Topps to Release Cards Focused on Players Who Overcame Disabilities & Health Problems

I know baseball cards are so 1990’s and earlier but Topps, the leading maker in baseball cards, is doing something that I felt was worth mentioning. Topps is releasing a new set of baseball cards that will feature and showcase ballplayers who have overcome disabilities and health changes on their path to stardom in Major League Baseball. This is quite the gesture, and marketing ploy but stick with me, by Topps and it deserves recognition in my opinion.

The set is to be called “Pride & Perseverance” and was released this week to celebrate the 70^th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month and also honors the 25^th anniversary of American with Disabilities legislation.

Wendy Lewis, Major League Baseball’s Senior Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Strategic Alliances, released a statement praising Topps for the new set and for bringing these players into the limelight once again. Players like Jim Abbot who was born without a right hand but went on to pitch in Major League Baseball and even throw a no-hitter with the New York Yankees after winning a U.S Olympic medal with the countries baseball team in 1988. Players like Curtis Pride who was legally deaf but still went on to play outfield and hit at a Major League level for 13 years with the New York Yankees, Detroit Tiger and others.

Jim Eisenreich will also be honored in the series after battling Tourette’s syndrome alongside Pete Gray, the St. Louis Browns outfielder who lost his arm in a childhood accident, and William Hoy who was born deaf but was still able to play centerfield from 1888 to 1902. There will be current players in the mix as well as the Chicago Cubs ace starting pitcher and first baseman Jon Lester and Anthony Rizzo, both cancer survivors, will be in the pack along with former New York Yankees reliever Buddy Carlyle, who was diagnosed with diabetes. Houston Astros outfielder George Springer, who deals with stuttering on a daily basis, will be in the pack along with Jake Peavy, the San Francisco Giants right-hander, who is legally blind without corrective lenses or contacts.

Well played Topps, you may have just convinced me to get back into buying baseball card sets again. 

Most Popular Article of the Week: Jake Peavy Rumors

- Edit: this was written before he re-signed with the Giants. Carry on.

- Originally seen here 

Once or twice a year I get a text from a friend who is very low level inside the New York Mets organization about a potential signing, rumor etc. and truth be told he is either wrong or the rumor doesn’t come to fruition more times than not. When my guy is right though my guy is right. I had the Curtis Granderson signing to the Mets last year about a week and a half earlier than anyone else and received no credit for not only breaking the news but getting the dollars and years down EXACTLY. That’s fine though. My guy also told me about three hours before the Mark Teixeira signing, pre-blog years, although for every Teixeira and Granderson we have the news that the Yankees were close to a deal with Francisco Rodriguez last season for the bullpen. 

Just to drive my point home here is when I REPORTED IT from my source on December 4th. Here is when Joel Sherman "FIRST" REPORTED IT according to MLB Trade Rumors. What a crock, this actually got the blog blocked from Mr. Sherman on Twitter when we disputed the "who had it first" concept. Childish. FYI This post was on December 9th, not December 4th, but Sherman had it
first." 

With this blog I am simply reporting and reiterating what I have been told. I’m not saying it’s true and I’m not saying it’s not but I am saying it comes from a guy that I trust that has been proven to be right in the past. I’m also not saying that a contract HAS been offered and I am not saying that a contract WILL be offered, again I am simply reporting what I have been told from my source.

The text said (beside the friendlies) “Yankees serious about Peavy.” To paraphrase subsequent texts followed about the Yankees liking his sinker ball, the fact that he was a veteran and the fact that he misses enough bats to survive in New York. I’ve also been told that the team likes him on a one year deal and all signs point to Peavy wanting to stay in San Francisco and get at least two seasons. Again, this is all paraphrasing and coming from the source. This is not confirmed, this is not reporting etc. it is what it is. Take it with a grain of salt.

I have been sitting on this information for a couple days now pondering whether to run with it or not. I went on twitter and asked out followers what they thought and the negativity surprised me. I could have responded with how Brandon McCarthy “sucked” or was “terrible” before he came to New York but I didn’t, I don’t like to fight losing battles. If something comes of this and I hear about it I’ll be sure to pass it along. If nothing comes of it I still stand by my source, before anyone asks, and I stand by this post. I can do that with confidence because it is what it is, it’s not confirmed and I’m not an insider, but if it does happen I would appreciate a little recognition this time around. Not sure my ego could withstand another Granderson situation. I kid, but really…

Also, notice that this text happened before the Chris Capuano signing. That could put this entire thing to bed. Again, stay tuned. 

