Monday, November 28, 2016

ICYMI: "It's Not What You Want" Episode 5 featuring Jacob Westendorf, Matt Bove & Special Guest Alec Dopp




It's Not What You Want, the podcast from Jacob Westendorf and Matt Bove, is proudly brought to you by The Greedy Pinstripes and here we are already at episode five. During this podcast Jacob and Matt talk to Alec Dopp of the Arizona Fall League. There should be plenty of Gleyber Torres, James Kaprielian and Greg Bird discussions to be had so give it a listen, and enjoy.


Most Popular Article of the Week: Yankees Leave Several Good Prospects Available for Rule 5 Draft


The New York Yankees finalized their 40 man roster last week by adding six prospects to the 40 man roster and shuffling around a slew of others. Jorge Mateo, Miguel Andujar, Dietrich Enns, Ronald Herrera, Yefrey Ramirez and Giovanny Gallegos were added to the 40 man roster but there are a ton of talented players who were left unprotected from the Rule 5 Draft.


Jake Cave has been left unprotected once again after being taken with the second selection overall in the Rule 5 Draft last season by the Cincinnati Reds. Cave had another good season in Triple-A in 2016 and can play all three outfield positions so expect another team to take a waiver on him as their 4th or 5th outfielder this Rule 5 Draft as well.


Tyler Webb, I thought anyway, would be one of the reasons that James Pazos was traded this offseason but for whatever reason the Yankees have left Webb, another left-handed reliever, available to lose in the draft as well. Webb is 26-years old and has all but mastered Triple-A hitters pitching to a 3.59 ERA in 2016 so expect him to be in someone else’s bullpen in 2017.


The decision to leave Brady Lail out there also surprised me a little since Lail is one of the closest and better Yankees pitching prospects in the system. Lail is just 23-years old but he did struggle in Triple-A a bit this season so he is on the line of whether he will be chosen or not in my opinion.


Cale Coshow is one of the many Yankees pitchers that are drafted as relief pitchers only to be converted into a starting pitcher once in the Yankees system. For that reason Coshow is a bit behind on the curve reaching just Double-A this season. Coshow struggled some with the Trenton Thunder leading me to believe he will be with the Yankees in 2017 as well.





There are others but none of them, again in my opinion, has a shot at being taken and sticking on other roster. This is the list of potential Yankees prospects that could be taken this winter in the draft. Who do you see being taken? Leave it down below in the comments section. Thanks!

The Yankees and the 2017 Hall of Fame Ballot


The 2017 Hall of Fame Ballot has been released and the 2017 IBWAA ballot is now in my mailbox, it's that time of the year ladies and gentleman. Already once we've discussed here on the blog the possibility of certain players like Manny Ramirez and Pudge Rodriguez making the final vote and being inducted into Cooperstown but today we will focus on the Yankees connection to the ballot and see if any of our former heroes will be enshrined forever. Let's take a look.

Roger Clemens
Mike Mussina
Pudge Rodriguez
Tim Raines
Gary Sheffield
Fred McGriff
Jorge Posada
Lee Smith

Yes, Lee Smith spent exactly eight appearances with the Yankees if you didn't know that. It seems unlikely he, Posada, or McGriff (never played for the Yankees officially but was drafted by the team in 1981 and traded in 1982) really have a shot at making the ballot whatsoever in 2017.

Clemens and Pudge likely won't make it due to steroid concerns and questions and the same can likely be said for Gary Sheffield despite an impressive stat line for his career leaving Raines and the Moose.

Raines had 69% of the 75% necessary in 2016 and in the final year of his eligibility I think "Rock" finally makes the ballot which should bring up a whole new set of questions. Raines openly and admittedly used cocaine in the dugout and clubhouse during games, if that's not (A) illegal and (B) performance enhancing than I don't know what is.


This Day in New York Yankees History 11/28: Steinbrenner Suspended


Just one short tidbit of news on this day in Yankees history as on this day in 1974 George Steinbrenner was suspended from Major League Baseball for two years. Then Commissioner Bowie Kuhn made the controversial decision after Steinbrenner was caught and convicted of making illegal contributions to the re-elect Nixon campaign. Whoops.