Waiting for Mr Baseball...

Photo Credit: Associated Press

Our favorite pastime is sorely missed…

We continue to sit and wait to see if the 2020 MLB baseball season will start or even happen. Unfortunately, the coronavirus continues to increase its grip on the country and many of us wait this out at our homes, with minimal external trips for necessities. We’ve seen the passing of many people who could not overcome the deadly effects of the virus and can only hope things begin to turn around soon.

It was good to see MLB and the Players Union come together for compromise regarding the shortened or possibly lost season. The players maintain service time but that’s certainly the least of the concerns from my perspective as a fan. At the present time, there is a possibility that Mookie Betts never plays a regular season game for the Los Angeles Dodgers. I continue to be cautiously optimistic for a shortened season and do want to see Mookie in Dodger Blue for meaningful games (although simply watching the Yankee pinstripes on a baseball field is more desirable).

Photo Credit: Ray Stubblebine, Reuters

At this point, I don’t think anyone really knows what the 2020 MLB season will look like. I’d like to see them play at least 120 games if possible. The idea of using many double-headers to get in as many games as they can seems to be an invitation to injury in my opinion. There’s talk the rosters will be expanded beyond 26 players, at least at the start of the season, as a hedge against injury but that’s not enough. If they expand to say 28 or 29 players, that’s not really going to help in the long run. I am hopeful for as many games as can be played but mostly within the confines of single games per day. 

I know Los Angeles was looking forward to hosting this year’s All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium but it does appear the All-Star Break will be one of the sacrifices in an altered, reduced schedule.

I’ve seen the talk about a two-week mini-Spring Training if/when baseball resumes, but I share Yankee manager Aaron Boone’s opinion teams need more time than that (3 to 4 weeks is more realistic). Where we sit today, it seems June would be the earliest we could potentially see regular season baseball again and that’s assuming things with COVID-19 start to improve soon. 

The Yankees were scheduled to play 60 total games from March 26^th through the end of May. To get in 120 games would require creative scheduling or an extension of the season deeper into October, possibly pushing the playoffs into November. The thought of Yankees baseball in the Bronx after Halloween is a scary thought if for no other reason than the colder temps. There’s talk of neutral sites. Does that mean we could see the Yankees play “home” games at the Tin Can they call Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, FL? It does make more sense for the Yankees to play alternate home games near their Spring Training home and minor league headquarters than other cities if they can’t play in New York City. 

Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay, AP 

At this point, anything is purely speculation so we continue to wait and hopefully all of us stay healthy in the meantime.

There was some transaction activity until MLB froze transactions temporarily with this week’s agreement. The Yankees optioned fifth starter candidate Michael King, along with reliever Ben Heller, starter Deivi Garcia and infielder Thairo Estrada to the minors. All, except Garcia who went to Double A Trenton, were assigned to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. 

Not surprised at any of the names, but Estrada’s demotion does point to the success of Tyler Wade making the club as its backup infielder (and on some occasions, outfielder) and maybe even non-roster invitee Rosell Herrera, who opened a few eyes before Spring Training was shut down. I have thought this could be a big breakout year for the speedy Wade so time will tell if he gets the chance. Garcia is clearly not ready yet although his arrival looms on the horizon. King and Heller are two guys that I thought had legitimate chances to make the Opening Day roster.  But the longer the delay goes on, the better the chance James Paxton is ready to join the starting rotation. Under that scenario, Jordan Montgomery moves from fourth to fifth starter which eliminates the immediate need for King. I’ve long admired Heller but I know, like Monty, he is working his way back from Tommy John surgery and it probably makes more sense to have him continue his work at Triple A until he proves he is ready to be an answer in the bullpen. Realistically, I think we’ll see all four of these players at the Major League level at some point during the season but that’s not exactly a bold prediction. 

With starting pitchers Chris Sale and Noah Syndergaard opting for Tommy John surgery, it makes you wonder who is next. Granted, I am not a fan of the Red Sox or the Mets, but I hope both guys have successful surgeries with full recovery to good health. I respect both pitchers and I look forward to their respective returns to top form.

