2014 Tampa Yankees Coaching Staff Announced

The New York Yankees Player Development office has officially released the 2014 Tampa Yankees Field Staff. Joining the Single-A Advanced T-Yanks are Manager Al Pedrique, Pitching Coach Danny Borrell, Hitting Coach PJ Pilittere, Coach JD Closser, Trainer Michael Becker and Strength and Conditioning Coach Joe Siara. 

AL PEDRIQUE - MANAGER

BORN: 8/11/60 in Valencia, Venezuela • RESIDES: Tucson, Ariz.

COACHING CAREER: Enters his second season in the Yankees organization and his first as Tampa's manager…spent the 2013 season as manager of Single-A Charleston, leading the RiverDogs to a 75-63 (.543) overall record…spent the previous 16 years as a manager or coach in the Astros, Diamondbacks and Royals organizations…served in several different posts in the Astros system over seven seasons, including bench coach (2010-11), third base coach (2009), minor league field coordinator (2008-09) and special assistant to the general manager (2005-07)…began the 2004 season as Arizona's third base coach before spending the second half of the year as the team's interim manager…prior to that, spent nine seasons as a minor league manager (1995-2003), compiling a 463-433 (.517) overall record…managed the 2002 Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League and served as a coach for the World Team in the 2003 MLB All-Star Futures Game at U.S. Cellular Field… PLAYING CAREER: Was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Pirates in 1978…combined to hit .247 with 18 doubles, 1HR and 36RBI in parts of three seasons with the Mets (1987), Pittsburgh (1987-88) and Detroit (1989)… PERSONAL: Has two daughters: Mariana and Liliana.

DANNY BORRELL - PITCHING COACH

BORN: 1/24/79 in Landsdale, Penn. • RESIDES: Wichita, Kan.

COACHING CAREER: Enters his sixth season as a coach in the Yankees organization and his first with Tampa…spent two seasons as a pitching coach with Single-A Charleston (2012-13) after serving in the same role with short-season Single-A Staten Island in 2011…prior to that, spent two seasons as a rehabilitation pitching coach in the GCL… PLAYING CAREER: Selected by the Yankees in the second round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft…played nine minor league seasons with the Yankees (2000-06) and Oakland (2007-08)… the left-hander compiled a career record of 39-35 with a 3.49 ERA in 138 games (130 starts)… split the 2008 season between the Athletics' Double-A Midland and Triple-A Sacramento squads, before landing on the disabled list in June for the remainder of the season with a left elbow strain… PERSONAL: Pitched at Wake Forest.

PJ PILITTERE - HITTING COACH

BORN: 11/23/81 in Galesburg, Ill. • RESIDES: Indio, Calif.

COACHING CAREER: Will enter his first season as hitting coach for Tampa after serving in the same role for Single-A Charleston in 2013…made his professional coaching debut in 2012 as a coach with GCL… PLAYING CAREER: Was originally selected by the Yankees in the 13th round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft… hit .264 with 77 doubles, 16HR and 183RBI in 470 career minor league games over eight seasons in the Yankees system…twice led his respective league in fielding percentage, producing a .995 fielding percentage (with Double-A Trenton) in 2007 and a .998 fielding percentage (with Single-A Tampa) in 2006… PERSONAL: Full name is Peter John Pilittere…was named team captain at Cal State Fullerton in 2004, helping lead his team to the College World Series… batted .351 with 18 doubles, 4HR and 49RBI in 69 games during his senior season…graduated from Bishop Amat High School in Walnut, Calif…was honored with first-team All-Del Rey League and honorable mention All-San Gabriel Valley recognitions…was the starting catcher in the 1999 San Gabriel Valley All-Star game.

JD CLOSSER - COACH

BORN: 1/15/80 in Beech Grove, Ind. • RESIDES: Garner, N.C.

