This Day in New York Yankees History 10/6: Midges Attack

The New York Yankees made the postseason once again in 2007 extending the team's consecutive streak of making the playoffs to 13 straight seasons as they drew the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS. On this day in 2007 the Yankees and Indians played in Game 2 of the ALDS at Jacobs Field in a game that the Yankees had in hand before the eight inning. Joba Chamberlain came in to try and hold the lead and hand the ball to Mariano Rivera but a rare infestation of insects, or midges, appeared and took over the pitchers mound and the field. Joba threw a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score in Joba's first blown save of the season.

Also on this day in 2005 the Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi won the American League Comeback Player of the Year award. Ken Griffey Jr. won the award for the National League in the first time that the award was given out by the fans vote on MLB.com. Giambi finished the season with a .271 average with 32 home runs and 87 RBI.

Also on this day in 1995 Bernie Williams set one of his many records in postseason history as he became the first player to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same postseason game. The Mariners fan who caught the eight inning blast was unaware of the milestone and foolishly threw the ball back onto the field.

Finally on this day in 1985 the Yankees Phil Niekro became the 18th and oldest player in major league history to win 300 games when he shut out the Toronto Blue Jays on the final game of the season. Niekro was 46 years old and 188 days and would ultimately finish with 318 victories.

This Day in New York Yankees History 10/6: Midges Attack

The New York Yankees made the postseason once again in 2007 extending the team's consecutive streak of making the playoffs to 13 straight seasons as they drew the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS. On this day in 2007 the Yankees and Indians played in Game 2 of the ALDS at Jacobs Field in a game that the Yankees had in hand before the eight inning. Joba Chamberlain came in to try and hold the lead and hand the ball to Mariano Rivera but a rare infestation of insects, or midges, appeared and took over the pitchers mound and the field. Joba threw a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score in Joba's first blown save of the season.

Also on this day in 2005 the Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi won the American League Comeback Player of the Year award. Ken Griffey Jr. won the award for the National League in the first time that the award was given out by the fans vote on MLB.com. Giambi finished the season with a .271 average with 32 home runs and 87 RBI.

Also on this day in 1995 Bernie Williams set one of his many records in postseason history as he became the first player to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same postseason game. The Mariners fan who caught the eight inning blast was unaware of the milestone and foolishly threw the ball back onto the field.

Finally on this day in 1985 the Yankees Phil Niekro became the 18th and oldest player in major league history to win 300 games when he shut out the Toronto Blue Jays on the final game of the season. Niekro was 46 years old and 188 days and would ultimately finish with 318 victories.

Former Yankees Update: Joba Chamberlain

The New York Yankees have an uncanny way of taking care of members of their family, whether it be past or present, so we here at The Greedy Pinstripes like to do the same whenever we can. This afternoon is one of those instances as we look at and check in with a former member of the Yankees bullpen and an arm that I personally advocated for the Yankees to sign this offseason on a minor league deal. His name is Joba Chamberlain, maybe you’ve heard of him?

The man simply known as “Joba” was drafted by the New York Yankees and sent on a hot shot courier almost straight to the Major Leagues. Joba and his slider took the league by storm and the only thing that could stop him was a swarm of Cleveland-based midges and a Tommy John surgery that replaced his ulnar collateral ligament. Ever since his UCL replacement surgery Joba has simply not been the same pitcher that lit up American League batters for the Yankees and most recently the right-hander, still somehow just 31-years old, signed a deal to pitch for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2017.

Joba signed a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training this season and this week he threw his first live batting practice of the spring. Joba could be an asset to a team that is in the midst of a rebuild like the Milwaukee Brewers are, especially considering his 385 regular season games of experience as well as his 21 postseason appearances he has under his belt, and manager Craig Counsell seems intrigued by having Joba on his roster on Opening Day. This all sounds good on paper but Joba has to put in the work though and thus far, and yes it is extremely early, he has.

Joba knows he has to put in the work but all signs point to him having fun in Brewers camp as well and that may be the most important thing of all. You have to be comfortable where you are in order to do well and you have to have fun as well or what’s really the point? So far so good for Joba, here’s to hoping he continues the good work in Brewers camp this spring.

Ten Years of #1 Yankees Prospects

The New York Yankees have added to their farm system like no other team in the last calendar year and that has seemingly positioned the Yankees not only for the 2017 season but for beyond as well. In a word, the Yankees farm system is stacked. Let’s take a look at the last ten years of Yankees #1 prospects... you know… just because. Enjoy.

