Opportunity Calls, Clint Frazier Answers...

Photo Credit: Gail Burton/AP

Yankees Overcome O’s, thanks to the long ball...

We knew it was only a matter of time until Aaron Judge began his monstrous assault on MLB baseballs, but it was Clint Frazier’s lightning quick three-run homer in the top of the eighth inning that allowed the Yankees to overtake the Baltimore Orioles in the 6-4 win at Camden Yards.

Frazier needed this moment. Frankly, the Yankees should have never put themselves in the position of needing Frazier’s big hit but they did. They had a golden opportunity to break the game open in the sixth inning when they loaded the bases with no outs against arguably MLB’s worst team. Frazier entered the game, pinching hitting for left fielder Mike Tauchman, but the inning unraveled from there. Gary Sanchez, on third, was picked off by O’s catcher Pedro Severino. Frazier struck out swinging for the second out, and Giovanny Urshela, in his first at-bat as a Yankee and pinch-hitting for Tyler Wade, grounded out to second to end the scoreless threat.

I didn’t really get Aaron Boone’s decision to keep Jonathan Holder in the game for the bottom of the seventh inning. He had entered the game in the fifth, in relief of starter J.A. Happ with only one out. He gave up a single to the second man he faced, Renato Nunez, in the bottom of the fifth, which scored a run for Baltimore (charged to Happ) to make it a one-run game at 3-2. I know Holder had an easy three-up, three-down inning in the sixth, but that’s as far as I would have pushed him. Instead, Boone left him in to start the seventh (why?). He hit the lead-off hitter, Cedric Mullins, and then gave up a single to right off the bat of Jonathan Villar which put runners at the corners.  Boone finally made a move, bringing Adam Ottavino into the game. Unfortunately, Greg Bird misplayed a grounder to first by Chris Davis. He bobbled the ball, didn’t step on first and then threw high to home. Mullins scored and Davis was safe at first. After Villar stole third, pinch-hitter Rio Ruiz, batting for Nunez, lofted a fly to center to score Villar with the go-ahead run.  

It looked like the Yankees were going to go down quietly in the eighth. Greg Bird led off the inning against Orioles reliever Paul Fry with a fly-out to left. A pitching change brought reliever Miguel Castro into the game to face Gary Sanchez who flied out to right. But in the face of defeat for the Yankees, Castro struggled with his control and lost Gleyber Torres on balls to put a runner at first. Then, D.J. LeMahieu did what he does best. He singled to right, his third hit of the game, and the Yankees had runners at the corners. Enter Clint Frazier. With the count at 2-2, Castro threw a slider that was meant for the low outside corner. Fortunately for The Wildling and much to the dismay of Orioles catcher Pedro Severino, the ball came in over the juicy part of the plate and Frazier didn’t miss his opportunity. With the rapid fire of his bat, the ball went screaming out of the park. The Yankees were up, 6-4.  

Adam Ottavino walked Hanser Alberto, briefly a Yankee this past Winter, to lead off the eighth but got the next two outs with his insane pitches. With Alberto on second, Aaron Boone took the ball from Ottavino and brought in Chad Green. Greeny hit the shirt of Cedric Mullins to put a runner at first. The next batter, Jonathan Villar, hit an infield grounder to D.J. LeMahieu, who had slid over to second base from third when Giovanny Urshela entered the game. LeMahieu had an uncharacteristic bobble of the ball and Villar beat D.J.’s throw to Gleyber Torres standing on second base. The bases were loaded, giving the Orioles a golden opportunity to recapture the lead. Thankfully, it was only Chris Davis at the plate. He rapped a hard single to first base which Greg Bird easily handled, stepping on first ahead of Davis running down the line. Inning over, with the two-run lead intact.

Aroldis Chapman finished off the Orioles in the bottom of the ninth. Despite giving up a one-out single to pinch-hitter Jesus Sucre, he easily recorded the next two outs to gain his second save of the season even if his fastball couldn’t find triple digits. 

The win went to Adam Ottavino (1-0) despite giving up the lead in the bottom of the seventh on runs charged to Jonathan Holder. Ha, they should have charged those runs to Aaron Boone!  

