Notable August Trades in Major League Baseball History

The Yankees season is not over because the team did not make any notable acquisitions at the July 31st trading deadline last month. Earlier today I brought you my wish list for the August 31st trade deadline which included James Shields, Craig Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman and Martin Prado and I almost immediately caught a ton of flack on Twitter about it. Apparently many fans don't think that big trades like this can happen in July so here are a few notable August trades in the history of the August 31st waiver wire trade deadline.


The Detroit Tigers acquired Doyle Alexander in August of 1987 in a trade with the Atlanta Braves. Who? Yeah, that is exactly what I said until I saw who the Braves got back in return for Alexander, a young right-handed starting pitcher by the name of John Smoltz. Smoltz at the time was just 20-years old and struggling in Double-A with a 5.68 ERA, but the rest, as they say, is history.


A similar situation happened in 1990 when the Houston Asteos traded relief pitcher Larry Andersen to the Boston Red Sox for a first baseman named Jeff Bagwell. Bagwell, then a 22-year old third baseman, quickly became a household name in Houston and eventually ended up in the Hall of Fame as a first basemen with Houston in 2017.

In 2003 the Pittsburgh Pirates sent one of their best players on the team, Brian Giles, to the San Diego Padres for a pair of prospects. You may recognize some of the names that were traded for Giles, Oliver Perez and Jason Bay.


On this day in 2008 the Toronto Blue Jays acquired a player who was not even on the Major League roster at the time. The most notable player at the tgime of the trade was the Pittsburgh Pirates newest player Robinson Diaz but the clear cut winner was Toronto who acquired some dude named Jose Bautista.


In 2000 the New York Yankees acquired a familiar face to complete their dynasty years, the team sent a prospect to the Pittsburgh Pirates for infielder Luis Sojo. Sojo was a big member of the 1996-1999 Yankees before leaving for Pittsburgh via free agency. Sojo was acquired for the playoff and World Series run and did just that with a four-hit game and the game winning hit to clinch the 2000 World Series over the New York Mets. This isn't exactly a notable trade as much as it was a stretch to include the Yankees on the post. We're a Yankees blog after-all.


And who could forget the mega-deal between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox where over $250,000,000 in dollars changed hands overnight. The Dodgers sent James Loney, Allen Webster, Ivan De Jesus, Rubby De La Rosa and Jerry Sands to the Boston Red Sox for Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett.




The Houston Astros acquired Justin Verlander last year before the August 31st trading deadline and the veteran right-hander led the team to the American League Championship and a World Series title. Verlander pitched in 11 games for Houston during the regular season and postseason combined, with the Astros winning 10 of them. Verlander allowed 13 runs total and a minuscule 1.66 ERA along the way.

Recent, Notable & Yankees Related August Trades in MLB

Just because the July 31st trade deadline has come and gone does not mean that the trades are done around the league. Trades can still happen, in fact trades can happen until the very last day of the season, but they get a little more complicated from here on out. Players must now pass through revocable waivers and can be claimed, and ultimately pulled back, or they can pass through waivers and be traded to any team. It gets complicated but it's not impossible so here are some of the more recent and notable August trades in Major League Baseball history. I even included a Yankees-related trade just because we are The Greedy Pinstripes after all and we need to see trades happen no matter what the calendar says. Don’t judge us. Love us.


In 2003 the Pittsburgh Pirates sent one of their best players on the team, Brian Giles, to the San Diego Padres for a pair of prospects. You may recognize some of the names that were traded for Giles, Oliver Perez and Jason Bay.


On this day in 2008 the Toronto Blue Jays acquired a player who was not even on the Major League roster at the time. The most notable player at the time of the trade was the Pittsburgh Pirates newest player Robinson Diaz but the clear cut winner was Toronto who acquired some dude named Jose Bautista.


In 2000 the New York Yankees acquired a familiar face to complete their dynasty years, the team sent a prospect to the Pittsburgh Pirates for infielder Luis Sojo. Sojo was a big member of the 1996-1999 Yankees before leaving for Pittsburgh via free agency. Sojo was acquired for the playoff and World Series run and did just that with a four-hit game and the game winning hit to clinch the 2000 World Series over the New York Mets. This isn't exactly a notable trade as much as it was a stretch to include the Yankees on the post but it what it is. We're a Yankees blog after all.


And who could forget the mega-deal between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox where over $250,000,000 in dollars changed hands overnight. The Dodgers sent James Loney, Allen Webster, Ivan De Jesus, Rubby De La Rosa and Jerry Sands to the Boston Red Sox for Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett.





Will there be any notable or Yankees related trades in August of 2017 to speak about next season? I guess you’ll just have to stay tuned.

Recent, Notable & Yankees Related August Trades in MLB

Just because the July 31st trade deadline has come and gone does not mean that the trades are done around the league. Trades can still happen, in fact trades can happen until the very last day of the season, but they get a little more complicated from here on out. Players must now pass through revocable waivers and can be claimed, and ultimately pulled back, or they can pass through waivers and be traded to any team. It gets complicated but it's not impossible so here are some of the more recent and notable August trades in Major League Baseball history. I even included a Yankees-related trade just because we are The Greedy Pinstripes after all and we need to see trades happen no matter what the calendar says. Don’t judge us. Love us.

In 2003 the Pittsburgh Pirates sent one of their best players on the team, Brian Giles, to the San Diego Padres for a pair of prospects. You may recognize some of the names that were traded for Giles, Oliver Perez and Jason Bay.