2017: Gleyber Torres

To be continued.

2016: Jorge Mateo… then Gleyber Torres… then Clint Frazier

The year of the prospect returned for the New York Yankees and it began with Jorge Mateo, who had a down season by all accounts, continued with Gleyber Torres who was acquired in the Aroldis Chapman deal and ended with Clint Frazier who the Yankees brought over in the Andrew Miller trade from the Cleveland Indians.


2015: Luis Severino

Great first season but took a huge step back in 2016.

2014: Gary Sanchez

Likely the team's back up catcher after having a strong 2015 season and an even stronger Arizona Fall League this season.

2013: Mason Williams

On the 40 man roster and made his Major League debut this season. Likely to miss out on the Major Leagues on Opening Day due to the roster crunch but will be one of the first to be called up if/when an outfield injury occurs.

2010 - 2012: Jesus Montero

Traded to the Seattle Mariners for Micahel Pineda and Vicente Campos. Benched, optioned to the minor leagues multiple times, came to camp overweight multiple times, attitude problems reported and apparently he takes offense to being offered a ice cream sandwich on a hot summer day. Brian Cashman win?

2009: Austin Jackson

Part of the trade that brought Curtis Granderson to the Bronx and sent the man they call A Jax to the Tigers. Jackson has since been sent to the Seattle Mariners before hitting free agency this offseason. Jackson is still one of the better defensive center fielders in the game although his bat never fully came around in the majors.

2008: Joba Chamberlain

From one of the best young set-up men in the game to midges to mediocre. Chamberlain has seen time with the Detroit Tigers, the Kansas City Royals and recently signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians. It was Cleveland where he was attacked by the midges. Can you say full circle?

2007: Phil Hughes

From hyped prospect to 18 game winner to gopher ball giveaway days at Yankee Stadium. Hughes had a roller coaster ride of a tenure in the Bronx before leaving for Minnesota via free agency. Hughes had a great first season in Minnesota before coming back down to Earth a bit in 2015. Hughes still has that rising fastball and some of the best command in the game. Hughes is an ace, he just wasn't an ace for the Yankees.

This Day in New York Yankees History 10/6: Midges Attack

The New York Yankees made the postseason once again in 2007 extending the team's consecutive streak of making the playoffs to 13 straight seasons as they drew the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS. On this day in 2007 the Yankees and Indians played in Game 2 of the ALDS at Jacobs Field in a game that the Yankees had in hand before the eight inning. Joba Chamberlain came in to try and hold the lead and hand the ball to Mariano Rivera but a rare infestation of insects, or midges, appeared and took over the pitchers mound and the field. Joba threw a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score in Joba's first blown save of the season.

Also on this day in 2005 the Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi won the American League Comeback Player of the Year award. Ken Griffey Jr. won the award for the National League in the first time that the award was given out by the fans vote on MLB.com. Giambi finished the season with a .271 average with 32 home runs and 87 RBI.

Also on this day in 1995 Bernie Williams set one of his many records in postseason history as he became the first player to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same postseason game. The Mariners fan who caught the eight inning blast was unaware of the milestone and foolishly threw the ball back onto the field.

Finally on this day in 1985 the Yankees Phil Niekro became the 18th and oldest player in major league history to win 300 games when he shut out the Toronto Blue Jays on the final game of the season. Niekro was 46 years old and 188 days and would ultimately finish with 318 victories.

Prospects Month ICYMI: Ten Years of Yankees #1 Prospects

The New York Yankees have seemingly made it their priority to finally build up the farm system for the team's benefit, not the other teams around the league's gain. While New York's system is still ranked in the middle to the end of the pack the team is finally starting to see some usable pieces come out of the system including former top prospect Luis Severino. Severino has graduated from prospect status and one of Gary Sanchez or Aaron Judge will be the 2016 top overall prospect which got me thinking, where are the former and current Yankees top prospects and what have they been up to over the past 10 years?

2015: Luis Severino

Waiting on Opening Day to re-join the Yankees starting rotation for his Sophomore season and his first full season in the Major Leagues.

2014: Gary Sanchez

Likely the team's back up catcher after having a strong 2015 season and an even stronger Arizona Fall League this season.

2013: Mason Williams

On the 40 man roster and made his Major League debut this season. Likely to miss out on the Major Leagues on Opening Day due to the roster crunch but will be one of the first to be called up if/when an outfield injury occurs.

