An Article for the All the Miguel Andujar’s Defense Haters by Daniel Burch

Good morning Yankees family and welcome back to the blog. The New York Yankees fans are the worst, at least that is what I wrote earlier this offseason, and since the elimination from the postseason they have not gotten much better. The hottest topic of them all appears to be the possible acquisition of Manny Machado, Miguel Andujar’s defense at third base, and a potential move for the 23-year old next season. There have been many doom-and-gloom posts about his “historically bad” defense this season, but here is a post giving Yankees fans everywhere a little hope regarding Andujar and his potential future as a Major League third baseman.

When looking at prospects and young players the scouts, analysts, and fans always look to other players to compare these young players to. How about this comparison for Andujar, how about Adrian Beltre? Beltre is highly respected around Major League Baseball both on and off the field and is considered to be one of the best third baseman defensively in the game. This was not always the case for the former Texas Rangers third baseman and soon-to-be free agent. When Beltre broke into the Major Leagues he was 19-years old, granted that is a lot younger than Andujar who is 23-years old, playing in 77 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Beltre’s bat left much to be desired, and so did his defense, and it wasn’t until the 2004 season that the Dodgers finally saw his true potential come to fruition.

As a rookie, Beltre committed 13 errors. In his first full season in 1999 the right-hander committed 29 errors which was good for a .932 fielding percentage. In 2000, Beltre committed another 23 errors. From 2001 – 2003, Beltre committed 16, 20, and 19 errors respectively. It was not until the 2004 season, the same season that Beltre began to find his groove at the plate as well, that we started to see the defensive wizard that we have seen over the past decade or so. Yet, for whatever reason, some writer at another publication writes an article that we cannot just assume that Andujar’s defense will improve, and everyone loses their mind. Everyone is preaching that article like it is the gospel, yet history (and common sense) would say otherwise.

Just as an FYI, for those who need a reminder, Andujar committed just 15 errors for a .948 fielding percentage in 2018. If you want to compare apples-to-apples, Andujar had a better defensive season than Beltre in his first two-or-three seasons. Beltre improved drastically on the defensive side, yet Andujar can’t according to many Yankees fans, writers, and journalist? I call bullshit. The numbers don’t lie. Be patient, and root for your team… or go root for the Mets.

Remembering My 2018 Predictions: Comeback Players of the Year

The original post was written below on March 23, 2018 stating that Tim Lincecum and David Wright would win the American League and National League Comeback Player of the Year Awards for their respective leagues. Boy, what a good war to start off my prediction recaps… WRONG! 

Lincecum was released by the Texas Rangers on June 5th after his rehab clock for a blister problem that popped up in Spring Training ran out. No one else signed Lincecum for the 2018 season and his career is likely over after another failed comeback attempt. David Wright will play in one last game for the Mets, his only game of the season, before calling it a career and retiring at the end of the season. I went bold, and unfortunately being bold backfired on this one. Maybe on the next prediction.  

The Comeback Player of the Year Award is generally given to a player who has not only a great season but has a great story behind their great season. For example, if a player misses a bulk of the previous season or seasons due to injury they are generally a candidate for the award if they come back the next season and have a strong season. Remember when Bartolo Colon basically came out of retirement for the New York Yankees only to shock the baseball world by showing that he could not only still pitch, but still pitch effectively at the Major League level? Or remember last season when Greg Holland returned from missing the 2016 season with Tommy John surgery to lead the National League for a chunk of the seasons in saves in 2017? Those are the kind of stories that win you a Comeback Player of the Year Award, and here are my 2018 stories. 

I know I am reaching way out in left field on this one, but you almost have to with any of these sorts of predictions at this stage in the year. No one knows who is going to come back healthy, and nobody knows who is going to be the “next big thing” in Major League Baseball. So why not go bold? Why not predict that Tim Lincecum will not only make the Major League roster at some point in the 2017 season with the pitching-starved Texas Rangers, but why not predict that he will do well for the team in whatever role they use him in? It could happen, and according to my predictions it will happen. The Freak is back, likely as a reliever, and he wants some more hardware for his shelves at home. 

The National League version was a little harder to come up with, so I decided to go bold once again in predicting that David Wright finally makes his way back onto the field with the New York Mets. At this point Wright doesn’t even have to be all that effective to earn to award, the story in itself of him working his way back to the Major League level would be story enough. Wright is currently working on trying to get back to the Mets after undergoing shoulder surgery in September of 2017 and an additional surgery on his lower back in October of 2017. Currently at the time of this writing Wright has been shut down from baseball activities for at least eight weeks, but if the Mets former third baseman can make it back by June or July he would easily be the story of the second half around Major League Baseball.---

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers 8/11

And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers. In the third game of their four-game weekend set the Yankees will send Lance Lynn out to the mound to make his second start for New York while the Rangers will counter with Drew Hutchison. The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and can be seen on the YES Network locally and MLB Network nationally. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the Yankees all season long. Enjoy the game, get another victory, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers 8/11

The New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers will continue their four-game weekend set this afternoon in the Bronx with the third game of the series. In the start this afternoon the Yankees will send out Lance Lynn to the mound to make his second start for the Yankees while the Rangers will counter with Drew Hutchison. Let’s get to it here in the Bronx.

Lynn impressed Yankees fans in his first start since being acquired from the Minnesota Twins, even if it was against a Triple-A offense in the Chicago White Sox. In the start Lynn went 7.1 innings pitched allowing just two hits while retiring 19 straight batters at one point in the contest. This was the first time all season that Lynn had pitched into the eight inning.

Hutchison will also be making just his second start of the season for his new team after making his first start for Texas last Sunday against the Seattle Mariners. Hutchison did not fare as well as Lynn did in debut allowing six runs in three innings in a 9-5 loss to Seattle.