On this day in 2008 the Toronto Blue Jays acquired a player who was not even on the Major League roster at the time. The most notable player at the time of the trade was the Pittsburgh Pirates newest player Robinson Diaz but the clear cut winner was Toronto who acquired some dude named Jose Bautista.

In 2000 the New York Yankees acquired a familiar face to complete their dynasty years, the team sent a prospect to the Pittsburgh Pirates for infielder Luis Sojo. Sojo was a big member of the 1996-1999 Yankees before leaving for Pittsburgh via free agency. Sojo was acquired for the playoff and World Series run and did just that with a four-hit game and the game winning hit to clinch the 2000 World Series over the New York Mets. This isn't exactly a notable trade as much as it was a stretch to include the Yankees on the post but it what it is. We're a Yankees blog after all.

And who could forget the mega-deal between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox where over $250,000,000 in dollars changed hands overnight. The Dodgers sent James Loney, Allen Webster, Ivan De Jesus, Rubby De La Rosa and Jerry Sands to the Boston Red Sox for Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett.

Will there be any notable or Yankees related trades in August of 2017 to speak about next season? I guess you’ll just have to stay tuned. 

Recent & Notable August Trades in MLB

Just because the August 1st trade deadline has come and gone does not mean that the trades are done around the league. Trades can still happen, in fact trades can happen until the very last day of the season, but they get a little more complicated from here on out. Players must now pass through revocable waivers and can be claimed, and ultimately pulled back, or they can pass through waivers and be traded to any team. It gets complicated but it's not impossible so to end our Saturday night here on the blog I figured I would go through and touch upon some of the more recent and notable August trades in Major League Baseball history. Enjoy and we'll see you back here tomorrow.

• In 2003 the Pittsburgh Pirates sent one of their best players on the team, Brian Giles, to the San Diego Padres for a pair of prospects. You may recognize some of the names that were traded for Giles, Oliver Perez and Jason Bay.

• On this day in 2008 the Toronto Blue Jays acquired a player who was not even on the Major League roster at the time. The most notable player at the time of the trade was the Pittsburgh Pirates newest player Robinson Diaz but the clear cut winner was Toronto who acquired some dude named Jose Bautista.

• In 2000 the New York Yankees acquired a familiar face to complete their dynasty years, the team sent a prospect to the Pittsburgh Pirates for infielder Luis Sojo. Sojo was a big member of the 1996-1999 Yankees before leaving for Pittsburgh via free agency. Sojo was acquired for the playoff and World Series run and did just that with a four-hit game and the game winning hit to clinch the 2000 World Series over the New York Mets. This isn't exactly a notable trade as much as it was a stretch to include the Yankees on the post. We're a Yankees blog afterall.

• And who could forget the mega-deal between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox where over $250,000,000 in dollars changed hands overnight. The Dodgers sent James Loney, Allen Webster, Ivan De Jesus, Rubby De La Rosa and Jerry Sands to the Boston Red Sox for Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett.

ICYMI: The Yankees, Contrary to Popular Belief & Friday the 13th

Today is Friday the 13^th and for many than means bad omens, curses and generally just some bad luck throughout the day. I’m not a huge believer in coincidences, although I am a firm believer in karma, and I believe Friday the 13^th to just be another day on the calendar that was dramatized by a Hollywood movie. It’s hard to deny though that some freaky things have happened on this day in history and some of the most superstitious people in America being baseball players really step up their games on this day. Let’s focus on a few of the more superstitious players in MLB history and some of the “contrary to popular belief” facts that come along with this day.

Contrary to popular belief a black cat can walk across your path and you’ll probably be okay. Unless you’re the Chicago Cubs or the Boston Red Sox. Then I may be worried. 

Contrary to popular belief on Friday the 13th it is NOT okay to refuse to change your underwear during a Tigers winning streak in 2011 like Jim Leyland did. 

Contrary to popular belief on Friday the 13^th it IS okay to sleep with your bat while on a hot streak. Ask Richie Ashburn. 

Contrary to popular belief on Friday the 13^th you HAVE to make right-handed turns. Kevin Rhomberg refused to make right-handed turns on a baseball field and he also had this weird obsession that if you touched him he had to touch you back. I’m serious, his nickname was “Touch Me, Touch Me.” If you don’t believe there is a story of Rick Sutcliffe once reaching under a bathroom stall to touch Rhomberg on the toe. Rhomberg didn’t know who touched him so he proceeded to go around the clubhouse and touch and each every player, coach and manager. 

Contrary to popular belief on Friday the 13^th you CAN ask for a new ball after every hit. Mark Fidrych did it and this, along with his “Bird” routine on the mound, and no one really seemed to mind. They have plenty of baseball and Fidrych didn’t give up that many hits anyway. The mistrust of the ball probably stems back to him talking to the ball before the pitch, quite vividly sometimes, as a bond or friendship was obviously formed before being broken when hit for a single. 

Contrary to popular belief you can have WHATEVER you want to eat before and after a MLB game. Justin Verlander eats tacos before every start, Wade Boggs ate fried chicken and half of the Boston Red Sox pitching staff ate chicken and drank beer in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s. It’s baseball and we’re all adults. 

Contrary to popular belief the Yankees can beat Chris Sale on Friday the 13^th… Let’s make it happen. 

