Lukewarm Stove League...

 

Owners & Players’ remake of The Big Chill…

I miss Major League Baseball…

As a fan, it is frustrating there is no sense of urgency with MLB owners and players to settle their differences in an expedient manner. The Lockout, in December, applies no pressure on either side since the days leading up to Christmas and the New Year tend to be quiet. The sides are expected to accelerate their talks next month and tackle the core economic issues, but for me, January is perilously close to February which means any extended delays or snags in negotiations could threaten the start of Spring Training.

For once, I wish the MLB owners could put greed aside and do what is right for the good of the game. If MLB owners cannot afford paying higher salaries or do not want to, sell. I do not care if it is a small market team or a large one. There never seems to be shortage of billionaires who want a chance to own a Major League baseball team. It is too bad the fans do not have a seat at the table for these talks because it is our money they are arguing about. If the owners really cared about us, they would be working tirelessly to end this labor dispute.

If February 1^st is a soft deadline for resolution, I hope all parties collaborate, compromise, and hammer out mutually beneficial terms for the new collective bargaining agreement before next month ends. Not sure what it will take to motivate the sides to talk other than the loss of revenue, which, if it gets to that point, hurts all of us.

Well, at least for now we have minor league signings. So far this off-season, GM Brian Cashman’s dumpster diving has yielded:

 SS Jose Peraza

SS Wilkerman Garcia

CF Ender Inciarte

CF Blake Perkins

RHP Vinny Nittoli

Of the names, I liked the signing of Inciarte. A few years ago, I would have been thrilled with the move. He has not played at a prominent level since 2018 but he is still only 31 and could play an important depth role if he is able to rebound from his recent history of injuries. He is not going to replace Aaron Hicks, a guy who probably needs to be replaced, but he could support Hicks if the Yankees go out and acquire a starting centerfielder, pushing Hicks to the fourth outfielder role. Unless he really shows something in Spring Training, I cannot see Inciarte making the Opening Day roster.

Ender Inciarte / Credit: Jennifer Stewart, Getty Images

Jose Peraza, once a touted prospect, has bounced around in recent years. Yet, he is still only 27. I do not expect the Yankees to unlock his unfulfilled potential, but as TGP’s Daniel Burch likes to say, there is no such thing as a bad minor league deal®. He only played 36 games for the New York Mets last season and played primarily at second base. Steamer projects Peraza to 31 games for 2022 with 3 homers and .251/.299/.372 batting line including .292 wOBA. Seems like a Scranton/Wilkes-Barre shuttle candidate who would only play in New York if the health of the active roster demanded it.

Jose Peraza / Credit: Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports

Wilkerman Garcia is just a sad reminder, to me, of the disappointment from the Yankees’ explosive spending for international talent in 2014 when they signed Dermis Garcia ($3.2 million); Nelson Gomez ($2.25 million); Juan De Leon ($2 million); Jonathan Amundaray ($1.5 million); Miguel Flames ($1.1 million); and Hyo-Joon Park ($1.1 million). Wilkerman received $1.35 million. I had expected the Yankees to hit on at least one of these players. Park did play one game for the Yankees last year, but his biggest contribution was being part of the trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates which netted reliever Clay Holmes. The other Garcia, Dermis, is the one I had really wanted to rise through the organization, but he was unable to progress and left the organization this off-season signing a free agent minor league deal with the Oakland/Possibly Future Las Vegas A’s. Wilkerman, who has not played in two years due to the pandemic and injury, looks to rebound with the Rail Riders next season.

The signing of Blake Perkins is interesting. Not really expecting anything here, but he was once a second-round pick (69^th overall) in the 2015 June Amateur Draft by the Washington Nationals. He most recently served in the Kansas City Royals organization and is only 25. He does not seem to be anything more than a no-hit, speedy outfielder but the Yankees have liked those guys in recent years.

Vinny Nittoli is a 30-year-old career minor leaguer who had a very brief cup of coffee with the Seattle Mariners last season. An analytics team reclamation project.

All these signings seem more likely to help Scranton/Wilkes-Barre if anything. If they are playing at the Major League level, they have either sold their souls to the Devil or things have gone horribly wrong in the Bronx. If Inciarte could turn back time and become the player he once was, it would be cool.

