TGP Daily Poll: Jeter Pulled In Last Inning By His Parents

Last year the New York Yankees and manager Joe Girardi sent out Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte to take Mariano Rivera out of the game for the final time of his career. Many around the league have speculated on how the Yankees would pull Jeter out of his final game and I truly think that New York, the class act that they are, will send out his parents, family, and nephew out to the mound to remove the legendary shortstop in Boston.

Vote in our poll. 

Coupon Clipping Hal Will Bring Back Ichiro Suzuki

Hal Steinbrenner and his brother Hank Steinbrenner were apples that fell far, far away from the tree when they were born. Their father, the Boss George Steinbrenner, cared about nothing other than winning with this team while the brothers seem to be more focused on staying in the background and watching the cash roll in. The Yankees signed Ichiro Suzuki to a two year deal two years back in the hopes of him reaching the 3,000 hit club in New York for the media exposure and the paying fans in the seats. With Ichiro still in playing shape and now comfortable with his reduced role I could see the Yankees and Hal Steinbrenner signing Ichiro to another two year deal for another shot at history and 3,000 hits in the Bronx.

We all witnessed how much the Yankees benefited, financially speaking, from Derek Jeter day, the return to Yankee Stadium for Masahiro Tanaka, Jeter’s last game in the Bronx, etc. and the Yankees know that Hall of Fame players and milestones put butts into the seats. Ichiro is conceivably two seasons away, even as a part time player, from reaching the 3,000 hit plateau in America and has remained healthy and surprisingly effective in the last two seasons on the bench for New York.

Ichiro may not have the power stroke he once had and he may never hit for .300 ever again but his legs are still there and that counts for something. His ability to play all three outfield positions also helps with the Yankees flexibility and game plan to give everyone as many days off as they can throughout the season. I’m not saying I necessarily want Ichiro back in the Bronx for the 2015 season but I think Hal Steinbrenner does and I think he will when it’s all said and done. 

This Day In New York Yankees History 9/26: Roger Maris Hits #60

Also on this day in 1961 Roger Maris tied Babe Ruth for the single season home run record with his 60^th home run of the season. Maris accomplished the feat in his 159^th game of the season. Ruth’s record came in his 154^th game of the season which was the reason for the asterisk that was behind the record for so many years.

Finally on this day in 1954 Yankees manager Casey Stengel fielded a new look lineup on the final game of the season as New York was eight games behind Cleveland for the pennant. Yogi Berra played third base without an error, Mickey Mantle played shortstop with any miscues, and Moose Skowron made one error at second base. 

Jeter Drives in Three, Walks Off With Single in Last Home Game Win

Derek Jeter capped off a three-RBI performance with a bottom-of-the-ninth single and Hiroki Kuroda gave up just two earned runs in 8 innings of work tonight as the Yankees beat the Orioles, 6-5, in the former's final home game.

In this victory, which clinched a winning season for the Yanks, Jeter went 2-for-5, knocking in the team's first run in the first with a double before scoring a tying run on a Brian McCann groundout.

Despite that good start, though, things did remain in a draw this evening until the bottom of the seventh, when a Jeter fielder's choice with the bases loaded, a J.J. Hardy throwing error, and a deep sac fly by McCann gave New York a three-run lead.

Now when that happened, considering Kuroda was in the midst of a sixteen-straight retired streak and David Robertson was due to pitch Baltimore's half of the ninth, this one looked over, and with it the Pinstripe part of the Captain's career.

Nonetheless, after Adam Jones clocked a two-run shot into left field's upper deck and Steve Pearce followed him with another blast two batters later the Yankees found themselves even with another at-bat about to take place, one that'd soon prove to be memorable.

Because in that frame, Jose Pirela led off with a single before his Pinch Runner, Antoan Richardson, took second on a sac bunt, bringing Jeter to the plate for what would be the last time, with #2 lacing the first Evan Meek offering he got into right for a walk-off hit. On the play, which involved a strong throw home by Nick Markakis, Richardson actually had to dive head first, but since he still got in without a tag the knock will definitely be immortalized, even if a relatively-large advantage had to be blown just for it to happpen.

Red Sox to Honor Jeter With "Plenty of Gestures of Respect"

The Red Sox plan to honor Yankees' Shortstop Derek Jeter with "plenty of gestures of respect" when his team heads to Fenway Park this weekend.

Jeter, whose Yanks are 2-1 against Boston in ALCS meetings (wins came in 1998 and 2003; loss in 2004) since the beginning of the former's career in 1995, has hit .290 versus the Sox over the course of twenty seasons, also collecting 26 home runs and 137 RBIs during that span.

"I don't think you'll see too many talking heads," Red Sox President Larry Lucchino told WEEI Thursday Morning. "But there will be plenty of gestures of respect for him. "

Like what?

"In terms of tangible gifts for him, we're not giving him a red convertible or something like that. What he cares most about these days is his Turn 2 Foundation. And we intend to make a sizable contribution to that, and to give a little piece of Fenway Park to take with him."

Lucchino's club certainly wouldn't be the first to give to Jeter's charity this year. Throughout the season, one that will likely finish with New York above .500, numerous opponents have donated to the non-profit organization, the Tigers, Blue Jays, and Royals included.

9/25 Open Game Thread vs. Baltimore Orioles

This is it Yankees family, the last open thread for a game played at Yankee Stadium this season and it’s between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles. This is game number four of a four game set between these two AL East foes. The Yankees will send Hiroki Kuroda to the mound to face off with the Orioles Kevin Gausman. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with WFAN.

Get your Yankees tickets for tonight’s game or for any game in Fenway Park over the weekend as the season comes to an end. Also be sure to follow the blog on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes and also like our page on Facebook by searching for The Greedy Pinstripes.

