Off Day Meet a Prospect Special Edition: Andrew McCutchen

The New York Yankees needed an outfielder before the August 31^st trading deadline with the recent injuries to Didi Gregorius, Aaron Judge and others and the outfielder they chose was former Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants player Andrew McCutchen. McCutchen brings a certain veteran presence and swag to a young Yankees club in the midst of a pennant race and is the perfect choice for this particular team in my opinion, so let’s meet him. This is Meet a Prospect Special Edition for this off day, the Andrew McCutchen Edition.

Andrew Stefan McCutchen was born on October 10, 1986 in Fort Meade, Florida to Lorenzo McCutchen and Petrina Swan. Andrew’s father was a start running back with the Carson-Newman University football tea, in Jefferson City, Tennessee, but quickly gave up his dream to head to the NFL to be closer to his son and to Andrew’s sister, Loren. Instead Lorenzo helped Andrew follow his dream of being a professional baseball player and led Andrew to becoming eligible to play varsity baseball as an eight grader at Fort Meade High School. That season McCutchen hit .591 for the school’s team while also playing football and running track. McCutchen was one of the top football recruits in the state of Florida but ultimately decided to continue playing baseball, a decision that led him to the University of Florida and eventually to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.

With the 11^th overall pick in the 2005 MLB First Year Players Draft the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Andrew McCutchen out of the University of Florida, immediately assigning the center fielder to their minor league affiliate. McCutchen spent four seasons in the Minor Leagues and was a Top 50 prospect in all four seasons according to Baseball America including a #13 ranking before the 2007 season. On June 9, 2009 the Pirates called up McCutchen to the big leagues after trading away starting center fielder Nate McLouth to the Atlanta Braves. McCutchen made his MLB debut the very next day against the New York Mets. McCutchen singled in his first at-bat off Mets starter Mike Pelfrey and ended the day with two singles, one RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base in a Pirates victory. McCutchen finished his rookie campaign with a .286 batting average, 12 home runs, 54 RBI and 22 stolen bases in 108 games, finishing fourth in the National League Rookie of the Year Award voting.

McCutchen was back on the Pirates big league club on Opening Day in 2010 and never looked back. While McCutchen had a strong 2010 campaign he did not make his first All-Star Game appearance until the 2011 season, replacing injured Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers. McCutchen was rewarded for his strong 2011 campaign with a new six-year deal worth $51.5 million to stay with the Pirates through his arbitration years that also came with a $14.75 million club option for the 2018 season. McCutchen was also named to the National League All-Star team for the second time in 2012 while also representing the Pirates in the 2012 Home Run Derby, replacing Giancarlo Stanton. McCutchen only hit four home runs and failed to make it out of the first round of the derby that year, but overall had a great season for Pittsburgh that resulted in a third-place finish in the National League MVP Award vote.

McCutchen was the cover athlete for the Playstation game MLB 13: The Show before the 2013 season beating out Yankees starter CC Sabathia for the honors. McCutchen also made another All-Star team in 2013 as a reserve for the National League, his third straight season being honored in the mid-season classic. 2013 also marked the first season that the Pittsburgh Pirates had a winning season and clinched a playoff birth since Barry Bonds led the Pirates to the postseason in 1992. The Pirates were eliminated by the St. Louis Cardinals in five games that season, but McCutchen was named the NL’s Most Valuable Player for the 2013 season after hitting .317 with 21 home runs, 84 RBI and stealing 28 bases. McCutchen was the first Pirates MVP award winner since Bonds won the award back in 1992. The Pirates were back in the postseason in 2014 behind another strong campaign from Andrew McCutchen, but this time the team ran into Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants. Mad-Bum was able to shut out the Pirates, thus ending McCutchen’s season after a fourth straight All-Star Game appearance and a second consecutive trip to the postseason.

Another year in 2015 and another trip to the All-Star Game for McCutchen and a third straight playoff appearance for the Pirates. In the All-Star Game the Pirates center fielder hit a home run off then Tampa Bay Rays starter Chris Archer to become only the fifth member of the Pirates to ever hit a home run in an All-Star Game, joining a few familiar names in Ralph Kiner, Willie Stargell, Roberto Clemente and Dave Parker. McCutchen also joined Clemente in the hearts and minds of the Pirates fans in 2015 after being named the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award, thus becoming the first Pirate to win the honor since Willie Stargell in 1974. Unfortunately, the Pirates season ended once again in the Wild Card round after a 4-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs and Jake Arrieta. 2015 was a high for McCutchen, and 2016 began the decline for the Pirates center fielder. McCutchen finished the 2016 campaign with a .256 batting average, his lowest-ever batting average at this point in his career, and just 24 home runs.

McCutchen was dangled in trades after the 2016 season and was reportedly almost dealt to the Washington Nationals before the 2017 season before the deal fell through. McCutchen represented Team USA as a member of the Pirates before the 2017 season and was a huge part of the team that won their first ever World Baseball Classic gold medal for the United States. McCutchen continued to decline in 2017 somewhat finishing the season with a .279/.363/.486 with 28 home runs in his final season with the Pirates. Before the 2018 season the Pittsburgh Pirates sent McCutchen to the San Francisco Giants in a trade for Kyle Crick, Bryan Reynolds and $500,000 of international bonus slot money. McCutchen hoped to lead the revitalized Giants to the postseason as a right fielder, but San Francisco quickly fell out of the playoff chase leading McCutchen to be traded for the second time during the 2018 season, this time to the New York Yankees.

On August 31 of this season the Yankees acquired McCutchen from the Giants for infielder Abiatal Avelino and RHP Juan De Paula. McCutchen shaved his beard to join the Yankees and changed his jersey number from 22, the number he had worn throughout his entire career, to 26 since Jacoby Ellsbury currently wears #26 for the Yankees. McCutchen is now playing right field for the Yankees in the absence of the injured Aaron Judge and also appears to be learning left field before the Yankees series with the Seattle Mariners starts inside Safeco Field this weekend in Seattle.

Welcome to the organization, Andrew, and also a huge welcome to the Yankees family from everyone here at The Greedy Pinstripes. Enjoy your stay because you never know, we may be seeing you in 2019 as well. Stay well, Cutch.

This Day in New York Yankees History 6/28: Mariano Rivera's 500th Save

On this day in 2009 the great Mariano Rivera joined Trevor Hoffman in the 500 career saves club. The Yankees would beat the New York Mets 4-2 in Citi Field while Rivera got the save and his first and only RBI of his career with a bases loaded walk.