The Yankees, Contrary to Popular Belief & Friday the 13th

Today is Friday the 13^th and for many than means bad omens, curses and generally just some bad luck throughout the day. I’m not a huge believer in coincidences, although I am a firm believer in karma, and I believe Friday the 13^th to just be another day on the calendar that was dramatized by a Hollywood movie. It’s hard to deny though that some freaky things have happened on this day in history and some of the most superstitious people in America being baseball players really step up their games on this day. Let’s focus on a few of the more superstitious players in MLB history and some of the “contrary to popular belief” facts that come along with this day.

Contrary to popular belief a black cat can walk across your path and you’ll probably be okay. Unless you’re the Chicago Cubs or the Boston Red Sox. Then I may be worried. 

Contrary to popular belief on Friday the 13th it is NOT okay to refuse to change your underwear during a Tigers winning streak in 2011 like Jim Leyland did. 

Contrary to popular belief on Friday the 13^th it IS okay to sleep with your bat while on a hot streak. Ask Richie Ashburn. 

Contrary to popular belief on Friday the 13^th you HAVE to make right-handed turns. Kevin Rhomberg refused to make right-handed turns on a baseball field and he also had this weird obsession that if you touched him he had to touch you back. I’m serious, his nickname was “Touch Me, Touch Me.” If you don’t believe there is a story of Rick Sutcliffe once reaching under a bathroom stall to touch Rhomberg on the toe. Rhomberg didn’t know who touched him so he proceeded to go around the clubhouse and touch and each every player, coach and manager. 

Contrary to popular belief on Friday the 13^th you CAN ask for a new ball after every hit. Mark Fidrych did it and this, along with his “Bird” routine on the mound, and no one really seemed to mind. They have plenty of baseball and Fidrych didn’t give up that many hits anyway. The mistrust of the ball probably stems back to him talking to the ball before the pitch, quite vividly sometimes, as a bond or friendship was obviously formed before being broken when hit for a single. 

Contrary to popular belief you can have WHATEVER you want to eat before and after a MLB game. Justin Verlander eats tacos before every start, Wade Boggs ate fried chicken and half of the Boston Red Sox pitching staff ate chicken and drank beer in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s. It’s baseball and we’re all adults. 

Contrary to popular belief the Yankees can beat Chris Sale on Friday the 13^th… Let’s make it happen. 

David Ortiz & Perennial Yankees Killers During my Lifetime

As much as I hate to admit this you have to respect what David Ortiz has done in his major league career. Sure you have the controversy of the failed steroid test and the Mitchell Report inclusion that wasn’t an inclusion because a Boston-area Senator was in charge of the report but if you can presume that he has been clean since, and every drug test he’s taken has suggested that he is, then you still have to think he has Hall of Fame numbers. Numbers, I didn’t say credentials. While his Hall of Fame credentials may always be up for debate and the fact that he has as many failed tests as Alex Rodriguez has may be as well you cannot deny the fact that he’s been a perennial Yankee killer. In fact there have been quite a few during my lifetime and we will showcase them here this evening in honor, for lack of a better word, of Ortiz.

Ortiz once had a teammate, speaking of failed steroid tests, in Manny Ramirez that made up one of the toughest middle-of-the-lineups in my recent memory. Ramirez faced the Yankees in 203 games and hit a monster 55 home runs against them with 165 RBI and a .322 batting average. Ramirez killed just about every team though. 

Speaking of Ortiz, Ramirez and the Red Sox there was a trio of starting pitchers that the Yankees simply could not get to on most nights consistently. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey all shut down some of the greatest offenses of my lifetime starting with Beckett in the 2003 World Series and ending with Lester and Lackey most recently before being traded away by the Red Sox. 

Speaking of the pitching side of things I can remember Roy Halladay mowing down Yankees with tons of consistency. It didn’t matter who the mighty Yankees sent at Halladay in his years with the Toronto Blue Jays the man they called Doc set them down with ease. I halfway remember skipping games on purpose that he pitched to save myself the aggravation. 

The final pair of teammates to completely torment the Yankees date back to my early years as a fan. Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez absolutely destroyed the New York Yankees. I can remember Tino Martinez and Ken Griffey Jr. trading home runs on a Saturday afternoon in the Bronx more than once and it always seemed like the Mariners got the better of the Yankees. It started in 1995 in the ALDS and it went on that way until the Yankees beat the 116-win Mariners in 2001. Edgar killed Yankees closer Mariano Rivera at the plate, one of the few that could say that, and Griffey killed anyone and everyone put in front of him during his prime. All because as a child he got kicked out of the Yankees clubhouse when his father, Ken Griffey Sr., was a member of the team. Way to hold a grudge kid!

The Boring Winter Ahead: Watch the 2003 World Series Game Five HERE

Game Five of the 2003 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Florida Marlins.

The Boring Winter Ahead: Watch the 2003 World Series Game Four HERE

Game Four of the 2003 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Florida Marlins.

The Boring Winter Ahead: Watch the 2003 World Series Game Three HERE

Game Three of the 2003 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Florida Marlins.

The Boring Winter Ahead: Watch the 2003 World Series Game Two HERE

Game Two of the 2003 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Florida Marlins.

The Boring Winter Ahead: Watch the 2003 World Series Game One HERE

Game One of the 2003 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Florida Marlins.

Notable August Trades in Major League Baseball History

The Yankees season is not over because the team did not make any notable acquisitions at the July 31st trading deadline last month. Earlier today I brought you my wish list for the August 31st trade deadline which included James Shields, Craig Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman and Martin Prado and I almost immediately caught a ton of flack on Twitter about it. Apparently many fans don't think that big trades like this can happen in July so here are a few notable August trades in the history of the August 31st waiver wire trade deadline.