Moving off-topic to football, it is going to be very weird to see Tom Brady performing as the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I don’t like the New England Patriots but the thought of Brady in anything other than a Patriots uniform seems wrong. As a Vikings fan, I got to see hated rival Brett Favre suit up in purple and gold but that’s not the same since Favre, a great quarterback, is not on the same level as Brady who will go down as one of the greatest to ever play the position, if not the greatest. I am not convinced Brady will see the same level of success with the Bucs and it’s kind of sad to see him go out as anything but the best. I had hoped he would come to Los Angeles to play for the Chargers, but the Californian opted for the “home” city of the Yankees, playing next to Steinbrenner Field.

NFL free agency has not been kind to my team, the Minnesota Vikings. The defensive backfield has been decimated by the departures of Xavier Rhodes (Colts), Trae Waynes (Bengals) and Mackenzie Alexander (Bengals). He is not the player he once was but the Cleveland Browns signed Andrew Sendejo. The Vikings placed the franchise tag on Anthony Harris, but his name continues to come up in potential trades. The defensive backfield is going to look substantially different this year, although I am glad All-Star safety Harrison Smith remains in place. He’ll need Holton Hill, Mike Hughes, and Kris Boyd to step up and whomever else the Vikings decide to bring in through free agency and the draft. 

The Vikings’ receiving corps will also look different with the trade of Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills. While I will miss the talent Diggs brought to the field, I won’t miss the drama that came with him. He’ll forever be immortalized in Minnesota for the famed Minneapolis Miracle catch a few seasons ago against the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs, but life moves on.  Former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tajaé Sharpe joins the team in a bid to secure the second receiver role behind the team’s premier receiver, Adam Thielen. The 25-year-old New Jersey native had 25 catches last year for the Titans, accumulating 329 yards and scoring four touchdowns. I didn’t know much about him prior to this year, but I am excited for him to compete with the other young receivers on the Vikings roster.  Ironically, Sharpe made his NFL debut in 2016 against the Vikings, grabbing 7 passes for 76 yards. Fortunately, the Vikings won the game, but I’m fine if Sharpe wants to keep up that production when there are Vikings on the field. 

Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Although the decision for the NFL Draft to proceed as scheduled next month is highly controversial, I am glad they’ll do it. We need the distraction and the return of Sports in any capacity is much appreciated. 

I thought I had seen my last snow in Colorado but it was not to be. The ground, as I type this post, is covered with the white stuff. This, I think, is the last.  I know Colorado weather is so fickle but it does appear temps will be slightly better for the coming days. Still not crazy about moving during this crazy (and unhealthy) time but I will do my best to stay safe.  I am looking forward to my new home and the end to Winter as I presently know it.  Kind of funny to think that today I need a heavy coat to go outside but will be wearing shorts in a couple of weeks. 

Stay safe and healthy.

As always, Go Yankees! 

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 9/27

And just like that it is game time here inside Tropicana Field between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays. In the finale of this four-game set the Yankees will send CC Sabathia out to the mound to face off with Jamie Schultz of the Tampa Bay Rays. The game will be played at 1:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field down in Tampa/St. Pete and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and on Twitter! 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, notch another win in the record books, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 9/27

The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays will finish off their four-game set this afternoon with the finale of the series inside The Trop. In the game this afternoon the Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound to face off with Jamie Schultz of the Rays. One more game, hopefully one more win, and one more step towards hosting a Wild Card Game in the Bronx. Let’s get to it.

Sabathia won his first start in his last six tries last time out against the Baltimore Orioles allowing just two runs in six innings of work. The victory against Baltimore was Sabathia’s 245^th of his career. Sabathia has not been sharp this month pitching to a 1-3 record with a 7.02 ERA in four September starts.

Schultz will start another presumable bullpen game this afternoon for the Rays. Schultz pitched a perfect ninth inning against the Yankees on Monday that included strike outs of Adeiny Hechavarria and Aaron Judge. Where's Tyler Glasnow?