Also on this day in 1949 Joe DiMaggio finally came off the disabled list for the Yankees after missing the first 69 games of the season with a heel injury. Joe D would hit four home runs in a three game sweep of the Boston Red Sox fresh out of the box.

Also on this day in 1939 the New York Yankees established the major league record for most home runs hit in a game in a doubleheader with a total of 13. The Yankees would sweep the Philadelphia Athletics on this day by beating the A's 23-2 in game one with eight home runs and 10-0 off five home runs in game two.

Finally on this day in 1907 the Yankees had a catcher that gave up 13 stolen bases in one game, none other than Branch Rickey. While he was not a great catcher he was the man that brought Jackie Robinson to the game so he gets a pass in my book.

USA Today’s Weekly MLB Power Rankings

Another week down in the 2018 Major League Baseball season and the first set of weekly MLB Power Rankings brought to you by the USA Today here on the blog. I sorta, kinda, maybe missed the first set of power rankings that were released before the season and sorta, kinda, maybe every set released ever since. Work has been busy, and so has life. You have my apologies. Let me make up for it now, though, by getting on with this week’s set of rankings.

I won’t make you wait long for what you came here for, the ranking for the New York Yankees. The Yankees were ranked 7^th overall this week by the publication, dropping two spots from last week and out of the Top 5. A tough week against the Baltimore Orioles will do that to a team I guess. Rounding out the rest of the American League East Division the Boston Red Sox are ranked 2^nd overall while the Toronto Blue Jays (#17), the Baltimore Orioles (#20) and the Tampa Bay Rays (#29) fall behind the Yankees in succession.

The top five spots in the rankings belong to, in order, the Houston Astros, the Boston Red Sox, the Arizona Diamondbacks, some team that rhymes with New York Jets, and the Chicago Cubs. Meanwhile the five worst teams in the rankings, ranked from 26-30, are the Oakland Athletics, the San Diego Padres, the Cincinnati Reds, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Miami Derek Jeter’s.

The Pittsburgh Pirates had the biggest rise in the rankings this week climbing 12 slots from the 24^th ranking to the #12 spot while the biggest fall went to the Los Angeles Dodgers who fell 11 slots all the way to the 13^th spot overall after being ranked 2^nd in last week’s rankings. Ouch.

For the complete list and write-ups associated with this set of power rankings head over to the USA Today Sports section and read it in its entirety. Thanks everyone. 

Meet a Prospect Special Edition: Neil Walker

I said it during the Brandon Drury showcase post here on the blog, but it begs repeating, when Brian Cashman wants someone on his team he generally gets him. It might take Cashman a little longer than he would like, and damn us fans can be impatient when any snippet of news or a rumor is leaked on Twitter, but in the end, Cashman usually wins no matter what. He is, in fact, Ninja Cashman for a reason and that same principal applied this winter in the Neil Walker negotiations. Reportedly the Yankees and Walker had been progressing towards a deal for quite a while before New York acquired Drury in the three-team trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Rays and while many thought once that acquisition was finalized that they could put the “Walker to the Yankees” rumor to bed, and many would have been wrong. In the end Cashman went out and finalized a deal with Walker anyway worth $4 million, plus incentives, on a one-year deal. Walker should be a huge addition to the team and it won’t block the future of either Gleyber Torres or Miguel Andujar, so once again we have ourselves a “win, win.” With Opening Day just a few days away and Walker set to be a huge part of the 2018 Yankees, if healthy, let’s take the time to officially meet him. This is Meet a Prospect Special Edition: The Neil Walker Edition.

Neil Martin Andrew Walker was born on September 10, 1985 to a former MLB pitcher, Tom Walker, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Walker grew up outside Pittsburgh in the suburbs of North Hills where he attended Pine-Richland High School and played for the school’s baseball, football and basketball teams. Walker was a catcher for the baseball team, a wide receiver on the football team and a guard on the basketball team until his senior year. Neil grew up a Pittsburgh Pirates fan and grew up hearing stories about a once great Pirates player, Roberto Clemente. Clemente was a former teammate of Neil’s father, Tom, which made it all the more special when his favorite team drafted him in the first round of the 2004 Major League Baseball First Year Players Draft.

Walker spent three seasons in the Pirates organization before garnering an invitation to spring training camp in 2007 where the team converted the backstop from a catcher to a third baseman. With the new position to learn the Pirates sent Walker walk to Double-A for the 2007, which is where he spent the majority of the season. Walker would work on his defense at Triple-A for the majority of the 2008 and 2009 seasons before ultimately getting the call up to the Major Leagues on September 1, 2009. Five days into his Major League career Walker collected his first hit against St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jason Motte, a single to right field, but primarily Walker was a part-time player for the remainder of the 2009 season. Walker would receive another spring training invitation for the 2010 season, but he would ultimately start the season in Triple-A once again. Walker spent 43 games with the Pirates Triple-A affiliate before being called up to the Major Leagues on May 25, 2010 due to a sprained ankle suffered by then Pirates first baseman Steve Pearce.

Walker was making the case to stick with the Major League team due to his bat, but the problem that Pittsburgh had was the fact that the team has named Andy LaRoche their everyday third baseman during that season. The Pirates second baseman Akinori Iwamura was struggling at the time leading then manager John Russell to try Walker at second base, a position that Neil had only played 23 career games at any level. Walker flourished at second base with Pittsburgh and finished his rookie campaign with a .296 average, 12 home runs and 66 RBI, 54 of those runs batted in coming after the All-Star Break which was the third highest total after the break in the National League that season. With that strong season Walker was officially a mainstay in the Pittsburgh dugout and at the second base position going forward.

Walker enjoyed another strong season in 2011 with Pittsburgh but it was the 2012 season that brought the Pirates second baseman the back problems that would still haunt him to this day. Walker dealt with various back issues in August and September of 2012 that ultimately ended his season on September 29^th after being diagnosed with a herniated disc in his back. Walker was back on the disabled list to start the 2013 season, but was activated by May 13^th, and would continue this trend for much of his Pirates tenure through the 2015 season. Walker was amazing with the bat, especially for a second baseman, but his lingering back issues and emergency Appendectomy just continuously kept him off the field more than he or his team would like.

