This Day In New York Yankees History 8/25: Three Grand Slams In One Game

Never in the history of Major League Baseball had one team hit three grand slams in one game before the New York Yankees accomplished the feat in 2011. The Yankees would beat the Oakland Athletics 22-9 with Robinson Cano, Russell Martin, and Curtis Granderson all going deep with the bases loaded in Yankee Stadium.

Also on this day in 1996 Mickey Mantle joined Miller Huggins, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig as Yankees greats that have a monument in Monument Park. Mantle died of liver cancer last year and is the first new monument to be dedicated by the team in 47 years.

Also on this day in 1968 Yankees outfielder Rocky Colavito pitched 2.1 innings of relief giving up just one hit in a victory for the Yankees 6-5 over the Tigers. The Yankees outfielder, who also hit a home run in the game, will be the last position player to get a win by pitching until Colorado Rockies Brent Mayne would win a game in the year 2000.

Finally on this day in 1956 the Yankees general manager George Weiss and manager Casey Stengel hold a closed door meeting with shortstop Phil Rizzuto. The meeting discussed who should be let go since the team had acquired Enos Slaughter off waivers from the Atheltics. Rizzuto made several suggestions on who he thought who should be released from the Yankees before Weiss informed Scooter that he would be the player to be let go. Shady.

Thank You, We'll Just Take The Wild Card...

Credit:  Frank Gunn-The Canadian Press via AP

Blue Jays 8, Yankees 1...

The title is sarcastic (if you didn't notice). I am very disappointed with Masahiro Tanaka and the blow out loss to the AL East Cellar Dwellers. Trailing the Red Sox by four games with only nine games to play makes it a near impossibility to catch Boston unless they go into a tailspin like the Los Angeles Dodgers recently did. I seriously doubt that will happen for the Red Sox as they keep winning.

The Yankees had been playing so well, winning 15 of 20 games since August 31st. For a year that the Yankees have exceeded all expectations, Tanaka's overall performance is the reason the Yankees are talking Wild Card and not AL East title. If he had pitched like his previous three years, we'd be talking about how many games the Red Sox are behind. It bothers me that we can hold a 5 1/2 game lead over the Minnesota Twins, we can sweep the most recent series with the Twins, and yet, the Twins have a chance for one game to send the Yankees packing for the winter. If the Yankees play like they did yesterday, there will be no expanded playoffs for the Pinstripes.  

Aaron Judge is the only player that came ready to play. His solo home run in the first inning, a monster 469 foot blast to left center off the facing of the second deck, gave the Yankees an early lead but it was the last run the Yankees would score. It was Judge's 46th home run of the season, matching Joe DiMaggio's career high. 

Credit:  Frank Gunn-The Canadian Press via AP

The Blue Jays quickly tied the game in the bottom of the 1st against Tanaka.  Teoscar Hernandez led off with a single to left center. Josh Donaldson hit into a fielder's choice at third but Todd Frazier's throw to Starlin Castro, which should have been an easy force out at second, got past Castro for an error as Hernandez raced around to third. Runners at the corners. Jose Bautista hit a soft grounder to third and was thrown out at first but Hernandez scored. Game tied, 1-1.

In the top of the 3rd, Todd Frazier doubled to right on a ball that went to the wall, sliding into second just under the throw from Jose Bautista. Clint Frazier popped out to the shortstop for the first out.  Jacoby Ellsbury lined out to right on a great running catch by Bautista, who then threw the ball in to second baseman Ryan Goins.  With the Toddfather standing on second, Goins used the old hidden ball trick with a fake throw.  Frazier momentarily lifted his foot off second to turn around and Goins nabbed him for the out to complete the double play. It was that type of game...

Credit:  Frank Gunn-The Canadian Press via AP

In the bottom of the 3rd, Teoscar Hernandez got to Tanaka again, this time a solo shot to left to give the Blue Jays the 2-1 lead. Bottom of the 4th, it was Russell Martin's turn. His two-run shot, a liner just over the left field wall off Tanaka after Joey Bats had walked to start the inning, put the Blue Jays, 4-1.  

The Yankees' third and final hit came in the top of the 6th when Aaron Judge led off with a double to deep left center that hit the warning track and bounced off the wall.  But the silent Yankee bats left him stranded behind the pitching of Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada, the recipient of a $13 million contract extension a few days earlier.

In the bottom of the 6th, the Blue Jays put the game away against Tanaka.  Jose Bautista walked to start the inning.  Kevin Pillar singled to center as Joey Bats moved to second.  Tanaka struck out Russell Martin and Miguel Montero so it looked like he might be able to get out of the inning, but then he walked Kendrys Morales, pinch-hitting for Darwin Barney, on four consecutive balls out of the strike zone to load the bases.  Tanaka had two strikes on the 'Hidden Ball' Master, Ryan Goins, but the third pitch, a slider, left the park in right for a grand slam. 8-1 Blue Jays, and, finally, the end of the night for Tanaka.  