2010 - 2012: Jesus Montero

Traded to the Seattle Mariners for Micahel Pineda and Vicente Campos. Benched, optioned to the minor leagues multiple times, came to camp overweight multiple times, attitude problems reported and apparently he takes offense to being offered a ice cream sandwich on a hot summer day. Brian Cashman win?

2009: Austin Jackson

Part of the trade that brought Curtis Granderson to the Bronx and sent the man they call A Jax to the Tigers. Jackson has since been sent to the Seattle Mariners before hitting free agency this offseason. Jackson is still one of the better defensive center fielders in the game although his bat never fully came around in the majors.

2008: Joba Chamberlain

From one of the best young set-up men in the game to midges to mediocre. Chamberlain has seen time with the Detroit Tigers, the Kansas City Royals and recently signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians. It was Cleveland where he was attacked by the midges. Can you say full circle?

2006 - 2007: Phil Hughes

From hyped prospect to 18 game winner to gopher ball giveaway days at Yankee Stadium. Hughes had a roller coaster ride of a tenure in the Bronx before leaving for Minnesota via free agency. Hughes had a great first season in Minnesota before coming back down to Earth a bit in 2015. Hughes still has that rising fastball and some of the best command in the game. Hughes is an ace, he just wasn't an ace for the Yankees.

No Innings Limit Expected for Luis Severino in 2016

The New York Yankees have a habit of toying with their young starting pitchers a little too much with a mixed bag of reviews. The use of Michael Pineda and Joba Chamberlain are well documented with laundry lists of injuries and setbacks attached to both while the use of Adam Warren and Phil Hughes worked out, health wise, for the most part for the club. All four either had innings limits set on them or they were moved back and forth from the rotation to the bullpen taking the pitchers out of their comfort zone. The team tried a new tactic with Luis Severino this time around keeping him out of long starts at the beginning of 2015 in hopes of having him fresh at the end of the 2015 campaign and the plan for 2016 has seemingly been released.

Joe Girardi revealed that, in an interview with NJ.com, Severino would not have a huge limit on his innings in 2016. Severino pitched a shade over 99 innings in 19 starts between Double-A and Triple-A last season and threw another 62 innings in the Major Leagues last season. Sticking with the "no more than 30 innings increase per season" logic that has since been shot down around the league Severino would be good to go around 190 innings in 2016. No Yankees pitcher threw that many innings in 2015 and no Yankees pitcher is likely to throw that many in 2016, not if the Yankees bullpen is as good as it was this season as it was last season.

Severino will likely have his innings limited just a tad at the beginning of the season. Severino may be the Yankees #2 starter in theory but he may pitch later in the rotation so the club can take advantage of the early off days to give him, and the rest of the Yankees starters, some extra rest. Either way it doesn't look like there is going to be another episode of the "Severino Rules" or anything like that any time soon.

That's the plan anyway.

Ten Years of #1 Yankees Prospects

The New York Yankees have seemingly made it their priority to finally build up the farm system for the team's benefit, not the other teams around the league's gain. While New York's system is still ranked in the middle to the end of the pack the team is finally starting to see some usable pieces come out of the system including former top prospect Luis Severino. Severino has graduated from prospect status and one of Gary Sanchez or Aaron Judge will be the 2016 top overall prospect which got me thinking, where are the former and current Yankees top prospects and what have they been up to over the past 10 years?

2015: Luis Severino

Waiting on Opening Day to re-join the Yankees starting rotation for his Sophomore season and his first full season in the Major Leagues.

2014: Gary Sanchez

Likely the team's back up catcher after having a strong 2015 season and an even stronger Arizona Fall League this season.

2013: Mason Williams

On the 40 man roster and made his Major League debut this season. Likely to miss out on the Major Leagues on Opening Day due to the roster crunch but will be one of the first to be called up if/when an outfield injury occurs.

2010 - 2012: Jesus Montero

Traded to the Seattle Mariners for Micahel Pineda and Vicente Campos. Benched, optioned to the minor leagues multiple times, came to camp overweight multiple times, attitude problems reported and apparently he takes offense to being offered a ice cream sandwich on a hot summer day. Brian Cashman win?

2009: Austin Jackson

Part of the trade that brought Curtis Granderson to the Bronx and sent the man they call A Jax to the Tigers. Jackson has since been sent to the Seattle Mariners before hitting free agency this offseason. Jackson is still one of the better defensive center fielders in the game although his bat never fully came around in the majors.