And, oh, did I mention that Aaron Judge had two massive home runs earlier in the game. I knew it was time for a Judgian blast and had even commented on my post yesterday that it was a good day for an Aaron Judge home run. I was wrong, I should have said home runs. Judge’s first homer (and first of the season) came in the top of the first after Brett Gardner had struck out to lead off the game. The ball carried 412 feet over the center field wall. Trey Mancini had answered Judge’s solo homer with one of his own in the bottom of the first to tie the game. After Brett Gardner doubled with one out in the top of the third, Judge hit another ‘no doubt about it’ homer to center, giving him total yardage of 830 feet, with the two bombs. That was it for Judge in this game, he recorded outs in his next three at-bats which included two by strikeout. But the Yankees wouldn’t have been in position to win this game without Judge. Every day is a good day for Aaron Judge home runs.

Photo Credit: Gail Burton/AP

I know it’s too early to watch or care about the AL East Standings, but the Yankees (4-4) did move into a tie for second place with the Orioles. The Tampa Bay Rays lost 6-4 to the San Francisco Giants so the Yankees are 1 1/2 games back. The Boston Red Sox dropped another game, 5-4 to the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix, to fall to 2-8. I know it’s only a matter of time until the Red Sox find their groove, but it is fun to watch them in the AL East Cellar while it lasts. It couldn’t possibly happen to a better team than the Red Sux.  

The Yankees can sweep the series at Camden Yards today before they hop on a plane bound for Houston, Texas. Domingo German (1-0, 0.00 ERA) faces David Hess (1-0, 0.00 ERA). In his last start against the Toronto Blue Jays, Hess no-hit the Blue Jays until he was lifted with one out in the seventh (the bullpen blew his no-no). German, on the same day, held the Detroit Tigers to only one hit and unearned run, in five innings. It would be great for the Yankees to sweep after losing their first two series of the season. And it would provide a joyful mood for the long flight down to South Texas.

I was a little surprised to see the call-up of Giovanny "Gio" Urshela before yesterday’s game. It was funny how it unfolded. Urshela posted an airplane pic on Social Media and clever fans deduced it was the same type of plane departing from Buffalo’s airport (where the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are playing) and headed to Baltimore’s BWI Marshall Airport. While I enjoyed the brief one game call-up of Thairo Estrada who didn’t get to see any playing time, Urshela is in better position to help right now. No doubt Estrada will be the better utility player in the long run, but Urshela, who has a superior third base glove, provides better support for interim third baseman D.J. LeMahieu. Urshela doesn’t have much of a bat but that’s not why he is on the 25-man roster now even if he had a couple of strong offensive performances for the RailRiders to start the season. I can still easily remember some of the spectacular defensive plays Urshela made against the Yankees when he was playing for the Cleveland Indians. Not that LeMahieu needs any glove help but the occasional breather is welcomed. To make room for Urshela on the 40-man roster, the Yankees moved Didi Gregorius to the 60-day Injured List. Speaking of Sir Didi, damn, I miss those after-game emoji’s.  

I know the season is early and stats, either good or bad, don’t really mean much given the small sample sizes. However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge how good D.J. LeMahieu has been for the Yankees. Expected to be a “floating” starter with time at first, second and third, LeMahieu was forced into full-time duty at third base when Miguel Andujar, with a small labrum tear, was placed on the IL.  LeMahieu is 11-for-24, batting .458/.536/.542 with 1.077 OPS. His eighth inning single last night set the stage for Clint Frazier’s heroics but it almost provided a game-tying opportunity by getting Gleyber Torres to third. A ball got away from Orioles catcher Pedro Severino and Torres most likely could have scored if he had immediately broke for home but hesitation kept the budding superstar at third. LeMahieu is not a flashy player and is not known for dingers but he does the little things right. Living in Denver, I’d routinely hear Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon talk about how much LeMahieu meant to their team. It’s easy to see why they held such high praise. The guy can hit, field and win. I am glad he is a Yankee.  

CC Sabathia makes a rehabilitation start for the High-A Tampa Tarpons today. The Tarpons are hosting the Lakeland Flying Tigers in Tampa. Hopefully all goes well for CC who should soon be back in Pinstripes for his final go-around. Hope everything goes well today, CC. We miss you and look forward to your return.

As always, Go Yankees!

Missing the Yankees...

