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).

Article Revisit: I Have a Bad Feeling About 2016

Bryan Van Dusen wrote this almost exactly one year ago about the 2016 season. Did he get it right? You have to think he did in a lot of cases so enjoy this article revisit from October of 2015 and check in on the original post HERE. Enjoy.





I want to be optimistic about next season. I really do. This is especially true after the team got my hopes up in the 1st half of the season, only to stumble into the Wild Card game. It also doesn't help that I'm not a patient person. But, alas, I don't have a good feeling about 2016.

"I've been looking through this thing for hours, and I still don't see anything good."

While there are teams that were good, and could very well get better next year, the Yankees are not one of them. Let's face it... the team is unlikely to change.

Let's start by taking a look at players that are either under contract or team control, and will probably be regulars in the starting lineup....

Catcher - Brian McCann
1st Base - Mark Teixeira
3rd Base - Chase Headley
Shortstop - Didi Gregorius
Left Field - Brett Gardner
Center Field - Jacoby Ellsbury
Right Field - Carlos Beltran
Designated Hitter - Alex Rodriguez

The only position that's not set right now is 2nd base, and while anybody would be better than giving Stephen Drew another 428 plate appearances, chances are it won't make much difference.

Drew's bWAR this past season was 0.3, while Ben Zobrist had the highest bWAR among upcoming free agent 2nd basemen at 2.9. For argument's sake, let's say Zobrist would be worth 3 more wins thanks to the upgrade. That would give the Yankees 90 wins, which would probably not be good enough to win the division, leading to another winner-take-all Wild Card game.

No thanks.

Speaking of improving at one position, and the team getting better, you have to assume the other eight hitters produce like they did this past season. That's no certainty.

Carlos Beltran's poor 2014 season for the Yankees was easily his worst since 2005, which could simply mean it was an aberration. But the guy will turn 39 in April. I don't think his best case scenario next year is to be better. No, his best case scenario is to simply not be to be any worse.

Then we have Alex Rodriguez, who may be healthier now than he's been in years. Along with that he might not be as dumb as he once was, either. But you know what would be more surprising than his 2015 season was? Him having a better 2016 season. Again, like Beltran, his best case scenario for next year is probably that he doesn't get worse.

Next we have Mark Teixeira. Sure, Mark is not exactly old, as he'll turn 36 in April. Then again, he's far from being part of the Yankees' youth movement. So I can't really buy into that 146 OPS+ continuing for another season. Mark's slugging percentage was over .500 for the first time since 2009, and that's easily where the largest chunk of his value comes from. If that power goes back to the 2010-2012 levels (average SLG of .484), then we're going to hear much more about his defense next year than his offense.

When it comes to players that are unlikely to improve next year, you can add Brian McCann, Brett Gardner, and Didi Gregorius.

McCann's OPS+ of 107, while better than the 93 he put up last year, was still pretty darn low for him considering the fact that it was 118 the year before joining the Yankees. That might make you think he could be better, but it's hard for me to believe somebody on the wrong side of 30 is going to get better. It's possible, but hard to count on.

Gardner's OPS+ of 105 was lower than the 110 he put up in each of the previous two seasons, but he's actually older than McCann is. Brett's game relies on his legs, and in case you aren't aware, a person's legs tend to get worse as they get older... not better.

I'm a fan of Didi Gregorius, but that doesn't mean I'm fooling myself into thinking he's a future All Star. Despite Yankees fans generally being pleased with their new shortstop, Didi's OPS+ was still only 90. His batting average of .265 was well above the .226 he had in 2014, while his slugging percentage was about the same (.370 vs. .373). So the only place I can see him getting better is in the on-base percentage department, which won't do a whole lot of good when he's hitting at the bottom of the lineup.

But it's not all bad. I believe Chase Headley and Jacoby Ellsbury can hit better.

"I knew he couldn't stay negative for long."

"Hold on, buddy."

The days of Headley finishing in the top 5 of MVP voting are long over with. So while he could improve upon that 92 OPS+ he had this season, it likely won't get much higher than the 101 he put up in 2014. At the same time, there's a good chance Ellsbury's OPS+ is better than the 84 he put up this year, but will probably not get any higher than the 110 he put up the previous season.

So you can take that smug look of yours and... use your imagination.

I think that about covers the offensive side of things. So how about the starting rotation?

The good news is that the starting rotation for next season already has plenty of options... Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, CC Sabathia, Nathan Eovaldi, Luis Severino, Ivan Nova, Adam Warren, Bryan Mitchell. Yeah, I said it has plenty of options. I didn't say those options make for a strong rotation.

I will admit to feeling pretty good about Masahiro Tanaka and Luis Severino. However, those guys are not a strong 1-2 at the top of the rotation. Don't get me wrong, they aren't bad up there, but you have to wonder what will happen with Severino after the league sees him a little more. Plus, Tanaka's strikeout rate went down quite a bit (9.3 K/9 in 2014 to 8.1 K/9 in 2015).

Despite having an ERA of 5.80 in the second half, I think Michael Pineda should be a solid starter next season. Will he be a #2 like some of us thought going into this season? I'm not holding out a ton of hope. But I believe he'd make a really good #4.