The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and can be seen on the YES Network locally and MLB Network nationally. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Enjoy the game, anyone miss Sonny Gray yet? Nope, me either…, and go Yankees!!

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers 8/10

And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers. In the second of this four-game extended weekend set the Yankees will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound to face off with Mike Minor for the Rangers. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the Yankees all season long. Enjoy the game, it won’t be long until the Judge comes back, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers 8/10

The New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers will continue their four-game weekend set in the Bronx tonight with the second game of the series. In the second game of the series the Yankees will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound to face off with Mike Minor for the Rangers. While the division looks out of reach the Wild Card is still very much in play. I am in no way conceding the division to the Red Sox at this point, but the division crown will look further and further away with every Yankees loss here going forward… so just win, and let’s get to it here in the Bronx.

Tanaka has been great since returning from the disabled list after straining both his hamstrings running the bases against the New York Mets. Since his return Tanaka has pitched to a 1.78 ERA in 5 starts spanning 30.1 innings with 36 strikeouts and just seven walks.

Minor has also been pitching well lately pitching to a 4-2 record with a 3.26 ERA in his past 10 starts. In his last start Minor allowed just one run in seven innings of work in a victory over the Baltimore Orioles. This will mark the first time that Minor has faced the Yankees since the 2012 season, a lot has changed since then.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Enjoy the game, Happy Tanaka Day, and go Yankees!!

The Stars in Their Courses

The Stars in Their Courses

By David H. Lippman

  

Right before Cole Hamels demolished the Yankees on May 22nd, he made a cryptic statement to the media on how he was hoping he would get a chance to pitch for a contending team in critical games in September and October. As the Texas Rangers were 10-31 before that game, playing with overmatched minor-league call-ups in lieu of skilled veterans like Elvis Andrus and future Hall-of-Famers like Adrian Beltre, it’s unlikely that there will be a pennant chase in Arlington, Texas.

So what did Hamels mean? The answer was simple, of course: later this season, the Rangers, like most teams falling out of contention throughout baseball history, will sell off their higher-priced assets to acquire cheaper minor leaguers for the endless “rebuilding” campaign. Hamels expects to be one of them, and he probably will. He said so.

But what’s interesting about this routine statement was the timing – the Yankees were making their annual visit to the Dallas-Fort Worth blast furnace, and is the one large weakness on this otherwise astonishing Yankee team is their questionable pitching rotation. Despite his age, Cole Hamels would likely fill a critical gap. He knows that. The Yankees know that. And Hamels was smart enough to remind us with that fact before the game and during it.

He’s not the only well-known lustrous ballplayer making such noises. Last year, Bryce Harper, the signature player for the Washington Nationals, told interviewers during the All-Star Game that he didn’t think he wanted to go to the Yankees when his contract expires this fall. Now he’s making noises about the possibility of doing so, reversing his previous stand. And Manny Machado, who is doing a fine job of impersonating a shortstop for the otherwise hopeless Baltimore Orioles, also made similar noises, which got Aaron Judge in trouble when Aaron made them to Manny.

In theory, the Yankees could acquire two of these players (Hamels and Machado) this year, at least as rentals, and all three after the season, putting Miguel Andujar or Didi Gregorius out of a job, or Aaron Hicks out of a job, or filling up holes in the pitching rotation.

Why are these players making these noises? Well, obviously they all want to reel in the immense bucks that the Yankees can (and historically have) throw at the players they want. They also know that playing for the Yankees increases the side money (endorsements and appearances), post-game fun (nightclubs), and opportunities for post-season appearances (and more money). All ballplayers want to ride in the float with their wives and kids down the city’s main street at the World Series Victory Parade. The sole exception was Catfish Hunter, who was a very humble guy – as soon as the World Series was won, he would race for the Stadium exit, the taxicab, and the flight to North Carolina, to return to hunting, farming, and his family.

But this is all a gigantic change from the 1980s and 1990s, when free agents and big-name players would not come to New York and genuinely feared doing so.

Time after time in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s, the Yankees would make their best pitch to some of baseball’s biggest players, and get turned down repeatedly. A three-team trade that would bring New York-raised master hitter Rod Carew to The Bronx fizzled out when Carew refused to play for the Yankees. Bobby Grich, seen as the possible replacement for Fred Stanley at shortstop after the 1976 World Series, instead signed with the Los Angeles Angels, claiming Yankee owner George M. Steinbrenner III “threatened” him.

The result was that the Yankees could not sign a great number of top-line free agents – even during the mid-1980s time of collusion, when Commissioner Peter Ueberroth convinced the owners to resume treating players as chattel. Nobody wanted to join the Yankees.

The reasons in the 1980s were obvious to anyone who remembers the era. Even long-time Yankee fans have trouble keeping tracks of who was manager in a given year. Billy Martin as a default answer usually works. His presence, paranoia, and fondness for alcohol made him a periodic menace to himself and his own team. The Yankees were in perpetual disarray, and players staggered out of the team dazed, exhausted, confused, and relieved.

This kind of atmosphere and the stories the survivors told in their new clubhouses frightened pending free agent ballplayers and their negotiators. Despite the Yankees’ core of talented players – Winfield, Mattingly, and Guidry – their tradition (which needs no rehearsing), and the numerous advantages of playing in New York (endorsement deals and extracurricular activities), “franchise players” avoided The Bronx, except with their visiting teams.

That “boycott” reached its peak or nadir in the late 1980s, when anybody who’d played in an All-Star Game was eager to flee New York or avoid it in the first place…with the result being the horrific 1990 Yankees, whose high in low was Andy Hawkins losing a Chicago game in which he did not give up a hit. Since he lost, the game is not recorded as a no-hitter.