Credit:  Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

The only remaining runner that the Yankees could muster was when Aaron Judge walked in the 8th. The Blue Jays easily coasted to victory and most likely handed the Boston Red Sox the AL East Championship.

I apologize to those of you who are Tanaka fans but he sucked. His win-loss record now stands at 12-12 and his season ERA has increased to 4.94.  He gave up eight runs (seven earned) and three home runs in 5 2/3 innings.  He disappeared at a time when the Yankees needed him the most.  Dude, please opt out at the end of the year if this is truly the pitcher you are now.

Credit:  Tom Szczerbowski-Getty Images

The Yankees (85-68), as mentioned, fell four games behind the Red Sox.  Boston beat Sal Romano, who grew up as a Yankees fan, and the Cincinnati Reds, 5-4.  The Minnesota Twins have won two straight since they were swept by the Yankees so they have reduced their Wild Card deficit from 7 games to 5 1/2 in two days.  The Los Angeles Angels are in a downward spiral, losers of five in a row, so they trail the Twins by 3 1/2 games, along with the Texas Rangers.  

I don't mind when the Yankees battle hard and lose, but Friday night was not one of those games.  Outside of Aaron Judge, it was a complete team letdown. If I didn't know better, it looked like the Toronto Blue Jays were the playoff team, not the Yankees.  We expect and demand better play today.

Odds & Ends...

Today's pitching matchup will feature Sonny Gray (9-11) versus Joe Biagini (3-11). A change was announced for Sunday. Jaime Garcia (5-9) now gets the start. He'll oppose New York native Marcus Stroman (12-8).  

Todd Frazier was able to talk to the father of the little girl struck by the foul ball during Wednesday's game. The little girl is still in the hospital and as one relative indicated, it will be a long process. Frazier was told by the girl's father that "she's doing okay". Our thoughts and prayers remain with the little girl as she continues to recover.  

After last night's game, an unauthorized man apparently gained access to the Yankees clubhouse in an attempt to steal some towels and a batting helmet. He was chased away by Todd Frazier, Tyler Wade, and others. The man was subsequently detained by stadium security but it's scary that someone could have penetrated the crowded clubhouse that easily.  

Have a great Saturday!  Hopefully this a much better baseball day for all of us.  Go Yankees!

This Day In New York Yankees History 8/25: Three Grand Slams In One Game

Never in the history of Major League Baseball had one team hit three grand slams in one game before the New York Yankees accomplished the feat in 2011. The Yankees would beat the Oakland Athletics 22-9 with Robinson Cano, Russell Martin, and Curtis Granderson all going deep with the bases loaded in Yankee Stadium.

Also on this day in 1996 Mickey Mantle joined Miller Huggins, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig as Yankees greats that have a monument in Monument Park. Mantle died of liver cancer last year and is the first new monument to be dedicated by the team in 47 years.

Also on this day in 1968 Yankees outfielder Rocky Colavito pitched 2.1 innings of relief giving up just one hit in a victory for the Yankees 6-5 over the Tigers. The Yankees outfielder, who also hit a home run in the game, will be the last position player to get a win by pitching until Colorado Rockies Brent Mayne would win a game in the year 2000.

Finally on this day in 1956 the Yankees general manager George Weiss and manager Casey Stengel hold a closed door meeting with shortstop Phil Rizzuto. The meeting discussed who should be let go since the team had acquired Enos Slaughter off waivers from the Atheltics. Rizzuto made several suggestions on who he thought who should be released from the Yankees before Weiss informed Scooter that he would be the player to be let go. Shady.

The 2017 Ex-New York Yankees Opening Day Roster…

Credit:  Jason Miller, Getty Images

As training camp nears its final days, I was thinking about former Yankees (or players that spent time in the Yankees organization) and thought that I’d try to take a crack at an All Ex-Yankees Team using players that are currently on other teams’ 40-man rosters.  So, for my pool, I did not include any non-roster invitees.  For manager, the pool was only open to current MLB managers so Joe Torre was out of the mix.

Admittedly, this is a very subjective roster and I had to tweak some positions due to a limited pool of players.  I am sure that I left off some good ex-Yankees and you might not agree with this starting lineup but it was my thoughts based on the available player pool.