Photo Credit: Greg Fiume/Getty Images

A Rare and Odd Day-Off for the Pinstripers…

I can’t really say that I like Fridays with no Yankees baseball. I guess, ultimately, it’s no different than if heavy rain had hit Inner Harbor, forcing the postponement of a game but regardless, yesterday felt a little empty when everybody else was playing. I’ve grown accustomed to Mondays and/or Thursdays as days off over the years, but weekend games, starting Friday night, are the best for the working stiffs of the World like me. Nothing quite like watching the Yankees after a long, hard week at work. I am glad they are back in action today even if we have to wait until this evening.

Putting the Yankees aside for a moment, Friday was made much sadder with the announcement by Mike Axisa that he is shutting down the famed River Ave Blues blog. 

Photo Credit: CBSSports.com

With no offense to our blog site, River Ave Blues has been the standard every blog site hopes to achieve. It was the best Yankees Blog in my opinion, and Mike Axisa has been tireless in his quest to provide quality content every day. Ultimately, it was probably his relentless, unyielding drive that led to his decision to shutter the Blog (it would be tough to keep up his pace for a season, let alone twelve years) and while I fully understand his reasons, it is a huge loss for Yankee fans. In his announcement, Axisa said April 29th will be the final day for his nationally recognized Blog. Mike mentioned the possibility of a weekly newsletter/mailing list with his “thoughts”. I really hope he follows through with this brilliant idea. Mike, I’ll pay a few dollars a month to get your continued thoughts about MLB’s best team. I have appreciated Mike’s honest assessments of the Yankees over the years, along with those of the other great RAB writers. There are many good writers but Axisa is one of the very few with a brilliant writing style and an amazing and very objective perspective. I can probably count on one hand the baseball writers I hold in such high regard as Axisa. You can include the late Red Sox writer Nick Cafardo in that group, but clearly, it is not a crowded room. Thanks to Mike Axisa and the entire RAB staff for making our lives a little better each and every day. We appreciate you, @RiverAveBlues. Thank you for the incredible twelve years you have given us. To say you will be missed is an understatement.

Credit: YESNetwork.com

I could feel many Yankee fans starting to grip about the team’s slow start and the buildup of so many injuries, but it’s funny how Thursday’s win in Baltimore calmed down so many fears. I wish I had a dime for every time a Yankee fan replayed video of Gleyber’s homers. I was a little worried when the Yankees fell into an early hole, but I know those Yankees-Mariners games last year when James Paxton gave up early runs to the Yankees, he held strong and pitched effectively for five or six more innings. I didn’t doubt his perseverance on Thursday and he rewarded us with a much-needed win, thanks in large part to the two home runs by Gleyber Torres and the insurance provided by the three-run bomb from Luke Voit in the ninth inning. Unlike pitchers like Sonny Gray, where a few early runs meant the opening of the floodgates, Paxton battled and was ultimately reward with his first Pinstriped (Road Gray?) victory. I am glad he is a Yankee.

Photo Credit: Nick Wass/AP

The Yankees resume their series at Camden Yards in Baltimore today at 7:05 pm ET. J.A. Happ, looking to overcome his horrendous first start of the season, takes the mound for the Yankees.  He’ll be opposed by Baltimore’s Dylan Bundy. With a win, the Yankees can tie the Orioles for second place in the AL East with matching 4-4 records. The Yankees trail the Tampa Bay Rays by two and a half games. Granted, the Orioles will soon be in the rearview mirror but the Rays aren’t going away. I think the Boston Red Sox will right the ship even if Yankee fans are loving their 2-7 start. Soon it will be the Yankees-Rays-Red Sox battling for the top. With a trip to Houston around the corner, the Yankees need to continue building momentum in Maryland before catching a Texas-bound flight.   

The Yankees made several minor moves this week, primarily for depth purposes. First, they claimed right-handed reliever Jake Barrett off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates and assigned him to Triple A. Then, they signed 34-year-old infielder Cliff Pennington, who was recently released by the Oakland A’s after signing a minor league deal in February. At least Pennington was able to see Japan with the A’s in late March but I doubt he sees any time with the Yankees unless things go horribly wrong (worse than they already have). The defensive-minded Pennington was assigned to Triple A. Both the Trenton Thunder and the Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders have been depleted by the promotions of Tyler Wade, Thairo Estrada and Clint Frazier, and the resulting chain reaction it caused to fill the holes.  Welcome to the Yankees Family, Jake and Cliff, but honestly, I hope we do not see you in the Bronx. Sorry, but we have higher expectations and hope the recently promoted guys prosper with the opportunities they’ve been given.   