It’s an open thread so go crazy Yankees family. Enjoy the game, Go Yankees!!

9/25 Game Preview vs. Baltimore Orioles

For the final time this season the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles will play against each other. The Orioles are headed to the playoffs while the Yankees are headed to Boston for three games and then home for another long winter. Tonight the Yankees will send Hiroki Kuroda to the mound for likely his final start in a Yankees uniform and he will be faced off with the Orioles Kevin Gausman. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Kuroda will head into his last start of the season coming off a strong performance last time out against the Toronto Blue Jays, Kuroda threw 6.2 innings in the victory reaching 11 wins for the fifth straight season.

Gausman is coming off a start in which he allowed two runs on five innings against the Boston Red Sox. Gausman struck out three batters and did not walk a batter in his no decision.

This is it, the final game at Yankee Stadium this season and the final game at Yankee Stadium for the career of Derek Jeter. Get your Yankees tickets here if there are any left but I seriously doubt that there is.

Go Yankees!! 

The End of the Bob Sheppard Era

As we all know the great Derek Jeter is retiring at season’s end but one thing that many around New York aren’t taking about or haven’t thought about is we are also saying goodbye to Bob Sheppard. Sheppard has been the voice of the Yankees for quite some time now and has continued to announce Jeter’s at bats even after his death. The “Voice of God” is also retiring at the end of tonight’s game as well as he does not announce Jeter on the road. With this being the final game of Jeter’s career in the great Yankee Stadium we bid him farewell, but don’t forget to also thank and bid farewell to Sheppard as well.

Sheppard made his debut as the Yankees announcer on April 17, 1951 in a 5-0 win for the Yankees over the Boston Red Sox. Sheppard’s first game featured eight Hall of Fame players including Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Johnny Mize, Yogi Berra, and Phil Rizzuto for the Yankees and Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, and Lou Boudreau for the Red Sox. This was the one and only season under Sheppard that DiMaggio and Mantle shared an outfield. The first player that Sheppard ever announced was the Red Sox leadoff hitter Dominic DiMaggio.

Sheppard officially retired at age 95 when he called his final game on September 5, 2007 against the Seattle Mariners after battling a hip injury and deteriorating health. Sheppard missed the entire 2008 season including the All Star Game at Yankee Stadium but did gather enough strength to announce the starting lineups in the final game ever played at Yankee Stadium on September 21, 2008. Sheppard passed away at his home on July 11, 2010 three months and nine days shy of his 100^th birthday.

In 2008 Jeter asked Sheppard to record his at bat introductions and the recordings have been used in every single Jeter home at bat since. Sheppard was quoted as saying “it has been one of the greatest compliments I have received in my career of announcing. The fact that he wanted my voice every time he came to bat is a credit to his good judgment and humility.” Sheppard’s recording was also used at the 2010 All Star Game in Anaheim when the Yankee captain was announced, just two days after Sheppard’s death.

After this game tonight we may never hear Bob Sheppard’s voice in Yankee Stadium ever again and that gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.

Looking Back: My Predictions For the MVP Awards In 2014

MVP, or Most Valuable Player, is the big award that every player wants to win in any given season. We have seen pitchers win the award, and we could this season in the National League, as well as hitters. Back in March I predicted that Robinson Cano would take it home for the American League and that Giancarlo Stanton would take it home for the National League. While Cano has a shot at the AL award I think it will ultimately go to Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In the NL Stanton was likely the leading candidate for the award before taking a fastball to the face. It remains unclear whether the injury will open the door for the Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw to win the award.

Take a look at my post back in March: 

For the American League MVP I think Robinson Cano will finally get the respect and recognition he deserves since he is not a member of the New York Yankees anymore. He has home run power as well as double power and should see those numbers come out again in 2014. He will play at least the first season of his mega contract with a chip on his shoulder, he may even run out a ground ball or two.

For the National League MVP I thought about putting Clayton Kershaw here again but decided that the closer Giancarlo Stanton gets to free agency the healthier and better he would get. That's why I am picking Stanton to finally play 150+ games, carry the Marlins to more than 60 wins in a season, and win the MVP award. Probably will not be a landslide, especially on a losing team, and will have plenty of competition but I think the time is now forMike Stanton.

Frank Wren the next Yankees GM?

Let’s be unrealistic for a second here and consider just what would happen if the New York Yankees were to not bring back Brian Cashman after his contract expires after this season. New York has already announced that they were going to tender Cashman a contract to keep their GM in the Bronx for at least another season but what if Cashman declined it? What if the Yankees changed their mind? Would the recently fired Frank Wren of the Atlanta Braves make sense in New York?

Wren has his faults like any other GM but he definitely made his name on building the farm system and by specifically developing starting pitching. Wren was not afraid to lock up his young talent in Craig Kimbrel, Jayson Heyward, and others either which is something we see far too little of in New York lately. Sure Wren gave a big money extension to Dan Uggla and gave even bigger money to BJ Upton after a career year but his track record, albeit in a shorter sample size, looks more hit than miss in Atlanta.

I personally think Wren got a raw deal after his pitching staff was decimated by injury all season long. Wren went out and acquired the likes of Ervin Santana, which was a no brainer, and Aaron Harang, which carried them at the beginning of the season, late to bolster his team. One thing about Wren was he was not afraid to make a move and aggressively improve his team. It is also noteworthy that Wren did not sell off any of his top prospects out of the farm system either while getting the better end of the Justin Upton trade with Arizona.

I think I speak for everyone when I say that Wren would be a sight for sore eyes in New York and may be, faults and all, the GM that the FANS have been screaming about for a long, long time.