2008: Joba Chamberlain

From one of the best young set-up men in the game to midges to mediocre. Chamberlain has seen time with the Detroit Tigers, the Kansas City Royals and recently signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians. It was Cleveland where he was attacked by the midges. Can you say full circle?

2006 - 2007: Phil Hughes

From hyped prospect to 18 game winner to gopher ball giveaway days at Yankee Stadium. Hughes had a roller coaster ride of a tenure in the Bronx before leaving for Minnesota via free agency. Hughes had a great first season in Minnesota before coming back down to Earth a bit in 2015. Hughes still has that rising fastball and some of the best command in the game. Hughes is an ace, he just wasn't an ace for the Yankees.

This Day in New York Yankees History 10/6: Midges Attack

The New York Yankees made the postseason once again in 2007 extending the team's consecutive streak of making the playoffs to 13 straight seasons as they drew the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS. On this day in 2007 the Yankees and Indians played in Game 2 of the ALDS at Jacobs Field in a game that the Yankees had in hand before the eight inning. Joba Chamberlain came in to try and hold the lead and hand the ball to Mariano Rivera but a rare infestation of insects, or midges, appeared and took over the pitchers mound and the field. Joba threw a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score in Joba's first blown save of the season.

Also on this day in 2005 the Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi won the American League Comeback Player of the Year award. Ken Griffey Jr. won the award for the National League in the first time that the award was given out by the fans vote on MLB.com. Giambi finished the season with a .271 average with 32 home runs and 87 RBI.

Also on this day in 1995 Bernie Williams set one of his many records in postseason history as he became the first player to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same postseason game. The Mariners fan who caught the eight inning blast was unaware of the milestone and foolishly threw the ball back onto the field.

Finally on this day in 1985 the Yankees Phil Niekro became the 18th and oldest player in major league history to win 300 games when he shut out the Toronto Blue Jays on the final game of the season. Niekro was 46 years old and 188 days and would ultimately finish with 318 victories.

ICYMI: Is Nathan Eovaldi Throwing Enough Innings?

Many have been extremely critical of Nathan Eovaldi in his short tenure as a member of the New York Yankees, and not without good reason. At the beginning of the season my stance was always that Eovaldi was donned as a work in progress and of course I preached sample size. Eovaldi was brought to the Yankees not to be an ace but to be a fifth starter in the rotation basically, for the sake of this post anyway we'll go with fifth starter as it could be argued that he was a fourth starter but that is simply sematics.

Since Eovaldi has seemingly "figured it out" by adding a splitter to his repetoire the knock on him has been his inability to pitch late into ball game. Is this a legitimate beef with a guy who is donned as the team's fifth starter(on the depth chart, not according to performance)? I didn't think so but rather than simply throw my opinion out there I decided to take a look at the history of the Yankees in my lifetime with their fifth starters and how it translated to how deep they went into games.

Keep in mind that the game has changed drastically over the past four or five seasons, especially in New York. Back in the late 90's and throughout the 2000's the emphasis was more or less on strong starting pitching and bashing the hell out of the opponent. Lately the emphasis has changed to strong and deeper bullpens, shortening the games, etc. Naturally with that you would theoretically see your fifth start especially being affected by this mindset which I think it shown on the graph above.

The problem is not that Eovaldi is throwing less than six innings in a start, the problem is that Brian Cashman made moved that forced our fifth starter into a potential five game series playoff start. It's Cashman and company that still believe in CC Sabathia a lot more than we all do, it is Cashman and company that moved Adam Warren back to the bullpen and it is Cashman who did not upgrade the team before the July 31st trade deadline. Luis Severino is on the way, let's hope he's the savior and this all becomes a moot point.

*all stats courtesy of Baseball Reference 

Is Nathan Eovaldi Throwing Enough Innings?

Many have been extremely critical of Nathan Eovaldi in his short tenure as a member of the New York Yankees, and not without good reason. At the beginning of the season my stance was always that Eovaldi was donned as a work in progress and of course I preached sample size. Eovaldi was brought to the Yankees not to be an ace but to be a fifth starter in the rotation basically, for the sake of this post anyway we'll go with fifth starter as it could be argued that he was a fourth starter but that is simply sematics.

Since Eovaldi has seemingly "figured it out" by adding a splitter to his repetoire the knock on him has been his inability to pitch late into ball game. Is this a legitimate beef with a guy who is donned as the team's fifth starter(on the depth chart, not according to performance)? I didn't think so but rather than simply throw my opinion out there I decided to take a look at the history of the Yankees in my lifetime with their fifth starters and how it translated to how deep they went into games.