COACHING CAREER: Will be making his professional coaching debut in 2014…in 2012 and 2013, worked as a coach in the USA Baseball National Team Development Programs… PLAYING CAREER: Was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fifth round of the 1998 First-Year Player Draft…spent four seasons in the Diamondbacks' minor league system (1998-2001)…was traded to the Rockies on 1/2/02 and spent five seasons in their organization (2002-06)…made his Major League debut on 6/30/04 and played in 36 games with Colorado that season, batting .319 with 10RBI…began the 2005 season as the Rockies' starting catcher…hit .239 in 160 career games in the Majors, all with the Rockies…from 2007-11, played in the Minors with the Brewers, Athletics, Cubs, Yankees, Padres and Dodgers organizations…also played for the Edmonton Capitals of the North American Baseball League in 2011…PERSONAL: Full name is Jeffrey Darrin Closser…attended Alexandria-Monroe HS (Ind.)…he and his wife, Holley, have two daughters, Isabelle and Callie McKenna.

MICHAEL BECKER - TRAINER

BORN: 12/16/88 in Bennington, Vt. • RESIDES: Bennington, Vt.

Begins his third season in the Yankees organizations as a trainer after serving in the role with Charleston in 2013 and Staten Island in 2012… previously worked as an athletic training student intern at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre during the 2010 season…graduated from Ithaca College with a B.S. in athletic training in 2011 and has served as an athletic training intern with various institutions over the last two years including Cornell University, Ithaca College and Siena College.

JOE SIARA - STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH

BORN: 4/17/84 in Tampa, Fla. • RESIDES: Tampa, Fla.

Enters his second season as a strength and conditioning coach in the Yankees organization after spending his first season with the short season Staten Island Yankees…graduated in 2006 from Indiana University with a degree in kinesiology and exercise science…in 2008, received a master's degree in human performance from the University of Florida…also works as a personal trainer in the Tampa area.

Being posted with permission from the Tampa Yankees organization. The original articled can be seen HERE.

Yankee Stadium Legacy: #87 Andy Pettitte (Again)

One of the best big named pitchers in the Major Leagues is named Andrew Eugene Pettitte and pitched for the New York Yankees. Pettitte reached double digits in victories in 12 of his first 13 seasons  and in 2003 the left hander reached his career high in victories with 21. The Yankees built a 101-61 record on their way to an American League pennant. Pettitte also struck out a career best 180 batters that season which ranked sixth best in the American League.

87 days until Yankees Opening Day

"Babe Ruth Was A Boss" Meme

Because we're the Yankees dammit!

This Day In New York Yankees History 1/4

On this day in 1904 the New York Highlanders, soon to be the Yankees, announce plans to play Sunday home games at Long Island's Ridgewood Park. This will be overruled in March by National Commission chairman August Herrman since the park is so close to the home of the Brooklyn Superbas, soon to be the Dodgers.

Alex Rodriguez Is A Yankees Traitor!!

Great time at the Jay Z show last night with @YonderalonsoU and Manny Machado! pic.twitter.com/OvOaDYdBhj
— Alex Rodriguez (@AROD) January 3, 2014

Alex Rodriguez is a traitor to himself, the New York Yankees, and to the game of baseball. A Rod was recently spotted at a concert with Baltimore Orioles star Manny Machado and San Diego Padres standout Yonder Alonso while in Sunrise, Florida. Alex attended a Jay Z concert of all people begging the question, where was Robinson Cano?

Heyman: A Rod Decision Won't Come Before 1/10

logically, no a-rod decision likely before or during hall of fame days. so next friday probably is the earliest. #arod
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) January 3, 2014

The Alex Rodriguez saga just continues to be dragged out doesn't it? The A Rod decision on his 211 game steroid suspension appeal is not likely to be announced before the Hall of Fame days are over. The Cooperstown announcements are coming on Wednesday, January 8th so the Yankees may not know the fate of A Rod until next Friday, the 10th.