Living in Denver, I probably should have gone to the Colorado Rockies home opener yesterday. I had thought about it but the weather in Colorado is so unpredictable. Last year’s Rockies home opener saw temps dip into the 20’s. Unfortunately for me, the weather was beautiful yesterday with sunny skies and temps reaching the 70’s and the Rockies were playing my favorite NL team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers won, 10-6, so that would have made it even better for me. I settled for watching the game on TV. In watching the opening roll call, there was a part of me that didn’t like Daniel Murphy wearing D.J. LeMahieu’s former number (9).  Not that the Rockies have reason to retire D.J.’s number or set it aside but after watching LeMahieu wear the number for so many years, it just seemed wrong to see Murphy wearing it. Don’t get me wrong, I am so glad LeMahieu wears #26 for the Yankees these days. He’s been invaluable with this rash of injuries.  But it’s hard to deny that LeMahieu was a great Rockie during his time in the Mile High City. I couldn’t help but wonder if both LeMahieu and Adam Ottavino were watching the Rockies-Dodgers game since they had the day off. It would be hard to play so many years in one city and not have continued emotional ties to their former team.  

I am not a New York Jets fan but I don’t get the hate the new uniforms have gotten from their fan base. I personally never cared for the Jets’ old uniform and feel the new colors are very stylish. I like the new helmet and the overall look.  If I had grown up in New York City, I’d probably be a Jets fan over the Giants (sorry to those of you who are Giants fans). I grew up in Iowa so I’ve been a lifelong (and long-suffering) Minnesota Vikings fan. I am a little bitter the Jets stole the Vikings’ backup QB (Trevor Siemian) and almost signed away linebacker Anthony Barr until he had a change of heart but I still prefer the Jets over the Giants. As for Siemian, I do have high confidence in third-string QB Kyle Sloter for the Vikings and feel that he is ready to ascend to the backup spot behind starter Kirk Cousins. But while Siemian may never been a great quarterback in the NFL, he is tried and true vet that can help in pinch. He’ll provide good support and mentorship for Sam Darnold.  Siemian and the Jets will look very good when they take the field this Fall, in my opinion. Hopefully for Jets fans, the play matches the look. It’s really time for somebody to do something about the reign of the New England Patriots. I’ve grown so tired of Tom Brady, Bill Belechick and Boston area fans.

Today seems like a very good day for an Aaron Judge home run.  

As always, Go Yankees!

So it Seems Zack Hample is in the Advice Giving Profession Now

Zack Hample used to sell books, now it seems he is in the advice giving profession. What do I mean? Hample spoke to the USA Today this week and was giving advice to fans about how to catch baseballs in the stands at Major League games. If you really want to catch a ball I guess Hample is the person you need to be talking with as he has caught around 9,800 baseballs since 1990 including Barry Bonds’ 724^th career home run and Alex Rodriguez’s 3,000^th hit, a home run in the right field bleachers inside Yankee Stadium.

Hample suggests getting to the ballpark early, at least 90 minutes before first pitch, to catch balls from batting practice or to get a ball thrown to you from the players on the field. Hample has a few other suggestions for catching fly and foul balls that I won’t bore you with but if you want to read about it then head over to the USA Today and check it out.

No bigger or better catch has ever been made, even by Zack Hample, than you Kari Ann Burch. I love you. Enjoy your weekend everybody. 

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 6/3

The New York Yankees can make up some of the ground they have lost in the AL East Division race by beating the teams they are supposed to beat on paper and by beating the teams in front of them. One of those latter teams that currently sit in front of them in the standings is one of the teams the Bronx Bombers face off with head-to-head with tonight, the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees will look to scratch and claw their way out of the cellar of the division tonight when they send Nathan Eovaldi to the mound to face off against the Orioles starter Chris Tillman. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Oriole Park and Camden Yards and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

The Yankees have these three games in Baltimore before returning home to the Bronx to play host to Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California of Los Angeles of Orange County of Disney Land. To see any of these games live in the Bronx click the Yankees Tickets link at the top of the blog and have your tickets in hand for when the team returns home to the Bronx. Until then follow along and root for the team from afar on Twitter with us by giving @GreedyStripes a follow.