STARTING LINEUP

C- Russell Martin

1B- Steve Pearce

2B- Robinson Cano

SS- Eduardo Nunez

3B- Yangervis Solarte

RF- Carlos Beltran

CF- Curtis Granderson

LF- Melky Cabrera

DH- Brian McCann

BENCH

OF: Chris Young

INF: Martin Prado

INF: Stephen Drew

OF: Ichiro Suzuki

STARTING ROTATION

SP: Jose Quintana

SP: Rich Hill

SP: Ian Kennedy

SP: Ivan Nova

SP: Bartolo Colon

BULLPEN

RP: Shawn Kelley

RP: Boone Logan

RP: Justin Wilson

RP: Arodys Vizcaino

RP: David Robertson

SU: Andrew Miller

CL:  Mark Melancon

MANAGER  

Don Mattingly

Mattingly never managed the Yankees but he’s a Yankee by birthright.  There was no way that I was going to hire Buck Showalter to manage my team.  

I wasn’t crazy about putting Granderson in center but I needed to get Melky Cabrera into the lineup.  Outside of Martin Prado, I am not thrilled about the bench at all.  Brian McCann at DH is my backup catcher so that’s the only reason that I did not add Francisco Cervelli.  I suppose that if I made McCann a DH only, I’d drop Suzuki to add Cervelli. 

If I had to pick a closer between Andrew Miller and Mark Melancon, I’d easily take Miller.  But for the purposes of my roster, Miller has the most flexibility so he was the best fit in the setup role.  I like David Robertson but at this point in his career, he is behind both Miller and Melancon. 

This exercise does tend to show you that the Yankees have done a very good job evaluating talent.  Very few superstars have gotten away.  Robinson Cano and Jose Quintana are probably at the head of the class with no return for the Yankees, but at least Andrew Miller brought in top prospects Clint Frazier and Justus Sheffield. 

Yangervis Solarte and Eduardo Nunez stand out as two players that have performed better than I expected they would when they left New York.  Man, I how I would love to have Martin Prado back.

It was tough to leave Mike Dunn off the bullpen list.  I also wanted to put Phil Hughes in the starting rotation but his health has been too unreliable for me.  David Phelps was another strong candidate for the #5 spot in the rotation.

I doubt this team would win the World Series but it would certainly win a few games.

I know it's just spring training and we shouldn't read too much into stats, but I thought Jordan Montgomery did an excellent job on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays.  He pitched 4 1/3 innings, giving up three hits and two runs.  He struck out eight.  When he departed, he had only given up one run, but he left a runner who subsequently scored against an ineffective JR Graham.  Thanks to heads up base-running by Tyler Wade (he stole third and scored on a throwing error by Rays catcher Michael McKenry) in the top of the 9th, the Yankees came away with a 5-5 tie after trailing most of the game.  Mighty Mouse (Ronald Torreyes) also homered in the game.  

Montgomery has firmly inserted himself as a finalist for a spot in the rotation.  I would not be disappointed to see Bryan Mitchell and Montgomery take the final spots, with Luis Severino on an outbound bus for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  

With the tie, the Yankees' spring record is 19-7-1 although no one seems to be reporting the tie in Grapefruit League standings.  I know it's not a real game but it did happen!  Didn't it?...

Have a great Friday!

Is there Kryptonite at 161st and River?…

Credit:  Jonathan Dyer, USA TODAY Sports

Why do struggling Yankees achieve success when they are traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates?  I am sure that it’s not the case for every former Yankee, but in recent years, it has felt that way.

Ivan Nova, facing his former teammates for the first time yesterday, picked up his first win of the spring with three innings of scoreless work.  He gave up two hits and walked a batter, while striking out two, so it wasn’t a flawless performance, but a win is a win.

In 2016, Nova was 7-6 for the Yanks, with a 4.90 ERA in 21 starts.  Moving over to Pittsburgh at the trading deadline, he started 11 games for the Pirates, going 5-2, with a much better 3.06 ERA.  

He’ll never be a top-of-the-rotation starter, but still, the results are markedly different between the two cities.  A free agent in the off-season, Nova scored a 3-year, $26 million deal to return to the Pirates.  Like A.J. Burnett before him, Nova changed from a very inconsistent pitcher in the Bronx to a dependable starter in the Steel City.  Another example is current San Francisco closer Mark Melancon.  Admittedly, Melancon never got much of an opportunity in New York where he was once touted as the eventual successor for Mariano Rivera, but he struggled in other pressure cities like Boston before finding success in Pittsburgh.  Today, he is paid among the elite closers in baseball, trailing only Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen in total dollars.  

Russell Martin was not finished as a catcher when he left New York, but he rejuvenated his career in Pittsburgh.  He was able to parlay that performance into a 5-year, $82 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Former Yankees backup catcher Francisco Cervelli is the starting catcher in Pittsburgh these days.  If Austin Romine were to lose his backup job to Kyle Higashioka, he’d be wise to go ahead and buy a condo in Pittsburgh.

Rule 5 Draftee pitcher Tyler Webb, a Yankees farmhand, has pitched three innings for the Pirates this spring and has yet to give up a run.  I don’t know his chances of making the Pirates opening day roster, but if he keeps pitching like he has, there’s no chance he’ll be offered back to the Yanks.

