Meet the 2019 Yankees: Anthony Seigler

Obviously, on most teams anyway, you won’t have more than two-or-three catchers on their 40-man roster, which makes things difficult when you are trying to meet all the Yankees here in 2019. We have already met or got reacquainted with Gary Sanchez, Austin Romine, and Kyle Higashioka, but I also want to introduce the Yankees first round draft pick, a catcher, from the 2018 MLB First Year Players Draft, and a man that was one of the first Yankees players to arrive at Yankees Spring Training camp this season, Mr. Anthony Seigler.

Anthony Seigler was born on June 20, 1999 in Cartersville, GA (which is about an hour away from where I currently live in Metro-Atlanta, GA). Seigler is a switching hitting, AND switch throwing, catcher in the New York Yankees organization.

image credit Pinstripes Prospects

As a senior at Carterville High School, Seigler posted a 1.09 ERA in 25 innings pitched while also batting .421 with 14 home runs as a catcher. Seigler committed to signing with the University of Florida, but ultimately the New York Yankees came calling 23^rd overall in the first round of the 2018 MLB First Year Players Draft. Seigler quickly signed with the Yankees $2,815,900 and began his professional career with the GCL Yankees. After spending just 12 games in the Gulf Coast League, the Yankees promoted Seigler to the Pulaski Yankees. In 24 games combined between the two organizations, Seigler hit a combined .266 with one home run and nine RBI.

image credit Pinstripes Prospects

Seigler is still a good number of years away from the Major League level, but in my opinion that doesn’t make him any less exciting for the organization. Seigler has one of those addictive personalities, from what I can tell in various interviews and such since being drafted and has an incredible will to do well with the ball club, and that in itself is enough to make me a fan. We look forward to watching you progress and grow here in 2019, and we look forward to what the future may hold for you with the organization as well. Good luck in all of your endeavors.

MLB Pipeline's Top 10 Yankees Prospects

Luis Medina

Most notably... no Chance Adams. Ouch.

OF Estevan Florial RHP Jonathan Loaisiga RHP Albert Abreu RHP Domingo Acevedo C Anthony Seigler RHP Clarke Schmidt RHP Trevor Stephan RHP Luis Medina RHP Matt Sauer RHP Garrett Whitlock

Top 20 Yankees Prospects Pre-August 31st Trade Deadline

Roansy Contreras - Photo credit Pinstriped Prospects

The countdown is on as the August 31^st trading deadline is now less than two weeks away. Will the Yankees make a significant move? Who will be this year’s Justin Verlander? Will the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners add more pieces? So many questions and not enough answers. Here is an even better question, will the Yankees trade any more notable prospects before the trading deadline? And if so, who are those notable prospects? Again, more unanswered questions, but I think I can help with the last question. Here are my Top 20 Yankees prospects before the August 31^st trading deadline. Enjoy.

(1)    Justus Sheffield

(2)    Estevan Florial

(3)    Jonathan Loaisiga

(4)    Albert Abreu

(5)    Domingo Acevedo

(6)    Anthony Seigler

(7)    Clarke Schmidt

(8)    Trevor Stephan

(9)    Luis Medina

(10) Matt Sauer

(11) Everson Pereira

(12) Thairo Estrada

(13) Garrett Whitlock

(14) Deivi Garcia

(15) Chance Adams

(16) Domingo German

(17) Josh Breaux

(18) Michael King (not a popular opinion, and I am okay with that)

(19) Ryder Green

(20) Roansy Contreras

Hey Cash, Omar's on Line 1...

‘Tis the Season to Make Trades…

I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of July and the excitement of the non-waiver trading deadline at the end of the month. It’s my favorite time of the year except for when the Yankees are playing in the Fall Classic. We know that GM Brian Cashman has openly talked about adding starting pitching since last winter. Yet, admittedly, I am starting to feel like a bit of a prospect-hugger. 

I’ve seen the names of Cole Hamels and J.A. Happ and have dreamed what they might look like in Pinstripes, but the more I think about it, the more I think they are not worth the price of admission.

Here are the top ten Yankees prospects according to MLB.com:

Outfielder Estevan Florial

LHP Justus Sheffield

RHP Albert Abreu

RHP Chance Adams

RHP Luis Medina

RHP Freicer Perez

RHP Domingo Acevedo

SS/2B Thairo Estrada

RHP Dillon Tate

RHP Matt Sauer

Perez is out for the year after surgery last month to clean up bone spurs in his right shoulder, but I know the Yankees are very high on him.  There’s not a name that I would want to sacrifice for a “rental”. I would absolutely hate to see the Yankees send someone like Albert Abreu to Toronto for a couple of months of J.A. Happ. Happ is not going to be a difference-maker in October and Abreu has the potential to haunt the Yankees for years.  That’s not worth it to me. 