I love watching Nathan Eovaldi pitch so I’m going to get to it. Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 5/3

The New York Yankees were swept away by the Boston Red Sox this weekend, how sweep it was not, but luckily for the team they had an off day to lick their wounds and mentally prepare for another tough division foe in the Baltimore Orioles. The season is not over Yankees fans, news flash I know, but it can be rather soon with this series and another Red Sox series looming in the Bronx over the weekend. There is already pressure on every Yankees player every at bat and with every pitch thrown and with every loss the pressure gets more and more immense. Donned with the task of not only getting the Yankees a win but alleviating some of that pressure is Luis Severino while the Orioles will counter with one of their best in Chris Tillman.

Severino has not had the start to the season he nor the Yankees would have liked after a strong debut in 2015. Severino has shown poor command of not only his fastball but of his slider as well and has been seen shaking off veteran catcher Brian McCann far too much. That shaking off landed Severino on the bench in his last start after just three innings due to him giving up six earned runs on seven hits in yet another bad start for the rookie right-hander.

Tillman started Opening Day for the Orioles but has not lived up to the distinction and the hype that usually comes along with that honor thus far this season. Tillman did have an impressive start last time out against the Tampa Bay Rays but has looked inconsistent for much of the season, a trend that he hopefully gets back to tonight in Camden Yards.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Oriole Park and Camden Yards and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. The last place team in the American League East Division against the first place team in the division. With this series this week and another Red Sox series looming in the distance this weekend New York is primed to make a move back towards the top of the division. Whether they are ready and able to do it is a whole other story unfortunately. It all starts tonight in Baltimore.

Go Yankees!

Yankee Stadium Off Day Walk Up Music Recommendation

The New York Yankees just had a day off on Thursday before making the trip to Fenway Park over the weekend and they have another day off today before traveling to Oriole Park and Camden Yards for another big three game set. With every off day I kind of take a step back from the year long, not season long like some other blogs, grind here and I like to have a little bit of fun. Sometimes we post full-length baseball movies on the blog so you actually have something to do at work besides work and sometimes we bring you the walk up music from our favorite Yankee stars. And then sometimes we bring you Chase Headley's walk up music.

I know I've been especially hard on Headley thus far this season but that's only because I expected more and because I'm frustrated. It's nothing personal really, I actually kind of like the guy from what I see during HOPE Week and interviews and such, but I let my passion and my fandom get in the way sometimes. We're all guilty of it so I can't discriminate against him in these features so without further ado here is the song we hear right before Headley is going to strike out, or single, every time in Yankee Stadium.

The name of the song is "Surrender" and it's by the Christian band Third Day. Enjoy and pray for better days in Yankees-land.

Quick Hit: Top Fantasy Sleepers for 2016

As the Hot Stove season comes down from a rapid boil to a simmer the fantasy baseball season begins to heat up as spring training draws closer. We have discussed many times this winter already ways to improve your late pick draft strategy in hopes of winning those later rounds and in turn your leagues and this morning I want to talk about a few sleepers that I have in mind for my own personal draft. Some are big names and others are at least recognizable names but many of them had down or irregular seasons in 2015, something I cannot see these players making a habit of in 2016. If you’re worried about your draft then give this a read and maybe even a bookmark to keep handy for your draft day, maybe it will help you!

Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto fit the same mold here because both are coming from either hitting friendly ballparks or somewhat neutral ballparks in terms of hitting vs. pitching. They won’t have that problem in San Francisco as AT&T Park is one of the biggest and best pitching ballparks in all of Major League Baseball. What is an upper deck shot inside Yankee Stadium doesn’t seem like it would reach the warning track in San Francisco making what Barry Bonds did there all the more special. If either are there later in the draft then snatch them up. Both of them.

The same can be said for starter, turned relief pitcher turned starter again Rich Hill. Hill came back into the league last season with the Boston Red Sox and pitched well enough to get a team like the Oakland Athletics to give him a shot as a starting pitcher. Hill should enjoy pitching inside the Oakland Coliseum more than he enjoyed the wacky dimensions inside Fenway Park. His defense behind him in Oakland, other than at shortstop with Marcus Semien, should be solid as well. He’s a good late round pick if you need wins.