On December 9, 2015 the Pirates traded Walker to the New York Mets for starting pitcher Jon Niese thus ending his tenure with the team Neil grew up rooting for as a child. Walker signed a one-year deal with the Mets in 2015 worth $10.55 million avoiding arbitration and went on to have another Neil Walker type season in Queens. Walker appeared in 113 games for New York and hit 23 home runs with a .282 batting average, but he also missed time after undergoing a lumbar microdiscectomy a year before he was set to hit free agency for the first time. The New York Mets offered Walker a qualifying offer before the 2017 season that equated to a one-year deal worth $17.2 million and rather than test the free agency market fresh off another back surgery Walker accepted the deal to remain with the Mets. Walker had another solid season in 2017, and also missed some time after suffering a partial tear in his left hamstring, learning the first base position as well as his middle infield duties. The Mets were not competing in 2017 and decided to trade Walker to the Milwaukee Brewers for a player to be named later on August 12.

Walker was brought in by Milwaukee to try and get the team over the hump and into the postseason down the stretch but both Walker and the Brewers fell just short seeing their seasons end on the final weekend of the regular season. Walker had another strong season in 2017 but no one could have predicted the absolute slow and boring offseason that awaited him and many free agents before the 2018 season. Walker, like many free agents around him, sat and waited on an offer to come for months before the New York Yankees finally came calling in 2018. The team talked to Walker for weeks and were reportedly moving closer to a deal before the team acquired Brandon Drury in a three-team trade, thus filling their third base vacancy. Many thought that the idea of Walker to the Yankees was all but dead, including myself, but Walker and Yankees GM Brian Cashman continued their conversations and were eventually able to hammer out a deal for the upcoming 2018 season.

Walker signed a one-year deal worth $4 million in base salary, plus incentives for reaching various at-bat plateaus this season.  Walker may not have followed the most traditional way to the Bronx, and it probably wasn’t the easiest route to the Bronx either, but all that matters is that he is here and is likely to play a huge role on the team here in 2018. Walker will play primarily second base for Aaron Boone and company, but you can expect him to also bring a third baseman’s and first baseman’s glove with him to the Bronx as well. Versatility, depth and flexibility are the key to any MLB team these days and Walker brings all of that with him to the Bronx for the 2018 season. I wasn’t the biggest fan of his signing when it happened, but I must say I am warming up to the idea of it and warming up to the idea of what he could bring with the bat if he stays healthy and plays to the back of his baseball card this upcoming season.

Welcome to the team, welcome back to New York, and most importantly welcome to the family Neil! We are lucky and excited to have you here.

Does Anyone Know the Name Travis Shaw and Is He Available?

Photo Credit: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 

So, it seems, there I go again with that, the idea that the San Francisco Giants just give up their proven second baseman Joe Panik for the Yankees Jacoby Ellsbury and Clint Frazier wasn’t exactly the most popular of posts I’ve done here on the blog. Whoops. It was so unpopular in fact that the Giants went out and threw dirt on the grave of the post immediately by acquiring Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Whoops again. I still stand behind the idea as I searched the Giants roster looking for scenarios that could send Ellsbury packing I have always been one to have a Plan B when it comes to getting greedy, even if it is less likely now that McCutchen is in San Francisco.  That quest has taken me to the National League Central Division and to a team that is on the cusp of competing, hello Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Brewers made things interesting for the Chicago Cubs all the way down to the final month of the 2017 regular season and while that made many fans and people within the organization happy most have to be ready to take the next step. While Milwaukee has been quiet on the free agent and trade market to date, and to be fair… who hasn’t been, that doesn’t mean that the team cannot swing a trade with a certain team from the Bronx to make both sides not only happy, but better as well.

As I stated in my Joe Panik article and as it has been stated all over Twitter and the Yankees blogosphere for a month now, the Yankees either need a second baseman or a third baseman according to many before the season starts. Personally, I would be okay with having Tyler Wade and Ronald Torreyes hold down second base for Gleyber Torres for 20 games while Miguel Andujar mans third base, but it seems like I am in the minority. With that in mind I have been scouring the potential trade market when I ran across a name that not a lot of people are talking about, Travis Shaw.

Travis Shaw is likely the least “greedy” move the Yankees can make as the Brewers third baseman is not a household name and doesn’t strike fear in every Boston Red Sox household (by the way, Shaw is a former Red Sox farmhand that was traded to Milwaukee in the Tyler Thornburg trade) across the land but that doesn’t mean Shaw wouldn’t be an incredible pickup for the Yankees on the cheap. In 2017 Shaw posted a 4.0 WAR while slashing .273/.349/.513/.862 with an OPS+ of 121. Shaw hit 31 home runs in 2017, the Bronx Bombers would officially be back adding that kind of pop to an already dangerous lineup, while also driving in 101 RBI with a much-needed for the Yankees left-handed swing.

Shaw would be under team control through the 2021 season with New York if acquired and just for the league minimum here in 2018 as Shaw is pre-arbitration eligible. So, what are the Brewers needs heading into the 2018 season? While I don’t pretend to be an expert on the Brewers it isn’t hard to tell that the team could use obviously a third base replacement (Miguel Andujar), second base (Tyler Wade) and starting pitching (not Jordan Montgomery, not Chance Adams and not Justus Sheffield).

The problem with this trade is that the Yankees would seemingly have to blow away the Brewers as Milwaukee has no reason to NEED to trade Shaw. The Brewers are ready to compete, and Shaw is a huge part of that meaning the Yankees may have to include Domingo Acevedo or even Chance Adams along with Andujar and Wade/comparable player in order to acquire Shaw. As much as I love Adams, that has been well-documented for years now here on the blog, I think I pull that trigger on that deal without hesitation. I know many are high on Andujar, and frankly I am too, but this isn’t trading away potential for a season or two of a player’s prime. This is youth for youth and the unknown for more of a “sure thing.” The problem for New York, in terms of prospects anyway, is that you have to pay for that. Paying for that makes the Yankees not only better in 2017, but it makes them better in the future as well with a long-term option at third base.

Convincing Milwaukee to make a move for Shaw is going to be a tough one but if the Yankees can fill two or three needs for the Brewers including their replacement for Shaw then Milwaukee may be interested. If not, it doesn’t hurt to do your due diligence anyway and ask. The worst that they can tell you is no, right?

Get greedy, get Shaw. That makes a monster lineup all the scarier for the foreseeable future. 

Looking Back at TGP’s 2017 Predictions: The Rookies of the Year

The Rookie of the Year Award is another tough one to predict before the beginning of a season because there are so many unknown variables to this thing. Will a team call up their top prospect in time to qualify or get enough games under his belt to surpass say a prospect on a rebuilding team who had the entire season to play? Will an injury thrust a player who was not expected to get a call up before the All-Star Break or September call ups thus giving this player a shot to make noise at the Major League level? So many variables, not enough answers so I feel like I bombed these predictions a bit, but not by all that much.