• In 2003 the Pittsburgh Pirates sent one of their best players on the team, Brian Giles, to the San Diego Padres for a pair of prospects. You may recognize some of the names that were traded for Giles, Oliver Perez and Jason Bay. 

• On this day in 2008 the Toronto Blue Jays acquired a player who was not even on the Major League roster at the time. The most notable player at the tgime of the trade was the Pittsburgh Pirates newest player Robinson Diaz but the clear cut winner was Toronto who acquired some dude named Jose Bautista. 

• In 2000 the New York Yankees acquired a familiar face to complete their dynasty years, the team sent a prospect to the Pittsburgh Pirates for infielder Luis Sojo. Sojo was a big member of the 1996-1999 Yankees before leaving for Pittsburgh via free agency. Sojo was acquired for the playoff and World Series run and did just that with a four-hit game and the game winning hit to clinch the 2000 World Series over the New York Mets. This isn't exactly a notable trade as much as it was a stretch to include the Yankees on the post. We're a Yankees blog afterall. 

• And who could forget the mega-deal between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox where over $250,000,000 in dollars changed hands overnight. The Dodgers sent James Loney, Allen Webster, Ivan De Jesus, Rubby De La Rosa and Jerry Sands to the Boston Red Sox for Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett. 

The Daily Dozen (Plus): The Night The Lights Went Out in the Bronx Edition

The Daily Dozen: The Night the Lights Went Out in the Bronx Edition

Twelve (Nineteen)Takeaways from Tonight's Yesterday's This Morning's Game:

1. Yankees vs. Red Sox Eternal...as in the games last forever.  Extra innings seem to be made for this rivalry.  And once again, this one goes LATE into the night...and the next day.  I can't tell you how many times I fell asleep watching my ESPN App since I don't have The MLB Network.  Okay, I can...3 times...

2. Pace of Play.  MLB has begun to inform its players by way of snail mail as to their disdain for players taking too much time in the batter's box and that they are serious about penalizing players.  I wonder if David Ortiz will receive as many letters from MLB as supposed drug tests?

"So You're Saying We Are on Some List...?" (Photo Credit: NY Times)

3. The 2015 Red Sox Resemble the 2004 New York Yankees.  Remember when the Yankees organization began to OVERSPEND on talent that was past its prime (Giambi, Johnson, Rodriguez).  Well, it seems that Boston is now filling that role what with its lineup of All-Stars from 2012 in Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez, Pablo Sandoval, Mike Napoli, and Shane Victorino.  Heck Ramirez was traded BY the Red Sox in his prime to the Marlins in return for guys named Josh Beckett (still hate that guy) and Mike Lowell (former Yankee)...in 2005.  The Yankees are now trying to the be the Red Sox of old staying away from the big free agents past their prime.  Okay...so they still were doing it last year with...AHEM...Beltran and McCann...but they totally redeemed themselves with Ellsbury and re-signing Gardner along with getting cheaper alternatives such as Headley, Gregorius, and Garret Jones...all while allowing their prospects evolve.

4. Extra Innings Games Sap Your Stats.  Just a quick look at the stat lines for both teams through THIRTEEN innings reveals the following:  only 6 players total had over a .300 average for the night and only five guys had multiple hits.  Perennial consistent hitter Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 6, the Panda was 2 for 6, Nava was 2 for 3 before being replaced by Victorino.  Gardner was 2 for 6, Gregorius was 1 for 3 as a late replacement, and Alex Rodriguez...2 for 5.  The Binder probably wishes he would have left him in the game right about now (12:00 AM).  The remaining players for the Red Sox were 4 for 33.  The remaining players for the Yankees were 3 for 31.  Update: as the teams roll into the 18th, the stats keep on going down, but on a sidenote they are the only ones still playing as the West Coast games just ended (1:33 am EDT).

5. #NAPPYBEARD.  Since The Greedy Pinstripes adopted the hastag last season, Napoli hasn't been the same player.  We here at TGP are glad this has happened and take full credit.  As of this typed No. 5 in the Daily Dozen he was 0 for 6 through 14 innings with 3 strikeouts...although he did get a walk in the 6th and scored one of Boston's 3 runs.  His batting average for 2015 is a stellar .000.  Interestingly, I actually typed the 0 for 6 with 3 strikeouts before he actually struck out...Fear the #NAPPYBEARD  Update: 0 for 8 through 18 innings.

"....mabye I should shave...?"

6. Chase Friggin' Headley.  What more can be said about Chase?  I mean sure he's mired in a .188 batting average, but like I said a couple of days ago...he seems to be clutch when it matters most.  What a huge Home Run to tie the game back in the bottom of the 9th off of Mujica (who coincidentally is on my Fantasy Baseball team...arrgh).

This may never get old... (Photo Credit: Newsday)

7. Fantasy Baseball Hint.  Just a word to the wise...NEVER draft guys from the team you like onto your fantasy squad...right now after almost a week's worth of games I am firmly atop the leaderboard of my Rotisserie league with 3 Boston players on roster with only Brett Gardner from the Yankees (auto-draft).  Either way I win...if the Boston guys suck it up...GOOD...if for some reason they don't...STILL GOOD (for me).  Having Pedroia is also a good idea...the guy just flat out rakes, like WICKED HAAAD.  Update: Mujica is on my bench tonight...shoo!