All that changed once Joe Torre and the Core Four replaced Stump Merrill, Steve Howe, Oscar Azocar, Mike Witt, and Pascual Perez. Once again, the Yankees were the hot place for free agents and their spokesmen to bring their wares.

The Yankees promptly re-filed their lineup with a great many talented ballplayers, to the point that players who had no idea of what being a Yankee truly meant were begging to play in pinstripes.

That had some good results: Gary Sheffield, Hideki Matsui, Mike Mussina, to name three – and some horrific ones: Kevin Brown, Rondell White, and Carl Pavano of hated memory. Now we have top players dropping their “no-trade” clauses to accept moves to New York, like Giancarlo Stanton.

But despite revenue sharing and post-season defeats from between 2000 and 2008 and from 2010 and to the present, the big players are seeing the point, and headed for The Bronx. Yankee Stadium is the place to be, and the stars are coursing toward The Bronx.

The Yankees may not gain the services of Harper, Hamels, and Machado this year, or even next. But it’s clear that talented and established players will want to come here. They may not push out the young guys – Torres, Andujar, and Bird, for example – but it’s a pleasant problem for a general manager to face, be he or she sitting in a luxurious office in Yankee Stadium or in a less-than-luxurious living room.

SPECULATION: Why the New York Yankees Will NOT Acquire Cole Hamels Before the July 31st Trade Deadline

The New York Yankees fans have been clamoring for a month now for the team to acquire another starting pitcher for the stretch run. As silly as that sounds here at the end of May it is simply what we as Yankees fans have come to expect, and not only expect but demand as well. Yankees fans demand not only excellence, but borderline dominance and perfection as well which was never more evident than on Tuesday night when potential trade target Cole Hamels shut the powerful Yankees offense down in a victory for the Rangers. The discussions regarding Hamels and his potential acquisition by the Yankees were running rampant before the start, and since the discussions have only become more aggressive from the fan base. Unfortunately, I may have some bad news for everyone reading this as I do not believe it will be the New York Yankees who acquire the 34-year old veteran left-hander’s services before the July 31^st trade deadline.

The New York Yankees have some wiggle room in terms of payroll flexibility while still maintaining a payroll that stays below the luxury tax threshold, but not as much as say a team like the Atlanta Braves. The Braves are a young and exciting team that are drawing comparisons to the 2017 version of the Baby Bombers. Young and hungry can only take a team so far, though, and the team has obvious holes and needs in their pitching staff. The Yankees and the Braves may be preparing to go head-to-head in a bidding war for Cole’s services, and that is a bidding war that Brian Cashman may not want to get into.

The Braves have a lot more money to spend this season and next than the New York Yankees do, and they have a better farm system as well. The Braves have arguably the best farm system in all of Major League Baseball, but they have something else that may put them ahead of the Yankees in the potential Hamels sweepstakes. The Braves have a GM who is not afraid to pull the trigger on a big deal, top prospects being involved or not. Cashman, and I personally love him for it, has shown a huge reluctance to deal top prospects and the type of prospects that the Rangers would likely demand if a bidding war were to ensue.

It wouldn’t take Gleyber Torres or Justus Sheffield to acquire Hamels, presumably a true rental for the Yankees unless they fancy picking up his huge option for the 2019 season, but it would likely require Clint Frazier, Chance Adams, Estevan Florial, Domingo Acevedo or an equivalent prospect or two in order to bring the lefty to the Bronx. Would Cashman be willing to part with any of them? That’s a tricky question and a question that history would say “no” to, but we know that the Braves would pull the trigger in a heartbeat including any of their top prospects not named Albies or Acuna.

Also, you have to keep in mind that Hamels is 34-years old, soon to be 35. Hamels has one-year left on his deal past the 2018 season, a team option that can be bough out for $6 million. All signs and speculation point to, assuming he was acquired by New York, the Yankees buying out his deal for the 2019 season and giving him his $6 million along with his walking papers next season. The Braves, on the other hand, would likely keep Hamels next season with the hopes of either competing, or with the hopes of getting some prospects back in another July 31^st trade if the team cannot replicate their early success from this season to next season. Hamels has a no-trade clause, albeit limited, and will likely weigh all options when being asked to waive it. You have to think at his age his security and future are far more important than chasing a title, especially when he already has a World Series ring under his belt.

Many believe it is a foregone conclusion that Cole Hamels will be the 2018 version of Sonny Gray who was acquired by the Yankees at the 2017 deadline, but I am not so sure. Obviously, the Yankees could pick up Hamels option for the 2019 season and allow him to replace CC Sabathia in the rotation, but that is a huge “if” for Hamels who controls his destiny. The allure of pitching in the Bronx may be a big factor for the left-hander, but the possibility of entering a pitching free agent market beside potential free agents like Clayton Kershaw and Dallas Keuchel at age 35 may trump that. Pitching for Atlanta, a National League team with much fewer eyes on the veteran lefty, may make more sense not only for the Braves, but for the future of Hamels as well.

There is a lot that can happen between July 31^st and now, and truth be told this is all speculation anyway, but right now I wouldn’t be surprised if the Braves came in and swooped up Hamels before the Yankees could make a deal. A more laid-back atmosphere, “easier” lineups to face, security for the 2019 season, and a young and hungry team with an aggressive GM may be too much for even Brian Cashman to compete with, but then again, they don’t call him the “Ninja” for nothing.

Stay tuned.

