The Yankees and the MLB Winter Meetings...

 

Aaron Judge (Photo Credit: Mark J Terrill/Associated Press)

The Hot Stove is ready to boil over…

The Winter Meetings are upon us.

The 2022 MLB Meetings begin tomorrow, Sunday, December 4^th, and run through Wednesday, December 7^th. I guess it is a reminder to us that Winter is also here even if it technically does not start until December 21^st. All eyes and ears will be on San Diego, California for the next few days. 

If last night’s announcement that the Texas Rangers had signed Jacob deGrom to an insane contract is any indication, it should be a furious and bumpy road ahead. As much as I respect deGrom, I am glad the Yankees did not invest five years and $185 million in a 34-year-old pitcher who has not pitched over 100 innings since the 2019 season. Sure, when deGrom is healthy, he is one of the best pitchers in baseball. It is the “healthy” part that concerns me. Pay a pitcher an average annual value of $37 million, only to see like a guy such as Domingo German make most of his starts. I hope deGrom stays healthy and has a productive five years in Texas. It is just not a bet that I would want to make, and I am glad the Yankees did not either. Justin Verlander would be nice but bring me Carlos Rodon and I will be quite happy. 

Carlos Rodon (Photo Credit: Thearon W Henderson/Getty Images)

To the Mets’ credit, their reported offer of three years for $120 million was extremely fair. So was the unsuccessful $175 million the Yankees offered Robinson Cano nine years ago. Sometimes other teams are more desperate. Oh well, life goes on. The desperation of other teams is probably what concerns me most about the current state of negotiations between the Yankees and Aaron Judge. How desperate are the San Francisco Giants to bring one of the biggest names in baseball, a high-profile Northern California native to the Bay Area? I suppose we shall soon find out.

My biggest frustration with the Judge situation is the Yankees could have avoided this. They had an opportunity to sign Judge to an extension prior to the season and chose to lowball him. Of course, that was before one of the most historic player seasons in Yankees history, but it seems that the two sides could have found common ground if they had tried. It has been reported that Hal Steinbrenner is willing to pursue Judge more aggressively than general manager Brian Cashman. If true, Steinbrenner should have gotten involved earlier to avoid Judge’s free agency. I find it hard to believe that Cashman would not be as aggressive as Steinbrenner wants him to be. If anything, the general manager should be more aggressive to push the owner’s comfort zone. 

While I respect Aaron Judge and his right to actively market his services to all teams, it is a complicated process for fans. One moment, the player is free to sign anywhere including the desired return to Pinstripes, but then the harsh, cold, and final words appear on MLB Trade Rumors…“Giants To Sign Aaron Judge”. I remain hopeful the Yankees bring back their brilliant right fielder. Honestly, it is hard to find solace in the experts who say that Judge will return to New York. No one knows what Aaron Judge is thinking or what his motivations may be for his next contract beyond the dollars. The truth is the Giants, or the Los Angeles Dodgers could win this lottery before it is over. We know one thing with absolute certainty, Aaron Judge will be a very rich man wherever he may go. 

Player Moves

The Yankees lost a bullpen member when free agent Miguel Castro signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks for a guaranteed $3.5 million. There is a $5 million vesting option for 2024 if Castro makes at least 60 appearances next season and passes a physical at the end of the year. Good for him. I did not really expect the Yankees to bring Castro back although I did appreciate his work when he was healthy. 

The guy the Yankees traded to acquire Castro last Spring, Joely Rodriguez, was recently signed by the Boston Red Sox. 

The Yankees need bullpen help and I would like to see a reunion with Zack Britton. Even if the Yankees were to sign Britton, he should not be the only answer. 

Zack Britton (Photo Credit: J Conrad Williams Jr/Newsday)

It will be interesting to see if the Yankees sign any ‘name’ relievers or if they go the ‘build your own’ route with signings or trades for under the radar guys like the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees trust their development team and feel they can help transform guys into better versions of themselves like they did with Clay Holmes. 

The price of proven relievers will not be cheap as evidenced by the two-year, $17.5 million contract signed by 37-year-old reliever, and ex-Yankee, Chris Martin with the Boston Red Sox.

The offseason rumor mill has been full of ‘Gleyber Torres to the Seattle Mariners’ talk, however, the Mariners are no longer in the market with their acquisition of second baseman Kolten Wong from the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielder Jesse Winker (an oft rumored Yankee target) and infielder Abraham Toro.

I personally do not feel the Yankees should trade Torres. At least not yet. There is a chance, a strong one, that DJ LeMahieu may not be ready at the start of the season, and I firmly believe Anthony Volpe needs more time at Triple A before he is ready to ascend to the Majors. He will be a major star, but the Yankees need to handle him right (as they have to this point). I have already penciled in Oswald Peraza as the starting shortstop (hoping manager Aaron Boone feels the same). Oswaldo Cabrera’s greatest asset is his ability to play multiple positions so I would not want to lock him into one position. Gleyber Torres is the Yankees’ starting second baseman…until he is not. 