Those three guys would make me comfortable in the 2-4 spots in the rotation, but as of now we're looking at 1-3. Which leaves the last two spots for Sabathia (2015: 4.73 ERA), Nova (2015: 5.07 ERA), Mitchell (5.13 ERA in his MLB career, and only 3 starts), Eovaldi (has given up 10 or more hits per 9 innings in his past two seasons), and Warren.

I'm going to give Adam Warren his own paragraph, because he may very well be the only player on the 2016 Yankees that actually helps make the team better. Adam's got a 3.98 ERA in 20 MLB starts. Now, his strikeout rate is a tad low as a starter (6.4 K/9), but I think it may be time to see what the guy can do. Heck, he's already 28 years old, so it's time to put up or shut up with him.

Oh, and speaking of pitcher, I loved reading about Jeff Samardzija. Not because I think he's awesome, but because the Division Series has just started. Let's at least wait until the World Series is over before we start spreading rumors around.

The fact of the matter is that unless Brian Cashman is able to trade away an outfielder to open up a spot for somebody like Jason Heyward, along with making room for even a Jeff Samardzija or... oh would this be nice... David Price, then you're unlikely to see me be very optimistic before Opening Day.

I'm sure to try, as the Yankees may only add another reliever or two, but a stronger bullpen is not going to turn this team from one that barely makes the postseason to one that is a true World Series contender.

"So, Mr. Cashman... are you up to the challenge?"

Article Revisit: Since the Alex Rodriguez Farewell Tour May Never Come

So when I wrote this I fully expected this discussion to never really come up, not anytime soon anyway. This article was written more as a jab at the retiring Red Sox DH more so than to Alex but now that Alex will play his final game of his career against the Tampa Bay Rays I feel like we should revisit this article because now it has meaning. Now Alex is leaving to become a special advisor and member of the Yankees front office and his playing days are all but numbered so just in case the Alex Rodriguez farewell tour never comes, one last time, I’ll give him one today. Enjoy. 

Originally written HERE on March 25, 2016

If you’ve been paying attention to Alex Rodriguez specifically, the New York Yankees at all or Major League Baseball in general then you know why there may never be a farewell retirement tour for slugger and steroid user Alex Rodriguez. While Rodriguez may have finally put it all together and figured it all out some people refuse or absolutely cannot leave the past where it belongs, in the past. There were multiple steroid allegations and admissions and multiple lawsuits that came associated with these allegations and admissions including Rodriguez suing the Yankees team doctor Dr. Chris Ahmad and the MLB Players Union that is entrusted with protecting him and his best interest. A lot can happen between now and the end of the 2017 season, look at how far Alex has come in the hearts and minds of many just last season, but since the Alex Rodriguez Farewell Tour may never come to fruition in 2017 I wanted to go ahead and get our ceremony out of the way now.


Who didn’t see the framed Centaur picture joke coming? If you didn’t, you should have. Centaur framed photo etched in gold. Either that or the picture of him kissing himself in the mirror. Why not? You have to laugh at yourself in this world.


On a serious note though I think Alex always wanted to be a true leader, a true Yankee and a captain. Give the man the captain for a day. Yes, I know how some feel about him and yes I know this will be unpopular as a decision but it’s just for a day. Let him know what it feels like. Especially if he has a 2016 and 2017 season like he had in 2015 both on and off the field, in and out of the clubhouse.


Alex donated his $6 million home run milestone bonus to charity in 2015 when he tied Willie Mays on the all-time home run list inside Fenway Park. Alex showed a good faith gesture to the team and proved that he could follow the Yankee way. Give it back, give it back in a donation to his children’s softball team or the Boys and Girls Club or something.





Finally I would give Alex a 2017 World Series ring, wait…. He’s going to give that to us.

Article Revisit: Is Robert Refsnyder Now Trade Bait?

http://www.thegreedypinstripes.com/2014/12/robert-refsnyder-now-trade-bait.html

Not so long ago I was down and out thinking that my favorite prospect Robert Refsnyder was destined to be trade bait in New York, so I wrote about it. Then Brian Cashman traded Martin Prado and others to Miami thus opening the door for either Refsnyder and/or Jose Pirela only to close the door shut again with a Stephen Drew signing. Is Refsnyder now trade bait, again, or am I simply overreacting? You be the judge because I know, and fully admit, that my fandom and my attachment to prospects gets in the way sometimes. 

Writing this blog feels like filling out the paperwork on a death certificate for me but I think it has to be done. I truly do believe that the signing of Chase Headley may have unofficially ended the tenure in pinstripes for Robert Refsnyder. Refsnyder overall is major league ready, although obviously his defense and footwork at second base could use some work, and is now blocked at his natural position of second base for two years behind Martin Prado, his second position in right field for two years behind Carlos Beltran and now third base is blocked for at least four years with Headley. The Yankees need pitching and the team thinks pretty highly of Jose Pirela and that’s not a great combination for Refsnyder.

Players will get hurt this season and the Yankees will need an infielder at some point which is a given but the signings of Nick Noonan and Cole Figueroa point towards there being “plenty” of depth in the system. The fact that Pirela and Prado can play everywhere along with Brendan Ryan being pretty versatile himself truly helps the team and hurts Mr. Refsnyder.

