Former Yankees Updates & MLB History

A few former Yankees made a little bit of history this week so we felt like they needed to be talked about here on the blog. I’m sure you guys get tired of hearing me rant and rave about all the losing, benching Chase Headley and all that jazz so why not something a little different this afternoon?

Ichiro Suzuki was a Yankees player for two-and-a-half seasons after being acquired from the Seattle Mariners with the intention of milking every dollar they could out of his chase for 3,000 hits in the Major Leagues and his quest for the all-time hits record between the USA and Japan. Ichiro is still yet to hit the magical 3,000 hit plateau but he took another step closer this week with a game-winning single in Miami. Ichiro’s career MLB hit total now stands at 2,947.

I promised history in the thread title and a former Yankees relief pitcher, Caleb Cotham, helped the Cincinnati Reds make history as well this week. This is not the history you want to be remembered for though unfortunately. The Cincinnati reds bullpen set a new MLB record when the team surrendered at least one run in the team’s 21^st consecutive game. The man on the mound, Mr. Cotham. For all you trivia and history buffs out there remember the name Kelby Tomlinson as he hit the two-out infield single to score Hunter pence and set the record.

So there you have it. A whole posting without saying Chase Headley sucks! Well, we almost made it anyway. Enjoy the day Yankees family. 

Former Yankees Update: Ichiro Suzuki

Ichiro Suzuki spent parts of the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons with the New York Yankees before leaving for warmer climates down in Miami for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The Yankees signed Ichiro with the intent of having him chase down 3,000 hits in the United States while with the club. While that initial notion did not work out in New York the Marlins may see that exact plan come to fruition down in Miami if the aging Japanese-born star can grab just 65 more hits.

Ichiro, now 42-years old, is playing behind a talent group of core members in Miami’s outfield so the question of whether he will get enough at bats to grab 65 more hits is the question. If Miami plans on contending in 2016, and if you judge their offseason by their intentions then they do plan on contending, how can you sit one of Marcell Ozuna, Giancarlo Stanton or Christian Yelich often enough to get Ichiro the hits? If Ichiro were a few years younger, sure, but these days Ichiro just isn’t the same player he used to be as father time has caught up with him.

Ichiro is still fast and extremely durable, he played in 153 games last season and has played in at least 143 games in each of the past 15 seasons, but his batting average continues to drop the older he gets. Ichiro batted a career-low .229 last season which is a sudden drop off from his career average of .314. Ichiro has not hit .300 since the 2010 season. Can Ichiro do it?

Ichiro had 398 at bats last season and if he bats in the low .200’s again he may need another 300 or more to reach the 3,000 hit plateau. No one can predict what will happen this season. Injuries cannot be predicted and neither can effectiveness or playing time but if Ichiro gets the at bats you have to think that milestone staring him down in the face will be motivation enough to get there. I have faith in him and so should you. And if not, who is to say 2017 isn’t another year?

We’re rooting for you Ichiro. Get there!

Are We There Yet?

I am so glad to be back and writing again. Sometimes forces outside of your control can unexpectedly arise at the most inopportune times. Yet, here I am back to writing about the greatest franchise in sports history. I have been hearing a lot about our offseason, and with all the moves and the Hall of Fame elections yesterday I am so behind on my writings. The Stephen Drew news is semi-new and honestly I had no idea what to think about this move initially. When the season ended there were a few whom I knew would not be back in pinstripes next year. David Robertson, Ichiro, Chris Young, and Stephen Drew were the most prominent on my list.

Yes, I had an inkling that DRob would not return, but the likes of Martin Prado and David Phelps were people who shocked me. I question this young Eovaldi boy and hope he was worth it. I liked the insurance of Prado more than the likes of Drew, but then again I am not Brian Cashman so I do not know where these moves are leading to and how they will pan out. Do I think another trade is on the horizon? I hope so.

I am not a fan of Drew, but I believe in his defense. Cash seems to be trying to mold the Bronx Bombers into the Royals of last year. We have an above average infield defense, a lot of bullpen arms, and some people who can occasionally hit the ball. If healthy we can compete, and we can win the division. Just still not sure what else can be done.

Cole Hamels is not worth it, and I would not want to deal with the Phillies knowing their price tags on their players. Hamels is not worth Judge, Bird, Severino, or anyone of our top prospects. No pitcher on the market is worth these guys. Should we sign Mad Max, no. I do not think throwing money at him is smart. James Shields is a much better option and at a reasonable four year contract I think I would take a chance with him. He would at least be a better clubhouse presence than that of Scherzer.

I know we are not ready, and there is still plenty of time before pitchers and catchers report but the waiting is unbearable. Hopefully more deals are made and maybe we can strike some gold during spring training with some minor league deals. The division is winnable, we just need to stay healthy and be smart; the things I worry about most. Here's to being back and doing what I love; Go Yankees!

