Friday, April 27, 2018

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4/27



And just like that it is game time here on a Friday night in sunny Orange County, California. In the first of a three-game set this weekend the New York Yankees will send Luis Severino out to the mound to face off with Andrew Heaney for the Angels. The game will be played at 10:07 pm ET inside Angels Stadium of Anaheim and can be seen on the YES Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the team all season long. Enjoy the game, tell me about it in the morning because I am going to bed, and go Yankees!!

While We Wait Article Revisit: The Long Lost TGP Exclusive Interview w/ Tyler Austin



While we wait on the game tonight between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim let’s take a look through the Greedy Pinstripes archives and have ourselves an article revisit, shall we? Will this article be a little dated? Sure, it didn’t happen until two years after he was drafted by the team in 2010, the first year of existence for TGP. Did my writing suck back then? Also, an affirmative answer. Should it be fun to read this and look back at how far he has come regardless? Absolutely! So, enjoy!







If some of you guys missed it a few weeks back we interviewed Tyler Austin's mother, Kim Austin, and apparently hit it off well because we used her as a contact to get an interview with her son Tyler. As you all know, or should know, Tyler is the latest Yankees super prospect that is just simply tearing up the minor leagues with the Charleston Riverdogs. We asked him everything from questions about his childhood, a battle with cancer, his minor league baseball life, and when he plans on hitting some of those bombs in Yankees Stadium. Enjoy the read!


The Greedy Pinstripes: Was your dream as a child always to be a baseball player? If not, then what did you want to be when you grew up? 
Tyler Austin : Yes sir I've always wanted to be a pro ball player.  

TGP: What team did you root for growing up as a kid?
TA: New York Yankees  

TGP: Favorite player(s) growing up?
TA: Derek Jeter and Andrew Jones 


TGP: Your biggest inspiration when it came to baseball? 
TA: I was inspired from people telling me I couldn't do it my whole life. And I don't take no for answer, so when people would say that it drove me even more to make my dreams come true.  


TGP: Did you have a preference to what team you wanted to sign with?  
TA: No sir I didn't really care where I went. But it made it even sweeter cause it was with the Yankees who have always been my favorite team.  


TGP: What a lot of people did not know, including myself , was that you were a center fielder as a young player. Did you always want to be an outfielder for the Yankees? 
TA: I didn't really care where they put me. No matter where it is I'm gonna go out each and every day and give it everything I have.  


TGP: Whose idea/call was it to make you a corner infielder rather then an outfielder? 
TA: I'm not sure whose idea it was. 


TGP: How hard is it being away from your significant other while on the road and such? 
TA: It's really hard being away from my family and girlfriend. But I talk to them every night and just thankful I have them in my life and supporting me through my good times and bad.  

TGP: Favorite moment as a Yankees prospect? 
TA: Winning the New York Penn League championship last season   

TGP: Who was the best prospect in the Yankees system that you ever played with? 
TA: Mason Williams  

TGP: Do you keep in touch with any other current or former Yankees prospects or coaches? 
TA: Yes sir I do  

TGP: Hardest part of being a prospect? 
TA: Nothing is really hard about it. I still have to go out there and play each and every game the right way no matter if I am a prospect or I'm not. 

 TGP: A lot of people dont know you battled cancer, so first off congrats on beating that, how was that whole experience?
TA: Thank you!! It was tough going through that I was only 18 years old and didn't really know how to handle something like that at such a young age. But I just kept faith in the lord and knew everything would be okay if I kept the faith in him.  

TGP: Most famous person in your cell phone? 
TA: Justin Maxwell  

TGP: Most embarrassing song/artist in your ipod?
TA: Baby by Justin Bieber, haha 


I want to thank Mr. Austin for taking the time out for a lowly blogger and huge fan. I was like a kid in a candy store typing up the questions to send him and typing this interview out. I was like an anxious kid who could not wait to go to the toy store this weekend while waiting for him to fill it out. It was well worth the wait! Thank you again Mr. Austin and thank you to Tyler's Mom, Mrs. Kim Austin, for being such a kind and giving person (well and for having Tyler lol).

What it Means to Be a Yankees Fan: Scott Fiedler



In my very humble opinion the best writer that The Greedy Pinstripes has is Scott Fiedler. There is no disrespect intended towards the rest of our wonderful writers, you guys are all amazing and all truly appreciated, but I have just been drawn to Scott’s work since day one and I truly think we are all blessed and incredibly lucky to have him on the site. When I came up with the idea to do this running series about what it means to be a Yankees fan I knew I wanted to include him. I knew Scott, and others of course, would just be able to paint a picture with their words while describing their Yankees fandom, and he did not let me down. Here is his story, and here is his fandom. Enjoy.

What makes you a fan of the New York Yankees?

