The Feel Good Story of Radley Haddad

Who doesn’t want to start out their Friday morning with a little bit of “feel good news?” I know I like to so I thought I would bring you some this morning on this beautiful Friday and it involves the New York Yankees organization and one of their own, a former prospect named Radley Haddad. The New York Yankees signed Haddad as a non-drafted free agent out of Butler University back in 2013 as the catcher began his professional career with the ultimate dream every young baseball player has of reaching the Major Leagues. Well Haddad has done that, sort of.

Haddad, 26-years old, ended his four-year playing career this season with the organization to take a job that allows him to enter Yankee Stadium 81 times a season as the former catcher will now serve as the Yankees bullpen catcher. An hour before the Opening Day loss with the Tampa Bay Rays the Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman handed Haddad a contract to make the promotion official after Haddad has taken a few weeks to consult with friends and family on whether to accept the position or not.

Haddad played in just 92 professional games since being signed by the organization hitting just .203 with one home run in his minor league career. Needless to say Haddad and the Yankees both at least had a sneaking suspicion that the advanced levels of Minor League Baseball were going to be too much for Haddad so they both made a decision that should benefit both Haddad and the organization, which is an awesome story to read about.

Haddad spent the second half of the 2016 season with the Staten Island Yankees being groomed to be a coach thanks to Yankees Vice President of Development Gary Denbo. With this knowledge the Yankees called Haddad up many times this spring to catch bullpens and manager Joe Girardi even rewarded him by allowing him to get an at-bat in the exhibition game with the Atlanta Braves inside newly built SunTrust Park. Haddad grounded back to pitcher Josh Johnson after just two pitches but Haddad can retire knowing he took at least one at-bat inside of a Major League stadium and that is thanks to the kindness and thoughtfulness of not only manager Girardi but of the Yankees organization that was once donned with the moniker “The Evil Empire.”

The End of a Successful Spring...

No baseball today.  At least not Yankees baseball.  The exhibition season is over, and the team awaits its first regular season game tomorrow.

The final Grapefruit League was fun and not so fun.  The new SunTrust Park in Atlanta is a gorgeous stadium and it certainly ranks at or near the top of the new stadiums.  It is very impressive.

I know that it was still a spring game so stats mean nothing but Greg Bird had the honor of delivering the first home run in the new park.  Someone else will have the courtesy of hitting the first regular season home run there but Bird has the distinction of the first home run period.

The game itself didn’t go so good.  The Atlanta Braves had the courtesy of picking up the first win ever at the new ballpark.  I have been excited about Jonathan Holder and the announcement that he had made the final roster but he was on the mound when the Braves scored the 6^th inning runs to break a tie, giving them the cushion they needed for the win.  The runs were caused by an error so Holder wasn’t charged with any earned runs but it was still a disappointing way to end spring training.

After the game, Manager Joe Girardi said the Yankees can be really good if the veterans do their job.  That’s funny.  For a change, it’s not the kids who need to step up but rather the vets.  It’s disappointing knowing that Jacoby Ellsbury and others are holding us back.  I say that in jest (well, not the Ellsbury part) but it’s a great testament to the job that the young guys like Bird and Gary Sanchez have done this Spring.

Against Atlanta, the vets did not fare well.  Brett Gardner, Matt Holliday, Jacoby Ellsbury, Starlin Castro, and Chase Headley all went 0-for-2.  One bright spot was Chris Carter doing what he is supposed to do, delivering a pinch hit home run.  If he does that a few times at Yankee Stadium to win games, he’s going to be a popular guy even if he can’t otherwise hit or field.

Michael Pineda finishes the Spring schedule with a 4.32 ERA.  He went 5 innings against the Braves, allowing six hits and three runs.  He walked a batter and struck out six.  He allowed a home run to Freddie Freeman but it’s hard to blame Pineda.  Freeman is going to do that to a number of pitchers this year.

The Yankees lost the game, 8-5, and finished the Spring at 24-9-1.  They won the Grapefruit League by 1 ½ games over the St Louis Cardinals, and they had a better record than the Cactus League champion Los Angeles Angels.  It was Spring and the records mean nothing but here’s hoping that it is a springboard to a happy and successful 2017 season for the Pinstripers. 