Barring a big time signing like a Max Scherzer or a James Shields or another acquisition for a starting pitcher via trade or free agency I worry about the future of Refsnyder in pinstripes. I have beat the drums for Refsnyder’s call up for months now and the beating and the candles may be all for nothing if the Yankees don’t solidify that rotation and fast. A Refsnyder and Romine deal makes sense to the Yankees I just hope that it isn’t enough elsewhere.

Stay tuned…

Article Revisit: Sergio Romo

With the loss of David Robertson to the New York Yankees bullpen still heavy on my heart for some reason I attempted to move on and consider viable backup options for the former Yankees closer. I was going through the TGP archive and I found an article I had written on November, 19 of this year and the article still makes a lot of sense. You may even be able to go as far as to cross out Shawn Kelley’s name in the article and insert Robertson’s in. Thoughts? Here’s the article:

Sergio Romo's free agency this winter can be described in about three sentences or less making him an interesting bullpen option for the Yankees and a viable backup option in case David Robertson decides to sign elsewhere. Let's take a look at those three sentences to see if he makes sense for the Yankees.

1. Romo has closed out all three rounds of the National League playoffs including the World Series, clutch comes to mind.

2. Romo had a not so great start to the 2014 season but pitched lights out when it matters posting a 1.29 ERA in October to go along with his career 2.59 ERA with the Giants.

3. Romo is better than Shawn Kelley.

http://www.thegreedypinstripes.com/2014/11/sergio-romo-defined-in-three-sentences.html

Brian Cashman Wants to Emulate Kansas City’s Bullpen, That Sounds Familiar

Late last week and into the weekend we all digested the YES Network’s interview that the awesome Jack Curry had with Yankees GM Brian Cashman and now we get to pick it apart this week. In the interview Cashman stated that re-signing David Robertson was the team’s top priority this offseason. The reasoning behind putting Robertson ahead of a Chase Headley or a replacement shortstop was that Cashman wanted to use the Kansas City Royals shutdown bullpen from 2014 as a model to build their bullpen after in 2015 and beyond. Boy does that sound familiar.

Remember HERE when I said the same exact thing last month? If not there then what about HERE? Or HERE? I am in no way suggesting that Cashman reads my stuff or gets his ideas from me but it is refreshing that maybe a good decision is on the way for once. Many around Twitter and such see no reason to keep Robertson around when Dellin Betances is going “to be the next Mariano Rivera circa 1997” but I see Robertson as a huge asset that would not be replaced as easily as John Wetteland was after 1996.

I said all that to say this, good work Cashman. Bring the team the best bullpen you can and turn these games into five or six inning games for the starters. It’s 2015 and the New York Yankees may finally be acting like it. 

Article Revisit: Alex Rodriguez & First Base In 2015

With the talk of Alex Rodriguez playing first base for the Yankees in 2015 I wanted to take a look at a poll we ran on Twitter earlier in the season. Rodriguez has already talked to Joe Girardi about the possibility so it may be coming to the Bronx after all. Here is the original post.

The Yankees may ask Alex Rodriguez to learn first base this winter... thoughts?
— Greedy Pinstripes (@GreedyStripes) September 10, 2014

Along with out TGP Daily Poll we also went to Twitter and asked if the New York Yankees should let Alex Rodriguez learn the first base position in 2015 and we got some interesting responses. Check out just a few of what the fellow Yankee fans think about the situation.

@GreedyStripes is think it's a tactic to make him uncomfortable and more willing to take a buyout.
— Funkasaurus (@Pretefunkera) September 10, 2014

Gotta love conspiracy theories...

@GreedyStripes He's not playing 3b anymore so why not. Should get used to RF as well.
— MoRings42 (@MoRings42) September 10, 2014

He does have a strong throwing arm... interesting.

@GreedyStripes ok then I'm also on board if that means we keep Headley
— Fifa Khalifa (@C_Fount) September 10, 2014

The true motive for any potential move in my opinion.

I quit. “@GreedyStripes: The Yankees may ask Alex Rodriguez to learn first base this winter... thoughts?”
— Bentton LaFontaine (@TheBrooklynLife) September 10, 2014

I literally laughed, probably because he was serious.

@GreedyStripes if he's on the team it's not the worst idea. He's more valuable if he's more versatile
— Tony Zeppieri (@ZeppieriTony) September 10, 2014

I love optimism.

@C_Fount @GreedyStripes I don't want to deal with that clown next year , I can't stomach the sight of that sonofabitch
— Mr. Wolf (@BigBadWolf_1) September 10, 2014

Speaking of optimism...

These are just a few of the answers we got. What do you think? Leave us a comment in the comments section of the site and let us know. Also be sure to follow us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes and we may include your tweet next time!

Article Revisit: Yankees Need A Fourth Outfielder

A few weeks back we discussed the need for a fourth outfielder in New York after the injury to Carlos Beltran and Ichiro Suzuki coming back down to Earth. We mentioned, once again before anyone else, that Alex Rios would be a good fit that could fit into the Yankees plans and budget. Now that the rumors around Rios joining the Yankees are in full tilt let's take a look back at where it all began, right here on TGP:

Going into the 2014 season the New York Yankees had too many outfielders and not enough positions to accommodate. Here we are at the end of July in the same season and the Yankees don't have enough outfielders to make a real run at a division title or a Wild Card. You really can't predict baseball Suzyn.

