soo Kim beat the shift with a seeing-eye single, Mark Trumbo walked and Chris Davis was hit by a pitch to load the bases. But, Green righted himself as he worked back-to-back strikeouts of Jonathan Schoop and Pedro Alvarez to escape the first inning threat.

Bundy, too, would work himself into some first inning trouble but would suffer a different fate as the Yankees put the first run of the game on the board. Jacoby Ellsbury and Gary Sanchez worked consecutive one-out walks. Mark Teixeira then plated Ellsbury from second when he ripped a double off the wall in right, giving the Yankees a first inning one run lead. 

The Orioles waited an inning but ended up taking the lead in the top of the third. After Mark Trumbo worked his second walk of the day, Chris Davis unloaded on a Green fastball to the tune of a 420+ foot blast to straight away centerfield that put Baltimore on top 2-1.

Fortunately, the Bonbers wasted no time getting back into the game as they re-took the lead in the bottom of the frame. With two outs, they tied the game with three straight singles by Teixeira, Gregorius, and Castro, with the latter scoring Tex from second and advancing Gregorius to third. During the ensuing McCann at-bat, both Castro and Gregorius attempted to execute a double steel, but Didi was called out at home, seemingly ending the inning. Manager Joe Girardi quickly went to the review phone and then to the umpire to challenge the call on the field. Joe did so successfully as the call was overturned, making the score 3-2 and forcing all of the Orioles defenders to report back to their respective positions. Brian McCann followed the turn of events with a line drive double to left that got passed the outfielder Kim's reach, scoring Castro and extending their lead to two. 

Gary Sanchez's miracle-season continued in the bottom of the fourth as he became the fastest player to hit 11 homeruns in MLB history, launching a solo shot to left in just the 21st game of his career. Every at bat by the superstar in the making Sanchez is absolutely must-see TV, proving it once again this afternoon. 

In the top of the fifth, the Orioles used the longball to get themselves back into the game while chasing young Green from it. Trumbo and Davis went back to back to pull the O's to within one. Green then served up a very deep fly-out that went to the warning track in left off the bat of Jonathan Schoop, forcing Girardi to take the rookie out of the game. Green was pulled for Tommy Layne, leaving with a pretty tough final line of 4.2 innings pitched, allowing four runs on seven hits, while walking two and striking out four. Layne proceeded to get Pedro Alvarez to ground out to second, preventing any further damage. 

The homerun derby continued in the bottom of the fifth as New York really broke the game wide open. Recently off the DL, T.J. McFarland replaced Bundy to start the inning, immediately drilling Gregorius to begin the frame. The next batter Starlin Castro obliterated a McFarland fastball deep into the seats in left, widening the gap back up to three. McCann followed with a walk and scored when Aaron Hicks joined the longball fest, blasting the second no-out, two-run shot of the inning into the seats in right that opened it up to a 9-4 game.

The Pinstriper offensive onslaught continued in the bottom of the sixth as the Yanks scored double digits in the run column for the second straight game. Didi led off with a walk off of O's reliever Michael Givens, advancing to second on Castro's third hit of the afternoon. Brian McCann then recorded his 50th RBI of the season by smacking a single into left that scored Gregorius and extended the Bomber lead to six. The next batter Aaron Hicks followed with an RBI single of his own, a line drive to center that scored Castro and made it a seven-run ballgame. After Givens drilled Ronald Torreyes to load the bases, manager Buck Showalter pulled Givens for Donnie Hart. The first batter Hart faced was Brett Gardner, who managed to squibb an infield single in front of Hart that allowed McCann to score, making the score 12-4 New York.

A combination of Warren, Layne and Clippard held the Orioles scoreless and got the Yankees into the ninth. After Gregorius added another hit and RBI in the bottom of the eighth to make it 13-4, Kirby Yates allowed a leadoff double too Machado, who scored when Kim ripped a single up the middle that glanced off of Castro's glove, leading to a 13-5 score. Yates then proceeded to retire Ryan Flaherty, Steve Pearce and Jonathan Schoop in order to lock down both the win for the game and the series, pulling the Yanks to within 2 1/2 games of the second wild-card spot.

Break out the brooms tomorrow as the boys in pinstripes look to lock down the weekend series sweep of the Birds from Baltimore, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 PM/EST.  

Comparing Gary Sanchez to Babe Ruth is….