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers 5/23

And just like that it is game time here in Arlington, Texas between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers. In the finale of this three-game set this week the Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound to square off with Doug Fister for the Rangers. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Globe Life Park in Arlington and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast with the legendary duo of John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the team all season long. Enjoy the game, it’s Gleyber Day, and go Yankees!!

…But is Cole Hamels REALLY an Option in July?

Earlier this week, albeit sarcastically, I declared it “trade season” in Major League Baseball and for the New York Yankees. While I believe it is still a little too early to start making concrete plans for the trading deadline before the calendar even strikes June, I think it may be safe to remove one player particularly from the Yankees wish list. His name is Cole Hamels and he was the starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers last night against the Yankees.

Cole Hamels is intriguing. Hamels is a veteran pitcher now pitching at 34-years old, and a pitcher with a ton of postseason experience including the 2008 World Series where Hamels won the MVP award. Hamels can still be an elite pitcher, not every fifth night but from time-to-time and is still throwing in the low 90 MPH with a devastating changeup. The Yankees would presumably love to add Hamels to their postseason push and to the mix, but Hal Steinbrenner is not likely to sign off on any acquisition for the Rangers left-hander. Why? Money.

Steinbrenner has stated the Yankees will keep payroll under the $197 million luxury tax threshold this season no matter what. Hamels is due to make $23 million in 2018 and would come with a $20 million club option or $6 million buyout for the 2019 season. Sure, with a trade the Yankees would only be on the hook for around $13.7 million of that, a prorated $7.7 million if the trade were to happen on July 31 plus the $6 million buyout, but that leaves New York a lot closer to the threshold cusp than they would like to be. The Yankees would have to pay more if they were to acquire him before July 31, that’s the way prorating works, and there will be plenty of competition for him making him equally as expensive in terms of prospects.

This is all before you remember that Hamels can veto ANY deal to 20 teams this July, including the New York Yankees. Hamels may make the financial decision a moot point, who is to say that Hamels even wants to come to New York? Hamels has his World Series ring, so he may or may not be chasing a ring, or another shot in the postseason. Hamels may be content just pitching the rest of the season in Texas for all we know. Hamels may want to return to Philadelphia. We just don’t know!

Thankfully NJ.com did an interview with Hamels this week while the team was in Texas and there were a few nuggets that came out of the Q&A. Here are a few questions and answers, for the entire list head over to NJ.com and read their amazing write up on Hamels and his potential trip to the Bronx.

Q: Are you aware that a lot of Yankee fans are bringing your name up quite a bit thinking that you're going to the final piece to their next championship?

Hamels: “Shoot, I helped them get a World Series in ‘09, so I’m sure they like me! … No, no. I understand it. It’s kind of the nature of what happens, and I think anytime you get traded once, you understand that the possibilities are there. And as you get older if you’re able to play well and keep of what I know I’m capable of doing, then it’s each year you could be on a different team hunting down a postseason. So, it’s kind of the nature of where I think I am in my career and in the contract and in the situation. (The Yankees) have a tremendous team. So really looking at them, it’s some of the best baseball is now being able to watch the Yankees and Boston and I think that’s just exciting for baseball fans in general and the game and the scope of it now creates with that drama that they’ve always had in their history. It’s been good to see.”

Q: You've always been super competitive. How important is it for you to be in a playoff race as opposed to just pitching?

Hamels: "I think you always look at it as you want to win every game that you go out and play. And then there’s a lot of games that I don’t get to play in, and you want to be able to see the sort of winning environment, that sort of atmosphere, the excitement from everybody. I think that’s kind of the energy that now has being created over in the AL East with those guys."

Q: Cliff Lee chose the Phillies over the Yankees when he was a free agent after the 2010 season. (Lee brought up his wife being harassed at Yankee Stadium in his signing presser with the Phillies). How do you feel about New York?

Hamels: “Actually, that’s not really the truth. I think it was between the Phillies and Texas truthfully. I don’t think the Yankees really had that sort of opportunity (to sign Lee in 2010). Knowing Cliff, it was Phillies and Texas. For me, it’s to play baseball. This is where I wanted to be. I’m fortunate enough to be here, and we made pretty good runs in ‘15 and ‘16. Last year was kind of tough. This year we’re working through some things. But for me, it’s just to go out there and play. This is the team I enjoy the most to be a part of. But I think you just have to look at it and it is what it is. I don’t really necessarily make the decisions or point the direction of what we’re trying to do or what ownership and management is trying to do. I’m just one piece that’s trying to help win ballgames. It’s a matter of being here and doing what I can until there’s a different situation or the time has come. So, I don’t really get to affect it as much as I think people think.”

Q: Why did you pick the Yankees as a team that you could block from trading for you?

Hamels: “It’s just a list. Really, it’s just kind of like heads up. So, I think what it really comes down to is it’s something that’s there. It just kind of provides a little bit more information, a little bit more bargaining power. That’s kind of really what that entails. But at the end of the day, situations kind of come up and I think everybody understands what can transpire. It’s just kind of a formality. I don’t think it’s anything that kind of needs to be looked into too deeply. I love it here (in Texas) and I’d love to be able to win here. But if management changes the direction, (getting traded) is just an opportunity to win and get to October. I think that’s the real baseball. That’s kind of where you test your skills the most.”

Q: Did you get to know Yankees manager Aaron Boone from his days at ESPN? Have you been interested to see how he's doing with no manager experience?

Hamels: “I think knowing his personality, and I know with him being around baseball so long, I don’t think you have to look at it as inexperienced. I think he was born and bred into baseball, so I think he would know better than anybody you don’t need a college degree to move around lineups and know momentum and who’s better matching up. The initiative of just being who he is has been pretty good. And he’s got a pretty good team to be able to manage too, so I think that helps."