8. How many buckets of balls could the Yankees get for Stephen Drew?  This is subject to change if he somehow miraculously wins the game in the Bottom of the 14th as I type this, but WHY did the Yankees not afford Refsnyder a shot at second base again?  Oh that's right, to make room for the .071 hitting juggernaut Stephen Drew.  At least he has company down there with Beltran (.071).  Update:  Drew flew out to right to lower that stellar average to .067.  Update 2:  I'll give him another chance as he gave the Yankees a chance in the bottom of the 16th to win it and he's now at a SCORCHING .125!!!

9. Who is leading the team in batting average you ask?  Why that would be everyone's favorite villain, Alex Rodriguez at .286.  I mean sure he had 3 strikeouts...but did you see the smash double he had in the bottom of the 11th...that should have netted the Yankees a win since he was on 2nd with only 1 out?  Yeah, I think Mr. A-Rod is welcome in that clubhouse right about now.

10. To play shortstop in this rivalry you have to have a crazy name.  Xander Bogaerts.  Didi Gregorius.  Nuf' Said.  Pretty much the only normal name at short has been Derek Jeter...I mean, come on...Nomar Garciaparra?  Nomar is Ramon spelled backwards for the kids playing at home.  And yes, I realize that Stephen Drew also played SS...but I don't care.  Update: Bogaerts, crazy name and all is 4 for 8 through 19 innings and  hitting a crisp .421 on the early season.

More Like Nomar Hamm! Fogedaboutit

11. Pitchers, Batters, and Strikeouts.  Through 14 innings the Yankees pitchers faced 60 Red Sox hitters.  The Red Sox pitchers faced 53 Yankees hitters.  The teams combined used 16 pitchers.  It's too bad the game devolved into such a bullpen affair as both Wade Miley and Nathan Eovaldi pitched decently; Eovaldi in his Yankees debut with a final line of 5-1/3 innings and only 3 earned runs against such a good hitting Red Sox squad (ESPN will tell you that...just wait).  Miley gave up 1 less earned run in the same timeframe.  So how many strikeouts in the game (as I type this..they are in the top of the 15th)...?  24 strikeouts total -- 12 for each team.  The Indians pitchers got 16 on Thursday in a regulation game, but still 24 is a lot.  Update: top of the 16th...now at 26 Ks, 13 each.  Update 2: 17 pitchers as Wright entered for the Red Sox in the bottom of the 15th.  Update 3: 28 Ks...15 for BOS, 13 for NYY in Top 19th

12. The Didi-Ells-Gardy Show.  I'm predicting the game will end in the 15th with a manufactured run by the speedsters.  The lineup was set in order to do just that...get Gregorius on base and turn over the lineup to Ellsbury and Gardner to wreak havoc on the basepaths.  If you can't beat 'em with power, beat 'em with SPEED!  Update: Didi struck out, Ellsbury lined out to short, and Gardner walked...1 for 3 ain't bad!  Update #2: Garrett Jones promptly lined out to center to send the game to the 16th.  Anyone wish that A-Rod was still in the game yet???

13. Oh you thought this would end at Twelve?  I mean a dozen is twelve, but since the Yanks and Sawx can go extra innings, so shall I!  How many times have you watched a Yankees game when the stadium lights went out?  That was the title of this edition of the Daily Dozen and you read all the way to this point, so I'll tell you...I can't remember a time that the game was delayed due to the lights going out at Yankee Stadium.  This game was delayed 16 minutes in the bottom of the 12th as fans attempted to illuminate the field with their mobile devices.

Is this a baseball game or a Bon Jovi Concert?

14. Of course Ortiz would homer off of Rogers in the 16th.  What kind of name is Esmil anyways...arrghhh.  Rogers' first hit given up this season is a big one as in David Ortiz' first home run of the season.  I hope I didn't stay up until 1 am just to see (by see I mean watch the game via ESPN Gamecast probably 30 seconds after it actually happened) Big Papi win another game at the Stadium with a big home run.  Update:  Esmil Rogers gave up another run in the 18th...and has given up 3 ERs in 6.1 innings while the rest of the bullpen has surrendered only 1 ER in 18.1.  Update 2: Make it 4 ERs in 7.1...arrgh!

"Man...the guy at GNC told me it was just Orange Juice..."

15. The Panda Express.  Any time you give Pablo Sandoval eight at-bats, he'll probably find a way to hurt you.  Through 16 innings he was 3 for 8 raising his season average to .250.  While he isn't likely the player he was with San Francisco, he can still hurt you if you give him enough chances.

16. Steven Wright! You're So Wrong!  I imagine that was the call by John Sterling when Mark "Teix-Message" Teixeira launched the game-tying home run to start the bottom of the 16th.  If it's not, then he should have said it.  And by the way...Mr. Marky Mark waited until his birthday (April 11th) to do the damage.  Happy Birthday Teixeira!  You're on the MARK!  Update:  A colleague of mine has just informed us all via the Twitterverse that Mark is 35...which makes him the same age as me (he's hitting home runs in Yankee Stadium while I am blogging in my basement watching a "live" feed on the intranet  internet).

You gotta love A-Rod's reaction to the home run by the way: See A-Rod React Like a Little Leaguer

17. Mark Teixeira came up to the plate once again in the bottom of the 17th against Steven Wright.  He is now .500 against him with 1 HR in his career.

18. Baseball is a fickle game.  Teams can go SIX whole innings without scoring...and then boom they both score on solo home runs in the 16th.  Gotta love it...or hate it??  No runs in the 17th as both teams threatened.  Then in the 18th...the Red Sox score 1 and the Yankees promptly score again tying it 5-5.  And they did it with McCann and Beltran doubles no less...guys that were a combined 1 for 10 previously.

