This Day in New York Yankees History 4/10: Dave Eiland Hits a Home Run

On this day in 1992 Dave Eiland hit a home run in his first major league at bat. Eiland came through the New York Yankees system and also allowed a home run to first batter he faces in his career when he gave up a homer to the Brewers Paul Molitor. Eiland hit the home run in the National League in his first year with the San Diego Padres after coming over from the Yankees.

This Day in New York Yankees History 4/10: Dave Eiland Hits a Home Run

On this day in 1992 Dave Eiland hit a home run in his first major league at bat. Eiland came through the New York Yankees system and also allowed a home run to first batter he faces in his career when he gave up a homer to the Brewers Paul Molitor. Eiland hit the home run in the National League in his first year with the San Diego Padres after coming over from the Yankees.

This Day in New York Yankees History 4/10: Dave Eiland Hits a Home Run

On this day in 1992 Dave Eiland hit a home run in his first major league at bat. Eiland came through the New York Yankees system and also allowed a home run to first batter he faces in his career when he gave up a homer to the Brewers Paul Molitor. Eiland hit the home run in the National League in his first year with the San Diego Padres after coming over from the Yankees.

The Yankees Connection to the World Series

The 2015 World Series is underway now with the New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals fighting for the ultimate crown. Neither team has won a World Series in nearly 30 years, the last victory for the Royals coming in 1985 and the last victory for the Mets coming in 1986, but would either team be in the position to finally reward their players, fans and organization if it weren’t for the Yankees? Maybe not.

I may be putting on just a bit but it’s true, there are plenty of connections to the New York Yankees in this World Series. From players to coaches former members of the Bronx Bombers are everywhere and it may seem like the Mets and Royals are getting the last laughs on New York.

Currently on the Mets roster the team boasts hitting coach Kevin Long (Yankees hitting coach from 2004-2014 including the minor leagues and Major Leagues), right fielder Curtis Granderson (Yankees center fielder from 2010-2013) and relief pitcher Tyler Clippard (Yankees farm hand and pitcher from 2003-2007). Currently on the Royals roster the team boasts pitching Dave Eiland (Yankees pitching coach from 2000-2010 including the minor leagues where he coached Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain among others).

Now the fun part, to play Devil’s Advocate. Would the Yankees be in the World Series if they had this cast of characters on their roster in 2015? Well we know what the offense did with Kevin Long when they have a suitable cast of characters but you have to think the team couldn’t have been much better with Long, the team had the second most potent offense in the league behind the Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees offense would have been better with a healthy Mark Teixeira, not a new hitting coach. Down the stretch the pitching became the problem but I’m not sure the pitching coach, Larry Rothschild or Dave Eiland, could have fixed it. The team was wore down and the sample size was humongous, that’s what happens when you’re starting rotation only goes five innings a night.

Would Curtis Granderson help the Yankees offensive woes? Probably would, sure, but it would make the Yankees even more dependent on the home run or nothing. Carlos Beltran, presumably who Granderson would replace, would simply make the Yankees even more dependent on the long ball and even more left-handed. He may have added a few RBI and home runs along the way but New York is still likely shut out in the Wild Card Game. You can’t win a game when you don’t score any runs so having Clippard on the team would likely be a moot point as well, the problem was the offense.

It’s a great story to follow, former Yankees winning it all elsewhere, but it’s nothing to lose sleep over and it’s nothing to make you wonder if they are getting the last laugh on the team. Some decisions work out, some don’t and some only work out elsewhere. That’s life and that’s baseball. 

This Day in New York Yankees History 4/10: Dave Eiland Hits a Home Run

On this day in 1992 Dave Eiland hit a home run in his first major league at bat. Eiland came through the New York Yankees system and also allowed a home run to first batter he faces in his career when he gave up a homer to the Brewers Paul Molitor. Eiland hit the home run in the National League in his first year with the San Diego Padres after coming over from the Yankees.

Royals Pitching Coach: Shields Could Handle New York

Royals' pitching coach Dave Eiland thinks soon-to-be Free Agent Starter James Shields could handle playing for the Yankees. 

Shields, who competed in the AL East as a member of the Rays from 2006-2012, is set to make his next playoff outing tomorrow against the Angels. If Kansas City loses it and two more contests afterwards, Shields' career with the team will end, a fact that seems so certain right now due to KC's financial limits.

“He can, it’s just a matter of ‘Where is he going to want to pitch?’ ” Eiland told The New York Post yesterday. “That, I can’t answer. I’ve never had that conversation with him. I probably won’t. It’s none of my business. But he’s a guy that can pitch on any stage. Obviously, he’s going to have his choices, I would think.”

Eiland is currently in his third year working with Shields, serving as an advisor with the Rays in 2011 before reuniting with him last spring.

“I had a pretty good idea from opposing him all those years with the Yankees,” Eiland said in referance to his time in New York from 2008-2010. “Then I was around him more that year in Tampa Bay and worked with him in spring training."

Basically, Eiland knows what he's talking about when it comes to the right-hander. Nonetheless, considering Shields struggled pretty mightily in the Royals' Wild Card win Tuesday some skepticism here would be healthy for the Yanks, who plan to add some pieces this winter after again failing to reach October this season.

This Day In New York Yankees History 4/10

On this day in 1992 Dave Eiland hit a home run in his first major league at bat. Eiland came through the New York Yankees system and also allowed a home run to first batter he faces in his career when he gave up a homer to the Brewers Paul Molitor. Eiland hit the home run in the National League in his first year with the San Diego Padres after coming over from the Yankees.

Every Uniform Number Tells A Different Story

I usually don't frequent ESPN due to their, in my opinion, anti Yankees bias and some of the most obvious homerism in all of sports but this article about uniform numbers was too well written to pass up. Diane Firstman of ESPN.com gave us a few news and notes about the history of uniform numbers and it's an absolutely fascinating read that I think everyone should check out in it's entirety. Below I will map out the Yankees based achievements from the article, enjoy!

Chris Britton in 2008 was one of many players to wear four different uniform numbers in one season with the same team when the Yankees reliever wore #'s 38, 39, 47, and 63.

The most different players wearing the same number in Major League history is  67 different New York Yankees wearing the #26.

The Yankees had seven different players wear the #28 in 1989 with Al Leiter, Dale Mohoric, Dave Eiland, Hal Morris, Hensley Meulens, Jesse Barfield, and Marcus Lawton.

Also these numbers have never been worn by any team, ever. #'s 80, 86, 89, 90, and 92.