There’s no question the environment is more relaxed in Pittsburgh.  Nova showing up at yesterday’s game with blonde hair was a solid indication that he no longer calls Yankee Stadium home.  

Maybe Rob Refsnyder should push for a trade to Pittsburgh.  He’d probably make the All-Star team next year. 

I think if you put Nova back in pinstripes, he’d revert to the unreliable pitcher that he had become.  Some guys just weren’t meant for the Main Stage.  Still, you always wonder what could have been if they had only pitched or played like that for the Yankees.

Back to the spring game and Nova’s win, the Yankees got hammered by the Pirates, 13-1.  My favorite for the #5 spot in the rotation, Bryan Mitchell, looked like Ed Whitson in a Yankees uniform.  It wasn’t pretty.  Evan Rutckyj, and his spring 19.29 ERA, ensured that he’ll be banished to the minors soon.  Mitchell gave up 4 runs in 2 1/2 innings, while Rutckyj gave up 6 runs (4 earned) without recording an out.  

It was just one of those games that it is best to quickly forget.  With the loss, the Yankees fell to 9-3 for the spring.

The ALCS Pitching vs. Offense Breakdown

The ALCS kicks off tonight for the Cleveland Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays so like we did before the AL Wild Card Games we will look at what each opposing offense has done in their careers against these starting pitchers. Tonight pits the Cleveland starter Corey Kluber against a dynamic Blue Jays offense that includes Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Russell Martin, Troy Tulowitzki, Josh Donaldson and others. Cleveland has also already announced they will follow Kluber in Game One with Trevor Bauer, Josh Tomlin and Mike Clevinger. Who has the advantage in the stat column? Let’s find out.

Kluber vs. Toronto

Bauer vs. Toronto

Tomlin vs. Toronto

Clevinger vs. Toronto

Marco Estrada vs. Cleveland

JA Happ vs. Cleveland

Marcus Stroman vs. Cleveland

Aaon Sanchez vs. Cleveland

All stats and pictures courtesy of ESPN.com

This Day In New York Yankees History 8/25: Three Grand Slams In One Game

Never in the history of Major League Baseball had one team hit three grand slams in one game before the New York Yankees accomplished the feat in 2011. The Yankees would beat the Oakland Athletics 22-9 with Robinson Cano, Russell Martin, and Curtis Granderson all going deep with the bases loaded in Yankee Stadium.

Also on this day in 1996 Mickey Mantle joined Miller Huggins, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig as Yankees greats that have a monument in Monument Park. Mantle died of liver cancer last year and is the first new monument to be dedicated by the team in 47 years.

Also on this day in 1968 Yankees outfielder Rocky Colavito pitched 2.1 innings of relief giving up just one hit in a victory for the Yankees 6-5 over the Tigers. The Yankees outfielder, who also hit a home run in the game, will be the last position player to get a win by pitching until Colorado Rockies Brent Mayne would win a game in the year 2000.

Finally on this day in 1956 the Yankees general manager George Weiss and manager Casey Stengel hold a closed door meeting with shortstop Phil Rizzuto. The meeting discussed who should be let go since the team had acquired Enos Slaughter off waivers from the Atheltics. Rizzuto made several suggestions on who he thought who should be released from the Yankees before Weiss informed Scooter that he would be the player to be let go. Shady.

Recap: Blue Jays 4, Yankees 2

For four and a half innings, things couldn't have gone much better for the Yankees.

Aided by a two-run top of the fourth and a promising first time through the order by Nathan Eovaldi, the Yankees found themselves up by a pair midway through Thursday night's matchup with the Blue Jays -- and seemed like they might actually pull off a difficult series win north of the border. 

But after Josh Donaldson smoked a three-run home run to center with two out in the fifth and Troy Tulowitzki added insurance with a solo shot in the sixth, it was the Jays who left Rogers Centre with their heads held high, cruising to a 4-2 victory in the rubber game of a three-game set.

Eovaldi did not pitch poorly on the evening, but when the Blue Jays had opportunities, their big bats were able to capitalize.

The young right-hander threw a season-high 6 2/3 innings and struck out eight, allowing seven hits with a couple of walks. He looked sharp in the early-going, but ultimately, his hung splitter to Donaldson will define his outing.

And considering how well his adversary, Marcus Stroman, performed, it's easy to see why.

Stroman retired each of the last 11 Yankees he faced in an eight-inning gem, yielding just three hits for his first W of the year. Stroman made very few mistakes while keeping the ball on the ground, inducing 17 groundouts in total to go along with three K's.

His lone blip came in the fourth, when the Yankees kicked off the scoring with some hustle from their veterans.

The relatively-slow Carlos Beltran picked up an RBI by beating out a potential double play to second, and moments later, Mark Teixeira crossed home when a slider in the dirt got past catcher Russell Martin.