If the Yankees are going to send talented, high-ranked prospects out of the organization, it needs to be for frontline players. I know it’s unlikely the Yankees will pry Jacob deGrom from the New York Mets, but that’s how high the Yankees need to set their sights.  Otherwise, we’re just throwing talent away. 

I think the Yankees will have another starting pitcher by the end of the month, but I hope that it’s not an overpay situation. I would like to see an upgrade for Chasen Shreve’s spot in the bullpen even if the pitcher’s last couple of outings have been decent.  I am sure that Cashman is burning the midnight oil and is making daily phone calls to his buddies around both leagues. My hope is that he surprises us with a significant upgrade. He has done it before and there’s no reason he can’t do it again.  He has 26 days counting today. No pressure, Cash, the eyes of the Yankees Universe are upon you. 

The Boston Red Sox are rumored to be looking at Tampa Bay’s Nathan Eovaldi. I wouldn’t really want Nasty Nate back in Pinstripes but I can’t say that I’d be too excited to see him in Boston. I’d rather see him go someplace like Atlanta if he is moved as expected. 

It’s sounding increasingly like the Baltimore Orioles will trade Manny Machado. There’s no real chance the Yankees are in play nor should they be. He’s another player that I’d hate to see end up in Boston, although I don’t think the Red Sox have the prospects to entice the O’s to trade within the division (or least I hope hot).  For the sake of the Los Angeles Dodgers, I hope Machado does not go to Brandon Drury’s old team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. I’ve heard the Philadelphia Phillies mentioned but I think the Philly market is too close to Baltimore. It would be hard for the Angelos family to watch Manny thrive in the Delaware Valley. The St Louis Cardinals make perfect sense to me as a possible destination. Last off-season, it felt like Manny would be an eventual Yankee but now I am not so sure. There’s also a chance that Manny goes someplace that he really likes and decides to stay for his next contract (like the NBA’s Paul George just did in opting to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder after it had been rumored for months, even years, that the Palmdale, CA native was destined to play for the Los Angeles Lakers). I am a little miffed about George although I have my new LeBron James shirt to pacify me. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers failure to sign their first round pick in the recent MLB Draft showed me how fortunate the Yankees were to lock up young high school catcher Anthony Seigler. Prior to the draft, Seigler had committed and signed to play for the University of Florida. He bypassed that opportunity when he signed with the Yankees, and admittedly, it was a huge sacrifice on his part despite the dollars he received from the Yankees. There are no guarantees that he’ll make the Major Leagues but a college education is forever. It’s always a wakeup call for how much these guys sacrifice to play the game we all love. So very few ever make the millions and millions that await guys like Machado and Bryce Harper. For the Dodgers, they lost J.T. Ginn, a hard-throwing high school pitcher from Mississippi who announced that he’ll attend Mississippi State instead of signing with the them. The Dodgers had taken Ginn with the 30^th pick in last month’s draft. They also lost another first-rounder four years ago when Louisville pitcher Kyle Funkhouser opted to stay in school for an additional year. You certainly cannot blame these young men for trying to better their lives as they see fit. But conversely, it underscores the risk of trying to sign young players. I wish everyone who tried could succeed but unfortunately life doesn’t work that way and there are not enough opportunities to go around. So, we make the best we can do, one day at a time. 

As expected, infielder Tyler Wade will be promoted to the active roster today to replace Gleyber Torres who was placed on the 10-day DL on Wednesday. I had been quietly hoping for the promotion of Clint Frazier but the presence of Wade makes more sense in terms of roster makeup. I’d really prefer to see Wade and Brandon Drury get the opportunities at second over Neil Walker. Walker remains my preferred DFA candidate. After it had been announced that Wade would be called up before today’s game in Toronto, all Clint Frazier did was hit two home runs and drive in four runs in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s 9-6 win over the Buffalo Bisons. Clint, we miss you.

Lastly, Jon Paul Morosi wrote on MLB.com earlier today that the Yankees have considered trading for Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas with the intent to play him at first base. Nothing against Moose Tacos. I like him well enough but he has less experience at first base than Brandon Drury. I remain hopeful that Greg Bird will start hitting like we know he can. If he does, Moustakas is better off going to Atlanta. If there is any truth to the rumor, I guess it at least shows that Brian Cashman is thinking outside the box.