 I guess if anything, these guys gave me something to write about. As I said, I miss baseball.

To go off topic, Noah Syndergaard will wear #34 for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim next season. While it was his number in Queens, the number has not been worn in Anaheim since the death of former Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart. Syndergaard reportedly was going to seek another number out of respect for Adenhart but was talked into wearing the number by Angels management and more importantly, the Adenhart family. I thought that was very cool and it provides a way for the memory of Adenhart to live on. A classy move by Thor and the Angels, considering they ensured the Adenhart family was part of the decision.

Noah Syndergaard / Credit: Rich Schultz & Kevork Djansezian via Getty Images

I saw that former Yankees shortstop prospect Kyle Holder signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies. Good for him. It is too bad his hit tool could never match his superior fielding skills. When you cannot hit, go to Colorado. Makes sense. The other Holder, Jonathan, re-signed with the Chicago Cubs organization.

Joel Sherman of The New York Post has been on a roll with his trade ideas lately:

Jasson Dominguez, Luis Gil and Chad Green for Elvis Andrus and Matt Olson.

 While I do not really endorse trading Dominguez at the risk of sounding like a prospect-hugger, Olson is probably one of the few guys it would be worth it. But honestly, I would rather see the Yankees spend the money to sign Freddie Freeman and keep Dominguez. Andrus is a shortstop solution to keep the position warm for either Oswald Peraza or Anthony Volpe, but it does not excite me. I want to see the Yankees get better to face the increased competition in the American League. Olson certainly is part of that equation, but Andrus is just a position-filler who does not move this team higher. 

Luis Gil and Oswald Peraza for Ketel Marte.

 I would hate to lose Peraza but if the Yankees sign, say, Trevor Story, Marte would be a nice addition. He can play center field even if he is a stronger second baseman, but versatility is good. It does seem like the Yankee would need to trade either Gleyber Torres or DJ LeMahieu if Marte is added, so I would probably not want to see this trade. 

Joey Gallo, Luis Gil, Chad Green, Gleyber Torres and Luke Voit for Trent Grisham, Austin Nola, and Jurickson Profar.

 I like the idea of Grisham in center field and Nola would provide a solution for those who would prefer to see Gary Sanchez wearing a different uniform next season. The Yankees would need to ensure they find their new first baseman (Olson, Freeman or Anthony Rizzo) but I am not opposed to moving Torres in a deal that improves the team. It would free second base for LeMahieu and Profar could be the super sub.

Austin Nola and Trent Grisham / Credit: Associated Press

I do not think any of these trade ideas will come to fruition, but they are fun to talk about. In a separate article, Joel Sherman pitched Carlos Rodon or Sean Manaea as possible fits for the Yankees starting rotation. I like either of these ideas as both carry strong upside potential. For as much fun as Nestor Cortes was last season, I would prefer to see him fill the role of spot starter/long man rather than one of the five cogs in the primary rotation. Luis Severino is a question mark until he proves he can be a top starter again. I am confident he will but until he does, there is doubt. Taillon will be delayed due to off-season surgery so the Yankees need another starter who can provide consistency as well as Jordan Montgomery or better. Rodon, on a short-term deal, or Manaea as part of a Matt Olson trade would be great. It is more likely Brian Cashman trades for a pitcher none of us are talking about and who their analytics team has fallen in love with.

For the record, I do want to see Aaron Hicks stay healthy and if healthy, he is a particularly skillful player for the Yankees. I wish I were more confident in his ability to stay healthy which is the only reason I am open to center field improvements.

I am reluctant to part with Gary Sanchez even if I feel he has worn out his welcome in the Bronx for no other reason than there are no in-house options to replace him. The best prospects, like Austin Wells, remain a couple of years away. Kyle Higashioka is not a Major League starter and never will be. A reunion with Austin Romine would not be the answer. Unless the Yankees can acquire a legitimate Major League starting catcher, we have no chance but to support Sanchez.

As always, Go Yankees!

Ready, Set, Wait at the Winter Meetings...

