Soriano's double helps Yankees win finale over Mets, 1-0

It looks like the Yankees have found Sabathia's replacement.

RHP Chase Whitley, a prospect making his major league debut, struck out four in a scoreless 4.2 innings tonight, as the Yankees earned a split in the 2014 Subway Series with a 1-0 win over the Mets. 

The victory, the Yanks second consecutive shutout one, wasn't necessarily pretty, as the Bombers collected just 4 hits in seven innings against Metropolitans starter Jacob deGrom.

However, they did manage to get the necessary big one in the top of the seventh, when Alfonso Soriano drove Brian McCann home with a line-drive double into the left center field gap.

Usually, that single trip around the bases wouldn't be enough to win a road game, but due to a perfect 2.1 frames of relief from Dellin Betances, in which he induced an Eric Young groundout to end a bottom of the fifth threat and struck out six, it was. New York's NL team did put men on the corners with two outs in the eighth, but thanks to David Robertson getting David Wright to ground out that rally was not successful. 

Anyway, in this evening's top of the third Whitley interestingly singled, the second day in a row a Pinstripe starter has done so. With Tanaka yesterday it was pretty cool, but with Whitley tonight it wasn't all that surprising, as #39 was apparently a slugger during his college days at Troy.

Subway Series Game Thread: Yankees @ Mets 5/15

The New York Yankees and the New York Mets will play the finale of the four game Subway Series tonight in Citi Field, halle-freaking-lujah. The Yankees will send Chase Whitley to the mound to make his major league debut and he will be countered by Jacob deGrom for the Mets. The game will be played at 7:10 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.

You can watch the game live by purchasing your Yankees tickets right here on the blog or you can follow along with us online by following @GreedyStripes on Twitter. If social networking isn't really your thing then our comments section of our site is free to register and very easy to keep up with and understand. Join us, we're always looking for Yankees baseball talk around here.

Enjoy the game Yankees family and enjoy the rest of your night.

Tanaka still not convinced he's an MLB success

You'd think getting a shutout was enough.

Despite going 6-0 with a 2.17 ERA through his first eight starts, Yankees Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka still isn't convinced he's an MLB success. 

The 25-year-old, who threw a four-hitter in yesterday's win over the Mets, stunned us all after his big performance, saying that he still thinks it's "too early" to  say he's a star pitcher. 

“I think it’s a little bit too early to say that I’m successful here,” Tanaka told The Journal News. “Obviously I have a seven-year contract with the New York Yankees, and I want to be able to be a good pitcher throughout those years. So I’m just taking it day by day and trying to be a better pitcher."

To say that #19 could get better right now seems to be a little ignorant, as the international rookie currently holds six of New York's 16 starter wins. 

If you're a fan of math, that's a solid 37.5%, meaning that yes, Tanaka has been the Yanks' best starter this season. That's not saying much, as the the other six have averaged a 4.36 ERA, but still, it's a fact. Definitely at least a little impressive.

Carlos Beltran Added To 15 Day DL, Whitley Up

Chase Whitley has been called up to the New York Yankees for tonight's start against the New York Mets. Carlos Beltran has been added to the 15 day DL retroactive to May, 13 with right elbow inflammation. The Yankees will evaluate Beltran after the DL stint is due to be up before deciding whether surgery is necessary. A in-season surgery would keep Beltran out six to eight weeks.

Heathcott & Billings Joined Trenton Today

The Thunder announced today that RHP Bruce Billings and OF Slade Heathcott have joined the Thunder and are expected to play in today's 10:35am game against the Erie SeaWolves. To make room for Heathcott on the Thunder's 25-man roster, OF Yeral Sanchez was transferred to Short Season-A Staten Island. Billings is joining the Thunder on an MLB Rehab Assignment and does not count towards the 25-man roster limit.

Billings is expected to start and pitch a few innings for the Thunder Thursday morning, and Slade Heathcott is projected to be the No. 2 hitter in Trenton's lineup.

Billings made his MLB debut for the Colorado Rockies in 2011 and has appeared in five Major League games including one this year with New York. On April 27, he was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained forearm. The right-hander has a career record of 62-46 with a 3.91 ERA in eight Minor League seasons after being drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 30th round of the 2007 Amateur Draft.

Heathcott played in 103 games for the Thunder last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He batted .261 with 8 HR, 49 RBI and 15 stolen bases while playing centerfield for the Thunder. Heathcott, a member of the Yankees 40-man Roster and #2 rated Yankees prospect according to Baseball America, has a .270 batting average in five Minor League seasons. He was the New York Yankees top pick (29th overall) of the 2009 Amateur Draft.

The Thunder and Erie SeaWolves conclude a three game series this morning at 10:35am. Listen live on WTSR 91.3FM or online at trentonthunder.com. The Thunder will travel to Portland to face the Sea Dogs this weekend before returning home on Monday, May 19 to face the Harrisburg Senators in a four game set. All Thunder tickets are available by calling 609-394-3300 or online attrentonthunder.com. 