Nick's Picks 2.0: Astros VS Yankees 8/20/14

Well last night was frustrating, simply frustrating. Picks were looking good up until the end. I mean, could anyone have predicted Mr. Golden Sombrero hitting a three-run shot to win it? That was a poor excuse of a game and pretty much sums up this season and this team. Close but no cigar. I toggled with skipping this post just because my emergence brought back another loss, so sue me. Looking at the game tonight I had no choice but to write, that is what writers are born to do, right? I only wish that the next couple games are just like the ones finishing up the Rays series, and hopefully we gain back some of the ground we lost in the playoff races.

Tonight we look to Michael Pineda to get things rolling, and lord knows we need it. I hope someone in the lineup remembers to hit tonight, and the bullpen remembers that the season is not over yet. I feel so much anger and sadness for this team. All I want is a string of victories, and a strong push to make it more enjoyable than this roller coaster ride we are forced on. The Astros will counter with shaky right-hander Scott Feldman who with out luck will probably throw a no hitter tonight. Not a pick people! (If it happens though you heard it here first, unfortunately).

Pitching performance to watch: Well the bullpen is out. I think it will be a long while before I go back to them, at least as a whole. Watch for Pineda to deal some crazy numbers out tonight. I see him pitching longer into the game, and maybe shutting down the Astros through 6 2/3 innings with oh, nine strikeouts. Pineda is going to put on a dazzling display with his pitches, let's just hope we hit.

Break-out hitter: I have one word for that. Ichiro! The old man might have lost a step or four, but tonight he is going to provide some much needed offense from the least likeliest of sources. Ichiro is going to go 2-3 tonight with a walk, a single, and a big blast. Yes, Ichiro will make some lucky contact and bring in three RBI's on the night.

Simply Clutch: Stephen Drew, oh how I would love for you to figure out how to play again. With a start at shortstop tonight, Drew is going to make some very nifty plays on the field and also help with the bat tonight. Watch and see him get on base and score a few runs if not drive in one. Drew, tonight is your night to shine.

Yankee Universe can I get an Amen? Amen! Okay, I'll do it on your behalf, but seriously we need some sort of miracle/prayer to aide us through the rest of this season. At least nothing I have tried is doing the trick. Tonight I predict a nice win of 5-0. A simple shutout after a horrendous loss. Let's go Yankees! Remember YCPB!

I've Got Til 5! - Second Half Surprises

While it's not impossible for the Yankees to win the American League East this season, it certainly won't be easy.

Thankfully no other team in the division is playing so well that the Yankees should already be thinking about one of the two Wild Card spots. The division leading Baltimore Orioles aren't an offensive juggernaut, and have been relying on their pitching staff quite a bit. The 2nd place Toronto Blue Jays have pretty much been the opposite of the Orioles, relying on their bats to overcome a mediocre pitching staff. The Tampa Bay Rays have hit poorly while being just "okay" on the mound, and the Red Sox have gotten solid pitching as their offense has produced the least amount of runs in the American League.

So even though the Yankees currently sit with a .500 record, while having a run differential that leads some to believe their record is above them, there's still a chance.

"So you're telling me there's a chance."

I'll admit that some Yankees are playing better than they probably should. Brett Gardner is having a career-year at the plate, Ichiro Suzuki is not hitting like the 40 year-old that he is, and Masahiro Tanaka is already showing signs of getting tired. But let's forget about those things, and root for them to continue. And at the same time, here are five guys that I believe will have a nice 2nd half...

1. Chase Whitley

While it took until his eighth start this season to suffer his first loss, Chase Whitley has had it rough since then. In fact, in his last four starts, Whitley has failed to go beyond four innings. To make matters worse, Chase gave up 20 runs in those four starts.

Now, it's certainly true that I haven't seen nearly enough of Chase Whitley in Major League Baseball to say for sure, but I think we're going to see better things out of him in the second half. That's because batters have a Batting Average on Balls In Play (known from here on out as "BABIP") of .354, which is incredibly high. Combined with Whitley's line drive percentage against of 23%, which to be fair isn't small, tells me a slight correction is coming.

There's one other thing about Chase... his FIP, or Fielding Independent Pitching rate, of 3.98. If the Yankees infield can do a little better job, then that too could go a long way towards the Yankees getting more out of Whitley's starts.

2. Brian McCann

While we've already seen a turn-around from Brian McCann, I'm sure there are some fans out there that believe it won't continue. After all, the All Star break did cut off any momentum the Yankees backstop created.

But I believe it could continue. McCann's BABIP of .255, coupled with a career-high line drive rate of 27%, makes me believe that he'll keep that hot streak going through the rest of the season. And having a guy that could hit .275/.350/.480 the rest of the way could be a huge help.

3. David Robertson

While it's hard to believe that we could see a guy whose ERA is 2.76 improve, that doesn't mean it's not true.

Opposing hitters have a BABIP of .356, while at the same time hitting D-Rob a little harder than in recent history. And if those two things come back down to Earth, then there's no reason we couldn't see Robinson go from being a "good" closer to a "dominant" one in the second half of the season.