I’m not comparing Gary Sanchez to Babe Ruth by any means but there are a lot of publications and blogs out there that are so I figured why not try and analyze this and see just how true, or baseless, these claims and comparisons really are. That’s kind of what I do I guess. Let’s get to it and see if we can even put into words and numbers these outlandish, or completely accurate, comparisons here on this lovely Saturday night.

In the first 19 games of Gary Sanchez’s career, which does not include this weekend series in the Bronx with the Baltimore Orioles, the Yankees catcher and prospect has put up nine home runs and 16 RBI in just 80 at bats with an impressive slash of .389/.450/.847/1.297. In 28 hits six of them have been doubles to go along with the nine home run power show while scoring 14 runs and taking eight walks. Impressive, yes I know but how did the Sultan of Swat begin his career all those years ago for the Boston Red Sox?

Ruth got a whole 10 at bats in five games in his rookie season of 1914 and recorded 0 home runs and two hits. That's it but that was as a pitcher only. In 1915 he hit a bit more and finished the season with four home runs but all those at bats once again came as a pinch hitter or as a pitcher. It wasn't until the 1918 season that Ruth started playing the field more than pitching and he still only managed 11 home runs in 95 games. Long story short is Ruth never had the immediate impact as a hitter that Sanchez has had, small sample size or not.

Can you compare the two era's and the two players? No, I don't think that's possible. Ruth split time as a pitcher and a hitter for the beginning of his career and did not have to face specialty relievers, guys throwing 100 MPH etc. Sure he likely faced spitballs and other things that Sanchez doesn't which is why you cannot in good conscience compare the two. So please don't. Please?


*All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference.

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles 8/27


Here we go ladies and gentleman with some afternoon baseball here in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles. You know what could possibly be the best part about these day games after night games lately? It could be the fact that the Yankees have infused so much youth into the team that we are no longer stuck seeing our best hitters and fielders on the bench in the day game because they played the night before. Youth can handle it and youth is here so now we just need Joe Girardi to use them. In the middle game of this three-game weekend set the Yankees will send Chad Green to the mound looking for his third consecutive strong start while the Baltimore Orioles will counter with a young gun of their own in Dylan Bundy. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and MLB TV.

The Yankees play host to these same Orioles tomorrow in the Bronx in the finale of the series and if you want to be there, be there for David Ortiz’s final game inside Yankee Stadium or want to see the Yankees live in any game left this season click the Yankees Tickets link at the top of the blog. Root on the Yankees and support the blog while saving a little money. Almost sounds too good to be true.


Follow along during the game and all season long with us by either liking our page on Facebook or by giving us a follow on twitter by following @GreedyStripes. Chad Green vs. Dylan Bundy, the future is now. Go Yankees!

August 31st Trade Deadline Looms, Is Anyone Safe


The August 31st trading deadline will be here in just a few short days and while the Yankees cleaned house before the August 1st trade deadline all signs point to this deadline being a quiet one. That could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it because in one corner Brian Cashman has done some of his best work while lurking in the shadows and none of us heard any rumors about it before it actually happened. On the other hand there just may not be any interest in what the Yankees have left that they are willing to trade.

The Yankees youth movement is in full swing so the potential list of trade candidates seems to be small. The list is headlined by Brian McCann who has seemingly lost his everyday job to Gary Sanchez and who has also cleared revocable waivers already this month. McCann was linked to the Atlanta Braves before the August 1st trade deadline but Atlanta scoffed at the idea of taking on that salary and giving up good prospects in return but with a month of salary now off the books for McCann, a Matt Kemp deal since that showed Atlanta’s willingness to take on salary and the GM in Atlanta’s recent statements about having to “win games in 2017” due to the new stadium I’m sure these talks are still going on. Atlanta’s farm system is deep, it may be the best in all the land, so I expect a deal to be done either by Wednesday or this winter in the offseason. If New York wants it done sooner rather than later simply agree to eat some of the salary, simple as that.

Other players on the potential list include left fielder Brett Gardner (who reportedly received little to no interest in trades before the August 1st trade deadline), Jacoby Ellsbury (who is owed a ton of money and has not lived up to the contract that included a no-trade clause), CC Sabathia (see my comments on the status of Jacoby Ellsbury), Mark Teixeira (also see my comments on Ellsbury and keep in mind that he announced he was going to retire after the season meaning if the Yankees traded him they may have egg on their face when it is all said and done), Chase Headley (surprisingly a movable contract after such a sluggish start to the season), Tyler Clippard and Adam Warren (two veteran relief pitchers and we all know how interchangeable relief pitching can be).