Q: What's it going to be like facing the Yankees with Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge?

Hamels: “I didn’t get to face them last year. I think I was on the DL during the two times we played the Yankees. It was unfortunate because it’s always fun to pitch against the Yankees and especially in that sort of (atmosphere). But they do have a lot of power, so you just have to limit the damage. Solo home runs are probably the key. If you’re going to give up 500-foot home runs, try to make sure they’re solo and they’re not bunched together in fours and fives. Like anybody, there’s holes (in their lineup) and you just have to exploit it and you have to be able to locate. I think really what it comes down to, it’s a chess match and you try to study up as possible. But really at the end of the day you have to execute, and whoever executes the best and the most often comes away with the win.”

Q: You joked about blowing the 2009 World Series. Does your (five-run, 4 1/3-inning) performance in Game 3 still bug you?

Hamels: “The opportunity that I was given … I was a lot of runs early and to not be able to hold that (3-0) lead. The series was even. To not be able to hold that lead, I think it as kind of a pivotal moment and that kind of changes the tide in a series, especially when you’re home. So, I think that kind of always leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, especially against the Yankees. You always want to go to the postseason and beat the Yankees. I think that was kind of how I grew up (in San Diego). I got to watch all those (1990s and 2000) Yankees teams win as a kid, especially when they took down the hometown Padres (in 1998). You always want to try to get one on ‘em, but they got me (in 2009). I wasn’t able to solidify the job and then I didn’t have an opportunity for a Game 7 (because the Yankees won in six games). Who knows what would have happened if I had even been there (in Game 7). It wasn’t a very good postseason for me. It definitely taught me a lot. If that didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have the type of pitches that I have (now) and the repertoire and obviously that toughness.”

So, will Hamels end up in the Bronx? Maybe. Stay tuned.

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers 5/23

Good morning everyone and welcome back to Arlington, Texas, the location of the third and final game of a three-game set between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers. The Yankees offense has remained hot and the pitching has done enough to keep the team rolling and they will look to do so again tonight with CC Sabathia toeing the rubber for New York. The Rangers will counter with Doug Fister for the finale. Let’s get to it here in Arlington, Texas.

Sabathia finally took his first loss of the 2018 season in his last start against the Kansas City Royals. Sabathia pitched well enough to win but his start was foiled by shaky defense behind him including two errors by Gleyber Torres.

Fister does not have a win for the Rangers since March 30 despite having his best start of the season last time out. Fister pitched seven scoreless innings last time out against the Chicago White Sox striking out four while allowing six hits, but the start ended in a no-decision for the Rangers right-hander.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Globe Life Park in Arlington and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast with the legendary duo of John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Enjoy the game, like a good Gleyber… Torres is there, and go Yankees!!

Hello… How the Mighty Have Fallen

Good morning everyone and Happy Hump Day to all. We are halfway there, and former Yankees right-hander and phenom Phil Hughes is presumably halfway to finding himself on a new team for the 2018 season. Phil Hughes was designated for assignment by the Minnesota Twins this week, how the mighty have fallen.

Hughes is making $13.2 million this season and will make another $13.2 million for the 2019 season, a total that the Twins will presumably be obligated to pay after the DFA. Hughes has pitched just 12 innings this season for the pitching-starved Twins and sports a 6.75 ERA as both a starter and as a relief pitcher.

The New York Yankees drafted Hughes with their first-round pick in 2004 and subsequently let him walk via free agency before the 2014 season. Hughes signed a three-year deal worth $24 million with the Twins before the 2014 season and posted a 16-10 record with a 3.52 ERA in 32 starts and 209.2 innings pitched. That was a high for Hughes, it was all downhill from there. Hughes dealt with back issues in 2015, a broken leg in 2016, a surgery to remove a rib, a bout with thoracic outlet syndrome, arm fatigue, hand numbness, and shoulder discomfort.

The Twins now have a week to trade him or let him walk with his $26.4 million. Must be nice to suck and make more than I will ever make over the course of my life while being awesome. And humble too. Former Yankees update, Phil Hughes sucks! The end.

And my baby, I love you. Seven more days. Lucky number seven. I’ve always loved you, and I will always love you.

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers 5/22

And just like that it is game time here in Arlington, Texas as the Texas Rangers play host to the New York Yankees. In the second game of their three-game set this week the Yankees will send Domingo German to the mound to face off with Cole Hamels for the Rangers. Familiar faces, familiar foes. The game will be played at 8:05 pm ET inside Globe Life Park in Arlington and can be seen on the YES Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the team all season long. Enjoy the game, keep first place from those pesky Red Sox, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Texas Rangers 5/22

Good morning everyone and welcome back to Arlington for the second game of a three-game set between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers. The Yankees remain hot while the Rangers continue to try and stay within striking distance of the Houston Astros and the postseason here in 2018. In the start tonight, the Yankees will send out rookie starter Domingo German while the Rangers will send out a man that is already being speculated as a potential trade target for the Yankees this July, left-hander Cole Hamels. Let’s get to it here in hot and humid Texas.

German regressed a little in his second MLB start after bursting onto the scene with six hitless innings in his debut against the Cleveland Indians on May 6. German started against the Oakland Athletics in his second career start on May 12 and allowed six runs on six hits in five innings of work. Which German will we see tonight? Nobody knows, stay tuned.

Hamels missed his last start due to neck stiffness and has not pitched since May 11 against the Houston Astros. In that start Hamels allowed just one hit in six innings of work striking out five along the way. Hamels may be potentially auditioning to join the Yankees later on in the summer should the Rangers fall out of contention and should the Yankees feel that another starter, or a veteran starter, is needed for the postseason push.