Oh, and there's one other thing... Like Chase Whitley, David has a FIP much lower than his ERA (1.73). This is yet another reason for Brian Cashman to think hard about a player's fielding ability, as well as his bat, when looking to upgrade the infield by trade.

"That's right, kids."

4. Carlos Beltran

Despite what his batting stats may tell us, Carlos Beltran is actually hitting the ball as hard as he ever has. His career line drive percentage is 20%, and Beltran is actually hitting the ball well 21% of the time. So it really doesn't make sense that his BABIP is a lowly .222.

His batting line of .216/.271/.401 is far from impressing Yankees' fans, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Beltran hit somewhere in the neighborhood of .300/.350/.500, which isn't much better than he hit from 2012 to 2013 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

5. Brandon McCarthy

From 2011 through 2012, when batters had a BABIP of .298 (pretty much exactly league average) against McCarthy, Brandon's batting line against was a very respectable .262/.294/.384. That triple-slash against this season is a less-than-respectable .300/.311/.463.

While that bump in BABIP is a bit understandable, thanks to hitters making better contact off of McCarthy's pitches this season (26% line drive percentage this season, versus 21% between 2011 and 2012), it doesn't mean that we shouldn't expect more from the newest member of the Yankees' rotation.

You see, hitters this season have a BABIP of .348 against McCarthy, which is definitely higher than one would expect. Seeing as how McCarthy is a ground ball pitcher, if the Yankees can find a way to improve their infield defense (saying that is getting very tiring), then I see no reason why Brandon McCarthy couldn't have a healthy second half of 2014.


While in previous seasons it's been expected that the Yankees would reach the postseason, this year is definitely different. Even though the Yankees were in fourth place in the division on this day last season, and missed the postseason for only the second time in 19 seasons, they still had 51 wins. Back in 2008, the only other time in 19 years they missed the playoffs, the Yanks still had 50 wins at this point. So this may be the biggest second half mountain the team has had to climb out of in a very long time.

"Yeah, I think I'll stick with baseball cleats."

Before I leave you to the weekend, I wanted to let you know that I'm going on vacation next week, so there won't be an "I've Got Til 5!" post. I'd still love to hear any ideas for this column you have, so feel free to let me know via Twitter (either at the blog @greedystripes or at my personal account @BryanV21), the comment section, or by email (either at BryanV21@thegreedypinstripes.com or BryanV21@gmail.com).

Have a good one, and as always... GO YANKS!

Potential 2014 Milestones For Everyone Else

This week we have looked at potential milestones for the likes of Derek Jeter, Alfonso Soriano, and Carlos Beltran and what could have been for Alex Rodriguez. Today we look at everyone else on the Yankees roster who may have a potential milestone they are creeping up on in 2014, take a look.

Hiroki Kuroda could reach 1,000 career strike outs in his Major League career if he reaches 160 K's in 2014, a number he has surpassed twice and come close to two more times in his six year MLB career.

As much as it pains me to say Ichiro Suzuki will not be reaching 3,000 hits in a Major League stadium, not with the Yankees anyway. He has one more season left on his contract and sits at 2,742 hits in his Major League career. Now reduced to being a part time player it would be possible for Ichiro to not even reach 2,800 hits but we will always have that 4,000 hit celebration to remember him by.

Did you know that there are zero active players in the Top 100 in triples all times, and only three players in the Top 150? It's true. The first Yankee to make the list is Ichiro Suzuki with 83 three baggers, good for 253rd on the All Time list.

Brett Gardner has 39 stolen base speed and if he got those 39 steals in 2014 he would finish with an even 200 for his career.

With Jamie Moyer and Andy Pettitte out of the game the active wins leader among pitchers is Tim Hudson followed by the Yankees CC Sabathia for a tie for 99th and 100th respectively. If Sabathia won 15 games he could jump to a tie for 72nd place. If he won more games then Hudson then he could become the all time winning-est active pitcher in MLB.

Yankees Trying To Trade Ichiro With No Luck

According to Jon Heyman on Twitter the New York Yankees have been trying to shop spare outfielder Ichiro Suzuki basically all winter long and have had little to no success. 40 year old Ichiro will start the season with the Yankees unless something drastic changes in the next two or three weeks. Ichiro is making $6.5 million this season as a fifth outfielder if you include Alfonso Soriano spending a lot of time at DH, that's a lot.

Hal Steinbrenner signed Ichiro for two years hoping for the 3,000 hit parade to come to New York and draw in revenue, after a season in which Ichiro hit .262/.297/.342 that obviously did not happen. Now the Yankees will try to unload him and that contract, and I find it unlikely that they do so. Looks like we're stuck with Ichiro for at least a couple more months.