Aaron Judge will likely win the American League Rookie of the Year Award, and no I did not see him pushing 45-50 home runs at the end of his rookie campaign so you will have to excuse me for his omission, while Cody Bellinger, another guy who seemingly came out of nowhere with the power bat, will likely win it in the National League. Benintendi will likely finish second in the AL vote though giving me a little credibility while Tyler Glasnow…. Yeah let’s not talk about that.

Saturday, April 1, 2017

TGP 2017 MLB Predictions: Rookies of the Year

You guys and girls know me by now but if you don't then pay attention because I am about to give you a lesson. I love prospects. The prospect, no pun intended, of the future with these young guys just makes me want to be a fan not just for today and not just for tomorrow but for the foreseeable future as we all watch these guys grow. I can remember watching as the New York Yankees signed players like Gary Sanchez way back when and thinking something along the lines of "man I can't wait until he reaches the Major Leagues." Well fans of these two men are now in that situation where their favorite young guy is not only ready to reach the majors in 2017 but be the best rookie in all the land for a season. 

American League Rookie of the Year: Andrew Benintendi

I think if you poll 100 sports writers, bloggers or journalists I think at last 90 of them will choose Andrew Benintendi of the Boston Red Sox as their American League Rookie of the Year Award winner. Benintendi is the real deal and showed that in a short stint with the club last season. The future is now for the Red Sox and the future is no for Benintendi inside Fenway Park as much as the Yankee fan in me hates to admit this. 

National League Rookie of the Year: Tyler Glasnow

Glasnow is one of those names we have been hearing about for what feels like forever now but the time is finally now for the 23-year old right-hander. Glasnow is not a finished product by any means as he continues to struggle with command and his walks but despite those struggles he has still found a way to absolutely dominate the Pirates minor league system. Tall pitchers, and Glasnow is 6'8", tend to take a little longer to put it all together, see fellow 6'8" right-hander Dellin Betances for a recent and Yankees-related example of this, and Glasnow has had a strong spring leading many to believe that this year is the year that he will do so. 

Meet a Prospect Special Edition: Erik Kratz

With suspensions looming and being handed down to both of the Yankees catcher on the 40 man roster the New York Yankees added a catcher form the Cleveland Indians organization. His name is Erik Kratz and despite being 37-years old and ironic let’s Meet a Prospect: The Erik Kratz Special Edition.

Erik Floyd Kratz was born on Jun 15, 1980 and attended High School at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Kratz later went on to attend college at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia where the catcher caught the attention of the Toronto Blue Jays who drafted him in the 29^th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball First Year Players Draft. Kratz toiled around in the minor league system for the Blue Jays until the Pittsburgh Pirates needed a primary catcher for their Triple-A affiliate in 2009 leading the Pirates to sign Kratz as a minor league free agent.

Kratz was a Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star for the Indianapolis Indians and followed that strong season up with another Mid-Season All-Star appearance for the Pirates Triple-A affiliate in 2010. Kratz had finally done enough to warrant a call up to the Major Leagues with those consecutive All-Star appearances and was added to the 40 man roster and active roster on July 12, 2010 replacing the struggling Jason Jaramillo. Seven days later Kratz made his Major League debut against the Houston Astros and collected his first hit off Astros pitcher Bud Norris. Kratz appeared in nine games for the remainder of that season hitting just .118.

Kratz spent the 2011 season with the Philadelphia Phillies minor league affiliate before garnering a September call up on September 16. Kratz appeared in two games recording two hits in six at-bats. Kratz bounced back and forth between Triple-A Lehigh Valley and the Phillies Major League club in 2012 and the right-hander even hit his first MLB home run off Washington Nationals pitcher Tom Gorzelanny. Kratz played so well in 2012 that the team named him to their Opening Day roster on 2013 and made him their primary starting catcher while Carlos Ruiz spent 25 days suspended with a drug suspension. Kratz spent the entire season with the MLB club in 2013 with the exception of the time spent on the disabled list with a torn medical meniscus which required surgery.

Kratz was traded back to the Toronto Blue Jays before the 2014 season and had a strong spring training camp for them before being sent down to Triple-A in favor of Josh Thole. Kratz was back at the Major League level on March 30 though and appeared in six games before heading back down to the Minor Leagues when the team needed a roster spot for left-handed starter JA Happ. Kratz played a total of 34 games with the Blue Jays before once again being traded, this time to the Kansas City Royals on July 28, 2014. Kratz spent almost a full calendar year with the Royals before being designated for assignment by the club on June 11, 2015.

The Boston Red Sox claimed Kratz off waiver on June 21, 2015 but designated him for assignment again just four days later. Krats elected free agency on June 29, 2015 and ultimately signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners on July 2, 2015. 13 days later on July 15 the Mariners released him leading to his second stint with the Philadelphia Phillies. Kratz signed a new minor league deal with the club and was added to their active roster on September 1 as a part of September call-ups. Kratz finished the 2015 seasons with the Phillies before moving on to the San Diego Padres for the 2016 season after signing another minor league deal.

The Padres almost immediately traded Kratz after spring training 2016 to the Houston Astros for pitcher Dan Straily which once again sent Kratz on a roller coaster ride as he searched for a new home. Kratz was designated for assignment and released in Mid-May after pitching for the team against the Astros on April 26, 2016 and almost immediately signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Two weeks into his stint with the Halos the team traded him back to the Pittsburgh Pirates where once again he became a pitcher as well as a catcher. For the first time since 1879 a single player was a pitcher and a catcher for two different Major League teams in the same season and his name was Erik Kratz. All that got him was designated for assignment once again on July 19, 2016 but it did allow for a third trip to the Toronto Blue Jays organization.

Kratz signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays on July 28, 2016 where he would finish out the season hitting .155 with one RBI. After the season Kratz elected free agency and signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians where he remained for the entirety of the 2017 until the New York Yankees came calling on August 31. The Yankees acquired Kratz for cash considerations and will likely add another “DFA” to his career total here in about a week or so unfortunately. Enjoy the ride while it lasts, Erik, and welcome to the family!

All-Star Game Snubs: The Pitching Edition

Earlier today we went over the snubs that did not make the All-Star Game on the offensive side of the game so it seems only fitting that we also cover the snubs on the pitching side of things. With the reduction in roster spots on the respective All-Star teams the amount of snubs are at an all-time high including these three glaring examples. If I missed any of if you disagree then leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comments section below and let’s start a conversation.