19. It's the small things.  Caught stealing, a pick off, allowing a stolen base, a passed ball...all of these were instrumental in the Red Sox scoring runs and ultimately led to their demise.  Well...that's it folks...hopefully you stuck with this post as long as I did with the game!

The Yankee Stadium Experience: The Bleachers

PART NINE: The Bleachers and the Creatures that Roam There

I have been to exactly one World Series game in my life.  Unfortunately it was Game 6 of the 2003 World Series against the Florida Marlins.  That night, Josh Beckett threw a gem shutting the Yankees out in the decisive game versus an equally competitive Andy Pettitte.

Have I mentioned my disdain for one Josh Beckett?

Beckett would be awarded the MVP while Pettitte would go on to take a hiatus from the Yanks by joining the Houston Astros for the next 3 years.   Let's be clear...seeing Beckett celebrate on the Yankee Stadium grass sucked...but the pain was muted just a little bit due to the fact that my Dad and I got to witness the game from the famous Section 39 with its infamous inhabitants: the "Bleacher Creatures."

Firstly, let's recap what the Bleacher Creatures used to be like in the Old Stadium since some of the traditions have changed due to the new dimensions in the New Yankee Stadium.  The founding of the Creatures is often attributed to Ali Ramirez aka "The Cowbell Man" who would sit religiously in Seat 29 of Row A in Section 39 during the dog-days of the 1980s.  He was one of the mainstays of the Stadium and when he passed away in May of 1996, the Yankees honored him with a plaque on his seat stating "This Seat is Taken."

Ali Ramirez's Seat (source: WikiPedia)

At some point in the early 90s fans in the Bleachers started chanting Tino Martinez's name while he played 1st base.  Surprisingly Tino turned around and gave the chanting fans a wave.  From this auspicious beginning a tradition was formed and since then it has become a top of the 1st inning tradition.  Of course the only players names that don't get chanted are the pitcher and catcher out of respect for their concentration.  If you have never seen a Roll Call at Yankee Stadium, it is something special to see and it's even better to be a part of while watching a World Series game.  My dad and I actually sat directly behind "Bald Vinny" during that game.  Hearing him yell "Yoooooo Ber-NIE! during roll call that day was classic. (Update: as per @baldvinny, we weren't behind him that night as he had to work that evening...not sure which of the Creatures led the Roll Call that night...it was over 10 years ago and I've slept since then... :), but whomever did it was very convincing in their efforts.)

Some of the other famous "Creatures" include Tina Lewis aka "Queen of the BC", a "Bald Ray", which is how Vinny got his namesake...the new "Cowbell Man" Milton Ousland, and even a "Regular Ray".  If you get a chance to sit with the Bleacher Creatures (which is no longer Section 39), you can read their names on the back of their custom fit New Era Yankee ballcaps.  Each of the members has certain responsibilities during the game in terms of chants, etc.  Of course Vinny Milano aka the Bald One starts the Roll Call by yelling "Yoooooo!" and then the current center fielder's name (Ellsbury??).  The rest of the Creatures and seemingly the rest of the Bleachers chant that player's name until they are recognized with a wave or in Johnny Damon's case a Captain Caveman Salute...a the end of the roll call, they would then point up into the Right Field Box Seats and chant "Box Seats Suck...Box Seats Suck..." which isn't applicable anymore due to the Bleachers being raised to the same level now in Section 203 of the New Stadium.  In the cases of when the hated Red Sox are visiting, this may be substituted with "Red Sox Suck..."

The "Cowbell Man" will initiate any cowbelling within the Stadium with no exceptions...and this is customarily only done during a Yankees rally.  During the 7th inning stretch, several of the Creatures will usually roll out a large American flag to display over them during the singing of God Bless America.  In the case of that fateful day in 2003, I was able to hold a corner during the playing of our National Anthem.  Occassionally other chants will be hurled at opposing players in the outfield which wouldn't be appropriate to list here as this is a family show, but one of the most mentioned by "Bald Vinny" was that he used to sling out Japanese swear words at Ichiro in right field.  Now of course they chant I-chi-ro, I-chi-ro! after the center fielder's name.

I bet this guy really hates StubHub right about now...

On the rare occasion that someone is stupid enough to wear a Red Sox or Mets shirt, hat, jersey, or any type of clothing into the section, a new chant will be directed their way, which has resulted in many a fight in the Bleachers...the chant rhymes with "Bass Pole."  Perhaps for this reason, alcohol sales were banned from the Bleachers circa 2000.  At that time, the entrance was also separate from the rest of the Stadium as you had to access them from behind the outfield wall.

Some famous people have sat with the infamous Creatures including David Cone and Tino Martinez (in disguise).  Celebrities get their picture taken with Bald Vinny and there are dedicated websites for their fandom.  Additionally, the Bleacher Creatures have their own website which I encourage you to visit: http://www.bleachercreatures.tv/ .  Heck...a book has been written about these "crazy" people as Filip Bondy sat with them during the 2004 season and documented it in his "Bleeding Pinstripes."  But really, the Creatures are made up of down-to-earth people, blue-collar workers who sat there initially because it only cost $5.  A "true" fan if you will...not one of those $9 Heineken drinkers up in the Box Seats.