The game will be played at 1:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field down in Tampa/St. Pete and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and on Twitter! 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, follow @GreedyStripes on Twitter, and go Yankees!!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 6/23

And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays. In the middle game of the three-game set this weekend down in Tampa St. Pete the Yankees will send Sonny Gray out to the mound for another road start while the Rays will counter with Wilmer Font. The game will be played at 4:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on Fox Sports One. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the Yankees all season long. Enjoy the game, Sonny Gray on the road is awesome Sonny Gray, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 6/23

image credit: Pinstriped Prospects

Good morning Yankees family. Today the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays will prepare for the second of a three-game weekend set that will pit Sonny Gray for the Yankees and Wilmer Font for the Rays on the mound head-to-head. Sonny Gray at home scares me, but with the game in Tampa Bay I feel like maybe I can afford to be cautiously optimistic. Maybe. Let’s get to it here inside Tropicana Field down in Tampa Bay.

Gray will look to pick up back-to-back victories for the first time in his year-long Yankees tenure tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays. In his last start Gray was sharp on the road against the Washington Nationals pitching 5.0 innings while allowing just two runs on six hits in a victory.

Font will make his fourth start tonight including his second consecutive start against the New York Yankees. The Rays are stretching out Font which means he will likely be able to go around five innings or so before the move to the bullpen is made after pitching 4.2 innings last time out in New York.

The game will be played at 4:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on Fox Sports One. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Enjoy the game, boy I feel the sudden urge for fish for dinner tonight and go Yankees!!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 6/22

And just like that it is game time here inside Tropicana Field between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays. In the first game of this three-game weekend set the Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound to face off with Ryne Stanek for the Rays. The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and Fox Sports Sun. 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 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, don’t look now but Giancarlo is hot, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 6/22

Good morning Yankees family and welcome to the weekend, well almost anyway, and welcome to another three-game set between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays. In the first of a three-game weekend set inside Tropicana Field the Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound to face off with Ryne Stanek for the Rays. This series has all the makings of another two of three victories for New York, so let’s get to it here in Tampa St. Pete.

Sabathia heads into this start fresh off the longest outing of his season when he logged 7.2 innings pitched against the Tampa Bay Rays in a loss on Sunday. Sabathia allowed three runs on 10 hits with 10 strikeouts but the Yankees offense did not support him in the loss. 

Stanek has made six starts in his short MLB career including his last start against the Houston Astros back on Monday night. Stanek faced just five batters on that night retiring them all on 11 pitches extending a streak of eight straight appearances since the beginning of June without allowing a run.

The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and Fox Sports Sun. 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 the legendary duo of John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Enjoy the game, win another series, and go Yankees!!

Is it “Safe” to Eat MLB Ballpark Food?

The title says it all, is ballpark food safe to eat? Now before you immediately click off the post and write me off as someone who is going to talk to you about clean foods, organic choices and healthy living rest assured that I am not. While I enjoy those foods as well I am under no illusions of what I am getting when I step into a ballpark and order a hot dog and a beer. What I and many don’t know is what is going into the preparation of this food before I order and consume it. Local health departments and such are required to do food inspections of these ballparks and Sports Illustrated compiled all the data into one convenient post for all to see. Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians, and Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, are not on the list after public records requests were unfulfilled before the post went live leaving them off the list. Are you wondering how Yankee Stadium did? I was too so here is the write-up from the SI post.

We will start with the best ballpark to eat at, Safeco Field home of the Seattle Mariners:

1.) SAFECO FIELD – SEATTLE MARINERS

Total violations: 5 | Critical violations: 1
Ballpark Food Safety Rating: .08 | Entities inspected: 72 

Seattle set the league standard, and it wasn’t close. The lone critical violation was for food held at an improper temperature. Two minor violations were cited for utensils stored improperly. We went back to each stand’s 2016 inspection to see if this year was an outlier. Last year's results were worse overall—17 total violations, eight of which were critical—but would've still snagged first place in our rankings. Congrats, Mariners fans. Enjoy your grasshoppers with peace of mind.