Carlos Carrasco of the Cleveland Indians has already surpassed the 100 strikeout mark this season and we are barely into July baseball. At the time of the team announcements Carrasco was sporting a 1.05 WHIP with a 3.50 ERA in 97.2 innings pitched. Sure the ERA was a bit high but in an era of sabermetrics and advanced statistics does anyone really pay attention to primitive stats like ERA anymore? Well maybe, I mean I did quote it just two or three lines above, but does it hold the same weight as it used to? I didn’t think so, but maybe.

Another pitcher that got snubbed is a pitcher that I suggested the Yankees buy-low on this winter in the Washington Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez has done nothing but bounce back in 2017 to post the third lowest ERA at the time of the roster announcement with a 2.77 ERA while also posting 104 strikeouts. Gonzalez was left off because it was either he, Stephen Strasburg or Max Scherzer that was going to be snubbed but I am sure that doesn’t make the southpaw feel any better about this. Gonzalez deserves to be there.

The final pitcher, also a lefty, is Felipe Rivero of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rivero was sporting a 0.82 ERA when the rosters were announced over the weekend to go along with his 49 strikeouts and 14 holds for a mediocre Pittsburgh Pirates team. I know the All-Star Game is full of starters and closers but sometimes the setup man is just as important as the closer, if not more important. That is definitely the case with Rivero.

So it Seems Charlie Sheen is Selling Babe Ruth’s World Series Ring

Charlie Sheen is going to be winning here in a little while as the actor presumably has a large chunk of money headed his way. Sheen is the owner of a Babe Ruth 1927 World Series ring as well as the owner of the 1919 contract of Ruth’s sale from the Red Sox to the Yankees. Bidding closes on these items on Friday and you can see these items and bid on these items at lelands.com.

Ruth’s World Series ring, his first of four as a member of the Bronx Bombers, opened up for bid at $100,000 and as of Monday was going for more than five times that at $555,991. Winning, indeed. The copy of Ruth’s contract also started out at $100,000 and at last check was going for $379,749 as of Monday.

What could you do with nearly a million dollars? I could think of a few things. I’d spend every dime of it on you and your life together. Hey you. I love you Kari. 

The Yankees have too many outfielders, therefore...

The Yankees have too much depth in the outfield. Of course, having too much depth is not really a bad thing, because inevitably something's going to go wrong with one or more of those guys. There could be an injury or two, one or more prospects could fail, or that depth has to be used to fill holes at other positions through trades. And that leads me to this article.

What we have is the baseball version of this.

I'll break it down the easiest way I can, with bullet points (coincidentally it's an easy way to write, too)....

• The chances of trading Jacoby Ellsbury are not good. While he's been effective this season, the people that run the other 29 teams in Major League Baseball are not stupid. They can see his below average output the previous two years. They can see that he's currently dealing with a concussion and neck sprain. And they sure as hell see that he's still owed around $80 million through 2020 (if you assume his team option for 2021 is bought out). Not impossible to trade, but not likely either.
• Brett Gardner is having his best season with the bat, thanks to power output that's never been seen out of him before. His highest home run total for a season is 17 in 2014, and his total so far this season is already at 12. And therein lies the problem. Without that power he's just another good to great defensive outfielder with an average bat, which is not at all hard to come by in the league. So if you were running a team, would you make a trade for Gardy? Did you have to think about it? Even as a Yankees fan? Yeah... exactly.
• Then we have Aaron Judge. I don't have to tell you that this guy is a future star, because he is a star. This is a guy the team should build around, not use as trade bait. And I don't think Brian Cashman and Company need me to tell them that.
• Has Aaron Hicks finally reached the potential that so many have seen in him since he was drafted by the Twins in the 1st round of the 2008 Draft? Possibly. Am I going to keep asking questions and then answering them? Yep. Will other MLB teams offer the Yankees enough in a trade that it's worth dealing Hicks away? I seriously doubt it. Not that other teams wouldn't be interested in acquiring Aaron, I just think he's worth more to the Yankees being on their roster compared to what they would fetch in dealing him away.
• Clint Frazier, Dustin Fowler, and Tyler Austin are in AAA and could be called upon by the Yankees at a moment's notice. Blake Rutherford is just a couple of years away from being ready for the big leagues. And Estevan Florial has been impressive down in Charleston. Simply put, the Yankees are not hurting for minor league outfield prospects.

Taking all of that information into account, I don't believe it's a question of "will the Yankees trade away an outfielder or two?" No, the question is "when will the Yankees trade away an outfielder or two?" And that will lead to the question "who will the Yankees trade away?" 

Unless the Yankees take a nosedive in the standings, which I don't see happening (for the record I can see them losing their grip on 1st place in the AL East, but they won't be "out of it" towards the end of July, either), the answer to the question of "when" is easy. 

The starting rotation needs help. While Luis Severino looks like a guy we can count on, I'm less than confident in the other four guys. CC Sabathia has been the second best starter since the beginning of May, and if the Yankees need him to start a postseason game I'm going to be concerned. Jordan Montgomery has done a good job, but I get the feeling every start of his could be the beginning of a downfall. Micheal Pineda has won eight games this year, but the question of which Mike will show up when he takes the mound is getting old. And although I still think Masahiro Tanaka will figure things out I'm still a little worried.

Now, it's true that the Yankees can call up highly touted prospect Chance Adams, and he could help stabilize the rotation. But I think the rotation could use more certainty than even the best prospect could provide. And speaking of Adams, even with the rotation's future up in the air, the organization still has a couple of other nice prospects in Albert Abreu and Justus Sheffield. 

So there it is... I see the Yankees trading away at least two of their outfield prospects for a starter. Big surprise hearing that from me? Huh? I've probably already wrote about trading for a starter dozens of times since the offseason started. But hear me out...

I can already hear some people yelling "what about third base?" 

Well, for starters, Gleyber Torres has been getting a lot of work at the hot corner, and people from both inside and outside the Yankees see him getting a call to the Majors sooner rather than later. The second reason I don't see a significant trade for a third baseman is the fact that the Yankee offense has been second best in the league (fWAR of 11, only trailing the Astros at 12.3), and well ahead of their biggest competitor in the AL East (the Red Sox have an fWAR of 7.4). Third, the Sox have a damn good rotation, which bests the Yankees starters in fWAR 9.5 to 8.2. 

So here's another question... where do the Yankees need to improve the most in order to compete for the division and beyond? The starting rotation.