Ichiro Intends To Play "Many Seasons" Past 2014

Ichiro Suzuki is entering the last year of his contract with the New York Yankees just 258 hits away from 3,000 hits as a Major League player but the problem is Ichiro is 40 years old. Ichiro will be 41 years old in October but in an interview with Wally Matthews Ichiro said he intends to play "not just a few" but "many" seasons after this season. Ichiro also went on to say that "retirement from baseball is something I haven't even thought about. For me, I feel there's no reason for me to retire right now." If anyone has the work ethic and the love for the game to play well into his 40's it is definitely Ichiro Suzuki, good for him going out when he feels like he wants to, not because he feels like he has to.

Ichiro is no longer a starting outfielder for the Yankees but is preparing as he would be playing 162 games this season. Even as a backup Ichiro gives great defense in the outfield with an average of +17 UZR/150 the last two seasons. Ichiro is also very durable missing only 13 games in the last three seasons. Ichiro has a triple slash of .273/.305/.356 in his last three season and although in decline can still get it done at the plate and with his legs. If Ichiro wants to play ten more seasons I think he should and I think he could with ease, again good for Ichiro.

Spring Training News & Notes 2/19/14

Happy position players reporting to camp day in Yankees spring training camp, the day has finally arrived. Here are a few news and notes for all who missed the days action.

Ichiro has made it his mission to earn his playing time this season and has reportedly done a ton of work this offseason to improve. Chad Jennings said Ichiro looked considerably stronger this season so there is always that, especially since it is highly unlikely that all of the Yankees outfielders will be available for all 162 games.

Brett Gardner offered to play right field if that's what Joe Girardi thought was best today, class act and definitely deserving of the pinstripes. I can see Gardner getting some time there with Alfonso Soriano basically a left fielder or DH at this point in his career. When Beltran needs a day off expect Gardner manning right field for roll call.

Tyler Austin's wrist is 100%, for real this time. Tyler said he felt pain in it from early June 2013 all the way through the Arizona Fall League but says it is finally healed. We need him to have a huge bounce back season, absolutely.

Once again thank you to Chad Jennings for the bullpen session assignments and such seen below:

 Today’s bullpens (all of which happened earlier this morning)
Jose Campos (to Francisco Cervelli)
Dave Robertson (to John Ryan Murphy)
Matt Thornton (to Brian McCann)

Chris Leroux (to Jose Gil)
David Phelps (to Austin Romine)
Yoshinori Tateyama (to Roman Rodriguez)

· Live batting practice at the minor league complex
Manny Banuelos
Cesar Cabral
Matt Daley
Brian Gordon
Shawn Kelley
Mark Montgomery

Yankees Well Represented In 2013 Gibby Awards

Robinson Cano, David Robertson, Ichiro Suzuki, Alfonso Soriano, and Mariano Rivera have been named  nominees for a 2013 GIBBY Award according to MLB.com. GIBBY Awards not only pick the MVP award winners but a plethora of other awards picked by the fans like best starting pitcher, comeback player, defensive player, breakout player, etc. All awards can be voted on by going to MLB.com or going HERE to vote for the hometown Yankees.

Robby Cano is nominated for Hitter of the Year.

Rivera is in the running for best Closer, Comeback Player of the Year, Best Story Line of 2013, Best Moment for this 2013 All Star Game entrance, and the Cut4 Topic that was trending in baseball in 2013 with the "No Mo Zone" that was chalked out in Kansas City.

Robertson is nominated for best set up man in baseball.

Joe Girardi was not nominated for the Manager of the Year award but Dusty Baker, who has been fired, is for some reason. Well I got the reason because if you look at the lists all those skippers took their teams to the playoffs but still, it's Manager of the Year not hey you got your team to the playoffs award. Oh well.

Brian Cashman, Hank Steinbrenner, and Hal Steinbrenner were shut out of the Executive of the Year awards as well surprisingly.

The Yankees triple plays is consideration for the must see play of the year so go ahead and vote for that too while you're over there.

Ichiro's 4,000 hit is in consideration for the Must See Moment of the Year as well as Mariano Rivera's All Star Game entrance and such.

Soriano is nominated for the best hitting performance with his 3-3, 2 HR, 3 R, 7 RBI, and BB performance against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on August, 14th.

Finally the Yankees and the Red Sox game on June, 2nd is nominated for the Oddity award as the game was delayed multiple time due to severe thunder that scared the crap out of players in both dugouts.

Ichiro Suzuki's 4,000th Hit Highlights

Let's take another look at Ichiro's 4000th hit between the Major Leagues and his time in Japan. Enjoy!

Seattle Is Quite Happy With Cashman's "Steals"

Being posted as a part of Syndicated Sunday from It Is High....!

It's not always fun to look at Brian Cashman's trades from the other side of the equation. The Yankee version goes that we acquire solid veterans and give up nothing, either because the other team wanted to dump salary or they simply aren't as smart as us.

Take Seattle, of course. Of course, the ultimate deal - Jesus Montero for Michael Pineda - now looks, at best, to be nothing for nothing. It's still on the board. But two lesser trades that have been widely celebrated as Yankee victories might need a second look.