After a day of no Yankees baseball, our team will soon take the field against at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario. It’s a wonderful day for a Yankees win. Oh crap, Sonny Gray is on the mound. On the bright side, at least the game is not being played at Yankee Stadium. Time for #55 to start showing us he is a reliable part of the rotation.

Go Yankees!

Yankees Top Prospects List Post 2018 MLB Draft

The New York Yankees added a ton of depth and pitching to an already budding farm system through the draft and the future is bright once again here in the Bronx. Even with the graduation from prospect’s status of both Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres the Yankees farm system is still loaded with young talent on the cusp of making an impact, many of which are listed here on my post-2018 MLB Draft top Yankees prospects list. Enjoy!

1.       Estevan Florial

2.       Justus Sheffield

3.       Albert Abreu

4.       Chance Adams

5.       Luis Medina

6.       Jonathan Loaisiga

7.       Domingo German

8.       Anthony Seigler

9.       Dillon Tate

10.   Freicer Perez

11.   Thairo Estrada

12.   Domingo Acevedo

13.   Billy McKinney

14.   Matt Sauer

15.   Trevor Stephan

This was genuinely hard to do, and that is the best problem to have. Having a top arm like Domingo Acevedo ranked 12^th, only because of how far away he is from the majors and having an MLB-ready outfielder like Billy McKinney 13^th is just a gluttony of talent. The team is still loaded, even after losing Gleyber and Andujar on their prospects list, and will be, if Yankees GM Brian Cashman can navigate the coming trade seasons and offseason well, for the foreseeable future.

Hello… UPDATED 2018 MLB Draft Tracker

The New York Yankees made 40 selections in the 2018 MLB First Year Players Draft so here is a quick update on who they drafted and whether they have signed with the organization or not. Enjoy!

And Kari, I may not have picked you first in my life but knowing what I know now I will pick you every time from here on out. I love you.

Meet a Prospect: Nick Ernst

With their 15^th round pick, 457^th overall, in the 2018 MLB First Year Players Draft the New York Yankees selected Nick Ernst, a right-handed starting pitcher out of Miami University in Ohio. It will be a while before we see Ernst on the mound at any of the Yankees affiliates as this season the right-hander tore his UCL, resulting in Tommy John surgery, but let’s meet him regardless. This is Meet a Prospect: The Nick Ernst Edition.

Now I know what you’re thinking, the Yankees drafted yet another college experienced right-handed starting pitcher for their upper levels of their farm system. Yes and no. As I alluded to earlier Ernst tore his UCL and has already undergone Tommy John surgery to repair the ligament, a surgery that will force him to miss the 2018 season and likely most of the 2019 season. When healthy Ernst is not the type of pitcher the Yankees have drafted recently in previous drafts. Ernst is a huge frame standing 6’3” and weighing in at 195 lbs. but that is where the similarities begin and end. Ernst is not a guy throwing in the high 90 MPH range and he is not going to be a pitcher that strikes out nearly 10 batters per nine innings either. Instead Ernst sits around 92 MPH with the ability to touch 94 MPH with a devastating slider that he uses as his out pitch. 

Here is what CollegeBaseballCentral.com had to say about Ernst: 

 “MOST TEAMS WOULD STRUGGLE AFTER LOSING THEIR FRIDAY NIGHT STARTER TWO WEEKS INTO THE SEASON. NOT ONLY DOES THAT MEAN YOU’VE LOST WHAT IS TYPICALLY THE BEST STARTING PITCHER ON THE ROSTER, BUT IT ALSO MEANS THAT EVERYONE ELSE ON THE STAFF HAS TO SLIDE DOWN A SPOT, WHICH HURTS YOUR DEPTH.

MIAMI (25-15, 11-7) WAS IN THAT POSITION AFTER THE SECOND WEEKEND OF THE SEASON, WHEN NICK ERNST WENT DOWN WITH A TORN UCL. THAT WAS AFTER, MIND YOU, ERNST BEGAN HIS SEASON BY THROWING SIX INNINGS AGAINST ARIZONA STATE, GIVING UP JUST FOUR HITS AND ONE RUN WITH NO WALKS AND SIX STRIKEOUTS IN A 4-2 WIN THAT GAVE THE REDHAWKS THEIR FIRST OPENING DAY WIN SINCE 2007.”