One of the very first books I read as a child was a biography about Lou Gehrig. It set the stage for my interest and passion about the history and tradition of Major League Baseball.  I grew up in the Midwest but was not a fan of the Cardinals, Cubs or Twins (the most common favorites among my friends). At the time of my early youth, the Oakland A’s were winning multiple World Series with a colorful owner and a cast of characters which drew my attention.  My favorite player was the A’s great starting pitcher Jim “Catfish” Hunter. During this same time period, I had been reading other baseball biographies including books about Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth.  Despite reading about other players, the books about Yankees legends appealed to me the most. The most storied franchise, the history of success, my deep and longstanding appreciation for Lou Gehrig…whatever the cause…it left me respectful of the Pinstripes even though “my team”, at the time, was the Oakland Athletics. 

It all changed on December 31, 1974. That’s the day Catfish Hunter left the A’s in free agency and signed with the New York Yankees. Thank you, George Steinbrenner. The combination of my favorite player joining a team I had deep appreciation for made for an easy and immediate choice to switch my allegiance to the Yankees. 

I’ve never looked back. 

What is your earliest memory of the New York Yankees?

While I remember the 1975 Yankees and Manager Bill Virdon, the first memorable season was the next year with Billy Martin at the helm and a new young second baseman named Willie Randolph whom the Yankees had acquired in the off-season from the Pittsburgh Pirates. By this time, Thurman Munson had become my favorite player and the Yankees won the AL East by 10 ½ games over the Baltimore Orioles. I thought at the time the O’s were the Yankees biggest rival. Silly me.

I can still recall so vividly when Carroll Christopher Chambliss stepped into the batter’s box in the bottom of the ninth inning during Game 5 of the 1976 ALCS with Royals closer Mark Littell, one of the game’s best, on the mound and the game tied at 6. There was something about the way Chambliss placed his back foot that I immediately became convinced he was going to hit a game-winning, series-clinching home run. I don’t think I’ve ever felt the euphoria like I did when Chambliss connected on the dramatic home run like I had expected and watched, with tremendous excitement, as the crowd at Yankee Stadium flooded the field. There have been great Yankees moments in the course of my lifetime but that one remained the most special because it was truly the first huge moment of my Yankees fandom.

The Yankees subsequently lost the World Series when they were swept by the Big Red Machine, but the 1976 Yankees were a young and exciting team. Thurman Munson was a joy to watch in the World Series as he batted .529 (9-for-17), solidifying his place as my favorite Yankee.

What is your fondest memory of the New York Yankees?

Obviously, the Chambliss home run in the 1976 ALCS rates very high but since I’ve already touched on that moment, the fondest will go to the three home runs by Reggie Jackson in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. A total of three combined pitches by three different pitchers and Reggie took them all deep. My mother (now deceased) was in another room watching something else on TV and I would run to her with each home run…so excited to tell her that Reggie had knocked another one out of the park. I am sure my mom could not have cared less about the Yankees, yet I remember how interested she seemed with each home run update. It was important to her because it was important to me.

It was a magical moment in Yankees history and certainly one that I will never forget. 

What do you think of when you see the interlocking NY of the Yankees?

Because the foundation of my Yankees fandom was created when I discovered Lou Gehrig through books which developed a deep sense of pride, the interlocking NY carries the history and tradition of baseball’s greatest franchise for me. It is a symbol of greatness, triumph and unity of the many excellent (and not-so-excellent) players that have worn the Pinstripes. I’ve always felt the Yankees have the very best cap insignia in Major League Baseball. Nothing else comes close.

I am proud to be a Yankees fan.   


Thank you, Scott. You are truly appreciated. I really enjoyed reading this, and I hope everyone else did too.

A Yankees Day in the Life: Justus Sheffield



To steal a few words from Scott Fiedler, which I guess were technically borrowed from myself in the first place, “Sonny Gray Sucks.” Yeah, I am a Sonny Gray fan and yeah, I am a wee bit disappointed in his performance since donning the Yankees pinstripes at the expense of three really good Yankees prospects. It sucks, but I am not worried. You know why? Because the Yankees have a deep farm system with more than a few blue-chip prospects in it including possibly their best starting pitching prospect that was last seen dominating Double-A pitching. His name is Justus Sheffield and he came to the New York Yankees via a trade with the Cleveland Indians involving Andrew Miller. Could 2018 be the year we see Sheffield reach the Major League level and the Bronx? Unfortunately, we will have to stay tuned for that, but while we wait we can all watch this amazing documentary as we try to see what it is like to spend a Yankees day in the life as Justus Sheffield.

Enjoy the video!



You Can’t Send Andujar or Austin Down, Can You?



The New York Yankees head into the weekend and onto the west coast as one of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball right now. The Yankees beat up on the Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota Twins at home this week and look to continue their winning ways tonight when the team travels to Anaheim to take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Orange County of Disney Land of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco of the Hollywood sign of not really Los Angeles but not really Anaheim either of Anaheim. The pitching has been better, the bullpen has been better, the defense has been better, and the offense has been amazing which has been led by Didi Gregorius, Aaron Judge and a couple members of the Baby Bombers, Miguel Andujar and Tyler Austin. The Yankees are hot and the scariest part for the rest of the league right now is that the team is also getting healthy, but when the likes of Brandon Drury, Greg Bird and others come back off the disabled list you can’t really send down either Andujar or Austin, can you? 