Photo Credit: Las Vegas Review-Journal (Chase Stevens)

Talk the Talk, but Not Walk the Walk…

All dressed up and nowhere to go. That’s kind of how the Baseball Winter Meetings felt this past week.  Lots of talk, not much action. I know, they say the groundwork laid this week will lead to fruit later. I guess we’ll see. There’s talk they should implement a trading deadline in December to spur action (some sort of moratorium against trades for a certain period of time before spring training). Not so sure I am in agreement, but I would have liked to have seen some high flying wheeling and dealing over the past few days rather than much talk about nothing.  

While I wanted a bigger piece for the starting rotation, I am happy the Yankees at least came away with J.A. Happ on a two-year contract despite the third year option. In the two year deal presumably worth an estimated $34 million, Happ can trigger the third year for $17 million by pitching at least 27 starts or 165 innings in the second year. At the beginning of the off-season, I preferred re-signing Happ over CC Sabathia and wanted an upgrade for the fourth spot in the rotation. Yes, the Yankees got better by adding LHP James Paxton but he brings additional questions to an already question-filled staff. I was looking for more certainty.  Maybe Happ can provide that certainty. He’s been consistent and is a much better pitcher today than he was years ago as a Philadelphia Phillie. We all know how well Happ pitched down the stretch for the Yankees (7-0 with 2.69 ERA in eleven starts). Overall for the season, he was 17-6, 3.65 ERA, 3.4 WAR in thirty-one starts). If the Yankees can get that type of production out of Happ in his age 36 year, I am sure all of us will be pleased. Realistically, I am expecting some regression.  

After missing out on Patrick Corbin and failing to land a top starter among the rumored trades swirling over the last couple of weeks, I was concerned when I saw that Happ was getting close to signing with the Phillies. I didn’t want to be stuck with a guy like Lance Lynn for the open rotation spot. So, when it came out Happ was going to re-sign with the Yankees, I felt a tremendous sense of relief.  

I am hopeful GM Brian Cashman continues to press for a top, front of the rotation  type of starter but at least he is no longer in a position of desperation to fill out the staff.  

I was excited when the rumors circulated about a possible three-way trade with the Mets and Marlins that would have brought Noah Syndergaard to the Yankees. But honestly, I don’t see the Mets trading any of their stars to their cross-town rivals regardless of the return. Maybe it’s a new world order with new Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen but last time I checked the Wilpons still own the team. The latest rumors about that potential three-way trade involve the San Diego Padres as the third team instead of the Yankees. Maybe Cashman should cut a side deal with the Padres for Syndergaard if they pull off the trade that would send Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto to the Mets. That’s the only way I could see Thor pulling on the Pinstripes. They won’t get him directly from the Mets.

I really thought we’d see more free agent signing this past week. I guess Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are holding up the market. After the run on relief pitchers last year, the market for firemen has been lukewarm this year. My biggest fear is David Robertson signing with the Red Sox to pitch close to his Rhode Island home. The Sox have lost “Tyler Austin punching bag” Joe Kelly to the Los Angeles Dodgers and free agent closer Craig Kimbrel is not expected to return. Unfortunately, it increases the odds the Red Sox sign a former Yankee (Robertson, Zach Britton or Andrew Miller) for their pen. I hope not.

I think my favorites to sign are Robertson and Adam Ottavino although I would not be disappointed with D-Rob and Miller or Britton or some combination thereof.  

We could see movement with Manny Machado before Christmas. He apparently has visits with up to six teams next week, including the Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies.  The White Sox acquired Machado’s brother-in-law Yonder Alonso from the Cleveland Indians last night but I don’t think Manny would make a huge financial decision based on where his bro-in-law plays. I’ve been surprised about the number of Yankee fans who want no part of either Machado or Bryce Harper. It’s so rare to get young twenty-something superstars for only money. Yes, it’s a helluva lot of money, no doubt, but the best years are ahead for both players and they’ve already been great. Great but getting better is a combination I like. These are guys who will still be producing at the end of 8-10 year contracts. 