According to the Seattle Mariners blog Lookout Landing, the acquisitons of Sean Kelly and Ichiro were not the giveaways the Yankees wanted us to think. In fact... yeesh. 

For Kelly, we gave up Abraham Almonte. Here's what Lookout Landing says:

"Abraham Almonte, 24, who received the Mariners Minor League 2013 Heart and Soul Award for his exemplary play and leadership, went from organizational filler to a potential big time player in the club's 2014 outfield plans with the season he turned in. The switch-hitter who came over in exchange for Shawn Kelley combined to hit .295 between two stops in the minors and in Seattle this season, cranking out 17 home runs, walking 73 times and stealing 27 bases while playing all three outfield positions. He showed a lot of defensive ability in all three outfield spots during his 25 game late season trial with the Mariners and looks like a steal for what he cost. His athleticism and versatility are a big change from the outfield the club started the 2013 season with, and that could see him stick on the 25-man roster in 2014."

 

And then there was Ichiro. Does anybody remember the non-entity we gave up for him? Of course not. It was a steal, right? Well, Seattle remembers him.

 

"Of everyone on this list... Danny Farquhar is probably the most surprising to have turned into something valuable at the big league level in 2013. Danny (26) came to the Mariners as one of the pieces in the Ichiro trade... Somewhat of an enigma as a 5-foot-9 right-hander that employed a lot of three-quarters and below arm angles, Farquhar had only two big league innings before his promotion to Seattle this season, but he ended the year as the club's closer and posted the 9th highest SO/9 rate of all MLB relievers in his 55 2/3 innings this season. And while his ERA was an uninspiring 4.20 his FIP was 1.86 -- the fourth best number in the majors among relievers. Farquhar's curveball really made a huge difference for him this year, and sticking to a more natural arm angle allowed him to refine his command past where it had ever been for him before. His 1.9 fWAR was the third highest number on the club and tied for 9th among MLB relievers for the 2013 season."

 

Farquhar is expected to be Seattle's closer this year, and Almonte might start in the outfield. Kelly pitched well for us this year until he ran out of gas, and Ichiro - well - less said, the better.

 

Surprise, folks: We don't get these washed up players for nothing.

Will 4,000 hits take Ichiro to the Hall of Fame?

So, Ichiro made his 4,000th professional career hit this week (and his 4,001st at time of writing). Now this is, as it should be, a time of celebration for Ichiro and in fact for the Yankees as a whole. Watching the game on Wednesday, you could see that Ichiro's hit was a big thing for the whole team and to be honest, you can see why. 4,000 hits is quite the milestone and for him to do it as a Yankee is something special for the fans, the team and I'm sure for Ichiro himself. In a season that has so far seen a lot of mediocrity (at best) in terms of performance, Ichiro has been a constant, often providing fireworks and doing his best to provide some offense in a lineup that, certainly pre All Star break, has been lacking.

With hit 4,000 Ichiro joined a very elite group of baseball players. Only two other people have made 4,000 in their careers - Pete Rose (4,256) and Ty Cobb (4,191). You've got to admit, this is a massive achievement by anybody's standards. You would think that 4,000 hits would more or less guarantee Ichiro a spot in Cooperstown and to be fair, we won't know for a number of years whether this is the case or not. However, there are a number of voices at the moment saying, "But he hit almost a third of those in Japan - not the major leagues, so these shouldn't count". The actual percentage of hits that Ichiro made in Japan is 31.94% (taking his 4,001st hit into account). He has 2,723 hits over 13 years in MLB and 1,278 over nine years in the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan. It is also worth noting that Ichiro's 2,723 hits is the most in a 13 year period in the majors by ANY player! He beats both Rose (2,650) and Cobb (2,300) already by a long way and he is only going to improve this!

The question is, is Japan that much different to the USA when it comes to professional baseball? Look at the number of players who have come from Japan and the impact that they have had on the MLB.

Hideki Matsui - A name all Yankees fans know
Yu Darvish - Anybody want to argue that he is not one of the best pitchers in the majors?
Daisuke Matsuzaka - Another top quality pitcher
Hideo Nomo - 2 major league no hitters - no other Japanese pitcher has achieved this

It seems like every year, teams are signing Japanese stars and as was the case with Darvish, bidding wars can take place just for the right to offer them a contract, which at the end of the day he might not even accept! Therefore, you must appreciate that at least in some part, Japan can and does breed top baseball players. Since Japanese players have to spend time playing in Japan before they have a shot at the MLB, they have to prove that they can play at a high enough level. The case of saying, "Oh well, he made some of those hits in Japan" only really has merit, if you are saying that the Japanese professional league is of a poor standard overall. I'm not saying that it is a rival to MLB, as the general standard is lower but players who leave Japan, come to the majors and then flourish, clearly have talent and prove that their Japanese success, that the MLB teams based their decision to hire the guy on, is not simply luck.