We can continue with the home of the New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium:

21.) YANKEE STADIUM – NEW YORK YANKEES

Total violations: 57 | Critical violations: 24
Ballpark Food Safety Rating: 2.19 | Entities inspected: 37

Yankee Stadium led the league with critical violations (62% of its stands), and an infestation of flies highlighted the inspections from late July in the Bronx. Inspectors handed out citations at over a dozen food entities around the ballpark for observation of flies and improper vermin-proofing. The city doesn’t give detailed observations in its reports, but nearly a quarter of the stadium’s violations came from improper maintenance for non-food surfaces. Last year, even without a fly problem, Yankee Stadium would have finished in the same spot in our rankings. The ballpark had fewer overall violations but more that were critical, mostly from the restaurants and suites.

Source: New York City Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene

The team that got the lowest score and the most critical citations was the Tampa Bay Rays and their home stadium, Tropicana Field. I shudder at the thought of me eating at Tropicana Field now. Thanks, SI:

28.) TROPICANA FIELD – TAMPA BAY RAYS

Total violations: 241 | Critical violations: 105
Ballpark Food Safety Rating: 5.58 | Entities inspected: 62

With a staggering 105 critical violations in 2017, Tropicana Field brings up the rear in our rankings. Two food entities (the catering kitchen and the stand outside Section 303) tallied over 20 violations each. Violations ranged from the observed presence of live insects to black mold accumulating inside an ice bin. An employee was observed handling hot dogs and cash without washing hands in between. An ESPN report from seven years ago found that every inspected stand at Tropicana had at least one critical violation. That number has dropped from 100% to about 50%, but the Tampa Bay stadium still leads the way in eye-popping food safety numbers.

A few notable parts of this article that I felt the need to mention are the apparent rat infestation that is going on at Coors Field in Colorado and Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, the apparent broken coolers at PNC Park that were registering 50 degrees Fahrenheit for things like hot dogs and cheese, mold on the ice machines at Miller Park and expired food that was being served to the fans, and a live roach at Globe Life Park in Texas just to name a few. All those can be seen in the article so go check them out.

To see the rest of the rankings and what the health inspectors had to say head over to Sports Illustrated and check out their post. It’s a long read but it’s definitely a good read. I’m still going to order these monstrosities and my hot dogs and beer but at least I can’t say I didn’t know what I was getting myself into that like person who didn’t know their coffee would be hot from McDonald’s that one time. Pot shot, sorry. Not sorry. Enjoy the rest of your day, the game here in a few hours and your dinner from the ballpark if you’re headed out that way. 

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 5/20

For the second time already this weekend it is game time between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays. In the middle contest of this three-game weekend set the New York Yankees will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound, Happy Tanaka Day everybody, to square off with the always pesky Matt Andriese for the Rays. The game will be played at 4:05 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. You can also follow along in your cars and on the radio with the WFAN broadcast featuring John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Follow us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes. Enjoy the game and Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 5/20

Saturday afternoon baseball in the middle of May, it really is getting harder and harder to beat this the older I get. I mean I could think of a few things I may rather be doing but this is near the top of the list, especially considering that the Yankees will send their ace Masahiro Tanaka to the mound to square off with the Rays in the contest. Happy Tanaka Day everybody. Opposing Tanaka on the mound this afternoon for the home team will be Matt Andriese.

Tanaka is well rested coming into this afternoon’s start with the Tampa Bay Rays. If you’re looking for a silver lining from his last start against the Houston Astros where he couldn’t even get out of the second inning then I guess that’s as good as you’re going to get. He was terrible and he hasn’t been exceptionally sharp or effective all season long to be honest, a trend that hopefully changes today in Tampa.

Andriese picked up the win in his last start against the Boston Red Sox after allowing just two runs and four hits in five innings worth of work. The last time Andriese pitched against the Yankees he pitched well also lasting six innings allowing one run on just five hits in a no-decision.

The game will be played at 4:05 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. You can also follow along in your cars and on the radio with WFAN and their broadcast featuring John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman. Enjoy the game and enjoy your weekend. As always, go Yankees!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 5/19

The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays are set to spend their weekends inside Tropicana Field playing three-games head-to-head with the first coming tonight. The Yankees will send Luis Severino to the mound tonight looking to keep his recent string of success going while the Rays will throw out and welcome Erasmo Ramirez to their starting rotation. The game will be played at 7:15 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and MLB TV. You can also follow along in your car and on the radio with WFAN.