Jake Peavy to the Yankees Rumor: Take w/ Grain of Salt

Edit: this was written before he re-signed with the Giants. Carry on.

Once or twice a year I get a text from a friend who is very low level inside the New York Mets organization about a potential signing, rumor etc. and truth be told he is either wrong or the rumor doesn’t come to fruition more times than not. When my guy is right though my guy is right. I had the Curtis Granderson signing to the Mets last year about a week and a half earlier than anyone else and received no credit for not only breaking the news but getting the dollars and years down EXACTLY. That’s fine though. My guy also told me about three hours before the Mark Teixeira signing, pre-blog years, although for every Teixeira and Granderson we have the news that the Yankees were close to a deal with Francisco Rodriguez last season for the bullpen.

Just to drive my point home here is when I REPORTED IT from my source on December 4th. Here is when Joel Sherman "FIRST" REPORTED IT according to MLB Trade Rumors. What a crock, this actually got the blog blocked from Mr. Sherman on Twitter when we disputed the "who had it first" concept. Childish. FYI This post was on December 9th, not December 4th, but Sherman had it
first." 

With this blog I am simply reporting and reiterating what I have been told. I’m not saying it’s true and I’m not saying it’s not but I am saying it comes from a guy that I trust that has been proven to be right in the past. I’m also not saying that a contract HAS been offered and I am not saying that a contract WILL be offered, again I am simply reporting what I have been told from my source.

The text said (beside the friendlies) “Yankees serious about Peavy.” To paraphrase subsequent texts followed about the Yankees liking his sinker ball, the fact that he was a veteran and the fact that he misses enough bats to survive in New York. I’ve also been told that the team likes him on a one year deal and all signs point to Peavy wanting to stay in San Francisco and get at least two seasons. Again, this is all paraphrasing and coming from the source. This is not confirmed, this is not reporting etc. it is what it is. Take it with a grain of salt.

I have been sitting on this information for a couple days now pondering whether to run with it or not. I went on twitter and asked out followers what they thought and the negativity surprised me. I could have responded with how Brandon McCarthy “sucked” or was “terrible” before he came to New York but I didn’t, I don’t like to fight losing battles. If something comes of this and I hear about it I’ll be sure to pass it along. If nothing comes of it I still stand by my source, before anyone asks, and I stand by this post. I can do that with confidence because it is what it is, it’s not confirmed and I’m not an insider, but if it does happen I would appreciate a little recognition this time around. Not sure my ego could withstand another Granderson situation. I kid, but really…

Also, notice that this text happened before the Chris Capuano signing. That could put this entire thing to bed. Again, stay tuned. 

Any of These Remaining Pitchers Intriguing?

Are any of these second and third tier starting pitchers intriguing to the New York Yankees as possible depth signings and potential free agent acquisitions? I hope not but let's take a look at the non James Shields and Max Scherzer's of the world to see if the Yankees are done singing starting pitching this winter.

- Kevin Correia, Aaron Harang, Chad Billingsley and Kyle Kendrick seem like National League only type pitchers at this point in his career.

- I wanted to mention Brandon Beachy as a possible Yankees option but after Kris Medlen got a two year deal from Kansas City with a guaranteed $8.5 million I think that kills any chances of that happening.

- Eric Stults = Chris Capuano

- Jake Peavy.... more on him later

The Best Remaining Options on the Starting Pitching Board After Scherzer/Shields

It seems like all the good starting pitching besides Max Scherzer and James Shields are off the free agency board in a time when the New York Yankees need it most. Besides the two aforementioned aces the remaining crop of pitchers does not look too enticing, should the Yankees take a shot?

Hiroki Kuroda is undecided whether he even wants to pitch next season or not but right now you have to welcome him back to the club if he wants to pitch. He would be a rock in a shaky rotation right now after posting a 11-9 record with a 3.71 ERA in 2014 with New York.

Edison Volquez posted a career best 3.04 ERA with a 13-7 record last season which leads you to believe his control issues are finally behind him. Volquez posted a career best 1.97 K/BB ratio in 2014 with Pittsburgh and has stepped up as the best "second tier" free agent available.

Brandon Beachy and Kris Medlen both are coming off their second Tommy John surgeries and both will likely be available on short termed and cheap deals. Neither will be available to start the season but both should be ready around the time Ivan Nova is ready to return. Maybe a split contract for both which keeps them off the 40 man roster until their ready?