Brett Lawrie is entering his prime years finally at age 26 and will be shifting to one of the more hitting friendly parks in U.S. Cellular Field. Lawrie will be eligible at first and third base for the White Sox this season and should see enough playing time at both positions to justify a real late pick.

Speaking of favorable park switches you have to think that Mark Trumbo and his power will enjoy hitting at Camden Yards and Oriole Park, ask Chris Davis and Nelson Cruz.

Chris Davis & Fantasy Baseball

The last time a member of the Baltimore Orioles did not lead Major League Baseball in home runs was the 2012 season. In 2012 Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers hit 44 home runs while Chris Davis led the league with 53 home runs in 2013. In 2014 it was Nelson Cruz who led the league in home runs for the Orioles with 40 dingers while Davis led the league in home runs once again in 2015 when he finished the season killing the New York Yankees hitting his 45th, 46th and 47th home runs of the season. Davis hit free agency following the 2015 campaign and ultimately returned to Baltimore on a huge seven year deal giving the Orioles a legit home run threat in their lineup but what will it do for your fantasy team?

Davis is a legit first round pick in my opinion. He has 50 home run power and especially has 50 home run power inside of Oriole Park in Camden Yards. At Camden Yards Davis is a career .270/.352/.575 hitter with 159 home runs in four seasons in Baltimore and is now entering the peak of his prime at 30-years old. Could these numbers conceivably get better in 2016?

Davis should have plenty of protection in this year's Orioles lineup as Adam Jones, Mark Trumbo, Manny Machado and Matt Wieters and Davis adds versatility to your fantasy team as he is eligible at first base and the outfield. Davis is still going to hit around .250 and he's still going to strike out 200+ times a season but the 40-50 home runs are damn near impossible to find right now. For that alone I would take Davis early if you can, you can get your batting average elsewhere. You can't get home runs elsewhere. Get Davis if you can.

Game 162 Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 10/4

Game 162, here we go. We won't waste much time being colorful, creative or dramatic. The New York Yankees will send Michael Pineda to the mound this afternoon to face off with Chris Tillman for the Baltimore Orioles. The game will be played at 3:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

The Yankees return to the postseason on Tuesday so click the Yankees Tickets link to see that game live and in person. If you can't make it live then at least jump on Twitter and give @GreedyStripes a follow to interact with us and root like hell for the Yankees in the Wild Card Game.

Game 162. Go Yankees!

Game 162 Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 10/4

The New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles, Game 162. One last time. The New York Yankees are playing on Tuesday and the Orioles are not, the lineups and pitching moves will probably reflect that this afternoon. In the final start of the season the Yankees will send Michael Pineda to the mound lining him up for a potential Game Two start in the ALDS while the Orioles counter with Chris Tillman. The game will be played at 3:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV (for free).

• Pineda did not have a great start last time out against the Boston Red Sox giving up six runs in the first inning and seven runs total in a Yankees loss. Pineda needs a good start this afternoon against the Orioles in his final regular season tune up. 

• Tillman was the Orioles prestigious Opening Day starter and is now the pitcher who will star game 162 for the ball club. Tillman last faced the Toronto Blue Jays where he allowed just two runs on five hits in 7.1 innings against the best offense in Major League Baseball this season.

Game 162. Have fun, stay healthy, clinch home field advantage and get the work in. Go Yankees!

GAME ONE Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 10/3

The New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles are ready to kick off the final weekend of the regular season in Major League Baseball with a head-to-head matchup. These two teams have fought one another in the American League East Division all season long and one team, the Yankees, will get rewarded for it with a postseason trip back home to Yankee Stadium while the Fighting Showalter’s are playing mere spoilers in these final three games. The Yankees will send Ivan Nova to the mound this afternoon in the first game of the double header to face off with the Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen. The game will be played at 12:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

The American League Wild Card playoff game will be played on Tuesday, October 6 in the Bronx, New York in front of the Yankee Stadium crowd. While the team that New York will be playing host to, rather rudely we hope, is yet to be determined all eyes will be on New York City that night. It’s up to us, the fans, to fill that stadium and rock the house and you can do that by clicking the Yankees Tickets link at the top of the blog and by getting your postseason tickets now. Moral support works as well so be sure to head over to Twitter and give @GreedyStripes a follow to root for the home team from afar and celebrate together as the team reaches the postseason for the first time since 2012.