It feels so underwhelming when we hear names like Freddy Galvis as potential infield options to bridge the gap to the return of Didi Gregorius late next summer. I certainly want no part of the risk associated with free agent shortstop Troy Tulowitzki who was recently let go by the Toronto Blue Jays with $38 million left on his contract. I know Tulo would come cheap for the team that picks him up but the guy can’t stay healthy. That’s not a bet I would want to make for a team with World Series aspirations. I think the San Jose, CA area native should go back to the Bay Area in an attempt to rekindle his career with either the San Francisco Giants or Oakland A’s.  

The Yankees family has taken a hit over the last couple of days. Yesterday, we received word that George Steinbrenner’s widow, Joan, had passed away in her Tampa, FL home, surrounded by her family. Joan, 83, was Vice Chairperson of the Yankees, along with her two daughters. In a statement released by the Steinbrenner family, “Joan was a compassionate and caring matriarch who profound love for her family and those in the community always inspired us. Her elegance and grace touched everyone around her, and we know her spirit will live on through her legacy of good works. We are grateful to have had her in our lives, and she will be deeply missed.”  May Mrs Boss rest in peace…

Photo Credit: AP (Charlie Neibergall)

I was also surprised and saddened to hear that Catfish Hunter’s daughter, Kim Hunter Daugherty, only 45, had passed away on Thursday at Hertford Grammar School in North Carolina where she was a teacher. She died of complications related to a pulmonary embolism. Her father died in 1999 at the age of 53 of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Very sad to see their lives cut so short.  

I was hopeful the end of this week would have seen some resolution for the Yankees bullpen but it was not to be. Hopefully we’ll have some answers before Santa Claus invades our homes in ten days. I am still looking for that magical gift  or gifts to make the Yankees better. Yes, they’re good now, but there’s so much potential for this team if it can continue to make the right decisions for additional pieces to fill out the roster. I will be happy when I can look at the roster and find the names of Sonny Gray, Luis Cessa and A.J. Cole nowhere to be found.

As always, Go Yankees…

Changing The Plan Surrounding Miguel Andujar

When writing my postseason plan I had originally written that the Yankees should trade Andujar for a pitcher and sign Manny Machado. But I changed my mind and decided that the lineup with Andujar in it, especially after I said I wanted the Yankees to sign Bryce Harper, was just too good to pass up.

Of course, at the time, I thought signing Patrick Corbin was a foregone conclusion. But now that Corbin will pitch for the Nationals, and other free agent pitchers are good but don't really do it for me, I believe the Yankees should go with my first plan.

As I've said, the Yankees would have to bring in Manny Machado if Andujar were traded. The offense is very good, but I do not want to see the offense hurt by replacing Andujar with anyone else. Sure, Mike Moustakas would be interesting as a power-hitting left-handed batter at Yankee Stadium, but the bottom line is the offense would get worse.

So what do you do? Sign Manny Machado before working out a trade involving Andujar, or trade away Andujar and then sign Manny Machado?

I think the answer is clear.

Sure, if the Yankees signed Machado first, I understand that other teams may demand more since Andujar is an obvious trade candidate. But not making sure you have Manny on the team first could create a much bigger, and a very real, problem.

There's no guarantee that Manny would sign with the Yankees after Miguel was dealt. Let's say the Yankees have a backroom deal in place with Machado before the trade for 9 years and $288 million (AAV of $32m). But after the trade, and before Manny officially signs, the Phillies call up Dan Lozano and offer 10 years and $350 million (AAV of $35m). I don't see Machado giving up that extra guaranteed year, as well as $62 million, to live up to a backroom deal. And I wouldn't blame him. Sure, it's kind of a shitty thing to do as you're going back on your word, but that's a huge chunk of change.

Furthermore, I don't buy the argument against signing Machado first, which is that another team would want more as they see Miguel Andujar as expendable. We see it all the time where it's clear a team is willing to trade a player, but the return for said player is still good. In 2016, with Aroldis Chapman set to become a free agent after the season, it was no surprise when the Yankees were willing to trade their closer. But did the fact the Yankees were willing to trade Chapman make them have to accept less? Seeing that Gleyber Torres has become a star, and Billy McKinney was key in trading for J.A. Happ last season, I'd say they still got a pretty good return.

