Saturday, June 10, 2017

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles 6/10


Saturday night baseball in the Bronx, let’s get to it as the New York Yankees remain home to play host to Buck Showalter and the Baltimore Orioles. In this second game of their three-game weekend set the Yankees will send Luis Severino to the mound to face off with Chris Tillman for the O’s. The game will be played at 7:15 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on FOX. You can also follow along on the radio with WFAN.


Follow us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes. Give Buck a coronary, get another win. Go Yankees!

Quick Hit: Yankees Announce 71st Old Timer’s Day Invitees


The New York Yankees will hold their 71st annual Old Timer’s Day at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, June 25 when the Yankees play host to the Texas Rangers in the Bronx. This will mark the ninth time the new stadium has held the annual game and gates will open for fans at 10:00 am ET. Old Timer’s Day festivities will begin promptly at 11:30 am ET. Here is the list of players and Yankees legends that are expected to attend including the first Jorge Posada sighting at Yankee Stadium in a long, long time.

Jesse BarfieldScott Bradley, Dr. Bobby BrownHomer BushRick CeroneDavid ConeBucky DentAl DowningBrian DoyleMariano DuncanJohn FlahertyWhitey FordJoe Girardi, Rich “Goose” Gossage, Ron GuidryCharlie Hayes, Ricky Henderson, Arlene Howard(widow), Helen Hunter(widow), Reggie JacksonScott Kamieniecki, Pat Kelly, Don Larsen, Graeme LloydHector LopezSparky LyleKevin Maas, Jill Martin(widow), Tino Martinez, Leo Mazzilli, Ramiro MendozaStump MerrillGene Michael, Gene Monahan, Diana Munson(widow), Kay Mercer(widow), Jeff Nelson, Paul O’NeillJorge PosadaWillie RandolphTim RainesMickey RiversTanyon SturtzeRalph TerryMarcus ThamesJoe TorreMike TorrezRoy White and Bernie Williams.



Before the game the Yankees will also honor Hall of Fame inductee and former Yankees player Tim Raines which should be fun. Check it out! Also if you’re going to the game be sure to show Roy White our article about how there should be a Roy White Day at Yankee Stadium. Sure it’s a selfless plug but I think that he would enjoy it. LOL. 

If the Royals Begin a Fire Sale…


If I had to choose one single word to describe the Kansas City Royals this season it would be the word “terrible.” Now I’m not trying to talk trash or be malicious in anyway but their record supports my word of choice and so does their play on the field. Generally, especially with a team who has a fast closing window to compete, a team that is struggling right around the July 31st trading deadline has what we like to call in the business a “fire sale.” If the Kansas City Royals do indeed have a fire sale then I can think of at least one member of their team I’d like the Yankees to take a look at. Maybe two. Maybe more, because I’m greedy.

First base has been a thorn in the side of the Yankees all season long and the Royals have a pretty nice first baseman in Eric Hosmer, could these two teams match up for a trade this July? Hosmer isn’t hitting for much power this season, just five home runs at the time of this writing, but the Yankees first baseman haven’t been hitting at all this season. Period. Hosmer is hitting over .300 with an adequate on-base percentage of .360. The Royals are in last place in the American League Central Division and Hosmer is a free agent at the end of the season making him likely available and likely “cheap” in terms of prospects.

Hosmer is just now entering his age 27 season and if the Yankees were to acquire him and then retain him past the 2017 season he could be a huge part of the Yankees team for easily the next 5-10 seasons. There’s an argument that could be made because Greg Bird is being donned as the first baseman of the future here in the Bronx but at the same time Hosmer comes with no guarantees attached to him beyond this season. The Yankees already have Chris Carter who is splitting time at first base, and he would have to likely be traded or designated for assignment to facilitate a Hosmer trade, so it is not out of the realm of possibilities of having a platoon type situation at first base with Hosmer and Bird.


I am of the mindset that the players that make the team the best that they can be should be here. It is not on me to figure out how to make the pieces work once they get here, that’s Joe Girardi’s job. I just want a player of the caliber of Hosmer here, especially if it fills a huge hole and void on the team this season. If the Royals are selling I am definitely listening and if the price is right, which is what it always comes down to, I’m buying as well. Where do I sign?

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles 6/10


The New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles will be back at it again tonight in the Bronx with a special Saturday night edition of their new rivalry. The Yankees love their Saturday afternoon games, and truth be told I do too, but tonight these two teams will face off in prime time on FOX. In the matchup the Yankees will send Luis Severino to the mound, the future is now, while the Orioles will counter with Chris Tillman, the now was a couple years ago apparently.




Severino heads into tonight’s start on a streak of having thrown three straight quality starts including a victory 11 days ago against these same Baltimore Orioles. In Severino’s last start the right-hander took a no-decision against the Toronto Blue Jays despite allowing just two runs in seven innings.