The three guys I want to see on the transaction wire are the obvious candidates. Josh Donaldson, Aaron Hicks, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. If the Yankees could eliminate one, great; two, better; or all three, Yippee Ki-Yay M-Fers!

Despite teams making moves, the Yankees have been eerily quiet since November 18^th when they signed Junior Fernandez. It seems they will be big participants this week, but then again, there have been years when I thought they would be active, and they were not. I know with certainty that the current roster cannot beat Jose Abreu and the Houston Astros and would have difficulty against their stronger AL East rivals. The Yankees need Judge and MORE…

Donnie Baseball behind Enemy Lines

As a longtime Don Mattingly fan, it was difficult to see him join the Toronto Blue Jays as their new bench coach. I know, for him it is a paycheck. It is his right to stay in a coaching position versus a role in a TV booth. I wanted him to join the YES Network and would have preferred that outcome as opposed to his upcoming stint north of the border, but I cannot fault him for his decision. 

I think as a fan, there is a preference that our heroes avoid going to our bitter rivals. Unfortunately, it did not stop David Wells or David Cone from pitching for the Boston Red Sox. Players and coaches view the game differently than we do. For them, it truly is a business.

It will be uneasy to watch Mattingly come into Yankee Stadium wearing a Blue Jays uniform, actively trying to help his players find ways to beat the Yankees while Monument Park holds his name and number.  I guess the solace is managers and coaches are hired to be fired. Until then, we must deal with Mattingly the Blue Jay. While I appreciate Mattingly, the player, Mattingly the coach is now just another coach I want to see fail. It was better when he was in the National League, and we rarely saw him in an opposing dugout.

I would have preferred the Yankees to hire Mattingly as their bench coach and reassign Carlos Mendoza to a different role. I suppose that would have been too uncomfortable for Aaron Boone. The hard truth, for as much as I have respected Mattingly, he has not really enjoyed great success in coaching. He was a better player than coach. He can be better (we all can), but I just hope it does not happen while he is in Toronto. 

Farewell to Gaylord Perry

Gaylord Perry passed away Thursday at age 84.

Most fans today do not remember when Perry was a Yankee. He pitched in the Major Leagues for eight teams from 1962 through 1983, compiling 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts. The five-time 20-game winner was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991. 

I probably remember Perry most as a Texas Ranger where he pitched in the mid-70s. My family made annual treks to the Dallas/Fort Worth area to visit relatives for summer vacations, and I distinctly remember buying Slurpee’s at 7-Eleven convenience stores in Arlington, Texas with Ranger player-themed cups and adding Gaylord Perry to my cup collection. No idea where those cups are today, but the point is the childhood memory. 

Perry’s time in Pinstripes was short. He was acquired for the stretch run in August 1980 from the Rangers before departing that winter through free agency. He pitched in ten games, making eight starts for the Yankees at age 41. He did not appear in the 1980 American League Championship Series when the 103-win Yankees were swept by the Kansas City Royals. Overall, his time as a Yankee was forgettable but it does not detract from the greatness of the player or the man over the span of his career and life.

(Photo Credit: Diamond Images/Getty Images)

Rest in peace, Gaylord. May some spit ease your way into Heaven. 

As always, Go Yankees!

My 2020 IBWAA Awards Votes for AL and NL Cy Young

The 2020 regular season is over and the Most Valuable Players from the offensive side of the game have been voted on, but what about the pitching. Good pitching beats good hitting, right? So, with that said, these guys should be mowing down everyone who was on that MVP list, right? Predictions incoming...

AL Cy Young Award: Shane Beiber (CLE)

There isn't much that really needs to be said here because no one is really anywhere on the level that Shane Beiber is this season. Liam Hendricks is in the discussion, as are Gerrit Cole and Kenta Maeda, but that's only because there is a discussion that needs to be had. Beiber leads in most every statistical category and just pitched out of his mind all season long. Beiber may win today, and may win the AL Cy Young, but I am okay with that as long as Cole wins on Tuesday night in Game One of the postseason. 

NL Cy Young Award: Trevor Bauer

The Cincinnati Reds have already announced that they were willing to do whatever they had to in order to keep Trevor Bauer after the 2020 season, but a National League Cy Young Award will make that pretty difficult in my opinion. I don't think the Yankees will even be in the discussion for Bauer this winter, so that is not factoring into my decision, but I think he will be one of the highest touted pitchers this winter after a strong 2020 campaign. The win/loss record isn't there, but the peripherals are. Bauer finished the season with 100 strikeouts, two shutouts, and an ERA under 2.00. Yu Darvish is probably going to finish second in the voting and had one more start than Bauer did, with comparable stats. My ballot was finished off with Max Fried, Clayton Kershaw and of course Jacob deGrom. 

Predicting the 2019 Season: The Cy Young Awards

Pitching can make or break a team, ask the 2018 Yankees that, according to some fans anyway, could never have enough pitchers. To a point, it’s true. Look at the first half Yankees from last season and the first half that their ace, Luis Severino, had. He was money and the Yankees were in first place. In the second half, Severino tailed off a bit, as did the Yankees who ultimately settled for a Wild Card berth and an eventual dismissal in the ALDS at the hands of the Boston Red Sox. Pitching makes a huge difference, especially when you have Cy Young caliber pitching. Who will have that Cy Young caliber year in 2019 and win the award? Keep reading to find out!