That's not to say the Yanks can't improve in the bullpen. But with Aroldis Chapman returning to pair with Dellin Betances, along with a handful of right-handed relievers that can hold things down, their needs in the 'pen are not within the definition of "big".

Okay, so back to outfielders plus others for a starter. Here's the package I see being offered...

Brett Gardner - while the power may not seem legit, he certainly has value. 

Michael Pineda - if a team deals away a starter they're going to need somebody to throw those lost innings for them the rest of the season. At the same time, the acquiring team may not want this guy to cost them beyond this season. This guy is basically just a rental in order to eat innings.

Clint Frazier - with the way both Aarons have broken out, along with Dustin Fowler looking like a soon-to-be MLB player, Clint is expendable. Furthermore, he is somebody that would be a key piece in acquiring a young stud starter.

Justus Sheffield - With Pineda being a free agent after this season, the acquiring team may want somebody that could fill the rotation spot opened up by the trade for next year and beyond. But not just any old arm, an arm with high upside that is under team control for many years. That's where Sheffield fits. I suppose this could be Chance Adams, but I think the Yankees would rather keep the guy that could contribute to their postseason push right now.

I can also see one more piece being added to this package, and sadly it wouldn't be just a "toss in". This guy could be one of Jorge Mateo, Miguel Andujar, or Tyler Wade. Or possibly another pitcher such as Albert Abreu or Dillon Tate.

That's a pretty good package of players, isn't it? So what would the Yankees get in return? How about this man?

Gerrit Cole finished 4th in Cy Young voting a couple of years ago at the age of 24, and I believe his poor August and September last year are much more an anomaly than the norm (outside of those two months his ERA was 2.78). Even better is the fact that Cole isn't scheduled to be a free agent until after the 2020 season, keeping the team from having to spend big for another pitcher to fill the top of the rotation (and no free agent pitcher worth a damn comes cheap). Which would allow the team to sign Bryce Harper, joining Judge and Fowler, Hicks, or Ellsbury in the outfield.

By the way, as to why Pittsburgh would agree to this, the trade would free up room for them to trade away Andrew McCutchen (who they've been interested in trading away for a while now), leaving them with an outfield of Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco, Gardner, and Frazier. Not to mention that they'd have a future starting rotation that includes Ivan Nova, Jameson Taillon, Tyler Glasnow, and Justus Sheffield. 

That would give the Yankees a starting rotation next year of Gerrit Cole, Luis Severino, Jordan Montgomery, Chance Adams, along with re-signing one of  Masahiro Tanaka or CC Sabathia. This with an outfield of Aaron Judge, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Aaron Hicks, before they sign the aforementioned Bryce Harper after the season.

For the sake of being complete, the Yankees infield would include Greg Bird at first, Starlin Castro at second, Didi Gregorius at short, Gleyber Torres at third, and Gary Sanchez behind the plate.

Phew. This article was meant to be a small piece about the Yankees trading from their biggest area of strength, the outfield, and turned into something much larger. I don't know about you, but I think the end result is pretty darn interesting.

I wonder if this thing works.

So it Seems the Gerrit Cole Trade Rumors Still Swirl

I kind of scoffed when I opened my Twitter on the day that I ran an article about the New York Yankees potentially trading for one of their former draft picks and current Pittsburgh Pirates arm Gerrit Cole. To paraphrase the tweet basically asked why my site was the only one to run this story. Well first of all is it that far out of the realm of possibilities that we could have an original thought or that we could break news? We’ve broken news before, we just never received the full credit we deserved because we are still considered to be the “little guy.” Secondly, and this is how I responded to the tweet, a simple Google search would show that we were not the only ones talking about it. We weren’t even the first to talk about it yet the trade winds surrounding the New York Yankees and Gerrit Cole this summer continue to swirl as we stand here talking today.

This rumor has gained so much steam and credibility that even Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports discussed it recently on his blog. Heyman was quoted as saying the following: 

“The Yankees have always loved him so they’d make sense. New York drafted him out of high school as a late first rounder, but Cole’s father told them then that there was no offer that could keep him away from UCLA.”

Now on the site and on Twitter I’ve seen some talks that would suggest that Cole wouldn’t be worth the prospect haul it would take the acquire him but I am on the fence about it myself. Cole has a career 3.20 ERA and has an uncanny ability of keeping the ball down and in the ballpark, which is evident by just 43 home runs allowed during his five-year career in Pittsburgh. I get that pitching in the NL Central is an entirely different animal than pitching in the American League East and I also get that pitching inside Yankee Stadium is much different than pitching in a pitcher-friendly ballpark in Pittsburgh so I did a little bit of research. Shout outs to Baseball Reference for the stats.

Cole actually has more wins on the road, has given up less hits, runs and home runs, strikes out more batters and has comparable stats otherwise across the board in almost an identical sample size. Cole is not a product of the stadium out in Pittsburgh, he is what he is.

Here is another interesting stat I found, and I’ll finish the article with this, regarding run support. When Cole gets two runs or less he has a career 5-23 record in 31 starts. When Cole gets 3-5 runs of support he is 25-11 in 50 starts. When Cole gets six runs or more, which he would a lot in the Bronx, Cole is a perfect 19-0 in 22 starts so please tell me again how he wouldn’t be a good fit at the top of the Yankees pitching rotation. I’ll wait. 

So it Seems the Yankees Need a LOOGY

So it seems, for the second time today, the New York Yankees need a LOOGY. While the New York Yankees have easily been one of the best teams in all of Major League Baseball this season the team may have one glaring hole in their arsenal right now, the left-handed reliever out of the bullpen whose sole job is to get a left-handed batter or batters out. That’s better known as a LOOGY, or a Lefty One-Out GuY.

Tommy Layne is the man tasked with getting the opposing team’s toughest and best left-handed hitter out and to date he just hasn’t gotten the job done. Sure, the sample size is small but the stats are alarming and they simply won’t cut it on a team that looks to compete for an American League East Division title and possibly more.

At the time of this writing Layne is sporting an ugly 8.22 ERA and 2.217 WHIP in 11 games and 7.7 innings pitched but that’s not even the worst part. The worst part is that lefties are slashing .400/.438/.533 this season against him with a walk. They aren’t walking because they are too busy smoking the meatballs he is leaving over the plate every single night.