But the Yankees failed to plate any more in the frame, stranding runners on second and third when Starlin Castro went down swinging.

WHAT IT MEANS: The Yankees dropped their second consecutive to Toronto after taking Monday's opener. They are now 4-4, three games behind the first-place Orioles.

NEXT UP: The Yankees will try to rebound Friday at Yankee Stadium against the Mariners. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. ET. Luis Severino (0-1, 5.40 ERA) and Nathan Karns (0-1, 7.20 ERA) are your starters.

Comparing the Yankees & Blue Jays Lineups As it Stands Today

The New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays are expected to go at it head-to-head all season long again in 2016. As it stands today these are still the top two teams in the American League East, hands down, in my opinion. The Red Sox got a new closer but a closer is useless if you don't have the offense and the pitching staff to get the lead after eight innings. The Orioles lost basically any and all recognizable names not named Adam Jones this offseason (yes I realize they got Matt Wieters back but he wasn't what you would call "great" in 2015) and the Rays are continuing to sell off pieces. The Blue Jays will pound the crap out of opposing pitchers once again in 2016 with much of their offense coming back next season, can the Yankees keep up?

Catcher:

Brian McCann/ Russell Martin

First Base:

Mark Teixeira/Chris Colabello

Second Base:

Robert Refsnyder/Ryan Goins

Shortstop:

Didi Gregorius/Troy Tulowitzki

Third Base:

Chase Headley/Josh Donaldson

Left Field:

Brett Gardner/Ben Revere

Center Field: 

Jacoby Ellsbury/Kevin Pillar

Right Field:

Carlos Beltran/Jose Bautista

Designated Hitter:

Alex Rodriguez/Edwin Encarnacion

Bolded player wins.

The Experience Behind a September Playoff Chase

The month of September and the week of the regular season that will be played in October is shaping up to be an exciting one as the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays are going to go down to the wire to decide an American League East Division winner. Toronto may be in the driver’s seat right now but the Yankees are steadily putting the pressure on their neighbors and rivals from the north, can the Blue Jays handle the pressure or will they fold under it all? I know the stats I am about to unfold to you all mean relatively little in the grand scheme of things but I thought it would be worth showcasing just how much, or how little in most cases, the presumed starting offenses and rotations have in the playoffs.

The point of this exercise is to see whether New York’s veteran leadership and experience with the September grind and October push will help them in chasing down the Toronto Blue Jays. It will also be worth looking at to see if as the pressure builds and the games get later and later into the season whether the veteran, albeit inexperienced, leaders in Toronto can hold it all together. At the end of the day these numbers and stats mean relatively nothing, this is Major League Baseball after all, but that doesn’t make them any less interesting.

We all knew that Toronto had far less playoff experience than New York but I had no idea just how little. Again, having a veteran led team with Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Troy Tulowitzki, Russell Martin and probably the American League MVP Josh Donaldson probably makes all these numbers a moot point but you never know until you actually play the games. One thing is for certain it doesn’t look like the playoff atmosphere and lights are going to bother the inexperienced Didi Gregorius’s, Luis Severino’s or Greg Bird’s of the world so maybe, just maybe the Yankees have a shot at avoiding that one-game playoff Wild Card round and can wrap up this division late. Weirder things have happened, like the fact that Mark Buehrle and David Price both have more saves in the playoffs than the entire Yankees bullpen combined.

This Day In New York Yankees History 8/25: Three Grand Slams In One Game

Never in the history of Major League Baseball had one team hit three grand slams in one game before the New York Yankees accomplished the feat in 2011. The Yankees would beat the Oakland Athletics 22-9 with Robinson Cano, Russell Martin, and Curtis Granderson all going deep with the bases loaded in Yankee Stadium.

Also on this day in 1996 Mickey Mantle joined Miller Huggins, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig as Yankees greats that have a monument in Monument Park. Mantle died of liver cancer last year and is the first new monument to be dedicated by the team in 47 years.

Also on this day in 1968 Yankees outfielder Rocky Colavito pitched 2.1 innings of relief giving up just one hit in a victory for the Yankees 6-5 over the Tigers. The Yankees outfielder, who also hit a home run in the game, will be the last position player to get a win by pitching until Colorado Rockies Brent Mayne would win a game in the year 2000.

Finally on this day in 1956 the Yankees general manager George Weiss and manager Casey Stengel hold a closed door meeting with shortstop Phil Rizzuto. The meeting discussed who should be let go since the team had acquired Enos Slaughter off waivers from the Atheltics. Rizzuto made several suggestions on who he thought who should be released from the Yankees before Weiss informed Scooter that he would be the player to be let go. Shady.