The postseason won’t be the same for me without the Core Four but a win tonight and a win next Tuesday can ease my suffering just a tad. Go Yankees!

GAME ONE Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 10/3

Welcome to October baseball Yankees family and welcome to a series that is not against either the Chicago White Sox or the Boston Red Sox. A show of hands if you’re reading this and you’re happy that the Yankees and the Red Sox are done playing head-to-head in 2015? Me too. The Yankees enter their final three games of the regular season with the Wild Card locked up and a postseason game in the Bronx looming, now their biggest battle will be with Mother Nature. Today the Yankees are scheduled to send Ivan Nova to the mound in the first game of the double-header to face off against Wei-Yin Chen for the Orioles. The game will be played at 12:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

• Nova has looked great since his return to the Yankees starting rotation and may be pitching for his position on the team and with the franchise in 2016. The Yankees have a plethora of names to fill the 2016 starting rotation and it may become a numbers game this winter, a numbers game that Nova doesn't want to lose.

• Chen will be making his final start of the season tonight and possibly his last start in a Baltimore Orioles uniform as he looks to hit free agency on a high note. Chen has had his best Major League season at the best possible time in 2015 posting a 3.35 ERA and 150 strikeouts. Chen is likely to become too expensive for the Orioles budget this winter.

Three more games separate the teams that are planning golfing ventures and trip to Disney with their families from the teams who get the prestige and the honor to play in the postseason. It may be just a Wild Card berth and it may only be for one game but it’s an experience and it’s an accomplishment for these teams no matter the circumstances. Us as fans are spoiled, and we’re entitled to be so, but you have to keep in mind that the human beings behind the uniforms have their same rights and entitlements. Let them celebrate and let them be happy, they earned it. Just not this week. Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 10/2

Welcome to October baseball Yankees family and welcome to a series that is not against either the Chicago White Sox or the Boston Red Sox. A show of hands if you’re reading this and you’re happy that the Yankees and the Red Sox are done playing head-to-head in 2015? Me too. The Yankees enter their final three games of the regular season with the Wild Card all but locked up and a postseason game in the Bronx looming, now their biggest battle will be with Mother Nature. Tonight the Yankees are scheduled to send a TBA (at the time of this writing) to the mound to face off against Wei-Yin Chen for the Orioles, weather permitting. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

• TBA

• Chen will be making his final start of the season tonight and possibly his last start in a Baltimore Orioles uniform as he looks to hit free agency on a high note. Chen has had his best Major League season at the best possible time in 2015 posting a 3.35 ERA and 150 strikeouts. Chen is likely to become too expensive for the Orioles budget this winter.

Three more games separate the teams that are planning golfing ventures and trip to Disney with their families from the teams who get the prestige and the honor to play in the postseason. It may be just a Wild Card berth and it may only be for one game but it’s an experience and it’s an accomplishment for these teams no matter the circumstances. Us as fans are spoiled, and we’re entitled to be so, but you have to keep in mind that the human beings behind the uniforms have their same rights and entitlements. Let them celebrate and let them be happy, they earned it. Just not this week. Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 6/13

For the second consecutive week the New York Yankees are playing in prime time under the lights on a Saturday night. Last week it was a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim inside Yankee Stadium and this week it’s a game against the Baltimore Orioles inside Oriole Park and Camden Yards. The Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound to face off with the Orioles starter Bud Norris. The game will be played at 7:15 pm ET and can be seen on FOX and MLB TV.

• Sabathia is coming into this start fresh off his first win at Yankee Stadium this season when he beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to improve to 3-7. Sabathia looks to improve upon his very impressive career stat line which includes an 18-7 record and a 3.40 ERA against the Baltimore Orioles tonight.

• Norris had been on the shelf until his last start after battling a case of bronchitis that kept him off the mound since May 10. Norris picked up where he left off in his last start against the Cleveland Indians allowing just one run on four hits in five innings of work collecting a victory.