So really not much has changed in the Bleachers except for the name (now Section 203) and the general locale to the Box Seats but thankfully you can get to them without having to go in a separate entrance.  The Creatures can still be heard yelling loudly whether it be Roll Call or Bass Pole and it is quite the treat to sit amongst them...well at least if you are a Yankees fan.  The Bleacher Creatures have become just another tradition in Yankee Stadium, whether Old or New and hopefully it will be a tradition that lasts a long time.  I encourage you to take in a game once or twice in the vicinity and make sure to take part in every chant, every cheer, because sometimes the result on the field isn't worth the price of admission, but the atmosphere and the way you watch the game can make up for it.

Reviewing The Boston/Los Angeles Trade

When it comes to looking to free up money, the Sox did a great job. Adrian Gonzalez is set to make $127 million over the next 6 years, Josh Beckett's contract gives him $31.5 million over the next two years, Carl Crawford will receive $102.5 million between 2013 and 2017, and Nick Punto has 1 year and $1.5 million remaining on his 2 year deal. That's a total of $262.5 million, of which Boston will only pay $12 million, putting the Dodgers on the hook for $250.5 million.

But was the money well spent, and will it be well spent for either team? Let's take a look at the key pieces of the deal, all coming from Boston.

Raise your hand if you want to move back to the west coast.

When it comes to dealing Gonzalez I'm not really sure why Boston did that. I'm not saying it isn't a lot of money, but it's not as if Adrian hasn't been a big contributor to the team. For starters, according to Fangraph's, Gonzo was worth $29.5 million last season, well above the AAV of his contract ($22 million). This season hasn't been going quite as well, as he's only been worth $12.3 million, but he's still putting up pretty respectable numbers (.300/.343/.469 with 15 HR and 86 RBI). If the Sox were looking into the future, which I believe they are, then it would make sense if Gonzalez only had a year or two left on his contract, but as I've pointed out... that's not the case.

The Sox didn't have any first basemen on Baseball America's preseason top 10 prospect list, but perhaps they believe Mauro Gomez, who is hitting .310/.371/.589 in AAA Pawtucket so far this season, is the long-term answer at 1B. Or it could be Jerry Sands, who was acquired from Los Angeles. Sands hit well in the minors, batting .303/.380/.531 with 24 HR in AAA, although his 251 plate appearances in MLB haven't been "all that" (.244/.325/.376). But Jerry is only 24 years old, so maybe Boston has something here.

Adrian could have been a key part of the future, but now he'll be giving Giants fans headaches instead of giving me and other Yankee fans headaches (in 12 games against the Yankees this season his triple-slash is .375/.388/.667).

On the other hand I understand why the Dodgers traded for Adrian. Gonzalez dominated the NL West for 5 years prior to being traded to Boston before the 2011 season, putting up a triple-slash of .288/.374/.514 to go along with averaging about 32 HRs a year while with the San Diego Padres. Los Angeles had James Loney, who was dealt to Boston in the deal, at 1B this season, but James was putting up a paltry batting line of .254/.302/.344 at the time. So getting a a 30-year old that could hold down that position for the next 6 years makes sense. Although Adrian is earning his money so far, I'm sure that by the end of the deal Dodgers fans will be happy to see him go, just as Yankee fans will be about guys like Mark Teixiera and Alex Rodriguez.

Verdict: Good for the Dodgers, bad for Boston.

"No! Due to the time difference, watching sports on the west coast sucks!"

With Boston possibly thinking a few years down the road, it made sense to unload Josh Beckett. Last season Beckett finished 9th in Cy Young voting, after putting up an ERA of 2.89 and WHIP of 1.026 in 30 starts, last season. This season hasn't been going as well, as Josh's ERA has ballooned to 5.23 and his WHIP has gone up to 1.327. Although, according to Fangraph's, Beckett more the earned his salary in 2011, that won't be the case in 2012.

The Red Sox do have Justin Germano, who has an ERA of 2.40 and WHIP of 0.905 in 16 AAA starts, to go along with 4 other starters already in the Sox rotation that are all under 30 years old (Lester, Buchholz, Doubront, and Bard). And that doesn't include picking up Allen Webster and Rubby De La Rosa. Webster had an ERA of 3.55 and WHIP of 1.455 in AA Chattanooga so far this season, so he isn't blowing anybody away. De La Rosa was a surprise call-up to the Dodgers this season, having just come back from reconstructive elbow surgery 13 months before, but only lasted .2 innings after walking 2 of the 4 batters he faced. So I'm not sure what they have there.

The Dodgers though picked up a solid pitcher to put behind Clayton Kershaw in the rotation, and at $15.75 million a season, they aren't drastically over-paying. It doesn't look like the Dodgers have better choices within the organization for 2012 and beyond, as nobody in AAA is "killing it" out side of John Ely, and Ely has been lit up so far in MLB to the tune of a 5.35 ERA and 1.456 WHIP in 19 starts and 112.2 innings. Chad Billingsley is a good #3 starter, but he hasn't been able to replicate the great numbers he put up in his 2nd and 3rd years in the Majors.

Verdict: Good for both teams.

Picture this, but with Carl wearing a Dodgers uniform instead.

In his first two seasons with Boston Crawford has earned, again... via Fangraph's Dollar Value, only $2.5 million of the $33.5 million he's been paid. And now Carl's having Tommy John surgery, ensuring that he won't have a shot at making up for at least some of that the rest of this season, and possibly part of next season. So it was a no-brainer for the Red Sox to dump this guy before he cost them any more money, since Carl will be paid $102.5 million more dollars over the next 5 years.