To give a different perspective, lets briefly look at the world of soccer in the UK and Europe. Each European country has its own professional football leagues of varying qualities and the number of players from the top leagues in each country that transfer is much higher than in baseball. Some may argue that the European club championships they compete in, breed a level playing field but if players are no good, they won't be pursued. As in baseball, natural talent like that of Ichiro will always shine through. Whilst soccer has no league that is the absolute pinnacle, there is never any suggestion that other countries have inferior leagues.

Anyway, back to the man of the moment. People seem to be missing the fact that Ichiro has 2,723 hits in the majors since the age of 27! I also repeat, he has the most hits in a 13 year period OF ANYBODY ALL TIME in the majors! With the influx of young players like Bryce Harper and Mike Trout who start in the majors whilst they are still teenagers, they have almost 8 years on Ichiro and have still to reach their peak, which generally occurs around the mid twenties. Will Harper or Trout get 3,000 hits in their careers? Possibly. Will they reach 4,000? History says this is highly unlikely. If Ichiro plays for another 2 years, which would require a 1 year contract extension (he will be 41!), he is highly likely to reach 3,000 hits in MLB alone. If he adds a further 277 major league hits, he will have 4,278 in total, which will beat Pete Rose's all time hits record. I know people would never accept it as a true record as 29.87% of these were in Japan but he would also have joined the 3,000 hit club in the MLB on its own! This should be sufficient for Ichiro to make it to the Hall of Fame with no questions asked. For a guy who, if he plays until 41, will have had a 14 year MLB career and a 23 year career in total, having debuted in Japan at 18, to reach this milestone would be epic and should qualify Ichiro as a true great of the game!

If you ask me, Ichiro should be inducted no matter what happens from now on. He has made 4,001 hits in a professional baseball career that has already spanned 21 years! He always plays to his limits, gives 100% every time he plays and does not get involved in the circuses that often come with a major league career. Another aspect that is harder to quantify is that he seems to have led an influx of Japanese players joining the majors and could be seen in a way as a trailblazer. Since joining the Yankees (let's remember that he only joined in 2012), Ichiro has brought passion, a good bat and speed to a lineup that has been filled with big name stars. He has quietly got on with the job he was employed to do, kept his head and has remained grounded. Rudyard Kipling once said, "If you can keep your head, whilst all those around you are losing theirs, then you will be a man my son". This is what Ichiro has done and even in an interview following number 4,000, he remained grounded and was genuinely overwhelmed by the reaction of the fans, his teammates, his opponents and the situation as a whole. As he started to well up, you got the impression that he got here through sheer determination to play the game he loves as well as he can and 4,000 hits is simply a nice little stop along the way. Compared to some people who seem to see it as their right to break records, Ichiro really does play for the love of the game.

So there we have it. Whether Ichiro is inducted or not will not be decided for some time and will be decided by a panel of people who will have to assess his achievements but I really do believe that fans want to see him there. From a Yankees perspective, if he had not done enough up until now, Ichiro has made himself a Yankee superstar, if not a legend, despite his short time with the team.

Ichiro Suzuki, take a bow, we salute you!

Congratulations To Ichiro Suzuki On 4000 Hits

Congratulations go to Ichiro Suzuki on his 4,000th hit as a professional baseball player including his time in Japan. While some may say that this is watered down, that Ichiro is "no Ty Cobb or Pete Rose," the Japanese League stats should not count, etc. it is a pretty big deal nonetheless. Counting T-ball and little league stats some players still would not even sniff 3,000 hits so this is an impressive milestone for both the Yankees and Ichiro. Congrats to Itchy and here's to 300 or so more so he can reach the 3,000 hit plateau in the major leagues.

Ownership Is Still Calling The Big Shots In The Bronx?

Has anything really changed in the Bronx since we had a Steinbrenner change back in the late 2000's? We all know and loved George Steinbrenner for his fiery attitude, his love for the game and winning, and his willingness to do whatever it took to do that. Many of us worried when Hank and Hal, George's two sons, were given the reigns of the team as George stepped down with ailing health but has all that much changed? 

"That's cute, wanna see my other three?" - Brian Cashman

The Alfonso Soriano deal was reported as "close" for nearly a week before it was made official and it seemed like the next day that we learned this was an ownership pushed move. This is the third reported incident where Yankees GM Brian Cashman, who's job description includes acquiring and trading players as well as signing free agents, was against a trade or acquisition that ended up happening anyway. Let's look at these three incidents and see if Brian Cashman was right and should not be getting the flack that he has or if Hank and Hal should just stay behind the scenes and write the checks. 

"Brian Cashman better want me I've been sitting outside the stadium in a car for a week!" - Alfonso Soriano

Brian Cashman wanted.... to sit on his hands? I don't know it doesn't look like he wanted anything.

Hank/Hal Steinbrenner wanted Alfonso Soriano for Corey Black

It is no secret that the Yankees offense has been almost non existent for much of the season and severely lacking power, especially from the right side of the plate. Enter Alfonso Soriano who was a Yankees second basemen 10 seasons ago and is back now as their every day left fielder and designated hitter. While Soriano may not be the 40/40 flirt he used to be he is still the best right handed hitting option we have with the acquisition. The best part of it is the Cubs will be paying the bulk of Sori's salary making him paid for what he is, a pretty good player that fills a role and a need. 