“NICK ERNST LOOKED LIKE HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO A BREAKOUT JUNIOR SEASON AS HE SHUT DOWN ARIZONA STATE IN MIAMI’S SEASON OPENER, BUT HE LEFT HIS NEXT START WITH AN ELBOW INJURY THAT REQUIRED TOMMY JOHN SURGERY. ERNST COULD HEAD BACK TO THE REDHAWKS FOR HIS SENIOR SEASON, BUT HE COULD STILL BE DRAFTED BY A TEAM INTRIGUED BY HIS 90-94 MPH FASTBALL AND PROMISING SLIDER.”

Nick has already signed with the team since the draft so welcome to the Yankees organization, and welcome to the Yankees family as well. You can follow Nick on Twitter by following @NickyE123.

Meet a Prospect: Connor Van Hoose

Another round and another college right-handed starting pitcher for the New York Yankees. I have to admit that it is an interesting strategy the Yankees have been working with the last two MLB Drafts. Stockpile the system with experienced right-handed arms that can be groomed quickly either to help out at the Major League level or to use as trade bait in potential trades. The latest arm to join the organization was that of Connor Van Hoose who the organization selected with their 8^th round pick, 247^th overall. Let’s meet him. This is Meet a Prospect: The Connor Van Hoose Edition.

Van Hoose stands 6’1” and weighs in at 175 lbs. which projects him to be more like Luis Severino, size wise anyway, than the power forwards and linebackers the team had selected in the previous rounds before him. Van Hoose came from Bucknell University where he took home Patriot League Pitcher of the Year honors here in 2018. Van Hoose posted an 8-4 record with a 2.36 ERA during the regular season only to turn it on for conference play posting a dominating 6-1 record with a miniscule 0.57 ERA.

Van Hoose has a fastball that touches 88-89 MPH and a curveball that sits around 75 MPH or so. The right-hander also uses a low 80-MPH changeup to keep batters off balance and from sitting on his fastball. Here is what the Bucknell University athletics page had to say about Van Hoose since Baseball America did not have him ranked prior to the draft:

“TURNED IN ONE OF THE FINEST SEASONS IN BUCKNELL BASEBALL HISTORY … PATRIOT LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE YEAR AND FIRST TEAM ALL-PATRIOT LEAGUE SELECTON … BECAME THE FIRST BUCKNELL STARTING PITCHER IN THE PATRIOT LEAGUE ERA TO BE A TWO-TIME FIRST TEAM HONOREE … TWO-TIME PATRIOT LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK … ON APR. 21 VS. LEHIGH PITCHED THE FIFTH NO-HITTER IN BUCKNELL HISTORY … NAMED NCBWA NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE WEEK FOLLOWING THAT PERFORMANCE … MADE 12 STARTS AND WENT 8-4 WITH A 2.36 ERA … IN PATRIOT LEAGUE PLAY WENT 6-1 WITH A MINISCULE 0.57 ERA, WHILE HOLDING OPPOSING HITTERS TO A .151 AVERAGE … IN HIS SEVEN STARTS IN PL PLAY, ALLOWED ONLY 24 HITS, AND 22 WERE SINGLES … FOR THE FULL SEASON, STRUCK OUT 108 BATTERS, THIRD-MOST IN SCHOOL HISTORY AND THE MOST SINCE DON RICHARDS IN THE MID-1950S … OPPONENTS HIT ONLY .201 AGAINST HIM WITH ONLY 12 EXTRA-BASE HITS … LED THE NATION WITH SIX COMPLETE GAMES.”

Connor has already signed with the organization, so welcome to the family and congratulations! Unfortunately, Van Hoose does not have a known Twitter account at this time… or maybe he is smarter than us all (aside from Anthony Seigler who also does not have one).

Meet a Prospect: Frank German

The New York Yankees started Day Two of the 2018 MLB Draft by taking a right-handed starting pitcher out of the University of North Florida. His name is Frank German and he was the 127^th overall pick in the draft, let’s meet him. This is Meet a Prospect: The Frank German Edition.

German was a junior at the University of North Florida at the time of his drafting and stands at 6’2” and weighs in at 195 lbs. German is a right-handed starter and is also a two-time Atlantic Sun Conference First-Team player who possess a mid-90 MPH fastball, an above average breaking ball, and a circle change that he uses to keep batters off balance. This season for the University of North Florida the right-hander posted an 8-3 record with a 1.58 ERA. German had 11 starts where he allowed one earned run or fewer while he also posted three starts where he did not allow a run at all.