This isn’t going to work guys. The Yankees need a LOOGY and they may need one now as Layne’s ERA and struggles rise and continue. The Pittsburgh Pirates may be in total sell mode this summer and one such arm, Tony Watson, is set to hit free agency after the 2017 season thus making him intriguing to New York. Since the beginning of the 2013 season Watson owns the second-best ERA against left-handed hitters and his 1.53 ERA is better than some familiar names like Aroldis Chapman (1.86), Andrew Miller (2.03) and Zach Britton (1.55). Watson is a strikeout pitcher that would fit extremely well in this bullpen and inside Yankee Stadium and he wouldn’t cost and arm and a leg in terms of prospects.

This is far too early to predict and obviously much of this depends on where Pittsburgh is sitting in the standings on or around July 31^st but if they are out of it or want to move Watson I think the Yankees should jump on the deal, regardless of whether Layne turns it around or not. Improve the bullpen and turn every game into a five inning game, that’s the plan. Or it should be anyway.

Rumors: Yankees Interested in Gerrit Cole

Gerrit Cole at 11-years old

Here we sit not even two weeks into May and the hot stove and trade mill winds are already beginning to blow. The high-priced and big name players are already being rumored to have new homes once the calendar turns to August 1^st and already the New York Yankees who are exceeding most everyone’s expectations are being thrown right in the middle of the rumors. See the rumors surrounding the Pittsburgh Pirates ace and former New York Yankees draft pick Gerrit Cole and the absolute stable of Yankees prospects it would potentially take to land him.

The asking price for Cole would be steep but one has to wonder if it would be worth it knowing that you would have an ace on your staff for at least two-and-a-half more seasons. Cole is not set to be a free agent until the 2020 season and much like my arguments for Jose Quintana all winter long this deal needs to be done and needs to be done now if Pittsburgh is willing to pull the trigger.

While I would unlikely trade Clint Frazier or Gleyber Torres you have to think the rest of the Yankees prospects would be fair game for a player the caliber of Cole. Now notice I said prospects, Aaron Judge is not a prospect. Aaron Judge is the starting right fielder for the MLB team. Luis Severino is not a prospect. Luis Severino is the Yankees fourth starter. So on and so forth. I’m talking a package of prospects from the group of Justus Sheffield, Jorge Mateo, Domingo Acevedo, Dustin Fowler, Blake Rutherford and hell maybe even Chance Adams. I like Cole that much. Two or maybe even three of those guys plus a lower tiered guy would likely get the job done.

The Yankees would be getting back a 26-year old  right-handed starter who has made seven starts at the time of this writing with a 1-3 record and 3.14 ERA with 42 strikeouts all for the low-low price of $3.75 million. The Yankees could send Jordan Montgomery back to Triple-A or even to the bullpen while making Luis Severino possibly the best fifth starter in all of Major League Baseball. This move would also protect against the potential losses of Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda after this season making this more of a no-brainer for New York. Will they look two steps ahead and pull the trigger? Stay tuned.

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox 4/19

Ladies and gentleman it is game time one last time between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox as a part of this three game set. The Yankees will also say goodbye to Yankee Stadium for the time being after this contest and will travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates so a win would be all that much sweeter on the plane tomorrow with the off day. Let’s get it. The man donned with that task of bringing home a victory tonight is the Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka while the Chicago White Sox will counter with Dylan Covey. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and MLB TV. You can also follow along during the game on the radio by tuning into WFAN.

Interact with us and follow along on Twitter by giving @GreedyStripes a follow as we continue to try and put the social aspect back into social media. Enjoy the game and as always, Go Yankees!

Yankees atop FORBES MLB List Once Again

Surprise, surprise. The New York Yankees are once again atop the FORBES most valuable Major League Baseball franchises for the 2017 calendar year. The New York Yankees franchise is worth an estimated $3.7 billion according to the publication although their gains from last year (9% growth from a year ago) were modest compared to other franchises as parity begins to show its face in the game. Ugh.

The team that rose the most was the Miami Marlins who grew 39% to $940 million followed closely by the Pittsburgh Pirates who grew 28% to $1.25 billion in net worth. Meanwhile the Cincinnati Reds grew the least at 1% and $915 million in worth overall in the league.

Following the Yankees at the top of the list are the Los Angeles Dodgers at $2.75 billion, the Boston Red Sox at $2.7 billion, the Chicago Cubs at $2.675 billion and the San Francisco Giants at $2.65 billion. There were 23 teams in all who were valued at or above $1 billion this fiscal year according to the publication.

TGP 2017 MLB Predictions: Rookies of the Year

You guys and girls know me by now but if you don't then pay attention because I am about to give you a lesson. I love prospects. The prospect, no pun intended, of the future with these young guys just makes me want to be a fan not just for today and not just for tomorrow but for the foreseeable future as we all watch these guys grow. I can remember watching as the New York Yankees signed players like Gary Sanchez way back when and thinking something along the lines of "man I can't wait until he reaches the Major Leagues." Well fans of these two men are now in that situation where their favorite young guy is not only ready to reach the majors in 2017 but be the best rookie in all the land for a season. 

American League Rookie of the Year: Andrew Benintendi

I think if you poll 100 sports writers, bloggers or journalists I think at last 90 of them will choose Andrew Benintendi of the Boston Red Sox as their American League Rookie of the Year Award winner. Benintendi is the real deal and showed that in a short stint with the club last season. The future is now for the Red Sox and the future is no for Benintendi inside Fenway Park as much as the Yankee fan in me hates to admit this. 

National League Rookie of the Year: Tyler Glasnow

Glasnow is one of those names we have been hearing about for what feels like forever now but the time is finally now for the 23-year old right-hander. Glasnow is not a finished product by any means as he continues to struggle with command and his walks but despite those struggles he has still found a way to absolutely dominate the Pirates minor league system. Tall pitchers, and Glasnow is 6'8", tend to take a little longer to put it all together, see fellow 6'8" right-hander Dellin Betances for a recent and Yankees-related example of this, and Glasnow has had a strong spring leading many to believe that this year is the year that he will do so. 

Don’t Worry, Jon Niese Will Be Back

The New York Yankees released former New York Mets relief pitcher Jon Niese over the weekend in a bit of a surprising move…. Or was it a surprising move? According to that guy that has us blocked over at the New York Post because we broke a news story before he did and simply asked for credit the New York Yankees organization feels like Niese is a bit behind after having knee surgery and may pull the old “bait and switch” like they have in years past with their prospects and minor league players. Many times over the years the Yankees have signed players to deals or had these players on their 40 man roster only to release them or designate them for assignment late in the spring. A week later these players are right back on the roster and in the organization on a new minor league deal. It’s a new Meta and the Yankees are doing it again with Niese in my opinion.

