Yankees Begin Signing Draft Picks Today

Excited to have the opportunity to continue to play ball with the #yankees. Congrats to @jlindgren19 I… http://t.co/XNXtqOkWLR
— Jonathan Holder (@Jholder14) June 6, 2014

The New York Yankees have not yet signed first pick Jacob Lindgren but have signed a few of his fellow draftees today. In case you were wondering the Yankees have already announced plans to send Lindgren to Tampa once he signs so it seems like a formality at this point whether he will sign or not but it does make it seem unlikely he will reach the Bronx by September. If he started in Charleston, like JB Cox back in the day, then maybe but Tampa is a long way off from the Bronx.

5th Round Pick Jordan Foley will sign although nothing is official yet. The slot for his pick is $317,500.

6th Round Pick Jonathan Holder posted on Twitter that he would sign. Slot is $237,600.

11th Round Pick Matt Borens is already down in Tampa working out.

13th Round Pick Bo Thompson will sign and looks headed to Charleston.

14th Round Pick Kenny Powers Sean Carley will sign and is headed to Staten Island.

20th Round Pick Corey Holmes will also sign and also head down to Staten Island.

37th Round Pick Ryan Lindemuth will also sign and head down to Staten Island.

40th Round Pick Madison Stokes will go to South Carolina and not sign, not unexpected. Nothing wrong with taking a chance on a guy and throwing some money at him in the 40th round.

Can't Predict Baseball: Homers On First Pitch He Saw

On this day in 2002 the Yankees Marcus Thames hits a home run on the first pitch he saw in his Major League career, off Randy Johnson in his prime no less. Thames would be the 17th player in history to hit a home run on the first pitch he saw in his career. John Miller in 1966 was the only other Yankee to achieve the feat.

Yankees Release Old Timers Day Details

The Yankees have released 2014 Old Timers Day details, The Newark Star Ledger's Jorge Castillo reports.

Of the June 22 event's 48 attendees, 3 will be going for the first time, as ex-Yanks Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, and John Montefusco will participate. 

Damon and Matsui, members of the 2009 World Championship team, are two of the most recent retirees in the ceremony, with both of them calling it quits during the 2012 season.

As for Montefusco, whom most of us are probably not familiar with, he pitched for the Pinstripes from 1983 to 1986, going 10-3 with a 4.85 ERA.

Besides them, six widows of former Yankees as well as the notable Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford will be in attendance.

Full List of the event's participants:

Jesse Barfield
Yogi Berra
Brian Boehringer
Scott Bradley
Dr. Bobby Brown
Maggie Coleman (Widow)
David Cone
Johnny Damon
Bucky Dent
Al Downing
Brian Doyle
John Flaherty
Whitey Ford
Jake Gibbs
Joe Girardi
Rich "Goose" Gossage
Ron Guidry
Charlie Hayes
Rickey Henderson
Orlando Hernandez
Arlene Howard (Widow)
Helen Hunter (Widow)
Reggie Jackson
Scott Kamieniecki
Pat Kelly
Don Larsen
Graeme Lloyd
Hector Lopez
Jill Martin (Widow)
Tino Martinez
Hideki Matsui
Lee Mazzilli
Stump Merrill
Gene Michael
Gene Monahan (Trainer)
John Montefusco
Diana Munson (Widow)
Kay Murcer (Widow)
Jeff Nelson
Paul O'Neill
Joe Pepitone
Andy Phillips
Willie Randolph
Bobby Richardson
Mickey Rivers
Joe Torre
David Wells
Roy White

Meet A Prospect: Jonathan Holder

The New York Yankees took Mississippi State product Jacob Lindgren with their first pick in the second round of the draft. Lindgren was basically a multi inning pitcher/set up man in the bullpen for Mississippi State, see Dellin Betances in this year's bullpen. With their fifth round pick they went and took the closer for the Rebels and Lindgren's teammate, Jonathan Holder.

Holder tied the single season SEC record for saves in a season with 21 and has been pitching in high leverage spots for his entire college career in the best conference in all of College Baseball. While everyone talks of Lindgren making the bullpen and the majors this season it wouldn't exactly surprise me if Holder joined him.

Holder is the big pitcher that the Yankees seem to covet standing at 6'2" and weighing 240 lbs. Holder does not blow you away and stays comfortably with a low 90's fastball and a slow breaking curveball that stays in the low 70's. That separation in velocity is sure to keep hitters guessing and second guessing at the plate, especially in the lower levels of the system.

#BigelMade Core Five Shirt

Our friend on Twitter Michael Bigel has ventured into the T-shirt making business and really caught my eye with the above Core Five shirt. I have always wondered why Bernie Williams was not included a little more than Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Derek Jeter. I mean I get it, Bernie was up in the majors while these guys were in the minor leagues together  but still. Posada, Rivera, and Pettitte all came onto the Yankees scene in 1990 while Jeter didn't until 1992, and yet Jeter is still included.