The game will be played at 8:05 pm ET inside Globe Life Park in Arlington and can be seen on the YES Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman. It could be worse, it could be Mike Francesa.

Enjoy the game, Hamels audition for the Bronx starts in eight hours, and go Yankees!!

Rafael Palmeiro’s Comeback & Fight Against Steroids

I will be completely honest here, Rafael Palmeiro broke my heart. Why you may ask? Well I have like four-or-five of his rookie cards in mint condition that I was planning on cashing in once he made it to the Hall of Fame, but after an inclusion in the Mitchell Report and a failed test for steroids before the end of his playing days the value of his cards plummeted. Palmeiro will likely never make it into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York and I will likely never strike it rich off his Topps Tiffany playing cards, but that won’t stop Palmeiro from fighting back against his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. In fact, Palmeiro is taking his fight against steroids so far that at the ripe age of 53-years old he is making a return to professional baseball.

After spending much of his MLB career with the Texas Rangers and the Baltimore Orioles the former MLB first baseman is now headed to the Cleburne Railroaders of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. Rafael will also be joined by his son, 28-year old Patrick Palmeiro, on the Railroaders.

Palmeiro let it be known this winter that he would like to return to Major League Baseball and even went as far as to claim that he could still contribute at the Major League level. Palmeiro asked for an invitation to spring training to prove that and to win a job outright this spring, but no teams were willing to extend the invite leading Palmeiro to play for Cleburne to try and prove that he still has it. Palmeiro also wants to prove that he still has it, and has always had it, without the boost that performance enhancing drugs can give.

Palmeiro was quoted as saying to The Athletic in December:

"Maybe 12 years later, if I can come back and prove I don’t need anything as an older player with an older body, then people might think, OK, maybe he didn’t do anything intentionally."

That sounds great, now it’s time to prove it. Good luck.

New Faces & Slow Starts in New York Are Nothing New

There is a lot that can be said about the George Steinbrenner era of New York Yankees baseball, but one thing that could not be said is that the team did not tend to always get their man. If the Yankees needed a first baseman they went out and got the best first baseman available each and every time. Need a pitcher? A few days after the determination was made prospects were being shipped out the door and a fresh new arm was headed to the Bronx. It was where the “Get Greedy” mantra began, and we got a glimpse of the past this winter when Brian Cashman and son of the Boss, Hal Steinbrenner, acquired reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton from the Miami Marlins. Stanton has started his Yankees tenure off slower than expected, but he isn’t the first big time Yankees slugger to be acquired only to have a slow start to his Big Apple career. Let’s compare.

We all as Yankees fans know that there have been a few key acquisitions that started awfully slow, but ultimately rebounded to have good first seasons in New York and career's with the Yankees. That list of names includes Alex Rodriguez who was acquired in a trade with the Texas Rangers, Jason Giambi who was signed as a free agent from the Oakland Athletics and Johnny Damon who was signed as a free agent after leaving the Boston Red Sox. Does their past give us hope for Giancarlo Stanton's future?

Alex Rodriguez

2003 w/ TEX: .298/.396/.600/.995 with 47 HR and 118 RBI

2004 w/ NYY: .286/.375/.512/.888 with 36 HR and 106 RBI

Career w/ NYY: .283/.378/.523/.900 with 351 HR and 1096 RBI (12 seasons)

Jason Giambi

2001 w/ OAK: .342/.477/.660/1.137 with 38 HR and 128 RBI

2002 w/ NYY: .314/.435/.598/1.034 with 41 HR and 122 RBI

Career w/ NYY: .260/.404/.521/.925 with 209 HR and 604 RBI (7 seasons)

Johnny Damon

2005 w/ BOS: .316/.366/.439/.805 with 20 HR and 94 RBI

2006 w/ NYY: .285/.359/.482/.841 with 24 HR and 80 RBI

Career w/ NYY: .285/.363/.458/.821 with 77 HR and 296 RBI (4 seasons)

Giancarlo Stanton

2017 w/ MIA: .281/.376/.631/1.007 with 59 HR and 132 RBI

2018 w/ NYY: .227/.313/.455/.768 with 7 HR and 19 RBI (34 games)

Career w/ NYY: Stay tuned

As you can see a slow start or even a bad season to begin their tenures do not always spell the end or doomsday for these players. Stanton has plenty of contract left and an immense amount of talent to showcase before his Yankees tenure is in the books. I wasn’t worried when Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi or Johnny Damon got off to slower starts than you would like, and I am not worried about Stanton’s slow start either. We will try and revisit this post in October, that will be more telling than his stats as we entered the week here in May.

I said all that to say this, some fans need to just calm the hell down.

All stats courtesy of and thanks to Baseball Reference.

TGP 2018 Predictions: Comeback Players of the Year

The Comeback Player of the Year Award is generally given to a player who has not only a great season but has a great story behind their great season. For example, if a player misses a bulk of the previous season or seasons due to injury they are generally a candidate for the award if they come back the next season and have a strong season. Remember when Bartolo Colon basically came out of retirement for the New York Yankees only to shock the baseball world by showing that he could not only still pitch, but still pitch effectively at the Major League level? Or remember last season when Greg Holland returned from missing the 2016 season with Tommy John surgery to lead the National League for a chunk of the seasons in saves in 2017? Those are the kind of stories that win you a Comeback Player of the Year Award, and here are my 2018 stories.

I know I am reaching way out in left field on this one, but you almost have to with any of these sorts of predictions at this stage in the year. No one knows who is going to come back healthy, and nobody knows who is going to be the “next big thing” in Major League Baseball. So why not go bold? Why not predict that Tim Lincecum will not only make the Major League roster at some point in the 2017 season with the pitching-starved Texas Rangers, but why not predict that he will do well for the team in whatever role they use him in? It could happen, and according to my predictions it will happen. The Freak is back, likely as a reliever, and he wants some more hardware for his shelves at home.