Keep in mind that the game has changed drastically over the past four or five seasons, especially in New York. Back in the late 90's and throughout the 2000's the emphasis was more or less on strong starting pitching and bashing the hell out of the opponent. Lately the emphasis has changed to strong and deeper bullpens, shortening the games, etc. Naturally with that you would theoretically see your fifth start especially being affected by this mindset which I think it shown on the graph above.

The problem is not that Eovaldi is throwing less than six innings in a start, the problem is that Brian Cashman made moved that forced our fifth starter into a potential five game series playoff start. It's Cashman and company that still believe in CC Sabathia a lot more than we all do, it is Cashman and company that moved Adam Warren back to the bullpen and it is Cashman who did not upgrade the team before the July 31st trade deadline. Luis Severino is on the way, let's hope he's the savior and this all becomes a moot point.

*all stats courtesy of Baseball Reference 

Eat This, Not That: 2015 Yankees Edition

We’ve all seen the books and read the articles and tried the miracle diets and all come back with the same conclusion, if you’re reading it in a book then something isn’t working out. While this goes for the food we eat or the shows we watch on television it can also go for the players that Brian Cashman and company are putting on the field every single night while the far more superior players get over-groomed in the minor leagues. Eat this Cashman, not that!

Eat This:

Robert Refsnyder

Year	Lev	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2015	AAA	81	364	45	90	17	7	37	10	44	44	.290	.387	.413	.800

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Not That:

Stephen Drew

Year	Tm	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2015	NYY	80	280	26	45	11	12	25	0	26	46	.181	.255	.369	.625	72

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

You don’t wait until you fall out of first place to make the move, especially in a highly contested American League East Division. With that kind of mindset the Yankees won’t add anything at the trading deadline.

Eat This:

Jose Pirela

Year	Lg	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2015	AAA,AA,A+	26	116	22	33	10	2	11	2	8	15	.308	.362	.458	.820
2015	AL	29	70	6	14	3	1	4	1	2	14	.212	.232	.303	.535	48

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Not That:

Brendan Ryan

Year	Tm	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2015	NYY	7	15	1	4	0	0	2	0	1	1	.308	.400	.462	.862	140

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Jose Pirela can play more positions then Brendan Ryan while Ryan has a better shot of being hit by the ball while he’s being struck by lightning then outhitting Pirela over the course of a season.

Eat This:

Aaron Judge

Year	Lev	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2015	AA-AAA	84	375	45	93	19	14	55	2	36	88	.282	.352	.485	.837
2015	AA	63	280	36	71	16	12	44	1	24	70	.284	.350	.516	.866
2015	AAA	21	95	9	22	3	2	11	1	12	18	.275	.358	.388	.745

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Not That:

Carlos Beltran

Year	Tm	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2015	NYY	67	265	21	64	18	7	31	0	17	49	.262	.313	.430	.744	105

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

This seems unfair because Beltran has hit much better since coming off the disabled list and was hitting well before he went on the disabled list but the prospect humper inside of me forced me to put this down. The other Daniel Burch made me do it, blame him…. But still make the move.

Eat This:

Luis Severino

Year	Lev	W	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	HBP	WHIP	H9	HR9	BB9	SO9
2015	AAA-AA	7	2	2.45	17	17	88.1	65	29	24	2	25	84	4	1.019	6.6	0.2	2.5	8.6
2015	AA	2	2	3.32	8	8	38.0	32	17	14	2	10	48	2	1.105	7.6	0.5	2.4	11.4
2015	AAA	5	0	1.79	9	9	50.1	33	12	10	0	15	36	2	0.954	5.9	0.0	2.7	6.4

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Not That:

Chris Capuano

Year	W	L	ERA	G	GS	GF	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA+	FIP	WHIP	H9	HR9	BB9	SO9
2015	0	4	4.76	13	3	5	28.1	33	17	15	3	10	28	83	3.84	1.518	10.5	1.0	3.2	8.9

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Limit Severino’s innings while getting something useful out of a guy clearly under matched at Triple-A despite being six years younger than the average AAA player instead of wasting bullets and quality starts for your farm team. It worked for David Phelps, it worked for Adam Warren and it could work for Severino. And don’t even mention Joba Chamberlain because this is nothing like that and Joba started going downhill after the shoulder inflammation… so there! Plus it’s Chris Capuano, enough said.