The Yankees started the season essentially with Brett Gardner as their left fielder, Jacoby Ellsbury manning center, Carlos Beltran as your right fielder, Alfonso Soriano as your full time designated hitter, and Ichiro Suzuki on the bench. Three months later you still have your mainstays in Gardner and Ellsbury but a bone spur has Beltran limited to DH only starts, Soriano is not on the team anymore, and Ichiro is essentially your every day right fielder.

The problem is Ichiro is a singles only hitter and has been exposed lately as an every day player. The Yankees don't seem comfortable with Beltran in the outfield at all this season and Ichiro is not going to cut it everyday, the Yankees need an outfielder. Since the Yankees won't call up Robert Refnsnyder and seem unwilling to call up Zoilo Almonte, Adonis Garcia, or Jose Pirela New York may instead turn their attention to the Texas Rangers Alex Rios.

Rios, at the time of writing this, is batting .302/.330/.405 with only four home runs and 16 stolen bases. Rios defense has actually been better than Ichiro's this season and his right handed bat would compliment the lineup well. The biggest issue is a six team no trade clause that is written into Rios' contract that includes the Yankees. Rios is in the last year of a monster deal but there is a team option for the 2015 season worth $13.5 million with a $1 million buyout.

The Yankees and the Rangers start a four game series tonight in Yankee Stadium and will play seven times before the trading deadline which is a perfect showcase for Rios and the Yankees. Will the Yankees make it happen? Stay tuned...

Hall of Fame Profile: Lou Gehrig - Article Revisit

This was originally posted by our writer, and my very good friend, Bryan Knepper back in April of 2013, seen here, and we bring it back to you for Lou Gehrig Bobblehead Day at Yankee Stadium. Enjoy the post as we enjoy Gehrig's career and accomplishments today in the Bronx and all across Major League Baseball on July 4th.

The second player inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Yankee was Lou Gehrig.

Full Name: Henry Louis Gehrig (Ludwig Heinrich Gehrig)

Born: June 19, 1903  Died: June 2, 1941

Nickname(s): The Iron Horse, Buster, Biscuit Pants

Hall of Fame Induction: 1939 (by special election...results were not reported)

Teams Played for: New York Yankees (1923-1939)

Retired Jersey: #4 by the New York Yankees in 1939 (the first number to be retired in MLB history)

Career Statistics (courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com):

Batting Average: .340 (17th all-time)

On-Base %: .447 (5th all-time)

Slugging %: .632 (3rd all-time)

OPS: 1.080 (3rd all-time)

HR: 493 (26th all-time)

RBI: 1992 (5th all-time)

Runs: 1888 (11th all-time)

Hits: 2721 (59nd all-time)

2B: 534 (34th all-time)

BB: 1508 (17th all-time)

WAR: 112.6 (18th all-time)
Grand Slams: 23 (tied for 1st with Alex Rodriguez)

MVPs: (2) 1927, 1936 <8x voted in the top-5>
All-Star Appearances: (7) 1933-1939
Uncommonly Known Fact: Lou was a pitcher for Columbia when he was signed by the Yankees.

----------------------------------

Lou Gehrig, the "Iron Horse" made his debut with the New York Yankees as a 19-year old in 1923 in the "House that Ruth Built."  The two were forever linked as part of the famed 1927 Murderer's Row and The Babe was there on the day that Lou's career ended in 1939 for one of the most famous sentences spoken in public in history.  In between his debut and the disease named for him that ended his baseball career and shortly thereafter his life, he played in 2,130 games consecutively garnering the "Iron Horse" moniker.

In his first 2 seasons with the Yanks, he only made 23 appearances as he would play for minor league Hartford for most of 1923 and 1924.  He wasn't on the roster for the Yankees first World Series title, but would make an impact in 1925 batting .295 with 20 home runs as a rookie in 437 at-bats.  The 1925 season would also usher in his streak of 2,130 games played beginning on June 1, 1925 and ending on April 30, 1939.  This streak would stand until Cal Ripken, Jr would break it in 1995.  Lou's breakout season would be 1926, in which he compiled some pretty mind-blowing numbers for a 23-year old: a .313 batting average, 135 runs scored, 179 hits, 47 doubles, 20 triples, 16 home runs, and 109 RBI.  This is just another reason why the #23 is so important to this Yankees fan.

The numbers put up by the AL MVP Gehrig in 1927 could quite possibly be the greatest offensive year ever had by a Major Leaguer.  His numbers as the anchor in the Murderer's Row were as such: a .373 batting average, 149 runs scored, 218 hits, 52 doubles, 18 triples, 47 home runs, 175 RBI (a new MLB record), and 447 total bases (3rd all-time). He compiled a .765 slugging percentage and a 1.240 ops that season.  In the World Series that year, he helped the 110-win regular season Yankees sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates with a .308 average, 2 triples, 4 RBI, and a 1.158 ops.

The next 2 times the Yankees would be in the World Series, Gehrig would prove to be the dominant force in sweeps over St. Louis in 1928 and the Chicago Cubs in 1932 batting .545 with 4 home runs, 9 rbi, and a 2.433 ops in 1928 and .529 with 3 home runs, 8 rbi, and a 1.718 ops.  These stats would help him compile a career postseason triple slash of .361 / 10 / 35 in 119 at-bats against the best competition in baseball.  There was a reason the Yankees won 6 World Series titles from 1927-1938, and it was Lou Gehrig.  From 1930 to 1932, Gehrig compiled a record 509 runs batted in.  No one has ever combined for that many RBI in ANY 3 seasons of their career, let alone in 3 consecutive years.  He also hit 23 grand slams in his 17-year career, a record that stood by itself until just recently when fellow New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez tied it.  Gehrig would become the first player of the "modern era" to hit 4 home runs in a game coming against the Philadelphia Athletics on June 3, 1932.  He would have had 5 home runs that day had Al Simmons missed a ball that was caught over the wall.