Have a great Saturday!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Atlanta Braves 3/31

Uh oh ladies and gentleman but I think we just had the return of the game thread here on the blog. These are exciting times as we finish off the exhibition season and begin the real season on Sunday. Tonight the Atlanta Braves break in their newly built SunTrust Park with an exhibition game against the New York Yankees. This should be fun, these games always are. The Yankees will send Michael Pineda to the mound for his final spring tune-up before the regular season while the Braves will counter with the ageless one Bartolo Colon.

Pineda has not faced this group of Braves much as the Atlanta offense has a whopping 11 at-bats against the right-hander combined during his career. Pineda is entering a contract season though in 2017 and we as Yankees fans may be in for a treat as we watch him throw this season for no other reason than that. Players tend to do better in their contract seasons, period, so maybe this will be the season Pineda finally puts it all together. Only time will tell.

Colon on the other hand has seen this Yankees offense quite a bit as he has bounced around the league during his career to varying degrees of results. Starlin Castro, Jacoby Ellsbury, Matt Holliday and Gary Sanchez have all hit above .300 against Colon albeit in small sample sizes, especially the sample size for the Yankees catcher. Like Pineda though none of these stats matter once the bright lights go on and the game gets started so let’s get to it.

The game will be played at 7:35 pm ET inside SunTrust Park in Atlanta and can be seen on the YES Network locally in New York, Fox Sports South in the Atlanta area and MLB Network if you’re out of either market. Enjoy and Go Yankees!

SunTrust Park Could Change the League

The New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves play an exhibition game tonight in Atlanta down at the newly built SunTrust Park. While I tried my best to get tickets to the game they kept their tickets, which were only made available to season ticket holders, tight to their chests this time around. Since I can’t be there tonight in person I figured I would talk about all the things I’ve read about SunTrust Park as I think it could change the way stadiums are built for the foreseeable future in the league. Or maybe I’m just looking too far into things as I tend to do sometimes. Either way come with me.

The Braves purchased “The Battery Atlanta” which is a 60-acre complex that will house the $622 million ballpark but that’s not all that will be there. There are restaurants, retail shops, residential areas, a concert hall and even a four-star hotel in the development as the Braves look to be a one-stop shop for all your needs when you come out to the ballpark. That I thought was interesting maybe more so than the green seats, the brick walls and the throwback feel the stadium brings to metro-Atlanta.

Now while the Braves aren’t the first organization to bring shops, eateries and living quarters in and around the ballpark they may have been the ones to do it the best. St. Louis, Boston and the Los Angeles based teams also have these accommodations but, and maybe I am just bias as a metro-Atlanta resident, it just feels like the Braves did it better. The Braves fans have always said that they absolutely loved Turner Field as there was an absolute ton to see and do inside the Stadium, and I would agree as I have been there more times than I can count now, but the outside of the stadium just always seemed… I don’t know… blah? Borderline dangerous maybe? I’ve seen one fan call the outside of Atlanta’s Turner Field “Bosnia, Georgia” before if that tells you anything but this new stadium just seems… I’m at a loss for a fancy vocabulary word here so I’ll just keep it simple and say “better.”

So I look forward to seeing the new stadium tonight on television and I truly look forward to seeing it live and in person with my children and that special someone in my life. As always. Enjoy the game tonight everyone.

So it Seems the Yankees Came Down to Georgia

Good morning everyone and Happy Friday to you all. The weekends aren’t as amazing as they used to be in my world, because reasons, but one day they will be again. Life has a funny way of working things out and the world has a way of letting you figure things out when you’re ready so I just remain patient and hopeful. While I pass the time while the world and life takes their sweet time trying to jump start this s*** I think I’ll watch a Yankees game tonight because New York is coming down to Georgia tonight to take on the Atlanta Braves.

I think the official blogger/journalist/news reporter/professional writer/displaced fan term for when your favorite team who only comes down to your new home town once every three or four years is “yay” but you guys can correct me if I’m wrong on that one. Until then, yay!!!!

YES Network Returns to Comcast, Finally

Yankees fans who have Comcast, don’t fret. The return is coming and it’s coming on March 31, 2017 as the YES Network makes its triumphant return to Comcast customers after missing the entire 2016 season. Conveniently the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves will play their exhibition game to open up newly built SunTrust Park in Atlanta on that day, or maybe not so conveniently.

