Saturday, July 15, 2017

This Day in New York Yankees History 7/15: Dan Uggla Makes Three Errors in All-Star Game

The last time the New York Yankees hosted an All Star Game was in 2008 when we said goodbye to Yankee Stadium II. The House that Ruth Built was torn down at the end of the season but not before the Yankees had one more All Star Game and one last hoorah. In true Yankee Stadium fashion history was made on this day as Dan Uggla became the first player in the history of the All Star Game to make three errors in a game.

The Marlins second baseman had two errors in the 10th inning and one in the 13th inning while helping the American League win the game 4-3 in 15 innings. Uggla wasn't any better at the plate as he went 0-4 with three strikeouts while grounding into a double play with runners on first and third in the 10th inning for his fourth at bat.

I believe Uggla was probably the first out of Yankee Stadium that night and it would suit him just fine if he never went back.

Walking Away From Victory...

Credit:  Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Red Sox 5, Yankees 4...

The Yankees paid $86 million for Aroldis Chapman to blow last night's game.  The bad with the good.  I've been concerned about Chapman for a few weeks now, actually dating back before he went on the DL.  His struggles with command have largely flown under the radar given the horrific stretches encountered by both Tyler Clippard and Dellin Betances.  I thought maybe Chapman's contract might look bad toward the end but not in the first year.  For the same money, the Yankees could have signed Kenley Jansen in the off-season.  Jansen earned his 22nd save last night for the Los Angeles Dodgers and is 4-0 with 0.93 ERA.  Chapman has 8 saves and 3.92 ERA.  Granted, Chapman could have used some defensive help in the 9th so to his defense, it was not entirely his fault.  I think Chapman will be alright and a force in the second half.  

The game was a struggle for Jordan Montgomery, laboring every inning he pitched.  Even if he did give up 6 hits and 3 runs in 4 innings worked, it could have been much worse.  So credit to him for not rolling over.  The Red Sox had runners in scoring position in the first two innings but failed to get them home.  They finally broke through in third inning after the Yankees had taken a 1-0 lead.  With Xander Bogaerts at first (single), Hanley Ramirez hammered a Montgomery fastball over the Green Monster in center to give the Sox a 2-1 lead.

The Red Sox picked up a third run in the 4th inning.  Sam Travis opened with a walk off Montgomery.  Christian Vasquez ripped a single to left, runners at first and second.  Deven Marrero hit an infield grounder to Didi Gregorius who fired the ball to Ronald Torreyes at second in an attempt to get the force out but Torreyes took his eyes off the ball and it glanced off his glove for an error to load the bases.  Montgomery was able to retire Mookie Betts on a pop up but Dustin Pedroia singled to left to score Travis, 3-1 Sox.  A subsequent double play with the bases still loaded prevented any further damage.

In the top of the 5th, the Yankees led off with a double by Chase Headley.  Brett Gardner lined a one-out single to right to score Headley.  Gary Sanchez, the Sanchino, followed with his 14th home run of the year, a high fly ball that sailed out of Fenway Park in left, and the Yankees had taken a 4-3 lead.  

Credit:  CJ Gunther-EPA
The Yankees bullpen took over in the bottom of the 5th.  Chad Green was spectacular, working two innings with no hits and 5 strikeouts.  Adam Warren despite giving up two singles in the 7th, kept the Sox off the board.  Dellin Betances hit Mitch Moreland with a pitch in the 8th but otherwise was great with three strikeouts.  

The Yankees were unable to add any insurance runs against Sox starter Drew Pomeranz and the Red Sox bullpen (who held the Yanks hitless for the final 3 innings) so it was off to the bottom of the 9th and closer Aroldis Chapman. 

I hate to re-live this inning but here we go.  Mookie Betts reached first on an infield single to deep short.  Dustin Pedroia followed with a grounder to short.  The throw from Didi Gregorius to Ronald Torreyes at second was too high and Torreyes had to jump to catch the ball, taking his feet off the bag.  Betts safe at second, Pedroia at first.  A double steal moved the runners to second and third.  Xander Bogaerts hit an infield grounder to Torreyes and he was unable to handle it for his second error of the game.  Betts scored the tying run.  The Yankees intentionally walked Hanley Ramirez to load the bases.  Chapman then struggled to find the strike zone with Andrew Benintendi and walked him on a 3-1 count, bringing home Pedroia with the winning run.  Defeat with no balls out of the infield...a disappointing loss.

Credit:  Stuart Cahill-Boston Herald
The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Los Angeles Angels, 2-1, in 10 innings to take sole possession of 2nd place in the AL as the Yankees (45-42) dropped to third.  The Yankees are 4 1/2 games behind the Red Sox and a game behind the Rays.  

Oh, By The Way...

The news for the second half is certainly not starting off on the right foot.  With Michael Pineda's diagnosis of a flexor muscle strain and a partial tear of the UCL in his right elbow, there's a strong possibility for Tommy John surgery.  He'll seek a second opinion but this is not good news.  Considering this is his "walk" year, I wonder if he'll go the way of Nathan Evoldi who was released and later signed by the Tampa Bay Rays.  With Bryan Mitchell scheduled to start Game 1 of Sunday's double-header and Luis Cessa next week in Minneapolis, the rotation is looking very shaky.  I am sure that the Oakland A's and Pittsburgh Pirates are salivating over the potential price tag they can assign to Sonny Gray and Gerrit Cole. My fear is that the desperation forces the Yankees to part with Chance Adams in addition to other high-ranking prospects to acquire an established starter.  Meanwhile, the Red Sox will be throwing Chris Sale and two former AL Cy Young Award winners at us this weekend.

I had my doubts that Pineda would be back next year but this probably seals it for his departure.  

Scouts from other teams seem to think that Chance Adams is Major League ready but according to the Yankees, he still needs to work on his command and his third pitch.  That's more involved than a start or two so it's anybody's guess when we'll see Adams in the Bronx.  I think he's potentially more effective than Luis Cessa but they didn't ask me.  Maybe it is Caleb Smith that gets the next call.  

Credit:  Fred Adams-Times Leader`
Oh yeah, and Greg Bird has inflammation in the Os Trigonum of his right ankle and surgery is a strong possibility (if so, 6-8 weeks recovery).  

The roster moves made in advance of yesterday's game with the Red Sox were the activation of DH Matt Holliday and the purchase of 1B Garrett Cooper's contract from Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  Making room were the placement of Michael Pineda on the disabled list and the demotion of Rob Refsnyder to SWB.  Cooper was thrown to the wolves immediately as he made his Major League debut last night in Boston.  Yeah, Garrett, Yankee games can be intense.  Welcome to the Pinstripes!

Cooper started last night's game although he was 0-for-4 with 3 strikeouts in his MLB debut.

Odds & Ends...

It is interesting that the Yankees played the fewest games (86) in the first half of any team according to ESPN's Buster Olney.  The team is scheduled to play 52 games in the next 55 days and of course they have 3 games in the next 2 days.  With no days off, they play games on the road in Minneapolis and Seattle before they get a break (which of course will be consumed by a cross-country flight to return home from the Pacific Northwest).  No rest for the weary...

Have a great Saturday!  I'll be out on my Harley so hopefully the Yankees bring home a victory against the great Chris Sale.  Let's Go Yankees!