The need for Niese on the Yankees roster is obvious as the former Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates product has spent time almost exclusively as a starter in his career although he does have some experience as a relief pitcher as well. Both positions are areas that the Yankees have obvious and glaring needs and the Yankees will undoubtedly want him back but the ultimate decision comes down to Niese. He already stated he was shocked this offseason that he could not find an MLB deal this winter so I wouldn’t be surprised to at least see him weigh his options. Undoubtedly that’s why the Yankees released him now rather than in two weeks as a good faith gesture and to give him a shot at finding a guaranteed deal elsewhere, because you know… evil empire and all.

Good luck Jon even though I have a sneaking suspicion that we will be seeing you again real soon…

So it Seems Naps Are a No No

The world is a grind and so is the Major League Baseball season. There is no true offseason anymore much like in life there aren’t any true breaks anymore. Everyone is so busy and everything needs to happen now. We are a society that wants our four course meal cooked for us and we want it now no matter what you have to do to get it done, and God forbid if it’s cold or old or not up to your freshness or general standards. We want our cake and we want to eat it too and we often forget what it’s like to simply sit in a house with a tin roof or sit in a car with the one you love and listen to each other breath while the rain hits the roof.

Why do I bring this up? Life is busy and there isn’t always time for naps. Major League Baseball, and especially spring training during those intense spring training competitions, are unrelenting and don’t allow time for naps either like the nap that Bryan Mitchell took on Monday afternoon. Mitchell, making his third start of the spring, is a definite option for one of the two open starting rotation spots in the Yankees pitching staff and his bad start could not have come at a worse time.

It’s mid-March now and while this is still just the beginning this doesn’t mean it’s time to take a nap. You have to still take the bull by the horns and you have to ride that mother like there is no tomorrow… because tomorrow isn’t promised for anyone this time of the year. Words to live by. Good morning all. 

Meet a Prospect: Jon Niese

Over the weekend the New York Yankees added Jon Niese to their minor league camp after signing the former New York Mets product to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. The left-hander can start or he can relieve and will look to latch on in either spot in the Yankees starting rotation in 2017 so now is a good a time as any to meet him, don’t you say? This is Meet a Prospect: The Jon Niese Edition.

Jonathan Joseph Niese was born on October 27, 1986 to Jeffrey and Annette Niese in Lima, Ohio on the same day that the New York Mets won their second, and last to date, World Series. It only seemed like fate that Niese went on to later spend time with those same New York Mets as well as the Pittsburgh Pirates in his MLB career before recently joining the Yankees on his minor league deal.

Niese attended Defiance High School in Defiance, Ohio where he was brought up where he played soccer all four years as well as baseball. While at Defiance High the left-hander was teammates with former Los Angeles Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley before being drafted in the 2005 MLB First Year Players Draft by the New York Mets in the seventh round.

Niese began his professional career with the Gulf Coast League Mets that same year before getting all the way to Triple-A by the 2008 season pitching seven innings allowing just one run for the Zephyrs. Niese impressed so much in that start that he was promoted to the Major Leagues in September of 2008 and he even made his MLB debut on September, 2 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Niese promptly gave up a home run to the first batter that he faced, Rickie Weeks, becoming the first pitcher in Mets history to achieve the feat. Niese bounced back and forth between the minor leagues and the Major Leagues in 2009 before his first full season as a major league starter came during the 2010 season.

Niese finished his first campaign as a starter with a 9-10 record with a 4.20 ERA in 173.2 innings pitched. Niese’s best start came on June 10 against the San Diego Padres when he threw a complete game one-hit shutout in a Mets victory. Niese remained in the Mets rotation for the 2011 season where he finished with another unimpressive 11-11 record with a 4.40 ERA in just 157.1 innings pitched. Niese saw his season come to an end prematurely when a rib cage muscle ended his season on August 23^rd. That was enough for the Mets though as they signed Niese to a five-year deal worth $25.5 million on April 4^th of 2012. Niese would finish the season with his best performance to date posting a 13-9 record with a 3.40 ERA including his first season where he did not completely fall apart and break down once the calendar turned to September.

Niese was named the New York Mets Opening Day starter for the 2013 season after Johan Santana suffered an injury but Santana wasn’t the only Mets lefty to miss some time due to injury that season. Niese missed several starts in 2013 due to a rotator cuff injury and the 2014 season didn’t start out much better for him either. Niese began the 2014 season on the disabled list due to elbow inflammation in his pitching elbow. Niese would return from the injury only to last a whole 66 innings before being forced back on the disabled list later on in the season. Niese did finish the season with 30 starts and a 3.40 ERA but the injury bug had hit him multiple times that season leaving many inside the organization to wonder if this was a sign of what’s to come.

Niese has a relatively uneventful, although it was healthy after making adjustments to his pitching motion during spring training in order to take some of the strain off his pitching elbow, season in 2015 but that did not stop the Mets from trading him to the Pittsburgh Pirates on December 9^th for Neil Walker. Niese spent time in the Pirates rotation until the All Star Break when the Pirates placed Niese in their bullpen. Niese was not long for the Pirates though as the team then traded him back to the Mets on August 1^st in exchange for Antonio Bastardo. Niese lasted a whole one start before being placed back on the disabled list after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his knee.

The Mets declined their option on the contract after the 2016 season paying him a $500,000 buyout and thus granting him free agency. Niese spent the winter looking for a guaranteed job and even told the New York Daily News that he was shocked he could not find a MLB guaranteed deal this offseason before he signed the minor league deal with the Yankees. It doesn’t matter how he got here or what happened before though, especially on a minor league deal, as long as he makes the most of the opportunity while he is here. So here’s our best wishes and hopes going out to Niese, I hope you make the team if you can truly help the team compete in 2017 and beyond.

Welcome to the organization and, more importantly, welcome to the family. 

Yankees Add Jon Niese on Minor League Deal

The New York Yankees added another arm into the mix this spring when they signed former New York Mets product Jon Niese to a minor league deal Sunday night. Naturally the minor league deal comes with an invitation to spring training as Niese will look to latch on with the Yankees either as a starting pitcher or as a reliever.

We were just saying the other day on the blog that the Yankees needed a left-handed relief pitcher in their bullpen just in case Chasen Shreve were to struggle and it seems like the team got their man. Niese, who told the New York Daily News that he was surprised he could not find a Major League deal this winter, struggled in 2016 with the Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates posting a 5.50 ERA while giving up 25 home runs in 121 innings pitched.

Will Neise make the team and will it be as a starter or a reliever? Who knows… stay tuned.