Tillman missed the first month of the 2017 season on the disabled list and has spent the rest of the season trying to work himself back into the groove, a trend that hopefully continues tonight. Tillman has not won a game since his first start on May 7, five straight starts without a victory, so it is the Yankees mission tonight to push that to six straight if at all possible.




The game will be played at 7:15 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on FOX. I believe when FOX is involved that the games are blacked out everywhere else including MLB TV but I cannot swear to that either way. Anyway you should still be able to follow along in your cars and on the radio with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.


Enjoy the game, beat the O’s and as always…. Go Yankees!

Mission: Making J-Ellsbury The Next Wally Pipp…

Credit:  Mike Stobe-Getty Images
Yankees 8, Orioles 2…

Does Jacoby Ellsbury really deserve his job back if/when he gets healthy?  This might be one of the few times that I’ve enjoyed the injury replacement better than the regular.  Aaron Friggin’ Hicks.  A day after the two-homer game by Gary Sanchez, Hicksie put up a deuce of his own.  A new day, a new hero.

Credit:  Charles Wenzelberg-N.Y. Post
The game featured another strong start from Jordan Montgomery who continues to show that he is a competitor on the mound in the mold of Andy Pettitte.  It didn’t look like it was going to be a very good night for Monty in the second inning.  Chris Davis walked to open the inning and Jonathan Schoop followed with a homer to center to pick the O’s up 2-0.  Two of the next three batters reached base with singles but Monty shut the O’s down from there.  The only hit he allowed from that point forward was a harmless double by former Yankee Ruben Tejada (whom the Yankees sold to the O’s last week).  The boy is growing into a man before our very eyes.  There’s no way that we would have had the trust in Chad Green, Luis Cessa or Bryan Mitchell like we do with Monty had they won the fifth starter’s role out of training camp.  He’s also pitched better than many of the rumored trade candidates.

Monty (4-4) was pulled at the start of the eighth inning.  For the game, he limited the O’s to just 5 hits and the two runs on the homer by Schoop.  He walked a batter and struck out 8.  His season ERA was lowered to 3.55.  

Credit:  Paul J Bereswill
The Yankee offense quickly answered Schoop’s homer.  Starlin Castro deposited the third pitch of the bottom of the 2nd under the Modell sign in right-center to cut the margin to 2-1.  Thursday night’s hero, Gary Sanchez (the Sanchino!)  followed with a double.  He moved to third on a flyout by Didi Gregorius and then scored on a sac fly by the generally-useless Chase Headley to tie the game.

The game remained tied until the sixth inning as both Montgomery and the O’s Dylan Bundy were pitching great.  In the bottom of the 6th, it was time for the Hicksie Show.  He opened the inning with a solo shot, a ‘no doubt about it' smash, to give the Yankees their first lead of the game, 3-2.  It was ironically the first ball placed in The Judge’s Chambers.  

Credit:  MLB.com
In the 7th, Chase Headley reached first on a throwing error by pitcher Edwin Jackson who had just relieved Bundy.  Aaron Hicks came to bat again, with two outs, and he crushed Jackson’s offering to the right center bleachers to give the Yankees a 5-2 lead.  Aaron Judge was walked on four straight pitches out of the strike zone, and Jackson paid the price when Matt Holliday doubled in the next at-bat to score Judge.

The Yankees tacked on two more unneeded runs in the eighth when Austin Romine singled with the bases loaded.  Hats off to Romine for this game.  No offense to Sanchez, but Romine and Montgomery work very well together.  He could have gone hitless and it would have been fine given the strong work he provides behind the plate for Monty.  

The Boston Red Sox won on a late comeback against the Detroit Tigers so the Yankees (35-23) remained three games ahead of the Sox in the AL East.  The O’s fell to 4 1/2 games behind the Pinstripers.  The Tampa Bay Rays have won three in a row and are 5 1/2 games back.

Odds & Ends…

Manager Joe Girardi said that Masahiro Tanaka’s scheduled start on Sunday has been pushed back.  He is now scheduled to pick up the baton on Monday when the Yankees travel to Anaheim, CA to play the Los Angeles Angels.  He’ll be facing the Angels’ Alex Meyer (2-3, 4.08 ERA).  