Anyway, I said all that to say this. I got my shirt in the mail yesterday and immediately put it on, mainly because my work clothes are all dressy and uncomfortable and I can't type in them but still, and it's hella comfortable. I love it and wanted to share it with you guys.

Check out his site where you can purchase the Core Five T-shirt and support a guy who has some great ideas for a follow up shirt or two as well. CLICK HERE to get the shirt and give Mike a follow on Twitter by following @GreenArmMike.

Kelly Johnson Released, Jose Pirela Called Up - In My Dream Last Night

Yesterday afternoon it was reported that the Yankees were trying to trade Kelly Johnson. Chances are, they wouldn't get much in return for Johnson, who is batting a lowly .216/.279/.392 this season. Apparently for that reason, the team has decided to make a move now rather than later and release him.

In his place the Yankees have called up Jose Pirela. Pirela was having an excellent season at AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, hitting .330/.367/.464 in 224 at bats (most on the team). In case any of you feel that Jose's six errors this season could be an issue, keep in mind that Brian Roberts has the same number of errors in the same number of games.

So much for easing Jose into things, as he's already been inserted into the starting lineup (see below). I'm glad to see this, as there's no reason to keep starting Brian Roberts, who's had a pretty rough time at the plate this year too.

1. Brett Gardner - LF
2. Derek Jeter - SS *
3. Jacoby Ellsbury - CF
4. Brian McCann - C
5. Yangervis Solarte - 3B
6. Mark Teixeira - 1B
7. Carlos Beltran - DH
8. Ichiro Suzuki - RF
9. Jose Pirela - 2B

*even in my dreams I couldn't see the team moving Jeter from this spot.

I had originally started to write that the Yankees had released Brian Roberts as well as Johnson, but decided to take it back. It's not that I believe Brian will turn things around and play an important role on the team, it's that I don't believe calling up Scott Sizemore is going to help anything. Scott's hitting .258/.325/.351 against AAA pitching, so I have no reason to believe he'd be much of an upgrade... if any at all.

I also thought about releasing Soriano and calling up Almonte, but I don't see Almonte doing a whole heck of a lot in MLB either. Perhaps it's just a matter of giving the guy another chance in MLB, but I don't know.

Quick Hit: Latest All Star Game Voting

As you can see Derek Jeter is in jeopardy of losing his starting All Star Game spot to Chicago's Alexei Ramirez. This is an absolute disgrace to the game if he does not start the game and I will be severely disappointed if he doesn't. I will not be because Jeter deserves it, he doesn't, but this voting has been a sham and a popularity contest for years and now is not the time to be changing that.

If Brian McCann can be second then Jeter should start, bottom line.

This Day In New York Yankees History 6/10

On this day in 1921 the Yankees Babe Ruth became the All Time Home Run record holder in the Major Leagues with 120 home runs. The historic home run would come off the Indians Jim Bagby. Ruth would hold the record until Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run in 1974.

On this day in 2005 Gotta Have It Collectibles wins the bid for the actual contract signed on December 26, 1919 by Red Sox owner Harry Frazee, Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, and by Babe Ruth himself. The winning bid was foe $996,000 which was five times what the Yankees paid for the Bambino and the curse that came with it.

Game Thread: Yankees @ Royals 6/9

UPDATE: This game has been rained out. No word on a makeup date as of yet. The Royals will save their farewell tour gift for Jeter and give it to him when the game is made up.

OFFICIAL: August 25th is the makeup date, no time announced yet.

The New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals will finish up their four game set at Kauffman Stadium tonight before both teams head out for a new series. The Yankees will send Vidal Nuno to the mound to face off with Jason Vargas for the Royals. The game will be played at 8:10 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB TV, and can be heard on the radio with WFAN.

Get on Twitter and give us a follow, @GreedyStripes, to chat during the game. Chat, trash the Yankees, whatever you wanna do. Drop us a line in the comments section of the site as well to chat during the game. Get your Yankees tickets while you still can for the Derek Jeter farewell tour as well right here on the blog through Ticket Monster. 

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

Yankees Trying To Trade Kelly Johnson?

According to a report in the Dallas Morning Star "officials" around the league say that the New York Yankees have made Kelly Johnson available in trades. The Texas Rangers are said to be interested in Johnson's services possibly after losing their second first basemen this season in Mitch Moreland who went down with an ankle injury. Could the Yankees actually get something in return for Johnson, a player to be named later or cash considerations? Or would they ask for "the moon" for Johnson and play the supply vs. demand game? Hopefully it's the former and not the latter, New York can open up a spot for Triple-A power hitting first basemen Kyle Roller with the trade.

Johnson currently sits at .216/.279/.392 with four home runs and 16 RBI's this season losing his starting third base job to Yangervis Solarte.