MLB Pipeline had the following to say about German before the Draft:  

“NORTH FLORIDA HAS NEVER HAD A PITCHER TAKEN IN THE TOP FIVE ROUNDS OF THE DRAFT, WITH ONLY OUTFIELDERS TODD DUNN AND DONNIE DEWEES GOING THAT EARLY. GERMAN, WHO BEGAN THE YEAR AS THE OSPREYS’ TUESDAY STARTER BUT WORKED HIS WAY TO BEING THEIR FRIDAY NIGHT ACE EN ROUTE TO BEING A GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD SEMIFINALIST, HAS THE CHANCE TO BECOME THE FIRST. 

GERMAN HAS A SOLID THREE-PITCH MIX THAT POINTS TO A FUTURE AS A STARTING PITCHER AT THE NEXT LEVEL. HE’LL THROW HIS FASTBALL IN THE 90-94 MPH RANGE AND MAINTAINS HIS VELOCITY, ABLE TO REACH BACK FOR THAT 94 LATE IN STARTS WHEN HE NEEDS IT. HIS BREAKING BALL IS CLOSE TO A 12-TO-6 CURVE WITH LATE AND SHARP BREAK TO IT AND HE THROWS AN EFFECTIVE MID-80S CIRCLE CHANGE THAT HAS THE BOTTOM FALL OUT OF IT. HE COMMANDS ALL THREE PITCHES WELL AND HAS THROWN A LOT MORE STRIKES, WHILE MISSING MORE BATS, THIS YEAR COMPARED TO HIS SOPHOMORE SEASON. 

GERMAN HAS A LIMITED CEILING, THAT OF A NO. 4 OR 5 STARTER. BUT HIS PERFORMANCE IN HIS DRAFT SEASON HAS HAD MORE THAN GSA VOTERS TAKE NOTICE, GIVING HIM A GOOD CHANCE TO BECOME THE FIRST NORTH FLORIDA PITCHER TO GO IN THE TOP SIX ROUNDS SINCE THE TIGERS TOOK TYLER STOHR IN 2008.” 

German has already signed with the Yankees and can be followed on Twitter by following @fgswift. You can also follow us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes. Frank, welcome to the organization and also, welcome to the Yankees family. You are an experienced right-handed starter that should fly through the Minor Leagues. We are all watching, and we are all rooting for you!! 

Meet a Prospect: Josh Breaux

With the 61^st overall pick in the 2018 MLB First Year Players Draft and with their second-round selection the New York Yankees selected catcher Josh Breaux from McLennan Community College in Texas. Breaux was listed as a catcher and as a right-handed pitcher by Baseball America, but it looks like the Yankees drafted Breaux with the intent of keeping him behind the dish if at all possible, so let’s meet him. This is Meet a Prospect: The Josh Breaux Edition.

Breaux was selected by the Houston Astros last year in the 36^th round and decided to improve his draft stock with one more amateur season. With the jump into the second round you have to think that Josh is happy with his decision to play in Junior College for the 2018 season, especially after posting a .404 batting average with 18 home runs and 69 RBI. Breaux, like Seigler, is a right-handed pitcher as well while many scouts wonder if his future, if not behind the dish, is in the outfield at the Major League level.

Breaux’s defense is a question mark at this point in his career, but Baseball America stated that the right-hander had shown significant improvement defensively over the last two years. Breaux obviously has a strong throwing arm, but they note that his flexibility and receiving could use some polishing if he will remain as a catcher. Breaux runs well for a catcher posting a 6.8 second 60-yard dash which could lead him to a corner outfield spot in the future.

Breaux has the power to play into an outfield spot and he has the frame as well standing as 6’2” and weighing in at 200 lbs. Breaux has shown a maturity and patience at the plate that you don’t always see in such a young hitter which was shown by his 48 walks this season compared to just 32 strikeouts.

Breaux also has experience batting with wooden bats after playing for the Cape Cod League last season where he hit six home runs and drove in 24 RBI in 35 games.

Breaux has all the makings of being a very interesting prospect, assuming he foregoes his commitment to the University of Arkansas and signs with New York, to watch develop in the system, so here’s to hoping he signs.

The Rise and Fall of the Valkyries… Chapter One

Hello everyone, don’t mind me… just a little self-promotion and advertising here on the blog. No, really though. I alluded to the fact that I had written a book the last time that we spoke, but in true Daniel Burch fashion I left everyone hanging as to what the book was about, where they could read it, etc. My bad and you have my apologies.

Today I wanted to kind of tease the book a little while advertising it a bit, but I do so with a bit of a disclaimer. When I wrote this book, I wrote it for my girlfriend, now fiancé, Kari and for her eyes only. I never intended for anyone else to read it, so therefore there are certain things that I didn’t feel the need to fully explain like I would have had to had I decided to write this for everyone. I realize this, and I fully intend on editing this book and expanding it to reach a broader audience. This is more of a proof at this point than anything, and this is definitely a work in progress and is subject to change.