I love the Soriano deal even though we lost Corey Black, a personal favorite of mine, because it makes the team better and does not sacrifice the future. Notch one in the column for Hank and Hal Steinbrenner. 

"3,000 Hits = Money" - Hal Steinbrenner

Brian Cashman wanted Russell Martin & Nate Schierholtz

Hal/Hank Steinbrenner wanted Ichiro Suzuki on a two year deal worth $13,000,000.

This signing was, in my opinion, solely made for money making purposes and less for the on the field product. Sure Ichiro still has it and can be productive but no more productive then say a Nick Swisher who we let walk via free agency. Ichiro was signed not only to keep out foot in the Japanese market but also to watch Ichiro chase 3,000 hits in pinstripes. While Ichiro has hit near .300 after a slow start and has stolen bases while playing solid right field what we could have had may have been better. Nate Schierholtz has put up similar triple slash numbers with more home runs and more RBI's for the Chicago Cubs. Mix in with that the offensive hole we have behind the dish and the potential of having Russell Martin back behind the dish makes this a questionable move for the ownership.

Overall I love Ichiro but I think I would have rather have Nate Schierholtz and Russell Martin for a season then two seasons of Ichiro, 3,000 hits or not. I'd rather win than make money because usually the two go hand in hand for me. Notch one in the belt for Brian Cashman. 

Notice who is missing from this photo?

Brian Cashman wanted... nothing... again

Hank/Hal Steinbrenner wanted Rafael Soriano for three years and $35,000,000 with multiple opt out clauses.

Rafael Soriano struggled in his first season as a Yankees player and fell out of the good graces of Joe Girardi rather quickly. Soriano finished 2011 with a 4.12 ERA with only two saves with a 1.297 WHIP pitching mostly the 6th and 7th innings for the Yanks. The next season we would see Mariano Rivera tear his ACL in his knee shagging fly balls in Kansas City and Soriano take over as the closer leading the Yankees to 42 saves with a 2.26 ERA and a much better 1.167 WHIP. Soriano also netted us a draft pick when we offered him a qualifying offer only for him to sign with the Washington Nationals for the 2013 season. 

Overall I would say that with all the #untuck 'ing we did in 2012 this deal looked awful when we first signed him but ended up being a win in the ownership column.

Maybe all the Brian Cashman haters should please sit down, shut up, and pay attention. Maybe the ownership should either trust the man that they signed to be their general manager or fire him, keep their noses out of it, and continue to write the checks. Maybe we should all just get used to the fact that this is not a George Steinbrenner run team anymore as much as that pains me to say and maybe that is okay because sometimes change can be good. The problem is we're not seeing any kind of change in the Bronx and the Yankees ownership and brass is still running the show they are just being sneaky about it these days and I despise secrets. Shape up or ship out and I mean now.

#EndRant

Interesting Perks & Stipulations Of Yankees Contracts

Alex Rodriguez

Alex may purchase four of the best Legends Suite season tickets from 2009 - 2017. He also has a $30,000,000 marketing agreement based on home run milestones including $6,000,000 for each home runs when he passes Willie Mays at 660 home runs, Babe Ruth's 714 home runs, Hank Aaron's 755 home runs, and another $6,000,000 each for tying and passing all time home run record king Barry Bonds.

Vernon Wells

Vernon has to donate $143,000 every year to the Toronto Blue Jays charity.

From an AAV standpoint Vernon Wells has agreed to be a "free' player next year

Mark Teixeira

Mark may purchase up to eight of the Yankees best season tickets every season.

CC Sabathia

CC Sabathia gets a suite on every Yankees road trips. I guess when you are the king of the Yankees rotation you want to be treated that way.

CC gets paid twice a month spread out for all 12 months of the season unlike normal Yankees contracts which get paid out twice a month during the season only.

Derek Jeter

Derek has $2,000,000 annually deferred off of his contract without interest to be paid to him in each of the 2015,2016, and 2017 seasons. The payment will be paid on March 17th each of these three seasons for whatever reason.

Ichiro Suzuki

Ichiro has a fat check on his way presumably after the 2014 season because the Seattle Mariners are on the hook for $25,000,000 to be paid to Ichiro the year after he retires. Ichiro will be paid $5,000,000 annually on January 30th for five years the year after he retires.The kicker is that Ichiro has a 5.5% interest rate on that money as well.

A Day In The Life Of A Yankees Blogger

So I wake up at 5:00 am ET and the first thing I do after your usual morning bathroom routine is I check The Greedy Pinstripes to see what is new in the world of the Yankees. I update daily at this time the AL East standings, the next Yankees game, and Ichiro's assault on 3,000 hits list. When Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter come back they will be added as well. I then check my G Mail for any press releases or emails that I may have gotten over the night and I update the blog accordingly. Before I know it I have to get my son out of bed, get my lunch packed, get my son to my mothers house, and get my behind to work.