Recap: Blue Jays 5, Yankees 1

CC Sabathia took yet another uncompetitive loss, surrendering four earned runs in 6 1/3 innings as the Yankees dropped the rubber game to the Blue Jays, 5-1, on Wednesday night at Rogers Centre.

Sabathia Stumbles: The big lefty blew an early 1-0 lead in the second when Ezequiel Carrera connected on a two-run single to right, and wasn't much better from then on. He served up a solo home run to Russell Martin in the sixth, ultimately finishing with nine hits and two walks under his belt. 

No Offense: The Yankees' bats struggled mightily against the Blue Jays' pitching staff on the evening, recording just six hits in five innings off the floundering Mark Buehrle. They plated a quick run in the first on a Mark Teixeira groundout and stranded the bases loaded in the fifth, but failed to seriously threaten once the bullpen entered.

Not Exactly Helpful: Down 2-1 with Martin on in the fifth, Sabathia committed a costly balk to advance him to scoring position -- setting up the red-hot Chris Colabello for an RBI single moments later. It was Sabathia's first illegal motion since April of 2013, as well the sixteenth of his career.

Make That Nine Now: Thanks to a blooper that found grass in the aforementioned top of the fifth, Jacoby Ellsbury was able to extend his current hitting streak to nine games -- the longest such streak presently on the Yankees. The single was Ellsbury's only knock in four at-bats in the contest, though he is still 24 for his last 53 overall. 

A Solid Debut: Added to the roster earlier in the day for the first time this season, utility man Jose Pirela went 2-for-4 for the Yankees -- hustling for a double in the third following a sharp line drive to left. Pirela hit ninth and played second base in the Yanks' starting lineup, having no problems defensively in replacement of Didi Gregorius.

Next Up: The Yankees head back to New York on Thursday when they host the Orioles in the first of four at Yankee Stadium -- beginning at 7:05 p.m. ET and airing live on MLB Network. Nathan Eovaldi (2-0, 3.81 ERA) will get the nod for the Yankees looking to build off a strong outing in Boston, facing slumping O's right-hander Chris Tillman (2-3, 6.23 ERA).

Recap: Blue Jays 3, Yankees 1

Russell Martin hit a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth and the Yankees dropped a heartbreaker to the Blue Jays, 3-1, on Monday night at Rogers Centre.

Martin Hurts His Old Team: Batting with the bases loaded and two outs against the usually-unhittable Dellin Betances, Martin connected on a sharp ground ball to third -- stopped on a dive by Chase Headley before a wild throw extended the inning. The knock resulted in one RBI for Martin (charged to Chris Martin), with a second unearned run also crossing home on the error.

Whitley's Gem: Prior to the bullpen's collapse in the eighth, minor-league call-up Chase Whitley logged a dominant outing for the Yankees -- holding the Blue Jays to no runs and six hits over seven scoreless innings. Whitley actually found himself in a second-and-third, no-out jam in the sixth -- impressively escaping without any damage after Kevin Pillar popped to short. 

Breaking the Tie: The Yankees' offense recorded just two hits in the first six innings off Toronto's R.A. Dickey, but took a quick 1-0 lead in the seventh on a Garrett Jones groundout. Carlos Beltran had started the frame with a double off the wall three hitters earlier, advancing to third later on a routine roller to first.

Drew's Struggles Persist: Stephen Drew went an unproductive 0-for-3 in this one, reducing his already-low average on the year to just .149. He hasn't gotten a hit in his last 17 at-bats, not even reaching base since April 27.

Oops: Looking to spark a rally with one out in the third, Blue Jays outfielder Ezequiel Carrera bunted a fastball up the first-base line -- fielded by Whitley with little time to make the play. Whitley still tried to do so, however, and heaved the ball well into foul territory as Carrera took third.

Next Up: The Yankees hope to rebound from this tough loss on Tuesday when they meet the Blue Jays in the middle game of this three-game set -- beginning at 7:07 p.m. ET and airing live on the YES Network. Michael Pineda (3-0, 3.73 ERA) will start for the Yankees aiming to continue his early-season success, facing young Jays right-hander Marco Estrada (1-0, 0.84 ERA).

The Daily Dozen: April 6, 2015 Edition

Hello all you Greedy Pinstripers out there...today was the beginning of the 2015 Major League Baseball season for the New York Yankees and in turn is the RETURN of the Daily Dozen: Twelve Takeaways from Today's Game...

1. For the first time since 1995, the New Yankees Roster does not include a man named Derek Jeter.  It's a sad day indeed..especially with his replacement Didi Gregorious (I know, it just falls of the tongue so smoothly, doesn't it?) having a lackluster first day in Pinstripes.  But you know, in order for the Yankees to move on with their new "Royal-esque" approach, the Core Four needed to be retired.

2. Mr. Joe Torre got to throw out the first pitch today.  It seems like the animosity between Torre in the Steinbrenners is completely gone now...at least publicly.