So if this is Brian Cashman's plan then I firmly believe he has to have Manny Machado in the fold before trading Miguel Andujar. Otherwise, while the team's starting rotation would greatly improve, the hit they take on offense could make the overall team worse. Because while the offense will affect every game, a new starter would only directly affect 32 or 33 (his indirect effect on the rotation would certainly not change much about the other 129 or 130 games).

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.

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.

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!  ;)

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

The Subway Series Part II begins tonight in the Bronx as the New York Yankees play host to the New York Mets for the next three games in the Bronx. In the opener of the second half the Yankees will send Domingo German out to the mound to face off with Noah Syndergaard of the Mets. I find it interesting that both Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom, two potential trade targets for the Yankees, are pitching in the series this weekend in the Bronx, so let’s get to it.

German will open up the second half for the Yankees due in large part to the fact that New York wants to save Luis Severino and CC Sabathia for the looming series with the Boston Red Sox. German struggled in his last start against the Cleveland Indians where he allowed six runs in just four innings of work and will head into the start tonight looking for his first win since June 19^th.

Syndergaard has made one start since returning off the disabled list and will make his second start since his seven-week stint on the DL tonight in the Bronx. In his first start since his injury the Mets right-hander allowed one run in five innings of work against the Washington Nationals. If the Mets look to trade Syndergaard before the deadline he will have to prove his health over the next two weeks.

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.

Enjoy the game, continue the dominance in the Subway Series, and go Yankees!

Gearing Up for the Final Hot Stove Push

The 2018 trading deadline for Major League Baseball is just around the corner and the hot stove season is in full swing. Will the New York Yankees land a top starter like Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard? Or will the team have to settle for a second-tier pitcher like Cole Hamels or Nathan Eovaldi? Will the team call up Justus Sheffield on August 1st like they did with Luis Severino back in 2015? Or will the team even still have Sheffield on their roster in order to trade him by then? There are many sites out there that are covering the trade deadline and everything around Major League Baseball but if you're looking specifically for how the odds change before and after the trade deadline for the Yankees, there are sites that offer resources like that and some of these sites have apps, which is pretty convenient when you're on the go.

MLB Trade Rumors is the best in the business for all your hot stove rumors, whisperings, trade proposals, etc. and they even have a forum and an active comments section to discuss every potential move and rumor. Twitter is also a great tool to use as many of the reporters that break the news when a deal has been made are on there tweeting all day long, just look for the blue check and while you’re there give us, @GreedyStripes, a follow.

If I were a betting man I would say that the Yankees get a starter not named deGrom, Syndergaard, Chris Archer or Madison Bumgarner and instead either go with what they have already on the team and in the minor league system, or the team acquires a pitcher like Nathan Eovaldi that is a true rental.

The July 31^st trade deadline is looming, stay tuned to see who the Yankees pick up en route to their 28^th World Series championship.

Zack Wheeler Checks A Lot of Boxes for the Yankees

Just because the New York Yankees are unlikely to acquire either right-handed starter Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard it doesn’t mean that the Yankees and the New York Mets don’t match up in a potential trade for pitching. Late in the week it was reported that the Yankees have been scouted and have some interest in another one of the Met’s right-handed starters, Zack Wheeler.

According to Andy Martino of SNY the Mets are asking for a “couple prospects” in return for Wheeler including one that is a Top-10 prospect in the Yankees system. I don’t have to list off the Yankees top 10 prospects to know that I don’t feel comfortable trading one of our Top 10 prospects for what basically equates to the Mets 3^rd, 4^th, or 5^th starter (for the record MLB.com has him listed as the Mets 3^rd starter currently and had him ranked 4^th before Jason Vargas went down with an injury).

Wheeler checks a lot of boxes for the Yankees, none bigger than his team control and affordability. Wheeler is only making $1.9 million this season and the right-hander comes with a year of team control in 2019 as well before hitting free agency before the 2020 season.

Wheeler has been pitching well as of late after seeing his ERA balloon to 5.40 through the month of April only to see it drop to 3.44 as it stands at the time of this writing. Wheeler has been durable and effective and would be cost effective for any potential team that acquires him. I wouldn’t mind Wheeler in Pinstripes come August 1, 2018, but not at the price of a top 10 prospect though.