No word yet who’ll start for the Yankees on Sunday.  The present roster candidates would be Chad Green or Adam Warren, with an advantage toward Green since he’s been stretched out more recently.  Potential call-ups include Bryan Mitchell or Luis Cessa.  I think the Yankees will choose one of the more experienced arms, so I would not expect the elevation of Chance Adams to the 40-man roster.  He’s young (only 22) and only at AA-Trenton, but Ronald Herrera is an intriguing arm.  On Thursday night, he tied his career high with 9 strikeouts in leading the Thunder to a 9-0 win over the Hartford Yard Goats.   Pitching 6 2/3 innings, he limited the Yard Goats (damn, I love these minor league names!) to just two hits.  In 8 starts, Herrera is 7-0 and is currently sporting a 1.07 ERA.  He has struck out 41 batters in 50 1/3 innings.  Herrera was acquired in November 2015 through the trade that sent Jose Pirela to the San Diego Padres.  He is also on the 40-man roster which places him at an advantage over the older and the more advanced Adams.  I extremely doubt the Yankees entrust a key AL East start to a pitcher who has only made one start (last year with poor results) at the AAA Level.  But he is a name to watch.  Probably the most advanced arm, outside of the Major League vets, is the 24-year old righty Domingo German.  German is also on the 40-man roster.  He’s currently 2-1 with 3.76 ERA in four games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  My bet is the start goes to Green.

Credit:  Rich Schultz-Getty Images
Aroldis Chapman flew to Tampa last night and will pitch in a simulated game today.  The plan is for him to pitch with AA-Trenton next week before rejoining the Yankees in Oakland for the weekend series against the A’s.  By all accounts, Chapman is healthy and throwing strikes.  Coming soon, sore catchers’ hands at a Yankees game near you.

Credit:  MLB.com

Have a great Saturday!  Let’s keep this Yankees winning streak alive!

Unfortunately It Looks Like Tanaka or Bust in 2017


The New York Yankees, despite the well documented struggles of their ace Masahiro Tanaka, are in first place in the American League East Division and rolling right along. With the July 31st trade deadline looming you have to think that some fans are hoping that the pitching problem at the top of the Yankees rotation can be solved with a simple trade but looking at the potential list of available starters New York may be in a bit of a predicament. It is looking more and more like it is Masahiro Tanaka or bust for the Yankees here in 2017.

Doesn’t it just figure that when the Yankees finally have not only the prospects to land an ace-type pitcher but have a surplus of prospects to land an ace-type pitcher that there isn’t many to be found on the trade market? Bad timing I guess for the Yankees because looking around this is looking like a barren wasteland for reliable and effective starters.

Gerrit Cole has struggled for the Pittsburgh Pirates and has struggled more and more since his 19-8 breakout season in 2015, but before I get called out for riding both sides of the fence I will reiterate that I would love to still have him here but it obviously and always will come down to the price needed to acquire him, leaving more question marks than answers surrounding him right now. The Yankees have enough question marks, they need certainty and they aren’t going to get certainty (talent, yes) by acquiring Cole.

Quintana is another pitcher we have talked about a ton here on the blog and all that talk has yielded me nothing but a big ole foot in the mouth. At the time of this writing Quintana is currently sporting a 2-7 record with a 5.30 ERA in a weak American League Central Division.

But the Atlanta Braves suck and they have Julio Teheran! Yeah, Teheran has a 5-4 record with a 5.40 ERA while giving up home runs faster than Masahiro Tanaka in possibly a weaker National League East Division. Teheran gets to face a pitcher three-to-four times a night too. Again, he’s talented just like Cole but the Yankees need certainty… not more question marks or hopes that a change of scenery will help.


So what do the Yankees do? All they can do is really stick to the plan and continue the youth movement. Call up Chance Adams when he is ready, hope that Luis Cessa continues to pitch out of his mind, keep throwing Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery out there every fifth day and simply hope for the best. It is Tanaka or bust for the Yankees in 2017 so let’s hope Larry Rothschild, Tanaka and his translator (screw you Jerry Remy) get it figured out. And fast. 

So it Seems… HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!


June 10th is a pretty damn good day. Why? Because on this day not so many years ago, because you are totally not old, the world just flat out became a better place. You, my love, were born. Happy Birthday to the most beautiful soul I’ve ever met, inside and out. Kari, I love you and I hope you enjoy your day. I’ll see you in a little while for your birthday party.


This Day in New York Yankees History 6/10: Babe Ruth, the Contract and the Curse



On this day in 2005 “Gotta Have It Collectibles” won the bid for the actual contract signed on December 26, 1919 by Red Sox owner Harry Frazee, Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert and by Babe Ruth himself. The winning bid was for $996,000 which was five times what the Yankees paid for the Bambino and the curse that came with it.


Also on this day in 2002 the Yankees Marcus Thames hit a home run on the first pitch he saw in his Major League career, off Randy Johnson in his prime no less. Thames would be the 17th player in history to hit a home run on the first pitch he saw in his career. John Miller in 1966 was the only other Yankee to achieve the feat.


Finally on this day in 1921 the Yankees Babe Ruth became the All-Time Home Run record holder in the Major Leagues with 120 home runs. The historic home run would come off the Indians Jim Bagby. Ruth would hold the record until Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run in 1974.