I get to work early usually and I scour twitter, @GreedyStripes, to see the latest from our followers. I have a great conversation with somebody almost every morning. This is usually when I go on my rants about when Brian Cashman needs to shut his mouth, or trade for this, or trade this guy, or how I am tired of this or that from the night before. If news ever breaks or I see something interesting I use the blogger app on my iPhone to update the site.

Work, work, work, work, and work. I have to work now at work because at one time I spent so much time scouring the internet for news that The Greedy Pinstripes got blocked at work. We then got a "updated" internet policy with our paychecks a couple weeks later stating that we are, paraphrasing of course, here to work and not to play on the internet. Excessive internet abuse at work would result in a reprimanding and maybe even termination. The termination word was enough for me to unfortunately stop updating the blog at work but there is always my lunch break.

After I get off work, get dinner in mine, my sons, and my pregnant wife's stomach I go full Greedy Pinstripes mode. I update any news that may have broke while I was at work and prepare for the nights game. This is the time you will see the game threads made and the game previews made. When the game starts I go to twitter and tweet with our followers and usually get a lot of good ideas for posts for the next day. Tweeters say the damnedest things, you know it? During the commercial breaks is when I schedule daily posts like this day in New York Yankees history posts. By the time Mariano Rivera throws that last pitch and I hear Michael Kay say the Yankees have won it is bed time for me. I have to be up early again tomorrow to start the entire process over again.

Why do I do it? Not the money that is for sure and it is definitely not because I want some sort of fame or recognition. I do it because I love the New York Yankees and I do it because I enjoy it. I cannot say why I decided to do this post, mainly I guess because I thought it would be interesting, but I can say that I really appreciate every one of you reading this right now. Thank you all and we love you!

Are We A Trade Match With The Cubs -- The Outfield

The Cubs have the distinct possibility of trading their entire starting outfield this trade deadline season with the Cubs far out of contention. It is no secret that the Yankees have gotten little contribution out of their outfield this season outside of Brett Gardner, a month of Vernon Wells, and spurts of Ichiro Suzuki. Do the Yankees and the Cubs match up to make a trade to improve the Yankees outfield?

The Cubs are presumably willing to trade Nate Schierholtz. It is worth noting that Nate actually received an offer from the Yankees this off season before signing a deal with the Cubs so the Yankees will probably at least kick the wheels on him. Nate is batting .288/.338/.545 in 208 plate appearances this season so he is an obvious upgrade over anyone in our outfield not named Brett Gardner. Also he is only making $2.5 million this year and is a free agent after 2013 so that makes him even more attractive to the Yankees.

Alfonso Soriano, the former Yankee, is sporting a .245/.276/.387 mark with only seven home runs in 261 at bats but still would be an upgrade over a slumping and seemingly lost Vernon Wells. Also with that huge contract he could probably be had for relatively cheap in terms of prospects. Problem with Soriano, if you still believe the 2014 luxury tax and $189 million payroll hype, is that he slated to make $18 million next season and the Cubs probably wont eat enough of that for the Yankees to bite unfortunately.

Scott Hairston was coveted by the Yankees this off season before signing with Chicago for a two year deal worth $2.5 million annually. Hairston is a right handed batter that could bring balance to the Yankees lineup but boasts a .156/.208/.344 triple slash so I cannot see the Yankees taking a waiver on him at all.

David DeJesus is currently on the 15 day DL but has put up a .260/.318/.445 triple slash and has a very nice team friendly contract. David signed a two year deal with the Cubs this off season with an option for 2015 that would make him $4.25 million in each of 2012 and 2013 with a $6.5 million club option for 2014 with a $1.5 million buy out. The Yankees have wanted David DeJesus for a long time and this may finally be the year that David is in pinstripes because it seems to be a few years too late.

MLB Announced All Star Game Voting Thus Far

Major Leauge Baseball has announced their first set of updates in the All Star Game voting and Robinson Cano leads all second basemen in baseball. Cano has the second most votes behind only the Tigers Miguel Cabrera. Derek Jeter is also fifth among all short stops in baseball although he is obviously not going to be playing in the game. Kevin Youkilis is fifth among third basemen in the league although I cannot see him making the team either. Ichiro is ranked 15th in the outfield and is the highest rank Yankees outfielder.

Lyle Overbay Starts In Right Field Tonight

Does this spell the end of Brennan Boesch? The Yankees have a roster decision to make in order to activate Andy Pettitte off the DL tonight and while many of us thought that Lyle Overbay may get the axe to make room for Andy that may not be the case. Lyle is supposed to start in right field which shows me that an outfielder is going to make room for Andy. Obviously that outfielder is not going to be Ichiro Suzuki, Brett Gardner, or Vernon Wells so it must be Brennan Boesch right? Stay tuned..