With a day game tomorrow after the night game tonight you should expect many regulars in the lineup tonight with the skeleton crew playing tomorrow afternoon in the finale. How long CC can go tonight will really determine what the Yankees can do with the bullpen tonight and going forward with the Miami Marlins series looming so let’s hope for some length from CC tonight and Adam Warren tomorrow afternoon. Go Yankees!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 4/15

It’s game time as the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees wrap up their three game set at Camden Yards and Oriole Park. Tonight on the mound will be a couple of fire ballers as Nathan Eovaldi takes the mound for the Yankees to face off with Bud Norris for the Orioles. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

Get your tickets for the series with the Tampa Bay Rays, the next Yankees home stand or any Yankees game home or away with Ticket Monster. Through our partnership with Ticket Monster we can offer a small discount on top of already reduced third hand tickets that aren’t inflated by bulky fees or shipping costs. If you can’t make it out to the ballpark then jump on our comments section and interact with your fellow fans. We also try and live tweet every single game so give us a follow on Twitter (@GreedyStripes) and chat with us during the game.

Enough of me rambling on it is game time. Let’s Go Yankees!!!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 4/15

The New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles wrap up their three game set tonight inside Camden Yards and Oriole Park with yet another great pitching matchup between the two ball clubs. On the mound for the Yankees will be Nathan Eovaldi making his second start in pinstripes while Bud Norris will be opposing him for the Orioles. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and of course MLB TV.

• Eovaldi is coming off his first start as a Yankee after taking a no decision against the Boston Red Sox. Eovaldi started the 19 inning marathon between the Yankees and Red Sox and was pumped up for his first start in the Bronx. Eovaldi hit as high as 101 on the radar gun and hit 99 consistently but allowed eight hits and only had three swings-and-misses in the Yankees loss.

• Norris is coming off his first start of the season in which he took the loss against the Toronto Blue Jays after failing to record an out in the fourth inning. Norris gave up eight runs on seven hits while lasting just 66 pitches against Toronto. Let’s hope that kind of performance is what we have in store for us tonight in Camden Yards.

The Yankees need all the victories they can get at this point in the season and the wins are all that much sweeter at the expense of an American League East foe. Let’s hope the Yankees can nail another one down and at least temporarily quiet the haters and the doubters while crawling back into the very early AL East division race. Eovaldi is someone I will be keeping an eye on all season long and I’m very excited for his second start in pinstripes, go Yankees!!!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 4/14

It’s game time ladies and gentleman as the New York Yankees and CC Sabathia face off against Miguel Gonzalez and the Baltimore Orioles inside beautiful Camden Yards and Oriole Park. It’s always fun to watch a game between these two clubs as each team always brings their best stuff to the ball park against each other. Buck Showalter is usually good for at least one douche bag comment or move as well per series so maybe that comment or move comes tonight, who knows. One thing I do know is that you were fired over 20 years ago Buck, time to move on and get over yourself. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MASN 2 and MLB TV.

Get your tickets to see these two teams go at it tomorrow in the finale of their three game set or your Yankees tickets for any game this season home or away. You get a discount just for being a TGP reader through our friends at Ticket Monster on top of no shipping costs and fees so you’ll be hard pressed to find a better deal around. If you’re more of the homely type like myself then be sure to jump on Twitter (@GreedyStripes) and chat it up with us or jump on our comments section and discuss the game with us there.

Enough talking out of me, it’s game time. Get those Birds! Go Yankees!!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 4/14

The New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles play game two of their three game series tonight in Camden Yards and Oriole Park with another great pitching matchup. For the Yankees CC Sabathia makes his second start of the young season against the Orioles Miguel Gonzalez. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MASN 2 and of course MLB TV.

Sabathia’s line from his first start of the season looked terrible but if you actually watched the game you would know that there was quite a few positives to pull from. Sabathia did allow five runs, four earned, but many of them were off little flares and broken bat singles that were aided by a sketchy defense and a few mental mistakes from his teammates. Sabathia did go for 95 pitches in the start and looks to be completely stretched out, and more importantly healthy, for the grind that will be the 2015 season.

Gonzalez is coming off his first start of the season in which he took a loss despite allowing just one run on three hits in 5.2 IP. Gonzalez did issue five walks but did strikeout five in the loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Let’s hope that wild and inefficient arm is on full display tonight in the Bronx.

It’s supposed to be another beautiful night at one of the most beautiful stadiums in all of Major League Baseball and nothing can make that any better than a Yankees victory. Let’s get one and let’s make sure we’re supporting our team. Go Yankees!!!