Celebrate Now Mets Fans... Meme

Pretend that says May and we have the New York Mets this season. The Subway Series is the only World Series they have seen in a while so they up the ante a little is all. Not even worried about it.

Preview: New York Yankees @ New York Mets 5/15

The New York Yankees and the New York Mets will play the finale of the Subway Series this season tonight at Citi Field, thank goodness. The Yankees will send Chase Whitley to the mound making his major league debut to face off with Jacob deGrom. The game will be played at 7:10 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with WFAN.

Whitley as I said is making his major league debut tonight as he is replacing the injured CC Sabathia in the rotation. In Triple-A Whitley was 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA in seven games, six starts. Whitley possesses a fastball, a changeup, and a slider in his repertoire and has excelled since being moved into the starting rotation last season. Whitley has spent much of his career as a relief pitcher and owns a career 2.64 minor league ERA.

deGrom, you know I have spent enough energy on the Mets this week. I'm over it and I'm over the Mets, moving on now.

Go Yankees!!

Yankees woes continue

The additions of Carlos Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann, Brian Roberts, Hiroki Kuroda (re-signed), Brian Roberts, Matt Thornton and Masahiro Tanaka were supposed to improve the Yankees back into championship contention. Instead, the Yankees have stumbled to a 20-19 record out of the gate. So, what went wrong?

It’s getting to be the same old Yankees story. Acquisitions of older players – a group that’s skilled but will of course have age-related injury issues, a farm system that’s not producing the homegrown young talent needed to propel the team forward, and ineffective pitching, including a bullpen that doesn’t quite seem to have what it takes to get the job done of late.

It’s all eerily similar to how last season went. C.C. Sabathia has been ineffective and is facing time on the DL. (Luckily, it is nothing too serious). It might be worthwhile for the Yankees to consider bringing in Andy Pettitte to help guide C.C. to adjust to life as an older pitcher — a transition that Pettitte was able to make quite successfully. (I would suggest trying to coax Pettitte out of retirement, but sadly that’s not an option). Michael Pineda has been effective when healthy; however how much of his success is due to cheating – pine tar – won’t be known until he returns from his injury. (Side note: How hard is it to hide pine tar?  But I digress.)

Ivan Nova underwent season-ending surgery. Vidal Nuno has been atrocious. The only saving grace of the Yankees rotation has been Masahiro Tanaka, but unless Yankees brass plans on cloning him, the team has real issues on their hands. Injuries and ineffectiveness are the primary reasons for the Yankees lack of success (so far). The season is still young, but the lack of productiveness from the Yankees high-priced free agents is alarming.

This year was supposed to mirror the 2009 championship season, but it is looking more and more like last seasons. And yes, I will say it; the Yankees could use A-Rod – as he is an above-average third baseman despite his baggage. In short, if the Yankees plan to make the playoffs (and honor Derek Jeter with a final championship to top off his outstanding resume) they better start to get their act together very soon.

What To Expect From Mets Rafael Montero Tonight

The New York Mets have called up Rafael Montero, their top prospect still in the minor leagues, to make the start tonight against the New York Yankees instead of Jenrry Mejia. The Yankees probably don't know what to expect from this kid tonight but I didn't want you to feel that way so I did some research.

Montero signed as a 20 year old out of the Dominican Republic and wasted no time getting acclimated to the big leagues. Montero pitched his way from the Dominican Summer League in 2011 to Triple-A Las Vegas in just two seasons, an absolutely amazing feat.

Montero signed for just $80,000 because he was generally considered to be four years older than most players that sign out of the Dominican Republic giving the Mets an absolute steal.  Montero is now 24 years old and was pitching in one of the most hitter friendly leagues in the Pacific Coast League sporting a 3.18 ERA and a 2.5 BB/9 and 8.6 K/9 ratio in 13 home starts.

Montero does not sport a "plus" pitch but can throw three pitches with above average control and command to make him a solid all around pitcher. Montero throws a fastball that has some cut and some sinking action along with a changeup and a slider that is developing.

Montero is either going to come in and completely dominate this Yankees squad or the Yankees are going to bomb him, there will be no in between tonight at Citi Field. Enjoy the game Yankees family.

Remembering The 2000 World Series - Game 4

The 2000 World Series featured the New York Yankees and the New York Mets facing off in the World Series for the first time in their history. This was the first Subway Series since 1956 when the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees faced off. Let's take the time to remember Game 4 of the 2000 World Series.

The New York Yankees sent Denny Neagle to the mound to face off with the Mets Bobby Jones in Game 4 of the Subway World Series. Derek Jeter led off the game and blasted a home run over the left field fence giving the Yankees a lead that they would never relinquish in this game. This would extend Derek Jeter's World Series hitting streak to 13 games and would be only the 16th lead off home run in World Series history. The Yankees would win the game 3-2 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the Subway World Series. Jeff Nelson would take the victory and  Bobby Jones would take the loss with Mariano Rivera notching the save for the pinstripers.