Chris Sale has somehow never won a Cy Young Award. Shocking, right? Sale has finished in the top five of the votes for six straight seasons, but I truly think the 2019 season will be the year that he finally closes the gap and captures the award. I know this sounds like an easy pick, and I know many expected me to pick a Yankee like Luis Severino, but really, it’s not. Not after the second half that Sale had and the shoulder problems that he may or may not have had. I don’t feel like this is a safe pick whatsoever. Sale wins the award, but the Yankees win the ultimate prize. I’ll take that.

In the National League I wanted to go with Max Scherzer or even Jacob deGrom, but I just can’t. Aaron Nola is special and with the security of a long-term extension now comforting him, I can see the Phillies right-hander breaking out in a big way in 2019. Nola may win 20 games for all we know. Do I think Nola will have enough help behind him in the rotation to really put the Phillies over the edge as a team? Probably not, especially if you look at my predictions that had Philadelphia finishing third, but I truly think Aaron is lining up for a special kind of season here in 2019.

The “There’s No Room For Bryce Harper” Rant

Good morning Yankees family, except for you Brian Cashman. Are you kidding me right now? Posturing is one thing, but to come out and say that the reason you aren’t going after Bryce Harper via free agency is because “there’s no room” is not only asinine, but it is also downright ridiculous. No cute introductions here, so let’s get right into this thing.

The Yankees allegedly have six outfielders and cannot make room for Harper on the team. Well, yes and no. The Yankees have Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Brett Gardner, and one of them are going to be playing the designated hitter more times than not this season. Jacoby Ellsbury is not an outfielder and should not be counted on as one. Clint Frazier, until he proves that he is healthy, is not an option and should not be counted on as one. Let’s just say both Ellsbury and Frazier are healthy, neither are better than Harper. Not by a long shot. Brett Gardner isn’t either and should be on the bench for Harper. The fact that he isn’t is insulting.

The Yankees are not a Bryce Harper away from a World Series, some may say, and the focus should be on pitching. A lot of people need to realize and remember that the team can get a Harper or Machado, and still acquire pitching. This is a once-in-a-generation type talent that is hitting free agency at 26-years old. He wants to play for the Yankees, he is a fit (left-handed, big-name star for Hal to pocket more money off of, can play left field, etc.) and he makes the team better no matter what anyone says.

We were sold the idea of getting under the luxury tax threshold last season to reset the penalties levied on the team for spending with the assumption (and maybe that’s on us) that the team would spend in this historic free agent class. Revenue is up, payroll is down. Spend the money or lower the ticket/food/concessions/merchandise/parking/etc. prices.

I’m sick of the frugal Yankees. I want the return of the Greedy Pinstripes. I have sat through lineups with Vernon Wells and Kevin Youkilis, Ichiro Suzuki well past his prime and Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon, and others anchoring the starting rotation. I paid my dues, we all did. We watched need after need and star after star getting passed over while we got under the luxury tax threshold and now it’s time for the Yankees organization to pay back the fans and give us what we want. Whether that be Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, or whomever becomes available (within reason of course) between then and now. We, the fans, did our part and now it’s time for Cashman, Hal, and company to do theirs.

No excuses, just checks being written.

IBWAA SELECTS DEGROM, SNELL IN CY VOTE

Los Angeles – The Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) announced the winners in its Cy Young category Wednesday, with the Tampa Bay Rays’ Blake Snell winning the group’s American League prize, and Jacob deGrom, of the New York Mets, being selected in the National League vote.

 

This is the tenth annual election for the IBWAA in the Cy category.

 

Election results are as follows:

 

AL Cy Young:

 

1^st Place:                  Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Rays – 731 points
2^nd Place:                 Justin Verlander, Houston Astros – 462
3^rd Place:                  Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox – 336

4^th Place:                 Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians – 298

5^th Place:                 Gerrit Cole, Houston Astros – 150

 

NL Cy Young:

 

1^st Place:                  Jacob deGrom, New York Mets – 828 points
2^nd Place:                 Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals – 564 
3^rd Place:                  Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies – 389

4^th Place:                 Kyle Freeland, Colorado Rockies – 155

5^th Place:                 Patrick Corbin, Arizona Diamondbacks – 92

 

Ballot tabulations by Brian Wittig & Associates, using the Borda Method.

 

The IBWAA was established July 4, 2009 to organize and promote the growing online baseball media, and to serve as a digital alternative to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). Voting for full season awards takes place in September of each year, with selections being announced in November. The IBWAA also holds a Hall of Fame election in December of each year, with results being announced the following January.