Joe Torre knows how to pitch in the Bronx (Photo Credit: CBSlocal.com)

3. An error by Chase Headley opened the Floodgates for the Jays.  I wonder if A-Rod would have made the play, or if he would have broken his hip playing 3rd base to begin with.

4. Masahiro Tanaka.  Not such a good start of the season for #TanakaTime, but it is a long season.  It will have to be in order to get that 9.00 ERA down.  He probably would have done just that if it were May instead of April.  The Binder had him on a strict 90-pitch count, which with the Yankees bullpen isn't such a bad idea.  An interesting stat I saw from Mr. Lou DiPietro of the YES Network ~ Tanaka gave up as many runs today to the Blue Jays (5) as he did in 18.1 innings against them last season.  I'm personally looking forward to those shutouts coming in his next 2 games against Toronto to even that stat line out.

5. Six Ks are not equal to Five Rs.  I know this due to my advanced Science degree.  Check out this equation below, which tells you what 6 Ks are really worth:

                  6K = R^5 - sin^2 / tan (sqrt of xHRs)

In case you missed it, that was the important part of Tanaka's line through 4 innings pitched.

6. Kevin Pillar.  Seriously...the guy's name is Kevin Pillar...is this just Kevin Millar in disguise?  The dude went 2 for 4 today and of course is a lifetime .239 hitter.  Of course.

(Photo Credit: JaysProspects.com)

I'm not sure if they resemble each other or not...but knowing
what a prankster Millar is...(Photo Credit: KevinMillar.com)

7. Speaking of "OF COURSE"... The curse of the ex-Yankees continues this season with Russell Martin adding 2 very important RBI in the Tanaka-killer 3rd inning.  We miss you Russell...

8. Isn't it IRONIC...don't you think?  Alex Rodriguez became the first baserunner for the Yankees this season batting 7th in the lineup after missing the entire 2014 season.  It's like rain on your wedding day.  Mr. A-Rod went 1-2 with a walk and is batting .500 with a 0.667 OBP to start his 2015 foray into what could be a COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR type season or one that fizzles him into obscurity...let's hope as Yankees fans for the former.  For what it's worth, the Yankees fans on hand today seemed to welcome him back with open arms.  Maybe it was the lack of Bronx Bombing last year that made them happy to see him...?

I can't tell if Alanis is amused or not...

9. Chris Martin's Debut.  Speaking of the Yankees Bullpen.  Mr. Martin (the "other" Martin in the game today) came into the game in the 5th to relieve #TanakaTime...he only recorded 3 strikeouts on 17 pitches to record a perfect inning in his Yankees debut...not too shabby!  I'll probably be following him on the morrow on Twitter...

10. So what is the chance...?  What is the chance of winning the World Series after going 0-1?  A quick glance at the last TEN World Series Champs revealed the following:

2014 San Francisco Giants...won their first game
2013 Boston Red Sux...won their first game
2012 San Francisco Giants...went 0-3 to start the season
2011 St. Louis Cardinals...went 0-2 to start the season and 2-6...they were awful
2010 San Francisco Giants...won their first 3 games
2009 New York Yankees...lost their first 2 games and were 15-17 by May 12th...left for dead
2008 Philadelphia Phillies...lost their first 2 games and were 8-10 by April 19th
2007 Boston Red Sux...lost the first game of the season
2006 St. Louis Cardinals...won their first 3 games
2005 Chicago White Sox...won their first 2 games

So...it's 50/50 in terms of the last 10 World Series Champions...that's right...the first game doesn't really count...it's what they do in the next 161 that really matters...here's to a 161-1 season!  A big shout out to BaseballReference.com for having these stats so readily available.  Love that site...

Is #28 coming to a Bronx near you?

11. How about that bullpen, ehh?  5 innings of 1 run ball will go a looooong way to giving the Yankees a shot at winning.  But then again, if the Yankees are counting on 5 innings of relief every day they are probably in for a losing season.

12. What kind of season will Brett "The Hitman" Gardner have?  Well, right now he's on pace to hit 162 home runs.  Sounds crazy right, but so did the thought of him hitting 17 dingers last season.  I think he'll end up with right around 25 for the year, which would look mighty nice next to 60 stolen bases.  One can wish, right??

"HULK....SMAAAAASH"

Tanaka staying optimistic after tough Opening Day

After lasting just four innings and allowing four earned runs Monday against the Blue Jays, Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka isn't making excuses.

"I was in bad counts," Tanaka said during a press conference following the 6-1 loss. "And obviously that's going to give an advantage to the batters."

Tanaka surrendered five hits and five total runs in the defeat -- each of which came in the Blue Jays' half of the third. He gave up a two-run single to Russell Martin and a two-run home run to Edwin Encarnacion in the frame, striking out six while walking two.