The Yankees have plenty of talent they could move but the problem is they aren’t likely to move any of it before Wednesday. Clippard and Warren fit in with their “win now” mentality for the 2016 season while only the contracts of Chase Headley and Brett Gardner are moveable without the players consent. Headley and Gardner could be replaced from within and both would likely draw interest from teams but if there was that much interest I feel like they would have been moved before the August 1st trade deadline, wouldn’t you? All signs point to this being a slow and quiet trade deadline for the New York Yankees…. Which is just what “Ninja” Brian Cashman wants us to think. 

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles 8/27


The New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles are at it again today with the second game of their all-important three-game set this weekend in the Bronx. These games between Buck Showalter’s fighting Baltimore Orioles and Joe Girardi’s suddenly youthful New York Yankees are always entertaining because Buck still seems to have a chip on his shoulder when it comes to the Yankees. Call it gamesmanship or simply call it a lack of a respect for his former club but for some reason he has it out for this team and wants to beat them in the worst possible way each and every time out. Nothing wrong with that, that’s what Baltimore is paying him to do, I just think the grudge is silly that’s all. He won’t let it go so neither will I. Anyway, the Yankees will send Chad Green to the mound today to square off with Dylan Bundy for the Orioles. Should be another good one.

Green is the second part of the Yankees new one-two punch of Luis Cessa and Chad Green and Green has been absolutely brilliant in his last couple of starts. Green has made short work of tough offenses like the Toronto Blue Jays and has made Brian Cashman look like a competent GM and not the idiot that some claim that he is after trading away Justin Wilson for the duo this winter.

Bundy bounced back from the worst start of his young MLB career last time out against the Washington Nationals who he held to just two runs in six innings of work. The month of August has been good to Bundy overall as he has posted a 4-1 record with a 3.10 ERA in five starts. His final August start comes this afternoon in the Bronx.


The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and MLB TV. As we also saw yesterday in a separate post that showcased the remaining schedules and their strength of schedules in the Wild Card chase the Yankees need these games. Every game they have left with a team they are chasing they either need to win the series or preferably sweep if they want a chance at the postseason play-in game for the second consecutive year. Losing series is not an option at this point unless you want to be playing golf in October. I don’t want to write about you playing golf in October so let’s get it done. Go Yankees!

Weekly Prospects Check In: Brady Lail


Yesterday morning we learned who the New York Yankees will either have to protect or leave out there for anyone to grab up in the Rule 5 Draft this winter and one of those men is the showcase of the day here on the blog, Brady Lail. For whatever reason, because it’s definitely not the stuff, pitching repertoire, etc. Lail reminds me a lot of a pitcher who was protected and then ultimately traded last year in Rookie Davis. I guess the comparisons come to my mind because neither are going to blow you away with overpowering stuff and neither are probably going to strike out 200+ in a season or win 20+ games in a year but both just always seem to find a way to keep their team in the game, find a way to win and simply find a way to pitch in the purest sense of the word.


For these reasons alone I believe Lail will be left unprotected this winter and for these reasons I believe some team may take a waiver on him and give him all spring training to prove his worth. I mean what does the picking team have to lose in the grand scheme of things? So here is what Lail has done this season to date and here is what the Yankees are at risk of losing here this winter. One game at a time though, let’s worry about this winter in the winter. 

YearAgeLevWLERAGGSCGIPHRERHRBBSOWHIPH9HR9BB9SO9
201622AAA-AA-Rk774.3822221117.011965571336691.3259.21.02.85.3
201622Rk000.001102.23200001.12510.10.00.00.0
201622AA123.6966131.2331513212171.4219.40.63.44.8
201622AAA654.791515082.28348441124521.2949.01.22.65.7

This Day In New York Yankees History 8/27: The First No-No In Yankee Stadium History


The Yankees made a day of it on this day in 1938 with a pair of historic milestones that happened on this day. First the Yankees All Star outfielder Joe DiMaggio would hit three consecutive triples in the first game of a double header with the Cleveland Indians. The Yankees would win Game 1 by the score of 8-7 but it was the second game that truly made history.

Monte Pearson became the first pitcher to ever throw a no hitter inside the House that Ruth Built. Pearson faces the minimum 27 batters thanks to a pair of double plays. The Yankees would sweep the double header and win the game 13-0 over the Indians for the Yankees 10th consecutive victory.