We finish with Jake Peavy who probably has the least eye popping stats at 7-13 with a 3.73 ERA but may come with the most experience for the back end of the rotation. Peavy struck out 158 batters in 2014 between Boston and San Francisco and is playoffs and World Series tested after getting a ring this season. Peavy's sinkerball would fit in well in Yankee Stadium and he misses enough bats to succeed not as an ace but a viable middle of the rotation type starter.

Are We A Trade Match With The White Sox - Pitchers

One thing that I would not exactly call a pressing need for the Yankees is the pitching, both the starting variety and the relieving variety. The White Sox should have a few pitchers available via trade this July trading deadline but will the Yankees be interested in any of them? You have to consider that the Yankees seem willing and ready to trade Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain this trading deadline if it fetches them a need, mainly a bat. Both Phil and Joba are free agents after this season and I cannot see either returning to the Yankees after this season so it may be worth exploring trading one or both of them if we can get a guy in return that can fill the shoes not only this season but next as well. Do the White Sox have anybody that would fit that role?

Jake Peavy is currently on the 15 day DL but could be moved in a deal if the White Sox can find a suitor for him and his nearly $20,000,000 left to be paid to him. Peavy makes $14,500,000 this season and next which will make him hard to move unless the White Soc trade him as a salary dump. Peavy is 6-4 with a 4.30 ERA in 67 innings pitched this season with a 1.16 WHIP and a .247 batting average against. I cannot see any team taking a waiver on Peavy with his injury history and healthy contract including the New York Yankees so I will call this one a pass.

Jesse Crain has been lights out all season long sporting a 0.52 ERA and a 2-2 record out of the White Sox bullpen this season. Crain is holding batters to a .202 batting average against and has a 1.07 WHIP this season and would fall into the replace Joba Chamberlain category. Crain is signed for this season only at $4,5000,000 and that would obviously be pro rated and make him affordable for the Yankees. Problem is I would think this would be one guy that the White Sox would want a haul for, all things considered.

Matt Lindstrom is getting a lot of attention already in the trade market and I cannot understand why to be honest. He sports a 2-2 record  with a 2.59 ERA in only 31.1 innings pitched. He is holding batters to a .248 batting average against and has a 1.37 WHIP. Not to say that those numbers are necessarily bad but he is being talked up around the internet as the missing piece to a contenders bullpen and I just dont buy it at this point. If the Yankees acquired him I would put him as a 7th inning man and the White Sox are going to want more of a haul than we would offer so I say that we pass.

Addison Reed is another one of those late inning bullpen guys that the Yankees will not be interested in unless a whole lot changed between now and the deadline. Reed is pitching marvelously this season with a 3-0 record and a 3.09 ERA but his WHIP of 0.97 and batting average against of .192 is what makes him valuable. Reed would probably be the White Sox version of David Robertson and while that would be nice we have way too many needs to be looking at luxuries at this point.

Matt Thornton is another one of those guys that the Yankees have seemingly had interest in for what seems like forever but have never been able to pull the trigger on. If the Yankees were able to use Matt Thornton as that second lefty and as a LOOGY only, a la Clay Rapada, the Yankees would find a gold mine. He absolutely cannot pitch against right handed batters but absolutely owns lefties and would be a welcomed addition to the Yankees. Overall Thornton has a 1.27 WHIP and .250 batting average against to go with his 3.33 ERA but he is holding lefties below the Mendoza line this season and would vastly improve that Yankees bullpen. Imagine a pen of Boone Logan, Matt Thornton, Adam Warren, Shawn Kelley, David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, and Mariano Rivera. No one is touching that bullpen, nobody.

Dylan Axelrod has been downright terrible this season with a .285 batting average against and a 4.57 ERA which will probably keep him in White Sox pinstripes this season. John Danks has long been on the Yankees target board for what seems like forever but after signing a big extension before the season I cannot see him being moved but more likely being built around. The White Sox control Danks for this season and three more years so it would take an absolute haul to acquire Danks at this point(not to mention that he has not pitched well this season anyway). Gavin Floyd is on the 60 day disabled list and will probably not be ready in time for the trading deadline so he will be a White Sox for the remainder of the season in my opinion.

The White Sox have a few pitchers that should fetch them some nice pieces in trades but the only one I can see the Yankees being interested in will be Matt Thornton... again. 43rd time is the charm?