First Twitter Poll of 2016: Where Will the Yankees Finish This Season?

@GreedyStripes The Yankees will finish the season in a parade down the Canyon of Heroes to celebrate their 28th World Series championship.

— Karen Mercury McCoy (@KarMerCoy) April 5, 2016

Someone who used to be a daily reader and a subscriber once told me that it was irresponsible journalism to do Twitter polls on the blog. It is irresponsible to let the fans opinions be heard and it’s not something that someone like Jack Curry, Andrew Marchand, Wally Matthews, Chad Jennings and others do. You know what? Good. We set out on this journey looking to be different, a breath of fresh air and to put the social back into social media no matter how big we got, how many views we received or how many Twitter followers we had. We held up our end of the bargain so onward with the first Twitter poll of the 2016 season!

It’s quick, simple and to the point. When Game 162 is over and the dust settles on the 2016 campaign where will the Yankees finish the season?

@GreedyStripes In Yankee Stadium, in October, against the Orioles.

— Mike Brodsky (@brodskyme) April 5, 2016

@GreedyStripes Behind the Blue Jays!

— TheBudsAreBack (@Thebudsareback) April 5, 2016

This is from an obvious Blue Jays fan that follows us. Don't troll, he is a nice guy and it's all in fun. We know that and he gets his fair share back as well.

@GreedyStripes shaping up to be a tough division. They could finish 2nd & potentially not make the WC as other divisons are also stacked

— CloudyDay (@Uh_Cloudy) April 5, 2016

@GreedyStripes Underrated rotation will pitch to its full potential and push the Yankees into first

— Gianmarco Castronovo (@gianmarcocast6) April 5, 2016

To be involved in our next Twitter poll, and yes former subscriber and daily emailer there will be another Twitter poll this season, give us a follow on Twitter (@GreedyStripes) and be on the lookout for our next Twitter Poll first. We won’t use your responses without telling you first!

Brian McCann and Going Against the Shift

Second time today Brian McCann has gone the other way. Two base hits, each one a single to left field.

— Lohud Yankees Blog (@LoHudYankees) March 7, 2016

The shift is here to stay in Major League Baseball. Too many teams have found out how effective it is and the league is not going to ban it, how could they anyway? Some hitters have adopted this and started to try and beat the shift while others have simply seen their batting averages dip 60-70 points in lieu of extra power. The latter is referring to the Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira but the former may finally be referring to the Yankees catcher Brian McCann.

At times we raged at the fact that Teixeira absolutely refused to beat the shift and would rather hit for doubles and home runs instead (Too Many Damn Home Runs!) while McCann at least tried to beat the shift. If was visible in some at bats for McCann and he even attempted a bunt or two in order to beat the shift but he never truly looked comfortable doing it. Now I haven’t seen much spring training baseball this season as most of the games are played while I am at work but I have noticed a trend thus far with McCann, he’s trying to beat the shift again.

It seems like every at bat I’ve seen either live or via Sportscenter, MLB Network etc. has showcased McCann trying to go the other way. The power will be there for McCann when he needs it and he’s no longer trying to knock it over the short porch for the Yankees, it looks like he is making a legitimate choice to go the other way and turn what used to be a ground out into a single or a double. Even Chad Jennings of LoHud has mentioned it on Twitter as McCann went the other way in a Grapefruit League game not once but twice for singles so it’s not just me pulling something out of thin air.

If McCann can go the other way and not only have his 25 home runs and 90+ RBI power but if he can add even a .265 average to go with it we may be talking MVP considerations for the Yankees catcher. He won’t win the award with those stats but the Yankees could potentially win a whole lot more games as they get away from too many damn home runs and get back to seeing the ball, and hitting the ball… the other way.

Hit it where they ain’t McCann!

Brian Cashman & The "He Sucks At Drafting" Myth?