 

Among others, IBWAA members include Jim Bowden, Pedro Moura, Ken Rosenthal and Eno Sarris, The Athletic; Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports; Craig Calcaterra, NBC Sports Hardball Talk; Bill Chuck, Billy-Ball.com; Chris De Luca, Chicago Sun-Times; Jon Heyman, Fancred; Tyler Kepner, New York Times; Danny Knobler, Bleacher Report; Kevin Kennedy; Kostya Kennedy, Sports Illustrated; Brian Kenny, MLBN; Will Leitch, New York Magazine; Bruce Markusen, Hardball Times; Ross Newhan; Dayn Perry and Matt Snyder, CBSSports.com; Tom Hoffarth, Los Angeles Times; J.P. Hoornstra Los Angeles Daily News; Tracy Ringolsby, MLB.com; David Schoenfield, ESPN.com; and Bill Arnold.

 

Association membership is open to any and all Internet baseball writers, with a $75 lifetime fee. Discounts for groups and scholarships are available. Members must be 18 years of age to apply.

For more information please visit www.ibwaa.com.

Contact:

 

Howard Cole
Founding Director, IBWAAbaseballsavvy@aol.com

Hello… Respecting Jacob deGrom’s 2018 Season

Good morning Yankees family and welcome back to the blog. Give credit where credit is due, Jacob deGrom was an absolute animal here in 2018 despite not having much of a team behind him to speak of. I saw this tweet on Twitter the other day, but I cannot find it since so I am having to paraphrase (after doing the research myself on Baseball Reference).

If the Mets had scored just four runs or more in each of deGrom’s starts entering last night the Mets righty would be 30-0.

If the Mets had scored just three runs deGrom would have been 25-1.

If the Mets gad scored just two runs deGrom would have been 20-6.

Tell me again why New York held onto him at the trading deadline?

Baby, I love you and I hope you have the very best day.

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays 8/18/18

And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. In the middle game of this three-game weekend set the Yankees will hope for better days with their ace, Luis Severino, on the mound. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays will counter with Sean Reid-Foley who will be making his second MLB start of his career. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the Yankees all season long. Enjoy the game, win the game, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays 8/18/18

Pitch like Pedro

The New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays will continue their three-game weekend set tonight with the middle game of the series in the Bronx. In the start this afternoon the Yankees will send Luis Severino to the mound hoping that whatever has ailed him in his last few starts has been fixed and/or figured out, while the Blue Jays will counter with Sean Reid-Foley. Who? Exactly, but nonetheless, let’s get to it here in the Bronx.

Severino has struggled for much of the second half of the season including his last start on Monday against the New York Mets and Jacob deGrom. Severino lasted just four innings allowing four runs on seven hits including two home runs in a loss to the Mets.

That 'stache though

Reid-Foley made his MLB debut on Monday against the Kansas City Royals lasting just five innings in a 3-1 loss for the Blue Jays. Reid-Foley pitched in and out of trouble for much of the afternoon but did a great job at limiting damage.

The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

This man wakes up today, book it.

Enjoy the game, how about scoring some damn runs for once…, and go Yankees!!

BOLDLY Predicting the MLB Trade Deadline: National League East

The July 31^st trading deadline is fast approaching here for the 2018 MLB season, so let’s take the chance to post a few bold predictions for every team in the National League East before the deadline next Tuesday. Enjoy, and leave your comments and thoughts below in the comments section.

The Atlanta Braves need relief pitching and will likely be in the market for any rental arm or veteran bullpen piece that could become available. I believe the Braves could also be in the market for a starter with Mike Soroka likely not due back any time soon which could lead them to come knocking on the Kansas City Royals door for Danny Duffy. The Braves and Diamondbacks (who I predicted would acquire Duffy earlier) could get into a bit of a bidding war for the veteran lefty as both team’s sprint towards a potential playoff spot. Names like Fernando Rodney could also be an option for the Atlanta bullpen as the team tries to piece together a team that can make the postseason a year or two before even they thought they could. Does this mean next offseason they will acquire their own Giancarlo Stanton (like… say… Bryce Harper just for ironic purposes) like the New York Yankees did after they defied even their own odds making the postseason a year earlier than expected? Now that’s bold, stay tuned.

The Miami Marlins will sell J.T. Realmuto, Starlin Castro, Brad Ziegler, Martin Prado, Kyle Barraclough, Adam Conley and Drew Steckenrider before the deadline. The Marlins tried to empty the cupboards before the beginning of the 2018 season but were unable to do so. Derek Jeter and company will finish the job this summer with huge trades for Realmuto, Castro and Ziegler while lesser deals will be struck for Prado, Barraclough, Conley who is emerging as a breakout candidate this season, and Steckenrider. Sell, sell, sell, sell, sell.

The New York Mets will not trade Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard, but they will deal Asdrubal Cabrera, Devin Mesoraco, Zach Wheeler and Steven Matz. Wheeler will likely command a Top 10 prospect and that prospect could currently be wearing a Cleveland Indians (or one of their affiliates) uniform at the time of this writing. Meanwhile Matz could be calling Chicago and Wrigley Field his new home for the rest of the 2018 season and beyond.  Many teams are looking at starting and backup catchers including the New York Yankees, but the Mets will have to eat much of Mesoraco’s salary in order to move him. The Reds are already paying for some of his salary after the trade for Matt Harvey so potentially Mesoraco could be drawing three different (not literally) paychecks from three different teams here in 2018. Asdrubal Cabrera is a mystery as to where he will land. I wanted to say a team like the Milwaukee Brewers could potentially look at him with the hopes of moving him back to shortstop, but with his recent slide and tempter tantrums thrown on the field your guess is as good as mine as to where the veteran second baseman will land.