The 1938 season was below average for Gehrig as his numbers diminished to a .295 batting average (down from .351 in 1937), 29 home runs, and 114 RBI.  He made comments to the fact that he felt slower and not himself.  On May 2, 1939 after going hitless, Gehrig took himself out of a game, which would be the first he had not played in since June 1st of 1925.  On a trip to Chicago, he would visit the famed Mayo clinic in Rochester, MN where he would later be diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis  (ALS), which is commonly known today as "Lou Gehrig's Disease."  He would never play in another baseball game and would die from the disease on June 2, 1941.  On July 4, 1939, the Iron Horse was honored by the New York Yankees in front of an emotional crowd in which he spoke his famous "luckiest man on the face of the earth" speech.  He was joined by his beloved teammate Babe Ruth who would later succomb to cancer and join Gehrig in the afterlife.  Below is the full speech given by Lou that day:

"Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans. Look at these grand men.

Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I’m lucky. Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I'm lucky.

When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift — that’s something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies — that’s something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter — that's something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so that you can have an education and build your body — it's a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed — that's the finest I know.

So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for. Thank you."

-------

Sources: 

1. Baseball-Reference.com: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gehrilo01.shtml

2. Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Gehrig

Article Revisit: Yankees Bring Back Tino Martinez?

Should The Yankees Bring Back Tino Martinez?

Let us be clear here before we get started that this is pure speculation and I have nothing to back this up. With that said one of our friends in twitter, because he is more than just a follower, @thisguygd posted the hash tag #BringBackTino and that is not that bad of an idea.

I know the Yankees brass said they wanted to bring back the entire coaching staff, including hitting coach Kevin Long, and have already made good on that promise bringing manager Joe Girardi and pitching coach Larry Rothschild but should we explore the idea of Tino back in pinstripes? This is not one of those posts where Long should get the axe because the team couldn't hit a lick, I understand he far exceeded expectations considering what he was given, I am more going along the line of change for change sake. Unless of course you are convince that Mark Reynolds improved that much under Long then by all means keep him.

Kevin is long, see what I did there, considered to be this hitting guru but holes are beginning to be exposed in that boat. He may be a good hitting coach, and honesty I think he is, but I think it's time to see what someone else can do. Long has not done enough to make him close to irreplaceable like Girardi did and the thought of having a former Yankee during the dynasty years back on the team excites me, even for nostalgia reasons. 

I don't feel compelled to speak on the whole Miami Marlins incident because first and foremost I do not like to Derek on the past much. Secondly I know I do not know Tino personally but without a history of anything like this being known public I personally believe this was an isolated incident and that it will not happen again. Finally I just don't care and I cannot be more honest than that.

This is not a bashing Kevin Long post and it's not a praising Martinez as the messiah post, it's just something to think about. Happy Friday everyone and Go Yankees! 

This was post was originally posted HERE. 

I've Asked For Kendrys Morales Since January 2012

I posted THIS article in January of 2012 asking for the Yankees to go ahead and get Kendrys Morales.

Then I posted THIS article in July of 2013 asking once again for Morales.

Finally I posted THIS article in January of 2014 once again asking for Morales.

Mark Teixeira is missing time for the second time this week and third or fourth time this season due to soreness and pain in his surgically repaired wrist. Carlos Beltran is ailing, although attempting a comeback, with a bone spur in his elbow.

The Yankees backup option for Teixeira has been everyone from Beltran, Brendan Ryan, Brian McCann, and Kelly Johnson to name a few(yes I realize none of them are traditional first basemen).  The Yankees have plugged in Alfonso Soriano into right field and have left a hole in the DH spot, which is important with the team scuffling offensively and struggling to score runs.

Want to kill two birds with one check? Sign Morales, for real this time.

Article Revisit: Juan Francisco To The Yankees?

                                  

On March, 8 of this year I posed the question whether the Yankees should go after Juan Francisco or not. The Brewers cut him out of spring training and he eventually went on to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays so the point is moot now but it's still fun to go back and look. HERE is the original article.

We all heard and read that the Brewers were among the teams scouting the Yankees excess catching depth recently. Milwaukee is said to be dangling Rickie Weeks or Aramis Ramirez but why not Juan Francisco? I think we could use Francisco more for a plethora of reasons, especially if it only costs Austin Romine or John Ryan Murphy.

Francisco would give us another power hitter in the lineup and a huge bat coming off the bench from the left side of the plate. Francisco split time with the Brewers and the Atlanta Braves last season and hit 18 home runs in 348 at bats, that's a home run every 19 at bats for those without a calculator. Over a 162 game season that ranks 11th best in the American League, who couldn't use that?

Francisco also gives us a legitimate backup at both third base and first base. He won't win a Gold Glove award at either position but he is probably a better candidate than Alfonso Soriano at first and Eduardo Nunez at third base defensively right now.