The National League version was a little harder to come up with, so I decided to go bold once again in predicting that David Wright finally makes his way back onto the field with the New York Mets. At this point Wright doesn’t even have to be all that effective to earn to award, the story in itself of him working his way back to the Major League level would be story enough. Wright is currently working on trying to get back to the Mets after undergoing shoulder surgery in September of 2017 and an additional surgery on his lower back in October of 2017. Currently at the time of this writing Wright has been shut down from baseball activities for at least eight weeks, but if the Mets former third baseman can make it back by June or July he would easily be the story of the second half around Major League Baseball.

No Need To Worry About Second Or Third Base

"To infinity 2017 and beyond!"

If the Yankees were to trade for or acquire a second or third baseman, then that person has to be for 2017 and beyond. 

With the firepower the Yankees batting lineup possesses, there's absolutely no need for a move to be made. We could have 2015 Stephen Drew at second, and 2013 Jayson Nix at third, and the team would still average over five runs a game. 

I'm not saying that if we had players that contributed as little as Drew in 2015 or Nix in 2013 in the lineup regularly I'd be ok with that. However, I don't expect to have another All Star, let alone another MVP candidate, playing those positions this season. 

Therefore, unless the Yankees acquired somebody that's clearly above average, and under team control for at least a couple more years, then there's no point.

Here's a list of such players....

Second Base

Jose Ramirez

Jonathan Schoop

Robinson Cano

Third Base

Justin Turner

Jose Ramirez

Kris Bryant

Anthony Rendon

Nolan Arenado

Joey Gallo

Alex Bregman

Travis Shaw

Nicholas Castellanos

The Yankees are not trading for any of those three second basemen. Ramirez plays for the Indians, who would be looking to add to their team... not subtract. I suppose something might be able to get done to bring back Cano, but the $24 million AAV of his contract would be a huge obstacle. Jonathan Schoop is another outside possibility, but seeing that he's in Baltimore I doubt a deal would get done. 

Although Turner, Ramirez, Bryant, Rendon, Bregman, and Shaw look to be off-limits, third base does present some possibilities. 

Joey Gallo is a bit intriguing thanks to him coming off a 41 homer campaign last season, but his batting average is pretty bad (.209). So even though he's on that list, unless the Rangers asking price for him was pretty low, I'd pass.

One name that's quite intriguing is Nolan Arenado. Arenado is right there with Manny Machado in that they're both very good players, at the same position, but the one big difference is that Nolan is not eligible for free agency until after the 2019 season. But would Colorado want to move him? While the Dodgers seem to have a firm grip on the National League West division, the Rockies certainly have their eyes on one of the Wild Card spots. Taking things a step further, the Rox also have a nice crop of starters that the Yankees could go after. But I just don't see such a big trade happening with a team that has serious postseason hopes.

There's been plenty of talk about trading for Michael Fulmer of the Detroit Tigers, but third baseman Nicholas Castellanos (he can also play right field) would be a nice target. He brings a good batting average and can hit 20+ home runs. His defense leaves some to be desired, although it's not awful by any means. Miguel Andujar and a non-Adams/Sheffield pitching prospect could probably get a deal done. But what about a trade that would bring over Castellanos and Fulmer? While that would be perfect, I'm not sure about the cost. Clint Frazier, Miguel Andujar, Chance Adams, and another lower-level pitcher? Is that too much? Probably, but I would think hard about this trade.

The way I see things when it comes to trading for a second or third baseman, it's Detroit or bust. I don't think any other player would be available without the Yankees having to blow a team away with an offer. And let's be honest, the Yankees absolutely do not need to offer a package that would blow anybody away. 

I'm going to definitely be thinking more about that Fulmer and Castellanos trade I mentioned above.

Meet a Prospect: Reiver Sanmartin

We all watched as the New York Yankees were extremely active before the deadline to protect prospects in the 2018 Rule 5 Draft. The Yankees made many moves over the course of a couple days clearing spots for the likes of Gleyber Torres, Thairo Estrada and others to be added to the 40-man roster at the expense of young players like Ronald Herrera who was sent to the Texas Rangers in exchange for A-Ball pitcher Reiver Sanmartin. Let’s meet the man that was brought over in the trade late in the evening on Monday. This is Meet a Prospect: The Reiver Sanmartin Edition.

Sanmartin is a left-handed starting pitcher that was signed as an international free agent out of Columbia by the Texas Rangers at just 19-years old. Sanmartin spent his first two professional seasons in the Dominican Summer League before making the big jump to the United States here in 2017 stopping at two affiliates for the Rangers.

In 32 minor league games, 23 of them as a starting pitcher, Sanmartin has compiled a 14-4 record with a 2.62 ERA along with 119 strikeouts in 137.2 innings pitched. Sanmartin sits at about 88-92 MPH on his fastball while complimenting that pitch with what is considered to be an average changeup and slider. All signs point to Sanmartin being a bullpen arm if and when he reaches the Major League level, and that’s okay if you’re the Yankees.

Most importantly for New York is that Sanmartin will not need protection from the Rule 5 Draft until this time next season. Worry about that when the time comes, until then welcome Sanmartin to the organization and to the Yankees family. Enjoy your stay and make us proud. 