Stay tuned.

Thumbs Down for the Todd Frazier News...

End of Short Yankees Reign for the Toddfather…

I know, we need to embrace the new era and accept that Miguel Andujar will be the starting third baseman this year. It’s been said that the Yankees are very high on Andujar and the Yankees apparently resisted including Andujar in the failed talks with the Pittsburgh Pirates for Gerrit Cole, who was subsequently dealt to the Houston Astros.

My concerns with Andujar echo the sentiments of other fans who feel that Andujar’s glove is not quite Major League ready and that he’ll be an average defender at best with improvement. I am not opposed to Andujar at third, but I wanted a strong backup plan. That’s why it was a gut punch for me yesterday when Todd Frazier signed a two year deal with the New York Mets. What’s worse is that the contract he signed is team-friendly (2 years for $17 million) which the Yankees could have matched without impairing their current salary position and objective to keep 2018 total payroll under the $197 million threshold for luxury tax purposes.  

It made me sick to see Noah Syndergaard using the Yankees-themed ‘thumbs down’ emoji on Twitter in reaction to Frazier’s signing.  

I guess part of my frustration is that the Yankees will make a run at Manny Machado this fall when he becomes a free agent. Machado, regardless of the Baltimore Orioles plan to play him at short this year, would be the team’s starting third baseman if the Yankees are successful in signing him. So, Andujar would be a one season experiment at the position, learning on the job at the Major League level. For one year, I’d rather have a strong experienced third baseman who is a clubhouse leader. Frazier helped solidify team chemistry after last year’s trading deadline and he was a fan favorite.  

Maybe Andujar takes the job and runs with it, becoming a candidate for this year’s Rookie of the Year. Great for him (and us) if it happens. It is certainly within the realm of possibility. But it doesn’t mean that I have to like the fact that Todd Frazier is a Met.  

I saw someone post that the Yankees’ apparent lack of interest in Frazier to be a sign that the team is either fully committed to Andujar or that GM Brian Cashman has something else up his sleeve. There’s no way the Yankees sign free agent Mike Moustakas. Aside from the cost it would take sign the former Royals third sacker, the Yankees would forfeit their second-highest and fifth-highest draft picks in this summer’s MLB Draft plus $1 million in international bonus pool money since Moustakas received a qualifying offer from Kansas City and the Yankees are a competitive balance tax payor. Neil Walker, who can play second or third, is certainly an alternative that has been discussed by some. Walker wouldn’t block the younger kids so he might be the best case scenario. Otherwise, we could be trotting out the no-bat Danny Espinosa when the season opens.  

I wish Todd Frazier the very best with his new team. I am glad that he achieved his goal of staying in New York even if he now calls the wrong stadium home. The Mets are getting a great guy for their team.  

Move over, Mystique and Aura, here comes Smart and Confident…

The Yankees made Aaron Boone’s coaching staff official yesterday. The names are exactly as we expected:

Bench Coach:  Josh Bard

Pitching Coach:  Larry Rothschild

Bullpen Pitching Coach:  Mike Harkey

Hitting Coach:  Marcus Thames

Assistant Hitting Coach:  P.J. Pilittere

Third Base Coach:  Phil Nevin

First Base Coach/Outfield Instructor:  Reggie Willits

Major League Quality Control Coach/Infield Instructor:  Carlos Mendoza

Also, the following supporting roles:

Catching Coach:  Jason Brown

Coaching Assistant/Bullpen Catcher:  Radley Haddad

Coaching Assistant/Instant Replay Coordinator:  Brett Weber

It’s great to hear that guys like Aaron Judge, Didi Gregorius, Gleyber Torres and Ronald Torreyes are already in Tampa and working out at Steinbrenner Field. The sound of Spring is nearly upon us.  

First-time World Champions:  Philadelphia Eagles…

Congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles for winning the 2018 Super Bowl. I am sure that there are a lot of disappointed New York Giants fans, but for me, I am glad that the team from Boston was not successful. I am sure that Aaron Boone and Tommy Kahnle, avowed Eagles fans, were very happy. I am hoping they experience the joy of championships from beginning to end this year.   

Go Yankees!