But for today, and just because I had received a few questions and inquiries about the book, I want to post the prologue and the first chapter as they stand today. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section or via Twitter (@GreedyStripes). If the support is there I will post a few more chapters, and if not then I will leave well enough alone and won’t bore you with the details of our love story built from across the battlefield.

Enjoy, and really… let me know your thoughts. I need the criticism, good or bad. Thank you in advance.

Prologue

Welcome to the Land of Bartow, a war-ravaged world in a constant struggle for power and dominance. Once ruled by an evil dictator-led group named Scopely the Land of Bartow was liberated by a group of freedom fighters known as the Valkyries. With Scopely out of the way and the Valkyries taking over as the leaders of the Land of Bartow the land, and the region it made up, flourished.

As with any story of absolute power, the absolute power corrupts absolutely which led to many unhappy people across the Land of Bartow. Pockets of resistance began popping up all across the region, but many went ignored by the Valkyries regime. Was it pride, cockiness, or just ignorance that was the reason for this? That much is unclear, but as one rebel group fell two would pop up in their place until one group stood head and shoulders above the rest.

Ironically the group named themselves “Defiance,” and defy the odds they did turning into one of the biggest resistance groups to stand up and fight the Valkyries in all of Bartow. Now that Defiance was finally on the Valkyries radar, was it too late?

Follow Dan, a member of the Valkyries in charge of spying on and keeping tabs over the rebel group, Defiance, during his struggle of what is right, what is wrong, and what is meant to be. When Dan meets a young woman by the name of Kari from across the battlefield can a love grow, and a relationship prosper? Or will it be just like everything else in Bartow? Set up to fail before it started.

Chapter 1       The Rise

The world is darkest just before the sunrise and that was the case in the Land of Bartow on this cold Monday morning in December. The sky was pitch black, but Dan was already awake and ready to start his day. Dan was a member of the Valkyries, a government regime that ruled and ran the Land of Bartow and a regime that has long before Dan had ever been brought into the world. The Valkyries had long-owned the Land of Bartow and they did so by any means necessary, by force, by might and by deceit. The Valkyries leader, Poke, ruled with an iron fist and if anyone ever attempted to stand against him and his regime it was immediate exile and death, it depended on how much he liked you as to which came first.

Dan was relatively new to the Valkyries being a member less than a year, but he felt at home there. He felt happy there. Dan was not the strongest member of the Valkyries nor was he the biggest member either standing with an average height, average weight and containing his average looks. Dan was just that in every way, at least in his own eyes, average. Dan wore his blonde hair short, almost shaved actually, and a neatly trimmed beard that only accentuated his deep blue eyes. Dan had never been one to draw the attention from many, both from the male and the female persuasion, and he didn’t speak much either, but when he did Dan generally commanded the attention of the room. Dan was a leader, through and through, and he not only commanded attention and respect, he demanded it.

This was especially important for Dan as he was recently made a member of the Valkyries council. The council were essentially the leaders of the group that ran both the Valkyries and the Land of Bartow. It was a position of power and a position of prestige among your peers within the community, and it was a job that Dan took very seriously.

As Dan walked out of his home he kissed his two young children, Evan and Hayden, goodbye for the day and went on to work as he had every day for a year prior, but today would be different. It was the day after Christmas and something was just in the air, Dan could feel it.

You are obviously under no obligation to purchase this, especially knowing that this WILL change, and a lot, but if you are interested in the book and want the entire physical copy for yourself you can find the book here. Link below. I am also in the process of adding a digital copy to Kindle and such, but I haven’t made it that far yet. Bear with me and thank you for your continued support.

https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Fall-Valkyries-events-Daniel/dp/1719011427/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528723885&sr=8-1&keywords=the+rise+and+fall+of+the+valkyries&dpID=31jdKqTN2ZL&preST=_SX258_BO1,204,203,200_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Meet a Prospect: Anthony Seigler

The New York Yankees took a switch-hitting, switch-throwing and switch-pitcher named Anthony Seigler with their first-round pick in the 2018 MLB First Year Players Draft. Let’s meet him. This is Meet a Prospect: The Anthony Seigler Edition.

The New York Yankees selected Anthony Seigler with the 23^rd overall pick of the first-round last week in the 2018 MLB Draft out of Cartersville High School in Cartersville, Georgia (which is a shade over an hour away from where I currently live). Seigler was drafted as a catcher by the Yankees despite playing multiple positions in High School including spending time as a starting pitcher.