I knew my post about Brian Cashman and comparing him to other general managers around the league would be like comparing apples to oranges would get the discussion going but I had hoped it had been on the Yankees LoHud blog as a pinch hitter. I had it saved as a draft forever just waiting for Chad Jennings to contact me for a third straight year and I realized it was not going to happen so I released it. It caused a stir and it created discussion here on my blog for both the Brian Cashman apologists and the Brian Cashman "haters." One "hater" in specific, and notice that I had the word hater in parenthesis as I use the term loosely and not literally, questioned Cashman's tenure as the Yankees and specifically his ability to draft MLB caliber players. Hmmm, that sounds like a great idea for a blog post.

I told Mr. Hans, someone I have the utmost respect for, that I would humor him sometime this weekend with a comment of some of the guys that Cashman has drafted during his tenure with the Yankees (1998-present) and I decided to do it in a blog post rather than a comment that may not be seen by all. All of these players that I will list below were drafted by Cashman during his tenure, granted not all of them signed with the Yankees unfortuately and not all made their names with New York. It should not be held against Cashman in my opinion to draft a top talent only to trade him later, you cannot hold onto them all.

With that said here we go with the player, the year they were drafted and their career WAR in parenthesis:

1998 - Mark Prior (16.5)
1998 - Nook Logan (3.0)

2000 - Chris Dickerson (3.4)

2002 - Phil Coke (2.0)

2003 - Tyler Clippard (11.6)
2003 - Jeff Karstens (3.2)
2003 - Daniel Bard (4.3)

2004 - Phil Hughes (12.3)
2004 - Mike Dunn (2.5)
2004 - Chris Davis (yes that Chris Davis... 14.9)

2005 - Brett Gardner (26.9)
2005 - Doug Fister (19.4)
2005 - Austin Jackson (22.2)
2005 - Justin Turner (Los Angeles Dodgers version.... 8.9)

2006 - Ian Kennedy (10.5)
2006 - Joba Chamberlain (7.5)
2006 - George Kontos (2.0)
2006 - Dellin Betances (7.2)
2006 - Mark Melancon (7.0)
2006 - David Robertson (11.5)

2007 - Drew Storen (5.7)

2008 - Gerrit Cole (7.6)
2008 - David Phelps (2.2)

2009 - Adam Warren (5.1)
2009 - Jake Petricka (3.5)

2011 - Greg Bird (0.9)

Is Cashman the mad magician in the draft? Nope, not at all. It is worth mentioning though that unlike a GM like Andrew Friedman, John Mozeliak, Dave Dombrowski or others who pick at the beginning of the draft more consistently Cashman had to deal with many of his picks being traded or used as compensation to sign free agents without his consent. Sure many teams find talent late in the drafts as much as teams see busts in the first two rounds but still, it doesn't hurt having the better odds at the more talented players in your favor.

Will this convince Mr. Hans that Cashman has had a better tenure as a Yankes GM and a better draft record than he originally thought? Probably not, this was still fun to do the research and to write though and that's all that matters. After my little rant from Saturday about getting my feelings hurt and feeling disrespected I decided I'm going back to doing this because I want to, because it's fun.. and that's what I did here. I hope you all enjoyed.

Yankees Family, What is a Blog?

Hello Yankees family and I hope you are having a great weekend. I come to you today with a question that has been bugging me, what is a blog? The dictionary defines a blog as “a website containing a writer’s or group of writers’ own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other websites.” The reason I bring this up is because I have recently come under fire for the way I run my blog and for the content that I create. I have been called too emotional, I’ve been told I push my opinions and beliefs on people and my words are sometimes taken out of context. I am okay with this, you are allowed to disagree with my and all that, but why am I being attacked for putting out my observations and opinions on a blog that I own? 