The Philadelphia Phillies need bullpen help, shortstop help and third baseman help. Much like the Atlanta Braves I can see the Phillies being interested in any and all of the veteran relievers and the rental relievers that are on the market this summer including Fernando Rodney. The Phillies are sprinting towards the playoffs maybe a season or two earlier than expected and will look to bridge the gap between talented starters like Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta, to the back end of their bullpen. The team will also look at acquiring position players on the left side of the infield and could look at renting Mike Moustakas from the Kansas City Royals. The Phillies were said to be aggressive in their attempt to acquire Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles before the deadline so theoretically any shortstop that fits their price range could be of interest to Philadelphia.

The Washington Nationals biggest and most glaring need on the team this season has been at catcher. When the Nationals need an upgrade at a certain position the team and their GM have never shied away from making the big deal or the deal necessary to propel the team into the postseason, and 2018 will be no different. The window to win with Bryce Harper still in town is now, and with that thought process the team will do whatever they can and whatever it takes to acquire J.T. Realmuto from the Miami Marlins. The Nationals may also dip their toes into the starting pitching marker after placing Stephen Strasburg on the disabled list with a pinched nerve in his neck earlier in the week. While I cannot see the team acquiring a big name and potentially an expensive name in terms of prospects like Chris Archer, I could see the team take on a player like Matt Harvey of the Cincinnati Reds. The team will not trade Bryce Harper to the Yankees with the stipulation that Harper will play first base, dreams are just that… dreams.

Disclaimer: BOLD predictions are meant to be BOLD for a reason. Keep that in mind before directing hate mail towards me or any of my writers on the blog or on Twitter. Thanks in advance.

Implosion of the Cuban Missile...

Photo Credit: AP (Julie Jacobson)

Yanks avert loss despite ‘outta control’ Chapman…

Let me get this straight. The Yankees take a four-run lead into the ninth inning, bring in closer Aroldis Chapman to finish off the Mets, nearly lose the game, and Chappy has to be “saved” by Chasen Shreve? You’re kidding me, right?  

Chapman’s very forgettable (maybe not so forgettable for us) ninth inning was directly attributable to his inability to throw strikes. Only 3 of 19 pitches were strikes and the last 11 pitches he threw were outside of the strike zone. In order, Chapman walked a batter, gave up an infield single, walked two more batters and then plunked a hitter before giving way to the bullpen’s weakest link. Shreve inherited the bases loaded situation with no outs and the Yankees clinging to a two-run lead. In other words, he had to walk a high wire without a net.  Fortunately, Shreve and the Yankees held on to beat the New York Mets, 7-6, to even up the series at a game apiece.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Hopefully it was “just a bad day” as Chapman described to the media after the game. Health-wise, Chapman seemed fine, balky knee and all. His meltdown nearly deprived Sonny Gray (7-7) of his first win at Yankee Stadium since May 5th.  

The game didn’t start out well when Sonny Gray gave up a homer to Michael Conforto, a solo shot to right, in the second inning for the game’s first run. Michael Kay of the YES Network was quick to point out that Gray has an 8.25 ERA at home compared to a road ERA of 3.62 to illustrate how challenging Yankee Stadium is for the Tennessean.  

The Mets’ Steven Matz, a favorite of TGP’s Daniel Burch, kept the Yankees off the board until the fourth inning. The Yankees were able to victimize Mets center fielder Matt den Dekker, who probably wished he was still playing Triple A ball in Las Vegas, for a few runs. Or perhaps it was the Mets fans wished he was still in Vegas. Giancarlo Stanton opened the bottom of the inning with an infield single. Matz had thrown three consecutive balls to give Stanton the perfect hitter’s count but he hit a soft grounder to third instead of one of his tailor-made homers. Oh well, no matter. Stanton was safe at first. After Gary Sanchez struck out (of course), Didi Gregorius laced a triple to deep center that den Dekker dived for but couldn’t reach. Stanton scored and the game was tied. Miguel Andujar followed with a fly to right that was caught by a fan. Miggy was awarded second with a ground-rule double, while Gregorius scored the go-ahead run. Greg Bird’s double to deep center, a ball that bounced off the side of den Dekker’s outstretched glove, scored Andujar. After Brandon Drury flied out, Austin Romine singled to, who else, a diving den Dekker who couldn’t make the catch and Bird scored to make it a 4-1 game.

There was a little drama in the top of the fifth for the Mets when Asdrubal Cabrera was tossed for throwing his bat down after a called strikeout on a checked swing (looked like his wrists broke on the replay to support the call). Cabrera continued barking at the third base umpire (Hunter Wendelstedt), throwing his batting helmet and gloves, before he eventually departed. Cabrera was the second Met to get tossed after hitting coach Pat Roessler was ejected earlier in the game for arguing balls and strikes.  