Yankees Opening Day baseball will come on April 2 against the Tampa Bay Rays and can also be seen on YES at 1:10 pm ET. In face the first two weeks of baseball will all be on YES so Comcast customers get ready, the Yankees are finally coming back into your homes. It’s been too long. 

ICYMI: Remaining Spring Training Dates & Events for 2017

The New York Yankees spring training officially kicks off today with all players reporting to camp so here are a few important dates on the schedule including game times and what television network will be picking up the Grapefruit League games.

New York plays 34 games this spring including an exhibition game on March 31 against the Atlanta Braves in newly opened SunTrust Park in Atlanta. Here is the complete spring televised schedule for the Yankees with all games but the March 23 game against the Tampa Bay Rays able to be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

Friday, February 24, vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Sunday, February 26, vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Wednesday, March 1 at 6:35 p.m. ET, vs. Atlanta Braves
Thursday, March 2 at 6:35 p.m. ET, vs. Baltimore Orioles
Sunday, March 5, vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Tuesday, March 7, vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Saturday, March 11, vs. Detroit Tigers
Wednesday, March 15, vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Saturday, March 18, vs. Baltimore Orioles
Tuesday, March 21, vs. Boston Red Sox
Thursday, March 23, at Tampa Bay Rays, ESPN
Friday, March 24, vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Saturday, March 25, vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Sunday, March 26, vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Tuesday, March 28 at 6:35 p.m. ET, vs. Detroit Tigers
Friday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m., at Atlanta Braves

Also keep in mind that starting on March 12 we will be springing forward in Daylight Savings Time.

Potential Landing Spots for Brian McCann This Winter

The New York Yankees may or may not trade their catcher/DH Brian McCann this winter but let’s pretend that they will. Let’s also pretend that I have a crystal ball and I know where he’s going to go but before we do that let’s look at some potential landing spots for McCann this winter if and when the Yankees decide to move him.

Even in a down year McCann was one of the best offensive catchers in Major League Baseball in 2016 and in the wake of the Wilson Ramos injury the market for McCann should be a significant one led likely by his former team, the Atlanta Braves. The Braves have an obvious need for a veteran catcher and a new stadium they need to put butts in, why not bring back one of their own to fill both roles? They have the prospects to do it and they have shown a willingness to take on bad contracts so this seems like the likeliest of choices.

Along with Atlanta is the Houston Astros, Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Washington Nationals as potential suitors but common sense would likely drop that list down by a couple. The Yankees seem unwilling to pay down McCann’s salary unless substantial prospects come back in return which would likely leave teams like Colorado, the Angels and maybe even Houston out with Seattle riding the line between contender and pretender. One team that has a serious shot at acquiring McCann though could be Washington, again especially after the injury to Wilson Ramos.

It will all come down to one simple fact though in the end. McCann has a full no-trade clause. Is he going to want to waive it to play for Colorado, Houston, Seattle or Los Angeles? Not likely. Is he going to be willing to waive it to play in Washington? Possibly, a return to the National League East would be enticing and so would a shot at a World Series in 2017. Would he waive his NTC to return home to Atlanta? You have to think he would, 100%.

Amazon just delivered the crystal ball. Where is McCann going? My guess, Atlanta.

Atlanta Braves to Open SunTrust Park Against the Yankees

As a displaced Yankees fan living in Metro Atlanta, Georgia and as a Yankees fan that loves and misses his team like no other I only have one word to describe what I am just about to tell you. Hallelujah.

The New York Yankees are still very much in the playoff race in 2016 and presumably have not even thought about next month, let alone next year, but that hasn’t stopped the organization from making plans for the 2017 season. See the Atlanta Braves are opening a new stadium in 2017 called SunTrust Park and the team will open up and unveil the new stadium in an exhibition game at the end of spring training against none other than the Bronx Bombers.

The Braves say this game will only be available to season ticket holders but I say if I check StubHub and Ticket Monster enough I think I’ll find a pair of seats. The game will take place on March 31, 2017 and frankly I absolutely cannot wait. I’ll be there or you all have permission to take my Yankees fan card and burn it.

What great news this is! Awesome.