I am under no illusions that I am a beat writer or a journalist although sometimes bloggers and their work are compared to them. I write from a fan’s perspective, I’m not an insider and I don’t work for the team. I was being compared in these emails to people who work for the Yankees, either directly or indirectly, and who presumably have their opinions, their observations and their emotions limited by the team and the people signing off on their paychecks. I don’t live under those restrictions and I am not Jon Heyman, Andrew Marchand, Wally Matthews, Chad Jennings,  or Jack Curry (all men I have an enormous amount of respect for FYI), I am Daniel Burch and that’s all I’m ever going to be. 

When I started this blog along with Bryan Van Dusen we didn’t go out of our way to be different, but we are. We are fans first and foremost and we’re not the GM. If I want Cliff Lee in pinstripes I’m going to write about it, if you don’t then don’t click the article. I don’t push my material on anyone, I don’t even post links to my stuff 99% of the time. I am a fan so yes I have an opinion and yes I am emotional and yes I may be dramatic and over the top sometimes, so what? I’m human. I’M A HUMAN BEING TOO. My feelings are hurt and that's why I've been quiet. 

I have done things my way for better or worse since the first day of the blog until today and I will continue to do so until I decide to close up shop. If that means I never become more than what I am today as far as writing then that’s A-OK by me. I’m happy where I’m at and as much as I would love to turn this into a career I am quite content with it not being. My wife and kids have everything they need and then some and I have a hobby, a hobby I enjoy and I’m told I’m quite good at most of the time. This blog is not changing and if emotions and opinions and observations and the use of common sense to make determinations isn’t for you then maybe this blog isn’t either. 

I have respected anyone and everyone that has ever come my way in this industry whether it be in emails, on Twitter, in comments etc. and I expect the same in return. If I don’t get it then I burn the bridge. Life is too short to be disrespected and I feel disrespected. This is just something I had to get off my chest and I appreciate you all listening. Thank you.

Oh and FYI apparently it’s unprofessional to do Twitter polls despite the fact that you guys all enjoy them and enjoy being on the blog. That’s not changing either. Thanks again, love you guys!

Yankees Spring Training Open Thread 3/1

So what happened today in Yankees Spring Training camp?

Aroldis Chapman got suspended for 30 games. Much more on this later but spoiler alert, I don't like it. This sends a scary precedence that the league is a better police nation than the actual police. The police found zero evidence of domestic violence in this case but MLB found enough to warrant a suspension? And don't give me the jazz about him firing a weapon, a registered weapon, in his own home. That's a second amendment right, an anger management discussion and an idiotic move in my opinion. Especially with a kid in the house. It's still not domestic violence.

There was no workout today, just a team bonding event like we hear about ever year. Here is the exact quote from manager Joe Girardi thanks to Chad Jennings of Lohud:

“They’re communication activities, in a sense,” Joe Girardi said. “You play games to learn how to do different things as players and get to know each other. I think that’s important. We had 31 pitchers in camp last year and we used 31 pitchers during the course of the season. The big thing that I want is, when the players come up – because obviously at some point you’re going to need more players than what you leave with on the 2nd — that they’re comfortable and that they know their teammates. That they feel good in their surroundings and feel safe, know they can trust the guys next to them. That’s the important thing.”

While We Wait:By the numbers: A break is (almost) always good for A-Rod

While we wait on tonight's Sunday Night Baseball game on ESPN I wanted to take an opportunity to bring you a great article written by Chad Jennings over at Lohud. Jennings looks at Alex Rodriguez in this article to see whether the days off the Yankees have been giving him, like the three games in a National League park against the Mets and the off day on Thursday, affect his production at the plate or not. CLICK HERE to read the entire article at Lohud and see below for a sample blurb while we wait. Enjoy. 

Last week, when he hit his fourth home run in five days, Alex Rodriguez talked about perspective.

As a younger player, he’d never liked days off. He played all 162 games three times in his 20s, but Rodriguez’s late 30s taught him the value of rest and recuperation. Durability is no longer be taken for granted, and strength in September is no longer a given.