Looking Ahead to Potential AL Wild Card Opponents for the New York Yankees

Before we get too far into this I want to preface this article with a little disclaimer. I want the Yankees to win the AL East Division and I don’t want to go to a one-game playoff with their season on the line. I don’t necessarily want the Yankees to win the Wild Card but I will take the Wild Card over playing golf into the first week of October so with that in mind I wanted to take a look at the potential AL Wild Card Game opponents the New York Yankees could be facing off with, assuming they make it there themselves of course, next month in the postseason. Before jumping on the bandwagon that I am jinxing the Yankees or it is bad “juju” or karma to look ahead remember that entering the series with the Baltimore Orioles yesterday the Yankees had a 98.4 chance of making the postseason according to Fangraphs. I feel good about this thing and so should you.

The Baltimore Orioles, who the Yankees continue their series with here in just a few hours, and the Tampa Bay Rays, who the Yankees just won a series against inside Citi Field this week, are still mathematically in the hunt for the AL Wild Card but the way these two teams have been playing of late mixed in with their strength of schedule you have to think both teams are considered long shots at this point. You can’t predict baseball, remember, and both teams could go on historic runs into the postseason, I am not completely counting them out, but I think by the end of the weekend the Yankees would have put the nail in both of these coffins with series victories. Just a hunch. Entering the weekend both teams had right at or less than 1% of making the postseason according to Fangraphs.

The Seattle Mariners are in front of both Baltimore and Tampa Bay and the Seattle Robbie Cano’s have four teams in front of them just to face off with the Yankees. New York has beat up on Seattle this year and won more times than not in their head-to-head series with a 5-2 record. Seattle is expected to get both James Paxton (12-3, 2.78 ERA, 1.08 WHIP) and Felix Hernandez (5-4, 4.28 ERA, 1.36 WHIP) back from injuries this week and both are returning just in time for the final playoff push for Seattle. Paxton would be tough to see in a one-game playoff as would Hernandez, only because Hernandez absolutely kills the Yankees, but I have to think the Yankees could take care of business if Luis Severino or Masahiro Tanaka, whichever right-hander starts the game for New York, pitch well.

The Texas Rangers are division rivals of those Seattle Mariners and are one of the many teams that Seattle will have to leapfrog in order to get into the postseason. The Rangers have played the Yankees tough this season splitting the six meetings between the two clubs led by Cole Hamels (10-3, 4.05 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) and Andrew Cashner (9-9, 3.19 ERA, 1.26 WHIP). While Hamels record this season may not be much to write home about the left-hander definitely knows where the switch is and knows how to flip it when the calendar turns to postseason baseball. Hamels has a career 3.48 ERA in the postseason and a 1.09 WHIP in 98.1 innings pitched including a 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP to show for it. Neither pitcher strikes out many batters leaving much of the responsibility on the backs and the bats of the Rangers offense. Can the likes of Adrian Beltre hit enough home runs off either Severino or Tanaka to keep the Rangers in the contest? They always say that good pitching beats good hitting in the postseason and if Texas wins either one of the Wild Card spots in the American League I guess we will put that theory to the test one more time.

The Kansas City Royals were left out to sea by many early on in the season and somehow the Royals just keep fighting back. The Royals have struggled against the Yankees this season losing four of the six meetings between the two clubs and in one start against Kansas City this season Severino dominated and shut out the Royals over eight innings of work but again, the postseason is called the second season for a reason. Either Danny Duffy (8-8, 3.78 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) or Jason Hammel (8-11, 4.91 ERA, 1.39 WHIP) would likely get the start for Kansas City if the Royals were to get there although Duffy comes with a question mark or two since the lefty hasn’t pitched since August 22 after nursing a pronator strain in his left pitching elbow. While this potential matchup looks great for the Yankees on paper I cannot be the one to count out the Royals, especially considering essentially this exact lineup went to back-to-back World Series including one time as an AL Wild Card winner. Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas have a lot to prove as each are likely on their way out of Kansas City and both would presumably like to go out with a bang.

The Minnesota Twins have been hanging around all season long and had it not been for an absolutely stellar season by the Cleveland Indians here in 2017 we may be talking about the Cinderella team of the year being these Minnesota Twins. Paul Molitor has done a great job as their manager this season and so has Ervin Santana (15-7, 3.35 ERA, 1.13 WHIP), their ace who would likely start the AL Wild Card Game if everything lined up right. If the Twins were to have to use Santana in a tiebreaker or a Game 163 scenario then the team would likely turn to Jose Berrios (12-7, 3.94 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) after silencing Aaron Judge and the Yankees offense once already this season on July 19. Berrios is the only Twin to beat the Yankees this season, Yankees lead the season series two-games-to-one, and the 23-year old does not seem bothered by the bright light or the spotlight. Minnesota is a huge threat to the Yankees, especially in a one-game playoff, but if New York doesn’t pitch to Miguel Sano and the offense makes an appearance I truly think the team will be just fine.

The final team the Yankees could potentially face off with head-to-head in the AL Wild Card Game is the team that I predicted to win the spot here a few weeks back on the blog when I discussed the strength of schedule for all the vying teams in the AL, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Disney World of Orange County of Elm Street of Pasadena, California home of the Big Bang Theory. The Angels actually have a winning head-to-head record against the Yankees winning four of the six meetings between the two clubs and in one of those starts Severino wasn’t exactly sharp allowing six runs, five earned, in six innings of work in a loss. Los Angeles may have lost their two best starters this season in JC Ramirez and Alex Meyer but the team also got back Garrett Richards (0-1, 1.38 ERA, 1.00 WHIP in three starts)  who would likely start the game if the Angels were to get that far. This is a much improved team since they have faced the Yankees also, although to be fair so is New York, after adding Brandon Phillips and Justin Upton before the August 31^st trade deadline and this team could be really scary come October in a one-game playoff. I think LAA will ultimately win the second Wild Card but part of me is wishing that they won’t, that’s called respect.