Francisco also looks like he is the odd man out on the Brewers roster thanks to former Yankees Lyle Overbay and Mark Reynolds signing deals with Milwaukee over the winter. The Brewers have excess infielders and we need infielders, the Brewers need a backup catcher and we have more than a couple. Let's make a deal Brian Cashman.

The very first comment on the post was, to paraphrase, that we don't need Francisco. The poster stated that he doesn't hit well and his glove did not make up for the lack of hitting. I believe an exact quote was "we have enough DH's."

Juan Francisco through play on 5/11:

.268/.361/.535 with five home runs and a 1.000 fielding percentage at first base and third base.

Imagining The Worst Case Scenario For 2014: Part 2

Apparently I am feeling a bit nostalgic today as I have been posting 2013 highlight videos and already have one article revisit up this morning so why not another, right? In this article revisit I once again looked at what the Yankees would do if they lost Andy Pettitte, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Robinson Cano in the same offseason, article SEEN HERE, and it looks like we almost got that scenario down. I feel obligated to re-post as I mentioned quite a few names on here that the Yankees actually got thus cementing the fact that a combination of Brian Cashman, Hal Steinbrenner, and Randy Levine read my stuff.
Enjoy!

Imagining The Worst Case Scenario For 2014: Part 2

Let's start off with the pitching because I believe, and I cannot believe I am saying this, that this will be the easiest of the holes to plug this season. The Yankees will be without two of their starting pitchers and the greatest closer of all time the day the World Series ends and will have five days to offer all three of them a qualifying offer. Now like I said Mariano Rivera is going to retire and so is Andy Pettitte and Hiroki Kuroda is either going to come back, jump ship to the Los Angeles Dodgers, or go back home to finish his career in Japan so how do we rebuild and retool? The Yankees pencil in a starting rotation that looks something like CC Sabathia, Michael Pineda, Ivan Nova, Vidal Nuno, and David Phelps in no particular order and that is not going to fly with the fans or in the American League East. The Yankees will add at least one veteran to the fold and I have a couple guys in mind in Hiroki Kuroda, the obvious choice regardless of running out of steam in August and September now two years in a row, or Matt Garza. The Yankee also need to at least make a run at Masahiro Tanaka and exorcise the demons left by Kei Igawa and Hideki Irabu.

It is never a good recipe for success if you have to rebuild the entire left side of your infield in one off season especially if you have to also replace your second basemen in the same off season. With the loss of these three infielders the Yankees would take a huge hit not only on the offensive side but the defensive side as well. The Yankees problem is only compounded because of the lack of suitable replacements already on the roster after lackluster years from David Adams, Eduardo Nunez, Jayson Nix, and Corban Joseph to name a few. The Yankees, in my opinion, should go after a mixture of youth along with veteran leadership with a little bit of versatility sprinkled in. Enter Michael Young, Kelly Johnson, Mark Reynolds, and Brendan Ryan. This year the ONLY good short stop we had was Brendan Ryan, I hate to say that but it is true, and I see no reason why he cannot be back in 2014. Sure we are sacrificing offense for defense but we have a few other positions that I will touch on in a minute that can be upgraded and hide this automatic out. Michael Young can play all over the infield, is a good right handed bat, and would be the perfect fit for the Yankees. He could play second base one day, third base the next, and really give the Yankees some options to mix and match with someone like a Mark Reynolds. Reynolds has done well this season with a little reported help from Kevin Long and if he is willing to come back on a reduced role then he absolutely has a spot on my field and on my bench. Enter Kelly Johnson the man that nobody wants to be, the man that essentially replaces Robinson Cano. While looking at potential second basemen I wanted to look at guys who could hit for a little power and not be a huge loss defensively at second and the guy that stood out was Johnson. Kelly has the potential to put up 20 home runs in a season, maybe more as a left handed batter in Yankees Stadium, with a batting average around .275 for about $25,000,000 less than Robinson Cano will probably get in 2014. That is all without mentioning that Johnson has had a positive WAR every season he has been in the majors, he is taken away from the rival Tampa Bay Rays, and has experience playing second base, left field, third base, first base, and other outfield positions in his career. Signing Johnson allows him to move all over the field and significantly lessens the loss of Robinson Cano with a healthy and productive season, and please notice I did not say replace Robinson Cano because NOBODY is replacing Cano.

The Yankees need to get the most out of every single player at every single position to make up for these deficiencies and that is where I begin my navigation this off season. I refuse to sugar coat it because I simply cannot sugar coat it, our catchers sucked this year after Francisco Cervelli wen't down with a right hand injury. I am not convinced that Cervelli's production this year was caused by any kind of illegal substances, although I could be wrong, but I am not quite sure we want the guy around anyway with the media circus that is sure to follow. I would explore a trade for Cervelli but ultimately I see Cervelli simply released and let go while we keep Austin Romine for the back up catcher position. I know you are waiting for the upgrade here so enter Brian McCann who I personally think we can get four or five good years out of giving the likes of Gary Sanchez plenty of time behind the dish to develop. McCann's left handed swing is made for Yankees Stadium and he is no slouch behind the plate or at controlling the running game. Between a mixture of former catcher Joe Girardi and Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long I think we may see more of the younger version of Brian McCann more than the catcher slowly trotting out of his prime. This would obviously be plan number one and the biggest upgrade that we could make at the catcher position and offensively. Oh and you noticed I did not mention Chris Stewart here? Eff Chris Stewart!