Follow us on Twitter by giving @GreedyStripes a follow. Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 5/19

So if on a Friday night in the middle of May the New York Yankees make the trip down to Tropicana Field to take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the first of a three-game set and literally nobody is there to witness it, did it really happen? Well if history is any indicator of the future we are certainly about to find out as the Yankees begin a three-game weekend set at the Trop this weekend. In the first matchup of the weekend the Yankees will send Luis Severino to the mound to square off with Erasmo Ramirez for the Rays. Seriously though, no one goes to Tropicana Field. It’s ugly, it’s hard to get to and it’s in an absolutely congested area of St. Petersburgh. When is Tampa Bay going to get a new stadium or move to a new city in Florida? It is long overdue people.

Severino has done well this season with his command, control, deception and has limited his walks which has contributed to him potentially turning his season and career around as a starting pitcher. Severino has 47 strikeouts this season to just 10 walks in 42 innings pitched.

Ramirez will replace Blake Snell in the starting rotation after the Rays lefty was optioned back to Triple-A after his last start. Ramirez will be making his 13^th appearance and second start of the season tonight inside The Trop and will be looking for his second victory of the season as well.

The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and MLB TV. You can also follow along with the game on the radio and in your cars by tuning into John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman’s broadcast on WFAN. Enjoy the game and Go Yankees!!

Waiting for an Official World Series…

One week from today, the Yankees begin the 2017 season at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL.  Masahiro Tanaka will take the mound for the visiting Yankees, while Chris Archer will represent the represent the Tampa Bay Rays for his team's home opener.  

Credit:  Jeff Griffith, USA TODAY Sports

Odds are that this will not be a World Series championship year for the Yankees. Nevertheless, in the crazy World of Sports, anything can happen.  When you have a roster of young, talented…and hungry…players, who knows?  How can you tell the young Baby Bombers that they can only be so good?  I guess that’s why we play the games instead of simply handing the World Series championship to the Boston Red Sox or Chicago Cubs and calling it a year.

When I was growing up, the Des Moines (Iowa) Register had a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist named Frank Miller.  Miller was the Register’s editorial cartoonist until his death in 1983.  While I enjoyed Miller’s satire on political views, his cartoons taught me something that I’ve never forgotten.  Miller, a Yankees fan, would always reference that a World Series was not an official World Series if it didn’t have the Yankees in it.  He may have been jesting but I certainly understood what he meant.  

Credit:  Frank Miller, The Des Moines Register

Until the 1980’s, the Yankees won a championship in every decade since the 1920’s.  They might have even won in 1981 when they won the first two games of the Series at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers but it was not meant to be (provoking the infamous apology to the fans by George Steinbrenner).  Since that time, the 80’s remain the only blemish in the past nine decades.  The Yankees still have a few years to cash in this decade.  While this may not be the year, the team should continue to get better and stronger with each year for the foreseeable future.  An "official" World Series might be very close.

There really is no reason that the Yankees cannot outperform expectations.  They are only limited by talent and ability, qualities that are strongly inherent within the Baby Bombers to go with their amazing heart.   There’s no doubt this will be a fun season.  Go ahead and try to tell them that they’ll just be an average club.  I think they can prove you wrong.

Credit:  Rich Schultz, Getty Images

At this point, I really like Jordan Montgomery’s chances of nailing the last spot in the rotation.  Even if he doesn’t make it and starts the year at AAA, there’s no doubt he’ll be one of the first phone calls when the Yankees need rotation help.  Montgomery faces the same challenge as shortstop Tyler Wade, neither man is currently on the 40-man roster so the roster crunch could work against them.  The Yankees would most likely need to create some room through a potential trade (Rob Refsnyder and a pitcher?).  Even if the Yankees are able to open two spots, I think if Montgomery heads north with the big league club, the odds are better that a second spot would go to someone like Pete Kozma who is expendable once Didi Gregorius returns.  

Manager Joe Girardi’s head must be spinning with all of the strategic moves he has to contemplate with his final roster decisions.  Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as just picking the 25 best guys on the field.  