Four home runs in five days? Rodriguez pointed to the week before when he’d more or less taken four days off in a National League park.

“I’ve felt much better,” Rodriguez said. “One of the good things about getting old is you have some perspective. I talked about that in Atlanta, and the days off for me have been good.”

In almost every case, taking at least two days off has paid immediate dividends for Rodriguez. An extended break has been helpful for the 40-year-old, and he should get one more break this weekend when the Yankees play at Citi Field. An off day Thursday followed by three games in a National League park should leave Rodriguez with an extended break leading into the final 14 games of the season.

And those final 14 games start with three against Toronto, so this would be a fine time to continue the pattern of being productive right after a few days off.

“I think one thing is, Joe (Girardi) deserves a lot of credit,” Rodriguez said. “He’s been very disciplined. He’s rested me. I took a day off after the three homers in Minnesota, and I think that has been good. Obviously I’ll have a break against the Mets. I’m in a position now where I can find the strength.”

Here’s every example of Rodriguez being kept out of the lineup at least two days in a row this season.

April 30-May 1Off day, at Red Sox
One pinch-hit appearance
Ten games before: .135/.319/.270
Ten games after: .286/.341/.657

This was A-Rod’s first extended break of the season. He was kept out of the lineup April 28, took an 0-for-6 April 29, April 30 was an off day, and he was back on the bench May 1. On that May 1 game, Rodriguez hit a pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning, which would be the start of another hot streak.

May 19-20at Nationals
Two pinch-hit appearances; one inning in the field
Ten games before: .297/.364/.730
Ten games after: .405/.452/.514

This was early in the season, at a time when it seemed the Yankees had to find a way to get Rodriguez into these National League games. He came back from the short break to have a hit in his next 11 games in a row, including five multi-hit games. Didn’t necessarily need the break, but the time off didn’t seem to hurt him.

June 15-16at Marlins
One pinch-hit appearance
Ten games before: .205/.367/.333
Ten games after: .400/.500/.686

Had eight hits in his previous 10 games, and half of those came in one game, so his slump was perhaps a little worse than the slash line suggests. He was cheered at home in Miami, got into only one of those two games, then returned to hit a home run in three of his next seven games.

The Story of How Chad Jennings of Lohud Made Me Shut Up

The savior of second base, AKA Refsnyder, is where tonight? That's right, the bench.

— Drew's Avg. (.203) (@StephenDrewsAvg) September 1, 2015

Anyone who is reading this knows me by now, I’m very opinionated and I’m not afraid to voice my opinion even if it goes against the grain. I admit that sometimes I get a little too out of hand or a little too worked up over certain things, one of those certain things being the fact that Robert Refsnyder has basically been kept down in Scranton all season long, which causes me to get discouraged. I got so disgusted and discouraged by the Refsnyder situation this season that I simply stopped beating the drum for Ref and I stopped really checking the stats of either him or Stephen Drew because I realized I was fighting a losing battle.

With September call ups now in full effect and Refsnyder in the Major Leagues once again I fired up the Greedy Pinstripes site ready to post something along the lines of “it’s about time Refsnyder was up” and “he should start against every lefty for the remainder of the season” until I checked out the amazing blog run by Chad Jennings and company over at the Yankees Lohud. Chad had me beat on the whole Refsnyder vs. Drew post but he took a very different side of things, a side that really made me eat my crow very, very quietly.

First and foremost Chad posted Drew’s stats since June seen below:

June: .230/.310/.514
July: .245/.315/.408
August: .236/.313/.417

I quickly dismissed those stats until he had a side-by-side comparison of Drew’s stats to Refsnyder’s stats since the MLB All-Star break:

Drew: .248/.315/.416 in New York
Refsndyer: .222/.292/.363 in AAA

Is it over-grooming? Is Refsnyder simply discouraged or did Drew maybe, sort of, kind of figure it out in New York after essentially a season and a half of mediocrity? All of the above? Maybe.