Thursday, October 20, 2016

Recapping Yankees Postseason History: 1999



The rematch. The New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves. These same two teams met in the 1996 World Series with the Yankees taking the series in six games. New York didn't let it get nearly that far this time sweeping the Atlanta Braves to close out the 20th century.

Watch the entire series-clinching game above. Have a good evening.

Yankees Rank Two in Baseball America’s Top 20 Triple-A Prospects


Every season the crew over at Baseball America ranks their top 20 prospects for each league in Minor League Baseball. The Yankees are usually pretty absent from these rankings but after restocking their farm system with a few mid-season trades New York sent more than a few to each list for Baseball America including two for the International League, or more commonly known as Triple-A.

Gary Sanchez was the #3 ranked International League prospect behind the Washington Nationals shortstop Trea Turner and Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton. Sanchez and what he did with the big league club this season was ultra-impressive but he also did well in Triple-A in 2016 which a lot of people aren’t talking about. As Sanchez grows out of prospect eligibility this season names like Tyler Glasnow, Austin meadows and J.P. Crawford will slide in where Sanchez once stood.

The other Yankees prospect to make the list also reached the Major Leagues this season, right fielder Aaron Judge. Judge ended 2015 in Triple-A and had some holes found in his swing which left him statistically wavering a bit to end the season. Judge seemingly plugged those holes this season and will look for history to repeat itself this coming season in the Bronx after being exposed a bit in 2016 at the Major League level.


You have to think if Clint Frazier had more at bats in Triple-A he would have made the list but there is no excuse for Ben Gamel not to be on this list. Gamel, now a member of the Seattle Mariners, was the league’s MVP for goodness sake. How does he not make the list at least at #20? 

The Irresponsible Offseason Journalism Has Begun


The offseason is almost here for all 30 MLB teams which is bittersweet in a way. I love the offseason because of the trade rumors, the possibilities for your favorite team the next season and all the movement from the players and coaches. I enjoy it. What I don’t enjoy are those long days where absolutely nothing is going on to report on or speculate about which leads some irresponsible journalists, my opinion, to produce articles in order to click bait a reader. For example, and I won’t link to it but a simple Google search should get you to the article if you really want to read it, the article that stated the Yankees are going to make a run at Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt this offseason.

Let’s get one thing straight, Paul Goldschmidt is the best first baseman in the National League and maybe in all of Major League Baseball and not enough people know about him for whatever reason. For that reason alone it’s unlikely for the Arizona Diamondbacks to trade Goldschmidt to anyone and if they did it would take a king’s ransom. Add on top of that the amount of money and prospect cost the team has already spent to acquire Shelby Miller, Zack Grienke and others and I simply cannot see them trading away their franchise player after just one unsuccessful season. It’s simply not going to happen.

Sure if you put something along the lines of “Yankees interested in Paul Goldschmidt?” as your headline it is going to generate some interest and views, I get that. I also get that you are a paid employee and it’s your job to get those views in order to provide for your family, I get that too. It doesn’t mean I have to like it just because I understand it. The beautiful thing about the shop we have set up here is I’m not getting paid, nobody is, and I can say anything and everything I want to say. And I generally do. This kind of journalism is simply irresponsible to me.


Also, I have to add, remember Greg Bird? Remember? 

Potential Landing Spots for Brian McCann This Winter


The New York Yankees may or may not trade their catcher/DH Brian McCann this winter but let’s pretend that they will. Let’s also pretend that I have a crystal ball and I know where he’s going to go but before we do that let’s look at some potential landing spots for McCann this winter if and when the Yankees decide to move him.

Even in a down year McCann was one of the best offensive catchers in Major League Baseball in 2016 and in the wake of the Wilson Ramos injury the market for McCann should be a significant one led likely by his former team, the Atlanta Braves. The Braves have an obvious need for a veteran catcher and a new stadium they need to put butts in, why not bring back one of their own to fill both roles? They have the prospects to do it and they have shown a willingness to take on bad contracts so this seems like the likeliest of choices.

Along with Atlanta is the Houston Astros, Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Washington Nationals as potential suitors but common sense would likely drop that list down by a couple. The Yankees seem unwilling to pay down McCann’s salary unless substantial prospects come back in return which would likely leave teams like Colorado, the Angels and maybe even Houston out with Seattle riding the line between contender and pretender. One team that has a serious shot at acquiring McCann though could be Washington, again especially after the injury to Wilson Ramos.

It will all come down to one simple fact though in the end. McCann has a full no-trade clause. Is he going to want to waive it to play for Colorado, Houston, Seattle or Los Angeles? Not likely. Is he going to be willing to waive it to play in Washington? Possibly, a return to the National League East would be enticing and so would a shot at a World Series in 2017. Would he waive his NTC to return home to Atlanta? You have to think he would, 100%.

Amazon just delivered the crystal ball. Where is McCann going? My guess, Atlanta.


Arizona Fall League Weekly Check In: Miguel Andujar


The Yankees sent a lot of prospects down to the Arizona Fall League this season and what factored into their decision making was injuries but it was also the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. The Yankees also have a lot of prospects who are eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 Draft including today’s check in post from the AFL, third baseman Miguel Andujar.

Andujar is reportedly already opening some eyes down in Arizona with his stellar play in the field and mature approach at the plate so if the Yankees don’t see a place for him on their team in 2017 you have to think someone else will.

Stay tuned to see what the Yankees do with Andujar and their 40 man roster but until then here is what Miguel has done thus far for the Scottsdale Scorpions.

.375/.474/.500/.974 in five games and 16 at bats with six hits including a triple and three walks.


MLB Postseason Schedule for 10/20


The American League rests tonight and the National League takes center stage once again as the Chicago Cubs fly to Los Angeles and Dodgers Stadium to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Cubs have to have the Curse of the Billy Goat in the back of their head, especially after getting down 2-1 in the best of seven series. They can say they don’t but we all know that they do. Overcome, I want to see the curse broken!


Chicago Cubs @ Los Angeles Dodgers (Game 5) – 8:08 pm ET on Fox Sports One

This Day in New York Yankees History 10/20: Hell Freezes Over


On this day in 2004, Yankees fans close your eyes, the Boston Red Sox completed their historic comeback winning the ALCS is Game 7 after being down 3-0 to the New York Yankees. I think we all remember the Johnny Damon grand slam that pretty much sealed our fates, no?


Also on this day in 1964, just three days after resigning from the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals managers job, Johnny Keane signs on to replace Yogi Berra as the New York Yankees manager.


Finally on this day in 1931 the Commerce Comet Mickey Mantle was born in Spavinaw, Oklahoma. Mantle was named after major league catcher Mickey Cochran with his dad not realizing that Cochran's real name is Gordon, not Mickey.