But I have no idea why the Dodgers agreed to this. They recently extended the contracts of Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, and both players are doing pretty well (Kemp has an OPS+ of 168 and Ethier has an OPS+ of 121). LA also has a guy by the name of Alfredo Silverio, who was their #4 prospect in Baseball America's preseason Top 10 list, and is hitting .306/.340/.542 at AA Chattanooga this season. So why clog up an outfield spot with a guy making that much money, and only hitting .260/.292/.419 in his last 664 plate appearances?

Verdict: Good for Boston, bad for Los Angeles

In the end I really don't know how to feel about this trade. The good part about it for both teams, the swap of Josh Beckett, is the least cost-wise out of the key pieces involved. While both of the expensive parts of the deal, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, are a wash (Gonzo good for LA, Crawford good for Boston).

But what really matters here is how it affects the Yankees. Initially I thought that it was not good for the Bombers, as the Red Sox now have a lot of money they can use on buying some good replacement players. But there's a big "if" there, in that one of Mauro Gomez or Jerry Sands would have to be a good replacement for Adrian Gonzalez's contributions, and remember that not only did Adrian hit well but he was a great fielding 1B too. So to be honest, the loss of Gonzo could cost the team more than half of what they just saved to replace. Couple that with the good possibility that the Sox bring back Jacoby Ellsbury, who is a free agent after this season, and that could be that as far as having more money.

The best thing that came out of this trade is that it made for some more exciting baseball stuff to talk about. Unfortunately I don't think the Red Sox front office is in the business of giving people like me stuff to talk about.

"I'm just trying my best to give Bryan more things to write about at The Greedy Pintripes."

Red Sox Close To Blockbuster Mega Deal With LA Dodgers

UPDATE:

7:47
The deal is being held up because the Red Sox have not got permission from Josh Beckett, who has 10 and 5 rights, or Carl Crawford, who has a partial no trade clause. 

7:46
The "top prospect" looks like it is going to be Allen Webster from the Dodgers 

7:20
The deal would include the Dodgers sending Rubby De La Rosa (as a PTBNL since he did not clear waivers), James Loney, Jerry Sands, Ivan DeJesus, and another top prospect to the Red Sox

7:15
MLB rules stipulate that the only way Carl Crawford can be traded, since he is on the DL, is as a Player To Be Named Later. 

7:14 
Nick Punto is now attending a clubhouse meeting with Adrian Gonzalez

7:03 
Adrian Gonzalez has been scratched from tonight's start for Boston

6:58 
James Loney has been scratched from his start tonight in Los Angeles

6:55 
Adrian Gonzalez does NOT have the Dodgers listed on his No Trade List.

6:48 
The Dodgers are talking of including Rubby De La Rosa, Jerry Sands Allen Webster, and Zach Lee in some sort of combination. I do not see all of them going but you never know. 

The Red Sox are close to agreeing  to trade SP Josh Beckett, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, INF Nick Punto, and LF Carl Crawford to the Dodgers after being awarded waiver claims on them. The Red Sox have agreed to send cash to the Dodgers and the Dodgers will be sending prospects to Boston.


The Dodgers new website name is TheGreedyDodgers.com and we are currently in a legal battle for the domain #sarcasm.

Best 1-2 Punch in the AL East

Going by ERA+ from last season, this is how they stack up in the AL East...

Red Sox - Beckett (147) & Lester (122)

Yankees - Sabathia (147) & Pineda (103)
Rays - Shields (132) & Price (107)

Blue Jays - Romero (146) & Morrow (90)

Orioles - LOL!

When it comes to the Rays I expect Price's ERA+ to rise to around 125 (it was 144 in 2010, and he'd already thrown 142.1 innings in MLB), but at the same time I expect Shields' ERA+ to drop. James' career high ERA+ before last season was 124 in 2008, and he turned 30 last December, so I wouldn't bet on him repeating his 2011 season. Looking closer I see that Shields can attribute his success to a much lower LD% (21% in 2009, 22% in 2010, 17% in 2011), and his ground ball rate went down a bit too (43.8% for his career, to 46.2% last season).

I see no way Beckett repeats his 2011 season either. A 2.89 ERA (career 3.84), 1.026 WHIP (career 1.220), while his K-rate and BB-rate were pretty much the same as his career averages. Basically, I think Josh got lucky last year. Lester, on the other hand, has seen his ERA+ drop in each of the last 4 years. His K-rate has dropped in each of the last 3 years as well.

Over the last 4 years CC has had an ERA+ of 157, 137, 136, and 147. His K-rate rose by about 1 K per 9 from his career average, which would lead one to think he'll regress a bit. However, he gave up more hits than he normally had in his first two seasons in pinstripes. His walks dropped a bit, but not so much that it makes warning bells go off. It's hard to judge what Pineda will do, as he's only had the one year in MLB. But he was giving up less hits per 9 innings than he did in the minors, and was striking out about the same. Working with MLB coaches should do nothing but help, and his potential is an ace in MLB, so I have to think he'll get better no matter what the numbers may say (keeping in mind I'm using minor league numbers as well as MLB numbers, so not a perfect sample by any means).

I'm not going to bother with the other two teams, because it's just not worth it. So this is how I expect the AL East 1-2 punches to pan out this coming season...

Yankees - Sabathia (135) & Pineda (115)
Rays - Shields (115) & Price (125)
Red Sox - Beckett (120) & Lester (120)

Blue Jays - Romero should have a pretty good year, but after that who knows?

Orioles - I don't see one pitcher worth mentioning here

Although the total ERA+ for the Rays and Sox are the same, I put the Rays in front due to the big drop from Shields (which I'm not 100% sure about), and the potential of David Price.