Seigler is a switch-hitter, which you don’t see very often at the Major League level for catchers anymore, but he is also a switch-pitcher with the ability to throw with both his left and right hands. Remember when the Yankees drafted switch-pitcher Pat Venditte back in the 20^th round in 2008? Well, Seigler could be better than Venditte was ever projected to be.

Baseball America had a lot to say about Seigler before the draft including the fact that Seigler’s pro future was behind the plate as a catcher. BA continues on to say that Seigler is an “impressive receiver and has a strong throwing arm, with pop times that hover around 2.00 seconds in-game.” Seigler has hit well at every level and has definite doubles power that could turn into home run power as he continues to grow and mature into his body, remember he was drafted as a High School kid. Scouts rave about his makeup and personality, which always helps in New York, as well as his toughness. I can see Seigler being an immediate fan-favorite a la Aaron Judge if and when he makes it to the Major League level.

Seigler’s small frame may hinder him from ever seeing the mound with the Yankees standing just 5’11” and weighing in at just 200 lbs., but Luis Severino (6’2” and 215 lbs.) isn’t much bigger, and neither was Pedro Martinez… and that pair did okay. Seigler throws a changeup from the left side and chances his arm slot often while hitting 92 MPH. From the right side Seigler throwing in the high 80-MPH range and relies on deception and control to get opposing batters out.

Seigler decided to forego his commitment to the University of Florida to sign with the Yankees so it will be interesting how the team develops him and where he ends up when he is assigned presumably later this month. Welcome to the organization Anthony, and welcome to the family!

Judge & Stanton Gladly Pay the Power Bill…

Photo Credit: The Canadian Press via AP (Frank Gunn)

Yanks use the Big Bats to finish Road Trip on winning note…

It’s been a very eventful week in the Yankees Universe.  The Yankees completed a two-game sweep of the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario and finished the latest road trip with a 5-1 record. Tommy Kahnle now plays for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Jordan Montgomery undergoes the knife today for his Tommy John surgery, and a number of young, talented prospects potentially begin their journeys to Pinstripes.

Seriously, MLB should option the Baltimore Orioles (19-41) to the International League and call up the RailRiders to replace them in the AL East. The RailRiders are loaded with Major League talent.

It’s been a great road trip (outside of the loss in the second game of Monday’s double-header in Detroit) and last night’s game was incredible. Sonny Gray, wow!  THIS is clearly the guy we’ve been looking for and NEED for an extended October run.  Sonny may not have gotten the win but he was as critical to the win as he has ever been while representing the Yankees. If he had given up just one run last night, the Yankees lose. I am so glad that Masahiro Tanaka was not on the mound as he would have given up at least his obligatory home run to send the Yankees home with a loss. Sonny’s final line was better than any starting pitcher who picked up a win on Wednesday. Eight innings, 99 pitches, two hits, no runs, a couple of walks, and eight strikeouts. The closest winning pitcher was Baltimore’s Dylan Bundy who blanked the New York Mets on three hits over seven innings, but c’mon, he was pitching to the Mets. Nice job, Sonny. Now if you can repeat this performance in Yankee Stadium, life will be good.

I am grateful for Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton for their game-winning home runs in the 13^th inning, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that the Sucks! Award goes to Gary Sanchez. He looked pitiful at the plate.  I was so mad when he swung at a pitch well below the strike zone to end the 11^th inning with Giancarlo Stanton stranded at third. All we needed was a measly single and Gary chases a stupid pitch.  For the game, El Gary was 1-for-6 with two strikeouts. The ground rule double he hit in the top of the 4^th inning allowed him to barely keep his batting average above .200. Aaron Boone keeps saying that Sanchez is close. I hope so because I sure didn’t see that guy last night. 

As for Judge, his two-run homer in the 13^th inning off Blue Jays reliever Joe Biagini made me about as happy as the kid prominently featured in the TV telecast, dancing in the upper deck of Rogers Centre while holding a handwritten “All Rise” sign. 

There was no doubt Judge’s shot was gone, but Stanton’s homer surprised me. He walloped the ball like only Aaron Judge can do and it looked like a line drive to left that might drop in for a single except the ball never dropped. It was a laser shot into the left field stands. It goes to show you that when Stanton does get hot, American League pitchers will be running for cover. 