Tanaka has said in recent weeks he's hoping to use his sinker more in an attempt to induce more ground balls, but denied the notion that the new strategy contributed to his bad numbers.

"No, I don't think that has anything to do with it," he said.

Tanaka fanned three of the first four Blue Jays he faced in his outing, but struggled with his command from then on. In all, he threw just 50 of 82 pitches for strikes on the afternoon -- raising his early 2015 ERA to a hefty 9.00.

Tanaka still looks at his performance positively, however, and says he saw some good signs outside of his rough third inning. 

"Overall, I think my pitches were good," Tanaka said. "Obviously, the results in the third inning weren't the ones I wanted. But looking back to the first two innings, I think I was pitching well."

And though his start Monday was disappointing at best, Tanaka assures he can get back to his old ways. 

"If I'm able to make some adjustments, then I should be able to get back into the form that I want," he said.

Recap: Blue Jays 6, Yankees 1

Masahiro Tanaka had a rough first start of the season, surrendering four earned runs in just four innings as the Yankees fell to the Blue Jays, 6-1, on Opening Day Monday at Yankee Stadium.

Tanaka's Woes: Tanaka cruised through this one's first two innings, but struggled greatly with his command in the Blue Jays' half of third. He let Toronto's eight and nine hitters reach before a Chase Headley throwing error, a Russell Martin two-run single and an Edwin Encarnacion two-run homer put the visitors up 5-0 -- eventually causing Tanaka's day to end prematurely.

Offense Flustered: The Yankees mustered just three hits in six innings against Drew Hutchison, and didn't register a baserunner until the bottom of the third. Their lone run on the afternoon came on a solo shot from Brett Gardner in the sixth -- a line drive to right-center that just had enough on it to find the seats.

A-Rod's Return to the Bronx: Alex Rodriguez walked to lead-off the third and singled to lead-off the fifth -- his first hit since late 2013. In the seventh, Rodriguez laced one hard into the right-center field gap off Aaron Loup, but Jose Bautista was able to run it down for the out.

Bullpen Impresses: Chris Martin struck out each of the three hitters he faced in the fifth and David Carpenter tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings -- likely the best performances from the Yankees' relief core in the contest. Elsewhere, Chasen Shreve allowed a run in an inning and a third and Esmil Rogers recorded the last out of the ninth -- Rogers having entered the game after a trio of walks by Justin Wilson. 

Rally Killer: With the Yankees threatening with men on first and second and two out in the eighth, Didi Gregorius was gunned down trying to steal third -- a mistake that garnered a seemingly-angry look by manager Joe Girardi. Girardi was seen talking to Gregorius following the play, apparently upset with the latter's decision to run. 

Next Up: Michael Pineda will take the hill for his 2015 debut when the Yankees host the Blue Jays again on Wednesday -- a matchup you can see live on YES and SNET. Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey is expected to oppose Pineda when the action begins at 7:05 p.m. ET -- Pineda's sixth career start versus the Jays. 

Fantasy Baseball Top 10 Catchers Report

Fantasy Baseball is right around the corner for some and the catcher position looks to be as thin as ever heading into the 2015 season. Carlos Santana is no longer listed as a catcher and neither is Joe Mauer leaving the pool of available players very top heavy in an offensive based league. My advice to you, grab a catcher as early as feasibly possible. I’m not saying take Buster Posey with a Mike Trout type available on the board but if you’re considering an outfielder or a catcher, definitely go catcher.

The Top 10 starts with Wilson Ramos of the Washington Nationals. Ramos should have plenty of runners on base when he comes up and hits for decent power and average for his position. Following Ramos at the number nine slot is Russell Martin of the Toronto Blue Jays. Martin is another who should have plenty of RBI chances hitting in the middle of the Blue Jays lineup and may feast on a seemingly weaker set of American League East pitchers. Yadier Molina is a mainstay in these rankings and is 7^th on my list from the St. Louis Cardinals while our very own Brian McCann comes in at the #6 spot. Evan Gattis is listed as a catcher this year and I include him at #5 even though I expect to see him DH and play left field some in Houston. Either way his power is undeniable, even in Minute Maid Park.

The fourth best catcher this season, fantasy wise anyway, has to be Yan Gomes of the Cleveland Indians as he leads a young and up and coming pitching staff as well as an equally young and up and coming offense in the American League Central. Devin Mesoraco leads a talented Cincinnati Reds staff in the three spot and plays in a very hitting friendly park in Cincinnati while Jonathan Lucroy looks to have another fantastic season in Milwaukee. Even with his best season I cannot see Lucroy, or anyone, taking over the top spot from Buster Posey. Posey is still the best catcher in baseball and far and away the best offensive catcher in baseball and will remain in that spot at least for one more season in San Francisco.