Sonny Gray took the three-run lead into the sixth inning but it unraveled for him. After getting Wilmer Flores to pop out, he walked the next two batters (Michael Conforto and Jose Bautista) to earn his exit from the game. David Robertson came in, striking out Kevin Plawecki after working the count full. He was not so lucky when the next batter, Amed Rosario, drilled a single to right center to score Conforto. Joey Bats slid safely into third. With Matt den Dekker batting, D-Rob was charged with an error on a throw to first to check the runner. The bad throw hit Rosario, sliding back to first base, in the foot with the ball bouncing away, and Joey Bats scored to close the gap to 4-3. 

Gray deserved better than his final line…5 1/3 innings, three hits, three runs (two earned), three walks, and six strikeouts…but it put him in position for the win even though the two Mets runs had scored to make it a one-run game.

Photo Credit: NY Post (Paul J Bereswill)

The Yankees picked up a run in the bottom of the sixth inning while Steven Matz was still on the mound for the Mets. Miguel Andujar led off for the Yanks with a double to right. Miggy was seemingly in the heart of every scoring opportunity on this day. Greg Bird ended Matz’s day with a single to right, scoring Andujar.  It was 5-3 Yankees.  

Aaron Judge homered leading off the bottom of the seventh inning against Mets reliever Tim Peterson. The line drive which fought against the wind landed in the Mets bullpen in left field.  It was Judge’s 26th home run of the year to make it a three-run game again.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Yankees scored what would prove to be the decisive run. With former Yankee Anthony Swarzak pitching for the Mets, Miguel Andujar led off with a single to center, a ground ball that got past Amed Rosario. After Greg Bird struck out, Brandon Drury singled to right center, advancing Andujar to third. Drury took second on the throw when the ball, over the head of the cutoff man, bounced off third baseman Jose Bautista on a short hop. Austin Romine hit a grounder to second with the infield drawn but the play scored Andujar. The Yankees were up, 7-3.

Michael Kay asked the question “does Aaron Boone bring in Chapman to keep him fresh?” while the Yankees were still batting in the eighth. The answer would soon be provided but it was not the Chapman we wanted to see.

The YES Network illustrated a grand shot of Chapman entering the game from center field (ala Mariano Rivera style) but the effort would not match the entrance. Kevin Plawecki, walk.  Amed Rosario, infield single under the glove of the diving Miguel Andujar. Ty Kelly, pinch-hitting for Matt den Dekker, walk. Bases loaded, no outs. With Michael Kay repeatedly saying Chapman had no control, he stayed in the game.  Jose Reyes, walk, which pushed Plawecki across home plate for a run. A visit to the mound by pitching coach Larry Rothschild. Rothchild’s visit didn’t help. Brandon Nimmo was hit by a pitch on his upper arm and the Mets had their second run to make it 7-5. Finally, Aaron Boone had seen enough (not sure what took so long) and made the call to the pen for Chasen Shreve, my favorite DFA candidate.  Devin Mesoraco hit a grounder to Brandon Drury who stepped on second and completed the double play with a throw to first. The Mets scored to make it a one-run game, but the DP was huge. It brought Wilmer Flores to the plate as the last hope for the Mets. Flores hit a slow roller back to the mound but Shreve picked up the ball and fired it to first to end the game. Yankees win, 7-6. Credit to Shreve for outperforming my expectations. It was his first save of the season and might have been one of the biggest saves of the year for the Yankees.   

It was not a great game for Gary Sanchez who finished the day hitless in four at-bats. He struck out twice. I saw one Twitter post that asked how you strike out Sanchez. You throw him a pitch outside the strike zone. Sadly, there is some truth to it.

Despite the horrific outing for Aroldis Chapman, credit to Jonathan Holder and Dellin Betances for their combined two innings of hitless relief with three K’s. If they had failed, the Mets most likely would have won this game.  

The Yankees (63-34) picked up a game on the Red Sox. They are back to four and a half games behind the AL East leaders after Boston fell to the Detroit Tigers and rumored trade candidate Mike Fiers, 5-0.  

Domingo Acevedo’s stay in the Big Leagues was short-lived. After getting to dress for Saturday’s game (but not pitching), Acevedo was returned to Double-A Trenton after the game. The demotion was not a surprise. Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com had speculated prior to the game that Acevedo was called up as insurance for Sonny Gray. With job complete and no need for his long relief services, Acevedo was sent “home”. Giovanny Gallegos is expected to take Acevedo’s place. I am not quite sure what Tommy Kahnle has to do to get back as he is a Major Leaguer stuck in Triple A like Drury was until recently.

In other Yankees transaction news, Clint Frazier was moved from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s 7-day DL to the Yankees 10-day DL for his concussion protocol.  

In an interview with the Seattle Times on Friday, Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto said second base belongs to Dee Gordon with the impending return of former Yankee Robinson Cano. Cano, who is eligible to return from his 80-game suspension on August 14th, is expected to see time at first base and designated hitter. It makes sense for the Mariners given Cano is not eligible for post-season play and they’ll need Gordon in top form at second base. But admittedly, it will be weird to see Cano playing first base even if he has the athleticism and bat to play the position.