The Yankees are going to need a ton of production out of their designated hitter position this year and cannot afford a DH only type like we did with Travis Hafner this season and Raul Ibanez last season. What we need is someone who can smash the ball but also give the outfield guys a nice rotation so we are not over using the likes of Brett Gardner and Alfonso Soriano. What I present is two options that can do that, obviously one more so than the other, in Kendrys Morales and Cuban defector Jose Dariel Abreu. Both Morales and Abreu can fill in time at first base giving Mark Teixeira a day off or can be "full time" DH positional players and coincidentally are both made from the same mold. Obviously Morales is the more complete player and has less question marks that come with him so he would be the obvious choice here but Abreu and his youth and young bat and legs would not be a bad addition either, low average and strike outs and all. If we did not get one of these two players for the DH spot I think we would be in a ton of trouble offensively next season so I would make this near the top of my priority list.

The Yankees searched for an outfielder all season long in 2013 before finally pulling the trigger on a trade with the Chicago Cubs bringing Alfonso Soriano back home to the Bronx. The outfield may actually be "set" with little wiggle room and flexibility to make any moves and improvements. Soriano is going to be your Opening Day let fielder, Brett Gardner is your lead off man and center fielder, and some sort of combination of Ichiro Suzuki, Vernon Wells, and Zoilo Almonte will seemingly man right field.  The Yankees could conceivably simply cut Vernon Wells for a $0 luxury tax hit if we think a Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Morse, Rajai Davis, Curtis Granderson, Shin-Soo Choo, Corey Hart, or Nelson Cruz type could be an upgrade. While Davis is a big stolen base threat, Choo hits righties well but is dismal against south paws, Ellsbury is considered injury prone and has been sucked of all his power the last couple of years, Cruz should come cheap coming off a steroid suspension and Hart as well coming off of an injury, why not just bring back Curtis Granderson? Granderson missed a huge chunk of the 2013 season due to bad luck injuries, hit by pitch injuries, and should come cheaper than a qualifying offer on a one or two year deal which is perfect for the Yankees. He is going to strike out a ton and will probably never hit for a huge average but it is hard to shy away from 40+ home run power on a suddenly offensively anemic team. Zoilo would simply replace Wells on the depth chart and would add versatility with added speed, young legs, and a switch hitter into the lineup.

Here is what the roster would look like after this retool and rebuild:

C: Brian McCann

1B: Mark Teixeira

2B: Kelly Johnson

SS: Brendan Ryan

3B: Michael Young

LF: Alfonso Soriano

CF: Brett Gardner

RF: Ichiro Suzuki

DH: Kendrys Morales/Jose Abreu

BN: Austin Romine

BN: Zoilo Almonte

BN: Eduardo Nunez

BN: Mark Reynolds

SP: CC Sabathia

SP: Ivan Nova

SP: Michael Pineda

SP: David Phelps

SP: Hiroki Kuroda/ Masahiro Tanaka/ Matt Garza

CP: David Robertson

SU: Shawn Kelley

RP: Cesar Cabral

RP: Preston Claiborne

RP: Dellin Betances

RP: Vidal Nuno

LR: David Huff/ David Phelps

With these additions and moves I think the Yankees can be just as good, if not better, than the 2013 version we are watching right now. I know that most of you reading this will not be happy with another 89-92 win team in 2014 but you have to remember the hypothetical that we lose Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Alex Rodriguez. Also you have to remember that the team can look a whole lot different on August 1st then it did on April 1st. Speaking of that whole July 31st and August 31st trading deadline...

To be continued....

Robinson Cano Someone Else's $300 Million Man

Here is an article revisit from just a couple weeks ago on November, 24 about how Robinson Cano was set to be the next $300 million man, just for somebody else SEEN HERE. Well while Cano only got $240 million from the Seattle Mariners the premise of the post remains the same. I kind of feel like a prophet, yes I am being semi-sarcastic, as I wrote a post back in September before Andy Pettitte announced his retirement laying out a plan for our worst case scenario that if Andy, Mariano Rivera Pettitte, and Derek Jeter retired along with Cano walking away in free agency and Alex Rodriguez being suspended. PART 1, PART 2, and PART 3 laid out a plan that included signing Brian McCann, Kelly Johnson, Curtis Granderson (whoops), and bulking up the pitching staff. Sound familiar?

Here is the article:

The more and more I read about this debacle that is going to be the New York Yankees and Robinson Cano negotiating thing the more I am thinking that we should just let Cano get his way and get his $300 million 10 year contract, with someone else.