Unfortunately, despite the win, the Yankees were unable to make up any ground on the Boston Red Sox. The Sox, winners of four-in-a-row, cruised past the Detroit Tigers, 7-1. Boston (43-19) maintained their one game advantage on the Yankees (40-18). It’s amazing the Red Sox and Yankees are the only teams in Major League Baseball with at least 40 wins. As many have said, the Yankees are on a path to 111 wins but if Boston continues its current winning percentage, the Yankees would have to settle for a one-game Wild Card play-off. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Indians hold a relatively comfortable 4.5 game lead in the AL Central and project out to 86 wins and would enter as a division champ.  That’s sick. 

The Yankees have the day off today in preparation for their weekend series with the crosstown Mets. It will be good to see old friend Todd Frazier but I am glad Yankees pitchers have to throw to the Toddfather and not some guy like Miguel Andujar in this series. Friday night’s game will be tough with Masahiro Tanaka scheduled to face Jacob deGrom. Hopefully the Yanks can hold it close to get into the Mets bullpen. I fully expect deGrom to bring his “A” game as there is nothing better than to beat NYC’s best team in New York.  Hopefully Masa was watching Sonny Gray and taking notes.

I haven’t had a chance to gather my thoughts about the Yankees picks in this year’s MLB Draft. I am anxious to read the Meet A Prospect segments by TGP’s Daniel Burch. The Yankees took six catchers including two for their first picks in the first and second rounds (Anthony Seigler and Josh Breaux). Within their first 16 picks, the Yankees took two 6’8” right-handed pitchers (Daniel Bies, 8^th Round, and Derek Craft, 16^th Round). The 11^th round pick, Tanner Myatt, also RHP, is no slouch at 6’7”. The shortest guy in the draft was LHP Dan Metzdorf (5’9”) who was taken in the 38^th round.  Go short people!

I was kind of hoping the Yankees would have selected 3B Triston Casas of American Heritage School in Florida. He had shown up as an option for the Yankees on a few mock draft boards. The Red Sox ended up taking him with the 26^th pick in the first round. I probably would have liked to have seen him go anywhere except Boston. I was also disappointed when the Atlanta Braves chose Stanford’s Tristan Beck, RHP, in the fourth round. Beck had been a late, back-end of the draft selection for the Yankees last year but did not sign. For as much as I’ve been down on former Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens, I was also disappointed when the Detroit Tigers got Roger’s son, Kody, a second baseman, in the third round. 

Lastly, I have to pay my respects to the late St Louis Cardinals great Red Schoendienst who passed away yesterday at age 95. While I am a Yankees fan, I grew up with St Louis as the nearest Major League city and it is where I experienced my first Major League game. While I liked baseball up to that point, I think my first game developed the love I have for the game. 

Wednesday, May 29, 1974…

 

The Los Angeles Dodgers, with future Yankee Tommy John on the mound, were facing the St Louis Cardinals at the old Busch Stadium in St Louis. Bob Gibson was on the hill for the Cards, but more importantly (at least for this post), the manager of the Cardinals was Red Schoendienst. I should have recognized the greatness of the manager in the other dugout (the legendary Walter Alston of the Dodgers) but it was Schoendienst that captured my attention on that day. I can’t even tell you why he was so memorable to me that day. Maybe it was his name. Maybe it was the aura of the Cardinals, a very proud franchise that is second only to the Yankees in history, tradition and World Series wins.

The Dodgers won that game, 5-2, and John was the winning pitcher but I went away from the game with a great appreciation and respect for the Schoendienst-led Cardinals. It probably helped that I got to meet and shake hands with Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan “The Man” Musial but I clearly associated the Cardinals with their manager. 

Schoendienst, a second baseman, played in the Majors for 19 years.  While he spent most of his time with the Cardinals, he also played for the New York Giants and Milwaukee Braves. Red was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. During the course his career in baseball as a player, coach or manager, he wore a Cardinals uniform for 67 out of 74 consecutive years in the game. To this day, I still can’t think of the Cardinals without thinking of Red. 

Farewell to a great St Louis Cardinal and to one of the game’s greatest guys. 

Photo Credit: St Louis Post-Dispatch (Robert Cohen)

The Red Sox have played four more games than the Yankees, thanks to the rainouts, and the Sox play again today. Here’s hoping for a Red Sox loss (finally) against the Tigers. I’d love to end this day with the Yankees only trailing the Sox by a half-game. The Tigers have a decent pitcher on the mound (Matthew Boyd, 3-4, 3.23 ERA) while the Red Sox counter with Jar-Jar Binks, excuse me, I mean Jalen Beeks. 

So, Go Tigers, and as always, Go Yankees!

P.S.  A special wish for a safe and successful surgery for Jordan Montgomery, and the all best for his post-surgery recovery and rehabilitation!