Mets closer Jeurys Familia, who sat out the first two games of the Mets series with the Yankees, was traded to the Oakland A’s yesterday. The A’s are unexpectedly in the Wild Card hunt and even though Blake Treinen has had a breakout year as their closer, Familia deepens their pen. After the Padres grabbed one of the best prospects in baseball for their closer, I was surprised the best the Mets could do was land the A’s 17th best prospect among the two players they received along with international bonus pool money. But then again, they’re the Mets.

Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe is reporting Brandon Drury was the headliner in the Yankees offer for Manny Machado. I suppose that’s not a great surprise. Cafardo also mentioned that the general feeling around Baseball is that the Yankees are trying to move Sonny Gray. The thinking is Gray would be better served in a smaller market. Despite his win on Saturday, I can’t say I am in disagreement. But of course it is all dependent upon the level of pitching talent GM Brian Cashman can secure by the trading deadline. If Cash is unable to land at least two quality starters, they’d be foolish to move Gray.

The Yankees and Mets conclude their three-game series tonight. Jacob deGrom (5-4, 1.68 ERA), a pitcher most Yankees fans covet even if a trade with the Mets is improbable, will take on Masahiro Tanaka (7-2, 4.54 ERA). deGrom would like great in Pinstripes, I’m just sayin’.  I don’t think it will happen but until the trading deadline passes, it’s nice to think about. I’d love to charge into October with Sevy and deGrom leading the way. Anyway, I hope deGrom pitches great but not too great.  

Go Yankees!

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. New York Mets 7/21

And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets. Subway Series Part 2, version 2018. Let’s do this. In the start this afternoon the Yankees will send Sonny Gray to the mound to face off with Steven Matz for the Mets, a trade target I wish Brian Cashman would look at acquiring. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and MLB Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the team all season long. Enjoy the game, hurt Matz’s trade value only to make our GM pay less after the game, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. New York Mets 7/21

The New York Yankees and the New York Mets will continue the second part of the Subway Series for the 2018 season with another game played in front of the Bronx faithful here inside Yankee Stadium. In the second of this three-game set the Yankees will send out Sonny Gray to the mound to face off with Steven Matz for the Mets. Oi Vey. Let’s get to it here in the Bronx.

Gray heads into the second half fresh off a great start last time out against the Baltimore Orioles where he allowed zero runs on three hits in six innings of work inside Camden Yards. Prior to that start and a few tweaks to his mechanics with pitching coach Larry Rothschild the Yankees right-hander had been hammered for 11 runs over 4.1 innings of work in his last two starts.

Matz has been great for the Mets lately posting a 2.91 ERA over his last 13 starts and will look to keep that rolling into the second half tonight in the Bronx. Matz has made just one start inside Yankee Stadium in his career where he allowed six runs in six innings of work in a loss for the Mets. Here’s to letting history repeat itself again.

The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and MLB Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Enjoy the game, save some runs for deGrom’s start tomorrow, and go Yankees!!

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. New York Mets 7/20

And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets. Subway Series, Part Two. Let’s do this. In the game tonight the Yankees will send Domingo German out to the mound to face off with Noah Syndergaard for the Mets. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and MLB Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the team all season long. Enjoy the game, possibly an audition of sorts for Syndergaard in the Bronx tonight, and go Yankees!!

Mission: Take Down Boston...

2nd Best Winning % in MLB but 2nd in the AL East...

It’s Friday and Baseball is back! Thanks to the All-Star Break, it’s been awhile since we’ve seen the Yankees on the field. Okay, any one not named Aaron Judge or Luis Severino. They’re back in the Bronx and ready to take on the not-so-high flyin’ Mets. One thing is sure, we’ll be seeing plenty of ink about Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom and their potential connection to the Yankees over the next few days.  

Syndergaard takes the mound tonight against Domingo German, while deGrom matches up against Masahiro Tanaka on Sunday. As much as I’d love to have either pitcher, the realist in me knows that the likelihood either pitcher is traded to the Yankees is non-existent. The Mets are not going to send any of their top players to the Yankees regardless of the return.  

The Yankees begin the second half four-and-a-half games behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL East.  Hats off to the Red Sox for their brilliant first half.  They beat the teams they were supposed to. Mookie Betts has showed why he is one of the best players in Major League Baseball, and J.D. Martinez has proven to be the best off-season addition for any team (sorry, Giancarlo).  But it's a new day and plenty of time for the Yankees to catch the Red Sox and put them in their rearview mirror.  The Yankees have 67 games remaining or three more than the Red Sox.  I think as long as the Yankees can keep winning series, they'll be in great shape come September, or better yet, October.  The Red Sox have an easy start to the second half with the Detroit Tigers and Manny Machado-less Baltimore Orioles, a team that they already owned this season winning nine of ten games played.  However, there's a big showdown with the Yankees at Fenway Park looming the first week of August.  This is a great chance for the Yankees to keep it close for the next couple of weeks and then make a huge statement in Boston with hopefully a win of the four-game series.  