Reading some opposing newspapers, I’ve already seen the Yankees new first baseman referred to as Greg Byrd.  C’mon, I am not immune to spelling errors but seriously, how hard is “Bird” to type?  I guess that’s okay.  Underestimate him and see what he does against you.

In the latest Grapefruit League action, the Yankees (21-7-1) were victorious again with yet another come-from-behind win over the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-5.   Adam Warren put the Yankees in an early hole by allowing four runs in 3 1/3 innings, but the bullpen kept the game close while the Yankees chipped away at the Jays’ lead, taking the game with two runs in the bottom of the 9th.  You know that things are going well when the game-winning hit is delivered by an all-glove, no-bat hitter like Pete Kozma and the win goes to a reliever named Matt Marsh (who?).  

Have a great Sunday!

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. 

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 9/22

Here we go one last time this week and this season as the New York Yankees make the trip to Tropicana Field to square off with the last place Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are looking to all but spoil the Yankees season and any team’s season who they face for the remainder of the season while New York is still hanging onto their playoff hopes and dreams by the skin of their teeth. That makes games like this, games that are winnable on paper, all the more important. With that said the New York Yankees will send Luis Cessa to the mound looking to secure that win while the Rays counter with a rookie of their own in Blake Snell. The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and MLB TV.

The Yankees have to play tonight in Tampa until around 10:00 pm ET or later and then make the trip across the border to Toronto for another 7:07 pm ET start tomorrow against the Blue Jays so you can expect one tired team tomorrow. MLB schedule makers strike again. We can’t get caught looking ahead to tomorrow though, not before the team takes care of business tonight. So take care of business, every day.

Follow along with us on social media by either liking our page on Facebook or by giving our Twitter account @GreedyStripes a follow. Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 9/22

The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays will finish off their series today with the finale of their three-game set inside Tropicana Field. The Yankees lost much of what they were fighting for this season in that Boston series over the weekend taking much of the wind out of the sails for the Rays who looked to be spoilers for the remainder of the season. The Yankees kept fighting despite that tough series and Boston and will presumably keep fighting until Rob Manfred and the MLB schedule makers tell them to go home for the long winter ahead. That includes today’s contest which will showcase Luis Cessa taking the mound for the Yankees against Blake Snell for the Rays.

Cessa has taken the loss in each of his last two starts after not notching a loss as a starter for the entire season prior but the Yankees right-hander pitched well enough to win in both of those statistical losses. The last time the Rays faced Cessa they tee’d off on him for three home runs giving him his first loss of his Major League career on September 11^th so hopefully Cessa made the adjustments necessary before tonight’s rematch.

Snell hasn’t been especially sharp in his last five starts and has not seen the sixth inning in four of those five starts including his last start against the Baltimore Orioles. In that start Snell lasted just 4.1 innings and is due in large part to a struggle to find the strike zone in recent starts.

The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and MLB TV. This will be the final time the Yankees see Tampa Bay this season and if they want to look for a reason why they aren’t making the postseason in 2016 they don’t have to look any farther than the Rays. The Rays are a last place team, now granted they aren’t your typical last place team that you can beat up on with Alex Cobb back and Chris Archer still a good pitcher despite pushing for 20 losses this season, and playoffs teams beat the teams they are supposed to beat. The Yankees are supposed to beat the Rays and they didn’t and that’s a huge reason why they aren’t heading to the postseason this season. Right a wrong, beat the Rays. Go Yankees!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 9/21

Here we go once again ladies and gentleman as the Tampa Bay Rays and Tropicana Field welcome the New York Yankees to town for the second of a three game set. In the middle game of this series the Yankees will send their ace of the present Masahiro Tanaka to the mound looking to hold down now only the Rays offense but the Rays ace before the dreaded Tommy John surgery bug hit him, Alex Cobb. The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. The Rays want to play spoilers, don’t be spoiled, get a win.

The Yankees have one more game in Tampa before making the trip to Canada to take on the Toronto Blue Jays for the final four games of their road schedule this season. The season ends on October 2^nd everyone and that’s just around the corner. It’s time to soak in and enjoy all the Yankees baseball we can between now and then. To do so with us you can like our page on Facebook or you can give our Twitter account @GreedyStripes a follow.