I get not wanting to put out distractions and take away from the whole hall ceremony but come on now. If that's the case announce the decision now, it's not like Frederic Horowitz doesn't know what he is going to do by now. This has gone on long enough... announce it already.

Check Out Henrick Lundqvist Stadium Series Mask

Henrick Lundqvist will be participating in the 2014 NHL Coors Light Stadium Series at the end of this month and will be representing the home state of New York sports.  The two games will be at Yankee Stadium as the House that the Boss built will hold outside hockey so it is only fitting that three Yankees legends will be on his mask. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio are on the right side of his mask for the New York Rangers goalie. Pretty cool. 

Lundqvist will also have on pinstriped pads and guards, see below:

Yankee Stadium Legacy: #88 Andy Pettitte

After spending his first nine Major League seasons with the Yankees Andy Pettitte returned to the Bronx in 2007 after spending three seasons with the Houston Astros. The Yankees were happy to have him back, as well as the fans, after he won 15 games the previous season with Houston. Pettitte responded by making 34 starts pitching 215.1 innings and striking out 141 batters that season. His win at Yankee Stadium on 9/19/07 was his 200th victory of his career.

88 days until Yankees Opening Day

Mariners Could Outspend Yankees For Tanaka?

Ben Badler broke down the Top 10 teams that would likely sign Masahiro Tanaka and the New York Yankees came in at the second position, the first spot went to the Seattle Mariners. Could the Mariners really outspend the Yankees again on the free agent market and steal Tanaka away from us?

The Yankees are desperate for starting pitching, let's be honest, but so are the Seattle Mariners. Yes they have Felix Hernandez and yes they have Taijuan Walker and yes they have been linked to a David Price trade but the Mariners are desperate to win now. After they handed out a 10 year contract to Robinson Cano and extended Felix Hernandez for big money they have to win and win now while these core players are still stars. Could the Mariners outbid the Yankees on the best free agent pitcher and free agent hitter in the same offseason? I think so.

That doesn't mean that they will, Tanaka may just want to play in New York and not under 14 inches of water every day, but they could and that scares me. The Mariners have a new regional television contract that will pay them $2 billion over the next 17 years and outside of Cano and Hernandez, who will make a combined $47 million in 2014, not much else is on the books. I am officially worried that the Seattle Mariners will blow everyone out of the water and get the man they want from the Yankees, again.

This Day In New York Yankees History 1/3

On this day in 1920 the secret deal made on December 26 to sell Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for $125,000 is announced to the public. This amount was twice the amount every paid previously for a player when Harry Frazee made the sale. Frazee also put up Fenway Park as collateral on a $300,000 loan.

On this day in 1943 Yankees 37 year old pitcher Red Ruffing is drafted into the Army. As a 15 year old the future Hall of Famer lost four toes on his left foot in a mining accident in Illinois.

On this day in 1973 Lester Crown, John DeLorean, Nelson Bunker Hunt, and George Steinbrenner purchased the New York Yankees from CBS. The Boss will become a well known owner due to his pursuit of talent at any cost, feuds with players and managers that were well documented in the media, and his frequency of firing his employees. He is also the reason this blog was started so thanks are in order.

On this day in 1974 the Yankees sign Bill Virdon as the teams manager. The former Pittsburgh Pirates manager will manager for two years in New York but will finish his tenure never winning a game at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees are playing their home games at Shea Stadium these days due to the renovations happening in the Bronx.

On this day in 2005 Bud Selig approves the trade of Randy Johnson from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the New York Yankees for Javier Vazquez, Dioner Navarro, Brad Halsey, and $9 million in cash. This trade came about three or four years too late and would lead to Arizona then flipping Navarro and the cash to acquire Shawn Green from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

On this day in 2013 the Yankees lost a fan favorite in Nick Swisher to the Cleveland Indians via free agency. Swish was let walk and signed a four year deal worth $56 million that included a $14 million option for a fifth season with the tribe.