How could the New York Yankees in good conscience send down a man that is sitting up there with Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio in any discussion, especially a discussion that has to do with extra-base hits and offense. How could the Yankees also send down a man that not only took the fight to the Boston Red Sox, literally and figuratively, but also has filled in well both offensively and defensively at first base. You can’t, in my opinion. What kind of message does this send? Gone are the days of the contract dictating the playing time, at least I thought, and here are the days of earning your playing time and, again in my opinion, both Andujar and Austin have earned their playing time. 


So, what do you do when both come back off the disabled list and come back to the Bronx with the team? The easiest decision should be to designate Neil Walker for assignment. The Walker signing looked good on paper in the spring, but it hasn’t worked out and the need for his bat is no longer there. Walker was brought in to provide power at the plate and depth at both second base and first base. With the arrival of Gleyber Torres in the Bronx and the emergence of Austin, mixed in with the return of Bird and Drury, the need for Walker is no longer a priority for the team. DFA him, give him a handshake and send him on his way. 

That’s one spot, clearing the second spot won’t be so easy though. In my opinion it comes down to one of two things, either the team has to send Ronald Torreyes down to the Minor Leagues and use up his last minor league option, or the team has to temporarily suspend GleyberMania for the time being. As much as it pains me to say it I have to say it because it makes the most baseball sense, Gleyber has to go back down. At least temporarily, and hopefully not for long. It just makes the most sense from a baseball perspective, not necessarily from a fan’s perspective. 

You have to keep Austin and Andujar as long as the production warrants it in my opinion, even if it means cutting ties with Neil Walker (sucks) and sending down their top prospect. It might not be a popular decision or opinion, but ultimately, I think it will be the best one. Stay tuned.

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4/27



Good morning and Happy Friday to you all. I have a question for the Yankees fan base and everyone here on the east coast this morning. If a game between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim happens in the middle of the damn night and no one on the east coast is around to see it (east coast bias and all), did it really happen? Well we are about to find out tonight as the Yankees travel to Anaheim to take on the Angels in a three-game weekend set. In the opener of the series tonight the Yankees will send Luis Severino to the mound looking to stay dominant while the Angels counter with Andrew Heaney. It should be a fun one, even if I won’t get to see a lot of it.

Severino will look for his third straight victory tonight on the west coast as he opens up the weekend series tonight with the Angels. In Severino’s last two starts the Yankees right-handed ace has pitched a combined 13 innings against the Miami Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays allowing just one run and four hits combined to go along with three walks and a staggering 14 strikeouts.


Heaney will be making just his third start of the season tonight and already his second home start of the young campaign. Heaney was not sharp in his last start against the San Francisco Giants where he allowed seven earned runs on six hits with two walks in a loss for the Angels. Heaney will be making his second career start against the Yankees tonight, his first start coming back in June of 2015. Different team, different pitcher, different result tonight in Anaheim.

The game will be played at 10:07 pm ET inside Angels Stadium of Anaheim in California and can be seen on the YES Network. You can also follow along with the game with MLB TV, on the MLB At-Bat app, and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with the legendary duo of John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Enjoy the game, ugh I hate west coast games… even on the weekends and go Yankees!!

Hello… West Coast Road Trips



Good morning everyone and a Happy Friday to you all. TGIF, we made it through another week. This Friday is especially important to me personally because I am moving this weekend. Long story short we were living in a house that we had an option to buy or rent-to-own. Well we had that option until the landlord’s house burned down. Thankfully everyone was safe, but it meant we were now without a place to live. I hate moving, I just moved into this house in August and I am already having to move out again. I hate it, but it is just one of those things in life I guess. Oh well.

I hope everyone has a better and more relaxing weekend than I have ahead of me, but as stressful or back breaking as it may be it will all be worth it in the end. I will still have my health, hopefully, and I will still have my family. I will still have my Kari and we will still have our three wonderful boys that we have together… and that is all I need in this world.

So, if I go quiet this weekend and into next week a little, now you know why. Enjoy your Friday, and your weekend. I love you all, especially you. Hey you.

This Day In New York Yankees History 4/27: Steinbrenner Sucks!




On this day in 1982 after Reggie Jackson left the New York Yankees via free agency for the California Angels he came back to Yankee Stadium and promptly hit a home run in a 3-1 Angels victory. The crowd was none to PLEASED and chants of "Steinbrenner Sucks" erupted while Jackson rounded the bases. FYI, George Steinbrenner the Yankees owner was in attendance in his press box on that day.
On this day in 1947 a crowd of 58,000 attended Babe Ruth Day at Yankee Stadium to honor the Yankees legend. The crowd was treated to an old fashioned pitchers duel when the Washington Senators Sid Hudson beat the Yankees Spud Chandler 1-0.