The countdown has begun. After tonight there are just 10 games remaining on the Yankees schedule. Let’s win them all. Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 9/21

The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays will continue their three game set this week with the middle game of their series tonight inside Tropicana Field. I feel like a poker player holding pocket aces as I type this because there will be a couple aces on the mound tonight. First the Yankees will send their ace Masahiro Tanaka to the mound to square off against a former ace that was slowed down by injury for the Rays in Alex Cobb. Cobb may not be the ace right now but he’s back on the mound and looking to regain his form, let’s just hope he doesn’t find it until at least tomorrow morning at the earliest.

Tanaka has been the ace and leader of the Yankees staff that everyone expected him to be when they signed him here in 2016. New York is 22-8 in his starts this season and Tanaka is 6-0 with a 1.86 ERA in his last eight starts which is a huge reason why the Yankees stuck around for so long in the AL East and Wild Card playoff chases. Tanaka has beaten the Rays on August 13^th and September 10^th recently and you know what they say, third time is the charm. No hitter tonight, calling it and jinxing it at the same time.

Cobb will be making just his fourth start of the season tonight after returning from Tommy John surgery and has looked good in each of his previous three starts. Cobb has thrown consecutive quality starts before tonight’s contest including his first win last time out against the Toronto Blue Jays. That was Cobb’s first win in 722 days.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. Tanaka searches for his 14^th win of the season tonight but with Rick Porcello winning his 20^th game the AL Cy Young Award may be out of reach. That’s all we have left to play for now, positioning and personal growth and achievements. Depressing I know, I’ve been depressed for a week now because of it. Either way a win always has a way of cheering me up a bit so let’s get one. Go Yankees!

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 9/20

Here we go ladies and gentleman as the New York Yankees have made the trip to Tampa St. Pete to face off with the Tampa Bay Rays inside Tropicana Field. If a game is played in the middle of the state of Florida and no one is there to witness it because their home team is terrible, their home stadium is terrible and it’s more trouble than it’s worth to get to the stadium after fighting all that Orlando traffic, did it really happen? We’re about to find out as the New York Yankees send Michael Pineda to the mound tonight to square off with LHP for the Rays Drew Smyly. The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

Three in Tampa before four in Toronto and a return to the Bronx to honor David Ortiz and finish the regular season. This is it, the final days of the regular season and boy is it bittersweet. Follow along with us this season while you still can by liking our page on Facebook and by giving our twitter account @GreedyStripes a follow. Also keep in mind that just because the regular season is over and all that it doesn’t mean we go into hibernation. Some blogs do but we don’t so be sure to check in every day as we continue to bring you more and more content daily.

Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays 9/20

You know what one of the best things about Major League Baseball is? You play every day and you only see the same team on average of three games at a time before seeing another team in another city on another day. Thank goodness for that after the debacle that was the series with the Boston Red Sox over the weekend inside Fenway Park. I don’t think as a fan I’ve ever been happier to see Tropicana Field and those pesky Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays and the Yankees begin a series tonight in The Trop with Michael Pineda toeing the rubber for the Yankees and Drew Smyly taking the ball for Tampa Bay. Should be a good one as long as the Yankees pitchers remember how to throw the ball to a base and where a fielder can catch it. Just a thought.

Pineda has not won a decision since early August despite having pitched well enough to win in a few of those starts. His manager Joe Girardi has not shown confidence in the young right-hander pulling him before allowing him to finish the fifth inning in each of his last three starts including in his last start against the Los Angeles Dodgers where Pineda threw just 82 pitches and was pitching a shutout through four innings allowing just two hits in the process.

Smyly has become suddenly prone to the home run recently which could work out in the Yankees favor tonight. Smyly has given up a home run in six consecutive starts but in five of those starts he has notched the victory so the home run ball may be a gift and a curse tonight for the Baby Bombers. One saving grace for New York though is that Smyly has struggled at home this season posting a 3-6 record and a 4.48 ERA in 13 starts at The Trop this season.

The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. The days of needing a win and getting a win may be over but the days of rooting for the Yankees to crush the competition and the days of rooting for Gary Sanchez to reach 20 home runs before the end of the season feel like they just began. Go Yankees!