I think it was tough for Yankees fans to see Manny Machado traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers this week. Many of us, myself included, envisioned what it would look like to see Manny in pinstripes. I know, it was a 'want' and not a 'need' but how beautiful would it have looked to insert Machado's name into the Yankees lineup? It may still come to fruition after the season when Manny hits the open market, but of course that doesn’t help us today. The best part about Manny going to Los Angeles is that Yankees pitchers won’t have to face him again unless the Yankees and Dodgers meet in the World Series (a very nice problem to have). Manny destroyed the Yankees this year with six home runs. It’ll be nice to play the Baltimore Orioles for the remainder of the year without the  threat of Manny at bat. Hopefully the next home run he hits at Yankee Stadium will be while wearing Pinstripes. We’ll see.

Nice job by Machado in picking his new number for the Dodgers. His beloved #13 was already taken by this year’s breakout player, Max Muncy. Closer Kenley Jansen offered to pay Muncy to relinquish the number, but in the end, Manny chose a different number. Like Don Mattingly, who took #8 as a tribute for Yogi Berra when he joined the Dodgers coaching staff under Joe Torre a few years ago and later served as their manager, Machado has acquired the same number in honor of Orioles Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr. A very classy move by Machado and a gesture I am sure the heartbroken O's fans appreciate.  

The Yankees lost another trade target yesterday when the Cleveland Indians abruptly acquired San Diego closer Brad Hand yesterday. I was surprised at the high cost the Indians paid (top catching prospect Francisco Mejia) but Cleveland’s bullpen was a mess. Once they get Andrew Miller back on the field, the Indians bullpen, with Hand, Miller, closer Cody Allen, and newcomer Adam Cimber, appears to be very formidable, especially in the post-season. Former Yankees pitcher, and now Padres reliever, Phil Hughes had the best Twitter quote following the Hand trade:  "Just a few more trades and I'll be the closer. Too soon?"  Former Yankee Kirby Yates is expected to take Hand's place as San Diego's closer, but even he has been the subject of trade speculation. Hughes, while clearly jesting, may in fact get his wish.  

Photo Credit: The San Diego Union-Tribune (K.C. Alfred)

Yankees fans are growing impatient but we’re still eleven days away from the non-waiver trading deadline. There’s time. GM Brian Cashman and his staff are working diligently behind the scenes. At this point, I am not really expecting a big splash but I do fully anticipate reinforcements in the not-so-distant future.  It was a year ago yesterday the Yankees acquired relievers David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle and third baseman Todd Frazier from the Chicago White Sox. If I had my wish, I’d probably prefer the acquisition of Orioles reliever Zach Britton who seems to be rounding back into form after his recovery from injuries. It’s not that I don’t feel the Yankees shouldn’t acquire a starter but the names of Michael Fulmer, J.A. Happ, and Cole Hamels are not inspiring to me. Dan O'Dowd of the MLB Network feels that Hamels would be re-energized with the chance to play in a pennant race, but c'mon, he clearly is not the pitcher he once was. The Yankees had scouts at Wrigley Field in Chicago yesterday to watch St Louis Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez. I’d love to have Martinez, 26, but his Yankees audition didn’t go so well as he took the loss against the Cubs, giving up six runs (five earned) over five innings, in the 9-6 defeat. Still, Martinez would be an upgrade if the Yankees can entice the Cardinals to part with the talented righty.  

Photo Credit: AP (Charles Rex Arbogast)

The Yankees may have lost a valuable trading chip yesterday when outfielder Clint Frazier was pulled from a Scranton/Wilkes-Barre game for possible concussion symptoms after a failed diving attempt to catch a fly ball in the first inning. Frazier’s concussion in Spring Training cost him the first couple months of the season.  

There will be one “newcomer” when the Yankees take the field tonight. Well, he is not quite a newcomer but Gary Sanchez will be back in  action behind the plate following his activation off the disabled list yesterday. If El Gary starts to hit like he did last summer, it’s scary to think what the Yankees offense is capable of. With no offense to either Austin Romine or Kyle Higashioka, Sanchez’s presence improves the team. Higgy was optioned to Triple A to make room for Sanchez. Now, we just need to get Gleyber Torres back.

ESPN's Keith Law released his Mid-Season Top 50 Prospect Update yesterday and has Yankees LHP Justus Sheffield listed at #12.  I loved his last line about Top Sheff:  "He's very close to major league-ready, however, has all the elements of a future No. 2 starter".  I wouldn't want to put the pressure of a pennant chase on Sheff as a starter for the Yankees this year plus he'll be nearing an innings limit at some point, but you gotta love the thought of Sheffield pitching out of the pen, perhaps as soon as next month or September at the latest.  

Well, let's begin Operation Beat Boston.  Yankees, welcome back.  We've missed you.  Let's make this a victorious Friday.  Send Thor to the showers early, and bring us a win.  

Go Yankees!

Update:  At his press conference today with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Manny Machado indicated his choice to wear #8 was out of respect for Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant and new beginnings.  In other words, f**k you, Orioles fans!  ;)