Think of it this way is Robbie ever going to be able to live up to that kind of contract, probably not, and he is going to be vilified for holding out and being greedy, something we can appreciate here. Cano thought he was doing good putting Jay Z on the map as a sports agent but in reality, if this remains on the same path that it has been on, Mr. Shawn Carter is simply going to bring Cano down with him. I already hear the clamoring from Yankees fans on Twitter to simply let Cano go and spend that money elsewhere and it got me thinking that the Yankees would probably be better off if Cano left anyway to be honest. Let’s put this is dollar terms because most people understand those the best, Robinson Cano wants 10 years and $300 million to be a lifetime Yankees player. What could the Yankees do with $300 million to improve the team if they did not have Cano in the fold for 2014 and beyond you ask? Let’s look…

Obviously the first question is who would replace Cano on the roster at second base, take your pick. We have been interested in Stephen Drew, Jhonny Peralta, Omar Infante, Kelly Johnson, we could trade for Dan Uggla on the cheap, the options are plenty. None of them will be as good as Cano but none of them, outside of probably Drew, will cost more than $20-$25 million on a short term deal in my opinion. The Braves are willing to eat a ton of salary off of Uggla’s contract to get him moved and would require very little in terms of prospects to acquire him. Uggla seems like the type of trade that the Yankees and Brian Cashman specialize in and usually win taking on salary for prospects that I, a self-professed “prospect humper,” have never even heard of or know about. Omar Infante would be nice because he hit’s for a great average and has a nice glove to go with it but as a Plan B if the Yankees are willing to look at a Raul Ibanez return simply for some pop in the lineup then Dan Uggla would suit us just fine in Yankee Stadium.

Running tally - $25 million for Infante/Peralta and around $10 million for Uggla

*note - this was written and scheduled before McCann signed for $85-$100 million last night*

If the Yankees take less production at second base then they will have to upgrade elsewhere to make up for it and why not start where we had our worst production in 2013, the catcher position. Enter Brian McCann and ignore the rumors that McCann is getting $100 million because he isn’t. When are people going to learn that free agents ask for the moon at the beginning of free agency, teams low ball, and they generally meet in the middle. NO ONE is going to give McCann $100 million on the wrong side of 30 coming off of multiple years of injuries, NOBODY. The Yankees could get him somewhere in the range of five years and $75-$80 million, not that I want it to go that high and for that many years but I am trying to be realistic, and give guys like Gary Sanchez plenty of time to develop in the minors and gives us the opportunity to DH McCann in years four and five.

Running tally - $105 million

The Yankees got crap for production out of third base last year as well before the return of Alex Rodriguez, and this is assuming that he is suspended for most or all of the 2013 season, so why not make that out next priority? Enter Jhonny Peralta who we learned is seeking a four or five year deal in the $56-$75 million dollar range. Peralta has had up and down numbers over his career, especially recently, but can play both the shortstop position and the third base position which adds depth and versatility. Peralta has the potential to hit 20+ home runs, and did in big stadiums like the one in Detroit, and can hit at the top, in the middle, or at the bottom of a lineup. If the Yankees need a substantial upgrade from their 2013 production then the man from Detroit, Biogenesis ties or not, should be our man.

Running tally – $180 million

The Yankees need a big shot in the arm in right field because the Vernon Wells and Ichiro Suzuki duo is not going to cut it. What we need is a guy like Corey Hart or even Carlos Beltran If he comes off his high horse named “four year deal” at age 37. Hart and Beltran are scary identical when you look at their stats the last three or so years, obviously not counting Hart’s lost 2013 season, and when you look at their games and their baggage they are similar as well. Both have concerns with knee issues and a history of injuries, both play right field although Hart could fill in at first base and give the Yankees the opportunity to rotate their outfield again like they did last year, and both should be signing shorter term deals. The difference between the two is money as Beltran will probably receive a $15 million AAV over the course of his contract where I believe we could get Hart for somewhere around $8 million AAV. I would even be willing to go two years on Hart if that was what kept him from returning to Milwaukee in 2014.

Running tally - $188 million

The pitching is going to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and either makes us or breaks us in 2014.  Enter Masahiro Tanaka who, not counting the posting fee, is going to cost in upwards of $75 – $90 million. There is no way Tanaka is going to go back to Japan for 2014 and it may take a while, much longer then we expected, but he will be posted ultimately at the end of the day. With teams like the Texas Rangers spending big money and posting themselves out of the Tanaka sweepstakes it can only be good news for us the longer we can be patient.

The Yankees are looking for two pitchers and, for the sake of keeping these numbers under the $300 million that Cano is asking for, my thought process is the Yankees will have to sign a Kuroda type one year veteran deal to shore up the rotation. Enter Roy Halladay who not so long ago was the best pitcher in the world. He did not look like himself for much of last year but seemed to get better with every start and stronger with every start which I think is important. I think on a one year deal in the neighborhood of $10 million gets the job done and gets us an absolute steal and upgrade for the rotation.

Running tally with Tanaka- $278 million

Running tally with Roy Halladay- $288 million

So for the low low price of $288 million we could improve our team in five or so different areas as opposed to giving Robinson Cano a mega deal that does not improve us whatsoever over the 85 win team that we all saw in 2013. That also gives you an extra $12 million to throw Joe Nathan's way if you are silly enough to believe that David Robertson is not ready to replace Mariano Rivera as the Yankees closer.

 Take a look at the rotation and the starting lineup we would throw out there as well:

Brett Gardner

Derek Jeter

Mark Teixeira

Alfonso Soriano

Brian McCann

Corey Hart

Jhonny Peralta

Ichiro Suzuki

Omar Infante/Dan Uggla

CC Sabathia

Masahiro Tanaka

Roy Halladay

Ivan Nova

Michael Pineda

The longer this goes on and the longer that this drags out the more I believe that Robby Cano is going to be the next $300 million man, just not for us.